WebProNews

Tag: Social Media

  • Solomon Islands Government Banning Facebook

    Solomon Islands Government Banning Facebook

    The Solomon Islands Government is preparing to ban Facebook to protect “national unity” and crack down on cyberbullying.

    Facebook may be experiencing record growth, thanks to the pandemic, but the Solomon Islands government is not a fan. The government has criticized the social media platform for its role in cyberbullying and online defamation.

    “Cyberbullying on Facebook is widespread, people have been defamed by users who use fake names, and people’s reputations that have been built up over the years [are destroyed] in a matter of minutes,” Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said, according to ABC News.

    The proposed ban is being called a temporary one while the government drafts laws to legislate online behavior. Temporary or not, the move has drawn intense criticism from the government’s opponents, as well as from Solomon Islanders abroad.

    “My mum was very sick, and she went downhill very quickly, within like 10 days, and then we lost her,” Nurse Margaret Tadokata told ABC News. “My last goodbyes with my mum were on a video call on Facebook, on Messenger … Without it, I wouldn’t have seen her or heard her for the last time.”

    “Even though I’ve been in Australia for more than 20 years, my connection and my culture and family are very important to me, and Facebook has made that easy for me,” continued Ms Tadokata.

    The backlash the Solomon Islands Government is experiencing illustrates the challenges governments around the world face in their efforts to regulate Facebook. On the one hand, there is no denying the damage the social media platform has done to the fabric of human society and societal norms. On the other hand, the platform has become a nearly irreplaceable method of communication for many across the globe.

  • Not So Fleeting—Twitter’s Fleets Not Disappearing

    Not So Fleeting—Twitter’s Fleets Not Disappearing

    A bug appears to be preventing Twitter’s new Fleets from disappearing after 24 hours as they’re supposed to.

    Twitter introduced Fleets on Tuesday, as a way for users to send tweets that disappear after 24 hours. The goal was to lower the barrier-to-entry, making it easier for individuals to start conversations and share their thoughts without the pressure of it being permanent

    Unfortunately, it appears a bug is preventing Fleets from disappearing as they’re supposed to. The bug allows anyone to download a person’s Fleets, without them being notified.

    TechCrunch reached out to Twitter for comment and was told the company is aware of the problem and is working on a fix. In the meantime, anyone counting on Fleets disappearing may want to hold off before using the new feature.

  • Twitter Hires Famed Hacker ‘Mudge’ to Oversee Security

    Twitter Hires Famed Hacker ‘Mudge’ to Oversee Security

    As it continues to deal with security issues and misinformation, Twitter has hired Peiter Zatko, known as Mudge, as head of security.

    Twitter has dealt with a number of embarrassing security breaches and issues over the last few years. In addition, the platform has struggled to deal with the type of misinformation that has plagued social media platforms.

    To help address these challenges, the company has hired famed hacker Peiter Zatko to fill the new role of head of security. Zatko was one of the leaders of famous hacking group Cult of the Dead Cow. He also worked on some of Google’s special projects and served as a program manager at DARPA.

    According to CNBC, Zatko will report to CEO Jack Dorsey and will examine “information security, site integrity, physical security, platform integrity — which starts to touch on abuse and manipulation of the platform — and engineering.”

    Zatko confirmed the news in a Twitter (appropriately) post:

    While Twitter continues to face significant challenges moving forward, some experts are already praising Zatko’s hiring.

    “I don’t know if anyone can fix Twitter’s security, but he’d be at the top of my list,” said Dan Kaufman, who supervised Zatko at DARPA, via CNBC.

  • Twitter Launches Fleets, Disappearing Tweets

    Twitter Launches Fleets, Disappearing Tweets

    Twitter has officially rolled out its new disappearing tweets, called Fleets, to all users.

    Twitter has been trying new features and abilities in an effort to compete with newer social media platforms and remain competitive. Although one of the most popular platforms, some believe it has been eclipsed by competitors, in terms of growth and innovation.

