Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Meta starts testing Messenger Community Chats

meta community chats

Community Chats will be available for Facebook Groups, and you will be able to participate through Facebook Messenger. The experience seamlessly blends Messenger and Facebook Groups. Today, Mark Zuckerberg said that Meta is beginning to test Community Chats for Facebook Groups inside Messenger, which sounds a little complex, so let’s break it down. Community Chats … Read more

WhatsApp will soon launch a new camera shortcut for iPhone users

WhatsApp camera shortcut

A screenshot has emerged online, revealing that the camera shortcut is located within the navigation bar. It appears to be the same as the one used in the WhatsApp beta for Android. This brand-new shortcut is still not visible to users because WhatsApp intends to include it in a future software version. WhatsApp, a Meta-owned … Read more

Social media companies will testify at a hearing in US Senate

Social media

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the influence of social media on homeland security. A Facebook or Meta executive will be testifying before Congress for the 31st time in the previous five years. The United States Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday … Read more

Instagram fined in EU for violating children’s privacy

Instagram fined

Instagram has been fined 405 million euros (about $403 million) by the Irish Data Protection Commission. The app was found in breach of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for some of its privacy settings for under-18s. Instagram was fined 405 million euros (about $403 million) for breaking the European Union’s privacy-protecting General … Read more

Instagram penalized $400 M for mismanaging of children’s data

Instagram penalized $400 M
  • The parent company of Instagram, Meta, was fined €405 million for improper handling of adolescent data.
  • Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued the final verdict and penalties.
  • According to Meta, “we disagree with the methodology used to determine this fine and intend to challenge it”.

The parent company of Instagram, Meta, was fined €405 million for improper handling of adolescent data.

Following an inquiry into the firm’s data handling procedures, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC) issued the final verdict and penalties.

The DPC made its decision last Friday, promising to provide “complete details” this week.

Two years prior, when the inquiry first began, it was concentrated on two ways the social network had broken the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) laws.

The first breach occurred as a result of Instagram allowing users between the ages of 13 and 17 to create business accounts, making their personal data accessible to the public.

Instagram also by default made the accounts of some young users public.

According to a statement from Meta, it altered its Instagram profile settings last year so that anyone under the age of 18 immediately has their account switched to private.

Adults can’t message kids who don’t follow them, and content on a private account can only be read by you unless you explicitly agree for others to see it.

According to Meta, “we disagree with the methodology used to determine this fine and intend to challenge it.”

This is Meta’s third and highest fine to date from the DPC.

When DPC discovered that WhatsApp did not adequately educate users about its data gathering procedures, notably how it shared the data with Meta, the second-largest fine (about $267 million at the time) was levied.

The company planned to appeal the decision ordering WhatsApp to alter its privacy policy.

Millions of users migrated to alternative messaging applications like Telegram, Discord, Signal, and others as a result of the enormous debate surrounding WhatsApp’s privacy policy last year.

During that period, Telegram reported record-breaking user growth.

There was also an $18.6 million significantly lower fine issued earlier this year. It has to do with Meta’s shoddy security breach record-keeping.

 

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Meta now allows you to post NFTs on both Facebook and Instagram

Meta

Users can publish digital collectables on Facebook and Instagram after connecting their digital wallets. Linking NFTs to these sites increases the likelihood of being targeted with phishing attempts. The expansion is timed to coincide with Eminem and Snoop Dogg’s duet at the VMAs. Meta now allows users to publish digital collectables on Facebook and Instagram … Read more

Meta’s VP of Horizon social VR Vivek Sharma leaves the company to explore other career opportunities

Vivek Sharma

Vivek plans to leave Meta. He will leave the company to explore an unrelated career opportunity, a spokesperson said. Horizon became a meme after Mark Zuckerberg uploaded a screenshot of his dead-eyed avatar. Meta’s VP of Horizon social VR, Vivek Sharma, is leaving. He is departing Meta to explore an unrelated career opportunity, according to … Read more

Meta informs Pakistani journalists about data privacy

Meta informs Pakistani journalists
  • Meta organized a briefing for Pakistani journalists on its privacy policies.
  • Meta provides users with a variety of features and tools to help them manage their privacy.
  • Meta aims to ensure that tailored advertising and privacy are not at odds.

At a nearby hotel in Islamabad, Meta—the company that owns Facebook and Instagram—organized a briefing for Pakistani journalists on its privacy policies.

The journalists were informed by Arianne Jimenez, Privacy Policy Manager at Meta in the Asia Pacific, regarding the social media company’s procedures to safeguard user data and confidential information on its platforms.

According to a spokesperson for Meta, maintaining the privacy of users’ information is essential to Meta’s goal of being a communications platform that prioritizes privacy.

