News Analysis India

Tag: Instagram

  • Instagram Faces Outage In United States; Social Media Flooded With Memes |

    New Delhi: Instagram users in the United States were hit by a service outage on Friday, causing inconvenience to many who reported issues with sending or receiving direct messages (DMs). Complaints flooded social media platforms, especially X (Twitter), with users expressing frustration over the disruption.

    Downdetector, an internet outage tracking portal, recorded a peak in reports around 6 PM EST, with more than 1500 users reporting problems. (Also Read: In Pics: From Aziz Premji To Sajjan Jindal, Where Are Next Gen Of These Biz Tycoons Are Studying, Or Have Studied From; Check Here)

    User Complaints On Social Media

    Social media users voiced their concerns about the Instagram outage on X, highlighting the inability to respond to DMs. (Also Read: HDFC And Axis Bank Closed On January 22 For Ayodhya Ram Temple Event)

    Some complained about the issue persisting for hours, seeking prompt resolution from Instagram. The majority of complaints, about 85 percent, were related to issues with the application, while 12 percent reported problems with the website, and 3 percent faced feed-related problems.

    No Response From Meta Yet

    As of now, Meta, the parent company of Instagram, has not issued a response or statement regarding the reported outage. Users are awaiting an official acknowledgment and solution from the platform.

    Previous Server Connection Issues

    This is not the first time Instagram has faced technical difficulties. In November last year, over 10,000 users globally, including around 1000 in India, reported server connection problems, impacting the user experience.

    New Feature For Teen Accounts

    In a separate development, Instagram is introducing a new feature called “nighttime nudges” for teen accounts. This feature aims to encourage responsible usage and limit screen time on the application for younger users.

  • FB, Instagram Collect All The Data They Can: Report |

    New Delhi: Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram are the two most privacy-invasive apps out there, a new report has revealed. The cybersecurity company Surfshark conducted research analyzing 100 popular apps, and they discovered that Facebook and Instagram were the most “data-hungry” of all.

    It ranked apps according to 32 criteria that are included in Apple’s privacy policy, such as payment information, browsing history, and exact location.” Since Instagram and Facebook are products of Meta Platforms, it’s no surprise these two apps collect and handle data the same way,” the researchers said. (Also Read: ‘We Have To Make Tough Choices’: Google CEO Sundar Pichai Hints More Layoffs In Coming Time)

    “Both apps collect all 32 data points defined by Apple and are the only two to do so,” they added. Facebook and Instagram used seven of the 32 user data points, including name, physical address, and phone number — for tracking. (Also Read: YouTube Trims Workforce, Lets Go Of 100 Employees In Latest Layoff Season)

    The remaining were connected to user identity but not used for tracking, the report noted. Although X (formerly Twitter) gathered less user data, it was the least reluctant to share it with outside parties.

    Nearly half of the 22 data pieces it gathered and associated with individuals were used for tracking. Overall, 10 social media and messaging applications were included in the research, and it was discovered that these apps collected more user data than the average amount.

    Meanwhile, a US judge has ruled that Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg must participate in a deposition as part of an ongoing lawsuit in Texas concerning the company’s face recognition technology.

    According to a ruling made by Justice Jeff Rambin on Tuesday, the state court has rejected Meta’s recent appeal “seeking relief from an order compelling the oral deposition” of Zuckerberg at an undisclosed date, reports CNBC.

  • Amit Shah Instagram: Home Minister Amit Shah’s Instagram account crosses 1 crore followers

    Union Minister of Home and Cooperation Amit Shah’s Instagram account has crossed the 1 crore mark in the number of followers.

    Social media pundits suggest that the latest buzz around his dexterity in steering seven historic bills across both houses amidst an explosive furore created by the opposition has much to do with his soaring popularity on social media platforms.

    As per the latest numbers, the Union Home Minister has as many as 34.1 million followers on X, 10.7 million on Instagram and 15 million on Facebook. However, Amit Shah has been the most followed political personality in India second only to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for a while now.The Home Minister’s 10.7 million followers on the short video platform Instagram is only second to PM Narendra Modi who is followed by a mind-boggling 82.7 million Insta people.

