Twitter whistleblower Peiter Zatko has made some stunning claims. He claims that foreign agents & spies are working as employees for the social media platform. Priyanka Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Twitter's former security chief makes stunning claims

Social media is now taking a toll on even pre-teens, as per a study, that says that many 10-year-olds are possibly missing out on the equivalent of a night’s sleep each week because of spending a lot of time on various platforms. Around 70 per cent of children who took part in the study said that they spend approximately four hours per day. Two hours of the four mostly came just before bedtime.

About 13 per cent of them admitted that they frequently checked their phone “in the middle of the night or after I should be asleep”, The Times UK reported. The majority of their time was spent on TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/new-tds-rule-for-doctors-and-social-media-influencers-490242">India to introduce new tax rules for social media influencers, doctors</a>

The study concluded that most of these kids didn't get good quality sleep overall. Researchers suggest that many could be losing out on eight-nine hours of sleep a week.

Besides, the blue light emitted by mobile phones and other devices is known to affect the body's circadian rhythm, hindering with our sleep patterns. People who spend time on mobile phones an hour or two before their bedtime find it tougher to fall asleep. The study also found a link between social media and anxiety.

“It is quite terrifying when you think about the level of engagement,” said Dr John Shaw, of De Montfort University, Leicester, who oversaw the work.

Even though the pilot study involved only 60 children, researchers believe it is the first study of its kind to look in depth at how sites such as TikTok and Instagram may be affecting the emotions and sleep of pre-teens.

FOMO, or the fear of missing out, was found to be a major reason behind use of social media among 10-year-olds. All the kids who participated in the study had access to social media.

Primary school children should be getting roughly 9-11 hours sleep each night, Shaw told The Times. Only two of the children in the study received the recommended minimum amount. “The knock-on side effects of [their social media use] is that they’re not getting sufficient sleep,” he said.&nbsp;

The researchers are now trying to find kids who do not use social media as often to compare the sleep patterns of the two groups. “We’re trying to find kids who are not on social media, but we’re really struggling.”

He added, “It’s important to establish sleep routines. I get off my phone an hour before bedtime. If I do have to go on it, I’ve got a blue-light filter.”

Shaw asked parents to set an example if they wish their kids to follow suit. “It’s all well and good telling (a child) to be off their phone. But if the parent is saying that while on their phone or on social media, they’re not going to listen to you.”

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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Social media is now taking a toll on even pre-teens, as per a study, that says that many 10-year-olds are possibly missing out on the equivalent of a night’s sleep each week because of spending a lot of time on various platforms.

Social media is now taking a toll on even pre-teens, as per a study, that says that many 10-year-olds are possibly missing out on the equivalent of a night’s sleep each week because of spending a lot of time on various platforms. Around 70 per cent of children who took part in the study said that they spend approximately four hours per day. Two hours of the four mostly came just before bedtime. About 13 per cent of them admitted that they frequently checked their phone “in the middle of the night or after I should be asleep”, The Times UK reported. The majority of their time was spent on TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat. Also Read | India to introduce new tax rules for social media influencers, doctors The study concluded that most of these kids didn't get good quality sleep overall. Researchers suggest that many could be losing out on eight-nine hours of sleep a week. Besides, the blue light emitted by mobile phones and other devices is known to affect the body's circadian rhythm, hindering with our sleep patterns. People who spend time on mobile phones an hour or two before their bedtime find it tougher to fall asleep. The study also found a link between social media and anxiety. “It is quite terrifying when you think about the level of engagement,” said Dr John Shaw, of De Montfort University, Leicester, who oversaw the work. Even though the pilot study involved only 60 children, researchers believe it is the first study of its kind to look in depth at how sites such as TikTok and Instagram may be affecting the emotions and sleep of pre-teens. FOMO, or the fear of missing out, was found to be a major reason behind use of social media among 10-year-olds. All the kids who participated in the study had access to social media. Primary school children should be getting roughly 9-11 hours sleep each night, Shaw told The Times. Only two of the children in the study received the recommended minimum amount. “The knock-on side effects of [their social media use] is that they’re not getting sufficient sleep,” he said. The researchers are now trying to find kids who do not use social media as often to compare the sleep patterns of the two groups. “We’re trying to find kids who are not on social media, but we’re really struggling.” He added, “It’s important to establish sleep routines. I get off my phone an hour before bedtime. If I do have to go on it, I’ve got a blue-light filter.” Shaw asked parents to set an example if they wish their kids to follow suit. “It’s all well and good telling (a child) to be off their phone. But if the parent is saying that while on their phone or on social media, they’re not going to listen to you.” (With inputs from agencies)

UK study finds social media is depriving many 10-year-olds of a night's sleep per week

From Virat Kohli to Yuvraj Singh: Indian cricketers who rule social media

Amid the legal courtroom battle between Twitter and Elon Musk, the former's shareholders on Tuesday approved the $44 billion buyout. Reportedly, after months of discussion, Twitter shareholders decided to accept Musk's $54.

Amid the legal courtroom battle between Twitter and Elon Musk, the former's shareholders on Tuesday approved the $44 billion buyout. Reportedly, after months of discussion, Twitter shareholders decided to accept Musk's $54.20 per share offer which was made in April before he went back on it. According to Twitter, more than 98.6 per cent of votes were cast in favour of the deal. WATCH | US: Twitter shareholders vote in favour of Elon Musk's deal, deal worth $44 bn signed in April × While the investors have given their nod, it looks highly unlikely it will be smooth sailing from here onwards. As reported extensively by WION, the Tesla founder is not willing to go ahead with the deal unless his demands about the reality of the bot accounts are explained by Twitter. The eccentric billionaire continues to claim that Twitter has close to 20 per cent bot accounts, as opposed to the five per cent that the company claims. Musk announced in July that he was suspending the deal agreement, alleging Twitter had concealed information about these accounts. Consequently, Twitter sued Musk to complete the transaction and has claimed that the issue is unrelated to the deal. It is pertinent to note that the trial starts next month on October 17. In addition to the bot controversy, Musk is now fixated on the testimony of Twitter whistleblowers who are exposing the microblogging platform and its shadowy security policies. Thereby, granting Musk another reason to tank the deal. Read more: After bots, what is Elon Musk's new reason to terminate the Twitter deal? However, the approval clears the path for the consummation of the deal, if the trial, starting next month goes against Musk. In that case, barring another appeal, Musk would have to shell out the said amount to buy Twitter. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Twitter shareholders accept Elon Musk's $44 billion acquisition proposal

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION | Report: Children increasingly using social media to escape 'negative feelings'

The first study of its sort has found a link between economic inequality and the use of social networking sites and instant messaging services.&nbsp;

Studies show that teens from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to admit to having a social media addiction to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms.

Michela Lenzi, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Padua in Italy and the study's principal author, believes that inequality may have detrimental impacts on kids' problematic social media use at the individual, school, and societal levels.

Watch |&nbsp;Social media addiction in Children: Who is responsible?

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The authors claim that the activities of governments may help in minimising the dysfunctional or unusual behaviour of youth.&nbsp;

"Policymakers should create initiatives to lessen disparities and restrict adolescents’ unhealthy social media usage behaviours."

"Social media is used frequently by young people, and both the risks and the benefits to well-being have been extensively studied."

The study's results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Information, Communication, and Society.

Problematic social media use (PSMU) is not officially recognised as a behavioural addiction. However, it is perceived as a health issue for young people.

Also&nbsp;read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology-revolution-boon-or-bane-501129">Is technology boon or bane?</a>

The problem is made worse in schools when there are social and economic gaps amongst the students.

