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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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Shannon Bond

Monday

Facebook Gets Reprieve As Court Throws Out Major Antitrust Complaints

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies remotely during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee hearing on October 28, 2020. Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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Pool/Getty Images

Technology

Facebook Gets Reprieve As Court Throws Out Major Antitrust Complaints

The decision is a blow to the Federal Trade Commission and 48 state attorneys general, who were pushing for the federal court to break up the social media giant.

Facebook Gets Reprieve As Court Throws Out Major Antitrust Complaints

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Friday

Social Audio Began As A Pandemic Fad. Tech Companies See It As The Future
Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Analysis

Technology

Social Audio Began As A Pandemic Fad. Tech Companies See It As The Future

Live conversations on Clubhouse and Twitter took off during the pandemic, connecting people online when they couldn't in real life. Now social media companies are scrambling to launch audio features.

Social Audio Began As A Pandemic Fad. Tech Companies See It As The Future

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Thursday

India And Tech Companies Clash Over Censorship, Privacy And 'Digital Colonialism'

The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in a standoff with social media companies over what content gets investigated or blocked online, and who gets to decide. Bikas Das/AP hide caption

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Bikas Das/AP

Asia

India And Tech Companies Clash Over Censorship, Privacy And 'Digital Colonialism'

India's new social media rules give the government broad powers to block some content and break encryption. It's the latest in a standoff with tech companies over censorship, privacy and free speech.

India And Tech Companies Clash Over Censorship, Privacy And 'Digital Colonialism'

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Tuesday

Asia

India Demands Social Media Firms Help It Track Misinformation Online

India's new social media rules give the government power to block certain content and break encryption. It's the latest in a standoff over censorship, privacy and free speech.

India Demands Social Media Firms Help It Track Misinformation Online

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Saturday

Politics

Facebook Suspends President Trump For 2 Years, Changes Rules For Politicians

Facebook is keeping former President Donald Trump off its platform until at least January 2023, and it is ending a policy of treating politicians differently from other users.

Facebook Suspends President Trump For 2 Years, Changes Rules For Politicians

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Friday

Trump Suspended From Facebook For 2 Years

Facebook says former President Donald Trump cannot use its social media platforms until at least Jan. 7, 2023. Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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Technology

Trump Suspended From Facebook For 2 Years

Facebook says former President Donald Trump is locked out of its platform and Instagram until at least Jan. 7, 2023. It will reinstate him only "if the risk to public safety has receded."

Trump Suspended From Facebook For 2 Years

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Wednesday

Senate Democrats Urge Google To Investigate Racial Bias In Its Tools And The Company

Democratic senators, led by Cory Booker of New Jersey, say they worry about how Google's products and policies may perpetuate bias. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images hide caption

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Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

America Reckons With Racial Injustice

Senate Democrats Urge Google To Investigate Racial Bias In Its Tools And The Company

The senators say products such as Google Search and YouTube may "perpetuate racist stereotypes" and the tech giant may not be a safe workplace for Black employees.

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram

Parents and tech companies are both struggling with how to handle underage kids using social media apps. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

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Rick Bowmer/AP

Analysis

Technology

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram

Facebook says it's working on a safer version of Instagram just for kids. Many parents worry about their kids' use of social media — but they don't trust Facebook's solution.

Parents To Facebook: Don't Make A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Better Instagram

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Tuesday

Technology

Parents Say There Doesn't Need To Be A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Kid-Friendlier One

Facebook says it's working on a version of Instagram for preteens because kids are lying about their age to get on its regular app. Many parents aren't sure Facebook's solution is the right one.

Parents Say There Doesn't Need To Be A Kid-Only Instagram, Just A Kid-Friendlier One

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Thursday

Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows

The majority of anti-vaccine claims on social media trace back to a small number of influential figures, according to researchers. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Untangling Disinformation

Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows

The majority of false claims about COVID-19 vaccines on social media trace back to just a handful of influential figures. So why don't the companies just shut them down?

Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows

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Technology

'Disinformation Dozen' — Just 12 People — Behind Bulk Of Vaccine Falsities Online

The majority of disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines originates from a small number of accounts. These accounts are known to social media platforms, so why don't the companies just shut them down?

'Disinformation Dozen' — Just 12 People — Behind Bulk Of Vaccine Falsities Online

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Tuesday

Technology

States Call On Facebook To Stop Plans For An Instagram For Kids

A bipartisan group of 44 attorneys general is urging Facebook to abandon plans to build a version of Instagram for children under 13 because of fears it could harm children's mental health and safety.

States Call On Facebook To Stop Plans For An Instagram For Kids

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Friday

In 1st Big Test, Oversight Board Says Facebook, Not Trump, Is The Problem

Facebook's Oversight Board says the company, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, must take responsibility for its decisions. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Technology

In 1st Big Test, Oversight Board Says Facebook, Not Trump, Is The Problem

The first big test of Facebook's Oversight Board reveals the challenges of checking the power and scale of the social media giant.

In 1st Big Test, Oversight Board Says Facebook, Not Trump, Is The Problem

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Wednesday

The NPR Politics Podcast

Trump's Facebook Ban Remains, For Now

Facebook's moderation board has upheld the company's decision to suspend Donald Trump's account because of posts expressing support for rioters, though the board says Facebook should determine whether or not the ban is permanent within six months.

Trump's Facebook Ban Remains, For Now

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Facebook Ban On Donald Trump Will Hold, Social Network's Oversight Board Rules

Facebook indefinitely suspended then-President Donald Trump's accounts in January after a mob of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Technology

Facebook Ban On Donald Trump Will Hold, Social Network's Oversight Board Rules

While the panel upheld Facebook's suspension of the former president, it said the company's indefinite ban was wrong and gave Facebook six months to either ban Trump permanently or reinstate him.

Facebook Ban On Donald Trump Will Hold, Social Network's Oversight Board Rules

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