facebook

Researchers say they can figure out when two Facebook users are in a relationship just by looking at their list of 'friends'. They also say it's possible to predict when a relationship will end. Often, it's easy to tell when Facebook users are in a ... relationship because many people display this information on their profiles. However, new research says relationships can be detected even without those vital details. The research is the work of Cornell University computer scientist Jon Kleinberg and Facebook engineer Lars Backstrom. They analyzed the Facebook accounts of 1.3 million people aged ... (view more)

In a hugely controversial move, Facebook says users can once again post extremely violent videos -- including those of people being beheaded. It's a reversal of a five-month ban on such material. The social media site began blocking members from ... posting extremely violent video clips back in May, but has now changed its policies. It didn't make a major announcement of the reversal, but has confirmed the change after a user posted a video of a murder in Mexico. That clip remained online under revised rules that limit the circumstances in which violent videos can be shown. Violent Video Viewing ... (view more)

Facebook is killing a privacy feature designed to restrict who can find users through the social networking site's search tool. The firm defended the move by saying only a small percentage of its members actually used the feature. The feature, which ... is called "Who can look up my Timeline by name?", allowed Facebook users to customize who could find their profile through a search of the social network's database. For people who wanted to keep their profile information off-limits to employers, strangers, and enemies, it was deemed a highly useful feature. 'Small Percentage' Could Include ... (view more)

Facebook is planning to use profile pictures to automatically recognize users when they appear in photos taken by somebody else. The firm has also made it clear to users that it has every right to use members' pictures in its own advertisements ... without compensating them in any way. The proposed changes are detailed in a Facebook post that, following a court order, more clearly explains how the site uses data from its users. Facebook already uses facial recognition software but in a more limited manner. Once you have been "tagged" in a photograph (that is, somebody has labeled you as being one ... (view more)

People who regularly use social networking site Facebook are prone to negative feelings, a new study finds. But there's some question over the cause and effect involved. Researchers at the University of Michigan studied 82 Facebook users with an ... average age of 19 to 20. The researchers started by asking the subjects a series of questions to check their levels of self-esteem and / or depression. They then sent the subjects a text message five times each day over a two-week period. (Source: plosone.org ) The message linked to a survey that asked the subjects whether they felt positive or ... (view more)

Facebook is reportedly planning to present users with television-style advertisements. However, marketing types be warned: advertising on the social networking site won't be cheap, with prices for each ad spot exceeding $2 million. Rumors of the ... video advertisements began circulating earlier this year. Now, it's been revealed the company has cemented plans to launch TV-style advertising in the coming months. According to reports, there were delays in finalizing plans because the firm wants to make sure the ads aren't too disruptive or intrusive. Video Ads Aimed At Mass Market Audience ... (view more)

Facebook has reported second-quarter earnings that far exceed experts' predictions. The key factor behind that unexpected revenue intake: mobile advertising. Facebook recently reported second-quarter earnings of 19 cents per share -- substantially ... higher than the 14 cents per share predicted by analysts. Almost half (41 per cent) of the company's $1.6 billion in advertising revenue came through mobile devices. That's also much higher than expected -- experts had predicted mobile ads to account for about one-third of Facebook's total advertising revenue. Overall, Facebook's mobile ad revenue ... (view more)

Facebook has revealed plans to give its members the option of explaining why they remove content from their 'News Feeds'. Officially the plan is designed to help the average Facebook member, but it may also benefit advertisers. The move is somewhat ... surprising for Facebook. So far the firm has mainly concentrated on finding out what people do like (hence the iconic 'Like' button) and creating advertising based on those preferences. However, while users can click to remove (or rather, 'hide') content from their News Feed, there's no way for the user to explain why they dislike something. ... (view more)

Facebook says six million of its users have had their personal data exposed. The issue stems from a security bug that allowed email addresses and phone numbers to be easily accessed by a user's Facebook 'friends'. The problem is associated with ... Facebook's friend recommendation algorithm, which is designed to help users find old friends, family, and contacts and establish new relationships with them. Facebook uses uploaded personal data, including email addresses and contact lists, to find new 'friends'. This system can also be used to invite friends who are not yet Facebook members to join ... (view more)

Some of the world's biggest technology companies say they're not happy about revelations involving the National Security Agency (NSA) and data collection. The firms are forming a united front in a quest to create greater transparency around this ... kind of surveillance. Last week whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the National Security Agency had been using a controversial surveillance program known as PRISM to spy on users of major Internet programs and services. This included users of products provided by Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo, YouTube, Skype, America Online, and Apple. ... (view more)