Turkey Unblocks Instagram After Crime Content Concerns Addressed

Turkey has unblocked Instagram after the app agreed to deal with the government’s concerns about crime-related content and censorship.

The country’s Transport Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, announced the news on X.

Instagram was blocked on August 2, leaving users in Turkey unable to access it without any clear explanation.

The block came shortly after Fahrettin Altun, Turkey’s head of communications, accused Instagram of censoring posts that expressed sympathy for Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader who had recently passed away.

According to Uraloglu, the main issues were related to serious crimes like murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking, and torture, and how Instagram was handling these topics and censorship overall.

NetBlocks, the group that first reported the blockage, confirmed that access to Instagram was gradually being restored in Turkey.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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• Google Cloud Survey Shows Companies See ROI from Generative AI, but Employees Remain Dissatisfied
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Google Cloud Survey Shows Companies See ROI from Generative AI, but Employees Remain Dissatisfied

According to a new survey by Google Cloud and the National Research Group, many companies are seeing a return on their investment after adding GenAI to their workplaces. Many companies are starting to use generative AI in their workplaces, and some enterprises are researching whether investing in GenAI is worthwhile. Companies are only willing to invest in AI if it provides a good return and increases productivity.

The survey reveals that 74% of companies using at least one GenAI application saw a return on investment within a year, while 86% reported a revenue increase of up to 6% due to generative AI. The survey included 2,508 senior leaders from companies with over $10 million in revenue. 61% of the companies claimed to use generative AI for at least one application. Companies can go from idea to production of GenAI in less than six months.

Additionally, there was a 45% increase in productivity from using generative AI, with 70% of the productivity gains coming from the IT department. 63% of businesses see AI as a growth driver, while 82% of leaders in financial services reported sector growth due to generative AI.

Upwork surveyed 2,500 C-suite executives to assess how workers feel about productivity after using AI. The report highlights a disconnect between executives and workers regarding GenAI. 81% of executives expect increased output from employees due to AI, but 65% of employees believe AI can boost productivity yet don’t see it at work. 47% of employees are unsure how to use AI effectively for productivity.

Google suggests that companies should provide a detailed AI usage strategy to employees, train the workforce, and involve them in AI-related decisions. 74% of employees believe companies should seek their opinions before implementing AI strategies. As AI yields returns on investment, it’s crucial to include employees in this success.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Google Testing Chrome Web Monetization Feature to Allow Users to Tip Favorite Websites

Google is testing a monetization feature for Chrome that will enable website owners to receive payments or tips from users. These funds will be like rewards for website owners for their helpful content. According to a Chrome Status documentation page, Web Monetization feature in Chrome is going to make websites receive micro-payments from users if they like the website or its content.

Many websites and blogs rely on ads or subscriptions to earn revenue. Often, this revenue is insufficient, leaving website owners discouraged despite their content being interesting and helpful. If users will give them micro-payments or tips for their content, website owners will feel compensated for their work and content creators will be motivated to produce more high-quality content for the website.

Website owners can add monetization to their websites using rel="monetization" HTML element. When it's added to the web page, it means that the website can receive payments. Web monetization also has two features. One is small payments. This means that users are solely tipping the website as a token of their appreciation so it doesn't mean they have to pay large sums of money. Another feature is no user interaction. It means users don't have to interact with any website owner or message that asks them to pay the money. Users can control how much and when they want to make a payment on the website.

Payments will happen automatically so the users can support the website while consuming the content without any interaction. This will allow users to have a seamless experience on the website. Web Monetization on Chrome is still underdevelopment and not a W3C standard yet. Google’s goal is to make it a W3C standard which will eventually happen once web monetization is completely enrolled.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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Internet Shutdowns Surge: Top 9 Countries Cracking Down in 2024

Data by Surfshark’s Internet Shutdown Tracker shows which countries witnessed internet restrictions in the first half (that is from January to June) of 2024. According to the insights, the internet in 9 countries was restricted by their own governments to silence the public during protests and political unrest. Overall, 21 internet restrictions were witnessed in the first half of 2024 as compared to 42 restrictions in the first half of 2023.

