<p>By&nbsp;Ellis Cashmore*</p>

<p>A number of Unidentified Flying Objects have landed around the world. What are their intentions? To destroy us? To bring peace on earth? Or just observe us earthlings and our perplexing little maneuvers? Do they come in peace or war? It&rsquo;s impossible to know at the moment because they just sit there, day after day, week after week, without indicating whether they are just tourists or permanent residents.</p>

<p>North Korea, we understand, has already decided and issued a stark warning; it is priming its nuclear reactors. The UFOs communicate something to us, but it&rsquo;s incoherent. The grammar is unintelligible, so we&rsquo;re not sure what to do. We could take our time in trying to translate the message and figure out what the UFOs&rsquo; inhabitants want (if indeed they want anything) and what they have to offer. After all, they could bring unimaginable benefits. But we&rsquo;ll need time to try to arrange meetings and ponder the possibilities. Or we could simply open fire and try to bomb them out of existence.</p>

<p>As with this outlandish imaginary presence, there really isn&rsquo;t a way we know for sure whether social media are a good or a bad thing. All we know for certain is that it&rsquo;s arrived and shows no signs of disappearing. Like the make-believe UFOs, social media occupy a great, great deal of our attention, and after an initial period of doubt in the early 2000s (Facebook was launched in 2004, YouTube in 2005 and Twitter in 2006), they have become permanent fixtures.</p>

<p><strong>Doom and Foreboding&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>And yet, we still haven&rsquo;t made up our minds about whether they are dangerous (like the invaders in HG Wells&rsquo; The War of the Worlds), or beneficial (like the benevolent Vulcans from Star Trek), or whether they&rsquo;ll deliver on a utopian promise but take in return our identities and culture (as did the Overlords in Arthur C. Clarke&rsquo;s Childhood&rsquo;s End).</p>

<p>Traditional media are full of doom, foreboding and warnings of the baneful effects of using social media. If scholars, researchers, politicians and sundry self-appointed experts are to be believed, we have a perfect nightmare of mental-health problems, addictions as debilitating as many drug dependencies and &ldquo;separation anxieties&rdquo; if we are parted from a screen device for just an hour.</p>

<p>The media, for the most part, accept these warnings uncritically. Consider the following selection of headlines: &ldquo;The under-5s glued to screens for four hours each day&rdquo; (The Daily Mail); &ldquo;Electroshock Therapy for Internet Users?&rdquo; (The New York Times); &ldquo;How to stop checking your smartphone in the middle of the night&rdquo; (The Telegraph); &ldquo;We now spend 1.3 years of our lives choosing what to watch&rdquo; (ShortList); &ldquo;Fraudster addicted to TV SHOPPING stole &pound;370,000 from her employer&rdquo; (Coventry Telegraph); &ldquo;Video game addiction &lsquo;contributes to depression and anxiety&rsquo;&rdquo; (i); and &ldquo;Facebook, Twitter and Google have become a &lsquo;recruiting platform for terrorism&#39;&rdquo; (The Telegraph).</p>

<p>Collectively, they provide a prodigious inventory of conditions, some mental, others physical, all undesirable. Much of the research on which these warnings is conducted by psychologists, neuroscientists and health researchers. Few seem interested in the social, cultural or historical contexts in which social media use takes place, or the perspectives of the people who engage in the activity. As such, they present the view of experts, not users; and usually the human costs, rather than the cultural benefits, such as the #MeToo and #enough movements.</p>

<p>The perplexing paradox of social media is that it appears to turn its enthusiastic devotees into alien abductees who are wholeheartedly complicit in their own abduction. So, when an august body such as the United Nations pronounces that that social media has had a &ldquo;determining role&rdquo; in anti-Rohingya Muslim violence in Myanmar, and &ldquo;substantively contributed to the level of acrimony and dissension and conflict,&rdquo; it prompts a questions about the influence of social media &mdash; in particular Facebook &mdash; on its users.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Facebook itself is presumably convinced enough to remove the pages of the anti-Islamic group Britain First and its leaders from its platform, explaining that the decision to remove the pages was made after Britain First had ignored a final warning about the posting of material that broke its community standards.</p>

<p><strong>Cyber Consciousness </strong></p>

<p>While this chimes with common-sense ideas of decency and moral rectitude, it&rsquo;s uncomfortably out of sync with the freedom of information ethos that characterized not just Facebook but all social media in their growth. The spirit of social media, as manifested in its users&rsquo; aspirations and attitudes, was to share information openly and with impunity and without any attempt to prevent certain ideas, memories, thoughts or any other element of culture that could be passed on, copied and spread &mdash; memes &mdash; emerging into the cyber-consciousness.</p>

<p>No wonder users laugh at scaremongering media that routinely issue caveats about the proliferation of fake news. They mistrust all news equally, whatever its provenance. Far from being the credulous, wide-eyed ing&eacute;nues they are often mistaken to be, Screenagers are savvy, discerning and cute enough to know the difference between hokum and actuality. They don&rsquo;t need a working knowledge of Foucault (though many have that too) to realize that what passes as truth is made possible by the discourse that commissions it rather than its relationship to fact.</p>

<p>What we&rsquo;re witnessing, though probably without knowing it, is a slow dismantling of one generation&rsquo;s confidence in established sources of information and its replacement with a kind of all-purpose skepticism. No wonder people despair. &ldquo;You have to believe something, or someone!&rdquo; they&rsquo;d insist. But Screenagers have been reared in a wonderful world of seemingly unlimited information; theirs is a holistic approach to knowledge &mdash; they believe that all things, like all people, are interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.</p>

<p>&ldquo;How do you define objective truth?&rdquo; is not a question to ask a Screenager. &ldquo;Says who?&rdquo; or &ldquo;What&rsquo;s the source?&rdquo; or &ldquo;Who stands to gain if we believe it?&rdquo; are nearer the mark. I write as a co-researcher on an international online project in which the responses of 2,000 Screenagers (you&rsquo;ll have gathered this is the term we use to describe the current generation of smartphone-tablet-computer-users) were solicited on a range of subjects, from politics to personal health, and how these are being reshaped by screen devices. The results will be published later this year as Screen Society, the title reflecting the cultural transformation that&rsquo;s taken place over the past decade.</p>

<p>At the moment, we humans are still apprehensive, as we would be if those UFOs had taken up residence and not revealed their intentions. We went through all this in the 1950s and early 1960s when televisions multiplied like those Tribbles in the Star Trek universe. Shortened attention spans, telly-addiction and family breakups were some of the predicted maladies; these have all resurfaced, of course. Neither we nor the society we make up will unspool as a result of social media. Like every other piece of technology it has no immanent qualities. So, it is pointless trying to determine whether it&rsquo;s good or evil. Social media are best judged on their potential, which is, as everyone now realizes, colossal.</p>

<p>No wonder people are concerned: These media are changing us, our children and practically every conceivable aspect of society just as profoundly as the steam engine did in the 18th century.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>*Ellis Cashmore is visiting professor of sociology at Aston University and has previously worked at the universities of Hong Kong and Tampa.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


Social media are changing us, our children and practically every conceivable aspect of society just as profoundly as the steam engine did in the 18th century.

By Ellis Cashmore* A number of Unidentified Flying Objects have landed around the world. What are their intentions? To destroy us? To bring peace on earth? Or just observe us earthlings and our perplexing little maneuvers? Do they come in peace or war? It’s impossible to know at the moment because they just sit there, day after day, week after week, without indicating whether they are just tourists or permanent residents. North Korea, we understand, has already decided and issued a stark warning; it is priming its nuclear reactors. The UFOs communicate something to us, but it’s incoherent. The grammar is unintelligible, so we’re not sure what to do. We could take our time in trying to translate the message and figure out what the UFOs’ inhabitants want (if indeed they want anything) and what they have to offer. After all, they could bring unimaginable benefits. But we’ll need time to try to arrange meetings and ponder the possibilities. Or we could simply open fire and try to bomb them out of existence. As with this outlandish imaginary presence, there really isn’t a way we know for sure whether social media are a good or a bad thing. All we know for certain is that it’s arrived and shows no signs of disappearing. Like the make-believe UFOs, social media occupy a great, great deal of our attention, and after an initial period of doubt in the early 2000s (Facebook was launched in 2004, YouTube in 2005 and Twitter in 2006), they have become permanent fixtures. Doom and Foreboding And yet, we still haven’t made up our minds about whether they are dangerous (like the invaders in HG Wells’ The War of the Worlds), or beneficial (like the benevolent Vulcans from Star Trek), or whether they’ll deliver on a utopian promise but take in return our identities and culture (as did the Overlords in Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End). Traditional media are full of doom, foreboding and warnings of the baneful effects of using social media. If scholars, researchers, politicians and sundry self-appointed experts are to be believed, we have a perfect nightmare of mental-health problems, addictions as debilitating as many drug dependencies and “separation anxieties” if we are parted from a screen device for just an hour. The media, for the most part, accept these warnings uncritically. Consider the following selection of headlines: “The under-5s glued to screens for four hours each day” (The Daily Mail); “Electroshock Therapy for Internet Users?” (The New York Times); “How to stop checking your smartphone in the middle of the night” (The Telegraph); “We now spend 1.3 years of our lives choosing what to watch” (ShortList); “Fraudster addicted to TV SHOPPING stole £370,000 from her employer” (Coventry Telegraph); “Video game addiction ‘contributes to depression and anxiety’” (i); and “Facebook, Twitter and Google have become a ‘recruiting platform for terrorism'” (The Telegraph). Collectively, they provide a prodigious inventory of conditions, some mental, others physical, all undesirable. Much of the research on which these warnings is conducted by psychologists, neuroscientists and health researchers. Few seem interested in the social, cultural or historical contexts in which social media use takes place, or the perspectives of the people who engage in the activity. As such, they present the view of experts, not users; and usually the human costs, rather than the cultural benefits, such as the #MeToo and #enough movements. The perplexing paradox of social media is that it appears to turn its enthusiastic devotees into alien abductees who are wholeheartedly complicit in their own abduction. So, when an august body such as the United Nations pronounces that that social media has had a “determining role” in anti-Rohingya Muslim violence in Myanmar, and “substantively contributed to the level of acrimony and dissension and conflict,” it prompts a questions about the influence of social media — in particular Facebook — on its users. Facebook itself is presumably convinced enough to remove the pages of the anti-Islamic group Britain First and its leaders from its platform, explaining that the decision to remove the pages was made after Britain First had ignored a final warning about the posting of material that broke its community standards. Cyber Consciousness While this chimes with common-sense ideas of decency and moral rectitude, it’s uncomfortably out of sync with the freedom of information ethos that characterized not just Facebook but all social media in their growth. The spirit of social media, as manifested in its users’ aspirations and attitudes, was to share information openly and with impunity and without any attempt to prevent certain ideas, memories, thoughts or any other element of culture that could be passed on, copied and spread — memes — emerging into the cyber-consciousness. No wonder users laugh at scaremongering media that routinely issue caveats about the proliferation of fake news. They mistrust all news equally, whatever its provenance. Far from being the credulous, wide-eyed ingénues they are often mistaken to be, Screenagers are savvy, discerning and cute enough to know the difference between hokum and actuality. They don’t need a working knowledge of Foucault (though many have that too) to realize that what passes as truth is made possible by the discourse that commissions it rather than its relationship to fact. What we’re witnessing, though probably without knowing it, is a slow dismantling of one generation’s confidence in established sources of information and its replacement with a kind of all-purpose skepticism. No wonder people despair. “You have to believe something, or someone!” they’d insist. But Screenagers have been reared in a wonderful world of seemingly unlimited information; theirs is a holistic approach to knowledge — they believe that all things, like all people, are interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole. “How do you define objective truth?” is not a question to ask a Screenager. “Says who?” or “What’s the source?” or “Who stands to gain if we believe it?” are nearer the mark. I write as a co-researcher on an international online project in which the responses of 2,000 Screenagers (you’ll have gathered this is the term we use to describe the current generation of smartphone-tablet-computer-users) were solicited on a range of subjects, from politics to personal health, and how these are being reshaped by screen devices. The results will be published later this year as Screen Society, the title reflecting the cultural transformation that’s taken place over the past decade. At the moment, we humans are still apprehensive, as we would be if those UFOs had taken up residence and not revealed their intentions. We went through all this in the 1950s and early 1960s when televisions multiplied like those Tribbles in the Star Trek universe. Shortened attention spans, telly-addiction and family breakups were some of the predicted maladies; these have all resurfaced, of course. Neither we nor the society we make up will unspool as a result of social media. Like every other piece of technology it has no immanent qualities. So, it is pointless trying to determine whether it’s good or evil. Social media are best judged on their potential, which is, as everyone now realizes, colossal. No wonder people are concerned: These media are changing us, our children and practically every conceivable aspect of society just as profoundly as the steam engine did in the 18th century. *Ellis Cashmore is visiting professor of sociology at Aston University and has previously worked at the universities of Hong Kong and Tampa. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Social media occupy a great deal of our attention

<p>Denying earlier reports of class 12 Accountancy paper leak, CBSE said that there has been no leakage of the question paper.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There has been no leakage of the question paper. All the seals have been found intact at all the exam centres: CBSE</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/974196320314511360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&#39;All the seals have been found intact at all the exam centers&#39;, the board added.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/class-12-accountancy-question-paper-leaked-manish-sisodia-orders-inquiry-35904">Class 12 accountancy question paper allegedly leaked; Manish Sisodia orders inquiry</a></p>

<p>CBSE further clarified that at the local level &quot;some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through Whatsapp to disturb the sanctity of examinations.&quot;</p>

<p>However, CBSE had lodged an FIR and decided to take a strict action against such activities.</p>

<p>On Wednesday evening&nbsp;the Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also tweeted that &#39;&#39;he had received complaints regarding class 12 CBSE accountancy paper leak.&#39;&#39;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Received complaints about the Class 12 CBSE Accountancy paper being leaked. Have asked officers of Directorate of Education to investigate and lodge a complaint with CBSE.<br />
Swift action must be taken, so that hard-working students don&#39;t suffer due to negligence of CBSE.</p>
&mdash; Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) <a href="https://twitter.com/msisodia/status/974169816222355456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>Following the complaint, Sisodia said that he had ordered an inquiry into the matter</p>

<p>&quot;Asked officers of Directorate of Education to investigate and lodge a complaint with CBSE,&#39;&#39; Sisodia said.</p>

<p>&quot;Swift action must be taken, so that hard-working students don&#39;t suffer due to the negligence of CBSE&quot;, he added.</p>

<p>Sisodia&#39;s statement came after reports of class 12 accountancy question paper allegedly getting leaked on Whatsapp and other social media platform on Thursday.</p>

<p>CBSE committee has also initiated an investigation into the matter.</p>

<p>Though cancellation of the exam was demanded, but no report of exam cancellation or the paper being nullified has yet been officially announced.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


CBSE further clarified that at the local level 'some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through Whatsapp to disturb the sanctity of examinations'

Denying earlier reports of class 12 Accountancy paper leak, CBSE said that there has been no leakage of the question paper. There has been no leakage of the question paper. All the seals have been found intact at all the exam centres: CBSE — ANI (@ANI) March 15, 2018 × 'All the seals have been found intact at all the exam centers', the board added. Also read: Class 12 accountancy question paper allegedly leaked; Manish Sisodia orders inquiry CBSE further clarified that at the local level "some miscreants have tried to play mischief by circulating messages through Whatsapp to disturb the sanctity of examinations." However, CBSE had lodged an FIR and decided to take a strict action against such activities. On Wednesday evening the Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also tweeted that ''he had received complaints regarding class 12 CBSE accountancy paper leak.'' Received complaints about the Class 12 CBSE Accountancy paper being leaked. Have asked officers of Directorate of Education to investigate and lodge a complaint with CBSE. Swift action must be taken, so that hard-working students don't suffer due to negligence of CBSE. — Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) March 15, 2018 × Following the complaint, Sisodia said that he had ordered an inquiry into the matter "Asked officers of Directorate of Education to investigate and lodge a complaint with CBSE,'' Sisodia said. "Swift action must be taken, so that hard-working students don't suffer due to the negligence of CBSE", he added. Sisodia's statement came after reports of class 12 accountancy question paper allegedly getting leaked on Whatsapp and other social media platform on Thursday. CBSE committee has also initiated an investigation into the matter. Though cancellation of the exam was demanded, but no report of exam cancellation or the paper being nullified has yet been officially announced.

