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Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
'Entire attack livestreamed on Facebook': Oct 7. victim relatives file lawsuit against Meta
Relatives of October 7 victims are suing Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, for livestreams of Hamas's massacre, broadcasting footage of their relatives' murder. A motion for certification of a class action lawsuit for more than NIS four billion ($1.15 b.) was filed on Monday by October 7 victims, their families, and users on Facebook and Instagram against corporate parent giant Meta. The motion charged that the mammoth social media companies had played a part in the atrocities that took place on that Saturday, and effectively violated the privacy rights of users by bombarding them with sensitive content. This, the motion argues, is inseparable from the broader attack. 'The horrific images of terror and pain are forever ingrained in the minds of these families as the last moments their loved ones had on earth,' reads the motion, adding that this atrocity balloons every day as long as the footage remains publicly accessible. Filed in the Tel Aviv District Court, the motion for certification filed by the representatives of the victims and families will need to be reviewed by the court to test its suitability for class action. The court will assess the strength of the case arguments: to show that a group was clearly affected, as well as proof of damages, among other conditions. If the court grants the motion, the case will then proceed as a class action, and the court will eventually rule. The motion was signed by the Idan family from Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Maayan, 18, was killed by terrorists on October 7 after being held hostage in her own home for hours. Relatives viewed the horror of the October 7 massacre through happenstance social media scrolling 'Her horrific murder and the entire attack was livestreamed on Facebook for the whole world to see,' reads the motion, adding that the family knew of what had happened to Maayan through a happenstance scroll on Facebook. Also signed onto the motion is Stav Arava, who found out, through the Facebook app, that his family living in Nahal Oz was being held hostage, and that his brother Tomer was forced at gunpoint – and while being broadcast live – to convince his neighbors to open their doors to the terrorists waiting outside. Tomer was killed by terrorists on October 7. Another signatory is Mor Bayder, who learned of the murder of her grandmother, Bracha Levinson, after terrorists filmed the murder act and then posted it to her Facebook page. 'My grandmother, a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz all her life, was murdered yesterday in a brutal murder by a terrorist in her home... A terrorist came home to her, killed her, took her phone, filmed the horror, and published it on Facebook. This is how we found out,' Bayder wrote at the time. Also signed on is the mother of a female hostage, who learned of her daughter's fate on Instagram – while the entire event was being broadcast live – as well as a mother and her 14-year-old daughter, who were shocked and traumatized by the footage that greeted them on Facebook on that Saturday morning. Many of the livestreams of the horrific acts of torture and murder remained live and available for viewing for several hours, with no outside intervention. The motion argues that these public digital spaces purport to be safe for widespread public consumption, but that proved false on October 7. Meta issue response to lawsuit According to Calcalist, Meta stated in response, 'Our hearts go out to the families affected by Hamas terrorism. Our policy designates Hamas as a proscribed organization, and we remove content that supports or glorifies Hamas or the October 7 terrorist attack.' CyberWell, an independent nonprofit focused on combating online antisemtism and Holocaust denial on social media, released a statement on the lawsuit. "The case represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing conversation about the responsibilities of social media platforms in moderating content that incites terror and violence," the NGO stated. "What should have been a turning point, a moment to prioritize user safety over platform engagement, was tragically missed. As was the opportunity to re-examine laws and for platforms to invest in robust security measures to prevent similar events in the future," they added. "In the nearly two years since, social media has hosted echo chambers normalizing pro-terror and violent content, left unchecked by the very generative AI tools capable of effective, large-scale content moderation," they continued. "This landmark case raises urgent questions, not only about platform liability when social media and digital services become weapons in the hands of terrorists, but also about the new reach of terrorism in the digital universe," they commented.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Amid threat of airstrike, schools, colleges closed in Ambala, blackout in night till further orders
