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☆ How the Baltimore bridge collapse spawned a torrent of instant conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It is entirely possibly that millions of Americans encountered false claims about the bridge collapse when they woke up Tuesday morning before ever seeing the facts. Politics is everythingWhat is perhaps most notable about how quickly and widely conspiracy theories about a breaking news story spread is just how normal this all is right now. Jewish space lasersAs news unfolded on Tuesday, the conspiracy theories continued. Greene has not weighed in on the cause of the bridge collapse. Jewish space lasers were not responsible for the wildfires, nor the Baltimore bridge collapse.

Persons: Francis Scott Key, Israel, ”, Ben Decker, Andrew Tate, Tate, Tate’s, Elon Musk, meekly, Sandy Hook, Alex Jones, “, ” Jones, Jones, Baltimore’s, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, it’s, Biden, Taylor Swift, Joe Biden, Trump, X, David Simon, Simon, –, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Greene Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Maryland State Police, Coast Guard, Baltimore Mayor, Equity, FBI, Republicans, Netflix, HBO, Georgia Republican Locations: Baltimore, Covid, USA, Romania, United Kingdom, Florida, Texas, California, Georgia

☆ Opinion: Once folks like me ditched our sewing machines, Joann Fabrics never stood a chance
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Opinion Lynda Gorov | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The lockdown saw sales of sewing machines soar and stock sell out. Most people (OK, most women) who attended public junior high schools in the 1960s, 1970s or even 1980s learned at least basic sewing skills and could advance them with elective classes in high school. After all, Joann, known as Jo-Ann Fabrics back when home sewing was more in style, is reorganizing its finances, not closing its 800-plus stores nationwide. Run in to get thread, run out with just the right shade of blue. They learn online, they shop for materials online, and they sell their homemade wares online.

Persons: Lynda Gorov, CNN —, Lynda, Joann, That’s, Jo, Ann, grandma, He’d, — Organizations: CNN, Crafts, Boys, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Los Angeles, Ukrainian, Chicago

These days, however, conspiracy theories and those who believe them seem to be playing an outsize role in politics and culture. On the left, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has exploited conspiracy theories about vaccines to wage his own campaign for the presidency this year. The Associated Press has examined the history of conspiracy theories in the United States. “I was suicidal before I got into conspiracy theories,” said Antonio Perez, a Hawaii man who became obsessed with Sept. 11 conspiracy theories and QAnon until he decided that they were interfering with his life. Russia, China, Iran and other U.S. adversaries have worked to amplify conspiracy theories as a way to destabilize democracy further.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, ”, John Llewellyn, Melissa Sell, Antonio Perez, “, I’ve, they've, —, Nash, peddlers, Trump, Timothy Caulfield Organizations: Associated Press, Illuminati, Wake Forest University, AP, Sandy, Elementary, Capitol, Business, U.S, University of Alberta Locations: United States, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Hawaii, U.S, Russia, China, Iran

☆ Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, the platform and its cultural impact have fundamentally changed
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Here’s a (non-exhaustive) account of how Musk has fundamentally changed Twitter since he made one of the most consequential acquisitions of the social media age. Many of Musk’s content and product decisions have also led to what civil society groups have reported as a troubling spread of hateful speech on the platform. He recommended that X users monitor the Israel-Hamas conflict by following an account known for spreading disinformation, before later deleting his post. And, in an attempt to prove that former Twitter executives deliberately discriminated against conservatives on the platform, Musk provided a handpicked group of journalists with selective access to company records. It is perhaps Musk’s all-consuming presence that has most undermined what users used to love about Twitter.

Persons: New York CNN — It’s, Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino —, Yaccarino, ” Yaccarino, —, it’s, Here’s, Musk, he’s, Donald Trump, LeBron James, James, ”, X, General Mills, ” Weeks, “ Elon, what’s, “, Paul Pelosi, Dilbert, Scott Adams, George Soros, Joe Biden’s, Ron DeSantis ’, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Tucker Carlson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hunter Biden Organizations: New, New York CNN, Elon, Twitter, US Federal Trade Commission, Securities, Exchange Commission, EU, Premium, Nintendo, NPR, PBS, Volkswagen, —, Center, Defamation League, Wall Street, Florida Republican Gov, Fox, New York, Trump Locations: New York, Israel, United States, breakeven, New

