Federal judge blocks Montana's TikTok ban before it takes effect The law is seen an important test case. More than a dozen other states are weighing similar bans of the wildly popular video-streaming app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company. Bobby Allyn
Advertiser backlash may pose mortal threat to Elon Musk's X Advertising insiders say their clients are worried about the fallout if they place ads on X. Bobby Allyn
How the fight to stop election misinformation morphed into a free speech battle Since the 2020 election, conservative lawmakers and staffers have led a campaign against mis- and dis-information researchers like Kate Starbird, the director and co-founder of the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public, arguing that the researchers are attempting to censor them, thus violating the First Amendment. But that argument itself would be misinformation, according to Starbird. Alec Cowan Katie Campbell Play AudioListen 24 mins
2024 elections are ripe targets for foes of democracy Billions of people around the world are expected to head to the polls in 2024. But experts warn that these elections are ripe targets for bad actors seeking to disrupt democracy. Shannon Bond Play AudioListen 5 mins
Tips for sorting online fact from fiction Hoaxes, scams and bogus content are always lurking on the internet. But with a presidential election looming and social media companies pulling away from content moderation, 2024 is primed for a new level of nonsense. So how do you sort fact from fiction? Libby Denkmann Alec Cowan Play AudioListen 33 mins
From Amazon to Facebook and Google, here's how platforms can 'decay' If you feel like some important places on the internet have been getting worse, you're not alone. In fact, there has been a whole lot of action in the last 12 months. Michael Levitt Ari Shapiro Patrick Jarenwattananon Play AudioListen 5 mins
Researchers team up with mental health influencers to reach young people online Harvard professors wanted to flood social media with evidence-based information about conditions like anxiety and depression. So they turned to the people who already know how to go viral. Andrea Muraskin
Why watermelons are a symbol of Palestinian solidarity The watermelon now symbolizes unofficial Palestinian solidarity amid reports of online censorship and the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza. Majd Al-Waheidi Michel Martin Mohamad ElBardicy Play AudioListen 3 mins
Bringing birther back, Donald Trump questions Nikki Haley's right to be president The former governor of South Carolina, Haley was born in the southern state. But as she surges in Republican polls, Trump is elevating false conspiracy theories about her citizenship on social media. Franco Ordoñez
Meme-ifying 2024: how some young organizers are working to get their peers engaged Democrats are counting on young voters to come out in big numbers in 2024. And strategists say a strong online presence is a key way to keep them engaged. Which in part means, here come the memes. Elena Moore Play AudioListen 4 mins
