Top News:
Kevin Roose / New York Times:
Facebook staff detail the fight over CrowdTangle, which notes top-engaging posts, often showing right-wing sources dominating; in April, its team was reassigned — Executives at the social network have clashed over CrowdTangle, a Facebook-owned data tool that revealed users' high engagement levels with right-wing media sources.
Discussion:
@kevinroose, @felixsalmon, Insider, Nieman Lab, @brizzyc, @digiphile, @reckless, @elipariser, @brandyzadrozny, @sarafischer, @janelytv, @nytimesbusiness, @mccanner, @alkapdc, @bostonjoan, @oliverdarcy, @caseynewton, @dseetharaman, @jeffjarvis, @brianstelter, @sarahfrier and @oliviasolon, more at Techmeme »
Taylor Lorenz / New York Times:
Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook will pay $1B to creators by the end of 2022; creators can earn money using Instagram or Facebook tools or by hitting milestones — Facebook is setting up a program to pay $1 billion to creators through the end of 2022, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive …
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Twitter says it will retire Fleets, its stories-like service, on August 3 after low adoption — A fleeting moment for Fleets — Say goodbye to Fleets, the row of fullscreen tweets at the top of the Twitter timeline that expire after 24 hours. The ephemeral tweet format is shutting …
Discussion:
@twitter, Twitter, The Wrap, @alexeheath, TechCrunch, Variety, Ad Age, 9to5Mac, @pkafka, @howardlindzon, @robbiebarstool, @alexhern, @shortformernie, @reckless, @harrymccracken, @backlon, @tomwarren, @kurtwagner8, @ow and @taylorlorenz, more at Techmeme »
Michael Kranish / Washington Post:
Profile of Tucker Carlson, including his elite upbringing, his years-long focus on racial grievance, and his top spot at Fox and the GOP information universe — Tucker Carlson huddled in a low-ceilinged dungeon that had served as a holding pen for Africans bound for enslavement in the United States.
Joyce Karam / The National:
DOJ charges 4 Iranian intelligence officials with conspiracy to kidnap a US journalist, citizen, and activist of Iranian origin and forcibly take her to Tehran — Accused men monitored and planned to kidnap US citizen of Iranian origin and take her to Iran, officials say
Discussion:
New York Times, Justice News, @alinejadmasih, Mediaite, Voice of America, @dojnatsec, Committee to Protect …, Reuters, @carlosvecchio, @ezraacohen, @yasmohammedxx, @lunasafwan, @samanarbabi, @elliecohanim, Insider, @bariweiss, @kambizf, @dy1anonymous, @benweisernyt, @zainaerhaim, @rayhanasat, @mollyjongfast, @jason_kint, @danieldimartino, @ksadjadpour, The Guardian, @baldingsworld, The Indian Express, @reptenney, @alaneyre1, @nickkristof, @smohyeddin, @julietmosesnz, @omid_m, @mehdirhasan, Politico, The Hill and The Daily Beast
The Daily Beast:
Sources: Shep Smith's plunging ratings at CNBC, averaging just 197,000 viewers in June, have fostered internal turmoil, including “regular tantrums” from Smith — The ex-Fox anchor's much-hyped new show has failed to bring in viewers and, per insiders, it has struggled …
Discussion:
TVNewser, @maxwelltani, @jayrosen_nyu, @jeremymbarr and @brianstelter
Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:
As very few iOS users opt into tracking, Facebook's many advertisers are noticing a negative impact on tracking campaigns, targeting new customers, and more — People give iOS apps permission to track their behavior just 25% of the time — When users get asked on iPhone devices …
Discussion:
@kurtwagner8, @aripap, @angryblacklady, @epicciuto, 9to5Mac, AppleInsider and @sarahfrier, more at Techmeme »
Charlotte Tobitt / Press Gazette:
Bauer Media and News UK launch first-party data platforms, called Bauer Illuminate and Nucleus, as they prepare for a future without third-party cookies — Bauer Media and News UK are the latest publishers to launch new first-party data platforms as the industry prepares for an internet without third-parties cookies.
Reuters:
Twitter says governments made 361 demands to remove content from 199 verified accounts of journalists and news outlets in H2 2020, up 26% from H1 — Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) saw a surge in demands over the course of last year from governments around the world to take down content posted …
Discussion:
@dnvolz and @aveeksen, more at Techmeme »
Steve Dent / Engadget:
Amazon launches its Kindle Vella serialized story service on iOS and web, which lets users unlock episodic, self-published stories via in-app purchases — launched its serialized fiction Kindle Vella store that lets you unlock episodic, self-published stories via in-app purchases.
Discussion:
About Amazon, more at Techmeme »
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Profile of Spotify's chief legal officer Horacio Gutierrez, who leads its campaign against Apple in the US and EU, painting Apple as an abusive monopolist — Horacio Gutierrez made his name in U.S. corporate law two decades ago defending Microsoft Corp. against charges of anticompetitive behavior …
Discussion:
regs to riches, more at Techmeme »
Washington Post:
Court documents show the Trump DOJ sought WaPo reporters' records in the last days of Barr's tenure, seeking to find sources of three stories in 2017 on Russia — Newly unsealed court documents show the Trump Justice Department sought a court order for the communications records …
Discussion:
New York Times, @kimzetter, Insider, @kenvogel, @matthewamiller and @katie_rcfp