<p>After an old video of a Pakistani TV anchor asking strange questions about Formula 1 vehicles reappeared on social media, it amused netizens.</p>

<p>After making an electric Formula 1 racing car for a US-based competition, television personality Nida Yasir welcomed students Abdul Aleem and Mohammad Shariq Waqar from the National University of Sciences and Technology to her show "Good Morning Pakistan" in 2016.</p>

<p>Yasir, on the other hand, appeared to have misinterpreted the meaning of the term "Formula 1," as she proceeded to ask her visitors a series of odd questions.</p>

<p>She can be heard asking, "How many people can be sitting in the car?" in&nbsp;the viral footage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The viral video has sparked a barrage of responses on social media, with many people ridiculing the TV programme host.</p>

<p>While some people thought Yasir should have prepared for the interview, others found the questions amusing.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kill me. Now. <a href="https://t.co/XLl4KlYA3j">pic.twitter.com/XLl4KlYA3j</a></p>
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZarrarKhuhro/status/1433879230085926916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Nida Yasir … please … do some homework before you start your shows … please.<br />
Please 😭😭😭<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nidayasir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nidayasir</a> <a href="https://t.co/sq6DTgHHf6">https://t.co/sq6DTgHHf6</a></p>
— Natasha Kundi نتاشا کُندی (@NatashaKLondon) <a href="https://twitter.com/NatashaKLondon/status/1433909026413322246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Huge Respect for both of them who patiently explained about the race car to her <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nidayasir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nidayasir</a> <a href="https://t.co/2b4ltz1DkL">pic.twitter.com/2b4ltz1DkL</a></p>
— Farhat Aly 🦋🌙 (@farhat_alyyy) <a href="https://twitter.com/farhat_alyyy/status/1434412330780143621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong>You can watch the entire video here:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cljd53LU3u0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


After an old video of a Pakistani TV anchor asking strange questions about Formula 1 vehicles reappeared on social media, it amused netizens. After making an electric Formula 1 racing car for a US-based competition, television personality Nida Yasir welcomed students Abdul Aleem and Mohammad Shariq Waqar from the National University of Sciences and Technology to her show "Good Morning Pakistan" in 2016.

After an old video of a Pakistani TV anchor asking strange questions about Formula 1 vehicles reappeared on social media, it amused netizens. After making an electric Formula 1 racing car for a US-based competition, television personality Nida Yasir welcomed students Abdul Aleem and Mohammad Shariq Waqar from the National University of Sciences and Technology to her show "Good Morning Pakistan" in 2016. Yasir, on the other hand, appeared to have misinterpreted the meaning of the term "Formula 1," as she proceeded to ask her visitors a series of odd questions. She can be heard asking, "How many people can be sitting in the car?" in the viral footage. The viral video has sparked a barrage of responses on social media, with many people ridiculing the TV programme host. While some people thought Yasir should have prepared for the interview, others found the questions amusing. Kill me. Now. pic.twitter.com/XLl4KlYA3j — Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) September 3, 2021 × Nida Yasir … please … do some homework before you start your shows … please. Please 😭😭😭#nidayasir https://t.co/sq6DTgHHf6 — Natasha Kundi نتاشا کُندی (@NatashaKLondon) September 3, 2021 × Huge Respect for both of them who patiently explained about the race car to her #nidayasir pic.twitter.com/2b4ltz1DkL — Farhat Aly 🦋🌙 (@farhat_alyyy) September 5, 2021 × You can watch the entire video here: ×

Watch | Pakistani news anchor stuns social media with her 'Formula 1' blunder: ‘How many can sit in it?’

The Taliban has understood the power of social media. But the question is - will tech giants like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter recognise the Taliban as the legitimate government and let them host content on their services? We explore that in this video.

How social media platforms are dealing with the Taliban

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn moved to secure accounts of Afghan citizens to protect them against being targeted at a time when the Taliban has taken over the country.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn move to secure accounts of Afghans amid Taliban takeover

With the Taliban set to control the new Afghan government, world leaders are struggling to define their relationship with the group. Will governments recognise the Taliban or reject their rule? Palki Sharma tells you.

Gravitas: Will social media cancel the Taliban?

Are you having trouble with TWITTER's new design? Don't worry, you're not alone. Thousands of Twitter users are unimpressed with the platform's 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: Twitter's new design is giving people headache

<p>The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments.</p>

<p>Social media giant&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;confirmed on Monday that it designates the Taliban as a terrorist group and bans it and content supporting it from its platforms.</p>

<p>But Taliban members have reportedly continued to use&nbsp;Facebook's end-to-end encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate directly with Afghanis despite the company prohibiting it under rules against dangerous organisations.</p>

<p>A&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;Inc spokesperson said the company was closely monitoring the situation in the country and that WhatsApp would take action on any accounts found to be linked with sanctioned organizations in Afghanistan, which could include account removal.</p>

<p>On Twitter Inc, Taliban spokesmen with hundreds of thousands of followers have tweeted updates during the country's takeover.</p>

<p>Asked about the Taliban's use of the platform, the company pointed to its policies against violent organizations and hateful conduct but did not answer Reuters questions about how it makes its classifications. Twitter's rules say it does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians.</p>

<p>The Taliban's return has raised fears it will crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights, especially women's rights, and that the country could become a haven once again for global terrorism.</p>

<p>Taliban officials have issued statements saying they want peaceful international relations and have promised to protect Afghans.</p>

<p>Major social media firms this year made high-profile decisions on handling sitting world leaders and groups in power.</p>

<p>These include controversial blocks of former US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> for inciting violence around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and bans on Myanmar's military amid a coup in the country.</p>

<p>Facebook, which was long criticized for failing to combat hate speech in Myanmar, said the coup escalated risks of offline harm and its history of human rights violations contributed to the ban on the ruling military or Tatmadaw.</p>

<p>The companies, which have come under fire from global lawmakers and regulators for their outsized political and economic influence, often depend on state designations or official international recognitions to determine who is allowed on their sites.</p>

<p>These also help determine who might be verified, allowed official state accounts or may receive special treatment for rule-breaking speech due to newsworthiness or public interest loopholes.</p>

<p>However, the differences among the tech companies' stances suggest the approach is not uniform.</p>

<p>Alphabet Inc's YouTube asked whether it has a ban or restrictions on the Taliban, declined to comment but said the video-sharing service relies on governments to define "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" (FTO) to guide the site's enforcement of its rules against violent criminal groups.</p>

<p>YouTube pointed to the US State Department's list of FTO's of which the Taliban is not a member. The US instead classifies the Taliban as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," which freezes the US assets of those blacklisted and bars Americans from working with them.</p>

<p>Complicating matters further, though most countries show little sign they will recognize the group diplomatically, the Taliban's position on the world stage may yet shift as they cement control.</p>

<p>"The Taliban is somewhat an accepted player at an international relations level," said Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a researcher on security in South Asia and doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh, pointing to talks China and the United States have held with the group.</p>

<p>"If that recognition comes in, then for a company like <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/twitter">Twitter</a> or&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;to make a subjective decision that this group is bad and we will not host them poses complications."</p>


The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments.

The Taliban's rapid takeover of Afghanistan poses a new challenge for big US tech companies on handling content created by a group considered to be terrorists by some world governments. Social media giant Facebook confirmed on Monday that it designates the Taliban as a terrorist group and bans it and content supporting it from its platforms. But Taliban members have reportedly continued to use Facebook's end-to-end encrypted messaging service WhatsApp to communicate directly with Afghanis despite the company prohibiting it under rules against dangerous organisations. A Facebook Inc spokesperson said the company was closely monitoring the situation in the country and that WhatsApp would take action on any accounts found to be linked with sanctioned organizations in Afghanistan, which could include account removal. On Twitter Inc, Taliban spokesmen with hundreds of thousands of followers have tweeted updates during the country's takeover. Asked about the Taliban's use of the platform, the company pointed to its policies against violent organizations and hateful conduct but did not answer Reuters questions about how it makes its classifications. Twitter's rules say it does not allow groups that promote terrorism or violence against civilians. The Taliban's return has raised fears it will crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights, especially women's rights, and that the country could become a haven once again for global terrorism. Taliban officials have issued statements saying they want peaceful international relations and have promised to protect Afghans. Major social media firms this year made high-profile decisions on handling sitting world leaders and groups in power. These include controversial blocks of former US President Donald Trump for inciting violence around the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and bans on Myanmar's military amid a coup in the country. Facebook, which was long criticized for failing to combat hate speech in Myanmar, said the coup escalated risks of offline harm and its history of human rights violations contributed to the ban on the ruling military or Tatmadaw. The companies, which have come under fire from global lawmakers and regulators for their outsized political and economic influence, often depend on state designations or official international recognitions to determine who is allowed on their sites. These also help determine who might be verified, allowed official state accounts or may receive special treatment for rule-breaking speech due to newsworthiness or public interest loopholes. However, the differences among the tech companies' stances suggest the approach is not uniform. Alphabet Inc's YouTube asked whether it has a ban or restrictions on the Taliban, declined to comment but said the video-sharing service relies on governments to define "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" (FTO) to guide the site's enforcement of its rules against violent criminal groups. YouTube pointed to the US State Department's list of FTO's of which the Taliban is not a member. The US instead classifies the Taliban as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," which freezes the US assets of those blacklisted and bars Americans from working with them. Complicating matters further, though most countries show little sign they will recognize the group diplomatically, the Taliban's position on the world stage may yet shift as they cement control. "The Taliban is somewhat an accepted player at an international relations level," said Mohammed Sinan Siyech, a researcher on security in South Asia and doctoral candidate at the University of Edinburgh, pointing to talks China and the United States have held with the group. "If that recognition comes in, then for a company like Twitter or Facebook to make a subjective decision that this group is bad and we will not host them poses complications."

Facebook bans Taliban and its supporting content, designates it as a terrorist group

From a disgraced Canadian IVF doctor told to pay millions to victims to French President Macron going to court over a billboard, watch the stories that are creating a buzz on WION's web and social media platforms.

WION Trending | Disgraced Canadian IVF doctor told to pay millions

<p>A counterterrorism organisation formed by big tech companies in the US including Facebook and Microsoft is compiling extremist content exchanged among firms in a database, with hopes to quell hate speech.</p>

<p>The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) told Reuters that it aims to limit content from white supremacists and far-right militias.</p>

<p><strong>What does&nbsp;GIFCT intend to do?</strong></p>

<p>Until now, the GIFCT was focused on visuals, largely videos and images from terrorism groups on a United Nations list. It had consisted of content from Islamist extremist organisations like Islamic State, al Qaeda and the Taliban.</p>

<p>Over the coming months, the GIFCT will insert attacker manifestos and other content flagged by UN's "Tech Against Terrorism" initiative. Attacker manifestos are generally shared by terror sympathisers after violence, especially perpetrated by white supremacists.<br />
<br />
In addition, the group will make use of lists from intelligence-sharing group "Five Eyes". More content from other groups including Proud Boys, The Three Percenters and will be added to the database.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/what-is-facebooks-1-billion-gamble-to-regain-lost-users-400121" hreflang="en">What is Facebook's $1 billion gamble to regain lost users?</a></p>

<p>The grouping of firms uses "hashes" which represent a number embodying content which has been removed from their services. Based on this, services compare among themselves whether the same content is being carried on their platforms, which may then be reviewed or removed.</p>

<p><strong>What will this achieve?</strong></p>

<p>The ongoing project will help contain extremist content on major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. Even then, violent images and hate speech may be pushed out in different arenas of the internet.</p>

<p>In an interview with Reuters, GIFCT's Executive Director Nicholas Rasmussen claimed that he wants to fight an array of threats. "Anyone looking at the terrorism or extremism landscape has to appreciate that there are other parts...that are demanding attention right now," Rasmussen told Reuters.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/this-is-how-social-media-giants-are-feeding-dangerous-content-to-children-399247" hreflang="en">This is how social media giants are feeding dangerous content to children</a></p>

<p>Tech companies have faced flak for being ineffective in the face of hate content on their platforms and the role played by these platforms in causing potential real-life damage. But at the same time, the companies are confronted with censorship concerns.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A counterterrorism organisation formed by big tech companies in the US including Facebook and Microsoft is compiling extremist content exchanged among firms in a database, with hopes to quell hate speech.

A counterterrorism organisation formed by big tech companies in the US including Facebook and Microsoft is compiling extremist content exchanged among firms in a database, with hopes to quell hate speech. The Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) told Reuters that it aims to limit content from white supremacists and far-right militias. What does GIFCT intend to do? Until now, the GIFCT was focused on visuals, largely videos and images from terrorism groups on a United Nations list. It had consisted of content from Islamist extremist organisations like Islamic State, al Qaeda and the Taliban. Over the coming months, the GIFCT will insert attacker manifestos and other content flagged by UN's "Tech Against Terrorism" initiative. Attacker manifestos are generally shared by terror sympathisers after violence, especially perpetrated by white supremacists. In addition, the group will make use of lists from intelligence-sharing group "Five Eyes". More content from other groups including Proud Boys, The Three Percenters and will be added to the database. Also read: What is Facebook's $1 billion gamble to regain lost users? The grouping of firms uses "hashes" which represent a number embodying content which has been removed from their services. Based on this, services compare among themselves whether the same content is being carried on their platforms, which may then be reviewed or removed. What will this achieve? The ongoing project will help contain extremist content on major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube. Even then, violent images and hate speech may be pushed out in different arenas of the internet. In an interview with Reuters, GIFCT's Executive Director Nicholas Rasmussen claimed that he wants to fight an array of threats. "Anyone looking at the terrorism or extremism landscape has to appreciate that there are other parts...that are demanding attention right now," Rasmussen told Reuters. Also read: This is how social media giants are feeding dangerous content to children Tech companies have faced flak for being ineffective in the face of hate content on their platforms and the role played by these platforms in causing potential real-life damage. But at the same time, the companies are confronted with censorship concerns. (With inputs from agencies)

Anti-terror organisation set up by tech firms to compile database of right-wing militias

<p>Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm,&nbsp;sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed.</p>

<p>Through the "endless scroll"&nbsp;features, kids are sucked into a vortex&nbsp;of "targeted"&nbsp;content.</p>

<p>Now a study has shed light on the extent of this dangerous practice.</p>

<p>Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have come under the radar of governments across the globe with new regulation drives.</p>

<p>Many administrations are increasingly growing wary of the role played by these companies in dissemination of content on their platforms, especially in terms of "targeted content".</p>

<p>Targeted content may be defined as that which is created especially for a niche audience in mind to elicit a specific response. Easiest example? Perhaps the little advertisements you see every time on Instagram that weirdly pitch&nbsp;products you may be looking to buy on other portals. You become the target, and the purchase of the advertised product is the expected response.</p>

<p>With each positive response to such target advertisements, the algorithms that pitch personalised content to users become refined and stronger. While adults may be able to successfully understand that they're targets of a marketplace strategy, children may be inadvertently exposed to dangerous products and content.</p>

