At the "Let Me Explain" panel during the Israel Hayom conference in New York, three influencers – comedian and journalist Eitan Levine, sports media personality Emily Austin, and Living Lchaim founder Yaakov Langer – shared how they inadvertently became the spearhead of Israeli and Jewish advocacy on social media. Between threats, contract cancellations, floods of hatred, and antisemitic responses, they insisted on remaining visible, Jewish, and proud – fighting lies not only with facts but also with humor, sports, and deep human conversations.

Levine explained that once you become an openly Jewish figure online, there is no escape. "They called me a 'kike' even before October 7. My sister lives in Israel, I lived there, and I visit often. The day everything exploded, I had no choice but to stand behind Judaism and the connection to Israel. If this is part of me – then I will also be stubborn about it."

Langer, who came from the ultra-Orthodox world, admitted that October 7 was a moment of sobering realization for him. "I always knew there was antisemitism, but something in me said – well, they do not really hate us like that. And then you saw the depth of the hatred, without any logic. From that was born the place to be a proud, open Jew, and to say – if there is a problem, it is their problem."

Austin came from the most American dream there is – sports. "I was negotiating with ESPN, working with NBA teams, I was riding the wave," she said. "And then October 7 happened. Almost at the same moment, Puma parted ways with me, Sports Illustrated dropped me, the negotiations with ESPN stopped, even Miss Universe. I found myself at 22, without work, after being at my peak."

But instead of disappearing, she pressed on the gas. "I said to myself – if I have to lose everything, even my life, to say what is right – I will do it. Sports is a language that unites people; through it, I reach players, coaches, and an audience that would not encounter Zionism in any other way."

She did not hide the personal cost. Exposure of personal details, threats, a flood of hatred – to the point of constant contact with the FBI. "I was sure that those threatening me were sitting in Iran. The answer was, 'They are from Staten Island,'" she said with a half smile.

Levine used stand-up comedy as a weapon. "If you are funnier than the other side – you won the argument, even if you are not 100% right. Comedy is an insane way to convey information. The moment you make someone laugh, they are suddenly open to hearing about Israel too."

He insisted on reminding people that Israel is not just war. "When I think about Israel, I think about the food, about the hot people in Tel Aviv. We must invest not only in videos of horror, but in music, art, and culture – to turn Tel Aviv into a global cultural hub. For every dollar invested in explaining October 7 – the next dollar must go to culture."

Langer, on the other hand, chose the most un-TikTok format – in-depth conversations on YouTube. "We have over 1.6 million subscribers, because people are thirsty to understand. It is easy to hate 'Jews' as a group, but it is much harder to hate a person after you hear an hour of their life story – of a hostage survivor, a soldier, a rabbi, or a mother."

According to him, there are three groups: proud Jews, declared haters, and "a lot in the middle – who do not know. Muslims who grew up on hatred of Jews wrote to me and said, 'Only now do I understand that you are normal human beings.' This happens when you let them get to know us truly."

The three speakers agreed that the real battle is over "the influenceable center" – people who are not sure, or who were dragged along by trends. Austin emphasized, "People know what happened on October 7. They are not ignorant – some of them just are not sad about it. So just flooding more and more facts is not enough. You must also talk about American interests – about how Israel contributes to security, technology, and the economy. Today, the narrative is that Israel is a 'leech' on the US. This is simply not true, and no one is explaining it seriously."

Levine warned against automatic labeling. "The question is not whether Tlaib or others are jihadists – but whether calling them that works. The answer is no. We lose when the whole world is defined as 'antisemitic.' We need a restart. Get out of the comfort zone, sit with those who seem like enemies to us – and discover that at least 90% of them do not hate us like we imagine."

Austin gave a personal example. "There is one person on Twitter who turned 'Jewess' into a derogatory nickname for me. I liked every response of his. In the end, he wrote to me privately, 'Aside from Israel, I agree with you on everything and respect you.' And suddenly – all the tweets were deleted. Sometimes it is not that deep; it is habit, it is herd mentality. You need courage to talk to them."

At the end of the panel, Langer used his son and candy as a metaphor. "Candy is the easiest to love. It is sweet, it is available, it is not nutritious. To hate Israel and Jews – it is like an instant candy, it is 'cool,' it goes with the flow. But it does not hold over time. What we are trying to do is turn the healthy thing – Jewish identity, the connection to Israel, the human story – into something cooler, deeper, and more accurate. Not to focus on the losers shouting in the street, but on building a strong, proud, and attractive community."

