The notice has been sent to the global Vice President of Twitter by the Director of the National Cyber Coordination Center.

Social media platform Twitter shows incorrect map of Leh; Govt sends notice

Social media is our digital paan ki dukaan. People go there for “masala,” news, gossip. Some rue the state of the world. Others pontificate on the way forward. Everyone is an expert on everything. Some are perpetual fixtures, smoking on daily happenings and ruminating. Others make regular visits.&nbsp;

The new topic of discussion is the US election. Unfortunately for some, only Americans get the voting rights.&nbsp;

If tweets from India were votes, Donald Trump would have won hands down. Troll armies from one side have dedicated their energies into projecting Trump as India’s best friend. It doesn’t matter that he called India’s air filthy (because he’s right, but don’t talk about banning Diwali crackers!). It doesn’t matter that he offered to mediate in the Kashmir issue, despite Delhi repeatedly saying 'thanks, but no thanks'.

It doesn’t even matter that he mocked India’s contribution in Afghanistan (“India only built a library”). It doesn’t matter that he’s blocking H1B visas or picking fights over taxes on Harley Davidson.&nbsp;

Like Salman Khan, once we’ve decided we like Trump, we don’t even listen to ourselves. So we campaign for Trump. Call Biden a crook, pore over evidence against Hunter Biden, and slam American media that doesn’t appreciate the greatness Trump ji is trying to usher in.

Election day comes. Americans vote. And count. And keep counting for what feels like forever. Indian social media busies itself with another debate to kill time. This oldest democracy is a joke, learn from us, we say. America is floundering, because they learned counting on Sesame street.&nbsp;

India’s election commission is underrated, but the best in the world. Pronto, the other side jumps in. They’re taking so long because they’re fair. Every vote is being counted. Trump says stop the counting. Biden says count every vote. Indians are still debating who counts better. &nbsp;

Day Two -- Trump cries election fraud. Some American channels pull out of the president’s speech. Such moral rectitude! Can Indian channels ever pull this off?

Most of those asking this question are senior journalists themselves. Others say the US press is party to a political battle.

If you’re on social media you have only two options. Either put all things American on a pedestal. Or trash all. Those doing a little bit of both will be beaten up by both sides.&nbsp;

The fact is that America has the most partisan media in the world. Acting as cheerleaders of any presidential hopeful is not “evolved” journalism. Calling your president “an obese turtle” is not proof of fairness. And cutting out of a presidential speech is, at best, dramatic.

India media takes sides too. Picks and chooses which speech to broadcast and for how long. Journalists in India trash and praise leaders of all descriptions, some more than the other.&nbsp;

Commentary is alright. Denigrating the other side isn’t. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Some have such a volume of opinion that it won’t fit in a tweet or a thread. They need a whole write up to achieve catharsis.&nbsp;

If you’ve made it thus far in this piece, do know that I’m a regular visitor of the aforesaid paan shop, addicted to its wares, and trying to make sense of the madness. It’s a place crawling with Abdullahs of the begaani-shaadi-mein-Abdullah-diwana fame.&nbsp;

Social media is our digital paan ki dukaan. People go there for “masala,” news, gossip. Some rue the state of the world. Others pontificate on the way forward. Everyone is an expert on everything.

Social media is our digital paan ki dukaan. People go there for “masala,” news, gossip. Some rue the state of the world. Others pontificate on the way forward. Everyone is an expert on everything. Some are perpetual fixtures, smoking on daily happenings and ruminating. Others make regular visits. The new topic of discussion is the US election. Unfortunately for some, only Americans get the voting rights. If tweets from India were votes, Donald Trump would have won hands down. Troll armies from one side have dedicated their energies into projecting Trump as India’s best friend. It doesn’t matter that he called India’s air filthy (because he’s right, but don’t talk about banning Diwali crackers!). It doesn’t matter that he offered to mediate in the Kashmir issue, despite Delhi repeatedly saying 'thanks, but no thanks'. It doesn’t even matter that he mocked India’s contribution in Afghanistan (“India only built a library”). It doesn’t matter that he’s blocking H1B visas or picking fights over taxes on Harley Davidson. Like Salman Khan, once we’ve decided we like Trump, we don’t even listen to ourselves. So we campaign for Trump. Call Biden a crook, pore over evidence against Hunter Biden, and slam American media that doesn’t appreciate the greatness Trump ji is trying to usher in. Election day comes. Americans vote. And count. And keep counting for what feels like forever. Indian social media busies itself with another debate to kill time. This oldest democracy is a joke, learn from us, we say. America is floundering, because they learned counting on Sesame street. India’s election commission is underrated, but the best in the world. Pronto, the other side jumps in. They’re taking so long because they’re fair. Every vote is being counted. Trump says stop the counting. Biden says count every vote. Indians are still debating who counts better. Day Two -- Trump cries election fraud. Some American channels pull out of the president’s speech. Such moral rectitude! Can Indian channels ever pull this off? Most of those asking this question are senior journalists themselves. Others say the US press is party to a political battle. If you’re on social media you have only two options. Either put all things American on a pedestal. Or trash all. Those doing a little bit of both will be beaten up by both sides. The fact is that America has the most partisan media in the world. Acting as cheerleaders of any presidential hopeful is not “evolved” journalism. Calling your president “an obese turtle” is not proof of fairness. And cutting out of a presidential speech is, at best, dramatic. India media takes sides too. Picks and chooses which speech to broadcast and for how long. Journalists in India trash and praise leaders of all descriptions, some more than the other. Commentary is alright. Denigrating the other side isn’t. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Some have such a volume of opinion that it won’t fit in a tweet or a thread. They need a whole write up to achieve catharsis. If you’ve made it thus far in this piece, do know that I’m a regular visitor of the aforesaid paan shop, addicted to its wares, and trying to make sense of the madness. It’s a place crawling with Abdullahs of the begaani-shaadi-mein-Abdullah-diwana fame.

The US election on Indian social media

Photo-sharing platform Instagram announced on Tuesday (local time) it has extended the time limit for live streams from 60 minutes to four hours.

The change is global and applies to all Instagram users. The reason behind the move, Instagram said, is helping creators -- yoga instructors, musicians, artists, cooks, and the like -- to do longer sessions with their audience without being interrupted every hour, reported Mashable.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/campaign-by-plus-size-model-forces-instagram-to-alter-nudity-policy-338167" hreflang="en">Campaign by plus-size model forces Instagram to alter nudity policy</a>

However, this will only be available to accounts "in good standing," with no history of IP or policy violations, Instagram said. As per Instagram, it is also adding the option to archive live broadcasts for as long as 30 days. "Now your live videos will be kept in your archive. Only you can see them. After your live videos end, they will be available in your archive for 30 days. You can download your live videos to your device or upload them to IGTV from your archive," said a notice that will be shown to users on launch, reported Mashable.

Instagram said this new feature will launch `soon.`

The company also said that it will be updating the `Live Now` section on IGTV and at the end of a live stream, with the idea of providing people with more content that may interest them, both from the creators they follow, and those they don`t.

Photo-sharing platform Instagram announced on Tuesday (local time) it has extended the time limit for live streams from 60 minutes to four hours. The change is global and applies to all Instagram users.

Photo-sharing platform Instagram announced on Tuesday (local time) it has extended the time limit for live streams from 60 minutes to four hours. The change is global and applies to all Instagram users. The reason behind the move, Instagram said, is helping creators -- yoga instructors, musicians, artists, cooks, and the like -- to do longer sessions with their audience without being interrupted every hour, reported Mashable. Also read: Campaign by plus-size model forces Instagram to alter nudity policy However, this will only be available to accounts "in good standing," with no history of IP or policy violations, Instagram said. As per Instagram, it is also adding the option to archive live broadcasts for as long as 30 days. "Now your live videos will be kept in your archive. Only you can see them. After your live videos end, they will be available in your archive for 30 days. You can download your live videos to your device or upload them to IGTV from your archive," said a notice that will be shown to users on launch, reported Mashable. Instagram said this new feature will launch `soon.` The company also said that it will be updating the `Live Now` section on IGTV and at the end of a live stream, with the idea of providing people with more content that may interest them, both from the creators they follow, and those they don`t.

Instagram to let users live stream for up to four hours

New features on Whatsapp | WhatsApp - the messaging platform is at the helm of social media applications. Run by Facebook - one of the four Big Tech companies, its features complement those of its sister platforms like Instagram and Facebook.&nbsp; So if any feature exists on one of these platforms, expect it to show up on all eventually. For instance - “Stories”. By imitating the Snapchat model of quick short lived stories, Instagram mastered it, further emulating it on Facebook and WhatsApp.

In a bid to keep the app updated and fresh, new features are introduced every once in a while. Take a look at what to expect!

WhatsApp Web calling

Do you use WhatsApp web more often than the mobile app, especially while working? Worry not! Now you may not need to use your phone for video and audio calls.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/whatsapp-update-top-5-new-features-in-the-messenger-app-333999" hreflang="en">WhatsApp Update: Top 5 new features in the messenger app</a>

According to WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp web client is getting the calling feature very soon, and are being tested right now.

Expiring media

Instagram already has it, and now WhatsApp is going to get it. Expiring media implies images, gifs, and videos, and perhaps even messages with a shelf life. Once the stipulated period (probably to be decided by users) ends, the media will disappear from the chat, and without saying “this message was deleted”.

History sync&nbsp;

Do you switch your OS platforms often? And never get to retrieve your chats from the previous OS? Worry not! WhatsApp is solving that once and for all, by allowing users to copy chats from divide to another, regardless of the OS they run on.

Multi-device support

Do you use more than one smartphone, but feel restricted to using WhatsApp on one? The company may be working out something for you. With support for multi-device usage, Whatsapp will allow users to access the same account from different devices.

Wallpaper

WhatsApp already lets users decide what image they want to use as the application wallpaper, which appears as the background in chats. This feature is being expanded. According to WABetaInfor, the app will introduce more generic wallpapers from the company, with more personalisation options.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/whatsapp-business-now-has-over-15-million-users-in-india-introduces-new-features-312199" hreflang="en">WhatsApp Business now has over 15 million users in India; introduces new features</a>

For all tech news, follow www.wionews.com/technology&nbsp;

New features on Whatsapp | WhatsApp - the messaging platform is at the helm of social media applications. Run by Facebook - one of the four Big Tech companies, its features complement those of its sister platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

New features on Whatsapp | WhatsApp - the messaging platform is at the helm of social media applications. Run by Facebook - one of the four Big Tech companies, its features complement those of its sister platforms like Instagram and Facebook. So if any feature exists on one of these platforms, expect it to show up on all eventually. For instance - “Stories”. By imitating the Snapchat model of quick short lived stories, Instagram mastered it, further emulating it on Facebook and WhatsApp. In a bid to keep the app updated and fresh, new features are introduced every once in a while. Take a look at what to expect! WhatsApp Web calling Do you use WhatsApp web more often than the mobile app, especially while working? Worry not! Now you may not need to use your phone for video and audio calls. Also read: WhatsApp Update: Top 5 new features in the messenger app According to WABetaInfo, the WhatsApp web client is getting the calling feature very soon, and are being tested right now. Expiring media Instagram already has it, and now WhatsApp is going to get it. Expiring media implies images, gifs, and videos, and perhaps even messages with a shelf life. Once the stipulated period (probably to be decided by users) ends, the media will disappear from the chat, and without saying “this message was deleted”. History sync Do you switch your OS platforms often? And never get to retrieve your chats from the previous OS? Worry not! WhatsApp is solving that once and for all, by allowing users to copy chats from divide to another, regardless of the OS they run on. Multi-device support Do you use more than one smartphone, but feel restricted to using WhatsApp on one? The company may be working out something for you. With support for multi-device usage, Whatsapp will allow users to access the same account from different devices. Wallpaper WhatsApp already lets users decide what image they want to use as the application wallpaper, which appears as the background in chats. This feature is being expanded. According to WABetaInfor, the app will introduce more generic wallpapers from the company, with more personalisation options. Also read: WhatsApp Business now has over 15 million users in India; introduces new features For all tech news, follow www.wionews.com/technology

WhatsApp to get new exciting features like video calling on WhatsApp Web. Here's what to expect

Pakistan has decided to lift a ban on popular social media app TikTok after the company vowed to block all accounts involved in spreading "obscenity and immorality", the country's telecom authority said in a tweet on Monday.

