social networking news stories on Newser

Facebook Tries Charging Users to Promote Posts

Matt Cantor — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:01:05 CDT

Want to make sure your friends see your latest uber-important Facebook update? Now you can—if you live in New Zealand and are willing to drop a couple bucks. Facebook is testing a service in the country that allows users to pay between about 40 cents and $2 to highlight...

New End-of-Life Planning: Social Media Wills

Matt Cantor — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:01:10 CDT

Social networking has already changed our lives; now, officials want us to consider its implications after our death. On its blog, the US government is calling on Americans to create "social media wills," which detail our wishes for the future of the huge range of online accounts we all have...

Obama: Use Tech to Abuse Rebels, We'll Sanction You

Mark Russell — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:23:22 CDT

If you use technology to help a repressive regime commit human rights abuses, you'll find yourself slapped with US sanctions. That's the message from President Obama, who this morning announced a new executive order specifically targeting those backing Iran and Syria via technology, though it could be expanded to other...

64% of Tweets Are Totally Boring

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:18:01 CDT

A new study in the Harvard Business Review confirms what you probably already know if you've spent any time on Twitter: Just 36% of tweets are actually worth reading. Another 39% are "just OK," and a full quarter aren't worth your time. That's according to 1,443 users, who evaluated...

No, Facebook Isn't Creating a Nation of Lonely Souls

John Johnson — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:01:02 CDT

The Atlantic 's cover story is a much-discussed piece by novelist Stephen Marche, who concludes that Americans in the age of Facebook "have never been more detached from one another, or lonelier." It's strong stuff, but it's just the latest entry in a long list of articles and books on...

Orthodox Brooklyn School Orders Girls Off Facebook

John Johnson — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 18:18:37 CDT

An Orthodox Jewish high school in Brooklyn is making headlines for its new zero-tolerance policy on Facebook. The all-girls Beth Rivkah school has a simple rule for students: Delete your page and pay a $100 fine or find a new school, reports the New York Post . “It’s the wrong place...

Pinterest Reassures Users Over Copyright Concerns

Evann Gastaldo — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:38:05 CDT

Pinterest is quickly following up on the copyright concerns that were recently raised by a lawyer and photographer, whose blog post on the potential issues went viral on the social networking site . "Pinterest is a platform for people to share their interests through collections of images, videos, commentary, and links...

Facebook Kills 'Most Beautiful Teen' Page

Matt Cantor — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 05:00:00 CDT

Amid an outcry from parents, Facebook has quickly killed a page seeking the world's "Most Beautiful Teen." The page hosted a contest that sought teenagers' photos and had amassed a collection of sometimes suggestive photos, ABC News reports. The pictures garnered comments like "her nose is too big" and "I...

Soon, You Can Play Hunger Games on Facebook

Evann Gastaldo — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:58:55 CDT

Soon you'll be able to compete in the Hunger Games —sort of. A Facebook game based on the popular trilogy arrives March 23, the same day the first movie based on the books is released. But unlike in the Suzanne Collins novels, players in the Hunger Games Adventures won't fight...