social media ᳇ eicker.news

A 'self-doxing' rave in New York teaches trans people to remove their personal data from the internet using tools like PimEyes and HaveIBeenPwned. The workshop addresses rising anti-trans legislation. https://www.404media.co/trans-rights-privacy-online-cybersecurity-workshop-deadname-not-found/ #Media #DataPrivacy

#JanitorAI, a #socialchatbot site founded by Jan Zoltkowski, offers users a platform for immersive, often explicit, #fantasy #roleplay. With a user base predominantly identifying as #women, the site provides a space for creative expression and community building, drawing parallels to the “romantasy” genre in literature. https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2026/05/07/three-dudes-run-the-biggest-ai-romantic-fantasy-site-for-women/?eicker.media #media #socialmedia

EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has announced it is leaving X (formerly Twitter). The digital rights organisation follows various news organisations and others who no longer find X a viable source of traffic. The departure highlights growing concerns about the platform's direction under its current ownership. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/09/eff-is-the-latest-organization-to-leave-x/ #Media #SocialMedia #CommunityPlatforms

#Socialmedia, particularly #XTwitter, has become a less relevant source of #traffic for publishers like FiveThirtyEight. While #socialmediatraffic is hard to measure, it is trending towards being a tertiary source of business. The content that garners engagement on Twitter is often #lowquality and #highlypartisan, with a noticeable #rightleaningbias. https://www.natesilver.net/p/social-media-has-become-a-freak-show?eicker.media #media #socialmedia

A former Meta employee is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police for downloading around 30,000 private Facebook photos. The engineer designed a program to bypass security checks and access personal pictures. Meta discovered the breach over a year ago, fired the employee and referred the matter to law enforcement. The incident highlights ongoing data privacy concerns at the Facebook parent company. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg049xz1ygo #Media #DataPrivacy

A new study claims Google and Apple app stores actively steer users toward nudify apps that remove clothing from women. Roughly 40% of top search results for terms like nudify could render women nude. The platforms even ran ads for the most explicit apps. https://www.404media.co/app-stores-apple-google-nudify-undress-deepfakes/ #Media #SocialMedia

Independent audit finds Google, Microsoft and Meta tracking users even when they opt out of cookies. WebXray analysis of 7,000 sites in California found 87% Google opt-out failure, 69% for Meta and 50% for Microsoft. https://www.404media.co/google-microsoft-meta-all-tracking-you-even-when-you-opt-out-according-to-an-independent-audit/ #Media #DataPrivacy

Women are being covertly filmed with smart glasses and told to pay to have footage removed from social media, with some requesting money to take down humiliating content. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy87wqz0q9o #Media #SocialMedia #Privacy

Skyrocketing hard drive and storage costs caused by the AI data centre boom are making it more expensive and harder for digital archivists, the Internet Archive, Wikipedia and hobby data hoarders to save data and archive the internet. Preferred 28-30TB drives are unavailable or at very high price, with some SSD prices doubling since October. https://www.404media.co/the-ai-hard-drive-shortage-is-making-it-more-expensive-and-harder-to-archive-the-internet/ #Media #SocialMedia

YouTube is testing new AI-powered tools that let creators generate royalty-free instrumental tracks to replace copyrighted audio, and a new conversational comment moderation feature for community management. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-tests-new-music-generation-and-moderation-tools/819154/ #Media #SocialMedia #YouTube

AI-generated websites have surged to a third of all new sites since 2022, researchers from Stanford and the Internet Archive found. The research also found the web is becoming more cheerful and less varied as AI-written text floods online. #AI #Media https://www.404media.co/study-finds-a-third-of-new-websites-are-ai-generated/

The wedding planning algorithm has transformed from helpful tool to overwhelming pressure machine. Brides report feeling stressed, anxious and unable to make decisions without consulting TikTok or Instagram first. https://www.404media.co/wedding-planning-algorithm-weddingtok/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo

Most parents think social media hurt their teen's sleep and mental health. A Pew study finds 44% of parents say their teen spends too much time on TikTok, compared with 28% of teens themselves. Parents are most comfortable with Instagram. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/what-parents-say-about-their-teens-uses-of-social-media/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo

More than 70 advocacy groups have urged Meta to abandon plans for facial recognition in its AI glasses, warning that the technology could enable stalkers, abusers and federal agents to secretly identify people in public. The coalition includes civil liberties, domestic violence and LGBTQ+ organisations. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/advocacy-groups-warn-against-adding-facial-recognition-to-meta-ai-glasses/817387/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

