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

Tech, Culture and Connection

Social Web

Tuesday April 30, 2013

All Tech Considered

When It Comes To Productivity, Technology Can Hurt And Help

April 30, 2013 • With more employees working on the road and more distracting technologies in the office, some companies are creating new ways to improve efficiency. One software firm helps identify wasted time, while another makes it easier for co-workers to collaborate.

When It Comes To Productivity, Technology Can Hurt And Help

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Wednesday April 24, 2013

As Its Influence Grows, Twitter Becomes A Hacking Target

After high-profile accounts have been attacked — including AP's, NPR's and the BBC's — Twitter considers how to thwart hackers and protect users. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

Privacy & Security

As Its Influence Grows, Twitter Becomes A Hacking Target

April 24, 2013 • The Associated Press, NPR and the BBC have all had their Twitter accounts hijacked in recent weeks. Hacks of high-profile accounts have real-world consequences, and the security at Twitter is coming under increased scrutiny.

As Its Influence Grows, Twitter Becomes A Hacking Target

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Tuesday April 23, 2013

Social Media's Rush To Judgment In The Boston Bombings

Brown University student Sunil Tripathi, who has been missing since March, was wrongly identified in social media as a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. Reddit has apologized to Tripathi's family "for the pain they have had to endure." Brown University/AP hide caption

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Brown University/AP

Social Web

Social Media's Rush To Judgment In The Boston Bombings

April 23, 2013 • As Internet users injected themselves into the investigation of the Boston Marathon bombings, false rumors began to spread about possible suspects in the attack. One of those falsely accused in social media was a 22-year-old Brown University student who has been missing. The general manager of Reddit has now apologized to the student's family.

Social Media's Rush To Judgment In The Boston Bombings

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Friday April 12, 2013

Deciding The Fate Of Your Digital Stuff After You're Gone

A man's shadow reflects on a bus with an ad for Gmail in Lagos, Nigeria. Google has introduced Inactive Account Manager to help plan for digital life after death. Sunday Alamba/AP hide caption

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Sunday Alamba/AP

Social Web

Deciding The Fate Of Your Digital Stuff After You're Gone

April 12, 2013 • Google seems to think of everything for everyone, and the dead are no exception. It has introduced Inactive Account Manager, which lets you select who should have access to your Gmail, YouTube and other Google services after you pass on — or whether the data should be wiped out.

Wednesday April 3, 2013

Facebook's Online Speech Rules Keep Users On A Tight Leash

Facebook users post more than 2.5 billion messages and updates each day, worldwide. All posted content must comply with the company's standards, which ban many forms of speech that, in the United States, are protected offline. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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The Industry

Facebook's Online Speech Rules Keep Users On A Tight Leash

April 3, 2013 • Social networks now hold tremendous power to regulate online speech. Their rules for allowable comments, art and video govern billions of posts worldwide each day. And while Twitter users enjoy a great deal of freedom, Facebook has relatively tight restrictions on what users can say and see.

Facebook's Online Speech Rules Keep Users On A Tight Leash

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Thursday March 21, 2013

Egyptians use their mobile phones to record celebrations in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the epicenter of the popular revolt that drove Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011. Twitter was often used to record happenings during the Arab Spring. Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

All Tech Considered

On Its 7th Birthday, Is Twitter Still The 'Free Speech Party'?

March 21, 2013 • The first tweet was posted seven years ago. Since then, the social media site has been used as a free speech platform to spread information, report on the Arab Spring and stay connected with millions worldwide. But critics say that as Twitter has grown, it has sometimes compromised its principles.

On Its 7th Birthday, Is Twitter Still The 'Free Speech Party'?

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Monday March 11, 2013

Like This Post On Facebook — It Might Reveal Something About You

Anatoliy Babiy/iStockphoto

Social Web

Like This Post On Facebook — It Might Reveal Something About You

March 11, 2013 • Researchers say a study of more than 58,000 U.S. Facebook users says their "likes" can be used to accurately predict everything from their sexual orientation to their political views. The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

May You Tweet In Peace: Social Media Beyond The Grave

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Social Web

May You Tweet In Peace: Social Media Beyond The Grave

March 11, 2013 • Social media has definitely ingrained itself into our lives, but now it's seeping into our afterlives as well. A few companies are building services to maintain your online presence once you're six feet under. One's slogan is: "When your heart stops beating, you'll keep tweeting."

