A video of Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin went viral over the weekend on TikTok as it appeared in the video that Bieber was yelling at his wife during their outing in Las Vegas.&nbsp; 
 
In the clip, the married couple can be seen walking through the halls of a Vegas hotel and being escorted by the security. Bieber is seen having an animated chat with Hailey. 
 
Many felt that Bieber was yelling at his wife even though the video did not have any audio. After being viewed more than a million times on TikTok, the video has been eventually taken down. The singer's fans are now defending him and stating that it is not how it appears to be.&nbsp;

Here, take a look at the video.

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Justin and Hailey Bieber spotted out in Las Vegas (July 9) <a href="https://t.co/BAtpwhBxxZ">pic.twitter.com/BAtpwhBxxZ</a>
— Justin Bieber Crew (@JBCrewdotcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/JBCrewdotcom/status/1414160024461533185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Fans pointed out that the video is moments after Bieber performed at the launch of Kendall Jenner‘s new tequila brand 818 Tequila.&nbsp; 
 
“He was not yelling and we were there to witness what went down. He was all adrenaline. It doesn’t matter how the f**k it “appears” to you. Dont spread false information on someone especially when you acknowledge that’s just what it appears to you. That’s defamation of character,” a fan wrote on Twitter.&nbsp; 
 
The fan also shared a video of Bieber's performance to prove his point. "He wasn’t mad at Hailey and he wasn’t yelling at her. I hate how he’s always painted as the bad guy when he’s the furthest thing from it.” 
 
Another Twitter user said, “my friends and I were with/behind him the whole night, he was in the best mood and was telling her a story but ofc internet lames love their lil scenarios &lt;3."

A video of Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin went viral over the weekend on TikTok as it appeared in the video that Bieber was yelling at his wife during their outing in Las Vegas.

A video of Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin went viral over the weekend on TikTok as it appeared in the video that Bieber was yelling at his wife during their outing in Las Vegas. In the clip, the married couple can be seen walking through the halls of a Vegas hotel and being escorted by the security. Bieber is seen having an animated chat with Hailey. Many felt that Bieber was yelling at his wife even though the video did not have any audio. After being viewed more than a million times on TikTok, the video has been eventually taken down. The singer's fans are now defending him and stating that it is not how it appears to be. Here, take a look at the video. Justin and Hailey Bieber spotted out in Las Vegas (July 9) pic.twitter.com/BAtpwhBxxZ — Justin Bieber Crew (@JBCrewdotcom) July 11, 2021 × Fans pointed out that the video is moments after Bieber performed at the launch of Kendall Jenner‘s new tequila brand 818 Tequila. “He was not yelling and we were there to witness what went down. He was all adrenaline. It doesn’t matter how the f**k it “appears” to you. Dont spread false information on someone especially when you acknowledge that’s just what it appears to you. That’s defamation of character,” a fan wrote on Twitter. The fan also shared a video of Bieber's performance to prove his point. "He wasn’t mad at Hailey and he wasn’t yelling at her. I hate how he’s always painted as the bad guy when he’s the furthest thing from it.” Another Twitter user said, “my friends and I were with/behind him the whole night, he was in the best mood and was telling her a story but ofc internet lames love their lil scenarios <3."

Did Justin Bieber yell at his wife Hailey Baldwin? The jury is out on this one

TikTok was running again in Pakistan Saturday after a provincial court lifted suspension of the popular social media service but ordered it to address complaints that it hosted objectionable content.

The Pakistan Telecoms Authority (PTA) blocked access Thursday for a third time after a ruling by a Sindh court hearing a private citizen's petition against the Chinese-owned app.

Freedom of speech advocates have long criticised creeping government censorship and control of Pakistan's internet and media.

TikTok's suspension was slammed by the video sharing platform's huge fan base in Pakistan, many of whom use it to market and sell goods online.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-drops-sanctions-on-three-iranians-says-move-unrelated-to-nuclear-talks-395452">Also Read |&nbsp;US drops sanctions on three Iranians, says move unrelated to nuclear talks</a>

But its critics in the deeply conservative Muslim nation say it promotes vulgarity and LBGQT content.

TikTok has been shut down twice before in Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" videos -- most recently in March, after which the platform pledged better moderation.

It said Wednesday it had removed more than six million videos from its Pakistan service in the past three months alone -- around 15 percent featuring "adult nudity and sexual activities".

A PTA official told AFP the court had Friday revoked its earlier order banning the app, and users confirmed it was running again.

Still, even senior Pakistan officials appeared confused by the to- and fro-ing.

"I am baffled after reading... verdict on suspension of TikTok," Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

TikTok was running again in Pakistan Saturday after a provincial court lifted suspension of the popular social media service but ordered it to address complaints that it hosted objectionable content.

TikTok was running again in Pakistan Saturday after a provincial court lifted suspension of the popular social media service but ordered it to address complaints that it hosted objectionable content. The Pakistan Telecoms Authority (PTA) blocked access Thursday for a third time after a ruling by a Sindh court hearing a private citizen's petition against the Chinese-owned app. Freedom of speech advocates have long criticised creeping government censorship and control of Pakistan's internet and media. TikTok's suspension was slammed by the video sharing platform's huge fan base in Pakistan, many of whom use it to market and sell goods online. Also Read | US drops sanctions on three Iranians, says move unrelated to nuclear talks But its critics in the deeply conservative Muslim nation say it promotes vulgarity and LBGQT content. TikTok has been shut down twice before in Pakistan because of alleged "indecent" videos -- most recently in March, after which the platform pledged better moderation. It said Wednesday it had removed more than six million videos from its Pakistan service in the past three months alone -- around 15 percent featuring "adult nudity and sexual activities". A PTA official told AFP the court had Friday revoked its earlier order banning the app, and users confirmed it was running again. Still, even senior Pakistan officials appeared confused by the to- and fro-ing. "I am baffled after reading... verdict on suspension of TikTok," Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.

TikTok back in Pakistan after court revokes ban

Led by World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF), social media giants <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/google">Google</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/twitter">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tiktok">TikTok</a> have taken a pledge to tackle gender-based online violence. &nbsp;

This announcement was made&nbsp;during the Paris summit of the UN Women’s forum on gender equality.&nbsp;

According to a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit about one-third of the women have faced abuse online. The frequency of abuse faced by younger women rises further to about half or 50 per cent.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/58-girls-young-women-face-online-harassment-abuse-says-global-survey-333020">58% girls, young women face online harassment, abuse, says global survey</a>&nbsp;

The&nbsp;four media giants have pledged to tackle&nbsp;abuse by focusing on two areas.&nbsp;First in&nbsp;curation, or a woman’s lack of control over who can reply to, comment on, or engage with their posts. For this companies have broached the idea of providing wider privacy settings, like giving users the ability to block someone from replying to their post, without blocking their profile, or limiting the other person’s access to their posts.&nbsp;

The second area of concern deals with reporting or flagging abuse. Here these companies have committed to giving users access to not merely flag content but also the ability to track and manage reports of their raised concerns. Another proposal is the ability to flag content based on the context and/or language used, which may change how content is perceived.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/towards-a-gender-equal-world-a-mission-for-all-345415">Towards a gender-equal world: A mission for all</a>

To simplify the user experience, these companies have also committed to the use of simple and accessible language, aligning with additional guidance for users looking to report abuse, so that any case doesn’t go unheard due to its inability to tick a few boxes of the networks’ internal systems. &nbsp;

Azmina Dhrodia, senior policy manager at WWWF said&nbsp;that the social giants have the power to curb the threats and abuse women have been facing for far too long.&nbsp;

Calling it a huge threat to “progress made on gender equality”, Dhrodia says that now these tech companies have a chance to work together and improve the online experience of hundreds and millions of girls and women online.&nbsp;

Led by World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF), social media giants Google, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok have taken a pledge to tackle gender-based online violence. This announcement was made during the Paris summit of the UN Women’s forum on gender equality.

Led by World Wide Web Foundation (WWWF), social media giants Google, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok have taken a pledge to tackle gender-based online violence. This announcement was made during the Paris summit of the UN Women’s forum on gender equality. According to a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit about one-third of the women have faced abuse online. The frequency of abuse faced by younger women rises further to about half or 50 per cent. Also read | 58% girls, young women face online harassment, abuse, says global survey The four media giants have pledged to tackle abuse by focusing on two areas. First in curation, or a woman’s lack of control over who can reply to, comment on, or engage with their posts. For this companies have broached the idea of providing wider privacy settings, like giving users the ability to block someone from replying to their post, without blocking their profile, or limiting the other person’s access to their posts. The second area of concern deals with reporting or flagging abuse. Here these companies have committed to giving users access to not merely flag content but also the ability to track and manage reports of their raised concerns. Another proposal is the ability to flag content based on the context and/or language used, which may change how content is perceived. Also read | Towards a gender-equal world: A mission for all To simplify the user experience, these companies have also committed to the use of simple and accessible language, aligning with additional guidance for users looking to report abuse, so that any case doesn’t go unheard due to its inability to tick a few boxes of the networks’ internal systems. Azmina Dhrodia, senior policy manager at WWWF said that the social giants have the power to curb the threats and abuse women have been facing for far too long. Calling it a huge threat to “progress made on gender equality”, Dhrodia says that now these tech companies have a chance to work together and improve the online experience of hundreds and millions of girls and women online.

Facebook, Google, TikTok & Twitter vow to stop online gender abuse

Pakistan has banned TikTok for the third time in 9 months. The authorities say the app is spreading 'immorality' & 'vulgarity'. But, the real motive behind Pakistan's decision may be different. Watch this report by Palki Sharma to find out.

Gravitas: Pakistan bans TikTok for 3rd time in 9 months

Pakistan's Sindh High Court has ordered TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, to be banned once more in Pakistan. This is the third time the app has been blocked in the Islamic Republic due to "obscene and immoral content."&nbsp;

Earlier on April 1 this year, Pakistan had lifted the second ban imposed on TikTok.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was ordered by the court to ban the app until the next hearing on July 8. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-lifts-tiktok-ban-for-second-time-374746">Also read: Pakistan lifts TikTok ban for second time</a> 
 
The court issued the ruling in response to a citizen's petition alleging that TikTok was spreading "immorality and obscenity throughout the country."&nbsp;

Ali Zeb, a resident of Pakpattan in Punjab province, alleged that TikTok was promoting crime, with people using drugs and weapons and uploading videos, while the use of TikTok in educational institutions was leading to a bad environment for the students.

