Science

How JFK's nephew became one of Facebook's most prolific anti-vax misinformation spreaders

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy. He's also one of 12 people found to be spreading the most misinformation online. Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is one of the "disinformation dozen" spreading vaccine misinformation online. He cemented himself as a prominent anti-vaxxer long before the pandemic. Here's how the nephew of former President John F. Kennedy became an online anti-vax influencer. See more stories on Insider'...
Tags: Facebook, Hollywood, Science, News, Washington Post, Cdc, US, Trends, Social Media, Joe Biden, Harvard, John F Kennedy, Silicon Valley, Jfk, Biden, University Of Virginia

WhatsApp Head Says New Pegasus Spyware Investigation Coincides With Its Findings From 2019 Attack

WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart has said that findings from the new investigation into NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware coincide with what the app learned about an attack on its users in 2019. Cathcart also questioned NSO’s claim that a list of thousands of phone numbers central to the investigation is an exaggeration,…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Science, Social Media, Whatsapp, Spyware, Software, Computing, Pegasus, Espionage, End To End Encryption, Cathcart, NSO, NSO Group, Will Cathcart, Project Pegasus Revelations

Senators Put Section 230 in the Crosshairs in Battle Over Covid-19 Misinformation

For the past few years, we’ve seen companies like Facebook either endlessly shrug off the misinformation problems on their platforms or issue half-assed fixes meant to keep them in check. Now, they might have a little more motivation. On Thursday, two lawmakers introduced meant to strip back these…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Twitter, Science, Social Media, Software, Social Issues, Computing, Amy Klobuchar, Donald Trump, Operating Systems, Misinformation, Deception, Section 230, Ben Ray, Universal Windows Platform Apps, Technology Internet

Facebook Just Blocked the #VaccinesKill Hashtag Two Years Too Late

At least two years after it would have been politically prudent to do so, Facebook moved to block content under the #VaccinesKill hashtag on Wednesday. Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Science, Instagram, Social Media, Hashtag, Software, Computing, Biden, Operating Systems, Jen Psaki, Fake News, Video Software, Pseudohistory, Universal Windows Platform Apps, Technology Internet, Covid 19 Misinformation

Teens' Scheme to Takeover Twitter Handles Ends With Tragic Death in Swatting Incident

A troll conspiracy to capture a generic Twitter handle has resulted in death, Nashville ABC affiliate WKRN . According to the station, an underage extortionist going after the “@Tennessee” Twitter account placed a false 9-11 report (“swatting”) of a shooting at the home of 60-year-old handle owner Mark…Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Science, Abc, Social Media, Snapchat, Software, Computing, Nashville, Troll, Operating Systems, Mark, WKRN, Mark Herring, Swatting, WKRN TV, Law Crime

U.S. Intel Officials Eyed DLive as Recruitment Vehicle for Neo-Nazis Targeting Young Gamers

Growing interest among a host of violent extremists in a lesser-known livestreaming app—one that’s largely geared toward younger gamers—prompted U.S. intelligence officials in January to circulate warnings to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies only days after the violent siege at the U.S. Capitol.Read more...
Tags: Amazon, Politics, Science, Articles, Social Media, Intel, New York Times, Bittorrent, Video Hosting, Trump, Deception, Alt Right, Jackie Speier, Patrick Casey, Ryan Shapiro, Nick Fuentes

Tumblr Now Allows Creators to Charge for Content—You Know, Except for Porn, Which Is Still Banned

Tumblr is following the lead of virtually all its competitors and introducing a new paid subscription tool for artists, writers, bloggers, other creators, the Wall Street Journal first reported on Wednesday.Read more...
Tags: Verizon, Facebook, Science, Pinterest, Wordpress, Advertising, Social Media, Blogging, Tumblr, Wall Street Journal, Venmo, Content Creation, World Wide Web, Automattic, Social Software, SimilarWeb

