Trump, Facebook, and the weaponization of free speech

Yesterday—as protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis, continued across the US—things that President Trump said caused trouble again, and drove the news again. First, Trump laid into governors on a conference call that quickly leaked to the press; he called most of them “weak,” and advised that if they didn’t “dominate” demonstrators in their states, the governors would “look like a bunch of jerks.” Later, Trump addressed the nation from the White House Rose Garden, and threatened to deploy the military to the states should unrest persist. While he was speaking, police used tear gas and flashbangs to violently clear a peaceful gathering outside the White House; one officer was caught on camera bashing a news camera with his shield. The police, it turned out, were clearing a path so that Trump could walk to a vandalized church for a photo op that was, itself, excruciating. (“That wasn’t even good reality television,” CNN’s Jim Acosta said.) Trump stood outside the church, awkwardly holding a Bible aloft in his right hand. When a reporter asked Trump if the Bible was his, he replied, “It’s a Bible.” Asked what he was thinking, Trump said, “Don’t ask.” For now, we’ll have to wait and see whether Trump’s words about deploying the military to the states come to anything. (Last night, reporters and pundits were parsing the Insurrection Act of 1807 and the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. It felt like a post-apocalyptic spinoff of The West Wing.)... Continue reading at 'Columbia Journalism Review'

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-06-02 12:08:10 UTC ]
News tagged with: #recent weeks #hong kong

Other news stories related to: "Trump, Facebook, and the weaponization of free speech"


Facebook’s now the leader in the fight against ad blocking

Let publishers take the polite or guilt-trip approach to ad blockers. Facebook is coming down hard, saying it's going to force ad blockers to see ad messages, like it or not. It could be a rallying cry for publishers but will also likely escalate the arms race with tech companies, observers... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #tech companies #arms race #rallying cry #ad blockers #ad blocking #post facebook


Facebook Stands Up To Clickbait, Day 2: The Media Responds

The media industry responded predictably to an announcement from Facebook Thursday that articles using so-called "clickbait" headline tropes will get lower billing in the social giant's all-important News Feed product, which publishers rely on for sweet, sweet referral traffic. (Sponsored posts... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-08-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #media companies #publishers operate #poked fun #sponsored posts #publishers rely #social giant


Picture books and porn: mini-boom in satirical titles inspired by Donald Trump

A wave of illustrated books, about what one of the authors described as ‘a golden, racist egg’ for lampooners, have been inspired by his campaignEarlier this summer, Californians Brad and Amy Herzog came up with an idea for what they’re calling “a picture book for adults about a man-child”: D Is... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #silver spoon #picture books


Facebook 'anti-spam systems' blocked Democrat emails dump

Facebook says its anti-spam filters were to blame for its website briefly blocking access to internal emails from US Democratic Party committee members published by Wikileaks. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2016-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #internal emails


How Sponsored Content Is Becoming King in a Facebook World

As native advertising gains prominence, publishers may find themselves competing not just with one another, but with the ad agencies that already exist. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2016-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #ad agencies #sponsored content


Donald Trump, beware – when the ghostwriter gives you up

What do the US presidential candidate, Victoria Beckham, Zoella, Julian Assange and Tony Blair have in common? Issues with their ‘silent’ partnersOne of the first lessons of politics is never annoy your ghostwriter. Donald Trump is the latest to learn this, and is now sending a “cease and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #tony blair #julian assange #presidential candidate


Pratchett's Wee Free Men to become film

The Jim Henson Company is producing a film adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s The Wee Free Men novel, with the screenplay written by Rhianna Pratchett, the late author’s daughter. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #late author #terry pratchett #film adaptation


Facebook details a way to offer laser-based internet access

Have you wondered how Facebook might offer high-speed internet access using lasers? The company's Connectivity Lab is happy to show you. It just published a research paper explaining laser beam technology can deliver up to 2Gbps to remote places.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Trump wasn't authorised to use Queen's We Are the Champions

Queen says they don't want Donald Trump using their music and the classic rock band's publishing company says Trump has not asked for permission to use the group's songs. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2016-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Facebook Is Launching New App-Install Ads to Help Developers Find Audiences

Facebook has updated its app-install ads to allow developers to select targeted audiences based on which users will most likely use an app and not just install and forget about it. The product, App Event Optimization, will allow advertisers to select from among 14 user actions that might... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2016-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #in-app purchases #campaigns running #created equal #small number #app-install ads


WSJ Standing Back From Pack in Wary Approach to Facebook

As dozens of media companies explore deeper ties with Facebook, one publisher has remained especially wary of the social network: Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.Unlike other news outlets, News Corp.'s Wall Street Journal hasn't struck a deal to create live videos for Facebook. And while some... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #online subscriptions #publishers don #publishers make #news outlets #rupert murdoch


Why Time Out has prioritized Facebook Live, Tumblr and Snapchat on social

Time Out is building out its social content distribution strategy, pinpointing Tumblr video, Facebook Live and Snapchat as priorities for growth. The publisher's internal mantra of "Discover, Look, Share," which it applies to all its online content, translates well to tools like Facebook's... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #online content #facebook live


Two months in: Four things NPR has learned using Facebook Live

NPR is producing several live Facebook videos per day. It has a team of 12 overseeing the effort, with some working full-time on Facebook Live. Since going “all out” in May, the publisher has confirmed a few key things: have a real reason to go live; there is an appetite for news and explainer... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #view counts #explainer videos #working full-time #facebook live


‘People have shown up for the party’: How the Lad Bible uses Facebook Live

The Lad Bible has been experimenting with Facebook Live for the past two months across its portfolio and is ramping up output to four a week, plus putting in place a dedicated Facebook Live team. The videos are getting views in the millions, outreaching many publishers that weren’t born on... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-07-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #lad bible #facebook live #post people


Controversial Africa memoir draws fire for Louise Linton, actress, self-published author and Trump dining companion

Until last week, Louise Linton was a little-known Scottish actress living in California, whose most prominent roles were guest spots in the television shows "CSI: NY" and "Cold Case" and the movies "Intruder" and "Cabin Fever." Now, thanks to a self-published memoir she wrote about her... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #self-published memoir #cabin fever #television shows #prominent roles #self-published author


How Brexit is helping shape Business Insider’s Facebook Live strategy

For Business Insider, Facebook Live means more live news and events coverage. The publisher is now doing six live streams per day across its Business Insider, Business Insider UK, Tech Insider and Insider pages. The content, which is overseen by a four-person team, focuses on covering big news... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #business insider


Seven Ways Facebook's Big Algorithm Change Will Affect Marketers And Publishers

The social network is a fact of life for any company that creates content. And the new reality will require lots of adjustment.The day many marketers and publishers have dreaded has arrived: Facebook is changing its algorithm to send less traffic to content sites.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2016-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #content sites


How Gawker is pulling comments into its Facebook Instant Articles

At Gawker Media, co-founder Nick Denton has made commenting a particular obsession, even building an in-house online commenting system, Kinja. The quality of that discussion doesn’t always carry over to Facebook, though. So Gawker built a tool to pull in comment threads to run at the end of its... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #news feeds #time spent #comment threads #gawker media


Why London’s free paper Metro is betting on apps

Metro, London’s freesheet, has combined its smartphone and tablet app and added new features. In the autumn it will roll out two new apps focussing on content verticals. The paper wants to focus attention on its loyal audience, taking a different approach to other publishers chasing traffic on... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2016-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #print publication #loyal audience #focus attention #content verticals #apps appeared #tablet app