Taiwan&nbsp;authorities have accused Chinese internet trolls of sowing panic over the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-says-china-feeding-world-health-organisation-wrong-information-about-virus-cases-on-island-279116">coronavirus </a>outbreak, with much of the disinformation falsely implying the island has an out of control epidemic.

Police say they are investigating a surge of stories spreading online and through social media claiming President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-says-china-feeding-world-health-organisation-wrong-information-about-virus-cases-on-island-279116">Tsai Ing-wen</a>'s government was trying to cover up an outbreak.

"We suspect that mainland Chinese Internet trolls are making up and spreading the false messages based on the content and the phrases,"&nbsp;Taiwan's Investigation Bureau said in a statement late Wednesday.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-says-china-feeding-world-health-organisation-wrong-information-about-virus-cases-on-island-279116">Taiwan says China feeding World Health Organisation wrong information about virus cases on island</a>

"The intent is to cause misunderstanding among the public and to sow panic to seriously jeopardise our social stability," it added.

Tsai, who won a landslide second term in January and is loathed by Beijing, took to Facebook to warn people against believing rumours.&nbsp;

While she did not mention China by name, she hinted at linguistic clues suggesting much of the misinformation was being written outside of&nbsp;Taiwan.&nbsp;

"Some of the rumours even contain phrases not used in&nbsp;Taiwan," she wrote.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-severity-shrinks-in-china-as-global-tally-continues-to-rise-282983">Coronavirus: Severity shrinks in China as global tally continues to rise</a>

One key language difference is that&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;uses traditional Chinese characters, not the simplified versions used on the mainland.

Despite its cultural links and close proximity to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-severity-shrinks-in-china-as-global-tally-continues-to-rise-282983">China</a>,&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;moved swiftly against the outbreak, quickly restricting and then banning arrivals from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau.&nbsp;

It currently has 32 confirmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-severity-shrinks-in-china-as-global-tally-continues-to-rise-282983">COVID-19</a> cases, with one death.&nbsp;

The coronavirus outbreak has only added to tensions between&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-says-china-feeding-world-health-organisation-wrong-information-about-virus-cases-on-island-279116">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-severity-shrinks-in-china-as-global-tally-continues-to-rise-282983">China</a>.&nbsp;

Beijing regards the self-ruled democracy as its own territory and has kept it frozen out of international bodies including the World Health Organization.

And the island has long been a target for Chinese nationalist internet trolls seeking to undermine public faith in Tsai's government.&nbsp;

Analysts say trolls have got better in recent years at deploying traditional Chinese and Taiwanese phrasing.&nbsp;

But much of the current misinformation on the virus appears to be more rudimentary.&nbsp;

Examples of misinformation given by the Investigation Bureau was one false social media message claiming to be written by the child of a ruling party councillor saying Taipei "dares not disclose over 500 infections and 200 deaths".

Another false message alleged that the administration of "Governor Tsai," a term used by mainland Chinese to refer to the president, was covering up the cremation of bodies, the bureau said.&nbsp;

Taiwan's FactCheck Centre, an independent organisation that debunks misinformation said there has been a surge in false posts deploying simplified characters or common phrases used in mainland China.&nbsp;

"New variants of such disinformation keeping coming out to spread falsehoods in an attempt to create panic," the centre wrote.&nbsp;

"We urge readers not to forward these messages but to verify and discredit them."

Taiwan authorities have accused Chinese internet trolls of sowing panic over the coronavirus outbreak, with much of the disinformation falsely implying the island has an out of control epidemic.

Taiwan authorities have accused Chinese internet trolls of sowing panic over the coronavirus outbreak, with much of the disinformation falsely implying the island has an out of control epidemic. Police say they are investigating a surge of stories spreading online and through social media claiming President Tsai Ing-wen's government was trying to cover up an outbreak. "We suspect that mainland Chinese Internet trolls are making up and spreading the false messages based on the content and the phrases," Taiwan's Investigation Bureau said in a statement late Wednesday. Also read: Taiwan says China feeding World Health Organisation wrong information about virus cases on island "The intent is to cause misunderstanding among the public and to sow panic to seriously jeopardise our social stability," it added. Tsai, who won a landslide second term in January and is loathed by Beijing, took to Facebook to warn people against believing rumours. While she did not mention China by name, she hinted at linguistic clues suggesting much of the misinformation was being written outside of Taiwan. "Some of the rumours even contain phrases not used in Taiwan," she wrote. Also read: Coronavirus: Severity shrinks in China as global tally continues to rise One key language difference is that Taiwan uses traditional Chinese characters, not the simplified versions used on the mainland. Despite its cultural links and close proximity to China, Taiwan moved swiftly against the outbreak, quickly restricting and then banning arrivals from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau. It currently has 32 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with one death. The coronavirus outbreak has only added to tensions between Taiwan and China. Beijing regards the self-ruled democracy as its own territory and has kept it frozen out of international bodies including the World Health Organization. And the island has long been a target for Chinese nationalist internet trolls seeking to undermine public faith in Tsai's government. Analysts say trolls have got better in recent years at deploying traditional Chinese and Taiwanese phrasing. But much of the current misinformation on the virus appears to be more rudimentary. Examples of misinformation given by the Investigation Bureau was one false social media message claiming to be written by the child of a ruling party councillor saying Taipei "dares not disclose over 500 infections and 200 deaths". Another false message alleged that the administration of "Governor Tsai," a term used by mainland Chinese to refer to the president, was covering up the cremation of bodies, the bureau said. Taiwan's FactCheck Centre, an independent organisation that debunks misinformation said there has been a surge in false posts deploying simplified characters or common phrases used in mainland China. "New variants of such disinformation keeping coming out to spread falsehoods in an attempt to create panic," the centre wrote. "We urge readers not to forward these messages but to verify and discredit them."

Taiwan accuses Chinese trolls of sowing virus panic

A recent study has revealed how much people in various countries value their private information and at what price will they be ready to part with it.

It is the first study that attempts to quantify the value of online privacy and data. It assessed how much privacy is worth in six countries by looking at the habits of people in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia and Argentina.

The study has been conducted by US-based think tank the Technology Policy Institute (TPI).

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-investigating-data-exposure-of-267-million-users-269245">Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak</a>

The study found Germans want to be paid more for letting technology platforms share their personal data with third-parties followed by US consumers.

German <a href="https://www.wionews.com/east-asia/protect-users-personal-data-japan-government-to-facebook-172769">Facebook users</a> would want the social media platform to pay them about $8 per month for sharing their contact information, while US users would only seek $3.50.

The study addresses the growing concern about how companies from technology platforms to retailers have been collecting and monetizing personal data.&nbsp;

"Differences in how much people value the privacy of different data types across countries suggests that people in some places may prefer weaker rules while people in other places might prefer stronger rules," Scott Wallsten, president and senior fellow at TPI said.

"Quantifying the value of privacy is necessary for conducting any analysis of proposed privacy policies," he said.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-prosecutors-probing-facebooks-data-deals-report-203195">US prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: Report</a>

People across the board place the highest value on financial information such as bank balance and biometric information such as fingerprint data in particular and consider location data the least valuable, the study found.

A technology platform, on average, across all people the study assessed, would have to pay consumers a monthly $8.44 to share their bank balance information, $7.56 to share fingerprint information, $6.05 to read an individual's texts, and $5.80 to share information on cash withdrawals.

By contrast, people wanted to be paid only $1.82 per month to share location data and nothing to be sent advertisements via text messages.

<img alt="A graphical depiction of the data compiled in the study" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e72e696a-f1f0-4814-b3f6-327e38f2cc40" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/FACEBBOK.jpg" />

(In photo: A graphical depiction of the data compiled in the study)

The study found Latin American consumers have a preference for seeing advertisements on their smartphone, in contrast to US residents and Germans.

US regulators have imposed hefty fines on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/east-asia/protect-users-personal-data-japan-government-to-facebook-172769">Facebook Inc</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alphabet-googles-parent-company-now-a-1-trillion-enterprise-fourth-us-company-to-achieve-this-feat-274982">Alphabet</a>-owned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alphabet-googles-parent-company-now-a-1-trillion-enterprise-fourth-us-company-to-achieve-this-feat-274982">Google</a>'s <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alphabet-googles-parent-company-now-a-1-trillion-enterprise-fourth-us-company-to-achieve-this-feat-274982">YouTube </a>unit for privacy violations.

US lawmakers are working on federal privacy legislation while states like California have put in place a new privacy law. 
&nbsp;

A recent study has revealed how much people in various countries value their private information and at what price will they be ready to part with it. It is the first study that attempts to quantify the value of online privacy and data.

A recent study has revealed how much people in various countries value their private information and at what price will they be ready to part with it. It is the first study that attempts to quantify the value of online privacy and data. It assessed how much privacy is worth in six countries by looking at the habits of people in the United States, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia and Argentina. The study has been conducted by US-based think tank the Technology Policy Institute (TPI). Also read: Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak The study found Germans want to be paid more for letting technology platforms share their personal data with third-parties followed by US consumers. German Facebook users would want the social media platform to pay them about $8 per month for sharing their contact information, while US users would only seek $3.50. The study addresses the growing concern about how companies from technology platforms to retailers have been collecting and monetizing personal data. "Differences in how much people value the privacy of different data types across countries suggests that people in some places may prefer weaker rules while people in other places might prefer stronger rules," Scott Wallsten, president and senior fellow at TPI said. "Quantifying the value of privacy is necessary for conducting any analysis of proposed privacy policies," he said. Also read: US prosecutors probing Facebook's data deals: Report People across the board place the highest value on financial information such as bank balance and biometric information such as fingerprint data in particular and consider location data the least valuable, the study found. A technology platform, on average, across all people the study assessed, would have to pay consumers a monthly $8.44 to share their bank balance information, $7.56 to share fingerprint information, $6.05 to read an individual's texts, and $5.80 to share information on cash withdrawals. By contrast, people wanted to be paid only $1.82 per month to share location data and nothing to be sent advertisements via text messages. (In photo: A graphical depiction of the data compiled in the study) The study found Latin American consumers have a preference for seeing advertisements on their smartphone, in contrast to US residents and Germans. US regulators have imposed hefty fines on Facebook Inc and Alphabet-owned Google's YouTube unit for privacy violations. US lawmakers are working on federal privacy legislation while states like California have put in place a new privacy law.

How much do Facebook users want to sell their private information for?

Facebook CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-takes-a-dig-at-mark-zuckerberg-calls-making-of-facebook-childs-play-274396">Mark Zuckerberg</a> allegedly hires employees to blow-dry his armpits to stop him stress-sweating before big events and speeches, according to a new book.

Technology journalist&nbsp;Steven Levy&nbsp;has claimed&nbsp;in his new book called&nbsp;'Facebook: The Inside Story' that Zuckerberg is so&nbsp;"consumed by his public image"&nbsp;that his communications executives&nbsp;have to blow-dry his armpits ahead of speeches in order to combat perspiration due to anxiety.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/amazon-ceo-jeff-bezos-takes-a-dig-at-mark-zuckerberg-calls-making-of-facebook-childs-play-274396">Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos takes a dig at Mark Zuckerberg, calls making of Facebook child's play</a>

Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, meanwhile, is portrayed as a micromanager and someone who is "fanatical about her public image" and&nbsp;reportedly known to ''scream at underlings''.&nbsp;

However, Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said that "I doubt this is true and if so it would have been at our communications team's request, but surely anyone who has ever worn a grey t-shirt can relate".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Elon Musk calls Facebook 'lame' and urges people to 'delete' it</a>

Levy's book is set to release later this month.

The bizarre idea that the Facebook CEO&nbsp;gets someone to blow-dry his armpits has created a huge buzz on social media, sparking several jokes.

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I'm pretty sure this is why Jobs wore the black turtleneck, no pit stains visible on that!
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You know you have too much money when....
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The 35-year-old had become famous for his perspiration during a 2010 televised interview when he became visibly nervous and had started perspiring profusely.

The book also highlighted Zuckerberg's ambition of transforming Facebook into a ''futuristic government-style interface to access a database full of information linked to every person''.&nbsp;

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly hires employees to blow-dry his armpits to stop him stress-sweating before big events and speeches, according to a new book.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg allegedly hires employees to blow-dry his armpits to stop him stress-sweating before big events and speeches, according to a new book. Technology journalist Steven Levy has claimed in his new book called 'Facebook: The Inside Story' that Zuckerberg is so "consumed by his public image" that his communications executives have to blow-dry his armpits ahead of speeches in order to combat perspiration due to anxiety. Also read: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos takes a dig at Mark Zuckerberg, calls making of Facebook child's play Facebook's Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, meanwhile, is portrayed as a micromanager and someone who is "fanatical about her public image" and reportedly known to ''scream at underlings''. However, Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said that "I doubt this is true and if so it would have been at our communications team's request, but surely anyone who has ever worn a grey t-shirt can relate". Also read: Elon Musk calls Facebook 'lame' and urges people to 'delete' it Levy's book is set to release later this month. The bizarre idea that the Facebook CEO gets someone to blow-dry his armpits has created a huge buzz on social media, sparking several jokes. I'm pretty sure this is why Jobs wore the black turtleneck, no pit stains visible on that! — Joel Burke (@atlasunshrugged) February 18, 2020 × You know you have too much money when.... — Nope (@NopenopeNOPE59) February 20, 2020 × The 35-year-old had become famous for his perspiration during a 2010 televised interview when he became visibly nervous and had started perspiring profusely. The book also highlighted Zuckerberg's ambition of transforming Facebook into a ''futuristic government-style interface to access a database full of information linked to every person''.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg hires employees to blow-dry his armpits, reveals book

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said said it is a great honour that Facebook has ranked him number one and Narendra Modi number two on their popularity on the social networking site, ahead of his maiden visit to India.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will pay a state visit to India on February 24 and 25 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, it was announced this week.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed to be the number one on Facebook, citing a remark of Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the social media company.

"Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that "Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India." Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it!," Trump tweeted.

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Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that “Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India.” Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1228463577335554049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This is not the first time that the US President has claimed to be the number one and Prime Minister Modi number two on their popularity on Facebook, reported news agency PTI.

Last month in an interview to CNBC TV on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said: "I'm No.1 on Facebook, you know who's no.2? Modi from India".

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said said it is a great honour that Facebook has ranked him number one and Narendra Modi number two on their popularity on the social networking site, ahead of his maiden visit to India.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said said it is a great honour that Facebook has ranked him number one and Narendra Modi number two on their popularity on the social networking site, ahead of his maiden visit to India. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will pay a state visit to India on February 24 and 25 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, it was announced this week. Taking to Twitter, he claimed to be the number one on Facebook, citing a remark of Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of the social media company. "Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that "Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India." Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it!," Trump tweeted. Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that “Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India.” Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 14, 2020 × This is not the first time that the US President has claimed to be the number one and Prime Minister Modi number two on their popularity on Facebook, reported news agency PTI. Last month in an interview to CNBC TV on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said: "I'm No.1 on Facebook, you know who's no.2? Modi from India". (With inputs from PTI)

Trump says it's honour that FB ranked him number 1 and PM Modi number 2

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">European Union</a> (EU) has rejected <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Facebook </a>CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Mark Zuckerberg</a>'s offer&nbsp;on online content regulation, saying the social networking platform must take responsibility for harmful, fake and illegal content. 
 
On Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Zuckerberg&nbsp;</a>had proposed&nbsp;reforms regarding the regulation of Facebook's online content with the slogan "charting a way forward: online content regulation".

After meeting the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Facebook </a>CEO in Brussels, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">EU </a>industry commissioner Thierry Breton said the proposed Internet rules are insufficient and it was for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Facebook </a>to adapt and adherer to Europe's standards, not the other way round.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Facebook CEO Zuckerberg meets top EU officials ahead of proposals regulating AI&nbsp;</a>

Breton who is tasked with overseeing the bloc's data strategy, said Facebook "was being slow in coming forward with ideas on how to remove illegal content and warning that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">EU </a>was preparing to act." 
 
Last year, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Zuckerberg </a>called for governments to work with online platforms to create and adopt new regulation for online content, noting, "It's impossible to remove all harmful content from the Internet, but when people use dozens of different sharing services all with their own policies and processes we need a more standardised approach." 
 
According to Monika Bickert, Vice President, Content Policy at Facebook, the white paper poses some key questions which go to the heart of the debate about regulating content online. 
 
"How can content regulation best achieve the goal of reducing harmful speech while preserving free expression? By requiring systems such as user-friendly channels for reporting content or external oversight of policies or enforcement decisions, and by requiring procedures such as periodic public reporting of enforcement data," said Bickert.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-zuckerberg-asks-facebook-to-be-treated-like-something-between-a-telco-and-a-newspaper-280887">Zuckerberg asks Facebook&nbsp;to be treated "'like something between a telco and a newspaper"</a>

"Regulators could consider certain requirements for companies, such as publishing their content standards, consulting with stakeholders when making significant changes to standards, or creating a channel for users to appeal a company's content removal or non-removal decision". 
 
Facebook said regulators should develop an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of technology in content moderation and allow internet companies the flexibility to innovate. 
 
However, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">EU </a>justice chief Vera Jourova who met <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Zuckerberg </a>also rejected the white paper. 
 
"Facebook cannot push away all the responsibility. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-facebook-ceo-zuckerberg-meets-top-eu-officials-ahead-of-proposals-regulating-ai-281238">Zuckerberg </a>have to answer themselves a question 'who do they want to be'&nbsp;as a company and what values they want to promote," she said in a statement.

The European Union (EU) has rejected Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's offer on online content regulation, saying the social networking platform must take responsibility for harmful, fake and illegal content.

The European Union (EU) has rejected Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's offer on online content regulation, saying the social networking platform must take responsibility for harmful, fake and illegal content. On Monday, Zuckerberg had proposed reforms regarding the regulation of Facebook's online content with the slogan "charting a way forward: online content regulation". After meeting the Facebook CEO in Brussels, EU industry commissioner Thierry Breton said the proposed Internet rules are insufficient and it was for Facebook to adapt and adherer to Europe's standards, not the other way round. Also read: Facebook CEO Zuckerberg meets top EU officials ahead of proposals regulating AI Breton who is tasked with overseeing the bloc's data strategy, said Facebook "was being slow in coming forward with ideas on how to remove illegal content and warning that the EU was preparing to act." Last year, Zuckerberg called for governments to work with online platforms to create and adopt new regulation for online content, noting, "It's impossible to remove all harmful content from the Internet, but when people use dozens of different sharing services all with their own policies and processes we need a more standardised approach." According to Monika Bickert, Vice President, Content Policy at Facebook, the white paper poses some key questions which go to the heart of the debate about regulating content online. "How can content regulation best achieve the goal of reducing harmful speech while preserving free expression? By requiring systems such as user-friendly channels for reporting content or external oversight of policies or enforcement decisions, and by requiring procedures such as periodic public reporting of enforcement data," said Bickert. Also read: Zuckerberg asks Facebook to be treated "'like something between a telco and a newspaper" "Regulators could consider certain requirements for companies, such as publishing their content standards, consulting with stakeholders when making significant changes to standards, or creating a channel for users to appeal a company's content removal or non-removal decision". Facebook said regulators should develop an understanding of the capabilities and limitations of technology in content moderation and allow internet companies the flexibility to innovate. However, EU justice chief Vera Jourova who met Zuckerberg also rejected the white paper. "Facebook cannot push away all the responsibility. Facebook and Zuckerberg have to answer themselves a question 'who do they want to be' as a company and what values they want to promote," she said in a statement.

European Union rejects Mark Zuckerberg's offer on regulating online content

Facebook CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../facebook-allows-us-political-candidates-to-run- sponsored-content-280769">Mark Zuckerberg</a> met top European Union officials on a visit to Brussels, days before the bloc is expected to release new proposals on regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-zuckerberg-asks-facebook-to-be-treated-like-something-between-a-telco-and-a-newspaper-280887">Zuckerberg asks Facebook&nbsp;to be treated "'like something between a telco and a newspaper"</a>

The billionaire social network founder is the latest US tech executive to make the trip to EU headquarters, which is becoming an increasingly important player in technology regulation.

Facebook warned of threats to innovation and freedom of expression on Monday.

Referring to the possibility that the EU may hold internet companies responsible for hate speech and other illegal speech published on their platforms, Facebook said this ignores the nature of the internet.

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"Such liability would stifle innovation as well as individuals' freedom of expression," it said in its discussion document.

"Retrofitting the rules that regulate offline speech for the online world may be insufficient. Instead, new frameworks are needed."

It suggested instead that authorities could require companies to set up a system for reporting content, publish enforcement data periodically and also define what is illegal content.

The EU has already pioneered strict data privacy rules and issued multibillion-dollar antitrust fines against the likes of Google.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met top European Union officials on a visit to Brussels, days before the bloc is expected to release new proposals on regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg met top European Union officials on a visit to Brussels, days before the bloc is expected to release new proposals on regulating Artificial Intelligence (AI). Also read: Zuckerberg asks Facebook to be treated "'like something between a telco and a newspaper" The billionaire social network founder is the latest US tech executive to make the trip to EU headquarters, which is becoming an increasingly important player in technology regulation. Facebook warned of threats to innovation and freedom of expression on Monday. Referring to the possibility that the EU may hold internet companies responsible for hate speech and other illegal speech published on their platforms, Facebook said this ignores the nature of the internet. × "Such liability would stifle innovation as well as individuals' freedom of expression," it said in its discussion document. "Retrofitting the rules that regulate offline speech for the online world may be insufficient. Instead, new frameworks are needed." It suggested instead that authorities could require companies to set up a system for reporting content, publish enforcement data periodically and also define what is illegal content. The EU has already pioneered strict data privacy rules and issued multibillion-dollar antitrust fines against the likes of Google. (With inputs from Reuters)

Facebook CEO Zuckerberg meets top EU officials ahead of proposals regulating AI 

Online content should be regulated with a system somewhere between the existing rules used for the telecoms and media industries, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told global leaders and security chiefs on Saturday.

Online content should be regulated with a system somewhere between the existing rules used for the telecoms and media industries, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told global leaders and security chiefs on Saturday. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, Zuckerberg said Facebook had improved its work countering online election interference, and expanded on his previous calls for regulation of social media firms. "I do think that there should be regulation on harmful content. There's a question about which framework you use for this," Zuckerberg said during a question and answer session. Also Read: Mark Zuckerberg defends Facebook's hands-off policy for politicians "Right now there are two frameworks that I think people have for existing industries - there's like newspapers and existing media, and then there's the telco-type model, which is 'the data just flows through you', but you're not going to hold a telco responsible if someone says something harmful on a phone line." [ Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg attends the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany (Courtesy: Reuters) ] "I think where we should be is somewhere in between," he said. Facebook and social media giants including Twitter and Alphabet's Google have come under increasing pressure to better combat governments and political groups using their platforms to spread false and misleading information. Zuckerberg said he now employed 35,000 people to review online content and implement security measures. Those teams and Facebook's automated technology currently suspend more than 1 million fake accounts each day, he said, adding that "the vast majority are detected within minutes of signing up." "Our budget is bigger today than the whole revenue of the company when we went public in 2012 when we had a billion users. I'm proud of the results but we will have to stay vigilant," he said.

Zuckerberg asks Facebook to be treated "'like something between a telco and a newspaper"

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-facebook-and-twitter-decline-pelosis-plea-to-remove-doctored-clip-posted-by-donald-trump-279743">Facebook </a>Inc&nbsp;said on Friday it was allowing US-based political candidates to run branded content on its social networking platforms, but the content would not be catalogued in its advertising library.

Political campaigns and groups can now use the social media company's branded content tool, which allows influencers to more clearly tag in an official sub-header that the post is a paid partnership.

The change came after US&nbsp;Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg this week paid popular meme accounts on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-trade-commission-probes-facebooks-acquisition-practices-report-240072">Facebook</a>-owned Instagram to post content about the billionaire former New York mayor.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-facebook-and-twitter-decline-pelosis-plea-to-remove-doctored-clip-posted-by-donald-trump-279743">Facebook and Twitter decline Pelosi's plea to remove clip posted by Donald Trump</a>

The strategy of paying social media influencers to spread political messages or make content is gathering momentum ahead of the 2020 race, but rules around the practice have been hazy.

"After hearing from multiple campaigns, we agree that there's a place for branded content in political discussion on our platforms," a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-trade-commission-probes-facebooks-acquisition-practices-report-240072">Facebook </a>spokesman said in a statement.

To use Facebook's branded content tool, political campaigns or groups must be authorized as political advertisers through the company's ID verification process.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-stephen-king-leaves-facebook-after-citing-misleading-information-and-of-lack-of-privacy-for-reasons-of-departure-278282">Stephen King leaves Facebook citing misleading information and lack of privacy</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-stephen-king-leaves-facebook-after-citing-misleading-information-and-of-lack-of-privacy-for-reasons-of-departure-278282">Facebook </a>does not make money from branded or sponsored content, for which brands directly pay creators, so they do not count this as advertising. It does, however, ask content creators to comply with regulations to disclose paid partnerships.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-trade-commission-probes-facebooks-acquisition-practices-report-240072">Federal Trade Commission</a> requires social media influencers and content creators to clearly label sponsored posts. This week, the FTC announced it would be seeking public comment on how effective these rules are and whether it should make changes.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-trade-commission-probes-facebooks-acquisition-practices-report-240072">Federal Election Commission</a> says paid public online communications containing "express advocacy" must have a disclaimer, but it does not have explicit rules about social media influencers.

In December 2019, former FEC chair Ellen Weintraub acknowledged in a statement that its 2006 internet disclaimer regulations were written "several eons ago."

Facebook said sponsored content from political advertisers will not be included in its Ad Library, a database maintained to provide transparency around political and other advertising, unless the creator pays to promote the post using the company's advertising tools.

Bloomberg's Democratic rival Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the fact that sponsored posts would not be publicly tracked.

"Refusing to catalogue paid political ads because the Bloomberg campaign found a workaround means there will be less transparency for the content he is paying to promote," Warren said in a tweet. "Mike Bloomberg cannot be allowed to buy an election with zero accountability."

The Bloomberg campaign, which has been waging a huge digital campaign to try and beat Republican President Donald Trump in November, told Reuters this week that it thought its "meme strategy" would be effective.

"The campaign was explicitly clear that these posts were ads and sponsored content," said Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for the Bloomberg campaign, in a statement on Friday. "We went above and beyond to follow Instagram's rules and the text of the post clearly shows these are the campaign's paid ads."

A Facebook spokesman told Reuters that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/news-update-breaking-Bloomberg-is-a-loser-says-Trump-sparking-fight-on-Twitter">Bloomberg </a>campaign was not the only political campaign that had asked about the company's policies regarding sponsored content.

Facebook Inc said on Friday it was allowing US-based political candidates to run branded content on its social networking platforms, but the content would not be catalogued in its advertising library.

Facebook Inc said on Friday it was allowing US-based political candidates to run branded content on its social networking platforms, but the content would not be catalogued in its advertising library. Political campaigns and groups can now use the social media company's branded content tool, which allows influencers to more clearly tag in an official sub-header that the post is a paid partnership. The change came after US Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg this week paid popular meme accounts on Facebook-owned Instagram to post content about the billionaire former New York mayor. Also read: Facebook and Twitter decline Pelosi's plea to remove clip posted by Donald Trump The strategy of paying social media influencers to spread political messages or make content is gathering momentum ahead of the 2020 race, but rules around the practice have been hazy. "After hearing from multiple campaigns, we agree that there's a place for branded content in political discussion on our platforms," a Facebook spokesman said in a statement. To use Facebook's branded content tool, political campaigns or groups must be authorized as political advertisers through the company's ID verification process. Also read: Stephen King leaves Facebook citing misleading information and lack of privacy Facebook does not make money from branded or sponsored content, for which brands directly pay creators, so they do not count this as advertising. It does, however, ask content creators to comply with regulations to disclose paid partnerships. The Federal Trade Commission requires social media influencers and content creators to clearly label sponsored posts. This week, the FTC announced it would be seeking public comment on how effective these rules are and whether it should make changes. The Federal Election Commission says paid public online communications containing "express advocacy" must have a disclaimer, but it does not have explicit rules about social media influencers. In December 2019, former FEC chair Ellen Weintraub acknowledged in a statement that its 2006 internet disclaimer regulations were written "several eons ago." Facebook said sponsored content from political advertisers will not be included in its Ad Library, a database maintained to provide transparency around political and other advertising, unless the creator pays to promote the post using the company's advertising tools. Bloomberg's Democratic rival Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the fact that sponsored posts would not be publicly tracked. "Refusing to catalogue paid political ads because the Bloomberg campaign found a workaround means there will be less transparency for the content he is paying to promote," Warren said in a tweet. "Mike Bloomberg cannot be allowed to buy an election with zero accountability." The Bloomberg campaign, which has been waging a huge digital campaign to try and beat Republican President Donald Trump in November, told Reuters this week that it thought its "meme strategy" would be effective. "The campaign was explicitly clear that these posts were ads and sponsored content," said Sabrina Singh, a spokeswoman for the Bloomberg campaign, in a statement on Friday. "We went above and beyond to follow Instagram's rules and the text of the post clearly shows these are the campaign's paid ads." A Facebook spokesman told Reuters that the Bloomberg campaign was not the only political campaign that had asked about the company's policies regarding sponsored content.

Facebook allows US political candidates to run sponsored content

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook </a>has postponed the launch of its new dating services in the European Union scheduled for Thursday after Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) raised concerns about the launch.

The social network had announced the launch of the services in the United States in September last year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Elon Musk calls Facebook 'lame' and urges people to 'delete' it</a>

The service would have allowed users to integrate their Instagram accounts with Facebook's dating profile and add Instagram followers to their "Secret Crush" lists.

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner is&nbsp;the main regulator in the European Union for a number of the world's biggest technology firms including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-facebook-and-twitter-decline-pelosis-plea-to-remove-doctored-clip-posted-by-donald-trump-279743">Facebook</a>.

