Meta rolled out AI voice translation for Reels on Instagram and Facebook. The tool dubs spoken audio between English and Spanish, preserves the creator’s voice, and can optionally lip-sync to match mouth movements. Translated reels are labeled and surfaced in a viewer’s preferred language. The feature is rolling out globally where Meta AI is available. Continue Reading →

AI Marches On

AI marches on. There's more new and exciting AI coming every day, and today is no exception. Meta Platforms has unveiled Llama 4, the latest iteration of its large language model series. There are two new models: Llama 4 Scout and Llama 4 Maverick. These models are designed to process and integrate multiple data formats, including text, video, images, and audio, enhancing their versatility across various applications. Continue Reading →
Meta is rolling out new restrictions for teens on Instagram and Facebook to enhance online safety, particularly for users aged 13 to 18. Shelly Palmer, Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications, breaks down the details and implications of Meta's teen accounts. Continue Reading →
Yesterday's Senate hearing on child safety in social media saw CEOs from TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Meta (Facebook's parent company), Discord, and Snapchat face questions from lawmakers. The hearing focused on the impact of social media on children's safety and the bipartisan effort to more effectively regulate these platforms. Continue Reading →
A recent Gallup survey revealed significant insights into U.S. teenagers' social media habits. More than 51% of teens spend an average of 4.8 hours daily on social platforms. Age and gender differences are evident: 13-year-olds average 4.1 hours, 17-year-olds reach 5.8 hours, and girls spend nearly an hour more than boys. Continue Reading →
According to Reuters, Meta has openly admitted to using a substantial volume of public Facebook and Instagram posts to train its AI models. This revelation came to light following the launch of its new AI assistants. Despite efforts to exclude personal information, the move has raised serious concerns and is anticipated to lead to legal confrontations. Continue Reading →
The Supreme Court is hearing a case this week where family members of victims of the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and 2017 Turkey terrorist attack are suing Google and Twitter for not doing enough to remove dangerous content from their sites. Shelly Palmer talks to John Vause on CNN International about rumors of narrowing the scope of Section 230 and what that would mean for tech companies. Continue Reading →

Election Bots Out in Force

Social media platforms Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok are all over the news today. Facebook is continuing to implode and is about to lay off a lot of staff. I've been writing about Twitter every day. TikTok, because it is owned by a Chinese company, is under intense scrutiny after admitting that its workers can see the data they collect. Continue Reading →