An NGO has sent a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding it frame guidelines to regulate the functioning of online social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The legal notice by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC) states that if the Election Commission fails to act the matter will be taken to court.

This development has come to light after CASC in its representation to the then Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat sought mandatory registration of WhatsApp groups formed by political parties or candidates with the Election Commission.

Election Commission had come up with its first instructions for social media on October 25 2013.

An NGO has sent a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding it frame guidelines to regulate the functioning of online social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

An NGO has sent a notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding it frame guidelines to regulate the functioning of online social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The legal notice by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC) states that if the Election Commission fails to act the matter will be taken to court. This development has come to light after CASC in its representation to the then Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat sought mandatory registration of WhatsApp groups formed by political parties or candidates with the Election Commission. Election Commission had come up with its first instructions for social media on October 25 2013.

Notice sent to ECI to frame guidelines for social media sites

Facebook Inc is toughening up the rules governing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hackers-gain-access-to-120-miilion-facebook-users-private-messages-report-175285">political advertisements</a> in India to create more transparency ahead of the country's general elections due before May, the social media giant said late on Thursday.

Users will see political advertisements with "published by" and "paid by" disclaimers, the Menlo Park, California-headquartered company said in a statement.

The move comes weeks after Facebook told it would extend some of its political advertising rules and tools for curbing election interference to India, Nigeria, Ukraine and the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-accused-of-allowing-anti-brexit-fake-news-on-its-platform-191338">European Union</a> before significant votes in these places in the next few months.

Users will be able to access a library that allows them to search and find out more about political advertisements such as how much is spent on them and the demographics of advertising views, Facebook said.

People will soon also be able to see country locations of users who manage Facebook pages that carry political ads.

"By increasing transparency around ads and pages on Facebook, we hope to increase accountability for advertisers, help people assess the content they're seeing and prevent future abuse in elections," Facebook said.

The new features and policy become effective February&nbsp;21.

The moves are part of Facebook's attempts to reshape its public image which took a beating last year after a privacy scandal involving British data consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

The company has also faced intense pressure from India, one of the world's biggest Internet markets, to curb the spread of misinformation through its WhatsApp messenger that has lead to a spate of killings.

Facebook said it is also making it tougher to run a page using a fake account by introducing two-factor authentication and by asking for page administrators' primary country location.

In the&nbsp;past few years, Facebook has effectively been used globally by politicians and their adversaries to distribute fake news and other propaganda.

Ads on Facebook can widen the reach of such material, but some of those influence efforts may violate election rules and the company's policies. Under intense global public scrutiny, Facebook last year introduced several initiatives to increase oversight of political ads.

Facebook Inc is toughening up the rules governing political advertisements in India to create more transparency ahead of the country's general elections due before May, the social media giant said late on Thursday.

Facebook Inc is toughening up the rules governing political advertisements in India to create more transparency ahead of the country's general elections due before May, the social media giant said late on Thursday. Users will see political advertisements with "published by" and "paid by" disclaimers, the Menlo Park, California-headquartered company said in a statement. The move comes weeks after Facebook told it would extend some of its political advertising rules and tools for curbing election interference to India, Nigeria, Ukraine and the European Union before significant votes in these places in the next few months. Users will be able to access a library that allows them to search and find out more about political advertisements such as how much is spent on them and the demographics of advertising views, Facebook said. People will soon also be able to see country locations of users who manage Facebook pages that carry political ads. "By increasing transparency around ads and pages on Facebook, we hope to increase accountability for advertisers, help people assess the content they're seeing and prevent future abuse in elections," Facebook said. The new features and policy become effective February 21. The moves are part of Facebook's attempts to reshape its public image which took a beating last year after a privacy scandal involving British data consultancy Cambridge Analytica. The company has also faced intense pressure from India, one of the world's biggest Internet markets, to curb the spread of misinformation through its WhatsApp messenger that has lead to a spate of killings. Facebook said it is also making it tougher to run a page using a fake account by introducing two-factor authentication and by asking for page administrators' primary country location. In the past few years, Facebook has effectively been used globally by politicians and their adversaries to distribute fake news and other propaganda. Ads on Facebook can widen the reach of such material, but some of those influence efforts may violate election rules and the company's policies. Under intense global public scrutiny, Facebook last year introduced several initiatives to increase oversight of political ads.

Now, Facebook toughens political ad policies in India ahead of general election

Duplicate accounts in Facebook grew over three times to more than 250 million during the last three years when it comes to Monthly Active Users are concerned, according to the numbers supplied by the social networking site in it's latest annual report.

In the fourth quarter of 2018, Facebook estimated that duplicate accounts may have represented approximately 11 per cent of its MAUs while the figure was 5 per cent in 2015.

Monthly active users (MAUs) were 1.59 billion as of December 31, 2015 while it grew to 2.32 billion as of December 31, 2018, it said.

A MAU is defined as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited the site through website or a mobile device, or used Messenger application in the last 30 days as of the date of measurement.

"In the fourth quarter of 2018, we estimate that duplicate accounts may have represented approximately 11 per cent of our worldwide MAUs. We believe the percentage of duplicate accounts is meaningfully higher in developing markets such as the Philippines and Vietnam, as compared to more developed markets," Facebook said it's 2018 annual report.

"In the fourth quarter of 2018, we estimate that false accounts may have represented approximately 5 per cent of our worldwide MAUs. Our estimation of false accounts can vary as a result of episodic spikes in the creation, it said.

The estimates of duplicate and false accounts are based on an internal review of a limited sample of accounts, and the site applies significant judgement in making this determination, it said.

A duplicate account is one that a user maintains in addition to his or her principal account while 'false' accounts are divided into two categories.

The false accounts are categorised into user-misclassified accounts, where users have created personal profiles for a business, organisation, or non-human entity such as a pet (such entities are permitted on Facebook using a page rather than a personal profile under terms of service). The second is undesirable accounts, which represent user profiles that were determined as intended to be used for purposes that violate our terms of service, such as spamming.

Worldwide Daily Active Users increased by 9 per cent to 1.52 billion on average during December 2018 from 1. 40 billion during December 2017.

"Users in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines represented key sources of growth in DAUs during December 2018, relative to the same period in 2017," Facebook said.

Duplicate accounts in Facebook grew over three times to more than 250 million during the last three years when it comes to Monthly Active Users are concerned, according to the numbers supplied by the social networking site in it's latest annual report.

Duplicate accounts in Facebook grew over three times to more than 250 million during the last three years when it comes to Monthly Active Users are concerned, according to the numbers supplied by the social networking site in it's latest annual report. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Facebook estimated that duplicate accounts may have represented approximately 11 per cent of its MAUs while the figure was 5 per cent in 2015. Monthly active users (MAUs) were 1.59 billion as of December 31, 2015 while it grew to 2.32 billion as of December 31, 2018, it said. A MAU is defined as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited the site through website or a mobile device, or used Messenger application in the last 30 days as of the date of measurement. "In the fourth quarter of 2018, we estimate that duplicate accounts may have represented approximately 11 per cent of our worldwide MAUs. We believe the percentage of duplicate accounts is meaningfully higher in developing markets such as the Philippines and Vietnam, as compared to more developed markets," Facebook said it's 2018 annual report. "In the fourth quarter of 2018, we estimate that false accounts may have represented approximately 5 per cent of our worldwide MAUs. Our estimation of false accounts can vary as a result of episodic spikes in the creation, it said. The estimates of duplicate and false accounts are based on an internal review of a limited sample of accounts, and the site applies significant judgement in making this determination, it said. A duplicate account is one that a user maintains in addition to his or her principal account while 'false' accounts are divided into two categories. The false accounts are categorised into user-misclassified accounts, where users have created personal profiles for a business, organisation, or non-human entity such as a pet (such entities are permitted on Facebook using a page rather than a personal profile under terms of service). The second is undesirable accounts, which represent user profiles that were determined as intended to be used for purposes that violate our terms of service, such as spamming. Worldwide Daily Active Users increased by 9 per cent to 1.52 billion on average during December 2018 from 1. 40 billion during December 2017. "Users in India, Indonesia, and the Philippines represented key sources of growth in DAUs during December 2018, relative to the same period in 2017," Facebook said.

Duplicate Facebook accounts tripled in three years at 250 million

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-paid-teens-to-track-smartphones-in-order-to-beat-competition-report-193942"> Facebook Inc from a program designed</a> to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers.

Apple offers what are known as certificates that let businesses have deep controls over iPhones, with the potential to remotely install apps, monitor app usage and access, and delete data owned by a business on an iPhone. Apple designed the program for organizations whose staff use iPhones for official duties, when privacy needs are different from phones for personal use.

On Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch reported that Facebook was paying users as young as 13-years-old to install an app called Facebook Research. The app used Apple's business tools to ask for an iPhone user's permission to install so-called virtual private network software that can track browsing habits.

