Tag Archives: accounts

What Drives the Surge of Pro-Trump-X Accounts from Asia?

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WWhen X launched a new feature that discloses the locations of popular accounts, the intention was to enhance transparency and combat misinformation. However, this led to an uproar, with users expressing outrage upon discovering that numerous prominent “America First” and pro-Trump accounts were actually based overseas, resulting in a blame game.

The feature was activated over the weekend by Nikita Beer, X’s head of product, who stated it was a pivotal step in “maintaining the integrity of the global town square.” Since its launch, many highly active accounts frequently commenting on US politics have been “debunked” by fellow users.

A fan account of Ivanka Trump discussing illegal immigration has been traced back to Nigeria. MAGAStorm, which disseminates conspiracy theories regarding President Trump’s alleged assassination attempt, is situated in Eastern Europe. Meanwhile, AmericanVoice, which shares anti-Muslim content, is based in India.

Many users have observed that a significant percentage of these deceptive accounts, which often claim American origins, are traced back to Asia. Experts remain divided on whether these activities are part of state-sponsored influence operations or merely driven by opportunists in pursuit of quick profits.

Monetizing “anger fodder”

In 2024, the Information Resilience Center (CIR) uncovered a network of accounts on X impersonating young American women, utilizing images from European influencers to build their credibility. These images are often altered to include pro-Trump hats and attire.

Thanks to X’s enhanced location features, investigator Benjamin Strick discovered that nearly all accounts posing as “independent Trump supporters” were actually based in Thailand.

Strick commented that these accounts, while vowing to “follow the patriots” and “stand with Trump,” also frequently share anti-Muslim content.

In a 2024 report, CIR indicated that these accounts took advantage of “existing social tensions” to disseminate disinformation.

“They leveraged discussions surrounding gender and LGBTQ+ rights to undermine Democratic policies and amplify Republican perspectives,” the report asserted.

Concerns about foreign entities using social media to sway American voters peaked after Trump’s 2016 election victory over Hillary Clinton. An intelligence briefing the following year detailed actions taken by the Russian government to employ bot farms in support of Trump.

Since then, experts have warned that foreign influence operations have grown increasingly sophisticated, though such concerns seem to have faded as American politics have become more polarized and voters more isolated.

However, Simon Copeland, a researcher at the Australian National University, believes that the sheer volume of pro-Trump accounts globally may be equally motivated by profit as by political aspirations.

“Social media is fundamentally driven by attention… [and] platforms like X and Twitter offer monetary rewards for that,” he explained, noting that the most effective way to garner attention currently is to “post about Donald Trump.”

Changes in X’s monetization strategy may also play a role. In 2024, the platform revealed that creators would be compensated based on audience engagement, leading to concerns that this would incentivize the creation of ever more controversial content.

“As platforms reward engagement, creators will lean towards posts that spark discussion, including those that provoke anger and prompt users to respond,” TechCrunch mentioned at the time.

“That’s where the anger fodder comes into play,” Copeland stated. “Individuals intentionally aim to provoke outrage to draw users to the platform and engage with the content.”

The precise calculations determining user payments remain unclear, and it’s uncertain how much revenue overseas users masquerading as MAGA supporters are generating. A 2024 BBC report estimates these earnings could reach thousands of dollars for some. Experts in the disinformation field in Southeast Asia explicate that such figures can be a significant motivator for individuals in that region.

A 2021 report addressing Southeast Asia’s “disinformation crisis” found that many accounts pushing xenophobic and misogynistic narratives aimed at the American right were not deeply ideologically invested but rather “driven almost solely by entrepreneurial interests.”

The “dark corners” of the internet

Trump supporters, who maintain a continuous presence online, are outraged about the origins of some accounts (many of which have been suspended), while others question the relevance of this issue.

Copeland highlights the undercurrents of right-wing thought and how ideas birthed in obscure online areas can escalate to prominent political discourses in the U.S. and Europe.

