ABU DHABI // Members of the media and technology industries debated whether social media should be regulated on Tuesday, and raised questions about who should be regulating it and how.
The burden should not lie on social-media platforms to regulate content when deeper issues are causing extremism, said Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a journalist and producer for HuffPost Live.
“It’s too easy to think that regulation is going to solve the problems ... because the problems don’t come from social media,” said Mr Shihab-Eldin. “Social media is a reflection of the problems that people feel.”
“I think the real benefit – and I belief this very vehemently – that we’ve seen is that social media has forced the mainstream media, has forced governments to address issues that their citizens are concerned about that they’ve been able to skirt and suppress and contain for decades,” he said.
Proposing more regulation when a minority of extremists are using social media for harm is “a knee-jerk reaction which we’ve seen in the region, just like we’ve seen the equation in the Arab world of constructive criticism and dissent by young people who are jailed because it’s equated now to terrorism,” said Mr Shihab-Eldin.
“Challenging your leader is not terrorism,” he said.
Faisal Abbas, editor-in-chief of Al Arabiya English, argued for the validity of questioning whether content that could be seen as terrorist propaganda should be regulated, such as pornography would.
“As a journalist, I look at the effect on people,” said Mr Abbas.
“I hate to see it when young kids are being brainwashed by terrorist propaganda. That’s my concern.”
Facebook’s practice of not reviewing all content posted is both pragmatic and philosophical, said Richard Allan, who leads the company’s public policy work in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Our rules are very clear: you are responsible for what you post,” he said, adding that it is not possible for the company to review all content.
“We don’t want people to believe that things are different in the virtual world from the real world.”
But ultimately the debate perhaps is not over regulation but to what extent it rests in the hands of the companies behind social media, such as Facebook, said Ayman Safadi, chief executive of Path Arabia, a communication and political strategy group in Abu Dhabi.
“Who determines what is OK and what’s not OK? Do we leave it to your board?” he asked.
Hizbollah is considered a terrorist group by many but not all, and some in the Arab world might place some hardline Israeli groups in that category, said Mr Safadi.
“Would you comment publicly, transparently, as to who tells you who is terrorist and who is not?” Mr Safadi asked.
“Who is your point of reference? Is it American law? International law?”
A poll conducted showed that 68 per cent of audience members disagreed that social media should be regulated, while that figure dropped slightly to 64 per cent after the panel.
Becky Anderson, a CNN anchor based in the network’s Abu Dhabi bureau, moderated the discussion.
lcarroll@thenational.ae
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2A)
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JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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THE SPECS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
Engine: 6.0-litre V12
Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic
Power: 595bhp
Torque: 630Nm
Price: Dh999,563
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
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