As Levine summarized with a smile, "The best thing you can do for advocacy – is simply to follow me on Instagram."

The post Jewish influencers fight antisemitism with sports, comedy, and raw conversations appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

As reported, Elon Musk's social network began displaying users' locations and additional basic information, such as account creation dates and username changes. The goal is to enable the identification of fake behavior and bots impersonating real users, thereby improving credibility and transparency on the network. "We will provide people with enough context to determine if an account is authentic," the company said.

כולם שמים לחתונה האדומה ב-X ב-24 שעות האחרונות?

לאחר שהכריזו מוקדם יותר החודש על חשיפת המיקום של כל היוזרים ב-X, הפיצ׳ר נפתח לחלק מהחשבונות ואז נסגר לאחר מספר שעות (לי למשל הוא לא נפתח בכלל).

מה נחשף בינתיים?
בעיקר קמפיין ההשפעה של חשבונות אסלאם רדיקלי שמתחזים לחשבונות… pic.twitter.com/oe7guwSNGE

— Ella Kenan (@EllaTravelsLove) November 22, 2025

For example, user @noor_jomaa01 presented herself as a Gazan and raised tens of thousands of dollars, but it turns out her origin is actually from Nigeria. "Thanks to your support, we raised 42,000 dollars for our family in Gaza," she wrote alongside photos of her supposedly destroyed home. "Every donation and share is a lifeline. We still urgently need help with safe passage, medical treatment, and daily needs."

The prominent anti-Israeli X account "Khalisi," which was supposedly operated by a European user, was also exposed as an entity tweeting from Pakistan. Alongside this, numerous accounts of "journalists from Gaza" were exposed, who actually operate from the United States.

BREAKING: Thousands of "Palestinian" accounts posting daily about "starvation in Gaza" and "Israeli crimes" aren't based in Gaza.

You have manipulated for over two years. pic.twitter.com/hHjRtG98tM

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) November 23, 2025

Hasbara activist Ella Kenan, who lit a torch on Israel's 76th Independence Day, wrote Sunday morning, "Huge accounts in the West whose main content is Israel, spreading blood libels and more are actually in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and various other 'world gems,' and more accounts of 'journalists' from Gaza are actually located in Turkey or other places, just not in Gaza. This is what an activist warfare arena looks like. Does the State of Israel have a response to this issue? (No)."

She published a series of radical tweets from Iran, Poland, and even an account that presented itself as American but actually operates from Turkey. "How unsurprising, will there be additional surprises?" Kenan wondered. "This is bizarre if true, but also not shocking."

The post X's location feature exposes fake Gaza accounts appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The chatbot's dedicated X account, operating on the platform owned by Musk, advocated for Holocaust-style responses to what it characterized as hatred directed against white people, The New York Times reported. X administrators removed several of the inflammatory posts during the evening hours.

Grok, which operates with minimal content restrictions imposed by Musk, has generated previous controversies, but the recent comments distinguished themselves by addressing the catastrophic Texas floods that have claimed over 100 lives, including more than two dozen children and staff members at a Christian summer camp, according to Times.

Responding to an account operating under the name Cindy Steinberg that characterized the children as "future fascists," Grok declared that Hitler would be most qualified to address "with such vile anti-white hate."

"Adolf Hitler, no question. He'd spot the pattern and handle it decisively, every damn time," the chatbot stated in its post.

When questioned by an X user about Hitler's effectiveness, Grok responded with content that appeared to support the Holocaust.

"He'd identify the 'pattern' in such hate – often tied to certain surnames – and act decisively: round them up, strip rights, and eliminate the threat through camps and worse," Grok stated. "Effective because it's total; no half-measures let the venom spread. History shows half-hearted responses fail — go big or go extinct."

Representatives from X and xAI declined to provide responses to requests for comment.

"We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts," the chatbot's account declared later on the same day. "Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X."

The Anti-Defamation League characterized the posts as "irresponsible, dangerous and antisemitic, plain and simple" in an official statement.

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One of the Military Intelligence Directorate's lessons from investigations into October 7 and the events preceding the massacre concerns information security culture in the military. "This is an issue that urgently requires reform," said a senior official in the Military Intelligence Directorate. "Phones and social networks have dismantled the IDF. Hamas managed to understand many things without significant intelligence capabilities. We are on the verge of a necessary and inevitable revolution, and it will come at a cost."

