Facebook's stock dropped almost 3 per cent on Friday in regular trading after news reports suggested that the US FTC may take anti-trust action to prevent <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-no-longer-among-glassdoors-top-10-workplaces-267599">Facebook from integrating</a> its disparate messaging apps.

The reports said the Federal Trade Commission(FTC) may seek a court injunction that would block Facebook's "interoperability" plans for Facebook messenger, Whatsapp and Instagram, which involves revising them to use the same underlying software.

Facebook has been planning to integrate the app since early 2019. Federal regulators are concerned that Facebook's plan could make it hard to break up the company should the FTC find that necessary.

An additional investigation had revealed that Facebook has been buying small app developers and IT firms that could pose a threat to the firm's market share.

Facebook has been charged with taking higher stake in all those firms to kill competition not only in the United States but in other parts of the world as well. The company is facing similar charges in the European Union as well, meanwhile, Facebook has denied the charges.

Facebook's stock dropped almost 3 per cent on Friday in regular trading after news reports suggested that the US FTC may take anti-trust action to prevent Facebook from integrating its disparate messaging apps.

Facebook's stock dropped almost 3 per cent on Friday in regular trading after news reports suggested that the US FTC may take anti-trust action to prevent Facebook from integrating its disparate messaging apps. The reports said the Federal Trade Commission(FTC) may seek a court injunction that would block Facebook's "interoperability" plans for Facebook messenger, Whatsapp and Instagram, which involves revising them to use the same underlying software. Facebook has been planning to integrate the app since early 2019. Federal regulators are concerned that Facebook's plan could make it hard to break up the company should the FTC find that necessary. An additional investigation had revealed that Facebook has been buying small app developers and IT firms that could pose a threat to the firm's market share. Facebook has been charged with taking higher stake in all those firms to kill competition not only in the United States but in other parts of the world as well. The company is facing similar charges in the European Union as well, meanwhile, Facebook has denied the charges.

Facebook shares fall over possible US antitrust move

A new taskforce will now monitor the actions of tech giants such as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-no-longer-among-glassdoors-top-10-workplaces-267599">Facebook </a>and Google in Australia as the government took major steps but stopped short of a big clampdown recommended by the country's consumer watchdog.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said several of The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) major recommendations would be implemented, including the setup of a taskforce to monitor tech giants and "take enforcement action as necessary".

Earlier, AICC recommended new regulations to tackle global concerns ranging from anti-trust issues to privacy violation, and their role in spreading fake news and hateful content.&nbsp;

The PM also said that the government will review privacy laws to protect social media users.&nbsp;

On policing major tech companies, &nbsp;Morrison said that the proposals "need further consideration and engagement" given the "complexity of the issues and the potential to have economy-wide effects".

The Australia's news industry has faced massive trouble due to Google and Facebook as the number of newspaper and online journalists fell more than 20 per cent since 2014 because the digital advertising revenues were overwhelmingly captured by the two tech giants.&nbsp;

Morrison ordered the ACCC to work with tech titans and media organisations on the creation of a voluntary code of conduct to "address bargaining power imbalances" between the two sides.

(with inputs from AFP)

A new taskforce will now monitor the actions of tech giants such as Facebook and Google in Australia as the government took major steps but stopped short of a big clampdown recommended by the country's consumer watchdog.

A new taskforce will now monitor the actions of tech giants such as Facebook and Google in Australia as the government took major steps but stopped short of a big clampdown recommended by the country's consumer watchdog. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said several of The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) major recommendations would be implemented, including the setup of a taskforce to monitor tech giants and "take enforcement action as necessary". Earlier, AICC recommended new regulations to tackle global concerns ranging from anti-trust issues to privacy violation, and their role in spreading fake news and hateful content. The PM also said that the government will review privacy laws to protect social media users. On policing major tech companies, Morrison said that the proposals "need further consideration and engagement" given the "complexity of the issues and the potential to have economy-wide effects". The Australia's news industry has faced massive trouble due to Google and Facebook as the number of newspaper and online journalists fell more than 20 per cent since 2014 because the digital advertising revenues were overwhelmingly captured by the two tech giants. Morrison ordered the ACCC to work with tech titans and media organisations on the creation of a voluntary code of conduct to "address bargaining power imbalances" between the two sides. (with inputs from AFP)

Australia: Government stops short of major clampdown on Facebook, Google

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook&nbsp;Inc</a> dropped to the 23rd spot in&nbsp;Glassdoor's&nbsp;list of "Best Places to Work" in 2020 from the seventh it secured last year, amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of the world's largest social network.

The company received an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5, compared with 4.5 last year, as employees gave relatively lower ratings for&nbsp;Facebook's senior leadership and work-life balance.

"High profile projects can be extremely political and can really be dragged down by too many cooks in the kitchen. In a post-Cambridge Analytica world, there are huge slowdowns in releasing new features or products," according to one of the employee reviews on Glassdoor.&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;is facing the heat over its handling of user data, misinformation campaigns on the platform, as well as its plan for a global cryptocurrency called Libra.

Still, employee sentiment toward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/parliamentary-panel-meets-facebook-group-over-rising-crime-against-women-on-social-media-266457">Facebook</a>&nbsp;remained largely positive on better compensation and career opportunities, according to the Glassdoor report released late on Tuesday.

Software company HubSpot Inc&nbsp;topped the&nbsp;100 best&nbsp;workplaces&nbsp;list, while Alphabet Inc's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-stopped-accepting-political-advertisements-in-singapore-month-before-the-elections-266126">Google</a> ranked number 11 and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-fails-to-end-macbook-butterfly-keyboard-class-action-265873">Apple</a> Inc 84.

Facebook Inc dropped to the 23rd spot in Glassdoor's list of "Best Places to Work" in 2020 from the seventh it secured last year, amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of the world's largest social network.

Facebook Inc dropped to the 23rd spot in Glassdoor's list of "Best Places to Work" in 2020 from the seventh it secured last year, amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of the world's largest social network. The company received an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5, compared with 4.5 last year, as employees gave relatively lower ratings for Facebook's senior leadership and work-life balance. "High profile projects can be extremely political and can really be dragged down by too many cooks in the kitchen. In a post-Cambridge Analytica world, there are huge slowdowns in releasing new features or products," according to one of the employee reviews on Glassdoor. Facebook is facing the heat over its handling of user data, misinformation campaigns on the platform, as well as its plan for a global cryptocurrency called Libra. Still, employee sentiment toward Facebook remained largely positive on better compensation and career opportunities, according to the Glassdoor report released late on Tuesday. Software company HubSpot Inc topped the 100 best workplaces list, while Alphabet Inc's Google ranked number 11 and Apple Inc 84.

Facebook no longer among Glassdoor's top 10 workplaces

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women Empowerment on Thursday met representatives of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook</a> group at Parliament House Annexe building in view of rising crime against women on social media.

The Committee chaired by Lok Sabha Heena Gavit will discuss <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/cyber-bullying-star-suicides-the-dark-side-of-south-koreas-k-pop-world-265173">cyber harassment</a> and cyberbullying with representatives of the social media giant, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

A meeting of the committee was called on December 4 and 5 in which representatives of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have been called.

On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee met Twitter India representatives and had a detail discussion on cyber harassment and cyberbullying, sources said. 
 
The Parliamentary Committee has called the representatives of social media companies amidst the concerns raised on the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rape-survivor-set-ablaze-in-unnao-266330">safety of women</a> across the country.

Sources said, Twitter India has given presentations to the Parliamentary Committee on women safety, on how Twitter works, how to report on Twitter and on the basis of complaint how Twitter will take action against complaint.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women Empowerment on Thursday met representatives of the Facebook group at Parliament House Annexe building in view of rising crime against women on social media.

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women Empowerment on Thursday met representatives of the Facebook group at Parliament House Annexe building in view of rising crime against women on social media. The Committee chaired by Lok Sabha Heena Gavit will discuss cyber harassment and cyberbullying with representatives of the social media giant, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. A meeting of the committee was called on December 4 and 5 in which representatives of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have been called. On Wednesday, the Parliamentary Committee met Twitter India representatives and had a detail discussion on cyber harassment and cyberbullying, sources said. The Parliamentary Committee has called the representatives of social media companies amidst the concerns raised on the safety of women across the country. Sources said, Twitter India has given presentations to the Parliamentary Committee on women safety, on how Twitter works, how to report on Twitter and on the basis of complaint how Twitter will take action against complaint.

Parliamentary panel meets Facebook group over rising crime against women on social media

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-stopped-accepting-political-advertisements-in-singapore-month-before-the-elections-266126">fake news</a>", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The requirement would likely raise a host of technical and policy issues for companies including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-corrects-users-post-under-new-singapore-fake-news-law-265378">Facebook</a> and its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/need-partnership-to-curb-false-messages-whatsapp-to-indian-government-148929"> WhatsApp</a> and Instagram units, Twitter and Chinese app <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-accused-in-california-lawsuit-of-sending-user-data-to-china-265867">TikTok</a>, all of which have millions of users in India.

Companies would have to offer a mechanism for users to prove their identities and display that verification publicly, akin to the blue check-mark that Twitter has used to confirm the authenticity of some high-profile accounts, including those belonging to celebrities and politicians.

Verification would be optional for users, the sources said.

The Personal Data Protection Bill, whose first draft was made public last year, is keenly awaited by top technology companies and industry stakeholders as it could alter the way all major internet companies process, store and transfer Indian consumers' data.

The identity verification requirement, introduced in the latest draft of the bill, would be one of the most ambitious efforts globally to battle disinformation and fake news, which is often spread by pseudonymous or fake accounts.

"The idea was to reduce the spread of fake news and online trolling," said one of the sources, a federal IT ministry official.

The privacy bill was cleared by the cabinet on Wednesday and will be presented to parliament soon, officials said. But passage is not imminent, one of the sources said, as the legislation will likely be referred to a parliamentary expert committee or a panel for further review.

Since 2017, fake news and rumor-mongering on social media in India has led to more than 30 deaths, data portal IndiaSpend said last year.

The companies have taken some measures to combat the problem&nbsp;including a move by WhatsApp to limit group-forwarding of messages.

But Facebook and other companies have resisted the idea that they should verify the identity of their users, partly on the grounds that people in many countries would struggle to provide sufficient documentation.

The voluntary verification scheme would give users more confidence in the validity of information on the verified accounts, though it would not eliminate fake accounts.

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "fake news", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday.

India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "fake news", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday. The requirement would likely raise a host of technical and policy issues for companies including Facebook and its WhatsApp and Instagram units, Twitter and Chinese app TikTok, all of which have millions of users in India. Companies would have to offer a mechanism for users to prove their identities and display that verification publicly, akin to the blue check-mark that Twitter has used to confirm the authenticity of some high-profile accounts, including those belonging to celebrities and politicians. Verification would be optional for users, the sources said. The Personal Data Protection Bill, whose first draft was made public last year, is keenly awaited by top technology companies and industry stakeholders as it could alter the way all major internet companies process, store and transfer Indian consumers' data. The identity verification requirement, introduced in the latest draft of the bill, would be one of the most ambitious efforts globally to battle disinformation and fake news, which is often spread by pseudonymous or fake accounts. "The idea was to reduce the spread of fake news and online trolling," said one of the sources, a federal IT ministry official. The privacy bill was cleared by the cabinet on Wednesday and will be presented to parliament soon, officials said. But passage is not imminent, one of the sources said, as the legislation will likely be referred to a parliamentary expert committee or a panel for further review. Since 2017, fake news and rumor-mongering on social media in India has led to more than 30 deaths, data portal IndiaSpend said last year. The companies have taken some measures to combat the problem including a move by WhatsApp to limit group-forwarding of messages. But Facebook and other companies have resisted the idea that they should verify the identity of their users, partly on the grounds that people in many countries would struggle to provide sufficient documentation. The voluntary verification scheme would give users more confidence in the validity of information on the verified accounts, though it would not eliminate fake accounts.

India may force social media platforms to offer identity-verification option

British Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-uk-pm-boris-johnson-very-capable-265958">Boris&nbsp;Johnson</a>&nbsp;said he would press ahead with new&nbsp;taxes on US internet giants like Facebook and Google, putting him at odds with US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-row-according-to-call-records-nunes-had-frequent-contact-with-giuliani-266054">Donald Trump</a> who has threatened retaliation against France over its&nbsp;digital&nbsp;tax&nbsp;plans.

"On the&nbsp;digital&nbsp;services&nbsp;tax, I do think we need to look at the operation of the big&nbsp;digital&nbsp;companies and the huge revenues they have in this country and the amount of&nbsp;tax&nbsp;that they pay,"&nbsp;Johnson&nbsp;said on Tuesday, according to a BBC report.

"We need to sort that out. They need to make a fairer contribution."

Johnson's Conservative Party has committed to implementing a&nbsp;digital&nbsp;service&nbsp;tax&nbsp;on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon in its blueprint for government if it wins this month's national election.

Under the plan, tech companies that generate at least 500 million pounds($640 million) a year in global revenue will pay a levy of 2 per cent&nbsp;of the money they make from UK users from April 2020.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-threatens-france-with-100-tariffs-on-goods-over-digital-tax-265818">France</a>'s&nbsp;digital&nbsp;service&nbsp;tax, which has been set at a rate of 3 per cent&nbsp;of revenue derived from French users backdated to early 2019, has raised the&nbsp;ire&nbsp;of Trump.

The United States said on Monday said it could slap punitive duties of up to 100 per cent&nbsp;on $2.4 billion in imports from<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-act-and-react-as-one-european-union-on-proposed-us-tariffs-on-french-goods-265977"> France</a> of Champagne, handbags, cheese and other products.

"We've&nbsp;taxed wine and we have other&nbsp;taxes scheduled," Trump told reporters, sitting alongside French President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cool-it-france-and-germany-to-tell-trump-at-nato-talks-266086">Emmanuel Macron</a> in London ahead of a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-macrons-criticism-of-nato-very-very-nasty-before-summit-266035">NATO</a> summit, on Tuesday.

