Accessibility links
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

Social Web

Friend Your Students? New York City Schools Say No

WNYC

This spring, the city's Department of Education issued its first guidelines about how teachers should navigate social media. The rules make it explicit: Teachers cannot friend or follow their students on Facebook or Twitter, but they can have professional accounts and pages for students to follow.

Friend Your Students? New York City Schools Say No

Listen · 4:20
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153610087/153634874" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Stolen Phone Beams Photos To Owner, Who Puts Them On Facebook

A month after Katy McCaffrey's iPhone was stolen, photographs began streaming from the phone to her "cloud" account. She used them to create a photo album on Facebook; she called it "Stolen iPhone Adventures." Facebook hide caption

toggle caption
Facebook

Social Web

Stolen Phone Beams Photos To Owner, Who Puts Them On Facebook

When Katy McCaffrey's stolen iPhone began beaming her photos from a cruise ship, she posted a batch of photos from the purloined iPhone on her Facebook page, in an album called "Stolen iPhone Adventures."

Monday

We Ask The Pros: Should You Friend Your Boss On Facebook?
iStockphoto.com

Social Web

We Ask The Pros: Should You Friend Your Boss On Facebook?

Rejecting a friend request from your boss could be seen as a vote of no confidence, but do you really want his Burning Man photos showing up in your news feed? Comedian Baratunde Thurston and media technologist Deanna Zandt discuss proper workplace friending etiquette.

We Ask The Pros: Should You Friend Your Boss On Facebook?

Listen · 2:46
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153213289/153220069" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Military Addresses Double-Edged Sword Of Troops On Social Media

At Forward Operating Base Payne in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Marine Cpl. Jonathan Odriscoll looks at pictures of his sister on Facebook. Troop access to social media has been both a blessing and curse for the military. Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Bay Ismoyo/AFP/Getty Images

Social Web

Military Addresses Double-Edged Sword Of Troops On Social Media

Thanks to Facebook and other sites, American troops in Afghanistan are more connected than ever with what's going on back home. But that connectivity has also led to incendiary videos and photos getting posted online. Now, military leadership is taking steps to further educate troops on what is and isn't appropriate for public viewing.

Military Addresses Double-Edged Sword Of Troops On Social Media

Listen · 4:06
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/153003267/153208901" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

'What Facebook Is Selling Is Us'

A worker sits in the Facebook office in Menlo Park, Calif. The amount of information Facebook learns about its users seems to have entranced Wall Street. Jeff Chiu/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Jeff Chiu/AP

Social Web

'What Facebook Is Selling Is Us'

Facebook's initial public offering — $16 billion and counting — is shaping up to be one of the largest in history. The company and its investors are betting that the social media giant can learn enough from its users so it can target ads that will be worth big, big money.

Monday

Facebook's Success Hinges On How Much More It Can Learn About Us

Investors will be betting that Facebook won't make its users so uncomfortable over privacy that they quit. Photo Illustration: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Photo Illustration: Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images

Privacy & Security

Facebook's Success Hinges On How Much More It Can Learn About Us

As Facebook prepares to sell stock to the public, perhaps valuing the company at nearly $100 billion, investors will be betting that the firm won't make its users so uncomfortable over privacy that they quit. Meanwhile, Yahoo, another company that also once had a bright future, continues to undergo upheaval as it struggles to define its mission.

Facebook's Success Hinges On How Much More It Can Learn About Us

Listen · 5:40
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/152683085/152695828" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Algorithms: The Ever-Growing, All-Knowing Way Of The Future

Quid's algorithm mapping software shows where discussion of higher taxes is taking place. Yellow dots represent articles that focus on taxation, while the teal dots show articles that don't. Courtesy of Quid hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of Quid

Social Web

Algorithms: The Ever-Growing, All-Knowing Way Of The Future

Companies are using algorithms to guess your favorite film, track the development of the Occupy movement and predict insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other things. But with great power also comes great responsibility.

Algorithms: The Ever-Growing, All-Knowing Way Of The Future

Listen · 5:34
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/152444019/152697407" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

A Job At What Cost? When Employers Log In To Dig In

Employers have been asking for prospective employees' Facebook username and passwords to do some extra research on whom they may be hiring. Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Privacy & Security

A Job At What Cost? When Employers Log In To Dig In

Robert Collins says he felt "violated" when the Maryland Department of Corrections asked to log in to his Facebook account during a job interview. He's now pushing back, working with lawmakers to bar employers from asking such a privacy-invading question.

Monday

Digital Technologies Give Dying Languages New Life

In an undated photo, members of the Siletz tribe gather for the Siletz Feather Dance in Newport, Ore. The tribe is using digital tools to help preserve its native language. Courtesy of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians

Social Web

Digital Technologies Give Dying Languages New Life

NWNews

As many as half of the world's languages are at risk of disappearing by the end of the century. More aboriginal groups around the world, including Oregon's Siletz tribe, are using "talking dictionaries" and other digital tools to help preserve their native languages.

Digital Technologies Give Dying Languages New Life

Listen · 4:18
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/147809425/148927093" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

Nailing Down The Appeal Of Pinterest

A visit to the Pinterest home page reveals images of what some say are stereotypically female interests, from women's fashions to recipes. Pinterest hide caption

toggle caption
Pinterest

Social Web

Nailing Down The Appeal Of Pinterest

Pinterest, the hot new social media taste-sharing site, isn't necessarily about how many friends you have. It's about interacting with people you may not know and in the process developing a certain style. But can the site, which has gained millions of users in a short period, sustain its stellar growth?

Nailing Down The Appeal Of Pinterest

Listen · 4:34
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/147596063/147621565" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

CU In Court: Texts Can Be A Divorce Lawyer's Dream
iStockphoto.com

Social Web

CU In Court: Texts Can Be A Divorce Lawyer's Dream

From infidelity to drinking problems, divorce attorneys say texts have become powerful tools for undermining a spouse's credibility, and more and more divorce and custody cases are making use of them.

CU In Court: Texts Can Be A Divorce Lawyer's Dream

Listen · 4:08
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/147289250/147368280" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Wednesday

So Pinterest Is A Woman's World. Does That Matter?

A visit to the Pinterest homepage typically reveals images of makeup, women's fashions — and the occasional "pin" of Justin Bieber. via Pinterest.com hide caption

toggle caption
via Pinterest.com

Opinion

Social Web

So Pinterest Is A Woman's World. Does That Matter?

Pinterest, which has drawn lots of media interest and millions of users, has been tagged "digital crack for women." But while most users are female, men are finding ways to use the social media site, like Drew Hawkins' "Board of Man."

Wednesday

Facebook: Lots Of Friends, But Stock Offering Has Risks

Analysts say that to succeed, Facebook needs to figure out how to sell ads on mobile platforms. Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

Social Web

Facebook: Lots Of Friends, But Stock Offering Has Risks

Roughly half of Facebook's users check in on smartphones and other mobile devices every month, but so far the company isn't making money on mobile. That's one of the potential pitfalls for the company as it prepares to sell its stock to the public.

Facebook: Lots Of Friends, But Stock Offering Has Risks

Listen · 3:51
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/146542477/146565880" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Thursday

Soon Facebook Growth Will Be About Users Clocking In More Time

In its Feb. 1 initial public offering, Facebook announced that it had generated $3.71 billion in revenue in 2011, up from $1.97 billion the year before. via Facebook hide caption

toggle caption
via Facebook

Social Web

Soon Facebook Growth Will Be About Users Clocking In More Time

As the number of new Facebook users plateaus, the company will have to find ways to draw individual users in for longer periods of time if it hopes to keep ad profits growing.

Soon Facebook Growth Will Be About Users Clocking In More Time

Listen · 3:55
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/146286033/146305256" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunday

Facebook Timeline Brings The Past Back To The Future

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shows Timeline during the f/8 conference in San Francisco in September. Paul Sakuma/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Paul Sakuma/AP

Privacy & Security

Facebook Timeline Brings The Past Back To The Future

Facebook's Timeline — the long anticipated overhaul of the site — is rolling out across the world this week. Your old posts and photos could be about to make a comeback, so you need to spend some time cleaning house.

Facebook Timeline Brings The Past Back To The Future

Listen · 4:01
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/145733245/146051948" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript