The Federal Trade Commission on Monday accused Meta of creating a monopoly that squelched competition by buying start-ups that stood in its way, kicking off a landmark antitrust trial that could dismantle a social media empire that has transformed how the world connects online. In a packed courtroom in the U.S. District Court of the…
Soon after Mark Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook in his Harvard dorm room in 2004, the social network skyrocketed in popularity. Roughly a decade later, the company experienced another round of explosive growth after buying its smaller rivals Instagram and WhatsApp, cementing its place in social media. On Monday, Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court…
We’re in a protein craze, and it’s hard to ignore. Walk into any grocery store and you’ll find rows of protein-fortified energy bars, breakfast cereals, baked goods, snacks, even sports drinks. And on social media, influencers — many with medical or scientific degrees in their bios — claim that most people are woefully deficient. “Ladies,…
We interact with people every day: A brief nod to a neighbor. A friendly chat in the school pick-up line. A heart-to-heart with a friend. Together, these moments add up to your “social biome,” a term coined by the communication researchers Andy Merolla, of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Jeffrey Hall, of the…
April 1 always seems to begin with social media users reminding everyone that it’s April Fools’ Day. At this point, do we really need a reminder? Brands and celebrities give it a go every year, often with extremely elaborate posts that fool almost no one. From truly outlandish ideas, like the French embassy claiming the…
Earlier this year, I was thumbing through Facebook Marketplace when I came across a “fire piano” for sale. I clicked the listing expecting that “fire” meant “cool,” but found something far more literal: a pyrotechnic piano, MacGyvered to spit flames from its top whenever a player tickled the keys. In the brief description that accompanied…
Have you been spending too many hours on your social feeds feeling anxious, combative or just plain unproductive? Just as limiting exposure to social media has been recommended for children’s mental health, many adults may also benefit. Even if you aren’t ready for a full digital detox (where you severely reduce your smartphone use or…
