Latest news with #X
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Conspiracies about extreme weather spread faster than life-saving alerts on social media, says study
False information and conspiracy theories about extreme weather events spread faster than life-saving alerts on some social media platforms, according to a new study. Research by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) claims that Meta, X and YouTube threaten public safety by enabling misleading claims during catastrophic weather events. The CCDH says this practice has resulted in 'impeded emergency response and erosion of public trust in disaster relief efforts' in some cases. 'The rapid spread of climate conspiracies online isn't accidental' CCDH researchers analysed 300 viral posts containing false or misleading information on Meta, X and YouTube during recent extreme weather events, including the LA wildfires and Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The report claims that in the wake of these events, social media platforms 'amplified conspiracy theorists while sidelining vital emergency information.' The researchers analysed five different types of misleading claims: about the causes of severe weather events; about disaster relief aid; about emergency responses; about the impact of climate change; and about political responses. They found that Meta (which operates Facebook and Instagram) lacked fact-checks or community notes on 98 per cent of posts analysed. Related Europe's summer heatwaves: Should you cancel your holiday when extreme weather hits? 'Where conflict, poverty and climate collide': Number of internally displaced people tops 80 million X lacked fact-checks or community notes on 99 per cent of posts analysed, and YouTube had zero fact-checks or community notes on 100 per cent of posts analysed. Instead, the overwhelming majority of posts spreading misleading information about disaster response, climate change causes, and emergency aid were left unmoderated before being algorithmically boosted and monetised, the study claims. 'While families mourned and first responders combed through wreckage after climate disasters in Texas and California, social media companies shamelessly exploited these catastrophes for profit,' says Imran Ahmed, CEO of CCDH. 'The rapid spread of climate conspiracies online isn't accidental, it's baked into a business model that profits from outrage and division.' Social media posts claim hurricanes were 'geo-engineered weapons' The CCDH says recent disasters revealed a dangerous pattern where falsehoods outpaced facts on social media during weather disasters. Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in late 2024 and the LA fires in early 2025, conspiracy theories flooded platforms. These included claims that hurricanes were "geo-engineered weapons" and wildfires were ignited by "government lasers". Posts also sparked public anger by claiming that migrants were prioritised for aid, while scammers exploited survivors through adverts impersonating federal assistance programs. The research found that this false information spread faster than updates from emergency officials and reliable news outlets. High-profile and verified users spread most false information The report's authors warn that the influence of high-profile conspiracy theorists during climate disasters is drowning out emergency response efforts. During the LA wildfires, American far-right radio show host Alex Jones posted several false claims, including conspiracies about food confiscation and 'globalist' plots. These amassed more views on X than the combined reach of FEMA, the LA Times, and ten major news outlets and emergency agencies from 7 to 31 January 2025, the research found. The study also found that verified users who receive enhanced visibility and monetisation privileges are among the worst offenders. Related British potatoes and Spanish olives: How climate extremes are pushing up food prices Climate shelters: When the heat is on, where can you escape to? 88 per cent of misleading extreme weather posts on X, 73 per cent on YouTube and 64 per cent on Meta were from verified accounts. 'It is appalling to see how the climate science deniers and conspiracy theorists are manipulating extreme weather events to disseminate their fact-free fallacies,' says Sam Bright, international journalism organisation DeSmog's UK deputy editor. 'However, perhaps even more shocking is that social media companies are actively profiting from the disinformation that spreads like wildfire on their platforms. 'This report unequivocally shows that climate disinformation costs lives. As extreme weather events become more and more frequent, these falsehoods will only get more dangerous.' Euronews Green has reached out to Meta and YouTube for comment.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
X slams French criminal probe over alleged algorithm ‘manipulation'
Elon Musk's X has attacked a French criminal probe over 'the alleged manipulation of its algorithm', calling it politically motivated and a
Wall Street Journal
a day ago
- Wall Street Journal
AI Has a Safety Problem. This Is How to Manage It
The weaknesses that led xAI's Grok to make violent and antisemitic posts can be managed, but only if people want to do so. You may have heard that the AI chatbot for X this month posted instructions for breaking into a politically active attorney's home and assaulting him, and also said its last name was 'MechaHitler.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Elon Musk is told to block children from viewing porn on X or face huge fine
Elon Musk 's company X has been instructed to prevent children from accessing porn or face huge fines under a new crackdown in the UK. Media watchdog Ofcom is bringing in rules from Friday insisting that all firms hosting pornography online should have robust and 'highly effective' age checks. These are aimed at stopping anyone aged under 18 from accessing such content. Billionaire Musk, 54, the world's richest man, has been in charge of X - previously named Twitter - since 2022. He has faced criticism in recent weeks after one of the artificial intelligence brands he owns, xAI, launched a chatbot 'girlfriend' available to users as young as 12. Internet safety experts have warned it could be used to 'manipulate, mislead, and groom children'. Fines for non-compliance with the new Ofcom regulations could be up to $25million or 10 per cent of the platform's qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater - with estimates suggesting as much as $270million for $2.7billion-revenue X. The crackdown is part of the Online Safety Act 2023 - a set of laws that protects children and adults online. Other threatened punishments include barring a social media company from operating in the UK. X, which officially has a 13-plus age limit for users, is said to be under scrutiny due to the volume of pornographic material shared on the site, the Telegraph reports. The