The move comes some 10 days after Pakistan blocked TikTok for failing to filter out "immoral and indecent" content.

Pakistan's telecom regulator blocked&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;on Friday for failing to filter out "immoral and indecent" content, another blow to the social media app that has come under increasing scrutiny as its popularity has surged across the globe.

The ban comes in view of "complaints from different segments of the society against immoral and indecent content on the video sharing application," said the&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/chinese-firm-bytedance-to-reallocate-resources-if-pakistan-unblocks-tiktok-336245" hreflang="en">Chinese firm ByteDance to reallocate resources if Pakistan unblocks TikTok</a>

TikTok&nbsp;said it was "committed to following the law in markets where the app is offered".

"We have been in regular communication with the PTA and continue to work with them. We are hopeful to reach a conclusion that helps us continue to serve the country’s vibrant and creative online community," it said.

TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has become hugely popular in a short period of time by encouraging young users to post brief videos. But a number of countries have raised security and privacy concerns over its links to China.

In June, it was blocked in India - then its largest market by users - which cited national security concerns at a time of a border dispute with China. Separately, it faces the threat of being barred in the United States, and scrutiny in other countries including Australia.

TikTok&nbsp;has long denied that its links to China pose a security concern.

According to the PTA spokesman,&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;reported 20 million monthly active users in&nbsp;Pakistan, while it was the third most downloaded app after WhatsApp and Facebook over the last 12 months, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower.

Three&nbsp;Pakistani officials had told Reuters earlier on Friday that a ban on the app was imminent.&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;was issued with a final warning in July.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/pakistan-bans-tiktok-citing-morals-others-cite-politics-334694" hreflang="en">Pakistan bans TikTok, citing Morals. Others cite politics.</a>

"We have been asking them repeatedly to put in place an effective mechanism for blocking immoral and indecent content," one of the officials directly involved in the decision told Reuters.

Muslim-majority&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;has media regulations that adhere to conservative social customs.

The decision to ban&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;was taken after Prime Minister Imran Khan took a keen interest in the issue, said a second official, adding that Khan has directed the telecoms authorities to make all efforts to block vulgar content.

Last month, five dating apps, including Tinder and Grindr, were also blocked by the PTA.

Pakistan has decided to lift a ban on popular social media app TikTok after the company vowed to block all accounts involved in spreading "obscenity and immorality", the country's telecom authority said in a tweet on Monday.

Pakistan has decided to lift a ban on popular social media app TikTok after the company vowed to block all accounts involved in spreading "obscenity and immorality", the country's telecom authority said in a tweet on Monday. The move comes some 10 days after Pakistan blocked TikTok for failing to filter out "immoral and indecent" content. Pakistan's telecom regulator blocked TikTok on Friday for failing to filter out "immoral and indecent" content, another blow to the social media app that has come under increasing scrutiny as its popularity has surged across the globe. The ban comes in view of "complaints from different segments of the society against immoral and indecent content on the video sharing application," said the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Also read: Chinese firm ByteDance to reallocate resources if Pakistan unblocks TikTok TikTok said it was "committed to following the law in markets where the app is offered". "We have been in regular communication with the PTA and continue to work with them. We are hopeful to reach a conclusion that helps us continue to serve the country’s vibrant and creative online community," it said. TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has become hugely popular in a short period of time by encouraging young users to post brief videos. But a number of countries have raised security and privacy concerns over its links to China. In June, it was blocked in India - then its largest market by users - which cited national security concerns at a time of a border dispute with China. Separately, it faces the threat of being barred in the United States, and scrutiny in other countries including Australia. TikTok has long denied that its links to China pose a security concern. According to the PTA spokesman, TikTok reported 20 million monthly active users in Pakistan, while it was the third most downloaded app after WhatsApp and Facebook over the last 12 months, according to analytics firm Sensor Tower. Three Pakistani officials had told Reuters earlier on Friday that a ban on the app was imminent. TikTok was issued with a final warning in July. Also read: Pakistan bans TikTok, citing Morals. Others cite politics. "We have been asking them repeatedly to put in place an effective mechanism for blocking immoral and indecent content," one of the officials directly involved in the decision told Reuters. Muslim-majority Pakistan has media regulations that adhere to conservative social customs. The decision to ban TikTok was taken after Prime Minister Imran Khan took a keen interest in the issue, said a second official, adding that Khan has directed the telecoms authorities to make all efforts to block vulgar content. Last month, five dating apps, including Tinder and Grindr, were also blocked by the PTA.

Pakistan to lift ban on TikTok after it vows to moderate content

Facebook’s vice president Nick Clegg has said that the social media giant rejected a total of 2.2 million ads on Facebook and Instagram and withdrawn 120,000 posts for attempting to “obstruct voting” in the upcoming US presidential election. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-fumes-as-facebook-twitter-limit-reach-of-smoking-gun-article-on-biden-and-his-son-335344">Also read | Trump fumes as Facebook, Twitter limit reach of 'smoking gun' article on Biden and his son</a> 
 
Earlier in September, the social network site had said it would block new political ads in late October, among other measures, to reduce misinformation and interference.

Facebook had said that it will also remove misinformation about the pandemic and voting as well as any premature posts from candidates declaring victory.

Facebook has been increasing its efforts to avoid a repeat of events leading up to the 2016 US presidential election, won by Donald Trump, when its network was used for attempts at voter manipulation, carried out from Russia.

There were similar problems ahead of Britain's 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union.

"Thirty-five thousand employees take care of the security of our platforms and contribute for elections," said Clegg, who is vice president of global affairs and communications at Facebook.

"We have established partnerships with 70 specialised media, including five in France, on the verification of information", he added.

In 2016, while he was still deputy prime minister, Clegg complained to the Journal du Dimanche that Facebook had not identified or suppressed a single foreign network interfering in the US election.

On Wednesday President Trump rebuked Facebook and Twitter for blocking links to a New York Post article purporting to expose corrupt dealings by election rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine. 
 
The story had raised&nbsp;allegations against Hunter Biden and his actions that involved Joe Biden.

"So terrible that Facebook and Twitter took down the story of “Smoking Gun” emails related to Sleepy Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in the @NYPost. It is only the beginning for them. There is nothing worse than a corrupt politician. REPEAL SECTION 230!!!" tweeted Trump.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook’s vice president Nick Clegg has said that the social media giant rejected a total of 2.2 million ads on Facebook and Instagram and withdrawn 120,000 posts for attempting to “obstruct voting” in the upcoming US presidential election.

Facebook’s vice president Nick Clegg has said that the social media giant rejected a total of 2.2 million ads on Facebook and Instagram and withdrawn 120,000 posts for attempting to “obstruct voting” in the upcoming US presidential election. Also read | Trump fumes as Facebook, Twitter limit reach of 'smoking gun' article on Biden and his son Earlier in September, the social network site had said it would block new political ads in late October, among other measures, to reduce misinformation and interference. Facebook had said that it will also remove misinformation about the pandemic and voting as well as any premature posts from candidates declaring victory. Facebook has been increasing its efforts to avoid a repeat of events leading up to the 2016 US presidential election, won by Donald Trump, when its network was used for attempts at voter manipulation, carried out from Russia. There were similar problems ahead of Britain's 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union. "Thirty-five thousand employees take care of the security of our platforms and contribute for elections," said Clegg, who is vice president of global affairs and communications at Facebook. "We have established partnerships with 70 specialised media, including five in France, on the verification of information", he added. In 2016, while he was still deputy prime minister, Clegg complained to the Journal du Dimanche that Facebook had not identified or suppressed a single foreign network interfering in the US election. On Wednesday President Trump rebuked Facebook and Twitter for blocking links to a New York Post article purporting to expose corrupt dealings by election rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter in Ukraine. The story had raised allegations against Hunter Biden and his actions that involved Joe Biden. "So terrible that Facebook and Twitter took down the story of “Smoking Gun” emails related to Sleepy Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in the @NYPost. It is only the beginning for them. There is nothing worse than a corrupt politician. REPEAL SECTION 230!!!" tweeted Trump. (With inputs from agencies)

Rejected 2.2 million advertisements seeking to obstruct voting in US election: Facebook

Are social media giants trying to manipulate the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections? If not, why then have Facebook and Twitter restricted the reach of an article on Hunter Biden? Palki Sharma Upadhyay has the details.

Gravitas: Is social media manipulating U.S. polls?

Twitter was &nbsp;restored &nbsp;Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide.

The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden.

"We are continuing to monitor the issue, and things appear to have returned to normal," Twitter's application programming interface site said at 0011 GMT Friday.

The California-based company tweeted earlier: "We had some trouble with our internal systems and don't have any evidence of a security breach or hack."

According to downdetector.com, users on every continent had reported being unable to use the platform, but the outages were concentrated on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as Japan. 
The outage appeared to have started around 2130 GMT.

Bias?

The Twitter shutdown came at a delicate moment. The company this week took the dramatic step of reducing the reach of a New York Post article critical of Biden, drawing a harsh rebuke from conservatives.

Thursday's outage was the latest technical breakdown to knock Twitter offline. The platform experienced an hour-long outage in July 2019, one lasting several hours a year ago and yet another last February.

More worrisome are hacking attacks on popular social media platforms like Twitter.

In July, prominent Americans including former president Barack Obama, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla chief Elon Musk saw their Twitter accounts hacked.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-twitter-google-bosses-decline-to-appear-before-us-senate-335602">Facebook, Twitter, Google bosses decline to appear before US Senate</a>

The attack targeted at least 130 accounts, with tweets posted by the intruders duping people into sending $100,000 in Bitcoin, supposedly in exchange for double the amount sent.

Several people aged 17 to 22 have since been charged for the hack, in which they targeted Twitter employees for personal passcodes to get into the company's internal systems.

In September 2019, Twitter experienced a brief but embarrassing attack: the account of its founder Jack Dorsey was hacked and erratic and offensive messages were posted from it.

Twitter was restored Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide.

Twitter was restored Thursday evening after a technical problem caused a global outage of nearly two hours on the social media platform used by hundreds of millions worldwide. The outage marked a new setback for the company, which for the past two days has been fending off accusations of bias over its decision to block a news report critical of Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden. "We are continuing to monitor the issue, and things appear to have returned to normal," Twitter's application programming interface site said at 0011 GMT Friday. The California-based company tweeted earlier: "We had some trouble with our internal systems and don't have any evidence of a security breach or hack." According to downdetector.com, users on every continent had reported being unable to use the platform, but the outages were concentrated on the east and west coasts of the United States, as well as Japan. The outage appeared to have started around 2130 GMT. Bias? The Twitter shutdown came at a delicate moment. The company this week took the dramatic step of reducing the reach of a New York Post article critical of Biden, drawing a harsh rebuke from conservatives. Thursday's outage was the latest technical breakdown to knock Twitter offline. The platform experienced an hour-long outage in July 2019, one lasting several hours a year ago and yet another last February. More worrisome are hacking attacks on popular social media platforms like Twitter. In July, prominent Americans including former president Barack Obama, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Tesla chief Elon Musk saw their Twitter accounts hacked. Also Read | Facebook, Twitter, Google bosses decline to appear before US Senate The attack targeted at least 130 accounts, with tweets posted by the intruders duping people into sending $100,000 in Bitcoin, supposedly in exchange for double the amount sent. Several people aged 17 to 22 have since been charged for the hack, in which they targeted Twitter employees for personal passcodes to get into the company's internal systems. In September 2019, Twitter experienced a brief but embarrassing attack: the account of its founder Jack Dorsey was hacked and erratic and offensive messages were posted from it.

Twitter service restored following global platform outage

Facebook’s Instagram has agreed measures to crack down on hidden advertising by so-called influencers on its photo and video platform, Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday.

Influencers with thousands of followers can earn large fees from companies to promotes a product on Instagram.

In what the CMA described as an important behaviour shift by a major social media platform, Facebook Ireland, which operates Instagram in Britain, has committed to a package of changes.

“This will make it much harder for people to post an advert on Instagram without labelling it as such,” the CMA said in a statement.

Facebook said the company was pleased to be working with the CMA on its continued efforts to increase transparency on when people are paid to post content on Instagram.

“We are also proud to be launching a programme with MediaSmart to help educate young people about branded content and how to identify it,” Facebook added.

The CMA said it has been investigating concerns that too many influencers are posting content about businesses without making it clear they have been paid or received other incentives to do so.

Influencers will have to confirm and disclose if they have received any incentives to promote a product or service.

Instagram will also use technology to spot when users might not have disclosed clearly that a post is an advertisement, the CMA said.

Last year 16 celebrities pledged to clean up their act on social media after CMA action, the watchdog added.

Facebook’s Instagram has agreed measures to crack down on hidden advertising by so-called influencers on its photo and video platform, Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday.

Facebook’s Instagram has agreed measures to crack down on hidden advertising by so-called influencers on its photo and video platform, Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday. Influencers with thousands of followers can earn large fees from companies to promotes a product on Instagram. In what the CMA described as an important behaviour shift by a major social media platform, Facebook Ireland, which operates Instagram in Britain, has committed to a package of changes. “This will make it much harder for people to post an advert on Instagram without labelling it as such,” the CMA said in a statement. Facebook said the company was pleased to be working with the CMA on its continued efforts to increase transparency on when people are paid to post content on Instagram. “We are also proud to be launching a programme with MediaSmart to help educate young people about branded content and how to identify it,” Facebook added. The CMA said it has been investigating concerns that too many influencers are posting content about businesses without making it clear they have been paid or received other incentives to do so. Influencers will have to confirm and disclose if they have received any incentives to promote a product or service. Instagram will also use technology to spot when users might not have disclosed clearly that a post is an advertisement, the CMA said. Last year 16 celebrities pledged to clean up their act on social media after CMA action, the watchdog added.

Instagram agrees curbs on paid influencers

From fake news to fake accounts to 'boost' following of state media - China is trying to build a propaganda network to influence conversations on social media. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more about China's social media propaganda machine.

Gravitas: How China is trying to manipulate social media platforms

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights.

On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party AKP proposed the new regulations in the Parliament, which is also being seen as a crackdown on all opposing media.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-indicts-six-more-saudi-nationals-over-jamal-khashoggi-murder-331073">Also read:&nbsp;Turkey indicts six more Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi murder</a>

As per the new rules, all social media platforms that have more than&nbsp;one million daily users — which is a common sight for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — must open an office in the country which can help deal with&nbsp;local court decisions to remove offending content within 48 hours.

If the platforms fail to remove the 'offending' content within 48 hours, the companies will face advertising bans and&nbsp;fines of up to 40 million Turkish lira ($5.1 million). More importantly, they will also be subjected to&nbsp;bandwidth reductions of up to 90 per cent, which makes the platforms effectively unusable.

Calling it a qestionalable decision, Facebook's human rights officer Iain Levine took to twitter to condemn this move. "Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights," he tweeted.

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Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights “This is an unprecedented attempt to control the online information space in Turkey" says <a href="https://twitter.com/cyberrights?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cyberrights</a><a href="https://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm">https://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm</a> <a href="https://t.co/VlVV8m0rmp">pic.twitter.com/VlVV8m0rmp</a>
— Iain Levine (@iainlevine) <a href="https://twitter.com/iainlevine/status/1310618662982823943?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"We believe that these days it's really impossible in a country like Turkey to suppress social media -- it is so much a part of people's lives," said Emma Sinclair-Webb, the Turkey director of Human Rights Watch.

There are also reports that suggest that while a specific clause was removed from th&nbsp;final version of the draft elaw passed in July, companies will be unofficially asked to store data locally — a decision that has been a major point of debate between Donald Trump and TikTok too.

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights. On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants.

Turkey, a nation known to pride on its cultural values, is set to impose strict regulations on social media, ending an era of free speech rights. On Thursday, Turkey will be imposing new social media regulations for social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter that will place various new regulations on the social media giants. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party AKP proposed the new regulations in the Parliament, which is also being seen as a crackdown on all opposing media. Also read: Turkey indicts six more Saudi nationals over Jamal Khashoggi murder As per the new rules, all social media platforms that have more than one million daily users — which is a common sight for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — must open an office in the country which can help deal with local court decisions to remove offending content within 48 hours. If the platforms fail to remove the 'offending' content within 48 hours, the companies will face advertising bans and fines of up to 40 million Turkish lira ($5.1 million). More importantly, they will also be subjected to bandwidth reductions of up to 90 per cent, which makes the platforms effectively unusable. Calling it a qestionalable decision, Facebook's human rights officer Iain Levine took to twitter to condemn this move. "Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights," he tweeted. Turkey's new social media law raises many concerns re human rights “This is an unprecedented attempt to control the online information space in Turkey" says @cyberrightshttps://t.co/y2ic6HM7Jm pic.twitter.com/VlVV8m0rmp — Iain Levine (@iainlevine) September 28, 2020 × "We believe that these days it's really impossible in a country like Turkey to suppress social media -- it is so much a part of people's lives," said Emma Sinclair-Webb, the Turkey director of Human Rights Watch. There are also reports that suggest that while a specific clause was removed from th final version of the draft elaw passed in July, companies will be unofficially asked to store data locally — a decision that has been a major point of debate between Donald Trump and TikTok too.

Turkey set to impose anti-social media regulations

On September 27, WebMD, a portal for medical news and information posted a video on Twitter with the title - “How to make a Chai Latte at home”.&nbsp;An explainer on how to make a “Chai Latte”, it stirred quite the furore on Twitter! 
 
The recipe amalgamates a variety of ingredients, some perhaps too much, leading many to believe&nbsp;it was a joke. For instance, it suggests 3 cardamom sticks for a single serving, and to top it off, they added maple syrup.&nbsp;

Watch the video below:

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Learn how to make a chai latte -- without the coffee shop price tag. <a href="https://t.co/pVZTEBXyL3">pic.twitter.com/pVZTEBXyL3</a>
— WebMD (@WebMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/WebMD/status/1310187541660930051?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Like any "how-to" video, it listed our ingredients, the quantity, and the methods. The video’s accompanying message was - “Learn how to make a chai latte -- without the coffee shop price tag”. Twitterverse held back no words. Take a look.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-twitter-storm-over-chai-latte-331286/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A user wrote - "The only thing left to add to this abomination is some garam masala".

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Damn, white people, the only thing left to add to this abomination is some garam masala.
— Madhu Menon (@madmanweb) <a href="https://twitter.com/madmanweb/status/1310513911091793920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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A user mocked the recipe, this is what they said:

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Add rice instead of tea bags and this will be biryani👌 <a href="https://t.co/ZmvmFM5i5E">pic.twitter.com/ZmvmFM5i5E</a>
— J for Joke; J for Judiciary (@snorlaxisbored) <a href="https://twitter.com/snorlaxisbored/status/1310543567052398593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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One user suggested WebMD to Google the recipe instead.

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I'm trying not be like "ew white ppl food" but guys.... 
Just google masala chai recipe and copy that.... 
We have recipes in English online, you have no excuse 
 
I LEGIT can't look at this 
Also you are wasting so much masala... Just like grind them maybe.. *sigh*
— ghost emoji ⟭⟬ (@PaanBangtan) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaanBangtan/status/1310569623377461248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Another user mocked the recipe. Read below!

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Hey, Indians use so many spices in their food. Let's make something and throw in all the spices and call it authentic Indian drink. /s 
 
Indians do not make chai with almond milk or coconut milk ffs. They use cow or Buffalo milk.
— Anucool (@anucool360) <a href="https://twitter.com/anucool360/status/1310814176172892160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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And then there was a very pertinent question!

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Where do you guys get your star anise from? <a href="https://t.co/30QF8jGAeS">pic.twitter.com/30QF8jGAeS</a>
— Bangali (@GrumpyBangali) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrumpyBangali/status/1310638534009778177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Naturally, a user questioned the usage of maple syrup.

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Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/WebMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WebMD</a> , I know a lot of Indians misinterpret Information from your website and self medicate &amp; say bad things about you , but there is nothing called Chai latte and we positively don't use these many spices or coconut milk. We surely don't know maple or its use in chai
— Mitesh (@miteshsays) <a href="https://twitter.com/miteshsays/status/1310483186921562112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Another user showed zero chill, and imply asked WebMD to delete the tweet.

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"without the coffee shop price tag" 
 
habibi this is without the price tag and without any decency. please delete this tweet.
— Ubadah Sabbagh (@neubadah) <a href="https://twitter.com/neubadah/status/1310578701172641792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Others got creative!

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Coconut milk and ... maple syrup?! 😳 <a href="https://t.co/URejRHTsol">pic.twitter.com/URejRHTsol</a>
— faranaaz⁷ (@faranaaz) <a href="https://twitter.com/faranaaz/status/1310816259835977728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Another user simply pointed them towards a better recipe

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Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/WebMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WebMD</a>, THIS is how authentic chai is made:<a href="https://t.co/eO6LmESf7j">https://t.co/eO6LmESf7j</a>
— Amrita Bhortake (@AmritaBhortake) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmritaBhortake/status/1310607609339080704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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On an optimistic note, a user urged others to let loose!

