Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on
1 year, 7 months ago

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on

Associated Press  

LONDON — Starting Friday, Europeans will see their online life change. Turning off recommender systems also means the video-sharing platform’s “Following” and “Friends” feeds will show posts from accounts users follow in chronological order. Those on Snapchat “can opt out of a personalised content experience.” Algorithmic recommendation systems based on user profiles have been blamed for creating so-called filter bubbles and pushing social media users to increasingly extreme posts. Facebook and Instagram’s existing tools for reporting content are “easier for people to access,” said Meta’s Clegg, without providing more details. “We will also share more detail about these decisions, including whether the action was taken by automated technology, and we will explain how both content creators and those who file a report can appeal a decision.” Google said it’s “expanding the scope” of its transparency reports by giving more information about how it handles content moderation for more of its services, including Search, Maps, Shopping and Play Store, without providing more details.

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History of this topic

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalised ads
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalised ads

The Hindu  

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalised ads if they don't want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over privacy and digital competition concerns. The company said in a blog post that while people will still be able to choose between the …

Instagram, Facebook users in Europe to get less personalised ads, low-cost plans
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Instagram, Facebook users in Europe to get less personalised ads, low-cost plans

Hindustan Times  

Meta Platforms is set to come up with a new feature where Instagram and Facebook users in Europe will be given a choice of "less personalised ads," a proactive measure announced on Tuesday to address growing regulatory scrutiny. A spokesperson for the EU emphasised that the new model introduced by Meta is under Meta's sole responsibility, and it is neither …

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalized ads
4 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook and Instagram users in Europe can opt for less personalized ads

Associated Press  

LONDON — Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalized ads if they don’t want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over privacy and digital competition concerns. The company said in a blog post that while people will still be able to choose …

Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook admits to scraping every Australian adult user's public photos and posts to train AI, with no opt-out option

ABC  

Facebook has admitted that it scrapes the public photos, posts and other data of Australian adult users to train its AI models and provides no opt-out option, even though it allows people in the European Union to refuse consent. Meta's global privacy director Melinda Claybaugh was pressed at an inquiry as to whether the social media giant was hoovering up …

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option
9 months ago

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option

The Hindu  

European Union regulators accused social media company Meta Platforms on Monday of breaching the bloc's new digital competition rulebook by forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. The U.S. tech giant rolled out the option after the European Union’s top court ruled Meta must first get consent before showing ads to users, …

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option
9 months ago

European Union accuses Facebook owner Meta of breaking digital rules with paid ad-free option

Associated Press  

LONDON — European Union regulators accused social media company Meta Platforms on Monday of breaching the bloc’s new digital competition rulebook by forcing Facebook and Instagram users to choose between seeing ads or paying to avoid them. The U.S. tech giant rolled out the option after the European Union’s top court ruled Meta must first get consent before showing ads …

EU may charge Instagram and Facebook-parent Meta over digital rules violation: Report
9 months ago

EU may charge Instagram and Facebook-parent Meta over digital rules violation: Report

The Hindu  

EU authorities may charge Meta over its model that makes Facebook and Instagram users pay in order to stop their data from being shared, reported Financial Times, citing several anonymous sources. However, EU regulators have previously warned that as per the Digital Markets Act, “gatekeeper platforms” would not be able to “track end users outside of the gatekeepers’ core platform …

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns
9 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook owner Meta seeks to train AI model on European data as it faces privacy concerns

Associated Press  

LONDON — Meta wants to use data from users in privacy-conscious Europe to train its artificial intelligence models, the social media giant said Monday as it faces concerns about data protection while battling to keep up with rivals like OpenAI and Google. Meta’s AI training efforts are hampered by stringent European Union data privacy laws, which give people control over …

Facebook and Instagram face fresh EU digital scrutiny over child safety measures
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Facebook and Instagram face fresh EU digital scrutiny over child safety measures

Associated Press  

LONDON — The European Union opened fresh investigations Thursday into Facebook and Instagram over suspicions that they’re failing to protect children online, in violation of the bloc’s strict digital regulations for social media platforms. It’s the latest round of scrutiny for parent company Meta Platforms under the 27-nation EU’s Digital Services Act, a sweeping set of regulations that took effect …

