Tag: Facebook

Russian interference in the campaign included covert ads on social media and phony Facebook groups pumping out falsehoods. The U.S. Senate election in Alabama in December was rife with fake online reports in support of Republican Roy Moore, who eventually lost to Democrat Doug Jones amid allegations that Moore had sexual contact with teenagers when he was a prosecutor in his 30s. The difference now is how quickly false information spreads. A study released this past week found that false information spreads faster and wider on Twitter than real news stories. Federal regulations require a record of every political advertisement that is broadcast on television and radio. But online ads have no comparable requirements. Facebook has partnered with media organizations, including The Associated Press, to flag false information on its platform. Who Targets You designed an online tool that will collect Facebook political ads and deposit them in a database. Other organizations, including the AP, have begun publishing stories specifically intended to knock down false information circulating on social media. In Seattle’s municipal election last year, online ad spending increased 5,000 percent over the previous cycle in 2013.

Russian interference in the campaign included covert ads on social media and phony Facebook groups pumping out falsehoods. The U.S. Senate election in Alabama in December was rife with fake online reports in support of Republican Roy Moore, who eventually lost to Democrat Doug Jones amid allegations that Moore had sexual contact with teenagers when he was a prosecutor in his 30s. The difference now is how quickly false information spreads. A study released this past week found that false information spreads faster and wider on Twitter than real news stories. But online ads have no comparable requirements. Facebook has partnered with media organizations, including The Associated Press, to flag false information on its platform. Still, because there are so many candidates for office in the U.S., Facebook is limiting itself to federal races at first. Who Targets You designed an online tool that will collect Facebook political ads and deposit them in a database. Other organizations, including the AP, have begun publishing stories specifically intended to knock down false information circulating on social media. In Seattle's municipal election last year, online ad spending increased 5,000 percent over the previous cycle in 2013.

What to watch: The festival starts in Austin today. Watch for panels on tech industry trends like cryptocurrencies and voice assistants, the growing presence of lawmakers, a particular interest in media, and especially Facebook’s growing influence. Oh yeah, and Ethan Hawke will be there. Trends: “Crypto": There’s a noticeable number of panels and events focused on everything from blockchain tech to digital tokens, which is not surprising given the past year’s boom. Artificial intelligence: As in past years, there are a lot of panels on what's next in AI — everything from how it could be used in operating rooms to how to "hack" the ugly problem of racial bias. Voice assistants: Continuing a trend from January’s CES trade show, companies like Amazon and Google will seek to showcase their voice assistants. You can watch Bernie Sanders talk to Jake Tapper, or listen to Sen. Mark Warner talk about "hacking our democracy," or hear Rep. Darrell Issa talk about patent trolls. Media: As usual, media outlets (including this one) are flocking to the festival, and companies like Apple and YouTube are sending their top execs. #MeToo: 2017 was a breakthrough year for addressing gender issues, so it's no surprise to see those conversations spill into this festival (which has had its own sexism controversies). Some events recommended by Axios editors: "Tech Under Trump: A 2017/2018 Scorecard," featuring Matt Lira of the White House Office of American Innovation and CareJourney's Aneesh Chopra Catch Axios at these events:

The deal is this: FB stock is driven entirely by ad revenues. However, because Facebook is so complicated and a black box when it comes to how the platform engages users and vice-versa, it is very easy for management to just wave their hands and call things “algorithms”. As we roll this out, you’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands and media. And the public content you see more will be held to the same standard — it should encourage meaningful interactions between people.” That sounds just lovely, and so does this: “We feel a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being. Zuckerberg’s politics are well-known. How Facebook’s Politics Affect FB Stock Why does this matter for FB stock shareholders? Anytime a business wades into politics, it is bad for business. In attempting to drive a political agenda, it creates the appearance of a CEO that is more distracted by politics than by just running his business. However, advertisers might. He does not own any stock mentioned.

Two people run into each other in their neighbourhood, or virtually on Facebook, and instantly start discussing the president. If the two support Trump, they might share a grumble about the media. But they are also signalling something else to each other, namely: “You and I belong to the same tribe. Then, in 2016, even many previously apolitical Americans embraced their tribal political identity. That year’s US election drew about twice as much interest on Google as the three previous presidential elections combined. And politics has only become more tribal since. Supporting him therefore gives you a clearer identity now than it did in 2016. Remainers sport European flags and their new acronym FBPE (Follow Back Pro EU), just as Trump supporters have American flags and MAGA (Make America Great Again). These people have found their tribes. Most people choose not to, partly because they like living in their tribe.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., discusses the probe into Russia's influence on the 2016 presidential election, relief efforts in Puerto Rico and President Trump's tweets about relief efforts. » Subscribe to MSNBC: http://on.msnbc.com/SubscribeTomsnbc About: MSNBC is the premier destination for in-depth…

Facebook, Google carry bogus reports.

Seth Meyers' monologue from Wednesday, October 4. » Subscribe to Late Night: http://bit.ly/LateNightSeth » Get more Late Night with Seth Meyers: http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/ » Watch Late Night with Seth Meyers Weeknights 12:35/11:35c on NBC. LATE NIGHT ON SOCIAL Follow Late Night on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LateNightSeth…

Seth Meyers' monologue from Friday, September 22. » Subscribe to Late Night: http://bit.ly/LateNightSeth » Get more Late Night with Seth Meyers: http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-seth-meyers/ » Watch Late Night with Seth Meyers Weeknights 12:35/11:35c on NBC. LATE NIGHT ON SOCIAL Follow Late Night on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LateNightSeth…

On Thursday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced significant changes to the way that the platform will handle political advertising, following calls from members of Congress to provide additional information on what it has learned about Russian attempts to influence the 2016 presidential campaign. The company said the ads were not advocating for or against a specific candidate, but were oriented toward swaying opinion on divisive issues. He also outlined a series of steps the company is taking to require additional disclosure from the sources of political ads, but some lawmakers reportedly want added regulation for online spots. Zuckerberg said Facebook’s own internal investigation is continuing, but he also urged other tech companies to cooperate with lawmakers as they pursue leads on Russian election interference. A spokeswoman for Twitter said representatives will meet with the Senate Intelligence Committee next week to share what they have learned about Russian sources’ 2016 election posts. But despite the efforts by the companies to show they are cooperating and taking steps to try to curb the use of their platforms for interference by foreign sources, lawmakers are continuing their pressure on internet firms. That is something that the company is declining to do, citing national security and privacy issues.