Addiction-like symptoms include "preoccupation with social media, dissatisfaction about a lack of time for its use, feeling bad when not using it, trying but failing to spend less time using it, neglecting other duties to use social media, regular arguments over social media, lying to parents or friends about its use, using social media to escape from negative feelings, and having a severe conflict with family over social media use."

Any child who reported six or more items was identified as having PSMU.

The results, which were based on data collected from more than 179,000 children in 40 countries, according to the authors, show the need for new social media usage regulations that minimize the effects of poverty.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The first study of its sort has found a link between economic inequality and the use of social networking sites and instant messaging services. Studies show that teens from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to admit to having a social media addiction to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms.

The first study of its sort has found a link between economic inequality and the use of social networking sites and instant messaging services. Studies show that teens from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to admit to having a social media addiction to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other platforms. Michela Lenzi, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Padua in Italy and the study's principal author, believes that inequality may have detrimental impacts on kids' problematic social media use at the individual, school, and societal levels. Watch | Social media addiction in Children: Who is responsible? The authors claim that the activities of governments may help in minimising the dysfunctional or unusual behaviour of youth. "Policymakers should create initiatives to lessen disparities and restrict adolescents’ unhealthy social media usage behaviours." "Social media is used frequently by young people, and both the risks and the benefits to well-being have been extensively studied." The study's results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Information, Communication, and Society. Problematic social media use (PSMU) is not officially recognised as a behavioural addiction. However, it is perceived as a health issue for young people. Also read | Is technology boon or bane? The problem is made worse in schools when there are social and economic gaps amongst the students. Addiction-like symptoms include "preoccupation with social media, dissatisfaction about a lack of time for its use, feeling bad when not using it, trying but failing to spend less time using it, neglecting other duties to use social media, regular arguments over social media, lying to parents or friends about its use, using social media to escape from negative feelings, and having a severe conflict with family over social media use." Any child who reported six or more items was identified as having PSMU. The results, which were based on data collected from more than 179,000 children in 40 countries, according to the authors, show the need for new social media usage regulations that minimize the effects of poverty. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Children increasingly using social media to escape 'negative feelings': Report

The Irish Data Protection Commission has fined Meta-owned social media platform Instagram $405 million for violations of the General Data Protection Regulation. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

WION Fineprint | Instagram fined over $400 million for violating kids’ privacy

After a dismal Q2, Snap Inc., the parent company of photo-sharing platform Snapchat is reportedly planning to slash its workforce by 20 per cent. The company houses more than 6,400 employees which means that over 1,300 could be given the boot in the coming days.

After a dismal Q2, Snap Inc., the parent company of photo-sharing platform Snapchat is reportedly planning to slash its workforce by 20 per cent. The company houses more than 6,400 employees which means that over 1,300 could be given the boot in the coming days. According to sources, the layoffs will start on Wednesday with developers that build mini-apps and games inside the Snapchat app, expected to bear the major brunt. The hardware department responsible for the AR Spectacles, and Pixy camera drone will also have a major wipeout. Furthermore, employees of Zenly, a social mapping app that was bought by Snap in 2017, and the advertising department could see major chopping. The mass layoff comes in the backdrop of Jeremi Gorman, Snap's chief business officer resigning and departing for video streaming giant Netflix. Moreover, as reported by WION, the layoffs were around the corner, especially after the company reported weak financial numbers in Q2. In July, after Snap announced its Q2 results, the company's shares fell as much as 25 per cent. Cumulatively, since the beginning of the year, Snap's shares have tumbled 80 per cent. Moreover, Snap's revenue in Q2 stood at $1.11 billion which missed the projected mark of $1.14 billion. The revenue increased 13 per cent from last year but fell short of the expected growth rate of 16 per cent. Read more: Snapchat's share tumble 25 per cent after dismal Q2 earning reports However, what broke the investor's confidence was Snap informing in its investor letter that the company was not looking to provide any guidance for the third quarter because 'forward-looking visibility remains incredibly challenging'. Reportedly, the disruption in the supply chain, labour shortage and record inflation has forced advertisers to pull the plug on their advertising budgets. This has directly affected Snap Inc's revenue according to the company officials. Read More: In US lawsuit, 16-year-old girl takes on Snapchat for failing to safeguard users The new Apple 2021 iOS privacy update, along with the meteoric rise of short-video platforms like TikTok has further caused the downturn in Snap's growth plans. Ever since the company turned public in 2017, it has managed to turn profitable only once. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

After a dismal Q2, Snapchat parent company to sack nearly 1,300 employees

Do you feel your bag of chips is lighter? Do you feel there is less Coke in your bottle? This phenomenon is called shrinkflation. Palki Sharma tells you how customers are calling out instances of shrinkflation on social media.

Gravitas: Customers call out shrinkflation on social media

Social media users were left puzzled on Wednesday as some of them noticed that the Edit feature on Facebook posts was missing. Several screenshots shared on Twitter showed that the users were unable to edit their Facebook posts anymore and they were quick to react to the development.&nbsp;

&nbsp;“Why on earth is my “edit post” button gone on Facebook?!?!” one user wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/passengers-forced-to-walk-along-eurotunnel-after-train-breaks-down-watch-509652" hreflang="en">Passengers forced to walk along Eurotunnel after train breaks down - WATCH</a>

“Have we gone back to 2007 where you can’t edit posts on @facebook anymore??", read another post.&nbsp;

While the feature was completely absent in Apple devices, it was still visible on Android. As a result, the social media users connected it to the latest iOS update. While Facebook has not released any statement, the general consensus was that the feature was missing after updating the iOS software.&nbsp;

The latest change to the operating system was introduced by Apple in the past month but it has caused a lot of chatter among users who are not happy with the absence of the Facebook edit option.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scandal-yet-again-finlands-pm-sanna-marin-apologises-for-controversial-pic-509603" hreflang="en">Scandal yet again: Finland's PM Sanna Marin apologises for controversial pic</a>

How to solve the problem at present?&nbsp;

A number of users on Twitter came up with a number of suggestions in order to get the Edit option back on Facebook. One of the most common ones was to use the web application instead of the app. Some also said that uninstalling and installing the app on the device can potentially solve the problem.&nbsp;

The other solution given by the users was to clear the cache on iOS in order to make the operating system work faster.&nbsp;

Social media users were left puzzled on Wednesday as some of them noticed that the Edit feature on Facebook posts was missing. Several screenshots shared on Twitter showed that the users were unable to edit their Facebook posts anymore and they were quick to react to the development.

Social media users were left puzzled on Wednesday as some of them noticed that the Edit feature on Facebook posts was missing. Several screenshots shared on Twitter showed that the users were unable to edit their Facebook posts anymore and they were quick to react to the development. “Why on earth is my “edit post” button gone on Facebook?!?!” one user wrote on Twitter. Also read | Passengers forced to walk along Eurotunnel after train breaks down - WATCH “Have we gone back to 2007 where you can’t edit posts on @facebook anymore??", read another post. While the feature was completely absent in Apple devices, it was still visible on Android. As a result, the social media users connected it to the latest iOS update. While Facebook has not released any statement, the general consensus was that the feature was missing after updating the iOS software. The latest change to the operating system was introduced by Apple in the past month but it has caused a lot of chatter among users who are not happy with the absence of the Facebook edit option. Also read | Scandal yet again: Finland's PM Sanna Marin apologises for controversial pic How to solve the problem at present? A number of users on Twitter came up with a number of suggestions in order to get the Edit option back on Facebook. One of the most common ones was to use the web application instead of the app. Some also said that uninstalling and installing the app on the device can potentially solve the problem. The other solution given by the users was to clear the cache on iOS in order to make the operating system work faster.

Facebook edit button goes missing for some users, causes social media storm

Elon Musk has subpoenaed his friend Jack Dorsey, Twitter's former CEO, as part of his legal effort to abandon his bid to acquire the social media company. Molly Gambhir tells you all about this $44 billion legal battle.

