Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand &amp; Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11)

"We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation.

"...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown.

It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3.

Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand & Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11) "We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation. "...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown. It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3. Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter Fleets to be discontinued in August

Cuba has restricted access to social media and messaging platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp, in the wake of the biggest anti-government protests in decades.

Cuba restricts access to social media platforms to curb protests

The former US President Donald Trump filed class-action lawsuits against Facebook, Twitter, and Google, months after he was booted from all three platforms for inciting violence in the wake of the Capitol riot.

Donald Trump unveils lawsuit Facebook, Twitter and Google

Facebook&nbsp;is leading the fast-growing&nbsp;market&nbsp;of "social&nbsp;commerce" that is expected to be worth some $36 billion in the United States this year, a research firm said Wednesday.

A report by&nbsp;market&nbsp;tracker eMarketer estimated some 56 million US residents would be making at least one purchase on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;this year, giving the&nbsp;social&nbsp;media giant a 22.3 per cent share.

Another 32 million people will have bought something on&nbsp;Facebook-owned Instagram, giving it a 12.9 per cent share, according to eMarketer's forecast of&nbsp;social&nbsp;commerce.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-hits-1-trillion-value-after-judge-rejects-antitrust-complaints-394581">Facebook hits $1 trillion value after judge rejects antitrust complaints</a>

The number three player is Pinterest, with a forecasted 13.9 million buyers, or 5.6 per cent of the&nbsp;market, the report said.

According to eMarketer, US&nbsp;social&nbsp;commerce&nbsp;sales will rise by 35.8 per cent to $36.62 billion this year, a slip deceleration from the pandemic-fueled 39 per cent growth pace in 2020.

Overall, some 90 million Americans will be using&nbsp;social&nbsp;commerce, which could reach around five per cent of US retail sales by 2024, according to the group.

The report is based on direct sales of products or services or through links to retailers from&nbsp;social&nbsp;platforms, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/instagram">Instagram</a>, Pinterest, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tiktok">TikTok</a>, WeChat and others.

It excludes travel and event tickets, tips and gifts, money transfers, gambling and food services.

Despite the strong growth, the United States lags behind China, which has been a leader in&nbsp;social&nbsp;commerce&nbsp;and is expected to have some 424 million people making purchases on its platforms such as WeChat this year.

"US marketers can look to China as a roadmap for&nbsp;social&nbsp;commerce's development, as many of the trends that will drive its growth, like livestream shopping, originated in China," said eMarketer senior analyst Jasmine Enberg.&nbsp;

"Keep in mind, however, that it's not an apples-to-apples comparison," she added.

"The&nbsp;social&nbsp;and e-commerce&nbsp;landscapes in the US are far more fragmented than those in China, and consumer behavior and attitudes toward digital shopping,&nbsp;social&nbsp;media consumption, online privacy and payments are different as well."

Facebook is leading the fast-growing market of "social commerce" that is expected to be worth some $36 billion in the United States this year, a research firm said Wednesday.

Facebook is leading the fast-growing market of "social commerce" that is expected to be worth some $36 billion in the United States this year, a research firm said Wednesday. A report by market tracker eMarketer estimated some 56 million US residents would be making at least one purchase on Facebook this year, giving the social media giant a 22.3 per cent share. Another 32 million people will have bought something on Facebook-owned Instagram, giving it a 12.9 per cent share, according to eMarketer's forecast of social commerce. Also read | Facebook hits $1 trillion value after judge rejects antitrust complaints The number three player is Pinterest, with a forecasted 13.9 million buyers, or 5.6 per cent of the market, the report said. According to eMarketer, US social commerce sales will rise by 35.8 per cent to $36.62 billion this year, a slip deceleration from the pandemic-fueled 39 per cent growth pace in 2020. Overall, some 90 million Americans will be using social commerce, which could reach around five per cent of US retail sales by 2024, according to the group. The report is based on direct sales of products or services or through links to retailers from social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, WeChat and others. It excludes travel and event tickets, tips and gifts, money transfers, gambling and food services. Despite the strong growth, the United States lags behind China, which has been a leader in social commerce and is expected to have some 424 million people making purchases on its platforms such as WeChat this year. "US marketers can look to China as a roadmap for social commerce's development, as many of the trends that will drive its growth, like livestream shopping, originated in China," said eMarketer senior analyst Jasmine Enberg. "Keep in mind, however, that it's not an apples-to-apples comparison," she added. "The social and e-commerce landscapes in the US are far more fragmented than those in China, and consumer behavior and attitudes toward digital shopping, social media consumption, online privacy and payments are different as well."

Facebook leads surging 'social commerce' market: Survey

Former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> has reportedly decided to sue the CEOs of social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Google.

Trump has decided to launch a class-action lawsuit against Facebook CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg, Google chief Sundar Pichai&nbsp;and Twitter CEO&nbsp;Jack Dorsey after the social media platforms banned the former president, Axios reported on Wednesday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-drank-bleach-to-cure-covid-claims-man-behind-magic-cure-393147" hreflang="en">'Donald Trump drank bleach to cure Covid', claims man behind 'magic cure'</a>

A little after the report, Trump announced his plans to sue the three CEOs. "Today, in conjunction with the America First Policy Institute, I'm filing as the lead class representative, a major class-action lawsuit against the big tech giants including Facebook, Google and Twitter as well as their CEOs, Mark Zuckerberg Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey -- three real nice guys," he said in a press conference&nbsp;at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Trump explained that he has decided to sue the three CEOs as their social media platforms have become "enforcers of illegal, unconstitutional censorship".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-told-chief-of-staff-hitler-did-good-things-book-396485" hreflang="en">Trump told Chief of Staff, 'Hitler did good things': Book</a>

The former reality TV star was banned from various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and a few others. The decision was taken as a response to Donald Trump’s posts on social media platforms on January 06 when the Capitol riot took place.Facebook and Twitter were one of the first ones to suspend and ban Trump’s account as the officials believed that Trump was responsible for motivating his supporters to attack the Capitol building on January 06.

Since his ban from social media, the infamous President has tried launching his own blog, which was shut down within a month. After that, his aide has launched a social media app, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/donald-trumps-team-launches-twitter-like-social-media-platform-gettr-395473">GETTR</a>, which resembles Twitter.

Former US President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to sue the CEOs of social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Google. Trump has decided to launch a class-action lawsuit against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google chief Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after the social media platforms banned the former president, Axios reported on Wednesday.

Former US President Donald Trump has reportedly decided to sue the CEOs of social media giants Facebook, Twitter and Google. Trump has decided to launch a class-action lawsuit against Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google chief Sundar Pichai and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey after the social media platforms banned the former president, Axios reported on Wednesday. Also read | 'Donald Trump drank bleach to cure Covid', claims man behind 'magic cure' A little after the report, Trump announced his plans to sue the three CEOs. "Today, in conjunction with the America First Policy Institute, I'm filing as the lead class representative, a major class-action lawsuit against the big tech giants including Facebook, Google and Twitter as well as their CEOs, Mark Zuckerberg Sundar Pichai and Jack Dorsey -- three real nice guys," he said in a press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Trump explained that he has decided to sue the three CEOs as their social media platforms have become "enforcers of illegal, unconstitutional censorship". Also read | Trump told Chief of Staff, 'Hitler did good things': Book The former reality TV star was banned from various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and a few others. The decision was taken as a response to Donald Trump’s posts on social media platforms on January 06 when the Capitol riot took place.Facebook and Twitter were one of the first ones to suspend and ban Trump’s account as the officials believed that Trump was responsible for motivating his supporters to attack the Capitol building on January 06. Since his ban from social media, the infamous President has tried launching his own blog, which was shut down within a month. After that, his aide has launched a social media app, GETTR, which resembles Twitter.

