Hackers are now using a widely spread network of fake and hacked Facebook accounts to send out phishing messages. With these messages, cybercriminals are trying to trick people into installing passwords and stealing malware.

How are hackers targeting users on Facebook?

Threads, Meta's text based social media platform is now blocking terms related to covid-19 on its search engines including others like nudity and hate speech.

Meta blocks 'potentially sensitive' topics from threads

<p>Meta Platforms (META.O) is working on a new artificial-intelligence system intended to be as powerful as the most advanced model offered by OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.</p>

<p>The Facebook parent is aiming for its new AI model to be ready next year, the Journal said, adding it will be several times more powerful than its commercial version dubbed Llama 2.</p>

<p>Llama 2 is Meta's open source AI language model launched in July, and distributed by Microsoft's (MSFT.O) cloud Azure services to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's (GOOGL.O) Bard.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/morocco-ambassador-maliki-welcomes-indias-offer-of-assistance-after-deadly-earthquake-635132">Morocco Ambassador Maliki welcomes India's offer of assistance after deadly earthquake</a></p>

<p>The planned system, details of which could still change, would help other companies build services that produce sophisticated text, analysis and other output, the newspaper reported.</p>

<p>Meta expects to start training the new AI system, known as a large language model, in early 2024, the report added.</p>

<p>Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.</p>

<p>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-nipah-virus-alert-in-keralas-kozhikode-after-two-unnatural-deaths-reported-in-district-635097">India: Nipah virus alert in Kerala's Kozhikode after two 'unnatural deaths' reported in district</a></p>

<p>Businesses and enterprises have flocked to the nascent generative AI market for newer capabilities and refining business processes since the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT late last year.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Can India amplify the voice of the global south?</strong></p>

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<p>Bloomberg News reported in July that Apple (AAPL.O) is working on AI offerings similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard, adding that it has built its own framework, known as 'Ajax', to create large language models and is also testing a chatbot that some engineers call 'Apple GPT'.</p>

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Meta Platforms (META.O) is working on a new artificial-intelligence system intended to be as powerful as the most advanced model offered by OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Meta Platforms (META.O) is working on a new artificial-intelligence system intended to be as powerful as the most advanced model offered by OpenAI, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. The Facebook parent is aiming for its new AI model to be ready next year, the Journal said, adding it will be several times more powerful than its commercial version dubbed Llama 2. Llama 2 is Meta's open source AI language model launched in July, and distributed by Microsoft's (MSFT.O) cloud Azure services to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's (GOOGL.O) Bard. Also Read | Morocco Ambassador Maliki welcomes India's offer of assistance after deadly earthquake The planned system, details of which could still change, would help other companies build services that produce sophisticated text, analysis and other output, the newspaper reported. Meta expects to start training the new AI system, known as a large language model, in early 2024, the report added. Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Also Read | India: Nipah virus alert in Kerala's Kozhikode after two 'unnatural deaths' reported in district Businesses and enterprises have flocked to the nascent generative AI market for newer capabilities and refining business processes since the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT late last year. Watch | Can India amplify the voice of the global south? × Bloomberg News reported in July that Apple (AAPL.O) is working on AI offerings similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard, adding that it has built its own framework, known as 'Ajax', to create large language models and is also testing a chatbot that some engineers call 'Apple GPT'. 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 is developing a new, more powerful AI system: Report

<p>Tech giants including Apple, Facebook owner Meta and TikTok parent ByteDance will now face the new and toughest-ever EU restraints under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on the ways they conduct their respective businesses. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The European Commission, the European Union's most powerful body, unveiled a list on Wednesday (September 6), naming 22 "core platform" services belonging to six big US tech players designated as "gatekeepers": Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and China's ByteDance. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Brussels is working through a legislative plan to construct more stringent rules for big tech, asserting that it needs to safeguard European consumers online.</p>

<p>The move has reportedly also been taken to create competition in the market which is primarily dominated by the US tech giants.</p>

<p>Services that will be impacted by the stricter laws include Apple's App Store; Meta's Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp; Google's YouTube video platform and Chrome browser; as well as Apple's Safari. Operating systems from Apple, Microsoft, Google and Alphabet's Google Maps, Play and Shopping will also be affected by the new law.</p>

<h2><strong>'Gatekeepers'</strong></h2>

<p>Targeting the world's leading tech companies' market influence, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is one of the world's most stringent pieces of legislation which is aimed at making it more manageable for users to move between contending services, such as social media platforms, internet browsers and app stores.</p>

<p>The EU Commission specified 22 services of the top tech companies as "gatekeepers" of online services.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-set-to-shift-from-lighting-port-to-usb-type-c-for-its-upcoming-iphone-15-series-632307"> Apple set to shift from lighting port to USB Type-C for its upcoming iPhone 15 series</a></p>

<p>This means that such businesses will now have to make their messaging apps interoperate with competitors and let users decide as to which applications to pre-install on their devices.</p>

<p>Also, under the DMA, the services will have to take the user's direct consent before tracking their activities for advertising purposes.</p>

<p>The firms have six months to comply.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Apple reacts</strong></h2>

<p>Apple, while expressing concerns over the tough new EU curbs, spoke&nbsp;Wednesday about&nbsp;the risks posed by the landmark digital markets law.</p>

<p>"We remain very concerned about the privacy and data security risks the DMA poses for our users. Our focus will be on how we mitigate these impacts," &nbsp;Apple said in a statement, referring to the EU Digital Markets Act.</p>

<p>Microsoft released a statement accepting its designation as gatekeeper, while also welcoming the commission's decision to open a probe into a possible exemption of Microsoft's services Bing, Edge and Microsoft Ads from the DMA.</p>

<p>Facebook parent company Meta said it was assessing the commission's designation.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Tech giants including Apple, Facebook owner Meta and TikTok parent ByteDance will now face the new and toughest-ever EU restraints under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on the ways they conduct their respective businesses.

Tech giants including Apple, Facebook owner Meta and TikTok parent ByteDance will now face the new and toughest-ever EU restraints under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) on the ways they conduct their respective businesses. The European Commission, the European Union's most powerful body, unveiled a list on Wednesday (September 6), naming 22 "core platform" services belonging to six big US tech players designated as "gatekeepers": Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and China's ByteDance. Brussels is working through a legislative plan to construct more stringent rules for big tech, asserting that it needs to safeguard European consumers online. The move has reportedly also been taken to create competition in the market which is primarily dominated by the US tech giants. Services that will be impacted by the stricter laws include Apple's App Store; Meta's Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp; Google's YouTube video platform and Chrome browser; as well as Apple's Safari. Operating systems from Apple, Microsoft, Google and Alphabet's Google Maps, Play and Shopping will also be affected by the new law. 'Gatekeepers' Targeting the world's leading tech companies' market influence, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) is one of the world's most stringent pieces of legislation which is aimed at making it more manageable for users to move between contending services, such as social media platforms, internet browsers and app stores. The EU Commission specified 22 services of the top tech companies as "gatekeepers" of online services. Also read: Apple set to shift from lighting port to USB Type-C for its upcoming iPhone 15 series This means that such businesses will now have to make their messaging apps interoperate with competitors and let users decide as to which applications to pre-install on their devices. Also, under the DMA, the services will have to take the user's direct consent before tracking their activities for advertising purposes. The firms have six months to comply. Apple reacts Apple, while expressing concerns over the tough new EU curbs, spoke Wednesday about the risks posed by the landmark digital markets law. "We remain very concerned about the privacy and data security risks the DMA poses for our users. Our focus will be on how we mitigate these impacts," Apple said in a statement, referring to the EU Digital Markets Act. Microsoft released a statement accepting its designation as gatekeeper, while also welcoming the commission's decision to open a probe into a possible exemption of Microsoft's services Bing, Edge and Microsoft Ads from the DMA. Facebook parent company Meta said it was assessing the commission's designation. (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

EU hits Big Tech giants including Apple, Amazon and Meta with tougher market curbs

<p>X (formerly known as Twitter) boss Elon Musk on Wednesday once again stirred the pot by challenging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for the long impending cage fight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A user on the platform said that searching for Mark Zuckerberg on Google nowadays threw more UFC content than his actual podcasts. Musk, who is highly active on X, seized the opportunity and called out Zuckerberg for not taking him on in the fight.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Why won't he fight me!? Zuck said "name the place", so I named his house, but they said he was away on travel. Perhaps we can fight when we returns?" Musk said in response.</p>

<p>"Perhaps we can fight when we returns?" he added.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why won’t he fight me!? Zuck said “name the place”, so I named his house, but they said he was away on travel.<br />
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Perhaps we can fight when we returns?</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1699287614941966459?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Gravitas Plus: Threads: Another app to doomscroll?</strong></p>

