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The World Cup is Twitter’s next chance at video dominance
As the 2018 FIFA World Cup gets ready to kick off June 14th, the 32 international teams competing in Russia aren't the only ones preparing for the big event. Fans are too, and Twitter wants to be the online place where they stay up to date on all the action. After striking deal with Fox Sports, the World Cup TV rights holder in the US, Twitter will offer users access to exclusive video content. That includes real-time highlights, player interviews, pre- and post-match press conferences, as well as a daily show called FIFA World Cup Now that will livestream 27 episodes. And outside of the US, Twitter has partnerships for live shows and highlight clips in Australia, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.
Twitter introduces labels for US midterm election candidates
In a small effort to increase visibility and transparency in the upcoming US midterm elections, Twitter will add labels to political candidates. Only those running for state Governor, the US Senate or House of Representatives will get the added info: Beneath their username, on their profile and in every tweet or retweet, will be information about what office they're seeking, the state they're in and which district they'd represent (if applicable). This short disclosure strip will be prefaced by a government building icon.
Facebook Marketplace adds section for home service professionals
A lot of home service pros already advertise their services on Facebook's Marketplace, but now the social network wants to make their presence on its Craigslist rival official. Facebook will roll out a dedicated Services section within Marketplace in the US starting today, and you can visit it whenever you're looking for home service pros like plumbers, cleaners and renovators. The social network is populating the category with providers from Handy, HomeAdvisor and Porch, which presumably means they're all background-checked and vetted by those companies.
Facebook launches 'Youth Portal' with privacy tips for teens
Facebook and other social networks can be a pretty toxic place for kids and teens, with at least one study coming to the conclusion that they deepen young people's feelings of inadequacy. Today, the social network has launched a Youth Portal, which it says provides a "guide to all things" teens need "to have a great experience on Facebook." It covers the basics all Facebook users (not just young people) need to know, including privacy measures such as activating two-factor and using strong passwords, as well as tips on how to spot scams. However, it also doles out advice for teens and contains information on how the website uses their data.
F8 proved there’s no escape from Facebook
During a keynote about privacy at F8, Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos shared an image of the world that used light to show the sheer size of the company's network. It was intended to highlight all the places where people are using a Facebook product and, as you might expect, there weren't many dark spots.
Vine's rapturous return has been delayed indefinitely
When Twitter shut down Vine in early 2017, the internet mourned what had become a haven for bizarre and unexpectedly sublime content. But by the end of the year, hope returned when its cofounder Dom Hofmann tweeted a simple but unmistakable Vine 2.0 logo announcing he was creating, on his own, a new version of the platform. And yet, fate is a fickle mistress. The tweet originally announcing the platform's return is gone, as with all others on Hofmann's account -- save one stating that Vine 2.0 has been postponed indefinitely.
Your data is valuable, but you’re never getting paid for it
It's hard to find a positive side to the recent Facebook/Cambridge Analytica (CA) scandal. But if there is one, it's that it's caused tech companies, lawmakers and users to think more deeply about personal data, how it's being used and who actually owns it. Facebook says that you, the user, are the sole owner of whatever information you consent to share with it. But it will use that data to offer you a free service based on targeted ads. The thing is, Facebook makes billions of dollars doing that, and there are some people who believe you should be getting a piece of it. After all, you are the product.
Constant controversy hasn't stopped Facebook from making money
When it comes to public perception, Facebook hasn't had the best 2018 so far. Over the past few months, the company's been working hard to clean up its image after dealing with a series of nightmares, including the idea that the site was becoming toxic and, most recently, the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal that led CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before US Congress. But business goes on, and today Facebook released its Q1 2018 earnings report, which shows it made a revenue of $11.97 billion, an insane 49 percent year-over-year increase.
Kanye just played Twitter like a fiddle
Kanye West finally ended his social media hiatus this past weekend, nearly a year after he randomly deleted his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Over the past few days, the producer/rapper/fashion designer has sent out an avalanche of tweets ranging from accusations that Nike copied one of his latest Adidas shoe designs, to sub-Philosophy 101 ruminations on how "hardcore" capitalists don't understand the value of time and friends over money. His return to the site caught fans by surprise, but the timing of it can now be linked to one major reason: West just revealed on Twitter that he has two new albums coming out on June 1st and June 8th.
