Graphic: FacebookIn yet another attempt to unify its various properties into some writhing Akira-esque mass, Facebook announced today that Messenger and Instagram are, for all intents and purposes, merging. Chat features from Messenger will become available to Instagram users, and folks on either service will be able to reach out to one another without needing…
Today let’s talk about Facebook’s Oversight Board, the “real” Oversight Board, and what it means for the 2020 election. Last week I wrote about how Facebook’s vast size and monarchic corporate structure had contributed to a steady stream of controversies all summer. When every decision on which posts to remove comes down to the judgment…
I know, I know. Facebook trying to do the right thing and limit spam on its network is kind of like saying I’m going to use this masking tape to seal the hole in this nearby dam, but every little bit helps, right?For those of you still using the social network—and even I wonder, sometimes,…
Deputy polling precinct worker Seandra Pinder waits for voters to cast their ballot in Florida’s primary election at Precinct 321 on August 18, 2020 in Tampa, Florida.Photo: Octavio Jones (Getty Images)If you saw a new popup message when you opened Facebook recently, don’t worry: It’s not a hoax. In a bid to make up for,…
Photo: Mandel Ngan (Getty Images)On Thursday, President Trump doubled down on the instructions he had given voters the day before: that those who voted by mail should also show up at polling locations and verify that their votes have been counted, and, if not, vote again. What Trump has now repeatedly directed people to do…
A charred vehicle is seen in the parking lot of the burned Oak Park Motel after the passage of the Santiam Fire in Gates, Oregon, on September 10, 2020.Photo: Kathryn Elsesser (Getty Images)As emergency responders in Oregon struggle to contain a record 900,000 acres of wildfires across the state, local police have been fighting to…