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The draft rules could take more than a year to come into force

Tech firms face EU fines over illegal content

Big tech firms such as Google and Facebook will face fines of up to 6% of turnover if they do not do more to tackle illegal content and reveal more about advertising on their platforms under draft European Union rules.

Business • 11 Dec 20

The complaints accuse Facebook of buying up rivals

FTC and US states file legal actions against Facebook

Facebook could be forced to sell its prized assets WhatsApp and Instagram after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and nearly every U.S. state filed lawsuits against the social media company, saying the deals were unfair and ultimately harmed consumers.

Business • 09 Dec 20

Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014

Facebook could be forced to sell Instagram, WhatsApp

US federal and state competition enforcers have filed lawsuits against Facebook claiming the social media giant abused its dominant position with its acquisitions of messaging services Instagram and WhatsApp.

Business • 10 Dec 20

Revenues at Facebook Ireland last year surged by 34.5% to a record €34.32 billion

Facebook Ireland records revenues of €94m a day in 2019

Revenues at the main Irish based unit of social media giant Facebook last year surged by 34.5% to a record €34.32 billion - or an average of €94m a day.

Business • 08 Dec 20

Plans for Libra, first floated by Facebook last year, were slimmed-down in April

Facebook-backed digital coin Libra renamed Diem

Facebook-backed cryptocurrency Libra has been rebranded "Diem" in a renewed effort to gain regulatory approval by stressing the project's independence.

Business • 01 Dec 20

Facebook has previously said it would welcome more regulation within the sector

Facebook removed 12m pieces of Covid misinformation

Facebook removed more than 12 million pieces of misinformation content related to Covid-19 between March and October this year, the social network's latest figures reveal.

Business • 19 Nov 20

The WhatsApp messaging service os used by more than two billion people globally

Disappearing messages coming to WhatsApp

Facebook-owned WhatsApp said today it would introduce disappearing messages, a move which ramps up its challenge to rival Snapchat.

Business • 05 Nov 20

Twitter said that a Donald Trump tweet from this morning was misleading

Twitter and Facebook label Trump's election posts

Facebook and Twitter have flagged some of US President Donald Trump's posts on the presidential election as votes were still being counted, in a real-time test of their rules on handling misinformation and premature claims of victory.

US Election 2020 • 04 Nov 20

Wilbur Ross said the data transfer mechanisms underpin the $7.1 trillion transatlantic economic relationship.

US "deeply concerned" about EU/US data transfer issue

The US Secretary of Commerce has said that the United States remains deeply concerned about a ruling by the EU Court of Justice last July that invalidated the EU and US Privacy Shield agreement that governs transatlantic data transfers.

Business • 03 Nov 20

Facebook, the world's biggest social media company, said in its outlook that it faced 'a significant amount of uncertainty'

Facebook eyes tougher 2021 despite ad revenue boost

Facebook has warned of a tougher 2021 despite beating analysts' estimates for quarterly revenue as businesses adjusting to the global coronavirus pandemic continued to rely on the company's digital ad tools.

Business • 30 Oct 20

Facebook alleged that EU antitrust regulators were seeking information beyond what was necessary

Facebook gains court backing in document row with EU

Facebook has won backing from Europe's second-highest court in a row with EU competition regulators over what the US company says are excessive demands for data after a judge set specific conditions for access to its documents.

Business • 29 Oct 20

Ireland and 32 other countries across Europe will be getting the service as part of the rollout

Facebook Dating service launches in Ireland

Facebook has launched its Dating service in Ireland, enabling users to meet other people looking to be more than just friends.

Facebook • 22 Oct 20

Nick Clegg said that data was no longer just an issue for technology companies, but vital to businesses in every sector

Clarity needed on EU-US data transfers - Facebook

Companies need clarity on what they can do with EU-US data transfers in light of the European Court of Justice's decision to strike down previous arrangements, Facebook's head of global affairs has said.

