Facebook

A whistleblower says Facebook's algorithms could be stoking tensions and fanning ethnic violence in Ethiopia. AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: Hate and division on Facebook are not just a problem in the U.S. That's one of the messages whistleblower Frances Haugen took to Congress last week, where she accused Facebook's algorithms of quote, "literally fanning ethnic violence in Ethiopia," a country that's endured nearly a year of civil war. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) FRANCES HAUGEN: My fear is that without action, divisive and extremist behaviors we see today are only the beginning. What we saw in Myanmar and are now seeing in Ethiopia are only the opening chapters of a story so terrifying, no one wants to read the end of it. CORNISH: The United Nations says millions of people have been forced from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are facing famine-like conditions because of the conflict between the Ethiopian government and Tigray rebels. Freelance journalist Zecharias Zelalem has been reporting extensively on Ethiopia, and he says he agrees with Haugen's assessment.  » Read More

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Nate Persily, director of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center, about his proposal to allow for more independent oversight of Facebook. AUDIE CORNISH, HOST: Tomorrow marks a week since Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to Congress, accusing the company of incentivizing the spread of hate and misinformation and failing to share research on its platform's negative impact on kids' mental health. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) FRANCES HAUGEN: Until the incentives change, Facebook will not change. Left alone, Facebook will continue to make choices that go against the common good, our common good. CORNISH: In the days since that testimony, the years-long drumbeat for Congress to take action and impose stricter regulations on social media and tech giants has grown louder. One plan includes forcing these companies to allow independent researchers to analyze its data from the platforms on which, quote, "almost all of human experience is now taking place." Those are the words of Nathaniel Persily, a professor of law at Stanford Law School and director of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center.  » Read More

Facebook, Google and Twitter logos are seen in this combination photo from Reuters files. REUTERSSYDNEY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - A tech body backed by the Australian units of Facebook, Google and Twitter said on Monday it has set up an industry panel to adjudicate complaints over misinformation, a day after the government threatened tougher laws over false and defamatory online posts.Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week labelled social media "a coward's palace", while the government said on Sunday it was looking at measures to make social media companies more responsible, including forcing legal liability onto the platforms for the content published on them.The issue of damaging online posts has emerged as a second battlefront between Big Tech and Australia, which last year passed a law to make platforms pay licence fees for content, sparking a temporary Facebook blackout in February.The Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), which represents the Australian units of Facebook Inc (FB.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and Twitter Inc (TWTR.N),  » Read More

It's been a tough week for Facebook. Whistleblower Frances Haugen testified to Congress that the company is aware that its platforms are used to spread hate and misinformation but has failed to take action to prevent it. The social media giant and several of its services were also hit with widespread outages. Facebook's leaders have come under fire for choosing profit over health, drawing comparisons to Big Tobacco. On "Reliable Sources" Sunday, CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter asked if this scandal is different from others the tech company has faced. "Is it prudent to have one person in his 30s have so much unquestioned influence over an institution like this?" James Fallows, author of "Breaking the News" and contributor to the Atlantic asked on "Reliable Sources" Sunday. "Their top policy executive is blanketing Sunday shows," Axios media reporter Sara Fischer said of multiple interviews with Facebook's head of global communications, Nick Clegg. "That never happens." Facebook's stock has dropped more than 12% since early September, signaling a "reputational change" for the company.  » Read More

A real estate agent’s failure to use an apostrophe in a Facebook post could prove costly after a New South Wales court declined to dismiss a defamation case against him on the basis it was trivial.Late on 22 October last year, Anthony Zadravic posted that another real estate agent was “selling multi million $ (sic) homes in Pearl Beach but can’t pay his employees superannuation”.“Shame on you Stuart!!! 2 yrs and still waiting!!!” the post read.There is a suggestion the NSW Central Coast realtor meant to have an apostrophe after the word employee and was only referring to his experience.He says the post, written about 10.30pm, was deleted within 12 hours and wasn’t capable of defaming the people as claimed.The legal costs and court resources required to determine the claim would also be out of all proportion to the interest at stake, he claimed.But the NSW district court last week turned down his application to dismiss, pointing to the seriousness of the claims in the post and finding the alleged defamatory meanings reasonably capable of being conveyed.  » Read More

