Belgian journalist and human rights activist Assita Kanko called out &#8220;Western feminists,&#8221; whom she said should answer for their silence in the face of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-inside-the-israeli-kibbutz-where-dozens-were-murdered-by-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">atrocities</a> committed against Israeli civilians — many of whom were women — by the terrorist group Hamas.
Kanko, who was <a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/197469/ASSITA_KANKO/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elected to serve</a> as a member of the European Union&#8217;s Parliament, addressed her peers in a speech she shared via X on Wednesday — seven weeks after Hamas terrorists breached the border into Israel, raping and slaughtering men, women, and children before taking hundreds more hostage and returning to Gaza.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, I have a question. A pressing question. For some Western feminists. How can you remain silent, when women and girls are raped, tortured, their bodies carried around naked and spat on by bearded men shouting Allah Akbar? 
Then you can never call yourself a feminist again.… <a href="https://t.co/JNalcrobAq">pic.twitter.com/JNalcrobAq</a>
&mdash; Assita Kanko MEP (@Assita_Kanko) <a href="https://twitter.com/Assita_Kanko/status/1727265544145911972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Today, I have a question. A pressing question for some Western feminists. How can you remain silent when women and girls are raped, tortured, their bodies carried around naked and spat on by bearded men shouting Allah Akbar?&#8221; she asked. &#8220;Then you can never call yourself a feminist again.&#8221;
&#8220;Every day, including today, some Western hypocritical feminists should be ashamed of their silence on the horror that Hamas men inflicted to women and girls on 7 October. And that includes big names we were once proud of,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;Why are their lips sealed and their hearts of stone when it comes to the excruciating pain of Jewish women?&#8221;
Kanko went on to reference the #MeToo movement — which had quickly spawned calls to #believeallwomen and was predicated on the idea that every victim&#8217;s voice mattered — and argued that unless the victims fit a specific narrative, the &#8220;movement&#8221; had no use for them.
&#8220;The MeToo movement and so-called intersectional feminists do not care about all women. If they remain silent, it means they have lied to us about their commitment to women&#8217;s rights. Their actions support the oppressor, not the victims,&#8221; she said, calling out directly those who were attacking Israel over its strategic response to the brutal attacks. &#8220;Also the EU money does, indirectly.&#8221;
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&#8220;Those who say nothing about these women and the hostages should not be standing here and speaking about human rights,&#8221; Kanko concluded, arguing against calls for a ceasefire and calling for the return of the Israeli hostages and &#8220;justice&#8221; to deal with Hamas. &#8220;When you are under attack by terrorists, a ceasefire is like raising your hands when you are being shot at. Perhaps it is worth considering that a real lasting ceasefire will start with bringing back all the hostages to their homes and the rapists to justice.&#8221;

POLITICS N-VA EUROPEAN LIST TOP CANDIDATES

Female Member Of European Parliament Blasts ‘Western Feminist’ Silence On Hamas’ Rape Of Israeli Women

Female Member Of European Parliament Blasts 'Western Feminist' Silence On Hamas' Rape Of Israeli Women

