India is the world's second-biggest online market. But is the Indian Govt doing enough to regulate the big players? Why India does not have laws to regulate the big tech?

Gravitas: No rules to regulate big tech?

Australia wants tech giants to pay for news. In response, Google has threatened to disable search in Australia. While Facebook says it will not allow users to share news items. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more about Big Tech's bullying in Australia.

Gravitas: Australia wants Google to pay for news; Google threatens to turn off search

Big tech is now on target of lawmakers around the world. Tech giants have immense power over what you get to read or watch. Moreover, they have been accused of avoiding billions in taxes and killing competition. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more.

Gravitas: Big tech is 'avoiding $2.8 billion in tax' in countries like India

For four years, the tweets of Donald Trump dictated headlines worldwide. By using Twitter, Trump was able to bypass the traditional media, evade their critical questions, even incite a mob that would storm the US Capitol. Only when big tech took a stand, and banned the former president, did Donald Trump stop spreading lies about vote-rigging.

This tells a lot about power of tech giants. They influence the hearts and minds of voters worldwide. They do not consider themselves the media. They call themselves tech platforms. But they profit from the media.

In 2020, the pandemic shut down the world and shuttered many businesses. But, big tech remained immune to the virus. Earning big money from a combination of revenue streams. Tech giants added more than 160 billion dollars to their market value last year.&nbsp;

The news industry is bleeding money. According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the global newspaper industry's combined advertising and circulation revenue will fall drastically from 108 billion dollars in 2019, to 86 billion dollars in 2024.

Tech companies are leveraging a major shift in user habits. People turn to social media for breaking news now. And digital news feeds have replaced the front pages of newspapers. The big tech pulls this off by exploiting loopholes in tax laws.

The organization for economic co-operation and development has made an assessment. It believes governments worldwide have lost 240 billion dollars in taxes from big tech.

The developing world has suffered the biggest losses.&nbsp;

According to NGO Action Aid; &nbsp;Google, Facebook and Microsoft should be paying more corporation tax to developing nations. They are missing out on 2.8 billion dollars in tax revenues. Action aid says countries like India, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria and Bangladesh have the highest tax gaps.

Beyond tax avoidance, an acquisition spree has allowed big tech to monopolise the market.

Since 2005, Google's parent company Alphabet along with Apple, Amazon and Facebook have acquired 385 companies in the US.

Alphabet alone has bought out 185 companies. This buying spree had caught the attention of regulators worldwide.

US Federal Trade Commission, the EU, and Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission scrutinizing the deals. Access to large volumes of free content, outdated tax laws and relentless acquisitions have turned big tech into big media.

Global regulators need a new legal toolbox to break their monopoly.

There is a need to level the playing field and make the giants pay.

For four years, the tweets of Donald Trump dictated headlines worldwide. By using Twitter, Trump was able to bypass the traditional media, evade their critical questions, even incite a mob that would storm the US Capitol.

For four years, the tweets of Donald Trump dictated headlines worldwide. By using Twitter, Trump was able to bypass the traditional media, evade their critical questions, even incite a mob that would storm the US Capitol. Only when big tech took a stand, and banned the former president, did Donald Trump stop spreading lies about vote-rigging. This tells a lot about power of tech giants. They influence the hearts and minds of voters worldwide. They do not consider themselves the media. They call themselves tech platforms. But they profit from the media. In 2020, the pandemic shut down the world and shuttered many businesses. But, big tech remained immune to the virus. Earning big money from a combination of revenue streams. Tech giants added more than 160 billion dollars to their market value last year. The news industry is bleeding money. According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the global newspaper industry's combined advertising and circulation revenue will fall drastically from 108 billion dollars in 2019, to 86 billion dollars in 2024. Tech companies are leveraging a major shift in user habits. People turn to social media for breaking news now. And digital news feeds have replaced the front pages of newspapers. The big tech pulls this off by exploiting loopholes in tax laws. The organization for economic co-operation and development has made an assessment. It believes governments worldwide have lost 240 billion dollars in taxes from big tech. The developing world has suffered the biggest losses. According to NGO Action Aid; Google, Facebook and Microsoft should be paying more corporation tax to developing nations. They are missing out on 2.8 billion dollars in tax revenues. Action aid says countries like India, Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria and Bangladesh have the highest tax gaps. Beyond tax avoidance, an acquisition spree has allowed big tech to monopolise the market. Since 2005, Google's parent company Alphabet along with Apple, Amazon and Facebook have acquired 385 companies in the US. Alphabet alone has bought out 185 companies. This buying spree had caught the attention of regulators worldwide. US Federal Trade Commission, the EU, and Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission scrutinizing the deals. Access to large volumes of free content, outdated tax laws and relentless acquisitions have turned big tech into big media. Global regulators need a new legal toolbox to break their monopoly. There is a need to level the playing field and make the giants pay.

Time to break monopoly of Big Tech?

The monopoly of a big tech company is a clear danger to everyone involved. Do you know as to how many companies they have swallowed in the past few years? WION brings you a report.

Big tech killing competition with acquisitions?

India: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday registered a case against UK-based political consulting company Cambridge Analytica for the 'illegal harvesting' of personal data from Facebook users.

CBI registers case against Cambridge Analytica over Facebook data theft

Facebook executives on Thursday fielded questions from an Indian parliamentary panel about changes to WhatsApp's privacy policy, days after the country's technology ministry asked the messaging platform to withdraw them.

The committee asked why Facebook needed to change WhatsApp's privacy terms and how it will impact users, a panel member told reporters on condition of anonymity after the meeting.

"Members wanted to know the implications of the policy for Indian consumers," the panel member said, adding that WhatsApp has said it will submit written responses.

A WhatsApp spokeswoman said the company had provided its views and will continue to assist the committee in the future.

With 400 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market, and the messaging service has big plans for the country's growing digital payments space, including selling health insurance via partners.

The messaging platform this month kicked off a storm when it informed users it was preparing a new privacy policy, under which it could share limited user data, including phone number and location, with Facebook and its group firms.

Demand for rival applications such as Signal and Telegram surged on privacy concerns and WhatsApp last week decided to delay the new policy launch to May from February.

Facebook last year invested $5.7 billion in the digital unit of Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate Reliance Industries, with a big part of that aimed at drawing in tens of millions of traditional shop owners to use digital payments via WhatsApp.

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology this week said in an email to WhatsApp's boss that the new privacy policy terms take away choice from Indian users.

Facebook executives on Thursday fielded questions from an Indian parliamentary panel about changes to WhatsApp's privacy policy, days after the country's technology ministry asked the messaging platform to withdraw them.

