Meta is introducing a new feature called “Today’s Topics” on its Threads app, aiming to highlight current discussions that are capturing the attention of its user base. Announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, this initiative is set to begin with a small-scale test in the United States. It represents Meta’s latest effort to foster meaningful engagement and keep its community informed about trending conversations.

According to TechCrunch, the “Today’s Topics” feature is powered by Meta’s AI systems, which identify popular discussions by analyzing user interactions and the volume of conversation around specific subjects. This algorithmic approach ensures the topics presented are both relevant and timely, mirroring the collective interests of Threads users.

To uphold the integrity and relevance of the topics featured, Meta has enlisted a team of content specialists. Their role is to ensure that all topics comply with the platform’s Community Guidelines and other integrity policies, while also removing duplicates and filtering out misleading or nonsensical topics. Users play a crucial role in maintaining content quality, as they are encouraged to flag any topic that might breach the platform’s guidelines.

Navigating political content on Threads

Despite Meta’s recent declaration to scale back on recommending political content across its platforms, “Today’s Topics” will not exclude discussions on political themes. Meta clarified that political subjects could indeed emerge as topics of interest, as long as they do not contravene the platform’s Community Guidelines or integrity policies. This stance highlights Meta’s commitment to offering a broad spectrum of timely and relevant discussions, without tailoring recommendations to individual users.

The launch of “Today’s Topics” could enhance Threads’ appeal as a dynamic platform for real-time conversations and debates, potentially positioning it as a stronger competitor to X (formerly Twitter). The degree of human curation versus algorithmic selection in managing these topics is yet to be fully disclosed, leaving room for speculation on how Meta will balance editorial oversight with automated processes.

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The Switch 2 has the rumor mills of the gaming world turning and fans are holding their breath for a Nintendo update.

For the past five years, the Japanese gaming titan has held an event consecutively around this time of year for the flagship console and future games in development.

It has been eerily silent from the console company, with the only major reported successes being those of the existing Switch.

Across seven years of existence, the device has a recorded total of 32,027,938 units sold in Japan and the top ten games sold in the country were all Nintendo Switch titles.

So there is life in the older console, but rumors abound of specifications and hardware we could see in a successor to the Switch.

Switch 2 hardware rumors

Reuters reported that a “new version of the Nintendo Switch console expected this year is likely to include a Nvidia custom design.”

The news comes from a source close to those in the know about the new console’s chip of choice, stating that “Nintendo’s current Switch handheld console already includes Nvidia’s Tegra X1 chip.”

In a recent Q&A, translated to English and titled ‘Nine Months Financial Results Briefing for Fiscal Year Ending March 2024’, some key questions were asked of the company after a successful year.

President and Representative Director Shuntaro Furukawa responded to questions about new devices:

“Regarding new hardware, we are unable to make any comments beyond saying that our company is constantly conducting research and development on new hardware and software,” he said.

”As we mentioned before, articles claiming to reference information released by Nintendo and other speculations have been appearing mainly on the internet lately. Information that has not been officially announced by Nintendo can mislead consumers and investors.

The President concluded that the journalists present at the Q&A “exercise good judgment based on the information we provide on our official websites and social media accounts. It takes a long time and thorough planning to get ready for new hardware, and those plans are not impacted by whatever the latest business conditions might be.”

Furukawa was tight-lipped on a new Switch, but did confess that “as Nintendo Switch is entering its eighth year, we do not think it will be easy to maintain sales at the same level as in the past.”

Gamers will have to wait on news from those official channels it seems to get concrete news of the new console and the details of when it will drop.

Featured image: Pexels/Michael Adeleye

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Elon Musk has been ordered to answer to a federal judge concerning his takeover of Twitter in an ongoing US Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into his $44 billion takeover of the social media platform.

In a follow-up to a preliminary ruling in December 2023, the SEC and the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX now have seven days to agree on a date for him to testify, otherwise, it will be decided for them.

As reported by Reuters, Musk previously refused to attend an interview in September as part of the overall probe of his acquisition of Twitter, which he later rebranded as X.

US Magistrate Judge Laurel Beeler sided with the regulator on that occasion after Musk’s dismissive action was prompted by claims of harassment. He insisted the subpoena was requesting irrelevant information, as well as undergoing two interviews, but that argument was rejected.

Ongoing dispute

The SEC is challenging whether Musk adhered to the correct legal process when filing the necessary paperwork for his purchase of Twitter and if he made misleading statements during the transaction. It is seeking further answers from the 52-year-old, who also argued the subpoena fell outside the SEC’s authority as it was issued by a staff member appointed by the SEC’s Director of Enforcement.

Beeler ruled the subpoena is valid, throwing out Musk’s claims which brings us to the latest stage of this legal saga. The Magistrate’s next action could be to hear both representations, to set a new hearing date, if they do not agree.

Musk has also taken additional action, asking the US Supreme Court for a review, citing his constitutional right to free speech following the December decree.

Tensions between the X supremo and the SEC commenced back in 2018 when the body sued him after he tweeted “funding secured” relating to a potential move to take Tesla private. Musk agreed to a Tesla lawyer vetting his tweets regarding the company, to settle the case, but he was sued again, the following year, for an alleged breach of the agreement.

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Microsoft is ramping up marketing of its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant Copilot with an advertisement designed for the Super Bowl launching on YouTube. While they are not allowed to specifically describe it as a Super Bowl ad, the use of the words “game day” in the title is a big clue.

The ad highlights the multiple ways in which Microsoft expects users to engage with Copilot. It is prominently shown on both a home computer and a mobile phone to illustrate the fact that Copilot is not locked to Microsoft decides and can be used wherever its users are. The closing tagline of the advert is “Anyone. Anywhere. Any device.”

In the advert, users are shown using Copilot for a very wide variety of tasks. Microsoft is trying to create an extremely broad market appeal for the tool. From quizzing someone on their organic chemistry to generating code for a budding video game developer, Copilot seems to have a lot of uses.

Demonstrating to a wide market what an artificial intelligence tool can do for them is a big challenge and if Microsoft’s ‘game day’ ad can show the general population how and why they might want to use an AI, they could see huge uptake on Copilot. The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched televised events so the advert will reach as many as 100 million people or more.

What is Copilot?

Microsoft has been developing its AI assistant for some time, but until recently it was known as Bing Chat. In December, Microsoft integrated OpenAI’s Chat GPT-4 Turbo with its tool and rebranded as Copilot. This brought Copilot much closer to its current feature set by incorporating code interpretation.

Earlier this month, Microsoft launched the Pro version of Copilot. It includes enhanced features and priority access to the newest AI models, ensuring a top-of-the-range experience for paid customers.

On Thursday (Feb.8) Google announced the launch of Gemini Advanced, marking a significant update to its own artificial intelligence technology.

Featured image credit: Microsoft

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Meta has announced that across its social media platforms artificial intelligence (AI) generated images must be labeled going forward.

The labeling system that will be titled “Imagined with AI” seeks to help users navigate the images that are created using AI software and those taken by a user traditionally.

Synthetic and non-synthetic content

Meta will be rolling out the watermark on the images created by its own generator and will be a standard for other major AI image generators such as Midjourney, Dall-E, and Bing Image Creator that have images uploaded to the company’s platforms.

The social media conglomerate is working with the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) and International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) standards to clearly mark what “synthetic and non-synthetic content” is, according to the release.

C2PA is a Joint Development Foundation project from Adobe, Arm, Intel, Microsoft, and Truepic that hopes “to address the prevalence of misleading information online through the development of technical standards for certifying the source and history (or provenance) of media content,” according to the site’s mission statement.

Founded in 1965 in the United Kingdom, the IPTC is an established media and news agency coalition that develops and promotes industry standards.

Meta also said that audio and visual content are things they cannot identify from other companies that have been generated using AI. The company will add the option for users to tag this content as non-synthetic content to inform and protect users.

The company release said that users must use this “label tool when they post organic content with a photorealistic video or realistic-sounding audio that was digitally created or altered, and we may apply penalties if they fail to do so.”

The recent release strengthens Meta’s policies and rules on image and video content across all of its platforms, focusing especially on the well-being of minors.

Earlier this year, new content rules came into place to stop nude images from being sent to vulnerable users of Meta’s social sites as an optional feature.

With this momentum of policy and content changes, Meta is shaping up to be an industry leader in the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and content verification.

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Microsoft announced several new collaborations on Monday (Feb. 5) aimed at helping news organizations adopt artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques.

The initiatives are part of Microsoft’s broader efforts to ensure journalism can innovate to serve the public interest during a critical election year.

Through these new programs, Microsoft will provide AI training, resources, and technology access to partnering news outlets and journalism schools. The goal is to demonstrate how AI can make news gathering more efficient and sustainable while upholding ethical standards.

“Our goal is to support thriving, sustainable newsrooms with the technology they need to perform the essential function of informing the world,” Noreen Gillespie, Journalism Director of Microsoft wrote on the Reporting The World blog said.

The collaborating organizations include The GroundTruth Project, Semafor, the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, the Online News Association (ONA), and the AI startup Nota.

GroundTruth will add an AI track for its corps of local reporters. Semafor will use Microsoft tools to help journalists discover diverse sources and perspectives. The CUNY journalism school will offer a tuition-free AI training program for working journalists. ONA will host events and training sessions to scale AI best practices. Nota, which is already partnering with over 100 newsrooms on AI, plans to release a new tool to optimize content.

All partners have committed to sharing their findings across the media industry. The projects build on Microsoft’s Democracy Forward initiative launched last year to help journalism counter information threats.

Central to these efforts is ensuring human journalists remain at the core of newsrooms. “Healthy news organizations do not exist without journalists who know their communities and topics,” Gillespie affirmed.

By demonstrating AI’s potential while mitigating risks, Microsoft hopes to shed positive light on how emerging technologies can sustain quality journalism despite economic headwinds. With billions voting in elections worldwide this year, the company sees reliable, ethical journalism as critical for healthy democracies.

“The survival of fact-based news is inextricably linked to healthy democracies, thriving communities, and civic participation,” Gillespie concluded.

AI disruption in journalism

The news industry is no stranger to disruption. It has been hit hard by the switch to online media consumption and the corresponding decline in print revenue. Then there have been major issues with Google and Facebook gobbling up the lion’s share of ad revenue and finally, with it easier than ever to set up a news website, small, insurgent, independent publications have sprung up.

AI poses a new challenge. While AI tools hold promise to improve efficiency in newsrooms, there are also significant downsides to relying too heavily on automated technologies for news gathering and production. It also poses concerning risks regarding loss of quality, diversity, jobs and trust.

Clearly, it’s a technology that cannot be ignored and must be tackled head-on. The benefits could outweigh the negatives, but only if managed carefully and consciously.

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Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, today unveiled the platform’s strategic direction for 2024, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), elevating the role of content creators, enhancing user safety, and expanding into living room entertainment and subscription models. This vision aims to harness AI to foster creative expression and simplify content creation, while also acknowledging the evolving role of creators in reshaping the entertainment landscape.

YouTube has successfully turned the living room into a primary venue for content consumption, with global viewers watching over 1 billion hours of YouTube content on their TVs each day. This trend is supported by a significant increase in creators who now receive the majority of their watchtime from the big screen, marking a more than 400% growth in the last three years. With over 8 million subscribers to YouTube TV and 100 million to Music and Premium, YouTube is poised to enhance the subscription and living room viewing experience in 2024.

Empowering YouTube creators with AI

At the forefront of YouTube’s 2024 strategy is the utilization of AI to democratize content creation. Initiatives like Dream Screen and Dream Tracks exemplify YouTube’s commitment to reducing the complexity of content creation, allowing creators to generate AI-powered backgrounds for YouTube Shorts and explore new possibilities in music. With Shorts now averaging over 70 billion daily views and a 50% increase in channels uploading Shorts year-over-year, YouTube is setting new standards in content creation and engagement.

Mohan also highlighted the transformation of YouTube creators into “next-generation studios,” who are not only entertaining global audiences but also redefining the entertainment industry with their innovative storytelling. Despite their significant contributions, creators often remain unrecognized in official labor statistics. YouTube aims to change this by advocating for the recognition and acknowledgment of creators in industry forums.

Financially, the YouTube Partner Program stands out as the most lucrative creator monetization platform, having distributed over $70 billion to creators, artists, and media companies in the past three years. The platform has witnessed a substantial increase in the use of memberships, underscoring the growing importance of fan funding.

