#social-media

#social-media

Instagram Threads, Meta's X rival that now has over 400 million monthly active users, is officially launching a new feature that could redefine how its app is used: Communities. On Thursday, Meta said it's introducing over 100 communities to the app, where users can have casual conversations around topics like basketball, television, K-pop music, books, and more. The idea, explains Meta, is to give users dedicated spaces within the app where they can delve deeper into conversations on topics that matter to them. The communities users have joined will display on their Threads profile, and each community has its own custom "Like" emoji available to members who engage with the discussions.

I have no idea what exactly is going on with Facebook these days. I'm seeing precisely nothing of my actual friends; one friend had to do something drastic and get on the actual phone to tell me some good news she had posted about a few weeks previously. So I'm seeing no friends, but plenty of random Facebook groups and ads.

It's almost impossible to consider what it was before it established a stranglehold on us, but there was a time when the internet seemed destined to be a beacon for technology's positive potential. Before we truly understood the dangers posed online, there was the optimistic belief that it would connect humanity for the better, democratize knowledge and information, and confront us with perspectives that we might otherwise have never encountered.

If you're an Instagram or TikTok user, chances are you're finding it increasingly hard to differentiate between genuine images and videos and AI-generated content in your feed. But OpenAI now has a solution: what if we make it all AI slop? The company behind Chat GPT is entering the social media space with Sora, an iOS app named after its generative AI video model.

Lea Veloso, 26, has an ever-growing ick list. If he spits on the ground, can't cook, lies about his height, identifies as apolitical or doesn't travel enough. If he's weird about other men wearing makeup (like, K-pop idols), says he wants a slightly autistic woman, has no skincare routine or only likes songs that got famous on TikTok. It's an ick if he doesn't call his parents, sniffs every five seconds, is an unsuccessful DJ or is embarrassed to do karaoke.

OpenAI has a new version of its Sora AI video generator, and it's being launched alongside a new social video app, also called Sora, on iOS. The app, currently invite-only, resembles TikTok. But instead of encouraging people to stitch together duets, it asks you to record short videos that anyone can spin into new AI-generated deepfakes - with your consent.

Our culture embodies mutually exclusive beliefs in tribalism and individual exceptionalism. Tribalism used to depend on family; over the past millennium, it increasingly has come to depend on wealth and status, with new elite groupings developing every day-now they're called "lifestyles." The economic stratification of America isn't dissimilar to the caste system of India, the main distinction being that Americans believe they have the opportunity to gain more and more status if they put their shoulders to the grindstones and employ good ol' fashioned industriousness.

As social animals, we humans are hard-wired to learn, thrive, and grow through our relationships - our engagement with and observations of others. Early in life, we rely on teachers and role models for guidance and support. Through engagement in formal and informal settings, in school, games, and other pursuits in our young lives, comparison begins to seep into our daily lives.

Here he is, depicted at six months in office, chiseled and brawny, as mighty as the very nation. Here he is as a Star Wars Jedi wielding a patriot-red lightsaber, rescuing our galaxy from the forces of evil. Here he is taking over Gaza, transforming the strip into a luxury resort complete with a golden effigy of himself. You can be anything, perhaps you were told growing up. Doctor. Astronaut. Maybe, one day, the president.

Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this. I know you know my address so send a check. And please take this down and please keep me out of your 'banger' deportation videos. When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are alot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye!

In italics below the content of a post, you might see a warning label seemingly added after the fact that says: "This user is suspected to be a part of a terrorist organization called Antifa. Please report any suspicious behavior." Also: Is Meta secretly scanning your phone's camera roll? Check this setting to find out The label looks somewhat similar to Meta's community notes feature, so it's not a completely strange idea that a social media site might add context to a post.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Wednesday that the once-humble photo-sharing app, which he had the foresight to buy for a mere $1 billion in 2012, now has more than 3 billion active users. That's an extraordinary achievement, and not just because Instagram had barely cracked 30 million monthly active users at sale time. Three billion is nearly 37 percent of the population of Earth.

An influencer pops up with a "what I eat in a day" post-the perfect-looking meals have no carbs, few calories. Another influencer tries to humorously share their night out partying, and a mom shows how she needs wine to get through the day. Ads for fitness programs fill your feed, promising that "you can fix your life in 3 simple steps!" The next day, a coworker talks about the new diet they want to start;

As the year has continued to be a guessing game of who will reign supreme amid an uncertain market, Generation Z research and strategy firm DCDX's latest report looks at the top 50 "magnetic brands" of 2025. The company defines such brands as those that have the "power to attract conversation, measured through organic user-generated content (UGC)." It looks at "brand magnetism" measurements by how much the brand is talked about and how often it is talked about online.

With her pink hair poking out of her blue hood, she's explaining her role in an incident at the end of a Minnesota Lynx- Seattle Storm game. The details don't matter much. But here goes: Hiedeman's Lynx teammate Kayla McBride fouled Erica Wheeler on a drive to the basket. McBride scooped up the ball and tossed it in frustration toward Wheeler. Seattle's Skylar Diggins rushed toward McBride. Hiedeman stepped in and had a few words for Diggins.

People who are night owls have a much higher risk of developing an addiction to their smartphones compared to those who go to sleep earlier, a new study has found. Scientists have discovered that many who stay up in the evening, who show symptoms of loneliness or anxiety, are using smartphones to cope emotionally and are developing addictions to social media, worsening their mental health symptoms.

The influence of celebrities in sports is undeniable, as it has emerged as one of the powerful factors that drives NFL betting over the years. Games that feature popular stars don't just bring views to the game, they also impact NFL betting volume. According to insights from northcarolinabettinghub.com, wagering volume often surges when stars are live in the stadium or spotlighted during broadcasts. These effects go beyond fandom: bettors use star appearances as signals.

Many Irish teens take drugs rather than drinking, and social ­media accelerates this trend

Most people give up too early, assuming that if they don't see numbers move right away, it means they're doing something wrong. James had been posting casually for years with little to show for it, but two focused months of daily posting flipped the switch. That's the power of consistency: It feels invisible at first, but eventually it snowballs in a way you can't predict.