Tag: Social media
Hillary Clinton worried about young women on social media
Hillary and Chelsea Clinton with Fearne Cotton (Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place) Hillary Clinton has said the idea of perfection that is often portrayed on social media is “insidious” and undermines the confidence of young women. The former US secretary of state said that people in the public eye should talk more…
Will Facebook message encryption hinder online crime fight?
Facebook has been accused of reverting to the “digital dark ages” after serious concerns were raised that plans for message encryption could prevent child abusers and terrorists being caught. Politicians have called on the social media platform to think again before introducing end-to-end message encryption for its messaging services, claiming the “right balance is not…
Instagram messaging app Threads to challenge Snapchat
Instagram has unveiled a new messaging app called Threads, which has striking similarities to Snapchat, as the Facebook-owned social media platform continues its attempts to appeal to younger internet users. The new camera-based messaging app allows users to stay connected to a select group of friends, and share automatic status updates with them based on…
Social media platforms can be forced to remove illegal comments, rules court
Social media platforms such as Facebook can be ordered to remove defamatory posts declared as illegal, the EU’s top court has ruled. The Court of Justice of the European Union’s (CJEU) landmark decision means any individual country in the EU can restrict global access to the offending material. Facebook said the ruling raises “critical questions…
China now a ‘global disinformation superpower’, say researchers
China has become a major player in global social media manipulation campaigns, researchers say, amid an overall increase in the number of countries sharing misinformation online. According to the Oxford Internet Institute, organised social media manipulation has more than doubled since 2017, with 70 countries using computational propaganda to manipulate public opinion. The report says…
How can social media users deal with online trolls?
Social media users are being encouraged to ignore and report abusive messages they receive from online trolls as part of a new campaign to stop the spread of hateful content. A new charity – the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) – has published advice on how to best to deal with abuse that has…
Social media linked to poorer mental health among teenagers – study
Teenagers who spend more than three hours a day on social media may be at higher risk of mental health problems, a large study has found. Data from 6,595 youngsters aged 12 to 15 in the US found those who used social media more heavily were more likely to report issues such as depression, anxiety…
Parents compete with gadgets for children’s attention
More than a third of parents have admitted they are competing against gadgets when it comes to getting their children’s attention, according to a survey. Almost four in 10 of mothers and fathers (37%) said they have to “fight for their attention” against excessive screen time, as they struggle to detach children from watching videos…
Like button, push notifications ‘most toxic elements of social media’
The like button and push notifications are considered some of the most toxic elements of social media, according to a new poll. More than 2,000 people ranked triggering content – the kind of posts that remind users of a negative experience – as the number one troubling feature on social networking sites. The findings come…
Social media companies ‘must tackle vaccines misinformation’
The UK has seen a rise in the number of reported cases of measles (Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Di/PA) Social media companies need to do more to fight “misinformation” on vaccines following a “spike” in measles cases, health minister Jo Churchill has said. Ms Churchill said the Government will work alongside…
