Snapchat thumbs its nose at Brexit, opens international HQ in UK
Brexit was supposed to terrify companies out of doing business in the UK, and in some instances this has been true. But Snapchat is bucking the trend, opting to set up its international headquarters not in Ireland (as many companies do to avoid huge tax bills), but in the UK.
Snap Inc, the company behind SnapChat, will open its London offices under the name Snap Group Limited. The company says it chose the UK capital because of its "strong creative industries", and the move will be seen by many as a something of a coup for post-EU referendum Britain.
So you want to edit tweets? Jack Dorsey says the option is 'definitely needed'
Unlike Facebook, Twitter lacks the option to edit what you have posted in order to correct typos or other mistakes. It's something that has been the subject of complaints and discussion for years now, and Jack Dorsey is finally starting to listen.
Writing -- on Twitter, funnily enough -- just before New Year, Dorsey said that an edit function is "def needed. But for everyone, not just those w badges". At the moment it is not known whether the feature is due to arrive, but it's clearly something that Twitter is considering. Dorsey makes it clear that he understands the pros and cons of making tweets editable.
Facebook promotes fake news by activating Safety Check based on false reports of Bangkok bomb
The problem of fake news on Facebook has been highly publicized recently, and while the social network says it is doing what it can to tackle the issue, it seems the company is actually adding fuel to the fire.
Based on false reports of an explosion in Bangkok, Thailand, Facebook's Safety Check feature was activated. This in turn helped to give the initial story authenticity, helping with the spread of fake news. Safety Check has itself proved to be a controversial feature, and combined with flakey news algorithms, it resulted in a perfect storm.
US government starts asking foreign visitors for their Facebook, Twitter and other social media info
In a move that has drawn criticisms from privacy groups, the US government this week started to ask some foreign travelers arriving in the country to hand over their social media account details.
Since Tuesday, visitors to the US arriving under the visa waiver program have been asked if they will provide "information associated with your online presence". Travellers are prompted to provide their usernames for the likes of Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, and while the handing over of information is currently marked as "optional", it's not clear what the consequences of failing to provide it may be, or if there are plans to make it mandatory.
Stop lurking on Facebook (maybe ditch it altogether!) and you'll have a happier Christmas
For all of the talk of it being a social network, Facebook can be a lonely and depressing place. Despite this, many people use the site as somewhere to 'lurk', something which research shows can be psychologically harmful.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that emotions become more positive and life-satisfaction increased in a group of people who took a break from the site. The effects were more pronounced in heavy users of Facebook, in those who suffered from envy, and those who failed to interact with other users. The advice for some people is that they might want to "consider quitting Facebook for good".
Facebook received 27 percent more government requests for information in 2016
Facebook has released its Global Government Requests Report for H1 2016, and it shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of government requests for account data.
Compared to the first half of 2015, Facebook received 27 percent more requests globally. Most of these 59,229 requests came from the US government, and more than half of them (56 percent) included a gagging order preventing Facebook from notifying the affected users.
Twitter search gets an overhaul to place more emphasis on relevance
Twitter has given its search results a tweak just in time for the New Year. The change sees a move away from displaying tweets in reverse chronological order to showing them in order of relevance instead.
The company recognizes that the site is "live and real-time, so naturally Twitter search must surface recent, yet still relevant, results", so time of posting is still factored in to determine the display order -- it is just no longer the only factor used. With a dash of machine learning thrown in, Twitter thinks it has things sorted.
Facebook introduces Live Audio in conjunction with the BBC
It's not all that long since Facebook started to allow users to broadcast live video to their friends and followers -- now the social network is doing the same with audio. Things are looking good for mobile users, particularly those with Android devices.
Starting off with partners such as the BBC World Service, LBC and Harper Collins, Live Audio is something of a blend of podcasts and radio. To start off -- just as happened with live video -- audio broadcasting will only be available to a select group of companies, but there are plans to open it up to everyone.
EU accuses Facebook of providing misleading information about WhatsApp acquisition
The European Commission could hit Facebook with a colossal fine for providing misleading information during its $19bn takeover of WhatsApp.
The social networking giant could be hit with a fine equivalent to 1 percent of annual sales (around $125m) for failing to correctly communicate planned changes to privacy policies. The data sharing between WhatsApp and Facebook is already the subject of investigations, but this latest accusation comes as a fresh blow.
Facebook brings colored backgrounds to statuses
After "the most requested Messenger feature ever" yesterday -- Group Video Chat -- Facebook now has another update.
This time around the social network is allowing users to change the background color of status updates. Before you get too excited, however, there are limitations aplenty to bear in mind.
App update prevents users going viral on Instagram by pretending to be in Singapore
Instagrammers around the world recently discovered a quick and easy way to gain greater attention and increase the likelihood of going viral -- tagging their images as if they were in Singapore.
A flaw in Instagram's algorithms meant that images geotagged on the Malaysian island were more likely to be picked to be featured on the Explore page. Greater publicity equals greater views equals viral status equals win. Or at least it did.
Facebook reveals what it is doing to tackle fake news
The issue of fake news has been in the headlines a lot recently, and it is Facebook that has borne the brunt of criticism. The social network is in the throes of revamping news feeds in a bid to help stamp out the problem. But Facebook is aware that fake news is not going to be eliminated overnight, and so is focusing on "the worst of the worst".
Today, the company sheds a little light on the work it has undertaken, and what is still being done to help stem the flow of fakery. The initial targets are "the clear hoaxes spread by spammers for their own gain", but this is just the beginning.
Twitter apes Facebook and brings live video streaming to its mobile apps
Twitter is rolling out a new feature to iOS and Android users that enables users to broadcast live video from within the app. If this sounds rather familiar, it's because it's a feature copied from Facebook -- and something that is already offered by Twitter-owned Periscope.
But live video broadcasting on Twitter is not replacing Periscope, it is powered by Periscope. By moving live video direct into the app, Twitter acknowledges the importance that users place on the feature, something which has been proven by the popularity of Facebook Live videos.
Facebook launches Parents Portal to help keep kids safe online
Facebook is on something of a mission to clean up its act, or at least its image, at the moment. The social network is looking to tackle the problems of trolls, bullying and fake news, and its latest campaign is a bid to keep younger users safe.
The minimum age for using Facebook is 13, but this still means that there are some young, naïve and impressionable users out there. With its newly launched Parents Portal, Facebook is looking to arm parents with the information they need to educate their kids about staying safe.
Facebook reveals the biggest trending topics and Live videos of 2016
We're nearing the end of the year, so expect to be inundated with retrospectives for 2016 -- Facebook has just released its look back at the year that's (nearly) gone by.
The social network's review of 2016 comprises two top 10 lists: the most popular trending topics of the year, and the most popular Live videos of the year. It should come as no surprise that the trending topics list is dominated by major political events such as the US election and Brexit, as well as celebrity deaths.
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