Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/instagram-expands-its-fact-check-program-to-prevent-misinformation-268795">Instagram </a>as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products.

Product endorsements are rampant on Instagram as celebrities and others with large followings or so-called "influencers", on the social network have struck deals to talk up clothing, food and other items.

Even though <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fake-phone-law-dupes-many-in-singapore-but-wins-support-too-269124">Facebook&nbsp;</a>and Instagram have banned ads for tobacco products, e-cigarette makers have been using influencers to promote their products through hashtags or posts showing they were gifted the devices by companies.

"Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed," Instagram said in a post on Wednesday.

"Our advertising policies have long prohibited the advertisement of these products, and we will begin enforcement on this in the coming weeks."

According to CNBC, this would be the first time the platform is implementing restrictions around the type of items that can be promoted for branded content.

The new guidelines come after Instagram made changes in June to its policies allowing brands to turn an influencer's post into a sponsored content ad that would appear on their feeds with a "paid partnership with" tag.

The move comes on the same day the British Advertising Standards Authority banned tobacco companies from promoting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/bangladesh-plans-to-ban-e-cigarettes-amid-growing-health-concerns-265604">e-cigarettes</a> on social media sites, following an investigation into their Instagram posts.

"It is imperative that Facebook and Instagram not only swiftly enact these policy changes but also see that they are strictly enforced," said Matthew Myers, president, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

"Tobacco companies have spent decades targeting kids social media companies must not be complicit in this strategy," he said.

Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on Instagram as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products.

Social media influencers will be banned from promoting vaping, tobacco products and weapons on Instagram as the Facebook-owned platform doubles down on its existing ban on companies advertising these products. Product endorsements are rampant on Instagram as celebrities and others with large followings or so-called "influencers", on the social network have struck deals to talk up clothing, food and other items. Even though Facebook and Instagram have banned ads for tobacco products, e-cigarette makers have been using influencers to promote their products through hashtags or posts showing they were gifted the devices by companies. "Branded content that promotes goods such as vaping, tobacco products and weapons will not be allowed," Instagram said in a post on Wednesday. "Our advertising policies have long prohibited the advertisement of these products, and we will begin enforcement on this in the coming weeks." According to CNBC, this would be the first time the platform is implementing restrictions around the type of items that can be promoted for branded content. The new guidelines come after Instagram made changes in June to its policies allowing brands to turn an influencer's post into a sponsored content ad that would appear on their feeds with a "paid partnership with" tag. The move comes on the same day the British Advertising Standards Authority banned tobacco companies from promoting e-cigarettes on social media sites, following an investigation into their Instagram posts. "It is imperative that Facebook and Instagram not only swiftly enact these policy changes but also see that they are strictly enforced," said Matthew Myers, president, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "Tobacco companies have spent decades targeting kids social media companies must not be complicit in this strategy," he said.

Instagram bans influencers from promoting vaping products

To combat the misinformation on the Facebook-owned social media platform, Instagram is expanding its fact-checking program globally.

In its official blog, Instagram explained that the third-party fact-checker program will be expanded out of the US for organisations around the world to assess and rate misinformation.&nbsp;

"In May of this year, we began working with third-party fact-checkers in the US to help identify, review, and label false information. These partners independently assess false information to help us catch it and reduce its distribution," the company stated on its blog post.

Instagram will reduce the distribution of content which is rated as false or partly false by a third-party fact-checker and label it with a link to the rating and articles from credible sources that debunk the claims made in the post.

"When these labels are applied, they will appear to everyone around the world viewing that content – in feed, profile, stories, and direct messages, " the company said.

"We use image-matching technology to find further instances of this content and apply the label, helping reduce the spread of misinformation."

If the content is labelled false on Instagram, Facebook will also reflect the label and vice-versa.&nbsp;

To determine which content should be sent to fact-checkers for review, the company "uses a combination of feedback from our community and technology."

In August, Instagram added a "False Information" feedback option for users to report posts they think are false.

"Today's expansion is an important step in our ongoing efforts to fight misinformation on Instagram," the popular photo-sharing website said.

Facebook started using image-detection on Instagram in May to find content debunked on its flagship app and also expanded its third-party fact-checking program to the app.

Results rated as false are removed from places where users seek out new content, like Instagram's Explore tab and hashtag search results.

Instagram has largely been spared the scrutiny associated with its parent company, which is in the crosshairs of regulators over alleged Russian attempts to spread misinformation around the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election.

But an independent report commissioned by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence found that it was "perhaps the most effective platform" for Russian actors trying to spread false information since the election.

(With inputs from agencies)

To combat the misinformation on the Facebook-owned social media platform, Instagram is expanding its fact-checking program globally. In its official blog, Instagram explained that the third-party fact-checker program will be expanded out of the US for organisations around the world to assess and rate misinformation.

To combat the misinformation on the Facebook-owned social media platform, Instagram is expanding its fact-checking program globally. In its official blog, Instagram explained that the third-party fact-checker program will be expanded out of the US for organisations around the world to assess and rate misinformation. "In May of this year, we began working with third-party fact-checkers in the US to help identify, review, and label false information. These partners independently assess false information to help us catch it and reduce its distribution," the company stated on its blog post. Instagram will reduce the distribution of content which is rated as false or partly false by a third-party fact-checker and label it with a link to the rating and articles from credible sources that debunk the claims made in the post. "When these labels are applied, they will appear to everyone around the world viewing that content – in feed, profile, stories, and direct messages, " the company said. "We use image-matching technology to find further instances of this content and apply the label, helping reduce the spread of misinformation." If the content is labelled false on Instagram, Facebook will also reflect the label and vice-versa. To determine which content should be sent to fact-checkers for review, the company "uses a combination of feedback from our community and technology." In August, Instagram added a "False Information" feedback option for users to report posts they think are false. "Today's expansion is an important step in our ongoing efforts to fight misinformation on Instagram," the popular photo-sharing website said. Facebook started using image-detection on Instagram in May to find content debunked on its flagship app and also expanded its third-party fact-checking program to the app. Results rated as false are removed from places where users seek out new content, like Instagram's Explore tab and hashtag search results. Instagram has largely been spared the scrutiny associated with its parent company, which is in the crosshairs of regulators over alleged Russian attempts to spread misinformation around the 2016 US presidential election. But an independent report commissioned by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence found that it was "perhaps the most effective platform" for Russian actors trying to spread false information since the election. (With inputs from agencies)

Instagram expands its fact-check program to prevent misinformation

It is said that propaganda is a monologue that is not looking for an answer, but an echo.

From fake social media accounts to compromised experts - Pakistan army's propaganda campaign is growing.

This year, we've run several reports that show how the Pakistani army runs social media accounts to spread fake news.

In April alone, Facebook removed more than 100 pages, groups and accounts linked to employees of the&nbsp;Inter-Services Public Relations&nbsp;(ISPR) - the Pakistani army media wing.

Nearly three million people followed these accounts. Imagine the reach of their lies. They deployed trolls to browbeat and bully people.

But after the crackdown, they changed the strategy.

The army began cultivating fake experts and planted them in the media ecosystem, not just in Pakistan but internationally as well.

Its a fact, discussions, debates, and opinions are the bread and butter of any media organisation. Subject experts have always had a place in the news business.

24-hour television has spawned a parallel industry - experts for hire.

As media organisations around the world have grown, so has the need for experts. It's an organised effort to influence public opinion.

Around the world, the term expert is used for a scientist, academic or researcher. They have special knowledge of a relevant subject.&nbsp;

They also hold considerable influence in their respective fields. Now, the same influence is up for sale. Pakistan may be learning some of these tricks from china.

Beijing has been executing an ambitious strategy to re-shape the global information environment with cash. The Chinese are funding paid editorials or advertorials, journalists for positive coverage, even courting influencers to spread positive messages about China.

Compromised experts are a threat to democracy. And so, public opinion is manipulated, the truth is distorted

With social media, disinformation campaigns can be executed with ease.

Specialised military units, political operatives and bots are shaping the flow of information. All it takes is one misleading post by the so-called expert.

Deploying the mainstream media in this operation can dramatically amplify a disinformation campaign. This we say is intellectual; Jihad - the ISI's new mission.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

It is said that propaganda is a monologue that is not looking for an answer, but an echo. From fake social media accounts to compromised experts - Pakistan army's propaganda campaign is growing.

It is said that propaganda is a monologue that is not looking for an answer, but an echo. From fake social media accounts to compromised experts - Pakistan army's propaganda campaign is growing. This year, we've run several reports that show how the Pakistani army runs social media accounts to spread fake news. In April alone, Facebook removed more than 100 pages, groups and accounts linked to employees of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) - the Pakistani army media wing. Nearly three million people followed these accounts. Imagine the reach of their lies. They deployed trolls to browbeat and bully people. But after the crackdown, they changed the strategy. The army began cultivating fake experts and planted them in the media ecosystem, not just in Pakistan but internationally as well. Its a fact, discussions, debates, and opinions are the bread and butter of any media organisation. Subject experts have always had a place in the news business. 24-hour television has spawned a parallel industry - experts for hire. As media organisations around the world have grown, so has the need for experts. It's an organised effort to influence public opinion. Around the world, the term expert is used for a scientist, academic or researcher. They have special knowledge of a relevant subject. They also hold considerable influence in their respective fields. Now, the same influence is up for sale. Pakistan may be learning some of these tricks from china. Beijing has been executing an ambitious strategy to re-shape the global information environment with cash. The Chinese are funding paid editorials or advertorials, journalists for positive coverage, even courting influencers to spread positive messages about China. Compromised experts are a threat to democracy. And so, public opinion is manipulated, the truth is distorted With social media, disinformation campaigns can be executed with ease. Specialised military units, political operatives and bots are shaping the flow of information. All it takes is one misleading post by the so-called expert. Deploying the mainstream media in this operation can dramatically amplify a disinformation campaign. This we say is intellectual; Jihad - the ISI's new mission. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Compromised experts are the biggest threat to democracies

One-third Americans rely on news platforms they acknowledge are less reliable: Study

The inspiration behind the famed Ice Bucket challenge which took social media by storm in 2014 has died at the age of 34 years.

Pete Frates, the force behind it, was diagnosed with ALS, a motor neuron disease in 2012.

Thousands of people across the globe participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge, which helped raise awareness about the incurable disease.

The Ice Bucket Challenge was initiated five years ago. The idea behind it was simple, dump a bucket of ice water on yourself or others to promote awareness of motor neuron disease: ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Many celebrities joined the movement. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Lady Gaga were among many to pursue the movement and to nominate their friends.

Frates' movement was able to spread awareness about the disease and raised more than $200 million worldwide to help fight the disease.

A former college baseball star, Frates was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 27 in 2012.

ALS is a progressive and fatal disease which impairs nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.&nbsp;

As of now, no cure exists.