"We'd rather not do that, but that's the way it would work. So it's either going to work out, or we'll work out some mutually beneficial&nbsp;tax."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would press ahead with new taxes on US internet giants like Facebook and Google, putting him at odds with US President Donald Trump who has threatened retaliation against France over its digital tax plans.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would press ahead with new taxes on US internet giants like Facebook and Google, putting him at odds with US President Donald Trump who has threatened retaliation against France over its digital tax plans. "On the digital services tax, I do think we need to look at the operation of the big digital companies and the huge revenues they have in this country and the amount of tax that they pay," Johnson said on Tuesday, according to a BBC report. "We need to sort that out. They need to make a fairer contribution." Johnson's Conservative Party has committed to implementing a digital service tax on the revenue of companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon in its blueprint for government if it wins this month's national election. Under the plan, tech companies that generate at least 500 million pounds($640 million) a year in global revenue will pay a levy of 2 per cent of the money they make from UK users from April 2020. France's digital service tax, which has been set at a rate of 3 per cent of revenue derived from French users backdated to early 2019, has raised the ire of Trump. The United States said on Monday said it could slap punitive duties of up to 100 per cent on $2.4 billion in imports from France of Champagne, handbags, cheese and other products. "We've taxed wine and we have other taxes scheduled," Trump told reporters, sitting alongside French President Emmanuel Macron in London ahead of a NATO summit, on Tuesday. "We'd rather not do that, but that's the way it would work. So it's either going to work out, or we'll work out some mutually beneficial tax."

Britain's Johnson backs digital tax despite Trump's ire

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sundar-pichai-named-alphabet-ceo-google-co-founders-step-down-266045">Google</a> has stopped accepting political advertisements in Singapore months before a widely expected election, according to documents shared by a small political party which said it was angered by the decision that denies it, voter, reach.

In email correspondence between the Singapore Democratic Party and a senior Google public policy official, the tech firm said it "will not accept advertising regulated by the Code of Practice for Transparency of Online Political Advertisements".

A spokeswoman for Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;Google told Reuters the email exchange was authentic but declined to comment further.

The new code of practice, part of a controversial '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-bans-fake-news-created-with-ai-bots-265404">fake news</a>' law introduced in October, requires advertising intermediaries to maintain detailed records of political adverts and their sponsors and make those records available to authorities.

The code applies to "all advertisement or paid content that can reasonably be regarded as being directed towards a political end".

In the correspondence shared with media in a statement by SDP, Google's Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, APAC, Ted Osius, said: "This was not an easy decision to make as Google is committed to delivering useful and relevant election-related information to users around the world."

Singapore, which has been ruled by the People's Action Party since independence in 1965, has repeatedly said it is vulnerable to foreign interference in its domestic affairs.

The city-state is gearing up for an election expected to take place within months.

SDP said the "shocking policy" would deprive voters of information ahead of that ballot.

"In an election with the media totally dominated by the state, alternative parties would have no ability to educate and inform the voters of Singapore in the run-up to the elections if we are not able to use&nbsp;Google's advertising platforms in the first place," Paul Tambyah, chairman of SDP, said in the correspondence.

The office administrating Singapore's new fake news law called the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Unlike Google, social media giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/facebook-to-welcome-its-first-ever-facebook-tv-18323">Facebook</a> is still accepting political advertisements in Singapore after implementing new rules under the 'fake news' laws in September.

Facebook on Saturday attached a correction notice to a user's post in the first such instance under the new law.

Rights groups have raised concerns the fake news law could be used to stifle free speech and chill dissent in Singapore, charges government officials have denied.

Google banned political advertising on its platform before Canada's federal election earlier this year, after the country introduced stringent transparency rules.

Google also said last month it would stop giving advertisers data such as public voter records and general political affiliations to target their ads. The move coincides with pressure on social media platforms over their handling of political ads ahead of the US&nbsp;presidential election in 2020.

Google has stopped accepting political advertisements in Singapore months before a widely expected election, according to documents shared by a small political party which said it was angered by the decision that denies it, voter, reach.

Google has stopped accepting political advertisements in Singapore months before a widely expected election, according to documents shared by a small political party which said it was angered by the decision that denies it, voter, reach. In email correspondence between the Singapore Democratic Party and a senior Google public policy official, the tech firm said it "will not accept advertising regulated by the Code of Practice for Transparency of Online Political Advertisements". A spokeswoman for Alphabet Inc's Google told Reuters the email exchange was authentic but declined to comment further. The new code of practice, part of a controversial 'fake news' law introduced in October, requires advertising intermediaries to maintain detailed records of political adverts and their sponsors and make those records available to authorities. The code applies to "all advertisement or paid content that can reasonably be regarded as being directed towards a political end". In the correspondence shared with media in a statement by SDP, Google's Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy, APAC, Ted Osius, said: "This was not an easy decision to make as Google is committed to delivering useful and relevant election-related information to users around the world." Singapore, which has been ruled by the People's Action Party since independence in 1965, has repeatedly said it is vulnerable to foreign interference in its domestic affairs. The city-state is gearing up for an election expected to take place within months. SDP said the "shocking policy" would deprive voters of information ahead of that ballot. "In an election with the media totally dominated by the state, alternative parties would have no ability to educate and inform the voters of Singapore in the run-up to the elections if we are not able to use Google's advertising platforms in the first place," Paul Tambyah, chairman of SDP, said in the correspondence. The office administrating Singapore's new fake news law called the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Unlike Google, social media giant Facebook is still accepting political advertisements in Singapore after implementing new rules under the 'fake news' laws in September. Facebook on Saturday attached a correction notice to a user's post in the first such instance under the new law. Rights groups have raised concerns the fake news law could be used to stifle free speech and chill dissent in Singapore, charges government officials have denied. Google banned political advertising on its platform before Canada's federal election earlier this year, after the country introduced stringent transparency rules. Google also said last month it would stop giving advertisers data such as public voter records and general political affiliations to target their ads. The move coincides with pressure on social media platforms over their handling of political ads ahead of the US presidential election in 2020.

Google stops accepting political advertisements in Singapore month before the elections

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-tightens-bans-on-political-ads-and-causes-ahead-of-2020-us-election-262497">Twitter&nbsp;Inc</a>&nbsp;is updating its&nbsp;global&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;policy to give users more information about what data advertisers might receive and is launching a site to provide clarity on its data protection efforts, the company said on Monday.

The&nbsp;changes, which will take effect on January 1, 2020, will&nbsp;comply&nbsp;with the California Consumer&nbsp;Privacy&nbsp;Act (CCPA).

The California law requires large businesses to give consumers more transparency and control over their personal information, such as allowing them to request that their data be deleted and to opt-out of having their data sold to third parties.

Social media companies including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-instagram-down-in-large-parts-of-the-the-world-203174">Facebook Inc </a>and Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/google-pay-to-offer-checking-accounts-through-citi-stanford-federal-261964">Google </a>have come under scrutiny on data&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;issues, fuelled by Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal in which personal data were harvested from millions of users without their consent.

Twitter&nbsp;also announced on Monday that it is moving the accounts of users outside of the United States and European Union which were previously contracted by&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;International Company in Dublin, Ireland, to the San Francisco-based&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;Inc.

The company said this move would allow it the flexibility to test different settings and controls with these users, such as additional opt-in or opt-out&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;preferences, that would likely be restricted by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gdpr-eu-data-protection-regulation-comes-into-effect-139663">General Data otectPrion Regulation (GDPR)</a>, Europe's landmark digital&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;law.

"We want to be able to experiment without immediately running afoul of the GDPR provisions,"&nbsp;Twitter's data protection officer Damien Kieran told&nbsp;Reuters&nbsp;in a phone interview.

"The goal is to learn from those experiments and then to provide those same experiences to people all around the world," he said.

The company, which said it has upped its communications about data and security-related disclosures over the last two years, emphasized in a Monday blog post that it was working to upgrade systems and build&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;into new products.

In October,&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;announced it had found that phone numbers and email addresses used for two-factor authentication may inadvertently have been used for advertising purposes.

Twitter's new&nbsp;privacy&nbsp;site, dubbed the 'Twitter&nbsp;Privacy&nbsp;Center' is part of the company's efforts to showcase its work on data protection and will also give users another route to access and download their data.

Twitter&nbsp;joins other internet companies who have recently staked out their positions ahead of CCPA coming into effect. Last month, Microsoft Corp&nbsp;said it would honor the law throughout the United States and Google told clients that it would let sites and apps using its advertising tools block personalized ads as part of its efforts to&nbsp;comply&nbsp;with CCPA.

Twitter Inc is updating its global privacy policy to give users more information about what data advertisers might receive and is launching a site to provide clarity on its data protection efforts, the company said on Monday.

Twitter Inc is updating its global privacy policy to give users more information about what data advertisers might receive and is launching a site to provide clarity on its data protection efforts, the company said on Monday. The changes, which will take effect on January 1, 2020, will comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The California law requires large businesses to give consumers more transparency and control over their personal information, such as allowing them to request that their data be deleted and to opt-out of having their data sold to third parties. Social media companies including Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google have come under scrutiny on data privacy issues, fuelled by Facebook's Cambridge Analytica scandal in which personal data were harvested from millions of users without their consent. Twitter also announced on Monday that it is moving the accounts of users outside of the United States and European Union which were previously contracted by Twitter International Company in Dublin, Ireland, to the San Francisco-based Twitter Inc. The company said this move would allow it the flexibility to test different settings and controls with these users, such as additional opt-in or opt-out privacy preferences, that would likely be restricted by the General Data otectPrion Regulation (GDPR), Europe's landmark digital privacy law. "We want to be able to experiment without immediately running afoul of the GDPR provisions," Twitter's data protection officer Damien Kieran told Reuters in a phone interview. "The goal is to learn from those experiments and then to provide those same experiences to people all around the world," he said. The company, which said it has upped its communications about data and security-related disclosures over the last two years, emphasized in a Monday blog post that it was working to upgrade systems and build privacy into new products. In October, Twitter announced it had found that phone numbers and email addresses used for two-factor authentication may inadvertently have been used for advertising purposes. Twitter's new privacy site, dubbed the 'Twitter Privacy Center' is part of the company's efforts to showcase its work on data protection and will also give users another route to access and download their data. Twitter joins other internet companies who have recently staked out their positions ahead of CCPA coming into effect. Last month, Microsoft Corp said it would honor the law throughout the United States and Google told clients that it would let sites and apps using its advertising tools block personalized ads as part of its efforts to comply with CCPA.

Twitter makes global changes to comply with privacy laws

Facebook said on Saturday it had issued a correction notice on a user's post at the request of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-tells-facebook-to-correct-users-post-under-new-fake-news-law-265168">Singapore government </a>but urged for a measured approach to the implementation of a new "fake news" law to protect freedom of speech.

"Facebook is legally required to tell you that the Singapore government says this post has false information," the notice, which could be seen by some users in Singapore, said.

The correction notice was embedded at the bottom of the original post without any alterations to the text, but it could not be seen by other users inside and outside the country.

The Singapore government said on Friday it had instructed Facebook to publish a correction notice on a Nov. 23 post.

"As required by Singapore law, Facebook applied a label to these posts, which were determined by the Singapore Government to contain false information," a spokesperson for Facebook said in an emailed statement.

"As it is early days of the law coming into effect, we hope the Singapore Government's assurances that it will not impact free expression will lead to a measured and transparent approach to implementation."

Facebook said on Saturday it had issued a correction notice on a user's post at the request of the Singapore government but urged for a measured approach to the implementation of a new "fake news" law to protect freedom of speech.

Facebook said on Saturday it had issued a correction notice on a user's post at the request of the Singapore government but urged for a measured approach to the implementation of a new "fake news" law to protect freedom of speech. "Facebook is legally required to tell you that the Singapore government says this post has false information," the notice, which could be seen by some users in Singapore, said. The correction notice was embedded at the bottom of the original post without any alterations to the text, but it could not be seen by other users inside and outside the country. The Singapore government said on Friday it had instructed Facebook to publish a correction notice on a Nov. 23 post. "As required by Singapore law, Facebook applied a label to these posts, which were determined by the Singapore Government to contain false information," a spokesperson for Facebook said in an emailed statement. "As it is early days of the law coming into effect, we hope the Singapore Government's assurances that it will not impact free expression will lead to a measured and transparent approach to implementation."

Facebook corrects user's post under new Singapore fake news law

Singapore said on Friday it had instructed Facebook to correct a post on its social media platform under a new 'fake news' law, after a user declined a government request to do so.

Singapore said on Friday it had instructed Facebook to correct a post on its social media platform under a new 'fake news' law, after a user declined a government request to do so. The move, coming as the Asian city-state gears up for an election, is the first real test of a measure that took effect last month, stoking fears it could stifle free speech and chill dissent. But government officials have rejected such concerns. On Thursday, Singapore ordered blogger Alex Tan to correct his post on the States Times Review Facebook page that made accusations of the arrest of a supposed whistleblower and election rigging, calling them "false" and "scurrilous". Tan, who does not live in Singapore and says he is an Australian citizen, said he would not comply with the request. On Friday, the office administering the law, known as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), said it had directed Facebook to issue the correction after Tan's "non-compliance". The office had also "commenced investigations against Tan", it added, without giving details. Facebook declined to comment and Tan's post was unaltered at 12 noon (0400 GMT) on Friday. Facebook has previously said it was "concerned with aspects of the new law which grant broad powers to the Singapore executive branch to compel us to remove content they deem to be false and to push a government notification to users". Rights groups such as New York-based Human Rights Watch have also warned the law could undermine internet freedoms, not just in Singapore, but elsewhere in Southeast Asia. In the only other case under the law, which covers those both inside and out of Singapore who make false statements communicated in the country, opposition political figure Brad Bowyer swiftly complied with a correction request. The penalties prescribed range from prison terms of as much as 10 years or fines up to S$1 million ($735,000). Singapore, ruled by the People's Action Party since independence in 1965, is widely expected to hold a general election within months, though no official date has been set.

Singapore tells Facebook to correct user's post under new 'fake news' law

Facebook's network of apps consisting of - Facebook, Instagram - suffered a major global outage on Thursday. Users across the globe reported that they were unable to access these social media platforms media files - images, videos, GIFs - on Facebook's services.&nbsp;

Acknowledging the outage Instagram has posted on its official twitter handle that "We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing Facebook’s family of apps, including Instagram. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. #InstagramDown".

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We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing Facebook’s family of apps, including Instagram. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/InstagramDown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#InstagramDown</a>
— Instagram (@instagram) <a href="https://twitter.com/instagram/status/1200077305894162433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Facebook also confirmed the issue on its <a href="https://developers.facebook.com/status/issues/2287293591515186/">service website</a> saying that "We are currently experiencing increased error rates across Facebook Login and the Graph API. Our team is aware of the issue and is working on a fix." 
 
