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Scotsman
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Online Safety Act: Wikipedia could ‘introduce cap' in UK
Wikipedia has challenged part of the Online Safety Act in the High Court 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Wikipedia could be forced to cap UK users, it has claimed. The website has raised privacy concerns about a part of the Online Safety Act. Wikimedia Foundation has challenged part of the bill in the High Court. A cap on the number of visitors able to use Wikipedia could be introduced, it has been warned. Wikimedia Foundation, the outfit behind the website, is challenging the Government's new Online Safety Act in the High Court over concerns about how it could impact the privacy of its volunteers. The case was heard last week, but a decision has yet to be returned. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The nonprofit is particularly concerned about the Categorisation Regulations contained within the bill, and how the website could be in the top tier: category one. It would require Wikipedia to enforce ID verification on its anonymous voluntary moderators, as well as visitors. In a statement announcing the legal challenge earlier this year, Wikimedia said: 'Category 1 demands would undermine the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors, expose the encyclopedia to manipulation and vandalism, and divert essential resources from protecting people and improving Wikipedia, one of the world's most trusted and widely used digital public goods.' The foundation does add that it is not 'bringing a general challenge to the OSA as a whole', simply to the categorisation regulations. Wikipedia would fall under category one - which includes websites that have an average number of monthly UK users that 34 million and uses a content recommender system, or has more than 7 million monthly users, uses a content recommender system, and provides a functionality for users to forward or share regulated user-generated content on the service with other users of that service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Wikipedia is challenging part of the Online Safety Act in the UK High Court | Riccardo Milani / Hans Lucas /AFP via Getty Images Stephen LaPorte, General Counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation, said: 'The Court has an opportunity in this case to set a global precedent for protecting public interest projects online.' Biometric Update reports that the foundation has warned category one rules would 'undermine the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors, expose the encyclopedia to manipulation and vandalism, and divert essential resources from protecting people and improving Wikipedia, one of the world's most trusted and widely used digital public goods.' The website added that in court, Wikipedia's lawyers floated the idea of a monthly quota to keep it below the Category 1 threshold, meaning that UK access to Wikipedia could become less like browsing the web and more like trying to buy a concert ticket, with a cap on how many people get in.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
Online Safety Act: Wikipedia could ‘introduce cap' in UK
Wikipedia has challenged part of the Online Safety Act in the High Court 🚨 Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Wikipedia could be forced to cap UK users, it has claimed. The website has raised privacy concerns about a part of the Online Safety Act. Wikimedia Foundation has challenged part of the bill in the High Court. A cap on the number of visitors able to use Wikipedia could be introduced, it has been warned. Wikimedia Foundation, the outfit behind the website, is challenging the Government's new Online Safety Act in the High Court over concerns about how it could impact the privacy of its volunteers. The case was heard last week, but a decision has yet to be returned. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The nonprofit is particularly concerned about the Categorisation Regulations contained within the bill, and how the website could be in the top tier: category one. It would require Wikipedia to enforce ID verification on its anonymous voluntary moderators, as well as visitors. In a statement announcing the legal challenge earlier this year, Wikimedia said: 'Category 1 demands would undermine the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors, expose the encyclopedia to manipulation and vandalism, and divert essential resources from protecting people and improving Wikipedia, one of the world's most trusted and widely used digital public goods.' The foundation does add that it is not 'bringing a general challenge to the OSA as a whole', simply to the categorisation regulations. Wikipedia would fall under category one - which includes websites that have an average number of monthly UK users that 34 million and uses a content recommender system, or has more than 7 million monthly users, uses a content recommender system, and provides a functionality for users to forward or share regulated user-generated content on the service with other users of that service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Wikipedia is challenging part of the Online Safety Act in the UK High Court | Riccardo Milani / Hans Lucas /AFP via Getty Images Stephen LaPorte, General Counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation, said: 'The Court has an opportunity in this case to set a global precedent for protecting public interest projects online.' Biometric Update reports that the foundation has warned category one rules would 'undermine the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors, expose the encyclopedia to manipulation and vandalism, and divert essential resources from protecting people and improving Wikipedia, one of the world's most trusted and widely used digital public goods.' The website added that in court, Wikipedia's lawyers floated the idea of a monthly quota to keep it below the Category 1 threshold, meaning that UK access to Wikipedia could become less like browsing the web and more like trying to buy a concert ticket, with a cap on how many people get in. Phil Bradley-Schmieg, Lead Counsel at the Wikimedia Foundation, explained: 'We are taking action now to protect Wikipedia's volunteers, as well as the global accessibility and integrity of free knowledge. We call on the Court to defend the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors from flawed legislation'.
