VKontakte (VK)

By: Tech Desk | New Delhi | Updated: December 16, 2021 1:48:12 pm Snapchat's cartoon filter had gone viral this year. Snap, the parent company of Snapchat, has announced the top Lenses for the year. Lens is a filter on Snapchat and typically comes with some augmented reality (AR) element to them. The company has put out a list of the top cultural moments and festivals on the app and which Lenses were popular with Indian users. The Happy Diwali by Snap Lens, which allowed a user to share a diya with their friends and family was one of the most popular. It gained over 200 million+ impressions in India, according to the company. The Lens recognises the user’s hand and places a lit AR diya on their palm. Meanwhile, other festival Lenses which saw a lot of traction were the Happy Raksha Bandhan by Snap, which would tie a virtual rakhi on one’s wrist,  the Sparkling Hand (Holi) by Snap, and the My Friend Is (Friendship Day) by Snap. Lenses for Gudi Padwa, Onam, Makar Sankranti were also popular with users in India. Viral Lenses in India included those which add traditional Indian jewellery or gold jewellery to the…

(The Hill) – Police say that some of the smash-and-grab robberies that recently took place in California and Minnesota were organized on social media and were carried out by people who did not know each other. Local law enforcement said robberies at a Bay Area Nordstrom, a San Francisco Louis Vuitton and at a Minneapolis Best Buy were all organized on social media, according to The Wall Street Journal. For the people who took part in some of the incidents in California, Snapchat was used to organize the crimes as thieves were possibly attracted to the app’s ability to make messages disappear. Once law enforcement arrested some suspects, they at times did not know the names or have any information about the people with whom they were working, the Journal reported. However, Rachel Racusen, a spokeswoman for Snap Inc., told the Journal that the company has not found evidence of such organizing on its platform, adding that promoting damaging property on the social media app would violate its terms of service. “This isn’t ‘The Godfather’ by any stretch,” Steve Wagstaffe, the district attorney for San Mateo County, Calif., said to the Journal. “It’s the modern version of ‘Hey, there’s a party tonight’ and suddenly…

Tristan Thompson is admitting to chatting with his alleged baby mama Maralee Nichols under the user name 'blkjesus00' — and now concedes he slept with her several times over the course of months. Daily Mail obtained newly filed documents in the NBA star's paternity battle with the Texas-born personal trainer. The former Mr. Khloé Kardashian filed a declaration where he called his relationship with Maralee strictly sex with no emotions. Article continues below advertisementSource: MEGAAs Radar previously reported, earlier this year, Maralee slapped Tristan with a lawsuit seeking child support. She claims he is the father of her newborn baby born. He is skeptical he is the biological father and is demanding a DNA test be done before he provides support. Article continues below advertisementAfter she filed her suit, Tristan rushed to Texas to file his own paternity lawsuit. He is demanding the case be heard there instead of California, despite Maralee moving to Marina Del Ray before she gave birth. Tristan accuses her of moving to Los Angeles in hopes of scoring a higher child support order. Source: MEGAArticle continues below advertisementBoth cases are ongoing but Tristan is fighting to have it fought in Texas. He recently convinced the…

Savannah Brockhill who was found guilty of killing 16-month-old Star Hobson called herself the “number one psycho” as she appeared to brag to the court about how hard she can punch. The 28-year-old pub bouncer used her fists to cause harm to her partner’s baby and would film cruel pranks on the girl she loved. Brockhill is a one-time Mixed Martial Arts fighter, security guard, and dog handler, who threatened serious harm to any love rivals between her and Smith. West Yorkshire Police have released footage of Brockhill posting on Snapchat where she threatens anyone who messages Star’s mum Francis Smith. Frankie Smith (left) and Savannah Savannah Brockhill will be sentenced tomorrow In the short video, she says “if you want to keep your kneecaps, I suggest you stop sending them (messages)”. She said: "Guys and girls need to remember the fact Frankie is with me. She keeps getting a lot of messages and friend requests - she's not going to accept, especially tramps like yous. "If you want to keep your kneecaps I would suggest you stop sending her them." The caption beneath the video said: "I am a psycho when it comes to my girlfriend and wouldn't mind…

(WHDH) — A substitute teacher is facing criminal charges after authorities say a Snapchat video showed her having sex with a high school student.Ayanna Davis, 20, of Lakeville, Florida, was arrested Friday on charges including two counts of sexual battery by custodian, two counts of sexual battery, and offenses against a student by an authority figure, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.Davis admitted to detectives that she had engaged in sexual acts with a Lakeland High School student who is under the age of 16 on four occasions, twice at his house and twice at her house, Sheriff Grady Judd said.“This is a clear violation of sexual battery laws. She was in a position of influence over the victim, and she took advantage of that for her own twisted pleasure,” Judd said in a statement.Authorities launched an investigation into Davis on Dec. 3 after a student informed a school resource officer about the existence of a video that allegedly showed Davis with another student.“We expect substitute teachers to uphold the same high standards of conduct and professionalism as our full-time educators,” Lakeland Superintendent Frederick Heid said in a statement. “The charges against this person are disgraceful and a complete violation…