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As a desi, I approve of this Chai! It has lovely spices &amp; is delicious! The Brits cultivated tea in India &amp; Sri Lanka to fight China's tea monopoly. Since then, each country has added their own spices to Chai. Let's get over our colonial hangover &amp; enjoy the variety worldover!
— Curatorous (@Curatorous) <a href="https://twitter.com/Curatorous/status/1310612737358168067?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2020</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

On September 27, WebMD, a portal for medical news and information posted a video on Twitter with the title - “How to make a Chai Latte at home”. An explainer on how to make a “Chai Latte”, it stirred quite the furore on Twitter!

On September 27, WebMD, a portal for medical news and information posted a video on Twitter with the title - “How to make a Chai Latte at home”. An explainer on how to make a “Chai Latte”, it stirred quite the furore on Twitter! The recipe amalgamates a variety of ingredients, some perhaps too much, leading many to believe it was a joke. For instance, it suggests 3 cardamom sticks for a single serving, and to top it off, they added maple syrup. Watch the video below: Learn how to make a chai latte -- without the coffee shop price tag. pic.twitter.com/pVZTEBXyL3 — WebMD (@WebMD) September 27, 2020 × Like any "how-to" video, it listed our ingredients, the quantity, and the methods. The video’s accompanying message was - “Learn how to make a chai latte -- without the coffee shop price tag”. Twitterverse held back no words. Take a look. A user wrote - "The only thing left to add to this abomination is some garam masala". Damn, white people, the only thing left to add to this abomination is some garam masala. — Madhu Menon (@madmanweb) September 28, 2020 × A user mocked the recipe, this is what they said: Add rice instead of tea bags and this will be biryani👌 pic.twitter.com/ZmvmFM5i5E — J for Joke; J for Judiciary (@snorlaxisbored) September 28, 2020 × One user suggested WebMD to Google the recipe instead. I'm trying not be like "ew white ppl food" but guys.... Just google masala chai recipe and copy that.... We have recipes in English online, you have no excuse I LEGIT can't look at this Also you are wasting so much masala... Just like grind them maybe.. *sigh* — ghost emoji ⟭⟬ (@PaanBangtan) September 28, 2020 × Another user mocked the recipe. Read below! Hey, Indians use so many spices in their food. Let's make something and throw in all the spices and call it authentic Indian drink. /s Indians do not make chai with almond milk or coconut milk ffs. They use cow or Buffalo milk. — Anucool (@anucool360) September 29, 2020 × And then there was a very pertinent question! Where do you guys get your star anise from? pic.twitter.com/30QF8jGAeS — Bangali (@GrumpyBangali) September 28, 2020 × Naturally, a user questioned the usage of maple syrup. Dear @WebMD , I know a lot of Indians misinterpret Information from your website and self medicate & say bad things about you , but there is nothing called Chai latte and we positively don't use these many spices or coconut milk. We surely don't know maple or its use in chai — Mitesh (@miteshsays) September 28, 2020 × Another user showed zero chill, and imply asked WebMD to delete the tweet. "without the coffee shop price tag" habibi this is without the price tag and without any decency. please delete this tweet. — Ubadah Sabbagh (@neubadah) September 28, 2020 × Others got creative! Coconut milk and ... maple syrup?! 😳 pic.twitter.com/URejRHTsol — faranaaz⁷ (@faranaaz) September 29, 2020 × Another user simply pointed them towards a better recipe Hi @WebMD, THIS is how authentic chai is made:https://t.co/eO6LmESf7j — Amrita Bhortake (@AmritaBhortake) September 28, 2020 × On an optimistic note, a user urged others to let loose! As a desi, I approve of this Chai! It has lovely spices & is delicious! The Brits cultivated tea in India & Sri Lanka to fight China's tea monopoly. Since then, each country has added their own spices to Chai. Let's get over our colonial hangover & enjoy the variety worldover! — Curatorous (@Curatorous) September 28, 2020 ×

Twitter erupts over a questionable 'Chai Latte' recipe. Take a look at these hilarious takes!

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have agreed with big advertisers on first steps to curb harmful content online, following boycotts of social media platforms that advertisers had accused of tolerating hate speech.

The agreement comes three months after Facebook was hit by a boycott from major advertisers in the wake of anti-racism demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd, an American Black man, in police custody.

Advertisers have complained for years that big social media companies do too little to prevent ads from appearing alongside hate speech, fake news and other harmful content. Big tech companies, meanwhile, want to be seen as taking action on the issue to fend off calls for more regulation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/watch-nigerian-teacher-offers-free-mathematics-classes-through-social-media-326249" hreflang="en">Watch: Nigerian teacher offers free Mathematics classes through social media</a>

Under the deal, announced on Wednesday by the World Federation of Advertisers, common definitions would be adopted for forms of harmful content such as hate speech and bullying, and platforms would adopt harmonised reporting standards.

The platforms agreed to have some practices reviewed by external auditors, and to give advertisers more control of what content is displayed alongside their ads. The deal comes less than six weeks before a polarising U.S. presidential election.

"This is a significant milestone in the journey to rebuild trust online," said Luis Di Como, executive vice president of global media at Unilever, one of the world's biggest advertisers. "...Whilst change doesn't happen overnight, today marks an important step in the right direction."

Carolyn Everson, Vice President for Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook, said the agreement "has aligned the industry on the brand safety floor and suitability framework, giving us all a unified language to move forward on the fight against hate online."

SCEPTICAL

Campaigners who want more regulation of social media companies have been sceptical of voluntary measures such as those announced on Wednesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/misinformation-fake-news-india-calls-out-pakistan-over-false-propaganda-on-social-media-after-stanford-internet-observatory-report-324616" hreflang="en">'Misinformation, fake news': India calls out Pakistan over false propaganda on social media after Stanford Internet Observatory report</a>

"Any progress in reducing harmful online content is to be welcomed. However, up to now voluntary action from social media companies has rarely lived up to its initial promises. So time will tell how much of a difference this latest industry-led initiative will make," David Babbs of UK-based group Clean Up the Internet told Reuters by email.

The Stop Hate for Profit campaign behind the Facebook boycott is backed by the Anti-Defamation League and NAACP, two of the oldest and biggest anti-racism campaign groups in the United States. The campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

In a statement last week, it said: "Facebook’s failures lead to real-life violence and sow division, and we’re calling on the company to improve its policies. We need to urge people to vote and demand Facebook stop undermining our democracy. Enough is enough."

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have agreed with big advertisers on first steps to curb harmful content online, following boycotts of social media platforms that advertisers had accused of tolerating hate speech.

Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have agreed with big advertisers on first steps to curb harmful content online, following boycotts of social media platforms that advertisers had accused of tolerating hate speech. The agreement comes three months after Facebook was hit by a boycott from major advertisers in the wake of anti-racism demonstrations that followed the death of George Floyd, an American Black man, in police custody. Advertisers have complained for years that big social media companies do too little to prevent ads from appearing alongside hate speech, fake news and other harmful content. Big tech companies, meanwhile, want to be seen as taking action on the issue to fend off calls for more regulation. Also read: Watch: Nigerian teacher offers free Mathematics classes through social media Under the deal, announced on Wednesday by the World Federation of Advertisers, common definitions would be adopted for forms of harmful content such as hate speech and bullying, and platforms would adopt harmonised reporting standards. The platforms agreed to have some practices reviewed by external auditors, and to give advertisers more control of what content is displayed alongside their ads. The deal comes less than six weeks before a polarising U.S. presidential election. "This is a significant milestone in the journey to rebuild trust online," said Luis Di Como, executive vice president of global media at Unilever, one of the world's biggest advertisers. "...Whilst change doesn't happen overnight, today marks an important step in the right direction." Carolyn Everson, Vice President for Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook, said the agreement "has aligned the industry on the brand safety floor and suitability framework, giving us all a unified language to move forward on the fight against hate online." SCEPTICAL Campaigners who want more regulation of social media companies have been sceptical of voluntary measures such as those announced on Wednesday. Also read: 'Misinformation, fake news': India calls out Pakistan over false propaganda on social media after Stanford Internet Observatory report "Any progress in reducing harmful online content is to be welcomed. However, up to now voluntary action from social media companies has rarely lived up to its initial promises. So time will tell how much of a difference this latest industry-led initiative will make," David Babbs of UK-based group Clean Up the Internet told Reuters by email. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign behind the Facebook boycott is backed by the Anti-Defamation League and NAACP, two of the oldest and biggest anti-racism campaign groups in the United States. The campaign did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. In a statement last week, it said: "Facebook’s failures lead to real-life violence and sow division, and we’re calling on the company to improve its policies. We need to urge people to vote and demand Facebook stop undermining our democracy. Enough is enough."

Advertisers and social media giants reach deal on steps to curb harmful content

A lawsuit filed against Facebook has accused the company of spying on its users through the phone camera via Instagram. Brittany Conditi, an Instagram user filed the lawsuit against Facebook in a Federal court in San Francisco, Bloomberg reported.

Conditi said that the app was using the phone camera intentionally to obtain “lucrative and valuable data on its users that it would not otherwise have access to”, said Bloomberg.

Facebook has declined to comment on this.

The fresh lawsuit is latest in a long list of allegations of privacy breach against Facebook.

In July this year, media reports suggesting Instagram accessed iPhone cameras in unauthorised manner were published. The reports said that such access was gained without the user's knowledge.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook corrects user's post under new Singapore fake news law</a> 
 
Facebook had refuted the claims and had blamed such an access on a bug.

The allegations did not stop after that. Facebook was accused of obtaining biometric data of its users using facial recognition technology. It was alleged that such data was gathered without the users' knowledge or consent.

Facebook had refuted the claims and had said that the photo-sharing app did not use facial-recognition technology.

A lawsuit filed against Facebook has accused the company of spying on its users through the phone camera via Instagram. Brittany Conditi, an Instagram user filed the lawsuit against Facebook in a Federal court in San Francisco, Bloomberg reported.

A lawsuit filed against Facebook has accused the company of spying on its users through the phone camera via Instagram. Brittany Conditi, an Instagram user filed the lawsuit against Facebook in a Federal court in San Francisco, Bloomberg reported. Conditi said that the app was using the phone camera intentionally to obtain “lucrative and valuable data on its users that it would not otherwise have access to”, said Bloomberg. Facebook has declined to comment on this. The fresh lawsuit is latest in a long list of allegations of privacy breach against Facebook. In July this year, media reports suggesting Instagram accessed iPhone cameras in unauthorised manner were published. The reports said that such access was gained without the user's knowledge. Also Read | Facebook corrects user's post under new Singapore fake news law Facebook had refuted the claims and had blamed such an access on a bug. The allegations did not stop after that. Facebook was accused of obtaining biometric data of its users using facial recognition technology. It was alleged that such data was gathered without the users' knowledge or consent. Facebook had refuted the claims and had said that the photo-sharing app did not use facial-recognition technology.

Facebook accused of snooping on Instagram users through phone cameras

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries.

