How the SEC and Bloomberg Are Embracing Social Media

This week's need-to-know social-media news.

The SEC has finally entered the age of social media. This week, it ruled that companies are free to disclose information on networks such as Facebook and Twitter, provided they notify stakeholders of the social media channels that will be used.

This decision is the result of deliberation over a Facebook post that Netflix's chief executive, Reed Hastings, made last year in which he celebrated the company's reaching an important milestone: one billion hours of video watched in a single month. The SEC threw a flag on the play, believing such a disclosure -- which was not mentioned in any press release -- may have violated regulations. But, now, similar announcements over social media are legit, as long as your investors know to look out for them. -- The New York Times

Bloomberg terminals add live Twitter feeds.
The SEC isn't the only organization recognizing important uses of social media. Bloomberg terminals -- widely used by traders and financial analysts -- will now include live Twitter feeds as part of their [suite of tools]. Tweets will be sorted according to company, asset class and other variables. The update only makes sense in an age when social media buzz can affect stock prices. -- Engadget

Facebook Home is announced.
Facebook unveiled a new layer of integration between the social network and the Android operating system. The HTC First, due in stores April 12, will be the first phone to debut Facebook Home, which brings social networking features to your phone's main screen, with no need to access a standalone app. "We want to bring this experience of having a home, of always knowing what's going on around you, right to your phone," Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg said of Home. "And we want to deliver this experience to as many people as possible." -- AllFacebook

LinkedIn implements new Facebook-style features.
LinkedIn has a new feature: you'll now be able to tag other users and companies in your status updates and home-page comments. Simply begin typing the name and a drop-down menu will appear from which you can make your selection. According to the company blog post, the goal of these new features is to "make it easier for you to start conversations with your network while also enabling you to respond in real-time when someone begins a conversation with you. -- TechCrunch

Roger Ebert's Twitter use remembered.
Esteemed film critic Roger Ebert, who began his career in newspapers before bringing his trademark brand of insight to television, then to a dedicated website and finally to Twitter, passed away this week. Having previously lost his voice to throat cancer, Ebert turned to Twitter and established an influential voice on the platform, thanks to his highly devoted following. At the time of his death, his Twitter feed had more than 800,000 followers. Of Twitter, Ebert said, "There's something seductive about it: the stream, the flow, the chatter, the sudden bursts of news, the snark, the gossip, time itself tweet-tweet-tweeting away." -- The New York Times