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Reddit blackout: What is the reason?

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After Reddit announced on May 31 that there would be a certain amount to be paid by the third-party application, the communities of the platform are protesting with a 48-hour blackout from June 12 (today) by going private, citing fears of going out of the business.  

Going private means anyone outside the community will not be able to see their posts.

Responding to the announcement, the community outlined three demands focused on Reddit’s application programming interface (API), accessibility for blind people, and access to content that’s deemed not suitable for work (NSFW).

Reddit is one of the 20 most popular social platforms founded in 2005.

Thousands of subreddits are participating in the blackout protest, according to a Reddit post, ranging by size from 5,000 users to more than 40 million users.

Forums such as r/todayilearned, r/funny and r/gaming, with more than 30 million subscribers apiece, have signed up to join, while others with 1 million plus members, including r/iPhone and r/unexpected, went already private on the strike call.

Cumulatively, it makes more than 2.6 billion subscribers and more than 28,000 moderators.

According to a BBC report, the participating subreddits are going private and won’t be accessible during the blackout.

The changes will introduce huge charges for “premium access”, effectively killing off popular third-party Reddit apps such as Apollo, which lets users browse the site with a customisable interface.

Such apps would need to charge about $5 a user per month simply to pay the new fees to Reddit, Apollo’s sole developer, Christian Selig estimated.

But the Reddit conflict has another cause which is between the social network and AI companies such as ChatGPT creator OpenAI, which have used huge data from the service to train their systems.

“The Reddit corpus of data is really valuable,” Steve Huffman, founder and chief executive of Reddit, told the New York Times in April.

“But we don’t need to give all of that value to some of the largest companies in the world for free.”

In a group statement, the moderators of the thousands of subreddits that were joining the protest said: “On June 12th, many subreddits will be going dark to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed since many moderators aren’t able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app.” 

The statement also added: “This isn’t something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.”

By uniting in this way, moderators hope to exert pressure on Reddit’s administration to reconsider the new charges and address their concerns.

The blackout signifies the importance of third-party apps in enhancing the Reddit user experience and providing additional features not found in the official app. 

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Pakistan declares AI chatbots to be dangers to security.

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The National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) has released a security advisory concerning the increasing utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, emphasizing potential hazards related to the exposing of private data.

The recommendation recognizes that AI chatbots, like ChatGPT, have gained significant popularity for personal and professional duties owing to their capacity to improve productivity and engagement. Nonetheless, the CERT cautions that these AI systems frequently retain sensitive information, so posing a danger of data breaches.

Engagements with AI chatbots may encompass sensitive information, such as corporate strategy, personal dialogues, or confidential correspondence, which could be compromised if inadequately safeguarded. The warning emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive cybersecurity framework to alleviate concerns associated with AI chatbot utilization.

Users are advised against inputting critical information into AI chatbots and are encouraged to deactivate any chat-saving functionalities to mitigate the danger of unwanted data access. The CERT additionally advises performing routine system security checks and employing monitoring tools to identify any anomalous behavior from AI chatbots.

Organizations are urged to adopt rigorous security protocols to safeguard against possible data breaches resulting from AI-driven interactions.

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Unlawful VPNs: Terrorists Utilize Unregistered VPNs to Disseminate Propaganda

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Terrorists utilize illicit VPNs to disseminate propaganda and misinformation while concealing their identities.

Several accounts have been uncovered and are under investigation.

The cessation of non-registered VPNs is crucial for the nation’s economy.

The PTA is blocking illegal URLs and websites disseminating objectionable material upon verification.

Forensic investigations of websites have yielded startling results.

Disseminating erroneous information is more facile using unregistered VPNs.

Terrorists were exploiting these unverified VPNs.

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Air University Holds A Revolutionary Event For Students Focusing On Cybersecurity

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Air Marshal (R) Asad Lodhi has praised the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, an initiative by the Air University and Higher Education Commission that aims to train future cyber security experts and pioneers. At the opening ceremony of the two-day Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, which took place at Air University in Islamabad, he was the chief guest.
Showdown challenges, the Ideas Cup, and the Pakistan Crypt Challenge are all part of the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, which lasts for two days.

Air Marshal (R) Abdul Moeed Khan, VC of Air University, made a speech praising the cyber security abilities of Pakistani youth, saying that they are among the best in the world and will help the country face cyber threats. A haven for cyber security excellence, he said, Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge 2024. Additionally, he praised the Air University for its innovative and outstanding work in this area.
At the inaugural ceremony of the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge, Dr. Zia Ul Qayyum, executive director of the Higher Education Commission, also spoke to the crowd. He discussed how HEC has created a welcoming atmosphere and helped facilitate projects such as the Pakistan Cyber Security Challenge.
As part of the inauguration event, an MoU was also signed. Guests and participants were given souvenirs as the opening ceremony came to a close.

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