BEIJING: Chinese tech companies have prevented social media users from changing profile pictures and usernames amid heightened security as a key Communist Party conclave opened Wednesday in Beijing.
The move hit users of the ubiquitous Chinese social media platforms WeChat, QQ, Weibo and even Alibaba’s payment platform Alipay, though it appeared only to affect those with accounts registered on the mainland.
“WeChat is undertaking system maintenance. From today until the end of the month, users will temporarily be unable to change their profile picture, nickname and tagline,” the app, run by Internet behemoth Tencent, announced Tuesday.
Chinese authorities have kicked both online and offline security into high gear for the week-long, twice-a-decade party Congress that will reshuffle top leadership positions.
The ban on profile picture updates could be a bid to avoid the kind of defiance seen during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Umbrella Revolution in 2014, when Facebook users changed their profile pictures to yellow ribbons symbolising universal suffrage.
websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and a slew of foreign media have been blocked for years.
In recent weeks the service of messaging app WhatsApp — which provides an end-to-end encryption function unlikely to please censors — was also severely disrupted.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a clampdown on Internet freedoms since he came to power in 2012, tightening censorship in a country where young people are avid users of social media.
In his opening speech to some 2,300 congress delegates gathered in the cavernous Great Hall of the People, Xi said the party should “provide more and better online content and put in place a system for integrated Internet management to ensure a clean cyberspace.”
Complaints about extreme over-crowding in the Beijing metro, subject to extra security checks during the congress, were scrubbed and photos of commuters crammed like sardines were deleted, according to Free Weibo, a website that archives items from social media that have been removed.
China enacted a controversial new cybersecurity law earlier this year.
Platforms must now verify users’ true identity before allowing them to post online, with certain content banned outright, including anything that damages “national honor,” “disturbs economic or social order” or is aimed at “overthrowing the socialist system.”
Last month, Chinese Internet regulators slapped “maximum” fines on Tencent and Baidu, China’s Google-equivalent, for allowing the publication of such banned material.
There was not a single critical comment to be found on Weibo about Xi’s more than three hour-long speech Wednesday.
“The chairman spoke very well and hopes our country can be thriving and prosperous. He will lead the Chinese people to glory,” one user wrote.
Chinese social media block profile pic changes during congress
Chinese social media block profile pic changes during congress
Parody news website the Onion buys Alex Jones’ Infowars out of bankruptcy
- Families of victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting backed the Onion’s bid
NEW YORK: The parody news website the Onion bought conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars brand and website in a bankruptcy auction, according to court documents filed on Thursday.
Jones filed for bankruptcy protection in 2022 after courts ordered him to pay $1.5 billion for defaming the families of 20 students and six staff members killed in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Jones, unable to pay those legal judgments, was forced to auction his assets, including Infowars, in bankruptcy.
The Connecticut families of eight victims of the school shooting backed the Onion’s bid, saying it would put “an end to the misinformation machine” that Jones operated.
The Onion said it aims to replace “Infowars’ relentless barrage of disinformation” with the Onion’s “relentless barrage of humor.” “The Onion is proud to acquire Infowars, and we look forward to continuing its storied tradition of scaring the site’s users with lies until they fork over their cold, hard cash,” the Onion CEO Ben Collins said in a statement. Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country, said it will serve as the exclusive advertiser on the new Infowars.
The Onion will acquire Infowars’ intellectual property, including its website, customer lists and inventory, certain social media accounts and the Infowars production equipment, the families said in a statement.
“They’re shutting us down,” Jones said on social media site X. “I’m going to be here until they come in here and turn the lights off.”
Bluesky has added 1 million users since the US election as people seek alternatives to X
- Bluesky said Wednesday that its total users surged to 15 million, up from roughly 13 million at the end of October
- Championed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky was an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February
LOS ANGELES: Social media site Bluesky has gained 1 million new users in the week since the US election, as some X users look for an alternative platform to post their thoughts and engage with others online.
Bluesky said Wednesday that its total users surged to 15 million, up from roughly 13 million at the end of October.
Championed by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Bluesky was an invitation-only space until it opened to the public in February. That invite-only period gave the site time to build out moderation tools and other features. The platform resembles Elon Musk’s X, with a “discover” feed as well a chronological feed for accounts that users follow. Users can send direct messages and pin posts, as well as find “starter packs” that provide a curated list of people and custom feeds to follow.
The post-election uptick in users isn’t the first time that Bluesky has benefitted from people leaving X. Bluesky gained 2.6 million users in the week after X was banned in Brazil in August — 85 percent of them from Brazil, the company said. About 500,000 new users signed up in the span of one day last month, when X signaled that blocked accounts would be able to see a user’s public posts.
Despite Bluesky’s growth, X posted last week that it had “dominated the global conversation on the US election” and had set new records. The platform saw a 15.5 percent jump in new-user signups on Election Day, X said, with a record 942 million posts worldwide. Representatives for Bluesky and for X did not respond to requests for comment.
Bluesky has referenced its competitive relationship to X through tongue-in-cheeks comments, including an Election Day post on X referencing Musk watching voting results come in with President-elect Donald Trump.
“I can guarantee that no Bluesky team members will be sitting with a presidential candidate tonight and giving them direct access to control what you see online,” Bluesky said.
Across the platform, new users — among them journalists, left-leaning politicians and celebrities — have posted memes and shared that they were looking forward to using a space free from advertisements and hate speech. Some said it reminded them of the early days of X, when it was still Twitter.
On Wednesday, The Guardian said it would no longer post on X, citing “far right conspiracy theories and racism” on the site as a reason. At the same time, television journalist Don Lemon posted on X that he is leaving the platform but will continue to use other social media, including Bluesky.
Lemon said he felt X was no longer a place for “honest debate and discussion.” He noted changes to the site’s terms of service set to go into effect Friday that state lawsuits against X must be filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas rather than the Western District of Texas. Musk said in July that he was moving X’s headquarters to Texas from San Francisco.
“As the Washington Post recently reported on X’s decision to change the terms, this ‘ensures that such lawsuits will be heard in courthouses that are a hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics,’” Lemon wrote. “I think that speaks for itself.”
Last year, advertisers such as IBM, NBCUniversal and its parent company Comcast fled X over concerns about their ads showing up next to pro-Nazi content and hate speech on the site in general, with Musk inflaming tensions with his own posts endorsing an antisemitic conspiracy theory.
Al Jazeera Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh to receive 2024 International Press Freedom Award
- His resilience despite devastating personal losses is ‘inspiration for reporters around the world,’ says head of award organizer the National Press Club
- Dahdouh learned during a live broadcast that an Israeli airstrike had killed his wife, 15-year-old son, 7-year-old daughter, and 8 other relatives
LONDON: Wael Dahdouh, media organization Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief, has been honored by the National Press Club with its 2024 John Aubuchon International Press Freedom Award for his reporting on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The journalists’ organization, which is based in Washington D.C., said Dahdouh will receive its highest honor in recognition of his “determination to keep his bureau open and video feed available to the general audience and other journalists.”
Dahdouh gained worldwide recognition for his reporting on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, even after suffering devastating personal losses.
In deeply moving scenes that caught the world’s attention, he learned during a live broadcast on Oct. 28, 2023, that an airstrike on the Nuseirat refugee camp had killed his wife, 15-year-old son, 7-year-old daughter, and eight other relatives. He lost his other son, Hamza, also a reporter for Al Jazeera, in another Israeli air raid on Jan. 7 this year.
Dahdouh himself was injured by Israeli drone fire on Dec. 15, 2023, while covering an attack on a school in Khan Younis. He required surgery for his injuries and traveled to Qatar for treatment.
Announcing the award in Berlin on Tuesday, Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, said: “Despite his physical and emotional wounds, Dahdouh remains resilient as he works to recover. His endurance, strength and perseverance are an inspiration for reporters around the world.”
His award will be officially presented during the National Press Club’s annual Fourth Estate Gala on Nov. 21 at its offices in Washington.
At least 137 journalists and other media workers, mostly Palestinians, are known to have been killed since the start of the conflict in October last year. Media advocacy organizations say the true death toll might be even higher.
“The National Press Club has and will continue to advocate for all journalists, including Israeli journalists, Lebanese journalists and Palestinian journalists,” Wilkins said.
“The club continues to fight for Aubuchon honorees long after the gala ends. We will work until they are freed from prison or find justice in a court, no matter if it takes months, years or decades. We stand by our honorees and we will stand by Wael Dahdouh.”
Guardian exits Elon Musk’s X platform over ‘toxic content’ and US election coverage
- British newspaper said Musk’s ability to influence political discourse during US election reinforced its decision
LONDON: The Guardian announced Wednesday it will cease posting from its official accounts on X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, citing concerns over its recent coverage of the US election and a growing prevalence of “toxic content.”
The British newspaper, which operates over 80 accounts on X with a combined following of nearly 27 million, said the decision takes effect immediately.
“We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X (formerly Twitter),” said The Guardian.
“We think that the benefits of being on X are now outweighed by the negatives and that resources could be better used promoting our journalism elsewhere.”
The Guardian pointed to a rise in “disturbing content” on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racist content, as well as coverage of the US presidential election that it said reinforced its decision.
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X https://t.co/j4fRgzSYde
— The Guardian (@guardian) November 13, 2024
Since Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of X in October 2022, the platform has come under fire for its perceived failure to curb misinformation, especially on high-stakes topics like the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon and government elections, including in the US.
Despite mounting pressure from rights groups and government officials who have warned of potential fines, Musk has upheld what he calls a “free speech absolutist” approach, defending his stance on minimal content moderation.
The Guardian described X as a “toxic media platform” that no longer meets conditions for responsible publishing.
“Social media can be an important tool for news organisations and help us to reach new audiences but, at this point, X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work,” it explained.
Content from The Guardian will still be shareable on X, and reporters will continue to use the platform for news-gathering purposes.
The Guardian joins other media outlets in boycotting X over disputes with Musk. Last year, National Public Radio stopped posting after the platform labeled it “state-affiliated media,” a designation that also prompted PBS, a US public broadcaster, to suspend its activity on X.
Trump nominates Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary
- Trump is rolling out a steady stream of appointees and nominees for his upcoming administration, working thus far at a faster pace
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida: President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is nominating Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defense secretary.
Hegseth deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Minnesota in 2012 before joining Fox News.
“With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down,” Trump said in a statement. “Nobody fights harder for the Troops, and Pete will be a courageous and patriotic champion of our ‘Peace through Strength’ policy.”
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is nominating former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe to lead the Central Intelligence Agency. He also said he had chosen former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel and his longtime friend Steven Witkoff to be a special envoy to the Middle East.
In a flurry of announcements, Trump also named Bill McGinley, his Cabinet secretary in his first administration, as his White House counsel.
Trump is rolling out a steady stream of appointees and nominees for his upcoming administration, working thus far at a faster pace and without as much drama as his first transition following his 2016 victory.
A former Republican congressman from Texas, Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence for the final months of Trump’s first term, leading the US government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. He is a more traditional pick for the role, which requires Senate confirmation, than some rumored loyalists pushed by some of Trump’s supporters.
Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel, and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align US foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Witkoff is a Florida real estate investor who is serving as a chair of Trump’s inaugural committee. He also spent time in the world of New York real estate, where Trump first made his mark as a public figure.
As intelligence director, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for declassifying in the final days of the 2020 presidential election Russian intelligence alleging damaging information about Democrats during the 2016 race even though he acknowledged it might not be true.
Ratcliffe’s visibility rose as he emerged in 2019 as an ardent defender of Trump during the House’s first impeachment proceedings against him. He was a member of Trump’s impeachment advisory team and strenuously questioned witnesses during the impeachment hearings.
After the Democratic-controlled House voted to impeach Trump, Ratcliffe said, “This is the thinnest, fastest and weakest impeachment our country has ever seen.” He also forcefully questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller when he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement. “He will be a fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans, while ensuring the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”
Huckabee has led paid tour group visits to Israel for years, frequently advertising the trips on conservative-leaning news outlets.
“Mike has been a great public servant, Governor, and Leader in Faith for many years,” Trump said in a statement. “He loves Israel, and the people of Israel, and likewise, the people of Israel love him. Mike will work tirelessly to bring about Peace in the Middle East!”
David Friedman, who served as Trump’s ambassador to Israel in his first term, said he was “thrilled” by Trump’s selection of Huckabee.
Witkoff is also the president-elect’s golf partner and was with him when he was the target of a second assassination attempt at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September.
Trump’s transition team did not offer details about the Middle East envoy role, but Trump said in a statement, “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.”
The selection of Witkoff follows a pattern for Trump in putting people close to him in pivotal roles on the Middle East portfolio. Eight years ago he appointed his former corporate attorney Jason Greenbaltt as his special representative for international negotiations and relied on his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his personal envoy in talks in the region.
