deepfakes Congress Targets Deepfakes With New Bill Ahead of 2020 Election Lawmakers are taking a concerted stand against AI-generated manipulated media by introducing new legislation that targets creators and social platforms. The bill includes watermarking requirements, improved detection tools, and strict penalties for malicious deepfakes.
facebook Facebook Leaves Deepfake of Zuckerberg on Instagram Despite Altered Content Facebook keeps a manipulated video of Mark Zuckerberg on Instagram, choosing to flag it as fake rather than remove it. This decision highlights the company's emerging policy regarding doctored media ahead of upcoming US elections.
deepfakes Mark Zuckerberg Deepfake Video Highlights Growing AI Manipulation Threat A fabricated video shows Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg making false statements, demonstrating the alarming capabilities of deepfake technology. This synthetic media raises serious concerns about the spread of misinformation on social media platforms.
visa U.S. Now Requires Social Media Details From Most Visa Applicants The State Department rolls out a new rule demanding social media usernames and five years of contact history from nearly all visa applicants. The broad screening expansion affects approximately 15 million people and coincides with a decline in the U.S. as a top destination for global talent.
instagram Instagram Explore Overhaul Integrates Stories, Shopping, and IGTV Instagram revamps its Explore tab to include auto-playing Stories and prominent portals for Shopping and IGTV. The update aims to help users dive deeper into niche interests while showcasing the platform's key growth areas.
twitter Twitter Now Allows Users to Attach Media to Retweets Twitter rolls out an update that lets users add photos, videos, and GIFs to their Retweets. This move pushes the platform further away from its text-only roots toward a more media-rich experience.
facebook Facebook Permanently Bans Alex Jones, Farrakhan, and Other Extremists Facebook removes several high-profile figures, including Alex Jones and Louis Farrakhan, from its platforms for violating policies against hate speech and violence.
facebook Facebook Shifts Focus From News Feed to Privacy and New Features at F8 Facebook uses its F8 conference to outline a future beyond the news feed, focusing instead on privacy, Groups, and new consumer products. TechCrunch analysts break down how this pivot creates new opportunities for startups and investors.
facebook Facebook Unveils FB5 Redesign to Focus on Groups and Marketplace Facebook introduces its biggest interface change in five years, shifting focus from the News Feed to community Groups and Marketplace to repair its reputation.
instagram Instagram Tests Hidden Like Counts to Reduce User Anxiety Instagram is running a test in Canada that hides public Like counts from viewers in an effort to shift the platform's focus from a popularity contest back to genuine self-expression.
twitter Twitter Reports Strong Q1 Earnings While Shifting Away From Monthly User Metrics Twitter surpasses analyst expectations with $787 million in Q1 revenue, but sees a slight decline in monthly active users. The company focuses on product improvements and officially transitions to reporting monetizable daily active users.
sri lanka Sri Lanka Blocks Major Social Media Platforms Following Deadly Easter Attacks Sri Lankan authorities block major social media services to stop the spread of false information after coordinated bombings kill over 200 people. Experts warn the blackout creates an information vacuum and remains largely ineffective.
instagram Instagram Tests Hidden Like Counts to Reduce User Pressure Instagram explores a hidden like counter feature to help users focus on content rather than popularity metrics. The internal prototype aims to reduce competitive pressure and boost authentic sharing on the platform.
mueller report Mueller Report Details How Russian Trolls Hijacked US Social Media The newly released Mueller report outlines how Russia's Internet Research Agency uses major social platforms to sow political discord and explicitly support Donald Trump's 2016 campaign.
facebook Facebook Announces Faster Messenger and Privacy-Focused Social Platform Vision Facebook kicks off its F8 developer conference by outlining a major shift toward privacy-focused social networking and unveiling a completely re-engineered Messenger app.