Tech’s terrible year: how the world turned on Silicon Valley in 2017

From the #DeleteUber campaign to fake news, the industry found itself in the crosshairs this year – and it was a long time coming, experts say

New Facebook tool tells users if they’ve liked or followed Russia’s ‘troll army’

Tool allows users to see if they have engaged with Russian propaganda entity the Internet Research Agency, but won’t reach millions already exposed to fake news

Facebook use of third-party apps ‘violates data protection principles’

German watchdog accuses site of merging data from WhatsApp and Instagram into users’ Facebook accounts

France orders WhatsApp to stop sharing user data with Facebook without consent

Messaging app has one month to comply or it will face sanctions for sharing user phone numbers and usage data for ‘business intelligence’ purposes

Twitter suspends Britain First leaders as it enforces new anti-abuse rules

Jayda Fransen and Paul Golding suspended as social media platform takes steps to protect those targeted by abuse

Facebook admits it poses mental health risk – but says using site more can help

Company acknowledges ‘passive’ consumption of material can make people ‘feel worse’ but argues more engagement could improve wellbeing

Facebook criticised for response to questions on Russia and Brexit

Chair of Commons committee says firm has not answered questions put to Mark Zuckerberg about ‘troll army’ activity

Facebook to stop routing ad revenue via Ireland amid pressure over taxes

Company says it will book advertising revenue in countries where it is earned instead of through Dublin headquarters

Data-hungry Facebook seeks younger recruits

The social network’s new Messenger Kids app is doubtless well intentioned – but also helps to get the under-13s hooked by the Facebook habit

Daisy Ridley is right to quit social media. Actors should be seen and not followed

For actors there are no downsides to leaving Instagram and the like. A star should radiate mystique, not false bonhomie and complaints about queues for the toilet, writes film critic Ryan Gilbey

EU warns tech firms: remove extremist content faster or be regulated

European commission tells Facebook, Google, YouTube, Twitter and others that legislation is being considered if self-regulation continues to fail

Conservative Weekly Standard to aid in Facebook fact-checks, prompting outcry

Magazine dubbed ‘serial misinformer’ becomes first explicitly partisan organization to aid in task, fueling concerns over rightwing influence at site

Facebook’s interactive BuzzFeed dating show: ‘Ham-fisted and unwatchable’

RelationShipped is the latest attempt by the social network to move into original content and its vote-influenced Bachelor-esque style is more miss than hit

Mark Zuckerberg taking parental leave for the month of December

‘I’m going to take advantage of Facebook’s option to take leave in parts,’ said the Facebook CEO, whose second daughter was born in August of this year