A hacker compromised a backend system used by Doublespeed, an a16z-backed startup that uses a phone farm to flood TikTok with AI-generated influencers, and attempted to post memes calling a16z the antichrist. The company has secured the system and says no posts were published. https://www.404media.co/hacker-compromises-a16z-backed-phone-farm-tries-to-post-memes-calling-a16z-the-antichrist/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

Roughly two-thirds of American teens report using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Character.ai, with about three-in-ten using them daily, according to a new Pew Research survey of 1,458 US teens aged 13 to 17. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/12/09/teens-social-media-and-ai-chatbots-2025/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Pew

WhatsApp can now draft AI-generated replies based on your conversations. The Meta-owned app's updated Writing Help feature analyses chat history to help users get their message just right, while keeping chats private. Also added: easier ways to free up space and Meta AI photo editing. https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/26/whatsapp-can-now-draft-ai-generated-responses-based-on-your-conversations/ #Media #SocialMedia #WhatsApp

Kent Wildlife Trust removed highland cows from a nature reserve after warnings to visitors were ignored. More than 300,000 TikTok videos were tagged with the hashtag, drawing people to get too close to the animals. The constant pressure affects the cows' ability to behave naturally, the trust said. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw8vz1jze0o #Media #ShortFormVideo #TikTok

Australia's internet watchdog says Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube are not doing enough to enforce the under-16 social media ban that came into effect in December. The regulator has 'significant concerns' about compliance and will begin enforcement action. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4181pkxl2o #Media #SocialMedia #SocialNews #DataPrivacy

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released new Oscar rules declaring only performances with human actors will be eligible for Academy Awards. Screenplays must also be human-authored to qualify. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/02/ai-generated-actors-and-scripts-are-now-ineligible-for-oscars/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

Meta has introduced new AI-powered tools that can estimate a user's age by analysing their height and bone structure, in a bid to detect underage users on its platforms. The tools use visual analysis systems to spot under-13s trying to access Instagram and Facebook. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-implements-more-protocols-to-detect-underage-users/819386/ #Media #AI

Authorities need clearer rules on social media age verification, with gaps in enforcement allowing 70% of Australian teens to still access social apps despite the under-16 ban. Australia's eSafety Office reports the 4-month-old law has failed to reduce online harm. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/authorities-need-to-establish-clearer-rules-on-social-media-age-checking/816664/ #Media #SocialMedia #Australia #Regulation

Thomson Reuters fired a senior attorney after she raised concerns about the company's CLEAR database being used by ICE to circumvent sanctuary laws, according to a lawsuit. Billie Little led over 200 employees in voicing unease about data contracts with the federal agency. https://www.404media.co/thomson-reuters-fired-worker-for-speaking-out-about-ice-former-employee-says/ #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

ICE is developing its own smart glasses to supplement its facial recognition app, according to a Department of Homeland Security official. The agency already uses Mobile Fortify to scan faces on American streets. https://www.404media.co/ice-plans-to-develop-own-smart-glasses-to-supplement-its-facial-recognition-app/ #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

Instagram's viral 'Flash' filter uses AI to change users' features, including skin tone, according to BBC Verify testing. The investigation found the filter altered appearances in ways that left testers saying 'That doesn't look like me'. https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c5y74lg05z4o #Media #SocialMedia #AI

Instagram is expanding its Your Algorithm tool to let users control what they see in Explore, not just Reels. Users can now type in topics they want to see more or less of, with changes carrying across both feeds. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-expands-your-algorithm-tool-to-explore/817772/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

The #UK government approved Axel #Springer’s £575m offer to buy the #Telegraph Media Group, ending a years-long ownership saga. Axel Springer, which owns Politico and Business Insider, plans to invest significantly in the Telegraph’s journalism and expand its presence in the US. https://www.cityam.com/axel-springers-telegraph-takeover-given-government-green-light/?eicker.media #media #socialmedia

TikTok scales back AI-generated video overviews after users spotted bizarre errors, including describing dancer Charli D'Amelio as 'a collection of various blueberries with different toppings.' The feature will now only surface product suggestions. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yerd05n01o #Media #AI

Mastodon says its flagship server was hit by a DDoS attack. The incident comes less than a week after Bluesky was targeted with junk web traffic. #Media #CommunityPlatforms #Mastodon https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/20/mastodon-says-its-flagship-server-was-hit-by-a-ddos-attack/

Meta is challenging Ofcom in the High Court over fees introduced under the UK Online Safety Act. The regulator costs are funded by tech firms earning over £250m worldwide. Meta says the method is disproportionate. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0pqpgvvn2o #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