Frates chronicled his journey on Twitter, becoming a source of inspiration for many. 
 
He changed the discourse from surviving to thriving. 
&nbsp;

The inspiration behind the famed Ice Bucket challenge which took social media by storm in 2014 has died at the age of 34 years. Pete Frates, the force behind it, was diagnosed with ALS, a motor neuron disease in 2012.

The inspiration behind the famed Ice Bucket challenge which took social media by storm in 2014 has died at the age of 34 years. Pete Frates, the force behind it, was diagnosed with ALS, a motor neuron disease in 2012. Thousands of people across the globe participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge, which helped raise awareness about the incurable disease. The Ice Bucket Challenge was initiated five years ago. The idea behind it was simple, dump a bucket of ice water on yourself or others to promote awareness of motor neuron disease: ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Many celebrities joined the movement. Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Lady Gaga were among many to pursue the movement and to nominate their friends. Frates' movement was able to spread awareness about the disease and raised more than $200 million worldwide to help fight the disease. A former college baseball star, Frates was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 27 in 2012. ALS is a progressive and fatal disease which impairs nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. As of now, no cure exists. Frates chronicled his journey on Twitter, becoming a source of inspiration for many. He changed the discourse from surviving to thriving.

Pete Frates, curator of famous Ice Bucket Challenge, dies at age of 34

In U.K. elections all parties take the battle to social media, all parties investing huge financial resources in online campaigning.

U.K.: Parties take battle to social media

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts.

A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar left over the central government to decide over any policy required to frame on this issue.

The court observed that to weed out the around 18 and 20 per cent fake and ghost account, date related to Aadhaar, Voter Id card, PAN card and other identification proof of 80 per cent genuine account holders will go to a foreign country.

"If such type of direction for linkage of Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID is ordered by the court, there may be a situation where data of genuine account holder (who are 80 per cent of the total) will also go in a foreign country, which may be unnecessary," the court said.

The Centre apprised the court that the government is under consideration and also got some suggestions from law commission on this regard.

The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps to link social media accounts with Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID card or any other identification proof to weed out fake and duplicate accounts and to control fake and paid news which may affect the election process.

The plea, also sought direction to the central government to declare that the publication of `paid news` and political advertisements during the last 48 hours before polls is a "corrupt practise" under Section 123(4) in The Representation of the People Act, 1951.

"The publication of fake news involves the use of black money, under-reporting of election expenses of political parties and candidates and indulging in other kinds of malpractices. The influence of black money also has the potential to result in an imbalanced election between people of different financial statures," the plea claimed."

Thus, in order to have free and fair elections, which is a basic dictum of democracy, the level playing field is paramount and this cannot be achieved without mitigating the instances of fake news," the petition added.

Upadhyay, through his plea, sought Centre`s direction to take appropriate steps for deactivation of fake, duplicate and ghost social media accounts.

The plea claimed that the hundreds of fake Twitter handle and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent peoples and high dignitaries including the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.

"These fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts use the real photos of the constitutional authorities and eminent people," the petitioner said.

The plea stated that fake and paid news prevents the free exercise of the right to vote due to the use of money and muscle power by candidates.

"It affects the rights of the ordinary citizens to get elected and puts them at a great disadvantage due to reduced win-ability factor as an independent. Use of fake and paid news is arbitrary and unfair because it invites and enables people with criminal backgrounds to buy tickets from national and state recognised political parties and contest elections," the petitioner claimed.

"A person convicted of rape, extortion, kidnapping and murder can come back into the electoral arena. A person guilty of corruption and terrorism can also become a candidate of national and state recognised parties. Take the case of 2G, CWG and Coalgate. The accused are coming back to the election arena through national or state recognised parties. Would they not affect the elections with money and muscle power, offsetting the valuable freedom to vote without fear or favour?" the plea added.

Upadhyay said that the principle of one man, one vote is based on the freedom to vote in a fair election, which is impossible without weeding out fake accounts.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts.

New Delhi [India], Dec 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to pass any directions to the Centre on a plea seeking to formulate a policy related to linking social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar and other identification proofs to weed out fake and ghost accounts. A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and C Hari Shankar left over the central government to decide over any policy required to frame on this issue. The court observed that to weed out the around 18 and 20 per cent fake and ghost account, date related to Aadhaar, Voter Id card, PAN card and other identification proof of 80 per cent genuine account holders will go to a foreign country. "If such type of direction for linkage of Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID is ordered by the court, there may be a situation where data of genuine account holder (who are 80 per cent of the total) will also go in a foreign country, which may be unnecessary," the court said. The Centre apprised the court that the government is under consideration and also got some suggestions from law commission on this regard. The court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre to take appropriate steps to link social media accounts with Aadhaar, PAN, voter ID card or any other identification proof to weed out fake and duplicate accounts and to control fake and paid news which may affect the election process. The plea, also sought direction to the central government to declare that the publication of `paid news` and political advertisements during the last 48 hours before polls is a "corrupt practise" under Section 123(4) in The Representation of the People Act, 1951. "The publication of fake news involves the use of black money, under-reporting of election expenses of political parties and candidates and indulging in other kinds of malpractices. The influence of black money also has the potential to result in an imbalanced election between people of different financial statures," the plea claimed." Thus, in order to have free and fair elections, which is a basic dictum of democracy, the level playing field is paramount and this cannot be achieved without mitigating the instances of fake news," the petition added. Upadhyay, through his plea, sought Centre`s direction to take appropriate steps for deactivation of fake, duplicate and ghost social media accounts. The plea claimed that the hundreds of fake Twitter handle and bogus Facebook accounts in the name of eminent peoples and high dignitaries including the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice of India and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. "These fake Twitter handles and bogus Facebook accounts use the real photos of the constitutional authorities and eminent people," the petitioner said. The plea stated that fake and paid news prevents the free exercise of the right to vote due to the use of money and muscle power by candidates. "It affects the rights of the ordinary citizens to get elected and puts them at a great disadvantage due to reduced win-ability factor as an independent. Use of fake and paid news is arbitrary and unfair because it invites and enables people with criminal backgrounds to buy tickets from national and state recognised political parties and contest elections," the petitioner claimed. "A person convicted of rape, extortion, kidnapping and murder can come back into the electoral arena. A person guilty of corruption and terrorism can also become a candidate of national and state recognised parties. Take the case of 2G, CWG and Coalgate. The accused are coming back to the election arena through national or state recognised parties. Would they not affect the elections with money and muscle power, offsetting the valuable freedom to vote without fear or favour?" the plea added. Upadhyay said that the principle of one man, one vote is based on the freedom to vote in a fair election, which is impossible without weeding out fake accounts.

Delhi HC refuses to pass directions to Centre to link social media accounts of individuals with Aadhaar

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-stopped-accepting-political-advertisements-in-singapore-month-before-the-elections-266126">fake news</a>", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The requirement would likely raise a host of technical and policy issues for companies including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook</a> and its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/need-partnership-to-curb-false-messages-whatsapp-to-indian-government-148929"> WhatsApp</a> and Instagram units, Twitter and Chinese app <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-accused-in-california-lawsuit-of-sending-user-data-to-china-265867">TikTok</a>, all of which have millions of users in India.

Companies would have to offer a mechanism for users to prove their identities and display that verification publicly, akin to the blue check-mark that Twitter has used to confirm the authenticity of some high-profile accounts, including those belonging to celebrities and politicians.

Verification would be optional for users, the sources said.

The Personal Data Protection Bill, whose first draft was made public last year, is keenly awaited by top technology companies and industry stakeholders as it could alter the way all major internet companies process, store and transfer Indian consumers' data.

The identity verification requirement, introduced in the latest draft of the bill, would be one of the most ambitious efforts globally to battle disinformation and fake news, which is often spread by pseudonymous or fake accounts.

"The idea was to reduce the spread of fake news and online trolling," said one of the sources, a federal IT ministry official.

The privacy bill was cleared by the cabinet on Wednesday and will be presented to parliament soon, officials said. But passage is not imminent, one of the sources said, as the legislation will likely be referred to a parliamentary expert committee or a panel for further review.

Since 2017, fake news and rumor-mongering on social media in India has led to more than 30 deaths, data portal IndiaSpend said last year.

The companies have taken some measures to combat the problem&nbsp;including a move by WhatsApp to limit group-forwarding of messages.

But Facebook and other companies have resisted the idea that they should verify the identity of their users, partly on the grounds that people in many countries would struggle to provide sufficient documentation.

The voluntary verification scheme would give users more confidence in the validity of information on the verified accounts, though it would not eliminate fake accounts.

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "fake news", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday.

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "fake news", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday. The requirement would likely raise a host of technical and policy issues for companies including Facebook and its WhatsApp and Instagram units, Twitter and Chinese app TikTok, all of which have millions of users in India. Companies would have to offer a mechanism for users to prove their identities and display that verification publicly, akin to the blue check-mark that Twitter has used to confirm the authenticity of some high-profile accounts, including those belonging to celebrities and politicians. Verification would be optional for users, the sources said. The Personal Data Protection Bill, whose first draft was made public last year, is keenly awaited by top technology companies and industry stakeholders as it could alter the way all major internet companies process, store and transfer Indian consumers' data. The identity verification requirement, introduced in the latest draft of the bill, would be one of the most ambitious efforts globally to battle disinformation and fake news, which is often spread by pseudonymous or fake accounts. "The idea was to reduce the spread of fake news and online trolling," said one of the sources, a federal IT ministry official. The privacy bill was cleared by the cabinet on Wednesday and will be presented to parliament soon, officials said. But passage is not imminent, one of the sources said, as the legislation will likely be referred to a parliamentary expert committee or a panel for further review. Since 2017, fake news and rumor-mongering on social media in India has led to more than 30 deaths, data portal IndiaSpend said last year. The companies have taken some measures to combat the problem including a move by WhatsApp to limit group-forwarding of messages. But Facebook and other companies have resisted the idea that they should verify the identity of their users, partly on the grounds that people in many countries would struggle to provide sufficient documentation. The voluntary verification scheme would give users more confidence in the validity of information on the verified accounts, though it would not eliminate fake accounts.

India may force social media platforms to offer identity-verification option

ISI is continuing to target defence personnel on social media for gathering information as a new case has come to light where a Pakistani intelligence operative automatically added an Indian Army officer to a Whatsapp group after which the force issued an advisory to its personnel to change their WhatsApp settings.

"A case has come to notice that an Army person was automatically added to a WhatsApp group by a suspected Pakistani number. The individual showed his presence of mind and exited the group after taking its screenshot," the Army advisory issued on November 11 said.

The advisory also said that it was clear that the Pakistani intelligence operatives are targeting Army personnel and their families have also been targeted in the past in social media chat applications such as WhatsApp.