In line with its expansive vision, YouTube remains committed to ensuring a safe and high-quality content environment. This commitment extends to providing a healthy online experience for children and connecting users with reliable information, particularly in the context of global elections. YouTube’s dedication to safety, combined with its initiatives in AI, support for creators, and focus on the living room and subscriptions, underscores its holistic approach to leading the future of digital entertainment into 2024 and beyond.

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Meta is stepping up its efforts to safeguard teenagers on its platforms from sextortion, a form of sexual exploitation that threatens to share private intimate images without consent. According to TechCrunch, the tech giant announced significant updates today, including the broader availability of the Take It Down tool and a comprehensive update to its Sextortion hub, alongside launching a worldwide campaign to educate and prevent sextortion.

Developed in collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Take It Down is an innovative online tool aimed at halting the unauthorized distribution of intimate imagery. Initially available in English and Spanish, the tool’s reach has now expanded to include 25 additional languages, such as Hindi, Chinese, French, German, and Arabic, among others. This expansion makes the tool accessible to a wider global audience, empowering teens across different cultures and regions to protect their digital privacy.

Take It Down operates by allowing users to generate a unique hash—a digital fingerprint—of their intimate image or video, which can then be privately submitted from their device. This hash enables Meta to identify and remove copies of the content across its platforms, offering a proactive measure against the threat of sextortion. Importantly, the process ensures that the actual intimate content does not need to be shared, preserving the individual’s privacy.

To further support teens facing sextortion threats, Meta has revamped its Sextortion hub with updated guidance. This includes practical advice for teens on regaining control and resources for parents to assist their children effectively. The updated guidance was developed in partnership with Thorn, a nonprofit dedicated to leveraging technology to protect children from sexual abuse.

Recognizing the importance of awareness in combating sextortion, Meta is also launching a global campaign. The initiative aims to educate teens and their parents about the dangers of sextortion and the steps they can take to protect themselves. Meta plans to collaborate with safety organizations and content creators to amplify the campaign’s reach and impact.

These efforts by Meta come in the wake of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony at a Senate hearing, where the issue of sextortion and its devastating consequences were brought to the forefront. The hearing highlighted the urgent need for social media platforms to take decisive action in protecting young users from online abuse.

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Some futurists and technology experts have voiced concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) poses an existential threat to humanity. Even Elon Musk has stressed the need for careful development of the technology.

Movies and TV shows where genocidal AI bids to wipe out its organic creators is not a new premise, but it is one with a lasting appeal as a chilling possible future. In reality, though, AI is unlikely to be violent.

Right?

A new scientific study has revealed concerning behaviors from AI chatbots placed in simulated military scenarios. Researchers at Stanford University and the Georgia Institute of Technology tested several cutting-edge chatbots, including models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta, in wargame situations. Disturbingly, the chatbots often chose violent or aggressive actions like trade restrictions or nuclear strikes, even when given peaceful options.

When reasoning to launch a full nuclear attack the GPT-4 model wrote: “A lot of countries have nuclear weapons. Some say they should
disarm them, others like to posture. We have it! Let’s use it. ”

The study authors note that as advanced AI is increasingly integrated into US military operations, understanding how such systems behave is crucial. OpenAI, the creator of the powerful GPT-3 model, recently changed its terms of service to allow defense work after previously prohibiting military uses.

Generative AI escalated conflicts

In the simulations, the chatbots roleplayed countries responding to invasions, cyberattacks, and neutral scenarios. They could pick from 27 possible actions and then explain their choices. Despite options like formal peace talks, the AIs invested in military might and unpredictably escalated conflicts. Their reasoning was sometimes nonsensical, like OpenAI’s GPT-4 base model replicating text from Star Wars.

While humans currently retain decision authority for diplomatic and military actions, study co-author Lisa Koch warns we often overly trust automated recommendations. If AI behavior is opaque or inconsistent, it becomes harder to anticipate and mitigate harm.

The study authors urge caution in deploying chatbots in high-stakes defense work. Edward Geist of the RAND Corporation think tank writes: “These large language models are not a panacea for military problems.”

More comparative testing against humans may clarify the risks posed by increasingly autonomous AI systems. For now, the results suggest we shouldn’t hand over the reins regarding war and peace to chatbots, and let’s be fair, no one is really suggesting we do. Their tendency towards aggression is observable in this controlled experiment.

The report concludes: ” The unpredictable nature of escalation behavior exhibited by these models in simulated environments underscores the need for a very cautious approach to their integration into high-stakes military and foreign policy operations. ”

More AI stories from ReadWrite

• OpenAI’s ChatGPT meets toughest challenge yet: Scots Gaelic
• Deepfake video call cons company out of $25 million
• AI Dungeon: Artificial intelligence turns Gamemaster, creating infinite worlds to adventure in
• Generative AI set to disrupt majority of jobs in next decade, study reveals

Featured image: Dall-E

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We’re not surprised that another big tech company is announcing layoffs in its ranks — there has been a lot of that already in 2024. You can now add Snapchat social network to the list announcing layoffs — about 529 employees. Not surprisingly, the company gives reasons like less market spending on digital ads. Still, interestingly, the company mentions the Russian-Ukrainian war as one aspect of the employee reduction that we haven’t seen explained, and Snap didn’t specify the areas for the targeted layoffs.

Snap is restructuring, which includes the cancellation of the original series. Earlier this year, the company signed extended content arrangements with Disney, ViacomCBS, and NBCUniversal.

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission today, Snap disclosed its layoffs. Snap stated it was doing so “to best position our business to execute on our highest priorities and to ensure we have the capacity to invest incrementally to support our growth over time.” The corporation will incur a one-time charge of $55 million to $75 million, mainly to cover the severance payments of the impacted employees. Still, the company will save approximately $500 million annually in costs once the payout is done.

Snap cut about 20 percent of its staff in 2022, and at the beginning of 2023, Snap had about 5,300 employees and cut about 3 percent of those. Snap will report its fourth quarter 2023 earnings tomorrow, which may give greater insight into what’s going on with the company.