Google Vids now offers free high-quality video generation using Veo 3.1, with 10 clips monthly at no cost. Paid subscribers also get custom music creation via Lyria 3 and customizable AI avatars with directorial control. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/google-vids-adds-new-ai-features/816552/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI #Google

Social media executives from Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat have been summoned to Downing Street for talks on protecting children online. The UK government is pressing platforms to take stronger action on child safety concerns. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl11ynjyn1o #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

Comic book fans now gather online rather than in shops, using Instagram and TikTok to debate, share and discuss. The shift marks a new era for comics culture as social media replaces traditional letters pages. https://theconversation.com/want-to-talk-comics-today-that-often-means-going-online-277151 #Media #SocialMedia #CommunityPlatforms

Instagram is allowing creators to schedule their Trial Reels, letting them decide when non-followers see fresh content. The feature helps align posts with regional engagement times. Trial Reels let creators test new content with non-followers before upgrading to reach their full audience. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-allows-creators-to-schedule-trial-reels/816549/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo #Instagram

YouTube is piloting TV-style channels for connected TV viewing, starting with Coachella TV offering 24/7 streaming of archival performances and 2026 festival highlights. The move expands YouTube's challenge to traditional broadcast TV. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-experiments-with-tv-style-channels-for-ctv-viewing/816553/ #Media #SocialMedia #YouTube

Google, Meta, Microsoft and Snapchat have issued a joint warning about child safety in the EU, saying they will continue voluntary actions after the ePrivacy Directive expired. Authorities need clearer rules on age checking, the platforms say. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/major-social-platforms-issue-joint-warning-about-child-safety-in-eu/816661/ #Media #SocialMedia #ChildSafety

TikTok is strengthening copyright protection for musicians using its SoundOn platform through a partnership with ACRCloud. The new Derivative Works Detection system uses advanced audio recognition to identify tracks that have been modified through speed or pitch shifting, helping combat AI-generated copies and ensure proper monetisation for creators. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-and-acrcloud-partner-on-derivative-works-detection-system/816662/ #Media #SocialMedia #CreatorEconomy #TikTok

The Canvas hack has exposed the data of 275 million students and teachers, with messages containing sensitive information including medical circumstances, sexual assault allegations and accessibility accommodations. Experts call it the biggest student data privacy disaster in history. https://www.404media.co/the-biggest-student-data-privacy-disaster-in-history-canvas-hack-shows-the-danger-of-centralized-edtech/ #Media #DataPrivacy

Instagram is removing end-to-end encryption from direct messages, a major reversal by parent company Meta. The platform previously promised the privacy feature but now says it will remove the option, affecting millions of users private conversations. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clypzxl3lvqo #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

OpenAI, Google and Microsoft are backing a new US bill that would fund AI literacy programmes in schools. The LIFT AI Act would give grants to develop curricula for K-12 students. https://www.404media.co/literacy-in-future-technologies-artificial-intelligence-act-adam-schiff-mike-rounds/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

Fewer UK adults are posting on social media - 49% down from 61% last year - as users turn to smaller, private spaces like group chats, Ofcom finds. The shift coincides with 54% now using AI tools, up from 31% in 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqk718l4neo #Media #SocialMedia

DeepL, best known for text translation, has launched a voice translation feature for real-time conversations. The service could integrate with Zoom and Microsoft Teams. https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/16/deepl-known-for-text-translation-now-wants-to-translate-your-voice/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

Wisconsin's governor has vetoed a bill that would have required age verification for porn websites, calling it an 'intrusion into the personal privacy of residents.' The legislation would have forced visitors to upload government ID, submit to biometric scans, or provide credit card information. https://www.404media.co/wisconsin-age-verification-bill-vetoed/ #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

X is updating its revenue share to direct more money to original content creators rather than aggregator accounts. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/x-boosts-incentives-for-original-content-creators/817271/ #Media #SocialMedia #CreatorEconomy

'The Ambivalent Internet' and 'The Shadow Gospel' author Whitney Phillips discusses how online platforms became so toxic, and the relationship between internet decline and political fragmentation. https://www.404media.co/how-the-internet-became-hell-with-whitney-phillips/ #Media #SocialMedia #LiveAndAudio

A UK sex educator is questioning whether social media's contraception advice is reliable. Misinformation about birth control spreads widely online, with many women reporting real concerns about side effects. This raises questions about health information on digital platforms. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyvw9pgjveo #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

Instagram has launched a new AI creator label for accounts that regularly use artificial intelligence tools to build their posts. The label appears on both profiles and content, aiming to increase transparency around AI-generated material. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/instagram-adds-ai-creator-labels/819267/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI