Tag: Zuckerberg

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Zuckerberg to depose in Texas ‘facial recognition’ lawsuit

The lawsuit alleges that Meta has violated state laws regarding the collection of biometric data and engaged in deceptive trade practices, the report noted…reports Asian Lite News

A US judge has ruled that Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg must participate in a deposition as part of an ongoing lawsuit in Texas concerning the company’s face recognition technology.

According to a ruling made by Justice Jeff Rambin on Tuesday, the state court has rejected Meta’s recent appeal “seeking relief from an order compelling the oral deposition” of Zuckerberg at an undisclosed date, reports CNBC.

In February 20222, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had filed the suit, saying that Meta has been “capturing and using the biometric data of millions of Texans without properly obtaining their informed consent to do so”.

He also held that Meta violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act by “failing to disclose information — including the fact that it collects biometric identifiers — with the intent to induce Facebook users in Texas into using Facebook, which such users would not have done had the information been disclosed”.

According to the latest ruling, the state of Texas has claimed that Zuckerberg possesses “unique personal knowledge of discoverable information” that is pertinent to its lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that Meta has violated state laws regarding the collection of biometric data and engaged in deceptive trade practices, the report noted.

In 2020, Meta settled a $650 million class action lawsuit in Illinois over similar violations to the state’s biometric privacy law.

In late 2021, the tech giant ceased its use of the technology.

Meanwhile, privacy rights advocacy group noyb has filed a new complaint against Meta, alleging that the social media platform unlawfully ignores the users’ right to easily withdraw consent and asks them to pay.

Since the beginning of November, Instagram and Facebook users who don’t want to be tracked have to pay a “privacy fee” of up to 251.88 euros per year.

ALSO READ-Zuckerberg building $100 mn top-secret property with a bunker

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Zuckerberg building $100 mn top-secret property with a bunker

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. (File Photo: IANS)

The mansion on the Hawaiian island of Kauai includes a sprawling, 5,000-square-foot bunker that has its own source of power, the report mentioned…reports Asian Lite News

Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly building a top-secret $100 million mansion in Hawaii that has a huge underground bunker.

The scale of the roughly 1,400-acre compound is staggering and according to public documents obtained by Wired, the compound will consist of more than a dozen buildings, featuring 30 bedrooms and 30 bathrooms.

The mansion on the Hawaiian island of Kauai includes a sprawling, 5,000-square-foot bunker that has its own source of power, the report mentioned.

A wooded area will be decked out with 11 treehouses, connected by rope bridges. The work on the compound is shrouded in secrecy and if someone reveals the plan to the media at the site, he or she stands to get fired immediately.

“It’s a fight club. We don’t talk about fight clubs,” a former contractor was quoted as saying. “Nobody working on this project is allowed to talk about what they’re building… Different construction crews within the site are assigned to separate projects and workers are forbidden from speaking with other crews about their work,” the report mentioned.

Known as Koolau Ranch, Zuckerberg’s property includes a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter and has its own energy and food supplies. “Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan continue to build one of the most expensive properties in the world,” the report said.

According to plans, the compound is centred around two mansions with a total floor area comparable to a professional football field (57,000 square feet), which contain multiple elevators, offices, conference rooms, and an industrial-sized kitchen.

“The scale of the project suggests that it will be more than a personal vacation home — Zuckerberg has already hosted two corporate events at the compound,” according to the report.

According to sources, the compound will be self-sufficient, with its own water tank, 55 feet in diameter and 18 feet tall — along with a pump system. “A variety of food is already produced across its 1,400 acres through ranching and agriculture,” the report claimed.

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After Musk, EU warns Zuckerberg to remove pro-Hamas content

Mark Zuckerberg

European Commissioner Thierry Breton urged Meta to remove illegal terrorist content and hate speech amid the ongoing war in Israel….reports Asian Lite News

After warning X owner Elon Musk, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has now written to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, telling him to remove pro-Hamas content across his platforms and “be very vigilant” else it could put the company in violation of new EU regulations.

In a letter to Zuckerberg, Breton urged Meta to remove illegal terrorist content and hate speech amid the ongoing war in Israel.

He said that the European Commission had seen “a surge of illegal content and disinformation being disseminated in the EU.”

“I urgently invite you to ensure that your systems are effective. Needless to say, I also expect you to be in contact with the relevant law enforcement authorities and Europol, and ensure that you respond promptly to any requests,” he noted.

Breton asked that Zuckerberg respond to the European Union’s (EU) concerns within the next 24 hours.

“I would ask you to be very vigilant to ensure strict compliance with the digital services act (DSA) rules on terms of service, on the requirement of timely, diligent and objective action following notices of illegal content in the EU, and on the need for proportionate and effective mitigation measures.”

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson said the company has created a “special operations center with experts, including fluent in Hebrew and Arabic speakers” after the Hamas attacks on Israel.

“Our teams are working around the clock to keep our platforms safe, take action on content that violates our policies or local law, and coordinate with third-party fact checkers in the region to limit the spread of misinformation. We’ll continue this work as this conflict unfolds,” said the spokesperson.

Thierry Breton

Earlier, the EU commissioner warned Tesla and SpaceX CEO, saying that his X platform “is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU” after the Hamas attacks in Israel.

In a letter addressed to Musk, Breton had said that following the “terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel”, they have indications that “your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU”.

Responding to Breton, Musk asked him to flag the violative content publicly on X, writing that the company takes its “actions in the open”.

Breton replied saying: “You are well aware of your users’ — and authorities’ — reports on fake content and glorification of violence.”

“I still don’t know what they’re talking about!” Musk said.

ALSO READ: ‘Iran complicit, in a broad sense, in Hamas attack’

ALSO READ: US Has No Plans For Military Involvement In Israel-Hamas War

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Zuckerberg says he’s ready for cage fight, Musk reacts

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When a Threads user asked if the fight being streamed on X had been mutually agreed upon, Zuckerberberg replied, “More like ‘funding secured’.”…reports Asian Lite News

When Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday said that he was “ready today” to fight Elon Musk and was waiting for the confirmation of the cage match date, X-owner reacted and said “exact date is still in flux.”

On Threads, Zuckerberg posted a screenshot of Musk’s post about lifting weights to prepare for the fight, and said, “I’m ready today. I suggested Aug 26 when he first challenged, but he hasn’t confirmed. Not holding my breath.”

“I love this sport and will continue competing with people who train no matter what happens here.”

Posting another Musk’s statement that the fight will be live-streamed on X with all proceeds going to charity for veterans, Zuckerberg asked, “Shouldn’t we use a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity?”

When a Threads user asked if the fight being streamed on X had been mutually agreed upon, Zuckerberberg replied, “More like ‘funding secured’.”

Commenting on Zuckerberg’s statements, Musk said that the exact date of the cage fight “is still in flux”. When an X user posted, “NEWS: Zuck states he is ready to fight this month but has not heard back from @elonmusk.”

Musk replied: “Exact date is still in flux. I’m getting an MRI of my neck & upper back tomorrow.” “May require surgery before the fight can happen. Will know this week.” Responding to another post, he said, “If the fight is short, I probably win. If long, he may win on endurance.” “I am much bigger and there is a reason MMA has weight divisions.” Musk also said, “I weigh at least 300 lbs.”

“Aiming to get to 50 pound free weights this week. I build muscle fast. Physical endurance is my weak spot, so I’m aiming to make this quick,” he wrote on Sunday. The talk of the cage fight initially started when Musk in June replied to a post about the news that Meta was releasing a Twitter competitor.

“I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane’. Was worried there for a moment.” To this, a user replied, “Better be careful @elonmusk I heard he does the jiu-jitsu now”.

“I’m up for a cage match if he is lol,” Musk replied. Then, Zuckerberg posted a screenshot of the Tesla CEO’s statement with the caption, “send me location”. Later, both were seen training Jiu-Jitsu.

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Tech Lite Technology

Zuckerberg really burning midnight oil, says Musk

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Meta’s Twitter rival Threads has crossed 150 million user sign-ups despite a usage drop…reports Asian Lite News

Twitter-owner Elon Musk on Monday said that Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is “really burning” the “midnight oil.” When a user tweeted, “BREAKING: After forgetting about his app for a week the CEO of that other app has finally made a post.”

Musk replied, “He’s really burning the midnight oil lol.” Meta launched Threads on July 5 for iOS and Android users in 100 countries, and it is among the top free apps on the App Store.

Earlier, in response to a tweet about Meta CEO’s investment in the Metaverse, Musk said, “Censorship pays them well.”   On the other hand, former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey shared that Zuckerberg requested to follow him on Threads, and wrote, “Too soon b.”

Meanwhile, in response to a user’s tweet about low engagement on the platform, Musk said, “We’re trying hard to stop bots and trolls on this platform, so that may be part of the reason.”

When another user posted that Twitter will introduce “Profile Viewers” similar to LinkedIn which would allow users to see who visited their profiles in the last 24 hours. The Twitter-owner replied, “Not happening”. “If I follow an account & they keep posting about it, they will be unfollowed,” he posted.

Threads reaches 150 mn sign-ups

Meta’s Twitter rival Threads has crossed 150 million user sign-ups despite a usage drop. Meta launched Threads on July 5 for iOS and Android users in 100 countries, and it is among the top free apps on the App Store.

