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Govt blocks record 28,000 URLs in 2024; Facebook, X face maximum takedowns

The Indian government blocked over 28,000 URLs in 2024 under IT Act's Section 69A, targeting pro-Khalistan content, hate speech, and threats to national security across major social media platforms

Australia's social media ban: Negative impact of the internet on teenagers

Debate over the internet use for children grows as Australia bans social media for teenagers under 16, sensing its negative impact. Here's how it is affecting them

Australia 'rushed' social media ban for those under 16, says Big Tech

Govt had warned Big Tech of its plans, and first announced the ban after parliamentary inquiry earlier this year that heard testimony from parents of children who had self-harmed after cyber bullying

TikTok, Meta brace for Australian social media ban for those under 16

A number of other nations and US states have attempted to curb children's access to social media, with limited success

Australia bans social media ban for under-16s with world-first law

A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament on Friday in a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. The Senate passed the bill on Thursday 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the legislation by 102 votes to 13. The House on Friday endorsed opposition amendments made in the Senate, making the bill law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law supported parents concerned by online harms to their children. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, Albanese told reporters. The platforms have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the

Artificial intelligence democratising discovery ecosystem: Meta's Srinivas

Srinivas also added that this visibility and reach has meant several brands being first launched on Meta platforms - Instagram, Facebook, and Thread

Donald Trump dines with Meta CEO Zuckerberg in Florida's Mar-a-Lago club

Donald Trump dined on Wednesday with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, bringing together the Facebook founder and the former president who was once banned from that social network. Stephen Miller, who has been appointed deputy chief of staff for Trump's second term, said Zuckerberg, like other business leaders, wants to support Trump's economic plans. The tech CEO has been seeking to change his company's perception on the right following a rocky relationship with Trump. Mark, obviously, he has his own interest, and he has his own company and he has his own agenda, Miller said in an interview on Fox News about the meeting. But he's made clear that he wants to support the national renewal of America under Trump's leadership. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed that Zuckerberg and Trump met on Wednesday, saying he was invited for dinner with the president-elect and other members of his team to talk about the incoming administration. Trump was

Australia draws the line: New bill bans social media for children under 16

Australian parliament passes strict new rules: Social media platforms will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to prevent children under 16 from holding accounts

Now, Instagram lets you share live location in DMs: Here is how it works

Instagram has announced new ways to connect through direct messages, including over 300 new stickers, customisable nicknames, and live location sharing

Meta, TikTok, Google oppose Australia's proposed under-16 social media ban

In submissions to the Senate inquiry, tech companies warned of unintended, negative consequences from the rapidly-drafted laws

Abandoning Elon Musk's X, users favour Bluesky over Meta's Threads

Once backed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Bluesky has overtaken Threads in daily active users. Meta's decision to de-emphasise political content has alienated users seeking political discussions

Life doesn't run on FB likes, dislikes, develop curiosity: Sudha Murty

The world has become a touchscreen phenomenon and youngsters these days are fuelled by instant fame and money, but such a desire is not sustainable, philanthropist and author Sudha Murty said on Saturday. Addressing an event at a private university here, Murty urged the graduates not to chase instant fame but instead develop a mind of curiosity and learn from mistakes while trying new things ethically and legally. The whole world, for that matter, has become a touch screen phenomenon or syndrome. You touch the screen, you get something, you play or you read touch the screen, you get the reply. All of you think life is a touch screen. "No, it is not true. Youngsters like you are always fuelled by instant fame and instant money. That is not sustainable. Instant fame, nobody gets, the Rajya Sabha MP said. She advised the student to remember that life does not run on Facebook likes and dislikes, or followers or influencers. You have to make your mind healthy along with your body, she

Meta enhances calling experience on Messenger with AI backgrounds, HD video

iPhone users can now use Siri to send messages and make hands-free video calls on Messenger

Elon Musk blasts Australia's proposed law to ban social media for children

Australia plans to try an age-verification system to enforce a social media age cut-off, some of the toughest controls imposed by any country to date

Social media giants to pay fines worth $32 million under Australia ban

Australia is following a number of other countries that have attempted to restrict access to social media for children, with mixed success

WhatsApp-CCI fracas explained: Why Meta is appealing against a $25.4m fine

The Competition Commission of India has accused Meta-owned WhatsApp of abusing its dominant market position in its 2021 privacy update. Here's all you need to know

Here's how Bluesky, alternative to X is handling explosive growth

Over the past week, Bluesky's growth has exploded, more than doubling to 15 million-plus users as people seek alternatives to X, Facebook and Threads

Meta to appeal US court orders allowing suits over social media addiction

In the states' case, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sided with 34 attorneys general who filed claims over allegedly harmful effects of the Facebook and Instagram platforms

Facebook, Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalised ads

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalised ads if they don't want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over digital competition concerns. Meta Platforms has been offering users in the European Union an ad-free subscription option for about a year to comply with the continent's strict data privacy rules, but regulators had accused the company of giving people a false choice. The company said in a blog post that while people will still be able to choose between the subscription and free versions, it would also start giving users a third option over the coming weeks to see digital ads that are less personalized. This means ads will be targeted at users based only on what they see during their current session on Facebook or Instagram going back no more than two hours, plus minimal personal information such as age, location, gender as well as how they engage with ads. Data fr

Meta gives US military access to its AI, raising ethical concerns for users

The situation highlights the increasing fragility of open source AI software. It also means users of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, some versions of which use Llama may inadvertently