TikTok is preparing to sunset its creator marketplace in favor of a new, more expanded experience, the company has informed businesses and creators via email. The online platform, which connects brands with creators for collaborating on ads and other sponsorships, will stop allowing creator invitations or the creation of new campaigns as of Saturday the…
Category: Social
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Instagram Reels, Meta, Social
Meta fixes error that exposed Instagram users to graphic and violent content
Meta has fixed an error that caused some users to see a flood of graphic and violent videos in their Instagram Reels feed. The fix comes after some users saw horrific and violent content despite having Instagram’s “Sensitive Content Control” enabled. “We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TikTok, YouTube
In challenge to YouTube, TikTok revamps its desktop platform
In a bid to take on YouTube, TikTok is revamping its desktop platform with the addition of several new features. The company announced on Thursday that its web-based experience features a new modular layout, refreshed For You feed, a new Explore tab, immersive full-screen LIVE gaming streaming, and a floating player. The social network’s new…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, reels, Social, TikTok
Instagram may spin off Reels into a separate app
Meta is mulling launching a standalone app for short-form videos, The Information reported, citing an anonymous source who heard Instagram head Adam Mosseri talking about the project to staff. The project is reportedly code-named Project Ray that aims to improve recommendations for new users and existing users in the U.S., and feature more three-minute videos,…
Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, Meta, Social
Meta’s Oversight Board is reviewing the company’s new hate speech policies
Meta’s Oversight Board, the company’s independent group created to help with sensitive policy decisions, is preparing to weigh in on CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent changes to how Facebook, Instagram, and Threads handle hate speech, Engadget reported. Zuckerberg announced an overhaul of its content moderation policies in January, shortly before the inauguration of U.S. President Donald…
Apple, DEI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social
Apple shareholders vote down anti-DEI proposal
Apple shareholders rejected an anti-DEI proposal at its investor meeting Tuesday. The proposal was brought by a conservative group called the National Center for Public Policy Research (NPPR). It asked Apple to end its DEI activities. Boards typically ask shareholders to reject shareholder proposals, and this was one of four such shareholder proposals. This proposal…
Automattic, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, tapestry, tumblr
Tumblr backs Tapestry, a timeline app for the open social web
Automattic-owned blogging site and social platform Tumblr has financially backed Tapestry, the newly launched app designed to organize feeds from across the open web, including RSS, Mastodon, Bluesky, and others. Launched as a Kickstarter project in January 2024, Tapestry went on to raise over $177,000 via crowdfunding for its app, which opened up to the…
Apps, Bluesky, Browser, discord, Global IT News, Global Security News, Opera, Social
Opera integrates Bluesky, Slack, and Discord into its browser
Bluesky is getting added to the Opera web browser. On Tuesday, the Norway-based software maker announced the addition of the new social network alongside Slack and Discord, which will all be integrated into the browser’s sidebar alongside other messaging and communication services. Opera users have been able to customize their browsers with shortcuts to messaging…
Adobe, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, photoshop, Social
Adobe launches a Photoshop iPhone app
Adobe announced on Tuesday it’s bringing its popular design and editing software Photoshop to mobile, starting with iOS. The company plans to launch a Photoshop for Android app later this year. With the new Photoshop for iPhone app, users can access both free and paid features through a mobile-friendly design that’s accessible on the go.…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, TC
Fyre Festival 2 is coming, and it already sounds bananas (and not in a good way)
Billy McFarland is back, with Fyre Festival 2. Scheduled to take place in Isla Mujeres, Mexico from May 30 to June 2, tickets just went on sale, ranging from $1,400 to a truly brazen $1.1 million — even though no artists have been confirmed, and McFarland himself isn’t sure if he can legally leave the…
deepfakes, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, ofcom, Social
UK’s internet watchdog toughens approach to deepfake porn
Ofcom, the U.K.’s internet safety regulator, has published another new draft guidance as it continues to implement the Online Safety Act (OSA) — the latest set of recommendations aim to support in-scope firms to meet legal obligations to protect women and girls from online threats like harassment and bullying, misogyny, and intimate image abuse. The…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, TikTok
TikTok (with Douyin) becomes first app to reach $6B in annual consumer spending
TikTok, including its Chinese counterpart Douyin, in 2024 became the first non-game app to reach $6 billion in in-app purchase revenue in a year. According to a new report from app intelligence provider Sensor Tower, TikTok also generated a record high of $1.9 billion in gross in-app purchase (IAP) revenue in the fourth quarter of…
Facebook, fact checking, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social
As Meta gets rid of fact-checkers, misinformation is going viral
Meta is phasing out its third-party fact-checking programs in the U.S. while it reintroduces a bonus program for creators, which pays them for viral content. The timing of these changes at Meta could intensify the prevalence of misinformation, according to ProPublica. In the past, content creators could not monetize posts that fact-checkers deemed false; but…
AI, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, meta ai, Social
Meta AI arrives in the Middle East and Africa with support for Arabic
Meta has formally expanded Meta AI to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), opening the AI-enabled chatbot to millions more people. Back in October, Meta announced it was launching Meta AI in six additional markets, including Brazil and the U.K. At the same time, the company teased gradual rollout plans for additional markets around…
Apps, Fundraising, gen z, Global IT News, Global Security News, Goodwater Capital, photo sharing, Social
Yope is sparking GenZ (and VC) interest with an Instagram-like app for private groups
Photo and video apps targeting young adults with social hooks are a dime a dozen these days, so those that show traction with 18-twentysomethings tend to catch the attention of investors looking for the next Instagram or TikTok. In the latest example, photo-sharing app Yope, which lets you share still images to private groups, says…
AI, doge, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, HP, humane AI, Social, Week in Review newsletter
The fallout from HP’s Humane acquisition
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re looking at the internal chaos surrounding HP’s $116 million acquisition of AI Pin maker Humane; Mira Murati’s new AI venture coming out of stealth; Duolingo killing its iconic owl mascot with a Cybertruck; and more! Let’s get into it. Humane’s AI pin is dead. The hardware…
eko hate speech ads study, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, meta hate speech ads, Social, x hate speech ads
Meta, X approved ads containing violent anti-Muslim, antisemitic hate speech ahead of German election, study finds
Social media giants Meta and X (formerly Twitter) approved ads targeting users in Germany with violent anti-Muslim and anti-Jew hate speech in the run-up to the country’s federal elections, according to new research from Eko, a corporate responsibility non-profit campaign group. The group’s researchers tested whether the two platforms ad review systems would approve or…
AI, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Meta, Social
Despite recent layoffs, Meta is expanding in India
Meta is expanding in India, despite recent layoffs of what the tech giant controversially deemed “low performers.” © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Social
Mark Zuckerberg’s makeover didn’t make people like him, study shows
A study by the Pew Research Center found that Americans’ views of Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg skew more negative than positive. While Zuckerberg has sparked chatter in Silicon Valley with his sudden interest in high fashion, the Meta CEO is less popular than President Trump’s right-hand man, Elon Musk, the report found. While about…
Apps, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social, Threads
Meta starts accepting sign-ups for Community Notes on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
Meta announced on Thursday that it’s now accepting sign-ups for its Community Notes program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. The announcement follows Meta news last month that it’s going to end its third-party fact-checking program and is instead moving to a Community Notes model similar to the one at X. In a blog post, Meta…
FTC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, social media
Trump’s FTC is looking into censorship on tech platforms
The Federal Trade Commission announced on Thursday that it will launch a public inquiry into “censorship by tech platforms,” soliciting comments from people who feel they have been demonetized, banned, or otherwise censored due to their speech or affiliations. “Tech firms should not be bullying their users,” said FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson in a statement.…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media
Instagram’s new ad format lets creators get paid for testimonials in comments
Instagram is introducing a new way for creators to work with brands to make money by recommending products. On Thursday, Meta introduced an addition to its Partnership Ads called Testimonials, which allows creators to get paid via written endorsements, shared as comments on the brand’s social media posts and advertisements. The new ad format is…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Substack, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Substack now lets creators monetize videos and post them directly from its app
As TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains uncertain, Substack tries to lure creators to its platform by doubling down on video. The company announced on Wednesday that it’s now allowing creators to monetize their videos on the platform, and letting them publish video posts directly from the Substack app. Previously, creators have been able to…
Apps, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitch
Twitch caps streamers’ storage at 100 hours of highlights and uploads
Twitch on Wednesday announced it will begin limiting streamers to 100 hours of highlights and uploads, and will delete content if a channel exceeds the limit. The company said it’s introducing the change because highlights haven’t been effective in driving discovery or engagement, and because storage is costly. The storage cap goes into effect on…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Patreon, Social
‘For You’ feeds are not for creators, Patreon says
Patreon has continued on its crusade against algorithmic feeds with its latest State of Create report, a look at trends in the creator economy based on internal data, and it’s an effort creators can get behind. In its survey of 1000 creators and 2000 fans, the membership platform reported that 53% of creators think it…
Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, twitter/x
Study of TikTok, X ‘For You’ feeds in Germany finds far-right political bias ahead of federal elections
