What could go wrong when Tik Tok and other Chinese apps are accumulating data? Like games made from Yotta and Lilith games (which each have more than 100 million downloads with Mafia Games and Age of Empires).

2017 Chinese intelligence law must allow any company in China to give to the government any information that it requires. This means that any data in any company must be given to CCP if needed.

As lawfareblog.com&nbsp; mentions, "The new law is the latest in an interrelated package of national security, cyberspace, and law enforcement legislation drafted under Xi Jinping. These laws and regulations are aimed at strengthening the legal basis for China’s security activities and requiring Chinese and foreign citizens, enterprises, and organizations to cooperate with them."

This means any app that you download and accept into your phone/ device with " I agree to allow location data" has a good chance to be stored in servers in China. And not only that but even if you uninstall the app the possibility exists that a digital ID can be created which persists on the device even after uninstall. (I first ran into this after an interview by the China Unscripted podcast with Dr Jaswinder Singh Sekhon).

I have not downloaded TikTok to find out what it asks, and at this point, I would rather not install it unless I will reset the phone to factory specs.

As we know Tencent is the biggest game company in China and they have their finger in many places as they have invested in some of the top western game apps: World of Warcraft's Activision, Fortnite, Roblox, and many other apps that gamers use (like Discord).

Lilith Games and Yotta are smaller players in the game space but have had over 100 Million downloads of their top games.

Every person playing games on the Internet should take the time to find out where the developers are based and what laws govern the company that you are spending time and possibly money on.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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What could go wrong when Tik Tok and other Chinese apps are accumulating data? Like games made from Yotta and Lilith games (which each have more than 100 million downloads with Mafia Games and Age of Empires).

What could go wrong when Tik Tok and other Chinese apps are accumulating data? Like games made from Yotta and Lilith games (which each have more than 100 million downloads with Mafia Games and Age of Empires). 2017 Chinese intelligence law must allow any company in China to give to the government any information that it requires. This means that any data in any company must be given to CCP if needed. As lawfareblog.com mentions, "The new law is the latest in an interrelated package of national security, cyberspace, and law enforcement legislation drafted under Xi Jinping. These laws and regulations are aimed at strengthening the legal basis for China’s security activities and requiring Chinese and foreign citizens, enterprises, and organizations to cooperate with them." This means any app that you download and accept into your phone/ device with " I agree to allow location data" has a good chance to be stored in servers in China. And not only that but even if you uninstall the app the possibility exists that a digital ID can be created which persists on the device even after uninstall. (I first ran into this after an interview by the China Unscripted podcast with Dr Jaswinder Singh Sekhon). I have not downloaded TikTok to find out what it asks, and at this point, I would rather not install it unless I will reset the phone to factory specs. As we know Tencent is the biggest game company in China and they have their finger in many places as they have invested in some of the top western game apps: World of Warcraft's Activision, Fortnite, Roblox, and many other apps that gamers use (like Discord). Lilith Games and Yotta are smaller players in the game space but have had over 100 Million downloads of their top games. Every person playing games on the Internet should take the time to find out where the developers are based and what laws govern the company that you are spending time and possibly money on. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

TikTok and other Chinese apps compile data

Italy’s data protection authority has formally warned Chinese-owned app TikTok about an alleged breach of existing European Union rules to safeguard user privacy.

TikTok's targeted advertising in question, Italy's data protection agency claims app of privacy breach

We humans are among the weakest animals on Earth. And we know it. That's why millions of years of evolution has taught us to tackle animal encounters using one supreme technique.&nbsp;

Running away.

There are ample living things to run away from on land and when it comes to the sea... well that's a foregone conclusion as water isn't our domain to start with.

Such ingrained behaviour of us land mammals was on full display in a video shot in California. The beachgoers ran and ran for their livee as if being chased by Godzilla but the pursuers in this case were two sea lions, usually held to be cute when they are at a sufficient distance.

To be fair to those leaving everything and running away, the sea lions appeared to be fully grown and were charging at unusual speed for a cute blubbery sea creature. They don't bite. But people in the video weren't in a mood to leave things to chance.

The Tiktok video is being widely shared on social media.

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The sea lions at La Jolla Cove San Diego have had enough of the tourists. 😂 <a href="https://t.co/N1UgY4Ez78">pic.twitter.com/N1UgY4Ez78</a>
— Anthea (@Anthea06274890) <a href="https://twitter.com/Anthea06274890/status/1546218054585139200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Were the sea lions planning a mass bite-fest? Probably not, say the experts quoted in media reports.

Sea lion expert Eric Otjen of SeaWorld San Diego said such a behaviour is normal for these creatures around this time of the year.

This time of the year is breeding time for sea lions and males often fight to win females. Otjen told The Guardian that people on the beach were caught in crossfire of such a fight. The sea lion on the left was actually running away from one on right.

“He’s got swimmers all around him on his way back out, but they don’t bother him. What this is all about is his right to mate,” Otjen said, adding: “This behavior is not uncommon at all. The reason why the video has gotten like 10 millions views is because everybody is running like Godzilla is chasing them.”

He was quoted by The Guardian.

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We humans are among the weakest animals on Earth. And we know it. That's why millions of years of evolution has taught us to tackle animal encounters using one supreme technique.

We humans are among the weakest animals on Earth. And we know it. That's why millions of years of evolution has taught us to tackle animal encounters using one supreme technique. Running away. There are ample living things to run away from on land and when it comes to the sea... well that's a foregone conclusion as water isn't our domain to start with. Such ingrained behaviour of us land mammals was on full display in a video shot in California. The beachgoers ran and ran for their livee as if being chased by Godzilla but the pursuers in this case were two sea lions, usually held to be cute when they are at a sufficient distance. To be fair to those leaving everything and running away, the sea lions appeared to be fully grown and were charging at unusual speed for a cute blubbery sea creature. They don't bite. But people in the video weren't in a mood to leave things to chance. The Tiktok video is being widely shared on social media. The sea lions at La Jolla Cove San Diego have had enough of the tourists. 😂 pic.twitter.com/N1UgY4Ez78 — Anthea (@Anthea06274890) July 10, 2022 × Were the sea lions planning a mass bite-fest? Probably not, say the experts quoted in media reports. Sea lion expert Eric Otjen of SeaWorld San Diego said such a behaviour is normal for these creatures around this time of the year. This time of the year is breeding time for sea lions and males often fight to win females. Otjen told The Guardian that people on the beach were caught in crossfire of such a fight. The sea lion on the left was actually running away from one on right. “He’s got swimmers all around him on his way back out, but they don’t bother him. What this is all about is his right to mate,” Otjen said, adding: “This behavior is not uncommon at all. The reason why the video has gotten like 10 millions views is because everybody is running like Godzilla is chasing them.” He was quoted by The Guardian. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Tiktok video of beachgoers running away from two huge sea lions goes viral

Italy's data protection authority claims of TikTok privacy breach

The parents of the two girls who died in the United States while participating in TikTok's "Blackout Challenge", which makes a sport of choking oneself until passing out have sued the company.

Accusing TikTok software of "intentionally and repeatedly" pushing the Blackout Challenge, the lawsuit has been filed in state court in Los Angeles.

Matthew Bergman, an attorney at the Social Media Victims Law Center, which filed the suit, told news agency AFP that "TikTok needs to be held accountable for pushing deadly content to these two young girls."

"TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design products that push dangerous content that it knows are dangerous and can result in the deaths of its users."

The girls who died after attempting the challenge were eight and nine years old and used a rope and a dog leash.&nbsp;

Their parents have accused TikTok of using its algorithm to promote the Blackout Challenge to each of the girls and listed similar deaths in Italy and Australia as examples.

Calling for a judge to order TikTok to stop hooking children via its algorithm and promoting dangerous challenges, they have also cited examples of harmful challenges including "Skull Breaker Challenge", "Coronavirus Challenge" as well as the "Fire Challenge".

Several users and tech experts have also raised concerns that TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has featured and promoted an array of challenges in which users film themselves taking part in themed acts that are sometimes dangerous.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The parents of the two girls who died in the United States while participating in TikTok's "Blackout Challenge", which makes a sport of choking oneself until passing out have sued the company.

The parents of the two girls who died in the United States while participating in TikTok's "Blackout Challenge", which makes a sport of choking oneself until passing out have sued the company. Accusing TikTok software of "intentionally and repeatedly" pushing the Blackout Challenge, the lawsuit has been filed in state court in Los Angeles. Matthew Bergman, an attorney at the Social Media Victims Law Center, which filed the suit, told news agency AFP that "TikTok needs to be held accountable for pushing deadly content to these two young girls." "TikTok has invested billions of dollars to intentionally design products that push dangerous content that it knows are dangerous and can result in the deaths of its users." The girls who died after attempting the challenge were eight and nine years old and used a rope and a dog leash. Their parents have accused TikTok of using its algorithm to promote the Blackout Challenge to each of the girls and listed similar deaths in Italy and Australia as examples. Calling for a judge to order TikTok to stop hooking children via its algorithm and promoting dangerous challenges, they have also cited examples of harmful challenges including "Skull Breaker Challenge", "Coronavirus Challenge" as well as the "Fire Challenge". Several users and tech experts have also raised concerns that TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has featured and promoted an array of challenges in which users film themselves taking part in themed acts that are sometimes dangerous. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

'Blackout challenge': Two children die in sport of choking themself in US, TikTok sued by parents

TikTok has made it clear that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have never requested for their data on American users. "We have not provided US user data to the CCP, nor would we if asked," it said in an official letter which was first published by AFP and later confirmed by the company.

In response to questions from nine Republican senators about their data storage policies, TikTok said that they have taken steps to limit access to user data and that applies to employees of its parent company, the Chinese group ByteDance. Lately, TikTok has faced queries when it comes to their data storage strategy, but they said that it is stored on US-based servers operated by the Oracle.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-accuses-russia-of-firing-phosphorus-bombs-on-snake-island-493706" hreflang="en">Ukraine accuses Russia of firing phosphorus bombs on Snake Island</a>

However, they did confirm that some employees in China do have access to the user data of American users, but the system operates within "robust cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols" which are monitored by the company's "US-based security team."

The social media platform is currently under investigation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency government review board which looks into the various risks of on US national security, according to an AFP report.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-may-ban-concealed-guns-in-sensitive-areas-including-times-square-493711" hreflang="en">New York may ban concealed guns in 'sensitive areas', including Times Square</a>

TikTok has faced a lot of pressure from the White House in the past year with Donald Trump announcing a complete ban on the platform. However, the executive order signed by the former US President was never implemented and was later revoked by Joe Biden. However, the company has faced scrutiny from the current administration as well.

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(With inputs from agencies)

TikTok has made it clear that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have never requested for their data on American users. "We have not provided US user data to the CCP, nor would we if asked," it said in an official letter which was first published by AFP and later confirmed by the company.

TikTok has made it clear that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have never requested for their data on American users. "We have not provided US user data to the CCP, nor would we if asked," it said in an official letter which was first published by AFP and later confirmed by the company. In response to questions from nine Republican senators about their data storage policies, TikTok said that they have taken steps to limit access to user data and that applies to employees of its parent company, the Chinese group ByteDance. Lately, TikTok has faced queries when it comes to their data storage strategy, but they said that it is stored on US-based servers operated by the Oracle. Also read | Ukraine accuses Russia of firing phosphorus bombs on Snake Island However, they did confirm that some employees in China do have access to the user data of American users, but the system operates within "robust cybersecurity controls and authorization approval protocols" which are monitored by the company's "US-based security team." The social media platform is currently under investigation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), an inter-agency government review board which looks into the various risks of on US national security, according to an AFP report. Also read | New York may ban concealed guns in 'sensitive areas', including Times Square TikTok has faced a lot of pressure from the White House in the past year with Donald Trump announcing a complete ban on the platform. However, the executive order signed by the former US President was never implemented and was later revoked by Joe Biden. However, the company has faced scrutiny from the current administration as well. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. (With inputs from agencies)

User data not shared with Chinese Communist Party: TikTok tells US lawmakers

TikTok, a short-format video hosting service, was initially launched as a platform for sharing byte-sized content like makeup tutorials, cooking recipes, dances etc. However, after the rollback of Roe v. Wade, there are reports of potentially dangerous abortion-related information running on the platform. Following the Roe v. Wade ruling last Friday, that would make abortion illegal in America, prompting protests by women and reproductive rights advocates across the country, people seem to have taken the matter into their own hands.&nbsp;

A text that flashes on the social media platform reads: "If you’re a female in America worried about your future, just know there is an herb for every'situation'," followed by a list of herbs including pennyroyal, blue cohosh, and mugwort. A new wave of discussion is currently going on on TikTok that focuses on herbs that can cause abortions. After the ruling, people on TikTok are offering grassroots solutions to those who seek abortion facilities.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, medical professionals are concerned about this increasing trend of TikTok creators&nbsp;promoting these herbal abortifacients. These herbs can also have catastrophic effects on a woman’s health. Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a gynaecologist and clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine, on knowing about the trends said, "I’m horrified. They’re going to kill people. She also stated that performing abortions at home can turn fatal and result in sepsis or death. "It’s terrifying because 49 years ago, that’s how women died," she said.&nbsp;

One of the most commonly mentioned abortifacients on TikTok is a minty, sweet-smelling plant called pennyroyal, which is also used in essential oils and insect repellents, reported the Rolling Stone. However, according to Josh Trebach, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician in Lowa City, the herb contains pulegone, which gets metabolised in the body and produces toxins that might result in liver necrosis, causing indigestion-related side effects like nausea, vomiting, and pain in the abdomen as well as seizures, comas, liver failure, and even death.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/roe-v-wade-overturned-heres-what-the-ruling-means-for-millions-of-american-women-491461">Roe v Wade overturned: Here's what the ruling means for millions of American women</a>

Another herb cited on TikTok is called Blue Cohosh, which contains a compound called methylcytosine. If used in large doses, it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, profuse drooling, heart rhythms, muscle weakness, seizures, coma, and even death.

Trebach said, "People may, at the end of the day, perceive these to be potential solutions because they have no other options. As a toxicologist that really scares me." He further added that due to a lack of research on these herbs, even medical experts don’t know whether these herbs work well to cause abortions. "But we do know it can get people really, really sick," he stated.&nbsp;

Watch American actress Sharon Stone speak about her painful miscarriage story here:-

&nbsp;<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_X7BHpu_0DQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

On TikTok, there is an abundance of misinformation about these dangerous herbal abortifacients. One of the hashtags, # pennyroyaltea, has received approximately 1.1 million views and advocates the use of an abortifacient. Another hashtag for mugwort has over 157 million views. With that hashtag, the most popular video has more than 350,000 views and says, "This is caution not to drink mugwort tea while pregnant because it may simulate your menstrual cycle resulting in losing [sic] the fetus. Once again, please don’t do this." Despite the fact that the video's caption reads, "Life hack # roevwade # womensrights."

