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Newsletters Traders lose millions on 'fake' Barron meme coin that has no link to Trump's sonA fake $BARRON meme coin inspired by Donald Trump's son but with no official link surged by 90% in a minute before completely losing its value. 16:28 ET, Tue, Jan 21, 2025 | UPDATED: 16:28 ET, Tue, Jan 21, 2025 Link copied Bookmark Barron Trump was loving the crowd at his father's inauguration (Image: Getty)Traders have lost millions of dollars on a 'fake' Barron Trump meme coin.Before Monday's inauguration, Donald and Melania Trump launched a pair of meme coins that at one stage were worth billions.Trump's cryptocurrency token skyrocketed in value but came crashing down in spectacular fashion, leading copycats to create an unofficial coin for Barron, 18. Meme coins are cryptocurrencies often built around popular internet trends and lack substantial utility, making them prone to volatile price swings The fake $BARRON meme coin, inspired by Trump's youngest son but with no official link, surged by 90% in a minute before completely losing its value.Barron was front and center of the inauguration (Image: Getty)One trader claimed they lsot a staggering $1 million in just two hours, with many mistakenly thinking it was connected to Barron.This came after Trump's coin went on sale on Friday, with the President writing on X: "My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE!"Its time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING! Join my very special Trump Community. GET YOUR $TRUMP NOW. Go to http://gettrumpmemes.com Have Fun!"Melania Trump launched her cryptocurrency $MELANIA on Sunday, sending Trump's cryptocurrency plummeting.She wrote: "The Official Melania Meme is live! You can buy $MELANIA now. https://melaniameme.com." Trending Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy PolicyWhile Barron might not have a meme coin just yet, he is following in his father's footsteps in the business world.He is reportedly getting read to launch a luxury real estate venture with two young business partners, according to Newsweek.The venture, based at Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, will launch in spring this year.Barrons co-founder, Cameron Roxburgh, said their original company was paused to avoid election-related media attention. Related articles Most read in Politics Latest videos SEARCH News Entertainment Latest News Sports TravelTHE-EXPRESS.COM IPSO Regulated Copyright 2025 Express Newspapers. "Daily Express" is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Would you like to receive news notifications from The Express?

Whenever you try to access the defunct Spanish page, it says "404" and "PAGE NOT FOUND." A button directing back to the home page reads "GO HOME."Cada vez que intenta acceder a la difunta pgina en espaol, dice "404" y "PGINA NO ENCONTRADA." Un botn que dirige a la pgina de inicio dice "VETE A CASA."

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Anti-Trump Searches Appear Hidden on TikTok After App Comes Back Online: 'TikTok is Now Trump's Propaganda'One video showed that #f***biden was allowed, but #f***trump did not pop up.By Elizabeth Urban Published 01/21/25 AT 12:07 PM ESTSearches for anti-Trump content are reportedly appearing hidden on TikTok for many users after the app came back online in the U.S.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla; Getty ImagesSearches for anti-Trump content are now appearing hidden on TikTok for many users after the app came back online in the U.S.TikTok users have taken to X to share that when they search for topics negatively related to President Donald Trump, a message pops up saying "No results found" and that the phrases may violate the app's guidelines.One user said that when they tried to search "Donald Trump rigged election" on a U.S. account, they were met with blocked results. Meanwhile, the same phrase searched from a U.K. account prompted results.Another user shared video of them switching between a U.S. and U.K. VPN to back up the user's viral claims, which has since amassed more than 187,000 likes."Apparently this is a bit inconsistent depending on the phrasing used, but remains something that is (as far as i can tell) exclusive to Americans, and IS still part of a blatant effort to censor progressive discussion," the user added in a comment under the viral post.Other users shared that searches for the same content that contained spelling errors would result in the content being shared with U.S. users. In one video of a user sharing searches for different hashtags, #f***biden was allowed but #f***trump did not pop up."Just tried and basically they're censoring certain words.. so if you make typos they're going to show up... TikTok is now Trump's propaganda arm," one user commented."So I guess the stipulation for TikTok to stay was to turn into a Trump propaganda machine," another user wrote.Some users added that they received warnings from the app while trying to repost political videos. One user explained that they were told they had connectivity issues despite no previous issues scrolling through the app."I'm trying to repost a video criticizing Trump for his anti-trans political agenda and it's claiming I am not connected to the internet even though I'm clearly connected and can scroll with no issues..." the user wrote on X.While American users shared that they had no issues with the app, others suggested that the blocked terms could be related to restricted searches following the 2020 election.However, many users expressed dismay at the situation. "We are in a bad place," one user commented. "'The land of the free' my ass," another user wrote.TikTok is not the only platform that users have expressed problems searching for political content on. Several users reported that #Democrats was being restricted on Instagram or was not available for them.Meta said in a statement to the BBC that the "error affecting hashtags across the political spectrum" was being addressed.TikTok has not yet publicly commented on users' claims of restricted political searches.Originally published by Latin Times.Donald trump Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

