Latest news with #offensivecontent
The National
09-07-2025
- Business
- The National
X chief Linda Yaccarino resigns a day after Grok makes offensive remarks
A day after X's AI chatbot Grok spewed offensive content, X chief executive Linda Yaccarino has announced she is to step down from the social media company. Ms Yaccarino did not give a reason behind her decision. 'When Elon Musk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company,' she wrote on the platform. 'I'm immensely grateful to him for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App,' she wrote and that she would continue 'cheering' for the staffers who remain at X after her resignation. On Tuesday, the Grok chatbot made headlines when it started to answer user prompts with offensive comments. Its comments became so offensive that a court in Turkey temporarily blocked access to Grok. Users had reported that Grok began to insult President Tayyip Erdogan, as well as the country's religious values. Other users accused Grok of also giving anti-Semitic answers to prompts. It also praised Adolf Hitler at one point. The offensive posts gave more reasons for critics of Mr Musk to question his leadership of the company. In recent years, he had posted several comments that many deemed anti-Semitic, racist and bigoted. Mercurial technology tycoon and entrepreneur Elon Musk, who purchased Twitter in 2022, appointed Ms Yaccarino as chief executive in 2023. His decision stemmed from a series of decisions revolving around content moderation that alienated some users and prompted a mass exodus of advertisers. At the time she was named chief executive, many analysts believed Ms Yaccarino would play good cop to Mr Musk's bad cop, and help to shore up the advertising side of X's business. Mr Musk's fervent and significant financial support of Donald Trump often hindered her efforts, with X struggling amid a mass exit of users and an increase in rival platforms Threads and BlueSky. Convincing companies to continue to advertise on X, also proved to be an uphill battle. X later merged with Mr Musk's artificial intelligence endeavour, xAI. Many wondered if the move was made to help bolster the financial stability of both entities. Regardless, the merger provided greater integration of xAI's Grok chatbot into the X social media platform overall. Shortly after Mr Trump won the 2024 election, Mr Musk gave what many considered to be a Nazi salute in front of Mr Trump's supporters during a rally. 'We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts,' read a post from the main Grok account on X. ' 'Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,' the post continued, stopping short of elaborating on what caused the chatbot to suddenly provide offensive answers. X later said that it was working to 'quickly identify' and update the Grok language model to prevent further problems. Mr Musk didn't directly address the issue, which lasted several hours, only cryptically posting a message about it. 'Never a dull moment on this platform,' he wrote.
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Malay Mail
MCMC fines TikTok user RM10,000 for content touching on racial, religious sensitivities
CYBERJAYA, July 9 — The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has received a RM10,000 compound payment from Mohamad Shafiq Abdul Halim, who was penalised for uploading offensive content on TikTok on March 31, which touched on racial and religious sensitivities. In a statement today, MCMC said the enforcement action was taken under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 [Act 588], following an investigation and with the approval of the Attorney General's Chambers for the compound to be issued. 'MCMC takes a serious view of the misuse of digital platforms to spread content that incites racial or religious tensions or disrespects national institutions. 'Social media users are reminded to remain ethical, respectful, and responsible in the content they post or share,' it said. MCMC also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a safe, regulated, and conducive cyberspace that supports national unity and social harmony. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
13-06-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Man charged over YouTube post on GISBH probe
Norizan Yahaya was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. (Bernama pic) KUALA LUMPUR : An online health food seller pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here today to a charge of posting offensive content on the authorities' investigation into GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) on his YouTube channel last year. Norizan Yahaya, 62, was charged with making and transmitting content deemed offensive with the intent of annoying others via YouTube account 'Zam Yahaya Official' between 2pm and 6pm on Sept 15, 2024. The content was accessed at the cyber and multimedia crime investigation division of the commercial crime investigation department at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in Wangsa Maju at 8pm the next day. Norizan was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both upon conviction. An additional fine of RM1,000 may be imposed for each day the offence persists after conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Amir Hannif Ahijman proposed bail of RM10,000 in one surety. However, Norizan's lawyer, Asiah Abd Jalil, asked for a minimal bail amount on the grounds that her client was the sole breadwinner supporting an unemployed wife and not a flight risk. 'My client sells health food online and earns approximately RM2,000 a month. He has five children, two of whom are at university,' she said. Judge Norma Ismail granted bail of RM7,000 in one surety and fixed July 11 for the next case mention.
