tiktok US Navy Blocks TikTok on Government Devices Over Security Fears The US Navy prohibits service members from using TikTok on government-issued phones, labeling the popular app a cybersecurity threat. The ban stems from ongoing concerns regarding the app's Chinese ownership and potential data privacy risks.
snopes Snopes Builds Independent Crowdfunding to Fight 2020 Election Disinformation Fact-checking site Snopes launches its own crowdfunding platform to reduce reliance on major tech companies ahead of the 2020 election. The move follows a frustrating partnership with Facebook that highlighted a fundamental mismatch in priorities.
instagram Instagram Expands Fact-Checking While Shielding Politicians Instagram partners with 45 fact-checking organizations to hide false content using interstitial warnings, yet it continues to exempt politicians from these rules. The platform also introduces anti-bullying alerts for captions and enforces strict age verification for new users.
instagram Instagram Automatically Flags False Content Shared From Facebook Instagram expands its fact-checking program worldwide and automatically labels known false content shared from Facebook. The platform also penalizes repeat offenders by removing them from Explore and hashtag pages.
twitter Twitter Revives Election Labels and Expands Verification for 2020 Candidates Twitter reintroduces its Election Labels for the 2020 U.S. elections to help users identify political candidates and the offices they seek. The platform also expands verification to include primary candidates alongside general election contenders.
youtube YouTube Enforces Stricter Anti-Harassment Rules Against Hate-Based Abuse YouTube updates its community guidelines to remove content that targets individuals based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. The policy shift follows widespread criticism over the platform's failure to curb targeted harassment.
snapchat Snapchat Unveils Cameos Feature to Insert Selfies into GIFs Snapchat introduces Cameos, a new chat feature that uses face-tracking technology to place your selfie into short looping videos. The comedic tool rolls out to iOS and Android devices on December 18th.
snapchat Snapchat Tests 'Cameos' Feature to Deep-Fake User Selfies Into Shared Videos Snapchat is testing a new feature called Cameos that allows users to map their selfies onto short looping videos to share in chats. The tool serves as an interactive alternative to Bitmoji and is set for a global rollout in mid-December.
reddit Reddit Traces Leaked UK Trade Documents to Russian Influence Campaign Reddit connects the recent leak of sensitive UK-US trade documents to a suspected Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the upcoming UK general election.
elon musk Court Clears Elon Musk of Defamation in 'Pedo Guy' Tweet Trial A federal jury in Los Angeles clears Elon Musk of defamation charges after he calls British diver Vernon Unsworth a "pedo guy" on Twitter. The court rules that the insulting tweet does not qualify as an assertion of fact.
youtube YouTube Purges Closed Accounts, Warning Creators of Subscriber Drops YouTube is removing closed and spam accounts from its platform, which causes some creators to see a drop in their subscriber numbers. The company states this routine cleanup does not affect watch time, though smaller creators worry about losing monetization eligibility.
youtube YouTube CEO Draws Fire Over Narrow Definition of Harmful Content YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki faces intense criticism after stating that videos promoting white supremacy do not violate platform policies unless they explicitly call for discriminatory action. Critics argue the company leverages its massive resources poorly when it comes to policing misinformation.
twitter Twitter Dismantles 6,000-Account Saudi Propaganda Network Twitter takes down nearly 6,000 accounts linked to a Saudi marketing firm that spreads state-backed messaging. The takedown reveals a growing trend of governments outsourcing social media influence campaigns to third-party contractors.
instagram Instagram Expands Hidden Like Counts Test to Global Audience Instagram rolls out its hidden Like counts experiment to a small subset of users worldwide, aiming to reduce social pressure on the platform.
twitter Twitter Proposes Warning Labels for Deepfakes Instead of Removal Twitter reveals a new draft policy that warns users about synthetic media but refuses to remove most deepfakes. The platform only considers taking down manipulated content that poses a direct threat to physical safety.