Facebook executives on Thursday fielded questions from an Indian parliamentary panel about changes to WhatsApp's privacy policy, days after the country's technology ministry asked the messaging platform to withdraw them. The committee asked why Facebook needed to change WhatsApp's privacy terms and how it will impact users, a panel member told reporters on condition of anonymity after the meeting. "Members wanted to know the implications of the policy for Indian consumers," the panel member said, adding that WhatsApp has said it will submit written responses. A WhatsApp spokeswoman said the company had provided its views and will continue to assist the committee in the future. With 400 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market, and the messaging service has big plans for the country's growing digital payments space, including selling health insurance via partners. The messaging platform this month kicked off a storm when it informed users it was preparing a new privacy policy, under which it could share limited user data, including phone number and location, with Facebook and its group firms. Demand for rival applications such as Signal and Telegram surged on privacy concerns and WhatsApp last week decided to delay the new policy launch to May from February. Facebook last year invested $5.7 billion in the digital unit of Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate Reliance Industries, with a big part of that aimed at drawing in tens of millions of traditional shop owners to use digital payments via WhatsApp. India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology this week said in an email to WhatsApp's boss that the new privacy policy terms take away choice from Indian users.

India parliament panel questions Facebook on WhatsApp's privacy terms

WhatsApp delays privacy policy update: WhatsApp on Friday said that it was delaying its data-sharing change as the rush to rival messaging apps seriously appeared to dent its near-monopoly in several global markets. On the same day, Signal app faced technical difficulties. A message on the app's homepage said that the developers were "working very hard to restore service as quickly as possible". Signal and Telegram have massively benefitted from users' search for a secure app in light of privacy concerns surrounding WhatsApp in accordance with its new policy. WhatsApp had earlier asked users to accept the changes and declared that the app will be unintstalled on February 8 if a user doesn't take action on policy changes.

"We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms," WhatsApp said in a blog post.

The platform said it would instead "go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15."

There was a massive spike in downloads of Signal and Telegram ever since WhatsApp privacy concerns made users across the globe worried. Signal saw more than 100,000 downloads while Telegram was downloaded 2.2 million times in just two days last week, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/india-leading-signals-growth-following-whatsapp-user-data-row-claims-coo-356715">India leading Signal's growth following WhatsApp user data row, claims COO</a>

New Installs of WhatsApp fell by 11 per cent in the first week of 2021 compared to the previous week.

The update concerns how merchants using WhatsApp to chat with customers can share data with Facebook, which could use the information for targeted ads, according to the social network.

"We can't see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook," WhatsApp said in an earlier blog post.

"We don't keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling. We can't see your shared location and neither can Facebook."

Location data along with message contents is encrypted end-to-end, according to WhatsApp.

"We're giving businesses the option to use secure hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers, answer questions, and send helpful information like purchase receipts," WhatsApp said in a post.

(With agency inputs)

WhatsApp delays privacy policy update: WhatsApp on Friday said that it was delaying its data-sharing change as the rush to rival messaging apps seriously appeared to dent its near-monopoly in several global markets.

WhatsApp delays privacy policy update: WhatsApp on Friday said that it was delaying its data-sharing change as the rush to rival messaging apps seriously appeared to dent its near-monopoly in several global markets. On the same day, Signal app faced technical difficulties. A message on the app's homepage said that the developers were "working very hard to restore service as quickly as possible". Signal and Telegram have massively benefitted from users' search for a secure app in light of privacy concerns surrounding WhatsApp in accordance with its new policy. WhatsApp had earlier asked users to accept the changes and declared that the app will be unintstalled on February 8 if a user doesn't take action on policy changes. "We're now moving back the date on which people will be asked to review and accept the terms," WhatsApp said in a blog post. The platform said it would instead "go to people gradually to review the policy at their own pace before new business options are available on May 15." There was a massive spike in downloads of Signal and Telegram ever since WhatsApp privacy concerns made users across the globe worried. Signal saw more than 100,000 downloads while Telegram was downloaded 2.2 million times in just two days last week, according to data analytics firm Sensor Tower Also Read | India leading Signal's growth following WhatsApp user data row, claims COO New Installs of WhatsApp fell by 11 per cent in the first week of 2021 compared to the previous week. The update concerns how merchants using WhatsApp to chat with customers can share data with Facebook, which could use the information for targeted ads, according to the social network. "We can't see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook," WhatsApp said in an earlier blog post. "We don't keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling. We can't see your shared location and neither can Facebook." Location data along with message contents is encrypted end-to-end, according to WhatsApp. "We're giving businesses the option to use secure hosting services from Facebook to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers, answer questions, and send helpful information like purchase receipts," WhatsApp said in a post. (With agency inputs)

WhatsApp delays privacy policy update, Signal faces glitches

Facebook and Twitter have banned Trump. Can they do that? Isn't the move against free speech? Was Trump made a scapegoat? it's time to tame the tech giants.

Gravitas: Who allowed tech giants to control the narrative?

Social media platform Twitter has suspended more than 70,000 accounts that were sharing QAnon content. The move comes days after Trump's loyalist stormed the US Capitol Hill.

Twitter suspends 70,000 accounts sharing QAnon content

How big is big tech? How much influence does it wield? How much does it know about you? How much it shapes your life and future? WION's report tells you exactly how much control you've given to a handful of tech companies.

Decoding the powers of Facebook, Google & Twitter

How big is big tech? How much influence does it wield? How much does it know about you? WION's Palki tells you exactly how much control you've given to a handful of tech companies.

Gravitas: How much does big tech know about you?

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump </a>on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed.&nbsp;

"Over the last month, we've removed thousands of videos which spread misinformation claiming widespread voter fraud changed the result of the 2020 election, including several videos that President Trump posted on Wednesday to his channel," Google in a statement said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/twitter-blocks-donald-trumps-account-threatens-permanent-ban-over-inciting-violence-355046/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Due to the disturbing events that transpired on Wednesday, and given that the election results have been certified, any channel posting new videos with these false claims in violation of our policies will now receive a strike, a penalty which temporarily restricts uploading or live-streaming."&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-presidency-set-for-an-ugly-ending-says-former-italian-premier-silvio-berlusconi-355427">Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi</a>

"Channels that receive three strikes in the same 90-day period will be permanently removed from YouTube."

Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts.&nbsp;

The US president was barred from sharing any post on Facebook or its photo/ video-sharing platform Instagram service for 24 hours, saying his messages were encouraging violence.

 
&nbsp;

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President Donald Trump on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed.

YouTube has removed many videos posted by US President Donald Trump on his channel which spread misinformation over election fraud and warned that in the wake of violence in the US Capitol any account sharing three videos with false claims that are uploaded within 90 days will be permanently removed. "Over the last month, we've removed thousands of videos which spread misinformation claiming widespread voter fraud changed the result of the 2020 election, including several videos that President Trump posted on Wednesday to his channel," Google in a statement said. Watch | "Due to the disturbing events that transpired on Wednesday, and given that the election results have been certified, any channel posting new videos with these false claims in violation of our policies will now receive a strike, a penalty which temporarily restricts uploading or live-streaming." Also read | Trump presidency set for an 'ugly ending', says former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi "Channels that receive three strikes in the same 90-day period will be permanently removed from YouTube." Following the violence and ruckus seen at the US Capitol, earlier social media giants Twitter and Facebook on Thursday suspended Trump's accounts. The US president was barred from sharing any post on Facebook or its photo/ video-sharing platform Instagram service for 24 hours, saying his messages were encouraging violence.

