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

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting.

Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting.

"This operations centre allows us to closely monitor the situation so we can remove content that violates our community standards faster, while also addressing possible errors in enforcement," Monika Bickert, Facebook's vice president of content policy, told reporters on a conference call.

Facebook has previously set up similar operations centres to focus on situations like global elections.

Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters that Facebook's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, and other executives had on Tuesday spoken to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Facebook executives previously met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz via Zoom, Politico reported last week.

A Reuters fact-checking team has debunked images shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that falsely claim to be related to the conflict.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Jewish extremists had formed new groups on WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned encrypted messaging service, to commit violence against Palestinians.

"As a private messaging service, we do not have access to the contents of people's chats through when information is reported to us, we take action to ban accounts we believe may be involved in causing imminent harm," a WhatsApp spokesman said. "We also quickly respond to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us."

Social media platforms have also faced accusations of censorship. Last week, BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook-owned Instagram had mistakenly removed content about al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where Israeli security police clashed with worshippers.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation also reported that Instagram and Twitter Inc had blamed glitches for the deletion of posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem.

Facebook has banned Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas from its platform and removes content praising the group regarded by Israel, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group.

Facebook's Bickert said the new operations centre was staffed by experts, including native Arabic and Hebrew speakers. California-based Facebook has been criticized in the past for lacking local language expertise and resources amid violent situations in other countries.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday.

Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. Facebook Inc set up a 24-7 "special operations centre" last week to respond to content posted on its platform about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict amid violence in the region, the company said on Wednesday. Misinformation, hate speech and calls for violence about the conflict have circulated on social media platforms amid the deadly fighting. "This operations centre allows us to closely monitor the situation so we can remove content that violates our community standards faster, while also addressing possible errors in enforcement," Monika Bickert, Facebook's vice president of content policy, told reporters on a conference call. Facebook has previously set up similar operations centres to focus on situations like global elections. Facebook spokesman Andy Stone told Reuters that Facebook's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, and other executives had on Tuesday spoken to Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh. Facebook executives previously met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz via Zoom, Politico reported last week. A Reuters fact-checking team has debunked images shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that falsely claim to be related to the conflict. The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Jewish extremists had formed new groups on WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned encrypted messaging service, to commit violence against Palestinians. "As a private messaging service, we do not have access to the contents of people's chats through when information is reported to us, we take action to ban accounts we believe may be involved in causing imminent harm," a WhatsApp spokesman said. "We also quickly respond to valid legal requests from law enforcement for the limited information available to us." Social media platforms have also faced accusations of censorship. Last week, BuzzFeed News reported that Facebook-owned Instagram had mistakenly removed content about al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem where Israeli security police clashed with worshippers. The Thomson Reuters Foundation also reported that Instagram and Twitter Inc had blamed glitches for the deletion of posts mentioning the possible eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem. Facebook has banned Gaza's Islamist rulers Hamas from its platform and removes content praising the group regarded by Israel, the United States and the European Union as a terrorist group. Facebook's Bickert said the new operations centre was staffed by experts, including native Arabic and Hebrew speakers. California-based Facebook has been criticized in the past for lacking local language expertise and resources amid violent situations in other countries.

Facebook deploys special team to tackle misinformation, hate speech on Israel-Gaza conflict

A group of Democratic US&nbsp;lawmakers on Tuesday urged Facebook Inc to drop plans for a version of photo-sharing app Instagram for children younger than 13, saying the social media company had failed to "make meaningful commitments to protecting kids online."

Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Kathy Castor and Lori Trahan said Facebook had not addressed their concerns. Facebook told the lawmakers in an April 26 letter made public on Tuesday that it does not have a set timeline for the version, but expects development will "take many months."

“Facebook has a clear record of failing to protect children on its platforms," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. "When it comes to putting people before profits, Facebook has forfeited the benefit of the doubt, and we strongly urge Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for kids."

Last week, a group of 40 state attorneys general also urged Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to abandon those plans.

A Facebook spokesman said Tuesday "as every parent knows, kids are already online. We want to improve this situation by delivering experiences that give parents visibility and control over what their kids are doing."

The company said previously it will not show ads in any Instagram version for people under 13.

The letter from the state attorneys general cited 2019 media reports that Facebook’s Messenger Kids app, intended for kids between the ages of six and 12, "contained a significant design flaw that allowed children to circumvent restrictions on online interactions and join group chats with strangers that were not previously approved by the children’s parents."

Last month, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood also called on Zuckerberg not to create a kids version, saying it would put them at "great risk."

A group of Democratic US lawmakers on Tuesday urged Facebook Inc to drop plans for a version of photo-sharing app Instagram for children younger than 13, saying the social media company had failed to "make meaningful commitments to protecting kids online.

A group of Democratic US lawmakers on Tuesday urged Facebook Inc to drop plans for a version of photo-sharing app Instagram for children younger than 13, saying the social media company had failed to "make meaningful commitments to protecting kids online." Senators Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal and Representatives Kathy Castor and Lori Trahan said Facebook had not addressed their concerns. Facebook told the lawmakers in an April 26 letter made public on Tuesday that it does not have a set timeline for the version, but expects development will "take many months." “Facebook has a clear record of failing to protect children on its platforms," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. "When it comes to putting people before profits, Facebook has forfeited the benefit of the doubt, and we strongly urge Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for kids." Last week, a group of 40 state attorneys general also urged Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to abandon those plans. A Facebook spokesman said Tuesday "as every parent knows, kids are already online. We want to improve this situation by delivering experiences that give parents visibility and control over what their kids are doing." The company said previously it will not show ads in any Instagram version for people under 13. The letter from the state attorneys general cited 2019 media reports that Facebook’s Messenger Kids app, intended for kids between the ages of six and 12, "contained a significant design flaw that allowed children to circumvent restrictions on online interactions and join group chats with strangers that were not previously approved by the children’s parents." Last month, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood also called on Zuckerberg not to create a kids version, saying it would put them at "great risk."

US lawmakers urge Facebook to drop plans for Instagram for kids

Russian authorities on Monday backed away from threats to block Twitter, saying that the social media platform deleted most of the banned content identified by Moscow and expressed readiness and interest in building a constructive dialogue.

Russia's state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said it decided not to block Twitter in light of these developments, an announcement that seemingly ends the most recent standoff between the Russian government and the platform that has played a role in amplifying dissent in Russia.

Also read: <a href="Russia seeks to outlaw Navalny movement ">Russia seeks to outlaw Navalny movement&nbsp;</a>

Two months ago, Roskomnadzor accused Twitter of failing to remove content encouraging suicide among children, as well as information about drugs and child pornography.

The agency announced on March 10 it was slowing down the speed of uploading photos and videos to the platform, both on desktops and mobile devices, and less then a week later threatened to block it if it continues to not comply with the demands.

In response to the accusations, Twitter has emphasised its policy of zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation, the promotion of suicide and drug sales.

Roskomnadzor said in an online statement Monday that Twitter has taken down 91 per cent of prohibited content, with only 563 posts containing child pornography, information about drugs and suicide, calls for minors to take part in protests and extremist materials out of roughly 5,900 remaining available.

Since the platform confirmed that it fully shares the agency's endeavors to combat socially dangerous content and will take all necessary measures to remove it," and "expressed its readiness and interest in building a constructive dialogue,&nbsp;Roskomnadzor said it decided not to block it.

But it will continue to slow Twitter down on mobile devices until all of the banned content is removed and the platform starts taking down prohibited content within 24 hours of being notified in accordance with the Russian laws.

The agency appreciates the efforts of Twitter to comply with the requirements of Russian laws, Roskomnadzor said. 
Russian authorities criticised social media platforms earlier this year for bringing tens of thousands of people into the streets across the country in January to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is

President Vladimir Putin's most well-known critic. The wave of demonstrations was the largest in years and posed a major challenge to the Kremlin.

The authorities alleged that social media platforms failed to remove calls for children to join the protests. Putin has urged police to act more to monitor social media platforms and to track down those who draw children into illegal and unsanctioned street actions.

The Russian government's efforts to tighten control of the internet and social media date back to 2012, when a law allowing authorities to blacklist and block certain online content was adopted. Since then, a growing number of restrictions targeting messaging apps, websites and social media platforms have been introduced in Russia.

The government has repeatedly aired threats to block Facebook and Twitter, but stopped short of outright bans probably fearing the move would elicit too much public outrage.

Only the social network LinkedIn, which wasn't very popular in Russia, has been banned by authorities for the failure to store its user data in Russia.

Russian authorities on Monday backed away from threats to block Twitter, saying that the social media platform deleted most of the banned content identified by Moscow and expressed readiness and interest in building a constructive dialogue.

