instagram Instagram Hides Like Counts in Global Mental Health Test Instagram is hiding public like counts for select users across seven countries to see if it improves the platform experience. The test aims to shift user focus away from popularity metrics and toward the actual content being shared.
internet outages Internet Outages, Privacy Fines Highlight Troubled Month Online Recent widespread internet outages expose critical infrastructure flaws, while British Airways faces a record GDPR fine and ICE faces scrutiny over facial recognition use. Major tech platforms also find themselves excluded from an upcoming White House social media summit.
tiktok UK Regulators Investigate TikTok Over Children's Data Privacy Practices The UK's data privacy watchdog launches a formal investigation into TikTok to determine if the popular video app violates European data protection laws for minors. The probe follows a record $5.7 million fine the company received in the US earlier this year.
faceapp FaceApp Surges to 30 Million Downloads Amid Rising Privacy Concerns A face-altering mobile app goes viral with 30 million July downloads, but its Russian origins and broad data policies spark user anxiety.
twitter Twitter Labels Rule-Breaking Politician Tweets Under New Public Interest Policy Twitter introduces a new labeling system for tweets from politicians that violate platform rules but remain in the public interest. The flagged posts require a click-through warning and face severe algorithmic downranking.
instagram Instagram Introduces Ads to Explore Tab in Discovery Feed Instagram brings advertisements to its Explore tab for the first time, placing them only in the scrolling feeds users see after tapping a post. The company plans a slow rollout to ensure the marketing feels natural to users in a discovery mindset.
reddit Reddit Quarantines Pro-Trump Subreddit Over Threats of Violence Reddit restricts the controversial r/The_Donald community by placing it in quarantine due to threats against police and public figures. The opt-in measure falls short of a full ban despite ongoing criticism of the group's rule violations.
twitter Twitter Tests Swipe Navigation to Boost Underrated Lists Feature Twitter is experimenting with a new swipe-based interface that makes custom Lists easier to access directly from the home timeline. The test aims to bring long-overdue attention to a powerful tool that helps users organize their feeds without clutter.
gillmor gang Gillmor Gang Explores Facebook Libra Impact and 2020 Political Strategies The latest Gillmor Gang podcast episode features a roundtable discussion on Facebook's Libra cryptocurrency and the upcoming 2020 Democratic race. Panelists debate how these major tech and political shifts could reshape the global landscape.
facebook Global Outage Disrupts Facebook and Instagram Before Company Confirms Fix Millions of users worldwide experience widespread outages across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp before the social media giant resolves the technical issues. The company confirms the disruption is not the result of a cyberattack.
facebook Facebook CEO Zuckerberg Urges Governments to Regulate the Internet Mark Zuckerberg publishes an op-ed asking for updated government oversight regarding harmful content, election integrity, and privacy. This unexpected plea for regulation follows recent backlash over a livestreamed massacre in New Zealand.
facebook Facebook Unveils Dating, Shopping, and Privacy Features at F8 Conference Facebook announces new dating, e-commerce, and group features across its apps at F8 while emphasizing a shift toward privacy. The updates include hidden like counts on Instagram and end-to-end encryption for Messenger.
faceapp Experts Say FaceApp Privacy Fears Are Overblown and Typical of Social Media Data-privacy experts indicate that the national security and privacy concerns surrounding the popular Russian-owned FaceApp are largely exaggerated. The app's data practices simply mirror the standard, broad user agreements typical of major social media platforms.
youtube YouTube CEO Confronts Rising Scrutiny Over Hate Speech and Misinformation YouTube faces intense pressure to address the massive scale of hate speech and conspiracy theories on its platform. CEO Susan Wojcicki defends the site as a global library while managing the overwhelming influx of 500 hours of video uploaded every minute.
instagram Instagram Bans Graphic Self-Harm Images Following Teenager's Death Instagram announces a ban on graphic self-harm content after facing intense public backlash over the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell. The platform's head admits the company has not done enough to protect vulnerable users.