Tag: Facebook

  • Facebook Suspends Trump for Two Years

    Facebook Suspends Trump for Two Years

    Facebook has announced Donald Trump will remain banned for two years, following the Oversight Board upholding the initial ban.

    Donald Trump was banned in the wake of the January 6 insurrection, when some Trump supporters entered the US Capitol after having been let in by security. The ban stemmed from two posts Mr. Trump made during the “riot” that perpetuated claims the election had been stolen which big tech does not agree with.

    Former President Trump responded today via an email post:

    Facebook’s Oversight Board upheld the ban last month, saying it was justified, although it recommended it be revisited in time. Facebook has now said Mr. Trump’s ban will remain in effect for two years, beginning January 7. The suspension will only be lifted if the threat to public safety has subsided.

    “At the end of this period, we will look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded,” wrote Nick Clegg, VP of Global Affairs. “We will evaluate external factors, including instances of violence, restrictions on peaceful assembly and other markers of civil unrest. If we determine that there is still a serious risk to public safety, we will extend the restriction for a set period of time and continue to re-evaluate until that risk has receded.”

    The company also outlined additional measures that will be taken against public figures who contribute to violence, especially during times of heightened unrest. Mr. Trump will have to abide by this new framework at such time when his account is reinstated.

    “When the suspension is eventually lifted, there will be a strict set of rapidly escalating sanctions that will be triggered if Mr. Trump commits further violations in future, up to and including permanent removal of his pages and accounts,” Clegg added.

    Clegg also acknowledged that these measures are not the ultimate solution, and called for measured legislation to help address the larger issue when acknowledging the limitations of the Oversight Board.

    “Its response to this case confirms our view that Facebook shouldn’t be making so many decisions about content by ourselves,” continued Clegg. “In the absence of frameworks agreed upon by democratically accountable lawmakers, the board’s model of independent and thoughtful deliberation is a strong one that ensures important decisions are made in as transparent and judicious a manner as possible. The Oversight Board is not a replacement for regulation, and we continue to call for thoughtful regulation in this space.”

    The case is a study in the challenges social media platforms currently face, challenges that will only become more difficult.

  • Facebook and WhatsApp Do About-Face on Privacy Update

    Facebook and WhatsApp Do About-Face on Privacy Update

    Facebook and WhatsApp appear to be doing an about-face on a controversial privacy update.

    Facebook sparked a furor when it announced it would start sharing WhatsApp data with other Facebook-owned companies. Users who failed to agree to the new terms would be locked out of the app until they did agree. Many users deleted their account and switched to competing platforms, and several countries came out in opposition to the move.

    In response to the backlash, Facebook initially postponed the rollout date, and then partially reversed course, saying people would not get locked out of the app. Instead, users would be persistently reminded to accept the terms, and be subjected to limited functionality until they did so.

    The company now appears to be doing a complete about-face, sayingit will not keep reminding individuals or limit their functionality.

    Considering the majority of users who have seen the update have accepted, we’ll continue to display a notification in WhatsApp providing more information about the update and reminding those who haven’t had a chance to do so to review and accept. We currently have no plans for these reminders to become persistent and to limit the functionality of the app.

    If WhatsApp does indeed abide by this statement, score one for privacy advocates who kept pushing back.

  • Facebook Declares War on People Who Repeatedly Share Misinformation

    Facebook Declares War on People Who Repeatedly Share Misinformation

    Facebook is stepping up its fight against misinformation, including taking action against people who repeatedly share it.

    Social media platforms have become one of the biggest conduits of misinformation about climate change, vaccinations, elections, social issues and more. Facebook has been taking an increasingly tougher stance against misinformation, adding fact checkers, warning labels and other measures.

    The company is now taking action against individuals who repeatedly share misinformation. One part of the company’s strategy is to share more context about pages that spread it.

    “We want to give people more information before they like a Page that has repeatedly shared content that fact-checkers have rated, so you’ll see a pop up if you go to like one of these Pages,” says the company’s blog. “You can also click to learn more, including that fact-checkers said some posts shared by this Page include false information and a link to more information about our fact-checking program. This will help people make an informed decision about whether they want to follow the Page.

    Individuals who continue to share information may face additional penalties. Facebook previously would reduce a single post’s distribution in News Feed if it contained misinformation. Starting today, however, Facebook will reduce the distribution of all of an individual’s posts, if they repeatedly share misinformation.

    The company is also improving the notifications a person receives when they attempt to share misinformation, including the fact-checking article that debunks the post.

    It remains to be seen if the changes will have the desired effect. One thing is certain, however: Facebook has declared war on misinformation and the people who share it.

    It’s likely this will be a non-issue soon based on news about Facebook’s AI development.

  • India Stepping Up Pressure on WhatsApp Over Privacy Changes

    India Stepping Up Pressure on WhatsApp Over Privacy Changes

    India is ramping up its pressure on WhatsApp, wanting the company to abandon its recent privacy changes.

    Facebook unleashed a firestorm of controversy when it announced it would start sharing WhatsApp user data with other Facebook-owned companies. In addition to losing subscribers to other, more privacy-conscious apps, multiple countries have started pushing back.

    Germany was the first to outright ban the changes, with Hamburg’s data protection commissioner securing a three-month emergency order to stop the new changes from going into effect in Germany.

    India had likewise expressed concerns over WhatsApp’s changes, but now the country is stepping up the pressure. According to TechCrunch, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has written a letter to WhatsApp, and given the company seven days to respond.

    “In fulfilment of its sovereign responsibility to protect the rights and interests of Indian citizens, the government of India will consider various options available to it under laws in India,” the letter reads.

    “It is not just problematic, but also irresponsible, for WhatsApp to leverage this position to impose unfair terms and conditions on Indian users, particularly those that discriminate against Indian users vis-à-vis users in Europe.”


    It remains to be seen how WhatsApp and Facebook will respond.

  • WhatsApp Delays Privacy Changes in Brazil

    WhatsApp Delays Privacy Changes in Brazil

    WhatsApp is delaying rollout of its new privacy policy in Brazil amid pushback from the government.

    Facebook caused a firestorm of controversy when it announced it would share WhatsApp data with other Facebook-owned companies. The announcement sparked a mass exodus of users to more privacy-conscious apps, such as Signal and Telegram. While users initially would lose access if they failed to agree to the new policy, Facebook later altered course, saying users would experience limited functionality if they failed to agree.

    Governments have joined in the pushback as well, with Germany and India opposed to the move. Brazil joins the list of companies with concerns over the changes. The country’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD), national consumer body Senacon, competition watchdog Cade and the Federal Prosecution Service have been in talks with WhatsApp, according to ZDNet.

    Under the agreement, users will retain full functionality for three more months, while the Brazilian agencies continue to scrutinize the new privacy policy.

    “WhatsApp has informed that it will not close any account, and that no user in Brazil will lose access to the application’s features in the 90-day period after May 15 as a result of the enforcement of the new privacy policy and the new terms of service,” said Brazilian authorities in a statement.

  • Facebook’s Diem Abandons Swiss Plans, Will Move to US

    Facebook’s Diem Abandons Swiss Plans, Will Move to US

    Diem, the Facebook-backed cryptocurrency formerly known as Libra, is abandoning its efforts to get licensed in Switzerland and will move to the US.

    Diem is a widely anticipated crypto that has gained and lost support from major corporations during its planning and development stage. Some of the biggest names in tech and finance originally backed it before reversing course as a result of regulatory scrutiny.

    Many jurisdictions were concerned about the prospect of Facebook — a company with a troubled reputation in the realm of data and privacy — being the primary backer of a cryptocurrency. To help address the issues, Facebook pivoted to making Diem a stable crypto, backed by a national currency.

    The Diem Association had originally been trying to gain licensing approval with Switzerland’s FINMA watchdog. According to CNBC, however, the association has changed direction and will move to the US. The association has partnered with Silvergate, a California bank, to back Diem with the US dollar.

    “While our plans take the project fully within the US regulatory perimeter and no longer require a license from FINMA, the project has benefited greatly from the intensive licensing process in Switzerland and the constructive feedback from FINMA and more than two dozen other regulatory authorities from around the world convened by FINMA to consider the project,” Stuart Levy, Diem’s CEO, said in a statement.

  • Germany Bans WhatsApp/Facebook Data Sharing

    Germany Bans WhatsApp/Facebook Data Sharing

    Germany has banned WhatsApp data from being used by Facebook, in yet another blow to the social media giant’s plans.

    Facebook angered users and lawmakers with its plans to share WhatsApp user data with other Facebook-owned companies. Many users started closing their accounts and moving to more secure alternatives, such as Signal. The backlash was so severe that Facebook pushed back the deadline, and ultimately changed the scope of the plan — from locking out users that refused to accept the terms to limiting their functionality.

    At least one jurisdiction is trying to stop Facebook altogether, with Hamburg data protection commissioner Johannes Caspar, banning the company from moving forward. 

    “The order aims to secure the rights and freedoms of millions of users which are agreeing to the terms Germany-wide,” Mr Caspar said in a statement, via The Irish Times, when issuing a three month emergency order.

    “We need to prevent damage and disadvantages linked to such a black-box-procedure.”

    Needless to say, Facebook is pushing back, saying the order will have no impact on its plans.

    “Our recent update explains the options people have to message a business on WhatsApp and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data. As the Hamburg DPA’s claims are wrong, the order will not impact the continued roll-out of the update. We remain fully committed to delivering secure and private communications for everyone.”

  • Majority of States Oppose Instagram for Children

    Majority of States Oppose Instagram for Children

    Attorneys general for 44 states and territories have come out in opposition to Facebook’s plans for a version of Instagram for children under 13.

    Facebook has been planning to roll out a version of the popular social media platform for children under the age of 13, a group that enjoys special protection under the law. Facebook is believed to be in the early stages of planning, with no concrete timelines having been announced.

    Nonetheless, AGs for Massachusetts, Nebraska, Vermont, Tennessee, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming are voicing their opposition.

    In a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the AGs outlined their concerns, not the least of which was the impact early exposure to social media has on young minds.

    First, research increasingly demonstrates that social media can be harmful to the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children. “In the last decade, increasing mental distress and treatment for mental health conditions among youth in North America has paralleled a steep rise in the use of smartphones and social media by children and adolescents.” Research shows a link between young people’s use of social media and the “increase in mental distress, self-injurious behavior and suicidality among youth.” In fact, an online-monitoring company tracking the activity of 5.4 million children found that “Instagram was frequently flagged for suicidal ideation, depression and body image concerns.”

    Another major concern was the risk of cyberbullying, with the letter highlighting that 42% of young Instagram users had experienced cyberbullying, the highest rate of any social media platform.

    The AGs also took Facebook to task for its track record protecting young users and their privacy.

    Third, Facebook has a record of failing to protect the safety and privacy of children on its platform, despite claims that its products have strict privacy controls. Reports from 2019 showed that Facebook’s Messenger Kids app, intended for kids between the ages of six and 12, contained a significant design flaw that allowed children to circumvent restrictions on online interactions and join group chats with strangers that were not previously approved by the children’s parents. Just recently, a “mistake” with Instagram’s algorithm promoted diet content to users with eating disorders, where the app’s search function recommended terms including “appetite suppressants” and “fasting” to vulnerable people who were at risk of relapsing. These alarming failures cast doubt on Facebook’s ability to protect children on their proposed Instagram platform and comply with relevant privacy laws such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

    It remains to be seen if Facebook will change course or continue with its plans. If it does continue, it may face significant legal challenges given the opposition it is already experiencing.

  • Ignoring WhatsApp’s New Privacy Policy Will Limit Functionality

    Ignoring WhatsApp’s New Privacy Policy Will Limit Functionality

    Facebook is backtracking once again, saying it will not lock WhatsApp users out if they don’t accept new privacy terms.

    Facebook sparked international furor when it announced in January that it would start sharing WhatsApp user data with other Facebook-owned companies. As part of the change, Facebook said users would be required to accept the new privacy policy or be locked out of their account. In response, users started abandoning the platform in favor of alternatives, and counties started coming out in opposition to the plans.

    After pushing the deadline back, Facebook is charting a new course — although one that will likely still leave many users unhappy. According to a post on the company’s site, users that don’t accept the new terms won’t be locked out, but will be hampered by limited functionality.

    You won’t be able to access your chat list, but you can still answer incoming phone and video calls. If you have notifications enabled, you can tap on them to read or respond to a message or call back a missed phone or video call.

    After a few weeks of limited functionality, you won’t be able to receive incoming calls or notifications and WhatsApp will stop sending messages and calls to your phone.

    While WhatsApp won’t be closing individuals’ accounts, the limited functionality may not be much of an improvement for many users.

  • Facebook satellite to beam internet to remote regions in Africa

    Facebook satellite to beam internet to remote regions in Africa

    Mark Zuckerberg details plans on how company is ‘exploring ways to use aircraft and satellites to beam internet access down into communities from the sky’

    I had gone but a short distance further when what seemed to be an excellent trail opened up around the face of a high cliff. The trail was level and quite broad and led upward and in the general direction I wished to go. The cliff arose for several hundred feet on my right, and on my left was an equal and nearly perpendicular drop to the bottom of a rocky ravine.

    Dismounting, I laid Powell upon the ground, but the most painstaking examination failed to reveal the faintest spark of life. I forced water from my canteen between his dead lips, bathed his face and rubbed his hands, working over him continuously for the better part of an hour in the face of the fact that I knew him to be dead.

    I was very fond of Powell; he was thoroughly a man in every respect; a polished southern gentleman; a staunch and true friend; and it was with a feeling of the deepest grief that I finally gave up my crude endeavors at resuscitation.

    The tax man even cites a specific statute: “Whoever purchases goods at an unseemly low price to take advantage of the seller’s ignorance shall be subject to a fine equaling 200 percent of the earnings from any such transaction.”

    You can admit to tax evasion and pay a penalty, or you can deny any wrongdoing. Choose that option and you’ll be commended by the tax man; he’ll even give you a “Taxpayer in Good Standing” diploma, which he recommends you frame and hang in honor.

    The cowhide exploit involved killing cows and collecting their hides. Players quickly discovered that if they mediated for a certain period of time, cows in one early area of the game would respawn every time they woke up. Thus, players could stock up on cow hides to their heart’s content and then sell them for a nice fee. CD Projekt Red addressed this by deploying the Bovine Defense Force Initiative, which took the form of a hulking, ultra-powerful nasty monster who kills anyone trying to cash in.

     

     

    Browne Sanders made up her allegations against Thomas

    The Money Quotes via Ben Golliver

    I think they perceived that nothing was to be done for the present, and had gone away to breakfast at Henderson’s house. There were four or five boys sitting on the edge of the Pit, with their feet dangling, and amusing themselves–until I stopped them–by throwing stones at the giant mass. After I had spoken to them about it, they began playing at “touch” in and out of the group of bystanders. Among these were a couple of cyclists, a jobbing gardener I employed sometimes, a girl carrying a baby, Gregg the butcher and his little boy, and two or three loafers and golf caddies who were accustomed to hang about the railway station. There was very little talking. Few of the common people in England had anything but the vaguest astronomical ideas in those days. Most of them were staring quietly at the big table like end of the cylinder, which was still as Ogilvy and Henderson had left it.

    I fancy the popular expectation of a heap of charred corpses was disappointed at this inanimate bulk. Some went away while I was there, and other people came. I clambered into the pit and fancied I heard a faint movement under my feet.

    [blockquote author=”DALAI LAMA” pull=”normal”]Our prime purpose in this life is to
    help others. And if you can’t help them,
    at least don’t hurt them.[/blockquote]

    It was only when I got thus close to it that the strangeness of this object was at all evident to me. At the first glance it was really no more exciting than an overturned carriage or a tree blown across the road. Not so much so, indeed. It looked like a rusty gas float. It required a certain amount of scientific education to perceive that the grey scale of the Thing was no common oxide, that the yellowish-white metal that gleamed in the crack between the lid and the cylinder had an unfamiliar hue.

    Soon the crew came on board in two

    Dorothy’s life became very sad as she grew to understand that it would be harder than ever to get back to Kansas and Aunt Em again. Sometimes she would cry bitterly for hours, with Toto sitting at her feet and looking into her face, whining dismally to show how sorry he was for his little mistress. Toto did not really care whether he was in Kansas or the Land of Oz so long as Dorothy was with him; but he knew the little girl was unhappy, and that made him unhappy too.

    Now the Wicked Witch had a great longing to have for her own the Silver Shoes which the girl always wore. Her bees and her crows and her wolves were lying in heaps and drying up, and she had used up all the power of the Golden Cap; but if she could only get hold of the Silver Shoes, they would give her more power than all the other things she had lost. She watched Dorothy carefully, to see if she ever took off her shoes, thinking she might steal them. But the child was so proud of her pretty shoes that she never took them off except at night and when she took her bath. The Witch was too much afraid of the dark to dare go in Dorothy’s room at night to take the shoes, and her dread of water was greater than her fear of the dark, so she never came near when Dorothy was bathing. Indeed, the old Witch never touched water, nor ever let water touch her in any way.

     

     

    She waited for some time without hearing anything more: at last came a rumbling of little cartwheels, and the sound of a good many voices all talking together: she made out the words: ‘Where’s the other ladder?—Why, I hadn’t to bring but one; Bill’s got the other—Bill! fetch it here, lad!—Here, put ’em up at this corner. No, tie ’em together first—they don’t reach half high enough yet—Oh! they’ll do well enough; don’t be particular—Here, Bill! catch hold of this rope—Will the roof bear?—Mind that loose slate—Oh, it’s coming down! Heads below!’ (a loud crash)—’Now, who did that?—It was Bill, I fancy—Who’s to go down the chimney?—Nay, I shan’t! YOU do it!—That I won’t, then!—Bill’s to go down—Here, Bill! the master says you’re to go down the chimney!’

    ‘Oh! So Bill’s got to come down the chimney, has he?’ said Alice to herself. ‘Shy, they seem to put everything upon Bill! I wouldn’t be in Bill’s place for a good deal: this fireplace is narrow, to be sure; but I THINK I can kick a little!’

    She drew her foot as far down the chimney as she could, and waited till she heard a little animal (she couldn’t guess of what sort it was) scratching and scrambling about in the chimney close above her: then, saying to herself ‘This is Bill,’ she gave one sharp kick, and waited to see what would happen next.