TikTok is edging closer to a possible ban in the United States, raising questions about the platform’s future, reports AP. On Friday, a federal appeals court upheld a law requiring TikTok to sever ties with its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or face a ban by mid-January. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously ruled that the law was constitutional, rejecting claims from TikTok and ByteDance that it violated their rights and those of U.S. users. TikTok defends handling of Romania election content in grilling by EU lawmakers The government argues that TikTok poses national security risks due to ByteDance’s potential susceptibility to Chinese government influence. Although no public evidence of misuse has been provided, officials remain concerned about possible data access or information manipulation. The law allows ByteDance to divest its stakes in TikTok. If that fails and TikTok is banned, it could significantly disrupt the lives of creators dependent on the platform for income and the broader user base who use it for entertainment and connection. Trump promised to 'save TikTok'. What happens next is less clear Key points from the ruling: The appeals court, in an opinion by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, deemed the law carefully tailored to address foreign adversary control. It dismissed claims that the law constituted an unconstitutional bill of attainder, violated the Fifth Amendment, or infringed on the First Amendment since the government isn’t attempting to suppress or mandate content on TikTok. Next steps: TikTok and ByteDance plan to appeal to the Supreme Court. While the Court’s decision to take the case remains uncertain, the companies aim to secure an emergency stay to block the January 19 deadline. Legal experts anticipate prolonged proceedings. Some creators remain optimistic. TikTok supporter Tiffany Cianci believes the platform has stronger chances at the Supreme Court, viewing the ruling as typical deference to the executive branch at lower court levels. The Trump factor: President-elect Donald Trump, who initially sought to ban TikTok during his first term, now opposes such a move. His Justice Department would be tasked with enforcing or potentially re-evaluating the law after his inauguration. Trump could seek alternative solutions, including facilitating an American acquisition of TikTok or urging Congress to repeal the law. However, any action would require bipartisan cooperation, which remains uncertain. Prospective buyers: While ByteDance has ruled out selling TikTok, potential buyers have shown interest despite challenges posed by Chinese export controls on the platform’s proprietary algorithm. Without the algorithm, a sale would leave the buyer with only a diluted version of the app. Notable figures like Steven Mnuchin and Frank McCourt have expressed interest, with McCourt’s initiative reportedly gathering informal commitments exceeding $20 billion in capital. As TikTok navigates its uncertain path, the stakes are high for creators, users, and stakeholders awaiting the Supreme Court’s next move.

Australia has embarked on an ambitious social experiment to restrict access to social media for children under 16, a move aimed at tackling the rising concerns surrounding digital well-being and child safety. Approved by Parliament last week, the law challenges the entrenched role of platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram in young lives, raising questions about feasibility, enforcement, and potential repercussions. The ban, set to take effect in a year, will impose fines of up to AUD 50 million (USD 33 million) on platforms that fail to prevent underage accounts. Proponents argue that this policy could set a precedent for safeguarding children from harmful content and social pressures, but critics warn of unintended consequences, including challenges to free expression, privacy concerns, and the risk of isolating vulnerable youth. Enforcing the Ban: A Daunting Task While Australia aims to hold social media giants accountable, enforcing such a ban is no small feat. Young users often circumvent age restrictions, and platforms have struggled to implement foolproof age verification systems. Critics like David Inserra from the Cato Institute have called the policy ineffective, arguing that age-assurance methods risk undermining user privacy without guaranteeing accurate enforcement. Read: Australia imposes world’s first ban on social media for under-16 Impact on Young Lives Advocates like Julie Scelfo of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) praise the initiative, emphasizing that less screen time fosters genuine human connections. Studies have linked excessive social media use among teens to heightened risks of depression, anxiety, and exposure to inappropriate content, including cyberbullying and social comparisons. However, skeptics caution that banning social media may cut off critical avenues for self-expression and community building, particularly for marginalized groups such as LGBTQ+ youth and those in abusive situations. Anonymity, a cornerstone of online interaction, could also be jeopardized if stricter verification measures become the norm. A Global Trend in the Making? Australia’s bold stance mirrors growing international efforts to protect children online. Norway is considering a similar ban for under-15s, while France is piloting restrictions in schools. In the U.S., initiatives like the "Wait Until 8th" campaign encourage parents to delay giving children access to smartphones and social media. However, federal progress remains slow, with child online safety legislation often stalling amid legal challenges. Balancing Protection and Freedom While Australia’s law represents a significant push to regulate Big Tech, it also highlights a broader debate: How do societies balance protecting children with preserving their freedoms? Parents, policymakers, and experts worldwide will closely watch Australia’s experiment, weighing its successes and pitfalls as they navigate the complex intersection of technology, childhood, and safety. Could this approach work universally? Time — and the resilience of tech-savvy teens — will tell. Source: With inputs from agenceis 

Australia has made history by passing a world-first law that effectively bans children under the age of 16 from using social media. The landmark decision comes in response to growing concerns about the adverse effects social media has on the mental health and well-being of young people, including rising incidents of cyberbullying, addiction, and exposure to harmful content. The legislation, which was approved by Parliament earlier this week, mandates social media platforms to enforce stricter age verification systems. These new regulations will ensure that individuals under 16 years old will be unable to create accounts or access platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Social media companies now have until early 2025 to implement the necessary changes, giving them time to adapt to the new rules. Under the new law, platforms will be given a one-year grace period to comply with the age verification requirements. Starting in 2025, social media companies will be legally required to deploy systems capable of detecting and blocking users under 16. If they fail to meet these regulations, they will face hefty fines, with penalties potentially reaching up to $50 million AUD for repeated violations. The law has placed significant pressure on social media companies, which will need to develop and integrate advanced age verification technologies to comply. US universities urge Indian students to return before Trump takes office Some platforms have already begun exploring digital identification systems and facial recognition technologies to better authenticate users' ages. However, the widespread use of such technologies has raised privacy and data security concerns. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hailed the new law as a crucial step in safeguarding the country’s youth. He emphasised that the legislation aims to protect the mental and emotional health of children in the digital age. The decision comes after extensive research by Australian health experts, who have long warned about the dangers posed by social media for young people. Studies have shown a strong link between excessive social media use and a range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. China sentences journalist to 7yrs for espionage A 2023 report by the Australian Psychological Society revealed that nearly 40 per cent of teenagers reported feelings of anxiety or depression linked to their online experiences. Cyberbullying and the pressures of social comparison have been identified as major contributing factors to these challenges. By implementing this groundbreaking law, Australia has set a precedent for the rest of the world, challenging other nations to consider the long-term impact of social media on the younger generation and the steps necessary to mitigate those effects. Source: With inputs from wirers  

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed grave concern on Wednesday over the evil efforts by certain individuals who, he said, are attempting to lead the nation into darkness by inciting a division through social media. “We are deeply worried following some of the events for the last few days. Just imagine the madness stirred up around the issue of religion,” he told a discussion. The BNP leader expressed concern, wondering how, despite the long-standing struggle of the BNP and other democratic parties for press freedom, media outlets such as the Prothom Alo and The Daily Star are now coming under attack. “It is unfortunate that some people, who consider themselves the most popular and patriotic, are inciting division within the nation and pushing it towards darkness," he said. Without naming anyone directly, Fakhrul questioned whether those responsible for sowing division and disunity are true friends or enemies of Bangladesh. "We do not want to see this Bangladesh. I strongly condemn the attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and other newspapers. I have fought for press freedom my entire life. That is my goal, my belief, my conviction," he said. "You ousted a fascist regime that was stifling our freedom of expression, killing us, silencing us, depriving us of our right to vote, and resorting to suppression and repression. (After her ouster, if you now seek to gag someone’s voice or eliminate them, how can you justify that?" Fakhrul said. Stating that has been on a struggle for 15 years to restore people’s rights, the BNP leader said he had been jailed numerous times for this cause. "I am ready to go to jail again at any time, but I do not want to see this kind of Bangladesh. Both I and my party firmly believe that I will speak the truth, even if it costs me my life. I believe in liberal democracy. I believe in the people's freedom, freedom of speech, and the right to vote," he added. Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) organised the event at the Jatiya Press Club to mark Shaheed Dr Milon Day, commemorating the 34th martyrdom anniversary of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon, who was killed during the 1990s anti-autocratic movement. Fakhrul said although not even three months have passed since the formation of the current interim government, the true nature of certain individuals has already started to emerge. "We’ll never succeed with such faces, no matter how grand our rhetoric," he said. "It will never be possible to overcome a crisis if there is division within my own house." He said those inciting violence were leading the country towards destruction and inviting danger. "Think about where Bangladesh is being taken. Do we understand the reason for our fears? Do you understand the assailant is standing, with a knife behind us? Had they truly realised this, they would not have made such irresponsible remarks." The BNP leader said that incidents of street violence, bloodshed, attacks on media outlets, and self-destructive actions are putting the achievements of the student-led mass uprising into question. He called for unity, urging everyone to abandon efforts to create division for the sake of the country's welfare and the well-being of its people. "If you want to protect the country and its independence and protect your rights, then all of you must unite. You will never bow to division, you will not bow to injustice, and you will not pamper injustice," Fakhrul said. He said the current interim government was established on the blood of many students and ordinary people, not through anyone's mercy. "So, we believe it is best for them (govt) to focus on achieving the people’s main goal of a democratic state.” Fakhrul also urged those in charge of the interim government to refrain from making comments that could create confusion among the people.

All social media platforms including Facebook will be unblocked within two hours on Wednesday. State Minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak confirmed the development. Palak shared the update following virtual meeting with representatives from Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube, joining from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) building in Dhaka's Agargaon this morning. Earlier on July 18, internet services were disrupted and access to social media platforms were blocked.   Read more: Only Youtube gets back to Palak; Facebook, others have till Wed morning

Acknowledging restoration of telecommunications across Bangladesh, the United States has called for a full and undisrupted public access to internet and social media services. “We’re aware of some restoration of telecommunications across Bangladesh, but we are calling for a full and undisrupted public access to internet and social media services,” Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the United States Department of State Vedant Patel told reporters at a regular briefing on July 29. This will enable people in Bangladesh – including US citizens in the country – to be able to access critical information, he said. Read more: Mobile internet restored after 10 days Patel said that they, both in public and private, continue to call for a “lasting and peaceful” resolution to the current situation. “And we reiterate our unwavering support for the freedom of peaceful assembly,” he said.

A youth was arrested on Sunday (March 17, 2024) after a video of him went viral on social media where he could be seen lending ladders to bus passengers in exchange of Tk5 on a highway in Narayanganj . AKM Sharifuddin, In charge of Kanchpur Highway Shimla Police Camp, said they arrested him after watching the viral video. Risky road crossing had become a common scene in the 3.3 km area for the past two months as there were no crossing points from the long distance route's road to the regional road which is at least 24 minutes walking distance. With 3 more demises today, death toll from Gazipur gas cylinder blast rises to 6 For the past two months, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) authority has kept the crossing point at Dhaka-bound road from Kanchpur Bridge in Siddhirganj to Kuwait Plaza area closed. As a result, passengers have been crossing roads by jumping the lane's divider. According to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the four-lane Dhaka-bound road from Kanchpur Bridge in Siddhirganj to Kuwait Plaza area was divided into two lanes with high dividers to stop risky road crossing and to ensure long-distance vehicles' direct route to Dhaka. A gate was kept open in front of the RHD office for the movement of passengers from long-distance lanes to regional lanes, but the RHD authorities closed it two months ago. Abantika’s death: JnU students place 6-point demand Narayanganj RHD's Executive Engineer Shahana Ferdous said, they tried several times to enforce the movement of bus services in the designated service line with Highway Police, but they failed to enforce it.

