Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants.

French news weekly L'Express reported that Apple had paid nearly 500 million euros ($570 million) to resolve the case in a confidential settlement reached in December.

Apple declined to disclose the amount paid, but a source familiar with the case confirmed the figure to AFP.

"The French tax administration recently concluded a multi-year audit on the company's French accounts and an adjustment will be published in our public accounts," Apple said in a statement.&nbsp;

"We know the important role taxes play in society and we pay our taxes in all the countries where we operate, in complete conformity with laws and practices in force at the local level," added the company.

French authorities declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of tax matters.

French tech tax looms&nbsp;

Apple is one of several American technology giants in the line of fire in Europe over their tax strategies, which see them route their income through low-tax nations such as Ireland or Luxembourg.

In 2016, it was ordered by the European Commission to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland.

The European Commission said Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million.

The deal in France comes as the government prepares to push ahead with its own unilateral "GAFA tax" -- named after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon -- faced with the failure of EU members to agree on how to get technology companies to pay more tax on their European operations.

The tax, to be put to parliament in a bill later this month, would affect companies with global sales of more than 750 million euros and 25 million euros in France, according to the government.

It would be retroactive to January 1 and is expected to raise 500 million euros this year.

French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has called the question of how and where global companies pay their taxes "a major issue in the 21st century".

But an agreement among EU members has proved elusive.

Ireland, Denmark and Sweden have all blocked plans for a levy for fear of dissuading investment and Germany has proved lukewarm on the issue, fearing US retaliation against its car industry.

The issue has been referred to the OECD, which aims to come up with an international tax by 2020.

Scramble to settle&nbsp;

Apple is the second major technology company to reach a tax deal with French authorities within the past year, reflecting the growing pressure from voters on governments to bring foreign companies to book.

In February 2018, Amazon said it had settled a French claim for nearly 200 million euros and would start declaring all its earnings in the country, ending a dispute that had dragged on for years.

In 2017, however, France's tax collection drive suffered a setback with a local court ruling that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in taxes claimed on revenues transferred from France to Ireland.

According to L'Express, the deal between France and Apple was clinched after several months of talks, and concerned the small amount of revenue the firm booked in France while the sales it reported in Europe ballooned.

The report said Apple's European revenues exploded seven-fold, from 6.6 billion euros in 2008 to 47.7 billion in 2017, most of which was booked in Ireland where it has its European headquarters.

Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants.

Apple said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with French authorities to settle 10 years of back taxes, becoming the latest US company to reach a deal with France which has led a European push for higher taxes on tech giants. French news weekly L'Express reported that Apple had paid nearly 500 million euros ($570 million) to resolve the case in a confidential settlement reached in December. Apple declined to disclose the amount paid, but a source familiar with the case confirmed the figure to AFP. "The French tax administration recently concluded a multi-year audit on the company's French accounts and an adjustment will be published in our public accounts," Apple said in a statement. "We know the important role taxes play in society and we pay our taxes in all the countries where we operate, in complete conformity with laws and practices in force at the local level," added the company. French authorities declined to comment further, citing the confidentiality of tax matters. French tech tax looms Apple is one of several American technology giants in the line of fire in Europe over their tax strategies, which see them route their income through low-tax nations such as Ireland or Luxembourg. In 2016, it was ordered by the European Commission to pay 13 billion euros in back taxes to Ireland. The European Commission said Apple paid an effective corporate tax rate of just 0.005 per cent on its European profits in 2014 -- equivalent to just 50 euros for every million. The deal in France comes as the government prepares to push ahead with its own unilateral "GAFA tax" -- named after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon -- faced with the failure of EU members to agree on how to get technology companies to pay more tax on their European operations. The tax, to be put to parliament in a bill later this month, would affect companies with global sales of more than 750 million euros and 25 million euros in France, according to the government. It would be retroactive to January 1 and is expected to raise 500 million euros this year. French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has called the question of how and where global companies pay their taxes "a major issue in the 21st century". But an agreement among EU members has proved elusive. Ireland, Denmark and Sweden have all blocked plans for a levy for fear of dissuading investment and Germany has proved lukewarm on the issue, fearing US retaliation against its car industry. The issue has been referred to the OECD, which aims to come up with an international tax by 2020. Scramble to settle Apple is the second major technology company to reach a tax deal with French authorities within the past year, reflecting the growing pressure from voters on governments to bring foreign companies to book. In February 2018, Amazon said it had settled a French claim for nearly 200 million euros and would start declaring all its earnings in the country, ending a dispute that had dragged on for years. In 2017, however, France's tax collection drive suffered a setback with a local court ruling that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in taxes claimed on revenues transferred from France to Ireland. According to L'Express, the deal between France and Apple was clinched after several months of talks, and concerned the small amount of revenue the firm booked in France while the sales it reported in Europe ballooned. The report said Apple's European revenues exploded seven-fold, from 6.6 billion euros in 2008 to 47.7 billion in 2017, most of which was booked in Ireland where it has its European headquarters.

Apple agrees 500-million-euro tax settlement with France

The three-way alliance of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors is planning a deal to work with Google's Waymo to jointly develop self-driving taxis, Japan's Nikkei said Tuesday.

The three automakers are finalising tie-up negotiations with Waymo, a Google-affiliated developer of self-driving car technology, the business daily said on its website.

The two sides are expected to announce details of the deal "as early as this spring," it added.

One project that the joint operation is considering would involve developing unmanned taxis using Nissan and other vehicles under a new system that handles reservation and payments, the newspaper said.

In September last year, the alliance decided to use a Google operating system for their cars' information systems, and the tech giant has already forged similar deals with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Jaguar Land Rover.

The report comes as the alliance reels from the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, the auto tycoon who forged and led the partnership before his shock November 19 detention.

His arrest and subsequent indictment on three charges has exposed rifts between Nissan and Renault, which, together with Mitsubishi, make up the world's top-selling auto manufacturing group.

Born in a Google lab devoted to big-vision new technology, Waymo became a subsidiary of parent company Alphabet in 2016.

Waymo already runs a self-driving car service in Phoenix, Arizona.

Those taking part in the service can use a smartphone application to summon autonomous vehicles any time of day to get about in an area about 100 square miles at its maximum, according to Waymo chief John Krafcik.

The firm last year announced it was adding as many as 62,000 Fiat Chrysler minivans to its autonomous fleet in an expanded collaboration announced by the companies.

The three-way alliance of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors is planning a deal to work with Google's Waymo to jointly develop self-driving taxis, Japan's Nikkei said Tuesday.

The three-way alliance of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors is planning a deal to work with Google's Waymo to jointly develop self-driving taxis, Japan's Nikkei said Tuesday. The three automakers are finalising tie-up negotiations with Waymo, a Google-affiliated developer of self-driving car technology, the business daily said on its website. The two sides are expected to announce details of the deal "as early as this spring," it added. One project that the joint operation is considering would involve developing unmanned taxis using Nissan and other vehicles under a new system that handles reservation and payments, the newspaper said. In September last year, the alliance decided to use a Google operating system for their cars' information systems, and the tech giant has already forged similar deals with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Jaguar Land Rover. The report comes as the alliance reels from the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, the auto tycoon who forged and led the partnership before his shock November 19 detention. His arrest and subsequent indictment on three charges has exposed rifts between Nissan and Renault, which, together with Mitsubishi, make up the world's top-selling auto manufacturing group. Born in a Google lab devoted to big-vision new technology, Waymo became a subsidiary of parent company Alphabet in 2016. Waymo already runs a self-driving car service in Phoenix, Arizona. Those taking part in the service can use a smartphone application to summon autonomous vehicles any time of day to get about in an area about 100 square miles at its maximum, according to Waymo chief John Krafcik. The firm last year announced it was adding as many as 62,000 Fiat Chrysler minivans to its autonomous fleet in an expanded collaboration announced by the companies.

Renault-Nissan to work with Google's Waymo on driverless cars: Report

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Companies and trade bodies representing the advertising industry signed up to a voluntary code of conduct in October to ward off more heavy-handed legislation. Critics say not enough has been done since they signed up.

The European Union's executive said signatories to the code of practice had taken steps to remove fake accounts and limit sites promoting fake news but said more was needed.

"Now they should make sure these tools are available to everyone across the EU, monitor their efficiency, and continuously adapt to new means used by those spreading disinformation. There is no time to waste," EU Commissioner for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said.

European Parliament will hold elections in May while Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine all go to the polls in coming months.

Russia has faced allegations - which it denies - of spreading false information to influence the US&nbsp;presidential election and Britain's referendum on European Union membership in 2016, as well as Germany's national election in 2017.

The Commission called on Facebook to provide more clarity on how it uses its tools to fight fake news and told Google to expand its actions to more EU countries.

It said Twitter should provide more details on its measures while it said Mozilla's online browser should have more information on how it would limit details about users' browsing activities.

The Commission also lamented the absence of advertisers signing up to the pact.

Google said it had announced several measures such as disclosing whether political organisations or political issue advocacy groups were paying for European parliamentary election advertisements, and setting up a library with these details.

Google's Project Shield would help protect campaign groups and journalists from cyber-attacks, it said.

Facebook said: "The battle against false news is an ongoing one, and we need to work together with others in the technology industry, public authorities and governments to make continued progress."

Twitter said in a statement it had made several changes "including enhanced safety policies, better tools and resources for detecting and stopping malicious activity, tighter advertising standards, and increased transparency to promote better public understanding of all of these areas."

Mozilla had no immediate comment.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

Google, Facebook, Twitter and Mozilla must do more to combat fake news as Europeans head towards an election or the companies will face the threat of regulatory action, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Companies and trade bodies representing the advertising industry signed up to a voluntary code of conduct in October to ward off more heavy-handed legislation. Critics say not enough has been done since they signed up. The European Union's executive said signatories to the code of practice had taken steps to remove fake accounts and limit sites promoting fake news but said more was needed. "Now they should make sure these tools are available to everyone across the EU, monitor their efficiency, and continuously adapt to new means used by those spreading disinformation. There is no time to waste," EU Commissioner for the Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip said. European Parliament will hold elections in May while Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Poland, Portugal and Ukraine all go to the polls in coming months. Russia has faced allegations - which it denies - of spreading false information to influence the US presidential election and Britain's referendum on European Union membership in 2016, as well as Germany's national election in 2017. The Commission called on Facebook to provide more clarity on how it uses its tools to fight fake news and told Google to expand its actions to more EU countries. It said Twitter should provide more details on its measures while it said Mozilla's online browser should have more information on how it would limit details about users' browsing activities. The Commission also lamented the absence of advertisers signing up to the pact. Google said it had announced several measures such as disclosing whether political organisations or political issue advocacy groups were paying for European parliamentary election advertisements, and setting up a library with these details. Google's Project Shield would help protect campaign groups and journalists from cyber-attacks, it said. Facebook said: "The battle against false news is an ongoing one, and we need to work together with others in the technology industry, public authorities and governments to make continued progress." Twitter said in a statement it had made several changes "including enhanced safety policies, better tools and resources for detecting and stopping malicious activity, tighter advertising standards, and increased transparency to promote better public understanding of all of these areas." Mozilla had no immediate comment.

Google, Facebook, Twitter must do more against fake news: EU

Search giant Google Saturday dedicated a special doodle to mark India's <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/india-news/republic-day-23-delhi-police-officers-to-get-medals-for-exemplary-service-192855&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwi3hJfvyYrgAhVLsI8KHZmtC-IQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0olVTHyIsdu1fRILv4bVcz">70th Republic Day</a>, which captured the country's architectural and cultural legacy as well as its rich bio-diversity.

