CALIFORNIA: Facebook owner Meta Platforms should not allow users to share people’s private residential information on its platforms even when the information is publicly available, the company’s oversight board said in its first policy advisory opinion.
The board https://www.reuters.com/world/us/what-is-facebooks-oversight-board-2021-... also recommended Meta create a communications channel so that so-called doxxing victims can better explain their cases to the company.
Doxxing is the public release of sensitive information identifying an individual or organization, like a home address or phone number. It can lead to harassment or stalking.
Celebrities and private individuals have been affected by sharing of such information, which raises issues around privacy, public interest and civic activism. In a recent high-profile case, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling accused trans activists of doxxing her by posting a photo of her home on Twitter.
Meta’s independent oversight board, which includes academics, rights experts and lawyers, was created by the company to rule on a small slice of thorny content moderation appeals but it can also advise on site policies.
Last year, Meta requested a policy advisory opinion from the board on when private residential addresses and images may be published on Facebook and Instagram.
The company’s current rules say users should not share “personally identifiable information about yourself or others” but Meta may allow content like a person’s address to be posted if it is considered “publicly available.”
Meta’s internal guidance to content reviewers said information published by at least five news outlets or available through various public records did not count as private, the board said.
The board said Meta should remove this exemption and should ensure exceptions for newsworthy content should be consistently applied. It also said Meta should allow external images of private residences when the property is the focus of the news story, though not for organizing protests against the resident.
It was the first time Meta’s oversight board had responded to a request for a policy advisory opinion not related to a specific case. The company has 60 days to publicly respond.
The oversight board, which has ruled on cases such as the suspension of former US President Donald Trump, has so far overturned Meta’s content decisions in 17 of 22 cases.
Twitter recently expanded its own privacy rules to ban the sharing of images and videos of private individuals without people’s consent, but soon acknowledged the new policy was being abused by malicious actors and that the company’s enforcement team had made mistakes.
Facebook should tighten doxxing rules on home addresses, says its oversight board
https://arab.news/g3jdn
Facebook should tighten doxxing rules on home addresses, says its oversight board
- Meta’s independent oversight board, which includes academics, rights experts and lawyers, was created by the company to rule on a small slice of thorny content moderation appeals but it can also advise on site policies
Trump to extend TikTok sale deadline for third time, White House says
- Trump said in May he would extend the June 19 deadline after the app helped him with young voters in the 2024 election
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump will extend a June 19 deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the US assets of short video app TikTok for 90 days despite a law that mandated a sale or shutdown absent significant progress, the White House said on Tuesday.
Trump had already twice granted a reprieve from enforcement of a congressionally mandated ban on TikTok that was supposed to take effect in January. “President Trump will sign an additional executive order this week to keep TikTok up and running,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.
That would extend the deadline to mid-September.
“President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,” she added, saying the administration will spend the next three months making sure the sale closes so that Americans can keep using TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.
Trump said in May he would extend the June 19 deadline after the app helped him with young voters in the 2024 election.
Earlier on Tuesday, he had told reporters on Air Force One he expected to again extend the deadline.
“Probably, yeah,” Trump said when asked about extending the deadline. “Probably have to get China approval but I think we’ll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it.”
The law required TikTok to stop operating by January 19 unless ByteDance had completed divesting the app’s US assets or demonstrated significant progress toward a sale.
Trump began his second term as president on January 20 and opted not to enforce it. He first extended the deadline to early April, and then again last month to June 19.
In March, Trump said he would be willing to reduce tariffs on China to get a deal done with TikTok’s Chinese parent ByteDance to sell the short video app used by 170 million Americans.
A deal had been in the works this spring that would spin off TikTok’s US operations into a new US-based firm and majority-owned and operated by US investors, but it was put on hold after China indicated it would not approve it following Trump’s announcements of steep tariffs on Chinese goods.
Democratic senators argue that Trump has no legal authority to extend the deadline, and suggest that the deal under consideration would not meet legal requirements.
Iran celebrates state TV presenter after Israeli attack
- “This dust you see in the studio...” she began, her finger raised, before being interrupted by the sound of yet another blast
TEHRAN: Facing the camera with a defiant gaze, her index finger raised in the air, Iranian TV presenter Sahar Emami became an icon in her country after an Israeli attack on the state broadcaster.
“What you can see is the flagrant aggression of the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iranian broadcaster,” she said on air Monday as several explosions were heard in the background.
“What you just heard was the sound of an aggressor against the motherland, the sound of an aggressor against truth,” added Emami, who is known for her impactful interviews with government officials.
“This dust you see in the studio...” she began, her finger raised, before being interrupted by the sound of yet another blast.
The journalist, clad in a black chador, rushed out of her seat and disappeared from view.
The destruction in the studio, which quickly filled with smoke and dust, was broadcast live before the transmission was cut.
Emami, who Iranian media say is in her 40s, is a familiar face to viewers in the Islamic republic after some 15 years on air with state television.
She resumed the broadcast just a few minutes after the attack, as if nothing unusual had happened.
The broadcaster’s headquarters in the capital Tehran with its recognizable glass exterior was badly damaged in the fire that broke out as a result of the Israeli attack.
Official media shared images of charred offices and studios no longer usable.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday denounced Israel’s “cowardice” in striking the state television building, in an attack that the broadcaster said killed three people.
“The attack against the Iranian broadcaster demonstrates the Israelis’ desperation,” Araghchi said.
Conservative newspaper Farhikhtegan said on its front page on Tuesday: “Female journalist’s resistance until the last moment sends a clear message.”
Ultraconservative publication Kayhan said: “The courage of the lioness presenter surprised friends and foes.”
The government put up a banner in Tehran’s central Vali-Asr Square honoring Emami, showing her image paired with a verse from the Persian poet Ferdowsi that celebrated the courage of women “on the battlefield.”
The state broadcaster has aired the clip of Emami during Monday’s attacks multiple times since then, celebrating its presenter.
State TV meanwhile mocked a reporter for the London-based Iran International TV, which is critical of the Iranian government.
In footage from a live broadcast, the reporter in Israel is seen rushing to a bomb shelter after warnings of incoming missiles from Iran.
Saudi’s Manga Productions, Japan’s KOEI TECMO announce new gaming partnership
- Manga Productions licensed for Nioh 3 in Mideast, North Africa
- Full Arabic support for region’s gamers, says CEO Essam Bukhary
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Manga Productions has announced a partnership with Japan’s KOEI TECMO as the publisher of the highly anticipated action game Nioh 3 in the Middle East and North Africa region.
According to a recent Saudi Press Agency report, the game is scheduled for release in early 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Steam.
Nioh 3 is the latest installment in the popular RPG series known for its mysterious samurai setting, earning widespread acclaim for its unique blend of Japanese mythology and intense combat.
The series has achieved global success, selling over 8 million copies worldwide. This new installment features an open-world environment and innovative combat system that allows players to switch between “samurai” and “ninja” fighting styles during battles.
As a part of this collaboration, Manga Productions will handle its Arabic translation, marketing and publishing for the Middle East and North Africa region.
Manga Productions, which is a subsidiary of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation, will engage Saudi creators in the localization process to ensure a culturally relevant experience for Arabic-speaking gamers.
Dr. Essam Bukhary, CEO of Manga Productions, stated: “The launch of Nioh 3 with full Arabic support for gamers in the region is an additional step towards delivering world-class experiences while empowering Saudi talent at every stage of development.”
He added: “The trust we have earned from our global partners reflects Manga Productions’ capabilities in publishing, distribution, and marketing, as well as our continued success in professionally delivering high-quality content to audiences in the region while respecting local culture.”
Hisashi Koinuma, president and chief operating officer of KOEI TECMO, said the success of DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS has further strengthened the partnership with Manga Productions to bring Nioh 3 to Arabic-speaking gamers.
Abdulaziz Al-Naghmoush, head of business development and content licensing at Manga Productions, welcomed the pact.
“Following our collaboration on DYNASTY WARRIORS: ORIGINS, which was well-received for delivering a uniquely localized Arabic experience, we are now taking a new step with Nioh 3.”
He said the offering would be a “seamless, localized experience that makes players feel as if it was made especially for them from day one.”
WhatsApp to start showing ads to users in parts of the messaging app
- WhatsApp said ads will be targeted to users based on information like their age, the country or city where they’re located, the language they’re using, the channels they’re following in the app, and how they’re interacting with the ads they see
WhatsApp said Monday that users will start seeing ads in parts of the app, as owner Meta Platforms moves to cultivate a new revenue stream by tapping the billions of people that use the messaging service.
Advertisements will be shown only in the app’s Updates tab, which is used by as many as 1.5 billion people each day. However, they won’t appear where personal chats are located, developers said.
“The personal messaging experience on WhatsApp isn’t changing, and personal messages, calls and statuses are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be used to show ads,” WhatsApp said in a blog post.
It’s a big change for the company, whose founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton vowed to keep the platform free of ads when they created it in 2009.
Facebook purchased WhatsApp in 2014 and the pair left a few years later. Parent company Meta Platforms Inc. has long been trying to generate revenue from WhatsApp.
WhatsApp said ads will be targeted to users based on information like their age, the country or city where they’re located, the language they’re using, the channels they’re following in the app, and how they’re interacting with the ads they see.
WhatsApp said it won’t use personal messages, calls and groups that a user is a member of to target ads to the user.
It’s one of three advertising features that WhatsApp unveiled on Monday as it tries to monetize the app’s user base. Channels will also be able to charge users a monthly fee for subscriptions so they can get exclusive updates. And business owners will be able to pay to promote their channel’s visibility to new users.
Most of Meta’s revenue comes from ads. In 2025, the Menlo Park, California-based company’s revenue totaled $164.5 billion and $160.6 billion of it came from advertising.
Israel strikes Iran’s state broadcaster building
- Online footage online shows IRIB’s Glass Building engulfed in flames after the attack
LONDON: Israel has launched an airstrike on the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, in central Tehran, according to numerous videos circulating on social media on Monday.
Footage shared online appeared to show the Glass Building of the IRIB engulfed in flames after the strike.
One widely circulated clip shows the moment a missile hit the facility during a live broadcast — the presenter, Sahar Emami, is seen on-air before a loud explosion interrupts the feed.
Smoke and debris fill the room as the presenter takes cover and a man is heard shouting. Iran’s state-run media confirmed the attack, directly attributing it to Israel.
Israel has attacked the building of the state radio and TV broadcaster IRIB in Tehran. pic.twitter.com/QHlrPatHVe
— nofmgeopolitics (@nofmgeopolitics) June 16, 2025
According to the first reports, there were several casualties although the exact number has not officially been released.
Videos posted online show significant damage to the building, which appeared to be on fire.
London-based news channel Iran International, reported that IRIB resumed broadcasting from another studio after the attack, with Emami joining the Khabar Network’s live broadcast.
The strike came shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Monday that Iran’s state media outlets would soon be targeted.
The famous Glass Building of Iran's state broadcaster is on fire following the Israeli airstrikes, a report by the state TV shows.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 16, 2025
The broadcasting has resumed from another studio. pic.twitter.com/GC2sJhv1Rl
“The Iranian propaganda and incitement megaphone is about to disappear,” he said in a statement earlier on Monday, adding that nearby residents had been urged to evacuate.
“In the coming hours, the (Israeli military) will operate in the area, as it has in recent days throughout Tehran, to strike military infrastructure of the Iranian regime,” the military said in a post in Persian on X.
The strike hit an upmarket district of Tehran, home to several diplomatic and international offices, including the embassies of Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait, as well as UN buildings and the Agence France-Presse bureau.
The area also contains major medical facilities and a large police headquarters, raising concerns over the broader impact of the strike.
