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Instagram user says he was banned with no right of appeal | Consumer affairs

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I am the mentor of a young black entrepreneur, RM, who has had his personal and business social media accounts removed by Meta, which owns Instagram. There was no notice, no option to appeal and, from my understanding, no just cause. He had built up two successful businesses in clothing design and music events.

Six days before the ban, he had sold 1,500 tickets for an electronic dance event in London. Instagram, rather than a website, is the platform for his work. However, he was suddenly informed that his content did not abide by Meta’s community guidelines on violence and incitement.

His business account, which had 5,700 followers, and his personal account, with almost 4,000 contacts, were deleted. These represent his entire social and professional network, as he has no alternative contact book. He has not been allowed to retrieve this data. The IP addresses on his devices have been banned, so he can’t open new accounts.

I have been following his work, and have not seen anything violent, save for toy weapons in one promo video. This man’s life has been damaged by what appears to be an algorithm.

RP, London

The essential role of social media platforms in young people’s social and professional lives is baffling to older generations used to websites and contact books.

When I contacted 21-year-old RM, he told me fellow students had also lost burgeoning businesses when their accounts were summarily closed by Meta for breaching unspecified rules.

“For my generation, an Instagram profile can be not only a sole source of income but an identity, and the severance of mine has been difficult to recover from,” he says. “I received no warning that I was violating any guidelines, and this decision has cost me thousands of pounds in lost sales, which, as I come from an inner city, single-parent household, is catastrophic.”

RM vehemently denies posting content that could count as violence or incitement. I’m unable to see for myself, since the accounts have been deleted.

Instead, I read an interview with RM on a music website that gives a hint of the cyberpunk rave scene in which he works. It seems the names of some bands and songs could, indeed, get an algorithm exercised.

The words drugs, sex and kill are prevalent, as they are across some music genres. We will never know what specific line, or footage, led to RM’s defenestration because Meta refused to tell RM or me, citing “confidentiality”.

It also refused to comment on the record, but a press officer did call to tell me that, because of “breaches” of its guidelines, it will not be reinstating the accounts, or letting RM retrieve his contacts. There is no right of appeal.

Meta, as a commercial company, can choose who its customers are, and has a duty to remove harmful content, but its role as judge, jury and executioner is troubling given the impact of its decisions.

RM could make a subject access request to Meta to see the information held about him. That won’t reinstate the accounts but may enable him to understand his “offence”. If Meta refuses to comply, he can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

He has bought a laptop to open new accounts and start rebuilding. I advise him (and everyone else) to back up his contacts and not rely solely on an unaccountable company for all of his administration.

Meta is now being accused of mass bans by algorithm of Facebook and Instagram users, and a petition demanding human intervention on Change.org has garnered more than 25,000 signatures.

Locked out of Facebook

EM of West Sussex hit a digital brick wall after she was locked out of her Facebook account when a hacker gained access and changed the password, email address and phone number. She says Facebook’s automated system blithely sent instructions on how to restore access to the hacker’s email when she asked what she should do. The hacker later changed the account from private to public, revealing years of personal information.

When EM asked Facebook to intervene, it permanently closed the new account she had set up. “It makes it impossible to get hold of anyone to speak to, by email, chat or phone,” she says. “The unexpected positive is that after feeling like my arms had been cut off, I am enjoying the absence of Facebook noise in my life!”

Meta did not respond to requests for a comment.



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Capgemini acquires India-based WNS for $3.3 billion to boost AI business services – Firstpost

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Capgemini expects the deal to be closed by the end of 2025 and be immediately accretive to its revenue and operating margin

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France’s Capgemini has agreed to buy technology outsourcing firm WNS for $3.3 billion in cash to expand the range of AI tools it offers for companies, the IT services group said on Monday.

The deal equips Capgemini to create a consulting business service focused on helping companies improve their processes and cost efficiency with the use of artificial intelligence, namely generative AI and agentic AI, which it expects to attract significant investments.

The purchase price translating to $76.50 per WNS share represents a 17% premium compared to their last closing price on July 3 and does not include WNS’s financial debt, Capgemini said.

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Its interest in India-based WNS, whose services include business process outsourcing and data analytics, was first reported by Reuters in April.

“WNS brings … its high growth, margin accretive and resilient Digital Business Process Services … while further increasing our exposure to the US market,” Capgemini CEO Aiman Ezzat said in a press statement.

WNS’s customers include large organizations such as Coca-Cola, T-Mobile and United Airlines.

On a conference call with media and analysts, Ezzat said the acquisition would immediately create cross-selling opportunities between the two companies, mainly in the U.S. and Britain.

Capgemini expects the deal to be closed by the end of 2025 and be immediately accretive to its revenue and operating margin.

However, its shares fell around 5% following the news, the biggest losers on Europe’s benchmark STOXX 600 index as of 1024 GMT, with Morgan Stanley analysts saying the deal would limit its balance sheet flexibility while not having a major impact on financials.

Some investors are also concerned that Gen AI could impact the typically staff-intensive business process outsourcing (BPO) market, which could bite into Capgemini’s revenues and expose it to new competition, the analysts said in a research note.

“We expect investors to be able to see the opportunity that could come from disrupting BPO with Gen AI but think some evidence will be needed to convince the market WNS is the right vehicle,” they added.

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Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education launches the AI Leadership Programme in collaboration with Emeritus

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The programme explores future-focused AI strategies and frameworks to foster innovation, accelerate organisational growth and build resilience.