'Three real nice guys': Donald Trump to sue Facebook, Google and Twitter CEO

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 4 posted a video of himself waving American-flag waving while surfboard-riding. The video has created a stir on the internet. In the video, Zuckerberg can be seen gliding through the water while holding the US flag.&nbsp;

The video gives a perfect Independence day vibe as in the background, one can hear John Denver's anthem to West Virginia, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" playing. The Facebook CEO appears to be riding an electric surfboard on an idyllic-looking lake.&nbsp;

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Since uploaded, the video has gone viral with people sharing it all across social media. "This is some meme materials", wrote an Instagram user in the comment section. Another person wrote, "Here is Mark Zuckerberg proving he’s not just richer than you, he’s more patriotic".&nbsp;

<img alt="Zuckerberg " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f5285a7-83f4-4979-8ee3-6b0c8113add8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screenshot%202021-07-06%20at%2010.31.25%20AM.png" />

Fouth of July&nbsp;is an American holiday celebrating independence.&nbsp;While July 4th was made a federal holiday only in 1941, the tradition actually goes back to 1776.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-why-fourth-of-july-is-a-big-thing-in-usa-395755">Also read |&nbsp;Explainer: Why Fourth of July is a big thing in USA</a>

On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress assembled and decided that the thirteen (13) American colonies are no longer subordinate to the Colonial British rulers and the then British Monarch, King George III.&nbsp;

So, they voted in favour of independence and on 4th July 1776, delegates from the thirteen colonies came together to sign the historic 'Declaration of Independence'.

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this document was the first step towards the formation of the country we know today as the United States of America.&nbsp;

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Made popular by&nbsp; Abraham Lincoln who used these words in his Gettysburg Address of 1863, these words from the declaration have come to represent the ethos of human rights.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 4 posted a video of himself waving American-flag waving while surfboard-riding. The video has created a stir on the internet.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 4 posted a video of himself waving American-flag waving while surfboard-riding. The video has created a stir on the internet. In the video, Zuckerberg can be seen gliding through the water while holding the US flag. The video gives a perfect Independence day vibe as in the background, one can hear John Denver's anthem to West Virginia, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" playing. The Facebook CEO appears to be riding an electric surfboard on an idyllic-looking lake. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck) × Since uploaded, the video has gone viral with people sharing it all across social media. "This is some meme materials", wrote an Instagram user in the comment section. Another person wrote, "Here is Mark Zuckerberg proving he’s not just richer than you, he’s more patriotic". Fouth of July is an American holiday celebrating independence. While July 4th was made a federal holiday only in 1941, the tradition actually goes back to 1776. Also read | Explainer: Why Fourth of July is a big thing in USA On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress assembled and decided that the thirteen (13) American colonies are no longer subordinate to the Colonial British rulers and the then British Monarch, King George III. So, they voted in favour of independence and on 4th July 1776, delegates from the thirteen colonies came together to sign the historic 'Declaration of Independence'. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this document was the first step towards the formation of the country we know today as the United States of America. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Made popular by Abraham Lincoln who used these words in his Gettysburg Address of 1863, these words from the declaration have come to represent the ethos of human rights.

Mark Zuckerberg's surfing video holding US flag creates stir on the internet

US&nbsp;tech giants Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have privately warned the Hong Kong government that they could stop offering their services in the city if authorities proceed with planned changes to data-protection laws, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing a letter.

The laws could make the tech companies liable for the malicious sharing of individuals' information online, the newspaper added.

A letter sent by an industry group that includes the internet firms said companies are concerned that the planned rules to address 'doxing' could put their staff at risk of criminal investigations or prosecutions related to what the firms' users post online, Journal reported.

Doxing is an act of revealing people's personal information such as real name, home address or workplace online without the user's permission.

Facebook, Google and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for a comment.

Hong Kong's Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau in May proposed amendments to the city's data-protection laws that it said were needed to combat doxing, a practice that was prevalent during 2019 protests in the city, the newspaper said.

According to the newspaper, the letter dated June 25 was sent by Singapore-based Asia Internet Coalition.&nbsp;"The only way to avoid these sanctions for technology companies would be to refrain from investing and offering the services in Hong Kong," the Journal reported, quoting the letter.

(With inputs from agencies)

US tech giants Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have privately warned the Hong Kong government that they could stop offering their services in the city if authorities proceed with planned changes to data-protection laws, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing a letter.

US tech giants Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have privately warned the Hong Kong government that they could stop offering their services in the city if authorities proceed with planned changes to data-protection laws, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing a letter. The laws could make the tech companies liable for the malicious sharing of individuals' information online, the newspaper added. A letter sent by an industry group that includes the internet firms said companies are concerned that the planned rules to address 'doxing' could put their staff at risk of criminal investigations or prosecutions related to what the firms' users post online, Journal reported. Doxing is an act of revealing people's personal information such as real name, home address or workplace online without the user's permission. Facebook, Google and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for a comment. Hong Kong's Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau in May proposed amendments to the city's data-protection laws that it said were needed to combat doxing, a practice that was prevalent during 2019 protests in the city, the newspaper said. According to the newspaper, the letter dated June 25 was sent by Singapore-based Asia Internet Coalition. "The only way to avoid these sanctions for technology companies would be to refrain from investing and offering the services in Hong Kong," the Journal reported, quoting the letter. (With inputs from agencies)

Facebook, Google, Twitter say could quit Hong Kong over proposed data laws: Report

Facebook and Google India officials testified before the parliamentary standing committee on information technology on the issue of misuse of social media platforms.

Google and Facebook summoned by Indian Government

Facebook and Google India officials testified before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, on the issue of misuse of social media. The panel directed both social media platforms to comply with new IT rules and follow the rules of the country.

Facebook and Google officials appear in front of Parliamentary panel over platform misuse

Representative of Facebook and Google have been summoned by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology to discuss the issue of safeguarding citizens' rights and preventing the misuse of online platforms.

India's Parliamentary panel summons FB and Google officials

A US&nbsp;judge on Monday dismissed federal and state antitrust complaints against Facebook Inc that sought to force the social media company to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, saying the federal complaint was "legally insufficient." 
 
Facebook shares rose more than 4% after the ruling. The share price rise put Facebook`s market capitalisation over $1 trillion for the first time. 
 
The dismissal was the first big blow to state and federal lawsuits against Big Tech firms last year seeking to rein in alleged abuses of their massive market power. 
 
Judge James Boasberg of the US&nbsp;District Court for the District of Columbia said the FTC failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social-networking market but said the FTC could file a new complaint by July 29. 
 
He also dismissed a lawsuit by multiple US&nbsp;states, saying they waited too long to challenge the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014 respectively. The judge did not invite the states to refile their complaint. 
 