Trabach noted that he came across posts relating to herbal abortifacients such as pennyroyal and mugwort last month, shortly after the news about the impending Roe v. Wade decision was leaked. Searches for "pennyroyal," "blue cohosh", and "mugwort" have shot up in the past month. As per recent Google Trends data, searches for "pennyroyal abortion" have increased by 40 per cent, and searches for "blue cohosh pregnancy" grew by 70 percent over the past week.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="Roe v Wade overturned: Meta, Disney to pay for employees’ abortion-related travel costs after SCOTUS ruling">Roe v Wade overturned: Meta, Disney to pay for employees’ abortion-related travel costs after SCOTUS ruling</a>

Though the rise in herbal abortifacients advocacy has emerged because of the rollback of the abortion rights law, they have remained available in the underground market, through herbalists and midwives, leading to those who seek such options for abortion.&nbsp;

There are several blogs and Reddit threads that include step-by-step information on how to self-perform an abortion, and with the speed with which the misinformation is spreading, it can become threatening to lives. "Fifty years ago we didn’t have TikTok. There was some filtration in information. But now anyone can publish anything anywhere and it gets out to billions of people. It just terrifies me," says a medical expert.&nbsp;

In the United States, the herbal supplement market is unregulated. Therefore, people can buy anything that is sold to them as herbal, and it may not be. A study by integrative medicine and women’s health specialist Fredi Kronenberg mentions that three out of 11 products that were marketed as black cohosh had no black cohosh in them. Black cohosh is used to provide relief from menopausal effects.&nbsp;

Due to the strict content guidelines of TikTok, several videos indirectly try to share messages about how these are effective and safe alternatives to causing abortion under the disguise of keywords. Experts believe that those who are trying to provide alternatives to people in need are helping them, but these home remedies cannot replace medical treatment.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/roe-v-wade-overturned-us-companies-that-have-pledged-support-to-its-female-employees-491766">Roe v Wade overturned: US Companies that have pledged support to its female employees</a>

TikTok has not yet responded to the spread of misinformation on its platform, and it is not the first time that the platform has received criticism for letting videos containing wrong and harmful information regarding health. Rolling Stone reported that last year, TikTok came under fire for pushing the use of ivermectin medicine as a cure for the COVID disease. Ivermectin is a horse deworming medication.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, experts said that TikTok should take control over the spread of such hazardous information on its platform.&nbsp;

Currently, in the US, websites such as Plan C and Safe2Choose are operational that can connect with people seeking abortions at home and provide solutions like abortion pills, a much safer and more reliable option. People without any age limit can order mifepristone and misoprostol from Aid Access, which ships drugs anywhere in the US and around the world.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/us-abortion-law-ruling-celebrities-who-came-out-with-their-abortion-stories-491642#phoebe-bridgers-491635">Roe vs Wade Overturned: Celebrities who came out with their abortion stories</a>

TikTok, a short-format video hosting service, was initially launched as a platform for sharing byte-sized content like makeup tutorials, cooking recipes, dances etc.

TikTok, a short-format video hosting service, was initially launched as a platform for sharing byte-sized content like makeup tutorials, cooking recipes, dances etc. However, after the rollback of Roe v. Wade, there are reports of potentially dangerous abortion-related information running on the platform. Following the Roe v. Wade ruling last Friday, that would make abortion illegal in America, prompting protests by women and reproductive rights advocates across the country, people seem to have taken the matter into their own hands. A text that flashes on the social media platform reads: "If you’re a female in America worried about your future, just know there is an herb for every'situation'," followed by a list of herbs including pennyroyal, blue cohosh, and mugwort. A new wave of discussion is currently going on on TikTok that focuses on herbs that can cause abortions. After the ruling, people on TikTok are offering grassroots solutions to those who seek abortion facilities. Meanwhile, medical professionals are concerned about this increasing trend of TikTok creators promoting these herbal abortifacients. These herbs can also have catastrophic effects on a woman’s health. Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a gynaecologist and clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine, on knowing about the trends said, "I’m horrified. They’re going to kill people. She also stated that performing abortions at home can turn fatal and result in sepsis or death. "It’s terrifying because 49 years ago, that’s how women died," she said. One of the most commonly mentioned abortifacients on TikTok is a minty, sweet-smelling plant called pennyroyal, which is also used in essential oils and insect repellents, reported the Rolling Stone. However, according to Josh Trebach, a medical toxicologist and emergency medicine physician in Lowa City, the herb contains pulegone, which gets metabolised in the body and produces toxins that might result in liver necrosis, causing indigestion-related side effects like nausea, vomiting, and pain in the abdomen as well as seizures, comas, liver failure, and even death. Also Read: Roe v Wade overturned: Here's what the ruling means for millions of American women Another herb cited on TikTok is called Blue Cohosh, which contains a compound called methylcytosine. If used in large doses, it can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, profuse drooling, heart rhythms, muscle weakness, seizures, coma, and even death. Trebach said, "People may, at the end of the day, perceive these to be potential solutions because they have no other options. As a toxicologist that really scares me." He further added that due to a lack of research on these herbs, even medical experts don’t know whether these herbs work well to cause abortions. "But we do know it can get people really, really sick," he stated. Watch American actress Sharon Stone speak about her painful miscarriage story here:- On TikTok, there is an abundance of misinformation about these dangerous herbal abortifacients. One of the hashtags, # pennyroyaltea, has received approximately 1.1 million views and advocates the use of an abortifacient. Another hashtag for mugwort has over 157 million views. With that hashtag, the most popular video has more than 350,000 views and says, "This is caution not to drink mugwort tea while pregnant because it may simulate your menstrual cycle resulting in losing [sic] the fetus. Once again, please don’t do this." Despite the fact that the video's caption reads, "Life hack # roevwade # womensrights." Trabach noted that he came across posts relating to herbal abortifacients such as pennyroyal and mugwort last month, shortly after the news about the impending Roe v. Wade decision was leaked. Searches for "pennyroyal," "blue cohosh", and "mugwort" have shot up in the past month. As per recent Google Trends data, searches for "pennyroyal abortion" have increased by 40 per cent, and searches for "blue cohosh pregnancy" grew by 70 percent over the past week. Also Read: Roe v Wade overturned: Meta, Disney to pay for employees’ abortion-related travel costs after SCOTUS ruling Though the rise in herbal abortifacients advocacy has emerged because of the rollback of the abortion rights law, they have remained available in the underground market, through herbalists and midwives, leading to those who seek such options for abortion. There are several blogs and Reddit threads that include step-by-step information on how to self-perform an abortion, and with the speed with which the misinformation is spreading, it can become threatening to lives. "Fifty years ago we didn’t have TikTok. There was some filtration in information. But now anyone can publish anything anywhere and it gets out to billions of people. It just terrifies me," says a medical expert. In the United States, the herbal supplement market is unregulated. Therefore, people can buy anything that is sold to them as herbal, and it may not be. A study by integrative medicine and women’s health specialist Fredi Kronenberg mentions that three out of 11 products that were marketed as black cohosh had no black cohosh in them. Black cohosh is used to provide relief from menopausal effects. Due to the strict content guidelines of TikTok, several videos indirectly try to share messages about how these are effective and safe alternatives to causing abortion under the disguise of keywords. Experts believe that those who are trying to provide alternatives to people in need are helping them, but these home remedies cannot replace medical treatment. Also Read: Roe v Wade overturned: US Companies that have pledged support to its female employees TikTok has not yet responded to the spread of misinformation on its platform, and it is not the first time that the platform has received criticism for letting videos containing wrong and harmful information regarding health. Rolling Stone reported that last year, TikTok came under fire for pushing the use of ivermectin medicine as a cure for the COVID disease. Ivermectin is a horse deworming medication. Meanwhile, experts said that TikTok should take control over the spread of such hazardous information on its platform. Currently, in the US, websites such as Plan C and Safe2Choose are operational that can connect with people seeking abortions at home and provide solutions like abortion pills, a much safer and more reliable option. People without any age limit can order mifepristone and misoprostol from Aid Access, which ships drugs anywhere in the US and around the world. Also Read: Roe vs Wade Overturned: Celebrities who came out with their abortion stories

Women in the US turn to TikTok's viral herbal abortion remedies as a desperate measure

A Republican Party member of USA's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has urged CEOs of Apple and Google to remove Chines-owned Tikto from their app stores. Brendan Carr, the FCC commissioner, has sent a letter to the CEOs on a FCC letterhead. The letter is dated June 24. Carr has said that video-sharing app TikTok has collected vast troves of sensitive data about US users which can be accessed by Bytedance staff in Beijing. ByteDance is TikTok's Chinese parent. On Tuesday (June 30) Carr tweeted details of the letter.

"TikTok is not just another video app. That's the sheep's clothing," Carr said on Twitter. "It harvests swaths of sensitive data that new reports show are being accessed in Beijing."

Carr asked the companies to either remove TikTok from their app stores by July 8 or explain to him why they did not plan to do so.

Carr's request is unusual given that the FCC does not have clear jurisdiction over the content of app stores. The FCC regulates the national security space usually through its authority to grant certain communications licenses to companies.

A Tiktok spokeswoman said the company's engineers in locations outside of the United States, including China, can be granted access to U.S. user data "on an as-needed basis" and under "strict controls."

Reuters reported that Google declined comment on Carr's letter and Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment.

TikTok has been under U.S. regulatory scrutiny over its collection of U.S. personal data. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, ordered ByteDance in 2020 to divest TikTok because of fears that U.S. user data could be passed on to China's communist government.

(With inputs from agencies)

A Republican Party member of USA's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has urged CEOs of Apple and Google to remove Chines-owned Tikto from their app stores.

A Republican Party member of USA's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has urged CEOs of Apple and Google to remove Chines-owned Tikto from their app stores. Brendan Carr, the FCC commissioner, has sent a letter to the CEOs on a FCC letterhead. The letter is dated June 24. Carr has said that video-sharing app TikTok has collected vast troves of sensitive data about US users which can be accessed by Bytedance staff in Beijing. ByteDance is TikTok's Chinese parent. On Tuesday (June 30) Carr tweeted details of the letter. "TikTok is not just another video app. That's the sheep's clothing," Carr said on Twitter. "It harvests swaths of sensitive data that new reports show are being accessed in Beijing." Carr asked the companies to either remove TikTok from their app stores by July 8 or explain to him why they did not plan to do so. Carr's request is unusual given that the FCC does not have clear jurisdiction over the content of app stores. The FCC regulates the national security space usually through its authority to grant certain communications licenses to companies. A Tiktok spokeswoman said the company's engineers in locations outside of the United States, including China, can be granted access to U.S. user data "on an as-needed basis" and under "strict controls." Reuters reported that Google declined comment on Carr's letter and Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment. TikTok has been under U.S. regulatory scrutiny over its collection of U.S. personal data. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which reviews deals by foreign acquirers for potential national security risks, ordered ByteDance in 2020 to divest TikTok because of fears that U.S. user data could be passed on to China's communist government. (With inputs from agencies)

US FCC member asks Google, Apple to remove TikTok from app stores

According to audio clips from more than 80 internal TikTok meetings revealed that China repeatedly accessed data TikTok US users' data. Now, the company has issued a clarification saying that all the US users data will be transferred to Oracle.

Report: TikTok leak suggests users data not private

TikTok has decided to move the data of US servers to Oracle’s could platform amid reports that employees of its parent company ByteDance in China have repeatedly accessed private information of American users.

A Buzzfeed report on Friday citing 14 statements from nine different TikTok employees claimed that engineers in China had access to US data between September 2021 and January 2022. This is despite a TikTok executive’s sworn testimony&nbsp;in an October 2021 Senate hearing that a “world-renowned, US-based security team” decides who gets access to this data.

The report further claimed that US staff did not have permission or knowledge of how to access the data on their own.

Responding to the report, TikTok, in a blogpost, said it has "changed the default storage location of US user data" to Oracle and that "100% of US user traffic" is now hosted by the cloud provider, following more than a year of discussions with the company, CNN reported.

TikTok will continue to use its own data centers in Virginia and Singapore to backup information as it works to “fully pivot” to relying on Oracle in the United States, it said in a post. TikTok did not provide a timeframe for the planned deletion.

Moreover, TikTok denied giving US user data to Chinese officials and that it would refuse if asked to do so.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-wants-twitter-to-be-like-tiktok-and-wechat-have-a-billion-users-report-489037" hreflang="en">At townhall, Musk wanted Twitter to be like TikTok, WeChat, have a billion users: Report</a>

“We’ve brought in world class internal and external security experts to help us strengthen our data security efforts,” a TikTok spokesperson told AFP.

Joe Biden last year revoked executive orders from his predecessor Donald Trump seeking to ban Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat from US markets on national security concerns.

Trump had given his blessing to a plan that would have given TikTok to US tech giant Oracle with investments from retail powerhouse Walmart, but that deal failed to win approval in Beijing.

(With inputs from agencies)

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TikTok has decided to move the data of US servers to Oracle’s could platform amid reports that employees of its parent company ByteDance in China have repeatedly accessed private information of American users.

TikTok has decided to move the data of US servers to Oracle’s could platform amid reports that employees of its parent company ByteDance in China have repeatedly accessed private information of American users. A Buzzfeed report on Friday citing 14 statements from nine different TikTok employees claimed that engineers in China had access to US data between September 2021 and January 2022. This is despite a TikTok executive’s sworn testimony in an October 2021 Senate hearing that a “world-renowned, US-based security team” decides who gets access to this data. The report further claimed that US staff did not have permission or knowledge of how to access the data on their own. Responding to the report, TikTok, in a blogpost, said it has "changed the default storage location of US user data" to Oracle and that "100% of US user traffic" is now hosted by the cloud provider, following more than a year of discussions with the company, CNN reported. TikTok will continue to use its own data centers in Virginia and Singapore to backup information as it works to “fully pivot” to relying on Oracle in the United States, it said in a post. TikTok did not provide a timeframe for the planned deletion. Moreover, TikTok denied giving US user data to Chinese officials and that it would refuse if asked to do so. Also read | At townhall, Musk wanted Twitter to be like TikTok, WeChat, have a billion users: Report “We’ve brought in world class internal and external security experts to help us strengthen our data security efforts,” a TikTok spokesperson told AFP. Joe Biden last year revoked executive orders from his predecessor Donald Trump seeking to ban Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat from US markets on national security concerns. Trump had given his blessing to a plan that would have given TikTok to US tech giant Oracle with investments from retail powerhouse Walmart, but that deal failed to win approval in Beijing. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

TikTok moves US users’ data to Oracle amid reports of access by Chinese workers

Amid uncertainty over his takeover bid, Elon Musk spoke to Twitter employees. He told them that he wants Twitter to be more like TikTok and Wechat. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Elon Musk wants Twitter to be like TikTok

During a virtual town hall meeting, Elon Musk reportedly told Twitter employees that he wants the social media app to have a billion users while applauding TikTok for being entertaining, as well as China’s WeChat for keeping people engaged.

There are 229 million daily active users on Twitter till the first quarter of 2022.

The Verge, citing employees who heard the remarks, reported that Musk wants Twitter to replicate the success model of TikTok and WeChat in order to target one-billion users and that the app should offer more utility and make sure “people are very entertained and informed”.

He also made a comparison with&nbsp;WeChat, the super app in China that mixes social media with payments, games, and even ride-hailing.

“There’s no WeChat equivalent outside of China,” Musk was quoted as saying after joining 10 minutes late to the virtual meeting via his phone on Thursday.

“You basically live on WeChat in China. If we can recreate that with Twitter, we’ll be a great success.”

He also reportedly praised TikTok’s algorithm for not being “boring,” saying “we could hone Twitter in the same way to be interesting.”

He specifically placed emphasis on Twitter being better at surfacing news.

&nbsp;“I think Twitter can be much better about informing people of serious issues,” he was quoted as saying.

When asked about Twitter’s potential in five to 10 years, Musk said the company should be “contributing to a stronger longer lasting civilization where we are better able to understand the nature of reality.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musks-spacex-fires-employees-who-denounced-him-as-distraction-489029" hreflang="en">Elon Musk's SpaceX fires employees who denounced him as 'distraction'</a>

On layoffs, Musk said, “Right now, costs exceed revenue. That’s not a great situation,” according to a long Twitter thread curated by the New York Times.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dogecoin-investor-sues-elon-musk-for-258-billion-over-alleged-pyramid-scheme-488940" hreflang="en">Dogecoin investor sues Elon Musk for $258bn, accusing him of running pyramid scheme</a>

However, he took less of a hard line on remote work than he’s done for his other businesses, where he created a stir recently by saying employees unwilling to return to a 40-hour in-office work week should leave.

Those businesses are more physically hands on, Twitter is a bit different, he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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During a virtual town hall meeting, Elon Musk reportedly told Twitter employees that he wants the social media app to have a billion users while applauding TikTok for being entertaining, as well as China’s WeChat for keeping people engaged.

