Facebook on Wednesday said it considered charging application makers to access data at the social network.

Such a move would have been a major shift away from the policy of not selling Facebook members' information, which the social network has stressed in the face of criticism alleging it is more interested in making money than protecting privacy.

"To be clear, Facebook has never sold anyone's data," director of developer platforms and programs Konstantinos Papamiltiadis said in response to an AFP inquiry.

"Our APIs have always been free of charge and we have never required developers to pay for using them, either directly or by buying advertising."

The Wall Street Journal reported that internal emails indicating that Facebook mulled charging companies for access to user data were referred to in a lawsuit filed against the social network in 2015 by Six4Three, creator of a failed app called "Pikinis."

The application enabled users to find Facebook pictures of people in bathing suits, taking advantage of an API feature that let apps access the data of social network users as well as their friends.

The suit accuses Facebook of abusing its power over user data. Most of the documents filed in the case have been sealed by a California judge at Facebook's request.

Some emails indicated Facebook employees discussed providing increased access of user information to advertisers in return for spending more money on the social network, according to the WSJ.

"The documents Six4Three gathered for this baseless case are only part of the story and are presented in a way that is very misleading without additional context," Papamiltiadis said.

Cambridge Analytica

Facebook early on adopted a practice of letting developers use APIs (application programming interfaces) to plug into the social network for free and connect to user data to enhance the online gathering place with games, services and more.

Facebook went public on the stock market in early 2012, and subsequently considered ways it might be able to increase revenue, opting not to charge developers for access to the social network.

Facebook in August said it has suspended more than 400 out of thousands of applications it has investigated to determine whether people's personal information was being improperly shared.

Applications were suspended "due to concerns around the developers who built them or how the information people chose to share with the app may have been used," according to a blog post.

Facebook contended that the suit by Six4Three is aimed at compelling the social network to provide the kind of access to friends' data that was taken advantage of in the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.

Facebook admitted that up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, which was working for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Facebook has modified app data sharing policies since the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

"We stand by the platform changes we made in 2015 to stop a person from sharing their friends' data with developers," Papamiltiadis said.

Facebook on Wednesday said it considered charging application makers to access data at the social network. Such a move would have been a major shift away from the policy of not selling Facebook members' information, which the social network has stressed in the face of criticism alleging it is more interested in making money than protecting privacy.

Facebook on Wednesday said it considered charging application makers to access data at the social network. Such a move would have been a major shift away from the policy of not selling Facebook members' information, which the social network has stressed in the face of criticism alleging it is more interested in making money than protecting privacy. "To be clear, Facebook has never sold anyone's data," director of developer platforms and programs Konstantinos Papamiltiadis said in response to an AFP inquiry. "Our APIs have always been free of charge and we have never required developers to pay for using them, either directly or by buying advertising." The Wall Street Journal reported that internal emails indicating that Facebook mulled charging companies for access to user data were referred to in a lawsuit filed against the social network in 2015 by Six4Three, creator of a failed app called "Pikinis." The application enabled users to find Facebook pictures of people in bathing suits, taking advantage of an API feature that let apps access the data of social network users as well as their friends. The suit accuses Facebook of abusing its power over user data. Most of the documents filed in the case have been sealed by a California judge at Facebook's request. Some emails indicated Facebook employees discussed providing increased access of user information to advertisers in return for spending more money on the social network, according to the WSJ. "The documents Six4Three gathered for this baseless case are only part of the story and are presented in a way that is very misleading without additional context," Papamiltiadis said. Cambridge Analytica Facebook early on adopted a practice of letting developers use APIs (application programming interfaces) to plug into the social network for free and connect to user data to enhance the online gathering place with games, services and more. Facebook went public on the stock market in early 2012, and subsequently considered ways it might be able to increase revenue, opting not to charge developers for access to the social network. Facebook in August said it has suspended more than 400 out of thousands of applications it has investigated to determine whether people's personal information was being improperly shared. Applications were suspended "due to concerns around the developers who built them or how the information people chose to share with the app may have been used," according to a blog post. Facebook contended that the suit by Six4Three is aimed at compelling the social network to provide the kind of access to friends' data that was taken advantage of in the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. Facebook admitted that up to 87 million users may have had their data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, which was working for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Facebook has modified app data sharing policies since the Cambridge Analytica scandal. "We stand by the platform changes we made in 2015 to stop a person from sharing their friends' data with developers," Papamiltiadis said.

Facebook mulled charging for access to user data

Facebook vice president <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebooks-zuckerberg-says-he-is-not-considering-resigning-178571">Richard Allen today told an international</a> parliamentary committee hosted at the House of Commons in UK on disinformation and fake news that the social media giant had “damaged public trust through some of the actions we’ve taken.”

The company is being investigated after a British consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica obtained the personal data of 87 million Facebook users igniting worldwide condemnation.

The committee comprising of members belonging to Canada, Ireland, Brazil, France including twenty-four representatives from nine countries grilled the Facebook vice-president as he answered a barrage of questions put forth by the members.

Lawmakers criticised Zuckerberg for not being present at the hearing.

Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus said: "Mr Zuckerberg's decision not to appear here at Westminster (Britain's parliament) to me speaks volumes."

Allen apologised to members for founder Mark Zuckerberg's absence. “Our intent is to be there to answer the questions that you have for us, and for some appearances, Mr Zuckerberg has made himself available but not for every appearance and apologise for that.”

"We've never seen anything quite like Facebook, where, while we were playing on our phones and apps, our democratic institutions ... seem to have been upended by frat-boy billionaires from California," Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus said.

Canadian MP Bob Zimmer pointed out that the public had lost its trust on the company and that it could not be trusted to police itself to which Allen said: "I’m not going to disagree with you that we’ve damaged public trust through some of the actions we’ve taken."

"Just for the record, on the issue of the hiring of this outside firm [Definers Public Affairs], Mr Zuckerberg himself said it was not what he expected of us and he was not personally responsible for the hiring.”

On the question posed by committee chairman Bob Zimmer on Russians allegedly pulling down huge amount of data from the platform, Allen said he would get back to the committee with the answers.

Damian Collins, chair of the culture committee alleged that a Facebook engineer had "notified the company in October 2014 that entities with Russian IP addresses have been using a Pinterest API key to pull over 3 billion data points a day."

Allan said the documents were "a partial set of information that was obtained by a hostile litigant."

"Any information that you have seen that's contained within that cache of emails is at best partial and at worst potentially misleading," he said.

Facebook in a statement said: "the engineers who had flagged these initial concerns subsequently looked into this further and found no evidence of specific Russian activity".

Facebook vice president Richard Allen today told an international parliamentary committee hosted at the House of Commons in UK on disinformation and fake news that the social media giant had “damaged public trust through some of the actions we’ve taken.

Facebook vice president Richard Allen today told an international parliamentary committee hosted at the House of Commons in UK on disinformation and fake news that the social media giant had “damaged public trust through some of the actions we’ve taken.” The company is being investigated after a British consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica obtained the personal data of 87 million Facebook users igniting worldwide condemnation. The committee comprising of members belonging to Canada, Ireland, Brazil, France including twenty-four representatives from nine countries grilled the Facebook vice-president as he answered a barrage of questions put forth by the members. Lawmakers criticised Zuckerberg for not being present at the hearing. Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus said: "Mr Zuckerberg's decision not to appear here at Westminster (Britain's parliament) to me speaks volumes." Allen apologised to members for founder Mark Zuckerberg's absence. “Our intent is to be there to answer the questions that you have for us, and for some appearances, Mr Zuckerberg has made himself available but not for every appearance and apologise for that.” "We've never seen anything quite like Facebook, where, while we were playing on our phones and apps, our democratic institutions ... seem to have been upended by frat-boy billionaires from California," Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus said. Canadian MP Bob Zimmer pointed out that the public had lost its trust on the company and that it could not be trusted to police itself to which Allen said: "I’m not going to disagree with you that we’ve damaged public trust through some of the actions we’ve taken." "Just for the record, on the issue of the hiring of this outside firm [Definers Public Affairs], Mr Zuckerberg himself said it was not what he expected of us and he was not personally responsible for the hiring.” On the question posed by committee chairman Bob Zimmer on Russians allegedly pulling down huge amount of data from the platform, Allen said he would get back to the committee with the answers. Damian Collins, chair of the culture committee alleged that a Facebook engineer had "notified the company in October 2014 that entities with Russian IP addresses have been using a Pinterest API key to pull over 3 billion data points a day." Allan said the documents were "a partial set of information that was obtained by a hostile litigant." "Any information that you have seen that's contained within that cache of emails is at best partial and at worst potentially misleading," he said. Facebook in a statement said: "the engineers who had flagged these initial concerns subsequently looked into this further and found no evidence of specific Russian activity".

We damaged public trust, admits Facebook vice president as Zuckerberg avoids international parliamentary panel

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets.

The US-based company, which counts India as one of its largest markets, has already trained about one million people through its various initiatives.

"Facebook is committed to enabling small businesses to reach the global economy, and we are partnering with various organisations to reach out to people. We are committed to training 5 million people with digital skills and global market access by 2021," Facebook Public Policy Director (India, South and Central Asia) Ankhi Das told reporters here.

She added that with 10 ongoing programs, Facebook has already trained one million people across 150 cities and 48,000 villages with support from 50 partners.&nbsp;

These efforts -- where the users are trained on using Facebook and photo-sharing platform, Instagram to build their business - are being organised under Facebook's Community Boost programme.

"At Facebook, we want to ensure that the benefits of connectivity are realised by everyone, everywhere, in India. Our mission at Facebook is to empower local entrepreneurs with digital skills so that they can grow their business," she said.

The training modules for these businesses in digital marketing and online safety -- developed by Facebook -- are available in 14 local languages.&nbsp;

Facebook's programme reaches 29 states in India and has received strong response in states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Rajasthan among others.

Asked about steps being taken to curb abusive and hate speech on the platform, including those for businesses, Das said the company has already taken down over 1.5 billion pieces of content this year that was in that realm.

"We take the issue of hate speech, abuse very seriously... We are cognizant of our responsibility... We have partnered with civil society organisations to (jointly) work on community education. Apart from a big team of reviewers globally, we are also deploying AI (artificial intelligence) tool to flag such content," she explained.

On political ads, Das said the issue is an important one and the company is working on it.&nbsp;

Facebook vice president for public policy Richard Allan had, in October, had said the company will unveil a political ads archive for India before the 2019 general elections.&nbsp;

This, he had said, would allow civil society to be able to go and see what activity is taking place and if there is anything suspicious, they can ask questions.

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets.

Social media giant Facebook Saturday said it aims to train five million people on skills to help them use the digital media to expand their business and access global markets. The US-based company, which counts India as one of its largest markets, has already trained about one million people through its various initiatives. "Facebook is committed to enabling small businesses to reach the global economy, and we are partnering with various organisations to reach out to people. We are committed to training 5 million people with digital skills and global market access by 2021," Facebook Public Policy Director (India, South and Central Asia) Ankhi Das told reporters here. She added that with 10 ongoing programs, Facebook has already trained one million people across 150 cities and 48,000 villages with support from 50 partners. These efforts -- where the users are trained on using Facebook and photo-sharing platform, Instagram to build their business - are being organised under Facebook's Community Boost programme. "At Facebook, we want to ensure that the benefits of connectivity are realised by everyone, everywhere, in India. Our mission at Facebook is to empower local entrepreneurs with digital skills so that they can grow their business," she said. The training modules for these businesses in digital marketing and online safety -- developed by Facebook -- are available in 14 local languages. Facebook's programme reaches 29 states in India and has received strong response in states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Odisha and Rajasthan among others. Asked about steps being taken to curb abusive and hate speech on the platform, including those for businesses, Das said the company has already taken down over 1.5 billion pieces of content this year that was in that realm. "We take the issue of hate speech, abuse very seriously... We are cognizant of our responsibility... We have partnered with civil society organisations to (jointly) work on community education. Apart from a big team of reviewers globally, we are also deploying AI (artificial intelligence) tool to flag such content," she explained. On political ads, Das said the issue is an important one and the company is working on it. Facebook vice president for public policy Richard Allan had, in October, had said the company will unveil a political ads archive for India before the 2019 general elections. This, he had said, would allow civil society to be able to go and see what activity is taking place and if there is anything suspicious, they can ask questions.

Facebook to train 5 million people in India with digital skills by 2021

Facebook-owned WhatsApp said on Wednesday it had hired Abhijit Bose, the co-founder and chief executive of Indian mobile payments firm Ezetap, to be the head of its operations in India, its biggest market by users.

The Indian government has pressured the messaging service to build a local team and Bose's appointment comes as WhatsApp tries to curb the spread of misinformation on its service in India where it has more than 200 million users.

Bose's appointment is the first time WhatsApp has created a country head role anywhere in the world, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Indian government has previously told the US&nbsp;company to take steps to prevent the circulation of false texts and provocative content that had led to a series of lynchings and mob beatings across India.

WhatsApp has since launched a media advertising blitz, done roadshows, and held workshops with community leaders and police officials to curb the spread of misinformation through its platform.

The appointment of Ezetap's Bose highlights California-based WhatsApp's ambitions in the payments space.

It has been testing a payments service in India and is awaiting a final nod from India's central bank for a full launch of the service.

Credit Suisse estimates the value of transactions in India's digital payments space will grow five-fold to $1 trillion by 2023.

"As a successful entrepreneur himself, Abhijit knows what it takes to build meaningful partnerships that can serve businesses across India," WhatsApp Chief Operating Officer Matt Idema said in the statement.

Bose will begin his new role at WhatsApp in early 2019 and will report to Idema.

Bose's appointment comes just two months after parent Facebook named streaming service Hotstar's chief Ajit Mohan as its first India head.

The two appointments are crucial: India is the biggest market by users for both Facebook and WhatsApp and both firms are trying to get their social media strategies in place ahead of India's general election next year.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp said on Wednesday it had hired Abhijit Bose, the co-founder and chief executive of Indian mobile payments firm Ezetap, to be the head of its operations in India, its biggest market by users.

Facebook-owned WhatsApp said on Wednesday it had hired Abhijit Bose, the co-founder and chief executive of Indian mobile payments firm Ezetap, to be the head of its operations in India, its biggest market by users. The Indian government has pressured the messaging service to build a local team and Bose's appointment comes as WhatsApp tries to curb the spread of misinformation on its service in India where it has more than 200 million users. Bose's appointment is the first time WhatsApp has created a country head role anywhere in the world, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The Indian government has previously told the US company to take steps to prevent the circulation of false texts and provocative content that had led to a series of lynchings and mob beatings across India. WhatsApp has since launched a media advertising blitz, done roadshows, and held workshops with community leaders and police officials to curb the spread of misinformation through its platform. The appointment of Ezetap's Bose highlights California-based WhatsApp's ambitions in the payments space. It has been testing a payments service in India and is awaiting a final nod from India's central bank for a full launch of the service. Credit Suisse estimates the value of transactions in India's digital payments space will grow five-fold to $1 trillion by 2023. "As a successful entrepreneur himself, Abhijit knows what it takes to build meaningful partnerships that can serve businesses across India," WhatsApp Chief Operating Officer Matt Idema said in the statement. Bose will begin his new role at WhatsApp in early 2019 and will report to Idema. Bose's appointment comes just two months after parent Facebook named streaming service Hotstar's chief Ajit Mohan as its first India head. The two appointments are crucial: India is the biggest market by users for both Facebook and WhatsApp and both firms are trying to get their social media strategies in place ahead of India's general election next year.

WhatsApp hires Ezetap's Abhijit Bose to be its India head

Sri Lanka's largest political party Saturday asked Facebook to protect the identity of its supporters, fearing a crackdown by what it called the "illegal" government.

The Indian Ocean nation has been in crisis since last month with two men claiming to be prime minister, MPs brawling in parliament and the administration paralysed.

It began on October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse.

In chaotic scenes in parliament this week, Rajapakse lost two votes of no confidence but he is refusing to go and Sirisena has yet to acknowledge the motions.

On Saturday Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg asking the US firm not to cooperate with Rajapakse's administration.

"We urge Facebook to refrain from disclosing information about... users of the platform to any officials of the illegal government unless it is properly sanctioned by a court of law," the UNP said.

The UNP had also complained that its official page was blocked by Facebook on Thursday ahead of a mass rally it organised to express solidarity with Wickremesinghe, who insists he is still prime minister.

Sirisena ordered a ban on Facebook across Sri Lanka in March after blaming it for spreading hate speech and fuelling intercommunal violence that led to the deaths of three people and destruction of property.

Since then, Facebook had said it was deploying more staff to identify and remove inflammatory material from Sri Lankan users.

This week Sri Lankans had to rely on social media to watch their lawmakers fighting and throwing chilli powder after the main telecommunications company stopped its live broadcast.

Sri Lanka's largest political party Saturday asked Facebook to protect the identity of its supporters, fearing a crackdown by what it called the "illegal" government.

Sri Lanka's largest political party Saturday asked Facebook to protect the identity of its supporters, fearing a crackdown by what it called the "illegal" government. The Indian Ocean nation has been in crisis since last month with two men claiming to be prime minister, MPs brawling in parliament and the administration paralysed. It began on October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse. In chaotic scenes in parliament this week, Rajapakse lost two votes of no confidence but he is refusing to go and Sirisena has yet to acknowledge the motions. On Saturday Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) wrote to Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg asking the US firm not to cooperate with Rajapakse's administration. "We urge Facebook to refrain from disclosing information about... users of the platform to any officials of the illegal government unless it is properly sanctioned by a court of law," the UNP said. The UNP had also complained that its official page was blocked by Facebook on Thursday ahead of a mass rally it organised to express solidarity with Wickremesinghe, who insists he is still prime minister. Sirisena ordered a ban on Facebook across Sri Lanka in March after blaming it for spreading hate speech and fuelling intercommunal violence that led to the deaths of three people and destruction of property. Since then, Facebook had said it was deploying more staff to identify and remove inflammatory material from Sri Lankan users. This week Sri Lankans had to rely on social media to watch their lawmakers fighting and throwing chilli powder after the main telecommunications company stopped its live broadcast.

Facebook asked to protect users in simmering Sri Lanka

Facebook Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended his response to Russian election meddling on the world's largest social media network and issued a new plan aimed at stifling misbehaviour while maintaining a vibrant hub for online speech.

His comments in a conference call with journalists and in a Facebook post followed a New York Times report on Wednesday that contended that he and other executives tried to deflect criticism internally and in Congress about Russian propaganda spreading through Facebook during the last three years.

Many US lawmakers said after the report that the government must regulate or investigate Facebook, which has become a daily source of information for more than 2 billion people globally.

Zuckerberg said on Thursday that he has acted swiftly to combat the Russian challenge and supports regulation that would encourage companies to reduce the prevalence of "harmful content."

He announced several self-regulatory measures, including rough plans to create an independent body by the end of 2019 to review appeals from users who contend their content was wrongly banned. Users also would get a new choice on whether they want to view "borderline content" in their news feeds, he said.

"I've increasingly come to believe that Facebook should not make so many important decisions about free expression and safety on our own," Zuckerberg wrote.

Facebook shares fell 0.3 per cent on Thursday, plus an additional 0.3 per cent after hours.

Increased regulation is among the biggest threats to Facebook, along with increasing user unease about the service being a safe and secure place to converse, according to financial analysts.

Company profit margins have narrowed in recent quarters as it executes Zuckerberg's initial plan to combat misbehaviour: spending aggressively on people and technology to bolster monitoring.

New plan, New data

Details of the appeals body are evolving, but the goal is to increase accountability of removal decisions and ensure they are not being driven by commercial reasons, Zuckerberg said.

Facebook's appeals process would expand to enable people who complain about content to seek second opinions if it is not removed initially. In addition, Facebook would become transparent about their rationale as well as policy changes, he said.

His announcement came as part of an update on Facebook's Transparency Report, which discloses how the company deals with inappropriate content and requests for user data by governments.

For the first time, Facebook on Thursday revealed data on bullying and harassment content, saying it had identified about 2.1 million such posts on its service between April and September, with about 15 per cent found proactively before user complaints.

Other notable updates included sharp rises during the first half of this year in censorship demands from Russian and Pakistan authorities and user data requests from Indian authorities, according to Facebook's statistics.

Facebook has been under for fire for the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump by undermining Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Russia has denied any meddling in the election.

Western countries issued coordinated denunciations of Russia last month for running what they described as a global hacking campaign, which Russia has also denied.

The New York Times report, which revealed Facebook's use of a public relations firm to attack critics and rivals, prompted fresh criticism.

US Senator Amy Klobuchar said she will ask the Justice Department to look into whether the PR firm engaged in undisclosed political activity as lawmakers weighed new rules on Facebook.

Facebook stopped working with the firm Wednesday, when Zuckerberg said he became aware of it.

Scott Stringer, head of New York City Pension Funds, which holds Facebook shares, renewed a call for an independent board chair to replace Zuckerberg.

Facebook's board in a statement on Thursday credited Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg for making considerable progress fighting misuse of the social network. 
&nbsp;

Facebook Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended his response to Russian election meddling on the world's largest social media network and issued a new plan aimed at stifling misbehaviour while maintaining a vibrant hub for online speech.

Facebook Chairman and Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended his response to Russian election meddling on the world's largest social media network and issued a new plan aimed at stifling misbehaviour while maintaining a vibrant hub for online speech. His comments in a conference call with journalists and in a Facebook post followed a New York Times report on Wednesday that contended that he and other executives tried to deflect criticism internally and in Congress about Russian propaganda spreading through Facebook during the last three years. Many US lawmakers said after the report that the government must regulate or investigate Facebook, which has become a daily source of information for more than 2 billion people globally. Zuckerberg said on Thursday that he has acted swiftly to combat the Russian challenge and supports regulation that would encourage companies to reduce the prevalence of "harmful content." He announced several self-regulatory measures, including rough plans to create an independent body by the end of 2019 to review appeals from users who contend their content was wrongly banned. Users also would get a new choice on whether they want to view "borderline content" in their news feeds, he said. "I've increasingly come to believe that Facebook should not make so many important decisions about free expression and safety on our own," Zuckerberg wrote. Facebook shares fell 0.3 per cent on Thursday, plus an additional 0.3 per cent after hours. Increased regulation is among the biggest threats to Facebook, along with increasing user unease about the service being a safe and secure place to converse, according to financial analysts. Company profit margins have narrowed in recent quarters as it executes Zuckerberg's initial plan to combat misbehaviour: spending aggressively on people and technology to bolster monitoring. New plan, New data Details of the appeals body are evolving, but the goal is to increase accountability of removal decisions and ensure they are not being driven by commercial reasons, Zuckerberg said. Facebook's appeals process would expand to enable people who complain about content to seek second opinions if it is not removed initially. In addition, Facebook would become transparent about their rationale as well as policy changes, he said. His announcement came as part of an update on Facebook's Transparency Report, which discloses how the company deals with inappropriate content and requests for user data by governments. For the first time, Facebook on Thursday revealed data on bullying and harassment content, saying it had identified about 2.1 million such posts on its service between April and September, with about 15 per cent found proactively before user complaints. Other notable updates included sharp rises during the first half of this year in censorship demands from Russian and Pakistan authorities and user data requests from Indian authorities, according to Facebook's statistics. Facebook has been under for fire for the last two years for its self-admitted sluggishness in developing tools to combat extremist content and propaganda operations. US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump by undermining Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Russia has denied any meddling in the election. Western countries issued coordinated denunciations of Russia last month for running what they described as a global hacking campaign, which Russia has also denied. The New York Times report, which revealed Facebook's use of a public relations firm to attack critics and rivals, prompted fresh criticism. US Senator Amy Klobuchar said she will ask the Justice Department to look into whether the PR firm engaged in undisclosed political activity as lawmakers weighed new rules on Facebook. Facebook stopped working with the firm Wednesday, when Zuckerberg said he became aware of it. Scott Stringer, head of New York City Pension Funds, which holds Facebook shares, renewed a call for an independent board chair to replace Zuckerberg. Facebook's board in a statement on Thursday credited Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg for making considerable progress fighting misuse of the social network.

Facebook defends Russia response, updates plan to curb misbehaviour

Facebook misled the public about its knowledge of Russian hackers' use of the powerful platform to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, a New York Times investigation reported Thursday.

It also said Facebook has at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech companies.

In a lengthy investigative piece that is likely to trigger political repercussions in Washington, the Times argued that Facebook's way of dealing with crisis was to "delay, deny and deflect."

It said its article was based on interviews with more than 50 people, including current and ex-Facebook executives and other employees, lawmakers and government officials, lobbyists and congressional staff members.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and chief operating officer Cheryl Sandberg, were both so bent on growing the company that they "ignored warning signs and then sought to conceal them from public view," the report said.

On Russia, Zuckerberg declared in the fall of 2016 that it was "crazy" to think Facebook had been used to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, but the report said in-house experts knew this not to be the case.

In fact, the Times said, for over a year Facebook had amassed evidence of Russian activity through an investigation led by its former security chief, Alex Stamos.&nbsp;

This involved Russians looking at the Facebook accounts of people involved in US presidential election campaigns and, later, Russian-controlled accounts offering reporters information from hacked emails from senior Democratic Party officials.

But it was only belatedly that the company's board was informed of the full extent of the meddling, the Times said.

Going on the attack

When criticism of its belated Russia admission grew, Facebook mounted a lobbying campaign led by Sandberg.&nbsp;

The company used a PR firm to push negative stories about its political critics and make rival companies like Google and Apple look bad, the Times said.

In July of this year, as a Facebook executive testified before a congressional committee, anti-Facebook demonstrators barged into the room and held up a sign depicting Zuckerberg and Sandberg -- who are both Jewish -- as the twin heads of an octopus with its tentacles around the world.

Facebook responded by lobbying a Jewish civil rights group -- the Anti-Defamation League -- to publicly label that criticism as anti-Semitic, the Times said.

Facebook was also said to have employed a Republican firm specializing in opposition research to discredit activists, partly by linking them to the liberal Soros, who has become a favoured target of Trump supporters and far-right conspiracy groups.&nbsp;

Before and since this month's midterm elections, Facebook has shut down dozens of accounts on its own platform and on Instagram which it said were aimed at influencing the vote, and that it was exploring a possible link to Russia.

