Technology

National

Facebook Outsources Decision On The Future Of Trump's Account To An Independent Panel

4:31pm January 21, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Nick Clegg of Facebook about the company's decision to refer questions on the suspension of former President Donald Trump's account to its independent Oversight Board.

President Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at the White House on Wednesday. The Biden administration has made several changes to the White House website with an eye toward inclusivity and accessibility.

Politics & Government

Revamped White House Website Aims For Inclusivity And Accessibility

1:57pm January 21, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

The Biden administration has made a handful of changes to the White House website, from adding gender-inclusive pronouns to its contact form to restarting Spanish-language communications.

National youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman arrives at the inauguration, dressed head to mask to toe in bright, primary colors.

Photos: The Internet's Favorite Inauguration Day Fashions

11:01am January 21, 2021

From stepchildren to senators, attendees flocked to the Capitol in both muted and flashy garments, sending Twitter into a frenzy over standout styles.

Web Hosts, Services Connecting Websites To The Internet, Gain More Power

6:12am January 21, 2021

by Bobby Allyn

The social media site Parler went dark after Amazon's web-hosting services pulled the plug. This highlighted the often invisible Internet infrastructure that makes using the Internet possible.

Queue Listen Now

Vice President Harris celebrates with the incoming president after being sworn in Wednesday on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.

Politics & Government

On Inauguration Day, Transfer Of Power Includes Handover Of Twitter Accounts

2:06pm January 20, 2021

by Rachel Treisman

The Biden-Harris administration is inheriting a slew of institutional Twitter accounts, including @WhiteHouse, @POTUS, @VP, @FLOTUS, @PressSec and a brand-new one: @SecondGentleman.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., yells at journalists after setting off the metal detector outside the doors to the House of Representatives Chamber on Jan. 12. Twitter suspended the newly elected lawmaker's account temporarily on Sunday.

Twitter Suspends Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Account

5:36pm January 17, 2021

by Bill Chappell

A Twitter spokesperson said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene violated the company policy it recently used to remove thousands of QAnon-related accounts. Her account was suspended for 12 hours.

Social Media Site Gab Is Surging, Even As Critics Blame It For Capitol Violence

7:44am January 17, 2021

by Bobby Allyn

As federal investigators begin to launch criminal cases against some of the perpetrators of the violence, a growing chorus advocates and lawmakers say tech companies bear some responsibility, too.

How Social Media Can Approach Free Speech During A Polarizing Time

7:55am January 16, 2021

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Daphne Keller, Platform Regulation Director at Stanford University's Cyber Policy Center, about how social media companies should handle free speech.

A man works at an Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island, New York. The retail giant faces a major labor battle with a unionization vote planned at a similar warehouse in Alabama.

National

Amazon Warehouse Workers To Decide Whether To Form Company's 1st U.S. Union

3:43pm January 15, 2021

by Alina Selyukh

Some 6,000 workers at Amazon's warehouse in Bessemer, Ala., will begin voting on Feb. 8 on a groundbreaking possibility: the first union in the company's U.S. history.

Shoppers walk past a "Sale" sign outside a store at the Easton Town Center Mall in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 7.

National

Retail Spending Dips For 3rd Straight Month As Infections Surge

1:32pm January 15, 2021

by Alina Selyukh

Restaurants and bars are reeling from spikes of coronavirus cases in their communities. Earlier holiday sales meant online shopping and electronics sales dipped in December. Retail sales fell 0.7%.