Working for the Indian government's desk jobs is often seen as a safe, stress-free environment and with fixed working hours.

However, a new order may signal the end of the traditional 9-to-5 workday for some government employees in India.&nbsp;

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was recently appointed, has ordered his officials and personnel to work in two shifts.

The first shift will begin at 7 am&nbsp;and conclude at 4 pm, while the second will begin at 3 pm&nbsp;and conclude at 12 am.

The order stated, "Hon'ble MR (Minister of Railways) has directed that all officials and staff of MR Cell will work in two shifts i.e. 7:00 hours-16:00 hrs and 15:00 hrs-12:00 midnight with immediate effect."

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Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. <a href="https://t.co/BPQYyDxNVG">pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG</a>
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1413036077493874689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"There's so much to accomplish, and every minute counts...Railways," said DJ Narain, ADG PR for the Ministry of Railways.&nbsp;

Vaishnav, the MP from Odisha, on Wednesday took oath as the Cabinet Minister and was given the charge of Railways along with the Information and Technology Ministry.

“There are lots of synergies in the three and I will be working to ensure that his (PM Modi’s) vision is implemented,” Vaishnaw told reporters as he assumed command.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Working for the Indian government's desk jobs is often seen as a safe, stress-free environment and with fixed working hours. However, a new order may signal the end of the traditional 9-to-5 workday for some government employees in India.

Working for the Indian government's desk jobs is often seen as a safe, stress-free environment and with fixed working hours. However, a new order may signal the end of the traditional 9-to-5 workday for some government employees in India. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was recently appointed, has ordered his officials and personnel to work in two shifts. The first shift will begin at 7 am and conclude at 4 pm, while the second will begin at 3 pm and conclude at 12 am. The order stated, "Hon'ble MR (Minister of Railways) has directed that all officials and staff of MR Cell will work in two shifts i.e. 7:00 hours-16:00 hrs and 15:00 hrs-12:00 midnight with immediate effect." Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 8, 2021 × "There's so much to accomplish, and every minute counts...Railways," said DJ Narain, ADG PR for the Ministry of Railways. Vaishnav, the MP from Odisha, on Wednesday took oath as the Cabinet Minister and was given the charge of Railways along with the Information and Technology Ministry. “There are lots of synergies in the three and I will be working to ensure that his (PM Modi’s) vision is implemented,” Vaishnaw told reporters as he assumed command. (With inputs from agencies)

Efficiency drive: Indian rail minister asks officers to work from morning to midnight in two shifts

Indian Minister of Railways and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday sais that the law of the land is supreme and that Twitter will have to fall in line and comply with new social media and intermediary guidelines.

“Whoever is a citizen of India and those who stay in India will have to abide by the laws of the country,” he said hours after taking over as the minister.

The warning comes amid a tense relationship between Twitter and the government of India over new IT rules that make social media platforms more liable for third-party information; analysts believe this implies Twitter has lost legal immunity in cases involving user-generated content.

Vaishnav, the MP from Odisha, on Wednesday took oath as the Cabinet Minister and was given the charge of Railways along with the Information and Technology Ministry. 
 
He said was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him the responsibility.

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Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. <a href="https://t.co/BPQYyDxNVG">pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG</a>
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1413036077493874689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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He said his focus will be on improving the life of the last man standing in the queue.

In past, Vaishnav, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, had raised the issue of cyber bullying of Karnataka-based Rashmi Samant's resignation from the position of Oxford Student Union President in the United Kingdom and described it as a serious case of racism.

US-based company Twitter has been in the eye of a storm over its alleged failure to comply with the new IT rules in India, which mandates, among other requirements, the appointment of three key personnel -- chief compliance officer, nodal officer and grievance officer by social media platforms with over 50 lakh users.

All the three personnel have to be residents in India. While the rules came into effect on May 26, Twitter is yet to adhere to the social media guidelines, despite repeated reminders from the government.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indian Minister of Railways and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday sais that the law of the land is supreme and that Twitter will have to fall in line and comply with new social media and intermediary guidelines.

Indian Minister of Railways and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday sais that the law of the land is supreme and that Twitter will have to fall in line and comply with new social media and intermediary guidelines. “Whoever is a citizen of India and those who stay in India will have to abide by the laws of the country,” he said hours after taking over as the minister. The warning comes amid a tense relationship between Twitter and the government of India over new IT rules that make social media platforms more liable for third-party information; analysts believe this implies Twitter has lost legal immunity in cases involving user-generated content. Vaishnav, the MP from Odisha, on Wednesday took oath as the Cabinet Minister and was given the charge of Railways along with the Information and Technology Ministry. He said was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him the responsibility. Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG — Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) July 8, 2021 × He said his focus will be on improving the life of the last man standing in the queue. In past, Vaishnav, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha, had raised the issue of cyber bullying of Karnataka-based Rashmi Samant's resignation from the position of Oxford Student Union President in the United Kingdom and described it as a serious case of racism. US-based company Twitter has been in the eye of a storm over its alleged failure to comply with the new IT rules in India, which mandates, among other requirements, the appointment of three key personnel -- chief compliance officer, nodal officer and grievance officer by social media platforms with over 50 lakh users. All the three personnel have to be residents in India. While the rules came into effect on May 26, Twitter is yet to adhere to the social media guidelines, despite repeated reminders from the government. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw warns Twitter, says 'law of land supreme'

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 4 posted a video of himself waving American-flag waving while surfboard-riding. The video has created a stir on the internet. In the video, Zuckerberg can be seen gliding through the water while holding the US flag.&nbsp;

The video gives a perfect Independence day vibe as in the background, one can hear John Denver's anthem to West Virginia, "Take Me Home, Country Roads" playing. The Facebook CEO appears to be riding an electric surfboard on an idyllic-looking lake.&nbsp;

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CQ6u_nFnGmR/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Mark Zuckerberg (@zuck)</a>
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Since uploaded, the video has gone viral with people sharing it all across social media. "This is some meme materials", wrote an Instagram user in the comment section. Another person wrote, "Here is Mark Zuckerberg proving he’s not just richer than you, he’s more patriotic".&nbsp;

<img alt="Zuckerberg " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f5285a7-83f4-4979-8ee3-6b0c8113add8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screenshot%202021-07-06%20at%2010.31.25%20AM.png" />

Fouth of July&nbsp;is an American holiday celebrating independence.&nbsp;While July 4th was made a federal holiday only in 1941, the tradition actually goes back to 1776.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explainer-why-fourth-of-july-is-a-big-thing-in-usa-395755">Also read |&nbsp;Explainer: Why Fourth of July is a big thing in USA</a>

On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress assembled and decided that the thirteen (13) American colonies are no longer subordinate to the Colonial British rulers and the then British Monarch, King George III.&nbsp;

So, they voted in favour of independence and on 4th July 1776, delegates from the thirteen colonies came together to sign the historic 'Declaration of Independence'.

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, this document was the first step towards the formation of the country we know today as the United States of America.&nbsp;

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Made popular by&nbsp; Abraham Lincoln who used these words in his Gettysburg Address of 1863, these words from the declaration have come to represent the ethos of human rights.

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

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

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

Websites of several international organisations went down for nearly an hour as pages started showing ‘error 503’.

The internet outage affected several international media houses such as The Guardian&nbsp;newspaper,&nbsp;Financial Times&nbsp;of London, The New York Times and&nbsp;CNN international and also attacked the UK government’s website gov.uk and White House’s website.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-global-media-websites-go-down-white-house-uk-govt-sites-go-dark-too-390160">Several global media websites go down; White House, UK govt sites go dark too</a>

Retail shop websites such as Amazon and Target were also hit by the global internet outage.

The outage was reportedly a result of&nbsp;cloud&nbsp;server problem, which was quickly identified and fixed, letting websites function again.

While the companies panicked over this outage, internet users flocked to Twitter to scoop some fun out of this 'catastrophe'.

Here are some of the best picks:

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Internet is going crazy today, GitHub &amp; stackoverflow are down. All developers, I see you crying 😂😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GithubDown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GithubDown</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stackoverflowdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#stackoverflowdown</a>
— Yazeed (@iz44_0) <a href="https://twitter.com/iz44_0/status/1402269075590504449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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THE INTERNET IS BROKEEEENNNN! ITS THE APOCALYPSE! <a href="https://t.co/IlOQMgFLxQ">pic.twitter.com/IlOQMgFLxQ</a>
— ~Cake~ (@CCakeroll) <a href="https://twitter.com/CCakeroll/status/1402209123807154178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Not surprise at all that there was an internet shutdown. 
 
Didn’t happen during the pandemic, but as soon as Covid starts to go away, WHAM! Internet shut down. 
 
And UFO’s! 
 
😂😂😂
— Alletto @PWPNation (@JayAlletto_Wins) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayAlletto_Wins/status/1402269069378822163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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When you cause half of the internet to go down <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/awkward?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#awkward</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fastly?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fastly</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fastlydown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fastlydown</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/velezglobal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#velezglobal</a> <a href="https://t.co/M1MAQZJCwG">pic.twitter.com/M1MAQZJCwG</a>
— Velez Managed Services (@VelezGlobal) <a href="https://twitter.com/VelezGlobal/status/1402269538151014407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Lot of the net just gone down - Le Monde, Times, Atlantic, New Yorker, Independent, Guardian, HMRC. IT'S STARTED. JEFF BEZOS HAS TURNED THE INTERNET OFF BEFORE FLYING OFF TO SPACE. I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN.
— Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/caitlinmoran/status/1402207716949606400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Regular internet users heading to Twitter while half the internet is down <a href="https://t.co/MGZoRYmRXl">pic.twitter.com/MGZoRYmRXl</a>
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimMFelton/status/1402204907256623105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Websites of several international organisations went down for nearly an hour as pages started showing ‘error 503’. The internet outage affected several international media houses such as The Guardian newspaper, Financial Times of London, The New York Times and CNN international and also attacked the UK government’s website gov.