European Union

Feminism

Hamas

Terrorism

World

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a> platform X said it removed or labeled tens of thousands of posts linked to the terrorist group Hamas after European Union officials said the communication site was being used to disseminate illegal content.
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, reportedly <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/x-ceo-says-removed-hundreds-hamas-affiliated-accounts-messaging-platform-2023-10-12/#:~:text=Oct%2012%20(Reuters)%20%2D%20The,Linda%20Yaccarino%20said%20on%20Thursday." target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, X has identified and removed hundreds of accounts affiliated with the terrorist group from the platform.
&#8220;X is committed to serving the public conversation, especially in critical moments like this and understands the importance of addressing any illegal content that may be disseminated through the platform,&#8221; Yaccarino wrote in an October 11 response letter to EU officials. &#8220;There is no place on X for terrorist organizations or violent extremist groups and we continue to remove such accounts in real time, including proactive efforts.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today <a href="https://twitter.com/lindayaX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lindayaX</a> responded to <a href="https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ThierryBreton</a>’s letter detailing our work in response to the terrorist attack on Israel. <a href="https://t.co/yZtaOVGpHG">pic.twitter.com/yZtaOVGpHG</a>
&mdash; Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) <a href="https://twitter.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1712341036872380679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Saturday, Hamas launched a barbaric attack on Israel that has so far killed at least 1,300 people, including 27 Americans, and injured approximately 3,000 others.
Several images and videos of the terrorist attacks have circulated on social media networks, including Elon Musk&#8217;s X platform, which has reportedly been used to spread false claims and misrepresent videos from events unrelated to the war between Israel and Hamas.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/misinformation/x-misinformation-israel-hamas-war-network-disinformation-rcna119696#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that researchers found a propaganda network of 67 X-accounts posting the content, including a manipulated video of Russian President Vladimir Putin telling the U.S. not to get involved in the war.
European Union commissioner Thierry Breton <a href="https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a letter to Musk that the 27-nation bloc&#8217;s digital rights enforcer had indications the site &#8220;was being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation&#8221; that potentially violates the EU&#8217;s recently implemented Digital Services Act that requires social media platforms to police illegal content, such as terrorist material.
Yaccarino said the platform is &#8220;proportionately and effectively assessing and addressing identified fake and manipulated content during this constantly evolving and shifting crisis&#8221; after the EU commissioner issued a 24-hour ultimatum for X officials to take action against the material.
&#8220;Every [day] we&#8217;re reminded of our global responsibility to protect the public conversation by ensuring everyone has access to real-time information and safeguarding the platform for all our users,&#8221; Yaccarino <a href="https://twitter.com/GlobalAffairs/status/1712341036872380679" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a letter to Breton posted on X. &#8220;In response to the recent terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, we&#8217;ve redistributed resources and refocused internal teams who are working around the clock to address this rapidly evolving situation.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Everyday we&#39;re reminded of our global responsibility to protect the public conversation by ensuring everyone has access to real-time information and safeguarding the platform for all our users. In response to the recent terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, we&#39;ve redistributed… <a href="https://t.co/VR2rsK0J9K">https://t.co/VR2rsK0J9K</a>
&mdash; Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) <a href="https://twitter.com/lindayaX/status/1712342353304846603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Community Notes, a feature on the platform designed to involve users in correcting or adding additional context to false or misleading information, <a href="https://twitter.com/CommunityNotes/status/1711824156134629399?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> it identified 500 unique notes related to the conflict.
&#8220;We wish to reiterate that we welcome further engagement with you and your team, including a meeting, to address any specific questions and look forward to receiving further specifics to which we can respond,&#8221; Yaccarino wrote.
Breton also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eus-breton-gives-metas-zuckerberg-24-hours-detail-disinformation-response-2023-10-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> sent a similar letter to Meta on Wednesday to counter false or misleading information about the attack on Israel, giving the company 24 hours to respond to him with a plan of action.
&#8220;I would ask you to be very vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the [Digtial Services Act] rules on terms of service, on the requirement of timely, diligent and objective action following notices of illegal content in the EU, and on the need for proportionate and effective mitigation measures,&#8221; Breton told Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a letter.

Smartphone Apps Photo Illustrations

X Sweeps Hamas-Linked Accounts From Platform Following Terrorist Attack On Israel

X Removes Hundreds Of Hamas-Linked Accounts Following Terrorist Attack On Israel

Elon Musk

Israel

Linda Yaccarino

Twitter

A spokesman for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a>’s Foreign Affairs Ministry blamed the European Union for financing the indoctrination of Palestinian children in the antisemitism at the heart of Hamas’ massacre of hundreds of Israeli civilians.
Hundreds of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hamas</a> terrorists, reportedly with backing from Iran, invaded Israel from Gaza on Saturday morning, killing at least 900 Israelis and wounding thousands more. Hamas terrorists are holding an estimated 150 more Israelis as captives in the Gaza Strip. Images and videos that surfaced online from the attack depict Hamas militants murdering and mutilating the bodies of civilians.
A spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said European accommodation of rampant anti-Semitism in Palestinian communities in Gaza fostered the dehumanization of Israelis.
“The European Union was financing textbooks of the Palestinian authorities that were full of antisemitism and incitement for violence and terrorism against Jews,” spokesman Lior Haiat said Monday, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/israel-blames-europe-hamas-attack-antisemitic-propaganda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Washington Examiner</a>. “Those textbooks are the root of the Palestinian terror against Israelis. Young people are being taught, educated, to hate Jews and to murder Jews.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised an unprecedented military campaign against Hamas in response to the attack, which has been called the worst day for Jews since the Holocaust.
“To my mind, not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said. “And not since the Holocaust have we witnessed scenes of Jewish women and children, grandparents, even Holocaust survivors, being herded into trucks and taken into captivity.”
The Israeli military is preparing for a “complete siege” of Gaza, according to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Over the past few days, Israel’s air force has conducted bombing runs that hit locations key to Hamas’ military operation. The Israeli government has directed civilians living in Gaza to flee the area or risk danger in the invasion.
“I have given an order – Gaza will be under complete siege,” Gallant said, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/09/middleeast/israel-gaza-hamas-fighting-monday-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a>. “We are fighting barbarians and will respond accordingly.”
In response, Hamas has ordered Palestinians living in Gaza to shelter in their homes, a move that has been condemned as another attempt by the terror group to use civilians as human shields against Israeli bombing runs. Hamas has also threatened to execute hostages.
“We declare that we will respond to any targeting of our people who are safe in their homes without warning, with the execution of our civilian hostages, and we will broadcast it with audio and video,” Abu Obaida, the spokesman for Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, said in a post on Telegram.

Young Palestinian

Israeli Official Says E.U. Paid For Palestinian Propaganda That Teaches ‘To Hate Jews’

The European Union reversed an earlier announcement from a commissioner on Monday who said the bloc planned on suspending humanitarian aid payments to Palestinian-controlled territories after Hamas launched a full-scale terrorist attack on Israel over the weekend.
“There will be no suspension of payments” at the moment, the Commission said in a statement <a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-palestinians-aid-israel-hamas-be4681a821bac98728e131a8c6abb552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The Associated Press.
The change comes hours after E.U. Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi claimed the opposite on social media, saying that the bloc&#8217;s 691 million euro — or $730 million — development portfolio to the Palenstinians was put under review.
“The scale of terror and brutality against #Israel and its people is a turning point,” Varhelyi wrote in an X-post. “There can be no business as usual.”
Varhelyi wrote that all payments, projects under review, and current and new budget proposals would be &#8220;postponed until further notice.&#8221;
“The foundations for peace, tolerance and co-existence must now be addressed,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Incitement to hatred, violence and glorification of terror have poisoned the minds of too many. We need action and we need it now.&#8221;
Hamas launched thousands of rockets into Israel early Saturday morning, sending people throughout the country running for bomb shelters. Simultaneously, the terrorist organization used drones to drop bombs on Israeli defenses on the border, rendering them inoperable as militants used explosives and bulldozers to smash through Israel’s border wall. More than 1,000 terrorists then flooded into the country on paragliders, boats, motorcycles, trucks, and by foot as they hunted down innocent civilians door to door to slaughter or kidnap them.
Israel&#8217;s casualty toll has risen to 900 killed and approximately 2,400 injured in the last 48 hours after Hamas attacked the Middle Eastern nation — the largest number of Jews killed in a single day since the Holocaust, <a href="https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1711432533806641352" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Varhelyi&#8217;s announcement comes hours after the E.U., which has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-palestinians-aid-israel-hamas-be4681a821bac98728e131a8c6abb552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> advocated for a two-state solution since the 1993 Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, claimed earlier on Monday that a &#8220;no contact policy&#8221; from the 27-member state supranational political and economic union has supported Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization, and has frozen its contacts with the group since 2007.
&#8220;The E.U. is not funding Hamas or their terrorist activities directly or indirectly,&#8221; the commission said, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8f2e061a-f2fc-4046-bcf2-3225faf44988" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Financial Times.
&#8220;The aggression by Hamas has to stop and the hostages be released,&#8221; the commission said, adding it believes Israel had the right to defend itself.
E.U. officials reportedly said any projects funded by the union were through nongovernmental organizations for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
The Associated Press reported the alliance has provided 700 million euros of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank since 2000 through the European Commission&#8217;s humanitarian aid department (ECHO) and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The announcement comes after similar measures taken by Germany and Austria in response to the deadly attacks on Israel. Both countries have reportedly pledged humanitarian aid for the Palestinians rather than funding the Palestinian Authority.
Germany Development Minister Svenja Schulze said in a statement that the 250 million euros — or $265 million — for Palestinian aid provided by Germany &#8220;serves peace and not the terrorists.&#8221;
&#8220;But these attacks on Israel are a terrible watershed, so we will review our whole commitment to the Palestinian areas,&#8221; Schulze said.
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told Oe1 radio on Monday that the 19 million euros — or $20 million — in development aid payments would be &#8220;put on ice for now.&#8221;
Ryan Saavedra contributed to this report.

Gaza-Israël Conflict At The EU

EU Reverses Earlier Claim That Millions In Aid To Palestinian-Controlled Territories Would Be Suspended

EU Clarifies Suspending $700 Million In Aid To Palestinian-Controlled Territories After Public Relations Chaos