The doodle with a 3D impression depicts the iconic facade of the grand Rashtrapati Bhavan in the backdrop, flanked by trees, reflecting the flora and fauna that resides on its sprawling campus.

Rich in colours, the celebrated landmark is fronted by six letters of the word G-O-O-G-L-E, each one on in a stylised form, ranging from a golf course to an ancient monument.

While G dipped in green colour, stands on a golf link, L has been represented by Delhi's Qutub Minar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most visited sites in the country.

The fourth letter G takes a shape that portrays an elephant trunk placed over a peacock, both being symbols of India.

The rest two Os and E, represent the handicraft and intangible heritage of India, the overall result being thematically colourful.

The internet behemoth is known to mark landmark occasions and life and times of celebrated personalities with a special doodle on its homepage. 
Search giant Google in its special doodle to mark the 68th Republic Day showed a stadium full of people amid a sea of tricolour decking up the arena.

In 2017, the <a>Republic Day</a> doodle had displayed one-half of the stadium, with a crowd at two corners, while a saffron-coloured band ran along the inner periphery of the semicircular track.

Google had also marked the 65th Republic Day with a doodle featuring 'Jaanbaaz', BSF's motorcycle daredevils who delight the crowd at Rajpath with their famous pyramidal formation.

Search giant Google Saturday dedicated a special doodle to mark India's 70th Republic Day, which captured the country's architectural and cultural legacy as well as its rich bio-diversity.

Search giant Google Saturday dedicated a special doodle to mark India's 70th Republic Day, which captured the country's architectural and cultural legacy as well as its rich bio-diversity. The doodle with a 3D impression depicts the iconic facade of the grand Rashtrapati Bhavan in the backdrop, flanked by trees, reflecting the flora and fauna that resides on its sprawling campus. Rich in colours, the celebrated landmark is fronted by six letters of the word G-O-O-G-L-E, each one on in a stylised form, ranging from a golf course to an ancient monument. While G dipped in green colour, stands on a golf link, L has been represented by Delhi's Qutub Minar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most visited sites in the country. The fourth letter G takes a shape that portrays an elephant trunk placed over a peacock, both being symbols of India. The rest two Os and E, represent the handicraft and intangible heritage of India, the overall result being thematically colourful. The internet behemoth is known to mark landmark occasions and life and times of celebrated personalities with a special doodle on its homepage. Search giant Google in its special doodle to mark the 68th Republic Day showed a stadium full of people amid a sea of tricolour decking up the arena. In 2017, the Republic Day doodle had displayed one-half of the stadium, with a crowd at two corners, while a saffron-coloured band ran along the inner periphery of the semicircular track. Google had also marked the 65th Republic Day with a doodle featuring 'Jaanbaaz', BSF's motorcycle daredevils who delight the crowd at Rajpath with their famous pyramidal formation.

Google doodle showcases Rashtrapati Bhavan, India's heritage as country celebrates 70th Republic Day

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/microsofts-bing-search-engine-goes-offline-in-china-192347&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjrs6eikojgAhXCWisKHcniAuoQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1vFypeaQbmWzk6-jvY9KTK">Microsoft </a>is still trying to figure out why its<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-says-bing-search-engine-blocked-in-china-192473&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjrs6eikojgAhXCWisKHcniAuoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1uJZXw8Yo3gjz0Zf8eztXI"> Bing search engine</a> temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors.

The US firm's Chinese website, cn.Bing.Com, was accessible again late Thursday, one day after it suddenly went offline, temporarily taking away the most prominent foreign search engine in China.

The disruption raised fears among social media users that it was the latest foreign website to be blocked by China. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have long been blocked by authorities using a censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall".

"This is not the first time it's happened. It happens periodically," Microsoft president Brad Smith told Fox Business News at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"There are times when there are disagreements, there are times when there are difficult negotiations with the Chinese government, and we're still waiting to find out what this situation is about," he said.

Bing's temporary disruption came as a surprise because the search engine has followed China's censorship rules.

On Thursday, for example, a Bing search for Liu Xiaobo, the dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died of cancer while still in custody last year, returned one message: "Results are removed in response to a notice of local law requirement."Smith said it was understood that Bing did not have the same legal freedoms in China that it enjoyed in other countries.

"But at the same time, we stick to our guns. There are certain principles that we think it's important to stand up for, and we'll go at times into the negotiating room and the negotiations are sometimes pretty darn direct," he said.

While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country, along with Microsoft-owned Skype.

Bing, however, has struggled to catch up to China's own Baidu search engine, which dominates the market even though many people in the country complain about the quality of its search results.

Smith said Microsoft took seriously its obligations to customers regarding censorship.

"I think what is interesting today is technology and sort of human rights, free expression, these issues are really intersecting and on certain days colliding more than in the past," he said.

"There are deals that we've turned down for things like facial recognition technology because we felt that people's rights will be put at risk.

"And I think more than ever, tech companies really need to think about these things, they need to be principled and you have to have a little moral courage, in my view, if you're going to be in this business and really take care of your customers."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Microsoft is still trying to figure out why its Bing search engine temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors.

Microsoft is still trying to figure out why its Bing search engine temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors. The US firm's Chinese website, cn.Bing.Com, was accessible again late Thursday, one day after it suddenly went offline, temporarily taking away the most prominent foreign search engine in China. The disruption raised fears among social media users that it was the latest foreign website to be blocked by China. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have long been blocked by authorities using a censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall". "This is not the first time it's happened. It happens periodically," Microsoft president Brad Smith told Fox Business News at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "There are times when there are disagreements, there are times when there are difficult negotiations with the Chinese government, and we're still waiting to find out what this situation is about," he said. Bing's temporary disruption came as a surprise because the search engine has followed China's censorship rules. On Thursday, for example, a Bing search for Liu Xiaobo, the dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died of cancer while still in custody last year, returned one message: "Results are removed in response to a notice of local law requirement."Smith said it was understood that Bing did not have the same legal freedoms in China that it enjoyed in other countries. "But at the same time, we stick to our guns. There are certain principles that we think it's important to stand up for, and we'll go at times into the negotiating room and the negotiations are sometimes pretty darn direct," he said. While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country, along with Microsoft-owned Skype. Bing, however, has struggled to catch up to China's own Baidu search engine, which dominates the market even though many people in the country complain about the quality of its search results. Smith said Microsoft took seriously its obligations to customers regarding censorship. "I think what is interesting today is technology and sort of human rights, free expression, these issues are really intersecting and on certain days colliding more than in the past," he said. "There are deals that we've turned down for things like facial recognition technology because we felt that people's rights will be put at risk. "And I think more than ever, tech companies really need to think about these things, they need to be principled and you have to have a little moral courage, in my view, if you're going to be in this business and really take care of your customers."

Microsoft 'waiting to find out' why Bing went offline in China

BuzzFeed, one of the highest profile entertainment and news sites on the internet, plans to cut 15 per cent of its workforce, US media reports said Wednesday.

The cuts stand to affect between 200 to 250 jobs and come as the company is seeking to reinvest resources in more promising areas such as content licensing and e-commerce, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported.

The news was announced in an email by chief executive Jonah Peretti titled "Difficult Changes," according to the Times.

"I'm writing with sad news: we are doing layoffs at BuzzFeed next week. We will be making a 15% overall reduction in headcount across the company. I'm sending this tonight because I wanted you to hear it from me directly instead of from the press." According to the Journal's sources, one reason for the changes was to nudge the firm toward profitability while it searches for potential mergers.

The other was to avoid another round of fundraising. BuzzFeed raised around $500 million in the last round in 2016 and was valued at $1.7 billion, with its main investors including Comcast's NBCUniversal which has invested $400 million.

Like other online publishers, it has struggled to expand digital advertising sales in line with its investors' expectations as Google and Facebook continue to dominate the sector.

BuzzFeed launched in 2006 and was long primarily known for its humorous content and memes. Later, it launched a news unit that, despite being a financial drag on the company, has built a strong reputation and was a&nbsp; 
finalist for a Pulitzer prize last year.

BuzzFeed News found itself at the centre of a controversy last week after it reported President Donald Trump instructed his lawyer to lie to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow -- a story that was struck down by the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who said it was "not accurate."&nbsp;

BuzzFeed, one of the highest profile entertainment and news sites on the internet, plans to cut 15 per cent of its workforce, US media reports said Wednesday. The cuts stand to affect between 200 to 250 jobs and come as the company is seeking to reinvest resources in more promising areas such as content licensing and e-commerce, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported.

BuzzFeed, one of the highest profile entertainment and news sites on the internet, plans to cut 15 per cent of its workforce, US media reports said Wednesday. The cuts stand to affect between 200 to 250 jobs and come as the company is seeking to reinvest resources in more promising areas such as content licensing and e-commerce, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported. The news was announced in an email by chief executive Jonah Peretti titled "Difficult Changes," according to the Times. "I'm writing with sad news: we are doing layoffs at BuzzFeed next week. We will be making a 15% overall reduction in headcount across the company. I'm sending this tonight because I wanted you to hear it from me directly instead of from the press." According to the Journal's sources, one reason for the changes was to nudge the firm toward profitability while it searches for potential mergers. The other was to avoid another round of fundraising. BuzzFeed raised around $500 million in the last round in 2016 and was valued at $1.7 billion, with its main investors including Comcast's NBCUniversal which has invested $400 million. Like other online publishers, it has struggled to expand digital advertising sales in line with its investors' expectations as Google and Facebook continue to dominate the sector. BuzzFeed launched in 2006 and was long primarily known for its humorous content and memes. Later, it launched a news unit that, despite being a financial drag on the company, has built a strong reputation and was a finalist for a Pulitzer prize last year. BuzzFeed News found itself at the centre of a controversy last week after it reported President Donald Trump instructed his lawyer to lie to Congress about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow -- a story that was struck down by the office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who said it was "not accurate."

BuzzFeed to cut 15% of its workers: Reports

Google disclosed in a quarterly filing on Tuesday that it spent a company-record $21.2 million on lobbying the US government in 2018, topping its previous high of $18.22 million in 2012, as the search engine operator fights wide-ranging scrutiny into its practices.

In its filing to Congress on Tuesday, Facebook&nbsp;disclosed that it also spent more on government lobbying in 2018 than it ever had before at $12.62 million.

That was up from $11.51 million a year ago, according to tracking by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

Google's spent $18.04 million on lobbying in 2017, according to the centre's data.

Google and Facebook declined to comment beyond their filings.

US lawmakers and regulators have weighed new privacy and antitrust rules to rein in the power of large internet service providers such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. Regulatory backlash in the United States, as well as Europe and Asia, is near the top of the list of concerns for technology investors, according to financial analysts.

Microsoft Corp spent $9.52 million on lobbying in 2018, according to its disclosure on Tuesday, up from $8.5 million in 2017 but below it's $10.5 million tabs in 2013.

Apple Inc spent $6.62 million last year, compared to its record of $7.15 million in 2017, according to centre data going back to 1998.

Apple and Microsoft did not respond to requests to comment. A filing from Amazon was expected later on Tuesday.

Google disclosed that new discussion topics with regulators in the fourth quarter included its search technology, criminal justice reform and international tax reform. The company is perennially among the top spenders on lobbying in Washington along with a few cable operators, defence contractors and healthcare firms.

Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, who testified in December before a US House of Representatives panel for the first time, has said the company backs the idea of national privacy legislation. But he has contested accusations of the company having a political bias in its search results and of stifling competition.

Susan Molinari, Google's top US public policy official, stepped down to take on an advisory role this month.

Facebook said discussing "election integrity" with national security officials was among its new lobbying areas in the fourth quarter. The filing said the company continued to lobby the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating its data security practices.

Google disclosed in a quarterly filing on Tuesday that it spent a company-record $21.2 million on lobbying the US government in 2018, topping its previous high of $18.

Google disclosed in a quarterly filing on Tuesday that it spent a company-record $21.2 million on lobbying the US government in 2018, topping its previous high of $18.22 million in 2012, as the search engine operator fights wide-ranging scrutiny into its practices. In its filing to Congress on Tuesday, Facebook disclosed that it also spent more on government lobbying in 2018 than it ever had before at $12.62 million. That was up from $11.51 million a year ago, according to tracking by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Google's spent $18.04 million on lobbying in 2017, according to the centre's data. Google and Facebook declined to comment beyond their filings. US lawmakers and regulators have weighed new privacy and antitrust rules to rein in the power of large internet service providers such as Google, Facebook and Amazon. Regulatory backlash in the United States, as well as Europe and Asia, is near the top of the list of concerns for technology investors, according to financial analysts. Microsoft Corp spent $9.52 million on lobbying in 2018, according to its disclosure on Tuesday, up from $8.5 million in 2017 but below it's $10.5 million tabs in 2013. Apple Inc spent $6.62 million last year, compared to its record of $7.15 million in 2017, according to centre data going back to 1998. Apple and Microsoft did not respond to requests to comment. A filing from Amazon was expected later on Tuesday. Google disclosed that new discussion topics with regulators in the fourth quarter included its search technology, criminal justice reform and international tax reform. The company is perennially among the top spenders on lobbying in Washington along with a few cable operators, defence contractors and healthcare firms. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, who testified in December before a US House of Representatives panel for the first time, has said the company backs the idea of national privacy legislation. But he has contested accusations of the company having a political bias in its search results and of stifling competition. Susan Molinari, Google's top US public policy official, stepped down to take on an advisory role this month. Facebook said discussing "election integrity" with national security officials was among its new lobbying areas in the fourth quarter. The filing said the company continued to lobby the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating its data security practices.

Google, Facebook spend big on US lobbying amid policy battles

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time.

Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said.

The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used, in particular with regards to targeted advertising.

"People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We're deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.

"We're studying the decision to determine our next steps."&nbsp;

The ruling follows complaints lodged by two advocacy groups last May, shortly after the landmark GDPR directive came into effect.

One was filed on behalf of some 10,000 signatories by France's Quadrature du Net group, while the other was by None Of Your Business, created by the Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems.

Schrems had accused Google of securing "forced consent" through the use of pop-up boxes online or on its apps which imply that its services will not be available unless people accept its conditions of use.

"Also, the information provided is not sufficiently clear for the user to understand the legal basis for targeted advertising is consent, and not Google's legitimate business interests," the CNIL said.

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time.

France's data watchdog on Monday announced a fine of 50 million euros ($57 million) for US search giant Google, using the EU's strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the first time. Google was handed the record fine from the CNIL regulator for failing to provide transparent and easily accessible information on its data consent policies, a statement said. The CNIL said Google made it too difficult for users to understand and manage preferences on how their personal information is used, in particular with regards to targeted advertising. "People expect high standards of transparency and control from us. We're deeply committed to meeting those expectations and the consent requirements of the GDPR," a Google spokesperson said in a statement. "We're studying the decision to determine our next steps." The ruling follows complaints lodged by two advocacy groups last May, shortly after the landmark GDPR directive came into effect. One was filed on behalf of some 10,000 signatories by France's Quadrature du Net group, while the other was by None Of Your Business, created by the Austrian privacy activist Max Schrems. Schrems had accused Google of securing "forced consent" through the use of pop-up boxes online or on its apps which imply that its services will not be available unless people accept its conditions of use. "Also, the information provided is not sufficiently clear for the user to understand the legal basis for targeted advertising is consent, and not Google's legitimate business interests," the CNIL said.

France uses new European Union data law to fine Google 50 million euros

Two shareholder lawsuits filed this week accused the board of Google parent Alphabet of playing a direct role in covering up sexual misconduct claims against two former executives over the last five years.

The company declined to comment.

Both of the lawsuits seek to force Google to change its governance and oversight to stop future workplace conduct issues. They also call for Alphabet directors to pay damages to Alphabet for allegedly breaching their fiduciary duties and engaging in corporate waste.

The allegations stem primarily from large severance payments to Andy Rubin, who led Google's Android mobile operating division until 2014, and Amit Singhal, head of Google's search unit until 2016. Company investigations into both men had found accusations of sexual harassment against them to be credible, according to the lawsuits.

Rubin and Singhal have denied the allegations. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai apologized last year to employees for the companies' past handling of sexual misconduct cases and vowed to improve practices.

One of the two lawsuits in San Mateo County Superior Court in California cites minutes from Alphabet board and board committee meetings where the executives' situations were discussed.

Plaintiff James Martin obtained the documents through a "shareholder inspection demand," according to the lawsuit. Google provided them on the condition they not be published, according to his attorneys, and details from the minutes are redacted across at least eight pages in the 82-page lawsuit filed on Thursday.

Martin's attorney, Frank Bottini, said his team plans to show that Google suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damages including payouts made to executives accused of sexual misconduct, lost productivity from employees around the world walking off the job briefly in November to protest the payouts and hits to its brand reputation.

The employee demonstrations followed a New York Times report in October that said Google in 2014 gave a $90 million exit package to Rubin.

Ellen Winick Stross, an attorney for Rubin, said on Thursday that Martin's lawsuit, "like much of the recent media coverage, mischaracterizes Andy’s departure from Google and sensationalizes claims made about Andy by his ex-wife. Andy left Google voluntarily. Andy denies any misconduct, and we look forward to telling his story in court."

Employee organizers said they welcomed the lawsuits as they continue to push for further changes, including an employee representative on Alphabet's board.

The lawsuit calls for Alphabet to add at least three independent directors to its board and move to a "one share, one vote" stock structure to increase shareholder oversight of management decisions. Alphabet executives currently hold voting control through shares with 10 votes each.

"We'd like to see ... meaningful change in the tone at the company, the policies, the treatment of women, the reporting of sexual harassment and other issues," Bottini said.

The second case, brought on Wednesday by Northern California Pipe Trades Pension Plan and Teamsters Local 272 Labor Management Pension Fund, cites company filings and media reports. They are represented by the law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll.

Two shareholder lawsuits filed this week accused the board of Google parent Alphabet of playing a direct role in covering up sexual misconduct claims against two former executives over the last five years.

Two shareholder lawsuits filed this week accused the board of Google parent Alphabet of playing a direct role in covering up sexual misconduct claims against two former executives over the last five years. The company declined to comment. Both of the lawsuits seek to force Google to change its governance and oversight to stop future workplace conduct issues. They also call for Alphabet directors to pay damages to Alphabet for allegedly breaching their fiduciary duties and engaging in corporate waste. The allegations stem primarily from large severance payments to Andy Rubin, who led Google's Android mobile operating division until 2014, and Amit Singhal, head of Google's search unit until 2016. Company investigations into both men had found accusations of sexual harassment against them to be credible, according to the lawsuits. Rubin and Singhal have denied the allegations. Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai apologized last year to employees for the companies' past handling of sexual misconduct cases and vowed to improve practices. One of the two lawsuits in San Mateo County Superior Court in California cites minutes from Alphabet board and board committee meetings where the executives' situations were discussed. Plaintiff James Martin obtained the documents through a "shareholder inspection demand," according to the lawsuit. Google provided them on the condition they not be published, according to his attorneys, and details from the minutes are redacted across at least eight pages in the 82-page lawsuit filed on Thursday. Martin's attorney, Frank Bottini, said his team plans to show that Google suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damages including payouts made to executives accused of sexual misconduct, lost productivity from employees around the world walking off the job briefly in November to protest the payouts and hits to its brand reputation. The employee demonstrations followed a New York Times report in October that said Google in 2014 gave a $90 million exit package to Rubin. Ellen Winick Stross, an attorney for Rubin, said on Thursday that Martin's lawsuit, "like much of the recent media coverage, mischaracterizes Andy’s departure from Google and sensationalizes claims made about Andy by his ex-wife. Andy left Google voluntarily. Andy denies any misconduct, and we look forward to telling his story in court." Employee organizers said they welcomed the lawsuits as they continue to push for further changes, including an employee representative on Alphabet's board. The lawsuit calls for Alphabet to add at least three independent directors to its board and move to a "one share, one vote" stock structure to increase shareholder oversight of management decisions. Alphabet executives currently hold voting control through shares with 10 votes each. "We'd like to see ... meaningful change in the tone at the company, the policies, the treatment of women, the reporting of sexual harassment and other issues," Bottini said. The second case, brought on Wednesday by Northern California Pipe Trades Pension Plan and Teamsters Local 272 Labor Management Pension Fund, cites company filings and media reports. They are represented by the law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers and Toll.

Alphabet board sued on allegations of sexual misconduct cover-up

Google moved 19.9 billion euros ($22.7 billion) through a Dutch shell company to Bermuda in 2017, as part of an arrangement that allows it to reduce its foreign tax bill, according to documents filed at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.

The amount channelled through Google Netherlands Holdings BV was around 4 billion euros more than in 2016, the documents, filed on December 21, showed.

"We pay all of the taxes due and comply with the tax laws in every country we operate in around the world," Google said in a statement.

"Google, like other multinational companies, pays the vast majority of its corporate income tax in its home country, and we have paid a global effective tax rate of 26 per cent over the last ten years."

For more than a decade the arrangement has allowed Google owner Alphabet&nbsp;to enjoy an effective tax rate in the single digits on its non-US profits, around a quarter the average tax rate in its overseas markets.

The subsidiary in the Netherlands is used to shift revenue from royalties earned outside the United States to Google Ireland Holdings, an affiliate based in Bermuda, where companies pay no income tax.

The tax strategy, known as the "Double Irish, Dutch Sandwich", is legal and allows Google to avoid triggering US income taxes or European withholding taxes on the funds, which represent the bulk of its overseas profits.

However, under pressure from the European Union and the United States, Ireland in 2014 decided to phase out the arrangement, ending Google's tax advantages in 2020.

Google Netherlands Holdings BV paid 3.4 million euros in taxes in the Netherlands in 2017, the documents showed, on a gross profit of 13.6 million euros.

The amount channelled through Google Netherlands Holdings BV was around 4 billion euros more than in 2016, the documents, filed on December 21, showed.