A spokesperson for the New York Attorney General’s office said it was "considering our legal options." 
 
Facebook had asked for the lawsuits to be dismissed. 
 
Regarding the FTC lawsuit, the judge wrote: "Although the court does not agree with all of Facebook`s contentions here, it ultimately concurs that the agency`s complaint is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed." 
 
A Facebook spokesperson said: "We are pleased that today’s decisions recognise the defects in the government complaints filed against Facebook." An FTC spokesperson said the agency was "closely reviewing the opinion and assessing the best option forward." 
 
A bright spot for the FTC in the opinion was the judge`s saying that the agency was "on firmer ground in scrutinising the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, as the court rejects Facebook`s argument that the FTC lacks authority to seek injunctive relief against those purchases." 
 
The FTC and a big group of states filed separate lawsuits last year that accused Facebook of breaking antitrust law to keep smaller competitors at bay by snapping up rivals, such as Instagram for $1 billion and WhatsApp for $19 billion. 
 
JUDGE FINDS FLAWS IN MARKET SHARE CLAIM 
 
The federal government and states filed a total of five lawsuits against Facebook and Alphabet Inc`s Google last year following bipartisan outrage over their social media clout in the economy and the political sphere. 
 
The judge said that the FTC did not adequately support its assertion that Facebook has more than 60% of the market. But Boasberg said the agency could potentially fix the issue in a refiling. 
 
The judge also criticised portions of the FTC`s case regarding its refusal to allow interoperability permissions with competing apps. 
 
Republican Senator Josh Hawley criticised the court`s decision on the FTC lawsuit as "deeply disappointing."

A US judge on Monday dismissed federal and state antitrust complaints against Facebook Inc that sought to force the social media company to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, saying the federal complaint was "legally insufficient.

A US judge on Monday dismissed federal and state antitrust complaints against Facebook Inc that sought to force the social media company to sell Instagram and WhatsApp, saying the federal complaint was "legally insufficient." Facebook shares rose more than 4% after the ruling. The share price rise put Facebook`s market capitalisation over $1 trillion for the first time. The dismissal was the first big blow to state and federal lawsuits against Big Tech firms last year seeking to rein in alleged abuses of their massive market power. Judge James Boasberg of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said the FTC failed to show that Facebook had monopoly power in the social-networking market but said the FTC could file a new complaint by July 29. He also dismissed a lawsuit by multiple US states, saying they waited too long to challenge the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014 respectively. The judge did not invite the states to refile their complaint. A spokesperson for the New York Attorney General’s office said it was "considering our legal options." Facebook had asked for the lawsuits to be dismissed. Regarding the FTC lawsuit, the judge wrote: "Although the court does not agree with all of Facebook`s contentions here, it ultimately concurs that the agency`s complaint is legally insufficient and must therefore be dismissed." A Facebook spokesperson said: "We are pleased that today’s decisions recognise the defects in the government complaints filed against Facebook." An FTC spokesperson said the agency was "closely reviewing the opinion and assessing the best option forward." A bright spot for the FTC in the opinion was the judge`s saying that the agency was "on firmer ground in scrutinising the acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, as the court rejects Facebook`s argument that the FTC lacks authority to seek injunctive relief against those purchases." The FTC and a big group of states filed separate lawsuits last year that accused Facebook of breaking antitrust law to keep smaller competitors at bay by snapping up rivals, such as Instagram for $1 billion and WhatsApp for $19 billion. JUDGE FINDS FLAWS IN MARKET SHARE CLAIM The federal government and states filed a total of five lawsuits against Facebook and Alphabet Inc`s Google last year following bipartisan outrage over their social media clout in the economy and the political sphere. The judge said that the FTC did not adequately support its assertion that Facebook has more than 60% of the market. But Boasberg said the agency could potentially fix the issue in a refiling. The judge also criticised portions of the FTC`s case regarding its refusal to allow interoperability permissions with competing apps. Republican Senator Josh Hawley criticised the court`s decision on the FTC lawsuit as "deeply disappointing."

Facebook hits $1 trillion value after judge rejects antitrust complaints

Social media has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade.

Everything has a short shelf-life on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, except trolling. Since early days of social media, the act of “trolling” someone has remain largely intact.

Now, a new study sheds light on how our interactions on social media shape viral content. According to the research undertaken by Cambridge University, social posts are twice as likely to go viral if they depict a negative image of politicians whom people don’t support, as against positive content they may be pushing out in support of a politician.&nbsp;

<h2>Trolling wins social media</h2>

The study suggests that negative posts that “troll” someone have a higher chance of getting liked and shared on social media platforms.

Researchers analysed 2.7 million tweets and Facebook posts from various US media houses and politicians over five years.&nbsp;They also found that negative posts were not only more likely to go viral, but also received twice as many comments as&nbsp;positive posts.

On Facebook, posts maligning someone received a higher number of angry or laughing reactions as opposed to positive posts that received hearts or thumbs ups.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seizes-36-iranian-linked-websites-for-alleged-disinformation-393220" hreflang="en">US seizes 36 Iranian-linked websites for alleged disinformation</a>

Politics matter

The study’s co-author Steve Rathje told BBC that if the post originated from a Republican and referred to Joe Biden, it was more likely to go viral than posts by Republicans about other politicians. Rathje also claimed that a screenshot of the US president with the caption “latest brain freeze” posted first by Breitbart News had received a lot of hits quickly.

On the other end of this political spectrum, a tweet by Bernie Sanders about Donald Trump also received a lot of hits wherein Sanders referred to “3,000” lies by Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Algorithms on social media platforms are meant to promote "viral content" and amplify voices that are receiving a lot of attention on platforms. This practice has been criticised for its ability to make hateful and divisive content viral.

The peer-reviewed study was published in the journal called “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/listen-up-facebook-launches-new-live-audio-rooms-in-us-to-take-on-clubhouse-392998" hreflang="en">Listen up! Facebook launches new 'live audio' rooms in US to take on Clubhouse</a>

Social media has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade.

Social media has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade. Everything has a short shelf-life on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, except trolling. Since early days of social media, the act of “trolling” someone has remain largely intact. Now, a new study sheds light on how our interactions on social media shape viral content. According to the research undertaken by Cambridge University, social posts are twice as likely to go viral if they depict a negative image of politicians whom people don’t support, as against positive content they may be pushing out in support of a politician. Trolling wins social media The study suggests that negative posts that “troll” someone have a higher chance of getting liked and shared on social media platforms. Researchers analysed 2.7 million tweets and Facebook posts from various US media houses and politicians over five years. They also found that negative posts were not only more likely to go viral, but also received twice as many comments as positive posts. On Facebook, posts maligning someone received a higher number of angry or laughing reactions as opposed to positive posts that received hearts or thumbs ups. Also read: US seizes 36 Iranian-linked websites for alleged disinformation Politics matter The study’s co-author Steve Rathje told BBC that if the post originated from a Republican and referred to Joe Biden, it was more likely to go viral than posts by Republicans about other politicians. Rathje also claimed that a screenshot of the US president with the caption “latest brain freeze” posted first by Breitbart News had received a lot of hits quickly. On the other end of this political spectrum, a tweet by Bernie Sanders about Donald Trump also received a lot of hits wherein Sanders referred to “3,000” lies by Donald Trump. Algorithms on social media platforms are meant to promote "viral content" and amplify voices that are receiving a lot of attention on platforms. This practice has been criticised for its ability to make hateful and divisive content viral. The peer-reviewed study was published in the journal called “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”. Also read: Listen up! Facebook launches new 'live audio' rooms in US to take on Clubhouse

Negative political posts on social media get more traction than positive ones, study claims

With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent.