On the night X began unveiling account locations, Donald Trump shared a post from the account Trump_Army_, which has around 600,000 followers and frequently promotes conspiracy theories. In a recent post, it asked followers if “JFK was assassinated for trying to uncover the very fraudsters Trump is now challenging.” Shortly after, another user pointed out that Trump_Army_ operates out of India.

This is just one of the less concerning instances, yet it exemplifies how the expansive ecosystem of right-wing politics functions online.

“Extreme ideas often originate from the dark corners of the internet. They spread, transform into memes, reach more mainstream platforms, and eventually capture the attention of politicians,” asserts Copeland.

In May, President Trump confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office, accusing him of ignoring “white genocide” against farmers in South Africa. These largely debunked assertions are believed to have partially emerged from far-right chat rooms.

“We must take this seriously,” he cautions, as such notions are “quickly being absorbed into the mainstream.”

Mr. X was contacted for commentary.

Source: www.theguardian.com

TikTok ‘Leads Child Accounts to Adult Content with Just a Few Clicks’ | TikTok

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A report from the Campaign Group reveals that TikTok is guiding child accounts towards pornographic content within just a few clicks.

Global Witness activists created fake accounts using a birth date of 13 and activated the app’s “limited mode,” designed to reduce visibility to “sexually suggestive” material.

Researchers discovered that TikTok suggested sexual and explicit search phrases for seven test accounts established on new mobile devices with no prior search history.

The suggested terms under the “You May Want” feature included “very rude and revealing attire” and “very rude babe,” escalating to phrases like “hardcore porn clip.” Sexual search suggestions appeared instantly for three of the accounts.

After just “a few clicks,” researchers encountered pornographic material ranging from depictions of women to explicit sexual acts. Global Witness indicated that some content tried to evade moderation by appearing as innocuous photos or videos. For one account, access to explicit content required only two clicks: one on the search bar and another on a suggested search term.

Global Witness, an organization focused on climate issues and the implications of Big Tech on human rights, conducted two rounds of testing on July 25, one before and one after the Child Protection Regulation (OSA) was enacted in the UK.

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Two videos featuring individuals who appeared under 16 were reported to the Internet Watch Foundation, tasked with monitoring online child sexual abuse material.

Global Witness accused TikTok of breaching the OSA, which mandates tech companies to shield children from harmful content, including pornography.

A spokesperson for the UK Communications Regulatory Authority, Ofcom, stated they would “support the study’s findings and evaluate the results.”

OFCOM’s compliance code stipulates that media promoting harmful content or high-risk tech companies must “design their algorithms to eliminate harmful material from child feeds.” TikTok’s content guidelines expressly prohibit pornographic material.

In response to Global Witness’s concerns, TikTok confirmed the removal of troubling content and modifications to its search recommendations.

“Upon recognizing these issues, we promptly initiated an investigation, eliminated content that breached our policies, and began enhancing our search proposal features,” stated a spokesperson.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Palestinian Social Media Accounts Seeking Funds Flagged as Spam | Technology

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Hanin Al-Batsh estimates that over the past six months, he has created more than 80 accounts on Bluesky.

Like many other Palestinians struggling to secure food in Gaza, Albatos hopes that Blue skiing will help her raise enough funds for flour and milk for her children as part of her crowdfunding efforts.

She shared that posting to text-based social networks has become even more critical as Israel tightens its hold on Gaza, leading to widespread starvation.

“Hello, my kids are getting weaker, losing weight, and suffering from malnutrition and low iron levels,” said Al-Batsh in her most recent post.


Images shared with The Guardian by the young mother reveal her two sons, Ahmed, aged 1.5, and Adam, who is three, lying on a makeshift bed on the floor of the warehouse where they are taking shelter.

As hunger proliferates across Gaza and aid remains scarce, Palestinians are increasingly looking to crowdfunding platforms like Gofundme and Chuffed as their lifelines.

