It looks like a major change is coming to the social media platform X formerly known as Twitter. Elon Musk who owns the social media platform X is planning to remove likes and reposts from the users's feeds. Note that view counts however will remain visible.

Elon Musk planning to remove likes and reposts from X

Former top executives of Twitter, including former CEO Parag Agrawal, have sued Elon Musk, claiming he owes them nearly $130 million after taking over the social media company which he renamed X.

The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court on Monday, accuses Musk of using "his wealth and power to run roughshod over anyone who disagrees with him".

"Musk doesn't pay his bills, believes the rules don't apply to him," it states, as quoted by AFP.

<h2>The top executives suing Musk</h2>

Former CEO Parag Agrawal, who is seeking $57.4 million in benefits, former CFO Ned Segal, who is asking for $44.5 million along with former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and the company's then General Counsel Sean Edgett, are behind this lawsuit.

Musk fired Agrawal, Gadde, and Segal from their positions in late October 2022 after his contentious $44 billion takeover of Twitter. The lawsuit, citing a recent biography, claims that Musk ensured the executives could not resign from the company before he fired them in the immediate aftermath of the takeover.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/googles-ai-model-gemini-faces-shut-down-calls-after-refusing-to-answer-whether-musk-or-hitler-is-worse-693924">'Who is worse? Musk or Hitler?' Google's AI model Gemini faces shutdown calls for refusing to answer question</a>

The executives claim that they were denied severance pay and that they are owed one year's salary and hundreds of thousands of stock options.

"Because Musk decided he didn't want to pay plaintiffs' severance benefits, he simply fired them without reason, then made up (a) fake cause and appointed employees of his various companies to uphold his decision."

"This is the Musk playbook: to keep the money he owes other people, and force them to sue him," they state in the 39-page lawsuit.&nbsp;

They also allege that their efforts to "appropriately and vigorously" represent the interests of Twitter's public shareholders during Musk's attempt to back out of the deal led to Musk vowing revenge against them.&nbsp;

"For their efforts, Musk vowed a lifetime of revenge," says the lawsuit.

<h2>X's troubles</h2>

In a separate case, Agrawal, Gadde, and Segal are suing Musk to be reimbursed for the costs of litigation, investigations, and congressional inquiries related to their former roles at Twitter.

In addition, X faces two proposed class actions demanding severance payments of at least $500 million for laid-off workers after Musk's acquisition, and a third lawsuit from six former senior managers making similar claims. X has denied wrongdoing.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/tesla-ordered-4000-pies-before-cancelling-musk-forced-to-take-care-of-bill-694402">Tesla ordered 4,000 pies before cancelling, Musk forced to take care of bill</a>

Previously, the social media giant faced lawsuits for not paying its former PR firm, landlords, vendors, and consultants.

Musk, who describes himself as a "free speech absolutist," promised to remove restrictions on Twitter after acquiring the platform. Following the takeover, Twitter was renamed X, and its staff numbers were significantly reduced, with content moderation being de-prioritised and many previously banned accounts being reinstated. Subsequently, many advertisers have left the platform.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Former top executives of Twitter, including former CEO Parag Agrawal, have sued Elon Musk, claiming he owes them nearly $130 million after taking over the social media company which he renamed X.

Former top executives of Twitter, including former CEO Parag Agrawal, have sued Elon Musk, claiming he owes them nearly $130 million after taking over the social media company which he renamed X. The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court on Monday, accuses Musk of using "his wealth and power to run roughshod over anyone who disagrees with him". "Musk doesn't pay his bills, believes the rules don't apply to him," it states, as quoted by AFP. The top executives suing Musk Former CEO Parag Agrawal, who is seeking $57.4 million in benefits, former CFO Ned Segal, who is asking for $44.5 million along with former chief legal officer Vijaya Gadde and the company's then General Counsel Sean Edgett, are behind this lawsuit. Musk fired Agrawal, Gadde, and Segal from their positions in late October 2022 after his contentious $44 billion takeover of Twitter. The lawsuit, citing a recent biography, claims that Musk ensured the executives could not resign from the company before he fired them in the immediate aftermath of the takeover. Also read | 'Who is worse? Musk or Hitler?' Google's AI model Gemini faces shutdown calls for refusing to answer question The executives claim that they were denied severance pay and that they are owed one year's salary and hundreds of thousands of stock options. "Because Musk decided he didn't want to pay plaintiffs' severance benefits, he simply fired them without reason, then made up (a) fake cause and appointed employees of his various companies to uphold his decision." "This is the Musk playbook: to keep the money he owes other people, and force them to sue him," they state in the 39-page lawsuit. They also allege that their efforts to "appropriately and vigorously" represent the interests of Twitter's public shareholders during Musk's attempt to back out of the deal led to Musk vowing revenge against them. "For their efforts, Musk vowed a lifetime of revenge," says the lawsuit. X's troubles In a separate case, Agrawal, Gadde, and Segal are suing Musk to be reimbursed for the costs of litigation, investigations, and congressional inquiries related to their former roles at Twitter. In addition, X faces two proposed class actions demanding severance payments of at least $500 million for laid-off workers after Musk's acquisition, and a third lawsuit from six former senior managers making similar claims. X has denied wrongdoing. Also read | Tesla ordered 4,000 pies before cancelling, Musk forced to take care of bill Previously, the social media giant faced lawsuits for not paying its former PR firm, landlords, vendors, and consultants. Musk, who describes himself as a "free speech absolutist," promised to remove restrictions on Twitter after acquiring the platform. Following the takeover, Twitter was renamed X, and its staff numbers were significantly reduced, with content moderation being de-prioritised and many previously banned accounts being reinstated. Subsequently, many advertisers have left the platform. (With inputs from agencies)

Doesn't pay his bills: Ex-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, other former execs sue Musk over $130mn unpaid benefits

Pakistan is mining a ban on social media as resolution to ban social media platforms such as X, YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok and Facebook has reached Pakistan's Senate. This resolution is scheduled for debate on Monday. As per Senate Secretariat documents, the resolution is aimed at the younger generation for what it perceives as negative and devastating effects of social media. Watch to know more!

Pakistan Social Media Debate: Resolution to ban social media reaches Pak senate

In recent news, Instagram has found itself under U.S. legal scrutiny for its impact on children's health. Meanwhile, X users will soon be able to engage in both video and audio calls. The past week witnessed a flurry of captivating technological advancements, we've curated the top tech highlights from the past week in our tech wrap.

X boosts convenience with audio & video calls, available to all users on both android & iOS

Elon Musk's X rolls out calling feature, audio & video calls, for non-premium users

Internet users in Pakistan are turning to virtual private networks to access the social media platform X after the site was blocked over the weekend following a contentious national election and admission of ballot fraud by a local government official.

X still down in Pakistan after official admits Election rigging

Billionaire Elon Musk's X (formerly known as Twitter) has claimed that the Indian government issued 'executive orders' to the social media company to act against certain accounts and posts.

Billionaire Elon Musk's X (formerly known as Twitter) has claimed that the Indian government issued 'executive orders' to the social media company to act against certain accounts and posts. In a lengthy post by the platform's Global Government Affairs team, X said although it disagreed with the orders, it had complied and taken action against the specified accounts. "The Indian government has issued executive orders requiring X to act on specific accounts and posts, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment," the post read. "In compliance with the orders, we will withhold these accounts and posts in India alone; however, we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts," it added. The statement said a writ appeal challenging the Indian government's blocking order remained pending. "Due to legal restrictions, we are unable to publish executive orders, but we believe that making them public is essential for transparency. This lack of disclosure can lead to a lack of accountability and arbitrary decision-making," the statement read. The Indian government has issued executive orders requiring X to act on specific accounts and posts, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment. In compliance with the orders, we will withhold these accounts and posts in India alone; however,… — Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) February 21, 2024 × Watch | PM Modi’s US visit: ‘I am a fan of Modi’, says Elon Musk after meeting PM in New York X's policy of accepting local government's request X accepting the diktat by the Indian government should not come as a surprise. After meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York last year, X boss Musk said his company didn't have any choice but to accept the demands of the local government. “Twitter doesn't have a choice but to obey local governments. If we don't obey local government laws then we will get shut down," Musk told the reporters. "The best we can do is to follow the laws in any given country," the billionaire said, adding that it is impossible for "us to do more than that". Musk was responding to comments made by his predecessor Jack Dorsey who claimed that the social media platform received threats of being booted out of India after not accepting the request to block certain accounts at the peak of the farmers' protest by the government. “India for example, India is one of the countries which had many requests around farmers protests, around particular journalists which were critical of the government, and it manifested in ways such as ‘we will shut Twitter down in India’… ‘we would raid the homes of your employees', which they did; ‘we will shut down your offices if you don't follow suit’. And this is India, a democratic country," said Dorsey. Also read | Indian govt calls Dorsey's claims about 'pressure' during farmers' protest 'outright lies' However, Union Minister of State for Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted a rebuttal where he said Dorsey was attempting to "brush out a very dubious period of X's history" where the company was repeatedly found non-compliant with the local law. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's X claims it received orders from Indian government to withhold certain accounts, posts

Norwegian Member of Parliament Marius Nilsen has nominated billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing Musk's unwavering support for dialogue, free speech, and global connectivity, as per a Politico report.&nbsp;Nilsen highlighted Musk's contributions through his tech companies, including X and Tesla, which have aimed to improve societies and enhance communication worldwide.

Nilsen expressed gratitude to Musk for providing Starlink satellite internet service to Ukraine following the Russian invasion, stressing&nbsp;how Musk's ventures have fostered a more interconnected and secure world.&nbsp;

"The multitude of tech companies Musk has founded, owns or runs, aimed at bettering societies, increasing knowledge of both earth and space, in addition to enabling communication and connectivity globally... has helped make the world a more connected and safer place," Mr Nilsen told local outlet&nbsp;Agderposten.

Also watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk's SpaceX emerges as major US government contractor

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musks-spacex-emerges-as-major-us-government-contractor-692375/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist," Musk has always claimed to be an upholder of free speech which led him to&nbsp;reinstate suspended accounts like those of Andrew Tate and Donald Trump, and championing open dialogue.

Beyond X and Tesla, Musk leads SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink.&nbsp;With a staggering net worth of $209 billion as of February 21, Musk's influence spans various industries, driving innovation and technological advancement on a global scale,&nbsp;according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/neuralinks-first-human-patient-can-now-control-computer-mouse-with-thoughts-musk-confirms-692144">Also read |&nbsp;Neuralink's first human patient can now control computer mouse with thoughts, Musk confirms</a>

In a parallel development, another Norwegian figure nominated WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize.

(With inputs from agencies)

Norwegian Member of Parliament Marius Nilsen has nominated billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing Musk's unwavering support for dialogue, free speech, and global connectivity, as per a Politico report.

Norwegian Member of Parliament Marius Nilsen has nominated billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing Musk's unwavering support for dialogue, free speech, and global connectivity, as per a Politico report. Nilsen highlighted Musk's contributions through his tech companies, including X and Tesla, which have aimed to improve societies and enhance communication worldwide. Nilsen expressed gratitude to Musk for providing Starlink satellite internet service to Ukraine following the Russian invasion, stressing how Musk's ventures have fostered a more interconnected and secure world. "The multitude of tech companies Musk has founded, owns or runs, aimed at bettering societies, increasing knowledge of both earth and space, in addition to enabling communication and connectivity globally... has helped make the world a more connected and safer place," Mr Nilsen told local outlet Agderposten. Also watch | Elon Musk's SpaceX emerges as major US government contractor As a self-proclaimed "free speech absolutist," Musk has always claimed to be an upholder of free speech which led him to reinstate suspended accounts like those of Andrew Tate and Donald Trump, and championing open dialogue. Beyond X and Tesla, Musk leads SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink. With a staggering net worth of $209 billion as of February 21, Musk's influence spans various industries, driving innovation and technological advancement on a global scale, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Also read | Neuralink's first human patient can now control computer mouse with thoughts, Musk confirms In a parallel development, another Norwegian figure nominated WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for the Nobel Peace Prize. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Norwegian lawmaker 'for advocacy of free speech'

Deceased Russian dissident and politician Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya had her account suspended on Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly Twitter, before being restored.

"Account suspended," a notice said on the site. An hour later, Navalnaya's account on X was restored.&nbsp;

According to reports, no explanation was provided for the suspension as well as the reinstatement.&nbsp;

Alexei Navalny, 47, was the most vociferous critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was serving a&nbsp;19-year prison term when he died in an Arctic penal colony last Friday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/love-you-more-and-more-alexei-navalnys-last-message-for-his-wife-from-jail-691011">'Love you more and more,' Navalny's last message for his wife Yulia. Who is she?</a>

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation tagged X owner Elon&nbsp;Musk, asking him to "please explain exactly which rules were violated", after Yulia's&nbsp;account was suspened.

Less than an hour later, X restored her access to the social media platform.

Earlier on Tuesday (Feb 20),&nbsp;Navalnaya urged the Kremlin to "give back Alexei's body and let him be buried with dignity".

Also watch |&nbsp;EU says Russia 'solely responsible' for Navalny's death | WION Dispatch

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-says-russia-sole-responsible-for-navalny-death-691002/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Monday (Feb 19),&nbsp;Navalnaya vowed to continue her husband's fight against the Kremlin, and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing the country's opposition leader.

In the video, published on YouTube and shared on X by Navalny's official spokesperson Kira Yarmysh, she also accused officials' refusal to hand over his body to his mother as part of a potential cover-up.

"They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of" poison to disappear, Navalnaya said.

She suggested Navalny could have been killed with a novichok-like nerve agent.

The Kremlin has denounced the accusations as "unfounded" and "insolent".

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "These are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state."

In her video statement, Navalnaya said: "By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul."

"But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up."

"I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny," she said.

Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya has demanded that her son's body must be released immediately,&nbsp;"so that I can bury him like a human being." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Deceased Russian dissident and politician Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya had her account suspended on Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly Twitter, before being restored.

Deceased Russian dissident and politician Alexei Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya had her account suspended on Elon Musk-owned social media platform X, formerly Twitter, before being restored. "Account suspended," a notice said on the site. An hour later, Navalnaya's account on X was restored. According to reports, no explanation was provided for the suspension as well as the reinstatement. Alexei Navalny, 47, was the most vociferous critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He was serving a 19-year prison term when he died in an Arctic penal colony last Friday. Also read | 'Love you more and more,' Navalny's last message for his wife Yulia. Who is she? Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation tagged X owner Elon Musk, asking him to "please explain exactly which rules were violated", after Yulia's account was suspened. Less than an hour later, X restored her access to the social media platform. Earlier on Tuesday (Feb 20), Navalnaya urged the Kremlin to "give back Alexei's body and let him be buried with dignity". Also watch | EU says Russia 'solely responsible' for Navalny's death | WION Dispatch × On Monday (Feb 19), Navalnaya vowed to continue her husband's fight against the Kremlin, and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of killing the country's opposition leader. In the video, published on YouTube and shared on X by Navalny's official spokesperson Kira Yarmysh, she also accused officials' refusal to hand over his body to his mother as part of a potential cover-up. "They are cowardly and meanly hiding his body, refusing to give it to his mother and lying miserably while waiting for the trace of" poison to disappear, Navalnaya said. She suggested Navalny could have been killed with a novichok-like nerve agent. The Kremlin has denounced the accusations as "unfounded" and "insolent". Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "These are absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state." In her video statement, Navalnaya said: "By killing Alexei, Putin killed half of me, half of my heart and half of my soul." "But I still have the other half, and it tells me that I have no right to give up." "I will continue the work of Alexei Navalny," she said. Navalny's mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya has demanded that her son's body must be released immediately, "so that I can bury him like a human being." (With inputs from agencies)

Alexei Navalny’s wife Yulia’s X social media account briefly suspended

Elon Musk's SpaceX is deepening its ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies through classified contracts ranging in the billions of dollars.

Is Musk the blue-eyed boy of the White House?

Users in Pakistan have reportedly been unable to access X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for 24 hours as of Sunday morning, an outage that comes amid frequent internet failures in the month leading up to, on and since a contentious Feb. 8 national election.

X down in Pakistan after official admits Election rigging

An X user named Prateek Aryan has come under fire for posting a professional performer's video without her consent. He also went on to moral police the woman and refused to take down the video.

Gravitas | X user compares educational institutes to 'brothels' over dancing

The latest report spells more trouble for X now this is according to a certain group called The Tech Transparency Project which happens to be some kind of digital research nonprofit. X reportedly has accepted payments for subscriptions from accounts of organizations and other groups that are barred from doing business in the United States.