<p><img alt="social media" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="baf56a74-91dd-4908-be46-3f060c753eef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_73.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>Graphic online content</strong><br />
<br />
A new research sheds light on the disturbing content targeting designed especially for children. According to researchers at "Revealing Reality" who undertook the project, accounts of minors and children are being fed inappropriate material soon after joining any social media platform.</p>

<p>What is "inappropriate material", you wonder? In this case, it refers to images of self-harm including razors and cuts.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers&nbsp;set up social media accounts that would essentially resemble the online avatar of a child based on information from kids aged between 13-17. They took into account the kind of profiles generally followed by kids and the nature of content they're expected to "like" across platforms.</p>

<p>Just hours into the creation of accounts on social media, these fake accounts representing kids were fed content about diets and sexualisation. In addition, pornography and other explicit content was easily accessible through these accounts.</p>

<p><img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ad03b99f-5819-4152-837f-65f836f713f4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_59.jpg" /></p>

<p>Worryingly, just hours after signing up, the accounts were approached by unknown adults, positing that a part of this targeted content attempted to link kids to adults on social media. This experiment was commissioned by 5Rights Foundation and the Children's Commissioner for England, who are urging governments to formulate rules to regulate the design and models of online platforms.</p>

<p>Researchers believe that such content is dangerous especially for kids who are grappling with body image issues, for they're constantly fed unrealistic ideas of an ideal body type.</p>

<p>A 14-year-old girl, Molly Russell took her own life after viewing graphic self-harm and suicidal content online. Her father, Ian Russell told SkyNews that social media companies prioritise profit over safety and is urging governments to bring online content in line with what kids are shown in the physical world.</p>

<p>Facebook, Instagram and TikTok were named explicitly in the report. In response, both Facebook (which also owns Instagram) and TikTok commissioned the same staple response, claiming they have robust models to ensure kids are safe on their platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5e249b-d93a-42da-8e25-3fcd225e2f50" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_18.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>Weight-loss frenzy</strong><br />
<br />
The same research also revealed how&nbsp;Instagram is flooding the feeds of teenagers with weight-loss content. While accounts created for girls were receiving more content about dieting and losing weight, ghost accounts for boys were constantly fed images of models with unrealistic body types.</p>

<p>In one instance, an account set up for a 17-year-old girl liked a post about dieting which Instagram fed to the account in its "Explore" tab&nbsp;where people discover new content from users they may not be "following". Soon, suggestions in the "Explore" section radically changed to focus on weight loss, with amplification&nbsp;of&nbsp;"distorted body shapes". Similar patterns were noted for accounts created for girls.</p>

<p>Instagram claims that the study only represents a fraction of the teenage experience on its platform, claiming the content shown in the research&nbsp;is the kind which shows up when actively searched by users.</p>

<p><img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9680ef00-6f76-4f09-83c1-475738ee304d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_48.jpg" /></p>

<p>United Kingdom has taken the need to protect children from harmful content extremely seriously.</p>

<p>Six weeks from now, social media companies will be required to follow a strict set of rules for age-appropriate content on social media, which the county's Information Commissioner's Office is calling the pursuit of a "child-safe internet".</p>

<p>Starting September, companies will be expected to curate child-friendly content on their platforms by default, instead of the current model which operates under the assumption that every user on their portal is an adult until they state otherwise. With this, the United Kingdom is&nbsp;setting a precedent for other countries where there are no safeguards for children in the online sphere.&nbsp;</p>


Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm, sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed.

Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm, sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed. Through the "endless scroll" features, kids are sucked into a vortex of "targeted" content. Now a study has shed light on the extent of this dangerous practice. Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have come under the radar of governments across the globe with new regulation drives. Many administrations are increasingly growing wary of the role played by these companies in dissemination of content on their platforms, especially in terms of "targeted content". Targeted content may be defined as that which is created especially for a niche audience in mind to elicit a specific response. Easiest example? Perhaps the little advertisements you see every time on Instagram that weirdly pitch products you may be looking to buy on other portals. You become the target, and the purchase of the advertised product is the expected response. With each positive response to such target advertisements, the algorithms that pitch personalised content to users become refined and stronger. While adults may be able to successfully understand that they're targets of a marketplace strategy, children may be inadvertently exposed to dangerous products and content. Graphic online content A new research sheds light on the disturbing content targeting designed especially for children. According to researchers at "Revealing Reality" who undertook the project, accounts of minors and children are being fed inappropriate material soon after joining any social media platform. What is "inappropriate material", you wonder? In this case, it refers to images of self-harm including razors and cuts. The researchers set up social media accounts that would essentially resemble the online avatar of a child based on information from kids aged between 13-17. They took into account the kind of profiles generally followed by kids and the nature of content they're expected to "like" across platforms. Just hours into the creation of accounts on social media, these fake accounts representing kids were fed content about diets and sexualisation. In addition, pornography and other explicit content was easily accessible through these accounts. Worryingly, just hours after signing up, the accounts were approached by unknown adults, positing that a part of this targeted content attempted to link kids to adults on social media. This experiment was commissioned by 5Rights Foundation and the Children's Commissioner for England, who are urging governments to formulate rules to regulate the design and models of online platforms. Researchers believe that such content is dangerous especially for kids who are grappling with body image issues, for they're constantly fed unrealistic ideas of an ideal body type. A 14-year-old girl, Molly Russell took her own life after viewing graphic self-harm and suicidal content online. Her father, Ian Russell told SkyNews that social media companies prioritise profit over safety and is urging governments to bring online content in line with what kids are shown in the physical world. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok were named explicitly in the report. In response, both Facebook (which also owns Instagram) and TikTok commissioned the same staple response, claiming they have robust models to ensure kids are safe on their platforms. Weight-loss frenzy The same research also revealed how Instagram is flooding the feeds of teenagers with weight-loss content. While accounts created for girls were receiving more content about dieting and losing weight, ghost accounts for boys were constantly fed images of models with unrealistic body types. In one instance, an account set up for a 17-year-old girl liked a post about dieting which Instagram fed to the account in its "Explore" tab where people discover new content from users they may not be "following". Soon, suggestions in the "Explore" section radically changed to focus on weight loss, with amplification of "distorted body shapes". Similar patterns were noted for accounts created for girls. Instagram claims that the study only represents a fraction of the teenage experience on its platform, claiming the content shown in the research is the kind which shows up when actively searched by users. United Kingdom has taken the need to protect children from harmful content extremely seriously. Six weeks from now, social media companies will be required to follow a strict set of rules for age-appropriate content on social media, which the county's Information Commissioner's Office is calling the pursuit of a "child-safe internet". Starting September, companies will be expected to curate child-friendly content on their platforms by default, instead of the current model which operates under the assumption that every user on their portal is an adult until they state otherwise. With this, the United Kingdom is setting a precedent for other countries where there are no safeguards for children in the online sphere.

This is how social media giants are feeding dangerous content to children

United States President Joe Biden said that social media misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccinations is 'killing people'. Watch this report to know more.

US President Joe Biden says COVID-19 misinformation killing people

From the Japanese woods light up in digital art show to gold-dusted French fries worth $200, here are the stories that are creating a buzz on WION's web and social media platforms.

Trending On WION: Stories that are creating a buzz on social media

One person has been dead and dozens have been arrested in Cuba after thousands joined the biggest protests for decades against the Communist government. The government has restricted access to social media and messaging platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp in the country.

Cuba protests: One person dead, several arrested after rare demonstrations

Cuba has restricted access to social media and messaging platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp, in the wake of the biggest anti-government protests in decades.

Cuba restricts access to social media platforms to curb protests

<p>Working for the Indian government's desk jobs is often seen as a safe, stress-free environment and with fixed working hours.</p>

<p>However, a new order may signal the end of the traditional 9-to-5 workday for some government employees in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was recently appointed, has ordered his officials and personnel to work in two shifts.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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."</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. <a href="https://t.co/BPQYyDxNVG">pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG</a></p>
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1413036077493874689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>"There's so much to accomplish, and every minute counts...Railways," said DJ Narain, ADG PR for the Ministry of Railways.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>“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;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

<p>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.</p>

<p>“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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.<br />
<br />
He said was thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving him the responsibility.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Assumed the charge of Minister of Communications at Sanchar Bhawan today. <a href="https://t.co/BPQYyDxNVG">pic.twitter.com/BPQYyDxNVG</a></p>
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/AshwiniVaishnaw/status/1413036077493874689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>He said his focus will be on improving the life of the last man standing in the queue.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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'

<p>Several verified profile pages on Gettr, Jason Miller's new social networking platform, were reportedly hacked and defiled. Miller was once an adviser to former President Trump.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Within hours of its opening on Sunday, the social media site Gettr had over half a million registrations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The problem was detected and sealed in a matter of minutes, and all the intruder was able to accomplish was to change a few user names," Miller said in an emailed statement.</p>

<p>Gettr, a Twitter-style platform with posts and trending topics, describes itself as "a non-bias social network for individuals all over the world" via the Google and Apple app stores.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A writer for Salon posted screenshots on Twitter of several Gettr profiles, including those of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Miller himself, that were altered to read "JubaBaghdad was here, follow me in Twitter :)".</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jason Miller's new right-wing social media site "Gettr" was hacked this morning. <a href="https://t.co/cncddw9RZ9">pic.twitter.com/cncddw9RZ9</a></p>
— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZTPetrizzo/status/1411697118079860741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Asked about security on the new social media said, Miller, said the situation had been "rectified."</p>

<p>Following his ban from Facebook and Twitter in January following the Capitol building insurgency, Trump announced his intention to start his own social media site.<br />
<br />
On his website, he created a blog called "From the Desk of Donald J Trump" in May, but it was shut down and archived in June.</p>

<p>At the time, Miller had stated that the website was not meant to be Trump's social media platform.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Several verified profile pages on Gettr, Jason Miller's new social networking platform, were reportedly hacked and defiled. Miller was once an adviser to former President Trump.

Several verified profile pages on Gettr, Jason Miller's new social networking platform, were reportedly hacked and defiled. Miller was once an adviser to former President Trump. Within hours of its opening on Sunday, the social media site Gettr had over half a million registrations. "The problem was detected and sealed in a matter of minutes, and all the intruder was able to accomplish was to change a few user names," Miller said in an emailed statement. Gettr, a Twitter-style platform with posts and trending topics, describes itself as "a non-bias social network for individuals all over the world" via the Google and Apple app stores. A writer for Salon posted screenshots on Twitter of several Gettr profiles, including those of former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Miller himself, that were altered to read "JubaBaghdad was here, follow me in Twitter :)". Jason Miller's new right-wing social media site "Gettr" was hacked this morning. pic.twitter.com/cncddw9RZ9 — Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) July 4, 2021 × Asked about security on the new social media said, Miller, said the situation had been "rectified." Following his ban from Facebook and Twitter in January following the Capitol building insurgency, Trump announced his intention to start his own social media site. On his website, he created a blog called "From the Desk of Donald J Trump" in May, but it was shut down and archived in June. At the time, Miller had stated that the website was not meant to be Trump's social media platform. (With inputs from agencies)

Gettr, social media app created by a former Trump aide, hacked

<p>Former US President, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, was a fan of&nbsp;Twitter until he was banned from it. However, keeping in mind the love for the social media platform, his team has now launched a similar platform.</p>

<p>Donald Trump’s former senior advisor Jason Miller has launched a Twitter-style platform, GETTR, to promote free speech and "non-bias" content.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-organizations-cfo-allen-weisselberg-surrenders-to-face-charges-395213" hreflang="en">Trump Organization's CFO Allen Weisselberg surrenders to face charges</a></strong></p>

<p>On the Google and Apple app stores, GETTR describes itself as a “non-bias social network for people all over the world".</p>

<p>While the platform has been launched keeping in mind the former president’s love for social media, Trump has not yet signed up for GETTR.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-prosecutors-give-donald-trump-24-hours-deadline-on-legal-action-report-394470" hreflang="en">New York prosecutors give Donald Trump 24-hour deadline on legal action: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>"As of this moment President Trump is not on the platform, I do have 'realDonaldTrump' reserved," Miller said. In a local interview. "Mr President, if you're watching, go ahead and hop on this weekend."</p>

<p>Miller says he launched this platform to promote a cancel-free environment. "Independent from social media monopolies, independent from cancel culture; embracing free speech—our [July 4] launch…is very much intentional," he said.</p>

<p>The app has been appearing in the Top 10 charts since its launch on Android and iOS.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">And #3 on social media apps! <a href="https://t.co/URUomRfTY4">pic.twitter.com/URUomRfTY4</a></p>
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonMillerinDC/status/1411099141657276416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>However, the app is not quite positively popular. Apparently, the content on GETTR has been promoting racism, sexual violence, homophobia&nbsp;and more.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">went briefly to gettr to see how things were developing and these were the hashtags on the first get i saw <a href="https://t.co/xsFMjhGOzH">pic.twitter.com/xsFMjhGOzH</a></p>
— consent manufacturers union (@Theophite) <a href="https://twitter.com/Theophite/status/1411160821279772677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">btw i dont support anything on GETTR<br />
<br />
just using it to meme around 👍</p>
— Frezzi 🏳️‍⚧️ (@Frezzi54) <a href="https://twitter.com/Frezzi54/status/1411167734000455681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ok can we all stop talking about gettr it’s getting annoying lmao</p>
— Ecolo Voyager 🛸 (@EternalEcolo) <a href="https://twitter.com/EternalEcolo/status/1411184736140087297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you download GETTR, I’m just gonna sit here and assume you’re racist and/or homophobic <a href="https://t.co/7EV7q2NgYK">pic.twitter.com/7EV7q2NgYK</a></p>
— chris 💍💕🏳️‍🌈 (@cwcomfychomps) <a href="https://twitter.com/cwcomfychomps/status/1411160387517562880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former US President, Donald Trump, was a fan of Twitter until he was banned from it. However, keeping in mind the love for the social media platform, his team has now launched a similar platform.

Former US President, Donald Trump, was a fan of Twitter until he was banned from it. However, keeping in mind the love for the social media platform, his team has now launched a similar platform. Donald Trump’s former senior advisor Jason Miller has launched a Twitter-style platform, GETTR, to promote free speech and "non-bias" content. Also read | Trump Organization's CFO Allen Weisselberg surrenders to face charges On the Google and Apple app stores, GETTR describes itself as a “non-bias social network for people all over the world". While the platform has been launched keeping in mind the former president’s love for social media, Trump has not yet signed up for GETTR. Also read | New York prosecutors give Donald Trump 24-hour deadline on legal action: Report "As of this moment President Trump is not on the platform, I do have 'realDonaldTrump' reserved," Miller said. In a local interview. "Mr President, if you're watching, go ahead and hop on this weekend." Miller says he launched this platform to promote a cancel-free environment. "Independent from social media monopolies, independent from cancel culture; embracing free speech—our [July 4] launch…is very much intentional," he said. The app has been appearing in the Top 10 charts since its launch on Android and iOS. And #3 on social media apps! pic.twitter.com/URUomRfTY4 — Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 2, 2021 × However, the app is not quite positively popular. Apparently, the content on GETTR has been promoting racism, sexual violence, homophobia and more. went briefly to gettr to see how things were developing and these were the hashtags on the first get i saw pic.twitter.com/xsFMjhGOzH — consent manufacturers union (@Theophite) July 3, 2021 × btw i dont support anything on GETTR just using it to meme around 👍 — Frezzi 🏳️‍⚧️ (@Frezzi54) July 3, 2021 × Ok can we all stop talking about gettr it’s getting annoying lmao — Ecolo Voyager 🛸 (@EternalEcolo) July 3, 2021 × If you download GETTR, I’m just gonna sit here and assume you’re racist and/or homophobic pic.twitter.com/7EV7q2NgYK — chris 💍💕🏳️‍🌈 (@cwcomfychomps) July 3, 2021 ×

Donald Trump's team launches Twitter-like social media platform GETTR

Two men who were accused of racially targeting UK Minister Priti Patel were summonsed to court on May 29 and charged with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network, which comes with a custodial sentence or fine or both.