According to Data.ai, the app has surpassed more than 150 million downloads worldwide, within seven days after its launch.

“It did so 5.5 times faster than the second-fastest to that point, Niantic’s Pokemon GO, which has held the largest app launch title since it debuted in July 2016,” the report said.

Recent information revealed that Threads has gained the largest user presence in specific markets, with India leading the way, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of its downloads.

Following India is Brazil, contributing to approximately 22 per cent of Threads’ installations, and the US, representing nearly 16 per cent of the total.

Completing the top five markets for Threads are Mexico which accounts for 8 per cent of downloads, and Japan with 5 per cent, the report said.

Threads surpassed 100 million user sign-ups within five days after its launch. The app crossed 2 million sign-ups in just two hours after launch, 10 million users in seven hours and 30 million in just 12 hours.

ALSO READ: ‘India plays an integral role in boosting supply chain resilience’

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EU warns Zuckerberg to protect kids on Instagram

The penalty for non-compliance with the DSA, regarding the failure to curb the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), can scale up to 6 per cent of the social media company’s global annual turnover…reports Asian Lite News

The European Union (EU) has warned Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take immediate action on protecting kids on Instagram or face “heavy sanctions”.

The warning came after reports emailed that Instagram’s recommendation algorithms are allegedly promoting networks of pedophiles who commission and sell child sexual abuse content on the popular image sharing platform.

The Wall Street Journal worked with researchers at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to undercover and expose such a network of Instagram accounts.

In a tweet, the EU’s internal market commissioner, Thierry Breton, said the company’s “voluntary code on child protection seems not to work”.

“Mark Zuckerberg must now explain and take immediate action. I will discuss with him at Meta’s HQ in Menlo Park on June 23,a he said in the tweet.

After August 25, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), “Meta has to demonstrate measures to us or face heavy sanctions,” he added.

The penalty for non-compliance with the DSA, regarding the failure to curb the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), can scale up to 6 per cent of the social media company’s global annual turnover.

According to the WSJ report, Instagram “helps connect and promote a vast network of accounts openly devoted to the commission and purchase of underage-sex content”.

The investigators found “128 accounts offering to sell child-sex-abuse material on Twitter, less than a third the number they found on Instagram”.

Meta told the Journal that it had failed to act on these reports and that “it was reviewing its internal processes”.

‘Apple Vision Pro headset not the one I want’

In a meeting with employees, Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg discussed Apple’s Vision Pro headset launch and said it “could be the vision of the future of computing, but like, it’s not the one that I want”.

During the companywide meeting, Zuckerberg said that Apple’s device didn’t introduce any major advancements in technology that Meta hadn’t “already explored”, reported The Verge on Friday.

He also stated how Meta will be able to reach a larger user base due to the Quest 3 headset’s lower pricing of $499 as compared to the Vision Pro’s $3,499 selling price.

“I think that their announcement really showcases the difference in the values and the vision that our companies bring to this in a way that I think is really important,” Meta CEO mentioned.

According to Zuckerberg, the Quest headset is about “people interacting in new ways and feeling closer” in addition to “about being active and doing things”.

“By contrast, every demo that they showed was a person sitting on a couch by themself,” he said about Apple’s ‘Worldwide Developers Conference’ keynote event which was held earlier this week.

“I mean, that could be the vision of the future of computing, but like, it’s not the one that I want,” he added.

The iPhone maker had unveiled the ‘Vision Pro’ headset earlier this week, which seamlessly blends the digital world with the real one around us.

ALSO READ-Meta Verified badge arrives in India

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Tech Lite USA

Zuckerberg announces Chat Lock on WhatsApp

The feature will be important for people who have reason to share their phones from time to time with a family member or those moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives…reports Asian Lite News

Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday announced a new WhatsApp feature called Chat Lock to safeguard intimate chats.

The feature will let users protect their most intimate conversations with a password and secures them in a separate folder.

“New locked chats in WhatsApp make your conversations more private. They’re hidden in a password protected folder and notifications won’t show sender or message content,” said Zuckerberg.

Locking a chat takes that thread out of the inbox and puts it behind its own folder that can only be accessed with your device password or biometric, like a fingerprint.

“It also automatically hides the contents of that chat in notifications, too,” said the company.

The feature will be important for people who have reason to share their phones from time to time with a family member or those moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra special chat arrives.

“You can lock a chat by tapping the name of a one-to-one or group and selecting the lock option. To reveal these chats, slowly pull down on your inbox and enter your phone password or biometric,” said WhatsApp.

Over the next few months, the company will add more options for Chat Lock, including locking for companion devices and “creating a custom password for your chats so that you can use a unique password different from the one you use for your phone”.

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