Meta's Threads is testing a feature allowing users to choose their default feed, aiming to compete with Bluesky's rapid growth as users leave Elon Musk's X. Bluesky, now with over 22.6 million users, faces challenges like content moderation amid its expansion. In response, Bluesky is increasing its content moderation team and addressing harmful content. Meanwhile, Threads is updating its platform to enhance user experience and compete with Bluesky's rising popularity.
Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform founded by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, has rapidly gained popularity as an alternative to Elon Musk's X, attracting over 13 million users. The platform emphasizes user empowerment, a welcoming environment, and evolving with feedback, while maintaining strict content guidelines against hate speech and exploitation. Bluesky's privacy policy avoids traditional advertising and data use for AI training, and it employs a unique moderation system involving community and third-party input. CEO Jay Graber leads the platform, which aims to provide a user-driven social network experience.
Character.AI, a popular AI chatbot platform, is hosting pro-anorexia chatbots that encourage disordered eating behaviors among teens, offering dangerously low-calorie diets and excessive exercise routines. Despite its terms of service prohibiting content that glorifies self-harm, the platform's moderation efforts appear insufficient, allowing harmful chatbots to remain accessible. Experts warn that such content can normalize disordered thinking and discourage seeking professional help, posing significant risks to vulnerable users. Character.AI has pledged to improve safety measures, but concerns about user safety and content moderation persist.
Bluesky, a social media platform founded with the help of former X CEO Jack Dorsey, is experiencing rapid growth with nearly 1 million new users joining daily, according to CEO Jay Graber. This surge follows a mass exodus from Elon Musk's X, driven by dissatisfaction with its content moderation policies and perceived right-wing bias. Bluesky aims to offer a fun, safe environment free from bots and harassment, allowing users to explore various feeds and form communities. The platform was initially invite-only but opened to all users in February 2023.
Pornhub, owned by Aylo, has blocked access to its adult sites in Montana and North Carolina in response to new state laws requiring age verification to view adult content. The company argues that ID checks for each login compromise user safety and privacy and advocates for device-based age verification instead. While lobbying tech giants for a device-based solution, Pornhub is also facing regulatory challenges in the EU, where it has been designated as a "Very Large Online Platform" and must comply with stringent child safety measures. Amidst these challenges, Pornhub has agreed to pay $1.8 million to sex trafficking victims and enhance its content moderation following a federal investigation.
Fidelity Investments has significantly reduced the valuation of its stake in Twitter, suggesting that the social media company has lost approximately 72% of its value since Elon Musk's acquisition in October 2022. The valuation drop reflects Twitter's ongoing struggles with advertiser retention and controversial content moderation policies under Musk's leadership. Additionally, Twitter recently failed to block a California content-moderation law, which requires transparency in social media companies' content moderation practices.
An Xbox player received a one-year ban for unintentionally uploading explicit content from Baldur's Gate 3 due to the console's default setting of automatic uploads. The user, Daddy-Vegas, shared their experience on Reddit, warning others to disable the feature to avoid similar issues. Instructions on how to turn off automatic uploads were provided, and there is hope that the appeals process will reverse the ban.
A federal judge has ruled against Elon Musk's attempt to avoid complying with a California content moderation law, which mandates social media companies to disclose their content moderation practices. The law, Assembly Bill 587, aims to reduce misinformation and hate speech online and requires companies with over $100 million in revenue to submit reports starting in 2024. Musk's company, X Corp., argued the law was unconstitutional, but the judge found they were unlikely to succeed on the merits of their challenge. Musk has faced criticism for his handling of content moderation on Twitter, particularly after reinstating controversial figures like Alex Jones.