2 men held for racially abusing UK minister Priti Patel on social media

<p>Every year on June 30 the world celebrates Social Media Day to recognise its impact on global communication and unification.</p>

<p>One of the most important sources of communication in this technologically advanced era is social media. Social media is a worldwide network that serves as a medium to connect and communicate at not only national but global level too. Different types of social media websites are available to connect globally.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-social-media-day-2021-395015/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Social media has allowed for mass cultural exchange and intercultural communication. It has given&nbsp;a&nbsp;platform to people for exchange their thoughts, ideas, concepts, views, information and culture.</p>

<p>Through social media people from different countries and from different regions can discuss current issues. As different cultures have different value systems, cultural themes, grammar, and worldviews, so they also communicate differently.</p>

<p>Social media has combined different cultures and&nbsp;their communication methods together, so different religions communicate with ease with other cultures. It&nbsp;has offered a new platform for peer pressure with both positive and negative communication. From Facebook comments to likes on Instagram, how the youth communicate and what is socially acceptable is now heavily based on social media</p>

<p>On World Social Media Day, here is a list&nbsp;of apps that you should explore:&nbsp;Periscope, Signal, Valence, Elpha, Yubo, 23snaps, and ReverbNation.</p>

<p>From the United Nations to the European Union, numerous global organisations have posted the day on their respective Twitter handles:</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Misinformation is costing lives and prolonging the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> pandemic.<br />
<br />
On Wednesday's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SocialMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SocialMediaDay</a> we encourage you to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PledgeToPause?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PledgeToPause</a> to verify information before you share it online. <a href="https://t.co/uxo77Pss1s">https://t.co/uxo77Pss1s</a> <a href="https://t.co/FghOPsx23q">pic.twitter.com/FghOPsx23q</a></p>
— United Nations (@UN) <a href="https://twitter.com/UN/status/1410162944743071745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SocialMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SocialMediaDay</a>.<br />
<br />
We want to empower everyone to help combat false information.<br />
<br />
Take a look at our handy toolkit on how to spot and fight disinformation: <a href="https://t.co/29eMq1RxId">https://t.co/29eMq1RxId</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThinkBeforeSharing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThinkBeforeSharing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SMDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SMDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z24JOi1vW6">pic.twitter.com/Z24JOi1vW6</a></p>
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) <a href="https://twitter.com/EU_Commission/status/1410115885227032578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The first modern social media platform was Friendster in 2002. The website allowed people to safely make new friends and has over a hundred million users, most of whom are in Asia. LinkedIn, the first business-focused social media platform was launched in 2003. MySpace launched in 2004, the same year as Facebook, but initially, it saw much greater success than Mark Zuckerberg’s creation. By 2006 MySpace was the largest social media platform in the world, with users loving the customized profiles that also enabled them to post their music.</p>

<p>YouTube launched its website dedicated to video in 2005 and Twitter followed with its limited characters platform in 2006. As both grew in popularity, so did Facebook, and the most popular social media platforms for the next five years were being established.</p>

<p>Instagram launched in 2010 and saw rapid growth, gaining over a million users within the first couple of months. With Instagram challenging their dominance, Facebook purchased the platform for $1 billion in 2012. Facebook also purchased the encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp for $16 billion in 2014. One platform that Facebook failed to buy was Snapchat. Snapchat, which became popular due to its disappearing stories feature, was launched in 2011 and reportedly turned down a $3 billion offer from Facebook in 2013.&nbsp;The most recent addition to the list of social media heavyweights is TikTok. The app was launched in 2016 and has become incredibly popular due to its extensive music and video editing features.</p>

<p>As social media has evolved and grown in popularity, so has the scrutiny that the platforms come under. With controversies surrounding their use of data, hate speech, impact on mental health, election results, and fake news, the platforms are under more pressure than ever to be transparent with what goes on behind the scenes.</p>

<p>Lawmakers in several countries are moving forward with sweeping antitrust legislation aimed at restraining the power of&nbsp;Big&nbsp;Tech&nbsp;companies such as Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google, Amazon.com Inc, and Apple Inc and staving off corporate consolidation.</p>


Every year on June 30 the world celebrates Social Media Day to recognise its impact on global communication and unification. One of the most important sources of communication in this technologically advanced era is social media.

Every year on June 30 the world celebrates Social Media Day to recognise its impact on global communication and unification. One of the most important sources of communication in this technologically advanced era is social media. Social media is a worldwide network that serves as a medium to connect and communicate at not only national but global level too. Different types of social media websites are available to connect globally. Social media has allowed for mass cultural exchange and intercultural communication. It has given a platform to people for exchange their thoughts, ideas, concepts, views, information and culture. Through social media people from different countries and from different regions can discuss current issues. As different cultures have different value systems, cultural themes, grammar, and worldviews, so they also communicate differently. Social media has combined different cultures and their communication methods together, so different religions communicate with ease with other cultures. It has offered a new platform for peer pressure with both positive and negative communication. From Facebook comments to likes on Instagram, how the youth communicate and what is socially acceptable is now heavily based on social media On World Social Media Day, here is a list of apps that you should explore: Periscope, Signal, Valence, Elpha, Yubo, 23snaps, and ReverbNation. From the United Nations to the European Union, numerous global organisations have posted the day on their respective Twitter handles: Misinformation is costing lives and prolonging the #COVID19 pandemic. On Wednesday's #SocialMediaDay we encourage you to #PledgeToPause to verify information before you share it online. https://t.co/uxo77Pss1s pic.twitter.com/FghOPsx23q — United Nations (@UN) June 30, 2021 × Today is #SocialMediaDay. We want to empower everyone to help combat false information. Take a look at our handy toolkit on how to spot and fight disinformation: https://t.co/29eMq1RxId#ThinkBeforeSharing #SMDay pic.twitter.com/Z24JOi1vW6 — European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) June 30, 2021 × The first modern social media platform was Friendster in 2002. The website allowed people to safely make new friends and has over a hundred million users, most of whom are in Asia. LinkedIn, the first business-focused social media platform was launched in 2003. MySpace launched in 2004, the same year as Facebook, but initially, it saw much greater success than Mark Zuckerberg’s creation. By 2006 MySpace was the largest social media platform in the world, with users loving the customized profiles that also enabled them to post their music. YouTube launched its website dedicated to video in 2005 and Twitter followed with its limited characters platform in 2006. As both grew in popularity, so did Facebook, and the most popular social media platforms for the next five years were being established. Instagram launched in 2010 and saw rapid growth, gaining over a million users within the first couple of months. With Instagram challenging their dominance, Facebook purchased the platform for $1 billion in 2012. Facebook also purchased the encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp for $16 billion in 2014. One platform that Facebook failed to buy was Snapchat. Snapchat, which became popular due to its disappearing stories feature, was launched in 2011 and reportedly turned down a $3 billion offer from Facebook in 2013. The most recent addition to the list of social media heavyweights is TikTok. The app was launched in 2016 and has become incredibly popular due to its extensive music and video editing features. As social media has evolved and grown in popularity, so has the scrutiny that the platforms come under. With controversies surrounding their use of data, hate speech, impact on mental health, election results, and fake news, the platforms are under more pressure than ever to be transparent with what goes on behind the scenes. Lawmakers in several countries are moving forward with sweeping antitrust legislation aimed at restraining the power of Big Tech companies such as Facebook Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google, Amazon.com Inc, and Apple Inc and staving off corporate consolidation.

