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Social Media

‘X,’ rated: Twitter’s new branding is called a rip-off and worse as bird goes bye-bye

by Kurt Schlosser on July 24, 2023July 24, 2023 at 10:35 am

X now marks the spot where Twitter’s blue birdie used to be, as Elon Musk rebranded the social media company he owns. Those tweeting — or X-ing (?) — about it seem… Read More

Podcast

GeekWire Podcast: Reclaiming our lives through more mindful use of technology

by Todd Bishop on April 1, 2023April 1, 2023 at 8:30 am

Humans have become increasingly vulnerable to technology that grabs our attention, by design, often pulling us away from more meaningful and fulfilling moments in our lives. Can technology itself be… Read More

Are social media companies to blame for youth mental health crisis? It’s complicated

by Lisa Stiffler on January 12, 2023January 12, 2023 at 10:21 am

Lawsuits filed by two Washington state school districts allege that major social media companies including Meta, TikTok, YouTube and others are driving a youth mental health crisis. The districts are… Read More

Elon Musk in VAB
News Brief

Elon Musk moves to back out of $44B Twitter bid

by Kurt Schlosser on July 8, 2022July 8, 2022 at 3:11 pm

Elon Musk is attempting to back out of his $44 billion bid to buy Twitter, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday. Lawyers for the… Read More

Video

In support of free press, this startup’s publishing tech helps get news into and out of Russia

by Kurt Schlosser on March 25, 2022March 25, 2022 at 8:46 am

A tiny startup in Redmond, Wash., is taking on the big task of trying to get the truth into and out of Russia as the country wages war against neighboring… Read More

Seattle school district says no evidence of specific threat after ‘TikTok challenge’ spreads across U.S.

by Kurt Schlosser on December 17, 2021December 17, 2021 at 9:29 am

Seattle Public Schools issued an update to families in the district on Friday morning about a so-called “TikTok challenge” involving threats of school violence on the video-sharing platform. The anonymous… Read More

Facebook is now Meta: Social media giant rebrands to focus on the future amid criticism in the present

by Kurt Schlosser on October 28, 2021October 28, 2021 at 12:22 pm

Facebook announced a name change on Thursday intended to bring together everything that it works on under a single brand called Meta, and in turn take some of the focus… Read More

Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff on the need for new social media, iBuying, remote work, and more

by Kurt Schlosser on October 4, 2021October 6, 2021 at 4:03 pm

On a day when the biggest social media company on the planet went offline for several hours, Spencer Rascoff talked about why he’s been building a small social newcomer around… Read More

Seattle cutout artist Rudy Willingham teaming with singer Lil Nas X for TikTok’s first foray into NFTs

by Kurt Schlosser on September 30, 2021September 30, 2021 at 3:13 pm

Rudy Willingham, the Seattle artist known for his colorful, stop-motion photo cutouts on social media, is teaming with rapper/singer Lil Nas X to release TikTok’s first-ever NFT. Willingham has 4… Read More

Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff and teen daughter cook up a new food-focused social media startup

by Kurt Schlosser on June 29, 2021June 28, 2021 at 2:32 pm

Sophia Rascoff and her dad, Zillow co-founder and former CEO Spencer Rascoff, like to take on new dishes in the family kitchen, even though the 16-year-old says they have no… Read More

Seattle tutoring app Kadama gets quick lesson in success as it raises $1.7M, grows social following

by Kurt Schlosser on June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 at 10:41 am

New funding: Kadama, the Seattle-based tutoring app which seized on its quirky social media presence to attract millions of followers and customers, has raised $1.7 million in a seed round… Read More

Video

New ‘Limit App’ targets social media users between 18 and 25 — and kicks them off when they turn 26

by Kurt Schlosser on March 10, 2021March 10, 2021 at 12:28 pm

Scott Avy is not an ageist. He’s just trying to limit the age range for people who can use his new social media product, which is fittingly called Limit App.… Read More

Tech meme wars: Shopify takes a shot at Amazon over alleged copycat products

by Taylor Soper on March 5, 2021March 6, 2021 at 10:07 am

The Amazon vs. Shopify battle just got a little more juicy. Shopify’s sassy social media team — or, SaaSy, if you will — has been firing off some pointed tweets… Read More

Video

Father-daughters team launches Chances to attract Gen Z to new type of ‘social relationships app’

by Kurt Schlosser on February 26, 2021March 4, 2021 at 3:31 pm

At times, while working on his new startup with his two daughters, Rob Lipschutz is either “Rob” or he’s “Dad” depending on the advice he’s required to give or disagreement… Read More

Clap your mittens: Bernie Sanders makes his way to Seattle in meme that is taking over social media

by Kurt Schlosser on January 21, 2021January 21, 2021 at 6:37 pm

Slumping, socially distanced Bernie Sanders has made his way to Seattle. As the internet continues to exhibit its joy over life under a new U.S. president, the meme heard ’round… Read More

Podcast

Former Twitter exec on Trump ban, the failure of social media, and an idea to find common ground

by Kurt Schlosser on January 16, 2021January 16, 2021 at 9:14 am

Twitter didn’t set out to ban Donald Trump. The president gave it no choice. That’s the assessment from Mike Davidson, a Seattle-based tech and media veteran who was Twitter’s vice… Read More

Video

Back to the ‘Future Innovators’: 5 years later, kids adjust to an evolving and turbulent world

by Kurt Schlosser on January 13, 2021January 13, 2021 at 12:50 pm

Five years ago, budding 11-year-old Seattle scientist Rebecca Yeung was launching a homemade spacecraft high above Earth. The exploits with her sister gained the pair widespread publicity and a chance… Read More

Days after mob overruns U.S. Capitol, Twitter permanently suspends account of President Trump

by Kurt Schlosser on January 6, 2021January 8, 2021 at 4:14 pm

Update, Friday, 4:10 p.m.: Twitter announced Friday that it was permanently suspending the account of President Trump, citing what it called “the risk of further incitement of violence” days after… Read More

Vape news: Microsoft forced to respond to viral videos of smoke billowing out of Xbox Series X

by Kurt Schlosser on November 12, 2020November 12, 2020 at 3:26 pm

Anytime a company has to start a tweet with “We can’t believe we have to say this,” you just know you’re in for some real 2020-level nonsense. Microsoft’s Xbox division… Read More

Twitter to pay $100k to Washington state in settlement over political ad disclosure violations

by Todd Bishop on October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 at 7:29 am

Twitter agreed to pay $100,000 to settle charges that it violated Washington state campaign finance laws that required the company to maintain records about political ads on its platform and… Read More

News Brief

TikTok rolls out first app for television with Amazon Fire TV

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 6, 2020August 6, 2020 at 3:56 pm

Microsoft might be TikTok’s most likely buyer but Amazon will host the popular mobile app’s TV debut. Starting Thursday, TikTok is launching on Amazon Fire TV devices in the U.S.… Read More

In latest TikTok twist, Microsoft reportedly looking at buying entire social media giant

by John Cook on August 6, 2020August 6, 2020 at 10:04 am

Microsoft is considering buying a bigger chunk of fast-growing social media giant TikTok. According to a report in The Financial Times, Microsoft has discussed the possibility of buying TikTok’s business… Read More

How much should Microsoft pay for TikTok? M&A experts, venture capitalists weigh in on price

by John Cook on August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 at 10:29 am

The clock is ticking on TikTok. With a Sept. 15 deadline looming on the social media sensation, technology pundits are trying to answer a multi-billion dollar question: How much should… Read More

How the proposed Microsoft-TikTok deal reveals an erratic U.S. antitrust agenda

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 3, 2020August 4, 2020 at 7:30 am

Microsoft’s plan to acquire TikTok in the U.S. has created a paradox for the federal government as it seeks to crack down on consolidation of power among a handful of… Read More

Florida teen arrested as mastermind behind Twitter ‘Bit-Con’ that targeted Gates, Bezos and others

by Kurt Schlosser on July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 at 12:25 pm

A Florida teenager faces 30 felony charges related to a July 15 scam in which he hacked into the Twitter accounts of prominent users such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos,… Read More

The ban that wasn’t: Amazon’s TikTok reversal leaves tech world wondering WTH?

by Kurt Schlosser on July 11, 2020July 11, 2020 at 10:41 am

Amazon’s TikTok take-back was the talk of tech on Friday. The company started the day by telling employees they needed to delete the popular social media app from their mobile… Read More

Amazon tells employees to delete TikTok, then claims directive was sent in error

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 10, 2020July 13, 2020 at 7:32 am

Update 2:20 p.m.: An Amazon spokesperson said Friday afternoon that the email ordering employees to delete TikTok was an error. The company declined to provide further explanation for how the… Read More

News Brief

Microsoft is reportedly suspending advertising on Facebook and Instagram

by Monica Nickelsburg on June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 at 12:34 pm

Microsoft has paused advertising on Facebook and Instagram worldwide due to concerns about content surfaced alongside ads, according to Axios. The software giant is not participating in a broader Facebook… Read More

Seattle startup Persona pivots and seizes on video chat popularity by using AI to curate highlight reels

by Kurt Schlosser on June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 at 8:07 am

Persona, the platform initially built as way to make social media a more intimate way to share family memories, has pivoted during the pandemic to focus on video chat and… Read More

Bob Ferguson

Washington AG sues Facebook for violating state political ad law

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 14, 2020April 15, 2020 at 8:03 am

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a new lawsuit against Facebook claiming the social network continues to violate state laws governing political ad disclosures. It’s the second time Ferguson has… Read More

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