Google removes Parler from app store, could also be removed from Apple's if it doesn't implement a moderation plan - USA TODAY
Google removes Parler from app store, could also be removed from Apple's if it doesn't implement a moderation plan - USA TODAY |
- Google removes Parler from app store, could also be removed from Apple's if it doesn't implement a moderation plan - USA TODAY
- YouTube ban: Google blocks new uploads to Donald Trump's channel after Capitol riots, citing potential for violence - USA TODAY
- US media group drags Google and FB to court - Hindustan Times
- Hidden map on your phone shows everywhere you’ve been and the photos you took there - USA TODAY
- Capitol riot live updates: More arrests, violence across US as Pope Francis condemns 'this movement' - USA TODAY
| Posted: 08 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST CLOSE  President Trump's final Tweet read, "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th." USA TODAY Google removed the social media app Parler Friday evening because it posed a "public safety threat." The social network, launched in 2018, became popular among conservatives and an unmoderated home to more extreme views in 2020 when both Facebook and Twitter tightened up their content moderation and labeling. "In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence," said a Google spokesperson in a statement to USA TODAY. Following the events of Wednesday, President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts were blocked from posting "indefinitely." Twitter took a stronger step by permanently suspending the 45th president from its platform on Friday night. Twitch removes PogChamp emote: Platfomr says person behind image encouraged 'further violence' Capitol riot selfie: What their selfie obsession revealed about the psychology of the pro-Trump rioters "We're aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the US. We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content," the statement continued. Apple also threatened to remove Parler from its App Store after for failing to moderate incitements to violence and illegal activity, according to a notice obtained by multiple media sources. Apple reportedly ordered Parler to implement a moderation plan and wipe "objectionable content" from its platform within the next 24 hours. Parler CEO John Matze said in a post on Thursday it was against the moves by Facebook and Twitter. "It's clear that Facebook and Twitter believe the ends justify the means. They believe the American people are weak. They insult our founding fathers by suggesting Zuckerburg and Dorsey know what is best for us. Parler is not an arbiter of truth. We believe in you," Matze said. Parler did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment, and Apple declined to comment. This wouldn't be the first time companies go head to head over discrepancies in practices. In 2018, PayPal banned the social network Gab from its platform after a gunman killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Gab, which predates Parler, has not enjoyed the same amount of users as the newer platform after being removed from the Google and Apple app stores. Other platforms like Snapchat also blocked Trump from posting, and Reddit suspended the popular subreddit "/donaldtrump." Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2021/01/08/apple-parler-ban-app-store-trump/6603634002/  |
| Posted: 12 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST CLOSE President Trump's final Tweet read, "To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th." USA TODAY Google's YouTube has blocked President Donald Trump's official channel from uploading new content for at least a week, citing the potential for violence following the deadly Capitol siege. In a video of remarks made to reporters that was uploaded to Trump's YouTube channel Tuesday, the president said that impeaching him for inciting violence at the Capitol would be "very dangerous for the USA." YouTube removed the video. "After review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trump's channel for violating our policies," the company tweeted late Tuesday. YouTube will also indefinitely disable comments on Trump's channel "given the ongoing concerns about violence," the company said. The suspension is the latest by one of the nation's leading social media platforms which have removed nearly all of the president's online megaphones that allowed him to directly reach Americans. The move came as civil rights groups threatened a national boycott if YouTube does not remove the channel, which has 2.77 million subscribers. "A minimum of seven days is an important and necessary first step by YouTube, and we hope they will make it permanent," Jim Steyer, CEO and founder of Common Sense Media, said in a statement to USA TODAY. Americans support Trump ban: Twitter's Trump ban after Capitol attack supported by most Americans but not most Republicans, Harris Poll says Twitter dumps Trump: President