CBSE denies paper leak reports, says 'all the seals have been found intact at all the exam centers'

<p>By Laura D&#39;Olimpio*</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The erosion of trust in a civil society is one of the greatest moral challenges facing the world today.&nbsp;Democratic societies are anxious. Leaders, and the general public, are worried about extremism, terrorism and radicalisation. Educators and experts are rightly concerned about those who perpetuate approaches that resemble indoctrination. Such threats are making us less trusting of others, particularly of those we see as somehow different from ourselves.</p>

<p>A remedy may be found in educating people to be &ldquo;global citizens&rdquo;, who are not just caring, but are also critically engaged with ideas, beliefs and attitudes exhibited across the world. These global citizens can help to rebuild the lost trust in civil society in an increasingly diverse and globalised world.</p>

<p><strong>The good life</strong></p>

<p>In order to live among others in a harmonious manner, we must recognise that others wish to live a good life, much like ourselves. As Tim Dean points out, the &ldquo;good life&rdquo; looks different for different people at different times. There is no &ldquo;one size fits all&rdquo; when it comes to the good life.</p>

<p>The expression of diversity is an important component of a world that celebrates liberty. Yet such freedom must be coupled with respect and care if we are to have any hope of promoting ethical decision-making on a local, national or international level. We must think of ourselves as alike even amidst our diversity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As individuals who live in communities, we must co-operate in order to achieve our goals, whether they be small or large. A life is shaped by our interaction (or lack thereof) with others: family, friends, colleagues and strangers.</p>

<p>We crave and seek out connection and a sense of belonging. With the technological tools available to us, we may now connect at any minute of any day with people we have never met in places we have never been.</p>

<p><strong>The importance of trust</strong></p>

<p>Trust is one of the most important pro-social attitudes we have. Philosophers such as Annette Baier and Martha Nussbaum have written about the vulnerability as well as the necessity of trust.</p>

<p>If we don&rsquo;t trust others or treat one another with respect and compassion, our interactions can be unsettling, sources of anxiety or even fear. Yet, if we approach others as friends &ndash; as more or less like me &ndash; a reciprocal and mutual goodwill is shared and is conducive to pleasant interactions and life-affirming experiences.</p>

<p>Granted, blind trust is as dangerous as blind faith. Trust, and compassion, must be accompanied by an appropriately engaged critical mind. But we must not go so far as to think that trust and care are unreasonable just because the world is a scary place.</p>

<p>As I have previously written, empirical studies conducted in the United States demonstrated that people think the world is a less trustworthy place than previous generations. However, proportionally, crime has not increased. What has increased is the number of crimes reported in the broadcast news and the amount of news we consume.</p>

<p>Reading too many sensationalised news stories may lead us to perceive the world as an unhappy, unfriendly place in which people are not to be trusted. Yet if this really were the case, it would be very difficult to go about our daily lives. Our perception matters, and how we see others and how we are seen shapes our experiences in the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Global citizens</strong></p>

<p>The global citizen is someone who recognises others as more alike than different from themselves, even while taking seriously individual, social, cultural and political differences.</p>

<p>Global citizens come together and unite in the recognition that we should all care about planet Earth and that all people have a shared interest in living well.</p>

<p>Caring about others we have never met and who may seem very different from ourselves can be a challenge, particularly in a climate of fear. Yet there are some well-known voices calling for such a compassionate and inclusive attitude to be adopted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Peter Singer defends the concept of &ldquo;one world&rdquo; and Kwame Anthony Appiah supplements this idea with his writings on cosmopolitanism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Martha Nussbaum highlights the importance of cultivating our &ldquo;inner eyes&rdquo; and being able to &ldquo;see the world from the perspective of minority experience&rdquo; as a way of overcoming fear and intolerance.</p>

<p>In her bestselling No Logo, Naomi Klein notes that, &ldquo;with globalisation, there needs to be some common standards&rdquo;.</p>

<p>All argue in support of the notion of the global citizen.&nbsp;In a pragmatic sense, global citizens will support policies that extend aid beyond national borders and cultivate respectful and reciprocal relationships with others regardless of geographical distance, gender, religion or race.</p>

<p>Global citizens are compassionate even while being critically engaged in a search for truth and wisdom. They make use of technology (social media, blogs and wikis) to further their understanding as well as their causes. They have the skills required to be creative and adapt to the rapidly changing global market.</p>

<p>Granted, all of this may not be easy to achieve. There are certainly educational aims that must be considered if we are to cultivate the habits of a compassionate, yet critical, global citizen. Yet I, for one, believe these educational goals are worth striving for.</p>

<p>The great moral challenge is to find a way to live together ethically as global citizens, and celebrate the connectedness of our technological world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>*Laura D&#39;Olimpio is a senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Notre Dame Australia</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>


The expression of diversity is an important component of a world that celebrates liberty. Yet such freedom must be coupled with respect and care if we are to have any hope of promoting ethical decision-making on a local, national or international level.

By Laura D'Olimpio* The erosion of trust in a civil society is one of the greatest moral challenges facing the world today. Democratic societies are anxious. Leaders, and the general public, are worried about extremism, terrorism and radicalisation. Educators and experts are rightly concerned about those who perpetuate approaches that resemble indoctrination. Such threats are making us less trusting of others, particularly of those we see as somehow different from ourselves. A remedy may be found in educating people to be “global citizens”, who are not just caring, but are also critically engaged with ideas, beliefs and attitudes exhibited across the world. These global citizens can help to rebuild the lost trust in civil society in an increasingly diverse and globalised world. The good life In order to live among others in a harmonious manner, we must recognise that others wish to live a good life, much like ourselves. As Tim Dean points out, the “good life” looks different for different people at different times. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to the good life. The expression of diversity is an important component of a world that celebrates liberty. Yet such freedom must be coupled with respect and care if we are to have any hope of promoting ethical decision-making on a local, national or international level. We must think of ourselves as alike even amidst our diversity. As individuals who live in communities, we must co-operate in order to achieve our goals, whether they be small or large. A life is shaped by our interaction (or lack thereof) with others: family, friends, colleagues and strangers. We crave and seek out connection and a sense of belonging. With the technological tools available to us, we may now connect at any minute of any day with people we have never met in places we have never been. The importance of trust Trust is one of the most important pro-social attitudes we have. Philosophers such as Annette Baier and Martha Nussbaum have written about the vulnerability as well as the necessity of trust. If we don’t trust others or treat one another with respect and compassion, our interactions can be unsettling, sources of anxiety or even fear. Yet, if we approach others as friends – as more or less like me – a reciprocal and mutual goodwill is shared and is conducive to pleasant interactions and life-affirming experiences. Granted, blind trust is as dangerous as blind faith. Trust, and compassion, must be accompanied by an appropriately engaged critical mind. But we must not go so far as to think that trust and care are unreasonable just because the world is a scary place. As I have previously written, empirical studies conducted in the United States demonstrated that people think the world is a less trustworthy place than previous generations. However, proportionally, crime has not increased. What has increased is the number of crimes reported in the broadcast news and the amount of news we consume. Reading too many sensationalised news stories may lead us to perceive the world as an unhappy, unfriendly place in which people are not to be trusted. Yet if this really were the case, it would be very difficult to go about our daily lives. Our perception matters, and how we see others and how we are seen shapes our experiences in the world. Global citizens The global citizen is someone who recognises others as more alike than different from themselves, even while taking seriously individual, social, cultural and political differences. Global citizens come together and unite in the recognition that we should all care about planet Earth and that all people have a shared interest in living well. Caring about others we have never met and who may seem very different from ourselves can be a challenge, particularly in a climate of fear. Yet there are some well-known voices calling for such a compassionate and inclusive attitude to be adopted. Peter Singer defends the concept of “one world” and Kwame Anthony Appiah supplements this idea with his writings on cosmopolitanism. Martha Nussbaum highlights the importance of cultivating our “inner eyes” and being able to “see the world from the perspective of minority experience” as a way of overcoming fear and intolerance. In her bestselling No Logo, Naomi Klein notes that, “with globalisation, there needs to be some common standards”. All argue in support of the notion of the global citizen. In a pragmatic sense, global citizens will support policies that extend aid beyond national borders and cultivate respectful and reciprocal relationships with others regardless of geographical distance, gender, religion or race. Global citizens are compassionate even while being critically engaged in a search for truth and wisdom. They make use of technology (social media, blogs and wikis) to further their understanding as well as their causes. They have the skills required to be creative and adapt to the rapidly changing global market. Granted, all of this may not be easy to achieve. There are certainly educational aims that must be considered if we are to cultivate the habits of a compassionate, yet critical, global citizen. Yet I, for one, believe these educational goals are worth striving for. The great moral challenge is to find a way to live together ethically as global citizens, and celebrate the connectedness of our technological world. *Laura D'Olimpio is a senior Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Notre Dame Australia (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: We need to become global citizens to rebuild trust in our globalised world

<p>France will take legal action against Google and Apple for &quot;abusive business practices&quot;, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Wednesday.</p>

<p>&quot;I believe in an economy based on justice and I will take Google and Apple before the Paris Commercial Court for abusive business practices&quot; against French start-ups, Le Maire said on RTL radio. He added the action could result in penalties reaching several million euros.</p>


France to take legal action against Google and Apple for 'abusive' practices

France will take legal action against Google and Apple for "abusive business practices", Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said Wednesday. "I believe in an economy based on justice and I will take Google and Apple before the Paris Commercial Court for abusive business practices" against French start-ups, Le Maire said on RTL radio. He added the action could result in penalties reaching several million euros.

 France to take legal action against Google and Apple for 'abusive' practices

<p>Sri Lanka has decided to lift a ban on social media reportedly by this week.</p>

<p>The decision was announced by a Sri Lankan government minister, Reuters news agency said.</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-lanka-demands-tougher-action-from-facebook-to-lift-ban-35702">Sri Lanka demands tougher action from Facebook to lift </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sri-lanka-demands-tougher-action-from-facebook-to-lift-ban-35702">ban</a></p>

<p>The internet services have been suspended from past several days as measures to control communal violence in the region as authorities were reported of social media being used for coordinated events is banned as a measure to control communal violence in the region.</p>

<p>The government declared a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/no-need-to-extend-state-of-emergency-in-sri-lanka-law-and-order-min-35670">state of emergency </a>on Tuesday as the unrest escalated when a Muslim man was found dead in a burnt-out building, a day after a Sinhalese man died of injuries sustained in an attack carried out by Muslim men.</p>

<p>So far at least three people died and 20 people have been wounded.</p>

<p>More than 200 Mulism owned businesses and homes were also torched in the four days of riots which died down on Thursday.</p>

<p>President Maithripala Sirisena also appointed a three-member commission to probe the communal clashes in Kandy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The nationwide declared emergency was lifted on 10th of March.</p>

<p>Police said on Saturday nearly 150 people, including the main instigator, have also been arrested over the unrest.&nbsp;</p>


The decision was announced by a Sri Lankan government minister, said news agency Reuters

Sri Lanka has decided to lift a ban on social media reportedly by this week. The decision was announced by a Sri Lankan government minister, Reuters news agency said. Also read: Sri Lanka demands tougher action from Facebook to lift ban The internet services have been suspended from past several days as measures to control communal violence in the region as authorities were reported of social media being used for coordinated events is banned as a measure to control communal violence in the region. The government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday as the unrest escalated when a Muslim man was found dead in a burnt-out building, a day after a Sinhalese man died of injuries sustained in an attack carried out by Muslim men. So far at least three people died and 20 people have been wounded. More than 200 Mulism owned businesses and homes were also torched in the four days of riots which died down on Thursday. President Maithripala Sirisena also appointed a three-member commission to probe the communal clashes in Kandy. The nationwide declared emergency was lifted on 10th of March. Police said on Saturday nearly 150 people, including the main instigator, have also been arrested over the unrest.

Sri Lanka unrest: Social media ban to be lifted by this week

<p>A grenade blast killed one person in further violence between majority Buddhist Sinhalese and minority Muslims in Sri Lanka on Wednesday as the government moved to block social messaging networks in an effort to halt the bloodshed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The South Asian country has been rocked by communal clashes in its central highlands since Sunday following attacks on Muslims by nationalist Sinhalese crowds.</p>

<p>Communal tensions have grown over the past year with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites. Muslim groups deny these allegations.</p>

<p>Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.</p>

<p>Police declared a curfew until 4 p.m. (1130 GMT) Thursday in the central highlands district of Kandy, the epicentre of the violence following the death of a Buddhist youth after an altercation with a group of Muslims.</p>

<p>Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Muslims overnight, residents told Reuters on Wednesday, even after President Maithripala Sirisena decreed an emergency for seven days to curb the violence.</p>

<p>Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said there had been several disturbances throughout Tuesday night in the Kandy area, renowned for its tea plantations and scenic hills.</p>

<p>&quot;One person was killed and three were injured during the day after a hand grenade exploded,&quot; Gunasekara told Reuters, without elaborating. Police have arrested seven people and three police officers were injured in the incidents, he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The severed head of a youth was found in a mainly Muslim area in the capital Colombo, adding to tensions, residents said. Police said they were investigating.</p>

<p>Some of the violence has been instigated by Facebook postings that threatened more attacks on Muslims, the government said. On Wednesday, it said Facebook, Viber and WhatsApp would be blocked across Sri Lanka for three days.</p>

<p>Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, said it was working to identify and remove incitements to violence and was in contact with the government and private organizations.</p>

<p>&quot;We have clear rules against hate speech and incitement to violence and work hard to keep it off our platform,&quot; the social network said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The crisis spurred opposition parties to shelve a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for alleged mismanagement of the economy that was originally set to be filed on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On a visit to Kandy, President Maithripala Sirisena urged religious leaders to do more to rebuild inter-communal peace.</p>

<p><strong>Facebook postings</strong></p>

<p>Muslims in Colombo said they fear for the safety of relatives living in Kandy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mohamed Khan, a 71-year-old worker in a soap factory in Colombo, said his relatives in Kandy were in hiding. &quot;They say the police and military are...not taking any action,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Analysts said Muslim-owned businesses were being targeted as many Sinhalese believe that the minority group holds disproportionate economic power.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka is still healing from a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatist rebels that was plagued by atrocities and ended in 2009. Sinhalese comprise around 70 percent of the South Asian nation&#39;s 21 million population, ethnic Tamils - who are mainly Hindu - about 13 percent, and Muslims around 9 percent.</p>

<p>UN&nbsp;human rights chief Zeid Ra&#39;ad al-Hussein said he was alarmed by recurring episodes of violence against ethnic and religious minorities in Sri Lanka and wanted accountability.</p>

<p>&quot;There should be no impunity, either for the incitement that led to the attacks, or the attacks themselves,&quot; he said in a speech to the UN&nbsp;Human Rights Council in Geneva.</p>

<p>The US&nbsp;State Department issued a security alert warning of the possibility of further unrest in Kandy.</p>

<p>Tourism, one of the foreign exchange mainstays of Sri Lanka&#39;s $81 billion economy, could take a serious hit from the violence as Kandy is a prime destination for foreign travellers.</p>

<p>Kandy is located in the heart of the Indian Ocean island nation&#39;s tea-growing region but an Indian trader said the crisis was unlikely to affect global tea markets in the near term.</p>

<p>&quot;This will delay shipments, but won&#39;t have any impact on global prices, as Kenya and India have ample supplies to substitute. If supplies remain disrupted for more than a month, then prices could go up,&quot; said a tea broker in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata.</p>

<p>Sri Lanka is the world&#39;s third biggest tea exporter.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The South Asian country has been rocked by communal clashes in its central highlands since Sunday

A grenade blast killed one person in further violence between majority Buddhist Sinhalese and minority Muslims in Sri Lanka on Wednesday as the government moved to block social messaging networks in an effort to halt the bloodshed. The South Asian country has been rocked by communal clashes in its central highlands since Sunday following attacks on Muslims by nationalist Sinhalese crowds. Communal tensions have grown over the past year with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites. Muslim groups deny these allegations. Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise. Police declared a curfew until 4 p.m. (1130 GMT) Thursday in the central highlands district of Kandy, the epicentre of the violence following the death of a Buddhist youth after an altercation with a group of Muslims. Buddhist mobs attacked mosques and businesses belonging to Muslims overnight, residents told Reuters on Wednesday, even after President Maithripala Sirisena decreed an emergency for seven days to curb the violence. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said there had been several disturbances throughout Tuesday night in the Kandy area, renowned for its tea plantations and scenic hills. "One person was killed and three were injured during the day after a hand grenade exploded," Gunasekara told Reuters, without elaborating. Police have arrested seven people and three police officers were injured in the incidents, he said. The severed head of a youth was found in a mainly Muslim area in the capital Colombo, adding to tensions, residents said. Police said they were investigating. Some of the violence has been instigated by Facebook postings that threatened more attacks on Muslims, the government said. On Wednesday, it said Facebook, Viber and WhatsApp would be blocked across Sri Lanka for three days. Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, said it was working to identify and remove incitements to violence and was in contact with the government and private organizations. "We have clear rules against hate speech and incitement to violence and work hard to keep it off our platform," the social network said in a statement. The crisis spurred opposition parties to shelve a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for alleged mismanagement of the economy that was originally set to be filed on Monday. On a visit to Kandy, President Maithripala Sirisena urged religious leaders to do more to rebuild inter-communal peace. Facebook postings Muslims in Colombo said they fear for the safety of relatives living in Kandy. Mohamed Khan, a 71-year-old worker in a soap factory in Colombo, said his relatives in Kandy were in hiding. "They say the police and military are...not taking any action," he said. Analysts said Muslim-owned businesses were being targeted as many Sinhalese believe that the minority group holds disproportionate economic power. Sri Lanka is still healing from a 26-year civil war with Tamil separatist rebels that was plagued by atrocities and ended in 2009. Sinhalese comprise around 70 percent of the South Asian nation's 21 million population, ethnic Tamils - who are mainly Hindu - about 13 percent, and Muslims around 9 percent. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said he was alarmed by recurring episodes of violence against ethnic and religious minorities in Sri Lanka and wanted accountability. "There should be no impunity, either for the incitement that led to the attacks, or the attacks themselves," he said in a speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The US State Department issued a security alert warning of the possibility of further unrest in Kandy. Tourism, one of the foreign exchange mainstays of Sri Lanka's $81 billion economy, could take a serious hit from the violence as Kandy is a prime destination for foreign travellers. Kandy is located in the heart of the Indian Ocean island nation's tea-growing region but an Indian trader said the crisis was unlikely to affect global tea markets in the near term. "This will delay shipments, but won't have any impact on global prices, as Kenya and India have ample supplies to substitute. If supplies remain disrupted for more than a month, then prices could go up," said a tea broker in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata. Sri Lanka is the world's third biggest tea exporter.

Grenade blast kills one in Sri Lanka communal violence, social media blocked

<p>Twitter on Thursday sought help to improve the quality of conversations on its micro-blogging site in a bid to address rising criticism against social media companies for failing to protect users from online abuse and political manipulation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Twitter`s new approach, it said in a blog, would be based on identifying metrics to gauge the &quot;health of public conversations&quot; and ways to measure it. The social network has created a webpage where anyone can submit their proposals.In a series of tweets on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey acknowledged that Twitter `didn`t fully predict or understand the real-world negative consequences` of instant public messaging.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said negative consequences that Twitter has witnessed include abuse, harassment, troll armies, manipulation through bots and human-coordination, misinformation campaigns and increasingly divisive echo chambers. Dorsey said Twitter has been focusing on removing content that were against its terms but now needed a change in approach.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In August 2016, Twitter said it had deleted 235,000 accounts in six months for promoting extremism. Accusations of Russian meddling in US presidential elections via social networks had turned the heat on social networks over their ability to control content.</p>


Twitter on Thursday sought help to improve the quality of conversations on its micro-blogging site in a bid to address rising criticism against social media companies for failing to protect users from online abuse and political manipulation

Twitter on Thursday sought help to improve the quality of conversations on its micro-blogging site in a bid to address rising criticism against social media companies for failing to protect users from online abuse and political manipulation. Twitter`s new approach, it said in a blog, would be based on identifying metrics to gauge the "health of public conversations" and ways to measure it. The social network has created a webpage where anyone can submit their proposals.In a series of tweets on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer Jack Dorsey acknowledged that Twitter `didn`t fully predict or understand the real-world negative consequences` of instant public messaging. He said negative consequences that Twitter has witnessed include abuse, harassment, troll armies, manipulation through bots and human-coordination, misinformation campaigns and increasingly divisive echo chambers. Dorsey said Twitter has been focusing on removing content that were against its terms but now needed a change in approach. In August 2016, Twitter said it had deleted 235,000 accounts in six months for promoting extremism. Accusations of Russian meddling in US presidential elections via social networks had turned the heat on social networks over their ability to control content.

Twitter seeks proposals to improve content quality on its platform

<p>China`s plan for President Xi Jinping to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-proposes-removal-of-two-term-limit-for-president-reports-34002" target="_blank">remain in office indefinitely</a> has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea`s ruling dynasty and charges of creating a dictator by a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist.</p>

<p>The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party.</p>

<p>The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire.</p>

<p>The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month`s annual meeting of China`s largely rubber stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country`s constitution.</p>

<p>It will also add Xi`s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption superbody, as well as more broadly strengthen the party`s tight grip on power.</p>

<p>But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is actually very popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving Xi too much power.</p>

<p>&quot;Argh, we`re going to become North Korea,&quot; wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since.</p>

<p>&quot;We`re following the example of our neighbour,` wrote another user.</p>

<p>The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China`s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term &quot;two term limit&quot;.</p>

<p>Widely read state-run newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial the change did not mean the president will stay in office for ever, though it did not offer much explanation.</p>

<p>&quot;Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner,&quot; it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago.</p>

<p>The party`s official People`s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support.</p>

<p>&quot;The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed,&quot; it wrote.</p>

<p>The WeChat account of the People`s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party.</p>

<p>The overseas edition of the same paper`s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals.</p>

<p>In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English.</p>

<p>Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words &quot;doing it twice is not enough&quot;.</p>

<p>Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi`s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with &quot;emperor&quot; in their name on Monday.</p>

<p>The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement.</p>

<p>&quot;This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping,&quot; said Joshua Wong, one of the movement`s leaders.</p>

<p>&quot;The law may exist in China in form, but this just proves that the Chinese law exists to serve the individual and the party`s purposes.&quot;</p>

<p>China is likely though to see any such criticism as a plot against the party.</p>

<p>&quot;Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering,&quot; the Global Times wrote. &quot;Misinformation and external forces` meddling will affect public opinion in China.&quot;</p>


The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party

China`s plan for President Xi Jinping to remain in office indefinitely has sparked social media opposition, drawing comparisons to North Korea`s ruling dynasty and charges of creating a dictator by a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. The social media reaction late on Sunday quickly saw China swing into a concerted propaganda push by Monday, blocking some articles and publishing pieces praising the party. The ruling Communist Party on Sunday proposed to remove a constitutional clause limiting presidential service to just two terms in office, meaning Xi, who also heads the party and the military, might never have to retire. The proposal, which will be passed by delegates loyal to the party at next month`s annual meeting of China`s largely rubber stamp parliament, is part of a package of amendments to the country`s constitution. It will also add Xi`s political thought to the constitution, already added to the party constitution last year, and set a legal framework for a super anti-corruption superbody, as well as more broadly strengthen the party`s tight grip on power. But it seems the party will have its work cut out trying to convince some in China, where Xi is actually very popular thanks in part to his war on graft, that the move will not end up giving Xi too much power. "Argh, we`re going to become North Korea," wrote one Weibo user, where the Kim dynasty has ruled since the late 1940s. Kim Il Sung founded North Korea in 1948 and his family has ruled it ever since. "We`re following the example of our neighbour,` wrote another user. The comments were removed late on Sunday after Weibo, China`s answer to Twitter, began blocking the search term "two term limit". Widely read state-run newspaper the Global Times said in an editorial the change did not mean the president will stay in office for ever, though it did not offer much explanation. "Since reform and opening up, China, led by the Communist Party, has successfully resolved and will continue to effectively resolve the issue of party and national leadership replacement in a law-abiding and orderly manner," it said, referring to landmark economic reforms that began four decades ago. The party`s official People`s Daily reprinted a long article by Xinhua news agency saying most people supported the constitutional amendments, quoting a variety of people proffering support. "The broad part of officials and the masses say that they hoped this constitutional reform is passed," it wrote. The WeChat account of the People`s Daily, after initially posting a flurry of positive comments under its article, then disabled the comments section completely late on Sunday. It was back again by Monday, complete with remarks lauding the party. The overseas edition of the same paper`s WeChat account removed entirely an article focusing on the term limits, replacing it with the lengthy Xinhua report summing up all the amendment proposals. In one confusing moment for many Chinese, Xinhua initially only reported the news in English. Jokes have also circulated on social media. One shows a picture of a condom in its wrapper under the words "doing it twice is not enough". Others shared pictures of Winnie the Pooh, an internet meme that plays on Xi`s supposed likeness to the rotund cartoon bear, an image censors have repeatedly tried to remove. Parts of the stock market took heart from the news. Chinese speculators pounced on stocks with "emperor" in their name on Monday. The decision has also unsettled some in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong, where authorities have been trying to rein in a pro-democracy movement. "This move, which would allow for a single individual to amass and accumulate political power, means that China would again have a dictator as her head of state - Xi Jinping," said Joshua Wong, one of the movement`s leaders. "The law may exist in China in form, but this just proves that the Chinese law exists to serve the individual and the party`s purposes." China is likely though to see any such criticism as a plot against the party. "Every time China deliberates on reforms and key decisions, effect on public opinion is worth pondering," the Global Times wrote. "Misinformation and external forces` meddling will affect public opinion in China."

China pushes back against criticism of plan for Xi to stay in power

<p>After a shooter killed 17 people at a Florida high school, many have expressed frustration at the political hand-wringing over gun control and calls for prayer.</p>

<p>As a parent, I understand the desire for practical responses to school shootings. I also absolutely believe the government should do more to prevent such incidents. But the gun control debate has proven so divisive and ineffective that I am weary of waiting for politicians to act.</p>

<p>I study the kind of aggressive childhood behavior that often predates school shootings. That research suggests what communities and families can start doing today to better protect children. Here are 10 actions we can all take while the federal government drags its heels.</p>

<p><strong>What schools can do</strong></p>

<p>Because educators observe students&rsquo; emotional and behavioral development daily, they are best positioned to detect troubled behaviors and intervene. In Los Angeles, for example, schools have successfully used outreach and training to identify potentially violent students before problems occur.</p>

<p><strong>1. Teach social and emotional skills</strong></p>

<p>Children learn social skills from everyday interactions with each other. Playtime teaches young people how to control their emotions, recognize others&rsquo; feelings and to negotiate. Neighborhood &ldquo;kick the can&rdquo; games, for example, require cooperation to have fun &ndash; all without adult supervision.</p>

<p>Today, frequent social media use and a decrease in free play time have reduced children&rsquo;s opportunities to learn these basic social skills.</p>

<p>But social and emotional skills can &ndash; and should &ndash; be taught in school as a way to prevent student violence. Students with more fluent social skills connect better with others and may be more able to recognize troubled peers who need help.</p>

<p><strong>2. Hire more counselors and school resource officers</strong></p>

<p>Due to budget cuts, many schools have few or no trained school psychologists, social workers or adjustment counselors on staff. These mental health professionals are society&rsquo;s first line of defense against troubled students &ndash; especially with the current increase in adolescent depression and anxiety.</p>

<p>In my opinion, school resource officers &ndash; trained police officers who work with children &ndash; are also helpful for students. While untrained officers may pose a threat to students, well-trained school resource officers can connect with kids who have few other relationships, acting as a support system. They are also on hand to respond quickly if crime or violence erupts.</p>

<p>Putting trained school resource officers and counselors in every school will cost money, but I believe it will save lives.</p>

<p><strong>3. Use technology to identify troubled students</strong></p>

<p>Technology may challenge kids&rsquo; social development, but it can also be harnessed for good. Anonymous reporting systems &ndash; perhaps text-message based &ndash; can make it easier for parents and students to alert law enforcement and school counselors to kids who seem disconnected or disturbed. That enables early intervention.</p>

<p>In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, one such tip appeared to prevent extreme violence in May 2017. Police took a young man who&rsquo;d threatened to harm his peers into protective custody before he could act on his words.</p>

<p><strong>What communities can do</strong></p>

<p>Communities also help raise children. With many eyes and ears, they can detect often smaller problems before young people grow into violence.</p>

<p><strong>4. Doctors should conduct standard mental health screenings</strong></p>

<p>Extreme violence is almost always preceded by certain behavioral problems. These typically include a propensity toward aggression, a marked lack of social connectedness, indications of serious mental illness and a fascination with violence and guns.</p>

<p>Doctors could detect these problems early on with a standardized screening at health checkups. If concerns arise, referrals to counseling or other mental health professionals might follow.</p>

<p><strong>5. Enlist social media companies in the effort to detect threats</strong></p>

<p>Most young people today use social media to express their feelings and aspirations. In the case of school shooters, these posts are often violent. A single violent post is hardly a guarantee of homicidal acts, of course. But evidence strongly indicates that repeated expressions of this nature can be a sign of trouble.</p>

<p>I would like to see companies like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat create algorithms that identify repeated online threats and automatically alert local law enforcement.</p>

<p><strong>What parents can do</strong></p>

<p>Parents and guardians are often the first to detect their child&rsquo;s emotional struggles. Here are some tips for monitoring and promoting healthy emotional development at home.</p>

<p><strong>6. Think critically about your child&rsquo;s social media use</strong></p>

<p>From virtual war games to cruel trolls, the internet is full of violence. The relationship between violent content and aggression hasn&rsquo;t been consistent in research: Some studies see no relationship at all, while others find some correlation between violent video games and violent behavior.</p>

<p>This mixed evidence suggests that online content affects children differently, so parents must assess how well their child handles it. If your daughter likes &ldquo;Assassin&rsquo;s Creed&rdquo; but is gentle, socially successful and happy, the onscreen violence may not be strongly impacting her.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But if your child is drawn to violent games and tends to be aggressive or troubled, discuss the situation with your pediatrician or school counselor.</p>

<p><strong>7. Consider what your child is missing out on</strong></p>

<p>Is your child sleeping properly? Do your kids socialize with other young people? These two behaviors are linked to mental health in children, and excessive screen time can reduce or diminish the quality of both.</p>

<p>Make sure digital devices aren&rsquo;t disrupting your kids&rsquo; sleep, and schedule play dates if your kids don&rsquo;t make plans on their own.</p>

<p><strong>8. Assess your child&rsquo;s relationships</strong></p>

<p>Like adults, children need confidants to feel invested in and connected with their community. The trusted person can be parent, a family member or a friend &ndash; just make sure someone&rsquo;s playing that role.</p>

<p>For children who struggle to make friends and build relationships, there are programs that can help them learn how.</p>

<p><strong>9. Fret productively about screen time</strong></p>

<p>Research shows that excessive screen time can damage kids&rsquo; brains. That&rsquo;s alarming in part because parents can&rsquo;t realistically keep kids entirely off devices.</p>

<p>So rather than just fret over screen time, focus instead on how children can benefit from a variety of activities. Evidence shows that children who experience different pursuits over the course of their day &ndash; from sports and music to an after-school job &ndash; are happier and healthier for it.</p>

<p><strong>10. Talk with your child</strong></p>

<p>This is both the easiest and hardest way to make sure your kids are doing OK. Children, especially teenagers, don&rsquo;t always want to talk about how life is going. Ask anyway.</p>

<p>My research shows that simply asking children about their friends, their technology use and their day is an important way to show you care. Even if they don&rsquo;t respond, your interest demonstrates that you&rsquo;re there for them.</p>

<p>Try this one now. Ask your children what they&rsquo;re thinking about the shooting in Florida and how they like their friends and school. Then listen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</p>


Schools, parents, and communities all have a role to play in preventing school shootings. Most importantly, we need to discuss with kids about their lives.

After a shooter killed 17 people at a Florida high school, many have expressed frustration at the political hand-wringing over gun control and calls for prayer. As a parent, I understand the desire for practical responses to school shootings. I also absolutely believe the government should do more to prevent such incidents. But the gun control debate has proven so divisive and ineffective that I am weary of waiting for politicians to act. I study the kind of aggressive childhood behavior that often predates school shootings. That research suggests what communities and families can start doing today to better protect children. Here are 10 actions we can all take while the federal government drags its heels. What schools can do Because educators observe students’ emotional and behavioral development daily, they are best positioned to detect troubled behaviors and intervene. In Los Angeles, for example, schools have successfully used outreach and training to identify potentially violent students before problems occur. 1. Teach social and emotional skills Children learn social skills from everyday interactions with each other. Playtime teaches young people how to control their emotions, recognize others’ feelings and to negotiate. Neighborhood “kick the can” games, for example, require cooperation to have fun – all without adult supervision. Today, frequent social media use and a decrease in free play time have reduced children’s opportunities to learn these basic social skills. But social and emotional skills can – and should – be taught in school as a way to prevent student violence. Students with more fluent social skills connect better with others and may be more able to recognize troubled peers who need help. 2. Hire more counselors and school resource officers Due to budget cuts, many schools have few or no trained school psychologists, social workers or adjustment counselors on staff. These mental health professionals are society’s first line of defense against troubled students – especially with the current increase in adolescent depression and anxiety. In my opinion, school resource officers – trained police officers who work with children – are also helpful for students. While untrained officers may pose a threat to students, well-trained school resource officers can connect with kids who have few other relationships, acting as a support system. They are also on hand to respond quickly if crime or violence erupts. Putting trained school resource officers and counselors in every school will cost money, but I believe it will save lives. 3. Use technology to identify troubled students Technology may challenge kids’ social development, but it can also be harnessed for good. Anonymous reporting systems – perhaps text-message based – can make it easier for parents and students to alert law enforcement and school counselors to kids who seem disconnected or disturbed. That enables early intervention. In Steamboat Springs, Colorado, one such tip appeared to prevent extreme violence in May 2017. Police took a young man who’d threatened to harm his peers into protective custody before he could act on his words. What communities can do Communities also help raise children. With many eyes and ears, they can detect often smaller problems before young people grow into violence. 4. Doctors should conduct standard mental health screenings Extreme violence is almost always preceded by certain behavioral problems. These typically include a propensity toward aggression, a marked lack of social connectedness, indications of serious mental illness and a fascination with violence and guns. Doctors could detect these problems early on with a standardized screening at health checkups. If concerns arise, referrals to counseling or other mental health professionals might follow. 5. Enlist social media companies in the effort to detect threats Most young people today use social media to express their feelings and aspirations. In the case of school shooters, these posts are often violent. A single violent post is hardly a guarantee of homicidal acts, of course. But evidence strongly indicates that repeated expressions of this nature can be a sign of trouble. I would like to see companies like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat create algorithms that identify repeated online threats and automatically alert local law enforcement. What parents can do Parents and guardians are often the first to detect their child’s emotional struggles. Here are some tips for monitoring and promoting healthy emotional development at home. 6. Think critically about your child’s social media use From virtual war games to cruel trolls, the internet is full of violence. The relationship between violent content and aggression hasn’t been consistent in research: Some studies see no relationship at all, while others find some correlation between violent video games and violent behavior. This mixed evidence suggests that online content affects children differently, so parents must assess how well their child handles it. If your daughter likes “Assassin’s Creed” but is gentle, socially successful and happy, the onscreen violence may not be strongly impacting her. But if your child is drawn to violent games and tends to be aggressive or troubled, discuss the situation with your pediatrician or school counselor. 7. Consider what your child is missing out on Is your child sleeping properly? Do your kids socialize with other young people? These two behaviors are linked to mental health in children, and excessive screen time can reduce or diminish the quality of both. Make sure digital devices aren’t disrupting your kids’ sleep, and schedule play dates if your kids don’t make plans on their own. 8. Assess your child’s relationships Like adults, children need confidants to feel invested in and connected with their community. The trusted person can be parent, a family member or a friend – just make sure someone’s playing that role. For children who struggle to make friends and build relationships, there are programs that can help them learn how. 9. Fret productively about screen time Research shows that excessive screen time can damage kids’ brains. That’s alarming in part because parents can’t realistically keep kids entirely off devices. So rather than just fret over screen time, focus instead on how children can benefit from a variety of activities. Evidence shows that children who experience different pursuits over the course of their day – from sports and music to an after-school job – are happier and healthier for it. 10. Talk with your child This is both the easiest and hardest way to make sure your kids are doing OK. Children, especially teenagers, don’t always want to talk about how life is going. Ask anyway. My research shows that simply asking children about their friends, their technology use and their day is an important way to show you care. Even if they don’t respond, your interest demonstrates that you’re there for them. Try this one now. Ask your children what they’re thinking about the shooting in Florida and how they like their friends and school. Then listen. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Florida shooting teaches us 10 ways to safeguard our children

<p>Experts at the University of California have revealed that teenagers work really hard to create a &#39;favourable&#39; image of themselves online.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Teens carefully select their photos, activities and links to post on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The study reveals that more and more adolescents and youngsters want to come across as desirable and popular among their peers.</p>

<p>&quot;Teenagers aren&#39;t just posting carelessly; they&#39;re surprisingly thoughtful about what they choose to reveal on social media,&quot; said Joanna Yau, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Irvine in the US.</p>

<p>&quot;Peer approval is important during adolescence, especially in early adolescence, so they&#39;re sharing content that they think others will find impressive,&quot; said Yau.</p>

<p>&quot;We found that some teens invested great effort into sharing content on Facebook and Instagram and that what may seem to be an enjoyable activity may actually feel tedious,&quot; Yau said.</p>

