Rappler's latest stories on social media trends
Join MovePH's webinar: Fact-checking historical claims in the digital age
MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, will host a webinar on fact-checking historical claims on Thursday, June 11, at 4 pm
'Mocha Uson Blog' Facebook page is down
It is unclear if the page was taken down by Facebook or if Uson deactivated her page
U.S. suspects Russian interference in South America protests – report
The US State Department observes suspicious activity on Twitter during the period of the protests
Facebook: A decade of data scandals and controversies
Facebook faces a number of incidents that compromised users' privacy. Here's how they dealt with the controversies in the last 10 years.
LOOK BACK: How Facebook changed throughout the decade
Remember when reactions were limited to likes, the Timeline was the Wall, notifications were filled with Farmville requests, and getting 5 likes for your status update was already a huge feat?
A new bayanihan: Filipinos use social media to help people in 2019
At a time when polarizing issues and disinformation muddle conversations on digital platforms, people have shown that social media remains to be a means to engage communities for social good
Facebook taps community reviewers to aid in fact-checking
The social media network is piloting the service in the US and says community reviewers are meant to give 'directional signal' to professional fact-checkers
Premeditated murder: The character assassination of Leila de Lima
The embattled senator’s image turned from dignified to dishonorable in just 3 years. Here’s how social media had a hand in all of it.
Facebook takes down ‘Narinig ko sa UP’ over alleged ‘terrorism, criminal activity’
(UPDATED) After more than 24 hours, Facebook reactivates the 'Narinig ko sa UP' group on Monday, December 2
Fact or fiction? Memes attack media's reporting on SEA Games 2019
We set the record straight on posts saying the press is intentionally misleading the public on SEA Games issues
Singapore uses law against misinformation for first time
Tech giants including Google and Twitter have criticized the law, as have activists who fear it could stifle online dissent
The power of storytelling: How your social media post can have impact
What makes a story powerful enough to make a difference? For starters, it all begins with one thing: mission.
Facebook rolls out new labels for fact checked content
False information on the platform will now be partially covered so users can 'better decide for themselves what to read, trust, and share'
WATCH: What's wrong with clickbait headlines?
Some misleading headlines can be funny and harmless, but they can also affect matters of public interest. Here's what you can do to keep them from spreading.
Facebook to roll out 'false information' labels on Instagram
Users will be warned if they are seeing false content on their feeds or sharing these to their Stories
Facebook says it will deliver News Corp stories
Articles by News Corp, which includes titles like The Wall Street Journal, can be found in a tab separate from Facebook's trademark news feed
Data shows Senate bill does not fully address 'fake news' problem
The data shows 42% of the claims checked during the 2019 midterm elections come from the candidates themselves
UK-based Full Fact urges Facebook to share more data to help fact checkers
One of Full Fact's 10 recommendations calls on Facebook to release data on how posts have been shared over time, as well as their reach. Facebook says Full Fact's recommendations are being actively pursued by its teams.
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp down in some parts of the world
On Twitter, the hashtags #whatsappdown, #instagramdown, and #facebookdown are trending worldwide
Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Whatsapp suffer global outage
The outage affects approximately 60% of users. The remaining 40% who can access Facebook's services may encounter errors or issues.
Twitter limits bulk following to thwart spammers
The total number of accounts that can be added to a user's list was cut to 400 from 1,000, Twitter says
Why senatorial candidates have to have social media presence
Senate hopefuls for 2019 should have learned from President Duterte's 2016 victory that old campaigning methods – posters, TV commercials, and radio ads – are not enough anymore
WhatsApp targets fake messages ahead of India mega-election
WhatsApp launches a hotline that will allow Indians to flag rumors circulating ahead of the country's upcoming election
Facebook removes 'fake' accounts linked to Pakistani military
The statement by Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, shines a light on efforts by Pakistan's military establishment to use social media as a propaganda tool
Fake account network massively pro-Duterte – report
Other politicians being promoted by the pages include Bong Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Sara Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos, Imee Marcos, and Bongbong Marcos
Facebook takes down fake account network of Duterte campaign social media manager
(UPDATED) Facebook takes down 200 pages, groups, and accounts followed by millions of users
This fact-checking website answers all your science-related questions
Metafact crowdsources answers from thousands of experts to settle your scientific debates
Facebook launches offensive to combat misinformation on vaccines
The company responds to pressure in recent weeks to tackle the problem, amid outbreaks of measles
Facebook to restrict foreign political adverts ahead of Indonesia poll
The world's biggest social network is temporarily restricting any paid material from advertisers based outside Indonesia that relates to politicians, parties or attempts to encourage voter suppression
YouTube to block comments on most videos showing minors
YouTube announces further steps to crack down on inappropriate comments following an investigation showing how comments and connections on child porn were being displayed alongside innocuous videos
3 pages publishing viral videos suspended by Facebook for alleged Russian ties
Videos from the channels aimed at American millennials grab over 30 million views combined since September of 2018
Facebook downs hundreds of accounts, groups linked to Indonesian syndicate
Facebook takes down 207 Facebook Pages, 800 Facebook accounts, 546 Facebook Groups, and 208 Instagram accounts linked to the Saracen Group
Facebook takes down vast Iran-led manipulation campaign
The pages are part of a campaign to promote Iranian interests in various countries by creating fake Facebook or Instagram identities as residents of those nations, according to Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook
Filipinos spend most time online, on social media worldwide – report
For the 4th straight year, the Philippines is tops in worldwide social media use. The Philippines also beats Thailand this year for most time spent online.