India was the top country with most internet restrictions witnessed in the first half of 2024. A total of 7 restrictions were observed. 6 of the restrictions were due to different protests in the cities and regions. Since 2015, India has been on the top for the country with most internet restrictions and it doesn't look like the internet restrictions are going to stop anytime soon.

Pakistan saw five internet restrictions in the first half of 2024 because of the election period. Three internet restrictions were imposed by the interim government during and after elections, while two were imposed before the elections. This shows the aspect of democracy in Pakistan and how the state restricts the internet to silence the public and emerging voices.

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Senegal witnessed two internet restrictions amidst elections. Jammu & Kashmir also witnessed two internet restrictions in the first half of 2024. Three countries witnessed internet restrictions for the first time since 2015. These countries were El Salvador, Comoros and Kenya. All of these countries experienced internet restrictions because of elections or other political unrest.

Overall, 10 out of 21 times the internet was restricted because of protests due to different reasons, 4 were due to elections and 7 were related to different other political reasons.

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• Wikipedia Renames Gaza Entry to “Gaza Genocide” After Debate and Expert Opinions Amid Israeli Atrocities in Palestine

• Freelancing Landscape Shifts: Top Hiring Nations Change from 2023 to 2024

by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Wikipedia Renames Gaza Entry to “Gaza Genocide” After Debate and Expert Opinions Amid Israeli Atrocities in Palestine

The global editors of Wikipedia have concluded Israel guilty of the genocide happening in Palestine and renamed their entry as “Gaza genocide”. There was some debate and voting between editors and now they have declared it as a fact. The editors who have been in support of this change presented their arguments by citing academic articles from human rights professors, genocide scholars, legal experts, Holocaust historians and political experts.

Among these experts is Francesca Albanese who is a UN Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Territories. Israel and the USA have requested her removal from her position because of her constant support for Palestine and her statements were frequently cited in Wikipedia entries. Some international news sources and organizations were also used as sources. Statements from Anadolu Agency from Turkey, philosopher Ilan Pappé and Ynet and journalist Gideon Levy were also referenced.

Various figures and observers cited statements from Israel that indicated Israel’s intent to destroy Gaza. It clearly shows that it was a genocide against Gaza’s population. 75% US-based Middle East scholars say that Israel committed major war crimes that indicated genocide and some also stated that Israel wants Gaza to become uninhabitable for Palestinians.

Statements from Israel’s government officials were also made part of the entry to prove Israel’s malicious acts. It included statements from Itamar Ben-Gvir (National Security Minister), Isaac Herzog (President), Bezalel Smotrich (Finance Minister) and Benjamin Netanyahu(Prime Minister) saying that they are going to turn Gaza into ruins.

Wikipedia covers this issue with three angles– legal, academic and cultural. It also features extensive definition of genocide, statements from different figures who Pro-Palestine or Pro-Israel and Israel actions on local and international fronts. Editors also cited survey by Brookings Institution showing one-third of Middle Eastern researchers viewing Israel’s actions on Gaza as genocide with 41% seeing it as major war crimes akin to genocide.

Some editors also opposed the title “Gaza Genocide” saying it violates Wikipedia’s policy of neutral titles and shows bias against Israel. They accused Wikipedia of double standards, and one editor claimed that Wikipedia used unreliable sources to show statistics. Israeli editors say that many entries on Wikipedia are written from an anti-Israel perspective.

For context: As of August 2024, the conflict (after October 2023) has resulted in a stark disparity in losses between Israel and Palestine. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), nearly 40,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, with 91,645 reported injured. In addition, over 70,000 housing units in Gaza have been destroyed, and approximately 1.9 million Palestinians are displaced within the region. In comparison, Israel has seen about 5,432 injuries and around 1,200 deaths, with most casualties being military personnel and fewer civilians. The economic and humanitarian toll on Gaza is severe, with over 70% of the population facing food insecurity and extensive infrastructure damage, while Israel’s economic conditions remain relatively stable despite ongoing disruptions. These figures underscore the disproportionate impact of the conflict on Palestinian civilians.

Image: DIW-AIgen

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Freelancing Landscape Shifts: Top Hiring Nations Change from 2023 to 2024

According to a freelance management platform, Worksuite, the need for freelancers is rising in most countries. If you are someone looking for freelancing gigs, it is the best time to look for countries which are hiring freelancers. There are some countries which are in need of freelancers or have various freelancing jobs for people who want to work independently.

