networking
Silicon Valley-backed groups sue Maryland to kill country’s first-ever online advertising tax
Top lobbying groups backed by Amazon, Facebook, Google and other technology giants sued Maryland on Thursday, seeking to scuttle a new state tax on their massive online-advertising revenue — and stop other local governments from following its lead.
Source: Silicon Valley-backed groups sue Maryland to kill country’s first-ever online advertising tax
Americans are consuming more foreign content than ever
Content from abroad is boosting its share of the American entertainment diet, thanks in large part to streaming, the pandemic and the creator economy . Why it matters: “As ‘American exceptionalism’ has become less of a truth geopolitically, the same goes for entertainment,” says Brad Grossman, founder and CEO of ZEITGUIDE.
Source: Americans are consuming more foreign content than ever
Billionaires See VR as a Way to Avoid Radical Social Change
The future of virtual reality is far more than just video games. Silicon Valley sees the creation of virtual worlds as the ultimate free-market solution to a political problem. In a world of increasing wealth inequality, environmental disaster, and political instability, why not sell everyone a device that whisks them away to a virtual world free of pain and suffering?
Source: Billionaires See VR as a Way to Avoid Radical Social Change
Inside the Making of Facebook’s Supreme Court
The “most controversial issue by far,” Darmé told me, was how powerful the board should be. “People outside the company wanted the board to have as much authority as possible, to tie Facebook’s hands,” she said. Some wanted it to write all of the company’s policies. (“We actually tested that in simulation,” Darmé said. “People never actually wrote a policy.”) On the other hand, many employees wondered whether the board would make a decision that killed Facebook.
Breaking Down the TikTok Playbook to Take on Instagram (and Everyone Else)
With dozens of apps competing for users’ attention, TikTok is the latest front-runner in the war to keep people scrolling. The Chinese-owned video app is the fastest-growing social media platform of all time, with roughly 80 million monthly active users.
Source: Breaking Down the TikTok Playbook to Take on Instagram (and Everyone Else)
From the election lie to GameStop: How to stop social media algorithms from hurting us
Some fresh ideas for how to stop social media algorithms from damaging society by amplifying lies and fringe ideas.
Source: From the election lie to GameStop: How to stop social media algorithms from hurting us
Sad QAnon Followers Are at a Precarious Pivot Point
Disillusioned after Biden was sworn in, conspiracy theorists could now be swayed back to reality by conservatives and family members—or toward darker fringes.
Finally, an Interesting Proposal for Section 230 Reform
A new bill directly targets the most egregious excesses of online platform immunity.
Source: Finally, an Interesting Proposal for Section 230 Reform
Overhauling Twitter
Every day, 187 million people open Twitter for news, entertainment, and a social connection. It is the real-time global communications network that sci-fi novelists envisioned. It is also a catalyst for conspiracy theories, a forum for hate speech, and a surprisingly lousy business.
On iPhones, Facebook and Apple begin a war of pop-up messages
Some Facebook and Instagram users who open up the social media apps on their iPhones will get a new message on Monday about targeted advertising: Namely, targeting advertising is not as bad as Apple makes it out to be. Support our journalism.
Source: On iPhones, Facebook and Apple begin a war of pop-up messages
Here’s a Way to Learn if Facial Recognition Systems Used Your Photos
An online tool targets only a small slice of what’s out there, but may open some eyes to how widely artificial intelligence research fed on personal images.
Source: Here’s a Way to Learn if Facial Recognition Systems Used Your Photos
How bad software helped slow coronavirus vaccine distribution
It’s no secret that the US is struggling to distribute coronavirus vaccines; some states haven’t received enough doses, and finding an appointment on sign-up websites has been a chaotic experience.
Source: Go read this story about how bad software helped slow coronavirus vaccine distribution
The Misfits Shaking Wall Street
They are part of a legion of young people — primarily male — pouring into digital trading floors in recent years, raised on social media and eager to teach themselves about stocks and trade quickly using an array of apps catered to Generation Z. In just a few short weeks, this new cohort of retail investors has completely upended some of the most professional traders by coordinating over social media, forums and chat rooms to trade shares of GameStop, sending the stock price for the video game company skyrocketing while leaving a number of sophisticated short-sellers holding the bag.
Source: The Misfits Shaking Wall Street
Inside a Pro-Huawei Influence Campaign
A covert online push to sway telecommunications policy in favor of the Chinese company may presage a new twist in social manipulation. Fake Twitter profiles supported Huawei, a Chinese company that faced government restrictions in the West.
Apple says App Tracking Transparency feature will launch in ‘early spring’ with iOS 14 update
In honor of Data Privacy Day on January 28, Apple has announced that its App Tracking Transparency feature will launch to users “in early spring.” The company has also launched a new easy-to-understand report dubbed “A Day in the Life of Your Data,” which illustrates “how companies track user data across websites and apps.” In a new press release, Apple’s software engineering VP Craig Federighi explained that Apple’s goal is to “create technology that keeps people’s information safe and protected.” “Privacy means peace of mind, it means security, and it means you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to your own data,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “Our goal is to create technology that keeps people’s information safe and protected.
Zuckerberg promises Facebook will show less political content from now on
During Facebook‘s quarterly earnings call today, Mark Zuckerberg highlighted some major changes coming to Facebook. After years of being the primary news source for many people, Facebook has decided it wants to show less political content.
Source: Zuckerberg promises Facebook will show less political content from now on
Discord bans Reddit’s WallStreetBets for hate speech as scrutiny intensifies
Discord has banned the server used by the controversial subreddit r/WallStreetBets for what it says are repeated violations of the company’s hate speech policies. The ban comes as the subreddit’s moderators briefly took the group private, saying they were struggling to keep up with an influx of new users.
Source: Discord bans Reddit’s WallStreetBets for hate speech as scrutiny intensifies
Apple is celebrating Black History Month across almost all of its services
February 1 is right around the corner, and it marks the beginning of Black History Month. As it has done in previous years, Apple is celebrating Black History Month by highlighting content from Black creators and businesses, across many of its apps and services on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Source: Apple is celebrating Black History Month across almost all of its services
Is There a Secret to Success on Instagram?
It depends on what you mean by “secret,” and also “success.”
Twitter jumps 6% after the social media giant buys Substack competitor Revue
Twitter has acquired the newsletter company and Substack competitor Revue on undisclosed terms. Shares jumped 6% Tuesday after the news broke. The news comes after Twitter announced a new feature called “Birdwatch” on its platform.
Source: Twitter jumps 6% after the social media giant buys Substack competitor Revue