This page hosts daily news stories about the media, social media, and the journalism industry. Get the latest Hirings and Firings, Media Transactions, Controversies, and more.
Tufts Student’s ICE Detention Sparks Campus Media Censorship Fears
Rumeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, was detained by ICE after co-authoring a 2023 op-ed in The Tufts Daily criticizing university leadership and urging divestment from Israel. ICE cited the op-ed as potentially undermining U.S. foreign policy. A federal judge ordered Öztürk’s release, noting her arrest likely constituted retaliation for free expression. The case has raised alarm in student media circles, with editors now reconsidering how to protect international student contributors. Read More (Poynter Rating)
Meta’s Crowdsourced Fact-Checking Faces Credibility Concerns
Following Meta’s phaseout of third-party fact-checkers, its new Community Notes pilot on Facebook and Instagram is proving unreliable. Alexios Mantzarlis of Indicator analyzed 61 annotated posts and found several examples of inaccurate, irrelevant, or misleading notes. While some contributions clarified misinformation, others showed misunderstanding or confusion, sometimes stemming from AI misuse. Experts argue the system lacks the rigor of professional fact-checking and isn’t ready for broad deployment. Read More (Nieman Lab Rating)
New York Passes Bill Requiring Warning Labels on Social Media Apps
The New York Legislature has passed a bill mandating warning labels on social media platforms to address mental health concerns related to addictive features like infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds. Backed by Common Sense Media, the bill follows similar measures in California, Minnesota, Colorado, and Texas. Supporters compare it to labeling cigarettes and alcohol, aiming to inform users—particularly teens—about the mental health risks of excessive screen time. State mental health experts will write the required warnings. Read More (Fox Baltimore Rating)
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