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The debate comes less than two months after Twitter restored Trump’s account, but Meta’s intention to reevaluate the decision predates Twitter’s reversal. “I can’t think of what that rigorous standard would be that would make this policy be applied fairly, not just to former President Trump, but to any politician.”Is Trump bound to Truth Social? A phone screen displays the Truth Social app in Washington, DC, on February 21, 2022. Trump now has his own rival social media platform, Truth Social, which he launched in February. Despite his desire for a bigger megaphone and aides encouraging him to rejoin Twitter, Trump has said he is committed to Truth Social.

☆ Silicon Valley layoffs go from bad to worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

At Amazon and other tech companies, the second half of last year was marked by hiring freezes, layoffs and other cost-cutting measures at a number of household names in Silicon Valley. Rising interest rates also dried up the easy money tech companies relied on to fuel big bets on future innovations, and cut into their sky-high valuations. While there have been some layoffs recently in the consumer goods sector and hints of more to come elsewhere, the situation in Silicon Valley remains in stark contrast to the economy as a whole. And despite the robust overall labor market, there are growing concerns that tech layoffs could spread elsewhere. In that sense, at least, Silicon Valley may once again be ahead of the curve, but not in the way it wants.

☆ Seattle public schools sue social media companies for allegedly harming students’ mental health
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

While a growing number of families have filed lawsuits against social media companies for their alleged impact on the mental health of their children, it’s unusual to see a school district take such a step. In the past year, a number of prominent social media platforms have introduced more tools and parental control options aimed at better protecting younger users amid mounting scrutiny. TikTok also rolled out a tool that aims to help people decide how much time they want to spend on the app. Snapchat, meanwhile, has introduced a parent guide and hub aimed at giving guardians more insight into how their teens use the app. That includes more information about who their kids have been talking to over the last week, without divulging the content of those conversations.

☆ Trump Facebook ban could be reversed in the coming weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( David Ingram | David Ingram Covers Tech For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

For one thing, social media looks different than it did two years ago. Trump now has his own social media company, Truth Social, and his account has been restored on Twitter (where he has yet to tweet). And though there’s no legal right for Trump or anyone else to be on social media, Republicans in Florida and Texas are trying to create laws that would prevent social media companies from removing certain posts. NBC News asked a handful of experts in social media moderation what they thought about the upcoming decision. The answers offered a sense of the shifts in social media and moderation since both Twitter and Facebook banned Trump.

☆ Meta fined $414 million in latest European privacy crackdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Meta and other Big Tech companies have come under pressure from the European Union’s privacy rules, which are some of the world’s strictest. The Irish watchdog — Meta’s lead European data privacy regulator because its regional headquarters is in Dublin — fined the company 210 million euros for violations of E.U. data privacy rules involving Facebook and an additional 180 million euros for breaches involving Instagram. The decision stems from complaints filed in May 2018 when the 27-nation bloc’s privacy rules, known as the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, took effect. privacy rules.

☆ Google and Meta’s Advertising Dominance Fades as TikTok, Streamers Emerge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Patience Haggin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For the first time in nearly a decade, the two largest players in online advertising are no longer raking in the majority of U.S. digital-ad dollars, a decline that industry insiders expect to continue in years to come. Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. accounted for a combined 48.4% of U.S. digital-ad spending in 2022, according to estimates from research firm Insider Intelligence Inc. Their combined U.S. market share hadn’t been under 50% since 2014, said Insider Intelligence, which expects that number to drop to 44.9% this year.

☆ Meta faces exsanguination by small fines
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Jan 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Another day, another European fine for Meta Platforms (META.O). The social network was penalized nearly $800 million last year in a series of charges for data breaches and privacy violations. Ireland’s data privacy regulator on Wednesday fined Meta $419 million for improperly serving personalized ads without what it considered sufficient consent. In addition to the fines levied to date, the Irish regulator has another 11 inquiries open into Meta’s services. Meta can perhaps avoid these and appeals could reduce fines.

WASHINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Albert Gore III, a former Tesla public policy employee, has been named executive director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), the Washington-based group said on Wednesday. Congress in 2021 approved $5 billion for EV charging stations and in August passed new electric vehicle tax credits. "Lots of work ahead, starting with implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program and new industrial policies in the Inflation Reduction Act," said Gore in a LinkedIn post. Gore worked for Tesla for nearly seven years in public policy and business development. The IRA lifts the 200,000-vehicle per manufacturer cap that had made Tesla and General Motors (GM.N) ineligible for EV tax credits.