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Musk was referring to his own comments from last month when he said he would drive his car to Zuckerberg's house for the fight while live-streaming the journey.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“If we get lucky and Zuck my 👅 actually answers the door, the fight is on!” he wrote.</p>

<p>A day earlier, Zuckerberg said he had moved on from the fight as Musk wasn't serious about the proposed showdown between the duo.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead,” he wrote on Threads.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously.”</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/its-on-elon-musk-shares-details-about-his-fight-with-zuckerberg-622814" target="_blank"><strong>Also read | It's on: Elon Musk shares details of fight with Zuckerberg, to be live streamed on X</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Musk challenges Zuck</strong></h2>

<p>The speculations around a potential fight between the two billionaires started in June when Musk, unimpressed by the announcement of Meta launching Threads, embarked on a verbal tirade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane’. Was worried there for a moment,” Musk said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Twitter user replied to Musk saying he should be careful of Zuckerberg since the Facebook boss had been practising jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian martial art form.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” replied a cavalier Musk, setting a series of back-and-forth interactions between the two billionaires.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since then, the rivalry has only intensified between the duo. After Meta launched Threads, Musk and his team filed a legal case against Zuckerberg for copying X.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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X (formerly known as Twitter) boss Elon Musk on Wednesday once again stirred the pot by challenging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for the long impending cage fight. A user on the platform said that searching for Mark Zuckerberg on Google nowadays threw more UFC content than his actual podcasts.

X (formerly known as Twitter) boss Elon Musk on Wednesday once again stirred the pot by challenging Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for the long impending cage fight. A user on the platform said that searching for Mark Zuckerberg on Google nowadays threw more UFC content than his actual podcasts. Musk, who is highly active on X, seized the opportunity and called out Zuckerberg for not taking him on in the fight. "Why won't he fight me!? Zuck said "name the place", so I named his house, but they said he was away on travel. Perhaps we can fight when we returns?" Musk said in response. "Perhaps we can fight when we returns?" he added. Why won’t he fight me!? Zuck said “name the place”, so I named his house, but they said he was away on travel. Perhaps we can fight when we returns? — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2023 × WATCH | Gravitas Plus: Threads: Another app to doomscroll? Musk was referring to his own comments from last month when he said he would drive his car to Zuckerberg's house for the fight while live-streaming the journey. “If we get lucky and Zuck my 👅 actually answers the door, the fight is on!” he wrote. A day earlier, Zuckerberg said he had moved on from the fight as Musk wasn't serious about the proposed showdown between the duo. “Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead,” he wrote on Threads. “If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously.” Also read | It's on: Elon Musk shares details of fight with Zuckerberg, to be live streamed on X Musk challenges Zuck The speculations around a potential fight between the two billionaires started in June when Musk, unimpressed by the announcement of Meta launching Threads, embarked on a verbal tirade. “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane’. Was worried there for a moment,” Musk said. A Twitter user replied to Musk saying he should be careful of Zuckerberg since the Facebook boss had been practising jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian martial art form. “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” replied a cavalier Musk, setting a series of back-and-forth interactions between the two billionaires. Since then, the rivalry has only intensified between the duo. After Meta launched Threads, Musk and his team filed a legal case against Zuckerberg for copying X. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Why won't he...': Musk questions Zuckerberg regarding cage fight

WhatsApp has been one of the most successful services owned by Meta, however, it has not been a moneymaker for the company. Meta (previously Facebook) bought the instant messaging app for $19 billion in 2014. Meanwhile, Instagram, which Facebook bought in 2012 for roughly $1 is making money, due to prolific advertising. Now, the company reportedly wants to make WhatsApp a profitable asset.

How India and Brazil may help WhatsApp monetise chats

Meta has uncovered China's covert digital influence operation. China has been trying to push pro-Beijing propaganda on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Meta uncovers 'largest-ever' Chinese digital influence operation

7,704 Facebook accounts, 954 Facebook pages, 15 Facebook groups and 15 Instagram accounts - these are the number of pages and profiles that Meta has removed from its platform. Meta has revealed that a large number of fake accounts were used to promote pro-China propaganda.

Meta takes down China's 'spamouflage' campaign running since 2018

Facebook parent Meta says Chinese law enforcement is behind the largest covert online influence operation the company has ever disrupted.

Meta takes down large Chinese and Russian influence operations

<p>Facebook parent Meta is facing allegations that it is endangering lives by blocking news links in Canada just when the country is fighting devastating wildfires.</p>

<p>The situation "is dangerous," said Kelsey Worth, 35), one of nearly 20,000 residents of Yellowknife and thousands more in small towns ordered to evacuate the Northwest Territories as wildfires advanced.</p>

<p>She described to AFP how "insanely difficult" it has been for herself and other evacuees to find verifiable information about the fires blazing across the near-Arctic territory and other parts of Canada.</p>

<p>"Nobody's able to know what's true or not," she said.</p>

<p>"And when you're in an emergency situation, time is of the essence," she said, explaining that many Canadians until now have relied on social media for news.</p>

<p>Meta has started blocking distribution of news links and articles from August 1 in response to recent law that requires digital giants to pay news publishers for their news content.</p>

<p>The company has been in a virtual showdown with Ottawa over the bill passed in June, but which only takes effect next year.</p>

<p>Building on similar legislation introduced in Australia, the bill aims to support a struggling Canadian news sector that has seen a flight of advertising dollars and hundreds of publications closed in the last decade.</p>

<p>It requires companies like Meta and Google to make fair commercial deals with Canadian outlets for the news and information -- estimated in a report to parliament to be worth Can$330 million (US$250 million) per year -- that is shared on their platforms, or face binding arbitration.</p>

<p>But Meta has said the bill is flawed and insisted that news outlets share content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms to attract readers, benefiting them and not the Silicon Valley firm.</p>

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Facebook parent Meta is facing allegations that it is endangering lives by blocking news links in Canada just when the country is fighting devastating wildfires.

Facebook parent Meta is facing allegations that it is endangering lives by blocking news links in Canada just when the country is fighting devastating wildfires. The situation "is dangerous," said Kelsey Worth, 35), one of nearly 20,000 residents of Yellowknife and thousands more in small towns ordered to evacuate the Northwest Territories as wildfires advanced. She described to AFP how "insanely difficult" it has been for herself and other evacuees to find verifiable information about the fires blazing across the near-Arctic territory and other parts of Canada. "Nobody's able to know what's true or not," she said. "And when you're in an emergency situation, time is of the essence," she said, explaining that many Canadians until now have relied on social media for news. Meta has started blocking distribution of news links and articles from August 1 in response to recent law that requires digital giants to pay news publishers for their news content. The company has been in a virtual showdown with Ottawa over the bill passed in June, but which only takes effect next year. Building on similar legislation introduced in Australia, the bill aims to support a struggling Canadian news sector that has seen a flight of advertising dollars and hundreds of publications closed in the last decade. It requires companies like Meta and Google to make fair commercial deals with Canadian outlets for the news and information -- estimated in a report to parliament to be worth Can$330 million (US$250 million) per year -- that is shared on their platforms, or face binding arbitration. But Meta has said the bill is flawed and insisted that news outlets share content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms to attract readers, benefiting them and not the Silicon Valley firm. 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 ×

Canada: As wildfires rage, Meta gets slammed over news block

<p>In an attempt to keep up with X, formerly known as Twitter, Meta on Tuesday (August 22) announced the launch of its web version of the Threads app. Having launched the app in July, Meta has been hit with a reality check in recent weeks as it attempts to&nbsp;rebuild consumer interest.</p>

<p>Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to the platform ad announced the release of the desktop version, with a photo of his younger self in his dorm.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Actual footage of me building Threads for the web. Rolling out over the next few days." he captioned the post as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Users can now post a thread, access their feed and interact with other users on the website. While Meta says the web version is part of a comprehensive drive to deliver new features to the users, experts argue that the social media platform needs to polish its product to stand a chance against X. &nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/twitter-threatens-legal-action-against-metas-threads-unraveling-battle-for-social-media-supremacy-612886"><strong>Also read | X&nbsp;threatens legal action against Meta's Threads, unraveling battle for social media supremacy</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>Threads becomes a dud&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Threads, dubbed a "Twitter/X&nbsp;killer" by a significant portion of the internet community, had an impressive opening but since then, the platform has seen its popularity take a massive&nbsp;dip. As per data, both active users and time spent on the app - two major metrics to gauge a platform's popularity, were down significantly.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Similarweb data, over 100 million users had signed up for the app within a week of its release on July 5. The app reached a peak of 49 million users who engaged with the platform on a daily basis. However, on July 22, the metric had fallen to 12 million active users.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even Zuckerberg admitted there has been a drop in numbers as Meta seeks to compete against X.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We're not there yet," he told employees during an internal company town hall last month.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/threads-vs-x-the-rivalry-intensifies-as-threads-gets-a-web-version-wion-628098"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Threads vs X: The rivalry intensifies as Threads gets a web version | WION</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Musk vs Zuckerberg&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Ever since the launch of Threads, both Elon Musk and Zuckerberg have been at each other's throats. The rivalry has only intensified after Musk and his team threatened to take legal action against&nbsp;Zuckerberg.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a letter addressed to the Meta boss, X's lawyer Alex Spiro warned that the company intends to sue Meta if it does not cease using Twitter's trade secrets and confidential information, reports Reuters.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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In an attempt to keep up with X, formerly known as Twitter, Meta on Tuesday (August 22) announced the launch of its web version of the Threads app. Having launched the app in July, Meta has been hit with a reality check in recent weeks as it attempts to rebuild consumer interest.