    On Facebook, Amit Shah scored 15 million followers right after PM Narendra Modi who leads him with 48 million followers.

    There is also a wide gap between Home Minister Amit Shah’s social media following and those of opposition stalwarts like Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Congress President Rahul Gandhi.Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge who was recently named as the probable Prime Ministerial candidate of the INDI alliance trails far behind Amit Shah on social media dominance with a following of 566.7 K on X and 130K on Facebook as opposed to Shah’s 34.1 and 15 million respectively.Arvind Kejriwal, one of the most vocal opposition leaders and the Delhi Chief Minister finishes the race at 27.3 million on X, 1.7 million on Instagram and 9.2 million on Facebook.

    While Rahul Gandhi clocks 24.7 million followers on X, 5.1 million on Instagram and 6.8 million on Facebook.

    Although Shah’s popularity has constantly been on the rise since he was credited with having master-minded PM Narendra Modi’s landslide victory in the 2014 Lok Sabha Polls, it saw a massive upheaval after the BJP won an even bigger victory in 2019 under his presidency.

    Placing a slew of landmark bills, overpowering the opposition with razor-sharp arguments often leaving the house in splits with witty comebacks, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has fomented an image of Parliamentarian par excellence in the last five years. (ANI)

  • NCPCR to brainstorm to prevent cyber trafficking

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  A minor girl from West Bengal, whose Instagram reels received many impressions on social media, one day got an ‘offer’ to act in a Hindi film. She readily accepted the offer, but soon found to her shock that the proposal was bait to lure her into prostitution. It was a narrow escape for her. But many such girls fall prey to miscreants on social media looking for vulnerable profiles.

    The rising number of such cases has caught the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The child rights body will be holding a meeting of all stakeholders on August 21 to deal with the problem of social media becoming a ‘tool for trafficking.’ The meeting aims to examine the existing mechanism and develop preventive measures to ensure the safety of children in the cyber world.

    In a letter to all the stakeholders, including the IT and telecom ministry, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said, “The commission has received information regarding several alarming incidents where minor children have been lured and further been made victim to offences like online grooming for various unlawful activities, trafficking, online sexual abuse and online harassment by people who they meet on social media websites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.”

    He further said the commission had received complaints and reports on the availability of child sexual abuse material on various social media platforms and web pages. Speaking to this paper, Kanoongo said that in the last two years, they have encountered several cases where minor girls have been lured through social media, especially Instagram.

    “It is important to note that these incidents are now on the rise due to the easy access of the unmonitored or unsupervised Internet and social media platforms,” Kanoongo said. “In the West Bengal incident, the girl was lucky that the accused was nabbed in time. In another incident, we found a body of a minor girl similarly lured through social media. Several such instances have come to light. Social media has now become the tool for traffickers,” he added.

    Kanoongo said young children posting videos and reels online are unaware that they are easy prey for online stalking and online grooming for unlawful activities. “We want cyberspace to be a safe space for minors. It is thus necessary to examine and develop a framework and mechanism to safeguard them,” he added.

    In his letter, the NCPCR head has said that the commission “deems it appropriate for a deliberation to examine and review framework/mechanism under various laws, based on the inputs from all the stakeholders, and recommend measures for their effective implementation.” “Such framework will not only cater to the challenges faced by the authorities but also lay down preventive measures to safeguard children,” the letter said. Major Internet Service Providers have also been invited to attend the meeting.

    Lured onlineThe National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has received information regarding several alarming incidents where minor children have been lured and been made victim to offences like online grooming for various unlawful activities, trafficking, online sexual abuse and online harassment by people who they meet on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

    NEW DELHI:  A minor girl from West Bengal, whose Instagram reels received many impressions on social media, one day got an ‘offer’ to act in a Hindi film. She readily accepted the offer, but soon found to her shock that the proposal was bait to lure her into prostitution. It was a narrow escape for her. But many such girls fall prey to miscreants on social media looking for vulnerable profiles.