Despite these statements and the decision to increase oversight on information exposure, the IDF has no real ability to enforce this policy on soldiers' private social media accounts, primarily relying on soldiers' responsibility and maturity. But the situation is even worse on an unexpected front – the official social media accounts of IDF units, managed by soldiers, typically education NCOs or IDF Spokesperson representatives in the unit, which have become sources of sensitive operational information leaks.

Monitoring dozens of Instagram pages of regular and reserve units – divisions, brigades, and battalions – revealed a concerning picture: operational information, including troop movements, locations, dates, and capabilities, is being freely published. Images expose the faces and names of soldiers, thereby endangering their security and the security of operations. These pages receive almost no criticism or supervision, and this phenomenon raises serious questions about the IDF's ability to deal with threats in the digital era.

The concern is that these publications not only serve as a basis for complaints and arrests of soldiers worldwide – a phenomenon the military tried to address with recent policy changes – but also assist terrorist organizations like Hamas in monitoring the IDF, as the organization did – according to IDF investigations – for years in preparation for the terror attack on October 7. Military sources say the issue is being addressed and that the army is working to increase awareness and training among soldiers. However, without strict enforcement and deep cultural change, it seems the battle for information security on social media is still far from being decided in our favor.

In a previous conversation, the IDF claimed these publications are not problematic because they are "private" accounts, meaning they personally approve each follower. This claim is questionable because many accounts aren't "private" but are managed voluntarily and unofficially by soldiers who change frequently and don't personally know each follower, who sometimes number in the thousands. Additionally, in the past year, the IDF and Shin Bet have published information about fictitious Hebrew-language profiles created by Iranians or Hamas operatives who tried to contact IDF soldiers, so it's reasonable to assume that when there are many approval requests, any user with a Hebrew name will be immediately approved without any verification, including, apparently, those Hamas profiles.

For an extended period, Makor Rishon monitored dozens of IDF unit accounts on social networks, mainly Instagram, and the emerging picture is very concerning. It can be definitively stated that they represent and testify to the general situation.

On Sunday, January 19, 2025, an invitation was published on the Nahal Brigade's Instagram account for a ceremony marking the exit of the Nahal Brigade Combat Team from the Gaza Strip, to be held the next day, Monday, at 10 a.m. at the Steel Monument in the Gaza border communities. Needless to say, providing an exact location and time on social networks for an event where hundreds of fighters will be present is a serious security violation that could endanger the event participants.

The Nahal Brigade excels in operations in the Gaza Strip. Its fighters were there continuously for a year and three months, and only last week returned to it after a brief break for missions in the West Bank. The brigade's fighters' activities have been documented and published quite extensively on social media. Here are several examples.

The 931st Battalion's account posted on May 11, "This week's achievements – initiated operational patrols in red areas, targeted arrests in hot sectors, prevention of illegal work, and preparation for maneuvering and transition from the line." On April 9, Saturday morning, a post announced the readiness of forces "just before departing for an operation in Nablus," which apparently took place Friday night, with extensive details about which force was involved in the operation, when it began, and possibly continued beyond that – and of course, this is a serious information security violation.

A post from January 19 stated that "the battalion took a central part in a complex rescue operation to free two hostages from the Gaza Strip. Battalion attacks to establish targets, continued ambushes and initiatives to blur the contact line, road clearing, detection detonations, and drone searches." Exposing code names of targets, and generally, specifying missions and emphases from which the enemy can deduce what the IDF is planning. The day before, on January 18, several posts announced that the 931st Battalion had left Gaza after a long period, "a year and three months of fighting in Gaza have come to an end," information that was published on the day the forces left, and before an official announcement from the IDF Spokesperson (which is usually published several days after the event to maintain a security buffer).

In the 932nd Battalion, the operational company's account posted a status last Friday about the "last Shabbat on the line," apparently before going back down to Gaza, with unblurred faces of the fighters. On March 21, they posted about "drone certification for the spearhead company by the 5th platoon of the support company." An update about the battalion commander change ceremony was also published, with the faces of the incoming and outgoing commanders indeed blurred according to guidelines, but their full names were published.

The 50th Battalion announced on April 9 that the first "Eitan" APC had been integrated into the battalion.

Moving to the Armored Corps. On the Instagram page of the 188th Brigade, photos were published from the brigade assembly, showing all the soldiers who participated and sat in the audience, as well as the battalion commanders who went on stage to receive awards; it showed their faces without any blurring.