In an attempt to keep up with X, formerly known as Twitter, Meta on Tuesday (August 22) announced the launch of its web version of the Threads app. Having launched the app in July, Meta has been hit with a reality check in recent weeks as it attempts to rebuild consumer interest. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to the platform ad announced the release of the desktop version, with a photo of his younger self in his dorm. “Actual footage of me building Threads for the web. Rolling out over the next few days." he captioned the post as saying. Users can now post a thread, access their feed and interact with other users on the website. While Meta says the web version is part of a comprehensive drive to deliver new features to the users, experts argue that the social media platform needs to polish its product to stand a chance against X. Also read | X threatens legal action against Meta's Threads, unraveling battle for social media supremacy Threads becomes a dud Threads, dubbed a "Twitter/X killer" by a significant portion of the internet community, had an impressive opening but since then, the platform has seen its popularity take a massive dip. As per data, both active users and time spent on the app - two major metrics to gauge a platform's popularity, were down significantly. According to Similarweb data, over 100 million users had signed up for the app within a week of its release on July 5. The app reached a peak of 49 million users who engaged with the platform on a daily basis. However, on July 22, the metric had fallen to 12 million active users. Even Zuckerberg admitted there has been a drop in numbers as Meta seeks to compete against X. "Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We're not there yet," he told employees during an internal company town hall last month. Watch | Threads vs X: The rivalry intensifies as Threads gets a web version | WION × Musk vs Zuckerberg Ever since the launch of Threads, both Elon Musk and Zuckerberg have been at each other's throats. The rivalry has only intensified after Musk and his team threatened to take legal action against Zuckerberg. In a letter addressed to the Meta boss, X's lawyer Alex Spiro warned that the company intends to sue Meta if it does not cease using Twitter's trade secrets and confidential information, reports Reuters. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Meta officially rolls out web version of Threads app to compete against X

What began as a whirlwind success, crossing over 100 million users within five days of its launch has now hit a stumbling block with a significant drop in user engagement. We delve into the fascinating story of threads, the fastest-growing app ever that's now facing challenges in retaining its audience.

Threads vs X: The rivalry intensifies as Threads gets a web version | WION

Thailand's digital minister plans to ask a court to shut down Meta platforms Facebook in southeast Asia's second-largest economy unless it takes action over scams that have affected more than 200,000 people.

Thailand threatens Facebook with legal action over alleged scams

<p>Meta Platforms is planning to launch the web version of its microblogging app Threads, reported the Wall Street Journal on Sunday (August 20), citing people familiar with the matter.</p>

<p>The move from the platform comes just when it is struggling to retain users. The launch of Threads created quite a buzz but the app lost more than half of its users in weeks that followed the launch.</p>

<p>Last month, Zuckerberg told employees during an internal company town hall that retention of users was better than what executives expected but it was "not perfect".</p>

<p>"Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We're not there yet," he said as quoted by Reuters.</p>

<p>Zuckerberg said that the drop in the&nbsp;number of users was "normal" and expected retention to grow as more features get added, including the desktop version.</p>

<p>Chief Product Officer Chis Cox has said that Meta is looking at the addition of more "retention driving hooks".</p>

<p>Reuters said that a company spokesperson declined to comment on the town hall meeting.</p>

<p>The executives' comments came a day after Meta wowed investors with a rosy revenue growth forecast, a sign of a comeback for a company that faced deep scepticism over its hefty spending on the metaverse last year as ad sales plummeted.</p>

<p>This boosted Meta's shares by eight&nbsp;per cent.</p>

<p>Zuckerberg has told Meta employees that Meta's work on Metaverse was "not massively ahead of schedule, but on track."</p>

<p>He added that Meta needed to invest in that work ahead of other tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft and Google.</p>

<p>"That way, we have all the tools ready for when this is ready for prime time," he said, predicting that mass adoption of metaverse technologies would take place in the 2030s.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Meta Platforms is planning to launch the web version of its microblogging app Threads, reported the Wall Street Journal on Sunday (August 20), citing people familiar with the matter.

Meta Platforms is planning to launch the web version of its microblogging app Threads, reported the Wall Street Journal on Sunday (August 20), citing people familiar with the matter. The move from the platform comes just when it is struggling to retain users. The launch of Threads created quite a buzz but the app lost more than half of its users in weeks that followed the launch. Last month, Zuckerberg told employees during an internal company town hall that retention of users was better than what executives expected but it was "not perfect". "Obviously, if you have more than 100 million people sign up, ideally it would be awesome if all of them or even half of them stuck around. We're not there yet," he said as quoted by Reuters. Zuckerberg said that the drop in the number of users was "normal" and expected retention to grow as more features get added, including the desktop version. Chief Product Officer Chis Cox has said that Meta is looking at the addition of more "retention driving hooks". Reuters said that a company spokesperson declined to comment on the town hall meeting. The executives' comments came a day after Meta wowed investors with a rosy revenue growth forecast, a sign of a comeback for a company that faced deep scepticism over its hefty spending on the metaverse last year as ad sales plummeted. This boosted Meta's shares by eight per cent. Zuckerberg has told Meta employees that Meta's work on Metaverse was "not massively ahead of schedule, but on track." He added that Meta needed to invest in that work ahead of other tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft and Google. "That way, we have all the tools ready for when this is ready for prime time," he said, predicting that mass adoption of metaverse technologies would take place in the 2030s. (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 ×

Threads plans launch of web version of app next week: Report

<p>Threads, Meta's social media platform launched with a bang on July 5 in over 100 countries, is now facing a serious crisis&nbsp;with&nbsp;its daily usage seeing a significant decline as against&nbsp;its promising introduction.</p>

<p>According to data from Similarweb, which provides digital intelligence insights, engagement with the app has plummeted by a staggering 79 per cent.</p>

<p>The platform saw a peak of 2.3 million active users in early July, but by August 7th, this number had dwindled to just 576,000.</p>

<h2><strong>Corporate retreat: Major brands scale back posts</strong></h2>

<p>Not only have individual users been abandoning Threads, but several prominent US&nbsp;companies, including fast-food giant Wendy's, clothing retailer Anthropologie, and makeup brand Rare Beauty, have also decreased their posting activity on the platform.</p>

<p>Adweek has reported this corporate retreat, reflecting the diminishing allure of Threads, as reported by the Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zuckerberg-questions-musks-seriousness-about-cage-fight-says-time-to-move-on-625153">Zuckerberg questions Musk's seriousness about cage fight, says 'time to move on'</a></p>

<h2><strong>Impressive start followed by fading appeal</strong></h2>

<p>Threads generated substantial excitement upon its launch on July 5th, amassing a remarkable 5 million user registrations within its initial hours.</p>

<p>Impressively, within less than a week, over 100 million people had signed up, setting a new record for rapid app downloads.</p>

<p>However, this initial surge in interest has since subsided. On its busiest day, Threads had less than half the user count of Twitter, the incumbent social media giant, which boasts an average of over 100 million daily active users.</p>

<h2><strong>Threads' intentions and Musk's impact on Twitter</strong></h2>

<p>Threads was strategically positioned to take advantage of the tumultuous state of Twitter following its acquisition by Elon Musk. Musk's takeover of Twitter in October 2022 resulted in significant layoffs within the company and the implementation of controversial policy changes.</p>

<p>These actions contributed to a decline in advertising revenue and a surge in user complaints about glitches and an uptick in hateful speech on the platform.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Elon Musk calls Mark Zuckerberg 'chicken' amid cage fight remarks</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Zuckerberg and Musk's public feud and abandoned cage fight idea</strong></h2>

<p>Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, two prominent tech figures, engaged in a very public feud. At one point, their rivalry escalated to the point where they jokingly considered a cage fight during the summer.</p>

<p>However, Zuckerberg announced that this concept had been dropped, citing Musk's lack of seriousness and commitment to the idea.</p>

<p>Despite the banter, Zuckerberg made it clear that if Musk were to genuinely pursue such an event, he would be open to discussing it.</p>

<h2><strong>Meta's response and ongoing developments</strong></h2>

<p>As of now, Meta, the parent company of Threads, has not provided an official response or comment regarding the platform's declining usage and corporate pullback.</p>

<p>The fate of Threads remains uncertain as it navigates a competitive landscape and grapples with the aftermath of its promising start and subsequent downturn.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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Threads, Meta's social media platform launched with a bang on July 5 in over 100 countries, is now facing a serious crisis with its daily usage seeing a significant decline as against its promising introduction.

