One may assume that big companies making millions of dollars default on standard practices. Watch our report to know more.

Tech companies take legal route to avoid paying fines

Following a substantial decline of $251 billion in February, Meta’s stock exhibited a notable resurgence, nearly doubling in value by November.

Meta's stock rally nears 300% | World Business Watch

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has experienced an unprecedented rally, with its shares nearly quadrupling since the lows of November last year. According to a Bloomberg report, this surge comes on the heels of a historic $251 billion crash in February, making it the largest one-day stock wipe-out in history. &nbsp;

Despite the setback, Meta has emerged stronger, with 62 out of 70 analysts tracked by Bloomberg now giving the social media giant buy-equivalent ratings, marking the highest confidence level since its IPO in 2012.&nbsp;

Stifel Nicolaus analyst Mark Kelley, among the bullish voices, emphasised the investment appeal beyond the metaverse narrative. "We don’t think you have to be a believer in the metaverse story to like the stock," Bloomberg quoted him as saying. He attributes the stock's attractiveness to advertisers recognising Meta's unparalleled scale compared to competitors, such as TikTok Inc. The shift in sentiment highlights Meta's successful efforts in regaining investor support after last year's downturn.&nbsp;

Analyst projections for Meta's profitability are on an upward trajectory, reflecting the positive sentiment. Wall Street now expects the company to generate approximately $18 per share in earnings next year, a substantial increase from the $10 anticipated a year ago, according to Bloomberg's compiled data. &nbsp;

However, Needham &amp; Co.'s Laura Martin, one of the few dissenting voices, remains sceptical, citing rising competition and potential challenges from mobile operating system changes like Apple Inc.'s iOS. According to Bloomberg, he expressed concerns about Meta's competitive advantage, stating, "TikTok is eating them alive."&nbsp;

Despite the surge in Meta's valuation this year, currently standing at about 18 times earnings projected over the next 12 months, the social media giant remains the most affordable among the seven major technology and internet stocks. It also holds a discount compared to both the Nasdaq 100 and S&amp;P 500 indexes. &nbsp;

Sylvia Jablonski, co-founder and chief investment officer at Defiance ETFs, sees Meta's priorities in the right place, anticipating benefits from artificial intelligence and growth in digital ad spending in the years to come. Jablonski expressed her interest in a long-term investment strategy, "I’m interested in picking up shares for a long time horizon as the decade of machine learning, AI, and all things digital growth continues to take shape,” Bloomberg quoted her as saying.&nbsp;

Drawing a historical parallel, the article notes the diverging fortunes of dot-com era darlings, Microsoft Corp., and Cisco Systems Inc. While Microsoft has grown over six-fold from its dot-com highs, Meta's contemporary, Cisco Systems, has yet to recover from its historic crash in the turn of the century, with its stock still trading about 36 per cent below its all-time high set in March 2000.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Bloomberg)&nbsp;

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Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has experienced an unprecedented rally, with its shares nearly quadrupling since the lows of November last year.

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has experienced an unprecedented rally, with its shares nearly quadrupling since the lows of November last year. According to a Bloomberg report, this surge comes on the heels of a historic $251 billion crash in February, making it the largest one-day stock wipe-out in history. Despite the setback, Meta has emerged stronger, with 62 out of 70 analysts tracked by Bloomberg now giving the social media giant buy-equivalent ratings, marking the highest confidence level since its IPO in 2012. Stifel Nicolaus analyst Mark Kelley, among the bullish voices, emphasised the investment appeal beyond the metaverse narrative. "We don’t think you have to be a believer in the metaverse story to like the stock," Bloomberg quoted him as saying. He attributes the stock's attractiveness to advertisers recognising Meta's unparalleled scale compared to competitors, such as TikTok Inc. The shift in sentiment highlights Meta's successful efforts in regaining investor support after last year's downturn. Analyst projections for Meta's profitability are on an upward trajectory, reflecting the positive sentiment. Wall Street now expects the company to generate approximately $18 per share in earnings next year, a substantial increase from the $10 anticipated a year ago, according to Bloomberg's compiled data. However, Needham & Co.'s Laura Martin, one of the few dissenting voices, remains sceptical, citing rising competition and potential challenges from mobile operating system changes like Apple Inc.'s iOS. According to Bloomberg, he expressed concerns about Meta's competitive advantage, stating, "TikTok is eating them alive." Despite the surge in Meta's valuation this year, currently standing at about 18 times earnings projected over the next 12 months, the social media giant remains the most affordable among the seven major technology and internet stocks. It also holds a discount compared to both the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 indexes. Sylvia Jablonski, co-founder and chief investment officer at Defiance ETFs, sees Meta's priorities in the right place, anticipating benefits from artificial intelligence and growth in digital ad spending in the years to come. Jablonski expressed her interest in a long-term investment strategy, "I’m interested in picking up shares for a long time horizon as the decade of machine learning, AI, and all things digital growth continues to take shape,” Bloomberg quoted her as saying. Drawing a historical parallel, the article notes the diverging fortunes of dot-com era darlings, Microsoft Corp., and Cisco Systems Inc. While Microsoft has grown over six-fold from its dot-com highs, Meta's contemporary, Cisco Systems, has yet to recover from its historic crash in the turn of the century, with its stock still trading about 36 per cent below its all-time high set in March 2000. (With inputs from Bloomberg) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Meta's Meteoric Rise: Wall Street enthusiasts rally behind Facebook's metaverse push as shares surge 

Meta's recent attempts to enhance the growth of Threads by promoting Threads posts on users' Facebook feeds have led to this development. Meta is said to be working on a forthcoming privacy feature that will enable Threads users to choose not to have their posts automatically shared on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta will stop pushing Threads posts to Facebook and Instagram

The European Union on Friday (Nov 10) announced probes into tech giant Meta as well as social media firm Snap seeking details on measures taken by the companies to put a pause on the circulation of illegal content online.

The tech firms have been asked to elaborate on the ways they will safeguard children from harmful content on the internet, the European Commission said.

It had sent formal requests for information to the companies and they had until December 1 to respond.

This comes a day after similar probes were opened into YouTube and TikTok to check the measures in place to protect minors from illicit content.

These investigations are in the initial stage under the EU's Digital Services Act, which came into force in August and do not themselves comprise a declaration of legal infractions or a step towards penalising the firms. &nbsp;

Last month, the EU had launched probes into TikTok, X and Meta over the dissemination of disinformation amid an upsurge of violence between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/polands-opposition-parties-reach-coalition-agreement-say-we-are-ready-to-govern-657346">Poland's opposition parties reach coalition agreement, say 'we are ready to govern'</a>

"I would ask you to be very vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the DSA rules on terms of service, on the requirement of timely, diligent and objective action following notices of illegal content in the EU, and on the need for proportionate and effective mitigation measures," the European Union's industry chief Thierry Breton&nbsp;told Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a letter.&nbsp;

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The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DSA</a> is here to protect free speech against arbitrary decisions, and at the same time protect our citizens &amp; democracies. 
 
My requests to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meta</a>’s Mark Zuckerberg following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel — and on tackling disinformation in elections in the EU ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/RnetUriRJX">pic.twitter.com/RnetUriRJX</a>
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1712126600873931150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

EU's top tech regulator&nbsp;had also warned Elon Musk that his social media platform X was spreading "illegal content and disinformation".&nbsp;

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Following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against 🇮🇱, we have indications of X/Twitter being used to disseminate illegal content &amp; disinformation in the EU. 
 
Urgent letter to <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DSA</a> obligations ⤵️ <a href="https://t.co/avMm1LHq54">pic.twitter.com/avMm1LHq54</a>
— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThierryBreton/status/1711808891757944866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

"Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU," he wrote in the letter.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The European Union on Friday (Nov 10) announced probes into tech giant Meta as well as social media firm Snap seeking details on measures taken by the companies to put a pause on the circulation of illegal content online.