Facebook and Instagram face fresh scrutiny under the European Union's strict digital regulations
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Facebook and Instagram face fresh scrutiny under the European Union's strict digital regulations

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety
10 months, 2 weeks ago

EU investigates Meta over Facebook and Instagram child safety

Al Jazeera  

The European Commission says it is concerned systems used by apps could ‘exploit weaknesses and inexperience’ of children and stimulate ‘addictive behaviour’. European Union regulators have opened a formal investigation into Meta for potential breaches of online content rules relating to child safety in its Facebook and Instagram platforms. Thierry Breton, the EU’s internal market commissioner, said on X the …

EU opens probe into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation ahead of crunch elections
11 months ago

EU opens probe into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation ahead of crunch elections

Daily Mail  

The European Union has launched an investigation into Facebook and Instagram amid claims they are not doing enough to tackle Russian disinformation which could potentially undermine democracy. 'If we suspect a violation of the rules, we act,' Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels is especially concerned that Meta, the company which runs the social media platforms, does not …

The European Union expands digital crackdown on toxic content, dodgy goods to all online platforms
1 year, 1 month ago

The European Union expands digital crackdown on toxic content, dodgy goods to all online platforms

Associated Press  

LONDON — The European Union is expanding its strict digital rulebook on Saturday to almost all online platforms in the bloc, in the next phase of its crackdown on toxic social media content and dodgy ecommerce products that began last year by targeting the most popular services. The EU’s trailblazing Digital Services Act has already kicked in for nearly two …

Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids under Europe’s new digital law
1 year, 3 months ago

Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids under Europe’s new digital law

Associated Press  

LONDON — Three of the world’s biggest porn websites face new requirements in the European Union that include verifying the ages of users, the 27-nation bloc said Wednesday, expanding the reach of its digital law designed to keep people safe on the internet. Pornhub, XVideos and Stripchat have now been classed as “very large online platforms” subject to more stringent …

Meta’s Facebook, Insta banned from running targeted ads in EU, may be fined 4% global turnover
1 year, 5 months ago

Meta’s Facebook, Insta banned from running targeted ads in EU, may be fined 4% global turnover

Firstpost  

The EU has banned Meta from running targeted ads on its platforms Facebook and Instagram, and can potentially fine the social media giant about 4% of its annual turnover, which runs to the tunes of billions The European Data Protection Board has decided to extend the ban on “behavioural advertising” that was initially imposed by Norway, a non-EU member, to …

European privacy officials widen ban on Meta’s behavioral advertising to most of Europe
1 year, 5 months ago

European privacy officials widen ban on Meta’s behavioral advertising to most of Europe

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — European officials widened a ban on Meta’s “behavioral advertising” practices to most of Europe on Wednesday, setting up a broader conflict between the continent’s privacy-conscious institutions and an American technology giant. Behavioral advertising, used by Meta’s Facebook and Instagram among many other tech companies, involves observing individual behavior such as browsing habits, mouse clicks and app usage, …

Meta faces Europe-wide data privacy restrictions for targetted ads
1 year, 5 months ago

Meta faces Europe-wide data privacy restrictions for targetted ads

Live Mint  

Meta Platforms Inc. is poised to encounter Europe-wide restrictions on utilizing the personal data of Facebook and Instagram users for targeted advertising, Bloomberg reported. Ireland's Data Protection Commission, acting as the chief privacy overseer for Meta in the region, has a two-week window to impose a ban on processing personal data for behavioral advertising based on contractual and legitimate interest …

Meta Floats Charging $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook
1 year, 5 months ago

Meta Floats Charging $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook

Live Mint  

Would people pay nearly $14 a month to use Instagram on their phones without ads? Meta’s proposals have been pitched specifically as a way to navigate demands by EU regulators to seek consent before crunching user data to select highly personalized ads. Driving Meta’s proposal has been demands by privacy regulators, led by Ireland, that Meta seek user consent before …

EU targets Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft in next phase of digital crackdown
1 year, 6 months ago

EU targets Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft in next phase of digital crackdown

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The European Union is targeting …

Changing Tactics: Meta may remove ads from Insta, FB because of EU’s DSA and ad transparency laws
1 year, 6 months ago

Changing Tactics: Meta may remove ads from Insta, FB because of EU’s DSA and ad transparency laws

Firstpost  

Meta may be thinking of giving users an option to completely remove ads from their feeds on Instagram and Facebook. This is because EU’s DSA and strict ad transparency laws are set to cause trouble for tech companies who do not handle user data properly, and target them with ads Meta, the tech giant encompassing various platforms, has often displayed …

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on
1 year, 7 months ago

Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Those on Snapchat “can opt …

EU's Digital Services Act referential milestone
1 year, 7 months ago

EU's Digital Services Act referential milestone

China Daily  

This combination of pictures created on April 25, 2023 shows logos of online platforms, applications, social networks and technology and IT companies of Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Wikipedia, Pinterest, AliExpress, Facebook, Meta, Apple app store, Snapchat, Linkedin, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok and fashion retailer Zalando. The EU Digital Services Act, which comes into force on Friday, will lead to big …

Europe’s Digital Services Act to impact Google, Facebook, TikTok. Here’s how
1 year, 7 months ago

Europe’s Digital Services Act to impact Google, Facebook, TikTok. Here’s how

Live Mint  

Google, Facebook, TikTok, Amazon, Instagram, Snapchat and other major tech companies operating in Europe are confronting an extensive effort to clean up online content, AP reported. Platforms have begun implementing new methods for European users to report illegal online content and problematic products, which companies will be obligated to promptly and objectively remove. Meta’s president for global affairs Nick Clegg …

Europe's sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in. Here's how they work
1 year, 7 months ago

Europe's sweeping rules for tech giants are about to kick in. Here's how they work

The Hindu  

Google, Facebook, TikTok and other Big Tech companies operating in Europe are facing one of the most far-reaching efforts to clean up what people encounter online. TikTok made similar changes, stopping users aged 13 to 17 from getting personalised ads “based on their activities on or off TikTok.” Zalando, a German online fashion retailer, has filed a legal challenge over …

Today’s Cache | AI could soon detect breast cancer in scans; Meta to ask EU users’ consent for targeted advertising; Meta starts news block in Canada
1 year, 8 months ago

Today’s Cache | AI could soon detect breast cancer in scans; Meta to ask EU users’ consent for targeted advertising; Meta starts news block in Canada

The Hindu  

AI could soon detect breast cancer in scans The results of a new Swedish study have suggested that AI technology could be used to lighten or even halve the workload of radiologists who work in twos to read breast scans for signs of cancer. Meta to ask EU users’ consent for targeted advertising Meta said it will ask its EU-based …

Meta to ask EU users' consent to share data for targeted ads
1 year, 8 months ago

Meta to ask EU users' consent to share data for targeted ads

The Hindu  

Social media giant Meta on Tuesday said it intends to ask EU-based users to give their consent before allowing targeted advertising on its networks including Facebook, bowing to pressure from European regulators. It said the changes were to address "evolving and emerging regulatory requirements" amid a bruising tussle with the Irish Data Protection Commission which oversees EU data rules in …

Meta faces $100K daily fine from Norway regulator over privacy concerns in user advertising
1 year, 8 months ago

Meta faces $100K daily fine from Norway regulator over privacy concerns in user advertising

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Meta will face a hefty fine over advertising practices that violate user privacy, Norway’s data protection authority said Monday, unless the Facebook and Instagram owner takes action to comply with the law. This decision “does not ban Facebook or Instagram in Norway,” Tobias Judin, the Norwegian Data Protection Authority’s international department head, stated in a release. “The …

Facebook faces legal setback in EU court decision on data privacy and ads
1 year, 8 months ago

Facebook faces legal setback in EU court decision on data privacy and ads

Associated Press  

LONDON — Facebook lost a legal challenge Tuesday at the European Union’s top court over a groundbreaking German antitrust decision that limited the way the company uses data for advertising. The European Court of Justice said competition watchdogs can consider whether companies like Facebook comply with the continent’s strict privacy rules, which are normally enforced by national data privacy regulators. …

Big Tech crackdown looms as EU, UK ready new rules
1 year, 11 months ago

Big Tech crackdown looms as EU, UK ready new rules

Associated Press  

LONDON — TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are facing rising pressure from European authorities as London and Brussels advanced new rules Tuesday to curb the power of digital companies. They’re among those on a list of the 19 biggest online platforms and search engines that the European Union’s executive arm said must meet extra obligations for cleaning up illegal …