Recommendation algorithms operated by social media giants TikTok and X have shown evidence of substantial far-right political bias in Germany ahead of a federal election that takes place Sunday, according to new research carried out by Global Witness. The non-government organization (NGO) undertook an analysis of social media content displayed to new users via algorithmically…
Apps, Global Security News, Instagram, Messaging, messaging apps, Social, TC
Instagram upgrades DMs with music-sharing, message scheduling, translation and more
Instagram is upgrading its direct messages, also known as DMs, with a handful of new features that make its messaging system more competitive with alternatives, like Apple’s iMessage and other third-party apps. On Wednesday, Instagram users globally will gain access to tools to translate messages across 99 languages, tools to schedule and pin messages to…
Apps, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitter
X in talks to raise money at a $44B valuation
Elon Musk’s X is in talks to raise money from investors at a $44 billion valuation, Bloomberg News reports. Musk purchased X, formerly known as Twitter, for the same price back in 2022. The news comes as Fidelity Investments marked down its Twitter stake back in December by around 70% from the 2022 sale price…
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, grok 3, Social, X Premium+, xAI
X doubles its Premium+ plan prices after xAI releases Grok 3
Hours after Elon Musk’s AI company xAI released the latest version of its AI model, Grok 3, X has significantly hiked the price for its top Premium+ subscription plan, which gives users access to the latest model, to almost $50 per month. On the support page that lists X’s premium plans, the monthly subscription price…
Apps, Facebook, Facebook Live, Global IT News, Global Security News, livestreams, Social, Twitch, YouTube
Facebook now only stores live videos for 30 days, will delete old broadcasts
Facebook announced on Tuesday that live videos will now only be stored on the social network for 30 days, after which they will be deleted. Previously, these videos were stored indefinitely. The change goes into effect on Wednesday. All live videos that are currently older than 30 days will be removed from the platform as…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, In Brief, Social, x dsa, x dsa data access germany
X challenges German court order granting data access to election researchers
Earlier this month, a Berlin court ordered Elon Musk-owned X to provide immediate access to public platform data to two civil society organizations seeking to study systemic risk around the country’s upcoming election. In a post on X, the social media company said Tuesday it is challenging the order, claiming the summary proceeding “egregiously undermines…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media
Bluesky adds a ‘followers only’ reply option
The new feature lets users limit their conversations to connections of their own choosing. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, grok 3, Social, X Premium+, xAI
X doubles its Premium+ plan prices after xAI releases Grok 3
Hours after Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI released the latest version of its AI model, Grok 3, X has significantly hiked the price for its top Premium+ subscription plan, which gives users access to the latest model, to almost $50 per month. On the support page that lists X’s premium plans, the monthly subscription price…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, nextdoor, nirav tolia, Social, TC
Nextdoor’s Nirav Tolia thinks he can turn things around with AI; he has a lot riding on it
Social media is often about scale, but Nextdoor bet long ago on something different: that it could grow a big business off smaller, local communities. For years, the plan worked. The 15-year-old company has long been a dominant platform for neighborhood-based conversations, connecting users for everything from lost pet alerts to local business recommendations. Then…
doge, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, privacy, signal, Social, X
X is blocking links to Signal, a secure messaging platform used by federal workers
Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) is blocking links to Signal.me, a URL shortener used by the private messaging app Signal that allows users to send out a link that’s used to contact them directly through the service. The blocks, which impact direct messages, public posts, and profile pages, were first spotted by the blog Disruptionist. …
Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, Social, Week in Review, Week in Review newsletter
OpenAI teases a ‘simplified’ GPT-5 model
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re looking at OpenAI canceling the release of o3; TikTok returning to U.S. app stores nearly a month after it was removed; more complications in Elon Musk’s bid to buy OpenAI for $97.4 billion; and more! Let’s do it. OpenAI effectively canceled the release of o3, which…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Marketing, Social, social media, social media analytics
Bluesky gets growth and analytics tools with BlueSkyHunter launch
A new startup is addressing the need for an all-in-one toolset built for people who want to grow, manage, and track their Bluesky presence and following. The subscription service BlueSkyHunter, which launched Friday, introduces an online dashboard that combines access to analytics and other tools to schedule posts and automate DMs (direct messages), alongside other…
Apps, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, Social, social media, social networking
Mastodon is working to add the controversial ‘quote posts’ feature
Mastodon, the decentralized alternative to X, is going to adopt a controversial feature from the platform formerly known as Twitter: quote posts. The company on Friday shared the progress it’s making on the implementation of the feature, which has divided users over its potential to be used for online abuse and bullying. Critics have long…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social
