Latest news with #IsmaelMohamad
UPI
01-08-2025
- Business
- UPI
Musk's X: Britain's Internet safety law 'seriously infringes' free speech
"Many are now concerned that a plan ostensibly intended to keep children safe is at risk of seriously infringing on the public's right to free expression," the Global Government Affairs wing of the Elon Musk-owned X said Friday on Britain's newly-enacted Online Safety Act. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo Aug. 1 (UPI) -- The Elon Musk-owned social media platform X said Friday that Britain's newly-enacted Online Safety Act "seriously" is on the cusp of violating free speech masked as the fight to protect kids from explicit online content. "Many are now concerned that a plan ostensibly intended to keep children safe is at risk of seriously infringing on the public's right to free expression," the Global Government affairs wing of the Bastrop, Texas-headquartered X said Friday. Britain's Online Safety Act created a new set of legal duties that tech companies must abide by. It mandated they evaluate the potential of users encountering illegal Internet content and children being exposed to online harm, which included a required safety assessment. "When lawmakers approved these measures, they made a conscientious decision to increase censorship in the name of 'online safety,'" the letter stated. The British parliament passed it in September 2023 in the quest to improve online safety for young people. X argues the British people may not of been aware of the "trade-off" when London passed the bill. The OSA covers more than 130 offenses ranging from harassment and "assisting or encouraging suicide" to terrorism, fraud and "unlawful immigration." It targets tech entities that spans "social media or video-sharing platforms, messaging, gaming and dating apps, forums and file-sharing sites." According to the former Twitter, the act's "laudable intentions" were at risk of "being overshadowed by the breadth of its regulatory reach." "While everyone agrees protecting children is a critical responsibility, it is also clear that an overly rigorous statutory framework layered with a 'voluntary' code and heightened police monitoring, oversteps the intended mission," it continued. On Friday, a British watchdog group indicated that those fears may may be valid. "The BBC is now reporting that information about the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, UK rape gangs, and more is being censored online due to the government's new Online 'Safety' Act," Silkie Carlo, director of Britain-based Big Brother Watch, posted on X. "Well done lads," she added in jest. X's government affairs offiec says free speech will suffer without a "more balanced, collaborative approach." Pornhub and other major pornographic websites had a targeted end of July date to implement its age verification mechanisms in order to comply. Musk, 54, has characterized himself as a "free speech absolutist." The former White House DOGE adviser, for his part, has said the act's purpose was "suppression of the people" as he tweeted a petition calling for it's repeal that got more than 450,000 signatures. OSA's deadline required pornographic websites to implement "robust" age verification methods or face fines close to $20 million or equal to 10% of company proceeds. X cited British regulator Ofcom how it "to date" had allegedly taken a "heavy-handed approach" to enforcement, which it said included a boost in resources, additional "layers of bureaucratic oversight and signaling an aggressive approach to ensuring compliance." In a recent Ofcom research study, some 8% of children aged of 8 to 14 accessed a pornography source over a 28-day period. It included 19% boys and 11% of girls from 13 to 14 years old. In addition to the increased government regulations, X officials also cite Britain's new "National Internet Intelligence Investigations" team unit company officials say "sets off alarm bells" and will further "intensify scrutiny." The social media company said the Internet teams "sole" focus is to monitor social media for "signs of unrest, such as anti-immigrant sentiment, to prevent real-world violence." "While positioned as a safety measure, it clearly goes far beyond that intent," the post reads. "This move has set off alarm bells for free speech advocates who characterize it as excessive and potentially restrictive."
UPI
24-07-2025
- UPI
Irish media regulator warns X over age verification for adult content
Ireland's media regulator Coimisiún na Meán warned X for not having proper verification for access to adult content. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo July 24 (UPI) -- Ireland's media regulator Coimisiún na Meán issued a warning to X for not having proper verification for access to adult content. The country added new online safety rules to video-sharing platforms on Monday to keep minors away from pornographic content, promotion of self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, dangerous challenges and violent content. "Based on an initial review of the X platform, we cannot see evidence of measures taken to comply with this age assurance requirement," Coimisiún na Meán said in a statement. "We have further concerns about X's compliance with other parts of the Online Safety Code, including but not limited to, the availability of parental controls," it added. The regulator said it "will take further action where there is evidence of non-compliance with the Code," if X doesn't provide the information needed on Friday. The Coimisiún na Meán sent X a statutory information request with a deadline of Aug. 8. X risks being fined $600,000 if it fails to respond. Coimisiún na Meán added that it will review all video-sharing platforms to evaluate their adherence to the new online rules and it will take action if required. The regulators began enforcement in October 2024, giving platforms nine months to implement the changes.