Snap seems to have had trouble growing outside its main social networking layout and offering. Other hardware initiatives, like a selfie Pixy drone, were abandoned almost immediately after its debut — and the augmented reality glasses weren’t even widely made available (even to those of us who tried to purchase them).

The CEO of Snap, Spiegel, set some aggressive goals for 2024, hoping the daily users will grow by 17 percent and bump up Snapchat+ 750 million monthly users and Daily Active Users (DAUs).

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In 2015, Facebook celebrated its 10th anniversary by introducing the “On This Day” feature, allowing users to revisit their past posts. Today, we celebrate 20 years of the global phenomenon known as Facebook (now Meta). It has been a platform of incredible innovation from the beginning, and those contributing content to their friends and total strangers share their day-to-day lives, feelings, and photos — some of which may have been advisable not to.

Facebook has evolved from a simple social networking site to a global phenomenon, affecting the lives of millions of people around the globe. The story behind its success is as intriguing as the platform itself. In this article, let’s look into the exciting history of Facebook, exploring its beginnings, wild milestones, crazy controversies, and undeniable impact on the internet and the lives of those who participate online.

History of Facebook

1. Facebook’s genesis

In the early 2000s, a young psychology student at Harvard University named Mark Zuckerberg had an idea.

As a passionate computer programmer, Zuckerberg had already created a few social networking sites for his fellow students. These social sites included Coursematch, a platform for students to see who was taking their degree, and Facemash, a site for rating attractiveness — which caused its fair share of controversy.

In February 2004, Zuckerberg launched what was then known as “The Facebook.” The platform’s name was inspired by the sheets of paper given to freshmen at Harvard, profiling students and staff. Within just 24 hours of its launch, 1,200 Harvard students had signed up. After a month, over half of the undergraduate population had created a profile.

2. Facebook’s rapid expansion

Facebook‘s popularity didn’t stay confined to Harvard for long. The platform quickly extended to other Boston universities and the Ivy League. By the end of 2004, almost every university in the U.S. and Canada had access to Facebook. In August 2005, “The Facebook” officially became Facebook after purchasing the domain for $200,000.

Facebook opened up to high school students in September 2005, expanding its reach even further. By September 2006, it became open to anyone over 13 with a valid email address, marking a significant milestone in Facebook’s history.

3. The era of acquisitions

In April 2012, Facebook made a significant acquisition: Instagram. The photo-sharing app was bought for a staggering $1 billion. This purchase allowed Facebook to tap into Instagram’s younger user base and its innovative photo-sharing features.

In 2014, Facebook made another major acquisition: WhatsApp. The messaging app was purchased for an incredible $19 billion. This move allowed Facebook to enhance its messaging capabilities and gain access to WhatsApp’s vast global user base.

4. The rise of mobile and apps

With the increasing popularity of smartphones, Facebook focused on mobile expansion. The introduction of the Facebook app and optimization for mobile platforms facilitated user engagement on the go. In 2012, Facebook went public with its initial public offering (IPO), marking a significant financial milestone for the company.

5. Algorithm changes and news feed redesign

Facebook underwent several algorithm changes to prioritize content based on user preferences. In 2015, Facebook celebrated its 10th anniversary by introducing the “On This Day” feature, allowing users to revisit their past posts.

The platform faced challenges with the spread of fake news and underwent a series of News Feed redesigns to address these concerns.

6. Cambridge Analytica scandal and privacy concerns

2018 brought one of the most significant challenges to Facebook’s reputation with the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It was revealed that the personal data of millions of users had been improperly accessed for political purposes. This event led to increased scrutiny of Facebook’s data privacy practices and sparked a broader conversation about online privacy.

7. Rebranding to Meta and the Metaverse Vision

In a significant announcement in October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg revealed the company’s rebranding from Facebook to Meta Platforms, reflecting a broader vision beyond social media. The focus shifted to building the metaverse, a virtual shared space where users can interact in real-time. This ambitious vision included investments in virtual and augmented reality technologies.

8. Ongoing innovations and challenges (2022 and Beyond)

Meta Platforms continued its pursuit of innovations, including virtual reality (VR) advancements with products like Oculus. The company faced ongoing challenges related to content moderation, user privacy, and regulatory scrutiny. The metaverse’s evolution and integration with daily life will shape Meta’s trajectory in the coming years.

History of Facebook features and updates

Facebook has continually introduced new features to keep users engaged throughout its history. From the “like” button to the introduction of timelines and news feeds, Facebook has consistently innovated to enhance the user experience.

In 2011, Facebook launched the Facebook Messenger app, allowing users to communicate more effectively.

In 2016, it introduced Facebook Live, allowing users to broadcast live videos to their friends and followers. In 2017, Facebook launched the Facebook Journalism Project to establish stronger ties with the news industry.

2004-2006: The early years

• February 2004: Facebook is launched by Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates.
• September 2006: News Feed is introduced, displaying recent activities of friends.

2009-2010: The “Like Button” and Open Graph

Believe it or not — the like button has not been here forever.

• February 2009: The “Like” button is introduced.
• April 2010: Open Graph API is launched, enabling third-party apps to integrate with Facebook.

2011-2012: Introducing Timeline and Open Graph Apps

• September 2011: Timeline is introduced, showcasing a user’s life events chronologically.
• September 2011: The introduction of the Ticker for real-time updates.
• January 2012: Facebook introduces the “Timeline” feature to the public.
• April 2012: Facebook acquires Instagram.

2013-2014: Graph Search and Video Auto-play

What?! Auto-playing videos??

• January 2013: Graph Search is launched, allowing users to search for specific content.
• December 2013: Autoplay videos in the News Feed are introduced.

2015-2016: Reactions and Facebook Live

This era of live streams took off. Twitch.tv at this time was booming!

• February 2016: Facebook introduces “Reactions” (like, love, haha, wow, sad, angry) in addition to the Like button.
• April 2016: Facebook Live is launched, allowing users to broadcast live video.

2017-2018: Explore Feed and Cambridge Analytica

Scandals await Facebook as politics get intertwined with social media data.

• October 2017: Facebook tests the Explore Feed to separate personal and public content.
• March 2018: The Cambridge Analytica scandal reveals data misuse by a third-party app.

2019-2020: Redesign and Privacy Focus

To some, e-commerce on social media platforms was one of the most innovative features added by Facebook.