YouTube removes thousands of videos posted from Donald Trump's channel

Whatsapp is updating its privacy policy. Users have to accept the new terms or delete the app. With these changes, Facebook could potentially gather more data about Whatsapp users. Does it mean Facebook can now read your messages?

Gravitas:  Will Facebook now read your Whatsapp messages?

Apple and Facebook are fighting it out for dominance. There was a time the two tech giants were symbiotic. Their latest war over privacy has made consumers helpless.

Gravitas: Tech giants are fighting it out for consumers

Facebook wants to open a marketplace on Whatsapp. The company plans to allow businesses to list their products for customers to buy. WION's Palki tells you more about Facebook's push to turn Whatsapp into a money-making juggernaut

Gravitas: Major changes are coming to Whatsapp

Facebook Inc has dropped the 'likes' button from its redesigned public pages used by artists, public figures and brands, the social media company said on Wednesday. 
 
Facebook Pages will only show followers and have a dedicated News Feed where users can join conversations, interact with peers and engage with fans, the company said in a blog post.&nbsp; 
 
"We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages," Facebook said about the redesign. "Unlike Likes, Followers of a Page represent the people who can receive updates from Pages, which helps give public figures a stronger indication of their fan base," the post explained.&nbsp; 
 
The idea is similar to how Instagram functions where people follow public profiles. "To make Page conversations more visible to a wider audience and surfaced more frequently in their followers’ News Feed, comments from public figures will be bumped to the top of the comments section. People will also be able to follow Pages directly from comments and recommendations posts,"the post further added.&nbsp;

Facebook Inc has dropped the 'likes' button from its redesigned public pages used by artists, public figures and brands, the social media company said on Wednesday.

Facebook Inc has dropped the 'likes' button from its redesigned public pages used by artists, public figures and brands, the social media company said on Wednesday. Facebook Pages will only show followers and have a dedicated News Feed where users can join conversations, interact with peers and engage with fans, the company said in a blog post. "We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages," Facebook said about the redesign. "Unlike Likes, Followers of a Page represent the people who can receive updates from Pages, which helps give public figures a stronger indication of their fan base," the post explained. The idea is similar to how Instagram functions where people follow public profiles. "To make Page conversations more visible to a wider audience and surfaced more frequently in their followers’ News Feed, comments from public figures will be bumped to the top of the comments section. People will also be able to follow Pages directly from comments and recommendations posts,"the post further added.

Facebook drops 'likes' button from public pages, to focus only on followers

Facebook barred US President Donald Trump from posting Wednesday over messages it said were promoting violence as his supporters stormed the US Capitol -- following a similar stand taken by Twitter.

The sanctions came after the president took to social media to issue a series of false claims -- including in a short video -- about the election he lost to Joe Biden having been stolen from him.

"We made the decision that on balance these posts contribute to, rather than diminish, the risk of ongoing violence," Facebook said.

The California-based social media giant said it was handing Trump "a 24-hour feature block" preventing him from posting.

Twitter also locked Trump's account for 12 hours and threatened its permanent suspension, as tech giants scrambled to crack down on his baseless claims about the US presidential election.

The social media platform hid and required the removal of three of Trump's tweets "as a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C."

If the tweets are not removed, the account would remain locked, Twitter said, meaning the president would be unable to tweet from @realDonaldTrump.

Facebook Inc and YouTube, owned by Alphabet's Google, also removed a video in which Trump continued to allege the presidential election was fraudulent even as he urged protesters, who had stormed the Capitol to force Congress to undo his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, to go home.

Both Facebook and Twitter had originally added labels and measures to slow the video's spread.

Tech companies have been under pressure to police misinformation on their platforms around the US election, including through calls by users on Wednesday for major platforms to suspend Trump's accounts.

The president and his allies have continuously spread unsubstantiated claims of election fraud that have proliferated online. Trump on Wednesday blamed Vice President Mike Pence for lacking "courage" to pursue those claims in a tweet that Twitter later took down.

Facebook barred US President Donald Trump from posting Wednesday over messages it said were promoting violence as his supporters stormed the US Capitol -- following a similar stand taken by Twitter.

Facebook barred US President Donald Trump from posting Wednesday over messages it said were promoting violence as his supporters stormed the US Capitol -- following a similar stand taken by Twitter. The sanctions came after the president took to social media to issue a series of false claims -- including in a short video -- about the election he lost to Joe Biden having been stolen from him. "We made the decision that on balance these posts contribute to, rather than diminish, the risk of ongoing violence," Facebook said. The California-based social media giant said it was handing Trump "a 24-hour feature block" preventing him from posting. Twitter also locked Trump's account for 12 hours and threatened its permanent suspension, as tech giants scrambled to crack down on his baseless claims about the US presidential election. The social media platform hid and required the removal of three of Trump's tweets "as a result of the unprecedented and ongoing violent situation in Washington, D.C." If the tweets are not removed, the account would remain locked, Twitter said, meaning the president would be unable to tweet from @realDonaldTrump. Facebook Inc and YouTube, owned by Alphabet's Google, also removed a video in which Trump continued to allege the presidential election was fraudulent even as he urged protesters, who had stormed the Capitol to force Congress to undo his loss to Democratic President-elect Joe Biden, to go home. Both Facebook and Twitter had originally added labels and measures to slow the video's spread. Tech companies have been under pressure to police misinformation on their platforms around the US election, including through calls by users on Wednesday for major platforms to suspend Trump's accounts. The president and his allies have continuously spread unsubstantiated claims of election fraud that have proliferated online. Trump on Wednesday blamed Vice President Mike Pence for lacking "courage" to pursue those claims in a tweet that Twitter later took down.

Facebook blocks Trump from posting for 24 hours over policy violations

Social networking giant Facebook Inc has dropped the “likes” button from its public pages after undertaking a redesigning exercise.&nbsp;

The redesigned public pages are used by artists, public figures, and brands - Facebook said on Wednesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-bans-australian-celebrity-chef-over-misinformation-about-coronavirus-351975" hreflang="en">Facebook bans Australian celebrity chef over misinformation about coronavirus</a>

“The dedicated News Feed will also suggest new connections — other public figures, Pages, Groups and trending content that a Page or public figure cares about”, Facebook’s blog post said

Starting today, Facebook Pages will only display followers and will have a dedicated News Feed section where users can contribute to conversations, interact with their peers, and engage with fans.

The company announced the move on a blog post.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/facebook-removes-anti-vaccine-fake-news-in-israel-government-351166" hreflang="en">Facebook removes anti-vaccine 'fake news' in Israel: Government</a>

"We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages," the blog post said. 
 