SubscribeJoin the newsletter to get the latest updates.If it wasnt already obvious, the last 72 hours have made it crystal clear that it is urgent to build and mainstream alternative, decentralized social media platforms that are resistant to government censorship and control, are not owned by oligarchs and dominated by their algorithms, and in which users own their follower list and can port it elsewhere easily and without restriction.Besides all of the normal problems with corporate social mediathe surveillance capitalism, the AI spam, the opaque algorithmslets take stock of what has happened in the last few days.First, millions of small business owners and influencers who make a living on TikTok were left to beg their followers in TikToks last moments to follow them elsewhere in hopes of being able to continue their businesses on other corporate social media platforms. This had the effect of fracturing and destroying peoples audiences overnight, with one act of government.TikTok has since come back, but it is still unclear what the future of the platform is, and TikTok now exists at the whim of President Trump and is beholden to him to an unknown extent. TikToks status in the Untied States is still up in the airit is still not available for download in the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store, and it could disappear at any moment if service providers like Oracle decide that Trumps executive order and assurances that they will not be prosecuted or fined are not enough assurance to keep the app online.Elon Musk, who had already turned X into a cesspool of hate and an overt tool to get President Trump elected, is now formally part of the Trump administration, meaning the platform is literally owned by a member of the Trump White House.Meta has made an overt shift to the right, and Mark Zuckerberg has himself become a Trump booster. The platform is making its content moderation worse, has declared that immigrants and LGBTQ+ people are legitimate targets for hate speech, and has made many of these changes at the behest of the Trump White House and Stephen Miller, according to The New York Times.This post is for paid members onlyBecome a paid member for unlimited ad-free access to articles, bonus podcast content, and more.SubscribeSign up for free access to this postFree members get access to posts like this one along with an email round-up of our week's stories.SubscribeAlready have an account? Sign in

Among a flurry of executive orders signed by President Trump last night is one that revokes former President Biden's 2021 executive order setting targets for EVs and emissions standards.Biden's order sought to have 50% of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles. He also instructed the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop stricter emissions standards to achieve it. The EPA finalized the rule in March 2024, with a reduced target of 30% by 2032, including hybrids and not only pure EVs.Transportation is the US' largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year, the EPA says, contributing to rising global temperatures. Children are also disproportionately affected by gas-powered vehicle exhaust, according to the American Lung Association.Trump packaged the Biden EO reversal with dozens of others, saying that "climate extremism has exploded inflation and overburdened businesses with regulation." But he's criticized government efforts to incentivize EVs, including state-level calls for automakers to only sell electric vehicles by a certain date."We will revoke the electric vehicle mandate, saving our auto industry and keeping my sacred pledge to our great American autoworkers," Trump said in his inaugural address. "In other words, youll be able to buy the car of your choice."The Biden administration denied its EV push was a mandate. And the United Auto Workers (UAW) endorsed Biden and, later, VP Kamala Harris for president.Trump Freezes Cash for Charging NetworkOne major impediment to EV adoption is the availability of chargers, so a 2021 infrastructure bill signed by Biden allocated $5 billion over five years for a nationwide EV charging network. That, too, is on the chopping block, with Trump freezing the remaining funds from being dispersed in a separate executive order. "All agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022...or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act...including but not limited to funds for electric vehicle charging stations made available through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, and shall review their processes, policies, and programs for issuing grants, loans, contracts, or any other financial disbursements of such appropriated funds for consistency with the law and the policy outlined in...this order."EV charging stations have been slower to come to fruition than expected, drawing bipartisan criticism. In anticipation of Trump taking office, the Biden administration released $635 million for more charging infrastructure earlier this month.What About the EV Tax Credit?Another big Biden EV effort is the $7,500 federal tax credit. Trump, however, says his administration may axe it.In an effort to "promote true consumer choice," Trump is "considering the elimination of unfair subsidies and other ill-conceived government-imposed market distortions that favor EVs over other technologies and effectively mandate their purchase by individuals, private businesses, and government entities alike by rendering other types of vehicles unaffordable," he said Monday.The tax credit has provided major discounts to tens of thousands of qualified buyers. It's part of the Inflation Reduction Act and runs through 2032. Trump can't unilaterally repeal it, though he can push Congress to take action.In a November letter to Trump's transition team, the Alliance for Automotive Innovationwhose members include Ford and GMpushed him to keep the tax credit, The Verge reports.The tax credit has "fueled investment in domestic EV and battery manufacturing and increased good-paying jobs in automotive communities across the industrial base," the alliance said. "The incentives help ensure the US continues to lead in manufacturing critical to our national and economic security."The alliance also noted the tough competition that US brands face from China's auto industry, given its dominance over the battery supply chain and manufacturing power."The electric vehicle market is rapidly evolving as Chinese competitors leverage advantaged cost structures," Ford said in August when announcing its scaled-back EV ambitions. "An affordable electric vehicle starts with an affordable battery. If you are not competitive on battery cost, you are not competitive.At CES, Honda told journalists it still plans to convert to an all-electric lineup, but it could slow the pace of doing so if demand weakens during the Trump Administration. Consumers may still go for an EV, considering their many benefits, including smoother handling, fast acceleration, quiet cabin noise, and lack of dirty exhaust.