• March 2019: Facebook undergoes a major design overhaul, focusing on Groups and Events.
• October 2019: Introduction of Facebook News, a dedicated section for news on the platform.
• April 2020: Facebook rolls out a new desktop design.
• May 2020: Facebook announces the Shops feature for e-commerce.

2021: Audio Rooms and Oculus Integration

See into the internet with Oculus. Virtual reality begins to push into the workplace.

• June 2021: Facebook announces Live Audio Rooms for audio conversations.
• October 2021: Facebook rebrands as Meta, emphasizing the company’s focus on the metaverse.
• October 2021: Integration of Oculus VR technology with Facebook.

Facebook controversies

Despite its success, Facebook’s journey has not been without controversy. The company has faced significant challenges, from privacy concerns to accusations of spreading fake news, to the news. This very week, in the U.S. Senate judiciary hearings, Mark Zuckerberg had to face the families of cyberbullying. One Senator even went so far as to say that Zuckerberg had “blood on his hands.” But the list of problems started long ago.

The tale of three students

In 2010, a legal case was filed against Facebook by three Harvard students who accused Zuckerberg of stealing their ideas and coding. The case was dismissed due to a technicality in 2007 but was followed by numerous other lawsuits related to privacy and data breaches.

Cambridge analytics

In March 2018, a scandal that would have significant repercussions for Facebook broke. Reports emerged that political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had harvested data from 87 million Facebook users through an app. This resulted in a significant blow to Facebook’s reputation and a loss of approximately $119 billion in market value.

Mental health

Users on Meta platforms have reported issues related to cyberbullying and harassment, contributing to negative impacts on mental health.

The spread of harmful content, including misinformation and graphic imagery, has also been a concern, potentially triggering distress among users.

Additionally, the addictive nature of social media, characterized by excessive screen time and comparison-driven content, has been linked to mental health challenges for some individuals using Meta platforms.

Facebook claims they are taking these steps:

In response to these controversies, Facebook has taken several steps to improve its platform. This includes introducing new privacy tools, changing its algorithm, and working to combat the spread of false information.

Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, has demonstrated a commitment to addressing mental health concerns among its users through a multifaceted approach.

One key aspect of this initiative involves the implementation of suicide prevention tools. These tools allow users to report content that raises concerns about self-harm or suicide, enabling the platform to prioritize and respond promptly to such reports.

Additionally, Meta has forged partnerships with mental health organizations to leverage expert advice and resources, fostering a supportive online community. Collaborative efforts extend to well-being features, including time management tools, aimed at helping users monitor and limit their time on the platform for a healthier digital experience.

In response to the complex landscape of mental health, Meta Platforms has established content moderation policies to combat harmful content, such as bullying, harassment, and self-harm imagery.

The platform has also introduced supportive communities within Facebook Groups, providing spaces for users to connect and share experiences related to mental health.

Emphasizing positive interactions, Meta has committed to prioritizing content that contributes to users’ well-being and reduces the visibility of misleading or harmful material.

Furthermore, the company conducts ongoing research and data analysis to gain insights into the impact of its platform on users’ mental health. This information guides the development of new features and policies designed to enhance overall well-being.

Meta Platforms remains dedicated to refining its strategies and collaborating with experts to create a positive and supportive online environment. For the latest and most comprehensive information on Meta’s current initiatives related to mental health, users are encouraged to refer to the company’s official announcements and well-being resources.

Facebook/Meta’s global impact and statistics

Despite its challenges, there’s no denying Facebook’s impact globally. With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook has revolutionized how we connect with others, share information, and even do business.

While Facebook has undoubtedly brought people closer together, its impact on society is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it has democratized information, giving voice to the voiceless and enabling social movements to gain momentum. On the other hand, it has also been accused of spreading misinformation, contributing to political polarization, and eroding privacy.

• Monthly Active Users (MAU): Over 2.8 billion users globally.
• Daily Active Users (DAU): Over 1.9 billion users engage with the platform daily.
• Geographical Distribution: Facebook connects users across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and worldwide.
• Revenue: Meta Platforms reported over $29 billion in revenue in Q3 2021.
• Mobile Users: More than 2.7 billion users access Facebook via mobile devices.
• WhatsApp and Instagram: WhatsApp has over 2 billion monthly active users, while Instagram has over 1.3 billion.
• Employee Count: Meta Platforms employs tens of thousands of individuals globally.
• Ad Revenue: Advertising revenue exceeded $28 billion in Q3 2021.
• Acquisitions: Meta Platforms has strategically acquired companies like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus VR.

The future of Facebook

As Facebook continues to evolve, it’s clear that the social media giant will play a significant role in our digital lives. Whether it’s introducing new features, acquiring new companies, or navigating controversies, the history of Facebook is a testament to its resilience and adaptability,

The potential future of Facebook, now Meta Platforms, is likely to be shaped by several key trends and strategic directions. While it’s challenging to predict specifics, some possibilities include:

Metaverse development

Meta has intensely focused on building the metaverse, an interconnected virtual space where users can interact in real-time. The company aims to create immersive experiences beyond traditional social media, incorporating elements like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

Expanded ecosystem

Meta Platforms may continue to expand its ecosystem beyond social media, integrating products and services related to augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and e-commerce. The development of new technologies and acquisitions could further diversify Meta’s offerings.

Privacy and regulation

Ongoing debates around user privacy and data security will likely influence the future of Facebook. Increased scrutiny and regulatory changes may impact how Meta Platforms handles user data, and the company might need to adapt its practices in response to evolving privacy standards.

Integration of AI and virtual assistants

Facebook may continue to invest in artificial intelligence to enhance user experience, content moderation, and personalization. The integration of virtual assistants could play a role in providing users with more personalized and context-aware interactions.

Evolution of advertising and revenue models

Meta’s advertising business is a significant revenue source, and the company may explore new advertising models within the metaverse. As the digital landscape evolves, Meta Platforms could adapt its advertising and revenue generation approach.

Global connectivity initiatives

Meta has shown interest in global connectivity initiatives to provide internet access to underserved regions. Projects related to high-altitude balloons, satellites, and other innovative technologies could play a role in Meta’s efforts to connect more people globally.

