Technology companies including Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, and Google were praised for supporting the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act . The law, which was successfully enacted and went into effect in January 2016, requires California law enforcement to get a warrant... +Read more
Apple has been accused of “ going down a dark and scary road ” for rejecting iOS apps that address any topic the company deems “objectionable.” In recent years, Apple has rejected games and other apps focused on... +Read more
Facebook has repeatedly faced criticism for censoring discussions of marijuana legalization. In 2010 and again in 2012, Facebook blocked ads supporting marijuana legalization voter initiatives and drug policy reform measures. The issue re-emerged in 2015 when the company “... +Read more
Facebook suffered over a year’s worth of bad press after advocates began highlighting the harmful effects of its "real name" policy . The policy, which required users to use a name on a government ID, sparked outrage by sending many users into a process resembling a state of “online... +Read more
Instagram found itself at the center of a controversy in 2015 when it banned tons of photos and videos associated with the hashtag #curvy . Although the hashtag had been very popular for posts promoting body positivity and body... +Read more
Apple came under fire from users and the press when it was discovered that Siri, the company’s recently-unveiled “intelligent personal assistant,” would not provide information about abortion clinics or emergency contraceptives. Siri replied to some... +Read more
In 2014, Twitter was applauded for adding more “civility” to the site when it rolled out a host of tools to empower users themselves to combat harassment. In particular,... +Read more
Facebook was applauded for enhancing user security when it launched its own “Tor hidden service” providing privacy- and security-conscious users an alternative way to reach its service. Facebook connected users running Tor software to a version of the site with extra... +Read more
AT&T triggered consumer and media outrage when it announced that it would only allow iPhone users to use the video chat app FaceTime on the carrier’s cellular data network if the customers purchased a shared data plan. AT&T eventually changed its policy, but only after the company was subjected to a barrage of negative press and customer... +Read more
In late 2012, Instagram ignited a massive user backlash when it released a new privacy policy and terms of use that gave the company and its new owner, Facebook, broad access to user data and photos for commercial use . The policy, which would have... +Read more
LinkedIn faced a class action lawsuit and the alienation of potential users for spamming contacts of its current users with invitations to join the service. Although LinkedIn did request permission to email these contacts, it... +Read more