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  • Meta shouldn’t force users to pay for data protection: EU watchdog

    Meta shouldn’t force users to pay for data protection: EU watchdog

    Brussels, Belgium – Facebook owner Meta and other online platforms must not force users to pay for the right to data protection enshrined in EU law when offering ad-free subscriptions, the European data regulator said Wednesday.

    “Online platforms should give users a real choice when employing ‘consent or pay’ models,” the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) chair Anu Talus said in a statement.

    “The models we have today usually require individuals to either give away all their data or to pay,” she said. “As a result, most users consent to the processing in order to use a service, and they do not understand the full implications of their choices.”

    Meta in November launched a “pay or consent” system allowing users to withhold use of their data for ad targeting in exchange for a monthly fee — a model that has faced several challenges from privacy and consumer advocates.

    Meta has long profited from selling user data to advertisers but this business model has led to multiple battles with EU regulators over data privacy.

    The latest announcement came after the data protection authorities of The Netherlands, Norway and the German state of Hamburg went to the EDPB for an opinion regarding the pay-or-consent model used by Meta.

    The Silicon Valley company allows users of Instagram and Facebook in Europe to pay between 10 and 13 euros (around $11 and $14) a month to opt out of data sharing.

    Meta pointed to an EU court ruling last year that it said opened the way for subscriptions as a “legally valid” option. “Today’s EDPB opinion does not alter that judgment and subscription for no ads complies with EU laws,” a Meta spokesperson said.

    Meta is waiting for a decision on its model by the data privacy regulator in Ireland where the company is headquartered.

    ‘Binary choice’

    All digital platforms must comply with the European Union’s mammoth general data protection regulation (GDPR), which has been at the root of EU court cases against Meta.

    The EDPB in its opinion argued that Meta’s model was at odds with the GDPR’s requirement that consent for data use must be freely given.

    “In most cases, it will not be possible for large online platforms to comply with the requirements for valid consent if they confront users only with a binary choice between consenting to processing of personal data for behavioural advertising purposes and paying a fee,” the opinion read.

    The EDPB also warned the type of subscription service put forward by Meta “should not be the default way forward” for platforms.

    It suggested that platforms should consider an alternative that would give users the right to reject being tracked for advertising purposes without the need to pay.

    Privacy defenders welcomed the opinion.

    “Overall, Meta is out of options in the EU. It must now give users a genuine yes/no option for personalised advertising,” said prominent online privacy activist Max Schrems.

    “We know that ‘Pay or Okay’ shifts consent rates from about three percent to more than 99 percent — so it is as far from ‘freely given’ consent as North Korea is from a democracy,” said Schrems.

    Tech lobby group CCIA however warned the EDPB risked “opening a Pandora’s Box”.

    “Forcing businesses to offer services at a loss is unprecedented and sends the wrong signals,” said CCIA Europe’s senior policy manager, Claudia Canelles Quaroni.

    “All companies should be able to offer paid-for versions of their services.”

    raz/gv

    © Agence France-Presse

  • Saba Qamar’s Instagram family grows to six million followers

    Saba Qamar’s Instagram family grows to six million followers

    Actress Saba Qamar is gorgeous and supremely talented. And because she is everyone’s favourite actress, it’s no surprise that she’s hit a huge milestone on Instagram.

    She now has an impressive six million followers on the social media app.

    Qamar thanked her followers, calling them family.
    Saba Qamar’s Instagram journey goes beyond numbers; it’s about building connections and community. Her candid posts and interactions create a sense of closeness with her followers. Her authenticity and relatability have won her millions of fans.

    Here’s to the next six million milestone, which we are sure she will get soon enough.

  • Umair Jaswal wows fans with Eid look

    Umair Jaswal wows fans with Eid look

    Umair Jaswal has posted photos of his Eid-ul-Fitr look on his Instagram account. Usually, the singer posts pictures and videos of his gym sessions. However, for Eid-ul-Fitr, he decided to share his Eid look, wearing the traditional shalwar kameez attire, although the color isn’t clear.

    He’s also sporting sunglasses and a watch. Additionally, he posted another picture where he’s wearing a black shalwar kameez and showing affection towards his nephew Ammar Jaswal. He also extended Eid greetings to his fans.

  • Meta to start labeling AI-generated content in May

    Meta to start labeling AI-generated content in May

    Facebook and Instagram giant Meta on Friday said it will begin labeling AI-generated media beginning in May, as it tries to reassure users and governments over the risks of deepfakes.

    The social media juggernaut added that it will no longer remove manipulated images and audio that don’t otherwise break its rules, relying instead on labeling and contextualization, so as to not infringe on freedom of speech.