Websites of several international organisations went down for nearly an hour as pages started showing ‘error 503’. The internet outage affected several international media houses such as The Guardian newspaper, Financial Times of London, The New York Times and CNN international and also attacked the UK government’s website gov.uk and White House’s website. Also read | Several global media websites go down; White House, UK govt sites go dark too Retail shop websites such as Amazon and Target were also hit by the global internet outage. The outage was reportedly a result of cloud server problem, which was quickly identified and fixed, letting websites function again. While the companies panicked over this outage, internet users flocked to Twitter to scoop some fun out of this 'catastrophe'. Here are some of the best picks: Internet is going crazy today, GitHub & stackoverflow are down. All developers, I see you crying 😂😂#GithubDown #stackoverflowdown — Yazeed (@iz44_0) June 8, 2021 × THE INTERNET IS BROKEEEENNNN! ITS THE APOCALYPSE! pic.twitter.com/IlOQMgFLxQ — ~Cake~ (@CCakeroll) June 8, 2021 × Not surprise at all that there was an internet shutdown. Didn’t happen during the pandemic, but as soon as Covid starts to go away, WHAM! Internet shut down. And UFO’s! 😂😂😂 — Alletto @PWPNation (@JayAlletto_Wins) June 8, 2021 × When you cause half of the internet to go down #awkward #fastly #fastlydown #velezglobal pic.twitter.com/M1MAQZJCwG — Velez Managed Services (@VelezGlobal) June 8, 2021 × Lot of the net just gone down - Le Monde, Times, Atlantic, New Yorker, Independent, Guardian, HMRC. IT'S STARTED. JEFF BEZOS HAS TURNED THE INTERNET OFF BEFORE FLYING OFF TO SPACE. I TOLD YOU THIS WOULD HAPPEN. — Caitlin Moran (@caitlinmoran) June 8, 2021 × Regular internet users heading to Twitter while half the internet is down pic.twitter.com/MGZoRYmRXl — James Felton (@JimMFelton) June 8, 2021 × Has Piers blamed Meghan yet? #InternetDown — Otto English (@Otto_English) June 8, 2021 ×

'Jeff Bezos, is that you?': Twitter reacts as #InternetDown trends

Britain's&nbsp;Prince&nbsp;William&nbsp;has joined a boycott of social media channels launched on Friday by football clubs, players and sporting bodies aimed at tackling online abuse.

A number of football organisations including the English Football Association and Premier League revealed they would not post on their platforms this weekend and the campaign has snowballed.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/two-men-charged-over-alleged-online-racial-abuse-of-nrl-player-latrell-mitchell-379509">Two men charged over alleged online racial abuse of NRL player Latrell Mitchell</a>

European football's governing body UEFA is also observing the blackout, which will last from 1400 GMT on Friday until 2259 GMT on Monday.

In a statement released before the boycott began, the Premier League said social media companies must do more to stamp out online abuse.

A number of high-profile players including Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Chelsea full-back Reece James have been racially abused in recent months.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/disgusted-chelsea-strongly-condemns-online-racist-abuse-against-reece-james-360251">'Disgusted': Chelsea strongly condemns online racist abuse against Reece James</a>

"The Premier League and our clubs stand alongside football in staging this boycott to highlight the urgent need for social media companies to do more in eliminating racial hatred," said Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.

Prince&nbsp;William, who is president of the English Football Association, threw his weight behind the campaign.

"As President of the FA I join the entire football community in the social media boycott this weekend," he tweeted.

In January&nbsp;William&nbsp;hit out at racist abuse in football, describing it as "despicable" and saying it must stop after several black players were targeted online.

A number of players posted statements shortly before the protest began on Friday, while football clubs changed their Twitter logos to show their support for the campaign.

Escalating abuse&nbsp;

Earlier, Manchester United said their own analysis had shown that online abuse aimed at their players had increased by 350 per cent since 2019.

"The analysis has found that since September 2019, there has been a 350 per cent increase in&nbsp;abuse directed towards the club's players," United said in a statement.

"By taking part in this boycott this weekend, we, alongside the rest of English football,&nbsp;want to shine a light on the issue," said United's group managing director Richard Arnold.

The Premier League club also said they had banned six fans alleged to have abused Tottenham's South Korean forward Son Heung-min on social media.

Chelsea said they had banned a supporter for posting anti-Semitic messages online.

"Following the conclusion of court proceedings in February, the club conducted our own investigation into the matter and has taken the decision to ban the individual from Chelsea FC for a period of 10 years," said a statement from the club.

A wide range of sporting organisations including England Rugby, British Cycling, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Tennis Federation are supporting the blackout.

Formula One is not taking part but world champion Lewis Hamilton said he was ready to join the boycott on the weekend of the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Wolverhampton boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes it will need to be repeated in the push for change.

"Not everyone on social media uses it badly, you have to balance, and we can't compromise our freedom but at the moment I think it's a good measure," he said.

"Will we have to repeat it again? Probably so, it takes time for people to understand the right message."

Britain's Prince William has joined a boycott of social media channels launched on Friday by football clubs, players and sporting bodies aimed at tackling online abuse.

Britain's Prince William has joined a boycott of social media channels launched on Friday by football clubs, players and sporting bodies aimed at tackling online abuse. A number of football organisations including the English Football Association and Premier League revealed they would not post on their platforms this weekend and the campaign has snowballed. Also read | Two men charged over alleged online racial abuse of NRL player Latrell Mitchell European football's governing body UEFA is also observing the blackout, which will last from 1400 GMT on Friday until 2259 GMT on Monday. In a statement released before the boycott began, the Premier League said social media companies must do more to stamp out online abuse. A number of high-profile players including Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Chelsea full-back Reece James have been racially abused in recent months. Also read | 'Disgusted': Chelsea strongly condemns online racist abuse against Reece James "The Premier League and our clubs stand alongside football in staging this boycott to highlight the urgent need for social media companies to do more in eliminating racial hatred," said Premier League chief executive Richard Masters. Prince William, who is president of the English Football Association, threw his weight behind the campaign. "As President of the FA I join the entire football community in the social media boycott this weekend," he tweeted. In January William hit out at racist abuse in football, describing it as "despicable" and saying it must stop after several black players were targeted online. A number of players posted statements shortly before the protest began on Friday, while football clubs changed their Twitter logos to show their support for the campaign. Escalating abuse Earlier, Manchester United said their own analysis had shown that online abuse aimed at their players had increased by 350 per cent since 2019. "The analysis has found that since September 2019, there has been a 350 per cent increase in abuse directed towards the club's players," United said in a statement. "By taking part in this boycott this weekend, we, alongside the rest of English football, want to shine a light on the issue," said United's group managing director Richard Arnold. The Premier League club also said they had banned six fans alleged to have abused Tottenham's South Korean forward Son Heung-min on social media. Chelsea said they had banned a supporter for posting anti-Semitic messages online. "Following the conclusion of court proceedings in February, the club conducted our own investigation into the matter and has taken the decision to ban the individual from Chelsea FC for a period of 10 years," said a statement from the club. A wide range of sporting organisations including England Rugby, British Cycling, the England and Wales Cricket Board and the International Tennis Federation are supporting the blackout. Formula One is not taking part but world champion Lewis Hamilton said he was ready to join the boycott on the weekend of the Portuguese Grand Prix. Wolverhampton boss Nuno Espirito Santo believes it will need to be repeated in the push for change. "Not everyone on social media uses it badly, you have to balance, and we can't compromise our freedom but at the moment I think it's a good measure," he said. "Will we have to repeat it again? Probably so, it takes time for people to understand the right message."

Prince William joins social media sports boycott to tackle abuse

Pakistan witnessed a 3-hour social media blackout as Islamist radicals tried taking the country hostage. Has Imran Khan exposed his hypocrisy on blocking the Internet? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Social media blackout in Pakistan

Italy aims to spend almost 7 billion euros ($8.33 billion) in European recovery funds on ultra-fast networks, up 60% from a previous goal, as ministers layout alternatives to a long-delayed single national broadband plan, sources told Reuters. 
 
The government of Mario Draghi, which took office in February, is revising a national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) that would entitle it to some 206 billion euros by 2026 from an EU programme to help nations hardest hit by the novel coronavirus. 
 
Two sources close to the matter told Reuters Rome planned to raise the amount spent on broadband, 5G and satellite infrastructure to 6.7 billion euros from 4.2 billion euros earmarked in January by the previous government. 
 
The total funds for boosting digitalisation amount to some 49 billion euros, up from a previous 46.3 billion euros, including investments in public administration and grants for small and medium-sized companies, one of the sources added on condition of anonymity. 
 
Italy ranked fourth to last in the European Union for digital competitiveness in 2019, the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) compiled by the European Commission found. 
 
The government is also devising alternatives to a previous plan to merge the fixed-line access network of former monopoly Telecom Italia (TIM) with those of smaller rival Open Fiber, the sources said. 
 
Talks between the two have stalled over disagreements around governance and the value of the assets to be folded in the new operator. 
 
Open Fiber is jointly controlled by Italy`s biggest utility Enel and state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP). CDP is TIM`s No. 2 shareholders behind France`s Vivendi 
 
TIM has repeatedly said it would not agree to own less than 50% of any combined entity - something that could trigger regulatory issues. 
 
Draghi`s ministers are discussing an alternative plan to use EU funds to roll out fast broadband networks across Italy`s 20 regions using the best technologies available, including Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems, the sources said. 
 
Such a scheme - championed by Innovation Minister Vittorio Colao - includes bonuses to help consumers pay ultrafast connection fees. 
 
The government is also studying a less ambitious plan to merge Open Fiber with Fibercop, a vehicle controlled by TIM that runs the group`s secondary network going from street cabinets to homes, a third source said. 
 
Under this project, TIM would not fold its primary network - connecting switching centres to street cabinets - into the venture, preventing the former phone monopoly from having a majority stake. 
 
Both options under discussion leave the door open to co-investment schemes allowing operators to build their own networks in some areas and have commercial agreements elsewhere.

Italy aims to spend almost 7 billion euros ($8.33 billion) in European recovery funds on ultra-fast networks, up 60% from a previous goal, as ministers layout alternatives to a long-delayed single national broadband plan, sources told Reuters.

Italy aims to spend almost 7 billion euros ($8.33 billion) in European recovery funds on ultra-fast networks, up 60% from a previous goal, as ministers layout alternatives to a long-delayed single national broadband plan, sources told Reuters. The government of Mario Draghi, which took office in February, is revising a national Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) that would entitle it to some 206 billion euros by 2026 from an EU programme to help nations hardest hit by the novel coronavirus. Two sources close to the matter told Reuters Rome planned to raise the amount spent on broadband, 5G and satellite infrastructure to 6.7 billion euros from 4.2 billion euros earmarked in January by the previous government. The total funds for boosting digitalisation amount to some 49 billion euros, up from a previous 46.3 billion euros, including investments in public administration and grants for small and medium-sized companies, one of the sources added on condition of anonymity. Italy ranked fourth to last in the European Union for digital competitiveness in 2019, the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) compiled by the European Commission found. The government is also devising alternatives to a previous plan to merge the fixed-line access network of former monopoly Telecom Italia (TIM) with those of smaller rival Open Fiber, the sources said. Talks between the two have stalled over disagreements around governance and the value of the assets to be folded in the new operator. Open Fiber is jointly controlled by Italy`s biggest utility Enel and state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP). CDP is TIM`s No. 2 shareholders behind France`s Vivendi TIM has repeatedly said it would not agree to own less than 50% of any combined entity - something that could trigger regulatory issues. Draghi`s ministers are discussing an alternative plan to use EU funds to roll out fast broadband networks across Italy`s 20 regions using the best technologies available, including Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems, the sources said. Such a scheme - championed by Innovation Minister Vittorio Colao - includes bonuses to help consumers pay ultrafast connection fees. The government is also studying a less ambitious plan to merge Open Fiber with Fibercop, a vehicle controlled by TIM that runs the group`s secondary network going from street cabinets to homes, a third source said. Under this project, TIM would not fold its primary network - connecting switching centres to street cabinets - into the venture, preventing the former phone monopoly from having a majority stake. Both options under discussion leave the door open to co-investment schemes allowing operators to build their own networks in some areas and have commercial agreements elsewhere.