Threads, Meta's social media platform launched with a bang on July 5 in over 100 countries, is now facing a serious crisis with its daily usage seeing a significant decline as against its promising introduction. According to data from Similarweb, which provides digital intelligence insights, engagement with the app has plummeted by a staggering 79 per cent. The platform saw a peak of 2.3 million active users in early July, but by August 7th, this number had dwindled to just 576,000. Corporate retreat: Major brands scale back posts Not only have individual users been abandoning Threads, but several prominent US companies, including fast-food giant Wendy's, clothing retailer Anthropologie, and makeup brand Rare Beauty, have also decreased their posting activity on the platform. Adweek has reported this corporate retreat, reflecting the diminishing allure of Threads, as reported by the Guardian. Also read | Zuckerberg questions Musk's seriousness about cage fight, says 'time to move on' Impressive start followed by fading appeal Threads generated substantial excitement upon its launch on July 5th, amassing a remarkable 5 million user registrations within its initial hours. Impressively, within less than a week, over 100 million people had signed up, setting a new record for rapid app downloads. However, this initial surge in interest has since subsided. On its busiest day, Threads had less than half the user count of Twitter, the incumbent social media giant, which boasts an average of over 100 million daily active users. Threads' intentions and Musk's impact on Twitter Threads was strategically positioned to take advantage of the tumultuous state of Twitter following its acquisition by Elon Musk. Musk's takeover of Twitter in October 2022 resulted in significant layoffs within the company and the implementation of controversial policy changes. These actions contributed to a decline in advertising revenue and a surge in user complaints about glitches and an uptick in hateful speech on the platform. Also watch | Elon Musk calls Mark Zuckerberg 'chicken' amid cage fight remarks Zuckerberg and Musk's public feud and abandoned cage fight idea Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, two prominent tech figures, engaged in a very public feud. At one point, their rivalry escalated to the point where they jokingly considered a cage fight during the summer. However, Zuckerberg announced that this concept had been dropped, citing Musk's lack of seriousness and commitment to the idea. Despite the banter, Zuckerberg made it clear that if Musk were to genuinely pursue such an event, he would be open to discussing it. Meta's response and ongoing developments As of now, Meta, the parent company of Threads, has not provided an official response or comment regarding the platform's declining usage and corporate pullback. The fate of Threads remains uncertain as it navigates a competitive landscape and grapples with the aftermath of its promising start and subsequent downturn. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Threads app's soaring hopes crash: Usage plummets by around 79%, fails to escape Twitter's shadow

Canadian news industry groups have raised concerns over meta platforms' recent decision to block news content on its platforms within the country. This action, taken in response to an upcoming law that mandates tech companies to pay for news articles, has prompted canadian news organizations to accuse meta of exploiting its dominant position and hindering fair competition.

Meta to block news content across platforms in Canada

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidLjC342g3gWA5" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p>Norway will impose a $98,500 (1 million crowns) a day fine on Meta over privacy breaches, starting August 14, the country's data protection authority said on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Datatilsynet, the Norwegian regulator had issued a warning about the fine last month if Facebook-owned Meta did not address privacy breaches identified by the body.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“As of next Monday, a daily fine of 1 million crown will start to apply,” Tobias Judin, head of Datatilsynet’s international section was quoted as saying by Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Norwegian watchdog said Meta cannot harvest user data, including their physical location and employ it to send targeted advertising at them, a practice often used by most tech companies to generate revenue.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Mark Zuckerberg-owned company had up until August 4 to address the issue and inform the regulator that it had handled the issue. However, Meta failed to take a call and the watchdog took action, with fines running till November 3.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“According to Meta, this will take several months, at the very earliest, for them to implement...And we don’t know what the consent mechanism will look like. And in the (meantime), peoples’ rights are being violated, every single day," Judin added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-fined-13-billion-by-european-union-for-sending-user-data-to-us-report-595123" target="_blank"><strong>Watch | Meta fined $1.3 billion by European Union for sending user data to US: Report</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>Meta fined heavily by the EU</strong></h2>

<p>This is not the first instance when Meta has received a hefty fine amount. In May, the company was fined a record $1.3 billion (1.2 billion euros) by the European Union for failing to comply with a warning by the top EU court related to the data transfer of Facebook’s EU users to servers in the United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which acts on behalf of the EU, the social media giant failed to pay heed to a top court warning aimed at protecting users’ data from the security services in the US once it’s shipped to servers across the Atlantic.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-parent-company-meta-to-face-more-than-800mn-fine-by-eu-over-data-transfer-to-us-reports-594857"><strong>Explained | EU fines Facebook parent company Meta record $1.3 billion over data transfer to US</strong></a></p>

<p>Facebook has repeatedly argued that following the Irish regulators' mandate could have “a far-reaching effect on businesses that rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)&nbsp;and on the online services that many people and businesses rely on”.</p>

<p>Notably, Norway&nbsp;is not a member of the EU but is part of the European single market, which explains the additional fine imposed on Meta.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;</strong></p>

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Norway will impose a $98,500 (1 million crowns) a day fine on Meta over privacy breaches, starting August 14, the country's data protection authority said on Monday.

Norway will impose a $98,500 (1 million crowns) a day fine on Meta over privacy breaches, starting August 14, the country's data protection authority said on Monday. Datatilsynet, the Norwegian regulator had issued a warning about the fine last month if Facebook-owned Meta did not address privacy breaches identified by the body. “As of next Monday, a daily fine of 1 million crown will start to apply,” Tobias Judin, head of Datatilsynet’s international section was quoted as saying by Reuters. The Norwegian watchdog said Meta cannot harvest user data, including their physical location and employ it to send targeted advertising at them, a practice often used by most tech companies to generate revenue. The Mark Zuckerberg-owned company had up until August 4 to address the issue and inform the regulator that it had handled the issue. However, Meta failed to take a call and the watchdog took action, with fines running till November 3. “According to Meta, this will take several months, at the very earliest, for them to implement...And we don’t know what the consent mechanism will look like. And in the (meantime), peoples’ rights are being violated, every single day," Judin added. Watch | Meta fined $1.3 billion by European Union for sending user data to US: Report × Meta fined heavily by the EU This is not the first instance when Meta has received a hefty fine amount. In May, the company was fined a record $1.3 billion (1.2 billion euros) by the European Union for failing to comply with a warning by the top EU court related to the data transfer of Facebook’s EU users to servers in the United States. According to Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), which acts on behalf of the EU, the social media giant failed to pay heed to a top court warning aimed at protecting users’ data from the security services in the US once it’s shipped to servers across the Atlantic. Explained | EU fines Facebook parent company Meta record $1.3 billion over data transfer to US Facebook has repeatedly argued that following the Irish regulators' mandate could have “a far-reaching effect on businesses that rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and on the online services that many people and businesses rely on”. Notably, Norway is not a member of the EU but is part of the European single market, which explains the additional fine imposed on Meta. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Norway set to fine Meta nearly $100,000 a day from August  14. Know why

The proposed cage fight between social media moguls Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk is making headlines again, and viewers worldwide might be in for a treat.

