social media

National

Fed Up With Fundraisers On Facebook? You're Not Alone

7:00am January 11, 2020

by Tovia Smith

Facebook fundraisers posted by people on their birthdays exploded over the past year, bringing in a billion dollars for charities. But some Facebook users think it's too much of a good thing.

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Facebook says it will continue to allow political ads to be targeted to only small groups of its users. Here, Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is seen visiting Congress for a hearing last October.

FEC Commissioner Rips Facebook Over Political Ad Policy: 'This Will Not Do'

3:15pm January 09, 2020

by Bill Chappell

Federal Election Commissioner Ellen Weintraub says Facebook's "weak plan suggests the company has no idea how seriously it is hurting democracy."

In a year of gloom and doom, disasters and disease, these are the sweet online moments from around the world that brightened up our days this year. Left to right: an aspiring singer in the Philippines; scrunchie cat; Venezuelan cooking lessons.

Scrunchie Cat And Friends: Global Social Media Moments We Loved In 2019

7:00am December 21, 2019

by Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

They're sweet. And funny! And weird! Here's a sampling of viral videos, tweets and TikToks from around the world.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was convicted and sentenced to death for carrying out the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing attack.

National

Attorneys For Boston Marathon Bomber To Appeals Judges: Trial Was Not Fair

11:24am December 12, 2019

by Phillip Martin

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was convicted and sentenced to death in 2015. On Thursday, his attorneys will argue that the jury was biased and Tsarnaev couldn't get a fair trial in Boston.

NC Man Convicted Of Death Threat Against Muslim Candidate

1:11pm December 09, 2019

by Associated Press

Instagram is now requiring users to give their birthday before they use the photo sharing app.

National

Instagram Now Requires Users To Provide Their Age

5:25pm December 04, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

The Facebook-owned social media giant will use the information to ensure a safer platform for younger users and more accurately targeted ads across the board.

Young M.A relies on her fans to support her independent career, but the power dynamic often leaves her in the lurch.

Music & Culture

In The 2010s, Music Fans Asserted Their Power, But The Industry Caught On

1:48pm November 19, 2019

by Frannie Kelley

Music fans would seem to have gained a lot of power over the past decade. Their online fury has silenced those who would dare to criticize their faves. But the music industry has caught on.

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Instagram's Adam Mosseri speaks onstage at the WIRED25 Summit 2019 in San Francisco. He said some users will no longer see the "like" counter, but it won't impact "the whole U.S. at once."

National

Instagram Will Test Hiding 'Likes' On Some U.S. Accounts Starting Next Week

4:45pm November 09, 2019

by Brakkton Booker

"The idea is to try to 'depressurize' Instagram, make it less of a competition," the company's CEO Adam Mosseri announced on Friday.

The Federal Trade Commission released rules on when and how social media influencers should disclose ads.

National

FTC Issues Rules For Disclosure Of Ads By Social Media Influencers

6:06pm November 05, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

The consumer watchdog agency is trying to protect users from deceptive ads on social media. The influencer market on Instagram is expected to reach more than $2.5 billion in 2020.

Lawmakers and civil rights groups are pressuring tech companies to come up with detailed policies about how to combat potential misinformation and disinformation about the 2020 census.

Social Media Sites Under Pressure To Prep For Census Trolls And Interference

3:11pm November 05, 2019

by Hansi Lo Wang

Civil rights groups and lawmakers are pushing tech companies to prepare for an onslaught of disinformation that could turn people off from the 2020 census, especially among communities of color.