Facebook digs deeper into the adoption of equal sign profile pictures
You likely saw it unfold on Facebook earlier this year. In late March, Facebook users began changing their profile pics to show their support for gay marriage. Facebook tracked analyzed those changes...
View ArticlePreserving today's digital record for future generations
Think, for just a moment, of the many ways we capture moments of our lives and share them with everyone. Snap a photo on your smartphone and in seconds, it's up on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram for...
View ArticleDave Agema claims he was wrongly blamed for anti-gay and anti-Muslim comments
Embattled Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema is hitting back at critics of his anti-gay and anti-Muslim Web postings, saying he stands on the same issues he always has: "God, family and...
View ArticleDoes this post make me look fat?
Facebook has decided I have a weight problem – a big weight problem. It's been helpfully suggesting diet pills, plus-sized swimsuits with tummy-control panels, and affirming articles about body image...
View ArticleFlint turns to Facebook to discourage prostitution
The Flint Police Department is using a new tool to crack down on prostitution: Facebook. The department plans to post the photos of people arrested on prostitution charges on its Facebook page. Police...
View ArticleIs Facebook harming the way you see your life?
As much as we seem to love checking our Facebook feeds, the result may not be what you’d expect. Ethan Kross from the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan recently published some...
View ArticleFacebook's real-name policy is a bit of a mess
It’s been almost a decade since Facebook was opened to the general public. Many initially saw it as a ripoff of then-powerhouse social networking platform MySpace, but since then it’s grown to take the...
View ArticleIs there any way to avoid Internet rant remorse?
It's happened to the best of us: you shot off an email while you were hot under the collar, or you fired off an angry Facebook post or a tweet. Then, remorse set in. Is there anything you can do to...
View ArticleFlint police officer fired over Facebook post
A Flint police officer has lost his job because of a post on his Facebook page. Police Chief James Tolbert says Robert Garceau violated the department's social media and code of conduct policies with a...
View ArticleWhat you should know about the Facebook privacy hoax
A dusty old Facebook hoax that was debunked years ago has flared up again being passed from friend to friend like a bad cold. It's the "Facebook privacy status" hoax – the one that reads "As of...
View ArticleBusiness leaders hope to encourage people to #ChooseFlint
Flint area business leaders are turning to social media as a way to counter negative publicity about the city’s drinking water crisis. The Flint/Genesee Chamber of Commerce has launched a #ChooseFlint...
View ArticleHow far should police go in monitoring social media?
Emails recently released by Gov. Rick Snyder's office indicated that Michigan State Police were aware that a Copper City man made a potentially threatening Facebook post against Snyder over the Flint...
View ArticleMark Zuckerberg leans into Michigan
You may have heard that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recently chose little ol’ Dearborn to lean into the real world. Good choice, even if the mogul’s posts after his visit proved Detroit isn’t the...
View ArticleMark Zuckerberg’s visit offers a glimpse into Michigan’s future
The Next Idea Facebook’s 32-year-old billionaire founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has been touring the country. He made stops in Michigan recently. He toured Ford’s Rouge plant and even tried his hand at...
View ArticleHow companies, government use vast data collections to build your online...
You’ve heard that advertisers are keeping track of every online site you visit. They keep track of the data to try to determine what you’re likely to buy. Well, that online data collection is just the...
View ArticleLower surveillance costs means Big Brother can now watch closer than ever
You are being tracked. Your actions are being tracked by government, retailers, credit agencies, social media, and it all goes much deeper than you might realize. Jonathan Weinberg , a professor of law...
View ArticleMichigan State Police director apologizes for Facebook post calling NFL...
The director of the Michigan State Police has apologized for sharing a post on her Facebook page that called NFL players protesting during the national anthem "degenerates." The message shared by Col....
View ArticleCNN reports Michigan, Wisconsin targeted by Facebook ads connected to Russia
Congress is investigating ways Russia tried to meddle in the 2016 election, especially through social media. The Senate Intelligence Committee has asked Facebook, Google, and Twitter to testify at a...
View ArticleWeek in Review: A push to track rape kits and another to track bad cops
Law enforcement officials and victims of sexual assault in Michigan could soon be able to track the rape kits used to gather evidence. A state budget amendment would set aside money for training and...
View ArticleFacebook teams up with Grand Circus to train more Michiganders in tech skills
Facebook and a Grand Rapids tech company are partnering to train 3,000 Michiganders in coding and digital marketing over the next two years. Grand Circus has already been working to train people in...
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