Kids grow. This may not come as a surprise to most of us, who were ourselves children one, but health insurance companies are not necessarily prepared for this facet of reality. And where reality and bureaucracy can really come into hard conflict is when kids who need durable medical equipment might — gasp — outgrow the tech, which doesn’t grow at all. [More]
Twitter Dissolves Commerce Team, Ceases Development Of “Buy” Buttons
By 5.26.16
For the past year or so companies have been working to streamline the buying process by cutting out the need to toggle between several pages to purchase a product. There’s one social network that’s decided dipping its toes into the world of e-commerce apparently isn’t worth it anymore: Twitter has shifted its focus away from the concept of a “buy” button. [More]
It’s Official: Twitter Won’t Count Usernames & Photos Against 140-Character Limit
By 5.24.16
Twitter isn’t ready to ditch its long-standing 140-character limit, but it is officially ready to revamp what counts against that boundary. To that end, photos, usernames, quoted Tweets, and other attachments will no longer count against the pre-Tweet allotment. [More]
Report: Twitter Will No Longer Count Links, Photos Against 140-Character Limit
By 5.16.16
While Twitter isn’t ready to expand its 140-character limit anytime soon, the social media may be willing to exempt photos and URLs from that per-Tweet allotment. [More]
Court Rejects Twitter’s Transparency Lawsuit Against Justice Dept.
By 5.3.16
Twitter has hit a substantial roadblock in its nearly two-year legal battle against restrictions on what it can reveal to users about requests for data from federal law enforcement agencies. Yesterday, a U.S. District Court dismissed a substantial chunk of Twitter’s case, though the social media platform will be given an opportunity to try again. [More]
Comcast “Cares” On Twitter. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
By 5.2.16
If there is one lesson that large corporations really, really need to take to heart about the 21st century, it is this: unless you are universally beloved (and maybe even then), probably don’t self-promote with Twitter hashtags. It will not end well for you. And who would be the latest business to fall for this trap? It’s Comcast, the cable company America loves to hate. [More]
NHTSA Shames Distracted Drivers With #JustDrive Twitter Hashtag
By 4.25.16
Distracted drivers aren’t just making phone calls or taking their eyes off the road to text. Many of them are going on Twitter while they should be concentrating on driving. Which is why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is trying to shame them into putting their phones down. [More]
Even Anonymous Users Can Be Identified With Only Two Pieces Of Data From Social Media Apps
By 4.14.16
If you think you’re evading the constantly tracking eye of the Internet by using throw-away email addresses and obscure screen names to register your social media accounts and other apps, you’re probably wrong. A new study demonstrates how simple it can be to correctly identify someone using otherwise anonymous data. [More]
Thursday Night Football Is Coming Live To A Twitter Near You This Fall
By 4.5.16
It’s no secret that the NFL has been looking for streaming partners for its Thursday night games. A month ago, the rumor mill said that Facebook was looking to be the victor on that field. But today the news has broken about what streaming service will be getting the games, and it’s not Facebook — nor is it Amazon, Netflix, or any big streaming suspect you might suspect. It’s Twitter. Yes, that Twitter. [More]
Facebook, Reddit, Wells Fargo, Bank Of America CEOs Among Those Urging North Carolina To Repeal New Anti-LGBT Law
By 3.31.16
Earlier this month, in a hurried legislative process, North Carolina lawmakers passed HB2, a bill that overrides and prevents local governments from establishing anti-discrimination rules against gay and transgender people. This morning, advocacy groups delivered a letter to NC Gov. Pat McCrory signed by top executives from more than 100 companies, all calling for the state to repeal the law. [More]
Twitter CEO: 140-Character Limit Too Iconic To Expand
By 3.18.16
All our hopes and dreams of expressing ourselves with more than 140-character snippets on Twitter have been dashed: the social media company has decided not to give the message limit the boot. [More]
Twitter Shutting Down TweetDeck For Windows App April 15
By 3.17.16
If you’re a fan of TweetDeck and you happen to use the Windows-based app, it’s time to start saying “goodbye.” Twitter announced today that it will end support for that particular service on April 15. [More]
Twitter Has Turned On Algorithmic Timeline As Default View For All Users
By 3.17.16
If you like seeing Tweets on your timeline as they happen in real time, you’ll have to change your settings: after testing out an algorithmic timeline that shows users Tweets they might be interested in, the social media platform has quietly turned on that feature as the default option. [More]
Apple Will Now Offer Customer Support, Tips & Tricks On Twitter
By 3.3.16
Have a quick question for Apple? If you can keep it within 140 characters then you can skip the email or phone call and simply Tweet the tech company. [More]
Twitter Fixes “Password Recovery Bug” That May Have Exposed Information Tied To 10,000 Accounts
By 2.18.16
Twitter says it has fixed a problem with its password recovery system that recently made vulnerable the emails and phone numbers associated with thousands of Twitter accounts. [More]
It’s Not Just You: Comcast Is Having A Nationwide Outage Today
By 2.15.16
This morning, some readers alerted us that they were having problems with their cable TV. Were they alone? Were they being punished by the entertainment gods on a federal holiday? No, as far as we know, that isn’t actually a thing. What we do know is that there are outages reported in cities across the country, and Comcast’s Twitter team is posting so rapidly that their wrists may be on fire. UPDATE: The outage is over. [More]
Twitter Reportedly Working On Platform That Turns Users’ Tweets Into Ads
By 1.12.16
Take a quick look at Twitter at any given time and you’re sure to see a slew of brands, or celebrities and other influencers, shilling products and services with short 140-character messages. While promotional Tweets might be easy to spot now, they could be more difficult in the future, as the social media platform is reportedly working on a new product that would turn everyday users’ Tweets into ads for brands. [More]
T-Mobile CEO John Legere Sorry For Cursing Out Critics On Twitter
By 1.11.16
Last week, T-Mobile CEO John Legere went on Twitter to post video responses to questions about his company’s Binge On program. While the rabble-rousing exec is often applauded for his plainspoken demeanor, he was roundly criticized for cursing out one pro-consumer group that has been critical of his company. After a few days to think about it, Legere is now apologizing. [More]
