Facebook has been used to control and manipulate countries in Global South  

  • A Guardian investigation has found that Facebook has repeatedly allowed world leaders and politicians to use its platform to deceive the public or harass opponents despite being alerted to evidence of the wrongdoing. 
  • The Guardian has seen extensive internal documentation showing how Facebook handled more than 30 cases across 25 countries of politically manipulative behaviour that was proactively detected by company staff. 
  • The investigation shows how Facebook has allowed major abuses of its platform in poor, small and non-western countries, in order to prioritise addressing abuses that attract media attention or affect the US and other wealthy countries.  
  • The company acted quickly to address political manipulation affecting countries such as the US, Taiwan, South Korea and Poland, while moving slowly or not at all on cases in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mongolia, Mexico, and much of Latin America.
  • For the full story, select here. 

New ‘Heads Up’ feature nags distracted Android users to look up while walking 

  • Android’s Digital Wellbeing service is getting a new “Heads Up” feature, which will prompt users to stop staring at their phones while walking. 
  • The feature appears to be rolling out to the beta version of the Digital Wellbeing app, and one Twitter user reports receiving the feature on their Pixel 4A device.
  • The ‘Verge’ reports that the Heads Up setup page says – “If you’re walking while using your phone, get a reminder to focus on what’s around you,” says. The reminders include brief notifications with instructions like “Watch your step,” “Stay alert,” and “Look up”.
  • Digital Wellbeing is a service built into some Android phones to help manage your usage and can be used to set limits on the amount of time you spend on specific apps, or set up a “Bedtime mode” to make a phone less distracting late at night.
  • For the full story, select here

    Man caught with significant collection of child sexual abuse material after police sting and raid

    • A 43-year-old man from Perth in Scotland has had his name added to the Sex Offenders’ Register after officers seized a significant collection of child abuse videos at his home. 
    • Officers obtained a search warrant for the offender’s flat in Hospital Street after he was caught in a police sting operation, set up to tackle online child exploitation, in which he was caught attempting to groom children.  
    • The offender’s collection of videos was reported to have a total running time of more than four days, and included category A, B and C material. 
    • The offender will be sentenced on May 5th. 
    • For the full story, select here.

         

        Pupils return to school in Northern Ireland and Scotland 

        • All 350,000 pupils in Northern Ireland return to school on Monday the 12th of April.
        • For many of those in post-primary years eight to 11, it will be their first time in the classroom in 2021. 
        • Primary and pre-school pupils and those in years 12-14 made a phased return to school in March before the Easter break. 
        • Secondary and primary pupils in six Scottish councils are also returning to full-time, in-class lessons following the Easter break.
        • For the full story, select here.