Russian authorities on Monday backed away from threats to block Twitter, saying that the social media platform deleted most of the banned content identified by Moscow and expressed readiness and interest in building a constructive dialogue. Russia's state communications watchdog Roskomnadzor said it decided not to block Twitter in light of these developments, an announcement that seemingly ends the most recent standoff between the Russian government and the platform that has played a role in amplifying dissent in Russia. Also read: Russia seeks to outlaw Navalny movement Two months ago, Roskomnadzor accused Twitter of failing to remove content encouraging suicide among children, as well as information about drugs and child pornography. The agency announced on March 10 it was slowing down the speed of uploading photos and videos to the platform, both on desktops and mobile devices, and less then a week later threatened to block it if it continues to not comply with the demands. In response to the accusations, Twitter has emphasised its policy of zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation, the promotion of suicide and drug sales. Roskomnadzor said in an online statement Monday that Twitter has taken down 91 per cent of prohibited content, with only 563 posts containing child pornography, information about drugs and suicide, calls for minors to take part in protests and extremist materials out of roughly 5,900 remaining available. Since the platform confirmed that it fully shares the agency's endeavors to combat socially dangerous content and will take all necessary measures to remove it," and "expressed its readiness and interest in building a constructive dialogue, Roskomnadzor said it decided not to block it. But it will continue to slow Twitter down on mobile devices until all of the banned content is removed and the platform starts taking down prohibited content within 24 hours of being notified in accordance with the Russian laws. The agency appreciates the efforts of Twitter to comply with the requirements of Russian laws, Roskomnadzor said. Russian authorities criticised social media platforms earlier this year for bringing tens of thousands of people into the streets across the country in January to demand the release of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is President Vladimir Putin's most well-known critic. The wave of demonstrations was the largest in years and posed a major challenge to the Kremlin. The authorities alleged that social media platforms failed to remove calls for children to join the protests. Putin has urged police to act more to monitor social media platforms and to track down those who draw children into illegal and unsanctioned street actions. The Russian government's efforts to tighten control of the internet and social media date back to 2012, when a law allowing authorities to blacklist and block certain online content was adopted. Since then, a growing number of restrictions targeting messaging apps, websites and social media platforms have been introduced in Russia. The government has repeatedly aired threats to block Facebook and Twitter, but stopped short of outright bans probably fearing the move would elicit too much public outrage. Only the social network LinkedIn, which wasn't very popular in Russia, has been banned by authorities for the failure to store its user data in Russia.

Russia won't block Twitter, but partial slowdown to continue

German regulators have ordered Facebook to pause harvesting user data from WhatsApp. The company's ultimatum to accept the new terms or leave WhatsApp has triggered a sharp response from India, Europe and Brazil. Palki Sharma tells you why the new policy is controversial and what the world is doing to combat it.

Gravitas: World pushes back against new WhatsApp privacy policy

A German regulator on Tuesday slapped a three-month ban on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a> collecting user data from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/whatsapp">WhatsApp</a> accounts and referred the case to an EU watchdog, citing concerns about election integrity.

The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information sent the order to the social network, which owns the popular messaging service. Hamburg has jurisdiction because Facebook's German branch is based in the city.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-rolls-out-stickers-to-spread-covid-19-vaccine-awareness-check-out-details-376095" hreflang="en">WhatsApp rolls out stickers to spread COVID-19 vaccine awareness: Check out details</a>

The tech giant informed WhatsApp users earlier this year that they had to consent to a new data-use policy to continue using the service.

The German authority said in an emergency decision that the terms of that agreement were now null and void in Europe's top economy for three months.

It will hand the case over to the European Data Protection Board, an independent EU body that enforces rules throughout the 27-nation bloc. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/social-media-platforms-should-not-amplify-untrustworthy-content-biden-383169" hreflang="en">Social media platforms should not amplify 'untrustworthy' content: Biden</a>

The head of the German regulator, Johannes Caspar, said past Facebook data protection breaches as well as Germany's general election in September showed the "dangers" of "mass building of user profiles" that could be exploited.

"This ruling is intended to protect the rights and freedoms of the many millions of user across Germany who give their permission to the new use and privacy policy," he said.

"That includes not only the private sphere but also the possibility of using profiles to influence voter choices and manipulate democratic decisions."&nbsp;

A 'fundamental misunderstanding'

Caspar noted that with nearly 60 million users in Germany, WhatsApp was "by far" the country's most popular social media app.

WhatsApp on Friday stepped back from its plan to require users to accept the new terms, which critics said could expand data collection from its two billion users around the world.

The service had been set to enforce its new data-sharing policy on May 15, following a delay in response to a user outcry. Instead, it said on its website that it would not immediately cut off users who don't accept the new terms, although it would send reminders to those who don't opt in.

A WhatsApp spokesman said the update would not allow additional passing of user information from the service to Facebook's other applications.

"Your acceptance of the new Terms of Service does not expand WhatsApp's ability to share user data with its parent company Facebook," he said.

WhatsApp said the German order "is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose and effect of WhatsApp's update and therefore has no legitimate basis".

The update actually "provides further transparency about how we collect and use data", said the spokesman.

As the Hamburg authority's "claims are wrong, the order will not impact the continued roll-out of the update", he added.

A German regulator on Tuesday slapped a three-month ban on Facebook collecting user data from WhatsApp accounts and referred the case to an EU watchdog, citing concerns about election integrity.

A German regulator on Tuesday slapped a three-month ban on Facebook collecting user data from WhatsApp accounts and referred the case to an EU watchdog, citing concerns about election integrity. The Hamburg Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information sent the order to the social network, which owns the popular messaging service. Hamburg has jurisdiction because Facebook's German branch is based in the city. Also read | WhatsApp rolls out stickers to spread COVID-19 vaccine awareness: Check out details The tech giant informed WhatsApp users earlier this year that they had to consent to a new data-use policy to continue using the service. The German authority said in an emergency decision that the terms of that agreement were now null and void in Europe's top economy for three months. It will hand the case over to the European Data Protection Board, an independent EU body that enforces rules throughout the 27-nation bloc. Also read | Social media platforms should not amplify 'untrustworthy' content: Biden The head of the German regulator, Johannes Caspar, said past Facebook data protection breaches as well as Germany's general election in September showed the "dangers" of "mass building of user profiles" that could be exploited. "This ruling is intended to protect the rights and freedoms of the many millions of user across Germany who give their permission to the new use and privacy policy," he said. "That includes not only the private sphere but also the possibility of using profiles to influence voter choices and manipulate democratic decisions." A 'fundamental misunderstanding' Caspar noted that with nearly 60 million users in Germany, WhatsApp was "by far" the country's most popular social media app. WhatsApp on Friday stepped back from its plan to require users to accept the new terms, which critics said could expand data collection from its two billion users around the world. The service had been set to enforce its new data-sharing policy on May 15, following a delay in response to a user outcry. Instead, it said on its website that it would not immediately cut off users who don't accept the new terms, although it would send reminders to those who don't opt in. A WhatsApp spokesman said the update would not allow additional passing of user information from the service to Facebook's other applications. "Your acceptance of the new Terms of Service does not expand WhatsApp's ability to share user data with its parent company Facebook," he said. WhatsApp said the German order "is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose and effect of WhatsApp's update and therefore has no legitimate basis". The update actually "provides further transparency about how we collect and use data", said the spokesman. As the Hamburg authority's "claims are wrong, the order will not impact the continued roll-out of the update", he added.

Germany halts Facebook sharing WhatsApp data

A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to drop company plans for a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Monday.

The attorneys general in the letter said they are concerned about social media's effects on the physical and emotional well-being of children, the potential for increased cyberbullying, possible vulnerability to online predators, and what they called Facebook's "checkered record" in protecting children on its platforms.

"It appears that Facebook is not responding to a need, but instead creating one, as this platform appeals primarily to children who otherwise do not or would not have an Instagram account," said the letter, signed by the attorneys general of 40 states, the District of Columbia and three US territories.

Children under 13 are technically not allowed to use the Instagram app in its current form due to federal privacy regulations. But Facebook in March confirmed a report by Buzzfeed News, saying it is "exploring a parent-controlled experience"&nbsp;on Instagram.

"It's shameful that Facebook is ignoring the very real threat that social media poses to the safety and well-being of young children in an attempt to profit off of a vulnerable segment of our population,"&nbsp;Healey said in a statement.

Facebook in a statement Monday said it is exploring Instagram for kids to give parents more control over what children who are already online are exposed to, will make every effort to protect children, and will not show advertising on the platform.

"We are developing these experiences in consultation with experts in child development, child safety and mental health, and privacy advocates," the company said. "We also look forward to working with legislators and regulators, including the nation's attorneys general."&nbsp;

Facebook also pointed out that it is a founding sponsor of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital, launched in March to study the effects of digital technology on kids' "brains, bodies, and behaviors."

The effort of the attorneys general is backed by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Facebook faces a critical choice: will they plow ahead with their ill-conceived plan to ensnare young children, or will they listen to the growing chorus of parents, experts, advocates, lawmakers and regulators who are telling them that an Instagram kids' site will undermine young children's healthy development and right to privacy,&nbsp;Executive Director Josh Golin said in a statement.