During a virtual town hall meeting, Elon Musk reportedly told Twitter employees that he wants the social media app to have a billion users while applauding TikTok for being entertaining, as well as China’s WeChat for keeping people engaged. There are 229 million daily active users on Twitter till the first quarter of 2022. The Verge, citing employees who heard the remarks, reported that Musk wants Twitter to replicate the success model of TikTok and WeChat in order to target one-billion users and that the app should offer more utility and make sure “people are very entertained and informed”. He also made a comparison with WeChat, the super app in China that mixes social media with payments, games, and even ride-hailing. “There’s no WeChat equivalent outside of China,” Musk was quoted as saying after joining 10 minutes late to the virtual meeting via his phone on Thursday. “You basically live on WeChat in China. If we can recreate that with Twitter, we’ll be a great success.” He also reportedly praised TikTok’s algorithm for not being “boring,” saying “we could hone Twitter in the same way to be interesting.” He specifically placed emphasis on Twitter being better at surfacing news. “I think Twitter can be much better about informing people of serious issues,” he was quoted as saying. When asked about Twitter’s potential in five to 10 years, Musk said the company should be “contributing to a stronger longer lasting civilization where we are better able to understand the nature of reality.” Also read | Elon Musk's SpaceX fires employees who denounced him as 'distraction' On layoffs, Musk said, “Right now, costs exceed revenue. That’s not a great situation,” according to a long Twitter thread curated by the New York Times. Also read | Dogecoin investor sues Elon Musk for $258bn, accusing him of running pyramid scheme However, he took less of a hard line on remote work than he’s done for his other businesses, where he created a stir recently by saying employees unwilling to return to a 40-hour in-office work week should leave. Those businesses are more physically hands on, Twitter is a bit different, he said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

At townhall, Musk wanted Twitter to be like TikTok, WeChat, have a billion users: Report

Cooper Noriega, a 19-year-old TikTok star with over 1.7 million followers, died on Thursday at the age of 19. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office, Coroner Noriega was found dead in a Los Angeles mall parking lot on June 9.

Cooper Noriega, a 19-year-old TikTok star with over 1.7 million followers, died on Thursday at the age of 19. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's office, Coroner Noriega was found dead in a Los Angeles mall parking lot on June 9. The social media star tweeted a video of himself lying in bed with the message, "Who else b thinking they gon die young af?" just hours before his death, as reported by Variety. As per TMZ, Noriega exhibited no evidence of violence to his body, which broke the story first. No foul play is suspected. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cooper Noriega (@cooper.noriega) × View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cooper Noriega (@cooper.noriega) × The cause of death has yet to be determined, and the matter is now being investigated. Noriega has 1.77 million TikTok followers, where he posted funny skateboarding and fashion videos. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cooper Noriega (@cooper.noriega) × He also claimed 427,000 Instagram followers, claiming to be a fashion model. Noriega has worked with Jxdn and Nessa Barrett, who are TikTok stars and musicians. Earlier, Noriega was a guest on Dave Portnoy, Josh Richards, and Bri Chickenfry's Barstool's BFF's show just last week. Also Read: Rebel Wilson has found her 'Disney Princess', introduces girlfriend to the world in a new Instagram post According to Variety, mental health was important to Noriega, according to a GoFundMe set up to help with funeral expenses. Noriega had formed a Discord group on June 5 where he and his followers could share their experiences with mental health. "Come join if you`re truly into getting your emotions out, or anything," he stated in a TikTok video. "I developed [the server] because I adore you guys and know how much I struggle with it." "I want you guys to feel comfortable and not alone," he added.

Cooper Noriega, popular TikTok star, dies at 19 

The TikTok of a video of a Canadian woman reuniting with her 40-year-old skates has gone viral on social media. Renée Forrestall, who lives in Nova Scotia, had sold her Excalibur skates in a yard sale when she was a teenager. But after celebrating her 60th birthday, she decided to buy roller skates again in order to get some exercise.

The high school art teacher could not find the right fit despite trying several new roller skates. Ultimately, she posted on Facebook Marketplace that she is looking for a pair of old roller skates.

A seller contacted her saying he had a pair of vintage skates that were available for $40 but he didn’t know the size. Coincidentally, both the size of Forrestall's foot and the roller skates was 10 inches.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/first-they-lace-up-their-skates-then-they-fight-terrorism-393135">Also read |&nbsp;First they lace up their skates, then they fight terrorism</a>

Upon acquiring the seller's address she went to pick up the roller skates and was shocked to discover that they were her old skates.

The uncanny discovery was made when she flipped the skates and saw her own surname written behind them which she had inscribed as a teenager.

Forrestall was pleasantly surprised as she had fond memories of the roller skates which her mother gifted to her when she was struggling with a significant personal loss.

'The Guardian quoted Forrestall as saying “The guy [Bond] was standing there and when I looked at him and I peeled back my name, my eyes filled up with tears because I literally had my life flash before my eyes.”

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In picture: The roller skates that were being sold on Facebook Marketplace (Image credit:&nbsp;Renée Forrestall)

Forrestall shared the tale of the entire incident in a TikTok video which went viral and has been watched by more than a million people.

“Oh my god, the universe finally worked for once!” a TikTok user wrote in the video's comments.

“I’m not looking to get fancy. Look, if I can go forward and stay upright and not hurt myself, that’s all I want,” Forrestall said.

“I’d like to be able to have some time with them again,” she added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The TikTok of a video of a Canadian woman reuniting with her 40-year-old skates has gone viral on social media. Renée Forrestall, who lives in Nova Scotia, had sold her Excalibur skates in a yard sale when she was a teenager.

The TikTok of a video of a Canadian woman reuniting with her 40-year-old skates has gone viral on social media. Renée Forrestall, who lives in Nova Scotia, had sold her Excalibur skates in a yard sale when she was a teenager. But after celebrating her 60th birthday, she decided to buy roller skates again in order to get some exercise. The high school art teacher could not find the right fit despite trying several new roller skates. Ultimately, she posted on Facebook Marketplace that she is looking for a pair of old roller skates. A seller contacted her saying he had a pair of vintage skates that were available for $40 but he didn’t know the size. Coincidentally, both the size of Forrestall's foot and the roller skates was 10 inches. Also read | First they lace up their skates, then they fight terrorism Upon acquiring the seller's address she went to pick up the roller skates and was shocked to discover that they were her old skates. The uncanny discovery was made when she flipped the skates and saw her own surname written behind them which she had inscribed as a teenager. Forrestall was pleasantly surprised as she had fond memories of the roller skates which her mother gifted to her when she was struggling with a significant personal loss. 'The Guardian quoted Forrestall as saying “The guy [Bond] was standing there and when I looked at him and I peeled back my name, my eyes filled up with tears because I literally had my life flash before my eyes.” In picture: The roller skates that were being sold on Facebook Marketplace (Image credit: Renée Forrestall) Forrestall shared the tale of the entire incident in a TikTok video which went viral and has been watched by more than a million people. “Oh my god, the universe finally worked for once!” a TikTok user wrote in the video's comments. “I’m not looking to get fancy. Look, if I can go forward and stay upright and not hurt myself, that’s all I want,” Forrestall said. “I’d like to be able to have some time with them again,” she added. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Tiktok video of Canadian woman reuniting with her 40-year-old skates goes viral

TikTok influencers are advocating using a diabetes drug for weight loss. TikTokers say the injection reduces hunger pangs and results in drastic weight loss. Listen to Palki Sharma before you fall for this fad.

Gravitas: New viral weight loss fad

A Pakistani social media sensation, has come under fire for posing in front of a burning forest for a TikTok video. Internet users are trolling her for the video shoot as the country is facing an extreme heatwave.

Pakistani TikTok star faces backlash for posing next to forest fire

A mother of a ten-year-old girl is suing Tiktok after she&nbsp;allegedly died trying to attempt the dangerous "blackout challenge".

The girl was admitted in intensive care after she reportedly performed the "blackout challenge".

The "blackout challenge" encourages users to choke themselves until passing out due to lack of oxygen. The mother of the girl Tawainna Anderson said her daughter Nylah fell unconscious at home in December last year after choking as she took part in the TikTok challenge.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unboxing-by-husband-viral-trend-on-tiktok-in-malaysia-faces-backlash-446879">Also Read:&nbsp;‘Unboxing by Husband’: Viral trend on TikTok in Malaysia faces backlash</a>

Nylah was admitted in the hospital for five days but she died later. Tawainna Anderson submitted case documents in a Pennsylvania court detailing the circumstances behind her daughter's death.

According to court documents, Anderson claimed TikTok's algorithm allegedly determined that the blackout challenge was "well-tailored and likely to be of interest" for the 10-year-old.

The suit alleged that the algorithm took into account the girl's age and demographics. TikTok is being sued over wrongful death and negligence among other damages.

Watch:&nbsp;US lawmakers questions YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok on kids’ online safety

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The "blackout challenge" although is a TikTok phenomenon but it has been circulating for a long time. According to the US CDC, at least 82 youth had died after playing&nbsp;the "choking game" in 2008.

The CDC in its report had said the deaths occurred after a child engaged in the "choking game" alone and that most parents were unaware of it. Most parents had "not heard of the choking game", the report said.&nbsp;

In fact, the report said three of less "choking games" were reported from 1995 to 2004 as 22 deaths occurred in 2005 and 35 in 2006.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies)

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A mother of a ten-year-old girl is suing Tiktok after she allegedly died trying to attempt the dangerous "blackout challenge". The girl was admitted in intensive care after she reportedly performed the "blackout challenge".

A mother of a ten-year-old girl is suing Tiktok after she allegedly died trying to attempt the dangerous "blackout challenge". The girl was admitted in intensive care after she reportedly performed the "blackout challenge". The "blackout challenge" encourages users to choke themselves until passing out due to lack of oxygen. The mother of the girl Tawainna Anderson said her daughter Nylah fell unconscious at home in December last year after choking as she took part in the TikTok challenge. Also Read: ‘Unboxing by Husband’: Viral trend on TikTok in Malaysia faces backlash Nylah was admitted in the hospital for five days but she died later. Tawainna Anderson submitted case documents in a Pennsylvania court detailing the circumstances behind her daughter's death. According to court documents, Anderson claimed TikTok's algorithm allegedly determined that the blackout challenge was "well-tailored and likely to be of interest" for the 10-year-old. The suit alleged that the algorithm took into account the girl's age and demographics. TikTok is being sued over wrongful death and negligence among other damages. Watch: US lawmakers questions YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok on kids’ online safety The "blackout challenge" although is a TikTok phenomenon but it has been circulating for a long time. According to the US CDC, at least 82 youth had died after playing the "choking game" in 2008. The CDC in its report had said the deaths occurred after a child engaged in the "choking game" alone and that most parents were unaware of it. Most parents had "not heard of the choking game", the report said. In fact, the report said three of less "choking games" were reported from 1995 to 2004 as 22 deaths occurred in 2005 and 35 in 2006. (With inputs from Agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

'Blackout challenge': TikTok sued after mother alleges daughter died attempting dangerous game

Samantha Cristoforetti has created history by making the first-ever TikTok video ever from the International Space Station (ISS).

The female astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently on the Crew-4 mission by Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Although Cristoforetti's TikTok video is only 88 seconds long, it provides glimpses from the space station where she is going to stay for the next six months.

During the video, while addressing her audience, she asks ''What questions do you have about life on the space station?''

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Back on the International <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> (and TikTok) <a href="https://t.co/oCgJSdWKcu">pic.twitter.com/oCgJSdWKcu</a>
— Samantha Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) <a href="https://twitter.com/AstroSamantha/status/1522553431747092482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
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She can be seen introducing the viewers to the Crew-4 mission's two zero-g indicators along with a stuffed monkey called Etta.

A report by the ESA stated that Etta is short for ''scimietta'' which is an Italian word for ''little monkey'' and refers to Cristoforetti's daughter.

Before ending the video, she says ''Follow me to boldly go where no Tiktoker has gone before.''

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/voyager-station-worlds-first-space-hotel-to-be-fully-functional-in-just-three-years-476770" hreflang="en">Voyager Station: World's first space hotel to be fully functional in just three years</a>

Cristoforetti has also shared the video on the microblogging platform Twitter where it has received over 9,500 likes and more than 1000 retweets.

SpaceX's Crew-4 mission landed on the ISS at about 9:15 p.m EDT (0115 GMT) on April 27 less than 16 hours after its launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Along with Cristoforetti, three American NASA astronauts, including Kjell Lindgren, 49, mission pilot Bob Hines, 47, and mission specialist Jessica Watkins, 33 are a part of the mission.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Samantha Cristoforetti has created history by making the first-ever TikTok video ever from the International Space Station (ISS). The female astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently on the Crew-4 mission by Elon Musk's SpaceX.

Samantha Cristoforetti has created history by making the first-ever TikTok video ever from the International Space Station (ISS). The female astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) is currently on the Crew-4 mission by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Although Cristoforetti's TikTok video is only 88 seconds long, it provides glimpses from the space station where she is going to stay for the next six months. During the video, while addressing her audience, she asks ''What questions do you have about life on the space station?'' Back on the International @Space_Station (and TikTok) pic.twitter.com/oCgJSdWKcu — Samantha Cristoforetti (@AstroSamantha) May 6, 2022 × She can be seen introducing the viewers to the Crew-4 mission's two zero-g indicators along with a stuffed monkey called Etta. A report by the ESA stated that Etta is short for ''scimietta'' which is an Italian word for ''little monkey'' and refers to Cristoforetti's daughter. Before ending the video, she says ''Follow me to boldly go where no Tiktoker has gone before.'' Also see | Voyager Station: World's first space hotel to be fully functional in just three years Cristoforetti has also shared the video on the microblogging platform Twitter where it has received over 9,500 likes and more than 1000 retweets. SpaceX's Crew-4 mission landed on the ISS at about 9:15 p.m EDT (0115 GMT) on April 27 less than 16 hours after its launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Along with Cristoforetti, three American NASA astronauts, including Kjell Lindgren, 49, mission pilot Bob Hines, 47, and mission specialist Jessica Watkins, 33 are a part of the mission. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Watch | Samantha Cristoforetti creates history by making first-ever TikTok video from ISS

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos. He is definitely not hard to find in a crowd with his 2.22 metres tall frame. And now he commands 1.6 million subscribers on TikTok.

Pourchot plays for Tours Métropole Basket. He has been using his uniqueness in his videos.

His height puts him in interesting situations in his day-to-day life. He has to lower his head before going through literally every door. Washing dishes may be a simple enough task for everyone but not exactly for Pourchot, who has to sit on a chair if he wants to do the dishes.

His videos have made him more popular than he was before.

"I took the plunge during isolation. One evening, I filmed myself dancing to demonstrate that it was impossible for me to see myself in full in the mirrors of my apartment," he explains. "The video wasn't great, but I posted it on TikTok anyway. What a surprise when I woke up!"

Pourchot was quoted by Euronews.

He is now using his large following to create awareness and for those who are not comfortable with uniqueness of their body, he is an icon. He has been quoted in the news report talking about a message he got from a tall school boy.

The boy was reportedly being bullied in school due to his height. He says that Pourchot's TikTok videos gave him confidence.

"I feel useful," he has been quoted as saying.

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos.

Vincent Pourchot was 6 feet tall when he was just 8-years-old. He is now France's tallest man, officially. Pourchot is a professional basketball player who has also become TikTok star because of his humorous videos. He is definitely not hard to find in a crowd with his 2.22 metres tall frame. And now he commands 1.6 million subscribers on TikTok. Pourchot plays for Tours Métropole Basket. He has been using his uniqueness in his videos. His height puts him in interesting situations in his day-to-day life. He has to lower his head before going through literally every door. Washing dishes may be a simple enough task for everyone but not exactly for Pourchot, who has to sit on a chair if he wants to do the dishes. His videos have made him more popular than he was before. "I took the plunge during isolation. One evening, I filmed myself dancing to demonstrate that it was impossible for me to see myself in full in the mirrors of my apartment," he explains. "The video wasn't great, but I posted it on TikTok anyway. What a surprise when I woke up!" Pourchot was quoted by Euronews. He is now using his large following to create awareness and for those who are not comfortable with uniqueness of their body, he is an icon. He has been quoted in the news report talking about a message he got from a tall school boy. The boy was reportedly being bullied in school due to his height. He says that Pourchot's TikTok videos gave him confidence. "I feel useful," he has been quoted as saying.

France's tallest man uses TikTok fame to celebrate uniqueness of human body

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game. The Taliban insist that the these apps were leading Afghanistan's youth astray.