Elon Musk's X received payments from terrorists

Elon Musk's X has allegedly given subscription perks to designated terrorist groups as well as others who have been barred from operating in the United States, according to a report published by&nbsp;Tech Transparency Project (TTP).&nbsp; 
 
In the report, the campaigners claimed that X gave blue check marks to accounts which were related to Hezbollah members, among others. 
 
After the users of X make a payment of $8 (£6.40) per month, they receive a blue tick which allows better promotion and longer posts. 
 
After the report, some of the ticks were removed by X, as the platform claimed that its security was "robust". 
 
The decision taken by Musk to charge for the check marks emerged as one of the most controversial changes after he took over Twitter in 2022 and the critics said that the move will make issues of disinformation worse and the platform will become vulnerable to impersonators.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russias-putin-will-be-assassinated-if-he-steps-back-from-ukraine-war-says-elon-musk-690104">Russia's Putin will be 'assassinated' if he steps back from Ukraine war, says Elon Musk</a>

Earlier, the badge was free on social media platforms and the accounts holding the blue mark indicated that the identity behind the account has been verified. Many of the recipients of the blue badge were journalists, along with world leaders and celebrities. 
 
In a few cases, those who were given the badge were people facing sanctions, which drew criticism against the company and it was reported that the platform is giving space to the wrong people and breaking sanctions law in the United States.

<h2 lang="en-US">X embroiled in legal issues?</h2>

The Tech Transparency Project stated that since the system is paid, "X may be raising new legal issues".&nbsp;It added that X had removed the blue ticks from the accounts which were identified as notorious or problematic after the report was published. 
 
The TTP claimed that an account run by Ansar Allah, who is known as a Houthi, also apparently paid for its blue check mark. The account does not have a blue tick anymore and has more than 23,000 followers. 
 
In both the United States and the United Kingdom, sanctions have been issued against the Houthis. On its website, the United Kingdom government said that it has sanctioned the Houthis "to disrupt their ability to attack international shipping in the Red Sea, and to promote Yemen's peace, stability and security".

Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk reveals 'Game Plan' to relocate millions people on Mars

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-reveals-game-plan-to-relocate-millions-people-on-mars-689583/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The US&nbsp;imposes sanctions on individuals, groups, and countries deemed to be a threat to national security. Elon Musk's X appears to be selling premium service to some of them", said the TTP, in its report. 
 
"A blue checkmark account that bears the name and profile image of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, also indicates it is 'ID verified', a service that X offers to premium subscribers as a way to prevent impersonation. X requires users to submit a government-issued ID and a selfie to get verified in this way, though it is unclear if Nasrallah did so", it stated.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's X has allegedly given subscription perks to designated terrorist groups as well as others who have been barred from operating in the United States, according to a report published by Tech Transparency Project (TTP).

Elon Musk's X has allegedly given subscription perks to designated terrorist groups as well as others who have been barred from operating in the United States, according to a report published by Tech Transparency Project (TTP). In the report, the campaigners claimed that X gave blue check marks to accounts which were related to Hezbollah members, among others. After the users of X make a payment of $8 (£6.40) per month, they receive a blue tick which allows better promotion and longer posts. After the report, some of the ticks were removed by X, as the platform claimed that its security was "robust". The decision taken by Musk to charge for the check marks emerged as one of the most controversial changes after he took over Twitter in 2022 and the critics said that the move will make issues of disinformation worse and the platform will become vulnerable to impersonators. Also Read: Russia's Putin will be 'assassinated' if he steps back from Ukraine war, says Elon Musk Earlier, the badge was free on social media platforms and the accounts holding the blue mark indicated that the identity behind the account has been verified. Many of the recipients of the blue badge were journalists, along with world leaders and celebrities. In a few cases, those who were given the badge were people facing sanctions, which drew criticism against the company and it was reported that the platform is giving space to the wrong people and breaking sanctions law in the United States. X embroiled in legal issues? The Tech Transparency Project stated that since the system is paid, "X may be raising new legal issues". It added that X had removed the blue ticks from the accounts which were identified as notorious or problematic after the report was published. The TTP claimed that an account run by Ansar Allah, who is known as a Houthi, also apparently paid for its blue check mark. The account does not have a blue tick anymore and has more than 23,000 followers. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, sanctions have been issued against the Houthis. On its website, the United Kingdom government said that it has sanctioned the Houthis "to disrupt their ability to attack international shipping in the Red Sea, and to promote Yemen's peace, stability and security". Watch: Elon Musk reveals 'Game Plan' to relocate millions people on Mars "The US imposes sanctions on individuals, groups, and countries deemed to be a threat to national security. Elon Musk's X appears to be selling premium service to some of them", said the TTP, in its report. "A blue checkmark account that bears the name and profile image of Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, also indicates it is 'ID verified', a service that X offers to premium subscribers as a way to prevent impersonation. X requires users to submit a government-issued ID and a selfie to get verified in this way, though it is unclear if Nasrallah did so", it stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's X received payments from terrorists, claim campaigners

A federal judge has mandated Elon Musk to testify once again in the US Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation into his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, setting a deadline for both parties to finalise the details of the interview. <o:p></o:p>

This is based on a Reuters report.<o:p></o:p>

US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler's ruling, issued over the weekend, reinforces her previous stance in December, favouring the regulator's request for Musk's testimony.<o:p></o:p>

In October, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Musk, seeking his testimony as part of its inquiry into his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, which he later rebranded as X. <o:p></o:p>

Musk had declined to attend an interview in September, prompting the SEC to escalate the matter. <o:p></o:p>

The investigation centres on whether Musk adhered to legal requirements regarding disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases and the veracity of his statements related to the deal.<o:p></o:p>

Judge Beeler's order comes after Musk contested the SEC's attempts to interview him, alleging harassment and citing previous interactions with the regulator. <o:p></o:p>

However, Beeler dismissed Musk's argument, asserting the SEC's authority to issue subpoenas for pertinent information. <o:p></o:p>

She emphasised the relevance of the subpoena in the ongoing investigation.<o:p></o:p>

Should Musk and the SEC fail to reach a consensus on the interview logistics, Judge Beeler retains the authority to intervene and make a decision on their behalf. <o:p></o:p>

The conflict between Musk and the SEC traces back to 2018 when the regulator sued him over a tweet suggesting Tesla's privatisation with "funding secured." <o:p></o:p>

Subsequently, Musk agreed to have his Tesla-related tweets scrutinised by company lawyers to settle the matter. <o:p></o:p>

However, the SEC reignited legal proceedings in 2019, alleging Musk's failure to comply with this arrangement.<o:p></o:p>

Musk has sought recourse from the US Supreme Court, challenging the terms of the agreement on grounds of infringement of his constitutional right to free speech. <o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

A federal judge has mandated Elon Musk to testify once again in the US Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation into his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, setting a deadline for both parties to finalise the details of the interview.

A federal judge has mandated Elon Musk to testify once again in the US Securities and Exchange Commission's investigation into his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, setting a deadline for both parties to finalise the details of the interview. This is based on a Reuters report. US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler's ruling, issued over the weekend, reinforces her previous stance in December, favouring the regulator's request for Musk's testimony. In October, the SEC filed a lawsuit against Musk, seeking his testimony as part of its inquiry into his acquisition of Twitter in 2022, which he later rebranded as X. Musk had declined to attend an interview in September, prompting the SEC to escalate the matter. The investigation centres on whether Musk adhered to legal requirements regarding disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases and the veracity of his statements related to the deal. Judge Beeler's order comes after Musk contested the SEC's attempts to interview him, alleging harassment and citing previous interactions with the regulator. However, Beeler dismissed Musk's argument, asserting the SEC's authority to issue subpoenas for pertinent information. She emphasised the relevance of the subpoena in the ongoing investigation. Should Musk and the SEC fail to reach a consensus on the interview logistics, Judge Beeler retains the authority to intervene and make a decision on their behalf. The conflict between Musk and the SEC traces back to 2018 when the regulator sued him over a tweet suggesting Tesla's privatisation with "funding secured." Subsequently, Musk agreed to have his Tesla-related tweets scrutinised by company lawyers to settle the matter. However, the SEC reignited legal proceedings in 2019, alleging Musk's failure to comply with this arrangement. Musk has sought recourse from the US Supreme Court, challenging the terms of the agreement on grounds of infringement of his constitutional right to free speech. (With inputs from Reuters)

US judge orders Elon Musk to testify in SEC's Twitter probe, deadline set for agreement

Pakistan elections: Political turmoil in Pakistan following recently concluded elections continued on Saturday (February 10) and social media platform X faced nationwide disruption. Multiple reports in Pakistani media and internet blockage tracker Netblocks have confirmed this.

"Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across #Pakistan; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout," said Netblocks.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pakistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pakistan</a>; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout 📉 <a href="https://t.co/1sZpkbWN6L">pic.twitter.com/1sZpkbWN6L</a>
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) <a href="https://twitter.com/netblocks/status/1756283124978257991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>What's latest in Pakistan elections?</h2>

As reported by Pakistani news outlet Dawn, results for 253 out of 264 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan have been declared and candidates loyal to former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan' Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are in the lead with 92 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) on 71. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is at third place with 54 seats. Other parties and unaffiliated independents have bagged a total of 33 seats.

On Friday (February 9) former Pakistan prime minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif declared victory for his party even before official statement from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistans-nawaz-sharif-hints-at-improving-ties-with-india-as-poll-results-drag-on-688825">Pakistan elections: PML-N, PPP agree to form coalition govt at Centre, Punjab, says report</a>

Within hours of Sharif's claim, an audio-visual message was tweeted from Imran Khan's official handle in which his voice could be heard congratulating Pakistani voters and claiming victory for PTI.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Chairman Imran Khan's victory speech (AI version) after an unprecedented fightback from the nation that resulted in PTI’s landslide victory in General Elections 2024. <a href="https://t.co/Z6GiLwCVCR">pic.twitter.com/Z6GiLwCVCR</a>
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1756025235575320995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On Saturday, other PTI leaders&nbsp;strongly rejected Sharif's claim of victory.

"Yesterday we saw that a person presuming himself as Prime Minister-elect gave a premature statement. He has no majority," said Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chief of PTI.

"According to [Imran] Khan sahib’s instructions, the areas in which our results were withheld and delayed — we will share that list with you — and intentionally our majority is being converted… to turn a winning seat into a defeat."

"This is why, God-willing, the areas in which the results were not declared, we will hold protests tomorrow in those constituencies outside the relevant RO offices."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-elections-imran-khans-party-rejects-sharifs-claim-to-power-as-pti-backed-candidates-win-big-688939">Pakistan Elections: Imran Khan's party rejects Sharif's claim to power as PTI-backed candidates win big</a>

Imran Khan is currently in jail following in conviction of charges of treason, graft and having an un-Islamic marriage. The cricket icon-turned-politician faces nearly 200 cases. Khan and his supporters claim that all charges and convictions are 'politically motivated'.

Watch | Pakistan Elections 2024: Which alliance will inherit Pakistan's financial crisis?

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-elections-2024-which-alliance-will-inherit-pakistans-financial-crisis-688962/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

In recent months, authorities in Pakistan have been cracking down on PTI leadership and cadre. The party was barred from contesting elections and removed from the ballot. The party candidates hence contested elections as independents.

In Pakistan, an independent candidate needs to declare his party affiliation within 72 hours of election victory.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan elections: Political turmoil in Pakistan following recently concluded elections continued on Saturday (February 10) and social media platform X faced nationwide disruption.

Pakistan elections: Political turmoil in Pakistan following recently concluded elections continued on Saturday (February 10) and social media platform X faced nationwide disruption. Multiple reports in Pakistani media and internet blockage tracker Netblocks have confirmed this. "Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across #Pakistan; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout," said Netblocks. ⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across #Pakistan; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout 📉 pic.twitter.com/1sZpkbWN6L — NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 10, 2024 × What's latest in Pakistan elections? As reported by Pakistani news outlet Dawn, results for 253 out of 264 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan have been declared and candidates loyal to former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan' Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are in the lead with 92 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) on 71. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is at third place with 54 seats. Other parties and unaffiliated independents have bagged a total of 33 seats. On Friday (February 9) former Pakistan prime minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif declared victory for his party even before official statement from Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Also Read | Pakistan elections: PML-N, PPP agree to form coalition govt at Centre, Punjab, says report Within hours of Sharif's claim, an audio-visual message was tweeted from Imran Khan's official handle in which his voice could be heard congratulating Pakistani voters and claiming victory for PTI. Chairman Imran Khan's victory speech (AI version) after an unprecedented fightback from the nation that resulted in PTI’s landslide victory in General Elections 2024. pic.twitter.com/Z6GiLwCVCR — Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 9, 2024 × On Saturday, other PTI leaders strongly rejected Sharif's claim of victory. "Yesterday we saw that a person presuming himself as Prime Minister-elect gave a premature statement. He has no majority," said Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, chief of PTI. "According to [Imran] Khan sahib’s instructions, the areas in which our results were withheld and delayed — we will share that list with you — and intentionally our majority is being converted… to turn a winning seat into a defeat." "This is why, God-willing, the areas in which the results were not declared, we will hold protests tomorrow in those constituencies outside the relevant RO offices." Also Read | Pakistan Elections: Imran Khan's party rejects Sharif's claim to power as PTI-backed candidates win big Imran Khan is currently in jail following in conviction of charges of treason, graft and having an un-Islamic marriage. The cricket icon-turned-politician faces nearly 200 cases. Khan and his supporters claim that all charges and convictions are 'politically motivated'. Watch | Pakistan Elections 2024: Which alliance will inherit Pakistan's financial crisis? × In recent months, authorities in Pakistan have been cracking down on PTI leadership and cadre. The party was barred from contesting elections and removed from the ballot. The party candidates hence contested elections as independents. In Pakistan, an independent candidate needs to declare his party affiliation within 72 hours of election victory. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Social media platform X blocked amid political turmoil

Gina Carano has a lot of dirt on Walt Disney as she filed a lawsuit against the studio citing wrongful termination from the Star Wars series The Mandalorian. A pivotal part of the show, Gina was fired in 2021 for allegedly “voicing conservative opinions” on social media platforms including Twitter (which is now X). The suit is backed by X owner Elon Musk.&nbsp;

<h2>What is The Mandalorian lawsuit about?</h2>

The lawsuit said, "A short time ago in a galaxy not so far away, Defendants made it clear that only one orthodoxy in thought, speech, or action was acceptable in their empire.” The lawsuit was filed in federal court in California.

The actress also claimed discrimination based on gender as none of the male stars faced a similar repercussion, even though she claims they voiced similar opinions.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-supermodel-cara-delevingne-to-make-theater-debut-with-%E2%80%98cabaret%E2%80%99-687440">Supermodel Cara Delevingne to make theatre debut with ‘Cabaret’</a>

Gina Carano was popular for playing the role of warrior Cara Dune in The Mandalorian. She was removed over social media posts that the studio called "abhorrent and unacceptable" for "denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities." On Instagram, Gina wrote, "Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors ... even by children.”

<h2>What does Gina Carano want from Disney now?</h2>

Gina is now asking Disney’s Lucasfilm unit to reinstate her in the role and is seeking compensatory damages of up to $75,000 plus emotional distress and punitive damages to be determined at trial.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk has his reasons. Last September, things got ugly between Disney CEO Bob Iger and X owner Elon Musk as the company pulled advertising from the social media platform. At the time, Elon said that he would fund legal action by users who faced retaliation from employers for comments on the platform.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-james-cameron-has-ideas-for-avatar-6-and-avatar-7-but-has-no-plans-of-directing-them-687377">James Cameron has ideas for 'Avatar 6' and 'Avatar 7' but has no plans of directing them</a>

"As a sign of X Corp's commitment to free speech, we're proud to provide financial support for Gina Carano's lawsuit, empowering her to seek vindication of her free speech rights on X and the ability to work without bullying, harassment, or discrimination," said Joe Benarroch, X's head of business operations.

Gina Carano has a lot of dirt on Walt Disney as she filed a lawsuit against the studio citing wrongful termination from the Star Wars series The Mandalorian. A pivotal part of the show, Gina was fired in 2021 for allegedly “voicing conservative opinions” on social media platforms including Twitter (which is now X).

Gina Carano has a lot of dirt on Walt Disney as she filed a lawsuit against the studio citing wrongful termination from the Star Wars series The Mandalorian. A pivotal part of the show, Gina was fired in 2021 for allegedly “voicing conservative opinions” on social media platforms including Twitter (which is now X). The suit is backed by X owner Elon Musk. What is The Mandalorian lawsuit about? The lawsuit said, "A short time ago in a galaxy not so far away, Defendants made it clear that only one orthodoxy in thought, speech, or action was acceptable in their empire.” The lawsuit was filed in federal court in California. The actress also claimed discrimination based on gender as none of the male stars faced a similar repercussion, even though she claims they voiced similar opinions. Also read: Supermodel Cara Delevingne to make theatre debut with ‘Cabaret’ Gina Carano was popular for playing the role of warrior Cara Dune in The Mandalorian. She was removed over social media posts that the studio called "abhorrent and unacceptable" for "denigrating people based on their cultural and religious identities." On Instagram, Gina wrote, "Jews were beaten in the streets, not by Nazi soldiers but by their neighbors ... even by children.” What does Gina Carano want from Disney now? Gina is now asking Disney’s Lucasfilm unit to reinstate her in the role and is seeking compensatory damages of up to $75,000 plus emotional distress and punitive damages to be determined at trial. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has his reasons. Last September, things got ugly between Disney CEO Bob Iger and X owner Elon Musk as the company pulled advertising from the social media platform. At the time, Elon said that he would fund legal action by users who faced retaliation from employers for comments on the platform. Also read: James Cameron has ideas for 'Avatar 6' and 'Avatar 7' but has no plans of directing them "As a sign of X Corp's commitment to free speech, we're proud to provide financial support for Gina Carano's lawsuit, empowering her to seek vindication of her free speech rights on X and the ability to work without bullying, harassment, or discrimination," said Joe Benarroch, X's head of business operations.

The Mandalorian actress Gina Carano sues Disney for firing her with Elon Musk in support

CEOs of Meta, X, TikTok, Snap, and Discord face tough questions on combating online child exploitation at Senate hearing.

US: Social Media CEOs testify at hearing, heated Senate hearing on child safety

Social media platform X has blocked searches for Taylor Swift after explicit AI-generated images of the singer began circulating on the site. Fake graphic images of the singer appeared on the site earlier this week.

X blocks searches for 'Taylor Swift' after fake images go viral

Taylor Swift is the latest celebrity to fall victim to the dangers of artificial intelligence. Multiple sexually inappropriate and offensive images of Taylor Swift generated via artificial intelligence are doing the rounds on X formerly known as Twitter. They have since been removed for violating the social media platform's rules.

Taylor Swift's AI pictures spark fury

Australia's online safety commissioner said on Thursday (Jan 11) that X Corp. has slashed global trust and safety staff by 30 per cent since billionaire Elon Musk took over in 2022, Forbes reported.&nbsp;

X Corp. is the owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The company has also reduced 80 per cent of its staff when it comes to the number of safety engineers.&nbsp;

Australia's eSafety Commission calls itself the world's first government organisation committed to keeping people safe online.&nbsp;

The commission has revealed summaries of X's responses to queries about how its hateful conduct standards were enforced.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/digital-translation-tools-to-boost-kashmiri-languages-reach-across-the-world-678710">Digital translation tools to boost reach of Kashmiri language across the world</a>&nbsp;

Using Australia's Online Safety Act to demand, the commissioner basically asked X to answer how it is keeping the users safe.&nbsp;

The company said that before the acquisition in October 2022, it had 279 engineers worldwide focused on trust and safety. By the end of May 2023, that number had reduced to 55. Meanwhile, the trust and safety team of 4,062 was cut down to 2,849.&nbsp;

The content moderation team was cut in half, from 107 down to 51, though most of X's moderators are contractors. In October 2022, the company had 2,613 hired moderators, but that number had dropped to 2,305 by May 2023.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ais-double-edged-sword-technology-making-hacking-easy-for-non-tech-savvy-people-warn-us-officials-678440">AI's double-edged sword: Technology making hacking easy for non-tech-savvy people, warn US officials</a>&nbsp;

<h2>SpaceX illegally fired workers critical of Elon Musk&nbsp;</h2>

Meanwhile, rocket and satellite maker SpaceX, another company owned by Musk, was accused by a US labour agency of unlawfully firing eight employees for circulating a letter calling founder and CEO Elon Musk a "distraction and embarrassment".&nbsp;

A regional official with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint claiming SpaceX violated the workers' rights under federal labour law to band together and advocate for better working conditions.&nbsp;

The letter sent to SpaceX executives in June 2022 focused on a series of tweets Musk had made since 2020, many of which were sexually suggestive. The employees claimed Musk's statements did not align with the company's policies on diversity and workplace misconduct and called on SpaceX to condemn them.&nbsp;

Australia's online safety commissioner said on Thursday (Jan 11) that X Corp. has slashed global trust and safety staff by 30 per cent since billionaire Elon Musk took over in 2022, Forbes reported.

Australia's online safety commissioner said on Thursday (Jan 11) that X Corp. has slashed global trust and safety staff by 30 per cent since billionaire Elon Musk took over in 2022, Forbes reported. X Corp. is the owner of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The company has also reduced 80 per cent of its staff when it comes to the number of safety engineers. Australia's eSafety Commission calls itself the world's first government organisation committed to keeping people safe online. The commission has revealed summaries of X's responses to queries about how its hateful conduct standards were enforced. Also read: Digital translation tools to boost reach of Kashmiri language across the world Using Australia's Online Safety Act to demand, the commissioner basically asked X to answer how it is keeping the users safe. The company said that before the acquisition in October 2022, it had 279 engineers worldwide focused on trust and safety. By the end of May 2023, that number had reduced to 55. Meanwhile, the trust and safety team of 4,062 was cut down to 2,849. The content moderation team was cut in half, from 107 down to 51, though most of X's moderators are contractors. In October 2022, the company had 2,613 hired moderators, but that number had dropped to 2,305 by May 2023. Also read: AI's double-edged sword: Technology making hacking easy for non-tech-savvy people, warn US officials SpaceX illegally fired workers critical of Elon Musk Meanwhile, rocket and satellite maker SpaceX, another company owned by Musk, was accused by a US labour agency of unlawfully firing eight employees for circulating a letter calling founder and CEO Elon Musk a "distraction and embarrassment". A regional official with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint claiming SpaceX violated the workers' rights under federal labour law to band together and advocate for better working conditions. The letter sent to SpaceX executives in June 2022 focused on a series of tweets Musk had made since 2020, many of which were sexually suggestive. The employees claimed Musk's statements did not align with the company's policies on diversity and workplace misconduct and called on SpaceX to condemn them.

Australian watchdog says Elon Musk's X Corp slashed 30% of trust and safety staff

We have heard that the advent of technology has created distances among people, which is mostly true, but there is another side to it as well. Technological advancements have also brought us closer in one way or the other. One such example was seen on X (formerly Twitter), where a group of active users helped a man find his Airpods which he lost while vacationing in Kerala.

Nikhil Jain, who goes by @niquotein on X, is a marketing professional from Mumbai who went on a vacation in Kerala. While wandering at a National Park, he lost his Airpod in a bus and couldn’t find it even after tracking it via the ‘Find and Lost Devices’ app. No point in guessing but it was a bunch of X users that came to his rescue and not the police.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-ncr-gripped-by-bone-chilling-cold-and-thick-fog-relief-unlikely-until-9th-january-677112">Delhi-NCR gripped by bone-chilling cold and thick fog, relief unlikely until 9th January</a>

<h2>Man found his lost Airpods in Goa with the help of X users</h2>

"The incident happened inside a national park in Kerala; I left my Airpod on a bus there. I waited for the bus to come back and realised that someone had taken them. There was no signal inside, so I had to leave the area to track the device. And when I finally did, it was already on the move and was in another national park about 40km from where I was. But the next day I could track it to a hotel nearby," Mr Jain told news agency PTI.

