FTC probes Twitter data practices after Elon Musk’s layoffs
1 year, 9 months ago

FTC probes Twitter data practices after Elon Musk’s layoffs

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission is investigating Elon Musk’s mass layoffs at Twitter and trying to obtain his internal communications as part of ongoing oversight into the social media company’s privacy and cybersecurity practices, according to documents described in a congressional report. The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee published excerpts from the FTC’s letters Tuesday as part of a report alleging that the agency was overreaching “to harass Elon Musk’s Twitter.” The House said the requests amounted to a deluge of “demands about its personnel decisions in each of the company’s departments, every internal communication relating to Elon Musk and even Twitter’s interactions with journalists” who Musk’s team allowed to see certain employee emails and messages. It should come as no surprise that career staff at the commission are conducting a rigorous investigation into Twitter’s compliance with a consent order that came into effect long before Mr. Musk purchased the company.” Twitter had already paid a $150 million penalty in May, about five months before Musk’s takeover, for violating the 2011 consent order. But in November, a group of Democratic senators called those commitments into question and asked the FTC — led by Chair Lina Khan, a Democrat — to investigate any possible violations amid concerns that reports of Twitter’s disorder and drastically reduced staff under Musk posed serious security risks.

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History of this topic

Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Set Off a Race to the Bottom
54 years, 11 months ago

Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Set Off a Race to the Bottom

Wired  

In the final lead-up to the US presidential election, Elon Musk has thrown the full weight of his celebrity and his resources behind former president and Republican nominee Donald Trump. “In a race to the bottom, Elon Musk paved the way for a new, toxic tech basement,” says Nora Benavidez, senior counsel at the nonprofit Free Press. “Yet, as long …

Digital Future Daily
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Digital Future Daily

Politico  

Elon Musk goes all-in for Trump Elon Musk and Donald Trump during a campaign event. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Elon Musk is mounting a full-court press for the former President Donald Trump today, deploying his platform X to get out the vote for Trump, shout down the “legacy media” and predict a “landslide” for the GOP in Pennsylvania — giving …

From domestic violence to terrorism and war, social media is a thread that connects all the issues that now challenge us
7 months, 3 weeks ago

From domestic violence to terrorism and war, social media is a thread that connects all the issues that now challenge us

ABC  

It has become a standard, if unfortunate, part of Australian politics in recent years for politicians to pick up and run with some incident to crystallise public sentiment on an issue and let the media debate rage on it. Social media is a thread that has run through all these stories: from the misinformation and disinformation spread about the Bondi …

SEC account hack and Bitcoin price surge renew spotlight on X's security concerns
11 months, 2 weeks ago

SEC account hack and Bitcoin price surge renew spotlight on X's security concerns

The Hindu  

The hack of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's official account on X on Tuesday renewed concerns about the social media platform's security since its takeover by billionaire Elon Musk in 2022. "Something like that, where you can take over the SEC account and potentially affect the value of Bitcoin in the market - there's massive opportunity for disinformation," said …

European Union investigating Musk’s X over possible breaches of social media law
1 year ago

European Union investigating Musk’s X over possible breaches of social media law

Associated Press  

LONDON — The European Union on Monday made Elon Musk’s online platform X the first tech company to face an investigation under Europe’s tough new regulations designed to clean up social media and protect people from toxic online content. “Today we open formal infringement proceedings against @X” under the Digital Services Act, European Commissioner Thierry Breton said in a post …

Commentary: Elon Musk bought Twitter just to break it. With a new war, we’re paying the price
1 year, 2 months ago

Commentary: Elon Musk bought Twitter just to break it. With a new war, we’re paying the price

LA Times  

It’s been nearly a year since Elon Musk acquired Twitter, and more than the average landlord, he’s made some changes to the storefront: replacing the social media platform’s cheerful winged mascot with an ominous “X,” stripping all but paying subscribers of verified status, and turning it from a frenetic crossroads of breaking news and opinion to a playground for falsehoods …

US regulators seek to compel Elon Musk to testify in their investigation of his Twitter acquisition
1 year, 2 months ago

US regulators seek to compel Elon Musk to testify in their investigation of his Twitter acquisition

Associated Press  

The Securities and Exchange Commission said Thursday it is seeking a court order that would compel Elon Musk to testify as part of an investigation into his purchase of Twitter, now called X. But “two days before his scheduled testimony, Musk abruptly notified the SEC staff that he would not appear,” said the agency’s filing. Musk’s attorney, Alex Spiro, said …

US says Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the former Twitter.
1 year, 3 months ago

US says Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the former Twitter.

The Hindu  

The US government says the former Twitter's request to end oversight of its data privacy and security practices is “meritless” and owner Elon Musk should not be immune to testifying about the company since he has “first-hand knowledge” of the conduct being investigated. The company's July filing seeks relief from the consent order, saying that the FTC's investigation has “spiralled …

Twitter commits to safety amidst content concerns
1 year, 5 months ago

Twitter commits to safety amidst content concerns

India TV News  

Linda Yaccarino, the new CEO Twitter has strongly denied a recent report which claims an increase in "hateful, violent, and inaccurate" content on the platform, which is owned by Elon Musk. Yaccarino stated that Twitter has actually made significant progress in addressing harmful content, with the majority of tweets in a user's feed now considered safe. Image Source : FREEPIKTwitter …

Twitter seeks end to US oversight of data use as FTC’s Lina Kahn goes before House committee
1 year, 5 months ago

Twitter seeks end to US oversight of data use as FTC’s Lina Kahn goes before House committee

Associated Press  

Twitter wants a federal court to end an order imposed by the Federal Trade Commission that limits its data security practices. The FTC has been watching the company for years since Twitter agreed to a 2011 consent order alleging serious data security lapses. Twitter paid a $150 million penalty in May 2022, about five months before Musk’s takeover, for violating …

Twitter limits number of tweets people can read in a day, Elon Musk announces
1 year, 5 months ago

Twitter limits number of tweets people can read in a day, Elon Musk announces

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Unverified accounts can only read 600 posts a day, with new unverified accounts limited to just 300 …

Elon Musk’s Twitter announces read limits
1 year, 5 months ago

Elon Musk’s Twitter announces read limits

The Hindu  

Thousands of people logged complaints about problems accessing Twitter on Saturday after owner Elon Musk limited most users to viewing 600 tweets a day — restrictions he described as an attempt to prevent unauthorized scraping of potentially valuable data from the site. Rate limits increasing soon to 8000 for verified, 800 for unverified & 400 for new unverified https://t.co/fuRcJLifTn — …

‘Temporary measure’, says Elon Musk as Twitter makes logging in mandatory to view tweets
1 year, 5 months ago

‘Temporary measure’, says Elon Musk as Twitter makes logging in mandatory to view tweets

Hindustan Times  

In a sudden and unannounced update, Twitter has made it mandatory for people to log into their accounts to view tweets and user profiles. This also means that one must have an account on the microblogging website to view tweets, which, until now, could be seen without being logged in or having a profile on the social network. Users discovered …

Twitter’s own lawyers refute Elon Musk’s claim that the ‘Twitter Files’ exposed US government censorship
1 year, 6 months ago

Twitter’s own lawyers refute Elon Musk’s claim that the ‘Twitter Files’ exposed US government censorship

CNN  

CNN — For months, Twitter owner Elon Musk and his allies have amplified baseless claims that the US government illegally coerced Twitter into censoring a 2020 New York Post article about Hunter Biden. Now, though, Twitter’s own lawyers are disputing those claims in a case involving former President Donald Trump — forcefully rejecting any suggestion that the Twitter Files show …

Secure messaging arrives on Twitter - sort of. 'Don't trust it yet,' Musk warns
1 year, 7 months ago

Secure messaging arrives on Twitter - sort of. 'Don't trust it yet,' Musk warns

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Twitter also doesn't offer any way to report encrypted …

