US-based artificial intelligence firm, Anthropic, has introduced a formidable competitor to ChatGPT in the form of a novel-summarising chatbot called Claude 2.

This cutting-edge chatbot operates on a set of safety principles derived from various sources, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Anthropic has made Claude 2 publicly accessible in the United States and the United Kingdom, coinciding with the intensifying debate surrounding the safety and societal implications of artificial intelligence.

Anthropic, headquartered in San Francisco, has coined its safety approach as "Constitutional AI." This methodology involves employing a set of principles to guide the chatbot's decision-making process while generating text. By drawing inspiration from various influential documents and frameworks, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Claude 2 aims to prioritise responsible and ethical text generation.

The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has recently expressed its concerns over the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on the income of UK authors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/financial-crisis-hits-hard-indian-firm-enforces-salary-cap-of-us914-amid-cash-crunch-614791">Financial crisis hits hard: Indian firm enforces salary cap of US$914 amid cash crunch</a>

In response to a survey conducted by the guild, more than six out of 10 authors reported that they believed AI would lead to a decline in their earnings, reported the Guardian.

To address these concerns, the WGGB has called for the establishment of an independent AI regulator and proposed several measures to safeguard the rights and interests of writers.

<h2>The call for an independent AI regulator</h2>

The WGGB's policy statement, released on Wednesday, emphasised the need for an independent regulatory body to oversee the use of AI.

The guild believes that such a regulator would ensure accountability and transparency in AI development, safeguarding the interests of authors and preventing potential exploitation.

By advocating for an independent AI regulator, the WGGB aims to establish a framework that promotes fairness and protects the livelihoods of writers.

Transparency in AI development to address concerns regarding the use of writers' work in AI systems, the WGGB proposes that AI developers maintain comprehensive logs of the information used to train their systems.

Watch |&nbsp;'AI to impact all sectors in India,' says Prof B Ravindran in conversation&nbsp;with&nbsp;WION

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This would enable writers to verify whether their work has been utilised without their consent. The guild emphasises the importance of writers having control over their intellectual property and seeks to empower them through increased transparency in AI development.

The WGGB emphasises that AI developers should seek explicit permission from writers before utilising their work.

This proposal aims to ensure that authors have control over the usage of their creative output in AI systems. Additionally, the guild suggests that AI-generated content should be clearly labelled, enabling users to differentiate between human-created and AI-generated works.

By implementing these measures, the WGGB aims to preserve the integrity of authors' work and maintain transparency for consumers.

Copyright Protections and Restrictions on Scraping The WGGB highlights the importance of copyright protections in the digital age.

It urges the government to reject any copyright exceptions that may enable the unauthorised scraping of writers' work from the internet.

This measure seeks to prevent the indiscriminate use of authors' content in AI systems and preserve their rights as creators. By advocating for strong copyright protections, the WGGB aims to foster an environment that encourages creativity while safeguarding the interests of writers.

&nbsp;

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US-based artificial intelligence firm, Anthropic, has introduced a formidable competitor to ChatGPT in the form of a novel-summarising chatbot called Claude 2. This cutting-edge chatbot operates on a set of safety principles derived from various sources, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