☆ Tech’s biggest show is set to kick off in Las Vegas. Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Consumer Electronics Show, now in its 56th year, kicks off this week in Las Vegas with a familiar mix of cutting edge technology and oddball gadgets. And this year’s event, in particular, could show how companies are thinking about products as pandemic concerns recede for some consumers but recession concerns remain. This year, featured speakers will include executives from traditional tech companies such as Samsung, Sony and Amazon, as well as other brands like John Deere, Delta and BMW. Still, the topic of virtual reality products will remain a focus for some companies. HTC is expected to launch the Vive Focus 3 this week at the show, with an emphasis on the metaverse.

☆ Google and Meta’s Advertising Dominance Fades as TikTok, Netflix Emerge
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Patience Haggin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

☆ Internet providers warn against EU plans to make Big Tech cover telcos costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - A group representing internet service providers across Europe said on Tuesday that a proposal to make Big Tech companies pay towards telecom operators' network costs could create systemic weakness in critical infrastructure. In September, European Commission’s industry chief Thierry Breton said he would launch a consultation on so-called “fair share" payments in early 2023, before proposing legislation. Sanghani added that legislators should not prioritise "administrative rules [over] technical necessity or a high-quality internet" for those in Europe. Critics of the proposed SPNP (Sending Party Network Pays) model have warned the so-called "traffic tax" could lead content-driven platforms like Facebook and other social media platforms to route their services via ISPs (internet service providers) outside of the EU. This could have a knock-on effect for users in Europe, with platforms potentially compromising quality and security for the sake of avoiding fees.

☆ Facebook considering whether to allow Trump to return, decision expected in ‘coming weeks’
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Donie O'Sullivan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Facebook’s parent company Meta is considering whether to allow former President Donald Trump back on to its platforms and is due to announce its decision in the coming weeks, a company spokesperson told CNN on Monday. Trump was banned from Meta’s platforms Facebook and Instagram after the attack on the US Capitol in January 2021. Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said he is overseeing the decision. In a blog post in June 2021, Clegg explained how the company would consider allowing Trump back on its platforms. “Based on Meta’s own statement on standards for allowing Trump back on the platform, his account should continue to be restricted.”

In TV, the top 10 list ranges from the indefinable second season of “The White Lotus” to laugh-out-loud comedies and smoldering fantasy shows. “Catch the Fair One” is available on Hulu and various video-on-demand platforms. “Paris, 13th District” is available on Amazon Prime Video and various video-on-demand platforms. “Peter Von Kant” is available on various video-on-demand platforms. “Tár” is available on various video-on-demand platforms.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg will split Meta, take the 'verse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Lauren Silva Laughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW YORK, Dec 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Meta Platforms (META.O) is the tale of two companies, tied together only by their potential to sell advertising and their owner Mark Zuckerberg. But cash flow from Meta’s operations alone – mostly the business without spending on the metaverse – would represent a yield of 15%. That’s three times the free cash flow yield of consumer giant Procter & Gamble (PG.N), and more than oil major Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), which had a banner 2022. Rather than make Meta shareholders collectively pay for Zuckerberg’s ambitions, he could fund them himself through dividends from the parent company. If Meta were smaller, or the metaverse were a separate company, it might not attract the same attention.

☆ Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Testifies in FTC Case to Block Virtual-Reality Deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Salvador Rodriguez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the witness stand Tuesday in a case in which the Federal Trade Commission is seeking to prevent the social-media company from acquiring a virtual-reality startup. The FTC is seeking an injunction blocking Meta’s planned acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc., the company behind the popular virtual-reality fitness game “Supernatural.” The legal move poses a direct challenge to Meta’s strategic focus on the metaverse, a term used to describe a platform where numerous online users work and play in virtual worlds.

Hacking and repressionAfter Nika went missing, her aunt and other protesters told CNN that her popular Instagram and Telegram accounts had been disabled. On October 12, two of Nika’s friends noticed her Telegram account briefly back online, they told CNN. As with Negin’s case, the reactivation of Nika’s accounts raises questions about whether Iranian authorities were responsible for accessing her social media profiles, allegedly to phish other protesters or compromise her after her death. “Usually what happens is, they do the target phone number, then they send a login request to Telegram,” Rashidi told CNN. However, references in Iranian state media indicate authorities did access Nika’s Instagram account and direct messages, stating they had permission from the judiciary to access them.

☆ John Carmack: Virtual reality titan is leaving Meta
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Video game pioneer John Carmack is resigning from his consulting position at Meta with “mixed feelings” about the “end of his decade in VR,” he announced in a Facebook post Friday. Carmack stuck around through the company’s more than $10 billion investment into virtual reality technology. He was an early advocate for virtual reality, thought it was not uncommon for him to criticize Meta. Meta bought Oculus VR in 2014 for $2 billion, and now sells the Meta Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets. “I think my influence at the margins has been positive, but it has never been a prime mover,” Carmack said.