Musk vs Mark: Elon Musk tweets update on cage match with Meta owner, Mark Zuckerberg

Big tech companies are promoting advertisements of harmful health products for women. Meta says that the content is not against their policies. Will stringent regulations be imposed? Molly Gambhir reports

Gravitas: Big tech firms promote toxic health cures for women

<p>In a patriarchal society, a woman's worth has long been attached to her vagina and its "purity". This obsession has, for years, given way to harmful methods to maintain the so-called purity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The latest fad in this problematic trend are 'yoni pearls' and as per a report by the Guardian, social media giants Meta, YouTube, and Google are profiting from posts promoting these useless and harmful 'health products' to women in Kenya.</p>

<h2><strong>Detox or toxic?</strong></h2>

<p>As per research by media collective Fambua, big tech firms are amplifying content promising unproven cures for infertility and herbs that can supposedly fight off cancer.</p>

<p>Fambua found Facebook pages selling these yoni pearls that as per them can "cleanse" the uterus and protect women from cervical cancer.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/third-drug-trafficking-convict-executed-in-singapore-in-less-than-a-week-621999">Third drug trafficking convict executed in Singapore in less than a week</a></strong></p>

<p>These yoni pearls are nothing but mesh wrapped herbs that are to be inserted via the vagina and which, as per claims, "detoxes past lovers from the womb space to free yourself and bring in more aligned lover or lovers."</p>

<p><img alt="Yoni" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="47935fae-691d-4b71-9ba0-5b9fb19cc836" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/New%20wion%20%2866%29.png" /></p>

<p>Bogus cures like steaming the vagina — by sitting over a bowl of boiling water is also being promoted as a cure for endometriosis.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Big tech profiteering off hoaxes</strong></h2>

<p>As per the media collective's report, "Facebook’s own algorithms are often amplifying this content, and are letting ads for detox remedies target Kenyan users."</p>

<p>It further points out that all these so-called remedies and the supposed health benefits are not backed by any scientific evidence.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/move-over-blue-whale-scientists-discover-40-million-year-old-earths-biggest-animal-ever-621809">Not blue whale, this 40mn-year-old animal is largest ever to have lived on Earth</a></strong></p>

<p>"Google and YouTube are also part of this harmful system, profiting off ads for vaginal detox products despite evident health risks," claims the report.</p>

<h2><strong>'Asleep at the wheel'</strong></h2>

<p>"What is most alarming is how freely these adverts are available. People are not just able to sell things that are harmful, but to do so publicly and even pay for these adverts to go viral. There's an audacious impunity about it," says research lead Wanjiru Nguhi.</p>

<p>"Scam products are being delivered into the Kenyan marketplace while big tech is asleep at the wheel," remarks Kristina Wilfore, co-founder of ShePersisted, an initiative to address gendered disinformation.</p>

<h2><strong>Vaginal detox</strong></h2>

<p>It's not just ads on social media, these products have also been made popular by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Vera Sidika, the star of the Real Housewives of Nairobi.</p>

<p>As per The Guardian, these vaginal detox products sell for about 1,000 Kenyan shillings (or around $7). Medical experts caution against the use of these 'yoni pearls' and say that these are not only unnecessary but can also cause pain and infections.</p>

<p>Researchers say that these marketing fads are attempting to exploit pressures on women to conform to unattainable standards of sexuality and ill-informed notions of female hygiene.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Even as experts warn against such bogus products, Meta, as per the Guardian, said the vaginal detox content did not violate its policies.&nbsp;"We remove content that promotes harmful miracle cures for health issues when the treatments are widely deemed likely to directly contribute to the risk of serious injury or death," said the company in a statement.&nbsp;Google and YouTube, too, have similar misinformation policies, which require material to present danger of bodily harm or be life-threatening in order for it to be removed.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


In a patriarchal society, a woman's worth has long been attached to her vagina and its "purity". This obsession has, for years, given way to harmful methods to maintain the so-called purity.

In a patriarchal society, a woman's worth has long been attached to her vagina and its "purity". This obsession has, for years, given way to harmful methods to maintain the so-called purity. The latest fad in this problematic trend are 'yoni pearls' and as per a report by the Guardian, social media giants Meta, YouTube, and Google are profiting from posts promoting these useless and harmful 'health products' to women in Kenya. Detox or toxic? As per research by media collective Fambua, big tech firms are amplifying content promising unproven cures for infertility and herbs that can supposedly fight off cancer. Fambua found Facebook pages selling these yoni pearls that as per them can "cleanse" the uterus and protect women from cervical cancer. Also read | Third drug trafficking convict executed in Singapore in less than a week These yoni pearls are nothing but mesh wrapped herbs that are to be inserted via the vagina and which, as per claims, "detoxes past lovers from the womb space to free yourself and bring in more aligned lover or lovers." Bogus cures like steaming the vagina — by sitting over a bowl of boiling water is also being promoted as a cure for endometriosis. Big tech profiteering off hoaxes As per the media collective's report, "Facebook’s own algorithms are often amplifying this content, and are letting ads for detox remedies target Kenyan users." It further points out that all these so-called remedies and the supposed health benefits are not backed by any scientific evidence. Also read | Not blue whale, this 40mn-year-old animal is largest ever to have lived on Earth "Google and YouTube are also part of this harmful system, profiting off ads for vaginal detox products despite evident health risks," claims the report. 'Asleep at the wheel' "What is most alarming is how freely these adverts are available. People are not just able to sell things that are harmful, but to do so publicly and even pay for these adverts to go viral. There's an audacious impunity about it," says research lead Wanjiru Nguhi. "Scam products are being delivered into the Kenyan marketplace while big tech is asleep at the wheel," remarks Kristina Wilfore, co-founder of ShePersisted, an initiative to address gendered disinformation. Vaginal detox It's not just ads on social media, these products have also been made popular by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Vera Sidika, the star of the Real Housewives of Nairobi. As per The Guardian, these vaginal detox products sell for about 1,000 Kenyan shillings (or around $7). Medical experts caution against the use of these 'yoni pearls' and say that these are not only unnecessary but can also cause pain and infections. Researchers say that these marketing fads are attempting to exploit pressures on women to conform to unattainable standards of sexuality and ill-informed notions of female hygiene. Even as experts warn against such bogus products, Meta, as per the Guardian, said the vaginal detox content did not violate its policies. "We remove content that promotes harmful miracle cures for health issues when the treatments are widely deemed likely to directly contribute to the risk of serious injury or death," said the company in a statement. Google and YouTube, too, have similar misinformation policies, which require material to present danger of bodily harm or be life-threatening in order for it to be removed. (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.

Facebook, Google, YouTube pushing harmful 'misogynistic' trends like 'yoni pearls' to Kenyan women

Chatbot race is taking a faster speed as companies introduce their versions of AI-powered bots and coming September, Meta will launch its own AI-powered chatbot in quest to retain and grow the user base.

Meta's AI plans: Company to engage with AI-powered chatbots, quest to regain users

What began as a whirlwind success, crossing over 100 million users within five days of its launch, has now hit a stumbling block with a significant drop in user engagement. We delve into the fascinating story of threads, the fastest-growing app ever that's now facing challenges in retaining its audience.

Meta’s threads records 50% user plunge

<p>A report by the Wall Street Journal citing internal company communications, on Friday (July 28) said that Facebook removed content,&nbsp; including posts claiming the virus was man-made, from its social media platform after pressure from the White House. This comes a day after the United States President Joe Biden’s administration reaffirmed its position on social media content moderation.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Facebook asked to remove&nbsp;posts </strong></h2>

<p>In a leaked email procured by the WSJ, Nick Clegg, the company’s president of global affairs in July 2021 wrote, “Can someone quickly remind me why we were removing — rather than demoting/labeling — claims that Covid is man made.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Subsequently, the Facebook vice president in charge of content policy wrote, “We were under pressure from the administration and others to do more,” referencing the Biden administration, as quoted by the WSJ. The VP added, “We shouldn’t have done it.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The emails in question were exchanged months after the social media platform had decided to end its policy of banning certain posts questioning whether COVID-19 was the result of a leak from Chinese virology lab in Wuhan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The WSJ also published an email that was circulated after Biden, in July 2021, accused platforms like Facebook of “killing people” by allowing so-called “misinformation” to propagate unchecked. The Facebook VP after a few days also circulated a memo that showed the difference between the company's content policies and the Biden administration’s demands.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“There is likely a significant gap between what the WH would like us to remove and what we are comfortable removing,” wrote the Facebook executive. The WSJ report citing an email from the VP further said that the White House also wanted the social media platform to take down humorous or satirical content that suggested the COVID-19 vaccines aren’t safe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To which Clegg responded: “I can’t see Mark [Zuckerberg] in a million years being comfortable with removing that – and I wouldn’t recommend it.”<br />
<br />
Furthermore, Facebook executives also expressed concerns that taking down posts showing American users reluctant about getting vaccinated could further fuel vaccine hesitancy and even warned that removing such posts could give rise to conspiracy theories, reported the WSJ.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>‘Facebook files’</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>The report by the Journal also comes a day after the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee&nbsp;is in the midst of investigating what GOP lawmakers have claimed is the Biden administration’s unlawful censoring of users on social media.</p>

<p>The lawsuit was filed by Republican attorneys general of the US states of Missouri and Louisiana, in 2022, and accused the Biden administration of pressuring social media platforms to take down dissenting views, including criticism of mask mandates and objections to COVID-19 vaccination.</p>

<p>On Thursday, the GOP lawmaker from Ohio, Jim Jordan reasserted his claims of pressure on Facebook to censor conservative comments after he abruptly called off a vote Thursday to hold Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a series of tweets, Jordan revealed what he claimed were “never-before-released” documents contained in the House Judiciary Committee’s subpoena, which he called “Facebook files” and asserted “that Facebook and Instagram censored posts”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jordan also claimed that the alleged censorship and change in content moderation policies of the social media platform were changed due to “unconstitutional pressure” from the Biden administration.</p>

<p>One of these emails was written in April 2021, when a Facebook employee circulated an email for Facebook CEO Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, writing: “We are facing continued pressure from external stakeholders, including the [Biden] White House” to remove posts.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>White House reaffirms stance</strong></h2>

<p>Meanwhile, the White House, on Thursday said that the discussions with social media companies were aimed at protecting public health, safety, and security during a pandemic.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We have consistently made clear that we believe social media companies have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects that their platforms have on the American people, while making independent decisions about the content of their platforms,” said the White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She added, “That continues to be the case. That has not changed, on what we believe here.”</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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A report by the Wall Street Journal citing internal company communications, on Friday (July 28) said that Facebook removed content, including posts claiming the virus was man-made, from its social media platform after pressure from the White House.

