Facebook Faces Expulsion From Thailand For Failing To Crack Down On Scams
Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) has issued a stern warning to Meta, urging the social media company to address fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scams proliferating on its Facebook platform.
Failure to comply could lead to Facebook being banned from the Thai market.
What Happened: DES minister Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn expressed readiness to approach the courts to shut down Facebook by the end of this month.
This move is in response to the surge in scam investments, particularly those that falsely use the name and symbols of Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).
These scams often lure investors with promises of high returns, sometimes as much as 15-30% daily, according to the DES.
The DES, in collaboration with other agencies, emphasized that neither the SEC nor the SET has offered such investments, and any information suggesting otherwise is fraudulent and designed to defraud potential investors.
Why It Matters: Cybercriminals have been employing a variety of tactics to deceive users, ranging from promoting high-yield lending schemes to impersonating well-known financial figures, it stated and added that more than 5,300 fraudulent ads and fake pages have been identified on Facebook.
“Facebook’s negligence has resulted in damages worth over 100,000 million baht to the Thai people. If Facebook wishes to continue its operations in Thailand, it must demonstrate responsibility towards Thai society,” stated Chaiwut.
Facebook’s inaction has affected more than 200,000 victims, accounting for approximately 95% of the 300,000 reported cases, he added.
The National Police Agency has reported the prosecution of 364 individuals in connection with fraudulent activities, including trading in unauthorized accounts and phone numbers.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Glitch On Musk’s X Temporarily Wipes Out Iconic Internet Images
Some X users found that numerous images shared between 2011 and 2014, when it was still known as Twitter, vanished from the platform. This discovery has meant that some of the internet’s most iconic moments are currently missing. This error made images from the said period disappear and affected related links, changing some into shortened versions.
What happened: A glitch temporarily wiped out X images and links between 2011 and 2014.
Top among the notable disappeared images was Ellen DeGeneres’ celebrated Oscar selfie from 2014, a post that had garnered 2.8 million reshares and 2 million likes. Other significant absences included pictures from the Arab Spring and posts about the popular K-Pop group BTS.
Tom Coates was among the early birds to highlight this issue when he shared his observation on Saturday, pointing out that images before 2015 were invisible. His revelation quickly gained traction, with over 15.2 million views.
More vandalism from @elonmusk. Twitter has now removed all media posted before 2014. Thats – so far – almost a decade of pictures and videos from the early 2000s removed from the service.
For example, here’s a search of my media tweets from before 2014. https://t.co/FU6K34oqmA
— Tom Coates (@tomcoates) August 19, 2023
After this, a community note was appended to Coates’ post, clarifying that while the images might not be visible on the platform, they still reside on X’s servers.
Interestingly, before Coates, @DaniloTakagi, a Brazilian user, reported a similar concern on Friday.
Acabei de confirmar aqui. O Twitter/X removeu todas as mídias e imagens postadas de 2014 pra trás. Eles não tem dinheiro nem pra armazenamento mais.
Artistas e criadores de conteúdo, vocês realmente ainda querem continuar usando esta rede? https://t.co/cKBPxqQ81V
— DΔniloTakagi –
(@DaniloTakagi) August 17, 2023
Currently, images and links from 2011-2014, including the viral Ellen selfie, have sporadic availability. High-profile individuals, like X’s chairman Elon Musk, weren’t spared either.
Some reports suggest that even Musk’s posts before December 2014 are only viewable by some. However, some Zenger News team members independently verified that his posts were visible when writing this.
X ventured into the realm of image-sharing in June 2011. Unsurprisingly, the glitch’s root cause remains with neither Musk nor the platform officially commenting on it.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first hiccup for X. The platform’s reliability has been in question following several outages. Many attribute the increased disruptions to the significant workforce reductions initiated by Musk last October.
