social media

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.

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.

Twitter hid some tweets, including many from President Donald Trump, behind labels warning users they contained disputed or misleading information about the election.

Politics & Government

Twitter Says Steps To Curb Election Misinformation Worked

5:28pm November 12, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Ahead of Election Day, the social network put in place several measures to fight the spread of false claims. On Thursday it shared data showing some of its changes were effective.

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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Black Lives Matter protesters display wristbands reading "I Voted" after leaving a polling place this month in Louisville, Ky. Activists warn Black and Latino voters are being flooded with disinformation intended to suppress turnout in the election's fina

Politics & Government

Black And Latino Voters Flooded With Disinformation In Election's Final Days

12:46pm October 30, 2020

by Shannon Bond

Hoaxes and misleading posts aimed at depressing turnout have spread on social media. Experts say it outpaces 2016, when Black voters were the top target of Russian-backed disinformation.

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Twitter and Facebook said their decisions to limit sharing of a New York Post article were meant to slow the spread of potentially false information.

Politics & Government

Facebook And Twitter Limit Sharing New York Post Story About Joe Biden

11:05pm October 14, 2020

by Shannon Bond

The social media companies said they wanted to slow the spread of possibly false information. But their actions drew charges of censorship from President Trump and his allies.

Politics & Government

Twitter Expands Warning Labels To Slow Spread of Election Misinformation

1:21pm October 09, 2020

by Shannon Bond

The social media company wants users to pause and think before they share tweets, in an effort to reduce the amplification of false claims.

Social media companies are bracing for delayed election results, which experts warn could open the door for misinformation, false claims and threats of violence to spread online.

Politics & Government

When The Voting Is Done: Facebook, Twitter On 'High Alert' For Post-Election Threats

6:03pm October 01, 2020

by Shannon Bond

If results of the presidential election are delayed, false claims and other misinformation could thrive online, which is forcing Facebook and Twitter to prepare for worst-case scenarios.

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Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (left) and Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem talk about voting last Thursday, when balloting began in the state. The Pistons are allowing their arena to be used as a polling station.

'Russia Doesn't Have To Make Fake News': Biggest Election Threat Is Closer To Home

3:58pm September 29, 2020

National security officials say Russia is again trying to disrupt the election. But this time, it doesn't have to work so hard because Americans are spreading mistruths and doubts about the election.