Current Final

Tag: social media

  • Mobile data service suspension to cost Pakistan’s IT industry $3-4 million in daily losses

    Mobile data service suspension to cost Pakistan’s IT industry $3-4 million in daily losses

    The suspension of mobile data services in Pakistan is expected to result in a daily loss of $3-4 million to the country’s IT exports.

    The Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) has called on the government to restore mobile broadband services, which have been suspended since Tuesday due to the political turmoil that erupted after the arrest of the PTI party’s chairman, Imran Khan.

    The government has blocked 3G/4G mobile broadband services and major social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, as well as slowing down YouTube services to control the spread of “unwanted information” that could cause disinformation and panic among the masses.

    According to The News, Muhammad Zohaib Khan, the Chairman of P@SHA, warned that the suspension of mobile broadband services could result in significant losses for the IT industry, which relies heavily on internet connectivity.

    The IT industry has come to a standstill since Tuesday evening, and professionals are working from home due to the precarious law and order situation in the entire country. Zohaib urged the government to resume internet services to the IT industry immediately, saying that the sudden blockade of broadband services has completely halted IT operations, and the IT industry is already facing pressure due to poor governmental policies.

    Zohaib requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene directly and asked for the support of the Ministry of IT and Telecom, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and Tech Destination Pakistan administrations to request the premier to issue categorical instructions.

    The suspension of mobile broadband services has also affected individuals who rely on digital apps for commuting or ordering/delivering food and other products. However, an official stated that it is difficult to calculate the losses at this stage.

  • Woman demands a refund for wedding photos from photographer after divorce

    Woman demands a refund for wedding photos from photographer after divorce

    A South African woman has made headlines after contacting her wedding photographer, four years after her wedding, to request a refund due to her recent divorce.

    The woman claimed that she and her ex-husband no longer needed the wedding photos, and therefore, they should be entitled to a refund.

    The photographer, Lance Romeo, initially thought it was a prank, but after realising the woman was serious, he respectfully declined her request.

    https://twitter.com/LanceRomeo/status/1645842910514905113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1645842910514905113%7Ctwgr%5Ecaba5a67e2c4be408ce4f4fc0b9af7f0a7470701%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ndtv.com%2Foffbeat%2F4-years-after-divorce-woman-demands-refund-from-wedding-photographer-4016345

    Still, the woman did not accept his refusal and requested to meet in person to discuss the matter, but the photographer refused and instructed her to communicate through her lawyers.

    The photographer shared the WhatsApp chat with the woman on Twitter, which soon went viral. The woman’s ex-husband later contacted the photographer and apologised on her behalf.

    Despite the woman’s demands, the photographer remained professional throughout the exchange, and the incident garnered widespread attention on social media.

  • Meta blocks over 1,000 malicious URLs disguised as ChatGPT and AI tools

    Meta blocks over 1,000 malicious URLs disguised as ChatGPT and AI tools

    The internet is becoming more hazardous as the number of scams on the internet increases. Social media giants are now alerting users to fraudulent ChatGPT apps that are circulating on the internet. It is essential for users to be vigilant and only download ChatGPT apps from reliable sources.

    Meta has identified scammers exploiting people’s interest in ChatGPT by enticing users to download harmful apps and browser extensions. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of people’s curiosity and trust in ChatGPT to launch attacks, using tactics similar to those used in cryptocurrency scams.

    Meta has discovered about ten malware families that pose as ChatGPT and other similar tools. These malware strains are used to compromise accounts across the internet. Once a user downloads the malware, the malicious actors can launch an attack and keep updating their methods to bypass security protocols.

    Meta’s Q3 2023 security report states, “Over the past several months, we’ve investigated and taken action against malware strains taking advantage of people’s interest in OpenAI’s ChatGPT to trick them into installing malware pretending to provide AI functionality.” The company has detected and blocked over 1,000 unique malicious URLs from being shared on their apps, protecting unsuspecting users from falling prey to these cyberattacks.

    Furthermore, Meta has reported these malicious URLs to their industry peers at file-sharing services where malware is hosted, enabling them to take appropriate action to protect their users and networks. Meta has taken significant steps to combat the threat posed by malware strains posing as ChatGPT and similar tools.

    Cybercriminals are also using other websites such as LinkedIn, Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Firefox to deceive people. Meta has taken action against nine groups worldwide who are attempting to influence people secretly and steal information.