Meta CTO says staff should quit if they don’t like Meta’s new policies
Meta’s CTO said staff unhappy with the tech giant’s latest policies should work somewhere else, an internal chat reveals. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Commerce, Europe, Global Security News, Government & Policy, In Brief, Social
EU’s Disinformation Code moves closer to becoming DSA benchmark
Staying on the right side of the European Union’s online rulebook when it comes to the slippery topic of disinformation is set to get easier for platforms that commit to the bloc’s long-standing Code of Practice on Disinformation. You know, the voluntary Code that Elon Musk pulled X (formerly Twitter) out of back in 2023.…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, veo 2, YouTube, YouTube Shorts
YouTube Shorts adds Veo 2 so creators can make gen AI videos
YouTube Shorts is integrating with Google DeepMind’s latest video model, Veo 2, allowing creators to generate AI video clips for their posts. Veo 2 is Google’s response to Sora, OpenAI’s text-to-video generator. YouTube, owned by Google, already allowed creators to generate AI backgrounds for their Shorts with a text prompt through a feature called Dream…
Apps, Elon Musk Buys Twitter, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, Trump
Elon Musk’s X will pay Trump $10M to settle lawsuit over 2021 ban
Elon Musk’s X has agreed to pay President Donald Trump $10 million to settle a lawsuit from the days when the company was still called Twitter and owned by Jack Dorsey, the Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources. The lawsuit took issue with Twitter’s decision to ban Trump after January 6, when Trump’s supporters…
AI, Apps, earnings, Global IT News, Global Security News, q4 2024, Reddit, Search, Social
Reddit hints at expanded AI-powered search
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said that, over this year, Reddit plans to launch an upgraded search experience that’ll help users navigate the social network, but also answer “subjective, hard, [and] interesting questions.” The company plans to achieve this by integrating Reddit Answers, its feature that allows visitors to ask questions and receive curated summaries of…
Commerce, fast food, food, food delivery, Global IT News, Global Security News, lanch, Social
Lanch bags $27M for a social media-skewed take on fast food
E-commerce startups built around food continue to gobble up funding as investors look for sticky consumer concepts that can scale without breaking the bank. On Wednesday, Germany’s Lanch — which taps social media and influencers to develop popular food brands alongside retail networks for distributing them — closed funding of €26 million ($27 million) to…
Apps, evergreens, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social, Threads
How to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
In the wake of Meta’s decision to remove its third-party fact-checking system and loosen content moderation policies, Google searches on how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads have been on the rise. People who are angry with the decision accuse Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of cozying up to the Trump administration at the expense of…
DEI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Social
Google says it removed cultural events from its calender last year
Google has removed events such as Black History Month and Pride Month from being listed on the calendar by default. Other events that were removed from the default calendar include Jewish Heritage, Indigenous People Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, and Hispanic Heritage Month. Google spokesperson Madison Cushman Veld confirmed the changes to TechCrunch, saying that in…
Automattic, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, open social web, Social, social media, social networking, tumblr, wordpress
Tumblr to join the fediverse after WordPress migration completes
Since 2022, blogging site Tumblr has been teasing its plans to integrate with the fediverse — the open social web powered by the protocol ActivityPub also used by Mastodon, Threads, Flipboard, and others. Now, the Automattic-owned blogging platform is sharing more information about when and how that integration could actually happen. As it turns out,…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Pinksky, Social, social networking, TC
Built on Bluesky, Pinksky brings its Instagram-like app to Android
Bluesky users on Android now have access to a new app that works more like Instagram than X. On Tuesday, an app called Pinksky launched an Android version of its photo-centric social networking experience built on top of Bluesky. The app is now one of many attempting to court former Instagram users by offering a…
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Social, social media
BuzzFeed is taking on Instagram, TikTok, X with a new social platform designed to spread ‘joy’
BuzzFeed, the media site known for its celebrity news and quizzes, announced on Tuesday that it’s developing its own social media platform, in a move to counter the current negativity on the internet. Semafor first reported BuzzFeed’s plan for the platform this past week. Details on the new platform are not yet public. However, the…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban
TikTok wants Android users to sideload its app
With TikTok’s fate in the U.S. uncertain — its ban in the country has been paused, but only temporarily, thanks to an executive order from President Donald Trump — the ByteDance-owned company is now encouraging Android device owners to sideload its video app onto their phones and tablets. The company announced in a Friday X…
Apps, Bluesky, evergreens, flashes, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, open social web, photo sharing, pixelfed, Social
These apps are building Instagram alternatives on open protocols
