Fear and anger brew inside Meta amid AI frenzy By AFP July 01, 2026 08:29 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter A laptop keyboard and Meta logo displayed on a phone screen are seen in this multiple exposure illus …
WhatsApp messenger to begin offering usernames By AFP June 30, 2026 07:50 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Close up image of a smartphone displaying the WhatsApp logo in front of a Meta AI logo on a digital …
… The Meta-owned platform described the move as a major privacy overhaul, with users able to go by a chosen handle instead of their phone number when connecting with new contacts. …
… Instagram owner Meta, TikTok and Snapchat remain defendants in the case -- the second of its kind in the United States -- which is set to go to trial July 27 in Los Angeles. …
… Instagram owner Meta, TikTok and Snapchat remain defendants in the case -- the second of its kind in the United States -- which is set to go to trial July 27 in Los Angeles. …
… REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Audio By Vocalize Meta has tapped Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah to be the new head of WhatsApp, as the US tech giant seeks ways to monetise the messaging app's massive user base. …
… REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Audio By Vocalize Meta has tapped Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah to be the new head of WhatsApp, as the US tech giant seeks ways to monetise the messaging app's massive user base. …
Italian mother takes on Meta, TikTok after daughter's death By Reuters June 17, 2026 08:47 (EAT) Add as a Preferred Source on Google Follow us Follow on Whatsapp Follow on Google Follow on Twitter Irene Roggero Ugues, whose 12-year-old daughter took her own life in 2024, holds a …
… rnance, drawing on agreements reached at the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi last month.On the summit's sidelines, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with heads of state and to engage technology company executives from firms including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta …
Oil prices surged to $100 a barrel as Tehran-backed Houthi rebels targeted Red Sea shipping and U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military strikes in return. Saudi Arabia's use of the Red Sea as an alternative export route faces disruption, potentially removing more oil from the market.
Oil prices surged to $100 a barrel as Tehran-backed Houthi rebels targeted Red Sea shipping and U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military strikes in return. Saudi Arabia's use of the Red Sea as an alternative export route faces disruption, potentially removing more oil from the market.
The European Union accused TikTok on Friday of failing to protect children, saying default account settings expose minors to cyberbullying and predatory behaviour rather than providing high-level protection automatically. The company faces potential fines for non-compliance with the Digital Services Act.
Google-parent Alphabet reported Q2 revenue of more than $119 billion, up 24 percent year-on-year, with cloud business revenue exceeding $24 billion and net profit tripling to over $112 billion. The company attributed the strong quarter to growth in its Gemini AI model and AI search queries, and said its Gemini app reached 950 million monthly active users.
Thousands of Facebook users in Kenya and across the world were temporarily locked out of their accounts on Sunday due to a widespread service disruption. Users attempting to access the platform through web browsers received a message indicating a technical issue on Facebook's end, and some also reported difficulties on the mobile application.
An expert report expected July 13 is anticipated to recommend limiting minors' access to online platforms, potentially leading to EU restrictions as early as summer. Options under consideration range from a blanket ban on under-16s to restrictions on certain services and features, following Australia's similar move.
Nigeria's competition regulator launched an investigation into major technology and AI companies, including Meta, Alphabet, X, and generative AI platforms, following allegations of unlawful exploitation of news content and unfair market practices. The investigation, initiated by presidential directive after a petition from the Nigerian Press Organisation, will examine unauthorised use of journalistic content for AI model development.
Nigeria's competition regulator said Monday it is investigating major technology and AI companies over allegations of unlawful exploitation of news content and unfair market practices, following a presidential directive after a petition by the Nigerian Press Organisation citing concerns about unauthorised use of journalistic content for AI training.
WhatsApp is introducing a feature that lets users interact with strangers without revealing their phone numbers, allowing new contacts to reach them only via a unique username. The platform is also rolling out monetisation tools including paid channel subscriptions and advertisements in Status.
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi hosted a reception marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, bringing together Kenyan government officials, diplomats, and business leaders to celebrate shared democratic values, innovation, and trade partnerships.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has welcomed the Trump administration's shift in U.S.-Africa policy from aid-focused to trade and investment-driven, and said Kenya looks forward to concluding negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.
Meta's aggressive spending on artificial intelligence capabilities has created internal turmoil, with employees at Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp experiencing frequent layoffs since early 2025, including a 10 percent workforce cut this spring affecting 8,000 jobs, plus accusations of surveillance through an internal AI training initiative.