Trump permanently banned from Twitter over risk he could incite violence "While it is disappointing that it took a Trump-incited attack on our Capitol to get here, it appears that all the major platforms are finally beginning to step up and take this important issue seriously and that policymakers and the public are committed to holding them accountable, he said. "Our democratic norms and institutions, not to mention our kids' future, depend on it." Earlier on Tuesday, the civil rights coalition Stop Hate for Profit demanded YouTube take down Trump's verified YouTube channel, "which is giving Trump the opportunity to continue spreading false information that the U.S. election was stolen" or face a boycott. "If YouTube does not agree with us and join the other platforms in banning Trump, we're going to go to the advertisers next," Steyer told USA TODAY. The Stop Hate for Profit campaign, which aims to rid social media platforms of hate speech, white supremacy, misinformation and disinformation, led a boycott of Facebook over the summer following the death of George Floyd under the knee of a white police officer. Some 1,100 advertisers stopped buying ads on Facebook and Instagram during the month of July, with a few advertisers pulling their spending through the end of the year. Until Tuesday night, YouTube was the lone holdout. Facebook and its app Instagram, Twitter and Snap blocked Trump after he incited supporters to storm the Capitol last week. Speaking at a Reuters conference Wednesday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said: "The internet as a whole needs to come to terms with what kind of information can spread. There's more to do on our side." YouTube says it issued a "strike" against Trump's channel. With the first strike, Trump's YouTube channel is temporarily prevented from uploading new videos or live streams for at least seven days. If, in a 90-day period, the channel receives a second strike, it will receive a two-week suspension. A third strike results in the channel being permanently removed. YouTube says it makes no exceptions for public figures and has previously removed videos from Trump's channel for violating its policies. "I am not sure what is more distressing, the fact that platforms like Facebook have waited four years to so-called 'act', now that Trump is almost out of office, or that YouTube has still failed to ban Trump," Steyer said. "Either way you look at it, these platforms are far too often on the wrong side of history and now the time has come to regulate them." Trump had a harsh message of his own for tech companies Tuesday. "I think that Big Tech is doing a horrible thing for our country and to our country, and I believe it's going to be a catastrophic mistake for them. They're dividing and divisive," Trump told reporters. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/01/12/trump-youtube-ban-capitol-riots-civil-rights-groups/6649933002/  |
| US media group drags Google and FB to court - Hindustan Times Posted: 30 Jan 2021 12:45 PM PST The company, HD Media, owns several papers in the state, including the Herald-Dispatch in Huntington and the Charleston Gazette-Mail. AP PUBLISHED ON JAN 31, 2021 02:15 AM IST Charleston, USA West Virginia news publisher has filed an antitrust suit against Google and Facebook, who together receive roughly half of all digital ad dollars in the US and are facing antitrust charges from federal and state authorities. The company, HD Media, owns several papers in the state, including the Herald-Dispatch in Huntington and the Charleston Gazette-Mail. HD Media claims Google has so monopolised the online ad market that "it threatens the extinction of local newspapers across the country". The suit also alleges that Google and Facebook conspired to further their dominance with a secret agreement, referring to a suit filed in December. The company does not specify the impact on its business of the behaviour of Facebook and Google beyond saying that it has hurt its ability to "effectively monetise its content" because Google is enabled to take an uncompetitive share of the news publisher's ad revenues. A lawyer for the company declined to speak on the record. It's the first antitrust lawsuit against a tech platform focused on news publishing, said David Chavern, head of the news trade group News Media Alliance. He said the group was not involved in the suit.   |
| Hidden map on your phone shows everywhere you’ve been and the photos you took there - USA TODAY Posted: 07 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST
CLOSE Google Maps makes navigating unfamiliar cities frustration-free and straightforward. It has an innovative feature that you're probably not taking full advantage of: Street View. Sure it's great for looking at your childhood home. But, you can use it for things like creating your own stories and even going indoors. Street View can be especially handy when you are looking at real estate. The timeline feature shows you what a home or commercial building looked like last month or many years ago. Tap or click here for this trick, along with 9 more ways to use Street View you never thought of before. Now for the bad news. Big Tech loves to track us and they have geolocation capabilities built into their respective websites and apps. If you use an iPhone, tap or click here to see a hidden map of everywhere you have been. Did you know that Google has been tracking and recording your every move, including your photos' location data? If you use Google Photos, prepare to be shocked when you see all the data the company has collected about you. Check your Google Photos settingsUnless you specifically turned off location tracking for pictures, every photo you snap will have the location where it was taken stored within its data. RELATED: 3 Google Photos tricks you'll use again and again Here is how you can check on the Google Photos app: • Open the Google Photos app • In the bottom bar, tap Search • Under the Places section, tap View All When opened, the Places section will show you a grouping of all the photos taken in a specific place. If you tap on a folder, it will bring up a map with location dots to show the precise location where you took the photo. The same data is also visible on the Google Maps website: • When logged into your Google account, open Maps. • Click on the hamburger menu in the top left corner. • When the full side menu is open, click on Your Timeline. • This will bring up a complete map of where you have been and the number of places you checked into. • Data of places you visited can also be recalled by opening the side menu, clicking on Your Places, and then clicking Visited. As Google explains on its website, Location History "saves where you go with your devices, even when you aren't using a specific Google service." Gee, thanks. RELATED: Google Photos: 20 tips to help you take control of your pictures CLOSE Google Maps turns 15, and many of the 1 billion-plus people who turn to Google's navigation app do so for more than turn-by-turn directions. USA TODAY How to turn it offIt is creepy that Google can track your movements without you even realizing it. Here is how you can turn it off using a PC: • Open Google Maps and click on Your Timeline. • At the bottom of the screen, click on Manage Location History. • This will open your Google account's Activity Controls page. • If Location History is on, the slider will be blue. Click on it to turn it off, and it should go gray. This will prevent Google from tracking any future movements or geotag photos. • There is also an Auto-Delete option, where you can choose a period for location data to be automatically deleted. This ranges from photos older than three months to photos older than 36 months. The method mentioned above will allow you to delete data that is more than three months old, but there is a way for more recent data. • Open Google Photos on a PC • In the top right-hand corner, click Settings • Click on the Sharing tab • Activate the slider for Hide photo location data RELATED: Google is ending free unlimited photo storage – try these other free options This will only hide the location data from others, but it won't remove it completely. To edit or remove a location from a photo: • Open Google Photos on a PC. • Open an image or a video. • Click on the Info button at the top. • If data has been recorded, at the bottom it will indicate location. • To remove the data, click on the pencil to edit. • To edit the data of multiple photos, mark each one by clicking the checkmark in the top left corner of the photo's thumbnail. • Once all the photos are selected, click on the three-dot menu button at the top, and select Edit Location. That's it. By adjusting these settings, you don't have to worry about being tracked, at least not by your photos. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING?Get my tech tips delivered right to your inbox, ad-free. NEED A HAND WITH A SLOW PC, PRINTER OR A SOFTWARE PROBLEM YOU CAN'T CRACK? Post your tech questions for concrete answers from me and other tech pros. Visit my Q&A Forum and get tech help now. Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com. Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2021/01/07/google-map-knows-your-location-photos-you-took-how-turn-off/4113403001/  |