The European Union on Friday (Nov 10) announced probes into tech giant Meta as well as social media firm Snap seeking details on measures taken by the companies to put a pause on the circulation of illegal content online. The tech firms have been asked to elaborate on the ways they will safeguard children from harmful content on the internet, the European Commission said. It had sent formal requests for information to the companies and they had until December 1 to respond. This comes a day after similar probes were opened into YouTube and TikTok to check the measures in place to protect minors from illicit content. These investigations are in the initial stage under the EU's Digital Services Act, which came into force in August and do not themselves comprise a declaration of legal infractions or a step towards penalising the firms. Last month, the EU had launched probes into TikTok, X and Meta over the dissemination of disinformation amid an upsurge of violence between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Also read: Poland's opposition parties reach coalition agreement, say 'we are ready to govern' "I would ask you to be very vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the DSA rules on terms of service, on the requirement of timely, diligent and objective action following notices of illegal content in the EU, and on the need for proportionate and effective mitigation measures," the European Union's industry chief Thierry Breton told Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a letter. The #DSA is here to protect free speech against arbitrary decisions, and at the same time protect our citizens & democracies. My requests to #Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel — and on tackling disinformation in elections in the EU ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/RnetUriRJX — Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 11, 2023 × EU's top tech regulator had also warned Elon Musk that his social media platform X was spreading "illegal content and disinformation". Following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against 🇮🇱, we have indications of X/Twitter being used to disseminate illegal content & disinformation in the EU. Urgent letter to @elonmusk on #DSA obligations ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/avMm1LHq54 — Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 10, 2023 × "Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU," he wrote in the letter. (With inputs from agencies)

EU asks Meta and Snap to detail info on child protection measures

Meta has joined 'Lantern' programme to fight against online child abuse. Watch the video to know more.

Meta joins 'Lantern' programme to fight against online child abuse

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta, the world's second-biggest platform for digital ads, said in a blog post it would require advertisers to disclose if their altered or created ads portray real people as doing or saying something that they did not, or if they digitally produce a real-looking person that does not exist.

The company would also ask advertisers to disclose if these ads show events that did not take place, alter footage of a real event, or even depict a real event without the true image, video, or audio recording of the actual event.

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-teases-ai-features-into-facebook-instagram-whatsapp-for-billions-of-users-602535">&nbsp;Meta teases AI features in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp for billions of users</a>

The policy updates, including Meta's earlier announcement on barring political advertisers from using generative AI ads tools, come a month after the Facebook-owner said it was starting to expand advertisers' access to AI-powered advertising tools that can instantly create backgrounds, image adjustments and variations of ad copy in response to simple text prompt.

Alphabet's Google, the biggest digital advertising company, announced the launch of similar image-customizing generative AI ads tools last week and said it planned to keep politics out of its products by blocking a list of "political keywords" from being used as prompts.

Lawmakers in the US&nbsp;have been concerned about the use of AI to create content that falsely depicts candidates in political advertisements to influence federal elections, with a slew of new "generative AI" tools making it cheap and easy to create convincing deepfakes.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/users-say-facebooks-new-ai-generated-stickers-are-problematic-643111">Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic</a>

Meta has already been blocking its user-facing Meta AI virtual assistant from creating photo-realistic images of public figures, and its top policy executive, Nick Clegg, said last month that the use of generative AI in political advertising was "clearly an area where we need to update our rules."

The company's new policy will not require disclosures when the digital content is "inconsequential or immaterial to the claim, assertion, or issue raised in the ad," including image size adjusting, cropping an image, colour correction, or image sharpening, it said.&nbsp;

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. Meta, the world's second-biggest platform for digital ads, said in a blog post it would require advertisers to disclose if their altered or created ads portray real people as doing or saying something that they did not, or if they digitally produce a real-looking person that does not exist. The company would also ask advertisers to disclose if these ads show events that did not take place, alter footage of a real event, or even depict a real event without the true image, video, or audio recording of the actual event. ALSO READ | Meta teases AI features in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp for billions of users The policy updates, including Meta's earlier announcement on barring political advertisers from using generative AI ads tools, come a month after the Facebook-owner said it was starting to expand advertisers' access to AI-powered advertising tools that can instantly create backgrounds, image adjustments and variations of ad copy in response to simple text prompt. Alphabet's Google, the biggest digital advertising company, announced the launch of similar image-customizing generative AI ads tools last week and said it planned to keep politics out of its products by blocking a list of "political keywords" from being used as prompts. Lawmakers in the US have been concerned about the use of AI to create content that falsely depicts candidates in political advertisements to influence federal elections, with a slew of new "generative AI" tools making it cheap and easy to create convincing deepfakes. ALSO READ | Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic Meta has already been blocking its user-facing Meta AI virtual assistant from creating photo-realistic images of public figures, and its top policy executive, Nick Clegg, said last month that the use of generative AI in political advertising was "clearly an area where we need to update our rules." The company's new policy will not require disclosures when the digital content is "inconsequential or immaterial to the claim, assertion, or issue raised in the ad," including image size adjusting, cropping an image, colour correction, or image sharpening, it said.

Meta to require disclosures for AI-created, altered political ads

A former employee of tech giant Meta Platforms Inc on Tuesday (November 7)&nbsp;testified before a United States Senate subcommittee and alleged that although the parent company of Instagram and Facebook knew about harassment of teenage users on the platforms, it did not do enough to address the issue.&nbsp;

Arturo&nbsp;Bejar, the former Meta employee, worked as director of engineering for Facebook's Protect and Care team (2009-2015) before working on well-being for Instagram (2019-2021). His testimony took place at a hearing about social media and its impact on teen mental health.

"It's time that the public and parents understand the true level of harm posed by these 'products' and it's time that young users have the tools to report and suppress online abuse," he said in written remarks prior to the hearing, as reported by Reuters.

Watch | Tech giants express concerns about Q4 expansion

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There is a bipartisan sentiment and a push in US Congress for legislation that would mandate social media platforms to give parents tools to protect children online.

Bejar said during his testimony that his work at Meta was aimed at influencing the design of Facebook and Instagram so that it would nudge users towards more positive behaviour. It was also focused towards giving young people tools to help them manage unpleasant experiences.

During the hearing, Bejar told the senators that he met with senior executives of Meta from time to time. This included CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He said his impression was that they were supportive of the work but subsequently, he came to the conclusion that executives decided &nbsp;"time and time again to not tackle this issue."&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/users-say-facebooks-new-ai-generated-stickers-are-problematic-643111">Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic</a>

Bejar said in 2021, he&nbsp;sent an e-mail to Zuckerberg and other top honchos within Meta, conveying to them that internal data suggested 51 per cent of Instagram users&nbsp;said that they had unpleasant experiences on the platform seven days prior. He also conveyed that nearly a quarter of teenage users between the ages of 13 and 15 reported that they had received unwanted sexual advances.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-announces-action-plans-to-tackle-spread-of-disinformation-656328">UN announces action plans to tackle spread of disinformation on social media platforms</a>

He also mentioned that during a meeting, Meta's Chief Product Officer Chris Cox cited precise numbers on harm to teens off the top of his head.

"I found it heartbreaking because it meant that they knew and that they were not acting on it," said Bejar, as quoted by Reuters.

Reuters reported that Meta said in a statement it was committed to the protection of young users online.

(With inputs from agencies)

A former employee of tech giant Meta Platforms Inc on Tuesday (November 7) testified before a United States Senate subcommittee and alleged that although the parent company of Instagram and Facebook knew about harassment of teenage users on the platforms, it did not do enough to address the issue.

A former employee of tech giant Meta Platforms Inc on Tuesday (November 7) testified before a United States Senate subcommittee and alleged that although the parent company of Instagram and Facebook knew about harassment of teenage users on the platforms, it did not do enough to address the issue. Arturo Bejar, the former Meta employee, worked as director of engineering for Facebook's Protect and Care team (2009-2015) before working on well-being for Instagram (2019-2021). His testimony took place at a hearing about social media and its impact on teen mental health. "It's time that the public and parents understand the true level of harm posed by these 'products' and it's time that young users have the tools to report and suppress online abuse," he said in written remarks prior to the hearing, as reported by Reuters. Watch | Tech giants express concerns about Q4 expansion × There is a bipartisan sentiment and a push in US Congress for legislation that would mandate social media platforms to give parents tools to protect children online. Bejar said during his testimony that his work at Meta was aimed at influencing the design of Facebook and Instagram so that it would nudge users towards more positive behaviour. It was also focused towards giving young people tools to help them manage unpleasant experiences. During the hearing, Bejar told the senators that he met with senior executives of Meta from time to time. This included CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He said his impression was that they were supportive of the work but subsequently, he came to the conclusion that executives decided "time and time again to not tackle this issue." Also Read | Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic Bejar said in 2021, he sent an e-mail to Zuckerberg and other top honchos within Meta, conveying to them that internal data suggested 51 per cent of Instagram users said that they had unpleasant experiences on the platform seven days prior. He also conveyed that nearly a quarter of teenage users between the ages of 13 and 15 reported that they had received unwanted sexual advances. Also Read | UN announces action plans to tackle spread of disinformation on social media platforms He also mentioned that during a meeting, Meta's Chief Product Officer Chris Cox cited precise numbers on harm to teens off the top of his head. "I found it heartbreaking because it meant that they knew and that they were not acting on it," said Bejar, as quoted by Reuters. Reuters reported that Meta said in a statement it was committed to the protection of young users online. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta didn't do enough to protect teens, former employee tells US Senate

US sued Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook over youth mental health. Are social media platforms harming the younger generation?

Meta under fire for neglecting teen safety

Recent financial reports from tech giants Alphabet, Meta, and Snap are painting an optimistic picture for the advertising industry, suggesting that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence is luring marketers to digital platforms, even in uncertain economic times. All three companies exceeded quarterly revenue expectations, showcasing robust performance in their advertising businesses.&nbsp;

"AI is helping advertisers find as many people as possible and their ideal audience for the lowest possible price," Reuters quoted Philipp Schindler, Chief Business Officer at Google as saying. Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been actively investing in AI, notably with tools like Performance Max, which employs artificial intelligence to determine how marketing budgets should be distributed across Google's advertising network. &nbsp;

Schindler also highlighted the strength of the retail sector during the July-September period, emphasising the company's preparations for a prolonged holiday season to offer consumers attractive deals cantered on price and convenience. Alphabet reported a remarkable 9.5 per cent increase in ad revenue for the third quarter, surpassing Wall Street estimates, with a 12 per cent growth in its YouTube ads business.&nbsp;

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, reported a substantial 31 per cent increase in ad views compared to the previous year. To capitalise on this momentum, Meta has announced plans to make substantial investments in AI in the coming year. Despite a 6 per cent decrease in the average price per ad, this decline's pace was the slowest in seven quarters.&nbsp;

Meta's efforts in AI-powered marketing planning and ad measurement features have been vital in fuelling its growth, particularly in response to privacy changes led by Apple, which constrained the use of personal data for ad targeting. The company is now introducing AI tools to generate various ad campaign variations swiftly, setting it apart from smaller competitors like Snap.&nbsp;

Snap, the company behind Snapchat, has seen significant returns on its investment in ad-targeting tools with technology. Their average revenue per user increased during the third quarter, indicating the success of their ad strategies.&nbsp;

These results reaffirm the ongoing rebound of the advertising market, particularly driven by retail companies' ad spending. Industry analysts believe that Google and Meta stand as the primary beneficiaries of this resurgence.&nbsp;

"We expect the larger platforms like Meta and Google to lead the wallet share growth at least initially in this ad spend recovery," Reuters quoted analysts at Evercore ISI. The widespread reach of these tech giants attracts a steady stream of advertisers, making them more resilient to geopolitical uncertainty and economic volatility.&nbsp;

However, Meta's Chief Financial Officer, Susan Li, noted that the company had detected some "softness" in ad spending at the beginning of the fourth quarter, possibly linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict.&nbsp;

Despite this, recent forecasts from media research and investment firm Magna remain optimistic. Magna raised its forecast for ad spending growth in the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;to 5.2 per cent for 2023, up from the previous estimate of 4.2 per cent, with expectations of a 9.6 per cent rise in digital ad sales during the same period.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

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Recent financial reports from tech giants Alphabet, Meta, and Snap are painting an optimistic picture for the advertising industry, suggesting that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence is luring marketers to digital platforms, even in uncertain economic times.

Recent financial reports from tech giants Alphabet, Meta, and Snap are painting an optimistic picture for the advertising industry, suggesting that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence is luring marketers to digital platforms, even in uncertain economic times. All three companies exceeded quarterly revenue expectations, showcasing robust performance in their advertising businesses. "AI is helping advertisers find as many people as possible and their ideal audience for the lowest possible price," Reuters quoted Philipp Schindler, Chief Business Officer at Google as saying. Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, has been actively investing in AI, notably with tools like Performance Max, which employs artificial intelligence to determine how marketing budgets should be distributed across Google's advertising network. Schindler also highlighted the strength of the retail sector during the July-September period, emphasising the company's preparations for a prolonged holiday season to offer consumers attractive deals cantered on price and convenience. Alphabet reported a remarkable 9.5 per cent increase in ad revenue for the third quarter, surpassing Wall Street estimates, with a 12 per cent growth in its YouTube ads business. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, reported a substantial 31 per cent increase in ad views compared to the previous year. To capitalise on this momentum, Meta has announced plans to make substantial investments in AI in the coming year. Despite a 6 per cent decrease in the average price per ad, this decline's pace was the slowest in seven quarters. Meta's efforts in AI-powered marketing planning and ad measurement features have been vital in fuelling its growth, particularly in response to privacy changes led by Apple, which constrained the use of personal data for ad targeting. The company is now introducing AI tools to generate various ad campaign variations swiftly, setting it apart from smaller competitors like Snap. Snap, the company behind Snapchat, has seen significant returns on its investment in ad-targeting tools with technology. Their average revenue per user increased during the third quarter, indicating the success of their ad strategies. These results reaffirm the ongoing rebound of the advertising market, particularly driven by retail companies' ad spending. Industry analysts believe that Google and Meta stand as the primary beneficiaries of this resurgence. "We expect the larger platforms like Meta and Google to lead the wallet share growth at least initially in this ad spend recovery," Reuters quoted analysts at Evercore ISI. The widespread reach of these tech giants attracts a steady stream of advertisers, making them more resilient to geopolitical uncertainty and economic volatility. However, Meta's Chief Financial Officer, Susan Li, noted that the company had detected some "softness" in ad spending at the beginning of the fourth quarter, possibly linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Despite this, recent forecasts from media research and investment firm Magna remain optimistic. Magna raised its forecast for ad spending growth in the U.S. to 5.2 per cent for 2023, up from the previous estimate of 4.2 per cent, with expectations of a 9.6 per cent rise in digital ad sales during the same period. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Alphabet, Meta, and Snap lead ad market rebound with AI-powered strategies 

Meta platforms, the parent company of Facebook And Instagram, has outperformed expectations in its third-quarter earnings. Bolstered by cost-cutting measures and a rebound in digital advertising as the holiday season approaches, the company reported its best operating margins in two years.

Meta's record operating margins & growth in digital advertising

Meta said it has blocked a prominent pro-Palestinian account on Instagram citing security reasons.

Eye on Palestine (@eye.on.palestine), which has more than 6 million followers and is popular among Palestine supporters, was not available as of Thursday (Oct 26).

Its official backup account, @eye.on.palestine2, which was recently created to bypass shadowbanning— a covert activity that limits the post’s visibility—had also gone dark.

Both the accounts were also inaccessible on Facebook and Threads as well.

The accounts focused on sharing invaluable first-hand accounts of the situation in Gaza, including videos and images of injured people.

The material was generally shared by unverified international journalists.

“These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we’re working to make contact with the account owners to make sure they have access,” Meta said, according to the Guardian newspaper.

<h2>Users suspect Meta gagging pro-Palestine voice&nbsp;</h2>

Meta’s decision to close down the accounts drew angry responses from followers on social media X, who called&nbsp;the move an example of anti-Palestinian censorship.

Initially, Meta said on Wednesday that it had disabled the accounts because of security concerns.

“These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we’re working to make contact with the account owners to ensure they have access,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement.

“We did not disable these accounts because of any content they were sharing,” he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/malaysia-warns-meta-tiktok-over-allegedly-restricting-content-supporting-palestinians-651615">Malaysia warns Meta, TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting Palestinians</a>

Later in an update on Thursday morning, Stone said the company had been able to reach the accounts' administrators and that the accounts would be able to reactivate.

<h2>Shadowbanning pro-Palestine accounts&nbsp;</h2>

“These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise,” Stone said in a text message. “We’ve helped the account owners regain access and they can reactivate their accounts.”

But these accounts are still unavailable.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/south-korean-man-dies-from-heart-attack-after-choking-on-live-octopus-dish-651622">South Korean man dies from heart attack after choking on 'live octopus' dish</a>

The development comes at a time when Instagram has been accused of shadowbanning several pro-Palestine post, with users sharing examples of stories about Palestine receiving significantly fewer viewers, or accounts of users who share pro-Palestinian content not being searchable on the social network.

The social media watchdog group 7amleh, the Arab Center for Social Media Advancement, which has been monitoring cases related to the silencing of Palestinian voices, has documented more than 238 censorship cases in recent weeks, reports the Guardian.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Meta said it has blocked a prominent pro-Palestinian account on Instagram citing security reasons. Eye on Palestine (@eye.on.palestine), which has more than 6 million followers and is popular among Palestine supporters, was not available as of Thursday (Oct 26).

