Social media companies paid a school district more than its annual budget to avoid trial
Social media companies paid a school district more than its annual budget to avoid trial

The financial terms of the Breathitt County social media settlement have been disclosed for the first time. Meta is paying $9 million. Snap and TikTok are each paying $8 million. YouTube negotiated a payout of slightly more than $2 million. The combine…

After smart glasses, Meta apparently wants you to wear its all-listening AI pendant

After putting AI in glasses, Meta reportedly wants to bring it even closer. Not everyone will be comfortable with the idea.

Instagram Plus may tempt creators, but WhatsApp Plus is an easier skip

Meta is bringing paid features to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Instagram Plus may appeal to creators and heavy users, while WhatsApp Plus looks harder to justify.

Meta is about to overtake Google as the world’s biggest advertising company
Meta is about to overtake Google as the world’s biggest advertising company

Meta is on track to dethrone Google as the world’s largest digital advertising business by the end of 2026, according to Emarketer. The market research firm projects Meta’s global net ad revenues will reach $243.46 billion this year, edging past Google…

Meta sells AI subscriptions while OpenAI and xAI walk into the ad business
Meta sells AI subscriptions while OpenAI and xAI walk into the ad business

Meta’s $7.99-and-$19.99 chatbot tiers and OpenAI’s push into advertising mark the moment the AI revenue-model question becomes a cross-cutting collision. Meta’s decision to begin selling consumer subscriptions to its Meta AI chatbot at $7.99 and $19.99…

Facebook launches a ‘Plus’ subscription that gives you extra features
Facebook launches a ‘Plus’ subscription that gives you extra features

After announcing tests of premium subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp earlier this year, TechCrunch and Bloomberg report that Meta is launching a global rollout over the next few weeks and is also starting to test subscriptions for Meta AI. With the new offerings, Meta joins many other tech companies in changing up its subscription plans […]

Meta is charging for its AI chatbot for the first time, starting at $7.99 a month
Meta is charging for its AI chatbot for the first time, starting at $7.99 a month

Meta is selling subscriptions to its AI chatbot for the first time, introducing two paid tiers that put it in direct competition with OpenAI and Google for consumer AI revenue. Meta One Plus costs $7.99 per month and Meta One Premium costs $19.99 per m…

Meta launches Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp subscriptions, with more to come, including AI plans

Meta is rolling out paid subscription plans for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp worldwide, while also testing new AI, creator, and business-focused offerings under its broader “Meta One” subscription brand.

These special phone and app features can help protect you from spyware

Apple, Meta, and Google offer special security modes that provide your devices more secure against targeted spyware attacks. Here are how those modes work, what they do, and how to switch them on.

Meta’s Forum is part Reddit, part Facebook, and part Google AI Overview
Meta’s Forum is part Reddit, part Facebook, and part Google AI Overview

Meta’s new Forum app for iPhones takes Facebook Groups and moves them to a dedicated app with a dedicated AI chatbot to go with it, like an AI revamp of the ill-fated Groups app Facebook shut down in 2017. Rather than going to ChatGPT or tacking “Reddit” onto the end of a Google search, Forum […]