Online Media

Navigating the Digital Frontier: How 321 Published is Revolutionizing Media Access

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Merely stating facts not enough to overcome misinformation: Study

Refutational approaches are more effective in combating science misinformation rather than just stating facts, according to a study. Researchers found that among 152 college students exposed to misinformation, those who read an article purely carrying facts retained more misconceptions than those who read an article with a refutation. The findings are published in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching. "Refutational approaches seem to work really well. While it's always best to get out in front as a teacher or communicator, students have smartphones. They're going to run into misinformation quickly. If we take this refutational approach, we're more likely to overcome misinformation," lead author Robert Danielson, a Washington State University educational psychology researcher, said. For the study, the researchers first tested what the student participants knew about putting fluoride in water. The students then read two articles: one with false information saying that ...

India, EU to host conference to discuss threats in online radicalisation

The two-day EU-India Track 1.5 Conference in New Delhi will bring together experts, policymakers, academia

Reduce GST on online news subscriptions to 5%: MIB tells revenue dept

Printed newspapers, journals, and periodicals are presently exempted from the Goods and Services Tax while online news subscriptions at taxed at 18 per cent

Google illegally monopolised search through exclusive deals, rules US judge

By monopolising distribution on phones and browsers, Google has been able to consistently raise the prices of online advertising

Govt bracing to 'gag' media through broadcast services bill, says Priyanka

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday accused the Modi government of preparing to "gag" digital media, social media, OTT platforms and those who write and speak in private capacity by bringing in the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, and said the country will not tolerate such actions. The Congress general secretary shared on X two quotes of Mahatma Gandhi (Young India, 1922) and that of Jawaharlal Nehru (March, 1940) in which they had stressed the importance of freedom of speech and press. "These two examples show that our citizens have not got freedom of speech and freedom of the press just like that. Millions of people have fought for it for years," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X. "Civil liberties and freedom of the press are the great legacy of our martyrs and freedom fighters," she said. In the history of independent India, no government could ever think of crushing the freedom of the citizens, Priyanka Gandhi said. "Today, on one side by the us

Online misinformation fuels tensions over stabbing attack in Britain

Within hours of a stabbing attack in northwest England that killed three young girls and wounded several more children, a false name of a supposed suspect was circulating on social media. Hours after that, violent protesters were clashing with police outside a nearby mosque the first of several violent protests in across England. Police say the name was fake, as were rumours that the 17-year-old suspect was an asylum-seeker who had recently arrived in Britain. The suspect charged with murder and attempted murder was named Thursday as Axel Rudakubana, born in the UK to Rwandan parents. By the time a judge said the teen suspect could be identified, rumours already were rife and right-wing influencers had pinned the blame on immigrants and Muslims. There's a parallel universe where what was claimed by these rumours were the actual facts of the case, said Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, a think tank that looks at issues including integration and national identity. And that

NewsClick case: Police files chargesheet against founder under UAPA

The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet on Saturday in connection with a case lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against news portal NewsClick, which is accused of receiving a huge amount of money to peddle pro-China propaganda through its stories, sources said on Saturday. The chargesheet runs into several thousand pages. The Special Cell of the Delhi Police lodged the case last year under sections 13, 16, 17, 18 and 22 of the UAPA, along with sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language etc. and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It also arrested NewsClick's founder Prabir Purkayastha and human resources department head Amit Chakravarty on October 3, 2023.

Delhi HC dismisses PIL to remove online news article on RAW operations

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking direction to block access to an article published in an online news magazine which allegedly compromised the identity of officials posted in India's diplomatic missions in the US, Canada and the UK working for the country's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). The high court said judiciary should not transgress into an area involving national safety and security. It said the government of India has the power and authority to block any article that compromises national safety and security. The petition sought a direction to the ministries of Information and Broadcasting and External Affairs and the Press Council of India to frame guidelines to ensure that no media outlet publishes any source based information as to whether a government officer or diplomat posted abroad is working for the Indian intelligence agency. It also sought a direction to the Centre to block the URLs o

Delhi HC seeks police stand on plea by Prabir Purkayastha against UAPA FIR

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the city police on a plea by NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha challenging the FIR against him under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations of spreading pro-China propaganda. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notice on the petition that was filed in 2023 after the journalist's arrest in October. The counsel for the Delhi Police opposed issuance of notice on the petition and informed the court that the news portal's human resources department chief Amit Chakravarty has turned an approver the case. The Special Cell of Delhi Police had arrested Purkayastha and Chakravarty on October 3 last year and both of them are currently in judicial custody. According to the FIR, a large amount of funds to the portal came from China to "disrupt the sovereignty of India" and cause disaffection against the country. It also alleged Purkayastha conspired with a group -- People's Alliance for Democracy and Secularism (PADS) -- to sabotage the ...