Social Media Day: History, significance and all you need to know

Is social media a curse or a boon? It affects our mental health, body image, sleep and even work.

Gravitas: Social Media Day 2021

<p>Two men who were charged with sending a grossly offensive message and accused of inciting "racial hatred" with a social media video targeting UK Home Secretary Priti Patel admitted to the charge in court on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Jake Henderson, 28, posted a video using a racially abusive word to describe Patel after a Covid-19 pandemic in January this year and co-accused Robert Cumming, 26, who was among those who widely shared it online.</p>

<p>Both men admitted sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network and will next appear at Mansfield</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inaugurating-embassy-in-uae-israel-tells-region-were-here-to-stay-394875"><strong>Also Read | Inaugurating embassy in UAE, Israel tells region: 'We're here to stay'</strong></a></p>

<p>Magistrates' Court in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands region of England, on August 12 for sentencing. The duo remains on bail until the sentencing hearing.</p>

<p>The 50-second video was played in court, where Henderson can be heard saying: "As a white man, I won't be listening to people of colour."</p>

<p>Cumming then shared it along with the caption: "Haters gonna be hating" and four laughing emojis.</p>

<p>Prosecutor Daniel Church, appearing on behalf of the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said the video was "motivated by hostility towards members of racial groups".</p>

<p>The court heard how members of the public were distressed by the comments linked with the video and feared its contents could incite racial hatred.</p>

<p>The duo was summonsed to court on May 29 and charged with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network, which comes with a custodial sentence or fine or both.</p>

<p>"Following complaints in relation to a video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel and posted on social media in January 2021, the CPS has authorised Nottinghamshire Police to charge Jake Henderson and Robert Cumming with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network,” Janine Smith, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said earlier this month.</p>

<p>"The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges to a court to consider,” Smith said.</p>


Two men who were charged with sending a grossly offensive message and accused of inciting "racial hatred" with a social media video targeting UK Home Secretary Priti Patel admitted to the charge in court on Tuesday.

Two men who were charged with sending a grossly offensive message and accused of inciting "racial hatred" with a social media video targeting UK Home Secretary Priti Patel admitted to the charge in court on Tuesday. Jake Henderson, 28, posted a video using a racially abusive word to describe Patel after a Covid-19 pandemic in January this year and co-accused Robert Cumming, 26, who was among those who widely shared it online. Both men admitted sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network and will next appear at Mansfield Also Read | Inaugurating embassy in UAE, Israel tells region: 'We're here to stay' Magistrates' Court in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands region of England, on August 12 for sentencing. The duo remains on bail until the sentencing hearing. The 50-second video was played in court, where Henderson can be heard saying: "As a white man, I won't be listening to people of colour." Cumming then shared it along with the caption: "Haters gonna be hating" and four laughing emojis. Prosecutor Daniel Church, appearing on behalf of the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said the video was "motivated by hostility towards members of racial groups". The court heard how members of the public were distressed by the comments linked with the video and feared its contents could incite racial hatred. The duo was summonsed to court on May 29 and charged with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network, which comes with a custodial sentence or fine or both. "Following complaints in relation to a video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel and posted on social media in January 2021, the CPS has authorised Nottinghamshire Police to charge Jake Henderson and Robert Cumming with sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network,” Janine Smith, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS East Midlands, said earlier this month. "The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges to a court to consider,” Smith said.

Men who racially abused UK minister Priti Patel on social media now held

Facebook and Google India officials testified before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, on the issue of misuse of social media. The panel directed both social media platforms to comply with new IT rules and follow the rules of the country.

Facebook and Google officials appear in front of Parliamentary panel over platform misuse

<p><strong>Social media</strong> has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade.</p>

<p>Everything has a short shelf-life on<strong> platforms like Twitter and Facebook,</strong> except trolling. Since early days of social media, the act of “trolling” someone has remain largely intact.</p>

<p>Now, a new study sheds light on how our interactions on social media shape viral content. According to the research undertaken by Cambridge University, social posts are twice as likely to go viral if they depict a negative image of politicians whom people don’t support, as against positive content they may be pushing out in support of a politician.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Trolling wins social media</strong></h2>

<p>The study suggests that negative posts that “troll” someone have a higher chance of getting liked and shared on social media platforms.</p>

<p>Researchers analysed 2.7 million tweets and Facebook posts from various US media houses and politicians over five years.&nbsp;They also found that negative posts were not only more likely to go viral, but also received twice as many comments as&nbsp;positive posts.</p>

<p>On Facebook, posts maligning someone received a higher number of angry or laughing reactions as opposed to positive posts that received hearts or thumbs ups.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-seizes-36-iranian-linked-websites-for-alleged-disinformation-393220" hreflang="en">US seizes 36 Iranian-linked websites for alleged disinformation</a></p>

<p><strong>Politics matter</strong></p>

<p>The study’s co-author Steve Rathje told BBC that if the post originated from a Republican and referred to Joe Biden, it was more likely to go viral than posts by Republicans about other politicians. Rathje also claimed that a screenshot of the US president with the caption “latest brain freeze” posted first by Breitbart News had received a lot of hits quickly.</p>

<p>On the other end of this political spectrum, a tweet by Bernie Sanders about Donald Trump also received a lot of hits wherein Sanders referred to “3,000” lies by Donald Trump.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Algorithms on social media platforms are meant to promote "viral content" and amplify voices that are receiving a lot of attention on platforms. This practice has been criticised for its ability to make hateful and divisive content viral.</p>

<p>The peer-reviewed study was published in the journal called “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/listen-up-facebook-launches-new-live-audio-rooms-in-us-to-take-on-clubhouse-392998" hreflang="en">Listen up! Facebook launches new 'live audio' rooms in US to take on Clubhouse</a></p>


Social media has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade.

