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China's Instagram-like Xiaohongshu making inroads with e-commerce sales

Xiaohongshu, sometimes compared to Instagram, has long been one of China's most important marketing tools

Facebook, Instagram down for thousands of users, Downdetector shows

WhatsApp, Meta's messaging application, was also down for more than 12,000 users, according to Downdetector.com

ChatGPT faces global outage, OpenAI working to restore normal services

Millions of users worldwide faced disruptions as OpenAI's ChatGPT, API, and Sora services experienced a global outage; the company identified recovery path and is working on a fix

Meta's Instagram says services back up after hours of technical outage

The platforms faced another outage in October, when services were largely restored within an hour

Amazon targets paid reviews on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram via shoppers

Before announcing the rule, the FTC notified 700 companies, including Amazon, Facebook and Google, about its plans to curb a scourge that has become more prevalent in recent years

Tech wrap Dec 11: ChatGPT Canvas, Realme 14x 5G launch, Insta trial reels

OpenAI releases Canvas interface for ChatGPT. Realme 14x 5G launch on Dec 18. Instagram's new Trail Reels. OxygenOS 15 roll out. iQOO 13 sale. Samsung One UI 7 AI features

Instagram introduces 'trial reels' feature: What it is, how it works, more

Trial reels allow creators to experiment with content by sharing reels with non-followers first, said Instagram

US TikTok content creators ask followers to find them on Instagram, YouTube

TikTok has become a major US digital force as it has grown to 170 million US users, especially younger people drawn to its short, often irreverent videos

Govt blocks record 28,000 URLs in 2024; Facebook, X face maximum takedowns

The Indian government blocked over 28,000 URLs in 2024 under IT Act's Section 69A, targeting pro-Khalistan content, hate speech, and threats to national security across major social media platforms

'I realise it's time to recalibrate…,' Vikrant Massey announces retirement

Vikrant Massey shocked his fans as the '12th fail' actor shared a post on Instagram announcing his retirement from the film industry at the age of 37

Australia 'rushed' social media ban for those under 16, says Big Tech

Govt had warned Big Tech of its plans, and first announced the ban after parliamentary inquiry earlier this year that heard testimony from parents of children who had self-harmed after cyber bullying

TikTok, Meta brace for Australian social media ban for those under 16

A number of other nations and US states have attempted to curb children's access to social media, with limited success

Australia bans social media ban for under-16s with world-first law

A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament on Friday in a world-first law. The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. The Senate passed the bill on Thursday 34 votes to 19. The House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved the legislation by 102 votes to 13. The House on Friday endorsed opposition amendments made in the Senate, making the bill law. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law supported parents concerned by online harms to their children. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, Albanese told reporters. The platforms have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced. Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said the

Australia draws the line: New bill bans social media for children under 16

Australian parliament passes strict new rules: Social media platforms will face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to prevent children under 16 from holding accounts

Now, Instagram lets you share live location in DMs: Here is how it works

Instagram has announced new ways to connect through direct messages, including over 300 new stickers, customisable nicknames, and live location sharing

Meta, TikTok, Google oppose Australia's proposed under-16 social media ban

In submissions to the Senate inquiry, tech companies warned of unintended, negative consequences from the rapidly-drafted laws

Elon Musk blasts Australia's proposed law to ban social media for children

Australia plans to try an age-verification system to enforce a social media age cut-off, some of the toughest controls imposed by any country to date

Social media giants to pay fines worth $32 million under Australia ban

Australia is following a number of other countries that have attempted to restrict access to social media for children, with mixed success

Meta to appeal US court orders allowing suits over social media addiction

In the states' case, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sided with 34 attorneys general who filed claims over allegedly harmful effects of the Facebook and Instagram platforms

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

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 digital competition concerns. Meta Platforms has been offering users in the European Union an ad-free subscription option for about a year to comply with the continent's strict data privacy rules, but regulators had accused the company of giving people a false choice. The company said in a blog post that while people will still be able to choose between the subscription and free versions, it would also start giving users a third option over the coming weeks to see digital ads that are less personalized. This means ads will be targeted at users based only on what they see during their current session on Facebook or Instagram going back no more than two hours, plus minimal personal information such as age, location, gender as well as how they engage with ads. Data fr