Practically every major social app has a Stories function now. This is why
Snapchat popularized the idea of ephemeral social media years ago, but now the feature is is popping up in dozens of other platforms. Here's why.
Conservative, pro-Trump witches are flocking to Facebook
Facebook pages for conservative witches have cropped up, seeking to create a space for witches who feel marginalized by their more liberal peers.
The Reverb Remix community is YouTube’s sensitive, supportive refuge
The caring comments on “slowed and reverb” remixes on YouTube are a reprieve from the toxicity often found on the platform.
Volunteers make activism accessible by captioning protest videos
ProtestAccess is an organization of volunteers working to make Black Lives Matter content accessible to the Deaf and Blind.
Black creators urge their audiences to sustain social activism for the long term
Black creators who have long been using their platforms to speak about inequality say that it is now up to their new audiences to help sustain social activism.
TikTok isn’t paying its biggest stars, but they don’t really care
TikTok just had its best quarter as more people are tuning in than ever. But will the lack of ad monetization hamper its growth and popularity among creators?
Don’t let the COVID crash fool you. It’s still a great time to be a YouTuber
Many people thought that the coronavirus pandemic would be the end of influencers. But it's quite the opposite. YouTubers have more eyes than ever on them now.
Avoid Twitter’s swamp of misinformation by following these epidemiology experts
Epidemiologists, public health experts, and others are spending time on Twitter to bring the public some good, reliable COVID-19 information amid the pandemic.
Fighting through coronavirus isolation: 4 people share their tech habits
Millions across the world are currently under shelter-at-home orders. For those living alone, tech has become an essential service connecting them to others.
Is it ethical to do a digital detox during the coronavirus pandemic?
There is no shortage of content right now during the coronavirus pandemic. But for some, more information means more anxiety. Is it okay to disconnect?
Online platforms like Facebook are losing yet another ‘infodemic’ war
With cases of Coronavirus on the rise around the globe, online platforms like Facebook and Google are struggling to stem the resulting tide of misinformation.
The most peaceful place on the internet? Bird Twitter
Bird Twitter is a place for birders to share photos, videos, and information about birds in an educational environment.
What does it take to make a social media network that doesn’t exploit users?
Social media sites can be fun and silly but also grab all your data to keep you hooked. Some sites want to be a refuge from harassment but haven't caught on the way Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok have. Is there a way to be both popular and good?
Instagram wants to be both YouTube and TikTok, but it’s succeeding at neither
Instagram's dismissal of the IGTV button on its main app signals the video platform's growing troubles as competitors like TikTok continue to rise. IGTV, while trying to take on both TikTok and YouTube, has evolved into a confusing offering and pushed users to look elsewhere for their vertical content.
Sen. Ron Wyden wants to protect your data from Big Tech, if Congress lets him
Sen. Ron Wyden's latest bill, the Mind Your Own Business Act, could fix a lot of the privacy problems that internet users currently face. The only problem? It's probably not going to move forward until we have another major privacy disaster, Wyden said in an exclusive Digital Trends interview.
Prophet or puppet-master? Meet the man behind the Zuckerberg deepfake
Bill Posters is a former street artist based in the U.K. You may not know his name, but if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve likely seen his work. The videos that Posters makes are intentionally fabricated to illustrate a political point, but indicate to a growing online problem.
Where do emojis come from? How the firecracker exploded onto emoji keyboards
You probably send dozens of emojis during any given day -- but have you ever stopped to wonder where emojis come from, or who designs them? Go behind the scenes of the process of building an emoji with the team that created the firecracker emoji, as well as the red gift envelope and moon cake.
You’re probably seeing more social media propaganda, but don’t blame the bots
As the amount of social media propaganda climbs, so does the number of different tactics to avoid detection. A recent study from the University of Oxford suggests that more countries use social media accounts run by actual people — including communication firms and hired students — than bots.
I turned off Facebook’s ad trackers, and the ads only got more personalized
Facebook offers a few simple toggles to turn off ad tracking settings -- but those settings are only a portion of what Facebook users to deliver ads. The rest can only be turned off one-by-one and they don't make it easy. So what should privacy-concerned users do about Facebook ad trackers?
Why doesn’t Facebook help after your account gets hacked?
When your Facebook account gets hacked, the company offers little in the way of customer service reps to help you out. Users and consumer advocates say Facebook's customer support system unacceptably bad, and users whose accounts have been compromised get little help -- or none at all.
Facebook says the future is private, but what does that mean?
At Facebook's F8 developer conference, the company emphasized its desire to take a more hands-on approach to privacy over the future. But what, exactly, will a more privacy-focused Facebook end up looking like? Here are the six core pillars that the company wants to base the "new Facebook" on.
The top 10 most-Instagrammed locations are bound to give you the travel itch
Looking for inspiration for your next destination? Here are the top 50 destinations in the Americas, according to Instagram hashtags anyways. From Disney to Yosemite, these are some of the most Instagrammed locations to visit (or to avoid for something more original).
It’s over: Tinder won the dating wars. Swipe or stay home
From OKCupid to Bumble, a variety of online dating apps still elbow for superiority, but look at the numbers and the verdict is clear: Tinder wins by a mile. It’s more popular than ever, and every competitor is starting to slide. Here’s why the swiping model can’t be beat.
Emojis could change the way you use maps on your phone
Bored, hungry, or want to see what local attractions your friends prefer? A new app called WYD may be able to help. WYD encourages users to explore places to eat or things to do using emoji in place of text-based search. Users can also message friends, share favorite locations, and see geo-tagged photos.
Facebook’s very, very sorry, and it has absolutely no intention to change
Facebook’s F8 developer conference saw the company and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, discuss new features like Dating and Clear History. While lip service was given to issues like data security and privacy, few good solutions were offered. That should be no surprise given Facebook’s history with Cambridge Analytica, and many others.
Social (Net)Work: Fake news spreads faster than truth, but bots aren’t to blame
A recent MIT study suggests that fake news spreads farther, faster and deeper than the real thing. Don’t point fingers just yet though -- data suggests the bots aren’t to blame.
Facebook faces Senate, potential government regulation — and big changes
In a 5-hour Senate hearing, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg addressed privacy concerns in the wake of Cambridge Analytica. Lawmakers have already introduced the first bill in response.
Facebook was always too busy selling ads to care about your personal data
Ultimately, the Cambridge Analytica scandal happened because Facebook has always cared more about selling ads than protecting your personal data. When you sell four billion dollars in ad revenue each year, it takes some effort to ensure that people’s data is protected.
Social (Net)Work: How does social media influence democracy?
Social media creates a platform for speaking up and sharing information, but that same platform makes possible fake news, spam bots, and “information cocoons.
Governments are stepping in to regulate social media, but there may be a better way
Whose responsibility is it to keep fake news and terrorism off social media? An NYU Stern study suggests social networks, not the government, should be responsible for moderation.
Social (Net)Work: What can A.I. catch — and where does it fail miserably?
In social media moderation, what tasks can artificial intelligence handle, and which ones are best left up to humans?
Chicken nuggets, Trump, and natural disasters among Twitter’s top 2017 trends
So what were the most popular posts on Twitter this year? The list of the platform's top tweets, retweets, and hashtag is in.
Japan’s king of cute wants to develop a lovable A.I. you can’t live without
Messaging app Line found success as smartphones took off in Japan, and now it hopes to do the same with its ambitious and exciting plans for artificial intelligence.
International Women’s Day is Facebook’s most-discussed topic in 2017
Facebook is looking back at 2017 with the most-discussed posts and the biggest ways users reached out after natural disasters.