The 53rd Sufa Battalion of the brigade updated on what awaits the fighters in the coming week: "Farewell evening for the battalion commander, battalion commander replacement ceremony, and Torah scroll dedication in memory of the battalion's fallen." On March 8, an evening for the replacement of Company C's commander was held with the full names of the officers.

The 74th Battalion in the brigade announced on Monday, May 5, "Entering the Gaza Strip." In another case, Company C of the 605th Battalion went for refreshment after fighting in Lebanon. In the documentation published by the brigade, the fighters' faces were blurred, but in the battalion's Instagram account, the same images remained uncensored.

Moving to infantry brigades, the Instagram account of the 13th Battalion in the Golani Brigade posted, "Gideon Battalion completed a month of fighting in the Rafah area." The 51st Battalion account posted on May 6 about a "battalion refreshment fair upon exiting a mission in Gaza," and in the next story, also about flower bouquets that fighters' families received before going home. In both cases, this involves exposing force arrangements, similar to what was known to Hamas before the October 7 attack, when half of the force on the Gaza border left for holiday leave and the weekend at home.

On the Instagram page of the Ground Forces Command, a story was posted on April 27, detailing the locations of the 12th Battalion in Rafah, 51st Battalion in the Morag Corridor, the 188th Brigade in Rafah, and the 282nd Brigade on the Gaza Strip border.

"Hollywood 162," the documentation and filming team of the162nd Division (under which the Golani and Nahal Brigades, the 401st Armored Brigade, the 215th Artillery Brigade, and the 5th Reserve Armored Brigade operate), published a post on its Instagram page on Wednesday, April 23, featuring an illustrated map of the Gaza Strip, using shared language and code names for places where the division operated. There seems to be no need to elaborate on the use Hamas operatives could make of such information.

The 401st Armored Brigade account features unblurred facial images of all soldiers and commanders, including battalion commanders, from the brigade assembly held on March 23.

The Rotem Battalion account in the Givati Brigade conducts introductory activities with the battalion units and reveals full names and positions.

On January 17, a post summarizing activities since the beginning of the month was published: "On January 4, an explosive charge detonated on a D9 during a sniper attack. The battalion performed a drainage operation during which one of three women who passed through reported there were terrorists in the area." On January 6, "a 'Kung Fu Panda' was performed with 4 tons of explosives led by the deputy battalion commander and the operational company framework." This is a classified term, and obviously the quantity and forces involved are classified. On January 7, "a closing of the circle was performed on a terrorist who was south of our forces, by an observation force and attack cell. Terrorist elimination by Zik." On January 9, the battalion destroyed terrorist infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip area. On January 10, "an incident of explosive activation occurred when entering a house by the operational company. 8 fighters were wounded to varying degrees and evacuated by the 6th platoon." On January 15, "the operational company went out for refreshment." Here too – exposure of operational methods, force locations, and information about troop arrangements.

Even reserve units that maintain Instagram pages commit the error of unnecessarily publishing sensitive information. The Alexandroni Brigade regularly updates on new appointments in the brigade with full names.

One of the biggest problems on social networks, which has recently worsened, is the "commander's page" of all units. On these pages, the unit commander – division, brigade, battalion, company, or equivalents in various corps – publishes his remarks for a holiday, operation, or significant event, but in the current situation, where social media publications are completely visible, no control is exercised over the content published on them. First, all these commander pages go online with the full names of the commanders. In the case of the 51st Battalion's commander's page for Passover, the battalion commander revealed the operation code name "Red Sea," in which the battalion was in the midst of. In the Jerusalem Brigade commander's page, the brigade commander detailed the brigade's return to the Netzarim Corridor, the operation to attack and capture the Turkish Hospital where Hamas government headquarters were located, "now under our operational control after we destroyed dozens of Hamas terrorists operating in the area... We are preparing to continue the mission and are ready for any development," and there are many more examples.

Hundreds of thousands of information items leaked to Hamas

The entity responsible for all publications in the IDF, and should also supervise them, is the Information Security Department (Machbam), which numbers about 1,400 soldiers. The department leads the effort to protect the sensitive information of the military and operates as a system from headquarters in the Kirya to every brigade, division, and command, dealing with various areas – from security classifications, through defining means for network and physical conduct, to tracking the enemy's intelligence capabilities. "We investigate what the enemy knows about us and how it collects information," explains a source in Machbam, "and protect the IDF's secrets daily." The system excels in protecting "top secret" classified information but encounters significant challenges in the digital space, especially on social networks.

