Tag: Meta

Meta’s Threads is testing its own version of TweetDeck to rival X

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Threads, the text-focused social network from Meta Platforms Inc., is testing its own version of TweetDeck, a feature once popular with Twitter users that let them see several content feeds on one screen.

Threads users in the test group can pin as many as 100 feeds to their homepage, making it easy to jump between posts from people you follow, posts recommended by the company’s algorithms, or feeds focused on specific keywords or topics. The new layout is only available for users accessing Threads on the web.

The new experience is similar to TweetDeck, a feature long beloved by Twitter diehards. TweetDeck, which was originally created by outside developers before being acquired by the company in 2011, was popular enough that Twitter management considered selling it to users as part of a subscription offering on several occasions over the years, but never ended up charging for it.

After Elon Musk acquired Twitter in late 2022, he changed the name of TweetDeck to X Pro and added it to the company’s subscription offering. Threads, meanwhile, is not charging for its new TweetDeck lookalike product, a spokesperson confirmed.

Meta debuted Threads last July as a response to Musk’s purchase of Twitter, with Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg saying he hoped the service would eventually reach a billion users. Zuckerberg said in April that Threads has more than 150 million monthly active users.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Meta faces EU investigation over child safety risks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Meta Platforms’ social media sites Facebook and Instagram will be investigated for potential breaches of EU online content rules relating to child safety, EU regulators said on Thursday, a move that could lead to hefty fines.

Tech companies are required to do more to tackle illegal and harmful content on their platforms under the European Union’s landmark Digital Services Act (DSA), which kicked in last year.

The European Commission said it had decided to open an in-depth investigation into Facebook and Instagram due to concerns they had not adequately addressed risks to children. Meta submitted a risk assessment report in September.

”The Commission is concerned that the systems of both Facebook and Instagram, including their algorithms, may stimulate behavioural addictions in children, as well as create so-called ’rabbit-hole effects’,” the EU executive said in a statement.

”In addition, the Commission is also concerned about age-assurance and verification methods put in place by Meta.” The regulator’s concerns relate to children accessing inappropriate content.

Meta is already in the EU’s crosshairs over election disinformation, a key concern ahead of crucial European Parliament elections next month. DSA violations can lead to fines of as much as 6% of a company’s annual global turnover.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Meta to shut Workplace app to focus on AI, metaverse

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Meta Platforms will discontinue its work-focused Workplace app as the company shifts its focus on building artificial intelligence and metaverse technologies, the Facebook parent said on Tuesday.

Workplace will be shuttered starting June 2026 for customers but Meta will continue to use it as its internal messaging board, the company said, adding users can continue to access the product until August 2025.

“We are discontinuing Workplace (to) focus on building AI and metaverse technologies that we believe will fundamentally reshape the way we work. Over the next two years, we will provide our Workplace customers the option to transition to Zoom’s Workvivo product, Meta’s only preferred migration partner,” a Meta spokesperson said.

The enterprise communications app, Workplace, was first introduced for businesses in 2016 with new features including multi-company groups and shared spaces that allowed employees from different organisations to work together.

The move comes as the social media giant has been investing heavily in AI products and metaverse — a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet — stoking concerns of surging costs that could hit growth.

The company said the billing and payment arrangements will remain the same for Workplace customers until August this year.

Workplace currently offers a monthly core plan of $4 per user, which can be upgraded with add-ons starting from $2 per user each month. Unless an organization has a fixed plan, its monthly bill is calculated by the number of billable users.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Meta exploring AI-assisted earbuds with cameras: Report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Meta Platforms is exploring making earphones powered by artificial intelligence with cameras, The Information reported on Monday citing employees familiar with the matter.

A slew of companies, from startups to conglomerates including Meta, are looking to develop AI-based wearable devices to capture growing interest in the sector.

The Facebook parent expects the device, being explored under a project named “Camerabuds”, to identify objects and translate foreign languages, the report added.

Meta announced new generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, priced at $299, in September last year, which will also have its AI built-in, with the ability to give information on the item a user is looking at.

The Instagram and WhatsApp owner did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Also Read: Apple could launch the Vision Pro in international markets soon

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

UK tells tech firms to ‘tame algorithms’ to protect children

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will have to “tame” their algorithms to filter out or downgrade harmful material to help protect children under proposed British measures published on Wednesday.

The plan by regulator Ofcom is one of more than 40 practical steps tech companies will need to implement under Britain’s Online Safety Act, which became law in October.

The platforms must also have robust age checks to prevent children from seeing harmful content linked to suicide, self-harm and pornography, the regulator said.

Ofcom Chief Executive Melanie Dawes said children’s experiences online had been blighted by harmful content they couldn’t avoid or control.

“In line with new online safety laws, our proposed Codes firmly place the responsibility for keeping children safer on tech firms,” she said.

“They will need to tame aggressive algorithms that push harmful content to children in their personalised feeds and introduce age-checks so children get an experience that’s right for their age.”

Social media companies use complex algorithms to prioritise content and keep users engaged. However, the fact that they amplify similar content can lead to children being influenced by increasing amounts of harmful material.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said introducing the kind of age checks that young people experienced in the real world and addressing algorithms would bring about a fundamental change in how children in Britain experienced the online world.

“To platforms, my message is to engage with us and prepare,” she said. “Do not wait for enforcement and hefty fines — step up to meet your responsibilities and act now.”

Ofcom said it expected to publish its final Children’s Safety Codes of Practice within a year, following a consultation period that ends on July 17.

Once it is approved by parliament, the regulator said it would start enforcement that will be backed by action including fines for non-compliance.

Also Read: European Union opens formal proceedings against TikTok under Digital Services Act

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Meta launches enhanced Generative AI features for advertisers

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Meta, the parent company of social media giants Facebook and Instagram, unveiled a suite of enhanced generative AI features for advertisers on Wednesday.

The goal, Meta says, is to “help advertisers at every step of the journey” — either by improving ad performance, helping with creative ideation or automating certain parts of the creation process.

The latest developments include capabilities in image generation, enabling businesses to craft diverse variations of ad visuals easily. Companies will be able to leverage Meta’s Generative AI for the first time to generate full image variations, complete with text overlays inspired by the original ad creative. This will allow advertisers to explore various backgrounds and settings.

Moreover, Meta’s Generative AI now offers expanded text overlay options, boasting a selection of a dozen popular font typefaces for brands to choose from. This provides advertisers with greater flexibility in customising their ad visuals to align with their brand identity.

Within the suite, Meta is also introducing image expansion, allowing advertisers to adjust creative assets to fit different aspect ratios across multiple surfaces. This functionality is now available on Instagram Reels and Feed across both Instagram and Facebook.

To further streamline the ad creation process, Meta has introduced a text generation feature that creates dynamic variations for ad headlines and primary text. Currently in testing, this feature will soon be built with Meta Llama 3, the next generation of Meta’s large language models, which will enable new capabilities and enhance ad performance.

The rollout of these updated features has already commenced, with Meta targeting global availability by the end of the year.

Centralising these enhanced generative AI features under Advantage+ creative in Ads Manager, Meta aims to provide businesses with a cohesive platform to harness the benefits of automation and Generative AI. By consolidating these tools, Meta seeks to expedite ad creation and drive superior performance for advertisers.

In addition to the Generative AI enhancements, Meta has also updated several Meta Advantage products, including Advantage+ creative optimisations and Advantage+ catalogue ads.

Also Read: Apple aims to tell an AI story without AI bills

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

WhatsApp working on a new feature to restrict spam messaging: Report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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WhatsApp is reportedly gearing up to unveil a new feature aimed at curbing abusive behaviour. According to WhatsApp tracker WABetaInfo, the Meta-owned messaging platform is experimenting with a restriction feature that will temporarily limit certain account functionalities.

The report suggests that WhatsApp will restrict the users’ ability to initiate new chats for a given period if they are found engaging in specific violations. However, they will still be able to receive messages and respond to texts in pre-existing chats and groups.

Utilising automated tools, WhatsApp is said to scan for behaviours indicative of abuse, such as bulk messaging or automated scripts, without compromising the end-to-end encryption safeguarding user messages and calls. This approach aims to identify and address potentially harmful conduct while preserving user privacy.

“By imposing a temporary restriction, WhatsApp can address problematic behaviour without permanently banning users from using WhatsApp, minimising significant disruption to the messaging experience,” WABetaInfo said.

The feature is currently in development and will be available through a future update of the app. WhatsApp also routinely bans accounts that are found violating platform policies. This feature is especially useful against bad actors who use WhatsApp to extract money from people through several means like offering fake jobs and instant return investments, etc.

The purpose is to encourage ethical use, ensuring that everyone may connect and interact without facing spam, abuse, or other disruptive behaviour.

Also Read: WhatsApp to Delhi High Court: Will cease operations in India if forced to break encryption

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Amazon snuffs out investor hopes for dividend or share buybacks

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Amazon.com Inc.’s growing cash pile had some investors betting the e-commerce and cloud computing giant would pay a dividend or buy back stock like Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc. did earlier this year.

It didn’t happen.

During a post-earnings call with analysts on Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky reiterated Amazon’s long-standing philosophy of re-investing in its business. He mentioned paying down debt and building the data centers required to reap the benefits of the boom in artificial intelligence.

“Our first priority is to invest in, to support the growth opportunities and long-term investments within our businesses, and generally we still have many opportunities for that capital to use that would generate meaningful returns,” Olsavsky said.

The board has long authorised Amazon to repurchase its own shares, but executives have done so only sporadically. Amazon in 2022 announced a program of up to $10 billion in buybacks, but the Seattle-based company hasn’t executed any since the second quarter of that year.

Meta and Alphabet both announced their first dividends this year. Amazon remains by far the largest company by market cap in the S&P 500 that hasn’t made a regular payout to investors.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

‘Worse than a government department’: Delhi High Court admonishes Meta over Instagram dispute

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a strongly worded rebuke, the Delhi High Court criticised Meta (formerly Facebook) for handling a complaint filed by TV Today. The media company’s popular Instagram page for Harper’s Bazaar India was blocked, leading to a legal challenge regarding India’s Information Technology Rules, Bar and Bench reported.

As per the report, during the hearing, a Division Bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora expressed dismay at Meta’s lack of responsiveness. “Your situation is worse than a government department,” the court stated, emphasising the need for the company to rectify its systems. The judges warned that failure to do so could result in a formal order of condemnation.

TV Today initiated the case after its Harper’s Bazaar India Instagram account was blocked following a third-party copyright complaint. The media company argues that the relevant IT rule allows social media platforms to restrict access without adequately allowing users to defend themselves, the report added.

Representing TV Today, Advocate Hrishikesh Baruah asserted that despite multiple attempts to communicate with Meta, including through its grievance redressal officer, the company only provided generic responses, implying an incorrect communication channel was used, Bar and Bench said.

Meta’s attorney, Advocate Tejas Karia, explained that the block resulted from three copyright strikes. He maintained that Meta’s initial reply to TV Today was not a final decision and requested additional time for the company to formulate a more comprehensive response. Karia further noted the volume of daily requests Meta receives and its reporting obligations to India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Bar and Bench added.

The Bench countered that Meta’s large user base does not excuse inadequacies in its operations and that its communication with TV Today appeared dismissive. Karia requested a brief adjournment, and the court will resume the hearing on Wednesday, the report added.

Also read: Meta risks European Union fines over Kremlin lies on Facebook, Instagram

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Meta risks European Union fines over Kremlin lies on Facebook, Instagram

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Meta Platforms Inc.’s social media platforms Facebook and Instagram are under investigation by the European Union amid concerns they’re failing to cull targeted disinformation peddled by Russia that aims to sow discord on the continent.

The probe targets the so-called Doppelganger campaign — a pro-Kremlin operation, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. The campaign attempts to replicate the appearance of traditional news sources while churning out content that is favourable to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies, the people said.

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, said in a statement that the probe, under its flagship Digital Services Act, will examine Meta’s policies and practices relating to deceptive advertising and political content on its services, in the run-up to the June European elections. It didn’t mention Russia specifically.

Under the rules, tech giants must place curbs on the spread of dangerous content or face hefty penalties, as much as 6% in certain cases.

“This commission has created means to protect European citizens from targeted disinformation and manipulation by third countries,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said in the statement.

Regulators also said they are examining Meta’s policies and practices relating to giving researchers access to election-monitoring tools, particularly in the context of Meta’s “deprecation” of its real-time public insights tool CrowdTangle, without an adequate replacement.

The bloc’s move comes after France’s European affairs minister Jean-Noel Barrot warned that a Russian-orchestrated disinformation campaign is seeking to destabilise public opinion ahead of the June ballot. Barrot revealed that twenty-five of the EU’s 27 member states have been targeted in recent months, spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda.

The DSA gives regulators new powers to take action against major tech companies for how they handle content on their platforms. Meta will be given five working days to respond to the EU’s concerns before regulators escalate the procedure.

The latest investigation follows a similar probe under the DSA launched last year into how Elon Musk’s X handles illegal content and disinformation, particularly with regard to the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow