The Chicago Journal

Social media faces more regulations in 2023

Edward Anderson Edward Anderson on March 20, 2023

Image source: Tech.co

Social media: The bipartisan spending bill passed by Congress last week essentially forbade the installation of TikTok on devices used by the government.

This year, advocates and legislators revealed proposals for tighter regulation of social media companies as 2023 kicks into gear.

TikTok

The video-sharing app, which receives more than 1 billion monthly users, is owned by the Chinese corporation ByteDance.

Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, and lawmakers have publicly stated their positions on TikTik’s ownership structure.

They claimed that the structure exposes information about US users.

In addition, Chinese-based businesses are compelled by law to provide the government with user information on request.

The concern

The National Intelligence Law of 2017 and the Counter-Espionage Law of 2014 are the two Chinese laws that have alarmed the US government since 2019.

According to the Counter-Espionage law, businesses and individuals “may not refuse” to divulge information when the state security agency conducts an espionage investigation and discovers crucial information.

Organizations or people are expected to support, help, and cooperate with governmental intelligence initiatives, as stated in Article 7 of the Intelligence Law.

The state also protects those who assist them.

Response

Despite TikTok’s repeated assurances that US user data is not kept in China, little has changed from their comments.

TikTok has been compared to “digital fentanyl” by Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher.

Additionally, he thinks that the software has to be banned outright nationwide.

“It’s highly addictive and destructive,” said Gallagher.

“We’re seeing troubling data about the corrosive impact of constant social media use, particularly on young men and women here in America.”

Read also: Migrants delivered to Kamala Harris on Christmas

Social media regulation

Twitter, YouTube, and other social networking sites, like TikTok, use the same algorithms, claims Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

She thinks that increasing the transparency of their operations should be the regulators’ first move.

According to Haugen, the majority of people are unaware of the US’s gap in social media regulation compared to other countries.

“This is like we’re back in 1965,” said Haugen. “We don’t have seatbelt laws yet.”

Tech bills in 2022

Congress failed to pass some of the most radical elements of technology-related legislation the year before.

Antitrust law and a bill aimed at protecting children were among the legislations that were vetoed.

Antitrust legislation

Early in 2022, lawmakers created a bill that specifically targeted Apple’s and Google’s app stores for mobile devices.

The legislation also placed limitations on developers.

The American Innovation and Choice Online Act was advanced, which has some of the same objectives.

The Act forbids larger companies from unfairly treating or preferring their own products over those of competitors.

The plan states that developers would not be required to use the platform’s payment method for distribution if the app store had more than 50 million US users.

Additionally, app developers cannot be punished for selling their products elsewhere for a lower price.

Kids Online Safety Act

In November, bipartisan legislation was launched by Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal to put regulations on websites that children 16 and younger can view.

The proposed law would compel platforms to restrict content that could cause minor users bodily injury or psychological trauma, including the following:

  • Self-harm/suicide
  • Encouragement of addictive behavior
  • Enabling online bullying
  • Predatory marketing

Additionally, websites have to follow the law’s requirements regarding connection restrictions and default privacy settings.

Even after the legislation underwent changes, several organizations still opposed it.

Read also: Sherrod Brown looking to have cryptocurrency banned in the US

Change

There is still a patchwork of state rules dictating how to maintain customer data, even though Congress made significant progress toward a consensus measure on national privacy standards in 2022.

Many of the bills that have reached the Senate floor enjoy bipartisan support, according to Senator Amy Klobuchar.

However, she cautioned that the tremendous influence of the tech industry might cause huge bipartisan support to collapse over the next 24 hours.

According to Klobuchar, the American people won’t demand social media company reform until they declare that “enough is enough.”

“We are lagging behind,” said Klobuchar.

“It is time for 2023, let it be our resolution, that we finally pass one of these bills.”

References:

More social media regulation is coming in 2023, members of Congress say

Huawei says it would never hand data to China’s government. Experts say it wouldn’t have a choice

Senate committee advances bill targeting Google and Apple’s app store profitability

Kids Online Safety Act may harm minors, civil society groups warn lawmakers

Cricketer Suneel Kumar Makes an Explosive Comeback After Recovering from Injury

Claire Peterson Claire Peterson on November 21, 2022

A lot of dedicated athletes who went through an injury barely made it back to their respective sports, and those who do make it back often do it with a bang. One such athlete is cricketer Suneel Kumar, who returned with a vengeance in the US Premier League, where strong performances earned him a call-up to the India-based Global Power Cricket League. If anything, Kumar was not ready to give up his passion just yet after incurring a hand injury from a car accident in 2021. 

The American-born cricketer has been fortunate enough to play his favorite sport in different parts of the world. He was part of the USA Men’s 30 Man National Training Camp back in the 2017-2018 season and is seriously looking at rejoining the camp. He was crippled by several injuries in between, but he continued to focus on recovering and getting back in the game. Despite his past injuries, he returned to professional cricket in the 2021 season in the Minor League Cricket, playing for the Florida Beamers. In that same season, he encountered a car accident that broke his hand, forcing him out of the game once again. 