CAMBRIDGE, England, July 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education announces the launch of its four-month Cambridge AI Leadership Programme. This programme equips leaders with both strategic insights and practical knowledge to harness AI for business transformation. Launched in collaboration with Emeritus, a global leader in making high-quality education accessible and affordable, enrolment is now open for a September 2025 start.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries, and organisations are eager to understand and leverage its full potential to enhance efficiency, drive innovation and stay competitive. According to Forbes, 68% of employers consider AI to be crucial for future success. However, many AI projects fail due to a lack of strategic leadership and integration. The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme helps participants navigate the complexities of AI adoption, identify scalable opportunities and build a strategic roadmap for successful implementation.

Through a blend of in-person and online learning modules, participants will develop an understanding of AI concepts, applications and best practices to enhance decision-making skills as well as examine digital transformation and ethical AI governance. They will engage directly with world-renowned Cambridge faculty, industry experts and global peers while immersing themselves in the rich Cambridge ecosystem. By the end of the programme, participants will be prepared to implement AI strategies that deliver operational excellence and long-term organisational success.

“AI is a transformative force reshaping business strategy, decision-making and leadership. Senior executives must not only understand AI but also use it to drive business goals, efficiency and new revenue opportunities,” says Professor David Stillwell, Co-Academic Programme Director. “The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme offers a strategic road map, equipping leaders with the skills and mindset to integrate AI into their organisations and lead in an AI-driven world.”

“The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme empowers decision-makers to harness AI in ways that align with their organisation’s goals and prepare for the future,” says Vesselin Popov, Co-Academic Programme Director. “Through a comprehensive learning experience, participants gain strategic insights and practical knowledge to drive transformation, strengthen decision-making and navigate technological shifts with confidence.”

The programme is designed for senior leaders looking to lead transformation, unlock new revenue opportunities and integrate AI technologies into business operations effectively. It bridges the critical gap between technology and business strategy, preparing leaders to achieve AI-driven business goals.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education to help senior leaders deepen their understanding of AI’s strategic applications and build foresight to balance innovation while managing risk,” says Mike Malefakis, President of University Partnerships at Emeritus. “Through blended learning, the Cambridge AI Leadership Programme enables participants to leverage AI tools and strategies for business optimisation and growth.”

The Cambridge AI Leadership Programme starts on 22 September 2025. For more information and to apply, please visit the programme website.

About Cambridge Judge Business School

Cambridge Judge Business School leverages the power of academia for real-world impact to transform individuals, organisations and society. Since 1990, Cambridge Judge has forged a reputation as a centre of rigorous thinking and high-impact transformative education, situated within one of the world’s most prestigious research universities and in the heart of the Cambridge Cluster, the most successful technology entrepreneurship cluster in Europe. In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, Cambridge Judge placed first in the Times Higher Education rankings for Business and Management Studies in the United Kingdom. Ninety-four per cent of Cambridge’s overall REF submissions were rated as “world leading” or “internationally excellent”, demonstrating the major global impact that Cambridge Judge researchers are making on society. Cambridge Judge pursues innovation through interdisciplinary insight, entrepreneurial spirit and collaboration. Cutting-edge research is rooted in real-world challenges, and students and clients are encouraged to ask excellent questions to create real-world change. Undergraduate, graduate and executive programmes attract innovators, creative thinkers, thoughtful and collaborative problem-solvers as well as current and future leaders, drawn from a huge diversity of backgrounds and countries.

About Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education

Cambridge Judge Business School Executive Education offers a wide range of open-enrolment and customised programmes that will test, challenge, encourage and inspire you. We will help you embrace the knowledge and skills you need – to grow in confidence and to evolve and adapt. Get ready to lead purposefully, manage effectively and innovate in an increasingly complex future.

About Emeritus

Emeritus is committed to teaching the skills of the future by making high-quality education accessible and affordable to individuals, organisations and governments worldwide. It does so by collaborating with more than 80 top-tier universities across the United States, Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India and China. Emeritus’s short courses, degree programmes, professional certificates and senior executive programmes help individuals learn new skills and transform their lives, companies and organisations. Its unique model of state-of-the-art technology, curriculum innovation and hands-on instruction from senior faculty, mentors and coaches has educated more than 350,000 individuals across more than 80 countries. For more information, please visit https://emeritus.org.

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Capgemini falls as WNS deal raises questions over AI’s business impact — TradingView News

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** Shares in French IT services firm Capgemini CAP fall more than 5% to their lowest price since late April, after it agreed to buy WNS WNS for $3.3 billion of cash

** Analysts from Morgan Stanley say investors are concerned over the impact of Gen AI on the business process outsourcing (BPO) market that Capgemini wants to develop into

** “The bear case is that new technology would shift BPO from a people intensive business to one which is much more highly automated and managed by software and not people” – MS

** This could mean reduction of BPO revenues and exposure of incumbent vendors to competition from new entrants, MS adds

** “We expect investors to be able to see the opportunity that could come from disrupting BPO with Gen AI but think some evidence will be needed to convince the market WNS is the right vehicle,” MS says

** The analysts add WNS is not large enough to be transformational to Capgemini’s financials, while the deal is using up its balance sheet firepower for a couple of years

** Capgemini’s shares are at the bottom of Europe’s benchmark STOXX 600 index SXXP



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