9 Best Articles in 2021
TechCrunch
Facebook tests ‘subscription Groups’ that charge for exclusive content
TechCrunch
5 min read · From 2018 · Facebook is starting to let Group admins charge $4.99 to $29.99 per month for access to special sub-Groups full of exclusive posts. A hand-picked array of parenting, cooking and “organize my home” Groups will be the first to get the chance to spawn a subscription Group open to their mem…
Fast Company
How To Brainstorm Like A Googler
Fast Company
5 min read · From 2016 · This is the deceptively simple, three-step process Google uses to come up with its most innovative ideas.
The New York Times
What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team
The New York Times
20+ min read · From 2017 · New research reveals surprising truths about why some work groups thrive and others falter.
Digiday
Facebook adds pixel to Groups so marketers can track engaged audiences
Digiday
3 min read · From 2018 · Facebook groups have already been useful for some brands who don’t want to just rely on reach within the news feed and a generic Facebook page.
WIRED
Facebook Groups Are Destroying America
WIRED
3 min read · 2020-06-17 · They're built for privacy and community—and that's just what makes them dangerous.
The Washington Post
Pro-gun activists using Facebook groups to push anti-quarantine protests
The Washington Post
6 min read · 2020-04-20 · A trio of far-right, pro-gun provocateurs is behind some of the largest Facebook groups calling for anti-quarantine protests around the country, offering the latest illustration that some seemingly organic demonstrations are being engineered by a network of conservative activists.
VICE
Secret Amazon Reports Expose Company Spying on Labor, Environmental Groups
VICE
~17 min read · 2020-11-23 · Leaked documents reveal Amazon's reliance on Pinkerton operatives to spy on workers and its extensive monitoring of labor unions and social movements.
The Verge
Twitter takes on Facebook Groups with invite-only Communities
The Verge
2 min read · Sep 8th · A mix of Facebook Groups and Reddit, coming soon to your Twitter app.
mp.weixin.qq.com
China’s New Phenomenon: Kua Kua Groups
mp.weixin.qq.com
From 2019 · Kua Kua groups – China’s new fad on social media platform WeChat – are chat groups where people gather to shower one another with praise. University students set up these groups to provide comfort as well as to vent and to entertain themselves. As the demand to hear compliments grew, online store owners began monetizing the trend. Cui Huiying is a reporter for Southern Weekly, which The New York Times considers to be “China’s most influential liberal newspaper.” For this article, Cui interviewed Kua Kua business owners, customers and culture observers to explore the phenomenon. Filled with intriguing stories and well-structured narratives, the report presents the origin of Kua Kua groups, explains how they work and digs into the social mind-sets behind their success.
Trending
Esquire
Facebook Groups for Sperm Donation Amid Shortage Benefit Ari Nagel, the Sperminator
Esquire
20+ min read · Oct 20th · To fill the donor void, a new means of sperm donation is on the rise: Facebook groups. Elaine Byrd got involved in the community first as a moderator, then as a recipient. That’s how she met Ari…
The New York Times
Florida Bars State Professors From Testifying in Voting Rights Case
The New York Times
6 min read · Oct 29th · After being hired as expert witnesses for groups opposing a restrictive voting law, three University of Florida academics were told they could not participate in the lawsuit against the state.
Guardian Environment
Cop26 legitimacy questioned as groups excluded from crucial talks
Guardian Environment
3 min read · Nov 8th · Communities and groups say being shut out of key negotiations will have dire consequences for millions
PsyPost.org
New psychology research indicates hatred toward collective entities inspires meaning in life
PsyPost.org
3 min read · Nov 18th
More like this
MIT Technology Review
AI ethics groups are repeating one of society’s classic mistakes
MIT Technology Review
2 min read · 2020-09-14 · International organizations and corporations are racing to develop global guidelines for the ethical use of artificial intelligence. Declarations, manifestos, and recommendations are flooding the…
The Washington Post
The Trump administration bailed out prominent anti-vaccine groups during a pandemic
The Washington Post
Jan 18th · Five groups got more than $850,000 in loans to help small businesses through the pandemic. The groups have been penalized by Facebook for spreading misinformation.
The New York Times
Erik Prince Recruits Ex-Spies to Help Infiltrate Liberal Groups
The New York Times
9 min read · 2020-03-07 · Mr. Prince, a contractor close to the Trump administration, contacted veteran spies for operations by Project Veritas, the conservative group known for conducting stings on news organizations and…
Guardian US
Revealed: oil giants help fund powerful police groups in top US cities
Guardian US
5 min read · 2020-07-27 · Investigation portrays fossil fuel industry as common enemy in struggle for racial and environmental justice in America
NBC News
'Vigilante treatments': Anti-vaccine groups push people to leave ICUs
NBC News
5 min read · Sep 24th · Anti-vaccine Facebook groups have a new message for their community members: don’t go to the emergency room, and get your loved ones out of intensive care.
Buffer
The Complete Guide to Facebook Groups: How to Create a Group, Build a Community and Increase Your…
Buffer
~11 min read · From 2017 · Creating a Facebook group might be your best solution against falling organic reach. Here's how to create yours and how to build an engaged community in it.
The Verge
Google is indexing WhatsApp group chat links, making even private groups discoverable
The Verge
2 min read · 2020-02-21 · The flaw lets anyone join a WhatsApp group chat, even if they’re not invited.
Guardian US
Apple and Disney among companies backing groups against US climate bill
Guardian US
3 min read · Oct 1st · Amazon and Microsoft also supporting lobby groups fighting legislation despite promises to combat climate crisis, analysis finds
Guardian US
Revealed: QAnon Facebook groups are growing at a rapid pace around the world
Guardian US
4 min read · 2020-08-11 · Guardian investigation finds the Facebook communities are gaining followers as Twitter cracks down on QAnon content