“To make Page conversations more visible to a wider audience and surfaced more frequently in their followers’ News Feed, comments from public figures will be bumped to the top of the comments section. People will also be able to follow Pages directly from comments and recommendations posts”, the blog post said additionally.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-accuses-apple-of-anticompetitive-behaviour-over-privacy-changes-350345" hreflang="en">Facebook accuses Apple of anticompetitive behaviour over privacy changes</a> 
 
“We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages. Unlike Likes, Followers of a Page represent the people who can receive updates from Pages, which helps give public figures a stronger indication of their fan base”, it added.

Social networking giant Facebook Inc has dropped the “likes” button from its public pages after undertaking a redesigning exercise. The redesigned public pages are used by artists, public figures, and brands - Facebook said on Wednesday.

Social networking giant Facebook Inc has dropped the “likes” button from its public pages after undertaking a redesigning exercise. The redesigned public pages are used by artists, public figures, and brands - Facebook said on Wednesday. Also read: Facebook bans Australian celebrity chef over misinformation about coronavirus “The dedicated News Feed will also suggest new connections — other public figures, Pages, Groups and trending content that a Page or public figure cares about”, Facebook’s blog post said Starting today, Facebook Pages will only display followers and will have a dedicated News Feed section where users can contribute to conversations, interact with their peers, and engage with fans. The company announced the move on a blog post. Also read: Facebook removes anti-vaccine 'fake news' in Israel: Government "We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages," the blog post said. “To make Page conversations more visible to a wider audience and surfaced more frequently in their followers’ News Feed, comments from public figures will be bumped to the top of the comments section. People will also be able to follow Pages directly from comments and recommendations posts”, the blog post said additionally. Also read: Facebook accuses Apple of anticompetitive behaviour over privacy changes “We are removing Likes and focusing on Followers to simplify the way people connect with their favorite Pages. Unlike Likes, Followers of a Page represent the people who can receive updates from Pages, which helps give public figures a stronger indication of their fan base”, it added.

Facebook redesigns public pages, drops 'likes' button

Facebook has banned Australian celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans for repeatedly spreading misinformation about the novel coronavirus.

Facebook said Thursday it would not "allow anyone to share misinformation about Covid-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm" or falsehoods about Covid-19 vaccines.&nbsp;

"We have clear policies against this type of content and we've removed Chef Pete Evans' Facebook Page for repeated violations of these policies," the company said in a statement.&nbsp;

Evans said on Instagram Thursday that he was glad to be "one of the catalysts for a conversation" about freedom of speech and described the science around the pandemic as "BS".

The former chef's page on Instagram -- a Facebook-owned platform -- with 278,000 followers is still active, however, and includes posts that encourage Sydney residents to defy public health officials and refuse to get tested for the virus.&nbsp;

Facebook has previously banned some high profile accounts that peddled misinformation and hate speech, most notably those of conspiracist Alex Jones and far-right figure Milo Yiannopoulos.

Evans was previously known for promoting pseudoscientific dieting ideas -- often linked to his own commercial enterprises -- such as the palaeolithic diet, earning him the nickname "Paleo" Pete.

Several companies recently ditched Evans and his books were pulled from the shelves after he posted a "black sun" Nazi symbol on social media.

Australia's largest city is currently battling to contain a cluster of more 100 cases that ended months of low community transmission.&nbsp;

Facebook has banned Australian celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans for repeatedly spreading misinformation about the novel coronavirus. Facebook said Thursday it would not "allow anyone to share misinformation about Covid-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm" or falsehoods about Covid-19 vaccines.

Facebook has banned Australian celebrity chef and conspiracy theorist Pete Evans for repeatedly spreading misinformation about the novel coronavirus. Facebook said Thursday it would not "allow anyone to share misinformation about Covid-19 that could lead to imminent physical harm" or falsehoods about Covid-19 vaccines. "We have clear policies against this type of content and we've removed Chef Pete Evans' Facebook Page for repeated violations of these policies," the company said in a statement. Evans said on Instagram Thursday that he was glad to be "one of the catalysts for a conversation" about freedom of speech and described the science around the pandemic as "BS". The former chef's page on Instagram -- a Facebook-owned platform -- with 278,000 followers is still active, however, and includes posts that encourage Sydney residents to defy public health officials and refuse to get tested for the virus. Facebook has previously banned some high profile accounts that peddled misinformation and hate speech, most notably those of conspiracist Alex Jones and far-right figure Milo Yiannopoulos. Evans was previously known for promoting pseudoscientific dieting ideas -- often linked to his own commercial enterprises -- such as the palaeolithic diet, earning him the nickname "Paleo" Pete. Several companies recently ditched Evans and his books were pulled from the shelves after he posted a "black sun" Nazi symbol on social media. Australia's largest city is currently battling to contain a cluster of more 100 cases that ended months of low community transmission.

Facebook bans Australian celebrity chef over misinformation about coronavirus

Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday. 
 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the first person to be vaccinated in Israel. Opinion polls show some two-thirds of the public want to follow suit. 
 
The Justice Ministry said that, at its request, Facebook took down four groups at the weekend that had disseminated texts, photographs and videos with "deliberately mendacious content designed to mislead about coronavirus vaccines". 
 
Such "fake news" included arguments that vaccines would be used to plant government tracking chips in recipients` bodies, to poison them and thus cull the population or to subject them to medical experimentation, the ministry said in a statement. 
 
A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed that four Hebrew-language groups had been taken down as part of the company`s policy against "spreading misinformation regarding the vaccines". 
 
Israeli officials say the country has enough vaccines on order by year`s end to protect the most vulnerable 20% of the population and then lift some coronavirus curbs, but worry that turnout might be dampened if people get false information about the innoculations. 
 
Israel began administering vaccines to medical staff on Sunday. At Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, dozens of doctors and nurses danced as they prepared to receive their injections. 
 
Next in line are elderly Israelis or those in high-risk groups. The wider adult population is slated to get shots in early 2021. 
 
With a population of 9 million, Israel has logged 373,368 coronavirus cases and 3,074 deaths. It has imposed two national lockdowns and is mulling new curbs on high-contagion areas.

Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday.

Facebook has taken down content that spread lies in Israel against coronavirus vaccinations as the government seeks to drum up support for the programme, the Justice Ministry said on Sunday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday became the first person to be vaccinated in Israel. Opinion polls show some two-thirds of the public want to follow suit. The Justice Ministry said that, at its request, Facebook took down four groups at the weekend that had disseminated texts, photographs and videos with "deliberately mendacious content designed to mislead about coronavirus vaccines". Such "fake news" included arguments that vaccines would be used to plant government tracking chips in recipients` bodies, to poison them and thus cull the population or to subject them to medical experimentation, the ministry said in a statement. A Facebook spokeswoman confirmed that four Hebrew-language groups had been taken down as part of the company`s policy against "spreading misinformation regarding the vaccines". Israeli officials say the country has enough vaccines on order by year`s end to protect the most vulnerable 20% of the population and then lift some coronavirus curbs, but worry that turnout might be dampened if people get false information about the innoculations. Israel began administering vaccines to medical staff on Sunday. At Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, dozens of doctors and nurses danced as they prepared to receive their injections. Next in line are elderly Israelis or those in high-risk groups. The wider adult population is slated to get shots in early 2021. With a population of 9 million, Israel has logged 373,368 coronavirus cases and 3,074 deaths. It has imposed two national lockdowns and is mulling new curbs on high-contagion areas.

