Texas city council members censure colleague over anti-Islam Facebook post
By Delta Systems — February 18, 2018
PLANO, Tex. (RNS) — The post featured a student in a hijab and these words: 'Share if you think Trump should ban Islam in American schools.'
Religious broadcasters take aim at tech giants for ‘stifling’ conservative speech
By Chris Mathews — December 12, 2017
WASHINGTON (RNS) — 'It is unacceptable for these titans to discriminate against users just because their viewpoints are not congruent with ideas popular in Silicon Valley,' said NRB President & CEO Jerry A. Johnson.
Policing themselves? Hate speech watchdog ADL enlists Facebook and others
By Kimberly Winston — November 14, 2017
SAN FRANCISCO (RNS) — The new Center for Technology and Society wants to place tech companies on the front lines in combating online hate speech. But can Silicon Valley police itself?
ADL goes to Silicon Valley to combat anti-Semitism
By Yonat Shimron — October 23, 2017
(RNS) — The Nov. 13 summit, featuring executives from Facebook, Twitter and Reddit, is part of an expanded effort to partner with the tech community on solutions for online extremism.
Facebook enabled advertisers to reach ‘Jew haters’
By ProPublica — September 14, 2017
After being contacted by ProPublica, Facebook removed several anti-Semitic ad categories and promised to improve monitoring.
Chainsaw-wielding nun just ‘wanted to help out’ after Hurricane Irma
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 13, 2017
(RNS) — Sister Margaret Ann said the chainsaws were sitting in a school closet, and, after Hurricane Irma left a path of destruction through the city, 'they didn't belong there. They needed to be used.'
Joel Osteen’s church defends itself after social media storm
By Mark A. Kellner — August 30, 2017
(RNS) — 'I can’t repeat it enough: We never closed our doors. We’re a church, for goodness' sake,' said Lakewood Church spokesman Don Iloff.
Does it matter to me that McCain and I now share a diagnosis? Maybe.
By Jeffrey Weiss — July 20, 2017
(RNS) — 'I hope that his experiences are public enough that it helps many people understand this awful illness,' writes Jeffrey Weiss.
Can Facebook replace church?
By Andrea Syverson — July 5, 2017
(RNS) Mark Zuckerberg is right about one thing: Christians are leaving their traditional, brick-and-mortar churches – in droves. (COMMENTARY)
How Facebook is like church, according to founder Mark Zuckerberg
By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 28, 2017
CHICAGO (RNS) Zuckerberg made the analogy last week as he announced the social network's new mission at its first Facebook Communities Summit: "Bring the world closer together."
Pakistan threatens to ‘punish’ Facebook, other firms over blasphemy
By Reuters — March 23, 2017
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) Pakistan's government wants social media networks to remove material deemed insulting to Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last week warned that those posting such content would be 'strictly punished.'
90 seconds of clergy swapping: UCC video preaches interfaith harmony
By Lauren Markoe — January 24, 2017
(RNS) Most people who have seen it find it moving, though some question preaching in the garb of another faith.
Feeling so emotional: Why we rage about religion on Facebook
By Mona Abdel Fatil — January 9, 2017
The emotionally charged way that media users engage with a variety of conflicts points to very similar mechanisms that serve to amplify and multiply conflicts, for instance, through scapegoating.
This way to the egress
By Jeffrey Weiss — December 28, 2016
(RNS) Spiritual advice for how almost everybody who will eventually run into bad news should live digitally from now on.
Fasting from Facebook in the Age of Trump
By Jana Riess — December 8, 2016
Both conservatives and liberals have made social media an intolerable place for me to be. In the last month I've drastically reduced the time I spend on Facebook and Twitter, and it has been a life-nourishing spiritual practice.