Facebook has launched a new feature "Admin Assist"&nbsp;which allows the group moderators to set criteria for what will be considered as non-acceptable in the group. With the help of the set criteria, the automated bots will be able to automatically check content for any violations and flag it to the moderators accordingly.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi06Lf0y5zxAhXawzgGHb3mA88QFjAJegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1t_zO_xR8g-DRLRC1HmzZN" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision</a>

This feature can also help the moderators eliminate comments with links of unwanted content, ask members to be part of specific and related groups before commenting on burning issues and even slow down heated conversations.

"What these tools do is automate things admins did manually, but not expose anything they didn't have access to before,"&nbsp;said Facebook engineering vice president Tom Alison.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pink-floyd-roger-waters-will-not-let-facebook-ceo-idiot-mark-zuckerberg-use-their-songs-391322">Pink Floyd's Roger Waters will not let Facebook CEO 'idiot' Mark Zuckerberg use their songs</a>

Facebook is also testing a feature through which artificial intelligence (AI) can judge when a conversation is turning chaotic and heated, on the basis of the speed and tone of the replies/comments, and then accordingly alert the moderators.

"The AI looks at things associated with threads that have conflicts," Alison said.

With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent.

With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent. Facebook has launched a new feature "Admin Assist" which allows the group moderators to set criteria for what will be considered as non-acceptable in the group. With the help of the set criteria, the automated bots will be able to automatically check content for any violations and flag it to the moderators accordingly. Also read | Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision This feature can also help the moderators eliminate comments with links of unwanted content, ask members to be part of specific and related groups before commenting on burning issues and even slow down heated conversations. "What these tools do is automate things admins did manually, but not expose anything they didn't have access to before," said Facebook engineering vice president Tom Alison. Also read | Pink Floyd's Roger Waters will not let Facebook CEO 'idiot' Mark Zuckerberg use their songs Facebook is also testing a feature through which artificial intelligence (AI) can judge when a conversation is turning chaotic and heated, on the basis of the speed and tone of the replies/comments, and then accordingly alert the moderators. "The AI looks at things associated with threads that have conflicts," Alison said.

Facebook launches 'admin assist' to help keep group chats civil

Facebook&nbsp;on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries.

Beginning on June 15,&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;will let any employee whose job can be done remotely ask to work that way permanently, the internet giant told AFP.

"We believe how we work is more important than where we work,"&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;said while sharing an update to its remote work policy.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSuYqYyY3xAhUyyzgGHbfFAvUQFjACegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2NWN9svZmkstbE0eU9FdV_" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/everyone-should-ban-them-trump-hails-nigerias-twitter-ban-390424" target="_blank">'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban</a>

"We want to be the place where people can do the best work of their careers while ensuring a consistent experience for employees no matter where they're located."

Facebook&nbsp;and other Silicon Valley firms shifted to remote work early in the pandemic, relying on the internet tools they create to get jobs done.

Facebook&nbsp;chief Mark Zuckerberg has said he expects the shift to remote work to be a lasting one at the leading social network, which plans to look for employees able to do their jobs from wherever they happen to live.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSuYqYyY3xAhUyyzgGHbfFAvUQFjAHegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw37UbzfPNGcJSn5y6tSppzw" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision</a>

Facebook&nbsp;recently began reopening its offices after a yearlong pandemic shutdown, but without perks such as free food and commuter shuttles.

The rollout of vaccines and improving health conditions were cited as reasons for gradually welcoming employees back to abandoned campuses.

Facebook&nbsp;said work schedules for those returning to offices will be flexible, but its guidance is for people to be on-site at least half the time.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiI5qm4yY3xAhXUzjgGHc7cACI4ChAWMAB6BAgJEAI&amp;usg=AOvVaw29yAR4PleBbSZtqqctnGnZ" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/is-donald-trump-back-on-facebook-heres-the-truth-behind-deletefacebook-389235" target="_blank">Is Donald Trump back on&nbsp;Facebook? Here's the truth</a>

The leading social network said it is on track to have most of its US campuses at 50 percent capacity by early September.

Some&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;offices in Europe and Asia are open, according to the California-based firm.

Safety protocols in place include wearing face masks and keeping one's distance at work, along with routine Covid-19 testing, according to&nbsp;Facebook.

As of June 15,&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;will also expand remote work across international borders, supporting moves from the United States to Canada as well as shifts to Britain from other parts of Europe, the company said.

Google and Microsoft have unveiled similar hybrid schemes for workers, while some firms such as Twitter have told employees they can work remotely indefinitely.

Apple is reportedly facing employee resistance to its plan to bring employees back to the office.

The iPhone maker has called for employees to return three days a week starting in September, according to the tech news site The Verge.

But some Apple workers have signed a letter calling for more flexibility for employees who have been doing their jobs remotely for more than a year.

The Apple letter said the remote system works well and gives employees better work-life balance while accommodating those with special needs and reducing the risk of contagion.

Facebook on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries.

Facebook on Wednesday said it will give employees the option of sticking with remote work for the long term, even offering to help some interested in moving to other countries. Beginning on June 15, Facebook will let any employee whose job can be done remotely ask to work that way permanently, the internet giant told AFP. "We believe how we work is more important than where we work," Facebook said while sharing an update to its remote work policy. Also read | 'Everyone should ban them': Trump hails Nigeria's Twitter ban "We want to be the place where people can do the best work of their careers while ensuring a consistent experience for employees no matter where they're located." Facebook and other Silicon Valley firms shifted to remote work early in the pandemic, relying on the internet tools they create to get jobs done. Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has said he expects the shift to remote work to be a lasting one at the leading social network, which plans to look for employees able to do their jobs from wherever they happen to live. Also read | Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision Facebook recently began reopening its offices after a yearlong pandemic shutdown, but without perks such as free food and commuter shuttles. The rollout of vaccines and improving health conditions were cited as reasons for gradually welcoming employees back to abandoned campuses. Facebook said work schedules for those returning to offices will be flexible, but its guidance is for people to be on-site at least half the time. Also read | Is Donald Trump back on Facebook? Here's the truth The leading social network said it is on track to have most of its US campuses at 50 percent capacity by early September. Some Facebook offices in Europe and Asia are open, according to the California-based firm. Safety protocols in place include wearing face masks and keeping one's distance at work, along with routine Covid-19 testing, according to Facebook. As of June 15, Facebook will also expand remote work across international borders, supporting moves from the United States to Canada as well as shifts to Britain from other parts of Europe, the company said. Google and Microsoft have unveiled similar hybrid schemes for workers, while some firms such as Twitter have told employees they can work remotely indefinitely. Apple is reportedly facing employee resistance to its plan to bring employees back to the office. The iPhone maker has called for employees to return three days a week starting in September, according to the tech news site The Verge. But some Apple workers have signed a letter calling for more flexibility for employees who have been doing their jobs remotely for more than a year. The Apple letter said the remote system works well and gives employees better work-life balance while accommodating those with special needs and reducing the risk of contagion.

