meanwhile, twitter considers legal action, accusing the company of stealing its trade secrets. hello i'm helena humphrey first tonight, allegations have emerged in a newspaper about a bbc presenter. our culture and media editor katie razzall has more. a bbc presenter has been accused of serious misconduct with an individual that began when the teenager was 17 years old, according to the sun newspaper here in the uk. now, the newspaper says that the presenter, who has not been named, paid the teenager tens of thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images. we understand that the bbc is looking into the allegations which are clearly very serious and the sun claims that the well—known presenter

paid actually more than £35,000 in returns for those sexually explicit images. the individual�*s family, it's reported, complained to the bbc on may 19th this year and begged them to make the man stop sending the cash because the mum claims that her child, who is now 20, had gone from a happy—go—lucky youngster to a ghostlike crack addict injust three years, because it is claimed the money has been used to fund a drugs habit. the bbc in a statement said: "we treat any allegations very seriously and have processes "in place to proactively deal with them." they also said, "as part of that, if we receive information that requires "further investigation or examination, "we will take steps to do this. "that includes actively attempting to speak "to those who have contacted us in order to seek further detail "and understanding of the situation." the sun has reported that the male presenter has been taken off air and we do understand that he is not scheduled to appear

in the coming days. with an historic 70 million downloads by friday, threads, meta's and mark zuckerberg's challenger to twitter, launched on wednesday night to much fanfare, and the new app is on pace to break download records. threads is linked to meta's already popular instagram app, allowing instagram's existing two billion monthly active users to seamlessly transition to the new platform to share text, videos and photos. zuckerberg said his goal for threads is to have, quote, "a public conversations app with over one billion people on it. twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it. hopefully we will." threads debuts at a time when twitter has continued to see a rise in hate speech on the

platform, and some users have expressed fustrations with elon musk�*s changes since his takeover in october. threads also joins several other twitter competitors including bluesky, mastodon and post. so, how do twitter and threads stack up against one another? twitter allows non—twitter blue subscribers to write posts up to 280 characters, while threads allows up to 500 characters per post. both allow users to post links, photos and videos on their apps, but twitter limits video to 2 minutes and 20 seconds and threads allows videos of up to five minutes in length. well, perhaps most consequentially, verification carries over from instagram to threads users, but for twitter you have to have be subscribed to twitter blue to get the blue tick. and for the time being, twitter is the only platform where you can experience direct messaging, trend stories and hashtags. to discuss threads�* historic launch, earlier i wasjoined by mike isaac, new york times�* technology reporter, and carl tobias, from the university of richmond school of law. to begin with, what we're

seeing right is it seems threads is on track to be the most rapidly downloaded app ever. why do you think that is? the numbers are staggering. we have not seen anything like this since potentially chat gpt, the user signups over the course of two months, it broke 200 million users so it's crazy. i think it represents the desire that people want to basically have a twitter that is not owned by elon musk that they can use, and the past nine months or so under the ownership dealing with a bunch of really strong changes, erratic changes, and it has turned off a lot of the long—time users who wanted to go back to how the original twitter worked so they are open to new possibilities.—

to new possibilities. taking a look at the — to new possibilities. taking a look at the numbers, - to new possibilities. taking a i look at the numbers, according to an sec filing from 2013, it took twitter for years to build the same number of users that threads gained in one day is really quite some staggering numbers there. car, to you, why do you think it has seen such a quick uptake. i think mike is exactly right. dissatisfaction with twitter, _ exactly right. dissatisfaction with twitter, perhaps - exactly right. dissatisfaction with twitter, perhaps free . exactly right. dissatisfaction i with twitter, perhaps free elon musk, — with twitter, perhaps free elon musk, but since then, it has really— musk, but since then, it has really intensified. there are lots — really intensified. there are lots of _ really intensified. there are lots of specific restrictions and — lots of specific restrictions and limitations and they have cut the — and limitations and they have cut the staff substantially so all of — cut the staff substantially so all of that together makes threads look even more appealing to many people. with all of those _ appealing to many people. with all of those issues _ appealing to many people. with all of those issues in _ appealing to many people. ti all of those issues in hand, which you have just mentioned there, mike, to you, i guess one of the questions is looking forward what does this mean for twitter, and what does this mean of course, crucially, for its owner, elon musk? to carl's