Facebook has no idea how far COVID-19 vaccine misinformation has spread.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File Photo Facebook data scientists reportedly asked for resources to measure COVID misinformation. But the company did not approve of their request, according to the New York Times. The report shows how Facebook does not know how widespread vaccine misinformation is on its platform. See more stories on Insider's business page. Facebook isn't able to exactly measure how much misinformation exists on its platform - or how much of it ...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, News, US, Trends, Social Media, Joe Biden, New York Times, Biden, Times, Misinformation, Vivek Murthy, Ron Klain, Erin Scott, Tech Insider

Instagram Is Rolling Out a Sensitive Content Control Option

Seeking to give users ever-increasing control over their scrolling experiences, Instagram on Tuesday unveiled plans to debut a Sensitive Content Control option that will allow users to better control which content appears in their Explore feeds.Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Science, Instagram, Social Media, Software, News Feed, Operating Systems, World Wide Web, Mobile Software, Video Software, Blog Hosting Services, Technology Internet, Privacy Concerns With Facebook, Privacy Concerns With Social Networking Services

Fleets* Is Dead (*Fleets Was Twitter's Answer to Instagram Stories Which Was Instagram's Answer to Snapchat Which Was Silicon Valley's Answer to Dick Pics)

Twitter announced on Wednesday that it is killing its Fleets feature, which I honestly forgot existed. The news will matter to the minuscule gaggle of insufferable Twitter superusers who posted Fleets and literally no one else. Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Science, Instagram, Social Media, Snapchat, Instant Messaging, Software, Computing, Stories, Dick, Operating Systems, Vertical Video, Dick Pics, Snap Inc, Video On Demand Services, Brandi Levy

Facebook Knifes Its Own Analytics Tool to Hide Its Ben Shapiro Problem

Facebook gutted its data analytics tool, CrowdTangle, by reassigning dozens of its staff and sidelining its CEO after its data showed that incendiary screeds and misleading content from right-wing pages regularly outperform traditional news outlets on the News Feed, according to the New York Times.Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Social Media, Software, News Feed, Nick Clegg, Computing, Fox News, Donald Trump, Breitbart News, World Wide Web, Breitbart, Sean Hannity, New York Times Read, Ben Shapiro

Facebook's Satellite Plans Might Be Dead, But Amazon's Are Just Beginning

Back in 2016, Facebook began tinkering with plans to launch an internet satellite project that was meant to be a part of Mark Zuckerberg’s oft-repeated plans to “connect the world.” Five years later, it looks like the company’s backed down—with Amazon taking its place. Read more...
Tags: Amazon, Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Environment, Social Media, Cisco, Software, Computing, Satellite, Gizmodo, Operating Systems, Kuiper Systems, Universal Windows Platform Apps, Satellite Internet Access, Technology Internet

Facebook Will Now Let Groups Appoint 'Experts' in an Effort to Combat Misinformation

Sick to death of the misinformation that has been running rampant on its platform for years now, Facebook announced on Tuesday that it plans to roll out new measures aimed at curbing the spread of fake news by allowing group administrators to appoint designated “experts” in their spaces.Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Articles, Social Media, Human Behavior, Fact Checking, Misinformation, Deception, Facebook Group, Observation, Fake News, Disinformation, Technology Internet, Propaganda Techniques

Twitter Verifies at Least Six Fake Accounts Including This Cat

Twitter accidentally verified at least six accounts that were likely part of a spam botnet, according to a researcher of disinformation and a new report from the Daily Dot. The accounts allegedly used fake photos created by software similar to This Person Does Not Exist as well as one photo of a cat that most likely…Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Science, Technology, Pinterest, Identity Management, Social Media, Software, Computing, Donald Trump, Email Spam, Internet Culture, Spamming, SpamBot, Internet Bots, Account Verification

Facebook Will Now Let Groups Appoint "Experts" in an Effort To Combat Misinformation

