Belgium takes Facebook to court over privacy breaches and user tracking

Belgian privacy commission launches lawsuit after warning over alleged privacy law breaches over tracking of users and non-users for ads

Twitter could be so much more than just a Facebook rival

As chief Dick Costolo departs, investors must stop pushing Twitter to be the next big social media network and focus on its simple strengths

Oculus Rift virtual reality headset to ship with Xbox One controller – as it happened

Facebook’s VR subsidiary reveals new games and hand-tracking Oculus Touch controllers ahead of E3 games show, as well as EVE Valkyrie demo

A millennial’s verdict on Instagram ads

Some might resent the imminent influx of more ads into their feeds but how else will the app make money?

‘Baby yoga’ video on Facebook sparks internet censorship debate

NSPCC calls on government to intervene over video showing screaming baby being roughly dunked in bucket of water

Sheryl Sandberg on husband’s death: ‘I have lived 30 years in these 30 days’

Facebook’s chief operating officer writes an emotional post about the ‘void’ of the month since her husband, David Goldberg, died in an accident

Your Instagram feed is about to be invaded by more ads

Facebook-owned photo-sharing service forges ahead with advert plan, opening it up to local and global marketers

From Digikala to Hamijoo: the Iranian startup revolution, phase two

In Iran, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook are among many blocked sites, spurring young entrepreneurs to invent their own. If sanctions ease, will all that change?

Facebook users plan protest against site’s ‘real name’ policy at headquarters

Drag queens, transgender people and others part of #MyNameIs coalition will demand removal of fake name reporting option and clearer appeals process

Snapchat boss confirms IPO plan

Evan Spiegel to take $15bn video-messaging company public, rather than sell to a social-network rival

Sorry, Facebook, but the finest art is always about sex and death

The social media site’s ludicrous attempt to ban Gustave Courbet’s masterpiece reveals its ignorance about life itself

BBC global audience passes 300 million

Television overtakes radio as most popular platform for international news for first time in corporation’s history

Troll uses Twitter adverts to urge transgender people to kill themselves

Promoted tweet from fake account purporting to be that of Australian feminist campaigner inserts transphobic content into Twitter users’ timelines

10 authors who excel on the internet

Writers are finding imaginative ways to negotiate the new era of electronic intimacy with readers. Here are some of the best