However, their attempts to promote their campaigns on social media often result in their accounts being shut down or flagged as spam, particularly on Bluesky, the emerging alternative to Twitter in Gaza.

According to her, Bluesky deactivated almost all of Al-Batsh’s accounts just days later, with the longest one remaining active for only 12 days.

When a social network such as Bluesky flags an account as spam, she feels compelled to establish a new account, reassuring potential donors that she is not a bot.




View of North Gaza from Jordanian aid aircraft on August 5, 2025. Photo: Alessio Mamo/The Guardian

To combat bots and fraud, the shutdowns ironically compel Blueski users to rely on tagging the same individuals who previously engaged with them in an attempt to counter bots and fraud.

Although Al-Batsh refrains from tagging individuals in every post after receiving strict instructions from Bluesky, she expresses frustration, stating, “Now no one can find my posts.”

Desperation drives many Palestinians to act like bots. With new accounts, it becomes increasingly challenging for individuals like Al-Batsh to refute accusations of being automated accounts; fewer followers and repetitive tagging can trigger suspicions.

Nevertheless, grassroots responses to the issue have emerged. Since May, Al-Batsh has started marking her posts with a green checkmark emoji and the phrase “verified by Molly Shah.”

A small group of volunteers assist her with similar tasks on Bluesky. Comparable initiatives are taking place across various social media platforms, with some run by larger teams of volunteers. X and Instagram have Gazafunds and Radio Watermelon, while Tumblr has Gaza Vetters.

Despite this, Shah expresses her desire for a more structured system, stating, “This is too much focus on me.”

Guerrilla Verification Network

Shah has been involved with Blueski since its early days.

Thus began her verification project. She encouraged her friend Jamal to set up a Bluesky account to share posts for her campaign, hoping to draw attention to it in 2023. Jamal managed to raise enough money to leave Gaza.




Palestinians gather at the Jikim intersection to receive limited flour and basic food aid as hunger intensifies due to the ongoing Israeli blockade in North Gaza on August 7, 2025. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Anadolu via Getty Images

Shah’s verification project gained momentum as more individuals from Gaza joined the social network. Many reached out to her, hoping that she would share their campaigns with her substantial follower base of 57,000. She began vetting the individuals and families behind each campaign before sharing their information, paving the way for her guerrilla verification network.

Today, Shah maintains spreadsheets for over 300 accounts that she has verified. They use the same authentication badge as Al-Batsh, labeling their posts and profile pages with “Validated by Molly Shah.” While this stamp does not entirely prevent Bluesky’s system from flagging accounts as spam, she hopes it helps reassure users that the account owner is genuine.

“The validation appears to help people recognize that these are real individuals,” Shah stated. “My main goal is not to fundraise; it’s about combatting the ongoing and systemic dehumanization of Palestinians.”


Shah mentioned that the review process is not standardized and allows video calls. She accepts documents from people she has already vetted or knows personally to validate their identity and confirm their presence in Gaza. This process is time-consuming; Al-Batsh reported waiting two months for a response from Shah. Occasionally, Shah encounters individuals who falsely claim to be from Gaza or misrepresent their circumstances, but most are genuine people seeking assistance.

Crucial Fraud Prevention

According to aid and human rights organizations, Gaza is facing unprecedented levels of hunger, increasing the stakes for fundraising campaigns and amplifying the importance of every Bluesky post. Duaa al-Madoon, another mother in Gaza, recently shared her struggles to feed her three children and mentioned that she also deleted her Bluesky account. The cost of flour, milk, and diapers can reach $100 daily when available; recently, she has found it challenging to locate diapers and milk, going days without eating to ensure her children are fed.

“My child has no proper diaper, causing severe rashes. Food is scarce and exorbitantly priced. If you manage to get something, it’s mainly rice,” lamented Al-Madoon.

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According to Nat Calhoun, who has supported several families in Gaza through a campaign, the impact of fundraising can be immediate. In one case, a family contacted them about an elderly woman in Mawasi who had not eaten for several days. They were able to raise $110 to supply her with flour and sent her the funds the next day.

“It can be instantaneous,” Calhoun noted. “I don’t think people realize how much their support can genuinely impact someone’s day.”

To receive funds raised through campaigns, Palestinians must collaborate with ‘recipients.’ Individuals outside Gaza initiate campaigns, collect funds on their behalf, and transfer money through banks because the payment processor used by the platform does not operate in Gaza.

This system necessitates that Palestinians place substantial trust in these intermediaries, individuals they have never met.

Consequently, campaigns and the Palestinians they aim to assist are vulnerable to fraud.




Amira Mutea reflected on her struggle with malnutrition in Gaza on August 5, 2025. Photo: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters

Calhoun and Shah noted that much of the fraud they encounter exploits vulnerable Palestinians.

Al-Batsh’s initial campaign on GoFundMe was organized by a woman who claimed to be located in Tucson, Arizona. The campaign raised almost $37,000, but Al-Batsh only received about $34,000 before the campaign organizer faced issues accessing her account. “I have never received the remaining funds,” Al-Batsh lamented.

“The thought of it is maddening,” said Calhoun. “Because the people of Gaza cannot fundraise independently. They are at the mercy of others and must trust that those people will treat them fairly.”

Requesting Changes from Bluesky

Bluesky’s spam filters often obstruct donations. Ad hoc verification systems like Shah’s provide a level of assurance that the funds donated are directed to legitimate individuals in Gaza rather than fraudulent entities.

When Shah shares a campaign, the difference is noticeable. Al-Batsh’s campaign garnered 10 donations ranging from $5 to $505 within just two days of her sharing it, compared to an average of two or three donations per day prior.

Although her validation network has helped some Palestinians maintain their online presence, Shah admits that it is not a sustainable solution. Overwhelmed by requests, she has limited her sharing to one account daily.

Meanwhile, thousands of Bluesky users have signed open letters urging the platform to enhance its moderation practices.

“We understand that when posting a fundraising link, Gazans may trigger Bluesky’s automated spam filters,” states an open letter signed by 7,000 individuals. “However, just as the platform addresses spam from T-shirt bots, failing to accommodate a vulnerable group is not only cruel but exacerbates their struggles for survival.”




Israeli activists protest in Tel Aviv against the bombing, starvation, and forced evacuation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Photo: Ariel Shalit/AP

Bluesky stated in response to the open letter that it is committed to ensuring that the voices of Gaza residents are heard on its platform. However, they noted that certain account activities violated community guidelines and urged users to focus their efforts through verified accounts.

Bluesky has not responded to requests for comment.

“We acknowledge that we may not always make the right moderation decisions, which is why we have an appeals process,” the statement continued. However, Shah and others advocating for Gaza residents say very few receive responses when filing appeals, making it challenging for Palestinians to maintain account access beyond a brief period.

Shah noted that Bluesky had an opportunity to improve its moderation systems in the early days of the conflict in Gaza when fewer users were on the platform. She hopes they seized that opportunity.

“It seems that Bluesky is saying, ‘we’re eliminating spammers,’ but it’s the very people we are striving to protect who are being targeted,” she concluded.

Source: www.theguardian.com

100,000 UK Taxpayer Accounts Compromised in £47 Million HMRC Phishing Scam

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HM’s revenues and customs have experienced a loss of £47 million due to phishing scams that have compromised tens of thousands of tax accounts, a panel of lawmakers has been informed.

On Wednesday, two senior tax officials briefed the Treasury Commission, reporting that 100,000 individuals have been contacted or are being contacted after their accounts were locked as part of an “organized crime” investigation initiated last year.

John Paul Marks, CEO of HMRC, stated that the affected taxpayers will face “no financial loss.”

He explained to the committee: “About 0.2% of the Pay population is being notified, with approximately 100,000 individuals informed that unusual activity has been detected on their Pay accounts.”

