WBRZ - Baton Rouge

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• House backs ban on drivers using social media

  May 16, 2013 1:09 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A ban on posting to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter while driving appears likely to hit Louisiana's law books. Both the House and Senate have easily approved the idea. The proposal has one more stop before reaching final passage after getting unanimous House backing Thursday.... more »

• Lawmakers back ban on drivers using social media

  May 6, 2013 12:43 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - An attempt to ban posting to Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites while driving is nearing final passage in the Louisiana Legislature. The proposal, approved Monday by the House transportation committee, is designed to close what lawmakers call a loophole in the state law that... more »

• Hackers compromise AP Twitter account

  April 23, 2013 12:42 PM

  LONDON - Hackers have compromised the main Twitter account of The Associated Press, sending out an erroneous tweet about an attack at the White House. The tweet, which said that there had been two explosions at the White House and President Barack Obama was injured, came after hackers made repeated... more »

• Social media source for Boston Bomber manhunt Play Video

  April 19, 2013 6:08 PM

  BATON ROUGE- As viewers kept their eyes glued to the TV while the Boston Bomber manhunt ensued, they also used social media to keep updated on events. Whitney Breaux, a social media expert, knows the release of the suspects' images was a watershed moment for the case, thanks to... more »

• EBR Schools monitoring social media Play Video

  February 20, 2013 5:48 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Social media has changed the way many people interact on a daily basis. Sites like Facebook and Twitter is a great tool for communication, but it can also act as a gateway for cyberbullying and threats. This week, police arrested 18-year-old Kyle Blackburn after they said... more »

• Live action: Twitter grabs Super Bowl spotlight

  February 5, 2013 6:24 AM

  NEW YORK - Twitter is reporting record numbers from the Super Bowl. Beyonce's splashy show, the power outage and a captivating game combined to generate a record 24.1 million posts. That's up from 13.7 million last year -- and that doesn't even include the chatter surrounding the ads. Twitter said... more »

• Fake social media profiles appear in Baton Rouge Play Video

  January 17, 2013 4:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o's fake girlfriend fiasco isn't the first time a ficticious social media profile has caused trouble, nor will it be the last. Just ask Ashley Hebert, a legislative analyst at the State Capitol and a beauty pageant queen. "I had a... more »

• Library of Congress has amassed 170 billion tweets

  January 4, 2013 3:25 PM

  WASHINGTON - The Library of Congress says it's amassed about 170 billion tweets since it began collecting an archive of all Twitter messages in 2010. Twitter is donating its archive to the library, going back to the first one posted in 2006. Library Director of Communications Gayle Osterberg wrote in... more »

• Police using Twitter to offer virtual ridealongs

  December 27, 2012 11:22 AM

  SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A new approach to informing the public about what law enforcement officers do on the job is taking hold at police departments across the United States and Canada. With virtual ridealongs on Twitter, or tweetalongs, curious citizens don't even leave the comfort of their computer or... more »

• Lolo Tweets about bobsled crash

  December 4, 2012 10:20 PM

  GERMANY- Former LSU track star Lolo Jones had a brush with disaster while practicing for a bobsled competition. The bobsled crashed with Jones and another person on it. Both were uninjured. Jones Tweeted: "God is real. I saw him today and he said 'come back later.'" Jones... more »

• Twitter mistakenly resets passwords on some users

  November 8, 2012 12:42 PM

  SAN FRANCISCO - Twitter says it mistakenly reset the passwords of some users as part of a routine security check-up. Thursday's mix-up triggered warnings on technology blogs and in tweets that the online messaging service had been attacked by computer hackers. Twitter sought to clear up the confusion with a... more »

• Social media abuzz with hurricane chatter

  October 29, 2012 4:34 PM

  NEW YORK - Whether you call it Frankenstorm, Stormpocalypse or simply Hurricane Sandy, the giant weather system barreling into the East Coast is a favorite topic of conversation on social media from Facebook to Twitter. As people post updates to friends and family, relay emergency information and lighten the... more »