Jean-Claude Juncker, the former president of the European Commission, slammed the idea of Ukraine joining the European Union, saying the country must root out the corruption that touches “all levels” of its society.  
Juncker, who presided over the European Commission, a governing body within the E.U., from 2014 to 2019, <a href="https://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/politik/interview-jean-claude-juncker-wie-kommt-europa-aus-der-krise-id68072696.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> German outlet Augsburger Allgemeine that he was upset with some “voices in Europe” conveying to Ukraine that they could join the E.U. immediately. Juncker, who was also the prime minister of Luxembourg from 1995 to 2013, added that Ukraine is not ready to be admitted into the E.U., POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/jean-claude-juncker-ukraine-corruption-eu-accession/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“Anyone who has had anything to do with Ukraine knows that this is a country that is corrupt at all levels of society. Despite its efforts, it is not ready for accession; it needs massive internal reform processes,” the former European Commission president said. 
“You shouldn’t make false promises to the people in Ukraine who are up to their necks in suffering,” Juncker added. “I am very angry about some voices in Europe who are telling Ukrainians that they can become members immediately.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for admittance into alliances such as NATO and the E.U. as Ukrainians continue to fight off the Russian invasion. The E.U. is reportedly set to begin talks in December about admitting Ukraine into the 27-country union after granting the country candidate status in June.
To be accepted into the E.U., Ukraine must meet seven conditions, including curbing the rampant corruption in the country, according to <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-eu-membership-ukraine-accession-talks-december/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a>. Rooting out corruption has posed challenges for Ukraine, however, even as foreign aid continues to flow into the country, including <a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/congress-approved-113-billion-aid-ukraine-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">billions</a> from American taxpayers. The Biden administration, with the support of a bipartisan coalition of U.S. lawmakers, is seeking to approve another aid package to the European country, but opposition to Ukraine funding is growing in Congress as polling shows Americans are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/most-americans-oppose-more-funding-for-ukraine-in-war-with-russia-cnn-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing wary</a> of sending blank checks to the corrupt Ukrainian government. 
Numerous top officials in Ukraine’s government <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraine-dogged-by-corruption-allegations-sees-largest-government-shakeup-since-war-began">stepped down</a> earlier this year amidst allegations of corruption. Some of the departures and resignations included the deputy head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko. 
Then in August, Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-fires-all-military-enlistment-office-chiefs-over-corruption-allegations">fired</a> every single head of the country’s regional military enlistment offices over allegations of abuse of power, fraud, and corruption. Recent inspections revealed that military officials illegally obtained cash or cryptocurrency while others illegally transported people eligible for military service across the border. The inspection began in June after journalists uncovered that the former head of the Odesa Oblast military enlistment office purchased property in Spain worth $4.5 million, according to the Kyiv Independent.
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The ongoing corruption in Ukraine reminds Juncker of bad decisions made by the E.U. in the past that he doesn’t want the union to repeat.
“We have had bad experiences with some so-called new members, for example when it comes to the rule of law,” he said. “This cannot be repeated again.

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukraine ‘Corrupt At All Levels Of Society,’ Not Ready To Join E.U., Former European Commission President Says

Global Politics

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

There’s a new law being promoted by the European Union called the Digital Services Act. A recent article by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/technology/disinformation-law-european-union.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times</a> covered the law, writing: 
<blockquote>The law, the Digital Services Act, is intended to force social media giants to adopt new policies and practices to address accusations that they routinely host — and, through their algorithms, popularize — corrosive content. If the measure is successful, as officials and experts hope, its effects could extend far beyond Europe, changing company policies in the United States and elsewhere.
The law, years of painstaking bureaucracy in the making, reflects a growing alarm in European capitals that the unfettered flow of disinformation online — much of it fueled by Russia and other foreign adversaries — threatens to erode the democratic governance at the core of the European Union’s values. </blockquote>
The issue has not been Russia taking hold of the means of distribution. The issue has been that our leaders have been lying to us so routinely for the past several decades that it’s very easy to debunk the lies, leaving them wide open to charges that they’re lying to you.
Laws of this type are invariably slanted toward the political Left because the political bureaucracy decides what constitutes “hate speech.” That’s going to include citing the Bible or saying boys are not girls, for example. That type of speech is going to be banned on social media platforms if the E.U. has its way. The E.U. also has very different free speech standards than the United States. The United States has a First Amendment. No such thing applies in the E.U.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-ben-shapiro-show">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h4>
The Times continues:
<blockquote>Europe’s new law has already set the stage for a clash with Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter. Mr. Musk withdrew from a voluntary code of conduct this year but must comply with the new law — at least within the European Union’s market of nearly 450 million people.</blockquote>
There are many people in social media circles who are very happy the E.U. is promoting this law. Why? Because if they set the standard, then the social media companies can’t be blamed.
<blockquote>While the law’s intentions are sweeping, enforcing the behavior of some of the world’s richest and most powerful companies remains a daunting challenge. That task is even more difficult for policing disinformation on social media, where anybody can post their views and perceptions of truth are often skewed by politics. Regulators would have to prove a platform had systemic problems that caused harm, an untested area of law that could ultimately lead to years of litigation.</blockquote>
But that’s the point. If the threat is, “We’re going to lock you guys up in litigation for years on end,” what you’re going to see is social media companies immediately react by siphoning off tremendous amounts of speech. That is where this is going. And it’s working hand in hand with non-government actors like GARM, which is an advertising consortium that tells advertisers to pull their money from any social media platform that has too much freedom on it.
Later in the article, the Times writes:
<blockquote>The law defines broad categories of illegal or harmful content, not specific themes or topics. It obliges the companies to, among other things, provide greater protections to users, giving them more information about algorithms that recommend content and allowing them to opt out, and ending advertising targeted at children. It also requires them to submit independent audits and to make public decisions on removing content and other data — steps that experts say would help combat the problem.</blockquote>
If the E.U. decides they don’t like you distributing particular information, they will target you. It’s that simple. Nick Clegg, the president of global affairs at Meta, <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/08/new-features-and-additional-transparency-measures-as-the-digital-services-act-comes-into-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote in a blog post</a> last month, “It is right to seek to hold large platforms like ours to account through things like reporting and auditing, rather than attempting to micromanage individual pieces of content.”
So watch for the crackdown on social media, particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 election, because the Left has created a narrative for itself, arguing the only way the Right could win is if they purvey massive amounts of misinformation.
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2BShapiro_Debunked0123 copy