oint its owner, elon musk? to carl's point earlier. — its owner, elon musk? to carl's point earlier, there _ its owner, elon musk? to carl's point earlier, there has - its owner, elon musk? to carl's point earlier, there has been i its owner, elon musk? to carl's point earlier, there has been a | point earlier, there has been a lot of— point earlier, there has been a lot of disaffection with twitter over the years but i also, — twitter over the years but i also, elon musk accelerated that, — also, elon musk accelerated that, and those changes that he made _ that, and those changes that he made were in really short order and made — made were in really short order and made people more upset, so i think_ and made people more upset, so i think now— and made people more upset, so i think now as they are potentially leading users as people _ potentially leading users as people consider going over to zuckerberg's version of twitter, he should probably do some — twitter, he should probably do some real existential thinking around — some real existential thinking around do i need to change my strategy. — around do i need to change my strategy, is making people pay strate ' ' $8 gy, is making people pay strategy, is making people pay $8 a _ strategy, is making people pay $8 a month for features that areo'l— $8 a month for features that aren't really that much better, at least — aren't really that much better, at least extensively different than — at least extensively different than using pre— twitter, beforehand, is that the right strategy, or should we work on gaining — strategy, or should we work on gaining back our advertisers, many— gaining back our advertisers, many of— gaining back our advertisers, many of which have left the platforms i have paused advertising because of content moderation changes, so

hopefully for his sake, he is thinking _ hopefully for his sake, he is thinking about strategy and what — thinking about strategy and what he wants to do with the business _ what he wants to do with the business in the near term. i�*m business in the near term. i'm sure he is _ business in the near term. i“n sure he is thinking about strategy but if he does not like to make changes, car, ultimately what do you think this means for the future of twitter? you have outlined a plethora of perceived problems. do you think ultimately the uptake of threads and issues we have seen with twitter could essentially mean we are seeing the end of twitter? that essentially mean we are seeing the end of twitter?— essentially mean we are seeing the end of twitter? that may be overstating _ the end of twitter? that may be overstating it — the end of twitter? that may be overstating it but _ the end of twitter? that may be overstating it but we _ the end of twitter? that may be overstating it but we will - the end of twitter? that may be overstating it but we will see. i overstating it but we will see. it does look like a very quick start, and that has been helped by the questions around elon musk and twitter�*s longer term going back performers, but we will see, and a lot can be

explained by what has happened since elon musk came and the __'s since elon musk came and the ——'s dissatisfaction. i don't think it is over yet but we will see if threads is as effective as the number of people who have come to it recently. i people who have come to it recently-— people who have come to it recentl . ., ., ., recently. i would ask you more about that- _ recently. i would ask you more about that. do _ recently. i would ask you more about that. do you _ recently. i would ask you more about that. do you think- recently. i would ask you more about that. do you think these | about that. do you think these issues are just with elon musk and his leadership at twitter or could itjust be down to technical issues with twitter, user dissatisfaction that has grown over time?— user dissatisfaction that has grown over time? there were problems _ grown over time? there were problems before _ grown over time? there were problems before elon - grown over time? there were problems before elon musk l grown over time? there were - problems before elon musk came, is fairness, and the long—term outlook is not clear, and people may be hopeful that once he took it over it would improve, but it isn't clear that it has. and so we will

just have to see if they can capitalise on that which is what mark zuckerberg is trying to do. a ~ what mark zuckerberg is trying todo. ~ , to do. mark zuckerberg coming in at an opportune _ to do. mark zuckerberg coming in at an opportune moment - to do. mark zuckerberg coming | in at an opportune moment with this new platform. ijust wonder what you thought about what carl had to say.— what carl had to say. totally, these are _ what carl had to say. totally, these are early _ what carl had to say. totally, these are early days - what carl had to say. totally, these are early days and - what carl had to say. totally, these are early days and one| these are early days and one thing — these are early days and one thing i— these are early days and one thing i think we should watch at least — thing i think we should watch at least is a bunch of people are willing to sign up, especially because instagram made — especially because instagram made it— especially because instagram made it so easy for folks to sign — made it so easy for folks to sign up. _ made it so easy for folks to sign up, you essentially brought over your whole follow list, making it much easier than — list, making it much easier than if_ list, making it much easier than if he _ list, making it much easier than if he used a different app like blue — than if he used a different app like blue sky or mastodon where you had — like blue sky or mastodon where you had to — like blue sky or mastodon where you had to basically build your whole — you had to basically build your whole follow list over again which — whole follow list over again which people don't want to do or are — which people don't want to do or are too _ which people don't want to do or are too lazy to do, i didn't want to— or are too lazy to do, ididn't want to do— or are too lazy to do, i didn't want to do it, it takes too much _ want to do it, it takes too much time, but the real question is what will the

