Connect with us
https://tickernews.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/AmEx-Thought-Leaders.jpg

Money

Dangerous content and the pursuit of profit: Google and Meta under fire from abuse victims

Published

on

From South Korea’s secret sex chats, to conflict in Ethiopia; online abuse survivors want more action

A group of South Korean journalists work overtime to expose a secret group targeting women and girls online.

They find eight group chats on the Telegram messaging platform.

Inside, there are thousands of videos of women and girls showcasing explicit non-consensual sexual content.

The videos are allegedly sold using cryptocurrency to avoid detection.

South Korean police would soon find over 60,000 people took part in these crimes by entering these so-called ‘rooms’, which has become known as the ‘Nth Room’ case.

In October 2021, one of the operators behind the Nth Rooms was sentenced to 42 years behind bars.

It is a small victory for law enforcement agencies who are in a constant war against these criminals, and the social media platforms they occur on.

Cho Ju-bin, the man behind the ‘Nth Rooms” in South Korea.

But digital sex crimes continue around the world. In Australia, one in 10 people have reported someone posting nude, or semi-nude images online without permission.

Recent criminal cases also show perpetrators habitually threaten survivors with existing video content to force them into producing more sexually abusive content.

Jihyun Yoon is the director of Amnesty International Korea, who said technology companies are partly to blame.

“As a wave of digital sex crimes in South Korea causes severe harm to the women and girls who have been targeted, Google’s inadequate system for reporting non-consensual explicit content is making matters even worse.

“Google must do more to prevent the spread of online gender-based violence—not just in Korea, but everywhere,” she said.

In response to the Nth Room case, Amnesty International Korea carried out a survey of 25 survivors and activists.

Eleven said it was difficult to confirm whether their requests had been properly processed by Google.

“This was mainly due to a lack of communication from Google during the reporting process,” Jihyun Yoon said.

“Survivors around the world are forced to use this same flawed reporting system when they try to get harmful content removed, so it is highly likely this issue extends way beyond Korea.”

Jihyun Yoon, amnesty international

When users report sexually explicit content, they must tick a box saying they understand there are punishments if the submission is not true.

Google also refuses to process incomplete complaints or concerns.

One survivor, who has asked to remain anonymous, waited just over a year between receiving a confirmation receipt from Google and being informed of the outcome.

“I submitted it with difficulty, but rather than being convinced that it would be deleted, I became more anxious because I thought that if it didn’t work, it would be my responsibility,” they said.

What responsibility do social media companies have?

In Kenya, Facebook’s parent company, Meta was recently sued for its algorithms, which allegedly promote hatred online.

One Amnesty International staff member said they were targeted because of posts on the social media platform.

“I saw first-hand how the dynamics on Facebook harmed my own human rights work and hope this case will redress the imbalance,” said Fisseha Tekle, who is a legal advisor at Amnesty International.

Meta will answer to Kenya’s High Court over a landmark legal case. Amnesty International believes Facebook’s algorithms fuels ethnic conflict.

Meta has been sued by lawmakers in Kenya.

The legal action claims Meta promoted speech, which ultimately led to a string of ethnic violence and killings in Ethiopia.

Like many parts of the world, in Ethiopia, people often rely on social media for news and information.

But Amnesty International believes the platform’s algorithm prioritises and recommends hateful and violent content.

“Because of the hate and disinformation on Facebook, human rights defenders have also become targets of threats and vitriol,” Mr Tekle said.

Petitioners want to end Facebook’s algorithms from recommending such content.

In addition, they are seeking a create a US$1.6 billion victims’ fund.

Amnesty International’s deputy regional director of East Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, said dangerous content lies at the heart of Meta’s profit-making regime.

“From Ethiopia to Myanmar, Meta knew or should have known that its algorithmic systems were fuelling the spread of harmful content leading to serious real-world harms.”

“Meta has shown itself incapable to act to stem this tsunami of hate.”

Flavia Mwangovya, amnesty international

“Governments need to step up and enforce effective legislation to rein in the surveillance-based business models of tech companies,” she said.

What are governments doing?

In Australia, the e-Safety Commissioner issued legal notices to some of the biggest technology companies in the world last year.

It required them to report on measures to tackle the spread of child sexual exploitation material on their platforms and services.

“Some of the most harmful material online today involves the sexual exploitation of children and, frighteningly, this activity is no longer confined to hidden corners of the dark web but is prevalent on the mainstream platforms we and our children use every day,” said eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

In Europe, the Netherlands once hosted 41 per cent of the world’s online child sexual abuse material. By March 2022, the figure had dropped to 13 per cent.

The Dutch Government made the removal of such content a priority. In 2020, it named and shamed internet hosting providers who failed to remove the material within 24 hours.

In South Korea, Google did not offer an official response to Amnesty International’s concerns.

But in a private meeting, the search engine technology reportedly said it wants to improve the way in which these concerns are managed.

However, Amnesty believes Google is failing to respect human rights.

“It must adopt a survivor-centered reporting system that prevents re-traumatization and is easy to access, navigate and check on,” Jihyun Yoon said.

Costa is a news producer at ticker NEWS. He has previously worked as a regional journalist at the Southern Highlands Express newspaper. He also has several years' experience in the fire and emergency services sector, where he has worked with researchers, policymakers and local communities. He has also worked at the Seven Network during their Olympic Games coverage and in the ABC Melbourne newsroom. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Professional), with expertise in journalism, politics and international relations. His other interests include colonial legacies in the Pacific, counter-terrorism, aviation and travel.

Continue Reading

Money

Dow rises 400 points as trade tensions ease

Dow climbs 400 points as trade tensions ease, Trump signals no plan to fire Fed Chairman Powell.

Published

on

Dow climbs 400 points as trade tensions ease, Trump signals no plan to fire Fed Chairman Powell.

In Short

Stocks rose significantly on Wednesday, with the Dow up 461 points amid optimism about reduced U.S.-China tariffs.

Investors reacted positively to President Trump’s comments on trade, improving overall market sentiment after a four-day losing streak.

Stocks saw significant movement on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising by 461 points, or 1.2%.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also experienced gains of 1.7% and 2.6%, respectively.

Initially, the Dow surged by 1,100 points due to optimism surrounding U.S.-China trade relations.

President Donald Trump indicated a willingness to adopt a less aggressive trade strategy, suggesting that the current 145% tariff on imports from China would be significantly reduced but not eliminated entirely.

Trade agreement

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented on the potential for a beneficial trade agreement between the two nations, expressing a desire for joint efforts to address trade imbalances.

Market reactions reflected relief at the prospect of eased tensions, with Keith Buchanan from Globalt Investments noting that investors were hopeful the worst might be over, though uncertainties remain.

Reports indicated that the U.S. administration was contemplating reducing tariffs on China to between 50% and 65%, contingent upon mutual concessions from both countries.

Stocks affected by trade dynamics, particularly tech companies like Apple and Nvidia, showed marked increases, with Tesla’s shares rising 5% partly attributed to these easing tariff concerns.

Investor sentiment improved further when Trump reaffirmed that he has no intention of dismissing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, a shift from his previous criticism of Powell’s leadership.

Continue Reading

Money

Credit-card firms prepare for economic downturn risks

Credit card companies prepare for economic downturn; rising delinquencies prompt tighter lending despite continued consumer spending.

Published

on

Credit card companies prepare for economic downturn; rising delinquencies prompt tighter lending despite continued consumer spending.

In Short

US credit card companies are preparing for a possible economic downturn by tightening lending and increasing reserves, even as consumer spending remains high.

While the wealthy continue to spend, access to credit is diminishing for lower-income individuals, and caution is growing among banks.

Credit card companies in the US are preparing for a potential economic downturn despite current consumer spending levels. Businesses are increasing reserves and tightening lending as delinquencies rise to pre-pandemic levels.

JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup have augmented their rainy day funds to mitigate expected losses. Retail card issuer Synchrony is applying stricter lending criteria, while U.S. Bancorp is targeting wealthier customers to reduce risk.

Although large lenders are still reporting profits, the effects of Trump’s trade war have yet to reflect in financial results. Recent data shows that Americans are spending and borrowing at a faster pace compared to last year.

Travel and entertainment

However, there are warning signs as consumers begin to cut back on nonessential expenditures such as travel and entertainment. The trend of cardholders making only minimum payments is above pre-pandemic levels.

Despite consumers showing confidence in spending in early April, banks remain cautious. They are redirecting their marketing strategies towards affluent households, recognising that the wealthiest individuals account for a significant proportion of total spending.

Conversely, access to credit is tightening for lower-income individuals, with Synchrony reporting declines in active accounts and purchase volumes. American Express, meanwhile, continues to perform well among high-income clients, with strong consumer spending growth reported.

Unemployment rates among white-collar workers remain low, offering some stability in credit card portfolios for certain issuers.

Continue Reading

Money

U.S. shares rebound amid tariff negotiation optimism

U.S. shares rebound over 2.5% amid tariff optimism, despite economic warnings and mixed global market performance.

Published

on

U.S. shares rebound over 2.5% amid tariff optimism, despite economic warnings and mixed global market performance.

In Short

U.S. shares rebounded significantly due to optimism over tariff negotiations, with major indexes rising over 2.5%. However, companies continue to face challenges from tariffs and uncertainty in the market, leading to mixed results overseas.

U.S. shares saw a significant rebound on Tuesday, with major indexes increasing by over 2.5%.

This recovery was influenced by optimism regarding tariff negotiations, as noted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who expressed confidence in a potential de-escalation of the trade war with China.

Despite this positive sentiment, companies are still grappling with the effects of the Trump administration’s tariffs.

Defense contractor RTX announced an anticipated $850 million financial impact, and Kimberly-Clark cited a “global geopolitical landscape” for a lowered profit outlook.

Economic forecasts

The International Monetary Fund has revised its economic forecasts for the U.S. and globally, highlighting tariffs as a factor in slower growth.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon indicated that high levels of uncertainty are hindering corporate decisions and impacting asset prices, and the Institute of International Finance warned of a probable U.S. recession later this year.

Gold prices have fluctuated, retreating after reaching a record high on Tuesday, reinforcing its status in uncertain markets.

Tesla’s quarterly earnings did not meet estimates, but the company’s share price remained stable.

Concerns about President Trump’s trade policies and his remarks regarding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell contributed to market volatility earlier in the week.

In trading results, the Dow Jones increased by 1,017 points or 2.7%, while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 both rose by 2.7% and 2.5%, respectively.

Treasury yields decreased slightly, and Bitcoin’s value climbed past $91,000.

Continue Reading

Trending Now