In the elections, the Democrats retook control of the House of Representatives, and the Times report is likely to add to political pressure on the company.

The world's most popular social media platform has been on the back foot for months, including over the allegation that data from millions of Facebook users was abused by the consultancy Cambridge Analytica to help drive Trump to the White House.

Facebook misled the public about its knowledge of Russian hackers' use of the powerful platform to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, a New York Times investigation reported Thursday.

Facebook misled the public about its knowledge of Russian hackers' use of the powerful platform to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election, a New York Times investigation reported Thursday. It also said Facebook has at times smeared critics as anti-Semitic or tried to link activists to billionaire investor George Soros, and tried to shift public anger away toward rival tech companies. In a lengthy investigative piece that is likely to trigger political repercussions in Washington, the Times argued that Facebook's way of dealing with crisis was to "delay, deny and deflect." It said its article was based on interviews with more than 50 people, including current and ex-Facebook executives and other employees, lawmakers and government officials, lobbyists and congressional staff members. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and chief operating officer Cheryl Sandberg, were both so bent on growing the company that they "ignored warning signs and then sought to conceal them from public view," the report said. On Russia, Zuckerberg declared in the fall of 2016 that it was "crazy" to think Facebook had been used to help Donald Trump win the US presidency, but the report said in-house experts knew this not to be the case. In fact, the Times said, for over a year Facebook had amassed evidence of Russian activity through an investigation led by its former security chief, Alex Stamos. This involved Russians looking at the Facebook accounts of people involved in US presidential election campaigns and, later, Russian-controlled accounts offering reporters information from hacked emails from senior Democratic Party officials. But it was only belatedly that the company's board was informed of the full extent of the meddling, the Times said. Going on the attack When criticism of its belated Russia admission grew, Facebook mounted a lobbying campaign led by Sandberg. The company used a PR firm to push negative stories about its political critics and make rival companies like Google and Apple look bad, the Times said. In July of this year, as a Facebook executive testified before a congressional committee, anti-Facebook demonstrators barged into the room and held up a sign depicting Zuckerberg and Sandberg -- who are both Jewish -- as the twin heads of an octopus with its tentacles around the world. Facebook responded by lobbying a Jewish civil rights group -- the Anti-Defamation League -- to publicly label that criticism as anti-Semitic, the Times said. Facebook was also said to have employed a Republican firm specializing in opposition research to discredit activists, partly by linking them to the liberal Soros, who has become a favoured target of Trump supporters and far-right conspiracy groups. Before and since this month's midterm elections, Facebook has shut down dozens of accounts on its own platform and on Instagram which it said were aimed at influencing the vote, and that it was exploring a possible link to Russia. In the elections, the Democrats retook control of the House of Representatives, and the Times report is likely to add to political pressure on the company. The world's most popular social media platform has been on the back foot for months, including over the allegation that data from millions of Facebook users was abused by the consultancy Cambridge Analytica to help drive Trump to the White House.

Facebook vied to conceal Russia meddling: Report

Facebook on Tuesday said it shut down more accounts aimed at influencing the US midterm election and that it is exploring a possible link to Russia.

"As we've continued to investigate, we detected and removed some additional Facebook and Instagram accounts," head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in an update posted at the social network.

While stressing the challenge of identifying the culprits, he noted that a website claiming to be associated with the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russia-based troll farm, published a list of Instagram accounts they said that they had created.

Facebook had already shut down most of those accounts, and blocked the rest after an internal investigation, according to Gleicher.

"Ultimately, this effort may have been connected to the IRA, but we aren't best placed to say definitively whether that is the case," Gleicher said.

"Trolls have an incentive to claim that their activities are more widespread and influential than may be the case."

On the eve of the midterm election, Facebook announced it blocked some 30 accounts on its platform and 85 more on Instagram after police warned they may be linked to "foreign entities" trying to interfere.

On Tuesday, the numbers of accounts removed for "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" was raised to 36 at Facebook and 99 at the social network's Instagram service.

Most of the accounts were created after the middle of last year. Overall, the Instagram accounts had amassed about 1.25 million followers, with 600,000 of those people located in the United States, according to Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Facebook pages had attracted a total of approximately 65,000 followers in total, with posts mainly in French.

Most of the Instagram accounts were said to be in English.

Facebook shared examples of content being shared, saying there were many posts about celebrities as well as social issues such as women's rights and gay pride.

Facebook blocked the initial accounts a day after being contacted by US law enforcement officials about online activity they believe may be linked to foreign entities.

A study published in late October found that misinformation on social media was spreading at a greater rate than during the run-up to the 2016 presidential vote, which Russia is accused of manipulating through a vast propaganda campaign in favour of Donald Trump, the eventual winner.

Major online social platforms have been under intense pressure to avoid being used by "bad actors" out to sway outcomes by publishing misinformation and enraging voters.

Facebook weeks ago opened a "war room" at its Menlo Park headquarters in California to be a nerve centre for the fight against misinformation and manipulation of the largest social network by foreign actors trying to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere.

The war room is part of stepped-up security announced by Facebook, which will be adding some 20,000 employees. 
&nbsp;

Facebook on Tuesday said it shut down more accounts aimed at influencing the US midterm election and that it is exploring a possible link to Russia. "As we've continued to investigate, we detected and removed some additional Facebook and Instagram accounts," head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in an update posted at the social network.

Facebook on Tuesday said it shut down more accounts aimed at influencing the US midterm election and that it is exploring a possible link to Russia. "As we've continued to investigate, we detected and removed some additional Facebook and Instagram accounts," head of cybersecurity policy Nathaniel Gleicher said in an update posted at the social network. While stressing the challenge of identifying the culprits, he noted that a website claiming to be associated with the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russia-based troll farm, published a list of Instagram accounts they said that they had created. Facebook had already shut down most of those accounts, and blocked the rest after an internal investigation, according to Gleicher. "Ultimately, this effort may have been connected to the IRA, but we aren't best placed to say definitively whether that is the case," Gleicher said. "Trolls have an incentive to claim that their activities are more widespread and influential than may be the case." On the eve of the midterm election, Facebook announced it blocked some 30 accounts on its platform and 85 more on Instagram after police warned they may be linked to "foreign entities" trying to interfere. On Tuesday, the numbers of accounts removed for "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" was raised to 36 at Facebook and 99 at the social network's Instagram service. Most of the accounts were created after the middle of last year. Overall, the Instagram accounts had amassed about 1.25 million followers, with 600,000 of those people located in the United States, according to Facebook. Meanwhile, the Facebook pages had attracted a total of approximately 65,000 followers in total, with posts mainly in French. Most of the Instagram accounts were said to be in English. Facebook shared examples of content being shared, saying there were many posts about celebrities as well as social issues such as women's rights and gay pride. Facebook blocked the initial accounts a day after being contacted by US law enforcement officials about online activity they believe may be linked to foreign entities. A study published in late October found that misinformation on social media was spreading at a greater rate than during the run-up to the 2016 presidential vote, which Russia is accused of manipulating through a vast propaganda campaign in favour of Donald Trump, the eventual winner. Major online social platforms have been under intense pressure to avoid being used by "bad actors" out to sway outcomes by publishing misinformation and enraging voters. Facebook weeks ago opened a "war room" at its Menlo Park headquarters in California to be a nerve centre for the fight against misinformation and manipulation of the largest social network by foreign actors trying to influence elections in the United States and elsewhere. The war room is part of stepped-up security announced by Facebook, which will be adding some 20,000 employees.

Facebook shuts more accounts aimed at political meddling

France's smart regulation of Facebook to combat hate speech

Even as online platforms tightened rules for political ads, digital spending set new records in the 2018 US midterm elections and appears poised for further growth in 2020.

Digital media campaign spending rose 2,400 per cent from the 2014 midterms to $1.8 billion, roughly 20 per cent of the total $8.9 billion in ad spending, according to preliminary estimates from the research firm Borrell Associates.

Online spending, much of it on social networks like Facebook, has been a significant factor in campaigns for a decade, but tighter rules imposed by digital giants in the wake of the 2016 election could have curbed some of that growth.

Kip Cassino, lead author of the Borrell study, said the online sector kept up a strong growth pace despite new guidelines from Facebook, Twitter and others requiring verification of advertisers to address concerns about foreign influence campaigns.

Digital has some unique advantages over traditional media like television, notably the ability to send out messages quickly and targeted to specific groups of voters.

"They can take advantage of an opportunity very quickly, within seconds," Borrell said. "You can't do that with legacy media."

Additionally, campaigns can finely target voters by geography, age, affiliation and interests, based on data gleaned by online firms.

"You can focus your messages to those people who are going to vote for your or those you want to vote for you," Cassino said.

"You don't want to waste your money on those who don't want to listen to you."

Privacy changes ahead?

It remains unclear, however, what if any new privacy rules may come into effect before the 2020 election. Any regulations similar to those imposed in Europe could in theory limit campaigns' ability to target ads without consent from users.

"I would be surprised if (tough ad targeting regulations) happen with this administration," said Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University professor specializing in political communication.

Amazeen said campaigns this year were able to use finely targeted ads, including many "attack ads," whose source was not clearly identified -- in some cases seeking to get press attention from "sensational" or inaccurate claims.

"There are certain loopholes where people can run ads and there's no real confirmation of whether that individual or group is who they say they are," Amazeen said.

She added that Facebook's decision to keep these ads without better disclosure "suggests they are not really concerned about protecting the integrity of the election."

Facebook's political ad report showed $353 million spend by campaigns on its platform since May, with unsuccessful Texas Democratic Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke the largest spender with $7.1 million, followed by Donald Trump's campaign committee with $3.4 million.

Embracing digital

While many candidates embraced digital, some strategists say other office seekers failed to take advantage of cost-effective online ads.

Broadcast TV still made up nearly 40 per cent of all campaign spending and cable TV for 12 per cent.

Amazeen said television remains a key medium because of a large body of research showing its effectiveness, and because older voters are less reachable on online platforms.

According to Cassino, Democrats outspent Republicans three-to-one on digital, but some analysts say much of that was in fundraising and not to help get the vote out.

Mark Jablonowski, managing partner at DS Political, a digital targeting consultancy for Democrats and progressive candidates, said Republicans were well-organized early in the campaign on digital, forcing Democrats to catch up with a late online surge.

"We did not see the growth in digital ad spending we were expecting" from Democrats, Jablonowksi said.&nbsp;

Even with candidates like O'Rourke, he said, "almost all of that (digital) spending was to raise more money, not for persuasion."

Jablonowski said it will be increasingly important in 2020 to direct more ad dollars to digital to reach younger voters.

"You want to be where the eyeballs are, and more people are cancelling their cable television subscriptions, don't have landline telephones," he said.

"There's a whole universe of people not reachable by television."

Some analysts say even old technology, like text messaging, were effective tools in 2018.

Roddy Lindsay, co-founder and chief of the smartphone organizing group Hustle, said activists for Democrats and progressives sent out more than 200 million text messages, calling it an important element in driving turnout.

Although text messages have been used for decades, organizers were able to use targeted campaigns to deliver "peer to peer" messages to young voters who might not be reached by traditional media.

"This was one of the breakout tools of the 2018 election cycle," Lindsay said.

"We know the youth voter turnout made the difference."

Even as online platforms tightened rules for political ads, digital spending set new records in the 2018 US midterm elections and appears poised for further growth in 2020.

