social media

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More Colleges Teaching Students to Be Influencers

Colleges are recognizing the demand for skills to gain an edge in an increasingly competitive arena

(Newser) - Becoming an influencer is now an aspirational career choice, with more than half of Gen Zers wishing they could carve out employment on their phones, according to the Hollywood Reporter . But without a rulebook in a constantly evolving, potentially lucrative field, treading that path isn't so simple. The Hill...

Mangione's Reported Ailments: Chronic Pain, Lyme Disease

Social media posts reveal back surgery, a call to not 'retreat into a bubble'

(Newser) - With much talk of motive in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, focus has turned to the suspected shooter's social media posts. Luigi Mangione "left behind a tantalizing digital footprint with few parallels in the history of famed assassins," revealing the data engineer to be an...

'Operation RU Pharm' Nabs 7 in Rutgers Bust

7 have been arrested in what authorities say was a social media-run drug ring at New Jersey university

(Newser) - A monthslong probe into drug activity at New Jersey's Rutgers University has resulted in seven arrests, including that of a former student. Per a release from the office of Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, the undercover sting dubbed "Operation RU Pharm" unearthed "a closed and private social...

Appeals Court Upholds US Ban of TikTok

It's a 'resounding defeat' for the social media platform based in China, will require ban or sale

(Newser) - A federal appeals court panel on Friday upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the US. The US Court of Appeals for the District...

AOC Claims a Big First on Bluesky
AOC Claims a
Big First on Bluesky
Dec 3, 2024 7:19 AM CST

AOC Claims a Big First on Bluesky

Democrat Ocasio-Cortez is first individual to gather 1M followers on the social media platform

(Newser) - As Bluesky continues to lure followers from X, one name in particular has notched a big milestone on the social media platform. Bluesky tells the Hill that Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the first person to rack up a million followers on her account there, not counting the Bluesky account...

Chinese Women Fired Up by Too-Short Sanitary Pads

Popular brands cave to pressure, apologize

(Newser) - A trend emerged on social media in China this month with women posting videos of themselves measuring sanitary pads. It wasn't some bizarre fad but a protest against companies accused of cheating women with feminine hygiene products significantly shorter than advertised. "Will cutting a few centimeters help you...

Australia Passes Social Media Ban for Those Under 16

Ban for under-16s won't take effect for another 12 months

(Newser) - Australia has passed a social media ban for under-16s, but the country's teens and tweens don't need to worry about being kicked off the likes of TikTok and Facebook immediately. The law won't take effect for another year, and details like how platforms will enforce it have...

Australia's Social Media Ban a Step Closer to Becoming Law

Senate to take up debate after bill passes House 102-13

(Newser) - Australia's House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram liable for...

Meta, TikTok Weigh In on Australia's Ban on Social Media

Tech companies complain age verification methods have yet to be ironed out

(Newser) - Tech companies are urging Australia's government to delay its proposed social media ban for under-16s amid criticism that the bill is being rushed into law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left government introduced the bill in parliament last week and aims to pass it by the end of the...

As Users Flee X, Bluesky Makes Gains

Social media platform draws at least a million new users in week following US election

(Newser) - Social media site Bluesky has gained at least a million new users in the week since the US election, as some X users look for an alternative platform to post their thoughts and engage with others online. Bluesky said Wednesday that its total users surged to 15 million, up from...

X Has Become Too 'Toxic' for Stephen King

Horror author leaves Elon Musk's social media site for Meta's Threads

(Newser) - The prolific Stephen King is known for his extra-long novels, but the exit message he posted Thursday on X was short and sweet. "I'm leaving Twitter. Tried to stay, but the atmosphere has just become too toxic," the horror author wrote, using the platform's former name,...

Australia's Social Media Move Is for the 'Worried Sick' Parents

Proposed law meant to counter online harms includes no exemption for parental consent

(Newser) - Australia is proposing "world-leading" legislation to ban children under 16 from social media. "This one is for the mums and dads," who, "like me, are worried sick about the safety of our kids online," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a Thursday press conference, referencing...

Their Children Died by Suicide. They're Suing TikTok

French parents say platform promoted suicide, self-harm, eating disorders

(Newser) - TikTok is being sued by seven families in France, including two that lost children to suicide. The joint lawsuit alleges that the platform's algorithm exposed teens to videos promoting suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders, CNN reports. The lawsuit is separate from a criminal complaint filed against TikTok last year...

Meta Shuts Down Student Who Tracks Jets
Plane-Tracking Student
Just Got 'Zucked'
in case you missed it
Oct 27, 2024 7:10 AM CDT

Plane-Tracking Student Just Got 'Zucked'

Jack Sweeney, who's annoyed stars by keeping tabs on their jets, says Meta suspended accounts

(Newser) - Elon Musk and Taylor Swift have long been irked by the antics of Jack Sweeney, the college student who tracks the jets of celebrities (including Musk, Swift, Kim Kardashian, Jeff Bezos, and Donald Trump, among others) and posts their locations online. Now, Meta has jumped into the fray, according...

TikTok Docs Show Fast Addiction, Stripping Teens: Reports

Latest reveals come out of redacted sections of Kentucky complaint seen by NPR, KPR

(Newser) - Last week, more than a dozen states and the District of Columbia sued TikTok , claiming the social media platform is addictive for children. Now, a deeper dive into the "TikTok documents," which show just how much TikTok knew about the app's effects on kids and teens, revealed...

X Complies With Brazil Judge's Demands

Platform can now be reinstated after a nationwide shutdown of more than a month

(Newser) - The Brazilian Supreme Court's Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday authorized the restoration of social media platform X´s service in Brazil, over a month after its nationwide shutdown , according to a statement posted on the court's website.
  • Elon Musk's X was blocked on Aug. 30 in
...

States Sue TikTok, Claiming It's Addictive for Kids

More than a dozen AGs go after social media platform, saying it's damaging to mental health

(Newser) - More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia filed lawsuits against TikTok on Tuesday, alleging the popular short-form video app is harming youth mental health by designing its platform to be addictive to kids. The lawsuits stem from a national investigation into TikTok, launched in March 2022 by...

CIA Is Openly Recruiting Informants on Social Media

Anyone interested in North Korea, China, or Iran?

(Newser) - The CIA says it was successful in recruiting Russian informants following the invasion of Ukraine. Now, "we want to make sure individuals in other authoritarian regimes know that we're open for business," a rep said Wednesday as the agency put out a call for informants in China,...

X Got 67M Hate Reports, Penalized 2K Accounts
X Got 67M Hate Reports,
Penalized 2K Accounts
THE RUNDOWN
Sep 25, 2024 1:06 PM CDT

X Got 67M Hate Reports, Penalized 2K Accounts

Platform's first transparency report under owner Elon Musk released Wednesday

(Newser) - Before Elon Musk took over Twitter, the platform released a transparency report every six months. Only now, two years after Musk's October 2022 takeover, has the platform now known as X released its first such report under its billionaire owner. At 15 pages, Wednesday's Global Transparency Report is...

2 Women Who Started Springfield Rumors Speak Out

'I'm not sure I'm the most credible source,' one says; another: 'I hate myself for making that post'

(Newser) - Threats against Springfield have prompted intervention from the state's governor after the dissemination by Donald Trump , JD Vance , and others of an unsubstantiated allegation that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets there. Now, two women involved in jump-starting that rumor are speaking out, with one saying she never...

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