Social media has become the cornucopia of information and the virality which ensues. With different types of memes, articles, and posts going viral every day, the landscape of social media has tremendously changed over the last decade. Everything has a short shelf-life on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, except trolling. Since early days of social media, the act of “trolling” someone has remain largely intact. Now, a new study sheds light on how our interactions on social media shape viral content. According to the research undertaken by Cambridge University, social posts are twice as likely to go viral if they depict a negative image of politicians whom people don’t support, as against positive content they may be pushing out in support of a politician. Trolling wins social media The study suggests that negative posts that “troll” someone have a higher chance of getting liked and shared on social media platforms. Researchers analysed 2.7 million tweets and Facebook posts from various US media houses and politicians over five years. They also found that negative posts were not only more likely to go viral, but also received twice as many comments as positive posts. On Facebook, posts maligning someone received a higher number of angry or laughing reactions as opposed to positive posts that received hearts or thumbs ups. Also read: US seizes 36 Iranian-linked websites for alleged disinformation Politics matter The study’s co-author Steve Rathje told BBC that if the post originated from a Republican and referred to Joe Biden, it was more likely to go viral than posts by Republicans about other politicians. Rathje also claimed that a screenshot of the US president with the caption “latest brain freeze” posted first by Breitbart News had received a lot of hits quickly. On the other end of this political spectrum, a tweet by Bernie Sanders about Donald Trump also received a lot of hits wherein Sanders referred to “3,000” lies by Donald Trump. Algorithms on social media platforms are meant to promote "viral content" and amplify voices that are receiving a lot of attention on platforms. This practice has been criticised for its ability to make hateful and divisive content viral. The peer-reviewed study was published in the journal called “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”. Also read: Listen up! Facebook launches new 'live audio' rooms in US to take on Clubhouse

Negative political posts on social media get more traction than positive ones, study claims

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Microblogging platform Twitter has lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules. As per the government sources, Twitter is the only social media platform among the mainstream that has not adhered to the new laws.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There are numerous queries arising as to whether Twitter is entitled to safe harbour provision. However, the simple fact of the matter is that Twitter has failed to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines that came into effect from the 26th of May.</p>
— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) <a href="https://twitter.com/rsprasad/status/1405043033033248776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>The new laws were introduced by the government of India during the month of February. The code is a framework to regulate tech companies in India. The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology earlier said that it had given Twitter one last notice to comply with the new rules.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-new-it-rules-set-to-come-into-effect-will-us-big-tech-comply-387359"><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;India's new IT rules set to come into effect, will US big tech comply?</strong></a></p>

<p>As per the new laws, platforms like Facebook and Twitter have to appoint three officers who will cooperate with law enforcement agencies in India, according to the new regulations. This team must be available 24x7 to respond to any demand.</p>

<p><strong>Also Watch |&nbsp;Twitter says it is making efforts to comply with rules in India</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/twitter-says-it-is-making-efforts-to-comply-with-rules-in-india-390079/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>These officers must be residents of India and their details must be clearly published on the company's website. If any complaint is received, these officers must respond within 24 hours and the complaint itself must be disposed of within 15 days.</p>

<p>Also, social media platforms are required to deploy tools to identify content that depicts rape or child sexual abuse. They must publish a monthly compliance report that lists the complaints that they received and the action that was taken.</p>

<p>Twitter has 17.5 million Indian users. In 2019, it earned more than 560 million rupees in revenue from India which is $7 million. Twitter's profits rose to more than 58 million, almost $800,000 which is a spike of more than 100 percent. Social media giants earn big money from India since they have user bases that exceed the population of some countries</p>


Microblogging platform Twitter has lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules. As per the government sources, Twitter is the only social media platform among the mainstream that has not adhered to the new laws.

Microblogging platform Twitter has lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules. As per the government sources, Twitter is the only social media platform among the mainstream that has not adhered to the new laws. There are numerous queries arising as to whether Twitter is entitled to safe harbour provision. However, the simple fact of the matter is that Twitter has failed to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines that came into effect from the 26th of May. — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) June 16, 2021 × The new laws were introduced by the government of India during the month of February. The code is a framework to regulate tech companies in India. The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology earlier said that it had given Twitter one last notice to comply with the new rules. Also Read: India's new IT rules set to come into effect, will US big tech comply? As per the new laws, platforms like Facebook and Twitter have to appoint three officers who will cooperate with law enforcement agencies in India, according to the new regulations. This team must be available 24x7 to respond to any demand. Also Watch | Twitter says it is making efforts to comply with rules in India These officers must be residents of India and their details must be clearly published on the company's website. If any complaint is received, these officers must respond within 24 hours and the complaint itself must be disposed of within 15 days. Also, social media platforms are required to deploy tools to identify content that depicts rape or child sexual abuse. They must publish a monthly compliance report that lists the complaints that they received and the action that was taken. Twitter has 17.5 million Indian users. In 2019, it earned more than 560 million rupees in revenue from India which is $7 million. Twitter's profits rose to more than 58 million, almost $800,000 which is a spike of more than 100 percent. Social media giants earn big money from India since they have user bases that exceed the population of some countries

Twitter loses its status as intermediary platform in India due to non-compliance with new IT rules

<p>With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent.</p>

<p>Facebook has launched a new feature "Admin Assist"&nbsp;which allows the group moderators to set criteria for what will be considered as non-acceptable in the group. With the help of the set criteria, the automated bots will be able to automatically check content for any violations and flag it to the moderators accordingly.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi06Lf0y5zxAhXawzgGHb3mA88QFjAJegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1t_zO_xR8g-DRLRC1HmzZN" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-it-could-pay-more-corporate-tax-after-g7-decision-389681" target="_blank">Facebook&nbsp;says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision</a></strong></p>

<p>This feature can also help the moderators eliminate comments with links of unwanted content, ask members to be part of specific and related groups before commenting on burning issues and even slow down heated conversations.</p>

<p>"What these tools do is automate things admins did manually, but not expose anything they didn't have access to before,"&nbsp;said Facebook engineering vice president Tom Alison.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/pink-floyd-roger-waters-will-not-let-facebook-ceo-idiot-mark-zuckerberg-use-their-songs-391322">Pink Floyd's Roger Waters will not let Facebook CEO 'idiot' Mark Zuckerberg use their songs</a></strong></p>

<p>Facebook is also testing a feature through which artificial intelligence (AI) can judge when a conversation is turning chaotic and heated, on the basis of the speed and tone of the replies/comments, and then accordingly alert the moderators.</p>

<p>"The AI looks at things associated with threads that have conflicts," Alison said.</p>


With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent.

With the aim of keeping conversations civil, social media platform, Facebook, has tightened its automobile tools to help the group moderators in keeping group chats civil and non-violent. Facebook has launched a new feature "Admin Assist" which allows the group moderators to set criteria for what will be considered as non-acceptable in the group. With the help of the set criteria, the automated bots will be able to automatically check content for any violations and flag it to the moderators accordingly. Also read | Facebook says it could pay more corporate tax after G7 decision This feature can also help the moderators eliminate comments with links of unwanted content, ask members to be part of specific and related groups before commenting on burning issues and even slow down heated conversations. "What these tools do is automate things admins did manually, but not expose anything they didn't have access to before," said Facebook engineering vice president Tom Alison. Also read | Pink Floyd's Roger Waters will not let Facebook CEO 'idiot' Mark Zuckerberg use their songs Facebook is also testing a feature through which artificial intelligence (AI) can judge when a conversation is turning chaotic and heated, on the basis of the speed and tone of the replies/comments, and then accordingly alert the moderators. "The AI looks at things associated with threads that have conflicts," Alison said.

Facebook launches 'admin assist' to help keep group chats civil

Microblogging platform Twitter has lost its status as an intermediary platform in India as it does not comply with new IT rules.

