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EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’
Regulators say Facebook and Instagram features such as autoplay and infinite scroll contribute to ‘compulsive use’ EU regulators have accused Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, of failing to tackle the risks of its “addictive design” on the physical and mental health of users. In an official charge sheet against Meta released on Friday,…
Whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams sues Meta over attempts to ‘silence’ her
Former employee files complaint accusing company of ‘coercive surveillance’ and first amendment violation The Meta whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams is suing the tech company over its efforts to “silence” her. A 57-page complaint filed to a US district court in California on Thursday argues that an interim arbitration ruling sought by Meta preventing Wynn-Williams from publicising…
Meta pauses employee tracker for AI training amid privacy concerns
About 1,600 workers signed petition against tool that tracked staff keystrokes, mouse clicks and computer screen content Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has paused a program that tracked employees’ computer activity amid data privacy concerns and a staff backlash. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp had introduced a tool that tracked staff keystrokes, mouse clicks and…
Crackdown on tech platforms will go ahead despite US intervention, says No 10
US embassy came out against UK’s proposed under-16 social media ban, which would affect American firms White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not…
Silicon Valley including Meta has embraced Maga politics, says Nick Clegg
Meta’s former head of global affairs says executives pivoted right in some cases for ‘rather more self-interested’ reasons Silicon Valley companies including Meta have decided to embrace Maga politics, some for “rather more self-interested” reasons, the former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has said. Clegg, who spent nearly seven years at Meta as the…
Hackers trick Meta AI support bot to infiltrate Obama White House Instagram account
Breach of high-profile accounts raises concerns about reliance on AI for security measures such as passwords Hackers used Meta’s AI-powered support chatbot to infiltrate high-profile Instagram accounts, the company has confirmed, saying it resolved the problem after researchers exposed it. The targets ranged from Barack Obama’s White House account to the beauty retailer Sephora and…
Meta legal action forces Facebook whistleblower to sit in silence at Hay festival
Sarah Wynn-Williams did not speak during event after lawyers warned of possible sanctions from tech firm Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams was forced to sit in silence on stage at an event at Hay festival, after lawyers advised her not to speak because of ongoing legal action brought by Meta. Wynn-Williams, whose bestselling memoir, Careless People,…
Who’s behind the Facebook page posting hateful AI slop about the UK? The answer might lie in south Asia | Niamh McIntyre
Our research has uncovered young entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and Pakistan using AI tools to make deeply objectionable content – and money Niamh McIntyre is a senior reporter at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism Scroll through any Facebook feed in Britain and, between the baby announcements and petty neighbourhood beefs, you’re likely to come across…
Meta profited from illegal scam ads, California county lawsuit alleges
Santa Clara county claims Meta Platforms violated the state’s false advertising and unfair business practices laws California’s Santa Clara county has sued Meta Platforms, alleging it has profited from Facebook and Instagram ads promoting scams in violation of California’s false advertising and unfair business practices laws. The lawsuit – filed on Monday in Santa Clara…
‘Superhighways for child sexual abuse’: California lawmakers seek tougher rules for big tech
Online exploitation ‘inflicting profound trauma on a staggering number of children’, Democrats say Frustrated with what they describe as a lack of accountability from social media companies, two California state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would clear a legal pathway for them to face lawsuits in the state for failing to detect or remove…