However, this is not the first time that Facebook's and Instagram have suffered a global outage. The social media giant's services - particularly Facebook and Instagram -- suffered one of the worst outages ever back in March, July this year.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook's network of apps consisting of - Facebook, Instagram - suffered a major global outage on Thursday. Users across the globe reported that they were unable to access these social media platforms media files - images, videos, GIFs - on Facebook's services.

Facebook's network of apps consisting of - Facebook, Instagram - suffered a major global outage on Thursday. Users across the globe reported that they were unable to access these social media platforms media files - images, videos, GIFs - on Facebook's services. Acknowledging the outage Instagram has posted on its official twitter handle that "We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing Facebook’s family of apps, including Instagram. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. #InstagramDown". We’re aware that some people are currently having trouble accessing Facebook’s family of apps, including Instagram. We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible. #InstagramDown — Instagram (@instagram) November 28, 2019 × Facebook also confirmed the issue on its service website saying that "We are currently experiencing increased error rates across Facebook Login and the Graph API. Our team is aware of the issue and is working on a fix." However, this is not the first time that Facebook's and Instagram have suffered a global outage. The social media giant's services - particularly Facebook and Instagram -- suffered one of the worst outages ever back in March, July this year. (With inputs from agencies)

Facebook and Instagram suffer global outage

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/singapore-invokes-fake-news-law-for-first-time-over-facebook-post-264359">Facebook</a>&nbsp;on Monday introduced a "Viewpoints" app in the US that pays members of the social network for taking part in surveys.

The new market research app will be used to improve the&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;"family" of offerings including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-in-trouble-as-nearly-50-million-users-data-gets-leaked-online-220423">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/whatsapp-business-launches-on-iphones-207989#the-business-app-207980">WhatsApp</a>, Portal, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/to-boost-the-sale-of-immersive-games-facebooks-oculus-cuts-price-of-its-hardware-17782">Oculus</a> and the core online social network, according to product manager Erez Naveh.

The app could blunt criticism that&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;keeps to itself profits made by taking advantage of data shared on the social network.

"We believe the best way to make products better is to get insights directly from people who use them," Naveh said in an online post.

Points can be accumulated to earn payments, which will be sent to people via PayPal.

People who set up accounts in the Viewpoints app will be invited to take part in programs, the first a well-being survey intended to gather insights that can be used to curb negative effects of social media and enhance its benefits, according to Naveh.

Personal information such as name, age, gender, and country of residence will be gathered while setting up Viewpoints accounts, which are only open to people 18 years of age or older.

"We won't sell your information from this app to third parties," Naveh said.

"We also won't publicly share your&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;Viewpoints activity on&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;or on other accounts you've linked without your permission."

Viewpoints are only available to US&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;members, but the California-based internet giant planned to expand it to more countries next year.

Facebook on Monday introduced a "Viewpoints" app in the US that pays members of the social network for taking part in surveys. The new market research app will be used to improve the Facebook "family" of offerings including Instagram, WhatsApp, Portal, Oculus and the core online social network, according to product manager Erez Naveh.

Facebook on Monday introduced a "Viewpoints" app in the US that pays members of the social network for taking part in surveys. The new market research app will be used to improve the Facebook "family" of offerings including Instagram, WhatsApp, Portal, Oculus and the core online social network, according to product manager Erez Naveh. The app could blunt criticism that Facebook keeps to itself profits made by taking advantage of data shared on the social network. "We believe the best way to make products better is to get insights directly from people who use them," Naveh said in an online post. Points can be accumulated to earn payments, which will be sent to people via PayPal. People who set up accounts in the Viewpoints app will be invited to take part in programs, the first a well-being survey intended to gather insights that can be used to curb negative effects of social media and enhance its benefits, according to Naveh. Personal information such as name, age, gender, and country of residence will be gathered while setting up Viewpoints accounts, which are only open to people 18 years of age or older. "We won't sell your information from this app to third parties," Naveh said. "We also won't publicly share your Facebook Viewpoints activity on Facebook or on other accounts you've linked without your permission." Viewpoints are only available to US Facebook members, but the California-based internet giant planned to expand it to more countries next year.

New Facebook app pays people to take part in surveys

The data-collection business model fueling <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/facebook-to-welcome-its-first-ever-facebook-tv-18323">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/google-pay-to-offer-checking-accounts-through-citi-stanford-federal-261964">Google</a> represents a threat to human rights around the world, Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday.

The organization argued that offering people free online services and then using information about them to target money-making ads imperils a gamut of rights including freedom of opinion and expression.

"Despite the real value of the services they provide, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-translates-sad-to-happy-angering-hong-kong-protesters-against-china-extradition-law-228536">Google</a> and Facebook's platforms come at a systemic cost," Amnesty said in its report, "Surveillance Giants."

"The companies' surveillance-based business model forces people to make a Faustian bargain, whereby they are only able to enjoy their human rights online by submitting to a system predicated on human rights abuse."

With ubiquitous surveillance, the two online giants are able to collect massive amounts of data which may be used against their customers, according to the London-based human rights group.

The business model is "inherently incompatible with the right to privacy," Amnesty contended.

The report maintained that the two Silicon Valley firms have established "near-total dominance over the primary channels through which people connect and engage with the online world," giving them unprecedented power over people's lives.

"Google and Facebook dominate our modern lives -- amassing unparalleled power over the digital world by harvesting and monetizing the personal data of billions of people," said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International's secretary-general.

"Their insidious control of our digital lives undermines the very essence of privacy and is one of the defining human rights challenges of our era."

The report called for governments to implement policies that ensure access to online services while protecting user privacy.

"Governments have an obligation to protect people from human rights abuses by corporations," Amnesty maintained.

"But for the past two decades, technology companies have been largely left to self-regulate."

Facebook pushed back against what it contended were inaccuracies in the report, saying it strongly disagreed with its business model being characterized as surveillance-based.

"Our business model is what allows us to offer an important service where people can exercise foundational human rights -- to have a voice (freedom of expression) and be able to connect (freedom of association and assembly)," said a letter from Facebook privacy and public policy director Steve Satterfield in an annex to the Amnesty report.

"Facebook's business model is not, as your summary suggests, driven by the collection of data about people."

Facebook spotlighted its measures implemented which limit data information used for ad targeting; controls provided to users regarding their data; and steps taken to restrict abuses by apps on the social network.

"As you correctly note, we do not sell data; we sell ads," Facebook said.

Facebook chief and co-founder <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/snapchat-checks-for-misleading-political-advertisements-to-enforce-ban-263042">Mark Zuckerberg</a> has called for governments to implement uniform rules regarding data-handling instead of leaving private companies to make crucial social decisions such as the limits of free speech.

Google did not offer a specific written response.

But the Amnesty report noted that Google announced this month it would limit data that it shares with advertisers through its ad auction platform, following the launch of an inquiry by the Irish data protection authority and had launched a new feature allowing users to delete location data.

The data-collection business model fueling Facebook and Google represents a threat to human rights around the world, Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday.

The data-collection business model fueling Facebook and Google represents a threat to human rights around the world, Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday. The organization argued that offering people free online services and then using information about them to target money-making ads imperils a gamut of rights including freedom of opinion and expression. "Despite the real value of the services they provide, Google and Facebook's platforms come at a systemic cost," Amnesty said in its report, "Surveillance Giants." "The companies' surveillance-based business model forces people to make a Faustian bargain, whereby they are only able to enjoy their human rights online by submitting to a system predicated on human rights abuse." With ubiquitous surveillance, the two online giants are able to collect massive amounts of data which may be used against their customers, according to the London-based human rights group. The business model is "inherently incompatible with the right to privacy," Amnesty contended. The report maintained that the two Silicon Valley firms have established "near-total dominance over the primary channels through which people connect and engage with the online world," giving them unprecedented power over people's lives. "Google and Facebook dominate our modern lives -- amassing unparalleled power over the digital world by harvesting and monetizing the personal data of billions of people," said Kumi Naidoo, Amnesty International's secretary-general. "Their insidious control of our digital lives undermines the very essence of privacy and is one of the defining human rights challenges of our era." The report called for governments to implement policies that ensure access to online services while protecting user privacy. "Governments have an obligation to protect people from human rights abuses by corporations," Amnesty maintained. "But for the past two decades, technology companies have been largely left to self-regulate." Facebook pushed back against what it contended were inaccuracies in the report, saying it strongly disagreed with its business model being characterized as surveillance-based. "Our business model is what allows us to offer an important service where people can exercise foundational human rights -- to have a voice (freedom of expression) and be able to connect (freedom of association and assembly)," said a letter from Facebook privacy and public policy director Steve Satterfield in an annex to the Amnesty report. "Facebook's business model is not, as your summary suggests, driven by the collection of data about people." Facebook spotlighted its measures implemented which limit data information used for ad targeting; controls provided to users regarding their data; and steps taken to restrict abuses by apps on the social network. "As you correctly note, we do not sell data; we sell ads," Facebook said. Facebook chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has called for governments to implement uniform rules regarding data-handling instead of leaving private companies to make crucial social decisions such as the limits of free speech. Google did not offer a specific written response. But the Amnesty report noted that Google announced this month it would limit data that it shares with advertisers through its ad auction platform, following the launch of an inquiry by the Irish data protection authority and had launched a new feature allowing users to delete location data.

Google, Facebook business models threat to rights: Amnesty report

Twitter Inc on Friday said its political advertising ban will include references to political candidates or legislation, and it will not allow ads that advocate for a certain outcome on social and political causes.

Twitter Inc on Friday said its political advertising ban will include references to political candidates or legislation, and it will not allow ads that advocate for a certain outcome on social and political causes. The popular social media site, which first announced its political ads ban last month, had not previously provided details on the new policy. On Friday, it said it will define political content as anything that references "a candidate, political party, elected or appointed government official, election, referendum, ballot measure, legislation, regulation, directive, or judicial outcome." Twitter said it will use a combination of automated technology and human teams to enforce the new ad policies. The move comes as campaigns for the November 2020 presidential election heat up amid growing pressure on social media companies to stop accepting ads that spread false information and could sway elections. "We believe political message reach should be earned, not bought," Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said in announcing the ban. Rival Facebook Inc, saying it did not want to stifle political speech, has refused calls from some politicians and others to follow Twitter's lead, and said it would not vet political ads for misleading claims on its site. The ban is expected to take effect on November 22. Brad Parscale, campaign manager for US President Donald Trump's re-election bid, in a statement called the move, "yet another attempt to silence conservatives, since Twitter knows President Trump has the most sophisticated online program ever known." Bill Russo, deputy communications director for former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign, said in a statement that he appreciates Twitter will not allow "disproven smears" to appear in ads, but said social media companies had more work to do to ensure their sites are not rife with disinformation. "We look forward to seeing how the policy works in practice and intend to hold Twitter to its word," he said. Twitter will allow companies and advocacy groups to run ads that promote awareness and discussion about social causes, such as environmental protection. But they will not be allowed to push for a political or legislative change, especially if they are advocating for something that benefits their business, Del Harvey, vice president of trust and safety, said in a conference call on Friday. Under the new policy for example, Sierra Club could still promote their causes, but they would not be able to single out politicians they support or target those they would like to see defeated in elections, or lobby for political outcomes. Similarly, a group could run a gun violence awareness ad but could not call for a ban on assault weapons used in mass shootings as a ban implies legislation, Twitter said. Ads intended to promote awareness about a cause would be allowed to target users at the state level or higher, but not by zip-code. And those advertisers will not be able to target people based on their political leanings, Twitter said. Roy Temple, a partner at digital media consultancy GPS Impact who has worked with political campaigns, called the move "a gigantic cop-out" by Twitter's CEO that does not involve the loss of much revenue, and he questioned the difficulty of implementing the complicated policy. "I wouldn't want to be the Twitter employee who has to make these calls and defend them,” Temple said. "Universal healthcare is a cause, but is there a bill related to that? Are you talking about the bill or the cause? How is that determined?" Harvey said on Friday the new policies were not expected to change Twitter's fourth-quarter revenue forecast. Political ad spend for the 2018 U.S. midterm elections on Twitter was less than $3 million, the company reported. Critics have said the ban would punish lesser-known candidates taking on well-funded incumbents in local elections. If Facebook and Google - much larger players in digital advertising - were to adopt similar policies it would be "catastrophic" to down-ballot candidates who lack name recognition, said Eric Wilson, a political strategist based in Washington D.C. "If Facebook considers eliminating things like microtargeting, that's when we would panic," Wilson said. He said the platform has been the best vehicle for raising grassroots support, and a similar ban could hurt candidates that do not accept large donations from corporations and political action committees (PACs). Twitter said it sought to make its new rules as clear as possible. But other major tech companies, including Facebook and Alphabet Inc's <GOOGL.O> Google, have had widely publicized struggles to moderate the vast amount of content uploaded to their sites. News publishers that meet certain criteria will continue to be able to run ads on Twitter that reference political content, but they cannot advocate for or against a political topic.

Twitter tightens bans on political ads and causes ahead of 2020 US election

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nso-snoop-row-how-pegasus-broke-into-whatsapp-260055">Spyware Pegasus and Israeli firm NSO</a> are making headlines. Facebook has taken NSO to court for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whatsapp-sues-israels-nso-for-alleged-cyber-espionage-targeting-civil-society-worldwide-258713">hacking into the phones of thousands</a> of people across the globe through WhatsApp. As the row continues to simmer, WION gets the exclusive details.

WION's West Asia bureau chief Daniele Pagani tracked down the NSO headquarters which had moved out of its original building to an undisclosed building complex.

As part of our investigation, WION has also accessed the full 140-page report filed by WhatsApp in the US court. The report gives details about NSO's dealings with governments across the world. What kind of services does NSO offer? What can its super-weapon "the Pegasus" really do?

WION also has access to the agreement that the NSO had signed with a company in Ghana. It has a list of all that these hackers can do. The contract was to monitor 25 phones.

And this isn't just about hacking WhatsApp. The NSO contract says it can monitor virtually any popular smartphone app. &nbsp;

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Exposed!

In today's world, our lives revolve around our smartphones. It has all our details - from our pictures to access to our bank account. Israel's NSO group has built the most powerful spying tool of this century called Pegasus.