Researchers have warned that laziness in the&nbsp;residents of the United Kingdom due to smartphones is alarmingly more than&nbsp;in any other major western European country.

The study was conducted for the period from 2007 to 2017, and interestingly the first iPhone was launched in Europe in 2007.&nbsp;Since then, there has been an alarming increase of 22 per cent in the&nbsp;levels of sedentary behaviour among adults in the UK, in a period of 10 years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-really-pleased-with-reopening-of-schools-323026">Also read|&nbsp;UK PM Boris Johnson 'really pleased' with reopening of schools</a>

The increase has majorly been due to the change in lifestyle of adults between the age range of 35 to 44. People in this age, who earlier used to move around and indulge in various activities, have now started spending&nbsp;their leisure time on their smartphones.

Europe, as a whole, saw an increase of about 8 per cent, with France following the UK at 17.8 per cent, followed by a 7.4 per cent increase in Germany, 3.9 per cent in Spain, and just 0.2 per cent in Italy. Adults in these countries spend more than four hours sitting down using their smartphones.

The increase in the laziness is being considered as dangerous as the inactivity usually leads to deadly long-term diseases such as type-2 diabetes and cancer. It has also been revealed that nearly 12 per cent (or&nbsp;70,000 deaths) in the UK are caused due to inactivity.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-to-ask-schools-to-reopen-by-september-reports-319158">Also read|&nbsp;Boris Johnson to ask schools to reopen by September: Reports</a>

The researchers are urging the respective government to encourage citizens to give up the temptation of sitting down and indulge in physical and healthy activities, other than gym trips.&nbsp;

The researchers feel this increase is majorly due to the advancement in technology, such as streaming platforms. Professor Xián Mayo Mauriz, who took part in the research at the King Juan Carlos University in Spain, said: "We propose that the observed increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity could be attributed to people increasingly interacting with technology such as smartphones and streaming services during work and leisure time.

“Our findings suggest that in addition to encouraging physical activity, governments should focus on reducing the amount of time people spend sitting per day."

The research was published in&nbsp;the journal BCM Public Health.

Another independent study in the UK last year had found out that people, on an average, spend nearly four hours every day on their phones, out of which nearly one hour is spent on social media.

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries.

Smartphones have our life easier and faster, but some researchers have concluded that the invention has also brought extreme laziness in humans, especially I one of the countries. Researchers have warned that laziness in the residents of the United Kingdom due to smartphones is alarmingly more than in any other major western European country. The study was conducted for the period from 2007 to 2017, and interestingly the first iPhone was launched in Europe in 2007. Since then, there has been an alarming increase of 22 per cent in the levels of sedentary behaviour among adults in the UK, in a period of 10 years. Also read| UK PM Boris Johnson 'really pleased' with reopening of schools The increase has majorly been due to the change in lifestyle of adults between the age range of 35 to 44. People in this age, who earlier used to move around and indulge in various activities, have now started spending their leisure time on their smartphones. Europe, as a whole, saw an increase of about 8 per cent, with France following the UK at 17.8 per cent, followed by a 7.4 per cent increase in Germany, 3.9 per cent in Spain, and just 0.2 per cent in Italy. Adults in these countries spend more than four hours sitting down using their smartphones. The increase in the laziness is being considered as dangerous as the inactivity usually leads to deadly long-term diseases such as type-2 diabetes and cancer. It has also been revealed that nearly 12 per cent (or 70,000 deaths) in the UK are caused due to inactivity. Also read| Boris Johnson to ask schools to reopen by September: Reports The researchers are urging the respective government to encourage citizens to give up the temptation of sitting down and indulge in physical and healthy activities, other than gym trips. The researchers feel this increase is majorly due to the advancement in technology, such as streaming platforms. Professor Xián Mayo Mauriz, who took part in the research at the King Juan Carlos University in Spain, said: "We propose that the observed increase in the prevalence of physical inactivity could be attributed to people increasingly interacting with technology such as smartphones and streaming services during work and leisure time. “Our findings suggest that in addition to encouraging physical activity, governments should focus on reducing the amount of time people spend sitting per day." The research was published in the journal BCM Public Health. Another independent study in the UK last year had found out that people, on an average, spend nearly four hours every day on their phones, out of which nearly one hour is spent on social media.

Smartphones have made UK one of the laziest countries in Europe

The cold war between two of the biggest tech companies is only escalating with every passing day. Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Apple Inc&nbsp;(AAPL.O) have against locked horns —&nbsp; this time the topic is commission fee.

Facebook announced that Apple has&nbsp;now declined its request to waive a 30 per cent commission fee the iPhone maker charges apps listed on iOS devices. Facebook claims it made the request so that the small businesses do not have to pay Apple's cut&nbsp;for a new paid online 'events' product that Facebook&nbsp;is launching on its core platform.

Apple, much like Google, charges a commission fee between 15 to 30 per cent for app&nbsp;subscriptions and payments made inside apps, except for them companies that already&nbsp;have a credit card on file for iPhone customers. This practice by tech company has been criticised earlier too by various developers.

Recently, 'Fortnite' developer Epic Games also got into a legal and social war with Apple over similar issues.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/fortnite-makers-to-sue-apple-inc-as-freefortnite-trends-with-remake-of-1984-video-320327">Also read:&nbsp;'Fortnite' makers to sue Apple Inc as #FreeFortnite trends with remake of 1984 video</a>

The issue came to light after a mock up of the new feature of Facebook on iPhone showed that the company planned to tell users that Apple would take 30 per cent of the purchase.

While the same process is followed by Google, it is not clear if Google would walk the oath of Apple in this case, or let go of the fee for a greater cause.

Google and Facebook declined to reveal their arrangement, though.

Fidji Simo, head of&nbsp;the core Facebook app, announced the tool in a media conference call featuring small business owners who praised it as a way to reach customers and earn revenue online during the coronavirus pandemic.

She said Facebook considered it “important to be transparent, when people are supporting small businesses,” as users might not be aware that part of their payments could be “going to an almost $2 trillion company.”

Apple has not yet responded to the controversy.

The cold war between two of the biggest tech companies is only escalating with every passing day. Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O) have against locked horns — this time the topic is commission fee.

The cold war between two of the biggest tech companies is only escalating with every passing day. Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O) have against locked horns — this time the topic is commission fee. Facebook announced that Apple has now declined its request to waive a 30 per cent commission fee the iPhone maker charges apps listed on iOS devices. Facebook claims it made the request so that the small businesses do not have to pay Apple's cut for a new paid online 'events' product that Facebook is launching on its core platform. Apple, much like Google, charges a commission fee between 15 to 30 per cent for app subscriptions and payments made inside apps, except for them companies that already have a credit card on file for iPhone customers. This practice by tech company has been criticised earlier too by various developers. Recently, 'Fortnite' developer Epic Games also got into a legal and social war with Apple over similar issues. Also read: 'Fortnite' makers to sue Apple Inc as #FreeFortnite trends with remake of 1984 video The issue came to light after a mock up of the new feature of Facebook on iPhone showed that the company planned to tell users that Apple would take 30 per cent of the purchase. While the same process is followed by Google, it is not clear if Google would walk the oath of Apple in this case, or let go of the fee for a greater cause. Google and Facebook declined to reveal their arrangement, though. Fidji Simo, head of the core Facebook app, announced the tool in a media conference call featuring small business owners who praised it as a way to reach customers and earn revenue online during the coronavirus pandemic. She said Facebook considered it “important to be transparent, when people are supporting small businesses,” as users might not be aware that part of their payments could be “going to an almost $2 trillion company.” Apple has not yet responded to the controversy.

Apple denied our request to waive off 30% commission fee: Facebook Inc

'The attack on journalists, the police and the public on the riot last night was unpredictable. The govt will not tolerate such provocations and rumors. Strict action against perpetrators is certain', says Karnataka CM B. S. Yediyurappa

Bengaluru Mob Attack: Violence triggered by communal FB post | 3 people killed in police firing

Turkey's parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial bill which would give the government greater control of social media.

According to the official Anadolu news agency, under the new law, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter would have to ensure they have local representatives in Turkey. These representatives have to comply with Turkish court orders over the removal of certain content or face heavy fines.

The law would affect social networks with more than a million unique visits every day, and proposes servers with Turkish users' data must be stored in Turkey.

The law passed after debates beginning on Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to tighten government control over social media earlier this month after he said "dark-hearted" users insulted Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and his wife Esra, the president's daughter, following the birth of their fourth child.

To this end, critics&nbsp;are worried over what they call the erosion of freedom of expression in Turkey, with thousands of people subject to criminal proceedings for "insulting" President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media.

Last month, Erdogan met with a spate of negative comments during a video-conference with young people.&nbsp;

The Turkish presidency then turned off comments but there were 388,000 clicks on the "thumbs down" button, compared with 114,000 on the "thumbs up" button.

Erdogan is not a fan of social media despite a large following on different platforms, including Twitter. He once compared the media platforms to a "murderer's knife" and previously promised to "eradicate" Twitter.

His government previously blocked Twitter and YouTube in 2014 after audio recordings were posted implicating the president, then prime minister, and his inner circle in an alleged corruption scandal.

A Turkish court in January lifted a ban on the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia after almost three years.

According to Twitter's latest "transparency report" for the first half of 2019, Turkey ranked number one for seeking content removal with more than 6,000 requests.

Turkey's parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial bill which would give the government greater control of social media. According to the official Anadolu news agency, under the new law, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter would have to ensure they have local representatives in Turkey.

Turkey's parliament on Wednesday passed a controversial bill which would give the government greater control of social media. According to the official Anadolu news agency, under the new law, social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter would have to ensure they have local representatives in Turkey. These representatives have to comply with Turkish court orders over the removal of certain content or face heavy fines. The law would affect social networks with more than a million unique visits every day, and proposes servers with Turkish users' data must be stored in Turkey. The law passed after debates beginning on Tuesday and lasting into Wednesday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to tighten government control over social media earlier this month after he said "dark-hearted" users insulted Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and his wife Esra, the president's daughter, following the birth of their fourth child. To this end, critics are worried over what they call the erosion of freedom of expression in Turkey, with thousands of people subject to criminal proceedings for "insulting" President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media. Last month, Erdogan met with a spate of negative comments during a video-conference with young people. The Turkish presidency then turned off comments but there were 388,000 clicks on the "thumbs down" button, compared with 114,000 on the "thumbs up" button. Erdogan is not a fan of social media despite a large following on different platforms, including Twitter. He once compared the media platforms to a "murderer's knife" and previously promised to "eradicate" Twitter. His government previously blocked Twitter and YouTube in 2014 after audio recordings were posted implicating the president, then prime minister, and his inner circle in an alleged corruption scandal. A Turkish court in January lifted a ban on the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia after almost three years. According to Twitter's latest "transparency report" for the first half of 2019, Turkey ranked number one for seeking content removal with more than 6,000 requests.

Turkey parliament passes controversial social media bill

Afghans shared accounts of violence linked to the Taliban on social media with the hashtag phrase `don`t redeem the Taliban` as anxiety grows as the United States withdraws troops and attempts to usher peace talks with the militant group.