Consumer demand for alternatives to Big Tech’s social apps is heating up. Alternative social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon are gaining traction with people looking to leave X, while others are building ban-proof TikTok alternatives on open protocols. Similarly, many independent developers are also working on open, decentralized alternatives to Instagram, Meta’s flagship photo-sharing app…
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social
Trump ends legal battle over Twitter ban
President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the company formerly known as Twitter appears to be over. Trump sued the social media platform for banning him in the aftermath of January 6, 2021, when Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. While a federal judge dismissed the suit in 2022, the then-former president’s lawyers continued to appeal. Soon…
Apps, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok
Elon Musk said he’s not interested in acquiring TikTok
Elon Musk recently said he is “not chomping at the bit to acquire TikTok.” Musk made those remarks during an interview at the WELT Economic Summit on January 28. A video of the interview was published today. The interview came after President Donald Trump delayed a law requiring parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok or…
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Meta, Social
Ex-Meta employee sues for sexual harassment
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re diving into Google quietly removing its pledge to not build AI weapons for surveillance; how Elon Musk and DOGE are facilitating the biggest breach of U.S. government data; researchers who were able to re-create a premium “reasoning” model for $50; and more! Let’s get into it.…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media
Bluesky will soon let you limit replies to ‘followers only’
Social network Bluesky will soon give its users more control over who can reply to their posts. Confirmed by Bluesky developer Paul Frazee, Bluesky will add a new “followers only” setting that users can configure to limit replies. In addition, he says, Bluesky will create a way for users to set their default reply settings.…
Europe, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, x data access for researchers, x dsa, x german lawsuit
German court orders X to give data access to democracy researchers ahead of federal elections
Under European Union law, X is one of a handful of major social media platforms that has a duty to facilitate public interest researchers’ access to support the study of systemic risks — such as to elections and other democratic processes. But the Elon Musk-owned company formerly known as Twitter has been blocking civil society…
AI, Benchmark, Global IT News, Global Security News, Language Technology Partner Program, Meta, Social, Speech Recognition, Translation
Meta launches new program to improve speech and translation AI
Meta is launching a new program in partnership with UNESCO to collect speech recordings and transcriptions the company said will help the development of future openly available AI. The program, the Language Technology Partner Program, is seeking collaborators who can contribute more than 10 hours of speech recordings with transcriptions, large amounts of written text,…
DEI, Exclusive, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, kelly stonelake, lawsuit, Meta, Social
Early Meta employee sues for sexual harassment, gender discrimination
One of Meta’s earliest employees is suing the company for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation, according to a lawsuit filed this week in the state of Washington. Kelly Stonelake, who spent 15 years at the company and rose to the rank of director, alleges in the lawsuit she faced a cycle of gender-based discrimination…
Apps, Evan Spiegel, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snap CEO helps launch LA wildfire recovery program
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and Miguel Santana, the chief executive of the California Community Foundation, are launching a program focused on helping residents in Altadena and Pacific Palisades rebuild on their own terms after last month’s wildfires. The California Community Foundation, Snap, Spiegel, and Snap CTO Bobby Murphy are committing $10 million in funding to staff…
AI, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snapchat+ subscribers can now create custom AI-generated stickers
In a bid to boost its subscription service and attract more paying users, Snapchat is rolling out additional features for Snapchat+ subscribers, including allowing Snapchat+ subscribers to create AI-generated stickers in chats. The social media company and is also adding the option to send self-destructing Snaps. Snapchat+ subscribers in the U.S. can now create and…
DEI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social
Mark Zuckerberg’s charity insists its not abandoning its DEI efforts
Mark Zuckerberg’s charity has told its employees it will remain committed to DEI even as Meta eliminates its DEI programs, The Guardian reports. Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), founded and co-led by Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, reassured its employees after many began expressing concerns about recent changes at Meta as the company scales back…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, photo sharing, photos, Social, social network
Flashes, a photo-sharing app for Bluesky, opens beta
Flashes, an Instagram alternative built on top of the Bluesky social network, is now opening its doors to beta testers. Announced just weeks ago, the app offers people a means of exiting Meta’s social networking empire for a more open alternative, while also attracting new users who may not have been interested in using Bluesky’s…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Match Group, online dating, Social, Tinder
Tinder revamps ‘Explore’ page to connect people with similar dating intentions
Dating app giant Tinder updated its Explore page to give users access to new categories, “Non-Monogamy,” “Serious Dater,” “Short-Term Fun,” “Long-Term Partner,” and “New Friends,” the company announced on Thursday. These new categories are designed to help users find compatible matches by grouping profiles according to dating intentions. The “Serious Dater” option focuses on users…
Apps, fizz, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Startups
Fizz brings on TikTok alum to help build out its marketplace and recommendation engine
Fizz, the college social app, is looking for ways to enhance and expand its platform, and a recent new hire is poised to help drive these ambitions. The company has brought on David Vasquez, who previously served as TikTok’s head of creator monetization and a product lead for TikTok Shop, as Fizz’s new head of…
DEI, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Social
Google ditches DEI hiring goals
Google will no longer have diversity hiring targets and will review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, according to an email sent to employees seen by the Wall Street Journal. Google now joins other tech companies rolling back DEI practices, especially as DEI practices come under fire from conservative groups. Amazon and Meta have also…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social, social media, TikTok Ban
Snap says TikTok uncertainty benefited its business
During Snap’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Evan Spiegel said that the uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future has positively affected its business. “We’re not trying to draw too many conclusions from some of the engagement lift we saw when [TikTok] went dark for that brief period of time. I would say that the overall environment…
Bluesky, feeds, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, social media, Threads
Challenging Bluesky, Threads now allows for public custom feeds
Meta’s Threads is doubling down on support for custom feeds as it faces challenges from the growing social network Bluesky, now with over 30 million users, which also offers custom feeds as one of its key features. On Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that users can now set their custom feeds to be public…
AI, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social
Snap unveils AI text-to-image model for mobile devices
Snap has unveiled an AI text-to-image model for mobile devices that will power some of Snapchat’s features in the coming months. The company said on Tuesday that the model can produce high-resolution images in around 1.4 seconds on an iPhone 16 Pro Max. The new diffusion model runs entirely on the device, which reduces computational…
Enterprise, FCC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, online censorship, Section 230, Social, social media, social media regulation, Trump Administration
Adam Candeub, a vocal critic of Big Tech, will reportedly join the FCC
Adam Candeub, a known critic of Big Tech, looks poised to join the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Candeub will be general counsel of the FCC, reports Semafor, which cites direct confirmation from FCC chairman Brendan Carr. TechCrunch has reached out to the FCC for more information. Candeub has long been a vocal critic of Section…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Trump
Trump says new US sovereign wealth fund could purchase TikTok
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund and suggested that it could be used to purchase TikTok. The fund is expected to be created in the next 12 months by the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments, though it’s not immediately clear how. Trump has said previously…
Fintech, gamestop, Global IT News, Global Security News, Robinhood, Social, Steven Wang, TC, Tusk Ventures, Vlad Tenev
Dub: the copy trading app that has teens talking
Social media changed everything from news consumption to shopping. Now, Dub thinks it can do the same for investing through an influencer-driven marketplace where users can follow the trades of top investors with a few taps. Think of it as TikTok meets Wall Street. Founded by 23-year-old Steven Wang — a Harvard drop-out who began…
Elon Musk, Global Security News, linda yaccarino, Social, X
X expands lawsuit over advertiser ‘boycott’ to include Lego, Nestlé, Pinterest, and others
X is now suing more advertisers in an antitrust lawsuit focusing on what the company’s CEO Linda Yaccarino has claimed is a “systematic illegal boycott.” The company formerly known as Twitter first filed the lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and its brand safety initiative the Global Alliance of Responsible Media in August 2024.…
Apple Intelligence, deepseek, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Perplexity, Social
DeepSeek gets Silicon Valley talking
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re looking at DeepSeek’s major boost in the U.S.; Elon Musk admitting he was wrong about FSD; teens losing trust in Big Tech; and more! Let’s do it. DeepSeek went viral this week after its AI models led Wall Street analysts and technologists to question whether the…
Bluesky, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, Social, Twitter, twitter/x, X
How to delete X and move on with your life
As Elon Musk’s X sees a decline in daily active users, some people are deciding to ditch the social network entirely, whether that’s for Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, or perhaps, better yet, nothing at all. Since the Tesla and SpaceX CEO bought Twitter in 2022, numerous alternatives have cropped up, seeking to ensnare people who are…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Legos, Nat Friedman, Social, this is not serious, Venture
This investor wants you to sign an NDA to build Legos together
Investor, former GitHub CEO, and all around Tech Guy™ Nat Friedman has posted a strangely enticing offer on X. His post reads, “Need volunteers to come to my office in Palo Alto today to construct a 5000 piece Lego set. Will provide pizza. Have to sign NDA. Please DM.” Thanks to the investigative reporting of…
Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, graze, open social web, Social, social media, Startups
Custom feed builder Graze is building a business on Bluesky, and investors are paying attention
