WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — A coalition of activist groups on Monday announced a campaign to break up Facebook, arguing that the huge social network “has too much power over our lives and democracy.” The groups created a website, and a Facebook page, to garner support for a petition to the US Federal Trade Commission to require the social media firm to spin off Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger into competing networks, and to “impose strong […]
Tag: Facebook
Facebook’s Zuckerberg agrees to live-stream EU parliament hearing
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has agreed to live-stream his meeting with European Parliament members as he answers questions in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a top official said Monday. The meeting on Tuesday with the parliament’s most senior members was initially set to be held behind closed doors. But influential MEPs had pushed for a public hearing following the worst crisis in Facebook’s history. “I have personally discussed […]
Cambridge Analytica files for voluntary bankruptcy in US: court filing
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — British political consulting group Cambridge Analytica filed for voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York, court documents showed. The firm, whose attorney filed late Wednesday, announced early May that it would close and file for bankruptcy in Britain and the United States after failing to recover from the Facebook data scandal. The documents, seen by AFP, listed Cambridge Analytica LLC’s estimated assets in the […]
US Justice Department, FBI probing Cambridge Analytica: report
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Justice Department and the FBI are investigating Cambridge Analytica, the British marketing analytics firm embroiled in the Facebook data scandal, and have questioned potential witnesses, The New York Times reported Tuesday. CA has vehemently denied exploiting data obtained from up to 87 million Facebook users for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, claiming it deleted data obtained in breach of the social network’s terms of service. The company announced early this […]
Facebook suspends 200 apps over data misuse
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Facebook said Monday it has suspended “around 200” apps on its platform as part of an investigation into misuse of private user data. The investigation was launched after revelations that political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica hijacked data on some 87 million Facebook users as it worked on Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign. “The investigation process is in full swing,” said an online statement from Facebook product partnerships vice president Ime Archibong. […]
Facebook makes major management overhaul
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Tuesday confirmed an unprecedented management team shakeup in the aftermath of a major data privacy scandal that has rocked the social network. Co-founder Mark Zuckerberg remained chief of Facebook, with chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg his second-in-command. Chris Cox, a longtime member of Zuckerberg’s inner circle, was put in charge of Facebook’s core application as well as smartphone services Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, the California-based company confirmed. […]
Cambridge Analytica to close after Facebook data scandal
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Cambridge Analytica, the British marketing analytics firm, announced Wednesday that it was closing and would file for insolvency in Britain and the United States after failing to recover from the Facebook data scandal. The decision follows weeks of intense pressure on the company, hired by Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, after allegations emerged it may have hijacked up to 87 million Facebook users’ data. It claimed it has been “vilified” by […]
Facebook messaging app adds real time translations
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Tuesday gave its popular Messenger app the ability to translate missives in real time, deploying artificial intelligence to enable text conversations between people using different languages. Messenger has become a tool for businesses to connect with customers, and the ability to converse with customers in a variety of languages could help bump up advertising. “The ability to speak with anyone without any language barrier is something we […]
Zuckerberg unveils plans for Facebook dating service
by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France Presse SAN JOSE, United States (AFP) — Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday the world’s largest social network will soon include a new dating feature — while vowing to make privacy protection its top priority in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Zuckerberg unveiled the plans as he addressed Facebook’s annual developers conference in San Jose, California — emphasizing that the focus would be on helping people find long-term […]
WhatsApp co-founder leaving Facebook
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum on Monday put out the word that he is leaving Facebook, which bought the smartphone messaging service four years ago for $19 billion. Koum said in a post on his Facebook page that he is taking time off to pursue interests such as collecting air-cooled Porsches, working on cars and playing ultimate Frisbee. US media reports indicated that a disagreement with Facebook over the privacy […]
Profits up at Facebook, no impact from privacy scandal
by Glenn Chapman Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Wednesday reported a sharp jump in profits in the past quarter, with gains in its user base and strong ad growth as the social network appeared to see no impact from a controversy over privacy. Profit in the first quarter of 2018 leapt 63 percent from a year ago to $5 billion, and total revenues increased 49 percent to $11.97 […]
Facebook unveils appeal process for when it removes posts
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook said Tuesday it will give users the right to appeal decisions if the social network decides to remove photos, videos or written posts deemed to violate community standards. Plans to roll out an appeals process globally in coming months came as Facebook provided a first-ever look at internal standards used to decide what posts go too far in terms of hateful or threating speech. “This is part of […]