Sick to death of the misinformation that has been running rampant on its platform for years now, Facebook announced on Tuesday that it plans to roll out new measures aimed at curbing the spread of fake news by allowing group administrators to appoint designated “experts” in their spaces.Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Articles, Social Media, Human Behavior, Fact Checking, Misinformation, Deception, Facebook Group, Observation, Fake News, Disinformation, Technology Internet, Propaganda Techniques

Twitter Will Provide More Details About Why You Don't Deserve a Blue Checkmark

Now when Twitter rejects your request for that coveted blue checkmark, it’ll be personal. The social media platform announced on Friday plans to provide users with a more thorough explanation of why they failed to meet its verification requirements, as opposed to just firing off generic rejection emails.Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Science, Microsoft, Identity Management, Social Media, Software, Computing, Internet Culture, Byrne, Verification, Outlookcom, Computer Access Control

TikTok Is Expanding Into Job Recruitment — What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

TikTok — a social media platform best known for its sober, academic exploration of the heady subject matter frequently tackled by its user base — is currently rolling out plans to establish itself as a presence in the job recruitment space.Read more...
Tags: Science, Labor, Social Media, Software, Computing, Meredith Corporation, Popsugar, Mobile Applications, Business Finance, ATTN, Video Software, Music Software, Bytedance, Video Resume, Tiktok, Application Software

Facebook's Subsea Cables Are The Last Thing Africa Needs

On Monday, Facebook announced it was partnering with Africa’s largest fiber company, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, to build an “extensive” fiber network that’s over 2,000 kilometers (or 1,243 miles) long. Per Liquid, this network is one of the most “extensive,” and “difficult” builds that the company’s undertaken,…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Science, Internet, Africa, Articles, Social Media, Human Behavior, Misinformation, Deception, Fake News, Ousmane Sonko, Social Information Processing, Pseudohistory, Technology Internet, Covid 19 Misinformation, Submarine Communications Cable

I Hate That Conoco Is So Good at Social Media

There’s a video on YouTube I keep coming back to, even though I absolutely hate it. It’s a 46-minute mix of songs titled “Lofi glug glug mix – beats to drive/study to.” The buzzy, mostly wordless electronic tracks are set to an animation of an anime girl driving a car with a cheerful Shiba Inu hanging its tongue out…Read more...
Tags: Science, Social Media, Shiba Inu

Facebook Is Expanding Its Cloud Gaming Efforts with Wider Coverage and More Ubisoft

Last fall, Facebook announced a preview for its cloud gaming service, and today, Facebook is updating its cloud gaming efforts with expanded coverage and a new injection of content from Ubisoft.Read more...
Tags: Google, Facebook, Science, Cloud Computing, Social Media, Computing, Ubisoft, Cloud Gaming, Cloud Strife, xCloud, Google Stadia, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Video Game Characters, In Video Gaming, Technology Internet, Cloud Game

Federal Judge Puts Hold On Florida's Anti-Deplatforming Law

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on Wednesday against a Florida law that would fine social media companies $250,000 a day for banning political candidates, saying that the law likely violates tech companies’ first amendment rights.Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Florida, Science, Social Networks, Censorship, Social Media, Digital Media, Human Behavior, Donald Trump, Multimedia, Section 230, Robert Hinkle, Blacklisting, Deplatforming, Law Crime, Internet Based Activism

Cops Want More of Our Social Media Data Than Ever Before

Law enforcement doesn’t have much trouble getting access to data from social media companies. In fact, over the first half of last year, authorities in the US made close to 118,000 requests for user information from tech companies—a number that’s more than twice the number of requests thrown at these companies since…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Science, Media, Instagram, Microsoft, US, Social Media, Software, Computing, Apple Id, Operating Systems, Apple Inc, Transparency Report, Internet Privacy, Social Information Processing, Technology Internet

