Metaverse

Businesses not kicked about WhatsApp's username move despite user interest

Businesses say phone numbers will remain central to customer interactions despite WhatsApp's username feature, while cybersecurity experts expect improved privacy and lower spam

Govt reviews WhatsApp username feature amid fraud, impersonation fears

The government is reviewing WhatsApp's upcoming username feature over concerns it could enable impersonation, fraud and pose risks to public safety

Meta loses bid to dismiss US states' lawsuit over child addiction claims

US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, denied ‌Meta's motion to dismiss claims based on deception, unfair practices ​and violations of the federal act

WhatsApp begins username reservations, feature to roll out later this year

The messaging platform will let users reserve unique usernames that can be shared instead of phone numbers, with the feature becoming available later this year

Zuckerberg eyeing prediction markets, Meta to create Polymarket-like app

Meta is developing a prediction-market app modelled on Polymarket and Kalshi as Zuckerberg seeks new avenues for growth beyond Facebook and Instagram

Meta's $900 mn Cred bet fuels hopes of turning WhatsApp into a super-app

The global tech firm announced this week that it will own 20% of Bengaluru-based Cred, which rewards people who pay their credit-card bills on time

Meta's Cox sought Kunal Shah's advice on WhatsApp, then made him leader

Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox reached out to Shah directly in the spring, seeking advice on picking the future leader of WhatsApp

Will Kunal Shah be able to deliver on Meta's goal to monetise WhatsApp?

Shah has a portfolio of about 298 companies, focusing primarily on sectors such as consumer tech, fintech, SaaS, climate tech, AI and edtech

WhatsApp's journey: From status app to world's default messaging service

With Cred founder Kunal Shah set to lead WhatsApp globally, here's a look at the evolution of the app that transformed digital communication and largely replaced SMS across the world

Meet Kunal Shah, the CRED founder set to become WhatsApp's global head

Shah will succeed Will Cathcart, who has led WhatsApp since 2019. Cathcart will move to a newly created division within Meta focused on building next-generation products

Meta invests $900 mn in Cred, Kunal Shah to head WhatsApp globally

Meta acquires a minority stake in Cred through a $900 million investment and appoints founder Kunal Shah as global head of WhatsApp

Meta taps Kunal Shah to head WhatsApp as part of $900 mn Cred investment

The investment gives Meta a roughly 20 per cent stake in Cred, which operates an app that rewards customers for paying their credit card bills on time

We want to be part of India's growth story: Meta's Santosh Janardhan

Meta sees India as a key hub for AI-driven infrastructure growth, with its upcoming Jamnagar data centre reflecting a long-term investment strategy

Meta made 'mistakes' in AI workforce shift, says CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg is pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into AI as he seeks to reshape his company's inner workings around technology, reflecting a broader pattern ‌among major US companies this year

Reliance Industries to build Meta's first AI-enabled data centre in India

Reliance Industries will develop a 168 MW AI-enabled data centre in Jamnagar for Meta, strengthening a long-standing partnership spanning connectivity, commerce and artificial intelligence

Meta partners with Fourth Partner Energy for 88 MW RE projects in India

Fourth Partner Energy (FPEL) said on Wednesday it has partnered with Meta Platforms Inc. on 88 megawatts alternating current (MWac) of renewable energy projects across India, as the technology company seeks to advance its clean energy and emissions reduction goals in the country. Under the agreement, FPEL will own and operate a portfolio of solar and wind projects across the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Meta will purchase 100 per cent of the environmental attributes associated with the projects, FPEL said in a statement. The deal supports the addition of renewable energy capacity to India's power grid and forms part of Meta's broader strategy to align its operations with clean energy sources. "These projects with Fourth Partner Energy represent a commitment to India's clean energy ecosystem, helping to bring new renewable energy capacity onto the grid and address Meta's value chain emissions in the region. This is consistent with our broader goal

Meta, CleanMax partner for 900 MW renewable energy capacity in India

Meta Platforms, Inc. and CleanMax Enviro Energy Solutions Ltd on Wednesday announced a partnership for over 900 MW of renewable energy capacity in India. As part of the collaboration, the companies will support the development of 837 MW of new solar and wind capacity across Rajasthan and Karnataka, a statement said. Combined with previously announced projects, the partnership now represents more than 900 MW of renewable energy capacity. CleanMax's renewable energy projects support Meta's efforts to add new generation to the grid, advance its goal of matching its electricity use with 100 per cent clean and renewable energy, and will help address Meta's value chain emissions in the region. Under the partnership, CleanMax will develop and operate 837 MW of new renewable energy capacity across Rajasthan and Karnataka, comprising large-scale solar and wind projects. Meta will purchase 100 per cent of the environmental attributes from these projects, it stated. Kuldeep Jain, Founder an

RIL, Meta partner to develop 168 MW AI enabled data centre in Gujarat

Reliance Industries Limited and social media major Meta Platforms have partnered to develop a 168-megawatt data centre in Jamngar, Gujarat, within two years, a joint statement said on Wednesday. This is the first built-to-suit data centre capacity in India for Meta and represents a significant milestone in India's emergence as a global hub for AI infrastructure, the statement said. "RIL will develop a data centre with 168 MW capacity to be delivered within two years, with an option to scale. Meta will lease capacity from the facility," the statement said. The data centre will be powered by renewable energy and cooled with desalinated seawater. Meta is also separately partnering with two leading clean energy providers in India, CleanMax and Fourth Partner Energy, to back nearly 1GW of renewable energy, the statement said. "This partnership with Meta marks a transformative moment for India's digital infrastructure. Building India's first built-to-suit data centre for a global techno

EU orders Meta to restore WhatsApp access for rival AI chatbots

European Union regulators on Tuesday ordered Meta Platforms to restore access to WhatsApp for rival AI chatbot makers until its antitrust investigation is complete. The bloc's executive Commission, which is the 27-nation EU's top antitrust and competition enforcer, said it was taking action to prevent harm to competition in the growing market for AI assistants before it's too late. The commission said it was imposing "interim measures" while it continues its investigation into WhatsApp's artificial intelligence policy over concerns the company is breaching EU law by blocking competitors from offering their AI assistants on the platform. Meta said it would appeal. "The European Commission has decided that OpenAI and some of the largest companies in the world can use the paid-for WhatsApp Business product for free," the company said in a statement. "This is regulatory overreach subsidised by the many European companies that pay." Brussels has been resorting to temporary orders after

Flipkart joins Meta affiliate programme to expand creator-led shopping

The partnership will allow creators to tag products from Flipkart and Myntra on Meta platforms, helping shoppers move seamlessly from discovery to purchase