Friday March 8, 2013

In Open Source Rocket Competition, Collaboration Takes Off

A screenshot shows how a team would track changes to its rocket project on a Sunglass platform. Sunglass hide caption

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Sunglass

Social Web

In Open Source Rocket Competition, Collaboration Takes Off

March 8, 2013 • The challenge, launching during the SXSW festival Saturday, asks anyone with an Internet connection to try to create a rocket engine. The 3-D designs can be edited by users around the globe, a model the organizers hope will decrease the cost of space innovation and unleash "untapped potential around the world."

The Life Cycle Of A Social Network: Keeping Friends In Times Of Change

The new look of Facebook's News Feed. Facebook hide caption

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Facebook

Social Web

The Life Cycle Of A Social Network: Keeping Friends In Times Of Change

March 8, 2013 • Facebook has unveiled a redesign of its News Feed, but any social network knows that drastic changes come with risks. Just look at Friendster, a site that fizzled after changes to the interface and a subsequent exodus made it less valuable to users.

The Life Cycle Of A Social Network: Keeping Friends In Times Of Change

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Friday February 8, 2013

Apps

Twitter's Vine App Raises Questions About Social Media Age Restrictions

February 8, 2013 • Twitter's Vine video app is just 2 weeks old, but it's already been updated to add a 17+ rating. However, any user can just click "OK" to get around the age limit. Internet safety advocates say social media sites aren't doing enough to protect younger users from inappropriate material.

Wednesday February 6, 2013

Is Online Gambling Legal If Bitcoins, Not Dollars, Are At Stake?

An image depicts the SatoshiDice website, which exclusively uses Bitcoin, not dollars, for gambling. NPR hide caption

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NPR

Gaming

Is Online Gambling Legal If Bitcoins, Not Dollars, Are At Stake?

February 6, 2013 • With no government ties, Bitcoin is used to buy everything from blogging services to Brooklyn-made cupcakes. Theoretically, millions of dollars are being kept in the digital currency. And it's increasingly being used by specialized websites to offer online gambling. But is Bitcoin gambling legal?

Is Online Gambling Legal If Bitcoins, Not Dollars, Are At Stake?

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Thursday January 24, 2013

Swinging From 140 Characters To Six-Second Videos, Twitter Launches Vine

Twitter announced its partnership with Vine, a video-sharing app that posts six-second videos onto a tweet, on Thursday, Jan. 24. Marie McGrory/NPR hide caption

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Marie McGrory/NPR

Gadgets & Apps

Swinging From 140 Characters To Six-Second Videos, Twitter Launches Vine

January 24, 2013 • Twitter launches Vine, a video-sharing app that allows users to post succinct videos directly onto tweets. The app is reminiscent of Instagram and seems familiar at a time when animated GIFs are all the rage.

Wednesday January 16, 2013

'It's About Time': Facebook Reveals New Search Feature

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on Tuesday. Jeff Chiu/AP hide caption

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Jeff Chiu/AP

The Industry

'It's About Time': Facebook Reveals New Search Feature

January 16, 2013 • The "graph search" feature, which will let users comb their friends' pages for everything from travel tips to restaurants they like, gives the company a path to grow its revenue but could also add to privacy concerns. Most analysts don't see the new feature as a direct threat to Google — for now.

'It's About Time': Facebook Reveals New Search Feature

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Friday January 11, 2013

Why Are Investors In Like With Facebook Again?

Why Is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Smiling? Maybe because someone might be willing to pay $100 to send him a message. Paul Sakuma/AP hide caption

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Paul Sakuma/AP

The Industry

Why Are Investors In Like With Facebook Again?

January 11, 2013 • Facebook's stock sank after its initial public offering last May. But since the new year began, its share price has soared nearly 20 percent.