Latest news with #X
CNA
13 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
EU says it is probing corporate structure of Musk's X months after xAI deal
The European Union said on Thursday it was seeking more information from Elon Musk's X about changes to its corporate structure, months after the social media platform was bought by xAI in a $33 billion deal. "We are following closely changes in the corporate structure of X, as we would changes in any other designated platform," a spokesperson for the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said. However, the spokesperson did not confirm an earlier report from Bloomberg News that said regulators were evaluating potential fines on X under the Digital Services Act. Before its summer recess in August, the regulator could announce a fine on X for alleged infractions under the DSA, though delays are possible, Bloomberg reported. Representatives for xAI and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Any firm found in breach of the DSA faces a fine worth up to 6 per cent of its global turnover, and repeat offenders may be banned from operating in Europe altogether. Earlier this month, X highlighted a disclaimer to its blue checkmark in an attempt to head off a possible hefty fine from EU antitrust regulators. The Commission issued preliminary findings under the DSA in July last year that X violated rules on deceptive design, especially by turning the blue checkmark into a paid verification, assigning false credibility to users. X had disagreed with the assessment.
Irish Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on the riots in Ballymena: unequivocal political response essential
The recent rioting in Ballymena and surrounding areas is troubling on a number of levels, not least that it is unlikely to be an isolated event. What started out as a peaceful protest following an alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl in Ballymena on June 7th quickly descended into race riots when it then emerged that the alleged perpetrators, two 14-year old boys, needed the services of a Romanian interpreter during their court appearance. Studies of what happened show that Ballymena became the locus of far-right social media activity. At the most acute phase of the rioting, Ballymena was mentioned nearly 80,000 times across different platforms. Crucially, most of these accounts were from outside Northern Ireland. An analysis of these posts shows that many of them fall within the legal definition of incitement to hatred. It also became clear that many of the rioters were not from Ballymena and were intent on exploiting local tensions. Sporadic violence spread elsewhere in Northern Ireland as well. READ MORE This is similar to what happened in Southport in southern England last year. Far-right activists are opportunistically co-ordinating through social media to stoke tensions and foment race riots. There are some lessons to be learned. One is the need for ongoing improvement in social media controls. Elon Musk, the owner of X, has dismantled most of the guardrails on his platform on the basis that they undermine free speech. The reality is that X has become an unmediated platform for hateful content that has very real consequences for the more vulnerable in society, such as the migrant community in Ballymena. Against this backdrop, the EU has no choice but to resist any pressure from the Trump administration to lessen controls on social media as a quid pro quo for a US-EU trade deal. A key goal of the EU rules is to place responsibility on social media companies to ensure online content is safe, fair and secure. However, local factors were also at play in Ballymena. The town has become an unemployment blackspot in recent decades. Meanwhile, the 2021 census shows the arrival of non-English speaking migrants into the town and surrounding areas in recent years. While some tensions have been reported, the recent riots are a dramatic and worrying escalation. In responding to this, political leadership is important. Wrapping criticism of thuggish, racist violence with suggestions that shortcomings in managing immigration in some way provide a rationale – as at least some politicians seem to have done – is not acceptable. Condemnation of what happened must be unequivocal.