According to her, privacy was essential to how Meta conducted business and was everyone’s duty at the social media company.

She continued by saying that Meta was dedicated to providing individuals more control over their privacy preferences, which is why it had created tools to increase transparency and allow people more control over how their data was used.

Meta provides users with a variety of features and tools to help them manage their privacy. These tools include the Privacy Center, Manage Activity, Audience Selector Tool, Privacy Checkup, Privacy Shortcuts, and Who can look me up?

In addition to assisting users in deciding who can view their content and adjusting how Facebook users can find them, these features make privacy, security, and ad control options more available to users.

For Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, the privacy center is the learning resource that offers practical, in-depth knowledge on privacy.

To ensure that tailored advertising and privacy are not at odds, Meta aims to assist individuals in understanding its data practices by providing them with greater information and controls over its goods and advertisements.

By adding or erasing preferences that have been created for them based on their Facebook profile information, activities, and use of other websites and apps, Meta offers Ad Choices to help users take control of their preferences.

By clicking on any advertisement or blog post in their News Feed, users can change their preferences using the Meta tools “Why I am seeing this ad?” and “Why I am seeing this article.”

Experts in fields such as data protection and privacy legislation, security, interface design, engineering, product management, and public policy advise Meta as it incorporates privacy protections into its products.

To protect people’s information, its privacy team attempts to include these viewpoints in every phase of product development.

Information security is ensured by tools on Meta platforms including Security check-up, Two-Factor Authentication, End to End Encryption, and extra Accountability for “Third Party Apps.”

Because Meta thinks that part of having a free and open internet means that people should be able to transfer their data to other apps and services they use, Meta gives people more control and choice over their data and gives them tools for deleting anything they’ve posted or transferring data to other services.

No user information is ever sold by Meta to anyone. The use and disclosure of the information provided by Meta is subject to restrictions on partners and other third parties that have access to particular data.

In order to provide its clients with the best user experience, Meta is constantly working to improve its privacy and security procedures.

 

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Meta comes to $37.5 mln settlement of Facebook lawsuit

Meta

Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) came to a $37.5 million settlement. Claim blaming the parent for Facebook of disregarding clients.‘ Following their developments through their cell phones without consent. Meta denied bad behavior in consenting to settle. It didn’t promptly answer on Tuesday to demands for input. A primer settlement of the proposed class activity was … Read more

WhatsApp for iOS stable channel rolls out unread chat filter

WhatsApp

The unread chat filter is being pushed out by the server right now. Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS. ou’ll have to wait for WhatsApp to turn on the feature on its end. WhatsApp continues to add new features as IM apps compete. Meta-owned service introduces new features. These include … Read more

WhatsApp users can now depart a group discussion secretly

WhatsApp

WhatsApp’s latest privacy updates allow quitting group chats secretly. Users can also block access to transitory messages. Meta says it will release the first two updates within a month. The new changes to WhatsApp’s privacy settings are meant to protect users’ privacy and make it easier for them to take action. People often feel awkward … Read more

WhatsApp tests Android and iOS video call avatars

WhatsApp

Users can change the way their avatar looks so that it looks like them. During a video call, a user may utilize an avatar. Next WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.22.16.11 will have avatars. WhatsApp is a digital messaging program that revolutionized communication. The next WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.22.16.11 will have avatars. Avatars are not … Read more

Facebook will soon allow creation of several profiles on a single account

Facebook
  • Facebook is testing a new feature that allows you to create several profiles on the same account.
  • This will allow you to build separate profiles for business, family, friends, and other purposes.
  • Facebook is currently testing the feature with a limited number of insiders.

Facebook currently only allows you to create one profile per account, although this may change in a future update. The social media behemoth is currently testing a new feature that will allow users to create several profiles on the same account.

The purpose of this new feature is to allow users to create distinct profiles based on the groups with which they choose to communicate. This will allow you to build separate profiles for business, family, friends, and other purposes, ensuring that you can quickly and without interruptions access the relevant groups based on your profile.

According to Facebook, the new tool is intended to “help people customize their experience based on their interests and relationships.” The social network is presently testing the function with insiders, and it allows you to create up to five accounts on a single account, which should be sufficient for the majority of users.

You can have multiple usernames and profile information on each profile, but Facebook recommends using your real name on your primary one to minimize problems. Facebook has announced that all profiles on an account would be subject to the same business regulations to prevent any misunderstandings.

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Amazon suspends construction on six new office buildings in the U.S.

Amazon

Amazon.com  is pausing the construction of six new office buildings in Bellevue and Nashville. The delay will not affect Amazon’s hiring plans, a company spokesperson said. Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Amazon have pulled back on their office expansion plans in New York City.  Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is stopping the development of six new places … Read more

From Meta to Peloton, companies slow hiring as economy sputters

Meta

Alibaba may lay off 15,000 employees as a result of a broad regulatory crackdown in China. Autoliv Inc, announced a reduction in headcount to reduce costs. Swedish company Klarna is cutting 10% of its 7,000-person workforce. Numerous businesses throughout the world have been forced to think about laying off employees or putting a block on … Read more

Meta, the owner of Facebook, has unveiled a new virtual reality method

Meta

Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) is modifying how users log onto its virtual reality headsets. The company will roll out its new “Meta accounts” starting in August, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said. Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) is adjusting the way that clients sign onto its augmented simulation headsets, backtracking on a prior change to require accounts … Read more

Pakistan will benefit from Meta’s instructive “Chai Chats” series 

"Chai Chats" series 

Meta, in collaboration with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has launched an educational series, ‘Chai Chats’. The series features a close-knit group of university friends encountering difficult online situations which they overcome. 180 secondary school teachers and over 1,000 secondary school students through local community training. In order to raise awareness of digital literacy and … Read more

Instagram tries Reel to beat Tiktok

instagram-tries-reel-to-beat-tiktok

Instagram is developing a ‘Reel’ feature similar to TikTok. Users could remix a video by using its soundtrack to create a new Reel. The feature is part of Meta’s attempts to improve video. Instagram is now testing a new feature that would convert all user-uploaded videos into the short-form ‘Reel’ format popularized by TikTok. Users … Read more

Patients receiving advertising from Meta for fake cancer treatments

Meta

Facebook’s parent company Meta has a policy that prohibits ads that contain misleading health information. Despite that, bogus cancer treatment ads come across, and seems the company has no way to tackle them. There are multiple advertisements that ran on Facebook from different known clinics vending cancer treatment. Patients receiving advertising from Meta for fake cancer … Read more

Meta restricts open debate of Roe v. Wade & deletes abortion-related messages

Meta

Friday, Meta instructed its employees not to discuss the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade. Messages in team discussions that violated the policy were deleted, according to The New York Times. A Meta software engineer stated on LinkedIn that the policy “explicitly disallows” the topic of abortion. The New York Times stated that Meta … Read more

Instagram will be using two new testing methods to verify users’ age

Instagram

Instagram experimenting with new techniques to confirm users’ ages.  Yoti, an AI software that analyses a person’s face to calculate their age. Once users share a video selfie, Yoti will estimate their ages. Instagram, a site owned by Meta, revealed on Thursday that it is experimenting with new techniques to confirm users’ ages. According to … Read more

Facebook and Instagram will not take a part of artists’ earnings until 2024

Facebook and Instagram

Until 2024, creators on Facebook and Instagram will not be required to share a portion of their earnings with the platforms. Creators generate money on the platforms through fan memberships, paid events, badges, and other methods. Meta originally stated that income sharing would be delayed until 2023. Facebook and Instagram producers with subscribers on other … Read more

Metaverse open standards group is formed by Microsoft, Meta, and others

Metaverse

The Metaverse Standards Forum aims to promote open, interoperable standards for augmented and virtual reality. It has been founded by Microsoft, Epic Games, Meta, and 33 other firms and organisations. The club aims to conduct its first meetings in 2022, and will focus on “action-based projects”. A standards group for “metaverse” technology has been founded … Read more

Without Apple, Meta and other tech titans form a metaverse standards

Meta

The Metaverse Standards Forum will foster the development of industry standards for the emerging concept. Apple is conspicuously missing from the group, which includes many of the biggest players in the field. Analysts expect Apple to become a dominant player in the metaverse race once it introduces a mixed reality headset. Meta (META.O), Microsoft (MSFT.O), … Read more

Microsoft and Meta have joined Google in using AI in data centres

Microsoft and Meta

Microsoft and Meta are developing an AI system; that generates alerts for data centre construction. They’re developing operations teams; in order to “prevent or mitigate the impact of safety incidents”. Five people were taken to the hospital after a chlorine gas leak; at an Apple data center in Maiden, North Carolina. Data centres, which power … Read more

Meta is creating an avatar store, and the first items are designer outfits

avatar store

Users can buy digital apparel for their avatars on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. Prada, Balenciaga, and Thom Browne are among the first labels to open a store. Clothes include motocross outfits, trademark sweatshirt, and suits. Recently Meta creating an avatar store and also CEO Mark Zuckerberg said additional businesses would be featured shortly in a … Read more

Instagram experience test with a new full-screen feed

Instagram

Instagram is experimenting with a new full-screen mode for its feed. Users will be able to watch videos nearly totally full screen when browsing through their feed. The company says photos are still an important part of Instagram, but they’re no longer the app’s focus. Instagram is experimenting with a new full-screen mode for its … Read more