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Breton also is co-chair of a government working group on charging infrastructure. "People seem to forget that the backbone of the infrastructure is not public charging, it's home charging," Breton said. 'SERIOUS CHALLENGE'Breton said that 30% of the cost of installing a home EV charging station in the U.S. is covered by a federal tax credit, while California residents can receive rebates for upgrading charging stations and electric panels. Most Canadians drive short distances to work, meaning that public charging is mainly necessary for longer-haul travellers, Breton said. Canada had 19 EVs per public charging point in 2022, while the number was 24 in the U.S., according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Justin Trudeau's, Canada's, Daniel Breton, Breton, Brian Kingston, Kingston, Joanna Kyriazis, Rod Nickel, Denny Thomas, Paul Simao Organizations: Volkswagen, Canadian, REUTERS, Companies Parkland Corp, Justin Trudeau's Liberal, Infrastructure Bank, Parkland Corp, EV, Electric Mobility Canada, Natural Resources, International Energy Agency, Clean Energy Canada, Simon Fraser University, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers ' Association, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, WINNIPEG , Manitoba, British Columbia, Canadian, Parkland, Breton, U.S, California, Natural Resources Canada, Paris, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg , Manitoba

☆ Not clear Big Tech need pay for 5G, broadband rollout, Belgian regulator says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Marine Strauss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An advertising board shows a 5G logo at the International Airport in Zaventem, Belgium May 4, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBrussels, Nov 13 - There is no clear need to make technological giants help to pay for 5G and broadband rollout, Belgium's telecoms regulator IBPT-BIPT said on Monday. Telecom operators, including Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE), have called for what they describe as "fair share funding," which the Big Tech companies have said would amount to an internet tax. "IBPT-BIPT considers that the need to oblige internet platforms to pay network operators is not sufficiently demonstrated," Belgian industry regulator IBPT-BIPT said in a report on Monday. "IBPT-BIPT considers that the need to introduce a fee based on the volume of Internet traffic for the Belgian market has not been demonstrated," it added.

Persons: Yves Herman, BIPT, Thierry Breton, Marine Strauss, Barbara Lewis Organizations: International, REUTERS, Rights, 5G, Microsoft, European Commission, Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, Big Tech, Belgian, EU, Thomson Locations: Zaventem, Belgium, Rights Brussels, Belgian

☆ China Commerce Minister Discusses Trade Ties, EV and Other Issues With EU's Breton
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

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Organizations: U.S . News, U.S News

☆ YouTube, TikTok must detail child protection measures by Nov 30, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A 3D printed Youtube and Tik Tok logo are seen placed on keyboard in this illustration taken, September 15, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) YouTube and TikTok have been given a Nov. 30 deadline by the European Union to reply to an information request on how they protect children from illegal and harmful content, the European Commission said on Thursday. Google and TikTok did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The information request comes days after Breton told TikTok Chief Executive Officer Shou Zi Chew to spare no effort to counter disinformation on its platform, owned by China's ByteDance. "Based on the assessment of the replies, the Commission will assess next steps", the Commission said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Thierry Breton, Breton, Shou Zi Chew, China's ByteDance, Sundar Pichai, Tassilo Hummel, David Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, YouTube, European Union, European Commission, Big Tech, Digital Services, Google, Reuters, Wednesday, TikTok, DSA, Thomson Locations: Rights BRUSSELS, Breton

☆ France's Federation Studios seeks advisers ahead of possible sale– sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Amy-Jo Crowley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company is considering options including a full or partial sale to another private equity firm, one of the people added. In the event of a sale, the business could be valued at more than 500 million euros, this person added. Deliberations are at an early stage and a sale process may not occur, said the people, who declined to be named because the talks are not public. Montefiore and Federation Studios declined to comment. A sale process for Spanish broadcasting and sports rights group Mediapro is also underway, according to Reuters.

Persons: Isabel Marant, Pascal Breton, Breton . Montefiore, Amy, Jo Crowley, Anousha Sakoui, Mark Potter Organizations: France's Federation Studios, des, Federation Studios, Montefiore Investment, Breton . Montefiore and Federation Studios, Vertigo Films, Reuters, Federation, Thomson Locations: Paris, Britain's, Rome, All3Media, Los Angeles, Madrid, London, Berlin, Cologne, Tel, Aviv

☆ Getting mocked for your green Android text bubbles to iPhone users could be a thing of the past in Europe if Google gets its way
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Google signed a letter to the EU asking for iMessage to be made a "core platform service." The green text bubble currently singles out non-iPhone users. That could make the green text bubbles, which single out non-iPhone users a thing of the past. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhatsApp and Meta's Messenger have been designated as core platform services, meaning they are subject to stronger regulation. And the European Union has already been investigating whether iMessage should be deemed a core platform service, since it announced the designations in September.

