Social Media
Minnesota shows what happens when governing and content creation merge
As President Trump approaches one year back in office, the policies his administration pursues — and how those policies are communicated — have been increasingly shaped by social media.
Elon Musk’s X faces bans and investigations over nonconsensual bikini images
After the social media app's AI chatbot started generating sexualized images of women and children, two countries have blocked it and several more have launched investigations.
AI images and internet rumors spread confusion about ICE agent involved in shooting
While the agent wore a mask in videos taken of the event, he appeared to be unmasked in many social media posts. That image appeared to have been generated by xAI's generative AI chatbot, Grok.
After the LA fires, false narratives on social media impacted state policy
Misinformation spread quickly after the wildfires in Los Angeles last year. Some of these false narratives on social media impacted California policy.
Pro-Trump influencers take a victory lap amid fallout from viral video alleging fraud
The swift policy and political repercussions the video helped propel illustrate the symbiotic relationship between online content creators and the Trump administration's policy goals.
TikTok signs deal to give U.S. operations to Oracle-led investor group
The agreement aims to resolve a yearslong standoff between the popular social media platform and the U.S. government over national security concerns tied to China's parent company, ByteDance.
Brett Cooper says she makes up her own mind — about Trump and everything else
NPR's Steve Inskeep asks conservative commentator Brett Cooper about her YouTube following, her recent criticisms of President Trump and her opinion of Nick Fuentes.
Social media ban for children under 16 starts in Australia
The ban, a world-first, has been applauded by families looking to take back power from tech giants. But questions remain about its enforceability.
State Department to deny visas to fact checkers and others, citing ‘censorship’
The order is focused on applicants for H-1B visas, which are frequently used by tech companies and is part of a campaign by the Trump administration against online content moderation.
How old is your music taste? Spotify will tell you, though you may not like it
Spotify Wrapped is bluntly telling users their "listening age," which in many cases is several decades older or younger than their actual age. It's a calculated strategy.
Kids who use social media score lower on reading and memory tests, a study shows
Data from a large, ongoing study of adolescents shows a link between increasing social media use and lower cognition and memory in teens.
She posted about Charlie Kirk’s death. Within eight hours, she was fired
Alexandra is one of many people who lost their jobs for posting about the conservative influencer's death. She described the online mob that got her fired as "state-sponsored censorship."
Kiss reality goodbye: AI-generated social media has arrived
With the launch of Sora 2, OpenAI has opened a new chapter in addictive, and some worry dangerous, AI video content.
Trump’s TikTok deal payment criticized as ‘shake-down scheme’ by experts
The U.S. government will collect a multibillion-dollar fee from the American investors who will take over TikTok. Some experts call the fee and other deals like it "extortion."
Trump advances TikTok deal with new executive order
The new order says that the deal to turn over a majority stake in TikTok to a group of U.S. investors meets the terms ordered by Congress, and will allow it to stay online in the U.S.
Deal for TikTok creates U.S. joint venture, and government won’t have a stake
The U.S. will get a copy of TikTok's prized content recommendation algorithm, and that the tech company Oracle will provide security.
Social media is shattering America’s understanding of Charlie Kirk’s death
There is a deep schism in how Americans understand the assassination that took place a little more than a week ago and that gap is being widened by social media.
Trump says talk with China’s Xi yielded progress, including on TikTok
Officials have been working on a deal to bring popular video app TikTok under U.S. ownership to avoid shutting it down in the United States.
Kirk shooting videos spread online, even to viewers who didn’t want to see them
Graphic videos of the Charlie Kirk shooting spread widely online, raising concerns over the emotional and political toll of exposure to violent imagery.
Officials announce a ‘framework’ for keeping TikTok online in the U.S.
U.S. officials have announced a "framework" that would let Chinese-owned short video platform TikTok continue operations in the United States, although the two countries are still working out the details.
Democrats will ‘either adapt or die’ as strategists push them onto new platforms
Prominent Democratic lawmakers and influencers are encouraging their fellow Democrats to embrace social media and online video to reach voters or risk being left behind.
Nepal lifts social media ban following protests where police killed 19 people
Nepal's government lifted its ban on social media platforms Tuesday a day after police killed opened fire on mass street protests against the ban, killing 19 people.
‘AI slop’ videos may be annoying, but they’re racking up views — and ad money
Critics say that "slop" videos made with generative AI are often repetitive or useless. But they get millions of views — and platforms are grappling with what to do about them.
Brands are loving Taylor Swift’s engagement. Do they need to calm down?
Companies from Pillsbury to Invisalign to Olipop are cheering — and trying to cash in on — the couple's engagement. Experts spoke to NPR about how brands can strike a better balance.
What’s behind the Trump administration’s immigration memes?
White supremacist tropes and ironic viral jokes illustrate the administration's project of redefining who belongs in the United States.
This TikTok video is fake, but every word was taken from a real creator
TikTok researchers and users say there is yet another type of deception to look out for on the hit video app: Deepfake videos that copy the exact words of a real creator but in a different voice.
Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, started calling itself ‘MechaHitler’
On Sunday, the chatbot was updated to "not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect, as long as they are well substantiated." By Tuesday, it was praising Hitler.
Trump will toss TikTok another lifeline, pushing back its sell-by date for a third time
Last year, Congress banned the app in the U.S., citing national security concerns and demanding it spin off from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Trump said he'll once again pause enforcement of the ban.
Elon Musk says some of his social media posts about Trump ‘went too far’
Musk has quietly deleted some of his inflammatory tweets about Trump since last week. In a podcast episode released Wednesday, Trump said he was disappointed in Musk but had "no hard feelings."
How Elon Musk’s favorite news influencer is capitalizing on his clout
The Australian crypto entrepreneur now hosts chats with world leaders. "If [he] is sharing a story, there's a good chance that U.S. policymakers are reading it — and acting on it," said one analyst.
Mark Zuckerberg defends Meta in court against monopoly claims
In Zuckerberg's second day of testifying in the federal antitrust trial, he defended Meta's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. The U.S. government wants Meta to bust up the two companies.
U.S. says it is now monitoring immigrants’ social media for antisemitism
Effective immediately, the government says it will begin screening immigrant social media for activity that officials think indicates support for antisemitism.