Facebook platform is fueled by greed -- Daniel Holzman Love of money is the root of all evil.Mark Zuckerberg is worth over $100 billion. Through Facebook, Zuckerberg runs algorithms of disinformation, hate and loathing which so addict users that they cannot quit "social" media.Facebook has over 2.8 billion users. What part do Facebook’s algorithms have in the hate and division in our nation and around the world? What part do its algorithms have in the Jan. 6 attack on our government? Is the extreme hate in the GOP alt right intensified by Facebook?Recent revelations by whistleblowers and Facebook’s own research show how detrimental Facebook is to young girls and other users.Zuckerberg’s all-consuming love of money has brought evil to the lives of hundreds of millions. Zuckerberg needs to be taxed at a rate of 60%. He has had more than enough time to rid Facebook of divisive lies and disinformation. He has stonewalled Congress.The company needs to be sued and broken up for its disregard of ethical standards and social responsibility.  » Read More

Updated Oct. 8, 2021 8:35 pm ET / Original Oct. 8, 2021 7:38 pm ET Order Reprints Print Article Illustration by Elias Stein If you’re wondering why Facebook has been scheming to get higher levels of engagement from preteens, you’ll find Piper Sandler’s latest semiannual teen survey a revelation. Piper talked to 10,000 teenagers across 44 states, average age 15.6 years, about their consumer preferences. Some 35% cited Snap’s Snapchat as their favorite social-media network, up from 31% in the survey’s spring edition, expanding its lead on TikTok, which was flat at 30%. Facebook’s Instagram was third, at 22%, down from 24% in the spring and 31% a...  » Read More

Ruling Our Experiences' goal over the last 10 years has been to create generations of confident girls. COLUMBUS, Ohio — This week, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen presented testimony to congress that the social media giant knowingly spreads misinformation and content that harms children. “To be honest, nothing that I’ve heard so far in the testimony in the news reports has surprised me,” Dr. Lisa Hinkelman said. Hinkelman is the founder of Ruling Our Experiences (ROX). The last 10 years the organization’s goal has been to create generations of confident girls. In 2017, and then again in 2020, ROX conducted a Girls Index while surveying girls across the country. One key finding, Hinkelman says, was the more time girls spent engaged in tech and social media, the higher their levels were with sadness, depression and body dissatisfaction. Dr. Hinkelman says those numbers go up by five times for those who are on social media for eight or more hours a day. “Meaning that they were sad or depressed almost every day,” she said.  » Read More

by: Daisy Ruth Posted: Oct 7, 2021 / 06:43 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 7, 2021 / 06:43 PM EDT DUNEDIN, Fla. (WFLA) – Dunedin residents are lighting up the night with handmade art throughout neighborhood streets – and a dedicated Facebook group is helping everyone out. “Chandeliers of Dunedin” is a public Facebook group that was created on April 18 of this year. It has almost 2,000 members across the country. The concept of lawn chandeliers is branching out, with those in other Pinellas County locations – like Clearwater – posting their creations, as well as much farther north, including New York. Those involved in the group also post helpful tips, such as craft sales within the Dunedin area for folks to get supplies. Group members looking to go fully solar-powered are supported as well. The hobby is personal for many. Madison DiLoren Hutchinson began raising monarch butterflies during the coronavirus pandemic and “wanted to honor” the species with her chandelier theme. Courtesy: Madison DiLoren Hutchinson Brian Luna has a chandelier he has programmed to change color and design,  » Read More

Ireland said Thursday it would join an international agreement that sets taxes on profits for multinational corporations at a minimum rate of 15 percent. This is a major shift for the country that is the European headquarters for many large US pharmaceutical companies, as well as tech firms, including Google, Apple, and Facebook. An increase from Ireland’s current 12.5 percent to 15 percent may not seem that large by itself. The so-called Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Inclusive Framework agreement, outlined in July, is actually a two-pillar plan aimed at helping end tax avoidance and making international tax rules fairer and more transparent. The OECD has estimated that a 15 percent tax rate would generate some $150 billion in global tax revenue annually and would help to stabilize the international tax system. Ireland signed on to the deal ahead of a Friday meeting at the OECD among the 140 countries that have been negotiating its terms for several years. The plan calls for global companies to pay taxes in countries where their products or services are sold,  » Read More