Social media platform updates, algorithm changes, content moderation news, user trends, and analysis of Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and more.
Instagram is notifying users whose accounts were compromised by hackers exploiting Meta's AI chatbot. The attackers posed as account owners to link accounts to their own emails. Meta says the flaw is fixed, but some users still report being hacked.
Misleading videos and miscaptioned images are flooding social media after the Champions League final in Paris, pushing an anti-immigration narrative. One video falsely claims the Eiffel Tower is on fire, while another shows old footage from 2022 protests. A video of a Ganesh festival is miscaptioned as 'shirtless Sri Lankan men' smashing coconuts.
This commentary argues that the internet's early culture of generosity, exemplified by the ice bucket challenge and Giving Pledge, has faded due to algorithm-driven fragmentation and cynicism. It contends that social media now fosters anger rather than earnest giving, though nostalgia may signal a pendulum swing back toward generosity.
This commentary argues that people remain on Elon Musk's X platform because major companies and public figures still use it, making it the most effective way to get quick responses to complaints. The author contends that the platform's power will only diminish when these influential entities leave.
Moderators of the r/biohackers subreddit will ban new posts about peptides and hormone replacement therapy, citing manipulation by companies using AI-engine optimization to influence AI chatbots. Reddit has become a target for such tactics as its content is frequently scraped by AI tools.
An Arizona Superior Court ruled that an influencer's nondefamatory service review could still support an aiding and abetting defamation claim if he encouraged followers to post false negative reviews. The influencer's own statements were not defamatory, but the claim proceeds based on his alleged solicitation of false reviews from followers.
Viral videos of teen takeovers of public spaces have surged on social media, prompting expert warnings about mob mentality. Arrests, curfews, and threats to prosecute parents are among official responses. A Memorial Day weekend takeover in Chicago led to a shooting wounding three young men and five police officers injured.
The Instagram account of Space Force Chief Master Sergeant John F. Bentivegna was hacked and used to post pro-Iranian propaganda, including graphics calling for America's defeat. Bentivegna acknowledged the breach on Facebook, calling it a reminder of cybersecurity challenges.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan accused Donald Trump supporters and the Russian state of orchestrating a wave of social media posts spreading misinformation about London's crime rates and stoking community divides. He made the remarks at SXSW London on Monday.
A video of a man being heckled after a date ended with a kiss instead of sex went viral, amassing over 4 million views. The incident, reportedly in New York City, ignited online debate about transactional dating culture, with many defending the couple.