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Donald Trump took aim atThe United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity, Trump said during a ceremony at Capitol One Arena, where he signed a raft of executive orders before a roaring crowd.One of those orders revokes 78 Biden-era actions, including a 2021 executive order aimed at making half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 electric.That target was not binding. It also won support from top automakers.These clean car rollbacks will burden Americans with a Trumpfecta of higher prices, more pollution and weaker competitiveness, said Dan Becker, director of the safe climate transport campaign at the environmental non-profit Center for Biological Diversity. Our kids and everyone with lungs will pay the price for these politically motivated rollbacks of protections for our air and the climate.Trumps order is part of a promised push to repeal environmental protections introduced by Biden and to support US makers of gas-powered cars. He has also promised to roll back auto pollution standards finalized by Bidens administration last spring a rule Trump calls an EV mandate, though it did not directly require the production of electric vehicles.Read more of the Guardians Trump coverageFactchecking Trumps speechElon Musk appears to make back-to-back fascist salutesActivists ask: is there any point in mass protest?

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Facebook is under fire after users noticed their accounts were automatically following President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. This wasnt some random glitch it appears intentional, and people are not happy about it. Many insist they never followed these figures or interacted with their pages, yet there they were on their profiles.One user said their cousin noticed a notification about Trump changing his profile picture. When they checked their own profile, they found they were following Trumps page as of January 2025. Another user reported that attempts to unfollow Trump and Vance didnt stick, with the platform forcing them to re-follow. The workaround? Blocking the accounts entirely.A lot of people are saying theyve had enough and are quitting Facebook for good. Comments like, Ill be off all Meta products shortly and I dont trust Meta. are popping up everywhere. Others are calling it a blatant overreach and questioning why the platform thinks its okay to decide who they should follow.Facebook hasnt made a statement yet, but this isnt the first time Metas been accused of meddling in political optics. Early last year the company decided to limit the amount of political content its algorithms promote. A few months later, Meta and Google were also accused of suppressing information related to Trump. But after Trumps election win, Metas top man, Mark Zuckerberg, seemed to start cozying up to Trump, even making a generous donation for his inaugural committee.And now, after Trumps swearing-in, it seems Facebook took the next big step by forcing a large number of users to follow Trump and Vance. For now, users are stuck between outrage and confusion. Blocking these pages seems to be the only way to guarantee they dont reappear in your follows.Instagrams problems are also adding fuel to the fire. Several users tried searching for #Democrat or #DNC and found no results, with some screenshots showing a sensitive topic warning. In contrast, searches for #Republican and #RNC worked perfectly. While Meta hasnt commented, many suspect this is a deliberate choice rather than a bug.I managed to replicate this too. Searching for #Democrat and #DNC resulted in a Weve hidden these results notice that claimed it was done because it may contain sensitive content. Here are a few screenshots for reference:Metas silence so far isnt helping. Users are left feeling like they have less control over their accounts and feeds. Whether this leads to any real action from Meta remains to be seen, but for now, its clear the trust many users once had in these platforms is wearing thin.Well post an update if and when there are any further developments regarding the two issues.