Apple ejected Facebook from the business app program, saying in a statement on Wednesday the program was "solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization."

"Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple," Apple said in the statement.

The ban does not affect Facebook's apps in Apple's App Store, which Facebook depends on to distribute Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps to iPhone users. But it does mean that Facebook will not be able to distribute internal apps to its own employees.

In a statement, Facebook said key aspects of the research program were being ignored and that it had secured users' permission.

"Despite early reports, there was nothing 'secret' about this," Facebook said in a statement. "It was literally called the Facebook Research App. It wasn't 'spying' as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate."

Facebook said fewer than 5 per cent of the participants in the program were teens and that all of those teens had signed parental consent forms. 
&nbsp;

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned Facebook Inc from a program designed to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers.

Apple Inc said on Wednesday it had banned Facebook Inc from a program designed to let businesses control iPhones used by their employees, saying the social networking company had improperly used it to track the web-browsing habits of teenagers. Apple offers what are known as certificates that let businesses have deep controls over iPhones, with the potential to remotely install apps, monitor app usage and access, and delete data owned by a business on an iPhone. Apple designed the program for organizations whose staff use iPhones for official duties, when privacy needs are different from phones for personal use. On Tuesday, technology news site TechCrunch reported that Facebook was paying users as young as 13-years-old to install an app called Facebook Research. The app used Apple's business tools to ask for an iPhone user's permission to install so-called virtual private network software that can track browsing habits. Apple ejected Facebook from the business app program, saying in a statement on Wednesday the program was "solely for the internal distribution of apps within an organization." "Facebook has been using their membership to distribute a data-collecting app to consumers, which is a clear breach of their agreement with Apple," Apple said in the statement. The ban does not affect Facebook's apps in Apple's App Store, which Facebook depends on to distribute Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram apps to iPhone users. But it does mean that Facebook will not be able to distribute internal apps to its own employees. In a statement, Facebook said key aspects of the research program were being ignored and that it had secured users' permission. "Despite early reports, there was nothing 'secret' about this," Facebook said in a statement. "It was literally called the Facebook Research App. It wasn't 'spying' as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate." Facebook said fewer than 5 per cent of the participants in the program were teens and that all of those teens had signed parental consent forms.

Apple bans Facebook from tech tools for tracking teen browsing habits

Facebook paid users, including teens, to track their <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-tightens-paid-ads-rules-ahead-of-eu-elections-193489">smartphone activity as part of an </a>effort to glean more data that could help the social network's competition efforts, according to a new report that may raise fresh privacy concerns.

An investigation by the online news site TechCrunch said the effort, which had been known as the Onavo Project and later rebaptized as Facebook Research, was used to gather data on usage habits.

The news could be a further<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/google-facebook-spend-big-on-us-lobbying-amid-policy-battles-192129"> embarrassment for Facebook</a>, which has been under heightened scrutiny over failing to crack down on manipulation of its platform and for sharing private data with its business partners.

According to TechCrunch, Facebook said it shutdown the application on Apple's iOS on Wednesday after the article was published, but apparently kept it active for Android users.

The report said the initial Onavo app was shuttered for violating Apple's privacy policy and that the newer version may also contravene Apple's terms.

The program paid users ages 13 to 35 up to $20 a month for "root" access to their devices to track their location, app usage, spending habits and other activity.

According to a statement to TechCrunch, Facebook claimed there was nothing secret about the effort and that it obtained parental consent for teens where required.

Facebook did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.

The project may have allowed Facebook to scoop up more data about younger users as it fends off a challenge from rival services like Snapchat, which has become more popular than Facebook among US teens. 
&nbsp;

Facebook paid users, including teens, to track their smartphone activity as part of an effort to glean more data that could help the social network's competition efforts, according to a new report that may raise fresh privacy concerns.

Facebook paid users, including teens, to track their smartphone activity as part of an effort to glean more data that could help the social network's competition efforts, according to a new report that may raise fresh privacy concerns. An investigation by the online news site TechCrunch said the effort, which had been known as the Onavo Project and later rebaptized as Facebook Research, was used to gather data on usage habits. The news could be a further embarrassment for Facebook, which has been under heightened scrutiny over failing to crack down on manipulation of its platform and for sharing private data with its business partners. According to TechCrunch, Facebook said it shutdown the application on Apple's iOS on Wednesday after the article was published, but apparently kept it active for Android users. The report said the initial Onavo app was shuttered for violating Apple's privacy policy and that the newer version may also contravene Apple's terms. The program paid users ages 13 to 35 up to $20 a month for "root" access to their devices to track their location, app usage, spending habits and other activity. According to a statement to TechCrunch, Facebook claimed there was nothing secret about the effort and that it obtained parental consent for teens where required. Facebook did not immediately respond to further requests for comment. The project may have allowed Facebook to scoop up more data about younger users as it fends off a challenge from rival services like Snapchat, which has become more popular than Facebook among US teens.

Facebook paid teens to track smartphones in order to beat competition: Report

Mark Zuckerberg-led social networking giant, Facebook, has been accused of allowing 'anti-Brexit' fake news on its platform ahead of this week's crucial vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May's deal.&nbsp;

According to British media, the social networking website hosted advertisements that stated Britain's exit from the European Union could hurt the environment,&nbsp;endangered orangutans and sea turtles in particular.&nbsp;

The posts suggested the UK could scrap plans to ban plastic straws after its exit.&nbsp;

It is being reported that a couple of Britain's leading campaign groups, People’s Vote UK and Best for Britain, paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to Facebook to gather support for a second referendum.

May's deal for Britain to leave the EU was defeated earlier this week by 230 votes. She has appealed to lawmakers to come together to try to break the impasse.&nbsp;

British Prime Minister Theresa May made no change to her demands in talks with European Union leaders despite her Brexit plan being defeated by British lawmakers earlier this week, news agency Reuters reported citing Telegraph newspaper.

May's demands continued to focus around either a legally binding time-limit for the Irish 'backstop'; a right for Britain to unilaterally withdraw, or a commitment to a trade deal finalisation before 2021 to prevent the backstop from coming into force, the report said, citing unnamed senior EU diplomatic sources.

The backstop is an insurance policy designed to prevent the return of border checks on the frontier between EU-member Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, US regulators have met to discuss imposing a fine against Facebook for violating a legally binding agreement with the government to protect the privacy of personal data, Reuters reported citing the Washington Post.

The Federal Trade Commission has been probing Facebook since last year. It has not finalised its findings in the Facebook investigation or the total amount of the penalty.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Mark Zuckerberg-led social networking giant, Facebook, has been accused of allowing 'anti-Brexit' fake news on its platform ahead of this week's crucial vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May's deal.

Mark Zuckerberg-led social networking giant, Facebook, has been accused of allowing 'anti-Brexit' fake news on its platform ahead of this week's crucial vote on British Prime Minister Theresa May's deal. According to British media, the social networking website hosted advertisements that stated Britain's exit from the European Union could hurt the environment, endangered orangutans and sea turtles in particular. The posts suggested the UK could scrap plans to ban plastic straws after its exit. It is being reported that a couple of Britain's leading campaign groups, People’s Vote UK and Best for Britain, paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to Facebook to gather support for a second referendum. May's deal for Britain to leave the EU was defeated earlier this week by 230 votes. She has appealed to lawmakers to come together to try to break the impasse. British Prime Minister Theresa May made no change to her demands in talks with European Union leaders despite her Brexit plan being defeated by British lawmakers earlier this week, news agency Reuters reported citing Telegraph newspaper. May's demands continued to focus around either a legally binding time-limit for the Irish 'backstop'; a right for Britain to unilaterally withdraw, or a commitment to a trade deal finalisation before 2021 to prevent the backstop from coming into force, the report said, citing unnamed senior EU diplomatic sources. The backstop is an insurance policy designed to prevent the return of border checks on the frontier between EU-member Ireland and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, US regulators have met to discuss imposing a fine against Facebook for violating a legally binding agreement with the government to protect the privacy of personal data, Reuters reported citing the Washington Post. The Federal Trade Commission has been probing Facebook since last year. It has not finalised its findings in the Facebook investigation or the total amount of the penalty. (With inputs from Reuters)

Facebook accused of allowing anti-Brexit fake news on its platform

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-metro-opens-account-on-facebook-next-stop-instagram-189306&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjli7rf2fTfAhVRSX0KHYs2CfsQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2_1RBJ5qRBAILlbk1-5ktO">Facebook</a>&nbsp;said on Thursday it had removed hundreds of Russia-initiated pages, accounts, and groups that it judged to be involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour on its Facebook and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/photo-of-an-egg-beats-kylie-jenners-record-to-become-instagrams-most-liked-post-ever-190169&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiQ2auL2vTfAhUSdt4KHWA6AwkQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2hNFKUFq-nISzR4Ac3Xn-W">Instagram</a> platforms.

Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a blog post it had unearthed two separate operations which originated in Russia, with one active in multiple countries across eastern Europe and the other specific to Ukraine.

The company said it had taken down about 364 Facebook Pages and accounts run by the first Russian network and operating in Baltic Sea states, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Central and Eastern Europe, adding that these pages were linked to employees of Russian news agency Sputnik.

The company also said that based on a tip from US law enforcement, it had separately removed 107 Facebook pages, group and accounts and 41 Instagram accounts that originated in Russia and operated in Ukraine.

"We didn't find any links between these operations, but they used similar tactics by creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing," the company said.

Facebook has been under fire for the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations.

Facebook and Twitter Inc took down millions of posts and shuttered accounts linked to influence operations by Russia, Iran and other actors in the run-up to US mid-term elections in November.

Facebook said on Thursday it had removed hundreds of Russia-initiated pages, accounts, and groups that it judged to be involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.

Facebook said on Thursday it had removed hundreds of Russia-initiated pages, accounts, and groups that it judged to be involved in coordinated inauthentic behaviour on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said in a blog post it had unearthed two separate operations which originated in Russia, with one active in multiple countries across eastern Europe and the other specific to Ukraine. The company said it had taken down about 364 Facebook Pages and accounts run by the first Russian network and operating in Baltic Sea states, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Central and Eastern Europe, adding that these pages were linked to employees of Russian news agency Sputnik. The company also said that based on a tip from US law enforcement, it had separately removed 107 Facebook pages, group and accounts and 41 Instagram accounts that originated in Russia and operated in Ukraine. "We didn't find any links between these operations, but they used similar tactics by creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing," the company said. Facebook has been under fire for the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations. Facebook and Twitter Inc took down millions of posts and shuttered accounts linked to influence operations by Russia, Iran and other actors in the run-up to US mid-term elections in November.

Facebook removes more pages, accounts with Russia links

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday opened its official account on Facebook paving the way for&nbsp;Commuters to connect with the Delhi Metro on the social networking site&nbsp;too.

According to a senior official of the DMRC&nbsp;said this was yet another step to reach out to riders and vice versa.

"We already have a Twitter handle and now we are on Facebook too -- www.Facebook.Com/officialdmrc -- and, soon we want to make a debut on Instagram too. We look forward to valuable feedback from people," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The DMRC has nearly 4,300 followers on Twitter where it had officially launched an account on December 20 last year.&nbsp;

"Opening new doors! Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is now on Facebook," the DMRC wrote in a post on the social networking site.

The current operational length of the Delhi Metro is 327 km with 236 stations, with an average daily ridership of about 28 lakh.&nbsp;

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday opened its official account on Facebook paving the way for Commuters to connect with the Delhi Metro on the social networking site too.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Wednesday opened its official account on Facebook paving the way for Commuters to connect with the Delhi Metro on the social networking site too. According to a senior official of the DMRC said this was yet another step to reach out to riders and vice versa. "We already have a Twitter handle and now we are on Facebook too -- www.Facebook.Com/officialdmrc -- and, soon we want to make a debut on Instagram too. We look forward to valuable feedback from people," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. The DMRC has nearly 4,300 followers on Twitter where it had officially launched an account on December 20 last year. "Opening new doors! Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is now on Facebook," the DMRC wrote in a post on the social networking site. The current operational length of the Delhi Metro is 327 km with 236 stations, with an average daily ridership of about 28 lakh.

Delhi Metro opens account on Facebook, next stop Instagram

The S&amp;P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war.

The three-day rally kicked off on Friday following robust US&nbsp;jobs data and dovish comments on interest rates by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell has lifted the S&amp;P 500 by over 9 per cent from 20-month lows touched around Christmas.

The S&amp;P 500 has gained in seven of the past nine sessions.

The United States and China will extend trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the US&nbsp;delegation said, as the world's two largest economies looked to resolve their bitter trade dispute. So far, officials from both sides have sounded optimistic, with President Donald Trump saying talks were going well.

"You're seeing some negotiations happen and the market is starting to think that perhaps we'll start to see a framework evolve," said Anik Sen, global head of equities at PineBridge Investments.

The trade-sensitive S&amp;P industrials sector rose 1.41 percent. Boeing Co&nbsp;shares jumped 3.79 per cent, contributing the most to the Dow's rise, after the company said it had delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018.

Apple Inc &nbsp;rose 1.91 per cent, regaining some ground after the company last week warned of weaker-than-expected demand for its iPhones. But tech sector gains were limited by a drop in chip stocks after Samsung blamed an estimated 29 per cent drop in quarterly profit on weak chip demand.

The Philadelphia Semiconductor index slid 0.49 per cent. Adding to the woes, Goldman Sachs forecast a tough year for chipmakers, particularly in the first half.

Other investors remained upbeat about upcoming US&nbsp;quarterly results.

"It's the new year and investors are really stepping back and taking a look at the fundamentals, and realizing it's not as bad a story as maybe we thought toward the end of the year," said Jeff Kravetz, a regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

The communication services index climbed 1.58 per cent, with Facebook Inc adding 3.25 per cent after JPMorgan said the social media company was among its favourite internet picks for 2019.

Amazon.com Inc&nbsp;rose 1.66 per cent, increasing its market capitalization to $810 billion and cementing its position as the most valuable US&nbsp;company.

The S&P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war.

The S&P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war. The three-day rally kicked off on Friday following robust US jobs data and dovish comments on interest rates by Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell has lifted the S&P 500 by over 9 per cent from 20-month lows touched around Christmas. The S&P 500 has gained in seven of the past nine sessions. The United States and China will extend trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day, a member of the US delegation said, as the world's two largest economies looked to resolve their bitter trade dispute. So far, officials from both sides have sounded optimistic, with President Donald Trump saying talks were going well. "You're seeing some negotiations happen and the market is starting to think that perhaps we'll start to see a framework evolve," said Anik Sen, global head of equities at PineBridge Investments. The trade-sensitive S&P industrials sector rose 1.41 percent. Boeing Co shares jumped 3.79 per cent, contributing the most to the Dow's rise, after the company said it had delivered a record 806 aircraft in 2018. Apple Inc rose 1.91 per cent, regaining some ground after the company last week warned of weaker-than-expected demand for its iPhones. But tech sector gains were limited by a drop in chip stocks after Samsung blamed an estimated 29 per cent drop in quarterly profit on weak chip demand. The Philadelphia Semiconductor index slid 0.49 per cent. Adding to the woes, Goldman Sachs forecast a tough year for chipmakers, particularly in the first half. Other investors remained upbeat about upcoming US quarterly results. "It's the new year and investors are really stepping back and taking a look at the fundamentals, and realizing it's not as bad a story as maybe we thought toward the end of the year," said Jeff Kravetz, a regional investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. The communication services index climbed 1.58 per cent, with Facebook Inc adding 3.25 per cent after JPMorgan said the social media company was among its favourite internet picks for 2019. Amazon.com Inc rose 1.66 per cent, increasing its market capitalization to $810 billion and cementing its position as the most valuable US company.

Apple, Facebook propel Wall Street to three-week peak

In pics: Biggest one-day loss suffered by companies in 2018

Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/bangladesh">Bangladesh</a> government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation.&nbsp;

Facebook, Bangladesh's most popular social network with an estimated 30 million users, said it had removed nine fake news pages "linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" which mimicked those of independent news outlets.

It also took down six accounts as they, along with the pages, were found "engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour." One of the accounts had 11,900 followers.&nbsp;

Spokesmen for the Bangladesh government including for the home and information ministers did not respond to calls seeking comment late on Thursday.&nbsp;

"This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we don`t want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they`re doing," Facebook`s Head of Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a statement.&nbsp;

Twitter said it had identified and suspended 15 accounts originating from Bangladesh for "engaging in coordinated platform manipulation."

"Based on our initial analysis, it appears that some of these accounts may have ties to state-sponsored actors," it added. The accounts had fewer than 50 followers, it said.&nbsp;

Facebook and other tech giants are under pressure to increase efforts to remove misleading or illegal content and ensure fake news is not uploaded and disseminated. Although Facebook has stepped up fact-checking, it still faces criticism that it is too slow to close rogue accounts.&nbsp;

Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for Bangladesh`s elite security force Rapid Action Battalion that has been tasked by the government with monitoring online content in the run-up to the December 30 polls, did not comment on the Facebook statement.&nbsp;

He said his team had arrested 30 people in recent weeks, some linked to the opposition, who posted "anti-government propaganda" by making clones of popular news websites.

