Connect with us

NEWS

Elon Musk slammed for failing to tackle threats aimed at MPs on X as Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle says platform is changing ‘for the worse’ and has to take more responsibility

Published

on

Elon Musk slammed for failing to tackle threats aimed at MPs on X as Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle says platform is changing 'for the worse' and has to take more responsibility

X owner Elon Musk has been critiscised by the Commons Speaker for failing to tackle threats levelled at MPs on the social media platform.

 

 

 

Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that Twitter used to take down 92 per cent of threatening posts and leave 8 per cent up, but that now the numbers were reversed.

 

In an interview with the BBC Sir Lindsay said the platform had ‘changed for the worse’ and said the government had to ‘think long and hard’ about what to do with it and other social media.

 

Speaking to Matt Chorley for his new show on 5Live, the Speaker, who is in charge of MPs welfare, said that in the wake of the Southport riots the companies had to ‘take their responsibilities more seriously’.

‘If these social media platforms aren’t going to work … I think the government have got to think long and hard about what they’re going to do with social media.’

‘The platforms have got to clean themselves up … X is not the platform that I knew.

‘It’s completely changed. I’d love to say it’s changed for the better, it’s not. It’s changed for the worse.’
After July’s general election every new MP was given a panic alarm as they face unprecedented levels of abuse and threats to their safety.

The devices were supplied as part of Commons ‘welcome packs’ for the first time, as officials beef up security measures for politicians increasingly facing intimidation and death threats.

They have been available to all MPs on request since the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016. Now they have been automatically handed to the 335 new MPs who entered Parliament after an election campaign marred by menacing behaviour.

‘My view is that those social media platforms are responsible. We’ve seen it,’ Sir Lindsay told the BBC.

‘At one time X as they now call it, we used to be able to go online and say ”these things are up there; can you take them down?” – threats against MPs.

‘In fairness they were very good at taking down the majority of what we asked. Eight per cent would remain up, the rest came down. We’re now looking the other way round, that 92 per cent of it stays up and only 8 per cent comes down. If that.’

Abuse reported by candidates and volunteers included death threats, being sworn and spat at and being followed and intimidated in the street.

Earlier this year, the Home Office announced a £31 million package of measures to counter the threat to MPs’ security and Sir Lindsay last month said he has ‘never seen anything as bad’ as the present threat level.

‘If there’s something that keeps me awake at night, it is the safety of MPs,’ he added.

The devices – which are understood to contain unique codes to identify which MP triggers them – were handed out during induction sessions last week, with demonstrations on how to use them.

New MPs who did not attend were given alarms as part of their welcome packs, along with their laptops and introductory information.

It came after a judge in Brazil ordered the suspension of X last Friday as part of a long-running spat between Mr Musk and authorities in the South American country.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes had warned Musk on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil if he failed to comply with his order to name a representative, and established a 24-hour deadline.

In his decision, Jude De Moraes gave internet service providers and app stores five days to block access to X, and said the platform will remain blocked until it complies with his orders.

He also said people or companies who use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to access X will be subject to daily fines of 50,000 reais (£6,800).

X has been approached to comment.

(Armani)

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NEWS

Barry Williams reveals Brady Bunch cast ‘all hooked up with….see more

Published

on

Barry Williams, who played Greg Brady on The Brady Bunch, opened up about behind-the-scenes action from the days of the iconic sitcom.

 

The show ran from 1969 to 1974 and is celebrating 55 years since its premiere on September 26, 1969.

 

We all hooked up with each other at some point,’ Williams, 69, told Us Weekly. ‘Not necessarily while we were filming.’

 

 

Williams – who attended the Race to Erase MS Gala earlier this year – also revealed which Brady kid dated their on-screen sibling or parent.

‘I dated Maureen [McCormick], and Chris [Knight] dated Eve [Plum] and Michael [Lookinland] and Susan [Olsen] had a little mock wedding at one point. So, yes, we all hooked up,’ he added.
The hookups coincided with the age each of the characters played.

Greg and Marcia were the oldest, Peter and Jan were the middle kids and Bobby and Cindy were the youngest.

But the flirtations weren’t limited to just the Brady kid actors, Williams also revealed he had a raging crush on his on-screen mom Carol Brady, played by Florence Henderson.

‘I had a teenage crush on her, for sure,’ he said. ‘And she’s got a very lively personality and great sense of humor, but I knew that I wanted to have music in my career [in] acting, and so I talked to her a lot about that.

‘I had found this singer coming into the Copacabana near Beverly Hills. I can’t think of exactly where it was, but I invited her to go together as a date, and she said, “OK,” so I was thrilled. And now for me, it was a date,’ he explained.

It was a night to remember for Williams, who told the outlet the two were recognized while they were out together.

‘We were recognized, and so people were whispering about us, which is strange, but we talked about the singer, his orchestrations, the band that he had, and what touring was like,’ Williams recalled.

‘And she gave me an idea what that life would look like now at the end of the date. And this is chronicled in my book as well,’ he said.
And Williams remembers the night fondly.

‘I did go in for a little kiss and and, and she was nice enough to return it,’ he said.

‘So it was a highlight. Nice little peck, yes,’ he added.

The Brady Bunch is currently streaming on Paramount+.

(Armani)

Continue Reading

NEWS

Comedian Lucy Beaumont finally breaks her silence on Jon Richardson split – after her huge….see more

Published

on

Comedian Lucy Beaumont finally breaks her silence on Jon Richardson split - after her huge….see more

Lucy Beaumont has finally broken her silence on her split from ex husband Jon Richardson.