Tougher regulation of Facebook is inevitable
Two long days of congressional hearings have come to an end for Mark Zuckerberg. But the embattled Facebook CEO seems to have left members of Congress with more questions than answers about his company's handling of user data, leading a number of them (Democrats and Republicans) to float the idea of tougher regulations. Although more oversight means the government could keep a closer eye on how Facebook operates, there's concern in the tech industry (and among free-market Republicans) that it could stifle innovation. That's because only companies with deep pockets are likely to have the necessary resources to comply: While Facebook has the means to hire 15,000 people to monitor security, that may be hard for a startup to do.
Facebook CEO pledges to work with Senate on proposed regulations
As Zuckerberg's Senate testimony continues, the question of regulation came up, as expected. Senator Lindsey Graham asked the CEO about his stance on legislation that would regulate platforms like Facebook and Zuckerberg said that if it was the right regulation, he and Facebook would welcome it. Additionally, Graham asked if Zuckerberg and his team would be willing to suggest some legislation regarding social media legislation and the CEO said he would send proposals to Graham's office.
HQ Trivia is getting more social
HQ Trivia has grown in popularity since launching last year, frequently attracting over one million players per game. Now, TechCrunch reports, the app will begin to incorporate a more social network-type feel, giving users the ability to connect with friends and keep track of their progress. Starting today, UK users can search for and connect with friends within the HQ Trivia app. Once connected, players can see how well their friends are doing and see when connected friends are playing a particular game.
What to expect from Mark Zuckerberg’s congressional hearings
The next stop on Mark Zuckerberg's apology tour is the United States Congress. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Facebook co-founder and CEO will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether Zuckerberg would agree to meet with lawmakers following the Cambridge Analytica (CA) scandal, which may have exposed the private information of up to 87 million users.
Facebook to open up its data for research on social media and elections
Facebook announced a new initiative today aimed at improving its policies and the role its platform plays in elections. The company acknowledged that it was slow to respond to election interference efforts that took place on its site and says it wants to learn more about social media's role in elections around the world. To do that, it's putting together a group of researchers that will then develop a research plan, get proposals for projects that address issues defined in its plan and manage a peer review process that will determine who will receive funding and access to Facebook data for their research.
Facebook users can now delete third-party apps in bulk
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has been making some changes, giving users a little bit more control over their data and how it's used. Today, TechCrunch reports that the company is making it easier to remove third-party apps. Previously, users had to delete each one separately, making the removal process rather time-consuming for some. But now, Facebook is rolling out a way to delete multiple apps at once. Though you can't just grab them all at the same time, you can select as many as you'd like and delete them in bulk.
Reddit's first redesign in years is a major one
Reddit has looked pretty much the same these past years, barely changing from the time it first introduced subreddits in 2008. Now, it's finally rolling out its first major redesign in a long time -- it's now available to one percent of the website's population and will make its way to more people in the coming months. The social network has been working on a redesign over the past year, making sure not to stray too far from what it currently looks like, while making things much easier to use and navigate.
Leaked Facebook memo: 'Ugly truth' justified any growth tactics
Buzzfeed has published an internal Facebook memo entitled "The Ugly" from 2016 that shows just how much emphasis the social network places on growth above safety, privacy and everything else. Written by Facebook VP Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, one of Mark Zuckerberg's staunchest allies, the memo tries to defend the social network's "questionable contact importing practices" and pretty much takes a very "ends justify the means" tone. Part of the memo reads:
US visa applications may soon require five years of social media info
The State Department wants to require all US visa applicants, both immigrant and non, disclose their social media handles to the US government, CNN reports. In documents that the department will file to the Federal Register tomorrow, it proposes that nearly every individual applying for a US visa be required to hand over any social media handles used on certain platforms in the past five years as well as submit any telephone numbers and email addresses used during that same time period.
Study: Most YouTube influencers still don't disclose sponsored deals
It's been almost a year since the FTC warned social media influencers that they should "clearly and conspicuously [disclose]" if they're being paid for a post or video. But according to a new Princeton University research, most YouTube and Pinterest influencers still don't add proper disclaimers to the content they produce. The researchers analyzed over 500,000 YouTube videos and over 2.1 million unique Pinterest pins from August to September 2017 for the study. They found that 3,472 videos and 18,237 pins in the bunch had affiliate links, but only 10 and seven percent, respectively, contained written disclosures.
A viral photo of Parkland survivor Emma Gonzalez is the latest fake news
Seventeen-year-old Parkland shooting survivor Emma González (@Emma4Change) has become a national spokesperson for the movement against gun violence. At the March For Our Lives this weekend, the teenager spent a poignant and powerful six minutes and twenty seconds -- the amount of time the Parkland gunman spent murdering seventeen of her classmates and teachers -- on stage in complete silence. Now, BuzzFeed News reports that people are sharing a fake photograph of González ripping up the Constitution.