Some users have said that one way to stop the spam is to simply log out and log back in. Photo: Dado Ruvic / Illustration
Some users have said that one way to stop the spam is to simply log out and log back in. Photo: Dado Ruvic / Illustration
Some users have said that one way to stop the spam is to simply log out and log back in. Photo: Dado Ruvic / Illustration
Some users have said that one way to stop the spam is to simply log out and log back in. Photo: Dado Ruvic / Illustration

Facebook glitch spams homepage feeds with comments from celebrity pages


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

Several Facebook users are reporting an apparent glitch on the social media site, saying random posts from celebrity pages are appearing on their homepage feeds.

The spam appears to stem from pages for Lady Gaga, Eminem, Taylor Swift, Nirvana and Billie Eilish, among others.

While the error seems to predominantly affect users who follow the celebrity accounts, some are reportedly seeing the comments even if they don't.

The issue has made it difficult for users to view posts from friends and other pages. It is believed to stem from a defect with the algorithm that usually filters out the comments.

“Is anybody else’s Facebook news feed acting weird?” one Twitter user wrote. “I’m trying to scroll through my news feed, and all I’m seeing are people posting to pages of people I’m following like Neymar Jr, Eminem, etc.”

A report from a user on Downdetector reads: “My feed is loaded with random people on celebrities pages. Can’t delete or block them and my feed is limited to only a few posts." The website, which is dedicated to tracking the status of various online services, shows thousands have reported the issue in the past two hours.

Some users have said that one way to fix the issue is to simply log out and back in. Others report that unfollowing the celebrity pages stopped the spam.

“I'm pretty sure everyone is seeing the same thing, I don't know what's happened,” another user wrote. “Try unfollowing the celeb pages you're seeing the spam from, and it should stop. At first, I was hiding them all saying I didn't want to see them, but there were just too many.”

Several users have taken advantage of the glitch, posting memes and encouraging others to post on celebrity pages as well. Others, however, are spamming PayPal links or advertising cryptocurrencies.

“Some are seriously offensive,” another user said.

The status dashboard of Meta, the conglomerate behind Facebook, has not yet reported any issues on the matter, although the site is dedicated to tracking developer tools rather than Facebook’s status.

Celebrities who have quit social media — in pictures

  • Jonah Hill is the latest celebrity to quit social media after battling anxiety attacks for more than 20 years. AP
    Jonah Hill is the latest celebrity to quit social media after battling anxiety attacks for more than 20 years. AP
  • 'Spider-Man' actor Tom Holland said he was taking a break from social media for his mental health. 'I find Instagram and Twitter to be overstimulating, to be overwhelming,' he said. Reuters
    'Spider-Man' actor Tom Holland said he was taking a break from social media for his mental health. 'I find Instagram and Twitter to be overstimulating, to be overwhelming,' he said. Reuters
  • Alec Baldwin deleted his verified Twitter accounts days after an ABC interview about the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While the accounts have since returned, they are set to private. AP
    Alec Baldwin deleted his verified Twitter accounts days after an ABC interview about the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. While the accounts have since returned, they are set to private. AP
  • Bollywood star Aamir Khan said he has 'decided to drop the pretence' and quit social media in March 2021. AFP
    Bollywood star Aamir Khan said he has 'decided to drop the pretence' and quit social media in March 2021. AFP
  • Pamela Anderson announced in January 2021 that she was 'free' from social media, choosing instead to be 'inspired by reading and being in nature'. Getty Images
    Pamela Anderson announced in January 2021 that she was 'free' from social media, choosing instead to be 'inspired by reading and being in nature'. Getty Images
  • In January 2021, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to return to social media after facing 'hate' on online platforms as senior royals. AP
    In January 2021, it was reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have no plans to return to social media after facing 'hate' on online platforms as senior royals. AP
  • US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quit Facebook in 2019, saying that 'social media poses a public health risk to everybody'. She is however active on Twitter and Instagram where she has a massive following. AFP
    US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quit Facebook in 2019, saying that 'social media poses a public health risk to everybody'. She is however active on Twitter and Instagram where she has a massive following. AFP
  • 'Black Panther' Letitia Wright quit Instagram and Twitter in 2020 after questioning Covid-19 vaccines and backing anti-vaxxer views. She returned to Instagram in October 2021. AP Photo
    'Black Panther' Letitia Wright quit Instagram and Twitter in 2020 after questioning Covid-19 vaccines and backing anti-vaxxer views. She returned to Instagram in October 2021. AP Photo
  • Tech billionaire Elon Musk quit Instagram following an apparent run-in with rapper Azealia Banks in 2018. EPA
    Tech billionaire Elon Musk quit Instagram following an apparent run-in with rapper Azealia Banks in 2018. EPA
  • Trolls forced Lizzo to quit Twitter in January 2020. 'Yeah I can’t do this ... too many trolls. I’ll be back when I feel like it.' She has since returned to the platform. Reuters
    Trolls forced Lizzo to quit Twitter in January 2020. 'Yeah I can’t do this ... too many trolls. I’ll be back when I feel like it.' She has since returned to the platform. Reuters
  • 'Star Wars' actress Daisy Ridley quit social media after facing anti-gun backlash in 2016. She has since returned to Instagram but is not on Twitter. AP
    'Star Wars' actress Daisy Ridley quit social media after facing anti-gun backlash in 2016. She has since returned to Instagram but is not on Twitter. AP
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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

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Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

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The specs
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Power: 510hp at 9,000rpm
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Ministry of Interior
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General Intelligence Directorate
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Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')

Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')

Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

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First Test, Galle International Stadium
July 26-30
Second Test, Sinhalese Sports Club Ground
August 3-7
Third Test, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 12-16
First ODI, Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
August 20
Second ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 24
Third ODI, Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
August 27
Fourth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
August 31
Fifth ODI, R Premadasa Stadium
September 3
T20, R Premadasa Stadium
September 6

Scoreline:

Barcelona 2

Suarez 85', Messi 86'

Atletico Madrid 0

Red card: Diego Costa 28' (Atletico)

How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
PRESIDENTS CUP

Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:

02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

Five famous companies founded by teens

There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

  1. Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate. 
  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
Updated: August 24, 2022, 10:08 AM