| Posted: 10 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST CLOSE  Shocking, disturbing video shows chaos as a police officer is wedged in a doorway by mob storming Capitol. Wochit Corrections & Clarifications: An earlier version of this article listed the wrong state for Rocky Mount, Virginia. Authorities investigating last week's siege of the U.S. Capitol made more arrests this weekend amid revelations from a white supremacist monitoring group that the attack was openly planned online for weeks. House Democrats could introduce an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump as soon as Monday alleging "incitement of insurrection" for his role in encouraging a "wild" rally that morphed into a deadly riot. Some Republicans also have expressed support for Trump's removal from office. Rita Katz, director of the SITE Intelligence Group, a non-governmental organization that tracks online activity of white supremacists and jihadist groups, says many Americans don't understand how openly the riot was planned. Katz tweeted late Saturday that the riot, which led to scores of arrests and five deaths, came after a month of "rampant strategizing and incitements ... to storm and occupy Congress and kidnap/arrest lawmakers." Katz said protesters were urged to "consider bringing zip ties" and make citizens arrests. At least one man seen in photos and videos carrying zip-tie handcuffs amid the Capitol chaos was later arrested. Capitol riot live updates: Air Force veteran fired after reported participation Trump promoted the protest for weeks in advance, promising on Dec. 19 that the rally "will be wild." Followers believed Trump could not promote an open revolt, but they inferred that was his meaning, Katz says. "Trump's words were fuel to the fire," Katz says. "Supporters interpreted this as their green light." Katz added that her group publicized online planning activity dozens of times in the two weeks leading up to the riot, but that Capitol police still were unprepared for the onslaught. The seeds were sown within days of Trump's election defeat to President-elect Joe Biden. Trump's baseless claims that a "landslide" victory was stolen from him fueled "Stop the Steal" groups on social media platforms. The New York Times reports that one such group at one point was gaining 10 followers a second, reaching 320,000 followers before Facebook shut it down. Yogananda Pittman becomes acting chief of US Capitol PoliceYogananda D. Pittman became acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police on Friday, a day after Steven Sund's resignation, according to the agency's website. A Capitol Police officer since 2001, Pittman was one of the first Black female supervisors to become a captain, according to her website bio. In that role, she led efforts to provide the security footprint for the 2013 Presidential Inauguration. Capitol Police announced Thursday that Sund would resign effective Jan. 16. He already has left, News4 reported. At least 25 people under investigation for terrorism after Capitol riotAt least 25 people are under investigation for terrorism related to Wednesday's siege at the Capitol, according to a Defense official and a member of Congress. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat of Colorado and a former Army Ranger, said he spoke with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy on Sunday and was told that "at least 25 domestic terrorism cases have been opened as a result of the assault on the Capitol." A Defense official who was informed about the call initially confirmed that the cases involved troops but later corrected that statement. The official said some troops – active and reserve duty – may have been involved in the riot, and the military will investigate them as necessary. 2 men accused of carrying plastic restraints into US Senate arrestedA Tennessee man and a Texas man accused by online researchers of carrying plastic restraints into the U.S. Senate during Wednesday's riot were jailed and charged Sunday. Eric Munchel and Larry Rendell Brock are allegedly the subjects of extensive online efforts to identify two men in photos carrying hand restraints in the Senate. Both have been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, as well as violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, the U.S. District Attorney's office said. "Photos depicting his presence show a person who appears to be Munchel carrying plastic restraints, an item in a holster on his right hip, and a cell phone mounted on his chest with the camera facing outward, ostensibly to record events that day," the federal prosecutor's office in Washington said in a news release. Brock was identified as one of the individuals who allegedly unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol "wearing a green helmet, green tactical vest with patches, black and camo jacket, and beige pants," the releae said. Virginia police officers on leave after attending riotThe police department in Rocky Mount, Virginia, said it had notified federal authorities that two of its off-duty officers were present at Wednesday's riot at the U.S. Capitol. No details on how the officers were involved or how the department learned of their involvement was immediately released. "The Town of Rocky Mount fully supports all lawful expressions of freedom of speech and assembly by its employees but does not condone the unlawful acts that occurred that day," a news release said. About a dozen members of Black Lives Matter of Franklin County gathered outside the police department building after the announcement, The Roanoke Times reported. "We came out to let them know enough is enough, and they have to all be held accountable for the two officers' actions this past Wednesday," Bridgette Craighead, the chapter president, told the Roanoke Times. "Nobody has ever challenged them before. We want to know what's going on in our courthouse and the police departments behind closed doors." White House lowers flag in homage to fallen Capitol Police officerThe U.S. flag at the White House was flying at half-staff Sunday to honor U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ordered flags at the Capitol lowered to half-staff Friday, and calls had been growing for Trump to show similar respect at the White House. Sicknick was injured engaging with pro-Trump rioters at the Capitol on Wednesday and died the next day. Sicknick, 42, joined the force in 2008. Fallout coming fast for some after Capitol riotNot everyone arrested at the Capitol was parading around in buffalo horns or taking viral selfies from a seat of power. But that doesn't mean they are in the clear. Bradley Rukstales, CEO of Chicago-area tech company Cogensia, was arrested for unlawful entry. Rukstales quickly issued a statement saying he made a mistake, he was sorry and he condemns the violence. It did not save him. Hours later, he was put on leave, and days later he was unemployed. Cogensia said in a statement that Rukstales' "actions were inconsistent with the core values" of the company. In Pennsylvania, the Allentown School District said many community members were upset with an image of an unnamed teacher at the Capitol. The teacher was temporarily relieved of his teaching duties pending an investigation, the district said. Schwarzenegger compares riot to Nazi rise, Trump 'worst president ever'Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a passionate, seven-minute video posted on Twitter, compared the Capitol rampage to the "Night of Broken Glass" attack on Jews by Nazis in his native Austria in 1938. The actor and former Republican governor of California accused Trump of inspiring a coup by "misleading people with lies." Schwarzenegger chastised unnamed members of his own party for being complicit. But he added that 'America will come back from these dark days and shine our light once again." "Trump is a failed leader. He will go down in history as the worst president ever, Schwarzenegger said. "The good thing is he will soon be as irrelevant as an old tweet." Pope Francis condemns violence, 'this movement'Pope Francis offered prayers Sunday for those who lost their lives in the riot and those "shaken by the recent siege" at the Capitol. The pope spoke a day after urging an end to the violence, saying "this must be condemned, this movement." "Nothing is earned with violence and so much is lost," Francis said Sunday. "I exhort the government authorities and the entire population to maintain a deep sense of responsibility, in order to calm souls, to promote national reconciliation and to protect the democratic values rooted in American society." 'History repeating itself': Immigrants shaken by Capitol riot More arrests made as fallout from Capitol riot continuesAuthorities arrested more U.S. Capitol rioters over the weekend, including one man who carried off the House speaker's lectern and another photographed sitting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office with his foot on her desk. Also arrested: Jake Angeli, a QAnon-supporter from Phoenix who briefly stood at the dais while wearing a fur hat topped with buffalo horns and wielding a spear. Angeli told the FBI he came to D.C. "as part of a group effort, with other 'patriots' from Arizona, at the request of the president," the statement of facts reads. More graphic details and video of the insurrection is emerging. One officer appeared to be crushed in a doorway as rioters attempted to push their way through. Another was body-slammed from behind, tumbling over a railing into the crowd. Many of the images were taken by the rioters, most of whom wore no masks and made no effort to hide their identities. Parler banned by Apple, Google, as social media faces insurgency issuesParler, a favorite social media app among ultra-conservative voices, was banned from the app stores of Apple and Google. Apple said the Parler "has not taken adequate measures to address the proliferation of ... threats to people's safety." Trump has been banned from Twitter "due to the risk of further incitement of violence," the social media company said, adding that there was a risk of future armed protests at the Capitol. Trump attempted to evade the ban by tweeting from other accounts, which have also been banned or had tweets deleted. Jake Angeli: Man who wore fur hat and horns at Capitol riot charged Contributing: Tom Vanden Brook and Ryan W. Miller, USA TODAY; Richard Ruelas and Craig Harris, Arizona Republic; The Associated Press Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/10/capitol-riot-live-updates-online-planning-more-arrests-made-videos/6614783002/  |
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