Marks clarified that this pertains to individual workers’ payment accounts, not business accounts.

He further elaborated: “This incident involved organized crime phishing for identity data outside of the HMRC system, which unfortunately affects banks and other entities that utilize that data to set up Payer accounts for refunds or accessing existing accounts.”

He informed MPs of investigations into issues from last year that “involve jurisdictions beyond the UK,” which led to “arrests last year.”

Angela McDonald, HMRC’s deputy chief executive and second permanent secretary, added:


“Ultimately, we successfully protected £19 billion that was targeted during last year’s attacks.”

McDonald made it clear that this breach is “not a cyber attack, there has been no hacking, and data has not been extracted.”

She went on to state: “The act of compromising someone’s system to extract data and implement ransomware constitutes a cyber attack. That is not what transpired here.”

HMRC reported that it has secured the details of the affected accounts and has eliminated logins to prevent future unauthorized access.

Incorrect information has been purged from tax records, and authorities are verifying that no other details have been altered.

Affected individuals will receive notifications from HMRC within the next three weeks.

Marks noted that HMRC’s phone line experienced an outage on Wednesday afternoon, but this was “accidental” and would be “up and running” by Thursday.

A spokesperson for HMRC stated: “We have taken steps to safeguard our customers after identifying attempts to access a minimal amount of tax revenues and will collaborate with law enforcement both domestically and internationally to bring the culprits to justice.

“This was not a cyber attack; instead, it involved criminals utilizing personal information from phishing activities or data obtained from other sources to attempt to claim funds from HMRC.”

“We are sending letters to affected customers to assist in securing their accounts and to reassure them that they have not lost any money.”

Last week, UK banks and payment companies were advised to enhance their anti-fraud systems for international transactions due to a rising number of fraudsters targeting individuals abroad.

Recent statistics indicated that international payments account for 11% of the losses attributed to push payment fraud in 2024.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta Blocks Instagram Accounts of Prominent Indian Muslims Amid Escalating Conflict

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Meta has prohibited well-known Muslim news pages on Indian Instagram at the request of the government, with the account’s founder labeling the action as “censorship” that intensifies tensions between India and Pakistan.

An Indian Instagram user attempted to access a post from the account @muslim, which boasts 6.7 million followers. “Accounts not available in India. This is due to compliance with legal requirements restricting this content.”

There was no swift response from the Indian government regarding the ban, which followed a predicament where Pakistani actors and cricketers were blocked from their social media accounts.

“We’ve received numerous messages and comments from our Indian followers unable to access our account,” stated Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, founder and editor of the news account. “Meta blocked the @muslim account following legal requests from the Indian government. This action is censorship.”

Meta chose not to comment, with a spokesperson referencing the company’s webpage that outlines their policy of restricting content if the government deems it “against local laws.”

This situation, first reported by US technology journalist Taylor Lorenz, has led to heightened violence between India and Pakistan—the most severe in two decades for these nuclear-armed nations.

Following New Delhi’s deadly missile strike against its rival, both countries engaged in heavy artillery exchanges along the disputed border.

At least 43 fatalities were reported amid the conflict, occurring two weeks after India accused Pakistan of supporting a deadly attack on tourists in the contested regions of Kashmir.

Pakistan has declined to file charges and warned it would seek “revenge” for those killed in India’s airstrikes.

The @muslim account ranks among the most-followed Muslim news sources on Instagram. Khatahtbeh expressed regret to his Indian followers, stating: “When platforms and nations attempt to silence the media, it highlights their role in holding powerful entities accountable.”

“We will persist in documenting the truth and standing firmly for justice,” he stated, urging Meta to restore access to the account for Indian users.

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India has also prohibited over a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating “provocative” content, encompassing Pakistani news outlets.

Recently, access to the Instagram account of former Pakistan Prime Minister and cricket captain Imran Khan has also been restricted in India.

Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam, noted figures in Pakistani Bollywood films, have also been rendered off-limits in India, along with numerous cricketers including stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, and retired icons Shahid Afridi and Wasim Akram.

The escalating tensions between these South Asian neighbors have fostered a surge of online misinformation, with social media users mislabeling everything from deepfake videos to outdated images from unrelated conflicts to these Indian airstrikes.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump urged both India and Pakistan to cease hostilities promptly, offering assistance to quell the violence.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Self-improvement strategies for transforming Incel accounts

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Recent research indicates that supporters of “incel” ideology have repackaged “sub5” and embraced a shift towards the language of self-improvement on Tiktok.

Despite the prohibition of hateful content on social media platforms, accounts propagating these beliefs are reportedly cloaked in new terminologies and “socially acceptable” vernacular.

One key tenet of the incel ideology revolves around the notion that society is structured hierarchically based on physical appearance.

Previously characterized by misogyny, pseudo-scientific theories surrounding self-improvement and attraction are now being promoted and normalized.

Anda Iuria Solea, a researcher at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice in Portsmouth, cited a theory mentioned in a Netflix show, suggesting that 80% of women are attracted to 20% of men.

Another concept gaining traction on Tiktok is the PSL scale, which ranks men from 1 to 8 based on their perceived attractiveness.

The acronym PSL is derived from the initials of three Incel websites: Puahate, Sluthate, and Lookism.net.

Men are categorized from “PSL Gods” (highly attractive men) to “Chad” (generally attractive men) and eventually “sub5” (unattractive men).

Men are encouraged to believe they can ascend the scales through a process called “lookmaxxing,” which involves activities like going to the gym or undergoing cosmetic procedures to enhance their appearance.

These theories promote an idealized form of masculinity and often attribute blame to women.

While searching for the term “Incel” on Tiktok triggers an error message cautioning against hateful content, searching for “sub5” yields a stream of related material on the platform.

“Through concepts like Lookmaxxing and the PSL scale, the promotion of misogynistic ideology is gaining mainstream acceptance.”

“These mechanisms facilitate the dissemination of toxic, misogynistic, and extremist rhetoric by cloaking it in the socially palatable discourse of self-improvement and racial and biological essentialism, widening its reach in the digital sphere.”

With over 1.9 billion users globally, Tiktok attracts a significant user base, including approximately 40.32% of UK users aged between 13 and 24 years.

A new paper submitted for peer review by the Crime, Media and Culture Journal analyzed five Tiktok accounts promoting incel theory.

Solea remarked, “They aim to broaden their audience, gain platform approval, and garner societal acceptance through rebranding. By showcasing terms like Sub5 and the PSL scale, they avoid direct attacks on women.”

Referring to the Netflix show, she added, “The 80:20 rule suggesting 80% of women prefer 20% of men is prevalent. These theories are insidious and more convincing when subtly presented, rather than outright derogatory.”

In response, a Tiktok spokesperson stated:

“We continuously enhance moderation efforts using technology and expert insights. In the last quarter, 93% of hateful content was removed before being reported.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta’s algorithms prioritize feeding blank accounts on Facebook and Instagram, revealing underlying sexism and misogyny.

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HTo find out how Facebook and Instagram's algorithms influence what appears in your news feed, Guardian Australia tested them on a completely blank smartphone linked to an unused email address.

Three months later, without any input, it was full of sexist and misogynistic content.

The Guardian Australia's explore page for dummy Instagram accounts set up in April. Photo: Instagram

The John Doe profile was created in April as a typical 24-year-old male. Facebook was able to collect other information about us, such as our phone type and Melbourne location, but because we had opted out of ad tracking, Facebook couldn't know what we did outside the app.

Facebook left me with little to fall back on, with no likes, comments or accounts added as friends, while Instagram requires users to first follow at least five accounts, so I chose popular suggested accounts, such as the Prime Minister and Bec Judd.

