WhatsApp has announced a slew of new updates across chats, calls, and channels designed to enhance the messaging and calling experience for users as it continues to compete with popular services like Telegram and Discord. Among the most notable additions is an “Online” indicator that appears at the top of a group chat to show…
Category: Social
Apps, Congress, Facebook, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Instagram, Meta, Sarah Wynn-Williams, Social, Teens, whistleblower
Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams says company targeted ads at teens based on their ‘emotional state’
Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams, the former director of Global Public Policy for Facebook and author of the recently released tell-all book “Careless People,” told U.S. senators during her testimony on Wednesday that Meta actively targeted teens with advertisements based on their emotional state. This claim was first documented by Wynn-Williams in her book, which documents…
china, Congress, Facebook, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Meta, Sarah Wynn-Williams, Social, whistleblower
Whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams accuses Meta of colluding with China
Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former head of Global Public Policy, testified before the U.S. Senate today about the company’s relationship with China. According to Wynn-Williams, the company now known as Meta worked directly with the Chinese Community Party (CCP) to “undermine U.S. national security and betray American values,” she said. She alleges that Facebook created custom-built…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Threads, X
Threads is testing a feature that lets you follow the same creators you follow on X
Meta is starting to test a new feature in Threads that lets users follow the same creators they follow on X, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. “We’re currently testing a way for you to find and follow creators from other platforms on Threads, making it easier to connect with the people and conversations that matter…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Social, social media
Instagram tests locked reels that can be accessed with secret codes
Instagram appears to be quietly testing locked reels that viewers would have to unlock with a code and a provided hint. The feature is a simple way to increase engagement with the creator’s content, but it could also offer creators and celebrities a way to share exclusive reels with their most dedicated fans, who are…
AI, Apps, generative ai, Global Security News, Reddit, Social
Reddit’s conversational AI search tool leverages Google Gemini
Reddit Answers, the platform’s conversational AI search tool, gets an upgrade through an integration with Google Gemini. This comes over a year after Reddit expanded its partnership with Google Cloud to access its Vertex AI platform to build AI agents. Google and Reddit announced the update on Wednesday, explaining that by incorporating Gemini on Vertex AI,…
Apps, gen z, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social, social media, TikTok
Instagram is beefing up its search to compete with TikTok
Instagram head Adam Mosseri says the company is looking to improve the app’s search functionality, admitting this is an area where Instagram could do more to compete. The remarks, made on a recent episode of the “Build Your Tribe” podcast, come at a time when younger Gen Z users often turn to social apps like…
Global Security News, Government & Policy, MrBeast, Social, Tariffs
At last, MrBeast weighs in on the global economic crisis du jour
Your 401k is suffering. The billionaires are fighting. The gamers are imperiled. Not even the penguins on McDonald Island, where no humans reside, have been spared. But at long last, 26-year-old YouTuber and chocolatier MrBeast has weighed in on President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to impose sweeping tariffs on imports. Jokes aside, the prolific YouTuber…
Apps, Bluesky, Global Security News, iOS apps, Mastodon, RSS, Social, Social networks, tapestry
Tapestry’s app can now de-dupe your social feeds
Tapestry, a new app designed to organize the open social web, is adding a valuable feature to help people who are keeping up with multiple social networks: It will now remove duplicate posts from your feed. That means if you follow the same person across social networking services like Bluesky and Mastodon, you won’t have…
AI, Apps, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snapchat rolls out Sponsored AI Lenses for brands
Snapchat is introducing Sponsored AI Lenses, a new ad format that lets brands engage with consumers in an immersive way. While Snapchat has offered brands the opportunity to pay for sponsored lenses on the platform for years, now they can leverage AI-generated experiences powered by Snap’s proprietary generative AI technology. With these interactive lenses, brands…
Apps, Facebook, Global Security News, Instagram, Messenger, Meta, Social
Meta introduces restricted Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger
Meta is introducing Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger. The feature, which automatically enrolls young users into an app experience with built-in protections, will be available on these platforms in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada before expanding to additional regions in the future. Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram last September after Instagram…