Italy to spend 60% more of EU funds on better broadband, sources say

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. 
 
This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously. However, investing in more solutions does not necessarily lead to better cyber protection, according to the report by Singapore-based Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection. 
 
"These findings confirm our belief that the smarter approach is cyber protection, which unifies data protection, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in one," said Rustom Hiramaneck, General Manager-South Asia at Acronis. 
 
A shocking 20 per cent of IT professionals in India don`t know if their organisation is subject to data privacy regulations. 
 
"If those responsible for ensuring data privacy don`t know they are culpable, they cannot implement strategies or evaluate the solutions needed to address the requirements. That ignorance puts the business at tremendous risk of major fines for potential compliance violations in 2021," the report warned. 
 
The Acronis survey polled 4,400 IT users and professionals in 22 countries across six continents, including India. 
 
The report found that there is a significant gap in awareness among users and IT professionals in India of what IT and cybersecurity capabilities are available to them, which can cause them to lose valuable time, money and security: 
 
Nearly 35 per cent of IT users and 11 per cent of IT professionals in India would not know if their data had been modified without their knowledge because their solution makes determining that kind of tampering difficult. 
 
"Nearly 10 per cent of IT users in India don`t know if their anti-malware stops zero-day threats, because their solution doesn`t make that information easily available -- but 58 per cent claim to have it," the findings showed. 
 
The survey also revealed a staggeringly lax approach to data protection among IT users in India. 
 
Nearly 98 per cent of IT users spent more time on their devices last year and 85 per cent of them took extra steps to protect those devices. 
 
About 35 per cent admit to not updating their devices until at least a week after being notified of a patch, or even longer, said the report.

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously.

More than one in two organisations in India suffered unexpected downtime last year because of data loss, a new report showed on Monday. This was despite nearly 70 per cent of Indian companies investing in 10 cybersecurity solutions simultaneously. However, investing in more solutions does not necessarily lead to better cyber protection, according to the report by Singapore-based Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection. "These findings confirm our belief that the smarter approach is cyber protection, which unifies data protection, cybersecurity, and endpoint management in one," said Rustom Hiramaneck, General Manager-South Asia at Acronis. A shocking 20 per cent of IT professionals in India don`t know if their organisation is subject to data privacy regulations. "If those responsible for ensuring data privacy don`t know they are culpable, they cannot implement strategies or evaluate the solutions needed to address the requirements. That ignorance puts the business at tremendous risk of major fines for potential compliance violations in 2021," the report warned. The Acronis survey polled 4,400 IT users and professionals in 22 countries across six continents, including India. The report found that there is a significant gap in awareness among users and IT professionals in India of what IT and cybersecurity capabilities are available to them, which can cause them to lose valuable time, money and security: Nearly 35 per cent of IT users and 11 per cent of IT professionals in India would not know if their data had been modified without their knowledge because their solution makes determining that kind of tampering difficult. "Nearly 10 per cent of IT users in India don`t know if their anti-malware stops zero-day threats, because their solution doesn`t make that information easily available -- but 58 per cent claim to have it," the findings showed. The survey also revealed a staggeringly lax approach to data protection among IT users in India. Nearly 98 per cent of IT users spent more time on their devices last year and 85 per cent of them took extra steps to protect those devices. About 35 per cent admit to not updating their devices until at least a week after being notified of a patch, or even longer, said the report.

1 in 2 Indian firms suffer unexpected downtime due to data loss

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday urged US lawmakers to offer protection for liability for content to only those platforms that had the ability to remove the unlawful content.

The proposal outlined in testimony prepared for a congressional hearing detailed Facebook's idea for reforming a law known as Section 230 which shields internet services from liability for content posted by others

Zuckerberg maintained that Congress "should consider making platforms' intermediary liability protection for certain types of unlawful content conditional on companies' ability to meet best practices to combat the spread of this content."

Instead of being given blanket immunity, Zuckerberg said "platforms should be required to demonstrate that they have systems in place for identifying unlawful content and removing it."

Mark Zuckerberg also maintained that online services should not be held liable for "if a particular piece of content evades its detection,"&nbsp;

Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet also testify on Thursday. The platforms have been under fire from Democratic Party for misinformation about coronavirus pandemic and US Presidential elections held in 2016 and 2020.

(With agency inputs)

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday urged US lawmakers to offer protection for liability for content to only those platforms that had the ability to remove the unlawful content.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday urged US lawmakers to offer protection for liability for content to only those platforms that had the ability to remove the unlawful content. The proposal outlined in testimony prepared for a congressional hearing detailed Facebook's idea for reforming a law known as Section 230 which shields internet services from liability for content posted by others Zuckerberg maintained that Congress "should consider making platforms' intermediary liability protection for certain types of unlawful content conditional on companies' ability to meet best practices to combat the spread of this content." Instead of being given blanket immunity, Zuckerberg said "platforms should be required to demonstrate that they have systems in place for identifying unlawful content and removing it." Mark Zuckerberg also maintained that online services should not be held liable for "if a particular piece of content evades its detection," Facebook, Twitter, Alphabet also testify on Thursday. The platforms have been under fire from Democratic Party for misinformation about coronavirus pandemic and US Presidential elections held in 2016 and 2020. (With agency inputs)

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg proposes changes to internet rules

At&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/globalsummit/dubai-2021">WION's Global Summit, Dubai</a>, several prominent speakers from across the world discussed the role that digitalisation played during the Covid&nbsp;pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the session themed "Digital Revolution: The World Goes Online", moderated by international TV journalist Ali Aslan, the discussions revolved around the various aspects of the internet that were seen during the pandemic, its challenges and opportunities.

Sharing the success story of the internet in Estonia, Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, explained how the country decided to put focus on the internet.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/economic-centre-of-gravity-has-moved-to-east-asia-former-vp-of-world-bank-tells-wion-global-summit-372849">Economic centre of gravity has moved to East Asia, former VP of World Bank tells WION Global Summit</a>

"We decided to do something which was best in the world and something that didn't exist at the time," Karu said.&nbsp;

Maria Galindo, Current Advisor in International Digital Policy, Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration, Government of Catalonia insisted how "countries and societies really need to make this effort to move forward with digitalisation".

Also read | &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-wion-global-summit-leaders-discuss-how-israel-palestine-conflict-will-affect-west-asia-peace-372843">At WION Global Summit, leaders discuss how Israel-Palestine conflict will affect West Asia peace</a>

"There are huge opportunities with digitalisation for creating new jobs, economy for the future, making traditional sectors more competitive."

She also pointed out "huge challenges", such as how to bring digital rights into the international agenda and how to battle the digital divide.&nbsp;

Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies, said we will see the reinvention of workplace and labour regulations.&nbsp;

Karu warned that we should understand that the digital revolution is not just about "technology", warning that the focus should be on people, otherwise we are heading in the "wrong direction".&nbsp;

Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan, said that there is much more in digital technology than "two dimensions" that are known and a lot can be improved upon.&nbsp;

It needs to be understood that productivity is not decreasing due to work from home, noted Jehudi Castro, Former Deputy Minister, Digital Economy, Colombia.&nbsp;

<h2>Challenges and opportunities</h2>

According to Galindo, the "biggest challenge" that we are currently facing is how to make this digital transformation "affordable" and "accessible" for everyone.&nbsp;

Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France, said that the challenges in the decades and years to come would be to make this technology accessible to developing countries and poorer sections of the society.&nbsp;

Lacey said that one of the most important positives of these technologies is that it provides a "level-playing field" to everyone and generate "economic empowerment" to areas that were struggling before the pandemic to survive.&nbsp;

At WION's Global Summit, Dubai, several prominent speakers from across the world discussed the role that digitalisation played during the Covid pandemic. At the session themed "Digital Revolution: The World Goes Online", moderated by international TV journalist Ali Aslan, the discussions revolved around the various aspects of the internet that were seen during the pandemic, its challenges and opportunities.

At WION's Global Summit, Dubai, several prominent speakers from across the world discussed the role that digitalisation played during the Covid pandemic. At the session themed "Digital Revolution: The World Goes Online", moderated by international TV journalist Ali Aslan, the discussions revolved around the various aspects of the internet that were seen during the pandemic, its challenges and opportunities. Sharing the success story of the internet in Estonia, Kaimar Karu, Former Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, explained how the country decided to put focus on the internet. Also read | Economic centre of gravity has moved to East Asia, former VP of World Bank tells WION Global Summit "We decided to do something which was best in the world and something that didn't exist at the time," Karu said. Maria Galindo, Current Advisor in International Digital Policy, Ministry for Digital Policy and Public Administration, Government of Catalonia insisted how "countries and societies really need to make this effort to move forward with digitalisation". Also read | At WION Global Summit, leaders discuss how Israel-Palestine conflict will affect West Asia peace "There are huge opportunities with digitalisation for creating new jobs, economy for the future, making traditional sectors more competitive." She also pointed out "huge challenges", such as how to bring digital rights into the international agenda and how to battle the digital divide. Simon Lacey, Former VP, Huawei Technologies, said we will see the reinvention of workplace and labour regulations. Karu warned that we should understand that the digital revolution is not just about "technology", warning that the focus should be on people, otherwise we are heading in the "wrong direction". Audrey Tang, Digital Minister, Taiwan, said that there is much more in digital technology than "two dimensions" that are known and a lot can be improved upon. It needs to be understood that productivity is not decreasing due to work from home, noted Jehudi Castro, Former Deputy Minister, Digital Economy, Colombia. Challenges and opportunities According to Galindo, the "biggest challenge" that we are currently facing is how to make this digital transformation "affordable" and "accessible" for everyone. Gilles Babinet, Digital Champion at the European Commission for France, said that the challenges in the decades and years to come would be to make this technology accessible to developing countries and poorer sections of the society. Lacey said that one of the most important positives of these technologies is that it provides a "level-playing field" to everyone and generate "economic empowerment" to areas that were struggling before the pandemic to survive.

WION Global Summit: Leaders explore role, challenges of digitalisation

Vladimir Putin wants the internet bound by what he describes Russia as moral rules. Russian President is exerted that internet is penetrated in all spare of our life and therefore it was also Logist obey a legal rule but also the moral rules of the society otherwise society will collapse from within.

Russia: Vladimir Putin wants the internet bound by moral rules

Google will not build or use alternate tools to track web browsing traffic once it begins phasing out existing technology from its Chrome browser next year, it has clarified in a blog post.