A report by the Wall Street Journal citing internal company communications, on Friday (July 28) said that Facebook removed content, including posts claiming the virus was man-made, from its social media platform after pressure from the White House. This comes a day after the United States President Joe Biden’s administration reaffirmed its position on social media content moderation. Facebook asked to remove posts In a leaked email procured by the WSJ, Nick Clegg, the company’s president of global affairs in July 2021 wrote, “Can someone quickly remind me why we were removing — rather than demoting/labeling — claims that Covid is man made.” Subsequently, the Facebook vice president in charge of content policy wrote, “We were under pressure from the administration and others to do more,” referencing the Biden administration, as quoted by the WSJ. The VP added, “We shouldn’t have done it.” The emails in question were exchanged months after the social media platform had decided to end its policy of banning certain posts questioning whether COVID-19 was the result of a leak from Chinese virology lab in Wuhan. The WSJ also published an email that was circulated after Biden, in July 2021, accused platforms like Facebook of “killing people” by allowing so-called “misinformation” to propagate unchecked. The Facebook VP after a few days also circulated a memo that showed the difference between the company's content policies and the Biden administration’s demands. “There is likely a significant gap between what the WH would like us to remove and what we are comfortable removing,” wrote the Facebook executive. The WSJ report citing an email from the VP further said that the White House also wanted the social media platform to take down humorous or satirical content that suggested the COVID-19 vaccines aren’t safe. To which Clegg responded: “I can’t see Mark [Zuckerberg] in a million years being comfortable with removing that – and I wouldn’t recommend it.” Furthermore, Facebook executives also expressed concerns that taking down posts showing American users reluctant about getting vaccinated could further fuel vaccine hesitancy and even warned that removing such posts could give rise to conspiracy theories, reported the WSJ. ‘Facebook files’ The report by the Journal also comes a day after the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee is in the midst of investigating what GOP lawmakers have claimed is the Biden administration’s unlawful censoring of users on social media. The lawsuit was filed by Republican attorneys general of the US states of Missouri and Louisiana, in 2022, and accused the Biden administration of pressuring social media platforms to take down dissenting views, including criticism of mask mandates and objections to COVID-19 vaccination. On Thursday, the GOP lawmaker from Ohio, Jim Jordan reasserted his claims of pressure on Facebook to censor conservative comments after he abruptly called off a vote Thursday to hold Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress. In a series of tweets, Jordan revealed what he claimed were “never-before-released” documents contained in the House Judiciary Committee’s subpoena, which he called “Facebook files” and asserted “that Facebook and Instagram censored posts”. Jordan also claimed that the alleged censorship and change in content moderation policies of the social media platform were changed due to “unconstitutional pressure” from the Biden administration. One of these emails was written in April 2021, when a Facebook employee circulated an email for Facebook CEO Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, writing: “We are facing continued pressure from external stakeholders, including the [Biden] White House” to remove posts. White House reaffirms stance Meanwhile, the White House, on Thursday said that the discussions with social media companies were aimed at protecting public health, safety, and security during a pandemic. “We have consistently made clear that we believe social media companies have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects that their platforms have on the American people, while making independent decisions about the content of their platforms,” said the White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre. She added, “That continues to be the case. That has not changed, on what we believe here.” 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.

Facebook removed COVID-19-related posts after pressure from the White House: Report

<p>In an update that may leave some billionaire fans upset, it turns out the ‘fight of the century’ may not be happening after all. This comes after multiple social media exchanges between billionaire social media moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg who had agreed to a “cage match” just over a month ago. However, the Facebook CEO during a recent town hall told employees that he was not sure if the fight was going to happen, reported Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is this ‘cage match’?</strong></h2>

<p>In a series of social media posts and a chain of events that occurred in late June, the Facebook parent company Meta CEO and X owner, formerly known as Twitter, ‘agreed’ to a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/elon-musks-big-update-ahead-of-his-cage-fight-with-mark-zuckerberg-stst-610514">“cage match”</a> against each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane’. Was worried there for a moment,” Musk tweeted with a crying-laughing emoji.</p>

<p>A Twitter user replied to Musk saying he should be careful of Zuckerberg since the Facebook boss had been practising jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian martial art form.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/fight-of-the-century-musk-and-zuckerberg-agree-to-fight-each-other-in-cage-match-607165">Fight of the century? Musk and Zuckerberg 'agree' to fight each other in cage match</a></strong></p>

<p>“I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” replied a cavalier Musk.</p>

<p>Though one would be forgiven to think it was all banter from Musk, Zuckerberg seemed game for the match. He posted a screenshot of Musk’s tweet on his Instagram story, saying, “send me location”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Afterwards, another netizen posted Zuckerberg’s Instagram story screenshot to which Musk replied, “If this is for real, I will do it.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>On June 30, Musk also took to his microblogging platform and in a cryptic post, days after the online banter said, “Some chance fight happens in Colosseum.”</p>

<h2><strong>So what happened?</strong></h2>

<p>During a town hall, on Thursday (July 28), the audio of which was heard by Reuters, Zuckerberg in response to the proposed “cage match” against Musk, Zuckerberg said he was “not sure if it’s going to come together.”&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-boss-zuckerberg-admits-threads-failed-to-retain-even-half-of-initial-users-620576">Meta boss Zuckerberg admits Threads failed to retain even half of initial users</a></strong></p>

<p>This comes as Meta’s CEO recently acknowledged that their new social media platform ‘Threads’ has witnessed a drastic fall in the number of its users within a month of its launch.</p>

<p>But make no mistake, the X rival rocketed to 100 million users within five days of its launch in early July; however, it failed to retain even half of them before the end of the month.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em><br />
<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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In an update that may leave some billionaire fans upset, it turns out the ‘fight of the century’ may not be happening after all. This comes after multiple social media exchanges between billionaire social media moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg who had agreed to a “cage match” just over a month ago.

In an update that may leave some billionaire fans upset, it turns out the ‘fight of the century’ may not be happening after all. This comes after multiple social media exchanges between billionaire social media moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg who had agreed to a “cage match” just over a month ago. However, the Facebook CEO during a recent town hall told employees that he was not sure if the fight was going to happen, reported Reuters. What is this ‘cage match’? In a series of social media posts and a chain of events that occurred in late June, the Facebook parent company Meta CEO and X owner, formerly known as Twitter, ‘agreed’ to a “cage match” against each other. “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane’. Was worried there for a moment,” Musk tweeted with a crying-laughing emoji. A Twitter user replied to Musk saying he should be careful of Zuckerberg since the Facebook boss had been practising jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian martial art form. ALSO READ | Fight of the century? Musk and Zuckerberg 'agree' to fight each other in cage match “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” replied a cavalier Musk. Though one would be forgiven to think it was all banter from Musk, Zuckerberg seemed game for the match. He posted a screenshot of Musk’s tweet on his Instagram story, saying, “send me location”. Afterwards, another netizen posted Zuckerberg’s Instagram story screenshot to which Musk replied, “If this is for real, I will do it.” On June 30, Musk also took to his microblogging platform and in a cryptic post, days after the online banter said, “Some chance fight happens in Colosseum.” So what happened? During a town hall, on Thursday (July 28), the audio of which was heard by Reuters, Zuckerberg in response to the proposed “cage match” against Musk, Zuckerberg said he was “not sure if it’s going to come together.” ALSO READ | Meta boss Zuckerberg admits Threads failed to retain even half of initial users This comes as Meta’s CEO recently acknowledged that their new social media platform ‘Threads’ has witnessed a drastic fall in the number of its users within a month of its launch. But make no mistake, the X rival rocketed to 100 million users within five days of its launch in early July; however, it failed to retain even half of them before the end of the month. (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.