CNA
14 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
EU probes Musk's xAI buyout of X, Bloomberg News reports
Elon Musk's $33 billion xAI acquisition of X has drawn fresh scrutiny from the European Union, as regulators evaluate potential fines under the Digital Services Act, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The European Commission recently circulated fresh questions to X, probing the social media platform's corporate structure following its acquisition by xAI, the report said citing people familiar with the matter. Musk said in March the combination valued "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion". Before its summer recess in August, the regulator could announce a fine on X for alleged infractions under the DSA, though delays are possible, according to the report. Representatives for the European Commission, xAI and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Any firm found in breach of the DSA faces a fine worth up to 6 per cent of its global turnover, and repeat offenders may be banned from operating in Europe altogether. Earlier this month, X highlighted a disclaimer to its blue checkmark in an attempt to head off a possible hefty fine from EU antitrust regulators. The Commission issued preliminary findings under the DSA in July last year that X violated rules on deceptive design, especially by turning the blue checkmark into a paid verification, assigning false credibility to users. X had disagreed with the assessment. The EU had announced a probe into X's alleged breaches of the DSA in December 2023.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"This Sh** Looks Disgusting": Fans Criticize LaMelo Ball After His Tattoos Go Viral
"This Sh** Looks Disgusting": Fans Criticize LaMelo Ball After His Tattoos Go Viral originally appeared on Fadeaway World. LaMelo Ball famously has multiple tattoos on his body that have even gotten him into hot water with the NBA in the past. While playing, most of his tattoos are not visible as they are under his jersey. However, in a recent picture posted on X, he was seen shirtless with a significant portion of his upper body and torso covered in ink. Advertisement This did not sit well with most fans as they felt it was a bit excessive and unbecoming of an NBA player. Moreover, some fans even went personal about his looks and personality. [NOTE: Fan comments edited for grammatical clarity] "I'll never understand the hype with tattoos, man. This sh** looks disgusting," said an X user online. "Ngl those tattoos are a**," wrote another X user. "Is that the third island boy," wrote a fan hilariously in the context of Love Island, a show famous for setting up people to find love in unrealistic scenarios. "I'm sorry, but this looks so bad, man," said another sympathetic X user who was disappointed with Ball's tattoos. Advertisement Some fans even went as far as to criticize his game despite the tattoos having no relation to his performance. Even after the former All-Star player averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds in 47 games played this season. "Dude's more focused on getting tatted up than improving his game," said a fan online. "Unironically, some of the worst tattoos I've ever seen," "Chosen one for what exactly?? The most injuries in a career?" When LaMelo Ball Nearly Got Into Trouble Over His Tattoos During the 2023-24 season, LaMelo Ball was instructed by the NBA to cover his neck tattoo during the games as it violated league rules against visible commercial logos used during games. Ball had an 'LF' symbol tattooed on his neck, which stood for 'LaFrance', his middle name, and a fashion brand he started in 2020. The league initially decided that he would have to tape up the tattoo during any NBA games. NBA spokesman Tim Frank initially released a statement deeming the tattoo a blatant violation of league policy. Advertisement "Per the (Collective Bargaining Agreement), players are prohibited from displaying commercial logos or corporate insignia on their body or in their hair during games. We try to enforce the rule reasonably, in accordance with its purpose, and taking into account players' efforts to express themselves in a non-commercial manner. But LaMelo Ball's neck tattoo is in obvious violation of the rule and, accordingly, he's required to cover it." But it was later decided he would not be fined by the NBA after Ball returned from an injury. Related: LaMelo And Lonzo Ball Looking To Join Forces In Clippers? LaVar's Latest Pitch Promotes Big Move This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
Reuters
14 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
EU probes Musk's xAI buyout of X, Bloomberg News reports
June 19 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's $33 billion xAI acquisition of X has drawn fresh scrutiny from the European Union, as regulators evaluate potential fines under the Digital Services Act, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The European Commission recently circulated fresh questions to X, probing the social media platform's corporate structure following its acquisition by xAI, the report said citing people familiar with the matter. Musk said in March the combination valued "xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion". Before its summer recess in August, the regulator could announce a fine on X for alleged infractions under the DSA, though delays are possible, according to the report. Representatives for the European Commission, xAI and X did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Any firm found in breach of the DSA faces a fine worth up to 6% of its global turnover, and repeat offenders may be banned from operating in Europe altogether. Earlier this month, X highlighted a disclaimer to its blue checkmark in an attempt to head off a possible hefty fine from EU antitrust regulators. The Commission issued preliminary findings under the DSA in July last year that X violated rules on deceptive design, especially by turning the blue checkmark into a paid verification, assigning false credibility to users. X had disagreed with the assessment. The EU had announced a probe into X's alleged breaches of the DSA in December 2023.