Scotsman
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Oasis release live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' ahead of Wembley dates
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The live track comes from the group's celebrated homecoming shows at Heaton Park earlier this month Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Oasis fans have woken up to the release of one of the group's most celebrated songs being released. A live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' from their stunning homecoming shows in Manchester is now available on streaming services. The release comes ahead of the group's much anticipated return to Wembley this weekend. Oasis have dropped a electrifying live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol,' recorded during their triumphant return to Manchester on July 11, 2025. The release comes just as the band gears up to kick off an incredible seven sold-out nights at London's Wembley Stadium this Friday, July 25 and is available now through all leading digital services. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Oasis will release a live version of their classic 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' from their sold out homecoming shows at Heaton Park, ahead of their scheduled Wembley appearances. | Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images The Manchester show was the first of five historic nights at Heaton Park, drawing a staggering 340,000 fans from across the globe – with attendees travelling from as far as Japan, Costa Rica, and Argentina to witness the momentous occasion. 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' was the sixth song in the setlist that night, perfectly capturing the raw energy of their homecoming. The Oasis Live '25 tour has been met with a rapturous response from fans and critics alike, following epic shows in Cardiff and Manchester. It's already being hailed by many, including The Sunday Times, as the "biggest rock comeback in history." Beyond the live shows, Oasis fever continues to dominate the UK charts. Their singles compilation album, 'Time Flies… 1994-2009,' recently returned to No.1, while seminal studio albums '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' and 'Definitely Maybe' are also riding high in the Top 5 Album Chart. This new live track follows 'Slide Away (Live from Cardiff, 4 July '25),' keeping fans buzzing for more. And there's plenty more on the horizon: a '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition is set to be released on October 3rd, with the 'Complete Studio Album Collection' box set arriving even sooner on August 22nd. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Are there tickets left for Oasis' upcoming shows at Wembley? There are some - and the key word here is 'some' - reseller options currently available through Ticketmaster as of writing, but prepare to wait in their automated queuing system if you're one of those who have only just decided to pick up a ticket before the start of tomorrow's Wembley residency.
Scotsman
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Oasis release live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' ahead of Wembley dates
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. The live track comes from the group's celebrated homecoming shows at Heaton Park earlier this month Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Oasis fans have woken up to the release of one of the group's most celebrated songs being released. A live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' from their stunning homecoming shows in Manchester is now available on streaming services. The release comes ahead of the group's much anticipated return to Wembley this weekend. Oasis have dropped a electrifying live version of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol,' recorded during their triumphant return to Manchester on July 11, 2025. The release comes just as the band gears up to kick off an incredible seven sold-out nights at London's Wembley Stadium this Friday, July 25 and is available now through all leading digital services. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Oasis will release a live version of their classic 'Cigarettes and Alcohol' from their sold out homecoming shows at Heaton Park, ahead of their scheduled Wembley appearances. | Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images The Manchester show was the first of five historic nights at Heaton Park, drawing a staggering 340,000 fans from across the globe – with attendees travelling from as far as Japan, Costa Rica, and Argentina to witness the momentous occasion. 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' was the sixth song in the setlist that night, perfectly capturing the raw energy of their homecoming. The Oasis Live '25 tour has been met with a rapturous response from fans and critics alike, following epic shows in Cardiff and Manchester. It's already being hailed by many, including The Sunday Times, as the "biggest rock comeback in history." Beyond the live shows, Oasis fever continues to dominate the UK charts. Their singles compilation album, 'Time Flies… 1994-2009,' recently returned to No.1, while seminal studio albums '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' and 'Definitely Maybe' are also riding high in the Top 5 Album Chart. This new live track follows 'Slide Away (Live from Cardiff, 4 July '25),' keeping fans buzzing for more. And there's plenty more on the horizon: a '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' Deluxe 30th Anniversary Edition is set to be released on October 3rd, with the 'Complete Studio Album Collection' box set arriving even sooner on August 22nd. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Are there tickets left for Oasis' upcoming shows at Wembley? There are some - and the key word here is 'some' - reseller options currently available through Ticketmaster as of writing, but prepare to wait in their automated queuing system if you're one of those who have only just decided to pick up a ticket before the start of tomorrow's Wembley residency. Are you excited over the prospect of more live version of classic Oasis songs being released from their comeback shows? Let us know what you'd like to see released next by leaving a comment down below.
Scotsman
22-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Facebook deletes millions of accounts in purge on spam
Facebook is cracking down on 'spammy' and 'unoriginal' content ❌ Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Facebook is purging millions of accounts, it has announced. Social media giant is cracking down on 'copycats and impersonators' But which accounts are at risk of being deleted? A purge of 'copycat' accounts is on-going at Facebook and millions have already been deleted. The social media giant has also been cracking down on 'spam' content. In the first half of the year it took action on around 500,000 accounts engaged in 'spammy behavior or fake engagement', Meta has announced. They have also deleted around 10 million profiles 'impersonating large content producers'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A post on Facebook's creator blog explained: 'Too often the same meme or video pops up repeatedly ‑ sometimes from accounts pretending to be the creator and other times from different spammy accounts. It dulls the experience for all and makes it harder for fresh voices to break through. 'To improve your Feed, we're introducing stronger measures to reduce unoriginal content on Facebook and ultimately protect and elevate creators sharing original content.' Millions of Facebook accounts deleted Facebook has been deleting millions of accounts in a purge on 'spammy' content | Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images In a bid to improve services for users, the social media giant says that it has deleted 10 million accounts said to be impersonators. These accounts are described as having been impersonating large accounts on the platform. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Facebook cracking down on accounts sharing unoriginal content Posting on its Facebook creator blog, the company explained that it considers unoriginal content as anything that 'reuses or repurposes another creator's content repeatedly' without crediting. 'We love it when creators reshare content, add commentary in a reaction video or join in on a trend, adding their unique take,' it added. 'What we want to combat is the repeated reposting of content from other creators without permission or meaningful enhancements.' Facebook continued: 'We're now introducing stronger measures to combat this behaviour on Facebook. Accounts that improperly reuse someone else's videos, photos or text posts repeatedly will not only lose access to Facebook monetization programs for a period of time, but will also receive reduced distribution on everything they share. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'In addition, if our systems detect duplicate videos on Facebook, we will reduce the distribution of the copies so that original creators can get the visibility that they deserve. We're also exploring ways to provide proper attribution to creators. For example, we're testing adding links on duplicate videos that point viewers to the original piece of content.' As the weather heats up, we look back at the most popular ice creams of the 60s, 70s and 80s which we've loved and lost . How many do you remember?