Google first announced it would get rid of third-party cookies, which for decades has enabled online ads, early last year to meet growing data privacy standards in Europe and the United States.

Privacy activists for years have criticised tech companies including Google for using cookies to gather web browsing records across websites they don't own, enabling them to develop profiles on users' interests to serve personalised ads.

Google is now pledging it will not use other technology to replace the cookie or build features inside Chrome to allow itself access to that data, though it continues to test ways for businesses to target ads to large groups of anonymous users with common interests.

"Keeping the internet open and accessible for everyone requires all of us to do more to protect privacy -- and that means an end to not only third-party cookies, but also any technology used for tracking individual people as they browse the web," Google said in the blog post.

(with inputs)

Google will not build or use alternate tools to track web browsing traffic once it begins phasing out existing technology from its Chrome browser next year, it has clarified in a blog post.

Google will not build or use alternate tools to track web browsing traffic once it begins phasing out existing technology from its Chrome browser next year, it has clarified in a blog post. Google first announced it would get rid of third-party cookies, which for decades has enabled online ads, early last year to meet growing data privacy standards in Europe and the United States. Privacy activists for years have criticised tech companies including Google for using cookies to gather web browsing records across websites they don't own, enabling them to develop profiles on users' interests to serve personalised ads. Google is now pledging it will not use other technology to replace the cookie or build features inside Chrome to allow itself access to that data, though it continues to test ways for businesses to target ads to large groups of anonymous users with common interests. "Keeping the internet open and accessible for everyone requires all of us to do more to protect privacy -- and that means an end to not only third-party cookies, but also any technology used for tracking individual people as they browse the web," Google said in the blog post. (with inputs)

Google to not use other web tracking tools after phasing out cookies

China Expands Control over the digital space. The new rules will only allow bloggers to post using the chinese credidentials and it also put curbs on health, economics, education and judiciary matters. China has also taken Cyber Space administration seriously. New rules for bloggers have also been specified which will come effect starting next week. New sensor worries under Xi Jinping is heavily censored across digital space.

Restrictive webspace regulations under Xi-Xinping

Pakistan is planning to roll out the most advanced 5G internet in 2022-23 which will accelerate the download speed 10 times to one gigabit per second (Gbps) and widen economic activities in the country, a media report said on Sunday.

Pakistan is said to have been developing a comprehensive roadmap for 5G technology readiness in the country. It is aimed at auctioning spectrum for 5G services in the fiscal year 2023, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said in its annual report 2020.

The Express Tribune, to this end, reported Pakistan has kick-started its journey to make the most advanced 5G internet commercially available to consumers in 2022-23.

The tested speed stands 10 times higher compared to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) on 4G internet in the world.

Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Aminul Haque said the government had planned to launch 5G technology by December 2022, but experts are still sceptical, believing the country will take a much longer time (5-7 years) to roll out the next-generation technology.

Haque made a test video call through 5G to China and said it was a wonderful experience. The voice was loud and clear, and the video quality was also wonderful, the report said.

Earlier, mobile phone service providing firms successfully conducted a test trial of 5G services under a limited environment and on non-commercial basis in 2019 and 2020.

Pakistan is planning to roll out the most advanced 5G internet in 2022-23 which will accelerate the download speed 10 times to one gigabit per second (Gbps) and widen economic activities in the country, a media report said on Sunday.

Pakistan is planning to roll out the most advanced 5G internet in 2022-23 which will accelerate the download speed 10 times to one gigabit per second (Gbps) and widen economic activities in the country, a media report said on Sunday. Pakistan is said to have been developing a comprehensive roadmap for 5G technology readiness in the country. It is aimed at auctioning spectrum for 5G services in the fiscal year 2023, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said in its annual report 2020. The Express Tribune, to this end, reported Pakistan has kick-started its journey to make the most advanced 5G internet commercially available to consumers in 2022-23. The tested speed stands 10 times higher compared to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) on 4G internet in the world. Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Aminul Haque said the government had planned to launch 5G technology by December 2022, but experts are still sceptical, believing the country will take a much longer time (5-7 years) to roll out the next-generation technology. Haque made a test video call through 5G to China and said it was a wonderful experience. The voice was loud and clear, and the video quality was also wonderful, the report said. Earlier, mobile phone service providing firms successfully conducted a test trial of 5G services under a limited environment and on non-commercial basis in 2019 and 2020.

Pakistan to launch 5G internet network in 2022-23, reports say

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home.

This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home. The UN estimates that 1.3 billion children aged between 3-17 have no access to internet at their homes.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plus-united-nations-a-redundant-body-330503/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The report was jointly prepared by the United Nations Children’s Fun (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Additionally, youths aged between 15-24 also had limited access to internet. 63 per cent of them remain unconnected at home.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/how-china-is-stonewalling-reforms-at-united-nations-security-council-343771" hreflang="en">How China is stonewalling reforms at United Nations Security Council</a>

"That so many children and young people have no internet at home is more than a digital gap, it is a digital canyon," UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement.

She added that the lack of internet connectivity halts youngsters from “competing in the modern economy”, and that “it isolates them from the world”.

Fore said that the findings are alarming especially due to the current situation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced millions of students to switch to virtual learning.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/full-scale-humanitarian-crisis-unfolding-in-ethiopia-united-nations-343745" hreflang="en">Full-scale humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ethiopia: United Nations</a>

"Put bluntly: Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures”, she said.

Additionally, the report claimed that how this trend had been in motion way before the pandemic and that the coronavirus crisis has further deepened the divide between kids from poor households unable to catch up with others.

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home. This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home.

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home. This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home. The UN estimates that 1.3 billion children aged between 3-17 have no access to internet at their homes. The report was jointly prepared by the United Nations Children’s Fun (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Additionally, youths aged between 15-24 also had limited access to internet. 63 per cent of them remain unconnected at home. Also read: How China is stonewalling reforms at United Nations Security Council "That so many children and young people have no internet at home is more than a digital gap, it is a digital canyon," UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement. She added that the lack of internet connectivity halts youngsters from “competing in the modern economy”, and that “it isolates them from the world”. Fore said that the findings are alarming especially due to the current situation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced millions of students to switch to virtual learning. Also read: Full-scale humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ethiopia: United Nations "Put bluntly: Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures”, she said. Additionally, the report claimed that how this trend had been in motion way before the pandemic and that the coronavirus crisis has further deepened the divide between kids from poor households unable to catch up with others.

1.3 billion children across the globe don't have access to internet, finds report

Russian student Alexei Dudoladov has been forced to go to great heights to attend classes online, having to climb a birch tree in his remote Siberian village every time he needs an internet connection.

21-year-old Siberian student scales a birch tree for internet access

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review.

Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall.

A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday.

According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here".

"The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP.

He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel.

Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine.

Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday.

An American has been sued by an island resort in Thailand over a negative Tripadvisor review. Wesley Barnes could face up to two years in prison if found guilty, authorities said on Saturday. Coronavirus numbers are relatively low in Thailand, making way for domestic tourism. Koh Chang island, famed for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, is also witnessing footfall. A recent visit to the Sea View Resort on the island landed Barnes in trouble after he wrote unflattering online reviews about his holiday. According to the Tripadvisor review Barnes posted in July, he encountered "unfriendly staff" who "act like they don't want anyone here". "The Sea View Resort owner filed a complaint that the defendant had posted unfair reviews on his hotel on the Tripadvisor website," Colonel Thanapon Taemsara of Koh Chang police told AFP. He said Barnes was accused of causing "damage to the reputation of the hotel", and of quarrelling with staff over not paying a corkage fee for alcohol brought to the hotel. Barnes, who works in Thailand, was arrested by immigration police and returned to Koh Chang where he was briefly detained and then freed on bail. The maximum sentence is two years in prison, along with a 200,000 baht ($6,300) fine. Thailand's notorious anti-defamation laws have long drawn scrutiny from human rights and press freedom groups, who say powerful players use it as a weapon to stifle free expression.

American sued in Thailand over negative review on internet

A new report has claimed that China is laying a network of optical fiber cables close to the flashpoint areas with India. Why does China need high-speed internet at the border? WION's Palki Sharma has the answer.

Gravitas: Why does China need internet at the border?

Bangladesh authorities have decided to restore internet in Cox's Bazar settlement of Rohingya Muslims. The Cox's Bazar settlement is the largest refugee settlement in the world. Bangladesh had snapped 3G and 4G internet from the Rohingya settlement about a year ago. The move had attracted international condemnation.

"Our Foreign Minister and International NGOs are saying that we have an international pressure to restore the service. Besides, we have information in our hand that the Rohingyas are using Myanmar’s SIM card that means they are going through Myanmar’s network. So who are they talking to?..." Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Bangladesh Minister of Home Affairs told WION.

He added that as Bangladesh Government wanted the Rohingyas to use the country's network, it was restoring 3G and 4G network.

"... We want to get them back in our network to keep their activities in control," he said

Kamal added that Bangladesh government does not want to "control general Rohingya people in the camps" but said that government want to keep an eye on terrorist elements that may "sometimes provoke the Rohingyas"

The Home Minister however, warned that the government can shut down the internet again if situation demands it.

"...Yes, we have some concerns about how we control this huge population of using the internet. But we will shut down it again, if needed. Actually we can do anything to ensure our people’s security,’’ he said.

Also Read: <a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/three-years-since-rohingya-exodus-from-fleeing-myanmar-to-icj-trial-323034">Three years since Rohingya exodus: From fleeing Myanmar to ICJ trial</a>

Bangladesh had received flak for continuing to suspend internet services even amid coronavirus pandemic. Human Rights groups had warned that such move may give rise to unnecessary rumours

Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen was quoted by AFP saying that the spread of "baseless rumours and misinformation" could create panic and destabilise the camps, where a few Rohingya have been killed in internal clashes in recent years.

"However, responding to the requests from our friends and also for the need of imparting education and COVID-19 response, for greater internet connectivity, we have taken a decision on lifting the restrictions on 3G and 4G mobile networks, which will be effective very soon," Momen said.

The first infection in the camps was detected in May but fears that the virus could spread quickly have so far not been realised.

Khin Maung, head of the Rohingya Youth Association, said the restoration of internet access was "very good news".

"We can now get regular updates on COVID-19. And we can mobilise people against the activities of the human traffickers," he said.

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

Bangladesh authorities have decided to restore internet in Cox's Bazar settlement of Rohingya Muslims. The Cox's Bazar settlement is the largest refugee settlement in the world.

