WhatsApp group chat links seen again on Google Search

Google has again indexed invite links to private WhatsApp group chats, meaning anyone can join various private chat groups with a simple search.

WhatsApp is making several private groups available across the Web by indexing group chat invites, as their links can be accessed by anyone using a simple search on Google.

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Users shun WhatsApp to join Telegram, Signal amid data concerns

As WhatsApp teases users to either give their consent to sharing data with Facebook or lose their accounts after February 8, rival Telegram's Founder and CEO Pavel Durov on Saturday slammed the social media giant, saying it is no surprise that the flight of users from WhatsApp to Telegram, already ongoing for a few years, has accelerated.
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FB, Twitter stir up hornet's nest in India in 2020

As we gloat over reports how the US and European countries have started to tame the social media platforms in regard to anti-trust market practices, users privacy and the spread of fake news, Big Tech firms had their own iota of controversies in India in 2020, generating enough political heat in the process.

The biggest controvers ...read more

Telegram to start monetising app as it nears 500mn users

Sending an alert to WhatsApp, Telegram Founder Pavel Durov on Wednesday said that the instant messaging app will start generating revenue starting next year as the platform is close to hitting the 500 million user mark.

Making the announcement in his Telegram channel, Durov said that all the features that are currently free will s ...read more

Telegram rolls out Voice Chats feature

Telegram on Wednesday announced a major update that brings a new Voice Chats feature to the instant messenger.

The new Voice Chats feature works a lot like voice channels on apps like Discord, and it offers users a persistent conference call that they can join or leave as wish.

"Any Telegram group can now become a voice ...read more

Facebook launches key datasets as 1 in 4 SMBs shut shop in 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit small businesses hard globally and according to Facebook, one in four small and medium businesses (SMBs) had to shut their operations in 2020.

To chart a new path for their recovery in 2021 as part of its 'Data for Good' programme, the social networking giant has launched four new datasets and ...read more

More Indians now hiding real identities on Facebook, YouTube

 There has been a substantial increase in social media profiles by Indians who hide their real names, photos and personally identifiable information (PII), in order to not only harness free speech but also conduct malicious and harmful activities, a new report warned on Saturday.

The platform being used the most by Indian use ...read more

Instagram allows advertisers to create posts from user accounts

Facebook-owned Instagram is now allowing advertisers to create sponsored ads from user accounts and the feature is part of its update to branded content ads.

Branded content ads were introduced last year as a way for influencers to identify when their posts are sponsored by a company or brand.

Till today, Brand ...read more

Facebook finally rolls out Dark Mode on Android globally

Facebook has finally started to broadly roll out Dark Mode for billions of users on Android smartphones.

A company spokesperson confirmed the move to XDA Developers that the feature is being rolled out globally.

"We know people have been asking for Dark Mode, and they won't have to wait much longer. People ...read more

FB tells NYU to halt project that collects political ad data

Facebook has asked the New York University to stop collecting data for a research project that aims to decipher political ad targeting on its platform.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Facebook claimed that the Ad Observatory which is a project at the university's engineering school "scrapes data from political ...read more

Instagram most preferred platform among Indian youth: Survey

Instagram has emerged as the most preferred social media platform among the Indian youth while YouTube garnered most attention amid pandemic, with 98 per cent of those surveyed installed it in their phones followed by Netflix and Amazon Prime, a new report said on Friday.

Although the survey size was small (1154 respondents), the ...read more

Strict laws, collective response can curb influence operations: FB

 Admitting that influence operations on its apps are unlikely to disappear anytime soon, Facebook has said that tighter regulations along with a collective approach can be powerful tools to these deceptive campaigns.

Facebook has outlined recommendations to guide the development of regulation and legislation against these dec ...read more