The apps "made the young generation go astray", the cabinet said in a statement, adding the telecommunications ministry had been ordered to shut them down

The apps are popular among Afghans who are now left with just a few options for entertainment ever since Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last year. The Taliban have banned music, movies and television soaps.

The regime has also directed the ministry to stop TV channels from showing "immoral material", although little is being broadcast beyond news and religious content.

When they came to power after US forces' exit in August last year, the Taliban sought to assure the world that the regime would not be as hardline as the previous one between 1996 and 2001. But the Taliban have slowly introduced suffocating restrictions on social life -- particularly for women.

Most secondary schools for girls remain shuttered, and women are barred from many government jobs and traveling abroad -- or even between cities -- unless accompanied by an adult male relative.

Out of 38 million Afghans, just over 9 million have access to internet, as per information from DataReportal, an independent data collector.

Chinese-owned TikTok has been shut down twice before in neighbouring Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" content.

During their previous regime, the Taliban's feared religious police banned recreational activities such as kite flying and pigeon racing.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game.

The Taliban on Thursday (April 21) ordered a ban against TikTok and PUBG. TikTok is the widely popular video-sharing app while PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is a game. The Taliban insist that the these apps were leading Afghanistan's youth astray. The apps "made the young generation go astray", the cabinet said in a statement, adding the telecommunications ministry had been ordered to shut them down The apps are popular among Afghans who are now left with just a few options for entertainment ever since Taliban came to power in Afghanistan last year. The Taliban have banned music, movies and television soaps. The regime has also directed the ministry to stop TV channels from showing "immoral material", although little is being broadcast beyond news and religious content. When they came to power after US forces' exit in August last year, the Taliban sought to assure the world that the regime would not be as hardline as the previous one between 1996 and 2001. But the Taliban have slowly introduced suffocating restrictions on social life -- particularly for women. Most secondary schools for girls remain shuttered, and women are barred from many government jobs and traveling abroad -- or even between cities -- unless accompanied by an adult male relative. Out of 38 million Afghans, just over 9 million have access to internet, as per information from DataReportal, an independent data collector. Chinese-owned TikTok has been shut down twice before in neighbouring Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" content. During their previous regime, the Taliban's feared religious police banned recreational activities such as kite flying and pigeon racing. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban ban TikTok, PUBG saying apps leading youth astray

A rising&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;star from a Mennonite community in&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;that once shunned rubber tires and electricity is embracing technology&nbsp;to give a glimpse of her life through social media.

A century after her ancestors arrived, Marcela Enns, 30, shares anecdotes and answers questions from her more than 350,000 followers with a mixture of pride, humour and sarcasm.

Known on social media as Menonita Mexicana, Enns tries to dispel misconceptions, such as that all Mennonites are religious fanatics or members of an ultra-conservative group cut off from civilization.

She describes her community as a "smoothie" -- a blend of "conservatives" living frozen in time; "traditionals" who wear typical Mennonite clothes but also use technology; and "moderners," who due to their appearance and lifestyle are not visibly Mennonites.

Despite their differences, all Mennonites "live happily as they are," she says.

In her videos, she sometimes dances or mimes to Rihanna songs in a break with the customs of a community that in certain parts of&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;still rejects the trappings of modern life.

In some of her videos shot in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc in the state of Chihuahua -- where her ancestors settled in 1922 -- she wears traditional dress and a headscarf.&nbsp;

In others, she appears in modern clothes, sunglasses and makeup, speaking in Spanish, English or Low German, the community's native language.&nbsp;

Not all Mennonites have blue eyes and blonde hair, or shun all technology, she tells her followers.

"Often the documentaries that are made are about the most conservative groups and many people think that all Mennonites live like that," she tells AFP in an interview.

Despite "all the videos that I've already made and all the content, many people tell me: 'You can't be a Mennonite because you have a cell phone and that's impossible. I know that the Mennonites don't use cell phones,'" she says.

A few hundred kilometers (miles) away in another Mennonite community, Sabinal, electricity arrived four years ago, followed by tires, cell phones and the internet.&nbsp;

But no one yet has a television.

It was thanks to the fact that some young community members had access to the internet that the villagers discovered in 2020 that the world was facing a pandemic.&nbsp;

Avowed pacifists, they now ask visitors if the war is over yet in Ukraine.

The community used to have around 2,000 inhabitants, but the encroachment of modern life drove half of them away to the state of Campeche in southeastern&nbsp;Mexico.

They left because "they didn't want electricity," says village leader Johan Friesen Brown, 42.

Most of those who stayed were young people, he adds.

The men wear checkered shirts, denim overalls and caps.

The women wear long dresses, sandals and sometimes wide-brimmed hats -- all made themselves.

Jacobo Brown, who runs a village store and a cheese factory, is happy with the changes.

"Now we use electricity for irrigation. It's easier. And we put tires on the tractor to work more comfortably," adds the 50-year-old, who does not yet know how to use wifi.

There are estimated to be roughly 100,000 Mennonites in&nbsp;Mexico, mostly in Chihuahua.

Although their roots are in the Netherlands and Russia, the first Mennonites that immigrated to&nbsp;Mexico&nbsp;came from Canada where they had learnt English.

When they arrived a century ago, then Mexican president Alvaro Obregon "opened the door to them," says Lawrence Taylor, historian at&nbsp;Mexico's El Colegio de la Frontera Norte.&nbsp;

They were allowed to have their own schools and exempted from military service, Taylor says.

Agriculture was their vocation and today their attachment to the land coexists with a gradual shift to modernity, encouraged in Enns' case by the importance her family places on education.&nbsp;

"My grandfather was very rebellious," she says.&nbsp;

As a result, her father was the first in his community to send his children to a public school.

Later, Enns went to Canada as an exchange student.

The influencer began to fall in love with technology at the age of 15 when she had her first camera.

Now, she manages the social media activities of two companies in Cuauhtemoc and, in addition to her&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;account, also has 166,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel.

Enns, who describes herself as a feminist, praises the Mennonites for their industriousness and sense of solidarity, and wants her popularity to motivate others.

"For me, it means breaking a lot of rules. I hope I can inspire other Mennonite women to be more independent, to be strong and not be afraid to speak their minds," she says.

A rising TikTok star from a Mennonite community in Mexico that once shunned rubber tires and electricity is embracing technology to give a glimpse of her life through social media.

A rising TikTok star from a Mennonite community in Mexico that once shunned rubber tires and electricity is embracing technology to give a glimpse of her life through social media. A century after her ancestors arrived, Marcela Enns, 30, shares anecdotes and answers questions from her more than 350,000 followers with a mixture of pride, humour and sarcasm. Known on social media as Menonita Mexicana, Enns tries to dispel misconceptions, such as that all Mennonites are religious fanatics or members of an ultra-conservative group cut off from civilization. She describes her community as a "smoothie" -- a blend of "conservatives" living frozen in time; "traditionals" who wear typical Mennonite clothes but also use technology; and "moderners," who due to their appearance and lifestyle are not visibly Mennonites. Despite their differences, all Mennonites "live happily as they are," she says. In her videos, she sometimes dances or mimes to Rihanna songs in a break with the customs of a community that in certain parts of Mexico still rejects the trappings of modern life. In some of her videos shot in Ciudad Cuauhtemoc in the state of Chihuahua -- where her ancestors settled in 1922 -- she wears traditional dress and a headscarf. In others, she appears in modern clothes, sunglasses and makeup, speaking in Spanish, English or Low German, the community's native language. Not all Mennonites have blue eyes and blonde hair, or shun all technology, she tells her followers. "Often the documentaries that are made are about the most conservative groups and many people think that all Mennonites live like that," she tells AFP in an interview. Despite "all the videos that I've already made and all the content, many people tell me: 'You can't be a Mennonite because you have a cell phone and that's impossible. I know that the Mennonites don't use cell phones,'" she says. A few hundred kilometers (miles) away in another Mennonite community, Sabinal, electricity arrived four years ago, followed by tires, cell phones and the internet. But no one yet has a television. It was thanks to the fact that some young community members had access to the internet that the villagers discovered in 2020 that the world was facing a pandemic. Avowed pacifists, they now ask visitors if the war is over yet in Ukraine. The community used to have around 2,000 inhabitants, but the encroachment of modern life drove half of them away to the state of Campeche in southeastern Mexico. They left because "they didn't want electricity," says village leader Johan Friesen Brown, 42. Most of those who stayed were young people, he adds. The men wear checkered shirts, denim overalls and caps. The women wear long dresses, sandals and sometimes wide-brimmed hats -- all made themselves. Jacobo Brown, who runs a village store and a cheese factory, is happy with the changes. "Now we use electricity for irrigation. It's easier. And we put tires on the tractor to work more comfortably," adds the 50-year-old, who does not yet know how to use wifi. There are estimated to be roughly 100,000 Mennonites in Mexico, mostly in Chihuahua. Although their roots are in the Netherlands and Russia, the first Mennonites that immigrated to Mexico came from Canada where they had learnt English. When they arrived a century ago, then Mexican president Alvaro Obregon "opened the door to them," says Lawrence Taylor, historian at Mexico's El Colegio de la Frontera Norte. They were allowed to have their own schools and exempted from military service, Taylor says. Agriculture was their vocation and today their attachment to the land coexists with a gradual shift to modernity, encouraged in Enns' case by the importance her family places on education. "My grandfather was very rebellious," she says. As a result, her father was the first in his community to send his children to a public school. Later, Enns went to Canada as an exchange student. The influencer began to fall in love with technology at the age of 15 when she had her first camera. Now, she manages the social media activities of two companies in Cuauhtemoc and, in addition to her TikTok account, also has 166,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel. Enns, who describes herself as a feminist, praises the Mennonites for their industriousness and sense of solidarity, and wants her popularity to motivate others. "For me, it means breaking a lot of rules. I hope I can inspire other Mennonite women to be more independent, to be strong and not be afraid to speak their minds," she says.

TikTok star from Mexico's Mennonite community shows the way

A giant snake skeleton-like figure that is said to have been discovered through Google Maps in France has set Twitter abuzz, with many claiming it to be that of the extinct <a name="_Hlk99553797">Titanoboa</a>.

On March 24, a TikTok channel, @googlemapsfun, published a video, purportedly showing an aerial view of a snake-like object off the coast of France through <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Le+Serpent+d'Oc%C3%A9an/@47.2677114,-2.1704463,204m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1">Google Maps</a>.

The video states: "Somewhere in France, we can see something giant you can only see with satellites, hidden on Google Earth.

"Users believe this to be a giant snake. It's about 30 metres long and bigger than any snake caught before."

The account seemed to suggest that the 'snake' could be a Titanoboa, an extinct genus of exceptionally large snakes, reports UK-based internet media Unilad.

The video has since been by viewed over two million users, has 70,000 likes and hundreds of comments, with users flooding the comments to debate over the discovery in France.

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While some viewers expressed awe, there were many who quickly disproved the video, calling it a mere hoax.

One said: "Ok we will not go to France."

Another wrote: "The snake is an artwork of an academy I think but I know it isn't real."

"This is what happens when the world is put on TikTok," a third commented. "People that don’t go anywhere raise conspiracies."

Following a heated discussion, fact-checking website Snopes responded to the claim that the 'giant skeleton' is actually a large, metallic snake sculpture called Le Serpent d’Océan.

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Le Serpent d'océan est une immense sculpture (130m) de l'artiste Huang Yong Ping, principalement composée d'aluminium. A découvrir à Saint-Brevin-les-Pins en France.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaysDeLaLoire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PaysDeLaLoire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaintNazaireRenversante?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaintNazaireRenversante</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ErenJaeger?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ErenJaeger</a> 
 
👇Full YouTube video <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/widerfocus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#widerfocus</a><a href="https://t.co/U61apdbEk4">https://t.co/U61apdbEk4</a> <a href="https://t.co/0nHGPmhhvR">pic.twitter.com/0nHGPmhhvR</a>
— Wider Focus (@WiderFocus) <a href="https://twitter.com/WiderFocus/status/1498252512490627077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The sculpture is located on the west coast of France and measures 425 feet (130 meters) long.

The sculpture is listed on Val De Loire's website under 'Museum and interpretation centres'. It was created by Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping and the website states that it is free to go and see.

(With inputs from agencies)

A giant snake skeleton-like figure that is said to have been discovered through Google Maps in France has set Twitter abuzz, with many claiming it to be that of the extinct Titanoboa.

A giant snake skeleton-like figure that is said to have been discovered through Google Maps in France has set Twitter abuzz, with many claiming it to be that of the extinct Titanoboa. On March 24, a TikTok channel, @googlemapsfun, published a video, purportedly showing an aerial view of a snake-like object off the coast of France through Google Maps. The video states: "Somewhere in France, we can see something giant you can only see with satellites, hidden on Google Earth. "Users believe this to be a giant snake. It's about 30 metres long and bigger than any snake caught before." The account seemed to suggest that the 'snake' could be a Titanoboa, an extinct genus of exceptionally large snakes, reports UK-based internet media Unilad. The video has since been by viewed over two million users, has 70,000 likes and hundreds of comments, with users flooding the comments to debate over the discovery in France. × While some viewers expressed awe, there were many who quickly disproved the video, calling it a mere hoax. One said: "Ok we will not go to France." Another wrote: "The snake is an artwork of an academy I think but I know it isn't real." "This is what happens when the world is put on TikTok," a third commented. "People that don’t go anywhere raise conspiracies." Following a heated discussion, fact-checking website Snopes responded to the claim that the 'giant skeleton' is actually a large, metallic snake sculpture called Le Serpent d’Océan. Le Serpent d'océan est une immense sculpture (130m) de l'artiste Huang Yong Ping, principalement composée d'aluminium. A découvrir à Saint-Brevin-les-Pins en France.#PaysDeLaLoire #SaintNazaireRenversante #ErenJaeger 👇Full YouTube video #widerfocushttps://t.co/U61apdbEk4 pic.twitter.com/0nHGPmhhvR — Wider Focus (@WiderFocus) February 28, 2022 × The sculpture is located on the west coast of France and measures 425 feet (130 meters) long. The sculpture is listed on Val De Loire's website under 'Museum and interpretation centres'. It was created by Chinese artist Huang Yong Ping and the website states that it is free to go and see. (With inputs from agencies)

Giant ‘snake skeleton’ discovered on Google Maps, buzz on Titanoboa rife; but there’s a catch

A 36-year-old Chinese vlogger, who lives in Ukraine’s southern Odesa city, has been branded as a “national traitor” by his own people back home for simply posting videos of war-torn Ukraine.

Wang Jixian, a Beijing-born programmer, unintentionally became the voice of resistance in Ukraine when he posted videos of his whereabouts to let his parents know that he was doing fine amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported.

It all started on February 24, the first day of the invasion, when Jixian posed a clip on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, to describe how things were normal despite the looming war.

In the video, he purportedly says, "I'm coming back from buying groceries".

But as the days passed, the Russian assault on Ukraine escalated. When he would log into Douyin, Jixian would see Chinese people praising the Russian troops or supporting the invasion.

"I was very angry, then I thought I would record videos for them, and I'll tell them what the real battlefield is," he told CNN.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/telegram-emerges-as-frontrunner-amid-russias-crackdown-on-facebook-instagram-463783" hreflang="en">Telegram emerges as frontrunner amid Russia’s crackdown on Facebook, Instagram</a>

He soon started getting active across several social media apps like YouTube and the Chinese messaging app WeChat and started posting videos to sensitise the people about the war.

His effort paid off and soon, he quickly gained traction for offering an independent perspective on the war, contrary to the Chinese media which has been propagating the Russian claims of dethroning the “Nazi regime”.

In one video, the man holds up his Chinese passport and says "These Ukrainian guards are not Nazis, they are IT programmers, common people, barbers -- these are the people", CNN reported.

However, the rise to fame was soon followed by the detractors slamming him for not siding with the Chinese views, going as far as calling him a “national traitor”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/all-you-need-to-know-about-kinzhal-hypersonic-missiles-that-russia-used-in-ukraine-for-the-first-time-463754" hreflang="en">All you need to know about Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that Russia 'used in Ukraine for the first time'</a>

According to CNN, one critic told Jixian on Douyin, “You don't need this Chinese passport anymore, you have already forgotten which country you are from,” adding, "The official position of the country should be the position of all Chinese people.”