Facebook remote work made permanent as offices re-open

In an address to the faction of Likud party, the longest-serving Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu accused Facebook and Twitter of selective blocking. Netanyahu has slammed the social media giants for silence in criticism against the new coalition government.

Netanyahu accuses social media of selective blocking

Group of Seven rich nations (G7) on Saturday agreed over a global minimum tax of at least 15 per cent on a country by country basis. This is a landmark move. It is understood to be aimed at getting multinationals, especially tech giants to put more money in government coffers in times when economies around the world have been hit because of coronavirus pandemic.

"We commit to reaching an equitable solution on the allocation of taxing rights, with market countries awarded taxing rights on at least 20% of profit exceeding a 10% margin for the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises," a communique from G7 finance ministers seen by Reuters said.

"We will provide for appropriate coordination between the application of the new international tax rules and the removal of all Digital Services Taxes, and other relevant similar measures, on all companies."

The&nbsp;proposal, will then go to the expanded group of 20 countries at their finance meeting in July.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681">Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision</a>

British finance minister Rishi Sunak was chairing the London meetings, held in person after an easing of Covid-19 restrictions and attended by counterparts from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

The talks were preparing the ground for a broader summit of G7 leaders in Cornwall, southwest England, starting Friday.

US President Joe Biden will attend the summit next week. This will be his first foreign tour since taking the office in January

'Right time'

Momentum was&nbsp;growing behind the US-led plans to limit the ability of multinationals like tech giants to game the system to boost profits, especially at a time when economies around the world are reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;

German finance minister Olaf Scholz on Friday told reporters it was the "right time" for a global tax deal given the vast sums spent by governments "to protect citizens, stabilise the economy and save jobs" since last year.

Biden has called for a unified minimum corporate tax rate of 15 percent in negotiations with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and G20.

(With inputs from agencies)

Group of Seven rich nations (G7) on Saturday agreed over a global minimum tax of at least 15 per cent on a country by country basis. This is a landmark move. It is understood to be aimed at getting multinationals, especially tech giants to put more money in government coffers in times when economies around the world have been hit because of coronavirus pandemic.

Group of Seven rich nations (G7) on Saturday agreed over a global minimum tax of at least 15 per cent on a country by country basis. This is a landmark move. It is understood to be aimed at getting multinationals, especially tech giants to put more money in government coffers in times when economies around the world have been hit because of coronavirus pandemic. "We commit to reaching an equitable solution on the allocation of taxing rights, with market countries awarded taxing rights on at least 20% of profit exceeding a 10% margin for the largest and most profitable multinational enterprises," a communique from G7 finance ministers seen by Reuters said. "We will provide for appropriate coordination between the application of the new international tax rules and the removal of all Digital Services Taxes, and other relevant similar measures, on all companies." The proposal, will then go to the expanded group of 20 countries at their finance meeting in July. Also Read | Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision British finance minister Rishi Sunak was chairing the London meetings, held in person after an easing of Covid-19 restrictions and attended by counterparts from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States. The talks were preparing the ground for a broader summit of G7 leaders in Cornwall, southwest England, starting Friday. US President Joe Biden will attend the summit next week. This will be his first foreign tour since taking the office in January 'Right time' Momentum was growing behind the US-led plans to limit the ability of multinationals like tech giants to game the system to boost profits, especially at a time when economies around the world are reeling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. German finance minister Olaf Scholz on Friday told reporters it was the "right time" for a global tax deal given the vast sums spent by governments "to protect citizens, stabilise the economy and save jobs" since last year. Biden has called for a unified minimum corporate tax rate of 15 percent in negotiations with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and G20. (With inputs from agencies)

Eye on tech firms: G7 nations agree on minimum 15 per cent corporate tax rate

A little after the rumours of the former reality TV star and the 45th US President, Donald Trump, coming back on Facebook were dismissed, the social media platform has decided to continue the ban on the Republican leader for the next two years, at least.

Facebook suspends Trump's account until 2023

Social media Facebook plans to eliminate an exemption for politicians that allows them to post content deemed deceptive or abusive, and will hold them to the same standards as other users.

Facebook plans to eliminate an exemption for politicians

The former US President, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, was banned from social media platforms such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a>, Instagram, Twitter&nbsp;and Snapchat after the Capitol riots that took place on January 6.

However, a few recent media reports claimed Trump’s account on Facebook has been restored, a few weeks after the social media platform announced that Trump’s account will stay blocked indefinitely.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trumps-blog-page-shuts-down-a-month-after-launch-389068" hreflang="en">Donald Trump's blog page shuts down a month after launch</a>

A local news website, Becker News, reported, "BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump is *BACK* on Two Major Social Media Platforms — Facebook and Instagram". This report came a few hours after it was announced that Trump's new, personal blog "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump" will be shutting down merely after a month’s activity.

However, Facebook has denied these rumours saying, "Nothing about the status of President Trump’s presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended".

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No. Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended.
— Andy Stone (@andymstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/andymstone/status/1400214580945641472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The truth behind Trump's pages still showing up on the social media platform is that the pages have been there, but Trump or anyone else will not be able to post anything on the pages.

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Facebook Policy Comms Manager Andy Stone's statment about allowing Trump back on the platform: "Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended." 
 
But, here is his very active, verified page. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeleteFacebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeleteFacebook</a> <a href="https://t.co/0laAXsGdMb">pic.twitter.com/0laAXsGdMb</a>
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) <a href="https://twitter.com/girlsreallyrule/status/1400228325751021572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The&nbsp;report caught the eye of many Twitter users who decided to #DeleteFacebook, and the phrase started trending on Twitter.

Here are a few of the best tweets from the trend:

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeleteFacebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeleteFacebook</a> 
I'm logging out🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/oMFEzk1rZ0">pic.twitter.com/oMFEzk1rZ0</a>
— Jacob VIkey (@Jacobvikey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jacobvikey/status/1400224207624093701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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People saying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DeleteFacebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DeleteFacebook</a> but still use IG <a href="https://t.co/QDdLWruWsp">pic.twitter.com/QDdLWruWsp</a>
— Philadelphia Man (@kevv_nn) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevv_nn/status/1400229422507167751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Trump had been banned from social media platforms after he was accused of spreading misinformation and inciting violence by motivating his supporters to march to the US Capitol Hall and initiate riots, simply because Trump, without any proof, believed he had lost US election 2020 because of voter fraud.

The former US President, Donald Trump, was banned from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat after the Capitol riots that took place on January 6.