As per data, the top ten countries which spent the most on hiring freelancers in the first half of 2023 were the UK, US, India, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Australia, Canada, Uruguay and Switzerland. In the first half of 2024, the top ten countries hiring freelancers look a bit different from 2023. The top ten countries which are spending the most on freelance talent in the first half of 2024 are Ukraine, India, Philippines, US, UK, Turkey, Slovenia, Germany, Canada and Germany.

This data gives an idea about how the freelancing market is doing currently. If you are an individual interested in working freelance with these countries, it is best to look for different online job postings on freelance websites. Try to do your own research to gain understanding of how you can reach the companies in these countries. Study the market rates of the countries and determine if they align with your business ideas.

It is also recommended that you target the countries through social media and digital marketing. It is extremely helpful if you are building an audience for pay per click (PPC). Build your global client base and develop strategies to collaborate with different stakeholders around the world. You can also plan to move to the country of your choice for freelance work if it's a requirement.

The report concluded that 22.4% year-on-year growth was invoiced through freelance management. South Africa saw a 126% increase in freelancers in the first half of 2024, followed by the US (68%) and Canada (64%). Australia (62%) and UAE (47%) also saw an increase in fresh freelance talent.

Table 1: Top 10 Countries with the Most Freelancers (H1 2023 vs. H1 2024)

Rank	H1 2023	H1 2024
1	United States	United States
2	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
3	Canada	Canada
4	United Arab Emirates (UAE)	United Arab Emirates (UAE)
5	Philippines	Philippines
6	Germany	India
7	Puerto Rico	France
8	India	Brazil
9	France	Australia
10	Sweden	South Africa

Table 2: Top 10 Countries Where Companies Spent the Most on Freelance Talent (H1 2023 vs. H1 2024)

Rank	H1 2023	H1 2024
1	United States	United States
2	United Kingdom	Ukraine
3	Canada	Canada
4	Netherlands	United Kingdom
5	India	Turkey
6	Panama	Germany
7	Switzerland	India
8	Australia	Philippines
9	Poland	France
10	Uruguay	Slovenia

Table 3: Top 5 Countries with the Most Growth in Number of Freelancers (H1 2024)

Rank	Country	Growth Percentage
1	South Africa	126%
2	United States	68%
3	Canada	64%
4	Australia	62%
5	United Arab Emirates (UAE)	47%

Table 4: Top 10 Freelancer Titles (H1 2023 vs. H1 2024)

Rank	H1 2023	H1 2024
1	Writer	Writer
2	Editor	Editor
3	Photographer	Photographer
4	Producer	Producer
5	Director	Director
6	Translator	Translator
7	Project Manager	Copywriter
8	Leadership Coach	Graphic Designer
9	Copywriter	Creative Director
10	Journalist	Camera Operator

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X Saw the Highest Recorded Revenue in July 2024 After Being in Constant Decline

X’s revenue has been declining for several months after seeing some growth in March 2024. But July was the month when X set a new record in its revenue According to the estimates by App Figures, users spent $12.7 million on X (formerly Twitter). Out of $12.7 million, Elon took $8.9 million and some went to Apple and Google fees.

Most of the revenue was recorded on the App Store. 77% of the revenue was acquired on the App Store while Google Play contributed the rest of the revenue. The country which made X earn the most revenue was the USA. Japan was the country with the second most revenue from X and it was surprising to see that it doesn't happen often.

July’s revenue makes 20% month-over-month growth of X, which is a great growth after the continuous decline X was seeing. There was also an 8% increase from X’s all time high revenue in March 2024, and a 424% increase from January 2023. This means X is on the road to do better in terms of revenue. It can still achieve more growth if X figures out how to manage the app according to users’ preferences.

Looking at the bigger picture: Snapchat saw the highest growth in revenue at $32 million and Instagram at $23 million after monetizing their apps. They also started monetizing much later than X but are performing way better compared to X. The point to be noted is that these apps earned that revenue after excluding the store fees. Telegram is also on its way to beat X with $7.4 million revenue recorded in July 2024. So what's X doing wrong that is making it harder for the app to earn high revenues? It all comes down to the new features and updates that users aren't liking that much.

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