<p>&quot;Their social rules for online interaction require a higher level of sensitivity than do those for in-person communication,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>&quot;Even interesting and positive posts can be interpreted negatively. For example, sharing about college admissions could come across as pretentious and prideful,&quot; she added.</p>

<p>For the study, experts included 51 Southern California adolescents - 27 females and 24 males - between the ages of 12 and 18. The participants were divided into ten focus groups on the basis of proximity, grade level and gender. At each grade level, there were female, male and mixed-gender groups, with no adults are known to the participants present.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Each participant&#39;s social media activity and engagement was closely analysed.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from PTI)</em></p>


Each participant's social media activity and engagement was closely analysed

Experts at the University of California have revealed that teenagers work really hard to create a 'favourable' image of themselves online. Teens carefully select their photos, activities and links to post on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The study reveals that more and more adolescents and youngsters want to come across as desirable and popular among their peers. "Teenagers aren't just posting carelessly; they're surprisingly thoughtful about what they choose to reveal on social media," said Joanna Yau, a PhD candidate at the University of California, Irvine in the US. "Peer approval is important during adolescence, especially in early adolescence, so they're sharing content that they think others will find impressive," said Yau. "We found that some teens invested great effort into sharing content on Facebook and Instagram and that what may seem to be an enjoyable activity may actually feel tedious," Yau said. "Their social rules for online interaction require a higher level of sensitivity than do those for in-person communication," she said. "Even interesting and positive posts can be interpreted negatively. For example, sharing about college admissions could come across as pretentious and prideful," she added. For the study, experts included 51 Southern California adolescents - 27 females and 24 males - between the ages of 12 and 18. The participants were divided into ten focus groups on the basis of proximity, grade level and gender. At each grade level, there were female, male and mixed-gender groups, with no adults are known to the participants present. Each participant's social media activity and engagement was closely analysed. (With inputs from PTI)

Teenagers work hard to appear interesting on social media: Report

<p>A Belgian court has asked Facebook to stop tracking internet users in the country without their consent. According to a report, the social media giant may face a fine up to 100 million euros if it fails to adhere to the directive.</p>

<p>The US firm must &quot;stop following and recording internet use by people surfing in Belgium until it complies with Belgian privacy laws,&quot; the Brussels court said in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Mark Zuckerberg-led company may also face a daily penalty of 250,000 euros. According to the court, the social media site was found guilty of breaching Belgium`s privacy laws.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Social media platforms track their users and their activities with the help of &#39;social-plugins&#39;, &#39;cookies&#39; and &#39;pixels&#39;.</p>

<p>Facebook is likely to appeal against the verdict.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Facebook is likely to appeal against the verdict

A Belgian court has asked Facebook to stop tracking internet users in the country without their consent. According to a report, the social media giant may face a fine up to 100 million euros if it fails to adhere to the directive. The US firm must "stop following and recording internet use by people surfing in Belgium until it complies with Belgian privacy laws," the Brussels court said in a statement. The Mark Zuckerberg-led company may also face a daily penalty of 250,000 euros. According to the court, the social media site was found guilty of breaching Belgium`s privacy laws. Social media platforms track their users and their activities with the help of 'social-plugins', 'cookies' and 'pixels'. Facebook is likely to appeal against the verdict. (With inputs from agencies)

Belgium: Facebook has been asked to stop tracking internet users

<p>Viral sensation <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-meet-priya-prakash-varrier-internets-latest-crush-32591">Priya Prakash Varrier </a>has taken down Sunny Leone to become Google&#39;s most searched actress.</p>

<p>She became an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/priya-prakash-varrier-on-being-the-internets-latest-crush-the-fame-is-too-much-for-me-to-handle-32767">overnight internet sensation</a> after the teaser song from her debut film &#39;Oru Adaar Love&#39; went viral on social media platforms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With an unplanned eyebrow dance and wink in the song, titled <em>Manikya Malaraya Poovi</em>, she won everyone&#39;s attention and became the talk of the town.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The song got millions of views in a short span while Priya became the first Indian celebrity to have registered 6,10,000 followers on Instagram on her very first day on the platform and now the most searched person on celebrity on Google.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also see:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/priya-varrier-says-she-wants-to-work-with-srk-ranveer-singh-8347">&nbsp;Priya </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/priya-varrier-says-she-wants-to-work-with-srk-ranveer-singh-8347">Varrier</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/priya-varrier-says-she-wants-to-work-with-srk-ranveer-singh-8347">&nbsp;says she wants to work with SRK, Ranveer Singh</a></p>

<p>The 18-year-old actress stated that she now had a verified Instagram profile and that people won&#39;t anymore be confused with the multiple accounts that have had sprang up ever since her clip went viral.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hailing from Thrissur in Kerala, Priya is a first-year B.Com student studying at&nbsp;Vimala College. Having dabbled in modeling for a while, Priya is all set to make her debut in films with Omar Lulu&#39;s film.</p>


She became an overnight internet sensation after the teaser song from her debut film 'Oru Adaar Love' went viral on social media platforms

Viral sensation Priya Prakash Varrier has taken down Sunny Leone to become Google's most searched actress. She became an overnight internet sensation after the teaser song from her debut film 'Oru Adaar Love' went viral on social media platforms. With an unplanned eyebrow dance and wink in the song, titled Manikya Malaraya Poovi, she won everyone's attention and became the talk of the town. × The song got millions of views in a short span while Priya became the first Indian celebrity to have registered 6,10,000 followers on Instagram on her very first day on the platform and now the most searched person on celebrity on Google. Also see: Priya Varrier says she wants to work with SRK, Ranveer Singh The 18-year-old actress stated that she now had a verified Instagram profile and that people won't anymore be confused with the multiple accounts that have had sprang up ever since her clip went viral. Hailing from Thrissur in Kerala, Priya is a first-year B.Com student studying at Vimala College. Having dabbled in modeling for a while, Priya is all set to make her debut in films with Omar Lulu's film.

Priya Prakash Varrier becomes most searched celebrity on Google

<p>Terming the misuse of social media a &quot;time bomb&quot; and a challenge for security agencies, a senior Army commander said today that local Kashmiri youths were being engaged via the medium from across the border on a minute-to-minute basis.</p>

<p>General-Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen D Anbu said that this in addition to the coming together of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist groups is a matter of concern.</p>

<p>He said social media was playing a big role in the increase of violence in the state.</p>

<p>&quot;The reach of the social media is so large and as such, it is a time bomb for everybody,&quot; the Army commander said.</p>

<p>He, however, expressed hope that the Army would be able to reverse the trend, but said everybody - including the civil society - has a role to play in curbing the violence.</p>

<p>&quot;Hizbul Mujahideen, LeT and JeM are hand in glove with each other after coming together in the later part of last year,&quot; Lt Gen Anbu told reporters here.</p>

<p>&quot;(But) It will be taken care of,&quot; the Army commander said.</p>

<p>His remarks came at a time when the security agencies, including the Army, have been battling increased attempts by terrorist groups to target them.</p>

<p>Last week, terrorists targeted an Army camp in Jammu and killed seven people, including six Army personnel. On Monday, two terrorists tried to attack a CRPF camp in Srinagar. After a 32-hour gunbattle, the security forces killed the attackers.</p>

<p>Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who visited Jammu on Monday following the attack on the Army camp, blamed Pakistan for the terror attack on Sunjuwan military camp and said it will pay for the &quot;misadventure&quot;.</p>

<p>Lt Gen Anbu attributed the increase in violence to the euphoria generated after the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in a security operation in July 2016. Months-long unrest had followed his killing.</p>

<p>&quot;The curve (of violence) will take a while to come down,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Referring to the media reports that said the Army was unable to visit certain pockets in Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir last year, the Army commander said the situation has changed for good over time, and not only the Army, even the political leadership and elected members are freely moving in the areas.</p>

<p>&quot;We reached out to the people as well as the militants. When you carry out more operations, the tempo will be more so the contact with terrorists leading to their elimination. Some people also get killed or injured in the bargain.</p>

<p>&quot;You will not find any terrorist initiated action happening... We want the situation to come under control. When you sustain the tempo for a longer period, it will come down. You cannot have a short-term solution and jump to any conclusion,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>On stone-pelting incidents to hamper counter-insurgency operations, Lt Gen Anbu said the mechanism to keep people away from encounter sites has paid well.</p>

<p>&quot;The system worked... When the operation is a planned one the stone-pelting is being tackled by police and CRPF but when the operation is sudden the Army columns do come under stone pelting,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>On the trend of local youths joining militant groups, he said it is a cause of concern for all of us.</p>

<p>&quot;When we are looking at terrorism as a whole per se, we look at three things - we need to stop infiltration from across the border, in the hinterland, whosoever is already there we need to eliminate them. And the third, the capability to induce the locals which is being the latest trend for the last couple of years which we need to arrest.</p>

<p>&quot;If we will address all the three, you will achieve success and if anyone of them is not really paying up then you are not going to succeed as one would like. Last year, we focused on the leadership of terrorists and we were able to eliminate many of them,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>Suggesting action against overground workers, he said &quot;not only terrorists, overground workers need to be equally targeted. These two factors, if we are able to address will slowly come down the level of violence. He said the local youth joining militancy are no threat to the Army as they are not well trained and do not have weapons either.</p>

<p>He said there is a need to reach out to people and make them understand the futility of terrorism.</p>

<p>He said the Army is doing its bit and carrying out operations to tackle terrorists and reaching out to people.</p>


He said social media was playing a big role in the increase of violence in the state

Terming the misuse of social media a "time bomb" and a challenge for security agencies, a senior Army commander said today that local Kashmiri youths were being engaged via the medium from across the border on a minute-to-minute basis. General-Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen D Anbu said that this in addition to the coming together of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist groups is a matter of concern. He said social media was playing a big role in the increase of violence in the state. "The reach of the social media is so large and as such, it is a time bomb for everybody," the Army commander said. He, however, expressed hope that the Army would be able to reverse the trend, but said everybody - including the civil society - has a role to play in curbing the violence. "Hizbul Mujahideen, LeT and JeM are hand in glove with each other after coming together in the later part of last year," Lt Gen Anbu told reporters here. "(But) It will be taken care of," the Army commander said. His remarks came at a time when the security agencies, including the Army, have been battling increased attempts by terrorist groups to target them. Last week, terrorists targeted an Army camp in Jammu and killed seven people, including six Army personnel. On Monday, two terrorists tried to attack a CRPF camp in Srinagar. After a 32-hour gunbattle, the security forces killed the attackers. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who visited Jammu on Monday following the attack on the Army camp, blamed Pakistan for the terror attack on Sunjuwan military camp and said it will pay for the "misadventure". Lt Gen Anbu attributed the increase in violence to the euphoria generated after the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in a security operation in July 2016. Months-long unrest had followed his killing. "The curve (of violence) will take a while to come down," he said. Referring to the media reports that said the Army was unable to visit certain pockets in Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir last year, the Army commander said the situation has changed for good over time, and not only the Army, even the political leadership and elected members are freely moving in the areas. "We reached out to the people as well as the militants. When you carry out more operations, the tempo will be more so the contact with terrorists leading to their elimination. Some people also get killed or injured in the bargain. "You will not find any terrorist initiated action happening... We want the situation to come under control. When you sustain the tempo for a longer period, it will come down. You cannot have a short-term solution and jump to any conclusion," he said. On stone-pelting incidents to hamper counter-insurgency operations, Lt Gen Anbu said the mechanism to keep people away from encounter sites has paid well. "The system worked... When the operation is a planned one the stone-pelting is being tackled by police and CRPF but when the operation is sudden the Army columns do come under stone pelting," he said. On the trend of local youths joining militant groups, he said it is a cause of concern for all of us. "When we are looking at terrorism as a whole per se, we look at three things - we need to stop infiltration from across the border, in the hinterland, whosoever is already there we need to eliminate them. And the third, the capability to induce the locals which is being the latest trend for the last couple of years which we need to arrest. "If we will address all the three, you will achieve success and if anyone of them is not really paying up then you are not going to succeed as one would like. Last year, we focused on the leadership of terrorists and we were able to eliminate many of them," he said. Suggesting action against overground workers, he said "not only terrorists, overground workers need to be equally targeted. These two factors, if we are able to address will slowly come down the level of violence. He said the local youth joining militancy are no threat to the Army as they are not well trained and do not have weapons either. He said there is a need to reach out to people and make them understand the futility of terrorism. He said the Army is doing its bit and carrying out operations to tackle terrorists and reaching out to people.

Misuse of social media a 'time bomb' in J&K: Army commander

<p>Social networking service, Facebook is introducing a wireless networking app, Onavo Protect, to some of its mobile app users.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The new wireless networking app is designed to protect users with the virtual private network or VPN.</p>

<p>Facebook offers the security feature in a tab in its mobile app marked &quot;Protect&quot;</p>

<p>The feature makes the app more secure when it is working on a public Wi-fi.</p>

<p>Though the social media giant has not disclosed it to its users that it owns the wireless networking app, the users can find the information on Onavo website. They can even expand the &quot;description&quot; on the Apple App Store and read till the bottom to find out that the app is owned by Facebook.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The app keeps a track of the applications installed on the device, use of those applications, websites visited by a user and the amount of data used by the user.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It will enable Facebook to keep a track of the apps and other social media platforms even when the users are not using the Facebook app, helping the social media to keep a track on the apps made by rivals.</p>


The app will enable Facebook to keep a track of the apps and other social media platforms even when the users are not using the Facebook app, helping the social media to keep a track on the apps made by rivals

Social networking service, Facebook is introducing a wireless networking app, Onavo Protect, to some of its mobile app users. The new wireless networking app is designed to protect users with the virtual private network or VPN. Facebook offers the security feature in a tab in its mobile app marked "Protect" The feature makes the app more secure when it is working on a public Wi-fi. Though the social media giant has not disclosed it to its users that it owns the wireless networking app, the users can find the information on Onavo website. They can even expand the "description" on the Apple App Store and read till the bottom to find out that the app is owned by Facebook. The app keeps a track of the applications installed on the device, use of those applications, websites visited by a user and the amount of data used by the user. It will enable Facebook to keep a track of the apps and other social media platforms even when the users are not using the Facebook app, helping the social media to keep a track on the apps made by rivals.

New Facebook app to secure users' data will also track their data usage

<p><font face="inherit">Chinese authorities have ordered a major social media platform to curb &quot;harmful content&quot; more effectively as they intensify oversight of online expression -- even taking aim at rap music, crude cartoons, dirty jokes and celebrity gossip.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">The campaign is intended not just to stamp out dissent but to ensure that all media &quot;serves the direction of socialism&quot;.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">Sina Weibo has failed to comply, Beijing&#39;s Cyberspace Administration said Saturday on its official WeChat social media account, berating the site for letting users post &quot;content of wrong public opinion orientation, obscenity, low taste and ethnic discrimination&quot;.&nbsp;</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">The company &quot;has violated the country&#39;s laws and regulations, led online public opinions to wrong direction and left a very bad influence,&quot; it said.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">In another case announced Friday, China&#39;s securities watchdog said it had punished a blogger on WeChat with a 200,000 yuan ($31,000) fine for posting market-moving &quot;misinformation&quot; about meetings between corporations and regulators.&nbsp;</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">China has some of the world&#39;s tightest controls over web content, protected by what is called &quot;The Great Firewall&quot;. Restrictions on free speech have increased since President Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">A controversial cybersecurity law, which took effect last June, has given authorities even more leeway to regulate a wide variety of information.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">At the time, the cyberspace administrator told major internet companies to obey the provisions of the new law requiring online news and information services to &quot;serve the direction of socialism and correctly guide public opinion&quot;.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">Since then they have taken aim at not just explicit depictions of sex and violence, but anything the authorities consider low brow: from crude cartoons and dirty jokes to celebrity gossip.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">Earlier in January, social media began circulating a government order apparently issued to Chinese broadcasters banning them from giving air time to &quot;artists with tattoos, hip hop music&quot; and other performers who are &quot;in conflict with the party&#39;s core values and morals&quot;.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">In punishment for Weibo&#39;s failure to toe the lengthening party line, regulators have demanded a week-long shutdown of the site&#39;s offending features, including one that allows users to pay to ask celebrities questions, as well as a function to search trending topics.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">It was far from the first time the authorities have expressed concern over content on the &nbsp;social media giant, which is owned by internet behemoth Sina.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">The company has tried to counter criticism by banning keywords and hiring thousands of censors to laboriously take down posts that violate the party&#39;s ever stricter dictums.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">On Weibo, China&#39;s Twitter-like platform, commenters were quick to take issue with the government&#39;s decision.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">&quot;This is just an excuse to better control the trending topics search,&quot; said one user.</font></p>

<p><font face="inherit">&quot;From now on, the things you see on the page will be what (the government) wants to make you see.&quot;</font></p>


The campaign is intended not just to stamp out dissent but to ensure that all media 'serves the direction of socialism'

Chinese authorities have ordered a major social media platform to curb "harmful content" more effectively as they intensify oversight of online expression -- even taking aim at rap music, crude cartoons, dirty jokes and celebrity gossip. The campaign is intended not just to stamp out dissent but to ensure that all media "serves the direction of socialism". Sina Weibo has failed to comply, Beijing's Cyberspace Administration said Saturday on its official WeChat social media account, berating the site for letting users post "content of wrong public opinion orientation, obscenity, low taste and ethnic discrimination". The company "has violated the country's laws and regulations, led online public opinions to wrong direction and left a very bad influence," it said. In another case announced Friday, China's securities watchdog said it had punished a blogger on WeChat with a 200,000 yuan ($31,000) fine for posting market-moving "misinformation" about meetings between corporations and regulators. China has some of the world's tightest controls over web content, protected by what is called "The Great Firewall". Restrictions on free speech have increased since President Xi Jinping assumed power in 2012. A controversial cybersecurity law, which took effect last June, has given authorities even more leeway to regulate a wide variety of information. At the time, the cyberspace administrator told major internet companies to obey the provisions of the new law requiring online news and information services to "serve the direction of socialism and correctly guide public opinion". Since then they have taken aim at not just explicit depictions of sex and violence, but anything the authorities consider low brow: from crude cartoons and dirty jokes to celebrity gossip. Earlier in January, social media began circulating a government order apparently issued to Chinese broadcasters banning them from giving air time to "artists with tattoos, hip hop music" and other performers who are "in conflict with the party's core values and morals". In punishment for Weibo's failure to toe the lengthening party line, regulators have demanded a week-long shutdown of the site's offending features, including one that allows users to pay to ask celebrities questions, as well as a function to search trending topics. It was far from the first time the authorities have expressed concern over content on the social media giant, which is owned by internet behemoth Sina. The company has tried to counter criticism by banning keywords and hiring thousands of censors to laboriously take down posts that violate the party's ever stricter dictums. On Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, commenters were quick to take issue with the government's decision. "This is just an excuse to better control the trending topics search," said one user. "From now on, the things you see on the page will be what (the government) wants to make you see."