Facebook faced similar criticism in 2017 when it launched the Messenger Kids app, touted as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by parents.&nbsp;

A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to drop company plans for a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Monday.

A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general has written to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg urging him to drop company plans for a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Monday. The attorneys general in the letter said they are concerned about social media's effects on the physical and emotional well-being of children, the potential for increased cyberbullying, possible vulnerability to online predators, and what they called Facebook's "checkered record" in protecting children on its platforms. "It appears that Facebook is not responding to a need, but instead creating one, as this platform appeals primarily to children who otherwise do not or would not have an Instagram account," said the letter, signed by the attorneys general of 40 states, the District of Columbia and three US territories. Children under 13 are technically not allowed to use the Instagram app in its current form due to federal privacy regulations. But Facebook in March confirmed a report by Buzzfeed News, saying it is "exploring a parent-controlled experience" on Instagram. "It's shameful that Facebook is ignoring the very real threat that social media poses to the safety and well-being of young children in an attempt to profit off of a vulnerable segment of our population," Healey said in a statement. Facebook in a statement Monday said it is exploring Instagram for kids to give parents more control over what children who are already online are exposed to, will make every effort to protect children, and will not show advertising on the platform. "We are developing these experiences in consultation with experts in child development, child safety and mental health, and privacy advocates," the company said. "We also look forward to working with legislators and regulators, including the nation's attorneys general." Facebook also pointed out that it is a founding sponsor of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital, launched in March to study the effects of digital technology on kids' "brains, bodies, and behaviors." The effort of the attorneys general is backed by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. Facebook faces a critical choice: will they plow ahead with their ill-conceived plan to ensnare young children, or will they listen to the growing chorus of parents, experts, advocates, lawmakers and regulators who are telling them that an Instagram kids' site will undermine young children's healthy development and right to privacy, Executive Director Josh Golin said in a statement. Facebook faced similar criticism in 2017 when it launched the Messenger Kids app, touted as a way for children to chat with family members and friends approved by parents.

More than 40 US attorneys-general ask Facebook to drop 'Instagram for kids' proposal

Facebook’s Oversight Board has upheld ban on former US President Donald Trump. However, the board says that 'it was not appropriate for Facebook to impose' an indefinite suspension on Trump, and calls on the company to review this decision within the next six months.

Facebook's oversight board upholds Donald Trump's suspension

Facebook has upheld its decision to ban Trump. The former U.S. President may never be back on the platform. Trump has launched his own page to connect with voters and sell his narrative that the 2020 election was rigged

Gravitas: Facebook upholds Trump ban

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice in the petitions of WhatsApp and Facebook challenging the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.

The Division Bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought the response of all respondents and slated the matter for May 21.

The Single Bench Justice Navin Chawla on April 22 had dismissed Facebook and WhatsApp pleas challenging a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.

The petitioners have challenged the March 24 order passed by CCI directing a probe into the new privacy policy and the probe should be completed within 60 days.

Facebook and WhatsApp, said that since the issue of WhatsApp's privacy policy is being heard by the Supreme Court and High Court, therefore there was no requirement of CCI to order the probe.

Senior Advocate Harish Salve and Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners and told the court that CCI proceedings must be kept in abeyance as the matter is pending before Supreme Court, High Court, etc.

Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, who represented CCI in the matter, had earlier told the court that the matter is not of privacy but access to data and the Competition is going to deal with metadata.

ASG Lekhi responded that data can have a privacy or competition dimension. He also said that the issue is completely competition-based as understanding consumer behaviour and preferences facilitate targeted advertising.&nbsp;

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice in the petitions of WhatsApp and Facebook challenging the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice in the petitions of WhatsApp and Facebook challenging the Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy. The Division Bench of Justice DN Patel and Justice Jasmeet Singh sought the response of all respondents and slated the matter for May 21. The Single Bench Justice Navin Chawla on April 22 had dismissed Facebook and WhatsApp pleas challenging a Competition Commission of India (CCI) order for an investigation into the messaging app's new privacy policy. The petitioners have challenged the March 24 order passed by CCI directing a probe into the new privacy policy and the probe should be completed within 60 days. Facebook and WhatsApp, said that since the issue of WhatsApp's privacy policy is being heard by the Supreme Court and High Court, therefore there was no requirement of CCI to order the probe. Senior Advocate Harish Salve and Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi appeared for the petitioners and told the court that CCI proceedings must be kept in abeyance as the matter is pending before Supreme Court, High Court, etc. Additional Solicitor General Aman Lekhi, who represented CCI in the matter, had earlier told the court that the matter is not of privacy but access to data and the Competition is going to deal with metadata. ASG Lekhi responded that data can have a privacy or competition dimension. He also said that the issue is completely competition-based as understanding consumer behaviour and preferences facilitate targeted advertising.

Delhi HC issues notice on Facebook, WhatsApp pleas challenging order on new privacy policy

Facebook Inc on Monday announced that it would give its verdict on former US President Donald Trump’s suspension on the platform on May 5. The company’s independent oversight board&nbsp; announced the decision on Twitter. The verdict would decide the fate of Trump’s future on Facebook and Instagram.

Trump was removed from social media platforms after the January 6 riots at the US Capitol which reportedly were spearheaded by his supporters. The company feared further violence which could be caused by his posts and decided to block.&nbsp;

Since then, the case has been passed over to the company’s oversight board. The board was created by Facebook in response to criticism over how the company handled problematic content on its website.&nbsp;

In mid-April the company said that it had extended the public comment period on the case. According to the board, the Trump case has received 9,000 comments so far, more than any other case.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/after-news-law-feud-australias-seven-west-media-signs-google-facebook-deals-382534" hreflang="en">After news law feud, Australia's Seven West Media signs Google, Facebook deals</a>

Earlier, former US president and reality show star,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, has announced his plans to return to the 2024 presidential elections with the aim of conquering the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/the-white-house">White House</a>&nbsp;again.

"Yes, 100%. And the polls show that everybody wants me to do it. 100%, I'm thinking about running," the twice-impeached former president said. His statement came after Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan apartment and offices were raided by federal authorities.

Trump, who was often labelled as 'racist' and was opposed to immigration also complained about the inflow of immigrants under the Biden rule. "Now everybody's pouring into our country, it's out of control. It could destroy our country if it keeps going and the longer it goes, the harder it is to stop. We had the best border that we've ever had in history admitted by everybody, and all they had to do is leave it," he said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/facebook-allows-advertisers-to-reach-children-interested-in-smoking-gambling-research-381052" hreflang="en">Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research</a>

"They're going to give our country away to China. China will take over this country if they don't do something very quickly. And they've been very, very weak on China. They don't want to do it," he continued.

Alleging Biden of being selfish and benefitting from China, Trump claimed the Biden family has earned money out of China and is therefore not taking strict actions against China.

Facebook Inc on Monday announced that it would give its verdict on former US President Donald Trump’s suspension on the platform on May 5. The company’s independent oversight board announced the decision on Twitter.

Facebook Inc on Monday announced that it would give its verdict on former US President Donald Trump’s suspension on the platform on May 5. The company’s independent oversight board announced the decision on Twitter. The verdict would decide the fate of Trump’s future on Facebook and Instagram. Trump was removed from social media platforms after the January 6 riots at the US Capitol which reportedly were spearheaded by his supporters. The company feared further violence which could be caused by his posts and decided to block. Since then, the case has been passed over to the company’s oversight board. The board was created by Facebook in response to criticism over how the company handled problematic content on its website. In mid-April the company said that it had extended the public comment period on the case. According to the board, the Trump case has received 9,000 comments so far, more than any other case. Also read: After news law feud, Australia's Seven West Media signs Google, Facebook deals Earlier, former US president and reality show star, Donald Trump, has announced his plans to return to the 2024 presidential elections with the aim of conquering the White House again. "Yes, 100%. And the polls show that everybody wants me to do it. 100%, I'm thinking about running," the twice-impeached former president said. His statement came after Trump’s former personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani's Manhattan apartment and offices were raided by federal authorities. Trump, who was often labelled as 'racist' and was opposed to immigration also complained about the inflow of immigrants under the Biden rule. "Now everybody's pouring into our country, it's out of control. It could destroy our country if it keeps going and the longer it goes, the harder it is to stop. We had the best border that we've ever had in history admitted by everybody, and all they had to do is leave it," he said. Also read: Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research "They're going to give our country away to China. China will take over this country if they don't do something very quickly. And they've been very, very weak on China. They don't want to do it," he continued. Alleging Biden of being selfish and benefitting from China, Trump claimed the Biden family has earned money out of China and is therefore not taking strict actions against China.

Facebook to decide Donald Trump's fate on its platforms on May 5

It's a world of memes. From depicting heartbreak to shooting a sarcastic, funnily helpless comment at life, memes do it all. And some memes have achieved legendary status. But how legandary? Well just say a meme brought a woman about half a million dollars.

Enter 'disaster girl'.

