A Star is born
A Star is born Two hours before one of the most important live events in Netflix’s history, LA’s sprawling CBS Radford Studio Center is abuzz with the strangest combination of things. As I walk through one cavernous soundstage on a Tuesday afternoon, I hear multiple people warming up their voices to sing. I pass a […]
What’s in the Epstein files? For Tiktokers, a content gold mine
What's in the Epstein files? For Tiktokers, a content gold mine On TikTok, creators are combing through the Epstein files for views and clout. | Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images “where are you? Are you ok , I loved the torture video,” reads one email, allegedly sent by Jeffrey Epstein in 2009. The […]
TikTok launches Local Feeds in the US
TikTok launches Local Feeds in the US TikTok announced on Wednesday that it’s launching “Local Feeds,” an opt-in feature that uses precise GPS location data to create a feed of localized content, similar to the “Nearby Feeds” that launched in the UK and Europe in December. This is the first new feature introduced for US […]
TikTok’s infinite scroll is too addictive, say EU regulators
TikTok's infinite scroll is too addictive, say EU regulators EU regulators have declared that TikTok’s “addictive design” may put it in breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA), in the preliminary results of an ongoing investigation into the social media app. If those findings are confirmed, TikTok could face a major fine and be required […]
Who’s afraid of the new TikTok?
Who's afraid of the new TikTok? The significant problems with the TikTok app last weekend were, according to the company, because of a technical issue stemming from a power outage at a “US data center partner.” Users could not upload new videos and view counts were all out of whack, with few answers or explanations. […]
TikTok US is mostly back up and running
TikTok US is mostly back up and running As we moved into the third day of the TikTokalypse, the app appears to have finally stabilized in the US, as we verified that it’s possible to consistently publish new videos and even have other people watch them. That hasn’t been a simple task since the service […]
Truth and AI in Minneapolis
Truth and AI in Minneapolis When federal agents killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, video of the shooting – from lots of people, and lots of angles, with wildly varying levels of quality – immediately began to fly around the internet. This is what always happens in times like these, and there have […]
All the ways TikTok is broken: here’s what’s real and what’s not
All the ways TikTok is broken: here's what's real and what's not While social media rumors have suggested the errors are examples of censorship, more than a day after the issues began, TikTok USDS says the problems are the result of a power outage at a data center that it is working to resolve. Rumors of censorship targeting anti-ICE […]
TikTokers are heading to UpScrolled following US takeover
TikTokers are heading to UpScrolled following US takeover TikTok’s takeover in the US has prompted users to join an alternative social platform called UpScrolled. The app, which is available on Android and iOS, currently holds the 12th spot in Apple’s App Store, and it’s struggling to keep up with an influx of new traffic. “You […]
Internal chats show how social media companies discussed teen engagement
Internal chats show how social media companies discussed teen engagement Recently released documents show the big business opportunity that social media companies saw in recruiting teens to their platforms and how they discussed risks that heavy digital engagement could pose. The documents were released last week as part of a major set of trials brought […]