Facebook Reveals New Messenger Design
Facebook has revealed a new look for Messenger including a new logo and default chat colour, as well as new chat themes. “We’re also adding features like selfie stickers and vanish mode, which are coming soon,” says the social giant in a blog post. “The new-look reflects a shift to the future of messaging – a more dynamic, fun and integrated way to hang out with your favourite people, on your favourite apps and devices” Facebook Adds New Shopping Tab to App As part of Facebook’s plan to create a place for users to discover businesses and shop for products, it is testing a dedicated shopping tab within the main app. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the shift to online shopping has rapidly accelerated, with an estimated 85% of people worldwide now shopping online,” says the social platfor...
Facebook Moves to Ban Holocaust Denial Content
Mark Zuckerberg is finally taking some responsibility for how his platform impacts the culture at large. After blocking misinformation from Trump, cracking down on election interference, and banning QAnon, Facebook is now moving to ban Holocaust denial content. Advocacy groups have for years called on Zuckerberg, who himself is Jewish, to take control of posts and groups denying the Holocaust. In 2018, the Facebook CEO said he resisted such demands on grounds of freedom of speech, particularly the difference between simply being incorrect and stirring hatred or violence. “I don’t think that they’re intentionally getting it wrong,” Zuckerberg said at the time. However, he’s now reversed course, announcing that Facebook’s updated hate speech policy will include anything “that denies or disto...
Aaron Sorkin Wants a Sequel to The Social Network, but Only if David Fincher Directs
The Social Network celebrated its 10th anniversary last week, and it looks like it’s not just the fans who are feeling nostalgic over it. During a recent interview on the Happy.Sad.Confused podcast, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin said he wants to pen a sequel to The Social Network, but only if David Fincher returns to direct. Last year, Sorkin revealed that he was considering a follow-up to his Oscar-winning screenplay for The Social Network. In the decade since the original film’s release, Facebook’s saga has entered an entirely new level of controversy stemming from Russia’s interference in the 2020 election, its unwillingness to police fake stories, and its safe-guarding of hate groups who use Facebook to spew their rhetoric and plan attacks. Speaking with Happy.Sad.Confu...
QAnon Banned Across The Board From Using Facebook & Instagram
Source: Stephanie Keith / Getty Facebook has once more announced measures to block and ban groups using its platforms to incite violence, this time pointing its efforts towards the QAnon conspiracy theory. All pages, groups, and profiles connected to QAnon are effectively bammed from using both Instagram and Facebook according to the new rule. By way of a Tuesday (Oct. 6) blog post, the social media giant expressed their direct aims in mobilizing its Dangerous Organizations Operations team instead of simply relying on user reports to highlight misuse on the platforms. From FB.com: Starting today, we will remove any Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon, even if they contain no violent content. This is an update from the initial policy in August that removed Pages...
Facebook Pulls Donald Trump’s Post Falsely Claiming the Flu is More Lethal Than COVID-19
Donald Trump knows firsthand what it’s like to have COVID-19, and he also knows what it’s like to have the best medical treatment immediately available. Yet, less than a day after being released from the Walter Reed Medical Center, Trump posted messages to social media downplaying the severity of coronavirus. Facebook responded by taking down the post, while Twitter flagged it with a warning label, reports Mashable. Trump’s post to social media on Tuesday morning seemed completely unbothered by the ongoing pandemic. “Flu season is coming up!” it read. “Many people every year, sometimes over 100,000, and despite the Vaccine, die from the Flu. Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations fa...
Taraji P. Henson Mental Health Talk Show Coming To Facebook Watch
Source: FOX / Getty Taraji P. Henson will tackle a new venture outside of her normal confines of acting with an upcoming talk show via the Facebook Watch network. Titled Peace Of Mind With Taraji, the veteran actress will address mental health concerns while inviting celebrities and experts alike to the program. Deadline reports that Henson, 50, will helm the show alongside co-host Tracie Jade Jenkins. For now, Peace Of Mind With Taraji is a working title, but it’s clear where the show intends to go. According to a press release, Henson got involved in mental health advocacy after her father suffered from conditions upon returning from the Vietnam War and has aimed efforts in supporting these issues within the Black community. “I’ve long been a mental health advocate for the Black communit...
