Social Networks

New Delhi, Micro-blogging platform Twitter has started removing blue verification badges from inactive and incomplete accounts and will begin the new verification process for its users in few weeks. Twitter, which paused its public verification process or that elusive Blue Badge three years ago, in November announced to relaunch verification, including a new public application process, in early 2021. "Last call! As part of our new verification policy, we'll remove verification badges from inactive and incomplete accounts," Twitter Safety said in a tweet. The company is reading out directly to users who have issues with their accounts. "We've reached out directly to those who need to take action to stay verified," it added. Twitter had said it would relaunch verification, including a new public application process, in early 2021. AdvertisementVerified accounts on Twitter will have a blue check next to the display name throughout the app. "When we relaunch the public application process in early 2021, there will be a link to the application in the Twitter apps and on twitter.com". Over three years ago, the platform paused the public verification programme after hearing feedback that it felt arbitrary and confusing to many people. A year later, the company deprioritised…

The political environment in Russia is getting more intense now, especially after the arrest of the Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Following the arrest, people are now having to rely on video-sharing platforms such as TikTok and YouTube to get access to news. However, the video-sharing apps have taken steps to restrict content promoting the weekend protests, suggested by Navalny himself. Also read| Russian authorities arrest over a dozen supporters of Navalny As per Russian officials, TikTok had deleted some videos promoting the "illegal" weekend protests that were being organised to demand the release of Navalny. Various posts demanding the release of Navalny have been viewed more than 300 million times on TikTok since this arrest at the start of this week. Navalny, who is hugely gaining popularity among the youngsters of Russia, have been posting content in favour of Putin's sworn-enemy, despite several warnings by the Russian government. This has also reached Navalny in his detention centre. "Respect to the schoolchildren who, according to my lawyer, 'wreaked havoc on TikTok'," his team posted on his Instagram account on the detained critic's behalf. Also read| Russian critic Navalny's supporters to rally for his release despite warnings The Russian government has also, now, opened…

by: Haley Townsend Posted: Jan 22, 2021 / 11:57 PM EST / Updated: Jan 23, 2021 / 12:45 AM EST FILE – This March 29, 2018 file photo shows the Facebook logo on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite, in New York’s Times Square. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) (NewsNation Now) — Just before 9 p.m. CST, some Facebook users began reporting issues with the social media platform’s mobile app forcing them to log out and log back in again. In what appears to be a mass log out, users report having to log back into their accounts. Many users got the message “session expired.” The so-called mass log out led to many questions across social media platforms as the topic trended on Twitter. As for this author, I personally encountered the log out event on the Facebook app around 9 p.m., but didn’t have any trouble logging back in after seeing the “session expired” message. After logging back in, the first post at the top of my newsfeed was from a coworker at NewsNation affiliate WIAT reporting she experienced the same thing, and from the comments, so had many of the people following her page: A quick Twitter search showed many…

Facebook users were mysteriously logged out all at the same time, but it was brief and led to amused reactions including, of course, the Bernie meme. Facebook users -- thousands and maybe even more -- were all involuntarily logged out of the social media platform simultaneously Friday night. There was not an immediate answer as to why, but users who were able to get right back on were reacting with light-hearted despair. The mass logout happened around 10:30 p.m. ET Friday. The website Downdetector.com, which monitors technical interruptions, noted a spike in reported Facebook problems around that time. There was no immediate explanation by Facebook as to why it happened or how widespread it was. Anecdotal reports by users indicated the problem may have been limited to users on Apple devices such as iPhones. There was not much as much chatter about it from Android or desktop users. Users jumped onto social media to talk about it. Most of the posts leaned less toward the angry and more toward mildly miffed-yet-amused. Some used the now-popular Bernie Sanders meme to express their reaction. Everyone waiting for Facebook to tell us why they signed us out. #facebook pic.twitter.com/Cwvd2qnIwM— Curtis (@curtis_hunt89) January 23, 2021…

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Twitter said Friday it has permanently banned an account that some in Iran believe is linked to the office of the country's supreme leader after a posting that seemed to threaten former President Donald Trump. In the image posted by the suspect account late Thursday, Trump is shown playing golf in the shadow of a giant drone, with the caption "Revenge is certain" written in Farsi. In response to a request for comment from The Associated Press, a Twitter spokesperson said the account was fake and violated the company's "manipulation and spam policy," without elaborating how it came to that conclusion. The tweet of the photo violated the company's "abusive behavior policy," Twitter's spokesperson added. In Iran, the suspect account — @khamenei_site — is believed to be linked to the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei because its behavior mirrored that of other accounts identified in state-run media as tied to his office. It frequently posted excerpts from his speeches and other official content. In this case, the account carried the link to Khamenei's website. Other accounts tied to Khamenei's office that did not tweet the photo, including his main English language account, remained…

MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A Muskogee man is arrested in connection to the attack on the U.S. Capitol that left 5 dead. According to a warrant, 23-year-old Andrew Craig Ericson is facing two charges-- one for unlawful entry on restricted buildings or grounds and one for violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. A federal judge allowed arrest warrants to be approved Jan. 6. Ericson was in custody at the Muskogee County Jail on Jan. 8 Oklahoma Northern District U.S. Attorney Trent Shores contacted the FBI Jan. 8 after getting Snapchat photographs showing Ericson in the Capitol during the breach by supporters of President Trump, according to an affidavit. The document also says Shores told the FBI that he believed Ericson lived in Muskogee but does not clarify how. Authorities say they believe Ericson used his personal cellphone to take pictures and livestream as he walked into the entrance of the capitol. They were able to find a photo of Ericson taking a selfie in a mirror and another of him sitting in a chair in a U.S. House of Representative’s conference room. The FBI confirmed the him in the Snapchat pictures by using his driver’s license photograph. A witness…

Moscow: "I'm an American!" a young Russian under the username Neurolera exclaims in English on the popular video-sharing app TikTok as she explains how to impersonate a tourist to avoid arrest at a street demonstration. Her video -- published ahead of rallies planned in support of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny -- has been viewed more than 500,000 times while videos demanding Navalny's release garnered hundreds of millions of views on the platform. In Russia, where state-controlled media outlets co-exist in stark contrast with online platforms popular among the opposition, authorities have ramped up efforts to contain and even replace sites that are seen as a threat. YouTube has become the primary source of news for many young Russians. The videos of web star Yuri Dud, known for his interviews with celebrities, or anti-graft campaigner Navalny are enjoying more and more success. Soon after Navalny's arrest, his team published a two-hour investigation into a lavish palace on the Black Sea allegedly belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The video has been viewed more than 60 million times on YouTube since its publication on Tuesday. Russian authorities have in recent years started tightening the "Runet" (Russian segment of the Internet) in…

LinkedIn is giving users the ability to control who can see and comment on individual posts, allowing content to be shared with select audiences.In addition, changes are coming which will let users adjust their content preferences in the main feed.Here are more details about everything LinkedIn announced today.Restricting Audiences for Individual PostsBy default LinkedIn posts are visible by all a user’s connections and followers, unless they’ve changed visibility settings at the account level.Users can now specify the audience they want to reach when creating a post.Restrictions can be set at the post level, which gives users the flexibility to share posts with everyone and share other posts to specific audiences.When creating a post, users can choose who will see it by selecting from the following options:Anyone: Any web user on or off LinkedInTwitter: Share with anyone and also post to TwitterConnections: People you’re directly connected to on LinkedInGroup members: Members of a group you belong toEvents: Attendees of an event you RSVP’d toBased on the examples provided there doesn’t appear to be an option to create custom audiences for posts.Something along the lines of what Instagram allows users to do with Stories would be helpful here. Instagram lets users share…

Oklahoma man faces charges in connection with Capitol riot The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday released these images purportedly of Muskogee man Andrew Ericson, who faces charges in federal court related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6.  Courtesy From Staff Reports A federal judge on Friday approved an arrest warrant for a Muskogee man on two charges connected to the deadly attack at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month after he reportedly live-streamed himself breaking into the building, taking a beer from a refrigerator and entering the U.S. House speaker's conference room.Andrew Craig Ericson, 23, faces a complaint alleging one count each of unlawful entry on restricted buildings or grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds on Jan. 6. U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui authorized the warrant at the request of an FBI special agent just before 4 p.m. Wednesday.Ericson was in custody at the Muskogee County jail Friday evening.An affidavit filed in Muskogee federal court states Tulsa-based U.S. Attorney Trent Shores contacted the FBI Jan. 8 after receiving Snapchat photographs showing Ericson was in the Capitol building when supporters of then-President Donald Trump breached the doors in…

TNT’s flagship Inside the NBA — with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny “The Jet” Smith — is absolutely entertaining and well produced. It just hasn’t provided quality, thoughtful basketball analysis for years — it’s the ultimate basketball “get off my lawn” show at this point.Current NBA players bristle at it.You can see that in Instagram comments from LeBron James and Kevin Durant on Friday, in the wake of Shaq telling Donovan Mitchell he’s not good enough during a walk-off interview where Mitchell dropped 36 in Utah’s seventh-straight win.After that, @CuffsTheLegend posted on Instagram asking why players don’t take constructive criticism from older players well, and LeBron James and Kevin Durant jumped in.Durant: “Them old heads need to go enjoy retirement. These boys have coaches they work with everyday lol.”LeBron: “There’s a difference between constructive criticism and soft hating though. I’ve seen it both ways come my way, mostly the hate. You can hear it in their delivery.”LeBron is spot on here. What Shaq did was not constructive criticism, it was calling a guy out. It was hating on the modern player. Mitchell handled it perfectly.Today’s players are generally good at receiving constructive criticism, and they will listen to former…