Cold feet? ‘Cage match’ against Musk might not happen, says Zuckerberg

Meta's second quarter earnings report has been released and it's nothing short of extraordinary meta has exceeded endless expectations across the board exactly now signaling a rebound in the digital advertising Market earnings per share came in at an impressive 2.98 surpassing the expected 2.91 meta's Revenue sold to a staggering 32 dollar 32 billion dollar

Meta reported double digit growth since the end of 2021

<p>A day after Alphabet's Google reported better than expected results, Meta's second-quarter results on Wednesday surpassed market expectations by achieving an earnings per share of $2.98.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meta's earnings per share,&nbsp;which shows the profitability of a company,&nbsp;exceeded the anticipated $2.91.</p>

<p>The company's revenue soared to a remarkable $32 billion, surpassing the estimated $31.12 billion. During the second quarter ending on June 30, Meta's sales recorded an 11 percent increase, surpassing analysts' average forecast of $31.12 billion.</p>

<p>Moreover, Meta's advertising revenue saw a noteworthy 12 percent increase in the third quarter, outpacing Google's three percent growth.</p>

<p>Advertisers are now capitalising on the momentum by reinvesting in digital marketing after a period of restraint. They are encouraged by indicators suggesting that the economy can withstand inflationary pressures without major disruptions, leading to their confidence in making these strategic moves.</p>

<p>The announcement of Meta's impressive quarterly performance marks the first time since the end of 2021 that the company has reported double-digit growth, highlighting a significant and robust comeback from recent challenges.</p>

<p>Wall Street has been closely monitoring Meta's user metrics, and the latest numbers have not disappointed.&nbsp;With an impressive 2.06 billion daily active users, surpassing expectations of 2.04 billion, and 3.03 billion monthly active users, exceeding the projected 3 billion, Meta's user base remains robust and active.</p>

<p>In addition to its thriving user base, Meta's average revenue per user (ARPU) stands at an impressive $10.63, outperforming the anticipated $10.22. Meta's solid financial performance sparked a wave of optimism among investors, leading to a remarkable five percent rise in the company's stock during extended trading.</p>

<p>Year-to-date, Meta has shown exceptional growth, with its stock witnessing a significant 159 percent increase, while the broader S&amp;P 500 has advanced by 19 percent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, despite positive projections, the company anticipates a rise in expenses for the years 2023 and 2024. These increased costs are attributed to factors like legal fees and amplified investments in infrastructure, which are deemed essential for staying competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape of the tech sector. Notably, these spending decisions have been taken following a period of effective cost-cutting measures.</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)</p>


A day after Alphabet's Google reported better than expected results, Meta's second-quarter results on Wednesday surpassed market expectations by achieving an earnings per share of $2.

A day after Alphabet's Google reported better than expected results, Meta's second-quarter results on Wednesday surpassed market expectations by achieving an earnings per share of $2.98. Meta's earnings per share, which shows the profitability of a company, exceeded the anticipated $2.91. The company's revenue soared to a remarkable $32 billion, surpassing the estimated $31.12 billion. During the second quarter ending on June 30, Meta's sales recorded an 11 percent increase, surpassing analysts' average forecast of $31.12 billion. Moreover, Meta's advertising revenue saw a noteworthy 12 percent increase in the third quarter, outpacing Google's three percent growth. Advertisers are now capitalising on the momentum by reinvesting in digital marketing after a period of restraint. They are encouraged by indicators suggesting that the economy can withstand inflationary pressures without major disruptions, leading to their confidence in making these strategic moves. The announcement of Meta's impressive quarterly performance marks the first time since the end of 2021 that the company has reported double-digit growth, highlighting a significant and robust comeback from recent challenges. Wall Street has been closely monitoring Meta's user metrics, and the latest numbers have not disappointed. With an impressive 2.06 billion daily active users, surpassing expectations of 2.04 billion, and 3.03 billion monthly active users, exceeding the projected 3 billion, Meta's user base remains robust and active. In addition to its thriving user base, Meta's average revenue per user (ARPU) stands at an impressive $10.63, outperforming the anticipated $10.22. Meta's solid financial performance sparked a wave of optimism among investors, leading to a remarkable five percent rise in the company's stock during extended trading. Year-to-date, Meta has shown exceptional growth, with its stock witnessing a significant 159 percent increase, while the broader S&P 500 has advanced by 19 percent. However, despite positive projections, the company anticipates a rise in expenses for the years 2023 and 2024. These increased costs are attributed to factors like legal fees and amplified investments in infrastructure, which are deemed essential for staying competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape of the tech sector. Notably, these spending decisions have been taken following a period of effective cost-cutting measures. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta's Q2 results exceed expectations with 11% revenue growth

<p>Travellers in Hong Kong's airport voiced support for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-leader-says-rule-of-law-being-damaged-citys-recovery-will-take-long-time-242574">pro-democracy demonstrators</a> on Tuesday, despite an overnight occupation of the international transit hub that saw tens of thousands of passengers stranded.</p>

<p>The airport, one of the busiest in the world, reopened on Tuesday morning but <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-protest-us-urges-all-sides-to-refrain-from-violence-flight-operations-resume-after-unprecedented-closure-242560">hundreds of flights remained cancelled </a>and several hundred protesters returned for a fresh rally on Tuesday afternoon.</p>

<p>Monday's abrupt closure came 10 weeks into a crisis that has seen millions of people take to Hong Kong's streets in the biggest challenge to Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city since its 1997 handover from Britain.</p>

<p>"It may affect me, but I still know what they are doing and I support them so it doesn't matter, said 27-year-old advertising worker Mag Mak, whose flight back home to Hong Kong from Dubai was delayed by five hours.</p>

<p>"I think the government is so rubbish and they don't have any response to the protesters," she added.</p>

<p>Frank Filser, 53, was struggling to reschedule a flight back to Germany to visit his father who has terminal cancer.</p>

<p>But he said he sympathised with the protesters despite the disruption.</p>

<p>"They fight for Hong Kong and that's their view," he said.</p>

<p>"Anytime I can go back to Germany, but what about the people who grew up here? This is their home."</p>

<p>Real estate worker Tibor, a long-term foreign resident of Hong Kong, was waiting at the terminal for a rescheduled flight after his journey on Monday was cancelled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said he understood the protests because "it's really frustrating to live in a society where your government is not really having a dialogue with their own people".</p>

<p>A wide cross-section of Hong Kong has taken to the streets in recent weeks to show their support for the pro-democracy movement and condemn the police response to protests, including rallies of elderly residents and civil servants.</p>

<p>But the movement has divided parts of the city, with small demonstrations in support of police and the government, and scuffles breaking out between pro-Beijing residents and protesters in some neighbourhoods.</p>

<p>Some passengers at the airport took a less forgiving view of the occupation.</p>

<p>The nationalistic Chinese tabloid the Global Times tweeted footage of one irate Australian passenger who confronted young demonstrators and told them to "go get a job".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Others told AFP they were angry at having their travel plans frustrated.</p>

<p>"I don't mind what they [the protesters] do but they made us five hours delayed," said 50-year-old Wing Au-Yeung, who had stopped off in the city to collect his aged mother before travelling to South Korea with his family.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"They can do what they want but it should not affect other people."</p>


Travellers in Hong Kong's airport voiced support for pro-democracy demonstrators on Tuesday, despite an overnight occupation of the international transit hub that saw tens of thousands of passengers stranded.

Travellers in Hong Kong's airport voiced support for pro-democracy demonstrators on Tuesday, despite an overnight occupation of the international transit hub that saw tens of thousands of passengers stranded. The airport, one of the busiest in the world, reopened on Tuesday morning but hundreds of flights remained cancelled and several hundred protesters returned for a fresh rally on Tuesday afternoon. Monday's abrupt closure came 10 weeks into a crisis that has seen millions of people take to Hong Kong's streets in the biggest challenge to Chinese rule of the semi-autonomous city since its 1997 handover from Britain. "It may affect me, but I still know what they are doing and I support them so it doesn't matter, said 27-year-old advertising worker Mag Mak, whose flight back home to Hong Kong from Dubai was delayed by five hours. "I think the government is so rubbish and they don't have any response to the protesters," she added. Frank Filser, 53, was struggling to reschedule a flight back to Germany to visit his father who has terminal cancer. But he said he sympathised with the protesters despite the disruption. "They fight for Hong Kong and that's their view," he said. "Anytime I can go back to Germany, but what about the people who grew up here? This is their home." Real estate worker Tibor, a long-term foreign resident of Hong Kong, was waiting at the terminal for a rescheduled flight after his journey on Monday was cancelled. He said he understood the protests because "it's really frustrating to live in a society where your government is not really having a dialogue with their own people". A wide cross-section of Hong Kong has taken to the streets in recent weeks to show their support for the pro-democracy movement and condemn the police response to protests, including rallies of elderly residents and civil servants. But the movement has divided parts of the city, with small demonstrations in support of police and the government, and scuffles breaking out between pro-Beijing residents and protesters in some neighbourhoods. Some passengers at the airport took a less forgiving view of the occupation. The nationalistic Chinese tabloid the Global Times tweeted footage of one irate Australian passenger who confronted young demonstrators and told them to "go get a job". Others told AFP they were angry at having their travel plans frustrated. "I don't mind what they [the protesters] do but they made us five hours delayed," said 50-year-old Wing Au-Yeung, who had stopped off in the city to collect his aged mother before travelling to South Korea with his family. "They can do what they want but it should not affect other people."