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Tears and disappointment flowed Monday after newly sworn-in President Donald Trump cut off a mobile app that allowed migrants to apply to enter the U.S. legally as asylum-seekers. All pending appointments made with the app have been canceled, too. The CBP One app was set up under the Biden administration as a way to curb people crossing the southwest border illegally to request asylum. Once it went into effect, it was the only way for people to get an appointment to request asylum.Monday afternoon, Customs and Border Protection posted on its website that the app was no longer available for that purpose and existing appointments have been canceled. Some 280,000 people werelogging into the appdaily to secure an appointment as of Jan. 7, according to Reuters.In Jurez, Mexico, a woman cried, Oh God! as she wailed against a post at the border fence, Noticias Telemundo reported. Another migrant, Julio Alberto Hernndez, originally from El Salvador and waiting in Tijuana, told Noticias Telemundo that his appointment was three or four days away.I was so happy because I was going to get to enter to support my children," Hernndez said in Spanish. "But with this, were left sad because they erased it." The news was delivered to CBP One users through pop-up notifications in different languages saying CBP One appointments are no longer valid. CBP said that in December, it processed about 44,000 asylum-seekers through information submitted through the app. From January 2023 to December 2024, more than 936,500 people had scheduled appointments, CBP said.Trump had previously telegraphed his plans to end migrants use of the app. The Biden administration said the app helped organize a chaotic asylum process, marked by numerous people crossing the border illegally and surrendering to Border Patrol agents. But the app also was criticized for technical glitches and the long waits for initial screenings to determine if migrants qualified to apply for asylum. Trump and others also disliked the number of people granted entry. Christian Martinez, of Honduras, said he had sent an application and just gotten a response that applications were no longer being accepted. Right now Im feeling a sentiment as if something just vanished. That hope that I could enter legally, that just got cut off, and its very difficult, Martinez said.The wait has been a year and a half long for Melanie Mendoza, who called the cancellations unfair. "Now they tell us, 'No, your appointments are not valid," she said wiping away tears. In Matamoros, Mexico, a group of migrants from the central Mexican state of Zacatecas arrived at a legalbordercrossing at midday, but were turned back byborderauthorities who said all appointments were now void, they told Reuters.Honduran Denia Mendez, sitting in the courtyard of a migrant shelter in Piedras Negras, Mexico across from Eagle Pass,Texas stared at an email for several minutes, before her eyes welled with tears.They canceled my appointment, she said.