Known for his determination and strong fighting spirit, Kumar made his comeback this 2022 with a tremendous performance last October 23. He made a remarkable 103 not out in just 46 balls playing for Atlanta Thunder against the Atlanta Heat in the AGCC League, including 11 fours and six huge sixes. That kind of performance is very hard to miss. 

Furthermore, during his time in Jamaica, as part of former international cricketer Brenton Parchment’s high-performance training camp, Suneel played for Bowes Cricket Club against Lacovia Cricket Club. The man-of-the-match performance held last November 6 saw Suneel scoring a whopping 24 runs not out off of ten balls, taking three wickets and giving up only five runs in two overs with his remarkable off-break bowling.

To put himself out there and discover more opportunities, Kumar is leveraging the power of the digital world to reach a vast audience. Times are changing, and everything is happening very fast online. Kumar intends to be part of the digital world and share his fondness for cricket and how fans and sports enthusiasts, too, can find fulfillment through it. 

Last September 23, Kumar launched his own YouTube channel and premiered a 14-minute video showcasing a day in his life as a cricketer. It shows his followers his early start to training with his teammates and how he draws inspiration from the people surrounding him. Through his recently launched channel, he hopes to inspire people to never give up on their dreams, just as he did. He wants people to have a glimpse of his life, the dreams he holds on to, and how he keeps moving forward until they come to pass. 

“I would like to share my message with the readers and let them into who I am as a person. That person is a dreamer, and I want the dreamers of the world to know they can make their dreams come true through hard work and perseverance. You just have to stand the test of time,” Kumar shared. 

Apart from being a committed cricketer, Kumar is an out-of-the-box thinker who is not afraid to take risks. Not only is he known as a trendsetter, but he is also very confident with a strong work ethic. Kumar believes that his injuries were a test of his character and how far he is willing to go to see his dreams come to fruition. Choosing to press forward despite the temporary obstacles is a testament to his resilience and drive to succeed. 

 

Taylor Swift ‘Anti-Hero’ music video gets edited

Nicholas Alexander Nicholas Alexander on October 28, 2022

Image source: Entertainment Weekly

Taylor Swift recently released a music video for “Anti-Hero,” but the criticism led to the video being edited after some fans complained.

The controversial scene

Anti-Hero is one of the songs on Midnights, Taylor Swift’s 10th studio album.

Apple Music released a music video for the song on Wednesday.

However, attentive fans were quick to point out a controversial scene.

The YouTube version initially featured a scene with the word “FAT,” albeit a brief scene.

The negative reception from fans prompted the music video editors to change the controversial scene.

The edited version is now up on YouTube.

Read also: Taylor Swift concludes VMA with new album announcement

Anti-Hero

Taylor Swift is the writer and director of the “Anti-Hero” music video.

Anti-Hero represents her “nightmarish scenarios and intrusive thoughts.”

The controversial scene showed Swift weighing herself on a bathroom scale.

A close-up shot of the scale shows the numbers replaced by the word “FAT.”

In addition, the updated version removes the scene that body positivity supporters are calling out for being fatphobic.

Since then, debates over the scene have flooded the internet.

Furthermore, the topic reached the talk show The View, where co-host Sunny Hostin pointed out that the critics missed the point of the scene.

Taylor Swift’s struggles

The ‘Anti-Hero’ music video references her past struggles with body image and eating disorders.

In the 2020 documentary “Miss Americana,” Taylor Swift shared that sometimes unflattering photos of her and horrifying comments about her figure trigger her.

Taylor Swift said her comments would cause her to starve herself and stop eating.

Read also: Sam Smith and Kim Petras prove a nonbinary and transgender artist can make it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100

Midnights

Despite the controversy, Midnights continues to be a very popular album.

Taylor Swift’s latest album was released last Friday, October 21.

The album’s popularity continues to climb at an incredible speed.

Within the first three days of its release, the album reached 1.2 album units in the United States.

Billboard uses the music data company Luminate for specific information.

In addition, Luminate data includes pre-orders in sales.

Finally, the release of the album Midnights propelled Taylor Swift to the rank of the most-streamed artist on Spotify in 24 hours.

Reference:

Taylor Swift’s ‘Anti-Hero’ music video appears to have been edited amid backlash

Sam Smith and Kim Petras prove a nonbinary and transgender artist can make it to the top of the Billboard Hot 100

Leah Cooper Leah Cooper on October 27, 2022

Image source: Planet Radio

Sam Smith and Kim Petras paved the way as the first nonbinary and transgender artists to lead the Billboard Hot 100.

The two artists collaborated for “Unholy,” the viral song making the rounds online.

Billboard shared their happiness for the artist’s success on Twitter, writing:

“@samsmith and @kimpetras are the first publicly non-binary and transgender artists, respectively, to earn a No. 1 song on the #Hot100, thanks to ‘Unholy.'”

Unholy

The Sam Smith and Kim Petras collaboration has been teased since August, and the highly anticipated song was finally released last month.

