Latest news with #socialmedia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
West Palm Beach police: Juvenile killed in shooting was recording social-media video
A juvenile who was killed in a shooting May 25 in West Palm Beach was recording a social-media video with friends when a gun discharged accidentally, police said. In a statement released May 28, police said the preliminary investigation showed that a group of juveniles had gathered inside a small bathroom early on the morning of May 25 and had multiple firearms present. At some point while recording the video, the weapon discharged, fatally striking the victim. Police did not say what led the gun to fire. Investigators said the shooting occurred at about 12:15 a.m. at a residence on the 1400 block of Douglass Avenue, just north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. Police did not the disclose the name, age or gender of the juvenile who died, or say whether any of the other juveniles or the owner of the home will face charges. At this time, there is no indication that the shooting was targeted or that there is any threat to the community, police said. As the end of the school year approaches for Palm Beach County public schools, police urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant in monitoring their child's activities, both online and in person. "The presence of firearms in social gatherings among youth continues to pose a grave danger, particularly when mixed with unsupervised social media content creation," city police said in their statement. More: 14-year-old facing murder charge after Riviera Beach police find man shot to death The West Palm Beach death occurred days after a 14-year-old girl in Washington, D.C., accidentally shot and killed herself while recording a video for social media, according to a USA TODAY report. A preliminary investigation by the Metropolitan Police for the District of Columbia showed that a gun went off and struck the girl in the upper body as she was handling the weapon on the evening of May 21. A 15-year-old boy who was among several teens present during that incident was charged with possession of an unregistered firearm and tampering with physical evidence, according to published reports. 'This is a devastating reminder of the dangers of weapons getting into the hands of young people in our city, and our hearts go out to the family and friends of the decedent,' D.C. Chief of Police Pamela A. Smith said in a statement to reporters. 'Firearms are not toys or props, and they must be properly secured in a place where they can only be accessed by lawful gun owners.' The West Palm Beach incident remains under investigation and police are asking anyone with additional information to contact Detective Aaron Sam at 561-822-1675, or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477) or by visiting the Crime Stoppers website. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Police: Juvenile killed in shooting was filming video for social media
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram, testifies on Ohio's bill to require age verification
(Photo illustration by) Tech giant Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, testified on an Ohio bill to require age verification to download from app stores. Millions of kids use social media. 'I'm a parent,' Jennifer Hanley, head of safety policy in North America at Meta, said. 'I know teens are on so many apps.' That's why Hanley headed to the Ohio Statehouse to testify in support of House Bill 226, which would require age verification for all app store purchases or downloads for minors. 'The broad support of parents and lawmakers across political and ideological spectrums should not be ignored,' she said. State Rep. Melanie Miller, who introduced the bill, said this would hold companies accountable — ones like Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Manufacturers would need to create a way for parents to give consent for kids under 16 to download any application, and then that will be sent to social media apps. 'I'm introducing this legislation to protect children from harmful content, reduce mental health risks, enhance data privacy, and encourage responsible technology use,' Miller said. Although House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, likes the bill, she is skeptical of the tech giant. 'All you have to do is look at the opposition that they have waged not only in state legislation in this space, but also federal legislation in this space,' Russo said. Meta has been filing lawsuits against social media age requirements across the country, including in Ohio. The state legislature passed restrictions on media apps for kids under 16 in 2023, but it has now been blocked by a federal judge due to free speech concerns. This bill is different because it is not just targeting social media apps, but all apps, Hanley testified. Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit, saying that the company used 'manipulative tactics to entice teens and tweens.' Russo agrees, adding that the company could be doing much more to protect kids. 'Do I think that it is going to be as effective as some of the other things we know they have the capacity to do using their own algorithms?' she said rhetorically. 'Probably not.' Only in the past year, Meta created a teen program to monitor and restrict what minors can access and who they can talk to. 'We're always learning, we're always building,' Hanley said. 'Teen accounts are a really great example of that.' The bill will continue being heard in the coming months. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
New York Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Does a Lion Concern Itself With Memes?
If people on your social media feed are suddenly referring to themselves in the third person — and as lions no less — you're not alone. The Sigma Lion meme, in which people refer to 'the lion,' often as a veiled reference to themselves, has become somewhat ubiquitous online. If that makes no sense to you, here's some helpful background. OK, where did this come from? To understand the usage of 'the lion,' you have to first understand 'sigma grindset,' a TikTok trend that gained popularity in 2022 and merges two subcultures. A 'sigma,' in social media slang, is a successful and highly independent man. The concept was popularized in the 'manosphere,' a corner of the internet largely populated by young men that frequently promotes anti-feminist and misogynistic rhetoric, and it has spread out from there, becoming frequent slang in high schools and middle schools. The second subculture is made up of people who commit to a 'grindset' lifestyle, which glorifies a specific type of hard work that prioritizes self-improvement, productivity and discipline at the expense of leisure. Think Ashton Hall's viral morning routine. Sigma grindset takes the mentality of the sigma world and combines it with the commitment to hustle culture from the grindset, and that all manifests in the discussion of 'the lion.' Why is a lion involved? The usage of a lion in this context is nothing new. A popular saying in sigma grindset circles is 'The lion does not turn around when the small dog barks,' which has been attributed to a supposed African proverb. But there is also a famous line from 'Game of Thrones' in which Tywin Lannister says, 'A lion does not concern himself with the opinion of a sheep.' Similar constructions are abundant, and they are rarely attributed to specific sources. As with so many memes, the quotations were originally shared earnestly, before being co-opted by those who wanted to satirize and mock the concept. Some interpretations were outlandish, some were funny and more than a few carried racist or offensive messages. The meme took on a life of its own when people began discussing even odder things the lion does or does not do, like not concerning itself with child labor laws or not tipping minimum wage workers. In a short period of time, it has morphed, for some, into a way to share more petty grievances, like not having asked for pickles. I still don't get it. Fair! The meme and its variants require a slight sprinkle of brain rot, meaning you have to spend a lot of time on social media — primarily in Gen Z and Gen Alpha circles — to truly grasp them. Honestly, the less you know the better — after all, the lion does not concern itself with stories explaining memes.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Paraglider accidentally pulled 28,000ft into the air in -40C conditions receives stern punishment from Chinese communist authorities after he went viral
A paraglider who was accidentally dragged 28,000ft into the air in -40C conditions has received a stern punishment from Chinese communist authorities after he went viral. Peng Yujian has been banned from paragliding for six months after the ordeal which saw him soaring in line with flight paths at nearly the height of Mount Everest. The Chinese paraglider began from an elevation of around 9,800ft in the Qilian mountain range in northern China on Saturday. He had intended to test a new second-hand equipment purchase without making a proper flight, according to an investigative report by the Gansu Provincial Aviation Sports Association. But just 20 minutes into his practice, he became trapped in a strong updraft which blasted him over 16,000ft higher into the icy air. Frightening footage from Peng's mounted camera revealed the severity of the conditions the paraglider had to endure. Visibility was poor as he was rapidly sucked to high altitudes over the snow-topped mountains while he struggled to cling on to his parachute. He was seen soaring above the clouds and covered in icicles as the temperature plummeted to a reported -35C as he tried to regain control over his equipment. The paraglider, who miraculously survived the chilling ordeal, managed to catch a clip moment of the incident on camera which has now made its rounds on social media The paraglider was not wearing an oxygen mask which left him fully exposed to the dangerous elements. However, Peng miraculously remained conscious throughout the ordeal and managed to successfully land his parachute safely. Following the incident, he recalled experiencing hypoxia and having his hands exposed to the freezing cold temperatures above the clouds, according to local reports. 'I just kept communicating over the radio the entire time,' he said The paraglider was left with extensive frostbite following the ordeal. Authorities praised Peng's survival, conceding it was an accident. A 'normal person cannot be exposed at 8,000metres without oxygen [so] this is not something that can be done voluntarily' said a sports bureau official, according to Sixth Tone. But Peng, who has around five years' experience paragliding, had never intended to leave ground level meaning he had not registered any flight plans. Under regulations, this meant his ordeal was 'not subject to relevant approvals', the report said. In response he was banned from flying for six months. The bureau report, based on an interview with Peng, said he was in the air for more than an hour, and had stayed in radio contact with his friend, Gu Zhimin, who was still on the ground. The report said he had attempted to return to land but his efforts were 'ineffective', and as he flew higher he became confused and briefly lost consciousness. Peng was eventually able to land about 30km from the launch site, where he was met by Gu and another friend. Gu later posted a video of Peng's flight and comments on the ground to Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, where it soon went viral. 'Gu Zhimin posted a flight video without permission, which had a bad impact,' the report said. 'He was grounded for six months and asked to write a report to deeply reflect on the negative impact of his behaviour.' The bureau said any record broken by Peng's flight would not be officially counted because his flight was not registered. Chinese national aviation sports regulations state that aerial activities need prior airspace approval from air traffic control. Paragliding activities have to be carried out according to a pre-arranged plan, and trips are prohibited under adverse weather conditions. Changing flight plans without authorisation is also not allowed.
