Text messaging

crosswalk in honolulu

Honolulu first major US city to fine ‘phone zombies’

Culture

Honolulu just enacted a fine for looking at one’s cell phone while in a crosswalk.

Charlie Hebdo protests

After Charlie Hebdo, what next? Readers weigh in on the long-term effects of the attack

Global Politics
Alanah Pearce is a game reviewer on a web TV show called Button Bash

This journalist replies to young boys who send her rape threats on Facebook by telling their mothers

Culture
A WeChat user shows off the popular app on her phone.

If you use WeChat, China wants to know your real name

Technology
Carlos Fernandez

Spain’s National Police get hip on Twitter and get help from citizens

Arts, Culture & Media
A customer uses a computer at an internet cafe in Tehran. (Photo: REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi)

Iranians Get Brief Taste of Free Access to Social Media

Conflict & Justice

On Monday afternoon some Iranian social media users got a big surprise. They were able to connect to Facebook and Twitter directly, without the use of proxies. The tweets, however, were short-lived.

Twitter Files for #SecretIPO

On Thursday, Twitter announced that it has filed paperwork for an initial public offering. The platform, known for its short bursts of information in 140 characters, posted this tweet yesterday afternoon: We’ve confidentially submitted an S-1 to the SEC for a planned IPO. This Tweet does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale. […]

Bet You’d Never Guess What the Iranian President Tweets

Arts, Culture & Media

Iran’s conservative Fars News Agency initially denied that Rouhani has a Twitter account but journalist and Middle East scholar Robin Wright has confirmed that Rouhani has both an English and Farsi Twitter account.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Electronic Army is Busy Attacking Twitter

Global Politics

They’ve already hacked the AP, the New York Times, and Twitter. The latest hack hit the website for the US Marines. Just who is the Syrian Electronic Army? And why should the US be wary of their hacks?

Pakistani men try blind texts to find love

Conflict & Justice

Pakistan has strict social norms for dating and relationships between men and women. In order to circumvent those restrictions, some men are taking to their cell phones, sending text messages blindly to the phone numbers of women they’ve never met before.