Stray Links: The WSJ and the “Facebook Files”
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2025 9:34 am
THINGS TO REMEMBER THIS WEEK
Facebook Files – The Wall Street Journal launched this week into a series of revelations about Facebook. Thanks to internal documents, which the editorial staff was able to get their hands on, several investigations have been published, in the form of articles and podcasts . They highlight errors that the social network may have made in gambling data china the management of its platforms. By allowing celebrities to not be sanctioned for their problematic content , by ignoring the toxicity of Instagram for young girls , by promoting violent content in its news feed , or by leaving active the accounts of human traffickers and drug cartels .
While Facebook doesn't deny the Wall Street Journal's revelations , the social network says it wants to improve. For its part, Instagram's management responded in a blog post , stating that its social network can have as many positive as negative effects on users. On this point, senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal demanded answers from Facebook . Internal Facebook documents suggest that Mark Zuckerberg's company is downplaying awareness of its flaws . Not to mention the Russian troll farms, most of whose accounts are not deleted...
Epic vs Apple – After four months of litigation , the decision is in : Epic Games has been fined $6 million for circumventing Apple's rules by implementing its own payment system on its Fortnite game. The publisher wanted to bypass the 30% commission pocketed by the Apple brand for all payments made on the App Store. But Apple is not so victorious , since the same ruling forces the firm to allow applications to notify their users of the existence of an alternative payment system, which could have a heavy impact on the company's turnover .
Not satisfied with the outcome of the trial , Epic appealed the judgment , in part to prove that Apple has a monopoly on the app distribution market. Ultimately, neither company emerged victorious from the trial .
This week in France
"France-Soir" loses its access to Google's advertising tool
Facial recognition: MP proposes experiments before 2024 Olympics
Vivendi's takeover bid for Lagardère: behind the scenes of a lightning raid forcreate a media giant
3 FIGURES
$177 million – Google fined in South Korea for anti-competitive practices .
60% – According to a recent study , three out of five teenagers have already been victims of harassment on online multiplayer games, which represents nearly 14 million players.
$2.6 million – will be invested by Facebook in Brazilian media , which will allow it to expand its journalistic offering.
CHART OF THE WEEK
Infographic: Eco-anxiety is gripping young people | StatistaYou can find more infographics on Statista
OUR BEST READS / WORTH YOUR TIME / LONG READ
How Wellness Influencers Are Fueling the Anti-Vaccine Movement
In the era of streaming, we must bet on the sustainability of “slow culture”
Google finds itself caught in global antitrust net
The growing trend of internet shutdown
The trap of perfectionism
Facebook Files – The Wall Street Journal launched this week into a series of revelations about Facebook. Thanks to internal documents, which the editorial staff was able to get their hands on, several investigations have been published, in the form of articles and podcasts . They highlight errors that the social network may have made in gambling data china the management of its platforms. By allowing celebrities to not be sanctioned for their problematic content , by ignoring the toxicity of Instagram for young girls , by promoting violent content in its news feed , or by leaving active the accounts of human traffickers and drug cartels .
While Facebook doesn't deny the Wall Street Journal's revelations , the social network says it wants to improve. For its part, Instagram's management responded in a blog post , stating that its social network can have as many positive as negative effects on users. On this point, senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal demanded answers from Facebook . Internal Facebook documents suggest that Mark Zuckerberg's company is downplaying awareness of its flaws . Not to mention the Russian troll farms, most of whose accounts are not deleted...
Epic vs Apple – After four months of litigation , the decision is in : Epic Games has been fined $6 million for circumventing Apple's rules by implementing its own payment system on its Fortnite game. The publisher wanted to bypass the 30% commission pocketed by the Apple brand for all payments made on the App Store. But Apple is not so victorious , since the same ruling forces the firm to allow applications to notify their users of the existence of an alternative payment system, which could have a heavy impact on the company's turnover .
Not satisfied with the outcome of the trial , Epic appealed the judgment , in part to prove that Apple has a monopoly on the app distribution market. Ultimately, neither company emerged victorious from the trial .
This week in France
"France-Soir" loses its access to Google's advertising tool
Facial recognition: MP proposes experiments before 2024 Olympics
Vivendi's takeover bid for Lagardère: behind the scenes of a lightning raid forcreate a media giant
3 FIGURES
$177 million – Google fined in South Korea for anti-competitive practices .
60% – According to a recent study , three out of five teenagers have already been victims of harassment on online multiplayer games, which represents nearly 14 million players.
$2.6 million – will be invested by Facebook in Brazilian media , which will allow it to expand its journalistic offering.
CHART OF THE WEEK
Infographic: Eco-anxiety is gripping young people | StatistaYou can find more infographics on Statista
OUR BEST READS / WORTH YOUR TIME / LONG READ
How Wellness Influencers Are Fueling the Anti-Vaccine Movement
In the era of streaming, we must bet on the sustainability of “slow culture”
Google finds itself caught in global antitrust net
The growing trend of internet shutdown
The trap of perfectionism