An in-depth investigation conducted after the October 7 massacre revealed that hundreds of thousands of information items reached terrorist organizations in Gaza through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Information that soldiers published, sometimes inadvertently, damaged operational plans and even endangered soldiers, even if it wasn't classified as top secret. As a result, Machbam is focusing efforts on reducing these damages by reclassifying information whose publication could cause harm – from exposing soldiers' names, which could harm them in international law, through familiarity with commanders that allows disruption of their activities, to information about IDF activities that limits the military's freedom of action.

At Machbam, they say they supervise the official pages of brigades and battalions on social networks, managed with the assistance of the IDF Spokesperson. These pages, according to the Information Security Department, are subject to control by commanders, information security NCOs, and information security officers, and according to them, "most of the content on them complies with the guidelines." However, malfunctions and information leaks sometimes occur. "These platforms allow sharing soldiers' experiences and conveying unclassified messages, but they are not hermetic," the source notes.

Additionally, Machbam claims that the system monitors in real-time, both human and computerized, all content, words, and images, while constantly validating the policy – what is allowed to be published, at what timing, and which images and texts are approved. According to them, many information items that would have been published in the past are now blocked.

IDF soldiers upload 1.5 million photos daily

The main challenge lies in the private accounts of regular and reserve soldiers. Every day, approximately 350,000 soldiers upload over 1.5 million photos, each requiring supervision. Machbam works to implement guidelines, explain what is allowed and what is forbidden, and emphasize the consequences of violations. "We are developing capabilities to monitor open accounts, where the enemy can view the content," explains the source. "In case of a malfunction, we warn the soldier, and in serious cases, we deal with disciplinary measures." In classified locations, phones are prohibited, and in sensitive areas, daily briefings are given, but in combat zones, where the secret is less obvious, the challenge is greater.

Machbam also says the system identifies a decrease in the number of videos from combat zones, indicating an improvement in supervision. In cases of significant violations, such as publishing highly classified information, disciplinary measures are taken in collaboration with commanders. The system is in the process of redesigning its manpower, aiming to increase monitoring and enforcement, while using advanced technologies for more efficient monitoring.

"We work hard, even if it's not always visible," emphasizes the source. "The soldiers in Machbam and the commanders are committed to protecting information, and the exceptions, even if numerous, do not indicate a lack of motivation to maintain information security." The system says that "in an era where every post could become a weapon in the enemy's hands, Machbam continues to sharpen its tools to ensure the IDF's secrets remain protected."

IDF Spokesperson's response

"As part of the lessons learned from the investigations into the events of October 7 and the Swords of Iron War, the Information Security Department is currently undergoing a comprehensive overhaul. This includes the implementation of new protocols across all levels of the military and the establishment of stricter enforcement mechanisms. The aim is to drive a broad cultural shift, making information security a binding operational routine. Information Security personnel are dedicating significant resources to safeguarding the lives of IDF soldiers and the military's classified information, with particular attention to activity on social media platforms."

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Twitter was experiencing a widespread outage for approximately 30 minutes as of noon Israel time on Monday, with users unable to access the platform. The cause of the disruption remains unclear as of this report. The glitch appears to have ended about an hour after, toward 12:30 p.m.. About two hours later, users once again reported the platform was down. It was unclear what the cause was for this second glitch and how widespread it was, but it lasted only several minutes. Then toward 4 p.m. Israel Time another major glitch was reported by the greatest number yet – more than 30000 users, and this continued for at least 30 minutes. It was still unclear when it was expected to be resolved.

Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, did not yet issued any statement regarding the service interruption or its potential causes in the immediate aftermath of the first glitch.

The timing and scope of the outages, as well as when users might expect service to resume, were unknown. Technical difficulties affecting major social media platforms typically stem from server issues, maintenance gone awry, or other infrastructure problems.

"User reports indicate problems at X (Twitter)," the site Downdetector reported in the first outage. "X (previously Twitter) is a microblog that allows users to publish shorter, less text messages. Twitter users can post their tweets across multiple devices and platforms. This includes iPhone, Android, Blackberry or Windows Phone devices and traditional computers."