Jain stated that he later approached the hotel with the Kerala police, but they were unable to do much because the location did not pinpoint any specific room, and the hotel management refused to assist, citing client privilege, which seems fair.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tirupati-temple-trust-to-distribute-1-lakh-laddoos-for-ayodhya-ram-temple-consecration-677118">Tirupati Temple trust to distribute 100,000 laddoos for Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration</a>

In the meantime, Jain was still keeping track of his Airpods and found that his device had now reached Goa, travelling through Mangalore. When it stayed there for a few days, he figured out that the person was from Goa only and started an X search.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
i recently lost my new airpods in kerala and this bitch ass person is travelling with it. the person is in south goa rn since 2 days, so i’m guessing they live there. does anyone here live around dr. alvaro de loyola furtado road, salcete, south goa? rt for reach, etc. <a href="https://t.co/ltJyoF0fNZ">pic.twitter.com/ltJyoF0fNZ</a>
— Nikhil (@niquotein) <a href="https://twitter.com/niquotein/status/1737778996987990514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On 21 December 2023, Jain (@niquotein) posted on X along with location information, "I recently lost my new Airpods in Kerala and this ** person is travelling with it. the person has been in South Goa for 2 days, so I'm guessing they live there. Does anyone here live around Dr Alvaro de Loyola Furtado Road in South Goa? rt for reach, etc (sic)."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/aditya-l1-isros-first-solar-mission-enters-final-orbit-for-uninterrupted-sun-observation-677176">Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission successfully enters final orbit for uninterrupted sun observation</a>

The social media started its magic. Within minutes, user @ItsMeAshwin12 posted a picture of the house with the help of Google Street Map along with the message, "Airpods are in this house, Twitter, do ur thing and go get them (sic)."&nbsp;

Another user Edward Mascarenhas (@Kooledd) posted on 22 December 2023: "My relatives stay exactly there and I sent them the deets. They mentioned their neighbours did go to Kerala recently (sic)." He then followed it up with another post: "So they got in touch with them and they mentioned they'll drop it off at Margoa police station (sic)."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/maldives-jittery-as-lakshadweep-remains-top-trend-in-india-for-second-consecutive-day-677193">Maldives jittery as ‘Lakshadweep’ remains top trend in India for second consecutive day</a>

"By December 22 evening, the device was at Margoa police station," Jain told Press Trust of India. Jain said he then called the police station. "They confirmed that the device was indeed with them," added Jain.

Later, his Airpods were collected by a friend who was travelling to Goa for a few days, and he shared a picture holding the device: “CAN YOU BELEIVE IT!!?”

(With inputs from agencies)

We have heard that the advent of technology has created distances among people, which is mostly true, but there is another side to it as well. Technological advancements have also brought us closer in one way or the other.

We have heard that the advent of technology has created distances among people, which is mostly true, but there is another side to it as well. Technological advancements have also brought us closer in one way or the other. One such example was seen on X (formerly Twitter), where a group of active users helped a man find his Airpods which he lost while vacationing in Kerala. Nikhil Jain, who goes by @niquotein on X, is a marketing professional from Mumbai who went on a vacation in Kerala. While wandering at a National Park, he lost his Airpod in a bus and couldn’t find it even after tracking it via the ‘Find and Lost Devices’ app. No point in guessing but it was a bunch of X users that came to his rescue and not the police. Also Read | Delhi-NCR gripped by bone-chilling cold and thick fog, relief unlikely until 9th January Man found his lost Airpods in Goa with the help of X users "The incident happened inside a national park in Kerala; I left my Airpod on a bus there. I waited for the bus to come back and realised that someone had taken them. There was no signal inside, so I had to leave the area to track the device. And when I finally did, it was already on the move and was in another national park about 40km from where I was. But the next day I could track it to a hotel nearby," Mr Jain told news agency PTI. Jain stated that he later approached the hotel with the Kerala police, but they were unable to do much because the location did not pinpoint any specific room, and the hotel management refused to assist, citing client privilege, which seems fair. Also Read | Tirupati Temple trust to distribute 100,000 laddoos for Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration In the meantime, Jain was still keeping track of his Airpods and found that his device had now reached Goa, travelling through Mangalore. When it stayed there for a few days, he figured out that the person was from Goa only and started an X search. i recently lost my new airpods in kerala and this bitch ass person is travelling with it. the person is in south goa rn since 2 days, so i’m guessing they live there. does anyone here live around dr. alvaro de loyola furtado road, salcete, south goa? rt for reach, etc. pic.twitter.com/ltJyoF0fNZ — Nikhil (@niquotein) December 21, 2023 × On 21 December 2023, Jain (@niquotein) posted on X along with location information, "I recently lost my new Airpods in Kerala and this ** person is travelling with it. the person has been in South Goa for 2 days, so I'm guessing they live there. Does anyone here live around Dr Alvaro de Loyola Furtado Road in South Goa? rt for reach, etc (sic)." Also Read | Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission successfully enters final orbit for uninterrupted sun observation The social media started its magic. Within minutes, user @ItsMeAshwin12 posted a picture of the house with the help of Google Street Map along with the message, "Airpods are in this house, Twitter, do ur thing and go get them (sic)." Another user Edward Mascarenhas (@Kooledd) posted on 22 December 2023: "My relatives stay exactly there and I sent them the deets. They mentioned their neighbours did go to Kerala recently (sic)." He then followed it up with another post: "So they got in touch with them and they mentioned they'll drop it off at Margoa police station (sic)." Also Read | Maldives jittery as ‘Lakshadweep’ remains top trend in India for second consecutive day "By December 22 evening, the device was at Margoa police station," Jain told Press Trust of India. Jain said he then called the police station. "They confirmed that the device was indeed with them," added Jain. Later, his Airpods were collected by a friend who was travelling to Goa for a few days, and he shared a picture holding the device: “CAN YOU BELEIVE IT!!?” (With inputs from agencies)

Unbelievable! Mumbai man recovers his lost Airpods in Goa with the help of X users

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has lost 71.5 per cent of its value since the platform's takeover by the billionaire, said a disclosure made by mutual fund Fidelity accessed by Axios. Fidelity owns stake in X Holdings and has reportedly estimated that its stake has lost 71.5 per cent of its value.

The proportional effect on the total value of the social media platform brings its worth to about USD 12.5 billion. Musk had acquired Twitter at a price of USD 44 billion in October 2022.

The platform has faced many upheavals since Musk's takeover. Within weeks of taking control, Musk fired top management of Twitter including the then CEO Parag Agrawal.

The company then carried out a huge job cut exercise during which nearly 50 per cent of its total staff was sacked. This had raised doubts about the stability of the platform.

Watch | Elon Musk has new content moderation rule for X, staff told not to remove problematic content

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/elon-musk-has-new-content-moderation-rule-for-x-staff-told-not-to-remove-problematic-content-wion-670873/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Reported increase in hate speech on X has seen advertisers shunning the platform. Musk's own posts, including some which were were reported to be 'endorsing anti-Semitic theory' created outrage and did little to boost the image of the platform.

Under Musk, X reinstated controversial accounts including those of former US president Donald Trump and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/elon-musks-tesla-to-set-up-first-indian-manufacturing-plant-in-gujarat-674748">Elon Musk's Tesla to set up first Indian manufacturing plant in Gujarat: Report</a>

Trump faces a barrage of legal cases which include civil fraud allegations and those connected to the attack on US Capitol building in January 2021. He also faces rape charges which have been held as substantial. During his time as US president, Trump was a prolific tweeter and many of his tweets caused controversies. Even when his supporters attacked the US Capitol building he was criticised for not making an appeal to calm down soon enough.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-x-fails-in-its-bid-to-block-californias-content-moderation-law-674519">Elon Musk's X fails in its bid to block California's content moderation law</a>

His Twitter account was suspended after the capitol building attack. This was before Musk acquired the platform.

Musk, the world's richest man, had said that he was buying Twitter “to try to help humanity”.

Under him, X also reinstated account of Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist and host of InfoWars. He got into trouble for saying that a 2012 shootout at a school was a hoax perpetrated just to bring gun control laws.

Jones was ordered by a court to pay USD 1.5 billion to families of the victims of one of the deadliest shootouts in US history.

(With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has lost 71.5 per cent of its value since the platform's takeover by the billionaire, said a disclosure made by mutual fund Fidelity accessed by Axios.