"The above incident can be prevented and unwanted addition to any unauthorised or undesirable groups without consent can be stopped by changing the settings," the advisory said.

It suggested that Army officers and their families should change settings of their WhatsApp chats where they can be added to groups only by those people who are present in their contact list.

The advisory has come at a time when recently two Army jawans were virtually honey-trapped by Pakistani virtual spies who chat and interact with Indian defence personnel over social media applications to gain classified information.

In the last few years, there have been several cases where senior officers up to the rank of Group Captain have been compromised by the Pakistani spies using virtual women to trap Indian officers and jawans.

In a number of cases, the interactions between personnel and virtual social media IDs have started with a chat about military aspects leading to virtual honeytrap.In wake of such incidents, the Army has warned its personnel against being part of any unknown WhatsApp group and also barred them from displaying their military links there.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

ISI is continuing to target defence personnel on social media for gathering information as a new case has come to light where a Pakistani intelligence operative automatically added an Indian Army officer to a Whatsapp group after which the force issued an advisory to its personnel to change their WhatsApp settings.

ISI is continuing to target defence personnel on social media for gathering information as a new case has come to light where a Pakistani intelligence operative automatically added an Indian Army officer to a Whatsapp group after which the force issued an advisory to its personnel to change their WhatsApp settings. "A case has come to notice that an Army person was automatically added to a WhatsApp group by a suspected Pakistani number. The individual showed his presence of mind and exited the group after taking its screenshot," the Army advisory issued on November 11 said. The advisory also said that it was clear that the Pakistani intelligence operatives are targeting Army personnel and their families have also been targeted in the past in social media chat applications such as WhatsApp. "The above incident can be prevented and unwanted addition to any unauthorised or undesirable groups without consent can be stopped by changing the settings," the advisory said. It suggested that Army officers and their families should change settings of their WhatsApp chats where they can be added to groups only by those people who are present in their contact list. The advisory has come at a time when recently two Army jawans were virtually honey-trapped by Pakistani virtual spies who chat and interact with Indian defence personnel over social media applications to gain classified information. In the last few years, there have been several cases where senior officers up to the rank of Group Captain have been compromised by the Pakistani spies using virtual women to trap Indian officers and jawans. In a number of cases, the interactions between personnel and virtual social media IDs have started with a chat about military aspects leading to virtual honeytrap.In wake of such incidents, the Army has warned its personnel against being part of any unknown WhatsApp group and also barred them from displaying their military links there.

ISI targeting defence personnel on social media, Army asks officers to change WhatsApp settings

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US.

"Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet.

"We're expanding those tests to include a small portion of people in the US next week."

Facebook in September confirmed it is dabbling with no longer making a public display of how many "likes" are racked up by posts.

Such a change could ease the pressure to win approval with images, videos or comments and, instead, get people to simply focus on what is in the posts.

Facebook-owned Instagram earlier this year announced it was testing hiding like counts and video view tallies in more than a half-dozen countries, with account holders still able to see the numbers but masking amounts from others.

Twitter has also experimented with hiding numbers of times tweets were "liked" or "retweeted," according to product lead Kayvon Beykpour.

Twitter found that people engaged less with tweets when they couldn't see the counts.

"When you remove engagement indicators, people engage less," Beykpour said while briefing journalists at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco earlier this year.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US. "Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US. "Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet. "We're expanding those tests to include a small portion of people in the US next week." Facebook in September confirmed it is dabbling with no longer making a public display of how many "likes" are racked up by posts. Such a change could ease the pressure to win approval with images, videos or comments and, instead, get people to simply focus on what is in the posts. Facebook-owned Instagram earlier this year announced it was testing hiding like counts and video view tallies in more than a half-dozen countries, with account holders still able to see the numbers but masking amounts from others. Twitter has also experimented with hiding numbers of times tweets were "liked" or "retweeted," according to product lead Kayvon Beykpour. Twitter found that people engaged less with tweets when they couldn't see the counts. "When you remove engagement indicators, people engage less," Beykpour said while briefing journalists at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco earlier this year.

Instagram test of hiding 'likes' on app to start rolling out in United States

Is Twitter Crumbling Due To Arbitrary Content Regulation? #Gravitas

Gravitas: Why Are Indian Users Deserting Twitter?

Naya Pakistan's Web: According to a report, Pakistan stifles Internet Freedom and the report is titled ''The Crisis of Social Media'

Pakistan stifles internet Freedom: Report

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-approach-to-free-speech-draws-line-on-china-257158">Facebook</a> of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services.

Two law firms have filed a discrimination suit in San Francisco federal court on behalf of a 54-year-old woman living in Washington and will ask a judge to grant the case class-action status.

"Women and older persons are entitled to full and equal services of businesses such as Facebook, and the financial services companies that advertise on Facebook's platform," attorney Matthew Handley said in a statement.

"Purposeful targeting of advertisements away from these members of our community unlawfully denies them these guarantees."

The suit contends that women and older people were denied the benefits of ads for financial services because Facebook tools allow messages to be targeted at specific age ranges or genders.

Facebook said it is reviewing the complaint.

"We've made significant changes to how housing, employment and credit opportunities are run on Facebook and continue to work on ways to prevent potential misuse," a spokeswoman for the leading social network told AFP.

"Our policies have long prohibited discrimination and we're proud of the strides we're making in this area."

Facebook announced earlier this year that it was revamping how it uses targeted advertising in a settlement with activist groups alleging it discriminated in messages on jobs, housing, credit and other services.

Under those changes, housing, employment or credit ads would no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or zip code, a practice critics argued had led to discrimination.

In the settlement, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-announces-steps-to-clamp-down-on-misinformation-ahead-of-2020-election-257494">Facebook</a> agreed to take "far-reaching measures to stop advertisers from using age, gender, and other protected traits to target job, housing, and credit ads," according to the law firms involved in the new suit.

"Today's lawsuit alleges that Facebook has not taken any action to stop advertisers from excluding older persons and women from getting financial services ads on Facebook, other than in the limited area of credit ads," the law firms said.

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses Facebook of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services.

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses Facebook of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services. Two law firms have filed a discrimination suit in San Francisco federal court on behalf of a 54-year-old woman living in Washington and will ask a judge to grant the case class-action status. "Women and older persons are entitled to full and equal services of businesses such as Facebook, and the financial services companies that advertise on Facebook's platform," attorney Matthew Handley said in a statement. "Purposeful targeting of advertisements away from these members of our community unlawfully denies them these guarantees." The suit contends that women and older people were denied the benefits of ads for financial services because Facebook tools allow messages to be targeted at specific age ranges or genders. Facebook said it is reviewing the complaint. "We've made significant changes to how housing, employment and credit opportunities are run on Facebook and continue to work on ways to prevent potential misuse," a spokeswoman for the leading social network told AFP. "Our policies have long prohibited discrimination and we're proud of the strides we're making in this area." Facebook announced earlier this year that it was revamping how it uses targeted advertising in a settlement with activist groups alleging it discriminated in messages on jobs, housing, credit and other services. Under those changes, housing, employment or credit ads would no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or zip code, a practice critics argued had led to discrimination. In the settlement, Facebook agreed to take "far-reaching measures to stop advertisers from using age, gender, and other protected traits to target job, housing, and credit ads," according to the law firms involved in the new suit. "Today's lawsuit alleges that Facebook has not taken any action to stop advertisers from excluding older persons and women from getting financial services ads on Facebook, other than in the limited area of credit ads," the law firms said.

Lawsuit accuses Facebook ad targeting of abetting bias

British police warned on Friday that press and social media speculation about the identities of the 39 people found dead in a lorry in Essex may hinder the investigation. 3 more suspects are in the UK police custody.

Essex Lorry death case: 3 more suspects in UK police custody

Social media app TikTok has taken down accounts that were posting propaganda videos for the Islamic State group, a company employee said Tuesday, in the latest scandal to hit the popular platform.

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, claimed some 500 million users globally last year, making it one of the most popular social apps.

An employee at TikTok told AFP that about ten&nbsp;accounts were removed for posting the videos.&nbsp;

"Only one of those videos even had views that reached into double digits before being taken down," said the staffer, who declined to be named.

The videos featured corpses being paraded through streets and Islamic State fighters with guns, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story on Monday.

The Journal said the posts were from about two dozen accounts, which were identified by social media intelligence company Storyful.

"Content promoting terrorist organizations have absolutely no place on TikTok," the company said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"We permanently ban any such accounts and associated devices as soon as identified, and we continuously develop ever-stronger controls to proactively detect suspicious activity," it said.

The Islamic State's self-declared "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria fell in March, but the group remains active in several countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, as well as still inspiring jihadists through an online presence.

The TikTok platform, which allows users to create and share videos of 15 seconds, is particularly popular with teenagers.

"Unlike other platforms, which are centred around users' friends or communities, TikTok is based on engaging with a never-ending stream of new content," said Darren Davidson, the editor-in-chief of Storyful.&nbsp;

"The ISIS postings violate TikTok's policies, but the sheer volume of content makes it difficult for TikTok to police their platform and root out these videos," he said.

The app has been marred by controversy in recent months.

In April, TikTok was briefly banned by an Indian court over claims it was promoting pornography among children.

The app is banned in neighbouring Bangladesh and was hit with an enormous fine in the United States for illegally collecting information from children.

The company has refuted the allegations, saying they abide by local privacy laws.

ByteDance has a version of TikTok in China called Douyin.

Social media app TikTok has taken down accounts that were posting propaganda videos for the Islamic State group, a company employee said Tuesday, in the latest scandal to hit the popular platform.

Social media app TikTok has taken down accounts that were posting propaganda videos for the Islamic State group, a company employee said Tuesday, in the latest scandal to hit the popular platform. TikTok, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, claimed some 500 million users globally last year, making it one of the most popular social apps. An employee at TikTok told AFP that about ten accounts were removed for posting the videos. "Only one of those videos even had views that reached into double digits before being taken down," said the staffer, who declined to be named. The videos featured corpses being paraded through streets and Islamic State fighters with guns, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story on Monday. The Journal said the posts were from about two dozen accounts, which were identified by social media intelligence company Storyful. "Content promoting terrorist organizations have absolutely no place on TikTok," the company said in a statement emailed to AFP. "We permanently ban any such accounts and associated devices as soon as identified, and we continuously develop ever-stronger controls to proactively detect suspicious activity," it said. The Islamic State's self-declared "caliphate" in Iraq and Syria fell in March, but the group remains active in several countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, as well as still inspiring jihadists through an online presence. The TikTok platform, which allows users to create and share videos of 15 seconds, is particularly popular with teenagers. "Unlike other platforms, which are centred around users' friends or communities, TikTok is based on engaging with a never-ending stream of new content," said Darren Davidson, the editor-in-chief of Storyful. "The ISIS postings violate TikTok's policies, but the sheer volume of content makes it difficult for TikTok to police their platform and root out these videos," he said. The app has been marred by controversy in recent months. In April, TikTok was briefly banned by an Indian court over claims it was promoting pornography among children. The app is banned in neighbouring Bangladesh and was hit with an enormous fine in the United States for illegally collecting information from children. The company has refuted the allegations, saying they abide by local privacy laws. ByteDance has a version of TikTok in China called Douyin.