    The latest new feature, Fleets, is designed to help users share momentary thoughts. According to Twitter’s testing, Fleets are especially good at helping new users feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts, an important factor in continual growth.

    Twitter’s Joshua Harris and Sam Haveson made the announcement:

    You can Fleet text, reactions to Tweets, photos or videos and customize your Fleets with various background and text options. To share a Tweet in a Fleet tap the “Share” icon at the bottom of the Tweet and then tap, “Share in Fleet.” Then, add what you think about it with some text or emojis. Soon, stickers and live broadcasting will be available in Fleets.

    Your followers can see your Fleets at the top of their home timeline. Anyone who can see your full profile can see your Fleets there too. If you have open Direct Messages, anyone can reply to your Fleets. If you want to reply to a Fleet, tap on it to send a Direct Message or emoji to the author, and continue the conversation in your Direct Messages….Fleets will be updated over time with new features, based on your feedback.

    Fleets should help Twitter compete with other social media services in its efforts to maintain relevancy.

  • US Commerce Department Won’t Enforce TikTok Shutdown Order

    US Commerce Department Won’t Enforce TikTok Shutdown Order

    The US Commerce Department has signaled it will not enforce the order to shutdown and ban TikTok.

    The Trump administration has been trying to force Chinese-owned TikTok to offload the American portion of its business to an American company. Oracle, partnering with Walmart, emerged as the leading candidate, although the terms of the deal were not what Trump had stipulated.

    Rather than taking full ownership, the terms of the deal stipulated that Oracle would take a 20% stake. In the meantime, China indicated it may not approve the deal as it doesn’t want to be seen as weak, giving up one of its star companies.

    As the involved parties continued to negotiate, however, TikTok filed with a US court of appeal to have the order forcing a sale overturned. The company cited the extraordinary efforts it had gone through to comply, only to hear radio silence from the Trump administration.

    Now the Commerce Department has said “it wouldn’t enforce its order that would have effectively forced the Chinese-owned TikTok video-sharing app to shut down, in the latest sign of trouble for the Trump administration’s efforts to turn it into a U.S. company,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

    It remains to be seen how the TikTok saga will ultimately turn out, and what impact a Biden presidency could have on the deal.

  • TikTok Wants to Know What’s Going On With Its Ban

    TikTok Wants to Know What’s Going On With Its Ban

    Wondering what’s going on with TikTok’s ban? Evidently, so is TikTok, as the company’s future has been left in limbo.

    TikTok dominated the news for weeks as the Trump administration tried to force the social media platform to sell to an American company under threat of ban. Trump eventually issued an executive order banning the company, although a court ruling delayed it from going into effect.

    In the meantime, Oracle and Walmart together emerged as prospective buyers, although not the way Trump had envisioned. While Trump had said the social media company would be under control of an American company, and free from Chinese control, the initial deal Oracle struck was for a 20% stake in the company, with control firmly in China’s hands.

    Further exacerbating the situation was a ruling by the Chinese government blocking the export of certain technology, including the algorithm TikTok uses, putting the deal in further doubt. Chinese state media also claimed the government would not approve the deal, saying that to do so “would endanger China’s national security, interests and dignity.”

    Now, with the deadline for working out a deal coming to an end, TikTok wants to know what’s going on.

    “For a year, TikTok has actively engaged with CFIUS in good faith to address its national security concerns, even as we disagree with its assessment,” TikTok says in a statement to The Verge. “In the nearly two months since the President gave his preliminary approval to our proposal to satisfy those concerns, we have offered detailed solutions to finalize that agreement – but have received no substantive feedback on our extensive data privacy and security framework.”

    In the meantime, the company has filed with a US court of appeals to have the divestment order overturned.

  • WhatsApp Now Features Disappearing Messages

    WhatsApp Now Features Disappearing Messages

    WhatsApp has begun rolling out disappearing messages, taking a page from Snapchat and other services.

    WhatsApp is one of the most popular forms of communication around the world, with the company recently announcing it is delivering over 100 billion messages a day.