Apps, Facebook, Global Security News, Instagram, Messenger, Meta, Social
Meta introduces restricted Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger
Meta is introducing Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger. The feature, which automatically enrolls young users into an app experience with built-in protections, will be available on these platforms in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada before expanding to additional regions in the future. Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram last September after Instagram…
Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, Tariffs, Trump
How one tweet wreaked havoc on the stock market
Amid a morning of pandemonium on Wall Street, a popular news aggregator on X, known as Walter Bloomberg, posted a false report declaring that President Trump was considering a 90-day pause on his controversial tariff proposal. This news was not true, and yet, index funds like the Dow Jones whipsawed, rapidly rising for a brief…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Nintendo, Social, Week in Review
Week in Review: Nintendo unveils the Switch 2
Welcome back to Week in Review! Tons of stuff for you today, including Nintendo’s Switch 2; capacity issues at OpenAI; a story that deserves the Hollywood treatment; and much, much more. Let’s go! It’s finally (almost) here: After almost 10 years, Nintendo finally released its Switch successor, the Switch 2. According to TechCrunch’s Amanda Silberling,…
Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Social
Meta officially says goodbye to its US fact checkers on Monday
Meta will no longer have any fact-checkers in the U.S. come Monday, according to Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan. Meta announced this significant policy change in January when it also loosened its content moderation rules. The timing of this change coincided with President Trump’s inauguration, which Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg attended after…
Apps, Donald Trump, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok Ban
Trump extends TikTok ban deadline by 75 days
President Donald Trump has extended the deadline for the TikTok ban by 75 days. Trump shared a post on Truth Social on Friday stating that he is signing an executive order to allow for more time to finalize a deal. “My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we…
Apps, Bluesky, evergreens, Global Security News, Social
Beyond Bluesky: These are the apps building social experiences on the AT Protocol
A year ago, Bluesky was opening up to the public and was known as one of the many X competitors that emerged after Elon Musk acquired the network formerly known as Twitter. Today, Bluesky’s social network has grown to over 33 million users, while the technology it’s built upon — the AT Protocol (or ATProto…
AI, Global Security News, hayao miyazaki, openai, Social, Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli hasn’t commented on OpenAI’s onslaught of AI copies, but the fan subreddit has
When OpenAI debuted its image-generation feature in ChatGPT last week, social media exploded when users realized that they could make AI-generated images that looked like something out of an animated film from Studio Ghibli. Fans hoped that Studio Ghibli mastermind Hayao Miyazaki would take a stand, but the 84-year-old animator has remained silent. In the…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram Reels, Social, TikTok, YouTube, YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts takes on TikTok with new creation tools
As YouTube Shorts continues to compete with TikTok, the platform is announcing new upcoming features to help creators publish engaging short-form videos. Creators will get access to an improved video editor, the ability to generate AI stickers, a feature that syncs content to the beat of a song, enhanced templates, and more. The launch of…
Global Security News, Government & Policy, Instagram, Meta, North America, Social, White House
You might be following Second Lady Usha Vance on Instagram now
Starting Wednesday, Meta says it will begin combining the Instagram accounts of the Second Lady of the United States, Usha Vance, and the former Second Gentleman of the United States, Doug Emhoff. As a result, the 1.2 million people who were previously following the Instagram account of Kamala Harris’s husband, @secondgentleman46archive (recently archived by the…
Amazon, Apps, Global Security News, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Amazon reportedly submits last-minute bid to acquire TikTok
Amazon has submitted a bid to acquire all of TikTok, according to a new report from The New York Times. The last-minute bid comes as TikTok faces an April 5 deadline to shed its Chinese ownership or face a ban in the U.S. However, the parties involved in the deal talks do not appear to…
fediverse, Global Security News, Security, Social, social networking
A new security fund opens up to help protect the fediverse
A new security fund aims to help apps in the fediverse — like Mastodon, Threads, and Pixelfed — to pay researchers for disclosing security bugs.
