Scammers are using GoFundMe to pocket donations worth thousands
The crowdfunding site GoFundMe is being used to scam people out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. What is the platform doing about it? Despite the internet being a weird and wonderful place, many people are well-aware that what we see online is not always genuine. Unfortunately, deceptive practices aren’t just...
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EU commission warns Musk won’t have free rein of Twitter
The Tesla chief has acquired Twitter for $46bn and plans to re-evaluate the platform’s stance on free speech and cancel culture. The EU commission now warns that any plans to loosen moderation policies must be handled carefully and that Musk won’t be given free rein. The drawn out Twitter saga...
Deepfakes now a political weapon in the Ukrainian war
The use of deepfakes in politics has insofar been rare. But in the last week, two deepfakes related to the war in Ukraine have emerged online. Just days ago, a doctored video of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy began making rounds on social media. It also found its way onto a...
BeReal is encouraging us to stop curating ourselves online
In the age of social media fatigue, the app is a refreshingly unglamorous antidote to the relentless pursuit of perfection we can’t seem to escape on our heavily filtered Instagram feeds. When Instagram initially burst onto the scene over a decade ago, the happy-snappers among us were enticed by the...
How to optimise Facebook to better your mental health
Prolonged Facebook use can cause unwanted stress and anxiety, but there are ways to change the experience to better suit your needs. Facebook has become a social media dinosaur over the last five years or so. Where once it was at the cutting edge of teenage and twenty-something online interaction, it...
Bots are now hijacking users’ collaborative Spotify playlists
Just when you thought Spotify was the last peaceful place left on the Internet, bots have begun taking over the platform. Remember the days when we exchanged music by carefully curating tracks and burning them onto blank CDs, with track names, doodles, or handwritten notes on the surface of them...
Twitter’s new ‘Tor’ service can circumvent state internet censorship
In regions where Twitter is partially or completely restricted, a new ‘Tor’ service could soon allow people to circumvent censorship measures. This won’t be well received by certain government figures, but is a big win for online democracy. Twitter claims this move had been in the works since 2014, but the timing seems awful convenient. This week, the social media giant has announced plans to launch a version of Twitter that...
TikTok suspends video uploads & livestreaming in Russia
If social media platforms spread ‘false information’ about the Russian military, Putin’s newly passed ‘fake news’ law threatens fines and lengthy prison sentences. TikTok has responded by suspending all new video uploads throughout the region. The standoff between Big Tech and Russia is becoming more involved by the week. A widespread social media embargo to prevent the Kremlin state from pushing propaganda or profiting from ad space – involving YouTube...
Facebook’s new ad regulations freeze out climate groups
In its efforts to limit online abuse, Facebook removed ‘sensitive’ categories from its Detailed Targeting advertising tool. Climate groups now say the new policy is limiting their ability to connect with audiences.
Has Facebook ever been on good terms with climate groups at this point?
Last month, Facebook decided to escalate its response against online abuse by re-evaluating its policies on targeted ads. Previously, its tools had been used to
Big Tech goes up against Russian state media
Google, Meta, and Twitter are blocking Kremlin owned channels from selling ads and pushing propaganda as part of ongoing sanctions against Russia. It’s been four days since Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, and Big Tech is starting to respond. Sanctions against Russia from EU nations and members of NATO continue to come to light, and self-governed social media websites are now making their respective stances clear. Something of a joint digital...