The petitioner said individuals are likewise making recordings of endeavors like an attempt of suicide to get views on TikTok, while the content on it was against the Islamic laws of Pakistan.

The history of TikTok bans in Pakistan

TikTok was first blocked in Pakistan on October 9, 2020 over its “obscene and immoral” content. The ban was, however, reversed after 10 days.

Second time, on March 11, 2021, a court had ordered the app be blocked in the country based on a petition alleging it had obscene content.&nbsp;

"Immoral" content," according to the Pakistan government's definition, includes nudity, blasphemy and obscenities.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan's Sindh High Court has ordered TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, to be banned once more in Pakistan. This is the third time the app has been blocked in the Islamic Republic due to "obscene and immoral content.

Pakistan's Sindh High Court has ordered TikTok, a popular video-sharing app, to be banned once more in Pakistan. This is the third time the app has been blocked in the Islamic Republic due to "obscene and immoral content." Earlier on April 1 this year, Pakistan had lifted the second ban imposed on TikTok. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was ordered by the court to ban the app until the next hearing on July 8. Also read: Pakistan lifts TikTok ban for second time The court issued the ruling in response to a citizen's petition alleging that TikTok was spreading "immorality and obscenity throughout the country." Ali Zeb, a resident of Pakpattan in Punjab province, alleged that TikTok was promoting crime, with people using drugs and weapons and uploading videos, while the use of TikTok in educational institutions was leading to a bad environment for the students. The petitioner said individuals are likewise making recordings of endeavors like an attempt of suicide to get views on TikTok, while the content on it was against the Islamic laws of Pakistan. The history of TikTok bans in Pakistan TikTok was first blocked in Pakistan on October 9, 2020 over its “obscene and immoral” content. The ban was, however, reversed after 10 days. Second time, on March 11, 2021, a court had ordered the app be blocked in the country based on a petition alleging it had obscene content. "Immoral" content," according to the Pakistan government's definition, includes nudity, blasphemy and obscenities. (With inputs from agencies)

'Spreading immorality': TikTok blocked in Pakistan for the third time

At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday.

The gang's alleged ringleader Rafizul Islam Ridoy -- nicknamed "TikTok Ridoy" -- would "lure young girls from TikTok and other social media groups, promising to make them TikTok models", Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary unit said.

But the victims were instead smuggled into southern India and forced into sex work, according to a RAB statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-a-malaysian-teenagers-fight-against-rape-culture-in-schools-caused-national-backlash-385638">How a Malaysian teenager's fight against rape culture in schools caused national backlash</a>

The arrests came after video footage of an alleged sexual assault of a Bangladeshi woman went viral on social media in late May, prompting an investigation into the gang, the RAB said.

The suspects were all detained over the last week.

The latest arrests came on Monday when two men were held in a southwestern border district in Bangladesh for allegedly trafficking girls and women aged between 17 to 22, Dhaka police's deputy commissioner Mohammad Shahidullah said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/uk-woman-accuses-spy-of-rape-by-tricking-her-into-relationship-384233" hreflang="en">UK: Woman accuses spy of rape by tricking her into relationship</a>

"One of them has told us that he has sent 1,000 people to India," Shahidullah told AFP.

A total of nine people were arrested in Bangladesh and two others in India's tech hub Bangalore for allegedly being part of the trafficking gang, police added.

Bangalore city police commissioner Kamal Pant told AFP Tuesday that four other people were also arrested and accused of rape or abetting the alleged sexual assault shown in the video.

An additional person arrested late Tuesday had yet to be questioned, he added.

All were Bangladesh nationals, police in both countries said.

Ridoy was one of those in the custody of Bangalore authorities, Dhaka police added.

Shahidullah said that since 2019 when TikTok became popular in Bangladesh, such gangs had sprung up to draw in teenagers from low-income families.

They would be invited to pool parties, star in TikTok videos and "sold dreams of well-paid salaries in call centres, sales and service centres", he added.

At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday.

At least 11 people have been arrested for being suspected members of a Bangladesh trafficking gang that lured girls and women into India's sex trade using the social media platform TikTok, Dhaka police said Tuesday. The gang's alleged ringleader Rafizul Islam Ridoy -- nicknamed "TikTok Ridoy" -- would "lure young girls from TikTok and other social media groups, promising to make them TikTok models", Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) paramilitary unit said. But the victims were instead smuggled into southern India and forced into sex work, according to a RAB statement. Also read | How a Malaysian teenager's fight against rape culture in schools caused national backlash The arrests came after video footage of an alleged sexual assault of a Bangladeshi woman went viral on social media in late May, prompting an investigation into the gang, the RAB said. The suspects were all detained over the last week. The latest arrests came on Monday when two men were held in a southwestern border district in Bangladesh for allegedly trafficking girls and women aged between 17 to 22, Dhaka police's deputy commissioner Mohammad Shahidullah said. Also read | UK: Woman accuses spy of rape by tricking her into relationship "One of them has told us that he has sent 1,000 people to India," Shahidullah told AFP. A total of nine people were arrested in Bangladesh and two others in India's tech hub Bangalore for allegedly being part of the trafficking gang, police added. Bangalore city police commissioner Kamal Pant told AFP Tuesday that four other people were also arrested and accused of rape or abetting the alleged sexual assault shown in the video. An additional person arrested late Tuesday had yet to be questioned, he added. All were Bangladesh nationals, police in both countries said. Ridoy was one of those in the custody of Bangalore authorities, Dhaka police added. Shahidullah said that since 2019 when TikTok became popular in Bangladesh, such gangs had sprung up to draw in teenagers from low-income families. They would be invited to pool parties, star in TikTok videos and "sold dreams of well-paid salaries in call centres, sales and service centres", he added.

Bangladesh trafficking gang lured girls using TikTok: Police

A 25-year-old man drowned in Pakistan`s Jhelum River on Sunday while making a TikTok video, Dawn reported. The deceased, identified as Sheikh Ali, drowned when he jumped into the Jhelum River along with his friend, while another friend of theirs was recording the video.

Ali`s friend knew how to swim and was able to make his way out of the river.

Divers of Rescue 1122 and Assistant Commissioner (PD Khan) Mian Murad Nekokara reached the spot and started an operation to retrieve the body of the man. On May 20, a 19-year-old popular Pakistani TikToker was killed as his pistol went off accidentally while filming a video in Kabal tehsil on Wednesday. Kabal police confirmed that the incident occurred during the filming of a TikTok video, reported Dawn.

"According to our initial report, TikTok star Hamidullah, a resident of Maaband Shah Dherai, was filming a video showing a suicide scene for sharing with his followers on his account when the pistol went off," said DSP Kabal Hazrat Badshah.

According to eyewitness and friends of the deceased, "he planned to film a suicide video and arranged a pistol." One of the eyewitnesses confirmed that when he put the pistol on his temple it went off accidentally. His friends said Hamid had also prepared tragic background music for the video.

A 25-year-old man drowned in Pakistan`s Jhelum River on Sunday while making a TikTok video, Dawn reported. The deceased, identified as Sheikh Ali, drowned when he jumped into the Jhelum River along with his friend, while another friend of theirs was recording the video.

A 25-year-old man drowned in Pakistan`s Jhelum River on Sunday while making a TikTok video, Dawn reported. The deceased, identified as Sheikh Ali, drowned when he jumped into the Jhelum River along with his friend, while another friend of theirs was recording the video. Ali`s friend knew how to swim and was able to make his way out of the river. Divers of Rescue 1122 and Assistant Commissioner (PD Khan) Mian Murad Nekokara reached the spot and started an operation to retrieve the body of the man. On May 20, a 19-year-old popular Pakistani TikToker was killed as his pistol went off accidentally while filming a video in Kabal tehsil on Wednesday. Kabal police confirmed that the incident occurred during the filming of a TikTok video, reported Dawn. "According to our initial report, TikTok star Hamidullah, a resident of Maaband Shah Dherai, was filming a video showing a suicide scene for sharing with his followers on his account when the pistol went off," said DSP Kabal Hazrat Badshah. According to eyewitness and friends of the deceased, "he planned to film a suicide video and arranged a pistol." One of the eyewitnesses confirmed that when he put the pistol on his temple it went off accidentally. His friends said Hamid had also prepared tragic background music for the video.

Pakistan: 25-year-old man drowns in Jhelum river while making TikTok video

Tiktok is one of the world’s most popular apps especially among youngsters and has around 100 million users in Europe alone

TikTok faces UK lawsuit over alleged kids' data breach

A day&nbsp;after Lizzo drunk DM-ed actor Chris Evans, the 'Captain America' star responded with a perfect reply.&nbsp; 
 
The 32 year old singer had posted a TikTok video that included a screenshot of the DM, which consisted solely of a string of emojis: the dash emoji, the woman-playing-handball emoji, and the basketball emoji. &nbsp;She sent it at 5:22 pm. 
 
A day later,&nbsp; Lizzo followed it up with another TikTok video showing her fans that the 39-year-old 'Knives Out' star had replied to her text with a cheeky reply.&nbsp;

"No shame in a drunk DM (face-throwing-a-kiss emoji) god knows I've done worse on this app lol (facepalm emoj)," he sent Lizzo.&nbsp; 
 
In the new video, Lizzo could be seen with her hand on her forehead as she slid her face down to unveil Chris' message and show that he currently follows her on Instagram.&nbsp; 
 
The actor's message was a direct reference to his infamous <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/chris-evans-accidentally-posts-nude-photo-on-his-instagram-netizens-respond-327155">NSFW social media guffaw </a>from September 2020.&nbsp; 
 
The singer's post did not mention if Chris had mentioned anything else in the post.&nbsp; 
 
“The reason I’m upset about this one is because I know I’m not gonna be able to marry him, and honestly, it hurts me to the core,” Lizzo had mouthed in the first video, lip-synching to audio by TikTok star Tatayanna Mitchell. “Because damn papa, he a rare breed, no comparing. Like, Chris—” 
 
The singer has in the past made it clear that she is a fan of Chris Evans and even proposed to the actor in June 2019. Evans returned the love last January when he and some famous friends performed her 2017 sleeper hit 'Truth Hurts' as spoken word for W. 
&nbsp;

A day after Lizzo drunk DM-ed actor Chris Evans, the 'Captain America' star responded with a perfect reply. The 32 year old singer had posted a TikTok video that included a screenshot of the DM, which consisted solely of a string of emojis: the dash emoji, the woman-playing-handball emoji, and the basketball emoji.

A day after Lizzo drunk DM-ed actor Chris Evans, the 'Captain America' star responded with a perfect reply. The 32 year old singer had posted a TikTok video that included a screenshot of the DM, which consisted solely of a string of emojis: the dash emoji, the woman-playing-handball emoji, and the basketball emoji. She sent it at 5:22 pm. A day later, Lizzo followed it up with another TikTok video showing her fans that the 39-year-old 'Knives Out' star had replied to her text with a cheeky reply. "No shame in a drunk DM (face-throwing-a-kiss emoji) god knows I've done worse on this app lol (facepalm emoj)," he sent Lizzo. In the new video, Lizzo could be seen with her hand on her forehead as she slid her face down to unveil Chris' message and show that he currently follows her on Instagram. The actor's message was a direct reference to his infamous NSFW social media guffaw from September 2020. The singer's post did not mention if Chris had mentioned anything else in the post. “The reason I’m upset about this one is because I know I’m not gonna be able to marry him, and honestly, it hurts me to the core,” Lizzo had mouthed in the first video, lip-synching to audio by TikTok star Tatayanna Mitchell. “Because damn papa, he a rare breed, no comparing. Like, Chris—” The singer has in the past made it clear that she is a fan of Chris Evans and even proposed to the actor in June 2019. Evans returned the love last January when he and some famous friends performed her 2017 sleeper hit 'Truth Hurts' as spoken word for W.

Chris Evans responds to Lizzo's drunk DM, gives reference to his old NSFW post from September 2020

Social media may have become a compulsive, annoying and an omnipresent thing but it surely has its uses. There have been times when social media and tech in general have actually saved lives. Be it due to networking or due to a more direct intervention.

One such incident has helped&nbsp;underline the far-reaching effect of social media that can come handy in critical situations.

Twelve-year-old Trent Jarett was live-streaming on TikTok&nbsp;as he rode a quad bike.

You know what quad bike is right?

<img alt="Quad bike" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="17a319e7-5726-44c3-b0da-1d490db2ff7d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_8QC3QN.jpg" />

Quad bike is an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) that is used for adventure sports. Quad bike's durability makes it ideal for a ride on any terrain.

But at the same time, the person riding the quad bike needs absolute control of the vehicle that jumps and lands quite violently. It's because of this that quad bike may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Now 12-year-old Jarrett was live-streaming himself as he rode the bike. And right in the middle of the stream, Trent crashed it. He was pinned under the bike and was unable to move

About 800-miles away, 13-year-old Caden Cotnoir was stunned to see what was happening on his screen. The sudden crash took him by surprise.

While under the vehicle, Trent managed to shout a phone number. It was this when Caden decided he needed to do something to save Trent who was clearly in pain and unable to move.

Caden called on the number and was able to tell Trent's family what was happening. Things moved quickly and Trent's family was able to rescue him from under the quad bike.

Fortunately, all Trent suffered were minor cuts and bruises.

Caden's quick action is being praised all over. His step-father is a police chief. He termed the entire incident an "Easter miracle," according to a report in&nbsp; The Guardian.

Social media may have become a compulsive, annoying and an omnipresent thing but it surely has its uses. There have been times when social media and tech in general have actually saved lives.

Social media may have become a compulsive, annoying and an omnipresent thing but it surely has its uses. There have been times when social media and tech in general have actually saved lives. Be it due to networking or due to a more direct intervention. One such incident has helped underline the far-reaching effect of social media that can come handy in critical situations. Twelve-year-old Trent Jarett was live-streaming on TikTok as he rode a quad bike. You know what quad bike is right? Quad bike is an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) that is used for adventure sports. Quad bike's durability makes it ideal for a ride on any terrain. But at the same time, the person riding the quad bike needs absolute control of the vehicle that jumps and lands quite violently. It's because of this that quad bike may not be everyone's cup of tea. Now 12-year-old Jarrett was live-streaming himself as he rode the bike. And right in the middle of the stream, Trent crashed it. He was pinned under the bike and was unable to move About 800-miles away, 13-year-old Caden Cotnoir was stunned to see what was happening on his screen. The sudden crash took him by surprise. While under the vehicle, Trent managed to shout a phone number. It was this when Caden decided he needed to do something to save Trent who was clearly in pain and unable to move. Caden called on the number and was able to tell Trent's family what was happening. Things moved quickly and Trent's family was able to rescue him from under the quad bike. Fortunately, all Trent suffered were minor cuts and bruises. Caden's quick action is being praised all over. His step-father is a police chief. He termed the entire incident an "Easter miracle," according to a report in The Guardian.

Boy crashes bike during TikTok livestream, viewer saves his life

A Moscow court on Tuesday fined TikTok more than $30,000 for failing to delete posts calling for minors to join unsanctioned protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

The court said on its Telegram channel that the video-sharing platform had been found guilty of failing to remove information that violates Russian law and sentenced to an administrative fine of $34,000 (2.6 million rubles/28,000 euros).

The ruling comes as Russia ramps up pressure on foreign&nbsp;tech&nbsp;platforms, with a Moscow court also hitting Twitter on Friday with three fines totalling 8.9 million rubles ($116,700/99,000 euros) for the same violation as TikTok.

In January, authorities accused foreign social media platforms including TikTok and Twitter of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs by not deleting calls to rallies in support of Navalny late that month and early February.

Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor said last month it would draw up protocols demanding the foreign social media platforms be fined for failing to delete the calls after it had warned them to do so.

Roskomnadzor described the calls to protests as "inciting teenagers" to take part in "illegal activities", or "unauthorised mass events".&nbsp;

Last month the media watchdog also began throttling the speeds of Twitter's services, accusing it of failing to remove content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide.

On Monday, it gave the US&nbsp;tech&nbsp;giant an ultimatum of deleting the posts by mid-May or face a complete blockage in the country.&nbsp;

Moscow regularly fines foreign internet companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google for failing to comply with its legislation.

TikTok came into the view of the authorities more recently after videos on the platform in January calling for Russians to join rallies in support of Navalny garnered hundreds of thousands of views.&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin that month complained about the growing influence of large technology companies that he said are competing with states.&nbsp;

A Moscow court on Tuesday fined TikTok more than $30,000 for failing to delete posts calling for minors to join unsanctioned protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

A Moscow court on Tuesday fined TikTok more than $30,000 for failing to delete posts calling for minors to join unsanctioned protests in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. The court said on its Telegram channel that the video-sharing platform had been found guilty of failing to remove information that violates Russian law and sentenced to an administrative fine of $34,000 (2.6 million rubles/28,000 euros). The ruling comes as Russia ramps up pressure on foreign tech platforms, with a Moscow court also hitting Twitter on Friday with three fines totalling 8.9 million rubles ($116,700/99,000 euros) for the same violation as TikTok. In January, authorities accused foreign social media platforms including TikTok and Twitter of interfering in Russia's domestic affairs by not deleting calls to rallies in support of Navalny late that month and early February. Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor said last month it would draw up protocols demanding the foreign social media platforms be fined for failing to delete the calls after it had warned them to do so. Roskomnadzor described the calls to protests as "inciting teenagers" to take part in "illegal activities", or "unauthorised mass events". Last month the media watchdog also began throttling the speeds of Twitter's services, accusing it of failing to remove content related to child pornography, drug use and calls for minors to commit suicide. On Monday, it gave the US tech giant an ultimatum of deleting the posts by mid-May or face a complete blockage in the country. Moscow regularly fines foreign internet companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Google for failing to comply with its legislation. TikTok came into the view of the authorities more recently after videos on the platform in January calling for Russians to join rallies in support of Navalny garnered hundreds of thousands of views. President Vladimir Putin that month complained about the growing influence of large technology companies that he said are competing with states.

Russia fines TikTok over calls for minors to join protests

Pakistan government has lifted a second ban imposed on Chinese video-sharing mobile app TikTok over “immoral and unethical” content. This comes after the popular video-sharing app again offered to moderate uploads.

Pakistan lifts ban on TikTok for second time

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets.

As per The Verge, Instagram has now launched a video feature called Reels Remix. The feature is similar in nature to the popular TikTok feature called Duet.

This new feature would let users upload a video next to another user's video. The feature was introduced by TikTok and is quite famous among creators who share dance and music videos.

To remix a reel, tap the three-dot menu on a reel and select "Remix this Reel." From there, you can record your reel or upload pre-recorded footage.

There is also a volume control option available in the new feature. You can also control the volume for the original audio or your recorded audio, and add a voiceover, along with other editing functions.

Only new reels will have remixes enabled automatically, but if you already have a reel that you want people to be able to remix, you can manually turn that on by tapping that three-dot menu on your own video and selecting "Enable Remixing." If you want to turn off remixing on all your reels, you can do so via your broader profile settings.

Instagram launched Reels in India in July 2020. The Facebook-owned application came up with a short video feature after TikTok, which was hugely popular in India, was banned by the government.

The photo-sharing platform introduced Reels with a similar format but did not launch a standalone app for it. The feature is available within the app. Instagram has added a Reels button to the home screen and even ensured the videos made the cut for its global Lite app.

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets.

Photo-sharing application Instagram has launched another feature inspired by TikTok. Instagram Reels already mimics TikTok in several ways, and now, it's getting one more feature from the popular video app: duets. As per The Verge, Instagram has now launched a video feature called Reels Remix. The feature is similar in nature to the popular TikTok feature called Duet. This new feature would let users upload a video next to another user's video. The feature was introduced by TikTok and is quite famous among creators who share dance and music videos. To remix a reel, tap the three-dot menu on a reel and select "Remix this Reel." From there, you can record your reel or upload pre-recorded footage. There is also a volume control option available in the new feature. You can also control the volume for the original audio or your recorded audio, and add a voiceover, along with other editing functions. Only new reels will have remixes enabled automatically, but if you already have a reel that you want people to be able to remix, you can manually turn that on by tapping that three-dot menu on your own video and selecting "Enable Remixing." If you want to turn off remixing on all your reels, you can do so via your broader profile settings. Instagram launched Reels in India in July 2020. The Facebook-owned application came up with a short video feature after TikTok, which was hugely popular in India, was banned by the government. The photo-sharing platform introduced Reels with a similar format but did not launch a standalone app for it. The feature is available within the app. Instagram has added a Reels button to the home screen and even ensured the videos made the cut for its global Lite app.

Instagram launches TikTok Duet style feature called Reels Remix

Pakistan on Thursday lifted a second ban imposed on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tiktok">TikTok</a> over "immoral and unethical" content after the video sharing app again offered to moderate uploads.

A court in the northwestern city of Peshawar last month ordered the communications regulator to block the app over videos that it deemed contrary to the deeply conservative country's moral values.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/lahore-550-doses-of-coronavirus-vaccine-go-missing-350-go-to-waste-374689" hreflang="en">Lahore: 550 doses of coronavirus vaccine go missing; 350 go to waste</a>

"The app has assured us it will filter and moderate content," Jahanzeb Mehsud, a lawyer for Pakistan Telecommunications Agency, told AFP.

The Chinese-owned platform -- wildly popular among Pakistani youth, particularly in rural areas — had also agreed to moderate content after the first brief ban in October.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/totally-unacceptable-fifa-warns-pakistan-of-suspension-after-illegitimate-take-over-374410" hreflang="en">'Totally unacceptable': FIFA warns Pakistan of suspension after 'illegitimate' take over</a>

One of Prime Minister Imran Khan's advisers has previously blamed it for promoting the "exploitation, objectification and sexualisation" of young girls.

TikTok welcomed the removal of the ban.

Freedom of speech advocates have long criticised the creeping government censorship and control of Pakistan's internet and printed and electronic media.

Last year Pakistani regulators had asked YouTube to immediately block all videos they consider "objectionable" from being accessed in the country, a demand criticised by rights campaigners.

Pakistan on Thursday lifted a second ban imposed on TikTok over "immoral and unethical" content after the video sharing app again offered to moderate uploads. A court in the northwestern city of Peshawar last month ordered the communications regulator to block the app over videos that it deemed contrary to the deeply conservative country's moral values.

Pakistan on Thursday lifted a second ban imposed on TikTok over "immoral and unethical" content after the video sharing app again offered to moderate uploads. A court in the northwestern city of Peshawar last month ordered the communications regulator to block the app over videos that it deemed contrary to the deeply conservative country's moral values. Also read | Lahore: 550 doses of coronavirus vaccine go missing; 350 go to waste "The app has assured us it will filter and moderate content," Jahanzeb Mehsud, a lawyer for Pakistan Telecommunications Agency, told AFP. The Chinese-owned platform -- wildly popular among Pakistani youth, particularly in rural areas — had also agreed to moderate content after the first brief ban in October. Also read | 'Totally unacceptable': FIFA warns Pakistan of suspension after 'illegitimate' take over One of Prime Minister Imran Khan's advisers has previously blamed it for promoting the "exploitation, objectification and sexualisation" of young girls. TikTok welcomed the removal of the ban. Freedom of speech advocates have long criticised the creeping government censorship and control of Pakistan's internet and printed and electronic media. Last year Pakistani regulators had asked YouTube to immediately block all videos they consider "objectionable" from being accessed in the country, a demand criticised by rights campaigners.

Pakistan lifts TikTok ban for second time

A Pakistan court on Thursday ordered Pakistan Telecom Authority to ban TikTok for "spreading obscenity". &nbsp;

"The court has asked PTA to block access to TikTok," Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) spokesman Khurram Mehran told news agency Reuters.

He added that the telecom authority would comply with the order given by Peshawar High Court.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan said that videos that are being uploaded on TikTok are "unacceptable for Pakistani society".

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktok-and-chinese-version-douyin-grab-number-one-spot-in-downloads-in-february-369140">TikTok and Chinese version Douyin grab number one spot in downloads in February</a>

"TikTok is affecting most of the youth. Reports being received about the platform in Peshawar are sad," the chief justice said.&nbsp;

He underscored that the videos were "spreading obscenity" and so the platform must be immediately shut down.&nbsp;

TikTok, owned by a Chinese firm, was banned in Pakistan in October over "unethical content," but the ban was later lifted over conditions and warnings that it will adhere to the laws of the country.&nbsp;

The short-video making platform has faced a lot of heat from countries like India and the US.&nbsp;

It has been banned in India since June 29 and for engaging "in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order."

A Pakistan court on Thursday ordered Pakistan Telecom Authority to ban TikTok for "spreading obscenity". "The court has asked PTA to block access to TikTok," Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) spokesman Khurram Mehran told news agency Reuters.

A Pakistan court on Thursday ordered Pakistan Telecom Authority to ban TikTok for "spreading obscenity". "The court has asked PTA to block access to TikTok," Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) spokesman Khurram Mehran told news agency Reuters. He added that the telecom authority would comply with the order given by Peshawar High Court. During the hearing, Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan said that videos that are being uploaded on TikTok are "unacceptable for Pakistani society". Also read | TikTok and Chinese version Douyin grab number one spot in downloads in February "TikTok is affecting most of the youth. Reports being received about the platform in Peshawar are sad," the chief justice said. He underscored that the videos were "spreading obscenity" and so the platform must be immediately shut down. TikTok, owned by a Chinese firm, was banned in Pakistan in October over "unethical content," but the ban was later lifted over conditions and warnings that it will adhere to the laws of the country. The short-video making platform has faced a lot of heat from countries like India and the US. It has been banned in India since June 29 and for engaging "in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order."

Pakistan court orders ban on TikTok over 'obscene' content

Short&nbsp;video sharing app&nbsp;TikTok and its Chinese version&nbsp;its competitor&nbsp;Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February.&nbsp;

The apps also&nbsp;remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower.

Approximately 79 per cent of TikTok’s revenue was from Douyin in China, followed by 8 per cent from the United States and 3 per cent from Turkey.&nbsp;

YouTube&nbsp;was the second highest-earning non-gaming app worldwide for February 2021 with more than $82 million in gross revenue, which represented 23 percent year-over-year growth from February 2020

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok is famed for trendy and typically urban influencers.

Rapidly growing ByteDance, the owner of TikTok and the similar Chinese short video platform&nbsp;Douyin, has made sizeable inroads into business areas Tencent holds dear - including ads, gaming, live streaming, social media and office software.

In 2018, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming traded barbs with Tencent founder Pony Ma, accusing Tencent of blocking and copying&nbsp;Douyin, and the feud has since escalated into a volley of lawsuits.

That includes a suit from&nbsp;Douyin&nbsp;last week accusing Tencent of monopolistic behaviour. Tencent said the claims were false, accused&nbsp;Douyin&nbsp;of illegally gaining user information and vowed to file more suits against ByteDance.

Its Beijing-based rival ByteDance spent most of last year battling a potential US ban on TikTok after then-president Donald Trump raised national security concerns about the app.

Short video sharing app TikTok and its Chinese version its competitor Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February. The apps also remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower.

Short video sharing app TikTok and its Chinese version its competitor Douyin have become the world's most downloaded non-gaming apps in February. The apps also remained top-grossing apps for the eleventh consecutive month, according to mobile app data analysis firm Sensor Tower. Approximately 79 per cent of TikTok’s revenue was from Douyin in China, followed by 8 per cent from the United States and 3 per cent from Turkey. YouTube was the second highest-earning non-gaming app worldwide for February 2021 with more than $82 million in gross revenue, which represented 23 percent year-over-year growth from February 2020 Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok is famed for trendy and typically urban influencers. Rapidly growing ByteDance, the owner of TikTok and the similar Chinese short video platform Douyin, has made sizeable inroads into business areas Tencent holds dear - including ads, gaming, live streaming, social media and office software. In 2018, ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming traded barbs with Tencent founder Pony Ma, accusing Tencent of blocking and copying Douyin, and the feud has since escalated into a volley of lawsuits. That includes a suit from Douyin last week accusing Tencent of monopolistic behaviour. Tencent said the claims were false, accused Douyin of illegally gaining user information and vowed to file more suits against ByteDance. Its Beijing-based rival ByteDance spent most of last year battling a potential US ban on TikTok after then-president Donald Trump raised national security concerns about the app.

TikTok and Chinese version Douyin grab number one spot in downloads in February

A cleaner in France has now turned into a star on social media due to his posting of messages pertaining to the environment.

France: Street sweeper becomes TikTok celebrity

Armed Myanmar soldiers and police are using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters against last month's coup, researchers said, prompting the Chinese video-sharing app to announce it was removing content that incites violence.

Digital rights group Myanmar ICT for Development (MIDO) said it had found over 800 pro-military videos that menaced protesters at a time of increasing bloodshed - with 38 protesters killed on Wednesday alone according to the United Nations.

"It's just the tip of the iceberg," said MIDO executive director Htaike Htaike Aung, who noted that there's "hundreds" of videos of uniformed soldiers and police on the app.

A spokesman for the army and junta did not respond to a request for comment.

One video from late February reviewed by Reuters shows a man in army fatigues aiming an assault rifle at the camera and addressing protesters: "I will shoot in your fucking faces... and I'm using real bullets."

"I am going to patrol the whole city tonight and I will shoot whoever I see... If you want to become a martyr, I will fulfil your wish."

Reuters was unable to contact him or the other uniformed men who appear in the TikTok videos or to verify that they are in the armed forces.

TikTok is the latest social media platform to suffer a proliferation of menacing content or hate speech in Myanmar.

US tech giant Facebook has now banned all pages linked to Myanmar's army - and has itself been banned.

TikTok said in a statement: "We have clear Community Guidelines that state we do not allow content that incites violence or misinformation that causes harm... As it relates to Myanmar, we have been and continue to promptly remove all content that incites violence or spreads misinformation, and are aggressively monitoring to remove any such content that violates our guidelines."

TikTok's policies forbid displays of guns unless they are in "safe environments".

Reuters reviewed over a dozen videos where uniformed men, sometimes brandishing guns, threatened to harm protesters who are calling for the reversal of the coup and the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Some videos had tens of thousands of views. Those reviewed by Reuters were taken down this week. Some used hashtags relating to U.S celebrities.

Already growing fast in Myanmar, TikTok saw a strong rise in downloads after the military banned Facebook last month. It is in the top 20 most downloaded apps in Myanmar, according to industry data.

Facebook, which remains popular in Myanmar despite the ban, has toughened its scrutiny of content since being accused of helping to fan atrocities against the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017.

Researchers like Htaike say they believe the military is now attempting to grow its presence on other platforms.

Armed Myanmar soldiers and police are using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters against last month's coup, researchers said, prompting the Chinese video-sharing app to announce it was removing content that incites violence.

Armed Myanmar soldiers and police are using TikTok to deliver death threats to protesters against last month's coup, researchers said, prompting the Chinese video-sharing app to announce it was removing content that incites violence. Digital rights group Myanmar ICT for Development (MIDO) said it had found over 800 pro-military videos that menaced protesters at a time of increasing bloodshed - with 38 protesters killed on Wednesday alone according to the United Nations. "It's just the tip of the iceberg," said MIDO executive director Htaike Htaike Aung, who noted that there's "hundreds" of videos of uniformed soldiers and police on the app. A spokesman for the army and junta did not respond to a request for comment. One video from late February reviewed by Reuters shows a man in army fatigues aiming an assault rifle at the camera and addressing protesters: "I will shoot in your fucking faces... and I'm using real bullets." "I am going to patrol the whole city tonight and I will shoot whoever I see... If you want to become a martyr, I will fulfil your wish." Reuters was unable to contact him or the other uniformed men who appear in the TikTok videos or to verify that they are in the armed forces. TikTok is the latest social media platform to suffer a proliferation of menacing content or hate speech in Myanmar. US tech giant Facebook has now banned all pages linked to Myanmar's army - and has itself been banned. TikTok said in a statement: "We have clear Community Guidelines that state we do not allow content that incites violence or misinformation that causes harm... As it relates to Myanmar, we have been and continue to promptly remove all content that incites violence or spreads misinformation, and are aggressively monitoring to remove any such content that violates our guidelines." TikTok's policies forbid displays of guns unless they are in "safe environments". Reuters reviewed over a dozen videos where uniformed men, sometimes brandishing guns, threatened to harm protesters who are calling for the reversal of the coup and the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Some videos had tens of thousands of views. Those reviewed by Reuters were taken down this week. Some used hashtags relating to U.S celebrities. Already growing fast in Myanmar, TikTok saw a strong rise in downloads after the military banned Facebook last month. It is in the top 20 most downloaded apps in Myanmar, according to industry data. Facebook, which remains popular in Myanmar despite the ban, has toughened its scrutiny of content since being accused of helping to fan atrocities against the Rohingya Muslim minority in 2017. Researchers like Htaike say they believe the military is now attempting to grow its presence on other platforms.

'I will shoot whoever I see': Myanmar soldiers use TikTok to threaten protesters

Chinese video-based application TikTok continues to face global scrutiny after the United States and India cracked down on the app for its alleged links with the Chinese government, and for concerns over user data.

Now, the European Union has also issued a warning to TikTok users. On Tuesday, Europe’s consumer campaign group The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said that the app is breaching the rights of users “on a massive scale”.

In a statement, the organisation claimed that a probe ought to be launched in terms of the app’s “unfair” copyright policy and virtual coins. In addition, the BEUC took into account that the application has no protection mechanisms in place for children and teenagers who may be exposed to harmful content or harmful advertising.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/bytedance-explores-sale-of-indian-tiktok-assets-to-rival-firm-glance-363395" hreflang="en">ByteDance explores sale of Indian TikTok assets to rival firm Glance</a>

“In just a few years, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps with millions of users across Europe. But TikTok is letting its users down by breaching their rights," Monique Goyens, the BEUC’s director general, was cited as saying by Bloomberg. In addition, Goyens said that a complaint in this regard has been filed with the European Commission and national consumer-protection authorities.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/after-tiktok-biden-team-seeks-pause-in-litigation-over-wechat-ban-in-us-363085" hreflang="en">After TikTok, Biden team seeks pause in litigation over WeChat ban in US</a> 
 
EU’s data authorities are also investigating TikTok for how the app handles the personal information of children. In 2020, former US President Donald Trump had attempted to ban the application, prompting authorities to look into the safety imbued in the app.

The BEUC claims that the copyright terms of TikTok are unfair for the company has no provision to pay users for the content they upload on the app, and instead the company reserves the right to use the videos as it pleases. In addition, the BEUC raised concerns over TikTok selling coins for virtual presents.

Chinese video-based application TikTok continues to face global scrutiny after the United States and India cracked down on the app for its alleged links with the Chinese government, and for concerns over user data.

Chinese video-based application TikTok continues to face global scrutiny after the United States and India cracked down on the app for its alleged links with the Chinese government, and for concerns over user data. Now, the European Union has also issued a warning to TikTok users. On Tuesday, Europe’s consumer campaign group The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) said that the app is breaching the rights of users “on a massive scale”. In a statement, the organisation claimed that a probe ought to be launched in terms of the app’s “unfair” copyright policy and virtual coins. In addition, the BEUC took into account that the application has no protection mechanisms in place for children and teenagers who may be exposed to harmful content or harmful advertising. Also read: ByteDance explores sale of Indian TikTok assets to rival firm Glance “In just a few years, TikTok has become one of the most popular social media apps with millions of users across Europe. But TikTok is letting its users down by breaching their rights," Monique Goyens, the BEUC’s director general, was cited as saying by Bloomberg. In addition, Goyens said that a complaint in this regard has been filed with the European Commission and national consumer-protection authorities. Also read: After TikTok, Biden team seeks pause in litigation over WeChat ban in US EU’s data authorities are also investigating TikTok for how the app handles the personal information of children. In 2020, former US President Donald Trump had attempted to ban the application, prompting authorities to look into the safety imbued in the app. The BEUC claims that the copyright terms of TikTok are unfair for the company has no provision to pay users for the content they upload on the app, and instead the company reserves the right to use the videos as it pleases. In addition, the BEUC raised concerns over TikTok selling coins for virtual presents.

After US and India, EU consumers' group raises concern over TikTok's safety

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday.

The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Glance's parent, mobile advertising technology firm InMobi, also owns short-video app Roposo that has gained in popularity after TikTok was banned by the Indian government in July last year.

SoftBank is a backer of InMobi Pte as well as TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, the report added.

Softbank, ByteDance and InMobi, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Last month, ByteDance reduced its 2,000-plus India team and said in a company memo that it's unsure of resuming operations in India.

The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy.

According to the report, the Indian government will insist that user data and technology of TikTok stay within its borders if the talks progress.

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.

China's ByteDance is said to be exploring the sale of the India operations of TikTok to rival unicorn Glance, Bloomberg News reported on Saturday. The discussions, initiated by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, are private, early and complex, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Glance's parent, mobile advertising technology firm InMobi, also owns short-video app Roposo that has gained in popularity after TikTok was banned by the Indian government in July last year. SoftBank is a backer of InMobi Pte as well as TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, the report added. Softbank, ByteDance and InMobi, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Last month, ByteDance reduced its 2,000-plus India team and said in a company memo that it's unsure of resuming operations in India. The move came after India decided to retain its ban on TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps following responses from the companies on issues such as compliance and privacy. According to the report, the Indian government will insist that user data and technology of TikTok stay within its borders if the talks progress.

ByteDance explores sale of Indian TikTok assets to rival firm Glance

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app.&nbsp;

The filing in a federal appeals court said the new administration had begun a review and would not for the moment press for a ban of the mobile app as sought by former president Donald Trump.&nbsp;

The filing said the Commerce Department 'plans to conduct an evaluation of the underlying record justifying those prohibitions' sought by the previous administration of Donald Trump, which claimed TikTok posed a national security threat because of its links to the Chinese government.&nbsp;

After the new review, the administration 'will then be better positioned to determine whether the national security threat' from TikTok.&nbsp;

"The Department of Commerce remains committed to a robust defense of national security as well as ensuring the viability of our economy and preserving individual rights and data privacy," the filing said.&nbsp;

The Trump administration move to ban downloads of TikTok and its presence on online networks had been stalled amid legal challenges.&nbsp;

In a related development, the Wall Street Journal reported the Biden administration has also put on hold a plan to force the sale of TikTok to American investors.&nbsp;

The Journal, citing unnamed sources, said the Biden White House had indefinitely shelved the plan to require the sale of TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, to US tech giant Oracle with Walmart as a partner.&nbsp;

The Journal said the new administration is in the midst of a review of data security and ways to prevent the information TikTok collects on American users from being accessed by the Chinese government, but that there would be no imminent move to force the sale.

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app.

President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US federal court to pause proceedings aimed at banning TikTok to allow for a fresh review of the national security threat from the popular Chinese-owned video app. The filing in a federal appeals court said the new administration had begun a review and would not for the moment press for a ban of the mobile app as sought by former president Donald Trump. The filing said the Commerce Department 'plans to conduct an evaluation of the underlying record justifying those prohibitions' sought by the previous administration of Donald Trump, which claimed TikTok posed a national security threat because of its links to the Chinese government. After the new review, the administration 'will then be better positioned to determine whether the national security threat' from TikTok. "The Department of Commerce remains committed to a robust defense of national security as well as ensuring the viability of our economy and preserving individual rights and data privacy," the filing said. The Trump administration move to ban downloads of TikTok and its presence on online networks had been stalled amid legal challenges. In a related development, the Wall Street Journal reported the Biden administration has also put on hold a plan to force the sale of TikTok to American investors. The Journal, citing unnamed sources, said the Biden White House had indefinitely shelved the plan to require the sale of TikTok, owned by China's ByteDance, to US tech giant Oracle with Walmart as a partner. The Journal said the new administration is in the midst of a review of data security and ways to prevent the information TikTok collects on American users from being accessed by the Chinese government, but that there would be no imminent move to force the sale.

Biden team asks court to pause move to ban TikTok as US reviews security

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13.

It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge.

Prosecutors in Palermo are investigating that case, which has led to increased scrutiny of children's use of social media platforms. 
TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Italian regulator on Wednesday said TikTok had agreed to block all accounts in Italy from February 9, and to re-admit only users who provided a date of birth showing they were at least 13 years old.

The regulator said TikTok had also agreed to evaluate using artificial intelligence to detect under-age accounts.

Alexandra Evans, Tiktok's head of child safety in Europe, said it would also introduce a button into the app to enable members to report users who appeared to be under 13. 
&nbsp;

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13. It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge.

Popular video app TikTok has agreed with Italian authorities to block all users who gave their age as under 13. It has also agreed to follow a set of instructions after the death of a 10-year-old girl was blamed on a breath-holding social media challenge. Prosecutors in Palermo are investigating that case, which has led to increased scrutiny of children's use of social media platforms. TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The Italian regulator on Wednesday said TikTok had agreed to block all accounts in Italy from February 9, and to re-admit only users who provided a date of birth showing they were at least 13 years old. The regulator said TikTok had also agreed to evaluate using artificial intelligence to detect under-age accounts. Alexandra Evans, Tiktok's head of child safety in Europe, said it would also introduce a button into the app to enable members to report users who appeared to be under 13.

