News | Latest Breaking News Stories & Headlines

WhatsApp said that personal messages, calls, and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one can see or hear them

New ads feature to be rolled out on WhatsApp

WhatsApp is to roll out a new advertisement feature on the popular messaging app.

EU court adviser backs WhatsApp against EU watchdog

Meta Platforms' WhatsApp has got the backing of an adviser to Europe's top court in its fight against the EU privacy watchdog, which had ordered the Irish data protection authority to increase a fine four years ago for privacy breaches.

Business • 27 Mar

Judge James Boasberg largely denied Meta's motion to end the case filed against Facebook in 2020.

Meta to face US antitrust trial over acquisitions

Facebook owner Meta Platforms must face trial in a US Federal Trade Commission lawsuit seeking its break-up over claims that it bought Instagram and WhatsApp to crush emerging competition in social media, a judge in Washington ruled today.

Business • 13 Nov 24

The loss compared to a pre-tax profit of €40.8m in the prior year

Irish unit of WhatsApp records €7.3m loss for 2023

The Irish unit of WhatsApp recorded a pre-tax loss of €7.34m last year, mainly driven by an increase in company estimates of the impact of regulatory administrative fines on the firm.

Business • 16 Aug 24

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta posted a net profit of $12.4 billion in the first quarter of 2024

Facebook-owner Meta sees profits soar in first quarter

Facebook-owner Meta has said its quarterly profits soared last quarter as the company continued to see stellar ad growth across its family of world-leading social media apps.

Business • 25 Apr 24

Mark Zuckerberg had a weeks of highs and lows - none of which he's likely to have foreseen when he set up Facebook 20 yaers ago

Facing the challenges of adulthood - Facebook turns 20

It's 20 years since Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm room, but this was the week when it finally embraced its place in corporate America, writes Adam Maguire.

Business • 04 Feb 24

Facebook parent Meta declares first dividend, shares soar

Meta Platforms has issued its first dividend days ahead of flagship social network Facebook's 20th anniversary, while reporting revenue and profit that beat expectations on robust ad sales in the Christmas shopping period.

Business • 02 Feb 24

Shares of Meta have risen nearly 150% so far this year

Meta beats revenue estimates on digital ad strength

Meta Platforms last night beat expectations for third-quarter profit and revenue, helped by its ongoing austerity drive and a recovery in digital advertising spending ahead of the Christmas season.

Business • 26 Oct 23

WhatsApp has more than 2 billion monthly active users

WhatsApp denies report platform is exploring ads

WhatsApp's top head has today denied a Financial Times report that said the Meta Platforms-owned messaging platform was exploring advertisements as it sought to boost revenue.

Business • 15 Sep 23

Channels allows users to follow updates from celebrities, organisations and sports teams

WhatsApp to roll out 'Channels' feature globally

Meta has announced that it is launching WhatsApp Channels globally.

Business • 13 Sep 23

Meta says Channels will let people keep up to date on sports results, weather, and traffic

WhatsApp debuts one-to-many broadcasting 'Channels'

WhatsApp has begun letting select organisations try a new feature called "Channels" that lets them broadcast to followers on the popular, Meta-owned messaging service.

World • 08 Jun 23

With the feature rolling out globally in the coming weeks, senders will be able to modify their messages within 15 minutes of hitting send.

WhatsApp to allow users to edit messages

WhatsApp has granted users one of its most awaited features - the ability to edit messages.

Business • 22 May 23

WhatsApp, Signal and five other apps signed an open letter saying the UK law could give an 'unelected official the power to weaken the privacy of billions of people around the world'

WhatsApp and other apps oppose UK's move on encryption

WhatsApp and other messaging services have united to oppose Britain's plan to force tech companies to break end-to-end encryption in private messages in its proposed internet safety legislation.

Business • 18 Apr 23

WhatsApp has told the EU it will make it easier for users to reject updates when they disagree with them

WhatsApp agrees to comply with EU rules

Meta Platforms' WhatsApp has agreed to be more transparent on changes to its privacy policy update introduced last year, the European Commission said today.

Business • 06 Mar 23

WhatsApp has been directed by the DPC to bring its data processing operations into compliance within a period of six months

WhatsApp fined €5.5m by Irish data watchdog

Messaging app WhatsApp has been fined €5.5m by the Irish Data Protection Commission for breaches of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Business • 19 Jan 23

The case related to a fine of €225 million imposed on WhatsApp by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) in September 2021

WhatsApp case dismissed by EU Court of Justice

The Court of Justice of the European Union said in a statement it had dismissed as inadmissible an action brought by WhatsApp against a decision of the European Data Protection Board.

Business • 07 Dec 22

The Meta-owned messaging platform said the new features aimed to keep improving the privacy around online conversations

WhatsApp to allow silent exit from group chat

WhatsApp is to allow users to leave group chats without notifying others and control who can see when they are online as part of a privacy update to the messaging app.

Business • 09 Aug 22

The implications of today's ruling remain unclear

Russia finds Meta guilty of 'extremist activity'

A Moscow court has found Meta guilty of "extremist activity", but said its decision would not affect the WhatsApp messenger service, focusing its ire on the company's already banned Facebook and Instagram social networks.

Business • 21 Mar 22

Last year, WhatsApp was hit with a record fine after it was found to have breached data protection rules

WhatsApp updates privacy policy for European users

Messaging platform WhatsApp has made further changes to its privacy policy for users in Ireland and across Europe following engagement with the Irish Data Protection Commission.

Science and Technology • 10 Mar 22

Big Tech's vulnerabilities were on display this year, from cyber attacks to accusations of wrong-doing in pursuit of profit

Big Tech's biggest weaknesses were on display in 2021

While 2020 was a year when tech's greatest strengths were on display, it was its weaknesses that came to the fore in 2021, writes Adam Maguire.

2021 in Review • 31 Dec 21

WhatsApp was fined €225m for the policy infringements by the Data Protection Commission

WhatsApp updates privacy policy for users in Europe

WhatsApp has updated its privacy policy for users in Ireland and across Europe in response to the Data Protection Commission's findings earlier this year that it had breached data protection rules.

Business • 22 Nov 21

WhatsApp was fined by the DPC in August following a long investigation

WhatsApp secures permission to challenge €225m DPC fine

The European arm of WhatsApp has secured permission from a High Court judge to challenge the Data Protection Commission's decision to fine it €225m.

Business • 08 Nov 21

Data showed that almost 50,000 people had reported outages on Facebook

Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp begin to come back online

Facebook along with its Instagram and WhatsApp services began returning online late this evening after a massive and lengthy outage that began this afternoon.

Business • 04 Oct 21

The fine was handed out by the DPC last month

WhatsApp challenges €225m fine by DPC

The European arm of WhatsApp has launched a High Court challenge aimed at setting aside the Data Protection Commission's decision to impose sanctions on it including a €225m fine.

Business • 16 Sep 21

Perhaps after today's massive fine on the company for breaching EU privacy rules, more will pause for thought

WhatsApp fine offers pause for thought

It is used by two billion people globally each month.

Business • 02 Sep 21

Whatsapp