    Now WhatsApp has announced disappearing messages, in an effort to make conversations “feel lighter and more private.” The company makes the point that, while some memories should be kept forever, most daily conversations are not that important or sentimental. As a result, once turned on, disappearing messages will delete after seven days.

    “We’re starting with 7 days because we think it offers peace of mind that conversations aren’t permanent, while remaining practical so you don’t forget what you were chatting about,” reads the blog. “The shopping list or store address you received a few days ago will be there while you need it, and then disappear after you don’t.”

  • Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Just days after the DOJ filed an antitrust case against Google, the FTC may be planning a similar case against Facebook.

    Tech giants are under more scrutiny now than at any time since Microsoft’s landmark antitrust case in 2001. The DOJ filed a case against Google over its search and search advertising business. The CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter have also been called to testify before Congress, in some cases repeatedly.

    Now, according to Politico, the five FTC commissioners have met to discuss an antitrust case against Facebook. The company has repeatedly been accused of stifling competition by purchasing smaller rivals it deems a potential or future threat. In addition, Facebook has faced ongoing criticism for its mishandling of user privacy.

    Because of the confidential nature of the probe, Politico’s sources spoke anonymously. It’s unknown which way the FTC commissioners are leaning, and a decision is not expected for several weeks. Nonetheless, it’s the latest challenge facing Big Tech in general, and social media in particular.

  • Pinterest Expects 60% Sales Growth Thanks to Ad Rebound

    Pinterest Expects 60% Sales Growth Thanks to Ad Rebound

    Pinterest announced its quarterly results, beating estimates and providing some good news for the advertising business.

    Pinterest reported quarterly revenue of $443 million, an increase of 58% year-over-year (YOY). Similarly, Global Monthly Active Users (MAUs) increased 37% YOY to 442 million.

    “More than ever before, people are coming to Pinterest to get inspiration for their lives—everything from planning early for a socially distant Halloween to creating great home schools for their kids,” said Ben Silbermann, CEO and co-founder, Pinterest. “Our top priority is to continue making Pinterest home to the most inspiring and actionable content. This quarter we launched a set of tools to empower creators to show and share their ideas with people who are ready to act.”

    Just as telling, however, is the projections moving forward. Based on a rebound in advertising, the company expects an increase in Q4 revenue of roughly 60%.

    “The strong momentum our business experienced in July continued throughout the rest of the third quarter. We’re extremely pleased with the broad based strength of our business, driven by recovering advertiser demand as well as positive returns from our investments in advertiser products and international expansion,” said Todd Morgenfeld, CFO and Head of Business Operations, Pinterest.

    Pinterest’s results are good news for the online advertising sector, as it’s one indication of a recovery in the industry in general.

  • Twitter Will Deploy ‘Read Before You Retweet’ Prompt to All Users

    Twitter Will Deploy ‘Read Before You Retweet’ Prompt to All Users

    Twitter is planning on bringing its ‘Read Before You Retweet’ prompt to all users, following several months of testing.

    Twitter began testing the feature in June in an effort to help stop the spread of disinformation that social media platforms have increasingly been called to task for. The results of the tests have been positive, with significant upticks in the percentage of people actually looking at the articles they retweet.

    https://twitter.com/TwitterComms/status/1309178716988354561?s=20

    Social media companies are looking at multiple ways of reigning in disinformation and radical content. Time will tell if Twitter’s new feature has a long-lasting impact.

  • Facebook’s First Director of Monetization Likens Company to Big Tobacco

    Facebook’s First Director of Monetization Likens Company to Big Tobacco

    Tim Kendall, Facebook’s first Director of Monetization, said the company had taken a page from Big Tobacco’s playbook.

    The Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce of the Committee on Energy and Commerce is looking at the role of social media in “Mainstreaming Extremism: Social Media’s Role in Radicalizing America.” Kendall is testifying based on his role as Director of Monetization from 2006 through 2010, giving him a unique insight into the inner workings of the company.