Social media app TikTok removes Islamic State propaganda videos

The Supreme Court on Monday <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-issues-notices-to-centre-uidai-on-petition-challenging-aadhar-ordinance-233388">refused to entertain a petition</a> seeking a direction to the central government to link social media accounts with the Aadhaar number to check the menace of fake and paid news. 
 
A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta, however, allowed the petitioner, Ashwini Upadhyay, to approach the concerned High Court. 
 
"Everything doesn't need to come to the Supreme Court. This issue is before the Madras High Court, you go there," the top court said. 
 
Upadhyay, through his petition, sought a direction to the Centre to deactivate the duplicate and fake social media accounts in order to control fake and paid news. 
 
The plea also wanted the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uidai-plans-to-open-aadhar-seva-kendras-in-53-cities-170507">government to link the profiles on such platforms</a>, including those on Facebook and Twitter with the Aadhaar number.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking a direction to the central government to link social media accounts with the Aadhaar number to check the menace of fake and paid news.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking a direction to the central government to link social media accounts with the Aadhaar number to check the menace of fake and paid news. A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta, however, allowed the petitioner, Ashwini Upadhyay, to approach the concerned High Court. "Everything doesn't need to come to the Supreme Court. This issue is before the Madras High Court, you go there," the top court said. Upadhyay, through his petition, sought a direction to the Centre to deactivate the duplicate and fake social media accounts in order to control fake and paid news. The plea also wanted the government to link the profiles on such platforms, including those on Facebook and Twitter with the Aadhaar number.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea for linking social media with Aadhar

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-says-rs-25-lakh-crore-will-be-spent-on-infrastructure-development-in-rural-areas-255651">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a>, who is known for his ability to connect with the masses through social media,&nbsp;now has 30 million followers on Instagram, in just over a month after the tech-savvy leader had crossed the 50 million follower mark on Twitter. 
 
With this, Modi is now the most followed world leader on the photo-sharing app.

US President Donald Trump currently has 14.9 million followers while his predecessor Barack Obama has 24.8 million followers on Instagram. 
"PM @NarendraModi crosses 30 million followers on Instagram*. He is the most followed world leader on Instagram ahead of US President Trump as well as former US President Obama. This is yet another testament to his popularity and connection with the youth," BJP working president JP Nadda said in a tweet. 
&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
PM <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NarendraModi</a> crosses 30 million followers on Instagram* 
 
He is the *most followed* world leader on Instagram ahead of US President Trump as well as former US President Obama. 
 
This is yet another testament to his popularity and connect with the youth. <a href="https://t.co/Kd66uBAgyg">pic.twitter.com/Kd66uBAgyg</a>
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) <a href="https://twitter.com/JPNadda/status/1183344957672706053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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On Twitter, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/valmiki-community-in-jk-was-deprived-of-basic-rights-until-abrogation-of-article-370-pm-modi-255632">the Prime Minister</a> currently has 50.7 million followers and now stands tall among the world leaders on the micro-blogging site, with his handle @narendramodi a little behind that of Trump, who has 65.7 million followers. 
 
Obama remains on the first spot with over 109 million accounts following him. 
 
Modi is very active on social media, including Instagram and Twitter and regularly puts out texts on everything - from his speeches at various platforms to the places he went to and the people he met. 
 
Last year, an international survey ranked PM Modi among the top three leaders of the world. 
 
An annual survey by Gallup International put the Prime Minister at number three among the global leaders. 
 
The respondents in the survey, which was conducted among people across 50 countries, rated Modi ahead of China's Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, former British Prime Minister Theresa May, and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu amongst others. 
 
The top ranking in the survey went to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, followed by the French President Emmanuel Macron.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is known for his ability to connect with the masses through social media, now has 30 million followers on Instagram, in just over a month after the tech-savvy leader had crossed the 50 million follower mark on Twitter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is known for his ability to connect with the masses through social media, now has 30 million followers on Instagram, in just over a month after the tech-savvy leader had crossed the 50 million follower mark on Twitter. With this, Modi is now the most followed world leader on the photo-sharing app. US President Donald Trump currently has 14.9 million followers while his predecessor Barack Obama has 24.8 million followers on Instagram. "PM @NarendraModi crosses 30 million followers on Instagram*. He is the most followed world leader on Instagram ahead of US President Trump as well as former US President Obama. This is yet another testament to his popularity and connection with the youth," BJP working president JP Nadda said in a tweet. PM @NarendraModi crosses 30 million followers on Instagram* He is the *most followed* world leader on Instagram ahead of US President Trump as well as former US President Obama. This is yet another testament to his popularity and connect with the youth. pic.twitter.com/Kd66uBAgyg — Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) October 13, 2019 × On Twitter, the Prime Minister currently has 50.7 million followers and now stands tall among the world leaders on the micro-blogging site, with his handle @narendramodi a little behind that of Trump, who has 65.7 million followers. Obama remains on the first spot with over 109 million accounts following him. Modi is very active on social media, including Instagram and Twitter and regularly puts out texts on everything - from his speeches at various platforms to the places he went to and the people he met. Last year, an international survey ranked PM Modi among the top three leaders of the world. An annual survey by Gallup International put the Prime Minister at number three among the global leaders. The respondents in the survey, which was conducted among people across 50 countries, rated Modi ahead of China's Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, former British Prime Minister Theresa May, and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu amongst others. The top ranking in the survey went to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, followed by the French President Emmanuel Macron.

PM Modi crosses 30 million followers on Instagram, becomes world's most followed leader

The government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) denied reports on Wednesday that the regulator is closing down at least nine commercial banks soon.

"There are mischievous rumours on social media about RBI closing some banks," said Finance Secretary Rajeev Kumar.

He said, "There is no question of closing any public sector bank, which are articles of faith. Rather the government is strengthening public sector banks with reforms and infusion of capital to better serve its customers."

The RBI too said reports appearing in some sections of social media about closing down certain commercial banks are false.

Several Twitter posts said nine banks will be closed permanently by the RBI Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, UCO Bank, Andhra Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India, Dena Bank and United Bank of India.

The development came a day after the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC Bank) was barred from routine business transactions for the next six months, and its withdrawal limit was capped at Rs 1,000.

The RBI, however, had made it clear that the directions to PMC Bank should not be construed as cancellation of banking licenses. PMC Bank can continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till further notice/instructions, it said.

But the move sparked outrage among customers who staged protests at some of PMC's branches across the country.

PMC Bank is a multi-state scheduled urban cooperative bank with operations in Maharashtra, New Delhi, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. With a network of 137 branches, it ranks among the top 10 cooperative banks in the country.

The government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) denied reports on Wednesday that the regulator is closing down at least nine commercial banks soon. "There are mischievous rumours on social media about RBI closing some banks," said Finance Secretary Rajeev Kumar.

The government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) denied reports on Wednesday that the regulator is closing down at least nine commercial banks soon. "There are mischievous rumours on social media about RBI closing some banks," said Finance Secretary Rajeev Kumar. He said, "There is no question of closing any public sector bank, which are articles of faith. Rather the government is strengthening public sector banks with reforms and infusion of capital to better serve its customers." The RBI too said reports appearing in some sections of social media about closing down certain commercial banks are false. Several Twitter posts said nine banks will be closed permanently by the RBI Corporation Bank, IDBI Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, UCO Bank, Andhra Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Central Bank of India, Dena Bank and United Bank of India. The development came a day after the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank (PMC Bank) was barred from routine business transactions for the next six months, and its withdrawal limit was capped at Rs 1,000. The RBI, however, had made it clear that the directions to PMC Bank should not be construed as cancellation of banking licenses. PMC Bank can continue to undertake banking business with restrictions till further notice/instructions, it said. But the move sparked outrage among customers who staged protests at some of PMC's branches across the country. PMC Bank is a multi-state scheduled urban cooperative bank with operations in Maharashtra, New Delhi, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. With a network of 137 branches, it ranks among the top 10 cooperative banks in the country.

Social media rumours of banks shutting down false: Reserve Bank of India

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-to-create-privacy-panel-pay-5-billion-to-us-to-settle-data-breach-allegations-238141">Facebook</a> will not fact-check the statements which politicians post to the site, the social network announced on Tuesday ahead of the United States 2020 elections, even as it works to discredit false information meant to manipulate public opinion.

While the social network relies on third-party fact-checkers, including news organisations such as AFP, to help it discredit viral misinformation, it will stop short of wading into the veracity of political claims.

"We don't believe... that it's an appropriate role for us to referee political debates and prevent a politician's speech from reaching its audience and being subject to public debate and scrutiny," said Nick Clegg, Facebook Vice President of Global Affairs and Communications.

"This means that we will not send organic content or ads from politicians to our third-party fact-checking partners for review," he said.

Worries have run high ahead of the November 2020 polls following revelations of a wide-ranging misinformation campaign on Facebook and other social platforms, largely directed by Russian operatives, in the 2016 elections.

Overwhelmed by such misinformation, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-suspends-tens-of-thousands-of-apps-in-privacy-review-251009">Facebook</a> has set up partnerships with media outlets to verify articles and posts found to be of a dubious nature, with journalists' contributions appearing below problematic content, which is labelled as doubtful.

Exclusion of politicians' discourse has been a part of Facebook's policy for over a year, Clegg said.

"However, when a politician shares previously debunked content including links, videos and photos, we plan to demote that content, display related information from fact-checkers, and reject its inclusion in advertisements," he said.

Clegg, a former British Deputy Prime Minister, joined Facebook less than a year ago to help fix its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-question-facebook-over-plans-on-libra-cryptocurrency-236514">scandal-plagued image</a> following Russian social media campaigns during elections.

Facebook meanwhile walks a fine line in its attempts to balance freedom of expression with the regulation of inappropriate content.

Its Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has taken steps to increase transparency, especially when it comes to political advertising.

The social network has come under fire from critics, particularly Democrats, who believe that tech giants have become too powerful. Meanwhile Republicans, including US President Donald Trump, regularly accuse the social network of censoring conservative voices.

Facebook will not fact-check the statements which politicians post to the site, the social network announced on Tuesday ahead of the United States 2020 elections, even as it works to discredit false information meant to manipulate public opinion.

