adobe Adobe Acquires 3D Sculpting Tool as Facebook Shifts VR Focus Facebook sells its VR sculpting software Oculus Medium to Adobe, signaling a strategic shift away from non-gaming creative tools. The move allows Adobe to integrate the niche software into its existing product ecosystem.
facebook Facebook Expands Crisis Response Hub With WhatsApp Integration Facebook updates its Crisis Response tools to include WhatsApp messaging support and first-hand information sharing. The company also expands its Data for Good disaster maps to better assist local and federal relief agencies.
amnesty international Amnesty International Condemns Facebook and Google Business Models as Human Rights Abuses A new report from Amnesty International warns that the surveillance-based business models of Google and Facebook cause human rights harm on a massive scale.
facebook Facebook's NPE Team Launches Free Meme Maker App Whale in Canada Facebook's experimental NPE Team releases Whale, a free meme creation app currently available exclusively in Canada. The app allows users to decorate photos with text, stickers, and effects to share with friends.
libra Libra Shows Off Technical Progress While Ignoring Mounting Regulatory Hurdles The Libra Association highlights growing developer activity and testnet milestones but completely avoids discussing the fierce global regulatory backlash threatening its 2020 launch.
instagram Instagram Expands Hidden Like Counts Test to Global Audience Instagram rolls out its hidden Like counts experiment to a small subset of users worldwide, aiming to reduce social pressure on the platform.
john carmack Oculus Visionary John Carmack Shifts Focus to Pursue Artificial General Intelligence Legendary game developer John Carmack transitions to a consulting role at Facebook's Oculus to tackle the immense challenge of building Artificial General Intelligence. He pursues this highly ambitious goal from home as a self-described "Victorian Gentleman Scientist" before he gets too old.
facebook pay Facebook Launches Cross-App Payment System to Rival Existing Services Facebook introduces Facebook Pay, a unified payment system that works across Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and the main Facebook app. The feature launches first in the US on Facebook and Messenger.
instagram Instagram Launches U.S. Test to Hide Like Counts from Public View Instagram begins testing a new feature that hides public like counts on posts for a select group of U.S. users. The change aims to reduce competitive pressure and improve the well-being of younger users on the platform.
facebook Facebook Launches First Experimental Apps Focused on Students and Social Music Facebook's NPE Team releases its first experimental applications, including Aux for social music listening and Bump for anonymous student chatting.
facebook Global Lawmakers Confront Facebook Over Disinformation and Oversight International legislators gather in Dublin to press Facebook on accountability, scrutinizing its planned Content Oversight Board and Libra cryptocurrency while also questioning Twitter's political ad ban.
facebook California Sues to Force Facebook to Hand Over Cambridge Analytica Documents California's attorney general accuses Facebook of ignoring subpoenas related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal and asks a court to compel the company to produce the requested evidence.
twitter Twitter's Political Ad Ban Masks Deeper Platform Issues Twitter bans political ads while Facebook embraces unchecked paid lies, but neither approach solves the underlying ethical failures of major social platforms.
twitter Twitter Bans Political Ads, Directly Contrasting Facebook's Stance Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announces a complete ban on political advertising, arguing that paying for reach compromises democratic infrastructure. The decision sets Twitter apart from Facebook, which continues to allow politicians to run targeted ads without fact-checking.
facebook Facebook Employees Demand Action Against Political Ad Misinformation Over 250 Facebook employees sign an open letter demanding CEO Mark Zuckerberg address lies in political ads. The workers propose solutions like fact-checking and limiting microtargeting to prevent the platform from profiting off misinformation.