    The social media services that I and others have built over the past 15 years have served to tear people apart with alarming speed and intensity,” said Kendall. “At the very least, we have eroded our collective understanding—at worst, I fear we are pushing ourselves to the brink of a civil war.

    He then goes on to highlight the methods Facebook used, essentially taking a page out of Big Tobacco’s playbook in an effort to make their product more addictive.

    Tobacco companies initially just sought to make nicotine more potent. But eventually that wasn’t enough to grow the business as fast as they wanted. And so they added sugar and menthol to cigarettes so you could hold the smoke in your lungs for longer periods. At Facebook, we added status updates, photo tagging, and likes, which made status and reputation primary and laid the groundwork for a teenage mental health crisis.

    Allowing for misinformation, conspiracy theories, and fake news to flourish were like Big Tobacco’s bronchodilators, which allowed the cigarette smoke to cover more surface area of the lungs. But that incendiary content alone wasn’t enough. To continue to grow the user base and in particular, the amount of time and attention users would surrender to Facebook, they needed more.

    Tobacco companies added ammonia to cigarettes to increase the speed with which nicotine traveled to the brain. Extreme, incendiary content—think shocking images, graphic videos, and headlines that incite outrage—sowed tribalism and division. And this result has been unprecedented engagement — and profits.

    Needless to say, Kendall’s testimony is likely to give weight to officials concerns about the role the platform has played in societal problems. Explaining Kendal’s testimony may become the biggest challenge for Facebook executives.

  • Facebook May Pull Out of Europe

    Facebook May Pull Out of Europe

    Facebook is warning it may pull out of Europe over a decision by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC).

    The DPC issued a preliminary order to stop Facebook from transferring the data of European citizens to servers in the US. The EU has become increasingly wary of its citizens’ data being held in the US, given the US government’s penchant for digital surveillance.

    According to Vice, however, Facebook has warned that the DPC’s decision may cause it to pull out of the EU altogether. This would leave some 410 million users without access to Facebook and Instagram.

    Yvonne Cunnane, Facebook Ireland’s Head of Data Protection and Privacy, said “it is not clear to [Facebook] how, in those circumstances, it could continue to provide the Facebook and Instagram services in the EU.”

    What is even more unclear is if Facebook is serious about its threat, or if this is a game of legal chicken. It seems unlikely Facebook would be willing to abandon an entire continent worth of users, opening the door for a home-grown competitor to take its place.

  • Oracle Beats Out Microsoft/Walmart As TikTok’s US Partner

    Oracle Beats Out Microsoft/Walmart As TikTok’s US Partner

    In a surprise move, Oracle has emerged as the frontrunner to be the US partner for TikTok.

    The Trump administration instituted a ban on TikTok that goes into effect mid-September, unless a buyer could be found to take over US operations. Microsoft, partnering with Walmart, emerged as an early prospect before Oracle also threw its name in the mix.

    Before a deal could be finalized, however, the Chinese government changed its export rules governing what technologies could be exported. It’s believed the new rules directly impact the algorithm TikTok uses for recommendations and engagement. As a result, potential buyers had to start looking at alternative ways to make a deal happen.

    According to CBC, ByteDance has rejected Microsoft’s bid in favor of Oracle. None of the involved parties are commenting, so it remains to be seen what a potential deal looks like.

  • Trump Will Not Extend TikTok Ban Deadline

    Trump Will Not Extend TikTok Ban Deadline

    As the TikTok negotiations run into trouble, President Trump has indicated he has no intention of extending a ban deadline of September 15.

    TikTok has earned the ire of US officials with repeated accusations of privacy and security violations. As a result, officials have repeatedly labeled it a threat to national security and Trump announced a ban that is scheduled to go into effect September 15.

    Microsoft and Walmart joined forces and emerged as early frontrunners to buy the social media platform’s US operations. Oracle also expressed interest, with Trump speaking favorably about a possible deal. Unfortunately, for the first time in years, the Chinese government altered its export rules to prohibit selling technologies that include AI, impacting TikTok’s algorithm.

    It’s unclear if a deal will be able to be reached, although Trump has made it clear there will be no extension granted.