Australian court orders Meta to pay $14 million for privacy breach

<p>Popular social media platform, Meta-owned Instagram, suffered a massive outage Tuesday (July 25) globally, a record third time in a month. Reports said more than 50,000 users faced problems while accessing several features on Instagram.</p>

<p>Several users took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustration and wrote that they were unable to upload images on the social media platform.</p>

<p>The outage was not limited to a particular server or region. Meta is yet to disclose what caused the outage.</p>

<p><br />
Several users later reported Instagram was working fine for them again.</p>

<h2><strong>Third outage within a month</strong></h2>

<p>Instagram has been facing a number of issues of late. On July 11, all major platforms of Meta, including WhatsApp and Facebook, went down for a couple of hours.</p>

<p>The second outage came on July 20, when thousands of Instagram users worldwide struggled to access the platform. The outage affected multiple regions globally.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Zuckerberg-Musk fight is on: Instagram launches 'Threads' to rival Twitter</strong></p>

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<p>Now, the third outage was reported today (July 25) at 8:28 AM IST. The outage peaked at 8:47 AM. Around 87 per cent of users faced issues while logging in to the app.</p>

<h2><strong>Instagram’s ‘Threads’ problem</strong></h2>

<p>Instagram recently unveiled its latest creation, the Threads app, making a bold move to compete with X (formerly Twitter). Threads, which stands as a separate entity, brings together elements from both X and Instagram to form a unique and fresh social media experience.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/meta-layoffs-10000-job-cuts-facebook-whatsapp-instagram-indians-affected-facebook-layoffs-584200"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Meta begins layoffs; to leave 10000 without jobs across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp</strong></a></p>

<p>Users of Threads can engage in various activities, including creating text-based posts, sharing photos, and uploading videos.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, after an explosive launch, the app has been facing a steady decline in the number of active monthly users. The app has witnessed a substantial 70 per cent decline in daily active users since reaching its peak on July 7.</p>

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Popular social media platform, Meta-owned Instagram, suffered a massive outage Tuesday (July 25) globally, a record third time in a month. Reports said more than 50,000 users faced problems while accessing several features on Instagram.

Popular social media platform, Meta-owned Instagram, suffered a massive outage Tuesday (July 25) globally, a record third time in a month. Reports said more than 50,000 users faced problems while accessing several features on Instagram. Several users took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their frustration and wrote that they were unable to upload images on the social media platform. The outage was not limited to a particular server or region. Meta is yet to disclose what caused the outage. Several users later reported Instagram was working fine for them again. Third outage within a month Instagram has been facing a number of issues of late. On July 11, all major platforms of Meta, including WhatsApp and Facebook, went down for a couple of hours. The second outage came on July 20, when thousands of Instagram users worldwide struggled to access the platform. The outage affected multiple regions globally. Watch: Zuckerberg-Musk fight is on: Instagram launches 'Threads' to rival Twitter × Now, the third outage was reported today (July 25) at 8:28 AM IST. The outage peaked at 8:47 AM. Around 87 per cent of users faced issues while logging in to the app. Instagram’s ‘Threads’ problem Instagram recently unveiled its latest creation, the Threads app, making a bold move to compete with X (formerly Twitter). Threads, which stands as a separate entity, brings together elements from both X and Instagram to form a unique and fresh social media experience. Also read: Meta begins layoffs; to leave 10000 without jobs across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp Users of Threads can engage in various activities, including creating text-based posts, sharing photos, and uploading videos. However, after an explosive launch, the app has been facing a steady decline in the number of active monthly users. The app has witnessed a substantial 70 per cent decline in daily active users since reaching its peak on July 7. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Instagram down! Popular Meta platform suffers outage again, third within a month

<p>After Meta, we have a new giant player entering the microblogging space—TikTok. To rival X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s newly launched Threads, TikTok has declared it will offer text-only posts on its platform.</p>

<p>TikTok has embedded the new feature in its original app only, against Meta’s separate app. The Chinese company said in a statement that the text-only post option will expand the “boundaries of content creation” on the platform and tap into the “creativity seen in captions and comments”.</p>

<h2><strong>What is TikTok’s text-only post feature?</strong></h2>

<p>The service is similar to what Instagram already offers in 'Stories' feature. The users can generate posts using text on solid colour backgrounds, use music or sound, use stickers and location. Also, the ready-to-post content can be reposted as a video as well.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;TikTok's attempts to reassure government</strong></p>

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<p>Due to TikTok’s massive popularity in the US (150 million users), the new feature is expected to disrupt the microblogging space. Its launch comes after Meta launched its Threads app and US billionaire Elon Musk rebranded his Twitter brand to X, thus further creating ripples on the internet.</p>

<h2><strong>Why TikTok is wading into the microblogging space</strong></h2>

<p>It started after Musk took over Twitter before rebranding it as X, and started implementing changes that ended up confusing and even irritating its users. The users have specifically expressed their frustration with the paid-only features and ‘view limits’ applied to unverified profiles.</p>

<p>Other major threats looming over X are diminishing valuation, major outages and plummeting revenues. However, none of them has led to a drop in X’s popularity among its users.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-700000-tiktok-turkish-accounts-were-hacked-ahead-of-presidential-elections-report-617276"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Turkey: 700,000 TikTok accounts were hacked ahead of presidential elections, says report</strong></a></p>

<p>Subsequently, a couple of competitors garnered interest, such as Mastodon and the more recent Bluesky.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Meta’s Threads: A flop show?</strong></h2>

<p>Meta's Threads, which was launched earlier this month, was perceived as the first significant contender to pose a real threat to Twitter. Threads boasts integration with Instagram and achieved unprecedented growth, attracting over 100 million users within a mere five days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, its initial success was short-lived, witnessing a substantial 70 per cent decline in daily active users since reaching its peak on July 7. This setback has dampened its explosive launch, potentially paving the way for new competitors like TikTok to step in, introducing text features and presenting a formidable challenge to X (Twitter).</p>

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After Meta, we have a new giant player entering the microblogging space—TikTok. To rival X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s newly launched Threads, TikTok has declared it will offer text-only posts on its platform.

After Meta, we have a new giant player entering the microblogging space—TikTok. To rival X (formerly Twitter) and Meta’s newly launched Threads, TikTok has declared it will offer text-only posts on its platform. TikTok has embedded the new feature in its original app only, against Meta’s separate app. The Chinese company said in a statement that the text-only post option will expand the “boundaries of content creation” on the platform and tap into the “creativity seen in captions and comments”. What is TikTok’s text-only post feature? The service is similar to what Instagram already offers in 'Stories' feature. The users can generate posts using text on solid colour backgrounds, use music or sound, use stickers and location. Also, the ready-to-post content can be reposted as a video as well. Watch: TikTok's attempts to reassure government × Due to TikTok’s massive popularity in the US (150 million users), the new feature is expected to disrupt the microblogging space. Its launch comes after Meta launched its Threads app and US billionaire Elon Musk rebranded his Twitter brand to X, thus further creating ripples on the internet. Why TikTok is wading into the microblogging space It started after Musk took over Twitter before rebranding it as X, and started implementing changes that ended up confusing and even irritating its users. The users have specifically expressed their frustration with the paid-only features and ‘view limits’ applied to unverified profiles. Other major threats looming over X are diminishing valuation, major outages and plummeting revenues. However, none of them has led to a drop in X’s popularity among its users. Also read: Turkey: 700,000 TikTok accounts were hacked ahead of presidential elections, says report Subsequently, a couple of competitors garnered interest, such as Mastodon and the more recent Bluesky. Meta’s Threads: A flop show? Meta's Threads, which was launched earlier this month, was perceived as the first significant contender to pose a real threat to Twitter. Threads boasts integration with Instagram and achieved unprecedented growth, attracting over 100 million users within a mere five days. However, its initial success was short-lived, witnessing a substantial 70 per cent decline in daily active users since reaching its peak on July 7. This setback has dampened its explosive launch, potentially paving the way for new competitors like TikTok to step in, introducing text features and presenting a formidable challenge to X (Twitter). WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

After Meta’s fledgling attempt, TikTok takes on X by offering text-only posts

Meta's Threads may be heading towards its doom, if stats are anything to go by its most of us downloaded Threads but rarely people go back to it because we were curious about Meta's latest offering. But why is it losing traffic now? Watch the video to know.

Meta Threads: Why is it losing traffic? Zuckerberg's Threads losing to Twitter?

In a report, Meta's app, threads app has a depleting number of active users. While the signup rate was high after Meta's app was launched, it has now hit a speed breaker.