iWorld
Facebook to block new political ads a week before US presidential election
KOLKATA: Amid large criticism against misinformation and allegation of meddling in elections, Facebook has decided to block all new political advertising on its platform the week before the US general election in November.
However, advertisers will be able to continue running ads they started running before the final week and adjust the targeting for those ads, but those ads will already be published transparently in Ads Library so anyone, including fact-checkers and journalists, can scrutinize them.
Facebook will also remove posts with claims that people will get Covid2019 if they take part in voting. It will attach a link to authoritative information about the virus to posts that might use to discourage voting, and it is also not going to allow this kind of content in ads. Notably, other social media platforms such as Twitter and Pinterest, have already banned political ads on the services.
“Given the unique circumstances of this election, it's especially important that people have accurate information about the many ways to vote safely, and that Covid2019 isn't used to scare people into not exercising their right to vote,” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.
For more than two years now, Facebook has been under constant pressure from authorities across many countries on antitrust and piracy issues. The data fiasco really got murkier when the cambridge analytica scandal came out for influencing 2016 US Presidential election. However, it had been alleged for the same outside US as well including Brexit.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