China tightens screws on social media

<p>Facebook Inc is buying a software firm that specializes in authenticating government-issued identification cards, the two companies said on Tuesday, a step that may help the social media giant learn more about the people who buy ads on its network.</p>

<p>US&nbsp;lawmakers have expressed alarm at Facebook&#39;s limited ability to know who is buying advertisements, including election-related ads, on the world&#39;s largest social network.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Boston-based Confirm Inc, which is privately held, said on its website that the acquisition was the culmination of three years of work to build technology to keep people safe online.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Facebook said in a statement that Confirm`s &quot;technology and expertise will support our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe.&quot;</p>

<p>Terms of the deal and how Facebook would apply Confirm&#39;s software were not revealed.</p>

<p>Confirm will wind down its operations and its employees will join Facebook in Boston, a person familiar with the acquisition told Reuters.</p>

<p>Confirm&#39;s website listed 26 employees earlier this month, according to a version archived by the Google search engine. It says on its website that it has more than 750 clients.</p>

<p>Last year, Facebook said that suspected Russian agents had been paying to boost Facebook posts in the United States in an attempt to divide the electorate around the 2016 presidential election. Moscow denies the allegations.</p>

<p>The company later said that it would begin requiring organizations running election-related ads to confirm their identities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Facebook has more than 6 million different advertisers, and buying ads has historically required little more than a Facebook page and a credit card.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Confirm says that its software allows for proof of identity for online transactions, allowing users to detect potentially fraudulent activity.</p>


US lawmakers have expressed alarm at Facebook's limited ability to know who is buying advertisements, including election-related ads, on the world's largest social network

Facebook Inc is buying a software firm that specializes in authenticating government-issued identification cards, the two companies said on Tuesday, a step that may help the social media giant learn more about the people who buy ads on its network. US lawmakers have expressed alarm at Facebook's limited ability to know who is buying advertisements, including election-related ads, on the world's largest social network. Boston-based Confirm Inc, which is privately held, said on its website that the acquisition was the culmination of three years of work to build technology to keep people safe online. Facebook said in a statement that Confirm`s "technology and expertise will support our ongoing efforts to keep our community safe." Terms of the deal and how Facebook would apply Confirm's software were not revealed. Confirm will wind down its operations and its employees will join Facebook in Boston, a person familiar with the acquisition told Reuters. Confirm's website listed 26 employees earlier this month, according to a version archived by the Google search engine. It says on its website that it has more than 750 clients. Last year, Facebook said that suspected Russian agents had been paying to boost Facebook posts in the United States in an attempt to divide the electorate around the 2016 presidential election. Moscow denies the allegations. The company later said that it would begin requiring organizations running election-related ads to confirm their identities. Facebook has more than 6 million different advertisers, and buying ads has historically required little more than a Facebook page and a credit card. Confirm says that its software allows for proof of identity for online transactions, allowing users to detect potentially fraudulent activity.

Facebook buys Boston software company that authenticates IDs

<p>Facebook&#39;s civic engagement chief Samidh Chakrabarti recently identified social media as a &#39;potential threat&#39;.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>In a blog post, Chakrabarti noted that he was &quot;not blind to the damage that the internet can do to even a well-functioning democracy.&quot;</p>

<p>He spoke about Facebook&#39;s inability to recognise and tackle issues related to eminent personalities abusing the social media platform previously.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;re working diligently to neutralize these risks now,&quot; he noted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;re as determined as ever to fight the negative influences and ensure that our platform is unquestionably a source for democratic good,&quot; said Katie Harbath, Facebook&#39;s head of global politics and government outreach, in an accompanying statement.</p>

<p>&quot;This was a new kind of threat that we couldn&#39;t easily predict, but we should have done better. Now we&#39;re making up for lost time,&quot; Chakrabarti noted on instances where social media platforms were used to spread fake news or events where Facebook posts were created against events like the Brexit, US Presidential elections 2017, et cetera.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s abhorrent to us that a nation-state used our platform to wage a cyberwar intended to divide society,&quot; Chakrabarti said noting instances where over 80,000 Russian posts reached to around 126 million people in the US&nbsp;over a couple of years.</p>

<p>&quot;We don&#39;t want to be the arbiters of truth, nor do we imagine this is a role the world would want for us,&quot; Chakrabarti noted saying that Facebook&#39;s trustworthiness should purely be determined by its users.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from AFP)&nbsp;</em></p>


'We're working diligently to neutralize these risks now,' Facebook

Facebook's civic engagement chief Samidh Chakrabarti recently identified social media as a 'potential threat'. × In a blog post, Chakrabarti noted that he was "not blind to the damage that the internet can do to even a well-functioning democracy." He spoke about Facebook's inability to recognise and tackle issues related to eminent personalities abusing the social media platform previously. "We're working diligently to neutralize these risks now," he noted. "We're as determined as ever to fight the negative influences and ensure that our platform is unquestionably a source for democratic good," said Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global politics and government outreach, in an accompanying statement. "This was a new kind of threat that we couldn't easily predict, but we should have done better. Now we're making up for lost time," Chakrabarti noted on instances where social media platforms were used to spread fake news or events where Facebook posts were created against events like the Brexit, US Presidential elections 2017, et cetera. "It's abhorrent to us that a nation-state used our platform to wage a cyberwar intended to divide society," Chakrabarti said noting instances where over 80,000 Russian posts reached to around 126 million people in the US over a couple of years. "We don't want to be the arbiters of truth, nor do we imagine this is a role the world would want for us," Chakrabarti noted saying that Facebook's trustworthiness should purely be determined by its users. (With inputs from AFP)

Social media a threat to democracy: Facebook

<p>For the first time in the history of India, a Muslim woman led the Jumu&rsquo;ah prayer in Kerala&#39;s Malappuram on January 26.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Usually, it is always the men who lead Friday prayers everywhere in India.</p>

<p>The move, though applauded by many, has also sparked a backlash from conservative sections of the community who alleged a conspiracy by &quot;anti-Islamic forces&quot;.</p>

<p>Fundamentalists have been targeting Jamidha, harassing and threatening her over the phone as well as on social media for &ldquo;going against Islam&rdquo;. However, Jamida is fearless.</p>

<p>34-year-old Jamida Teacher, the state general secretary of Quran and Sunnat society, was the imam for Juma prayers held at the mosque of Quran Sunnat Society in Malappuram district. She also led the Khutba, the speech during Juma prayers.</p>

<p>Through this decision patriarchy is being questioned, says Jamida.</p>

<p>There is no discrimination between men and women in any of these religious acts. Discrimination was introduced by male Muslim scholars, says Jamida.</p>

<p>For Jamida, the US-based scholar Amina Wadud, who is the first Muslim woman in the world to have led the Juma&#39;ah prayers, is a source of inspiration.</p>


Fundamentalists have been targeting Jamidha, harassing and threatening her over the phone as well as on social media for “going against Islam”

For the first time in the history of India, a Muslim woman led the Jumu’ah prayer in Kerala's Malappuram on January 26. Usually, it is always the men who lead Friday prayers everywhere in India. The move, though applauded by many, has also sparked a backlash from conservative sections of the community who alleged a conspiracy by "anti-Islamic forces". Fundamentalists have been targeting Jamidha, harassing and threatening her over the phone as well as on social media for “going against Islam”. However, Jamida is fearless. 34-year-old Jamida Teacher, the state general secretary of Quran and Sunnat society, was the imam for Juma prayers held at the mosque of Quran Sunnat Society in Malappuram district. She also led the Khutba, the speech during Juma prayers. Through this decision patriarchy is being questioned, says Jamida. There is no discrimination between men and women in any of these religious acts. Discrimination was introduced by male Muslim scholars, says Jamida. For Jamida, the US-based scholar Amina Wadud, who is the first Muslim woman in the world to have led the Juma'ah prayers, is a source of inspiration.

Muslim woman faces death threats for leading Friday prayers

<p>Priyanka Chopra proves yet again that she knows no boundaries.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The global star has now made it to the list of&nbsp;top 25 influential personalities in the digital space.</p>

<p>The &quot;Quantico&quot;&nbsp;star who plays the badass role of Alex Parrish in the American TV series, has a total score of&nbsp;78.8M SMU (Social Media Universe). With such a staggering score, Chopra became the&nbsp;first Indian actor to have joined LinkedIn&#39;s annual list of global influencers amongst the likes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dwayne Johnson, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Bill Gates.</p>

<p>Speaking to a leading daily, Chopra on the achievement was quoted: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never been someone who worries about making it to a list, but it&rsquo;s nice to be on one with such amazing people. I keep great company. It&rsquo;s a way to connect one-on-one with people from across the world. It&rsquo;s nice to know that they want to stay in touch with me, too, and are interested in what I have to share. What&rsquo;s great about this list is that all of us seem to have the same idea connect, spread love and just be you.&quot;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/entertainment-priyanka-chopra-voted-sexiest-asian-in-uk-poll-tv-actress-nia-sharma-is-a-close-second-26075" target="_blank"><em>Also Read:&nbsp;Priyanka Chopra voted sexiest Asian in UK poll; TV actress Nia Sharma is a close second</em></a></p>

<p>She added, &ldquo;This is me, real and unfiltered. I think people relate to that, which is important to me. I don&rsquo;t look at it from any other perspective. This is who I am, like it or unfollow.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Priyanka Chopra will next be seen in two&nbsp;Hollywood movies, namely: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-in-photos-priyanka-chopra-in-her-second-hollywood-film-a-kid-like-jake-30496" target="_blank">&#39;A Kid Like Jake</a>&#39; and &#39;Isn&#39;t It Romantic?&#39;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Last year, the actress was voted sexiest Asian in UK poll

Priyanka Chopra proves yet again that she knows no boundaries. The global star has now made it to the list of top 25 influential personalities in the digital space. The "Quantico" star who plays the badass role of Alex Parrish in the American TV series, has a total score of 78.8M SMU (Social Media Universe). With such a staggering score, Chopra became the first Indian actor to have joined LinkedIn's annual list of global influencers amongst the likes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dwayne Johnson, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson and Bill Gates. Speaking to a leading daily, Chopra on the achievement was quoted: “I’ve never been someone who worries about making it to a list, but it’s nice to be on one with such amazing people. I keep great company. It’s a way to connect one-on-one with people from across the world. It’s nice to know that they want to stay in touch with me, too, and are interested in what I have to share. What’s great about this list is that all of us seem to have the same idea connect, spread love and just be you." Also Read: Priyanka Chopra voted sexiest Asian in UK poll; TV actress Nia Sharma is a close second She added, “This is me, real and unfiltered. I think people relate to that, which is important to me. I don’t look at it from any other perspective. This is who I am, like it or unfollow.” Priyanka Chopra will next be seen in two Hollywood movies, namely: 'A Kid Like Jake' and 'Isn't It Romantic?'

Priyanka Chopra is now among top 25 global influencers on social media

<p>Twitter shares surged 22 per cent at the market open on Thursday after it reported its first quarterly profit and better-than-expected revenue, helped by ads that better-targeted users and sales growth outside the United States.</p>

<p>Investors shrugged off zero growth in Twitter&#39;s users from a quarter earlier, which the company blamed in part on seasonal weakness and its purge of fake and spam accounts.</p>

<p>Shares hit $35 in morning trading, their highest level since July 2015. Twitter debuted as a public company in 2013 at $26 a share.</p>

<p>&quot;The revenue number was up year-over-year for the first time in several quarters, which is a good sign,&quot; analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities said, adding that flat growth in monthly users from a quarter earlier was nonetheless a warning sign.</p>

<p>Twitter&#39;s previous inability to turn a profit or turn out consistent revenue growth had confounded investors given the company&#39;s ubiquitous presence in the media and popularity among celebrities, athletes and politicians such as US President Donald Trump</p>

<p>In October Twitter had signaled it could turn a quarterly profit as it slashed expenses. Revenue and adjusted fourth-quarter profit both topped analysts&#39; targets.</p>

<p>Overall revenue rose 2 per cent year-over-year to $731.6 million, the first increase since the fourth quarter of 2016, beating Wall Street&#39;s target of $686.1 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.</p>

<p>US revenue fell 8 per cent from a year earlier, but sales elsewhere rose 17 per cent. Revenue from Japan was a particular strength, rising 34 per cent to $106 million.</p>

<p>Twitter said revenue was helped by better ad targeting that raised clickthrough rates, or the ratio of users who click on a specific ad to the number that view it, and higher video ad sales.</p>

<p>The company also continued a push to grow its non-advertising revenue. It reported $87 million in data licensing and other revenue, up 10 per cent from a year earlier, outpacing advertising revenue which rose 1 per cent to $644 million.</p>

<p>Twitter reported a net profit of $91.1 million, or 12 cents per share, compared to a loss of $167.1 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier.</p>

<p>Adjusted profit was 19 cents per share, topping analysts expectations of 14 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.</p>

<p>The company said it expects &quot;to be GAAP profitable for the full year 2018,&quot; referring to generally accepted accounting principles.</p>

<p>Twitter reported 330 million monthly active users for the quarter, a 4 per cent increase from a year earlier but flat from the third quarter.</p>

<p>Analysts on average had expected 332.5 million monthly active users, according to financial data and analytics firm FactSet.</p>

<p>San Francisco-based Twitter said usage was hurt by seasonal weakness and a change that Apple made to its Safari web browser that reduced the tally of users by 2 million. Twitter had warned investors about the factors in October.</p>

<p>Twitter also said in a shareholder letter it had stepped up efforts to reduce spam and automated and fake accounts.</p>

<p>Chief Executive Jack Dorsey has focused for the past year on tweaking the product he co-founded to attract more users.</p>

<p>Dorsey doubled the number of characters allowed in each tweet in most languages and tried to limit user harassment on the site. Twitter has also struck deals with media companies for live news and entertainment shows.</p>

<p>Facebook has 2.1 billion monthly users, while Snapchat owner Snap, which does not report a monthly figure, has 187 million daily users.</p>

<p>Dorsey told analysts on a conference call that he was not planning a search to replace Anthony Noto, who is leaving as chief operating officer to become CEO of online lender Social Finance Inc and whose duties have been absorbed by others.</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;re not going to have to do any backfilling,&quot; Dorsey said.</p>

<p>Shares in Twitter had already surged 47 per cent over the past 12 months as of Wednesday&#39;s close, outpacing a 17 per cent rise in the S&amp;P 500 Index.</p>

<p>Social media companies are grappling with a regulatory backlash in Europe and the United States over privacy, possible user addiction, hate speech and alleged abuse of by Russia to sway foreign elections.</p>


The first quarterly profit and better-than-expected revenue of the social networking site were helped by ads that better-targeted users and sales growth outside the United States

Twitter shares surged 22 per cent at the market open on Thursday after it reported its first quarterly profit and better-than-expected revenue, helped by ads that better-targeted users and sales growth outside the United States. Investors shrugged off zero growth in Twitter's users from a quarter earlier, which the company blamed in part on seasonal weakness and its purge of fake and spam accounts. Shares hit $35 in morning trading, their highest level since July 2015. Twitter debuted as a public company in 2013 at $26 a share. "The revenue number was up year-over-year for the first time in several quarters, which is a good sign," analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities said, adding that flat growth in monthly users from a quarter earlier was nonetheless a warning sign. Twitter's previous inability to turn a profit or turn out consistent revenue growth had confounded investors given the company's ubiquitous presence in the media and popularity among celebrities, athletes and politicians such as US President Donald Trump In October Twitter had signaled it could turn a quarterly profit as it slashed expenses. Revenue and adjusted fourth-quarter profit both topped analysts' targets. Overall revenue rose 2 per cent year-over-year to $731.6 million, the first increase since the fourth quarter of 2016, beating Wall Street's target of $686.1 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. US revenue fell 8 per cent from a year earlier, but sales elsewhere rose 17 per cent. Revenue from Japan was a particular strength, rising 34 per cent to $106 million. Twitter said revenue was helped by better ad targeting that raised clickthrough rates, or the ratio of users who click on a specific ad to the number that view it, and higher video ad sales. The company also continued a push to grow its non-advertising revenue. It reported $87 million in data licensing and other revenue, up 10 per cent from a year earlier, outpacing advertising revenue which rose 1 per cent to $644 million. Twitter reported a net profit of $91.1 million, or 12 cents per share, compared to a loss of $167.1 million, or 23 cents per share, a year earlier. Adjusted profit was 19 cents per share, topping analysts expectations of 14 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company said it expects "to be GAAP profitable for the full year 2018," referring to generally accepted accounting principles. Twitter reported 330 million monthly active users for the quarter, a 4 per cent increase from a year earlier but flat from the third quarter. Analysts on average had expected 332.5 million monthly active users, according to financial data and analytics firm FactSet. San Francisco-based Twitter said usage was hurt by seasonal weakness and a change that Apple made to its Safari web browser that reduced the tally of users by 2 million. Twitter had warned investors about the factors in October. Twitter also said in a shareholder letter it had stepped up efforts to reduce spam and automated and fake accounts. Chief Executive Jack Dorsey has focused for the past year on tweaking the product he co-founded to attract more users. Dorsey doubled the number of characters allowed in each tweet in most languages and tried to limit user harassment on the site. Twitter has also struck deals with media companies for live news and entertainment shows. Facebook has 2.1 billion monthly users, while Snapchat owner Snap, which does not report a monthly figure, has 187 million daily users. Dorsey told analysts on a conference call that he was not planning a search to replace Anthony Noto, who is leaving as chief operating officer to become CEO of online lender Social Finance Inc and whose duties have been absorbed by others. "We're not going to have to do any backfilling," Dorsey said. Shares in Twitter had already surged 47 per cent over the past 12 months as of Wednesday's close, outpacing a 17 per cent rise in the S&P 500 Index. Social media companies are grappling with a regulatory backlash in Europe and the United States over privacy, possible user addiction, hate speech and alleged abuse of by Russia to sway foreign elections.