The accounts of alleged violence and human rights abuses with the hashtag phrase in Dari meaning `don`t redeem the Taliban' have been shared more than 100,000 times on Twitter.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/qatar-likely-to-hold-peace-talks-between-afghanistan-taliban-minister-314130">Also read|&nbsp;Qatar likely to hold peace talks between Afghanistan-Taliban: Minister</a>

Kabul-based Twitter user Ejaz Malikzada, 26, said the message had gained traction as Afghan social media users sought to remind foreign powers not to sacrifice achievements on human rights made in the last few decades.

"By participating in this hashtag I want to tell those foreigners who insist on starting peace talks in Afghanistan, they have ignored or forgotten the crimes and violence committed by the Taliban against Afghan people," he said.

Though millions of Afghans have no access to Twitter, for many, social media movements allow people to voice their concerns and share their grief from remote parts of the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-all-girls-robotics-team-designs-low-cost-ventilator-to-treat-coronavirus-patients-314677">Also read|&nbsp;Afghan all-girls robotics team designs low-cost ventilator to treat coronavirus patients</a>

The Taliban has carried out attacks that have killed thousands of civilians around the country as they waged an insurgency since their ouster from power.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for a number of attacks this month, the most recent last week when a car bomb exploded at a government compound.

During their 1996-2001 rule they enforced their strict interpretation of Islamic law under which women were barred from education or leaving the house without a male relative.

The group say they have changed their approach to women`s rights and operations by government and foreign forces have also killed many civilians.

But many Afghans and human rights activists remain sceptical, saying they are concerned that impending U.S.-brokered peace talks, aimed at ending more than 18 years of war, will not include adequate protection of human rights if the insurgent group returns to a role in formal power.

Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said he suspected the social media campaign was due to 'anti-peace elements' and that "no legitimate rights will be lost" during peace talks.

Afghans shared accounts of violence linked to the Taliban on social media with the hashtag phrase `don`t redeem the Taliban` as anxiety grows as the United States withdraws troops and attempts to usher peace talks with the militant group.

Afghans shared accounts of violence linked to the Taliban on social media with the hashtag phrase `don`t redeem the Taliban` as anxiety grows as the United States withdraws troops and attempts to usher peace talks with the militant group. The accounts of alleged violence and human rights abuses with the hashtag phrase in Dari meaning `don`t redeem the Taliban' have been shared more than 100,000 times on Twitter. Also read| Qatar likely to hold peace talks between Afghanistan-Taliban: Minister Kabul-based Twitter user Ejaz Malikzada, 26, said the message had gained traction as Afghan social media users sought to remind foreign powers not to sacrifice achievements on human rights made in the last few decades. "By participating in this hashtag I want to tell those foreigners who insist on starting peace talks in Afghanistan, they have ignored or forgotten the crimes and violence committed by the Taliban against Afghan people," he said. Though millions of Afghans have no access to Twitter, for many, social media movements allow people to voice their concerns and share their grief from remote parts of the country. Also read| Afghan all-girls robotics team designs low-cost ventilator to treat coronavirus patients The Taliban has carried out attacks that have killed thousands of civilians around the country as they waged an insurgency since their ouster from power. The Taliban claimed responsibility for a number of attacks this month, the most recent last week when a car bomb exploded at a government compound. During their 1996-2001 rule they enforced their strict interpretation of Islamic law under which women were barred from education or leaving the house without a male relative. The group say they have changed their approach to women`s rights and operations by government and foreign forces have also killed many civilians. But many Afghans and human rights activists remain sceptical, saying they are concerned that impending U.S.-brokered peace talks, aimed at ending more than 18 years of war, will not include adequate protection of human rights if the insurgent group returns to a role in formal power. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said he suspected the social media campaign was due to 'anti-peace elements' and that "no legitimate rights will be lost" during peace talks.

'Don't redeem the Taliban', Afghan social media users ask world before peace talks

Facebook Inc is considering imposing a ban on political ads on its network ahead of the November 3 elections in the United States.

Bloomberg News on Friday said the potential ban was only being discussed and had not been finalised.

The social media company has been under fire for its policy of exempting politicians’ ads and speech from fact-checking.&nbsp;

Last month Biden’s campaign published an open letter to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg calling for the company to fact-check politicians’ ads in the two weeks ahead of the election.

Facebook has drawn heat from employees and lawmakers in recent weeks over its decisions not to act on inflammatory posts by the president.

More than 900 advertisers have signed on to an ad boycott on Facebook, organised by civil rights groups to pressure the world’s largest social media network to take concrete steps to block hate speech and misinformation, in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody.

(with inputs from agencies)

Facebook Inc is considering imposing a ban on political ads on its network ahead of the November 3 elections in the United States. Bloomberg News on Friday said the potential ban was only being discussed and had not been finalised.

Facebook Inc is considering imposing a ban on political ads on its network ahead of the November 3 elections in the United States. Bloomberg News on Friday said the potential ban was only being discussed and had not been finalised. The social media company has been under fire for its policy of exempting politicians’ ads and speech from fact-checking. Last month Biden’s campaign published an open letter to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg calling for the company to fact-check politicians’ ads in the two weeks ahead of the election. Facebook has drawn heat from employees and lawmakers in recent weeks over its decisions not to act on inflammatory posts by the president. More than 900 advertisers have signed on to an ad boycott on Facebook, organised by civil rights groups to pressure the world’s largest social media network to take concrete steps to block hate speech and misinformation, in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody. (with inputs from agencies)

Facebook mulls ban on political ads ahead of US elections

Brazil’s central bank president said on Thursday that Facebook Inc messaging service WhatsApp would be allowed to launch its new payments service in the country once the social media platform proves that it can operate safely in terms of data protection in a competitive market.&nbsp;

“We are not saying that it is not competitive, we just want them to ask for authorization and to show us how it will work for us to make sure it is competitive,” Roberto Campos Neto said in a webcast organised by local newspaper Correio Braziliense. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tech-news-whatsapp-news-brazils-central-bank-suspends-whatsapps-new-payments-system-308112">Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system</a>

Last month, Brazil's central bank suspended a system allowing users of WhatsApp to send money via chats, citing potential damage in the areas of competition, efficiency and data privacy.&nbsp;

Campos Neto said that WhatsApp’s payment service requires a more thorough analysis.

“We have a pro-competition agenda. Once it is proven that it is a competitive arrangement and has data protection in the way we understand is needed, it will be approved,” Campos Neto added. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-announces-new-features-including-animated-stickers-310133">Also Read: WhatsApp announces new features including animated stickers</a>

WhatsApp has over 120 million users in Brazil, its second-largest market after India, where it has also struggled to roll out a payments system. 
 
In India, the feature did not take off due to regulatory issues. The feature was tested on just 1 million users despite WhatsApp having 400 million users in India.

Brazil’s central bank president said on Thursday that Facebook Inc messaging service WhatsApp would be allowed to launch its new payments service in the country once the social media platform proves that it can operate safely in terms of data protection in a competitive market.

Brazil’s central bank president said on Thursday that Facebook Inc messaging service WhatsApp would be allowed to launch its new payments service in the country once the social media platform proves that it can operate safely in terms of data protection in a competitive market. “We are not saying that it is not competitive, we just want them to ask for authorization and to show us how it will work for us to make sure it is competitive,” Roberto Campos Neto said in a webcast organised by local newspaper Correio Braziliense. Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system Last month, Brazil's central bank suspended a system allowing users of WhatsApp to send money via chats, citing potential damage in the areas of competition, efficiency and data privacy. Campos Neto said that WhatsApp’s payment service requires a more thorough analysis. “We have a pro-competition agenda. Once it is proven that it is a competitive arrangement and has data protection in the way we understand is needed, it will be approved,” Campos Neto added. Also Read: WhatsApp announces new features including animated stickers WhatsApp has over 120 million users in Brazil, its second-largest market after India, where it has also struggled to roll out a payments system. In India, the feature did not take off due to regulatory issues. The feature was tested on just 1 million users despite WhatsApp having 400 million users in India.

Brazil central bank chief says WhatsApp payments service requires further review

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms.

The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks.&nbsp;

Animated stickers, which are one of the fastest-growing ways people communicate on WhatsApp, are even more fun and expressive.&nbsp;

Now, users will be able to scan QR codes to add others to their contacts. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tech-news-whatsapp-news-brazils-central-bank-suspends-whatsapps-new-payments-system-308112">Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system</a> 
 
"While our focus remains on providing a simple, reliable and private way for people to chat with friends and family - we also continue to push forward our product design to make sure WhatsApp remains the most useful way for anyone, anywhere to connect," the company said in a blog post.

WhatsApp said users can easily start a group video call with just one tap on a video icon in group chats of 8 or less.

"With now up to 8 people on a video call, the new feature will make it easier to focus on whoever you want by letting you press and hold to maximize a participant's video to full screen," WhatsApp said.

Furthermore, the company also extended its Dark Mode feature for web and desktop.

(With inputs from ANI)

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms. The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks.

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms. The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks. Animated stickers, which are one of the fastest-growing ways people communicate on WhatsApp, are even more fun and expressive. Now, users will be able to scan QR codes to add others to their contacts. Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system "While our focus remains on providing a simple, reliable and private way for people to chat with friends and family - we also continue to push forward our product design to make sure WhatsApp remains the most useful way for anyone, anywhere to connect," the company said in a blog post. WhatsApp said users can easily start a group video call with just one tap on a video icon in group chats of 8 or less. "With now up to 8 people on a video call, the new feature will make it easier to focus on whoever you want by letting you press and hold to maximize a participant's video to full screen," WhatsApp said. Furthermore, the company also extended its Dark Mode feature for web and desktop. (With inputs from ANI)

WhatsApp announces new features including animated stickers

Turkey will introduce regulations to control social media platforms or shut them down, President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday, pressing ahead with government plans after he said his family was insulted online.

Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Erdogan's son-in-law, said on Twitter on Tuesday that his fourth child had been born. Albayrak's wife Esra was insulted by some users, who were later detained, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu.

Speaking to members of his AK Party, Erdogan repeated that his party would introduce new regulations to control the use of social media, adding that an increase of "immoral acts" on the platforms in recent years was due to a lack of regulations.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/turkey-to-increase-support-for-libyas-serraj-says-erdogan-303422" hreflang="en">Turkey to increase support for Libya's Serraj, says Erdogan</a>

"These platforms do not suit this nation. We want to shut down, control (them) by bringing (a bill) to parliament as soon as possible," he said.

He said social media companies would be forced to appoint representatives in Turkey to respond to legal requests, which he said were currently ignored.

"We are determined to do whatever is necessary for social media platforms to set up fiscal and legal representation in our country. We will implement access ban, legal and fiscal penalties after completion of the regulation," Erdogan said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/erdogan-discusses-migrant-crisis-syria-with-macron-merkel-and-johnson-287141" hreflang="en">Erdogan discusses migrant crisis, Syria with Macron, Merkel and Johnson</a>

In April, the AK Party included similar measures on social media in a draft law mainly about economic measures against the coronavirus outbreak. The draft law required companies to appoint representatives or have their bandwidth slashed by up to 95%, which would effectively make them inaccessible.