Despite facing global pressure, China has so far taken a neutral stand on the Russia-Ukraine war and said Moscow's "legitimate security concerns" should be taken seriously.

There have been reports of China sending military and economic aid to Russia—which Beijing denies.

Watch |&nbsp;Week 4 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Zelensky renews calls for talks with Russia

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/week-4-of-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-zelensky-renews-calls-for-talks-with-russia-463788/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

(With inputs from agencies)

A 36-year-old Chinese vlogger, who lives in Ukraine’s southern Odesa city, has been branded as a “national traitor” by his own people back home for simply posting videos of war-torn Ukraine.

A 36-year-old Chinese vlogger, who lives in Ukraine’s southern Odesa city, has been branded as a “national traitor” by his own people back home for simply posting videos of war-torn Ukraine. Wang Jixian, a Beijing-born programmer, unintentionally became the voice of resistance in Ukraine when he posted videos of his whereabouts to let his parents know that he was doing fine amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, CNN reported. It all started on February 24, the first day of the invasion, when Jixian posed a clip on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, to describe how things were normal despite the looming war. In the video, he purportedly says, "I'm coming back from buying groceries". But as the days passed, the Russian assault on Ukraine escalated. When he would log into Douyin, Jixian would see Chinese people praising the Russian troops or supporting the invasion. "I was very angry, then I thought I would record videos for them, and I'll tell them what the real battlefield is," he told CNN. Also read | Telegram emerges as frontrunner amid Russia’s crackdown on Facebook, Instagram He soon started getting active across several social media apps like YouTube and the Chinese messaging app WeChat and started posting videos to sensitise the people about the war. His effort paid off and soon, he quickly gained traction for offering an independent perspective on the war, contrary to the Chinese media which has been propagating the Russian claims of dethroning the “Nazi regime”. In one video, the man holds up his Chinese passport and says "These Ukrainian guards are not Nazis, they are IT programmers, common people, barbers -- these are the people", CNN reported. However, the rise to fame was soon followed by the detractors slamming him for not siding with the Chinese views, going as far as calling him a “national traitor”. Also read | All you need to know about Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that Russia 'used in Ukraine for the first time' According to CNN, one critic told Jixian on Douyin, “You don't need this Chinese passport anymore, you have already forgotten which country you are from,” adding, "The official position of the country should be the position of all Chinese people.” Despite facing global pressure, China has so far taken a neutral stand on the Russia-Ukraine war and said Moscow's "legitimate security concerns" should be taken seriously. There have been reports of China sending military and economic aid to Russia—which Beijing denies. Watch | Week 4 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine: Zelensky renews calls for talks with Russia (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese vlogger in Ukraine branded ‘national traitor’ for siding with Kyiv in Russian war

United States President Joe Biden is banking on top TikTok influencers to help battle the Russian propaganda on the Ukraine war, the Washington Post reported.

According to the US-based newspaper, White House on Thursday held a Zoom call with 30 digital creators who have been covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine on their social media channels, including TikTok, YouTube and Twitter.

National Security Council special communications adviser Matt Miller and White House press secretary Jen Psaki briefed the influencers about the US’ strategic goals in the Eastern Europe, how US would respond to nuclear threats by Russia and answered questions on distributing to Ukraine.

TikTok users in Russia and Ukraine have been at the forefront of disseminating information since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine began February 24.

They have been continuously posting videos showing the aftermath of bombings and the effect of economic sanctions.

The US has been hoping to cash in on this information war and hence decided to rope in social media influencers to reach a broader —and younger —audience.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-ivan-fedorov-mayor-of-ukrainian-city-abducted-by-russian-troops-461462">Watch: Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Ukrainian city abducted by Russian troops</a>

"The creators were given an overview of the latest in Ukraine, as well as where the US sees the conflict moving toward," a White House official told CNN, adding that officials also took questions from attendees.

"The material was similar to that given in traditional briefing calls to reporters over the last week," the official said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moscow-opens-case-against-meta-for-calling-for-murder-of-russians-461332">Moscow opens case against Meta for calling for 'murder' of Russians</a>

The official pointed to the “millions of views” that these creators have produced to explain the latest situation in Ukraine over the past few weeks.

According to audio obtained by the&nbsp;Washington Post,&nbsp;Psaki also said on the call that Russia hacked the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump.&nbsp;

'If you look back at 2014, and frankly even 2016, when Russia invaded Ukraine and then in 2016, when they, you know, of course, hacked our election here, we did not do that, we did not declassify information, she said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

United States President Joe Biden is banking on top TikTok influencers to help battle the Russian propaganda on the Ukraine war, the Washington Post reported. According to the US-based newspaper, White House on Thursday held a Zoom call with 30 digital creators who have been covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine on their social media channels, including TikTok, YouTube and Twitter.

United States President Joe Biden is banking on top TikTok influencers to help battle the Russian propaganda on the Ukraine war, the Washington Post reported. According to the US-based newspaper, White House on Thursday held a Zoom call with 30 digital creators who have been covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine on their social media channels, including TikTok, YouTube and Twitter. National Security Council special communications adviser Matt Miller and White House press secretary Jen Psaki briefed the influencers about the US’ strategic goals in the Eastern Europe, how US would respond to nuclear threats by Russia and answered questions on distributing to Ukraine. TikTok users in Russia and Ukraine have been at the forefront of disseminating information since Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine began February 24. They have been continuously posting videos showing the aftermath of bombings and the effect of economic sanctions. The US has been hoping to cash in on this information war and hence decided to rope in social media influencers to reach a broader —and younger —audience. Watch: Ivan Fedorov, mayor of Ukrainian city abducted by Russian troops "The creators were given an overview of the latest in Ukraine, as well as where the US sees the conflict moving toward," a White House official told CNN, adding that officials also took questions from attendees. "The material was similar to that given in traditional briefing calls to reporters over the last week," the official said. Also read | Moscow opens case against Meta for calling for 'murder' of Russians The official pointed to the “millions of views” that these creators have produced to explain the latest situation in Ukraine over the past few weeks. According to audio obtained by the Washington Post, Psaki also said on the call that Russia hacked the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump. 'If you look back at 2014, and frankly even 2016, when Russia invaded Ukraine and then in 2016, when they, you know, of course, hacked our election here, we did not do that, we did not declassify information, she said. (With inputs from agencies)

White House briefs TikTokers on Ukraine as information war against Russia heats up

Russian-controlled media outlets have come under fire as the West and its allies seek to crack down on misinformation about Moscow's onslaught on Ukraine.&nbsp;

Online misinformation researchers warned that false information about the Ukraine conflict were now mixed in with authentic ones and has spread widely on TikTok and other tech platforms including Meta Platforms's Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-ukraine-vs-russia-the-meme-war-460063/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In 2014, Russia flooded the internet with fake accounts pushing disinformation about its takeover of Crimea. Eight years later, experts say Russia is mounting a far more sophisticated effort as it invades Ukraine.

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As Russian soldiers entered Kharkiv, so did their mobile and social media presence. Reportedly, Ukrainian women started receiving right swipes from invading Russian soldiers on dating app Tinder.

Soon apprehensions about Russian soldiers sharing intel with their tinder Ukrainian matches also became a topic for hot takes on social media.

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russian soldiers trying to match on tinder with women from the country they’re invading and then getting catfished for intel is such a weird “we live in the future” moment
— douglas chu 鞠一道 (@douglaschu_) <a href="https://twitter.com/douglaschu_/status/1497642246203748353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Russia also used Chinese app Tiktok for spreading anti-Ukrainian sentiment. Clever videos serve up Russian nationalism with a side of humour.

In the cat video, a husky puppy identified by a digitally inserted US flag swipes at the tail of a tabby identified by a Russian flag. The cat responds with a ferocious jab that sends the hapless dog scurrying. The clip, which has been viewed 775,000 times in two weeks, is the work of an account named Funrussianprezident that boasts 310,000 followers. Almost all of its videos feature pro-Russian content.

The effort amounts to an emerging part of Russia’s war arsenal with the shaping of opinion through orchestrated disinformation fighting alongside actual troops and weapons.

“This is the way they go to war; it’s a central part of Russian doctrine,” said Jim Ludes, a former US defence analyst who now directs the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University. Ludes said Russian disinformation campaigns are intended to galvanise Russian support while confusing and dividing the country’s opponents.

Russia tailors its propaganda message for specific audiences.

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Video of Ukrainian father saying goodbye to his kids while he stays behind to fight. 
 
Fuck war. 
<a href="https://t.co/rvIzotI8pE">pic.twitter.com/rvIzotI8pE</a>
— Peter Yang (@petergyang) <a href="https://twitter.com/petergyang/status/1496877608373424131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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For Russians and pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, the message is that Russia is trying to defend its own people against Western-fueled aggression and persecution in Ukraine. Similar tactics have been used, including by Nazi Germany when it invaded Czechoslovakia under the guise of protecting ethnic Germans living there, Ludes noted.

“It’s not good guys who use this tactic,” Ludes said. “It’s the language of conquest, not the language of democracy.”

Web monitoring group NetBlocks has reported a series of significant disruptions to internet service in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began.

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Nobody, 
America ,NATO, European union 
in this war 💯<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UkraineRussiaWar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UkraineRussiaWar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Memes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Memes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/funniesttweets?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#funniesttweets</a> <a href="https://t.co/nWJxFW9vuP">pic.twitter.com/nWJxFW9vuP</a>
— Iam_prith_ (@Sarcasticprith) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sarcasticprith/status/1497601676269993986?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, the US has information indicating Russia is publicising false reports about widespread surrenders of Ukrainian troops and claims that Moscow plans to “threaten killing family members of Ukrainian soldiers if they do not surrender,” according to State Department spokesman Ned Price.

Russia has also employed cyberattacks in its invasion of Ukraine, and while they pose a serious threat, online propaganda can leave even more lasting damage if it succeeds, according to retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, a former director of strategic operational planning at the US National Counterterrorism Centre.

“What is far more dangerous is Russia’s ability to influence what populations everywhere believe,” Nagata said. “To get them to believe things that are useful for Russian strategic interests... If you’re able to change what an entire population believes, you may not have to attack anything.”

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Breaking. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ESETResearch?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ESETResearch</a> discovered a new data wiper malware used in Ukraine today. ESET telemetry shows that it was installed on hundreds of machines in the country. This follows the DDoS attacks against several Ukrainian websites earlier today 1/n
— ESET research (@ESETresearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESETresearch/status/1496581903205511181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
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In the West, Russia seeks to sow division and reduce the chances of a unified international response. It does this in part through a stable of state-controlled media outlets such as Sputnik and RT, which published in English, Spanish, and several other languages.

The European Union banned Kremlin-controlled media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting into the bloc.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it has called a "special operation," is the latest example of the central role TikTok has played in bringing news and current events to the app's large Gen Z audience.&nbsp;

Its famed algorithm is known for serving trending content even if users do not follow certain people, allowing topics to quickly go viral among its 1 billion monthly users.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russian-controlled media outlets have come under fire as the West and its allies seek to crack down on misinformation about Moscow's onslaught on Ukraine. Online misinformation researchers warned that false information about the Ukraine conflict were now mixed in with authentic ones and has spread widely on TikTok and other tech platforms including Meta Platforms's Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube.

Russian-controlled media outlets have come under fire as the West and its allies seek to crack down on misinformation about Moscow's onslaught on Ukraine. Online misinformation researchers warned that false information about the Ukraine conflict were now mixed in with authentic ones and has spread widely on TikTok and other tech platforms including Meta Platforms's Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube. In 2014, Russia flooded the internet with fake accounts pushing disinformation about its takeover of Crimea. Eight years later, experts say Russia is mounting a far more sophisticated effort as it invades Ukraine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Stand With Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@withukraine) As Russian soldiers entered Kharkiv, so did their mobile and social media presence. Reportedly, Ukrainian women started receiving right swipes from invading Russian soldiers on dating app Tinder. Soon apprehensions about Russian soldiers sharing intel with their tinder Ukrainian matches also became a topic for hot takes on social media. russian soldiers trying to match on tinder with women from the country they’re invading and then getting catfished for intel is such a weird “we live in the future” moment — douglas chu 鞠一道 (@douglaschu_) February 26, 2022 × Russia also used Chinese app Tiktok for spreading anti-Ukrainian sentiment. Clever videos serve up Russian nationalism with a side of humour. In the cat video, a husky puppy identified by a digitally inserted US flag swipes at the tail of a tabby identified by a Russian flag. The cat responds with a ferocious jab that sends the hapless dog scurrying. The clip, which has been viewed 775,000 times in two weeks, is the work of an account named Funrussianprezident that boasts 310,000 followers. Almost all of its videos feature pro-Russian content. The effort amounts to an emerging part of Russia’s war arsenal with the shaping of opinion through orchestrated disinformation fighting alongside actual troops and weapons. “This is the way they go to war; it’s a central part of Russian doctrine,” said Jim Ludes, a former US defence analyst who now directs the Pell Center for International Relations and Public Policy at Salve Regina University. Ludes said Russian disinformation campaigns are intended to galvanise Russian support while confusing and dividing the country’s opponents. Russia tailors its propaganda message for specific audiences. Video of Ukrainian father saying goodbye to his kids while he stays behind to fight. Fuck war. pic.twitter.com/rvIzotI8pE — Peter Yang (@petergyang) February 24, 2022 × For Russians and pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, the message is that Russia is trying to defend its own people against Western-fueled aggression and persecution in Ukraine. Similar tactics have been used, including by Nazi Germany when it invaded Czechoslovakia under the guise of protecting ethnic Germans living there, Ludes noted. “It’s not good guys who use this tactic,” Ludes said. “It’s the language of conquest, not the language of democracy.” Web monitoring group NetBlocks has reported a series of significant disruptions to internet service in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. Nobody, America ,NATO, European union in this war 💯#Ukraine #Russia #UkraineRussiaWar #Memes #funniesttweets pic.twitter.com/nWJxFW9vuP — Iam_prith_ (@Sarcasticprith) February 26, 2022 × Meanwhile, the US has information indicating Russia is publicising false reports about widespread surrenders of Ukrainian troops and claims that Moscow plans to “threaten killing family members of Ukrainian soldiers if they do not surrender,” according to State Department spokesman Ned Price. Russia has also employed cyberattacks in its invasion of Ukraine, and while they pose a serious threat, online propaganda can leave even more lasting damage if it succeeds, according to retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Nagata, a former director of strategic operational planning at the US National Counterterrorism Centre. “What is far more dangerous is Russia’s ability to influence what populations everywhere believe,” Nagata said. “To get them to believe things that are useful for Russian strategic interests... If you’re able to change what an entire population believes, you may not have to attack anything.” Breaking. #ESETResearch discovered a new data wiper malware used in Ukraine today. ESET telemetry shows that it was installed on hundreds of machines in the country. This follows the DDoS attacks against several Ukrainian websites earlier today 1/n — ESET research (@ESETresearch) February 23, 2022 × In the West, Russia seeks to sow division and reduce the chances of a unified international response. It does this in part through a stable of state-controlled media outlets such as Sputnik and RT, which published in English, Spanish, and several other languages. The European Union banned Kremlin-controlled media outlets RT and Sputnik from broadcasting into the bloc. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it has called a "special operation," is the latest example of the central role TikTok has played in bringing news and current events to the app's large Gen Z audience. Its famed algorithm is known for serving trending content even if users do not follow certain people, allowing topics to quickly go viral among its 1 billion monthly users. (With inputs from agencies)

Meme war: Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered misinformation warfare

When Russia invaded Ukraine last week, some of the social media's youngest users experienced the conflict from the front lines on TikTok.

Videos of people huddling and crying in windowless bomb shelters, explosions blasting through urban settings and missiles streaking across Ukrainian cities took over the app from its usual offerings of fashion, fitness and dance videos.

Ukrainian social media influencers uploaded bleak scenes of themselves wrapped in blankets in underground bunkers and army tanks rolling down residential streets, juxtaposed against photos of blooming flowers and laughing friends at restaurants that honoured more peaceful memories of their hometowns.