It released a statement which stated&nbsp;that it was informed&nbsp;about the February&nbsp;13 launch on February&nbsp;3 and was very concerned about being given such short notice.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-facebook-and-twitter-decline-pelosis-plea-to-remove-doctored-clip-posted-by-donald-trump-279743">Facebook and Twitter decline Pelosi's plea to remove clip posted by Donald Trump</a>

The DPC said in a statement that those concerns were further compounded when it was given no documentation regarding data protection impact assessments or decision making processes that had been undertaken by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook</a>.

To expedite the process, DPC officers conducted an inspection at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook </a>Ireland offices in Dublin on February&nbsp;10 and gathered documentation, it said.

"<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook </a>Ireland informed us last night that they have postponed the rollout of this feature," said the regulator, which has a number of privacy investigations open into <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook </a>and its WhatsApp and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-in-trouble-as-nearly-50-million-users-data-gets-leaked-online-220423">Instagram </a>subsidiaries.

"It's really important that we get the launch of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-calls-facebook-lame-and-urges-people-to-delete-it-279969">Facebook </a>Dating right so we are taking a bit more time to make sure the product is ready for the European market. We have worked carefully to create strong privacy safeguards, and have shared this information with the IDPC ahead of the European rollout,"&nbsp;Facebook said in response.

Facebook has postponed the launch of its new dating services in the European Union scheduled for Thursday after Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) raised concerns about the launch.

Facebook has postponed the launch of its new dating services in the European Union scheduled for Thursday after Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) raised concerns about the launch. The social network had announced the launch of the services in the United States in September last year. Also read: Elon Musk calls Facebook 'lame' and urges people to 'delete' it The service would have allowed users to integrate their Instagram accounts with Facebook's dating profile and add Instagram followers to their "Secret Crush" lists. Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner is the main regulator in the European Union for a number of the world's biggest technology firms including Facebook. It released a statement which stated that it was informed about the February 13 launch on February 3 and was very concerned about being given such short notice. Also read: Facebook and Twitter decline Pelosi's plea to remove clip posted by Donald Trump The DPC said in a statement that those concerns were further compounded when it was given no documentation regarding data protection impact assessments or decision making processes that had been undertaken by Facebook. To expedite the process, DPC officers conducted an inspection at Facebook Ireland offices in Dublin on February 10 and gathered documentation, it said. "Facebook Ireland informed us last night that they have postponed the rollout of this feature," said the regulator, which has a number of privacy investigations open into Facebook and its WhatsApp and Instagram subsidiaries. "It's really important that we get the launch of Facebook Dating right so we are taking a bit more time to make sure the product is ready for the European market. We have worked carefully to create strong privacy safeguards, and have shared this information with the IDPC ahead of the European rollout," Facebook said in response.

Facebook suspends launch of new dating services in Europe

Tesla's CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/mark-zuckebergs-knowledge-of-artificial-intelligence-limited-elon-musk-18280">Elon Musk</a> has taken another jibe at <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/mark-zuckebergs-knowledge-of-artificial-intelligence-limited-elon-musk-18280">Facebook </a>CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/mark-zuckebergs-knowledge-of-artificial-intelligence-limited-elon-musk-18280">Mark Zuckerberg</a>.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/mark-zuckebergs-knowledge-of-artificial-intelligence-limited-elon-musk-18280">Mark Zuckeberg's knowledge of artificial intelligence 'limited': Elon Musk</a>

Musk tweeted ''#DeleteFacebook it's lame'' in response to a tweet from actor and comedian <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-sacha-baron-cohen-to-make-tv-comeback-with-a-comedy-interview-series--149422">Sacha Baron Cohen</a> calling out the social media platform for its increased regulation of content.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeleteFacebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeleteFacebook</a> It’s lame
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1226132778967687170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Baron Cohen asked in his post why was Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg permitted to "control the information seen by 2.5 billion people," when regulators wouldn't permit one person to wield the same power over water or electricity supplies.

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We don’t let 1 person control the water for 2.5 billion people. 
 
We don’t let 1 person control electricity for 2.5 billion people. 
 
Why do we let 1 man control the information seen by 2.5 billion people? 
 
Facebook needs to be regulated by governments, not ruled by an emperor! <a href="https://t.co/o4hNRFNpgt">pic.twitter.com/o4hNRFNpgt</a>
— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) <a href="https://twitter.com/SachaBaronCohen/status/1225165480782110721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The company did not respond to a request for comment on Baron Cohen and Musk's tweets.

Baron Cohen is a vocal critic of social media platforms, including Twitter and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-sacha-baron-cohen-to-make-tv-comeback-with-a-comedy-interview-series--149422">YouTube</a>, describing them as "the greatest propaganda machine in history."&nbsp;

In 2018, Musk had deleted the Facebook pages of Tesla and SpaceX after the tech giant was challenged on Twitter to do so.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/musk-deletes-facebook-pages-of-tesla-spacex-after-challenged-on-twitter-36893">Elon Musk deletes Facebook pages of Tesla, SpaceX</a>

The #DeleteFacebook gained prominence after the world's largest social network upset users by mishandling data, which ended up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica a political consultancy that worked on US&nbsp;President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign.

"What's Facebook?"&nbsp;Musk had tweeted then.

He had also said that he doesn't like Facebook because it unsettles him.

The criticism of Facebook by Baron Cohen and Musk follows author Stephen King's announcement earlier this month that he has quit Facebook over false information and inadequate protection of privacy.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/latest-world-news-stephen-king-leaves-facebook-after-citing-misleading-information-and-of-lack-of-privacy-for-reasons-of-departure-278282">Stephen King leaves Facebook citing misleading information and lack of privacy</a>

Facebook has defended its policy on political ads and says hate speech is banned from its platform, as is anyone who advocates for violence.

Musk&nbsp;has had run-ins with Facebook Inc&nbsp;founder Mark Zuckerberg in the past.

Last year, a war of words broke out between&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;and Zuckerberg over whether robots will become smart enough to kill their human creators.

When Zuckerberg was asked about&nbsp;Musk's views on the dangers of robots, he chided "naysayers" whose "doomsday scenarios" were "irresponsible."&nbsp;

In response,&nbsp;Musk&nbsp;tweeted: "His understanding of the subject is limited.

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has taken another jibe at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Also read: Mark Zuckeberg's knowledge of artificial intelligence 'limited': Elon Musk Musk tweeted ''#DeleteFacebook it's lame'' in response to a tweet from actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen calling out the social media platform for its increased regulation of content.

Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has taken another jibe at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Also read: Mark Zuckeberg's knowledge of artificial intelligence 'limited': Elon Musk Musk tweeted ''#DeleteFacebook it's lame'' in response to a tweet from actor and comedian Sacha Baron Cohen calling out the social media platform for its increased regulation of content. #DeleteFacebook It’s lame — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 8, 2020 × Baron Cohen asked in his post why was Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg permitted to "control the information seen by 2.5 billion people," when regulators wouldn't permit one person to wield the same power over water or electricity supplies. We don’t let 1 person control the water for 2.5 billion people. We don’t let 1 person control electricity for 2.5 billion people. Why do we let 1 man control the information seen by 2.5 billion people? Facebook needs to be regulated by governments, not ruled by an emperor! pic.twitter.com/o4hNRFNpgt — Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) February 5, 2020 × The company did not respond to a request for comment on Baron Cohen and Musk's tweets. Baron Cohen is a vocal critic of social media platforms, including Twitter and YouTube, describing them as "the greatest propaganda machine in history." In 2018, Musk had deleted the Facebook pages of Tesla and SpaceX after the tech giant was challenged on Twitter to do so. Also read: Elon Musk deletes Facebook pages of Tesla, SpaceX The #DeleteFacebook gained prominence after the world's largest social network upset users by mishandling data, which ended up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica a political consultancy that worked on US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign. "What's Facebook?" Musk had tweeted then. He had also said that he doesn't like Facebook because it unsettles him. The criticism of Facebook by Baron Cohen and Musk follows author Stephen King's announcement earlier this month that he has quit Facebook over false information and inadequate protection of privacy. Also read: Stephen King leaves Facebook citing misleading information and lack of privacy Facebook has defended its policy on political ads and says hate speech is banned from its platform, as is anyone who advocates for violence. Musk has had run-ins with Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg in the past. Last year, a war of words broke out between Musk and Zuckerberg over whether robots will become smart enough to kill their human creators. When Zuckerberg was asked about Musk's views on the dangers of robots, he chided "naysayers" whose "doomsday scenarios" were "irresponsible." In response, Musk tweeted: "His understanding of the subject is limited.

Elon Musk calls Facebook 'lame' and urges people to 'delete' it

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-gets-engaged-to-tom-bernthal-278474">Facebook </a>and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter </a>have declined House of Representative Speaker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/State-of-the-Union-address-us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-tears-up-text-as-trump-ends-state-of-the-union-address-278666">Nancy Pelosi</a>'s request to remove an edited video posted by US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/State-of-the-Union-address-us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-tears-up-text-as-trump-ends-state-of-the-union-address-278666">Donald Trump</a> that tried to imply that she apparently tore the paper copy of his State of the Union address while he was honouring the last living Tuskegee Airman and other attendees.

The Democrats are enraged by the response of the social media platforms.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/State-of-the-Union-address-us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-tears-up-text-as-trump-ends-state-of-the-union-address-278666">US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tears up text as Trump ends State of the Union address</a>

Pelosi's chief of staff called Drew Hammill took to Twitter to express his views on the entire incident.&nbsp;

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The American people know that the President has no qualms about lying to them – but it is a shame to see Twitter and Facebook, sources of news for millions, do the same. <a href="https://t.co/OatHIOamsD">https://t.co/OatHIOamsD</a>
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) <a href="https://twitter.com/Drew_Hammill/status/1225830200627298305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The latest fake video of Speaker Pelosi is deliberately designed to mislead and lie to the American people, and every day that these platforms refuse to take it down is another reminder that they care more about their shareholders’ interests than the public’s interests.
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) <a href="https://twitter.com/Drew_Hammill/status/1225830201948590081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Democrats had requested the social media giants to remove the doctored clip and take tougher action.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-the-highlights-from-trumps-reality-tv-style-state-of-the-union-address-278726">Highlights from Trump's reality-TV style State of the Union address</a>

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-the-highlights-from-trumps-reality-tv-style-state-of-the-union-address-278726">Republicans </a>have argued that such policing could muzzle conservative viewpoints. The five-minute video was posted by Trump on Thursday with the caption '' powerful American stories ripped to shreds by Nancy Pelosi''.

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<a href="https://t.co/QhTWvcY4Ke">pic.twitter.com/QhTWvcY4Ke</a>
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1225553117929988097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Both tech titans’ rejected the plea after stating that they did not violate any policy especially when Pelosi had actually torn the US President's speech after his address.

The plea's rejection comes amid heightened debate over responsibility to prevent the spread of misleading or outright false information during the 2020 presidential election.

Facebook and Twitter have declined House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi's request to remove an edited video posted by US President Donald Trump that tried to imply that she apparently tore the paper copy of his State of the Union address while he was honouring the last living Tuskegee Airman and other attendees.

Facebook and Twitter have declined House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi's request to remove an edited video posted by US President Donald Trump that tried to imply that she apparently tore the paper copy of his State of the Union address while he was honouring the last living Tuskegee Airman and other attendees. The Democrats are enraged by the response of the social media platforms. Also read: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tears up text as Trump ends State of the Union address Pelosi's chief of staff called Drew Hammill took to Twitter to express his views on the entire incident. The American people know that the President has no qualms about lying to them – but it is a shame to see Twitter and Facebook, sources of news for millions, do the same. https://t.co/OatHIOamsD — Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) February 7, 2020 × The latest fake video of Speaker Pelosi is deliberately designed to mislead and lie to the American people, and every day that these platforms refuse to take it down is another reminder that they care more about their shareholders’ interests than the public’s interests. — Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) February 7, 2020 × Democrats had requested the social media giants to remove the doctored clip and take tougher action. Also see: Highlights from Trump's reality-TV style State of the Union address The Republicans have argued that such policing could muzzle conservative viewpoints. The five-minute video was posted by Trump on Thursday with the caption '' powerful American stories ripped to shreds by Nancy Pelosi''. pic.twitter.com/QhTWvcY4Ke — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 6, 2020 × Both tech titans’ rejected the plea after stating that they did not violate any policy especially when Pelosi had actually torn the US President's speech after his address. The plea's rejection comes amid heightened debate over responsibility to prevent the spread of misleading or outright false information during the 2020 presidential election.

Facebook and Twitter decline Pelosi's plea to remove clip posted by Donald Trump

Facebook's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-breakup-could-boost-china-rivals-sheryl-sandberg-219504">Sheryl Sandberg</a> is set to get married.

In a Facebook post, the company's top executive said: "Engaged!!! Tom Bernthal, you are my everything. I could not love you more."&nbsp;

<img alt="Facebook post" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33ca8900-7fee-4651-ba84-d4120181a24b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Capture%20785.JPG" />

Sandberg's husband David Goldberg, 47, had died in 2015 after falling from a treadmill.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/civil-rights-groups-call-on-mark-zuckerberg-sheryl-sandberg-to-step-down-185200">Also Read: Civil rights groups call on Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg to step down</a>

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg in the Facebook post commented: "You're wonderful for each other and I'm so happy for both of you."

Sandberg has been the public face of the social networking giant and has often faced flak for the company's failure. Last year at Davos she said Facebook needed to win back public trust after facing scandals for violating its users' privacy.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebooks-sandberg-twitters-dorsey-to-leave-disney-board-29392">Sandberg</a>, 50, who has written a book called "Lean In" was born in Washington and graduated from Harvard University with an MBA.

She joined Facebook in 2008 as the Chief Operating Officer(COO) and four years later joined the board of directors.

Sandberg was earlier married to Brian Kraff in 1993 but divorced a year later. In 2004, she married Dave Goldberg.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg is set to get married. In a Facebook post, the company's top executive said: "Engaged!!! Tom Bernthal, you are my everything. I could not love you more.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg is set to get married. In a Facebook post, the company's top executive said: "Engaged!!! Tom Bernthal, you are my everything. I could not love you more." Sandberg's husband David Goldberg, 47, had died in 2015 after falling from a treadmill. Also Read: Civil rights groups call on Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg to step down Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg in the Facebook post commented: "You're wonderful for each other and I'm so happy for both of you." Sandberg has been the public face of the social networking giant and has often faced flak for the company's failure. Last year at Davos she said Facebook needed to win back public trust after facing scandals for violating its users' privacy. Sandberg, 50, who has written a book called "Lean In" was born in Washington and graduated from Harvard University with an MBA. She joined Facebook in 2008 as the Chief Operating Officer(COO) and four years later joined the board of directors. Sandberg was earlier married to Brian Kraff in 1993 but divorced a year later. In 2004, she married Dave Goldberg.

Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg gets engaged to Tom Bernthal

A Chinese woman named&nbsp;Zi Hao from Djiyong, a city in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/chinese-audience-has-phenomenal-love-respect-for-indian-actors-rani-mukerji-175873">China</a>, crossed the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/airbnb-cancels-great-wall-of-china-competition-after-it-upsets-social-media-users-157898">Great Wall of China</a> and the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/the-sorry-state-of-himalayas-275444">Himalayas</a> to reach Mandsaur, a city in Madhya Pradesh to find love.

