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Social Web : All Tech Considered Sites like Facebook and Twitter have revolutionized the Web, altered how we interact with each other and even changed the way news is gathered and delivered. Read about the impact of social media and its continuing evolution.
All Tech Considered

All Tech Considered

Tech, Culture and Connection

Social Web

Thursday

Yet Another Shift In Facebook Policies Raises Privacy Concerns
Joerg Koch/AP

Privacy & Security

Yet Another Shift In Facebook Policies Raises Privacy Concerns

Facebook has a long history of upsetting its users by suddenly announcing a change to its privacy settings. In 2009, as a way to quiet the critics, Facebook set up a system for its customers to vote on changes. If enough of them were unhappy, the company would back down. Now, Facebook wants to get rid of the voting.

Yet Another Shift In Facebook Policies Raises Privacy Concerns

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Sunday

Left Homeless, Storm Victims Turn To Internet To Find Shelter

A damaged home rests on one side along the beach in the Belle Harbor section of Queens, N.Y., on Nov. 5 in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Craig Ruttle/AP hide caption

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Craig Ruttle/AP

Social Web

Left Homeless, Storm Victims Turn To Internet To Find Shelter

Tens of thousands of people in the New York City area lost their homes to Superstorm Sandy. Many may be in need of temporary housing, so the home-sharing website Airbnb is working to connect people made homeless by Sandy with people willing to provide free housing.

Left Homeless, Storm Victims Turn To Internet To Find Shelter

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Tuesday

How Much Is A 'Like' On Facebook Worth For A Company's Share Price?

Investors and financial analysis firms are increasingly looking at "sentimental analysis" — such as Facebook "likes" and Twitter messages — to gauge a company's social popularity. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Social Web

How Much Is A 'Like' On Facebook Worth For A Company's Share Price?

Companies that provide financial data are increasingly interested in our "likes" and tweets. A Ph.D. student recently studied how positive social media mentions are linked to stock market performance, and came up with some interesting results.

How Much Is A 'Like' On Facebook Worth For A Company's Share Price?

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Tuesday

11 Takeaways From Zuckerberg's First Interview Since Facebook's IPO

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized his company's mobile-centered future Tuesday, in his first public comments since Facebook's troubled IPO. Eric Risberg/AP hide caption

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Eric Risberg/AP

Apps

11 Takeaways From Zuckerberg's First Interview Since Facebook's IPO

In his first interview since Facebook's troubled IPO, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the company's mobile-centered future, his commitment to mission over fun and explained why he doesn't code much anymore.

Monday

When A Kickstarter Campaign Fails, Does Anyone Get The Money Back?

In seeking financial backers for her Ouya game console, Julie Uhrman was looking for about $1 million. The business received far more than that amount. Kickstarter hide caption

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Kickstarter

Gaming

When A Kickstarter Campaign Fails, Does Anyone Get The Money Back?

KQED

On Kickstarter, the largest crowd-funding site, a handful of entrepreneurs have raised millions of dollars more than they expected. But if they fail to deliver their promised product, questions arise over whether the supporters are donating money or making a purchase.

When A Kickstarter Campaign Fails, Does Anyone Get The Money Back?

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Monday

Online University For All Balances Big Goals, Expensive Realities

Students work at the University of the People student computer center in Haiti. Students from 129 countries are currently enrolled with the institution. Courtesy of University of the People hide caption

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Courtesy of University of the People

Social Web

Online University For All Balances Big Goals, Expensive Realities

The University of the People says it's the "world's first, tuition-free, online university," designed for poor students who would otherwise lack access to higher education. The institution has 1,300 students in 129 countries, but it's also struggling to maintain its "free" mission.

