How TikTok creates a safe space for everyone

Addressing concerns about inappropriate content, misinformation, privacy, and security

BY MB LIFESTYLE

Jul 25, 2024 07:22 PM

  

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Social media has enabled people to connect across different worlds, communicate globally, share information and ideas, express opinions, and engage in diverse discussions. Additionally, it has made news, entertainment, and other resources more accessible.

One of today's most popular social apps is TikTok. Although it might seem like a platform solely for entertainment, it has significantly transformed the social media landscape. “TikTok is really about being authentic. And that's the first and foremost thing that makes us different from other social media platform. It is a window that allows users to see what’s happening around the world,” said a representive from the TikTok Singapore transparency and accountability team. 

Members of Philippine media visiting TikTok Singapore’s office

A media tour on July 5 at the TikTok office in One Raffles Quay, Singapore, provided an in-depth look at its various functions, how it differs from other social media apps, the behind-the-scenes processes to keep users safe, and how TikTok addresses concerns about inappropriate content, misinformation, privacy, and security.

Showcasing Filipino creators

The tour began by highlighting Filipino TikTok content creators who have had a significant impact on many lives through a gallery-style exhibit. From arts to sports, current events, and culture, TikTok has paved the way for the rise of influencers. People who once had no platform can now share their stories and provide content for various purposes.

It's no surprise that the Philippines is among the nations with the highest TikTok audience. According to datareportal.com, the Philippines had an estimated 49.09 million TikTok users aged 18 and above in early 2024.

Many Filipino content creators have found great success with their impressive creative content. Inka Magnaye, for example, discusses body positivity, mental health awareness, and other topics that are difficult to address, especially in the Philippine setting.

Other notable creators include food content creator “Lumpia Queen” Abi Marquez, best known for her lumpia-wrapped dishes, and Arshie Larga, the “friendly neighborhood pharmacist.” These accomplished creators are familiar names to most Filipinos.

Beyond providing entertainment and information, TikTok is also an excellent platform for creators to earn money, expand their portfolios, connect with stakeholders, and support their businesses. It serves as a valuable platform for informing and educating people.

Protecting the community

With its mission to inspire creativity and bring joy, TikTok demonstrated how they ensure users’ safety and protection. “We use technology and human interface to moderate content and promote a positive environment,” said TikTok Outreach and Partnerships Manager KahnJi Weerachaising.

The team walked us through TikTok’s community guidelines, policies, and content moderation process. We participated in interactive demonstrations at their moderation workstation, gaining a deeper understanding of TikTok’s safety systems. 

Using AI, TikTok detects harmful objects, dangerous acts, and unsafe videos that could be restricted under their policies and guidelines. The machines used for moderation are trained to recognize harmful objects and dangerous postures.

Content moderation involves a two-part process. The first part is auto-moderation by a machine, and the second part involves staff members reviewing videos to filter out dangerous content. Actual people ensure that every piece of content meets community guidelines. This secondary process examines the context of videos to determine if they contain harmful content.

Safety control features

The third part of the tour focused on safety controls, particularly for teens and families. To further protect its users, especially younger ones, TikTok has set a 12+ rating in app stores, allowing parents to block or limit specific apps on their child's phone using device-based controls. Only users aged 16 and above can send or receive direct messages.

Another feature is “Family Pairing,” which lets a parent or guardian link their TikTok account to their child’s, enabling them to manage various content and privacy settings. Accounts for users under 18 are automatically set to a 60-minute daily screen time limit.

“By protecting the safety of our users, we create a positive environment for our communities, and we remain committed to protecting users on TikTok,” said Weerachaising.

Cayetano: Emergency Response Department needed amid growing extreme weather events

 

PRESS RELEASE

July 25, 2024

Cayetano: Emergency Response Department needed amid growing extreme weather events

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano is urging the government to establish an Emergency Response Department (ERD) as a decisive action to bolster the nation’s resilience against the growing threat of extreme weather events due to climate change.