health— question is what will the health and participation of the network— health and participation of the network be? i think i was saying _ network be? i think i was saying in— network be? i think i was saying in the coming days we will get — saying in the coming days we will get proof of that announced the thing, twitter has at — announced the thing, twitter has at least had all of its problems, the company has been around _ problems, the company has been around for— problems, the company has been around for 18 years, and the around for18 years, and the power— around for 18 years, and the power users really do stick to the platform and come back every— the platform and come back every day, and we will see instagram's version of twitter basically— instagram's version of twitter basically with threads if they have — basically with threads if they have the _ basically with threads if they have the same sensibility. earlier i spoke to augustin reyna from the european consumer 0rganisation on threads in the european union and why the app hasn't launched there. thank you forjoining the programme. 70 million users for threads already but none of them in the eu. why is that? why is threads not open yet for business in the eu? that is a question for meta to answer but what i can tell you and many people have heard that they are not entering europe because of our regulatory rules.

that is a misrepresentation. we have rules to ensure that people's data is secure and protected and to ensure that consumers rights have been respected and that markets remain open and competitive and from that point of view if meta is not entering europe for those reasons well, it says a lot about their services. explain this to us a little bit. why the caution from meta? how do they think they may not be, you know, adhering to eu regulations with their platform? over the last years the eu has adopted a number of laws to ensure the people's personal data is protected and people remain

in control of their data but also, recently, we have adopted new laws regarding social media and services provided by platforms that need to allow new entrants and new companies to offer services to consumers. this is the digital market site and the objective is to make markets more open and objective. of course, meta is entering with users of instagram and that raises concerns from the point of view for eu rules because meta can take in vantage of the data of that customer base it holds in order to boost its own service to the detriment of others and that is a source of concern under european law. i also wanted to ask about consumer appetite in all of this as well

because if we look at some of the reaction including in the uk, of course, which has recently left the eu, some politicians have been celebrating the fact that they have access to the app. do you think there is a world in which the eu could be too heavy—handed in regard to regulation? i don't think so. actually we have taken many years for europe to start raining in big companies. for too long they have been let off the hook and now it is high time to start regulating these companies that affect so many lives. you mention the uk, well, the uk is currently discussing its new rules that they will apply to digital platforms. so the fact that this app may be available in the uk, that is one thing but meta and other companies are now subject to similar rules that we have in europe.

what about people who just want to get onto the app? what about people want to take part in these conversations? whether meta will offer the app in europe is not for the eu to decide which services are going to offer to consumers in europe. but what it is for the eu to say is under which conditions the services are to be offered here and that directly concerns the different rules and regulations that this platform needs to comply in order to ensure that people and consumers can use these services in total confidence and security. so it is not about whether europe is being too tough on meta or not, it is about meta services entering europe in a way that complies with european standards. ijust want to ask about the business

model of these apps. do you think threads' failure to lodge in the european union could be a sign that these business models of vacuuming up large portions of data, but that kind of business model could actually be under threat? i think that could be a reason, and the fact that these companies's business models are based on collecting and processing huge amount of data which are then used mainly in advertising and markets. these business models per se are not legal these business models per se are not illegal in europe. but what is legal in europe to collect and use personal data without

respecting minimum standards. ——illegal in europe. people need to give consent if their data is to be used for advertising. to ensure that these products are designed in a way that by default are respecting people's right, being personal protection or data protection. so from that perspective yes, these business models are at odds with the european standards, but here of course the fundamental question is we as a society, which type of services do we want to thrive in europe and abroad in the world. which type of platforms do we want to have on our phones, on our tablets? and that is a question that is not for meta to answer but for us as a society and for our elected representatives. director of legal and economic affairs at the european consumer 0rganisation, good to have you on, thank you. meta says it hopes threads will offer a space for real—time updates and public

conversations. and to combat concerns about the hate speech, the company says the app was built with tools to enable to positive and productive conversations, allowing users to block and restrict profiles and words like on instagram. however there are still concerns about privacy — threads' private policy states it will collect names, email addresses, and information on communities you interact with. meanwhile, twitter chief, elon musk is threatening to sue its fast growing rival. twitter�*s attorney sent a letter to meta accusing it of "systematic, wilful, and unlawful misapproation "of twitter�*s trade secrets" — accusations meta representatives have denied. bbc technology editor zoe kleinman has more. the fact that this letter has been sent shows that musk is seriously rattled by his new rival. as you said, threads has had millions of people sign up to it since it launched really just over 2a hours ago, and it has really taken off.