Facebook to bar 'foreign' electoral ads for Thai poll
Facebook says it will help 'protect' the Thai vote by temporarily not allowing ads from 'foreign entities which are of an electoral nature'
YouTube reducing recommendations of rules-skirting videos to improve experience
The tweaks – reducing recommendations for videos which hold misinformation or skirt the rules of YouTube – are said to affect less than 1% of its videos but should bring about a better experience
Facebook removes 471 Russian-linked pages for using fake accounts
One operation is said to have links to Sputnik, a Moscow-based news agency, and affected Central and Eastern European countries. The second Russia-linked operation operated specifically in Ukraine.
Facebook to invest $300 million in local journalism
'People want more local news, and local newsrooms are looking for more support. That's why today we're announcing an expanded effort around local news in the years ahead,' says Campbell Brown, Facebook's vice president in charge of global news partnerships in a blog post.
Robredo urges Facebook to take down more 'fake' pages
Vice President Leni Robredo calls on Facebook to clean up its platform further, after it banned Twinmark Media Enterprises
PH company banned by Facebook spread lies, used fake accounts
(UPDATED) Twinmark Media Enterprises, the company behind Mocha Uson's favorite site Trending News Portal, practiced coordinated 'inauthentic behavior,' led people to ad farms, and sold access to Facebook Pages
WATCH: Don't let 'experts' online fool you: Here's how
Rappler reviews the 2018 headlines of The Daily Sentry, a website known for publishing false or misleading claims, to see how disinformation can spread through the abuse of the label 'expert'
3 ways Facebook and other social media companies could clean up their acts
Social media companies could stop allowing their ad services to be used as freewheeling experimental laboratories for examining their users’ psyches, US communication and journalism professors suggest
Twitter relaunches reverse-chronological feed option
The toggle button, which looks like a set of sparkles, allows users to change the arrangement of tweets. You can choose to either see the top tweets first or the latest tweets on your feed.
Facebook kicks Myanmar military-linked pages off platform
This is Facebook's 3rd sweeping takedown of pages and accounts for what it calls 'coordinated inauthentic behavior' in Myanmar following deletions in October and August
Twitter in 2018: Removing dubious accounts, rethinking incentives
After social media platforms were used to manipulate elections around the world, Twitter spends 2018 cleaning up spammy accounts and talking to US legislators and users about how to move forward
'Boys will be boys': Locker room talk and online harassment
Online spaces have made the locker rooms bigger – and more sinister
Fake news, real women: Disinformation gone macho
When disinformation is weaponized against women, misogyny rears its ugly head
Facebook responds to ex-Snopes editor slamming fact-check program
Snopes' former managing editor Brooke Binkowski accuses Facebook of spreading fake news on behalf of hostile foreign powers, favoring advertisers, and using the fact-check program as a form of crisis PR
New study shows how PH extremist groups use social media to recruit
Recruitment efforts and violent extremist messaging are organic and localized, and exploit 'hot button' issues like the Mindanao peace process and alleged military abuses, according to a study
Twitter warns global users their tweets violate Pakistani law
Furey and two critics of extremism in Islam say they are 'shocked' to have received notices by the social media giant this past week over alleged violations of Islamabad's laws, despite having no apparent connection to the country
