Ryan Lovelace

Meta changed its plan for widespread limits on political and social content

Meta has softened its plan to demote content about politics and social issues on Facebook after reportedly finding its suppression techniques created problems.

January 6, 2023

Google, Meta building new censorship tools for extremist content on smaller sites

Google and Meta are building new censorship tools for smaller platforms to use against whatever is deemed extremist content, putting the big tech companies in a position to push their preferences for content moderation across a larger swath of the internet.

January 5, 2023

Google to pay more than $400 million to settle states’ location tracking lawsuits

Google will pay more than $400 million to 41 states and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations it tracked people's locations and deceptively used the data.

January 3, 2023

Watchdog in Ireland investigates Twitter over alleged data leaks

Regulators in Ireland are digging into Twitter's potential data leaks that hackers claim exposed millions of people's personal information online.

December 30, 2022

Suspicions about TikTok’s link to the Chinese government spread across party lines

Democratic leaders are recognizing the national security concerns about TikTok, long voiced by the Trump administration, as fears about the tech platform's alleged data harvesting and algorithmic manipulation have hit the mainstream.

December 29, 2022

FBI probed prominent U.S. philanthropic foundation at Russia’s request despite no alleged wrongdoing

The FBI investigated an American nonprofit at the behest of the Russian government without any allegation of criminal wrongdoing, according to FBI documents reviewed by The Washington Times that revealed a decades-old hidden probe.

December 26, 2022

Dem senator presses FBI head Wray to turn over info, data on ‘hacking activities,’ U.S. surveillance

Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon Democrat, said the FBI has used hacking for at least 20 years, but little information is known about what agents do.

December 20, 2022

Musk says only paying users will get voting power to shape Twitter policy

The voting power to help make Twitter policy decisions will be exclusively available to users who pay for the social media platform, according to owner Elon Musk.

December 20, 2022

Musk says no successor in place, as Twitter poll urges him to step down

Twitter CEO Elon Musk said he has no successor ready to lead his social media platform if he exits his leadership position atop the company.

December 19, 2022

Hawley touts Pelosi’s support for banning TikTok from government devices

Sen. Josh Hawley is trumpeting word that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is joining his push to bar TikTok from federal government devices.

December 16, 2022

Musk defends banning critics on Twitter, acknowledges drama gives more power

Elon Musk defended his decision to ban people on Twitter who he said shared his private location data, putting his and his family's security at risk, and acknowledged that the ensuing outrage online is fueling his social media platform.

December 16, 2022

Congress’ appetite grows for restricting Chinese tech firms doing business in U.S.

A groundswell of support is growing in Congress for a crackdown on Chinese tech companies operating in the U.S., with TikTok a top target.

December 15, 2022

Senate takes a swipe at China-linked social media sensation TikTok

The Senate has passed by unanimous consent a bill that would ban TikTok from government devices, putting restrictions on the China-linked social media platform one step closer to becoming law.

December 15, 2022

Intel community misled public, blocked probe of COVID links to China’s bioweapons, lawmakers say

The intelligence community misled the public and thwarted lawmakers' investigation of COVID's possible connections to China's bioweapons program, the House intelligence committee's Republicans said Wednesday.

December 14, 2022

Lawmakers introduce bills with bipartisan support in Congress to ban TikTok in U.S.

One lawmaker called the app "digital fentanyl" and said it addicts users, collects their data and censors news.

December 13, 2022

GOP aims to limit feds’ targeting of Americans

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is poised to launch investigations of the Biden administration's use of intel agencies to target Americans and to cloud the assessment of COVID-19's origins, The Washington Times has learned.

December 13, 2022

Musk expanding Twitter post length, open to acquiring rival publisher

Twitter owner Elon Musk is looking to expand beyond microblogging, showing the billionaire tech entrepreneur is toying with ways to upend traditional media's grip on digital publishing.

December 12, 2022

Musk says Twitter to scrub 1.5 billion unused accounts

Twitter owner Elon Musk said Friday that his social media platform will soon delete 1.5 billion dormant accounts, clearing out people who have been inactive online for years.

December 9, 2022

GOP state officials escalating feud with TikTok as Indiana and Texas take new action

Indiana and Texas officials are joining a growing cadre of state-level Republicans taking on TikTok, wielding litigation and restrictions against the social media platform while the Biden administration remains undecided about a federal crackdown.

December 8, 2022

Maryland among first to ban TikTok for government use

State governments are imposing new restrictions on TikTok while the Biden administration deliberates about whether a federal crackdown on the China-linked tech platform is needed.

December 7, 2022