NEW RESOURCES

University of Alberta: New website offers a worldwide hub for research on decolonization and anti-racism. “A new online hub is bringing together scholars and students from around the world to share research, amplify voices and encourage conversations about decolonization and anti-racism in universities. The Anti-Racism Lab is a collaborative international network of researchers in Finland, Sweden, South Africa, Brazil, the United States, Canada and the Métis Nation, showcasing the work of the researchers involved, Tate explained. The unifying factor in the collaboration is that universities involved in the research project are in settler-colonial states.”

WBIW: Did your ancestors graduate from IU? The new database will tell you | WBIW. “The IU Bloomington Degree Compendium contains the names, graduation years, and degrees awarded to graduates from the classes of 1830 to 1890. The database will eventually be expanded to include information about all IU Bloomington graduates.”

9to5 Google: Google commissions and releases ‘Roboto Serif’ as new font ideal for reading. “Google introduced Roboto in 2011 as Android’s new system font and gave it a big upgrade three years later. ‘Roboto Serif’ is now the newest variation ‘designed to make reading more comfortable at any size, in any format.'”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Mashable: TikTok’s ban on misogyny and misgendering attempts to clean up For You Pages. “TikTok has long prohibited hate-speech and violence on its social video platform, but a recent update is getting more specific about what can and can’t be posted on videos. The China-based tech firm ByteDance, which created and owns TikTok, updated its community guidelines with new ban-worthy offenses on Tuesday. The change targets content that’s aimed at offending LGBTQ users broadly as well as trans users specifically.”

CNET: Twitter Expands Beta for Safety Mode Autoblocking Feature. “Twitter is greatly expanding the size of the beta for its Safety Mode feature, which aims to limit ‘unwelcome interactions’ in your feed. Previously available only to a small feedback group, the feature will now be available to about 50% of users in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, Twitter said Tuesday.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

Techradar Pro: Taking on Google: Meet the challenger search engine trying to break the monopoly. “Google benefits from almost every advantage any company could ever hope for; it has the most advanced technology, broadest talent pool, greatest lobbying power and some of the deepest pockets. Most importantly, it has a vice-like grip on many of the markets in which it operates, particularly browsers and search. Some might think it impossible to overthrow a company in this position, especially in its core areas of business. But not Gabriel Weinberg, who is patiently twirling his sling in anticipation of an opportunity to bring down the internet’s Goliath.”

Yale Daily News: Collection of Musical Instruments plans for major renovation. “The Morris Steinert Collection of Musical Instruments — a leading institution that acquires, preserves and exhibits musical instruments from antiquity to the present — is one of many Yale museums currently closed to the public due to the pandemic. It will use the period of closure to develop its online presence and make plans for an extensive renovation.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Pew (PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW!): More members of Congress, especially Democrats, are talking about Black History Month on social media. “A growing share of congressional lawmakers have taken to social media each February to commemorate Black History Month, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of their Facebook and Twitter activity. Nearly two-in-three members of Congress (64%) mentioned Black History Month on Facebook or Twitter in February 2021, up from just 29% in 2015.”

The Orion: Social media algorithm designed to be toxic. “With the number of social media users nearing 4 billion in 2022, it’s safe to say that these platforms are not going anywhere in spite of the damage they cause. Platforms should make an effort to be transparent about the true, altered nature of pictures and videos by providing a disclaimer. Sadly, it does not seem to be a likely possibility because it goes against the influencers that draw traffic and increase the site’s popularity. Therefore, it is up to users to educate themselves on the harmful effects of social media.”

WIRED: Google Stadia Is a Failure. The Company Should Kill It. “Much has happened between the 2018 “Project Stream” beta, the official Stadia launch in 2019, and today. You could arguably call Google a leader in the second wave of cloud gaming, after the early debuts of services like PS Now and OnLive. Now, though, there is more competition, and the demands of the market are crystallizing. Google tried to make a case that it could bring market advantages to cloud gaming, but the company’s vision has not borne fruit. Today, Stadia is languishing and has few prospects of success.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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