WEST FARGO, N.D. — Requests for information from big tech companies, like one made earlier this week following threats of violence against a West Fargo school, are a staple of local police investigations. How helpful the information is and the timeliness of its delivery can be all over the board, and police departments say it’s sometimes not happening quickly enough. Capt. Chris Helmick, with the Fargo Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, said it can be a complicated process. “We’re sometimes at the mercy of these companies that are holding the data,” Helmick said. West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness was critical of tech giant Google during a Tuesday, Dec. 7, news conference in the wake of threats made over social media about a shooting at Cheney Middle School. The threat posted to Snapchat around 9:30 p.m. Monday prompted a switch to online learning the next day and cancellation or postponement of some after-school activities. Otterness said investigators received a timely response from Snapchat, but Google hadn’t responded to their request as of Tuesday afternoon. He said Google's response time was “unacceptable.” West Fargo Police Chief Denis Otterness speaks at a press conference regarding a threat of violence at Cheney Middle…

SAN FRANCISCO—A recent rash of thefts by fast-moving mobs at stores in the Bay Area and outside Minneapolis were organized on social media and committed by people who often didn’t know one another, according to law-enforcement officials investigating the incidents. Snapchat was among the social-media apps and messaging services used by thieves in the Bay Area, one of the law-enforcement officials said.

Jamie Robinson, 33, from Thorne near Doncaster, asked the teenager if she wanted to lose her virginity to him in messages that he sent to her on platforms including Snapchat and Facebook.Sign up to our daily newsletterThe i newsletter cut through the noiseRobinson, of West Street, Thorne, then sent the girl multiple messages urging her to visit him at his flat.Jamie RobinsonDetective Sergeant Kath Coulter said: "The victim did not want to go to the flat and told him a number of times that she was busy. However, Robinson's messages became increasingly aggressive and she was becoming upset by them. Due to his constant harassment, she reluctantly agreed to meet him."Robinson picked up the victim away from the view of her home in September 2019.DS Coulter added: "Robinson took her back to his flat and there sexually assaulted her, despite the victim crying and telling him to stop. Even after the victim shouted at him to stop and demanded he take her back home, he continued to touch her inappropriately and make sexual comments."The victim made an online report to Childline about what had happened and Robinson was arrested, later making no comment in interviews.On Tuesday December 7 at Sheffield…

Kyle Bentley A simple Snapchat post about a teen’s 18th birthday led to a “frenzied” knife attack where a man was stabbed 11 times during a fight caused by a social-media bust-up. The victim, who had posted a photo of himself and three friends celebrating his birthday in a hot tub, was “goaded” by 22-year-old Kyle Bentley who responded with insulting messages and laughing emojis on the instant-messaging app, York Crown Court heard. Bentley, who didn’t even know the victim save for being linked on social media, challenged the victim to a fight and the scene was set for a horrific incident in the close-knit village of Thorpe Willoughby in the early hours of the morning. Prosecutor Elizabeth Muir said the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, took up the challenge because he didn’t want to be seen to be backing down. Initially not rising to the taunting, he and his friends went to the village pub, The Fox, for drinks but still the nasty messages dripped through on Snapchat from Bentley, who called the victim all manner of offensive names. The teenager and his mates returned to a friend’s house in Fir Tree Way where he received…

File pictureA Corby man sent his ex-wife a friend request on Snapchat despite being banned from contacting her by a court order.Barman Andrew Dubery, 40, had a non-molestation order placed on him in September last year by a family court, banning him from contacting his ex on social media, directly or indirectly, and from going within 100 metres of her.But at 2.30am on January 26 this year, she received a friend request on Snapchat in the name of 'andrewdubery'.Sign up to our daily newsletterThe i newsletter cut through the noiseIn a statement, she said the contact had left her feeling anxious and worried that he would come to her home.Last Tuesday (December 7) Dubery, of Wansford Place, appeared before magistrates in Northampton to admit harassing his former wife after he had initially pleaded not guilty.Magistrates imposed a twelve month restraining order banning Dubery from contacting his former wife in any way, directly or indirectly, and from entering the street in which she lives. He was given a year-long conditional discharge and ordered to pay £272 in court costs and fees.