All articles tagged with #socialmedia
An X-posted TikTok video shows a woman dancing in a Walmart checkout after an alleged $3,000 SNAP/EBT purchase; the $3,000 amount is unverified by the Daily Dot, and the clip has sparked online debate about public assistance, eligibility, and the challenges faced by beneficiaries, with commenters noting that social media posts often lack full context about household size and needs.
A BuzzFeed Health piece explores how a viral discussion on social media about pap smears—sparked by a post calling a speculum a “torture device”—shows Gen Z debating discomfort and procedure versus Millennials and medical experts stressing the importance of routine cervical cancer screening; the article highlights both fears around the procedure and the medical consensus on its necessity.
The European Commission is preparing a bloc-wide plan to restrict minors’ access to social media as early as this summer, spurred by member states pressing for stronger protections. An independent expert panel on online child safety is evaluating options, including a minimum age and an EU-wide age-verification system modeled on the Digital COVID Certificate. The move could outpace France’s national ban for under-15s, but technical and privacy hurdles remain. The EU is also scrutinizing platforms under the Digital Services Act and considering further steps in the Digital Fairness Act; Australia and Indonesia have already enacted similar measures.
A New Mexico jury ruled that Meta’s platforms harmed children’s mental health and violated the state’s Unfair Practices Act, finding thousands of violations and unconscionable practices tied to child safety and addiction, potentially totaling $375 million in penalties with a second phase to decide remedies.
A New Mexico state court jury found Meta liable on all counts in a suit accusing the company of failing to warn users and safeguard children on Facebook and Instagram, ordering $375 million in damages and signaling potential platform changes; Meta said it will appeal as other related cases unfold in California and nationwide.
Chappell Roan publicly addressed Jorginho Frello’s claim that a hotel security guard mistreated his 11-year-old stepdaughter, saying the guard was not Roan’s security and that she didn’t see a woman or child; Jorginho had posted about the incident at a Sao Paulo hotel during Lollapalooza Brazil, while Rio’s mayor commented on Roan’s performance plans and Jorginho later shared his daughter’s reaction to Sabrina Carpenter’s Lollapalooza show.
Barry Keoghan says relentless online attacks on his appearance have driven him to withdraw from public life and social media, warning that the abuse could affect his career and his young son as he avoids going outside after premieres and events.
The White House posted a clip from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III on its official X account to illustrate the U.S.-Iran conflict, drawing criticism over government use of video-game visuals for war messaging amid widespread online misinformation; observers note AI-generated and game-based images fueling disinformation, and X has warned it will sanction creators who post AI war content without clear labeling. The report also recalls earlier government use of Halo imagery in recruitment posts amid ongoing strikes and civilian casualties.
A 7-week field experiment with US X users shows that switching from a chronological to an algorithmic feed increases engagement and shifts political attitudes toward conservative positions on policy priorities, Trump investigations, and the Ukraine war; switching back to chronological has no reversing effects. The algorithm also promotes conservative content and activist accounts while demoting traditional media, and people tend to continue following these accounts after the switch, explaining why prior studies found no political effects when turning the algorithm off. Partisanship and affective polarization were largely unaffected. Compliance was high, and effects were stronger among Republicans and Independents.
EU countries are urged to adopt Pedro Sánchez’s five-step plan to curb social-media misuse: hold platform executives liable for infringements, criminalize algorithmic manipulation, implement a hate-polarization footprint, ban minors under 16 with robust age verification, and empower prosecutors to pursue infractions by major platforms like Grok, TikTok, and Instagram.
A federal judge in Minneapolis criticized Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for posting photographs of 11 of 16 protesters charged with assaulting immigration agents, saying sharing images of people presumed innocent is inappropriate and not condoned by the court.
Peacock has issued a safety warning to viewers of The Traitors, urging kindness and caution online after rising negative discourse surrounding the show's contestants. The network emphasizes that what happens in the game should not lead to cyberbullying or personal attacks, noting that discussing the show is fine but targeting individuals is not. The article highlights the show’s fourth season, featuring celebrity contestants such as Lisa Rinna, Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Rob Rausch, and mentions that Peacock has previously urged fans to spread positivity rather than hate.
A long thread debates whether nations should set 16 as the minimum age for social-media accounts, sparked by Australia’s and Europe’s moves toward age verification. Proponents argue age gates could limit teen exposure to addictive algorithms and mental-health harms; opponents warn it could block educational access (like YouTube), intrude on privacy via digital-ID schemes, and be difficult to enforce. Many advocate for stronger parental controls and alternative, less intrusive solutions, while others fear censorship and a slippery slope, leaving the policy question open with different global approaches and trade-offs.
Instagram's head Adam Mosseri announced that the platform's traditional polished aesthetic is dead due to the rise of AI-generated content, urging creators to adopt a more raw and authentic style as AI makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish real from synthetic media.
Instagram, under Meta's leadership, has been actively working for years to attract more teenage users despite criticism and legal challenges over safety and addiction concerns, as revealed by internal records and recent actions following lawsuits.