    The rising number of such cases has caught the attention of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The child rights body will be holding a meeting of all stakeholders on August 21 to deal with the problem of social media becoming a ‘tool for trafficking.’ The meeting aims to examine the existing mechanism and develop preventive measures to ensure the safety of children in the cyber world.

    In a letter to all the stakeholders, including the IT and telecom ministry, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said, “The commission has received information regarding several alarming incidents where minor children have been lured and further been made victim to offences like online grooming for various unlawful activities, trafficking, online sexual abuse and online harassment by people who they meet on social media websites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.”googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    He further said the commission had received complaints and reports on the availability of child sexual abuse material on various social media platforms and web pages. Speaking to this paper, Kanoongo said that in the last two years, they have encountered several cases where minor girls have been lured through social media, especially Instagram.

    “It is important to note that these incidents are now on the rise due to the easy access of the unmonitored or unsupervised Internet and social media platforms,” Kanoongo said. “In the West Bengal incident, the girl was lucky that the accused was nabbed in time. In another incident, we found a body of a minor girl similarly lured through social media. Several such instances have come to light. Social media has now become the tool for traffickers,” he added.

    Kanoongo said young children posting videos and reels online are unaware that they are easy prey for online stalking and online grooming for unlawful activities. “We want cyberspace to be a safe space for minors. It is thus necessary to examine and develop a framework and mechanism to safeguard them,” he added.

    In his letter, the NCPCR head has said that the commission “deems it appropriate for a deliberation to examine and review framework/mechanism under various laws, based on the inputs from all the stakeholders, and recommend measures for their effective implementation.” “Such framework will not only cater to the challenges faced by the authorities but also lay down preventive measures to safeguard children,” the letter said. Major Internet Service Providers have also been invited to attend the meeting.

    Lured online
    The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has received information regarding several alarming incidents where minor children have been lured and been made victim to offences like online grooming for various unlawful activities, trafficking, online sexual abuse and online harassment by people who they meet on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

  • Gigi Hadid quits Twitter as it’s not ‘safe place’ after Elon Musk takeover

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Supermodel Gigi Hadid has announced that she quit Twitter as it’s no longer a “safe place” for anyone after Elon Musk bought the platform for $44 billion.On the heels of Twitter mass layoffs, the 27-year-old supermodel turned to her Instagram Story to let her 76 million followers know that she’s no longer on the micro-blogging platform. She even called the social media site “cesspool of hate & bigotry”, reports aceshowbiz.com.”For a long time, but especially with its new leadership,” Gigi wrote of Elon, “it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and its (sic) not a place I want to be a part (sic) of.”Gigi added an apology to her fans on the platform, writing that she “loved connecting” with them “for a decade”.”I can’t stay it’s a safe place for anyone, nor a social platform that will do more good than harm,” she added.Alongside her statement, Gigi included Human Rights Counsel Shannon Raj Singh’s tweet about being laid off from the tech giant.Shannon’s post read: “Yesterday was my last day at Twitter: the entire Human Rights team has been cut from the company. I am enormously proud of the work we did to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, to protect those at-risk in global conflicts & crises including Ethiopia.”Twitter fired roughly half of its workforce on November 4 with an email to staff explaining the cuts were “necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward”.A handful of employees moved quickly to file a class action lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of Twitter workers, reports aceshowbiz.com.The paperwork alleged that Twitter is letting go of staff without adequate notice, in violation of California and federal employment law. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification act, or WARN, requires at least a 60-day notice before conducting mass layoffs.Defending his decision, Musk, who announced that he’ll charge $8 a month for verified users who have blue tick, said that “there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day”.The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla further explained that anyone who “exited was offered 3 months of severance, which is 50 per cent more than legally required”.Aside from Gigi, many famous names have also decided to quit the platform, including Sara Bareilles, Toni Braxton, Mick Foley and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, since Musk officially became the owner and CEO of Twitter on October 27.

    LOS ANGELES: Supermodel Gigi Hadid has announced that she quit Twitter as it’s no longer a “safe place” for anyone after Elon Musk bought the platform for $44 billion.
    On the heels of Twitter mass layoffs, the 27-year-old supermodel turned to her Instagram Story to let her 76 million followers know that she’s no longer on the micro-blogging platform. She even called the social media site “cesspool of hate & bigotry”, reports aceshowbiz.com.
    “For a long time, but especially with its new leadership,” Gigi wrote of Elon, “it’s becoming more and more of a cesspool of hate & bigotry, and its (sic) not a place I want to be a part (sic) of.”
    Gigi added an apology to her fans on the platform, writing that she “loved connecting” with them “for a decade”.
    “I can’t stay it’s a safe place for anyone, nor a social platform that will do more good than harm,” she added.
    Alongside her statement, Gigi included Human Rights Counsel Shannon Raj Singh’s tweet about being laid off from the tech giant.
    Shannon’s post read: “Yesterday was my last day at Twitter: the entire Human Rights team has been cut from the company. I am enormously proud of the work we did to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, to protect those at-risk in global conflicts & crises including Ethiopia.”Twitter fired roughly half of its workforce on November 4 with an email to staff explaining the cuts were “necessary to ensure the company’s success moving forward”.
    A handful of employees moved quickly to file a class action lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco on behalf of Twitter workers, reports aceshowbiz.com.
    The paperwork alleged that Twitter is letting go of staff without adequate notice, in violation of California and federal employment law. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification act, or WARN, requires at least a 60-day notice before conducting mass layoffs.
    Defending his decision, Musk, who announced that he’ll charge $8 a month for verified users who have blue tick, said that “there is no choice when the company is losing over $4M/day”.
    The CEO of SpaceX and Tesla further explained that anyone who “exited was offered 3 months of severance, which is 50 per cent more than legally required”.
    Aside from Gigi, many famous names have also decided to quit the platform, including Sara Bareilles, Toni Braxton, Mick Foley and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, since Musk officially became the owner and CEO of Twitter on October 27.

  • Meta says India ‘most significant’ country for all new things across its platforms

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India is the ‘most significant’ country for Meta in terms of all the new things that feature across its platforms — Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, a top company official said.

    Meta has also provided a great opportunity for numerous brands and millions of creators to express their creativity and build audiences in India through short-form videos, said Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships for Facebook India (Meta).

    “India is a very critical market for our platforms from multiple dimensions. A lot of new product learning and incubation is done here, and ‘Reels’ is an example of that….this is the market where we have done the most amount of testing of new product features.”

    “India is the most significant market where the focus is for all the new things that we are doing across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp,” he told PTI.

    Chopra was speaking on the sidelines of Meta’s annual ‘Creator Day’, which was recently held for the first time in Kolkata.

    The event celebrates creators and gives them a chance to create, collaborate and learn from each other, he said.READ | Longest outage: WhatsApp services being restored after almost two hours of disruptions

    Chopra said ‘Reels’ (short-form videos), which were launched two years back, have gained massive popularity in India, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities. “India is the lighthouse country for ‘Reels’ for Meta globally. As per a new research report, around 200 million people are spending about 45 mins per day on short-form videos, and this figure is estimated to go up to 600 million people.”

    “Reels is helping creators express their creativity, and passion, and build audiences and followers that relate with them through the content,” he said.

    Short-form videos have also become a potent medium for brands to promote their products on Facebook and Instagram, the official said.

    ‘Reels’ provide a different and authentic kind of voice for brands to engage with users, he said.

    “Digital advertising is a highly performing means for brands (large and small). It’s an efficient way to grow. In India, more than 50 per cent of the followers for the businesses that are on Instagram are coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities; so a company can reach out to these markets by being on Instagram and Facebook,” Chopra said.MAGAZINE SPECIAL | Facebook crisis: Zucker Punched!He also said that a lot of music trends have been happening through short-form videos, as artistes make use of the ‘1 Minute Music’ format on Instagram to get “tremendous” distribution.

    “We believe that cricket, Bollywood and music define a lot of culture in India. So, we continue to invest closely with partners who create these IPs (intellectual property),” he said.

    Meta had recently announced a partnership with the ICC that would enable people to watch the best match moments and highlights of the Men’s T20 World Cup, through clips on ‘Reels’ on Instagram and Facebook.