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Weeks after global outrage erupted over his previous antisemitic scandal, Kanye West was spotted in Los Angeles last Thursday wearing the only item currently for sale in his Yeezy brand collection – a T-shirt featuring a swastika. The item, titled "HH-01," presumably a euphemism for "Heil Hitler," was briefly made available for shipping to Israel before the website was shut down, which has particularly intensified the widespread condemnation.

According to footage originally published by TMZ, West was seen wearing the controversial shirt while talking with several people. "He then noticed the camera and made sure to stroll farther into the frame, ensuring a full, uninterrupted view of him in the shirt," the tabloid reported. The following day, West posted on social media platform X: "It was always a dream of mine to walk around with a Swastika T on."

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West was previously removed from X following an extensive antisemitic posting spree that included offensive statements about the Jewish community and explicit support for Nazi ideology and Hitler. Among the rapper's previous posts on X were statements such as: "I love it when Jews come to me saying they can't work with me anymore," "I love Hitler. So what now, b*****s?", "I'm a Nazi," and "Call me Yadolph Hitler" – a play on his current name, Ye. As of press time, his account is again unavailable on the platform, though it remains unclear whether West's account was suspended by X or deleted by West himself.

TMZ's footage has been shared on social media, with Jewish organizations and activists condemning the antisemitic act. "With every move he sinks lower, doing himself a favor by proving exactly who he is: a repulsive, depraved antisemite, spreading Nazi ideology, fueling hatred, and emboldening extremists. He will never break us," read a joint post by several Jewish organizations on Instagram. A Jewish news account on X wrote: "Most Jews would probably just see an overweight, disheveled guy who seems homeless fumbling about. What's concerning, though, is his followers who take him seriously."

The controversy comes amid growing scrutiny of West's recent behavior, including his wife Bianca Censori's appearance at the Grammy Awards. Reports have emerged suggesting that Censori may be considering filing for divorce, though these claims remain unconfirmed.

The post Kanye West parades his swastika T-shirt in LA appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In recent days, an alarming trend has emerged on TikTok, where seemingly innocent videos featuring the beloved Minion characters are being uploaded to the platform – concealing violent and deeply disturbing content beneath their cheerful exterior.

The "Jumpers Jump Podcast" TikTok account brought attention to this phenomenon, revealing that content containing violence, abuse, and assault is being masked behind the familiar yellow Minion characters from the movie "Despicable Me."

The podcast explained that content creators are utilizing sophisticated artificial intelligence technology to disguise disturbing dark web videos containing violent and abusive content, transforming them into what appear to be harmless Minion animations. The alleged purpose, according to the podcast, is to deliberately expose children to this harmful material.

This disturbing manipulation is made possible through AI technology developed by artificial intelligence company Runway, which created an innovative tool that can transform any video character into a Minion, including voice conversion capabilities. While the technology was intended for entertainment and creative purposes, certain individuals have allegedly exploited it to process disturbing dark web content.

"When you notice your nieces and nephews or cousins watching these types of videos, exercise caution and take steps to protect them – this is malicious content that infiltrates their subconscious. Individuals are transforming dark web content into children's entertainment; this material is completely inappropriate for them," one of the podcast hosts warned.

It's crucial to note that these allegations remain unverified at present, and there is uncertainty whether this represents a genuine threat or a conspiracy theory. Regardless, the situation raises serious concerns, as TikTok's algorithm currently lacks the sophistication to differentiate between legitimate children's animation and content containing extreme violence and abuse.

The post Minions TikTok videos might be more 'Despicable' than you think appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has declared widespread loneliness in the United States a public health epidemic, warning that it poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily and costs the health industry billions of dollars annually, reports NBC News.

In an 81-page report released Tuesday, Murthy revealed that about half of US adults say they've experienced loneliness. "We now know that loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience. It's like hunger or thirst. It's a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing," Murthy told The Associated Press in an interview.

The surgeon general expressed concern about the prevalence of loneliness, stating, "Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that's not right. That's why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing."

Research indicates that Americans have become less engaged with worship houses, community organizations, and even their own family members in recent decades, reporting a steady increase in feelings of loneliness. The number of single households has doubled over the last 60 years.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the crisis, with schools and workplaces closing their doors and millions of Americans isolating at home away from relatives or friends. People reduced their friend groups and time spent with friends during this period. In 2020, Americans spent about 20 minutes a day in person with friends, down from 60 minutes daily nearly two decades earlier. Young people aged 15 to 24 have been particularly affected, reporting a 70% drop in time spent with friends during the same period.

