• Facebook, Instagram services restored after widespread outages

    More than half a million users across the globe reported issues earlier in the day, with many saying they were booted out of the social media platforms and unable to log back in. The most frequently reported problems by users were with logging into the Facebook app and issues with...
  • US designer, ‘geriatric starlet’ Iris Apfel dies age 102

    New York, United States - Iris Apfel, centenarian style icon from the New York borough of Queens immediately recognizable by her oversized owlish glasses, has died at age 102, according to her Instagram account. The self-described "geriatric starlet," best known as a textile designer and fashion celebrity, reached peak fame only...
  • Rights group slams Meta for silencing pro-Palestinian voices

    "Meta's censorship of content in support of Palestine adds insult to injury at a time of unspeakable atrocities and repression already stifling Palestinians' expression," said Deborah Brown, acting associate director of HRW's technology and human rights division. On Tuesday, Meta's independent oversight board had already criticized the social media titan...
  • Algerian footballer to face trial in France over Gaza post

    Nice, France - Algerian international footballer Youcef Atal goes on trial in France on Monday accused of inciting hatred after posting a video in which a Palestinian preacher purportedly threatens Israel with a "black day". Atal, who plays for Ligue 1 side Nice, shared the video on his Instagram account, which...
  • WhatsApp update allows posting status updates via Instagram

    Washington, United States -- The instant messaging platform WhatsApp launched a new update that includes an optional feature that allows users to post status updates via Instagram, as this feature will be available in a future update to the application through its beta program within the Google Play Store. During...
  • With X’s Musk under fire, Biden joins rival Threads

    The White House confirmed it had launched Threads accounts for the president, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Douglas Emhoff and the White House itself in English and Spanish. An official said that Threads is an additional way "we can communicate with the American people about...
  • Politics in fashion: Luxury brands react to Gaza crisis

    From L'Oréal's controversy involving model Amena Khan to Chanel's significant financial pledge, the fashion industry is deeply entwined in political discourse amid Gaza conflict.
  • Meta releases advertisement-free plan for users in Europe

    "To comply with evolving European regulations, we are introducing a new subscription option in the EU, EEA (European Economic Area) and Switzerland," it said in a statement.
  • Facebook and Instagram users in Europe to have greater viewing control

    One of the changes announced by Nick Clegg, Meta's president of global affairs, includes giving European users of Facebook and Instagram the option to view different types of content not based on profiling, a requirement under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).
  • Norway to fine Meta $100,000 a day for flouting user data ban

    Oslo, Norway - Norway's data protection agency said Tuesday it would start fining Facebook and Instagram owner Meta nearly $100,000 per day for defying a ban on using users' personal information to target ads. The Norwegian watchdog, Datatilsynet, said Meta would be fined one million kroner ($97,000) per day, starting August...
  • Meta to seek user permission for targeted advertisement

    European regulators in January had dismissed the previous legal basis -- "legitimate interest" -- Meta had used to justify gathering users' personal data for targeted advertising.
  • Meta posts big earnings

    It posted a profit of US$7.8bn in the recently ended quarter.
  • Twitter challenger Threads struggles for traction

    Twitter continues to dominate its space as a platform for online comment and news, and Musk "would have to completely destroy it" to drive away its audience for good. Threads was quickly billed as a potential death knell for Twitter, but weeks later, Threads has since seen a "material decline...
  • Norway threatens $100,000 daily fine on Meta over use of personal data

    The Norwegian watchdog, Datatilsynet, said Meta uses information such as the location of users, the content they like and their posts for marketing purposes. "The Norwegian Data Protection Authority considers that the practice of Meta is illegal and is therefore imposing a temporary ban of behavioural advertising on Facebook and...
  • Meta loses more: Zuckerberg takes threads fight to European Union

    Threads, billed as the killer of Twitter, a platform that has tumbled into chaos under the leadership of mercurial tycoon Elon Musk, has added more than 100 million users in its first week in app stores.
  • Twitter rival Threads signs up 100 million users in five days

