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Meta AI gets support for Hindi, new features on WhatsApp, Instagram, more

Meta is also exploring ways to integrate AI into the Quest headset. In a preview, it shows how AI will allow users to ask questions about what they see in their surrounding

News updates: Microsoft says about 8.5 million of its devices affected by CrowdStrike-related outage

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Nigeria slaps $220 mn fine on Meta over violation of data protection laws

Nigeria's government on Friday announced a fine of USD 220 million on Meta, saying its investigations found multiple and repeated violations of the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. A statement from Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or FCCPC, listed five ways that Meta violated data laws in the West African country, including by sharing the data of Nigerians without authorization, denying consumers the right to self-determine the use of their data, discriminatory practices as well as abuse of market dominance. "Being satisfied with the significant evidence on the record, and that Meta Parties have been provided every opportunity to articulate any position ... the Commission has now entered a Final Order, and issued a penalty against Meta Parties," FCCPC chief executive Adamu Abdullahi said in a statement. A spokesperson for Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Nigeria, which is Africa's

Meta launches verified plans for businesses on Facebook, Instagram in India

Meta has expanded the business offerings to Instagram and Facebook platforms in India. Previously, it rolled out After Meta Verified for Businesses on WhatsApp

Investment scams skyrocket on WhatsApp and Facebook, says CloudSEK

A scammer who has been in the business for over six years, with operators, was making around 41 lakhs a month

Remove social media post that claimed centipede found in Amul ice cream: HC

The Delhi High Court has directed a Noida-resident to remove her social media posts that alleged she found a centipede in a tub of Amul ice cream bought by her. Justice Manmeet P S Arora, while dealing with a lawsuit by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation which markets products under Amul brand, further restrained the customer from posting and uploading any other identical or similar content on social media platforms until further orders. In a post on social media platform 'X' on June 15, Deepa Devi had shared a picture purportedly showing a centipede inside her Amul ice cream tub that she ordered through an instant delivery app. The plaintiff company argued in high court that the claim was false and incorrect as it was absolutely impossible for any foreign substance, let alone an insect, to be present in an ice cream tub packed at its facility. In an order passed on July 4, the court observed that the non-cooperation of the customers who have also remained absent in the

Threads hits 175 mn monthly users, India among most active countries: Meta

Meta said that some of the most popular tags and topics on Threads in India are centred around film, TV and OTT content, celebrity-related conversations, and sports

Meta details AI system capable of generating 3D visuals from text prompts

The Meta 3D Gen system takes user input in text form and creates a 3D mesh structure and adds texture and other detailing

Meta to show AI info, instead of 'Made by AI' label, on Instagram, Facebook

Meta has been facing criticism from users, including professional photographers, over 'Made by AI' label that appears even on pictures not processed by artificial intelligence

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta faces EU charges for Digital Markets Act breach

After Apple, the European Commission is preparing to charge Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook for its 'pay or consent' model

Meta India, Apac human resources head Rishi Raj Gupta steps down

Joined in 2017, Rishi Raj Gupta was an integral part of the Indian leadership team

Meta marks real images as 'Made by AI' on Facebook and Instagram: Know more

Reportedly, Meta is labelling real photos with 'Made by AI' tags on the mobile version of its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram

Meta rolls out Meta AI in India, will take on ChatGPT and Google Gemini

Tool launching today; it will be available on all social media platforms of the company to assist people in their daily lives

Apple and Meta Platforms have discussed AI partnership, say reports

Apart from Google and Meta, AI startups Anthropic and Perplexity have also been in discussions with Apple to bring their generative AI to Apple Intelligence, the report stated

Meta to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns

Meta wants to use data from users in privacy-conscious Europe to train its artificial intelligence models, the social media giant said Monday as it faces concerns about data protection while battling to keep up with rivals like OpenAI and Google. The company, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, said that in order to better reflect the languages, geography and cultural references" of its users in Europe, it needs to use public data from those users to teach its Llama AI large language model. Meta's AI training efforts are hampered by stringent European Union data privacy laws, which give people control over how their personal information is used. Vienna-based group NOYB, led by activist Max Schrems, complained last week to 11 national privacy watchdogs about Meta's AI training plans and urged them to stop the company before it starts training Llama's next generation. AI language models are trained on vast pools of data that help them predict the most plausible next word in a

New York Legislature moves to ban 'addictive' social media feeds for kids

The New York state Legislature on Friday passed a bill that would allow parents to block their kids from getting social media posts suggested by a platform's algorithm a regulation that tries to curtail feeds that critics argue are addicting to children. Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law. The move comes amid heightened concern about social media use among children and an ever-unfolding push to regulate tech platforms in different ways at the state and federal levels. In practice, the bill would stop platforms from showing suggested posts to people under the age of 18, content the legislation describes as addictive. Instead, children would only get posts from accounts they follow. A minor could still get the suggested posts if he or she has what the bill defines as verifiable parental consent". It would also block platforms from sending notifications about suggested posts to minors between midnight and 6 am without parental consent. The legislation

Vietnam confirms arrest of writer Truong Huy San for Facebook post

Authorities in Vietnam announced Friday that they have charged prominent journalist and historian Truong Huy San with violating a national security law because of writing he had posted on Facebook, the website of the newspaper Tuoi Tre and other state media reported. The reports citing the Security Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security said San, better known by his pen name Huy Duc, was charged with abusing the rights of freedom and democracy to infringe upon the interests of the State, the rights and legitimate interests of organizations and individuals. A lawyer, Tran Dinh Trien, was also charged under the same Article 331 of the Penal Code, according to the reports, which said both men were ordered detained for prosecution and that security officials were to carry out searches of their workplaces and homes. The offence is punishable by two to seven years in prison. Trien is a former deputy director of the Hanoi Bar Association who has been involved in many ...

Meta Verified comes to WhatsApp in India: What is it? Who does it benefit?

Meta Verified is a subscription service that verifies credibility and authenticity of a creator or business on Meta-owned apps such as Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp

Meta hit with 11 EU complaints over use of personal data to train AI models

Meta has cited a legitimate interest for using users' data to train and develop its generative AI models and other AI tools, which can be shared with third parties

Meta withheld information during Instagram, WhatsApp acquisitions: US FTC

Meta said that it met all of its legal obligations during the Instagram and WhatsApp merger reviews. The FTC has failed to provide evidence to support its claims, a spokesperson said