The E.U. Comes After Free Speech. Get Ready For Social Media Crackdown In 2024.

Ben Shapiro

Free Speech

New York Times

Readers Pass

Social Media

TikTok was slapped with a $370 million fine by the European Union Friday for mishandling children’s privacy data on the social media app.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission issued the ruling on behalf of the EU, saying that the Chinese-owned video platform didn’t adequately protect children’s privacy or provide transparency on how it handled data of users 17 and younger, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/15/business/tiktok-european-union-fine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Data Protection Commissioner for Ireland Helen Dixon <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-66819174" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> BBC News that the investigation into TikTok found that the accounts of those ages 13-17 were automatically made public when they registered, which violated the EU&#8217;s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy law.
&#8220;That is precisely at the hands of TikTok because of the way they designed the platform, and we say that infringed the data protection by design and by the default requirements of the GDPR,&#8221; Dixon said.
TikTok pushed back and argued that the regulators focused on features that TikTok changed before the investigation began. The investigation focused on the last five months of 2020.
&#8220;The criticisms are focused on features and settings that were in place three years ago, and that we made changes to well before the investigation even began, such as setting all under 16 accounts to private by default,&#8221; a spokesman for the social media giant said.
The large fine isn’t the first TikTok has faced for its handling of children’s privacy. In 2019, the social media platform, then known as Musical.ly, agreed to a $5.7 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission for violating U.S. rules relating to data protection for children. Then, earlier this year, TikTok was fined $15.8 million by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiktok-facing-potential-massive-fine-from-u-k-watchdog-over-failure-to-protect-childrens-privacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">British regulators</a> for allowing children under the age of 13 to sign up, according to the Times. 
TikTok has faced waves of criticism from city, state, and federal government officials in the U.S. and governments around the world that are concerned about the Chinese-owned app’s privacy settings. More than two-thirds of U.S. states have banned the social media platform from being downloaded on government devices. India completely <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/tiktok-ban.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned</a> the app in 2020, and other countries such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, France, and New Zealand have banned the app from government devices. 
Some U.S. lawmakers are pushing for more than just a ban on government-issued devices, pointing to the threat of China and arguing that TikTok needs to be completely banned from app stores. 
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“China’s totalitarian regime hates the United States and is bent on displacing us as the world’s greatest power,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/think-again-rubio-warns-americans-against-tiktok-wants-it-banned" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> last month. “If TikTok users believe their sensitive data are safe in Beijing’s hands — that Beijing wouldn’t use those data to influence, coerce, extort or spy on them in the case of a geopolitical conflict­­ — they need to think again.”

TikTok

TikTok Fined $370M For Failure To Protect Children’s Privacy

TikTok Fined $370M For Failure To Protect Children's Privacy

Big Tech

Children

Privacy

U.S.

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Electricity</a> prices in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/finland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Finland</a> plummeted into negative territory this week after the launch of a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nuclear-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nuclear</a> power plant last month.
The development comes months after officials in the Nordic nation were raising the alarm over widespread energy shortages, a reality induced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Energy producers are now discussing mechanisms to reduce production as power becomes so abundant that prices venture into negative territory.
&#8220;Production is high, consumption is low, and now we are in a situation where it is not easy to adjust production,&#8221; Fingrid CEO Jukka Ruusunen said in an <a href="https://yle.fi/a/74-20033326" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Yle News. “Last winter, the only thing people could talk about was where to get more electricity. Now we are thinking hard about how to limit production. We have gone from one extreme to another.”
Power company TVO launched a new <a href="https://www.tvo.fi/en/index/production/plantunits/ol3.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reactor</a> at the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant last month; nearly one-third of the nation’s power now comes from the facility. The electricity from the plant is sufficient to power 5.2 million apartments or charge 3.6 million electric cars, marking a significant amount of power production for Finland, which has 5.5 million residents.
Average spot electricity prices in Finland declined from $264 in December to $65 in April, according to a <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2023/05/14/nuclear-power-helps-bring-down-electricity-prices-by-75-in-finland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the National News. Utility companies are unable to decrease energy output through hydropower, the typical domain in which electricity production can be reduced, because of excess snowmelts.
“Operators in Finland and the surrounding areas are now monitoring the situation. If hydropower can&#8217;t be regulated, then it will probably be nuclear power next. Production that is not profitable at these prices is usually removed from the market,&#8221; Ruusunen continued. &#8220;Now there is enough electricity, and it is almost emission-free. So you can feel good about using electricity.”
Finland and other nations in the European Union abide by the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goal</a> of becoming “a climate-neutral society” by 2050 in accordance with the European Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement. Despite the success of nuclear power in promoting emission-free electricity, many countries are shuttering the facilities over safety concerns: Germany closed the nation’s three remaining nuclear energy plants last month, marking an end to the economic bellwether’s use of the power source even as authorities <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/germany-reverts-to-burning-coal-will-keep-two-nuclear-plants-open-ahead-of-winter-months" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resumed</a> coal production due to energy shortages.
“The risks of nuclear power are ultimately uncontrollable; that’s why the nuclear phaseout makes our country safer, and avoids more nuclear waste,” German Environment Minister Steffi Lemke, a member of the Green Party, said earlier this year, according to a <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germany-shuts-down-its-last-nuclear-power-stations/a-65249019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from German state-funded media outlet Deutsche Welle.
Other nations, such as the Netherlands and Poland, are slated to expand their nuclear systems, while Belgium is delaying a previously enacted phaseout. Some countries, on the other hand, proceeded with shutdowns of nuclear facilities despite catastrophic increases in energy prices last year: Switzerland <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/swiss-nuclear-power-plant-cuts-production-in-middle-of-energy-crisis-to-protect-local-fish" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slowed</a> production at one nuclear power plant to avoid raising nearby river temperatures and thereby protect local fish populations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-social-market-economy-might-redistribute-fossil-fuel-profits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> mechanisms to reduce “overall electricity consumption,” an initiative funded by the redistribution of profits from oil and natural gas companies.

Finland Nuclear Reactor

Finland Went From Energy Shortage To Negative Power Prices. Here’s How They Did It. 

Finland Went From Energy Shortage To Negative Power Prices Thanks To Nuclear Power

Energy

Finland

Nuclear Power

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/france" target="_blank" rel="noopener">France</a> banned short-haul domestic <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/air-travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flights</a> in a decree published Tuesday over concerns that the trips will accelerate <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a>.
The new <a href="https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000047571222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decree</a> will prohibit flights when a rail trip of less than two and a half hours is available to travelers, effectively ceasing flights between the cities of Nantes, Bordeaux, Lyons, and the Paris-Orly International Airport. Clément Beaune, the nation’s transport minister, said in a <a href="https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/clement-beaune-salue-publication-du-decret-qui-rend-effective-linterdiction-des-lignes-aeriennes-en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> that he strongly supports the move.
“Achieving carbon neutrality means strongly stepping up our action in terms of decarbonizing transport, which still accounts for 30% of emissions. As we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast and efficient connections by train?” the official commented. “This is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This measure is a world first which is fully in line with the government&#8217;s policy of encouraging the use of modes of transport that emit less greenhouse gasses.”
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<div class="p-rich_text_section">The decree only mentioned &#8220;regular public passenger air transport services&#8221; as subject to the prohibitions and did not appear to mention restrictions on private flights.</div>
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The new policy stemmed from the work of the Citizens’ Convention on Climate, a panel of 150 randomly selected residents <a href="https://www.conventioncitoyennepourleclimat.fr/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meant</a> to be “representative of the diversity of French society” and are charged with creating “measures that will allow to achieve a reduction of at least 40% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030” while maintaining a “spirit of social justice.”
Entities such as the World Economic Forum have cited restrictions on short-haul flights as a possible mechanism to reduce carbon emissions: the organization released a <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/how-to-achieve-net-zero-in-aviation?utm_source=linkedin&amp;utm_medium=social_video&amp;utm_term=1_1&amp;utm_content=28374_France_ban_domestic_flights&amp;utm_campaign=social_video_2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> last year which noted that electric or hydrogen aircraft could eliminate emissions over short distances. United Airlines meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/united-airlines-pours-millions-into-decarbonizing-air-travel-with-alternative-to-jet-fuel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> an effort with companies such as JPMorgan Chase and Honeywell to support startups seeking to accelerate “the research, production, and technologies associated with sustainable aviation fuel” with materials such as biomass and waste resources.
Nations in the European Union have adopted ambitious policies in order to conform their economies to the European Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement, both of which <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call</a> for net zero emissions by 2050. French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-unveils-massive-green-power-development-proposal-as-energy-crisis-continues" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans</a> to construct offshore wind farms and multiply solar power generation last year. “We need a massive acceleration,” the official said in a speech. “I want us to go at least twice as fast for renewable energy projects.”
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Moves to decrease carbon emissions occur even as the European Union suffers from energy shortages as a result of Russia ceasing energy shipments to the continent, an apparent retaliation for the support of Ukraine. Macron asserted last year that economic turmoil from elevated power prices is evidence that his nation ought to become energy independent, particularly by means of renewable sources.
Opponents of governments managing a transition toward renewable energy have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wall-street-journal-blasts-joe-biden-john-kerry-for-pushing-self-destructive-green-energy-policies-while-china-burns-more-coal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">observed</a> that increased carbon emissions from China, as well as India and other developing countries, are outpacing emissions declines in the West. China was responsible for 26.1% of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions as of 2018, according to <a href="https://www.c2es.org/content/international-emissions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the International Energy Agency, surpassing the 13.4% of worldwide emissions produced by the United States and the 7.6% of worldwide emissions produced by members of the European Union.

United Airlines Boeing 767

European Nation Bans Short Domestic Flights Over Climate Worries — Private Jet Flights Still Allowed

France Bans Short Domestic Flights Over Climate Worries

Air Travel

Climate Change

Environment

France

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/meta" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meta</a> was slammed Monday by the European Union with a $1.3 billion fine and ordered to cease transferring user data to the United States over <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">privacy</a> concerns.
The decision, revealed by the Data Protection Commission of Ireland, marks the largest penalty since the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a> created the restrictive General Data Protection Regulation five years ago. Authorities said that <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/facebook" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a>, the flagship social media network owned by Meta, breached a <a href="https://gdpr-info.eu/art-46-gdpr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statute</a> that mandates certain safeguards for international data transfers.
Meta was provided with a grace period of five months to implement the suspension, according to the <a href="https://www.dataprotection.ie/en/news-media/press-releases/Data-Protection-Commission-announces-conclusion-of-inquiry-into-Meta-Ireland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decision</a>, which was adopted by the European Data Protection Board last month.
Executives from the firm issued a <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/2023/05/our-response-to-the-decision-on-facebooks-eu-us-data-transfers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> on Monday contending that American and European regulators must resolve the “fundamental conflict of law” with respect to data access and privacy. There will be “no immediate disruption” to Facebook users in Europe as the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, appeals the decision and the fine.
“The ability for data to be transferred across borders is fundamental to how the global open internet works. From finance and telecommunications to critical public services like healthcare or education, the free flow of data supports many of the services that we have come to rely on,” the company said. “Without the ability to transfer data across borders, the internet risks being carved up into national and regional silos, restricting the global economy and leaving citizens in different countries unable to access many of the shared services we have come to rely on.”
Meta added that Ireland&#8217;s Data Protection Commission had acknowledged that Meta continued the transfers between the United States and European Union in “good faith” and that a fine would be “unnecessary and disproportionate.” The firm asserted that the European Data Protection Board overruled the decision, which “also chose to disregard the clear progress that policymakers are making to resolve this underlying issue.”
The decision from European authorities comes as Meta launches significant restructuring efforts to reverse declining profits and reduce managerial complexity: the company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heads-roll-at-meta-as-zuckerberg-announces-massive-layoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> more than 11,000 employees at the end of last year, announcing a further headcount <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meta-lays-off-thousands-more-employees-as-zuckerberg-urges-return-to-physical-offices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduction</a> of 10,000 employees two months ago and the conclusion of efforts to fill 5,000 open positions.
“As I’ve talked about efficiency this year, I’ve said that part of our work will involve removing jobs, and that will be in service of both building a leaner, more technical company and improving our business performance to enable our long term vision,” Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees in a memo.
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Meta and other tech behemoths have been the subject of several <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/privacy-win-facebook-settles-decade-old-90-million-lawsuit-alleging-it-tracked-users-data-without-consent" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuits</a> and regulatory actions over their handling of user data. Lawmakers have also considered several proposals that would increase privacy standards: the American Data Privacy and Protection Act, for instance, proposed a “data minimization” approach toward the collection of user information last year such that technology companies only <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/lauded-federal-data-privacy-bill-has-a-carveout-for-government-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">procure</a> the data points “reasonably necessary and proportionate” to specific applications, including user authentication, fraud prevention, and transaction execution. The bill would have also banned advertising directed toward children or based on “sensitive covered data,” including health information and precise geolocation.

Mark Zuckerberg

Meta Hit With Massive Fine Over Data Privacy

Meta Hit With Massive Fine In Europe

Business

Facebook

Glass ofBbeer

If Only It Were Bud: European Authorities Destroy Thousands Of American Beer Cans

European Authorities Destroy Thousands Of American Beer Cans

Alcohol

Belgium

Economy

Germany

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European</a> lawmakers reached a deal Tuesday on a semiconductor <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stimulus</a> bill meant as an answer to the CHIPS and Science Act, a similar package enacted in the United States that prioritized domestic semiconductor firms.
The European Chips Act will <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age/european-chips-act_en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobilize</a> some $47 billion of public and private investments into semiconductors such that the European Union composes 20% of the worldwide market by 2030. The legislation would allocate funds to develop technological capabilities, foster talent in microelectronics, and build partnerships with like-minded nations.
“Semiconductors are at the centre of strong geostrategic interests, and of the global technological race,” the European Commission said in a <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_2045" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Chips are the essential building blocks of digital and digitised products. From smartphones and cars, through critical applications and infrastructures for healthcare, energy, defence, communications and industrial automation, chips are central to the modern digital economy.”
Western incentives for the semiconductor industry come as a response to the reality that China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan control nearly 80% of global semiconductor manufacturing capacity, according to <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/04/12/ensuring-a-stronger-us-taiwan-tech-supply-chain-partnership/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Brookings Institution, while Taiwanese firm TSMC alone produces over 90% of the sophisticated chips used in cell phones and computers. A reliable supply of semiconductors is necessary to develop artificial intelligence and weapons technologies, as well as mitigate risks over supply chain disruptions that could emerge from Chinese geopolitical ambitions toward Taiwan.
European leaders have criticized the CHIPS and Science Act, which <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/#:~:text=%20FACT%20SHEET%3A%20CHIPS%20and%20Science%20Act%20Will,for%20capital%20expenses%20for%20manufacturing%20of...%20More%20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorizes</a> nearly $53 billion in manufacturing incentives for semiconductor operations in the United States, for favoring domestic firms. French President Emmanuel Macron, for instance, said the law promotes a protectionist approach toward global trade and risks “fragmenting the West,” as noted by a <a href="https://cepa.org/article/made-in-america-made-in-france-protectionism-threatens-the-atlantic-tech-alliance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Center for European Policy Analysis.
Initial negotiations over the European Chips Act last year prompted Intel, an American multinational corporation headquartered in California, to <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/eu-news-2022-release.html#gs.v7q1n9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announce</a> a $36 billion investment into a research hub in France and a manufacturing facility in Germany. The advancement of the European Chips Act this week could prompt additional semiconductor investments in Europe from companies based in the United States.
The CHIPS and Science Act has meanwhile attracted significant investments from both domestic and international firms: Micron <a href="https://investors.micron.com/news-releases/news-release-details/micron-announces-historic-investment-100-billion-build-megafab" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a $100 billion memory chip initiative in New York, and TSMC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chipmaker-triples-investment-in-new-arizona-plant-to-40-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devoted</a> $40 billion toward new facilities in Arizona. Several companies had issued “public warnings” last summer vowing to “scale back their plans to make semiconductors” in the United States since lawmakers had stalled in negotiations over the new incentives, according to a <a href="https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/06/icymi-three-companies-warn-about-delayed-chip-funding-globalwafers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Department of Commerce.
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European and American lawmakers have also traded blows over the Inflation Reduction Act, another $369 billion package from the United States which subsidized American electric vehicle manufacturers and neglected to offer the same benefits to European automakers. West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-lawmakers-wine-and-dine-with-klaus-schwab-business-leaders-at-world-economic-forum-in-davos-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> European officials at the World Economic Forum that the law was “designed to basically strengthen the United States so that we can help our allies and friends, which need it right now.” He also called the continent’s leaders “hyper-hypocritical” given the several decades in which they advanced their own protectionist measures.

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European Lawmakers Strike A Deal For Their Own Semiconductor Bill After Criticizing American Version

European Lawmakers Strike A Deal For Their Own Semiconductor Bill

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