TikTok to block users in Italy who say they are under 13

Four TikTokers, including one woman, were shot dead in Pakistan's Karachi early on Tuesday morning.

Dawn reported that all four deceased were active on social media, particularly Tik Tok. Two of them have been identified as Muskan and Amir -- they were friends.

According to the report, they were rushed to the hospital but succumbed to their wounds.

Empty shells from 9 mm pistols were found near the car.

An official said the murders "appeared to be the outcome of some personal issues", adding there were no witnesses to the incident.

An investigation into the matter is underway.

Four TikTokers, including one woman, were shot dead in Pakistan's Karachi early on Tuesday morning. Dawn reported that all four deceased were active on social media, particularly Tik Tok.

Four TikTokers, including one woman, were shot dead in Pakistan's Karachi early on Tuesday morning. Dawn reported that all four deceased were active on social media, particularly Tik Tok. Two of them have been identified as Muskan and Amir -- they were friends. According to the report, they were rushed to the hospital but succumbed to their wounds. Empty shells from 9 mm pistols were found near the car. An official said the murders "appeared to be the outcome of some personal issues", adding there were no witnesses to the incident. An investigation into the matter is underway.

Four TikTokers shot dead in Pakistan’s Karachi

YouTube Shorts launched in September 2020 and after around five months, it's now receiving 3.5 billion daily views.

The 60-second vertical format shares similarities with TikTok videos and other popular types of short-form content.

The first official figure for YouTube Shorts was disclosed by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki in a blog post detailing the company’s plans for 2021.

"So far, videos in our new Shorts player - which helps people around the world watch short videos on YouTube - are receiving an impressive 3.5 billion daily views!" she said.

"We're looking forward to expanding Shorts to more markets this year."

YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, unveiled Shorts in mid-September, describing the videos as "a new way to express yourself in 15 seconds or less."

(With inputs from agencies)

YouTube Shorts launched in September 2020 and after around five months, it's now receiving 3.5 billion daily views. The 60-second vertical format shares similarities with TikTok videos and other popular types of short-form content.

YouTube Shorts launched in September 2020 and after around five months, it's now receiving 3.5 billion daily views. The 60-second vertical format shares similarities with TikTok videos and other popular types of short-form content. The first official figure for YouTube Shorts was disclosed by YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki in a blog post detailing the company’s plans for 2021. "So far, videos in our new Shorts player - which helps people around the world watch short videos on YouTube - are receiving an impressive 3.5 billion daily views!" she said. "We're looking forward to expanding Shorts to more markets this year." YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, unveiled Shorts in mid-September, describing the videos as "a new way to express yourself in 15 seconds or less." (With inputs from agencies)

YouTube Shorts getting 3.5 billion daily views in India

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reportedly issued fresh notices to 59 Chinese smartphone applications, making the ban on these applications permanent.

The apps that remain banned now include TikTok, WeChat, and UC Browser, among many.

The ban was first imposed in June 2020, after which the applications were offered a chance to prove their compliance with security and privacy provisions in place.

TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which has come under scrutiny over the last few months over its alleged closeness with the Chinese Communist Party.

The notices were issued last week, as reported by local media. A source told Livemint that the government is dissatisfied with the explanations put forward by the companies, making the ban on these applications permanent.

The order put out by the ministry in June claimed that the applications in question were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/tiktok-is-poised-to-outlast-trump-and-to-test-biden-359069" hreflang="en">Tiktok is poised to outlast Trump and to test Biden</a>

The order came in soon after Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a border skirmish,

Following suit, in September India banned 118 mobile applications including PUBG, a popular game made by Tencent.&nbsp;

A representative of TikTok told the Economic Times that the company was in the process of evaluating the notice, and that it intends to respond appropriately.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/italy-opens-probe-after-10-year-old-girl-dies-in-tiktok-choking-game-358838" hreflang="en">Italy opens probe after 10-year-old girl dies in TikTok 'choking game'</a>

In the aftermath of bans, many local iterations of such apps have come up, including the app "Josh", which has received backing from Google and Microsoft.

Josh is one of a few local short-video stages that have jumped up since India hindered the uncontrollably mainstream TikTok in June in the midst of an outskirt emergency with China, pulling in worldwide financial specialist interest in applications filling the gap. 
&nbsp;

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reportedly issued fresh notices to 59 Chinese smartphone applications, making the ban on these applications permanent.

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology reportedly issued fresh notices to 59 Chinese smartphone applications, making the ban on these applications permanent. The apps that remain banned now include TikTok, WeChat, and UC Browser, among many. The ban was first imposed in June 2020, after which the applications were offered a chance to prove their compliance with security and privacy provisions in place. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which has come under scrutiny over the last few months over its alleged closeness with the Chinese Communist Party. The notices were issued last week, as reported by local media. A source told Livemint that the government is dissatisfied with the explanations put forward by the companies, making the ban on these applications permanent. The order put out by the ministry in June claimed that the applications in question were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. Also read: Tiktok is poised to outlast Trump and to test Biden The order came in soon after Indian and Chinese troops were engaged in a border skirmish, Following suit, in September India banned 118 mobile applications including PUBG, a popular game made by Tencent. A representative of TikTok told the Economic Times that the company was in the process of evaluating the notice, and that it intends to respond appropriately. Also read: Italy opens probe after 10-year-old girl dies in TikTok 'choking game' In the aftermath of bans, many local iterations of such apps have come up, including the app "Josh", which has received backing from Google and Microsoft. Josh is one of a few local short-video stages that have jumped up since India hindered the uncontrollably mainstream TikTok in June in the midst of an outskirt emergency with China, pulling in worldwide financial specialist interest in applications filling the gap.

India permanently bans 59 Chinese mobile apps including TikTok

TikTok is about to outlast President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a> stance toward Chinese tech companies.

Trump demanded last year that TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sell the viral video app. He said TikTok raised urgent national security concerns, on the grounds that the Chinese government could get access to users’ data. The dispute disrupted the app’s stratospheric rise.

ByteDance and the Trump administration are still talking, people familiar with the matter said. But it looks increasingly likely that the fate of the app will not be decided by Trump, who announced his demands with great fanfare over the summer, backed away from a deal he approved a month later and then turned his attention elsewhere.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-orders-coronavirus-drugs-that-cured-donald-trump-358977" hreflang="en">Germany orders coronavirus drugs that cured Donald Trump</a>

Instead, TikTok’s future will fall into the hands of Biden, who has said little about the company or the broader, bipartisan concerns about the growing influence of Chinese technology companies.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government agreed to extend a deadline in a court battle over restrictions targeting TikTok. The new deadline is Feb. 18 — almost a month after Biden takes office.

“My gut is that they’re hoping to ride this out and hope that this is on the back burner, and they can kind of skirt by under the radar,” Samm Sacks, a fellow at think tank New America, said about ByteDance’s approach to the final days of the Trump administration.

Biden has said America must be tougher toward Beijing, calling China’s president, Xi Jinping, a “thug.” But he has offered few details about how that approach would play out. He has said only that he will try to have a more consistent policy toward the country — in contrast to Trump’s patchwork aggression — while pressuring it on issues like its theft of American intellectual property.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jim-carrey-bids-farewell-to-worst-first-lady-melania-trump-with-a-cartoon-thx-for-nothing-358980" hreflang="en">Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’</a>

A spokesman for Biden’s transition team declined to comment on the president-elect’s plans. TikTok declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said in a statement that the risks associated with the app “have not changed, and the order requiring the divestiture stands.”

The government has been working with ByteDance and others to resolve the concerns, the spokeswoman said, adding, “That work continues, and the attorney general is authorized to take any steps necessary to enforce the order.”

TikTok is far from the only company with a stake in Biden’s approach to Chinese technology giants, which have increasingly tried to reach customers around the world. Trump’s administration spent years pressing U.S. carriers and its allies abroad to drop Chinese telecom equipment from 5G wireless networks. It tried to keep crucial equipment from Chinese semiconductor makers. Then it turned its gaze to consumer apps, trying to ban TikTok and WeChat and forcing the sale of dating app Grindr.

This month, Trump banned Alipay, owned by a branch of Chinese giant Alibaba, and a collection of other apps. The bans don’t take effect for 45 days, meaning designing and putting them in place will fall to Biden’s administration.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/jim-carrey-bids-farewell-to-worst-first-lady-melania-trump-with-a-cartoon-thx-for-nothing-358980" hreflang="en">Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’</a>

TikTok has soared in popularity in the last year, particularly among younger users, who record lip-sync videos, comedy bits and riffs on other videos. TikTok says the national security concerns are unfounded, noting that its data is stored in the United States, with a backup in Singapore.

Trump’s efforts to pry the service from its Chinese parent company began this summer when he issued two executive orders targeting the app. One barred American firms from working with the app, effectively banning it. A second order demanded that ByteDance sell the app. The approach gave the government leverage: If the company made the sale, the administration would nix the other restrictions.

In September, ByteDance announced that it had reached a deal it hoped would satisfy the U.S. government. Software giant Oracle and Walmart would take their own stakes in TikTok, Oracle would manage the data that flows over the app, and leaders at the service would be American citizens.

Trump said Sept. 19 that he approved of the deal. But then he backtracked, expressing concerns that it would not put enough of the app’s ownership in American hands. The talks to complete the deal have continued ever since.

TikTok received multiple extensions from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a group of federal officials who vet deals involving international companies. The Trump administration decided it would not extend the deadline beyond Dec. 4 but has declined to act on the time limit. Under Trump’s executive order, the Justice Department has the authority to enforce his demands.

Federal judges have also put the administration’s ban on hold, eliminating some of its leverage over the app. The government has appealed the rulings.

Walmart declined to comment. Oracle did not respond to a request for comment.

Some people on ByteDance’s side of the negotiating table believe there are advantages to getting a deal done before Trump leaves. It would give the company more certainty about the app’s future, rather than waiting to see what Biden would do.

At the moment, if ByteDance wants to delay a deal beyond the Trump administration, “they don’t have to do anything, and they can outlast him,” said James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that if the administration launched a legal effort to force the sale of the app, ByteDance would “just stall it in court.”