AOL Instant Messenger, or AIM, is dead — but the away message lives on, thanks to a recent Instagram update. Within hours of the platform unveiling the new features, social media users noticed Instagram notes' similarity to the away messages of the early 2000s. "Was not expecting instagram to reinvent AIM away messages tbh," writer Ella Cerón tweeted. Sports reporter Maddy Hudak wrote: "I’m sorry did Instagram give us AIM away messages lmao." Others pondered the ramifications of the AIM away message on those who grew up with it.

☆ Meta lawsuit: An Ethiopian professor was murdered by a mob. Son alleges Facebook fueled the violence
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Eliza Mackintosh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The case is a constitutional petition filed in Kenya’s High Court, which has jurisdiction over the issue, as Facebook’s content moderation operation hub for much of east and south Africa is located in Nairobi. “They have suffered human rights violations as a result of the Respondent failing to take down Facebook posts that violated the bill of rights even after making reports to the Respondent,” reads the complaint. The legal filing alleges that Facebook has failed to invest adequately in content moderation in countries across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, particularly from its hub in Nairobi. In a statement to CNN, Meta did not directly respond to the lawsuit:“We have strict rules which outline what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook and Instagram. Last year, whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, told the US Senate that the platform’s algorithm was “literally fanning ethnic violence” in Ethiopia.

☆ Democratic lawmakers urge Meta not to restore Trump's Facebook account in January
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The letter from California Rep. Adam Schiff and Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse cites numerous news reports about Trump’s postings on Truth Social, the former president’s Twitter alternative. On Truth Social, Trump has also reportedly amplified adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory that Meta banned from its platforms in 2020, the lawmakers wrote. “For Meta to credibly maintain a legitimate election integrity policy, it is essential that your company maintain its platform ban on former president Trump,” the letter said. The company suspended Trump for two years after the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, over concerns he had fomented violence. A key metric in determining whether Trump’s account will be restored will be whether there is a continued risk of real-world violence, Meta has said.

☆ Judge to Hear FTC’s Bid to Block Meta from Acquiring Virtual-Reality App Maker
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jan Wolfe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday will ask a judge to halt Meta Platforms Inc.’s planned acquisition of a virtual-reality startup, a case that represents a shift in U.S. antitrust enforcement and poses a challenge to the Facebook parent’s metaverse strategy. The FTC is seeking an injunction blocking Meta’s planned acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc., the company behind the popular virtual-reality fitness game “Supernatural.”

☆ Judge Hears FTC’s Bid to Block Meta From Acquiring Virtual-Reality App Maker
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jan Wolfe | Salvador Rodriguez | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON—The Federal Trade Commission on Thursday asked a judge to halt Meta Platforms Inc.’s planned acquisition of a virtual-reality startup, a case that represents a shift in U.S. antitrust enforcement and poses a challenge to the Facebook parent’s metaverse strategy. The FTC is seeking an injunction blocking Meta’s planned acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc., the company behind the popular virtual-reality fitness game “Supernatural.”

☆ Meta oversight board urges changes to VIP moderation system
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

LONDON — Facebook parent Meta’s quasi-independent oversight board said Tuesday that an internal system that exempted high-profile users, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, from some or all of its content moderation rules needs a major overhaul. For content posted by American users, the average decision took 12 days, and for Afghanistan and Syria, it was 17 days. “If users included due to their commercial importance frequently post violating content, they should no longer benefit from special protection,” the board said. The board upheld Facebook’s decision to ban Trump last year out of concern he incited violence leading to the riot on the U.S. Capitol. But it said the company failed to mention the cross-check system in its request for a ruling.

☆ Meta’s Targeted Ad Model Faces Restrictions in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Sam Schechner | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

European Union privacy regulators have ruled that Meta Platforms Inc. shouldn’t require users to agree to personalized ads based on their online activity, according to people familiar with the decision, a ruling that could limit the data that Meta can access to sell such ads. A board representing all EU privacy regulators on Monday approved a series of decisions ruling that EU privacy law doesn’t allow Meta platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, to use their terms of service as a justification for allowing such advertising, the people said.

☆ Facebook Oversight Board recommends overhaul of controversial content moderation process for VIPs
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN Business —After a yearlong review, Meta’s Oversight Board on Tuesday said the company’s controversial system that applies a different content moderation process for posts from VIPs is set up to “satisfy business concerns” and risks doing harm to everyday users. The company in response requested that the Oversight Board review the cross-check system. Meta says that the program helps address “false negatives” where content is removed despite not breaking any of its rules for key users. As part of a wide-ranging advisory for restructuring cross-check, the Oversight Board raised concerns that by delaying removal of potentially violative content by cross-check users pending additional review, the company could be allowing the content to cause harm. For the sake of transparency, “Meta should measure, audit, and publish key metrics around its cross-check program so it can tell whether the program is working effectively,” the board said.

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