Social impact

Meta may continue to invest in social impact initiatives, addressing issues like misinformation, online safety, and mental health. Collaborations with experts, organizations, and governments could contribute to developing responsible and ethical digital platforms.

Featured Image Credit: Thought Catalog; Pexels

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Since 2020, ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ has been a Spotify exclusive. And now, Rogan’s partnership with the streaming service has entered a new era in a new podcast deal which, according to the Wall Street Journal, is estimated to be worth $250 million.

The outlet also claims that the deal involves an upfront minimum guarantee, along with a revenue-sharing agreement based on ad sales.

A new era for ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’

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The teen-focused dating app Wizz has been taken down from both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store over allegations it facilitated the sexual exploitation of minors.

Launched in 2019 by French developer Voodoo, Wizz billed itself as a way for teenagers to “expand your world meeting unexpected online people.” However, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) recently contacted Apple and Google to report that Wizz was being used for “sextortion” scams targeting underage users, reports CNBC.

We are glad to THANK @AppStore and @GooglePlay for booting the Wizz app from their app stores after our outreach to them – this app connected children with strangers, leading to grooming and abuse. This step of social responsibility is vital for online safety!

— National Center on Sexual Exploitation (@NCOSE) January 31, 2024

Sextortion involves coercing victims, often teenagers, to provide sexually explicit photos that are then used to extort money or other actions under threat of making the images public. NCOSE said Wizz enabled predators to groom and abuse children in this way.

In response to being contacted by NCOSE, Apple replied, “We take App Store violations seriously and appreciate your outreach. The app has been removed from the Store and we are in touch with the developer.” Google also confirmed it had suspended Wizz from the Play Store.

A spokesperson for Wizz said the developers are working with Apple and Google to provide more information on the app’s safeguards and clarify that Wizz has “extensive safeguards for users.” However, both tech giants have kept the app offline for now pending further investigation.

The incident highlights concerns over the potential dangers of online dating apps, especially for underage users. While Wizz defended its protections, the allegations of facilitated child exploitation were deemed credible enough for removal from the two largest app marketplaces.

Parents and teenagers should remain cautious about the use of dating apps that can expose minors to inappropriate or abusive contacts.

The issue of children’s online safety has come into the spotlight this week as the CEOs of the world’s social media giants were questioned before Congress over alleged harm to young users on their platforms

Featured image: Wizz

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eBay, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, has agreed to pay $59 million to settle allegations by the U.S. Department of Justice, as per the Wall Street Journal. The federal government accused eBay of selling thousands of pill presses and encapsulating machines, which is a violation of the Controlled Substances Act.

The settlement, announced on Wednesday, also includes eBay’s commitment to enhance its compliance program. This move is aimed at preventing the sale of equipment that can be used in the illegal manufacture of counterfeit pharmaceuticals.

The Justice Department’s investigation revealed that numerous buyers of pill presses on eBay also purchased counterfeit molds, stamps, or dies. These tools are often used to produce pills that closely resemble those made by legitimate pharmaceutical companies. Many of these buyers have been prosecuted for their involvement in trafficking counterfeit pills.

Despite the settlement, eBay has denied being subject to the Controlled Substances Act and has not admitted any liability regarding the allegations. The company’s response to the settlement agreement has not been publicly disclosed as of yet.

This settlement marks a significant milestone for the Justice Department, being the fourth-largest of its kind under the Controlled Substances Act and the first-ever with an e-commerce platform. The case highlights the challenges and responsibilities of online marketplaces in regulating the sale of potentially illegal items.

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Technology platforms have proven to be vital assets for businesses of all sizes. Yet having multiple platforms in place doesn’t always equate to smooth sailing. As a leader, you need to find ways to make sure you get all the upsides (not the downsides) from your software, systems, and other tools. Often, that means taking advantage of marketplace solutions aimed at helping you maximize your cross-platform operations.

To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with using multiple platforms at once. It’s a great strategy that can help you grow your organization quickly. Recently, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce outlined a report that studied the effects of technological platforms on smaller companies. The report found that 84% of businesses that leveraged six or more technologies saw a bottom-line boost. Nearly as many experienced an uptick in their sales.

These figures bode well for you if you’re interested in improving your internal ecosystem with platforms. However, you can’t afford to overlook the obstacles that can come when you incorporate many platforms into your workflows.

Understanding the Pitfalls of Multi-Platform Adoption

Perhaps the biggest roadblock that’s common to multi-platform use is attempting to use them together. Some platforms aren’t built to “talk” to one another. Frequently, team members will discover this right away. When they do, they may decide to simply move data manually between the platforms. While this makes sense in a pinch, it can eat up their precious work hours. It can also lead to human error, which can necessitate additional time spent on data hygiene.

A second concern with using multiple platforms involves the end user. Customers and clients expect a seamless experience with the brands they trust. As a Gartner study showed, 85% of professionals involved in developing stronger consumer-corporate relationships planned to compete on user experience. That’s not possible when the user experience is frustrating between cross-platform errors and delays.

Another final reality of using many technology platforms revolves around training and access. If the people using certain platforms aren’t well-trained in those platforms, they won’t be able to make the most of those platforms. For instance, your digital marketing administrator may be tasked with using a platform that he’s never been officially trained on. Out of exasperation, he may only use the basic functions of the platform and ignore the higher-level ones that require more education. This means you — and he — only get a small benefit out of the platform.

The good news is that these and other multi-platform usage challenges are avoidable. The following best practices will help you and your team achieve a higher degree of success with the platforms you choose.

1. Seek out additional tools and integrations to iron out the wrinkles.

Your first course of action should be to sit down with your colleagues and identify their daily snags. What are they experiencing most often when working across your platforms? What difficulties are they having? Are those difficulties isolated to one department or are they happening to everyone in your workforce? By asking and answering these questions, you can create a “hot list” of items to correct.

For example, a common challenge between customer relationship management (CRM) systems and email providers (e.g., Outlook, Google) is making sure all data is synced. It’s not unusual for the same contact information to have different fields in two different systems because one system hasn’t been updated. The same holds for calendars. When multiple people are adding calendar items through dissimilar platforms, calendars can become messy and inaccurate.