WION Fineprint: Elon Musk subpoenas Jack Dorsey in Twitter legal battle

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has approached court to summon Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a bid to back out of the $44 billion agreement to acquire the social media platform. Jack Dorsey is also the co-founder of Twitter.

Elon Musk launches legal action to summon Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey

Tencent, China’s largest video gaming and social media company, reported its first revenue decline since its 2004 listing and missed earnings expectations.

WION Dispatch: Tencent posts first revenue decline since going public

An Indian woman's post&nbsp;on her friendship with a Pakistani classmate has garnered appreciation on social media.&nbsp;

A photograph posted by her on LinkedIn depicts the two Harvard Business School students holding&nbsp;the flags of their respective nations.

According to Sneha Biswas' essay, her connection with a Pakistani student challenged her preconceived notions of the neighbouring nation.

For many years, the two countries have had unfriendly relations.

Pakistani musicians and cricket players are not permitted to perform or compete in India while&nbsp;Bollywood movies are not allowed in Pakistan.

Celebrating the fervour of unity depicted in the post, one user commented, "We built walls between us and thus it's up to us to bring it down." Another user hoped that the two women would "share a lifelong friendship that may bring changes across the borders for girls on both sides".

Ms. Biswas, a businesswoman herself, posted on LinkedIn about her bond with her Pakistani classmate. She didn't say who her pal was.

She claimed in the post that because she was raised in a tiny town, she knew little about Pakistan and its inhabitants. She only learned things from literature and the media, which frequently promoted themes of hostility and competition.

On her first day at Harvard, she made her Pakistani buddy, with whom she has maintained a strong bond ever since.

She discovered over the course of numerous conversations over tea and biryani (a flavorful rice dish) that her friend shared a past with her that included growing up in a "conservative Pakistani environment" but with a supportive family.

"I realised that while pride for your individual nations stand strong, your love for people transcends geographies and boundaries," wrote Ms Biswas.

In her post, she promoted intercultural harmony by stating that "humans create boundaries, borders, and gaps." She spoke of "shattering boundaries" for young Indian and Pakistani girls who are "scared to shoot for the stars," as well as between the two nations.

In the week leading up to India's and Pakistan's independence anniversaries, which are observed on August 15 and 14, respectively, the message has gained attention on social media. The Partition in 1947, which resulted in the split of India into India and Pakistan, is also related to the independence of both countries. One of the bloodiest historical occurrences, the division is credited with sowing the seeds of hostility between the two countries.

(With inputs from agencies)

An Indian woman's post on her friendship with a Pakistani classmate has garnered appreciation on social media. A photograph posted by her on LinkedIn depicts the two Harvard Business School students holding the flags of their respective nations.

An Indian woman's post on her friendship with a Pakistani classmate has garnered appreciation on social media. A photograph posted by her on LinkedIn depicts the two Harvard Business School students holding the flags of their respective nations. According to Sneha Biswas' essay, her connection with a Pakistani student challenged her preconceived notions of the neighbouring nation. For many years, the two countries have had unfriendly relations. Pakistani musicians and cricket players are not permitted to perform or compete in India while Bollywood movies are not allowed in Pakistan. Celebrating the fervour of unity depicted in the post, one user commented, "We built walls between us and thus it's up to us to bring it down." Another user hoped that the two women would "share a lifelong friendship that may bring changes across the borders for girls on both sides". Ms. Biswas, a businesswoman herself, posted on LinkedIn about her bond with her Pakistani classmate. She didn't say who her pal was. She claimed in the post that because she was raised in a tiny town, she knew little about Pakistan and its inhabitants. She only learned things from literature and the media, which frequently promoted themes of hostility and competition. On her first day at Harvard, she made her Pakistani buddy, with whom she has maintained a strong bond ever since. She discovered over the course of numerous conversations over tea and biryani (a flavorful rice dish) that her friend shared a past with her that included growing up in a "conservative Pakistani environment" but with a supportive family. "I realised that while pride for your individual nations stand strong, your love for people transcends geographies and boundaries," wrote Ms Biswas. In her post, she promoted intercultural harmony by stating that "humans create boundaries, borders, and gaps." She spoke of "shattering boundaries" for young Indian and Pakistani girls who are "scared to shoot for the stars," as well as between the two nations. In the week leading up to India's and Pakistan's independence anniversaries, which are observed on August 15 and 14, respectively, the message has gained attention on social media. The Partition in 1947, which resulted in the split of India into India and Pakistan, is also related to the independence of both countries. One of the bloodiest historical occurrences, the division is credited with sowing the seeds of hostility between the two countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian woman's post on Pakistani friend wins hearts on social media

In a recent season of Masterchef Australia, celebrity contender Sarah Todd created a social media storm! She whipped up the famous Indian Bhelpuri in ten minutes! So on The Good Life today we get candid with Sarah Todd and ask her- What made Bhelpuri a global sensation?

The Good Life: Celeb chef Sarah Todd gets candid

A social media star&nbsp;from India who passed away last week raised millions of rupees for the care of her young brother through a video appeal. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare hereditary disorder that causes muscle weakness and impairs mobility and respiration, was found in 16-year-old Afra Rafeeq. After experiencing disease-related problems, she passed away on Monday at a hospital in Kerala, a state in southern&nbsp;India.

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Family members and neighbours of Afra recall her as a gifted young woman who loved to sing and learn despite suffering from great pain. In 2021, a trending video helped her gain nationwide popularity. Her father claims that prior to the incident, Afra rarely left her home in Kerala's Kannur district. She only left the house to go to school or the hospital after receiving her SMA diagnosis at the age of four. Then, though, Muhammed, her younger brother, was also identified as having SMA.

SMA is a potentially fatal disease that affects one in 6,000 to 10,000 kids. As a child ages, the problem worsens because it affects the motor neurons, which are spinal cord cells. Key developmental milestones like holding up their neck, sitting, standing, and walking are difficult for kids with SMA to accomplish. According to her father, Afra fought tooth and nail to make sure Muhammad received the proper medical care.

This included having access to Zolgensma, a relatively new gene therapy medication that the US FDA authorised in 2019. The medication, which is among the most expensive in the world, contains a copy of the gene that is missing in SMA patients and is administered as a single dosage to children under the age of two. By the time Muhammad became one and a half years old, his family had little time left.

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But Afra's situation only became worse. Her parents claim that in the final days of her life, she would clench her teeth in agony and hardly be able to lift her hands. The family was seen in her most recent video visiting a hospital in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Thousands of people have posted condolence messages under the video once it was made public that she had passed away.

(with inputs from agencies)

A social media star from India who passed away last week raised millions of rupees for the care of her young brother through a video appeal. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare hereditary disorder that causes muscle weakness and impairs mobility and respiration, was found in 16-year-old Afra Rafeeq.