Newsclick HR head Amit Chakravarty moves HC seeking bail in UAPA case

NewsClick's Human Resources department chief Amit Chakravarty on Wednesday urged the Delhi High Court to grant him bail in the case lodged against the news portal under anti-terror law UAPA over allegations that it received money to spread pro-China propaganda. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma reserved the order on the bail plea by Chakravarty, who turned an approver in the case last month, after the police said it has no objections if the relief is granted to him. Chakravarty's lawyer said that he has been granted pardon in the case by the trial court and was also cooperating in the probe. "I have been in custody since October 3, 2023, and still the matter is at the stage of investigation. No chargesheet is filed," the lawyer told the court quoting Chakravarty. Special Judge Hardeep Kaur had last month allowed Chakravarty to turn an approver and pardoned him. Chakravarty has claimed that he was in possession of "material information" about the case which he was willing to disclose to

NewsClick's HR head withdraws plea in SC against arrest under UAPA

NewsClick's human resources department head Amit Chakravarty on Monday withdrew from the Supreme Court his petition against his arrest under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Earlier this month, a Delhi court had allowed Chakravarty to turn an approver in the case lodged against the news portal under UAPA over allegations that it received money to spread pro-China propaganda. The separate pleas filed by Chakravarty and NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha against their arrest under the anti-terror law came up for hearing before a bench headed by Justice B R Gavai. An advocate appearing in the matter requested the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta, that Chakravarty be allowed to withdraw his plea. "Let him withdraw if he wants to withdraw," Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Delhi Police, told the bench, while responding to the lawyer's prayer. The bench allowed Chakravarty to withdraw the plea.

Google, Meta, & TikTok win court fight against Austrian online content rule

European Union recently adopted new rules called the Digital Services Act (DSA) which require large online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful online content

NewsClick row: SC defers hearing on pleas of founder, HR against arrest

The Supreme Court on Monday deferred post Diwali vacation hearing on pleas of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakravarty against their arrest under anti-terror law UAPA. A bench of Justices BR Gavai Prashant Kumar Mishra told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for both the accused, that it will take up the pleas after the vacation. Sibal said the matter is covered by the recent judgement of the apex court under which it was held that grounds of arrest has to be immediately shared with the accused but in this case, nothing was shared. He said there is an application for medical bail also pending before the court. The bench said it would take up the medical bail application along with the main matter after the Diwali vacation. On October 19, the top court had sought the response of the Delhi Police on pleas of Purkayastha and Chakravarty challenging the Delhi High Court order of October 13. The high court had on October 13 dismissed their pleas agains

NewsClick row: SC seeks Delhi Police's reply on pleas of portal founder

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought response of the Delhi Police on pleas of NewsClick founder Prabir Purkayastha and its HR head Amit Chakravarty against their arrest under anti-terror law UAPA. A bench of Justices BR Gavai and Prashant Kumar Mishra issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its response by October 30 after senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Purkayastha and Chakravarty, respectively, said they are in jail and the pleas be heard early. On October 16, the top court agreed to list the matter urgently after Sibal mentioned it before the bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The CJI had asked Sibal to circulate the case papers and said he would take a call on urgent listing of the matter. The Delhi High Court had on October 13 dismissed their pleas against arrest and subsequent police remand in the case. Both were arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on October 3. They subsequently moved the high court challenging th

Gaming corners second largest slice of media pie, says Omdia research

The segment made $246 bn globally in 2022, behind online video's $306 bn, says research by Omdia

Centre warns media outlets of action over ads of gambling platforms

The central government on Friday warned media outlets against publishing or displaying advertisements of online betting platforms, failing which they would face legal action. In an advisory issued to newspapers, television channels, digital media, social media platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting asked them to immediately refrain from showing advertisements/promotional content of betting and gambling platforms in any form. The government would be constrained to take appropriate action under various statutes, if they fail to abide by the order, the advisory said.

Prince Harry's battle with British tabloids heads for courtroom showdown

Prince Harry's battle with the British press is headed for a showdown in a London courtroom this week with the publisher of the Daily Mirror. The Duke of Sussex is scheduled to testify in the High Court after his lawyer presents opening statements Monday in the first of his legal cases to go to trial and one of three alleging tabloids unlawfully snooped on him in their cutthroat competition for scoops on the royal family. Harry will be the first member of the British royal family in more than a century to testify in court and is expected to describe his anguish and anger over being hounded by the media throughout his life, and its impact on those around him. Harry, 38, has blamed paparazzi for causing the car crash that killed his mother, the late Princess Diana, and said harassment and intrusion by the UK press, including allegedly racist articles, ultimately led him and his wife, Meghan, to flee to the U.S. in 2020 and leave royal life behind. Articles he has cited date back to t

Need of complete sensitivity towards dignity of women in media: President

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday said it is expected that the media would have "complete sensitivity" towards the dignity and safety of women in their advertisements, news and programmes. In a video message while flagging off an All Women Bike Rally, organised by the Navbharat Times, the president said that according to the Constitution, it is the duty of every citizen of India to give up such practices which are against the dignity of women. "To perform this fundamental duty, it is necessary that the thinking of every citizen should be respectful towards women. The foundation of respectful conduct towards women can be laid in the family itself," she said. Mothers and sisters should inculcate in their sons and brothers the values of giving respect to women and also asked teachers to strengthen the culture of respect and sensitivity towards women among the students, Murmu said. "The president said that it is expected from the media that they would have complete sensitivity towards

Streaming giant Netflix introduces new features to premium plan members

Streaming giant Netflix has announced new features that will be available at no additional cost to members, who are already on the Premium plan, choose to upgrade, or are signing up for the first time