The former US President, Donald Trump, was banned from social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat after the Capitol riots that took place on January 6. However, a few recent media reports claimed Trump’s account on Facebook has been restored, a few weeks after the social media platform announced that Trump’s account will stay blocked indefinitely. Also read | Donald Trump's blog page shuts down a month after launch A local news website, Becker News, reported, "BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump is *BACK* on Two Major Social Media Platforms — Facebook and Instagram". This report came a few hours after it was announced that Trump's new, personal blog "From the Desk of Donald J. Trump" will be shutting down merely after a month’s activity. However, Facebook has denied these rumours saying, "Nothing about the status of President Trump’s presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended". No. Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended. — Andy Stone (@andymstone) June 2, 2021 × The truth behind Trump's pages still showing up on the social media platform is that the pages have been there, but Trump or anyone else will not be able to post anything on the pages. Facebook Policy Comms Manager Andy Stone's statment about allowing Trump back on the platform: "Nothing about the status of President Trump's presence on our platform has changed. He remains indefinitely suspended." But, here is his very active, verified page. #DeleteFacebook pic.twitter.com/0laAXsGdMb — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) June 2, 2021 × The report caught the eye of many Twitter users who decided to #DeleteFacebook, and the phrase started trending on Twitter. Here are a few of the best tweets from the trend: #DeleteFacebook I'm logging out🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/oMFEzk1rZ0 — Jacob VIkey (@Jacobvikey) June 2, 2021 × People saying #DeleteFacebook but still use IG pic.twitter.com/QDdLWruWsp — Philadelphia Man (@kevv_nn) June 2, 2021 × Trump had been banned from social media platforms after he was accused of spreading misinformation and inciting violence by motivating his supporters to march to the US Capitol Hall and initiate riots, simply because Trump, without any proof, believed he had lost US election 2020 because of voter fraud.

Is Donald Trump back on Facebook? Here's the truth behind '#DeleteFacebook'

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a> posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-lifts-ban-on-lab-leak-posts-as-us-investigates-origin-of-coronavirus-387899" hreflang="en">Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus</a>

The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

"During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal".

Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/australias-nine-entertainment-signs-content-deal-with-facebook-google-388695" hreflang="en">Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google</a>

A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case.

Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest.

Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear.

The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night.

Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement.

According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation. The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said. Also read | Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania. "During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal". Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement. Also read | Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case. Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest. Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear. The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night. Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement. According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.

Police chief who threatened Facebook critic with false arrest pleads guilty

Twitter Inc said Tuesday it will begin testing ads on its disappearing posts feature called Fleets, as it works to offer more options for advertisers. 
 
The social media company previously said it set a goal of doubling its annual revenue by 2023 from last year`s levels, which it plans to achieve in part by selling ads on more parts of its site and mobile app. 
 
Fleet ads will be the first on Twitter that appear full screen on phones, the company said. Advertisers generally like full-screen ads because they capture the user`s attention. 
 
The new offering is part of Twitter`s aim to catch up to larger social media platforms like Facebook Inc and Snap Inc , which have long offered a "Stories" posts feature that disappears after 24 hours and is monetised with ads. 
 
Brands that create Fleet ads can also use a feature that would direct a user to the company`s website or other web destination if they swipe up on the ad. 
&nbsp;

Twitter Inc said Tuesday it will begin testing ads on its disappearing posts feature called Fleets, as it works to offer more options for advertisers. The social media company previously said it set a goal of doubling its annual revenue by 2023 from last year`s levels, which it plans to achieve in part by selling ads on more parts of its site and mobile app.

Twitter Inc said Tuesday it will begin testing ads on its disappearing posts feature called Fleets, as it works to offer more options for advertisers. The social media company previously said it set a goal of doubling its annual revenue by 2023 from last year`s levels, which it plans to achieve in part by selling ads on more parts of its site and mobile app. Fleet ads will be the first on Twitter that appear full screen on phones, the company said. Advertisers generally like full-screen ads because they capture the user`s attention. The new offering is part of Twitter`s aim to catch up to larger social media platforms like Facebook Inc and Snap Inc , which have long offered a "Stories" posts feature that disappears after 24 hours and is monetised with ads. Brands that create Fleet ads can also use a feature that would direct a user to the company`s website or other web destination if they swipe up on the ad.

Twitter testing ads on Fleets to catch up to Snap, Facebook

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday, it had signed multi-year content-supply deals with Google and Facebook under Australia's news media bargaining code. 
 
The agreement, terms of which were not disclosed, comes after rival Seven West Media Ltd and News Corp signed similar deals following the enactment of tough laws to make US&nbsp;tech giants pay for displaying news on their platforms. 
 
The multi-media firm said it would supply content for Google's News Showcase platform for five years and to a similar Facebook product for three. 
 
Google would also expand its marketing ventures across Nine's platforms, the publisher of the Australian Financial Review, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald newspapers added. 
 
After considering these new deals and ongoing subscription revenue for Nine's mastheads, the Sydney-based company said it expected growth of A$30 million to A$40 million ($23.2 million to $31 million) in its publishing unit's fiscal 2022 core earnings.

(With inputs from agencies)

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday, it had signed multi-year content-supply deals with Google and Facebook under Australia's news media bargaining code.

Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday, it had signed multi-year content-supply deals with Google and Facebook under Australia's news media bargaining code. The agreement, terms of which were not disclosed, comes after rival Seven West Media Ltd and News Corp signed similar deals following the enactment of tough laws to make US tech giants pay for displaying news on their platforms. The multi-media firm said it would supply content for Google's News Showcase platform for five years and to a similar Facebook product for three. Google would also expand its marketing ventures across Nine's platforms, the publisher of the Australian Financial Review, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald newspapers added. After considering these new deals and ongoing subscription revenue for Nine's mastheads, the Sydney-based company said it expected growth of A$30 million to A$40 million ($23.2 million to $31 million) in its publishing unit's fiscal 2022 core earnings. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google

In an embarrassing U-turn, Facebook has decided to not censor posts on the Lab Leak Theory. In October 2020, the platform censored WION for interviewing Dr. Li-Meng YAN on the theory. Palki Sharma asks: Will Facebook apologise?

Gravitas: Facebook won't censor 'lab leak' theory posts

In light of the ongoing investigation into the origin of the deadly Coronavirus, social media giant Facebook has decided to lift the ban on posts that claim COVID-19 was the result of man-made and / or "lab leaks".

Facebook allow posts suggesting COVID-19 'lab origin' as US probes virus origin

Facebook has reversed its policy banning posts suggesting COVID-19 emerged from a laboratory amid renewed debate over the origins of the virus, raising fresh questions about social media's role in policing misinformation.

The latest move by Facebook highlights the challenge for the world's largest social network of rooting out false and potentially harmful content while remaining open for discourse.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-president-joe-biden-orders-to-redouble-efforts-in-covid-19-origin-probe-387649/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"In light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts, we will no longer remove the claim that Covid-19 is man-made or manufactured from our apps," the statement said.

"We're continuing to work with health experts to keep pace with the evolving nature of the pandemic and regularly update our policies as new facts and trends emerge."

The new statement updates guidance from Facebook in February when it said it would remove false or debunked claims about the novel coronavirus which created a global pandemic killing more than three million.

The move followed President Joe Biden's directive to US intelligence agencies to investigate competing theories on how the virus first emerged -- through animal contact at a market in Wuhan, China, or through accidental release from a research laboratory in the same city.

Biden's order signals an escalation in mounting controversy over the origins of the virus which emerged in Wuhan.

A recent Wall Street Journal report, citing a US intelligence report, said three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick in November 2019, ahead of the wider outbreak of the disease.

