Twitter sues Texas AG alleging political retaliation for Trump ban

Posted on 09/03/2021 by Engadget

Twitter isn't happy that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton launched an investigation into the company after it banned former President Trump. CBS News reports Twitter has sued Paxton in federal court, alleging the AG is violating the First Amendm...

Facebook reportedly investigated over ‘systemic’ racism in hiring

Posted on 06/03/2021 by Engadget

Facebook has publicly committed to fighting racism, but there are concerns that isn't translating to its recruitment practices. Reuters sources say the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is investigating possible "systemic&quo...

Social media bots may have fuelled the GameStop stock frenzy

Posted on 28/02/2021 by Engadget

The GameStop stock frenzy appears to largely have been the product of Reddit users and trading apps like Robinhood, but some of its contributors might not have been human. According to Reuters, cybersecurity firm PiiQ Media has determined that people...

Facebook removes Myanmar military’s main page

Posted on 21/02/2021 by Engadget

Facebook is further clamping down on the Myanmar military following the coup that ousted its elected government. Reuters reports that Facebook has removed the main page (True News Information Team) for the military, known as the Tatmadaw, for "r...

Twitter bans right-wing activist group Project Veritas

Posted on 13/02/2021 by Engadget

Twitter has once again taken action against a group for violating its rules, although this time the circumstances are very different. The New York Times and The Verge report that Twitter has banned right-wing activist group Project Veritas for "...

TikTok sale to Oracle and Walmart put on ice ‘indefinitely’

Posted on 10/02/2021 by Engadget

TikTok’s December 4th sale deadline came and went with no real response from the outgoing Trump administration, and it appears President Biden isn’t in a rush to finalize the deal. Wall Street Journal sources understand TikTok’s forced sale to Oracle...

Twitter explores subscriptions to reduce its dependence on ads

Posted on 08/02/2021 by Engadget

Not so thrilled about Twitter ads? Neither is Twitter, apparently. Bloomberg sources claim the social network is exploring subscriptions and even tipping to reduce its dependence on targeted ads. Multiple ideas are reportedly under consideration, inc...

Myanmar shuts down internet to stifle anti-coup protests

Posted on 06/02/2021 by Engadget

Myanmar’s military leaders are extending their internet restrictions in a bid to limit protests against their coup. According to BBC News, NetBlocks has discovered that Myanmar instituted a “near-total internet shutdown” in the country a of the morni...

Italy blocks TikTok for some users following girl’s death

Posted on 23/01/2021 by Engadget

TikTok is facing mounting concerns over its approach to younger users. The Guardian reports that Italy’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) has blocked TikTok for users whose age can’t be verified after a 10-year-old girl died while allegedly participat...

Facebook improves AI photo descriptions for the visually impaired

Posted on 20/01/2021 by Engadget

Facebook has long been using AI to describe photos for the visually impaired, but it’s stepping up its efforts in 2021. The social media giant has detailed a new version of automatic alternative text (AAT) that promises much more information.Instead...