Twitter delivers first profit, shares surge 22%

<p>The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under fire on social media for supposedly &#39;mansplaining&#39; a woman after he lightheartedly corrected a woman to say &#39;peoplekind&#39; and not &#39;mankind,&#39; which initially drew cheers&nbsp;but later received a criticism for mansplaining and being too politically correct.</p>

<p>Trudeau was addressing a town hall event during which a woman introducing herself as the previous member of &#39;world mission society church of God&#39;&nbsp;was talking about &#39;maternal love&#39;&nbsp; after which she proceeded with asking&nbsp;Trudeau to look into policies on volunteering for religious charitable organizations after which she continued to spoke about maternal love and described it as &#39;the love that&#39;s going to change the future of mankind&#39;&nbsp; to which Trudeau interrupted raising his hand and said &#39;peoplekind&#39; not &#39;mankind.&#39;</p>

<p>Many in the audience including the woman cheered to Trudeau&#39;s comment.</p>

<p>According to google dictionary, mansplaining is a term used to describe the action of a man explaining something to a woman in a way that could be regarded as condescending or patronizing.</p>

<p>British journalist Piers Morgan also tweeted saying &quot;there is just one problem with your &#39;peoplekind&#39; nonsense, the word &#39;woman&#39; has &#39;man&#39; in it.&quot;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">*NEW:<br />
There&#39;s just one problem with your &#39;peoplekind&#39; nonsense, <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a>: the word &#39;woman&#39; has &#39;man&#39; in it.<br />
Spin your PC-crazed, virtue-signalling feminist way out of that!<br />
<a href="https://t.co/pBI2WdIMeB">https://t.co/pBI2WdIMeB</a> <a href="https://t.co/8nrmiHyWHi">pic.twitter.com/8nrmiHyWHi</a></p>
&mdash; Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) <a href="https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/960937143102328834?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Trudeau&#39;s comments also received ridicule from&nbsp;people on social media.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Peoplkind? Ridiculous!</p>
&mdash; Dk (@derrykallen) <a href="https://twitter.com/derrykallen/status/960691965963640832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Breaking. Justin Trudeau tells DC Comics that Batman will not be allowed in Canada unless they change the name to Batpeople.</p>
&mdash; Joe Biggs (@Rambobiggs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rambobiggs/status/960945490777997313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Justin Trudeau&#39;s term, &quot;peoplekind,&quot; is also sexist.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
&quot;People&quot; is plural for &quot;person.&quot;<br />
<br />
See what I see?<br />
<br />
per-SON.<br />
<br />
What about daughters?<br />
<br />
Per-SON is a gendered term, and therefore, &quot;people&quot; is too.<br />
<br />
The correct term, if we do elect to use it, is:<br />
<br />
&quot;PEROFFSPRINGKIND.&quot;</p>
&mdash; Ali A. Rizvi (@aliamjadrizvi) <a href="https://twitter.com/aliamjadrizvi/status/960943431098032128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Justin Trudeau is what would happen if the song &ldquo;Imagine&rdquo; took human form and then ate a Tide Pod.</p>
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/960688577465106432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If your name happens to be Guy Manson, <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a> may refer to you as Person Personperson</p>
&mdash; DANGEROUS TROLL ???? (@Dangerous_Troll) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dangerous_Troll/status/960992941970829312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Many in the audience including the woman cheered to Trudeau's comment of using word 'peoplekind' not 'mankind'

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under fire on social media for supposedly 'mansplaining' a woman after he lightheartedly corrected a woman to say 'peoplekind' and not 'mankind,' which initially drew cheers but later received a criticism for mansplaining and being too politically correct. Trudeau was addressing a town hall event during which a woman introducing herself as the previous member of 'world mission society church of God' was talking about 'maternal love' after which she proceeded with asking Trudeau to look into policies on volunteering for religious charitable organizations after which she continued to spoke about maternal love and described it as 'the love that's going to change the future of mankind' to which Trudeau interrupted raising his hand and said 'peoplekind' not 'mankind.' Many in the audience including the woman cheered to Trudeau's comment. According to google dictionary, mansplaining is a term used to describe the action of a man explaining something to a woman in a way that could be regarded as condescending or patronizing. British journalist Piers Morgan also tweeted saying "there is just one problem with your 'peoplekind' nonsense, the word 'woman' has 'man' in it." *NEW: There's just one problem with your 'peoplekind' nonsense, @JustinTrudeau: the word 'woman' has 'man' in it. Spin your PC-crazed, virtue-signalling feminist way out of that! https://t.co/pBI2WdIMeB pic.twitter.com/8nrmiHyWHi — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 6, 2018 × Trudeau's comments also received ridicule from people on social media. Peoplkind? Ridiculous! — Dk (@derrykallen) February 6, 2018 × Breaking. Justin Trudeau tells DC Comics that Batman will not be allowed in Canada unless they change the name to Batpeople. — Joe Biggs (@Rambobiggs) February 6, 2018 × Justin Trudeau's term, "peoplekind," is also sexist. Why? "People" is plural for "person." See what I see? per-SON. What about daughters? Per-SON is a gendered term, and therefore, "people" is too. The correct term, if we do elect to use it, is: "PEROFFSPRINGKIND." — Ali A. Rizvi (@aliamjadrizvi) February 6, 2018 × Justin Trudeau is what would happen if the song “Imagine” took human form and then ate a Tide Pod. — Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) February 6, 2018 × If your name happens to be Guy Manson, @JustinTrudeau may refer to you as Person Personperson — DANGEROUS TROLL ???? (@Dangerous_Troll) February 6, 2018 ×

Justin Trudeau tells woman to say 'peoplekind', not 'mankind'; faces backlash

<p>Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it will ban ads promoting financial products and services tied to cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings.</p>

<p>&quot;We&#39;ve created a new policy that prohibits ads that promote financial products and services that are frequently associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices, such as binary options, initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency,&quot; Facebook&#39;s product management director, Rob Leathern, said.</p>

<p>The new policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network and Instagram, the company said.</p>


The new policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network and Instagram, the company said

Facebook Inc said on Tuesday it will ban ads promoting financial products and services tied to cryptocurrencies and initial coin offerings. "We've created a new policy that prohibits ads that promote financial products and services that are frequently associated with misleading or deceptive promotional practices, such as binary options, initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency," Facebook's product management director, Rob Leathern, said. The new policy will be implemented across its platforms, including Facebook, Audience Network and Instagram, the company said.

Facebook to ban cryptocurrency-related ads

<p>Acclaimed Ottamthullal dance artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan died on Sunday while he was performing on stage in Thrissur, Kerala.</p>

<p>58-year-old, Geethanandan was performing at Avittathur Mahavishnu temple in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, when he collapsed on stage, though he was rushed to the hospital immediately but he could not be saved.</p>

<p>A video circulating on social media shows Geethanandan performing and later collapsing on stage.</p>

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<p>Geethanandan had&nbsp;retired as head of Thullal Department of Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture. He had been&nbsp;performing the dance form since the age of nine.</p>

<p>He had also performed over&nbsp;5,000 stages across the country.&nbsp;Geethanandan was also the first artist to perform Ottamthullal at Paris.</p>

<p>He debuted with Kamaladalam, Geethanandan and went on to act&nbsp;in several Malayalam films, like Thooval Kottaram, Manasinakkare, Narendran Magan Jayakanthan Vaga, Irattakuttikalude Achan among others.</p>

<p>Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered his condolences at the sudden death of the veteran artist.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered his condolence over the demise of the Ottanthullal maestro Kalamandalam Geethanandan. <a href="https://t.co/0jbjoXijP0">pic.twitter.com/0jbjoXijP0</a></p>
&mdash; CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) <a href="https://twitter.com/CMOKerala/status/957867569146310656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Social media reacted almost immediately to his death.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Acclaimed <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ottamthullal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ottamthullal</a> artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan is no more. While his death is an irreparable loss, he attained the highest form of Nirvana, passing away on stage performing the art that he so devoted his life to at Avittathur Mahavishnu Temple in Thrissur, Kerala. ???????? <a href="https://t.co/Ao0UDbkcNc">pic.twitter.com/Ao0UDbkcNc</a></p>
&mdash; Ravin Ramachandran N (@aguyindcity) <a href="https://twitter.com/aguyindcity/status/957830728498135040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Saddened, shocked at the untimely demise of Ottanthullal artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan.He died while performing at Avittathoor Maha Vishnu Temple, Thrissur.<br />
Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Pranaams. <a href="https://t.co/okVbd3tMkx">pic.twitter.com/okVbd3tMkx</a></p>
&mdash; KummanamRajasekharan (@Kummanam) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kummanam/status/957821933294256128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The legendary Ottanthullal artiste Shri Kalamandalam Geethanandan passes away on stage, right in the middle of his performance in Avitatthur temple in Kerala! What a dream death for any performing artiste! Prayers and condolences! Atma Shanti! ???????????? <a href="https://t.co/PCLnP760Xf">pic.twitter.com/PCLnP760Xf</a></p>
&mdash; मङ्गलम् (@veejaysai) <a href="https://twitter.com/veejaysai/status/957640631672803330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Homage to Kalamandalam <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Geethanandan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Geethanandan</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ottamthullal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ottamthullal</a> maestro who passed away on stage during his performance at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Avittathur?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Avittathur</a> temple!<br />
<br />
A video of his past performance: <a href="https://t.co/TZfdD585Pa">https://t.co/TZfdD585Pa</a> <a href="https://t.co/FMVcWvEuL1">pic.twitter.com/FMVcWvEuL1</a></p>
&mdash; Kerala Temple History (@templefable) <a href="https://twitter.com/templefable/status/957672569481478144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Geethanandan was rushed to the hospital immediately but could not be saved.

Acclaimed Ottamthullal dance artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan died on Sunday while he was performing on stage in Thrissur, Kerala. 58-year-old, Geethanandan was performing at Avittathur Mahavishnu temple in Irinjalakuda in Thrissur, when he collapsed on stage, though he was rushed to the hospital immediately but he could not be saved. A video circulating on social media shows Geethanandan performing and later collapsing on stage. × Geethanandan had retired as head of Thullal Department of Kalamandalam Deemed University of Art and Culture. He had been performing the dance form since the age of nine. He had also performed over 5,000 stages across the country. Geethanandan was also the first artist to perform Ottamthullal at Paris. He debuted with Kamaladalam, Geethanandan and went on to act in several Malayalam films, like Thooval Kottaram, Manasinakkare, Narendran Magan Jayakanthan Vaga, Irattakuttikalude Achan among others. Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered his condolences at the sudden death of the veteran artist. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan offered his condolence over the demise of the Ottanthullal maestro Kalamandalam Geethanandan. pic.twitter.com/0jbjoXijP0 — CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) January 29, 2018 × Social media reacted almost immediately to his death. Acclaimed #Ottamthullal artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan is no more. While his death is an irreparable loss, he attained the highest form of Nirvana, passing away on stage performing the art that he so devoted his life to at Avittathur Mahavishnu Temple in Thrissur, Kerala. ???????? pic.twitter.com/Ao0UDbkcNc — Ravin Ramachandran N (@aguyindcity) January 29, 2018 × Saddened, shocked at the untimely demise of Ottanthullal artist Kalamandalam Geethanandan.He died while performing at Avittathoor Maha Vishnu Temple, Thrissur. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. Pranaams. pic.twitter.com/okVbd3tMkx — KummanamRajasekharan (@Kummanam) January 29, 2018 × The legendary Ottanthullal artiste Shri Kalamandalam Geethanandan passes away on stage, right in the middle of his performance in Avitatthur temple in Kerala! What a dream death for any performing artiste! Prayers and condolences! Atma Shanti! ???????????? pic.twitter.com/PCLnP760Xf — मङ्गलम् (@veejaysai) January 28, 2018 × Homage to Kalamandalam #Geethanandan, #ottamthullal maestro who passed away on stage during his performance at #Avittathur temple! A video of his past performance: https://t.co/TZfdD585Pa pic.twitter.com/FMVcWvEuL1 — Kerala Temple History (@templefable) January 28, 2018 ×

Video: Ottamthullal dancer Geethanandan collapses on stage, dies

<p>The Indian Premier League (IPL) players&#39; auction is back. The famous auctioneer Richard Madley again called the names of the cricketers and the eight franchises went into a furious bidding war in Bengaluru.</p>

<p>As many as 578 cricketers went under the hammer, which includes 360 Indian cricketers (62 capped and 298 uncapped) and 218 foreigners (182 capped, 34 uncapped and two from associate nations).</p>

<p>Eight teams- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Superkings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals, (RR), Delhi Daredevils (DD), Kings XI Punjab (KXIIP), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SH) took part in the auction.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Here are the social media reactions pouring&nbsp;from users:&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Preity Zinta&#39;s fast bidding became the spotlight of most of the jokes and memes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Ladkiyon ko shopping ka shock hota hai. Preity full on shopping ke mood mein hain. Har cheez khareedni hai</p>
&mdash; Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/957125564292218880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sources : Preity Zinta to bid for the Trophy as well.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Manya (@CSKian716) <a href="https://twitter.com/CSKian716/status/957141264234831873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Preity Zinta after buying kl rahul <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/iplauction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#iplauction</a> <a href="https://t.co/TZ3RF9Y67Z">pic.twitter.com/TZ3RF9Y67Z</a></p>
&mdash; Manish ???????? (@Man_isssh) <a href="https://twitter.com/Man_isssh/status/957137388555329536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Auctioneer: Next player for auction is.....<br />
Preity Zinta: 3 Crore<br />
Auctioneer: Ma&#39;am, player ka naam toh bolne do<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; PhD in Bakchodi (@Atheist_Krishna) <a href="https://twitter.com/Atheist_Krishna/status/957144723998752768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">three of india&#39;s under 19 boys are crorepatis now - parthiv, shubham and now nagrakoti <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) <a href="https://twitter.com/gauravkalra75/status/957214998987554818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shakib Al Hasan sold for Rs 2 crores thereby doubling the GDP of Bangladesh...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyaUkhaadLega/status/957124302662377472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">RCB is awaiting their loan approval from SBI <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction2018</a></p>
&mdash; InGenious (@Bees_Kut) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bees_Kut/status/957130759969505280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Key players of CSK. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a> <a href="https://t.co/oaIRxF9yeD">pic.twitter.com/oaIRxF9yeD</a></p>
&mdash; Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) <a href="https://twitter.com/1sInto2s/status/957152695030202368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Stuart Binny in allrounders.<br />
<br />
HOW?<br />
<br />
Drinks + snacks.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuctions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuctions</a></p>
&mdash; Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/BoredCricket/status/957152124822945793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Faulkner should go unsold. IPL should maintain a minimum standard <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Cricket bakchod (@AllTimeBakchod) <a href="https://twitter.com/AllTimeBakchod/status/957150174001819648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chris Lynn sold for 9.4 crores ! Wow ! that&rsquo;s a lot of money to stay injured pretty much throughout your career ????????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyaUkhaadLega/status/957145433922355200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jayadev Unadkat will be laughing all the way to the bank this year! RR picks him up 11.5C! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/summeriscoming?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#summeriscoming</a></p>
&mdash; Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL/status/957487419149844480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bangladesh GDP got another 2.2 corer from India. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Chetansinh Gohil (@chetangohil28) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetangohil28/status/957180216245288960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Age of the players bought by <a href="https://twitter.com/ChennaiIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChennaiIPL</a> today:<br />
<br />
Harbhajan - 37<br />
Watson - 36<br />
Bravo - 34<br />
Du Plessis - 33<br />
Jadhav - 32 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CSK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CSK</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhistlePodu?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhistlePodu</a> ???????????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/mZRvWNVA26">pic.twitter.com/mZRvWNVA26</a></p>
&mdash; LoGaN (@itzhari24) <a href="https://twitter.com/itzhari24/status/957171228946526208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That moment TN man <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ashwinravi99</a> moved to Punjab and Punjab man <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@harbhajan_singh</a> moved to TN ???????? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Pavithran Subbiah (@pavi_subbiah) <a href="https://twitter.com/pavi_subbiah/status/957124196701691905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If u want to know the meaning of pay cut, ask Gambhir &amp; Yuvraj <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a><br />
<br />
Gambhir - 14 cr to 2.8 cr - SOLD to Delhi<br />
<br />
Yuvraj - 16 cr to 2 cr - SOLD to Punjab</p>
&mdash; Ankit Chaudhary (@entrepreneur987) <a href="https://twitter.com/entrepreneur987/status/957132345630515203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Preity Zinta today <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a> <a href="https://t.co/26tblVPQoh">pic.twitter.com/26tblVPQoh</a></p>
&mdash; BR7 (@RevanthBR7) <a href="https://twitter.com/RevanthBR7/status/957137975623774210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fastest in the world<br />
<br />
1. Bugatti<br />
2. Ussain bolt<br />
3. Preity zinda buying players.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a><br />
????????</p>
&mdash; Yaman khandelwal???????? (@khandelwalyaman) <a href="https://twitter.com/khandelwalyaman/status/957147286852681728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Age of the players bought by CSK today:<br />
<br />
Harbhajan - 37<br />
Watson - 36<br />
Bravo - 34<br />
Du Plessis - 33<br />
Jadhav - 32<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLAuction?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLAuction</a></p>
&mdash; Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeerviBharath/status/957169074068340737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This year, on the opening day itself, there were as many as 13 uncapped Indians who were bought for Rs 3 crore or more