Even as online platforms tightened rules for political ads, digital spending set new records in the 2018 US midterm elections and appears poised for further growth in 2020. Digital media campaign spending rose 2,400 per cent from the 2014 midterms to $1.8 billion, roughly 20 per cent of the total $8.9 billion in ad spending, according to preliminary estimates from the research firm Borrell Associates. Online spending, much of it on social networks like Facebook, has been a significant factor in campaigns for a decade, but tighter rules imposed by digital giants in the wake of the 2016 election could have curbed some of that growth. Kip Cassino, lead author of the Borrell study, said the online sector kept up a strong growth pace despite new guidelines from Facebook, Twitter and others requiring verification of advertisers to address concerns about foreign influence campaigns. Digital has some unique advantages over traditional media like television, notably the ability to send out messages quickly and targeted to specific groups of voters. "They can take advantage of an opportunity very quickly, within seconds," Borrell said. "You can't do that with legacy media." Additionally, campaigns can finely target voters by geography, age, affiliation and interests, based on data gleaned by online firms. "You can focus your messages to those people who are going to vote for your or those you want to vote for you," Cassino said. "You don't want to waste your money on those who don't want to listen to you." Privacy changes ahead? It remains unclear, however, what if any new privacy rules may come into effect before the 2020 election. Any regulations similar to those imposed in Europe could in theory limit campaigns' ability to target ads without consent from users. "I would be surprised if (tough ad targeting regulations) happen with this administration," said Michelle Amazeen, a Boston University professor specializing in political communication. Amazeen said campaigns this year were able to use finely targeted ads, including many "attack ads," whose source was not clearly identified -- in some cases seeking to get press attention from "sensational" or inaccurate claims. "There are certain loopholes where people can run ads and there's no real confirmation of whether that individual or group is who they say they are," Amazeen said. She added that Facebook's decision to keep these ads without better disclosure "suggests they are not really concerned about protecting the integrity of the election." Facebook's political ad report showed $353 million spend by campaigns on its platform since May, with unsuccessful Texas Democratic Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke the largest spender with $7.1 million, followed by Donald Trump's campaign committee with $3.4 million. Embracing digital While many candidates embraced digital, some strategists say other office seekers failed to take advantage of cost-effective online ads. Broadcast TV still made up nearly 40 per cent of all campaign spending and cable TV for 12 per cent. Amazeen said television remains a key medium because of a large body of research showing its effectiveness, and because older voters are less reachable on online platforms. According to Cassino, Democrats outspent Republicans three-to-one on digital, but some analysts say much of that was in fundraising and not to help get the vote out. Mark Jablonowski, managing partner at DS Political, a digital targeting consultancy for Democrats and progressive candidates, said Republicans were well-organized early in the campaign on digital, forcing Democrats to catch up with a late online surge. "We did not see the growth in digital ad spending we were expecting" from Democrats, Jablonowksi said. Even with candidates like O'Rourke, he said, "almost all of that (digital) spending was to raise more money, not for persuasion." Jablonowski said it will be increasingly important in 2020 to direct more ad dollars to digital to reach younger voters. "You want to be where the eyeballs are, and more people are cancelling their cable television subscriptions, don't have landline telephones," he said. "There's a whole universe of people not reachable by television." Some analysts say even old technology, like text messaging, were effective tools in 2018. Roddy Lindsay, co-founder and chief of the smartphone organizing group Hustle, said activists for Democrats and progressives sent out more than 200 million text messages, calling it an important element in driving turnout. Although text messages have been used for decades, organizers were able to use targeted campaigns to deliver "peer to peer" messages to young voters who might not be reached by traditional media. "This was one of the breakout tools of the 2018 election cycle," Lindsay said. "We know the youth voter turnout made the difference."

Despite restrictions, digital spending hits record in US midterms

A French NGO said Friday it was pursuing a class action suit against Facebook, saying the social network was violating users' privacy despite the enactment of strict new EU rules this year.

Internet Society France, part of the Internet Society global advocacy group, said it had sent Facebook a formal notice listing seven areas where it had allegedly failed to respect personal data.

It said several hundred people had joined its campaign, part of the "eBastille" initiative, and it hopes to get 100 million of Facebook's 278 million users in France to back the lawsuit.

"This action aims to show that individuals are neither alone nor powerless to have their rights respected," said Odile Ambry, the group's honorary president.

"We hope this will create a European dynamic," she said.

Facebook's alleged faults include gathering data on users' sexuality, religious beliefs and political views, and not allowing people to partially block data gathering.

The group also claims Facebook uses cookies to trace internet activity of people who simply consult its website without being members.

The social media giant has four months to respond to the notice under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation or (GDPR) which came into effect last May. Failing to respond could trigger the class action suit.

The new rules give internet users more control over their personal data, and requires companies to be more explicit in how such data is used.

Internet Society France estimates that if the social media giant is found to have breached privacy laws, it should have to pay damages to each user.

Its campaign comes ahead of Unesco's annual internet governance forum which opens in Paris on Monday, in which the NGO is participating.

Facebook executives will also be in Paris next week as part of Paris Digital Week alongside the Paris Peace Forum being hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.

A French NGO said Friday it was pursuing a class action suit against Facebook, saying the social network was violating users' privacy despite the enactment of strict new EU rules this year.

A French NGO said Friday it was pursuing a class action suit against Facebook, saying the social network was violating users' privacy despite the enactment of strict new EU rules this year. Internet Society France, part of the Internet Society global advocacy group, said it had sent Facebook a formal notice listing seven areas where it had allegedly failed to respect personal data. It said several hundred people had joined its campaign, part of the "eBastille" initiative, and it hopes to get 100 million of Facebook's 278 million users in France to back the lawsuit. "This action aims to show that individuals are neither alone nor powerless to have their rights respected," said Odile Ambry, the group's honorary president. "We hope this will create a European dynamic," she said. Facebook's alleged faults include gathering data on users' sexuality, religious beliefs and political views, and not allowing people to partially block data gathering. The group also claims Facebook uses cookies to trace internet activity of people who simply consult its website without being members. The social media giant has four months to respond to the notice under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation or (GDPR) which came into effect last May. Failing to respond could trigger the class action suit. The new rules give internet users more control over their personal data, and requires companies to be more explicit in how such data is used. Internet Society France estimates that if the social media giant is found to have breached privacy laws, it should have to pay damages to each user. Its campaign comes ahead of Unesco's annual internet governance forum which opens in Paris on Monday, in which the NGO is participating. Facebook executives will also be in Paris next week as part of Paris Digital Week alongside the Paris Peace Forum being hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.

French NGO threatens Facebook with privacy lawsuit

Public databases that shine a light on online political ads - launched by Facebook and Google before Tuesday's US&nbsp;elections - offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules.

The databases also provided campaigns unprecedented insight into opponents' online marketing, enabling them to capitalize on weaknesses, political strategists told Reuters.

Facebook Inc and Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, introduced the databases this year to give details on some political ads bought on their services, a response to US&nbsp;prosecutors' allegations that Russian agents who deceptively interfered in the 2016 election purchased ads from the companies.

Russia denies the charges. American security experts said the Russians changed tactics this year.

Reuters found that 436 ads - 375 on Facebook and 61 on Google - from May through October related to 34 US House of Representatives contests declared competitive last month by RealClearPolitics, which tracks political opinion polls.

Of the 258 removed ads with start and end dates, ads remained on Google an average of eight days and Facebook 15 days, according to data Reuters collected from the databases.

Based on ranges in the databases, the 436 ads were displayed up to 20.5 million times and cost up to US $582,000, amounting to a fraction of the millions of dollars spent online in those races.

Asked for comment, Google said it is committed to bringing greater transparency to political ads. Facebook said the database is a way the company is held accountable, "even if it means our mistakes are on display."

In some cases, the companies' automated scans did not identify banned material such as hateful speech or images of poor quality before ads went live.

Ads that are OK when scanned may also become noncompliant if they link to a website that later breaks down.

Google's database covers US $54 million in spending by US&nbsp;campaigns since May and Facebook US $354 million, according to their databases.

Facebook's figure is larger partly because its database includes ads not only from federal races but also for state contests, national issues and get-out-the-vote efforts.

The databases generally do not say why a particular ad was removed, and only Facebook shows copies of yanked ads.

The American Conservative Union political organization, which had 136 ads removed through Sunday on Facebook, said some commercials contained a brief shot of comedian Kathy Griffin holding a decapitated head meant to portray US&nbsp;President Donald Trump.

Removing the bloody image resolved the violation for sensational content, and the organization said it had no qualms about Facebook's screening.

Some removals were errors. The Environmental Defense Action Fund said Facebook's automated review wrongly misclassified one of its ads as promoting tobacco.

Ryan Morgan, whose political consulting firm Veracity Media arranged attack ads for a US&nbsp;House race in Iowa, said Google barred those mentioning "white supremacy" until his team could explain the ads advocated against the racist belief.

Five campaign strategists told Reuters they adjusted advertising tactics in recent weeks based on what the databases revealed about opponents' spending on ads and which genders, age groups and states saw the messages.

Ohio digital consultant Kevin Bingle said his team reviewed opponents on Facebook's database daily to take advantage of gaps in their strategy.

Morgan said his team tripled its online ad budget to US $600,000 for a San Francisco affordable housing tax after Facebook's database showed the other side's ads were reaching non-Californians.

That political intelligence "let us know that digital was a place we could run up the score," he said.

Public databases that shine a light on online political ads - launched by Facebook and Google before Tuesday's US elections - offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules.

Public databases that shine a light on online political ads - launched by Facebook and Google before Tuesday's US elections - offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules. The databases also provided campaigns unprecedented insight into opponents' online marketing, enabling them to capitalize on weaknesses, political strategists told Reuters. Facebook Inc and Google, owned by Alphabet Inc, introduced the databases this year to give details on some political ads bought on their services, a response to US prosecutors' allegations that Russian agents who deceptively interfered in the 2016 election purchased ads from the companies. Russia denies the charges. American security experts said the Russians changed tactics this year. Reuters found that 436 ads - 375 on Facebook and 61 on Google - from May through October related to 34 US House of Representatives contests declared competitive last month by RealClearPolitics, which tracks political opinion polls. Of the 258 removed ads with start and end dates, ads remained on Google an average of eight days and Facebook 15 days, according to data Reuters collected from the databases. Based on ranges in the databases, the 436 ads were displayed up to 20.5 million times and cost up to US $582,000, amounting to a fraction of the millions of dollars spent online in those races. Asked for comment, Google said it is committed to bringing greater transparency to political ads. Facebook said the database is a way the company is held accountable, "even if it means our mistakes are on display." In some cases, the companies' automated scans did not identify banned material such as hateful speech or images of poor quality before ads went live. Ads that are OK when scanned may also become noncompliant if they link to a website that later breaks down. Google's database covers US $54 million in spending by US campaigns since May and Facebook US $354 million, according to their databases. Facebook's figure is larger partly because its database includes ads not only from federal races but also for state contests, national issues and get-out-the-vote efforts. The databases generally do not say why a particular ad was removed, and only Facebook shows copies of yanked ads. The American Conservative Union political organization, which had 136 ads removed through Sunday on Facebook, said some commercials contained a brief shot of comedian Kathy Griffin holding a decapitated head meant to portray US President Donald Trump. Removing the bloody image resolved the violation for sensational content, and the organization said it had no qualms about Facebook's screening. Some removals were errors. The Environmental Defense Action Fund said Facebook's automated review wrongly misclassified one of its ads as promoting tobacco. Ryan Morgan, whose political consulting firm Veracity Media arranged attack ads for a US House race in Iowa, said Google barred those mentioning "white supremacy" until his team could explain the ads advocated against the racist belief. Five campaign strategists told Reuters they adjusted advertising tactics in recent weeks based on what the databases revealed about opponents' spending on ads and which genders, age groups and states saw the messages. Ohio digital consultant Kevin Bingle said his team reviewed opponents on Facebook's database daily to take advantage of gaps in their strategy. Morgan said his team tripled its online ad budget to US $600,000 for a San Francisco affordable housing tax after Facebook's database showed the other side's ads were reaching non-Californians. That political intelligence "let us know that digital was a place we could run up the score," he said.

Facebook, Google tools reveal political ad removal data used before US midterm elections

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

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

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

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

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence.

The report by San Francisco-based nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) recommended that Facebook more strictly enforce its content policies, increase engagement with both Myanmar officials and civil society groups and regularly release additional data about its progress in the country.

"The report concludes that, prior to this year, we weren't doing enough to help prevent our platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. We agree that we can and should do more," Alex Warofka, a Facebook product policy manager, said in a blog post.

BSR also warned that Facebook must be prepared to handle a likely onslaught of misinformation during Myanmar's 2020 elections, and new problems as use of its WhatsApp grows in Myanmar, according to the report, which Facebook released.

A Reuters special report https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-facebook-hate in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fueling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya.

In August 2017 the military led a crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 700,000 Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies.

The social media website in August removed several Myanmar military officials from the platform to prevent the spread of "hate and misinformation," for the first time banning a country's military or political leaders.

It also removed dozens of accounts for engaging in a campaign that "used seemingly independent news and opinion pages to covertly push the messages of the Myanmar military."

The move came hours after United Nations investigators said the army carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with “genocidal intent.”

Facebook said it has begun correcting shortcomings.

Facebook said that it now has 99 Myanmar language specialists reviewing potentially questionable content. In addition, it has expanded use of automated tools to reduce distribution of violent and dehumanizing posts while they undergo review.

In the third quarter, the company said it "took action" on about 64,000 pieces of content that violated its hate speech policies. About 63 percent were identified by automated software, up from 52 percent in the prior quarter.

Facebook has roughly 20 million users in Myanmar, according to BSR, which warned Facebook faces several unresolved challenges in Myanmar.

BSR said locating staff there, for example, could aid in Facebook's understanding of how its services are used locally but said its workers could be targeted by the country's military, which has been accused by the U.N. of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence.