Facebook removes anti-vaccine 'fake news' in Israel: Government

Facebook Inc has accused rival Apple Inc of engaging in anticompetitive practices -- firing another shot in a months-long standoff between the two tech giants.

The tiff between the two giants began over Apple's planned privacy changes for iOS14.

"Apple is behaving anticompetitively by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of creators and small businesses. Full stop," Facebook Vice President for Ads and Business Products Dan Levy told reporters.

In response, Apple said its new rules will not require Facebook to change its "approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising" but instead requires Facebook to give users on Apple devices a choice of whether to opt in to those practices.

“We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users. Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not," Apple said in a statement.

The world's biggest social media company ran full-page ads in major newspapers criticising Apple's plans, which will limit apps' ability to gather data from people's phones that can be used for targeted advertising.

It said in a blog post that Apple's own personalised ad platform would be exempt from the new prompt requirement the iPhone maker is planning to impose on other companies.

Apple said in June that such activity will require a pop-up notification asking iOS users for "permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," which digital advertising firms expect most will decline.

Levy said that although Facebook disagreed with Apple's approach, it would comply with the new rules and display a prompt. "We don't have a choice if we want our app to be available in the App Store," he said.

He declined to say whether Facebook would take any action to push back against the policy.

Facebook and Apple have also tangled over commission fees the iPhone maker charges apps listed on iOS devices, with Facebook again aligning itself with small developers most affected by the policy.

Facebook said in a blog post that it was "committed to providing relevant information" in a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games challenging the commission fee rules, but declined to specify how it would participate in the litigation.

Opposition against Apple continued to grow on Wednesday as Digital Content Next, a digital media trade association representing members such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, said it had joined the Coalition for App Fairness.

The nonprofit, which includes members like Epic Games and Spotify, is calling on regulators around the world to fight "anticompetitive" app store practices such as Apple's 30% revenue cut on purchases made within apps.

Facebook previously tried to push a notification to its users about Apple's fees but said Apple rejected its "transparency notice."

(with inputs)

Facebook Inc has accused rival Apple Inc of engaging in anticompetitive practices -- firing another shot in a months-long standoff between the two tech giants. The tiff between the two giants began over Apple's planned privacy changes for iOS14.

Facebook Inc has accused rival Apple Inc of engaging in anticompetitive practices -- firing another shot in a months-long standoff between the two tech giants. The tiff between the two giants began over Apple's planned privacy changes for iOS14. "Apple is behaving anticompetitively by using their control of the App Store to benefit their bottom line at the expense of creators and small businesses. Full stop," Facebook Vice President for Ads and Business Products Dan Levy told reporters. In response, Apple said its new rules will not require Facebook to change its "approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising" but instead requires Facebook to give users on Apple devices a choice of whether to opt in to those practices. “We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users. Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not," Apple said in a statement. The world's biggest social media company ran full-page ads in major newspapers criticising Apple's plans, which will limit apps' ability to gather data from people's phones that can be used for targeted advertising. It said in a blog post that Apple's own personalised ad platform would be exempt from the new prompt requirement the iPhone maker is planning to impose on other companies. Apple said in June that such activity will require a pop-up notification asking iOS users for "permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," which digital advertising firms expect most will decline. Levy said that although Facebook disagreed with Apple's approach, it would comply with the new rules and display a prompt. "We don't have a choice if we want our app to be available in the App Store," he said. He declined to say whether Facebook would take any action to push back against the policy. Facebook and Apple have also tangled over commission fees the iPhone maker charges apps listed on iOS devices, with Facebook again aligning itself with small developers most affected by the policy. Facebook said in a blog post that it was "committed to providing relevant information" in a federal antitrust lawsuit filed by Epic Games challenging the commission fee rules, but declined to specify how it would participate in the litigation. Opposition against Apple continued to grow on Wednesday as Digital Content Next, a digital media trade association representing members such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, said it had joined the Coalition for App Fairness. The nonprofit, which includes members like Epic Games and Spotify, is calling on regulators around the world to fight "anticompetitive" app store practices such as Apple's 30% revenue cut on purchases made within apps. Facebook previously tried to push a notification to its users about Apple's fees but said Apple rejected its "transparency notice." (with inputs)

Facebook accuses Apple of anticompetitive behaviour over privacy changes

Facebook is now developing a tool to read people’s minds. No, this isn’t an extrapolation. The social media giant, which is currently under fire from regulators around the world is developing a neural sensor to detect people’s thoughts, and to convert them into action.

On Tuesday, the company also announced plans to come up with a tool which would summarise news articles for readers without reading any.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-will-facebook-be-forced-to-sell-instagram-and-whatsapp-348929/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The announcements were in Facebook’s end-of-year company meeting. Facebook has been mired with controversies about user data, growing employee discontent, and multiple lawsuits in the world.

BuzzFeed news reported that it was able to obtain the audio clips of the company meetings, where such plans were discussed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-closes-fake-accounts-linked-to-french-military-and-russia-350035" hreflang="en">Facebook closes fake accounts linked to French military and Russia</a> 
 
The meeting was laden with pre-recorded messages by key figures at Facebook, many of whom referred to 2020 as a trying year given the pandemic.

Facebook and other social media giants have been put under the watchful eye of governments for doing little to counter fake news about the virus, and in the recently concluded presidential elections in the United States. 
 
The company, during the address claimed to have added 20,000 people to its workforce. Owing to the pandemic, the company saw record usage this year. 
 
During the meeting, Facebook focused on the company’s interest and commitment to artificial intelligence, with an official claiming that new systems would allow AI to run 30 times faster and to even train itself!

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/facebook-launches-collab-as-tiktoks-competition-349987" hreflang="en">Facebook launches 'Collab' as TikTok's competition</a>

Schroepfer added that AI is the key too in battling hate speech, misinformation, and content related issues. According to him, Facebook is now able to detect 95 per cent of all hate speech on the platform.

Currently, the company is caught up in antitrust lawsuit in the United States, while Australia is forcing Facebook to pay journalists for news content. In addition, the European Union is also clamping down on social media giants.

Facebook is now developing a tool to read people’s minds. No, this isn’t an extrapolation. The social media giant, which is currently under fire from regulators around the world is developing a neural sensor to detect people’s thoughts, and to convert them into action.

