7 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content
The homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.
The homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.

Facebook

The world’s largest social network has more than 2 billion daily users, and is expanding rapidly around the world. Led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook undergirds much of the world’s communication online, both through its flagship app and its subsidiaries Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus. Despite huge financial success, Facebook is also confronted with questions about data privacy, hate speech on the platform, and concerns that frequent social media use can lead to unhappiness. The Verge publishes a nightly newsletter about Facebook and democracy, subscribe here.

Meta hit with record-breaking $1.3 billion fine over Facebook data transfers to the USMeta hit with record-breaking $1.3 billion fine over Facebook data transfers to the US
Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
The Apple Watch Facebook Messenger app is going away at the end of May.

A dedicated Watch app for Facebook Messenger was important enough for Apple to highlight it in 2015, but it’s going away soon.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the plan in a statement to Review Geek. While Watch wearers can see messages from notifications, they won’t be able to respond from their wrists anymore. It’s odd timing — yesterday, Meta announced a WhatsApp app for Wear OS 4 that will send messages and receive incoming calls.

Facebook Messenger Apple Watch App to Be Discontinued By End of May, Says Meta

[MacRumors]

Meta security analysts warn of malicious ChatGPT impostersMeta security analysts warn of malicious ChatGPT imposters
Can ActivityPub save the internet?

The tech industry is abuzz about a new standard for social networking that is more open, more user-centric, and potentially more powerful than Twitter and Facebook. But we’ve been here before.

David Pierce
Social media is doomed to die

After seven years at Snapchat, I finally learned the truth about why our most important apps seem destined to disappoint us.

Ellis Hamburger
New Arkansas bill to keep minors off social media exempts most social media platformsNew Arkansas bill to keep minors off social media exempts most social media platforms
Barbara Krasnoff
Barbara Krasnoff
Two more Twitter alternatives have raised their hands: Post and Substack Notes.

Post offers a chance to share and comment on new items from a variety of sources, including those behind firewalls, while Substack Notes now lets you write Twitter-like short entries (which may be one of the reasons Elon Musk is so pissed at it).

We’ve added them to our list of Twitter alternatives, which includes others such as Mastodon, Tumblr, and, yes, Facebook.

Social networking alternatives for the Meta- and Musk-averse

Barbara Krasnoff
Meta adds 14 free games you can play over video calls inside MessengerMeta adds 14 free games you can play over video calls inside Messenger
Sean Hollister
Sean Hollister
Facebook’s former culture of secrecy, in one Zuckerberg email.

Facebook famously provided new employees with a Little Red Book full of propaganda, designed to help establish a productive and secretive culture at the company. Among other things, it contained an email from Mark himself asking a leaker to fall on their own sword.

Now, you no longer have to be an employee to read the “Please Resign” email for yourself.

Facebook and Instagram’s paid verification launches in the USFacebook and Instagram’s paid verification launches in the US
Meta is laying off 10,000 more employees in a series of cutsMeta is laying off 10,000 more employees in a series of cuts
Meta gives up on NFTs for Facebook and InstagramMeta gives up on NFTs for Facebook and Instagram
Messenger’s finally coming back to the Facebook appMessenger’s finally coming back to the Facebook app
Facebook’s willing to reform its controversial cross-check program — but only parts of itFacebook’s willing to reform its controversial cross-check program — but only parts of it
I don’t want to log in to your websiteI don’t want to log in to your website
Elizabeth Lopatto
Barbara Krasnoff
Barbara Krasnoff
Passwords alone won’t keep your accounts secure anymore, so if you’re not using 2FA yet, it’s time.

Two-factor authentication can keep your social media, connected home, shopping, and other services a lot safer than if you just depend on simple passwords. We’ve got the directions for adding 2FA to many of the more popular apps, and the best part? You don’t have to do it via SMS.

How to set up two-factor authentication on your online services

Barbara Krasnoff
Meta has a new machine learning language model to remind you it does AI tooMeta has a new machine learning language model to remind you it does AI too
Facebook and Instagram are testing selling you blue checks for $12 a monthFacebook and Instagram are testing selling you blue checks for $12 a month
Richard Lawler
Richard Lawler
It’s always a good day to replace passwords and SMS 2FA with something stronger.

Unlike SMS, security keys are still a free way to lock down your Twitter (or Gmail, Facebook, Windows, and Apple ID) account. I’ve found they’re also easier to use than less-secure options (passkeys will help too, once they have more support).

Google security expert Mark Risher explains here why keys are better at resisting phishing attacks:

With Security Keys, instead of the *user* needing to verify the site, the *site* has to prove itself to the key.