Global Security News, Social
An accounting startup has turned tax preparations into a Pokémon Showdown game
Accounting software company Open Ledger has launched a new product in time for tax day. Meet PokéTax, a game that helps make tax filing quite fun. Instead of tax forms, users take on Tax Trainers — gym leaders — representing different parts of a tax form, such as income, deduction, and credits. Each leader asks…
Apps, Global Security News, skylight, Social, Social networks, Startups, TikTok
Mark Cuban backs Skylight, a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky’s underlying technology
Skylight, a startup taking on TikTok with a more open alternative, is launching its mobile app to the public on Tuesday after just ten weeks of active development. The app, which is backed by Mark Cuban and others, is now one of many to build on top of the AT Protocol — the same technology…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Social, TikTok, tiktok notes
TikTok is shutting down its Instagram competitor TikTok Notes
TikTok is shutting down its Instagram competitor, TikTok Notes, on May 8. The photo-sharing app launched in testing in Canada, Australia, and Vietnam last year. The company is notifying TikTok Notes users of its decision to retire the app and is directing them to ByteDance-owned Lemon8, which isn’t surprising given that the apps are quite…
Global Security News, nanowrimo, Social
NaNoWriMo shut down after AI, content moderation scandals
NaNoWriMo, a twenty-five-year-old online writing community-turned-nonprofit, announced on Monday evening that it is shutting down. NaNoWriMo — an abbreviation of National Novel Writing Month — is an annual challenge for writers to complete a rough draft of a novel during the month of November. After starting as a Yahoo! mailing list in 1999, the project…
Bluesky, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Hillary Clinton, Social
Hillary Clinton joins Bluesky
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has joined Bluesky, following in the footsteps of former president Barack Obama, who made his first post on the platform last week. Clinton confirmed her Bluesky account’s legitimacy in an Instagram story and a post on X. In her introductory post, Clinton wrote about the Wisconsin Supreme Court election…
Apps, Global Security News, Social, Substack, TikTok
Substack is rolling out a TikTok-like video feed in its app
Substack continues to double down on video amid TikTok’s uncertain future in the U.S. The company announced on Monday that it’s rolling out a scrollable video feed in its app, making it the latest platform to introduce a TikTok-like feed. Given the timing of the launch, Substack is likely aiming to capitalize on the potential…
Apps, Donald Trump, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, Trump
Trump says TikTok deal will come before April 5 deadline
President Donald Trump has said that a deal with TikTok’s parent company ByteDance to sell the app will be finalized before the April 5 deadline, Reuters reports. “We have a lot of potential buyers,” Trump told reporters. “There’s tremendous interest in TikTok. He added, “I’d like to see TikTok remain alive.” Trump extended the deadline…
Apps, Bluesky, evergreens, Global Security News, Social
Beyond Bluesky: These are the apps building social experiences on the AT Protocol
A year ago, Bluesky was opening up to the public and was known as one of the many X competitors that emerged after Elon Musk acquired the network formerly known as Twitter. Today, Bluesky’s social network has grown to over 33 million users, while the technology it’s built upon — the AT Protocol (or ATProto…
Global Security News, Layoffs, Social, Week in Review
Elon Musk’s xAI buys X
Welcome back to Week in Review! Elon Musk says that xAI bought X in an all-stock deal; a16z-backed 11x faked some customers; the Lumon Terminal Pro pops up on Apple’s website; and much more. Let’s dig in! xAI buys X: X owner Elon Musk announced on X on Friday that xAI acquired X in an…
Facebook, Global Security News, In Brief, Mark Zuckerberg, Social
‘It was weird, man’: Zuckerberg took Facebook employees to see ‘The Social Network’ when it came out
Mark Zuckerberg may not be the most likable figure in Silicon Valley, but we can empathize with him on this: It would feel really weird if someone made a movie about your life. On the YouTube podcast Colin and Samir, Zuckerberg spoke about the one and only time he saw “The Social Network.” “It was…
Apps, Global Security News, messaging platform, Meta, Social, WhatsApp
WhatsApp users can now add songs to their Status updates
WhatsApp launched a new feature on Friday, where users can include brief music clips in their Status updates, reminiscent of the Myspace era. Status resembles Instagram Stories and allows users to share photos, videos, and text that disappear after 24 hours. When creating a new Status, users can tap on a music note icon to…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Instagram Reels, Social, TikTok
Instagram now lets you speed up reels just like on TikTok
Meta-owned Instagram is copying yet another feature from TikTok. This time, it’s the ability for users to play a reel at 2x speed by long pressing on the right or left side of their screen. When TikTok first launched, videos could only be 15 seconds long. As the years passed and TikTok rose in popularity,…
Facebook, Global Security News, Meta, Social
Facebook debuts a revamped Friends tab as part of its return to ‘OG’ Facebook
After teasing a return to “OG Facebook” earlier this year, the social network on Thursday announced an update that will give users a simple way to connect with friends. The company is introducing a new Facebook Friends tab that will only showcase updates from friends, without any other recommended content. Meta explains in a blog…
Apps, Commerce, Global Security News, In Brief, North America, Social, TikTok, TikTok Shop
TikTok to launch TikTok Shop in France, Germany, and Italy