For the first time, WhatsApp's lawsuit has revealed the extent to which Pegasus can spy a person.

As part of WhatsApp's court filings, a secret agreement between the NSO and a company in Ghana is now public. The agreement was signed in the year 2015 between the NSO group and Infraloks development limited.

Reports claim Infraloks was a front for the government of Ghana. The deal was worth $8 million and required the monitoring of 25 phones.

NSO's spying tools

The NSO group had offered an entire suite of services. Its tools can hack all major smartphone softwares from iOS, Android or Blackberry. It can read and record virtually anything on a smartphone. It can even extract contact details, messages, emails and the entire call log along with communication done over WhatsApp, Skype or on any of the instant messaging applications.

Tools from the NSO can even record calls and use the phone's camera to capture you. The software even knows how to switch off the phone's flash.

What comes as a shock is that the NSO built exclusion clauses for the citizens of America and Israel.

The NSO group has its headquarters in Israel. It used an American company called Westbridge Technologies Inc. to drum up business in the United States.

And this was just one business. Citizen Lab - part of the University of Toronto in Canada - says there are 36 likely operators of Pegasus across at least 45 countries.

The NSO has refused to reveal the full list of governments it deals with and maintains that it only sells its software to governments. There exists no regulation or legal oversight over this new age surveillance.

The Amnesty International has filed a lawsuit to get the NSO's licence revoked. WION had spoken to Gil Naveh, communications unit head at the Amnesty International who had talked about the specifics of the case and the foundation of the lawsuit.

Spyware Pegasus and Israeli firm NSO are making headlines. Facebook has taken NSO to court for hacking into the phones of thousands of people across the globe through WhatsApp.

Spyware Pegasus and Israeli firm NSO are making headlines. Facebook has taken NSO to court for hacking into the phones of thousands of people across the globe through WhatsApp. As the row continues to simmer, WION gets the exclusive details. WION's West Asia bureau chief Daniele Pagani tracked down the NSO headquarters which had moved out of its original building to an undisclosed building complex. As part of our investigation, WION has also accessed the full 140-page report filed by WhatsApp in the US court. The report gives details about NSO's dealings with governments across the world. What kind of services does NSO offer? What can its super-weapon "the Pegasus" really do? WION also has access to the agreement that the NSO had signed with a company in Ghana. It has a list of all that these hackers can do. The contract was to monitor 25 phones. And this isn't just about hacking WhatsApp. The NSO contract says it can monitor virtually any popular smartphone app. × Exposed! In today's world, our lives revolve around our smartphones. It has all our details - from our pictures to access to our bank account. Israel's NSO group has built the most powerful spying tool of this century called Pegasus. For the first time, WhatsApp's lawsuit has revealed the extent to which Pegasus can spy a person. As part of WhatsApp's court filings, a secret agreement between the NSO and a company in Ghana is now public. The agreement was signed in the year 2015 between the NSO group and Infraloks development limited. Reports claim Infraloks was a front for the government of Ghana. The deal was worth $8 million and required the monitoring of 25 phones. NSO's spying tools The NSO group had offered an entire suite of services. Its tools can hack all major smartphone softwares from iOS, Android or Blackberry. It can read and record virtually anything on a smartphone. It can even extract contact details, messages, emails and the entire call log along with communication done over WhatsApp, Skype or on any of the instant messaging applications. Tools from the NSO can even record calls and use the phone's camera to capture you. The software even knows how to switch off the phone's flash. What comes as a shock is that the NSO built exclusion clauses for the citizens of America and Israel. The NSO group has its headquarters in Israel. It used an American company called Westbridge Technologies Inc. to drum up business in the United States. And this was just one business. Citizen Lab - part of the University of Toronto in Canada - says there are 36 likely operators of Pegasus across at least 45 countries. The NSO has refused to reveal the full list of governments it deals with and maintains that it only sells its software to governments. There exists no regulation or legal oversight over this new age surveillance. The Amnesty International has filed a lawsuit to get the NSO's licence revoked. WION had spoken to Gil Naveh, communications unit head at the Amnesty International who had talked about the specifics of the case and the foundation of the lawsuit.

WION investigates: Unearthing the NSO controversy

<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/lawsuit-accuses-facebook-ad-targeting-of-abetting-bias-259200">Facebook</a>&nbsp;will outline on Wednesday plans to expand encryption across its Messenger platform, despite warnings from regulators and government officials that the enhanced security will help protect paedophiles and other criminals.

Executives told Reuters they will also detail safety measures, including stepped-up advisories for recipients of unwanted content.

The moves follow complaints by top law enforcement officials in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia that&nbsp;Facebook's plan to encrypt messaging on all its platforms would put child sex predators and pornographers beyond detection.

The changes, supported by civil rights groups and many technology experts, will be more fully described by company executives at a Lisbon tech conference later in the day.

Facebook&nbsp;messaging privacy chief Jay Sullivan and other executives said the company would press ahead with the changes while more carefully scrutinizing the data that it collects.

Sullivan plans to call attention to a little-publicized option for end-to-end encryption that already exists on Messenger. The firm hopes increased usage will give the company more data to craft additional safety measures before it makes private chats the default setting.

"This is a good testbed for us," Sullivan said. "It’s part of the overarching direction."

The company will also post more on its pages for users about how the Secret Conversations function works. The feature has been available since 2016 but is not easy to find and takes extra clicks to activate.

The company is also considering banning new Messenger accounts not linked to regular&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;profiles. The vast majority of Messenger accounts are associated with&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;profiles but a greater proportion of stand-alone accounts are used for crime and unwelcome communications, executives said.

"We’re considering a registration process where prospective Messenger users will only be able to sign up for Messenger by creating or logging into a&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;account,” a&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;spokesperson said.

Requiring a link to&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;would reduce the privacy protections of those Messenger users but give the company more information it could use to warn or block troublesome accounts or report suspected crimes to police.

The enhanced safety measures the company plans include sending reminders to users to report unwanted contacts and inviting recipients of unwanted content to send plain-text versions of the chats to&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;to ban senders or potentially report them to police.

Facebook&nbsp;might also send more prompts to users reached by people with no shared friends or who have had many messages or friend requests rejected.

Facebook&nbsp;had previously said it wanted to ease user reporting of misconduct as it gradually moves toward more encryption, but it has given few details.

Facebook will outline on Wednesday plans to expand encryption across its Messenger platform, despite warnings from regulators and government officials that the enhanced security will help protect paedophiles and other criminals.

Facebook will outline on Wednesday plans to expand encryption across its Messenger platform, despite warnings from regulators and government officials that the enhanced security will help protect paedophiles and other criminals. Executives told Reuters they will also detail safety measures, including stepped-up advisories for recipients of unwanted content. The moves follow complaints by top law enforcement officials in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia that Facebook's plan to encrypt messaging on all its platforms would put child sex predators and pornographers beyond detection. The changes, supported by civil rights groups and many technology experts, will be more fully described by company executives at a Lisbon tech conference later in the day. Facebook messaging privacy chief Jay Sullivan and other executives said the company would press ahead with the changes while more carefully scrutinizing the data that it collects. Sullivan plans to call attention to a little-publicized option for end-to-end encryption that already exists on Messenger. The firm hopes increased usage will give the company more data to craft additional safety measures before it makes private chats the default setting. "This is a good testbed for us," Sullivan said. "It’s part of the overarching direction." The company will also post more on its pages for users about how the Secret Conversations function works. The feature has been available since 2016 but is not easy to find and takes extra clicks to activate. The company is also considering banning new Messenger accounts not linked to regular Facebook profiles. The vast majority of Messenger accounts are associated with Facebook profiles but a greater proportion of stand-alone accounts are used for crime and unwelcome communications, executives said. "We’re considering a registration process where prospective Messenger users will only be able to sign up for Messenger by creating or logging into a Facebook account,” a Facebook spokesperson said. Requiring a link to Facebook would reduce the privacy protections of those Messenger users but give the company more information it could use to warn or block troublesome accounts or report suspected crimes to police. The enhanced safety measures the company plans include sending reminders to users to report unwanted contacts and inviting recipients of unwanted content to send plain-text versions of the chats to Facebook to ban senders or potentially report them to police. Facebook might also send more prompts to users reached by people with no shared friends or who have had many messages or friend requests rejected. Facebook had previously said it wanted to ease user reporting of misconduct as it gradually moves toward more encryption, but it has given few details.

Facebook to expand encryption drive despite warnings over crime

Facebook&nbsp;Inc on Monday unveiled a new logo for the company to distinguish it from its apps and&nbsp;to mark the company expanding beyond online social networking to messaging, photo-sharing, virtual reality and even wallets for digital currency.

The new branding, basically the company name in crisp lettering, will be stamped on its "family" of offerings including Messinger, Instagram, Oculus, Workplace, Portal and Calibra, according to chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio.

The social media company said it would start using the new brand within its products and marketing materials and would update the&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;for Business website over the coming weeks.&nbsp;

In June, the company began including "from&nbsp;Facebook" within its apps that includes Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facebook Inc on Monday unveiled a new logo for the company to distinguish it from its apps and to mark the company expanding beyond online social networking to messaging, photo-sharing, virtual reality and even wallets for digital currency.

Facebook Inc on Monday unveiled a new logo for the company to distinguish it from its apps and to mark the company expanding beyond online social networking to messaging, photo-sharing, virtual reality and even wallets for digital currency. The new branding, basically the company name in crisp lettering, will be stamped on its "family" of offerings including Messinger, Instagram, Oculus, Workplace, Portal and Calibra, according to chief marketing officer Antonio Lucio. The social media company said it would start using the new brand within its products and marketing materials and would update the Facebook for Business website over the coming weeks. In June, the company began including "from Facebook" within its apps that includes Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Facebook launches new company logo

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-approach-to-free-speech-draws-line-on-china-257158">Facebook</a> of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services.

Two law firms have filed a discrimination suit in San Francisco federal court on behalf of a 54-year-old woman living in Washington and will ask a judge to grant the case class-action status.

"Women and older persons are entitled to full and equal services of businesses such as Facebook, and the financial services companies that advertise on Facebook's platform," attorney Matthew Handley said in a statement.

"Purposeful targeting of advertisements away from these members of our community unlawfully denies them these guarantees."

The suit contends that women and older people were denied the benefits of ads for financial services because Facebook tools allow messages to be targeted at specific age ranges or genders.

Facebook said it is reviewing the complaint.

"We've made significant changes to how housing, employment and credit opportunities are run on Facebook and continue to work on ways to prevent potential misuse," a spokeswoman for the leading social network told AFP.

"Our policies have long prohibited discrimination and we're proud of the strides we're making in this area."

Facebook announced earlier this year that it was revamping how it uses targeted advertising in a settlement with activist groups alleging it discriminated in messages on jobs, housing, credit and other services.

Under those changes, housing, employment or credit ads would no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or zip code, a practice critics argued had led to discrimination.

In the settlement, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-announces-steps-to-clamp-down-on-misinformation-ahead-of-2020-election-257494">Facebook</a> agreed to take "far-reaching measures to stop advertisers from using age, gender, and other protected traits to target job, housing, and credit ads," according to the law firms involved in the new suit.

"Today's lawsuit alleges that Facebook has not taken any action to stop advertisers from excluding older persons and women from getting financial services ads on Facebook, other than in the limited area of credit ads," the law firms said.

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses Facebook of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services.

A lawsuit filed on Thursday accuses Facebook of letting ad targeting tools be used to exclude women and older people from offers regarding loans, investments and other financial services. Two law firms have filed a discrimination suit in San Francisco federal court on behalf of a 54-year-old woman living in Washington and will ask a judge to grant the case class-action status. "Women and older persons are entitled to full and equal services of businesses such as Facebook, and the financial services companies that advertise on Facebook's platform," attorney Matthew Handley said in a statement. "Purposeful targeting of advertisements away from these members of our community unlawfully denies them these guarantees." The suit contends that women and older people were denied the benefits of ads for financial services because Facebook tools allow messages to be targeted at specific age ranges or genders. Facebook said it is reviewing the complaint. "We've made significant changes to how housing, employment and credit opportunities are run on Facebook and continue to work on ways to prevent potential misuse," a spokeswoman for the leading social network told AFP. "Our policies have long prohibited discrimination and we're proud of the strides we're making in this area." Facebook announced earlier this year that it was revamping how it uses targeted advertising in a settlement with activist groups alleging it discriminated in messages on jobs, housing, credit and other services. Under those changes, housing, employment or credit ads would no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or zip code, a practice critics argued had led to discrimination. In the settlement, Facebook agreed to take "far-reaching measures to stop advertisers from using age, gender, and other protected traits to target job, housing, and credit ads," according to the law firms involved in the new suit. "Today's lawsuit alleges that Facebook has not taken any action to stop advertisers from excluding older persons and women from getting financial services ads on Facebook, other than in the limited area of credit ads," the law firms said.

Lawsuit accuses Facebook ad targeting of abetting bias

Senior&nbsp;government&nbsp;officials&nbsp;in multiple US-allied countries were&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;earlier this year with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-israel-spyware-firm-nso-operates-in-shadowy-cyber-world-218782">hacking&nbsp;software</a> that used Facebook Inc's&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;to take over users' phones, according to people familiar with the messaging company's investigation.

Sources&nbsp;familiar with&nbsp;WhatsApp’s internal investigation into the breach said a “significant” portion of the known victims are high-profile&nbsp;government&nbsp;and military&nbsp;officials&nbsp;spread across at least 20 countries on five continents. Many of the nations are US&nbsp;allies, they said.

The&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;of a wider group of top&nbsp;government&nbsp;officials' smartphones than previously reported suggests the&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;cyber intrusion could have broad political and diplomatic consequences.

WhatsApp&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whatsapp-sues-israels-nso-for-alleged-cyber-espionage-targeting-civil-society-worldwide-258713">filed a lawsuit</a> on Tuesday against Israeli&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;tool developer NSO Group. The Facebook-owned software giant alleges that NSO Group built and sold a&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;platform that exploited a flaw in&nbsp;WhatsApp-owned servers to help clients hack into the cellphones of at least 1,400 users between April 29, 2019, and May 10, 2019.

The total number of&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;users hacked could be even higher. A London-based human rights lawyer, who was among the targets, sent Reuters photographs showing attempts to break into his phone dating back to April 1.

While it is not clear who used the software to hack&nbsp;officials' phones, NSO has said it sells its spyware exclusively to&nbsp;government&nbsp;customers.