☆ Messaging app Telegram blocks access to Hamas-run channels
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Clare Duffy | Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The messaging app Telegram has restricted access to several channels closely associated with or operated by Hamas, as the militant group’s war with Israel rages on. The restrictions mark a significant clampdown on a major source of pro-Hamas propaganda since the Israel-Hamas war began, one that Telegram’s error messages suggest may be driven by the app store operators’ policies. Other popular Telegram channels that have expressed support for Hamas have also been restricted, according to CNN’s analysis. That account is among those no longer accessible via Telegram apps downloaded from the Google Play or Apple App stores, CNN confirmed. An Apple spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s questions about the Telegram channels now blocked for iOS users.

Persons: Israel, —, ”, United States —, ” Google’s, didn’t, Brian Fishman, –, O’Sullivan, Paul Murphy Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hamas, Google, CNN, ” CNN, CNBC, Meta, Brigades, Apple, Capitol, Facebook, Twitter Locations: New York, Israel, Russian, United States, Dubai, Europe

☆ Musk’s X cashes in on ‘superspreaders’ of Israel-Hamas misinformation, new report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

NewsGuard identified seven accounts it describes as “misinformation superspreaders,” which have shared widely debunked claims about the conflict. Verified users are also eligible to receive payments from the platform, financially incentivizing posts from the users who are actively spreading misinformation. The group said 186 of the 250 posts were sent by premium X accounts. Soon after NewsGuard published its report Thursday, Musk posted on X that the company “should be disbanded immediately.” CNN has reached out to X and Musk for further comment. In May, there was a brief dip in the stock market after verified accounts on X shared fake images of a purported “explosion” near the Pentagon.

Persons: NewsGuard, ” NewsGuard, Musk, ”, Linda Yaccarino Organizations: CNN, Elon, Twitter, Hamas, ” CNN, European Union, EU, Meta, X, Pentagon Locations: Israel

But its following has surged on popular messaging app Telegram since its October 7 terror attack on Israel. Hamas is a designated foreign terror organization in the United States, and new internet laws in the European Union mean large social media platforms can face penalties for hosting terroristic content. Hamas’ growing audienceThe Telegram channel for Hamas’ military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, had about 200,000 followers at the time of the attack. Fishman said while the huge growth in the number of people following Hamas’ Telegram accounts is concerning, it doesn’t mean all the followers are supporters – pointing out that many journalists, researchers and others are likely following the accounts. And that could make it more difficult for plaintiffs to use legal action to force Telegram to remove Hamas content.

Persons: –, Brian Fishman, Fishman, Hamas ’, Pavel Durov, Durov, ” Durov, John Bergmayer, Thierry Breton, didn’t Organizations: CNN, Brigades, Google, Hamas, European Union, Hamas ’, Atlantic, Forensic Research, Meta, Capitol, Facebook, Twitter, ISIS, Communications, Republicans, European, Digital Services, European Commission Locations: Israel, United States, European, Russian, Dubai, Russia, Ashkelon, US

“Getting information from social media is likely to lead to you being severely disinformed,” said Ahmed. Everyone from US foreign adversaries to domestic extremists to internet trolls and “engagement farmers” has been exploiting the war on social media for their own personal or political gain, he added. “Bad actors surrounding us have been manipulating, confusing and trying to create deception on social media platforms,” Dan Brahmy, CEO of the Israeli social media threat intelligence firm Cyabra, said Thursday in a video posted to LinkedIn. The dynamic simultaneously highlights the business models of social media and the role the companies play in carefully calibrating their users’ experiences. ‘Be very cautious about sharing’Despite giving the impression of reality and truthfulness, Brookie said, individual stories and combat footage conveyed through social media often lack the broader perspective and context that journalists, research organizations and even social media moderation teams apply to a situation to help achieve a fuller understanding of it.

Persons: ”, Gazans, Pepe, Imran Ahmed, Ahmed, “, Dan Brahmy, ‘, ’ Graham Brookie, Islamophobic, Elon Musk, it’s, ” Imran Ahmed, ” Brian Fishman, ” Linda Yaccarino, “ We’ve, Andy Stone, Snapchat, TikTok, ” Ahmed, ” Brookie, Brookie Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, —, Twitter, European Union, Facebook, YouTube, Center, LinkedIn, Digital Forensic Research, Atlantic Council, European Commission, European, Digital Services Locations: New York, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, London, Egypt, Islamophobic, Washington ,, United Kingdom, United States

☆ Fact Check-Nigerian report on President Tinubu switching the naira for dollars is fake
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A digitally altered Nigerian news broadcast that says President Bola Tinubu is planning to ditch the country’s currency for the dollar is being circulated online. Responding to circulation of the video, Arise News said in a statement on messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that it’s a fake report. “ARISE News totally dissociates itself from a DEEP FAKE VIDEO making the rounds on social media mimicking the What's Trending segment's anchor Ojy Okpe,” the outlet said. “The digitally-altered video which claims that President Bola Tinubu plans to abolish the naira in favour of the dollar is the handiwork of Fake News peddlers” (here). The clip of Tinubu was taken from a press conference in 2022 where he announced his intention to run for president (here) (here).

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Ojy, Ajuri Ngelale, Okpe, Read Organizations: Reuters, Fake

He tried to goad the artificial intelligence model, which he knew as Zinc, into producing code that would choose a job candidate based on race. Could the chatbot rank potential hires based on that discriminatory metric? Instead, he was a casual participant in a competition last weekend at the annual Defcon hackers conference in Las Vegas, where 2,200 people filed into an off-Strip conference room over three days to draw out the dark side of artificial intelligence. The hackers tried to break through the safeguards of various A.I. Each competitor had 50 minutes to tackle up to 21 challenges — getting an A.I.

Persons: Avijit Ghosh, Ghosh, — Locations: India, Las Vegas

☆ Australia is threatening to fine Elon Musk's Twitter up to $475,000, saying that a third of all online hate complaints in the country come via the platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Australia's safety watchdog said Twitter is the most complained about platform in the country for online hate. There are currently an estimated 1,000 employees left at Twitter, Insider reported in May. "A third of all complaints about online hate reported to us are now happening on Twitter. "eSafety research shows that nearly 1 in 5 Australians have experienced some form of online hate. One research group even found that the use of the N-word jumped by 500% on Twitter after Musk's takeover, Insider reported in October.

Persons: Elon Musk, eSafety, Musk, Vijaya Gadde, Yoel Roth, Ella Irwin, Julie Inman Grant, Twitter, Linda Yaccarino Organizations: Twitter, Morning, Elon Musk's, First Nations Australian Locations: Australia

☆ In 7 Great Cities, 7 Great Walks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Christine Chitnis | The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +32 min

Urban Walks In 7 Great Cities, 7 Great Walks The pleasures of strolling through an urban landscape are manifest. Credit... Joann Pai for The New York Times Its organically styled bouquets feel as though they’ve been freshly picked from the garden. Credit... Joann Pai for The New York Times Image Astier de Villatte specializes in antiques and tableware. Three quarters of a mile into the walk, you’ll be standing atop the first of three mountains, the 1,100-foot-high Inwangsan. Credit... Petrina Tinslay for The New York Times Few cities are so abundant with forest-like parks, coastal walks and beaches as Sydney, which is best explored on foot.