Facebook Inc on Monday said a human rights report it commissioned on its presence in Myanmar showed it had not done enough to prevent its social network from being used to incite violence. The report by San Francisco-based nonprofit Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) recommended that Facebook more strictly enforce its content policies, increase engagement with both Myanmar officials and civil society groups and regularly release additional data about its progress in the country. "The report concludes that, prior to this year, we weren't doing enough to help prevent our platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence. We agree that we can and should do more," Alex Warofka, a Facebook product policy manager, said in a blog post. BSR also warned that Facebook must be prepared to handle a likely onslaught of misinformation during Myanmar's 2020 elections, and new problems as use of its WhatsApp grows in Myanmar, according to the report, which Facebook released. A Reuters special report https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-facebook-hate in August found that Facebook failed to promptly heed numerous warnings from organizations in Myanmar about social media posts fueling attacks on minority groups such as the Rohingya. In August 2017 the military led a crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents, pushing more than 700,000 Muslims to neighboring Bangladesh, according to U.N. agencies. The social media website in August removed several Myanmar military officials from the platform to prevent the spread of "hate and misinformation," for the first time banning a country's military or political leaders. It also removed dozens of accounts for engaging in a campaign that "used seemingly independent news and opinion pages to covertly push the messages of the Myanmar military." The move came hours after United Nations investigators said the army carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Muslim Rohingya with “genocidal intent.” Facebook said it has begun correcting shortcomings. Facebook said that it now has 99 Myanmar language specialists reviewing potentially questionable content. In addition, it has expanded use of automated tools to reduce distribution of violent and dehumanizing posts while they undergo review. In the third quarter, the company said it "took action" on about 64,000 pieces of content that violated its hate speech policies. About 63 percent were identified by automated software, up from 52 percent in the prior quarter. Facebook has roughly 20 million users in Myanmar, according to BSR, which warned Facebook faces several unresolved challenges in Myanmar. BSR said locating staff there, for example, could aid in Facebook's understanding of how its services are used locally but said its workers could be targeted by the country's military, which has been accused by the U.N. of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya.

Facebook says human rights report shows it should do more in Myanmar

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/for-trump-supporters-elections-a-battle-to-protect-a-leader-under-siege-175721">US midterms: For Trump supporters, elections a battle to protect leader under siege</a>

For many Americans, Tuesday's congressional midterm elections are a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump’s divisive persona, hard-line policies and pugnacious politics.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-blasphemy-lawyer-says-eu-un-made-him-leave-against-my-wishes-175720">Asia Bibi's lawyer says EU, UN made him leave Pakistan 'against my wishes'</a>

The Pakistani lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from death row said Monday that the UN and EU made him leave the country "against my wishes" because his life was at risk.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-go-slow-on-sanctions-on-irans-oil-keep-prices-down-trump-175735">Want to go slow on sanctions on Iran's oil, keep prices down: Trump</a>

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he wants to impose sanctions on Iran's oil gradually, citing concerns about shocking energy markets and causing global price spikes.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-us-channels-drop-trump-campaign-ad-deemed-to-be-racist-175725">Facebook, US networks drop Trump campaign </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-us-channels-drop-trump-campaign-ad-deemed-to-be-racist-175725">ad judged</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-us-channels-drop-trump-campaign-ad-deemed-to-be-racist-175725"> to be racist</a>

Fox News, NBC and Facebook have pulled a Trump campaign ad branded racist, which equates a convicted Mexican murderer with Central American migrants en route to the US border.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-to-build-first-nuclear-research-reactor-175718">Saudi Arabia to build </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-to-build-first-nuclear-research-reactor-175718">first</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-to-build-first-nuclear-research-reactor-175718"> nuclear reactor</a>

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday laid the foundation stone for the kingdom's first nuclear research reactor, state media said, as the kingdom seeks to diversify its energy mix.

US midterms: For Trump supporters, elections a battle to protect leader under siege For many Americans, Tuesday's congressional midterm elections are a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump’s divisive persona, hard-line policies and pugnacious politics.

US midterms: For Trump supporters, elections a battle to protect leader under siege For many Americans, Tuesday's congressional midterm elections are a referendum on Republican President Donald Trump’s divisive persona, hard-line policies and pugnacious politics. Asia Bibi's lawyer says EU, UN made him leave Pakistan 'against my wishes' The Pakistani lawyer who saved a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy from death row said Monday that the UN and EU made him leave the country "against my wishes" because his life was at risk. Want to go slow on sanctions on Iran's oil, keep prices down: Trump US President Donald Trump on Monday said he wants to impose sanctions on Iran's oil gradually, citing concerns about shocking energy markets and causing global price spikes. Facebook, US networks drop Trump campaign ad judged to be racist Fox News, NBC and Facebook have pulled a Trump campaign ad branded racist, which equates a convicted Mexican murderer with Central American migrants en route to the US border. Saudi Arabia to build first nuclear reactor Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday laid the foundation stone for the kingdom's first nuclear research reactor, state media said, as the kingdom seeks to diversify its energy mix.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Fox News, NBC and Facebook have pulled a Trump campaign ad branded racist, which equates a convicted Mexican murderer with Central American migrants en route to the US border.

NBC pulled the ad after coming under fire for showing the commercial during the widely watched "Sunday Night Football" program ahead of Tuesday's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/for-trump-supporters-elections-a-battle-to-protect-a-leader-under-siege-175721">midterm elections</a>, which are seen as a referendum on Trump, who vows to curtail immigration.

"After further review we recognize the insensitive nature of the ad and have decided to cease airing it across our properties as soon as possible," NBC Universal said in a statement.

Fox News, the US president's favorite television network and often considered favorable to his administration, confirmed to AFP that it had removed the ad and that it would no longer appear on either its news or Fox Business channels.

Facebook said the ad "violates" the social network's advertising policy against sensational content. "We have rejected it. While the video is allowed to be posted on Facebook, it cannot receive paid distribution," it said.

The Trump campaign released the ad last week. Questioned about it on Monday, the US president pleaded ignorance. "I don't know about it," he said. "A lot of things are offensive. Your questions are offensive."

The ad opens with footage of a grinning Luis Bracamontes, a Mexican criminal sentenced to death for killing two police officers in California in 2014, vowing to kill "more cops" in the future.

The straplines "Democrats let him into our country" and "Democrats let him stay" appear on screen, followed by images of migrants currently traveling through Mexico en route to the US border.

"Who else would Democrats let in?" asks the ad.

The Sacramento Bee newspaper in California reported, however, that records show that Bracamontes was deported before sneaking back into the country -- under Republican president George W. Bush.

CNN refused to broadcast the ad from the beginning. "I guess they only run fake news and won't talk about real threats that don't suit their agenda," tweeted the president's eldest son, urging his followers to vote Republican.

Fox News, NBC and Facebook have pulled a Trump campaign ad branded racist, which equates a convicted Mexican murderer with Central American migrants en route to the US border.

Fox News, NBC and Facebook have pulled a Trump campaign ad branded racist, which equates a convicted Mexican murderer with Central American migrants en route to the US border. NBC pulled the ad after coming under fire for showing the commercial during the widely watched "Sunday Night Football" program ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, which are seen as a referendum on Trump, who vows to curtail immigration. "After further review we recognize the insensitive nature of the ad and have decided to cease airing it across our properties as soon as possible," NBC Universal said in a statement. Fox News, the US president's favorite television network and often considered favorable to his administration, confirmed to AFP that it had removed the ad and that it would no longer appear on either its news or Fox Business channels. Facebook said the ad "violates" the social network's advertising policy against sensational content. "We have rejected it. While the video is allowed to be posted on Facebook, it cannot receive paid distribution," it said. The Trump campaign released the ad last week. Questioned about it on Monday, the US president pleaded ignorance. "I don't know about it," he said. "A lot of things are offensive. Your questions are offensive." The ad opens with footage of a grinning Luis Bracamontes, a Mexican criminal sentenced to death for killing two police officers in California in 2014, vowing to kill "more cops" in the future. The straplines "Democrats let him into our country" and "Democrats let him stay" appear on screen, followed by images of migrants currently traveling through Mexico en route to the US border. "Who else would Democrats let in?" asks the ad. The Sacramento Bee newspaper in California reported, however, that records show that Bracamontes was deported before sneaking back into the country -- under Republican president George W. Bush. CNN refused to broadcast the ad from the beginning. "I guess they only run fake news and won't talk about real threats that don't suit their agenda," tweeted the president's eldest son, urging his followers to vote Republican.

Facebook, US networks drop Trump campaign ad judged to be racist

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported.&nbsp;

Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday.

Nearly 120 million Facebook accounts have been hacked and they published messages from 81,000 accounts for generating money.

The breach was first discovered in September and the messages were reportedly obtained through unnamed rogue browser extensions.

Facebook, however, commented that its systems were not breached as part of the hack.

"We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores," Guy Rose, Vice President of Product Management at Facebook, was quoted as saying.

"We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts."

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe, has opened a formal investigation into this data breach that could result in a fine of $1.63 billion.

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported. Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday.

Several users' details have been compromised after hackers gained access to their private messages, the BBC reported. Most of the users are based in Ukraine and Russia but some were also from the UK, US, Brazil and elsewhere, the report said on Friday. Nearly 120 million Facebook accounts have been hacked and they published messages from 81,000 accounts for generating money. The breach was first discovered in September and the messages were reportedly obtained through unnamed rogue browser extensions. Facebook, however, commented that its systems were not breached as part of the hack. "We have contacted browser-makers to ensure that known malicious extensions are no longer available to download in their stores," Guy Rose, Vice President of Product Management at Facebook, was quoted as saying. "We have also contacted law enforcement and have worked with local authorities to remove the website that displayed information from Facebook accounts." Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe, has opened a formal investigation into this data breach that could result in a fine of $1.63 billion.

Hackers gain access to 120 miilion Facebook users' private messages: Report

The Nasdaq slumped more than three per cent Wednesday afternoon as Wall Street headed for another dreary day of losses on worries about weakening US earnings growth.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index was down 3.6 per cent to 7,173.85, near 1935 GMT, on track to close lower for the seventh time in the last 10 sessions. The index is down more than 10 per cent this month.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9 per cent to 24,725.47, while the broad-based S&amp;P 500 fell 2.4 per cent to 2,674.61.

The losses followed a mixed day of corporate earnings that analysts fear signal the economy is exiting the "peak" earnings environment helped by US tax cuts were enacted late last year.

Investors have also been unnerved by comments from industrial companies saying trade conflicts have raised material costs.

"Costs are increasing and it's often tariff-related. We also reached a potential peak for earnings," said Nate Thooft, senior managing director at Manulife Mutual Funds.

"Companies that show marginal weakness take a beating."

Technology shares were especially hard hit Wednesday, with Amazon losing 4.1 per cent, Facebook 4.9 per cent, Google-parent Alphabet 4.1 per cent and Netflix 8.7 per cent.

A rare bright spot was Boeing, which advanced 1.7 per cent after raising its full-year profit forecast.

But other large industrial companies in the Dow fell, including Caterpillar and 3M which dropped 5.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively. The two companies also fell sharply on Tuesday following disappointing results.

The Nasdaq slumped more than three per cent Wednesday afternoon as Wall Street headed for another dreary day of losses on worries about weakening US earnings growth.

The Nasdaq slumped more than three per cent Wednesday afternoon as Wall Street headed for another dreary day of losses on worries about weakening US earnings growth. The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index was down 3.6 per cent to 7,173.85, near 1935 GMT, on track to close lower for the seventh time in the last 10 sessions. The index is down more than 10 per cent this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.9 per cent to 24,725.47, while the broad-based S&P 500 fell 2.4 per cent to 2,674.61. The losses followed a mixed day of corporate earnings that analysts fear signal the economy is exiting the "peak" earnings environment helped by US tax cuts were enacted late last year. Investors have also been unnerved by comments from industrial companies saying trade conflicts have raised material costs. "Costs are increasing and it's often tariff-related. We also reached a potential peak for earnings," said Nate Thooft, senior managing director at Manulife Mutual Funds. "Companies that show marginal weakness take a beating." Technology shares were especially hard hit Wednesday, with Amazon losing 4.1 per cent, Facebook 4.9 per cent, Google-parent Alphabet 4.1 per cent and Netflix 8.7 per cent. A rare bright spot was Boeing, which advanced 1.7 per cent after raising its full-year profit forecast. But other large industrial companies in the Dow fell, including Caterpillar and 3M which dropped 5.4 per cent and 3.5 per cent, respectively. The two companies also fell sharply on Tuesday following disappointing results.

Nasdaq sinks 3.6% as US stocks losses deepen

Britain's information regulator on Thursday upheld a small but symbolic 500,000 pound ($645,000) fine for Facebook for breaches of data protection law related to the harvesting of data by consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Confirming its initial decision on the fine in July, the Information Commissioner's Office said data from at least one million British users had been among that harvested by Cambridge and used for political purposes.

Britain's information regulator on Thursday upheld a small but symbolic 500,000 pound ($645,000) fine for Facebook for breaches of data protection law related to the harvesting of data by consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Britain's information regulator on Thursday upheld a small but symbolic 500,000 pound ($645,000) fine for Facebook for breaches of data protection law related to the harvesting of data by consultancy Cambridge Analytica. Confirming its initial decision on the fine in July, the Information Commissioner's Office said data from at least one million British users had been among that harvested by Cambridge and used for political purposes.

UK regulator fines Facebook £500,000 in Cambridge Analytica scandal

Facebook Inc's new searchable database of US political ads reveals that companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp, Ben &amp; Jerry's and Penzeys Spices are cumulatively spending millions of dollars to encourage voting and influence how Americans vote.

Little data is typically published on specific companies' online ad spending, but Facebook's increased transparency about political activity on its service has opened a trove of details ahead of elections on November 6. The social media network showed that $256.4 million was spent on political ads since May.

Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have introduced similar databases. But compared to Facebook, Google covers a narrower set of advertisers and Twitter's tool is more difficult to use.

The database unveiled by Facebook on Tuesday, called the "Ad Archive Report," will provide weekly updates on how much advertisers are spending on Facebook ads that specifically, encourage voting or mention political races or issues of national importance.