Some victims are in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Mexico, Pakistan and India, said people familiar with the investigation.&nbsp;Reuters could not verify whether the&nbsp;government&nbsp;officials&nbsp;were from those countries or elsewhere.

Some Indian nationals have gone public with allegations they were among the targets over the past couple of days; they include journalists, academics, lawyers and defenders of India's Dalit community.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-nso-secretly-transmitted-malicious-code-to-infect-phones-with-spyware-258836">NSO</a> said in a statement that it was "not able to disclose who is or is not a client or discuss specific uses of its technology." Previously it has denied any wrongdoing, saying its products are only meant to help&nbsp;governments catch terrorists and criminals.

Cybersecurity researchers have cast doubt on those claims over the years, saying NSO products were used against a wide range of targets, including protesters in countries under authoritarian rule.

Citizen Lab, an independent watchdog group that worked with&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;to identify the&nbsp;hacking&nbsp;targets, said on Tuesday at least 100 of the victims were civil society figures such as journalists and dissidents, not criminals.

John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, said it was not surprising that foreign&nbsp;officials&nbsp;would be&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;as well.

“It is an open secret that many technologies branded for law enforcement investigations are used for state-on-state and political espionage,” Scott-Railton said.

Prior to notifying victims,&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;checked the target list against existing law enforcement requests for information relating to criminal investigations, such as terrorism or child exploitation cases. But the company found no overlap, said a person familiar with the matter.&nbsp;Governments can submit such requests for information to&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;through&nbsp;an online portal the company maintains.

WhatsApp&nbsp;has said it sent warning notifications to affected users earlier this week. The company has declined to comment on the identities of NSO Group's clients, who ultimately chose the targets.

Senior government officials in multiple US-allied countries were targeted earlier this year with hacking software that used Facebook Inc's WhatsApp to take over users' phones, according to people familiar with the messaging company's investigation.

Senior government officials in multiple US-allied countries were targeted earlier this year with hacking software that used Facebook Inc's WhatsApp to take over users' phones, according to people familiar with the messaging company's investigation. Sources familiar with WhatsApp’s internal investigation into the breach said a “significant” portion of the known victims are high-profile government and military officials spread across at least 20 countries on five continents. Many of the nations are US allies, they said. The hacking of a wider group of top government officials' smartphones than previously reported suggests the WhatsApp cyber intrusion could have broad political and diplomatic consequences. WhatsApp filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against Israeli hacking tool developer NSO Group. The Facebook-owned software giant alleges that NSO Group built and sold a hacking platform that exploited a flaw in WhatsApp-owned servers to help clients hack into the cellphones of at least 1,400 users between April 29, 2019, and May 10, 2019. The total number of WhatsApp users hacked could be even higher. A London-based human rights lawyer, who was among the targets, sent Reuters photographs showing attempts to break into his phone dating back to April 1. While it is not clear who used the software to hack officials' phones, NSO has said it sells its spyware exclusively to government customers. Some victims are in the United States, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Mexico, Pakistan and India, said people familiar with the investigation. Reuters could not verify whether the government officials were from those countries or elsewhere. Some Indian nationals have gone public with allegations they were among the targets over the past couple of days; they include journalists, academics, lawyers and defenders of India's Dalit community. NSO said in a statement that it was "not able to disclose who is or is not a client or discuss specific uses of its technology." Previously it has denied any wrongdoing, saying its products are only meant to help governments catch terrorists and criminals. Cybersecurity researchers have cast doubt on those claims over the years, saying NSO products were used against a wide range of targets, including protesters in countries under authoritarian rule. Citizen Lab, an independent watchdog group that worked with WhatsApp to identify the hacking targets, said on Tuesday at least 100 of the victims were civil society figures such as journalists and dissidents, not criminals. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, said it was not surprising that foreign officials would be targeted as well. “It is an open secret that many technologies branded for law enforcement investigations are used for state-on-state and political espionage,” Scott-Railton said. Prior to notifying victims, WhatsApp checked the target list against existing law enforcement requests for information relating to criminal investigations, such as terrorism or child exploitation cases. But the company found no overlap, said a person familiar with the matter. Governments can submit such requests for information to WhatsApp through an online portal the company maintains. WhatsApp has said it sent warning notifications to affected users earlier this week. The company has declined to comment on the identities of NSO Group's clients, who ultimately chose the targets.

Government officials around the globe targeted for hacking through WhatsApp: Report

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by US House panel on Wednesday over the company's digital currency Libra with the Congressional committee raising&nbsp;fears of its effect on the global financial system.

Facebook's creation of Libra has led several financial players and government officials to question the company's intention and whether it can meet strict US financial regulatory standards.

The Chair put up some hard questions during the hearing. It said that on diversity and inclusion, Facebook had failed.

"You announced that Facebook will not be doing a fact-check on politicians," the chair told Zuckerberg, adding, "your claim to promote freedom of speech does not ring true."

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/facebooks-zuckerberg-testifies-before-united-states-house-panel-257769/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

"These makes me&nbsp;believe that you are above the law, all these problems I have outlined, we have serious concerns that this will challenge the US dollar," the House panel told Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg, however, tried to reassure the House Financial Services Committee lawmakers asserting that the company believes in "empowering people".

"Sending money should be as easy as sending a text," Zuckerberg said, adding, "I am here to empower people, we believe in giving people a voice."

"Libra association is independent, FB will not be a part of this system even outside the US till US regulation approves," Zuckerberg asserted.&nbsp;

"There are a more than a million people who don't have a bank account, there are millions who are out of the financial services," Zuckerberg told the committee.

"The financial system is stagnant, this problem can be solved," he added.

"We will be a global payment system."

"We have to talk about risks including financial stability, financial terrorism before we move. If America does not innovate, we are bound to be left behind."

"I get that I am not the ideal messenger right now," the Facebook CEO conceded.

On the question of new challenges of anonymous wallets being used, Zuckerberg said: "We see a range of cryptocurrency out there, we are trying to build a safe and regulated one."

On alleged discrimination, Zuckerberg said: "In five years, we will have a workforce of more than 50 per cent women and people of colour."

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by US House panel on Wednesday over the company's digital currency Libra with the Congressional committee raising fears of its effect on the global financial system.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by US House panel on Wednesday over the company's digital currency Libra with the Congressional committee raising fears of its effect on the global financial system. Facebook's creation of Libra has led several financial players and government officials to question the company's intention and whether it can meet strict US financial regulatory standards. The Chair put up some hard questions during the hearing. It said that on diversity and inclusion, Facebook had failed. "You announced that Facebook will not be doing a fact-check on politicians," the chair told Zuckerberg, adding, "your claim to promote freedom of speech does not ring true." Watch Video: "These makes me believe that you are above the law, all these problems I have outlined, we have serious concerns that this will challenge the US dollar," the House panel told Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg, however, tried to reassure the House Financial Services Committee lawmakers asserting that the company believes in "empowering people". "Sending money should be as easy as sending a text," Zuckerberg said, adding, "I am here to empower people, we believe in giving people a voice." "Libra association is independent, FB will not be a part of this system even outside the US till US regulation approves," Zuckerberg asserted. "There are a more than a million people who don't have a bank account, there are millions who are out of the financial services," Zuckerberg told the committee. "The financial system is stagnant, this problem can be solved," he added. "We will be a global payment system." "We have to talk about risks including financial stability, financial terrorism before we move. If America does not innovate, we are bound to be left behind." "I get that I am not the ideal messenger right now," the Facebook CEO conceded. On the question of new challenges of anonymous wallets being used, Zuckerberg said: "We see a range of cryptocurrency out there, we are trying to build a safe and regulated one." On alleged discrimination, Zuckerberg said: "In five years, we will have a workforce of more than 50 per cent women and people of colour."

Libra association is independent, Facebook won't be part of it even outside the US till regulators approve: Zuckerberg to US House panel

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US&nbsp;presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US&nbsp;voters on Instagram.

Facebook said on Monday it would increase transparency through measures such as showing more information about the confirmed owner of a Facebook page and more prominently labeling content that independent fact-checkers have marked as false.

The social media giant has come under fire in recent weeks over its policy of exempting ads run by politicians from fact-checking, drawing ire from Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.

Last week, Facebook CEO Mark <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-approach-to-free-speech-draws-line-on-china-257158">Zuckerberg defended</a> the policy, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down.

That same day, the Biden campaign called for the removal of an ad run by a super PAC campaign group, not a politician, that it said contained false claims about the former vice president.

Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global elections policy, said in response that if the now inactive ad ran again, it would be sent to Facebook's third-party fact-checkers.

On Monday, Facebook said would be putting into effect its planned ban on paid ads that tell people in the United States not to vote. Zuckerberg told reporters on a conference call that the ban on voter misinformation would also apply to ads run by politicians.

The company will start labeling state-controlled media on its page and in the site's ad library. In a blog post, Facebook said it planned to expand this labeling to specific posts on both Facebook and Instagram early next year.

Facebook, Twitter&nbsp;and YouTube, the video-streaming service of Alphabet's Google, all recently came under scrutiny after showing ads from Chinese state-controlled media that criticized Hong Kong protesters.

This month, the Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US&nbsp;election said that the Kremlin’s best-known propaganda arm increased its social media activity after that vote.

"The bottom line here is that elections have changed significantly since 2016 and Facebook has changed too." Zuckerberg said on Monday.

"We face increasingly sophisticated attacks from nation states like Russia, Iran and China, but I'm confident we're more prepared."

Theories that China has interfered in US&nbsp;elections are absurd and laughable, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.

If someone says China interfered in the US&nbsp;election, they should provide proof, said Hua. China has never had any interest in interfering with other countries' internal affairs, she said.

Moscow and Tehran have also repeatedly denied the allegations.

Facebook will introduce a new US&nbsp;presidential candidate spend tracker to show how much they have spent on political ads as part of the company's efforts to make its ad library easier to use, Zuckerberg said.

Facebook launched an online library of political ads in 2018, but the database has been criticized by researchers as being poorly maintained and failing to provide useful ad targeting information.

The company plans to heighten protection of the Facebook and Instagram accounts of candidates, elected officials and their teams through a program called Facebook Protect. Participants in the program will be required to turn on two-factor authentication and their accounts will be monitored for signs of hacking.

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US voters on Instagram.

Facebook has announced steps to combat misinformation and voter suppression ahead of the November 2020 US presidential election, on the same day it disclosed the removal of a network of Russian accounts targeting US voters on Instagram. Facebook said on Monday it would increase transparency through measures such as showing more information about the confirmed owner of a Facebook page and more prominently labeling content that independent fact-checkers have marked as false. The social media giant has come under fire in recent weeks over its policy of exempting ads run by politicians from fact-checking, drawing ire from Democratic presidential candidates Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren. Last week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the policy, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down. That same day, the Biden campaign called for the removal of an ad run by a super PAC campaign group, not a politician, that it said contained false claims about the former vice president. Katie Harbath, Facebook's head of global elections policy, said in response that if the now inactive ad ran again, it would be sent to Facebook's third-party fact-checkers. On Monday, Facebook said would be putting into effect its planned ban on paid ads that tell people in the United States not to vote. Zuckerberg told reporters on a conference call that the ban on voter misinformation would also apply to ads run by politicians. The company will start labeling state-controlled media on its page and in the site's ad library. In a blog post, Facebook said it planned to expand this labeling to specific posts on both Facebook and Instagram early next year. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the video-streaming service of Alphabet's Google, all recently came under scrutiny after showing ads from Chinese state-controlled media that criticized Hong Kong protesters. This month, the Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 US election said that the Kremlin’s best-known propaganda arm increased its social media activity after that vote. "The bottom line here is that elections have changed significantly since 2016 and Facebook has changed too." Zuckerberg said on Monday. "We face increasingly sophisticated attacks from nation states like Russia, Iran and China, but I'm confident we're more prepared." Theories that China has interfered in US elections are absurd and laughable, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. If someone says China interfered in the US election, they should provide proof, said Hua. China has never had any interest in interfering with other countries' internal affairs, she said. Moscow and Tehran have also repeatedly denied the allegations. Facebook will introduce a new US presidential candidate spend tracker to show how much they have spent on political ads as part of the company's efforts to make its ad library easier to use, Zuckerberg said. Facebook launched an online library of political ads in 2018, but the database has been criticized by researchers as being poorly maintained and failing to provide useful ad targeting information. The company plans to heighten protection of the Facebook and Instagram accounts of candidates, elected officials and their teams through a program called Facebook Protect. Participants in the program will be required to turn on two-factor authentication and their accounts will be monitored for signs of hacking.

Facebook announces steps to clamp down on misinformation ahead of 2020 election

On September 12, Boeing started putting out 30-second videos in which employees tout its planes' safety, hoping to reassure travelers about the 737 MAX that's been grounded worldwide since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-to-give-100-million-to-families-affected-by-two-737-max-crashes-232883">two crashes</a> that killed 346 people.

"Safety is at the core of our business. We have put hundreds of engineers to work to ensure that this airplane is 100 per cent ready," says Jennifer Henderson, Chief test pilot for the 737, in one of the clips.

"When the 737 MAX returns to service I will absolutely put my family on this airplane," she stressed.

But on a Facebook page for Boeing enthusiasts where the clip was posted, the response is negative.

"Well, I think she could not say it would be unsafe," one member quipped, as Boeing faces the Herculean task of trying to regain the confidence of civil aviation authorities and the public, seven months after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines MAX that killed 157 people.

That came after the downing of a Lion Air MAX in Indonesia in October 2018, killing 189, with the plane's MCAS anti-stall system being blamed in both accidents.

It's not known when the MAX will return to service. Boeing, which still has not submitted a modified version of the MCAS system to regulators, hopes it will be before the end of the year.

"The 737 Max is, for now, an 'airplane non grata' -- a plane passengers do not want to fly," said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group in San Francisco.

"Travelers aren't merely scared of the 737 MAX, they're terrified of it."

Just 19 per cent of business travelers and 14 per cent of leisure travelers would willingly take the 737 MAX within six months of returning to the sky, according to an Atmosphere survey.

Nearly half of the 2,000 respondents said they would pay more to avoid the MAX.

Faced with this distrust, airlines are adapting.

"We will be transparent -- and communicate in advance -- with our customers who are booked to fly on a MAX aircraft, will rebook those who do not want to fly on a MAX at no charge, and for some time will not swap aircraft to a MAX if a change of aircraft is required," said a spokesperson at United Airlines, which owns 14 MAX aircraft.