A startup called Graze, which lets you build your own feeds for the Bluesky social network, has caught investors’ attention. In addition to offering tools to easily build, customize, publish, and manage Bluesky feeds, Graze will soon allow feed creators to monetize their efforts with advertising, sponsored posts, and subscriptions. In other words, Graze has…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, Threads, Twitter, X
Threads adds a ‘media’ tab and the ability to tag people in photos
Meta’s newer social network Threads announced on Thursday that it’s introducing a dedicated “media” tab for both photos and videos, only days after its rivals, including X (formerly Twitter) and the startup Bluesky, did the same for videos. In addition, Meta will also now allow users to tag people in the photos they share. Instagram…
Apps, Facebook, gen z, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, social media, social networking, trends
Mark Zuckerberg teases a 2025 return to ‘OG Facebook’
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg teased a “return to OG Facebook” as part of his key goals for 2025 in Wednesday’s Q4 earnings call with investors. While the company was short on details as to what specific changes lay in store, it’s clear that Meta is in desperate need of younger Facebook users to sustain itself…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social, TC
Meta says end of fact-checking hasn’t impacted ad spend
Meta says its controversial decision to put an end to its fact-checking program hasn’t impacted advertiser spend. On its Q4 2024 call, Meta CFO Susan Li assured investors that advertiser demand remains strong and the company’s commitment to brand safety remains unchanged, despite the new measures. Meanwhile, CEO Mark Zuckerberg noted that the community notes…
Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Premium, Social
LinkedIn passes $2B in premium revenues in 12 months, with overall revenues up 9% on the year
LinkedIn, the social platform where people look for and talk about work, may be less visible in Microsoft’s earnings compared to the years when it was an independent company. But around earnings time, LinkedIn often reveals some figures that point to how it continues to grow. On Wednesday, as Microsoft reported its Q2 numbers, the…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social
Instagram gives creators more insight into their reels’ performance
Meta continues to target creators in the days following the U.S. TikTok ban. In addition to paying TikTok creators big bonuses to publish reels, Instagram announced on Wednesday that it’s introducing new ways for creators to better understand how their short videos are performing. The platform is introducing additional metrics that allow creators to see…
Apps, Bluesky, Exclusive, fediverse, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, nostr, open social, openvibe, Social, Threads
Automattic and others back Openvibe, an app that’s unifying the open social web
Openvibe’s clever app that integrates multiple open social networks including Bluesky, Mastodon, Nostr, and Threads, just got a boost toward its future development. The company on Tuesday announced that it has received outside investment of $800,000 in a round led by Czech Founders VC, which includes backing from WordPress.com and Tumblr parent company, Automattic, as…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, reelo, Social, social media, TikTok, Video, video apps, video sharing
Reelo stands out among the apps building a ‘TikTok for Bluesky’
There are a number of projects now underway that are focused on developing a video-first app for the open source social network Bluesky. However, one stands out from the rest: An upcoming app called Reelo isn’t building on top of the Bluesky social network, as so many others are, but is building on the underlying…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Microsoft, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Trump says Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok
President Donald Trump told reporters that Microsoft is in talks to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, Bloomberg reports. Although Trump didn’t elaborate, he stated that “there’s great interest in TikTok” and that there will be “a lot of people bidding on it.” Microsoft and Oracle were in the running to acquire the ByteDance-owned app back in…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, TikTok, Video
Bluesky adds video to user profiles
Social network Bluesky is doubling down on video. After it added a new TikTok-like custom video feed last week in the wake of the U.S. ban on the popular video app (now on pause), the company on Monday announced it’s adding a new video tab to Bluesky user profiles. The tab will allow people to…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Media & Entertainment, Perplexity AI, Social, Startups, TikTok
Perplexity submits a new bid for TikTok
Perplexity AI has submitted a revised proposal to merge with TikTok, in an arrangement that would give the U.S. government up to 50 percent ownership of the new entity. The Associated Press first reported on the new proposal. A source with knowledge of the bid confirmed to TechCrunch that the AP’s reporting is accurate. The…
Apps, bytedance, Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Media & Entertainment, oracle, Social, TikTok
Trump administration reportedly negotiating an Oracle takeover of TikTok
The Trump administration is negotiating a deal that would see Oracle take over TikTok alongside new U.S. investors, according to a report in NPR. Lawmakers passed a bill last year forcing Chinese parent company ByteDance to either sell TikTok or see it banned in the U.S. The app briefly went dark before the law took…
Elon Musk, fitbit, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, openai, Social, Week in Review
OpenAI wants to take over your browser
