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Mask Up! How Public Health Messages Collide With Facebook's Political Ads Ban

6:23pm December 23, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Nearly two months after Election Day, Facebook still prohibits political ads. The ban is frustrating some elected leaders who say it makes it harder to get out information about the pandemic.

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Amazon, and eight other social media and tech companies, received orders from the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. They must hand over information on how they harness user data.

National

Amazon, TikTok, Facebook, Others Ordered To Explain What They Do With User Data

2:38pm December 15, 2020

by Jaclyn Diaz

The Federal Trade Commission gave nine social media and tech companies 45 days to hand over details on how they collect user data. It is the latest move by government actors to regulate Big Tech.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in 2019. His company has been hit with twin lawsuits alleging it abused its power in order to crush rivals.

National

'The Wrath Of Mark': 4 Takeaways From The Government's Case Against Facebook

11:19am December 11, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Twin complaints from the Federal Trade Commission and 48 attorneys general paint a portrait of a company protecting its power at all costs.

A nurse prepares to administer a COVID-19 vaccine at Croydon University Hospital in London.

Health & Safety

'The Perfect Storm': How Vaccine Misinformation Spread To The Mainstream

4:44pm December 10, 2020

by Shannon Bond

False claims about COVID-19 vaccines are spreading widely on social media, researchers warn. They could undermine public health efforts to curb the pandemic.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing in 2019.

48 AGs, FTC Sue Facebook, Alleging Illegal Power Grabs To 'Neutralize' Rivals

10:02pm December 09, 2020

The state and federal officials say Facebook's acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram violated competition laws and served to stifle rivals by giving the social network an unfair advantage.

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As governments around the world prepare to approve the first coronavirus vaccines, social media companies are cracking down on hoaxes and conspiracy theories.

Health & Safety

Facebook Bans Debunked Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines

2:30pm December 03, 2020

by Shannon Bond

The new ban is an expansion of the social network's rules against misinformation that could lead to imminent physical harm. It comes as governments prepare to roll out the first vaccinations.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies remotely during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about how social media companies handled election misinformation.

Politics & Government

Facebook And Twitter Defend Election Policies To Skeptical Senators

7:26pm November 17, 2020

by Shannon Bond

The Senate Judiciary Committee grilled Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey over how they handle false and misleading claims about the election, including from President Donald Trump.

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Parler bills itself as a "free speech" social network and puts few restrictions on what users can post.

Politics & Government

Conservatives Flock To Mercer-Funded Parler; Claim Censorship On Facebook And Twitter

6:38pm November 14, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Backed by Rebekah Mercer, Parler now one of the most downloaded smartphone apps, as conservatives complaining of censorship by Facebook and Twitter seek out other social media alternatives.

Millie Weaver, a former correspondent for the conspiracy theory website Infowars, hosts nearly 7 hours of live coverage on her YouTube channel. Conservative influencers like Weaver who often broadcast live are increasingly worrisome to misinformation rese

From Steve Bannon To Millennial Millie: Facebook, YouTube Struggle With Live Video

6:09pm November 10, 2020

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok have stepped up efforts to curb the spread of misinformation about the election, but researchers say falsehoods thrive nearly unchecked on live videos.

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People call for stopping Pennsylvania's vote count Thursday at the state Capitol in Harrisburg. False claims of voter fraud and calls to protest have spread on social media, leading Facebook to take down one large group.

Politics & Government

Facebook Removes Pro-Trump Group Urging 'Boots On The Ground'

3:52pm November 05, 2020

by Shannon Bond

The group had amassed more than 360,000 members who shared false claims about voter fraud before the social network shut it down, citing "worrying calls for violence" from some members.