Social Networking News
Rolling news and analysis coverage of the major social networking businesses around the globe and the sector as a whole.
India blocks bank accounts of ByteDance, company mounts challenge
Indian authorities have blocked at least two of ByteDance’s bank accounts for alleged tax evasion, prompting it to ask a court to quash the directive that it fears will hit i...
Facebook messaging service gets delayed Brazil nod for payments
Brazil’s central bank has cleared the way for Facebook-owned WhatsApp to let its users send each other funds using the Visa and Mastercard card networks, months after vetoing...
GOP lawmakers press Big Tech for internal research on kids’ mental health
Four GOP lawmakers in the US have requested Facebook, Twitter and Google turn over any studies they have done on how their services affect children’s mental health.
Facebook, Google plan new undersea cables between Southeast Asia and America
Facebook has said it planned two new undersea cables to connect Singapore, Indonesia and North America in a project with Google and regional telecommunication companies to boost in...
Japan government halts use of message app Line for sensitive information
The Japanese government has decided to temporarily halt its use of messaging app Line, owned by SoftBank Corp’s Z Holdings, to handle sensitive information, Chief Cabinet Sec...
Venezuela calls Facebook suspension of Maduro ‘digital totalitarianism’
Venezuela’s government has accused Facebook Inc of “digital totalitarianism” after it froze President Nicolas Maduro’s page for 30 days for violating its po...
Amazon’s social media team bares its teeth in Washington
Amazon.com’s social media team bared its teeth this week to go after two big critics in Congress, namely Democrat Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
American lawmakers fume over Big Tech’s answers on misinformation
In their first appearance before Congress since Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol, the chief executives of Facebook, Google and Twitter were asked by lawmakers whether their ...
Twitter CEO Dorsey called out for trolling Congress during hearing
Twitter’s Jack Dorsey tweeted his frustration with lawmakers’ questions on the social media platform during a hearing about misinformation, leading one member of congre...
India antitrust watchdog orders probe into WhatsApp’s new privacy policy
India’s competition watchdog has ordered a probe into a WhatsApp privacy policy update, saying the Facebook-owned messaging service had breached antitrust laws.
Facebook and Twitter must do more to stop anti-vaxxers, US states say
Attorneys general for 12 US states have accused Facebook and Twitter of doing too little to stop people from using their platforms to spread false information that coronavirus vacc...
Facebook may have to disclose some app records in privacy probe
Massachusetts’ top court reversed an order requiring Facebook to turn over to state Attorney General Maura Healey records identifying apps suspected of misusing customer data...
Tencent boss meets China antitrust officials as scrutiny widens
Pony Ma, the founder of Tencent Holdings met with antitrust watchdog officials this month to discuss compliance at his group, three people with direct knowledge of the matter told ...
Russia chides Twitter for slow deletion of banned content
Russia’s communications watchdog accused Twitter on Tuesday of deleting banned content too slowly in the latest dispute between a major government and Big Tech.