Meta
Facebook renamed itself Meta to reflect its focus on expanding the Metaverse, but its development of Facebook and Instagram, its biggest platforms, have become increasingly focused around AI. It has taken an open-source approach with its Llama large language model, while also continuing to try to unseat X with its still-new microblogging challenger Threads, and TechCrunch is covering all of its moves and updates across its many platforms.
Meta’s Oversight Board overturns takedown decision for Pakistan child abuse documentary
The Oversight Board has overturned Meta’s decision to take down a documentary revealing the identities of child abuse victims in Pakistan.
Over the weekend, Instagram announced that it is expanding its creator marketplace to 10 new countries — this marketplace connects brands with creators to foster collaboration. The new regions include…
Meta’s AI tools for advertisers can now create full new images, not just new backgrounds
Meta is rolling out an expanded set of generative AI tools for advertisers, after first announcing a set of AI features last October. Now, instead of only being able to…
Meta is encouraging more users to post to its X rival Threads. In its latest experiment, the company is providing an easy toggle for users to cross-post from Instagram to…
Bias in AI image generators is a well-studied and well-reported phenomenon, but consumer tools continue to exhibit glaring cultural biases. The latest culprit in this area is Meta’s AI chatbot,…
Threads users can now exert more control over who can quote their posts. This builds on a feature that already allows Threads users to limit who can reply to their…
Instagram now lets you post a secret Story that viewers can uncover with a DM
Instagram is adding a handful of new features for Stories to give users more creative ways to share content and engage with each other, the company announced on Friday. Most…
WhatsApp is introducing a new way for people to organize events in Communities, the company announced on Wednesday. The feature makes it easier to plan get-togethers and events directly in…
Meta’s approach to election security in the frame as EU probes Facebook, Instagram
The European Union said on Tuesday that it suspects Meta’s social networking platforms, Facebook and Instagram, of breaking the bloc’s rules for larger platforms in relation to election integrity. The…
Meta’s Threads social network passed the 150 million monthly users mark recently, but the company is not slowing down its growth engine. To increase engagement, the social media giant is…
Meta AI tested: Doesn’t quite justify its own existence, but free is free
Meta’s new large language model, Llama 3, powers the imaginatively named “Meta AI,” a newish chatbot that the social media and advertising company has installed in as many of its…
Why Meta is looking to the fediverse as the future for social media
Meta’s move into the open social web, also known as the fediverse, is puzzling. Does the Facebook owner see open protocols as the future? Will it embrace the fediverse only…
Threads launches custom mute filters, teases controls for quote posts
Threads and Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced today that Threads is launching a new feature that lets users filter out words and phrases from their feeds and mentions. The “Hidden…
Meta could face further squeeze on surveillance ads model in EU
Meta’s tracking ads business could be facing further legal blows in the European Union: An influential adviser to the bloc’s top court affirmed Thursday that the region’s privacy laws limit…
Threads, the Twitter/X rival from Meta, is growing at a stable pace. The social network now has more than 150 million monthly active users — up from 130 million in…
Meta opens Quest OS to third-party headset makers, taps Lenovo and Xbox as partners
The mixed reality operating system that powers Meta Quest headsets can officially be used by third-party device makers, the company announced on Monday. Three major tech players — Asus, Lenovo…
TechCrunch Minute: Meta’s new Llama 3 models give open source AI a boost
New AI models from Meta are making waves in technology circles. The two new models, part of the Facebook parent company’s Llama line of artificial intelligence tools, are both open…
Last week, Meta started testing its AI chatbot in India across WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. But with the Indian general elections beginning today, the company is already blocking specific queries…
Apple pulls WhatsApp, Threads from China App Store following state order
Apple has removed the Meta-owned end-to-end encrypted messaging app WhatsApp from its App Store in China following a government order citing national security concerns, the news agency Reuters reported Friday.…
Meta releases Llama 3, claims it’s among the best open models available
Meta has released the latest entry in its Llama series of open generative AI models: Llama 3. Or, more accurately, the company has debuted two models in its new Llama 3…
Meta adds its AI chatbot, powered by Llama 3, to the search bar across its apps
Meta’s making several big moves today to promote its AI services across its platform. The company has upgraded its AI chatbot with its newest large language model, Llama 3, and…
Adtech giants like Meta must give EU users real privacy choice, says EDPB
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has published new guidance that has major implications for adtech giants like Meta and other large platforms. Since November 2023, the owner of Facebook…
EU privacy body adopts view on Meta’s controversial ‘consent or pay’ tactic
Incoming guidance by an expert steering body on European Union data protection law could have major implications for Meta’s advertising business model. The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has decided…
For those who use WhatsApp more like an inbox, the app will now become more useful. WhatsApp on Tuesday announced a handful of new chat filters for the app to…
Meta’s Oversight Board probes explicit AI-generated images posted on Instagram and Facebook
The Oversight Board, Meta’s semi-independent policy council, is turning its attention to how the company’s social platforms are handling explicit, AI-generated images. Tuesday, it announced investigations into two separate cases…
After struggling with real-time trends, Threads tests a ‘recent’ filter for search results
Meta-owned social network Threads is finally testing a “Recent” filter to sort search results.
Meta thinks it’s a good idea for students to wear Quest headsets in class
Meta continues to field criticism over how it handles younger consumers using its platforms, but the company is also planning new products that will cater to them. On Monday, the…
Meta’s ‘consent or pay’ tactic must not prevail over privacy, EU rights groups warn
Nearly two dozen rights groups are urging the EDPB to not endorse a strategy used by Meta that they say is intended to bypass the EU’s privacy protections.
Meta to close Threads in Turkey to comply with injunction prohibiting data sharing with Instagram
Meta will “temporarily” shutter Threads in Turkey on April 29, in response to an injunction imposed by the country’s competition authority.
Tesla drops prices, Meta confirms Llama 3 release, and Apple allows emulators in the App Store
Heya, folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), TechCrunch’s regular newsletter that recaps the past few days in tech. Google’s annual enterprise-focused dev conference, Google Cloud Next, dominated the headlines…