    Meta advises people to be cautious and ensure that the things they download are safe. They recommend that people only download things from trusted sources.

  • Wes Anderson in DI Khan? Believe it (or not)

    It’s true that there are a lot of reasons to be miserable in Pakistan right now: inflation, political instability, religious conflicts, the list keeps going.

    But it’s heartwarming to witness how talented Pakistani people are that they keep blowing us away with their creativity and sense of humor, such as a new trend that is re-imagining what Wes Anderson films would look like if instead of the West, they were shot in Pakistan.

    A social media user reimagined how Anderson’s film would look like in a village in Dera Ismail Khan.

    The result: mindblowing.

    Another video that kick started the trend was when a man decided to re-imagine how the iconic Hollywood director’s film would be shot if he landed in Chitral-and seriously we would love to pitch these ideas ourselves to Anderson.

    Twitter users are blown away by the creativity and honestly we agree with all of them. Let’s start calling directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino to Pakistan!

    https://twitter.com/percyakr21/status/1653496868134088704?s=20
  • Exclusive: ‘I am not against the film’: Actor Shaan Shahid defends his viral comment about Money Back Guarantee

    Exclusive: ‘I am not against the film’: Actor Shaan Shahid defends his viral comment about Money Back Guarantee

    Veteran actor Shaan Shahid has been criticised by social media users when his Facebook comment went viral where he had slammed the director of ‘Money Back Guarantee’ Faisal Qureshi, saying that Ufone commerical directors should not be allowed to direct films:

    “Ufone commercials are 45 seconds… producers should be held responsible for getting directors who have no experience when it comes to films.”

    The Current spoke to the ‘Waar’ actor about the controversy. He defended his comment by saying that it was not directed targeted towards anyone, in particular, towards Pakistani films because he supports them.

    “This was an exchange between two colleagues. I had made this comment under a Facebook post by Rashid Khawaja, who is the CEO of Entertainment Pakistan.”

    Shahid added that he hoped that the film did well, adding that this was his own personal comment which everyone is allowed to express.

    The central argument made by most social media users was that with an industry that already has limited support, veteran actors like Shahid were further harming it by making such comments about ‘Money Back Guarantee’.

    When we asked Shahid about this, he responded:

    “My comment wouldn’t come across as degrading, because the film is already playing in cinemas and people are watching it. I feel that as a professional actor, you have to be good at executing what you are doing.”

    He further added that this was not only his sole opinion, but the cinema reviews coming out show people also have mixed responses to the film.

    The ‘Khuda Kay Liye’ actor further added that the filmmakers did not make a wise choice to release the film in these timings due to ongoing political instability, especially due to the curfew imposed by the government because of which cinemas shut down at 10 pm, calling it a ‘poor choice’.

  • ‘Look who’s talking’: Twitter has no patience for Salman Khan’s hypocrisy on women’s clothes

    Bollywood star Salman Khan is no stranger to controversy and scandals, but it now seems like the aging lothario has forgotten his past.

    The ‘Kisi Ka Bhai, Kisi Ki Jaan’ actor was speaking at Rajat Sharma’s show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ where he defended his rule that women on the sets of his films couldn’t wearing plunging necklines. The superstar said that women’s bodies are precious and it was boys who have bad intentions:

    “It’s not a matter of girls, it’s about the boys. The way they look at girls, at your sister, wife or mother, I do not like it. So, I do not want them to go through this.”

    When asked about whether this statement imposes double standards by blaming women for their harassment, the actor responded:

    “There is no double standard in it. I feel that a woman’s body is a lot more precious, the more that is covered, the better, I feel.”

    Twitter users have slammed Khan’s comments as degrading and sexist for blaming women once more for the actions of men.

    Many had to point out that Khan had a lot of skeletons in his closet to go and preach modesty to women, by printing out receipts of the actor’s history of abusing ex-girlfriends.

  • Humayun Saeed is surprised there wasn’t much criticism on THAT kissing scene

    In an interview with Independent Urdu, Humayun Saeed opened up about playing Dr. Hasnat Khan in Season 5 of ‘The Crown’ and talked about the controversial kissing scenes between him and Elizabeth Debicki, which had been slammed by social media users in Pakistan on the double standards male and female actors are subjected to.

    Saeed had played Dr Hasnat Khan, a Pakistani born British heart surgeon who had a romantic relationship with the late Lady Diana from 1995 to 1997, and was described by the Princess as “the love of her life.”

