WASHINGTON The U.S. Labor Department said on Friday that Hostess Brands is facing a $298,000 penalty after federal

'The Big Bang Theory' star Mayim Bialik seems to be busy reminiscing about the good memories amid all the hate she has been receiving

A clear majority of investors expect a US recession before 2024 is out, leading them to view the

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 26, 2023--

Just as you thought social media platforms had all corners of the internet covered, along comes Threads, created by Facebook and Instagram owners Meta. In what has been described as a rival to Twitter, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has already had over 10 million people signed up in the first few hours of launching. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For some, it’s a matter of jumping in with both feet and navigating the waters from there. Others will sit back and take a little more cautious approach. Either way, learning how to navigate the social media jungle using these few simple tips will be invaluable... Take a social media detox It’s easy to use social media compulsively and excessively. You can become so accustomed to scrolling through posts, laughing at videos and liking images that it can take over. According to data found by audience insights platform GWI, 29 per cent of people across Britain use more than five social media apps, with 54 per cent of 16-24-year-olds doing the same. “There has been a substantial surge in social media consumption over the past decade. What initially began as occasional Facebook ‘check-ins’ has now evolved into spending six to eight hours per day on various social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and now, Threads,” said Marvin Winkelmann, the managing director of AFK Digital. That’s why he says moderation is key. “I strongly advocate for individuals to not only take periodic breaks from social media to rejuvenate their wellbeing but also to consider reducing their engagement before bedtime and during meals. By doing so, we can prioritise face-to-face interactions, which hold even greater significance than merely keeping up with the seemingly idealised virtual world.” Practise the right social media etiquette Winkelmann highlights that different platforms have different niches in terms of how people generally interact. “But a rule of thumb should always be to treat other users with respect.” It’s also why Chris Hackett, the founder of Face Digital, an SEO advisory firm, believes we all need to learn the right social media etiquette, which dictates how people should behave around others online. “Always be yourself,” he said. “Whether you’re using social media for personal or professional reasons, people connect with authenticity. This doesn’t mean you should be airing out your personal details, but you don’t have to hide behind an online persona. “Be careful with what you say. It may feel like a safe space, but using social media to vent or voice controversial opinions can come back to haunt you in the future. “And don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Social media is, for the most part, public. Before you fire off that tweet, imagine a potential employer reading it and what they may think.” Be careful of negativity Hackett advised against getting into arguments on social media. “There are a lot of keyboard warriors around, and there is nothing to gain by arguing with them. If you don’t like something, scroll past it.” Plus, some of the negativity on social media could have an impact on your mental health – which is why it’s important to look after yourself. “Social media has become a constant figure in everyone’s lives, to the point where it can be detrimental to our mental health. The best way to deal with negativity is to take time away from toxic online environments,” said Hackett. Winkelmann added: “It is crucial to acknowledge that social media platforms tend to accentuate negativity due to the provocative nature of negative content. People love to disagree and share their opinions online. “As a result, the algorithms used by these platforms are designed to amplify such content. It is important for individuals to remain aware of this fact, bearing in mind that much of what is observed online is often an embellished representation of reality anyway.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON U.S. manufacturing remained subdued in November, with factory employment declining further as hiring slowed

Britain’s largest budget airline will send “rescue flights” for passengers stranded abroad by air traffic control chaos. As hundreds of flights were cancelled on Tuesday, easyJet confirmed it would operate five repatriation flights to London Gatwick over the coming days. The rescue flights will operate from Palma and Faro on 30 August, Tenerife and Enfidha on 31 August and Rhodes on 1 September. More than 1,200 flights to, from and within the UK were grounded by the failure at the national air traffic provider Nats, with around 200,000 people sleeping at airports overnight. Earlier on Tuesday, easyJet grounded more than 80 flights, including three dozen at Gatwick, including those serving popular tourist destinations such as Athens and Venice. Confirming the rescue flights, an easyJet spokesperson said: “We have been providing customers with assistance and hotel accommodation and advising anyone who has needed to make their own hotel or alternative travel arrangements that they will be reimbursed. “During this traditionally very busy week for travel, options for returning to the UK are more limited on some routes and so easyJet will be operating five repatriation flights to London Gatwick over the coming days from Palma and Faro on August 30, and Tenerife and Enfidha on Thursday August 31 and from Rhodes on Friday September 1. “We are also operating larger aircraft on key routes including Faro, Ibiza, Dalaman and Tenerife to provide some additional 700 seats this week. “Although this situation was outside of our control, we are sorry for the difficulty this has caused for our customers and remain focused on doing all possible to assist and repatriate them. Customers will be moved onto repatriation flights and notified directly.” Meanwhile, National Air Traffic Services (Nats) confirmed that the air traffic control failure was caused by flight data received by the organisation, prompting both its primary and backup systems to suspend automatic processing. His statement appeared to confirm earlier reports from sources who told The Independent that a dodgy flight plan filed by a French airline may have sparked the major systems meltdown. “Very occasionally technical issues occur that are complex and take longer to resolve. In the event of such an issue our systems are designed to isolate the problem and prioritise continued safe air traffic control”, the statement from Nats CEO Martin Rolfe read. “This is what happened yesterday. At no point was UK airspace closed but the number of flights was significantly reduced. Initial investigations into the problem show it relates to some of the flight data we received. “Our systems, both primary and the back-ups, responded by suspending automatic processing to ensure that no incorrect safety-related information could be presented to an air traffic controller or impact the rest of the air traffic system. There are no indications that this was a cyber-attack.” Read More EasyJet lays on rescue flights as ‘dodgy French flight plan’ blamed for air traffic chaos – latest More travel chaos after 300,000 hit by cancellations – and French error blamed for air traffic mayhem Ask Me Anything: Put your questions to Simon Calder as flight cancellations cause mayhem across Europe Caught in the air traffic control nightmare? Your rights when flights go wrong Everything you need to know about air traffic control failure on Tuesday Travel chaos over bank holiday weekend as BA and easyJet cancel dozens of flights Train strikes and cancelled flights spell Bank Holiday travel chaos

Gold extended gains after surging 1.3% to the highest level since May on Tuesday, as comments from Federal

New York Jets running back Breece Hall has been activated from the physically unable to perform list a day after the team agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Dalvin Cook

An 11th-hour tentative contract agreement reached between Mack Trucks and the United Auto Workers union late Sunday narrowly averted a strike by 3,900 employees at the company.

A Florida state agency is selling municipal bonds to backstop the state’s homeowner’s insurance industry after a surge

The fight for equality in Hong Kong faces a major test today as the city’s highest court considers