Facebook is now developing a tool to read people’s minds. No, this isn’t an extrapolation. The social media giant, which is currently under fire from regulators around the world is developing a neural sensor to detect people’s thoughts, and to convert them into action. On Tuesday, the company also announced plans to come up with a tool which would summarise news articles for readers without reading any. The announcements were in Facebook’s end-of-year company meeting. Facebook has been mired with controversies about user data, growing employee discontent, and multiple lawsuits in the world. BuzzFeed news reported that it was able to obtain the audio clips of the company meetings, where such plans were discussed. Also read: Facebook closes fake accounts linked to French military and Russia The meeting was laden with pre-recorded messages by key figures at Facebook, many of whom referred to 2020 as a trying year given the pandemic. Facebook and other social media giants have been put under the watchful eye of governments for doing little to counter fake news about the virus, and in the recently concluded presidential elections in the United States. The company, during the address claimed to have added 20,000 people to its workforce. Owing to the pandemic, the company saw record usage this year. During the meeting, Facebook focused on the company’s interest and commitment to artificial intelligence, with an official claiming that new systems would allow AI to run 30 times faster and to even train itself! Also read: Facebook launches 'Collab' as TikTok's competition Schroepfer added that AI is the key too in battling hate speech, misinformation, and content related issues. According to him, Facebook is now able to detect 95 per cent of all hate speech on the platform. Currently, the company is caught up in antitrust lawsuit in the United States, while Australia is forcing Facebook to pay journalists for news content. In addition, the European Union is also clamping down on social media giants.

Soon, Facebook will be able to read your mind

Facebook has removed two networks based in Russia and one linked to the French military, accusing them of carrying out interference campaigns in Africa.

Two networks running multiple Facebook accounts were assigned to people associated with the Russian Internet Research Agency, and the third had "links to individuals associated with French military," the social media platform said in a statement on Tuesday.

All three were removed from the site for breaking its policy against foreign or government interference.

Facebook added the networks targetted countries mainly in north Africa and some in the Middle East.

Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, and David Agranovich, head of global threat disruption, said in a blog that the campaigns duelled with each other online.

The networks "used fake accounts as a central part of their operations to mislead people about who they are and what they are doing, and that was the basis for our action," Facebook said.

The French network targetted the Central African Republic and Mali, and, to a lesser extent, Niger, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Chad. It involved 84 Facebook accounts, six pages, nine groups and 14 Instagram accounts that violated policy against "coordinated inauthentic behaviour."

Some of the posts, in French and Arabic, were about France's policies in Francophone Africa, claims of Russian interference in CAR elections, supportive comments about the French military and criticism of Russia.

In disrupting the two Russian networks, the social network removed 274 Facebook accounts and 18 Instagram accounts, along with an array of groups and pages.

(with inputs)

Facebook has removed two networks based in Russia and one linked to the French military, accusing them of carrying out interference campaigns in Africa. Two networks running multiple Facebook accounts were assigned to people associated with the Russian Internet Research Agency, and the third had "links to individuals associated with French military," the social media platform said in a statement on Tuesday.

Facebook has removed two networks based in Russia and one linked to the French military, accusing them of carrying out interference campaigns in Africa. Two networks running multiple Facebook accounts were assigned to people associated with the Russian Internet Research Agency, and the third had "links to individuals associated with French military," the social media platform said in a statement on Tuesday. All three were removed from the site for breaking its policy against foreign or government interference. Facebook added the networks targetted countries mainly in north Africa and some in the Middle East. Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of security policy, and David Agranovich, head of global threat disruption, said in a blog that the campaigns duelled with each other online. The networks "used fake accounts as a central part of their operations to mislead people about who they are and what they are doing, and that was the basis for our action," Facebook said. The French network targetted the Central African Republic and Mali, and, to a lesser extent, Niger, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Cote d'Ivoire and Chad. It involved 84 Facebook accounts, six pages, nine groups and 14 Instagram accounts that violated policy against "coordinated inauthentic behaviour." Some of the posts, in French and Arabic, were about France's policies in Francophone Africa, claims of Russian interference in CAR elections, supportive comments about the French military and criticism of Russia. In disrupting the two Russian networks, the social network removed 274 Facebook accounts and 18 Instagram accounts, along with an array of groups and pages. (with inputs)

Facebook closes fake accounts linked to French military and Russia

An Australian regulator sued Facebook Inc on Wednesday accusing it of collecting user data without permission, building on government efforts around the world to rein in the social network.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it was seeking an unspecified fine from Facebook for promoting a virtual private network as a way for people to protect their data, while secretly using the information to pick targets for commercial acquisitions.

The lawsuit echoes a landmark U.S. Federal Trade Commission action accusing the social media giant of inappropriately maintaining market dominance by using customer data to decide on takeover targets including messaging app Whatsapp and image-sharing app Instagram.

"There is a link to what the FTC is saying, but they`re looking at a competition issue," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said at a televised news conference. "We`re looking at the consumer."

A Facebook spokeswoman said the company was "always clear about the information we collect and how it is used".

"We will review the recent filing by the ACCC and will continue to defend our position in response to this recent filing," she added.

Facebook shut down the VPN product in 2019.

Earlier this month, Australia went ahead with plans to make Facebook and internet giant Google pay domestic media outlets for content that appeared on their websites, at Sims`s recommendation.

The Australian privacy regulator has a separate lawsuit against Facebook accusing it of breaching user privacy with a personality test run by political marketing consultant Cambridge Analytica. Facebook is defending that action. The ACCC is also suing Google alleging it misled users about data collection.

Unlike the U.S. lawsuit, which may force Facebook to sell assets, the Australian lawsuit may force the company to change the way it discloses its activities to users, said Rob Nicholls, a University of New South Wales associate professor who specialises in competition law.

"Rather than take the antitrust approach of `the only way to solve this is to break it up`, it`s more `we`re going to take the actions that we can under the existing law to change the conduct so that it is acceptable to Australian consumers and Australian businesses," Nicholls said.

An Australian regulator sued Facebook Inc on Wednesday accusing it of collecting user data without permission, building on government efforts around the world to rein in the social network.