• Mostly sunny and almost hot today

  October 5, 2012 12:14 PM

  Expect a delightful afternoon across the Capital City. An area of high pressure is to the east of Louisiana and that will bring in southerly winds. This will make it mostly sunny and almost hot with high temperatures in the upper 80s. The weather will remain nice this evening... more »

• Lolo Jones causes stir over Eric LeGrand tweets

  October 3, 2012 10:31 AM

  UNDATED - Hurdler Lolo Jones trash-talked about head injuries to former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand after he jokingly challenged her to a race on Twitter. Jones didn't know the defensive tackle was paralyzed in a game. After LeGrand tweeted to Jones "want to race me?" on Tuesday night,... more »

• Politics on Facebook, Twitter off limits to state workers

  September 20, 2012 10:17 PM

  BATON ROUGE- There's a social media crackdown in some state government offices. Facebook "Likes" and Twitter "Follows" connected to political candidates are off limits to Civil Service Employees. Leaders say it's an online "bumper sticker" or "yard sign." Many of those are not allowed for workers. "When we... more »

• Reporter knocks NBC, says Twitter account shut down

  July 30, 2012 3:00 PM

  LONDON - A Los Angeles-based reporter for a British newspaper says his Twitter account has been suspended after he criticized NBC's coverage of the Olympics. Guy Adams says in a story posted on The Independent website Monday that he was upset with the network's decision to broadcast the opening ceremony... more »

• Twitter briefly down across much of planet

  July 26, 2012 12:27 PM

  LONDON - People around the world briefly experienced problems accessing Twitter on Thursday, a day before the 2012 Olympic Games are expected to cause a spike in use of the micro-blogging site. About three hours after the San Francisco-based company first acknowledged the problem by saying its engineers were "currently... more »

• Twitter users in UK, US experience issues

  July 26, 2012 11:02 AM

  LONDON- People in Britain, the United States and elsewhere appear to be having difficulty accessing Twitter, a day before the 2012 Olympic Games are due to officially launch and spike activity on the site. The social network's main website is unreachable from New York, London and Johannesburg. Twitter spokeswoman Rachel... more »

• Threatening Tweets surround Lil Boosie trial

  May 7, 2012 9:33 PM

  BATON ROUGE- Tweeted threats are forcing tighter security in the high-profile murder-for-hire trial of rapper Lil Boosie. A fan of Torrence Hatch threatened to kill the district attorney and shoot-up the courthouse. Monday night, Dedrick Green was in jail facing terrorizing and threatening a public official charges. And... more »

• Severe thunderstorm watch until 8 PM for South Mississippi Counties

  May 7, 2012 1:24 PM

  The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 8 PM for Amite, Pike and Wilkinson Counties in South Mississippi. These Counties are part of the WBRZ Viewing area. The storms could contain quarter to half-dollar size hail along with winds 60 mph or greater. The storms... more »

• Patchy fog this morning with some storms this afternoon

  March 13, 2012 8:15 AM

  We have some dense fog this morning with visibilities less than 3/4 mile at times. Please use caution as you travel around town. Otherwise, it is mostly cloudy with some mist and temperatures in the 60s. The fog will dissipate around 9 AM, and we will be left with... more »

• Demi Moore seeks treatment for exhaustion

  January 25, 2012 12:37 PM

  LOS ANGELES - A spokeswoman for Demi Moore says the actress is seeking professional help to treat her exhaustion and improve her health. Publicist Carrie Gordon says the decision is due to the stresses in Moore's life, and she looks forward to getting well. Gordon did not release any other... more »

• Papa Johns Employee Calls Woman Lady Chinky Eyes on Receipt

  January 8, 2012 4:06 PM

  NEW YORK- Papa John's has apologized after an employee typed a racial slur on a receipt to a customer Friday at one of its locations in New York City. Minhee Cho posted an image of the receipt on Twitter, which called her "lady chinky eyes." "Hey @PapaJohns just... more »

• U.S. hypersonic glider launched, contact lost

  August 11, 2011 12:54 PM

  LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency says contact with its experimental hypersonic glider was lost after launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central California coast. The agency says in Twitter postings that its unmanned Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle-2 was launched Thursday atop a... more »

