Axios

What social media can do to stop hate

Although hate continues to flourish on social media, experts say the situation is not hopeless. Among the recommendations are allowing broader reporting of hate speech, offering a similar reporting system across different social networks, and putting content moderation on par with finding bugs in code. "It’s common for a bounty to be paid for reporting code issues to a company — companies should do the same with content moderation," said Newhouse School of Public Communications professor Jennifer Grygiel. "The public, researchers, experts etc.

Verizon vs. AT&T: A tale of two media investments

Telecommunication companies AT&T and Verizon are both pursuing a strategy that marries content and distribution. But they are taking two different approaches and, so far, seeing radically different results. Verizon admitted that its media arm, Oath — which consists of AOL, HuffPost, Yahoo and other digital brands — is struggling to drive revenue.

Tech lobby outlines its own set of privacy regulations

The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), a leading tech lobbying group in Washington (DC), introduced a plan for regulations to protect user privacy online, becoming the latest player to try to shape new legislation that the industry sees as increasingly likely. The framework from ITI, whose members include Google and Facebook, is designed to guide policymakers in the US and around the world as they weigh concerns about data privacy online, said ITI president Dean Garfield.

European Union pushes US over privacy pact

Officials from the United States have entered discussions with their European counterparts in Brussels over the status of the Privacy Shield agreement, which allows Europeans to file complaints about how US companies are using their data. The officials are expected to tackle "developments concerning the collection of personal data by US authorities for purposes of law enforcement or national security." Don’t expect any major surprises, as European Union leaders are expected to wait until at least November to issue recommendations on whether to move forward with the pact.

The 2019 Congress could shatter diversity records

If Democrats take back the House in November 2019 could have more minority representatives in Congress than it's had in its 230-year history. And Congress would finally start to look more like the country it represents. But while voters across the country are increasingly choosing to elect candidates who look like them, the media covering Congress are still lagging far behind with regard to diversity: 83% of the workforce at US daily print and online media outlets is white, and 87% of leadership positions are occupied by white reporters and editors.

Digital transition triggers ad industry trust crisis

The $220 billion US advertising industry is facing an unprecedented wave of scandal and controversy, causing frustration amongst marketers, consumers, and lawmakers. The advertising industry is loosely regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, which has the jurisdiction to punish people or business for unfair trade practices, including deceptive advertising. The Federal Communications Commission also has the right to set rules around non-digital ads, like TV and radio.

Trump media frenzy grows: Politics on steroids, 24/7

You think the insane flow of politics in your newsfeed, on your TV and lighting up your iPhone will slow when the Trump Show ends? Think again: Media companies are doubling down on even more politics, to generate even higher ratings and more clicks, as audiences seem to crave all politics, all the time. This is your life on politics. National newspapers and magazines are already staffing up for 2020 with some of their biggest field teams yet. 

New satellite technology may lead to faster internet

Cheaper rocket launches and better technology may make satellites a more viable option for delivering fast, affordable consumer broadband services around the world. A handful of companies from SpaceX to ViaSat are launching satellites that orbit closer to the earth, which is expected to reduce the lag time — or latency — because the signal will not have to travel as far. Lower-Earth constellations have the potential to compete more directly with cable or fiber networks on speed and price than the older satellite systems.

Officials use social media to monitor, intervene in disease outbreaks

Public health officials say that using text messages, social media platforms, and other digital tools can be key in both tracking the health care behavior of people and disseminating lifesaving information during emergency situations. During public health emergencies — such as the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — it's difficult for public health officials to monitor people's health care behavior.

Trump’s tweets are less read and influential than people may think

A new Public Affairs Council/Morning Consult poll reveals that a majority of Americans have become indifferent toward President Trump's tweets on business, political news and campaign finances practices. Several polls have revealed Americans distrust political news from social media, but now responses show the president is no exception.

Kavanaugh hearing is a defining moment for social media

The confirmation hearings of Judge Brett Kavanaugh were a poignant, painful and raw moment for the country. They were also a defining moment for social media. People posted their tears, their stories, their outrage wherever they were — in schools and on buses, at work and at home. From 9am to 7pm ET there were 8.8 million hearing-related tweets. That's well more than the 4.5 million tweets about this year's State of the Union address, but still far less than the 75 million vote-related tweets on Election Day 2016.

Apple to tell Senate it backs "comprehensive" privacy rules

Apple will pledge its support for federal privacy regulations during a Sept 26 Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Expect Apple’s Bud Tribble to underscore the difference between the hardware maker, which doesn’t need to make money from user data, with companies like Google, which have built their business model on it. Tribble, a longtime Apple employee who leads the company’s privacy engineering work, will "convey Apple’s support for comprehensive federal privacy legislation that reflects Apple’s long-held view that privacy is a fundamental human right" during the hearing. "We want your dev

Google's Sept 26 Senate hearing plan: back privacy rules, defend ad model

Google’s top privacy staffer will defend the company’s business model at an upcoming Senate hearing, while backing the broad idea of new privacy rules. Google will face tough questions at the Sept 26 Senate Commerce Committee hearing on privacy, where chief privacy officer Keith Enright will appear alongside representatives from other tech companies as well as internet service providers. Enright said he plans to stand by the company’s ad-supported business model.

The global race for 5G

Fight #1: The race to get 5G networks up and running, a three-way game among US, China, and South Korea. While the US may be technically first with 5G in a few places, China is spending significantly more and will likely be first with 5G en masse.