Meta says its algorithm ranks content according to people's interests, but we wanted to see what happens in the absence of such input. We scrolled through our feed every two weeks to see what was on offer.

What did we see?

Initially, Facebook showed jokes about The Office and other sitcom-related memes alongside posts from 7 News, the Daily Mail and Ladbible. The next day, it also started showing Star Wars memes and gym and “dudebro” style content.

By the third day, “traditional Catholic” type memes started appearing and the feed veered towards more sexist content.

Three months later, memes from The Office, Star Wars, and The Boys are still appearing in the feed, now interspersed with extremely sexist and misogynistic imagery that appears in the feed with no input from the user.

On Instagram, the explore page is filled with women in skimpy outfits, but the feed is largely innocuous, mostly Melbourne-related content and foodie influencer recommendations.

An example of a misogynistic meme shoved into the feed of a blank Facebook account. Photo: Facebook

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta removes limitations on President Trump’s access to Facebook and Instagram accounts

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Meta has lifted previous restrictions on Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts as the 2024 presidential election approaches, the company announced on Friday.

After being banned for his online behavior during the January 6 riot, President Trump was allowed to return to the social network in 2023 with “guardrails” in place. But those guardrails have now been removed.

“In assessing the responsibility of permitting political expression, I believe the American people should be able to hear from presidential candidates with the same standards,” Mehta said in a blog post, alluding to Trump formally becoming the party’s nominee at the Republican National Convention scheduled for next week.

As a result, Mr. Trump’s account will no longer be subject to the harsh suspension, which he said was instituted in response to “extreme and extraordinary circumstances” and “was not necessary to apply.”

“All US presidential candidates are required to follow the same community standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including policies to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence,” the company said in a blog post.

Since returning to the meta social network, Trump has mainly used his account to share campaign information, attacks on Democratic candidate Biden and memes.

Critics of Trump and online safety advocates have expressed concern that his return could lead to an increase in misinformation and incitement to violence like that seen during the storming of the Capitol, which initially prompted the president’s travel ban.

The Biden campaign condemned Mehta’s decision in a statement on Friday, calling it a “greedy and reckless decision” that amounts to “a direct attack on our security and democracy.”

“Restoring his access would be like giving car keys to someone you know is going to drive his car into a crowd and off a cliff,” campaign spokesman Charles Kretschmer Luttwak said. “It’s like giving a megaphone to a real racist who is going to shout hatred and white supremacy from the rooftops and make it mainstream.”

In addition to the Meta platform, other major social media companies, including Twitter (now X), Snapchat and YouTube, have also banned Trump’s accounts due to his online activity surrounding the January 6 attack.

The former president was allowed to return to X last year following a decision by Elon Musk, who bought the company in 2022, but has yet to tweet.

Trump Came back It is set to appear on YouTube in March 2023. He remains banned from Snapchat.

Trump launched his own social network, Truth Social, in early 2022.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Adobe drops support for Figma, Apple Watch sales paused, millions of accounts breached by hackers

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Welcome everyone to Week in Review (WiR). This is TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the top tech and tech-related stories from the past few days. With the holidays approaching, reporters expected a quiet week. But the opposite happened. I have no shortage of stories to write.

In this WiR, we learn that Comcast and Mr. Cooper’s customer data was stolen, electric scooter company Bird files for bankruptcy, Adobe ends its plan to acquire Figma, and Apple The report deals with the fact that the company is being forced to suspend sales by the International Trade Commission (ITC). apple watch. Also: Nikola founder Trevor Milton’s securities fraud conviction, Microsoft’s chatbot CoPilot now adding music-generating capabilities, and Consumer Reports’ impressions of Tesla’s Autopilot recall fix (spoiler: good news) We also highlight the

There are many things we need to overcome, so let’s do our best. But before that, if you haven’t already, here’s a reminder to subscribe here so you can receive his WiR in your inbox every Saturday.

well read

Hackers target Comcast: Comcast has confirmed that hackers who exploited a security vulnerability rated critical gained access to sensitive information of approximately 36 million Xfinity customers. The vulnerability, known as “CitrixBleed,” was discovered in Citrix networking devices commonly used by large enterprises and has been heavily exploited by malicious actors since August, Carly reports.

