Doctored video of sinister Mark Zuckerberg puts Facebook to the test

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Admin

Last month Facebook declined to remove a manipulated video of Nancy Pelosi even after it was viewed millions of times

A doctored video of Mark Zuckerberg delivering a foreboding speech has been posted to Instagram, in a stunt that put Facebook’s content moderation policies to the test.

Videos known as “deepfakes” use artificial intelligence to manipulate the appearance and voices of individuals, often celebrities, into theoretically real-looking footage. They are likely to become the next wave in the battles over disinformation online.

Google made $4.7bn from news sites in 2018, study claims

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Admin

News Media Alliance says revenue was almost as much as that of entire online news industry, although some question methodology

Google made $4.7bn in advertising from news content last year, almost as much as the revenue of the entire online news industry, according to a study released on Monday.

According to the News Media Alliance, between 16% and 40% of Google search results are news content. Google’s revenue from its distribution of news content is only $400m less than the $5.1bn brought in by the United States news industry as a whole from digital advertising last year.

Facebook refuses to delete fake Pelosi video spread by Trump supporters

Posted on May 24, 2019 by Admin

Footage of House speaker deliberately slowed down to make her appear drunk or ill

Facebook says it will continue to host a video of Nancy Pelosi that has been edited to give the impression that the Democratic House speaker is drunk or unwell, in the latest incident highlighting its struggle to deal with disinformation.

The viral clip shows Pelosi – who has publicly angered Donald Trump in recent days – speaking at an event, but it has been slowed down to give the impression she is slurring her words. Several versions of the clip appeared to be circulating.

Far-right Facebook groups ‘spreading hate to millions in Europe’

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Admin

Avaaz uncovers 500 accounts using fake news to spread white supremacy message

A web of far-right Facebook accounts spreading fake news and hate speech to millions of people across Europe has been uncovered by the campaign group Avaaz.

Facebook, which is struggling to clean up the platform and salvage its reputation, has already taken down accounts with about 6 million followers before voting in the European elections begin s on Thursday. It was still investigating hundreds of other accounts with an additional 26 million followers, Avaaz said.

Leaders and tech firms pledge to tackle extremist violence online

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Admin

Jacinda Ardern and Emmanuel Macron met companies and G7 nations in Paris for Christchurch Call summit

World leaders and heads of global technology companies have pledged at a Paris summit to tackle terrorist and extremist violence online in what they described as an “unprecedented agreement”.

Wednesday’s event, organised two months to the day since the Christchurch massacre in New Zealand, drew up a “plan of action” to be adopted by countries and companies to prevent extreme material going viral on the internet.

Louis Farrakhan denies antisemitism – then refers to ‘Satanic Jews’

Posted on May 11, 2019 by Admin

Nation of Islam leader speaks in Chicago after Facebook ban
Christian and Jewish leaders in city condemn invitation

In a speech denying allegations of antisemitism, misogyny and homophobia after Facebook banned him from the social media platform, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan referred to “Satanic Jews”.

Facebook bans far-right groups including BNP, EDL and Britain First

Posted on April 18, 2019 by Admin

Number of organisations and individuals permanently banned for being ‘dangerous’

Years after the company first dismissed fears it was empowering extremists, Facebook has permanently banned a number of far-right organisations and individuals including the British National party (BNP), the English Defence League (EDL) and Britain First .

The ban, which came into effect at midday on Thursday, extends beyond the groups and individuals specifically cited as hate organisations: posts and other content that “expresses praise or support” for them will also be banned, as will users who coordinate support for the groups.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users report outages

Posted on April 14, 2019 by Admin

Thousands having difficulty accessing social networks, says tracking site

Facebook was inaccessible to some users on Sunday, according to Downdetector, a website that monitors outages.

The site showed there had been more than 7,700 incidents of people reporting issues with Facebook at its peak.

Toyota distances itself from Liberal ads falsely claiming Labor wants to tax cars

Posted on April 10, 2019 by Admin

The ads use Facebook functionality to target users with an interest in particular car brands, including Toyota Hilux utes

Toyota has said that it was not consulted on a Liberal party campaign that uses targeted Facebook ads to falsely claim Bill Shorten wants to tax popular car brands including the Toyota Hilux and other utility vehicles.

“Toyota Australia were not consulted on the use of the HiLux in government materials.”

Facebook to use AI to stop telling users to say hi to dead friends

Posted on April 9, 2019 by Admin

Algorithmic features have sent suggestions to wish happy birthday to those who’ve died

Facebook has promised to use artificial intelligence to stop suggesting users invite their dead friends to parties.

The site’s freshly emotionally intelligent AI is part of a rash of changes to how Facebook handles “memorialised” accounts – pages whose owner has been reported deceased, but that are kept on the social network in their memory.

British woman faces jail in Dubai for ‘insulting’ ex-husband’s new wife on Facebook

Posted on April 7, 2019 by Admin

Laleh Shahravesh was arrested in March and faces up to two years in jail, according to campaign group

A British woman is facing two years in jail in Dubai for allegedly using disparaging language about her ex-husband’s new wife on Facebook, campaigners have claimed.

Laleh Shahravesh, 55, of Richmond, south-west London, was arrested together with her teenage daughter at Dubai airport in March. She faces up to two years in jail and a fine of £50,000 for two Facebook posts she made while living in the UK in 2016, according to the Detained In Dubai campaign group.