Bangladesh authorities have decided to restore internet in Cox's Bazar settlement of Rohingya Muslims. The Cox's Bazar settlement is the largest refugee settlement in the world. Bangladesh had snapped 3G and 4G internet from the Rohingya settlement about a year ago. The move had attracted international condemnation. "Our Foreign Minister and International NGOs are saying that we have an international pressure to restore the service. Besides, we have information in our hand that the Rohingyas are using Myanmar’s SIM card that means they are going through Myanmar’s network. So who are they talking to?..." Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Bangladesh Minister of Home Affairs told WION. He added that as Bangladesh Government wanted the Rohingyas to use the country's network, it was restoring 3G and 4G network. "... We want to get them back in our network to keep their activities in control," he said Kamal added that Bangladesh government does not want to "control general Rohingya people in the camps" but said that government want to keep an eye on terrorist elements that may "sometimes provoke the Rohingyas" The Home Minister however, warned that the government can shut down the internet again if situation demands it. "...Yes, we have some concerns about how we control this huge population of using the internet. But we will shut down it again, if needed. Actually we can do anything to ensure our people’s security,’’ he said. Also Read: Three years since Rohingya exodus: From fleeing Myanmar to ICJ trial Bangladesh had received flak for continuing to suspend internet services even amid coronavirus pandemic. Human Rights groups had warned that such move may give rise to unnecessary rumours Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen was quoted by AFP saying that the spread of "baseless rumours and misinformation" could create panic and destabilise the camps, where a few Rohingya have been killed in internal clashes in recent years. "However, responding to the requests from our friends and also for the need of imparting education and COVID-19 response, for greater internet connectivity, we have taken a decision on lifting the restrictions on 3G and 4G mobile networks, which will be effective very soon," Momen said. The first infection in the camps was detected in May but fears that the virus could spread quickly have so far not been realised. Khin Maung, head of the Rohingya Youth Association, said the restoration of internet access was "very good news". "We can now get regular updates on COVID-19. And we can mobilise people against the activities of the human traffickers," he said. (With AFP inputs)

Bangladesh to restore internet in Rohingya refugee settlement

By Shikhil Sharma

Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings. &nbsp;

With an active rise in the interest of cybersecurity and having an on ground view of the threats we face as a nation - I think the following 5 points should be included in our new cyber security policy, with a revision every 2-3 years

1. State-sponsored threat retaliation strategy

One of the biggest threats a nation faces is state-sponsored targeted threats from other nations. Quite recently, Australia became victim of a state-sponsored attack. In such attacks government infrastructure, private infrastructure and citizens are targeted at the same time in a series of cyber attacks. This Advansed Persistent Threat (APT) is something which poses a big challenge.&nbsp;

Truth be told, just having a policy to tackle state sponsored APT won’t be enough. The policy needs to define a ‘retaliation’ action plan too.&nbsp;

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>The policy should define or make a provision to define an ‘action plan’ in case of a state sponsored attack.</li>
	<li>Containing the APT won’t be enough. There needs to be a clear ‘trapping’ plan to have enough data on the origin of the APT or state sponsored threat.</li>
	<li>A retaliation plan should also be in place if need arises to fend off the enemy.</li>
	<li>These plans need to have a clear flow from policy to a government department executing it. ‘Mock drills’ for such scenarios need to be done.</li>
</ul>

2. SOS lockdown policy

When a cyber attack happens, there can be a mass disruption in services/infrastructure. There needs to be a clear nationwide lockdown policy for key infrastructure of the nation. We are talking about nuclear grids, power grids, financial institutions, satellite communication etc.&nbsp;

Whenever a nation wide security incident/attack happens, it’s often well thought out and planned for months if not years. In such cases, the bad actors know which components to target first. This makes it important to have a lockdown policy to ensure critical infrastructure is protected during such time and damage is controlled.

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>SOS lockdown policy should not be made public fully as that might give enemy the information.</li>
	<li>The lockdown policy will require cyber security specialists to be deployed or trained in each of the critical sectors.</li>
</ul>

3.&nbsp;Security framework for 5G &amp; iOT devices

With 5G setting foot, the rise of iOT devices is inevitable. This means more devices connected to the internet and each other. This also means ‘smart’ being appended to everything we can think of.&nbsp;

This calls for a security standard to be defined for all the 5G devices coming to the market. The best case would be the government defining security standards of these new internet connected devices with the help of security companies.

Also Read : <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-eu-imposes-cyberattack-sanctions-on-chinese-nationals-linked-to-chinese-intelligence-agency-318078">Now, EU imposes cyberattack sanctions on Chinese nationals linked to Chinese intelligence agency</a> 
&nbsp;

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>A clearly defined certification or ‘standard’ needs to be put out for iOT devices.</li>
	<li>Government or government authorized departments/companies should ensure these newly entering iOT devices meet privacy requirements and security standards ensuring private data of citizens isn’t at risk.</li>
	<li>These are the devices which will be kept at our homes, in our cars &amp; bedrooms - the privacy risks can be un-imaginable. One cannot take any risk with this one.</li>
</ul>

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&nbsp;

 
4. Nationwide cyber security training

India has the responsibility of bringing 600 million+ population to the internet ‘safely’. It should also be ensured that current population already on the internet (over 700 million) is security conscious.

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>‘We are as strong as our weakest link’, our training programs should be built with this principle in mind. When it comes to cyber security, even in most tech savvy organizations, humans have been found to be the weakest links.</li>
	<li>This nationwide training has to be done in a way that less savvy people understand at least basic do’s and don'ts of the internet&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Our banks have been largely successful in raising awareness around banking frauds. It’s always a work in progress, but in today’s world more people understand that they don’t have to give their online banking password, CVV or any other sensitive information to anyone, even if the other person claims to be a bank official. Such awareness will definitely meet a certain threshold of cyber security. Ofcourse, such models are constantly evolving.</li>
	<li>Training over SMS, IVR and emails need to be made at a mass scale, in a way the common man understands.</li>
</ul>

5. Enforcing security standards on private companies &amp; rewarding&nbsp;

The nation should have a cyber security standard defined for every private company. Every company uses emails for communication and has a website even if it is not an internet business. The government should clearly define what is expected of private companies when it comes to cyber security and what are the consequences of not meeting the expectations. Ideally, this should be not more than a 2 page checklist. Making it straightforward and easy to understand will encourage companies to follow the guidelines.&nbsp;

When a country faces a cyber security challenge, its private organizations are also on the radar of hackers. It’s important their infrastructure is also secure.

Important points to be noted:

The security standards defined for private companies should be in checklist form.

<ul>
	<li>Government should reward the organizations that follow these standards. This reward can be in the form of publicly displayable certificates which can be verified on government websites or even some tax rebates.</li>
</ul>

 
The fact that our government is talking about updating our cyber security policy and preparing it for the upcoming innovations means that we’re headed in the right direction. Considering the privacy concerns and data at stake, information security is not a luxury but a necessity. Having a strong cyber security policy means that the government is not only looking out for the data of its citizens but also inspiring confidence so that foreign companies choose India over other nations for their expansion.

I strongly believe that countries having a strong cyber security policy that can be implemented neatly will have a massive advantage on all fronts in years to come.

By Shikhil Sharma Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings.

By Shikhil Sharma Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings. With an active rise in the interest of cybersecurity and having an on ground view of the threats we face as a nation - I think the following 5 points should be included in our new cyber security policy, with a revision every 2-3 years 1. State-sponsored threat retaliation strategy One of the biggest threats a nation faces is state-sponsored targeted threats from other nations. Quite recently, Australia became victim of a state-sponsored attack. In such attacks government infrastructure, private infrastructure and citizens are targeted at the same time in a series of cyber attacks. This Advansed Persistent Threat (APT) is something which poses a big challenge. Truth be told, just having a policy to tackle state sponsored APT won’t be enough. The policy needs to define a ‘retaliation’ action plan too. Important points to be noted: The policy should define or make a provision to define an ‘action plan’ in case of a state sponsored attack. Containing the APT won’t be enough. There needs to be a clear ‘trapping’ plan to have enough data on the origin of the APT or state sponsored threat. A retaliation plan should also be in place if need arises to fend off the enemy. These plans need to have a clear flow from policy to a government department executing it. ‘Mock drills’ for such scenarios need to be done. 2. SOS lockdown policy When a cyber attack happens, there can be a mass disruption in services/infrastructure. There needs to be a clear nationwide lockdown policy for key infrastructure of the nation. We are talking about nuclear grids, power grids, financial institutions, satellite communication etc. Whenever a nation wide security incident/attack happens, it’s often well thought out and planned for months if not years. In such cases, the bad actors know which components to target first. This makes it important to have a lockdown policy to ensure critical infrastructure is protected during such time and damage is controlled. Important points to be noted: SOS lockdown policy should not be made public fully as that might give enemy the information. The lockdown policy will require cyber security specialists to be deployed or trained in each of the critical sectors. 3. Security framework for 5G & iOT devices With 5G setting foot, the rise of iOT devices is inevitable. This means more devices connected to the internet and each other. This also means ‘smart’ being appended to everything we can think of. This calls for a security standard to be defined for all the 5G devices coming to the market. The best case would be the government defining security standards of these new internet connected devices with the help of security companies. Also Read : Now, EU imposes cyberattack sanctions on Chinese nationals linked to Chinese intelligence agency Important points to be noted: A clearly defined certification or ‘standard’ needs to be put out for iOT devices. Government or government authorized departments/companies should ensure these newly entering iOT devices meet privacy requirements and security standards ensuring private data of citizens isn’t at risk. These are the devices which will be kept at our homes, in our cars & bedrooms - the privacy risks can be un-imaginable. One cannot take any risk with this one. × 4. Nationwide cyber security training India has the responsibility of bringing 600 million+ population to the internet ‘safely’. It should also be ensured that current population already on the internet (over 700 million) is security conscious. Important points to be noted: ‘We are as strong as our weakest link’, our training programs should be built with this principle in mind. When it comes to cyber security, even in most tech savvy organizations, humans have been found to be the weakest links. This nationwide training has to be done in a way that less savvy people understand at least basic do’s and don'ts of the internet Our banks have been largely successful in raising awareness around banking frauds. It’s always a work in progress, but in today’s world more people understand that they don’t have to give their online banking password, CVV or any other sensitive information to anyone, even if the other person claims to be a bank official. Such awareness will definitely meet a certain threshold of cyber security. Ofcourse, such models are constantly evolving. Training over SMS, IVR and emails need to be made at a mass scale, in a way the common man understands. 5. Enforcing security standards on private companies & rewarding The nation should have a cyber security standard defined for every private company. Every company uses emails for communication and has a website even if it is not an internet business. The government should clearly define what is expected of private companies when it comes to cyber security and what are the consequences of not meeting the expectations. Ideally, this should be not more than a 2 page checklist. Making it straightforward and easy to understand will encourage companies to follow the guidelines. When a country faces a cyber security challenge, its private organizations are also on the radar of hackers. It’s important their infrastructure is also secure. Important points to be noted: The security standards defined for private companies should be in checklist form. Government should reward the organizations that follow these standards. This reward can be in the form of publicly displayable certificates which can be verified on government websites or even some tax rebates. The fact that our government is talking about updating our cyber security policy and preparing it for the upcoming innovations means that we’re headed in the right direction. Considering the privacy concerns and data at stake, information security is not a luxury but a necessity. Having a strong cyber security policy means that the government is not only looking out for the data of its citizens but also inspiring confidence so that foreign companies choose India over other nations for their expansion. I strongly believe that countries having a strong cyber security policy that can be implemented neatly will have a massive advantage on all fronts in years to come.