Facebook will not fact-check the statements which politicians post to the site, the social network announced on Tuesday ahead of the United States 2020 elections, even as it works to discredit false information meant to manipulate public opinion. While the social network relies on third-party fact-checkers, including news organisations such as AFP, to help it discredit viral misinformation, it will stop short of wading into the veracity of political claims. "We don't believe... that it's an appropriate role for us to referee political debates and prevent a politician's speech from reaching its audience and being subject to public debate and scrutiny," said Nick Clegg, Facebook Vice President of Global Affairs and Communications. "This means that we will not send organic content or ads from politicians to our third-party fact-checking partners for review," he said. Worries have run high ahead of the November 2020 polls following revelations of a wide-ranging misinformation campaign on Facebook and other social platforms, largely directed by Russian operatives, in the 2016 elections. Overwhelmed by such misinformation, Facebook has set up partnerships with media outlets to verify articles and posts found to be of a dubious nature, with journalists' contributions appearing below problematic content, which is labelled as doubtful. Exclusion of politicians' discourse has been a part of Facebook's policy for over a year, Clegg said. "However, when a politician shares previously debunked content including links, videos and photos, we plan to demote that content, display related information from fact-checkers, and reject its inclusion in advertisements," he said. Clegg, a former British Deputy Prime Minister, joined Facebook less than a year ago to help fix its scandal-plagued image following Russian social media campaigns during elections. Facebook meanwhile walks a fine line in its attempts to balance freedom of expression with the regulation of inappropriate content. Its Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has taken steps to increase transparency, especially when it comes to political advertising. The social network has come under fire from critics, particularly Democrats, who believe that tech giants have become too powerful. Meanwhile Republicans, including US President Donald Trump, regularly accuse the social network of censoring conservative voices.

Facebook exempts political speech from fact-checking

Anti-Trust probe underway against Facebook

Facebook suspends thousands of Apps

Gravitas: The Facebook Supreme Court!

Pop singer Demi Lovato's latest social media post is raising the temperature on social media with Lovato showcasing her perfect summer look in a bikini. The singer sported leopard print beachwear with neon green straps, perfectly matching her new hair colour. 
 
"No photoshop pls and thank u. Also big thanks to izabelag4 &amp; maremareswimw for my new fav bikini... y'all know my thing for leopard print bikinis and now, of course, lime green," she wrote alongside the photo.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2axPnqhpaB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">No photoshop pls &amp; thank u. Also big thanks to @izabelag4 &amp; @maremareswimw for my new fav bikini... y’all know my thing for leopard print bikinis and now of course lime green 💚💚💚</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ddlovato/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Demi Lovato</a> (@ddlovato) on <time datetime="2019-09-15T04:22:05+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 14, 2019 at 9:22pm PDT</time>
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Looks like Lovato is in love with leopard prints nowadays. As a few days ago she shared another leopard print bikini during a trip to Bora Bora. 
 
"This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it's CELLULIT!!!! I'm just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body," she explained. 
 
The 27-year-old singer previously increased the temperature with a handful of snaps in the same swimsuit while on the same trip. She also admitted that those pictures were edited.

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2DLlZ4BfgP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it’s CELLULIT!!!! I’m just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body, editing it (yes the other bikini pics were edited - and I hate that I did that but it’s the truth) so that others think I’m THEIR idea of what beautiful is, but it’s just not me. This is what I got. I want this new chapter in my life to be about being authentic to who I am rather than trying to meet someone else’s standards. So here’s me, unashamed, unafraid and proud to own a body that has fought through so much and will continue to amaze me when I hopefully give birth one day. It’s such a great feeling to be back in tv/film while not stressing myself with a strenuous workout schedule before 14 hour days, or depriving myself from a real birthday cake rather than opting for watermelon &amp; whip cream with candles because I was terrified of REAL cake and was miserable on some crazy diet shit. Anyway, here’s me, RAW, REAL! And I love me. And you should love you too! Now back to the studio.. I’m working on an anthem.. 🙏🏼🙌🏼🤷🏻‍♀️ also. Just so everyone’s clear.. I’m not stoked on my appearance BUT I am appreciative of it and sometimes that’s the best I can do. I hope to inspire someone to appreciate their body today too. 💗 #nationalcelulliteday #celluLIT 🔥🔥🔥</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ddlovato/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Demi Lovato</a> (@ddlovato) on <time datetime="2019-09-06T00:30:29+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 5, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT</time>
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"Yes the other bikini pics were edited -- and I hate that I did that but it's the truth," she wrote. According to the News agency, she has long been vocal about her struggle with bipolar disorder and bulimia, making her social media updates even more impactful. 
 
"It's such a great feeling to be back in tv/film while not stressing myself with a strenuous workout schedule before 14 hour days, or depriving myself of a real birthday cake rather than opting for watermelon &amp; whip cream with candles because I was terrified of REAL cake and was miserable on some crazy diet," she explained. 
 
"Anyway, here's me, RAW, REAL! And I love me. And you should love you too! Now back to the studio... I'm working on an anthem..," added Lovato. 
 
Demi Lovato and 'Bachelorette'&nbsp;star Mike Johnson have been spending time together. However, they are taking things slow, the news agency quoted a source, as saying. 
 
"They did go on a date and it's been going well," the source revealed. "They seem to have a lot in common and are just enjoying getting to know each other."

Pop singer Demi Lovato's latest social media post is raising the temperature on social media with Lovato showcasing her perfect summer look in a bikini. The singer sported leopard print beachwear with neon green straps, perfectly matching her new hair colour.

Pop singer Demi Lovato's latest social media post is raising the temperature on social media with Lovato showcasing her perfect summer look in a bikini. The singer sported leopard print beachwear with neon green straps, perfectly matching her new hair colour. "No photoshop pls and thank u. Also big thanks to izabelag4 & maremareswimw for my new fav bikini... y'all know my thing for leopard print bikinis and now, of course, lime green," she wrote alongside the photo. View this post on Instagram No photoshop pls & thank u. Also big thanks to @izabelag4 & @maremareswimw for my new fav bikini... y’all know my thing for leopard print bikinis and now of course lime green 💚💚💚 A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Sep 14, 2019 at 9:22pm PDT × Looks like Lovato is in love with leopard prints nowadays. As a few days ago she shared another leopard print bikini during a trip to Bora Bora. "This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it's CELLULIT!!!! I'm just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body," she explained. The 27-year-old singer previously increased the temperature with a handful of snaps in the same swimsuit while on the same trip. She also admitted that those pictures were edited. View this post on Instagram This is my biggest fear. A photo of me in a bikini unedited. And guess what, it’s CELLULIT!!!! I’m just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body, editing it (yes the other bikini pics were edited - and I hate that I did that but it’s the truth) so that others think I’m THEIR idea of what beautiful is, but it’s just not me. This is what I got. I want this new chapter in my life to be about being authentic to who I am rather than trying to meet someone else’s standards. So here’s me, unashamed, unafraid and proud to own a body that has fought through so much and will continue to amaze me when I hopefully give birth one day. It’s such a great feeling to be back in tv/film while not stressing myself with a strenuous workout schedule before 14 hour days, or depriving myself from a real birthday cake rather than opting for watermelon & whip cream with candles because I was terrified of REAL cake and was miserable on some crazy diet shit. Anyway, here’s me, RAW, REAL! And I love me. And you should love you too! Now back to the studio.. I’m working on an anthem.. 🙏🏼🙌🏼🤷🏻‍♀️ also. Just so everyone’s clear.. I’m not stoked on my appearance BUT I am appreciative of it and sometimes that’s the best I can do. I hope to inspire someone to appreciate their body today too. 💗 #nationalcelulliteday #celluLIT 🔥🔥🔥 A post shared by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Sep 5, 2019 at 5:30pm PDT × "Yes the other bikini pics were edited -- and I hate that I did that but it's the truth," she wrote. According to the News agency, she has long been vocal about her struggle with bipolar disorder and bulimia, making her social media updates even more impactful. "It's such a great feeling to be back in tv/film while not stressing myself with a strenuous workout schedule before 14 hour days, or depriving myself of a real birthday cake rather than opting for watermelon & whip cream with candles because I was terrified of REAL cake and was miserable on some crazy diet," she explained. "Anyway, here's me, RAW, REAL! And I love me. And you should love you too! Now back to the studio... I'm working on an anthem..," added Lovato. Demi Lovato and 'Bachelorette' star Mike Johnson have been spending time together. However, they are taking things slow, the news agency quoted a source, as saying. "They did go on a date and it's been going well," the source revealed. "They seem to have a lot in common and are just enjoying getting to know each other."

Demi Lovato's latest instagram post is raising temperature over social media

&nbsp;In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride.

The woman in the footage is dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, sitting next to her husband who addresses her in fluent Mandarin, amplifying a message of trans-national love prevailing over differences in language, religion, and culture.

The videos are the latest sign of China's growing push to build up cultural "soft power" to complement the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $60 billion infrastructure programme it has launched as part of the Asian giant's flagship "Belt and Road" project.

Over the past year, China has sent state-owned PTV and other commercial television channels a series of documentaries, dramas and other television programming for free, officials from PTV told Reuters.

Experts say China has been ramping up attempts to win the hearts and minds of citizens in Belt and Road nations through language, traditional media, and social media campaigns, echoing the cultural firepower previously wielded by Western nations, which have leveraged everything from language centres to Hollywood and blue jeans to burnish global influence.

"We have learned from the experience of the United States, the UK, and other Western countries&nbsp;but now, it's time for the world to understand China," said Chen Xiang, a correspondent coordinating state-run China Radio International's wide-ranging presence in Pakistan.&nbsp;

"We want to tell the people the truth about China, what real China is through radio programmes, through TV and through other cultural activities we can do this."

China is boosting its Mandarin teaching through state-backed language and culture organizations called Confucius Institutes Pakistan is home to four with two more Confucius resource centres set to open&nbsp;and spreading exposure to its arts and narrative media in a bid to engage everyday Pakistanis.

Earlier this year, PTV World aired its first Chinese cartoon series, titled Three Drops of Blood, following its premier at the government-funded Pakistan National Council of Arts, where the Chinese Embassy rented a large portion of the building to host a China Cultural Centre.

Recent investments in TV and film follow Chinese interest in print media. Launched in 2017, Huashang, the first-ever Chinese language newspaper in Pakistan, now boasts a readership of over 60,000 a week.

With around 25,000 <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-slams-jammu-and-kashmirs-mention-in-china-pakistan-joint-statement-raises-concerns-on-cpec-248827">Pakistanis</a> learning Chinese at home and another 22,000 Pakistani students in China, there is some way to go before Mandarin challenges English in Pakistan, where the legacy of British colonial rule is everywhere.

But signs of China's presence are increasingly visible, from expatriate engineers and their families shopping in city centres to a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting the spectacular scenery of Pakistan's rugged mountainous north. Locals report an increasing appetite to engage using shared cultural touchpoints and language sometimes with business in mind.

PAKISTANIS EMBRACING CHINA

"China is interested in improving its soft power all across the world, " said Dr Kiran Hassan, Research Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, adding Pakistanis were responding with enthusiasm.