An Australian regulator sued Facebook Inc on Wednesday accusing it of collecting user data without permission, building on government efforts around the world to rein in the social network. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said it was seeking an unspecified fine from Facebook for promoting a virtual private network as a way for people to protect their data, while secretly using the information to pick targets for commercial acquisitions. The lawsuit echoes a landmark U.S. Federal Trade Commission action accusing the social media giant of inappropriately maintaining market dominance by using customer data to decide on takeover targets including messaging app Whatsapp and image-sharing app Instagram. "There is a link to what the FTC is saying, but they`re looking at a competition issue," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said at a televised news conference. "We`re looking at the consumer." A Facebook spokeswoman said the company was "always clear about the information we collect and how it is used". "We will review the recent filing by the ACCC and will continue to defend our position in response to this recent filing," she added. Facebook shut down the VPN product in 2019. Earlier this month, Australia went ahead with plans to make Facebook and internet giant Google pay domestic media outlets for content that appeared on their websites, at Sims`s recommendation. The Australian privacy regulator has a separate lawsuit against Facebook accusing it of breaching user privacy with a personality test run by political marketing consultant Cambridge Analytica. Facebook is defending that action. The ACCC is also suing Google alleging it misled users about data collection. Unlike the U.S. lawsuit, which may force Facebook to sell assets, the Australian lawsuit may force the company to change the way it discloses its activities to users, said Rob Nicholls, a University of New South Wales associate professor who specialises in competition law. "Rather than take the antitrust approach of `the only way to solve this is to break it up`, it`s more `we`re going to take the actions that we can under the existing law to change the conduct so that it is acceptable to Australian consumers and Australian businesses," Nicholls said.

Australia sues Facebook over user data, echoing US antitrust case

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok are facing pressure from many governments around the world for their unstoppable circulation of harmful content. U.K. govt also warns to impose fines if needed.

Britain's crackdown on harmful online content, asks tech giants to ensure safe content

Facebook, Twitter and TikTok face fines of up to 10% of turnover if they fail to remove and limit the spread of illegal content under laws proposed by Britain on Tuesday. 
 
Tech platforms will also need to do more to protect children from being exposed to grooming, bullying and pornography, the government said, to ensure the safety of children online.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/south-asia/facebook-removes-two-hacking-groups-from-bangladesh-vietnam-349001" hreflang="en">Facebook removes two hacking groups from Bangladesh, Vietnam</a> 
 
"We are entering a new age of accountability for tech to protect children and vulnerable users, to restore trust in this industry, and to enshrine in law safeguards for free speech," Britain`s Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said. 
 
Governments globally are wrestling over measures to better control illegal or dangerous content on social media, with the European Union set to unveil its own package on Tuesday. 
 
Britain`s new rules, which will be introduced in legislation next year, could lead to sites which break the rules being blocked and senior managers held liable for content. 
 
Popular platforms will be required to have clear policies for content that, while not illegal, could cause harm such as disseminating misinformation about COVID vaccines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-faces-lawsuits-that-could-force-sale-of-instagram-whatsapp-348713" hreflang="en">Facebook faces lawsuits that could force sale of Instagram, WhatsApp</a> 
 
Dowden said the framework would give large digital businesses "robust rules" to follow. 
 
Facebook and Google said in February they would work with the government on the regulations. Both companies said they took safety extremely seriously and they had already changed their policies and operations to better tackle the issue. 
 
British media regulator Ofcom will be given the power to fine companies up to 18 million pounds ($24 million) or 10% of global turnover, whichever is higher, for breaking the rules. 
 
It will also be able to block non-compliant services from being accessed in Britain.&nbsp; 
 
Online journalism and reader comments on news publishers` websites will be exempt to safeguard freedom of expression.

Facebook, Twitter and TikTok face fines of up to 10% of turnover if they fail to remove and limit the spread of illegal content under laws proposed by Britain on Tuesday.

Facebook, Twitter and TikTok face fines of up to 10% of turnover if they fail to remove and limit the spread of illegal content under laws proposed by Britain on Tuesday. Tech platforms will also need to do more to protect children from being exposed to grooming, bullying and pornography, the government said, to ensure the safety of children online. Also read: Facebook removes two hacking groups from Bangladesh, Vietnam "We are entering a new age of accountability for tech to protect children and vulnerable users, to restore trust in this industry, and to enshrine in law safeguards for free speech," Britain`s Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said. Governments globally are wrestling over measures to better control illegal or dangerous content on social media, with the European Union set to unveil its own package on Tuesday. Britain`s new rules, which will be introduced in legislation next year, could lead to sites which break the rules being blocked and senior managers held liable for content. Popular platforms will be required to have clear policies for content that, while not illegal, could cause harm such as disseminating misinformation about COVID vaccines. Also read: Facebook faces lawsuits that could force sale of Instagram, WhatsApp Dowden said the framework would give large digital businesses "robust rules" to follow. Facebook and Google said in February they would work with the government on the regulations. Both companies said they took safety extremely seriously and they had already changed their policies and operations to better tackle the issue. British media regulator Ofcom will be given the power to fine companies up to 18 million pounds ($24 million) or 10% of global turnover, whichever is higher, for breaking the rules. It will also be able to block non-compliant services from being accessed in Britain. Online journalism and reader comments on news publishers` websites will be exempt to safeguard freedom of expression.

Facebook, Twitter face British fines if fail on harmful content

Will Mark Zuckerberg be forced to sell Instagram and Whatsapp? The US government has sued Facebook, claiming the company is a monopoly - and must be broken up.

Gravitas: Will Facebook be forced to sell Instagram and Whatsapp?

The U.S. Justice Department accused Facebook Inc on Thursday of discriminating against U.S. workers, saying in a new lawsuit the social media giant has given hiring preferences to temporary workers, including those who hold H-1B visas.

US Justice Department accuses Facebook of discriminating against US workers

Facebook Inc could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the US Federal Trade Commission and nearly every US state filed lawsuits against the social media company.

The several lawsuits say the social media giant uses a "buy or bury" strategy to snap up rivals and keep smaller competitors at bay.

The lawsuits also highlight the growing bipartisan consensus to hold Big Tech accountable for its business practices and mark a rare moment of agreement between the Trump administration and Democrats, some of whom have advocated breaking up both Google and Facebook.

With the filing of the twin lawsuits on Wednesday, Facebook becomes the second big tech company to face a major legal challenge this year after the US Justice Department sued Alphabet Inc's Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of using its market power to fend off rivals.

The complaints on Wednesday accuse Facebook of buying up rivals, focussing specifically on its previous acquisitions of photo-sharing app Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and messaging app WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014.

Federal and state regulators said the acquisitions should be unwound -- a move that is likely to set off a long legal challenge as the deals were cleared years earlier by the FTC.

Facebook's general counsel Jennifer Newstead called the lawsuits "revisionist history" and said antitrust laws do not exist to punish "successful companies." She said WhatsApp and Instagram have succeeded after Facebook invested billions of dollars in growing the apps.

"The government now wants a do-over, sending a chilling warning to American business that no sale is ever final," Newstead said.

Newstead also raised doubts about alleged harms caused by Facebook, arguing that consumers benefited from its decision to make WhatsApp free, and rivals like YouTube, Twitter and WeChat did "just fine" without access to its developer platform.

In a post on Facebook's internal discussion platform, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees he did not anticipate "any impact on individual teams or roles" as a result of the lawsuits, which he said were "one step in a process which could take years to play out in its entirety."

Zuckerberg told employees in July that Facebook would "go to the mat" to fight a legal challenge to break up the company, calling it an "existential" threat, according to audio of internal company meetings published by The Verge.