But TikTok’s fate under Biden is far from certain.

If he wanted to offer TikTok some immediate relief from the pressure, Biden could rescind the executive order that was designed to cut it off from U.S. companies. He could also rescind the order commanding ByteDance to sell the app.

Biden’s administration could also consider a wider range of measures, short of an outright sale, to mitigate the federal panel’s concerns about TikTok, experts said.

That may take time. The new administration is still staffing important positions that would tackle the issue, meaning it could be months before ByteDance is able to resolve the government’s divestiture order. And without rescinding the policies aimed at TikTok, the Biden administration might find it hard to back down from the government’s defense of those policies in court.

Biden could also decide to pursue a harder line against the app as he looks to balance a desire for a coherent China policy with pressure from lawmakers from both parties who worry about the risks associated with Chinese tech companies.

While the talks between ByteDance and the government continue in private, TikTok has maintained its lobbying effort to convince government officials they have nothing to fear from the app, which uses the cheery slogan “Make Your Day.”

On Dec. 18, the company sent an edition of its email newsletter for policymakers in Washington. It reported that small businesses in Austin, Texas, were using the app to reach customers, that the company was donating $10 million to academic institutions that have public health programs, and that the service had updated its terms of service to better police bullying.

The footer of the newsletter ended with the same message it always does: “We hope this made your day.”

TikTok is about to outlast President Donald Trump. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect Joe Biden’s stance toward Chinese tech companies.

TikTok is about to outlast President Donald Trump. Now, the company could become an early test of President-elect Joe Biden’s stance toward Chinese tech companies. Trump demanded last year that TikTok’s Chinese owner, ByteDance, sell the viral video app. He said TikTok raised urgent national security concerns, on the grounds that the Chinese government could get access to users’ data. The dispute disrupted the app’s stratospheric rise. ByteDance and the Trump administration are still talking, people familiar with the matter said. But it looks increasingly likely that the fate of the app will not be decided by Trump, who announced his demands with great fanfare over the summer, backed away from a deal he approved a month later and then turned his attention elsewhere. Also read| Germany orders coronavirus drugs that cured Donald Trump Instead, TikTok’s future will fall into the hands of Biden, who has said little about the company or the broader, bipartisan concerns about the growing influence of Chinese technology companies. On Tuesday, the U.S. government agreed to extend a deadline in a court battle over restrictions targeting TikTok. The new deadline is Feb. 18 — almost a month after Biden takes office. “My gut is that they’re hoping to ride this out and hope that this is on the back burner, and they can kind of skirt by under the radar,” Samm Sacks, a fellow at think tank New America, said about ByteDance’s approach to the final days of the Trump administration. Biden has said America must be tougher toward Beijing, calling China’s president, Xi Jinping, a “thug.” But he has offered few details about how that approach would play out. He has said only that he will try to have a more consistent policy toward the country — in contrast to Trump’s patchwork aggression — while pressuring it on issues like its theft of American intellectual property. Also read| Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’ A spokesman for Biden’s transition team declined to comment on the president-elect’s plans. TikTok declined to comment. A spokeswoman for the Treasury Department said in a statement that the risks associated with the app “have not changed, and the order requiring the divestiture stands.” The government has been working with ByteDance and others to resolve the concerns, the spokeswoman said, adding, “That work continues, and the attorney general is authorized to take any steps necessary to enforce the order.” TikTok is far from the only company with a stake in Biden’s approach to Chinese technology giants, which have increasingly tried to reach customers around the world. Trump’s administration spent years pressing U.S. carriers and its allies abroad to drop Chinese telecom equipment from 5G wireless networks. It tried to keep crucial equipment from Chinese semiconductor makers. Then it turned its gaze to consumer apps, trying to ban TikTok and WeChat and forcing the sale of dating app Grindr. This month, Trump banned Alipay, owned by a branch of Chinese giant Alibaba, and a collection of other apps. The bans don’t take effect for 45 days, meaning designing and putting them in place will fall to Biden’s administration. Also read| Jim Carrey bids farewell to 'Worst First Lady’ Melania Trump with a cartoon: ‘Thx For Nothing’ TikTok has soared in popularity in the last year, particularly among younger users, who record lip-sync videos, comedy bits and riffs on other videos. TikTok says the national security concerns are unfounded, noting that its data is stored in the United States, with a backup in Singapore. Trump’s efforts to pry the service from its Chinese parent company began this summer when he issued two executive orders targeting the app. One barred American firms from working with the app, effectively banning it. A second order demanded that ByteDance sell the app. The approach gave the government leverage: If the company made the sale, the administration would nix the other restrictions. In September, ByteDance announced that it had reached a deal it hoped would satisfy the U.S. government. Software giant Oracle and Walmart would take their own stakes in TikTok, Oracle would manage the data that flows over the app, and leaders at the service would be American citizens. Trump said Sept. 19 that he approved of the deal. But then he backtracked, expressing concerns that it would not put enough of the app’s ownership in American hands. The talks to complete the deal have continued ever since. TikTok received multiple extensions from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a group of federal officials who vet deals involving international companies. The Trump administration decided it would not extend the deadline beyond Dec. 4 but has declined to act on the time limit. Under Trump’s executive order, the Justice Department has the authority to enforce his demands. Federal judges have also put the administration’s ban on hold, eliminating some of its leverage over the app. The government has appealed the rulings. Walmart declined to comment. Oracle did not respond to a request for comment. Some people on ByteDance’s side of the negotiating table believe there are advantages to getting a deal done before Trump leaves. It would give the company more certainty about the app’s future, rather than waiting to see what Biden would do. At the moment, if ByteDance wants to delay a deal beyond the Trump administration, “they don’t have to do anything, and they can outlast him,” said James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said that if the administration launched a legal effort to force the sale of the app, ByteDance would “just stall it in court.” But TikTok’s fate under Biden is far from certain. If he wanted to offer TikTok some immediate relief from the pressure, Biden could rescind the executive order that was designed to cut it off from U.S. companies. He could also rescind the order commanding ByteDance to sell the app. Biden’s administration could also consider a wider range of measures, short of an outright sale, to mitigate the federal panel’s concerns about TikTok, experts said. That may take time. The new administration is still staffing important positions that would tackle the issue, meaning it could be months before ByteDance is able to resolve the government’s divestiture order. And without rescinding the policies aimed at TikTok, the Biden administration might find it hard to back down from the government’s defense of those policies in court. Biden could also decide to pursue a harder line against the app as he looks to balance a desire for a coherent China policy with pressure from lawmakers from both parties who worry about the risks associated with Chinese tech companies. While the talks between ByteDance and the government continue in private, TikTok has maintained its lobbying effort to convince government officials they have nothing to fear from the app, which uses the cheery slogan “Make Your Day.” On Dec. 18, the company sent an edition of its email newsletter for policymakers in Washington. It reported that small businesses in Austin, Texas, were using the app to reach customers, that the company was donating $10 million to academic institutions that have public health programs, and that the service had updated its terms of service to better police bullying. The footer of the newsletter ended with the same message it always does: “We hope this made your day.”

Tiktok is poised to outlast Trump and to test Biden

Prosecutors in Italy are probing the death of 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in Tiktok 'blackout challenge'. &nbsp;Italy has temporarily blocked access to TikTok to those whose age could not be proven definitively. As per TikTok's terms and conditions, its users must be at least 13-years-old.

The girl was found by her five-year-old sister in the family's bathroom with her cellphone. She was taken to hospital but she passed away.&nbsp;

TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, said Friday it had not managed to identify any content on its site that could have encouraged the girl to participate in any such challenge, but was helping the authorities in the probe over possible "incitement to suicide".

"The safety of the TikTok community is our absolute priority, for this motive we do not allow any content that encourages, promotes or glorifies behaviour that could be dangerous," a TikTok spokesman said.

The Italian Data Protection Authority said in a statement later Friday that it would "block the (Chinese) social media network" with immediate effect until February 15, by which date the network will have to meet the regulator's demands.

Medical experts have warned about the danger of the challenge being taken up by some young people, who refer to it as "scarfing" or "the choking game" in which restricted oxygen to the brain results in a high.

The deceased girl's parents told media that her sister told them that she "was playing the blackout game"

"We didn't know anything," the girl's father told the paper.&nbsp;

"We didn't know she was participating in this game. We knew that (our daughter) went on TikTok for dances, to look at videos. How could I imagine this atrocity?" he said.

Italy's data protection agency filed a lawsuit against TikTok in December, alleging a "lack of attention to the protection of minors" and criticising the ease with which very young children could sign up to the video app.

(With AFP inputs)

Prosecutors in Italy are probing the death of 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in Tiktok 'blackout challenge'. Italy has temporarily blocked access to TikTok to those whose age could not be proven definitively.

Prosecutors in Italy are probing the death of 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in Tiktok 'blackout challenge'. Italy has temporarily blocked access to TikTok to those whose age could not be proven definitively. As per TikTok's terms and conditions, its users must be at least 13-years-old. The girl was found by her five-year-old sister in the family's bathroom with her cellphone. She was taken to hospital but she passed away. TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, said Friday it had not managed to identify any content on its site that could have encouraged the girl to participate in any such challenge, but was helping the authorities in the probe over possible "incitement to suicide". "The safety of the TikTok community is our absolute priority, for this motive we do not allow any content that encourages, promotes or glorifies behaviour that could be dangerous," a TikTok spokesman said. The Italian Data Protection Authority said in a statement later Friday that it would "block the (Chinese) social media network" with immediate effect until February 15, by which date the network will have to meet the regulator's demands. Medical experts have warned about the danger of the challenge being taken up by some young people, who refer to it as "scarfing" or "the choking game" in which restricted oxygen to the brain results in a high. The deceased girl's parents told media that her sister told them that she "was playing the blackout game" "We didn't know anything," the girl's father told the paper. "We didn't know she was participating in this game. We knew that (our daughter) went on TikTok for dances, to look at videos. How could I imagine this atrocity?" he said. Italy's data protection agency filed a lawsuit against TikTok in December, alleging a "lack of attention to the protection of minors" and criticising the ease with which very young children could sign up to the video app. (With AFP inputs)

Italy opens probe after 10-year-old girl dies in TikTok 'choking game'

Russia's leading media holding, which is controlled by state energy giant Gazprom, will launch an app similar to the video-sharing social network TikTok, the group's CEO said Wednesday.

The Kommersant business daily cited Gazprom-Media CEO Alexander Zharov as saying the holding had purchased a service called "Ya Molodets" ("I am great").

Zharov said the app was developed with the support of the Innopraktika foundation, an organisation run by Katerina Tikhonova -- one of President Vladimir Putin's alleged daughters.

Gazprom-Media will "use the project's software to speed up the creation of a new video service for Russian bloggers," Zharov said, adding that it will be launched within two years.&nbsp;

The app will support the sharing of short vertical videos, similar to the Chinese social network TikTok.&nbsp;

Zharov took charge of Gazprom-Media earlier this year after leaving his post as head of the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor that was behind the failed blocking of the Telegram messaging service.&nbsp;

Gazprom-Media is one of Russia's largest media organisations, owning some of its most-watched television channels and a range of radio stations.&nbsp;

Earlier this month Zharov announced that Gazprom-Media will launch two websites similar to YouTube in the next two years, with one being an improved version of the Rutube streaming service -- a platform targeted at Russian speakers that Gazprom-Media acquired in 2008.

On Wednesday Zharov said the holding had been working for "about a year to modernise it and make it no worse than YouTube in terms of tools".&nbsp;

In recent years YouTube has become an increasingly popular platform for young Russians, with some of the most-watched channels racking in tens of millions of views.&nbsp;

It has also become a source of independent news and an alternative to the main TV channels that are mostly under state control.&nbsp;

Authorities have continuously stepped up efforts to tighten control over the Russian segment of the internet under the pretext of fighting online extremism.&nbsp;

Earlier Wednesday the lower house of parliament passed legislation that would make it possible to block internet platforms, including YouTube, if they are found guilty of "censorship" and "discrimination".&nbsp;

Russia's leading media holding, which is controlled by state energy giant Gazprom, will launch an app similar to the video-sharing social network TikTok, the group's CEO said Wednesday.

Russia's leading media holding, which is controlled by state energy giant Gazprom, will launch an app similar to the video-sharing social network TikTok, the group's CEO said Wednesday. The Kommersant business daily cited Gazprom-Media CEO Alexander Zharov as saying the holding had purchased a service called "Ya Molodets" ("I am great"). Zharov said the app was developed with the support of the Innopraktika foundation, an organisation run by Katerina Tikhonova -- one of President Vladimir Putin's alleged daughters. Gazprom-Media will "use the project's software to speed up the creation of a new video service for Russian bloggers," Zharov said, adding that it will be launched within two years. The app will support the sharing of short vertical videos, similar to the Chinese social network TikTok. Zharov took charge of Gazprom-Media earlier this year after leaving his post as head of the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor that was behind the failed blocking of the Telegram messaging service. Gazprom-Media is one of Russia's largest media organisations, owning some of its most-watched television channels and a range of radio stations. Earlier this month Zharov announced that Gazprom-Media will launch two websites similar to YouTube in the next two years, with one being an improved version of the Rutube streaming service -- a platform targeted at Russian speakers that Gazprom-Media acquired in 2008. On Wednesday Zharov said the holding had been working for "about a year to modernise it and make it no worse than YouTube in terms of tools". In recent years YouTube has become an increasingly popular platform for young Russians, with some of the most-watched channels racking in tens of millions of views. It has also become a source of independent news and an alternative to the main TV channels that are mostly under state control. Authorities have continuously stepped up efforts to tighten control over the Russian segment of the internet under the pretext of fighting online extremism. Earlier Wednesday the lower house of parliament passed legislation that would make it possible to block internet platforms, including YouTube, if they are found guilty of "censorship" and "discrimination".

Russia to launch own TikTok developed with Putin's alleged daughter

Josh, an Indian short video-sharing app like TikTok&nbsp;has raised more than $100 million from investors including Alphabet Inc's Google and Microsoft, months after the Chinese app&nbsp;was banned in the country.

Josh is one of a few local short-video stages that have jumped up since India hindered the uncontrollably mainstream TikTok in June in the midst of an outskirt emergency with China, pulling in worldwide financial specialist interest in applications filling the gap.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bans-59-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-shareit-uc-browser-citing-national-security-309464">India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser citing national security</a>

Bengaluru-based VerSe Innovation, which owns&nbsp;Josh, is valued at more than $1 billion following the investment, it said in a statement.&nbsp;Josh has crossed 50 million downloads on the Google Play store.&nbsp;

AlphaWave, a part of global asset manager Falcon Edge Capital, also invested in VerSe, as did existing investors Sofina Group and Lupa Systems, VerSe said, adding that it would use the funds to scale up&nbsp;Josh.

Google said the speculation is essential for its $10 billion (generally Rs. 73,900 crores) Google for India Digitisation Fund made to quicken India's computerised economy.&nbsp;

"At the point when we shared subtleties of the India Digitization Fund in July this year, we distinguished empowering reasonable access and data for each Indian in their own language, regardless of whether it's Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, and more as a critical column to drive forward India's digitisation," Google said in a blog entry.&nbsp;

VerSe also owns the news and content platform Dailyhunt, which offers content in multiple Indian languages.

In September, Indian content-sharing platform ShareChat raised $40 million from investors including Twitter Inc and Lightspeed Ventures, in an effort to drive growth for its new short-video app Moj.

Both&nbsp;Josh&nbsp;and Moj have been installed on more than 50 million devices each, according to data from Google's Play Store.

Separately on Tuesday, Indian ad technology firm InMobi's Glance - which runs an eponymous lock-screen content app and short-video platform Roposo - said it had raised $145 million from Google and existing investor Mithril Capital.

Google set aside $10 billion earlier this year for digital investments in India.

&nbsp;

Josh, an Indian short video-sharing app like TikTok has raised more than $100 million from investors including Alphabet Inc's Google and Microsoft, months after the Chinese app was banned in the country.

Josh, an Indian short video-sharing app like TikTok has raised more than $100 million from investors including Alphabet Inc's Google and Microsoft, months after the Chinese app was banned in the country. Josh is one of a few local short-video stages that have jumped up since India hindered the uncontrollably mainstream TikTok in June in the midst of an outskirt emergency with China, pulling in worldwide financial specialist interest in applications filling the gap. Also read: India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser citing national security Bengaluru-based VerSe Innovation, which owns Josh, is valued at more than $1 billion following the investment, it said in a statement. Josh has crossed 50 million downloads on the Google Play store. AlphaWave, a part of global asset manager Falcon Edge Capital, also invested in VerSe, as did existing investors Sofina Group and Lupa Systems, VerSe said, adding that it would use the funds to scale up Josh. Google said the speculation is essential for its $10 billion (generally Rs. 73,900 crores) Google for India Digitisation Fund made to quicken India's computerised economy. "At the point when we shared subtleties of the India Digitization Fund in July this year, we distinguished empowering reasonable access and data for each Indian in their own language, regardless of whether it's Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, and more as a critical column to drive forward India's digitisation," Google said in a blog entry. VerSe also owns the news and content platform Dailyhunt, which offers content in multiple Indian languages. In September, Indian content-sharing platform ShareChat raised $40 million from investors including Twitter Inc and Lightspeed Ventures, in an effort to drive growth for its new short-video app Moj. Both Josh and Moj have been installed on more than 50 million devices each, according to data from Google's Play Store. Separately on Tuesday, Indian ad technology firm InMobi's Glance - which runs an eponymous lock-screen content app and short-video platform Roposo - said it had raised $145 million from Google and existing investor Mithril Capital. Google set aside $10 billion earlier this year for digital investments in India.

Indian version of TikTok, Josh, gets Google, Microsoft backing in $100 million fund raise

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok are facing pressure from many governments around the world for their unstoppable circulation of harmful content. U.K. govt also warns to impose fines if needed.

Britain's crackdown on harmful online content, asks tech giants to ensure safe content

The year 2020 has not been the best of the year for the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform TikTok with accusations of breach of privacy and circulating explicit content. However, other social media platforms have utilised TikTok's success to launch their own video platforms.

Taking an example of TikTok's success, social media giants Facebook has become the most recent addition in the list of platforms launching their own video-sharing platform.&nbsp;

Facebook Inc has launched a new app called 'Collab' which lets the users record their own audio and also allows them to combine different parts of videos to compile a single video.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/reddit-buys-tiktoks-competitor-dubsmash-promises-diversity-349746">Reddit buys TikTok's competitor Dubsmash; promises diversity</a>

The new app is specifically designed for musicians who can combine three 15-seconds long videos by stacking them on each other, i.e, a clip of a drummer, guitarist and singer can be recorded and stacked on top of each other to make a complete music video.&nbsp;

For those who lack the extra-ordinary musical talent, Collab also provides the options of swiping and adding an already added clip or mix.

The app also gives the users a chance to discover collabs of other users in the format of a timeline, similar to TikTok's discover feature and Facebook's already-existing 'Timeline' feature.

With a downfall in TikTok's market and concerns over the security of data, Collab is hoping to gain more audience through this new app.

The launch has come a day after content-sharing app Reddit bought another short video-sharing app Dubsmash in a bid to promote local creators and bring more diversity.

The year 2020 has not been the best of the year for the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform TikTok with accusations of breach of privacy and circulating explicit content.

The year 2020 has not been the best of the year for the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform TikTok with accusations of breach of privacy and circulating explicit content. However, other social media platforms have utilised TikTok's success to launch their own video platforms. Taking an example of TikTok's success, social media giants Facebook has become the most recent addition in the list of platforms launching their own video-sharing platform. Facebook Inc has launched a new app called 'Collab' which lets the users record their own audio and also allows them to combine different parts of videos to compile a single video. Also read| Reddit buys TikTok's competitor Dubsmash; promises diversity The new app is specifically designed for musicians who can combine three 15-seconds long videos by stacking them on each other, i.e, a clip of a drummer, guitarist and singer can be recorded and stacked on top of each other to make a complete music video. For those who lack the extra-ordinary musical talent, Collab also provides the options of swiping and adding an already added clip or mix. The app also gives the users a chance to discover collabs of other users in the format of a timeline, similar to TikTok's discover feature and Facebook's already-existing 'Timeline' feature. With a downfall in TikTok's market and concerns over the security of data, Collab is hoping to gain more audience through this new app. The launch has come a day after content-sharing app Reddit bought another short video-sharing app Dubsmash in a bid to promote local creators and bring more diversity.

Facebook launches 'Collab' as TikTok's competition

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