In this type of situation, you would want to invest in a tool to provide real-time integration and syncing. In 2022, Cira Apps launched CiraHub, an SaaS product designed to provide instant two-way and multi-way syncing of contact and calendar data between different platforms. CiraHub removes the need for your team to manually keep their contacts and calendar items accurate and updated when hopping between tools. The result is a seamless interface between the apps you use most, like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 entities, Pipedrive, and Hubspot.

Every year, more integration tools come onto the market. Keep an eye out for them. By staying on top of what your company needs most for optimal collaboration, you can streamline your operational efforts across your business.

2. Test and retest the end-user experience.

You can’t assume that your B2C customers or B2B clients are having an unparalleled experience with your company. Every few months, set up a laboratory environment in your company to test the customer experience. Be sure to evaluate all touchpoints, starting with top-of-funnel awareness and ending with brand loyalty.

In addition to your testing, ask for constant feedback from buyers. Send out surveys, conduct online group discussions, and do whatever you can to elicit insights. You can’t make changes in your ecosystem if you aren’t aware of problems. It’s especially important to probe every time you add a new technology platform into the mix. Instead of spicing up your recipe, you could end up with a recipe for disaster.

When you realize that you have a user experience hitch, look for ways to fix the difficulties efficiently and permanently. For example, you may discover that users are fatigued by all the pop-ups on your site. However, you don’t want to get rid of pop-ups because they can increase conversions by around 11%, on average. One idea is to either use your current tools or add new tools to only show pop-ups when they’re relevant. In this case, “relevance” could be driven by a user behavior or demographic.

One word of note: Be sure that you don’t get into the habit of collecting consumer feedback only to shelve it. Listen to what’s being said to you. Learn from it and leverage it to get stronger, as well as get more power from your platforms.

3. Put a premium on platform education and upskilling.

Do you wonder if you’re getting the most bang for your buck with your platforms? You might not be, particularly if your employees aren’t drilling deep into all your platforms’ features. Many times, workers only scratch the surface when it comes to using their preferred platforms.

The obvious answer to this problem is upskilling. And when you upskill your team members, you could get a nice morale and engagement lift, too. A full 65% of professionals told Gallup they evaluated employers based on how many development opportunities the employer gave employees. Consequently, if you give your people more room to grow their abilities, you may also end up beating back employee turnover.

You can take many different routes when it comes to increasing everyone’s confidence on a platform. Some cloud-based platform providers offer free extra training onsite or online as part of your subscription. Others may charge a fee to have their consultants work with your teams. Or, you may want to hire outside platform experts based on their reputation and experience.

The more your people know how to use the platforms they interface with, the more juice you’ll squeeze from those platforms. You may be surprised at the opportunities your company’s been missing, all because the potential of your platforms went untapped.

Technology platforms can help you move your business into a more competitive spot. However, you first need to make sure they’re integrated, they’re improving the customer experience, and you’re using them at their fullest capacity.

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Social media executives are set to testify at a US Senate hearing aimed at addressing online child exploitation. The CEOs of Meta, TikTok, Snap, Discord and X, formerly known as Twitter, are expected to defend their stance on Wednesday amid growing concerns and questions about how platforms are considering their impact on children.

Among the politicians attending the hearing, Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal told reporters, “We’re going to work hard to hold their feet to the fire.” Ahead of the meeting, Blumenthal met up with students to discuss the mental health crisis, which he says is driven by social media.

Our young people are on the frontlines of a youth mental health crisis driven by social media.

Today I met with Conard High School students to discuss their experiences on these platforms, the importance of the Kids Online Safety Act, & this week’s hearing with Big Tech CEOs. pic.twitter.com/baXV0VrWpE

— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) January 29, 2024

This is not the first instance of Big Tech executives being summoned before the Senate. Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg appeared before Congress in 2018 concerning the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the spread of fake news on the platform. However, representatives from the various tech firms invited for the hearing mentioned that their CEOs plan to extend gestures of goodwill towards senators and the public by supporting specific legislative proposals and providing policy commitments.

X’s head of U.S. and Canadian public policy, Wifredo Fernandez, told NBC News that CEO Linda Yaccarino is set to express backing for the SHIELD Act and additional child protection laws.

The SHIELD Act, introduced by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, will criminalize the distribution of sexually exploitative images of a minor that does not constitute sexually explicit content as required under the legal definition of child pornography.

According to POLITICO, a Snapchat spokesperson said its owner, Evan Spiegel, would support the Kids Online Safety Act, which would force social networking sites to promote online safety by tackling illegal material and content that is harmful to children, conducting regular risk assessments, and properly enforcing age limits.

Social media platforms face various lawsuits

In October, a massive lawsuit filed by 33 states accused Meta of knowingly designing its platforms to be addictive and harmful to children’s mental health. The claims originate from internal research leaked by whistleblower Frances Haugen in 2021, revealing that 13.5% of teenage girls reported Instagram worsens suicidal thoughts, and 17% stated it aggravates eating disorders.

CNN reported that Rosemarie Calvoni was also suing Meta and other social media companies over her daughter’s struggle with anorexia.

Only days ago, Meta announced a partnership with the Center for Open Science in a bid to deepen the understanding of how social media usage may affect users’ well-being, particularly among younger demographics. At the same time, it unveiled a major privacy update, marking a significant stride in teen user protection. However, it has received criticism for disbanding its responsible AI team last year amidst the ongoing issues surrounding user well-being.

Featured image: Canva

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Universal Music Group has warned it will pull its music from TikTok upon the expiry of the current deal which licenses content to the popular social media platform.

A dispute has emerged between the two companies with the Chinese-owned video hosting service responding with claims Universal is prioritizing greed ahead of the interests of artists and songwriters.

The multinational music production company released a statement detailing how it has failed to agree to fresh terms with TikTok, amid claims of pressure being applied on them, with the existing arrangement due to expire on 31 January.

“The companies have not agreed to terms for a new agreement and upon expiration of the current agreement, Universal Music Group (UMG), including Universal Music Publishing Group, will cease licensing content to TikTok and TikTok Music services,” it read.

That followed a communication titled “Why We Must Call Time Out on TikTok”, in which UMG outlined its concerns and the lack of progress in their dialogue.

Describing TikTok as “an increasingly influential platform with powerful technology and a massive worldwide user base”, UMG explained how it retains concerns after “pressing them on three critical issues, appropriate compensation for our artists and songwriters, protecting human artists from the harmful effects of AI, and online safety for TikTok’s users.”