Google moved 19.9 billion euros ($22.7 billion) through a Dutch shell company to Bermuda in 2017, as part of an arrangement that allows it to reduce its foreign tax bill, according to documents filed at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. The amount channelled through Google Netherlands Holdings BV was around 4 billion euros more than in 2016, the documents, filed on December 21, showed. "We pay all of the taxes due and comply with the tax laws in every country we operate in around the world," Google said in a statement. "Google, like other multinational companies, pays the vast majority of its corporate income tax in its home country, and we have paid a global effective tax rate of 26 per cent over the last ten years." For more than a decade the arrangement has allowed Google owner Alphabet to enjoy an effective tax rate in the single digits on its non-US profits, around a quarter the average tax rate in its overseas markets. The subsidiary in the Netherlands is used to shift revenue from royalties earned outside the United States to Google Ireland Holdings, an affiliate based in Bermuda, where companies pay no income tax. The tax strategy, known as the "Double Irish, Dutch Sandwich", is legal and allows Google to avoid triggering US income taxes or European withholding taxes on the funds, which represent the bulk of its overseas profits. However, under pressure from the European Union and the United States, Ireland in 2014 decided to phase out the arrangement, ending Google's tax advantages in 2020. Google Netherlands Holdings BV paid 3.4 million euros in taxes in the Netherlands in 2017, the documents showed, on a gross profit of 13.6 million euros.

Google shifted $23 billion to tax haven Bermuda in 2017: Report

This week, Google released its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/technology/this-was-the-most-googled-how-to-query-of-2018-in-india-186609">annual global and country-specific list for 2018</a>, a list of top trends of the online world. In India, this year's list was dominated by mostly sports topic as the five out 10 topics were related to that only. in comparison to last year's which mostly had&nbsp;the&nbsp;usual showbiz and cricket.

Here are the top-trending Google searches of 2018 in overall category:

FIFA World Cup 2018

The 21st edition of FIFA World Cup, the biggest sporting event on earth was played from June 14 to July 15 in multiple cities of Russia. It was keenly followed by thousands of fans around the world. France won the World Cup and clinched the most coveted - the hand and ball - trophy after defeating Croatia. FIFA tops the google search list due to its popularity and crazy fan following.

Live Score

With a rapid increase in digitalisation, the medium of entertainment and consuming information is also being digitised. Ranked at the second number, "Live score" proved people now prefer to watch sports, entertainment shows, news on their mobile phone or any other digital device.

IPL 2018

The 11th edition of Indian Premier League 2018, began on April 7 and concluded on May 27. It featured a total of eight teams.&nbsp;

This year's season saw a return of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai and Ajinkya Rahane led Rajasthan team after serving two years of suspension for the involvement of their respective owners in the 2013 IPL betting case.

Chennai team grabbed their third title after they won by 8 wickets against Hyderabad team.

Karnataka election results

The 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election was a hard-fought battle for 222 constituencies in the state. The election saw a voter turnout of 72.13 per cent, the highest in Karnataka since 1952 assembly polls. The counting of votes took place on 15 May 2018.

The election led to a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the largest party, with 104 seats, but failing to win a majority.

Baal Veer

Baal Veer is a children's Indian fantasy television series that broadcasted on SAB TV. The series successfully ran from 8 October 2012 to 4 November 2016 and aired 1111 episodes. A Tamil dubbed version of the show airs on Chutti TV.

The show is off air now but the repeat telecast airs on Sony Pal.

The most search topics in the overall category the list also included, reality show Big Boss, recently released Robot 2.0, Asia Cup 2018, animated sitcom Motu Patlu and Asian Games 2018.

Google's global 'Year in Search' list for 2018 included FIFA World Cup, natural disasters, a royal wedding and many more.

Here are the top-trending Google searches of 2018 in the overall category.

This week, Google released its annual global and country-specific list for 2018, a list of top trends of the online world. In India, this year's list was dominated by mostly sports topic as the five out 10 topics were related to that only. in comparison to last year's which mostly had the usual showbiz and cricket. Here are the top-trending Google searches of 2018 in overall category: FIFA World Cup 2018 The 21st edition of FIFA World Cup, the biggest sporting event on earth was played from June 14 to July 15 in multiple cities of Russia. It was keenly followed by thousands of fans around the world. France won the World Cup and clinched the most coveted - the hand and ball - trophy after defeating Croatia. FIFA tops the google search list due to its popularity and crazy fan following. Live Score With a rapid increase in digitalisation, the medium of entertainment and consuming information is also being digitised. Ranked at the second number, "Live score" proved people now prefer to watch sports, entertainment shows, news on their mobile phone or any other digital device. IPL 2018 The 11th edition of Indian Premier League 2018, began on April 7 and concluded on May 27. It featured a total of eight teams. This year's season saw a return of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai and Ajinkya Rahane led Rajasthan team after serving two years of suspension for the involvement of their respective owners in the 2013 IPL betting case. Chennai team grabbed their third title after they won by 8 wickets against Hyderabad team. Karnataka election results The 2018 Karnataka Legislative Assembly election was a hard-fought battle for 222 constituencies in the state. The election saw a voter turnout of 72.13 per cent, the highest in Karnataka since 1952 assembly polls. The counting of votes took place on 15 May 2018. The election led to a hung assembly, with the BJP emerging as the largest party, with 104 seats, but failing to win a majority. Baal Veer Baal Veer is a children's Indian fantasy television series that broadcasted on SAB TV. The series successfully ran from 8 October 2012 to 4 November 2016 and aired 1111 episodes. A Tamil dubbed version of the show airs on Chutti TV. The show is off air now but the repeat telecast airs on Sony Pal. The most search topics in the overall category the list also included, reality show Big Boss, recently released Robot 2.0, Asia Cup 2018, animated sitcom Motu Patlu and Asian Games 2018. Google's global 'Year in Search' list for 2018 included FIFA World Cup, natural disasters, a royal wedding and many more.

Google search in year: These are India's most trending topics of 2018

Google Doodle on Friday marked the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year when the earth is the farthest from the sun. It is also known as the midwinter.

Today the daylight duration will be shortest and night will be the longest. It occurs when one of the earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun.&nbsp;

Winter solstice happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the December solstice and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice.

People around the world have celebrated this astronomical phenomenon for centuries.&nbsp;

In Ireland, people gather days before the solstice at Newgrange – a massive gravesite that’s more than 5,000 years old. Crowds selected by lottery wait for a chance to see the sunrise light up the ancient passage tomb.

At Stonehenge, crowds of people come together to celebrate and capture the moment when the sun directly aligns with the famous stones.&nbsp;

In China, locals refer to the Winter Solstice as Dongzhi Festival, a celebration of winter’s arrival. Locals enjoy rice balls called tang yuan, which translates to "family reunion." This treat is said to bring prosperity and unity. 
&nbsp;

Google Doodle on Friday marked the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year when the earth is the farthest from the sun. It is also known as the midwinter. Today the daylight duration will be shortest and night will be the longest.

Google Doodle on Friday marked the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year when the earth is the farthest from the sun. It is also known as the midwinter. Today the daylight duration will be shortest and night will be the longest. It occurs when one of the earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the sun. Winter solstice happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere this is the December solstice and in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the June solstice. People around the world have celebrated this astronomical phenomenon for centuries. In Ireland, people gather days before the solstice at Newgrange – a massive gravesite that’s more than 5,000 years old. Crowds selected by lottery wait for a chance to see the sunrise light up the ancient passage tomb. At Stonehenge, crowds of people come together to celebrate and capture the moment when the sun directly aligns with the famous stones. In China, locals refer to the Winter Solstice as Dongzhi Festival, a celebration of winter’s arrival. Locals enjoy rice balls called tang yuan, which translates to "family reunion." This treat is said to bring prosperity and unity.

Google doodle celebrates winter solstice, shortest day of the year

US President Donald Trump took a swipe on Tuesday at America's tech giants, accusing them of having a liberal bias, and claiming Twitter was making it more difficult to follow his account.

"Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous!" Trump tweeted.&nbsp;

"Twitter, in fact, has made it much more difficult for people to join @realDonaldTrump. They have removed many names &amp; greatly slowed the level and speed of increase. They have acknowledged-done NOTHING!"

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous! Twitter, in fact, has made it much more difficult for people to join <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>. They have removed many names &amp; greatly slowed the level and speed of increase. They have acknowledged-done NOTHING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1075004324567285761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Trump is a regular critic of social media and his criticism echoed another attack on Twitter as recently as October, when he again accused the platform of stifling the growth of his account.

The internet firms have consistently denied charges of political bias and many analysts have pointed to large social media followings of conservatives including Trump.

Twitter said in a statement it has been working to weed out accounts that hide a user's true identity or seek to manipulate the platform.

"Our focus is on the health of the service, and that includes work to remove fake accounts to prevent malicious behavior," Twitter said in an emailed statement.

"Many prominent accounts have seen follower counts drop, but the result is higher confidence that the followers they have are real, engaged people."

The criticism came a day after a report for the Senate revealed Russian agents had used social media in an attempt to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favor.

An analysis for the Senate Intelligence Committee described an organized campaign by the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA) to hurt Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee.

Troll accounts marshalled by the organization had inflamed right-wing conspiracy theories and suppressed the vote of traditionally liberal-leaning groups such as African Americans, the report said.

The IRA-created "Blacktivist" account sent out messages such as: "No lives matter to Hillary Clinton. Only votes matter to Hillary Clinton."

Separately, a portion of the 3,841 IRA accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube studied by the researchers sought to provoke Republican-leaning white Americans to get out and vote.

The study showed the IRA US campaign began in 2015, aiming to mobilize conservative voters, with no specific backing for Trump at the time.&nbsp;

But as the then-candidate gained support, and especially when he drove his anti-immigrant message, the IRA posts turned in his favor.

While the study did not draw any lines between the IRA propaganda and the election results -- Republican Donald Trump stunned Clinton to take the White House -- post-election data suggests some impact.

According to the Pew Research Center, white voter turnout surged in 2016 while black turnout sank by five percentage points, to 59.6 percent, from four years earlier. 
&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump took a swipe on Tuesday at America's tech giants, accusing them of having a liberal bias, and claiming Twitter was making it more difficult to follow his account.

US President Donald Trump took a swipe on Tuesday at America's tech giants, accusing them of having a liberal bias, and claiming Twitter was making it more difficult to follow his account. "Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous!" Trump tweeted. "Twitter, in fact, has made it much more difficult for people to join @realDonaldTrump. They have removed many names & greatly slowed the level and speed of increase. They have acknowledged-done NOTHING!" Facebook, Twitter and Google are so biased toward the Dems it is ridiculous! Twitter, in fact, has made it much more difficult for people to join @realDonaldTrump. They have removed many names & greatly slowed the level and speed of increase. They have acknowledged-done NOTHING! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 18, 2018 × Trump is a regular critic of social media and his criticism echoed another attack on Twitter as recently as October, when he again accused the platform of stifling the growth of his account. The internet firms have consistently denied charges of political bias and many analysts have pointed to large social media followings of conservatives including Trump. Twitter said in a statement it has been working to weed out accounts that hide a user's true identity or seek to manipulate the platform. "Our focus is on the health of the service, and that includes work to remove fake accounts to prevent malicious behavior," Twitter said in an emailed statement. "Many prominent accounts have seen follower counts drop, but the result is higher confidence that the followers they have are real, engaged people." The criticism came a day after a report for the Senate revealed Russian agents had used social media in an attempt to sway the 2016 election in Trump's favor. An analysis for the Senate Intelligence Committee described an organized campaign by the St Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA) to hurt Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. Troll accounts marshalled by the organization had inflamed right-wing conspiracy theories and suppressed the vote of traditionally liberal-leaning groups such as African Americans, the report said. The IRA-created "Blacktivist" account sent out messages such as: "No lives matter to Hillary Clinton. Only votes matter to Hillary Clinton." Separately, a portion of the 3,841 IRA accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube studied by the researchers sought to provoke Republican-leaning white Americans to get out and vote. The study showed the IRA US campaign began in 2015, aiming to mobilize conservative voters, with no specific backing for Trump at the time. But as the then-candidate gained support, and especially when he drove his anti-immigrant message, the IRA posts turned in his favor. While the study did not draw any lines between the IRA propaganda and the election results -- Republican Donald Trump stunned Clinton to take the White House -- post-election data suggests some impact. According to the Pew Research Center, white voter turnout surged in 2016 while black turnout sank by five percentage points, to 59.6 percent, from four years earlier.