A social media star from India who passed away last week raised millions of rupees for the care of her young brother through a video appeal. Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare hereditary disorder that causes muscle weakness and impairs mobility and respiration, was found in 16-year-old Afra Rafeeq. After experiencing disease-related problems, she passed away on Monday at a hospital in Kerala, a state in southern India. × Family members and neighbours of Afra recall her as a gifted young woman who loved to sing and learn despite suffering from great pain. In 2021, a trending video helped her gain nationwide popularity. Her father claims that prior to the incident, Afra rarely left her home in Kerala's Kannur district. She only left the house to go to school or the hospital after receiving her SMA diagnosis at the age of four. Then, though, Muhammed, her younger brother, was also identified as having SMA. SMA is a potentially fatal disease that affects one in 6,000 to 10,000 kids. As a child ages, the problem worsens because it affects the motor neurons, which are spinal cord cells. Key developmental milestones like holding up their neck, sitting, standing, and walking are difficult for kids with SMA to accomplish. According to her father, Afra fought tooth and nail to make sure Muhammad received the proper medical care. This included having access to Zolgensma, a relatively new gene therapy medication that the US FDA authorised in 2019. The medication, which is among the most expensive in the world, contains a copy of the gene that is missing in SMA patients and is administered as a single dosage to children under the age of two. By the time Muhammad became one and a half years old, his family had little time left. × But Afra's situation only became worse. Her parents claim that in the final days of her life, she would clench her teeth in agony and hardly be able to lift her hands. The family was seen in her most recent video visiting a hospital in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. Thousands of people have posted condolence messages under the video once it was made public that she had passed away. (with inputs from agencies)

WATCH | Popular Kerala teen whose viral video raised millions for her brother's treatment dies

Twitter warned Thursday that governments around the globe are asking the company to remove content or snoop on private details of user accounts at an alarming rate.

Twitter: Complied with 40% of government's request for users data

In a new report, Twitter has accused global governments of asking the San-Francisco-based social media company to snoop on private details of user accounts at an alarming rate.

The tech titan revealed that it fielded nearly 60,000 legal demands during a six-month period last year asking the company to remove content.

Yoel Roth, the head of safety and integrity at Twitter, said in a conversation broadcast on the site, ''We're seeing governments become more aggressive in how they try to use legal tactics to unmask the people using our service, collect information about account owners and also using legal demands as a way to try and silence people.''

Accounting for 20 per cent of the requests, the United States makes up the majority of demands for account information as per the company.

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Making the most requests of Twitter to take down content from accounts, Japan is also a frequent requestor for account information.

During the last half of 2021, Twitter reported a huge spike in requests from governments that targeted verified journalists and news outlets.

Indicating a 103 per cent increase, governments also made a record number of legal demands on 349 accounts of verified journalists or news outlets around the globe between July and December of last year.

Complying fully with roughly 40 per cent of all asks for information on user accounts, Twitter did not provide a breakdown of which countries made those requests on journalists' accounts.

Twitter is not the only social media platform that faced this issue. Previously, Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms had also reported an increase in government asks for private user data during the same timeframe.

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION's live TV here:

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In a new report, Twitter has accused global governments of asking the San-Francisco-based social media company to snoop on private details of user accounts at an alarming rate.

In a new report, Twitter has accused global governments of asking the San-Francisco-based social media company to snoop on private details of user accounts at an alarming rate. The tech titan revealed that it fielded nearly 60,000 legal demands during a six-month period last year asking the company to remove content. Yoel Roth, the head of safety and integrity at Twitter, said in a conversation broadcast on the site, ''We're seeing governments become more aggressive in how they try to use legal tactics to unmask the people using our service, collect information about account owners and also using legal demands as a way to try and silence people.'' Accounting for 20 per cent of the requests, the United States makes up the majority of demands for account information as per the company. × Making the most requests of Twitter to take down content from accounts, Japan is also a frequent requestor for account information. During the last half of 2021, Twitter reported a huge spike in requests from governments that targeted verified journalists and news outlets. Indicating a 103 per cent increase, governments also made a record number of legal demands on 349 accounts of verified journalists or news outlets around the globe between July and December of last year. Complying fully with roughly 40 per cent of all asks for information on user accounts, Twitter did not provide a breakdown of which countries made those requests on journalists' accounts. Twitter is not the only social media platform that faced this issue. Previously, Facebook's parent company Meta Platforms had also reported an increase in government asks for private user data during the same timeframe. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here: ×

Twitter says governments asking it to snoop on private details of user accounts at alarming rate

A pink sauce is going viral on social media. One user is selling the sauce for $20 a bottle. But there is no clarity on what the ingredients are, whether the sauce is safe, or even approved by food regulators. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Pink sauce: What is it and why is it controversial?

Technology, a child of humans, is not an&nbsp;underestimated term. In the present scenario, it's a&nbsp;necessity for everyone. It seems similar to democracy, which states that it is of the people, for the people, and by the people. Technology seems to share a similar notion.

The human robots who continuously work for 24 hours are the genesis of the technology. Technology is for human robots, by human robots, and for human robots. Interestingly, every second seems to be fading away as the new digital&nbsp;world has overtaken the&nbsp;simplified version of our&nbsp;lives. In fact, globalisation is the reason&nbsp;for expanded&nbsp;social, cultural, economic, and political connections through the fast&nbsp;service of Internet connectivity.

This development across the boundaries and exchange of tech culture led to a massive development leading to the sharing&nbsp;of views, opinions, photos, and videos.

Tech Culture

Technology has not only brought&nbsp;greater results but has also overshadowed the days when everyone used to wait for postmasters to read a letter. Telegrams or postcards are no longer&nbsp;in use. Indeed, gone are the days when humans used to spend time glaring at the sky, wondering about their future.

The growth and advancement of technology have united the whole world on one single platform, "social media". That means, let’s be social everywhere. Even if you’re getting late to your office or getting a massage at a parlor, a quick glance on Facebook or Twitter, or a small talk over Skype, can give you a fair idea of your surroundings and connect you to your loved ones. Definitely, a revolutionary era began and it led to a drastic transformation in communication.

Now, there is no need to open the newspaper or contact your friends through phones or messenger, which was a tedious task made easier. Undoubtedly, it has been a marvelous achievement in the field of tech culture. But it has its boons and banes.

Let's see what are the boon of 'technology':

The emergence of tech products:&nbsp;There is no doubt that technological advancement in the form of gadgets, high-tech TVs, radios, iPods, smartphones, IPads, and PlayStations has reduced our anxiety over searching for encyclopedias manually in the library.&nbsp;Be it a library, online games, or e-commerce, whatever we want, everything is present in front of our eyes.

Online life:&nbsp;When human relationships are losing their sense, a high-tech version of isolation has given us a new form of enjoying&nbsp;life online. Nobody knew that the millennium age would bring some drastic transformations that could really place many people under the umbrella of social media. From Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, anyone can contact anyone within a minute or seconds.

Digitisation:&nbsp;A new kind of crazy weather just began and, similar to a swarm of flies, started moving towards the digitising wave.&nbsp;No matter what we look at or how we dress up, tech culture gulps the entire world slowly.

Over the years, notably, technology has always kept us above average in terms of growth and progress. It has been observed that technology is a boon in its own right. But, technology has its own disadvantages.

There are various disadvantages related to the usage of technology, like social media and gadgets, which are highly viewed.

1. Data Security: Data security protects data in the event that someone violates a contract to save, collect, and store data.

2.&nbsp;Crime and Terrorism:&nbsp;Crime and terrorism are part of the dark web&nbsp;of trade that gives potential involvement to&nbsp;several cyber officials, and in this way, social media becomes a mediator in providing information through photos and videos.

3.&nbsp;Privacy concerns:&nbsp;Privacy in this&nbsp;digital world is in danger. Your important&nbsp;information can be stolen and sold. If privacy settings don’t have proper rules, then it leads to harassment, cyberbullying, and impersonation.

4.&nbsp;Addiction:&nbsp;Social media has a lot of significance. But if a teenager uses social media for over 9 hours, then he/she is&nbsp;exploiting himself/herself. It can lead to blurred vision, anxiety, and headaches.

5.&nbsp;Dependency: An increased dependency on social media leads to various mental health problems, with anxiety being the most common one. Another can be getting yourself killed. One such instance happened when a person was trying to take selfies and died due to his obsession.

However, whether the technology is a boon or a bane is a matter of discussion in the present scenario.

Overall, it can be said that obsession with social media and gadgets within a short span of time indicates a serious concern.