Facebook`s move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina`s <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-ruling-awami-party-promises-growth-in-bid-for-third-term-in-election-manifesto-185295">Awami League is seeking to win a third term</a> in power amid accusations of carrying out attacks on opposition party candidates.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladeshi-opposition-pledges-to-remove-media-curbs-raise-pay-freeze-energy-prices-184897">opposition National Unity Front alliance</a> said on Wednesday that 14 of its candidates had been arrested and 1,500 injured in attacks this month by ruling party workers.&nbsp;

The Awami League has denied the allegations and accused the opposition of trying to disrupt a peaceful election environment. Hasina said on Wednesday her party wouldn`t use "unfair means" to win.

Under Hasina`s decade-long rule several people have been arrested for putting up Facebook posts critical of the government, including a prominent photographer released last month after over 100 days in prison.

Her government has taken steps to improve Bangladesh`s digital infrastructure, including making the internet more affordable, but it has kept tight control.

During mass student protests this August, the police`s cybercrime unit said it had scoured Facebook posts to crack down on what it called "fake news" being spread to provoke protests.

Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the Bangladesh government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation.

Facebook and Twitter said on Thursday, they had removed accounts and fake news pages linked to the Bangladesh government which had posted anti-opposition content, days ahead of an election in the South Asian nation. Facebook, Bangladesh's most popular social network with an estimated 30 million users, said it had removed nine fake news pages "linked to individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" which mimicked those of independent news outlets. It also took down six accounts as they, along with the pages, were found "engaging in coordinated inauthentic behaviour." One of the accounts had 11,900 followers. Spokesmen for the Bangladesh government including for the home and information ministers did not respond to calls seeking comment late on Thursday. "This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we don`t want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they`re doing," Facebook`s Head of Cybersecurity Policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in a statement. Twitter said it had identified and suspended 15 accounts originating from Bangladesh for "engaging in coordinated platform manipulation." "Based on our initial analysis, it appears that some of these accounts may have ties to state-sponsored actors," it added. The accounts had fewer than 50 followers, it said. Facebook and other tech giants are under pressure to increase efforts to remove misleading or illegal content and ensure fake news is not uploaded and disseminated. Although Facebook has stepped up fact-checking, it still faces criticism that it is too slow to close rogue accounts. Mufti Mahmud Khan, a spokesman for Bangladesh`s elite security force Rapid Action Battalion that has been tasked by the government with monitoring online content in the run-up to the December 30 polls, did not comment on the Facebook statement. He said his team had arrested 30 people in recent weeks, some linked to the opposition, who posted "anti-government propaganda" by making clones of popular news websites. Facebook`s move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina`s Awami League is seeking to win a third term in power amid accusations of carrying out attacks on opposition party candidates. The opposition National Unity Front alliance said on Wednesday that 14 of its candidates had been arrested and 1,500 injured in attacks this month by ruling party workers. The Awami League has denied the allegations and accused the opposition of trying to disrupt a peaceful election environment. Hasina said on Wednesday her party wouldn`t use "unfair means" to win. Under Hasina`s decade-long rule several people have been arrested for putting up Facebook posts critical of the government, including a prominent photographer released last month after over 100 days in prison. Her government has taken steps to improve Bangladesh`s digital infrastructure, including making the internet more affordable, but it has kept tight control. During mass student protests this August, the police`s cybercrime unit said it had scoured Facebook posts to crack down on what it called "fake news" being spread to provoke protests.

Bangladesh: Facebook and Twitter remove pages, accounts ahead of election

A bomb threat prompted authorities on Tuesday to evacuate a building at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Facebook, police said, but gave the "all clear" after an hours-long search turned up no sign of a device.

"The San Mateo County bomb unit was dispatched with explosive detection dogs that conducted a sweep of the building and found no suspicious packages or devices," they said.

"The building is all clear and secure," the police added.

Everyone is safe and the company is looking into the incident, the spokesman said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Menlo Park Police Department said a building at 200 Jefferson Drive has been evacuated and the bomb units are on the scene going through the building.

However, it did not specify which Facebook building in Menlo Park was evacuated.

YouTube was another Silicon Valley company that faced security threat in the recent past. In May, a woman opened fire at YouTube's headquarters in San Francisco, wounding three people before she shot herself dead.

A bomb threat prompted authorities on Tuesday to evacuate a building at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Facebook, police said, but gave the "all clear" after an hours-long search turned up no sign of a device.

A bomb threat prompted authorities on Tuesday to evacuate a building at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Facebook, police said, but gave the "all clear" after an hours-long search turned up no sign of a device. "The San Mateo County bomb unit was dispatched with explosive detection dogs that conducted a sweep of the building and found no suspicious packages or devices," they said. "The building is all clear and secure," the police added. Everyone is safe and the company is looking into the incident, the spokesman said in an emailed statement to Reuters. Menlo Park Police Department said a building at 200 Jefferson Drive has been evacuated and the bomb units are on the scene going through the building. However, it did not specify which Facebook building in Menlo Park was evacuated. YouTube was another Silicon Valley company that faced security threat in the recent past. In May, a woman opened fire at YouTube's headquarters in San Francisco, wounding three people before she shot herself dead.

No suspicious package found in Facebook HQ at Menlo Park: Police

When Canadian columnist Anthony Furey received an email said to be from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-slammed-after-he-tweets-about-everything-in-myanmar-but-rohingya-crisis-182891">Twitter's legal team </a>telling him he may have broken a slew of Pakistani laws, his first instinct was to dismiss it as spam.

But after Googling the relevant sections of Pakistan's penal code, the Toronto Sun op-ed editor was startled to learn he stood accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad -- a crime punishable by death in the Islamic republic -- and Twitter later confirmed the correspondence was genuine.&nbsp;

His perceived offence was to post cartoons of the prophet several years ago.

Furey and two prominent critics of extremism in Islam say they are "shocked" to have received notices by the social media giant this past week over alleged violations of Islamabad's laws, despite having no apparent connection to the South Asian country.

They say the notices amount to an effort to stifle their voices -- a charge Twitter denies, arguing the notices came about as a result of "valid requests from an authorized entity," understood to mean Pakistan, helped users "to take measures to protect their interests," and the process is not unique to any one country.

But Furey is the third prominent user in the space of days to publicly complain about receiving a message linked to Pakistan.

The other two are Saudi-Canadian activist Ensaf Haidar and Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, a progressive Muslim scholar from Australia who was born in Iran.

Both are outspoken critics of religious extremism and have accused the social media giant of helping to silence progressive ideas within Islam.

'Validates blasphemy laws'

Furey, who detailed his experience in a column for his newspaper on Saturday, told AFP: "I'm somewhat alarmed that Twitter would even allow a country to make a complaint like this, as it almost validates their absurd blasphemy laws."

The tweet in question was a collage of cartoons of Mohammad that he posted four years ago.

"Looking back, I remember I did it right after there had been an ISIS-inspired attack in retaliation over the cartoons," Furey wrote in his column, adding he had not posted similar material before or since.

Haidar, who is the wife of Saudi writer Raif Badawi who was jailed in his country in 2012 for charges including apostasy, told AFP: "I'm very shocked by Twitter. They want to silence any voice telling the truth."&nbsp;

Twitter wrote to her concerning an August tweet which showed a woman wearing the Islamic full veil, with the caption: "Retweet if you're against niqab."

A notice sent to her and seen by AFP advised her that Twitter had received official correspondence saying she could be violating Pakistani law for the tweet, adding: "You may wish to consult legal counsel about this matter."

Tawhidi meanwhile was sent a similar notice flagging a tweet that called on Australian police to investigate extremism in mosques following a deadly knife attack in Melbourne in November.

The scholar attached the legal notice sent to him by Twitter informing him of possible violations of Pakistani law and tweeted: "I am not from Pakistan nor am I a Pakistani citizen.&nbsp;

"Pakistan has no authority over what I say. Get out of here."

Chilling effect

Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Twitter told AFP: "In our continuing effort to make our services available to people everywhere, if we receive a valid requests from an authorized entity, it may be necessary to withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time."&nbsp;

The spokesperson added: "We notify users so that they have the opportunity to review the legal request, and the option to take measures to protect their interests."

Pakistan has previously threatened to block Twitter if the company did not remove content its government found offensive.

It banned Facebook for hosting allegedly blasphemous content for two weeks in 2010 while YouTube was unavailable from 2012 to 2016 over an amateur film about the Prophet Mohammad that led to global riots.

Furey told AFP that although he was taken aback by the notice, "I'm at least glad they brought it to my attention that the Pakistan government has their eye on me."

But he added: "One troubling consequence to all of this is that even people in countries without these blasphemy laws may start to self-censor for fear of the reach foreign governments will have over them in the online world."

When Canadian columnist Anthony Furey received an email said to be from Twitter's legal team telling him he may have broken a slew of Pakistani laws, his first instinct was to dismiss it as spam.

