A few months back all the kids were chatting on the Internets about how like, Facebook wanted to be a lot more like Twitter? And like, the best way to do that might be to use those hashtag thingies? Those rumors turned out to be true, as the #SocialNetwork is rolling along with the tide of progress and learning to use hashtags. [More]
Facebook Launches Hashtags In Latest Attempt To Keep Up With The #Cool #Kids
By June 12, 2013
Facebook Finally Ditching Those “Sponsored Stories” We All Love So Very Much
By June 7, 2013
Remember all that brouhaha over Facebook’s “Sponsored Stories,” the ads that are supposed to be cleverly disguised as simple recommendations from friends? We kind of can’t believe it’s taken this long for Facebook to realize that users are onto their little ruse, but the social network announced yesterday that it’s ditching the ads in favor of a brand new approach toward advertising. [More]
You Should Probably Check Your Facebook Privacy Settings Right Now
By June 6, 2013
If you’re like most Consumerist readers, you’re probably Internet-savvy enough to carefully screen what you say on Facebook, and to use filters when you have something more colorful and interesting to post. Now that everyone from your grandmother to your niece’s cat are on using Facebook, though, everyone could use a reminder of how to set up your privacy settings, how to change who sees a given post, and how to make sure those settings are still arranged how you want them. [More]
Report: AT&T Discontinuing HTC First After Facebook Home Fails To Impress
By May 13, 2013
Some called it the first “Facebook phone,” some called it by its name, the HTC First, and now there are those calling the whole joint venture between Facebook and AT&T a flop. According to one report making the rounds today, AT&T is getting ready to drop the HTC First after reportedly poor sales. [More]
Instagram Becomes More Like Papa Facebook With New Photo-Tagging Feature
By May 2, 2013
The apple doesn’t fall from the tree in the Facebook family, it seems, although we’re honestly surprised it took this long: In a like father, like acquired property move, Instagram will now feature a photo-tagging function, so you can tag friends, things and oh yeah — brands. You can be your own little advertiser! [More]
Facebook Might Introduce Hashtags & Twitter Is Like, “Welcome To Five Years Ago”
By March 15, 2013
If the rumors are true and Facebook starts using hashtags, Twitter might get a bit peeved. On one hand, it’s just another symbol sitting there on the keyboard, but on the other, it’s been pretty widely known as strictly Twitter territory. A new report says Facebook wants to get in on the hashtag action, which could elevate the already frosty relationship between the two social networks to ice cold. [More]
FTC Says Social Media Ads Have To Be Held To Same Rules As Traditional Ads
By March 13, 2013
One of the important duties held by the Federal Trade Commission is making sure ads don’t mislead consumers. Yesterday the FTC set out clear rules for short-form ads on social media like Twitter and Facebook as well. Namely, they have to be held to the same basic requirement as other advertising — be upfront about what’s going on. [More]
Netflix Users Can Now Hook Up Accounts To Facebook, Gab About Finally Watching ‘Dr. Who’
By March 13, 2013
I can post all day long on Facebook that I’m seriously addicted to The Walking Dead but wouldn’t it just be great if my Netflix account was connected to Facebook? That way when I finally join the cult of Doctor Who* like everyone is telling me to do, my pals will just know. Netflix will be able to do just that after a long battle with U.S. regulators. [More]
Facebook’s Newsfeed Redesign Seeks To De-Clutter, Makes Everything Bigger
By March 7, 2013
Listen. You’re probably going to freak out about Facebook redesigning its newsfeed yet again, so let’s get that out of the way [cue freakout]. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to what Mark Zuckerberg and company announced today at the unveiling. Basically everything is getting a lot bigger and less cluttered. [More]
Facebook Reportedly Working On Location-Tracking App So Friends Can Stalk You More Efficiently
By February 5, 2013
Have you ever stared at your phone, cursing its inability to pinpoint your exact location and broadcast it to your large group of friends on a popular social network? Probably not — there are apps for that, Foursquare being one that pops to mind — but if you did, Facebook has a solution. The company is reportedly working on its own location-tracking app so your friends will be able to see where you go, when you go and who you’re with. Whew. [More]
Just What We Don’t Need — More Gift Cards! And This One’s From Facebook
By January 31, 2013
Say the word “gift card” around Consumerist HQ and hackles will raise at an alarming rate. Which is why we’re greeting the news of a new gift card offered by Facebook with what one might call, “extreme wariness and trepidation.” Building on the social network’s recent launch of Facebook Gifts, these cards will be able to hold balances for multiple retailers and are reusable. [More]
Facebook Won’t Remove My Dead Brother’s Page
By January 23, 2013
Sylvie’s brother died at a tragically young age. It’s awful enough that his loved ones have to face life without him, but they also have to deal with his continued presence on Facebook. People still comment on his … wall, timeline, whatever Facebook is calling a person’s profile this week. They don’t want to un-friend him, which feels wrong, but Facebook won’t delete or memorialize his pages, even when family members have submitted his death certificate and specifically requested to have them taken down. She doesn’t know where else to turn. [More]
Don’t Call Your High School Crush: Facebook Launches Free Voice Calls On Messenger App
By January 17, 2013
In case it isn’t embarrassing enough to realize you may have had one drink too many and sent your high school crush a gushing, nostalgia-filled message on Facebook the night before, the company is rolling out a new feature with its Messenger app —the ability to place voice phone calls over a WiFi network. So far the feature is only available for U.S. users so don’t get any ideas about calling your cousin in Australia. [More]
Would You Pay $100 To Give Mark Zuckerberg A Piece Of Your Mind Via Facebook Message?
By January 11, 2013
Here’s a way to make some cash — how about monetizing the ability to send Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg a message on the social network? Facebook says it’s trying out some “extreme price points” to allow people to pay for their messages to be seen by others who aren’t on their friends list. Which means instead of a missive reading “Yo, what up?” going to Zuckerberg’s “Other” folder, he might actually read it. [More]
Could Facebook’s Mysterious Invitation Mean It’s Finally Launching A Phone?
By January 9, 2013
That whirring sound you hear is the rumor mill kicking into high gear, probably splashing water everywhere (it is a mill) while it gets to spinning: Facebook has issued a mysterious invitation for the media to come hang out on its campus in Menlo Park, Calif. next Tuesday and of course, now everyone’s all abuzz as to what it is the social network has to share with us. Could it be a phone? A new superhero? A fancy haircut for Mark Zuckerberg? [More]
Some Of Those Threats Weren’t Empty: 25% Of Instagram Users May Have Quit Over TOS
By December 28, 2012
UPDATE 4:15 p.m.: It seems those numbers from AppData indicating that Instagram is leaking users aren’t quite all they’re cracked up to be. To that end, a spokeswoman for Instagram denies the app is losing users, saying in a statement: “We continue to see strong and steady growth in both registered and active users of Instagram.” [More]
Even Randi Zuckerberg Is Confused When It Comes To Setting Facebook Privacy Controls
By December 27, 2012
Even though Facebook rolled out new privacy control tools to its U.S. users that ostensibly should make it easier for users to figure out what they’re sharing with which people, it seems things are still complicated enough to confused Mark Zuckerberg’s very own sister, Randi Zuckerberg. She was a bit ticked off recently to find that a photo she’d shared on the social network was viewable by a stranger — who subsequently reposted it on Twitter. [More]
Instagram’s Most Followed User Kim Kardashian Might Totally Break Up With It
By December 20, 2012
Despite the backpedaling Instagram performed on Tuesday night in the wake of a widespread backlash against its controversial new terms of service and privacy policy, the social media service is still facing the prospect of losing a lot of users. And if it loses its most followed user, things could be even worse. Do you really want Kim Kardashian to leave and possibly take a chunk of her 5.7 million followers with her, Instagram? Well, do ya? [More]
