Facebook now allows you to block background location tracking on Android

Facebook Android

Facebook has announced an update to the Facebook app’s location controls on Android to give people more choice over how it collects location information and how it stores the data it collects. The company clarified that it is not changing users previously made choices nor it is collecting any new information as a result of this update. Continue reading “Facebook now allows you to block background location tracking on Android”

FTC complaint accuses Facebook of revealing sensitive health data in Groups

Facebook Smart Speaker

A complaint has been raised on Facebook with the FTC accusing the company of failing to protect sensitive health data in its groups. The complaint was released publicly earlier today and was filed in January 2019. It urges that the company improperly disclosed information on members of closed groups. Continue reading “FTC complaint accuses Facebook of revealing sensitive health data in Groups”

FTC and Facebook said to be negotiating a record multi-billion dollar fine over privacy lapses

Facebook Smart Speaker

The Federal Trade Commission and Facebook are negotiating a record multi-billion dollar fine that would settle the agency’s investigation into Facebook’s privacy practices, according to sources. This fine would mark the agency’s largest imposition on a technology company. However, two sides have not yet agreed on an exact amount. Continue reading “FTC and Facebook said to be negotiating a record multi-billion dollar fine over privacy lapses”

Facebook acquires visual shopping startup GrokStyle Inc

Facebook has announced that it has acquired visual shopping and artificial intelligence startup GrokStyle Inc. in a move to bolster the social-media company’s own AI work. GrokStyle’s technology is integrated into popular Ikea’s mobile app. Continue reading “Facebook acquires visual shopping startup GrokStyle Inc”

German Watchdog blocks Facebook from merging user data without consent

Facebook Smart Speaker

Germany’s competition watchdog; the Bundeskartellamt has imposed “far-reaching” restrictions on Facebook’s data collection and sharing. Facebook unsurprisingly plans to appeal. The watchdog said that Facebook should not combine or collect user data third-party websites and assign them to user accounts without users’ consent. Continue reading “German Watchdog blocks Facebook from merging user data without consent”

Facebook and Instagram to no longer allow graphic images that promote self-harm

Facebook

Facebook and Instagram have shared updates on how it enforces policies against self-harm or suicide on the platform. The company since 2016 has built its approach with experts in suicide prevention. These experts unanimously reaffirmed that Facebook should allow users to share admissions of self-harmed suicidal thoughts, but should not allow people to share content promoting it. Continue reading “Facebook and Instagram to no longer allow graphic images that promote self-harm”

Facebook said to be planning on cross-platform business messaging

Facebook Smart Speaker

Facebook is said to be building a unified messaging for a business feature that will let businesses access and manage Instagram Direct Messages alongside its Facebook Messenger messages. This would mark Facebook’s first step toward building a tool to manage  messaging across Facebook’s apps for businesses.

Continue reading “Facebook said to be planning on cross-platform business messaging”

Facebook Messenger ‘Unsend’ feature now available for everyone

Facebook Messenger Unsend

Facebook Messenger finally gets ‘delete message’ feature months after promising the rollout. You can easily remove your sent message on Messenger – whether it’s to one person or a group, similar to that on WhatsApp. Continue reading “Facebook Messenger ‘Unsend’ feature now available for everyone”

Apple restores Google’s internal iOS apps after certificate misuse

Apple has shut down Google’s ability to distribute its internal iOS apps, following a similar shutdown that was issued to Facebook earlier this week.  According to reports, the early versions of Google Maps, Hangouts, Gmail, and other pre-release beta apps stopped working alongside employee-only apps like a Gbus app for transportation and Google’s internal cafe app. Continue reading “Apple restores Google’s internal iOS apps after certificate misuse”

Facebook plans to integrate Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messaging

Facebook Smart Speaker

Facebook will integrate its messaging services — WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger by the end of this year or by early 2020, according to the latest report by The New York Times. These service will have their underlying messaging infrastructure unified but will continue to operate as stand-alone apps after the integration, according to the report.

Continue reading “Facebook plans to integrate Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp messaging”

Facebook is shutting down Moments app on February 25th

Facebook has confirmed that it is shutting down Moments; its standalone private photo sharing app. The app’s services will be discontinued on Feb. 25th. The Moments app was first released in 2015 and had four long years of the run.  Continue reading “Facebook is shutting down Moments app on February 25th”

Facebook Quality tab will let page managers track which post violated guidelines

Page Quality

Facebook has announced that it is taking steps on how it handles Pages and the content that goes against its policies. This update will bring a new tab; Page Quality to the Pages which shows when Facebook removes certain content that goes against the Community Standards. This will reduce the distribution of posts that have been rated false by a third-party fact-checker. Continue reading “Facebook Quality tab will let page managers track which post violated guidelines”

Facebook Community Actions lets users file for petitions

Facebook Community Actions

Facebook is introducing new Community Actions; the News Feed petition feature this week. These Community Actions could unite neighbors to request a change from their local and national elected officials and government agencies. Continue reading “Facebook Community Actions lets users file for petitions”

US regulators said to impose a record-setting fine against Facebook for privacy violations

Facebook Smart Speaker

According to a new report from WSJ, U. S regulators have met to discuss imposing a record-setting fine against Facebook for violating a legally binding agreement with the government to protect the privacy of its users’ personal data. The fine under consideration at the Federal Trade Commission would mark the first action levied against Facebook in the United States since reports emerged in March about the Cambridge Analytica. Continue reading “US regulators said to impose a record-setting fine against Facebook for privacy violations”

Facebook said to be secretly working on LOL meme hub app

Facebook LOL

After Facebook Watch, Lasso, and IGTV, the company has been quietly developing another product targeted at the teens. According to a new report, the company has spent months building LOL which is a special feed of funny videos and GIF-like clips. Continue reading “Facebook said to be secretly working on LOL meme hub app”