and i think the reason for that is because meta has mobilised its enormous community that is already on instagram. there are 2 billion people using instagram, and you have to have an instagram login to get onto threads. once you've got that it's an incredibly easy process, three clicks and you've got a profile already. and you can select to follow everybody already that you follow on instagram so you have this ready—made community. and there are other textbased social networks that have sprung up already, been around for a while, and suddenly people have discovered them because elon musk�*s leadership of twitter has proved to be quite controversial, he has made a lot of changes quite quickly without much explanation and some people have been really annoyed by that, and they have been looking for something else. starting a new social network is quite hard because you get there, you don't know anyone, the engagement is low and it can be quite a boring experience. that has not been the case

so far with threads. and i think elon musk is realising that actually if he does have a serious rival now, this is it. and meta does have a reputation in terms of carbon copying certain platforms or aspects of other social media platforms. i think meta would say it is inspired by the social networks and absolutely we have seen it before. and it very closely copied tiktok with instagram reels, it copied snapchat with facebook stories, both of which quite annoyingly i imagine for the original creators have done really well for the platform, have proved to be very popular and i have worked. and threads appears to be going the same way, people seem to be voting with their feet and they seem to be enjoying this new social network. i think elon musk has got a lot to prove here, i feel like this letter is a shot across the bows because fundamentally he has got to prove that meta has stolen trade secrets, ideas in themselves

are not covered by us copyright law — he has got to prove something has actually been stolen. meta says nobody who worked at twitter has been working on threads. elon musk let go thousands of employees last year, have some of them ended up working for meta, it is quite possible, they are in the same sector in the same heart of silicon valley. but proving that will be something else. and here is another interesting thing — meta owns the patent for news feeds. this is an enormous thing, all social networks are based on news feeds, that's what you see when you go to a platform, it's the collection of stuff that is based on people you have interacted with, people you follow, things you are interested in. so if twitter wants to pursue legal action against meta, meta could easily turn around and say you know that newsfeed of yours, twitter, we have the patent on that. it is an interesting spat between these two enormous multibillion—dollar companies.

i discussed that despite with mike isaac, new york times technology reporter — and carl tobias, university of richmond school of law joined me to break down the potential legal fight brewing. threatening legal action. do you think elon musk has a case here? it you think elon musk has a case here? , ., . ., ., ., here? it is not clear now. that letter was _ here? it is not clear now. that letter was very _ here? it is not clear now. that letter was very sharply - here? it is not clear now. that. letter was very sharply worded, made a lot of allegations but we're not in a court of law. this is just a we're not in a court of law. this isjust a letter and we're not in a court of law. this is just a letter and we will see litigation happens. but it may be that mask is quite threatening and this lawyer who has written it is well respected and has represented elon musk in the acquisition went twitter third elon musk at the time. they are both familiar with one another

and it is a strongly worded letter but you have to prove it and that is something we will have to see in the future and maybe musk is threatening and maybe musk is threatening and maybe this is a strong response but if you go into litigation, you have to make the proof of the facts and that may be quite difficult to do. it the facts and that may be quite difficult to do.— difficult to do. it already is cuite a difficult to do. it already is quite a crowded _ difficult to do. it already is quite a crowded area, - difficult to do. it already is quite a crowded area, the | quite a crowded area, the social media landscape. lots of landscapes that were once big hits. what needs to happen for threads to avoid that fate? honestly, the different approach that threads is taking compared to tweeter's classic timeline — compared to tweeter's classic timeline view is on tweeter, it is reverse _ timeline view is on tweeter, it is reverse chronological so you will see — is reverse chronological so you will see people you are following. but threads is how