Persons: —, iMessage, Thierry Breton Organizations: Google, Apple, Service, Financial Times, Union's, European Union, SMS Locations: iMessage

☆ Exclusive: EU to ask YouTube, TikTok for details on measures protecting minors
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Google’s (GOOGL.O) YouTube and TikTok will be asked by EU industry chief Thierry Breton to provide information on how they comply with new EU online content rules regarding the protection of children, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. Breton will send his request to the companies on Friday, the source added. The new EU rules known as the Digital Services Act (DSA) requires Big Tech to do more to fight harmful and illegal online content, especially content that targets minors. The DSA also forces the companies to be more transparent on their algorithmic processes, bots and targeted advertisements that amplify content and do more to tackle illegal, unsafe or counterfeit products sold on their platforms. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Thierry Breton, Breton, Foo Yun Chee, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: YouTube, Reuters, EU, Digital Services, Big Tech, DSA, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS

☆ EU fine-tunes plan to launch Galileo satellites on SpaceX
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Falcon 9 rocket lifts off on NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 mission, taking four crew members to the International Space Station (ISS), from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., August 26, 2023. REUTERS/Steve Nesius/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 7 (Reuters) - The European Union has struck a tentative deal to launch four Galileo navigation satellites using Falcon 9 rockets of U.S.-based SpaceX, European officials said on Tuesday, in the latest sign of pressure caused by a gap in European launch capacity. The agreement spans two launches pencilled in for April and July next year, carrying two satellites each, EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton told reporters in Seville, Spain, following EU ministerial talks on competitivity in space. Breton told a news conference the provisional contract with SpaceX was worth 180 million euros ($191.99 million). The 22-nation European Space Agency, which includes most EU states, last year turned to Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch its Euclid space telescope to survey evidence of dark matter and dark energy in the universe.

Persons: Steve Nesius, Thierry Breton, Breton, Elon, Tim Hepher, Mark Potter, Barbara Lewis Organizations: SpaceX, International Space, Kennedy Space Center, REUTERS, European, Galileo, Internal, U.S, Global, Russian Soyuz, European Space Agency, Thomson Locations: Cape Canaveral , Florida, U.S, Seville, Spain, Italian, Russian, Ukraine, Europe

Companies TikTok FollowBRUSSELS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - TikTok must "spare no effort" to counter the spread of disinformation on the short video sharing app, EU industry chief Thierry Breton told the company's CEO on Monday, as the European Union steps up its efforts to curb the powers of Big Tech. "My services and I are now investigating whether this is enough to ensure compliance with the DSA (Digital Services Act)," Breton told Reuters in written comments after a video call with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. "Because now more than ever, we must spare no effort to protect our citizens – especially children and teenagers – against illegal content and disinformation," he said. TikTok Public Policy Director Caroline Greer said in a post on social media platform X that the company was pleased that Breton recognised its compliance efforts. The DSA requires large online platforms to do more to tackle illegal and harmful online content on their platforms.

Persons: Thierry Breton, China's ByteDance, Breton, Shou Zi Chew, Caroline Greer, Chew, Vera Jourova, Didier Ryenders, Foo Yun Chee, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Big Tech, DSA, Services, Reuters, Big, EU, Values, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, European, Breton, Big Tech, Brussels

[1/2] An Ericsson sign is seen at the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, China November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song Acquire Licensing RightsBRUSSELS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Electronics makers Siemens (SIEGn.DE), Ericsson (ERICb.ST) and Schneider Electric (SCHN.PA), along with industry group DigitalEurope warned on Monday that onerous proposed EU rules targeting cybersecurity risks of smart devices could disrupt supply chains on a scale similar to during the pandemic. They said disruptions could hit millions of products, ranging from washing machines to toys, cybersecurity products, as well as vital components for heat pumps, cooling machines and high-tech manufacturing. "We risk creating a COVID-style blockage in European supply chains, disrupting the single market and harming our competitiveness," the companies said. They also want more flexibility to self-assess cybersecurity risks.

