Facebook

Facebook released a new developer kit today that will make it easier to integrate Facebook into apps running on iOS 6.

This upgrade, which Facebook says is its most significant ever, means developers can create apps that functions more as a built-in part of the operating system rather than as an afterthought. Facebook said this will drive installs and encourage users to spend more time on apps.

"This integration opens up new opportunities for mobile app developers as you can easily build the foundation for a social app, Facebook log-in and sharing functionality, into your product," Platform Product … Read more

A friend of mine recently sent me a direct message on Twitter, it said "lol u didnt se them taping u" and had a link to Facebook. I hadn't remembered being taped in the past few days and I'd never seen my friend use this type of Twitter-shorthand, along with typos. To me, it was obviously spam.

I'm not the only one to be getting these spammy direct messages on Twitter that lead to bogus Facebook links. Apparently a lot of people have been complaining of these messages, according to Sophos analyst Graham Cluley who … Read more

Facebook users can post to their timelines that they have a new tattoo, they're learning how to play a new instrument, and other "life events;" and, as of today, they can also announce that they're registered to vote.

The social network is rolling out this new "life event" as the 2012 presidential election season heats up.

"Election Day in the United States is right around the corner and people are increasingly using Facebook to discuss candidates, campaigns, and critical issues facing the country," Facebook wrote in a blog post. "Starting today, … Read more

A Facebook Timeline feature that rounds up old posts has people crying privacy violations, but Facebook says it's just a part of its ongoing Timeline roll-out.

A French newspaper reported today that users were seeing private messages from past years posted to their Timelines. The messages were curated in a box labeled "Friends," which was created to display all the wall posts from each year.

Media reports and user panic ensued, but Facebook swears no private messages were published.

Facebook said this is a new feature that was incorporated into Timeline, but the viewable messages are not … Read more

Looks like the Facebook pessimism has returned.

Shares of Facebook, which have been on a tear since CEO Mark Zuckerberg sought to calm Wall Street during an in an interview at TechCrunch Disrupt less than two weeks ago, are getting slammed today. The stock fell more than 10 percent at one point and triggered the SEC's short-sale restriction, which is designed to keep short-sellers from battering the stock even further. Shares closed down more than 9 percent at $20.75.

Why the sudden change of heart? The broader market is taking a hit, which of course doesn't help. … Read more

No other company in the world holds as much personal data as Facebook, which puts it in an ideal position to cull data from your friends and friends-of-friends, and even those you don't know, to bring you answers to your deepest questions. Such as, "What sushi restaurants have my friends gone to in New York in the last six months and Liked?"

Ok, maybe that's not your deepest questions, but it's the example that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg used during an interview at the TechCrunch Disrupt SF conference earlier this month when he was talking … Read more

Facebook is tracking what searches you've made and displaying it in your activity log, the company noted in a blog post today.

In addition to any other activity tracked on your profile, Facebook has added search activity to your log (you can read the log by clicking the "Activity Log" button at the top of your profile). Facebook is rolling out the additional activity tracking in the next few weeks.

Facebook was quick to remind users that the activity log is for your eyes only -- your friends don't get to see the log. But, the … Read more

A federal appeals court ruled today that $9.5 million is enough to settle a lawsuit that accused Facebook of violating privacy laws with its now defunct advertising program Beacon, Bloomberg reported.

The original class-action lawsuit, filed in 2008, targeted the social network's alleged failure to provide adequate information and privacy controls when it came to the Beacon. The program shared information about users' activity on other Web sites in Facebook news feeds.

Users were upset because Facebook launched the service to automatically include everyone, instead of as an opt-in. Eventually, the service was switched to opt-in.

The social … Read more

Facebook has released a new iOS app just in the nick of time.

The app's update, released today, comes with support for iOS 6 and the iPhone 5 just as folks are trying to get their hands on Apple's latest device.

Facebook boasts faster scrolling for the news feed, a new banner you can tap to see more stories, and the ability to open and close photos with a downward swipe.

The update also coincides with updates to two of Facebook's Android apps -- the main Facebook app and Facebook Messenger.

This trio of updates is an … Read more