We Here For This?: Facebook Unveils Cross-Platform Messaging For Messenger & Instagram
Source: Facebook / Instagram If you have wished that Facebook would combine Messenger and Instagram DMs, then this news will sit well with you. Announced Wednesday (Sept.30), Facebook officially launched its new cross-messaging platform to combine both its Messenger and Instagram’s DM feature. Despite being “launched” today, select users will be able to utilize the overhauled IG DM feature that now features tools that were once only available on Facebook Messenger. Now when you hop in someone’s DMs on the gram, you can look forward to using tools like new chat colors, selfie stickers, custom emojis, vanishing messages, a new way to block unwanted messages. Plus, the new Watch Together feature will you and a friend to watch videos together while conducting a video call. Users will also now ...
Governor Abiodun congratulates Laycon over #BBNaija win
The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated the winner of the Big Brother Naija reality television show, Olamilekan Agbelese. Abiodun made this statement via his verified Facebook page. He described Laycon as a pacesetter, saying his victory was aptly a confirmation of his brilliance. “I am delighted to congratulate one of our own in Ogun State, Olamilekan Agbelesebioba, AKA @itslaycon for emerging winner of Big Brother Naija Lockdown. “The pacesetter that you are, you have emerged one of the best in academic and social engagements, so this victory is aptly a confirmation of your brilliance, intellect and maturity,” he said. The governor seized the opportunity to reassure the citizens of the state that his administration will continue to support and empower the youths. “Our...
Father of the Bride Cast to Reunite for Netflix “Sequel”
Get ready to spend the weekend with the Banks. On Friday, Netflix, Facebook, and YouTube will host a reunion with the cast of Father of the Bride for a special charity event to benefit World Central Kitchen. In anticipation, they’ve dropped two teaser trailers that suggest we’re in for a very fun and very crowded video call. How crowded? Well, according to the credits in the second trailer, we’ll be seeing Steve Martin, aka George Banks; Diane Keaton, aka Nina Banks; Kimberly Williams-Paisley, aka Annie Banks-MacKenzie; Kieran Culkin, aka Matty Banks; George Newbern, aka Bryan MacKenzie; and, yes, Martin Short, aka Franck Eggelhoffer. As for the occasion, it’s possible we’ll be seeing Father of the Groom. In the first teaser, we see George (Martin) sorting through his e-mail — gotta love t...
Facebook Opens New HQ in Nigeria
Facebook has officially opened its new HQ in Nigeria – marking the platforms second office on the African continent. Aimed at supporting the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region, the office is expected to become operational in H2 2021 and will be the first on the continent to house a team of expert engineers building for the future of Africa and beyond. Facebook’s office is expected to be home to various teams servicing the continent from across the business, including Sales, Partnerships, Policy, Communications as well as Engineers. “The opening of our new office in Lagos, Nigeria presents new and exciting opportunities in digital innovations to be developed from the continent and taken to the rest of the world,” says Ime Archibong, Facebook’s Head of New Product Experimentation. /* custom cs...
Edo election: We are satisfied with voting process – Governor Wike
The governor of Rivers State and the Edo Guber Election Campaign Council Chairman, Nyesom Wike, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) is satisfied with the voting process in Edo State so far. Wike through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, via his twitter handle and Facebook page posted; “there was minimal violence recorded because of the proactive measures deployed by the security agencies”. According to him; “there was need for both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to ensure that nothing scuttles the remaining stages. “Like I have said before, election is not only about voting, the votes should be counted, then you proceed to collation stages; ward, local and state government levels. The collation stag...
Governor Wike: Edo election may likely be the best in Nigeria history
The governor of Rivers State and the Edo Guber Election Campaign Council Chairman, Nyesom Wike, has said considering the voting process and methodology employed in Edo State 2020 Guber election, the poll may likely be the best in the history of Nigeria. Wike through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, via his twitter handle and Facebook page posted; “there was minimal violence recorded because of the proactive measures deployed by the security agencies”. “This may likely be the best election ever conducted in the history of Nigeria. But they must allow the process to continue to the end. Otherwise, they will destroy it. “If it is APC that has won, let it be so. If it is PDP that has won, let it also be so. But I must tell that we are happy with what we hav...