Today's&nbsp;high-tech world, where social media is a handy and convenient option for escaping the realities of the world, has seriously broken the concentration of the human mind. Excessive time spent on updating status on social media is creating a maniac attack.

Therefore, a larger clarification is required in order to solve the growing technological usage.

Technology, a child of humans, is not an underestimated term. In the present scenario, it's a necessity for everyone. It seems similar to democracy, which states that it is of the people, for the people, and by the people.

Technology, a child of humans, is not an underestimated term. In the present scenario, it's a necessity for everyone. It seems similar to democracy, which states that it is of the people, for the people, and by the people. Technology seems to share a similar notion. The human robots who continuously work for 24 hours are the genesis of the technology. Technology is for human robots, by human robots, and for human robots. Interestingly, every second seems to be fading away as the new digital world has overtaken the simplified version of our lives. In fact, globalisation is the reason for expanded social, cultural, economic, and political connections through the fast service of Internet connectivity. This development across the boundaries and exchange of tech culture led to a massive development leading to the sharing of views, opinions, photos, and videos. Tech Culture Technology has not only brought greater results but has also overshadowed the days when everyone used to wait for postmasters to read a letter. Telegrams or postcards are no longer in use. Indeed, gone are the days when humans used to spend time glaring at the sky, wondering about their future. The growth and advancement of technology have united the whole world on one single platform, "social media". That means, let’s be social everywhere. Even if you’re getting late to your office or getting a massage at a parlor, a quick glance on Facebook or Twitter, or a small talk over Skype, can give you a fair idea of your surroundings and connect you to your loved ones. Definitely, a revolutionary era began and it led to a drastic transformation in communication. Now, there is no need to open the newspaper or contact your friends through phones or messenger, which was a tedious task made easier. Undoubtedly, it has been a marvelous achievement in the field of tech culture. But it has its boons and banes. Let's see what are the boon of 'technology': The emergence of tech products: There is no doubt that technological advancement in the form of gadgets, high-tech TVs, radios, iPods, smartphones, IPads, and PlayStations has reduced our anxiety over searching for encyclopedias manually in the library. Be it a library, online games, or e-commerce, whatever we want, everything is present in front of our eyes. Online life: When human relationships are losing their sense, a high-tech version of isolation has given us a new form of enjoying life online. Nobody knew that the millennium age would bring some drastic transformations that could really place many people under the umbrella of social media. From Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, anyone can contact anyone within a minute or seconds. Digitisation: A new kind of crazy weather just began and, similar to a swarm of flies, started moving towards the digitising wave. No matter what we look at or how we dress up, tech culture gulps the entire world slowly. Over the years, notably, technology has always kept us above average in terms of growth and progress. It has been observed that technology is a boon in its own right. But, technology has its own disadvantages. There are various disadvantages related to the usage of technology, like social media and gadgets, which are highly viewed. 1. Data Security: Data security protects data in the event that someone violates a contract to save, collect, and store data. 2. Crime and Terrorism: Crime and terrorism are part of the dark web of trade that gives potential involvement to several cyber officials, and in this way, social media becomes a mediator in providing information through photos and videos. 3. Privacy concerns: Privacy in this digital world is in danger. Your important information can be stolen and sold. If privacy settings don’t have proper rules, then it leads to harassment, cyberbullying, and impersonation. 4. Addiction: Social media has a lot of significance. But if a teenager uses social media for over 9 hours, then he/she is exploiting himself/herself. It can lead to blurred vision, anxiety, and headaches. 5. Dependency: An increased dependency on social media leads to various mental health problems, with anxiety being the most common one. Another can be getting yourself killed. One such instance happened when a person was trying to take selfies and died due to his obsession. However, whether the technology is a boon or a bane is a matter of discussion in the present scenario. Overall, it can be said that obsession with social media and gadgets within a short span of time indicates a serious concern. Today's high-tech world, where social media is a handy and convenient option for escaping the realities of the world, has seriously broken the concentration of the human mind. Excessive time spent on updating status on social media is creating a maniac attack. Therefore, a larger clarification is required in order to solve the growing technological usage.

Is technology boon or bane?

On Feb. 2, when Meta Platforms reported Facebook's first-ever quarterly drop in daily users, its finance chief identified higher mobile data costs as a unique obstacle slowing growth in India, its biggest market.

On the same day, the US&nbsp;tech group posted the findings of its own research into Facebook's business in India on an internal employee forum. The study, conducted over the two years to the end of 2021, identified different problems.

Many women have shunned the male-dominated social network because they're worried about their safety and privacy, according to the Meta research, which hasn't been previously reported.

"Concerns about content safety and unwanted contact impede women's FB use," said the study, reviewed by Reuters, as it detailed the platform's main challenges.

"Meta cannot succeed in India while leaving women behind."

Other obstacles included nudity content, the perceived complexity of its app design, local language and literacy barriers and a lack of appeal among internet users seeking video content, according to the research, which was based on surveys of tens of thousands of people as well as internal user data.

Facebook's growth began plateauing last year, when it added a few million users in the space of six months in the country of about 1.4 billion people, significantly lagging sister apps WhatsApp and Instagram, according to the report, which noted: "FB has grown more slowly than the internet and other apps."

A Meta spokesperson, contacted about the study, said the company regularly invested in internal research to better understand the value its products provide and help identify ways to improve.

"But it's misleading to characterize 7-month-old research as an accurate or comprehensive representation of the state of our business in India," they added.

Nonetheless, the main Indian issues detailed in the research were not cited by Meta's chief financial officer, Dave Wehner, on a Feb. 2 call&nbsp;with analysts to discuss results for the final quarter of 2021.

Wehner said Facebook's user growth in Asia-Pacific and some other areas was hit by competition, plus comparison with prior quarters when COVID resurgences aided user engagement. He identified higher mobile data costs as a "unique" headwind for India.

Asked why the obstacles to growth identified by Wehner were different from those identified in the research, the spokesperson pointed to a Meta filing in April, during its first-quarter earnings, where it said Facebook users in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam represented the top three sources of growth in daily active users in March versus a year before.

Facebook's fortunes in India have broad implications for Meta, which has lost about half of its value this year amid a broader tech sell-off and faces scrutiny from investors and analysts who fear its growth in potentially high-growth developing markets is starting to wane.

"India contains more FB users than any other country," said the research, which pegged the number at almost 450 million as of November, after rapid growth over much of the past decade.

"Teams across the company should explicitly consider their strategic position and growth opportunities in India. Outcomes in India could drive global results."

FAMILY DOESN'T ALLOW FB

The internal study, a "high-level overview of the growth trends" in India, was detailed in a presentation meant to help Facebook's researchers and product teams. It said that a key problem Facebook had tried to fix for years in India, with limited success, was related to "gender imbalance".

Men accounted for 75% of Facebook's monthly active users in India last year. That compared with 62% of internet users more broadly in early 2020, the researchers found.

"While there is a gender imbalance in internet use across India, the imbalance among Facebook users is even more pronounced," said the study, adding that online safety concerns and societal pressures were among reasons deterring women from the platform.

The researchers found that 79% of female Facebook users had "expressed concern about content/photo misuse", while 20-30% of overall users were estimated to have seen nudity on the platform within the last seven days in the largely conservative country.

India ranked highest globally on the latter metric; around 10% of users surveyed in the United States and Brazil said they had seen nudity in the past week, for example, and under 20% in Indonesia, according to a survey conducted in August 2021.

"Negative content is more prevalent in India than other countries," said the internal report.

Family disapproval – "Family doesn't allow FB" - was a major reason cited by women for not using Facebook, the study found.

The Meta spokesperson said the online gender imbalance was an industry-wide problem and not specific to its platforms.