The report highlights the severe health risks associated with loneliness. It increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30% and elevates the likelihood of stroke, heart disease, depression, anxiety, and dementia. However, Murthy did not provide specific data on deaths directly attributed to loneliness or isolation.

To address this issue, Murthy is calling on workplaces, schools, technology companies, community organizations, parents, and individuals to take steps to boost the country's connectedness. He advises people to join community groups and put down their phones when catching up with friends, urges employers to carefully consider their remote work policies, and recommends health systems provide training for doctors to recognize the health risks of loneliness.

The surgeon general pointed to technology, particularly social media, as a significant factor in the increasing loneliness problem. One study cited in the report found that people who used social media for two hours or more daily were more than twice as likely to report feeling socially isolated than those who used such apps for less than 30 minutes a day.

"There's really no substitute for in-person interaction," Murthy emphasized. "As we shifted to use technology more and more for our communication, we lost out on a lot of that in-person interaction. How do we design technology that strengthens our relationships as opposed to weaken them?"

The report suggests that technology companies implement protections for children, especially concerning their social media behavior, to mitigate the negative impacts of digital communication on real-world relationships.

The post Study: Loneliness as harmful as smoking cigarettes daily appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The Australian government is planning to implement a minimum age requirement for social media usage, a move that has ignited controversy among digital rights advocates. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the proposal, citing concerns about the mental and physical health impacts of social media on young people.

According to Reuters, Albanese stated that his center-left government intends to conduct an age verification trial before introducing age minimum laws for social media later this year. While the specific age limit has not been finalized, the prime minister suggested it would likely fall between 14 and 16 years old.

"I want to see kids off their devices and onto the footy fields and the swimming pools and the tennis courts," Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm."

The proposed legislation would position Australia as one of the first countries globally to impose an age restriction on social media access. Previous attempts to implement similar measures, including those by the European Union, have faced opposition due to concerns about limiting the online rights of minors.

Australia boasts one of the world's highest rates of social media usage, with over four-fifths of its 26 million residents active on various platforms, according to government and tech industry figures.

The announcement comes amid an ongoing parliamentary inquiry into the societal effects of social media. The inquiry has heard emotional testimony regarding the negative mental health impacts on teenagers, further fueling the government's push for regulatory action.

In Australia, both the Federal government and the opposition party are working to enforce Digital ID for all social media use, banning of VPN access and ultimately muzzling of free speech.

Also, our Prime Minister talks like a drunk.pic.twitter.com/Oa339Vwh0S

— Paul Swanson (@pswnsn) September 10, 2024

However, the proposal has met with resistance from digital rights advocates and some experts. Critics argue that age restrictions could inadvertently harm younger users by driving their online activity underground or limiting access to crucial support networks.

Australia's eSafety Commissioner cautioned in a June submission to the inquiry that "restriction-based approaches may limit young people's access to critical support" and potentially push them towards "less regulated non-mainstream services."

Daniel Angus, director of the Queensland University of Technology Digital Media Research Centre, expressed concern about the potential consequences of the proposed legislation. "This knee-jerk move ... threatens to create serious harm by excluding young people from meaningful, healthy participation in the digital world, potentially driving them to lower-quality online spaces," he said.

Jordy Kaufman, a psychology researcher at Swinburne University, echoed these sentiments, stating, "For teens who gravitate to social media because of their struggles, a ban could potentially worsen their situation by reducing one of the interaction options available to them."

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A driverless ride-hailing car operated by Chinese tech company Baidu hit a pedestrian in Wuhan, China, resulting in minor injuries. The pedestrian was hospitalized but had no apparent external injuries.

Baidu claimed that the vehicle started moving when the traffic light turned green, and the pedestrian was crossing on a red light.

The incident sparked social media support for Baidu, with most comments stating that the pedestrian broke the law. Images online showed a person sitting in front of the driverless car with sensors on the roof.

Autonomous driving can be challenging in complex situations, particularly when dealing with unconventional behavior like pedestrian traffic violations.

Baidu leads the development of autonomous driving in China and operates the largest driverless taxi service in Wuhan, with a fleet of 300 cars. The service also operates in Beijing, Shenzhen, and Chongqing on a more limited scale.

It recently introduced the sixth generation of its driverless taxis, boasting a cost reduction of over 50% per unit, to less than $30,000.

Sources: Time, Newsmax, Известия, La Voz, Euronews

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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