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Shannon Bond Shannon Bond is a correspondent at NPR, covering how misleading narratives and false claims circulate online and offline, and their impact on society and democracy.
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Thursday

Technology

Facebook changes company name to Meta as it shifts focus to building its 'metaverse'

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced the company is shifting its focus toward the metaverse, part of a bid for younger users who now prefer TikTok to Facebook or Instagram.

Facebook changes company name to Meta as it shifts focus to building its 'metaverse'

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Facebook is rebranding as Meta — but the app you use will still be called Facebook

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the keynote address during a virtual event on Oct. 28. Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will rebrand itself under a new name: Meta. Eric Risberg/AP hide caption

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Eric Risberg/AP

Technology

Facebook is rebranding as Meta — but the app you use will still be called Facebook

The change comes as Facebook looks to recast its public image from battered social network to tech innovator focused on building the next generation of online interaction, known as the "metaverse."

Facebook is rebranding as Meta — but the app you use will still be called Facebook

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Tuesday

Technology

Youtube, Snapchat and TikTok officials testify to Senators on kids' online safety

Officials of YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok spoke before a Senate subcommittee looking at the platforms' impact on kids and teens.

Youtube, Snapchat and TikTok officials testify to Senators on kids' online safety

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Monday

The NPR Politics Podcast

The Facebook Papers Show How Quickly Radicalization Can Happen Online

Thousands of leaked documents from Facebook were viewed by more news organizations over the weekend including NPR. The internal sources show the company struggling with how to combat misinformation and researchers worrying about the impact of the platform.

The Facebook Papers Show How Quickly Radicalization Can Happen Online

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Technology

How the 'Stop the Steal' movement outwitted Facebook ahead of the Jan. 6 riot

Leaked documents from inside Facebook show the social network was caught flat-footed by the "Stop the Steal" movement, which culminated in the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol.

How the 'Stop the Steal' movement outwitted Facebook ahead of the Jan. 6 riot

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Friday

How the 'Stop the Steal' movement outwitted Facebook ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection

A protester unleashes a smoke grenade in front of the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

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Bloomberg/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Untangling Disinformation

How the 'Stop the Steal' movement outwitted Facebook ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection

Internal Facebook documents show how the pro-Trump Stop the Steal movement proliferated on the world's biggest social network between the presidential election and the Jan. 6 insurrection.

How the 'Stop the Steal' movement outwitted Facebook ahead of the Jan. 6 insurrection

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Saturday

Technology

Facebook whistleblower's testimony spurs calls for regulation

Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's disclosures about the social media giant are fueling new, urgent calls for regulation.

Facebook whistleblower's testimony spurs calls for regulation

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Wednesday

Technology

Ex-Facebook employee Frances Haugen testifies before Senate panel

Democrats and Republicans vow to work together to strengthen online child-privacy laws after Haugen testified about Instagram and Facebook dangers for young users. Facebook rejects her portrayal.

Ex-Facebook employee Frances Haugen testifies before Senate panel

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Tuesday

The NPR Politics Podcast

Hear What A Facebook Insider Told Congress About How Its Apps Hurt Kids

Former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen told senators that the company knows its products harm children and stoke division, but that executives have continued to prioritize growth over safety.

Hear What A Facebook Insider Told Congress About How Its Apps Hurt Kids

Listen · 14:19
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Technology

Facebook whistleblower testifies before a Senate panel

Former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen is testifying before a Senate Commerce subcommittee about why she copied and leaked thousands of pages of sensitive internal research.

Facebook whistleblower testifies before a Senate panel

Listen · 4:22
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Whistleblower tells Congress that Facebook products harm kids and democracy

Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen testified before a Senate subcommittee after leaking internal research showing the company knew about Instagram's negative impact on some teens. She says that Facebook consistently chooses profit over safety. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Technology

Whistleblower tells Congress that Facebook products harm kids and democracy

A former Facebook employee compared the social network to Big Tobacco at a Senate hear17%ing on Tuesday, saying the company has hidden what it knows about the problems its products cause.

Monday

Facebook asks court to toss FTC lawsuit over its buys of Instagram and WhatsApp

Facebook asked a federal judge on Monday to dismiss the FTC's lawsuit alleging the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to stifle competition in the social networking market. Chesnot/Getty Images hide caption

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Chesnot/Getty Images

Technology

Facebook asks court to toss FTC lawsuit over its buys of Instagram and WhatsApp

The social network says the Federal Trade Commission's complaint is "without legal or factual support." The agency alleges Facebook buys promising rivals to stifle competition.

Thursday

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids

Antigone Davis, Facebook's global head of safety, testifies remotely Thursday before a Senate subcommittee following leaks of internal research showing the company knows the harm its apps cause young people. Patrick Semansky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick Semansky/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Technology

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids

Days after Facebook's Instagram "paused" work on an app for kids under 13, U.S. senators grilled the company's head of safety about how both platforms negatively affect teens and young people.

Senators Blast Facebook For Concealing Instagram's Risks To Kids

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Technology

Facebook Will Be Back On Capitol Hill To Face Senators' Questions

Facebook executives will appear before a Senate panel following a list of public crises — including Instagram's impact on children. Facebook paused plans to build a version of Instagram for kids.

Facebook Will Be Back On Capitol Hill To Face Senators' Questions

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Tuesday

Getting a religious exemption to a vaccine mandate may not be easy. Here's why

The waiting area of a pop-up vaccination site at St. John The Divine Cathedral sits empty as the rush for vaccinations winds down on June 27, 2021 in New York City. The demand for vaccinations has declined just as the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus begins to take hold in the United States. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images hide caption

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David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Business

Getting a religious exemption to a vaccine mandate may not be easy. Here's why

With COVID-19 vaccine mandates taking effect around the country, requests for religious exemptions are on the rise. Under federal law, employers have a lot of discretion in granting the requests.

Getting a religious exemption to a vaccine mandate may not be easy. Here's why

Listen · 7:09
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