    On fake profiles and the spread of misinformation on Meta platforms, Chopra said the tech conglomerate takes constant measures to rein in such menace.

    “Putting a check on fake profiles and spread of misinformation is a constant area of investment for us. We are proactively taking down millions of fake accounts, and have a large organisation that ensures we are responding appropriately to complaints. We also help users become more secure about their own accounts through new security features,” he said.

    NEW DELHI: India is the ‘most significant’ country for Meta in terms of all the new things that feature across its platforms — Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, a top company official said.

    Meta has also provided a great opportunity for numerous brands and millions of creators to express their creativity and build audiences in India through short-form videos, said Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships for Facebook India (Meta).

    “India is a very critical market for our platforms from multiple dimensions. A lot of new product learning and incubation is done here, and ‘Reels’ is an example of that….this is the market where we have done the most amount of testing of new product features.”

    “India is the most significant market where the focus is for all the new things that we are doing across Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp,” he told PTI.

    Chopra was speaking on the sidelines of Meta’s annual ‘Creator Day’, which was recently held for the first time in Kolkata.

    The event celebrates creators and gives them a chance to create, collaborate and learn from each other, he said.READ | Longest outage: WhatsApp services being restored after almost two hours of disruptions

    Chopra said ‘Reels’ (short-form videos), which were launched two years back, have gained massive popularity in India, including tier-2 and tier-3 cities. “India is the lighthouse country for ‘Reels’ for Meta globally. As per a new research report, around 200 million people are spending about 45 mins per day on short-form videos, and this figure is estimated to go up to 600 million people.”

    “Reels is helping creators express their creativity, and passion, and build audiences and followers that relate with them through the content,” he said.

    Short-form videos have also become a potent medium for brands to promote their products on Facebook and Instagram, the official said.

    ‘Reels’ provide a different and authentic kind of voice for brands to engage with users, he said.

    “Digital advertising is a highly performing means for brands (large and small). It’s an efficient way to grow. In India, more than 50 per cent of the followers for the businesses that are on Instagram are coming from tier-2 and tier-3 cities; so a company can reach out to these markets by being on Instagram and Facebook,” Chopra said.MAGAZINE SPECIAL | Facebook crisis: Zucker Punched!
    He also said that a lot of music trends have been happening through short-form videos, as artistes make use of the ‘1 Minute Music’ format on Instagram to get “tremendous” distribution.

    “We believe that cricket, Bollywood and music define a lot of culture in India. So, we continue to invest closely with partners who create these IPs (intellectual property),” he said.

    Meta had recently announced a partnership with the ICC that would enable people to watch the best match moments and highlights of the Men’s T20 World Cup, through clips on ‘Reels’ on Instagram and Facebook.

    On fake profiles and the spread of misinformation on Meta platforms, Chopra said the tech conglomerate takes constant measures to rein in such menace.

    “Putting a check on fake profiles and spread of misinformation is a constant area of investment for us. We are proactively taking down millions of fake accounts, and have a large organisation that ensures we are responding appropriately to complaints. We also help users become more secure about their own accounts through new security features,” he said.

  • Rapper Kanye West’s Twitter, Instagram locked over offensive posts

    By Associated Press

    Kanye West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been locked because of antisemitic posts by the rapper, now known legally as Ye.

    Spokespersons for Twitter and Instagram parent Meta said Sunday that Ye posted messages that violated their policies.

    In a tweet sent late Saturday, Ye said he would soon go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” according to internet archive records. That’s an apparent reference to the U.S. military readiness condition scale known as DEFCON.

    In the same tweet, which was removed by Twitter, he said: “You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

    Earlier this month, Ye had been criticized for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his collection at Paris Fashion Week.

    Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs posted a video on Instagram saying he didn’t support the shirt, and urged people not to buy it.

    On Instagram, Ye posted a screenshot of a text conversation with Diddy and suggested he was controlled by Jewish people, according to media reports.

    Under their policies, the two social networks prohibit the posting of offensive language. Ye’s Twitter account is still active but he can’t post until the suspension ends, after an unspecified period.