Meta said it has blocked a prominent pro-Palestinian account on Instagram citing security reasons. Eye on Palestine (@eye.on.palestine), which has more than 6 million followers and is popular among Palestine supporters, was not available as of Thursday (Oct 26). Its official backup account, @eye.on.palestine2, which was recently created to bypass shadowbanning— a covert activity that limits the post’s visibility—had also gone dark. Both the accounts were also inaccessible on Facebook and Threads as well. The accounts focused on sharing invaluable first-hand accounts of the situation in Gaza, including videos and images of injured people. The material was generally shared by unverified international journalists. “These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we’re working to make contact with the account owners to make sure they have access,” Meta said, according to the Guardian newspaper. Users suspect Meta gagging pro-Palestine voice Meta’s decision to close down the accounts drew angry responses from followers on social media X, who called the move an example of anti-Palestinian censorship. Initially, Meta said on Wednesday that it had disabled the accounts because of security concerns. “These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we’re working to make contact with the account owners to ensure they have access,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement. “We did not disable these accounts because of any content they were sharing,” he said. Also read | Malaysia warns Meta, TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting Palestinians Later in an update on Thursday morning, Stone said the company had been able to reach the accounts' administrators and that the accounts would be able to reactivate. Shadowbanning pro-Palestine accounts “These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise,” Stone said in a text message. “We’ve helped the account owners regain access and they can reactivate their accounts.” But these accounts are still unavailable. Also read | South Korean man dies from heart attack after choking on 'live octopus' dish The development comes at a time when Instagram has been accused of shadowbanning several pro-Palestine post, with users sharing examples of stories about Palestine receiving significantly fewer viewers, or accounts of users who share pro-Palestinian content not being searchable on the social network. The social media watchdog group 7amleh, the Arab Center for Social Media Advancement, which has been monitoring cases related to the silencing of Palestinian voices, has documented more than 238 censorship cases in recent weeks, reports the Guardian. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Meta blocks pro-Palestine account on Instagram, users accuse it of shadowbanning

Malaysia's communications regulator is set to issue a warning to tech giant Meta and popular short-form video hosting service TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting the Palestinians on their respective platforms, its communications minister said on Thursday (Oct 26). 
 
Fahmi Fadzil took to his official X account and said that he would take a very firm approach if the social media firms fail to address this concern.

"If this issue is ignored, I will not hesitate to take a very firm approach and stance," the minister said in a post.

Fahmi further said that many parties had called on the government to take stern measures against social media platforms for allegedly blocking pro-Palestinian content.

"Our policies are designed to keep people safe on our apps while giving everyone a voice," the spokesperson said on Thursday as per news agency Reuters.

Fahmi said that his country had a right to freedom of speech regarding the Palestinian cause, further reiterating that the right would not be taken away.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-netanyahu-helped-grow-hamas-which-became-the-frankensteins-monster-for-him-651336">Explained | How Netanyahu helped turn Hamas into his Frankenstein's monster</a>

He said that next week he will meet TikTok representatives to discuss the matter.

Fahmi said that the Malaysian government raised the concerns two weeks after TikTok had not complied fully with its laws and had not done enough to restrain slanderous or deceitful content.&nbsp;

TikTok released a statement saying that it would take proactive measures to address the issues that were raised by Malaysian authorities.

Earlier, the European Union had announced probes into tech giants Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on measures they have taken to halt the dissemination of "illegal content and disinformation" following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel.

The European Commission said it had sent formal requests for information to Meta and TikTok respectively.

The commission said that the request to Meta was related "to the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation" around the Hamas-Israel conflict.

It released a separate statement saying that it wanted to know the measures taken by short-form video hosting service TikTok against "the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech".

(With inputs from agencies) 
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Malaysia's communications regulator is set to issue a warning to tech giant Meta and popular short-form video hosting service TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting the Palestinians on their respective platforms, its communications minister said on Thursday (Oct 26).

Malaysia's communications regulator is set to issue a warning to tech giant Meta and popular short-form video hosting service TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting the Palestinians on their respective platforms, its communications minister said on Thursday (Oct 26). Fahmi Fadzil took to his official X account and said that he would take a very firm approach if the social media firms fail to address this concern. "If this issue is ignored, I will not hesitate to take a very firm approach and stance," the minister said in a post. Fahmi further said that many parties had called on the government to take stern measures against social media platforms for allegedly blocking pro-Palestinian content. "Our policies are designed to keep people safe on our apps while giving everyone a voice," the spokesperson said on Thursday as per news agency Reuters. Fahmi said that his country had a right to freedom of speech regarding the Palestinian cause, further reiterating that the right would not be taken away. Also read: Explained | How Netanyahu helped turn Hamas into his Frankenstein's monster He said that next week he will meet TikTok representatives to discuss the matter. Fahmi said that the Malaysian government raised the concerns two weeks after TikTok had not complied fully with its laws and had not done enough to restrain slanderous or deceitful content. TikTok released a statement saying that it would take proactive measures to address the issues that were raised by Malaysian authorities. Earlier, the European Union had announced probes into tech giants Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on measures they have taken to halt the dissemination of "illegal content and disinformation" following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel. The European Commission said it had sent formal requests for information to Meta and TikTok respectively. The commission said that the request to Meta was related "to the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation" around the Hamas-Israel conflict. It released a separate statement saying that it wanted to know the measures taken by short-form video hosting service TikTok against "the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Malaysia warns Meta, TikTok over allegedly restricting content supporting Palestinians

Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Meta-owned Instagram, has revealed that the firm is testing a new feed that resembles the X-like feed and shows users material from paying subscribers, or Meta Verified. Instagram users would be able to filter their feeds to only display content from Meta Verified accounts thanks to this functionality.

Meta verified users to soon get their own feed on Instagram

Instagram announces new feature only for Meta-verified users, to get personalised feed

Dozens of US states, on Tuesday (Oct 24) filed a lawsuit against Instagram’s parent company Meta alleging that the social media platform contributes to the youth mental health crisis, is profiting “from children’s pain,” and misleading people about the safety of its platforms.&nbsp;

The lawsuit comes after a nationwide bipartisan investigation found that Meta has been “harming” children and teens due to the addictive nature of their social media platforms.

The latest lawsuit is among a string of legal actions against social media companies on behalf of children and teens.&nbsp;

<h2>About the lawsuit</h2>

There are a total of more than 40 US states which are suing Meta but 33 of them have filed their complaint in a federal lawsuit as opposed to others which have sought to fight their case in local courts.&nbsp;

“In seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms,” said the joint lawsuit filed by more than 30 states, including California and Illinois in the city of Oakland.&nbsp;

It added, “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.”&nbsp;

The lawsuit argues that Meta has exploited young users by creating a business model designed to make them spend as much time as possible on the platform despite harm to their health.&nbsp;

It also accused Meta of knowingly inducing addictive and compulsive social media use despite knowing that teenage brains are susceptible to the need for approval in the form of “likes” from other users about their content.&nbsp;

“Meta did not disclose that its algorithms were designed to capitalize on young users’ dopamine responses and create an addictive cycle of engagement,” said the complaint.&nbsp;

The lawsuit also alleges Meta has violated a law banning the collection of data about children under the age of 13.&nbsp;

“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement announcing the suit.&nbsp;

The suit has sought a variety of remedies, including substantial civil penalties. According to James, it also urges the federal court to order Meta to stop manipulative tactics.&nbsp;

<h2>Meta is ‘disappointed’</h2>

Meta has since responded to the lawsuit and said that it was “disappointed”&nbsp;that the attorneys general have chosen to single them out instead of seeking industry-wide solutions.&nbsp;

Instagram’s parent company also said that it has developed more than 30 tools in its apps to support teenage users, and made it easier for parents to “shape” online activity.&nbsp;

The lawsuit is said to have stemmed from a nationwide investigation announced in November of 2021. "Research has shown that young people’s use of Meta's social media platforms is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes," said the complaint.&nbsp;

“Our bipartisan investigation has arrived at a solemn conclusion: Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California attorney general Rob Bonta, in a statement.&nbsp;

It added, “With today's lawsuit, we are drawing the line.” The investigation came after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked more than 20,000 pages of internal documents sparking criticism of the social media giant putting profit before the security of its users.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
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Dozens of US states, on Tuesday (Oct 24) filed a lawsuit against Instagram’s parent company Meta alleging that the social media platform contributes to the youth mental health crisis, is profiting “from children’s pain,” and misleading people about the safety of its platforms.