How to use a two-factor security key

Stefan Etienne and Barbara Krasnoff
Facebook is going to explain more about how machine learning decides the ads you seeFacebook is going to explain more about how machine learning decides the ads you see
Mia Sato
Mia Sato
Facebook adds new bulk comment moderation tools.

Creators on the platform will be able to sort comments by keywords, dates, and commenter name and moderate en masse, according to TechCrunch.

The new feature gives Facebook creators the option to like or hide several comments on their posts at once.

Facebook rolls out new comment moderation tools for creators

[TechCrunch]

FTC fines GoodRx $1.5 million for sending consumer health data to Google and FacebookFTC fines GoodRx $1.5 million for sending consumer health data to Google and Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is making this the ‘year of efficiency’Mark Zuckerberg says Meta is making this the ‘year of efficiency’
Meta is inexplicably shutting down one of the best Oculus gamesMeta is inexplicably shutting down one of the best Oculus games
Why are so many tech companies laying people off right now?

Didn’t they just have record-breaking profits?

Elizabeth Lopatto
Meta allows Trump back on Facebook and InstagramMeta allows Trump back on Facebook and Instagram
Messenger could be the dawn of third-party Windows widgetsMessenger could be the dawn of third-party Windows widgets
Messenger’s encrypted chats get themes, emoji reactions, and moreMessenger’s encrypted chats get themes, emoji reactions, and more
Mia Sato
Mia Sato
Members of a Facebook group for parents didn’t know the FBI pulled the page’s data for a murder investigation.

After the murder of a pregnant woman in Arkansas, the FBI asked Facebook for data related to a private group for local parents, according to a search warrant. The FBI believes the killer found the victim in the group.

But some admins of the group say they had no idea their data was searched by the FBI, and that Meta never notified them.

A Murderer Targeted Pregnant Moms In A Private Facebook Group, Feds Say. Its Moderators Claim No One Told Them.

[Forbes]

Meta’s bundling your Instagram and Facebook account settings in one placeMeta’s bundling your Instagram and Facebook account settings in one place
Climate change denial is making a ‘stark comeback’ on social media, study findsClimate change denial is making a ‘stark comeback’ on social media, study finds
Meta sues surveillance company for scraping data with fake Facebook accountsMeta sues surveillance company for scraping data with fake Facebook accounts
Meta is further limiting how advertisers can target teens on Facebook and InstagramMeta is further limiting how advertisers can target teens on Facebook and Instagram
Thomas Ricker
Thomas Ricker
EU says Facebook Marketplace likely in breach of antitrust laws.

These so-called “Statement of Objections” have a habit of turning into large fines for Big Tech, but we won’t know for sure until the case runs its course:

The Commission takes issue with Meta tying its online classified ads service, Facebook Marketplace, to its personal social network, Facebook. The Commission is also concerned that Meta is imposing unfair trading conditions on Facebook Marketplace’s competitors for its own benefit.

Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Meta over abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace

[European Commission]

13 predictions for tech platforms in 202313 predictions for tech platforms in 2023
Google’s stranglehold on the mapping space could be challenged by new initiative from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and othersGoogle’s stranglehold on the mapping space could be challenged by new initiative from Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and others
James Vincent
James Vincent
Forget AI moderation: Meta open sources new image hashing database.

Facebook-owner Meta has launched a new open source tool that uses image hashes to identify unwanted content like terrorist videos and child sexual exploitation material.

Software like this plays a hugely important (but mostly invisible) role in keeping social media safe, as demonstrated by Microsoft’s PhotoDNA tool.

Meta likes to boast about its fancy AI moderation, but tried-and-tested image hashing is where it’s at.

Nilay Patel
Nilay Patel
Just thinking about the time Facebook lied to us about its internet drone crashing.

Meta is shutting down its connectivity division, which tried to give away “free” internet access around the world that zero-rated Facebook and put data caps on competitors. Makes sense, times are tight.

Anyway, one time Meta invited us to write an entire feature about the Aquila connectivity drone but did not disclose the drone had actually crashed. Memories!

Facebook's drone test flight ended with part of the wing snapping off

Casey Newton
Meta shuts down its Connectivity division after nearly a decadeMeta shuts down its Connectivity division after nearly a decade
The deep inequalities of Facebook’s secretive cross-check moderation programThe deep inequalities of Facebook’s secretive cross-check moderation program

Most Popular

Most Popular
  1. Microsoft brings Xbox back, scraps Microsoft Gaming
  2. You’re about to feel the AI money squeeze
  3. THE PEOPLE DO NOT YEARN FOR AUTOMATION
    Video
  4. Microsoft offers voluntary retirement to long-serving employees
  5. Leak reveals new Xbox Game Pass ‘Starter Edition’ that’s part of Discord Nitro