5 essential points that should make it to India’s new cyber security policy

Researchers in the UK have set a new world record in data transmission rates passing 178 terabits per second (Tbps) setting the fastest Internet speed ever!

Imagine downloading Netflix library in less than one second | Fastest internet speed recorded in UK

Microsoft has announced that its apps and services will stop supporting Internet Explorer 11 on August 17, 2021. It will be dropping support for its existing legacy version of Microsoft Edge on March 9, 2021.

Microsoft says goodbye to Internet Explorer 11 & Edge Legacy

The next geopolitical battleground is the technology and it is not just China that is a target. Countries around the world are building borders for their internet.

Cutting off access for everything. From apps to even manpower.&nbsp;

Trump along with the prime ministers of Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom is citing a threat to national security to strike at Chinese tech titans.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-aftershocks-of-the-pandemic-tech-sector-is-the-new-battleground-318195/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

But, what’s happening right now is no game. Technology companies are feeling the aftershock of the pandemic. It began with TikTok.

India banned it first and now the United States might break it up. US President Donald Trump is willing to allow a deal.&nbsp;

The United States is trying to get reimbursed or be paid a substantial amount of money.&nbsp;

Donald Trump dealt another big blow to techies. This time he is targeting IT professionals of Indian-origin and shutting off another door for employment via the H1-B visa.

Trump has signed an order reserving government jobs for Americans. Now, American government agencies won’t be allowed to contract or subcontract foreign workers...

He said: "Today i am signing an executive order to ensure that the federal government lives by a very simple rule: hire American. We've been doing it at a level that hasn't been done, maybe ever."

In Europe, the union is taking on three countries with cyber sanctions.

For the first time, the European Union has imposed sanctions for cyber attacks.

A total of six people and three groups have been punished.

This includes four Russians. Allegedly part of the Russian GRU military agency.

Two Chinese nationals have been sanctioned for operation cloud hopper.

A hack that targeted different companies across six continents.

Northern Korean firm Chosun expo is the sixth name on the list.

World leaders are laying the foundations for post-pandemic world order. One that will be dictated by optic fibres and not weapons.

Big tech is now a geopolitical force and technology companies around the world can’t afford to stay above the political fray.

The next geopolitical battleground is the technology and it is not just China that is a target. Countries around the world are building borders for their internet.

The next geopolitical battleground is the technology and it is not just China that is a target. Countries around the world are building borders for their internet. Cutting off access for everything. From apps to even manpower. Trump along with the prime ministers of Australia, Germany and the United Kingdom is citing a threat to national security to strike at Chinese tech titans. But, what’s happening right now is no game. Technology companies are feeling the aftershock of the pandemic. It began with TikTok. India banned it first and now the United States might break it up. US President Donald Trump is willing to allow a deal. The United States is trying to get reimbursed or be paid a substantial amount of money. Donald Trump dealt another big blow to techies. This time he is targeting IT professionals of Indian-origin and shutting off another door for employment via the H1-B visa. Trump has signed an order reserving government jobs for Americans. Now, American government agencies won’t be allowed to contract or subcontract foreign workers... He said: "Today i am signing an executive order to ensure that the federal government lives by a very simple rule: hire American. We've been doing it at a level that hasn't been done, maybe ever." In Europe, the union is taking on three countries with cyber sanctions. For the first time, the European Union has imposed sanctions for cyber attacks. A total of six people and three groups have been punished. This includes four Russians. Allegedly part of the Russian GRU military agency. Two Chinese nationals have been sanctioned for operation cloud hopper. A hack that targeted different companies across six continents. Northern Korean firm Chosun expo is the sixth name on the list. World leaders are laying the foundations for post-pandemic world order. One that will be dictated by optic fibres and not weapons. Big tech is now a geopolitical force and technology companies around the world can’t afford to stay above the political fray.

Technology: World's next geopolitical battleground

Internet addiction is a real issue. However intense it may be, it cannot be justified to&nbsp;put&nbsp;children in solitary confinement. That’s what happened in China.

A group of men who ran a de-addiction centre for kids who can’t get off their screens in China have been sentenced to prison time. According to court documents, men with surnames Wu, Reg, Zhang, and Qu were imprisoned for illegally confining 12 people in the Yuzhang Academy in Jiangxi province for over ten days. Out of these, 11 were minors.

Similar facilities everywhere

The facility is one of many such treatment centres to spur up in China over the last years with newly found concerns for people who spend a lot of time browsing content online.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/xi-jinpings-hunger-for-power-grows-as-china-struggles-with-pandemic-311714" hreflang="en">Xi Jinping's hunger for power grows as China struggles with pandemic</a>

China does not go easy on its internet users, where people are subjected to heavy censorship and the government exercising full control over the internet. This happens in a country with one of the world’s largest internet user bases.

In 2008, China recognised internet addiction as a real disorder, which may have set the stage for child abuses across the country in such treatment centres.

Cruel intentions?

A 19-year-old girl was killed in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou after handles at one of these de-addiction centres beat her black and blue.&nbsp;Many reports also suggest that such centres use electric therapies to “treat” children.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/china-launches-operation-fox-hunt-to-target-dissenters-captures-ex-interpol-chief-311725" hreflang="en">China launches Operation Fox Hunt to target dissenters; captures ex-Interpol chief</a>

Wu, the major perpetrator was put in prison for three years. Ten and Zhang received two years, seven months and one year, ten months prison time respectively. Qu only recently 11 months of prison time.

State-run Global Times claimed that kids in the academy were put in dark dingy rooms with just a blanket and a toilet pot.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/eu-urges-china-to-free-activists-on-crackdown-anniversary-311720" hreflang="en">EU urges China to free activists on crackdown anniversary</a>

The government in China is not too far behind. In November 2019, an internet curfew was announced for people aged below 18. As part of this, they can play 90 minutes worth of video on weekdays, and three hours worth of clips on weekends. Additionally, minors in the country cannot play video games between 10 PM and 8 AM.

Currently, 850 million people in the country have access to the internet. Out of these, 200 million are aged between 15 and 35.

Internet addiction is a real issue. However intense it may be, it cannot be justified to put children in solitary confinement. That’s what happened in China. A group of men who ran a de-addiction centre for kids who can’t get off their screens in China have been sentenced to prison time.

Internet addiction is a real issue. However intense it may be, it cannot be justified to put children in solitary confinement. That’s what happened in China. A group of men who ran a de-addiction centre for kids who can’t get off their screens in China have been sentenced to prison time. According to court documents, men with surnames Wu, Reg, Zhang, and Qu were imprisoned for illegally confining 12 people in the Yuzhang Academy in Jiangxi province for over ten days. Out of these, 11 were minors. Similar facilities everywhere The facility is one of many such treatment centres to spur up in China over the last years with newly found concerns for people who spend a lot of time browsing content online. Also read: Xi Jinping's hunger for power grows as China struggles with pandemic China does not go easy on its internet users, where people are subjected to heavy censorship and the government exercising full control over the internet. This happens in a country with one of the world’s largest internet user bases. In 2008, China recognised internet addiction as a real disorder, which may have set the stage for child abuses across the country in such treatment centres. Cruel intentions? A 19-year-old girl was killed in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou after handles at one of these de-addiction centres beat her black and blue. Many reports also suggest that such centres use electric therapies to “treat” children. Also read: China launches Operation Fox Hunt to target dissenters; captures ex-Interpol chief Wu, the major perpetrator was put in prison for three years. Ten and Zhang received two years, seven months and one year, ten months prison time respectively. Qu only recently 11 months of prison time. State-run Global Times claimed that kids in the academy were put in dark dingy rooms with just a blanket and a toilet pot. Also read: EU urges China to free activists on crackdown anniversary The government in China is not too far behind. In November 2019, an internet curfew was announced for people aged below 18. As part of this, they can play 90 minutes worth of video on weekdays, and three hours worth of clips on weekends. Additionally, minors in the country cannot play video games between 10 PM and 8 AM. Currently, 850 million people in the country have access to the internet. Out of these, 200 million are aged between 15 and 35.

China imprisons several men for confining children in internet de-addiction centres

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content.

To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil.

This programme will help participating publishers monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience. "Google will also offer to pay for free access for users to read paywalled articles on a publisher's site," the statement said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-will-no-longer-store-user-data-indefinitely-will-auto-delete-after-18-months-308359">Also Read: Google will auto-delete after 18 months</a>

The programme comes amid growing calls for internet tech titans&nbsp;to pay for content.

“We have been actively working with our publisher partners on this new product which will launch first on Google News and Discover. We are currently engaged in discussions with many more partners and plan to sign more in the coming months,” Google said in its blog post. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-extends-fact-checking-to-image-search-307990">Also Read: Google extends fact-checking to image search</a>

The initiative would build on the 2018 Google News Initiative, a $300 million project that aimed to tackle disinformation online and help news sites grow financially. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content. To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil.

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content. To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil. This programme will help participating publishers monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience. "Google will also offer to pay for free access for users to read paywalled articles on a publisher's site," the statement said. Also Read: Google will auto-delete after 18 months The programme comes amid growing calls for internet tech titans to pay for content. “We have been actively working with our publisher partners on this new product which will launch first on Google News and Discover. We are currently engaged in discussions with many more partners and plan to sign more in the coming months,” Google said in its blog post. Also Read: Google extends fact-checking to image search The initiative would build on the 2018 Google News Initiative, a $300 million project that aimed to tackle disinformation online and help news sites grow financially. (With inputs from agencies)

Google to pay select publishers for 'high quality' news content

Facebook Inc said on Thursday it has filed lawsuits against individuals in Europe and the United States for abusing its platforms to offer automated tools for scraping users’ personal data and gathering likes.

The social network said the defendant in the US lawsuit operated a data scraping service, called “Massroot8”, which improperly collected data by asking users to provide their Facebook login credentials. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/facebook-and-microsoft-allows-employees-to-work-from-home-till-end-of-year-297640">Also Read: Facebook and Microsoft allows employees to work from home till end of year</a>

The defendants in the European lawsuit operated a Spain-based fake engagement service that provided automation software to receive fake likes and comments on Instagram, Facebook said.

"This is one of the first times a social media company is using coordinated, multi-jurisdictional litigation to enforce its Terms and protect its users," the company said here in a blog post.&nbsp;

Facebook Inc said on Thursday it has filed lawsuits against individuals in Europe and the United States for abusing its platforms to offer automated tools for scraping users’ personal data and gathering likes.

Facebook Inc said on Thursday it has filed lawsuits against individuals in Europe and the United States for abusing its platforms to offer automated tools for scraping users’ personal data and gathering likes. The social network said the defendant in the US lawsuit operated a data scraping service, called “Massroot8”, which improperly collected data by asking users to provide their Facebook login credentials. Also Read: Facebook and Microsoft allows employees to work from home till end of year The defendants in the European lawsuit operated a Spain-based fake engagement service that provided automation software to receive fake likes and comments on Instagram, Facebook said. "This is one of the first times a social media company is using coordinated, multi-jurisdictional litigation to enforce its Terms and protect its users," the company said here in a blog post.

Facebook sues individuals for offering to extract data, gather likes

China is changing the strategic equations&nbsp;amid COVID-19 pandemic crisis. There are serious allegations against&nbsp;China that it hid the information about coronavirus, trying&nbsp;to mislead the world. China has also, recently, shown aggression against India at Galwan valley and both sides faced casualties in a 'violent face-off'.

China is also facing a backlash on social media. Serious complaints are emerging on the social media platforms that they are censoring the content which is remotely against the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).&nbsp;

The digital world gives&nbsp;voice to millions whose voices were not typically heard. Social media platforms are expected to handle the diverse viewpoints with tolerance but is it really happening?&nbsp;

Popular websites, including Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, are banned in mainland China. Only official accounts of ambassadors or mouthpiece of Chinese governments have access to social media websites. So, no information from mainland China can come to us. We can see only those things which China wants us to show and the same goes for Chinese citizens - they can only see the things which their government wants&nbsp;to reach them.

But the issue is much deeper than it seems. China is intimidating social media companies, who have offices in China, to remove content which is not suitable to the CPC.&nbsp;

Recently, popular Indian comedian and mimicry artist Saloni Gaur, who is popularly known as Nazma Aapa, had posted the video in which she made jokes on China. “So @TikToK_IN has removed my last video which had jokes on China, jaisa desh, vaisi app. Kuchh bolne ki freedom hi nahi hai,” she tweeted this later. There are similar instances in the US of America where TikTok has locked the accounts of users who had criticised China or took jibe at them.&nbsp;

Last year, The Guardian had accessed the documents, according to which, China had instructed TikTok, Chinese-owned popular social media application, to remove videos featuring Tiananmen square and Tibetan freedom. These contents were categorised as a violation of “hate speech and religion”. In addition, employees of the TikTok US of America were reportedly pressurised to remove “culturally problematic” videos which might offend the ruling party of China.&nbsp;

TikTok is managed by the Beijing-based company, hence, this can be expected but Chinese censorships are taking control over other platforms too.&nbsp;

For example, Google. On the play store, TikTok was rated 1.2 with approx 29 million reviews but after a few days, the rating was up to 4.4 and play store removed almost 9 million reviews. There was no clarification from the company over this manipulation.&nbsp;

In India, a movement was building up to remove the China-owned apps and for that purpose, one developer had made the application “Remove China Apps” which was available on the play store and was trending in top-free applications, but that application was deleted from the play store. However, after much outrage from the Indian side, it has been reinstated now.&nbsp;

On June 11, Zoom wrote a long blogpost and accepted that China has intimidated them to remove the content of pro-democracy Chinese activists based in the US.

Not only these, there are complaints that YouTube is also automatically censoring comments which features the word “communist bandit” and “50-cent party” in reference to the Communist Party of China. Comments featuring these two words were getting removed in just 15 seconds.&nbsp;

This internet censorship&nbsp;by China is really worrying. This is happening at a large scale which goes unresolved, and hence, we only see things which China wants us to show. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China is changing the strategic equations amid COVID-19 pandemic crisis. There are serious allegations against China that it hid the information about coronavirus, trying to mislead the world.

China is changing the strategic equations amid COVID-19 pandemic crisis. There are serious allegations against China that it hid the information about coronavirus, trying to mislead the world. China has also, recently, shown aggression against India at Galwan valley and both sides faced casualties in a 'violent face-off'. China is also facing a backlash on social media. Serious complaints are emerging on the social media platforms that they are censoring the content which is remotely against the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC). The digital world gives voice to millions whose voices were not typically heard. Social media platforms are expected to handle the diverse viewpoints with tolerance but is it really happening? Popular websites, including Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, are banned in mainland China. Only official accounts of ambassadors or mouthpiece of Chinese governments have access to social media websites. So, no information from mainland China can come to us. We can see only those things which China wants us to show and the same goes for Chinese citizens - they can only see the things which their government wants to reach them. But the issue is much deeper than it seems. China is intimidating social media companies, who have offices in China, to remove content which is not suitable to the CPC. Recently, popular Indian comedian and mimicry artist Saloni Gaur, who is popularly known as Nazma Aapa, had posted the video in which she made jokes on China. “So @TikToK_IN has removed my last video which had jokes on China, jaisa desh, vaisi app. Kuchh bolne ki freedom hi nahi hai,” she tweeted this later. There are similar instances in the US of America where TikTok has locked the accounts of users who had criticised China or took jibe at them. Last year, The Guardian had accessed the documents, according to which, China had instructed TikTok, Chinese-owned popular social media application, to remove videos featuring Tiananmen square and Tibetan freedom. These contents were categorised as a violation of “hate speech and religion”. In addition, employees of the TikTok US of America were reportedly pressurised to remove “culturally problematic” videos which might offend the ruling party of China. TikTok is managed by the Beijing-based company, hence, this can be expected but Chinese censorships are taking control over other platforms too. For example, Google. On the play store, TikTok was rated 1.2 with approx 29 million reviews but after a few days, the rating was up to 4.4 and play store removed almost 9 million reviews. There was no clarification from the company over this manipulation. In India, a movement was building up to remove the China-owned apps and for that purpose, one developer had made the application “Remove China Apps” which was available on the play store and was trending in top-free applications, but that application was deleted from the play store. However, after much outrage from the Indian side, it has been reinstated now. On June 11, Zoom wrote a long blogpost and accepted that China has intimidated them to remove the content of pro-democracy Chinese activists based in the US. Not only these, there are complaints that YouTube is also automatically censoring comments which features the word “communist bandit” and “50-cent party” in reference to the Communist Party of China. Comments featuring these two words were getting removed in just 15 seconds. This internet censorship by China is really worrying. This is happening at a large scale which goes unresolved, and hence, we only see things which China wants us to show. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

There's little known, much unknown about internet censorship by China

Most of us are stuck inside our home, we can’t hang out with friends, we can’t step out to shop, we can’t plan a get together with cousins. Like responsible people, we are successfully maintaining social distancing - but at a cost - and that price is our digital footprints.&nbsp;

Being locked inside the house, we are exposing ourselves to the online world a lot more.

For instance, we are surfing online more and our search queries directly reflect on our interests which remain documented on the internet.

In fact, by now many of you, must have shown your entire house in various videos and in casual selfies.&nbsp;

Our social media engagement has gone up. These days, we are giving more information about us online, but are we doing that responsibly? Probably, no.

And we have no idea, how and when these online details could be misused by miscreants because digital footprints stay forever.&nbsp;

Therefore, along with social distancing, we need to maintain information distancing as well. But how?&nbsp;Here are some handy tips that can help you achieve that:

1. Be mindful of what you share. Just because there is no limit to what you can post online, doesn’t mean that you should be documenting online everything you do. It’s a big no! Be wise and exercise your judgement so that you don’t end up sharing too much personal details.

2. While recording videos at home or attending a video conference, be wary of what’s in the background. Your home is your personal space and the online world shouldn’t get a virtual tour of your house.

3. For sensitive and confidential information, switch to private browsing. It prevents the browser from remembering your activity. For instance, the browser won't save your search history or permissions you give to websites.&nbsp;

4. Be extra careful when transacting online. Avoid using a browser for banking. Always use native banking apps for internet banking as those apps come from trusted providers. And, therefore, they are more secure.

5. Many of you must have downloaded more games on your mobile during the lockdown. But did you read the permissions before installing those apps? Go back to those apps and check. If these are asking for more permissions than required to play a game, uninstall them.

Be careful of what you share, how you share and when you share. You need to be responsible even when sharing data online. Because data is the new currency. So, stay safe and practice information distancing along with social distancing. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Most of us are stuck inside our home, we can’t hang out with friends, we can’t step out to shop, we can’t plan a get together with cousins. Like responsible people, we are successfully maintaining social distancing - but at a cost - and that price is our digital footprints.

Most of us are stuck inside our home, we can’t hang out with friends, we can’t step out to shop, we can’t plan a get together with cousins. Like responsible people, we are successfully maintaining social distancing - but at a cost - and that price is our digital footprints. Being locked inside the house, we are exposing ourselves to the online world a lot more. For instance, we are surfing online more and our search queries directly reflect on our interests which remain documented on the internet. In fact, by now many of you, must have shown your entire house in various videos and in casual selfies. Our social media engagement has gone up. These days, we are giving more information about us online, but are we doing that responsibly? Probably, no. And we have no idea, how and when these online details could be misused by miscreants because digital footprints stay forever. Therefore, along with social distancing, we need to maintain information distancing as well. But how? Here are some handy tips that can help you achieve that: 1. Be mindful of what you share. Just because there is no limit to what you can post online, doesn’t mean that you should be documenting online everything you do. It’s a big no! Be wise and exercise your judgement so that you don’t end up sharing too much personal details. 2. While recording videos at home or attending a video conference, be wary of what’s in the background. Your home is your personal space and the online world shouldn’t get a virtual tour of your house. 3. For sensitive and confidential information, switch to private browsing. It prevents the browser from remembering your activity. For instance, the browser won't save your search history or permissions you give to websites. 4. Be extra careful when transacting online. Avoid using a browser for banking. Always use native banking apps for internet banking as those apps come from trusted providers. And, therefore, they are more secure. 5. Many of you must have downloaded more games on your mobile during the lockdown. But did you read the permissions before installing those apps? Go back to those apps and check. If these are asking for more permissions than required to play a game, uninstall them. Be careful of what you share, how you share and when you share. You need to be responsible even when sharing data online. Because data is the new currency. So, stay safe and practice information distancing along with social distancing. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Are we leaving more digital footprints during coronavirus lockdown?

"The web is not working for women and girls," were the words of Tim Berners-Lee, who created the world wide web on Thursday.&nbsp;

Berners-Lee made these remarks in an assessment published on the World Wide Web Foundation, an initiative by him that fights for free and open web for everyone. &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;UN Study: 90% of people are biased against women&nbsp;

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He also said that a "dangerous trend" of abuse threatens the progress made towards achieving gender equality.

