Latest Social media News

The politics of memes: How Biden and Trump are fighting each other on the internet

Jun. 18, 2024 00:11 AM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Whether it’s a grinning Joe Biden as “Dark Brandon” or Donald Trump’s face superimposed onto a scene from HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” both presidential campaigns this year have embraced digital memes, the lingua franca of social media. The campaigns of...

Tobacco-like warning label for social media sought by US surgeon general who asks Congress to act

Jun. 17, 2024 17:09 PM EDT

The U.S. surgeon general has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms and their effects on young people's lives, similar to those now mandatory on cigarette boxes. In a Monday opinion piece in the The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy said that social...

Keeping children safe on social media: What parents should know to protect their kids

Jun. 17, 2024 07:33 AM EDT

At what age should kids be on social media? Should they be on it at all? If they aren't, will they be social pariahs? Should parents monitor their conversations? Do parental controls work? Navigating social media as a parent — not to mention a child — is not easy. Using social...

2 political outliers claim seats in European Parliament by leveraging social media's viral power

Jun. 17, 2024 00:30 AM EDT

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — One is a wildly popular, seemingly happy-go-lucky YouTuber from Cyprus. The other is a brash, fringe figure of Spain's far right who rails against unauthorized immigrants. They both are new members of the European Parliament thanks to their savvy use of video-based social...

Who is Alex Jones? The conspiracist and dietary supplement salesman built an empire over decades

Jun. 14, 2024 18:24 PM EDT

HOUSTON (AP) — Alex Jones has pushed many conspiracy theories over the last three decades, including that the U.S. government was behind or failed to stop the Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 attacks. As the outlandish nature of his false claims grew, so did his media empire,...

Myanmar's embattled military government cracks down on free flow of news by blocking VPNs

Jun. 14, 2024 16:00 PM EDT

BANGKOK (AP) — Myanmar’s military government has launched a major effort to block free communication on the Internet, shutting off access to virtual private networks, or VPNs, which can be used to circumvent blockages of banned websites and services. The attempt to restrict...

A Chinese military buff inadvertently bought 4 books of military secrets for under $1

Jun. 13, 2024 10:10 AM EDT

BEIJING (AP) — A military history buff in China appears to have made an alarming discovery after picking up four discarded books for less than $1 at a neighborhood recycling station: They were confidential military documents. The country's Ministry of State Security told the story...

What happened to the likes? X is now hiding which posts you like from other users

Jun. 12, 2024 17:36 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Social media platform X is now hiding your likes. In an update posted on the platform formerly known as Twitter earlier this week, X's engineering team said it would be “making Likes private for everyone to better protect your privacy." That means that users will...

Officials work to bring home US instructors recovering after stabbing attack at Chinese park

Jun. 11, 2024 18:18 PM EDT

BEIJING (AP) — U.S. officials worked Tuesday to bring home four injured instructors from Iowa’s Cornell College who were stabbed in the northeast Chinese city of Jilin, where they were teaching. Jilin city police said a 55-year-old man surnamed Cui was walking in a public park...

Jennifer Aniston launches children's book series with best 'friend' Clydeo the dog

Jun. 11, 2024 15:33 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Inspired by her beloved dog, Jennifer Aniston will soon become a children's author. The “Friends” star has a four-book deal with HarperCollins Publishers and animation studio Invisible Studio for a series of works featuring the animated dog Clydeo, based on the...