  • Instagram May Start Asking For Your Government ID

    Instagram May Start Asking For Your Government ID

    Instagram has announced it will start asking some users to provide their government ID to prove who they are.

    According to Instagram, the new policy is meant to help cut down on accounts that try to mislead people or engage in “coordinated inauthentic behavior.” Instagram goes on say a review could be triggered when they see “the majority of someone’s followers are in a different country to their location, or if we find signs of automation, such as bot accounts for example.”

    Once an account has been reviewed and verified, the user will be able to continue using it. Instagram claims that IDs will be stored securely, and then deleted within 30 days after the review is completed. They also claim that the information will not be shared on the person’s profile, preserving pseudonymity.

    While Instagram is to be commended for wanting to protect users, it’s hard not to imagine what could go wrong. After all, Instagram is owned by Facebook, a company that has proven time again it lacks either the ability or the necessary motivation to protect its users privacy. What could possibly go wrong with giving it copies of government IDs?

  • Facebook’s Zuckerberg Not Happy With TikTok Ban

    Facebook’s Zuckerberg Not Happy With TikTok Ban

    Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed his concerns about an upcoming ban of social media app TikTok.

    TikTok has become widely popular around the world, and has been the big winner among social media platforms during the pandemic. Some might think a TikTok ban would be in Facebook’s best interest, but that isn’t how Zuckerberg sees it.

    According to BuzzFeed News, Zuckerberg said: “A lot of people are out there saying that this helps Facebook and my reaction to that is only in the most narrow sense. Yes, they are a competitor this year, and this month, next month maybe our engagement will go up. Maybe it will make Reels a little bit easier just to roll out. But you don’t run a company for the next month or the next quarter.”

    Zuckerberg is evidently concerned that banning TikTok sets a bad precedent that could one day be used by other countries to ban Facebook. It remains to be seen if a ban will actually happen, as the ban isn’t set to take effect until September 15. In the meantime, Microsoft is working to purchase TikTok’s US operations. Should that happen, the precedent Zuckerberg is worried about may never come to pass.

  • Trump Bans TikTok and WeChat, Effective September 15

    Trump Bans TikTok and WeChat, Effective September 15

    President Trump has followed through on his promise, issuing a ban on TikTok, as well as WeChat, with both bans set to take effect in mid September.

    Trump has been threatening to ban TikTok as concerns have mounted that the social media platform represents a security and privacy threat. Microsoft is currently working on a deal to buy TikTok’s US operations. Although Trump initially opposed such a deal, following a call with CEO Satya Nadella, Trump gave Microsoft a limited window to make it happen.

    It appears that window is 45 days, as executive orders will result in TikTok and WeChat being banned on September 15.

    According to Reuters, Trump said WeChat “automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users. This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information.”

    In the order banning TikTok, Trump said the US “must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security.”

  • Microsoft Moving to Purchase TikTok

    Microsoft Moving to Purchase TikTok

    Following a weekend of back-and-forth talks, Microsoft appears to be pursuing a deal to purchase TikTok.

    TikTok has found itself in hot water, with the Trump administration threatening to ban the social media app. This comes on the heels of numerous controversies surrounding the app’s privacy and security. It has been sued over claims it uploaded user videos to servers in China without permission. Numerous government, military and business organizations have banned the app, and the company has been accused of violating child privacy. In a rare rebuke within the tech industry, at least one CEO labeled it “fundamentally parasitic.”

    The end result has been the Trump administration first threatening, and then promising to ban the app in the US. At the last minute, however, Microsoft floated the possibility of buying the beleaguered social media company. After initial opposition from the administration, it appears a meeting between Trump and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has opened the way for talks to continue.

    ”Following a conversation between Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Donald J. Trump, Microsoft is prepared to continue discussions to explore a purchase of TikTok in the United States,” says the company blog.

    ”Microsoft fully appreciates the importance of addressing the President’s concerns. It is committed to acquiring TikTok subject to a complete security review and providing proper economic benefits to the United States, including the United States Treasury.