 

 

The pair, who share a daughter and tied the knot in April 2015, announced they were splitting up earlier this year.

 

The started dating in 2013 after they met each other through friend Roisin Conaty and went on to work together on a number of shows including Meet The Richardsons.

 

But in a joint statement in April, the couple said: ‘After 9 years of marriage, we would like to announce that we have separated. We have jointly and amicably made the difficult decision to divorce and go our separate ways.’

Jon handed over £1.625 million to Lucy when they called time on their nine year marriage.

Comedian Lucy, 41, has now spoken about the split for the first time telling Ok! Magazine: ‘People might think I should talk about it because we were so public and everyone knew us as a couple, but I won’t, and not because there’s any animosity.

‘We both agreed that while it might be weird for other people not hearing anything about it, we wouldn’t talk about anything to do with the marriage or each other.’

She added of a recent new approach to life now she’s in her forties: ‘I don’t feel any different really, just a bit angrier and not willing to take any s**t from anyone.’

It comes after Lucy said she sometimes worries she ‘made a mistake’ marrying Jon as she slammed his stubbornness in an unearthed clip.

A resurfaced video has shown Lucy sharing her concerns with her marriage on Jon’s show Ultimate Worrier – where he brings on guests to help analyse his many worries.

Asked if Lucy had any worries about her ex-husband, she replied: ‘I’ve got a lot. Sometimes I worry that I’ve made a mistake.’
Lucy went on to describe how Jon can’t admit when he’s wrong or has made a mistake, something she said can be hard on a marriage.

‘One thing I think that’s really hard in a marriage is when the other person can’t admit when they’re wrong,’ she continued. ‘Can’t say sorry I’ve made a mistake.’
The ex-couple were joined on the episode by Jonathan Ross, who chimed in to say: ‘It’s crucial there’s no way a relationship can survive that.’

‘You can’t judge me on that until I make a mistake,’ Jon replied, as the audience began to laugh. ‘It’s not fair.’

To prove her point, Lucy added: ‘And he honestly thinks that I’m the flawed one and that you never make a mistake. I have an example and it’s quite, it’s not, you know, pleasant story to tell you actually.’

Lucy began to recount a story from their honeymoon where they rented a car and went around America, with Jon looking at the map and deciding to book a hotel in Santa Cruz.

‘Then I looked up Santa Cruz and it has the worst homicide rate in the whole of America,’ she said. ‘Worse than LA, like the most dangerous place to be. I told this to Jon and he said well I’ve booked it now.

‘So we went into this falafel bar and we sat in the window, looking out onto the sea and I did think, this is starting to get a bit later, things are turning a bit, and then you wouldn’t have any of it.

(Armani)

Continue Reading

NEWS

Doja Cat puts on a sizzling display in a diamond embellished fringe dress while Chris Martin cuts the… see more

Published

on

Doja Cat puts on a sizzling display in a diamond embellished fringe dress while Chris Martin cuts the… see more

Doja Cat and Chris Martin were raring to go as they took to the stage to rehearse their upcoming performances for the Global Citizen Festival in Central Park, New York City on Saturday.

 

The American rapper, 28, looked nothing short of sensational in a gold and silver diamond embellished fringe dress.

 

 

The stylish ensemble boasted a V-neckline, silver and gold fringe detailing, and semi-sheer panels at the bust and sides.

 

 

The Paint The Town Red hitmaker commanded attention on stage as she added inches to her frame with a pair of nude heels.

Having her tattoos on full display, the singer was in her element as she put on the performance of a lifetime ahead of the festival.
Meanwhile, Coldplay frontman Chris, 47, cut a more laidback figure for rehearsals as he sported an off-white T-shirt and dark grey trousers.

He completed his look with a pair of casual chunky trainers and sported a black baseball cap which boasted the word ‘Kiiid’ at the centre.

The singer seemed in high spirits as he relaxed on a step and strummed on his guitar.

Global Citizen Festival is an annual music festival where fans take action towards ending extreme poverty to earn free tickets.

The festival brings together global citizens, artists, activists, world leaders, philanthropists, corporate leaders, and more, with one collective mission: end extreme poverty now.

On Saturday Global Citizen Festival will return to the iconic Great Lawn of Central Park to drive urgent action to end extreme poverty.

Post Malone, Doja Cat, LISA, Jelly Roll, Rauw Alejandro, Benson Boone and RAYE will headline this year’s festival.

Hugh Jackman will host the event which will also feature appearances by Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder, of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace and Global Citizen Festival Curator, Chris of Coldplay.
Chris’s appearance at the Festival comes after Ticketmaster came under fire yet again, but this time it’s Coldplay fans who have fallen foul to the ticket-selling site.

Fans of the British band were hoping to nab tickets to the six UK shows that will take place next summer on their record-breaking Music Of The Spheres World Tour.

Yet with general sales starting at 9am on Friday, fans were left in a last-minute struggle because Ticketmaster announced that customers would need to authenticate their account – only to not send out a verification code.

Those who made it through were shocked to be notified that there was ‘limited availability’ within minutes of the sale starting, with fans accusing the site of selling too many tickets during Thursday’s presale.

Not everyone was upset, however, with ticket touts who had managed to nab tickets quickly to list them for resale at prices of more than £1000 each.

It’s the latest drama Ticketmaster has faced after the site’s ‘dynamic pricing system’ came under fire for rocketing the price of Oasis tour tickets to as high as £355.

(Armani)

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 USAgists