We have all seen this meme. A girl smiling (sort of!) while a house burns like crazy in the background! The disaster girl meme came to represent many things. From heartless maniacs laughing while someone else's property burns to helpless souls who were forced to smile as their life burned in the background.

The girl in the original picture is all grown up. Zoe Roth was just four-years-old when her dad clicked this picture in 2005. Roth has now sold the original picture for a cool $ 473,000.

She is 21 now and is a university student. The money, she says, is going to be used to pay of her student debt and remaining money will be given to charity.

The buyer of her photo simply identifies as 3FMusic. It is believed his real name is Farzin Fardin Fard. As per media reports he is chief executive of a music production company based in Dubai

But what was happening in the picture after all?

It turns out that Zoe Roth was not smiling wickedly. And the fire behind her was started by firefighters on purpose as a controlled blaze.

It's a world of memes. From depicting heartbreak to shooting a sarcastic, funnily helpless comment at life, memes do it all. And some memes have achieved legendary status.

It's a world of memes. From depicting heartbreak to shooting a sarcastic, funnily helpless comment at life, memes do it all. And some memes have achieved legendary status. But how legandary? Well just say a meme brought a woman about half a million dollars. Enter 'disaster girl'. We have all seen this meme. A girl smiling (sort of!) while a house burns like crazy in the background! The disaster girl meme came to represent many things. From heartless maniacs laughing while someone else's property burns to helpless souls who were forced to smile as their life burned in the background. The girl in the original picture is all grown up. Zoe Roth was just four-years-old when her dad clicked this picture in 2005. Roth has now sold the original picture for a cool $ 473,000. She is 21 now and is a university student. The money, she says, is going to be used to pay of her student debt and remaining money will be given to charity. The buyer of her photo simply identifies as 3FMusic. It is believed his real name is Farzin Fardin Fard. As per media reports he is chief executive of a music production company based in Dubai But what was happening in the picture after all? It turns out that Zoe Roth was not smiling wickedly. And the fire behind her was started by firefighters on purpose as a controlled blaze.

'Disaster Girl' sells original meme-worthy photo for half a million

Both houses of legislature in Florida passed a bill that would possibly stop tech companies from de-platforming politicians. As per the bill, tech platforms will allowed to suspend accounts of the politicians for 14 days, said BBC. The legislation is awaiting nod from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who is considered to be an ally of former US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

As per the media report, tech companies may be fined USD 250,000 per day under this legislation if they continued the de-platforming beyond the 14-days window.

Former US President Donald Trump was an avid user of the social media. His tweets were often criticised. He was also dubbed a 'Twitter president' during his tenure.

Trump was given the boot by major tech platforms like Twitter, Facebook and others after the deadly Capitol Hill riots in January this year. Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building as US Congress was certifying current President Joe Biden's victory in US Presidential Election 2020.

Trump was accused of being too late to make an appeal for calm through social media.

After his defeat in the elections, Trump has spent most of his time at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He is believed to have been close with Governor DeSantis and other high-ranking Republicans in the state.

Both houses of legislature in Florida passed a bill that would possibly stop tech companies from de-platforming politicians. As per the bill, tech platforms will allowed to suspend accounts of the politicians for 14 days, said BBC.

Both houses of legislature in Florida passed a bill that would possibly stop tech companies from de-platforming politicians. As per the bill, tech platforms will allowed to suspend accounts of the politicians for 14 days, said BBC. The legislation is awaiting nod from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who is considered to be an ally of former US President Donald Trump. As per the media report, tech companies may be fined USD 250,000 per day under this legislation if they continued the de-platforming beyond the 14-days window. Former US President Donald Trump was an avid user of the social media. His tweets were often criticised. He was also dubbed a 'Twitter president' during his tenure. Trump was given the boot by major tech platforms like Twitter, Facebook and others after the deadly Capitol Hill riots in January this year. Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building as US Congress was certifying current President Joe Biden's victory in US Presidential Election 2020. Trump was accused of being too late to make an appeal for calm through social media. After his defeat in the elections, Trump has spent most of his time at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. He is believed to have been close with Governor DeSantis and other high-ranking Republicans in the state.

Florida approves bill stopping tech companies from de-platforming politicians

Facebook is advertising alcohol and smoking to children who have listed them as interests on their profile. WION's Palki tells you why Facebook is harvesting teenagers' data and what you can do to protect them.

Gravitas: Facebook advertising alcohol, smoking to Aussie children

Gucci&nbsp;and&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;have&nbsp;filed a&nbsp;joint&nbsp;lawsuit&nbsp;in California&nbsp;against&nbsp;an individual, who&nbsp;allegedly used the US&nbsp;group's social media platforms to sell fake&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;products, the two companies said on Tuesday.

The initiative, a first of its kind for both&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;and&nbsp;Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media.

Amazon has&nbsp;filed similar&nbsp;lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest">Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest</a>

In a statement,&nbsp;Gucci&nbsp;- the profit engine of French group Kering - and&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;alleged&nbsp;the unidentified defendant used multiple&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business.

Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes and garments have boomed over the past year as the coronavirus pandemic forced retailers to temporarily close their stores.

Groups like&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;are keen to make a bigger push into the luxury market and "social commerce", but to do so they need to show that their platforms are not a conduit for counterfeiting and are safe for brands, some of which are reluctant to sell their products through third-party players.

"More than one million pieces of content were removed from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and Instagram in the first half of 2020, based on thousands of reports of counterfeit content from brand owners, including&nbsp;Gucci," the statement said.

It added that in 2020 alone the actions of&nbsp;Gucci's in-house intellectual property team had resulted in four million on-line counterfeit product listings being taken down, the seizure of 4,100,000 counterfeit products, and 45,000 websites, including social media accounts, being disabled.

Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual, who allegedly used the US group's social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies said on Tuesday.

Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual, who allegedly used the US group's social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies said on Tuesday. The initiative, a first of its kind for both Gucci and Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media. Amazon has filed similar lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo. Also read: Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest In a statement, Gucci - the profit engine of French group Kering - and Facebook alleged the unidentified defendant used multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business. Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes and garments have boomed over the past year as the coronavirus pandemic forced retailers to temporarily close their stores. Groups like Facebook are keen to make a bigger push into the luxury market and "social commerce", but to do so they need to show that their platforms are not a conduit for counterfeiting and are safe for brands, some of which are reluctant to sell their products through third-party players. "More than one million pieces of content were removed from Facebook and Instagram in the first half of 2020, based on thousands of reports of counterfeit content from brand owners, including Gucci," the statement said. It added that in 2020 alone the actions of Gucci's in-house intellectual property team had resulted in four million on-line counterfeit product listings being taken down, the seizure of 4,100,000 counterfeit products, and 45,000 websites, including social media accounts, being disabled.

Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how&nbsp;children&nbsp; are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform.

Children as young as 13 years who have shown interest in smoking, gambling and extreme weight loss can be easily targeted through advertisements, the lobby group Reset Australia found, according to a report in The Guardian.

To prove its point, the organisation set up a Facebook page and an advertising account under the name “Ozzie news network” to ascertain what options the company provides through its platform for management of advertisements officially called “Ads Manager”.

Even though Facebook does not allow advertising alcohol to people aged below 18, it has no mechanisms in place to stop advertisers from targeting children who have shown interest in alcohol.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/gucci-facebook-file-joint-lawsuit-against-alleged-counterfeiter-380845" hreflang="en">Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter</a>

The lobby group found that Facebook allowed the page to advertise to approximately 740,000 children in the country aged between 13 and 17. In addition, they found that the page was allowed to advertise to teens aged below 18 who may have shown interest in alcohol, smoking, vaping, gambling, weight less, fast foods and online dating services among many things.

According to their findings, it would cost $3.03 to reach 52,000 teenagers for alcohol ads, while it would take $11.24 to reach 14,000 teens who may have shown interest in gambling.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-blocks-australian-mp-for-repeatedly-peddling-pandemic-misinformation-380475" hreflang="en">Facebook blocks Australian MP for repeatedly peddling pandemic misinformation</a>

Reset Australia has urged the Australian government to come up with a code to regulate children’s data and to assess how data of children is collected and used. They are urging for parents’ consent to be involved in the process and full transparency.

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how children are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform.

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how children are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform. Children as young as 13 years who have shown interest in smoking, gambling and extreme weight loss can be easily targeted through advertisements, the lobby group Reset Australia found, according to a report in The Guardian. To prove its point, the organisation set up a Facebook page and an advertising account under the name “Ozzie news network” to ascertain what options the company provides through its platform for management of advertisements officially called “Ads Manager”. Even though Facebook does not allow advertising alcohol to people aged below 18, it has no mechanisms in place to stop advertisers from targeting children who have shown interest in alcohol. Also read: Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter The lobby group found that Facebook allowed the page to advertise to approximately 740,000 children in the country aged between 13 and 17. In addition, they found that the page was allowed to advertise to teens aged below 18 who may have shown interest in alcohol, smoking, vaping, gambling, weight less, fast foods and online dating services among many things. According to their findings, it would cost $3.03 to reach 52,000 teenagers for alcohol ads, while it would take $11.24 to reach 14,000 teens who may have shown interest in gambling. Also read: Facebook blocks Australian MP for repeatedly peddling pandemic misinformation Reset Australia has urged the Australian government to come up with a code to regulate children’s data and to assess how data of children is collected and used. They are urging for parents’ consent to be involved in the process and full transparency.

Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research

What started as a joke on the internet by one person turned into a mega duel championship in a US park to reclaim the title of one supreme...Josh.

A 22-year-old boy named Josh Swain came up with the funny idea of making a social media group of hundreds of people named ‘Josh’ when the coronavirus pandemic began last year.

Josh, a student from Arizona, messaged several other people named Josh on Facebook and challenged them to a duel to decide the ultimate Josh.

"Precisely, 4/24/2021, 12:00pm, meet at these coordinates (40.82232286 -96.7982002) we fight, whoever wins gets to keep the name, everyone else has to change their name, you have a year to prepare, good luck," Swain had messaged hundreds of Josh.

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Josh won <a href="https://t.co/aIX0rVd7Aw">pic.twitter.com/aIX0rVd7Aw</a>
— Dudes Posting Their W’s (@DudespostingWs) <a href="https://twitter.com/DudespostingWs/status/1386305985803923456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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After almost a year, all Josh met together in Nebraska and transformed a field into a warzone as people took pool noodles to beat each other as a fun exercise.

Titled ‘Josh vs Josh vs Josh’ the fight started trending on Twitter with the hashtag ‘#JoshFight’.

After pool noodle fights and the fun games of 'rock, paper, scissors', a four-year-old was crowned as the winner of the duel exercise and was nicknamed 'Little Josh'.

However, this was not just a fun game. The fight led to people donating money to help Little Josh fight against an illness — he has been fighting seizures since he turned two.

Here's how Twitter reacted to the Josh fight

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A short story about 24th april 2021....<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/Xyd8U3A3Ah">pic.twitter.com/Xyd8U3A3Ah</a>
— NzN 🎬 (@Nazheen24) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nazheen24/status/1385771083182186496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Perfect bracket. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/EjfEho3EE9">pic.twitter.com/EjfEho3EE9</a>
— Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) <a href="https://twitter.com/YousefKLKN/status/1386025429170065417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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all the josh swains arriving at some random field in nebraska <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/5iJjyBMOjs">pic.twitter.com/5iJjyBMOjs</a>
— haemhu (@haemhuTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/haemhuTV/status/1386012985366298627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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On April 24th, 2021 
 
History was made<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/lYTX0HzJVh">pic.twitter.com/lYTX0HzJVh</a>
— Kira Dairu (@Kommii__) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kommii__/status/1386017161143930880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Today is the day. Let me know who wins! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JoshFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JoshFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/VfBhIvep5y">pic.twitter.com/VfBhIvep5y</a>
— Your (Not) TC (@ErieCoKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/ErieCoKing/status/1385906517363380226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

What started as a joke on the internet by one person turned into a mega duel championship in a US park to reclaim the title of one supreme...Josh. A 22-year-old boy named Josh Swain came up with the funny idea of making a social media group of hundreds of people named ‘Josh’ when the coronavirus pandemic began last year.

What started as a joke on the internet by one person turned into a mega duel championship in a US park to reclaim the title of one supreme...Josh. A 22-year-old boy named Josh Swain came up with the funny idea of making a social media group of hundreds of people named ‘Josh’ when the coronavirus pandemic began last year. Josh, a student from Arizona, messaged several other people named Josh on Facebook and challenged them to a duel to decide the ultimate Josh. "Precisely, 4/24/2021, 12:00pm, meet at these coordinates (40.82232286 -96.7982002) we fight, whoever wins gets to keep the name, everyone else has to change their name, you have a year to prepare, good luck," Swain had messaged hundreds of Josh. Josh won pic.twitter.com/aIX0rVd7Aw — Dudes Posting Their W’s (@DudespostingWs) April 25, 2021 × After almost a year, all Josh met together in Nebraska and transformed a field into a warzone as people took pool noodles to beat each other as a fun exercise. Titled ‘Josh vs Josh vs Josh’ the fight started trending on Twitter with the hashtag ‘#JoshFight’. After pool noodle fights and the fun games of 'rock, paper, scissors', a four-year-old was crowned as the winner of the duel exercise and was nicknamed 'Little Josh'. However, this was not just a fun game. The fight led to people donating money to help Little Josh fight against an illness — he has been fighting seizures since he turned two. Here's how Twitter reacted to the Josh fight A short story about 24th april 2021....#JoshFight pic.twitter.com/Xyd8U3A3Ah — NzN 🎬 (@Nazheen24) April 24, 2021 × Perfect bracket. #JoshFight pic.twitter.com/EjfEho3EE9 — Yousef Nasser (@YousefKLKN) April 24, 2021 × all the josh swains arriving at some random field in nebraska #JoshFight pic.twitter.com/5iJjyBMOjs — haemhu (@haemhuTV) April 24, 2021 × On April 24th, 2021 History was made#JoshFight pic.twitter.com/lYTX0HzJVh — Kira Dairu (@Kommii__) April 24, 2021 × Today is the day. Let me know who wins! #JoshFight pic.twitter.com/VfBhIvep5y — Your (Not) TC (@ErieCoKing) April 24, 2021 ×

One true Josh! Hundreds of Josh gather to raise money for 4-year-old

In what can be called a shocking decision, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software.

As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-senators-question-apple-and-google-on-app-store-dominance-379186" hreflang="en">US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance</a>

Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels"&nbsp;the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world.

The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework"&nbsp;that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/apple-packs-ipad-pros-with-faster-chips-slims-imacs-and-jumps-into-tracking-tags-378985" hreflang="en">Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags</a>

"Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced.

The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook.

"Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used.

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users. Also read | US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels" the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world. The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework" that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified. Also read | Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags "Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced. The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook. "Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app.

The company said on Wednesday that along with the filter option for abusive direct messages, it will also make it harder for people blocked by users to circumvent and contact them through new accounts.

Instagram has been pushing on its efforts to tackle hate speech and online abuse on its platform, which is more popular than Facebook's main app among teens and young adults.

The filter, which can be activated on Instagram in privacy settings, can be customized by users to include words, phrases and emojis that they wish to block or avoid receiving in their message requests.

Users can use their discretion to report, delete or open messages, which will be sorted into a hidden requests folder, Instagram said.

The feature, which is only applicable to direct message requests and not the inbox itself, will roll out in some countries in the coming weeks, said Instagram.

Starting in a few weeks, all users will also have the extended option to entirely block out people from contacting them on Instagram, after blocking their account.

Facebook's independent Oversight Board announced Tuesday it would start accepting requests to remove "harmful content" that users believe has been wrongly allowed to remain on the leading social network.

The move has the potential to vastly expand the work of the so-called "supreme court" of Facebook, which up to now had been tasked with reviewing instances of whether content was improperly taken down from Facebook or&nbsp;Instagram.

The announcement comes with Facebook and other social platforms facing intense pressure to act on misinformation and abusive content, ranging from election-related hoaxes to unproven Covid-19 treatments.

Users who feel that harmful posts, photos, videos, comments and shares remain online will be able to appeal to the panel to have them removed.

As part of the new process, the panel will establish procedures including privacy protections for users seeking takedown requests.

Instagram&nbsp;is also letting a small number of users around the world decide whether to show "like" counts on their posts or see them on content shared by other people.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app.

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app. The company said on Wednesday that along with the filter option for abusive direct messages, it will also make it harder for people blocked by users to circumvent and contact them through new accounts. Instagram has been pushing on its efforts to tackle hate speech and online abuse on its platform, which is more popular than Facebook's main app among teens and young adults. The filter, which can be activated on Instagram in privacy settings, can be customized by users to include words, phrases and emojis that they wish to block or avoid receiving in their message requests. Users can use their discretion to report, delete or open messages, which will be sorted into a hidden requests folder, Instagram said. The feature, which is only applicable to direct message requests and not the inbox itself, will roll out in some countries in the coming weeks, said Instagram. Starting in a few weeks, all users will also have the extended option to entirely block out people from contacting them on Instagram, after blocking their account. Facebook's independent Oversight Board announced Tuesday it would start accepting requests to remove "harmful content" that users believe has been wrongly allowed to remain on the leading social network. The move has the potential to vastly expand the work of the so-called "supreme court" of Facebook, which up to now had been tasked with reviewing instances of whether content was improperly taken down from Facebook or Instagram. The announcement comes with Facebook and other social platforms facing intense pressure to act on misinformation and abusive content, ranging from election-related hoaxes to unproven Covid-19 treatments. Users who feel that harmful posts, photos, videos, comments and shares remain online will be able to appeal to the panel to have them removed. As part of the new process, the panel will establish procedures including privacy protections for users seeking takedown requests. Instagram is also letting a small number of users around the world decide whether to show "like" counts on their posts or see them on content shared by other people. (With inputs from agencies)

Instagram rolls out feature to tackle hate speech, abuse

The independent Oversight Board has announced to delay its decision on former US President Donald Trump`s ban from Facebook and Instagram that will now arrive "in the coming weeks". 
 
The board, constituted by Facebook with 20 members from across the world last year, said it is reviewing more than 9,000 responses before it delivers the verdict on Trump`s ban on the social media giant. 
 
"We extended the public comments deadline for this case, receiving 9,000+ responses. The Board`s commitment to carefully reviewing all comments has extended the case timeline, in line with the Board`s bylaws," the Board said in a tweet late Friday. 
 
Facebook banned Trump from its platforms after the Capitol Hill attack on January 6. 
 
Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that "the risks of allowing President Trump to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great". 
 
Trump is still banned from using Facebook and its other platforms. 
 
The Board said it will announce "its decision on the case concerning former US President Trump`s indefinite suspension from Facebook and Instagram in the coming weeks". 
 
Earlier this week, the Board noted that it will begin accepting cases from Facebook and Instagram users who believe the company wrongfully allowed harmful content to remain on its platforms. 
 
The content eligible for review includes posts, status updates, photos, videos, comments, and shares. 
 
Decisions made through the Board`s independent judgment are binding on Facebook. 
 
The Oversight Board on January made 17 recommendations, based on the six cases, for Facebook to improve its content moderation. 
 
Since October 2020, users have been able to appeal to the Oversight Board about their own content being removed. 
 
So far, the Board has received over 300,000 user appeals and thousands of public comments.

The independent Oversight Board has announced to delay its decision on former US President Donald Trump`s ban from Facebook and Instagram that will now arrive "in the coming weeks".

The independent Oversight Board has announced to delay its decision on former US President Donald Trump`s ban from Facebook and Instagram that will now arrive "in the coming weeks". The board, constituted by Facebook with 20 members from across the world last year, said it is reviewing more than 9,000 responses before it delivers the verdict on Trump`s ban on the social media giant. "We extended the public comments deadline for this case, receiving 9,000+ responses. The Board`s commitment to carefully reviewing all comments has extended the case timeline, in line with the Board`s bylaws," the Board said in a tweet late Friday. Facebook banned Trump from its platforms after the Capitol Hill attack on January 6. Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that "the risks of allowing President Trump to continue to use our service during this period are simply too great". Trump is still banned from using Facebook and its other platforms. The Board said it will announce "its decision on the case concerning former US President Trump`s indefinite suspension from Facebook and Instagram in the coming weeks". Earlier this week, the Board noted that it will begin accepting cases from Facebook and Instagram users who believe the company wrongfully allowed harmful content to remain on its platforms. The content eligible for review includes posts, status updates, photos, videos, comments, and shares. Decisions made through the Board`s independent judgment are binding on Facebook. The Oversight Board on January made 17 recommendations, based on the six cases, for Facebook to improve its content moderation. Since October 2020, users have been able to appeal to the Oversight Board about their own content being removed. So far, the Board has received over 300,000 user appeals and thousands of public comments.

Oversight Board delays decision on Donald Trump's Facebook ban

Facebook has signed a deal to buy renewable energy in India from a local firm's wind power project, the social media giant's first such deal in the South Asian nation, the companies said on Thursday.

The 32-megawatt wind power project, located in southern Karnataka state, is part of a larger portfolio of wind and solar projects that Facebook and Mumbai-based CleanMax are working together on for supplying renewable power into India's electrical grid, they said in a joint statement.

CleanMax will own and operate the projects, while Facebook will buy the power off the grid using environmental attribute certificates, or carbon credits, the companies said.

Facebook's head of renewable energy, Urvi Parekh, told Reuters the company typically doesn't own the power plants but instead signs "long-term" electricity purchasing agreements with the renewable power company.

"That enables the project to seek out the financing that it would need," she said.

India is Facebook's biggest market by users.

In Singapore, Facebook has announced similar partnerships with energy providers Sunseap Group, Terrenus Energy and Sembcorp Industries on projects that can produce 160 MW of solar power, Parekh said.

The electricity generated from these plants will power the&nbsp;tech&nbsp;giant's first Asian data centre https://reut.rs/3uPvtrv that is set to start operations next year, she added.

Data centres driving&nbsp;tech&nbsp;companies like Facebook use up as much as 1% of the world's total energy, the International Energy Agency said last year.

Tech&nbsp;companies like Amazon, Alphabet Inc, and Microsoft have pledged to operate carbon-free and achieve net-zero emissions, as demand for data and digital services is expected to see a sustained rise.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced separately on Thursday that the company's global operations are now supported wholly by renewable energy and that it has reached net-zero emissions.

Facebook has signed a deal to buy renewable energy in India from a local firm's wind power project, the social media giant's first such deal in the South Asian nation, the companies said on Thursday.

Facebook has signed a deal to buy renewable energy in India from a local firm's wind power project, the social media giant's first such deal in the South Asian nation, the companies said on Thursday. The 32-megawatt wind power project, located in southern Karnataka state, is part of a larger portfolio of wind and solar projects that Facebook and Mumbai-based CleanMax are working together on for supplying renewable power into India's electrical grid, they said in a joint statement. CleanMax will own and operate the projects, while Facebook will buy the power off the grid using environmental attribute certificates, or carbon credits, the companies said. Facebook's head of renewable energy, Urvi Parekh, told Reuters the company typically doesn't own the power plants but instead signs "long-term" electricity purchasing agreements with the renewable power company. "That enables the project to seek out the financing that it would need," she said. India is Facebook's biggest market by users. In Singapore, Facebook has announced similar partnerships with energy providers Sunseap Group, Terrenus Energy and Sembcorp Industries on projects that can produce 160 MW of solar power, Parekh said. The electricity generated from these plants will power the tech giant's first Asian data centre https://reut.rs/3uPvtrv that is set to start operations next year, she added. Data centres driving tech companies like Facebook use up as much as 1% of the world's total energy, the International Energy Agency said last year. Tech companies like Amazon, Alphabet Inc, and Microsoft have pledged to operate carbon-free and achieve net-zero emissions, as demand for data and digital services is expected to see a sustained rise. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced separately on Thursday that the company's global operations are now supported wholly by renewable energy and that it has reached net-zero emissions.

Facebook signs first deal to buy renewable energy in India

After Facebook Dating, the social networking platform is now testing a video speed-dating app called Sparked that will first allow 4-minute dates to help users find if they are compatible to each other.&nbsp;

Once you 'both have a great time’, dates will then be scheduled for a 10-minute duration. &nbsp;

After that point, Sparked can let the users exchange contact information and stay in touch via Instagram, iMessage, or email, The Verge reported on Tuesday. &nbsp;

Sparked is developed by the company's in-house NPE (New Product Experimentation) team.&nbsp;

The free-to-use app will offer no public profiles, no swiping and no direct messages (DMs) but a simple video speed-chat. &nbsp;

During the sign-up process, users need to explain what makes them a kind dater. The responses will be 'reviewed by a human at Sparked' before you can go on speed dates. &nbsp;

"Users also have to choose whether they want to date men, women, or nonbinary people, and then are asked if they are open to dating trans people," the report noted. &nbsp;

In 2019, the company rolled out Facebook Dating in the US, and later to various countries, including the UK. &nbsp;

The Dating app helps users explore potential romantic relationships within their own extended circle of friends.&nbsp;

Facebook also quietly launched a new app last year, just for couples who can connect to each other intimately like a personal dating app.&nbsp;

Called Tuned, the app allowed couples to share their mood, exchange music via Spotify and create a digital scrapbook. &nbsp;

After Facebook Dating, the social networking platform is now testing a video speed-dating app called Sparked that will first allow 4-minute dates to help users find if they are compatible to each other.

After Facebook Dating, the social networking platform is now testing a video speed-dating app called Sparked that will first allow 4-minute dates to help users find if they are compatible to each other. Once you 'both have a great time’, dates will then be scheduled for a 10-minute duration. After that point, Sparked can let the users exchange contact information and stay in touch via Instagram, iMessage, or email, The Verge reported on Tuesday. Sparked is developed by the company's in-house NPE (New Product Experimentation) team. The free-to-use app will offer no public profiles, no swiping and no direct messages (DMs) but a simple video speed-chat. During the sign-up process, users need to explain what makes them a kind dater. The responses will be 'reviewed by a human at Sparked' before you can go on speed dates. "Users also have to choose whether they want to date men, women, or nonbinary people, and then are asked if they are open to dating trans people," the report noted. In 2019, the company rolled out Facebook Dating in the US, and later to various countries, including the UK. The Dating app helps users explore potential romantic relationships within their own extended circle of friends. Facebook also quietly launched a new app last year, just for couples who can connect to each other intimately like a personal dating app. Called Tuned, the app allowed couples to share their mood, exchange music via Spotify and create a digital scrapbook.

Facebook testing video speed dating app 'Sparked' 

Facebook’s oversight board on Tuesday announced an expansion of its remit so that users can appeal content left up on the site as well as the content taken down.

Here are some key facts about how the board works:

WHAT DOES THE OVERSIGHT BOARD REVIEW?

The board, which some have dubbed Facebook Inc’s “Supreme Court,” can overturn the company’s decisions on whether some individual pieces of content should be displayed on Facebook or its photo-sharing platform Instagram. 
 
It can also recommend changes to Facebook’s content policy, based on a case decision or at the company’s request, but these are not binding.

The board, which only makes rulings on a small slice of Facebook’s content decisions, said it aims to pick cases with wider relevance. It said it has received more than 300,000 cases since it opened its doors in October 2020 and it has ruled on fewer than 10.

Cases so far have involved issues such as hate speech, violence and nudity. Facebook has said the board’s remit will in future include ads, groups, pages, profiles and events, but has not given a time frame.

It will not deal with Instagram direct messages, Facebook’s messaging platforms WhatsApp and Messenger, its dating service, or its Oculus virtual reality products.

HOW DOES THE BOARD WORK?

The board, which is supported by staff, decides which cases it reviews. Cases can be referred either by users who have exhausted Facebook’s appeals process or by Facebook itself for “significant and difficult” cases.

Each case will be reviewed by a panel of five members, with at least one from the same geographic region as the case originated. The panel can ask for subject matter experts to help make its decision, which then must be finalized by the whole board.

The board’s case decision - which is binding unless it could violate the law - must be made and implemented within 90 days, though Facebook can ask for a 30-day expedited review for exceptional cases, including those with “urgent real-world consequences.”

Users will be notified of the board’s ruling on their case and the board will publicly publish the decision. When the board gives policy recommendations, Facebook has to publish a response within 30 days.

WHO IS ON THE OVERSIGHT BOARD?

The board will eventually have about 40 members.

Facebook chose the four co-chairs - former U.S. Circuit Judge Michael McConnell and constitutional law expert Jamal Greene from the United States, Colombian attorney Catalina Botero-Marino and former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt - who selected 16 other members jointly with Facebook.

Some picks resulted from the global consultations conducted by Facebook to obtain feedback on the oversight board.

The part-time members also include civil rights advocates, academics, journalists, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights. One member, Pamela Karlan, recently left to join the Biden administration and is being replaced.

The members are paid by a trust that Facebook has created and will serve three-year terms for a maximum of nine years.

The trustees can remove a member before the end of their term for violating the board’s code of conduct, but not for content decisions.

Facebook’s oversight board on Tuesday announced an expansion of its remit so that users can appeal content left up on the site as well as the content taken down.

Facebook’s oversight board on Tuesday announced an expansion of its remit so that users can appeal content left up on the site as well as the content taken down. Here are some key facts about how the board works: WHAT DOES THE OVERSIGHT BOARD REVIEW? The board, which some have dubbed Facebook Inc’s “Supreme Court,” can overturn the company’s decisions on whether some individual pieces of content should be displayed on Facebook or its photo-sharing platform Instagram. It can also recommend changes to Facebook’s content policy, based on a case decision or at the company’s request, but these are not binding. The board, which only makes rulings on a small slice of Facebook’s content decisions, said it aims to pick cases with wider relevance. It said it has received more than 300,000 cases since it opened its doors in October 2020 and it has ruled on fewer than 10. Cases so far have involved issues such as hate speech, violence and nudity. Facebook has said the board’s remit will in future include ads, groups, pages, profiles and events, but has not given a time frame. It will not deal with Instagram direct messages, Facebook’s messaging platforms WhatsApp and Messenger, its dating service, or its Oculus virtual reality products. HOW DOES THE BOARD WORK? The board, which is supported by staff, decides which cases it reviews. Cases can be referred either by users who have exhausted Facebook’s appeals process or by Facebook itself for “significant and difficult” cases. Each case will be reviewed by a panel of five members, with at least one from the same geographic region as the case originated. The panel can ask for subject matter experts to help make its decision, which then must be finalized by the whole board. The board’s case decision - which is binding unless it could violate the law - must be made and implemented within 90 days, though Facebook can ask for a 30-day expedited review for exceptional cases, including those with “urgent real-world consequences.” Users will be notified of the board’s ruling on their case and the board will publicly publish the decision. When the board gives policy recommendations, Facebook has to publish a response within 30 days. WHO IS ON THE OVERSIGHT BOARD? The board will eventually have about 40 members. Facebook chose the four co-chairs - former U.S. Circuit Judge Michael McConnell and constitutional law expert Jamal Greene from the United States, Colombian attorney Catalina Botero-Marino and former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt - who selected 16 other members jointly with Facebook. Some picks resulted from the global consultations conducted by Facebook to obtain feedback on the oversight board. The part-time members also include civil rights advocates, academics, journalists, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights. One member, Pamela Karlan, recently left to join the Biden administration and is being replaced. The members are paid by a trust that Facebook has created and will serve three-year terms for a maximum of nine years. The trustees can remove a member before the end of their term for violating the board’s code of conduct, but not for content decisions.

What is Facebook's content Oversight Board?: All you need to know

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion.

The over $100 billion category includes five big US tech companies. Hawley has accused big social media companies of clipping conservative voices along with criticism of pharmaceuticals, which he felt held too much market power.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-house-antitrust-chairman-plans-multiple-bills-to-go-after-big-tech-372191/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The new bill would ban companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook from making future deals and would also stop them from favouring and prioritising their own products over different platforms.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/us-lawmakers-press-big-tech-for-internal-research-on-kids-mental-health-374497" hreflang="en">US lawmakers press Big Tech for internal research on kids' mental health</a>

Earlier, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar had introduced a similar bill. The antitrust bill was introduced in February and included similar measures.

Hawley, while referring to Klobuchar’s bill said the following - "I'm willing to work with her and anybody of any party and any background. I like a lot of what Senator Klobuchar has proposed."

He also referred to his bill as "significantly tougher."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/biden-campaign-received-usd-15-million-in-donations-from-big-tech-employees-report-365201" hreflang="en">Biden campaign received USD 15 million in donations from big tech employees: Report</a>

In the House of Representatives, David Cicilline has put forward plans to introduce a series of antitrust bills. Reuters also reported that Hawley remains undecided on his support for Lina Khan, who had been nominated to be a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, which works with the US Justice Department to keep antitrust laws running.

Hawley, while referring to her said that he “very impressed”, but also said that “he has not made a final decision”.

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion.

A senator from the United States wants to ban all future purchases from Big Tech. Josh Hawley, a Republican on Monday introduced a bill banning all mergers and acquisitions by any big company which is valued over $100 billion. The over $100 billion category includes five big US tech companies. Hawley has accused big social media companies of clipping conservative voices along with criticism of pharmaceuticals, which he felt held too much market power. The new bill would ban companies like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Facebook from making future deals and would also stop them from favouring and prioritising their own products over different platforms. Also read: US lawmakers press Big Tech for internal research on kids' mental health Earlier, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar had introduced a similar bill. The antitrust bill was introduced in February and included similar measures. Hawley, while referring to Klobuchar’s bill said the following - "I'm willing to work with her and anybody of any party and any background. I like a lot of what Senator Klobuchar has proposed." He also referred to his bill as "significantly tougher." Also read: Biden campaign received USD 15 million in donations from big tech employees: Report In the House of Representatives, David Cicilline has put forward plans to introduce a series of antitrust bills. Reuters also reported that Hawley remains undecided on his support for Lina Khan, who had been nominated to be a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, which works with the US Justice Department to keep antitrust laws running. Hawley, while referring to her said that he “very impressed”, but also said that “he has not made a final decision”.

US senator introduces bill to ban Big Tech from foreign acquisitions

Hawley’s bill tackles some of the same problems as an antitrust bill introduced by Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar in February and contains some similar measures.

Republican senator wants to ban Big Tech from buying anything ever again

Britain's competition watchdog said on Friday social media company&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;Inc removed 16,000 groups that were selling and buying fake reviews of various products and services, the second time the regulator had to intervene.

US-based&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;also made further changes to detect, remove and prevent paid content that could mislead users on its platforms, including popular photo-sharing app Instagram, UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday.

"We have engaged extensively with the CMA to address this issue. Fraudulent and deceptive activity is not allowed on our platforms, including offering or trading fake reviews," a&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;representative said.

The CMA began a crackdown on false reviews from 2019 when it first asked&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and e-commerce platform eBay Inc to check their websites after it found evidence of a growing marketplace for misleading customer reviews on the platforms.

Facebook&nbsp;has also been under scrutiny by the CMA for antitrust concerns over the technology company's acquisition of GIF website Giphy. It has been under pressure the world over for its data sharing practices as well as fake news and hate speech.

"The pandemic has meant that more and more people are buying online, and millions of us read reviews to enable us to make informed choices when we shop around. That's why fake and misleading reviews are so damaging," said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli.