They urged their followers to pray for Ukraine, donate to support the Ukrainian military and demanded Russian users in particular to join anti-war efforts.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it has called a "special operation," is the latest example of the central role TikTok has played in bringing news and current events to the app's large Gen Z audience. Its famed algorithm is known for serving trending content even if users do not follow certain people, allowing topics to quickly go viral among its 1 billion monthly users.

The app has become so influential in this conflict that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to "TikTokers" as a group that could help end the war, in a speech directed at Russian citizens. Some TikTokers picked up where the politician left off.

A Ukrainian travel blogger named Alina Volik, who has over 36,000 followers on TikTok, took a break from posting highlights of her trips to Egypt, Spain and Turkey, to upload videos of life in the invasion, of emergency backpacks filled with first aid supplies and of sealed windows to protect against glass shards in a blast. In TikTok videos posted on Monday, Volik also urged her international followers to watch her Instagram Stories to "see the truth" about Ukraine.

In an email to Reuters, Volik said she wanted to combat misinformation in the Russian news that the country's actions were a "military operation" rather than a war that is hurting Ukrainians.

Montages of residential buildings destroyed by missiles, empty grocery store shelves and long lines of cars piled up outside gas stations could be seen on the TikTok pages of top Ukrainian influencers.

"@zaluznik" who has 2 million followers, posted one such montage on Sunday with the caption "Russians open your eyes!"

Russian influencers have also taken to the app to share their reaction. Niki Proshin, who has over 763,000 TikTok followers, said in a video on Thursday that "normal people" in Russia do not support the war.

"None of my friends and none of the people I personally talk to supported today's events," he said, referring to the invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor demanded the app stop including military-related content in recommended posts to minors, saying much of the content was anti-Russian in character. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Online misinformation researchers warned that false information about the conflict were now mixed in with authentic ones and has spread widely on TikTok and other tech platforms including Meta Platforms's Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube.

Footage of military simulator video game Arma 3, images of explosions from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip, old footage of heavy firing and animations of flying aircraft have been shared on social media sites as if they depict the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation, with increased resources to respond to emerging trends and remove violative content, including harmful misinformation and promotion of violence," a TikTok spokesperson said, adding that it works with fact-checking organizations.

Some Ukrainian TikTok users have made it a mission to share information and spread awareness with Western audiences.

"I want people to understand this is not a joke, this is a serious situation that Ukrainians face," Marta Vasyuta, 20, said in an interview on Monday.

One of Vasyuta's TikTok videos showed what appeared to be a missile in the sky with the caption "Kyiv 4:23 am." It had over 131,000 comments by Monday as users flooded the video to offer their prayers and express disbelief.

"Never thought I would get WAR updates on TIKTOK," commented one user.

WATCH:&nbsp;Here's a look at the military arsenal of Ukraine and&nbsp;Russia being used during the ongoing war

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When Russia invaded Ukraine last week, some of the social media's youngest users experienced the conflict from the front lines on TikTok. Videos of people huddling and crying in windowless bomb shelters, explosions blasting through urban settings and missiles streaking across Ukrainian cities took over the app from its usual offerings of fashion, fitness and dance videos.

When Russia invaded Ukraine last week, some of the social media's youngest users experienced the conflict from the front lines on TikTok. Videos of people huddling and crying in windowless bomb shelters, explosions blasting through urban settings and missiles streaking across Ukrainian cities took over the app from its usual offerings of fashion, fitness and dance videos. Ukrainian social media influencers uploaded bleak scenes of themselves wrapped in blankets in underground bunkers and army tanks rolling down residential streets, juxtaposed against photos of blooming flowers and laughing friends at restaurants that honoured more peaceful memories of their hometowns. They urged their followers to pray for Ukraine, donate to support the Ukrainian military and demanded Russian users in particular to join anti-war efforts. Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which it has called a "special operation," is the latest example of the central role TikTok has played in bringing news and current events to the app's large Gen Z audience. Its famed algorithm is known for serving trending content even if users do not follow certain people, allowing topics to quickly go viral among its 1 billion monthly users. The app has become so influential in this conflict that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to "TikTokers" as a group that could help end the war, in a speech directed at Russian citizens. Some TikTokers picked up where the politician left off. A Ukrainian travel blogger named Alina Volik, who has over 36,000 followers on TikTok, took a break from posting highlights of her trips to Egypt, Spain and Turkey, to upload videos of life in the invasion, of emergency backpacks filled with first aid supplies and of sealed windows to protect against glass shards in a blast. In TikTok videos posted on Monday, Volik also urged her international followers to watch her Instagram Stories to "see the truth" about Ukraine. In an email to Reuters, Volik said she wanted to combat misinformation in the Russian news that the country's actions were a "military operation" rather than a war that is hurting Ukrainians. Montages of residential buildings destroyed by missiles, empty grocery store shelves and long lines of cars piled up outside gas stations could be seen on the TikTok pages of top Ukrainian influencers. "@zaluznik" who has 2 million followers, posted one such montage on Sunday with the caption "Russians open your eyes!" Russian influencers have also taken to the app to share their reaction. Niki Proshin, who has over 763,000 TikTok followers, said in a video on Thursday that "normal people" in Russia do not support the war. "None of my friends and none of the people I personally talk to supported today's events," he said, referring to the invasion of Ukraine. On Monday, Russia's communications regulator Roskomnadzor demanded the app stop including military-related content in recommended posts to minors, saying much of the content was anti-Russian in character. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Online misinformation researchers warned that false information about the conflict were now mixed in with authentic ones and has spread widely on TikTok and other tech platforms including Meta Platforms's Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet Inc's YouTube. Footage of military simulator video game Arma 3, images of explosions from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip, old footage of heavy firing and animations of flying aircraft have been shared on social media sites as if they depict the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week. "We continue to closely monitor the situation, with increased resources to respond to emerging trends and remove violative content, including harmful misinformation and promotion of violence," a TikTok spokesperson said, adding that it works with fact-checking organizations. Some Ukrainian TikTok users have made it a mission to share information and spread awareness with Western audiences. "I want people to understand this is not a joke, this is a serious situation that Ukrainians face," Marta Vasyuta, 20, said in an interview on Monday. One of Vasyuta's TikTok videos showed what appeared to be a missile in the sky with the caption "Kyiv 4:23 am." It had over 131,000 comments by Monday as users flooded the video to offer their prayers and express disbelief. "Never thought I would get WAR updates on TIKTOK," commented one user. WATCH: Here's a look at the military arsenal of Ukraine and Russia being used during the ongoing war ×

TikTok war: How Russia's invasion of Ukraine played to social media's youngest audience

Russia is using Chinese app Tiktok to shape opinion through orchestrated disinformation as it continues to push through its invasion of Ukraine.

From cat memes to puppies, the app has become Russia’s new propaganda front to stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment.

State-controlled media outlets look to divide Western audiences. The head of Russia's state-run RT television is in no doubt. If fellow citizens oppose President Vladimir Putin's action in Ukraine then they are no longer Russians.

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Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the English language international news network, is never one to mince her words and is used to making cutting remarks on Twitter in defence of Putin who she refers to simply as "leader".

"If you are ashamed of being Russian now, don't worry, you are not Russian," was her summation of the anti-war movement at home.

Alphabet Inc's Google has banned downloads of Russian state-owned media outlet RT's mobile app on Ukrainian territory at the request of the government in Kyiv.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-curiosity-to-cataclysm-russian-president-vladimir-putins-relationship-with-the-west-456896">From curiosity to cataclysm: Russian President Vladimir Putin's relationship with the West</a>

Googlehas barred RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia had used a similar tactic in 2014 when flooded the internet with fake accounts pushing disinformation about its takeover of Crimea.&nbsp;

Eight years later, experts say Russia is mounting a far more sophisticated effort as it invades Ukraine.

In the cat video, a husky puppy identified by a digitally inserted U.S. flag swipes at the tail of a tabby identified by a Russian flag. The cat responds with a ferocious jab that sends the hapless dog scurrying.&nbsp;

The clip, which has been viewed 775,000 times in two weeks, is the work of an account named Funrussianprezident that boasts 310,000 followers. Almost all of its videos feature pro-Russian content.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-says-united-states-is-root-cause-of-ukraine-invasion-457079" hreflang="en">North Korea says United States is ‘root cause’ of Ukraine invasion</a>

“It could just be a patriotic Russian fighting the good fight as they see it, or it could easily be something directly affiliated with the state,” said Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation researcher and expert on Eastern Europe at the Wilson Center in Washington. “Russia has been perfecting these tactics.”

Several thousand Russians demonstrated against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the police reaction was the usual one when it comes to Kremlin critics: hundreds of arrests.

So the anti-war movement has moved online, where it is beginning to make itself heard and to garner support, some of it high-profile.

Ukrainian flags adorn profile pictures and teary-eyed emojis are scattered liberally among the online statements. The hashtag #NoToTheWar was trending on Twitter on Saturday.

Since early Thursday, when the invasion of Ukraine began, various Russian celebrities, journalists and bloggers have expressed their horror and helplessness, pleading for an immediate end to the war.

The popular video blogger and documentary filmmaker Yuri Dud saw one of his online posts get a million "likes".

"I write these words for a reason. When my children grow up and discover this moment in history... and ask me 'Dad, what did you do?', I want to have written proof that I did not choose this regime and did not support its imperialist rage," he wrote.

Addressing the celebrities and "thousands and thousands" of anonymous Russians denouncing the invasion, &nbsp;Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked them and asked them to stop those who "lie to the whole world".

Putin has described Zelensky and his government as "terrorists" and "a gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis", urging the country's military to topple him.

(With inputs from agencies)

Russia is using Chinese app Tiktok to shape opinion through orchestrated disinformation as it continues to push through its invasion of Ukraine. From cat memes to puppies, the app has become Russia’s new propaganda front to stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment.

Russia is using Chinese app Tiktok to shape opinion through orchestrated disinformation as it continues to push through its invasion of Ukraine. From cat memes to puppies, the app has become Russia’s new propaganda front to stir up anti-Ukrainian sentiment. State-controlled media outlets look to divide Western audiences. The head of Russia's state-run RT television is in no doubt. If fellow citizens oppose President Vladimir Putin's action in Ukraine then they are no longer Russians. Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the English language international news network, is never one to mince her words and is used to making cutting remarks on Twitter in defence of Putin who she refers to simply as "leader". "If you are ashamed of being Russian now, don't worry, you are not Russian," was her summation of the anti-war movement at home. Alphabet Inc's Google has banned downloads of Russian state-owned media outlet RT's mobile app on Ukrainian territory at the request of the government in Kyiv. Also see | From curiosity to cataclysm: Russian President Vladimir Putin's relationship with the West Googlehas barred RT and other channels from receiving money for ads on their websites, apps and YouTube videos, similar to a move by Facebook after the invasion of Ukraine. Russia had used a similar tactic in 2014 when flooded the internet with fake accounts pushing disinformation about its takeover of Crimea. Eight years later, experts say Russia is mounting a far more sophisticated effort as it invades Ukraine. In the cat video, a husky puppy identified by a digitally inserted U.S. flag swipes at the tail of a tabby identified by a Russian flag. The cat responds with a ferocious jab that sends the hapless dog scurrying. The clip, which has been viewed 775,000 times in two weeks, is the work of an account named Funrussianprezident that boasts 310,000 followers. Almost all of its videos feature pro-Russian content. Also read | North Korea says United States is ‘root cause’ of Ukraine invasion “It could just be a patriotic Russian fighting the good fight as they see it, or it could easily be something directly affiliated with the state,” said Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation researcher and expert on Eastern Europe at the Wilson Center in Washington. “Russia has been perfecting these tactics.” Several thousand Russians demonstrated against the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but the police reaction was the usual one when it comes to Kremlin critics: hundreds of arrests. So the anti-war movement has moved online, where it is beginning to make itself heard and to garner support, some of it high-profile. Ukrainian flags adorn profile pictures and teary-eyed emojis are scattered liberally among the online statements. The hashtag #NoToTheWar was trending on Twitter on Saturday. Since early Thursday, when the invasion of Ukraine began, various Russian celebrities, journalists and bloggers have expressed their horror and helplessness, pleading for an immediate end to the war. The popular video blogger and documentary filmmaker Yuri Dud saw one of his online posts get a million "likes". "I write these words for a reason. When my children grow up and discover this moment in history... and ask me 'Dad, what did you do?', I want to have written proof that I did not choose this regime and did not support its imperialist rage," he wrote. Addressing the celebrities and "thousands and thousands" of anonymous Russians denouncing the invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked them and asked them to stop those who "lie to the whole world". Putin has described Zelensky and his government as "terrorists" and "a gang of drug addicts and neo-Nazis", urging the country's military to topple him. (With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine attack: Russia is using Chinese app Tiktok to shape opinion through orchestrated disinformation

Ava Majury downloaded TikTok when she was 13, and at the height of the pandemic lockdowns a year later had more than a million followers. Her fans, nearly three-quarters of them male, watched her lip-sync and dance to trending music on an account with the profile message, “Hey, I love you!!”

In early 2020 Ava noticed that one fan, EricJustin111, was trying to get her attention in comments on TikTok. He messaged her in Snapchat and on Instagram, and turned up in online games she played with her brothers. Ava responded to him a few times at first, she said, “because I used to reply to my fans, like ‘Hey, how was your day?’’’

Early on July 10, the fan — Eric Rohan Justin, 18, of Ellicott City, Maryland — arrived with a shotgun at the Majury family home in Naples and blew open the front door. His weapon jammed. Ava’s father, Rob Majury, a retired police lieutenant, chased him off but fell. Majury told Collier County sheriff’s officers that he returned to the house, retrieved his handgun and stood guard at the front door, only to see the gunman return a short time later. By sunrise Justin lay dying, shot by Majury.

What began as an enterprising teenager’s lockdown venture has awakened the family of five to how online fame can fuel real-world violence. In interviews with The New York Times, they spoke for the first time about an ordeal that illuminates the dark side of a social media platform favored by millions of children.

TikTok’s owner, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., and many of its users emphasize the friendships, innovative content and creative collaboration enabled by the platform, but its enormous popularity among vulnerable, underage people has also been linked to mental health problems, injuries and deaths.

Today Ava Majury remains on TikTok, where she is netting thousands of dollars in sponsorship deals and has attracted interest from Hollywood, including from reality TV producers. Her TikTok fame has brought sponsorship opportunities on Instagram and Snapchat, too. Instagram, owned by Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has also been accused of causing mental and emotional health problems among teenage female users.

“Her creations, her contacts, her videos became such a big part of her that to take it away would have been hard,” her father said.

“We chose what’s best for our family,” Ava’s mother, Kim Majury, added. “We know there are going to be two sides, and some people won’t understand.’’

A ‘Go-Getter’ and a Lurking Threat

The Majurys moved to Florida in 2019 from Manalapan, New Jersey, lured by its warm climate, low taxes and a quieter lifestyle. They settled in Naples, a staid, safe community of affluent retirees and growing families in Collier County, on the state’s Gulf Coast. Rob Majury, 51, is a former Jersey City police lieutenant, and Kim Majury, 45, is an ultrasound technologist. The family rented a home in Raffia Preserve, a subdivision of tidy homes on curving streets.

Ava is “a go-getter,” her father said. When classmates in New Jersey admired a sticker she had designed for her laptop, she started selling them, eventually earning nearly $700. On TikTok, she has promoted a tooth-whitening product, emerging recording artists and NFL games.

“I have three TikTok accounts, so I could have one brand come to me and be like, ‘Oh, I’ll do $1,000 for one video on your main account,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Oh great, I have two other accounts that are different types of people on there,’” Ava said. “So altogether, I’m making $1,700 off just my name, because I opened up three accounts rather than just building off one.”

Her venture surprised and intrigued her parents. “Honestly, we had no idea the extent of what she was able to earn,” Rob Majury said. He has appeared in a couple of her videos, including one she made in the car while he was driving.

“We both pointed at the camera at the same time and the music stopped and she starts laughing. You know, so innocent, it was sweet for me. It’s me and her having a moment,” Majury recalled. The moment drew hundreds of thousands of views.

