Facebook Automatically Scans Messenger Conversations
April 5th, 2018 2:55 PM
As Facebook is currently embroiled in controversy surrounding its treatment of users’ personal information, a Bloomberg story draws attention to the fact that messages sent through Messenger are scanned by Facebook’s automatic tools.
A Facebook spokesperson told Bloomberg the site scans links and photos sent through the Messenger service in order to crack down on malicious links and child…
Snapchat, Instagram Restore GIPHY After Discovery of Racist GIF
April 4th, 2018 4:12 PM
Snapchat and Instagram have restored users’ ability to use GIF library GIPHY after the discovery of a racist GIF sticker caused the companies to temporarily disable the service.
According to TechCrunch, both companies briefly pulled GIPHY from their platforms in March after learning of a racist sticker in GIPHY’s database. One user on Twitter reported that when she searched for the word “crime…
Not Fake News: Zuckerberg Names NY Times as ‘Trustworthy’ News Source
April 4th, 2018 8:57 AM
The New York Times is what Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg considers “good, trustworthy” journalism. During an interview with Vox's Ezra Klein, Zuckerberg spoke about attempts by Facebook to crack down on what is deemed “fake news.” Zuckerberg laid out three kinds of fake news: spammers, state actors, and legitimate news sources that are “speaking their truth” although they may have “…
NRA Blasts YouTube For ‘Political Posturing’ Over Gun Video Ban
March 27th, 2018 4:32 PM
The National Rifle Association responded to YouTube’s announcement that it will ban more gun-related videos by accusing the site of “political posturing and censorship.” In a statement reported by The Hill, a YouTube spokesperson announced that starting next month, the site will broaden its ban on gun-related content. The new rules will prohibit videos that show how to assemble firearms and…
Federal Judge Dismisses PragerU’s Lawsuit Against YouTube
March 27th, 2018 3:32 PM
A federal judge dismissed PragerU’s lawsuit against Google on Monday. The suit alleged that Google’s video-sharing site, YouTube, violated the First Amendment by placing certain PragerU videos under its “Restricted Mode.”
In the suit filed in October 2017, PragerU argued that placing the channel’s videos under YouTube’s “Restricted Mode” “violates its fundamental First Amendment rights under…
Facebook Responds to Claims It Gathered Android Phone Data
March 26th, 2018 3:47 PM
Android users who installed Facebook’s Messenger app on their devices may have had their call and text histories logged for approximately two years, according to a report in Ars Technica.
Ars Technica reported that the issue occurred when certain Android users downloaded Messenger in 2015. Apparently, Facebook started chronicling information related to phone calls and text messages made from…
