Month: October 2021

Telegram is warned app ‘nurtures subculture deifying terrorists’

Hope not Hate urges messaging app to act on privacy policy that ‘facilitates’ murderous content MPs, leaders of faith communities, and groups involved in countering hate have sent a letter to Telegram urging it to take action as it emerged as an “app of choice” for racists and violent extremists. An image was projected on …

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‘Insufficient and very defensive’: how Nick Clegg became the fall guy for Facebook’s failures

After election humiliation and Brexit, the former UK deputy prime minister swapped Westminster for a £2.7m job in Silicon Valley. The catch? Serving as the public face of the crisis-hit company On Sunday, Nick Clegg did a succession of interviews with some of the US’s biggest TV news shows. In his role as Facebook’s vice-president …

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US leads world in bitcoin mining after China crackdown sends industry overseas

Industry’s huge use of electricity could present an awkward question for Joe Biden ahead of the Cop26 climate talks The United States has overtaken China to account for the largest share of the world’s bitcoin mining, according to data published by researchers at Cambridge University. The figures demonstrate the impact of a crackdown on bitcoin …

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Spot on or unfair? Facebook employees split on whistleblower Frances Haugen’s critique

Inside the notoriously insular company, employees’ perceptions of Haugen appear to be divided When former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen testified before the Senate last Tuesday, she painted an unsightly picture of the social networking company. As a member of the company’s civic misinformation team for almost two years until her departure in May, Haugen …

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Facebook rule protects journalists and activists as ‘involuntary’ public figures

The company, under wide-ranging scrutiny for harms linked to its platforms, increased protections against harassment and bullying Facebook will count activists and journalists as “involuntary” public figures and so increase protections against harassment and bullying targeted at these groups, its global safety chief said in an interview this week. The social media company, which allows …

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Bitcoin could trigger financial meltdown, warns Bank of England deputy

Sir Jon Cunliffe likened danger to 2008 crash and called for tough regulation of cryptocurrencies A senior Bank of England policymaker has warned that digital currencies like bitcoin could trigger a financial meltdown unless governments step forward with tough regulations. Likening the growth of cryptocurrencies to the spiralling value of US sub-prime mortgages before the …

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Snapchat outage leaves users unable to send or receive messages

Difficulty accessing app comes at bad time for platform in fight against TikTok Snapchat, the messaging app that has been engaged in a battle with its rival TikTok, went down for tens of thousands of users on Wednesday. Difficulties with accessing the Snapchat app, as well as sending or receiving messages, were registered by tens …

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TechScape: UK online safety bill could set tone for global social media regulation

Up for discussion in the Guardian tech newsletter: Facebook and Google will be watching closely as MPs and peers consider proposed landmark legislation Don’t get TechScape delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Even before the arrival of Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, social media companies were feeling the heat from regulators and politicians. It is …

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Amazon could owe drivers thousands in rights claim, says law firm

Leigh Day launches group action for drivers classed as self-employed and not entitled to employee rights Amazon could owe compensation totalling £140m to thousands of drivers delivering its parcels, according to a law firm that is launching a group claim on their behalf. Drivers who deliver for Amazon through its “delivery service partners” are classed …

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