Downloads of TikTok grew by 75% in 2020, making it the world’s most-downloaded app that year, according to Hootsuite. Today the platform has more than 1 billion average monthly users. It welcomes account holders as young as 13, and in 2021 outflanked both Instagram and Snapchat in weekly usage by youth ages 12-17. While teens like Ava have used it to entertain and spread positive messages, viral “TikTok Challenges” have been cited as inspiring children to vandalize and threaten their schools, follow starvation “Corpse Bride” diets and asphyxiate themselves. Teen girls have been repeatedly targeted by child predators.

A TikTok spokeswoman, Mahsau Cullinane, emailed a statement saying that TikTok is “deeply invested in the safety and well-being of our community’’ and added that the platform uses tools to protect users under 16. In 2020, TikTok classified more than a third of its 49 million daily users in the United States as 14 or younger, according to internal company data and documents reviewed by the Times.

Ava has two brothers, Evan and Logan, ages 17 and 11. She and Evan attend a sprawling public high school where much of student life revolves around social media.

In early 2020, after Ava noticed Justin angling for her attention on TikTok, she learned that friends in New Jersey and Florida were selling him photos of her as well as her personal information, including her cellphone number, which Justin used to call and text her. In another instance, Justin logged onto a classmate’s school account and did math homework in exchange for information about Ava, her family said.

“I had to unfollow all my local friends and Jersey friends,” Ava said. “And everyone around me was like, ‘Oh you’re going Hollywood on all of us, you don’t want to talk to us anymore.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re selling my stuff.’”

But Ava’s parents allowed her to sell Justin a couple of selfies that she had already posted to Snapchat.

“I wasn’t sending anything of my body,’’ Ava said. “It was just pictures of my face, which is what I assume that he was paying for. My whole thing is my pretty smile — that’s my content.” She said Justin paid about $300 for two photos, via the Venmo digital wallet app.

After that, Justin messaged Ava on Venmo with a breakdown of what he would pay for “booty pics” and photos of her feet, “stuff that a 14-year-old shouldn’t be sending,” she said. She blocked him on all her accounts. In Venmo messages viewed by the Times, Justin pleaded with her to unblock him, sending $159.18, then $100, and finally $368.50 with the message, “sorry this is all I have left i’m broke.”

Rob Majury said he texted Justin’s cellphone, told him that Ava was a minor, and demanded that he stop contacting her.

At that point Justin’s efforts turned sinister. In a series of text messages that made their way to Ava, and which the Majury family showed the Times, he asked one of Ava’s male classmates whether he had access to a “strap,” or gun, shared plans to assault her, and wrote, “i could just breach the door with a shotgun i think.” The classmate’s mother declined an interview request.

When Ava learned of the threatening messages, she called the classmate who had received them. He confirmed that he had gotten them and forwarded others to her. Fearful, she showed her parents. They researched Justin’s identity, saw that he lived hundreds of miles away, and reassured her that “he was one of these keyboard cowboys,” Majury said.

“I sort of discredited what could have been a threat.”

‘This Is All Your Fault’

Ava’s bedroom was just inside the door Justin blasted open.

“All I remember was, I heard it, I felt it in my chest, and I looked up, and there was a hole in my door from the fragments,” she said. She ran through a connecting bathroom to her brothers’ room, clutching a blanket, water bottle and her cellphone.

Majury bolted from bed and ran shouting to the foyer, where he said debris still floated in the air. Kim Majury followed, dialing 911 on her phone. Outside a gangly teenager wearing what looked like a blue Walmart worker’s vest, protective earplugs and safety glasses stood on the front lawn. He turned to escape and Rob Majury sprinted forward but fell, gashing his knee. The gunman paused, struggling to clear his jammed weapon, then ran away. Majury retrieved his handgun, and was standing at the front door awaiting the police when Justin returned. Majury said he ordered the teenager to drop the shotgun, and when he instead pointed it at him, Majury fired.

The three Majury children had retreated to their parents’ bedroom in the rear of the house. Ava’s older brother, Evan, turned to her in panic and fury.

“This is all your fault,” he said.

“The subject was most likely a stalker that resulted from her daughter’s extensive social media involvement,” the Collier County Sheriff’s Office report read, citing statements to them from Kim Majury. “Since her daughter’s involvement with social media, multiple subjects have attempted to ascertain her family’s address in the past.” Majury provided them with contact information for Justin, the report said.

The Collier County Sheriff’s Office told local media at the time that a man had been shot and killed by the resident of a home in Raffia Preserve after firing a gun into the home, in an attempted home invasion robbery. The office did not name the gunman.

The Majurys said police told them Justin was carrying two cellphones that contained thousands of photographs of Ava and hundreds of hours of her videos.

Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk and investigators from his office did not respond to requests for interviews.

“This remains an active investigation and there are no updates,” Karie Partington, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman, said in an email.

The gunman’s identity was confirmed by his father, Justin Dominic. Dominic, a software engineer who is divorced from Justin’s mother, said that before the divorce the family had lived in the United States and then had moved to Dominic’s native India. When his parents split up, Justin chose to move back to the U.S. with his mother, his father said, recalling their move as around 2015.

Dominic, who said he had spoken with investigators, recalled his son as a good student who did well in math at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City. “He was a nice kid. I’m at a loss for words,” he said. “I don’t know what went bad with him. He made a bad choice.”

After the shooting the Majurys, reeling, moved in with friends. A few days later Kim Majury received an invitation from a would-be agent for Ava to visit Los Angeles, meet other influencers, and attend a couple of red carpet events. One was for “Glo-Up Girls,” a line of makeover-ready dolls advertised on a YouTube channel featuring six teenage influencers “living in a mansion and taking on sensational Glo-Up challenges.”

“It was a nice distraction, absolutely,” Majury said.

After the Majurys returned home, their homeowners’ association sent a letter to their landlord demanding their eviction because, among other reasons, Ava’s social media venture had attracted an intruder to the property.

In early August, Ava received messages on Venmo from a man calling her “baby girl,” offering to pay $1,000 a month for her phone number. Her parents discovered that the man’s name matches that of a registered sex offender, arrested previously for soliciting a 14-year-old girl.

Kim Majury remembers thinking, “We can’t live like this.”

New Opportunities and Dangers

Rob Majury said he was advised by the police that under Florida’s “stand your ground” law governing justifiable use of deadly force, he was not subject to prosecution. But just to be safe, he contacted a lawyer, James Scarmozzino, to represent him. Scarmozzino connected the family to other lawyers who organized a business centered on Ava’s potential earnings.

Michael Marino, an entertainment lawyer in New York, created an enterprise, AGM Creations, for Ava, and signed an agreement with the Majurys for a percentage of future revenues. Marino turned to a friend, Lanny Davis, a Washington lawyer and crisis manager whose public relations firm is now representing Ava.

The shooting continues to reverberate.

The boy who received Justin’s messages about his plans to attack Ava still attends high school with her. In December, Ava told her parents that he was following and watching her. The family visited the high school to report the matter. Last month, another classmate sent her a video the boy had made of himself firing a gun at a shooting range, her mother said.

Unnerved, Ava withdrew from school this month and now attends class from home. Scarmozzino filed a petition in Collier County Circuit Court seeking an injunction for protection against stalking. A hearing is set for Feb. 28 and Ava will testify.

Ava is still on social media, with her parents’ support. Kim Majury said she did not want “sick individuals” to force Ava off the platforms. “Why should we allow them to stop her? Maybe she’s meant to bring awareness to all this,” Majury said.

Ava has not told her followers what happened. “I don’t want it to go out negatively and people think I attracted him,” she said.

Her greater worry is that other troubled people will “make it a contest to see who can get here first,’’ and she acknowledged that sometimes at night, trying to fall asleep after the shooting, “I’d think, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’” But by morning, “I thought of all the benefits.’’

“Most people would say the money. And yeah, it’s a huge benefit. But it’s the experience. I got to go to LA, the people that I met,” she said. “Just being able to make other people smile is what I like, the enjoyment of seeing the impact I made on some people’s lives.

“I’d post a video at night, close my eyes, and in the morning it was exciting to see how many views I got.”

Her father interjected: “It’s like Christmas every day, because then you see it build.”

“I think we just had to allow her to make a decision and sort of support her. I think it’s going to help her heal. It sounds corny, but I don’t know what else you would do it for.”

Ava Majury downloaded TikTok when she was 13, and at the height of the pandemic lockdowns a year later had more than a million followers. Her fans, nearly three-quarters of them male, watched her lip-sync and dance to trending music on an account with the profile message, “Hey, I love you!

Ava Majury downloaded TikTok when she was 13, and at the height of the pandemic lockdowns a year later had more than a million followers. Her fans, nearly three-quarters of them male, watched her lip-sync and dance to trending music on an account with the profile message, “Hey, I love you!!” In early 2020 Ava noticed that one fan, EricJustin111, was trying to get her attention in comments on TikTok. He messaged her in Snapchat and on Instagram, and turned up in online games she played with her brothers. Ava responded to him a few times at first, she said, “because I used to reply to my fans, like ‘Hey, how was your day?’’’ Early on July 10, the fan — Eric Rohan Justin, 18, of Ellicott City, Maryland — arrived with a shotgun at the Majury family home in Naples and blew open the front door. His weapon jammed. Ava’s father, Rob Majury, a retired police lieutenant, chased him off but fell. Majury told Collier County sheriff’s officers that he returned to the house, retrieved his handgun and stood guard at the front door, only to see the gunman return a short time later. By sunrise Justin lay dying, shot by Majury. What began as an enterprising teenager’s lockdown venture has awakened the family of five to how online fame can fuel real-world violence. In interviews with The New York Times, they spoke for the first time about an ordeal that illuminates the dark side of a social media platform favored by millions of children. TikTok’s owner, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., and many of its users emphasize the friendships, innovative content and creative collaboration enabled by the platform, but its enormous popularity among vulnerable, underage people has also been linked to mental health problems, injuries and deaths. Today Ava Majury remains on TikTok, where she is netting thousands of dollars in sponsorship deals and has attracted interest from Hollywood, including from reality TV producers. Her TikTok fame has brought sponsorship opportunities on Instagram and Snapchat, too. Instagram, owned by Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has also been accused of causing mental and emotional health problems among teenage female users. “Her creations, her contacts, her videos became such a big part of her that to take it away would have been hard,” her father said. “We chose what’s best for our family,” Ava’s mother, Kim Majury, added. “We know there are going to be two sides, and some people won’t understand.’’ A ‘Go-Getter’ and a Lurking Threat The Majurys moved to Florida in 2019 from Manalapan, New Jersey, lured by its warm climate, low taxes and a quieter lifestyle. They settled in Naples, a staid, safe community of affluent retirees and growing families in Collier County, on the state’s Gulf Coast. Rob Majury, 51, is a former Jersey City police lieutenant, and Kim Majury, 45, is an ultrasound technologist. The family rented a home in Raffia Preserve, a subdivision of tidy homes on curving streets. Ava is “a go-getter,” her father said. When classmates in New Jersey admired a sticker she had designed for her laptop, she started selling them, eventually earning nearly $700. On TikTok, she has promoted a tooth-whitening product, emerging recording artists and NFL games. “I have three TikTok accounts, so I could have one brand come to me and be like, ‘Oh, I’ll do $1,000 for one video on your main account,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Oh great, I have two other accounts that are different types of people on there,’” Ava said. “So altogether, I’m making $1,700 off just my name, because I opened up three accounts rather than just building off one.” Her venture surprised and intrigued her parents. “Honestly, we had no idea the extent of what she was able to earn,” Rob Majury said. He has appeared in a couple of her videos, including one she made in the car while he was driving. “We both pointed at the camera at the same time and the music stopped and she starts laughing. You know, so innocent, it was sweet for me. It’s me and her having a moment,” Majury recalled. The moment drew hundreds of thousands of views. Downloads of TikTok grew by 75% in 2020, making it the world’s most-downloaded app that year, according to Hootsuite. Today the platform has more than 1 billion average monthly users. It welcomes account holders as young as 13, and in 2021 outflanked both Instagram and Snapchat in weekly usage by youth ages 12-17. While teens like Ava have used it to entertain and spread positive messages, viral “TikTok Challenges” have been cited as inspiring children to vandalize and threaten their schools, follow starvation “Corpse Bride” diets and asphyxiate themselves. Teen girls have been repeatedly targeted by child predators. A TikTok spokeswoman, Mahsau Cullinane, emailed a statement saying that TikTok is “deeply invested in the safety and well-being of our community’’ and added that the platform uses tools to protect users under 16. In 2020, TikTok classified more than a third of its 49 million daily users in the United States as 14 or younger, according to internal company data and documents reviewed by the Times. Ava has two brothers, Evan and Logan, ages 17 and 11. She and Evan attend a sprawling public high school where much of student life revolves around social media. In early 2020, after Ava noticed Justin angling for her attention on TikTok, she learned that friends in New Jersey and Florida were selling him photos of her as well as her personal information, including her cellphone number, which Justin used to call and text her. In another instance, Justin logged onto a classmate’s school account and did math homework in exchange for information about Ava, her family said. “I had to unfollow all my local friends and Jersey friends,” Ava said. “And everyone around me was like, ‘Oh you’re going Hollywood on all of us, you don’t want to talk to us anymore.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re selling my stuff.’” But Ava’s parents allowed her to sell Justin a couple of selfies that she had already posted to Snapchat. “I wasn’t sending anything of my body,’’ Ava said. “It was just pictures of my face, which is what I assume that he was paying for. My whole thing is my pretty smile — that’s my content.” She said Justin paid about $300 for two photos, via the Venmo digital wallet app. After that, Justin messaged Ava on Venmo with a breakdown of what he would pay for “booty pics” and photos of her feet, “stuff that a 14-year-old shouldn’t be sending,” she said. She blocked him on all her accounts. In Venmo messages viewed by the Times, Justin pleaded with her to unblock him, sending $159.18, then $100, and finally $368.50 with the message, “sorry this is all I have left i’m broke.” Rob Majury said he texted Justin’s cellphone, told him that Ava was a minor, and demanded that he stop contacting her. At that point Justin’s efforts turned sinister. In a series of text messages that made their way to Ava, and which the Majury family showed the Times, he asked one of Ava’s male classmates whether he had access to a “strap,” or gun, shared plans to assault her, and wrote, “i could just breach the door with a shotgun i think.” The classmate’s mother declined an interview request. When Ava learned of the threatening messages, she called the classmate who had received them. He confirmed that he had gotten them and forwarded others to her. Fearful, she showed her parents. They researched Justin’s identity, saw that he lived hundreds of miles away, and reassured her that “he was one of these keyboard cowboys,” Majury said. “I sort of discredited what could have been a threat.” ‘This Is All Your Fault’ Ava’s bedroom was just inside the door Justin blasted open. “All I remember was, I heard it, I felt it in my chest, and I looked up, and there was a hole in my door from the fragments,” she said. She ran through a connecting bathroom to her brothers’ room, clutching a blanket, water bottle and her cellphone. Majury bolted from bed and ran shouting to the foyer, where he said debris still floated in the air. Kim Majury followed, dialing 911 on her phone. Outside a gangly teenager wearing what looked like a blue Walmart worker’s vest, protective earplugs and safety glasses stood on the front lawn. He turned to escape and Rob Majury sprinted forward but fell, gashing his knee. The gunman paused, struggling to clear his jammed weapon, then ran away. Majury retrieved his handgun, and was standing at the front door awaiting the police when Justin returned. Majury said he ordered the teenager to drop the shotgun, and when he instead pointed it at him, Majury fired. The three Majury children had retreated to their parents’ bedroom in the rear of the house. Ava’s older brother, Evan, turned to her in panic and fury. “This is all your fault,” he said. “The subject was most likely a stalker that resulted from her daughter’s extensive social media involvement,” the Collier County Sheriff’s Office report read, citing statements to them from Kim Majury. “Since her daughter’s involvement with social media, multiple subjects have attempted to ascertain her family’s address in the past.” Majury provided them with contact information for Justin, the report said. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office told local media at the time that a man had been shot and killed by the resident of a home in Raffia Preserve after firing a gun into the home, in an attempted home invasion robbery. The office did not name the gunman. The Majurys said police told them Justin was carrying two cellphones that contained thousands of photographs of Ava and hundreds of hours of her videos. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk and investigators from his office did not respond to requests for interviews. “This remains an active investigation and there are no updates,” Karie Partington, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman, said in an email. The gunman’s identity was confirmed by his father, Justin Dominic. Dominic, a software engineer who is divorced from Justin’s mother, said that before the divorce the family had lived in the United States and then had moved to Dominic’s native India. When his parents split up, Justin chose to move back to the U.S. with his mother, his father said, recalling their move as around 2015. Dominic, who said he had spoken with investigators, recalled his son as a good student who did well in math at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City. “He was a nice kid. I’m at a loss for words,” he said. “I don’t know what went bad with him. He made a bad choice.” After the shooting the Majurys, reeling, moved in with friends. A few days later Kim Majury received an invitation from a would-be agent for Ava to visit Los Angeles, meet other influencers, and attend a couple of red carpet events. One was for “Glo-Up Girls,” a line of makeover-ready dolls advertised on a YouTube channel featuring six teenage influencers “living in a mansion and taking on sensational Glo-Up challenges.” “It was a nice distraction, absolutely,” Majury said. After the Majurys returned home, their homeowners’ association sent a letter to their landlord demanding their eviction because, among other reasons, Ava’s social media venture had attracted an intruder to the property. In early August, Ava received messages on Venmo from a man calling her “baby girl,” offering to pay $1,000 a month for her phone number. Her parents discovered that the man’s name matches that of a registered sex offender, arrested previously for soliciting a 14-year-old girl. Kim Majury remembers thinking, “We can’t live like this.” New Opportunities and Dangers Rob Majury said he was advised by the police that under Florida’s “stand your ground” law governing justifiable use of deadly force, he was not subject to prosecution. But just to be safe, he contacted a lawyer, James Scarmozzino, to represent him. Scarmozzino connected the family to other lawyers who organized a business centered on Ava’s potential earnings. Michael Marino, an entertainment lawyer in New York, created an enterprise, AGM Creations, for Ava, and signed an agreement with the Majurys for a percentage of future revenues. Marino turned to a friend, Lanny Davis, a Washington lawyer and crisis manager whose public relations firm is now representing Ava. The shooting continues to reverberate. The boy who received Justin’s messages about his plans to attack Ava still attends high school with her. In December, Ava told her parents that he was following and watching her. The family visited the high school to report the matter. Last month, another classmate sent her a video the boy had made of himself firing a gun at a shooting range, her mother said. Unnerved, Ava withdrew from school this month and now attends class from home. Scarmozzino filed a petition in Collier County Circuit Court seeking an injunction for protection against stalking. A hearing is set for Feb. 28 and Ava will testify. Ava is still on social media, with her parents’ support. Kim Majury said she did not want “sick individuals” to force Ava off the platforms. “Why should we allow them to stop her? Maybe she’s meant to bring awareness to all this,” Majury said. Ava has not told her followers what happened. “I don’t want it to go out negatively and people think I attracted him,” she said. Her greater worry is that other troubled people will “make it a contest to see who can get here first,’’ and she acknowledged that sometimes at night, trying to fall asleep after the shooting, “I’d think, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’” But by morning, “I thought of all the benefits.’’ “Most people would say the money. And yeah, it’s a huge benefit. But it’s the experience. I got to go to LA, the people that I met,” she said. “Just being able to make other people smile is what I like, the enjoyment of seeing the impact I made on some people’s lives. “I’d post a video at night, close my eyes, and in the morning it was exciting to see how many views I got.” Her father interjected: “It’s like Christmas every day, because then you see it build.” “I think we just had to allow her to make a decision and sort of support her. I think it’s going to help her heal. It sounds corny, but I don’t know what else you would do it for.”

