James Farrell
Latest from James Farrell
Twitter research reveals its algorithm prefers right-leaning content, but it doesn’t know why
Following research undertaken by the company, Twitter announced today that its algorithm actually amplifies right-leaning political content over left-wing content. The news might come as a shock to some, especially former president Donald Trump, who has been exiled by much of social media. He has accused Twitter and other social media companies of harboring a political ...
US cracks down on exporting hacking tools to China, Russia, other ‘countries of concern’
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced today that it will begin tightening controls on the sale of hacking tools and surveillance software to countries that might pose a national security threat. The Bureau of Industry and Security issued an interim rule which will put “controls on the export, re-export or transfer (in-country) of certain items ...
Facebook settles $14 million over claim it discriminated against US workers
The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that Facebook Inc. has settled two civil cases which accused the company of refusing to hire U.S. workers by saving positions for people on temporary visas. Last year, the DOJ sued Facebook for discriminating against the U.S. workforce in regard to its hiring practices. The claim stated that ...
Lawmakers allege Amazon’s Jeff Bezos might have misled Congress
A U.S. House Judiciary Committee wrote a letter to Amazon executives Sunday, saying the company has until November to prove it didn’t lie in front of Congress in 2020. In July that year, Amazon’s now-Executive Chairman and then Chief Executive Jeff Bezos was asked if the company ever mined data and then on the back ...
Microsoft retires Chinese version of LinkedIn after censorship criticism
Microsoft Corp. announced today that it’s shutting down the Chinese version of LinkedIn, with the company stating there have been issues with “compliance” in the country. In a blog post, the company said it will introduce a different app in China called “In Jobs” that should arrive sometime later this year. It will be a ...
Facebook updates its harassment policies to protect public figures better
As part of an effort to appease its growing number of critics, Facebook Inc. announced today that it will expand its policies to provide better protection of public figures. The company said it will begin talking down “severe sexualizing content” relating to such figures, which will cover celebrities, people working in politics, and even well-known ...
Facebook’s blacklist of 4,000 dangerous individuals and groups is leaked
Facebook Inc. keeps a blacklist of 4,000 people and groups it deems a threat to national security, according to a report published by The Intercept today. What it contains has so far remained mostly a secret. The list of “Dangerous Individuals and Organizations,” now seen by The Intercept, seems to be in line with U.S. ...
Facebook says it will ‘nudge’ teens away from harmful content
Nick Clegg, Facebook’s vice president of global affairs, said Sunday that in an effort to make Instagram a safer place for teens, the company will implement some changes to the app. The move comes after an avalanche of criticism following whistleblower Frances Haugen’s leak of internal documents, her subsequent appearance on TV and her date ...
Google says it will invest $1B in Africa over the next five years
Google LLC announced today that it plans to invest $1 billion in the continent of Africa in an effort to give more people access to fast and cheap internet while investing some of the money in startups. Nitin Gajria, managing director for Google in Africa, said the subsea cable will link Africa and Europe and ...
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies his company favors growth over safety
After a former Facebook Inc. executive blew the whistle on the company, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg emerged from the dust today to deny her accusations. Frances Haugen, a product manager on the civic integrity team at Facebook, had leaked a series of documents to the Wall Street Journal before she appeared on U.S. television to disclose ...