China fines tech giants for content exploiting children
3 years, 8 months ago

China fines tech giants for content exploiting children

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 China’s internet watchdog said Wednesday it has fined platforms operated by e-commerce company Alibaba and gaming firm Tencent for spreading sexually suggestive content involving children, as regulators seek to clean up content harmful to minors. Platforms including Alibaba’s e-commerce marketplace Taobao, Tencent’s QQ messaging service, live-streaming site Kuaishou, microblogging platform Sina Weibo and social media and e-commerce service Xiaohongshu were fined for distributing sexually suggestive stickers or short videos of children, it said. The internet regulator said its campaign includes the targeting of minors on live-streaming platforms, pornographic and violent content in courses on online education platforms and animations with violent or inappropriate horror themes.

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History of this topic

Google reveals AI model Gemini used to create deepfakes and child abuse content, Australia reacts..
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Google reveals AI model Gemini used to create deepfakes and child abuse content, Australia reacts..

Live Mint  

Google has disclosed that it received more than 250 complaints worldwide over a period of nearly a year regarding its artificial intelligence software being misused to generate deepfake terrorism material, according to the Australian eSafety Commission. The technology giant, owned by Alphabet, also reported receiving dozens of user submissions alleging that its AI model, Gemini, had been exploited to create …

UK regulator probes TikTok over teen data and content risks: Here’s what happened
3 weeks, 5 days ago

UK regulator probes TikTok over teen data and content risks: Here’s what happened

Live Mint  

The UK’s data protection regulator has launched an investigation into TikTok’s handling of teenagers’ personal data and how it influences content recommendations on the platform. The Information Commissioner’s Office expressed concerns about social media platforms using data generated by children’s online activity to power recommendation algorithms. What I am concerned about is whether they are sufficiently robust to prevent children …

UK data protection watchdog investigating how TikTok uses children’s personal data
3 weeks, 5 days ago

UK data protection watchdog investigating how TikTok uses children’s personal data

Associated Press  

LONDON — The U.K.'s data protection watchdog said Monday that it’s investigating how TikTok uses the personal information of teenagers to deliver content recommendations to them when they use the social media platform. The Information Commissioner’s Office said that there are growing concerns around how social media platforms were using data generated by children’s online activity to power their recommendation …

China takes action to combat online misuse of AI
1 month, 1 week ago

China takes action to combat online misuse of AI

China Daily  

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2025-02-21 17:26 The Cyberspace Administration of China, the nation's internet regulator, has pledged to address the misuse of AI technology and the defamation of businesses and entrepreneurs in its online campaign this year. "This year's operation will continue focusing on protecting the rights of internet users by eliminating all types of harmful information, in a bid to …

Big tech says Australia "rushed" social media ban for youths
4 months ago

Big tech says Australia "rushed" social media ban for youths

Hindustan Times  

SYDNEY - Big Tech corporations on Friday hit out at a landmark Australian law that bans youths under the age of 16 from accessing social media, saying the law was "rushed" through parliament. Big tech says Australia "rushed" social media ban for youths Australia approved the social media ban for children late on Thursday. "Last week, the parliament’s own committee …

In West’s fight against China, an unlikely weapon emerges: Online porn
4 months, 2 weeks ago

In West’s fight against China, an unlikely weapon emerges: Online porn

Hindustan Times  

Amid the geopolitical tensions between the United States and China, analysts have pondered the role of economic sanctions, military might, and strategic alliances. Recent reports from The New York Post describe a surprising phenomenon among North Korean troops stationed alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. The soldiers, who had never experienced unrestricted internet access before, reportedly became engrossed in online adult …

Chinese Authorities Launch New Campaign to Combat Online Fraud on Apps and Platforms
4 months, 4 weeks ago

Chinese Authorities Launch New Campaign to Combat Online Fraud on Apps and Platforms

China Daily  

Chinese authorities have launched a new campaign targeting illegal activity on apps and online platforms, focusing on a range of popular apps and platforms. The campaign aims to improve online safety and strengthen protection for internet users by focusing on fraudulent platforms, online discussions on sensitive topics, and content quality.