Business • 21 Oct 20

Advanced New Zealand co-leader Billy Te Kahika said the takedown occurred while he was addressing followers online

Facebook shuts NZ party's page ahead of election

Facebook has shut down the page of conspiracy-embracing political party Advance New Zealand just two days out from a general election, accusing it of spreading misinformation about the coronavirus.

World • 15 Oct 20

The Facebook grant is a combination of cash and ad credits to help small businesses

Facebook expands €4.7m small business grant nationwide

Facebook is expanding its €4.7 million small business grant programme to businesses all across Ireland.

Business • 08 Oct 20

Google, Apple, Amazon.com and Facebook have a combined market value of over $5 trillion

US lawmakers detail Big Tech's market abuses

A US House of Representatives panel looking into abuses of market power by four big technology companies found they used "killer acquisitions" to strike rivals, charged exorbitant fees and forced small businesses into "oppressive" contracts in the name of profit.

Business • 07 Oct 20

The QAnon movement grew from an anonymous 2017 posting claiming bizarre child exploitation and political plots

Facebook, Instagram ban QAnon-linked accounts

Facebook has announced a ban on all accounts linked to the far-right QAnon conspiracy group as the social network tries to clamp down on misinformation ahead of the US presidential election.

US • 07 Oct 20

The subcommittee said that the global tech companies engaged in 'predatory pricing' and other abusive practices

Social media firms 'weakened democracy' - US report

A report by a congressional committee in the United States has found four major global digital companies have used their market dominance in "anti-competitive and abusive ways" that have "weakened democracy".

US • 06 Oct 20

Draft EU rules aim at reining in the power of US tech giants, including Google, Facebook and Apple

US tech giants face curbs on data sharing in EU rules

Alphabet unit Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and other US tech giants could be banned from favouring their services or forcing users to sign up to a bundle of services under draft EU rules aimed at reining in their power.

Business • 30 Sep 20

Facebook said the grants are a combination of cash and ad credits to help SMEs during the Covid-19 crisis

Facebook launches €4.7m SME grant programme

Facebook said today it will provide €4.7m in grants to over 1,000 small businesses in Dublin, Cork and Meath, where Facebook has offices and data centres.

Business • 22 Sep 20

18 tips to help generate sales on Facebook

Facebook is the old faithful of the social medias, but it can often be overlooked but it shouldn't be, it's a great tool for generating sales. Digital media expert Colm Hanratty gives us tips on how to get Facebook working for your business.

Boost My Business • 16 Sep 20

Facebook Ireland seeks to have the Data Protection Commissioner's decision quashed

Facebook in High Court challenge over transfer of data

Facebook has significant concerns about its ability to deliver its services to its 400 million European users over the Data Protection Commissioner's decision regarding the transfer of data to the social media giant's US parent, the High Court has heard.

Courts • 14 Sep 20

Facebook wants to halt a proposed order that could stop the company from transferring data from the European Union to the US

Facebook launches legal action against Irish watchdog

Facebook has launched legal action against the Irish Data Protection Commission in an attempt to halt a proposed order that could stop the company from transferring data from the European Union to the US.

Business • 11 Sep 20

In July the European Court of Justice ruled Standard Contractual Clauses used by Facebook are valid

Facebook's data transfer mechanism cannot be used - DPC

Facebook has said that it has been told by the Data Protection Commission that the key mechanism it uses to transfer data from the European Union to the United States "cannot in practice be used" for such transfers.

Business • 09 Sep 20

Facebook said it will add an informational label to content seeking to delegitimiae the results of the election or claim that lawful voting methods will lead to fraud

Facebook to restrict ads in run-up to US election

Facebook has said it will ban new political advertising the week before the US election, one of its most sweeping moves yet against disinformation as CEO Mark Zuckerberg warned of a "risk of civil unrest" after the vote.

News Lens • 04 Sep 20

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