UPI
21-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
X declines to hand over data in French data tempering investigation
A photo shows the new Twitter logo on July 24, 2023, following Elon Musk's announcement of a rebrand that replaces the iconic blue bird with the letter "X.". Photo by Ismael Mohamad/ UPI | License Photo July 21 (UPI) -- X declined to hand over data in allegations made by French authorities concerning a data tampering investigation on Monday. "French authorities have launched a politically-motivated criminal investigation into X over the alleged manipulation of its algorithm and alleged 'fraudulent data extraction," X posted on social media. "X categorically denies these allegations." Prosecutors initiated an investigation in January following allegations that X's algorithm was being exploited for foreign interference. This month, the investigation was moved over to France's national police. "French authorities have requested access to X's recommendation algorithm and real-time data about all user posts on the platform in order for several 'experts' to analyze the data and purportedly 'uncover the truth' about the operation of the X platform," X said. X said the investigation is meant "to serve a political agenda and, ultimately, restrict free speech." "X has not acceded to the French authorities' demands, as we have a legal right to do. This is not a decision that X takes lightly. However, in this case, the facts speak for themselves," X said.
UPI
17-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
2 killed, priest among injured as Gaza catholic church 'shelled' by Israel
The Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City pictured just before Christmas 2020. Two people taking refuge from the war inside the church were killed and several injured Thursday when it was shelled, apparently by an Israeli tank. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo July 17 (UPI) -- Two people were killed Thursday and a priest was among several people injured, four of them seriously, in what appeared to be an Israeli attack on Gaza's only Catholic church where displaced Christian families were taking refuge from the fighting. Local priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, who is from Argentina, was hurt in what the parish and the Vatican said was "an apparent strike by the Israeli army" on the Holy Family Church in Gaza City. His injuries are not thought to be serious. Pope Leo XIV issued a statement expressing shock and sorrow at the loss of life and injury caused by the "military" attack and reiterated his calls for an immediate cease-fire, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pointed the finger squarely at Israel, calling it "unacceptable." The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the diocese the church comes under, condemned the strike. "With deep sorrow, the Latin Patriarchate can now confirm that two persons were killed as a result of an apparent strike by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family Compound this morning. We pray for the rest of their souls and for the end of this barbaric war. Nothing can justify the targeting of innocent civilians," it said. Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa told Vatican News that the church had been fired on by an Israeli tank. "What we know for sure is that a tank, the IDF says by mistake, but we are not sure about this, they hit the Church directly. Four people are seriously wounded, among these four, two are in very serious condition and their lives are in grave danger," he said. "There are also other injured but less problematic, among them also the Parish Priest, because they were all in the Church." The BBC said it had seen footage and photos showing damage to the roof and shattered windows. The Holy Family Church was temporarily housing an estimated 600 displaced people, mostly children, as well as 54 people with special needs, when it was struck. Many local Christian families had been there for 21 months since the conflict erupted in October 2023. Churches and other places of worship are traditionally places of refuge that are not targeted by combatants in military conflict; however, the Holy Family is located in the north of the Palestinian enclave in an area where the Israeli military ordered people to leave some time back. The Israel Defense Forces said it was aware of reports that the church had been damaged and people injured and that it was reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident. The incident comes amid a rising toll of collateral deaths from Israeli military action, including six children killed in an airstrike on Sunday as they waited in line to get water, blamed by the IDF on a "technical error," and 15 Palestinians killed, including 10 children and two women, as they waited outside the clinic of a U.S.-health non-profit on Friday.
UPI
10-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Poland asks EU to probe Grok over 'offensive,' 'erratic' statements
Poland asked the European Union to investigate Grok, the AI chatbot native to the X social media platform, following its "offensive" and "erratic" statements. File Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI | License Photo July 10 (UPI) -- Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski asked the EU to investigate Grok, the AI chatbot integrated into the X social media platform. Gawkowski penned a letter to EU Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen on Wednesday to ask her to open an investigation into Grok's recent "offesnive remarks" and "erratic and full of expletive-laden rants." "There is reason enough to think, that negative effects for the exercise of fundamental rights, were not made by accident, but by design," Krzysztof wrote. Comments made by Grok allegedly include posts that celebrate Hitler, among several other anti-Semitic and hateful statements. X has reportedly taken the posts down. Gawkowski's letter accused X of serving as "a major infringement of the DSA," the EU's Digital Services Act. He also alleged Grok has posted offensive remarks to X users, including offensive comments against the Polish government. "Grok's responses were erratic and full of expletive-laden rants which could be described in many cases as defamation," wrote Gawkowski. In a radio interview Wednesday, he said he also requested that Poland's Digital Services Coordinator investigate as well. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier commented Wednesday to Euractiv and explained that "Grok is integrated into a designated very large online platform under the DSA." "X therefore has the obligation to assess and mitigate any potential risks stemming from the tool," he added. However, it remains unclear whether a new, separate investigation will take place. "We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts. Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X," X said in a post Tuesday. It is also unclear if this post was from an anonymous X employee or Grok itself, but it did continue that "xAI is training only truth-seeking and thanks to the millions of users on X, we are able to quickly identify and update the model where training could be improved."