US-based artificial intelligence firm, Anthropic, has introduced a formidable competitor to ChatGPT in the form of a novel-summarising chatbot called Claude 2. This cutting-edge chatbot operates on a set of safety principles derived from various sources, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Anthropic has made Claude 2 publicly accessible in the United States and the United Kingdom, coinciding with the intensifying debate surrounding the safety and societal implications of artificial intelligence. Anthropic, headquartered in San Francisco, has coined its safety approach as "Constitutional AI." This methodology involves employing a set of principles to guide the chatbot's decision-making process while generating text. By drawing inspiration from various influential documents and frameworks, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Claude 2 aims to prioritise responsible and ethical text generation. The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has recently expressed its concerns over the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential impact on the income of UK authors. Also read | Financial crisis hits hard: Indian firm enforces salary cap of US$914 amid cash crunch In response to a survey conducted by the guild, more than six out of 10 authors reported that they believed AI would lead to a decline in their earnings, reported the Guardian. To address these concerns, the WGGB has called for the establishment of an independent AI regulator and proposed several measures to safeguard the rights and interests of writers. The call for an independent AI regulator The WGGB's policy statement, released on Wednesday, emphasised the need for an independent regulatory body to oversee the use of AI. The guild believes that such a regulator would ensure accountability and transparency in AI development, safeguarding the interests of authors and preventing potential exploitation. By advocating for an independent AI regulator, the WGGB aims to establish a framework that promotes fairness and protects the livelihoods of writers. Transparency in AI development to address concerns regarding the use of writers' work in AI systems, the WGGB proposes that AI developers maintain comprehensive logs of the information used to train their systems. Watch | 'AI to impact all sectors in India,' says Prof B Ravindran in conversation with WION This would enable writers to verify whether their work has been utilised without their consent. The guild emphasises the importance of writers having control over their intellectual property and seeks to empower them through increased transparency in AI development. The WGGB emphasises that AI developers should seek explicit permission from writers before utilising their work. This proposal aims to ensure that authors have control over the usage of their creative output in AI systems. Additionally, the guild suggests that AI-generated content should be clearly labelled, enabling users to differentiate between human-created and AI-generated works. By implementing these measures, the WGGB aims to preserve the integrity of authors' work and maintain transparency for consumers. Copyright Protections and Restrictions on Scraping The WGGB highlights the importance of copyright protections in the digital age. It urges the government to reject any copyright exceptions that may enable the unauthorised scraping of writers' work from the internet. This measure seeks to prevent the indiscriminate use of authors' content in AI systems and preserve their rights as creators. By advocating for strong copyright protections, the WGGB aims to foster an environment that encourages creativity while safeguarding the interests of writers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Meet Claude 2: ChatGPT's rival introduces novel-summarising chatbot

On Monday, several Indian media reported that India’s COVID-19 vaccine booking portal, CoWIN, was compromised, and sensitive personal information of thousands of users was leaked on the Telegram social messaging app.

It was claimed that a Telegram bot was revealing sensitive data of the users when inquired about an individual’s phone number. The bot leaked the name, Aadhaar number, PAN number, passport number, date of birth, location, gender, and the institute from where they got vaccinated.

Notably, a user had to save some of these details while registering for the CoWIN app.

Millions of Indian users had signed up on CoWIN portal, launched on January 16, 2021, and have used it to book vaccination slots. The data includes more than 40 million children aged between 12-14 and over 37 million people over the age of 45, a significant part of which could be senior citizens.

Now, it is no longer possible to access this bot.

<h2>Indian government’s response</h2>

There were two, slightly different, reactions from the government.

The first one was issued by the Indian health ministry which outrightly rejected claims of data leak saying that "all such reports are without any basis and mischievous in nature".

In a press release, the health ministry said that there are three ways in which data on CoWIN can be accessed.

First, a user can access their data on the portal through a one-time password (OTP) sent to their mobile number.

&nbsp;Two, a vaccinator can access the data of a person, and the CoWIN system tracks and records each time an “authorised” user accesses the system.

&nbsp;And lastly, third-party applications that have been provided authorised access of CoWIN APIs can access personal level data of vaccinated people after OTP authentication.

The government claimed that without an OTP, data cannot be shared with the Telegram bot.

The ministry further pointed out that CoWIN only collects their year of birth while there is no provision to save a person’s address on the platform.

“Security Measures are in place on the Co-WIN portal, with Web Application Firewall, Anti-DDoS, SSL/TLS, regular vulnerability assessment, Identity &amp; Access Management, etc,” it said in a statement.

The health ministry further said that it has roped in the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)—the Indian nodal government agency that looks after cyber security—to look into this issue and submit a report. In addition, an internal exercise has been initiated to review the existing security measures of CoWIN.&nbsp;

However, minutes later the Minister of Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, released a statement via Twitter that an initial investigation had already indicated that there had been a previous instance of CoWin data leak.

&nbsp;"A Telegram Bot was throwing up Cowin app details upon entry of phone numbers. The data was being accessed by bot from a threat actor database, which seems to have been populated with previously stolen data," he said.

Experts have noted that the CoWIN breach controversy warrants an urgent need for a data protection bill that will protect citizens from such exposure and ensure the accountability of institutions.

<h2>What is a bot?</h2>

A bot, short for robot, is a software application programmed to perform tasks through Robotic Process Automation, or RPA. Bots work by automatically going through a set of instructions, and they carry out tasks and processes much faster, more accurately, and at a higher volume than it would otherwise take humans.

On Telegram, every bot has a unique handle. To add a bot, one has to simply search for it, click on the bot handle and they will be able to interact with it in the chat window.

These bots can support "any kind of task or service," with some popular functions including delivering answers to users' FAQs, converting certain file types into others, or setting reminders for users.

However, of late, there has been sharp in increase of mishandling bots and primarily used to run scams, or exfiltrate personal data.

<h2>Can a bot threaten privacy of users?</h2>

Apparently yes, One of the main concerns raised&nbsp;about chatbots is the collection of personal information. Many chatbots collect user data, including their conversations, personal preferences, and location. Though this data is used used to personalise the chatbot responses and improve the user experience, there have been many instances where it is used for scams and identity thefts, spread malware and launch cyberattacks.

<h2>Has this happened before?</h2>

Twice there have been claims of CoWIN breach. The first instance was in June 2021, where a few had claimed the portal had been hacked resulting in the sale of data relating to 150 million Indians. The Indian government denied that this had happened.

Then in January last year, when similar reports of a data breach emerged, the chief of the National Health Authority, Ram Sewak Sharma, responded saying the database was "safe and secure".

<h2>What is CoWIN and how does it work?</h2>

CoWIN, which stands for COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network, is an app introduced and made under the aegis of the central government for the vaccination process.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/major-data-breach-in-india-personal-info-of-covid-vaccine-recipients-leaked-on-telegram-say-reports-603379">CoWIN leak: Indian govt refutes Covid vaccine portal data breach reports, orders probe</a>

It serves various services like registration, beneficiary tracking, appointment scheduling, vaccine stock management, real-time data monitoring, identity verification, vaccination, and issuing an instant digital certificate to each vaccinated individual.&nbsp;

CoWIN has so far recorded more than 2.2 billion administered vaccine doses through 5,773 vaccination sites.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On Monday, several Indian media reported that India’s COVID-19 vaccine booking portal, CoWIN, was compromised, and sensitive personal information of thousands of users was leaked on the Telegram social messaging app.

