Page 24 - Facebook

Threads rolls-out option to disable suggestions on other platforms: Report

The feature was intended to drive engagement on Threads but has faced criticism from users as Threads posts kept popping up on other users' Instagram and Facebook feeds

All global tech giants follow a warning policy for state sponsored hacking

Opposition MPs have accused the government of spying on them, an allegation that has been denied though it has prompted the government to start an inquiry

Amazon, Meta settle UK probe with pledges to refrain from unfair practices

Amazon and Meta settled separate UK antitrust investigations by agreeing to stop practices that give them an unfair advantage over merchants and customers using their platforms, the watchdog said Friday. The Competition and Markets Authority said it accepted the commitments from the US tech companies to close the investigations into their online marketplaces. The watchdog had been investigating whether Amazon was harming competition and hurting consumers by giving preference to merchants paying for extras like storage, packaging and delivery. It also looked into how Amazon chooses suppliers for the so-called buy box, which shows customers one-click buy now or add to basket options and the collection and use of data. The CMA said Amazon will no longer be able to use data from third-party sellers to give itself an edge. Sellers can negotiate their own delivery rates with independent delivery services and they'll get a fair shot at the buy box, it said. Amazon welcomed the deal, sayi

Engagement discontent

US lawsuits can change social-media functioning

Officials widen ban on Meta's behavioural advertising to most of Europe

European officials widened a ban on Meta's behavioural advertising practices to most of Europe on Wednesday, setting up a broader conflict between the continent's privacy-conscious institutions and an American technology giant. Behavioural advertising, used by Meta's Facebook and Instagram among many other tech companies, involves observing individual behaviour such as browsing habits, mouse clicks and app usage, then using that data to build profiles for targeting ads. The decision by the European Data Protection Board represents a sharp escalation of a tussle that began in Norway, where privacy officials imposed a daily fine of 1 million kroner - roughly $90,000 - on Meta for obtaining that data without adequate consent. Those fines have been piling up since August 14. Meta said it has cooperated with regulators and pointed to its announced plans to give Europeans the opportunity to consent to data collection and, later this month, to offer an ad-free subscription service in Europ

Behavioural ads: Meta faces EU crackdown on leveraging personal data

Regulators signed off on the new restrictions just as Meta announced its own plan to offer an ad-free version of the social media sites if users choose to pay a fee

Meta platform introduces ad-free plans for Instagram, Facebook in Europe

The EU regulations threaten to curb Meta's ability to personalize ads for users without their consent and hurt its major revenue source

'Addictive, manipulative': Here's why over 40 states in US are suing Meta

The lawsuit follows the release of documents in 2021 that showed that Meta had data showing that Instagram was addictive and worsened body image issues for some teen girls

Instagram linked to depression, anxiety, insomnia in kids, claims lawsuit

In a complaint filed in the Oakland, California, federal court on Tuesday, 33 states including California and Illinois said Meta, which also operates Facebook

Social media giants step up vigil as India gears up for election season

Experts also underline the importance of platforms maintaining internal capabilities for fact-checking through human reviewers

Meta to roll out broadcast channels to Facebook, Messenger after WhatsApp

Social media firms are bringing in more features to shore up engagement across apps in a highly competitive online environment

Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai get INDIA bloc letters seeking 'neutrality'

The letters, signed by 14 leaders of the Indian National Inclusive Developmental Alliance (INDIA), including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who posted these on X, and party leader Rahul Gandhi

Meta mulls paid option for ad-free Instagram, Facebook in India: Details

It follows Meta's talks to launch a similar plan in the European Union (EU) to conform with its privacy concerns

Social media platforms considering QR codes, tokens to ascertain user age

Social media platforms are worried about losing users which include children, since children may only be able to use these platforms if parents give their consent

House panel calls social media cos for meeting on content, monopoly

This move coincides with news of the government's preparation of the Digital India Bill (DIB) which aims to supersede the Information Technology Act, 2000

Meta expands generative AI tools to boost effectiveness of advertisements

Meta's tools use artificial intelligence to generate background images for products, come up with different variations of advertising copy or automatically resize ads to fit on Instagram or Facebook

Fair share fee on large OTT players doesn't violate net neutrality: COAI

Fair-share fee payment by large over-the-top players to telecom operators will enhance consumer experience with better quality networks without violating net neutrality principles, industry body COAI said on Wednesday. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel etc, said that it is a misguided view that fair share charge on large traffic generating (LTG) OTTs will violate net neutrality principles. "Payment of fair share fee by Large Traffic Generating OTTs to TSPs will eventually enhance customer satisfaction, as end-users will benefit via better network quality and improved services," COAI, Director General, SP Kochhar said in a statement. Meanwhile, industry body Broadband India Forum, which represents players in the broadband ecosystem, in its counter comment to the telecom regulator Trai has said that claim to mandate over-the-top (OTT) players to pay for network usage fees and the government's intent

Meta to lay off employees in metaverse-oriented silicon unit today

The FAST unit, which has roughly 600 employees, worked on developing custom chips to equip Meta's devices to perform unique tasks and operate more efficiently

Facebook, Instagram users in Europe could get ad-free subscription option

Meta plans to give Facebook and Instagram users in Europe the option of paying for ad-free versions of the social media platforms as a way to comply with the continent's strict data privacy rules, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The company wants to charge users about 10 euros (USD 10.50) a month to use Instagram or Facebook without ads on desktop browsers, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the proposal. Adding more accounts would cost 6 euros each. Prices for mobile would be higher, at roughly 13 euros a month, because Meta needs to account for commissions charged by the Apple and Google app stores on in-app payments, the newspaper said. Meta reportedly is hoping to roll out paid subscriptions in the coming months as a way to comply with European Union data privacy rules that threaten its lucrative business model of showing personalised ads to users. Meta would give users the choice between continuing to use the platforms with ads or paying for

Taming Big Tech: Battles are raging on more than one front

The profitability of Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet and Apple (MAMAA), twice the S&P 500 average of 10 per cent, has come to be seen as flowing from the abuse of market power, writes T N Ninan