Dozens of US states, on Tuesday (Oct 24) filed a lawsuit against Instagram’s parent company Meta alleging that the social media platform contributes to the youth mental health crisis, is profiting “from children’s pain,” and misleading people about the safety of its platforms. The lawsuit comes after a nationwide bipartisan investigation found that Meta has been “harming” children and teens due to the addictive nature of their social media platforms. The latest lawsuit is among a string of legal actions against social media companies on behalf of children and teens. About the lawsuit There are a total of more than 40 US states which are suing Meta but 33 of them have filed their complaint in a federal lawsuit as opposed to others which have sought to fight their case in local courts. “In seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its Social Media Platforms,” said the joint lawsuit filed by more than 30 states, including California and Illinois in the city of Oakland. It added, “Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens.” The lawsuit argues that Meta has exploited young users by creating a business model designed to make them spend as much time as possible on the platform despite harm to their health. It also accused Meta of knowingly inducing addictive and compulsive social media use despite knowing that teenage brains are susceptible to the need for approval in the form of “likes” from other users about their content. “Meta did not disclose that its algorithms were designed to capitalize on young users’ dopamine responses and create an addictive cycle of engagement,” said the complaint. The lawsuit also alleges Meta has violated a law banning the collection of data about children under the age of 13. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement announcing the suit. The suit has sought a variety of remedies, including substantial civil penalties. According to James, it also urges the federal court to order Meta to stop manipulative tactics. Meta is ‘disappointed’ Meta has since responded to the lawsuit and said that it was “disappointed” that the attorneys general have chosen to single them out instead of seeking industry-wide solutions. Instagram’s parent company also said that it has developed more than 30 tools in its apps to support teenage users, and made it easier for parents to “shape” online activity. The lawsuit is said to have stemmed from a nationwide investigation announced in November of 2021. "Research has shown that young people’s use of Meta's social media platforms is associated with depression, anxiety, insomnia, interference with education and daily life, and many other negative outcomes," said the complaint. “Our bipartisan investigation has arrived at a solemn conclusion: Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California attorney general Rob Bonta, in a statement. It added, “With today's lawsuit, we are drawing the line.” The investigation came after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked more than 20,000 pages of internal documents sparking criticism of the social media giant putting profit before the security of its users. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Over 30 US states sue Meta, accusing it of fuelling a youth mental health crisis

The European Union, on Thursday (Oct 19), announced probes into tech giants Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on measures they have taken to halt the dissemination of "illegal content and disinformation" following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel.

The European Commission said it had sent formal requests for information to Meta and TikTok respectively.

Earlier, the EU had launched a similar probe into Elon Musk's social media platform X.

The commission said that the request to Meta was related "to the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation" around the Hamas-Israel conflict.

It released a separate statement saying that it wanted to know the measures taken by short-form video hosting service TikTok against "the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech".

The EU's executive arm added that it wanted more information from Meta on its "mitigation measures to protect the integrity of elections".&nbsp;

Both Meta and TikTok have until October 25 to answer, with a deadline of Nov 8 for less critical factors of the ultimatum for information.

The commission further said that it also sought more details about how TikTok was conceding with rules on safeguarding minors online. Meta pressed that it was handling the issues inflated.

"Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact-checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation," a Meta spokesman said.

He added that Meta would be happy to provide further information to the commission.

TikTok said that it was reviewing Brussels' request and would publish a report next week with "more information about our ongoing work to keep our European community safe".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/siege-from-every-side-iranian-state-tv-shows-how-multi-front-attack-against-israel-can-unfold-648937">‘Siege from every side’: Iranian state TV shows how multi-front attack against Israel can unfold</a>

Last week, the company released a statement saying that it had "immediately mobilised significant resources and personnel to help maintain the safety of our community and integrity of our platform."

The ByteDance-owned company also said that it has removed 500,000 videos and closed 8,000 live streams in the region.

TikTok insisted that "it stands against terrorism," and that the company remains "focused on supporting free expression, upholding our commitment to human rights, and protecting our platform during the Israel-Hamas war".

"We are shocked and appalled by the horrific acts of terror in Israel last week."

"We are also deeply saddened by the intensifying humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. Our hearts break for everyone who has been affected," added the popular video app.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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The European Union, on Thursday (Oct 19), announced probes into tech giants Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on measures they have taken to halt the dissemination of "illegal content and disinformation" following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel.

The European Union, on Thursday (Oct 19), announced probes into tech giants Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on measures they have taken to halt the dissemination of "illegal content and disinformation" following Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel. The European Commission said it had sent formal requests for information to Meta and TikTok respectively. Earlier, the EU had launched a similar probe into Elon Musk's social media platform X. The commission said that the request to Meta was related "to the dissemination and amplification of illegal content and disinformation" around the Hamas-Israel conflict. It released a separate statement saying that it wanted to know the measures taken by short-form video hosting service TikTok against "the spreading of terrorist and violent content and hate speech". The EU's executive arm added that it wanted more information from Meta on its "mitigation measures to protect the integrity of elections". Both Meta and TikTok have until October 25 to answer, with a deadline of Nov 8 for less critical factors of the ultimatum for information. The commission further said that it also sought more details about how TikTok was conceding with rules on safeguarding minors online. Meta pressed that it was handling the issues inflated. "Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact-checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation," a Meta spokesman said. He added that Meta would be happy to provide further information to the commission. TikTok said that it was reviewing Brussels' request and would publish a report next week with "more information about our ongoing work to keep our European community safe". Also read: ‘Siege from every side’: Iranian state TV shows how multi-front attack against Israel can unfold Last week, the company released a statement saying that it had "immediately mobilised significant resources and personnel to help maintain the safety of our community and integrity of our platform." The ByteDance-owned company also said that it has removed 500,000 videos and closed 8,000 live streams in the region. TikTok insisted that "it stands against terrorism," and that the company remains "focused on supporting free expression, upholding our commitment to human rights, and protecting our platform during the Israel-Hamas war". "We are shocked and appalled by the horrific acts of terror in Israel last week." "We are also deeply saddened by the intensifying humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza. Our hearts break for everyone who has been affected," added the popular video app. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

EU opens disinformation probes into Meta and TikTok amid Israel-Hamas conflict

Meta has announced some new Instagram features that will soon be available for users. The company, which recently conducted the Delhi edition of Instagram University, aims to make the experience simpler and better for users.

<h2>Here are the upcoming features:</h2>

<h2>Make birthday wishes more fun</h2>

It's a common practice for many people to wish their friends and loved ones birthdays on Instagram. Instagram's new feature will let people share their birthdays with friends and followers. Also, users will be able to make their digital wishes more lively with new fun elements like stickers and confetti.

<img alt="Instagram" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="875e0fa2-e3f9-4c43-8a98-234f0b04ffa6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/image002.png" />

<h2>Audio Notes and Selfie Video Notes</h2>

Meta is all set to update the Notes feature on Instagram with new improvements — Audio Notes, which will allow you to leave a voice recording as a Note, and Selfie Video Notes, which will let you capture a short video that will loop in a Note for 24 hours.

<img alt="Instagram" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba4a8bda-9793-4835-bd0e-dabe8a89489c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/image003.png" />

<h2>Multiple Lists in Stories</h2>

Meta has introduced a much-requested feature for Instagram - Multiple Lists in Stories. Until now, users can only make lists of Close Friends. The new feature will allow people to create lists for various social circles based on interests, hobbies, and experiences. For instance, you will be able to make a list of friends who are into fitness.

The new features are currently in the testing phases. They will be rolled out for users in the coming weeks.

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Meta has announced some new Instagram features that will soon be available for users. The company, which recently conducted the Delhi edition of Instagram University, aims to make the experience simpler and better for users.

Meta has announced some new Instagram features that will soon be available for users. The company, which recently conducted the Delhi edition of Instagram University, aims to make the experience simpler and better for users. Here are the upcoming features: Make birthday wishes more fun It's a common practice for many people to wish their friends and loved ones birthdays on Instagram. Instagram's new feature will let people share their birthdays with friends and followers. Also, users will be able to make their digital wishes more lively with new fun elements like stickers and confetti. Audio Notes and Selfie Video Notes Meta is all set to update the Notes feature on Instagram with new improvements — Audio Notes, which will allow you to leave a voice recording as a Note, and Selfie Video Notes, which will let you capture a short video that will loop in a Note for 24 hours. Multiple Lists in Stories Meta has introduced a much-requested feature for Instagram - Multiple Lists in Stories. Until now, users can only make lists of Close Friends. The new feature will allow people to create lists for various social circles based on interests, hobbies, and experiences. For instance, you will be able to make a list of friends who are into fitness. The new features are currently in the testing phases. They will be rolled out for users in the coming weeks. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Coming soon: Meta teases new Instagram features

Social media users will soon be able to use the broadcast channels feature on Facebook and Messenger.