Trump says Facebook, Twitter, Google biased against him

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/indian-national-hamid-nehal-ansari-set-to-cross-wagah-border-today-184927">Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari set to cross Wagah border today</a>

As Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari prepares to walk out of a prison today, the Pakistan foreign office said that he was an "Indian spy" who was involved in "anti-state crimes and forging documents".

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wall-street-stocks-crash-dow-sp-fall-over-2-per-cent-184917">Wall Street stocks crash; Dow, S&amp;P fall over 2 per cent</a>

US President Donald Trump lambasted the Federal Reserve again, calling on the central bank not to raise interest rates a day before policymakers are due to meet. Markets widely expect the Fed to ignore the political pressure and announce its fourth rate hike of 2018.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/8-killed-in-fire-at-esic-kamgar-hospital-in-mumbais-andheri-184920">8 killed in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/8-killed-in-fire-at-esic-kamgar-hospital-in-mumbais-andheri-184920">fire</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/8-killed-in-fire-at-esic-kamgar-hospital-in-mumbais-andheri-184920"> at ESIC Kamgar hospital in Mumbai's Andheri</a>

The death toll in Mumbai's Andheri hospital fire incident has increased to eight from six.

A massive fire broke out at ESIC Kamgar hospital on Monday injuring more than 100 people.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/air-strikes-kill-62-shabaab-terrorists-in-somalia-us-military-184914">Air strikes kill 62 Shabaab terrorists in Somalia: US military</a>

The US military said Monday it has killed 62 terrorists from the jihadist Shabaab movement in six air strikes in Somalia.

Four strikes on Saturday killed 34 terrorists and another two on Sunday killed 28, the US Africa Command said in a statement.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-invest-over-1-billion-on-new-campus-in-new-york-184915">Google to invest over $1 billion on </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-invest-over-1-billion-on-new-campus-in-new-york-184915">new</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-invest-over-1-billion-on-new-campus-in-new-york-184915"> campus in New York</a>

Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari set to cross Wagah border today As Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari prepares to walk out of a prison today, the Pakistan foreign office said that he was an "Indian spy" who was involved in "anti-state crimes and forging documents".

Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari set to cross Wagah border today As Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari prepares to walk out of a prison today, the Pakistan foreign office said that he was an "Indian spy" who was involved in "anti-state crimes and forging documents". Wall Street stocks crash; Dow, S&P fall over 2 per cent US President Donald Trump lambasted the Federal Reserve again, calling on the central bank not to raise interest rates a day before policymakers are due to meet. Markets widely expect the Fed to ignore the political pressure and announce its fourth rate hike of 2018. 8 killed in fire at ESIC Kamgar hospital in Mumbai's Andheri The death toll in Mumbai's Andheri hospital fire incident has increased to eight from six. A massive fire broke out at ESIC Kamgar hospital on Monday injuring more than 100 people. Air strikes kill 62 Shabaab terrorists in Somalia: US military The US military said Monday it has killed 62 terrorists from the jihadist Shabaab movement in six air strikes in Somalia. Four strikes on Saturday killed 34 terrorists and another two on Sunday killed 28, the US Africa Command said in a statement. Google to invest over $1 billion on new campus in New York Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

News brief: Big stories of the day

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-launches-artificial-intelligence-programme-in-thailand-to-screen-for-diabetic-eye-disease-183888">Google is investing</a> more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

The 1.7 million-square-foot campus, called Google Hudson Square, will include leased properties at Hudson Street and Washington Street, the company said in a blog post on Monday. The new campus will be the main location for Google's advertising sales division, the Global Business Organization.

Google hopes to start moving into two Hudson Street buildings by 2020, followed by a Washington Street in 2022 and will have the capacity to more than double its New York headcount, currently more than 7,000, in the next 10 years.

The company's plans to invest outside its home base mirror those of other US tech giants such as Apple, which said last week it would spend $1 billion to build a new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas.

Last month, Amazon said it would open offices in New York and the Washington, DC area, creating more than 25,000 jobs.

Mountain View, California-based Google's move to invest in prime real estate on the lower west side of Manhattan also underscores the growing importance of New York as a hub for innovation and an incubator for technology companies.

With a plethora of white-collar workers and good infrastructure, the city provides a better option to other places that would require more investment.

"We're growing faster outside the Bay Area than within it," said Ruth Porat, chief financial officer of Alphabet and Google.

It is a "fairly sensible" move for Google given the amount of available talent pool, Atlantic Equities analyst James Cordwell said.

It also makes sense for Google as New York has been the centre for their core advertising business, Cordwell added.

US corporations are also under pressure from the Trump administration to create more jobs domestically. Companies that have moved jobs overseas or closed factories have drawn sharp rebukes from <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/standoff-over-trump-wall-leaves-us-govt-5-days-away-from-shutdown-184833">President Donald Trump</a>.

The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Google was nearing a deal to buy or lease an office building in New York City that could add space for more than 12,000 new workers.

Google's first New York office at 111 Eighth Avenue is one of the city's largest buildings that it bought in 2010 for $1.77 billion.

Earlier this year, the company announced a $2.4 billion purchase of the Manhattan Chelsea Market. It also has leased space on Pier 57 jutting into the Hudson, which will create a four-block campus.

Google shares were down 1.7 per cent at $1,032.84 amid a broader market sell-off.

Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs.

Google is investing more than $1 billion on a new campus in New York, becoming the second major technology company after Amazon to pick America's financial capital to expand and create thousands of jobs. The 1.7 million-square-foot campus, called Google Hudson Square, will include leased properties at Hudson Street and Washington Street, the company said in a blog post on Monday. The new campus will be the main location for Google's advertising sales division, the Global Business Organization. Google hopes to start moving into two Hudson Street buildings by 2020, followed by a Washington Street in 2022 and will have the capacity to more than double its New York headcount, currently more than 7,000, in the next 10 years. The company's plans to invest outside its home base mirror those of other US tech giants such as Apple, which said last week it would spend $1 billion to build a new 133-acre campus in Austin, Texas. Last month, Amazon said it would open offices in New York and the Washington, DC area, creating more than 25,000 jobs. Mountain View, California-based Google's move to invest in prime real estate on the lower west side of Manhattan also underscores the growing importance of New York as a hub for innovation and an incubator for technology companies. With a plethora of white-collar workers and good infrastructure, the city provides a better option to other places that would require more investment. "We're growing faster outside the Bay Area than within it," said Ruth Porat, chief financial officer of Alphabet and Google. It is a "fairly sensible" move for Google given the amount of available talent pool, Atlantic Equities analyst James Cordwell said. It also makes sense for Google as New York has been the centre for their core advertising business, Cordwell added. US corporations are also under pressure from the Trump administration to create more jobs domestically. Companies that have moved jobs overseas or closed factories have drawn sharp rebukes from President Donald Trump. The Wall Street Journal reported last month that Google was nearing a deal to buy or lease an office building in New York City that could add space for more than 12,000 new workers. Google's first New York office at 111 Eighth Avenue is one of the city's largest buildings that it bought in 2010 for $1.77 billion. Earlier this year, the company announced a $2.4 billion purchase of the Manhattan Chelsea Market. It also has leased space on Pier 57 jutting into the Hudson, which will create a four-block campus. Google shares were down 1.7 per cent at $1,032.84 amid a broader market sell-off.

Google to invest over $1 billion on new campus in New York

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/sundar-pichai-explains-why-google-results-for-idiot-shows-trump-183473">Google said on Thursday</a> it had launched an artificial intelligence programme in Thailand to screen for a diabetic eye disease which causes permanent blindness.

The eye screening programme in Thailand follows a similar Google programme in India and highlights a push by big tech companies to show the social benefits of new AI technologies.

"As a society, we have a responsibility to use AI in the best possible way," Kent Walker, the company's Senior Vice President for Global Affairs, said in speech at a Google event in Bangkok on Thursday.

The event also highlighted other social benefits of Google's AI projects, such as stopping illegal fishing in Indonesia.

Google's Thailand diabetes programme was announced in partnership with a Thai state-run Rajavithi Hospital. This followed a joint-study which found the AI programme to have an accuracy rate of 95 per cent when it comes to disease detection, compared with 74 per cent from opticians or eye doctors.

The programme analyses patients' eye screen results to assess if they are at a risk of vision loss, which will enable them to have preemptive treatment.

Thailand is one of the world's most important sugar producers and high sugar consumption is common amongst its 69 million population.

The Thai government has been campaigning against behaviour that can lead to diabetes and has made the diabetic eye screening one of the country's national health indicators since 2015.

Thailand has only around 1,400 eye doctors for its 5 million diabetic patients, who are all at risk of the vision loss, Paisan Ruamviboonsuk, Ravajithi Hospital's assistant director, told reporters.

Paisan said the programme is intended to achieve a nationwide eye screening rate of 60 per cent, which is also the Thai government's target.

In October, Google said it would grant about $25 million globally next year to humanitarian and environmental projects seeking to use AI for good.

Google said on Thursday it had launched an artificial intelligence programme in Thailand to screen for a diabetic eye disease which causes permanent blindness. The eye screening programme in Thailand follows a similar Google programme in India and highlights a push by big tech companies to show the social benefits of new AI technologies.

Google said on Thursday it had launched an artificial intelligence programme in Thailand to screen for a diabetic eye disease which causes permanent blindness. The eye screening programme in Thailand follows a similar Google programme in India and highlights a push by big tech companies to show the social benefits of new AI technologies. "As a society, we have a responsibility to use AI in the best possible way," Kent Walker, the company's Senior Vice President for Global Affairs, said in speech at a Google event in Bangkok on Thursday. The event also highlighted other social benefits of Google's AI projects, such as stopping illegal fishing in Indonesia. Google's Thailand diabetes programme was announced in partnership with a Thai state-run Rajavithi Hospital. This followed a joint-study which found the AI programme to have an accuracy rate of 95 per cent when it comes to disease detection, compared with 74 per cent from opticians or eye doctors. The programme analyses patients' eye screen results to assess if they are at a risk of vision loss, which will enable them to have preemptive treatment. Thailand is one of the world's most important sugar producers and high sugar consumption is common amongst its 69 million population. The Thai government has been campaigning against behaviour that can lead to diabetes and has made the diabetic eye screening one of the country's national health indicators since 2015. Thailand has only around 1,400 eye doctors for its 5 million diabetic patients, who are all at risk of the vision loss, Paisan Ruamviboonsuk, Ravajithi Hospital's assistant director, told reporters. Paisan said the programme is intended to achieve a nationwide eye screening rate of 60 per cent, which is also the Thai government's target. In October, Google said it would grant about $25 million globally next year to humanitarian and environmental projects seeking to use AI for good.

Google launches AI programme in Thailand to screen diabetic eye disease

WION Your Story: Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies before US Congress

Google currently has no plans to launch a search engine in China, its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/google-ceo-faces-house-grilling-on-breach-china-censorship-183237">Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai </a>told lawmakers Tuesday as he dodged a series of questions from lawmakers who expressed concern over such a reported move by the internet giant.

