• Thousands of fake Facebook accounts shut down by Meta were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

    Thousands of fake Facebook accounts shut down by Meta were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

    Nov 30, 2023 08:40 PM EDT

    ... many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.Democrats and Republicans have called for laws addressing algorithmic recommendations, misinformation, deepfakes and hate speech, but there's little chance of any significant regulations passing ahead of the 2024 election. That means it will fall ...

  • Jewish residents in Detroit worry war in Israel could cause damage at home

    Jewish residents in Detroit worry war in Israel could cause damage at home

    Nov 29, 2023 10:59 PM EDT

    ... those with certain religious beliefs who can be identified as Muslim or Jewish,” Chandler said.  Jewish residents said they are also fighting the spread of misinformation on platforms like X and TikTok, the latter of which especially vexes Moss. As he arrived back from Washington, he began hearing chatter of ...

  • After knife attack leaves 3 children injured, violent clashes break out in Dublin

    After knife attack leaves 3 children injured, violent clashes break out in Dublin

    Nov 23, 2023 10:16 PM EDT

    ... then this disruptive tendency engaged in serious violence," said Ireland's top police officer, Drew Harris. Police and politicians called for calm and warned against misinformation over the attack earlier in the day. “The scenes we are witnessing this evening in our city center cannot and will not be tolerated ...

  • IBM, EU and Lionsgate pull ads from X over concerns of antisemitic messages

    IBM, EU and Lionsgate pull ads from X over concerns of antisemitic messages

    Nov 17, 2023 02:28 PM EDT

    ... rules to clean up social media platforms, and last month it made a formal request to X for information about its handling of hate speech, misinformation and violent terrorist content related to the Israel-Hamas war. X isn't alone in dealing with problematic content since the conflict. On Thursday ...

  • Election workers face violent threats and harassment amid dangerous political rhetoric

    Election workers face violent threats and harassment amid dangerous political rhetoric

    Nov 16, 2023 11:35 PM EDT

    ... go about countering this? I mean, we did see some election deniers in the last cycle lose their elections, but the former president continues his misinformation about his loss. The Wall Street Journal just recently reported that Meta, which controls Facebook and Instagram, is going to allow advertisements to run ...

  • Nikki Haley walks back her demand that social media ban anonymous posters after backlash

    Nikki Haley walks back her demand that social media ban anonymous posters after backlash

    Nov 15, 2023 07:28 PM EDT

    ... it gets rid of the Russian bots, the Iranian bots and the Chinese bots.” Saying that she fears that social media anonymity could translate into misinformation, Haley said “you’re going to get some civility when people know their name is next to what they say." Haley also said Tuesday ...

  • A Brief But Spectacular take on how to rebuild local news

    A Brief But Spectacular take on how to rebuild local news

    Nov 10, 2023 11:25 PM EDT

    ... evidence that, when you don't have local news, you have lower voter turnout, more alienation, more polarization, people at each other's throats, more misinformation. I mean, it's really a terrible thing for communities to not have local news. On the community level, local news organizations are often ...

  • Man accused of hammer attack against Nancy Pelosi's husband goes on trial in San Francisco

    Man accused of hammer attack against Nancy Pelosi's husband goes on trial in San Francisco

    Nov 09, 2023 04:44 PM EDT

    ... world just days before last year's midterm elections. The attack in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022, also highlighted how conspiracy theories and misinformation that spread online can fuel political violence. WATCH: Pelosi says she has ‘no intention’ of viewing husband’s attack DePape pleaded not guilty to ...

  • WATCH: Senate Judiciary committee holds hearing social media's impact on teen mental health

    WATCH: Senate Judiciary committee holds hearing social media's impact on teen mental health

    Nov 07, 2023 02:53 PM EDT

    ... Meta points to its 2021 " content distribution guidelines " that say "problematic or low quality" content automatically receives reduced distribution on users' feeds. This includes clickbait, misinformation that's been fact-checked and "borderline" posts, such as a "photo of a person posing in a sexually suggestive manner, speech that includes ...

  • What to expect in Ohio's 2023 vote on abortion and marijuana

    What to expect in Ohio's 2023 vote on abortion and marijuana

    Nov 06, 2023 07:16 PM EDT

    ... throughout the campaign, according to campaign spending records, but opponents of the measure nonetheless have been active in trying to frame the issue for voters. Misinformation about the proposal has spread in TV ads and online. Backers of the amendment have also criticized wording changes to the language that appears ...