Persons: Aly, Thierry Breton, Vera Jourova, Robert Bosch, Foo Yun Chee, Rod Nickel Organizations: Ericsson, China, REUTERS, Rights, Electronics, Siemens, Schneider, European, European Union, Nokia, Robert, Robert Bosch GmbH, EU, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, Rights BRUSSELS, EU, Slovakian

Chew will meet Breton on Nov. 6 and Jourova and Reynders on Nov. 7, a TikTok spokesperson said. He will update the commissioners on TikTok's data security regime called Project Clover which started to store European user data locally this year, a TikTok spokesperson said. The company has a data centre in Dublin, Ireland, and is building two more in Ireland and Norway. Breton last month gave TikTok an Oct. 25 deadline to provide information on its crisis response measures. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shou Zi Chew, Online Harms, Thierry Breton, Vera Jourova, Didier Reynders, TikTok, Chew, Breton, Foo Yun Chee, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Jason Neely Organizations: Energy, Commerce, Safeguard, Online, Capitol, Breton, Digital Services, Big Tech, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, BRUSSELS, EU, Brussels, Israel, Gaza, Reynders, Dublin, Ireland, Norway

☆ Jude Bellingham confirms status as a generational talent with injury time winner for Real Madrid in El Clásico
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“Another comeback,” he told Real’s website after the match. Real Madrid sits top of La Liga. Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images“He could easily score 20 or 25 goals,” manager Carlo Ancelotti told Real’s website afterwards. And it is his maturity and decision-making, as much as skill on the pitch, that is drawing praise from his manager at Real Madrid. “We’re all surprised at the level he’s at, especially in terms of how effective he’s been,” Ancelotti told the club’s website.

Persons: CNN — Jude Bellingham, ”, Real’s, Jose Breton, Carlo Ancelotti, “, Bellingham, “ We’re, ” Ancelotti Organizations: CNN, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Luka, La Liga, Bellingham, €, Italy Locations: El Clásico, Barcelona, Madrid, England

The Consequences of Elon Musk’s Ownership of XNow rebranded as X, the site has experienced a surge in racist, antisemitic and other hateful speech. Research conducted in part by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue concluded that anti-Semitic tweets in English more than doubled after Mr. Musk’s takeover. Keeping X at the center of public debate is exactly Mr. Musk’s goal, which he describes at times with a messianic zeal. Even worse, the article argued, Mr. Musk’s changes appear to be boosting the engagements of the most contentious users. A month into Mr. Musk’s ownership, the platform stopped enforcing its policy against Covid-19 misinformation.

Persons: Elon Musk, ”, “, Musk’s, —, Musk, Tim Chambers, ” Mr, Chambers, Tesla, lockdowns, Thierry Breton, Mr Organizations: Elon, Twitter, “ Twitter, Hamas, Dewey, Group, Defamation, Research, Institute for Strategic, Commission, Kremlin, Pentagon, Tufts, Rutgers, Montclair, 4chan, Harvard Kennedy School, Covid, Media, Mr, Commission's Digital Services, Services, Defamation League, European Union Locations: Musk’s, Russia, China, Israel, Ukraine, Iran, guardrails

☆ EU's Breton confirms investigations into three tech platforms, including X
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] 'X' logo is seen on the top of the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - EU industry chief Thierry Breton has launched investigations into three tech platforms over content moderation decisions, including Elon Musk's X. The tech giants have faced mounting scrutiny in recent weeks, with a surge in harmful content and disinformation following Hamas' attack on Israel. Under the bloc's wide-sweeping Digital Services Act, very large tech platforms and search engines must do more to tackle illegal content and risks to public security, and to protect their services against manipulative techniques. Speaking during a radio interview with France Inter, Breton did not specify the other two platforms being investigated.

Persons: Carlos Barria, Thierry Breton, Elon Musk's, Breton, Martin Coulter, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Services, France Inter, Thomson Locations: San Francisco , California, U.S, Israel

☆ Dutch lawmakers question new US export restrictions on ASML chip machine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Several Dutch lawmakers on Tuesday challenged the Netherlands' Trade Minister over whether the U.S. has acted correctly in unilaterally imposing new rules regulating the export to China of another chipmaking machine made by ASML Holding (ASML.AS). The U.S. last week announced new rules giving Washington the right to restrict the export of Veldhoven-headquartered ASML's Twinscan NXT1930Di machine if it contains any U.S. parts at all. The deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machine can be used to help make both relatively advanced computer chips as well as mid-range and older chips. The U.S. has pressured the Dutch government not to export any of its most advanced machines to China since 2019, and in June the Dutch government introduced its own licensing requirement for slightly less advanced machines. ASML dominates the market for lithography equipment, used by chipmakers such as TSMC (2330.TW), Samsung (005930.KS) and Intel (INTC.O) to help create the circuitry of chips.