facebook and instagram works. it is basically what it thinks you — it is basically what it thinks you want to see an mark zuckerberg and the instagram had of— zuckerberg and the instagram had of -- _ zuckerberg and the instagram had of —— head of instagram says— had of —— head of instagram says they— had of —— head of instagram says they wanted to be a friendly alternative. my guess is trying — friendly alternative. my guess is trying to keep it nice and light— is trying to keep it nice and light are _ is trying to keep it nice and light are not focused on news and political spat but i am curious— and political spat but i am curious to see if they can keep that— curious to see if they can keep that for— curious to see if they can keep that for long enough to keep people — that for long enough to keep people to stick around. i�*m people to stick around. i'm cufious people to stick around. i'm curious about _ people to stick around. i'm curious about that - people to stick around. i“n curious about that as well and we cannot ignore the timing of this. threads launching just a few months before a presidential election. they have struggled. any thoughts on how threads might handle the challenge? it how threads might handle the challenge?— challenge? it could be difficult. _ challenge? it could be difficult. others - challenge? it could be difficult. others have l challenge? it could be i difficult. others have not challenge? it could be - difficult. others have not had that much success and we will

have to see but the timing is exquisite in some ways elon musk gave that timing really to mark zuckerberg and he is capitalising on it, at least in the short term. whether it will pan out into the long—term is less clear and litigation may just cloud and inflame everyone without much resolution, especially if it is protracted. i want to raise something with you, echo chambers is something we spoke a lot about in 2016 and 2020 and prominent conservative voices already unhappy about content moderation on threads. elon musk has angered liberals with some of his policies. do you think that threads could just end up dividing users even more? i end up dividing users even more? . , end up dividing users even more? ., , . ., , end up dividing users even more? ., ,~ ., , ., end up dividing users even more? ., ,~ ., , more? i am very curious to see how they — more? i am very curious to see how they implement _ more? i am very curious to see how they implement key - more? i am very curious to see | how they implement key oration across— how they implement key oration across threads. conservatives in the — across threads. conservatives in the us—

across threads. conservatives in the us at least have real concerns _ in the us at least have real concerns about how facebook operates _ concerns about how facebook operates. accusations of suppression which facebook has denied — suppression which facebook has denied. you wonder if that is just— denied. you wonder if that is just going to be repeated with threads — just going to be repeated with threads or if we start having the same _ threads or if we start having the same sort of fights over again— the same sort of fights over again in— the same sort of fights over again in public but it really does — again in public but it really does depend on how they make this work— does depend on how they make this work and mark zuckerberg says— this work and mark zuckerberg says we — this work and mark zuckerberg says we have a ton of work to do and — says we have a ton of work to do and still planning entities day one _ do and still planning entities day one so it is wait and see if this— day one so it is wait and see if this thing sticks around. earty— if this thing sticks around. early days indeed. mike isaac from the time, a technology reporter and kyle from . thank you for your company. stay with us on bbc news.

hello there. we closed out our working week on a hot and increasingly humid story, in fact many areas across the country seeing temperatures mid—to—high 20s, peaking in the southeast with 30 degrees as an afternoon high. that means temperatures not falling very far at all, so the start of saturday morning is going to be quite an uncomfortable one, quite a muggy one. temperatures in london, well, sitting at around 20 degrees already — that's 68 fahrenheit. and with that humidity, unfortunately with this weather front pushing in from the southwest, could trigger off some sharp thundery downpours as we go through the start of the weekend. so dry, settled sunny start for many, but here is that front and you can see the brighter colours denoting the intensity of that thundery rain. large hail not out of the question as well. it sweeps quite quickly north and east, so behind it there will be some sunshine, and in actual fact, across parts of east anglia we could still see temperatures into the high 20s. but still some of these showers quite torrential, large hail not out of the question,

and certainly the potential for a lot of rain in a short space of time. so as we move into scotland, temperatures into the mid—20s, probably that rain not arriving in the far north and east of scotland until the end of the afternoon. as we move into sunday we are still under this influence of low pressure. a bit more of a breeze driving the potential for some showers as we go through the day. so for the second half of the weekend, some rain easing slowly away from the northeast of scotland, potentialfor some sharp thundery rain to move up from the near continent across east anglia and southeast england. we are going to have to keep a close eye on that, still some level of uncertainty in the forecast. top temperatures, 17—23 degrees as our overall high. as we close out the weekend into next week, low pressure never too far away — it looks likely that, as we see these areas of low pressure moving their way steadily eastwards, we lose our southwesterly flow and drag in more of a northwesterly, so our week ahead looks quite unsettled at times.

there will still be some sunny spells but temperatures have the potential to just be a little bit disappointing. so, next week, a little bit tricky. it looks likely to be fresher with some sunny spells, but still the risk of some sharp, blustery showers.

v0|ceover: this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme.