New Facebook features to protect users from bullying, harassment
San Francisco, Oct 2 : Embroiled in a massive data breach and facing $1.63 billion in fine from the European Union (EU) privacy watchdog, Facebook on Tuesday introduced a new feature for its 2.3 billion users to hide or delete multiple comments at once from the options menu of their post.
This feature is rolling out on desktop and Android and will be available on iOS in the coming months.
"We are also testing ways to more easily search for and block offensive words from appearing in comments," said Antigone Davis, Global Head of Safety at Facebook.
"If you see a friend or family member being bullied or harassed, now you can report someone on their behalf via the menu above the post that you are concerned about."
Facebook community operations team will review the post, keep the report anonymous, and determine whether it violates its community standards.
People will also be able to appeal decisions on cases involving bullying and harassment.
Earlier this year, Facebook announced a process that allows people to request another review of their photo, video or post that has been taken down for violating community standards for nudity and sexual activity, hate speech or graphic violence.
"We have now extended these reviews to bullying and harassment violations - this means that if your content has been taken down for bullying or harassment, you will have the opportunity to request another review," said Facebook.
If Facebook does not take it down after its initial review, users can also ask for a second review if they think the social media giant made a mistake.
"In the coming weeks, we will further expand our policies to better protect public figures against harassment regardless of age," said Davis.
The announcement comes at a time when Ireland's Data Protection Commission, which is Facebook's lead privacy regulator in Europe, has asked Facebook to submit more details in the incident where data of over 50 million users were hacked via "Access Tokens" or digital keys.
The privacy watchdog could fine Facebook as much as $1.63 billion for the data breach.
In the biggest-ever security breach after Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook last week admitted that hackers broke into nearly 50 million users' accounts by stealing their "access tokens" or digital keys.
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CM Siddaramaiah writes to CMs of 8 states on unfair devolution of taxes by Centre
Bengaluru, Sep 11: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he has written to the Chief Ministers of eight states regarding the "unfair" devolution of taxes by the Union government, and has invited them to a conclave in Bengaluru to collectively deliberate on the issues of "fiscal federalism".
He said he has written to the Chief Ministers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab.
"States with higher GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) per capita, like Karnataka and others, are being penalised for their economic performance, receiving disproportionately lower tax allocations. This unjust approach undermines the spirit of cooperative federalism and threatens the financial autonomy of progressive states," he said in a post on 'X' with "#OurTaxOurRight" hashtag.
"I have invited them to a conclave in Bengaluru to collectively deliberate on the issues of fiscal federalism at a juncture when the Finance Commission needs to make a directional shift & create incentives for growth and better tax mobilisation," he said.
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Siddararamaiah has also posted the letter written to CMs of other states on 'X'.
"As you are aware the 16th Finance Commission has begun its deliberations. The previous Finance Commissions have laid excessive emphasis on equity at the cost of efficiency and performance. As a result, states with higher GSDP per capita and higher contribution to the gross tax revenues of the union are progressively receiving lower shares of the central fiscal transfers," he said.
Stating that during the visit of the 16th Finance Commission to the State of Karnataka, during 29-30, August 2024, he underscored the need to carefully examine the impact of high emphasis given to equity on resource devolution to well performing states, he said, "I have emphasised that the reduction in central financial transfers to well performing states is placing severe limitations on their ability to invest in physical and human infrastructure."
The taxpayers of states, which are net donors to the divisible pool, also expect a fair share of their taxes to come back to them, he said, adding that the Finance Commission therefore needs to carefully balance equity with efficiency and performance.
Pointing out that states with a strong contribution to the country's GDP and Gross Tax Revenue, help build the nation in more ways than one, Siddaramaiah said, therefore, there is an urgent need to balance equity with efficiency and performance for a stronger Union, both politically and economically.
"It is, therefore, important that states which are receiving smaller shares in horizontal devolution, compared to their contributions to the Gross Tax Revenues of the Union, need to articulate a coordinated set of proposals before the Commission," he said.
"It is my pleasure to invite you to a conclave in Bengaluru to discuss these issues further. I will send a separate invitation indicating the dates once we firm up the schedule," he added.
I have written to the Chief Ministers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, and Punjab regarding the unfair devolution of taxes by the Union government.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 11, 2024
States with higher GSDP per capita, like Karnataka and others, are being penalized… pic.twitter.com/SLqpNwVPDA