“Unholy” is a gripping song about a relationship in which a man’s son witnesses his infidelity, withholding the secret from his wife.

A preview of the song made it one of the most used sounds on TikTok, and its popularity grew once it was released.

Since its release, the accompanying music video for “Unholy” has been viewed more than 29 million times on YouTube.

Read also: Blink-182 to headline the 2023 When We Were Young music festival

Reaction

The success of “Unholy” marks a significant milestone for Sam Smith and Kim Petras.

It’s Smith’s eighth UK number one track, following a string of hits, including the Grammy-winning song “Stay With Me.”

However, “Unholy” marks Kim Petras’ first mainstream hit and debut on the Billboard Hot 100.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras

Kim Petras is the first transgender woman to reach an important milestone in the music industry.

She posted on Instagram to share the news with over 777,000 of her followers.

“Sam, I can’t thank you enough for riding with me for years at this point,” Petras wrote.

“I’m so honored to be part of your first number one in the US which you should have 500 of at this point.”

“I love you forever angel Sam.”

Meanwhile, Sam Smith also took to Instagram to share their excitement with their fans, saying they were “speechless, overwhelmed, nauseous, and extremely happy.”

“I am so honoured [sic] to get to work with such incredibly talented musicians and humans.”

“And Kim… what magic you are. You are a treasure and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for jumping with me.”

Read also: Report: Musician Rex Orange County to go on trial for six charges of sexual assault

Albums

Sam Smith and Kim Petras collaborated on the song, one of the many tracks on Smith’s “Gloria” album.

The Grammy-winning artist will release the album in January next year.

Sam Smith’s latest album, “Love Goes,” was released in 2020, generating hits like “Dancing with a Stranger” and “Diamonds.”

Meanwhile, Kim Petras made her official debut five years ago with “I Don’t Want It at All.”

In February, she finally released her EP “Slut Pop.”

Kim Petras previously told British outlet Metro that although she is a transgender activist, she wants the world’s focus on her talent, not her gender.

“I want to be taken seriously,” said Petras.

Reference:

Sam Smith and Kim Petras are first nonbinary and trans artists to reach number 1 on Billboard chart

Anita Kenosi Shares Her Experience Traveling the World as a Content Creator

Nicholas Alexander Nicholas Alexander on June 16, 2022

The content creator revolution has opened the door for many people to pursue their deepest passions while traveling the world. And while it’s not an easy road, one might come across creators like Anita Tebo Kenosi, who pursue their craft despite all odds.

Anita Tebo Kenosi is an aspiring Botswana YouTuber fueled by her youth, dynamism, and passion, among other things. Still, what truly sets her apart is her mission to see the beauty and lessons in life through the most exciting foods and places around the world. 

Anita loves learning about the culture and food of every country she visits. Her career started in August 2021 and quickly took off, but unfortunately, the business closed due to COVID-19. Still, because she is a foodie, Kenosi decided to travel the world and try different cuisines and cultures, filming her experiences to showcase the beautiful side of every place she visits. 

“My challenges are traveling expenses, canceled delays and currency exchange. Also, checking times and very stressful times and the COVID tests that I have to do every time I go to my next destination,” says Kenosi. All her videos are shot and edited on her iPhone, which is pretty tough for a traveler who can run out of battery at any time. “I like to inspire people of color worldwide to travel and live outside their comfort zone,” she adds.

Happy Muncher Traveler, Kenosi’s YouTube channel, brings the world to your screens with tales of a faraway land and exotic dishes. She still has a long way to go in circling the globe, but so far, Kenya for her is the best place she’s been to. “I fell in love with Kenya, Nairobi. I remember that the capital is a bustling hub of different kinds of people that have come together from all walks of life. However, what I love most about Kenya’s coastal side is the white beaches, swinging palms and cyan seas, the bountiful wildlife inland.” 

In Kenya, animals rule and most game reserves and parks have no borders or boundaries. Moreover, Kenya has diverse local traditional food, showcasing their culture and history. Growing up, Anita remembers that her mom would always cook unique and unforgettable cuisines specialized from various countries. Having experienced these special moments motivated her to travel and explore the world. As a result, she constantly dreams of being a chef and owning her restaurant someday. “My aim as a young YouTuber is to lead by example to the youth. I want to inspire them to chase their dreams and remember that it’s possible to be anywhere in the world while doing everything you love,” says the aspiring content creator.

Anita’s channel is about positivity and inspiration. She produces vlogs about beauty and the fantastic food in every country she visits. In one of her YouTube episodes, she shares her experience of availing of an Airbnb apartment service that costs only twenty-five dollars per night.

While traveling with a start-up might not have been as easy, Anita has learned to be resourceful with what she has available. She hopes to, one day, experience exponential growth so she can continue traveling while also being a force of good in the world. As Anita Tebo Kenosi grows her network and social media following, the YouTuber is looking to get the attention of people of all backgrounds and ages. In addition, she desires to share the wonders she discovered through food and unique destinations.