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Online porn websites promote ‘sexually violent’ videos

Online porn websites promote ‘sexually violent’ videos

Technology
Getty ImagesOne in eight porn videos promoted to first-time users of the UK's leading adult sites are labelled with text describing sexually violent acts, according to a study.It analysed titles and descriptions of 131,738 videos on Pornhub, XVideos and XHamster's launch pages.One researcher said the prevalence of descriptions of rape, physical abuse and incest was "shocking".The sites have challenged the study and said they remove illegal content.The findings are published in the latest issue of The British Journal of Criminology.The researchers involved took hourly screenshots of the homepages on the three most popular porn websites, over a six-month period between 2017 and 2018.Descriptions and titles - but not the content of the videos themselves - were searched-for keywords that corre...
Australia to block websites hosting terror content during attacks

Australia to block websites hosting terror content during attacks

Technology
Websites and social media companies that host terrorist material during attacks will be blocked, Australian officials have said.The government plans to crack down on extremists exploiting digital platforms to post very violent content. And it is considering bringing in legislation to force the platforms to improve safety.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "We are doing everything we can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes."The clampdown comes after suspected gunman Brenton Tarrant allegedly live-streamed on Facebook an attack on two mosques in March which claimed 51 lives in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Advertisement This led to increased scrutiny of websites and social medi...
Websites face being blocked in UK by new online regulator

Websites face being blocked in UK by new online regulator

Technology
By Alexander J Martin, technology reporter A new online regulator will fine web companies that fail to protect users, and possibly block offending websites from being accessed in the UK, under new government plans.Companies that run social media platforms, file hosting sites, discussion forums, messaging services and search engines will become responsible for any harmful material which they allow their users to share or discover. This harmful material includes that with a "clear definition" such as child sexual abuse and terrorist material, as well as material without a clear definition, such as cyber bullying and disinformation.Although the lack of strict definitions about what "harmful material" is has prompted civil liberties campaigners to express concerns...
Safety concerns over websites selling prescription drugs

Safety concerns over websites selling prescription drugs

Health
Media playback is unsupported on your device England's healthcare regulator is calling for a change in the law to protect patients using online doctor sites selling prescription-only drugs. It comes after a BBC Panorama investigation exposed safety concerns relating to websites using doctors from companies based outside England. The Care Quality Commission said these websites could be "dangerous".Currently, it can only inspect websites employing doctors contracted by companies in England. Struck-off doctorFormer doctor Julian Eden set up the UK's first online doctor service called E-Med nearly 20 years ago. In 2009 he was struck off after prescribing through the service to a 16-year-old boy and a woman who became addicted to prescription drugs...
Qatar hits out at UAE over websites 'hack'

Qatar hits out at UAE over websites 'hack'

World
Qatar says the United Arab Emirates' alleged hacking of its government websites is a violation of international law.US spies accused the UAE of infiltrating the sites to plant fake news and provoke one of the worst diplomatic rifts in recent Middle East history.Qatar has been ostracised by its neighbours since reports revealed its emir making comments praising Hamas and calling Iran an "Islamic power".The spat has wiped billions off stock values, separated families and raised doubt about Arab solidarity in the fight against Islamic State.However, US intelligence agencies claim the quotes were posted falsely and deliberately in a state-sponsored hack ordered by the UAE to whip up anger against its smaller Gulf neighbour.The Washington Post reports that new intelligence reveals the UAE gover...