His statement came while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Hearing on 'Transparency &amp; Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices'.

"We have no plans to launch in China. We don't have a search product there. Our core mission is to provide users access to information and getting access to information is an important human right," Pichai told members of the House Judiciary Committee during a Congressional hearing on Google's data collection practices.

"We are always compelled across the world to try hard to provide that information and but right now there are no plans to launch search in China.&nbsp; 
I'm committed to being fully transparent including with policymakers to the extent we ever develop plans to do that," Pichai said, responding to a question from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Applauded Google for its 2010 stand of principle and democratic values&nbsp;over profits and came out of China, Jackson Lee said she is concerned that Google is now going back into China and upholding the dragonfly procedures which would help censor Chinese persons seeking a lifeline of democracy and freedom.

"How can you do that and what are you doing to minimise or to indicate that this is not best practices?" she asked.

Echoed Congressman Tom Marino, "In 2010 Google left the Chinese marketplace due to concerns over hack--hacking attacks, censorship and how the Chinese government was possibly gaining access to data. I'm interested in what has changed since 2010 and how working with the Chinese government to censor research results, a part of Google's core values," he said.

"Right now, there are no plans for us to launch a search product in China. We are in general always looking to see how best it's part of our core mission and our principle is to try hard to provide users with information.&nbsp;We always have evidence based on every country we operate in us reaching out and giving users to more information has a very positive impact and we feel that calling," Pichai said.

"But right now, there are no plans to launch in China. To the extent that we ever approach a decision like that I will be fully transparent including with policymakers here and engage and consult widely," he said.

Any time Google looks to operate in a country it would look at what the conditions are to operate.

"There are times in the past we have debated the conditions to operate and we explore a wide range of possibilities. Currently, it is an effort only internally for us. We are not doing this in China. And so you know but I am happy to consult back and be transparent if we plan something there," he said.

Congressman David Cicilline said the operating environment in China has deteriorated with respect to surveillance censorship and the like since Google first made the decision in 2010 to leave.

In September, he had sent Pichai a letter along with 15 other colleagues raising serious concerns about reports that Google is planning to re-enter the Chinese market with an app-based search engine that would likely have to comply with strict censorship and surveillance requirements imposed by the Chinese government.

"Since then a widespread course of opposition to such a move has emerged including from lawmakers, leading human rights activists and a group of Google's own employees. The environment has deteriorated," Cicilline said.

Google, he said, is launching an app in that environment would seem to be completely inconsistent with Google's recently launched AI principles which says it will not design or deploy technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights.

"It's hard for me to imagine you could operate in the Chinese market under the current government framework and maintain a commitment to universal values such as freedom of expression and personal privacy. So I want to ask very specifically are any employees currently having product meetings on this Chinese project and if not, when did those end?" Cicilline asked.

"We have undertaken an internal effort but right now there are no plans to launch a search service in China as I said earlier... Currently we are not in discussions around launching a search product in China," Pichai said.

Cicilline pressed Pichai further. "Will you Mr Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while you are CEO of Google?" he asked.

"Congressman, I commit to engaging one of the things which is important to us as a company. We have a stated mission of providing users with information and so we think it's in our duty to explore possibilities, to give users access to information and I have that commitment but you know as I said earlier on this, we will be very thoughtful and we will engage widely as we make progress," Pichai said.

In a separate letter, Cicilline and 15 other lawmakers and more than 50 human and civil rights organisations opposed the launch of a censored Google search engine for the Chinese market.

The letter alleged that the Chinese government is actively promoting its model of pervasive digital censorship and surveillance around the world.

Google currently has no plans to launch a search engine in China, its Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai told lawmakers Tuesday as he dodged a series of questions from lawmakers who expressed concern over such a reported move by the internet giant.

Google currently has no plans to launch a search engine in China, its Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai told lawmakers Tuesday as he dodged a series of questions from lawmakers who expressed concern over such a reported move by the internet giant. His statement came while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Hearing on 'Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices'. "We have no plans to launch in China. We don't have a search product there. Our core mission is to provide users access to information and getting access to information is an important human right," Pichai told members of the House Judiciary Committee during a Congressional hearing on Google's data collection practices. "We are always compelled across the world to try hard to provide that information and but right now there are no plans to launch search in China. I'm committed to being fully transparent including with policymakers to the extent we ever develop plans to do that," Pichai said, responding to a question from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Applauded Google for its 2010 stand of principle and democratic values over profits and came out of China, Jackson Lee said she is concerned that Google is now going back into China and upholding the dragonfly procedures which would help censor Chinese persons seeking a lifeline of democracy and freedom. "How can you do that and what are you doing to minimise or to indicate that this is not best practices?" she asked. Echoed Congressman Tom Marino, "In 2010 Google left the Chinese marketplace due to concerns over hack--hacking attacks, censorship and how the Chinese government was possibly gaining access to data. I'm interested in what has changed since 2010 and how working with the Chinese government to censor research results, a part of Google's core values," he said. "Right now, there are no plans for us to launch a search product in China. We are in general always looking to see how best it's part of our core mission and our principle is to try hard to provide users with information. We always have evidence based on every country we operate in us reaching out and giving users to more information has a very positive impact and we feel that calling," Pichai said. "But right now, there are no plans to launch in China. To the extent that we ever approach a decision like that I will be fully transparent including with policymakers here and engage and consult widely," he said. Any time Google looks to operate in a country it would look at what the conditions are to operate. "There are times in the past we have debated the conditions to operate and we explore a wide range of possibilities. Currently, it is an effort only internally for us. We are not doing this in China. And so you know but I am happy to consult back and be transparent if we plan something there," he said. Congressman David Cicilline said the operating environment in China has deteriorated with respect to surveillance censorship and the like since Google first made the decision in 2010 to leave. In September, he had sent Pichai a letter along with 15 other colleagues raising serious concerns about reports that Google is planning to re-enter the Chinese market with an app-based search engine that would likely have to comply with strict censorship and surveillance requirements imposed by the Chinese government. "Since then a widespread course of opposition to such a move has emerged including from lawmakers, leading human rights activists and a group of Google's own employees. The environment has deteriorated," Cicilline said. Google, he said, is launching an app in that environment would seem to be completely inconsistent with Google's recently launched AI principles which says it will not design or deploy technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights. "It's hard for me to imagine you could operate in the Chinese market under the current government framework and maintain a commitment to universal values such as freedom of expression and personal privacy. So I want to ask very specifically are any employees currently having product meetings on this Chinese project and if not, when did those end?" Cicilline asked. "We have undertaken an internal effort but right now there are no plans to launch a search service in China as I said earlier... Currently we are not in discussions around launching a search product in China," Pichai said. Cicilline pressed Pichai further. "Will you Mr Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while you are CEO of Google?" he asked. "Congressman, I commit to engaging one of the things which is important to us as a company. We have a stated mission of providing users with information and so we think it's in our duty to explore possibilities, to give users access to information and I have that commitment but you know as I said earlier on this, we will be very thoughtful and we will engage widely as we make progress," Pichai said. In a separate letter, Cicilline and 15 other lawmakers and more than 50 human and civil rights organisations opposed the launch of a censored Google search engine for the Chinese market. The letter alleged that the Chinese government is actively promoting its model of pervasive digital censorship and surveillance around the world.

Google has no plans to launch search engine in China: CEO Pichai to US panel

Australia’s competition watchdog on Monday recommended a new regulatory body be set up to monitor tech giants <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-makes-it-compulsory-for-advertisers-to-disclose-their-identity-location-182007">Facebook</a> Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google and their dominance of the online advertising and news markets.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a preliminary report on the US firms’ market power that extra oversight was justified to ensure advertisers were treated fairly and the public access to news was unfettered.

The report, ordered by the government a year ago, is being closely watched as lawmakers around the world wrestle with the powerful tech firms’ role in public life and their influence on everything from privacy to disinformation and traditional media.

It follows moves by Australia last week to compel tech firms to help security agencies access private user data.

Facebook and Google’s algorithms governing the display of advertisements lacked transparency, the ACCC said in its report, giving the firms “both the ability and incentive to favour their own related businesses” ahead of advertisers’.

Similarly, the companies have usurped traditional publishers as news distributors, which has both hurt incumbent media companies and made it harder for readers to find accurate reports, the regulator found.

“Consumers face a potential risk of filter bubbles, or echo chambers, and less reliable news on digital platforms,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.

The ACCC has suggested that a new regulator is given investigative powers to examine how the companies rank advertisements and news articles.

Facebook and Google had no immediate response, although both firms say they are committed to tackling the spread of fake news.

Australia’s government ordered the probe into the firms’ influence as part of wider media reforms, amid growing concern for the future of journalism and the quality of news following years of declining profits and newsroom job cuts.

Like their rivals globally, Australia’s traditional media companies have been squeezed by online rivals, as advertising dollars have followed eyeballs to digital distributors.

Australia’s competition watchdog on Monday recommended a new regulatory body be set up to monitor tech giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google and their dominance of the online advertising and news markets.

Australia’s competition watchdog on Monday recommended a new regulatory body be set up to monitor tech giants Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google and their dominance of the online advertising and news markets. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in a preliminary report on the US firms’ market power that extra oversight was justified to ensure advertisers were treated fairly and the public access to news was unfettered. The report, ordered by the government a year ago, is being closely watched as lawmakers around the world wrestle with the powerful tech firms’ role in public life and their influence on everything from privacy to disinformation and traditional media. It follows moves by Australia last week to compel tech firms to help security agencies access private user data. Facebook and Google’s algorithms governing the display of advertisements lacked transparency, the ACCC said in its report, giving the firms “both the ability and incentive to favour their own related businesses” ahead of advertisers’. Similarly, the companies have usurped traditional publishers as news distributors, which has both hurt incumbent media companies and made it harder for readers to find accurate reports, the regulator found. “Consumers face a potential risk of filter bubbles, or echo chambers, and less reliable news on digital platforms,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said in a statement. The ACCC has suggested that a new regulator is given investigative powers to examine how the companies rank advertisements and news articles. Facebook and Google had no immediate response, although both firms say they are committed to tackling the spread of fake news. Australia’s government ordered the probe into the firms’ influence as part of wider media reforms, amid growing concern for the future of journalism and the quality of news following years of declining profits and newsroom job cuts. Like their rivals globally, Australia’s traditional media companies have been squeezed by online rivals, as advertising dollars have followed eyeballs to digital distributors.

Australian watchdog calls for more scrutiny of Google, Facebook

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/france-pm-philippe-confirms-fuel-tax-suspensions-calls-for-calm-181453">France will forge ahead with its own tax</a> on digital giants in 2019 if the EU fails to agree on how to get the likes of Google and Facebook to pay more tax in Europe, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday.

Le Maire told France 2 television he would give himself "until March" to reach a deal with other EU members on a digital tax, nicknamed the GAFA tax after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon.

If the talks fail, "we will do it at the national level in 2019: we will tax digital giants if European states do not take their responsibilities," he said.

On Tuesday, France and Germany agreed on a scaled-back version of the tax in a bid to overcome significant opposition to the plan among some of their EU neighbours.

Under the new plan -- presented as an interim solution while waiting for a global deal brokered by the OECD -- digital giants would pay a three-per cent levy on advertising sales. &nbsp; &nbsp;

The measure, set to come into force in 2021 if a global plan has not been agreed by then, would chiefly target Google and Facebook, which dominate the online advertising market in Europe.