• Hacking on Fox News Twitter reports Obama's death

  July 4, 2011 10:58 AM

  NEW YORK - Hackers broke into Fox's political Twitter account early Monday, posting updates saying President Barack Obama had been assassinated. A series of six tweets coming from the FoxNewsPolitics account reported that Obama had been shot to death in Iowa and the shooter was unknown. In a... more »

• Democrats wrestle with how to end Weiner scandal

  June 14, 2011 3:26 AM

  WASHINGTON- With Rep. Anthony Weiner resisting calls to quit and President Barack Obama saying he'd resign if he were in Weiner's shoes, House Democrats are wrestling with what to do next. Democrats are to meet today for the first time since the New York congressman admitted to sexually charged online... more »

• Twitter Justice

  May 25, 2011 7:41 PM

  A woman in Colorado tweeted about her $500 bike being stolen and in less than five hours the crook was behind bars. Elaine Ellis returned home and found her bike lock had been ripped out of a wall and her bike was gone. When she tweeted about the thievery, she... more »

• Feds, state using Twitter and Facebook for terror alerts

  April 8, 2011 5:50 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The federal government will no longer be using the color code system for terror updates. Some updates will be released using social media networks like Twitter and Facebook. The state has routinely used social media for critical information since Hurricane Gustav. About two million... more »

• Schwarzenegger says he's returning to acting

  February 11, 2011 11:29 AM

  LOS ANGELES - After seven years in the California governor's mansion, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to his old day job: acting. Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter that he's ready to start considering film roles again. The former governor tweeted Thursday night: "Exciting news. My friends at CAA have been... more »

• Playboy's Hefner gets engaged to a Playmate again

  December 27, 2010 12:28 PM

  CHICAGO - Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner says he's gotten engaged again. Hefner said in a Twitter message early Saturday that he'd given a ring to girlfriend and Playmate Crystal Harris, saying she burst into tears. "This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory," he wrote. To... more »

• Learn more about social media at Coastal Social

  September 27, 2010 7:15 AM

  Learn more about how to use social media in your business or group at Coastal Social. Coastal Social is a one-day summit for regional social media professionals, enthusiasts and business owners. Come meet the South's leaders in social media marketing and learn from the best in the business. Coastal... more »

• Twitter hack opens popups, causes havoc

  September 21, 2010 8:19 AM

  Twitter users wondering what the mysterious "tweets" of blocked-out text and causing popup windows to open can blame it on a hack. The hack spreading is extra nefarious because the tweets activate without being clicked on - it's enough for Web surfers to move their mouse cursors over them. However,... more »

• Lohan tweets she failed court-ordered drug test

  September 18, 2010 11:23 AM

  Lindsay Lohan has confirmed on her Twitter page that she failed a court-ordered drug and alcohol screening, and she said that if asked, she is ready to appear before the judge in her case and face the consequences for her actions. In a series of messages posted late Friday, the... more »

• Lady Gaga tops Britney Spears on Twitter

  August 23, 2010 12:29 PM

  Lady Gaga has surpassed Britney Spears as the most followed person on Twitter - for now. She has more than 5.7 million followers. She overtook Spears over the weekend and posted a video late Saturday on YouTube. Gaga called her fans her "little monsters" as she thanked... more »

• Twitter hoping people will press its tweet button

  August 12, 2010 12:29 PM

  Tweeting your favorite stories may be getting a little easier. Twitter is trying to make the process more convenient with Thursday's introduction of a "tweet" button that Web sites can place alongside their content. The button serves as an invitation to Twitter's legion of users to share what... more »

• On facebook, woman learns of husband's second wedding

  August 5, 2010 1:04 PM

  Dread of the unknown hung in the air as Lynn France typed two words into the search box on Facebook: the name of the woman with whom she believed her husband was having an affair. Click. And there it was, the stuff of nightmares for any spouse, cuckolded or... more »

• 100 reasons to visit Louisiana

  July 28, 2010 5:03 AM

  Marking the 100th day of the oil disaster, the Louisiana Office of Tourism is calling on online social networking communities to help develop a list of the top 100 reasons to visit Louisiana. Online supporters are asked to submit a description, video or image of their favorite Louisiana experience. Facebook... more »