A child's TikTok stardom opens doors. Then a gunman arrives.

Tom Rosenthal is a 35-year-old singer-songwriter from London. He had already built a decent career over a decade, but when he joined TikTok in 2020 he said the impact was "seismic".

His songs have been used on 1.6 million TikTok videos and picked up hundreds of millions of streams on other music services.

Rosenthal gave AFP a few tips on the secrets of his TikTok success.&nbsp;

- Good video -

"Some things are a must: you will not go viral without the lyrics written on the screen. It's a funny thing, but lyrics have never been more important than now.&nbsp;

"It has to be lit really well. Face is key -- you've got to show your face. You can't be off by a tree.&nbsp;

"In the swiping culture, the first milliseconds matter. You can't be fumbling with a guitar.&nbsp;

"People often do it by speaking first: 'Here's a song about Nelson Mandela...' or whatever. That's better than if you just start singing a song about Nelson Mandela."

Don't get fancy, he adds: "TikTok doesn't reward high production costs. Me sitting here in my studio singing a song is no different than if I had 50 oiled-up dancers in a football stadium."

- Simple hooks -

"There's a crudeness to my piano style. It's gentle, melodic and rhythmic, but quite blocky -- not up and down the keys like a virtuoso. That means it edits nicely for TikTok videos.&nbsp;

"They're hooky lines, which is important because you only get 15 seconds (the most common time for TikToks). Plus, I've got a pleasant, inoffensive voice -- you're not going to throw up in your tea if you hear it."

- Ignore the easy money -

"When one of my songs goes viral, the labels rush in and they are absolutely praying that I'm 22 and haven't got a clue what's going on and will take £20,000 (around $25,000) for the rights.

"I tell them: 'I know exactly how much these songs are going to be worth so if you want to start talking, fine, but it's going to be in the many millions.'&nbsp;

"As soon as they realise I know even a handful of things about how this business works, they disappear.&nbsp;

"There's still a place for record labels, they'll be fine. But if you're doing well as an independent artist and you're slightly good at organisation, you don't need them.&nbsp;

"A friend had 200 million streams, but unfortunately he was with a major label and he's yet to see a penny from it. That should have been close to a million quid. It's unbelievable what they get away with it.&nbsp;

"They do it with glamour and youth. When you're 19, and someone waves £20,000 at you, you'll sign anything."

- You can't force it -

"I've seen artists of significant calibre who write a whole album that they think will be perfect for TikTok and it's totally flopped.&nbsp;

"It doesn't work for an artist to say, 'My song deserves to be viral'. 60,000 songs are released every day -- it's not for them to decide, it's for the listener.

"The songs that have shot off for me, I haven't said: 'I want these songs to do well, I'm going to make a nice campaign and a special video where I wear a gold suit in a fancy studio.'&nbsp;

"I've done nothing. The songs are out in the world, people I don't know have used them. The songs combined with the themes of the videos have gone viral. You can't control it."

- But you can connect -

"With TikTok, you know people are listening but they might not know who you are. You have to connect to them, and say: 'I'm the one who did that song, come over here for a bit.' Connect your face to the sound.&nbsp;

"There's a lot of moaning pop stars at the moment, saying: 'Oh no, I'm not a content creator, I'm a musician, I couldn't possibly make a video explaining what I do.' But really it's not that hard to make the occasional video!"

Tom Rosenthal is a 35-year-old singer-songwriter from London. He had already built a decent career over a decade, but when he joined TikTok in 2020 he said the impact was "seismic".

Tom Rosenthal is a 35-year-old singer-songwriter from London. He had already built a decent career over a decade, but when he joined TikTok in 2020 he said the impact was "seismic". His songs have been used on 1.6 million TikTok videos and picked up hundreds of millions of streams on other music services. Rosenthal gave AFP a few tips on the secrets of his TikTok success. - Good video - "Some things are a must: you will not go viral without the lyrics written on the screen. It's a funny thing, but lyrics have never been more important than now. "It has to be lit really well. Face is key -- you've got to show your face. You can't be off by a tree. "In the swiping culture, the first milliseconds matter. You can't be fumbling with a guitar. "People often do it by speaking first: 'Here's a song about Nelson Mandela...' or whatever. That's better than if you just start singing a song about Nelson Mandela." Don't get fancy, he adds: "TikTok doesn't reward high production costs. Me sitting here in my studio singing a song is no different than if I had 50 oiled-up dancers in a football stadium." - Simple hooks - "There's a crudeness to my piano style. It's gentle, melodic and rhythmic, but quite blocky -- not up and down the keys like a virtuoso. That means it edits nicely for TikTok videos. "They're hooky lines, which is important because you only get 15 seconds (the most common time for TikToks). Plus, I've got a pleasant, inoffensive voice -- you're not going to throw up in your tea if you hear it." - Ignore the easy money - "When one of my songs goes viral, the labels rush in and they are absolutely praying that I'm 22 and haven't got a clue what's going on and will take £20,000 (around $25,000) for the rights. "I tell them: 'I know exactly how much these songs are going to be worth so if you want to start talking, fine, but it's going to be in the many millions.' "As soon as they realise I know even a handful of things about how this business works, they disappear. "There's still a place for record labels, they'll be fine. But if you're doing well as an independent artist and you're slightly good at organisation, you don't need them. "A friend had 200 million streams, but unfortunately he was with a major label and he's yet to see a penny from it. That should have been close to a million quid. It's unbelievable what they get away with it. "They do it with glamour and youth. When you're 19, and someone waves £20,000 at you, you'll sign anything." - You can't force it - "I've seen artists of significant calibre who write a whole album that they think will be perfect for TikTok and it's totally flopped. "It doesn't work for an artist to say, 'My song deserves to be viral'. 60,000 songs are released every day -- it's not for them to decide, it's for the listener. "The songs that have shot off for me, I haven't said: 'I want these songs to do well, I'm going to make a nice campaign and a special video where I wear a gold suit in a fancy studio.' "I've done nothing. The songs are out in the world, people I don't know have used them. The songs combined with the themes of the videos have gone viral. You can't control it." - But you can connect - "With TikTok, you know people are listening but they might not know who you are. You have to connect to them, and say: 'I'm the one who did that song, come over here for a bit.' Connect your face to the sound. "There's a lot of moaning pop stars at the moment, saying: 'Oh no, I'm not a content creator, I'm a musician, I couldn't possibly make a video explaining what I do.' But really it's not that hard to make the occasional video!"

How to be a TikTok music megastar

Magic tricks often evoke varied forms of reactions. There have been a lot of videos where people’s reaction to the sleight of hand tricks has triggered laughter.

But a priceless reaction of a monkey leaving bemused to a simple magic trick has gone viral in social media, and it has netizens in splits.

The video was posted on TikTok last week by Maximiliano Ibarra.

In the clip, Ibarra is seen holding a leaf in front of the monkey, which was sitting inside his glass enclosure, in Mexico’s Chapultepec Zoo.

Initially, the monkey, a Japanese macaque, seemed disinterested when Ibarra was performing the trick. But all that changed when he made the leaf ‘vanish’ with a sleight of hand trick.

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The “witchcraft” seemed to have dazzled the monkey as it leapt forward with its jaw dropped and eye wide-open&nbsp;in disbelief.

Ibarra then made the leaf reappear and disappear and the monkey reacted by running up and down, putting its hand to its face and looking over its shoulder as if checking whether anyone else is seeing the tricks.

The primate’s reaction seemed to have impressed many as the TikTok clip has received more than 1.6 million likes, reports The Daily Mail.

Several users were in awe of the ape’s “humanlike” expression.

“I could binge watch animals reacting to magic tricks for months straight,” a user wrote. While another user said, “What witchcraft is this?”

“That's hilarious, yet amazing to watch the intelligence of monkeys,” one commenter wrote.

Magic tricks often evoke varied forms of reactions. There have been a lot of videos where people’s reaction to the sleight of hand tricks has triggered laughter.

Magic tricks often evoke varied forms of reactions. There have been a lot of videos where people’s reaction to the sleight of hand tricks has triggered laughter. But a priceless reaction of a monkey leaving bemused to a simple magic trick has gone viral in social media, and it has netizens in splits. The video was posted on TikTok last week by Maximiliano Ibarra. In the clip, Ibarra is seen holding a leaf in front of the monkey, which was sitting inside his glass enclosure, in Mexico’s Chapultepec Zoo. Initially, the monkey, a Japanese macaque, seemed disinterested when Ibarra was performing the trick. But all that changed when he made the leaf ‘vanish’ with a sleight of hand trick. × The “witchcraft” seemed to have dazzled the monkey as it leapt forward with its jaw dropped and eye wide-open in disbelief. Ibarra then made the leaf reappear and disappear and the monkey reacted by running up and down, putting its hand to its face and looking over its shoulder as if checking whether anyone else is seeing the tricks. The primate’s reaction seemed to have impressed many as the TikTok clip has received more than 1.6 million likes, reports The Daily Mail. Several users were in awe of the ape’s “humanlike” expression. “I could binge watch animals reacting to magic tricks for months straight,” a user wrote. While another user said, “What witchcraft is this?” “That's hilarious, yet amazing to watch the intelligence of monkeys,” one commenter wrote.

Watch: Zoo monkey wonderstruck by visitor’s magic trick

At 98, Lily Ebert is perhaps the oldest user of the video-sharing social network app, TikTok.

However, unlike many influencers who post trivial videos on cars, life lessons and heartbreaks, Ebert uses the platform to describe the horrors of the Holocaust.

And the viewers receive&nbsp;her&nbsp;videos with love and appreciation. A clip of Ebert showing her identification number tattoo got more than 20 million views.

Ebert’s tattoo has the number—A-10572—on her forearm. “We were not humans. We were only a number,” she said in her video.

Soon, many of her brief clips went viral. And now, she boasts of more than 1.6 million followers.

Ebert was only 20 when her family was taken from their hometown in Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau—one of the largest Nazi death camps.

Her mother, younger brother and younger sister were immediately taken to the gas chambers and killed. Ebert was sent to work in the camp where she spent four horrifying months.

“People would say four months isn’t so long,” she can be heard as saying in one of her videos.

“But let me tell you something. Even four minutes was too long.”

Ebert wanted her story to be heard, but didn’t know how to do it.

It was her 18-year-old great-grandson, Dov Forman, who came up with the idea of creating a TikTok account during the 2020 lockdowns.

“I said to my great-grandmother, ‘If they can go viral for dancing, why can't we go viral for sharing these really important messages?’” Forman told CBS news.

Ebert and Forman, who live in London, have authored a book called "Lily's Promise," with a foreword by Prince Charles.

They have even met UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street, the CBS reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

At 98, Lily Ebert is perhaps the oldest user of the video-sharing social network app, TikTok. However, unlike many influencers who post trivial videos on cars, life lessons and heartbreaks, Ebert uses the platform to describe the horrors of the Holocaust.

At 98, Lily Ebert is perhaps the oldest user of the video-sharing social network app, TikTok. However, unlike many influencers who post trivial videos on cars, life lessons and heartbreaks, Ebert uses the platform to describe the horrors of the Holocaust. And the viewers receive her videos with love and appreciation. A clip of Ebert showing her identification number tattoo got more than 20 million views. Ebert’s tattoo has the number—A-10572—on her forearm. “We were not humans. We were only a number,” she said in her video. Soon, many of her brief clips went viral. And now, she boasts of more than 1.6 million followers. Ebert was only 20 when her family was taken from their hometown in Hungary to Auschwitz-Birkenau—one of the largest Nazi death camps. Her mother, younger brother and younger sister were immediately taken to the gas chambers and killed. Ebert was sent to work in the camp where she spent four horrifying months. “People would say four months isn’t so long,” she can be heard as saying in one of her videos. “But let me tell you something. Even four minutes was too long.” Ebert wanted her story to be heard, but didn’t know how to do it. It was her 18-year-old great-grandson, Dov Forman, who came up with the idea of creating a TikTok account during the 2020 lockdowns. “I said to my great-grandmother, ‘If they can go viral for dancing, why can't we go viral for sharing these really important messages?’” Forman told CBS news. Ebert and Forman, who live in London, have authored a book called "Lily's Promise," with a foreword by Prince Charles. They have even met UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at Downing Street, the CBS reported. (With inputs from agencies)

This 98-year-old Holocaust survivor uses TikTok to tell her story—and she’s a sensation

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