Digital Life

National

Pew: Nearly One-Third Of Americans Hide Information Online

4:30pm March 17, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

While Americans are deeply divided over whether government surveillance is serving the public interest, one-third of those surveyed are taking steps to hide their personal information online.

After a post has been flagged for review, Facebook intervenes with a supportive message.

Facebook's Suicide Prevention Tools Connect Friends, Test Privacy

3:41pm March 17, 2015

by Emma Bowman

When online social networks open up spaces for suicide prevention with untrained peer support, they walk the fragile line between invasion of privacy and supporting those who need help.

Stefano Gabbana (left) and Domenico Dolce, seen here during the recent Milan Fashion Week, are being criticized for remarks about same-sex families, sparking a boycott led by musician Elton John.

Elton John Leads Boycott Against Dolce & Gabbana Over 'Synthetic Children' Remarks

1:43am March 17, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are locked in a public argument with Elton John over their recent remarks condemning in vitro fertilization and saying same-sex couples shouldn't raise children.

Bryan Henderson, who goes by Giraffedata, has written a 6,000-word essay on his Wikipedia user page explaining why he thinks "comprised of" is an egregious error.

Don't You Dare Use 'Comprised Of' On Wikipedia: One Editor Will Take It Out

3:39pm March 12, 2015

by Geoff Nunberg

Wikipedia editor Bryan Henderson has made it his crusade to edit out the phrase "comprised of" in more than 5 million articles. While his quest is harmless, it shows that zealots can dominate the Web.

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National

FCC Publishes Full Text Of Net Neutrality Rules

2:24pm March 12, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Two weeks after it voted to approve rules on net neutrality, the Federal Communications Commission releases what Chairman Tom Wheeler calls "a shining example of American democracy at work."

Twitter Updates Policy To Combat Revenge Porn

10:14am March 12, 2015

by Aarti Shahani

Twitter has a new privacy policy. The company says if someone posts a photo or video that is intimate in nature, they have to have permission from whoever is featured in it.

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Meerkat, a live-video streaming app, has been this week's tech media darling.

Politics & Government

The App Of The Moment: Meerkat Tests Our Desire To Share Live Video

5:08pm March 11, 2015

by Tajha Chappellet-Lanier

The new mobile app for live video streaming piggybacks off Twitter and is easy to use. Meerkat comes at a time when video is increasingly popular. But can the hype last?

Arts

New HBO Now Streaming Service Shows Consumer's Will Is King

7:40pm March 10, 2015

by Eric Deggans

HBO on Monday announced a new service presenting its shows online without a cable subscription. NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says it also shows the power of consumers to bring change in a digital world.

After a month of preparation, people surprised Muharrem Yazgan, who has impaired hearing, by using sign language to communicate with him. The results were filmed for an ad for Samsung.

World News

Neighbors Surprise Man By Using Sign Language; Hearts Melt

3:04pm March 10, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The story of how Istanbul residents learned sign language to create a special day for a neighbor has turned a Samsung ad into an international viral hit.

An employee at the American Disposables Inc. factory works on the assembly line in October 2009 in Ware, Mass. The state has seen rapidly expanding income disparity in the past 50 years as highly educated tech and financial workers have seen big gains and

The Numbers Add Up To This: Less And Less Opportunity For Poor Kids

1:57pm March 10, 2015

by Marilyn Geewax

A new book and study both show that the ability to rise from poverty to the middle class truly is shrinking. A child without married, educated parents starts life at a huge and worsening disadvantage.