CMA's crackdown on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;coincides with Britain's efforts to set up a dedicated digital markets unit within the regulatory authority to specifically look at governing digital platforms.

Britain's competition watchdog said on Friday social media company Facebook Inc removed 16,000 groups that were selling and buying fake reviews of various products and services, the second time the regulator had to intervene.

Britain's competition watchdog said on Friday social media company Facebook Inc removed 16,000 groups that were selling and buying fake reviews of various products and services, the second time the regulator had to intervene. US-based Facebook also made further changes to detect, remove and prevent paid content that could mislead users on its platforms, including popular photo-sharing app Instagram, UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday. "We have engaged extensively with the CMA to address this issue. Fraudulent and deceptive activity is not allowed on our platforms, including offering or trading fake reviews," a Facebook representative said. The CMA began a crackdown on false reviews from 2019 when it first asked Facebook and e-commerce platform eBay Inc to check their websites after it found evidence of a growing marketplace for misleading customer reviews on the platforms. Facebook has also been under scrutiny by the CMA for antitrust concerns over the technology company's acquisition of GIF website Giphy. It has been under pressure the world over for its data sharing practices as well as fake news and hate speech. "The pandemic has meant that more and more people are buying online, and millions of us read reviews to enable us to make informed choices when we shop around. That's why fake and misleading reviews are so damaging," said CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli. CMA's crackdown on Facebook coincides with Britain's efforts to set up a dedicated digital markets unit within the regulatory authority to specifically look at governing digital platforms.

Facebook axes 16,000 groups for selling or buying fake reviews of products, services

A few days after it was revealed that data of over 530 million <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook?page=1">Facebook</a> accounts have been sold online, the social media giant has issued a clarification about the apparent "hack".

Facebook, on Tuesday, said that hackers had not gotten into the system but had "scraped" personal data of nearly half a billion users in 2019 by taking undue advantage of a feature that is designed to help people find friends in their contact list.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/data-of-more-than-500-million-facebook-accounts-posted-online-reports-375213">Data of more than 500 million Facebook accounts posted online: Reports</a>

"It is important to understand that malicious actors obtained this data not through hacking our systems but by scraping it from our platform prior to September 2019," Facebook product management director Mike Clark said in a post.

"This is another example of the ongoing, adversarial relationship technology companies have with fraudsters who intentionally break platform policies to scrape internet services."

The clarification has come a few days after a tech expert revealed that "all 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free," Alon Gal, chief technology officer at the Hudson Rock cybercrime intelligence firm, said Saturday on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free. 
 
This means that if you have a Facebook account, it is extremely likely the phone number used for the account was leaked. 
 
I have yet to see Facebook acknowledging this absolute negligence of your data. <a href="https://t.co/ysGCPZm5U3">https://t.co/ysGCPZm5U3</a> <a href="https://t.co/nM0Fu4GDY8">pic.twitter.com/nM0Fu4GDY8</a>
— Alon Gal (Under the Breach) (@UnderTheBreach) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnderTheBreach/status/1378314424239460352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

As per reports, the leaked data contained sensitive information such as email address, name, phone number, anniversaries and birthdays, relationship status and more, which has now been posted on an online hackers forum, a cybercrime expert and several media reports claimed.

People can also use&nbsp;Have I Been Pwned online tool&nbsp;to check if their numbers or emails were compromised.

A few days after it was revealed that data of over 530 million Facebook accounts have been sold online, the social media giant has issued a clarification about the apparent "hack".

A few days after it was revealed that data of over 530 million Facebook accounts have been sold online, the social media giant has issued a clarification about the apparent "hack". Facebook, on Tuesday, said that hackers had not gotten into the system but had "scraped" personal data of nearly half a billion users in 2019 by taking undue advantage of a feature that is designed to help people find friends in their contact list. Also read | Data of more than 500 million Facebook accounts posted online: Reports "It is important to understand that malicious actors obtained this data not through hacking our systems but by scraping it from our platform prior to September 2019," Facebook product management director Mike Clark said in a post. "This is another example of the ongoing, adversarial relationship technology companies have with fraudsters who intentionally break platform policies to scrape internet services." The clarification has come a few days after a tech expert revealed that "all 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free," Alon Gal, chief technology officer at the Hudson Rock cybercrime intelligence firm, said Saturday on Twitter. All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free. This means that if you have a Facebook account, it is extremely likely the phone number used for the account was leaked. I have yet to see Facebook acknowledging this absolute negligence of your data. https://t.co/ysGCPZm5U3 pic.twitter.com/nM0Fu4GDY8 — Alon Gal (Under the Breach) (@UnderTheBreach) April 3, 2021 × As per reports, the leaked data contained sensitive information such as email address, name, phone number, anniversaries and birthdays, relationship status and more, which has now been posted on an online hackers forum, a cybercrime expert and several media reports claimed. People can also use Have I Been Pwned online tool to check if their numbers or emails were compromised.

Personal data of 533 million users 'scraped', not hacked: Facebook

Personal data of 533 million Facebook users has leaked online. Reports say, Mark Zuckerberg is among the victims. But, this is not the first time Facebook has compromised the personal data of its Founder & CEO.

Gravitas: Mark Zuckerberg's phone number leaked and revealed

In a massive data leak, the personal information of more than 500 million Facebook users was published online on Saturday by a user in a low-level hacking forum.

Over 500 million Facebook users phone number and personal data leaked online

Personal details such as phone numbers of around 6.1 million (61 lakh) Indians on Facebook have allegedly been leaked online and posted on hacking forums, according to a cybersecurity executive.

According to Alon Gal, co-founder and chief technical officer of cybersecurity firm Hudson Rock, personal data of 533 million Facebook users globally - including names, phone numbers and other details - was allegedly leaked online and posted for free on hacking forums.&nbsp;

"All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free. This means that if you have a Facebook account, it is extremely likely the phone number used for the account was leaked," Gal has said in a tweet flagging the issue.&nbsp;

A list of countries that was shared in the tweet, showed that information of 6.1 million users from India, 32.3 million from the US, 11.5 million from the UK and 7.3 million from Australia, was part of the leaked data.&nbsp;

When contacted, a Facebook company spokesperson said, "This is old data that was previously reported on in 2019. We found and fixed this issue in August 2019".&nbsp;

Gal said in early 2020, a vulnerability, which enabled seeing the phone number linked to every Facebook account, was exploited, creating a database containing the information of 533 million users across all countries.&nbsp;

He added that details include phone number, Facebook ID and full name and "bad actors will certainly use the information for social engineering, scamming, hacking and marketing".&nbsp;

In the past too, Facebook - which had 2.80 billion monthly active users (MUAs) as of December 31, 2020, has faced challenges around data security.&nbsp;

In March 2018, Facebook data of over 5.62 lakh Indians was allegedly compromised as UK-based Cambridge Analytica had accessed information of about 87 million users globally. India is among the biggest markets for Facebook and its group companies, WhatsApp and Instagram. According to government data, India has 53 crore WhatsApp users, 41 crore Facebook users, and 21 crore users of Instagram.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
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Personal details such as phone numbers of around 6.1 million (61 lakh) Indians on Facebook have allegedly been leaked online and posted on hacking forums, according to a cybersecurity executive.

Personal details such as phone numbers of around 6.1 million (61 lakh) Indians on Facebook have allegedly been leaked online and posted on hacking forums, according to a cybersecurity executive. According to Alon Gal, co-founder and chief technical officer of cybersecurity firm Hudson Rock, personal data of 533 million Facebook users globally - including names, phone numbers and other details - was allegedly leaked online and posted for free on hacking forums. "All 533,000,000 Facebook records were just leaked for free. This means that if you have a Facebook account, it is extremely likely the phone number used for the account was leaked," Gal has said in a tweet flagging the issue. A list of countries that was shared in the tweet, showed that information of 6.1 million users from India, 32.3 million from the US, 11.5 million from the UK and 7.3 million from Australia, was part of the leaked data. When contacted, a Facebook company spokesperson said, "This is old data that was previously reported on in 2019. We found and fixed this issue in August 2019". Gal said in early 2020, a vulnerability, which enabled seeing the phone number linked to every Facebook account, was exploited, creating a database containing the information of 533 million users across all countries. He added that details include phone number, Facebook ID and full name and "bad actors will certainly use the information for social engineering, scamming, hacking and marketing". In the past too, Facebook - which had 2.80 billion monthly active users (MUAs) as of December 31, 2020, has faced challenges around data security. In March 2018, Facebook data of over 5.62 lakh Indians was allegedly compromised as UK-based Cambridge Analytica had accessed information of about 87 million users globally. India is among the biggest markets for Facebook and its group companies, WhatsApp and Instagram. According to government data, India has 53 crore WhatsApp users, 41 crore Facebook users, and 21 crore users of Instagram. (With inputs from agencies)

India’s 6.1 mn Facebook users’ personal details leaked online 

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