After reaching India with her parents, she found her love and is&nbsp;now getting married to complete Indian customs.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebooks-sheryl-sandberg-gets-engaged-to-tom-bernthal-278474">Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg gets engaged to Tom Bernthal</a>

Amid usual circumstances, this wedding would have gone unnoticed.

However, the marriage has taken place at such a time when the deadly coronavirus which originated&nbsp;in China has claimed 425 lives all across the globe.

The marriage kept the entire health ministry of Madhya Pradesh on its toes.

When the bride's parents arrived in Mandsaur, a team of five or six paramedics examined them thoroughly to prevent the spread of the quarantine in India.

“Though they do not have any symptoms of the coronavirus, we have been doing this as a precautionary measure. The moment we see any symptom, we will admit them to the hospital,” said Dr AK Mishra, a civil surgeon at Mandsaur's district hospital.&nbsp;

On Sunday, India had temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners based in China because&nbsp;of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread to 25 countries, including India.

The couple's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/prince-harry-meghan-markle-love-story-to-be-made-into-a-tv-movie-29693">love story</a> started five&nbsp;years ago across the seven seas in Canada.&nbsp;

Zi met Siddharth at the Sher University of Oakville, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-canadian-sinclair-breaks-international-scoring-record-277430">Canada</a>.

In an unknown city, Siddharth helped Zi immensely.&nbsp;It was how they started meeting each other frequently.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/all-about-love-in-conversation-with-turkish-author-cemal-kafadar-12386">All about love: In conversation with Turkish author Cemal Kafadar</a>

During that period love started blossoming between the two.&nbsp;When both their families came to know about it, they fixed their marriage. 
Shibo Wang, the father of Zi Hyo, said India is a great country and&nbsp;he is impressed with its hospitality.

Jin Guan, Hyo's mother&nbsp;said&nbsp;that her daughter and Siddharth have a very good understanding and she is confident that her daughter will be happy with him.

Ji Hao explained how she came close to Siddharth due to his&nbsp;helpful nature and although Indian wedding customs are different from the traditional ways of China, she loved them to such an extent that she hopes that they will spend most of her time in India.

Siddharth's father Ved Mishra said that he got to know about their son's&nbsp;Chinese connection&nbsp;by monitoring Siddharth&nbsp;activities on Facebook.&nbsp;

He arrived in Canada to meet his son's lady love&nbsp;and spoke to her parents in China via video calling.

&nbsp;And then, after a discussion between both the families, the&nbsp;marriage was fixed.

A Chinese woman named Zi Hao from Djiyong, a city in China, crossed the Great Wall of China and the Himalayas to reach Mandsaur, a city in Madhya Pradesh to find love.

A Chinese woman named Zi Hao from Djiyong, a city in China, crossed the Great Wall of China and the Himalayas to reach Mandsaur, a city in Madhya Pradesh to find love. After reaching India with her parents, she found her love and is now getting married to complete Indian customs. Also read: Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg gets engaged to Tom Bernthal Amid usual circumstances, this wedding would have gone unnoticed. However, the marriage has taken place at such a time when the deadly coronavirus which originated in China has claimed 425 lives all across the globe. The marriage kept the entire health ministry of Madhya Pradesh on its toes. When the bride's parents arrived in Mandsaur, a team of five or six paramedics examined them thoroughly to prevent the spread of the quarantine in India. “Though they do not have any symptoms of the coronavirus, we have been doing this as a precautionary measure. The moment we see any symptom, we will admit them to the hospital,” said Dr AK Mishra, a civil surgeon at Mandsaur's district hospital. On Sunday, India had temporarily suspended e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners based in China because of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread to 25 countries, including India. The couple's love story started five years ago across the seven seas in Canada. Zi met Siddharth at the Sher University of Oakville, Canada. In an unknown city, Siddharth helped Zi immensely. It was how they started meeting each other frequently. Also read: All about love: In conversation with Turkish author Cemal Kafadar During that period love started blossoming between the two. When both their families came to know about it, they fixed their marriage. Shibo Wang, the father of Zi Hyo, said India is a great country and he is impressed with its hospitality. Jin Guan, Hyo's mother said that her daughter and Siddharth have a very good understanding and she is confident that her daughter will be happy with him. Ji Hao explained how she came close to Siddharth due to his helpful nature and although Indian wedding customs are different from the traditional ways of China, she loved them to such an extent that she hopes that they will spend most of her time in India. Siddharth's father Ved Mishra said that he got to know about their son's Chinese connection by monitoring Siddharth activities on Facebook. He arrived in Canada to meet his son's lady love and spoke to her parents in China via video calling. And then, after a discussion between both the families, the marriage was fixed.

Amid coronavirus outbreak, Chinese woman marries Indian man in Madhya Pradesh

Author <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-stephen-king-issues-a-detailed-statement-on-oscars-diversity-issue-post-backlash-277262">Stephen King</a> has quit Facebook after citing misleading information in political advertisements and questioning the privacy rights of social media platform.

The novelist, 72, took to Twitter to express his concern regarding the media giant's privacy policies and its refusal to prohibit political advertisements.&nbsp;Stephen King has 5.6 million followers on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I'm quitting Facebook. Not comfortable with the flood of false information that's allowed in its political advertising, nor am I confident in its ability to protect its users' privacy. Follow me (and Molly, aka The Thing of Evil) on Twitter, if you like.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/StephenKing/status/1223425267831574534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Facebook is yet to respond to the accusation.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood-news-stephen-king-issues-a-detailed-statement-on-oscars-diversity-issue-post-backlash-277262">Stephen King issues a detailed statement on Oscars diversity issue post backlash</a>

It is noteworthy that Facebook has been increasingly scrutinised for allowing politicians to run false advertisements. It was also recently condemned by Congresswoman <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-sworn-in-as-youngest-us-congresswoman-188202">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez</a> in Capitol Hill.&nbsp;

Interestingly, on January 9, Facebook CEO <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trending-latest-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-net-worth-falls-4-million-dollars-in-one-day-277781">Mark Zuckerberg</a> had reaffirmed that the social media platform would prohibit or fact-check political advertisements and it will limit how specific groups were targetted by the application.

Twitter had announced in October that it would ban political advertisements.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-tightens-bans-on-political-ads-and-causes-ahead-of-2020-us-election-262497">Twitter tightens bans on political ads and causes ahead of 2020 US election</a>

Highly- targeted political advertisements can influence the political opinions of the users and undermine political discourse by decreasing the chances of opponents and press to view certain ads.

King is politically active and is an outspoken critic of US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-news-michael-bloomberg-attacks-trumps-fake-hair-obesity-and-spray-on-tan-after-mini-mike-jibe-278254">Donald Trump</a>.

He has written more than 50 books and is famous for his works in the horror and the fantasy genres. His books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide

Author Stephen King has quit Facebook after citing misleading information in political advertisements and questioning the privacy rights of social media platform.

Author Stephen King has quit Facebook after citing misleading information in political advertisements and questioning the privacy rights of social media platform. The novelist, 72, took to Twitter to express his concern regarding the media giant's privacy policies and its refusal to prohibit political advertisements. Stephen King has 5.6 million followers on Twitter. I'm quitting Facebook. Not comfortable with the flood of false information that's allowed in its political advertising, nor am I confident in its ability to protect its users' privacy. Follow me (and Molly, aka The Thing of Evil) on Twitter, if you like. — Stephen King (@StephenKing) February 1, 2020 × Facebook is yet to respond to the accusation. Also read: Stephen King issues a detailed statement on Oscars diversity issue post backlash It is noteworthy that Facebook has been increasingly scrutinised for allowing politicians to run false advertisements. It was also recently condemned by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Capitol Hill. Interestingly, on January 9, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had reaffirmed that the social media platform would prohibit or fact-check political advertisements and it will limit how specific groups were targetted by the application. Twitter had announced in October that it would ban political advertisements. Also read: Twitter tightens bans on political ads and causes ahead of 2020 US election Highly- targeted political advertisements can influence the political opinions of the users and undermine political discourse by decreasing the chances of opponents and press to view certain ads. King is politically active and is an outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump. He has written more than 50 books and is famous for his works in the horror and the fantasy genres. His books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide

Stephen King leaves Facebook citing misleading information and lack of privacy

Social media platforms such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-shares-plunge-over-surge-in-quarterly-expenses-277592">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pewdiepie-bows-out-of-youtube-with-final-video-says-i-am-out-274673https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter</a>, Youtube and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Tiktok </a>are taking steps to address false information about the deadly coronavirus on them.

They are taking measures to promote factual content and to prevent the widespread of misinformation.

Dubious health content and false claims about the outbreak are presenting a fresh challenge for social media companies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-ever-code-to-police-internet-social-media-giants-to-be-confined-by-code-of-conduct-275893">Also read: First-ever code to police internet, social media giants to be confined by code of conduct</a>

Misleading information has created unfounded fears about the deadly virus. 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-shares-plunge-over-surge-in-quarterly-expenses-277592">Facebook </a>said in a blog post that it would remove content about the virus "with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organizations and local health authorities," saying such content would violate its ban on misinformation leading to "physical harm."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter </a>has put a warning label for the users who search ''coronavirus'' on it.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak-google-joins-hands-with-who-to-provide-sos-alert-trusted-info-and-safety-tips-278181">Also read:&nbsp;Coronavirus outbreak: Google joins hands with WHO to provide SOS alert, trusted info and safety tips&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/data-sharing-tiktok-refutes-shashi-tharoors-claims-232637">Tiktok </a>has added a link of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak-google-joins-hands-with-who-to-provide-sos-alert-trusted-info-and-safety-tips-278181">World Health Organisation</a>'s website to assure that its users know accurate and reliable facts about the virus.

<img alt="Twitter " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3aeca6fb-dee8-4cf2-824c-e096f93dbe60" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-02-03T114341.408.jpg" />

Youtube is displaying text-based articles along with a warning that developing stories may change over a period of time.

Community-based platform Reddit has uploaded a thread of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on its home page to address the queries about the virus.

It ''quarantines'' users who post false information about the virus on it.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-outbreak-google-joins-hands-with-who-to-provide-sos-alert-trusted-info-and-safety-tips-278181">SARS-like virus&nbsp;</a>has already killed 361 people worldwide, with the number of cases rising every day.

<img alt="Coronavirus" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3203898e-348b-4dd4-add0-c4f36b000747" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2020-02-02T042334Z_1_LYNXMPEG11045_RTROPTP_4_CHINA-HEALTH-PHILIPPINES.JPG" />

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Tiktok are taking steps to address false information about the deadly coronavirus on them. They are taking measures to promote factual content and to prevent the widespread of misinformation.

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Tiktok are taking steps to address false information about the deadly coronavirus on them. They are taking measures to promote factual content and to prevent the widespread of misinformation. Dubious health content and false claims about the outbreak are presenting a fresh challenge for social media companies. Also read: First-ever code to police internet, social media giants to be confined by code of conduct Misleading information has created unfounded fears about the deadly virus. Facebook said in a blog post that it would remove content about the virus "with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global health organizations and local health authorities," saying such content would violate its ban on misinformation leading to "physical harm." Twitter has put a warning label for the users who search ''coronavirus'' on it. Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: Google joins hands with WHO to provide SOS alert, trusted info and safety tips Tiktok has added a link of the World Health Organisation's website to assure that its users know accurate and reliable facts about the virus. Youtube is displaying text-based articles along with a warning that developing stories may change over a period of time. Community-based platform Reddit has uploaded a thread of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on its home page to address the queries about the virus. It ''quarantines'' users who post false information about the virus on it. The SARS-like virus has already killed 361 people worldwide, with the number of cases rising every day.

Here's how social media apps are fighting misinformation surrounding coronavirus

Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth witnessed a huge decline to 4 billion dollars on Thursday after shares of his Facebook Inc. slid.

The sharp fall in social media giant CEO's wealth came after Facebook witnessed its slowest-ever quarterly sales growth.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-shares-plunge-over-surge-in-quarterly-expenses-277592">Facebook shares plunge over surge in quarterly expenses</a>

Zuckerberg’s fortune stood at $81 billion at 10:07 am in New York. However, he remained world's fifth-richest person, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The net worth of Facebook CEO is also intact.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Facebook's shares fell 7.5 per cent to $206.56 after the social media giant recorded its slowest quarterly growth since its market debut as expenses climbed and stagnant growth continued.&nbsp;

Facebook also said on Thursday that it has reached a $550 million (418 million pounds) settlement of claims it collected and saved milions of users data without their consent.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth witnessed a huge decline to 4 billion dollars on Thursday after shares of his Facebook Inc. slid. The sharp fall in social media giant CEO's wealth came after Facebook witnessed its slowest-ever quarterly sales growth.

Mark Zuckerberg’s wealth witnessed a huge decline to 4 billion dollars on Thursday after shares of his Facebook Inc. slid. The sharp fall in social media giant CEO's wealth came after Facebook witnessed its slowest-ever quarterly sales growth. Also read: Facebook shares plunge over surge in quarterly expenses Zuckerberg’s fortune stood at $81 billion at 10:07 am in New York. However, he remained world's fifth-richest person, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The net worth of Facebook CEO is also intact. On Thursday, Facebook's shares fell 7.5 per cent to $206.56 after the social media giant recorded its slowest quarterly growth since its market debut as expenses climbed and stagnant growth continued. Facebook also said on Thursday that it has reached a $550 million (418 million pounds) settlement of claims it collected and saved milions of users data without their consent.

Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth falls 4 million dollars in one day

Facebook shares came under heavy selling pressure Thursday as the latest earnings report for the leading social network highlighted mushrooming costs in dealing with privacy, abuse and misinformation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-sued-in-us-federal-court-for-alleged-anti-competitive-conduct-274773">Also Read:&nbsp;Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct</a>

Shares plunged seven per cent in opening trade to $207.57 as investors soured on Facebook even after a fourth quarter update largely in line with analyst estimates.

Profit rose seven per cent from a year ago to $7.3 billion, while revenue increased 25 per cent to $21 billion in the final three months of last year, the update showed.

The number of people using Facebook monthly climbed eight per cent to 2.5 billion. For all its apps including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, the figure was 2.89 billion.

Some analysts said the results pointed to weaker growth ahead for Facebook.

"The spectre of slowing growth took the edge off what has been an excellent run for the shares during 2019," said independent analyst Richard Windsor on his Radio Free Mobile blog.

"Despite the seemingly endless series of leaks and scandals, growth had remained strong, but some cracks are finally beginning to show."

Highlighting those concerns, Facebook acknowledged it agreed to pay a $550 million settlement in a class action suit based on allegations that users' biometric data was illegally gathered using photo-scanning technology and then stored.&nbsp;

The lawsuit stemmed from an Illinois law on biometric privacy, underscoring concerns on the costs of dealing with a range of data protection measures in Europe, California and elsewhere.

Analyst Michael Levine of Pivotal Research Group downgraded Facebook after the earnings reporting, citing weaker-than-expected ad revenues and "headwinds" that could limit its ability to collect data for targeted ads, the largest source of revenue.

"More of the headwinds are ahead of us rather than behind us," Levine said in a research note.

