TikTok now lets users send voice notes and images in DMs
The new capabilities bring TikTok’s messaging experience more in line with that of other popular social apps and services.
Social Media
Mastodon says it doesn’t ‘have the means’ to comply with age verification laws
Decentralized social network Mastodon says it cannot comply with age verification laws, like in Mississippi and elsewhere, and says it’s up to individual server owners to decide.
Mississippi’s age assurance law puts decentralized social networks to the test
Bluesky says it would block access to its service in the state of Mississippi, rather than comply with the new age verification law.
4Chan and Kiwi Farms file joint lawsuit against the UK
On Wednesday, 4Chan and Kiwi Farms, two of the most controversial social media sites on the internet, filed a federal lawsuit against the British government, arguing that the requirements of the UK’s Online Safety Act infringe on their Constitutional rights as American corporations. In a filing submitted to the U.S. District Court in the District […]
A Radiohead song from 1997 is on the Hot 100 charts, thanks to TikTok
“Let Down” broke into the Billboard Hot 100 nearly 30 years after its release, marking just the fourth Radiohead song to enter the charts.
YouTube’s ‘Hype’ feature that boosts smaller creators launches globally
Viewers have the opportunity to hype up to three videos per week for a favorite creator. This gives the video points, which helps it gain traction on a new, ranked leaderboard.
Bounce launches a service for moving accounts between Bluesky and Mastodon
Bounce publicly debuts a tool that will let you move your account between open social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon.
Bluesky blocks service in Mississippi over age assurance law
In a blog post published on Friday, the company explains that, as a small team, it doesn’t have the resources to make the substantial technical changes this type of law would require, and it raised concerns about the law’s broad scope and privacy implications.
Will Trump help 4Chan escape the UK’s internet police?
After the United Kingdom began enforcing its sweeping Online Safety Act in April, British regulator Ofcom served violation notices to three notorious sites: 4chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms, each of which risked multimillion-dollar fines. Late last week, Preston Byrne, a First Amendment lawyer representing them, struck back. Byrne announced he would sue Ofcom in US […]
Bluesky blocks Mississippi under new age verification law
Bluesky will block access from Mississippi IP addresses in response to a new state law requiring age verification and parental consent for underage users. The decision, outlined in a blog post, will stand until courts decide the fate of the law. “Mississippi’s approach would fundamentally change how users access Bluesky,” says the post, in ways […]