Meta explores ban on political ads in Europe
2 years ago

Meta explores ban on political ads in Europe

The Hindu  

Meta Platforms Inc. executives are discussing a company-wide ban on political advertising in Europe due to concerns that Facebook and Instagram will be unable to comply with upcoming EU regulations targeting online campaigns, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. The proposed rules require U.S. tech giants to provide more data on their targeted political ads, with fines up to 4% …

Google, Twitter, Meta face tougher EU online content rules
2 years, 1 month ago

Google, Twitter, Meta face tougher EU online content rules

The Hindu  

Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc., and Twitter face stricter EU online content rules according to monthly user numbers published by the companies on Thursday, which exceeded the EU threshold. The new rules known as the Digital Services Act labels companies with more than 45 million users as very large online platforms and subject to obligations such as …

E.U. calls out Twitter for incomplete disinformation report
2 years, 1 month ago

E.U. calls out Twitter for incomplete disinformation report

The Hindu  

Twitter failed to provide a full report to the European Union on its efforts to combat online disinformation, drawing a rebuke Thursday from top officials of the 27-nation bloc. The company signed up to the EU's voluntary 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation last year — before billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought the social media platform. Google, TikTok, Microsoft …

EU fines Meta $414 million for privacy violations, prohibits firm from forcing users to agree to personalised ads
2 years, 2 months ago

EU fines Meta $414 million for privacy violations, prohibits firm from forcing users to agree to personalised ads

Firstpost  

London: European Union regulators on Wednesday hit Facebook parent Meta with hundreds of millions in fines for privacy violations and banned the company from forcing users in the 27-nation bloc to agree to personalized ads based on their online activity. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission imposed two fines totaling 390 million euros in its decision in two cases that could shake …

Will new EU rules succeed in regulating Big Tech?
2 years, 11 months ago

Will new EU rules succeed in regulating Big Tech?

Al Jazeera  

EU moves to force tech companies to remove illegal content online or face big fines. The European Union has approved rules to force big technology firms such as Google, Facebook and Twitter to remove illegal content. Last month, the EU approved separate legislation to prevent anti-competitive behaviour by tech firms. Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom Guests: Johannes Bahrke – Coordinating spokesperson for …

European Union reaches landmark deal on hate speech, disinformation
2 years, 11 months ago

European Union reaches landmark deal on hate speech, disinformation

The Hindu  

The European Union reached a landmark deal on April 23 to take aim at hate speech, disinformation and other harmful content online that would force big tech companies to police themselves harder, make it easier for users to flag problems and empower regulators to punish noncompliance with billions in fines. EU officials finally clinched the agreement in principle in the …

Europe agrees to sweeping new regulations for tech platforms
2 years, 11 months ago

Europe agrees to sweeping new regulations for tech platforms

CNN  

CNN — European policymakers have reached agreement on a sweeping package of new regulations for tech platforms that could mean big changes in oversight for everything from social media algorithms to digital advertising — and with potential ramifications worldwide. Together with the Digital Markets Act — a competition-focused bill intended to make dominant online platforms more open — the DSA …

EU law targets Big Tech over hate speech, disinformation
2 years, 11 months ago

EU law targets Big Tech over hate speech, disinformation

NPR  

EU law targets Big Tech over hate speech, disinformation Enlarge this image toggle caption Michel Euler/AP Michel Euler/AP BRUSSELS — Big tech companies like Google and Facebook parent Meta will have to police their platforms more strictly to better protect European users from hate speech, disinformation and other harmful online content under landmark EU legislation approved early Saturday. Sponsor Message …

Call the bluff: Meta cannot and will not unfriend Europe
3 years, 1 month ago

Call the bluff: Meta cannot and will not unfriend Europe

Hindustan Times  

Meta, formerly Facebook, has said that it may have to consider shutting down popular social networks Facebook and Instagram in European countries. Facebook's parent firm Meta said February 7, 2022 it has no plans to pull its services from Europe, after raising the possibility amid an ongoing row over transferring European data to the United States. “If a new transatlantic …

Data spat: Meta threatens to pull Facebook, Instagram from Europe
3 years, 1 month ago

Data spat: Meta threatens to pull Facebook, Instagram from Europe

Al Jazeera  

European regulators are currently reworking regulations on how European data is transferred across the Atlantic. Meta Platforms Inc. has threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram from Europe if it is unable to keep transferring user data back to the U.S. European regulators are currently re-working regulation on how European data is transferred across the Atlantic, after the previous Privacy Shield …

EXPLAINER: How sweeping EU rules would curb tech companies
3 years, 2 months ago

EXPLAINER: How sweeping EU rules would curb tech companies

Associated Press  

LONDON — Online companies would have to ramp up efforts to keep harmful content off their platforms and take other steps to protect users under rules that European Union lawmakers approved Thursday. The legislation is part of a sweeping overhaul of the European Union’s digital rules aimed at ensuring online companies, including tech giants like Google and Facebook parent Meta, …

France fines Google, Facebook millions over tracking consent
3 years, 2 months ago

France fines Google, Facebook millions over tracking consent

Associated Press  

LONDON — French regulators on Thursday fined Google and Facebook a total of more than 200 million euros for not making it as easy for people to opt out of online tracking as it is for them to accept it. The CNIL data privacy watchdog said its investigations found that while the U.S. online giants gave French users a single …

Beefed up EU tech rules could be global standard, says Facebook whistleblower
3 years, 4 months ago

Beefed up EU tech rules could be global standard, says Facebook whistleblower

The Hindu  

Europe's draft rules requiring tech firms to do more to tackle illegal online content could become a global gold standard for a safer online world if they are beefed up, Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen told EU lawmakers on Monday. Haugen, a former Facebook employee who worked as a product manager on the company's civic misinformation team, has accused the social …

Facebook grilled by UK lawmakers making online safety rules
3 years, 5 months ago

Facebook grilled by UK lawmakers making online safety rules

Associated Press  

LONDON — British lawmakers grilled Facebook on Thursday over how it handles online safety as European countries move to rein in the power of social media companies. Facebook’s head of safety said the tech giant supports regulation and has no business interest in providing people with an “unsafe experience.” Representatives from Google, Twitter and TikTok also answered questions from a …

'Where does the buck stop?': UK lawmakers grill Facebook over online safety
3 years, 5 months ago

'Where does the buck stop?': UK lawmakers grill Facebook over online safety

Firstpost  

Representatives from Google, Twitter and TikTok also will be questioned by members of a parliamentary committee scrutinizing the British government’s draft online safety legislation London: British lawmakers grilled Facebook on Thursday over how it handles online safety as European countries move to rein in the power of social media companies, with the tech giant’s head of safety saying the company …

EU lawmaker says U.S. tech giants should be regulated where they are based
3 years, 5 months ago

EU lawmaker says U.S. tech giants should be regulated where they are based

The Hindu  

U.S. tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon should be regulated by the EU country where they are based under proposed EU rules, a top lawmaker said on Tuesday, knocking back efforts by some countries to broaden the planned act's scope. The country of origin principle is set out in EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's draft rules known …

Google's New Policy Aims to Block Advertisement Targeting of Under-18 Users
3 years, 7 months ago

Google's New Policy Aims to Block Advertisement Targeting of Under-18 Users

News 18  

Alphabet’s Google is blocking ad targeting based on the age, gender or interests of people under 18, the company said on Tuesday. Google is introducing a new policy for all under-18s and their parents or guardians to request the removal of the young person’s images from Google Image search results, the company said in a blog post, as part of …

Analysis | Facebook and its family of apps want to be a mega digital bazaar
3 years, 9 months ago

Analysis | Facebook and its family of apps want to be a mega digital bazaar

The Hindu  

Most of us know Facebook and its family of apps as platforms that let people stay connected with friends and family. The European country’s lead data protection regulator called the messaging platform’s privacy update “illegal” just a few days before its proposed policy opt-in deadline, May 15th. Caspar had invoked extraordinary powers under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation …

Abandon Instagram for kids plan, U.S. states urge Facebook
3 years, 10 months ago

Abandon Instagram for kids plan, U.S. states urge Facebook

The Hindu  

U.S. officials representing 44 states and territories on Monday urged Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg to abandon plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13. According to the officials, use of social media can be detrimental to the health and well-being of children, who are not equipped to navigate the challenges of having a social …

UK plans big fines for online companies over harmful content
4 years, 3 months ago

UK plans big fines for online companies over harmful content

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Social media and other internet …

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