Jul 01 European Union says Meta breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option for Facebook and Instagram By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press European Union regulators accused Meta of breaching a digital competition rulebook by forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. Continue reading
Jun 20 New York expands parental control over children's 'addictive' social media feeds By Anthony Izaguirre, Associated Press Under the legislation, feeds on apps like TikTok and Instagram would be limited for people under age 18 to posts from accounts they follow, rather than content suggested by an automated algorithm. It would also block platforms from sending minors… Continue reading
Jun 17 Surgeon general asks Congress to require warning labels on social media, saying platforms have 'not been proved safe' By Michelle Chapman, Associated Press Murthy said that the use of just a warning label wouldn't make social media safe for young people, but would be a part of the steps needed. Continue reading
Apr 11 Instagram tests blurring nudity in chats to protect teens from sexual extortion By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice… Continue reading
Mar 11 Watch 7:12 29-year-old becomes first American woman to sail nonstop around the world By Geoff Bennett, Shoshana Dubnow Cole Brauer became the first American woman to sail solo nonstop around the world last week, capturing worldwide attention through her Instagram posts chronicling the journey. The 29-year-old joins a group of fewer than 200 people who have made the… Continue watching
Dec 26 Watch 7:13 States suing Meta accuse company of manipulating its apps to make children addicted By Stephanie Sy, Shoshana Dubnow Meta is the target of state lawsuits over allegations it has harmed the mental health of children and misled the public about safety. State attorneys general argue Facebook and Instagram deliberately manipulate their apps in ways that addict kids and… Continue watching
Oct 24 Watch 6:17 Dozens of states sue Meta claiming social media addiction harms children's mental health By Stephanie Sy, Shoshana Dubnow More than 40 states and the District of Columbia have sued Meta, accusing the tech giant of building addictive features into its popular social media platforms that contribute to a youth mental health crisis. The states say Meta uses "powerful… Continue watching
Oct 11 Watch 6:57 Social media companies criticized as Israel-Hamas war misinformation spreads rampantly By Laura Barrón-López, Courtney Norris The world is watching much of the violence between Israel and Hamas through traditional media and broadcasts. But millions also are getting their information through social media. Many posts are spreading misinformation or outright lies and criticism is being directed… Continue watching
Jul 06 Facebook parent company Meta launches Threads app as rival to Twitter By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press Threads is billed as a text-based version of Meta's photo-sharing app Instagram. Continue reading
Jun 27 Meta launches new parental supervision tools for Instagram By Barbara Ortutay, Associated Press Instagram and Facebook's parent company Meta is adding some new parental supervision tools and privacy features to its platforms as social media companies face increasing scrutiny over their effects on teen mental health. Continue reading