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☆ Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Facebook and Instagram
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | Katherine Blunt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Meta Platforms has spent months trying to fix child-safety problems on Instagram and Facebook, but it is struggling to prevent its own systems from enabling and even promoting a vast network of pedophile accounts. The social-media giant set up a child-safety task force in June after The Wall Street Journal and researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst revealed that Instagram’s algorithms connected a web of accounts devoted to the creation, purchasing and trading of underage-sex content.

Organizations: Facebook, Street Journal, Stanford University, University of Massachusetts Amherst

☆ WSJ's Jeff Horwitz: Instagram's algorithm delivers toxic video mix to adults who follow children
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWSJ's Jeff Horwitz: Instagram's algorithm delivers toxic video mix to adults who follow childrenJeff Horwitz, Wall Street Journal technology reporter and ‘Broke Code’ author, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss tests conducted by WSJ and the Canadian Center for Child Protection, which found that major brand ads could be served alongside sexually explicit images when they aimed to replicate the behavior that a child predator might engage in on Instagram, how Instagram's algorithm delivers inappropriate content to adults who follow children, Meta's response, and more.

Persons: Jeff Horwitz Organizations: Wall Street Journal, WSJ, Canadian Center for Child Locations: Instagram

☆ Instagram’s Algorithm Delivers Toxic Video Mix to Adults Who Follow Children
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | Katherine Blunt | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Instagram’s Reels video service is designed to show users streams of short videos on topics the system decides will interest them, such as sports, fashion or humor. The Meta Platforms -owned social app does the same thing for users its algorithm decides might have a prurient interest in children, testing by The Wall Street Journal showed.

Organizations: Wall Street

☆ Meta Designed Products to Capitalize on Teen Vulnerabilities, States Allege
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Meta says it didn’t design its products to be addictive for teens. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg NewsMeta Platforms sought to design its social-media products in ways to take advantage of known weaknesses of young users’ brains, according to newly unredacted legal filings citing internal company documents. An internal 2020 Meta presentation shows that the company sought to engineer its products to capitalize on the parts of youth psychology that render teens “predisposed to impulse, peer pressure, and potentially harmful risky behavior,” the filings show. References to the documents were initially redacted in the suit, which was filed in late October by members of a coalition of 41 states and the District of Columbia, alleging that Meta has intentionally built Facebook and Instagram with addictive features that harm young users. Meta approved the filing of an unredacted version on Wednesday.

Persons: Meta, David Paul Morris Organizations: Bloomberg, Meta, District of Columbia

☆ ‘Meta’s Deception’ About Instagram’s Harmful Qualities Alleged in Massachusetts Suit
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Georgia Wells | Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The filing suggests that many of the executives who publicly dismissed the seriousness of Instagram’s potential harm to young users had long warned about them. Photo: Niharika Kulkarni/Zuma PressMeta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly dismissed warnings from senior company officials that its flagship social-media platforms were harming young users, according to unsealed allegations in a lawsuit filed by Massachusetts. According to the suit, as early as 2019, Meta’s head of responsible innovation was telling Zuckerberg that mounting evidence showed the net effect of their platforms on user well-being was negative. Around that time, multiple executives, including Instagram head Adam Mosseri , were pushing for the company to ban filters that mimic plastic surgery due to concerns they were harming the mental health of women and teens.

Persons: Niharika Kulkarni, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Adam Mosseri Locations: Massachusetts

☆ Jeff Horwitz — Reporter at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jeff HorwitzJeff Horwitz is a technology reporter for The Wall Street Journal based in San Francisco, where he covers Meta and social-media platforms. His work on the Facebook Files won a George Polk Award, a Gerald Loeb Award and the Chris Welles Memorial Prize, among other recognitions. Previously he was a financial and enterprise reporter for the Associated Press in Washington, D.C. Jeff has also worked for American Banker, Legal Times, the San Bernardino Sun and the Washington City Paper.

