Senators have written to Facebook and Twitter to ask about vaccine misinformation superspreaders.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.As the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues across the US, some lawmakers are concerned that ongoing misinformation and disinformation campaigns are exacerbating . Now, two senators are turning their attention to the vaccine misinformation superspreaders that push the bulk of conspiracy theories and lies on social media — and asking the social media giants to take more aggressive action.“For too long, social media...…Senators have written to Facebook and Twitter to ask about vaccine misinformation superspreaders.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.As the Covid-19 vaccine rollout continues across the US, some lawmakers are concerned that ongoing misinformation and disinformation campaigns are exacerbating . Now, two senators are turning their attention to the vaccine misinformation superspreaders that push the bulk of conspiracy theories and lies on social media — and asking the social media giants to take more aggressive action.“For too long, social media...WW…

Facebook is working on a new version of its popular app targeted at children under 13.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Lawmakers have a message for Facebook: Stop the kids’ version of Instagram before it starts.Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as well as Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Lori Trahan (D-MA) released a statement urging Facebook to halt its plans to launch an Instagram app built for children under the age of 13.“Facebook has a clear record of failing to protect children on its platforms,” the lawmakers said in the...…Facebook is working on a new version of its popular app targeted at children under 13.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Lawmakers have a message for Facebook: Stop the kids’ version of Instagram before it starts.Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) as well as Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL) and Lori Trahan (D-MA) released a statement urging Facebook to halt its plans to launch an Instagram app built for children under the age of 13.“Facebook has a clear record of failing to protect children on its platforms,” the lawmakers said in the...WW…

It’s a long shot, and you can’t appeal to remove ads.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Starting Tuesday, Facebook and Instagram users have a new way to try to get offending Facebook posts removed. The oversight board, that the company has created to handle its trickiest content moderation decisions, has announced that users can now appeal decisions made by Facebook to leave posts up.It’s a big expansion in scope. For the first few months of the oversight board’s operations, users were only able to appeal to the board if they thought Facebook had...…It’s a long shot, and you can’t appeal to remove ads.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Starting Tuesday, Facebook and Instagram users have a new way to try to get offending Facebook posts removed. The oversight board, that the company has created to handle its trickiest content moderation decisions, has announced that users can now appeal decisions made by Facebook to leave posts up.It’s a big expansion in scope. For the first few months of the oversight board’s operations, users were only able to appeal to the board if they thought Facebook had...WW…

Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.David Leblond, a computer programmer based in Durham, North Carolina, decided in December to post on his local Nextdoor feed about participating in a Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine trial. He was almost positive he didn’t get the placebo, and he thought talking about his experience on the hyper-local neighborhood social media platform could reassure people in his community about the new vaccine.“So you can read this knowing that you know at least one person who got it and is fine,” concluded his post on his local...…Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.David Leblond, a computer programmer based in Durham, North Carolina, decided in December to post on his local Nextdoor feed about participating in a Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine trial. He was almost positive he didn’t get the placebo, and he thought talking about his experience on the hyper-local neighborhood social media platform could reassure people in his community about the new vaccine.“So you can read this knowing that you know at least one person who got it and is fine,” concluded his post on his local...WW…

Not all seniors have what’s needed to quickly snag a vaccine appointment: a computer and an internet connection.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.The United States is , but online appointment registration systems are slowing down or preventing access to vaccinations for some of the people : older Americans.Many across the US are offering online tools like websites and apps as the primary way to register for vaccine appointments. There are usually options for registering for vaccination via phone lines, but those can be overloaded with calls. That...…Not all seniors have what’s needed to quickly snag a vaccine appointment: a computer and an internet connection.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.The United States is , but online appointment registration systems are slowing down or preventing access to vaccinations for some of the people : older Americans.Many across the US are offering online tools like websites and apps as the primary way to register for vaccine appointments. There are usually options for registering for vaccination via phone lines, but those can be overloaded with calls. That...WW…

An extended pause on political ads had complicated the Senate runoffs.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Less than a week after Joe Biden secured a victory in the , it looked like Facebook’s post-election plan was backfiring.In November, the company announced it would extend its ban on political ads for at least another month, and possibly longer, in an attempt to quell confusion over an election that President Donald Trump lost but still hasn’t conceded. Google similarly told advertisers it was unlikely to lift its political ad ban in November or...…An extended pause on political ads had complicated the Senate runoffs.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Less than a week after Joe Biden secured a victory in the , it looked like Facebook’s post-election plan was backfiring.In November, the company announced it would extend its ban on political ads for at least another month, and possibly longer, in an attempt to quell confusion over an election that President Donald Trump lost but still hasn’t conceded. Google similarly told advertisers it was unlikely to lift its political ad ban in November or...WW…

The largely unmoderated, conservative-friendly website is back in the news following the insurrection at the US Capitol.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Parler has been booted from the internet, after its users cheered on and celebrated the storming of the Capitol on January 6.Tech giants effectively took the largely conservative and largely unmoderated social network offline as evidence mounts that Parler was , and was still being used to encourage violence in the days following the pro-Trump “Save America” rally. On Sunday, Amazon booted Parler...…The largely unmoderated, conservative-friendly website is back in the news following the insurrection at the US Capitol.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Parler has been booted from the internet, after its users cheered on and celebrated the storming of the Capitol on January 6.Tech giants effectively took the largely conservative and largely unmoderated social network offline as evidence mounts that Parler was , and was still being used to encourage violence in the days following the pro-Trump “Save America” rally. On Sunday, Amazon booted Parler...WW…

False claims, retweeted by the president, about the Michigan vote tabulation exploited a counting error that’s been resolved.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.While votes are still being , President Trump retweeted a claim that an update in Michigan’s vote count yielded 138,339 votes for Joe Biden and 0 for Trump. The tweet that the president amplified — which was later deleted — included side-by-side screenshots from the Decision Desk election map that appeared to show an unusual jump. In reality, though, there was no conspiracy: A data glitch...…False claims, retweeted by the president, about the Michigan vote tabulation exploited a counting error that’s been resolved.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.While votes are still being , President Trump retweeted a claim that an update in Michigan’s vote count yielded 138,339 votes for Joe Biden and 0 for Trump. The tweet that the president amplified — which was later deleted — included side-by-side screenshots from the Decision Desk election map that appeared to show an unusual jump. In reality, though, there was no conspiracy: A data glitch...WW…

On Tuesday, the president yet again spread misleading information about voting on Twitter and Facebook.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Searches for changing one’s vote did not trend following the recent presidential debate, and just a few states appear to have processes for changing an early vote. But that didn’t stop President Trump from wrongly saying otherwise on Tuesday.In early morning posts, the president falsely claimed on Twitter and that many people had Googled “Can I change my vote?” after the and said those searching wanted to change...…On Tuesday, the president yet again spread misleading information about voting on Twitter and Facebook.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Searches for changing one’s vote did not trend following the recent presidential debate, and just a few states appear to have processes for changing an early vote. But that didn’t stop President Trump from wrongly saying otherwise on Tuesday.In early morning posts, the president falsely claimed on Twitter and that many people had Googled “Can I change my vote?” after the and said those searching wanted to change...WW…

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our . Please also read our and , which became effective December 20, 2019.By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.I Accept☰×Some conservatives were quick to spread conspiracy theories when Joe Biden announced his VP pick.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Within...…We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our . Please also read our and , which became effective December 20, 2019.By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.I Accept☰×Some conservatives were quick to spread conspiracy theories when Joe Biden announced his VP pick.Uncovering and explaining how our digital world is changing — and changing us.Within...WW…