When Canadian columnist Anthony Furey received an email said to be from Twitter's legal team telling him he may have broken a slew of Pakistani laws, his first instinct was to dismiss it as spam. But after Googling the relevant sections of Pakistan's penal code, the Toronto Sun op-ed editor was startled to learn he stood accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammad -- a crime punishable by death in the Islamic republic -- and Twitter later confirmed the correspondence was genuine. His perceived offence was to post cartoons of the prophet several years ago. Furey and two prominent critics of extremism in Islam say they are "shocked" to have received notices by the social media giant this past week over alleged violations of Islamabad's laws, despite having no apparent connection to the South Asian country. They say the notices amount to an effort to stifle their voices -- a charge Twitter denies, arguing the notices came about as a result of "valid requests from an authorized entity," understood to mean Pakistan, helped users "to take measures to protect their interests," and the process is not unique to any one country. But Furey is the third prominent user in the space of days to publicly complain about receiving a message linked to Pakistan. The other two are Saudi-Canadian activist Ensaf Haidar and Imam Mohammad Tawhidi, a progressive Muslim scholar from Australia who was born in Iran. Both are outspoken critics of religious extremism and have accused the social media giant of helping to silence progressive ideas within Islam. 'Validates blasphemy laws' Furey, who detailed his experience in a column for his newspaper on Saturday, told AFP: "I'm somewhat alarmed that Twitter would even allow a country to make a complaint like this, as it almost validates their absurd blasphemy laws." The tweet in question was a collage of cartoons of Mohammad that he posted four years ago. "Looking back, I remember I did it right after there had been an ISIS-inspired attack in retaliation over the cartoons," Furey wrote in his column, adding he had not posted similar material before or since. Haidar, who is the wife of Saudi writer Raif Badawi who was jailed in his country in 2012 for charges including apostasy, told AFP: "I'm very shocked by Twitter. They want to silence any voice telling the truth." Twitter wrote to her concerning an August tweet which showed a woman wearing the Islamic full veil, with the caption: "Retweet if you're against niqab." A notice sent to her and seen by AFP advised her that Twitter had received official correspondence saying she could be violating Pakistani law for the tweet, adding: "You may wish to consult legal counsel about this matter." Tawhidi meanwhile was sent a similar notice flagging a tweet that called on Australian police to investigate extremism in mosques following a deadly knife attack in Melbourne in November. The scholar attached the legal notice sent to him by Twitter informing him of possible violations of Pakistani law and tweeted: "I am not from Pakistan nor am I a Pakistani citizen. "Pakistan has no authority over what I say. Get out of here." Chilling effect Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Twitter told AFP: "In our continuing effort to make our services available to people everywhere, if we receive a valid requests from an authorized entity, it may be necessary to withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time." The spokesperson added: "We notify users so that they have the opportunity to review the legal request, and the option to take measures to protect their interests." Pakistan has previously threatened to block Twitter if the company did not remove content its government found offensive. It banned Facebook for hosting allegedly blasphemous content for two weeks in 2010 while YouTube was unavailable from 2012 to 2016 over an amateur film about the Prophet Mohammad that led to global riots. Furey told AFP that although he was taken aback by the notice, "I'm at least glad they brought it to my attention that the Pakistan government has their eye on me." But he added: "One troubling consequence to all of this is that even people in countries without these blasphemy laws may start to self-censor for fear of the reach foreign governments will have over them in the online world."

Twitter warns global users their tweets violate Pakistani law

Social media platforms like <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/whatsapp-builds-system-to-comply-with-indias-payments-data-storage-norms-170379">Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp</a> and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday.

Anyone found involved in disseminating <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/whatsapp-has-to-follow-indian-laws-says-ravi-shankar-prasad-after-meeting-ceo-160592">fake news creating social tension</a> or pornographic contents inciting sex crimes will be identified, name disclosed and prosecuted.

This was agreed upon after a series of meetings between representatives of the social media platforms and central government officials led by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, a Home Ministry official said.

The social media sites have agreed to deploy 'proactive, AI-based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women. Such content will be automatically removed from their platforms, the official said.

There were problems in implementation or enforcement of directives given by law enforcement agencies under the IT Act and the Telegraph Act but the level of compliance has now gone up to 80 per cent from 60 per cent, while the time taken to take such action has gone down, the official said.

The compliance period has come down from 72 hours to 24 hours and it was agreed that if a case is made out in any incident, the person will be identified, name disclosed and he/she will be prosecuted, the official said.

The social media platforms have engaged NGOs working in the field and appointed grievance redressal cell for prompt action.

Earlier, the government had said social media sites were "slow" in removing objectionable or unlawful content which allegedly aided the spread of hate messages, rumours inciting violence and crimes against women and they were warned of strict legal action if they failed to comply with the directives of law enforcement agencies.

In the recent past, some objectionable content which could potentially disrupt public peace or law and order and incite criminal offences, including communal violence, have been posted on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube.

Some of these cases were brought to the notice of the Home Ministry. Action was taken for removal of such content after the intervention of the ministry and the Delhi Police.

During the meetings, specific instances of legal requisitions were shown where the Delhi Police had sought removal of content openly inciting violence but the social platforms' response had been neither "full nor timely", another official said.

Specific legal notices issued by the Delhi Police seeking investigation-related information were also shared with them.

During the series of meetings with all social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter, the government had sensitised them about preventive and other actions to remove unlawful content immediately, another official said.

Gauba had held the meetings in June and October. A series of meetings were conducted by senior officers of the Home Ministry, Delhi Police and police officers of other states to sensitise the country representatives of social media platforms about the gravity of unlawful or objectionable content posted on their platforms, and their possible consequences.

A number of cases have come to the fore in the recent past where social media platforms were used to spread hate messages and rumours inciting violence, including against women, but Internet giants - most of them headquartered outside India - have been allegedly resisting sharing of customer details and message trails citing privacy issues.

However, some social media firms have said they are taking necessary steps to stop misuse of their platforms for the spread of fake news, and rumours and hate messages. &nbsp;

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday.

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter will soon deploy 'proactive, artificial intelligence (AI) based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women, Home Ministry officials said Friday. Anyone found involved in disseminating fake news creating social tension or pornographic contents inciting sex crimes will be identified, name disclosed and prosecuted. This was agreed upon after a series of meetings between representatives of the social media platforms and central government officials led by Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, a Home Ministry official said. The social media sites have agreed to deploy 'proactive, AI-based tools' to check spread of hate messages and rumours inciting violence and crimes against women. Such content will be automatically removed from their platforms, the official said. There were problems in implementation or enforcement of directives given by law enforcement agencies under the IT Act and the Telegraph Act but the level of compliance has now gone up to 80 per cent from 60 per cent, while the time taken to take such action has gone down, the official said. The compliance period has come down from 72 hours to 24 hours and it was agreed that if a case is made out in any incident, the person will be identified, name disclosed and he/she will be prosecuted, the official said. The social media platforms have engaged NGOs working in the field and appointed grievance redressal cell for prompt action. Earlier, the government had said social media sites were "slow" in removing objectionable or unlawful content which allegedly aided the spread of hate messages, rumours inciting violence and crimes against women and they were warned of strict legal action if they failed to comply with the directives of law enforcement agencies. In the recent past, some objectionable content which could potentially disrupt public peace or law and order and incite criminal offences, including communal violence, have been posted on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube. Some of these cases were brought to the notice of the Home Ministry. Action was taken for removal of such content after the intervention of the ministry and the Delhi Police. During the meetings, specific instances of legal requisitions were shown where the Delhi Police had sought removal of content openly inciting violence but the social platforms' response had been neither "full nor timely", another official said. Specific legal notices issued by the Delhi Police seeking investigation-related information were also shared with them. During the series of meetings with all social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Twitter, the government had sensitised them about preventive and other actions to remove unlawful content immediately, another official said. Gauba had held the meetings in June and October. A series of meetings were conducted by senior officers of the Home Ministry, Delhi Police and police officers of other states to sensitise the country representatives of social media platforms about the gravity of unlawful or objectionable content posted on their platforms, and their possible consequences. A number of cases have come to the fore in the recent past where social media platforms were used to spread hate messages and rumours inciting violence, including against women, but Internet giants - most of them headquartered outside India - have been allegedly resisting sharing of customer details and message trails citing privacy issues. However, some social media firms have said they are taking necessary steps to stop misuse of their platforms for the spread of fake news, and rumours and hate messages.

Social media platforms to deploy AI to combat fake news: Home ministry official

UK parliament accesses documents Facebook tried to keep private

Embattled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform.

"That's not the plan," Zuckerberg told CNN Business when asked if he would consider stepping down as chairman.

He also defended Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, who has drawn criticism over her handling of the social media giant's recent crises.

"Sheryl is a really important part of this company and is leading a lot of the efforts for a lot of the biggest issues we have," said Zuckerberg.

"She's been an important partner to me for 10 years. I'm really proud of the work we've done together and I hope that we work together for decades more to come." Facebook has stumbled from one mess to another this year as it grappled with continuing fallout from Russia's use of the platform to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which user data was harnessed in a bid to help candidate Donald Trump, and a huge security breach involving millions of accounts.

Most recently, an investigative piece published last week by The New York Times said Facebook misled the public about what it knew about Russia's election meddling and used a PR firm to spread negative stories about other Silicon Valley companies and thus deflect anger away from itself.

"It is not clear to me at all that the report is right," Zuckerberg said of the Times article.

"A lot of the things that were in that report, we talked to the reporters ahead of time and told them that from everything that we'd seen, that wasn't true and they chose to print it anyway." Zuckerberg also defended his company against the broader wave of flak it has taken this year.

"A lot of the criticism around the biggest issues has been fair, but I do think that if we are going to be real, there is this bigger picture as well, which is that we have a different world view than some of the folks who are covering us," he said.

"There are big issues, and I'm not trying to say that there aren't... But I do think that sometimes, you can get the flavour from some of the coverage that that's all there is, and I don't think that that's right either."

Embattled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform. "That's not the plan," Zuckerberg told CNN Business when asked if he would consider stepping down as chairman.

Embattled Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday he has no plans to resign, sounding defiant after a rough year for the social platform. "That's not the plan," Zuckerberg told CNN Business when asked if he would consider stepping down as chairman. He also defended Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, who has drawn criticism over her handling of the social media giant's recent crises. "Sheryl is a really important part of this company and is leading a lot of the efforts for a lot of the biggest issues we have," said Zuckerberg. "She's been an important partner to me for 10 years. I'm really proud of the work we've done together and I hope that we work together for decades more to come." Facebook has stumbled from one mess to another this year as it grappled with continuing fallout from Russia's use of the platform to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which user data was harnessed in a bid to help candidate Donald Trump, and a huge security breach involving millions of accounts. Most recently, an investigative piece published last week by The New York Times said Facebook misled the public about what it knew about Russia's election meddling and used a PR firm to spread negative stories about other Silicon Valley companies and thus deflect anger away from itself. "It is not clear to me at all that the report is right," Zuckerberg said of the Times article. "A lot of the things that were in that report, we talked to the reporters ahead of time and told them that from everything that we'd seen, that wasn't true and they chose to print it anyway." Zuckerberg also defended his company against the broader wave of flak it has taken this year. "A lot of the criticism around the biggest issues has been fair, but I do think that if we are going to be real, there is this bigger picture as well, which is that we have a different world view than some of the folks who are covering us," he said. "There are big issues, and I'm not trying to say that there aren't... But I do think that sometimes, you can get the flavour from some of the coverage that that's all there is, and I don't think that that's right either."

Facebook's Zuckerberg says he is not considering resigning

Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

The New York Times recently published a report revealing that Facebook at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech firms.

It also said that the company also used a Republican public relations firm, Definers Public Affairs, to help repair its battered reputation following intense criticism of the social media platform's handling of a scandal over Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, The Telegraph reported.&nbsp;

Jonas Kron, a senior vice president at Trillium Asset Management, a US investor which owns an ?8.5m stake in Facebook, last night called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman in the wake of the report, the paper said.

"Facebook is behaving like it's a special snowflake," the paper quoted him as saying.

"It's not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO," he said.

The attack on Zuckerberg is set to complicate the daunting challenge facing Sir Nick Clegg, Facebook's new global head of policy and communications, who joined last month and has been asked to conduct a review of Facebook's use of lobbying firms.

Definers allegedly encouraged the depiction of Facebook's critics as anti-Semites and had published news articles criticising Facebook's competitors.&nbsp;

The business has also been accused of attempting to encourage journalists to report that anti-Facebook groups were linked to Mr Soros, the paper said.

In a call with journalists on Thursday, Zuckerberg denied knowing that his business had hired the firm.&nbsp;

"As soon as I learned about this, I talked to our team and we are no longer working with this firm," he said.&nbsp;

Kron said the new revelations about Facebook's use of Definers offered fresh reasons for Mr Zuckerberg to relinquish his dual role as chairman and chief executive.

"The latest report should remove any lingering doubts that some may have had," he said.

Zuckerberg has retained a high level of control over the social networking business which he founded in 2004 due to his combined role and his ownership of a stake representing 60pc of the company's voting shares, the report said.

Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday. The New York Times recently published a report revealing that Facebook at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech firms. It also said that the company also used a Republican public relations firm, Definers Public Affairs, to help repair its battered reputation following intense criticism of the social media platform's handling of a scandal over Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, The Telegraph reported. Jonas Kron, a senior vice president at Trillium Asset Management, a US investor which owns an ?8.5m stake in Facebook, last night called on Zuckerberg to step down as board chairman in the wake of the report, the paper said. "Facebook is behaving like it's a special snowflake," the paper quoted him as saying. "It's not. It is a company and companies need to have a separation of chair and CEO," he said. The attack on Zuckerberg is set to complicate the daunting challenge facing Sir Nick Clegg, Facebook's new global head of policy and communications, who joined last month and has been asked to conduct a review of Facebook's use of lobbying firms. Definers allegedly encouraged the depiction of Facebook's critics as anti-Semites and had published news articles criticising Facebook's competitors. The business has also been accused of attempting to encourage journalists to report that anti-Facebook groups were linked to Mr Soros, the paper said. In a call with journalists on Thursday, Zuckerberg denied knowing that his business had hired the firm. "As soon as I learned about this, I talked to our team and we are no longer working with this firm," he said. Kron said the new revelations about Facebook's use of Definers offered fresh reasons for Mr Zuckerberg to relinquish his dual role as chairman and chief executive. "The latest report should remove any lingering doubts that some may have had," he said. Zuckerberg has retained a high level of control over the social networking business which he founded in 2004 due to his combined role and his ownership of a stake representing 60pc of the company's voting shares, the report said.

Investors want Zuckerberg to step down after it emerged that Facebook tried to smear critics

Facebook announced Thursday it is creating an independent body to make potentially precedent-setting calls on what content should be yanked from the social network.

The announcement came as Facebook reported it has ramped up its ability to quickly detect "hate speech" and other posts violating community rules, with the leading social network under pressure from regulators in various countries and activists to root out abusive and inappropriate content.

"I have come to believe that we shouldn't be making so many decisions about free expression and safety on our own," Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a media briefing.

Content spied by artificial intelligence software or reported by users is now reviewed by an internal system that Facebook has been ramping up.

An independent body to be constituted in the coming year will act as a "higher court" of sorts, considering appeals of content removal decisions made by the social network, Zuckerberg said.

The composition of the appeals body along with how to keep it independent while remaining in line with Facebook principles and policies was to be determined in the coming year.

Facebook also planned next year to begin releasing content removal summaries quarterly in a tempo on par with earnings reports, according to executives.

"We have made progress getting hate, bullying and terrorism off our network," Zuckerberg said. "It's about finding the right balance between giving people a voice and keeping people safe."

Challenges faced by the California-based social network include the fact that people naturally tend to engage with more sensational content that, while perhaps at the edge of violating Facebook policies, are unhealthy for civilized discourse, according to Zuckerberg.

"We see this in cable news and tabloids too," Zuckerberg said."A lot of our work is to insure that borderline content that comes close to violating our content gets less attention not more."

Bullying represents a tougher challenge to AI systems, because it tends to be personal and subjective. For example, someone might playfully mock a friend in a post that could also be interpreted to be mean.

Detecting bullying or hate can also require understanding of the gamut of languages used at Facebook, along with cultural contexts.

"We are getting better at proactively identifying violating content before anyone reports it, specifically for hate speech and violence and graphic content," Facebook said in the new transparency report.

"But, there are still areas where we have more work to do." Facebook said that since its last transparency report, the amount of hate speech detected proactively, before anyone reported it, has more than doubled.

"The single biggest improvement comes from AI and machine learning," said product management vice president Guy Rosen.&nbsp;

Facebook announced Thursday it is creating an independent body to make potentially precedent-setting calls on what content should be yanked from the social network.

Facebook announced Thursday it is creating an independent body to make potentially precedent-setting calls on what content should be yanked from the social network. The announcement came as Facebook reported it has ramped up its ability to quickly detect "hate speech" and other posts violating community rules, with the leading social network under pressure from regulators in various countries and activists to root out abusive and inappropriate content. "I have come to believe that we shouldn't be making so many decisions about free expression and safety on our own," Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a media briefing. Content spied by artificial intelligence software or reported by users is now reviewed by an internal system that Facebook has been ramping up. An independent body to be constituted in the coming year will act as a "higher court" of sorts, considering appeals of content removal decisions made by the social network, Zuckerberg said. The composition of the appeals body along with how to keep it independent while remaining in line with Facebook principles and policies was to be determined in the coming year. Facebook also planned next year to begin releasing content removal summaries quarterly in a tempo on par with earnings reports, according to executives. "We have made progress getting hate, bullying and terrorism off our network," Zuckerberg said. "It's about finding the right balance between giving people a voice and keeping people safe." Challenges faced by the California-based social network include the fact that people naturally tend to engage with more sensational content that, while perhaps at the edge of violating Facebook policies, are unhealthy for civilized discourse, according to Zuckerberg. "We see this in cable news and tabloids too," Zuckerberg said."A lot of our work is to insure that borderline content that comes close to violating our content gets less attention not more." Bullying represents a tougher challenge to AI systems, because it tends to be personal and subjective. For example, someone might playfully mock a friend in a post that could also be interpreted to be mean. Detecting bullying or hate can also require understanding of the gamut of languages used at Facebook, along with cultural contexts. "We are getting better at proactively identifying violating content before anyone reports it, specifically for hate speech and violence and graphic content," Facebook said in the new transparency report. "But, there are still areas where we have more work to do." Facebook said that since its last transparency report, the amount of hate speech detected proactively, before anyone reported it, has more than doubled. "The single biggest improvement comes from AI and machine learning," said product management vice president Guy Rosen.

Facebook to launch independent body for calls on content

Facebook will allow French regulators to "embed" inside the company to examine how it combats online hate speech, the first time the wary tech giant has opened its doors in such a way, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

From January, Macron's administration will send a small team of senior civil servants to the company for six months to verify Facebook's goodwill and determine whether its checks on racist, sexist or hate-fuelled speech could be improved.

"It's a first," Macron told the annual Internet Governance Forum in Paris. "I'm delighted by this very innovative experimental approach," he said. "It's an experiment, but a very important first step in my view."

The trial project is an example of what Macron has called "smart regulation", something he wants to extend to other tech leaders such as Google, Apple and Amazon.<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K2BX9W3Ygaw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The move follows a meeting with Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg in May, when Macron invited the CEOs of some of the biggest tech firms to Paris, telling them they should work for the common good.

The officials may be seconded from the telecoms regulator and the interior and justice ministries, a government source said. Facebook said the selection was up to the French presidency.

It is unclear whether the group will have access to highly-sensitive material such as Facebook's algorithms or codes to remove hate speech. It could travel to Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin and global base in Menlo Park, California if necessary, the company said.

"The best way to ensure that any regulation is smart and works for people is by governments, regulators and businesses working together to learn from each other and explore ideas," Nick Clegg, the former British deputy prime minister who is now head of Facebook's global affairs, said in a statement.

France's approach to hate speech has contrasted sharply with Germany, Europe's leading advocate of privacy.

Since January, Berlin has required sites to remove banned content within 24 hours or face fines of up to 50 million euros ($56 million). That has led to accusations of censorship.

France's use of embedded regulators is modelled on what happens in its banking and nuclear industries.

"(Tech companies) now have the choice between something that is smart but intrusive and regulation that is wicked and plain stupid," a French official said.

Facebook will allow French regulators to "embed" inside the company to examine how it combats online hate speech, the first time the wary tech giant has opened its doors in such a way, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.

Facebook will allow French regulators to "embed" inside the company to examine how it combats online hate speech, the first time the wary tech giant has opened its doors in such a way, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday. From January, Macron's administration will send a small team of senior civil servants to the company for six months to verify Facebook's goodwill and determine whether its checks on racist, sexist or hate-fuelled speech could be improved. "It's a first," Macron told the annual Internet Governance Forum in Paris. "I'm delighted by this very innovative experimental approach," he said. "It's an experiment, but a very important first step in my view." The trial project is an example of what Macron has called "smart regulation", something he wants to extend to other tech leaders such as Google, Apple and Amazon. The move follows a meeting with Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg in May, when Macron invited the CEOs of some of the biggest tech firms to Paris, telling them they should work for the common good. The officials may be seconded from the telecoms regulator and the interior and justice ministries, a government source said. Facebook said the selection was up to the French presidency. It is unclear whether the group will have access to highly-sensitive material such as Facebook's algorithms or codes to remove hate speech. It could travel to Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin and global base in Menlo Park, California if necessary, the company said. "The best way to ensure that any regulation is smart and works for people is by governments, regulators and businesses working together to learn from each other and explore ideas," Nick Clegg, the former British deputy prime minister who is now head of Facebook's global affairs, said in a statement. France's approach to hate speech has contrasted sharply with Germany, Europe's leading advocate of privacy. Since January, Berlin has required sites to remove banned content within 24 hours or face fines of up to 50 million euros ($56 million). That has led to accusations of censorship. France's use of embedded regulators is modelled on what happens in its banking and nuclear industries. "(Tech companies) now have the choice between something that is smart but intrusive and regulation that is wicked and plain stupid," a French official said.

Watch: France to 'embed' regulators at Facebook to combat hate speech

Facebook Inc blocked about 115 user accounts after US&nbsp;authorities tipped it off to suspicious behavior that may be linked to a foreign entity, the company said in a blog post on Monday, hours before US&nbsp;voters head to the polls.

The social network said it needed to do further analysis to decide if the accounts are linked to Russia's Internet Research Agency or another group. The US&nbsp;has accused the Russian government body of meddling in US&nbsp;politics with social media posts meant to spread misinformation and sow discord.

Eighty-five of the removed accounts were posting in English on Facebook's Instagram service, and 30 more were on Facebook and associated with pages in French and Russian, the post said.

Some accounts "were focused on celebrities" and others on "political debate," it added.

The tip came from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday night, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, wrote in the post.

The company announced its actions earlier in its investigation than typical "given that we are only one day away from important elections in the US," he added.

This year's contest has been portrayed as crucial by both Republicans and Democrats because both chambers of Congress, and the accompanying ability to pass or reject President Donald Trump's agenda, are up for grabs.

"Americans should be aware that foreign actors, and Russia in particular, continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord," including through social media, federal authorities said in a statement on Monday.

Social media companies say they are now more vigilant against foreign and other potential election interference after finding themselves unprepared to tackle such activity in the US&nbsp;presidential election two years ago.

Facebook Inc blocked about 115 user accounts after US authorities tipped it off to suspicious behavior that may be linked to a foreign entity, the company said in a blog post on Monday, hours before US voters head to the polls.

Facebook Inc blocked about 115 user accounts after US authorities tipped it off to suspicious behavior that may be linked to a foreign entity, the company said in a blog post on Monday, hours before US voters head to the polls. The social network said it needed to do further analysis to decide if the accounts are linked to Russia's Internet Research Agency or another group. The US has accused the Russian government body of meddling in US politics with social media posts meant to spread misinformation and sow discord. Eighty-five of the removed accounts were posting in English on Facebook's Instagram service, and 30 more were on Facebook and associated with pages in French and Russian, the post said. Some accounts "were focused on celebrities" and others on "political debate," it added. The tip came from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday night, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, wrote in the post. The company announced its actions earlier in its investigation than typical "given that we are only one day away from important elections in the US," he added. This year's contest has been portrayed as crucial by both Republicans and Democrats because both chambers of Congress, and the accompanying ability to pass or reject President Donald Trump's agenda, are up for grabs. "Americans should be aware that foreign actors, and Russia in particular, continue to try to influence public sentiment and voter perceptions through actions intended to sow discord," including through social media, federal authorities said in a statement on Monday. Social media companies say they are now more vigilant against foreign and other potential election interference after finding themselves unprepared to tackle such activity in the US presidential election two years ago.

Facebook blocks 115 accounts after FBI tip on eve of US election

Facebook imparting safety lessons in Indian languages

A Congress worker was allegedly stabbed to death, reportedly over a post on social media, in suburban Ghatkopar here in the wee hours Monday.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan alleged that the assailants belonged to the BJP.

Manoj Dubey (45) was stabbed by two unidentified assailants near Asalpha Metro Station around 1.30 AM, a police official said.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Shocking! 
Manoj Dubey, a staunch Congress worker was murdered for his facebook post by BJP goons. 
We strongly condemn such a coward act! 
The culprits should be brought to justice. 
Our deepest condolences to his family, 
Congress party stands with his family at this hour of grief. <a href="https://t.co/BcVhzZdtD0">pic.twitter.com/BcVhzZdtD0</a>
— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) <a href="https://twitter.com/INCMaharashtra/status/1054251741883981825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A police team took him to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival, the official added.

Asked about some media reports which said a political post he had written on social media could have led to the killing, the official stated that the exact reason for the attack was yet to be ascertained.

Chavan, a former chief minister, took to Twitter to allege that the culprits were BJP workers.

"BJP workers have brutally killed Congress worker Dubey. The Congress party strongly condemns the attack. It is not just the murder of Congress worker, but murder of democracy," he said, demanding immediate arrest of the attackers.

The BJP has ushered in a trend of "wiping out" the political opponents while taking goons into its fold, he alleged.

A leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil also slammed the BJP-led state government.

"Is there rule of law or of goons in Maharashtra? The government must answer this question," he tweeted.

A Congress worker was allegedly stabbed to death, reportedly over a post on social media, in suburban Ghatkopar here in the wee hours Monday. Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan alleged that the assailants belonged to the BJP.

A Congress worker was allegedly stabbed to death, reportedly over a post on social media, in suburban Ghatkopar here in the wee hours Monday. Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan alleged that the assailants belonged to the BJP. Manoj Dubey (45) was stabbed by two unidentified assailants near Asalpha Metro Station around 1.30 AM, a police official said. Shocking! Manoj Dubey, a staunch Congress worker was murdered for his facebook post by BJP goons. We strongly condemn such a coward act! The culprits should be brought to justice. Our deepest condolences to his family, Congress party stands with his family at this hour of grief. pic.twitter.com/BcVhzZdtD0 — Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) October 22, 2018 × A police team took him to hospital where he was declared dead on arrival, the official added. Asked about some media reports which said a political post he had written on social media could have led to the killing, the official stated that the exact reason for the attack was yet to be ascertained. Chavan, a former chief minister, took to Twitter to allege that the culprits were BJP workers. "BJP workers have brutally killed Congress worker Dubey. The Congress party strongly condemns the attack. It is not just the murder of Congress worker, but murder of democracy," he said, demanding immediate arrest of the attackers. The BJP has ushered in a trend of "wiping out" the political opponents while taking goons into its fold, he alleged. A leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil also slammed the BJP-led state government. "Is there rule of law or of goons in Maharashtra? The government must answer this question," he tweeted.

Congress worker killed in Mumbai over Facebook post, party cries foul

The Japanese government on Monday ordered Facebook to improve protection of users' personal information following data breaches affecting tens of millions of people worldwide.

Facebook said early this month that hackers accessed the personal data of 29 million users in a breach at the world's leading social network first disclosed late September.

The company had originally said up to 50 million accounts were affected in a cyberattack that exploited a trio of software flaws to steal "access tokens" that enable people to automatically log back onto the platform.

Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission on Monday demanded the social media giant investigate why the personal data was hacked and draw up preventive measures.

Facebook told Japanese authorities the 29 million people hacked in the latest attack may include Japanese users, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga has said.

Facebook also acknowledged earlier this year that tens of millions of users had their personal data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, a British political firm which worked for Donald Trump in 2016.

Up to 100,000 Facebook users may have been affected in Japan in that scandal, the commission said.

"It is the first time that the commission, which investigated the data leak with British authorities, has issued warnings to Facebook," an official told AFP.

The commission also ordered Facebook to communicate better with users and respond to them promptly, for example when they request their accounts be deleted.

Facebook pledged to "promptly inform users if the platform was inappropriately used and cooperate with the commission and other countries' regulators" on its website.

The Japanese government on Monday ordered Facebook to improve protection of users' personal information following data breaches affecting tens of millions of people worldwide.

The Japanese government on Monday ordered Facebook to improve protection of users' personal information following data breaches affecting tens of millions of people worldwide. Facebook said early this month that hackers accessed the personal data of 29 million users in a breach at the world's leading social network first disclosed late September. The company had originally said up to 50 million accounts were affected in a cyberattack that exploited a trio of software flaws to steal "access tokens" that enable people to automatically log back onto the platform. Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission on Monday demanded the social media giant investigate why the personal data was hacked and draw up preventive measures. Facebook told Japanese authorities the 29 million people hacked in the latest attack may include Japanese users, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga has said. Facebook also acknowledged earlier this year that tens of millions of users had their personal data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, a British political firm which worked for Donald Trump in 2016. Up to 100,000 Facebook users may have been affected in Japan in that scandal, the commission said. "It is the first time that the commission, which investigated the data leak with British authorities, has issued warnings to Facebook," an official told AFP. The commission also ordered Facebook to communicate better with users and respond to them promptly, for example when they request their accounts be deleted. Facebook pledged to "promptly inform users if the platform was inappropriately used and cooperate with the commission and other countries' regulators" on its website.

Japan orders Facebook to improve data protection

Facebook Inc said on Friday it had confirmed that the attackers in the mass security breach it announced late last month accessed the accounts of about 30 million people in total and stole name and contact details for 29 million, reported news agency Reuters.

Facebook Inc said in late September that hackers stole digital login codes allowing them to take over nearly 50 million user accounts in its worst security breach ever, but did not confirm if information had actually been stolen, the report added.

The company said that for 15 million people, attackers accessed two sets of information – name and contact details including phone number, email, or both, depending on what the individuals had on their profiles.

For another 14 million people, the attackers also accessed other details included username, gender, locale/language, relationship status, religion, hometown, current city, birthdate, devices used to access Facebook, education, work, and the last 10 places they checked into or were tagged in.

"We’re cooperating with the FBI, which is actively investigating and asked us not to discuss who may be behind this attack," Facebook said on a blog post.

Facebook Inc said on Friday it had confirmed that the attackers in the mass security breach it announced late last month accessed the accounts of about 30 million people in total and stole name and contact details for 29 million, reported news agency Reuters.

Facebook Inc said on Friday it had confirmed that the attackers in the mass security breach it announced late last month accessed the accounts of about 30 million people in total and stole name and contact details for 29 million, reported news agency Reuters. Facebook Inc said in late September that hackers stole digital login codes allowing them to take over nearly 50 million user accounts in its worst security breach ever, but did not confirm if information had actually been stolen, the report added. The company said that for 15 million people, attackers accessed two sets of information – name and contact details including phone number, email, or both, depending on what the individuals had on their profiles. For another 14 million people, the attackers also accessed other details included username, gender, locale/language, relationship status, religion, hometown, current city, birthdate, devices used to access Facebook, education, work, and the last 10 places they checked into or were tagged in. "We’re cooperating with the FBI, which is actively investigating and asked us not to discuss who may be behind this attack," Facebook said on a blog post.

Facebook says attackers stole details from 29 million users

A Texas woman, claiming that she was raped, beaten and sex trafficked at the age of 15 by a pimp who posed as a Facebook "friend," has filed suit against the social network, alleging its executives knew minors were being lured into the sex trade on their platform.

The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in court papers filed in Harris County District Court in Houston on Monday, also named as defendants the now-shuttered classified ads website Backpage.com and its founders.

Facebook did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment.

Attorneys for Backpage.com and the former employees named in the lawsuit as defendants also did not return calls for comment.

According to the lawsuit, the woman was "friended" on Facebook in 2012 by a user who appeared to know several of her real-life friends. The man messaged her through Facebook, according to the lawsuit, which was seen by Reuters.

The lawsuit alleges that at one point following an argument with her mother, the trafficker offered to console her, but after picking her up from her home he beat and raped her and took pictures that were posted on Backpage.com.

The lawsuit says Facebook did not do enough to verify the user's identity, which the lawsuit said was false, and that Jane Doe was never warned that sex traffickers were operating on the social media network.

The plaintiff's attorneys, David Harris and Louie Cook of the law firm Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP in Houston, did not reply to requests for comment.Backpage.com was shut down by authorities earlier this year after a Justice Department investigation into allegations that the website was used primarily to sell sex.

A Texas woman, claiming that she was raped, beaten and sex trafficked at the age of 15 by a pimp who posed as a Facebook "friend," has filed suit against the social network, alleging its executives knew minors were being lured into the sex trade on their platform.

A Texas woman, claiming that she was raped, beaten and sex trafficked at the age of 15 by a pimp who posed as a Facebook "friend," has filed suit against the social network, alleging its executives knew minors were being lured into the sex trade on their platform. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe in court papers filed in Harris County District Court in Houston on Monday, also named as defendants the now-shuttered classified ads website Backpage.com and its founders. Facebook did not respond to a request by Reuters for comment. Attorneys for Backpage.com and the former employees named in the lawsuit as defendants also did not return calls for comment. According to the lawsuit, the woman was "friended" on Facebook in 2012 by a user who appeared to know several of her real-life friends. The man messaged her through Facebook, according to the lawsuit, which was seen by Reuters. The lawsuit alleges that at one point following an argument with her mother, the trafficker offered to console her, but after picking her up from her home he beat and raped her and took pictures that were posted on Backpage.com. The lawsuit says Facebook did not do enough to verify the user's identity, which the lawsuit said was false, and that Jane Doe was never warned that sex traffickers were operating on the social media network. The plaintiff's attorneys, David Harris and Louie Cook of the law firm Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP in Houston, did not reply to requests for comment.Backpage.com was shut down by authorities earlier this year after a Justice Department investigation into allegations that the website was used primarily to sell sex.

Woman sues Facebook, claims site enabled sex trafficking

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