Sexual predators. Addictive features. Suicide and eating disorders. Unrealistic beauty standards. Bullying. These are just some of the issues young people are dealing with on social media — and children's advocates and lawmakers say companies are not doing enough to protect them. On Wednesday, the CEOs of Meta, TikTok, X and other social media companies went before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify at a time when lawmakers and parents are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives. The hearing began with recorded testimony from kids and parents who said they or their children were exploited on social media. Throughout the hourslong event, parents who lost children to suicide silently held up pictures of their dead kids. "They’re responsible for many of the dangers our children face online,” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who chairs the committee, said in opening remarks. “Their design choices, their failures to adequately invest in trust and safety, their constant pursuit of engagement and profit over basic safety have all put our kids and grandkids at risk.” Meta's initial decisions to remove 2 videos of Israel-Hamas war is reversed by Oversight Board In a heated question and answer session with Mark Zuckerberg, Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley asked the Meta CEO if he has personally compensated any of the victims and their families for what they have been through. “I don't think so,” Zuckerberg replied. “There's families of victims here,” Hawley said. “Would you like to apologize to them?” Zuckerberg stood, turned away from his microphone and the senators, and directly addressed the parents in the gallery. “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered,” he said, adding that Meta continues to invest and work on “industrywide efforts” to protect children. But time and time again, children’s advocates and parents have stressed that none of the companies are doing enough. One of the parents who attended the hearing was Neveen Radwan, whose teenage daughter got sucked in to a “black hole of dangerous content” on TikTok and Instagram after she started looking at videos on healthy eating and exercise at the onset of the COVID lockdowns. She developed anorexia within a few months and nearly died, Radwan recalled. “Nothing that was said today was different than what we expected,” Radwan said. “It was a lot of promises and a lot of, quite honestly, a lot of talk without them really saying anything. The apology that he made, while it was appreciated, it was a little bit too little, too late, of course.” But Radwan, whose daughter is now 19 and in college, said she felt a “significant shift” in the energy as she sat through the hearing, listening to the senators grill the social media CEOs in tense exchanges. “The energy in the room was, very, very palpable. Just by our presence there, I think it was very noticeable how our presence was affecting the senators,” she said. Hawley continued to press Zuckerberg, asking if he'd take personal responsibility for the harms his company has caused. Zuckerberg stayed on message and repeated that Meta's job is to “build industry-leading tools” and empower parents. “To make money,” Hawley cut in. Israeli defense minister says war on Hamas will last months as US envoy discusses timetable South Carolina Sen. Lindsay Graham, the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, echoed Durbin's sentiments and said he's prepared to work with Democrats to solve the issue. “After years of working on this issue with you and others, I’ve come to conclude the following: Social media companies as they’re currently designed and operate are dangerous products," Graham said. The executives touted existing safety tools on their platforms and the work they’ve done with nonprofits and law enforcement to protect minors. Snapchat broke ranks ahead of the hearing and is backing a federal bill that would create a legal liability for apps and social platforms that recommend harmful content to minors. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel reiterated the company’s support on Wednesday and asked the industry to back the bill. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said the company is vigilant about enforcing its policy barring children under 13 from using the app. CEO Linda Yaccarino said X, formerly Twitter, doesn’t cater to children. “We do not have a line of business dedicated to children,” Yaccarino said. She said the company will also support Stop CSAM Act, a federal bill that makes it easier for victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies. Yet child health advocates say social media companies have failed repeatedly to protect minors. Profits should not be the primary concern when companies are faced with safety and privacy decisions, said Zamaan Qureshi, co-chair of Design It For Us, a youth-led coalition advocating for safer social media. “These companies have had opportunities to do this before they failed to do that. So independent regulation needs to step in.” Republican and Democratic senators came together in a rare show of agreement throughout the hearing, though it’s not yet clear if this will be enough to pass legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act, proposed in 2022 by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. “There is pretty clearly a bipartisan consensus that the status quo isn’t working," said New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez, a Democrat. “When it comes to how these companies have failed to prioritize the safety of children, there’s clearly a sense of frustration on both sides of the aisle.” Meta is being sued by dozens of states that say it deliberately designs features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. New Mexico filed a separate lawsuit saying the company has failed to protect them from online predators. New internal emails between Meta executives released by Blumenthal’s office show Nick Clegg, the company's president of global affairs, and others asking Zuckerberg to hire more people to strengthen "wellbeing across the company” as concerns grew about effects on youth mental health. “From a policy perspective, this work has become increasingly urgent over recent months. Politicians in the U.S., U.K., E.U. and Australia are publicly and privately expressing concerns about the impact of our products on young people’s mental health,” Clegg wrote in an August 2021 email. The emails released by Blumenthal’s office don’t appear to include a response, if there was any, from Zuckerberg. In September 2021, The Wall Street Journal released the Facebook Files, its report based on internal documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who later testified before the Senate. Clegg followed up on the August email in November with a scaled-down proposal but it does not appear that anything was approved. “I’ve spoken to many of the parents at the hearing. The harm their children experienced, all that loss of innocent life, is eminently preventable. When Mark says ‘Our job is building the best tools we can,’ that is just not true,” said Arturo Béjar, a former engineering director at the social media giant known for his expertise in curbing online harassment who recently testified before Congress about child safety on Meta’s platforms. “They know how much harm teens are experiencing, yet they won’t commit to reducing it, and most importantly to be transparent about it. They have the infrastructure to do it, the research, the people, it is a matter of prioritization.” Béjar said the emails and Zuckerberg's testimony show that Meta and its CEO “do not care about the harm teens experience” on their platforms. “Nick Clegg writes about profound gaps with addiction, self-harm, bullying and harassment to Mark. Mark did not respond, and those gaps are unaddressed today. Clegg asked for 84 engineers of 30,000,” Béjar said. “Children are not his priority.” Read more: Facebook parent Meta hit with record fine for transferring European user data to US