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has lost 71.5 per cent of its value since the platform's takeover by the billionaire, said a disclosure made by mutual fund Fidelity accessed by Axios. Fidelity owns stake in X Holdings and has reportedly estimated that its stake has lost 71.5 per cent of its value. The proportional effect on the total value of the social media platform brings its worth to about USD 12.5 billion. Musk had acquired Twitter at a price of USD 44 billion in October 2022. The platform has faced many upheavals since Musk's takeover. Within weeks of taking control, Musk fired top management of Twitter including the then CEO Parag Agrawal. The company then carried out a huge job cut exercise during which nearly 50 per cent of its total staff was sacked. This had raised doubts about the stability of the platform. Watch | Elon Musk has new content moderation rule for X, staff told not to remove problematic content × Reported increase in hate speech on X has seen advertisers shunning the platform. Musk's own posts, including some which were were reported to be 'endorsing anti-Semitic theory' created outrage and did little to boost the image of the platform. Under Musk, X reinstated controversial accounts including those of former US president Donald Trump and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. Also Read | Elon Musk's Tesla to set up first Indian manufacturing plant in Gujarat: Report Trump faces a barrage of legal cases which include civil fraud allegations and those connected to the attack on US Capitol building in January 2021. He also faces rape charges which have been held as substantial. During his time as US president, Trump was a prolific tweeter and many of his tweets caused controversies. Even when his supporters attacked the US Capitol building he was criticised for not making an appeal to calm down soon enough. Also Read | Elon Musk's X fails in its bid to block California's content moderation law His Twitter account was suspended after the capitol building attack. This was before Musk acquired the platform. Musk, the world's richest man, had said that he was buying Twitter “to try to help humanity”. Under him, X also reinstated account of Alex Jones, the right-wing conspiracy theorist and host of InfoWars. He got into trouble for saying that a 2012 shootout at a school was a hoax perpetrated just to bring gun control laws. Jones was ordered by a court to pay USD 1.5 billion to families of the victims of one of the deadliest shootouts in US history. (With inputs from agencies)

After Elon Musk’s takeover, X has lost 71 per cent of its value: Report

Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday failed in its bid to block a California state law that makes it mandatory for social media companies to publicly disclose how they moderate content on their platforms.

In September, Musk's microblogging platform sued California seeking to undo the content moderation law, however, a judge dismissed the request.

<h2>The law and X's argument against it</h2>

California's content moderation law requires social media companies with a sizeable gross annual revenue to issue semi-annual reports describing their content moderation practices. It also requires them to provide data on the number of objectionable posts moderated and how they were addressed.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-surge-in-pet-surgeries-to-resemble-mickey-mouse-ears-raises-alarms-674446">Concerns mount as China witnesses surge in pet surgeries to mimic 'Mickey Mouse ears'</a>

However, the social media website argues that the California law infringes upon its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment and California's state constitution.

<h2>The Judge's ruling</h2>

In the eight-page decision, US District Judge William Shubb dismissed X's request and said: "While the reporting requirement does appear to place a substantial compliance burden on social media companies, it does not appear that the requirement is unjustified or unduly burdensome within the context of First Amendment law."

Shubb, as per Reuters, also held the "terms of service" requirement as integral and said that their presence could be a major deciding factor for users.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/microsofts-steve-ballmer-to-be-paid-usd-1-billion-in-2024-for-doing-nothing-674491">Microsoft's Steve Ballmer to be paid USD 1 billion in 2024 for 'doing nothing': Report</a>

The "terms of service requirement" mandates a social media company to post the contact information users can use to ask questions about terms of service. A description of the process users must follow to flag content; and a list of potential actions the platform may take against objectionable content or the user posting it.&nbsp;

Following the start of the ongoing war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, social media platforms, including X were flooded with fake images and misleading information.

Since Elon Musk's takeover of the social media giant in October 2022, X has been under fire for its moderation rules. Many major advertisers have even paused their advertisements on the platform due to this.&nbsp;

Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday failed in its bid to block a California state law that makes it mandatory for social media companies to publicly disclose how they moderate content on their platforms.

Elon Musk's X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday failed in its bid to block a California state law that makes it mandatory for social media companies to publicly disclose how they moderate content on their platforms. In September, Musk's microblogging platform sued California seeking to undo the content moderation law, however, a judge dismissed the request. The law and X's argument against it California's content moderation law requires social media companies with a sizeable gross annual revenue to issue semi-annual reports describing their content moderation practices. It also requires them to provide data on the number of objectionable posts moderated and how they were addressed. Also read | Concerns mount as China witnesses surge in pet surgeries to mimic 'Mickey Mouse ears' However, the social media website argues that the California law infringes upon its free speech rights under the US Constitution's First Amendment and California's state constitution. The Judge's ruling In the eight-page decision, US District Judge William Shubb dismissed X's request and said: "While the reporting requirement does appear to place a substantial compliance burden on social media companies, it does not appear that the requirement is unjustified or unduly burdensome within the context of First Amendment law." Shubb, as per Reuters, also held the "terms of service" requirement as integral and said that their presence could be a major deciding factor for users. Also read | Microsoft's Steve Ballmer to be paid USD 1 billion in 2024 for 'doing nothing': Report The "terms of service requirement" mandates a social media company to post the contact information users can use to ask questions about terms of service. A description of the process users must follow to flag content; and a list of potential actions the platform may take against objectionable content or the user posting it. Following the start of the ongoing war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas, social media platforms, including X were flooded with fake images and misleading information. Since Elon Musk's takeover of the social media giant in October 2022, X has been under fire for its moderation rules. Many major advertisers have even paused their advertisements on the platform due to this.

Elon Musk's X fails in its bid to block California's content moderation law

Are you not able to use X? Outage reported across the world. The social media platform X down for thousands of users globally. Watch to know more!

Social media platform X down for users globally; links reveal error messages | World News | WION

Twitter, or X, was facing technical issues in India as the platform stopped refreshing on both web and mobile versions. The social media platform owned by Elon Musk got going after an outage that lasted about an hour.

Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, were unable to view posts on the social media site with a message that said "Welcome to X!"

Users encountered loading issues on X Pro, formerly TweetDeck, with a message that said "Waiting for posts", news agency Reuters reported.

<h2>How big was the X outage?</h2>

Over 77,000 US users faced issues at the peak of the outage, according to Downdetector data.&nbsp;

Users in Canada, Britain, France, India and other countries reported issues with accessing both X and X Pro.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
X, formerly known as Twitter, crashes with timelines disappearing. Mass outages are reported in major Indian cities according to the downdector. <a href="https://t.co/AmKolHWhpu">https://t.co/AmKolHWhpu</a> <a href="https://t.co/HtiwZXbOeR">pic.twitter.com/HtiwZXbOeR</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1737715946549371246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The cause of the outage is not yet known.

The social media platform faced upheaval and uncertainty following Musk's $44 billion acquisition over a year ago, leading to layoffs.

Numerous&nbsp;engineers responsible for fixing and preventing service outages were fired.

Users took to rival Meta's app, Threads, to discuss the outage, citing difficulties in accessing posts, replies and profiles on X.

(With inputs from agencies)

Twitter, or X, was facing technical issues in India as the platform stopped refreshing on both web and mobile versions. The social media platform owned by Elon Musk got going after an outage that lasted about an hour.

Twitter, or X, was facing technical issues in India as the platform stopped refreshing on both web and mobile versions. The social media platform owned by Elon Musk got going after an outage that lasted about an hour. Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, were unable to view posts on the social media site with a message that said "Welcome to X!" Users encountered loading issues on X Pro, formerly TweetDeck, with a message that said "Waiting for posts", news agency Reuters reported. How big was the X outage? Over 77,000 US users faced issues at the peak of the outage, according to Downdetector data. Users in Canada, Britain, France, India and other countries reported issues with accessing both X and X Pro. X, formerly known as Twitter, crashes with timelines disappearing. Mass outages are reported in major Indian cities according to the downdector. https://t.co/AmKolHWhpu pic.twitter.com/HtiwZXbOeR — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) December 21, 2023 × The cause of the outage is not yet known. The social media platform faced upheaval and uncertainty following Musk's $44 billion acquisition over a year ago, leading to layoffs. Numerous engineers responsible for fixing and preventing service outages were fired. Users took to rival Meta's app, Threads, to discuss the outage, citing difficulties in accessing posts, replies and profiles on X. (With inputs from agencies)

X gets going after global outage that blanked out user timelines

Social Media platform 'X' down for users globally

In a burgeoning controversy, Brazil's First Lady, Rosangela da Silva, popularly known as Janja, has found herself at complete odds with the owner of the social media platform X, Elon Musk. The dispute stemmed from a recent hacking incident that targeted Janja's account, leading to lewd content and insults being posted on it.&nbsp;

The breach on December 11 drew national attention in Brazil as the hacker targeted Janja's account, which boasts 1.2 million followers, posting lewd images and derogatory remarks directed at President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as well as&nbsp;misogynistic slurs against her.&nbsp;

In response, Janja accused Musk of downplaying the severity of the hack, and criticised his handling of the situation.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-insists-he-hasnt-read-hitlers-mein-kampf-after-backlash-on-remarks-against-migrants-671963">Trump insists he hasn’t read Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’ after backlash on remarks against migrants</a>

"He minimises a serious event that doesn't just affect me, but thousands of women on his platform every day," Janja asserted, highlighting the broader implications of such security breaches.

<h2>Janja threatens X of legal action, Musk reacts&nbsp;</h2>

Janja expressed her dissatisfaction with X's response, stating that the platform was slow to address her requests to freeze the account, remove the offensive posts, and assist in regaining access.

She even threatened legal action against the company.

Musk, who acquired the platform last year, dismissed any responsibility for the breach in a post, stating, "It is not clear how someone guessing her email password is our responsibility." This response further fueled the feud, with Janja terming it as "symptomatic" of Musk's approach to critics on the platform.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cyclonic-events-in-indian-ocean-throw-rare-venomous-creatures-off-chennai-coast-671945">Cyclonic events in Indian Ocean throw Blue Sea Dragon, Blue Button off Chennai coast</a>

In a live broadcast alongside President Lula, Janja announced her intention to sue the Musk-owned social media platform.&nbsp;"I still don't know if I have to sue them in the US or in Brazil, but I will sue them," Janja declared during the broadcast, underscoring her commitment to seeking accountability.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trudeau-on-pannun-murder-plot-us-indictment-triggered-a-change-world-news-wion-671971">Trudeau on Pannun Murder Plot: US indictment triggered a change | World News | WION</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trudeau-on-pannun-murder-plot-us-indictment-triggered-a-change-world-news-wion-671971/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2>Janja calls for increased regulation</h2>

Moreover, Janja also called for increased regulation of social media platforms, holding them responsible for the actions of their users. President Lula acknowledged the global need for social media regulation and said,&nbsp;"It's a challenge to know how we could deal with it without imposing censorship."

(With inputs from agencies)

In a burgeoning controversy, Brazil's First Lady, Rosangela da Silva, popularly known as Janja, has found herself at complete odds with the owner of the social media platform X, Elon Musk.

In a burgeoning controversy, Brazil's First Lady, Rosangela da Silva, popularly known as Janja, has found herself at complete odds with the owner of the social media platform X, Elon Musk. The dispute stemmed from a recent hacking incident that targeted Janja's account, leading to lewd content and insults being posted on it. The breach on December 11 drew national attention in Brazil as the hacker targeted Janja's account, which boasts 1.2 million followers, posting lewd images and derogatory remarks directed at President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as well as misogynistic slurs against her. In response, Janja accused Musk of downplaying the severity of the hack, and criticised his handling of the situation. Also Read | Trump insists he hasn’t read Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’ after backlash on remarks against migrants "He minimises a serious event that doesn't just affect me, but thousands of women on his platform every day," Janja asserted, highlighting the broader implications of such security breaches. Janja threatens X of legal action, Musk reacts Janja expressed her dissatisfaction with X's response, stating that the platform was slow to address her requests to freeze the account, remove the offensive posts, and assist in regaining access. She even threatened legal action against the company. Musk, who acquired the platform last year, dismissed any responsibility for the breach in a post, stating, "It is not clear how someone guessing her email password is our responsibility." This response further fueled the feud, with Janja terming it as "symptomatic" of Musk's approach to critics on the platform. Also Read | Cyclonic events in Indian Ocean throw Blue Sea Dragon, Blue Button off Chennai coast In a live broadcast alongside President Lula, Janja announced her intention to sue the Musk-owned social media platform. "I still don't know if I have to sue them in the US or in Brazil, but I will sue them," Janja declared during the broadcast, underscoring her commitment to seeking accountability. Watch | Trudeau on Pannun Murder Plot: US indictment triggered a change | World News | WION × Janja calls for increased regulation Moreover, Janja also called for increased regulation of social media platforms, holding them responsible for the actions of their users. President Lula acknowledged the global need for social media regulation and said, "It's a challenge to know how we could deal with it without imposing censorship." (With inputs from agencies)

Brazil's first lady Janja, Elon Musk lock horns after hacker posts lewd images and insults on X

The European union is turning its focus onto social media giant X as it launches an investigation under the digital services act. The probe, triggered partly by posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel, marks the first major examination under the new regulations. With the digital services act in force, very large online platforms like x are now under scrutiny for potential breaches.

EU probes social media giant X for content violations

The European Union (EU) has initiated its inaugural investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), focusing on social media giant X over suspected breaches, particularly related to posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel. <o:p></o:p>

The DSA, implemented in November last year, mandates large online platforms to take more robust measures against illegal content and threats to public security. The investigation will centre on combatting the dissemination of illegal content within the EU and assessing the effectiveness of measures, including X's recently introduced "Community Notes" feature for user-driven fact-checking, Reuters reported.<o:p></o:p>

The inquiry will scrutinise the data access X provides to researchers. Notably, over 100 studies on X, formerly known as Twitter, were altered or suspended due to restrictions imposed by its owner, Elon Musk, limiting access to the platform.<o:p></o:p>

While the investigation does not pronounce X guilty of any infringement, a senior EU official emphasised the grounds prompting the detailed scrutiny. X maintains its commitment to complying with the DSA and is actively cooperating with the regulatory process, asserting the importance of a non-politically influenced and law-abiding investigative process.<o:p></o:p>

In response to the EU's action, Elon Musk, owner of X, took to the platform, questioning EU industry chief Thierry Breton about similar actions against other social media platforms. Musk defended X's position, stating, "Because if you have those issues with this platform, and none are perfect, the others are much worse."<o:p></o:p>

The investigation stems from concerns raised by fake images and misleading information flooding X and other social media platforms following Hamas' attacks on Israel in October. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton reminded X, Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet of their DSA obligations. X, along with other platforms, highlighted steps to combat disinformation, while Musk challenged Breton over the disinformation charge.<o:p></o:p>

The EU Commission plans to conduct an in-depth investigation, involving additional information requests, interviews, and inspections. It will also review X's measures to enhance transparency and Blue check subscriptions. The DSA, imposing new rules on content moderation, user privacy, and transparency, holds the potential for fines up to 6 per cent of a firm's global turnover for any breach.<o:p></o:p>

(With inputs from Reuters)<o:p></o:p>

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The European Union (EU) has initiated its inaugural investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), focusing on social media giant X over suspected breaches, particularly related to posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel.

The European Union (EU) has initiated its inaugural investigation under the Digital Services Act (DSA), focusing on social media giant X over suspected breaches, particularly related to posts following Hamas' attacks on Israel. The DSA, implemented in November last year, mandates large online platforms to take more robust measures against illegal content and threats to public security. The investigation will centre on combatting the dissemination of illegal content within the EU and assessing the effectiveness of measures, including X's recently introduced "Community Notes" feature for user-driven fact-checking, Reuters reported. The inquiry will scrutinise the data access X provides to researchers. Notably, over 100 studies on X, formerly known as Twitter, were altered or suspended due to restrictions imposed by its owner, Elon Musk, limiting access to the platform. While the investigation does not pronounce X guilty of any infringement, a senior EU official emphasised the grounds prompting the detailed scrutiny. X maintains its commitment to complying with the DSA and is actively cooperating with the regulatory process, asserting the importance of a non-politically influenced and law-abiding investigative process. In response to the EU's action, Elon Musk, owner of X, took to the platform, questioning EU industry chief Thierry Breton about similar actions against other social media platforms. Musk defended X's position, stating, "Because if you have those issues with this platform, and none are perfect, the others are much worse." The investigation stems from concerns raised by fake images and misleading information flooding X and other social media platforms following Hamas' attacks on Israel in October. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton reminded X, Meta, TikTok, and Alphabet of their DSA obligations. X, along with other platforms, highlighted steps to combat disinformation, while Musk challenged Breton over the disinformation charge. The EU Commission plans to conduct an in-depth investigation, involving additional information requests, interviews, and inspections. It will also review X's measures to enhance transparency and Blue check subscriptions. The DSA, imposing new rules on content moderation, user privacy, and transparency, holds the potential for fines up to 6 per cent of a firm's global turnover for any breach. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

EU launches first probe under Digital Services Act, targets X over suspected violations

X, News on X, stories on X, articles on X, X stories at Wion, X news, X latest news