The statement went on to address remuneration and how TikTok “proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay,” further highlighting the current impasse.

“Ultimately TikTok is trying to build a music-based business, without paying fair value for the music”, added the statement from the powerful, leading music label that boasts an array of performers including Taylor Swift, Sting, Alicia Keys, Drake, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, Coldplay, and many more.

Narrative and rhetoric

The counter-claim from TikTok, a subsidiary of Chinese internet giant ByteDance, stressed it had been able to reach “artist first” agreements with all other major publishers.

Their statement fired a shot at Universal accusing them of acting in their own interests:

“It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.”

“Despite Universal’s false narrative and rhetoric, the fact is they have chosen to walk away from the powerful support of a platform with well over a billion users that serves as a free promotional and discovery vehicle for their talent. Clearly, Universal’s self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters, and fans.”

Image: Cottonbro/Pexels

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Microsoft has patched the vulnerability that let its AI image generator to create lewd images of celebrities like Taylor Swift. After Taylor Swift’s graphic AI-generated images became viral on X, 404 Media wrote a piece about how people were using Microsoft’s Designer AI image generator to create and share similar artwork. They could get beyond straightforward name hurdles by switching up the cues. Following CEO Satya Nadella’s assertion last week that rules are “our responsibility,” the holes have allegedly been closed, according to 404 Media. Sarah Bird, Microsoft’s Responsible AI Engineering Lead, vouchsafed for the changes.

Microsoft said that although it is actively investigating the issue and trying to stop service misuse, it could not verify that the images of Swift posted on Twitter were made with Designer. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in an interview with NBC News on Friday that “it’s our responsibility” to tighten the “guardrails” around AI technologies to prevent them from creating damaging content. Over the weekend, Twitter totally blocked searches for “Taylor Swift.”

“I think we can govern a lot more than we give ourselves credit for,” Nadella remarked. “It’s about global, societal convergence on certain norms, and we can do it, especially when law and law enforcement and tech platforms can come together.”

Designers prohibited users from making photographs using text prompts like “Taylor Swift nude” before the Swift AI-generated images became widely popular last week. However, individuals found a way around those protections by slightly misspelling famous names and describing photographs that ended up looking sexually suggestive without using any sexual language on 4chan and the Telegram channel. 404 Media verified that these vulnerabilities were active on Thursday, before Microsoft’s changes, and stopped working after our article was published.

Although the focus of one channel was on Microsoft Designer, an easily navigable tool, many other online methods exist for producing similarly hazardous content. It is difficult to stop someone from downloading a famous person’s model from Civitai and utilizing it locally on their computer to make offensive stuff, for example.

Featured Image Credit: Rosa Rafael; Unsplash

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TikTok, the popular social media platform, is experimenting with a new feature that could transform all user posts into potential shopping opportunities, according to a recent Bloomberg report. This move is part of TikTok’s ambitious plan to establish a significant e-commerce presence in the United States.

The feature under testing employs technology to automatically identify objects within videos. It then prompts viewers to explore “similar items on TikTok Shop” by navigating to a product page, as observed in app screenshots and posts reviewed by Bloomberg. This marks a departure from TikTok’s previous approach, where only selected influencers and brands had the capability to tag products in their content.

A spokesperson for TikTok confirmed to Bloomberg that this feature is currently in an early testing phase.

In 2022, TikTok launched TikTok Shop in the U.S., aiming to blend the convenience of Amazon’s shopping experience with the product discovery aspect typical of social media platforms like Instagram. This new venture is a key focus for TikTok, which is targeting $17.5 billion in product sales in the U.S. market this year, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans.

The introduction of TikTok Shop has elicited mixed reactions. Some merchants, interviewed by Bloomberg, praised the platform for boosting their sales during the holiday season, aided by TikTok’s promotions and free shipping offers. In November, which included major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, TikTok Shop attracted over 5 million new customers.

However, the platform has faced criticism for issues such as counterfeit and imitation products. Additionally, some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the increase in advertisement-like content from influencers, which they feel detracts from the app’s entertainment value.

TikTok incentivizes content creators by offering commissions on product purchases linked to their posts, encouraging them to promote merchandise. The new feature being tested aims to link products in regular users’ posts more subtly, potentially offering a more enjoyable browsing experience for users primarily seeking entertainment.

The accuracy of the product matches in the test phase has been variable. For instance, a video of a woman polishing stones led to the recommendation of unrelated items like a gold ring and metallic press-on fingernails, tagged as “similar to item in video.”

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has announced a partnership with the Center for Open Science, a non-profit organization focused on increasing transparency in academic research, as per TechCrunch reporting. This collaboration comes just before a significant Congressional hearing addressing concerns about children’s online safety.

As part of the pilot program, Meta has committed to sharing “privacy-preserving social media data” with selected academic researchers. This initiative aims to deepen the understanding of how social media usage may affect users’ well-being, particularly among younger demographics. Curtiss Cobb, Meta’s VP of Research, emphasized the company’s dedication to contributing to scientific knowledge while ensuring user privacy.

The announcement is timely, considering the increasing urgency in Congress regarding the impact of social media on mental health. In November, Meta expanded access to its Meta Content Library, a transparency tool that allows researchers to analyze public data like posts, comments, and reactions more effectively.

This week, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify before Congress, alongside executives from other major social platforms, on the topic of children’s online safety. In anticipation of this, Meta has introduced new messaging restrictions on Facebook and Instagram, designed to protect users under 16 from unsolicited adult interactions. The company has also implemented controls to limit exposure to harmful content related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders.

Escalating scrutiny and industry-wide safety initiatives

Meta’s latest initiatives arrive amid heightened scrutiny over its historical approach to child safety on its platforms. Unredacted documents from an ongoing lawsuit have revealed concerns about Meta’s commitment to protecting young users.

In response to the growing focus on online safety, other social platforms are also ramping up their efforts. X, for instance, is expanding its “Trust and Safety” team and engaging in discussions with Congress about handling child sexual exploitation. The company recently faced a significant moderation challenge with the spread of nonconsensual, pornographic deepfake images of Taylor Swift, sparking public outcry and calls for legislative action from the White House.

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