TikTok is set to expand its TikTok Shop e-commerce platform to users in France, Germany, and Italy on Monday, Reuters reports. TikTok Shop has been available in the United Kingdom since 2021, and now the company is ready to expand farther into Europe. While TikTok Shop is also available in the United States and saw…
Apps, Exclusive, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Security, signal, Social
Signal downloads spike in the US and Yemen amid government scandal
The encrypted messaging app Signal is getting some unexpected attention this week. High-ranking officials in the Trump administration, including Vice President J. D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth, communicated the plans for an attack on the Yemeni Houthis via a potentially unauthorized group chat on Signal. However, Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly…
Apps, Global Security News, sez us, Social, social media
A new social app is fighting rage-bait
Sez Us, a social app founded by Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, is trying to build a platform without rage-bait. Rage-bait refers to any posts that are intended to stoke controversy. This might be an intentionally controversial political take, or it can be a wholly fabricated scenario designed to farm engagement (for example, a satirical creator…
Apps, Global Security News, Social, YouTube, YouTube Shorts
YouTube is changing how YouTube Shorts views are counted
YouTube is changing how it counts views on YouTube Shorts to give creators a deeper understanding of how their short-form content is performing, the company announced on Wednesday. Shorts views will now count the number of times a creator’s Short starts to play or replay. In the past, a view had been counted after a…
Bluesky, Global Security News, Social
What’s next for ATProto, the protocol powering Bluesky and other apps
It’s getting easier to build new applications on ATProto, the protocol that powers Bluesky’s social network and a growing number of other apps. At ATmosphere, the ATProto community conference held over the weekend in Seattle, Bluesky CTO Paul Frazee offered attendees a glimpse of what’s ahead for the protocol’s development and how those will help…
Global Security News, Social, social media, study, TikTok
The TikTok ban is losing support among Americans, study says
Americans’ support for a TikTok ban is declining, according to a study from the Pew Research Center. This survey of over 5,000 U.S. adults found that just 34% of respondents supported banning the short form video app. When Pew ran a similar study in 2023, 50% of adults supported the TikTok ban. Over the same…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Social, teen safety
Instagram partners with schools to prioritize reports of online bullying and student safety
Instagram on Tuesday announced a new school partnership program aimed at expediting the handling of moderation reports submitted by verified school accounts. The program is currently available to all middle and high schools in the U.S. It allows schools to report posts or student accounts that may violate the app’s guidelines directly to Instagram. These…
Bluesky, developers, Global Security News, Social, social media, social networking, Startups
A world without Caesars: How the ATProto community is rebuilding the web to return power to the people
The first in-person gathering devoted to those building with the AT Protocol — which powers Bluesky — was held in Seattle.
discord, Gaming, Global Security News, Social
Discord made its streaming overlay a lot more user-friendly
Discord announced on Tuesday that it rebuilt its Overlay feature from the ground up. The new Overlay makes streaming games on Discord more user-friendly on the streamer’s end. In its legacy form, streamers could toggle the Overlay display to use Discord while playing games, but this would bring up the entire Discord client in the…
Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social
Once a target of Musk’s ire, Gen Z creator Kat Abughazaleh is running for Congress
When Kat Abughazaleh got laid off from her job as an extremism researcher and video producer at Media Matters last year, Elon Musk personally chimed in on X to celebrate her misfortune. “Karma is real,” Musk said. But as Abughazaleh said in a video on Monday announcing her campaign for Congress, she’s not afraid of…
Bluesky, Global Security News, Obama, Social
Barack Obama joins Bluesky
Social network Bluesky, an alternative to X built on open source technologies, has scored a big win in terms of attracting notable users to its platform. The company on Sunday confirmed that former president Barack Obama has joined its service. Bluesky OOO Rose Wang replied to a post where someone wondered if the account posting…
Global Security News, Google, Social, Week in Review, wiz
Week in Review: Google buys Wiz
Welcome back to Week in Review! We’ve got tons of stories to share from this week, like the greatest hits from Nvidia GTC; the NASA astronauts finally came home; Rippling’s lawsuit; and Google bought Wiz. Let’s get to it! Google finally does it: Google made its biggest acquisition in its history this week when it…
GDPR, Global Security News, Meta, privacy, Social
Meta settles UK ‘right to object to ad-tracking’ lawsuit by agreeing not to track plaintiff
A human rights campaigner, Tanya O’Carroll, has succeeded in forcing social media giant Meta not to use her data for targeted advertising. The agreement is contained in a settlement to an individual challenge she lodged against Meta’s tracking and profiling back in 2022. O’Carroll had argued that a legal right to object to the use…
AI, Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social, social media
Meta spotted testing AI-generated comments on Instagram
In recent years, Meta has introduced many AI features and capabilities to its apps, even going so far as experimenting with AI-generated characters complete with unique profiles and personalities, before scraping them after they were deemed creepy and unnecessary. In yet another move that may not be received well among users, Meta wants to use…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media
Bluesky makes it easier for publishers to track referrals