Investors appear concerned about the continuing increases in the amount of money Facebook spends as it pours resources into protecting privacy and preventing the network from being used as a platform for hate speech, abuse, and disinformation.

Costs in the recently ended fourth quarter rose 34 percent to $12.2 billion. Facebook ended the year with its employee ranks up 26 per cent to nearly 45,000.

Facebook is likely to see pressure from privacy rules hobbling the company's ability to effectively target its money-making ads.

Chief financial officer David Wehner told analysts the company expects revenue growth to slow, in part due to regulations and "other ad-targeting related headwinds."

Recent data privacy regulations in Europe and California as well as enhancements to browser or operating system software from Google and Apple, along with tools added by Facebook itself, are expected to limit the ability of the social network to use "signals" from third-party websites to more finely target ads, Wehner said.

Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg welcomed what he called "a good quarter and a strong end to the year" while noting that the company had much work to do.

He said Facebook was ramping up efforts to comply with a record $5 billion settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission on privacy controls while also fighting manipulation efforts during the US election campaign.

"As part of our FTC settlement, we committed to building privacy controls and auditing that will set a new standard for our industry -- going beyond anything that's required by law today," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page.

"We're very focused on election integrity -- and this is an area where I'm proud of the progress we've made preventing foreign interference.&nbsp;

"We were behind in 2016, but after working to protect elections in countries across the world from the EU to India to Mexico to the US midterms for the past few years, we think our systems are now more advanced than any other company."

- Some still upbeat - 
Some analysts remained upbeat on Facebook, noting that advertising revenues, &nbsp;the vast majority of cash it generates, rose 25 percent at $20.7 billion in the quarter.&nbsp;

Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi said Facebook still has a "moat" as the largest social network, which will attract advertisers.

"The growth in users and user engagement, along with the valuable data that they generate, makes Facebook attractive to advertisers in the short and long term," Mogharabi said in a note to clients.

Debra Aho Williamson said Facebook has been able to maintain momentum despite a barrage of criticism and regulatory issues.

"Despite all of the concerns that have been swirling around the company in the past two years, it beat expectations on revenue, and it demonstrated continued growth in its user base," she said.

Facebook shares came under heavy selling pressure Thursday as the latest earnings report for the leading social network highlighted mushrooming costs in dealing with privacy, abuse and misinformation.

Facebook shares came under heavy selling pressure Thursday as the latest earnings report for the leading social network highlighted mushrooming costs in dealing with privacy, abuse and misinformation. Also Read: Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct Shares plunged seven per cent in opening trade to $207.57 as investors soured on Facebook even after a fourth quarter update largely in line with analyst estimates. Profit rose seven per cent from a year ago to $7.3 billion, while revenue increased 25 per cent to $21 billion in the final three months of last year, the update showed. The number of people using Facebook monthly climbed eight per cent to 2.5 billion. For all its apps including Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp, the figure was 2.89 billion. Some analysts said the results pointed to weaker growth ahead for Facebook. "The spectre of slowing growth took the edge off what has been an excellent run for the shares during 2019," said independent analyst Richard Windsor on his Radio Free Mobile blog. "Despite the seemingly endless series of leaks and scandals, growth had remained strong, but some cracks are finally beginning to show." Highlighting those concerns, Facebook acknowledged it agreed to pay a $550 million settlement in a class action suit based on allegations that users' biometric data was illegally gathered using photo-scanning technology and then stored. The lawsuit stemmed from an Illinois law on biometric privacy, underscoring concerns on the costs of dealing with a range of data protection measures in Europe, California and elsewhere. Analyst Michael Levine of Pivotal Research Group downgraded Facebook after the earnings reporting, citing weaker-than-expected ad revenues and "headwinds" that could limit its ability to collect data for targeted ads, the largest source of revenue. "More of the headwinds are ahead of us rather than behind us," Levine said in a research note. Investors appear concerned about the continuing increases in the amount of money Facebook spends as it pours resources into protecting privacy and preventing the network from being used as a platform for hate speech, abuse, and disinformation. Costs in the recently ended fourth quarter rose 34 percent to $12.2 billion. Facebook ended the year with its employee ranks up 26 per cent to nearly 45,000. Facebook is likely to see pressure from privacy rules hobbling the company's ability to effectively target its money-making ads. Chief financial officer David Wehner told analysts the company expects revenue growth to slow, in part due to regulations and "other ad-targeting related headwinds." Recent data privacy regulations in Europe and California as well as enhancements to browser or operating system software from Google and Apple, along with tools added by Facebook itself, are expected to limit the ability of the social network to use "signals" from third-party websites to more finely target ads, Wehner said. Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg welcomed what he called "a good quarter and a strong end to the year" while noting that the company had much work to do. He said Facebook was ramping up efforts to comply with a record $5 billion settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission on privacy controls while also fighting manipulation efforts during the US election campaign. "As part of our FTC settlement, we committed to building privacy controls and auditing that will set a new standard for our industry -- going beyond anything that's required by law today," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page. "We're very focused on election integrity -- and this is an area where I'm proud of the progress we've made preventing foreign interference. "We were behind in 2016, but after working to protect elections in countries across the world from the EU to India to Mexico to the US midterms for the past few years, we think our systems are now more advanced than any other company." - Some still upbeat - Some analysts remained upbeat on Facebook, noting that advertising revenues, the vast majority of cash it generates, rose 25 percent at $20.7 billion in the quarter. Morningstar analyst Ali Mogharabi said Facebook still has a "moat" as the largest social network, which will attract advertisers. "The growth in users and user engagement, along with the valuable data that they generate, makes Facebook attractive to advertisers in the short and long term," Mogharabi said in a note to clients. Debra Aho Williamson said Facebook has been able to maintain momentum despite a barrage of criticism and regulatory issues. "Despite all of the concerns that have been swirling around the company in the past two years, it beat expectations on revenue, and it demonstrated continued growth in its user base," she said.

Facebook shares plunge over surge in quarterly expenses

Social media moderators for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-sparks-criticism-as-it-redesigns-it-search-page-makes-ads-look-like-organic-results-276570">Google</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/now-trump-brags-about-beating-pm-modi-on-facebook-276206">Facebook</a> hired by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/accenture-teams-up-with-microsoft-to-provide-legal-identification-to-refugees-17064">Accenture</a> have been asked to sign&nbsp;a disclosure agreement for post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD).

The step has been taken to ensure that the content moderators understand that the job can cause <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-adverse-impact-of-protest-on-mental-health-of-its-citizens-273375">PTSD</a> and thus, avoid it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-adverse-impact-of-protest-on-mental-health-of-its-citizens-273375">After violence, one-third of Hong Kong citizens reported PTSD symptoms</a>

Social media moderators are responsible for monitoring and filtering content and images that are objectionable and disturbing.

''The wellbeing of the workers is the company's top priority,'' the company said in a statement.

''Only those who join the company recently recently are being asked to sign the forms,'' it added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-ever-code-to-police-internet-social-media-giants-to-be-confined-by-code-of-conduct-275893">First-ever code to police internet, social media giants to be confined by code of conduct</a>

The employees of the company in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-demands-social-media-details-email-addresses-for-5-years-from-visa-applicants-223685">US </a>and across <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-trip-to-get-costlier-as-schengen-visa-fee-hiked-to-eu80-from-february-2-274424">Europe </a>were sent the documents on January 25.

In these documents, support services such as a hotline and a wellness coach have ben offered to them.

Although they aim at offering psychological support to content moderators but they have not employed medical professionals and are not capable of diagnosing or treating mental disorders.

Interesting, lawsuits were filed by former content moderators against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/facebook-changes-algorithm-to-curb-tiny-group-of-spammers-17547">Facebook </a>over an array of mental health issues in California and Ireland.

Social media moderators for Google and Facebook hired by Accenture have been asked to sign a disclosure agreement for post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). The step has been taken to ensure that the content moderators understand that the job can cause PTSD and thus, avoid it.

Social media moderators for Google and Facebook hired by Accenture have been asked to sign a disclosure agreement for post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). The step has been taken to ensure that the content moderators understand that the job can cause PTSD and thus, avoid it. Also read: After violence, one-third of Hong Kong citizens reported PTSD symptoms Social media moderators are responsible for monitoring and filtering content and images that are objectionable and disturbing. ''The wellbeing of the workers is the company's top priority,'' the company said in a statement. ''Only those who join the company recently recently are being asked to sign the forms,'' it added. Also read: First-ever code to police internet, social media giants to be confined by code of conduct The employees of the company in the US and across Europe were sent the documents on January 25. In these documents, support services such as a hotline and a wellness coach have ben offered to them. Although they aim at offering psychological support to content moderators but they have not employed medical professionals and are not capable of diagnosing or treating mental disorders. Interesting, lawsuits were filed by former content moderators against Facebook over an array of mental health issues in California and Ireland.

Social media moderators asked to sign Post Traumatic Stress Disorder disclosure

&nbsp;The&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;cautioned&nbsp;Britain&nbsp;ahead of a decision by Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-rejects-calls-for-no-deal-brexit-in-election-pitch-259559">Boris Johnson</a> on what role&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth.

In the first big test of Brexit&nbsp;Britain's foreign policy, Johnson has so far resisted intense pressure from President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kem-chho-trump-us-president-to-visit-ahmedabad-delhi-in-february-275056">Donald Trump</a>'s administration to block&nbsp;Huawei, which the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;fears could compromise British secrets.

Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, denies it is a vehicle for Chinese intelligence and says the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;wants to ban it because no US&nbsp;company can offer the same range of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-use-of-huawei-5g-would-hamper-its-access-to-us-intelligence-us-official-264310">5G technology</a> at a competitive price.

After a public disagreement between US&nbsp;and British ministers in Davos&nbsp;over&nbsp;taxes on digital services, US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he would be meeting with British finance minister on Saturday on&nbsp;Huawei.

"Let me just say again, it’s a complicated issue," Mnuchin said. "We’ve made very clear that it relates to all of the critical areas that we have significant concerns. But again, there’s an ongoing discussion on these issues."

Britain&nbsp;is expected to make a final call on how to deploy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/some-huawei-suppliers-get-us-approval-to-restart-sales-to-blacklisted-firm-263525">Huawei</a>&nbsp;equipment in its 5G networks later this month.

In what some have compared to the Cold War arms race, the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;is worried that 5G dominance would give any global competitor such as China an advantage Washington is not ready to accept.

That puts Johnson on the spot with the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Kingdom's closest security ally just as he seeks to negotiate post-Brexit trade deals with both the European Union and the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;and juggle conflicting EU and US&nbsp;policy on Iran.

&nbsp;

Britain&nbsp;wants a trade deal with the&nbsp;United&nbsp;States&nbsp;but will still impose a digital service tax on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday.

Leadsom said that&nbsp;Britain&nbsp;will soon decide what role&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;will have but there are only a limited number of alternative providers, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday.

"Well there are other providers but they are limited, ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work that&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;does but the UK is looking very carefully at this issue and we will be making a final decision soon," Leadsom told Sky.

"It is an ongoing process and there are all sorts of factors to take into consideration, as you say, like the availability of other providers, like the work that&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;has already done in the&nbsp;United&nbsp;Kingdom,&nbsp;so these discussions are ongoing," she said.

"I share the concerns of many citizens about protecting our national security interest," Leadsom said.

The United States cautioned Britain ahead of a decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on what role Huawei will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth.

The United States cautioned Britain ahead of a decision by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on what role Huawei will have in 5G telecommunications networks that Washington still had significant concerns about the Chinese telecoms behemoth. In the first big test of Brexit Britain's foreign policy, Johnson has so far resisted intense pressure from President Donald Trump's administration to block Huawei, which the United States fears could compromise British secrets. Huawei, the world’s biggest producer of telecoms equipment, denies it is a vehicle for Chinese intelligence and says the United States wants to ban it because no US company can offer the same range of 5G technology at a competitive price. After a public disagreement between US and British ministers in Davos over taxes on digital services, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that he would be meeting with British finance minister on Saturday on Huawei. "Let me just say again, it’s a complicated issue," Mnuchin said. "We’ve made very clear that it relates to all of the critical areas that we have significant concerns. But again, there’s an ongoing discussion on these issues." Britain is expected to make a final call on how to deploy Huawei equipment in its 5G networks later this month. In what some have compared to the Cold War arms race, the United States is worried that 5G dominance would give any global competitor such as China an advantage Washington is not ready to accept. That puts Johnson on the spot with the United Kingdom's closest security ally just as he seeks to negotiate post-Brexit trade deals with both the European Union and the United States and juggle conflicting EU and US policy on Iran. Britain wants a trade deal with the United States but will still impose a digital service tax on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday. Leadsom said that Britain will soon decide what role Huawei will have but there are only a limited number of alternative providers, business minister Andrea Leadsom said on Thursday. "Well there are other providers but they are limited, ideally there would be more providers of infrastructure similar to the work that Huawei does but the UK is looking very carefully at this issue and we will be making a final decision soon," Leadsom told Sky. "It is an ongoing process and there are all sorts of factors to take into consideration, as you say, like the availability of other providers, like the work that Huawei has already done in the United Kingdom, so these discussions are ongoing," she said. "I share the concerns of many citizens about protecting our national security interest," Leadsom said.

United States cautions Britain over Huawei's role in 5G

Social media giants will be legitimately bound to protect children from watching self-harm content.

In <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/british-royals-being-victim-of-media-invasion-275866">England</a>, social media giants such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/alphabet-googles-parent-company-now-a-1-trillion-enterprise-fourth-us-company-to-achieve-this-feat-274982">Google</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-sued-in-us-federal-court-for-alleged-anti-competitive-conduct-274773">Facebook </a>along with several others have been prohibited from publishing content that is '' detrimental to the physical and mental wellbeing of children,'' according to the Information Commissioner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-facial-recognition-makes-subtle-advance-262791">Elizabeth Denham</a>.

Potential fines are approximately worth billions of pounds will be enforced by the government to prevent cases of self-harm.

Also watch:&nbsp;Google CEO calls for artificial intelligence regulation

&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/google-ceo-calls-for-artificial-intelligence-regulation-275642/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The incident that prompted this decision was the suicide of a 14-year-old called Molly Russell who took her own life after watching several self-harm images on Instagram and other social media platforms.

The companies need to safeguard the privacy of the children and not to use their personal information for commercial purposes

They are also required to keep a check on ''addictive'' features that make them stay online, to prevent their grooming from paedophiles.

According to the Information Commissioner, ''it is the first step taken to ensure that digital services take responsibility for the experience of their users''.

Interestingly, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bombay-high-court-rules-youtuber-to-pull-down-video-criticising-coconut-oil-275727">Bombay High Court </a>in <a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-may-force-social-media-platforms-to-offer-an-identity-verification-option-266375">India</a> gave a similar judgement on Tuesday where it ruled against a social media influencer who had criticised a hair oil brand.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-may-force-social-media-platforms-to-offer-an-identity-verification-option-266375">India may force social media platforms to offer identity-verification option</a>

While giving the judgement, the High Court also said that social media influencers should exercise their right to free speech and expression "cautiously" to ensure that their message does not harm anyone’s reputation.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women Empowerment met representatives of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook</a>&nbsp;group at Parliament House Annexe building on December 5 last year&nbsp;because&nbsp;of the rising crime against women on social media.