• Twitter settles with FTC over data security lapses

  June 24, 2010 11:22 AM

  Twitter has settled charges with federal regulators that it put the privacy of its users at risk by failing to protect them from data security lapses last year that let hackers access their accounts. The Federal Trade Commission announced the settlement Thursday. It bars Twitter from misleading consumers... more »

• Twitter traffic spikes with World Cup goals

  June 18, 2010 2:18 PM

  When a World Cup goal is scored, Twitter celebrates. The social networking site is seeing record traffic every time a big goal is scored in the soccer tournament. Though Twitter normally sees about 750 tweets per second on an average day, there were a record 2,940 tweets per second... more »

• BP spoof brings in $10,000 in donations

  June 2, 2010 10:29 AM

  A spoof on BP's oil spill press relations has brought in $10,000 for a nonprofit group that works to restore the Gulf region's natural resources. The Gulf Restoration Network says the person who has been using Twitter under the name "BPGlobalPR" put the money into the organization's PayPal account Wednesday... more »

• Twitter crucial for GOHSEP

  May 26, 2010 8:01 PM

  Twitter has become a popular way to keep in touch with friends and the latest news and now it can be used during an emergency thanks to the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Tweeting under the name @GOHSEP, the crew at the Joint Information Center spends all... more »

• Twitter unveils new location tool

  March 11, 2010 9:35 PM

  Twitter users can now share tweeting locations with the world, thanks to a new tool unveiled Thursday. Users can include their whereabouts, thoughts, activites and assorted musings posted on the internet messaging service. Users can turn off the tracking tool at any time. Facebook is expected to unveiled... more »

• Users "tweet" police drunk-driving checkpoints

  January 18, 2010 9:23 PM

  Some of the users of the social networking site Twitter are revealing the locations of police drunk-driving checkpoints in Mexico City. Police say the people responsible could be prosecuted. Julio Iver, spokesman for the Mexico City Public Safety Department said its illegal for anyone to give out privileged... more »

• Twitter briefly blocked by hackers

  December 18, 2009 10:39 AM

  The Internet messaging service Twitter says it's investigating a hacking incident. Users trying to reach Twitter early Friday morning were redirected to a Web site where a group reportedly calling itself the "iranian Cyber Army" claimed responsibility. Twitter later posted a message on its blog saying its Domain Name Systems'... more »

• Retailers see green for Black Friday-Cyber Monday

  December 1, 2009 7:43 AM

  Retail sales figures for this past weekend are in, and according to research firm Shoppertrak, combined sales for Black Friday and Saturday were up 9 tenths of a percent over last year. Meanwhile, early reports showed online sales were strong for Cyber Monday. Retailers used Twitter and social... more »

• Palin back on twitter

  November 9, 2009 8:28 PM

  Former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sara Palin is back on Twitter. She promised to keep fans posted on what she was doing via Twitter when she quit as governor of Alaska, but that didn't happen. Instead, Palin posted updates on her Facebook page which has nearly a million followers. Now she's... more »

• Liz Taylor says she's fine after heart procedure

  October 8, 2009 8:38 PM

  Elizabeth Taylor told her followers on Twitter she is feeling fine and her heart procedure went off perfectly. Earlier in the week, the 77 year old actress tweeted that the operation was not open heart surgery, rather a new procedure to repair a leaky heart valve using a clip device.... more »

• Liz Taylor tweets about heart procedure

  October 6, 2009 9:14 PM

  Elizabeth Taylor told her followers on Twitter she is about to undergo a heart procedure. The 77 year old actress says its a very new technique that will repair a leaky heart valve, using a clip device, rather than open heart surgery. Taylor told her 157,389 Twitter followers she would... more »

• NBA says "No more Twitter"

  September 30, 2009 9:17 PM

  Keep your heads in and on the game and stay off Twitter is what the NBA told players and coaches. Thew league told teams that cell phones and other devices can't be used from 45 minutes before a game until after players are finished with their post-game responsibilities. The new... more »