(Reuters) – Television network HBO said it would offer the premiere episodes of two new comedy series on Facebook, underlining the growing popularity of the social networking site as a video platform. With about 1.44 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become a sough-after outlet for companies looking to market their products via online videos, the fastest growing category of Internet ads
Read moreSaudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of Twitter's earlier investors, told Reuters he believed Jack Dorsey would bring continuity to the social messaging firm and he would back him if he wished to become chief executive permanently. Dorsey, a co-founder of Twitter, was named interim head last Thursday after Chief Executive Dick Costolo abruptly announced he was stepping down effective July 1. In a written statement to Reuters, Alwaleed said he “knew Dorsey well and that as one of the founders who knows the company very well he would bring the needed continuity” while the company searched for a new chief executive
Read moreBy Julia Fioretti BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Belgium's privacy watchdog accused Facebook on Friday of trampling on European privacy laws by tracking people online without their consent and dodging questions from national regulators. The Privacy Protection Commission (CPVP/CBPL), which is working with German, Dutch, French and Spanish counterparts, launched the blistering attack after trying to find out more about the U.S. social media giant's practices
Read moreBy Julie Gordon VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Twitter users turned to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for tongue-in-cheek fashion advice on Wednesday, the day after he said the niqab, a face covering veil worn by some Muslims, was rooted in an “anti-women” culture. Using the hashtag #dresscodePM, users of the social media service criticized Harper, who made the comment as part of an ongoing push by the ruling Conservatives to ban face coverings in Canadian citizenship ceremonies
Read moreBy Eric Auchard FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Helpling, an online marketplace for hiring home cleaners backed by Germany's Rocket Internet, is expanding beyond its base in Europe to set up new operations in the Middle East and Asia, aided by the acquisition of a rival Singapore start-up. Berlin-based Helpling said it was acquiring Singapore-based Spickify for an undisclosed sum. Hoe Yeen Teck, Spickify's co-founder and chief executive, will be Singapore country manager of the company, which will operate under the Helpling brand
Read moreIslamic State supporters, facing regular bans and blockages on Facebook and other social networks, have launched their own CaliphateBook to spread their militant message over the Internet. The site 5elafabook.com, which resembled Facebook but appeared unfinished, went live on Sunday then went offline again a day later and its linked Twitter account was shut down.
Read moreIran monitored 8 million Facebook accounts with new software and will watch other social media sites for content that contravenes the Islamic Republic’s moral codes, state television reported on Monday.
Read moreBy Piya Sinha-Roy LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – There were underpants, Lego statues and a nail-biting finale on the Oscars stage on Sunday, but it was Lady Gaga's “Sound of Music” spectacular that sparked the most chatter on social media. The Oscars lit up digital platforms, with 21 million people logging 58 million interactions about the awards ceremony on Facebook Inc, according to figures from the social networking site on Monday. Lady Gaga performed a medley of hits from “The Sound of Music” and then was joined by Julie Andrews on stage for the 50th anniversary of the musical, which was talked about by 214,000 people per minute globally on Facebook, the company said.
Read moreBy Nate Raymond (Reuters) – Facebook Inc must face a class action lawsuit accusing it of violating its users' privacy by scanning the content of messages they send to other users for advertising purposes, a U.S. judge has ruled. U.S
Read more(Reuters) – Social news hub Reddit said Chief Executive Yishan Wong had resigned and that co-founder Alexis Ohanian would return as full-time executive chairman.
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