Censorship

Tiktok runs the risk of being banned within the EU should it fail to censor content, an official from within the bloc has warned. Thierry Breton, the EU’s censorship-loving Internal Market Commissioner, has threatened to see Chinese social media platform TikTok banned from the bloc should it fail to censor content he and his colleagues view as being problematic. It comes after Breton repeatedly threatened Twitter with a similar fate should the platform’s new CEO, Elon Musk, fail to abide by the EU’s standards for censorship. According to a report by Reuters, Breton made the threat during a video call with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, warning that the Chinese social media platform must abide by all rules outlined within the EU’s new Digital Services Act (DSA) or face the consequences. “We will not hesitate to adopt the full scope of sanctions to protect our citizens if audits do not show full compliance,” Breton reportedly warned. With younger audiences comes greater … [Read more...] about EU Official Threatens to Ban TikTok if it Fails to Censor Content

The government of India is extremely unhappy with a BBC documentary critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi – so unhappy that the government cut power to a university attempting to screen the film and ordered social media giants Twitter and YouTube to block attempts to share it. Both Twitter and YouTube complied with these censorship requests. The documentary is called India: The Modi Question . The BBC felt Modi deserved careful scrutiny because India is “seen by the west as an important bulwark against Chinese domination of Asia.” The first installment of the planned two-part series covered Modi’s rise in Indian politics, including his ties to various Hindu nationalist organizations, and his controversial tenure as chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat. Gujarat was the scene of violence between Muslims and Hindus in the early 2000s, culminating in the murder of 60 Hindu pilgrims when their train was set on fire. The majority Hindus … [Read more...] about India Declares War on BBC Narendra Modi Documentary

Five former Twitter employees have been forced to drop a class-action lawsuit against Elon Musk’s company due to previously signing arbitration agreements. The claims of several employees who did not sign the agreement will continue, and the lawyer representing employees vows a wave of arbitration cases against Musk’s company, explaining, “Mass arbitrations are incredibly costly for companies to defend and many employers have found themselves sorry about what they wished for when they insisted that employees would have to pursue their claims one by one.” Business Insider reports that five former Twitter employees who were laid off after Elon Musk took control of the company have had their class-action lawsuit against the company dismissed. The ex-employees signed arbitration agreements as part of their employment contracts with Twitter, which stated that they would file legal complaints against the company in arbitration rather than in court. The contracts also included a … [Read more...] about Elon Wins in Court: Laid Off Twitter Workers’ Class Action Lawsuit Is Dismissed

One America News Network's owner lost a key ruling in a lawsuit against DirecTV over the TV provider's decision to drop OAN from its channel lineup. OAN-owner Herring Networks had sued DirecTV and its owner AT&T in March 2022 , claiming breach of contract. The lawsuit always seemed like an uphill battle for Herring Networks because DirecTV didn't take OAN off the air while they still had a carriage agreement. Instead, DirecTV waited until the carriage agreement expired and chose not to renew it. Most of OAN's claims were thrown out in a ruling issued last week by Judge John Meyer of California Superior Court in San Diego County. DirecTV had filed an anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) motion to strike the Herring Networks complaint; DirecTV's motion was granted in part and denied in part. "As to the breach of the implied covenant claim, to the extent it is based on the non-renewal of the Affiliation Agreement, the claim fails because the agreement … [Read more...] about OAN loses key ruling in suit claiming DirecTV broke deal by dropping network

Audio player loading… Users of the Brave browser can now do their part in the fight against online censorship following the latest update. The Brave 1.47 version allows users everywhere to turn their devices into a proxy service to grant people worldwide access to the Tor browser . This isn't the first move the secure browser has taken in an effort to elude internet restrictions, having previously introduced support for Tor Bridges in Private Windows with Tor in its 1.44 version. But the company's new feature is a step forward to empower the Brave community in promoting an open and free internet for all - just from right behind their screens. Brave and Tor Snowflake Brave's latest upgrade adds the Tor Snowflake feature directly to its browser system. This is a peer-to-peer technology developed by the Tor Project to allow people around the world to access censored sites and applications. Like many of the best VPN services, Snowflake helps … [Read more...] about Brave browser wants to help users access Tor easier

A Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated into a ferry ramp at the Horseshoe Bay terminal in West Vancouver, Canada, breaking the car in half. Various governmental agencies have investigated instances of Teslas reportedly “suddenly accelerating” in the past, an investigation of this incident is ongoing. North Shore News reports that police in West Vancouver are investigating a recent incident in which a Tesla vehicle unexpectedly accelerated and collided with a ferry ramp at the Horseshoe Bay terminal, breaking the car in two. The driver and passenger are cooperating with the investigation and were both taken to the hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening. Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils the new Tesla factory in Fremont, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. The new Tesla factory is the former NUMMI plant. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma) The incident happened at a closed gate at one of the berths, according to Sgt. Mark McLean of the West Vancouver Police Department. McLean said … [Read more...] about Elon’s ‘Sudden Acceleration’ Strikes Again: Tesla Suddenly Smashes into Vancouver Ferry Ramp, Breaks in Half

Legislators in the state of Wyoming have begun the process of introducing legislation that aims to phase out electric vehicles by 2035. State Sen. Jim Anderson explained, “if you don’t like our gasoline-powered cars, then we don’t like your electric cars.” Cowboy State Daily reports that a resolution is currently being debated in the Wyoming Legislature designed to phase out the sale of new electric vehicles (EVs) in the state by 2035. Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper, is the sponsor of the resolution, titled “Phasing Out New Electric Vehicle Sales By 2035,” and it is seen as a response to laws enacted by other states that aim to phase out gas-powered vehicles. FILE – A Tesla charges at a station in Topeka, Kan., April 5, 2021. President Joe Biden and Democrats in Congress are looking to give U.S. automakers with union employees the inside track when it comes to winning the burgeoning electric vehicle market. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner, File) Sen. Anderson claims that the … [Read more...] about Sorry, Elon!: Wyoming Legislators Draft Resolution to Ban Electric Vehicles by 2035

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced plans to review a petition requesting that the administration investigate 500,000 Tesla vehicles over reports of sudden unintended acceleration, in which vehicles suddenly accelerate without human control — complainants often report their foot wasn’t even on the gas pedal when incidents occur. Reuters reports that the NHTSA announced on Friday that it would review a petition asking the administration to investigate 500,000 Tesla vehicles over reports that the cars can suddenly accelerate randomly. The petition requests the review of the 2012 through 2019 model year Tesla Model S, 2016 through 2019 Tesla Model X, and 2018 through 2019 Tesla Model 3 vehicles. The petition requests the investigation of “127 consumer complaints to NHTSA involving 123 unique vehicles. The reports include 110 crashes and 52 injuries.” Some reports claim that their Tesla vehicle suddenly and unintentionally accelerates when … [Read more...] about Feds Will Review Tesla ‘Sudden Unintended Acceleration’ Complaints

Audio player loading… Spyware has been discovered stealing Iranian users data via an infected VPN installer, antivirus provider Bitdefender has revealed. The company's joint-research with cybersecurity firm Blackpoint found components of Iranian-made EyeSpy malware to be injected "through Trojanized installers of VPN software (also developed in Iran)." The majority of targets were within the country's borders, only a few victims were found to be based in Germany and the US. This is particularly concerning in a country like Iran, where using one the best VPN services has increasingly become a necessity. Whether this is for bypassing its strict online censorship, or preserving anonymity to avoid dangerous government surveillance. Most likely, a mix of both. At the same time, a harsh crackdown on Iranian VPN services might push people towards unsecure third-party vendor sites. This makes such a spyware campaign even more dangerous for Iranians' privacy … [Read more...] about Spyware found stealing Iranian user data via infected VPN installer

Authoritarian socialist Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday she would step down from the prime ministership of New Zealand next month — a position she acquired in a controversial election and used to make the country crueler, less safe, and less free. Ardern has served as prime minister of the country since 2017, a term set to end on February 7. She will remain a member of the New Zealand parliament through at least April. Parliamentary elections will be held on October 14, presumably marking a formal end to her political career, unless she changes her mind about running for re-election. In her departing remarks, Ardern depicted herself as a victim of burnout, stating , “I just don’t have enough in the tank for another four years.” She noted she wanted time to “finally” marry her fiancé and spend more time with family, giving the impression that her collapsing approval rating and her Labour Party’s growing unpopularity did not play a role in the decision, one final … [Read more...] about Martel: Democrat Darling Jacinda Ardern Leaves Legacy of Cruelty, Tyranny in New Zealand