Top News:
Cara Buckley / New York Times:
Network of 300 prominent Hollywood women launch an initiative to tackle sexual harassment in Hollywood and blue collar workplaces — Driven by outrage and a resolve to correct a power imbalance that seemed intractable just months ago, 300 prominent actresses and female agents, writers …
Discussion:
The Drum, PR Newswire, thecut, NPR, @jenbrockie, @ananavarro, Jezebel, @mariateresa1, @jodikantor, @amandamarcotte, @marcgunther, @vellalovell, BBC, @annetdonahue, @brianstelter, ABC News, The FADER, @emilyjashinsky, @shanellelittle, @jensimmons, @carmenejogo, IndieWire, @kristapley, @laurelrosenhall, Rolling Stone, Business Insider, Fast Company, Refinery29, Variety, @rtraister, @markharrisnyc, The Wrap, Mashable, Axios and Beth Bell
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed:
BuzzFeed News' Media Editor Craig Silverman helped popularize the term “fake news” and watched as it became politicized by Trump and the alt right — After a yearlong battle for its meaning and ownership, “fake news” is now both an empty slogan and a deeply troubling warning sign.
Discussion:
@buzzfeednews, @lwvmiamidade, @craigsilverman, @moorehn, @jayrosen_nyu, @craigsilverman, @jason_kint and @craigsilverman
Zachary M. Seward / Quartz:
Snap blocked public snaps from area around its New Years Eve party in LA, reported to have cost $4M, but some posted to Instagram, including performer Drake — Snap marked the end of its first year as a public company with a huge New Year's Eve party for its employees and other guests.
Discussion:
Business Insider and TMZ.com
ProPublica:
Study shows Facebook's hate speech rules are unevenly enforced, with the company agreeing its censors made mistakes on 22 of 49 posts submitted for explanation — We asked Facebook about its handling of 49 posts that might be deemed offensive. The company acknowledged that its content reviewers had made the wrong call on 22 of them.
Alex Hern / The Guardian:
Damian Collins, the chair of the UK's fake news inquiry, has given Facebook and Twitter until Jan. 18 to hand over info about Russian disinformation campaigns — Chair of parliamentary committee gives firms a deadline to hand over information about Russian misinformation campaigns
Discussion:
The Drum, @ericgarland, @thattimwalker and Press Association, more at Techmeme »
Hiroko Tabuchi / New York Times:
Groups skeptical of climate change are gaming Google's largely automated ad systems to promote misleading claims that reject established climate science — Groups that reject established climate science can use the search engine's advertising business to their advantage …
BBC:
Germany starts enforcing law under which social networks will face fines of up to €50M if they fail to remove hate speech, fake news, and illegal material — Germany is set to start enforcing a law that demands social media sites move quickly to remove hate speech, fake news and illegal material.
Discussion:
Newsweek, BBC, Yahoo! Finance, Engadget, @neilclark66 and @jeffjarvis
Anna Nicolaou / Financial Times:
Vevo says its 2017 revenue reached $650M, up 30% YoY; it broke even in 2017 and expects to be profitable in early 2018 — Vevo, the music video company owned by a group of leading record labels, increased its revenues by 30 per cent in 2017 thanks to swelling global audiences for high-budget pop star videos.
Eun Kyung Kim / TODAY.com:
Hoda Kotb is named co-anchor of the Today show, replacing Matt Lauer who was fired — Hoda Kotb has been named the co-anchor of TODAY, making her official debut Tuesday just after an announcement by NBC News Chairman Andy Lack. — Kotb, 53, will join Savannah Guthrie at the anchor desk during …
Discussion:
@deggans, @niallstanage, @halliejackson, @_celia_marie_, @emmaladyrose and @justinnbc4
Sara Fischer / Axios:
Ex-Current TV President David Bohrman is launching the Political Voices Network, an OTT video service catering to progressive Americans — David Bohrman, former Current TV President and former CNN Washington bureau chief and chief innovation officer at CNN Worldwide, is launching …
Discussion:
Deadline
Justin McCurry / The Guardian:
YouTube star Logan Paul has apologized after posting a video of the body of an alleged suicide victim he found in a Japanese forest; the video was removed — American YouTuber joked with friends on film after coming across the apparent suicide victim — The celebrity YouTuber Logan Paul …
Discussion:
TechCrunch and Mashable, more at Techmeme »
Lukas I. Alpert / Wall Street Journal:
Source: private equity firm Rizvi Traverse in talks to acquire remaining 35% stake in Playboy it doesn't own, may ditch the magazine's print edition — Company switches focus to licensing, branding deals in post-Hefner era — The death of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is ushering in a new era …