Facebook and Google are officially in a race to connect the rest of the world to the internet - and both companies are working on surprising means to do it. On Friday, Facebook released new details about its initiative, called Internet.org.
A lot happened this week in social media: while Twitter keeps trying to be more user-friendly, we found out that Instagram is more popular than Twitter with active smartphone users. Meanwhile, Facebook made a purchase that redefines the company's ambitions and some Pinterest users got hacked - and flooded with butt pictures. It's Social Media Saturday!
Like it or not, Twitter is now getting closer to Facebook in its basic functions, and on Wednesday, the 140 character-based social media network announced some new changes that take it one more step towards being less like the Twitter you know, and more friendly for new users.
It's becoming harder to tell if Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is incredibly foolish in his recent shopping spree, snapping up tech companies left and right, or if he's incredibly wise, and playing the long game. On Tuesday, Facebook announced it was acquiring Oculus VR, Inc., maker of the virtual reality machine Oculus Rift.
President Obama met for a second time with top technology industry executives on Friday, discussing concerns over the National Security Agency's surveillance programs and the possibility of reform.
More than a week after Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg phoned President Barack Obama to voice his frustrations regarding the recent surveillance scandal at the NSA, he was invited to the White House on Friday to discuss Americans' privacy concerns and NSA reform.
This week in social media, Twitter turned eight years old and was banned in Turkey, Facebook faced off with the government over privacy (and it's the other way around this time), and Pinterest and Tumblr both got into marketing and ads. It's time for Social Media Saturday!
This week in social media, Pinterest debuted a "Gifts" feed, Adult Swim premiered an episode by sending more than 100 Instagram videos, China's Twitter filed for an IPO, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was so miffed by an NSA revelation that he called President Obama himself. It's Social Media Saturday!
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with most giants of the tech industry, has expressed his critical views on the U.S. National Security Agency's activities before, but it appears that the most recent NSA revelation published this week has pushed him over the edge. On Thursday, Zuckerberg called President Obama himself, after which he publically aired his grievances on (of course) Facebook.
During a tech-oriented show at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas on Monday, whistleblower fugitive Edward Snowden made a video appearance and gave an hour-long talk denouncing the U.S. government's surveillance policies.
Facebook wants to acquire drones so that they can deliver communications to remote parts of the world. It sounds like a massive undertaking. But if Facebook is successful despite competition from Amazon and Google, it could be ahead of its time.
Most of the action in social media this week happened in Facebook's neck of the woods, but Vine and Pinterest had some interesting changes and announcements this week. It's time for Social Media Saturday!
