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TECHNOLOGYSaturday 13 January 2018
Facebook edits feeds to bring less news, more sharing
By BARBARA ORTUTAY In this April 18, 2017, file photo, conference workers speak in front of a demo booth at Facebook’s fline. Facebook says its
AP Technology Writer annual F8 developer conference in San Jose, Calif. research shows that users
NEW YORK (AP) — Face- are exposed to more diver-
book is changing what its Associated Press gent views on its platform
users will see to highlight than they would be oth-
posts they are most likely there will be fewer posts role as a major news source advertisements — users will erwise, but that’s hard to
to engage with and make from brands, pages and for many people. continue to see the same verify independently since
time spent on social media media companies and “It’s in the same direction ads they have before, the company is cautious
more “meaningful.” more from people. There that Facebook has been “meaningful” or not. But about providing data to
By cutting back on items will be fewer videos, which pursuing for a while: offer- businesses that use Face- outsiders.
that Facebook users tend Facebook considers “pas- ing a place for discussion book to connect with their Oh, the researcher at
to passively consume, the sive.” People will likely among individuals, a com- customers without paying Korea Press Foundation,
change could hurt news spend less time on Face- munity space, rather than for ads will also feel the said it was too early to
organizations and other book as a result, the com- being a news source,” pain. say whether the latest
businesses that rely on pany says. said Oh Se-uk, a senior re- Facebook has long been measure would reinforce
Facebook to share their That’s because even if searcher on digital news criticized for creating “fil- Facebook’s “filter bubble”
content. people read such content at the Korea Press Founda- ter bubbles,” the echo effect or not. “We won’t
The idea is to help users on Facebook, they don’t tion. chambers of friends and know until we see what
to connect with people necessarily comment or in- “It wants people who like-minded people whose happens.”
they care about, not make teract with it in other ways. have been friends to be- views are reinforced by The changes come after a
them feel depressed and But Facebook gave scant come even closer, to have their friends’ posts on the tough year for Facebook
isolated. details about how it would deeper discussions (on platform. that included congressio-
“The research shows that define what’s “meaning- Facebook). Traffic to news The company says that’s nal hearings on how Rus-
when we use social media ful.” media’s websites via Face- similar to how people sia used it to influence the
to connect with people The changes could shrink book will likely fall,” he said. make friends and inter- 2016 U.S. elections. Former
we care about, it can be the social media giant’s The move will not affect act with each other of- executives and Facebook
good for our well-being,” investors have spoken out
Facebook CEO Mark Zuck- about how it and other so-
erberg wrote in a post cial media sites might be
Thursday. “We can feel hurting rather than helping
more connected and less society and users’ psyches.
lonely, and that correlates Last week, Zuckerberg said
with long term measures of his “personal challenge”
happiness and health. On for 2018 (something he’s
the other hand, passively done every year since
reading articles or watch- 2009), will be to fix Face-
ing videos -- even if they’re book. “Facebook has a lot
entertaining or informative of work to do — whether
-- may not be as good.” it’s protecting our commu-
Shares of Facebook slid nity from abuse and hate,
more than 5 percent to defending against inter-
$177.31 in premarket trad- ference by nation states,
ing Friday after the change or making sure that time
was unveiled. spent on Facebook is time
Under the revised regime, well spent,” he wrote.q
Uber used tech tool to shield
data from police outside U.S.
In this Monday, Sept. 12, 2016, file photo, a self-driving Uber quarters in San Francisco. authorities. The “Greyball” Uber cooperated with a
sits ready to take journalists for a ride during a media preview Bloomberg reported Thurs- software identified regula- second search warrant
in Pittsburgh. day that Uber used the tors who were trying to hail and agreed to collect
tool, known as Ripley, from a ride in an attempt to col- provincial taxes for each
Associated Press spring 2015 until late 2016 lect evidence of local law- ride, Bloomberg said.
in several cities, including breaking. Ensign said the company
NEW YORK (AP) — The the U.S. Uber spokeswom- Paris, Hong Kong, Brussels, Those rides would be can- shut down Ripley in 2016
ride-sharing company an Melanie Ensign said this Amsterdam and Montreal. celed or never arrive. It has because it didn’t work
Uber confirmed Thursday tool — no longer in use — Bloomberg said some Uber also been reported that well.
that it had technology could lock computers and employees felt the system the Justice Department She said Uber now has a
to shield company data smartphones and change hindered legitimate inves- was investigating whether tool called ULocker that
when law enforcement passwords remotely from tigations, while some peo- Uber illegally used software can remotely lock and
raided its offices outside the company’s head- ple believed its use was to track drivers of its rival encrypt devices.
justified when police didn’t Lyft. Ensign could not immedi-
come with warrants or Bloomberg reported that ately say if Uber has used
specific-enough data re- authorities in Montreal that to protect data from
quests. The use of this tool were seeking evidence in law enforcement as well.
raises questions for Uber May 2015 that Uber had vi- But she said Uber’s guid-
because the company has olated tax laws. Uber’s use ance to employees bars
in the past used a phony of Ripley meant they didn’t use of the tool where it
version of its app to thwart get any information, but isn’t legal.q