"The world has made important progress on gender equality thanks to the unceasing drive of committed champions everywhere," he said.&nbsp;

"But I am seriously concerned that online harms facing women and girls -- especially those of colour, from LGBTQ+ communities and other marginalised groups -- threaten that progress."

Berners-Lee also said that the abuse was so extensive that "over half of young women surveyed have experienced violence online", citing a report from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

The internet founder also highlighted that discrimination gets further triggered as a lot of women could not get the access to the internet.&nbsp;

He also said that men are 21 per cent more likely to be online, increasing to 52 per cent in the world's least developed countries.&nbsp;

Berners-Lee said such inequalities brings the risks of "Contract for the Web", a global action plan he initiated a year ago to prevent the web becoming a "digital dystopia".

(With AFP inputs) 
&nbsp;

"The web is not working for women and girls," were the words of Tim Berners-Lee, who created the world wide web on Thursday. Berners-Lee made these remarks in an assessment published on the World Wide Web Foundation, an initiative by him that fights for free and open web for everyone.

"The web is not working for women and girls," were the words of Tim Berners-Lee, who created the world wide web on Thursday. Berners-Lee made these remarks in an assessment published on the World Wide Web Foundation, an initiative by him that fights for free and open web for everyone. Watch | UN Study: 90% of people are biased against women He also said that a "dangerous trend" of abuse threatens the progress made towards achieving gender equality. "The world has made important progress on gender equality thanks to the unceasing drive of committed champions everywhere," he said. "But I am seriously concerned that online harms facing women and girls -- especially those of colour, from LGBTQ+ communities and other marginalised groups -- threaten that progress." Berners-Lee also said that the abuse was so extensive that "over half of young women surveyed have experienced violence online", citing a report from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. The internet founder also highlighted that discrimination gets further triggered as a lot of women could not get the access to the internet. He also said that men are 21 per cent more likely to be online, increasing to 52 per cent in the world's least developed countries. Berners-Lee said such inequalities brings the risks of "Contract for the Web", a global action plan he initiated a year ago to prevent the web becoming a "digital dystopia". (With AFP inputs)

Web is not working for women, girls: Internet founder

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order.

The regulations, adopted without public debate, position US social media companies like Facebook and Twitter at the forefront of the struggle and raise the spectre of China’s walled-off Internet with its own state-controlled social media platforms becoming the model for a host of illiberal, authoritarians and autocrats.&nbsp;

The regulations, that take effect immediately, embrace aspects of a civilizational state that defines its legal reach, if not its borders, in terms of a civilization rather than a nation-state with clearly outlined, internationally recognised borders that determine the reach of its law and that is defined by its population and language.

The regulations could force social media companies to globally suppress criticism of the more onerous aspects of Pakistani law, including constitutionally enshrined discrimination of some minorities like Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and the imposition of a mandatory death sentence for blasphemy.

The new rules force social media companies to “Remove, suspend or disable access” to content posted in Pakistan or by Pakistani nationals abroad that the government deems as failing to “Take due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan.” The government can also demand the removal of encryption.

Social media companies are required to establish offices in Pakistan in the next three months and install data servers by February 2021.

The government justified the rules with the need to combat hate speech, blasphemy, alleged fake news and online harassment of women.

The Asia Internet Coalition, a technology and internet industry association that includes, Facebook and Twitter, warned that the regulations “jeopardise the personal safety and privacy of citizens and undermine free expression” and would be “detrimental to Pakistan's ambitions for a digital economy."

The introduction of the regulations reflects frustration in government, as well as, Pakistan’s powerful military with social media companies’ frequent refusal to honour requests to take down content. Pakistan ranked among the top countries requesting Facebook and Twitter to remove postings.

On the assumption that Facebook, Twitter and others, which are already banned in China, will risk being debarred in Pakistan by refusing to comply with the new regulations, Pakistan could become a prime country that adopts not only aspects of China’s 21st century, Orwellian surveillance state but also its tightly controlled media.

The basis for potential Pakistani adoption of the Chinese system was created in 2017 in plans for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion-plus crown jewel of the Belt and Road initiative, an infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative to tie Eurasia to China.

The 2017 plan identifies as risks to CPEC “Pakistani politics, such as competing parties, religion, tribes, terrorists, and Western intervention”, as well as, security. The plan appears to question the vibrancy of a system in which competition between parties and interest groups is the name of the game.

It envisions a full system of monitoring and surveillance to ensure law and order in Pakistani cities. The system would involve the deployment of explosive detectors and scanners to “Cover major roads, case-prone areas and crowded places in urban areas to conduct real-time monitoring and 24-hour video recording.”

A national fibre optic backbone would be built for Internet traffic, as well as, the terrestrial distribution of broadcast media that would cooperate with their Chinese counterparts in the 'dissemination of Chinese culture.' The plan described the backbone as a 'cultural transmission carrier' that would serve to 'further enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and the traditional friendship between the two countries.'

Critics in China and elsewhere assert that repression of freedom of expression contributed to China’s delayed response to the Coronavirus. China rejects the criticism with President Xi Jinping calling for even greater control.

Pakistan’s newly promulgated regulations echo Xi’s assertion during the Communist party’s January 7 Politburo Standing Committee meeting that “We must strengthen public opinion tracking and judgment, take the initiative to voice, provide positive guidance, strengthen integration, communication and interaction so that positive energy will always fill the Internet space. We must control the overall public opinion and strive to create a good public opinion environment. It is necessary to strengthen the management and control of online media.”

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;&nbsp;

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order.

Sweeping new regulations, restricting social media in Pakistan, put freedom of expression and the media at the heart of the struggle to counter both civilisational and authoritarian aspects of emerging new world order. The regulations, adopted without public debate, position US social media companies like Facebook and Twitter at the forefront of the struggle and raise the spectre of China’s walled-off Internet with its own state-controlled social media platforms becoming the model for a host of illiberal, authoritarians and autocrats. The regulations, that take effect immediately, embrace aspects of a civilizational state that defines its legal reach, if not its borders, in terms of a civilization rather than a nation-state with clearly outlined, internationally recognised borders that determine the reach of its law and that is defined by its population and language. The regulations could force social media companies to globally suppress criticism of the more onerous aspects of Pakistani law, including constitutionally enshrined discrimination of some minorities like Ahmadis, a sect widely viewed as a heretic by mainstream Islam, and the imposition of a mandatory death sentence for blasphemy. The new rules force social media companies to “Remove, suspend or disable access” to content posted in Pakistan or by Pakistani nationals abroad that the government deems as failing to “Take due cognizance of the religious, cultural, ethnic and national security sensitivities of Pakistan.” The government can also demand the removal of encryption. Social media companies are required to establish offices in Pakistan in the next three months and install data servers by February 2021. The government justified the rules with the need to combat hate speech, blasphemy, alleged fake news and online harassment of women. The Asia Internet Coalition, a technology and internet industry association that includes, Facebook and Twitter, warned that the regulations “jeopardise the personal safety and privacy of citizens and undermine free expression” and would be “detrimental to Pakistan's ambitions for a digital economy." The introduction of the regulations reflects frustration in government, as well as, Pakistan’s powerful military with social media companies’ frequent refusal to honour requests to take down content. Pakistan ranked among the top countries requesting Facebook and Twitter to remove postings. On the assumption that Facebook, Twitter and others, which are already banned in China, will risk being debarred in Pakistan by refusing to comply with the new regulations, Pakistan could become a prime country that adopts not only aspects of China’s 21st century, Orwellian surveillance state but also its tightly controlled media. The basis for potential Pakistani adoption of the Chinese system was created in 2017 in plans for the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $60 billion-plus crown jewel of the Belt and Road initiative, an infrastructure, telecommunications and energy-driven initiative to tie Eurasia to China. The 2017 plan identifies as risks to CPEC “Pakistani politics, such as competing parties, religion, tribes, terrorists, and Western intervention”, as well as, security. The plan appears to question the vibrancy of a system in which competition between parties and interest groups is the name of the game. It envisions a full system of monitoring and surveillance to ensure law and order in Pakistani cities. The system would involve the deployment of explosive detectors and scanners to “Cover major roads, case-prone areas and crowded places in urban areas to conduct real-time monitoring and 24-hour video recording.” A national fibre optic backbone would be built for Internet traffic, as well as, the terrestrial distribution of broadcast media that would cooperate with their Chinese counterparts in the 'dissemination of Chinese culture.' The plan described the backbone as a 'cultural transmission carrier' that would serve to 'further enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples and the traditional friendship between the two countries.' Critics in China and elsewhere assert that repression of freedom of expression contributed to China’s delayed response to the Coronavirus. China rejects the criticism with President Xi Jinping calling for even greater control. Pakistan’s newly promulgated regulations echo Xi’s assertion during the Communist party’s January 7 Politburo Standing Committee meeting that “We must strengthen public opinion tracking and judgment, take the initiative to voice, provide positive guidance, strengthen integration, communication and interaction so that positive energy will always fill the Internet space. We must control the overall public opinion and strive to create a good public opinion environment. It is necessary to strengthen the management and control of online media.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By regulating social media, Pakistan puts freedom of expression at the core of struggle

The restrictions on the internet services in parts of Jammu and Kashmir will be lifted in five districts of the Union Territory after 6 months.

The process will take place in phases and will begin today.

Access to the internet will be granted to institutions catering to duties and websites of the government such as the banking firms.

This decision came after the Supreme Court's verdict to review all restrictive orders after a petition was filed last week.

However, the summer capital of the valley Srinagar will be granted internet access.

''Suspension of free movement, internet and basic freedoms cannot be called the arbitrary exercise of power'', the apex court's verdict had stated.

The situation will be reviewed by the lieutenant-governor Girish Murmu after a week and he will take a call accordingly.

After the abrogation of article 370, which removed the special status of the state, one of the world's longest internet lockdowns were imposed in the state.

The massive outcry by protestors back in August 2019 had prompted the suspension of the internet in the valley.

The restrictions on the internet services in parts of Jammu and Kashmir will be lifted in five districts of the Union Territory after 6 months. The process will take place in phases and will begin today.

The restrictions on the internet services in parts of Jammu and Kashmir will be lifted in five districts of the Union Territory after 6 months. The process will take place in phases and will begin today. Access to the internet will be granted to institutions catering to duties and websites of the government such as the banking firms. This decision came after the Supreme Court's verdict to review all restrictive orders after a petition was filed last week. However, the summer capital of the valley Srinagar will be granted internet access. ''Suspension of free movement, internet and basic freedoms cannot be called the arbitrary exercise of power'', the apex court's verdict had stated. The situation will be reviewed by the lieutenant-governor Girish Murmu after a week and he will take a call accordingly. After the abrogation of article 370, which removed the special status of the state, one of the world's longest internet lockdowns were imposed in the state. The massive outcry by protestors back in August 2019 had prompted the suspension of the internet in the valley.

Broadband and mobile Internet services partially restored in Jammu & Kashmir

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