Latest Social media News

What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump?

Dec. 17, 2024 18:55 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs — including Apple's Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, SoftBank's Masayoshi Son and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos — have joined a parade of business and world...

Facebook owner hit with 251 million euros in fines for 2018 data breach

Dec. 17, 2024 07:49 AM EST

LONDON (AP) — European Union privacy watchdogs hit Facebook owner Meta with fines totaling 251 million euros on Monday after an investigation into a 2018 data breach on the social media platform that exposed millions of accounts. Ireland's Data Protection Commission issued the...

Insider Q&A: High hopes for Australia social media ban and channeling parental 'fury' over tech

Dec. 16, 2024 15:30 PM EST

Julie Scelfo started MAMA — Mothers Against Media Addiction — earlier this year to help parents fight back against the harms of social media on children. A former journalist, Scelfo says she was inspired to take action after reporting on the youth mental health crisis and how screens and social...

Drones, planes or UFOs? Americans abuzz over mysterious New Jersey sightings

Dec. 14, 2024 04:14 AM EST

CHATHAM, N.J. (AP) — That buzzing coming out of New Jersey? It's unclear if it's drones or something else, but for sure the nighttime sightings are producing tons of talk, a raft of conspiracy theories and craned necks looking skyward. Cropping up on local news and social media...

More than a dozen have been injured in a Florida airboat crash

Dec. 13, 2024 22:28 PM EST

OCHOPEE, Fla. (AP) — Two airboats collided with each other Friday afternoon in southwest Florida, injuring more than a dozen people, officials said. The airboats were carrying a total of 33 people when they crashed in Ochopee, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) west of Miami, news...

Mysterious googly eyes go viral after appearing on public art in Oregon

Dec. 13, 2024 19:28 PM EST

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Googly eyes have been appearing on sculptures around the central Oregon city of Bend, delighting many residents and sparking a viral sensation covered widely by news outlets and featured on a popular late-night talk show. On social media, the city shared...

Amazon to contribute $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. Meta is also donating $1M

Dec. 12, 2024 21:42 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is planning to donate $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund, a move that comes as major tech companies seek to improve their relationship with the incoming president. A company spokesperson confirmed Thursday evening that the...

Back trouble and brain fog bothered suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing, his posts show

Dec. 12, 2024 19:25 PM EST

After Luigi Mangione made the difficult decision to undergo spinal surgery last year for chronic back pain, he became a proponent of the procedure that changed his life for the better. He repeatedly posted on Reddit about his recovery and offered words of encouragement for people...

Nearly half of US teens are online 'constantly,' Pew report finds

Dec. 12, 2024 17:01 PM EST

Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most...

Australia plans to tax digital platforms that don't pay for news

Dec. 12, 2024 02:30 AM EST

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian government said Thursday it will tax large digital platforms and search engines unless they agree to share revenue with Australian news media organizations. The tax would apply from Jan. 1 to tech companies that earn more than 250 million...