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Meta

Vox’s news and analysis on the state of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and its future as a player in Big Tech.

Technology
Layoffs are bad for businessLayoffs are bad for business
Technology

But layoffs that last months are worse, as Mark Zuckerberg may soon find out.

By Rani Molla
Technology
Snow Crash author Neal Stephenson predicted the metaverse. What does he see next?Snow Crash author Neal Stephenson predicted the metaverse. What does he see next?
Technology

The science fiction pioneer on making a template for Mark Zuckerberg, not making movies, and a worrisome climate change scenario.

By Peter Kafka
Technology
Social media used to be free. Not anymore.Social media used to be free. Not anymore.
Technology

You used to pay for social media with your eyeballs. Now Meta and Twitter want your money, too.

By Shirin Ghaffary
Podcasts
How technology literally changes our brainsHow technology literally changes our brains
Podcast
Podcasts

Nicholas Carr on deep reading and digital thinking.

By Ezra Klein
Thailand’s playboy king isn’t playing around
Politics

Thailand’s king has terrible fashion sense and likes wearing fake tattoos. He’s also disturbingly authoritarian.

By Richard Bernstein
Culture
Sorry for Your Loss is a must-see TV show. You can only watch it on Facebook.Sorry for Your Loss is a must-see TV show. You can only watch it on Facebook.
Culture

Elizabeth Olsen plays a young widow in this thoughtful and loving series about navigating grief.

By Emily St. James
How to erase your personal information from the internet (it’s not impossible)
Technology

Your shopping habits, your family members’ names, even your salary is out there for anyone to see. But you can take back control.

By Zoe Schiffer
Culture
More than 2 million people have RSVP’d to “storm Area 51,” in the name of memesMore than 2 million people have RSVP’d to “storm Area 51,” in the name of memes
Culture

A jokey Facebook event has gone viral thanks to the power of shitposting.

By Allegra Frank
Culture
Netflix’s The Great Hack explores how Cambridge Analytica sold your data during the 2016 electionNetflix’s The Great Hack explores how Cambridge Analytica sold your data during the 2016 election
Culture

You’ll want to delete your Facebook account.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Politics
Social media is rotting democracy from withinSocial media is rotting democracy from within
Politics

How social platforms enable far-right politicians’ campaigns to undermine democracy.

By Zack Beauchamp
Technology
Facebook’s very bad year, explainedFacebook’s very bad year, explained
Technology

From data privacy scandals to Russian interference, 2018 has been quite a year for Facebook.

By Emily Stewart
Technology
Mark Zuckerberg is essentially untouchable at FacebookMark Zuckerberg is essentially untouchable at Facebook
Technology

Zuckerberg has an enormous amount of voting power at Facebook, meaning he’s not going anywhere.

By Emily Stewart
YouTube, Facebook, and Apple’s ban on Alex Jones, explained
Technology

And why some on the right are calling it “collusion.”

By Jane Coaston
A guide to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal
The Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, explained with a simple diagramThe Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, explained with a simple diagram
A guide to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal

A visual of how it all fits together. They’re now shutting down.

By Alvin Chang
A guide to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal
Lawmakers seem confused about what Facebook does — and how to fix itLawmakers seem confused about what Facebook does — and how to fix it
A guide to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook scandal

If lawmakers want to regulate Facebook, they might need to get on the same page about what problem they’re trying to solve.

By Emily Stewart
Science
How we’re becoming slaves to technology, explained by an MIT sociologistHow we’re becoming slaves to technology, explained by an MIT sociologist
Science

“We’re always on, always plugged in, always stimulated, always in a constant state of self-presentation.”

By Sean Illing
Technology
Technology isn’t just changing society — it’s changing what it means to be humanTechnology isn’t just changing society — it’s changing what it means to be human
Technology

A conversation with historian of science Michael Bess.

By Sean Illing
Politics
A Facebook billionaire is handing tons of cash to poor people in East AfricaA Facebook billionaire is handing tons of cash to poor people in East Africa
Politics

One of the world’s richest people is giving a chunk of his fortune to some of the world’s poorest people.

By Dylan Matthews
Big Tech
Here’s why you just got unfriended on FacebookHere’s why you just got unfriended on Facebook
Big Tech

A researcher has been investigating who (and why) people unfriend.

By Joseph Stromberg