Technology

For Facebook, the conclusion of President Trump’s term in office meant a respite from the regular provocations of a leader who seemed intent on pushing the limits of what social media companies would allow.It also brought one final dilemma: whether to reinstate his account, locked down indefinitely in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, or shut it down for good.But … [Read more...] about Tech companies are making speech ‘someone else’s problem.’ Here’s how

What can consumers expect for the next 12 months? A prominent market research firm came out this week with a report titled “Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021.”To get my hands on it, however, I had to submit my name, email address and job details.And just like that, my question was answered: More of the same.OK, I exaggerate. There are some interesting predictions in the report … [Read more...] about Column: Pandemic, not privacy, tops list of 2021 consumer trends. Let’s change that

Vernā Myers traces her calling as a diversity advocate more than 50 years ago when Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. It was the day before her eighth birthday. Even at her young age in Baltimore, she understood the sacrifice King made and what he stood for. “I wanted to live out that dream,” Myers said. “I wanted it to be true.”Myers began her career as a … [Read more...] about Inviting new people to make stories. How this VP is pushing Netflix to diversify

Netflix had a banner year in 2020, boosted by a global pandemic that triggered a wave of home entertainment viewing and popular series such as “The Queen’s Gambit.”The Los Gatos, Calif., streamer broke its all-time record for net additional subscribers in 2020, gaining 37 million for the year, compared with its previous record gain of 28.6 million new subscribers in 2018. At … [Read more...] about Netflix broke subscriber records in 2020. Will it slow down?

Over the four years of the Trump presidency, social media platforms generally took a soft line in enforcing their policies against threats and misinformation, allowing most borderline speech, including the president’s, to stand. In the wake of a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol aimed at disrupting the transfer of power, and ahead of an inauguration feared to provoke new attacks … [Read more...] about Social media platforms are cracking down to prevent Inauguration Day violence

A political leader uses social media to spread misinformation and hate. Followers are spurred to violence. People are killed.It is a toxic brew that has surfaced repeatedly across the world — in Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Brazil and now the United States.Facebook, Twitter and YouTube banned President Trump from their platforms for inciting last week’s deadly … [Read more...] about Facebook banned Trump. Leaders who say worse often go unpunished

Debates about content moderation, especially on social media, have been a background hum throughout Donald Trump’s presidency. Early criticisms of his tone and comportment on the campaign trail morphed into more tangible worries about what a smartphone-happy commander in chief meant for America (Did he just threaten nuclear war in a tweet?) and reached a fever pitch in 2020 as … [Read more...] about The future of Section 230 and internet speech after Trump

One of the nation’s largest labor unions and several ride-share-app drivers in California plan to file a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 22. The California law, approved by voters in November, allows gig companies to continue treating their workers as independent contractors rather than as employees.The Service Employees … [Read more...] about Prop. 22 faces first legal challenge as SEIU, ride-share drivers plan to file suit

Parler. Gab. Rumble. MeWe. DLive. Over the last four years, a small constellation of newish social media sites and web platforms has found favor with those on the political right who see the heavy hand of censorship in Facebook and Twitter’s tightening policies against hate speech and violent rhetoric.Now, with President Trump “permanently suspended” from Twitter and … [Read more...] about Trump without Twitter: Will he move to the ‘Trumpnet’?

The pandemic economy has favored the well-off and made life miserable for the working poor. New motor vehicle sales for 2020 reflect that bifurcated reality.The automobile industry has been “much more focused on higher priced products and more affluent customers” since the pandemic hit, Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, said in the firm’s 2020 year-end … [Read more...] about Many couldn’t afford a car in 2020. The rich went on a buying spree