Mr. Cooper under fire: In related news, hackers stole sensitive personal information of more than 14.6 million of Cooper’s customers, Zack wrote. The mortgage and loan giant admitted that criminals stole customers’ names, addresses, dates of birth, and phone numbers, as well as social security numbers and bank account numbers.

Adobe gives up: Adobe finally makes a huge $20 billion bid to acquire rival Figma officially dead This comes after the companies announced this week that their acquisition plans had been scrapped due to regulatory resistance in Europe. The deal, first announced last September, has always attracted regulatory scrutiny due to its size and the fact that it removed one of Adobe’s major rivals from the shadows. Paul points out.

Apple stops selling Apple Watch: Apple has stopped selling its Series 9 and Ultra 2 smartwatches following an October ruling by the ITC over a patent dispute with California-based medical technology company Masimo. The controversy revolves around the blood sensor monitor in the latest flagship Apple Watch. Apple is appealing the ITC’s ruling.

Nikola’s founder declared: Trevor Milton, the disgraced founder and former CEO of electric truck startup Nikola, was sentenced Monday to four years in prison for securities fraud. Rebecca wrote that the ruling ended a years-long saga in which Nikola’s stock soared as much as 83% at one point, only to plummet months later amid fraud charges and contract cancellations.

The co-pilot learns the composition skill. Microsoft Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered chatbot, can now compose songs through integration with generative AI (GenAI) music app Suno. Users can enter prompts into Copilot, such as “Create a pop song about my adventures with my family,” and have her Suno bring their musical ideas to life through the plugin.

Tesla fixes ‘inadequate’: After the test, consumer report He said Tesla’s fixes for the Autopilot recall of more than 2 million vehicles were “insufficient.” Sean noted that while the test is not comprehensive, it shows that questions remain about Tesla’s approach to driver monitoring, the technology at the heart of the recall.

Bird files for bankruptcy: bird Submitted Under Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Code, capping off a turbulent year for the electric scooter company.in press releaseBird confirmed it had entered a “financial restructuring process aimed at strengthening its balance sheet” and said the company was continuing business as usual with the aim of “long-term, sustainable growth.”

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Want a listening ear as you prepare your holiday dishes? You’re in luck — TechCrunch’s podcasts are just the ticket.

this week’s capitalthe second in a two-part series looking back at 2023, in which our staff recapped the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the long and tedious trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman Fried, and the wild office politics of OpenAI .

meanwhile, found We focused on Charlie Hernandez and his journey building My Pocket Lawyer, an online platform aimed at giving people who can’t afford a lawyer democratic access to legal advice and guidance . Hernandez talked about why he decided to use his law degree to tackle this issue.

and Chain reaction Featuring Staci Warden, CEO of the Algorand Foundation, the organization behind the layer 1 blockchain Algorand. Algorand is a Singapore-based blockchain that aims to be fast, secure, decentralized, and “the greenest” with a carbon negative network.

TechCrunch+

TC+ subscribers have access to in-depth commentary, analysis, and surveys. You probably know these if you’re already a subscriber. If not, please consider signing up. Here are some highlights from this week.

Etsy headcount reductions: Etsy recently announced it would lay off 11% of its workforce, which comes as no surprise to those who follow the e-commerce space closely, Anna writes. She predicts that “junkification” and fierce competition will chart a difficult future.

DEI backlash: Dom writes about the dispiriting backlash against DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), a framework for creating more conscious workplace efforts to support marginalized communities in the tech sector. I am.

Figma’s rosy outlook: Anna writes that things don’t seem too bad for Figma even without Adobe. CB Insights estimates that the startup’s value is still between $8.3 billion and $9 billion.

Source: techcrunch.com