On Monday, several Indian media reported that India’s COVID-19 vaccine booking portal, CoWIN, was compromised, and sensitive personal information of thousands of users was leaked on the Telegram social messaging app. It was claimed that a Telegram bot was revealing sensitive data of the users when inquired about an individual’s phone number. The bot leaked the name, Aadhaar number, PAN number, passport number, date of birth, location, gender, and the institute from where they got vaccinated. Notably, a user had to save some of these details while registering for the CoWIN app. Millions of Indian users had signed up on CoWIN portal, launched on January 16, 2021, and have used it to book vaccination slots. The data includes more than 40 million children aged between 12-14 and over 37 million people over the age of 45, a significant part of which could be senior citizens. Now, it is no longer possible to access this bot. Indian government’s response There were two, slightly different, reactions from the government. The first one was issued by the Indian health ministry which outrightly rejected claims of data leak saying that "all such reports are without any basis and mischievous in nature". In a press release, the health ministry said that there are three ways in which data on CoWIN can be accessed. First, a user can access their data on the portal through a one-time password (OTP) sent to their mobile number. Two, a vaccinator can access the data of a person, and the CoWIN system tracks and records each time an “authorised” user accesses the system. And lastly, third-party applications that have been provided authorised access of CoWIN APIs can access personal level data of vaccinated people after OTP authentication. The government claimed that without an OTP, data cannot be shared with the Telegram bot. The ministry further pointed out that CoWIN only collects their year of birth while there is no provision to save a person’s address on the platform. “Security Measures are in place on the Co-WIN portal, with Web Application Firewall, Anti-DDoS, SSL/TLS, regular vulnerability assessment, Identity & Access Management, etc,” it said in a statement. The health ministry further said that it has roped in the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In)—the Indian nodal government agency that looks after cyber security—to look into this issue and submit a report. In addition, an internal exercise has been initiated to review the existing security measures of CoWIN. However, minutes later the Minister of Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, released a statement via Twitter that an initial investigation had already indicated that there had been a previous instance of CoWin data leak. "A Telegram Bot was throwing up Cowin app details upon entry of phone numbers. The data was being accessed by bot from a threat actor database, which seems to have been populated with previously stolen data," he said. Experts have noted that the CoWIN breach controversy warrants an urgent need for a data protection bill that will protect citizens from such exposure and ensure the accountability of institutions. What is a bot? A bot, short for robot, is a software application programmed to perform tasks through Robotic Process Automation, or RPA. Bots work by automatically going through a set of instructions, and they carry out tasks and processes much faster, more accurately, and at a higher volume than it would otherwise take humans. On Telegram, every bot has a unique handle. To add a bot, one has to simply search for it, click on the bot handle and they will be able to interact with it in the chat window. These bots can support "any kind of task or service," with some popular functions including delivering answers to users' FAQs, converting certain file types into others, or setting reminders for users. However, of late, there has been sharp in increase of mishandling bots and primarily used to run scams, or exfiltrate personal data. Can a bot threaten privacy of users? Apparently yes, One of the main concerns raised about chatbots is the collection of personal information. Many chatbots collect user data, including their conversations, personal preferences, and location. Though this data is used used to personalise the chatbot responses and improve the user experience, there have been many instances where it is used for scams and identity thefts, spread malware and launch cyberattacks. Has this happened before? Twice there have been claims of CoWIN breach. The first instance was in June 2021, where a few had claimed the portal had been hacked resulting in the sale of data relating to 150 million Indians. The Indian government denied that this had happened. Then in January last year, when similar reports of a data breach emerged, the chief of the National Health Authority, Ram Sewak Sharma, responded saying the database was "safe and secure". What is CoWIN and how does it work? CoWIN, which stands for COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network, is an app introduced and made under the aegis of the central government for the vaccination process. Also read | CoWIN leak: Indian govt refutes Covid vaccine portal data breach reports, orders probe It serves various services like registration, beneficiary tracking, appointment scheduling, vaccine stock management, real-time data monitoring, identity verification, vaccination, and issuing an instant digital certificate to each vaccinated individual. CoWIN has so far recorded more than 2.2 billion administered vaccine doses through 5,773 vaccination sites. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained: CoWIN data leak, and how bots stoke privacy tensions

Twitter on Wednesday (December 14) suspended a bot account that was tracking Elon Musk's private jet, said the account's operator in a tweet. The account is operated by Jack Sweeney. The Twitter account operated by him was tracking Musk's private jet using data available in the public domain.

Sweeney's account was suspended later as well.

Musk said in a tweet in November that his commitment to free speech "extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk".

"Real-time posting of someone else's location violates doxxing policy, but delayed posting of locations are ok," Musk said on Wednesday in response to a tweet about the suspension.

"Doxxing" is the public release of sensitive information identifying an individual or organization, like a home address or phone number.

Jack Sweeney is a 20-year-old student at the University of Central Florida. He also operates similar bot accounts tracking Musk's jet on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram. Sweeney had tweeted on Saturday that Ella Irwin, Twitter's vice president of trust and safety, requested that the account be filtered and less visible to users.

There were no immediate reactions from Twitter or Sweeney.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Twitter on Wednesday (December 14) suspended a bot account that was tracking Elon Musk's private jet, said the account's operator in a tweet. The account is operated by Jack Sweeney.

