Twitter makes it easier to report abusive tweets en masse
There has been a lot of interest in online abuse in recent months, and social networks are taking steps to weed out the trolls and abusers. Twitter has already introduced a number of measures to help tackle trolls, and today announces the availability of a new reporting tool for users.
Now rather than having to report a number of abusive tweets individually, it is possible to report up to five tweets simultaneously. As well as reducing the workload for someone who feels the need to report content, the new tool also makes things easier for Twitter as it allows for additional information to be gathered.
Twitter now offers an easier way to share public tweets privately
While Twitter is designed to provide an open forum for your thoughts, occasionally you might want to have one-to-one discussions in private, and that’s where the Direct Message option comes in.
Today, as part of its quest to make DM conversations "richer", Twitter introduces a feature to make it much easier to share public tweets privately with friends and followers.
New Start Menu features on the way in Windows 10 Anniversary Update
Windows Insiders will soon be able to try out a new Start Menu when preview builds of Windows 10 Anniversary Update begin to roll out. We already know some of what to expect from this big update to Windows 10 -- such as badge notifications in the taskbar for UWP apps -- and now we can see what the updated Start menu looks like too.
The same Microsoft software engineer who shared details of badge notifications -- Jen Gentleman -- has posted an animated GIF to Twitter that shows the Start Menu in action. There are a few notable changes in the updated version, including a nested hamburger menu.
Instagram follows Twitter in embracing non-chronological algorithmic timelines
Any time a social network makes a change, it upsets a lot of people. Facebook has done it countless times -- just look at the vocal outpourings that followed the launch of reactions, for instance -- and Twitter recently irked many users with a new algorithm timeline, albeit one that can be disabled. Now it's the turn of Instagram.
The image- and video-based social network is currently testing an algorithm-driven timeline, much like Twitter and Facebook. Instagrammers are not happy. Not one bit (hence the appearance of the #boycottinstagram hashtag). The primary concern among users -- the narcissistic blighters! -- is that their posts will not be seen and will instead be buried in the noise of their followers' timelines. But all is not lost.
Instagram is taking advantage of Twitter's weakness
A new report on the global state of social media confirms what everyone’s been talking about lately -- Twitter is struggling and Instagram is taking full advantage of it.
The report, entitled simply "Social", is the product of GlobalWebIndex, and it is a compilation of the latest trends in social networking.
Microsoft says sorry for AI bot Tay's 'offensive and hurtful tweets'
Microsoft's first tentative steps into the world of artificial intelligence outside of China did not go well. Less than 24 hours after being unleashed on Twitter, the AI chatbot Tay was pulled offline after people quickly learned that it was possible to train the bot to post racist, sexist, and otherwise offensive material. Great fun was had by all!
All except Microsoft, that is. The company was not only forced to pull the plug on Tay, but today was compelled to issue an apology for "unintended offensive" caused. Twitter users treated Tay as some people would treat an infant -- taking great pleasure in teaching it swearwords and other inappropriate things to say. Maybe it was when Tay was talked into becoming a Trump supporter, but Microsoft is now seeking to distance itself from tweets sent out by the bot that "conflict with our principles and values".
Microsoft kills Tay, its racist, sexist, Holocaust-denying, Trump-loving AI bot
Proving that artificial intelligence has the potential to go horrendously wrong, Microsoft has been forced to pull the plug on Tay, its artificial intelligence-powered chat bot that had been unleashed on Twitter. Initially designed as an exercise in engaging millennials, it didn’t take long for Tay to go rogue -- albeit with a little help from a number of hardcore users.
Microsoft was almost certainly proud of bagging itself a verified account on Twitter for Tay, but it really didn’t take long for things to turn sour. Twitter users quickly learned that the very nature of an AI bot meant that it was ripe for moulding, and it was a mere matter of hours before the bot had been transformed from a mild-mannered female Twitter user into a Nazi-loving racist who hates feminists and loves Hitler... and Donald Trump.