The measures were later removed from the draft law but opposition members said they would come back on the agenda.

Ankara strictly polices social media content, especially during periods such as military operations and the current coronavirus pandemic.

Turkey fiercely criticised Twitter in June for suspending more than 7,000 accounts that supported Erdogan, saying the company was smearing the government and trying to redesign Turkish politics.

Turkey will introduce regulations to control social media platforms or shut them down, President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday, pressing ahead with government plans after he said his family was insulted online.

Turkey will introduce regulations to control social media platforms or shut them down, President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday, pressing ahead with government plans after he said his family was insulted online. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, Erdogan's son-in-law, said on Twitter on Tuesday that his fourth child had been born. Albayrak's wife Esra was insulted by some users, who were later detained, according to Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu. Speaking to members of his AK Party, Erdogan repeated that his party would introduce new regulations to control the use of social media, adding that an increase of "immoral acts" on the platforms in recent years was due to a lack of regulations. Also read: Turkey to increase support for Libya's Serraj, says Erdogan "These platforms do not suit this nation. We want to shut down, control (them) by bringing (a bill) to parliament as soon as possible," he said. He said social media companies would be forced to appoint representatives in Turkey to respond to legal requests, which he said were currently ignored. "We are determined to do whatever is necessary for social media platforms to set up fiscal and legal representation in our country. We will implement access ban, legal and fiscal penalties after completion of the regulation," Erdogan said. Also read: Erdogan discusses migrant crisis, Syria with Macron, Merkel and Johnson In April, the AK Party included similar measures on social media in a draft law mainly about economic measures against the coronavirus outbreak. The draft law required companies to appoint representatives or have their bandwidth slashed by up to 95%, which would effectively make them inaccessible. The measures were later removed from the draft law but opposition members said they would come back on the agenda. Ankara strictly polices social media content, especially during periods such as military operations and the current coronavirus pandemic. Turkey fiercely criticised Twitter in June for suspending more than 7,000 accounts that supported Erdogan, saying the company was smearing the government and trying to redesign Turkish politics.

Turkey determined to control social media platforms, Erdogan says

Coca-Cola, a major force in global advertising, announced Friday it would suspend ads on social media for at least 30 days, as platforms face a reckoning over how they deal with racist content.

"There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media," James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said in a brief statement.

He said social media companies -- which other major brands have boycotted to force changes in how they deal with hateful material -- need to provide "greater accountability and transparency."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-to-flag-all-newsworthy-posts-from-politicians-that-break-its-rules-308909">Also read:&nbsp;Facebook to flag all 'newsworthy' posts from politicians that break its rules</a>

Coca-Cola will use the pause to "reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed," Quincey said.

The beverage giant told CNBC that the "break" does not mean it is joining the movement launched last week by African American and civil society groups.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-hides-trumps-tweet-targeting-protestors-in-washington-dc-labels-it-as-abusive-content-308136">Also read:&nbsp;Twitter hides Trump's tweet targeting protestors in Washington DC; labels it as 'abusive content'</a>

The coalition, which includes the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), has been urging companies to stop advertising on Facebook, using the #StopHateForProfit hashtag.

It aims to achieve better regulation of groups inciting hatred, racism or violence on the platform.

Unilever, home to brands including Lipton tea and Ben and Jerry's ice cream, said it would stop advertising on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the US until the end of 2020 due to the "polarized election period."

Facebook said Friday it would ban a "wider category of hateful content" in ads as the embattled social media giant moved to respond to widening protests over its handling of inflammatory posts.

Coca-Cola, a major force in global advertising, announced Friday it would suspend ads on social media for at least 30 days, as platforms face a reckoning over how they deal with racist content.

Coca-Cola, a major force in global advertising, announced Friday it would suspend ads on social media for at least 30 days, as platforms face a reckoning over how they deal with racist content. "There is no place for racism in the world and there is no place for racism on social media," James Quincey, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, said in a brief statement. He said social media companies -- which other major brands have boycotted to force changes in how they deal with hateful material -- need to provide "greater accountability and transparency." Also read: Facebook to flag all 'newsworthy' posts from politicians that break its rules Coca-Cola will use the pause to "reassess our advertising policies to determine whether revisions are needed," Quincey said. The beverage giant told CNBC that the "break" does not mean it is joining the movement launched last week by African American and civil society groups. Also read: Twitter hides Trump's tweet targeting protestors in Washington DC; labels it as 'abusive content' The coalition, which includes the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), has been urging companies to stop advertising on Facebook, using the #StopHateForProfit hashtag. It aims to achieve better regulation of groups inciting hatred, racism or violence on the platform. Unilever, home to brands including Lipton tea and Ben and Jerry's ice cream, said it would stop advertising on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the US until the end of 2020 due to the "polarized election period." Facebook said Friday it would ban a "wider category of hateful content" in ads as the embattled social media giant moved to respond to widening protests over its handling of inflammatory posts.

Coca-Cola says pausing social media advertising

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram,&nbsp;semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday.

A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said.

Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said a third baby has been identified but is yet to be found, ISNA reported.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-in-trouble-as-nearly-50-million-users-data-gets-leaked-online-220423">Instagram in trouble as nearly 50 million users' data gets leaked online</a>

The babies had already been bought from "poor families" for up to $500&nbsp;and were being resold for between $2,000 and $2,500.

One of those arrested allegedly said he was "getting babies from poor families" and "handing them over to families who could provide a better future".

Brig-Gen Rahimi told local media that police officers had been alerted to "ads on Instagram for selling babies".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/instagram-will-overtake-twitter-as-source-of-news-study-306223">Instagram will overtake Twitter as source of news: Study</a>

The officers uncovered "10 to 15 such pages" on the photo-sharing service and found the two babies with the three men who were arrested, he said. The babies were handed over to social services.

The suspects claimed that they had bought the babies from poor families for a "small fee", according to the general.

In a video published by the Young Journalists' Club news agency, one of the men said: "This would have helped these babies have a better future."

This is not the first such case uncovered by the authorities in Iran.

Earlier this year, police in the province of Gorgan said they had arrested four women and a man who had allegedly been finding poor pregnant women and paying their hospital expenses, then taking away their babies after they gave birth.

In 2016, then Vice-President for Family and Women's Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi expressed concern over what she said was the "high number" of expectant mothers selling their babies.

She said women were being forced to do so by "a variety of factors", including poverty, drug addiction, child marriage and homelessness.

A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram said&nbsp;that the company was investigating. "We do not allow content or behaviour on Instagram that may lead to human exploitation, which includes the sale of children for illegal adoption. We're aware of reports of this activity, and we're continuing to investigate," the statement said.

Facebook has a human exploitation&nbsp;policy, which covers harmful activities related to human exploitation and trafficking, and Instagram users are encouraged to report any concerning content using in-app tools or its&nbsp;reporting form.

Iran is among 21 "Tier Three" countries in the US State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which<a href="https://cnn.com/2019/06/20/politics/2019-state-department-tip-report/index.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a>ranks nations that comprise the worst offenders on human trafficking.

The countries listed in this tier do "not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and (are) not making any efforts to do so," according to the report, which was published last year.

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram, semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday. A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said.

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram, semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday. A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said. Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said a third baby has been identified but is yet to be found, ISNA reported. Also read| Instagram in trouble as nearly 50 million users' data gets leaked online The babies had already been bought from "poor families" for up to $500 and were being resold for between $2,000 and $2,500. One of those arrested allegedly said he was "getting babies from poor families" and "handing them over to families who could provide a better future". Brig-Gen Rahimi told local media that police officers had been alerted to "ads on Instagram for selling babies". Also read| Instagram will overtake Twitter as source of news: Study The officers uncovered "10 to 15 such pages" on the photo-sharing service and found the two babies with the three men who were arrested, he said. The babies were handed over to social services. The suspects claimed that they had bought the babies from poor families for a "small fee", according to the general. In a video published by the Young Journalists' Club news agency, one of the men said: "This would have helped these babies have a better future." This is not the first such case uncovered by the authorities in Iran. Earlier this year, police in the province of Gorgan said they had arrested four women and a man who had allegedly been finding poor pregnant women and paying their hospital expenses, then taking away their babies after they gave birth. In 2016, then Vice-President for Family and Women's Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi expressed concern over what she said was the "high number" of expectant mothers selling their babies. She said women were being forced to do so by "a variety of factors", including poverty, drug addiction, child marriage and homelessness. A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram said that the company was investigating. "We do not allow content or behaviour on Instagram that may lead to human exploitation, which includes the sale of children for illegal adoption. We're aware of reports of this activity, and we're continuing to investigate," the statement said. Facebook has a human exploitation policy, which covers harmful activities related to human exploitation and trafficking, and Instagram users are encouraged to report any concerning content using in-app tools or its reporting form. Iran is among 21 "Tier Three" countries in the US State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which ranks nations that comprise the worst offenders on human trafficking. The countries listed in this tier do "not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and (are) not making any efforts to do so," according to the report, which was published last year.

Three men arrested in Iran for allegedly selling babies on Instagram

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

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

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

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

Twitter, a social media platform that allows people to share their thoughts with the world, has been more than once misused by people for their own personal benefits, knowingly or unknowingly.

Twitter believes that people usually tend to share articles without reading the whole article, and only judging&nbsp;by the headline.

This has, sometimes, led to spreading of fake news and misinformation. To make sure that more such instances don't happen, Twitter is now trying out a new feature that will reconfirm from people before they share any unread article.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/now-aladdin-breakfast-at-tiffanys-to-run-with-disclaimer-outdated-attitude-on-tv-307761">Also read|&nbsp;Now 'Aladdin,' 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' to run with disclaimer 'outdated attitude' on TV</a>

“Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you tweet it," Twitter said in a statement. “To help promote informed discussion, we’re testing a new prompt on Android – when you retweet an article that you haven’t opened on Twitter, we may ask if you’d like to open it first.”

Following this, for some selected users, a prompt&nbsp;asking people if they really want to retweet a link that they have not tapped on will be shown before they retweet. The trial is right now only for Android users.

The action was taken after a&nbsp;2016 study from computer scientists at Columbia University and Microsoft found that 59 per cent of links posted on Twitter are never clicked.

Twitter has made it clear that such tweets will not be blocked or deleted, but will only be given a 'friendly' warning.

Twitter, a social media platform that allows people to share their thoughts with the world, has been more than once misused by people for their own personal benefits, knowingly or unknowingly.

Twitter, a social media platform that allows people to share their thoughts with the world, has been more than once misused by people for their own personal benefits, knowingly or unknowingly. Twitter believes that people usually tend to share articles without reading the whole article, and only judging by the headline. This has, sometimes, led to spreading of fake news and misinformation. To make sure that more such instances don't happen, Twitter is now trying out a new feature that will reconfirm from people before they share any unread article. Also read| Now 'Aladdin,' 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' to run with disclaimer 'outdated attitude' on TV “Sharing an article can spark conversation, so you may want to read it before you tweet it," Twitter said in a statement. “To help promote informed discussion, we’re testing a new prompt on Android – when you retweet an article that you haven’t opened on Twitter, we may ask if you’d like to open it first.” Following this, for some selected users, a prompt asking people if they really want to retweet a link that they have not tapped on will be shown before they retweet. The trial is right now only for Android users. The action was taken after a 2016 study from computer scientists at Columbia University and Microsoft found that 59 per cent of links posted on Twitter are never clicked. Twitter has made it clear that such tweets will not be blocked or deleted, but will only be given a 'friendly' warning.