Facebook is a crucial platform for businesses with a huge user base. However, there's a lot of content, and it's tough for algorithms to pick the right stuff quickly. Many businesses are competing for space in the news feed, making it hard to reach people naturally. To do well, focusing on attracting visitors is mandatory. Following the tips in this article can help you reach more people on Facebook. Basic Strategies to Increase Facebook's Reach Organically Tailor Your Content to Specific Audiences Recognize the importance of meaningful interactions and adjust your posting approach accordingly. Always consider the specific users your post is targeting. Publish posts that you believe will be genuinely interesting and relevant to your intended audience. Whether or not a post is sponsored, you can target each of your posts on your business page to a specific audience. Control Your Posting Frequency The frequency of your Facebook posts is a crucial factor. Aim to post as often as possible while maintaining quality content. It's essential to keep your Facebook page active to foster growth. Avoid over-posting, as it can become annoying, and don't post so infrequently that your audience forgets about you. Hubspot's research suggests that for pages with fewer than 10,000 fans, engagement per post drops by 50% if you post more than once per day. Consider a guideline of one post per day or up to five posts per week. Read more: How to Prevent Facebook Hacking: Security measures from Mobile, Desktop Encourage Audience Interaction Publish content that sparks conversations among your audience. Facebook's algorithm takes note when a post generates a lot of discussion among a user's friends and may prioritize such posts. Content that people want to share and discuss with their friends holds value. Time Your Posts for Maximum Impact The recency of a post is crucial, as the newest posts appear at the top of users' news feeds. To maximize visibility and engagement, schedule your posts to coincide with your audience's online activity. According to Coschedule, the best times to post are between 1-4 pm, with specific time slots based on each weekday. Keep in mind that these times may vary depending on your followers' behavior patterns. You can use Hootsuite to obtain custom recommendations for the best posting times. Share Longer Videos Facebook's algorithm prioritizes videos based on watch time and completion rates. Focus on creating videos that capture your audience's attention and keep them engaged for longer durations, preferably over three minutes. Additionally, native videos receive a boost in reach. Read more: How to Earn Money from Facebook Leverage Your Top Advocates Facebook prioritizes posts from person to person over those from pages to a person. Encourage your employees to post about your brand, as their content carries more credibility and authority with the algorithm due to their personal connections. Sharing your brand's posts on your personal timeline can also help improve visibility. Avoid Engagement Baiting Steer clear of engagement-baiting tactics, which involve creating posts designed to artificially boost engagement through likes, shares, comments, and other actions. These tactics can result in lower visibility, as Facebook demotes such posts. Examples include asking for reactions, comments, shares, tags, or votes. Read more: How Do Social Media Influencers Make Money?

The High Court today (August 28, 2023) directed Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove all speeches and video content of BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from social media platforms.  Justice Md. Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order.  However, the courtroom witnessed a chaotic scene as pro-BNP lawyers were loudly protesting the order.   At one point, Justice Md. Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Khairul Alam left the courtroom amid the cacophony. Pro-BNP lawyers were shouting “shame, shame” while the justices were leaving the courtroom. BNP’s denial of state role and Tarique’s involvement in Aug 21 grenade attack wanes its credibility, political analysts say As of 2 pm, the justices did not return to the courtroom.  Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Law Affairs Secretary of BNP, said that a no confidence appeal against the bench had been submitted to the Chief Justice. The origin of this case traces back to 2015 when Nasreen Siddiqui Lina, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, filed a petition seeking a ban on Tarique Rahman’s videos on social media. No doubt Khaleda, Tarique and their men were completely involved in Aug 21 grenade attack: PM Hasina On January 7, 2015, during the hearing of the writ petition, a bench headed by  Justice Qazi Reza-ul Hoque and Justice Abu Taher Saifur Rahman issued an interim order alongside a ruling. The order inquired why instruction will not be given for prohibiting the publishing of Tariq Rahman's speeches. Multiple government officials and media figures, including the Information Secretary, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Director General of BTV, Chairman of BTRC, Chief News Editor of Ekushey TV, Editor of Kaler Kontho, and Tarique Rahman himself were made respondents. Zia was behind August 15 killings, Tarique behind August 21: Hasan Mahmud After an interval of eight and a half years, Kamrul Islam, a lawyer representing the writ petition, sought a hearing on August 2.  On August 8, as the case was being heard, a confrontation erupted between pro-AL and pro-BNP lawyers.