Meta to roll out 'broadcast channels' for Facebook and Messenger

Meta's stickers generated by artificial intelligence (AI) are problematic, several users have complained. Some users have complained that the AI-generated stickers are lewd, rude, and sometimes nude.&nbsp;

On social media platforms, users have shared images of the stickers which show cartoon characters wielding weapons, naked celebrities, and child soldiers.&nbsp;

Last week, parent company Meta unveiled a new feature, which allows Facebook,&nbsp;Messenger and Instagram users to generate stickers with AI by writing prompts.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musks-x-formerly-twitter-strips-headlines-from-news-story-links-for-esthetics-642986">Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, strips headlines from news story links for ‘aesthetics’</a>&nbsp;

Meta said in its blog post that "using technology from Llama 2 and our foundational model for image generation called Emu, our AI tool turns your text prompts into multiple unique, high-quality stickers in seconds".&nbsp;

Meta claimed that the new feature provides infinitely more options to convey how you're feeling at any moment.&nbsp;

3D artist and illustrator Pier-Olivier Desbiens said on X, "I don't think anyone involved has thought anything through."&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/youtube-bug-allowing-people-to-upload-undeletable-porn-videos-642855">YouTube bug is allowing people to upload ‘undeletable’ porn videos</a>&nbsp;

Desbiens said he used the prompts 'Waluigi rifle', 'child soldier', 'Karl Marx large breasts' and 'Trudeau buttocks' and added, "We really do live in the stupidest future imaginable."&nbsp;

Another user shared an AI-generated sticker of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who can be seen kissing a dog. "It's completely unhinged," the user said.&nbsp;

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found out that facebook messenger has ai generated stickers now and I don't think anyone involved has thought anything through <a href="https://t.co/co987cRhyu">pic.twitter.com/co987cRhyu</a>
— defend trans rights🏳️‍⚧️ - podesbiens.bsky.social (@Pioldes) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pioldes/status/1709323993847631978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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"We're introducing Meta AI in beta, an advanced conversational assistant that's available on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, and is coming to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Quest 3. Meta AI can give you real-time information and generate photorealistic images from your text prompts in seconds to share with friends. (Available in the US only)," Meta said.&nbsp;

"We're also launching 28 more AIs in beta, with unique interests and personalities. Some are played by cultural icons and influencers, including Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, and Naomi Osaka," it added.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Meta's stickers generated by artificial intelligence (AI) are problematic, several users have complained. Some users have complained that the AI-generated stickers are lewd, rude, and sometimes nude.

Meta's stickers generated by artificial intelligence (AI) are problematic, several users have complained. Some users have complained that the AI-generated stickers are lewd, rude, and sometimes nude. On social media platforms, users have shared images of the stickers which show cartoon characters wielding weapons, naked celebrities, and child soldiers. Last week, parent company Meta unveiled a new feature, which allows Facebook, Messenger and Instagram users to generate stickers with AI by writing prompts. Also read: Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter, strips headlines from news story links for ‘aesthetics’ Meta said in its blog post that "using technology from Llama 2 and our foundational model for image generation called Emu, our AI tool turns your text prompts into multiple unique, high-quality stickers in seconds". Meta claimed that the new feature provides infinitely more options to convey how you're feeling at any moment. 3D artist and illustrator Pier-Olivier Desbiens said on X, "I don't think anyone involved has thought anything through." Also read: YouTube bug is allowing people to upload ‘undeletable’ porn videos Desbiens said he used the prompts 'Waluigi rifle', 'child soldier', 'Karl Marx large breasts' and 'Trudeau buttocks' and added, "We really do live in the stupidest future imaginable." Another user shared an AI-generated sticker of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who can be seen kissing a dog. "It's completely unhinged," the user said. found out that facebook messenger has ai generated stickers now and I don't think anyone involved has thought anything through pic.twitter.com/co987cRhyu — defend trans rights🏳️‍⚧️ - podesbiens.bsky.social (@Pioldes) October 3, 2023 × "We're introducing Meta AI in beta, an advanced conversational assistant that's available on WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, and is coming to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses and Quest 3. Meta AI can give you real-time information and generate photorealistic images from your text prompts in seconds to share with friends. (Available in the US only)," Meta said. "We're also launching 28 more AIs in beta, with unique interests and personalities. Some are played by cultural icons and influencers, including Snoop Dogg, Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner, and Naomi Osaka," it added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic

Meta is planning to lay off employees on Wednesday in the unit of its metaverse-oriented Reality Labs division focused on creating custom silicon, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Employees were informed of the layoffs in a post on Meta's internal discussion forum Workplace on Tuesday. The post said they would be notified about their status with the company by early Wednesday morning, one of the sources said.

A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the plans. Reuters was not able to determine the extent of the cuts to the silicon unit, called Facebook Agile Silicon Team, or FAST.

If the cuts are deep, they could hamper Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's project to build augmented and virtual reality products enabling access to a set of immersive virtual worlds known as the "metaverse," particularly the AR glasses that he has predicted "will redefine our relationship with technology."

The FAST unit, which has roughly 600 employees, worked on developing custom chips to equip Meta's devices to perform unique tasks and operate more efficiently, differentiating them from others entering the nascent AR/VR market.

However, Meta has struggled to make chips that can compete with silicon produced by external providers and has turned to chipmaker Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices currently on the market.

A restructuring of FAST has been expected since the spring when Meta hired a new executive to lead the unit.

A separate chip-making unit in Meta's infrastructure division focused on artificial intelligence work has likewise hit roadblocks. The executive overseeing those efforts announced her departure last week, although Meta has appointed someone else to take over her role and continue those efforts.

Meta currently makes a line of mixed reality headsets called Quest and smart glasses designed with Ray-Ban eyeglass maker EssilorLuxottica that can stream video and speak with wearers through a new AI virtual assistant.

It announced new versions of the smart glasses and its consumer-oriented Quest headset, Quest 3, at its annual Connect conference last week.

The company is also working on more technically challenging and less bulky AR glasses that look more like regular glasses, along with associated smartwatches, according to one of the sources.

A first version of that product is set to be completed next year, although Meta is not initially planning to make it widely available to consumers, the source said.

Meta has slashed around 21,000 jobs since November of last year as it has sought to reassure investors that it was reining in costs amid waning revenue growth, high inflation and concerns that Reality Labs was losing too much money.

In a statement in March, Zuckerberg said the bulk of this year's layoffs would happen in the spring, but that "in a small number of cases, it may take through the end of the year to complete these changes." &nbsp;

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Meta is planning to lay off employees on Wednesday in the unit of its metaverse-oriented Reality Labs division focused on creating custom silicon, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Meta is planning to lay off employees on Wednesday in the unit of its metaverse-oriented Reality Labs division focused on creating custom silicon, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday. Employees were informed of the layoffs in a post on Meta's internal discussion forum Workplace on Tuesday. The post said they would be notified about their status with the company by early Wednesday morning, one of the sources said. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the plans. Reuters was not able to determine the extent of the cuts to the silicon unit, called Facebook Agile Silicon Team, or FAST. If the cuts are deep, they could hamper Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's project to build augmented and virtual reality products enabling access to a set of immersive virtual worlds known as the "metaverse," particularly the AR glasses that he has predicted "will redefine our relationship with technology." The FAST unit, which has roughly 600 employees, worked on developing custom chips to equip Meta's devices to perform unique tasks and operate more efficiently, differentiating them from others entering the nascent AR/VR market. However, Meta has struggled to make chips that can compete with silicon produced by external providers and has turned to chipmaker Qualcomm to produce chips for its devices currently on the market. A restructuring of FAST has been expected since the spring when Meta hired a new executive to lead the unit. A separate chip-making unit in Meta's infrastructure division focused on artificial intelligence work has likewise hit roadblocks. The executive overseeing those efforts announced her departure last week, although Meta has appointed someone else to take over her role and continue those efforts. Meta currently makes a line of mixed reality headsets called Quest and smart glasses designed with Ray-Ban eyeglass maker EssilorLuxottica that can stream video and speak with wearers through a new AI virtual assistant. It announced new versions of the smart glasses and its consumer-oriented Quest headset, Quest 3, at its annual Connect conference last week. The company is also working on more technically challenging and less bulky AR glasses that look more like regular glasses, along with associated smartwatches, according to one of the sources. A first version of that product is set to be completed next year, although Meta is not initially planning to make it widely available to consumers, the source said. Meta has slashed around 21,000 jobs since November of last year as it has sought to reassure investors that it was reining in costs amid waning revenue growth, high inflation and concerns that Reality Labs was losing too much money. In a statement in March, Zuckerberg said the bulk of this year's layoffs would happen in the spring, but that "in a small number of cases, it may take through the end of the year to complete these changes." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Meta to lay off employees in metaverse silicon unit today

According to the report, Meta has informed regulators that it intends to launch its subscription no ads (SNA) plan for users in Europe in the upcoming months. It added that users will have the option of continuing to access Instagram and Facebook for free with personalized ads or paying for versions of the services without any ads.

Meta hopes to roll out ad-free plan in EU

On Meta platforms such as Instagram and Facebook users are constantly bombarded with sponsored posts and advertisements only to capitalize on the vast global reach that Meta enjoys. The platform is now exploring a plan that could make users in the European Union shell out as much as $14 to access ad-free versions of Instagram or Facebook. Would you be willing to pay that much money to avoid ads?

Would you agree to personalised ads for the free version?

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed.

The research specifically focused on girls aged between 17 and 19. It revealed that when exposed to ads featuring thin or curvy models, female users of Instagram might develop a physical inferiority complex.&nbsp;

The research reaffirms the results of previous studies that highlighted how exposure to idealised body types in media can lead to body dissatisfaction and even unhealthy behaviours.

<h2>How was study conducted?</h2>

The study involved 284 young women aged 17-19, all enrolled in a psychology course at an Australian university. They were selected from a research participant pool and had to meet specific criteria, such as being regular Instagram users and not having diagnosed eating disorders or body dysmorphia.&nbsp;

The research aimed to understand how exposure to Instagram ads featuring both thin and curvy models affected these participants.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey-quits-instagram-the-coveted-handle-may-be-up-for-grabs-626714">Also read:&nbsp;Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey quits Instagram, his coveted handle may be up for grabs</a>

To assess the impact of this exposure, the researchers used various measures, including participants' body image preferences (whether they preferred thin or curvy body types), how often they compared themselves to these idealised images, their body satisfaction level, and their willingness to take actions to achieve a thinner or curvier body.

The results indicated that participants who had more exposure to thin or curvy models through Instagram advertising were more likely to prefer those body types. This suggests that Instagram ads can influence people's preferences for certain body ideals.

Watch:&nbsp;Trending on WION: Meta to lift breast images ban rule in Facebook, Instagram

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Furthermore, the study found that exposure to these body ideals was associated with a greater willingness to take specific actions to attain them. Those who preferred thin bodies were more open to actions like dieting or surgery to reduce their waist size, while those who preferred curvy bodies were more inclined to consider procedures to increase breast and buttocks size.&nbsp;

<h2>Dissatisfaction - a key factor</h2>

The research also revealed that dissatisfaction with their bodies played a key role for teenagers in affecting decisions to alter their appearance.

Study author Jannatul Shimul Ferdousi, a PhD student in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, was quoted as saying by Psypost that there needs to be updated policies and government intervention to stop this menace.

“This highlights the need for updated policies and interventions so that they take into account the impact of newer advertising platforms and body ideals on body image,” said Ferdousi.

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&nbsp;

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed.

Advertisements on Instagram can severely influence the perception of teenage girls about their own bodies and force them to undertake appearance-altering measures, research published in the Journal of Psychology has claimed. The research specifically focused on girls aged between 17 and 19. It revealed that when exposed to ads featuring thin or curvy models, female users of Instagram might develop a physical inferiority complex. The research reaffirms the results of previous studies that highlighted how exposure to idealised body types in media can lead to body dissatisfaction and even unhealthy behaviours. How was study conducted? The study involved 284 young women aged 17-19, all enrolled in a psychology course at an Australian university. They were selected from a research participant pool and had to meet specific criteria, such as being regular Instagram users and not having diagnosed eating disorders or body dysmorphia. The research aimed to understand how exposure to Instagram ads featuring both thin and curvy models affected these participants. Also read: Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey quits Instagram, his coveted handle may be up for grabs To assess the impact of this exposure, the researchers used various measures, including participants' body image preferences (whether they preferred thin or curvy body types), how often they compared themselves to these idealised images, their body satisfaction level, and their willingness to take actions to achieve a thinner or curvier body. The results indicated that participants who had more exposure to thin or curvy models through Instagram advertising were more likely to prefer those body types. This suggests that Instagram ads can influence people's preferences for certain body ideals. Watch: Trending on WION: Meta to lift breast images ban rule in Facebook, Instagram × Furthermore, the study found that exposure to these body ideals was associated with a greater willingness to take specific actions to attain them. Those who preferred thin bodies were more open to actions like dieting or surgery to reduce their waist size, while those who preferred curvy bodies were more inclined to consider procedures to increase breast and buttocks size. Dissatisfaction - a key factor The research also revealed that dissatisfaction with their bodies played a key role for teenagers in affecting decisions to alter their appearance. Study author Jannatul Shimul Ferdousi, a PhD student in the School of Applied Psychology at Griffith University, was quoted as saying by Psypost that there needs to be updated policies and government intervention to stop this menace. “This highlights the need for updated policies and interventions so that they take into account the impact of newer advertising platforms and body ideals on body image,” said Ferdousi. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Instagram ads might lead teen girls to undertake appearance-altering measures: Report

Meta executives have revealed that their AI virtual assistant, dubbed Meta AI, was trained on public posts made by its users on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, however, clarified that they didn’t scrape through the private Facebook messenger and Instagram chats that are shared only with family and friends so as to respect consumers’ privacy.

"We've tried to exclude datasets that have a heavy preponderance of personal information," Clegg told Reuters news agency on Thursday (Sept 28), adding that the "vast majority" of the data used by Meta for training was publicly available.

The clarification seeks to assuage the privacy concerns over tech companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, using information scraped from the internet without permission to train their AI models.

<h2>Built on powerful Lama2 language model</h2>

Meta AI, which was unveiled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday at Meta's annual products conference, Connect, is built on a custom model based on the powerful Llama 2 large language model, and a new model called Emu that generates images in response to text prompts.

The product will be able to generate text, audio and imagery and will have access to real-time information via a partnership with Microsoft's Bing search engine, Clegg said.

“The public Facebook and Instagram posts that were used to train Meta AI included both text and photos,” he added.

Clegg assured that Meta imposed safety restrictions on what content its virtual assistant AI tool could generate, like a ban on the creation of photo-realistic images of public figures.

Speaking on copyrighted materials, Clegg said he was expecting a "fair amount of litigation" over the matter of "whether creative content is covered or not by existing fair use doctrine," which permits the limited use of protected works for purposes such as commentary, research and parody.

"We think it is, but I strongly suspect that's going to play out in litigation," Clegg said.

<h2>AI still in beta version</h2>

Meta, which is currently in beta version, is an “advanced conversational assistant” that can generate text, audio, and imagery, and have real-time access to information through a partnership with Microsoft's Bing search engine.

The company states that the AI chatbot will be limited to information that largely existed prior to 2023,

Meta will eventually launch an AI creator studio for businesses and developers to build their own personalized AI chatbot.

Currently, Meta’s new AI tool is only available in the US.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Meta executives have revealed that their AI virtual assistant, dubbed Meta AI, was trained on public posts made by its users on Facebook and Instagram. Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, however, clarified that they didn’t scrape through the private Facebook messenger and Instagram chats that are shared only with family and friends so as to respect consumers’ privacy.

Meta executives have revealed that their AI virtual assistant, dubbed Meta AI, was trained on public posts made by its users on Facebook and Instagram. Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg, however, clarified that they didn’t scrape through the private Facebook messenger and Instagram chats that are shared only with family and friends so as to respect consumers’ privacy. "We've tried to exclude datasets that have a heavy preponderance of personal information," Clegg told Reuters news agency on Thursday (Sept 28), adding that the "vast majority" of the data used by Meta for training was publicly available. The clarification seeks to assuage the privacy concerns over tech companies like Meta, OpenAI, and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, using information scraped from the internet without permission to train their AI models. Built on powerful Lama2 language model Meta AI, which was unveiled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday at Meta's annual products conference, Connect, is built on a custom model based on the powerful Llama 2 large language model, and a new model called Emu that generates images in response to text prompts. The product will be able to generate text, audio and imagery and will have access to real-time information via a partnership with Microsoft's Bing search engine, Clegg said. “The public Facebook and Instagram posts that were used to train Meta AI included both text and photos,” he added. Clegg assured that Meta imposed safety restrictions on what content its virtual assistant AI tool could generate, like a ban on the creation of photo-realistic images of public figures. Speaking on copyrighted materials, Clegg said he was expecting a "fair amount of litigation" over the matter of "whether creative content is covered or not by existing fair use doctrine," which permits the limited use of protected works for purposes such as commentary, research and parody. "We think it is, but I strongly suspect that's going to play out in litigation," Clegg said. AI still in beta version Meta, which is currently in beta version, is an “advanced conversational assistant” that can generate text, audio, and imagery, and have real-time access to information through a partnership with Microsoft's Bing search engine. The company states that the AI chatbot will be limited to information that largely existed prior to 2023, Meta will eventually launch an AI creator studio for businesses and developers to build their own personalized AI chatbot. Currently, Meta’s new AI tool is only available in the US. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Meta admits its new AI chatbot is trained on posts by users on Facebook and Instagram

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said at an event on Wednesday (September 27) that the company will start shipping its newest Quest mixed-reality headset on October 10. The announcement was made at a Meta Connect Conference, the biggest event of the year for the social media company. It is expected that more announcements will be made on plans to build metaverse, which Zuckerberg says is the future of computing.

Meta announced Quest 3 over the summer just when Apple launched its Vision Pro headset. Apple's high-end product has a price-tag of USD &nbsp;3500.

The Quest 3 headset starts at USD 500. It has the same mixed-reality tech that the more expensive headset Quest Pro has.

Quest Pro was launched last year. It shows wearers a video feed of the world around them.

Meta Connect Conference this year is the first in-person conference since the start of the pandemic.

The day's announcements are expected to indicate how Zuckerberg plans to navigate the shift this year of investor fervor to artificial intelligence from augmented and virtual reality technologies.

Stakes are high this year especially after lashing Meta got from investors last year. Meta received criticism for spending extensively on metaverse. As Meta continued funding Zuckerberg's vision, the company was forced to sack tens of thousands of staff.

Developers will be watching to assess what apps they might create for Meta's latest hardware devices. Investors, meanwhile, will be scouting for signs of whether a gamble that has lost the company more than $40 billion since 2021 may pay off.

Just before the event, Meta said it was delivering on a plan announced early last year to roll out mobile and Web versions of its flagship social VR platform Horizon Worlds.&nbsp;

It also quietly added legs to its previously upper-body-only virtual reality avatars, as spotted by industry blog Upload VR.

(With inputs from agencies)

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&nbsp;

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said at an event on Wednesday (September 27) that the company will start shipping its newest Quest mixed-reality headset on October 10.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, said at an event on Wednesday (September 27) that the company will start shipping its newest Quest mixed-reality headset on October 10. The announcement was made at a Meta Connect Conference, the biggest event of the year for the social media company. It is expected that more announcements will be made on plans to build metaverse, which Zuckerberg says is the future of computing. Meta announced Quest 3 over the summer just when Apple launched its Vision Pro headset. Apple's high-end product has a price-tag of USD 3500. The Quest 3 headset starts at USD 500. It has the same mixed-reality tech that the more expensive headset Quest Pro has. Quest Pro was launched last year. It shows wearers a video feed of the world around them. Meta Connect Conference this year is the first in-person conference since the start of the pandemic. The day's announcements are expected to indicate how Zuckerberg plans to navigate the shift this year of investor fervor to artificial intelligence from augmented and virtual reality technologies. Stakes are high this year especially after lashing Meta got from investors last year. Meta received criticism for spending extensively on metaverse. As Meta continued funding Zuckerberg's vision, the company was forced to sack tens of thousands of staff. Developers will be watching to assess what apps they might create for Meta's latest hardware devices. Investors, meanwhile, will be scouting for signs of whether a gamble that has lost the company more than $40 billion since 2021 may pay off. Just before the event, Meta said it was delivering on a plan announced early last year to roll out mobile and Web versions of its flagship social VR platform Horizon Worlds. It also quietly added legs to its previously upper-body-only virtual reality avatars, as spotted by industry blog Upload VR. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Meta to start shipping new Quest headsets on October 10: Mark Zuckerberg

Meta has unveiled artificial intelligence power chat bots, the upgraded Rayband smart glasses and a new mixed reality headset. The company is putting artificial intelligence in digital assistance and smart glasses as it seeks to gain lost ground in the AI race.

Meta putting AI in smart glasses and assistants, while they launch new devices

Britain urged Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse after the Online Safety Bill was passed by parliament.

UK urges Meta not to roll out end-to-end encryption on Messenger and Instagram

WhatsApp on Friday rubbished media reports suggesting that the Meta-owned instant messaging platform was introducing advertisements to boost revenue.

Earlier, a report in the Financial Times claimed that WhatsApp was exploring a new feature “that would display adverts in the app for the first time.” The report also noted that the discussions were in the early stage as the move had caused ‘internal controversy.’

The head of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, rejected the media report as ‘false.’

WATCH:&nbsp;How India and Brazil may help WhatsApp monetise chats

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Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Cathcart announced that the Financial Times story was false. “We aren't doing this. Also it looks like you misspelled Brian's name…", he wrote.

<h2>Other claims rejected by WhatsApp</h2>

The Financial Times report also claimed that Meta was exploring offering subscription services to users opting for the ad-free version of the app.&nbsp;

This claim has also been rejected by WhatsApp.

<h2>Speculations about WhatsApp monetisation</h2>

For quite some time, there has been speculation among analysts about Meta's intentions to introduce advertisements on WhatsApp.&nbsp;

This speculation stems from Meta’s desire to devise ways to generate revenue from a platform that boasts a staggering 2 billion daily users worldwide. In contrast, Instagram, a more cost-effective acquisition for Meta, has been more successful in monetisation efforts.

Up to this point, Meta has been hesitant to implement ads within the WhatsApp application. Instead, their focus has been on generating income through WhatsApp Business, a specialised offering designed for merchants who are willing to pay for specific services.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/whatsapp-releases-latest-feature-that-makes-it-easier-to-message-yourself-549738">Also read:&nbsp;WhatsApp releases latest feature that makes it easier for you to message yourself</a>

Notably, WhatsApp Business has attracted over 200 million monthly active users.

“With WhatsApp Business users reaching 200M MAU, and GenAI customer service tools being tested out, Meta appears to be taking steps towards monetizing the 2Bn+ active users on WhatsApp. Click to Message is already running at a 10B+ revenue run rate while training both the users and businesses to interact within WhatsApp,” analysts at AllianceBernstein were quoted as saying by Tech Crunch.

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&nbsp;

WhatsApp on Friday rubbished media reports suggesting that the Meta-owned instant messaging platform was introducing advertisements to boost revenue. Earlier, a report in the Financial Times claimed that WhatsApp was exploring a new feature “that would display adverts in the app for the first time.

WhatsApp on Friday rubbished media reports suggesting that the Meta-owned instant messaging platform was introducing advertisements to boost revenue. Earlier, a report in the Financial Times claimed that WhatsApp was exploring a new feature “that would display adverts in the app for the first time.” The report also noted that the discussions were in the early stage as the move had caused ‘internal controversy.’ The head of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, rejected the media report as ‘false.’ WATCH: How India and Brazil may help WhatsApp monetise chats × Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Cathcart announced that the Financial Times story was false. “We aren't doing this. Also it looks like you misspelled Brian's name…", he wrote. Other claims rejected by WhatsApp The Financial Times report also claimed that Meta was exploring offering subscription services to users opting for the ad-free version of the app. This claim has also been rejected by WhatsApp. Speculations about WhatsApp monetisation For quite some time, there has been speculation among analysts about Meta's intentions to introduce advertisements on WhatsApp. This speculation stems from Meta’s desire to devise ways to generate revenue from a platform that boasts a staggering 2 billion daily users worldwide. In contrast, Instagram, a more cost-effective acquisition for Meta, has been more successful in monetisation efforts. Up to this point, Meta has been hesitant to implement ads within the WhatsApp application. Instead, their focus has been on generating income through WhatsApp Business, a specialised offering designed for merchants who are willing to pay for specific services. Also read: WhatsApp releases latest feature that makes it easier for you to message yourself Notably, WhatsApp Business has attracted over 200 million monthly active users. “With WhatsApp Business users reaching 200M MAU, and GenAI customer service tools being tested out, Meta appears to be taking steps towards monetizing the 2Bn+ active users on WhatsApp. Click to Message is already running at a 10B+ revenue run rate while training both the users and businesses to interact within WhatsApp,” analysts at AllianceBernstein were quoted as saying by Tech Crunch. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Is Meta introducing advertisement on WhatsApp? Here is what the company says

Tech's most influential leaders have converged on Capitol Hill, and the message is clear: artificial intelligence needs a referee. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, alongside Mark Zuckerberg of Meta platforms and Sundar Pichai from Alphabet, joined forces with over 60 senators to discuss the pressing need for AI regulation.