AMBALA: In view of the prevailing tension between India and Pakistan and on the basis of the intelligence inputs, the district magistrate (DM) of Ambala, Ajay Singh Tomer , on Friday ordered a blackout during the night hours from 8 pm to 6 am till further order. Schools, colleges and institutes were also open in Ambala on Friday, but they were ordered to be closed by the district administration and the students were sent back home at about 11 am. DM Tomer held a press conference at his office, in which he said that two incidents took place in Ambala on Friday. 'At 10:20 am, we received a warning from the Air Force that they had spotted a drone, which could move towards Ambala also. At that time, it was 70 kilometers away from Ambala. Operation Sindoor PM Modi meets NSA, chiefs of armed forces amid spike in tensions with Pak India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan Several airports in India to be closed till May 15 - check list On receiving this information, we started sirens and all disaster management teams were kept on standby mode to deal with any situation.' 'The situation went on for about 10 to 15 minutes, after which, we turned off the sirens. The Air Force had later informed us that the drone was not proceeding towards Ambala, it had not been spotted for some time, so we turned off the sirens, said DM Tomer. About the blast-like sound heard by residents of Ambala on Friday, DM Tomer clarified that no such activity took place. 'It was a sonic boom caused by the Air Force fighter jet. We have the most advanced and sophisticated fighter jets. One of the fighter jets went supersonic. When a fighter jet travels at more speed than sound, it causes a sound barrier and sonic boom, which is very fast and loud. It may shatter windows also. It was that sonic boom, which signifies the capability of our Air Force and fighter jets', said Ambala DM. In his order, DM Ambala said, 'prevailing circumstances and intelligence inputs indicating a potential air strike threat from Pakistan, it is imperative to ensure complete blackout during the night hours to safeguard public safety and strategic interests.' Therefore, 'totally ban the use of Inverter, Generator and any other power backup used for outdoor lights, bill board, street lights, etc. from sunset to sunrise (i.e. 8 pm to 6 am) in district Ambala till further order', reads the DM order. These may be used for indoor use on condition that all doors and windows are fully covered by thick curtains, so as to ensure no lights come out. The district machinery and departments have been asked to promulgate this order by announcement through publicity vans and other means. At about 11 am, Ambala DM Tomar also issued an alert that an air warning had been received from the Air force station of possible attack, due to which, sirens were also sounded. He said all people are advised to remain indoors, away from balconies and only venture out in case of urgency for the next two hours.
Wall Street Journal
04-04-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Israel Hit With 17% Tariffs Despite Saying It Would Scrap Levies on U.S. Goods
Israeli officials reacted with shock to a 17% tariff on products exported to the U.S., having signed a directive a day earlier scrapping all remaining tariffs on American imports. Israel's exports of goods to the U.S., including diamonds, medicine and electronic equipment, are estimated at around $22 billion a year, according to U.S. trade data. The current understanding in Israel is the tariffs won't be imposed on services, meaning the country's high-tech industry is largely likely to be spared, officials said. 'We are all going to feel this in our pockets,' said Ron Tomer, president of the Manufacturers Association of Israel, on local radio Thursday. Tomer said the step by Israel's close ally felt like 'abandonment by a friend.'
USA Today
17-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
More snow coming this week. Which ski resorts could get the most fresh powder
Hear this story Wondering if fresh snow is in the forecast? Dreaming of a destination ski or snowboard trip in the U.S. or Canada? This weekly update provides the total estimated snowfall at popular ski destinations in the West and Northeast. OnTheSnow Meteorologist Chris Tomer, author of the Snow Before You Go column will keep you in the know for fresh powder days. Snowfall predictions in the West "The West stays active with two different storm systems through Feb. 23. The second storm system establishes a moist flow for the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia from Feb. 19 through the 24th," said Tomer. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Snowfall predictions in the Northeast "The West storm systems slide east and turn into snowstorms for the East Coast. Some ski resorts out west could see up to two feet, while East Coast ski resorts will largely see light snowfall," Tomer said. Want a more detailed snow forecast? Check Meteorologist Chris Tomer's bi-weekly North America snow forecast here.
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Storm systems expected to pile up snow in Northeast and West ski resorts. See where.
Storm systems expected to pile up snow in Northeast and West ski resorts. See where. Estimated weekly snowfall at popular ski resorts in the U.S. and Canada, Feb. 10 through Feb. 16 Wondering if fresh snow is in the forecast? Dreaming of a destination ski or snowboard trip in the U.S. or Canada? This weekly update provides the total estimated snowfall at popular ski destinations in the West and Northeast. OnTheSnow Meteorologist Chris Tomer, author of the Snow Before You Go column will keep you in the know for fresh powder days. Snowfall predictions in the West "An active stormtrack continues out West through Feb. 16 with a few different storm systems and feet of grand total accumulation for ski resorts across the West," said Tomer. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Snowfall predictions in the Northeast "The pattern is loaded in the Northeast through Feb. 16 with at least two different storm systems and heavy snow accumulation that'll bring 1 to 2 feet (or more) of snow to many Northeast ski resorts," Tomer said. Want a more detailed snow forecast? Check Meteorologist Chris Tomer's bi-weekly North America snow forecast here.