The senator’s call comes after typhoon Carina brought incessant rains on July 24 that wreaked havoc across Luzon, causing widespread flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“We have to seriously address this ‘new normal’ of extreme weather in the country. Consider ‘Carina’ which is like a repeat of ‘Ondoy’ from 15 years ago -– the damage wrought has been so severe that the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces have had to declare a state of calamity,” Cayetano said on July 25, 2024.

"We have to seriously consider establishing an Emergency Response Department or we'll leave our kababayan defenseless in the face of climate change," he added.

Cayetano also cited other calamities such as the sudden phreatic eruptions occurring from Mayon Volcano since July 18. The volcano remains at Alert level 1.

He has previously underscored the need for government action to enhance disaster resilience, citing the Philippines’ high vulnerability to natural calamities and climate change impacts.

In filing Senate Bill No. 66 or the ERD Act, Cayetano cited the 2021 World Risk Report which showed the Philippines ranking eighth out of 181 countries in terms of disaster risk.

“Manila has also been ranked by the Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) as the most vulnerable of the world's 20 'high growth cities' to the effects of climate change,” he wrote in the bill’s explanatory note.

He noted that while there are many good people working at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), “it is high time that the government provides for a focused, single-minded, specialized department to upgrade the government’s capacity to respond to disasters in an effective and speedy manner.”

Once enacted, the ERD Act proposes the creation of a Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Disaster Funding amounting to P25 billion annually, aimed at swiftly addressing unforeseen expenditures arising from natural calamities.

The ERD is also envisioned to encompass specialized bureaus such as Hazard Education and Risk Mitigation, Disaster Preparedness, Humanitarian Emergency Relief Operations, and Administration and Finance.

“We may not be able to stop disasters but we can empower ourselves with knowledge, training, education, equipment, tools, and the right infrastructure to cope with disasters so many lives would not be lost and there would be less devastation,” Cayetano said.

“A window of opportunity exists to sow seeds of preparedness in order to reap resilience to disasters,” he added. ###

What is the closest language to German, which is not English or Dutch, and is a bit mutually intelligible with German?

 

Luke Proctor

35 years old and use quora as a procrastination tool

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Enjoy Quora as a general distraction to real life, and follow a wide range of topics, particularly about languages and language learning, the culture of European Countries, Politics, Economics, Social Studies, Science & Technology and Sport - and then whatever takes my fancy.

35 year old dude with dual Irish / British nationality, based in the North East of England these days; lived in North Wales, Ireland, London, Galicia (Spain), and Thüringen (Germany) in the past.

What is the closest language to German, which is not English or Dutch, and is a bit mutually intelligible with German?

The five other extant and officially accepted West Germanic languages[nb1] would be a good start.

Yiddish - I can understand mostly a conversation in Yiddish, especially if they speak with me slowly or give an explanation on any particular words that are cultural. The few grammatical differences like the double negatives also easy to grasp. A German who has never learned any other language would understand Yiddish more than anything else, including Dutch or English.

Of course that's not including written intelligibility, it being the only Germanic language not to use Latin Script.

Low German - the traditional language of what is nowadays Northern Germany, still spoken in rural pockets to certain degrees. Admittedly never something I've studied, but to most Germans wherever they're from, I'd imagine it still to be more intelligible than Dutch is, though for most probably slightly less than Yiddish is.

Frisian - both West Frisian and North Frisian dialects. At least as intelligible as Dutch is for German speakers.

Lëtzebuergisch / Luxembourgish - Effectively is the same dialect as that spoken over the border in the Trier area, only more formalised due to it having become an official language of a country (Luxembourg is sort considered a special case as to whether it's a German-speaking country or not. It is in practice, but the dialect takes precedence over standard German, though standard German is still strong in education and print media, plus television).

Afrikaans - I'd guess intelligibility to be only slightly less than Dutch, and still a bit more than English.

Others - To my own perception as well, although not coming from the pov of an L1 German speaker, and maybe they'd disagree, some of the North Germanic languages even though they are in a separate branch, seem to whilst having less intelligibility to German than Dutch has, have at least as much intelligibility to German than English does, especially Danish and Swedish, and perhaps Norwegian only very marginally less compared to English.

[1] Dialects which are considered ‘German’ but their intelligibility isn't always fully mutual with Hochdeutsch I'm not including, but if someone else said that a strong enough dialect within the DACH countries also counts here, I wouldn't disagree with them. Indeed Lëtzebuergisch especially and Low German is very close to being just that anyhow, only more official than say how Sächsisch, Schwäbisch, Bairisch or many of the Schweizerdeutsch dialects are categorised.

Will Jennylyn remain a freelancer?

BY NESTOR CUARTERO

Jul 25, 2024 08:27 AM

  

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AT A GLANCE

• The veteran actress, a Kapuso for 20 years, clears she has no plans to bolt the studio that built her up.

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Rhea Anicoche-Tan (left) and Jennylyn Mercado

At the moment, right this minute as we speak to her, Jennylyn Mercado considers herself a freelancer. She just ended her long-term contract with GMA, her home studio.

The veteran actress, a Kapuso for 20 years, clears she has no plans to bolt the studio that built her up.

“It’s now up to my managers to decide my future,” she told a media conference hosted by Ms. Rhea Anicoche-Tan of Beautederm. Jenn is the latest endorser of the beauty company celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. She is the face of Cristaux Retinol (anti-aging), Cristaux Vitamin C (brightening), and Cristaux Hydra-Beauty (anti-acne). 

Jennylyn also said she has no standing offer from ABS-CBN, although she’s open to accepting projects from all producers. She also announced that she and her husband, Dennis Trillo, have opened their own production company, Brightburn.

According to Ms. Rhea, character is a priority when choosing an endorser. She finds Jennylyn simple and too down to earth.

“She comes bareface, eats with my staff, a cowboy.”

At the Beautederm mediacon held at Solaire North, Jennylyn proudly admitted she’s already 37, to which Rhea Tan, 43 but looking 34, said aging is a blessing.   

“I can’t help it. I came from a reality show (Starstruck). We’re used to telling the truth,” she said.

The veteran actress added she may have sensitive skin, yet it won’t stop her from engaging in her favorite sport, motorcycle riding.

xxx

MMFF goes to New York, ‘Fiesta In America' hosts

‘Fiesta In America,’ the longest-running trade and multi-cultural event on the East Coast of the United States, will host the New York edition of the Metro Manila International Film Festival in early 2025. The festival will bring some films from MMFF 2024 to the East Coast. MIFF debuted on the West Coast early this year.

Fernando Mendez, president and founder of Fiesta in America, announced in a media launch on July 24 in Quezon City that slots are still open for more Philippine business operators and LGUs who may want to take advantage of the many opportunities awaiting them in the wide American market. 

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Fernando Mendez and Laura Garcia

Mendez said over 10,000 Filipino-Americans and around 50,000 additional mall visitors traditionally visit the biggest indoor trade and culture exposition mounted by a Filipino group yearly for the past 26 years.

As in the past couple of years, Fiesta will be held at American Dream, the second largest mall in the US, along East Rutherford, New Jersey on Aug. 17 and 18, 2024.      

Jessica Sanchez of American Idol fame leads this year’s Fiesta entertainers line-up.

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  PASSERBY:

A sequel to the 2006 hit movie The Devil Wears Prada is currently in pre-production. Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Meryl Streep are supposed to reprise their characters in the original story set in a traditional print media environment. What’s exciting is that times have changed digitally, and Meryl’s stiff, stern, diabolical editor-character, Miranda Priestly, is now at the mercy of one of her former subordinates, who now holds the advertising purse in a giant corporation.

San Miguel launches new draft beers during TILT // On Tap On Tour

MANILA, Philippines — Top beer producer San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) continues to provide unique and authentic experiences to its consumers as it taps CC:Concepts to host its event series launching San Miguel Cerveza Blanca and San Miguel Cerveza Negra draft beer.

TILT // On Tap On Tour brought together bold and edgy music with a fresh draft beer experience, starting with an intimate party at Izakaya Geronimo in Bonifacio Global City.

Event host Paolo Abrera and Izakaya Geronimo chef Christian Manawis

The affair saw a special food pairing menu, a collaboration between SMB brewmaster Alan Sienes and Izakaya Geronimo chef Christian Manawis. Attendees further appreciated the taste of the authentic local wheat beer, San Miguel Cerveza Blanca, and the full-bodied dark lager, San Miguel Cerveza Negra, fresh from the tap.

The event series then continued across various venues in Metro Manila—Moonshine P.U.B. x Public Urban Bar in Ortigas; Brick and Mortar in BGC; and Bar IX in Alabang.

Surprise yourself with the flavors of authentic local wheat beer blended with citrus, spices and coriander through San Miguel Cerveza Blanca, and indulge in the premium dark lager with the bold flavor of roasted malt and notes of caramel with San Miguel Cerveza Negra.

Experience San Miguel Brewery’s fresh draft beer, now available in select outlets nationwide.

Editor’s Note: This press release from San Miguel Beer is published by the Advertising Content Team that is independent from our Editorial Newsroom.

Exposed to floodwaters? DOH recommends immediate consultation, treatment

BY MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

Jul 24, 2024 11:13 PM

  

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Amid widespread flooding caused by “Carina” and the southwest monsoon, the Department of Health (DOH) emphasized on Wednesday, July 24, the importance of seeking medical attention promptly for people exposed to floodwaters.

(ARNOLD QUIZOL / MANILA BULLETIN) 

Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, in a statement, said it is better to avoid floods and mud to prevent leptospirosis.

“Sa mga kailangang lumusong, gumamit ng bota hanggang tuhod. Hugasan agad ang katawan ng malinis na tubig at sabon pagkatapos” (For those who need to wade through, use knee-high boots. Immediately wash your body with clean water and soap afterward),” Herbosa said. "Kumonsulta agad sa doktor, wag maging kampante kasi matagal lumabas ang sintomas” (Consult a doctor immediately; do not be complacent as symptoms can take time to appear),” he added.

Understanding leptospirosis

DOH explained that leptospirosis is a bacterial infection transmitted by many animals, such as rodents and other vermin.

Waste products, such as urine and feces of an infected animal, especially rats, contaminate the soil, water, and vegetation. is a zoonotic disease, affecting both animals and humans, caused by the Leptospira bacterium found in contaminated water or soil.

“Leptospira bacteria can enter the body through breaks in the skin, or the eyes, nose, and mouth. Infected animal urine, like that from infected rats, can mix with floodwater and come into contact with people wading through or playing in it,” DOH said.

Seeking early treatment

DOH warned that without treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, trouble breathing, and even death.

“People must consult doctors immediately after being exposed to (wading or playing in) floodwaters as there is a preventive antibiotic prescription,” DOH said.

Symptoms of leptospirosis may include fever, vomiting, nausea, muscle pain, and headache.
“Some cases have distinct pain in the calf muscles and reddish eyes,” DOH said. Severe cases may also present with jaundice (yellowish body discoloration), dark-colored urine, light-colored stool, low urine output, and severe headache.

“Many of these symptoms can be mistaken for other diseases; some people have no symptoms,” DOH warned.

DOH noted that it generally takes 2-30 days to get sick after contact with the bacteria that cause leptospirosis.

Meanwhile, DOH announced that teleconsultation is free through Hotline Number 1552 of the National Patient Navigation & Referral Center.

Aside from those who waded through potentially contaminated water, mud, or soil (such as floods, fields, plantations, nests, canals, streams, lakes, rivers), individuals who consumed food or drink that may have been contaminated by sick animals or who have any symptoms after exposure to rain or contaminated water should seek early consultation and treatment at the nearest health facility.

Flood hits Metro Manila roads on Wednesday | INQToday

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Heavy rains trigger floods in several areas in Metro Manila on Wednesday morning, July 24.