WASHINGTON: The US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday with Facebook parent Meta Platforms, Alphabet’s YouTube, Twitter and short video app TikTok on social media’s impact on homeland security.
The panel led by Democratic Senator Gary Peters will also hear from a panel of former executives including from Twitter and Facebook.
The committee said the hearing will be an opportunity “to understand the extent to which social media companies’ business models, through algorithms, targeted advertising, and other operations and practices, contribute to the amplification of harmful content and other threats to homeland security.”
The company officials testifying including Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox, YouTube Chief Product Officer Neal Mohan, TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas and Twitter General Manager of Bluebird Jay Sullivan.
This will be the 31st time a Facebook or Meta executive has testified before Congress in the last 5 years.
Last year, Peters pressed social media firms for more information regarding their companies’ policies to monitor and remove extremist and conspiracy content that advocates violence.
Peters has reviewed how social media platforms amplify what he termed “domestic extremist content.
“In attack after attack, there are signs that social media platforms played a role in exposing people to increasingly extreme content, and even amplifying dangerous content to more users,” Peters said at a 2021 hearing.
Social media firms to testify at US Senate Homeland Security hearing
https://arab.news/9pk8b
Social media firms to testify at US Senate Homeland Security hearing
- The hearing follows last year's review on how social media platforms amplify what Senator Gary Peters termed “domestic extremist content"
Arab News wins 7 prizes at European Newspaper Awards, led by 50th anniversary coverage
- Anniversary special coverage and film won four Awards of Excellence across multiple categories
LONDON: Arab News won seven prizes at the 27th European Newspaper Awards — four for its 50th anniversary coverage and three for other projects — bringing its total to 160 awards since the 2018 relaunch.
The anniversary coverage earned an Award of Excellence in “Supplement for special occasions and anniversary editions,” plus wins in “Multimedia storytelling” for its special web section and two in “Film” and “Animated films” for its documentary.
Additional honors went to the “Spotlight — 2024 in Review” and “Opinion — 2024” print series in the “Sectional front pages nationwide newspaper” category, and a “Visualization” prize for an image from “Opinion — 2024.”
Launched in 1999 by organizer Norbert Kupper, the awards celebrate print and digital innovation. This year’s contest drew newspapers from 22 countries and more than 3,000 entries across 20 categories, despite fewer print submissions due to rising editorial collaborations.
“It’s testament to the skill, versatility and collaboration between the creative and editorial teams at Arab News that the seven awards at this year’s ENAs spanned print, digital and film categories,” commented Omar Nashashibi, head of creative design at Arab News. “These wouldn’t be possible without the world-class contributors we partner with, and the leadership, vision and support of Editor-In-Chief Faisal J. Abbas.”
Creative Director Simon Khalil called the film wins especially meaningful. “This recognition means a great deal because this film was never just about marking an anniversary, it was about capturing a defining moment in the evolution of Arab News and the region it represents.
“Telling the story, and drama of the 2018 relaunch, the digital transformation, and the courage to become ‘The Voice of a Changing Region’ was both a responsibility and a privilege.”
Past highlights include the “King Charles III Coronation” special coverage, “Kingdom vs. Captagon” investigation and FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022 special edition.
See more award-winning projects at arabnews.com/greatesthits.
