Social Networks

... Facebook. In the early hours of Thursday morning, Te Araroa Civil Defence co-ordinator Tash Wanoa was wide awake and on high alert. It was a matter ...  » Read More

People using Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp may soon need to decide whether they want to pay extra for additional features beyond the free versions they've been using. Meta confirmed that it's planning to roll out and test premium subscription tiers for its three most popular services, which, according to the company, would unlock "special features and more control over how they share and connect," according to a TechCrunch report detailing the changes. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. A representative for Meta didn't elaborate on subscription plans but confirmed to CNET that TechCrunch's story is accurate. According to the report, this would differ from the Meta Verified badge offering aimed at businesses and internet content creators. Meta Verified starts at $15 and includes enhanced support options and protections against impersonation. Instead, the new subscriptions that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users can expect will offer a broader Premium experience,  » Read More

Professor Avi Loeb Has an Official YouTube Channel Wonderful news! I have just launched my official YouTube channel at the link: ...

Tuesday marks the start of a landmark trial in a lawsuit claiming that social media companies are using addictive technology to hook children. TikTok, one of the giants being sued in this case, just agreed to settle and avoid the courtroom. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul and BBC Technology correspondent Lily Jamali have more.

by John E. Jones III, Dickinson College, As Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents continued to use aggressive and sometimes violent methods to make arrests in its mass deportation campaign, including breaking down doors in Minneapolis homes, a bombshell report from the Associated Press on Jan. 21, 2026, said that an internal ICE memo – acquired via a whistleblower – asserted that immigration officers could enter a home without a judge’s warrant. That policy, the report said, constituted “a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches.” Those limits have long been found in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Politics editor Naomi Schalit interviewed Dickinson College President John E. Jones III, a former federal judge appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate in 2002, for a primer on the Fourth Amendment, and what the changes in the ICE memo mean. Okay, I’m going to read the Fourth Amendment – and then you’re going to explain it to us, please! Here goes: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects

A man's Threads post about what he deems to be career-obsessed people has been applauded by viewers on the platform. The U.S.-based man, who goes by @austinjackson1995 on the Meta-owned app, had told viewers online: "People who post on LinkedIn and love their corporate career terrify me." To his surprise, the post, shared on January 22, quickly went viral and has since been liked by over 13,000 users, with hundreds of viewers taking to the comment section to voice their agreement. "In our modern age of social media, most other platforms encourage authentic human connection, spaces where people bond over shared interests, creative projects, and genuine thoughts. LinkedIn, by contrast, is optimized exclusively for professional achievement and personal branding," the post's creator told Newsweek. "It rewards productivity tips and career milestones while discouraging the kind of authentic self-expression that actually builds meaningful relationships, and even opportunities. "People naturally connect through shared passions and interests, not through corporate accomplishments. What LinkedIn calls ‘networking’ often feels less like genuine community building and more like workplace surveillance extended into our digital lives." It seems that many people in the comment section of the man's post agree with the sentiment. "I would genuinely be

WhatsApp is going through a rough patch. Some users would argue it has been ever since Meta acquired the once widely trusted messaging platform. User sentiment has shifted from “trusted default messenger” to a grudgingly necessary Meta product. Privacy-aware users still see WhatsApp as one of the more secure mass-market messaging platforms if you lock down its settings. Even then, many remain uneasy about Meta’s broader ecosystem, and wish all their contacts would switch to a more secure platform. Back to current affairs, which will only reinforce that sentiment. Google’s Project Zero has just disclosed a WhatsApp vulnerability where a malicious media file, sent into a newly created group chat, can be automatically downloaded and used as an attack vector. The bug affects WhatsApp on Android and involves zero‑click media downloads in group chats. You can be attacked simply by being added to a group and having a malicious file sent to you. According to Project Zero, the attack is most likely to be used in targeted campaigns, since the attacker needs to know or guess at least one contact. While focused, it is relatively easy to repeat once an attacker has a likely target list. And to put a

Highguard is finally here, bringing tons of characters, weapons, mounts, and so much more to the arcane gunslinging world. However, before diving into the game’s various maps for your next raid, you may want to look cool doing it, and for that, you need Twitch Drops. All Highguard Twitch Drops Item How to get Sky Voyager Banner Watch for 60 minutes Highland Tiger Watch for 120 minutes When do the Twitch Drops expire? The Highguard Twitch Drops began on January 26, 2026, and will end on February 9, 2026. This means you have two weeks to watch streams and grab your Twitch Drop rewards. How to get To get the Highguard Twitch Drops, you need to watch up to 120 minutes of any Highguard stream that has drops enabled. To do so, follow these steps: Sign in to Highguard or make an account using your chosen platform. Head to the left side panel and click Linked Accounts. Link your account by clicking on the Link URL next to the Twitch logo. Head over to Twitch and watch any Highguard stream with drops enabled. When you’ve watched, click your icon in the top right and select Drops & Rewards. Claim your

WhatsApp under fire. Corbis via Getty Images WhatsApp is under fire. A new lawsuit claims the messenger’s encryption claims are misleading and that Meta can read user messages after all. Meanwhile, Google warns there’s a serious new attack threat from photos sent by WhatsApp. So, do you suddenly need to stop using WhatsApp on your phone? Forbes Google Changes Gmail After 20 Years—Do Not Lose Your Account Now By Zak Doffman Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was first to strike at WhatsApp this week, following reports into a new lawsuit that Meta has dismissed as frivolous. "You’d have to be braindead to believe WhatsApp is secure in 2026," he posted on X. "When we analyzed how WhatsApp implemented its ‘encryption,’ we found multiple attack vectors.” Then unsurprisingly Elon Musk — plugging his own X Chat — went next: “WhatsApp is not secure. Even Signal is questionable. Use 𝕏 Chat.” Ironically, neither Telegram nor 𝕏 Chat is fully encrypted in the same way as WhatsApp, which has integrated Signal’s market-leading protocol to secure user content. “This is totally false,” WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart replied to Musk. “WhatsApp can’t read messages because the encryption keys are stored on your phone and we don’t

Posted By: Larry Felton Johnson January 27, 2026 The Marietta History Center announced its 30th anniversary with a new landmark exhibition, “Marietta History Center at 30,” showcasing the museum’s evolution since its founding in 1996, which will run from January 21, 2026, into late fall. Housed in the historic Kennesaw House, the retrospective is divided into four chronological chapters that trace the museum’s growth over three decades. The exhibit goes beyond dates and milestones to reveal the inner workings of the museum, including the role of volunteers and the process of accepting artifacts into the permanent collection. A key feature of the exhibition is the story of the Kennesaw House itself. Built in the 1840s as a cotton warehouse and later converted into the Fletcher House hotel, the building famously survived the Civil War and the burning of Marietta. “Thirty years ago, we began a new museum in this historic landmark,” said Museum Director Amy Reed. “By starting the museum in this space, we ensured that the building’s history would be protected right alongside the artifacts we house.” The anniversary exhibition underscores the center’s mission to ignite curiosity about Marietta’s history by connecting people through compelling stories and engaging experiences.