The Committee chaired by&nbsp;Heena Gavit in Lok Sabha discussed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/cyber-bullying-star-suicides-the-dark-side-of-south-koreas-k-pop-world-265173">cyber harassment</a>&nbsp;and cyberbullying with representatives of the social media giant, which owns Facebook, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-removes-igtv-button-from-home-screen-275586">Instagram </a>and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mohammed-bin-salman-caught-spying-jeff-bezos-accused-saudi-prince-of-hacking-his-phone-275857">WhatsApp</a>.

Social media giants will be legitimately bound to protect children from watching self-harm content. In England, social media giants such as Google, Facebook along with several others have been prohibited from publishing content that is '' detrimental to the physical and mental wellbeing of children,'' according to the Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.

Social media giants will be legitimately bound to protect children from watching self-harm content. In England, social media giants such as Google, Facebook along with several others have been prohibited from publishing content that is '' detrimental to the physical and mental wellbeing of children,'' according to the Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham. Potential fines are approximately worth billions of pounds will be enforced by the government to prevent cases of self-harm. Also watch: Google CEO calls for artificial intelligence regulation The incident that prompted this decision was the suicide of a 14-year-old called Molly Russell who took her own life after watching several self-harm images on Instagram and other social media platforms. The companies need to safeguard the privacy of the children and not to use their personal information for commercial purposes They are also required to keep a check on ''addictive'' features that make them stay online, to prevent their grooming from paedophiles. According to the Information Commissioner, ''it is the first step taken to ensure that digital services take responsibility for the experience of their users''. Interestingly, the Bombay High Court in India gave a similar judgement on Tuesday where it ruled against a social media influencer who had criticised a hair oil brand. Also read: India may force social media platforms to offer identity-verification option While giving the judgement, the High Court also said that social media influencers should exercise their right to free speech and expression "cautiously" to ensure that their message does not harm anyone’s reputation. Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women Empowerment met representatives of the Facebook group at Parliament House Annexe building on December 5 last year because of the rising crime against women on social media. The Committee chaired by Heena Gavit in Lok Sabha discussed cyber harassment and cyberbullying with representatives of the social media giant, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

First-ever code to police internet, social media giants to be confined by code of conduct

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../facebook-to-help-in-fight-against-polio- pakistan-274718">Facebook&nbsp;Inc</a> on Saturday blamed a&nbsp;technical&nbsp;error&nbsp;for&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;leader Xi Jinping’s&nbsp;name&nbsp;appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence&nbsp;caused.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-sued-in-us-federal-court-for-alleged-anti-competitive-conduct-274773">Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct</a>

The&nbsp;error&nbsp;came to light on the second day of a visit by the president to the Southeast Asian country, where Xi and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi signed dozens of agreements covering massive Beijing-backed infrastructure plans.

A statement about the visit published on Suu Kyi’s official&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;page was littered with references to “Mr Shithole” when translated to English, while a headline in local news journal the Irrawaddy appeared as “Dinner honours president shithole”.

It was not clear how long the issue lasted but Google’s&nbsp;translation&nbsp;function did not show the same&nbsp;error.

<h6><img alt="Xi Jinping Name error" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1be5e237-daa1-45a6-88d7-bf861fcf254f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%285%29_18.jpg" /> 
 
Image: Facebook translation&nbsp;of Myanmar State Counsellor Office's Burmese post to English | Facebook</h6>

"We fixed a&nbsp;technical&nbsp;issue that&nbsp;caused&nbsp;incorrect&nbsp;translations from Burmese to English on&nbsp;Facebook. This should not have happened and we are taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize for the offence this has&nbsp;caused,"&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;said in a statement.

The&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;system did not have President Xi Jinping's&nbsp;name&nbsp;in its Burmese database and guessed at the&nbsp;translation, the company said.&nbsp;Translation&nbsp;tests of similar words that start with "xi" and "shi" in Burmese also produced "shithole", it added.

Facebook&nbsp;is blocked in mainland China. But it is not blocked in Hong Kong and mainland companies advertise elsewhere on the platform, making China&nbsp;Facebook’s biggest country for revenue after the United States. It is setting up a new engineering team to focus specifically on the lucrative&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;advertising business, Reuters reported last week.

Facebook&nbsp;has faced numerous problems with&nbsp;translation&nbsp;from Burmese in the past. In 2018 it temporarily removed the function after a Reuters report showed the tool was producing bizarre results.

An investigation documented how the company was failing in its efforts to combat vitriolic Burmese language posts about Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, some 730,000 of whom fled a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N has said was conducted with “genocidal intent”.

It also showed the&nbsp;translation&nbsp;feature was flawed, citing an anti-Rohingya post advocating killing Muslims that was translated into English as “I shouldn’t have a rainbow in Myanmar”.

Facebook Inc on Saturday blamed a technical error for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence caused.

Facebook Inc on Saturday blamed a technical error for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name appearing as “Mr Shithole” in posts on its platform when translated into English from Burmese, apologising for any offence caused. Also read: Facebook sued in US federal court for alleged anti competitive conduct The error came to light on the second day of a visit by the president to the Southeast Asian country, where Xi and state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi signed dozens of agreements covering massive Beijing-backed infrastructure plans. A statement about the visit published on Suu Kyi’s official Facebook page was littered with references to “Mr Shithole” when translated to English, while a headline in local news journal the Irrawaddy appeared as “Dinner honours president shithole”. It was not clear how long the issue lasted but Google’s translation function did not show the same error. Image: Facebook translation of Myanmar State Counsellor Office's Burmese post to English | Facebook "We fixed a technical issue that caused incorrect translations from Burmese to English on Facebook. This should not have happened and we are taking steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We sincerely apologize for the offence this has caused," Facebook said in a statement. The Facebook system did not have President Xi Jinping's name in its Burmese database and guessed at the translation, the company said. Translation tests of similar words that start with "xi" and "shi" in Burmese also produced "shithole", it added. Facebook is blocked in mainland China. But it is not blocked in Hong Kong and mainland companies advertise elsewhere on the platform, making China Facebook’s biggest country for revenue after the United States. It is setting up a new engineering team to focus specifically on the lucrative Chinese advertising business, Reuters reported last week. Facebook has faced numerous problems with translation from Burmese in the past. In 2018 it temporarily removed the function after a Reuters report showed the tool was producing bizarre results. An investigation documented how the company was failing in its efforts to combat vitriolic Burmese language posts about Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims, some 730,000 of whom fled a military crackdown in 2017 that the U.N has said was conducted with “genocidal intent”. It also showed the translation feature was flawed, citing an anti-Rohingya post advocating killing Muslims that was translated into English as “I shouldn’t have a rainbow in Myanmar”.

Technical error caused vulgar translation of Xi Jinping's name: Facebook

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../jk-issue-attempt-made-by-pakistan-through- china-to-misuse-unsc-platform-says-india-274661">Pakistan</a>&nbsp;says&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;will&nbsp;help&nbsp;the country in its&nbsp;fight&nbsp;against&nbsp;polio&nbsp;after authorities blamed anti-vaccine content posted last year on the social network site for a leap in the number of cases.

Pakistan&nbsp;is one of only three countries where&nbsp;polio&nbsp;has not been eradicated, but a years-long effort began to show fruit with a major drop in cases from 2016.

Also read-&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-efforts-to-raise-kashmir-at-un-security-council-crumbled-once-again-274575">Pakistan efforts to raise Kashmir at UN Security Council crumbled once again</a>

By 2018 just 12 cases had been recorded, but to the dismay of Pakistani authorities and the World Health Organization, that number soared to 136 last year.&nbsp;

Pakistani officials quickly tied the surge to a slew of fake news reports and videos claiming many children had been killed by the vaccine that garnered thousands of views and shares on social media.&nbsp;

They called on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;do more to remove harmful anti-vaccine content from the site, saying it was jeopardising eradication initiatives and putting the lives of&nbsp;polio&nbsp;workers at risk.&nbsp;

Health authorities later said&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;had removed dozens such videos.

This week a delegation from the company visited Islamabad and reaffirmed their commitment to the campaign, a Pakistani government statement said.&nbsp;

"We stand behind the national and global efforts to create a&nbsp;polio-free world and will continue to support these efforts," Rafael Frankel, a&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;regional director, was quoted as saying in a statement released by&nbsp;Pakistan's ministry of health.

Dr Zafar Mirza, a Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on health, highlighted the importance of communicating correct health information online and stressed "the need to counter harmful content on social media".

Facebook&nbsp;did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

Vaccination campaigns have faced stubborn resistance for years in&nbsp;Pakistan, with many refusing to have their children inoculated because of misinformation and conspiracy theories.

Islamist opposition to all forms of inoculation grew after the CIA organised a fake vaccination drive to&nbsp;help&nbsp;track down Al Qaeda's former leader Osama Bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad.

As&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;tries to reach its goal of eliminating&nbsp;polio, the growing global movement&nbsp;against&nbsp;vaccinations -- fuelled by social media -- has presented a new challenge.

Afghanistan and Nigeria are the two other countries where the disease has not been entirely eradicated, although the latter is expected to be declared&nbsp;polio-free later this year.

Pakistan says Facebook will help the country in its fight against polio after authorities blamed anti-vaccine content posted last year on the social network site for a leap in the number of cases.

Pakistan says Facebook will help the country in its fight against polio after authorities blamed anti-vaccine content posted last year on the social network site for a leap in the number of cases. Pakistan is one of only three countries where polio has not been eradicated, but a years-long effort began to show fruit with a major drop in cases from 2016. Also read- Pakistan efforts to raise Kashmir at UN Security Council crumbled once again By 2018 just 12 cases had been recorded, but to the dismay of Pakistani authorities and the World Health Organization, that number soared to 136 last year. Pakistani officials quickly tied the surge to a slew of fake news reports and videos claiming many children had been killed by the vaccine that garnered thousands of views and shares on social media. They called on Facebook do more to remove harmful anti-vaccine content from the site, saying it was jeopardising eradication initiatives and putting the lives of polio workers at risk. Health authorities later said Facebook had removed dozens such videos. This week a delegation from the company visited Islamabad and reaffirmed their commitment to the campaign, a Pakistani government statement said. "We stand behind the national and global efforts to create a polio-free world and will continue to support these efforts," Rafael Frankel, a Facebook regional director, was quoted as saying in a statement released by Pakistan's ministry of health. Dr Zafar Mirza, a Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on health, highlighted the importance of communicating correct health information online and stressed "the need to counter harmful content on social media". Facebook did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. Vaccination campaigns have faced stubborn resistance for years in Pakistan, with many refusing to have their children inoculated because of misinformation and conspiracy theories. Islamist opposition to all forms of inoculation grew after the CIA organised a fake vaccination drive to help track down Al Qaeda's former leader Osama Bin Laden in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. As Pakistan tries to reach its goal of eliminating polio, the growing global movement against vaccinations -- fuelled by social media -- has presented a new challenge. Afghanistan and Nigeria are the two other countries where the disease has not been entirely eradicated, although the latter is expected to be declared polio-free later this year.

Facebook to help in fight against polio: Pakistan

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet.&nbsp;

The news comes from Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland wherein scores of former employees, working as content moderators, have alleged working in a strict environment with senior managers timing their toilet breaks and requiring them to log in and out every time they step away from their desks.

The employees in question worked as content moderators and looked for sensitive, illegal, pornographic or child abuse content.&nbsp;

In defence, a company spokesperson rubbished the news and said that no employee has any quota of work or any restriction on the breaks that they take. The official added that the system which is in place is to help plan "staffing schedules" and ensure that the employees get time for their training and "well-being breaks".&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-investigating-data-exposure-of-267-million-users-269245">Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak</a>

Mark Zuckerberg-led social media platform has been trying very hard to curb the growing menace of inappropriate content online, especially on his platform.&nbsp;

Just last month, Facebook said that it is trying to investigate a report that a database containing names and phone numbers of over two hundred million users was exposed online.

The database was made available for download in December 2019, on an online hacker forum that belonged to a criminal group, according to a blog post on the website Comparitech.

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet.

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet. The news comes from Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland wherein scores of former employees, working as content moderators, have alleged working in a strict environment with senior managers timing their toilet breaks and requiring them to log in and out every time they step away from their desks. The employees in question worked as content moderators and looked for sensitive, illegal, pornographic or child abuse content. In defence, a company spokesperson rubbished the news and said that no employee has any quota of work or any restriction on the breaks that they take. The official added that the system which is in place is to help plan "staffing schedules" and ensure that the employees get time for their training and "well-being breaks". Also read: Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak Mark Zuckerberg-led social media platform has been trying very hard to curb the growing menace of inappropriate content online, especially on his platform. Just last month, Facebook said that it is trying to investigate a report that a database containing names and phone numbers of over two hundred million users was exposed online. The database was made available for download in December 2019, on an online hacker forum that belonged to a criminal group, according to a blog post on the website Comparitech.

Facebook allegedly monitors moderators' time off, even toilet breaks

India plans to amend proposed rules for policing digital content so the toughest measures apply only to big social media firms, according to two government sources, in a move that could give relief to other tech players fearful of the new regulations.

India plans to amend proposed rules for policing digital content so the toughest measures apply only to big social media firms, according to two government sources, in a move that could give relief to other tech players fearful of the new regulations. The original proposal would have forced all tech players, in addition to Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, to deploy automated tools to check for unlawful content and to appoint an officer for "24x7" coordination with law enforcement. The rules are part of India's broader efforts to tackle disinformation and "fake news". Since 2017, rumour-mongering on social media has been blamed for mob attacks that killed 30 people across the country. But the draft proposals, called "intermediary guidelines" when they were released in December 2018, could have applied to a broad range of technology firms including e-commerce players, cloud storage providers and telecoms companies. India's IT ministry is now considering a two-tier system - with stricter rules similar to the original proposals applying only to social media companies, said the two government sources, who declined to be named as the plans are still private. "The problem is largely with large messaging platforms, ones that enable interaction. Some of the requirements for non-social media companies were unrealistic," one of the officials said. India's IT ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The second government source said that having two separate layers of rules would mean that big social media companies such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Chinese video app TikTok would continue to face stricter regulation, but technology firms such as Amazon.com could breathe easier. The official described the proposed regulation for other technology companies as "minimal" and "simple", adding the rules would be finalised later this month. India's IT ministry has previously said stricter regulations were necessary to safeguard users and the nation's security as the Internet has emerged as a "potent tool to cause unimaginable disruption to the democratic polity". The original draft rules also said companies must "remove or disable access" to "unlawful" content within 24 hours when asked by a government agency or through a court order. That particular requirement, however, would likely stay in the new rules for both social media and other technology firms, the sources said. Global internet companies Mozilla Corp, Microsoft's GitHub and Cloudflare Inc this week wrote an open letter to India's IT minister, saying the draft 2018 regulations were extremely broad and would impact many companies. Calling for new rules to be made public soon, the companies also said the timeline of 24 hours for removing content posed significant implementation challenges.