It's Time to Treat Social Media Like the Climate Crisis, Researchers Argue

Mark Zuckerberg needs to hand over the keys, a team of researchers argues. In a new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America), a diverse group makes the case that the social media problem rises to the level of urgency that…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Instagram, Social Media, Software, Computing, Operating Systems, Misinformation, Deception, United States of America, Steve Bannon, Social Information Processing, Its Time

A Year Later, Telegram Finally Launches the Group Video Calls It Promised

The day that Telegram gets into group video calling has finally arrived. In case you forgot, that’s OK. It has been more than a year since the company announced it was working on the feature. But hey, better late than never, right? Read more...
Tags: Science, Social Media, Software, Telegram, Operating Systems, Communication Software, Instant Messaging Clients, Cross Platform Software, Alt Tech, Technology Internet, Comparison Of User Features Of Messaging Platforms

The Best Tech YouTube Channels You Don't Know About

For every popular YouTube channel with millions of subscribers (think Mark Rober, Adam Savage’s Tested, and The Slow Mo Guys), there are even more interesting, under-the-radar channels worth following. These are perfect for an end-of-work-day distraction—a soothing way to get you through the last few hours of a 9-5. Read more...
Tags: Science, Television, Youtube, Social Media, Adam Savage, Video Hosting, Mike Olbinski, Mark Rober, Alphabet Inc, Kristal, RT, Jason Allemann, Mass Media, Sam Battle, Guy Georgeson, Entertainment Culture

Researchers Produce Obvious Study on Dunking Because They're Nerds

A new report out from the University of Cambridge confirmed what many of us have known for years: being a contrarian asshole on social media is a great way to get people clicking on your posts.Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Twitter, Science, Social Networks, Social Media, Software, Computing, University of Cambridge, Donald Trump, Operating Systems, Real Time Web, Text Messaging, Facebook Like Button, Universal Windows Platform Apps, Reblogging

This Bot Clicking Ads on Climate Articles Shows the News Is Broken

Watching Synthetic Messenger is a somewhat dissociative experience. It operates in a Zoom call with 100 participants, all of whom are bots. Observers can watch these bots—which are strangely anthropomorphized with images of disembodied hands and voices that say “scroll” and “click” repeatedly—methodically scroll…
Tags: Science, Environment, Articles, Social Media, Software, Operating Systems, Online Advertising, Misinformation, Deception, Sam Lavigne, Climate Change Denial, Internet Fraud, Tega Brain, Consumer Fraud, Click Fraud, Internet Bot

Twitter Is Testing Out Allowing Users to Just Make Themselves Unmentionable

Twitter is floating “early concepts” of new anti-abuse features—such as the ability for a user to untag themselves from another’s posts, or even revoke the ability of another user to tag them entirely.Read more...
Tags: Twitter, Science, Buzzfeed, Social Media, Software, Computing, Operating Systems, Real Time Web, Text Messaging, South of Market San Francisco, Technology Internet, Dominic Camozzi

The Big Oil Instagram Influencers Are Here

Cherrie Lynn Almonte is an influencer with 192,000 Instagram followers and a bio that includes the phrase “Travel | Lifestyle | Good vibes.” Her posts follow standard travel-influencer protocols, with perfectly framed photos of stunning vistas and cityscapes, lots of saturated colors, and geolocations for most shots…Read more...
Tags: Science, Instagram, Social Media, Linkedin, ExxonMobil, Companies, Software, Royal Dutch Shell, Shell, Chevron, Criminal Minds, Exxon, Sponsored Post, Internet Celebrity, Jennifer Hudson, Joshua Tree

Facebook and Instagram Are Rolling Out (More) Financial Incentives for Influencers

If you thought the deal couldn’t possibly get sweeter for the influencers that flock to Facebook and Instagram to simultaneously bolster their social media followings and line their pockets, think again: On Tuesday, both platforms announced that they’ll be stepping up their respective games in the coming weeks by…Read more...
Tags: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Science, Instagram, Social Networks, Social Media, Software, Computing, News Media, Operating Systems, Internet Celebrity, Social Information Processing, Technology Internet