AI Images Are Spreading, Law Enforcement Is Racing to Stop Them
5 months ago

AI Images Are Spreading, Law Enforcement Is Racing to Stop Them

Associated Press  

A disturbing trend of child sexual abuse imagery created through artificial intelligence technology is gaining momentum across the United States. Law enforcement agencies are working aggressively to stop these offenders, with several cases involving AI-generated images leading to arrests and charges. The spread of child sexual abuse images generated through AI tools poses a significant threat to children, and lawmakers …

AI-generated child sexual abuse images are spreading. Law enforcement is racing to stop them
5 months ago

AI-generated child sexual abuse images are spreading. Law enforcement is racing to stop them

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 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. Justice Department officials say they're …

AI-generated child sex abuse content increasingly found on open web – watchdog
5 months, 1 week ago

AI-generated child sex abuse content increasingly found on open web – watchdog

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 AI-generated child sexual abuse content is increasingly being found on publicly accessible areas …

Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content
7 months, 4 weeks ago

Senate passes bill to protect kids online and make tech companies accountable for harmful content

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that is designed to protect children from dangerous online content, pushing forward with what would be the first major effort by Congress in decades to hold tech companies more accountable for the harm that they cause. “It is past time to act.” The legislation is about allowing children, teens and parents “to …

Campaign to protect children online
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Campaign to protect children online

China Daily  

Campaign to protect children online China's top internet regulator has launched a two-month campaign to protect children online during the summer vacation, targeting e-commerce predators and inappropriate content. The crackdown follows a controversy last year that occurred when China Central Television exposed e-commerce platforms selling nude scale model toys to children age 7 to 14. A report on juvenile internet …

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety
10 months, 2 weeks ago

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety

Al Jazeera  

The European Commission says it is concerned systems used by apps could ‘exploit weaknesses and inexperience’ of children and stimulate ‘addictive behaviour’. European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Meta for potential breaches of online content rules relating to child safety in its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, said on X the …

Microsoft is attracting growing criticism for censoring Bing in China
1 year ago

Microsoft is attracting growing criticism for censoring Bing in China

Hindustan Times  

A second US Senator has attacked Microsoft Corp.’s operations in China, adding to a wave of criticism from human rights groups following a Bloomberg Businessweek investigation about the way it censors its Bing search engine in the country. A Microsoft spokesperson reiterated an earlier statement that the Chinese version of Bing is “the least censored search engine” in the country …

Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids under Europe’s new digital law
1 year, 3 months ago

Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids under Europe’s new digital law

Associated Press  

LONDON — Three of the world’s biggest porn websites face new requirements in the European Union that include verifying the ages of users, the 27-nation bloc said Wednesday, expanding the reach of its digital law designed to keep people safe on the internet. Pornhub, XVideos and Stripchat have now been classed as “very large online platforms” subject to more stringent …

Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators
1 year, 3 months ago

Facebook parent sued by New Mexico alleging it has failed to shield children from predators

Associated Press  

SANTA FE, N.M. — Facebook and Instagram fail to protect underage users from exposure to child sexual abuse material and let adults solicit pornographic imagery from them, New Mexico’s attorney general alleges in a lawsuit that follows an undercover online investigation. The accounts also received recommendations to join unmoderated Facebook groups devoted to facilitating commercial sex, investigators said, adding that …

UK focuses on child safety at the start of new online regime
1 year, 4 months ago

UK focuses on child safety at the start of new online regime

The Hindu  

Britain's communications regulator said tech companies must focus on protecting children from abuse, grooming and pro-suicide content, in its first steps as the enforcer of online safety. Ofcom, which gained new powers when the Online Safety Act came into law last month, said children were a key priority. Chief Executive Melanie Dawes said Ofcom was wasting no time in setting …

Australian safety watchdog fines social platform X $385,000 for not tackling child abuse content
1 year, 5 months ago

Australian safety watchdog fines social platform X $385,000 for not tackling child abuse content

Associated Press  

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s online safety watchdog said on Monday it had fined X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — 610,500 Australian dollars for failing to fully explain how it tackled child sexual exploitation content. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said X and Google had not complied with the notices because both companies had failed to …

Today’s Cache | FTX co-founder claims CEO stole funds from the very start; Social media sites ordered to filter child abuse material; India among most targeted Asian countries in cyber attacks
1 year, 5 months ago

Today’s Cache | FTX co-founder claims CEO stole funds from the very start; Social media sites ordered to filter child abuse material; India among most targeted Asian countries in cyber attacks

