Articles by Diane Samson
YouTube Says Over 100,000 Videos Have Been Removed Under New Hate Speech Rule
In June, YouTube announced a new policy that bans videos that push extremist views or deny important events. Since April, more than 100,000 videos and 17,000 channels have been removed from the platform under the new policy.
Stress From Social Media Use Can Cause Addiction To Social Media, Study Finds
Researchers found that Facebook users who experience negative feelings from using the social media site do not log off or switch off their devices. Instead, they chat with their friends or play games on the same platforms to distract themselves.
Viral Face Swapping App From China Receives Criticism Amid Privacy Concerns
Zao allowed users to superimpose their own faces on the bodies of popular celebrities. The app, which was launched on Friday, immediately became the most downloaded iOS app in China over the weekend.
Oculus Co-Founder Michael Antonov Accused Of Sexually Assaulting A Woman During A VR Demo
In a series of tweets, Autumn Rose Taylor said that Michael Antonov reached under her skirt and groped her during a VR demo in 2016. Facebook head of VR and AR Andrew Bosworth responded to the accusation.
Poll Declares 'Like' Button As One Of The Most Toxic Social Media Features
Social media users voted which features of popular sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the most toxic in a poll. Triggering content, Like button, and push notification topped the list.
Amazon To Start Promoting Helpline Numbers For Consumers Who Search About Suicide
After customers found suicide kits and nooses on its platform, Amazon said that it will add helpline numbers on items related to suicide. The e-commerce site received intense criticism this week after an investigation found thousands of unsafe products.
Amazon Has A 'Burn Book' That Logs All Negative Comments Made By Politicians During New York HQ Debacle
Prominent political personalities in New York who opposed Amazon's plans to establish a second headquarters in Queens ended up in a Microsoft Word document, a new report has revealed. The document included every negative comment made about the company.
Pinterest's New Feature Adds Pins From WHO, CDC To Curb Vaccine Misinformation
After blocking content that offers false information, Pinterest added a new feature that displays pins from trusted public health organizations such as the WHO and CDC. This will give users science-backed medical data whenever they search for health-related keywords.
US Deports Harvard Student After Immigration Officers Read Friends' Social Media Posts
U.S. Customs and Border Protection ordered to see Ismail B. Ajjawi's smartphone at the Boston Logan International Airport. The young man said that he was questioned by officers over his social media friends' online activities.
Fairphone 3 Offers Mid-Range Specs For The Environmentally-Conscious Consumer
The Dutch company Fairphone launched Fairphone 3, a modular smartphone that uses ethically-sourced and recycled materials. The device allows users to replace malfunctioning parts and be used for years to come.
Scammers Make Up 53 Percent Of Social Media Login Attempts: Report
Arkose Labs revealed that 53 percent of login attempts and 25 percent of new accounts on social media are by scammers trying to make money off users. Majority of these attacks are by bots.
Ecosia, The Search Engine That Plants Trees, Sees 1,150 Percent Growth In Downloads As Amazon Burns
The Ecosia mobile app and browser extension was downloaded 250,000 times last Thursday. The sudden spike coincided with reports that the Amazon rainforest in Brazil is being ravaged by fire.
Apple, Samsung Hit With Class-Action Lawsuit For Allegedly Exceeding Legal RF Radiation Limits
Days after Chicago Tribune had released the result of its smartphone testing, a group of lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit against Apple and Samsung. The lawsuit alleged that several smartphone models have exceeded the RF radiation limits set by the FCC.
Experts Warn Against Potential Dangers Of Weight Loss App For Kids
Kurbo, an app from WW, sparked online outrage immediately after its launch earlier this month. While the developer hoped that the app will help combat obesity in the United States, child experts said that it could harm its young users.
State Farm, Amazon's Alexa Team Up To Help Users Stay In Contact With Aging Relatives
State Farm stated that thew Alexa skill will regularly provide check-ins so caregivers can make sure that their senior family member is safe. The skill is set to be launched in 2020.
Knightscope Robot Security Guard Captures Photos Of Its Alleged Attacker
The young man who allegedly kicked and then toppled the robot security guard over inside a parking lot is wanted by the California police. Before the attack, the robot was able to capture a video of the suspect.
YouTube Will No Longer Run Targeted Ads On Videos Aimed At Kids
YouTube might implement a new policy that will prohibit targeted ads on videos that are aimed at young viewers. The move, which has not been announced yet, came after Google had reportedly reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with the FTC.
Internet's Longest-Running Live Webcam To Be Switched Off After 25 Years
The Fogcam, the oldest continuously operating live webcam in the world will be shut down forever after 25 years. The man behind the project stated that there is no longer a secure location to keep the stream going.
YouTube Thinks Video Of 2 Robots Fighting Is Animal Abuse
YouTube's moderation system has mistaken robot-versus-robot fights as animal cruelty. According to robot builders, hundreds of robot combat videos were removed for allegedly violating the website's policies against animal abuse.
People Who Use More Emoji Went On More Dates, Had More Sex: Study
Adding emoji to text messages has been linked to greater success in scoring a first and second date, researchers found. Those who use emojis frequently also have sex more often.
Facebook, Twitter Remove Hundreds Of Chinese Accounts For Spreading Disinformation About Hong Kong Protests
The top social media sites in the world have taken a stand against China's state-backed disinformation campaign against the pro-democracy rallies in Hong Kong. Twitter and Facebook removed accounts, pages, and groups linked to spreading misinformation.
Google Assistant Tops IQ Test Again But Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa Are Close Behind
The Google Assistant continued to perform ahead of competitors Siri and Alexa in a digital assistant IQ Test from Loup Ventures. However, this year, the study revealed that all three digital assistants made significant improvements.
Study Says That Heavy Social Media Use May Harm Mental Health Of Teens
The new study found that social media use may interfere with activities that have a positive impact on mental health. Teenage girls are especially vulnerable to the potentially harmful effects of excessive social media use.
YouTube, Social Media Are Teens' Top Sources Of News, According To Survey
A survey revealed that teens believe it is important for them to follow current events, but many are getting their news from sources that may not be reputable. More than half admitted that they get their news from social media.
Scientists Propose Training Mice To Detect Deepfakes
Mice have the capacity to spot inconsistencies in recorded speech and identify manipulated audio and video. This study could help researchers develop an effective system to fight deepfakes before they spread all over the internet.
Twitter Is Testing New Features, Still Won't Add An Edit Button
At a press conference this week, Twitter execs discussed new features that will be added to the popular social media app. However, the feature that users have requested for years won't be likely introduced any time soon.
Ecosia Opts Out Of Google's Search Engine Auction For Android
Ecosia issued a statement rejecting the invitation to participate in Google's closed auction to become an alternative search engine for Android. The environmentally friendly company said that the process favors profit-driven search providers.
Amazon Is Now Selling A Solar-Powered, Remote-Controlled Tiny House
A tiny house equipped with solar power and wind power systems is now available on Amazon for $24,000. The structure comes with a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and automatically expand for an additional living space.
Researchers Train AI To Spot Potentially Unsafe Food Products On Amazon
A type of deep learning AI called BERT accurately flagged products that have been recalled by the FDA in the past. The researchers believe that the system could help health departments identify harmful products and pull them from the market.
Google, Amazon Remove Gun-Related Shopping Results Days After Deadly Mass Shootings
A report found listings for guns and gun-related products on Google Shopping and Amazon. Google and Amazon removed the listings that violate their company policies on Tuesday, a few days after the deadly mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton.