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Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565Visit Shots! now"Something bad happened while we were gone: How TikTok changed after the US banAfter just 12 hours of being banned, TikTok made an abrupt return to American users last night, leading many to celebrate and laugh at their initial hysteria. However, amidst the joy, some users believe they have uncovered a sinister truth about the new version of TikTok that has reappeared: "Something bad happened while we were gone, states TikTok user Allie Hamrick.TikToks ban in the US stemmed from national security concerns raised by the Trump administration. The administration claimed that TikToks parent company, ByteDance, was harvesting data from American users and potentially sharing it with the Chinese government. To avoid a permanent ban, TikTok was required to either sell its US operations to an American company or restructure its data-sharing practices. ByteDance entered negotiations with several US firms, including Oracle and Walmart to create a new entity that would address these concerns. However, the deals specifics remained unclear, and the sudden reinstatement of TikTok has led to speculation about what agreements were reached behind closed doors.Following the brief blackout, multiple users reported significant changes upon the apps return, including vastly different For You pages and restrictions on live streams. One TikTok user, Allie Hamrick, garnered over a million views on her video detailing the eerie changes she noticed.Hamrick first described the red flag initial messages that appeared on users' screens during the app's shutdown and subsequent reinstatement. Both messages prominently mentioned Donald Trump and his role in saving the app also referring to him as the President even though he had not actually been inaugurated yet. Chelsea Jordan posted a separate viral video which criticised the shutdown messages saying: It screams propaganda and you can't convince me otherwise.Another user commented below this video, likening Trump to a narcissist: A narcissist taking something away and then giving it back is a common manipulative tactic used to control their victims by creating a cycle of dependency and uncertainty. The comment received 12.5 thousand likes with many replying to it and affirming its message. Commenters also pointed out how this messaging seemed to highlight the influence of a powerful elite, with one user likening it to an oligarchy- a government controlled by a few extremely wealthy individuals.TikTok was unavailable for millions of users over the weekend. | TikTok was unavailable for millions of users over the weekend. CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty ImagesHamrick describes how one creator she follows explained that every single comment in her comment section about Trump, or talking negatively about TikTok has to be approved, and remains censored if not. This means she is left with thousands of comments she has to manually approve.Intrigued by this video, they tried to share it with her friends through Messenger but says, despite encountering no issues with sharing other TikTok videos that day, this specific video failed to be sent as a link. She then tried to share a video about the CEO of TikTok reposting MAGA (Make America Great Again) content and faced the same issue, which furthered her concerns about selective censorship.Similarly, another user, Alyssa Jay, reported issues when trying to share a video comparing Chinas free healthcare system and lower living costs to the US She received a message stating, sharing is limited to one chat at a time, and upon attempting to share further, another warning appeared: You have reached the sharing limit. This is to limit the spread of potentially harmful content. This was not something that she had experienced prior to the ban. In response to the message displayed, Jay argued: This video wasnt harmful; it was just comparing the freedoms of two different countries. It feels like our freedom of speech is being chipped away.Read MoreMany users have also noticed changes to TikToks live-streaming feature. Lives no longer appear in feeds as frequently, which Hamrick speculated could be due to the difficulty of censoring live content in real time. While some users noted that lives are still accessible if intentionally searched for, they agreed that it has become harder to stumble upon them organically.Additionally, reports have surfaced about political content being removed from the platform. Videos of protests during Trumps inauguration and those linking the California wildfires to climate change have seemingly disappeared from the algorithm. Users across the US and Europe have also reported being unable to search or comment on certain phrases, such as Free Luigi Mangione. In one now-deleted TikTok video, a user shared that upon opening Facebook, she was immediately prompted to link her TikTok account to the Facebook app - a feature she had never encountered before.This has fuelled speculation that TikToks CEO, Shou Zi Chew, may have sold portions of the platform - or at least its data - to the US government during the blackout. Critics point to Chews unexpected attendance at Trumps inauguration and the apps sudden pro-Trump messaging as potential evidence of a deal, despite earlier denials.Shou Zi Chew, who became TikToks CEO in 2021, has a background in finance and technology. He previously worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and later as the CFO of Xiaomi, a Chinese electronics company. His tenure at TikTok has been marked by attempts to navigate geopolitical tensions and maintain the apps global popularity. Recently, Chew faced criticism after being seen reposting videos in support of Trump on his personal TikTok account. Although these posts were quickly deleted, they added to suspicions about his alignment with the former president and potential compromises made to keep TikTok operational in the US.Although none of these claims have been officially confirmed, they raise serious concerns about potential changes happening behind the scenes. The abrupt return of TikTok, coupled with these reports has led many to question whether the platform has been sold or if covert changes are reshaping its functionality and purpose.

President Donald Trump has issued an executive order telling the Department of Justice to not enforce a rule that demands TikTok spin off from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or face a ban.The order, issued on Trumps first day of office, is meant to effectively extend the deadline for a sale by undercutting penalties on American companies like Apple and Google working with TikTok. It directs the Attorney General not to take any action to enforce the Act for a period of 75 days from today to allow my Administration an opportunity to determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way. The AG is supposed to issue a letter to each provider stating that there has been no violation of the statute and that there is no liability for any conduct that occurred.The order furthermore instructs the Department of Justice to take no action to enforce the Act or impose any penalties against any entity for any noncompliance with the Act and says they should be barred from doing so for any conduct that occurred during the above-specified period or any period prior to the issuance of this order, including the period of time from January 19, 2025, to the signing of this order.Trump, who issued an executive order banning TikTok during his first term in 2020, is now trying to circumvent a bipartisan law that took effect January 19th. He posted on Truth Social before taking office that he was asking companies to keep working with TikTok, a move that could mean risking hundreds of billions of dollars in fines if Trumps assurances dont stand up in court. TikTok briefly went down on Sunday but quickly came back online though it was removed from Apple and Googles app stores and has not come back.Its unclear whether Trump can legally pause the TikTok ban. The law allowed for a 90-day extension if ByteDance announced a sale to a non-foreign adversary-based company before the deadline, but not only has no such sale been announced, its legally ambiguous whether the extension can be used after the 19th. Trump, in any case, isnt so far using the deadline hes just attempting to override the law.Despite that reassurance, it still may not be enough to convince service providers covered by the law to reinstate TikTok. As many legal experts have pointed out, those companies could face up to about $850 billion in potential penalties for violating the law which was passed by a bipartisan Congress, signed by former President Joe Biden, and upheld by the entire Supreme Court. The government could act on any potential violation even five years after it happens and an executive order doesnt change that, though it might help give the companies a slightly better due process defense to fight it. Companies still might not risk litigation over such a large potential fine, though they may also be wary of raising Trumps ire by refusing to work with TikTok.On top of all this, the rule the order says its not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, which makes it even less reliable as a defense for companies.Trump also declared on Sunday that the US government will own 50 percent of TikTok through an unexplained joint venture with a private company. It remains unclear how this would work.

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Vivek Ramaswamy has stepped down from co-leading President Donald Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), according to the Associated Press. The official line as to why Ramaswamy is moving on is that he plans to run for elected office he reportedly intends to run for Ohio governor.Vivek Ramaswamy played a critical role in helping us create DOGE, spokesperson Anna Kelly says in the statement to the Associated Press. He intends to run for elected office soon, which requires him to remain outside of DOGE, based on the structure that we announced today. We thank him immensely for his contributions over the last 2 months and expect him to play a vital role in making America great again.Trump gave DOGE, which is not a department of the US government, the remit to advise cuts to wasteful government spending. Musk and Ramaswamy spelled out their plans in a Wall Street Journal article. But CBS News reported yesterday that Ramaswamy was on the way out:People close to Musk have privately undercut Ramaswamy for weeks, frustrated with his lack of participation in the heavy lifting, according to sources familiar with the internal dynamics. There has been friction between the incoming rank and file DOGE staff and Ramaswamy, the sources said, and Ramaswamy has been subtly encouraged to exit.Ramaswamy hasnt said on X if hes stepping away from DOGE, but he did post a picture today with Musk. A few days ago, he also quote-tweeted a parody account that announced Ramaswamys candidacy for Ohio governor, saying that its not a bad idea.DOGE is already the subject of at least three lawsuits.

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Meta, Google, TikTok, and X have each pledged to European lawmakers that they will do more to prevent and remove illegal hate speech on their platforms. The European Commission integrated a revised set of voluntary commitments into the Digital Services Act (DSA) on Monday that aim to help platforms demonstrate their compliance with DSA obligations regarding illegal content moderation.Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Dailymotion, Jeuxvideo.com, Rakuten Viber, and Microsoft-hosted consumer services have all signed the Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online Plus which is not a terribly named streaming service but an update to a 2016 Code. The revised code commits signatories to transparency around hate speech detection and reduction, to allowing third-party monitors to assess how hate speech notices are reviewed by the platforms, and to review at least two-thirds of hate speech notices within 24 hours.Hatred and polarisation are threats to EU values and fundamental rights and undermine the stability of our democracies. The internet is amplifying the negative effects of hate speech, EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said in a statement. We trust this Code of conduct+ will do its part in ensuring a robust response.These EU Codes of Conduct are voluntary commitments and companies face no penalties if they decide to back out of the agreement, as Elon Musk did with X (then known as Twitter) in 2022 when he withdrew the company from the Code of Practice on Disinformation.

