YouTube expands ban on Russia's state-funded media worldwide

YouTube is blocking the reach of Russian state media globally after banning RT and Sputnik in Europe.

It's escalating restrictions on Russia's reach across the web

YouTube expands ban on Russia's state-funded media worldwide

What you need to know

YouTube is blocking access to Russian state media channels across the world.
The Google-owned platform cited its existing policy that prohibits content "trivializing" violent events.
RT and Sputnik, two of Russia's state-funded media, were banned by the service in Europe more than a week ago.

YouTube is taking an even stronger stance against Russia's state-funded media after blocking access to RT and Sputnik's channels in Europe. The service is now extending that restriction globally.

The Google-owned platform announced today that it's swinging the ban hammer on Russian state media's YouTube channels, effective immediately. This means RT and Sputnik's channels won't be accessible to YouTube's more than 2 billion users worldwide.

The service cited its longstanding policies against violence as the basis for that decision.

"Our Community Guidelines prohibit content denying, minimizing or trivializing well-documented violent events," YouTube said in a tweet. "We are now removing content about Russia’s invasion in Ukraine that violates this policy."

YouTube is also taking down videos about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that violate that policy.

"Since our last update, our teams have now removed more than 1,000 channels and over 15,000 videos for violating not only our hate speech policy, but also our policies around misinformation, graphic content and more," the service said.

While the ban takes effect immediately, YouTube noted that it may take time before everyone loses access to those media outlets.

The latest development is only a part of Google's broader effort to sanction Russia in the wake of the Ukraine war. It has also paused all forms of content monetization, including ads, in the country.

Most recently, Google suspended Play Store payments for users in Russia, preventing them from purchasing apps and games or making subscription payments. The search giant also banned Russia's state media from the Google News app or from the Google Play Store in Europe.

YouTube joins other tech giants that have stepped up restrictions against Russia, including Facebook's parent firm Meta and Twitter.

Source: androidcentral

Apple and Meta Reportedly Discussed AI Partnership for iOS 18

Apple has held discussions with Meta about integrating the Facebook owner's AI model into iOS 18 as part of its Apple Intelligence feature set, according to a report over the weekend. Meta launched Llama 2, its large language model, in July 2023, and in April, the company released the latest versions of its AI models, called Llama 3 . The Wall Street Journal reports that the two longtime rivals have held talks about offering Meta's model as an additional option to OpenAI's ChatGPT. The paywalled report notes that the discussions haven't been finalized and could fall through. As part of Apple Intelligence, Apple has announced a partnership with OpenAI that will allow Siri to access ChatGPT directly in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia to provide better responses in relevant situations. Using ChatGPT will be optional, so users with concerns about the technology can abstain and still make use of Apple's own new AI features. Speaking at WWDC 2024, Apple's

Here Are the macOS Sequoia Features Intel Macs Won't Support

When Apple released macOS Monterey in 2021, some key features required a Mac with Apple silicon. The same scenario played out with macOS Ventura in 2022, and then again the following year with the release of macOS Sonoma. With macOS Sequoia set to arrive in the fall, which new features can Intel Mac owners expect to be unavailable to them this time around? Apple says that macOS Sequoia is compatible with the same Macs as macOS Sonoma, but Apple's fine print reveals that certain new features won't work on Intel machines. If you're still on an Intel Mac, here's what you won't have access to. Apple Intelligence Apple Intelligence , a deeply integrated, personalized AI feature set for Apple devices that uses cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience, won't be available on Intel Macs. Apple says the advanced features require its M1 chip or later, so if your Mac was released before November 2020, you're out of luck. T

iPhone 16 Pro Models to Adopt 'M14' Advanced Samsung OLED Panels for Improved Brightness and Lifespan

The upcoming iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be the first Apple smartphones to adopt Samsung's high performance "M14" OLED display panel, claims a new report coming out of South Korea. According to ETNews , Samsung's "M" series of OLED panels are made for flagship smartphones, while "14" refers to the number of high-performance materials used to produce them. "M14" is the first series of its kind, and the panel is said to have been developed to deliver superior brightness and longevity. Samsung has reportedly placed orders for the M14 materials and is preparing to mass produce the displays in the second half of the year for Apple's iPhone 16 Pro models. Google's Pixel 9 smartphone is the only other device that is expected to adopt the high-performance displays in 2024. A previous report out of China claimed that this year's ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models will feature up to 1,200 nits of typical SDR brightness – a 20%

Apple Boosts A18 Chip Orders in Anticipation of High iPhone 16 Demand

Apple is said to have upped its order of next-generation chips from TSMC to between 90 million and 100 million units, following heightened demand expectations for its iPhone 16 series. Last year's initial chip order volume for the iPhone 15 series launch is believed to have been in the region of 80-90 million units, suggesting Apple is anticipating higher demand for its 2024 devices, according to Taiwanese outlet CTEE . The arrival of Apple Intelligence in iOS 18 is expected to boost initial sales of the devices. One of the reasons is that Apple Intelligence requires at least an iPhone 15 Pro to run, which means owners of last year's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus will miss out on Apple's new AI features unless they upgrade to an iPhone 15 Pro or plump for one of the iPhone 16 models. Last year, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus were equipped with the A16 Bionic chip – the same chip that was in the iPhone 14 Pro models – whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max f

Tech Talk

Search This Blog