Persons: Liesje Schreinemacher, ASML, Schreienmacher, I've, Valdis Dombrovskis, Theirry, Toby Sterling, Jamie Freed Organizations: Trade, ASML, . Trade, U.S, Washington, Samsung, Intel, European Trade, Internal, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, U.S, China, Taiwan, South Korea

☆ Italy backs calls for tech firms to help fund EU telecoms networks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ROME, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Italy broadly supports proposals at European Union level to ensure that Big Tech firms partly finance telecoms infrastructure in the bloc, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said in a statement on Tuesday. "All market players benefiting from the digital transformation must contribute fairly and proportionately to infrastructure costs," Urso said, intervening at an EU telecoms minister meeting in Leon, Spain. However, before introducing any legislation, the EU must carefully assess whether and to what extent network infrastructure is effectively overloaded by content and services generated by Big Tech firms, Urso added. Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE), Orange (ORAN.PA), Telefonica (TEF.MC) and Telecom Italia (TIM) (TLIT.MI) term it fair-share funding, while Big Tech says it amounts to an internet tax. "Italy believes the EU Commission should carry out further assessment and more time is needed to evaluate the extent of the impact of traffic generated on the network infrastructure" Urso said.

Persons: Adolfo Urso, Urso, Thierry Breton, Giuseppe Fonte, Elvira Pollina, Keith Weir Organizations: European Union, Big Tech, Industry, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Microsoft, Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica, Telecom Italia, France Telecom, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Italy, Leon, Spain, Orange

The draft AI rules have to be agreed by the European Parliament and European Union member states. A fourth trilogue meeting will be held on Tuesday, a day after EU lawmakers are scheduled to discuss their negotiating stance around foundation models and high-risk AI systems, sources said. Discussions could then be further de-railed by the European parliament elections in June. The EU started working on the draft AI Act in 2021. In May this year, the European parliament agreed on draft legislation including new rules around the use of facial recognition, biometric surveillance, and other AI applications.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Thierry Breton, Dragoș Tudorache, Brando Benifei, Supantha Mukherjee, Foo Yun Chee, Matt Scuffham, Mike Harrison Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European Union, Reuters, EU, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, BRUSSELS, trilogues, Spain, Stockholm, Brussels

☆ EU asks Meta for more details on efforts to stop Israel-Hamas war misinformation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, said it had sent the formal request for information to Meta (META) Thursday. The commission also asked TikTok for more information on the steps it had taken to prevent the spread of “terrorist and violent content and hate speech,” it said, but without referring to the Israel-Hamas war. But the European Commission has made it clear it needs more information. Both companies also have until November 8 to detail how they intend to protect the “integrity of elections” on their platforms, the commission said. It has not announced parallel investigations into Meta or TikTok.

Persons: TikTok, Thierry Breton, Meta, Hideki Yoshihara Organizations: London CNN, European, Facebook, European Commission, Meta, EU, Services, DSA, Twitter Locations: Israel

LONDON (AP) — The European Union on Thursday demanded Meta and TikTok detail their efforts to curb illegal content and disinformation during the Israel-Hamas war, flexing the power of a new law that threatens billions in fines if tech giants fail to do enough to protect users. The commission asked Meta and TikTok to explain the measures they have taken to reduce the risk of spreading and amplifying terrorist and violent content, hate speech and disinformation. It's the prelude to a possible crackdown under the new digital rules, which took effect in August and have made the EU a global leader in reining in Big Tech. The new rules, known as the Digital Services Act, are being put to the test by the Israel-Hamas war. Depending on their responses, Brussels could decide to open formal proceedings against Meta or TikTok and impose fines for “incorrect, incomplete, or misleading information,” the commission said.

Persons: Meta, Elon, Thierry Breton, —, ” Breton Organizations: Union, European Commission, Digital Services, DSA, Twitter, Meta Locations: Israel, EU, reining, Big Tech, Brussels

☆ Elon Musk is considering taking Twitter out of Europe amid EU compliance investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Kali Hays | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In recent weeks Elon Musk has suggested Twitter could stop being accessible in Europe in order to avoid new regulation enacted by the European Commission. Musk is increasingly frustrated with having to comply with the Digital Services Act, according to a person familiar with the company. This would be similar to the way Meta is currently blocking people in Europe from using its new app Threads. At the time, Musk suggested the platform, still known as Twitter, should shift to operating only in the countries where it was most popular, so the US, the UK, and Japan. On X, Musk seemed to reply sarcastically to a post from Commissioner Breton on X's DSA compliance and insisted he did not understand what was being asked of him.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Thierry Breton, it's, Breton, he's Organizations: European Commission, Digital Services, Twitter, European Union, DSA Locations: Europe, Israel, India, Australia, Africa, South Korea, Japan, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Dublin, London

☆ Google cuts dozens of jobs in news division
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Jennifer Elias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Google cut dozens of jobs in its news division this week, CNBC has learned, downsizing at a particularly sensitive time for online platforms and publishers. An estimated 40 to 45 workers in Google News have lost their jobs, according to an Alphabet Workers Union spokesperson, who didn't know the exact number. A Google spokesperson confirmed the cuts but didn't provide a number, and said there are still hundreds of people working on the news product. The cuts in Google News follow widespread layoffs across many parts of the company this year. In January, Google announced it was cutting 12,000 jobs, affecting roughly 6% of the full-time workforce.

Persons: We're, We've, Sen, Michael Bennet, TikTok, Thierry Breton, Breton, Sundar Pichai, Neal Mohan, Google's, they've Organizations: Google, CNBC, Google News, Alphabet Workers Union, Union, YouTube, EU's Digital Services, LinkedIn Locations: Israel, Gaza, Russia, Ukraine, Canada

Reuters fact-checking unit has identified numerous cases of social media posts using fake images and information about the Israel-Hamas conflict, and others in which confusion rather than deliberate disinformation appears to have heightened tensions. loading* A video of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking about Ukraine last year was shared this month with fabricated subtitles warning the U.S. not to interfere in the Israel-Hamas conflict. The sheriff’s office said they were "targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis". Marc Owen Jones, a disinformation expert and professor at Hamad bin Khalifa University in Qatar, said there was often a rise in disinformation during conflicts. Clearly they seem directed at different audiences, but the combined effect is to muddy the waters about the truth in the conflict," he said.

Persons: Khan Younis, Abu Mustafa, Joe Biden, we’ve, Biden, Farida Khan, Al Jazeera, Jazeera, Vladimir Putin, Pink, Gerald Darmanin, Thierry Breton, Rafi Mendelsohn, Abu Obaidah, Tayyip Erdogan, Marc Owen Jones, Hamad, Stephanie Burnett, Stephen Farrell, Hardik, Abdel Fattah Sherif, Neha Mustafi, Jonathan B Mathew, Nidal, James Mackenzie, Andrew Mills, William Maclean, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, Al, Hamas, Reuters, Louvre, Facebook, Meta, YouTube, Israel’s Office, State Attorney, Twitter, Palestine, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Hardik Vyas, Thomson Locations: Gaza, AMSTERDAM, LONDON, Israel, ., Al Jazeera, Ukraine, Guatemala, Israeli, New Zealand, kibbutzes, France, In Illinois, London, Middle, Tehran, Turkey, Qatar, Amsterdam, Bangalore, Jerusalem, Doha

☆ Elon Musk’s X is testing an annual fee for unverified accounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —After Elon Musk hinted last month that X could start charging all users, the company (formerly known as Twitter) announced a test of such a system. The test will apply only to new web accounts, and the fee will be waived if users sign up for X’s $3.99 per month premium subscription service. New users in the testing region who opt out of premium and the annual subscription will only be able to read posts, watch videos and follow accounts — but not interact on the platform. X says it has removed “hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts,” taken down thousands of posts since the attack on Israel by Hamas and ramped up Community Notes, its program that allows users to fact check other users’ posts. “X is… addressing identified fake and manipulated content during this constantly evolving and shifting crisis,” X CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a letter to EU Commissioner Thiery Breton last week.

Persons: Elon Musk, X, Musk, Benjamin Netanyahu, ”, Linda Yaccarino, Thiery Breton Organizations: New, New York CNN, Twitter, X, Israeli, European Commission Locations: New York, New Zealand, Philippines, Israel

☆ U.S. lawmaker seeks answers from Meta, X, Google, TikTok over Israel-Hamas false content
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Zeba Siddiqui | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Senator Michael Bennet on Tuesday sought information on how tech giants Meta (META.O), X, TikTok and Google (GOOGL.O) were trying to stop the spread of false and misleading content about the Israel-Hamas conflict on their platforms. Visuals from older conflicts, video game footage, and altered documents are among misleading content that has flooded social media platforms since Hamas militants attacked Israeli civilians on Oct. 7. "In many cases, your platforms’ algorithms have amplified this content, contributing to a dangerous cycle of outrage, engagement, and redistribution,” Bennet said. The short video app TikTok said it had hired more Arabic and Hebrew-speaking content moderators. "The mountain of false content clearly demonstrates that your current policies and protocols are inadequate," he said in the letter.

Persons: Michael Bennet, Biden, Bonnie Cash, Bennet, ” Bennet, Thierry Breton, Elon Musk, Zeba Siddiqui, Stephen Coates Organizations: Capitol, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Google, European Union, YouTube, Twitter, Elon, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, San Francisco

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

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