Social network Bluesky, an open source X rival, has made a change that will allow publishers to better track the referral traffic originating from posts on its platform. According to a comment from Bluesky employee Emily Liu, the company is now sending referral traffic through Bluesky’s “go” subdomain to make it easier for publishers to…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, In Brief, Social, x india, x india censorship lawsuit
X sues India over ‘unrestrained censorship’
Elon Musk-owned social media platform X is suing the Indian government, accusing the country’s IT ministry of unlawfully expanding its powers to remove online content, Reuters reported Thursday. X has long chaffed at government orders to remove or block content in the country, such as during the farmers’ protests last year. Though it ended up…
Apps, for you feed, Global Security News, North America, Social, TikTok
TikTok to start pushing Amber Alerts to users’ For You feeds
TikTok is partnering with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to bring real-time Amber Alerts directly to users’ For You feeds in the United States, the company announced on Thursday. With this new feature, if an Amber Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the…
Apps, ghost, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Substack
Substack rival Ghost is now connected to the fediverse
Newsletter platform Ghost, an open source competitor to Substack, is now connected to the fediverse, also known as the open social web. Federated apps run on the protocol ActivityPub, which powers apps like Mastodon, Pixelfed, Threads, Flipboard, and others, allowing posts published on one app to be seen and engaged with by those on other…
Bluesky, Commerce, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Social, social media, social networking
Bluesky made more money selling t-shirts mocking Zuckerberg than custom domains
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber made a splash at SXSW last week, showing up at her keynote event in a t-shirt that subtly poked fun at Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg. Or, at least it seemed like it was subtle. But so many people appreciated the jab that users convinced Bluesky to reproduce and sell Graber’s shirt…
Apps, Elon Musk, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitter, X
Elon Musk’s X reportedly bounces back to $44B valuation
Social media site X’s valuation has bounced back to $44 billion, according to a new report from the Financial Times. Elon Musk purchased the platform, formerly known as Twitter, for $44 billion back in 2022. However, a report from Bloomberg states that X has raised close to $1 billion from investors in a deal that…
Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, influencers, Marketing, Media & Entertainment, Social, social media
Agentic AI startup AMT aims to be ‘Google Adwords for influencers,’ raises seed round
Booking an ad campaign with social media influencers is currently not exactly easy. For starters, influencers’ approaches to marketing can be unconventional, and there’s no standard way to engage with them. On the other side, marketing agencies that employ hosts of people to book and track brand campaigns are limited by how many influencers they…
Apps, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, phones, Social, social media
How to stop doomscrolling
The world is bad sometimes, but it feels even worse if you can’t stop staring into the all-consuming abyss that is the 6-inch screen of a smartphone, following you through space and time. It taunts you with its compact, light build that’s small enough to slip into your pocket and take anywhere, and its siren…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Pavel Durov, Social, Telegram
Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, allowed to leave France — despite ongoing criminal investigation
Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of messaging app Telegram, no longer has to stay in France. A source told AFP that the investigating judge in charge of Durov’s case has accepted a request to modify the conditions of his supervision. “As you may have heard, I’ve returned to Dubai after spending several months in…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TikTok
TikTok rolls out a ‘Security Checkup’ tool to help users secure their accounts
TikTok is introducing a new “Security Checkup” tool that allows users to quickly review and update their account’s security settings from a single screen, the company announced on Monday. The feature is similar to Security Checkup tools offered by TikTok rival Instagram and tech giant Google. Users can access the new tool from their profile…
Apps, discord, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social
Discord launches SDK to help developers enhance social experiences in their games
Discord on Monday announced the launch of its Discord Social SDK, a free toolkit that allows developers to leverage the platform’s social infrastructure to enhance their games’ social and multiplayer experiences. The toolkit allows developers to improve their in-game experiences, whether players have a Discord account or not. Social integrations include a unified friends list…
Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Meta, Sarah Wynn-Williams, Social
Meta takes aim at ex-employee’s memoir ‘Careless People’
Meta won a legal victory this week against Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former employee who recently published a memoir of her time at the company titled “Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism.” An arbitrator ruled that the company has made a valid argument that Wynn-Williams, who worked at Facebook (now Meta)…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, jay graber, Social
Bluesky users debate plans around user data and AI training
Social network Bluesky recently published a proposal on GitHub outlining new options it could give users to indicate whether they want their posts and data to be scraped for things like generative AI training and public archiving. CEO Jay Graber discussed the proposal earlier this week, while on-stage at South by Southwest, but it attracted…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Intel, openai, Social, SXSW, Waymo, Week in Review
Week in Review: SXSW week comes to a close
Welcome back to Week in Review! I’m Karyne Levy, TechCrunch’s deputy managing editor, and I’ll be writing this newsletter from here on out. Thrilled to be here! This week we’re checking out everything at SXSW; Waymo’s expansion into Silicon Valley; Intel’s new CEO; TikTok’s new suitor; and why DeepSeek isn’t taking VC money. Let’s get…
Apple, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, gsma, privacy, RCS, Social
iPhone and Android users will soon be able to send encrypted RCS messages to each other
Text messages sent between iPhones and Android devices will soon benefit from end-to-end encryption (E2EE), after the GSM Association (GSMA) yesterday published new specifications for the Rich Communication Services (RCS) protocol that include support for cross-platform E2EE. RCS is a long-standing effort to enable SMS-style cross-platform communications with richer features, such as group messaging, typing…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, SXSW
Bluesky quickly sold out of the T-shirt its CEO wore to troll Mark Zuckerberg
When Bluesky CEO Jay Graber took the SXSW stage this week, she managed to make fun of Mark Zuckerberg without mentioning Meta at all. Her black T-shirt was emblazoned with black text stretching across the chest and sleeves, similar to the style of a T-shirt that the billionaire founder wore at an event last year.…
Apps, Facebook, Global Security News, Social, stories
Facebook now lets creators get paid for views on stories
Facebook is rolling out the ability for creators to earn money for views on public stories. The new monetization option is available globally to creators who are part of the Facebook Content Monetization program. With this new monetization option, creators can earn money from content that they are already producing and sharing if they post…
female founders, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meghan Markle, Social
Meghan Markle is launching a podcast about female founders
Meghan Markle is launching a new podcast entitled “Confessions of a Female Founder,” which will hear the duchess talking about her entrepreneurial journey. It will also feature talks with other female founders about the reality of building a business, according to People magazine. The show will premiere April 8th on Lemonada Media and will have…
Apps, Facebook, Global Security News, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, North America, Social
Meta is launching Community Notes in the US next week
Next week, Meta will begin one of the company’s most significant overhauls ever for how it fact-checks information on its platforms. On March 18, Meta will start releasing its version of Community Notes for Facebook, Instagram, and Threads users in the United States. The program copies a crowdsourced fact-checking system that Twitter unveiled in 2021…
AI, Apps, Exclusive, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snap introduces AI Video Lenses powered by its in-house generative model
Snapchat is introducing its first ever video generative AI Lenses, the company told TechCrunch exclusively. The Lenses are powered by Snap’s in-house built generative video model. The three new AI Video Lenses are available to users on the app’s premium subscription tier, Snapchat Platinum, which costs $15.99 per month. The launch comes as Snap unveiled an…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, teen safety, TikTok
TikTok now lets parents see their teen’s follower/following list, block access during certain hours
TikTok announced on Tuesday that it’s rolling out new features to protect teens on its app. The social network is giving parents the ability to block their teen from using TikTok during certain hours and see their teen’s following and followers lists through new Family Pairing features. TikTok is also going to encourage young users…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, SXSW
Bluesky is weighing a proposal that gives users consent over how their data is used for AI
Speaking at the SXSW conference in Austin on Monday, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber says the social network has been working on a framework for user consent over how they want their data to be used for generative AI. The public nature of Bluesky’s social network has already allowed others to train their AI systems on…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, X
Elon Musk says X is down due to cyberattacks
Elon Musk’s X was inaccessible on Monday morning for thousands of users, including many in the U.S. After about eight hours of outages, Musk posted that the platform is facing a “massive cyberattack.” “There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against 𝕏. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TikTok
Bluesky now lets users upload videos that are up to 3 minutes long
Bluesky now allows videos that are up to 3 minutes long, the decentralized social network announced on Monday. The platform launched support for video back in September with a 60-second time limit. With the new expanded time limit, Bluesky is bringing its user experience more in line with its competitors, X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s…
Global IT News, Global Security News, open source, Open Web, project liberty, Social, Solid, Startups, SXSW
Open web initiatives Project Liberty and Solid could be teaming up
Two initiatives to create a more open web, where users are in control of their own digital identities and data, may be coming together. At SXSW 2025, entrepreneur Frank McCourt, whose Project Liberty is developing open internet infrastructure (and is throwing its hat in the ring as a potential buyer for TikTok), announced that his…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Social, SXSW
At SXSW, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber pokes fun at Mark Zuckerberg with Latin phrase T-shirt
When Bluesky CEO Jay Graber walked on stage at SXSW 2025 for her keynote discussion, she wore a large black T-shirt with her hair pulled back into a bun. At first glance, it might appear as though she’s following the same playbook that so many women in tech leadership have played before: downplaying her femininity…
Apps, Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Trump
Trump administration in talks with four groups about potential TikTok sale
President Donald Trump says his administration is in talks with four different groups about the sale of TikTok, Reuters reports. When asked if there was going to soon be a deal on TikTok, Trump told reporters on Sunday, “it could.” He added, “We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, X
X is experiencing outages on Monday morning
Elon Musk’s X was inaccessible on Monday morning for thousands of users, including many in the U.S. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks users’ reports of online outages, X went down for some users around 5:30 AM ET, with over 20,000 users reporting outages. Though these outages seemed to have resolved after about an…
Apps, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, phones, Social, social media
How to stop doomscrolling
The world is bad sometimes, but it feels even worse if you can’t stop staring into the all-consuming abyss that is the 6-inch screen of a smartphone, following you through space and time. It taunts you with its compact, light build that’s small enough to slip into your pocket and take anywhere — yet its…
Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, Social, Week in Review
Week in Review: OpenAI could charge $20K a month for an AI agent
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re looking at OpenAI potentially charging $20,000 a month for a specialized AI agent, the unexpected return of early-internet darling Digg, a company genetically engineering mice to have mammoth-like fur, and more! Let’s do this. OpenAI could charge up to $20,000 per month for specialized AI “agents.”…
evergreens, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, Social, Unpluq
5 devices to help ease your smartphone addiction
The downsides of doomscrolling and screen addiction are well documented, but while many of us would like to spend less time glued to a smartphone, it’s easier said than done. Much has been written about the so-called dumbphone revival, where individuals regain some respite from pings and push notifications by downgrading to a basic feature…
Apps, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Instagram Threads, Meta, Social, Threads
What is Instagram’s Threads app? All your questions answered
Twitter alternatives — new and old — have found audiences willing to try out a newer social networks since Elon Musk took over the company in 2022. Mastodon, Bluesky, Spill and T2 are some of the social media platforms people are among them. So is Meta’s Threads platform. What is Threads? How do you create…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, social media, Threads
Threads tests adding ‘interests’ on profiles to connect users with topical discussions
Meta’s Threads has begun testing a new feature that would allow people to add their interests to their profile on the social network. Instead of only advertising to profile visitors the sort of topics you might post about, the new interests feature will also direct users to active conversations about the topic. The company thinks…
DEI, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Social, Startups
Google removes ‘underrepresented’ language from its grant website
Just weeks after Google said it would review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, the Google for Startups Founders Fund webpage is peppered with changes. Most notably Google is now using past tense to describe all of its fund programs for underrepresented founders. This is a change that took place after December, according to the internet…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social skills, society, SXSW
Social health expert warns of leaning too heavily on AI for social connections
With the rise of AI companions who serve as online friends or romantic interests, experts are questioning how the technology affects our real-world social connections and relationships. According to Kasley Killam, author of the social health-focused book “The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social skills, society, SXSW
Health expert warns of leaning too heavily on AI for social connections
With the rise of AI companions who serve as online friends or romantic interests, experts are questioning how the technology affects our real-world social connections and relationships. According to Kasley Killam, author of the social health-focused book “The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and…
AI, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Grok, Social, Twitter, xAI
X now lets you query Grok by mentioning it in replies
X is actively working to expand the reach of xAI’s Grok model to more users on the platform. Multiple users noted today that people can now mention Grok in replies and ask a question to get an explanation about a post. Users of the Elon Musk-owned social media platform could already access Grok through a button…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Reddit, Social, social media
Reddit adds new tools to help users contribute and connect across its platform
Reddit announced on Thursday it’s introducing a set of new tools to make it easier for users to participate on its platform. The features are designed to help users find communities, ensure their posts don’t break any rules, and understand how to contribute across the social network. Combined, the features are meant to enhance the…
Bluesky, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, Social
Tapbots teases a new Bluesky app, Phoenix, saying it can’t ‘survive on Mastodon alone’
There’s a new Bluesky app in the works from a popular developer of iOS applications. Tapbots, the company behind the popular Mastodon client Ivory, born out of its earlier efforts with Tweetbot (RIP), is readying a new app called Phoenix, designed for Bluesky’s growing social network of over 32 million users. In a post on…
Global IT News, Global Security News, kevin rose, Reddit, Social
Kevin Rose, Alexis Ohanian acquire Digg
Here’s a blast from the past: Digg, one of the web’s early news aggregators, is now back under the ownership of its original founder Kevin Rose. Notably, he’s being joined as co-owner by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian (both pictured above). Digg and Reddit were once fierce rivals in the online social news aggregation space, launching…
AI, facial recognition, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social
Meta brings its anti-fraud facial recognition test to the UK after getting a thumbs up from regulators
Last October, Meta dipped its toe into the world of facial recognition — an area where it has had a tricky record — with an international test of two new tools: one to stop scams based on likenesses of famous people, and a second facial recognition feature to help people get back into compromised Facebook…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, social networking, Twitter, X
X updates Communities with new filters, sorting options, and a way to see your own posts
X is bringing more attention to Communities, a feature that allows X users to connect and engage in discussions around a given topic, similar to how it’s done on Reddit. Today, tabs to access popular Communities are pinned to the top of the app’s homepage alongside your For You feed and other Lists. Now, you’ll…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, pie, Social
Andy Dunn’s new app Pie uses AI to help you make friends
“We’re a long way from pants,” Andy Dunn, founder of online fashion retailer Bonobos, told TechCrunch. Now, the former CEO is taking on a completely different challenge: He wants to help people make friends. Dunn’s newest venture, Pie, is a social app focused on bringing people together in real life. With an $11.5 million Series…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social
Creator monetization platform Passes sued over alleged distribution of CSAM
Passes, a direct-to-fan monetization platform for creators backed by $40 million in Series A funding, has been sued for allegedly distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material (also known as CSAM). While its guidelines do not allow for creators to post nude photos or videos, as opposed to competitors like OnlyFans, a creator has sued Passes, alleging…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Reddit, Social, TikTok
Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian joins Frank McCourt’s TikTok bid
Reddit co-founder and investor Alexis Ohanian has joined billionaire Frank McCourt’s bid to acquire TikTok as a strategic adviser specializing in social media, Reuters reports. “He has that broad portfolio of experience … of where social media was and, I think, a keen understanding of where it’s evolving,” McCourt told Reuters. “Where he can help…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Imgur, privacy, Reddit, Social, TikTok
UK probes how TikTok, Reddit, and Imgur protect child privacy
The U.K.’s privacy watchdog has launched investigations into three social media companies over how they go about protecting the privacy of children on their respective platforms. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced today that it’s looking into how TikTok uses personal information of 13- to 17-year-olds to recommend videos, “in light of growing concerns” around…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Netherlands, privacy, signal, Social
Signal is the number-one downloaded app in the Netherlands. But why?
Privacy-focused messaging app Signal has been flying high in the Dutch app stores this past month, sitting many days as the most downloaded free app on iOS and Android for all categories, per data from multiple app-tracking platforms such as Sensor Tower. The app has experienced surges in popularity through the years, often in response…
DEI, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, Perplexity, Social, Week in Review, Y Combinator
OpenAI launches GPT-4.5, its largest model to date
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re diving into OpenAI’s newest, biggest model GPT-4.5, Microsoft pulling the plug on Skype, how Anthropic used Pokémon Red to train its Claude 3.7 Sonnet model, the unexpected return of Fyre Festival, and more! Let’s get into it. OpenAI announced the launch of GPT-4.5, the much-anticipated AI…
Apps, Bluesky, flashes, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Social
Bluesky-based Instagram alternative Flashes launches publicly
Instagram alternative Flashes publicly launched its Bluesky-based photo-sharing app on the App Store this week, gaining nearly 30,000 downloads in its first 24 hours. The app offers a classic Instagram-like experience, allowing users to upload up to four photos and videos of up to a minute in length. Built by Berlin-based developer Sebastian Vogelsang, Flashes…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Microsoft, Skype, Social, teams
Microsoft hangs up on Skype: service to shut down May 5, 2025
After kickstarting the market for making calls over the internet 23 years ago, Skype is closing down. Microsoft, which acquired the messaging and calling app 14 years ago, said it will be retiring it from active duty on May 5 to double down on Teams. Skype users have 10 weeks to decide what they want…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social
Meta fires around 20 employees for leaking confidential information
Meta has fired “roughly” 20 employees for leaking confidential information, The Verge reports. “We tell employees when they join the company, and we offer periodic reminders, that it is against our policies to leak internal information, no matter the intent,” Meta told the publication. “We recently conducted an investigation that resulted in roughly 20 employees…