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By Matt Novak Published January 20, 2025 | Comments (60) | Donald Trump arrives at St. John's Church as Big Tech oligarchs sit behind him and podcaster Joe Rogan looks on nearby. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images U.S. oligarchs like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and Apple CEO Tim Cook were all spotted sitting behind Donald Trumps family at church Monday morning, just hours before the incoming president will be inaugurated. And its a great reminder that the U.S. is about to enter a frightening new era that begins when Trump is sworn in as the 47th president at noon ET. Trump attended St. Johns Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. on Monday, a tradition thats been observed by past presidents like Barack Obama and George W. Bush. But those presidents didnt have business leaders who stand to benefit from the incoming administration filling out the pews. Photographer Anna Moneymaker captured images from inside the church, and its a whos who of the wealthiest, most powerful people in the world of tech, including guys like Zuckerberg, Bezos, and Cook, as well as Google CEO Sundar Pichai and podcaster Joe Rogan. Meta and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (L) CEO of Apple Tim Cook, Founder of Amazon and Blue Origin Jeff Bezos attend services as part of Inauguration ceremonies at St. Johns Church on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images The Big Tech Mafia largely seemed to be sitting in one row, while Bezoss partner Lauren Snchez was also in the row near former British prime minister Boris Johnson, according to the Washington Post. One notable absence from church was Elon Musk, at least based on the photos that were captured by the pool photographer. Musk and the other Big Tech CEOs all have enormous contracts with the U.S. government through their respective companies and stand to profit from being close to Trump. Thirteen billionaires are set to take formal roles in the Trump White House.The commentators on CNBC defended the presence of the oligarchs at church. Chris Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire, was asked about the presence of these business leaders and he seemed excited by the visual on Monday, saying it wasnt bureaucrats who were in the pews. The suggestion, of course, being that CEOs will be better at running the country. Podcaster Joe Rogan was also at church near the incoming president, captured in a photo giving Trump a rather odd look. Rupert Murdoch, the 93-year-old media mogul who owns a wide swath of conservative media outlets around the world, was also present. Trump sat down at church next to incoming Vice President JD Vance and his wife, incoming Second Lady Usha Vance. Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner were sitting in the row behind the president.Trump has promised to issue a flurry of executive actions as soon as he takes office, including pardons for the insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But there were conflicting reports about whether Trump would pardon the most violent coup plotters. President Joe Biden issued his own preemptive pardons early Monday for figures including Gen. Mark Milley and Dr. Anthony Fauci, people Trump has suggested he will target for retribution when he takes power. In fact, Trump has previously suggested Milley should be executed for treason. So Americans will find out soon enough whether those pardons are worth the paper theyre written on. Trump also launched his own cryptocurrency late Friday, arguably one of the most dangerous actions he couldve possibly taken before formally entering the White House, given its ability to transfer wealth from the masses to Trump personally. The crypto also risks destabilizing the global economy as people around the world make a bet that anything associated with the most powerful person in the world is a good investment.The $TRUMP coin quickly became one of the most traded coins over the weekend, accounting for almost 90% of Trumps net worth, according to Axios. A full 80% of the coins are owned collectively by CIC Digital LLC, a company thats an affiliate of the Trump Organization, and Fight Fight Fight LLC, also owned by Trumps company, according to USA Today. Previously, it was illegal to just print your own money. If youre an American, things are about to change really quickly. And all we can do is try to protect the vulnerable in our communities as best as possible while Trump and his goons plunder the country.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Matt Novak Published January 19, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 19, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 18, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 17, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 16, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 16, 2025

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Was the whole TikTok drama a bait-and-switch to make Trump look good?Skeptics have highlighted how Trump was the one who initially called for the Chinese-owned social media app to be banned in 2020Rhian Lubinin New York,John BowdenMonday 20 January 2025 03:43 GMTTrump's national security adviser pledges to preserve TikTok for American usersSign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inboxGet our free Inside Washington emailGet our free Inside Washington emailI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read ourprivacy policyPolitical commentators have suggested that the drama surrounding TikTok is a scam to make President-elect Donald Trump look good after he has vowed to save it.The Chinese-owned social media app went dark in the U.S. on Saturday night and posted a message at about 10.30 p.m. Eastern time saying: Sorry, TikTok isnt available right now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!The Biden administration blasted TikToks statement as a stunt in a statement on Saturday.And on Sunday morning, Trump vowed to issue an executive order on Monday, the day of his inauguration, to give the apps parent company ByteDance more time to find a buyer. Early Sunday afternoon, TikTok announced it was in the process of restoring service to the app and thanked Trump for his support.We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive, it said in a statement. Its a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.Skeptics have highlighted how Trump was the one who initially called for the controversial Chinese-owned social media app to be banned in 2020. But since Trumps following on TikTok grew he has now amassed 14.8 million followers and he hinted it helped to clinch the election, the president-elect has changed his tune.I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok because I won youth by 34 points, Trump said in December. And there are those that say TikTok had something to do with that.Trump signed an executive order to impose sanctions on TikTok in August 2020 (REUTERS)This TikTok scam by Trump is really something, Ron Filipowski, a defense attorney and editor-in-chief of the left-leaning MeidasTouch news outlet said. In a few days, we will be hearing from Trump about how he saved Tik Tok & brought it back. He literally created the problem by calling for a ban. Rs pass a law. It gets banned. It goes dark for a day or 2, then Trump saves it.Journalist Aaron Rupar said that Trump now has the big tech companies working on his behalf.Trump hated TikTok (because China) until it helped him win an election (as even he acknowledges) and now hes going to save it and take a victory lap, Rupar said. So hell have X, TikTok, Insta, and Facebook all working on his behalf. Thats a big difference between now and 2017.The message U.S. TikTok users were greeted with when the app went dark (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)Heath Mayo, founder of the conservative group Principles First, added: Trump got China to place what amounts to a front-page ad on the phone of every American on TikTok. Selling out US national security to promote himself as some savior. Surprise, surprise.Senator Chris Murphy (D-Ct) said the move by Trump was terrifying.TikTok tucking itself in with Trump. Twitter under control of the White House. Facebook making major changes to placate MAGA, doing PR campaign to align w Trump, Murphy wrote in a post on X. Does everyone not see whats happening here and how terrifying this is.Others shared dismay at the idea that Trump can effectively void a federal law. Im trying, and I hope other people will try, to hold onto the simple notion that a US president cannot simply declare a federal law that was passed last year and literally upheld this week to be a nullityeven if its a not-so-hot law, writer and lawyer Luppe B. Luppen said in a post on BlueSky. The Congress is the body that can amend or repeal federal laws.On August 6, 2020, Trump issued an executive order to impose sanctions on TikTok. The United States must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security, Trump said in the order.It called for ByteDance to divest its U.S. interests or face sanctions, but Trumps effort to ban the app was then blocked by a federal judge. Trump has thrown his support behind the app more recently (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)Since then, he has pledged support for the social media giant, even inviting TikToks CEO to his inauguration. The Independent has contacted the Trump transition team for comment.Trumps incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz defended the president-elect on Sunday.He said that Trump was working in real time with tech companies to reach an agreement for new US ownership of TikTok something a number of his allies, including Canadas Kevin OLeary, have also been at work seeking to make a reality.Waltz also indicated that it was possible for TikTok to remain under Chinese ownership, albeit with firewalls (such as Americans data being stored in US-based servers) to guard against perceived national security threats.Asked by CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union whether that meant "capitulating" to China by accepting a deal wherein the app was not sold, Waltz issued a denial.No, no, no, he told Bash. Both can be true at the same time. TikTok can continue to exist, and whether thats in American hands, owned by an American company, or whether the data and algorithms are fully protected from Chinese interference, theres a number of...formulas this can take.More aboutTikTokDonald TrumpWhite HouseJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features

WTF?! Although it appears that TikTok will continue to be accessible in the US, many people were upset when they temporarily lost access to the app. One 19-year-old Wisconsin teen was so angry at the prospect of his beloved TikTok being banned that he set fire to a congressman's office. Shortly after 1 am on Sunday, police officers with the City of Fond du Lac responded to reports of a fire at 525 N. Peters Avenue.The burning building is leased by US Representative Glenn Grothman, one of the Republicans who voted in favor of the law forcing TikTok to sell its US operations or be banned in the United States.Police later arrested a Menasha man on suspicion of setting the fire. Channel 3000 reports that he admitted to committing arson, which was a response to the TikTok ban. // Related StoriesThe building was unoccupied at the time of the fire and no one was injured. Police officers used fire extinguishers to control the flames until firefighters arrived.A photo of the office's charred door and air conditioner unit has been going viral on social media, writes Gizmodo.The unnamed teen is being held at the Fond du Lac County Jail while the arson charge is being referred to the County District Attorney's Office.It appears that the fire was started after TikTok stopped US users from accessing the app on Saturday, hours before the law banning the app came into effect.The person responsible for the fire might regret his actions even more upon discovering that TikTok started restoring its US services on Sunday after Trump said he would sign an executive order to delay the ban, giving TikTok more time to reach a deal that will allow it to continue operating in the United States. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he wanted a "joint venture" in which the US government would own 50% of the company. Exactly how that would work remains unclear, but it sounds as if Elon Musk won't be buying the app, which had been rumored.

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