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- General
- News.com.au
Couple released after alleged anti-Semitic attack causes $20k damage
A couple were overjoyed to be reunited in court over an anti-Semitic incident which caused about $20,000 in damages through a spate of alleged attacks throughout one of Sydney's wealthiest suburbs, after previously being investigated over the explosive-filled caravan in Dural. Tammie Farrugia, 34, and her partner Scott Marshall, 36, both had their cases heard in the Downing Centre Local Court on Friday after being charged over their alleged involvement in the malicious damage of vehicles and buildings in Sydney's east. The pair were previously charged over an anti-Semitic incident where a car was torched and two buildings were graffitied with anti-Semitic messages in Woollahra on December 11. The words 'Kill Israiel' (sic) were scrawled on the wall of a home in the alleged attack, which caused an estimated $20,000 in damages. Police alleged in court that Farrugia made a post on her social media account on December 10 asking if anyone had jerry cans she could use. 'Anyone got any plastic Jerry cans plz let me know thanks in advance,' Farrugia allegedly posted in a Facebook group. Farrugia has since stayed active on Facebook, commenting about how much she misses Mr Marshall as he remained in custody. 'F**k this shit is killing me not having u by my side or hearing you're (sic) voice if I could trade placed with u I would love u so much baby @Scott Marshall,' she wrote in a comment in December last year. The court has now heard that the couple only provided the fuel cans and moved the torched vehicle but did not have any knowledge to what would occur after. 'They have unfortunately been used to gather the fuel cans and move the vehicle and they did that without any knowledge of what was to occur thereafter and planned by the people who had engaged them at the beginning of this crime,' magistrate Susan McIntyre said. The court heard that the couple did not know what the vehicle was used for until the incident was televised on the news. However, the court also acknowledged that if they had not committed this crime, the more serious acts of anti-Semitism would not have occurred. The crux 'of this behaviour really is the participation in criminal offending which has ultimately led to really serious and terrifying criminal offending down the track,' magistrate McIntyre said. 'Ultimately I supposed for the participation of Ms Farrugia and Mr Marshall, the activity of the antisemitic actions would not have occurred.' The couple appeared via AVL, and were able to see each other for the first time in months. Farrugia was seen to purposely lift her shirt in front of the camera. Both said 'I love you' to the other and had a quick conversation before court broke for lunch. Marshall had allegedly received a text from an unknown number offering money in return for 'jerry cans,' whether the couple received renumeration and how much is unknown to the court. Before the incident, Marshall was subject to an intensive corrections order due to a drug court matter – meaning his charges resulted in a breach of his bail conditions. The pair were also previously investigated after a caravan loaded with explosives and a list of addresses, including that of the Great Jewish Synagogue, was found in Dural on January 19. However the court has heard they were not involved. 'Ms Farrugia and Mr Marshall were not part of any antisemitic conspiracy or activity and are not linked in any way to a caravan found on the street in Dural,' Ms Farrugia's lawyer told the court. Ms Farrugia and Mr Marshall were named on a search warrant after police were alerted to the incident, but neither were charged in relation to that matter. The Australian Federal Police later determined the incident was a 'fake terrorism plot' and not a genuine threat. Mr Marshall has been charged over the alleged December 10 incident with destroying or damaging property, in relation to the vehicle - not any of the houses, and take and drive conveyance without consent. He has pleaded guilty to both destroying or damaging property and take and drive conveyance without consent. A previous charge of participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity was dropped. Marshall was sentenced to as period of imprisonment for 12 months over the two charges, with a non-parole period of six months, starting from 24 December 2024 till the 23 June 2025. Ms Farrugia was also charged over the same incident, with destroy or damaging property and be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner and pleaded guilty on the 22 May. Her previous charge of participating in a criminal group to contribute to criminal activity was also dropped. Farrugia was released from custody on a community corrections order of 12 months, starting from Friday. The CCO had the additional conditions of being subject to supervision by a CCO officer at Liverpool Community Corrections District Office for the period of the CCO. She is also to participate in any program, treatment, intervention or related activity specified in the CCO order, to abstain from drugs, and to report to the Liverpool Community Corrections within seven days upon release.