Read before retweeting: Twitter aims to limit sharing unread articles

Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet.&nbsp;

According to Twitter's blog post, the feature will be out for few users using Apple's iOS platform for now and later on it will be out for more users in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/as-cases-of-domestic-violence-shoot-up-amid-covid-19-pandemic-twitter-launches-dedicated-tool-to-help-people-combat-the-menace-306527" hreflang="en">As cases of domestic violence shoot up amid COVID-19 pandemic, Twitter launches dedicated tool to help people combat the menace</a>

A new "wavelengths" icon will be present for users composing a tweet, this will allow them to use the new audio feature.&nbsp;

Twitter Inc has been under pressure for a long time to curb content that contains abuse, harassment and misinformation spread through their platform.&nbsp;

"We are working to incorporate additional monitoring systems ahead of bringing this to everyone," Twitter spokeswoman Aly Pavela told Reuters.

"We'll review any reported voice tweets in line with our rules, and take action, including labelling, as needed."

Earlier the social media platform came with a dedicated tool to help people combat domestic violence. As the reported cases of domestic violence against women continue to rise globally, microblogging platform Twitter has launched a dedicated search prompt that will direct people looking for domestic violence-related keywords towards relevant information and sources of help on Twitter.

According to the company statement, this feature will be available on iOS, Android, and mobile.twitter.com in India in English and Hindi languages.

Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet.

Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet. According to Twitter's blog post, the feature will be out for few users using Apple's iOS platform for now and later on it will be out for more users in the coming weeks. Also read: As cases of domestic violence shoot up amid COVID-19 pandemic, Twitter launches dedicated tool to help people combat the menace A new "wavelengths" icon will be present for users composing a tweet, this will allow them to use the new audio feature. Twitter Inc has been under pressure for a long time to curb content that contains abuse, harassment and misinformation spread through their platform. "We are working to incorporate additional monitoring systems ahead of bringing this to everyone," Twitter spokeswoman Aly Pavela told Reuters. "We'll review any reported voice tweets in line with our rules, and take action, including labelling, as needed." Earlier the social media platform came with a dedicated tool to help people combat domestic violence. As the reported cases of domestic violence against women continue to rise globally, microblogging platform Twitter has launched a dedicated search prompt that will direct people looking for domestic violence-related keywords towards relevant information and sources of help on Twitter. According to the company statement, this feature will be available on iOS, Android, and mobile.twitter.com in India in English and Hindi languages.

Twitter to test new voice tweeting feature on iOS users

Social media giant Facebook recently removed over 200 accounts with links to white supremacy groups in the United States.

People using these accounts encouraged people to join the protests across the country, but many asked them to carry weapons and firearms to the protests.

Facebook found that these accounts, both on Instagram and the parent company, were affiliated to Proud Boys and American Guard, two white supremacy hate groups that are already banned on the platforms.

Reportedly, the company had been monitoring these accounts for a while but took the shot when they saw how the accounts were being manipulated to incite violence in the protests.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-to-introduce-a-package-of-bills-to-curb-police-excesses-304438" hreflang="en">New York to introduce a package of bills to curb police excesses</a>

"We saw that these groups were planning to rally supporters and members to physically go to the protests and in some cases were preparing to go with weapons," said Brian Fishman, Facebook's director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy, in a statement.

“Approximately”, 190 accounts were removed. No other detail was made public, like the location of the people sharing the messages or of the target audience.

Facebook prohibits hate speech on its platforms, which is why it had banned these organisations on its platforms earlier. The company further said that they will continue to monitor and prevent such accounts to resurge.

Many people linked to white supremacy groups were removed from Facebook earlier this week, after it was found that they were posing to be ANTIFA members.

The murder of George Floyd in the United States has triggered protests not only in the country, but across the world. Protesters are demanding justice for Floyd while calling for an end to systemic racism which targets black people across the globe.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bail-raised-to-125-million-for-officer-charged-with-murdering-george-floyd-304432" hreflang="en">Bail raised to $1.25 million for officer charged with murdering George Floyd</a>

The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo recently said that state legislators are coming up with an overhaul of criminal justice, which could pave the way for nationwide reform.

In the video that went viral after Floyd’s death, the officer was seen kneeling on the man for almost nine minutes, even when he was repeatedly telling the officer about his inability to breathe. It was only when the ambulance arrived that the officer retracted his knee from the neck. An hour later, Floyd was dead.

Social media giant Facebook recently removed over 200 accounts with links to white supremacy groups in the United States. People using these accounts encouraged people to join the protests across the country, but many asked them to carry weapons and firearms to the protests.

Social media giant Facebook recently removed over 200 accounts with links to white supremacy groups in the United States. People using these accounts encouraged people to join the protests across the country, but many asked them to carry weapons and firearms to the protests. Facebook found that these accounts, both on Instagram and the parent company, were affiliated to Proud Boys and American Guard, two white supremacy hate groups that are already banned on the platforms. Reportedly, the company had been monitoring these accounts for a while but took the shot when they saw how the accounts were being manipulated to incite violence in the protests. Also read: New York to introduce a package of bills to curb police excesses "We saw that these groups were planning to rally supporters and members to physically go to the protests and in some cases were preparing to go with weapons," said Brian Fishman, Facebook's director of counterterrorism and dangerous organizations policy, in a statement. “Approximately”, 190 accounts were removed. No other detail was made public, like the location of the people sharing the messages or of the target audience. Facebook prohibits hate speech on its platforms, which is why it had banned these organisations on its platforms earlier. The company further said that they will continue to monitor and prevent such accounts to resurge. Many people linked to white supremacy groups were removed from Facebook earlier this week, after it was found that they were posing to be ANTIFA members. The murder of George Floyd in the United States has triggered protests not only in the country, but across the world. Protesters are demanding justice for Floyd while calling for an end to systemic racism which targets black people across the globe. Also read: Bail raised to $1.25 million for officer charged with murdering George Floyd The governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo recently said that state legislators are coming up with an overhaul of criminal justice, which could pave the way for nationwide reform. In the video that went viral after Floyd’s death, the officer was seen kneeling on the man for almost nine minutes, even when he was repeatedly telling the officer about his inability to breathe. It was only when the ambulance arrived that the officer retracted his knee from the neck. An hour later, Floyd was dead.

Facebook bans around 200 accounts linked to white supremacist groups for inciting violence

An FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons for uploading "sensitive posts" on social media which has the potential of harming communal harmony in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday.

Kargil SSP Vinod Kumar said the case was registered after a Twitter account was found uploading sensitive posts and spreading fake news.

"The investigation is on to identify the persons running this Twitter handle. No one has been arrested so far," he said.

A spokesman said police are taking stern action against people involved in uploading sensitive posts and spreading fake news on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp which may have adverse effects on communal harmony, security, public peace and tranquility.

"These include uploading morphed pictures, audios and videos and forwarding or posting of fake news stories," he said.

The SSP has requested the general public to desist from the misuse of social media platforms.

He has appealed to the people to bring into the notice of police any such misuse of social media for timely action.&nbsp;

An FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons for uploading "sensitive posts" on social media which has the potential of harming communal harmony in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday.

An FIR has been lodged against unidentified persons for uploading "sensitive posts" on social media which has the potential of harming communal harmony in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Sunday. Kargil SSP Vinod Kumar said the case was registered after a Twitter account was found uploading sensitive posts and spreading fake news. "The investigation is on to identify the persons running this Twitter handle. No one has been arrested so far," he said. A spokesman said police are taking stern action against people involved in uploading sensitive posts and spreading fake news on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp which may have adverse effects on communal harmony, security, public peace and tranquility. "These include uploading morphed pictures, audios and videos and forwarding or posting of fake news stories," he said. The SSP has requested the general public to desist from the misuse of social media platforms. He has appealed to the people to bring into the notice of police any such misuse of social media for timely action.

FIR against unidentified persons for uploading 'sensitive posts' on social media

Facebook Inc is set to start labelling Russian, Chinese and other state-controlled media organisations. It also plans to block any ads from such outlets that target US users later this summer.

The new measure comes just months ahead of the November US presidential election.

The world's biggest social network will apply the label to Russia's Sputnik, Iran's Press TV and China's Xinhua News, according to a partial list Facebook provided. The company will apply the label to about 200 pages at the outset.

The company announced plans last year to create a state media label, but is introducing the tool amid a deep crisis over its hands-off treatment of racially charged posts by US President Donald Trump.

Facebook will not label any US-based news organisations, as it determined that the government-run outlets have editorial independence.

Facebook, which has acknowledged its failure to stop Russian use of its platforms to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, has since stepped up its defences and imposed greater transparency requirements for pages and ads on its platforms.

Under the measure, Facebook will not use the label for media outlets affiliated with individual political figures or parties.

In a blog post, Facebook said its label will appear on pages globally, as well as on News Feed posts within the United States.

Facebook also said it will ban US-targetted ads from state-controlled entities "out of an abundance of caution" ahead of the November presidential election. Elsewhere, the ads will receive a label.

Facebook is not the first company to take such action.

YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc's Google, in 2018 started identifying video channels that predominantly carry news items and are funded by governments. But critics charge YouTube has failed to label some state news outlets, allowing them to earn ad revenue from videos with misinformation and propaganda.

Facebook Inc is set to start labelling Russian, Chinese and other state-controlled media organisations. It also plans to block any ads from such outlets that target US users later this summer.

Facebook Inc is set to start labelling Russian, Chinese and other state-controlled media organisations. It also plans to block any ads from such outlets that target US users later this summer. The new measure comes just months ahead of the November US presidential election. The world's biggest social network will apply the label to Russia's Sputnik, Iran's Press TV and China's Xinhua News, according to a partial list Facebook provided. The company will apply the label to about 200 pages at the outset. The company announced plans last year to create a state media label, but is introducing the tool amid a deep crisis over its hands-off treatment of racially charged posts by US President Donald Trump. Facebook will not label any US-based news organisations, as it determined that the government-run outlets have editorial independence. Facebook, which has acknowledged its failure to stop Russian use of its platforms to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, has since stepped up its defences and imposed greater transparency requirements for pages and ads on its platforms. Under the measure, Facebook will not use the label for media outlets affiliated with individual political figures or parties. In a blog post, Facebook said its label will appear on pages globally, as well as on News Feed posts within the United States. Facebook also said it will ban US-targetted ads from state-controlled entities "out of an abundance of caution" ahead of the November presidential election. Elsewhere, the ads will receive a label. Facebook is not the first company to take such action. YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc's Google, in 2018 started identifying video channels that predominantly carry news items and are funded by governments. But critics charge YouTube has failed to label some state news outlets, allowing them to earn ad revenue from videos with misinformation and propaganda.

Facebook to place state media labels on Russian, Chinese outlets

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