The lawsuits are the biggest antitrust cases in a generation, comparable to the lawsuit against Microsoft Corp in 1998. The federal government eventually settled that case, but the yearslong court fight and extended scrutiny prevented the company from thwarting competitors and is credited with clearing the way for the explosive growth of the internet.

Last month, Facebook said it was buying customer service start-up Kustomer, in an acquisition that the Wall Street Journal said valued Kustomer at $1 billion.

Facebook also bought Giphy, a popular website for making and sharing animated images, or GIFs, in May. That acquisition has already drawn scrutiny from the United Kingdom's competition watchdog.

Facebook shares fell as much as 3% after the news before paring losses to close down 1.9%.

(with inputs)

Facebook Inc could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the US Federal Trade Commission and nearly every US state filed lawsuits against the social media company.

Facebook Inc could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the US Federal Trade Commission and nearly every US state filed lawsuits against the social media company. The several lawsuits say the social media giant uses a "buy or bury" strategy to snap up rivals and keep smaller competitors at bay. The lawsuits also highlight the growing bipartisan consensus to hold Big Tech accountable for its business practices and mark a rare moment of agreement between the Trump administration and Democrats, some of whom have advocated breaking up both Google and Facebook. With the filing of the twin lawsuits on Wednesday, Facebook becomes the second big tech company to face a major legal challenge this year after the US Justice Department sued Alphabet Inc's Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of using its market power to fend off rivals. The complaints on Wednesday accuse Facebook of buying up rivals, focussing specifically on its previous acquisitions of photo-sharing app Instagram for $1 billion in 2012 and messaging app WhatsApp for $19 billion in 2014. Federal and state regulators said the acquisitions should be unwound -- a move that is likely to set off a long legal challenge as the deals were cleared years earlier by the FTC. Facebook's general counsel Jennifer Newstead called the lawsuits "revisionist history" and said antitrust laws do not exist to punish "successful companies." She said WhatsApp and Instagram have succeeded after Facebook invested billions of dollars in growing the apps. "The government now wants a do-over, sending a chilling warning to American business that no sale is ever final," Newstead said. Newstead also raised doubts about alleged harms caused by Facebook, arguing that consumers benefited from its decision to make WhatsApp free, and rivals like YouTube, Twitter and WeChat did "just fine" without access to its developer platform. In a post on Facebook's internal discussion platform, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees he did not anticipate "any impact on individual teams or roles" as a result of the lawsuits, which he said were "one step in a process which could take years to play out in its entirety." Zuckerberg told employees in July that Facebook would "go to the mat" to fight a legal challenge to break up the company, calling it an "existential" threat, according to audio of internal company meetings published by The Verge. The lawsuits are the biggest antitrust cases in a generation, comparable to the lawsuit against Microsoft Corp in 1998. The federal government eventually settled that case, but the yearslong court fight and extended scrutiny prevented the company from thwarting competitors and is credited with clearing the way for the explosive growth of the internet. Last month, Facebook said it was buying customer service start-up Kustomer, in an acquisition that the Wall Street Journal said valued Kustomer at $1 billion. Facebook also bought Giphy, a popular website for making and sharing animated images, or GIFs, in May. That acquisition has already drawn scrutiny from the United Kingdom's competition watchdog. Facebook shares fell as much as 3% after the news before paring losses to close down 1.9%. (with inputs)

Facebook faces lawsuits that could force sale of Instagram, WhatsApp

Australia locked in plans on Tuesday to make <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook Inc</a> and Google pay its media outlets for news content, a world-first move aimed at protecting independent journalism that has drawn strong opposition from the internet giants.

Under laws to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Big Tech firms will have to negotiate how much they pay local publishers and broadcasters for content that appears on their platforms.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/canada-plans-digital-tax-in-2022-on-global-tech-giants-such-as-facebook-google-346651">Canada plans digital tax in 2022 on global tech giants such as Facebook, Google</a>

If they can't strike a deal, a government-appointed arbitrator will decide how much they will need to pay.

"This is a huge reform, this is a world first, and the world is watching what happens here in Australia," Frydenberg told reporters in the capital Canberra.

"Our legislation will help ensure that the rules of the digital world mirror the rules of the physical world ... and ultimately sustain our media landscape here in Australia."

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/us-sues-facebook-for-allegedly-favouring-immigrants-over-us-workers-347344">US sues Facebook for allegedly favouring immigrants over US workers</a>

The law amounts to the strongest check of the tech giants' market power globally, and follows three years of inquiry and consultation, ultimately spilling into a public dispute in August when the U.S. companies warned it may it may stop them offering their services in Australia.

Asked about earlier Facebook threats to block news content from its Australian website and Google's threat to block its main search engine in Australia, Frydenberg said "it's a mandatory code" and the companies would be "required by law ... to abide by it".

In changes to draft legislation announced earlier this year that might benefit the tech companies, the final version of the law would not affect news content distributed on Facebook's Instagram subsidiary or Google's Youtube.

But Frydenberg added to the list of media companies with whom the tech giants must negotiate, saying public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corp and specialist public broadcaster SBS would be included, along with dominant private sector outlets like News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd.

Representatives of Google and Facebook were not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

Australia locked in plans on Tuesday to make Facebook Inc and Google pay its media outlets for news content, a world-first move aimed at protecting independent journalism that has drawn strong opposition from the internet giants.

Australia locked in plans on Tuesday to make Facebook Inc and Google pay its media outlets for news content, a world-first move aimed at protecting independent journalism that has drawn strong opposition from the internet giants. Under laws to be introduced to parliament on Wednesday, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Big Tech firms will have to negotiate how much they pay local publishers and broadcasters for content that appears on their platforms. Also read| Canada plans digital tax in 2022 on global tech giants such as Facebook, Google If they can't strike a deal, a government-appointed arbitrator will decide how much they will need to pay. "This is a huge reform, this is a world first, and the world is watching what happens here in Australia," Frydenberg told reporters in the capital Canberra. "Our legislation will help ensure that the rules of the digital world mirror the rules of the physical world ... and ultimately sustain our media landscape here in Australia." Also read| US sues Facebook for allegedly favouring immigrants over US workers The law amounts to the strongest check of the tech giants' market power globally, and follows three years of inquiry and consultation, ultimately spilling into a public dispute in August when the U.S. companies warned it may it may stop them offering their services in Australia. Asked about earlier Facebook threats to block news content from its Australian website and Google's threat to block its main search engine in Australia, Frydenberg said "it's a mandatory code" and the companies would be "required by law ... to abide by it". In changes to draft legislation announced earlier this year that might benefit the tech companies, the final version of the law would not affect news content distributed on Facebook's Instagram subsidiary or Google's Youtube. But Frydenberg added to the list of media companies with whom the tech giants must negotiate, saying public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corp and specialist public broadcaster SBS would be included, along with dominant private sector outlets like News Corp and Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd. Representatives of Google and Facebook were not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.

Australia to make Facebook, Google pay news outlets for content

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