They said that since 2016, Meta had quadrupled the size of the global team working on safety and security to over 40,000, and that between January and April this year, more than 97% of adult nudity and sexual activity content was removed before someone reported it.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Depicting struggles of women users, one research slide showed a picture of an Indian woman walking on a street wearing a saree with which she covered her head and face, a tradition common in many parts of India.

Next to this image was the account of a woman who said she had received 367 friend requests from strangers, with a string of comments on photos like "very beautiful", "where do you live", "you look good".

The comments stopped after she used the "locked profile" feature, according to the woman cited, referring to an option Facebook introduced in 2020 in India allowing users to restrict viewing of pictures and posts to non-friends.

By June 2021, the feature had been adopted by 34% of women users in India, said the internal report, but more work was needed, with "bold product changes", to address the problem of low uptake of Facebook among women.

Facebook has faced criticism globally from online safety campaigners for not doing enough to safeguard women from bullying or harassment. In 2019, the platform said it had a team of people focusing "just on making sure we are keeping women safe", using technology tools to remove content deemed unsafe.

The Meta spokesperson said it had launched a Women's Safety Hub and other privacy features such as a profanity filter to help female users in India stay safe online. Since 2021, more than 45% of Facebook Groups in India related to entrepreneurship have been created by women, Meta added.

WHATSAPP GRABS CROWN

Facebook's growth in India began to level off last year, according to the internal research. The platform's main appeal has been to connect with friends and family, but non-Facebook users were primarily now using the internet to see pictures and videos, the research noted.

Its annualised growth rate based on May-October 2021 showed it was adding just 6.6 million users per year, versus WhatsApp's 71 million and Instagram's 128 million, according to one internal slide that illustrated the slowdown graphically.

By November, Facebook's user base in India was 447 million strong, lagging its Meta sister apps. WhatsApp - which Facebook acquired in 2014 - had 563 million Indian users. Instagram, bought in 2012, had 309 million.

The slowdown stands in contrast to Facebook's strong expansion in past years. In 2014, the platform had fewer than 100 million users in India, a number that doubled by 2017, the research said.

The Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the user numbers, saying it didn't disclose country-specific data. They said the company was "definitely increasing the prominence of video" on Facebook.

Lower-educated users are another group that is underrepresented on Facebook, according to the research. The platform faced challenges in meeting demand for content in India's many local languages, while many people cited the app's complexity and lack of tutorials as deterrents.

Between 2017 and 2020, India's monthly online users as a share of the population doubled, boosted by cheaper data plans, but the share of internet users who reported they used Facebook declined during that period, the study found.

"India is now the country with more Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram accounts than any other country in the world," said an internal post accompanying the report. "But continued growth in India faces many challenges."

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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&nbsp;

On Feb. 2, when Meta Platforms reported Facebook's first-ever quarterly drop in daily users, its finance chief identified higher mobile data costs as a unique obstacle slowing growth in India, its biggest market.

On Feb. 2, when Meta Platforms reported Facebook's first-ever quarterly drop in daily users, its finance chief identified higher mobile data costs as a unique obstacle slowing growth in India, its biggest market. On the same day, the US tech group posted the findings of its own research into Facebook's business in India on an internal employee forum. The study, conducted over the two years to the end of 2021, identified different problems. Many women have shunned the male-dominated social network because they're worried about their safety and privacy, according to the Meta research, which hasn't been previously reported. "Concerns about content safety and unwanted contact impede women's FB use," said the study, reviewed by Reuters, as it detailed the platform's main challenges. "Meta cannot succeed in India while leaving women behind." Other obstacles included nudity content, the perceived complexity of its app design, local language and literacy barriers and a lack of appeal among internet users seeking video content, according to the research, which was based on surveys of tens of thousands of people as well as internal user data. Facebook's growth began plateauing last year, when it added a few million users in the space of six months in the country of about 1.4 billion people, significantly lagging sister apps WhatsApp and Instagram, according to the report, which noted: "FB has grown more slowly than the internet and other apps." A Meta spokesperson, contacted about the study, said the company regularly invested in internal research to better understand the value its products provide and help identify ways to improve. "But it's misleading to characterize 7-month-old research as an accurate or comprehensive representation of the state of our business in India," they added. Nonetheless, the main Indian issues detailed in the research were not cited by Meta's chief financial officer, Dave Wehner, on a Feb. 2 call with analysts to discuss results for the final quarter of 2021. Wehner said Facebook's user growth in Asia-Pacific and some other areas was hit by competition, plus comparison with prior quarters when COVID resurgences aided user engagement. He identified higher mobile data costs as a "unique" headwind for India. Asked why the obstacles to growth identified by Wehner were different from those identified in the research, the spokesperson pointed to a Meta filing in April, during its first-quarter earnings, where it said Facebook users in India, Bangladesh and Vietnam represented the top three sources of growth in daily active users in March versus a year before. Facebook's fortunes in India have broad implications for Meta, which has lost about half of its value this year amid a broader tech sell-off and faces scrutiny from investors and analysts who fear its growth in potentially high-growth developing markets is starting to wane. "India contains more FB users than any other country," said the research, which pegged the number at almost 450 million as of November, after rapid growth over much of the past decade. "Teams across the company should explicitly consider their strategic position and growth opportunities in India. Outcomes in India could drive global results." FAMILY DOESN'T ALLOW FB The internal study, a "high-level overview of the growth trends" in India, was detailed in a presentation meant to help Facebook's researchers and product teams. It said that a key problem Facebook had tried to fix for years in India, with limited success, was related to "gender imbalance". Men accounted for 75% of Facebook's monthly active users in India last year. That compared with 62% of internet users more broadly in early 2020, the researchers found. "While there is a gender imbalance in internet use across India, the imbalance among Facebook users is even more pronounced," said the study, adding that online safety concerns and societal pressures were among reasons deterring women from the platform. The researchers found that 79% of female Facebook users had "expressed concern about content/photo misuse", while 20-30% of overall users were estimated to have seen nudity on the platform within the last seven days in the largely conservative country. India ranked highest globally on the latter metric; around 10% of users surveyed in the United States and Brazil said they had seen nudity in the past week, for example, and under 20% in Indonesia, according to a survey conducted in August 2021. "Negative content is more prevalent in India than other countries," said the internal report. Family disapproval – "Family doesn't allow FB" - was a major reason cited by women for not using Facebook, the study found. The Meta spokesperson said the online gender imbalance was an industry-wide problem and not specific to its platforms. They said that since 2016, Meta had quadrupled the size of the global team working on safety and security to over 40,000, and that between January and April this year, more than 97% of adult nudity and sexual activity content was removed before someone reported it. WHERE DO YOU LIVE? Depicting struggles of women users, one research slide showed a picture of an Indian woman walking on a street wearing a saree with which she covered her head and face, a tradition common in many parts of India. Next to this image was the account of a woman who said she had received 367 friend requests from strangers, with a string of comments on photos like "very beautiful", "where do you live", "you look good". The comments stopped after she used the "locked profile" feature, according to the woman cited, referring to an option Facebook introduced in 2020 in India allowing users to restrict viewing of pictures and posts to non-friends. By June 2021, the feature had been adopted by 34% of women users in India, said the internal report, but more work was needed, with "bold product changes", to address the problem of low uptake of Facebook among women. Facebook has faced criticism globally from online safety campaigners for not doing enough to safeguard women from bullying or harassment. In 2019, the platform said it had a team of people focusing "just on making sure we are keeping women safe", using technology tools to remove content deemed unsafe. The Meta spokesperson said it had launched a Women's Safety Hub and other privacy features such as a profanity filter to help female users in India stay safe online. Since 2021, more than 45% of Facebook Groups in India related to entrepreneurship have been created by women, Meta added. WHATSAPP GRABS CROWN Facebook's growth in India began to level off last year, according to the internal research. The platform's main appeal has been to connect with friends and family, but non-Facebook users were primarily now using the internet to see pictures and videos, the research noted. Its annualised growth rate based on May-October 2021 showed it was adding just 6.6 million users per year, versus WhatsApp's 71 million and Instagram's 128 million, according to one internal slide that illustrated the slowdown graphically. By November, Facebook's user base in India was 447 million strong, lagging its Meta sister apps. WhatsApp - which Facebook acquired in 2014 - had 563 million Indian users. Instagram, bought in 2012, had 309 million. The slowdown stands in contrast to Facebook's strong expansion in past years. In 2014, the platform had fewer than 100 million users in India, a number that doubled by 2017, the research said. The Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the user numbers, saying it didn't disclose country-specific data. They said the company was "definitely increasing the prominence of video" on Facebook. Lower-educated users are another group that is underrepresented on Facebook, according to the research. The platform faced challenges in meeting demand for content in India's many local languages, while many people cited the app's complexity and lack of tutorials as deterrents. Between 2017 and 2020, India's monthly online users as a share of the population doubled, boosted by cheaper data plans, but the share of internet users who reported they used Facebook declined during that period, the study found. "India is now the country with more Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram accounts than any other country in the world," said an internal post accompanying the report. "But continued growth in India faces many challenges." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Facebook's growth woes in India: too much nudity, not enough women

