Charlie Warzel
Contact this reporter at charlie.warzel@buzzfeed.com
We Followed YouTube’s Recommendation Algorithm Down The Rabbit Hole
Despite year-old promises to fix its “Up Next” content recommendation system, YouTube is still suggesting conspiracy videos, hyperpartisan and misogynist videos, pirated videos, and content from hate groups following common news-related searches.
The Internet Is A Privacy Disaster. But We Still Don't Know How To Talk About It.
We know our data has been left vulnerable, or sold, or misused. But do we really understand what that means for our safety and security online — and when it actually matters?
It's 2019 And Twitter's Moderation Team Is Still Struggling With Swastika Photoshops
How is it that moderators tasked with parsing abusive behavior miss a poorly photoshopped image of an infant with a bright red swastika on their forehead?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is A Perfect Foil For The Pro-Trump Media
Both use the same online playbook — to starkly different ends.
Apps Are Revealing Your Private Information To Facebook And You Probably Don't Know It
Facebook provided developers with tools to build Facebook-compatible apps like Tinder, Grindr, and Pregnancy+. Those apps have been quietly sending sensitive user data to Facebook.
25 Things BuzzFeed News Tried And Loved In 2018
Some of these things may change your life.
The NAACP Wants Users To Log Out Of Facebook In Protest
The digital protest follows recent reports noting foreign misinformation campaigns were disproportionately directed at black users.
Why, After 2018’s Privacy Scandals, Does Facebook Deserve Our Data?
A seemingly endless parade of privacy scandals has dredged up an existential question for the company.
Hey Google, What’s The Point Of Silicon Valley’s Tech Hearings?
It’s hard to imagine how these hearings will result in anything more substantial than a few less-than-viral soundbites.
These Confidential Charts Show Why Facebook Bought WhatsApp
The company was obsessively tracking WhatsApp and saw not just a rising competitor but a potential Facebook killer.
Mark Zuckerberg's Biggest Problem: Internal Tensions At Facebook Are Boiling Over
“It’s the bunker mentality. These people have been under siege for 600 days now. They’re getting tired, getting cranky — the only survival strategy is to quit or fully buy in.”
The George Soros Scandal Is Entirely Of Facebook’s Own Making
Facebook’s recent opposition research scandal against billionaire George Soros is revealing, but not for the reasons you might think.
This Document Is Some Of The Research Facebook Commissioned On George Soros
Definers’ research for Facebook on billionaire George Soros has never been published before. You can read one of those documents here.
A Former Facebook Employee Said The Company Has A “Black People Problem”
“I’ve lost the will and the desire to advocate on behalf of Facebook,” the former employee wrote.
Plaintiff In Facebook Lawsuit Hints A Reporter May Have Tipped Off Parliament To Seize Documents
The seizure could mean that the documents, which journalists have previously sued to release from a California court’s protective order, may now become public.
Why Facebook Will Never Fix Facebook
The last two years have shown that what the platform needs is something closer to an overhaul — stripping out some of the guts of a system that ruthlessly prioritizes engagement.
Trump Is Spreading Bogus Voter Fraud Claims On Twitter. Twitter Says It'll Talk About It In 2019.
Pressed for specifics, Twitter declined to provide any examples of what "increased transparency" might look like, noting vaguely that "we have ongoing conversations about these themes broadly."
Welcome To The Dystopia: People Are Arguing About Whether This Trump Press Conference Video Is Doctored
An editor from the conspiracy site Infowars has provided us with a dizzying example of video manipulation that's created a "choose your own reality" crisis.
There Was No Midterm Misinformation Crisis Because We've Democratized Propaganda
Years of algorithmically powered information warfare have ALREADY rewired our political discourse.
How Silicon Valley’s Scooter Craze Made Me Realize That I Don’t Know Anything
Are scooters a dangerous nuisance or an environmentally friendly form of transportation? Or both? Watch Follow This on Netflix.