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Twitter launches competition to find biases in its image-cropping algorithm

Twitter launches competition to find biases in its image-cropping algorithm

TWITTER Inc said it will launch a competition for computer researchers and hackers to identify biases in its image-cropping algorithm after a group of researchers previously found the algorithm tended to exclude Black people and men. The competition is part of a wider effort across the tech industry to ensure artificial intelligence technologies act ethically. The social networking company said in a blog post that the bounty competition was aimed at identifying "potential harms of this algorithm beyond what we identified ourselves." Following criticism last year about image previews in posts excluding Black people's faces, the company said in May…
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What Africa tweeted last month

What Africa tweeted last month

SETH ONYANGO, BIRD NEWSROOM COVID-19, the European Championship and Bitcoin dominated conversations on Twitter in Africa last month, according to research from Africa No Filter, as Africans appeared keen to jump on the global cryptocurrency bandwagon. In nearly all countries on the continent, coronavirus was the leading trending topic with tweeps in 53 states engaging in topics related to the deadly pandemic. Data analysed and compiled by Africa No Filter shows the just-ended #Euro2020 was the second most popular hashtag in 46 African countries. “#Bitcoin came in third place and was the most popular hashtag in Tunisia. #KeepitOn - used…
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Trump sues Facebook, Twitter and Google, claiming censorship

Trump sues Facebook, Twitter and Google, claiming censorship

JASON LANGE and JAN WOLFE FORMER  U.S. President Donald Trump has filed lawsuits against Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc, and Alphabet Inc's Google, as well as their chief executives, alleging they unlawfully silence conservative viewpoints. The lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, allege the California-based social media platforms violated the right to freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Trump is seeking class-action status for the lawsuits, meaning he would represent the interests of other users of Twitter, Facebook, and Google's YouTube who allege they have been unfairly silenced. He filed three lawsuits making…
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Lil Nas X’s onstage kiss earns massive praise

Lil Nas X’s onstage kiss earns massive praise

MPHO RANTAO US rapper Lil Nas X made fans’ jaws drop with his onstage performance where he kissed a male dancer.  In a Michael Jackson ‘Remember The Time’-inspired performance for his homoerotic hit “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” at the 2021 edition of the Black Entertainment Awards (BET), ending it by passionately kissing one of his male backup dancers.  https://twitter.com/BET/status/1409337682392752132?s=20 Instead of the expected mass scorn on social media, Nas’ performance was met with major praise, with big names in the hip-hop industry like Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs expressing said support on Twitter.  Combs tweeted: “Lil Nas X did that!!…
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Nigeria orders TV, radio stations not to use Twitter

Nigeria orders TV, radio stations not to use Twitter

NIGERIA television and radio stations should not use Twitter to gather information and have to de-activate their accounts, the broadcast authority said following the move to suspend the U.S. social media giant in Africa's most populous country. Nigeria's government on Friday said it had suspended Twitter's activities, two days after the platform removed a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish secessionists. Nigerian telecoms firms have since blocked access to Twitter. International diplomats responded with a joint statement in support of "free expression and access to information as a pillar of democracy in Nigeria". Buhari, who was Nigeria's…
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Nigeria suspends Twitter in tit-for-tat action

Nigeria suspends Twitter in tit-for-tat action

NIGERIA has announced the indefinite suspension of Twitter's activities, two days after the social media giant removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists. Information Minister Lai Mohammed said the government had acted because of "the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria's corporate existence". Mohammed did not spell out what form the suspension would take or give more details on the undermining activities. His ministry also announced Twitter's suspension on Twitter. https://twitter.com/FMICNigeria/status/1400843062641717249 When asked about the details of the suspension, a ministerial aide told Reuters: "Wait and see…
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Twitter removes President’s ‘abusive’ civil war post

Twitter removes President’s ‘abusive’ civil war post

ALEXIS AKWAGYIRAM TWITTER has removed a post by Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari threatening punishment for regional secessionists blamed for attacks on government buildings. The social media firm said Buhari's tweet, referring to the 1967-70 civil war in the southeastern Biafra region that killed 1 million people, violated its "abusive behaviour" policy leading to a 12-hour suspension of his account. Buhari, who served in the army against the secessionists and was Nigeria's military ruler in the 1980s, tweeted on Tuesday that many people misbehaving today were too young to remember the deaths and destruction from the civil war. "Those of us…
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India plans new social media controls after Twitter face-off

India plans new social media controls after Twitter face-off

ADITYA KAIRA and SANKALP PHARTIYAL  CHAFFING from a dispute with Twitter, India plans to oblige social media companies to erase contentious content fast and assist investigations, according to a draft regulation. New Delhi's planned "Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code" - a copy of which was seen by Reuters - come as various nations around the world try to assert tighter control over powerful Big Tech firms. Facebook faced a global backlash from publishers and politicians last week after blocking news feeds in Australia in a dispute with the government over revenue-sharing. In India, Twitter ignored orders to remove…
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Hungary says to target tech giants over alleged manipulation of social media platforms

Hungary says to target tech giants over alleged manipulation of social media platforms

MARTON DUNAI HUNGARY'S nationalist government said on Tuesday it would place restrictions on social media giants to prevent "deliberate, ideological" misuse of digital platforms by liberal critics ahead of elections in 2022. Justice Minister Judit Varga drew parallels with the shutdown of ex-U.S. President Donald Trump's main social media accounts by Twitter and Facebook after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, saying tech giants were also trying to limit the "free speech" of Hungarian state leaders. With Joe Biden's election as U.S. president, "the American tech gurus have also come unleashed, and (ex-president) Barack Obama himself has…
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An isolated Trump, cut off from Twitter, faces 2nd impeachment

An isolated Trump, cut off from Twitter, faces 2nd impeachment

RICHARD COWAN AN increasingly isolated and angry President Donald Trump, cut off by Twitter in the waning days of his term, faces a renewed drive by Democrats to remove him from office after he incited his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol. Twitter has permanently cut off Trump's personal account and access to his nearly 90 million followers late, citing the risk of further incitement of violence, three days after Trump exhorted thousands of supporters to march on the Capitol as Congress met to certify his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. The resulting chaos, viewed with shock around the world,…
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