FTC watchdogs set loose on Facebook for "repeatedly" violating kids’ privacy for profit
1 year, 7 months ago

FTC watchdogs set loose on Facebook for "repeatedly" violating kids’ privacy for profit

Salon  

Recklessness, broken promises, kids at risk. The antitrust watchdogs at the Federal Trade Commission tore into Facebook on Wednesday, saying the agency has caught the social media giant violating kids' data privacy for profit — for the third time. "Facebook needs to answer for its failures," said Samuel Levine, the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau director, on Wednesday "Facebook has repeatedly …

Twitter fulfilling more government censorship requests under Musk
1 year, 7 months ago

Twitter fulfilling more government censorship requests under Musk

Al Jazeera  

Twitter has complied at least partially with 98.8 percent of takedown requests under Elon Musk’s ownership, data shows. Taipei, Taiwan – Twitter complied at least partially with almost every government request to take down content after Elon Musk, a self-described free speech absolutist, took over the platform, Twitter’s self-reported data shows. “As Twitter’s own previous reports and actions show, government …

U.S. FTC asks social media, video streaming firms for data on misleading ads
1 year, 9 months ago

U.S. FTC asks social media, video streaming firms for data on misleading ads

The Hindu  

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday issued orders to eight social media and video streaming firms including Meta Platforms Inc., Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube, seeking information on how the platforms screen for misleading Snap, Amazon.com Inc.-owned Twitch, Pinterest, and Instagram are the other companies which are all required to provide information such as ad revenue and number of views …

Watch: Congresswoman gets GOP ‘expert’ witness to admit he is not a Twitter expert
1 year, 10 months ago

Watch: Congresswoman gets GOP ‘expert’ witness to admit he is not a Twitter expert

Raw Story  

Lawyer Jonathan Turley has become one of the Republican Party's favorite lawyers. Such is the case this week in the first hearing from the so-called "weaponization committee," when Turley was there to comment on Twitter and other issues. "Do you have any specific or special or unique knowledge about the inner workings of Twitter?" The so-called "Twitter Files" are carefully …

‘Some issue…’: Elon Musk’s test identifies problem with locked Twitter account
1 year, 10 months ago

‘Some issue…’: Elon Musk’s test identifies problem with locked Twitter account

Live Mint  

After receiving complaints regarding the engagement through public and private posts, Elon Musk on Wednesday locked his own account to test the same and cited that there are some “issues with the system”. “Made my account private until tomorrow morning to test whether you see my private tweets more than my public ones,” he tweeted shortly after 6:00 a.m. London …

Twitter Files: Elon Musk says US govt agencies demanded suspension of over 250k accounts
1 year, 11 months ago

Twitter Files: Elon Musk says US govt agencies demanded suspension of over 250k accounts

Firstpost  

San Francisco: Elon Musk, in the latest set of revelations under ‘Twitter Files’, claimed that the US government agencies had asked the microblogging site to suspend more than 250,000 accounts. Commenting on Twitter thread of journalist Matt Taibbi, Musk wrote: “US government agency demanded suspension of 250k accounts, including journalists & Canadian officials!” The request to suspend Twitter accounts of …

Elon Musk Bought Twitter Just in Time for a Social Media Crackdown
2 years ago

Elon Musk Bought Twitter Just in Time for a Social Media Crackdown

Slate  

Elon Musk’s leadership decisions at Twitter can be described as drastic, uncoordinated, and volatile—and, after the events of last week, anticompetitive. As Musk and his predecessor Jack Dorsey have both acknowledged, a social media platform’s number of “likes” or users might not reflect the true audience of a tweet—a public post could potentially be visible to anybody on the internet. …

Elon Musk to step down as Twitter CEO
2 years ago

Elon Musk to step down as Twitter CEO

Live Mint  

Elon Musk will step down as the Twitter CEO, the world’s richest man has just announced. As a result of Musk's takeover, the federal government is expanding its probe into Twitter's privacy and data security policies, according to people with knowledge of the situation who spoke to Bloomberg. On December 20, The US Federal Trade Commission expanded its investigation into …

US govt paid Twitter millions of dollars to censor info from public: Elon Musk
2 years ago

US govt paid Twitter millions of dollars to censor info from public: Elon Musk

Live Mint  

Twitter CEO Elon Musk claimed that the US government paid 'millions of dollars' to censor information from the public on multiple social media platforms, including Twitter. Retweeting 'Part 7' of the Twitter Files, Musk posted, "Government paid Twitter millions of dollars to censor info from the public." The debate over the controversial 'The Twitter Files' saga sparked following Musk's decision …

Twitter suspends journalists who wrote about Elon Musk
2 years ago

Twitter suspends journalists who wrote about Elon Musk

India TV News  

Twitter news: Twitter suspended the accounts of journalists who cover the social media platform and its new owner Elon Musk, among them reporters working for The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Voice of America and other publications. The suspension “directly undermines Elon Musk’s claim that he intends to run Twitter as a platform dedicated to free speech,” Buzbee wrote. …

The real revelation from the ‘Twitter Files’: Content moderation is messy
2 years ago

The real revelation from the ‘Twitter Files’: Content moderation is messy

CNN  

New York CNN — Before then-President Donald Trump was banned from Twitter after the Capitol riot last January, there was a debate among some employees about what to do with the company’s most prominent and controversial user. Of course mistakes were made.” ‘Trying to be really thoughtful and careful’ Monday’s Twitter Files released from journalist Bari Weiss appeared to present …

EXPLAINER: How Elon Musk is changing what you see on Twitter
2 years ago

EXPLAINER: How Elon Musk is changing what you see on Twitter

Associated Press  

What you’re seeing in your feed on Twitter is changing. The social media platform’s new owner, Elon Musk, has been trying to prove through giving selected journalists access to some of the company’s internal communications dubbed “The Twitter Files” that officials from the previous leadership team allegedly suppressed right-wing voices. It’s likely the reductions will force Twitter to concentrate content …

Freedom of speech much? Elon Musk makes Twitter shadowban account that tracked his private jets
2 years ago

Freedom of speech much? Elon Musk makes Twitter shadowban account that tracked his private jets

Firstpost  

Elon Musk had previously stated that Twitter will never shadowban any account, just the problematic content that it posts, and will only ban accounts if things go too far. The popular Twitter handle, ElonJet, which tracked the movement of Elon Musk’s private jets has apparently been given a shadowban by Twitter upon Elon Musk’s insistence and is being algorithmically pushed …

Twitter chaos: Elon Musk dismantles its Trust and Safety advisory group that looks after abusive content
2 years ago

Twitter chaos: Elon Musk dismantles its Trust and Safety advisory group that looks after abusive content

India TV News  

Twitter chaos: Amid the chaotic situation at Twitter, its new boss, billionaire Elon Musk has again taken a harsh step and dissolved its Trust and Safety Council. The email said Twitter was “reevaluating how best to bring external insights” and the council is “not the best structure to do this.” “Our work to make Twitter a safe, informative place will …

Musk hints to uncover Twitter's 'darkest secrets', calls platform 'crime scene'
2 years ago

Musk hints to uncover Twitter's 'darkest secrets', calls platform 'crime scene'

Hindustan Times  

Twitter CEO Elon Musk created a stir among the microblogging site's users with yet another cryptic series of tweets. In his pursuit to bring more transparency to the microblogging platform, Musk had earlier come up with a new update to the micro-blogging platform after the second instalment of the so-called 'Twitter Files' revealed how the company build blacklists and actively …

Second Twitter files drop backfires on Elon Musk
2 years ago

Second Twitter files drop backfires on Elon Musk

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A second edition of the “Twitter Files” claimed to reveal that the company …

Twitter Files reveal internal conversations after Trump was banned
2 years ago

Twitter Files reveal internal conversations after Trump was banned

Live Mint  

Internal communications between Twitter executives have leaked revealing how the staffers interfered with the US election before ‘deplatforming’ Donald President. Independent journalist Matt Tabibi in a series of tweets has revealed “the story of what happened between riots at the Capitol on January 6th, and the removal of President Donald Trump from Twitter on January 8th". “Before J6, Twitter was …

A new chapter in ‘Twitter Files’
2 years ago

A new chapter in ‘Twitter Files’

Hindustan Times  

American journalist Bari Weiss posted a Twitter thread to allege the company, under its old management, created secret blacklists of users whose reach was restricted, the second instalment in what is now being called the Twitter Files. “A new #TwitterFiles investigation reveals that teams of Twitter employees build blacklists, prevent disfavored tweets from trending, and actively limit the visibility of …

Twitter had ‘secret blacklists’ to limit users, journalist claims
2 years ago

Twitter had ‘secret blacklists’ to limit users, journalist claims

Al Jazeera  

Twitter created “secret” blacklists to limit the visibility of “disfavored tweets” and certain right-leaning accounts, independent journalist Bari Weiss has claimed, citing an investigation based on internal company documents. Weiss, a former New York Times opinion editor who now runs The Free Press, said on Friday the social media platform’s previous management restricted the reach of particular accounts with what …

Elon Musk’s Twitter Files Are a Feast for Conspiracy Theorists
2 years ago

Elon Musk’s Twitter Files Are a Feast for Conspiracy Theorists

Wired  

When journalist Matt Taibbi kicked off a 36-tweet thread on Twitter last week, dropping leaked emails from the former C-suite of the social media company now owned by Elon Musk, conspiracy theorists rejoiced. Those leaked emails, which detail how Twitter suppressed a New York Post story about the copied contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop, have been heralded as a watershed …

Fired Twitter counsel over concerns about his role in info suppression, says Elon Musk
2 years ago

Fired Twitter counsel over concerns about his role in info suppression, says Elon Musk

Firstpost  

“In light of concerns about Baker’s possible role in suppression of information important to the public dialogue, he was exited from Twitter today,” Musk tweeted on Tuesday Washington: Twitter CEO Elon Musk has said that he had fired the microblogging website’s deputy general counsel James Baker over concerns about his role in information suppression under the previous management. “In light …

Twitter legal executive ‘exited’ from company, announces Elon Musk
2 years ago

Twitter legal executive ‘exited’ from company, announces Elon Musk

Hindustan Times  

Jim Baker, Twitter Inc.’s deputy general counsel, was pushed out of the company over his handling of information, Elon Musk said in a tweet. Elon Musk “In light of concerns about Baker’s possible role in suppression of information important to the public dialogue, he was exited from Twitter today,” Musk said. The documents, which included communications surrounding the decision to …

The truth of Twitter’s role in the Hunter Biden laptop story and it’s not what you think
2 years ago

The truth of Twitter’s role in the Hunter Biden laptop story and it’s not what you think

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Specifically, Mr Musk has echoed claims from prominent …

E.U. Warns Musk To Beef Up Twitter Controls Ahead Of New Rules
2 years ago

E.U. Warns Musk To Beef Up Twitter Controls Ahead Of New Rules

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING LONDON — A top European Union official warned Elon Musk on Wednesday that Twitter needs to beef up measures to protect users from hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content to avoid violating new rules that threaten tech giants with big fines or even a ban in the 27-nation bloc. Breton warned Elon Musk on Wednesday Nov. …

EU warns Musk to beef up Twitter controls ahead of new rules
2 years ago

EU warns Musk to beef up Twitter controls ahead of new rules

Associated Press  

LONDON — A top European Union official warned Elon Musk on Wednesday that Twitter needs to beef up measures to protect users from hate speech, misinformation and other harmful content to avoid violating new rules that threaten tech giants with big fines or even a ban in the 27-nation bloc. “Twitter will have to implement transparent user policies, significantly reinforce …

