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Tech NewsTwitter
Here Are the Possible Criteria You’ll Have to Meet to Charge for Super Follows on Twitter
It appears that not just anyone will be able to make bank for the time they spend on Twitter. If you’re looking to get people to pay you for your “exclusive” Twitter content and become your Super Followers, you might have to meet a certain set of criteria and fill out an application. App researcher … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
Tech NewsFacebook
Trump Suspended From Facebook for at Least 2 Years
Facebook announced on Friday that Donald Trump’s accounts on the company’s platforms—which includes the former president’s Instagram account—are going to be suspended for a full two years. At the end of that two-year gap, the company will “look to experts to assess whether the risk to public safety has receded,” before reinstating his account. This … Continued
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Tech NewsFacebook
Facebook Wants Your Thoughts and Prayers
Facebook’s found a new way to capitalize on the thoughts, prayers (and data) from the religious side of its user base. On Thursday, the company confirmed that it’s begun expanding a new feature called “prayer posts” that will let members of particular Facebook groups literally ask for (and offer up) prayers for other folks on … Continued
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Tech NewsFacebook
Instagram to Change Stories Algorithm After Staff Raised Concerns About Reach of Pro-Palestinian Content
Instagram is making a change to its algorithm after employees raised concerns over the reach of pro-Palestinian content in light of the recent deadly confrontation between Israel and Palestine. A Financial Times report published on Sunday states that the change will affect original and reposted content in Instagram’s Stories section, which is displayed at the … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
Tech NewsNews
Backpedaling, WhatsApp Says It Won’t Lobotomize Accounts That Refuse Privacy Policy Update
WhatsApp initially threatened to revoke core functions for users that refused to accept its controversial new privacy policy, only to walk back the severity of those consequences earlier this month amid international backlash, and now, it’s doing away with them altogether (for the time being, at least). In a reversal, the company clarified on Friday … Continued
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Tech NewsNews
Twitter Says No More Blue Checkmarks for You
Well, that was fun while it lasted. Just a little over a week after reviving its public verification process for the first time in almost four years, Twitter has already pulled the plug. On Friday, the company announced that it won’t be accepting any more requests for that coveted blue checkmark until it’s tackled the … Continued
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Tech NewsNews
Florida Is Already Getting Sued for Its Probably Illegal Social Media Ban
For a snapshot of current U.S. politics, picture this: A politician passes a draconian, poorly thought-out, maybe illegal regulation, designed mostly as a symbolic gesture to his base but that will likely help none of his actual constituents. Then, a pro-business lobby jumps in to decry the law as a threat to society and reflexively … Continued
By Lucas Ropek -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
The Indian Government Wants to Break Messaging Encryption, WhatsApp’s Suing
WhatsApp is taking India’s government to court over a new mandate that it claims will lead to mass surveillance of users in the company’s biggest market. Reuters was first to report on the suit filed in Dehli’s high court, which WhatsApp confirmed to Gizmodo on Wednesday. The suit is WhatsApp’s attempt to push back against … Continued
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Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
D.C. Police Surveilled Clowns on Social Media, Leaked Docs Show
A few years ago, intelligence personnel with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. spent some unknown amount of time and money monitoring the online accounts of people dressed like clowns. A recent data breach involving the MPD has revealed a 14-page internal report titled “SOCIAL MEDIA CLOWN THREATS.” Dated October 2016, the doc shows … Continued
By Lucas Ropek -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Citizen App’s Unhinged Private Security Firm Would Like to Patrol Cities With Police Powers
Last week, neighborhood snitch app Citizen was reported by Motherboard to be testing an on-demand private security force that would respond to user-submitted “incidents.” The plans are a considerable escalation of the app’s existing business model, which relies on police scanners and user reports to create live maps of rumored criminal activity. One of Citizen’s … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Japan’s Top Dating App Got Hacked
One of Japan’s most widely used dating apps recently suffered a cyberattack, potentially exposing the personal information of close to 2 million people, a new report from Bloomberg shows. Omiai (which translates to “matchmaking” in English) is a popular dating service wherein men must pay a monthly fee—¥3,980, or $37—while women are allowed to set up … Continued
By Lucas Ropek -
Tech NewsNews
There’s No Way the Big Tech Law Florida Just Passed Is Legal
Today, Trump lackey and Florida governor Ron DeSantis signed into law “Florida’s Big Tech Bill,” a thinly veiled attempt to appease Trump’s Twitter and Facebook gripe. And also money in the bank for Big Tech warrior, Ron DeSantis. The bill dangles a shred of hope in front of Trump, with a provision that he (or … Continued
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Tech NewsNews
TikTok Will Soon Let You Batch Delete Annoying Comments
Too bad for you, edgelords, your big boy TikTok jabs will not stand. Today, the platform announced a new feature allowing TikTokers to wipe out up to 100 comments in one stroke. TikTok says that users will now be able to select tick boxes and mass-delete, much like an email inbox. The company expects to … Continued
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Tech NewsTech Policy
India Reportedly Demands WhatsApp Reverse Its ‘Discriminatory’ Privacy Policies
The international uproar over WhatsApp’s new privacy policy got a jolt of energy this week, with a new letter reportedly from Indian authorities telling the company to walk back its changes to the platform—or else. TechCrunch was first to get its hands on a leaked letter it claims was sent to WhatsApp by India’s Ministry … Continued
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Tech NewsNews
Clubhouse Announces That Its App Will Be Available on Android Worldwide by Friday
Faced with plummeting app downloads on iOS in recent months, Clubhouse has one thing to say: Hello, Android. The audio-based social network announced on Sunday in a town hall it would be rolling out to Android users worldwide by Friday afternoon, May 21. In a Twitter post, Clubhouse said that it would start its expansion … Continued
By Jody Serrano