India to tweak proposed content regulations to ease burden on some: Sources

A senior <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/facebook-to-welcome-its-first-ever-facebook-tv-18323">Facebook</a> executive on Tuesday said the world's biggest social network unintentionally helped put <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-attitude-towards-india-unpredictable-unreliable-238560">Donald Trump</a> in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/americas/white-house-invokes-executive-privilege-to-stop-release-of-mueller-report-217070">White House</a> but warned against dramatic rule changes.

The Trump campaign did effectively use Facebook to rally support for his presidential run, and the social network should be mindful of that without making moves that stifle free political discourse, Andrew Bosworth said in a lengthy post on his personal Facebook page triggered by The New York Times publishing an internal memo he wrote.

"So was Facebook responsible for Donald Trump getting elected?" Bosworth asked.

"I think the answer is yes, but not for the reasons anyone thinks."

Bosworth contended Trump was not elected because of Russia or misinformation or Cambridge Analytica, but rather because he ran "the single best digital ad campaign I've ever seen from any advertiser."

He went on to say that, since Facebook has the same ad policies in place now, the outcome of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-the-impeachment-inquiry-might-affect-donald-trumps-2020-re-election-chances-253716">2020 election</a> could be the same as it was four years ago.

"As tempting as it is to use the tools available to us to change the outcome, I am confident we must never do that or we will become that which we fear," Bosworth wrote.

That doesn't mean Facebook should not draw a line when it comes to how it is used, he reasoned. Clearly inciting violence, thwarting voting, and other blatant transgressions should be banned, but voters should be trusted to decide what kind of leaders they want to elect, according to Bosworth.

"If we don’t want hate-mongering politicians then we must not elect them," Bosworth wrote.

"If we change the outcomes without winning the minds of the people who will be ruled then we have a democracy in name only. If we limit what information people have access to and what they can say then we have no democracy at all."

A senior Facebook executive on Tuesday said the world's biggest social network unintentionally helped put Donald Trump in the White House but warned against dramatic rule changes.

A senior Facebook executive on Tuesday said the world's biggest social network unintentionally helped put Donald Trump in the White House but warned against dramatic rule changes. The Trump campaign did effectively use Facebook to rally support for his presidential run, and the social network should be mindful of that without making moves that stifle free political discourse, Andrew Bosworth said in a lengthy post on his personal Facebook page triggered by The New York Times publishing an internal memo he wrote. "So was Facebook responsible for Donald Trump getting elected?" Bosworth asked. "I think the answer is yes, but not for the reasons anyone thinks." Bosworth contended Trump was not elected because of Russia or misinformation or Cambridge Analytica, but rather because he ran "the single best digital ad campaign I've ever seen from any advertiser." He went on to say that, since Facebook has the same ad policies in place now, the outcome of the 2020 election could be the same as it was four years ago. "As tempting as it is to use the tools available to us to change the outcome, I am confident we must never do that or we will become that which we fear," Bosworth wrote. That doesn't mean Facebook should not draw a line when it comes to how it is used, he reasoned. Clearly inciting violence, thwarting voting, and other blatant transgressions should be banned, but voters should be trusted to decide what kind of leaders they want to elect, according to Bosworth. "If we don’t want hate-mongering politicians then we must not elect them," Bosworth wrote. "If we change the outcomes without winning the minds of the people who will be ruled then we have a democracy in name only. If we limit what information people have access to and what they can say then we have no democracy at all."

Facebook executive says it helped put Trump in White House

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends.

Here is the list of upcoming technologies that could change the game in 2020.

Foldable phones

We now have phones that come with foldable screens. Last year, a handful of companies teased us with their models. In 2020, the trend is expected to grow manifold. More companies are expected to design phones with screens that can fold. So new warriors such as Xiaomi and Oppo will march into the battleground with their foldable designs. And existing players will improve their products. If all goes as expected, 2020 could truly be the year of foldable phones. 
&nbsp; 
5G is coming to India! 
&nbsp; 
Next-gen 5G technology has been a talking point for years. But it was only in 2019, that the world finally witnessed the launch of 5G phones, that too only in a handful of countries. But in 2020, 5G will be the catalyst to a digital revolution in more countries, including India. Indian telecoms have been conducting 5G tests and are implementing 5G-ready equipment, so it's quite plausible that 5G will finally take off in the country this year. And we'll get to enjoy the benefits of even faster internet speeds! 
&nbsp; 
The rise of video streaming 
&nbsp; 
Over the last 12 months, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of media on video streaming platforms. Many people now avoid going to cinema halls and wait for the movies to stream on OTT platforms. Companies are creating content exclusively for video-on-demand services, which are popular within all age groups. And this trend will be seen in 2020, OTT services will continue to adversely impact the business of cinema. 
&nbsp; 
Voice assistants - What's next? 
&nbsp; 
Voice assistants have been around for a few years now. Every year, they get better and are packed with new functionalities. Today, services like Alexa and Google Assistant can do a lot of things, answer our queries and make suggestions based on our schedules. But as anyone who uses a voice assistant knows, there's a huge scope for improvement. In 2020, voice recognition software will improve, so it will get better at understanding different accents. Artificial intelligence technology behind voice applications will continue to be a focus area in the space of technology.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;Connected retail 
&nbsp; 
Tech companies are working on making our shopping experience better.&nbsp;We have seen connected shopping devices in India and other countries.&nbsp;Amazon has set up a checkout-free grocery store. Facial recognition is improving payment systems. But all of these services are yet to go mainstream.&nbsp;

Price of privacy

After a series of data leaks at facebook and hacking attempts on apps like WhatsApp in 2019, there are increasing fears about privacy. &nbsp;But at the same time, many of us are knowingly trading our privacy for convenience.&nbsp;

For instance, users are granting app permissions without even giving it a second thought.&nbsp;

Devices like smart speakers, that have been accused of eavesdropping, are still flying off the shelves. And how many of us have stopped using Facebook despite knowing that it's in the middle of multiple data privacy rows?

We do think that these tech giants will continue profiting from invading our privacy, so let's hope we see better consumer protection and privacy laws in 2020. 
&nbsp;

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends.

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends. Here is the list of upcoming technologies that could change the game in 2020. Foldable phones We now have phones that come with foldable screens. Last year, a handful of companies teased us with their models. In 2020, the trend is expected to grow manifold. More companies are expected to design phones with screens that can fold. So new warriors such as Xiaomi and Oppo will march into the battleground with their foldable designs. And existing players will improve their products. If all goes as expected, 2020 could truly be the year of foldable phones. 5G is coming to India! Next-gen 5G technology has been a talking point for years. But it was only in 2019, that the world finally witnessed the launch of 5G phones, that too only in a handful of countries. But in 2020, 5G will be the catalyst to a digital revolution in more countries, including India. Indian telecoms have been conducting 5G tests and are implementing 5G-ready equipment, so it's quite plausible that 5G will finally take off in the country this year. And we'll get to enjoy the benefits of even faster internet speeds! The rise of video streaming Over the last 12 months, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of media on video streaming platforms. Many people now avoid going to cinema halls and wait for the movies to stream on OTT platforms. Companies are creating content exclusively for video-on-demand services, which are popular within all age groups. And this trend will be seen in 2020, OTT services will continue to adversely impact the business of cinema. Voice assistants - What's next? Voice assistants have been around for a few years now. Every year, they get better and are packed with new functionalities. Today, services like Alexa and Google Assistant can do a lot of things, answer our queries and make suggestions based on our schedules. But as anyone who uses a voice assistant knows, there's a huge scope for improvement. In 2020, voice recognition software will improve, so it will get better at understanding different accents. Artificial intelligence technology behind voice applications will continue to be a focus area in the space of technology. Connected retail Tech companies are working on making our shopping experience better. We have seen connected shopping devices in India and other countries. Amazon has set up a checkout-free grocery store. Facial recognition is improving payment systems. But all of these services are yet to go mainstream. Price of privacy After a series of data leaks at facebook and hacking attempts on apps like WhatsApp in 2019, there are increasing fears about privacy. But at the same time, many of us are knowingly trading our privacy for convenience. For instance, users are granting app permissions without even giving it a second thought. Devices like smart speakers, that have been accused of eavesdropping, are still flying off the shelves. And how many of us have stopped using Facebook despite knowing that it's in the middle of multiple data privacy rows? We do think that these tech giants will continue profiting from invading our privacy, so let's hope we see better consumer protection and privacy laws in 2020.

Technology trends of 2020: What to expect?

Afghanistan on Friday reopened its consulate in Peshawar after a gap of almost three months with Afghan delegation visiting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/18-houses-suffer-damage-as-pakistan-violates-ceasefire-in-kashmir-270652">Pakistan</a> for talks over the market ownership dispute in the city.

In early October, the consulate was closed in protest after the police in Peshawar had removed the Afghan national flag from a market, which Kabul said is its property.

The Afghan consulate has resumed visa operations from Friday, according to First Secretary at the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar Faridoon Haiderkhel.

He also wrote on his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-twitter-block-state-sponsored-manipulation-accounts-in-latest-crackdown-269455">Facebook</a> page that people in the city can now visit the embassy for applying and obtaining visas.

The dispute began after Pakistan's Supreme Court had ruled that a Pakistani national, Shaukat Kashmiri, was the owner of the Afghan Market, instructing the authorities to vacate the building and hand it over to him, according to the Pakistani news outlet.

Local authorities in Peshawar took strict action against shopkeepers and removed Afghanistan's national flag from the market. Later, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal unfurled the flag in the city leading to heightened tensions between the two countries.

While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/27-local-peace-activists-abducted-in-western-afghanistan-270195">Afghanistan</a> has reopened its consulate, Pakistan is yet to reopen the consular section of its embassy in Kabul, which was shut on November 3 in view of the "harassment" of diplomats in the Afghan capital.

Pakistani sources in Kabul told Daily Times that the consular section is slated to be opened on January 5.

Afghanistan on Friday reopened its consulate in Peshawar after a gap of almost three months with Afghan delegation visiting Pakistan for talks over the market ownership dispute in the city.

Afghanistan on Friday reopened its consulate in Peshawar after a gap of almost three months with Afghan delegation visiting Pakistan for talks over the market ownership dispute in the city. In early October, the consulate was closed in protest after the police in Peshawar had removed the Afghan national flag from a market, which Kabul said is its property. The Afghan consulate has resumed visa operations from Friday, according to First Secretary at the Afghan Consulate in Peshawar Faridoon Haiderkhel. He also wrote on his Facebook page that people in the city can now visit the embassy for applying and obtaining visas. The dispute began after Pakistan's Supreme Court had ruled that a Pakistani national, Shaukat Kashmiri, was the owner of the Afghan Market, instructing the authorities to vacate the building and hand it over to him, according to the Pakistani news outlet. Local authorities in Peshawar took strict action against shopkeepers and removed Afghanistan's national flag from the market. Later, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Atif Mashal unfurled the flag in the city leading to heightened tensions between the two countries. While Afghanistan has reopened its consulate, Pakistan is yet to reopen the consular section of its embassy in Kabul, which was shut on November 3 in view of the "harassment" of diplomats in the Afghan capital. Pakistani sources in Kabul told Daily Times that the consular section is slated to be opened on January 5.

Afghanistan reopens consulate in Pakistan's Peshawar after nearly three months

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-blocks-group-spreading-pro-trump-posts-from-fake-accounts-269435">Facebook </a>said that it had blocked a network in Vietnam and the United States which posted pro-Trump messages targetting US citizens.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-thousands-of-accounts-that-were-linked-to-saudi-arabia-269402">Twitter</a>, on the other hand, claimed that it had blocked nearly 88,000 accounts linked to Saudi state-backed "information operations", in violation of its manipulation rules.

The Twitter safety team said that their analysis found that the network targetted discussions related to Saudi Arabia and was promoting Riyadh's geopolitical interests at an international level.&nbsp;

"Our internal analysis shows the network was involved in various forms of platform manipulation, targetting discussions related to Saudi Arabia and advancing their geopolitical interests on the world stage," the Twitter team said.&nbsp;

Twitter's investigations revealed Saudi-based social media marketing firm Smaat behind this campaign of manipulation. Smaat has been permanently blocked by the platform.&nbsp;

The Saudi-based firm was working for "high-profile individuals" and for several government departments in Saudi Arabia, Twitter said. Some of the tweets were of 2016 and were supporting&nbsp;the presidential campaign of US President Donald Trump.

Facebook said that the Vietnam network was traced to the multi-language media group Epoch Times, which is linked to the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and a US media outlet called BL, which has been uploading pro-Trump posts.&nbsp;

Facebook also said that it has removed more than 600 accounts on Facebook and Instagram.&nbsp;

"The people behind this activity made widespread use of fake accounts -- many of which had been automatically removed by our systems -- to manage pages and groups, automate posting at very high frequencies and direct traffic to off-platform sites," Facebook security chief Nathaniel Gleicher said.

"The BL-focused network repeatedly violated a number of our policies, including our policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior, spam and misrepresentation, to name just a few."

The Facebook security chief said that the fake accounts shared memes and content focussing on conservative ideology and US political issues such as Trump's impeachment, trade, family values, freedom of religion, among others.

(with inputs from AFP)

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world.

In a crackdown against state-sponsored propaganda, social-media giants Facebook and Twitter said that they had blocked multiple government-backed manipulation operations around the world. Facebook said that it had blocked a network in Vietnam and the United States which posted pro-Trump messages targetting US citizens. Twitter, on the other hand, claimed that it had blocked nearly 88,000 accounts linked to Saudi state-backed "information operations", in violation of its manipulation rules. The Twitter safety team said that their analysis found that the network targetted discussions related to Saudi Arabia and was promoting Riyadh's geopolitical interests at an international level. "Our internal analysis shows the network was involved in various forms of platform manipulation, targetting discussions related to Saudi Arabia and advancing their geopolitical interests on the world stage," the Twitter team said. Twitter's investigations revealed Saudi-based social media marketing firm Smaat behind this campaign of manipulation. Smaat has been permanently blocked by the platform. The Saudi-based firm was working for "high-profile individuals" and for several government departments in Saudi Arabia, Twitter said. Some of the tweets were of 2016 and were supporting the presidential campaign of US President Donald Trump. Facebook said that the Vietnam network was traced to the multi-language media group Epoch Times, which is linked to the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and a US media outlet called BL, which has been uploading pro-Trump posts. Facebook also said that it has removed more than 600 accounts on Facebook and Instagram. "The people behind this activity made widespread use of fake accounts -- many of which had been automatically removed by our systems -- to manage pages and groups, automate posting at very high frequencies and direct traffic to off-platform sites," Facebook security chief Nathaniel Gleicher said. "The BL-focused network repeatedly violated a number of our policies, including our policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior, spam and misrepresentation, to name just a few." The Facebook security chief said that the fake accounts shared memes and content focussing on conservative ideology and US political issues such as Trump's impeachment, trade, family values, freedom of religion, among others. (with inputs from AFP)

Facebook, Twitter block state-sponsored manipulation accounts in latest crackdown

Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/instagram-expands-its-fact-check-program-to-prevent-misinformation-268795">Instagram </a>as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products.

Product endorsements are rampant on Instagram as celebrities and others with large followings or so-called "influencers", on the social network have struck deals to talk up clothing, food and other items.