Online University For All Balances Big Goals, Expensive Realities

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Monday

Smartphone Apps Help More Singles Find The Boy (Or Girl) Next Door

A growing number of smartphone apps use internal GPS to help singles locate potential mates nearby. While men are enthusiastic about the apps, women have been slower to adopt them. Sean Locke/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Sean Locke/iStockphoto.com

Privacy & Security

Smartphone Apps Help More Singles Find The Boy (Or Girl) Next Door

People have long looked to computers to meet potential dates. Some are now using their smartphones, too. A growing number of phone apps are using internal GPS to locate other potentially compatible singles nearby. But to date, far more men than women are signing up for the services.

Smartphone Apps Help More Singles Find The Boy (Or Girl) Next Door

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Thursday

Its Financial Future In Question, Facebook Tries To Tell A Different Story

Mayank Sharma of New Delhi lost his memory. A video by Facebook shows how he used Facebook's "people you may know" feature to rebuild his life. Facebook/Vimeo video screengrab hide caption

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Facebook/Vimeo video screengrab

Social Web

Its Financial Future In Question, Facebook Tries To Tell A Different Story

Facebook's stock has lost nearly half its value since the company went public. Many analysts are skeptical about Facebook's future as a business. Now it's trying to change the narrative, launching a site devoted to stories showing the different ways people use Facebook. They include a man in India trying to rebuild his life after losing his memory.

Its Financial Future In Question, Facebook Tries To Tell A Different Story

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Friday

'Techie Computer Programmer Guy' And The Website Reddit Deliver The News

Morgan Jones, an 18-year-old from Denver, gave minute-by-minute updates Friday on the movie theater shootings in nearby Aurora, Colo. Courtesy of Morgan Jones hide caption

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Courtesy of Morgan Jones

Social Web

'Techie Computer Programmer Guy' And The Website Reddit Deliver The News

Shortly after the Colorado shootings, a Denver 18-year-old named Morgan Jones started a thread on the social media site Reddit. It built through the night into a minute-by-minute chronicle of tragedy.

Thursday

As Wikipedia Gets Pickier, Editors Become Harder To Find

The German-language Wikipedia is the second-largest edition of the online encyclopedia after English. Wikipedia is currently available in more than 285 languages. Michael Gottschalk/AP/DAPD hide caption

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Michael Gottschalk/AP/DAPD

Social Web

As Wikipedia Gets Pickier, Editors Become Harder To Find

Content in the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia can be generated and edited by anyone. But the power to delete or lock those entries lies in the hands of the site's "administrators." A rigorous screening process for new administrators has partly led to a drop in site participation. Now, Wikipedia is struggling to find new editors.

As Wikipedia Gets Pickier, Editors Become Harder To Find

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Thursday

New Online Users Have A Longer Timeline

More older adults are using the Internet, thanks in part to introductory classes offered offline. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Social Web

New Online Users Have A Longer Timeline

WNYC

For the first time, more than half of adults 65 and older are using the Internet. Pew Center data shows that trend really picked up in the past year, particularly with help from offline outreach to senior citizens. Besides, few grandparents can resist a wall full of family pictures.

New Online Users Have A Longer Timeline

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Monday

Friday

9 Powerful Moments In The Day Of A Viral Web Editor At BuzzFeed
Audie Cornish/NPR

Social Web

9 Powerful Moments In The Day Of A Viral Web Editor At BuzzFeed

Every day, all day BuzzFeed scours the Web for click-happy material like photos of corgis and Ryan Gosling. We spend a day with Matt Stopera, one of the minds behind the popular social news site, and see what goes into making content viral.

9 Powerful Moments In The Day Of A Viral Web Editor At BuzzFeed

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Thursday

ICANN's Call For New Domain Names Brings Criticism, And $357 Million

ICANN President and CEO Rod Beckstrom unveiled nearly 2,000 proposed new "top-level" domain names during a press conference in London Wednesday. Tim Hales/AP hide caption

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Tim Hales/AP

Policy

ICANN's Call For New Domain Names Brings Criticism, And $357 Million

The corporation that regulates the Internet plans to increase the number of "top level" domains from the current 22 to 1,000 domains starting in early 2013. The proposed domains offer a cross-section of the Internet — what we use it for, and where the money is.

Monday