Twitter

It has become increasingly common for politicians at all levels of government to block followers, whether it's for uncivil behavior or merely for expressing a different point of view.

Fed Up With Uncivil Discourse Online, Lawmakers Block Their Constituents

11:14am October 31, 2017

by Julia Ritchey

It's a challenge for officials at all levels of government, including a state lawmaker in Utah who recently had to talk it out with someone he blocked.

How Russian Propaganda Spreads On Social Media

3:48pm October 29, 2017

by Laura Sydell

Experts say such propaganda sows divisions within society by confirming beliefs. Facebook, Google and Twitter officials are testifying this week about Russian influence on the 2016 election.

Queue Listen Now

Twitter ended its advertising relationship with Russia Today and Sputnik on Thursday based on "the U.S. intelligence community's conclusion that both RT and Sputnik attempted to interfere with the election on behalf of the Russian government."

Twitter Bans Ads From Russian State Media, Citing Election Interference Efforts

5:01pm October 26, 2017

by Miles Parks

The microblog service announced the move "effective immediately" ahead of a congressional hearing about Russia's use of social media in its influence campaign.

Former FBI Director James Comey, who re-emerged on the public stage Monday through Twitter, appears at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in June.

Politics & Government

Comey Fesses Up, Claims Ownership Of Suspected Twitter Account

3:06pm October 23, 2017

by Carrie Johnson

Former FBI Director James Comey publicly claimed ownership of a Twitter account Monday and signaled that he is about to rejoin a national conversation.

New York City-based poets Dorothea Lasky and Alex Dimitrov — the voices behind the viral Twitter account "Astro Poets" — aim to change the way the Internet sees the zodiac.

Arts

2 Viral Twitter Poets Are Rewriting The Book On Astrology

11:51am September 29, 2017

by Danny Nett

Dorothea Lasky and Alex Dimitrov of Astro Poets want to bring astrology up to speed with shifting views of gender, sexuality and pop culture.

Twitter officials are expected to meet with Senate Intelligence Committee investigators. Staffers want to know about the use of fake accounts, bots and trolls to influence the trends and topics on the social platform.

As Scrutiny Of Social Networks Grows, Influence Attacks Continue In Real Time

10:28am September 28, 2017

by Philip Ewing

Trolls, bots and other mischief aimed at shaping the U.S. information environment have continued long after the presidential election even as Washington focuses on Facebook and Twitter.

Twitter To Try Giving Users 280 Characters — Whether They Want Them Or Not

3:36pm September 27, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

The company says it wants to give users more room to express themselves. But many users worry it will rob Twitter of its microblogging soul.

While many women experience miscarriage, few talk about it openly. But researchers have found there is discussion and a lot of sharing happening on social media. Their hope is that greater public discourse will help reduce stigma and the sense of isolatio

What The Public Is Saying About Miscarriage In 140 Characters

9:58am August 27, 2017

Miscarriage, while widely experienced, is not often discussed in public. Researchers have turned to social media to see what people are saying about the topic and how much they're choosing to share.

Ten years ago today Chris Messina posted the first hashtag on Twitter: How do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp [msg]?

#HappyBirthday: Quintessential Twitter Feature Turns 10

7:04pm August 23, 2017

by Leslie Cook

Originally envisioned as a method of organization, the hashtag has gone from an obscure idea to an indelible part of our communication landscape.

Former President Barack Obama's tweet after the violence Charlottesville, Va., is now the most-liked tweet ever. The tweet quoted Nelson Mandela and included this photo of Obama visiting a daycare in Maryland.

Quoting Mandela, Obama's Tweet After Charlottesville Is The Most-Liked Ever

1:56pm August 16, 2017

by Laurel Wamsley

"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion," the former president tweeted. He was quoting Nelson Mandela, and it struck a chord for many.