meta

An Elon Musk-backed political group is posting fake Kamala Harris ads on Facebook

6:02pm October 30, 2024

Ads seemingly advocating for Vice President Harris on Facebook are really part of an effort by a dark money group to mislead voters. The messages have been viewed millions of times.

Facebook Covers Sign At Menlo Park Headquarters

Politics & Government

Meta shutters tool used to fight disinformation, despite outcry

7:00am August 14, 2024

by Dara Kerr

The social media company discontinues its CrowdTangle tool, which researchers have used to track misinformation. Amid fears of election interference, lawmakers have urged Meta to keep it running.

Amid growing concern about children's use of social media, the United Kingdom implemented rules designed to keep kids safer and limit their screen time. The U.S. is weighing similar legislation.

Health & Safety

TikTok and others change platforms to protect kids. Advocates say it's just a start

2:37pm March 29, 2024

by Rhitu Chatterjee

A new report by Children and Screens rounds up the changes spurred by the U.K.'s Age Appropriate Design Code, which went into effect in 2020. Similar laws are being considered in the U.S.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified on Wednesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media, including Meta's Facebook and Instagram.

Politics & Government

'You have blood on your hands,' Senator tells Mark Zuckerberg for failing kids online

9:09pm January 31, 2024

by Dara Kerr

The top tech executives from Meta, X, TikTok, Snap and Discord get the fifth degree from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Queue Listen Now

Disinformation researcher Joan Donovan testifying remotely during a U.S. Senate hearing in April 2021. Donovan contends she lost her job at Harvard University due to pressure from the social media company, Meta.

Education

Disinformation researcher says Harvard pushed her out to protect Meta

4:47pm December 04, 2023

by Shannon Bond

Joan Donovan accused Harvard of violating her free speech rights and the school's own commitment to academic freedom in an attempt to protect its relationship with the tech company and its executives.

Meta, the social media company that owns Facebook and Instagram, said Thursday that this year it has taken down five networks of fake accounts originating in China that aimed to influence politics in other countries.

Meta warns that China is stepping up its online social media influence operations

10:07am November 30, 2023

by Shannon Bond

China has become the third most common source of foreign influence operations, behind Russia and Iran, according to the owner of Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook and Instagram parent Meta is under fire for not doing enough to protect young users.

Politics & Government

Meta failed to address harm to teens, whistleblower testifies as Senators vow action

6:53pm November 07, 2023

by Dara Kerr

Former engineer Arturo Bejar says he repeatedly raised the alarm to company execs about Instagram's harm to teens and they failed to act. Senators vow to pass a social media law this year.

Facebook's parent company, Meta, says operations linked to China and Russia used fake accounts across social media sites to spread messages

Politics & Government

Meta says Chinese, Russian influence operations are among the biggest it's taken down

6:28pm August 29, 2023

by Shannon Bond

Facebook's parent company says both operations used fake accounts across social media sites to promote Chinese and Russian interests

Queue Listen Now

A large video monitor on the campus of Meta, Facebook's parent company, in Menlo Park, Calif. in February. New research about Facebook shows its impact on political polarization.

Politics & Government

New study shows just how Facebook's algorithm shapes conservative and liberal bubbles

5:43pm July 27, 2023

Research conducted at the height of the 2020 election reveals new details about how Facebook's algorithms handle political content. But it suggests there are no easy fixes to political polarization.

Queue Listen Now

More than 100 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter. Voting rights group say this popularity could make it a breeding ground for election disinformation.

Politics & Government

Meta's Threads needs a policy for election disinformation, voting groups say

1:47pm July 27, 2023

by Dara Kerr

Twelve voting rights organizations tell Meta its new social media site Threads needs a robust plan to ensure election disinformation doesn't go viral during the 2024 elections.

Queue Listen Now