    The changes come as a response to criticism from the tech giant’s oversight board, which independently reviews Meta’s content moderation decisions.

    The board in February requested that Meta urgently overhaul its approach to manipulated media given the huge advances in AI and the ease of manipulating media into highly convincing deepfakes.

    The board’s warning came amid fears of rampant misuse of artificial intelligence-powered applications for disinformation on platforms in a pivotal election year not only in the United States but worldwide.

    Meta’s new “Made with AI” labels will identify content created or altered with AI, including video, audio, and images. Additionally, a more prominent label will be used for content deemed at high risk of misleading the public.

    “We agree that providing transparency and additional context is now the better way to address this content,” Monika Bickert, Meta’s Vice President of Content Policy, said in a blog post.

    “The labels will cover a broader range of content in addition to the manipulated content that the Oversight Board recommended labeling,” she added.

    These new labeling techniques are linked to an agreement made in February among major tech giants and AI players to cooperate on ways to crack down on manipulated content intended to deceive voters.

    Meta, Google and OpenAI had already agreed to use a common watermarking standard that would invisibly tag images generated by their AI applications.

    Identifying AI content “is better than nothing, but there are bound to be holes,” Nicolas Gaudemet, AI Director at Onepoint, told AFP.

    He took the example of some open source software, which doesn’t always use this type of watermarking adopted by AI’s big players.

    Meta said its rollout will occur in two phases with AI-generated content labeling beginning in May 2024, while the removal of manipulated media solely based on the old policy will cease in July.

    According to the new standard, content, even if manipulated with AI, will remain on the platform unless it violates other rules, such as those prohibiting hate speech or voter interference.

    Recent examples of convincing AI deepfakes have only heightened worries about the easily accessible technology.

    The board’s list of requests was part of its review of Meta’s decision to leave a manipulated video of US President Joe Biden online last year.

    The video showed Biden voting with his adult granddaughter, but was manipulated to falsely appear that he inappropriately touched her chest.

    In a separate incident not linked to Meta, a robocall impersonation of Biden pushed out to tens of thousands of voters urged people to not cast ballots in the New Hampshire primary.

    In Pakistan, the party of former prime minister Imran Khan has used AI to generate speeches from their jailed leader.

  • Sahiba meets her father for the first time

    Sahiba meets her father for the first time

    Lollywood actress Sahiba hails from a family deeply rooted in cinema, with her mother Nisho Begum being a renowned actor of her era. Sahiba tied the knot with co-actor Afzal Khan, also known as Jan Rambo.


    Recently, Sahiba had her first meeting with her biological father. She informed her fans that it was her first time meeting her real father. In previous interviews, Sahiba disclosed that she had been raised by her stepfather. On her Instagram, she posted numerous pictures with her father, showing her excitement about their newfound connection.


    Sahiba wrote, “Met my father for the first time in my life”. Here are the beautiful pictures shared by Sahiba:
    Sahiba revealed that she met her father, Imam Rabbani, for the first time in her life on March 11th. This moment was incredibly special and emotional for her. Initially hesitant about sharing the video, she decided to upload it for her fans, considering she had already spoken about her father in several interviews.

    Here is the link to the video:

  • Naumaan Ijaz’s cryptic message for Presidential awards leaves fans confused

    Naumaan Ijaz’s cryptic message for Presidential awards leaves fans confused

    Veteran actor Nauman Ijaz seems to not be too happy with the list of people that received the Presidential Awards. However, we can’t really tell, because he was a bit too cryptic in his message, leaving us scratching our heads.

    Recently, the actor talked about the Sitara E Imtiaz awards. He congratulated the celebrities who received it and admired the people who nominated those artists.
    Sharing his opinion on Instagram, the actor wrote, “Congratulations to those who got Sitara E Imtiaz, I think those who have distributed these awards, should also get Sitara E Jurrat – Jin jin ko sitar e imtiaz mila un sab doston ko bohat bohat mubarik… Mujhay lagta ha inko awards denay wallay ko beh Sitara e jurat milna chaheay. Pakistan zindabad.”
    Here is the post shared by Naumaan Ijaz.

  • ‘Take your mubaraks back’; Sarmad Khoosat’s humorous take on being removed from Presidential Award list

    ‘Take your mubaraks back’; Sarmad Khoosat’s humorous take on being removed from Presidential Award list

    Award-winning director and filmmaker Sarmad Khoosat was due to receive a Presidential civilian award, among the highest honours in the country.
    However, in a surprising turn of events, he took to his Instagram story to share that his name had been removed from the Presidential Awards list from August 14, 2023.


    He shared the news on an Instagram story, writing a humorous take. “SITARA-I-IMTIAZ RANDOM FUN FACT | NEWS. UPDATE 4. My name has been vanished from ‘the 14th August ’23 list’ of Presidential Awards that everyone ‘officially’ and unofficially congratulated me for. Sorry, please take your Mubaraks back. Bhaee yeh mai nay khud tou nahii bana li thii list. And as far as I remember (from the year I got the PP) the list disclosed on the 14th of August is the finalised list unless the recipient refuses to accept the award”.

    Sarmad Khoosat’s fans are really upset about what happened to him, pointing out that he’s done a lot for the country and its reputation, even more than some influential people.
    Fans thanked Sarmad for all he’s done for the entertainment world. They think it’s terrible what happened to an artist who’s spent his life making art and entertainment.

  • Amid ‘Katespiracy’, Meghan Markle returns to Instagram

    Amid ‘Katespiracy’, Meghan Markle returns to Instagram

    Meghan Markle, the wife of Britain’s Prince Harry, is launching a new lifestyle brand seemingly named after the couple’s oceanside California home. An Instagram page and website for American Riviera Orchard went live without advance warning Thursday, both featuring a gold-colored crest for the new venture. 

    The logo featured the word Montecito, the celebrity enclave where the couple have lived since 2020, which is close to Santa Barbara — itself sometimes known as the American Riviera. The social media account’s biography simply reads: “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex.”

    A representative for the duchess confirmed her participation in the new venture to AFP, without providing further details. American Riviera Orchard appears to be a kitchen and lifestyle-themed brand.

    Thursday’s launch was accompanied by a grainy, retro-style promotional video in which Meghan Markle is seen arranging flowers and baking in a kitchen. A mailing list offered users the chance to sign up to become “the first to know about products, availability, and updates from American Riviera Orchard.”

    Harry and Meghan, who is American, quit royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California. Their official Instagram handle has not posted since then. Meghan’s personal social media accounts and former lifestyle blog were both closed before the couple married.

    In recent years, the couple have pursued a variety of media ventures. They criticised Britain’s royal family in a string of high-profile outpourings including a Netflix documentary series and Harry’s blockbuster autobiography Spare.

    The couple had a Spotify-exclusive podcast deal, which came to an end last year after just one show. Netflix also dropped an animated series created by Meghan but an executive for the streaming giant in January said multiple projects from the couple, including a movie, remained “in very early development.”

  • Jannat Mirza faces criticism for sharing iftar party photos

    Jannat Mirza faces criticism for sharing iftar party photos

    Jannat Mirza faces criticism for sharing iftar party photos

    Jannat Mirza, TikTok star and famous actress, is facing criticism for sharing pictures from an Iftar party.

    Mirza shared photos on her Instagram, where she is seen in a black outfit and blue nail polish on her nails.
    Some people on social media criticized her, asking whether one needs to get this dressed up for Iftar pictures.
    Even though people criticized her, Jannat Mirza kept posting photos on social media and talking with her followers.
    We say, good on her. If she wants to dress up for an iftar, its her choice.

  • Senator withdraws resolution to ban Social Media in Pakistan

    Senator withdraws resolution to ban Social Media in Pakistan

    Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi has withdrawn his resolution aimed at imposing a blanket ban on several major social media platforms in the country.

    The resolution, which sparked controversy before its introduction in the house, called for the government to prohibit access to Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, citing concerns over their perceived negative impact on the younger generation.

    Even before reaching the floor of the house, Tangi’s resolution faced significant criticism from digital rights activists and journalists.

    Critics argued that the proposed ban would further restrict freedom of expression in Pakistan. The timing of the resolution’s emergence added to its contentious nature, coinciding with ongoing disruptions to access X following allegations of electoral rigging during the February 8 polls.

    Senator Brahmand Tangi, who was expelled by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) one month ago, had moved a resolution in the senate asking that all social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram be banned in Pakistan to protect the next generation from what he has dubbed their “negative and devastating” effects.

    Tangi was expelled by the PPP last month after he went against party policy and remained silent on a resolution asking for delay in Balochistan and KP general elections. However, DAWN has reported that the party has till now not moved a reference against him.
    The resolution has alleged that social media platforms were being used to promote norms “against our culture and religion” and creating hatred among the general populace.

    The document also charges the platforms with being used to run “malicious” campaigns against the army and spreading fake news.
    PPP has said that the senator should not use the party’s name anymore, swiftly distancing itself from the controversial resolution. Nonetheless, it will be on Monday’s agenda.

    Senator Tangi is set to retire on March 11.