US woman wrote 'sex work' as her professional experience on LinkedIn. The lady named Arielle Egozi, has more than 9,000 followers on LinkedIn and has gained appreciation from social media users to break the myths around sex work.

US woman adds 'sex work' as professional experience on Linkedin

'Hey' is perhaps a word that has come to assume a common everyday greeting across cultures. With digital lingo being increasingly getting mixed with pure business talk in pandemic times, almost no one takes offence when greeted with a friendly 'hey'. But perhaps there are some who justify the use of the word 'almost' in the last sentence. To each their own of course but is 'hey' offensive? Well, this boss thinks so.

A reddit user by the name Shreyas has posted an interesting WhatsApp conversation in which his boss loses his...cool... due to just a 'hey'.

The convesration, as posted by Shreyas, starts with his boss asking him about completion of a test.

'Hey', says Shreyas as he begins to reply. But little did he know that the three-letter word had awakened an angry giant deep in the recesses of the boss's mind.

In a typo-ridden reply, the boss says,

"Hi Shreyas, my name is Sandeep. Please don't you (use) the word "hey". It is offensive for me"

The boss wasn't done. In two quick messages, he forbids Shreyas from using words 'dude', 'man', 'chap', 'chick' and advises him to stick to 'hi' or 'hey there'.

If you receive such a reply calling the word 'offensive', you are bound to do a facepalm.

But Shreyas politely holds the fort.

He says that since the conversation was taking place on his personal number on WhatsApp (not on LinkedIn or on e-mail) he chose to greet him in the way he did.

Mr Boss then attempts to enlightens Shreyas that WhatsApp was not a personal mode of communication anymore and even proceeds to subtly threaten hi.

Yikes!

Read the full conversation, the screenshot of which has been posted by Shreyas.

<img alt="WhatsApp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="91bdd434-d4b1-42fb-bdcb-f0d2a1c4e54c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/whatsapp.jpg" />

What do you think? Is 'hey' offensive to you?

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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&nbsp;

'Hey' is perhaps a word that has come to assume a common everyday greeting across cultures. With digital lingo being increasingly getting mixed with pure business talk in pandemic times, almost no one takes offence when greeted with a friendly 'hey'.

'Hey' is perhaps a word that has come to assume a common everyday greeting across cultures. With digital lingo being increasingly getting mixed with pure business talk in pandemic times, almost no one takes offence when greeted with a friendly 'hey'. But perhaps there are some who justify the use of the word 'almost' in the last sentence. To each their own of course but is 'hey' offensive? Well, this boss thinks so. A reddit user by the name Shreyas has posted an interesting WhatsApp conversation in which his boss loses his...cool... due to just a 'hey'. The convesration, as posted by Shreyas, starts with his boss asking him about completion of a test. 'Hey', says Shreyas as he begins to reply. But little did he know that the three-letter word had awakened an angry giant deep in the recesses of the boss's mind. In a typo-ridden reply, the boss says, "Hi Shreyas, my name is Sandeep. Please don't you (use) the word "hey". It is offensive for me" The boss wasn't done. In two quick messages, he forbids Shreyas from using words 'dude', 'man', 'chap', 'chick' and advises him to stick to 'hi' or 'hey there'. If you receive such a reply calling the word 'offensive', you are bound to do a facepalm. But Shreyas politely holds the fort. He says that since the conversation was taking place on his personal number on WhatsApp (not on LinkedIn or on e-mail) he chose to greet him in the way he did. Mr Boss then attempts to enlightens Shreyas that WhatsApp was not a personal mode of communication anymore and even proceeds to subtly threaten hi. Yikes! Read the full conversation, the screenshot of which has been posted by Shreyas. What do you think? Is 'hey' offensive to you? You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Facepalm alert? A 'hey' on WhatsApp makes boss yell at employee

The British Army has regained control of its Twitter and YouTube accounts on Sunday after they were briefly hacked and used to promote cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

British Army regains control of its social media accounts after brief hacking

China may soon review every single comment before it goes out on social media. Its internet watchdog has released draft rules calling for platforms to monitor comments. Molly Gambhir tells us what this means for freedom of speech in China.

WION Fineprint | China to review every single comment on social media

Meta Inc's social media platform Instagram on Thursday (June 23) announced that it's currently exploring new ways for its users to verify their age, starting with the United States. In addition to letting users upload their pictures, Instagram is testing two new techniques to confirm a user’s age. In order to protect users’ privacy and data, the app announced its partnership with Yoti, a business that specialises in online age verification. Yoti’s technology uses facial features to determine a user’s age when they upload selfies. As per Instagram, once the picture is verified the photograph will be removed from Meta and Yoti, as reported by Reuters.

Another choice is to choose three mutual followers who can attest to the user’s age; the three followers chosen must all be at least 18 years old.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-announces-whatsapp-chat-transfer-from-ios-to-android-possible-now-488448">Meta announces Whatsapp chat transfer from Android to iOS possible now</a>

Erica Finkle, director of data governance at Meta said, “When we know if someone is a teen (13-17 years), we provide them with age-appropriate experiences like defaulting them into private accounts, preventing unwanted contact from adults they don't know and limiting the options advertisers have to reach them with ads.”

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Facebook knew Instagram is toxic for teenagers

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This move comes after the app delayed the debut of Instagram Kids last year due to negative feedback and backlash.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-meta-removes-a-large-number-of-groups-and-accounts-for-sharing-upskirting-images-490738">Facebook: Meta removes a large number of groups and accounts for sharing upskirting images</a>

Instagram Kids was billed as a requirement for parental consent to join and promised ad-free, age-appropriate content, but US lawmakers pushed the company to abandon its launch plans over safety concerns.&nbsp;

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(With inputs from agencies)

Meta Inc's social media platform Instagram on Thursday (June 23) announced that it's currently exploring new ways for its users to verify their age, starting with the United States.