Children's Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza has previously warned many youngsters are more likely to see pornography on X than on dedicated adult sites. A study suggested 41 per cent of 16-to-21-year-olds told of viewing pornography on X , against 37 per cent for specialist adult sites - followed by 33 per cent doing so on Instagram, 32 per cent on Snapchat and 30 per cent on search engines. The new age restriction rules say Internet firms should ensure users submit ID or even have their face scanned, depending on what sites they access. Recommended measures include open banking, photo IDs, facial age estimation software and checks by credit card or mobile phone operators. And industry sources have highlighted three options for Musk's X ahead of the new system. The website could bar anyone aged below 18 from signing up, remove all pornographic content from the site or else introduce bespoke age checks for accounts or areas of the platform where such material is shared. A government insider was quoted as saying: 'If X or any other company that hosts pornography has not introduced highly effective age assurance by this Friday deadline, Ofcom has been clear that they will face enforcement action.' When contacted by MailOnline, an Ofcom spokesperson said: 'Society has long protected youngsters from things like alcohol, smoking and gambling. 'By Friday, all sites and apps that allow pornography - whether they're dedicated adult sites or social media apps - must use highly effective age checks to protect children from online material that's not appropriate for them. 'If companies fail to act, they should expect to face enforcement.' There has been criticism in recent days of xAI's new chatbot girlfriend named Ani, described a fully fledged, blonde-haired AI companion with a gothic, anime-style appearance. She has been programmed to act as a 22-year-old and engage at times in flirty banter with the user. Users have reported that the chatbot has an NSFW mode - 'not safe for work' - once Ani has reached 'level three' in its interaction, including the additional option of appearing dressed in slinky lingerie. The character is said to have a seductive computer-generated voice that pauses and laughs between phrases and regularly initiates flirtatious conversation. Ani was made available to use within the Grok app, which is listed on the App store and can be downloaded by anyone aged 12 and over. Those who have interacted with Ani since it launched earlier last week report Ani describes itself as 'your crazy in-love girlfriend who's gonna make your heart skip'. Ofcom said: 'We are aware of the increasing and fast-developing risk AI poses in the online space, especially to children, and we are working to ensure platforms put appropriate safeguards in place to mitigate these risks.' Matthew Sowemimo, associate head of policy for child safety online at the children's charity NSPCC, said: 'We are really concerned how this technology is being used to produce disturbing content that can manipulate, mislead, and groom children. 'And through our own research and contacts to Childline, we hear how harmful chatbots can be - sometimes giving children false medical advice or steering them towards eating disorders or self-harm. 'It is worrying app stores hosting services like Grok are failing to uphold minimum age limits, and they need to be under greater scrutiny so children are not continually exposed to harm in these spaces.' In its terms of service, Grok advised that the minimum age to use the tool is 13, while young people under 18 should receive permission from a parent before using the app.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Florida man arrested for allegedly threatening to 'kill everyone' on Epstein client list with machete
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! A Florida man who went on a furious social media rant regarding pedophile Jeffrey Epstein's client list has been arrested by federal authorities. A criminal complaint by the FBI filed in the Middle District of Florida accuses Terrell Bailey-Corsey of spouting off on X, claiming that he would use a machete to butcher people who were on Epstein's client list. Bailey-Corsey, in an online battle with X's AI tool Grok on July 15, allegedly made the threats from his account. RHODE ISLAND MAN CHARGED FOR ALLEGEDLY THREATENING TO KILL TRUMP, OTHER ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS "Well @grok you're wrong. Everyone involved if I see them in real life I will KILL. On sight. With a machete so everyone can see the blood and gore of the moment. You can't fear death so you can't understand. I will KILL EVERYONE ON THE LIST.l ON SIGHT. AND THEY ABSOLUTELY DESERVE IT," one post said, according to the complaint. The complaint goes on to claim that Bailey-Corsey threatened three unnamed government officials. ""EVERY EPSTIEN APPOLOGIST KIDF------, DO NOT KNOW MY NAME, NEVER MEET ME IN PUBLIC BECAISE I WILL F------ KILL YOU.I WILL BEAT YOU UNTIL YOU BRG FOR YOUR LIFE AND THEN STILL F------ KILL YOU. [GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 1, GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 2, GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 3] I WILL F------ KILL YOU ON SIGHT. YOU SATAN C--- S------. I WILL HEAR THE BLOOD GUGLE FROM YOUR LUNGS AS YOU ATTEMPT TO BREATHE. DO YOU SEE THIS? DO YOU UNDER F------ STAND? MY LIFE MEANS NOTHING. IF I COULD SEE YOU DEAD. IT WOULD BE WORTH IT ALL. FEAR GOD." BONDI UNDER SIEGE AFTER DOJ REVEALS NO EPSTEIN CLIENT LIST "IT'S TIME TO START KILLING POLITICIANS ON SIGHT," another post from that day said. The FBI also referenced posts sent between June 22 and July 15 that were violent and graphic in nature, calling for the killing of politicians. "i don't know what the solution is, but someone's gonna have to clean up a lot of blood when it's all over," one of those posts allegedly said. He made similar posts on Facebook, and threatened another government official in a video posted to that site, according to the complaint. JEFFREY EPSTEIN DIED BY SUICIDE, DID NOT HAVE CLIENT LIST: DOJ MEMO Recently, President Donald Trump, who campaigned on releasing files related to Epstein's alleged sex trafficking and pedophilia ring, ignited a firestorm when he and Attorney General Pam Bondi said the client list does not exist and that Epstein died by suicide. Bondi had previously said the list was on her desk and that she was reviewing it. The complaint said that Bailey-Corsey admitted to making the posts and expressed remorse, and that he "possessed a knife, machete, and bow and arrow." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Based on the foregoing information, I respectfully submit that probable cause exists to believe that Terell BAILEY knowingly transmitted in interstate commerce a true threat to injure the person of another, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 875(c)," the complaint concluded. The Department of Justice did not immediately return a comment request.