Welcome back to Week in Review. This week we’re diving into OpenAI’s newly released AI agent, called Operator. We also look at where TikTok stands after being resuscitated, whether it’s time to go back to Tumblr, and more! Let’s get into it. OpenAI launched a research preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that can…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social
Wall Street banks plan sale of X debt at a discount
Bankers are reportedly gearing up to offload debt used to fund Elon Musk’s social network, for which he paid $44 million in 2022 including $13 billion in financing. Morgan Stanley is leading the charge, hoping to sell senior debt at between 90 and 95 cents on the dollar, reports the WSJ. As notes the outlet,…
Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, short video, Social, X
X expands its vertical video feed to global users
X has started expanding its dedicated vertical video feed to users outside the U.S., TechCrunch has exclusively learned and confirmed with the company. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, federated apps, fediverse, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, loops, Meta, open social, open social web, open source, pixelfed, Social, social media, Sup, TikTok
Open source alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp raise funds on Kickstarter
The developer behind Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup, open source alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, respectively, is now raising funds on Kickstarter to fuel the apps’ further development. The trio is part of the growing open social web, also known as the fediverse, powered by the same ActivityPub protocol used by X alternative Mastodon. The…
Enterprise, Europe, european union, Global Security News, Google, Government & Policy, LinkedIn, Meta, Microsoft, Social, TikTok, X
The EU wants to talk to US tech companies ahead of Germany’s upcoming election
The European Union will give tech and social media companies a “stress test” to see how they handle misinformation ahead of Germany’s election next month. European Commission officials have invited tech companies, including: X, Meta, Snap, TikTok, Google, Microsoft, and LinkedIn, to a meeting on January 31, according to multiple news outlets. During this meeting,…
Apps, china, Global IT News, Global Security News, rednote, Social, social media, TikTok, TikTok Ban
US users dumped RedNote after Trump paused the TikTok ban
In the days leading up to the TikTok ban in the U.S. on Sunday, U.S. users flooded the Chinese app RedNote, which offered a similar experience to their favorite short-form video app. The app, which is listed in the U.S. App Store under its Chinese name Xiaohongshu, quickly became the No. 1 free app in…
Apps, Flip, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social commerce
Flip, the TikTok Shop rival, launches a creator fund that grants up to $100M of equity
Flip is a social commerce app that lets shoppers become creators. They can share honest reviews and earn cash based on engagement on the platform. As Flip competes with TikTok Shop and other platforms in a highly competitive market, it has introduced a new creator fund that offers a unique opportunity to help it stand…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, Threads, tools
Threads rolls out a post scheduler, ‘markup’ feature, and more
While Meta lures TikTok creators to Instagram and Facebook with cash bonuses, its X competitor Instagram Threads is now making things easier for creators, brands, and others who need more professional tools to manage their presence on the app. On Thursday, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced a small handful of new features coming to Threads,…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Substack
Substack introduces a $20M funding guarantee to entice creators to migrate to its platform
Substack on Thursday announced the launch of its Creator Accelerator Fund, which provides a $20 million funding guarantee aimed at helping creators grow their audience and move their paid subscribers from another subscription-based platform to Substack. The company says the fund is designed to ensure that creators will retain all of their current revenue during…
Apps, Global Security News, revenue, Social, twitter/x, X
X sees a jump in consumer spending on mobile, despite decline in daily active users
Social network X has grown its in-app revenue over the past year, despite a decline in active users, new data shows. Global consumer spending in the X mobile app across both iOS and Android has climbed by 76.3% year-over-year, when comparing two similar periods in January, according to data from app intelligence firm Appfigures. However,…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snap launches a new way to reward AR creators, rolls out student pricing for Spectacles
Snap announced on Thursday that it’s introducing a new “Challenge Tags” rewards program for AR developers to win cash prizes for submitting Lenses. The company also announced that it’s launching educational pricing and a student discount for Spectacles, its developer-focused AR glasses. The theme of the first Challenge Tag is humor and is open through…
Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Meta, privacy, Social, WhatsApp
WhatsApp wins reprieve in India over user data sharing
An Indian tribunal on Thursday suspended restrictions that would have barred WhatsApp from sharing user data with its parent company Meta, delivering a significant victory for Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire in its largest market by users. The ruling by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal temporarily lifts a five-year ban imposed by India’s antitrust…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, tumblr, tumblr tv, Video, video feed
Nearly 10 year later, Tumblr TV launches to all as a TikTok alternative
In 2015, the blogging site Tumblr launched a GIF discovery feature called Tumblr TV as an experimental product. Now, with the U.S. TikTok ban leaving the fate of the short-form video app uncertain, Tumblr has decided it’s finally time to launch Tumblr TV, which has since evolved to support video, to all its users as…