WhatsApp said it will let hundreds of millions of users pick unique usernames to share instead of phone numbers, designed to protect privacy. The feature will be rolled out gradually over the coming months, with no directory or suggestions—people will need to know the exact username to contact someone.
WhatsApp has begun allowing its three billion users worldwide to reserve unique usernames, enabling people to chat without revealing their phone numbers. The Meta-owned platform described the move as a major privacy overhaul.
YouTube reached a confidential settlement with a 15-year-old American who accused the platform and other social media networks of harming his mental health, three months after a similar case verdict. The agreement includes no admission of liability, and Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat remain defendants in the case, set to go to trial July 27 in Los Angeles.
YouTube reached a confidential settlement with a 15-year-old who accused the platform and other social media networks of harming his mental health, averting an unprecedented trial. The agreement includes no admission of liability; plaintiff's attorneys say YouTube's decision to settle "speaks for itself," while Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat remain defendants in a similar case scheduled for trial on July 27 in Los Angeles.
Meta has appointed Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah as the new head of WhatsApp as the tech giant seeks to monetise the messaging app. The announcement was accompanied by news that Meta would lead a $900 million funding round in Shah's consumer finance firm CRED.
Meta has appointed Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah to lead WhatsApp, as the US tech giant works to monetise the messaging app's large user base. Meta is also leading a $900 million funding round in Shah's consumer finance firm CRED.
After her 12-year-old daughter died by suicide in 2024, Irene Roggero Ugues discovered the girl had been exposed to self-harm content on social media platforms, including a secret Instagram profile, and is now taking legal action against Meta and TikTok.
A Reuters Institute report based on surveys of almost 100,000 people across 48 countries found that 54 percent of respondents got news from social media or video platforms in the week before the survey, exceeding the 52 percent who referenced TV news. This marks the first year social media and video network consumption is ahead of other news sources globally.
President William Ruto has departed for France to attend the Group of Seven Leaders' Summit, where Kenya—invited alongside Brazil, India and South Korea—will press for reform of the global financial system, lower borrowing costs for African economies, expanded trade and investment access, and continental positions on artificial intelligence governance. On the summit's sidelines, Ruto is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with heads of state and engage technology company executives from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Anthropic to seek partnerships for job creation and digital infrastructure investment in Kenya.
Canada introduced a digital safety bill banning social media for children under 16, with exemptions for platforms meeting certain safety standards, and establishing a digital regulator to set safety standards for AI chatbots. Companies face penalties of 3% of global revenue or up to C$10 million for non-compliance.
The European Commission ordered Meta on Tuesday to give rival AI chatbots access to its WhatsApp platform for free within five working days during an antitrust investigation into Meta's policy of blocking access for non-Meta AI providers, or face a heavy fine.
US President Donald Trump's Air Force One stopped in Anchorage to refuel during his departure for Beijing. The stop reflects operational limits of the Boeing VC-25A aircraft, which faces range constraints on the roughly 6,500 to 7,000 nautical mile journey from Washington D.C. to Beijing when accounting for communications equipment, security systems, personnel, cargo, and emergency fuel reserves.
After a man attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a Washington press gala, AI-generated images flooded Facebook falsely depicting him with over 50 public figures including actors, musicians, politicians, and Pope Leo XIV, inventing biographical connections like "former driver" or "assistant."
The European Union said Meta is failing to prevent children under 13 from using Facebook and Instagram, exposing them to potentially inappropriate content and risking a massive fine of up to six percent of Meta's total worldwide annual turnover. The EU found Meta had ineffective measures to enforce its own age-13 restriction on both platforms.
Oil prices dropped after reports that Iran's Foreign Minister was to arrive in Islamabad for anticipated second-round Middle East talks between the United States and Iran, signalling potential de-escalation. Brent crude fell below $100 a barrel, while global equities climbed on optimism about the ceasefire extension between Israel and Lebanon and strong corporate earnings, though German business morale hit its lowest level since the Covid pandemic.
German prosecutors launched a spying investigation into phishing attacks targeting lawmakers on the Signal messaging app, with attacks allegedly directed at MPs from several parties, civil servants, diplomats and journalists. The attacks work by sending fake Signal support messages to trick victims into handing over account information, potentially allowing hackers to access chat groups, messages, photos and files.
ABSA Bank, DTB Bank and Premier Bank are offering contactless payment solutions integrated into wearable devices like smartwatches, rings and wristbands, which customers can tap on POS terminals. The banks have implemented security measures including transaction limits, PIN requirements, and real-time fraud detection to address risks from potential loss or theft.