Facebook uses independent third-party fact checkers, to debunk misinformation. Although the origins of the virus remain unproven, the lab leak theory has been subject to fact-checking.&nbsp;

One fact checking organization, PolitiFact, reported last September that public health authorities had "repeatedly said the coronavirus was not derived from a lab" but earlier this month revised its guidance, noting: "that assertion is now more widely disputed," and saying it would continue to review the matter.

But the abrupt Facebook reversal prompted angry responses from conservatives and supporters of former president Donald Trump who argued their assertions had been dismissed as hoaxes.

"Wow! But they did suppress the story for a year, defaming Trump and Republicans for a 'conspiracy theory' blacklisting conservative press and banning us," tweeted Kelly Sadler, a blogger and former Trump aide.

Facebook in a separate statement said it was stepping up its efforts to curb misinformation by limiting the reach of users who "repeatedly" share false content.

Until now, Facebook had only taken this action on individual posts, but now will clamp down on the users who are the largest spreaders of false content.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook has reversed its policy banning posts suggesting COVID-19 emerged from a laboratory amid renewed debate over the origins of the virus, raising fresh questions about social media's role in policing misinformation.

Facebook has reversed its policy banning posts suggesting COVID-19 emerged from a laboratory amid renewed debate over the origins of the virus, raising fresh questions about social media's role in policing misinformation. The latest move by Facebook highlights the challenge for the world's largest social network of rooting out false and potentially harmful content while remaining open for discourse. "In light of ongoing investigations into the origin of COVID-19 and in consultation with public health experts, we will no longer remove the claim that Covid-19 is man-made or manufactured from our apps," the statement said. "We're continuing to work with health experts to keep pace with the evolving nature of the pandemic and regularly update our policies as new facts and trends emerge." The new statement updates guidance from Facebook in February when it said it would remove false or debunked claims about the novel coronavirus which created a global pandemic killing more than three million. The move followed President Joe Biden's directive to US intelligence agencies to investigate competing theories on how the virus first emerged -- through animal contact at a market in Wuhan, China, or through accidental release from a research laboratory in the same city. Biden's order signals an escalation in mounting controversy over the origins of the virus which emerged in Wuhan. A recent Wall Street Journal report, citing a US intelligence report, said three researchers from China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology became sick in November 2019, ahead of the wider outbreak of the disease. Facebook uses independent third-party fact checkers, to debunk misinformation. Although the origins of the virus remain unproven, the lab leak theory has been subject to fact-checking. One fact checking organization, PolitiFact, reported last September that public health authorities had "repeatedly said the coronavirus was not derived from a lab" but earlier this month revised its guidance, noting: "that assertion is now more widely disputed," and saying it would continue to review the matter. But the abrupt Facebook reversal prompted angry responses from conservatives and supporters of former president Donald Trump who argued their assertions had been dismissed as hoaxes. "Wow! But they did suppress the story for a year, defaming Trump and Republicans for a 'conspiracy theory' blacklisting conservative press and banning us," tweeted Kelly Sadler, a blogger and former Trump aide. Facebook in a separate statement said it was stepping up its efforts to curb misinformation by limiting the reach of users who "repeatedly" share false content. Until now, Facebook had only taken this action on individual posts, but now will clamp down on the users who are the largest spreaders of false content. (With inputs from agencies)

Facebook lifts ban on posts claiming COVID-19 was man-made, amid revitalised origins debate

Will social media companies like Facebook and Twitter fail to operate in India in two days? Palki Sharma tells you why major social media companies are in trouble in India.

Gravitas: Twitter raided in India

Facebook and Instagram will soon allow people to hide likes on posts. The option will be first rolled out on Instagram, Facebook’s picture-based application. Larer, the feature will also be rolled out for Facebook users.

The measure is part of company’s plans to check the pressure of using services among its customers. According to a blog post by Instagram, the feature will be available to users in “the next few weeks”. Once it is up, users will be able to choose whether they want likes to be displayed on their feeds as well on their posts.

According to the test results, hiding likes&nbsp;did not necessarily show much change in people’s well-being. Currently, public opinion on the move remains divided.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri reportedly said that such moves constitute company plans to offer companies more control over their experiences on the application.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-lawmakers-urge-facebook-to-drop-plans-for-instagram-for-kids-385900" hreflang="en">US lawmakers urge Facebook to drop plans for Instagram for kids</a>

Based on the limited testing of the feature among people, Instagram found that some users found it beneficial, while many were not pleased with the scope of losing the metric. Mosseri believes user engagement on the application will not be affected by the move.

Instagram has been facing flak recently for its plans to create a version of the application catering to children aged 14 and below. Attorney generals from 44 US states have urged Facebook to shelve the plan altogether.

Likes are denoted by heart shapes on Instagram and with a thumbs-up on Facebook. These features display the popularity of posts made on the platforms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/instagram-to-let-users-add-pronouns-in-profiles-in-nod-to-alternate-gender-identities-384754" hreflang="en">Instagram to let users add pronouns in profiles, in nod to alternate gender identities</a>

Facebook and Instagram will soon allow people to hide likes on posts. The option will be first rolled out on Instagram, Facebook’s picture-based application. Larer, the feature will also be rolled out for Facebook users.

Facebook and Instagram will soon allow people to hide likes on posts. The option will be first rolled out on Instagram, Facebook’s picture-based application. Larer, the feature will also be rolled out for Facebook users. The measure is part of company’s plans to check the pressure of using services among its customers. According to a blog post by Instagram, the feature will be available to users in “the next few weeks”. Once it is up, users will be able to choose whether they want likes to be displayed on their feeds as well on their posts. According to the test results, hiding likes did not necessarily show much change in people’s well-being. Currently, public opinion on the move remains divided. Instagram head Adam Mosseri reportedly said that such moves constitute company plans to offer companies more control over their experiences on the application. Also read: US lawmakers urge Facebook to drop plans for Instagram for kids Based on the limited testing of the feature among people, Instagram found that some users found it beneficial, while many were not pleased with the scope of losing the metric. Mosseri believes user engagement on the application will not be affected by the move. Instagram has been facing flak recently for its plans to create a version of the application catering to children aged 14 and below. Attorney generals from 44 US states have urged Facebook to shelve the plan altogether. Likes are denoted by heart shapes on Instagram and with a thumbs-up on Facebook. These features display the popularity of posts made on the platforms. Also read: Instagram to let users add pronouns in profiles, in nod to alternate gender identities

Optional feature to hide likes on Instagram, Facebook is coming sooner than you think

Social Media giants Facebook and Twitter had three months to comply with India's new rules. They failed to meet the deadline. Can Facebook and Twitter get banned for non-compliance? Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Social Media giants face heat in India

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday. 
 
It also came second on a list of countries targeted by domestic influence operations in that same time period. Facebook Inc said one of the top sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour networks targeting the United States in the year leading up to the 2020 presidential election was domestic campaigns originating in the United States itself, as well as foreign operations from Russia and Iran. 
 
The tallies were based on the number of "coordinated inauthentic behavior" networks removed by Facebook, a term it uses for a type of influence operations that relies on fake accounts to mislead users and manipulate the public debate for strategic ends. 
 
Facebook began cracking down on these influence operations after 2016, when US&nbsp;intelligence concluded that Russia used the platform as part of a cyber-influence campaign that aimed to help former President Donald Trump win the White House, a claim Moscow has denied. 
 
The company said Russia, followed by Iran, topped the list for sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour and that this was mostly rooted in foreign interference. Top targets of foreign operations included Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Libya and Sudan. 
 
But the company also said that about half of the influence operations it has removed since 2017 around the world were conducted by domestic, not foreign, networks. 
 
"IO [influence operations] really started out as an elite sport. We had a small group of nation states in particular that were using these techniques. But more and more we`re seeing more people getting into the game," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook`s head of security policy, told reporters on a conference call. 
 
Facebook said the domestic influence operations that targeted the United States were operated by conspiratorial or fringe political actors, PR or consulting firms and media websites. 
 
Myanmar was the country targeted by the most domestic inauthentic networks, according to Facebook`s count, though these networks were relatively small in size. 
 
Gleicher said threat actors had pivoted from large, high-volume campaigns to smaller and more targeted ones, and that the platform was also seeing a rise in commercial influence operations. 
 
"I actually think the majority of what we`re seeing here, these aren`t actors that are motivated by politics. In terms of volume, a lot of this is actors that are motivated by money," he said. "They`re scammers, they`re fraudsters, they`re PR or marketing firms that are looking to make a business around deception." 
 
Facebook investigators also said they expected it would get harder to discern what was part of a deceptive influence campaign as threat actors increasingly use "witting and unwitting people to blur the lines between authentic domestic discourse and manipulation." 
 
The report included more than 150 coordinated inauthentic networks identified and removed by Facebook since 2017.

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday.

The United States topped a list of the countries most frequently targeted by deceptive foreign influence operations using Facebook between 2017 and 2020, the social media company said in a new report released on Wednesday. It also came second on a list of countries targeted by domestic influence operations in that same time period. Facebook Inc said one of the top sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour networks targeting the United States in the year leading up to the 2020 presidential election was domestic campaigns originating in the United States itself, as well as foreign operations from Russia and Iran. The tallies were based on the number of "coordinated inauthentic behavior" networks removed by Facebook, a term it uses for a type of influence operations that relies on fake accounts to mislead users and manipulate the public debate for strategic ends. Facebook began cracking down on these influence operations after 2016, when US intelligence concluded that Russia used the platform as part of a cyber-influence campaign that aimed to help former President Donald Trump win the White House, a claim Moscow has denied. The company said Russia, followed by Iran, topped the list for sources of coordinated inauthentic behaviour and that this was mostly rooted in foreign interference. Top targets of foreign operations included Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Libya and Sudan. But the company also said that about half of the influence operations it has removed since 2017 around the world were conducted by domestic, not foreign, networks. "IO [influence operations] really started out as an elite sport. We had a small group of nation states in particular that were using these techniques. But more and more we`re seeing more people getting into the game," Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook`s head of security policy, told reporters on a conference call. Facebook said the domestic influence operations that targeted the United States were operated by conspiratorial or fringe political actors, PR or consulting firms and media websites. Myanmar was the country targeted by the most domestic inauthentic networks, according to Facebook`s count, though these networks were relatively small in size. Gleicher said threat actors had pivoted from large, high-volume campaigns to smaller and more targeted ones, and that the platform was also seeing a rise in commercial influence operations. "I actually think the majority of what we`re seeing here, these aren`t actors that are motivated by politics. In terms of volume, a lot of this is actors that are motivated by money," he said. "They`re scammers, they`re fraudsters, they`re PR or marketing firms that are looking to make a business around deception." Facebook investigators also said they expected it would get harder to discern what was part of a deceptive influence campaign as threat actors increasingly use "witting and unwitting people to blur the lines between authentic domestic discourse and manipulation." The report included more than 150 coordinated inauthentic networks identified and removed by Facebook since 2017.

US a top target for foreign and domestic influence operations, says new Facebook report

A Russian court has fined Google and Facebook for failing to delete banned content that Moscow deems illegal. Russia has already placed a punitive slowdown on US social network Twitter for not deleting banned content.

Russia fines Google & Facebook for failing to delete banned content

With the deadline to comply with the new IT rules meant for big social media platforms in India ending on Tuesday, Facebook said that the company aims to comply with the provisions of the new intermediary guidelines and is working towards it. 
 
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had asked the social media platform to abide by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 by May 25, or face strict action. A Facebook spokesperson said that the company is putting operational processes in place to meet the new IT rules. 
 
"We aim to comply with the provisions of the IT rules and continue to discuss a few of the issues which need more engagement with the government," a company spokesperson said in a statement. 
 
"Pursuant to the IT rules, we are working to implement operational processes and improve efficiencies. Facebook remains committed to people`s ability to freely and safely express themselves on our platform," the spokesperson added. 
 
Twitter was yet to speak officially on the May 25 deadline. 
 
The MeitY had announced it's draft new IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules for social media platforms on February 25. 
 
As per the new rules, social media platforms will have to remove offending content within 36 hours after a government directive or a legal order. 
 
The new rules mandate that the intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, must establish a grievance redressal mechanism for receiving/resolving complaints from the users or victims. 
 
Only homegrown micro-blogging platform Koo has met the compliance requirements of the new IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2021. 
 
Koo said it has also implemented due diligence and grievance redressal mechanism supported by an Indian resident Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal Officer and Grievance Officer. 
 
"Complying with the new social media guidelines published by the government of India within time clearly shows why it`s important to have Indian social media players thriving in the country," said Aprameya Radhakrishna, Co-Founder and CEO of Koo.

With the deadline to comply with the new IT rules meant for big social media platforms in India ending on Tuesday, Facebook said that the company aims to comply with the provisions of the new intermediary guidelines and is working towards it.

With the deadline to comply with the new IT rules meant for big social media platforms in India ending on Tuesday, Facebook said that the company aims to comply with the provisions of the new intermediary guidelines and is working towards it. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had asked the social media platform to abide by the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 by May 25, or face strict action. A Facebook spokesperson said that the company is putting operational processes in place to meet the new IT rules. "We aim to comply with the provisions of the IT rules and continue to discuss a few of the issues which need more engagement with the government," a company spokesperson said in a statement. "Pursuant to the IT rules, we are working to implement operational processes and improve efficiencies. Facebook remains committed to people`s ability to freely and safely express themselves on our platform," the spokesperson added. Twitter was yet to speak officially on the May 25 deadline. The MeitY had announced it's draft new IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules for social media platforms on February 25. As per the new rules, social media platforms will have to remove offending content within 36 hours after a government directive or a legal order. The new rules mandate that the intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, must establish a grievance redressal mechanism for receiving/resolving complaints from the users or victims. Only homegrown micro-blogging platform Koo has met the compliance requirements of the new IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2021. Koo said it has also implemented due diligence and grievance redressal mechanism supported by an Indian resident Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal Officer and Grievance Officer. "Complying with the new social media guidelines published by the government of India within time clearly shows why it`s important to have Indian social media players thriving in the country," said Aprameya Radhakrishna, Co-Founder and CEO of Koo.

Working hard to meet Indian IT rules for social media: Facebook

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