"It's an audience that is ready to receive the Chinese perspective as they feel that China is offering them an economic opportunity."

Awais Chaudhry moved from his home in the eastern city of Faisalabad to study at a Chinese language institute in Lahore for more than six months, hoping it would help his marketing job.

"China is our neighbour and a large number of imports is from there, and so with that business point of view, I tried to learn the basics of this language," he told Reuters.

Everyday cultural contacts, while still limited, are expanding, although there is inevitably sometimes a darker side, notably in the periodic scandals over people-trafficking involving Pakistani girls sent to China to be married to men unable to find a wife at home.

&nbsp;HARDER EDGE

There is a harder edge to some of China's soft power, notably in its response to criticisms of the Belt and Road initiative as a neo-colonial project, promoting environmentally damaging projects such as coal-fired power plants that benefit Chinese companies more than Pakistan.

Media and think tank officials from both nations plan to set up a "Rapid Response Initiative System" to counter negative perceptions and stop "fake news" about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-approaches-international-community-over-kashmir-but-commits-genocide-in-balochistan-baloch-leader-248933">China-Pakistan </a>projects, some of which have garnered increasing skepticism of their economic benefits and criticism of the environmental cost.

Run collaboratively by China Economic Net, a Beijing-based online news organization, and the Pakistan China Institute, a pro-Beijing Islamabad-based think tank, the system disseminates information to counter negative or "fake" views about CPEC and replace it with a message of a profitable alliance.

"We can't take down information, so what we do is give correct information. All media tools are used," says Mustafa Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan China Institute, adding that they spread messages via news anchors, newspapers and Twitter.

In August Zhao Lijian, China's then-deputy ambassador to Pakistan, retweeted an article titled 'CPEC is dead. Somebody tell Beijing.'

"Congratulations, this report has won the title called 'joke of the day'" he wrote in the Tweet. "The article is pure nonsense, fake news, groundless speculation. This article has become the largest laughing stock in China and Pakistan."

In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride.

In a small office at the Pakistani Television Corporation (PTV) headquarters in Islamabad, producers are preparing to air a video interview of a Pakistani man and his Chinese bride. The woman in the footage is dressed in traditional Pakistani clothes, sitting next to her husband who addresses her in fluent Mandarin, amplifying a message of trans-national love prevailing over differences in language, religion, and culture. The videos are the latest sign of China's growing push to build up cultural "soft power" to complement the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the $60 billion infrastructure programme it has launched as part of the Asian giant's flagship "Belt and Road" project. Over the past year, China has sent state-owned PTV and other commercial television channels a series of documentaries, dramas and other television programming for free, officials from PTV told Reuters. Experts say China has been ramping up attempts to win the hearts and minds of citizens in Belt and Road nations through language, traditional media, and social media campaigns, echoing the cultural firepower previously wielded by Western nations, which have leveraged everything from language centres to Hollywood and blue jeans to burnish global influence. "We have learned from the experience of the United States, the UK, and other Western countries but now, it's time for the world to understand China," said Chen Xiang, a correspondent coordinating state-run China Radio International's wide-ranging presence in Pakistan. "We want to tell the people the truth about China, what real China is through radio programmes, through TV and through other cultural activities we can do this." China is boosting its Mandarin teaching through state-backed language and culture organizations called Confucius Institutes Pakistan is home to four with two more Confucius resource centres set to open and spreading exposure to its arts and narrative media in a bid to engage everyday Pakistanis. Earlier this year, PTV World aired its first Chinese cartoon series, titled Three Drops of Blood, following its premier at the government-funded Pakistan National Council of Arts, where the Chinese Embassy rented a large portion of the building to host a China Cultural Centre. Recent investments in TV and film follow Chinese interest in print media. Launched in 2017, Huashang, the first-ever Chinese language newspaper in Pakistan, now boasts a readership of over 60,000 a week. With around 25,000 Pakistanis learning Chinese at home and another 22,000 Pakistani students in China, there is some way to go before Mandarin challenges English in Pakistan, where the legacy of British colonial rule is everywhere. But signs of China's presence are increasingly visible, from expatriate engineers and their families shopping in city centres to a growing number of Chinese tourists visiting the spectacular scenery of Pakistan's rugged mountainous north. Locals report an increasing appetite to engage using shared cultural touchpoints and language sometimes with business in mind. PAKISTANIS EMBRACING CHINA "China is interested in improving its soft power all across the world, " said Dr Kiran Hassan, Research Associate Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, adding Pakistanis were responding with enthusiasm. "It's an audience that is ready to receive the Chinese perspective as they feel that China is offering them an economic opportunity." Awais Chaudhry moved from his home in the eastern city of Faisalabad to study at a Chinese language institute in Lahore for more than six months, hoping it would help his marketing job. "China is our neighbour and a large number of imports is from there, and so with that business point of view, I tried to learn the basics of this language," he told Reuters. Everyday cultural contacts, while still limited, are expanding, although there is inevitably sometimes a darker side, notably in the periodic scandals over people-trafficking involving Pakistani girls sent to China to be married to men unable to find a wife at home. HARDER EDGE There is a harder edge to some of China's soft power, notably in its response to criticisms of the Belt and Road initiative as a neo-colonial project, promoting environmentally damaging projects such as coal-fired power plants that benefit Chinese companies more than Pakistan. Media and think tank officials from both nations plan to set up a "Rapid Response Initiative System" to counter negative perceptions and stop "fake news" about China-Pakistan projects, some of which have garnered increasing skepticism of their economic benefits and criticism of the environmental cost. Run collaboratively by China Economic Net, a Beijing-based online news organization, and the Pakistan China Institute, a pro-Beijing Islamabad-based think tank, the system disseminates information to counter negative or "fake" views about CPEC and replace it with a message of a profitable alliance. "We can't take down information, so what we do is give correct information. All media tools are used," says Mustafa Sayed, Executive Director of the Pakistan China Institute, adding that they spread messages via news anchors, newspapers and Twitter. In August Zhao Lijian, China's then-deputy ambassador to Pakistan, retweeted an article titled 'CPEC is dead. Somebody tell Beijing.' "Congratulations, this report has won the title called 'joke of the day'" he wrote in the Tweet. "The article is pure nonsense, fake news, groundless speculation. This article has become the largest laughing stock in China and Pakistan."

China boosts soft power in Pakistan via film and social media

Watch Top news of the day in WION Playlist, 26th August 2019

Watch WION Playlist, 26th August 2019

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, Twitter, Google, and YouTube on a plea filed by Facebook seeking transfer to the court petitions pending before different high courts, demanding to interlink of Aadhaar database with social media profiles.

Several petitions are pending before Madras, Bombay and Madhya Pradesh High Courts seeking their direction for the interlinking of Aadhaar data with social media accounts for identity authentication.

A bench of Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Aniruddha Bose said the Madras High Court shall continue hearing the pleas but shall not pass any order.

The apex court will further take up the matter for hearing on September 13.

The petition was filed by the social media giant last week. Facebook and WhatsApp told the bench that the matter should be adjudicated by it and sought transfer of petitions pending before high courts to the top court as any order passed against them will have global ramifications.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Facebook, argued that the issue is of such a magnitude that only the top court should take a decision on it.

"It affects the privacy of the whole nation. This is the policy matter," he said.

Rohatgi further argued that any order passed by the high courts will have wider ramifications as Facebook is a global entity and it has to abide by laws of different nations.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, told the court that the Central government is concerned about the messaging platform's end-to-end encryption and it is looking into it to frame some guidelines.

"While the government is dealing with this matter, let all the pleas come here. This can't be decided by high courts, it's a policy issue and should be decided by the Supreme Court. These are very serious issues," Sibal added.

Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, contended that 18 hearings have taken place on the petitions in the Madras High Court and the judgement would come in another month.

"Facebook should not object to it," he said.

Citing the example of the controversial Blue Whale challenge, he argued that social media platforms should provide details about the origin of a message.

"Online games like the Blue Whale caused deaths in India because service providers did not provide details of the 'originator'. We had a serious situation during the Blue Whale game. Government of India struggled to find out about its originator, some said it's from Russia. Government is not equipped to detect the originator," Venugopal said.

He further said,&nbsp;"It is pertinent for social media platforms to share data with law enforcement agencies to ensure criminal activities like abetment to suicide or call for violence inter alia, through these platforms is curbed."After hearing the arguments, the bench said that a balance has to be struck between the protection of people's privacy online as well as a mechanism to identify people who commit an online criminal offence."

There is a conflict between the right to privacy and the duty to prevent crimes online. There is no doubt that there has to be a balance between the two," the court observed.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, Twitter, Google, and YouTube on a plea filed by Facebook seeking transfer to the court petitions pending before different high courts, demanding to interlink of Aadhaar database with social media profiles.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Centre, Twitter, Google, and YouTube on a plea filed by Facebook seeking transfer to the court petitions pending before different high courts, demanding to interlink of Aadhaar database with social media profiles. Several petitions are pending before Madras, Bombay and Madhya Pradesh High Courts seeking their direction for the interlinking of Aadhaar data with social media accounts for identity authentication. A bench of Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Aniruddha Bose said the Madras High Court shall continue hearing the pleas but shall not pass any order. The apex court will further take up the matter for hearing on September 13. The petition was filed by the social media giant last week. Facebook and WhatsApp told the bench that the matter should be adjudicated by it and sought transfer of petitions pending before high courts to the top court as any order passed against them will have global ramifications. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Facebook, argued that the issue is of such a magnitude that only the top court should take a decision on it. "It affects the privacy of the whole nation. This is the policy matter," he said. Rohatgi further argued that any order passed by the high courts will have wider ramifications as Facebook is a global entity and it has to abide by laws of different nations. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for WhatsApp, told the court that the Central government is concerned about the messaging platform's end-to-end encryption and it is looking into it to frame some guidelines. "While the government is dealing with this matter, let all the pleas come here. This can't be decided by high courts, it's a policy issue and should be decided by the Supreme Court. These are very serious issues," Sibal added. Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, contended that 18 hearings have taken place on the petitions in the Madras High Court and the judgement would come in another month. "Facebook should not object to it," he said. Citing the example of the controversial Blue Whale challenge, he argued that social media platforms should provide details about the origin of a message. "Online games like the Blue Whale caused deaths in India because service providers did not provide details of the 'originator'. We had a serious situation during the Blue Whale game. Government of India struggled to find out about its originator, some said it's from Russia. Government is not equipped to detect the originator," Venugopal said. He further said, "It is pertinent for social media platforms to share data with law enforcement agencies to ensure criminal activities like abetment to suicide or call for violence inter alia, through these platforms is curbed."After hearing the arguments, the bench said that a balance has to be struck between the protection of people's privacy online as well as a mechanism to identify people who commit an online criminal offence." There is a conflict between the right to privacy and the duty to prevent crimes online. There is no doubt that there has to be a balance between the two," the court observed.

Supreme Court issues notices to Centre, social media majors on Facebook plea

When Mohammad Rafiq spotted two Rohingya refugee girls dusting their faces with circles of traditional thanaka powder under the warm morning light, he quickly took out his smartphone to capture the moment.

The 19-year-old budding photographer, who fled to Bangladesh in August 2017 after a military crackdown in Myanmar, uses his mobile phone to record the daily lives of nearly one million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh.

"I loved the photo instantly as it reflects our culture and the innocence of the little girls who barely want to remember the crisis we are facing," Rafiq told AFP.

Rafiq is among some 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its "Storytellers" project.

For two weeks, they are taught smartphone photo and video-shooting techniques -- such as understanding light, exposure and angles -- as well as writing skills.

The refugees then share their stories directly with the public through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with audiences around the world posting comments and asking questions.

"The idea behind it is to be able to hand back the narrative to the people that we are already assisting," WFP spokeswoman Gemma Snowdon told AFP.

The Storytellers Page on Facebook has more than 30,000 followers and includes similar schemes rolled out in Chad and Uganda.

All the Rohingya posters have a similar goal -- to share with the outside world the raw, emotional ups and downs they face living in the world's largest refugee camp.

Minara, who was four months' pregnant when she fled Myanmar, shares videos of how refugees are given ropes to tie their makeshift tarpaulin roofs to bamboo poles so they are not blown away by strong winds.

Another post, by Hafsa Aktar, is a heartrending letter to her father who was left behind, in which she writes of the difficult conditions in the camp and her deep longing to return to her homeland.

Life through the lens

Being able to take photos again has put a spring in the steps of Rafiq, who wanted to continue his schooling after the 10th grade in Myanmar but was blocked by authorities.

When he was 15, Rafiq's father bought him his first-ever smartphone as a present. Thrilled with the device, he explored his town in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state, taking photos of everything he loved.

But Rafiq's life was turned upside down in 2017 when the brutal army campaign drove some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims across the border to Cox's Bazar, where another 200,000 refugees were already living in squalid camps.

During the arduous journey to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape the violence, the teenager lost his favourite possession -- his smartphone.

"I arrived in Bangladesh with my mother and three younger siblings after 10 days of harrowing walks through the hills," Rafiq recalled as he sat in a shanty inside the camp.

"I wish I could have captured the moments of anguish we had to suffer on our way out of Myanmar."

Now Rafiq is becoming a star on Facebook through his photos.

In one post that has attracted some 180,000 views, Rafiq captures a woman meditating during the month of Ramadan to show how the Muslim minority are now free to practise their religion even as they grapple with the hardships in the crammed shelters.

"International media is covering the stories in the camps but they are not here 24/7 but I am," he said, adding that his stories were more authentic.

"People learn from my stories that we are seeking justice and want to return home."

On some days, Rafiq walks to a vantage point in the camps where he can see the hills of Myanmar shrouded by clouds in the distance, and thinks of home.

"I see flashbacks of how my friends and I used to roam around the place. I feel very sad," he said, adding that he hopes to return one day and be a photojournalist.

"That will be the fulfilment of my dream."

When Mohammad Rafiq spotted two Rohingya refugee girls dusting their faces with circles of traditional thanaka powder under the warm morning light, he quickly took out his smartphone to capture the moment.

When Mohammad Rafiq spotted two Rohingya refugee girls dusting their faces with circles of traditional thanaka powder under the warm morning light, he quickly took out his smartphone to capture the moment. The 19-year-old budding photographer, who fled to Bangladesh in August 2017 after a military crackdown in Myanmar, uses his mobile phone to record the daily lives of nearly one million stateless Rohingya in a vast camp in southern Bangladesh. "I loved the photo instantly as it reflects our culture and the innocence of the little girls who barely want to remember the crisis we are facing," Rafiq told AFP. Rafiq is among some 30 Rohingya youths selected by the World Food Programme for its "Storytellers" project. For two weeks, they are taught smartphone photo and video-shooting techniques -- such as understanding light, exposure and angles -- as well as writing skills. The refugees then share their stories directly with the public through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with audiences around the world posting comments and asking questions. "The idea behind it is to be able to hand back the narrative to the people that we are already assisting," WFP spokeswoman Gemma Snowdon told AFP. The Storytellers Page on Facebook has more than 30,000 followers and includes similar schemes rolled out in Chad and Uganda. All the Rohingya posters have a similar goal -- to share with the outside world the raw, emotional ups and downs they face living in the world's largest refugee camp. Minara, who was four months' pregnant when she fled Myanmar, shares videos of how refugees are given ropes to tie their makeshift tarpaulin roofs to bamboo poles so they are not blown away by strong winds. Another post, by Hafsa Aktar, is a heartrending letter to her father who was left behind, in which she writes of the difficult conditions in the camp and her deep longing to return to her homeland. Life through the lens Being able to take photos again has put a spring in the steps of Rafiq, who wanted to continue his schooling after the 10th grade in Myanmar but was blocked by authorities. When he was 15, Rafiq's father bought him his first-ever smartphone as a present. Thrilled with the device, he explored his town in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state, taking photos of everything he loved. But Rafiq's life was turned upside down in 2017 when the brutal army campaign drove some 740,000 Rohingya Muslims across the border to Cox's Bazar, where another 200,000 refugees were already living in squalid camps. During the arduous journey to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape the violence, the teenager lost his favourite possession -- his smartphone. "I arrived in Bangladesh with my mother and three younger siblings after 10 days of harrowing walks through the hills," Rafiq recalled as he sat in a shanty inside the camp. "I wish I could have captured the moments of anguish we had to suffer on our way out of Myanmar." Now Rafiq is becoming a star on Facebook through his photos. In one post that has attracted some 180,000 views, Rafiq captures a woman meditating during the month of Ramadan to show how the Muslim minority are now free to practise their religion even as they grapple with the hardships in the crammed shelters. "International media is covering the stories in the camps but they are not here 24/7 but I am," he said, adding that his stories were more authentic. "People learn from my stories that we are seeking justice and want to return home." On some days, Rafiq walks to a vantage point in the camps where he can see the hills of Myanmar shrouded by clouds in the distance, and thinks of home. "I see flashbacks of how my friends and I used to roam around the place. I feel very sad," he said, adding that he hopes to return one day and be a photojournalist. "That will be the fulfilment of my dream."

'I'm here 24/7': Rohingya youths share their stories on social media

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday strongly rejected media reports regarding the blocking of social media websites in the country over blasphemous content.

"The media reports of #PTA recommending blocking of social media websites are entirely false," the authority tweeted.

On Friday, Pakistani media reports claimed that PTA`s Chairman, Amir Azeem Bajwa, had called on the government to block social media websites in the country to crack down on the circulation of "blasphemous content" through these mediums.

Quashing this, the authority said that Bajwa`s comments were "misquoted and taken out of context."

The PTA chief addressed a Senate Standing Committee earlier on Friday during which he had allegedly urged the government to formulate a policy and block social media networks, according to Geo News.

He had recommended for "indigenous social networking websites" to be made.

Bajwa also revealed that the telecom authority had received over 8,000 complaints regarding blasphemous content on the internet, and many as 40,000 websites in total have been blocked in Pakistan by the body.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday strongly rejected media reports regarding the blocking of social media websites in the country over blasphemous content.

The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) on Friday strongly rejected media reports regarding the blocking of social media websites in the country over blasphemous content. "The media reports of #PTA recommending blocking of social media websites are entirely false," the authority tweeted. On Friday, Pakistani media reports claimed that PTA`s Chairman, Amir Azeem Bajwa, had called on the government to block social media websites in the country to crack down on the circulation of "blasphemous content" through these mediums. Quashing this, the authority said that Bajwa`s comments were "misquoted and taken out of context." The PTA chief addressed a Senate Standing Committee earlier on Friday during which he had allegedly urged the government to formulate a policy and block social media networks, according to Geo News. He had recommended for "indigenous social networking websites" to be made. Bajwa also revealed that the telecom authority had received over 8,000 complaints regarding blasphemous content on the internet, and many as 40,000 websites in total have been blocked in Pakistan by the body.

Reports on blocking social media over blasphemous content 'false': Pakistan

The perils of taking social media on face value are known to all, yet the rush to be seen doing the right thing often blurs the line between fact and fiction. The last few days have seen a tremendous outpouring of support for Indian athlete Hima Das who has won five consecutive gold medals at athletic meets across eastern Europe and has raised social media hopes of a first Olympic medal in the sport for India. Today, we add a dash of reality to those claims.

Decoding Hima Das' golden streak: Special achievement or merely hype?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-suspends-over-166000-terrorist-accounts-for-promoting-terrorism-217484">Twitter Inc</a> said on Thursday it would identify and de-emphasise tweets that broke its rules but came from important sources such as politicians, in order to strike a balance between free expression and accountability.

Twitter said the new rules would apply to politicians and government officials with more than 100,000 followers.

"We'll now clearly label any tweets which violate our terms of service but decide to keep up due to public interest," <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-complained-to-twitter-ceo-about-lost-followers-source-213104">Twitter </a>Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey said.

If flagged, a notice would cover the offending tweet and require a user to click on a link to view it.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-facebook-twitter-rapped-for-not-doing-enough-in-european-union-fake-news-fight-219412">Google, Facebook, Twitter rapped for not doing enough in European Union fake news fight</a>

Critics have said the social media platform has not done enough to police tweets from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/modi-tops-twitter-2017-most-followed-list-amitabh-srk-virat-way-behind-597">politicians</a> that would be removed if a typical user posted them. Some have called on Twitter to take down vitriolic tweets from US President Donald Trump and other politicians, while Trump and other conservatives have repeatedly accused technology companies of favouring liberals.

Trump boasts more than 61 million followers on Twitter, and many of his tweets are in the news.

The White House declined to comment on the announcement.

Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted a link to coverage of the announcement by the conservative Daily Caller website and warned: "If they can do it to the Leader of the Free World imagine what they are doing to you and your voice!"

A Twitter spokeswoman said a human reviewer will decide which tweets receive the new label, not artificial intelligence monitoring. If a violation were found, a task force of teams would rule whether the questionable tweet should be considered in the public interest.

"There are certain cases where it may be in the public's interest to have access to certain Tweets, even if they would otherwise be in violation of our rules," Twitter said in a blog post.

It added, "We'll place a notice – a screen you have to click or tap through before you see the Tweet – to provide additional context and clarity." The notice will appear in the home timeline and across other areas such as search, Twitter said.

Trump was criticized last month when he tweeted, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" He referred to a former FBI agent last year as a "sick loser".

In another example of a tweet than many critics found offensive, Trump wrote in 2018 that North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un stated the "Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times" and asked if someone would "inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger &amp; more powerful one than his, and my Button works!"

Twitter added that "there are cases, such as direct threats of violence or calls to commit violence against an individual, that are unlikely to be considered in the public interest."

A Trump spokesman said this week that the White House is planning a July 11 social media summit but has not identified participants.

Trump said in a television interview on Wednesday without evidence that Twitter makes it "very hard for people to join me at Twitter ... and they make it very much harder for me to get out the message." He added, "Twitter is just terrible what they do."

Twitter declined to comment.

Twitter Inc said on Thursday it would identify and de-emphasise tweets that broke its rules but came from important sources such as politicians, in order to strike a balance between free expression and accountability.

Twitter Inc said on Thursday it would identify and de-emphasise tweets that broke its rules but came from important sources such as politicians, in order to strike a balance between free expression and accountability. Twitter said the new rules would apply to politicians and government officials with more than 100,000 followers. "We'll now clearly label any tweets which violate our terms of service but decide to keep up due to public interest," Twitter Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey said. If flagged, a notice would cover the offending tweet and require a user to click on a link to view it. Also read: Google, Facebook, Twitter rapped for not doing enough in European Union fake news fight Critics have said the social media platform has not done enough to police tweets from politicians that would be removed if a typical user posted them. Some have called on Twitter to take down vitriolic tweets from US President Donald Trump and other politicians, while Trump and other conservatives have repeatedly accused technology companies of favouring liberals. Trump boasts more than 61 million followers on Twitter, and many of his tweets are in the news. The White House declined to comment on the announcement. Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., tweeted a link to coverage of the announcement by the conservative Daily Caller website and warned: "If they can do it to the Leader of the Free World imagine what they are doing to you and your voice!" A Twitter spokeswoman said a human reviewer will decide which tweets receive the new label, not artificial intelligence monitoring. If a violation were found, a task force of teams would rule whether the questionable tweet should be considered in the public interest. "There are certain cases where it may be in the public's interest to have access to certain Tweets, even if they would otherwise be in violation of our rules," Twitter said in a blog post. It added, "We'll place a notice – a screen you have to click or tap through before you see the Tweet – to provide additional context and clarity." The notice will appear in the home timeline and across other areas such as search, Twitter said. Trump was criticized last month when he tweeted, "If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!" He referred to a former FBI agent last year as a "sick loser". In another example of a tweet than many critics found offensive, Trump wrote in 2018 that North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un stated the "Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times" and asked if someone would "inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Twitter added that "there are cases, such as direct threats of violence or calls to commit violence against an individual, that are unlikely to be considered in the public interest." A Trump spokesman said this week that the White House is planning a July 11 social media summit but has not identified participants. Trump said in a television interview on Wednesday without evidence that Twitter makes it "very hard for people to join me at Twitter ... and they make it very much harder for me to get out the message." He added, "Twitter is just terrible what they do." Twitter declined to comment.

Twitter to de-emphasise, label politician tweets that break rules

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has urged coaches and managers to accept their players will use social media but said players should take stock of whether their videos will create a positive impression.

United midfielder Jesse Lingard has recently been criticised for videos filmed in his hotel bedroom and posted on Instagram while on holiday in Miami Beach with teammate Marcus Rashford.

Neville, who won eight Premier League titles with United under Alex Ferguson's management and is now a pundit for Sky Sports television, said there was little point in coaches opposing social media use.

Speaking to a conference of coaches and sports scientists in Manchester, Neville said there was a danger of older people in the game appearing out of touch.

"I found myself challenging myself as a pundit in these last two or three years, around the changing type of players, the changing type of media… it’s a dilemma for all traditional based coaches," he said.

"The idea of a guy dressing up, dancing, on social media, what we would say looking a 'bit of a prat' and not winning football matches, not playing that well, is a really bad cocktail.

"But then on the other side of it you think – he is giving his all, he is a young lad, social media now is the modern form of media, so us old bastards – get over it, get over it."

Neville said that with the decline of traditional newspapers, players were inevitably going to be drawn to online and social media.

"The way in which players communicate with fans is through their social media accounts, it's never going to change, don’t try to stop it, maybe create some frameworks, some perimeters to work within.

"If you are a coach – move with the times, embrace it, accept it... it is not going to change, it is 2019 and not 2001 or 1996," he added.

But Neville said that players such as Lingard needed to consider carefully what kind of content they put out to their followers.

"I would like to think that someone is ringing him up this morning and explaining to him that that isn’t really going to help him," he said.

"He looks like he works really hard in every single game I have seen him. Why would you do something that is potentially going to bring you criticism?

"We all make mistakes, I have made loads, just be sensible, just make the right calls. Is it going to help me? Is it going to make me a better player? Is it going to make people feel better about me? Is it going to actually earn me money? Is it going to make my coach like me more or less?

"Ask yourself a few questions before you do things. If the answers come up negative then it’s probably best not doing it.&nbsp;It is just having that sort of mindset," he added.

Neville said social media antics of the modern player were "absolutely a lesser evil" than players who in the past drank heavily during the close-season and returned to pre-season training out of shape.

“These players today run faster, they eat better, they drink less alcohol. They’re all running 13, 14km a match, some of them are running 1500m at high intensity and 20 years ago Gary Neville and his team mates weren’t doing that."

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has urged coaches and managers to accept their players will use social media but said players should take stock of whether their videos will create a positive impression.

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has urged coaches and managers to accept their players will use social media but said players should take stock of whether their videos will create a positive impression. United midfielder Jesse Lingard has recently been criticised for videos filmed in his hotel bedroom and posted on Instagram while on holiday in Miami Beach with teammate Marcus Rashford. Neville, who won eight Premier League titles with United under Alex Ferguson's management and is now a pundit for Sky Sports television, said there was little point in coaches opposing social media use. Speaking to a conference of coaches and sports scientists in Manchester, Neville said there was a danger of older people in the game appearing out of touch. "I found myself challenging myself as a pundit in these last two or three years, around the changing type of players, the changing type of media… it’s a dilemma for all traditional based coaches," he said. "The idea of a guy dressing up, dancing, on social media, what we would say looking a 'bit of a prat' and not winning football matches, not playing that well, is a really bad cocktail. "But then on the other side of it you think – he is giving his all, he is a young lad, social media now is the modern form of media, so us old bastards – get over it, get over it." Neville said that with the decline of traditional newspapers, players were inevitably going to be drawn to online and social media. "The way in which players communicate with fans is through their social media accounts, it's never going to change, don’t try to stop it, maybe create some frameworks, some perimeters to work within. "If you are a coach – move with the times, embrace it, accept it... it is not going to change, it is 2019 and not 2001 or 1996," he added. But Neville said that players such as Lingard needed to consider carefully what kind of content they put out to their followers. "I would like to think that someone is ringing him up this morning and explaining to him that that isn’t really going to help him," he said. "He looks like he works really hard in every single game I have seen him. Why would you do something that is potentially going to bring you criticism? "We all make mistakes, I have made loads, just be sensible, just make the right calls. Is it going to help me? Is it going to make me a better player? Is it going to make people feel better about me? Is it going to actually earn me money? Is it going to make my coach like me more or less? "Ask yourself a few questions before you do things. If the answers come up negative then it’s probably best not doing it. It is just having that sort of mindset," he added. Neville said social media antics of the modern player were "absolutely a lesser evil" than players who in the past drank heavily during the close-season and returned to pre-season training out of shape. “These players today run faster, they eat better, they drink less alcohol. They’re all running 13, 14km a match, some of them are running 1500m at high intensity and 20 years ago Gary Neville and his team mates weren’t doing that."

Gary Neville says managers have to adjust to social media age

Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday.

"General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim en route from Tehran to Lebanon, accompanied by Nizar Zakka, after his release by Iranian authorities," the security service said in a statement posted on social media.

It also posted a picture of Ibrahim and Zakka aboard what appeared to be a private aircraft.&nbsp;

Both are due to meet President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace near Beirut shortly after arrival, the statement said.&nbsp;

The news comes hours after Iran's judiciary said it had approved Zakka's release.

"The relevant court has agreed to Nizar Zakka's conditional release and he will be handed over to Lebanese authorities," its Mizan Online website quoted spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili as saying.

"According to the law, those who are sentenced to up to 10 years in jail, if they have served at least one-third of their sentence and shown good behaviour" can be released conditionally.

According to Esmaili, Aoun had requested Zakka's release "in writing" and Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah had said it would be "expedient".

"This is an absolutely judicial procedure and no political issue has been involved," Esmaili was quoted by Iran's Tasnim news agency as saying.

A resident of the United States in his 50s, Zakka was arrested in September 2015 during a visit to Iran, where he was convicted the following July.

At the time of his arrest, Iranian state television said he was accused of "deep ties to the military and intelligence services of the United States".

It broadcast photographs of a man in military uniform it said was of Zakka at a US base.

At the end of 2017, Iranian appeal courts upheld his 10-year jail sentence as well as those of an American and two Iranian-Americans accused of "collaboration" with the United States.

Iran and the United States broke diplomatic ties in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution. Relations have deteriorated sharply since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday.

Iran on Tuesday freed a Lebanese national arrested in 2015 and sentenced to 10 years in jail on charges of spying for Washington, Lebanon's security services said Tuesday. "General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim en route from Tehran to Lebanon, accompanied by Nizar Zakka, after his release by Iranian authorities," the security service said in a statement posted on social media. It also posted a picture of Ibrahim and Zakka aboard what appeared to be a private aircraft. Both are due to meet President Michel Aoun at the presidential palace near Beirut shortly after arrival, the statement said. The news comes hours after Iran's judiciary said it had approved Zakka's release. "The relevant court has agreed to Nizar Zakka's conditional release and he will be handed over to Lebanese authorities," its Mizan Online website quoted spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili as saying. "According to the law, those who are sentenced to up to 10 years in jail, if they have served at least one-third of their sentence and shown good behaviour" can be released conditionally. According to Esmaili, Aoun had requested Zakka's release "in writing" and Iran's Lebanese ally Hezbollah had said it would be "expedient". "This is an absolutely judicial procedure and no political issue has been involved," Esmaili was quoted by Iran's Tasnim news agency as saying. A resident of the United States in his 50s, Zakka was arrested in September 2015 during a visit to Iran, where he was convicted the following July. At the time of his arrest, Iranian state television said he was accused of "deep ties to the military and intelligence services of the United States". It broadcast photographs of a man in military uniform it said was of Zakka at a US base. At the end of 2017, Iranian appeal courts upheld his 10-year jail sentence as well as those of an American and two Iranian-Americans accused of "collaboration" with the United States. Iran and the United States broke diplomatic ties in 1980 in the aftermath of the Islamic revolution. Relations have deteriorated sharply since US President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.

Iran frees Lebanese national convicted of spying for US

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