    Meta, which owns Facebook as well as Instagram, at times will place restrictions on accounts that it deems repeatedly break its rules. The sanctions may include temporary restrictions on posting, commenting or sending direct messages.

    Ye had returned to Twitter on Saturday following a nearly two-year hiatus, reportedly after Instagram locked his account.

    Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who last week renewed his $44 billion offer to buy Twitter following a monthslong legal battle with the company, greeted Ye’s return to the platform before his suspension by tweeting, “Welcome back to Twitter, my friend.”

    Musk has said he would remake Twitter into a free speech haven and relax restrictions, although it’s impossible to know precisely how he would run the influential network if he were to take over.

    Kanye West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been locked because of antisemitic posts by the rapper, now known legally as Ye.

    Spokespersons for Twitter and Instagram parent Meta said Sunday that Ye posted messages that violated their policies.

    In a tweet sent late Saturday, Ye said he would soon go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” according to internet archive records. That’s an apparent reference to the U.S. military readiness condition scale known as DEFCON.

    In the same tweet, which was removed by Twitter, he said: “You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

    Earlier this month, Ye had been criticized for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his collection at Paris Fashion Week.

    Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs posted a video on Instagram saying he didn’t support the shirt, and urged people not to buy it.

    On Instagram, Ye posted a screenshot of a text conversation with Diddy and suggested he was controlled by Jewish people, according to media reports.

    Under their policies, the two social networks prohibit the posting of offensive language. Ye’s Twitter account is still active but he can’t post until the suspension ends, after an unspecified period.

    Meta, which owns Facebook as well as Instagram, at times will place restrictions on accounts that it deems repeatedly break its rules. The sanctions may include temporary restrictions on posting, commenting or sending direct messages.

    Ye had returned to Twitter on Saturday following a nearly two-year hiatus, reportedly after Instagram locked his account.

    Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who last week renewed his $44 billion offer to buy Twitter following a monthslong legal battle with the company, greeted Ye’s return to the platform before his suspension by tweeting, “Welcome back to Twitter, my friend.”

    Musk has said he would remake Twitter into a free speech haven and relax restrictions, although it’s impossible to know precisely how he would run the influential network if he were to take over.

  • Harry Styles sets stage on fire with first of his 15 shows at Madison Square Garden

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: English singer-songwriter Harry Styles, who has been ruling the Instagram reels of late with his ‘As It Was’ track, recently performed first of his 15 shows at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, etching the moment forever in the hearts of a crowd of roughly 20,000 fans.The former One Direction member made a single request of his fans during his time on stage: “I ask only one very, very simple thing, I need you to have as much fun as you can possibly have,” he said, quoted by Billboard.Then with a grin smiling as he looked at the throngs of screaming admirers packed into Madison Square Garden, he pumped the excitement further “I challenge you to have as much fun as I’m gonna have.”According to Billboard, the fans at the venue didn’t need this reminder, even before Styles took to the stage, the attendees were operating on a good-vibes-only basis.Those vibes started with a set from alternative R&B star Blood Orange, which saw the performer break out hits like ‘You’re Not Good Enough’ and ‘Time Will Tell’ throughout a chilled-out set.Billboard added that they continued as the crowd sang along to hits from One Direction, Queen and even Frank Sinatra as they waited for Styles to take to the stage.Once he did, though, that energy was turned up to an 11. Wailing along with Styles as he pulled out recent favourites like ‘Daydreaming’ and ‘Adore You’, every word of the star’s performance was being echoed by a crowd of attentive devotees.The space, meanwhile, remained relatively spartan for a tour of this magnitude a few sets of drums and keyboards set on either side, Styles’ stage sat smack-dab in the middle of the iconic venue, with catwalks extending to either side where the star could rush out and sing directly to the crowd.It was a set up Styles made sure he mentioned early-on in his set of bangers.”Quick disclaimer — this show is in 360 degrees, we’re in the round,” he said. “Sometimes we’re gonna be face-to-face, eye-to-eye, window to soul-to-window to soul. That means that some of the time I’ll be facing away from you, and you’ll be face-to-ass. If you find yourself discovering a preference, let me know and I will deliver face and ass evenly.”

    LOS ANGELES: English singer-songwriter Harry Styles, who has been ruling the Instagram reels of late with his ‘As It Was’ track, recently performed first of his 15 shows at the Madison Square Garden in New York City, etching the moment forever in the hearts of a crowd of roughly 20,000 fans.
    The former One Direction member made a single request of his fans during his time on stage: “I ask only one very, very simple thing, I need you to have as much fun as you can possibly have,” he said, quoted by Billboard.
    Then with a grin smiling as he looked at the throngs of screaming admirers packed into Madison Square Garden, he pumped the excitement further “I challenge you to have as much fun as I’m gonna have.”
    According to Billboard, the fans at the venue didn’t need this reminder, even before Styles took to the stage, the attendees were operating on a good-vibes-only basis.
    Those vibes started with a set from alternative R&B star Blood Orange, which saw the performer break out hits like ‘You’re Not Good Enough’ and ‘Time Will Tell’ throughout a chilled-out set.
    Billboard added that they continued as the crowd sang along to hits from One Direction, Queen and even Frank Sinatra as they waited for Styles to take to the stage.
    Once he did, though, that energy was turned up to an 11. Wailing along with Styles as he pulled out recent favourites like ‘Daydreaming’ and ‘Adore You’, every word of the star’s performance was being echoed by a crowd of attentive devotees.
    The space, meanwhile, remained relatively spartan for a tour of this magnitude a few sets of drums and keyboards set on either side, Styles’ stage sat smack-dab in the middle of the iconic venue, with catwalks extending to either side where the star could rush out and sing directly to the crowd.
    It was a set up Styles made sure he mentioned early-on in his set of bangers.
    “Quick disclaimer — this show is in 360 degrees, we’re in the round,” he said. “Sometimes we’re gonna be face-to-face, eye-to-eye, window to soul-to-window to soul. That means that some of the time I’ll be facing away from you, and you’ll be face-to-ass. If you find yourself discovering a preference, let me know and I will deliver face and ass evenly.”

  • Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger welcome second baby

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Chris Pratt and his wife, author Katherine Schwarzenegger have become parents for the second time.

    Pratt shared a joint statement on Instagram to announce the arrival of their newborn daughter, Eloise.

    “We are so excited to announce the birth of our second daughter, Eloise Christina Schwarzenegger Pratt. Mama and baby are doing well. We feel beyond blessed and grateful,” they said in the statement on Sunday.

    Pratt, 42, and Schwarzenegger, 32, became parents to their first child, daughter Lyla in August 2020. Last December, multiple sources confirmed to People magazine that the couple will welcome their second baby in 2022.

    The “Guardians of the Galaxy” star also shares nine-year-old son Jack with his former wife, actor Anna Faris. Pratt and Schwarzenegger tied the knot in a private ceremony in Montecito, California in June 2019.

  • Brie Larson joins ‘Fast and Furious 10’ cast 

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: “Captain Marvel” star Brie Larson has boarded the cast of the tenth installment in the “Fast and Furious” movie series, franchise star Vin Diesel announced on Sunday. Diesel took to Instagram to announce Larson’s casting.

    “Yeah yeah yeah”,  you see this angel over my shoulder cracking me up, you say to yourself. ‘That’s Captain Marvel.’ Clearly there is love and laughter in this image. What you don’t see, however, is the character you will be introduced to in ‘Fast 10’.

    “You have no idea how timeless and amazing she will be in our mythology. Beyond her beauty, her intellect her Oscar, haha is this profound soul who will add something you might not have expected but yearned for.

    Welcome to the FAMILY Brie, the action star wrote alongside a photograph with Larson. Filmmaker Justin Lin is directing “Fast and Furious 10”, which is scheduled to be released in May next year.

    Diesel will be returning as Dom Toretto, along with series stars Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang and Charlize Theron, who has played the villain Cypher since ‘The Fate of the Furious.’ The project, announced earlier this year, also features Jason Momoa and Daniela Melchior.

    “Fast and Furious 10” will be the penultimate installment for the current cast; an eleventh movie, also directed by Lin, is set to be the final film in the Fast Saga.