European Union warns Elon Musk to beef up Twitter controls ahead of new rules
2 years ago

European Union warns Elon Musk to beef up Twitter controls ahead of new rules

ABC  

A top European Union official has warned Elon Musk that Twitter needs to beef up its measures to protect users from harmful content, to avoid violating new rules that threaten tech giants with big fines or even a ban. Key points: The EU's Digital Services Act will require tech companies to better police their platforms US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen …

Elon Musk claims Apple threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store
2 years ago

Elon Musk claims Apple threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store

India Today  

Twitter CEO Elon Musk has accused Apple Inc of threatening to block Twitter Inc from its app store without saying why. Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why — Elon Musk November 28, 2022 In the latest declaration, Musk said the Twitter Files on free speech suppression soon to be published …

Twitter ‘temporarily closes offices’ as more staff depart the company
2 years, 1 month ago

Twitter ‘temporarily closes offices’ as more staff depart the company

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Twitter has temporarily closed its …

Elon Musk has undermined Twitter's integrity: US lawmakers urge antitrust probe
2 years, 1 month ago

Elon Musk has undermined Twitter's integrity: US lawmakers urge antitrust probe

India Today  

Seven Democratic senators have accused Elon Musk, who is now the owner of Twitter, of disregarding users' rights and have urged the Federal Trade Commission to probe his handling of users’ privacy and security. The US lawmakers claimed that Twitter's new Chief Executive Officer, has taken alarming steps that have undermined the integrity and safety of the platform. 'ANNOUNCED NEW …

Senators to FTC: Probe Twitter security, take needed action
2 years, 1 month ago

Senators to FTC: Probe Twitter security, take needed action

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Reacting to the tumult and mass layoffs at Twitter under its new owner Elon Musk, a group of Democratic senators on Thursday asked federal regulators to investigate any possible violations by the platform of consumer-protection laws or of its data-security commitments. The senators also asked Lina Khan, head of the Federal Trade Commission, to take enforcement action if …

Twitter executives could face big FTC fines, say former officials
2 years, 1 month ago

Twitter executives could face big FTC fines, say former officials

The Hindu  

Elon Musk's lawyer late last week sought to reassure Twitter Inc. employees that they would not be held personally liable if the company disregarded a federal order to consider and protect users' privacy when launching new features. Former FTC officials do not think it is so clear-cut In a May 2022 settlement with the U.S. regulator, Twitter agreed to improve …

Elon Musk Introduces Twitter Mayhem Mode
2 years, 1 month ago

Elon Musk Introduces Twitter Mayhem Mode

Wired  

The United States took to the polls this week to vote in a high-stakes midterm election. You may have heard that things are chaotic over at Twitter, with a wave of corporate impersonations plaguing the platform hours after the rollout of a service that allows anyone who pays $8 a month to get a blue check mark showing they are …

Elon Musk warns of Twitter bankruptcy as more senior executives quit
2 years, 1 month ago

Elon Musk warns of Twitter bankruptcy as more senior executives quit

Deccan Chronicle  

Palo Alto, California: Twitter Inc's new owner Elon Musk on Thursday raised the possibility of the social media platform going bankrupt, capping a chaotic day that included a warning from a US privacy regulator and the exit of the company's trust and safety leader. Earlier in the day, in his first company-wide email, Musk warned that Twitter would not be …

Elon Musk is putting Twitter at risk of BILLIONS in FTC fines, company lawyer warns
2 years, 1 month ago

Elon Musk is putting Twitter at risk of BILLIONS in FTC fines, company lawyer warns

Daily Mail  

A lawyer working for Twitter warns that the social network could face billions in fines from the FTC over potential violations of the consent decree it's been under - resulting from Elon Musk's rapid-fire changes that impact user privacy. Since taking the helm of the company, Musk has fired almost half its workforce, ended remote work for the remaining employees, …

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