NEW DELHI: Facebook Inc. has claimed that it is taking steps to reduce the spread of false information on its platform ahead of India’s general election.
Samidh Chakrabarti, director of Facebook’s Product Management for Civic Integrity division, said that Facebook has put the Indian elections a “top priority,” and put in a “tremendous amount of efforts over the last two years” to prepare for the polls.
He informed that Facebook listed a variety of measures it is taking, from blocking fake accounts to employing third-party fact-checking organizations, through the campaign and voting, with polling scheduled to take place in stages from April 11 to May 19.
He said Facebook has partnered with Indian media organizations to check and flag false stories in English, Hindi and some other regional Indian languages.
India has the highest number of Facebook users in the world, with more than 300 million. That is about a third of the 900 million people eligible to vote in 2019.
The elections will be held in seven phases to ensure proper security and manageable logistics across the country of 1.3 billion people. (Agencies)
CALIFORNIA: Facebook Inc said it removed 1.5 million videos globally of the New Zealand mosque attack in the first 24 hours after the attack. “In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload…,” Facebook said in a tweet late Saturday.
In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack globally, of which over 1.2 million were blocked at upload…
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) March 17, 2019
The company said it is also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content out of respect for the people affected by the mosque shooting and the concerns of local authorities.
The death toll in the New Zealand mosque shootings rose to 50 on Sunday. The gunman who attacked two mosques on Friday live-streamed the attacks on Facebook for 17 minutes using an app designed for extreme sports enthusiasts, with copies still being shared on social media hours later.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said she wants to discuss live streaming with Facebook.
Update from Mia Garlick, Facebook New Zealand: “We continue to work around the clock to remove violating content using a combination of technology and people…
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) March 17, 2019
Police alerted us to a video on Facebook shortly after the livestream commenced and we quickly removed both the shooter’s Facebook and Instagram accounts and the video. We are also removing any praise or support for the crime and the shooter or shooters as soon as we are aware.
— Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) March 15, 2019
(Agencies)
KATHMANDU: Nepal ranks 45th in the mobile data pricing among 230 countries across the globe. According to a survey recently carried out by price comparison site cable.co.uk, Nepal has cheaper mobile data pricing compared to US, UK including other European nations.
The cheapest mobile data is available in India with US $0.26 per GB followed by Nepal with US $2.25 per GB. The cheapest price of mobile data in Nepal is US $0.32 (Rs 37.03) per GB while the dearest price is US $6.43 (Rs 734.50).
The survey of average mobile data price in Nepal was based on 27 different data package schemes provided by telecom companies. The sample data had been collected on November 15, 2018.
Similarly, south Asian countries Sri Lanka and Bhutan have cheaper data price than Nepal. Sri Lanka stands in 7th position with US $0.78 per GB while the cost of average mobile data is US $1.25 per GB in Bhutan (18th).
Likewise, the UK ranks 136th in the list with an average data price per GB $8.53. The USA ranks 182nd with an average data price $12.37 per GB.
Asian nations make up a half of the top 20 cheapest countries, with only Taiwan, China and South Korea charging more than the global average. The research looked at SIM-only deals and included a range of packages from all the providers in each country.
Top five nations (average global price per GB):
Last five nations ( average global price per GB):
LALITPUR: As Nepal gears up to launch its first nano-satellite-Nepali Sat-1 under project Birds-3 by coming mid-May, we introduce you to two Nepali men who are working hard at day and toiling harder at night in Japan for this project to come to fruition.
Aawash Maskey and Hareram Shrestha, the former originally from Morang district and the latter from Gorkha, are currently keeping busy with the Birds-3 at Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) University in Japan with the sole purpose to help Nepal put its own satellites in orbit.
Nepal is set to put its own nanosatellite in orbit with the help of these two Nepalis, one completing Master’s Degree in Engineering from Japan and the other pursuing post-doctorate degree there. Maskey, a Ph D candidate in space engineering, is leading the Birds-3 project while Shrestha, a graduate from the Pulchowk Engineering College and currently a student of space engineering, is involved in Birds-4. The Nepali nanosatellite, Sri Lanka’s ‘Ravan-1’ and Japan’s Ubishu combined together measure 1,000 cubic centrimetres in volume and 4.5 kilogrammes in weight.
Nanosatellite is an artificial satellite with a weight mass between 1 and 10 kilogrammes.
The first-ever Nepal made nanosatellite is scheduled to launch from the USA, said Chief of the technical department of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), Rabindra Prasad Dhakal. The three countries simultaneously assembled the satellites and will launch them simultaneously from the USA, according to Dhakal.
The Kyutech University has supported in construction of Nepal’s nanosatellite at subsidized value, informed Dhakal.
Shrestha obtained scholarship for his Master degree in Japan and has been working on Birds-4 while Maskey had left for South Korea to study space science after completing his higher level education in Nepal.
27-year-old Maskey was inquisitive from his early age, according to his mother Sarita Maskey, an architect at the Ministry of Urban Development. She further explained, “Aawash used to imitate his father’s work while he accompanied his father in traditional watermill while generating energy. He is very stubborn and does not give up and give in easily.”
After completing 4-years of Bachelors in Space Engineering at Seoul University, Maskey got to participate in a workshop of space engineering. As he came to Nepal a year and half ago after completing his graduation, he got another opportunity to pursue further studies and work at Kyutech University simultaneously. The Kyutech University had already constructed Birds-1 and Birds-2. After getting through interview at the Kyutech, he met with Prof Maeda which laid groundwork for the construction of Birds-3.
Prof Maeda had suggested Maskey to secure some fund prior to springing into action for Birds-3. Both the professor and research fellow arrived Nepal to conduct space engineering workshop. After a rigorous process of floating the matter on space engineering project to the concerned authorities in Nepal and after convincing them, the government finally agreed to fund the Project at the cost of around Rs 20 million which they received in two installments, Maskey’s mother shared.
“Aawash wants to come to Nepal to teach other space engineering enthusiasts upon completion of his studies and work in Japan,” informed the proud mother. 32-year-old Shrestha had worked in NAST as a chief technical first class non-gazette officer for 8 years before pursuing his dream with Birds-3 in Japan.
After Kyutech University launched Birds-3 project in Nepal, Shrestha got an opportunity to be a part of it. He is currently pursuing his Masters degree in space engineering in full support of the United Nations. Both the Nepali prodigious students are committed to return to their country to impart the knowledge on space engineering as well as the efforts being made for Nepali Sat-1 to those willing to learn, grow and contribute to space engineering back home.