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☆ 'I'm back:' Trump returns to YouTube and Facebook after two-year ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The posts on his Facebook page and YouTube channel, which were titled "I'M BACK!," show a CNN video announcing Trump's election as president in the 2016 race against Hillary Clinton. Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) had reinstated Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts earlier this year. His Twitter account was reinstated in November by the platform's new owner Elon Musk but Trump has yet to post on Twitter. Trump's campaign team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. YouTube banned Trump in 2021 for violating its policy of inciting violence after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was certifying Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election.

☆ Trump returns to Facebook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstMarch 17 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump posted to Facebook on Friday, marking his return to the social media platform two years after he was banned. Facebook and Instagram are key vehicles for reaching voters and fundraising and could give a boost to Trump, who will make another run for the presidency in 2024. Trump had 23 million followers on Instagram and 34 million on Facebook as of Feb. 9. Trump founded his own social media platform called Truth Social in late 2021, which he relied on to communicate with supporters during his ban from Twitter and Meta. In a blog post, Meta said it updated its protocols on moderating public figures during times of civil unrest.

☆ Twitter rival Koo integrates ChatGPT to help users create content
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A ChatGPT integration is shown in the Koo social media app, in this undated handout photo provided by Koo, and obtained by Reuters on March 12, 2023. Koo/Handout via REUTERSMarch 13 (Reuters) - Koo, an India-based social media app that aims to rival Twitter, has integrated OpenAI's ChatGPT to help users more easily create posts, the company's co-founder told Reuters. Koo users will be able to use ChatGPT directly within the app to help them draft posts about current events, politics or pop culture, said Mayank Bidawatka, co-founder of Koo, in an interview. Users can either type their prompts into the ChatGPT tool or use Koo's voice command feature. About 20% of Koo users actively create content on the app and the ChatGPT integration could help increase that figure, he added.

☆ Discord to roll out AI-powered chatbot, messaging features
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Discord, which lets groups of users chat by text, video and voice, said it will revamp a bot called Clyde, who will now be powered by OpenAI technology. Discord users can invoke the AI-powered Clyde to answer trivia questions, help schedule meetings or recommend playlists, the company said. The tool will begin to roll out next week in a limited number of Discord groups, the company said. Discord said it will also experiment with OpenAI technology to improve an existing content moderation tool that helps automatically block harmful or unwanted messages from a Discord chat. The revamped tool can flag messages to moderators and also understand the context of the conversation, the company said.

☆ Tesla's next generation smaller car to operate mostly autonomously-Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

March 7 (Reuters) - Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk on Tuesday said that the next generation small car the company is working on would operate mostly in autonomous mode, similar to a promise he made in 2020. On Tuesday he said there was a clear path to delivering a car that cost half as much to build as Tesla's Model 3 sedan, but he offered no details about timing or models. At the 2020 event, Musk said he was "confident" that Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) would make a small, compelling $25,000 electric car that was fully autonomous, within about three years. Reporting By Hyunjoo Jin, Sheila Dang, Krystal Hu and Eva Mathews; writing by Peter HendersonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Musk says Twitter could be cash flow-positive next quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 7 (Reuters) - Twitter Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Tuesday that the company had "a shot" at being cash flow-positive next quarter, as costs have been cut and users have risen. Musk, who was speaking at an investor conference that was webcast, said it was "startling" how poorly Twitter managed to make money off its messaging service. The company has cut costs sharply, including layoffs, under Musk, who offered the cash flow-positive target as he described efforts to cut expenditures, or cash burn. Some advertisers also have fled Twitter due to the uncertainty over how Musk, who has called himself a "free speech absolutist," would approach content moderation. On Tuesday he said that Democrats and Republicans now trust Twitter to the same degree.