The Hindu  

FTX co-founder claims CEO stole funds from the very start Collapsed crypto exchange FTX’s co-founder Gary Wang claimed that former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was aware of customer funds being used illegally to prop up his hedge fund Alameda Research, and that he permitted these transactions to take place. Social media sites ordered to filter child abuse material The Indian Ministry …

Social media firms told to block under-13s or face ‘humongous fines’
1 year, 6 months ago

Social media firms told to block under-13s or face ‘humongous fines’

The Telegraph  

Social media firms must deactivate underaged children’s accounts or risk “humongous” fines, the Technology Secretary has warned. “Because otherwise the mental toll and the ramifications for these young people is unimaginable and we’re just storing up a bigger problem for tomorrow in terms of the long-term impact that we are going to face.” Ms Donelan said the bill would “potentially …

Facebook parent Meta hit with record $1.3-billion fine by EU over data privacy
1 year, 10 months ago

Facebook parent Meta hit with record $1.3-billion fine by EU over data privacy

LA Times  

The European Union has imposed a record $1.3-billion privacy fine on Meta over the transfer of user data across the Atlantic. The European Union slapped Meta with a record $1.3-billion privacy fine Monday and ordered it to stop transferring users’ personal information across the Atlantic by October, the latest salvo in a decade-long case sparked by U.S. cyber-snooping fears. Ireland’s …

Big Brother is Watching: 66,000 censorship rules control content on search engines in China
1 year, 11 months ago

Big Brother is Watching: 66,000 censorship rules control content on search engines in China

Firstpost  

New Delhi: A recent report by the Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity research group at the University of Toronto, has revealed more than 66,000 rules of censorship that control the content that is available to people using search engines in China. Search engines operating in China reportedly created algorithms to ‘hard censor’ searches that the government thought were politically sensitive. If …

China: US spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok
2 years ago

China: US spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok

Al Jazeera  

Comments come after reports the US government threatened to ban the popular app unless its owners, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd, divested. “The US should stop spreading disinformation about data security, stop suppressing the relevant company, and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses to invest and operate in the US,” Wang said. “Data security issues should not be …

YouTube child data gathering faces UK scrutiny after complaint
2 years ago

YouTube child data gathering faces UK scrutiny after complaint

Firstpost  

London: Britain’s information regulator said on Wednesday it would look into an official complaint accusing Alphabet Inc’s YouTube of illegally collecting data from millions of children. The complaint lodged by father-of-three Duncan McCann, who is leading the campaign and supported by his employer the advocacy group 5Rights, said the video-streaming platform had broken the newly implemented law by gathering “the …

China says TikTok ban reflects US insecurities
2 years, 1 month ago

China says TikTok ban reflects US insecurities

Associated Press  

BEIJING — U.S. government bans on Chinese-owned video sharing app TikTok reveal Washington’s own insecurities and are an abuse of state power, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. “How unsure of itself can the U.S., the world’s top superpower, be to fear a young person’s favorite app to such a degree?” The White House is giving all federal agencies, …

Australia tells Twitter, Google to give information on handling online child abuse
2 years, 1 month ago

Australia tells Twitter, Google to give information on handling online child abuse

The Hindu  

An Australian regulator has sent legal letters to Twitter and Google telling them to hand over information about their efforts to stop online child abuse, drawing them into a crackdown that has already put pressure on other global tech firms. "With Elon Musk declaring child sexual abuse a top priority, this is an opportunity for him to explain what he …

Online safety laws need tightening to protect children on streaming sites – MP
2 years, 2 months ago

Online safety laws need tightening to protect children on streaming sites – MP

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Government should tighten proposed internet safety reforms to prevent streaming …

Microsoft and Apple among the global companies accused of 'turning a blind eye' to child sexual exploitation
2 years, 3 months ago

Microsoft and Apple among the global companies accused of 'turning a blind eye' to child sexual exploitation

ABC  

Some of the world's biggest technology companies, like Microsoft and Apple, aren't doing enough to prevent the spread of child sexual exploitation on their platforms, according Australia's e-Safety Commissioner. Key points: A world first study has found tech companies aren't proactively searching for child exploitation material in streaming and cloud services e-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says the tech companies …

Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests
2 years, 3 months ago

Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — Videos of hundreds protesting in Shanghai started to appear on WeChat on Saturday night. “Chinese netizens have always been very creative because every idea used successfully once will be discovered by censors the next time,” said Liu Lipeng, a censor-turned-critic of China’s censorship practices. Others posted sarcastic messages like “Good good good sure sure sure right right …

Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests
2 years, 3 months ago

Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I shared them too, but they would get …

Great Wall of Porn: How China is using sex bots to quell the COVID protests on social media
2 years, 4 months ago

Great Wall of Porn: How China is using sex bots to quell the COVID protests on social media

Firstpost  

A search for the names of the Chinese cities where mass, unprecedented protests are taking place over the strict zero-COVID policy saw users being flooded with lewd posts. In his long thread of messages, he added, “Sadly if a Chinese person decides to come to Twitter to find out what happened in China last night, these nsfw posts shared by …

Twitter’s attempt to compete with OnlyFans was halted due to child safety warnings
2 years, 6 months ago

Twitter’s attempt to compete with OnlyFans was halted due to child safety warnings

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. When “Super Follows” was announced, it was compared to other direct payment tools used on platforms like …

China’s cyberagency calls for ‘affectionate’ ties with sector
2 years, 7 months ago

China’s cyberagency calls for ‘affectionate’ ties with sector

Al Jazeera  

China’s cyberspace watchdog wants to build an “affectionate” relationship between internet enterprises and the government, a senior official has said, the latest verbal assurance to an industry still on edge after a long and bruising regulatory crackdown. Among some of the biggest issues that have worried investors include new rules that came into effect in February for Chinese firms with …

The China Link: How An Intel Agency's Report, Letter from MHA Triggered Ban on Popular Game BGMI
2 years, 7 months ago

The China Link: How An Intel Agency's Report, Letter from MHA Triggered Ban on Popular Game BGMI

News 18  

It was a report by a central intelligence agency and communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology that triggered a ban on popular battle royale game Battlegrounds Mobile India. WATCH VIDEO: BGMI Ban REAL Reason: Govt Officials Say It’s A BIG Cyber Threat To India According to a senior government official, the …

China Anti-Monopoly Law: Market Regulator Fines Alibaba, Tencent for Failing to Report Deals
2 years, 8 months ago

China Anti-Monopoly Law: Market Regulator Fines Alibaba, Tencent for Failing to Report Deals

News 18  

China’s market regulator announced on July 10 that it has fined technology behemoths Tencent and Alibaba as well as a number of other companies for breaking anti-monopoly regulations regarding the disclosure of transactions. China Anti-Monopoly Law This law has undergone revisions after being approved by China’s top legislative body in June and it will go into effect on August 1. …

WHO chief censored on China’s internet after calling zero-Covid unsustainable
2 years, 10 months ago

WHO chief censored on China’s internet after calling zero-Covid unsustainable

CNN  

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. The censorship on Weibo and WeChat, China’s two largest social media platforms, targets WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ comments that expressed rare disagreement with Beijing’s policies. The …

China bans minors from live streaming on social media
2 years, 10 months ago

China bans minors from live streaming on social media

India TV News  

Highlights The move has been taken to protect the physical and mental health of minors The new rules completely prohibit those under 16 from live-streaming Those between 16 and 18 must obtain permission from their parents or guardians before live streaming Chinese regulators have moved to ban minors from live-streaming on various social media platforms to protect their physical and …

Apple, Google raise new concerns by yanking Russian app
3 years, 6 months ago

Apple, Google raise new concerns by yanking Russian app

Associated Press  

BERKELEY, Calif. — Big Tech companies that operate around the globe have long promised to obey local laws and to protect civil rights while doing business. But when Apple and Google capitulated to Russian demands and removed a political-opposition app from their local app stores, it raised worries that two of the world’s most successful companies are more comfortable bowing …

Adapt or vanish: how Beijing’s guidelines for ‘civilized cyberspace’ reflect ever tighter censorship
3 years, 6 months ago

Adapt or vanish: how Beijing’s guidelines for ‘civilized cyberspace’ reflect ever tighter censorship

The Independent  

Amid China’s ongoing crackdown on multiple sectors in civil society, the country’s state council published a set of guidelines last week, aiming to promote a “civilized” internet by strengthening supervision over news websites and online platforms by asking them to promote socialist values. The escalation of suppression has scared a lot of people in China, which results in a lot …

China sets up platform to police gaming firm violations
3 years, 6 months ago

China sets up platform to police gaming firm violations

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 Chinese regulators have set up …

China slows game approvals to enforce tough new rules
3 years, 6 months ago

China slows game approvals to enforce tough new rules

The Hindu  

China is reviewing new games to ensure they meet stricter criteria for content and protection of children, Bloomberg News said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The media watchdog is re-evaluating titles submitted for approval by game developers from Tencent Holdings Ltd to Netease Inc to make sure they comply with fresh curbs imposed in August, the report …

China aims for 'civilised' internet with focus on 'socialist values'
3 years, 6 months ago

China aims for 'civilised' internet with focus on 'socialist values'

The Hindu  

China will step up efforts to promote a "civilised" internet by strengthening oversight over the likes of news sites and online platforms and encouraging them to promote core socialist values, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday. Cyberspace should be used to promote education about the ruling Communist Party and its achievements, according to guidelines published by the State …

Explained | Why and how China is drastically limiting online gaming for under 18s
3 years, 6 months ago

Explained | Why and how China is drastically limiting online gaming for under 18s

The Hindu  

China on Monday introduced new rules that limit the amount of time under-18s can spend on video games to three hours a week, a move it said was necessary to combat gaming addiction. The National Press and Publication Administration, the regulator which approves video game titles, said on Monday the new rules were a response to growing concern that games …

Think your parents are strict about video games? Hold my controller, says China
3 years, 7 months ago

Think your parents are strict about video games? Hold my controller, says China

LA Times  

A child plays with a toy gun during a 2020 event for online games in Beijing. China is banning children from playing online games for more than three hours a week, the harshest restriction so far on the gaming industry as Chinese regulators continue cracking down on the technology sector. The new regulation affects some of China’s largest technology companies, …

China issues draft guidelines for internet recommendation algorithms
3 years, 7 months ago

China issues draft guidelines for internet recommendation algorithms

The Hindu  

China has issued draft guidelines on regulating the algorithms used by internet service providers to make recommendations to users, part of efforts to protect the privacy and data security of users, the internet regulator said on Friday. Service providers must abide by business ethics and principles of fairness and should not set up algorithm models that entice users to spend …

China issues draft rules banning unfair competition in the internet sector
3 years, 7 months ago

China issues draft rules banning unfair competition in the internet sector

The Hindu  

Chinese regulators on Tuesday issued a lengthy set of draft regulations for the internet sector, banning unfair competition and restricting the use of user data, the latest move in a crackdown on the country's powerful tech companies. According to a document published on China's State Administration for Market Regulation website, business operators should not use data, algorithms or other technical …

Tencent limits gaming for kids after official media critique
3 years, 7 months ago

Tencent limits gaming for kids after official media critique

Associated Press  

HONG KONG — China’s biggest gaming company, Tencent Holdings, said Tuesday it will limit gaming time for minors and ban children under age 12 from making in-game purchases after a state media article called games “spiritual opium.” Tencent’s pledge to curb gaming for minors came hours after the company’s stock plunged as much as 11% following a critique published by …

China's internet watchdog issues notices to 129 mobile apps for illegally collecting personal info
3 years, 9 months ago

China's internet watchdog issues notices to 129 mobile apps for illegally collecting personal info

The Hindu  

China's internet watchdog has issued notices to the operators of 129 smartphone applications, including several news apps, for illegally collecting or using consumers' personal information. Popular news aggregation app Jinri Toutiao developed by TikTok owner ByteDance, alongside Tencent-operated Kuai Bao and Tencent News, Sogou News by New York listed Sogou, and Nasdaq-listed Qutoutiao, were among a group of news apps …

China issues notices to 129 mobile apps for illegally collecting personal info
3 years, 9 months ago

China issues notices to 129 mobile apps for illegally collecting personal info

India TV News  

China's internet watchdog has issued notices to the operators of 129 smartphone applications, including several news apps, for illegally collecting or using consumers' personal information. Popular news aggregation app Jinri Toutiao developed by TikTok owner ByteDance, alongside Tencent-operated Kuai Bao and Tencent News, Sogou News by New York listed Sogou, and Nasdaq-listed Qutoutiao, were among a group of news apps …

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