    Addressing the controversy now, Saeed said that he didn’t face extreme public scrutiny like he had expected from Pakistanis:

    “I am well aware that in our society such things aren’t acceptable for us, but my scene and the way we executed it was done in a tasteful manner. And there was not a lot of backlash from Pakistanis on that scene, because it wasn’t like the way they had thought.”

    Previously, Saeed had revealed in the talk show ‘The Fourth Umpire’ that the kissing scene was not real, and it was staged to look like it was real.

    Talking about how he took on the role of Hasnat, who is a private individual and has not publicly discussed his relationship with Diana, Saeed revealed:

    “It was not necessary that I imitate his every single move. While we were shooting for ‘The Crown’, there were two or three options on how we should develop his character. We knew that he was very successful in his career, but in his relationship with Lady Diana he was very shy so we decided to capture that. Maybe in reality he wasn’t that shy in his relationship, but we decided to capture that.”

    Listen to the complete interview here:

  • ‘Propaganda’: DG ISPR dismisses social media reports of possible martial law

    ‘Propaganda’: DG ISPR dismisses social media reports of possible martial law

    Director-General (DG) of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, on Tuesday, held a press conference solely to brief the media on terrorist attacks that have recently taken place in the country.

    However, a journalist asked the DG about social media reports that claimed that martial law is going to be imposed in the country.

    Terming the reports as “baseless”, the general said that every day and night there are accounts on social media with or without names that spread this kind of this propaganda.

    Pointing out that every person is entitled to have an opinion, he stated, “we think the talks on social media against the army, institutions and their officeholders are not only irresponsible and unwise but unconstitutional.”

    “Our discipline doesn’t give us permission to respond to each and every speculation”, he stated at one point.

    He also reaffirmed that the army doesn’t support any particular political party. “All political parties and all leaders are respectable for us”, the Major General said.

    He was also of the view that it is not in the best interest of the country that the army should be involved in political matters.

    Talking about India, Sharif said New Delhi’s “aggressive designs and baseless accusations and claims” would not change history or occupied Kashmir’s internationally recognised status.

    “If need be, we can take this battle into the enemy’s territory. I also feel it is important to say that if India thinks of any misadventure due to any miscalculation or misunderstanding, then let there be no doubt that the army would give a befitting response with national support.”

  • Hold my halwa: tweet dissing Pakistani desserts ki band bajadi Pakistani Twitter nay

    Did y’all think you have seen everything? Well, the bird app will keep proving you all wrong. After the Manchurian war, the Ali Sethi peshwa conflict, now it is time to take a swipe at Pakistani desserts.

    A tweet has gone viral for all the wrong reasons, deciding to comment on something that made us clutch our third plate of sawaiyaan, because how dare you say that Pakistani deserts aren’t good.

    Did you really not grow up in Pakistan? How can one say Pakistani deserts are not good while growing up eating gulaab jamun, jalebi or kulfi?

    If ever there was a time for Pakistani Twitter do it’s thing, it was now. And it delivered beautifully.

    https://twitter.com/jakesoftest/status/1650804678047969282?s=20

    Saying Pakistani desserts aren’t good and apparently cookies can outshine jalebi is a crime against humanity

    https://twitter.com/superhbics/status/1650759755634462720?s=20
    https://twitter.com/fagittarius_jd/status/1650655889131708416?s=20

    Pakistani desserts aren’t bad, your taste is.

  • ‘Socho thorda sa’: Indian singer Shaan reacts to backlash over Eid post

    On Saturday, Bollywood playback singer Shaan Mukherjee wished Eid Mubarak to his Muslim fans by posting a picture of himself wearing a white shalwar kameez and prayer cap. However, the picture got backlash from extremist Indian trolls, to the point that the singer decided to restrict comments on his post.

    Now, the ‘It’s The Time To Disco’ singer has addressed the reaction, calling for his audience to be more empathetic and kind towards each other as both Muslims and Hindus celebrated their religious festivals on the same day this year.

    Fans in Pakistan and India have applauded Mukherjee’s empathetic and sensible post, a rare move in the time when religious extremism is rising in India, as the BJP continues to marginalise Muslims.

    Twitter users praised Shaan for calling for his followers to respect all religions.

    https://twitter.com/mariamdurrani/status/1650487512626806784?s=20