Twitter loses intermediary status in India over non-compliance with new IT rules

<p>Social media firms wanting to operate in&nbsp;Nigeria&nbsp;must register a local entity and be licensed, the country's information minister said on Wednesday, the government's latest move since it banned Twitter last week.</p>

<p>"We are insisting that for you to operate in&nbsp;Nigeria&nbsp;you must first be a&nbsp;Nigerian company and be licensed by the broadcasting commission," said Lai Mohammed,&nbsp;Nigeria's information minister, of social media companies.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/twitter-removes-and-then-restores-blue-tick-on-vice-prez-naidus-personal-account-389593">Twitter removes and then restores blue tick on Vice Prez Naidu's personal account</a></strong></p>

<p>The new regulations will include conditions for continued operation, Mohammed said, without elaborating. The move comes amidst what critics say is a broader crackdown on freedom of expression in Africa's most populous country that has drawn comparisons to&nbsp;Nigeria's decades of military rule in the 20th century.</p>

<p>Nigeria's government last week said it had suspended Twitter's activities, two days after the platform removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish secessionists.&nbsp;Nigerian telecoms firms have since blocked access to Twitter.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unpatriotic-nigeria-government-orders-media-houses-to-stop-using-twitter-389980">'Unpatriotic': Nigeria government orders media houses to stop using Twitter</a></strong></p>

<p>Buhari is a former military ruler.</p>

<p>Mohammed did not give a deadline for registration and licensing, but said some firms were given notice, without naming the affected companies. He did not respond to calls and a message seeking details.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/twitter-indefinitely-shutdown-in-nigeria-389575/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"Twitter has consistently made its platform available to those who are threatening&nbsp;Nigeria’s corporate existence," said Mohammed, naming a separatist leader and anti-police brutality protesters.</p>

<p>The minister said Facebook and its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp had not been suspended but did not say whether they would need to register and get a licence.</p>


Social media firms wanting to operate in Nigeria must register a local entity and be licensed, the country's information minister said on Wednesday, the government's latest move since it banned Twitter last week.

Social media firms wanting to operate in Nigeria must register a local entity and be licensed, the country's information minister said on Wednesday, the government's latest move since it banned Twitter last week. "We are insisting that for you to operate in Nigeria you must first be a Nigerian company and be licensed by the broadcasting commission," said Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's information minister, of social media companies. Also read | Twitter removes and then restores blue tick on Vice Prez Naidu's personal account The new regulations will include conditions for continued operation, Mohammed said, without elaborating. The move comes amidst what critics say is a broader crackdown on freedom of expression in Africa's most populous country that has drawn comparisons to Nigeria's decades of military rule in the 20th century. Nigeria's government last week said it had suspended Twitter's activities, two days after the platform removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish secessionists. Nigerian telecoms firms have since blocked access to Twitter. Also read | 'Unpatriotic': Nigeria government orders media houses to stop using Twitter Buhari is a former military ruler. Mohammed did not give a deadline for registration and licensing, but said some firms were given notice, without naming the affected companies. He did not respond to calls and a message seeking details. "Twitter has consistently made its platform available to those who are threatening Nigeria’s corporate existence," said Mohammed, naming a separatist leader and anti-police brutality protesters. The minister said Facebook and its subsidiaries Instagram and WhatsApp had not been suspended but did not say whether they would need to register and get a licence.

Nigeria demands social media firms get local licence

<p>A slew of crypto-related accounts in China's Twitter-like Weibo platform were blocked over the weekend, as Beijing stepped up a crackdown on bitcoin trading and mining.<br />
<br />
More actions are expected, including linking illegal crypto activities in China more directly with the country's criminal law, according to analysts and a financial regulator.<br />
<br />
Last month, China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on bitcoin mining and trading, escalating a campaign against cryptocurrencies days after three industry bodies banned crypto-related financial and payment services.<br />
<br />
Over the weekend, access to several of widely followed crypto-related Weibo accounts was denied, with a message saying each account 'violates laws and rules'.<br />
<br />
"It's a Judgment Day for crypto KOL", wrote a Weibo bitcoin commentator, or key opinion leader (KOL), who calls herself 'Woman Dr. bitcoin mini'. Her main account was also blocked on Saturday.<br />
<br />
"The government makes it clear that no Chinese version of Elon Musk can exist in the Chinese crypto market," said NYU Law School adjunct professor Winston Ma, referring to the Tesla founder and cryptocurrency enthusiast.<br />
<br />
Ma, author of the book 'The Digital War', also expects China's supreme court to publish a judicial interpretation soon that may link crypto mining and trading businesses with China's body of criminal law.<br />
<br />
The view was echoed by a financial regulator, who said that such an interpretation would address the legal ambiguity that has failed to clearly identify bitcoin trading businesses as 'illegal operations'. All the rules against cryptocurrencies so far in China have been published by administrative bodies.<br />
<br />
The Weibo freeze comes as Chinese media have stepped up reporting against crypto trading.<br />
<br />
The official Xinhua News Agency has published articles that exposed a series of crypto-related scams. State broadcaster CCTV has said cryptocurrency is a lightly regulated asset often used in black market trade, money laundering, arms smuggling, gambling and drug dealings.<br />
<br />
The stepped-up crackdown also comes as China's central bank is accelerating testing of its own digital currency.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A slew of crypto-related accounts in China's Twitter-like Weibo platform were blocked over the weekend, as Beijing stepped up a crackdown on bitcoin trading and mining.

A slew of crypto-related accounts in China's Twitter-like Weibo platform were blocked over the weekend, as Beijing stepped up a crackdown on bitcoin trading and mining. More actions are expected, including linking illegal crypto activities in China more directly with the country's criminal law, according to analysts and a financial regulator. Last month, China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on bitcoin mining and trading, escalating a campaign against cryptocurrencies days after three industry bodies banned crypto-related financial and payment services. Over the weekend, access to several of widely followed crypto-related Weibo accounts was denied, with a message saying each account 'violates laws and rules'. "It's a Judgment Day for crypto KOL", wrote a Weibo bitcoin commentator, or key opinion leader (KOL), who calls herself 'Woman Dr. bitcoin mini'. Her main account was also blocked on Saturday. "The government makes it clear that no Chinese version of Elon Musk can exist in the Chinese crypto market," said NYU Law School adjunct professor Winston Ma, referring to the Tesla founder and cryptocurrency enthusiast. Ma, author of the book 'The Digital War', also expects China's supreme court to publish a judicial interpretation soon that may link crypto mining and trading businesses with China's body of criminal law. The view was echoed by a financial regulator, who said that such an interpretation would address the legal ambiguity that has failed to clearly identify bitcoin trading businesses as 'illegal operations'. All the rules against cryptocurrencies so far in China have been published by administrative bodies. The Weibo freeze comes as Chinese media have stepped up reporting against crypto trading. The official Xinhua News Agency has published articles that exposed a series of crypto-related scams. State broadcaster CCTV has said cryptocurrency is a lightly regulated asset often used in black market trade, money laundering, arms smuggling, gambling and drug dealings. The stepped-up crackdown also comes as China's central bank is accelerating testing of its own digital currency. (With inputs from agencies)

China blocks several cryptocurrency-related social media accounts amid crackdown

In an address to the faction of Likud party, the longest-serving Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu accused Facebook and Twitter of selective blocking. Netanyahu has slammed the social media giants for silence in criticism against the new coalition government.

Netanyahu accuses social media of selective blocking

China has blocked a social media account for a popular Chinese e-commerce app Xiaohongshu or "Little Red Book". The move comes after the Xiaohongshu app uploaded a post on the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

China blocks Xiaohongshu's social media account over controversial post

<p>A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a> posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.</p>

<p>The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-lifts-ban-on-lab-leak-posts-as-us-investigates-origin-of-coronavirus-387899" hreflang="en">Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus</a></strong></p>

<p>The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania.</p>

<p>"During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal".</p>

<p>Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/australias-nine-entertainment-signs-content-deal-with-facebook-google-388695" hreflang="en">Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google</a></strong></p>

<p>A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.</p>

<p>Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case.</p>

<p>Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest.</p>

<p>Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear.</p>

<p>The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night.</p>

<p>Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement.</p>

<p>According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.</p>


A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation. The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said. Also read | Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania. "During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal". Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement. Also read | Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case. Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest. Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear. The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night. Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement. According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.

Police chief who threatened Facebook critic with false arrest pleads guilty

social-media

Social Media, News on Social Media, stories on Social Media, articles on Social Media, Social Media stories at Wion, Social Media news, Social Media latest news