Facebook news and archive

Facebook owner Meta Platforms to test sale of virtual goods

Meta Platforms (FB) said on Monday that it will soon start testing tools to sell digital assets and experiences inside its virtual reality platform Horizon Worlds. This move is an important part of the company's plan to create a metaverse. Meta said in a statement, "The tools will be available initially to an hand-picked set of users who are...

Fashion Featured

Facebook debuts new shoppings tools across Instagram and its platforms

Facebook Inc. is adding new shopping tools to its platforms, including visual discovery on Instagram. The company is testing a new search function, powered by AI, to help users find similar products, such as a floral dress, just by tapping an image of a dress they like. Soon Instagram will make it possible for people to take photos from their...

People

Facebook names first-ever chief business officer

Facebook has appointed its first-ever chief business officer. Marne Levine, who was the social media group’s vice president of global partnerships, will lead the company’s marketing and sales teams, along with its partnerships team that works across several business areas. The role reports to Sheryll Sandberg, Facebook’s longstanding chief...

Retail

Facebook launches new way to shop with major brands

Facebook has launched “Live Shopping Fridays” allowing customers to shop cosmetics and fashion brands via a live stream. During the summer period, customers will be able to get a close-up look at new products, ask for advice and make comments. Facebook also hopes that the live shopping experience will offer the chance for brands to build...

Business

Fashion influencers could soon earn directly from Instagram

Fashion influencers could soon earn directly from sales they recommend on Instagram as Facebook looks to rolling out new features for content creators. The news was confirmed by founder Mark Zuckerberg during a live streaming on Instagram. In conversation with Adam Mosseri, head of the social network, Zuckerberg explained that content creators...

BusinessFeatured

Apple's new privacy controls will limit brands advertising

This week Apple began rolling out an update of its lates iOS operating system putting the user in greater control of privacy. The changes will limit tracking websites visited by users, which companies do to create user profiles and distribute advertising deemed relevant. Many websites allow hundreds of different data collection companies to...

Fashion

Fashion brands can soon advertise on Instagram Reels

Facebook is to start advertising on its Instagram Reels platform. The testing phase will begin in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia, before rolling out to other markets if successful. The social media giant aims to monetise its short-form video feature, and follows rival TikTok-owner ByteDance who generated over 27 billion dollars in...

BusinessFeatured

Facebook algorithms hurt independent brands serving disabled market

Two years ago, Facebook flagged the website of Slick Chicks, a company which sells adaptive underwear for diverse bodies, for content which Facebook said went against their community standards. The content was an image of a woman in a wheelchair wearing their patented side opening underwear. “We feature our customers and brand ambassadors on our...

Fashion Featured

Instagram launches multiple user broadcasts with Live Rooms

Instagram this week launched Live Rooms, a livestream broadcast that can feature up to four users simultaneously streaming together in virtual ‘rooms.’ The focus on audiovisual comes as Clubhouse, the latest social media craze, based on group broadcasting, is taking the world by storm. While the fashion industry has been slow to embrace...

Business

Tech and retail giants face growing scrutiny

Accelerating the transition to an ever more digital existence, the coronavirus pandemic has tightened tech giants' grip on billions of customers' lives. Governments and users are belatedly coming to terms with the power held by the likes of Apple and Amazon, particularly in focus this year thanks to their role in everything from setting up video...

People

Billionaire retail magnates see fortunes soar during pandemic

A new report by Americans for Tax Fairness shows the collective wealth of America’s 651 billionaires has soared to over 4 trillion dollars since the beginning of the pandemic. To put that into perspective, their increase in fortunes since March is greater than the 908 billion dollars of pandemic relief proposed by the U.S. government. Retail...

Business

Reining in tech giants: EU and US efforts

Tech giants have changed our daily lives but governments around the world are worried they are out of control. Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft -- dubbed the GAFAM -- are accused of not paying enough taxes, unfair competition, stealing media content and threatening democracy by spreading false information. As the European Union...