Even though <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-phone-law-dupes-many-in-singapore-but-wins-support-too-269124">Facebook&nbsp;</a>and Instagram have banned ads for tobacco products, e-cigarette makers have been using influencers to promote their products through hashtags or posts showing they were gifted the devices by companies.

"Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed," Instagram said in a post on Wednesday.

"Our advertising policies have long prohibited the advertisement of these products, and we will begin enforcement on this in the coming weeks."

According to CNBC, this would be the first time the platform is implementing restrictions around the type of items that can be promoted for branded content.

The new guidelines come after Instagram made changes in June to its policies allowing brands to turn an influencer's post into a sponsored content ad that would appear on their feeds with a "paid partnership with" tag.

The move comes on the same day the British Advertising Standards Authority banned tobacco companies from promoting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-plans-to-ban-e-cigarettes-amid-growing-health-concerns-265604">e-cigarettes</a> on social media sites, following an investigation into their Instagram posts.

"It is imperative that Facebook and Instagram not only swiftly enact these policy changes but also see that they are strictly enforced," said Matthew Myers, president, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

"Tobacco companies have spent decades targeting kids social media companies must not be complicit in this strategy," he said.

Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on Instagram as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products.

Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on Instagram as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products. Product endorsements are rampant on Instagram as celebrities and others with large followings or so-called "influencers", on the social network have struck deals to talk up clothing, food and other items. Even though Facebook and Instagram have banned ads for tobacco products, e-cigarette makers have been using influencers to promote their products through hashtags or posts showing they were gifted the devices by companies. "Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed," Instagram said in a post on Wednesday. "Our advertising policies have long prohibited the advertisement of these products, and we will begin enforcement on this in the coming weeks." According to CNBC, this would be the first time the platform is implementing restrictions around the type of items that can be promoted for branded content. The new guidelines come after Instagram made changes in June to its policies allowing brands to turn an influencer's post into a sponsored content ad that would appear on their feeds with a "paid partnership with" tag. The move comes on the same day the British Advertising Standards Authority banned tobacco companies from promoting e-cigarettes on social media sites, following an investigation into their Instagram posts. "It is imperative that Facebook and Instagram not only swiftly enact these policy changes but also see that they are strictly enforced," said Matthew Myers, president, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Tobacco companies have spent decades targeting kids social media companies must not be complicit in this strategy," he said.

Instagram bans influencers from promoting vaping products

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/taiwan-conducts-military-exercise-amid-tensions-with-china-142795">Taiwan</a>&nbsp;is ramping up efforts ahead of a January 11&nbsp;election&nbsp;to combat fake news and disinformation that the government says China is bombarding the island with to undermine its democracy.

But&nbsp;Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which favours close ties with China, is crying foul, accusing the ruling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-interfering-in-election-every-day-taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-263144">Democratic Progressive Party</a> (DPP) of running its own disinformation campaign, saying the threat is closer to home.

Taiwan's rambunctious democracy has long been deeply polarised and partisan.

Accusations of dirty-doings, denials and counter-denials are part and parcel of political life on the island, played out on its many cable news channels and online, mostly on Facebook, messaging app Line and the&nbsp;Taiwan-focused bulletin board PTT.

Fake news and disinformation campaigns are a problem governments around the world are trying to tackle. US&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/donald-trumps-attitude-towards-india-unpredictable-unreliable-238560">Donald Trump</a> has repeatedly lambasted US&nbsp;media for what he says is its "fake news" about him and his administration.

Taiwan, which holds presidential and legislative&nbsp;elections on January 11, says it is particularly vulnerable to influence-peddling by its giant, autocratic neighbour China, which claims&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;as its own territory, to be brought under Beijing's rule by force if need be.

"Taiwan&nbsp;is a democratic, open society. They are using our freedom and openness, bringing in news that is not beneficial to the government," Chiu Chui-cheng, deputy head of&nbsp;Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told Reuters, referring to China.

"They are seeking to confuse the perception of people. It's a perception war," he said. "Mainland China uses organisations in&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;to help disseminate fake news."

But the Kuomintang and its presidential candidate, Han Kuo-yu, lagging in the polls behind President Tsai Ing-wen, say voters should focus on what the ruling party is doing to muddy the waters, and should stop trying to "smear them red" a reference to the colours of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-china-communist-partys-xi-event-begins-499">China's Communist Party</a>.

"Have a look on the internet, isn't about more than 90 percent of online news attacks against Han Kuo-yu?" Han's campaign spokeswoman, Anne Wang, told Reuters.

She said almost nobody on the PTT bulletin board supported the Kuomintang, which undermined ruling party complaints of Beijing's interference on behalf of the opposition party.

"If mainland China wants to support the Kuomintang, how can that be the result?" she asked.

"Is their (China's) fake news cyber army too weak? Have they failed? Or is the cyber army in service of the DPP more powerful and ferocious?"

The suicide of&nbsp;Taiwan's consul general in the Japanese city of Osaka last year, following fake reports he had not done enough to help&nbsp;Taiwanese stranded by a typhoon, has been seized upon by the Kuomintang, after Taipei prosecutors this month filed charges against one of the people accused of spreading the reports, a prominent DPP member.

Kuomintang legislator Lai Shyh-bao said it was ironic that Tsai blamed DPP losses in mayoral&nbsp;elections last year on fake news.

"Now we know that she is the commander of all the fake news," Lai said.

The DPP says it had nothing to do with the consul general's death.

"Fake news is encroaching on&nbsp;Taiwan's democracy, splitting apart&nbsp;Taiwan's people. Everyone needs to be on guard," DPP spokeswoman Lee Yen-jong said.

Fact-checking groups say people are being bombarded with fake news and have set up websites and chat rooms, and held seminars, to help people identify it.

Government task forces have been mandated to "bust rumours" while a security agency has launched a "special mission" to crack down on suspected fake news from China to influence votes, according to an official with knowledge of the matter who declined to be identified.

"Fake news destroys trust between people," said Johnson Liang, founder of the group Cofacts.

"When the trust between people has been lost, you won't trust that politicians will do things beneficial to you, neither will you believe that representatives will speak up for you."

China denies seeking to interfere in&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;election.

Its policy-making&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;Affairs Office said it was "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mesut-ozil-deceived-by-fake-news-will-be-pleased-to-see-him-go-to-xinjiang-china-268547">fake news</a>" to suggest that it was trying to meddle.

"Every time there is a&nbsp;Taiwan&nbsp;regional&nbsp;election, various fake news is 'created' to make rumours about and smear the mainland," the office said in a statement to Reuters.

The DPP reacted angrily to pictures on social media supposedly showing its deputy secretary-general, Lin Fei-fan, dining with self-professed&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;spy Wang Liqiang.

Wang has described in Australian media how he worked with China's Communist Party to meddle in&nbsp;Taiwan. China says he is a convicted fraudster. The Kuomintang also says they have serious doubts about his claims.

The DPP says the person identified in the picture as Li is an assistant to a Hong Kong legislator and blamed "China-friendly forces" for the "fake message".

Internet companies have moved to tackle fake news as the&nbsp;elections approach. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-shares-fall-over-possible-us-antitrust-move-268567">Facebook</a> has vowed to step up efforts to counter disinformation and "state-backed influence operations". Line Corp has teamed up with several advocacy groups to help users verify information.

Facebook last week removed more than 200 accounts, pages and groups to help "protect the integrity of&nbsp;Taiwan's&nbsp;elections".

Taiwan&nbsp;FactCheck Centre, which is collaborating with Line, said it had seen a sharp increase in political messages on the platform since September.

"We're overwhelmed," said Summer Chen, the group's chief editor.

"There are a lot of rumours before the&nbsp;elections. They are spreading faster and mobilising hatred," she told Reuters, referring to rumours she believed were coming from China.

Taiwan is ramping up efforts ahead of a January 11 election to combat fake news and disinformation that the government says China is bombarding the island with to undermine its democracy.

Taiwan is ramping up efforts ahead of a January 11 election to combat fake news and disinformation that the government says China is bombarding the island with to undermine its democracy. But Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang, which favours close ties with China, is crying foul, accusing the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of running its own disinformation campaign, saying the threat is closer to home. Taiwan's rambunctious democracy has long been deeply polarised and partisan. Accusations of dirty-doings, denials and counter-denials are part and parcel of political life on the island, played out on its many cable news channels and online, mostly on Facebook, messaging app Line and the Taiwan-focused bulletin board PTT. Fake news and disinformation campaigns are a problem governments around the world are trying to tackle. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly lambasted US media for what he says is its "fake news" about him and his administration. Taiwan, which holds presidential and legislative elections on January 11, says it is particularly vulnerable to influence-peddling by its giant, autocratic neighbour China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be brought under Beijing's rule by force if need be. "Taiwan is a democratic, open society. They are using our freedom and openness, bringing in news that is not beneficial to the government," Chiu Chui-cheng, deputy head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, told Reuters, referring to China. "They are seeking to confuse the perception of people. It's a perception war," he said. "Mainland China uses organisations in Taiwan to help disseminate fake news." But the Kuomintang and its presidential candidate, Han Kuo-yu, lagging in the polls behind President Tsai Ing-wen, say voters should focus on what the ruling party is doing to muddy the waters, and should stop trying to "smear them red" a reference to the colours of China's Communist Party. "Have a look on the internet, isn't about more than 90 percent of online news attacks against Han Kuo-yu?" Han's campaign spokeswoman, Anne Wang, told Reuters. She said almost nobody on the PTT bulletin board supported the Kuomintang, which undermined ruling party complaints of Beijing's interference on behalf of the opposition party. "If mainland China wants to support the Kuomintang, how can that be the result?" she asked. "Is their (China's) fake news cyber army too weak? Have they failed? Or is the cyber army in service of the DPP more powerful and ferocious?" The suicide of Taiwan's consul general in the Japanese city of Osaka last year, following fake reports he had not done enough to help Taiwanese stranded by a typhoon, has been seized upon by the Kuomintang, after Taipei prosecutors this month filed charges against one of the people accused of spreading the reports, a prominent DPP member. Kuomintang legislator Lai Shyh-bao said it was ironic that Tsai blamed DPP losses in mayoral elections last year on fake news. "Now we know that she is the commander of all the fake news," Lai said. The DPP says it had nothing to do with the consul general's death. "Fake news is encroaching on Taiwan's democracy, splitting apart Taiwan's people. Everyone needs to be on guard," DPP spokeswoman Lee Yen-jong said. Fact-checking groups say people are being bombarded with fake news and have set up websites and chat rooms, and held seminars, to help people identify it. Government task forces have been mandated to "bust rumours" while a security agency has launched a "special mission" to crack down on suspected fake news from China to influence votes, according to an official with knowledge of the matter who declined to be identified. "Fake news destroys trust between people," said Johnson Liang, founder of the group Cofacts. "When the trust between people has been lost, you won't trust that politicians will do things beneficial to you, neither will you believe that representatives will speak up for you." China denies seeking to interfere in Taiwan's election. Its policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office said it was "fake news" to suggest that it was trying to meddle. "Every time there is a Taiwan regional election, various fake news is 'created' to make rumours about and smear the mainland," the office said in a statement to Reuters. The DPP reacted angrily to pictures on social media supposedly showing its deputy secretary-general, Lin Fei-fan, dining with self-professed Chinese spy Wang Liqiang. Wang has described in Australian media how he worked with China's Communist Party to meddle in Taiwan. China says he is a convicted fraudster. The Kuomintang also says they have serious doubts about his claims. The DPP says the person identified in the picture as Li is an assistant to a Hong Kong legislator and blamed "China-friendly forces" for the "fake message". Internet companies have moved to tackle fake news as the elections approach. Facebook has vowed to step up efforts to counter disinformation and "state-backed influence operations". Line Corp has teamed up with several advocacy groups to help users verify information. Facebook last week removed more than 200 accounts, pages and groups to help "protect the integrity of Taiwan's elections". Taiwan FactCheck Centre, which is collaborating with Line, said it had seen a sharp increase in political messages on the platform since September. "We're overwhelmed," said Summer Chen, the group's chief editor. "There are a lot of rumours before the elections. They are spreading faster and mobilising hatred," she told Reuters, referring to rumours she believed were coming from China.

Chinese 'rumours' and 'cyber armies': Taiwan fights election 'fake news'

Alphabet Inc's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/google-pay-to-offer-checking-accounts-through-citi-stanford-federal-261964">Google</a> has settled a "longstanding" tax dispute with Australia's tax office, it said on Wednesday, after paying an extra A$481.5 million ($326.75 million) on top of its previous tax bill.

The settlement comes after an audit that looked into the tech giant's tax practices between 2008 and 2018, a Google spokeswoman said.

In a separate statement, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) said it has now netted A$1.25 billion after also settling tax disputes recently with other tech giants such as Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook under the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law (MAAL).

"Thanks to the efforts of our ATO officers under the Tax Avoidance Taskforce and the introduction of the MAAL, Australian sourced sales by these digital giants will now be returned to Australia’s tax base," the ATO said in a statement, calling the settlement "another e-commerce victory."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/facebook-to-welcome-its-first-ever-facebook-tv-18323">Facebook</a>, Google, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/amazon-offers-employees-10000-to-quit-launch-delivery-business-218463">Amazon</a> and other large technology companies have faced criticism globally for reducing their tax bills by booking profits in low-tax countries regardless of the location of the end customer. Such practices are frowned upon by many countries as unfair.

A Google spokeswoman said the settlement with the ATO will provide certainty for future tax treatment.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in a statement the establishment of the tax avoidance taskforce in 2016 has helped strengthen tax compliance of multinationals and large corporations.

"Ensuring large companies and multinationals pay the right amount of tax means we can continue to deliver the essential services Australians rely on," Frydenberg said.

Alphabet Inc's Google has settled a "longstanding" tax dispute with Australia's tax office, it said on Wednesday, after paying an extra A$481.5 million ($326.75 million) on top of its previous tax bill.

Alphabet Inc's Google has settled a "longstanding" tax dispute with Australia's tax office, it said on Wednesday, after paying an extra A$481.5 million ($326.75 million) on top of its previous tax bill. The settlement comes after an audit that looked into the tech giant's tax practices between 2008 and 2018, a Google spokeswoman said. In a separate statement, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) said it has now netted A$1.25 billion after also settling tax disputes recently with other tech giants such as Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook under the Multinational Anti-Avoidance Law (MAAL). "Thanks to the efforts of our ATO officers under the Tax Avoidance Taskforce and the introduction of the MAAL, Australian sourced sales by these digital giants will now be returned to Australia’s tax base," the ATO said in a statement, calling the settlement "another e-commerce victory." Facebook, Google, Amazon and other large technology companies have faced criticism globally for reducing their tax bills by booking profits in low-tax countries regardless of the location of the end customer. Such practices are frowned upon by many countries as unfair. A Google spokeswoman said the settlement with the ATO will provide certainty for future tax treatment. Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in a statement the establishment of the tax avoidance taskforce in 2016 has helped strengthen tax compliance of multinationals and large corporations. "Ensuring large companies and multinationals pay the right amount of tax means we can continue to deliver the essential services Australians rely on," Frydenberg said.

Google settles longstanding tax dispute with Australia

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