    Threads went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries late on Wednesday, though it is not available in Europe because parent company Meta is unsure how to navigate the European Union's data privacy legislation. Twitter, Threads rival, is thought to have around 200 million regular users but...
  • Twitter undergoes complex changes as Meta all set to unveil rival app

    PARIS, FRANCE- Elon Musk spent the weekend further alienating Twitter users with more drastic changes to the social media giant, and he is facing a new challenge as tech nemesis Mark Zuckerberg prepares to launch a rival app this week. Zuckerberg's Meta group, which owns Facebook, has listed a new app...
  • Meta fined record $1.3bn over EU user data transfer to US

    Meta said it was "disappointed to have been singled out" and the ruling was "flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies". "We intend to appeal both the decision's substance and its orders including the fine," Meta president of global affairs Nick Clegg and chief legal...
  • Iranians take up homegrown apps as Western apps are banned

    Iranians are accustomed to using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to evade restrictions and access prohibited websites or apps, including the US-owned Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The authorities went as far as imposing total internet blackouts during the protests that erupted after the September death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, following...
  • Photographer tricks Instagram with AI images

    Jos Avery, an engineer and lawyer by training, used AI program Midjourney to create images with brief text instructions and pass them off as photographs.
  • TikTok parent firm ByteDance’s founder lost $17bn in 2022

    ByteDance's success in China's highly competitive internet sector has been largely thanks to its popular short video app Douyin.
  • Germany ponders monitoring Microsoft over anti-competitive practices

    Berlin, Germany - Germany's anti-cartel watchdog said Tuesday it was examining if it needed to place US giant Microsoft under close watch for any possible abuse. The Federal Cartel Office said it was taking a first step to see if Microsoft is of "paramount significance across markets". If this is found...
  • Spotify adds 30 sec video in revamp to attract more creators

    Spotify on Wednesday introduced new tools for artists and songwriters, with a particular focus on video formats that are seen as increasingly essential as the world's biggest audio streaming service struggles to break even. With the revamp, Spotify said it would be easier for artists to sell merchandise and tickets...
  • Facebook, Instagram roll out paid subscription in Australia, New Zealand

    Facing a drop in advertising revenues, parent company Meta is piloting a subscription in Australia and New Zealand before it appears in larger markets. But ahead of the launch, ordinary users seemed less than keen to hand over money to a company that already makes vast sums from their data.
  • Meta launches paid subscription, for whom and why?

    And their posts, photos and videos will have a higher profile than those of non-subscribers by appearing atop search results, commentaries and recommendations. Meta is also promising new creative functionalities. Meta Verified will be rolled out in Australia and New Zealand this week before coming to markets in the United...
  • Iran releases celebrity chef held in crackdown, say activists

    PARIS, FRANCE - Iran has released a prominent chef and Instagram influencer who was detained earlier this month in its crackdown on nationwide protests, a human rights groups and supporters said. Navab Ebrahimi, known for his videos promoting Persian cooking, was arrested in Tehran on January 4 and taken to the...
  • Iran detains celebrity chef in protest crackdown: reports

    No reason was given for the arrest of Ebrahimi, who had some 2.7 million followers on Instagram enjoying his slickly produced videos showing how to produce classic Persian dishes without pain. But social media users said the arrest coincided with him posting a recipe to make Persian cutlets on the...
  • France fines Microsoft 60 million euros over advertising cookies

    The French regulator said that after investigations it found that "when users visited this site, cookies were deposited on their terminal without their consent, while these cookies were used, among others, for advertising purposes." It also "observed that there was no button allowing to refuse the deposit of cookies as...
  • Latest technologies glamorize Gulf cosmetic industry

    The UAE leads the region with adoption of developed regulations as technologies such as AI and VR have revolutionized the diagnostics and treatments in the aesthetic sector.
  • Facebook’s Meta posts first-ever revenue drop