Persons: Jeff Horwitz Jeff Horwitz, George Polk, Gerald Loeb, Chris Welles, Jeff Organizations: Wall, Journal, Facebook, George, Associated Press, American Banker, Legal Times, San Bernardino Sun, Washington City Locations: San Francisco, Washington ,

☆ His Job Was to Make Instagram Safe for Teens. His 14-Year-Old Showed Him What the App Was Really Like.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

In the fall of 2021 a consultant named Arturo Bejar sent Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg an unusual note. “I wanted to bring to your attention what l believe is a critical gap in how we as a company approach harm, and how the people we serve experience it,” he began. Though Meta regularly issued public reports suggesting that it was largely on top of safety issues on its platforms, he wrote, the company was deluding itself.

Persons: Arturo Bejar, Mark Zuckerberg, “, ”, Meta Organizations: Meta

☆ States Sue Meta Alleging Harm to Young People on Instagram, Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The headquarters of Meta Platforms. Lawsuits say the company misled the public about the dangers of its platforms for young people. Photo: CARLOS BARRIA/REUTERSA coalition of 41 states and the District of Columbia are filing lawsuits alleging that Meta Platforms has intentionally built its products with addictive features that harm young users of its Facebook and Instagram services. The lawsuits, in federal and state courts, say Meta misled the public about the dangers of its platforms for young people. The states are seeking to force Meta to change product features that they say pose dangers to young users.

Persons: CARLOS BARRIA, Meta Organizations: Meta, REUTERS, District of Columbia, Facebook

Meta Platforms has been wrestling with how to enforce its rules in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war. Photo: Mohammed abed/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesAfter Hamas stormed Israel and murdered civilians on Oct. 7, hateful comments from the region surged through Instagram. Meta Platforms managers cranked up automatic filters meant to slow the flood of violent and harassing content. But still the comments kept appearing—especially from the Palestinian territories, according to a Meta manager. So Meta turned up its filters again, but only there.

Persons: Mohammed abed, Meta Organizations: Agence France, Hamas, Instagram, Meta Locations: Israel

☆ Does Facebook Polarize Users? Meta Disagrees With Partners Over Research Conclusions
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/does-facebook-polarize-users-meta-disagrees-with-partners-over-research-conclusions-24fde67a

Persons: Dow Jones

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/meta-reveals-twitter-competitor-it-plans-to-launch-as-stand-alone-app-4a9b7721

Persons: Dow Jones

☆ Ukraine Dam Burst: Zelensky Visits Kherson and Calls for Aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

How Instagram’s Algorithm Connects and Promotes Pedophile NetworkInstagram, through its system of fostering communities with sets of narrow interests, has helped guide users to illegal child sex content. Instagram's parent company Meta has acknowledged the problem and vows to improve internal controls. WSJ social-media reporter Jeff Horwitz joins host Zoe Thomas to explain what makes Instagram different from other platforms when it comes to promoting this material. Illustration: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

Persons: Meta, Jeff Horwitz, Zoe Thomas, Lionel Bonaventure Organizations: Getty Locations: AFP

☆ Donald Trump Indicted in Classified Documents Case
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Meta, Jeff Horwitz, Zoe Thomas, Lionel Bonaventure Organizations: Getty Locations: AFP

☆ As Preteens Ignore Social-Media Age Limits, Governments Push for Better Checks
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Sam Schechner | Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-preteens-ignore-social-media-age-limits-governments-push-for-better-checks-b21f5ae7

Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees that the company expects to wrap up most layoffs for 2023 in May. Photo: john g mabanglo/ShutterstockMeta Platforms Inc. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees that he won’t rule out future layoffs and said he doesn’t expect the social-media company to hire as quickly as it did before the layoffs that began late last year. Preview SubscribeMr. Zuckerberg addressed employees in a virtual Q&A session on Thursday, a day after the company completed its latest round of layoffs. Mr. Zuckerberg told employees that approximately 4,000 employees, primarily in the company’s tech divisions, were affected by the latest cuts, according to a recording of the employee town hall. Since November, Facebook’s parent company has said it would lay off 21,000 employees, or nearly a quarter of its workforce.

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-parent-bytedance-battles-meta-for-virtual-reality-app-developers-30ce091f

☆ Meta to Let Users Opt Out of Some Targeted Ads, but Only in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Sam Schechner | Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Meta Platforms Inc. is planning to let European users of Facebook and Instagram opt out of certain highly personalized ads as part of plans to limit the impact of a European Union privacy order, according to people familiar with the planning. Under the plan, Meta, beginning Wednesday, will allow EU users to choose a version of its services that would only target them with ads based on broad categories, such as their age range and general location—without using, as it does now, data such as what videos they watch or content they click on inside Meta’s apps, the people said.

☆ Meta Looks to Divest Kustomer Amid Efficiency Drive
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | Juliet Chung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Meta said it is exploring strategic alternatives for Kustomer, a business-software company it bought last year. Meta Platforms Inc. is planning to divest Kustomer, a business-software company it bought last year in one of its largest acquisitions, as the tech company looks to refocus on its core business, according to the company and people familiar with the planned deal. “In light of Meta’s efficiency efforts, we’ve made the decision to focus on our fastest growing business messaging offerings, including the monetization opportunity for WhatsApp,” said Ryan Moore, a spokesman for the company. “We are currently exploring strategic alternatives for Kustomer and will continue to support Kustomer’s product and customer base throughout this process.”

Meta late last year cut 11,000 jobs and sought further attrition through the performance review process. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. is planning additional layoffs to be announced in multiple rounds over the coming months that in total would be roughly the same magnitude as the 13% cut to its workforce last year, according to people familiar with the matter. The new cuts, the first wave of which is expected to be announced next week, are likely to hit non-engineering roles especially hard, the people said. The company is also expected to shut down some projects and teams in conjunction with these cuts.

☆ YouTube, Facebook and Instagram Gave Platforms to Indian Cow-Protection Vigilante
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | Newley Purnell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Demonstrators last month protested the suspected killing of two youths whose relatives said they had been abducted and killed for alleged cow smuggling. Monu Manesar , the alias of an Indian cow-protection influencer, has spent the past six years documenting his personal war against cattle smugglers on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. In openly violent posts that often clashed with the platforms’ stated content policies, his accounts livestreamed car chases of men suspected to be transporting beef or cows—an animal deeply revered in Hinduism. He and fellow vigilantes filmed themselves ramming vehicles, shooting out truck tires and trading gunfire with alleged smugglers. The posts included anti-Muslim slurs and trophy photos of captives bleeding from the head.

☆ Facebook Parent Delivers Mixed Response to Suggestions on Controversial VIP Program
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Meta has described its ‘cross check’ program as a quality-control effort on content of heightened public interest. Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. said it would work to implement many of an outside advisory group’s recommendations to reform a system for VIP users called “cross check,” but rejected important provisions intended to enhance transparency and prevent political favoritism. Meta made the announcements Friday in a formal response to 32 recommendations issued in a December report about cross check from its oversight board, an outside body that the company empowered to make binding decisions on specific content-moderation controversies and offer suggestions on broader topics.

☆ Facebook Parent Meta Gives Thousands of Workers Subpar Reviews
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Salvador Rodriguez | Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. gave thousands of employees subpar ratings in a recently concluded round of performance reviews, a signal that more job cuts may be on the way, people familiar with the matter said. The company also cut a bonus metric, the people said, one of several steps senior executives are taking after Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg declared 2023 would be a “year of efficiency.”

☆ Meta Embraces AI as Facebook, Instagram Help Drive a Rebound
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jeff Horwitz | Salvador Rodriguez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Days before Meta Platforms Inc.’s first ever mass layoffs in November, a senior executive shared some good news. The company’s short-form video product, Reels, was getting traction with users, and the threat posed by rival TikTok appeared to be easing. “Facebook engagement is stronger than people expected,” Tom Alison, head of Facebook, wrote in a memo to his staff. “Our internal data indicates that Meta has grown to a meaningful share of short-form video.”

☆ Meta to Reinstate Donald Trump’s Facebook, Instagram Accounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Meghan Bobrowsky | Jeff Horwitz | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. said it would reinstate former President Donald Trump‘s Facebook and Instagram accounts, more than two years after they were suspended in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Meta said Wednesday that the accounts would be reinstated “in the coming weeks.” It added, “The public should be able to hear what politicians are saying so they can make informed choices.”

After the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. said it wanted to scale back how much political content it showed users. The company went further than almost anyone knew. The results of the effort are gradually reshaping political discourse on the world’s biggest social-media platform, even though the company backed off the most aggressive approach: hitting the mute button on all recommendations of political content.

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