The Indian Premier League (IPL) players' auction is back. The famous auctioneer Richard Madley again called the names of the cricketers and the eight franchises went into a furious bidding war in Bengaluru. As many as 578 cricketers went under the hammer, which includes 360 Indian cricketers (62 capped and 298 uncapped) and 218 foreigners (182 capped, 34 uncapped and two from associate nations). Eight teams- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI), Chennai Superkings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals, (RR), Delhi Daredevils (DD), Kings XI Punjab (KXIIP), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SH) took part in the auction. Here are the social media reactions pouring from users: Preity Zinta's fast bidding became the spotlight of most of the jokes and memes. Ladkiyon ko shopping ka shock hota hai. Preity full on shopping ke mood mein hain. Har cheez khareedni hai — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 27, 2018 × Sources : Preity Zinta to bid for the Trophy as well.#IPLAuction — Manya (@CSKian716) January 27, 2018 × Preity Zinta after buying kl rahul #iplauction pic.twitter.com/TZ3RF9Y67Z — Manish ???????? (@Man_isssh) January 27, 2018 × Auctioneer: Next player for auction is..... Preity Zinta: 3 Crore Auctioneer: Ma'am, player ka naam toh bolne do#IPLAuction — PhD in Bakchodi (@Atheist_Krishna) January 27, 2018 × three of india's under 19 boys are crorepatis now - parthiv, shubham and now nagrakoti #IPLAuction — Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) January 27, 2018 × Shakib Al Hasan sold for Rs 2 crores thereby doubling the GDP of Bangladesh...#IPLAuction — The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) January 27, 2018 × RCB is awaiting their loan approval from SBI #IPLAuction2018 — InGenious (@Bees_Kut) January 27, 2018 × Key players of CSK. #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/oaIRxF9yeD — Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) January 27, 2018 × Stuart Binny in allrounders. HOW? Drinks + snacks.#IPLAuctions — Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) January 27, 2018 × Faulkner should go unsold. IPL should maintain a minimum standard #IPLAuction — Cricket bakchod (@AllTimeBakchod) January 27, 2018 × Chris Lynn sold for 9.4 crores ! Wow ! that’s a lot of money to stay injured pretty much throughout your career ????????#IPLAuction — The-Lying-Lama (@KyaUkhaadLega) January 27, 2018 × Jayadev Unadkat will be laughing all the way to the bank this year! RR picks him up 11.5C! #summeriscoming — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) January 28, 2018 × Bangladesh GDP got another 2.2 corer from India. #IPLAuction — Chetansinh Gohil (@chetangohil28) January 27, 2018 × Age of the players bought by @ChennaiIPL today: Harbhajan - 37 Watson - 36 Bravo - 34 Du Plessis - 33 Jadhav - 32 #CSK #WhistlePodu ???????????? #IPLAuction #IPL2018 pic.twitter.com/mZRvWNVA26 — LoGaN (@itzhari24) January 27, 2018 × That moment TN man @ashwinravi99 moved to Punjab and Punjab man @harbhajan_singh moved to TN ???????? #IPLAuction — Pavithran Subbiah (@pavi_subbiah) January 27, 2018 × If u want to know the meaning of pay cut, ask Gambhir & Yuvraj #IPLAuction Gambhir - 14 cr to 2.8 cr - SOLD to Delhi Yuvraj - 16 cr to 2 cr - SOLD to Punjab — Ankit Chaudhary (@entrepreneur987) January 27, 2018 × Preity Zinta today #IPLAuction pic.twitter.com/26tblVPQoh — BR7 (@RevanthBR7) January 27, 2018 × Fastest in the world 1. Bugatti 2. Ussain bolt 3. Preity zinda buying players.#IPLAuction ???????? — Yaman khandelwal???????? (@khandelwalyaman) January 27, 2018 × Age of the players bought by CSK today: Harbhajan - 37 Watson - 36 Bravo - 34 Du Plessis - 33 Jadhav - 32#IPLAuction — Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) January 27, 2018 ×

IPL auction 2018: Funny tweets and memes flood internet

<p>In a video that went viral on the internet, a member of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad - TMC student wing, is seen assaulting a girl inside the college premises of Rishra Bidhan College in Hooghly, West Bengal.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">CCTV footage surfaces of a Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leader Sahid assaulting a girl in Bidhan Chandra College in West Bengal&#39;s Hooghly. Complaint has been filed (4.12.17) <a href="https://t.co/c7yX0pFEb2">pic.twitter.com/c7yX0pFEb2</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/954023363080372224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The incident, which was caught on CCTV camera, took place on December 4 last year inside the Union Room of the college.</p>

<p>The victim on Wednesday lodged a complaint against the offender, the college students union`s General Secretary Sahid Hasan Khan.</p>

<p>In her complaint, the girl had alleged that she was harassed, heckled and subjected to violence many times by the student&nbsp;leader.</p>

<p>In the video, the offender first slapped the girl and tried hitting her with a glass cover. Later he kicked and thrashed her several times.</p>

<p>There were other students present in the room, but no one came to her rescue.</p>

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In a video that went viral on the internet, a member of Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad - TMC student wing, is seen assaulting a girl inside the college premises of Rishra Bidhan College in Hooghly, West Bengal. CCTV footage surfaces of a Trinamool Chhatra Parishad leader Sahid assaulting a girl in Bidhan Chandra College in West Bengal's Hooghly. Complaint has been filed (4.12.17) pic.twitter.com/c7yX0pFEb2 — ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2018 × The incident, which was caught on CCTV camera, took place on December 4 last year inside the Union Room of the college. The victim on Wednesday lodged a complaint against the offender, the college students union`s General Secretary Sahid Hasan Khan. In her complaint, the girl had alleged that she was harassed, heckled and subjected to violence many times by the student leader. In the video, the offender first slapped the girl and tried hitting her with a glass cover. Later he kicked and thrashed her several times. There were other students present in the room, but no one came to her rescue.

Student leader assaults girl in West Bengal, video goes viral

<p>Two people were shot dead in protests in Iran bringing to four the number of fatalities in the country`s most serious unrest since 2009 and messages on social media called for more anti-government demonstrations on Monday.</p>

<p>The two were killed on Sunday in the southwestern town of Izeh and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted the local member of parliament Hedayatollah Khademi as saying.</p>

<p>&quot;I do not know whether yesterday`s shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated,&quot; Khademi was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>Messages on social media urged Iranians to hold rallies in the capital Tehran and 50 other urban centres, many of which have already seen four days of unrest since price protests in the second largest city Mashhad on Thursday turned political.</p>

<p>Protests continued overnight even though President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm. He said Iranians had the right to criticise authorities but warned of a crackdown against unrest.</p>

<p>&quot;The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society,&quot; Rouhani said in remarks carried by state TV.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country against the Islamic Republic`s government and clerical elite, prompting authorities to warn of a tough crackdown.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Security forces have shown restraint, hoping to avoid an escalation of the crisis triggered by economic hardships and corruption. Anger soon turned to Iran`s clerical establishment in power since the 1979 revolution.</p>

<p>Some called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down and chanted against a government they described as thieves.</p>


The two were killed on Sunday in the southwestern town of Izeh and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted local member of parliament Hedayatollah Khademi as saying.

Two people were shot dead in protests in Iran bringing to four the number of fatalities in the country`s most serious unrest since 2009 and messages on social media called for more anti-government demonstrations on Monday. The two were killed on Sunday in the southwestern town of Izeh and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted the local member of parliament Hedayatollah Khademi as saying. "I do not know whether yesterday`s shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated," Khademi was quoted as saying. Messages on social media urged Iranians to hold rallies in the capital Tehran and 50 other urban centres, many of which have already seen four days of unrest since price protests in the second largest city Mashhad on Thursday turned political. Protests continued overnight even though President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm. He said Iranians had the right to criticise authorities but warned of a crackdown against unrest. "The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society," Rouhani said in remarks carried by state TV. Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country against the Islamic Republic`s government and clerical elite, prompting authorities to warn of a tough crackdown. Security forces have shown restraint, hoping to avoid an escalation of the crisis triggered by economic hardships and corruption. Anger soon turned to Iran`s clerical establishment in power since the 1979 revolution. Some called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down and chanted against a government they described as thieves.

Two people killed in Iran amid calls for fresh protests

<p>The Iranian government blocked social media apps after protests intensified across the capital city and spread to areas like Qom -- 80kms away from Tehran.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At least two people have been killed during the protests which&nbsp;continued on the third. Numerous demonstrators have been arrested.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Iran&#39;s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli&#39;s warned protestors stating that &quot;those who damage public property, violate law and order and create unrest are responsible for their actions and should pay the price.&quot;</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-said-protesters-should-pay-a-high-price-if-they-break-the-law-28170" target="_blank">Despite the warning</a>, the protestors attacked a town hall in Tehran on Saturday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/3-reportedly-killed-in-ongoing-protests-in-iran-government-blocks-internet-28144">government was reported to have banned internet access</a> on local devices and have nos restricted access to a couple of social media applications to curb protests.</p>

<p>Social media applications like Instagram and Telegram have been banned.</p>

<p>Telegram app was previously accused of being a tool in instigating violence during protests.</p>

<p>Telecom Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari called the app as &quot;counter-revolutionary&quot;, facilitating armed uprising and social unrest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;If the counter-revolutionaries want to use this atmosphere to create riots, naturally the Supreme National Security Council will take action,&quot; he told the state broadcaster.</p>

<p>&quot;Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down [Sedaie Mardom] and other peacefully protesting channels,&quot; Azari tweeted, referring to one of the channels criticised by Iran.</p>

<p>Telegram CEO Pavel Durov confirmed the blocking.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

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The government was reported to have banned internet access on local devices

The Iranian government blocked social media apps after protests intensified across the capital city and spread to areas like Qom -- 80kms away from Tehran. At least two people have been killed during the protests which continued on the third. Numerous demonstrators have been arrested. Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli's warned protestors stating that "those who damage public property, violate law and order and create unrest are responsible for their actions and should pay the price." Despite the warning, the protestors attacked a town hall in Tehran on Saturday. The government was reported to have banned internet access on local devices and have nos restricted access to a couple of social media applications to curb protests. Social media applications like Instagram and Telegram have been banned. Telegram app was previously accused of being a tool in instigating violence during protests. Telecom Minister Mohammad-Javad Azari called the app as "counter-revolutionary", facilitating armed uprising and social unrest. "If the counter-revolutionaries want to use this atmosphere to create riots, naturally the Supreme National Security Council will take action," he told the state broadcaster. "Iranian authorities are blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down [Sedaie Mardom] and other peacefully protesting channels," Azari tweeted, referring to one of the channels criticised by Iran. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov confirmed the blocking. (With inputs from agencies)

Iran protests: Government temporarily restricts social media on mobiles

<p>Airing political views on personal social media accounts could now land Jammu and Kashmir government employees in trouble as the state government has issued guidelines for its employees on its usage.</p>

<p>In a notification released on Tuesday, the government added a sub-rule in the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Conduct rules, asking the employees &quot;not to engage in criminal dishonest conduct on social media which may be prejudicial to the government&quot;.</p>

<p>&quot;The employees should not use their personal social media accounts for any political activity or endorse the posts of any political figure and also shall not use their accounts in a manner that could reasonably be construed to imply that the government endorses or sanctions their personal activities in any matter whatsoever,&quot; the notification says.</p>

<p>The government order, signed by IAS officer and Secretary to the government Khurshid Ahmad, also bars the employees from posting inflammatory and extraneous messages in an online community with an intent of provoking readers into emotional response.</p>

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<p>The notification issued by Jammu and Kashmir government. (Others)</p>
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In a notification released on Tuesday, the government added a sub-rule in the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Conduct rules.

Airing political views on personal social media accounts could now land Jammu and Kashmir government employees in trouble as the state government has issued guidelines for its employees on its usage. In a notification released on Tuesday, the government added a sub-rule in the Jammu and Kashmir Government Employees Conduct rules, asking the employees "not to engage in criminal dishonest conduct on social media which may be prejudicial to the government". "The employees should not use their personal social media accounts for any political activity or endorse the posts of any political figure and also shall not use their accounts in a manner that could reasonably be construed to imply that the government endorses or sanctions their personal activities in any matter whatsoever," the notification says. The government order, signed by IAS officer and Secretary to the government Khurshid Ahmad, also bars the employees from posting inflammatory and extraneous messages in an online community with an intent of provoking readers into emotional response. The notification issued by Jammu and Kashmir government. (Others) ×

Jammu and Kashmir government issues guidelines on usage of social media by employees

<p>Former US&nbsp;president Barack Obama said the way people communicate via social media risked splintering society and leaders had to ensure the Internet did not cocoon-users within their own biases.</p>

<p>&quot;All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the Internet,&quot; Obama said in an interview conducted by Britain&#39;s Prince Harry, broadcast on BBC radio on Wednesday.</p>

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<p>&quot;One of the dangers of the Internet is that people can have entirely different realities, they can be just cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases.&quot;</p>

<p>Obama has previously warned that social media platforms can lead people to make snap judgements about complex decisions although he has refrained from criticising his successor Donald Trump who regularly uses Twitter.</p>

<p>Obama said in the interview broadcast on Wednesday that social media should promote diverse views in a way that &quot;doesn&#39;t lead to a Balkanisation of our society&quot; and moving online communities offline helped people to see that many issues were not as simple as they might seem in a chatroom.</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s also, by the way, harder to be as obnoxious and cruel in person as people can be anonymously on the Internet,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Meet in the pub...Meet at a place of worship. Meet in a neighbourhood and get to know each other.&quot;</p>

<p><strong>Wedding diplomacy?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Obama spoke to Harry in an interview conducted by the prince as a guest editor for BBC radio&#39;s daily morning news show and focused on their shared interest in promoting causes. The interview took place in September.</p>

<p>Harry was asked by the BBC whether he would invite the Obamas to his wedding next year with U.S. actress Meghan Markle.</p>

<p>&quot;I don&#39;t know about that,&quot; Harry said. &quot;We haven&rsquo;t put the invites or the guest list together. Who knows whether they are going to be invited or not. I wouldn&#39;t want to ruin that surprise.&quot;</p>

<p>The Sun newspaper said on Tuesday that British government officials had urged Harry not to invite the Obamas to his wedding for fear of angering Trump.</p>

<p>In the BBC interview, Obama spoke of being able to take a longer-term view on issues such as climate change.</p>

<p>&quot;Take some of the tragedies that have happened recently, with hurricanes devastating first Houston and parts of Florida and now Puerto Rico,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>&quot;Today those aren&rsquo;t my direct responsibilities but I can focus over the next 20 years in making sure that we don&rsquo;t have more hurricanes and natural disasters that are accelerated as a consequence of climate change and the ability to focus long term I think is a great luxury.&quot;</p>


Obama has previously warned that social media platforms can lead people to make snap judgements about complex decisions although he has refrained from criticising his successor Donald Trump who regularly uses Twitter.

Former US president Barack Obama said the way people communicate via social media risked splintering society and leaders had to ensure the Internet did not cocoon-users within their own biases. "All of us in leadership have to find ways in which we can recreate a common space on the Internet," Obama said in an interview conducted by Britain's Prince Harry, broadcast on BBC radio on Wednesday. × "One of the dangers of the Internet is that people can have entirely different realities, they can be just cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases." Obama has previously warned that social media platforms can lead people to make snap judgements about complex decisions although he has refrained from criticising his successor Donald Trump who regularly uses Twitter. Obama said in the interview broadcast on Wednesday that social media should promote diverse views in a way that "doesn't lead to a Balkanisation of our society" and moving online communities offline helped people to see that many issues were not as simple as they might seem in a chatroom. "It's also, by the way, harder to be as obnoxious and cruel in person as people can be anonymously on the Internet," he said. "Meet in the pub...Meet at a place of worship. Meet in a neighbourhood and get to know each other." Wedding diplomacy? Obama spoke to Harry in an interview conducted by the prince as a guest editor for BBC radio's daily morning news show and focused on their shared interest in promoting causes. The interview took place in September. Harry was asked by the BBC whether he would invite the Obamas to his wedding next year with U.S. actress Meghan Markle. "I don't know about that," Harry said. "We haven’t put the invites or the guest list together. Who knows whether they are going to be invited or not. I wouldn't want to ruin that surprise." The Sun newspaper said on Tuesday that British government officials had urged Harry not to invite the Obamas to his wedding for fear of angering Trump. In the BBC interview, Obama spoke of being able to take a longer-term view on issues such as climate change. "Take some of the tragedies that have happened recently, with hurricanes devastating first Houston and parts of Florida and now Puerto Rico," he said. "Today those aren’t my direct responsibilities but I can focus over the next 20 years in making sure that we don’t have more hurricanes and natural disasters that are accelerated as a consequence of climate change and the ability to focus long term I think is a great luxury."

