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Reddit blackout: What is the reason?

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2 years ago

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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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Balochistani Graduates Selected for NUTECH Islamabad’s Mining Program

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6 days ago

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For 18 graduates of the Reko Diq Mining Project, the National University of Technology, Islamabad, has started a training program. These graduates will complete an 18-month on-the-job training program at Barrick’s International Mining Sites after completing a two-month course at NUTECH.

The graduates will acquire proficiency in mining and associated technical domains during the training program. The chosen graduates will also get specific instruction on environmental protection, safety, exploration, and geology.

Along with the development of communication skills, the curriculum will also emphasise the most recent advancements in the mining industry. Barrick’s International Graduate Development Program for 2024 includes the Balochistani graduates.

Additionally, nine Baloch graduates were selected in 2023 and transported to Barrick’s facility in Argentina for on-the-job training.

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WhatsApp will improve the updates tab by introducing new shortcuts and a revamped interface.

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1 week ago

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WhatsApp is implementing a new upgrade to refine the Updates tab interface, hence boosting accessibility for status and channel updates.

WABetaInfo reports that the upgrade introduces expedited shortcuts that streamline the updating of statuses and channels. Users can now select and upload photos and videos directly from the interface, reducing the steps involved in choosing media from the gallery.

The Meta-owned messaging application has also revamped the button for generating text-based status updates and introduced a feature for recording and sharing voice status updates. This offers customers a more expedient method to disseminate text and speech updates without depending on the floating action button.

The revisions correspond with recent modifications to other tabs, ensuring a modernised interface that improves navigation and update creation. WhatsApp is modifying the floating action button to facilitate content sharing within channels.

When selecting the floating action button, users will see several options, including creating status updates, starting new channels, or sharing photos, videos, voice, and text in existing channels. This revamp integrates all content-generating options into a singular section.

The new shortcuts are anticipated to be accessible to a broader user base in the forthcoming weeks. Beta testers can currently access them in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, version 2.24.26.13, available on the Google Play Store.

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China and Pakistan Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Launch AI-Powered Agricultural Equipment

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1 week ago

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Through Chinese expertise, the arrangement, which was made possible by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), intends to increase Pakistan’s agricultural output.

The Punjab government and China’s “AI Force Tech” company have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to introduce advanced agricultural machinery during Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s visit to China.

Through the use of advanced robotic technology, the MoU seeks to transform Pakistan’s agricultural industry, guarantee economic growth, and boost farmers’ wealth with China’s assistance.

Through the partnership, Pakistan would also have the chance to absorb knowledge about China’s sophisticated farming methods.

In the meantime, plans have been revealed by the Federal Minister of Planning to send 1,000 agricultural experts to China to study contemporary farming methods.

A Chinese business and the Punjab government previously inked an agreement to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment technologies to Punjab.

Maryam Nawaz signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hygea Medical Technologies while she was in China in order to introduce cutting-edge cancer treatment equipment and techniques to Punjab.

This equipment will make it feasible to treat cancer without the need for chemotherapy or surgery.

Following a meeting with Hygea Medical Technologies President Dr. Luo Fuliang, Maryam Nawaz said the organization has promised expert assistance for the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Cancer Hospital.

She went on to say that the hospital will work with China to treat cancer patients utilizing the newest equipment and techniques following the agreement.

Maryam Nawaz and a high-level delegation are present. From December 8 to December 15, the chief minister will go to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou.

CM Maryam Nawaz is expected to attend a number of conferences, events, and meetings with the goal of enhancing bilateral relations and looking into potential joint ventures in the areas of infrastructure development, technology, agriculture, and governance.

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