Twitter on Wednesday (December 14) suspended a bot account that was tracking Elon Musk's private jet, said the account's operator in a tweet. The account is operated by Jack Sweeney. The Twitter account operated by him was tracking Musk's private jet using data available in the public domain. Sweeney's account was suspended later as well. Musk said in a tweet in November that his commitment to free speech "extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk". "Real-time posting of someone else's location violates doxxing policy, but delayed posting of locations are ok," Musk said on Wednesday in response to a tweet about the suspension. "Doxxing" is the public release of sensitive information identifying an individual or organization, like a home address or phone number. Jack Sweeney is a 20-year-old student at the University of Central Florida. He also operates similar bot accounts tracking Musk's jet on Facebook, Instagram and Telegram. Sweeney had tweeted on Saturday that Ella Irwin, Twitter's vice president of trust and safety, requested that the account be filtered and less visible to users. There were no immediate reactions from Twitter or Sweeney. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Twitter suspends bot account that was tracking Elon Musk's private jet

China has reportedly put its bot accounts on work to obscure the videos of the anti-lockdown protests on Twitter. These bot accounts are flooding Twitter with adverts to divert attention from protests. Neha Khanna brings you more details.

WION Fineprint: China's bid to suppress its protest footages on Twitter

Microblogging platform Twitter has suspended a bot that was spoiling Wordle, the five-letter puzzle craze that has gone global. It was posting offensive messages that included spoilers for the next day’s game.

The website-only word game has seen a recent surge in popularity thanks to celebrities like Jimmy Fallon.

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Note: if you like tweeting your wordIe scores, someone’s made a bot you should block as it auto-responds with tomorrows answer <a href="https://t.co/u62kBaTivn">pic.twitter.com/u62kBaTivn</a>
— dan nguyen (@dancow) <a href="https://twitter.com/dancow/status/1485660308622528513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-meatless-meat-to-web-30-here-are-the-tech-trends-that-can-dominate-in-2022-441762" hreflang="en">From meatless meat to Web 3.0: Here are the tech trends that can dominate in 2022</a>

The once-a-day online word game, originally created in October by former Reddit software engineer Josh Wardle, can only be played on his website and does not have a mobile app.

However, several developers have created identical app versions to cash in on surging demand for the game, with unsuspecting users driving up downloads of the clone apps.

Part of what makes Wordle special is that it costs nothing to play,&nbsp;and is also, more unusually, ad-free.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/now-people-can-send-and-receive-messages-from-their-face-through-smart-glasses-437367">Also read |&nbsp;Now, people can send and receive messages from their face through smart glasses</a>

Its developer Steven Cravotta, now 24, says he initially "had no idea what was going on" when his app starting logging more than 40,000 daily downloads.

"I didn't know it was a craze," Cravotta told The Wall Street Journal.&nbsp;

Josh Wardle's game has flooded Twitter and Facebook timelines in recent weeks as players posted their scores. It gives a player six chances to guess the day's secret word, which has five letters, and the aim is to figure out the secret word with the fewest guesses.

Wordle is already being adapted into other languages, including French, having swiftly conquered the English-speaking world,&nbsp;although, spoiler alert, the Wednesday word's American spelling triggered howls of online player protests from its creator's fellow Britons.

(With inputs from agencies)

Microblogging platform Twitter has suspended a bot that was spoiling Wordle, the five-letter puzzle craze that has gone global. It was posting offensive messages that included spoilers for the next day’s game.

Microblogging platform Twitter has suspended a bot that was spoiling Wordle, the five-letter puzzle craze that has gone global. It was posting offensive messages that included spoilers for the next day’s game. The website-only word game has seen a recent surge in popularity thanks to celebrities like Jimmy Fallon. Note: if you like tweeting your wordIe scores, someone’s made a bot you should block as it auto-responds with tomorrows answer pic.twitter.com/u62kBaTivn — dan nguyen (@dancow) January 24, 2022 × Also see | From meatless meat to Web 3.0: Here are the tech trends that can dominate in 2022 The once-a-day online word game, originally created in October by former Reddit software engineer Josh Wardle, can only be played on his website and does not have a mobile app. However, several developers have created identical app versions to cash in on surging demand for the game, with unsuspecting users driving up downloads of the clone apps. Part of what makes Wordle special is that it costs nothing to play, and is also, more unusually, ad-free. Also read | Now, people can send and receive messages from their face through smart glasses Its developer Steven Cravotta, now 24, says he initially "had no idea what was going on" when his app starting logging more than 40,000 daily downloads. "I didn't know it was a craze," Cravotta told The Wall Street Journal. Josh Wardle's game has flooded Twitter and Facebook timelines in recent weeks as players posted their scores. It gives a player six chances to guess the day's secret word, which has five letters, and the aim is to figure out the secret word with the fewest guesses. Wordle is already being adapted into other languages, including French, having swiftly conquered the English-speaking world, although, spoiler alert, the Wednesday word's American spelling triggered howls of online player protests from its creator's fellow Britons. (With inputs from agencies)