American Airlines, which has 24 MAX planes, has said its company brass and employees will be the first to fly on the aircraft once it's cleared to return to the sky.

The MAX's setbacks have cast a shadow over a century of history at Boeing, a highlight of which was the success of its 747 jumbo jet, nicknamed the "Queen of the skies."

According to Harteveldt, half of the business passengers and 55 per cent of leisure passengers consider Boeing to be "irresponsible," "arrogant" and "unsafe."

Boeing's management has addressed the trust issue.

"We know that trust has been damaged over the last few months and we own that and we are working hard to re-earn that trust going forward," CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in August.

The trust may have been tested again on Friday when it emerged that some potentially significant documents at Boeing were held back from investigators for months.

Boeing says it has conducted 1,447 flight test hours as of October 13 with the modified MCAS, and Muilenburg personally took part in two tests.

From late September to mid-October, the company also invited airline pilots to simulator training and information sessions in Miami, London, Istanbul, Shanghai and Singapore.

"Boeing has no choice but to get it right this time, however uncomfortable that maybe for now," said Tracy Stewart, an editor at&nbsp;airfarewatchdog.com.

If Boeing can take comfort in anything, it may be that most travelers do not look up which jet they will fly when booking tickets.

Most commercial passengers are "worried about getting an aisle seat, and hoping the overhead bin will still have space for a carry-on," said John Dekker of online travel agency Surf City Travel.

Some experts said one of the best ways for Boeing to regain credibility is to release a video explaining the changes to the 737 MAX to make it safer.

They must "make sure they have informed the consumer that it won't happen again... PERIOD!" said Dekker.

On September 12, Boeing started putting out 30-second videos in which employees tout its planes' safety, hoping to reassure travelers about the 737 MAX that's been grounded worldwide since two crashes that killed 346 people.

On September 12, Boeing started putting out 30-second videos in which employees tout its planes' safety, hoping to reassure travelers about the 737 MAX that's been grounded worldwide since two crashes that killed 346 people. "Safety is at the core of our business. We have put hundreds of engineers to work to ensure that this airplane is 100 per cent ready," says Jennifer Henderson, Chief test pilot for the 737, in one of the clips. "When the 737 MAX returns to service I will absolutely put my family on this airplane," she stressed. But on a Facebook page for Boeing enthusiasts where the clip was posted, the response is negative. "Well, I think she could not say it would be unsafe," one member quipped, as Boeing faces the Herculean task of trying to regain the confidence of civil aviation authorities and the public, seven months after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines MAX that killed 157 people. That came after the downing of a Lion Air MAX in Indonesia in October 2018, killing 189, with the plane's MCAS anti-stall system being blamed in both accidents. It's not known when the MAX will return to service. Boeing, which still has not submitted a modified version of the MCAS system to regulators, hopes it will be before the end of the year. "The 737 Max is, for now, an 'airplane non grata' -- a plane passengers do not want to fly," said Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group in San Francisco. "Travelers aren't merely scared of the 737 MAX, they're terrified of it." Just 19 per cent of business travelers and 14 per cent of leisure travelers would willingly take the 737 MAX within six months of returning to the sky, according to an Atmosphere survey. Nearly half of the 2,000 respondents said they would pay more to avoid the MAX. Faced with this distrust, airlines are adapting. "We will be transparent -- and communicate in advance -- with our customers who are booked to fly on a MAX aircraft, will rebook those who do not want to fly on a MAX at no charge, and for some time will not swap aircraft to a MAX if a change of aircraft is required," said a spokesperson at United Airlines, which owns 14 MAX aircraft. American Airlines, which has 24 MAX planes, has said its company brass and employees will be the first to fly on the aircraft once it's cleared to return to the sky. The MAX's setbacks have cast a shadow over a century of history at Boeing, a highlight of which was the success of its 747 jumbo jet, nicknamed the "Queen of the skies." According to Harteveldt, half of the business passengers and 55 per cent of leisure passengers consider Boeing to be "irresponsible," "arrogant" and "unsafe." Boeing's management has addressed the trust issue. "We know that trust has been damaged over the last few months and we own that and we are working hard to re-earn that trust going forward," CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in August. The trust may have been tested again on Friday when it emerged that some potentially significant documents at Boeing were held back from investigators for months. Boeing says it has conducted 1,447 flight test hours as of October 13 with the modified MCAS, and Muilenburg personally took part in two tests. From late September to mid-October, the company also invited airline pilots to simulator training and information sessions in Miami, London, Istanbul, Shanghai and Singapore. "Boeing has no choice but to get it right this time, however uncomfortable that maybe for now," said Tracy Stewart, an editor at airfarewatchdog.com. If Boeing can take comfort in anything, it may be that most travelers do not look up which jet they will fly when booking tickets. Most commercial passengers are "worried about getting an aisle seat, and hoping the overhead bin will still have space for a carry-on," said John Dekker of online travel agency Surf City Travel. Some experts said one of the best ways for Boeing to regain credibility is to release a video explaining the changes to the 737 MAX to make it safer. They must "make sure they have informed the consumer that it won't happen again... PERIOD!" said Dekker.

Boeing wants it to fly, but travelers fear the 737 MAX

Major European players are joining forces to block Facebook's proposed digital currency because of the dangers it poses to national sovereignty, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced Friday.

The firm opposition from France, Italy and Germany adds to the mounting resistance faced by the tech giant's troubled foray into digital finance.

The Group of 20 economies also warned Friday of "serious" risks of money laundering, fraud and illicit finance posed by Libra, the social media network's proposed digital currency.

Italy, Germany and France will take unspecified steps in the coming weeks "to show clearly that Libra is unwelcome in Europe," Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington.

"We will not allow a private company to have the same power, the same monetary power as sovereign states," he added.

"The major difference between Facebook and governments is that we are subject to democratic control, that is the control of the people."

The Group of Seven economies on Thursday had said any reserve-backed digital currency like Libra -- known as a stable coin -- would require a sound legal framework before entering circulation.

But European officials say they want to go even further by blocking the currency outright.

Like Le Maire, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said Friday he was "very sceptical" about Libra.

"I favour not allowing the establishment of such a global currency because that is the responsibility of democratic states," he said.

But Scholz said he recognized the need for banking reforms to make cross-border payments more simple, cheap and speedy.

"At the same time, we must protect the autonomy of democratic states," he said.

Answer: A clear 'no'&nbsp;

Italian Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri agreed, telling reporters on Friday there was a "strong consensus" among nations not to allow private currencies.

Libra also has faced challenges from within as major financial and commercial players in recent weeks backed out of the project, including Visa, Mastercard, eBay, Stripe, PayPal and the online travel firm Bookings Holdings.

But the Libra Association has tried to ward off a blockade by saying it will address the concerns posed by government officials.

"I repeat our priority today is to work with regulators to answer their legitimate questions and provide all necessary assurances," said Bertrand Perez, managing director of the association.

Le Maire, however, appeared to rule out such cooperation with Facebook, noting that the social media giant planned to tie its cryptocurrency to a basket of reserve assets.

"All Facebook would have to do would be to decide to use more or fewer dollars or euros to affect the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, and thus have a direct impact on trade, industry and nations which use the dollar or euro as their base currency," he said.

This could harm monetary policy and affect governments' efficiency, he added.

"Do we want to put monetary policy in the hands of a private company like Facebook? My answer is clearly no," he said.

Still, he said he was not opposed to the creation of a digital currency, which France could develop "in a European framework."

"The right answer is not a private digital currency under the control of one of the largest multinationals on the planet," he said, referring to Facebook's billions of users.

The Libra association officially launched Monday in Geneva with 21 founding members, including the telecoms firms Vodafone and Iliad, as well as tech outfits Uber, Spotify and Farfetch, blockchain operations such as Anchorage, Xapo and Coinbase and the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

Major European players are joining forces to block Facebook's proposed digital currency because of the dangers it poses to national sovereignty, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced Friday.

Major European players are joining forces to block Facebook's proposed digital currency because of the dangers it poses to national sovereignty, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced Friday. The firm opposition from France, Italy and Germany adds to the mounting resistance faced by the tech giant's troubled foray into digital finance. The Group of 20 economies also warned Friday of "serious" risks of money laundering, fraud and illicit finance posed by Libra, the social media network's proposed digital currency. Italy, Germany and France will take unspecified steps in the coming weeks "to show clearly that Libra is unwelcome in Europe," Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington. "We will not allow a private company to have the same power, the same monetary power as sovereign states," he added. "The major difference between Facebook and governments is that we are subject to democratic control, that is the control of the people." The Group of Seven economies on Thursday had said any reserve-backed digital currency like Libra -- known as a stable coin -- would require a sound legal framework before entering circulation. But European officials say they want to go even further by blocking the currency outright. Like Le Maire, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said Friday he was "very sceptical" about Libra. "I favour not allowing the establishment of such a global currency because that is the responsibility of democratic states," he said. But Scholz said he recognized the need for banking reforms to make cross-border payments more simple, cheap and speedy. "At the same time, we must protect the autonomy of democratic states," he said. Answer: A clear 'no' Italian Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri agreed, telling reporters on Friday there was a "strong consensus" among nations not to allow private currencies. Libra also has faced challenges from within as major financial and commercial players in recent weeks backed out of the project, including Visa, Mastercard, eBay, Stripe, PayPal and the online travel firm Bookings Holdings. But the Libra Association has tried to ward off a blockade by saying it will address the concerns posed by government officials. "I repeat our priority today is to work with regulators to answer their legitimate questions and provide all necessary assurances," said Bertrand Perez, managing director of the association. Le Maire, however, appeared to rule out such cooperation with Facebook, noting that the social media giant planned to tie its cryptocurrency to a basket of reserve assets. "All Facebook would have to do would be to decide to use more or fewer dollars or euros to affect the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar, and thus have a direct impact on trade, industry and nations which use the dollar or euro as their base currency," he said. This could harm monetary policy and affect governments' efficiency, he added. "Do we want to put monetary policy in the hands of a private company like Facebook? My answer is clearly no," he said. Still, he said he was not opposed to the creation of a digital currency, which France could develop "in a European framework." "The right answer is not a private digital currency under the control of one of the largest multinationals on the planet," he said, referring to Facebook's billions of users. The Libra association officially launched Monday in Geneva with 21 founding members, including the telecoms firms Vodafone and Iliad, as well as tech outfits Uber, Spotify and Farfetch, blockchain operations such as Anchorage, Xapo and Coinbase and the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.

European governments move to veto Facebook's digital money

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended the huge social network's policy of refraining from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-exempts-political-speech-from-fact-checking-251925">fact-checking </a>politicians, saying it's not the job of tech firms to "censor."

Speaking to students at Georgetown University in Washington, Zuckerberg responded to critics who argued that Facebook is enabling political leaders including President Donald Trump to propagate misinformation.

Zuckerberg said the policy,&nbsp;which does not include the fact-checking of political speech or ads,&nbsp;is based on a long tradition of allowing free expression.

"I don't think most people want to live in a world where you can only post things that tech companies judge to be 100 per cent true," he said.

"I don't think it's right for private companies to censor politicians or the news in a democracy."

Zuckerberg said Facebook still may remove content from political leaders or others when it may lead to "harm."

But he added: "When it's not absolutely clear what to do, I believe we should err on the side of greater expression."

The comments come with Facebook under heightened pressure to root out misinformation, and at the same time avoid charges from Trump and others of political bias.

Zuckerberg, whose speech was described as a "Conversation on Free Expression," said he still sees Facebook and other social platforms as a positive force because they give more people "a voice."

"The ability to speak freely has been central in the fight for democracy worldwide," he said.

Zuckerberg said he welcomes new regulations on tech platforms but warned against any effort that would strengthen the role in the online ecosystem of Chinese firms or others without the same values of free expression.

"Until recently the internet in almost every country outside of China has been defined by American platforms with strong free expression values," he said.

"But there's no guarantee these values will win out," he said.

He noted that Facebook-owned WhatsApp is used by activists and protesters, while Chinese-based app TikTok has been censoring information on protests.

"Is that the internet that we want?" he asked.

Zuckerberg said any regulation must take into account the value of open expression at a time when China is seeking to "export" its version of the internet.

"While we may disagree on exactly where to draw the line on specific issues, we at least can disagree," he said.

"If another nation's platforms set the rules, our discourse will be defined by a completely different set of values."

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended the huge social network's policy of refraining from fact-checking politicians, saying it's not the job of tech firms to "censor.

Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended the huge social network's policy of refraining from fact-checking politicians, saying it's not the job of tech firms to "censor." Speaking to students at Georgetown University in Washington, Zuckerberg responded to critics who argued that Facebook is enabling political leaders including President Donald Trump to propagate misinformation. Zuckerberg said the policy, which does not include the fact-checking of political speech or ads, is based on a long tradition of allowing free expression. "I don't think most people want to live in a world where you can only post things that tech companies judge to be 100 per cent true," he said. "I don't think it's right for private companies to censor politicians or the news in a democracy." Zuckerberg said Facebook still may remove content from political leaders or others when it may lead to "harm." But he added: "When it's not absolutely clear what to do, I believe we should err on the side of greater expression." The comments come with Facebook under heightened pressure to root out misinformation, and at the same time avoid charges from Trump and others of political bias. Zuckerberg, whose speech was described as a "Conversation on Free Expression," said he still sees Facebook and other social platforms as a positive force because they give more people "a voice." "The ability to speak freely has been central in the fight for democracy worldwide," he said. Zuckerberg said he welcomes new regulations on tech platforms but warned against any effort that would strengthen the role in the online ecosystem of Chinese firms or others without the same values of free expression. "Until recently the internet in almost every country outside of China has been defined by American platforms with strong free expression values," he said. "But there's no guarantee these values will win out," he said. He noted that Facebook-owned WhatsApp is used by activists and protesters, while Chinese-based app TikTok has been censoring information on protests. "Is that the internet that we want?" he asked. Zuckerberg said any regulation must take into account the value of open expression at a time when China is seeking to "export" its version of the internet. "While we may disagree on exactly where to draw the line on specific issues, we at least can disagree," he said. "If another nation's platforms set the rules, our discourse will be defined by a completely different set of values."

Mark Zuckerberg defends Facebook's hands-off policy for politicians

US lawmakers have requested information from Apple critic Spotify as part of an antitrust probe, according to two sources briefed on the investigation into allegations the iPhone maker engages in anti-competitive behavior to support its own apps.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-case-on-restrictive-abortion-law-253858">US</a> House of Representatives Judiciary Committee reached out to the music streaming service with broad requests for information, according to one source, who added the request to the company was narrowed in follow up telephone calls.

Spotify Technology SA filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union in March, but the contact with the committee marks its first known participation in congressional inquiries into the iPhone maker, whose Apple Music streaming service is Spotify's biggest rival.

Spotify and other developers have alleged that Apple engages in anticompetitive behavior by imposing rules that hamper distribution via its App Store, the only way for third-party developers to reach more than 900 million iPhone users.

At the same time, Apple sometimes copies the features of their apps for its own offerings, developers have said. Multiple apps in the App Store offered female cycle tracking before Apple added the same feature to its own health tracking app this fall, for example.

Spotify has been pressing for antitrust action against Apple for several years.

Its representatives have met with Justice Department officials, as well as members of the FTC's Technology Task Force, a group of some 17 attorneys that was set up in February to focus on online platforms and other Internet competition issues, according to one source.

App developers also complain that Apple's Siri, which response to verbal commands and can control Apple's own apps, has long had limited functionality with the vast majority of non-Apple apps, including Spotify.

Apple announced an update to its software in June that would allow Siri to access Spotify and other music services.

Beyond Spotify, the congressional probe has tapped many companies for details on the four big tech firms.

In addition to the Judiciary Committee probe, the big tech companies face a plethora of other antitrust investigations.

The Justice Department is probing Alphabet's Google, Facebook, and Apple while the Federal Trade Commission is investigating <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/paypal-abandons-facebook-backed-libra-cryptocurrency-group-253843">Facebook</a> and Amazon.com. Groups of state attorneys general have also been formed to probe <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-cant-escape-copyright-laws-frances-emmanuel-macron-253863">Google</a> and Facebook.

Spotify has complained also about the 30 per cent fee that Apple charges outside app developers who sell so-called digital goods such as music or e-books on the App Store, using Apple's in-app billing system. Apple bars app makers for collecting payment any other way on the App Store or showing users links or buttons to other ways to pay.

At one point, Apple told Spotify to stop sending emails to users who had just signed up for a free version of its streaming music prompting them to upgrade to the paid service, Spotify has said. Spotify has said the shifting rules, and Apple's threats to block routine app updates, have made it difficult to compete with Apple's own music service on a level playing field.

Asked for comment, Apple referred to its previous responses, published in March, to Spotify's claims. The company says it enforces its App Store rules evenly among all developers and that more than eight out of every 10 apps are free and pay nothing to Apple. Apple has said Spotify pays nothing for users of its free service or for paid Spotify members who signed up outside the App Store.

Apple has said Spotify pays a revenue share on about half a per cent of its 108 million premium users, paying 15 per cent&nbsp;fees on roughly 680,000 customers that Spotify acquired between 2014 and 2016 when it used Apple's payment systems.

US lawmakers have requested information from Apple critic Spotify as part of an antitrust probe, according to two sources briefed on the investigation into allegations the iPhone maker engages in anti-competitive behavior to support its own apps.

US lawmakers have requested information from Apple critic Spotify as part of an antitrust probe, according to two sources briefed on the investigation into allegations the iPhone maker engages in anti-competitive behavior to support its own apps. The US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee reached out to the music streaming service with broad requests for information, according to one source, who added the request to the company was narrowed in follow up telephone calls. Spotify Technology SA filed an antitrust complaint against Apple in the European Union in March, but the contact with the committee marks its first known participation in congressional inquiries into the iPhone maker, whose Apple Music streaming service is Spotify's biggest rival. Spotify and other developers have alleged that Apple engages in anticompetitive behavior by imposing rules that hamper distribution via its App Store, the only way for third-party developers to reach more than 900 million iPhone users. At the same time, Apple sometimes copies the features of their apps for its own offerings, developers have said. Multiple apps in the App Store offered female cycle tracking before Apple added the same feature to its own health tracking app this fall, for example. Spotify has been pressing for antitrust action against Apple for several years. Its representatives have met with Justice Department officials, as well as members of the FTC's Technology Task Force, a group of some 17 attorneys that was set up in February to focus on online platforms and other Internet competition issues, according to one source. App developers also complain that Apple's Siri, which response to verbal commands and can control Apple's own apps, has long had limited functionality with the vast majority of non-Apple apps, including Spotify. Apple announced an update to its software in June that would allow Siri to access Spotify and other music services. Beyond Spotify, the congressional probe has tapped many companies for details on the four big tech firms. In addition to the Judiciary Committee probe, the big tech companies face a plethora of other antitrust investigations. The Justice Department is probing Alphabet's Google, Facebook, and Apple while the Federal Trade Commission is investigating Facebook and Amazon.com. Groups of state attorneys general have also been formed to probe Google and Facebook. Spotify has complained also about the 30 per cent fee that Apple charges outside app developers who sell so-called digital goods such as music or e-books on the App Store, using Apple's in-app billing system. Apple bars app makers for collecting payment any other way on the App Store or showing users links or buttons to other ways to pay. At one point, Apple told Spotify to stop sending emails to users who had just signed up for a free version of its streaming music prompting them to upgrade to the paid service, Spotify has said. Spotify has said the shifting rules, and Apple's threats to block routine app updates, have made it difficult to compete with Apple's own music service on a level playing field. Asked for comment, Apple referred to its previous responses, published in March, to Spotify's claims. The company says it enforces its App Store rules evenly among all developers and that more than eight out of every 10 apps are free and pay nothing to Apple. Apple has said Spotify pays nothing for users of its free service or for paid Spotify members who signed up outside the App Store. Apple has said Spotify pays a revenue share on about half a per cent of its 108 million premium users, paying 15 per cent fees on roughly 680,000 customers that Spotify acquired between 2014 and 2016 when it used Apple's payment systems.

Antitrust probers in Congress ask Spotify to detail alleged Apple abuses: Sources

Facebook on Thursday introduced strict criteria for political ads on the social network in Singapore to prevent the spread of misinformation as the city-state gears up for elections.

Faced with criticism the site has been used to manipulate polls, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-takes-down-pro-trump-pages-with-reported-ukraine-links-2518">Facebook </a>has been tightening rules on such adverts around the world, from the United States to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-change-in-our-position-pakistan-needs-to-combat-terror-india-252143">India</a>.

Those advertising in Singapore about elections and politics on Facebook or its Instagram app will now have to first confirm their identity and location, and disclose who is responsible for the ad, the social network said.

They must also provide information such as a phone number, email or website, said Katie Harbath, Facebook's public policy director.

In addition, the new requirements will apply to those wanting to run ads related to social issues such as immigration and crime topics that are hotly debated by Singaporeans on Facebook.

"To enable healthy discourse in Singapore, we've taken steps to reduce the spread of misinformation, help prevent foreign interference in elections, and, more recently, to bring greater transparency and authenticity to advertising," she said.

Speculation has been mounting that Singaporeans could head to the polls soon after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong convened a committee to review electoral boundaries this month, typically the first step towards a vote.

Facebook came under fire from Singapore authorities earlier this year in the run-up to the passage of new legislation to combat "fake news", with the government accusing tech giants of being unable to police themselves.

The law requires social media platforms to carry corrections or remove content the government deems to be false, but activists have warned it could be used to silence critics ahead of the elections.

Facebook is a major investor in Singapore. The firm has its Asia headquarters in the city-state and last year announced plans to build a $1 billion data centre there, its first in the region.

The Singapore government has long been accused of clamping down on civil liberties and free speech, and targeting their political opponents.

The People's Action Party, which has ruled Singapore uninterrupted for more than five decades, is not seen as being at risk of losing power at the polls to a divided opposition.

Facebook on Thursday introduced strict criteria for political ads on the social network in Singapore to prevent the spread of misinformation as the city-state gears up for elections.

Facebook on Thursday introduced strict criteria for political ads on the social network in Singapore to prevent the spread of misinformation as the city-state gears up for elections. Faced with criticism the site has been used to manipulate polls, Facebook has been tightening rules on such adverts around the world, from the United States to India. Those advertising in Singapore about elections and politics on Facebook or its Instagram app will now have to first confirm their identity and location, and disclose who is responsible for the ad, the social network said. They must also provide information such as a phone number, email or website, said Katie Harbath, Facebook's public policy director. In addition, the new requirements will apply to those wanting to run ads related to social issues such as immigration and crime topics that are hotly debated by Singaporeans on Facebook. "To enable healthy discourse in Singapore, we've taken steps to reduce the spread of misinformation, help prevent foreign interference in elections, and, more recently, to bring greater transparency and authenticity to advertising," she said. Speculation has been mounting that Singaporeans could head to the polls soon after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong convened a committee to review electoral boundaries this month, typically the first step towards a vote. Facebook came under fire from Singapore authorities earlier this year in the run-up to the passage of new legislation to combat "fake news", with the government accusing tech giants of being unable to police themselves. The law requires social media platforms to carry corrections or remove content the government deems to be false, but activists have warned it could be used to silence critics ahead of the elections. Facebook is a major investor in Singapore. The firm has its Asia headquarters in the city-state and last year announced plans to build a $1 billion data centre there, its first in the region. The Singapore government has long been accused of clamping down on civil liberties and free speech, and targeting their political opponents. The People's Action Party, which has ruled Singapore uninterrupted for more than five decades, is not seen as being at risk of losing power at the polls to a divided opposition.

Facebook tightens political advert rules for Singapore

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped all the social media platforms for not being able to establish the original sender of messages.&nbsp; 
A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta expressed concern over WhatsApp's inability in tracing message sources, adding that unregulated online media was a major concern.&nbsp;

During the course of hearing, justice Deepak Gupta remarked, "It is dangerous the way the technology is going. After the last hearing, I researched and found I could buy an Ak-47 on the dark web and in 30 minutes".&nbsp;

There has been massive concern over the spread of fake news, the government has been attempting to enable tractability of such messages but online messaging services like WhatsApp have maintained that they cannot do much as the messages are end-to-end encrypted which disallows privacy invasion. Visibly angered justice Deepak Gupta said he has denounced the use of smartphones, "I was thinking of giving up my smartphone and going back to the old way".

Expressing concern over the spread of fake news, the apex court asked the Centre to file an affidavit within three weeks to come up with social media guidelines without compromising individuals' privacy and protecting the sovereignty of the State.

“The originator (of fake messages) must be traced. At the same time, the sovereignty of the nation and the privacy of individuals should be maintained," said the bench.

The court was hearing a petition filed by social media giant Facebook Inc. for the transfer of the cases from High Courts of Madras, Bombay and Madhya Pradesh to the Supreme Court which sought to link Aadhaar with social media accounts.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped all the social media platforms for not being able to establish the original sender of messages. A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta expressed concern over WhatsApp's inability in tracing message sources, adding that unregulated online media was a major concern.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped all the social media platforms for not being able to establish the original sender of messages. A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta expressed concern over WhatsApp's inability in tracing message sources, adding that unregulated online media was a major concern. During the course of hearing, justice Deepak Gupta remarked, "It is dangerous the way the technology is going. After the last hearing, I researched and found I could buy an Ak-47 on the dark web and in 30 minutes". There has been massive concern over the spread of fake news, the government has been attempting to enable tractability of such messages but online messaging services like WhatsApp have maintained that they cannot do much as the messages are end-to-end encrypted which disallows privacy invasion. Visibly angered justice Deepak Gupta said he has denounced the use of smartphones, "I was thinking of giving up my smartphone and going back to the old way". Expressing concern over the spread of fake news, the apex court asked the Centre to file an affidavit within three weeks to come up with social media guidelines without compromising individuals' privacy and protecting the sovereignty of the State. “The originator (of fake messages) must be traced. At the same time, the sovereignty of the nation and the privacy of individuals should be maintained," said the bench. The court was hearing a petition filed by social media giant Facebook Inc. for the transfer of the cases from High Courts of Madras, Bombay and Madhya Pradesh to the Supreme Court which sought to link Aadhaar with social media accounts.

Sources of WhatsApp, other online messages must be traced: Supreme Court 

Facebook on Monday said that it had made a deal to buy a startup working on ways to command computers or other devices using thoughts instead of taps, swipes, or keystrokes.

CTRL-labs will become part of Facebook Reality Labs with an aim at perfecting the technology and getting it into consumer products, according to Andrew Bosworth, Vice-President of Augmented and Virtual Reality at the California-based social network.

"We know there are more natural, intuitive ways to interact with devices and technology," Bosworth said in a post at Facebook announcing the acquisition.

"And we want to build them. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/libra-facebook-unveils-cryptocurrency-meant-to-be-new-global-currency-228282">vision</a> for this work is a wristband that lets people control their devices as a natural extension of movement,"&nbsp;he added.

Bosworth explained that the wristband will decode electrical impulses such as those sent to hand muscles telling them to move certain ways, such as clicking a computer mouse or pressing a button.

The wristband will translate impulses into signals a device can comprehend, having thoughts rather than mouse clicks or button presses prompt actions on computers, according to Facebook.

"It captures your intention so you can share a photo with a friend using an imperceptible movement or just by, well, intending to," Bosworth said.

"Technology like this has the potential to open up new creative possibilities and reimagine 19th century inventions in a 21st century world," he added.

He spoke of how thought-commanded interactions might dramatically alter how people experience augmented or virtual reality scenarios, which currently feature hand-held controls.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-unveils-new-portal-video-chat-tv-streaming-devices-250423">Facebook</a> did not disclose financial terms of the deal to buy New York-based CTRL-labs, but unconfirmed media reports said it paid more than $500 million.

After Facebook bought virtual-reality gear startup <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-unveils-upgraded-wireless-oculus-headset-vr-push-167899">Oculus</a> in early 2014 in a deal valued at $2 billion, social network Co-Founder and Chief Mark Zuckerberg heralded the technology as the next major computing platform.

Oculus has since built a line of virtual reality gear, pushing down the price and eliminating the need to be plugged into a computer with its Quest VR headset.

In Early 2017, Facebook announced projects aimed at allowing users to use their minds to type messages or their skin to hear words.

The projects were the focus of a team of scientists, engineers, and system integrators with a goal of "creating a system capable of typing 100 words-per-minute straight from your brain," Facebook said at the time.

Such brain-computer interface technology currently involves implanting electrodes, but Facebook wanted to use sensors that could be worn to eliminate the need to surgically intrude on the brain.

Such technology could, for example, let people fire off text messages or emails by thinking, instead of needing to interrupt what they are doing to use smartphone touchscreens.

Facebook on Monday said that it had made a deal to buy a startup working on ways to command computers or other devices using thoughts instead of taps, swipes, or keystrokes.

Facebook on Monday said that it had made a deal to buy a startup working on ways to command computers or other devices using thoughts instead of taps, swipes, or keystrokes. CTRL-labs will become part of Facebook Reality Labs with an aim at perfecting the technology and getting it into consumer products, according to Andrew Bosworth, Vice-President of Augmented and Virtual Reality at the California-based social network. "We know there are more natural, intuitive ways to interact with devices and technology," Bosworth said in a post at Facebook announcing the acquisition. "And we want to build them. The vision for this work is a wristband that lets people control their devices as a natural extension of movement," he added. Bosworth explained that the wristband will decode electrical impulses such as those sent to hand muscles telling them to move certain ways, such as clicking a computer mouse or pressing a button. The wristband will translate impulses into signals a device can comprehend, having thoughts rather than mouse clicks or button presses prompt actions on computers, according to Facebook. "It captures your intention so you can share a photo with a friend using an imperceptible movement or just by, well, intending to," Bosworth said. "Technology like this has the potential to open up new creative possibilities and reimagine 19th century inventions in a 21st century world," he added. He spoke of how thought-commanded interactions might dramatically alter how people experience augmented or virtual reality scenarios, which currently feature hand-held controls. Facebook did not disclose financial terms of the deal to buy New York-based CTRL-labs, but unconfirmed media reports said it paid more than $500 million. After Facebook bought virtual-reality gear startup Oculus in early 2014 in a deal valued at $2 billion, social network Co-Founder and Chief Mark Zuckerberg heralded the technology as the next major computing platform. Oculus has since built a line of virtual reality gear, pushing down the price and eliminating the need to be plugged into a computer with its Quest VR headset. In Early 2017, Facebook announced projects aimed at allowing users to use their minds to type messages or their skin to hear words. The projects were the focus of a team of scientists, engineers, and system integrators with a goal of "creating a system capable of typing 100 words-per-minute straight from your brain," Facebook said at the time. Such brain-computer interface technology currently involves implanting electrodes, but Facebook wanted to use sensors that could be worn to eliminate the need to surgically intrude on the brain. Such technology could, for example, let people fire off text messages or emails by thinking, instead of needing to interrupt what they are doing to use smartphone touchscreens.

Facebook buys startup working on 'mind control of machines'

Facebook Inc unveiled new models of its Portal video chatting devices on Wednesday, making the company's first foray into TV streaming hardware but offering a limited selection of subscription services.

The launch comes as Facebook is trying to pivot toward more private forms of communication, after years of slowing user growth, data-sharing scandals and calls for change to its hands-off approach to content moderation.

The company is already one of the biggest global players in private messaging, with its WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram apps used by 2.4 billion people each month.

It is keeping the focus of its new Portal line on video calling, adding the capability for WhatsApp calls along with improvements to a wide-angle camera that keeps users in focus as they move about a room.

Facebook is also expanding Portal sales into countries including the UK, France, and Australia while lowering prices to more closely compete with industry-leading smart speakers from Amazon and Google that sell for under $100.

Standard models of the Portal, which ship on October 15, will come in $129 and $179 versions. Portal TV will cost $149 and hit the shelves on November 5.

Facebook is hoping the social nature of its products will be its selling point, allowing users to watch shows together while interacting via video call on the same screen.

"I think that in a couple years' time if you have a smart streaming device that doesn't have a camera allowing you to video call people, you're not going to have a competitive product," said vice president of AR/VR Andrew Bosworth. "I think this is the killer feature for a device like this."

Bosworth also touted privacy protections like local processing of smart features on the devices, which means most user data will not be sent back to Facebook servers.

But Portal TV offers only a few music apps and has limited options for TV programming, meaning it could face a stiff challenge in attracting consumers used to content-rich rivals like Apple TV, Netflix, and Roku.

At a demonstration in San Francisco on Tuesday, the only way to stream shows appeared to be via Facebook's Watch app. Executives said Portal TV would have Amazon's Prime Video app loaded by the time it is available.

The company declined to say whether it had approached other content providers like HBO, Hulu or Disney.

Facebook does not disclose how many Portals it has sold since the device's launch late last year, but hardware accounts for a tiny slice of the company's total sales.

Facebook Inc unveiled new models of its Portal video chatting devices on Wednesday, making the company's first foray into TV streaming hardware but offering a limited selection of subscription services.

Facebook Inc unveiled new models of its Portal video chatting devices on Wednesday, making the company's first foray into TV streaming hardware but offering a limited selection of subscription services. The launch comes as Facebook is trying to pivot toward more private forms of communication, after years of slowing user growth, data-sharing scandals and calls for change to its hands-off approach to content moderation. The company is already one of the biggest global players in private messaging, with its WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram apps used by 2.4 billion people each month. It is keeping the focus of its new Portal line on video calling, adding the capability for WhatsApp calls along with improvements to a wide-angle camera that keeps users in focus as they move about a room. Facebook is also expanding Portal sales into countries including the UK, France, and Australia while lowering prices to more closely compete with industry-leading smart speakers from Amazon and Google that sell for under $100. Standard models of the Portal, which ship on October 15, will come in $129 and $179 versions. Portal TV will cost $149 and hit the shelves on November 5. Facebook is hoping the social nature of its products will be its selling point, allowing users to watch shows together while interacting via video call on the same screen. "I think that in a couple years' time if you have a smart streaming device that doesn't have a camera allowing you to video call people, you're not going to have a competitive product," said vice president of AR/VR Andrew Bosworth. "I think this is the killer feature for a device like this." Bosworth also touted privacy protections like local processing of smart features on the devices, which means most user data will not be sent back to Facebook servers. But Portal TV offers only a few music apps and has limited options for TV programming, meaning it could face a stiff challenge in attracting consumers used to content-rich rivals like Apple TV, Netflix, and Roku. At a demonstration in San Francisco on Tuesday, the only way to stream shows appeared to be via Facebook's Watch app. Executives said Portal TV would have Amazon's Prime Video app loaded by the time it is available. The company declined to say whether it had approached other content providers like HBO, Hulu or Disney. Facebook does not disclose how many Portals it has sold since the device's launch late last year, but hardware accounts for a tiny slice of the company's total sales.

Facebook unveils new Portal video chat, TV streaming devices

The Facebook-led Libra cryptocurrency project must meet the highest standards for combating <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-lawmakers-question-facebook-over-plans-on-libra-cryptocurrency-236514">money laundering and terrorism</a> financing if it is to get off the ground, a senior US&nbsp;Treasury official said on Tuesday.

Any cryptocurrency project, including Geneva-based Libra, operating in all or substantial parts of the United States will clearly have to satisfy US&nbsp;regulatory standards, US&nbsp;Under Secretary of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker told reporters in the Swiss capital.

"Whether it's bitcoin, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-needs-very-high-standard-for-libra-coin-us-treasury-steven-mnuchin-236268">Ethereum, Libra, our message</a> is the same to all of these companies: anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism has to be built into your design from the get-go," Mandelker said.

She was speaking after meeting Swiss government officials and representatives from the Bank for International Settlements and other international financial bodies to discuss cryptocurrencies including the planned Libra project, which is to be launched by a Swiss-based association.

While the digital currency industry has paid tremendous attention to developing the underlying technology, much of the industry has paid far too little attention to ensuring that the networks they are building do not enable terrorists and other bad actors to hide and move money, Mandelker said.

The Treasury official said she would meet Switzerland's financial market supervisor FINMA on Tuesday&nbsp;where she would be discussing not only the application of proper anti-money laundering safeguards but also taking enforcement actions against companies flouting those rules would be a priority.

FINMA in August had granted Switzerland's first banking and securities licenses to two blockchain service providers and has built up a digital currency hub nicknamed the "Crypto Valley".

"Switzerland, like a number of other countries, has promoted itself as a hub for fintech and for innovation, and so, of course, any country that promotes itself in that way -&nbsp;&nbsp;in my view, it's incumbent upon that country to take these particular concerns at the highest level in(to) the utmost regard," she added.

The Libra project was still in very early stages of thinking through steps to prevent such crimes, she said, adding Swiss officials had similar views.

Digital currencies such as Libra raise serious concerns and must be regulated as tightly as possible to ensure they do not upset the world's financial system, Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers had said in July.

The Facebook-led Libra cryptocurrency project must meet the highest standards for combating money laundering and terrorism financing if it is to get off the ground, a senior US Treasury official said on Tuesday.

The Facebook-led Libra cryptocurrency project must meet the highest standards for combating money laundering and terrorism financing if it is to get off the ground, a senior US Treasury official said on Tuesday. Any cryptocurrency project, including Geneva-based Libra, operating in all or substantial parts of the United States will clearly have to satisfy US regulatory standards, US Under Secretary of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Sigal Mandelker told reporters in the Swiss capital. "Whether it's bitcoin, Ethereum, Libra, our message is the same to all of these companies: anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism has to be built into your design from the get-go," Mandelker said. She was speaking after meeting Swiss government officials and representatives from the Bank for International Settlements and other international financial bodies to discuss cryptocurrencies including the planned Libra project, which is to be launched by a Swiss-based association. While the digital currency industry has paid tremendous attention to developing the underlying technology, much of the industry has paid far too little attention to ensuring that the networks they are building do not enable terrorists and other bad actors to hide and move money, Mandelker said. The Treasury official said she would meet Switzerland's financial market supervisor FINMA on Tuesday where she would be discussing not only the application of proper anti-money laundering safeguards but also taking enforcement actions against companies flouting those rules would be a priority. FINMA in August had granted Switzerland's first banking and securities licenses to two blockchain service providers and has built up a digital currency hub nicknamed the "Crypto Valley". "Switzerland, like a number of other countries, has promoted itself as a hub for fintech and for innovation, and so, of course, any country that promotes itself in that way - in my view, it's incumbent upon that country to take these particular concerns at the highest level in(to) the utmost regard," she added. The Libra project was still in very early stages of thinking through steps to prevent such crimes, she said, adding Swiss officials had similar views. Digital currencies such as Libra raise serious concerns and must be regulated as tightly as possible to ensure they do not upset the world's financial system, Group of Seven finance ministers and central bankers had said in July.

Facebook's Libra has to build anti-money laundering, anti-terror financing design: US Treasury

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk."

The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors.

"We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said.

Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James.

Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition.

It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials.

'Rising fears'

Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online.

The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University.

"With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives."

Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University.

"It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said.

"Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices."

'More on Monday'

A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target.

The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers."

Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators."

'What's the remedy?'

Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook.

"This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said.

Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy."

Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store.

In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers.

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform.

But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent.

Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust.

"This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement.

But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation.

The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained.

"You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms.

A coalition of US states unveiled on Friday an antitrust investigation of Facebook, the first of what is expected to be a wave of action against dominant technology firms. New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the action on behalf of seven other states and the District of Columbia to probe "whether Facebook has stifled competition and put users at risk." The case may be the first in a series of antitrust actions against Big Tech firms and highlights growing "techlash," based on worries about platforms that control the flow of online information and dominate key economic sectors. "We will use every investigative tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising," James said. Joining the action were attorneys general of Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee, said, James. Earlier this year the US Justice Department said it would launch a "review" of major online platforms to determine if they have stifled innovation or reduced competition. It was not immediately clear if the states would be working in coordination with federal officials. 'Rising fears' Facebook offered no immediate comment, but in the past, it has claimed it is not a monopoly and that consumers have many choices for how to connect with people online. The new probe "shows how unease with large tech companies is spreading beyond Congress and the federal government agencies to the states," said Michael Carrier, professor of antitrust law at Rutgers University. "With each passing day, there are greater fears about these companies controlling our online lives." Yet the legal basis for an antitrust action remains unclear, said Eric Goldman, director of the High Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University. "It remains to be seen if the (attorneys general) has any merit to their complaints or if they will be conducting a fishing expedition hoping to find some damning evidence," Goldman said. "Companies as large as Google or Facebook probably have minor problematic practices the AGs could target, but I'm still waiting for any evidence that would support more structural challenges to the internet giants' practices." 'More on Monday' A separate coalition of states was set to launch another antitrust initiative, with Google reportedly a target. The office of the Texas attorney general scheduled an event Monday in Washington with a "broad coalition of states" to unveil a probe into "whether large tech companies have engaged in anticompetitive behaviour that stifled competition, restricted access, and harmed consumers." Google spokesman Jose Castaneda said the company's services "help people every day, create more choice for consumers, and support thousands of jobs and small businesses across the country" and pledged to "work constructively with regulators." 'What's the remedy?' Maurice Stucke, a University of Tennessee law professor, said he expects one of the areas being investigated will be online advertising markets, which are dominated by Google and Facebook. "This is a great area to look at because the market has been criticized as being opaque," Stucke said. Stucke said the investigations may go further by looking at how tech platforms control data, potentially examining "the intersection between competition law and privacy." Amazon and Apple may also be in the crosshairs. Critics have complained that Amazon wields too much power in online retail and that Apple may disadvantage rivals offering services in its app store. In the European Union, Google has faced a series of antitrust actions and Amazon is now being targeted by enforcers. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has made a breakup of the big tech firms a part of her campaign platform. But some analysts say the case against the tech firms faces challenges because the companies have in many cases provided services for free and brought prices down, making it hard to prove they harmed "consumer welfare," a longstanding judicial precedent. Jessica Melugin of the Competitive Enterprise Institute said the state officials are stretching the limits of antitrust. "This sort of high-profile activism may benefit state AGs' political ambitions, but impose harmful costs on consumers, businesses, and the economy," she said in a statement. But Stucke said it would be wrong to view antitrust law as solely focused on consumer prices, and that it may be applied to questions of competition and innovation. The probes could end up with a variety of outcomes including fines, restrictions on conduct or a breakup, Stucke maintained. "You'd have to show how the remedy would address the concerns," he said.

Antitrust probe of Facebook may be first step against Big Tech

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