Recent News About Meta
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Today at Connect, Meta unveiled the Meta Quest 3S, a mixed reality headset priced at $299.99 USD. This new device offers similar capabilities and performance as the Meta Quest 3 but at a lower cost, targeting newcomers to mixed reality and those seeking an affordable upgrade from previous models.
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Five years ago, a project to build augmented reality (AR) glasses was announced. The goal was to merge digital information with the physical world without compromising presence in either.
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Ray-Ban Meta glasses, initially launched to great demand, are now receiving new AI features and expanded partnerships. These updates aim to enhance user experience by integrating advanced functionalities and more collaborative efforts.
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Meta has announced the end of its direct peering relationship with Deutsche Telekom, citing concerns over net neutrality and market power abuses. The company expressed disappointment over failed negotiations and revealed that it will now route network traffic through a third-party transit provider instead of directly exchanging traffic with Deutsche Telekom.
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Today, the recipients of the 2023 Llama Impact Grants were announced. The grants program, launched in 2023, aims to support innovative uses of Llama 2 and Llama 3, open-source AI models addressing social issues. Over 800 applications were received from organizations in more than 90 countries, proposing uses in education, the environment, and open innovation. From these applicants, twenty finalists were selected, with three proposals leading.
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Today marks the launch of Meta’s second annual Responsible Business Practices Report, offering a detailed look at its progress in addressing social and environmental priorities, as well as efforts to create sustainable value for customers, employees, investors, and other stakeholders.
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Indian athletes are increasingly leveraging digital platforms to connect with their fans. Aman Sehrawat, Manu Bhaker, Nishad Kumar, Sumit Antil, and Swapnil Kusale have launched WhatsApp Channels and joined Threads to share exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and training regimes.
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Today, Instagram introduced Teen Accounts, a new experience designed for teenagers and guided by parents. These accounts feature built-in protections that limit contact and content exposure, while also allowing teens to explore their interests. Teens under 16 will require parental permission to alter these settings.
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Meta will begin training its AI models using public content shared by adults on Facebook and Instagram in the UK over the coming months. This initiative aims to ensure that Meta's generative AI models reflect British culture, history, and idiom, thereby enabling UK companies and institutions to utilize the latest technology. Meta plans to expand this effort to more countries and languages later this year.
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At the first WhatsApp Business Summit in India, several features and updates were announced to assist businesses in building a presence, creating engaging in-chat experiences for customers, and driving performance ahead of the festive season.
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As required by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), people using WhatsApp and Messenger in Europe now have the option to connect with users on third-party messaging services that have chosen to make their apps interoperable. This feature is referred to as third-party chats.
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Your twenties are a decade full of transitions, from graduating college, moving to new cities, starting new jobs, and living on your own for the first time. It can be a hectic decade, and Facebook aims to assist. Users can find new communities through Facebook Groups, furnish their homes with Marketplace, and explore romantic relationships through Facebook Dating.
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Meta has launched Creator Lab in India, an educational resource designed specifically for aspiring content creators. This initiative aims to support young people across India interested in content creation.
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Today, at the U.S. Department of Energy’s geothermal workshop, Meta announced a new partnership with Sage Geosystems to significantly expand the use of geothermal power in the United States. "At Meta, we understand the need for reliable, affordable and carbon-free power, and we’re committed to pioneering clean energy initiatives to support our work," a spokesperson from Meta stated. The company expressed excitement about partnering with Sage on a first-of-its-kind project exploring advanced geothermal energy in regions where it has not been previously feasible.
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As part of regular updates on threat disruption efforts, recent insights have been shared into a cluster of likely social engineering activity on WhatsApp that security teams blocked after investigating user reports. This malicious activity originated in Iran and targeted individuals in Israel, Palestine, Iran, the United States, and the UK. The effort appeared to focus on political and diplomatic officials and other public figures, including some associated with the administrations of President Biden and former President Trump.
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Mark Zuckerberg and Daniel Ek, the CEOs of Meta and Spotify respectively, have issued a joint statement urging Europe to embrace open-source artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid falling behind in technological advancements. They argue that incoherent and complex regulations are hindering innovation and could lead to Europe missing out on significant economic opportunities.
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Today, new web features for Threads were announced, aimed at helping users understand their content's performance and streamline the planning process. These updates are expected to be particularly beneficial for creators and businesses utilizing Threads to connect with audiences.
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The Potential of Open Source AI
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There were two noteworthy issues related to the treatment of political content on our platforms in the past week – one involved a picture of former President Trump after the attempted assassination, which our systems incorrectly applied a fact check label to, and the other involved Meta AI responses about the shooting. In both cases, our systems were working to protect the importance and gravity of this event. And while neither was the result of bias, it was unfortunate and we understand why it could leave people with that impression. That is why we are constantly working to...
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WhatsApp has launched a privacy campaign in India, emphasizing the importance of secure communication. The initiative highlights how WhatsApp’s multiple layers of protection offer users more control and privacy over their conversations with friends, family, and businesses.