    Facebook-parent Meta reported on Wednesday its first quarterly revenue drop and a plunging profit as the social media powerhouse battles a turbulent economy and the rising phenomenon of TikTok. Meta had long delivered seemingly endless upward growth but after this income miss and reporting earlier this year its first decline...
  • Top social media sites become haven for crypto fraud

    Instagram accounts for 32% of all fraud cases on social media, followed by Facebook and WhatsApp as scammers find it easy to lure and scam unsuspecting victims on social media sites. Commenting on the data, TradingPlatform.com's Edith read said this. "The most vulnerable sites for scamming are meta-owned. This raises...
  • TikTok lets creators charge monthly subscriptions

    TikTok on Monday said it will start letting some popular accounts at the video-snippet streaming star charge subscriptions for live streams. Similar money-making tools have been added to rivals such as Instagram and Facebook as the social media platforms compete for online personalities that attract audiences.
  • Facebook loses shine, decade after its stock debut

    The likes of TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter and even Apple now vie with Meta for people's online attention as Facebook social network is increasingly seen as a place for older people.
  • Strong Meta profit calms investors

    Investors had been worried that as the pandemic eased and people socialized more in real life that they would engage less on Facebook.
  • Meta tests sale of virtual goods in metaverse

    Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will give content creators the opportunity to sell virtual items to users in Horizon Worlds, its main platform in the metaverse, the company said Monday. "For example, someone could make and sell attachable accessories for a fashion world or offer paid access...
  • Instagram no longer accessible in Russia

    The move comes after Facebook and Twitter were blocked in early March as part of sweeping efforts by Moscow to control information available to Russians.
  • Facebook allows calls for violence against ‘Russian invaders’

    Facebook has temporarily eased its policy on violent speech after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, allowing statements like "death to Russian invaders" but not credible threats against civilians, the tech giant said Thursday. Moscow's internationally condemned attack on its neighbor has provoked unprecedented sanctions from Western governments and businesses, but also...
  • Struggling Libyan potters showcase wares online

    The Libyan city of Gharyan sculpted a reputation for ceramics generations ago, but fragile demand is forcing potters to seek new markets on Instagram and Facebook. Muayyad al-Shabani didn't even start out in the craft. He earned a physics degree but struggled to find a job in a country whose...
  • TikTok videos get longer

    The app is now letting users upload videos as long as 10 minutes.
  • Social media dominate popular websites in region

    Globally, the top three websites -- Google, Youtube and Facebook -- woo more than 152 billion visits monthly, outpacing the next 47 websites combined
  • Insta creators can charge subs

    The selected creators will be able to sell subscriptions.
  • Emma Watson shows solidarity with the Palestinians

    The 31-year-old Harry Potter star took to Instagram, and posted a photo from a solidarity protest with Palestine on May 12, 2021, that said "solidarity is a verb.”
  • Instagram tightens teen defenses

    The app will be stricter about what it recommends to teen users.
  • Instagram launches first-of-its-kind filter for UAE Golden Jubilee

    The UAE is reportedly the first country to have such filter on the social networking site.
  • Meta launches MENA campaign against child abuse

    In the eye of the storm of allegations that it did not act against child abuse, Meta said the campaign will prevent exactly those things.
  • Finfluencers turn to TikTok to peddle investment advice

    Across the globe, investment gurus in their 20s are building huge followings on social media.
  • Arab influencers use Instagram for global branding

    As the 'influencers' phenomenon gets popular on social media, many of them in the Arab world have ridden the Instagram wave to business success by promoting their brands online.
  • Facebook says some users struggling to access its services

    Facebook did not provide details on the cause or scope of the problems, which caused users to flock to Twitter to voice frustration.
  • Facebook bans sales of Amazon areas on its apps

    The announcement came as the tech giant defends itself against accusations that it has long put profit over societal good.
  • FB family of apps return online after seven hours

    Users of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp across the world, including the Gulf countries, remained heavily affected for hours.
  • Facebook grilled over mental health fears

    Facebook study warned of the harm Instagram can do to girls' well-being