Watch: Obama urges 'leaders' not to split society with online biases

<p>Former US President Barack Obama told Britain`s Prince Harry he was concerned social media was &quot;corroding civil discourse&quot;, in what he said was his first interview since leaving the White House, aired Wednesday.</p>

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<p>&quot;One of the dangers of the internet is that people can have entirely different realities,&quot; he told the prince, who was guest editing BBC Radio 4`s Today programme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;They can be cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases. Things aren`t as simple as they`ve been portrayed in whatever chat room you`ve been in,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>&quot;The question has to do with how do we harness this technology in a way that allows a multiplicity of voices, allows a diversity of views, but doesn`t lead to a Balkanisation of society and allows ways of finding common ground.&quot;</p>

<p>The interview was recorded in Toronto, Canada, in September on the sidelines of the Invictus Games, the athletic tournament created by Harry for wounded former soldiers.</p>

<p>Despite admitting concern over the future of the US, Obama, who did not mention his successor Donald Trump by name, said he felt a sense of &quot;serenity&quot; on leaving the White House.</p>

<p>&quot;There was a sense that we had run a good race,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>On his new routine, Obama told the prince: &quot;I wake up later, it`s wonderful to be able to control your day.&quot;</p>

<p>The prince opened the discussion by saying: &quot;This is the first interview you`ve said `yes` to doing since you handed over the reins&quot;, to which Obama replied: &quot;that`s true&quot;.</p>

<p>Harry is due to marry his US actress girlfriend Megan Markle on May 19 at St George`s Chapel in Windsor Castle near London.</p>

<p>According to British press reports, civil servants are concerned that a wedding invite from the couple to Obama could cause a further rift between Britain and Trump following a series of high-profile spats.</p>


Obama said he was concerned that social media was 'corroding civil discourse'

Former US President Barack Obama told Britain`s Prince Harry he was concerned social media was "corroding civil discourse", in what he said was his first interview since leaving the White House, aired Wednesday. × "One of the dangers of the internet is that people can have entirely different realities," he told the prince, who was guest editing BBC Radio 4`s Today programme. "They can be cocooned in information that reinforces their current biases. Things aren`t as simple as they`ve been portrayed in whatever chat room you`ve been in," he added. "The question has to do with how do we harness this technology in a way that allows a multiplicity of voices, allows a diversity of views, but doesn`t lead to a Balkanisation of society and allows ways of finding common ground." The interview was recorded in Toronto, Canada, in September on the sidelines of the Invictus Games, the athletic tournament created by Harry for wounded former soldiers. Despite admitting concern over the future of the US, Obama, who did not mention his successor Donald Trump by name, said he felt a sense of "serenity" on leaving the White House. "There was a sense that we had run a good race," he added. On his new routine, Obama told the prince: "I wake up later, it`s wonderful to be able to control your day." The prince opened the discussion by saying: "This is the first interview you`ve said `yes` to doing since you handed over the reins", to which Obama replied: "that`s true". Harry is due to marry his US actress girlfriend Megan Markle on May 19 at St George`s Chapel in Windsor Castle near London. According to British press reports, civil servants are concerned that a wedding invite from the couple to Obama could cause a further rift between Britain and Trump following a series of high-profile spats.

Watch: Barack Obama warns of dangers of social media in interview with Prince Harry

<p>When Narendra Modi was elected in early 2014, the media declared him &ldquo;India&rsquo;s<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> first </a>social<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>media<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>prime<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e347de5c-e088-11e3-9534-00144feabdc0"> </a>minister&rdquo; and compared his approach to technology to that of former<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>US<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>president<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>Barack<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/tech/internet/on-social-media-can-pm-narendra-modi-displace-his-good-friend-us-president-barack-obama/articleshow/53565939.cms"> </a>Obama. In 2016, Time<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>magazine<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>named<a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-on-times-most-influential-people-on-internet-for-second-year"> </a>Modi one of the 30 most influential people on the internet.</p>

<p>Today, he is the most followed world leader on social media, with more than 40 million Facebook followers. Needless to say, with a social media superstar at the helm, the Indian government was expected to bloom online.</p>

<figure class="align-right "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160173/original/image-20170309-21030-eq0hgc.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">Modi&rsquo;s profile, March 9 2017.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Facebook</span></span></p>

<p>But this idea should be advanced cautiously, as certain facts belie the assumption. According to the<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Pew<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Research<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/09/07/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they"> </a>Center, 87% American adults use the internet, while<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>only<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>27<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html">% of</a> Indians<a href="http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/trai-releases-data-on-internet-usage-subscription-has-grown-9-72-percent-over-previous-year-353824.html"> </a>do. And <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market">only </a>two<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market"> in</a> ten<a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/06/global-tech-companies-see-indias-vast-offline-population-as-untapped-market"> </a>Indians regularly use social media platforms, whereas <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media">seven in ten Americans</a> do.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p><strong>&lsquo;Digital India&rsquo; to connect all citizens</strong></p>

<p>One of the government&rsquo;s priorities main is to get more Indians connected to the web. New Delhi&rsquo;s new programme, &ldquo;Digital India&rdquo;, unifies information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives under one umbrella.</p>

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EuwrPIzkcg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">Narendra Modi&rsquo;s first 3D holographic projection speech, November 2012.</span></p>

<p>The process of building ICTs into governance involves the automation of routine administration jobs such as online passport registration or school application, providing requisite information to citizens, and citizen engagement in policy-making.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>The Digital India initiative has seen some significant successes. It has connected<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a>all<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a>250,000<a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"> </a><em>Gram</em><a href="http://www.governancenow.com/views/interview/250000-gram-panchayats-two-year-tall-order"><em> Panchayats</em></a> (local administrative clusters of villages) with fibre optic cables, established<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>wifi<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>villages<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>and<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>smart<a href="http://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tele-talk/digital-india-making-villages-smart/719"> </a>cities and created an <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/security-tech/technology/aadhaar-playing-a-huge-role-in-contributing-to-digital-india-programme-neel-ratan-pwc/articleshow/57074193.cms">ecosystem for Aadhaar</a>, India&rsquo;s national biometric identification system. It has also encouraged electronic banking through mobile<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/wealth/spend/demonetisation-ussd-technology-to-pay-digitally-without-internet/articleshow/55574701.cms"> </a>payments.</p>

<figure><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5ndIt6hBP4M?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440"></iframe>

<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">A commercial announcing India&rsquo;s first high-speed broadband internet in Idukki, Kerala.</span></p>

<p>The government also launched an exclusive citizen engagement platform, <a href="https://www.mygov.in/">mygov.in</a>, which currently boasts 4 million registrations, 1.8 million submissions across 599 tasks and 35 million comments.</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>Given India&rsquo;s infrastructure inadequacies and weak private-public partnerships, these are laudable efforts.</p>

<p><strong>Ministries are letting Modi down</strong></p>

<p>Modi <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/politics/social-modi-all-ministers-to-use-facebook-twitter-to-reach-out-1548135.html">has pushed</a> his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job. Many agencies have invited the experts and representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google to attend <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2016/dec/24/facebook-gets-over-6000-data-requests-from-india-in-first-half-of-2016-1552667.html">consultation meetings</a> (some of which I have attended) and also made data requests.</p>

<p>Today, the Election Commission of India uses<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>Facebook<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>to<a href="http://www.news18.com/news/tech/election-commission-of-india-partners-with-facebook-to-register-voters-1298951.html"> </a>engage potential and present voters with the democratic process, and most ministry and agency websites are integrated with various digital platforms. It is also common<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> to </a>see<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>government<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>agencies<a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/AD4cwD62glIdmqHMdVZ2KN/Agriculture-ministry-scouts-for-a-social-media-manager.html"> </a>advertising to hire social<a href="http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/5678f2a4c6e8cAdvt.%20for%20Social%20Media%20Consultant.pdf"> </a>media<a href="http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/5678f2a4c6e8cAdvt.%20for%20Social%20Media%20Consultant.pdf"> </a>firms in national newspapers.</p>

<p>Social media platforms are part of the larger e-governance effort. At a minimum, the government uses them to get information to citizens and, more gradually, to <a href="https://www.mygov.in/group-issue/public-consultation-e-governance-service-maturity-model/">include user-generated content</a> in governance.</p>

<p>But at present, despite these various actions, social media acts primarily a mere extension of agency homepages. Evidently, many ministries and departments are hesitant to use the pages and accounts they&rsquo;ve started.</p>

<p>Real-time updates are few. Those that occur are thanks to a few savvy <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/modi-sarkar2-who-are-the-most-social-media-savvy-ministers-in-the-modi-cabinet/articleshow/52271864.cms">ministers</a>, including Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External affairs, Piyush Goyal, Minster of Power, and Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways.</p>

<p>Some of Twitter interactions have been impressive. Take, for example, the time <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-in-india/sushma-swaraj-helps-woman-who-was-mugged-in-tanzania-this-time-without-even-being-asked-4505980">Sushma Swaraj directly helped</a> an Indian citizen who was mugged in Tanzania.</p>

<p>However, government social media usage starts to fail when ministers are questioned or criticised by users. It took Modi &ndash; who usually uses Twitter daily &ndash; ten days to tweet about <a href="http://www.dailyo.in/politics/dadri-murder-narendra-modi-twitter-bihar-polls-mann-ki-baat-rss-bjp-muslims-manmohan-singh/story/1/6703.html">the communal violence in Dadri</a>, where a Muslim man <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Communal-tension-in-Dadri-after-rumours-of-cow-slaughtering/articleshow/49148923.cms">was lynched by a Hindu mob</a> on suspicion of slaughtering a cow.</p>

<p><strong>Lack of credibility</strong></p>

<p>Quickly voicing concerns to other users and trading in genuine uncensored content are major features of social media. If these activities are shaken, either by blocking criticisms or through non-responsiveness, trust and credibility are lost.</p>

<p>If a minister responds to, say, a tweet about <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai/churchgate-train-crash-suresh-prabhu-panned-for-late-probe-order/story-qcvtA0PLLklbG56iLxYCaP.html">the lack of baby diapers</a> on railway platforms but does not immediately respond to queries about a recent accident, or if <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/maneka-gandhis-silence-on-jallikattu-row-continues/1/864075.html">a minister keeps mum</a> on violence when she is expected <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/pm-tweets-on-everything-but-silent-on-indians-attacked-in-us-congress/story-PZ9MedhRyfh98kKE3PrsPJ.html">to speak out</a>, the real value that social media could bring to governance is lost.</p>

<p>Citizens may stop following the ministers, or troll them. Both hurt efficiency in e-governance.</p>

<figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160188/original/image-20170309-21030-101omth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160188/original/image-20170309-21030-101omth.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" /></a>

<figcaption>
<p><span class="caption">MapBox&rsquo;s open-source flood information.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mapbox/23381596151/">Mapbox/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>
</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>Despite its social media presence, Modi&rsquo;s government has largely failed to move beyond simply disseminating information. In 2015, <a href="http://itra.medialabasia.in/img/Chennai%20Floods-Rapid%20Assessment%20Report-May%2023,%202016.pdf">the </a>Chennai<a href="http://itra.medialabasia.in/img/Chennai%20Floods-Rapid%20Assessment%20Report-May%2023,%202016.pdf"> </a>floods left thousands homeless and killed<a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/northeast-monsoon-claimed-470-lives-in-tamil-nadu-jayalalithaa/article8064661.ece"> </a>almost<a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/northeast-monsoon-claimed-470-lives-in-tamil-nadu-jayalalithaa/article8064661.ece"> </a>500. Well before the government responded, civil society organisations and citizens used social media <a href="https://qz.com/563397/chennai-floods-once-again-social-media-is-helping-indians-while-the-government-flounders">to create live-updated maps</a> of affected areas and tell residents about safe houses and transportation.</p>

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/160187/original/image-20170309-21056-14cqjxo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" />
<figcaption><span class="caption">Flood waters in Nandanam, Chennai, 2015.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Chennai_flood_water_logging_near_ofice_nandanam5.jpg">Vijayingarsal/Wikimedia</a></span></figcaption>
</figure>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Of censorship, trolls and &lsquo;</strong><em><strong>bhakts</strong></em><strong>&rsquo;</strong></p>

<p>The government is also concerned about its own employees criticising policy initiatives or &ldquo;liking&rdquo; anti-government views. Recently, civil servants <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/no-criticism-of-government-by-officials-on-social-media-proposed-rules/articleshow/53282029.cms">were advised</a> to follow a social media code of conduct (though this <a href="http://meity.gov.in/sites/upload_files/dit/files/Approved%20Social%20Media%20Framework%20and%20Guidelines%20_2_.pdf">framework</a> appears outdated and incomplete).</p>

<p>Government social media use is also co-opted by political party supporters. Called &ldquo;<a href="http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/The-underage-optimist/anatomy-of-an-internet-troll-how-social-media-birthed-a-strange-new-phenomenon-in-india-the-bhakts/"><em>bhakts</em></a>&rdquo;, or henchmen, these ardent supporters of Modi or of other right-wing political movements have sidetracked any possibilities of healthy discussion. And they are equally matched by their more liberal opponents.</p>

<p><em>Bhakts</em> are not public officials. But their online activities have blurred the lines between the roles played by political party head and prime minister, reducing the potential positive outcomes of the government&rsquo;s fledgling social media efforts.</p>

<p><strong>To regulate and to serve</strong></p>

<p>There are two main ways that a democratic government approaches the social media sphere: regulation and service provision. Modi&rsquo;s government is in the nascent stages of both.</p>

<p>As a regulator, governments should monitor online activity, policing content and its creators (if needed) without damaging freedom of expression. The Modi administration&rsquo;s regulatory role is being hijacked by partisan trolls who lack training and legitimacy.</p>

<p>As a digital public-service provider, governments should treat online citizens like customers, seeking feedback on services or extending post-service support. When Twitter may be <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/brand-equity/twitter-banking-ground-breaking-or-gimmicky/articleshow/52202088.cms">explored as an e-banking platform</a>, for example, why not use it to book a ticket on India&rsquo;s state-run railroad or apply for a passport?</p>

<p><img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/73656/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />Without better guidelines on playing this role, however, Modi&rsquo;s government agencies will continue to struggle to provide citizen services. As an individual, Prime Minister Modi may be an exceptional social media influencer. But, for now, the same cannot be said about his government.</p>

<p>This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The </a>Conversation. Read the original<a href="https://theconversation.com/narendra-modi-indias-social-media-star-struggles-to-get-government-online-73656"> </a>article.</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Modi has pushed his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job.

When Narendra Modi was elected in early 2014, the media declared him “India’s first social media prime minister” and compared his approach to technology to that of former US president Barack Obama. In 2016, Time magazine named Modi one of the 30 most influential people on the internet. Today, he is the most followed world leader on social media, with more than 40 million Facebook followers. Needless to say, with a social media superstar at the helm, the Indian government was expected to bloom online. Modi’s profile, March 9 2017. Facebook But this idea should be advanced cautiously, as certain facts belie the assumption. According to the Pew Research Center, 87% American adults use the internet, while only 27% of Indians do. And only two in ten Indians regularly use social media platforms, whereas seven in ten Americans do. ‘Digital India’ to connect all citizens One of the government’s priorities main is to get more Indians connected to the web. New Delhi’s new programme, “Digital India”, unifies information and communication technology (ICT) initiatives under one umbrella. Narendra Modi’s first 3D holographic projection speech, November 2012. The process of building ICTs into governance involves the automation of routine administration jobs such as online passport registration or school application, providing requisite information to citizens, and citizen engagement in policy-making. The Digital India initiative has seen some significant successes. It has connected all 250,000 Gram Panchayats (local administrative clusters of villages) with fibre optic cables, established wifi villages and smart cities and created an ecosystem for Aadhaar, India’s national biometric identification system. It has also encouraged electronic banking through mobile payments. A commercial announcing India’s first high-speed broadband internet in Idukki, Kerala. The government also launched an exclusive citizen engagement platform, mygov.in, which currently boasts 4 million registrations, 1.8 million submissions across 599 tasks and 35 million comments. Given India’s infrastructure inadequacies and weak private-public partnerships, these are laudable efforts. Ministries are letting Modi down Modi has pushed his ministers to adopt social media platforms as a part of their job. Many agencies have invited the experts and representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google to attend consultation meetings (some of which I have attended) and also made data requests. Today, the Election Commission of India uses Facebook to engage potential and present voters with the democratic process, and most ministry and agency websites are integrated with various digital platforms. It is also common to see government agencies advertising to hire social media firms in national newspapers. Social media platforms are part of the larger e-governance effort. At a minimum, the government uses them to get information to citizens and, more gradually, to include user-generated content in governance. But at present, despite these various actions, social media acts primarily a mere extension of agency homepages. Evidently, many ministries and departments are hesitant to use the pages and accounts they’ve started. Real-time updates are few. Those that occur are thanks to a few savvy ministers, including Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External affairs, Piyush Goyal, Minster of Power, and Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Railways. Some of Twitter interactions have been impressive. Take, for example, the time Sushma Swaraj directly helped an Indian citizen who was mugged in Tanzania. However, government social media usage starts to fail when ministers are questioned or criticised by users. It took Modi – who usually uses Twitter daily – ten days to tweet about the communal violence in Dadri, where a Muslim man was lynched by a Hindu mob on suspicion of slaughtering a cow. Lack of credibility Quickly voicing concerns to other users and trading in genuine uncensored content are major features of social media. If these activities are shaken, either by blocking criticisms or through non-responsiveness, trust and credibility are lost. If a minister responds to, say, a tweet about the lack of baby diapers on railway platforms but does not immediately respond to queries about a recent accident, or if a minister keeps mum on violence when she is expected to speak out, the real value that social media could bring to governance is lost. Citizens may stop following the ministers, or troll them. Both hurt efficiency in e-governance. MapBox’s open-source flood information. Mapbox/Flickr, CC BY-SA Despite its social media presence, Modi’s government has largely failed to move beyond simply disseminating information. In 2015, the Chennai floods left thousands homeless and killed almost 500. Well before the government responded, civil society organisations and citizens used social media to create live-updated maps of affected areas and tell residents about safe houses and transportation. Flood waters in Nandanam, Chennai, 2015. Vijayingarsal/Wikimedia Of censorship, trolls and ‘bhakts’ The government is also concerned about its own employees criticising policy initiatives or “liking” anti-government views. Recently, civil servants were advised to follow a social media code of conduct (though this framework appears outdated and incomplete). Government social media use is also co-opted by political party supporters. Called “bhakts”, or henchmen, these ardent supporters of Modi or of other right-wing political movements have sidetracked any possibilities of healthy discussion. And they are equally matched by their more liberal opponents. Bhakts are not public officials. But their online activities have blurred the lines between the roles played by political party head and prime minister, reducing the potential positive outcomes of the government’s fledgling social media efforts. To regulate and to serve There are two main ways that a democratic government approaches the social media sphere: regulation and service provision. Modi’s government is in the nascent stages of both. As a regulator, governments should monitor online activity, policing content and its creators (if needed) without damaging freedom of expression. The Modi administration’s regulatory role is being hijacked by partisan trolls who lack training and legitimacy. As a digital public-service provider, governments should treat online citizens like customers, seeking feedback on services or extending post-service support. When Twitter may be explored as an e-banking platform, for example, why not use it to book a ticket on India’s state-run railroad or apply for a passport? Without better guidelines on playing this role, however, Modi’s government agencies will continue to struggle to provide citizen services. As an individual, Prime Minister Modi may be an exceptional social media influencer. But, for now, the same cannot be said about his government. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL).

Opinion: How digital India is finding fruition through social media

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