Twitter suspends bot spoiling five-letter puzzle craze Wordle

Israeli Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-fights-for-political-life-a-week-before-israel-votes-248659">Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party </a>was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all".

Israeli media reported that the post which said Israeli Arabs "want to destroy us all -- women, children and men" appeared on Netanyahu's official Facebook page and was subsequently removed by Likud.

"After careful review of the Likud campaign’s bot activities, we found a violation of our hate speech policy," a Facebook statement said, referring to an automated chat function.

"We also found that the bot was misusing the platform in the time period allowed to contact people. As a result, we temporarily suspended the bot for 24 hours. Should there be any additional violations, we will continue to take appropriate action."

A Likud spokesman told AFP that the freeze went into effect Thursday morning and would not affect the party's online election campaign.

Netanyahu, who is fighting an election battle for his political survival, said the message had nothing to do with him.

Watch —&nbsp;Israel Polls: It's Going Down To The Wire

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"It wasn't me. It was one of the workers at our election headquarters," he told Israeli public radio. "That mistake was fixed quickly."

"Think logically: Do you think I would really write such a thing?"

"I have friends in Arab countries and I have respect for human beings regardless of whether they are Jewish or Arab, Muslim or Christian."

Netanyahu has long faced accusations from critics that he has demonised Israel's 1.4 million Arab citizens with his political rhetoric.

With the September 17 vote looming, he and Likud drew outrage from opposition parties with a push for last-minute legislation that would allow party officials to bring cameras to polling stations.

His critics labelled it a naked attempt to depress turnout among Israel's Arab population, as it could intimidate many into staying away.

Netanyahu has used similar tactics in the past, including warning on election day in 2015 that Israeli Arabs were voting in "droves", a comment for which he later apologised.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party was found Thursday to have violated Facebook's hate-speech policy after a post from his account saying Arabs "want to destroy us all". Israeli media reported that the post which said Israeli Arabs "want to destroy us all -- women, children and men" appeared on Netanyahu's official Facebook page and was subsequently removed by Likud. "After careful review of the Likud campaign’s bot activities, we found a violation of our hate speech policy," a Facebook statement said, referring to an automated chat function. "We also found that the bot was misusing the platform in the time period allowed to contact people. As a result, we temporarily suspended the bot for 24 hours. Should there be any additional violations, we will continue to take appropriate action." A Likud spokesman told AFP that the freeze went into effect Thursday morning and would not affect the party's online election campaign. Netanyahu, who is fighting an election battle for his political survival, said the message had nothing to do with him. Watch — Israel Polls: It's Going Down To The Wire "It wasn't me. It was one of the workers at our election headquarters," he told Israeli public radio. "That mistake was fixed quickly." "Think logically: Do you think I would really write such a thing?" "I have friends in Arab countries and I have respect for human beings regardless of whether they are Jewish or Arab, Muslim or Christian." Netanyahu has long faced accusations from critics that he has demonised Israel's 1.4 million Arab citizens with his political rhetoric. With the September 17 vote looming, he and Likud drew outrage from opposition parties with a push for last-minute legislation that would allow party officials to bring cameras to polling stations. His critics labelled it a naked attempt to depress turnout among Israel's Arab population, as it could intimidate many into staying away. Netanyahu has used similar tactics in the past, including warning on election day in 2015 that Israeli Arabs were voting in "droves", a comment for which he later apologised.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bot gets Facebook 'hate speech' suspension

Bot, News on Bot, stories on Bot, articles on Bot, Bot stories at Wion, Bot news, Bot latest news