Meta Inc's social media platform Instagram on Thursday (June 23) announced that it's currently exploring new ways for its users to verify their age, starting with the United States. In addition to letting users upload their pictures, Instagram is testing two new techniques to confirm a user’s age. In order to protect users’ privacy and data, the app announced its partnership with Yoti, a business that specialises in online age verification. Yoti’s technology uses facial features to determine a user’s age when they upload selfies. As per Instagram, once the picture is verified the photograph will be removed from Meta and Yoti, as reported by Reuters. Another choice is to choose three mutual followers who can attest to the user’s age; the three followers chosen must all be at least 18 years old. Also read | Meta announces Whatsapp chat transfer from Android to iOS possible now Erica Finkle, director of data governance at Meta said, “When we know if someone is a teen (13-17 years), we provide them with age-appropriate experiences like defaulting them into private accounts, preventing unwanted contact from adults they don't know and limiting the options advertisers have to reach them with ads.” Watch | Gravitas: Facebook knew Instagram is toxic for teenagers This move comes after the app delayed the debut of Instagram Kids last year due to negative feedback and backlash. Also read | Facebook: Meta removes a large number of groups and accounts for sharing upskirting images Instagram Kids was billed as a requirement for parental consent to join and promised ad-free, age-appropriate content, but US lawmakers pushed the company to abandon its launch plans over safety concerns. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. (With inputs from agencies)

Instagram tests two new methods for age verification; move will provide age-appropriate content to children

Starting July, social media influencers will have to pay TDS on freebies. The rule will apply if the freebies are retained by the influencers. The 10% TDS rule will also apply to doctors. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Social media influencers will now need to pay TDS on freebies

In a simple act of bravery, a police officer in Indian state of Kerala has been found to be able to subdue a man, who attacked him with a giant machete. The incident was caught on camera. The clip of the attack, which was posted on Twitter by Telangana state’s IPS officer Swati Lakra, has gone viral. The people are praising the brave policeman. It has already got 108,300 views. The video has also been retweeted 840 times and has got 6,599 likes.

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How a real <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hero?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#hero</a> looks like…👨🏽‍✈️💪🏽 
Kudos to this Sub Inspector of Police from Kerala 
 
⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/TheKeralaPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheKeralaPolice</a>⁩ <a href="https://t.co/UZfX5Wya7J">pic.twitter.com/UZfX5Wya7J</a>
— Swati Lakra (@SwatiLakra_IPS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SwatiLakra_IPS/status/1538370942874705920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In the video, the man can be seen taking out the machete when a police patrol car stops at the side of the road near him. The man, who has been identified as Sugathan reportedly, tried to attack the cop unsuccessfully. He is a resident of Nooranad in Kerala reportedly. &nbsp;

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In a few seconds, Sugathan was overpowered by Arun Kumar, station house officer (SHO) and in-charge of the Nooranad police station in Alappuzha district, as per media reports. Finally, Kumar snatched the weapon from Sugathan. The incident happened when the cop was on evening patrol with the driver at the Para Junction. &nbsp;

Praising the act on social media, a user, said, "Seeing such officers, a passion is born, I salute to such officers who are fearless and fearless, in whose blood honesty reign (sic)." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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In a simple act of bravery, a police officer in Indian state of Kerala has been found to be able to subdue a man, who attacked him with a giant machete. The incident was caught on camera.

In a simple act of bravery, a police officer in Indian state of Kerala has been found to be able to subdue a man, who attacked him with a giant machete. The incident was caught on camera. The clip of the attack, which was posted on Twitter by Telangana state’s IPS officer Swati Lakra, has gone viral. The people are praising the brave policeman. It has already got 108,300 views. The video has also been retweeted 840 times and has got 6,599 likes. How a real #hero looks like…👨🏽‍✈️💪🏽 Kudos to this Sub Inspector of Police from Kerala ⁦@TheKeralaPolice⁩ pic.twitter.com/UZfX5Wya7J — Swati Lakra (@SwatiLakra_IPS) June 19, 2022 × In the video, the man can be seen taking out the machete when a police patrol car stops at the side of the road near him. The man, who has been identified as Sugathan reportedly, tried to attack the cop unsuccessfully. He is a resident of Nooranad in Kerala reportedly. Watch WION's live TV here: In a few seconds, Sugathan was overpowered by Arun Kumar, station house officer (SHO) and in-charge of the Nooranad police station in Alappuzha district, as per media reports. Finally, Kumar snatched the weapon from Sugathan. The incident happened when the cop was on evening patrol with the driver at the Para Junction. Praising the act on social media, a user, said, "Seeing such officers, a passion is born, I salute to such officers who are fearless and fearless, in whose blood honesty reign (sic)." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Watch: Indian cop fights off giant machete-wielding attacker successfully, garners praise on social media

EU is stepping up its fight against the spread of disinformation on social media. Now, companies would have to be more vigilant about harmful content on their platforms and they would be held responsible for the societal effects of their content

EU innovates rule to stop misinformation, companies to sign digital services act

Many of us apply for leave every other day. Be it for attending a marriage ceremony or going for a vacation, people generally tell the real motive. But at times, this doesn’t happen. These are the times when you are going for an interview in another company or have a date. People try to give any other reason but not reveal the truth. But everybody is not the same, right? This is true as a leave application e-mail, where an employee has shown courage to reveal the real reason to the boss, has surfaced on social media. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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My juniors are so sweet, asking me for leave to attend an interview. 😉😁 <a href="https://t.co/gcBELHIuAG">pic.twitter.com/gcBELHIuAG</a>
— Sahil (@s5sahil) <a href="https://twitter.com/s5sahil/status/1536922964213477377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The screenshot of the e-mail has been shared on Twitter by a person called Sahil. In it, his employee has asked for leave by saying that he has to attend an interview in another company. In the email, the employee wrote, “Dear sir, I’m sending you this email to inform you that I need leave for today to attend an interview for another company.” &nbsp;

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The caption of the post said, “My juniors are so sweet, asking me for leave to attend an interview.” &nbsp;

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They are faithful sir ji
— abhishek a (@abhishe76096300) <a href="https://twitter.com/abhishe76096300/status/1536945606526062592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Such a honest person 😁
— Mallikarjuna.B (A+ve) (@Mallikarjun2891) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mallikarjun2891/status/1536986349655314438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The honesty of the person has stumped the netizens. It will surely do the same for you. Now, social media is abuzz and people are praising the person. "Such an honest person," said a user. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Many of us apply for leave every other day. Be it for attending a marriage ceremony or going for a vacation, people generally tell the real motive. But at times, this doesn’t happen.

Many of us apply for leave every other day. Be it for attending a marriage ceremony or going for a vacation, people generally tell the real motive. But at times, this doesn’t happen. These are the times when you are going for an interview in another company or have a date. People try to give any other reason but not reveal the truth. But everybody is not the same, right? This is true as a leave application e-mail, where an employee has shown courage to reveal the real reason to the boss, has surfaced on social media. My juniors are so sweet, asking me for leave to attend an interview. 😉😁 pic.twitter.com/gcBELHIuAG — Sahil (@s5sahil) June 15, 2022 × The screenshot of the e-mail has been shared on Twitter by a person called Sahil. In it, his employee has asked for leave by saying that he has to attend an interview in another company. In the email, the employee wrote, “Dear sir, I’m sending you this email to inform you that I need leave for today to attend an interview for another company.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE The caption of the post said, “My juniors are so sweet, asking me for leave to attend an interview.” They are faithful sir ji — abhishek a (@abhishe76096300) June 15, 2022 × Such a honest person 😁 — Mallikarjuna.B (A+ve) (@Mallikarjun2891) June 15, 2022 × The honesty of the person has stumped the netizens. It will surely do the same for you. Now, social media is abuzz and people are praising the person. "Such an honest person," said a user. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Employee’s honest application for leave garners praise on social media. Find out why  

So what's your skin care routine? What's your beauty regimen? As they say- Toner, serum, face mask glow, facial sunscreen, hydration mist, night creams. Is skincare regimen overwhelming or calming for you?

The Good Life: Social media is not your dermatologist

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