Malay Mail
13-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Online food seller pleads not guilty to posting offensive YouTube content on GISBH probe
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — An online health food seller pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of posting offensive content regarding the authorities' investigation into GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) via his YouTube channel last year. Norizan Yahaya, 62, was charged with making and transmitting content deemed offensive, with intent to annoy others, via the YouTube account 'Zam Yahaya Official' between 2.00pm and 6.00pm on September 15, 2024. The said content was accessed at the Cyber and Multimedia Crime Investigation Division, Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Bukit Aman Police Headquarters, Menara KPJ, Wangsa Maju at 8.00pm on September 16 of the same year. He was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both upon conviction. An additional fine of RM1,000 may be imposed for each day the offence persists after conviction. Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Amir Hannif Ahijman proposed bail at RM10,000 with one surety. However, the accused's lawyer, Asiah Abd Jalil, sought minimal bail on the grounds that her client is the sole breadwinner supporting an unemployed wife and does not pose a flight risk. 'My client sells health food online and earns approximately RM2,000 a month. He has five children, two of whom are at university,' she submitted. Judge Norma Ismail granted bail at RM7,000 with one surety and fixed the next case mention for July 11. — Bernama
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Police record Enoch Powell shop window portrait as ‘non-crime hate incident'
Police recorded an Enoch Powell portrait hanging in a village shop window as a 'non-crime hate incident' (NCHI), it has emerged. The image of the late Conservative politician was placed in the window of Mumfords, an ironmonger in Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, in February. West Mercia Police have now recorded the image as an NCHI, saying it had been reported as 'offensive content'. Shopkeeper Elizabeth Griffiths said the portrait was on display next to an extract from Mr Powell's 1968 'rivers of blood' speech, in which he claimed migration would lead to violence on Britain's streets. 'I did it to promote powerful leaders,' said the grandmother of 12. 'It wasn't just one picture of Enoch Powell. It had lots of other pictures around it. I think there were about six pictures of Winston Churchill, for instance. 'For some reason, three and a half months later, there is a decision to try and focus on just one picture. I think it's just an element of mischief making. My customers are overwhelmingly supportive of the display.' Mrs Griffiths, a Reform UK activist, also placed images of Jesus Christ, Francis of Assisi and Donald Trump in her shop window. But the display prompted a police investigation after a member of the public complained last week that it was offensive. 'On 16 May we received a report of offensive content displayed in a shop window on Church Street in Cleobury Mortimer,' said a spokesman for West Mercia Police. 'This is being treated as a hate incident, and onquiries are ongoing.' The spokesman later clarified that it was being treated as an NCHI. Mrs Griffiths said the report to police was a 'vendetta' because she had campaigned for Reform UK in the local elections earlier this month. She added that she had received 'absolutely no police contact whatsoever' about the alleged 'hate incident' and had not been spoken to by officers about it. 'I am gobsmacked and baffled beyond belief,' she said. 'I am not racist in any shape or form. Oh, good gracious no. I deal with Muslims every week. The Muslims I deal with are generally entrepreneurial. They are successful in business. They haven't come across on boats.' She added: 'I was a Brexit supporter. It isn't a case of reducing immigration. It's a case of controlling it, surely. I think it would be for the benefit of each and every one of us. 'In fact, when it was the Brexit campaign, I didn't campaign on anything other than uncontrolled immigration simply because of the strain on our resources, schools, health service.' Mrs Griffiths has now placed a picture of Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in her window after he used the phrase 'island of strangers' in an immigration speech last week, which she said was similar to what Mr Powell had predicted in 1968. She added: 'I'm used to being bullied for standing up for what I believe in.'