☆ TikTok to develop parental control tool to block certain videos
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

read more read moreLike other social media apps, TikTok has also faced criticism for not doing enough to shield teens from inappropriate content. Development of the parental control feature is in the early stages and the app will consult with parenting, youth and civil society organizations to design the tool, TikTok said in a blog post. It also announced new features to help users limit the amount of time they spend on the app. Accounts belonging to users under 18 will automatically have a time limit of one hour per day, TikTok said. Parents will now also be able to set custom time limits for their teens' TikTok usage depending on the day of the week, the company said.

☆ Elon Musk accuses media of racism after newspapers drop 'Dilbert' cartoon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 26 (Reuters) - Billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday accused the media of being racist against whites and Asians after U.S. newspapers dropped a white comic strip author who made derogatory comments about Black Americans. "Maybe they can try not being racist," Musk tweeted. loadingIn response to an account that said white victims of police violence get a fraction of media coverage compared to Black victims, Musk said the coverage is "Very disproportionate to promote a false narrative." Musk's latest tweets come after the Dilbert creator suggested white Americans "get the hell away from Black people". The move to drop the cartoon was "not a difficult decision", the Plain Dealer newspaper in Ohio told its readers on Friday.

☆ Exclusive: Microsoft's Bing plans AI ads in early pitch to advertisers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Last week, Microsoft and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google announced new generative AI chatbots a day apart from the other. Microsoft expects the more human responses from the Bing AI chatbot will generate more users for its search function and therefore more advertisers. Advertisements within the Bing chatbot may also enjoy more prominence on the page compared to traditional search ads. loadingMicrosoft's Edge web browser, which uses the Bing search engine, has a market share under 5% worldwide, according to one estimate from web analytics firm StatCounter. Parts Geek did not immediately respond to questions about whether it was aware of its ads appearing in the new Bing chatbot.

☆ Meta Oversight Board to begin reviewing cases more quickly
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 14 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' (META.O) Oversight Board announced Tuesday it will review more types of content moderation cases and expedite some decisions, as it aims to expand its work. The board, which has 22 members, said it will now begin publishing decisions on some cases on an expedited basis. Standard decisions, in which the Oversight Board reviews Meta's content moderation actions in depth, can take up to 90 days. Unlike standard decisions, expedited cases will be reviewed by a panel of board members instead of the full board and will not consider public comments. The board will also begin publishing summary decisions to analyze cases in which Meta changed its mind about whether to leave up or take down posts.

☆ Meta restores Donald Trump's access to Facebook, Instagram
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 9 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) has restored former U.S. President Donald Trump's access to Facebook and Instagram, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone confirmed on Thursday, following a two-year suspension after the deadly Capitol Hill riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Meta in January said it would lift Trump's suspension "in the coming weeks" and would institute heightened penalties of a suspension between one month and two years if the former president violated its content policies again. Trump now regains access to key platforms for voter outreach and political fundraising ahead of another run for the White House in 2024. He had 23 million followers on Instagram and 34 million on Facebook as of January. Reporting by Rami Ayyub, Kanishka Singh and Sheila Dang; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Super Bowl ads lean on stars, humor to grab attention
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Musician Ozzy Osbourne takes part in a Super Bowl ad for Workday, in this undated handout photo provided by Workday. Big-name celebrities are not uncommon in Super Bowl ads. A 30-second Super Bowl spot this year sold for a little over $7 million, according to a person familiar with the ad sales. “Advertisers want people talking about their brand, and not just during the 30 to 60 seconds of (Super Bowl) air time,” Rucker said. Some stars will poke fun at themselves or their careers in Super Bowl ads.

☆ Twitter outage leaves some users unable to tweet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 8 (Reuters) - Some Twitter users were unable to tweet on Wednesday, prematurely encountering a message that said "You are over the daily limit for sending Tweets." Twitter was down for about 9,000 users in the United States at 5 p.m. Eastern time, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com. "Twitter may not be working as expected for some of you. read moreThe Information reported Musk told Twitter employees on Wednesday to pause on new feature development "in favor of maximizing system stability and robustness, especially with the Super Bowl coming up." Reporting by Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru and Sheila Dang in Dallas; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Big Tech earnings show digital ads market not out of the woods
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is seen in front of displayed Google logo in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. Google-owner Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) on Thursday reported a slight fall in quarterly ad revenue, missing Wall Street expectations and surprising investors as the world's largest digital ad platform has traditionally been resilient compared to smaller rivals. Meta Platforms Inc (META.O), the second-largest digital ad platform, lifted Wall Street on Wednesday with its cost cuts and big share buyback, though it posted its third consecutive quarter of year-over-year revenue decline. Lower ad spending from brands in the financial services and technology sector was one reason for the revenue decline, the company said. Reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: From Meta to Microsoft, AI's big moment is here
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Jeffrey Dastin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] A Microsoft logo is seen a day after Microsoft Corp's $26.2 billion purchase of LinkedIn Corp, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 14, 2016. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File PhotoFeb 3 (Reuters) - Big Tech companies have a new obsession: artificial intelligence. Executives from Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O), behind the latest big rivalry in tech, took their battle to the conference-call front lines. We can bring those to life using generative (AI) art, which I think is really exciting," he said. "One of my goals for Meta is to build on our research to become a leader in generative AI," said Zuckerberg.

Feb 1 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) stricter cost controls this year and a new $40 billion share buyback sent shares soaring on Wednesday, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg called 2023 the "Year of Efficiency." The parent of Instagram and Facebook cut its cost outlook for 2023 by $5 billion to a range of $89 billion-95 billion, and projected first-quarter sales that could beat Wall Street estimates. Shares of peer Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) were up 3.3% and Snap Inc (SNAP.N) stock rose 1% in after-hours trade on Wednesday. "Despite all the challenges Meta must deal with, there are signs the business is still doing well," Cohen said. The company forecast first-quarter revenue between $26 billion and $28.5 billion, compared with analysts' average estimates of $27.14 billion, according to Refinitiv.

Feb 1 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc's (META.O) stricter cost controls this year and a new $40 billion share buyback sent shares soaring on Wednesday, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg called 2023 the "Year of Efficiency." The parent of Instagram and Facebook cut its cost outlook for 2023 by $5 billion and projected first-quarter sales that could beat Wall Street estimates. The company forecast first-quarter revenue between $26 billion and $28.5 billion, compared with analysts' average estimates of $27.14 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Meta stock was up 18.3% in after-hours trade. The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.76 per share, missing the average analysts' estimate of $2.22 per share.

Snap said its direct response business geared towards driving product sales or website visits rose 4% in October-December. That could "be viewed as a healthy sign for Meta and Google," whose businesses are tuned to direct response advertisers, said Mark Shmulik, senior analyst at research firm Bernstein. Similarly, Meta has said in previous quarters that the bulk of its revenue comes from direct response advertising. Headwinds for Meta and Google could be notably less severe, he added. The weak outlook pulled down the shares of rivals Meta, Google, and Pinterest (PINS.N), which also earns revenue by selling digital advertising, on Tuesday.

☆ Budweiser looks to younger generation in Super Bowl ad
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Hip hop record producer Metro Boomin participates in an ad for Budweiser in this undated handout. Budweiser/Handout via REUTERSJan 31 (Reuters) - Budweiser is aiming to appeal to younger beer drinkers with a Super Bowl commercial that features actor Kevin Bacon and hip hop record producer Metro Boomin, and brings back the beer brand's classic tagline, "This Bud's for you." Budweiser resurrected the tagline "This Bud's for you" by showcasing real people who embody qualities such as grit and determination, said Kristina Punwani, head of marketing for Budweiser USA. Metro Boomin, who is from St. Louis, Missouri, where Budweiser parent company Anheuser-Busch (ABI.BR) is based, takes the fourth beer in the ad while in a music studio. Budweiser will utilize hip hop and music throughout the year as it focuses on younger consumers, Punwani said.

☆ Snap swings to quarterly net loss, expects lower Q1 rev; shares fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jan 31 (Reuters) - Snap Inc (SNAP.N) on Tuesday said current quarter revenue could decline by as much as 10%, sending its shares down 14% as the company struggles with weak advertising demand. Revenue for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 was $1.3 billion, flat from the prior-year and in line with analyst expectations. Snap's net loss was $288 million during the quarter, versus net income of $23 million the previous year. Daily active users on Snapchat rose 17% year-over-year to 375 million, beating analyst expectations of 374 million, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Snap forecast daily active users in the first quarter between 382 million and 384 million.

☆ Twitter research group stall complicates compliance with new EU law
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Sheila Dang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Twitter signed a voluntary agreement in June with the EU related to the DSA committing to "empowering the research community" through means including sharing datasets about disinformation with researchers. The EU law would require platforms with over 45 million EU users to respond to EU-vetted researcher proposals. THE WORK OF THE CONSORTIUMThe research consortium was formed in response to backlash against Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Twitter had been preparing to disclose at least a dozen new datasets to researchers before then, the former employees said. If the research consortium is eliminated, "we will be returning to the 2017 era of limited shared communication about malicious state actor activity," said Renée DiResta, research manager at Stanford Internet Observatory.

[1/2] A logo of Meta Platforms Inc. is seen at its booth, at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups, at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France June 17, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierJan 25 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump's potential return to Meta Platform's (META.O) Facebook and Instagram is unlikely to change how advertisers spend money with the world's second-largest digital ad company, ad agency executives said. In a blog post on Wednesday announcing Trump's reinstatement, Meta said he will face "heightened penalties for repeat offenses." Trump's reinstatement, however, reinforces long-standing concerns about how social media platforms can ensure that ads don't appear next to content that marketers consider unsuitable, D'Altorio said. Ad spending on Twitter slumped in the last two months of 2022, according to Standard Media Index, which measures ad spending based on data from ad agencies.

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) said Wednesday it will reinstate former U.S. President Donald Trump's Facebook and Instagram accounts in the coming weeks, following a two-year suspension after the deadly Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021. He has 34 million followers on Facebook and 23 million on Instagram, platforms that are key vehicles for political outreach and fundraising. "I worry about Facebook's capacity to understand the real world harm that Trump poses: Facebook has been too slow to act." Whether, and how, Trump will seize upon the opportunity to return to Facebook and Instagram is unclear. He did not indicate if or when he would begin posting on Meta platforms again.

[1/2] An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX airplanes parked at the Boeing Factory in Renton, Washington, U.S. March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey WassonCompanies Boeing Co FollowFORT WORTH, Texas/WASHINGTON Jan 26 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a 737 MAX fraud conspiracy charge felony charge after families objected to a 2021 Justice Department agreement to resolve the investigation into the plane's flawed design. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor last week ordered Boeing to appear to be arraigned after he ruled that people killed in the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes are legally considered "crime victims." The Justice Department in 2021 agreed to seek dismissal of the charge after the three-year agreement if Boeing complies with all terms. Lawyers for the victims said Boeing admitted under the agreement "that the 737 MAX had an unsafe condition, and that it will not attempt to blame anyone else" for the crash.

[1/3] A 3D printed Google logo is placed on the Apple Macbook in this illustration taken April 12, 2020. Apple Inc (AAPL.O), which is steadily growing its nascent advertising business and promoting it as privacy-focused, could be a winner if Google ads become less effective, said Brian Mandelbaum, chief executive of marketing firm Attain. With more options besides Google, publishers will have more transparency over how much they can sell ad space for, and could end up paying less in fees, Mandelbaum said. If Google loses access to data signals, advertisers could see their Google ads become less effective, said Nikhil Lai, senior analyst at research firm Forrester. While the lawsuit settled, the fight is credited with opening the way for other internet innovators, like Google itself.

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