Monday, 27 May, 2019

Facebook News Feed Changes’ Impact on Democracy

Facebook News Feed Changes’ Impact on Democracy

Posted on Friday, 27 October, 2017 by Zheluo Cai

Facebook News Feed Changes’ Impact on Democracy.
Facebook is testing a major change that would shift non-promoted posts out of its news feed, a move that could be catastrophic for publishers relying on the social network for their audience. A new system being trialled in six countries including Slovakia, Serbia and Sri Lanka sees almost all non-promoted posts shifted over to a secondary feed, leaving the main feed focused entirely on original content from friends, and adverts. The change has seen users’ engagement with Facebook pages drop precipitously, with publications reporting a 60% to 80% fall. If replicated more broadly, such a change would destroy many smaller publishers, as well as larger ones with an outsized reliance on social media referrals for visitors. (Credit: Alex Hern for The Guardian). The implications of this move, some of it spelt out in this article, give us some idea how news can be manipulated by the social media giants.

Read Article Here:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/oct/25/facebook-orwellian-journalists-democracy-guatemala-slovakia

Watch - Monkeypox in Nigeria Tuesday, 21 May, 2019
There is an ongoing outbreak of monkeypox in Nigeria. Travelers to Nigeria should protect themselves from monkeypox by washing hands often with soap and water, and avoiding contact with animals or people that may be sick.
Alert - Ebola in Democratic Republic of the Congo Friday, 17 May, 2019
There is an outbreak of Ebola in the North Kivu (Kivu Nord) and Ituri provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Benin - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions Thursday, 23 May, 2019
Exercise normal precautions in Benin. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Reconsider Travel To: Park Pendjari, Park W and adjacent hunting zones, and other areas near Benin’s northern border with Burkina Faso, due to terrorism and kidnapping. Exercise Increased Caution In: Urban areas due to crime. Read the Safety and Security […]
Togo - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions Wednesday, 22 May, 2019
Exercise normal precautions in Togo. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Reconsider Travel To: Northern border region adjacent to Burkina Faso due to potential for terrorism and kidnapping. Exercise Increased Caution In: Areas north of Kande due to potential for terrorism. The cities of Sokodé, Bafilo, and Mango due to civil […]

Nepal Sunday, 26 May, 2019
Summary - On 26 May 2019 a series of bomb blasts took place in Kathmandu. Initial reports from the Nepal authorities are that three Nepali nationals were killed and at least six injured. You are advised to avoid crowded areas and remain vigilant.
GOV.UK
France Friday, 24 May, 2019
Latest Update: We are aware of an explosion having taken place in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon city centre in the vicinity of Rue Victor Hugo. You should avoid the area and follow the instructions of the local authorities.
GOV.UK

NASA Television to Air Russian Spacewalk at International Space Station Friday, 24 May, 2019
Two veteran Russian cosmonauts will venture outside the International Space Station for a spacewalk Wednesday, May 29, to retrieve science experiments and conduct maintenance on the orbiting laboratory.
NASA Awards Artemis Contract for Lunar Gateway Power, Propulsion Thursday, 23 May, 2019
In one of the first steps of the agency’s Artemis lunar exploration plans, NASA announced on Thursday the selection of Maxar Technologies, formerly SSL, in Westminster, Colorado, to develop and demonstrate power, propulsion and communications capabilities for NASA’s lunar Gateway.