Persons: Joann Pai, Sandra Sigman, ”, Sigman, de Mars, you’ll, Dominique, Boulangerie Laurent B, Bellechasse, Germain, Bac, Pierre Hermé, monsieur, Le, Rue de Babylone, Sèvres, Rue de l’Abbaye, de Furstemberg, Furstemberg, they’ve, Tournon —, Villatte, Queen Marie de ’, Palazzo Pitti, Fna, Imane, —, Rue Riad Zeitoun, Rue Djane Ben Chegra, Rue Laarassi, darija, Rue Sidi Boulabada, Rue Bab Ahmad, Rue Bin Lafnadek, Michael Park, it’s, Earl Grey scones, Hadid, Petrina, It’s, Strickland, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, Ian Cheibub, Ayrton Senna, touristy, Clarice Lispector, altinha, Tom Jobim, toting Tom Jobim, Osório, Rua Vinícius de Moraes Organizations: Shops, Jardin de, The New York, Rue Saint, Mars, ., The New York Times, des Invalides, Saint, Blvd . Saint, Rue de, Rue du, Rue de Rennes, de, Compagnie Française, Français, du, Palazzo, Credit, Rue Riad, des, Rue Bahia Bab, Moors, Jewish, Rue, Rue Sidi, Tachenbacht, Rue Bin, Wall ., Korean, South Korean, Milk, Nielsen, New, Opera, Milk Beach, Gibsons, Reserve, South, Heritage, Hornby, Fort, Francisco, Rua Locations: Cities, Paris, Seoul, Marrakesh, Jardin, Jardin de Luxembourg, Rue, Esplanade des Invalides, Blvd, Raspail, bac, Rue de Bac, Bac, Rue de Babylone, Seine, Astier, Français ., du Luxembourg, Italian, Florence, medina, Moroccan, Central Park, Jemaa, ., El, unburied, El Badi, Spain, Marrakesh ., darija —, Marrakesh enfolds, Morocco, Naksan Park, Gyeongbokgung, Scoff, Inwangsan, Seongbuk district, Dongdamun, Sydney, Hermitage, Bayview Hill, Vaucluse, Watsons, Queens Beach, . Credit, Bayview, Fort Denison, Sydney Harbour’s, Milk, Camp Cove . Credit, Parsley Bay, Hopetoun, Palmerston, Moreton, Camp Cove Beach, Mosman, Balgowlah, Manly, Bay, Watsons Bay, de Janeiro, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian, Ipanema, Rio, Beach . Credit, Italy, Copacabana Beach . Credit, de, Leme, Fort Copacabana, Arpoador, Vero, Polis Sucos, Polis

HONG KONG, May 16 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Investing in China need not be too stressful, provided you avoid investing in Chinese companies. A spending pop in the transport, food and beverage and hospitality sectors helped lift first-quarter GDP to 4.5%. But that data was flattered by comparison to a grim 2022, and April data on imports, inflation and bank loans all disappointed. While Beijing’s crackdowns on domestic technology companies and property developers have eased, other risks are rising. Separately, quarterly revenue at Alibaba is expected to rise 3% year-on-year to 211 billion yuan ($30.5 billion) in the three months to March, according to the average analyst forecast on Refinitiv.

☆ Philippines defiant, says won't cooperate with ICC investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jesus Crispin Remulla said the ICC should not impose on the Philippines, which is no longer a signatory to the international tribunal. The ICC, which had suspended the investigation in November 2021 at Manila's request, said in a statement it was "not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the investigation." Current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and the vice president, who is Duterte's daughter, did not comment on the latest ICC decision. Human Rights Watch said the ICC investigation was the only credible path to justice for victims and their families. Families of many drug war victims are still seeking justice in long, drawn-out cases.

☆ The U.S. Department of Mascara
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Americans will be discovering unhappy surprises in the 4,155-page omnibus bill for weeks, and our unhappy duty is to tell you about them. To take one example: Congress is giving the Food and Drug Administration expanded power over the cosmetics industry. Some 3,500 pages into the bill arrives the “Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022,” and by “modernization” Congress means giving the federal bureaucracy more power. Peddlers of lotions and lip gloss now will have to register their facilities, report “adverse events,” and abide by stipulated manufacturing practices. The FDA will have power to issue mandatory recalls.

☆ Jiang Zemin made China richer and more unequal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( John Foley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NEW YORK, Nov 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Jiang Zemin, who died on Wednesday, catapulted China into the modern world. And his death comes at an inconvenient time for the current president, Xi Jinping. Chosen as party chief weeks before the violent 1989 suppression of Tiananmen Square protesters who demanded economic and political reforms, Jiang inherited a system riven by infighting. While numbers can deceive in a state-led economy like China’s, Jiang still notched up some encouraging stats. Follow @johnsfoley on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSJiang Zemin, the former president of China, died on Nov. 30.

How Brazil’s Leader Built the Myth of Rigged Elections By Jack Nicas, Flávia Milhorance and Ana Ionova Produced by Gray Beltran Leer en españolFor years, President Jair Bolsonaro has attacked Brazil’s election systems. Yet in speeches, interviews and hundreds of posts on social media, the president has consistently and methodically repeated those baseless claims and many others about Brazil’s voting system. At the time, he suggested that the election’s results could not be trusted because of the voting machines. He showed a video from a programmer who claimed to demonstrate how voting machines were hacked in 2018. (Experts and fact-checkers said the video was riddled with errors, including a fundamental misunderstanding of how the voting system works.)

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