A particularly severe outage occurred in February, resulting from an accidental deletion of vital data by an employee. Tragically, the team overseeing that data had already parted ways with the company, per Insider’s report.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Tesla Data Breach Affected Over 75,000 People
By Anan Ashraf
EV giant Tesla has pinned the data leak that led to a media exclusive on the company’s autopilot issues on two former employees of the company.
What Happened: German newspaper Handelsblatt informed Tesla that it obtained confidential information on May 10 and in an investigation that followed, it was traced back to two former employees, Tesla said in a statement posted on the Maine’s General Attorney website on Friday.
The two employees misappropriated the information and violated Tesla’s IT security and data protection policies, according to the EV giant. The company has taken steps to contain the incident and protect information including filing a lawsuit against the two unnamed employees, according to Tesla.
“These lawsuits resulted in the seizure of the former employees’ electronic devices that were believed to have contained the Tesla information. Tesla also obtained court orders that prohibit the former employees from further use, access, or dissemination of the data, subject to criminal penalties,” the statement read.
The leaked data pertains to 75,735 persons, including former and current employees of the EV giant. Though Tesla has not found any misuse of personal data, it has offered complimentary membership of Experian IdentityWorks, which provides credit monitoring and identity theft and resolution services to affected individuals.
Why It Matters: Handelsblatt released a report based on the leaked data. As per the report, Tesla customers filed more than 2,400 complaints regarding self-acceleration issues and 1,500 complaints about braking problems between 2015 and March 2022.
While most of these incidents had minor consequences, some resulted in fatal outcomes, the report noted.
The newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief, Sebastian Matthes, explained that the exclusive data used for the report was sourced from multiple informants and comprised a significant amount of information, totaling 100 gigabytes and consisting of 23,398 files. A team spent six months analyzing the files to compile the report, he added.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Key Tesla Roadster Engineer Musk Loses To EV Startup Started By Ex-Colleague
One of Elon Musk-led Tesla Inc‘s key engineering figures, Colin Campbell, is bidding farewell to the electric vehicle giant after 17 years of service.
What Happened: Campbell, who played an instrumental role in Tesla’s growth from a startup to a global powerhouse, is making a significant career move to join Redwood Materials, a company established by none other than Tesla’s co-founder and former CTO, J.B. Straubel.
Reflecting on his time at Tesla, Campbell said on LinkedIn: “My time at the company began when we barely had a proof of concept and ends with millions of Teslas on the road worldwide. We not only made a difference on global emissions but also forever influenced how the world thinks about transportation and helped to shape the product roadmaps of almost every other automaker.”
Campbell’s journey with Tesla commenced in 2006 when the EV landscape was in its infancy. He was part of the team that brought Tesla’s first electric sports car, the Roadster, to life. Through the years, he climbed the ranks, contributing significantly to the advancement of Tesla’s powertrain technology.
His trajectory at Tesla included roles such as director of engineering for power electronics, and later as vice president of powertrain technology.
Campbell’s decision to join Redwood Materials as CTO marks a reunion with former colleague Straubel, who co-founded Redwood after leaving Tesla in 2019 and is credited by Musk as the reason behind his first investment in Tesla.
Redwood Materials aims to create a North American battery supply chain by producing cathode and anode materials and focusing on recycling.
Interestingly, Straubel recently returned to Tesla, this time as a member of the company’s board, possibly signaling potential ties between the two companies.
Campbell’s exit also comes on the heels of the abrupt exit of Zachary Kirkhorn, who held the position of chief financial officer.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Elon Musk: The Unofficial Power Behind US Government Decisions?
Elon Musk’s role in the U.S. government and his influence across various industries have become a significant cause for concern. A newly published article in The New Yorker highlights how the government is struggling to rein in Musk’s power and decision-making.
The U.S. government has become heavily reliant on Elon Musk’s companies, such as SpaceX and Tesla, in critical areas like space exploration, transportation and the future of energy.
SpaceX is the sole means of transporting NASA crew into space, and the government’s plans for electric cars largely depend on Tesla, The New Yorker reports Monday. This dependency presents challenges, as Musk’s risk-taking and capricious nature make him difficult to control.
Musk’s unique position as a civilian arbiter in geopolitical conflicts, like the Ukrainian war, creates unfamiliar challenges for the government. The Pentagon struggled to negotiate a contractual arrangement with SpaceX to ensure consistent services and prevent Musk from abruptly withdrawing support. Musk’s involvement and influence in conflicts between nations is unprecedented, states The New Yorker.
High-ranking officials from various government agencies, including NASA, the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation, now treat Musk as an unofficial decision-maker. Current and former officials express both admiration for Musk’s insights and profound misgivings about the extent of his influence. Some feel the government is living off Musk’s goodwill, which is less than ideal.
Musk often expresses ambivalence about how his technology is being used and deployed. For example, he hesitated to provide internet service to Ukraine due to concerns over the conflict’s escalation. Musk’s pragmatic interests, such as maintaining good relationships with officials in China, influence his decisions. His power and influence extend beyond business and technology into political discourse, as he recently rebranded Twitter as “X.”
Musk’s personal background and experiences, including a tumultuous relationship with his father and being bullied at school, have shaped his character. Musk has stated that he has Asperger’s syndrome, which affects his social interactions. These personal factors contribute to his sometimes impulsive and unpredictable behavior.
The New Yorker reports that Musk’s shadow rule poses challenges for the U.S. government as his influence transcends traditional boundaries in various industries. The government’s reliance on Musk’s companies, his decision-making in geopolitical conflicts and his growing power in shaping political discourse raise concerns about the extent of his influence and the government’s ability to handle it effectively.
Produced in association with Benzinga
Legendary Italian Car Maker Creates Pure-electric Modern Masterpiece
By Dean Murray
It may be 95 years old – but a legendary Italian car manufacturer has created a £3.8m modern masterpiece.
Automobili Pininfarina has wowed motoring fans with the world’s first pure-electric, open-top hyper barchetta.
The “retro-futuristic” B95 was unveiled at the Monterey Car Week and marks the 95th anniversary of Pininfarina SpA.
The brand are renowned for their 61-year relationship with Ferrari which saw them design some of their most iconic models, including the Testarossa and the F40.
Only ten of the handcrafted B95s will be made, with deliveries of the “limited-run masterpiece” beginning in 2025.
Accelerating from 0-60mph in less than 2 seconds, B95 has a top speed of more than 300km (984252 feet) /h.
Paolo Dellachà, Chief Executive Officer, Automobili Pininfarina, said: “This is the most exciting chapter of the Automobili Pininfarina story so far – we’re taking another big step forward.
“B95 delivers the power of Battista (a model revealed in July) and yet creates a new dimension of driving experience, redefining the very joy of driving.
It is the first of a new kind, an object of desire that introduces the thrill of exceptional, electrified performance in stunning open-top form.”
The B95 is powered by the same state-of-the-art powertrain that delivers “breath-taking performance” in the company’s Battista hyper GT, but with a “unique tune for such a unique vehicle”.
Its T-shaped battery pack, which is liquid-cooled, is protected within a strong and lightweight carbon fibre housing and can be charged using DC fast chargers up to 270kW – for a 20-80% top up in as little as 25 mins.
Andrea Crespi, Chief Technical Officer, Automobili Pininfarina, said: “The Automobili Pininfarina B95 could have been created simply as an all-electric hyper barchetta, however we wanted to make it so much more than that.
“We’ve selected the latest technology to make it a vehicle people desire to own, as well as a thrilling place to be.
The application of technology to create our adjustable aero screens is inspired by two-wheel motor racing – ensuring this is a pioneering road car.
“This patented new technology enables the pure thrill of open-top driving, yet in comfort even at the high speed that the B95 is capable to reach.”
When applied to an automobile, barchetta describes a small car that is open-topped, without provision of a removable or foldable top for weather protection.
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
