Fact checkers label YouTube a ‘major conduit’ for misinformation
Organisations involved in fact-checking have come together to demand YouTube finally address its misinformation problem. YouTube has a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking for an amusing review of a takeaway chain or a comprehensive history lesson on the Mayans. The only issue with allowing almost anything to end up...
Current in Social
TikTok ousts Google as most popular domain of the year
Thanks to Gen Z and Millennial uptake of video sharing via TikTok, the platform finally knocked Google off the top spot for most popular domain of the year. It finally happened, people. The almighty reign of the world’s most popular search engine is over - at least for now,...
Twitter bans ‘Politics For All’ account without specifying why
The integrity of Twitter as a democratic platform is again under scrutiny. This time, after permanently banning a political news aggregator account for a strange and minor offence. Another day, another censorship storm involving Twitter. The topical social media giant is under scrutiny after removing a popular political news aggregator account...
SafeUP app makes solo travelling safer for women
As a woman, travelling involves regularly assessing where is safe to go and what is safe to do. The SafeUP app is helping women stay connected to one another in case they need to ask for help - wherever they are. Women change their personal behaviours in the interest of...
Twitter plans to ban photos and videos taken of strangers in public
The social media platform says it will ban unsolicited videos in public settings. Unwitting strangers cannot give consent, creating a problematic grey area for social media content. Sceptics, however, are already asking a lot of questions. We’ve all seen them. The photos or videos of people in public doing strange...
Twelve social media accounts to follow ahead of COP 26
Looking to get clued up on all things COP 26 ahead of the big event in Glasgow? Here are a selection of accounts worth following to stay in the loop over the next few weeks. Forget Glastonbury, Coachella, or any other high-profile event that might be in your calendar. The...
Facebook expands into the metaverse with rebrand
Facebook has great ambitions for the future of our interaction with technology. Should we be scared or excited? The metaverse, Facebook’s new long-term project, is already in full swing with plans to create over 10 000 jobs in Europe alone. But what is the metaverse exactly? The company describes it as a place ‘where people will be able to lead their social and professional lives online’, using virtual reality headsets...
Donald Trump to launch new social media platform ‘Truth Social’
After being banned from both Twitter and Facebook, Trump has announced he will be launching his own platform called ‘Truth Social’. Could it become a success? Former US president Donald Trump has announced he will be releasing a new social media platform called ‘Truth Social’ early next year. In a statement, Trump said that he intended to rival other big tech companies for news on current affairs, including mainstream platforms that...
Crypto investors raised $40 million to buy a copy of the US Constitution
Pipped at auction by a late bid, crypto investors were close to purchasing a rare and early copy of the US Constitution for over $40 million. Is a practical purchase ever made using cryptocurrency? Whether we’re talking of the multi-million dollar sales of eight bit gifs, the early year hijacking of the stock market, or how an OG dog meme became a profitable investment venture overnight, it’s safe...
New Instagram and Twitter updates target harmful online behaviours
The latest Twitter update will prompt users to reconsider the ‘vibe’ of a heated discussion, while an Instagram ‘nudge’ feature aims to steer teenagers away from harmful content. Despite a newfound urgency in recent years to finally address online hate and content tied to adverse mental health, the big social media platforms are still accused of being too reactionary and not proactive enough. When it comes to Gen Z specifically, the...