Paris argues it would be a vote winner for mainstream EU parties before European Parliament elections next May, in which anti-Brussels populists could do well.

France's initial proposal had a far wider scope but failed to gain traction, effectively killing the proposal as European tax rules require unanimous backing by all EU members.

Ireland, which hosts the European headquarters of several US tech giants, leads a small group of otherwise mostly Nordic countries that argue the tax will also punish European companies and stoke Washington's anger.

Germany, which firmly backed the plan at first, also expressed reticence after auto giants expressed concern it could damage their digital business models.

France will forge ahead with its own tax on digital giants in 2019 if the EU fails to agree on how to get the likes of Google and Facebook to pay more tax in Europe, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday.

France will forge ahead with its own tax on digital giants in 2019 if the EU fails to agree on how to get the likes of Google and Facebook to pay more tax in Europe, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Thursday. Le Maire told France 2 television he would give himself "until March" to reach a deal with other EU members on a digital tax, nicknamed the GAFA tax after Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon. If the talks fail, "we will do it at the national level in 2019: we will tax digital giants if European states do not take their responsibilities," he said. On Tuesday, France and Germany agreed on a scaled-back version of the tax in a bid to overcome significant opposition to the plan among some of their EU neighbours. Under the new plan -- presented as an interim solution while waiting for a global deal brokered by the OECD -- digital giants would pay a three-per cent levy on advertising sales. The measure, set to come into force in 2021 if a global plan has not been agreed by then, would chiefly target Google and Facebook, which dominate the online advertising market in Europe. Paris argues it would be a vote winner for mainstream EU parties before European Parliament elections next May, in which anti-Brussels populists could do well. France's initial proposal had a far wider scope but failed to gain traction, effectively killing the proposal as European tax rules require unanimous backing by all EU members. Ireland, which hosts the European headquarters of several US tech giants, leads a small group of otherwise mostly Nordic countries that argue the tax will also punish European companies and stoke Washington's anger. Germany, which firmly backed the plan at first, also expressed reticence after auto giants expressed concern it could damage their digital business models.

France to introduce digital tax if no EU deal

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan hit back his detractors for mocking his proposal to provide eggs and chicken to rural women as part of his government's poverty alleviation programme, saying 'colonised minds' criticise him for the idea but will praise 'wilayatis' (foreigners) for the similar concept.&nbsp;

At a ceremony to mark his government's 100 days in office, Khan had said his government would provide livestock and poultry to underprivileged women to encourage them to start their own business.&nbsp;

He said that the project was tested and the government would provide injections (vaccines) to them for raising the chickens faster. "This way, they will have nutrient food for eating and more chickens and eggs to sell," Khan had said.

Pakistan's opposition parties mocked at the premier's proposal, terming it as a "serious comedy" and as "another Google-it-solution" to improve the country's ailing economy.

Reacting to opposition's criticism Khan on Saturday tweeted: "For the colonised minds when desis (locals like him) talk about chickens combating poverty they get mocked, but when 'walaitis' (foreigners like Bill Gates) talk about desi chicken and poverty it's brilliance."

He also referred to an article by Microsoft founder Bill Gates in which he&nbsp;talked about poultry initiative believing that "it is a way to lift citizens (of rural areas) out of poverty".

Earlier, PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal, in a series of tweets, said he was shocked to hear Imran Khan's suggestion and concerned for his country at a time when fourth industrial revolution is on horizon.

"After listening to Imran Khan's suggestion, I am shocked and concerned for our country. Eggs, Desi chicken and Kattas (calves)-based economy at a time when the fourth industrial revolution is on the horizon is a much too 'serious comedy'. It shows what kind of agenda is being discussed in the PM office," he tweeted.&nbsp;

Iqbal further tweeted "so this is another Google-it-solution." Apart from Iqbal, former foreign minister Khwaja Asif said: "After the 100-day deliberations, the PTI has come up with this 'hen-egg' solution to improve our unstable economy... Congratulations."

Pakistan's former railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafique said: "This is a&nbsp;great idea to bring about economic revolution in the country. Imran Khan has finally come up with an innovative idea to address the country's economic woes."

PPP Senator Saeed Ghani said Prime Minister Khan revealed from where (Bill Gates) this 'idea' had come from.

Besides, opposition parties, Khan also received flak from other section of the society on the social media for proposing this idea.

Rights activist Marvi Sirmad said: "Turns out that whatever PM Khan was claiming about chickens, eggs and calves as his revolutionary programmes, have already been in practice in Punjab at least. This happens after he inaugurated a university in Sialkot, which was already inaugurated by Shahbaz Sharif."

Journalist Sana Bucha tweeted: "100 days. Desi murghis (hen), Teekay (injection) and Kattas (claves). This is the survival story. This is our rebirth. This is our future. This is the turn of this country. We are now safe. Believe in the Naya Pakistan."

But former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi and Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), came out in his defence, saying those poking fun at the premier should pause and read what Bill Gates has to say on the chicken and egg theory of poverty alleviation.

"Those who are poking fun of Imran Khan and PTI for the chicken and egg theory of poverty alleviation should pause and read what Bill Gates has to say on the subject." Sethi tweeted.

Defending its chairman the PTI, on its official Twitter account, said "Microsoft founder Bill Gates launched a campaign to help extremely poor families in Africa by giving them chickens. However, when PM Imran Khan talks about it, it becomes an issue. Propagandists really can not rise above their hate."&nbsp;

The PTI further said: "The chickens are almost entirely a women's activity because it involves being around the household all day long."

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan hit back his detractors for mocking his proposal to provide eggs and chicken to rural women as part of his government's poverty alleviation programme, saying 'colonised minds' criticise him for the idea but will praise 'wilayatis' (foreigners) for the similar concept.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan hit back his detractors for mocking his proposal to provide eggs and chicken to rural women as part of his government's poverty alleviation programme, saying 'colonised minds' criticise him for the idea but will praise 'wilayatis' (foreigners) for the similar concept. At a ceremony to mark his government's 100 days in office, Khan had said his government would provide livestock and poultry to underprivileged women to encourage them to start their own business. He said that the project was tested and the government would provide injections (vaccines) to them for raising the chickens faster. "This way, they will have nutrient food for eating and more chickens and eggs to sell," Khan had said. Pakistan's opposition parties mocked at the premier's proposal, terming it as a "serious comedy" and as "another Google-it-solution" to improve the country's ailing economy. Reacting to opposition's criticism Khan on Saturday tweeted: "For the colonised minds when desis (locals like him) talk about chickens combating poverty they get mocked, but when 'walaitis' (foreigners like Bill Gates) talk about desi chicken and poverty it's brilliance." He also referred to an article by Microsoft founder Bill Gates in which he talked about poultry initiative believing that "it is a way to lift citizens (of rural areas) out of poverty". Earlier, PML-N senior leader Ahsan Iqbal, in a series of tweets, said he was shocked to hear Imran Khan's suggestion and concerned for his country at a time when fourth industrial revolution is on horizon. "After listening to Imran Khan's suggestion, I am shocked and concerned for our country. Eggs, Desi chicken and Kattas (calves)-based economy at a time when the fourth industrial revolution is on the horizon is a much too 'serious comedy'. It shows what kind of agenda is being discussed in the PM office," he tweeted. Iqbal further tweeted "so this is another Google-it-solution." Apart from Iqbal, former foreign minister Khwaja Asif said: "After the 100-day deliberations, the PTI has come up with this 'hen-egg' solution to improve our unstable economy... Congratulations." Pakistan's former railways minister Khwaja Saad Rafique said: "This is a great idea to bring about economic revolution in the country. Imran Khan has finally come up with an innovative idea to address the country's economic woes." PPP Senator Saeed Ghani said Prime Minister Khan revealed from where (Bill Gates) this 'idea' had come from. Besides, opposition parties, Khan also received flak from other section of the society on the social media for proposing this idea. Rights activist Marvi Sirmad said: "Turns out that whatever PM Khan was claiming about chickens, eggs and calves as his revolutionary programmes, have already been in practice in Punjab at least. This happens after he inaugurated a university in Sialkot, which was already inaugurated by Shahbaz Sharif." Journalist Sana Bucha tweeted: "100 days. Desi murghis (hen), Teekay (injection) and Kattas (claves). This is the survival story. This is our rebirth. This is our future. This is the turn of this country. We are now safe. Believe in the Naya Pakistan." But former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi and Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), came out in his defence, saying those poking fun at the premier should pause and read what Bill Gates has to say on the chicken and egg theory of poverty alleviation. "Those who are poking fun of Imran Khan and PTI for the chicken and egg theory of poverty alleviation should pause and read what Bill Gates has to say on the subject." Sethi tweeted. Defending its chairman the PTI, on its official Twitter account, said "Microsoft founder Bill Gates launched a campaign to help extremely poor families in Africa by giving them chickens. However, when PM Imran Khan talks about it, it becomes an issue. Propagandists really can not rise above their hate." The PTI further said: "The chickens are almost entirely a women's activity because it involves being around the household all day long."

Opposition mocks Pak PM for his poultry-based poverty alleviation programme, Imran Khan hits back 

Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;Google said it will roll out new policies in Europe to provide more transparency around political ads, ahead of European Union elections in the spring, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing a blog post.

According to the report, Google said it would require advertisers to submit an application and receive verification before they can pay for political ads.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The European Commission said in September that Facebook Inc, Google and other tech firms had agreed a code of conduct to do more to tackle the spread of fake news, over concerns it can influence elections.

Google also said it would publish an EU transparency report, along with a searchable ad library, to provide more information about who is purchasing election ads, for how much, and to whom they are targeted, Bloomberg reported.

Public databases that shine a light on online political ads - launched by Facebook and Google before U.S. elections - offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules.

Alphabet Inc's Google said it will roll out new policies in Europe to provide more transparency around political ads, ahead of European Union elections in the spring, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing a blog post.

Alphabet Inc's Google said it will roll out new policies in Europe to provide more transparency around political ads, ahead of European Union elections in the spring, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing a blog post. According to the report, Google said it would require advertisers to submit an application and receive verification before they can pay for political ads. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The European Commission said in September that Facebook Inc, Google and other tech firms had agreed a code of conduct to do more to tackle the spread of fake news, over concerns it can influence elections. Google also said it would publish an EU transparency report, along with a searchable ad library, to provide more information about who is purchasing election ads, for how much, and to whom they are targeted, Bloomberg reported. Public databases that shine a light on online political ads - launched by Facebook and Google before U.S. elections - offer the public the first broad view of how quickly the companies yank advertisements that break their rules.

Google reveals new policy for election ads ahead of EU vote: Report

Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week.

"We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that," chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a message to employees.

"It's clear we need to make some changes."

Arbitration of harassment claims will be optional instead of obligatory, according to Pichai, a move that could end anonymous settlements that fail to identify those accused of harassment.

"Google has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process and it still may be the best path for a number of reasons (e.g. personal privacy, predictability of process), but, we recognize that the choice should be up to you," he said in the memo.

Pichai promised that Google will be more transparent with how concerns are handled, and provide better support and care to those who raise such issues with the company.

Google will provide "more granularity," regarding sexual harassment investigations and their outcomes, according to Pichai.

A section of an internal "Investigations Report" will focus on sexual harassment to show numbers of substantiated concerns as well as trends and disciplinary actions, according to the California-based company.

He also said Google is consolidating the complaint system and that the process for handling concerns will include providing support people and counselors.

Google will update its mandatory sexual harassment training, and require it annually instead of every two years as had been the case.

Less booze

Google is also putting the onus on team leaders to tighten the tap on booze at company events, on or off campus, to curtail the potential for drunken misbehavior.

"Harassment is never acceptable and alcohol is never an excuse," Google said in a released action statement.

"But, one of the most common factors among the harassment complaints made today at Google is that the perpetrator had been drinking."

Google policy already bans excessive consumption of alcohol on the job; while on company business, or at&nbsp; work-related events.

Some teams at the company have already instituted two-drink limits at events or use ticket systems, Google said.

Google executives overseeing events will be expected to strongly discourage excessive drinking, according to the company, which vowed "onerous actions" if problems persisted.

The company also promised to "recommit" to improving workplace diversity through hiring, retention, and career advancement.'

'Googleplex' walkout

Thousands of Google employees joined a coordinated worldwide walkout a week ago to protest the US tech giant's handling of sexual harassment.

A massive turnout at the "Googleplex" in Silicon Valley was the final stage of a global walkout that began in Asia and spread to Google offices in Europe.

Some 20,000 Google employees and contractors participated in the protest in 50 cities around the world, according to organizers.

Demma Rodriguez, head of equity engineering and a seven-year Google employee, said during the walkout that it was an important part of bringing fairness to the technology colossus.

"We have an aspiration to be the best company in the world," Rodriguez said.

"But we also have goals as a company and we can't decide we are going to miss those."

The protest took shape after Google said it had fired 48 employees in the past two years - including 13 senior executives - as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct.

Demands posted by organizers included an end to forced arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination for all current and future employees, along with a right for every Google worker to bring a co-worker, representative, or supporter when filing a harassment claim.

In a statement organizers commended Google for the response, but said more changes are needed.

"We demand a truly equitable culture, and Google leadership can achieve this by putting employee representation on the board and giving full rights and protections to contract workers," organizer Stephanie Parker said in the statement.

Along with sexual harassment, Google needs to address racism and discrimination that includes inequity in pay and promotions, organizers said.

"They all have the same root cause, which is a concentration of power and a lack of accountability at the top," Parker said.

Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week.

Google on Thursday outlined changes to its handling of sexual misconduct complaints, hoping to calm outrage that triggered a worldwide walkout of workers last week. "We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that," chief executive Sundar Pichai said in a message to employees. "It's clear we need to make some changes." Arbitration of harassment claims will be optional instead of obligatory, according to Pichai, a move that could end anonymous settlements that fail to identify those accused of harassment. "Google has never required confidentiality in the arbitration process and it still may be the best path for a number of reasons (e.g. personal privacy, predictability of process), but, we recognize that the choice should be up to you," he said in the memo. Pichai promised that Google will be more transparent with how concerns are handled, and provide better support and care to those who raise such issues with the company. Google will provide "more granularity," regarding sexual harassment investigations and their outcomes, according to Pichai. A section of an internal "Investigations Report" will focus on sexual harassment to show numbers of substantiated concerns as well as trends and disciplinary actions, according to the California-based company. He also said Google is consolidating the complaint system and that the process for handling concerns will include providing support people and counselors. Google will update its mandatory sexual harassment training, and require it annually instead of every two years as had been the case. Less booze Google is also putting the onus on team leaders to tighten the tap on booze at company events, on or off campus, to curtail the potential for drunken misbehavior. "Harassment is never acceptable and alcohol is never an excuse," Google said in a released action statement. "But, one of the most common factors among the harassment complaints made today at Google is that the perpetrator had been drinking." Google policy already bans excessive consumption of alcohol on the job; while on company business, or at work-related events. Some teams at the company have already instituted two-drink limits at events or use ticket systems, Google said. Google executives overseeing events will be expected to strongly discourage excessive drinking, according to the company, which vowed "onerous actions" if problems persisted. The company also promised to "recommit" to improving workplace diversity through hiring, retention, and career advancement.' 'Googleplex' walkout Thousands of Google employees joined a coordinated worldwide walkout a week ago to protest the US tech giant's handling of sexual harassment. A massive turnout at the "Googleplex" in Silicon Valley was the final stage of a global walkout that began in Asia and spread to Google offices in Europe. Some 20,000 Google employees and contractors participated in the protest in 50 cities around the world, according to organizers. Demma Rodriguez, head of equity engineering and a seven-year Google employee, said during the walkout that it was an important part of bringing fairness to the technology colossus. "We have an aspiration to be the best company in the world," Rodriguez said. "But we also have goals as a company and we can't decide we are going to miss those." The protest took shape after Google said it had fired 48 employees in the past two years - including 13 senior executives - as a result of allegations of sexual misconduct. Demands posted by organizers included an end to forced arbitration in cases of harassment and discrimination for all current and future employees, along with a right for every Google worker to bring a co-worker, representative, or supporter when filing a harassment claim. In a statement organizers commended Google for the response, but said more changes are needed. "We demand a truly equitable culture, and Google leadership can achieve this by putting employee representation on the board and giving full rights and protections to contract workers," organizer Stephanie Parker said in the statement. Along with sexual harassment, Google needs to address racism and discrimination that includes inequity in pay and promotions, organizers said. "They all have the same root cause, which is a concentration of power and a lack of accountability at the top," Parker said.

Less booze, improving diversity: Google outlines steps to tackle workplace harassment

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/googles-sundar-pichai-says-48-employees-were-fired-for-sexual-harassment-173488">Google CEO Sundar Pichai </a>has promised changes to the tech giant's sexual harassment policies, a week after thousands of its employees across the world, including in India, walked out in protest against the company reportedly shielding some top executives accused of sexual misconduct.

In a memo to employees on Thursday, the Indian-origin CEO said, "We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that. It's clear we need to make some changes."&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/less-booze-improving-diversity-google-outlines-steps-to-tackle-workplace-harassment-176336">Also read: Less booze, improving diversity: Google outlines steps to tackle workplace harassment</a>

"This is an area where we need to continually make progress and are committed to doing so," Pichai said while detailing the comprehensive action plan to address the demands of the Google employees.

"We will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns. We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them. And we will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable, and respectful workplace," he assured the employees.

More than 20,000 Google employees across the world walked out of their offices last Thursday following a bombshell New York Times report that detailed how the company has shielded and gave multimillion-dollar severance packages for senior executives accused of sexual misconduct, with organisers of the protest demanding concrete changes like a new system for reporting abuse and an employee representative on the company's board.

Some 150 Google employees participated in the walkout in India. The employees were from Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Mumbai offices. 
Google leadership also held a town-hall style meeting with employees following the publication of Pichai's memo on Thursday, the CNBC reported.

While the policy changes Pichai outlined met many of the protesters' requirements, they do not include adding an employee representative to Alphabet's board or elevating the chief diversity officer to report directly to the CEO, it said.

Google's plan includes providing more transparency around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes as part of its annual "Investigations Report," revamping its reporting channels for incidents of misconduct, updating and expanding its sexual harassment training and making arbitration optional for sexual harassment claims.

Organisers of the protests had specifically demanded Google put an end to its policy of forced arbitration for sexual misconduct allegations a practice that prevents employees from taking cases to court and is generally criticised for suppressing victims' stories.&nbsp;

Pichai's memo says that while Google "never required confidentiality," employees with harassment or assault claims can now choose whether or not to go through the arbitration process.

Organisers of Google's protests were also deliberate about including contract workers in their original demands. Google said in an additional document detailing changes that it will routinely review contractor and temp worker suppliers to see if they adhere to agreements around the handling of employee complaints.&nbsp;

However, the Tech Workers Coalition, which launched a retaliation hotline for Google employees who participated in last week's protest, says that the new policies don't do enough to protect those temp, vendor and contract workers (TVCs), the report said.

"TVCs didn't receive this email this morning, and have been excluded from the town-hall," a spokesperson said. "This deliberate slight demonstrates the caste-like system deployed by Google, which fails to protect its workers and our colleagues."

The protest's organisers also released a statement saying that while Google made progress towards addressing their demands, they would "not let up" until all of them were met.

"We demand a truly equitable culture, and Google leadership can achieve this by putting employee representation on the board and giving full rights and protections to contract workers, our most vulnerable workers, many of whom are Black and Brown women," CNBC quoted Google employee Stephanie Parker as saying in that statement.&nbsp;

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has promised changes to the tech giant's sexual harassment policies, a week after thousands of its employees across the world, including in India, walked out in protest against the company reportedly shielding some top executives accused of sexual misconduct.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has promised changes to the tech giant's sexual harassment policies, a week after thousands of its employees across the world, including in India, walked out in protest against the company reportedly shielding some top executives accused of sexual misconduct. In a memo to employees on Thursday, the Indian-origin CEO said, "We recognise that we have not always gotten everything right in the past and we are sincerely sorry for that. It's clear we need to make some changes." Also read: Less booze, improving diversity: Google outlines steps to tackle workplace harassment "This is an area where we need to continually make progress and are committed to doing so," Pichai said while detailing the comprehensive action plan to address the demands of the Google employees. "We will provide more transparency on how we handle concerns. We'll give better support and care to the people who raise them. And we will double down on our commitment to be a representative, equitable, and respectful workplace," he assured the employees. More than 20,000 Google employees across the world walked out of their offices last Thursday following a bombshell New York Times report that detailed how the company has shielded and gave multimillion-dollar severance packages for senior executives accused of sexual misconduct, with organisers of the protest demanding concrete changes like a new system for reporting abuse and an employee representative on the company's board. Some 150 Google employees participated in the walkout in India. The employees were from Hyderabad, Gurgaon and Mumbai offices. Google leadership also held a town-hall style meeting with employees following the publication of Pichai's memo on Thursday, the CNBC reported. While the policy changes Pichai outlined met many of the protesters' requirements, they do not include adding an employee representative to Alphabet's board or elevating the chief diversity officer to report directly to the CEO, it said. Google's plan includes providing more transparency around sexual harassment investigations and outcomes as part of its annual "Investigations Report," revamping its reporting channels for incidents of misconduct, updating and expanding its sexual harassment training and making arbitration optional for sexual harassment claims. Organisers of the protests had specifically demanded Google put an end to its policy of forced arbitration for sexual misconduct allegations a practice that prevents employees from taking cases to court and is generally criticised for suppressing victims' stories. Pichai's memo says that while Google "never required confidentiality," employees with harassment or assault claims can now choose whether or not to go through the arbitration process. Organisers of Google's protests were also deliberate about including contract workers in their original demands. Google said in an additional document detailing changes that it will routinely review contractor and temp worker suppliers to see if they adhere to agreements around the handling of employee complaints. However, the Tech Workers Coalition, which launched a retaliation hotline for Google employees who participated in last week's protest, says that the new policies don't do enough to protect those temp, vendor and contract workers (TVCs), the report said. "TVCs didn't receive this email this morning, and have been excluded from the town-hall," a spokesperson said. "This deliberate slight demonstrates the caste-like system deployed by Google, which fails to protect its workers and our colleagues." The protest's organisers also released a statement saying that while Google made progress towards addressing their demands, they would "not let up" until all of them were met. "We demand a truly equitable culture, and Google leadership can achieve this by putting employee representation on the board and giving full rights and protections to contract workers, our most vulnerable workers, many of whom are Black and Brown women," CNBC quoted Google employee Stephanie Parker as saying in that statement.

Google walkout effect: CEO Sundar Pichai announces revamped sexual harassment policies

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