July 2018

Twitter is banning users who created their accounts while underage to comply with GDPR

An update to Twitter’s terms of service that was made months ago due to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is still locking users out of the platform for being underage — even though some are in their mid-20s.

How Facebook could dodge fake news land mines

Facebook’s prioritization of openness and accessibility has made it a target of critics who say it isn't doing enough to stomp out fake news and misinformation. Experts argue Facebook could do a number of things to reduce fake news. But almost every option could hit its bottom line or would challenge CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s long-term vision for the company. The most drastic changes Facebook could make to its policies include removing news from the platform altogether, pre-approving content before letting users post it, and removing all monetization efforts around news.

Local news sites rise as newspapers face cuts

As local newspapers continue to fall off the map, digital-first websites are cropping up to cover local communities. Local Independent Online New Publishers (LION), a trade organization, has seen its membership double in the past years to 225 members, said Executive Director Matt DeRienzo.

Net neutrality scoreboard shows how much House members take from telecom giants

Internet advocates have updated a scoreboard they have compiled that shows internet users how efforts to overturn the Federal Communications Commission decision to rescind network neutrality protections in 2017 are working. The scoreboard, which has been used in some form for months and was created by a coalition of internet rights groups called Battle For The Net, allows users to select their state and see whether or not their lawmakers have voiced support for the Congressional Review Act (CRA) effort, which needs a simple majority in the House of Representatives to pass.