Twitter’s Happening Now, Explore are about to get more personal
In a post sharing a number of different changes coming to the platform over the next few months, Twitter is working to make the experience more tailored to each user's interests. The personalized news will be coming to the Happening Now Section, as well as notifications and a tab inside Explore. Moments is also getting a more Twitter-like redesign.
Facebook is messing with your memories as On This Day gets refreshed
Goodbye On This Day, hello Facebook Memories. Facebook's popular throwback feature is getting a refresh along with a new name as the three-year-old On This Day feature becomes Memories. The update brings more organization to those social throwbacks while keeping several features intact.
The worst internet trends of 2018, 2017, and beyond
The internet is an interesting platform. It can facilitate large-scale discussions, connect loved ones, and provide hours of entertainment. But it has also inspired some of the ludicrous trends, from eating laundry soap to feather eyebrows. Here are some of the worst offenders.
Reddit is rolling out video ads — and yes, they autoplay
Brace yourselves, Redditors -- video ads are coming to the platform beginning next week. The video ads autoplay in the card view, made possible by native video hosting and Reddit's new design. The new ad format is launching next week with select partners, while the rest of the advertisers will have access shortly.
Having regrets? Snapchat adds a tool to delete messages
Snapchat users can now take back what they just said with a new Clear Chats tool. The hidden tool allows users to delete messages, both read and unread, in any chat. The update comes as the company's camera glasses launch on Amazon, ending exclusive availability through the manufacturer's website.
Facebook takes on YouTube, Twitch, and Mixer with a game broadcast channel
Facebook is experimenting with a new gaming video "destination" that combines onto one page all the live and pre-recorded gaming videos posted on the social website. Labeled as FB.GG despite the portal's longer real-world address, Facebook splits its one-stop video showcase into five sections.
Your Bitmoji sticker can now include a friend with Friendmojis for iOS
Is your Bitmoji feeling lonely? Well, with the app's latest update it no longer has to. Using the new "Friendmojis" feature, you can send stickers that combine your Bitmoji with your friends'. Originally available in the Snapchat app, users now have access to Friendmoji within the iOS Bitmoji keyboard.
LinkedIn will tell you exactly how long your new job’s commute will be
LinkedIn's latest feature lets you see the location and commute time to certain employers, which may just help you decide whether or not you want to be its next employee. The feature, aptly named "Your Commute," has now been made globally available on the mobile version of the site, and provides location data.
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-first news means vertical videos, social media hosts
Facebook is trying to give more voice to the non-fake news with an experimental list of journalism Watch programs funded by the social network itself. The list of shows includes one using vertical video instead and another using social media influencers as hosts. ABC, CNN and FOX are also among the list of new Watch shows.
Report: Facebook gave other companies access to user data; FB disagrees
The New York Times claimed Facebook had data-sharing agreements with major device-makers including Apple and Samsung. The report raises issues of data privacy rights and protection because user data was shared without users' permission. Facebook disagrees, saying permission was required for data access.
Everything Apple announced at WWDC, from iOS 12 to MacOS Mojave
At WWDC -- Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference -- the company showcases it's latest innovations to thousands of developers. The dust has settled on the major keynote, and even if you weren't able to catch it live, we've summarized everything you need to know about what went down at Apple's major event.
Simon Cowell says no longer using a smartphone is a ‘very strange experience’
You'd think a media mogul like Simon Cowell couldn't survive without a smartphone to manage his busy days, but he's just revealed he hasn't used one for the last 10 months. Cowell claims life without a handset has made him happier, though it's also been "a very strange experience."
Instagram isn’t going chronological, and is now telling us why
Instagram is not going chronological, but is changing how feeds work to give users more control over when and how their feeds refresh. Recently, the social media app gave users a bit more insight into just why it's chosen to steer clear of reverse chronological ordering. While you may not like it, it makes sense.
Say goodbye to Trending stories on Facebook
It may be harder yet to get your news from Facebook. The social media company is continuing its efforts to cut down on the potential for fake news and the possibility of bias and is removing its Trending Topics section next week. But don't worry, they're replacing the section with other news tools.
Getty, 500px partner to sell photos, a move that kills off 500px Marketplace
500px Marketplace will soon be no more -- but rather than mourning the loss, 500px wants photographers to look at what could happen with a partnership with Getty Images. A new agreement between the two companies moves 500px images to Getty's image sales sites, but not all images will move over.
The beginning of the end? Teens are abandoning Facebook for YouTube
Pew Research Center found that teenagers are using YouTube at a greater rate than any other social media service, with services like Snapchat and Instagram also seeing dramatic growth. Facebook use among teens, meanwhile, fell 20 percent since 2015. Should the social network be worried?
PicsArt update brings custom stickers to third-party apps on Android
PicsArt's custom stickers -- and the 5 million-plus library of public stickers -- are now easier to access for Android users with a new sticker keyboard that brings the graphics into any app that supports sticker keyboards. The update begins rolling out today and should be complete in the next few days.
Ready to make some noise? New Snapchat augmented reality mask responds to sounds
Snapchat has quietly added a new AR mask to its rotating carousel -- and it responds not to visuals but to voice. The new mask is an animal with neon-colored ears that pulse and shine based on the volume of the music. But that's not all -- Snapchat has more in store, the company says.
One social media user attempts to cash in by auctioning off all his Facebook data
Forget the middleman! One social media user figures if Facebook can sell his data to advertisers, then why shouldn't he be able to. Oli Frost extracted all his information on Facebook using tools that the social network provided and listed his data for auction on eBay. But how much is Frost's data worth?
A.I. scans social media to predict when protests will turn violent
In a new study, researchers at the University of Southern California created an artificial intelligence algorithm that scanned posts and correlated their content with impending violence. Such a tool could be used to better prepare for demonstrations that are prone to escalation.
How to tell if a picture is Photoshopped
Images are just as much a part of fake news as articles -- but how do you tell is a photo is Photoshopped? There are a few telltale signs to look for, but even with excellent Photoshop work, there are a few ways to use tech to find out if that photo really happened or if it only exists in pixels.
Facebook and Google racked up $8.8 billion in lawsuits from one day of GDPR
Privacy activist Max Schrems sued Google and Facebook for a combined $8.8 billion, alleging that the tech giants violated privacy protections under Europe's GDPR law by forcing users to share their data in order to use services such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Google's Android operating system.
Airbnb is the latest to crib from Snapchat with ‘Travel Stories’
Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube have all done it, and now Airbnb has joined the club. We're talking about the trial launch of its own version of Snapchat Stories, a feature that lets Airbnb users build short presentations of their travel experiences for others to enjoy — which could lead to more bookings.
What is Facebook doing about fake news? Glimpse inside to find out
Want to go inside Facebook headquarters to see what the social giant is doing about fake news? A documentary might be the next best thing. The Facing Facts film is part of Facebook's new effort to give users more context about how Facebook is facing the tough decisions on the platform.
StumbleUpon will shut down as founder moves tech to a new app
Web surfers will soon have their last stumble. StumbleUpon is shutting down as the owners focus on a new discovery platform called Mix. StumbleUpon users can transfer their accounts over to Mix to save content, but after June 30, StumbleUpon will be gone. Mix takes a similar approach, but adds a swipe-based interface.
Yelp now uses A.I. to deliver personalized recommendations with Collections
Yelp is both making it easier to find new businesses and simpler to save and find other companies to try with a new tool called Collections. Some are generated using artificial intelligence, others by Yelp staff and more by individual users. Collections are rolling out on both web and mobile.
Judge rules it’s unconstitutional for Trump to block critics on Twitter
Finding that Twitter is a public forum when used by a public official. a federal judge in New York ruled that President Trump may not block critics. Although the president has blocked users in the past, the judge ruled this amounted to a violation of First Amendment rights of those who criticized him.
Facebook’s revenge porn prevention tool now includes human review
Facebook is looking to help block revenge porn uploads before they can be shared, by asking users to pre-emptively upload their images. After initial testing, Facebook is expanding the tool by announcing more countries in the test and using specially trained review staff to examine the reports.
Facebook is busy enhancing two-factor authentication, group tools, and more
Facebook launched not one but several updates today, enhancing two-factor authentication, adding new Groups admin tools and expanding Marketplace. The security update is the first time Facebook has allowed users to add two-factor authentication without giving out a phone number.
Need a house cleaner or plumber? Find one on Facebook.
Sketched out by Craigslist? Overwhelmed by eBay? Try Facebook Marketplace instead for your ecommerce, automobile, and now, even home services needs. You can hire a plumber, a cleaner, an electrician, or anything else you need for home improvement straight from the social network.
Twitter kills some TV apps, but updates Windows and other support
Twitter seems to be in the midst of an evolution which involves both some deaths and rebirths. Beginning May 24, the social media company will no longer support its TV apps on Roku, Android TV, or Xbox. But if you're a Twitter Lite or Twitter for Windows user, you're in for some snazzy new updates.
Here’s what we learned from Mark Zuckerberg’s EU hearing on privacy
After being grilled by the U.S. Congress last month, Mark Zuckerberg again found himself testifying before a governmental body -- this time the European Parliament. In addition to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Zuckerberg addressed issues related to the GDPR. Here's what we learned.
You can soon mute annoying friends clogging your Instagram feed
Hovering over that unfollow button, but don't want to quite abandon that Instagram relationship yet? Instagram is rolling out a mute button that allows you to keep another user's posts out of the feed and even mute their Stories too. The social network says the move is another effort to help improve the browsing experience.