    ”Microsoft will move quickly to pursue discussions with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, in a matter of weeks, and in any event completing these discussions no later than September 15, 2020. During this process, Microsoft looks forward to continuing dialogue with the United States Government, including with the President.”

  • Wells Fargo Bans TikTok From Company Phones

    Wells Fargo Bans TikTok From Company Phones

    The hits keep on coming for TikTok as Well Fargo has instructed employees to delete the social media app from their phones.

    TikTok has been under siege over the last few months in regard to numerous privacy and security issues. The company has been sued for allegedly capturing and uploading video to Chinese servers without consent, violating child privacy and censoring users deemed ‘poor’ or ‘ugly.’ The app has been labeled ‘fundamentally parasitic,’ and has been banned from the phones of government agencies and military personnel. The Trump administration is even mulling a widespread ban of the app.

    Amidst these issues, Wells Fargo has told some employees to delete the app from their phones, citing privacy concerns surrounding it. The ban appears to primarily impact a small number of employees with corporate devices.

    “Due to concerns about TikTok’s privacy and security controls and practices, and because corporate-owned devices should be used for company business only, we have directed those employees to remove the app from their devices,” the company said in a statement to CNN Business.

    Given how popular the app has become, any widespread ban will likely run into resistance. Nonetheless, the tide seems to be turning against TikTok.

  • WhatsApp Business Sees Ten-Fold Growth

    WhatsApp Business Sees Ten-Fold Growth

    WhatsApp has reported it now has some 50 million users of its WhatsApp Business app.

    Facebook has been working to monetize WhatsApp to help offset the $19 billion it paid to acquire the messaging platform. It originally looked at offering ads in the app, a plan that was bitterly opposed by the WhatsApp founders. Facebook eventually shifted gears and decided to focus on business and finance as an alternative way to monetize the platform.

    WhatsApp Business is an example of these efforts, “providing tools to automate, sort and quickly respond to messages. It’s also intended to feel and work just like WhatsApp Messenger.”

    It seems the service is a big hit with small business, as some 50 million users have adopted the platform. Compared to numbers Facebook released a year ago, that represent a ten-fold increase.

    Rather than resting on its laurels, Facebook is adding additional features that will make WhatsApp Business even more appealing. One such feature is using QR codes to start a chat. By placing QR codes on products and packaging, it provides an easy way to encourage customers to reach out and start a chat for support, comments or sales.

    The company is also introducing catalog sharing via links. This will make it easier to share a link to a favorite catalog or individual item via WhatsApp, email, Facebook, Instagram and more.

    It looks like Facebook has discovered an excellent way to monetize WhatsApp, while keep the platform true to its original goals.

  • TikTok Pulling Out of Hong Kong

    TikTok Pulling Out of Hong Kong

    TikTok has announced plans to pull out of Hong Kong in the wake of a new national security law.

    China has been flexing its muscle in Hong Kong, effectively ending the long-standing ‘one country, two systems’ rule. When Britain turned Hong Kong over to Beijing in 1997, its citizens were guaranteed 50 years of autonomy. Despite that, the Chinese government has been trying to exercise more control recently, leading to widespread protests.

    In response, Beijing signed a national security law that gives authorities sweeping powers to punish secession and sedition, as well as search properties and prevent individuals being investigated from leaving the city.

    Tech companies around the world have expressed concern that China may try to use their platforms for censorship or surveillance, by requiring user data to be stored in China. As a result, TikTok is taking action. A spokesperson told Axios that: “In light of recent events, we’ve decided to stop operations of the TikTok app in Hong Kong.”

    The move comes at a time when owner ByteDance is trying to distance TikTok from China. The company operates two similar platforms: TikTok for the world, and a government-approved version in mainland China, called Douyin. Given the allegations that TikTok can’t be trusted to protect user privacy, ByteDance is trying to prove it is not beholden to Beijing.

    The next few weeks will likely be difficult for all of the social media networks as they come to terms with how—or if—they will continue operating in the city.