Tag: facebook
Social media sites should face compulsory ethics code, demands House of Commons committee
Damian Collins accused big tech companies of failing in the duty of care they owe to their users to act against harmful content (PA) Social media platforms should comply with a compulsory code of ethics overseen by an independent regulator to tackle harmful or illegal content on their sites, a…
Social media companies could face criminal sanctions says Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright
Jeremy Wright on The Andrew Marr Show (BBC) Social media companies could face criminal sanctions under plans being considered by the Culture Secretary. Jeremy Wright said he would look at “all possible options for penalties” in the Government’s forthcoming White Paper on online harms, as pressure mounted on internet companies…
Tech giants need to ensure ‘quality news’, says government review
Tech giants like Google and Facebook should have a “news quality obligation” – overseen by a regulator – to improve trust in the content they host, a Government-commissioned review has found. In a wide-ranging report, the Cairncross Review into the future of the UK news industry called for ministers to look at new tax breaks…
Facebook acquires AI furniture shopping startup GrokStyle
(Dominic Lipinski/PA) Facebook has bought an AI furniture shopping startup called GrokStyle, as the social network continues to broaden its technology with greater focus on artificial intelligence. The San Francisco-based company, which was founded in 2015, developed technology that allows consumers to take a photo of furniture and uses AI…
German anti-trust authorities restrict Facebook data use
German anti-trust authorities have ruled against Facebook combining user data from different sources, saying it exploits its position as a dominant social media company in violation of European regulations. The Federal Cartel Office, or Bundeskartellamt, said Facebook was guilty of “exploitative abuse” by forcing users to agree allow it to collect data from other Facebook-owned…
Facebook welcomes screen time advice from UK’s top doctors
Facebook and Twitter have welcomed new guidance from the UK’s top doctors on managing social media and screen use. Advice issued by the chief medical officers on Thursday suggests that families should ban phones at bedtime and keep them away from the dinner table, among a number of recommendations to help protect children. “We want…
Snapchat reports record revenue but user numbers remain flat
Snapchat has recorded record revenue levels but the company’s active user numbers remain “flat", the firm’s latest financial results have revealed. Parent company Snap Inc reported revenue for the last three months of 390 million dollars (£301 million), up 36% from the 286 million dollars (£220 million) posted this time last year. The company’s net…
Facebook Messenger releases ‘unsend’ feature for up to 10 minutes
Facebook Messenger users are now able to delete messages from conversations after they’ve been sent. The social network has confirmed Messenger users will have up to 10 minutes after a message has been sent to remove it, with the feature accessible in both one-on-one conversations and group chats. The feature is similar to one available…
Facebook ‘bans promotion of art exhibition with naked statues’
A Geneva art museum says Facebook has prohibited it from promoting an upcoming exhibition with images of two statues — a half-naked Venus and a nude, kneeling man. The Museum of Art and History took to Twitter to say it had wanted to post pictures of the statues on Facebook to promote the Caesar And…
Facebook’s Top 6 most controversial moments in its 15-year history
Facebook first launched on February 4, 2004 as a social network known as TheFacebook, initially aimed at students at Harvard College. Since then it has expanded rapidly, attracting a large number of high-profile controversies along the way. Despite this controversy, the social networking giant has gone from strength to strength financially, reporting strong results in its…
