Ireland levies fine for GDPR abuses after pressure from other European countries.
Ireland watchdog fines WhatsApp record sum for flouting EU data rules
Messaging app calls €225m fine for breaking data protection rules ‘entirely disproportionate’Ireland’s data privacy watchdog has slapped WhatsApp with a record €225m (£193m) fine for violating EU data protection rules.The Dublin-based Data Protection C…
Telegram tops 1 billion downloads
Popular instant messaging app Telegram has joined the elite club of apps that have been downloaded over 1 billion times globally, according to Sensor Tower. The Dubai-headquartered app, which was launched in late 2013, surpassed the milestone on Friday, the mobile insight firm told TechCrunch. As is the case with the app’s chief rival, WhatsApp, […]
Move fast and break Facebook: A bull case for antitrust enforcement
For so long, Mark Zuckerberg has told us all to move fast and break things. It’s time for him to break Facebook.
LOVE unveils a modern video messaging app with a business model that puts users in control
A London-headquartered startup called LOVE, valued at $17 million following its pre-seed funding, aims to redefine how people stay in touch with close family and friends. The company is launching a messaging app that offers a combination of video calling as well as asynchronous video and audio messaging, in an ad-free, privacy-focused experience with a […]
Messenger celebrates its 10th anniversary with new features and a plan to become the ‘connective tissue’ for real-time experiences
To celebrate its ten year anniversary, Messenger today announced a handful of new features: poll games, word effects, contact sharing, and birthday gifting via Facebook Pay. But beyond the fun features, Facebook has been testing a way to add voice and video calls back into the Facebook app, rather than on Messenger. “We are testing […]
Homegrown app helping Kabul residents steer clear of danger
Ehtesab tracks turbulence on the ground and sends users alerts on which areas to avoid.
Social platforms wrestle with what to do about the Taliban
With the hasty U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan underway after two decades occupying the country, social media platforms have a complex new set of policy decisions to make. The Taliban has been social-media-savvy for years, but those companies will face new questions as the notoriously brutal, repressive group seeks to present itself as Afghanistan’s legitimate […]
Today’s real story: The Facebook monopoly
To the average person, Facebook’s monopoly seems obvious. But obviousness is not an antitrust standard. Monopoly has a clear legal meaning, and thus far Lina Khan’s FTC has failed to meet it.
WhatsApp shuts down Taliban helpline in Kabul
It’s meant to act as emergency hotline for civilians to report violence and looting.