Stickers, Stamptags, Taptags or Stickits... Twitter is testing a new image editing tool
Sometimes sharing a plain old image just isn't enough. Sometimes you might feel the need to adorn an otherwise dull image with clipart-style graphics. Sound like you? If so you're going to love the sound of a new image tool Twitter is testing... if not, brace yourself for an influx of irritation in you timeline.
Currently being referred to as Stickers (sound familiar?) -- although names including Stamptags, Taptags or Stickits are also in the running -- the tool is undergoing testing with a select group of tweeters. It allows users to add graphic overlays to photos and also introduces some extra social features in a bid to stand out from other tools available elsewhere. Meme creator, anyone?
Happy 10th Birthday, Twitter!
Technology moves at a breakneck pace. The top-of-the-line laptop, or new social network of today, could be old news by tomorrow. New hardware, software and services can meet their demise rather quickly.
Sometimes, however, devices and services can be timeless. One of these tech-related evergreen services is Twitter. While I am old enough to still think of the social network as being new, today, it reaches its 10th birthday. Holy cow -- have we really experienced a decade of Tweets?
Want the best customer support? Use Facebook
Facebook is the number one channel for people looking to get answers from retailers’ customer service in the UK, a new study shows.
According to the Eptica Multichannel Customer Experience study, Facebook is the channel through which retail customer service answers most frequently and most accurately, followed by email. Twitter came in third, with pretty poor results.
Twitter drops TweetDeck for Windows, but Mac version is safe
Even though TweetDeck is one of the most powerful and beloved Twitter clients for Windows, the social network has announced that it will soon drop support for the program, leaving fans with just the web app at their disposal. However, the Mac version of TweetDeck is not affected, remaining in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
Twitter has not exactly provided a reason why it is pulling TweetDeck for Windows, only saying that this is being done "to better focus on enhancing [users'] TweetDeck experience". However, the fact that it just launched a new version of Twitter for Windows 10 likely plays a role in its decision.
Twitter sneakily enables new algorithmic feed -- here's how to disable it
Twitter is forever tinkering with timelines, and it's not all that long ago that the #RIPTwitter hashtag was trending after it was suggested that a new algorithm-powered timeline was to be introduced. Twitter users lashed out and Jack Dorsey stepped into the fray to try to allay fears.
A month ago Dorsey said that "we never planned to reorder timelines next week". He wasn’t wrong. It's happened now instead. Gone is the sensible, logical, chronological timeline, replaced instead with an algorithmic feed that's home to tweets Twitter thinks you want to see first. It's not only been launched with little fanfare, but now it's enabled by default.
Microsoft scores rare Windows 10 Mobile win with all-new official Twitter app
While financial pundits are constantly discussing the profitability of Twitter and its stock, tech geeks such as me just enjoy using the damn thing. It is without a doubt my favorite social network -- it helps me stay on top of news and trends in a no-nonsense way.
Unfortunately for Windows 10 Mobile users (yes, they exist), a proper Twitter app was not available. Today, this changes, as an official app comes to Microsoft's struggling mobile platform. Yes, the Windows-maker is experiencing a rare win with its mobile OS. This is great news, as only yesterday the popular Here Maps defected from the platform.
Fake profiles on social media could become illegal
Facebook has faced a great deal of criticism over its real names policy, and a number of people have fallen foul of the rule that prevents users from assuming a pseudonym. UK law enforcement agencies are looking for ways to tackle the problem of online abuse perpetrated by trolls.
Among the suggestions put forward by the Crown Prosecution Service is that people who use fake social media accounts to harass and abuse others should be prosecuted. The proposals would normally only apply to adults, but children could be hit by the legislation in certain circumstances as well.
Twitter to help UK prosecutors fight revenge porn and online abuse
Twitter has long-battled trolls and after launching various tools to help combat abuse, the social network is lending its support to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the UK. The social network is to work with prosecutors to provide training that will help the CPS to fight revenge porn, stalking and other forms of online abuse.
The move comes after a marked increase in the use of social media to perpetrate attacks on individuals, particularly women. But while levels of technical nous have generally increased, legal services have been slow to keep up with the latest changes. With new guidelines set to be published covering the persecution of women through social media, prosecutors are ready to call on Twitter's experience.
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