That policy pulls in ads from official campaigns as well as paid posts containing a political dimension from boutique apparel makers, talk-show hosts and global firms.

Oil giant ExxonMobil has spent more than $2.1 million on Facebook ads since May, more than any corporation beside online petition service Care2.com Inc. ExxonMobil has promoted a campaign supporting offshore drilling and urged a "no" vote on a Colorado ballot measure that would limit fracking.

The company did not immediately respond to a request to comment.

Ben &amp; Jerry's, a part of Unilever Plc, has spent more than $401,000 since May on various ads, including one supporting a Florida ballot measure that would let felons vote.

Jay Tandan, the ice cream maker's US digital marketing manager, said the company welcomed the transparency.

"We’ve long stood up for our company values and used our tools as a business – including monetary expenditure and our social media presence – to support driving the change we hope to see in the world," Tandan said in an email.

Penzeys, a nationwide retailer of spices based in Wisconsin, has put $773,000 into ads calling on people to vote despite any political frustration they may have following the contentious Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

"Make your plan to vote, but please give thought to encouraging others to vote, too," one ad seen by at least hundreds of thousands Facebook accounts said. "Help them put together the ingredients they need for a healthy and satisfying voting experience."

Smaller firms are aiming to capitalize on the election too. California-based Concealed Online, which sells firearms training for concealed carry permits, has spent $1.76 million encouraging people in Texas, Florida and other states to apply before a possible shift in power brings gun restrictions.

To be sure, Facebook's transparency has limits. It privately requires government-issued identification from political ad buyers but allows them pseudoanonymity in public disclosures through vague names such as Be Registered LLC.

The tech companies' political spending databases arrived after the threat of regulation over the lack of disclosure on such spending.

Facebook also has faced a barrage of criticism from users and lawmakers after it said last year that Russian agents used its platform to spread misinformation before and after the 2016 US presidential election, an accusation Moscow denies.

Facebook Inc's new searchable database of US political ads reveals that companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp, Ben & Jerry's and Penzeys Spices are cumulatively spending millions of dollars to encourage voting and influence how Americans vote.

Facebook Inc's new searchable database of US political ads reveals that companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp, Ben & Jerry's and Penzeys Spices are cumulatively spending millions of dollars to encourage voting and influence how Americans vote. Little data is typically published on specific companies' online ad spending, but Facebook's increased transparency about political activity on its service has opened a trove of details ahead of elections on November 6. The social media network showed that $256.4 million was spent on political ads since May. Alphabet Inc's Google and Twitter Inc have introduced similar databases. But compared to Facebook, Google covers a narrower set of advertisers and Twitter's tool is more difficult to use. The database unveiled by Facebook on Tuesday, called the "Ad Archive Report," will provide weekly updates on how much advertisers are spending on Facebook ads that specifically, encourage voting or mention political races or issues of national importance. That policy pulls in ads from official campaigns as well as paid posts containing a political dimension from boutique apparel makers, talk-show hosts and global firms. Oil giant ExxonMobil has spent more than $2.1 million on Facebook ads since May, more than any corporation beside online petition service Care2.com Inc. ExxonMobil has promoted a campaign supporting offshore drilling and urged a "no" vote on a Colorado ballot measure that would limit fracking. The company did not immediately respond to a request to comment. Ben & Jerry's, a part of Unilever Plc, has spent more than $401,000 since May on various ads, including one supporting a Florida ballot measure that would let felons vote. Jay Tandan, the ice cream maker's US digital marketing manager, said the company welcomed the transparency. "We’ve long stood up for our company values and used our tools as a business – including monetary expenditure and our social media presence – to support driving the change we hope to see in the world," Tandan said in an email. Penzeys, a nationwide retailer of spices based in Wisconsin, has put $773,000 into ads calling on people to vote despite any political frustration they may have following the contentious Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. "Make your plan to vote, but please give thought to encouraging others to vote, too," one ad seen by at least hundreds of thousands Facebook accounts said. "Help them put together the ingredients they need for a healthy and satisfying voting experience." Smaller firms are aiming to capitalize on the election too. California-based Concealed Online, which sells firearms training for concealed carry permits, has spent $1.76 million encouraging people in Texas, Florida and other states to apply before a possible shift in power brings gun restrictions. To be sure, Facebook's transparency has limits. It privately requires government-issued identification from political ad buyers but allows them pseudoanonymity in public disclosures through vague names such as Be Registered LLC. The tech companies' political spending databases arrived after the threat of regulation over the lack of disclosure on such spending. Facebook also has faced a barrage of criticism from users and lawmakers after it said last year that Russian agents used its platform to spread misinformation before and after the 2016 US presidential election, an accusation Moscow denies.

Exxon, Ben & Jerry's among buyers of $256 million in political ads on Facebook

Japan's government on Monday told US technology firm Facebook Inc to better protect its users' personal data following lapses this year affecting tens of millions of people globally.

The government asked the world's largest social media network to fully communicate security issues to users, increase surveillance of providers of applications on its platform, and inform regulators of any change in security measures.

The request comes after Facebook this month said attackers stole data from 29 million user accounts. That followed the April revelation that personal data of nearly 87 million users was improperly accessed by British firm Cambridge Analytica.

Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission, which investigated the Cambridge Analytica incident with authorities in Britain and elsewhere, issued a statement on Monday detailing its request to Facebook. The request carries no administrative orders or penalties and is not legally binding.

Facebook has promised to detail on its Japanese-language website how it will address the request, the Commission said.

It also said the Cambridge Analytica incident potentially affected up to 100,000 users in Japan, and that the cyber attack may also have had an impact on users in Japan.

Representatives of Facebook did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Japan's government on Monday told US technology firm Facebook Inc to better protect its users' personal data following lapses this year affecting tens of millions of people globally.

Japan's government on Monday told US technology firm Facebook Inc to better protect its users' personal data following lapses this year affecting tens of millions of people globally. The government asked the world's largest social media network to fully communicate security issues to users, increase surveillance of providers of applications on its platform, and inform regulators of any change in security measures. The request comes after Facebook this month said attackers stole data from 29 million user accounts. That followed the April revelation that personal data of nearly 87 million users was improperly accessed by British firm Cambridge Analytica. Japan's Personal Information Protection Commission, which investigated the Cambridge Analytica incident with authorities in Britain and elsewhere, issued a statement on Monday detailing its request to Facebook. The request carries no administrative orders or penalties and is not legally binding. Facebook has promised to detail on its Japanese-language website how it will address the request, the Commission said. It also said the Cambridge Analytica incident potentially affected up to 100,000 users in Japan, and that the cyber attack may also have had an impact on users in Japan. Representatives of Facebook did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Protect users' personal data: Japan government to Facebook

Mai Khoi, a dissident musician dubbed Vietnam's Lady Gaga, has appealed to Facebook's directors to safeguard freedom of expression as the government looks to bolster its control of the web.

With 53 million users, Facebook is extremely popular in Vietnam -- where the internet has become a battleground for activists like Khoi.

A controversial cybersecurity bill, due to come into effect in January, will require internet companies to remove "toxic" content and hand over user data if asked by the communist government to do so.&nbsp;

It also requires firms to host servers in-country, which has sparked fears of further government meddling.

"Protecting freedom of expression should be an official policy of Facebook, but sadly, it's not," Khoi told AFP during an interview at the city's airport.&nbsp;

"Facebook is the only space in Vietnam where we can talk freely, express our mind freely and we can access uncensored information, and sometimes organize the peaceful protests. That's why the government is scared. So now they try to control Facebook," she said.

"The crackdown is very heavy."

Banned from selling her CDs and organising concerts, Khoi performs secret gigs away from the watchful eyes of police -- and is now afraid of becoming an online target.

Facebook and Google have so far declined to comment on Vietnam's impending cybersecurity law, though rights groups have slammed the bill.

Khoi said during Friday's meeting with Facebook, she urged the company to prevent government supporters abusing the network's community standards to silence dissidents.

"Facebook said they already worked on this. But in reality, in Vietnam, many independent journalists and activists have their accounts locked and the post deleted every day," she added.

Placed under informal house arrest in late 2017 after she brandished an anti-Donald Trump sign when the US president visited last year, Khoi was also banned from running in parliamentary elections a year earlier.

"I think Facebook should do the right thing to show what they do is protecting freedom of expression," Khoi said.

Mai Khoi, a dissident musician dubbed Vietnam's Lady Gaga, has appealed to Facebook's directors to safeguard freedom of expression as the government looks to bolster its control of the web.

Mai Khoi, a dissident musician dubbed Vietnam's Lady Gaga, has appealed to Facebook's directors to safeguard freedom of expression as the government looks to bolster its control of the web. With 53 million users, Facebook is extremely popular in Vietnam -- where the internet has become a battleground for activists like Khoi. A controversial cybersecurity bill, due to come into effect in January, will require internet companies to remove "toxic" content and hand over user data if asked by the communist government to do so. It also requires firms to host servers in-country, which has sparked fears of further government meddling. "Protecting freedom of expression should be an official policy of Facebook, but sadly, it's not," Khoi told AFP during an interview at the city's airport. "Facebook is the only space in Vietnam where we can talk freely, express our mind freely and we can access uncensored information, and sometimes organize the peaceful protests. That's why the government is scared. So now they try to control Facebook," she said. "The crackdown is very heavy." Banned from selling her CDs and organising concerts, Khoi performs secret gigs away from the watchful eyes of police -- and is now afraid of becoming an online target. Facebook and Google have so far declined to comment on Vietnam's impending cybersecurity law, though rights groups have slammed the bill. Khoi said during Friday's meeting with Facebook, she urged the company to prevent government supporters abusing the network's community standards to silence dissidents. "Facebook said they already worked on this. But in reality, in Vietnam, many independent journalists and activists have their accounts locked and the post deleted every day," she added. Placed under informal house arrest in late 2017 after she brandished an anti-Donald Trump sign when the US president visited last year, Khoi was also banned from running in parliamentary elections a year earlier. "I think Facebook should do the right thing to show what they do is protecting freedom of expression," Khoi said.

Vietnam dissident Khoi urges Facebook to protect freedom of expression

Facebook, on Thursday, removed a video posted on Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan’s account in which he was seen comparing Jews to termites, reports said.&nbsp;

The social media hub removed the video due to a violation of Terms of Service but it was still posted on Twitter and has received over 2 million views.&nbsp;

Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, tweeted a video of himself giving a speech on Sunday in Detroit to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Million Man March.

Farrakhan had posted the video to his 960,000 followers on Facebook with the following caption: “To members of the Jewish Community that don’t like me. Thank you very much for putting my name all over the planet. Because of your fear of what we represent, I can go anywhere in the world and they’ve heard of Farrakhan. Thank you very much.&nbsp;

In the video, Farrakhan claims that he is not an anti-Semite, as some critics contend. Rather, he says that he is “anti-termite.”

“So when they talk about Farrakhan, call me a hater, call me anti-Semite. Stop it. I’m anti-Termite. I don’t know nothing about hating somebody because of their religious preference,” Farrakhan claimed in the video.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
I'm not an anti-Semite. I’m anti-Termite. <a href="https://t.co/L5dPQcnVg4">pic.twitter.com/L5dPQcnVg4</a>
— MINISTER FARRAKHAN (@LouisFarrakhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouisFarrakhan/status/1052304476923719680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Farrakhan’s Facebook account received a “strike” and has not been suspended.

Facebook, on Thursday, removed a video posted on Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan’s account in which he was seen comparing Jews to termites, reports said.

Facebook, on Thursday, removed a video posted on Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan’s account in which he was seen comparing Jews to termites, reports said. The social media hub removed the video due to a violation of Terms of Service but it was still posted on Twitter and has received over 2 million views. Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, tweeted a video of himself giving a speech on Sunday in Detroit to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Million Man March. Farrakhan had posted the video to his 960,000 followers on Facebook with the following caption: “To members of the Jewish Community that don’t like me. Thank you very much for putting my name all over the planet. Because of your fear of what we represent, I can go anywhere in the world and they’ve heard of Farrakhan. Thank you very much. In the video, Farrakhan claims that he is not an anti-Semite, as some critics contend. Rather, he says that he is “anti-termite.” “So when they talk about Farrakhan, call me a hater, call me anti-Semite. Stop it. I’m anti-Termite. I don’t know nothing about hating somebody because of their religious preference,” Farrakhan claimed in the video. I'm not an anti-Semite. I’m anti-Termite. pic.twitter.com/L5dPQcnVg4 — MINISTER FARRAKHAN (@LouisFarrakhan) October 16, 2018 × Farrakhan’s Facebook account received a “strike” and has not been suspended.

Watch: Facebook removes video of Farrakhan comparing Jews to 'termites'

Facebook Inc has hired former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead its global affairs and communications team, as the social network deals with a number of scandals related to privacy, fake news and election meddling.

The appointment makes Clegg, former leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats and deputy to David Cameron between 2010 and 2015, the most senior European politician ever in a leadership role in Silicon Valley.

Facebook said Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg were closely involved in the hiring process, and started talking to Clegg over the summer.

"Our company is on a critical journey. The challenges we face are serious and clear and now more than ever we need new perspectives to help us though this time of change," Sandberg said on a Facebook post congratulating Clegg.

Clegg, 51, succeeds Elliot Schrage and will report to Sandberg beginning Monday.

Clegg was ousted as deputy prime minister after the Conservatives won a majority in 2015 in an election that saw his party suffer a significant loss of support. Clegg lost his own seat in Britain's parliament in a general election last year.

"Throughout my public life I have relished grappling with difficult and controversial issues and seeking to communicate them to others. I hope to use some of those skills in my new role," Clegg said in a Facebook post.

Schrage, who led the social network's response to its several scandals, stepped down from the role in June after a decade with the company. Schrage will stay as an adviser, Facebook said.

Facebook has faced a barrage of criticism from users and lawmakers after it said last year that Russian agents used its platform to spread disinformation before and after the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election, an accusation Moscow denies.

In March, the company faced new scrutiny over how it protects personal information after acknowledging that the data of up to 87 million people ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook Inc has hired former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead its global affairs and communications team, as the social network deals with a number of scandals related to privacy, fake news and election meddling.

Facebook Inc has hired former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead its global affairs and communications team, as the social network deals with a number of scandals related to privacy, fake news and election meddling. The appointment makes Clegg, former leader of Britain's Liberal Democrats and deputy to David Cameron between 2010 and 2015, the most senior European politician ever in a leadership role in Silicon Valley. Facebook said Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg were closely involved in the hiring process, and started talking to Clegg over the summer. "Our company is on a critical journey. The challenges we face are serious and clear and now more than ever we need new perspectives to help us though this time of change," Sandberg said on a Facebook post congratulating Clegg. Clegg, 51, succeeds Elliot Schrage and will report to Sandberg beginning Monday. Clegg was ousted as deputy prime minister after the Conservatives won a majority in 2015 in an election that saw his party suffer a significant loss of support. Clegg lost his own seat in Britain's parliament in a general election last year. "Throughout my public life I have relished grappling with difficult and controversial issues and seeking to communicate them to others. I hope to use some of those skills in my new role," Clegg said in a Facebook post. Schrage, who led the social network's response to its several scandals, stepped down from the role in June after a decade with the company. Schrage will stay as an adviser, Facebook said. Facebook has faced a barrage of criticism from users and lawmakers after it said last year that Russian agents used its platform to spread disinformation before and after the 2016 US presidential election, an accusation Moscow denies. In March, the company faced new scrutiny over how it protects personal information after acknowledging that the data of up to 87 million people ended up in the hands of political consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook hires former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg as head of global affairs

Several public funds that hold shares in Facebook Inc on Wednesday backed a proposal to remove Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg as chairman, saying the social media giant <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/as-facebook-ceo-you-dont-know-some-key-facts-us-lawmaker-to-mark-zuckerberg-129951">mishandled several high-profile scandals</a>.

State treasurers from Illinois, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, co-filed the proposal. They joined hedge fund Trillium Asset Management, which bought it to the table in June.

The proposal, set to be voted on at the company's annual shareholder meeting in May 2019, is asking Facebook's board to make the role of board chair an independent position.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"Facebook plays an outsized role in our society and our economy. They have a social and financial responsibility to be transparent – that's why we're demanding independence and accountability in the company's boardroom," Stringer said.

The proposal said lack of independent board chair and oversight has contributed to Facebook "mishandling" a number of severe controversies, including Russian meddling in U.S. elections and the Cambridge Analytica data leak.

Zuckerberg has about 60 percent voting power, according to a filing in April.

The New York City Pension Funds owned about 4.5 million Facebook shares as of July 31.

The Pennsylvania Treasury holds 38,737 shares of the company, according to a spokeswoman. Trillium holds 53,000 shares.

Shares held by the Treasurers of Illinois and Rhode Island were not immediately available.

Several public funds that hold shares in Facebook Inc on Wednesday backed a proposal to remove Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg as chairman, saying the social media giant mishandled several high-profile scandals.

Several public funds that hold shares in Facebook Inc on Wednesday backed a proposal to remove Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg as chairman, saying the social media giant mishandled several high-profile scandals. State treasurers from Illinois, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania, and New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer, co-filed the proposal. They joined hedge fund Trillium Asset Management, which bought it to the table in June. The proposal, set to be voted on at the company's annual shareholder meeting in May 2019, is asking Facebook's board to make the role of board chair an independent position. Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. "Facebook plays an outsized role in our society and our economy. They have a social and financial responsibility to be transparent – that's why we're demanding independence and accountability in the company's boardroom," Stringer said. The proposal said lack of independent board chair and oversight has contributed to Facebook "mishandling" a number of severe controversies, including Russian meddling in U.S. elections and the Cambridge Analytica data leak. Zuckerberg has about 60 percent voting power, according to a filing in April. The New York City Pension Funds owned about 4.5 million Facebook shares as of July 31. The Pennsylvania Treasury holds 38,737 shares of the company, according to a spokeswoman. Trillium holds 53,000 shares. Shares held by the Treasurers of Illinois and Rhode Island were not immediately available.

Facebook shareholders back proposal to remove Zuckerberg as chairman

Facebook said Wednesday it was reviving the pioneering MTV reality show "The Real World" as its secret weapon to lure viewers away from YouTube.

The social media giant said it was also trying to harness the formidable online power of the "cute kitten" factor with a new show called "World's Most Amazing Dog" on its new Facebook Watch platform.

Users who think their pooch is cute enough to be a contender can enter audition videos from their phones, it told TV executives at MIPCOM in Cannes, the world's top entertainment showcase.

The company's head of video Paresh Rajwat said Facebook Watch -- which began to be rolled out in the US last year -- was now available across the world, with "the time people spend on it increasing by 14 times since".

"The Real World" was one of the first "social experiment" TV reality shows when it aired in 1992, spawning others like "Big Brother".

It turns on the moment when "seven strangers put together stop being polite and start being real," said Facebook's content and strategy chief Matthew Henick.

Three versions of the new Facebook variant of the show will be launched simultaneously in the US, Mexico and Thailand.&nbsp;

Users will be able to "co-watch with their friends and interact with the contestants", stealing a march on its internet rivals, Henick told the gathering in the French Riviera resort.

Rajwat said Facebook Watch was "completely open" and was already being used by broadcasters, with new contestants on Germany's "X Factor" recently being introduced to fans on the platform before they made their TV debuts.

He said its interactivity means "watching videos doesn't have to be a passive experience... with friends able to co-watch together in real time".

A new service called "Watch Party" allowing "people to watch and comment all at the same time" has already been used on celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's "Veggie Challenge", he added.

A Facebook Watch show called "Sorry For Your Loss" about a "young widow struggling to put her life back together has led to long meaningful conversations about dealing with grief", Rajwat said, with many users "offering help to people who lost their beloveds. This is where Facebook is different," he said.

MTV boss Chris McCarthy predicted that Facebook Watch was going to "create a whole a new genre of shared reality TV", and help shows lift off when it was "harder and harder to break through with more and more content" out there.

Facebook said Wednesday it was reviving the pioneering MTV reality show "The Real World" as its secret weapon to lure viewers away from YouTube. The social media giant said it was also trying to harness the formidable online power of the "cute kitten" factor with a new show called "World's Most Amazing Dog" on its new Facebook Watch platform.

Facebook said Wednesday it was reviving the pioneering MTV reality show "The Real World" as its secret weapon to lure viewers away from YouTube. The social media giant said it was also trying to harness the formidable online power of the "cute kitten" factor with a new show called "World's Most Amazing Dog" on its new Facebook Watch platform. Users who think their pooch is cute enough to be a contender can enter audition videos from their phones, it told TV executives at MIPCOM in Cannes, the world's top entertainment showcase. The company's head of video Paresh Rajwat said Facebook Watch -- which began to be rolled out in the US last year -- was now available across the world, with "the time people spend on it increasing by 14 times since". "The Real World" was one of the first "social experiment" TV reality shows when it aired in 1992, spawning others like "Big Brother". It turns on the moment when "seven strangers put together stop being polite and start being real," said Facebook's content and strategy chief Matthew Henick. Three versions of the new Facebook variant of the show will be launched simultaneously in the US, Mexico and Thailand. Users will be able to "co-watch with their friends and interact with the contestants", stealing a march on its internet rivals, Henick told the gathering in the French Riviera resort. Rajwat said Facebook Watch was "completely open" and was already being used by broadcasters, with new contestants on Germany's "X Factor" recently being introduced to fans on the platform before they made their TV debuts. He said its interactivity means "watching videos doesn't have to be a passive experience... with friends able to co-watch together in real time". A new service called "Watch Party" allowing "people to watch and comment all at the same time" has already been used on celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's "Veggie Challenge", he added. A Facebook Watch show called "Sorry For Your Loss" about a "young widow struggling to put her life back together has led to long meaningful conversations about dealing with grief", Rajwat said, with many users "offering help to people who lost their beloveds. This is where Facebook is different," he said. MTV boss Chris McCarthy predicted that Facebook Watch was going to "create a whole a new genre of shared reality TV", and help shows lift off when it was "harder and harder to break through with more and more content" out there.

Facebook has a plan to take on YouTube: Reality TV

Facebook said it has purged more than 800 US pages and accounts for spamming users with politically-tinged garbage links and clickbait just weeks ahead of the US midterm elections.

The banned accounts and Facebook sites exhibited "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" such as working together to make the pages appear more popular than they actually are. This, Facebook said, was designed to mislead users about who they are and what they're doing.

The social network said these accounts spread "sensational political content" designed to drive people to ad-laden websites outside Facebook.&nbsp;

In the past, such spammers have often focused on celebrity gossip, weight loss remedies and fake iPhones.

Pages Facebook removed fell on both sides on the political spectrum, Facebook said, although it declined to say if there were more on the right or the left.

The removed pages included the conservative "Nation in Distress" and the left-wing "Snowflakes," among others with names such as "Reasonable People Unite," ''The Resistance" and "Right Wing News".&nbsp;

Facebook said it doesn't look at the content of the posts and photos that the accounts are spreading, but rather, the "behaviour" of the pages such as whether they are using fake accounts or sending spam when deciding whether to remove them.

The turn towards politics suggests that spammers are learning from the Russian playbook on how to get people riled up and clicking. Facebook has been working to weed out misinformation and election meddling since it acknowledged that Russian agents abused its service in 2016.

But while those actors seemed intent on disrupting elections, Facebook says its latest purge was about accounts trying to make money.&nbsp;

Facebook said it has purged more than 800 US pages and accounts for spamming users with politically-tinged garbage links and clickbait just weeks ahead of the US midterm elections.

Facebook said it has purged more than 800 US pages and accounts for spamming users with politically-tinged garbage links and clickbait just weeks ahead of the US midterm elections. The banned accounts and Facebook sites exhibited "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" such as working together to make the pages appear more popular than they actually are. This, Facebook said, was designed to mislead users about who they are and what they're doing. The social network said these accounts spread "sensational political content" designed to drive people to ad-laden websites outside Facebook. In the past, such spammers have often focused on celebrity gossip, weight loss remedies and fake iPhones. Pages Facebook removed fell on both sides on the political spectrum, Facebook said, although it declined to say if there were more on the right or the left. The removed pages included the conservative "Nation in Distress" and the left-wing "Snowflakes," among others with names such as "Reasonable People Unite," ''The Resistance" and "Right Wing News". Facebook said it doesn't look at the content of the posts and photos that the accounts are spreading, but rather, the "behaviour" of the pages such as whether they are using fake accounts or sending spam when deciding whether to remove them. The turn towards politics suggests that spammers are learning from the Russian playbook on how to get people riled up and clicking. Facebook has been working to weed out misinformation and election meddling since it acknowledged that Russian agents abused its service in 2016. But while those actors seemed intent on disrupting elections, Facebook says its latest purge was about accounts trying to make money.

Purged more than 800 US pages, spam accounts ahead of US midterm elections: Facebook

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit.

The event is part of a major grassroots effort by WhatsApp to battle fake news, which has triggered numerous lynchings in a country where 200 million people use the service, more than anywhere else in the world.

The actors soon draw a crowd as the play unveils how spreading misinformation online can stir up mob violence, especially in the countryside, where caste and religious prejudices run deep.

"Our society is better than theirs and that's why you should hate them," says one, citing one example of an incendiary text circulating on WhatsApp in India. "If you are truly one of us, spread this message." Such texts, pictures and videos aim to sow discord, warns another, as the viewers in the capital of India's western desert state of Rajasthan are then told how to identify forwarded messages and use WhatsApp responsibly.

The drive follows intense government pressure for both Facebook and WhatsApp to fight fake news and rumour-mongering that have led to more than 30 deaths in about 70 lynching attempts since Jan. 2017, data portal IndiaSpend says.

The campaign is not entirely altruistic. It is being run in conjunction with Reliance Jio, the fast-growing telecom carrier controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani that recently made WhatsApp available on its $20 JioPhone.

Instructions on how to install and use the app on the JioPhone, which has connected tens of millions of low-income Indians to the Internet for the first time, are also a part of the 10-city roadshow.

Hundreds of people from WhatsApp and Jio are helping drive the campaign, with some WhatsApp employees having flown in from California, a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, adding that the company did not reveal financial details. A source familiar with the matter said the costs were mostly being paid by WhatsApp.

POLITICAL HEAT

WhatsApp's efforts to battle fake news in India include a limit on forwarded messages in a market where more users pass around messages, photographs and videos than any other.

It has launched newspaper and radio campaigns and tied up with Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation to develop a digital literacy curriculum for India.

The company is also training police and law enforcement officials to use WhatsApp in helping them do their jobs.

"Our goal is to drive one of the largest coordinated public education efforts on misinformation to date anywhere in the world," WhatsApp said.

India's technology minister has demanded the company do more, including working out how to trace the origin of "sinister" messages. But WhatsApp says it will not take such steps, which would require it to weaken encryption and other privacy protections. It is not clear how much the public information campaigns will change people's behaviour. But in Jaipur, at least some of the messages seem to be getting through.

"I learnt how to quit a WhatsApp group created by strangers," said Bhawani Singh Rathore, a 35-year-old teacher, who began using the service just months ago and attended.

"And I also learned how to identify a forwarded message and to not send it ahead without checking its accuracy," he told Reuters.

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit.

On a hot morning in India's tourist mecca of Jaipur, an open truck painted in the signature lime-green colours of Facebook's WhatsApp messaging service pulls into a dusty lane, where five men spill out and begin to perform a skit. The event is part of a major grassroots effort by WhatsApp to battle fake news, which has triggered numerous lynchings in a country where 200 million people use the service, more than anywhere else in the world. The actors soon draw a crowd as the play unveils how spreading misinformation online can stir up mob violence, especially in the countryside, where caste and religious prejudices run deep. "Our society is better than theirs and that's why you should hate them," says one, citing one example of an incendiary text circulating on WhatsApp in India. "If you are truly one of us, spread this message." Such texts, pictures and videos aim to sow discord, warns another, as the viewers in the capital of India's western desert state of Rajasthan are then told how to identify forwarded messages and use WhatsApp responsibly. The drive follows intense government pressure for both Facebook and WhatsApp to fight fake news and rumour-mongering that have led to more than 30 deaths in about 70 lynching attempts since Jan. 2017, data portal IndiaSpend says. The campaign is not entirely altruistic. It is being run in conjunction with Reliance Jio, the fast-growing telecom carrier controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani that recently made WhatsApp available on its $20 JioPhone. Instructions on how to install and use the app on the JioPhone, which has connected tens of millions of low-income Indians to the Internet for the first time, are also a part of the 10-city roadshow. Hundreds of people from WhatsApp and Jio are helping drive the campaign, with some WhatsApp employees having flown in from California, a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement, adding that the company did not reveal financial details. A source familiar with the matter said the costs were mostly being paid by WhatsApp. POLITICAL HEAT WhatsApp's efforts to battle fake news in India include a limit on forwarded messages in a market where more users pass around messages, photographs and videos than any other. It has launched newspaper and radio campaigns and tied up with Delhi-based non-profit Digital Empowerment Foundation to develop a digital literacy curriculum for India. The company is also training police and law enforcement officials to use WhatsApp in helping them do their jobs. "Our goal is to drive one of the largest coordinated public education efforts on misinformation to date anywhere in the world," WhatsApp said. India's technology minister has demanded the company do more, including working out how to trace the origin of "sinister" messages. But WhatsApp says it will not take such steps, which would require it to weaken encryption and other privacy protections. It is not clear how much the public information campaigns will change people's behaviour. But in Jaipur, at least some of the messages seem to be getting through. "I learnt how to quit a WhatsApp group created by strangers," said Bhawani Singh Rathore, a 35-year-old teacher, who began using the service just months ago and attended. "And I also learned how to identify a forwarded message and to not send it ahead without checking its accuracy," he told Reuters.

WhatsApp hits the road with skits to stamp out fake news in India

A bug in Facebook's messaging app WhatsApp that allowed hackers to take over users' applications when they attended an incoming call was fixed by Facebook in early October, media report stated.

The bug which was discovered in late August had affected WhatsApp applications on Apple and Android smartphones.

The media also said that the facebook did not respond to reports.

"This is a big deal," Travis Ormandy, a researcher at Google Project Zero which discovered the bug, said on Twitter. "Just ++answering a call from an attacker could completely compromise WhatsApp."

Facebook was recently accused of violating&nbsp;the EU's new privacy law called the General Data Protection Regulation, which came into effect in May.&nbsp;

In the biggest-ever security breach after Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook in late September admitted hackers broke into nearly 50 million users' accounts by stealing their "access tokens" or digital keys.

This allowed them to steal Facebook access tokens which they could then use to take over people's accounts.

The hackers also gained access to personal information from third-party apps and services, like Tinder, Spotify, Airbnb, and Instagram, which allow users to sign up using their Facebook login.

According to Facebook, users’ passwords were not revealed in the data breach, though impacted accounts did have to re-log into the social network on Friday. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A bug in Facebook's messaging app WhatsApp that allowed hackers to take over users' applications when they attended an incoming call was fixed by Facebook in early October, media report stated.

A bug in Facebook's messaging app WhatsApp that allowed hackers to take over users' applications when they attended an incoming call was fixed by Facebook in early October, media report stated. The bug which was discovered in late August had affected WhatsApp applications on Apple and Android smartphones. The media also said that the facebook did not respond to reports. "This is a big deal," Travis Ormandy, a researcher at Google Project Zero which discovered the bug, said on Twitter. "Just ++answering a call from an attacker could completely compromise WhatsApp." Facebook was recently accused of violating the EU's new privacy law called the General Data Protection Regulation, which came into effect in May. In the biggest-ever security breach after Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook in late September admitted hackers broke into nearly 50 million users' accounts by stealing their "access tokens" or digital keys. This allowed them to steal Facebook access tokens which they could then use to take over people's accounts. The hackers also gained access to personal information from third-party apps and services, like Tinder, Spotify, Airbnb, and Instagram, which allow users to sign up using their Facebook login. According to Facebook, users’ passwords were not revealed in the data breach, though impacted accounts did have to re-log into the social network on Friday.

Facebook fixes bug that let hackers hijack users' WhatsApp application

Brazil's far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro said "polling problems" during Sunday's election cheated him of outright victory.

Bolsonaro fell short of the threshold required -- 50 per cent plus one vote -- to avoid an October 28 run-off against his nearest rival, leftwing candidate Fernando Haddad.

An official tally showed Bolsonaro won 46 per cent against Haddad's 29 per cent.

"I am certain that if this hadn't happened, we would have known the name of the president of the Republic tonight," Bolsonaro said in a live Facebook video feed.

The 63-year-old former paratrooper and the longterm congressman had boasted as he voted Sunday that a run-off would not be necessary.

Although he easily won the first round, surveys suggest the outcome of the second round is uncertain, with Haddad expected to come up almost neck-and-neck with Bolsonaro as he picks up support from other beaten candidates.

Brazil's far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro said "polling problems" during Sunday's election cheated him of outright victory. Bolsonaro fell short of the threshold required -- 50 per cent plus one vote -- to avoid an October 28 run-off against his nearest rival, leftwing candidate Fernando Haddad.

Brazil's far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro said "polling problems" during Sunday's election cheated him of outright victory. Bolsonaro fell short of the threshold required -- 50 per cent plus one vote -- to avoid an October 28 run-off against his nearest rival, leftwing candidate Fernando Haddad. An official tally showed Bolsonaro won 46 per cent against Haddad's 29 per cent. "I am certain that if this hadn't happened, we would have known the name of the president of the Republic tonight," Bolsonaro said in a live Facebook video feed. The 63-year-old former paratrooper and the longterm congressman had boasted as he voted Sunday that a run-off would not be necessary. Although he easily won the first round, surveys suggest the outcome of the second round is uncertain, with Haddad expected to come up almost neck-and-neck with Bolsonaro as he picks up support from other beaten candidates.

'Polling problems' denied outright victory: Brazil's Bolsonaro

Facebook&nbsp;on Monday released a smart speaker designed to ease video calls, but the company's history of privacy mishaps and the device's price and limited functionality could slow it from taking on market leaders Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google.

The device, known as Portal, comes in $199 and $349 versions and its signature feature is a wide-angle camera that automatically keeps users in focus as they move about a room, Facebook hardware executives told Reuters in a meeting last week.

They said Portal is available at Amazon and Best Buy stores in addition to Facebook.com and starts shipping to US customers in early November.

Smart speakers costing under $100 from Amazon and Google have become best sellers in the nascent industry. Users issue voice commands to search, shop and listen to music, turning the speakers into a major funnel into the technology companies' competing networks.

Portal could help Facebook stop users from flocking to rival chat and video apps on other speakers and give it a new, wholly controlled environment to sell ads.

About 32 per cent of US consumers own a smart speaker, but another 16 per cent plan to buy one by the end of 2018, according to an Adobe Analytics survey released last month.

Facebook expects to stand apart on the market because of Portal's touchscreen and the 400 million people who call through its Messenger service each month worldwide. Rival smart speakers with screens lack a video-chatting app that is as popular.

Still, Amazon has shipped 1 million of its Echo speakers with displays over the last year, according to research firm Canalys, which expects 4 million such devices across brands to ship globally next year.

Portal's camera, which uses a form of artificial intelligence to recognize body shapes, is a major marketing point, offering users the convenience of staying in the frame without having to adjust the device.

"Our goal is to make you feel present in the same space as the person on the other end," said Rafa Camargo, the Facebook vice president overseeing Portal.

The launch of the product comes at a tricky time for Facebook. Last month, it announced an attacker gained the ability to take over 50 million user accounts because of software flaws.&nbsp;

Scrutiny this year over Facebook's privacy and content moderation practices have led some people to abandon the service and the company to warn of thinning profits.&nbsp;

Portal locks with a passcode, and its microphones and camera shuts off with the tap of a button. Video and voice calls are encrypted and contents of them are not stored, the company said.

Users can conference with any Messenger user.

Portal integrates Amazon's Alexa voice assistant to handle search queries, and Facebook collects audio files of requests made to Alexa.

The higher-priced Portal's screen is 15.6 inches, versus 10 inches. Both display photos and notifications from Facebook and videos from Food Network, but offer few other applications.

Additional features are available during calls, including joint listening on Spotify. A handful of animated e-books such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider" will be included at launch for interactive story time.

Portal runs on the open-source version of Google's Android mobile operating system, similar to many Amazon devices.

Facebook's previous hardware, including its Oculus virtual reality headset and a phone developed with HTC, gained little adoption.

Facebook on Monday released a smart speaker designed to ease video calls, but the company's history of privacy mishaps and the device's price and limited functionality could slow it from taking on market leaders Amazon.

Facebook on Monday released a smart speaker designed to ease video calls, but the company's history of privacy mishaps and the device's price and limited functionality could slow it from taking on market leaders Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google. The device, known as Portal, comes in $199 and $349 versions and its signature feature is a wide-angle camera that automatically keeps users in focus as they move about a room, Facebook hardware executives told Reuters in a meeting last week. They said Portal is available at Amazon and Best Buy stores in addition to Facebook.com and starts shipping to US customers in early November. Smart speakers costing under $100 from Amazon and Google have become best sellers in the nascent industry. Users issue voice commands to search, shop and listen to music, turning the speakers into a major funnel into the technology companies' competing networks. Portal could help Facebook stop users from flocking to rival chat and video apps on other speakers and give it a new, wholly controlled environment to sell ads. About 32 per cent of US consumers own a smart speaker, but another 16 per cent plan to buy one by the end of 2018, according to an Adobe Analytics survey released last month. Facebook expects to stand apart on the market because of Portal's touchscreen and the 400 million people who call through its Messenger service each month worldwide. Rival smart speakers with screens lack a video-chatting app that is as popular. Still, Amazon has shipped 1 million of its Echo speakers with displays over the last year, according to research firm Canalys, which expects 4 million such devices across brands to ship globally next year. Portal's camera, which uses a form of artificial intelligence to recognize body shapes, is a major marketing point, offering users the convenience of staying in the frame without having to adjust the device. "Our goal is to make you feel present in the same space as the person on the other end," said Rafa Camargo, the Facebook vice president overseeing Portal. The launch of the product comes at a tricky time for Facebook. Last month, it announced an attacker gained the ability to take over 50 million user accounts because of software flaws. Scrutiny this year over Facebook's privacy and content moderation practices have led some people to abandon the service and the company to warn of thinning profits. Portal locks with a passcode, and its microphones and camera shuts off with the tap of a button. Video and voice calls are encrypted and contents of them are not stored, the company said. Users can conference with any Messenger user. Portal integrates Amazon's Alexa voice assistant to handle search queries, and Facebook collects audio files of requests made to Alexa. The higher-priced Portal's screen is 15.6 inches, versus 10 inches. Both display photos and notifications from Facebook and videos from Food Network, but offer few other applications. Additional features are available during calls, including joint listening on Spotify. A handful of animated e-books such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider" will be included at launch for interactive story time. Portal runs on the open-source version of Google's Android mobile operating system, similar to many Amazon devices. Facebook's previous hardware, including its Oculus virtual reality headset and a phone developed with HTC, gained little adoption.

Facebook debuts smart speaker for Messenger video calls

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