Meta

Class-action claims challenge WhatsApp end-to-end encryption practices

WhatsApp rejected a class-action lawsuit accusing Meta of accessing encrypted messages, calling such claims false. The company reaffirmed that chats remain protected by device-based Signal protocol encryption.

Filed in a US federal court in California, the complaint alleges Meta misleads more than two billion users by promoting unbreakable encryption while internally storing and analysing message content. Plaintiffs from several countries claim employees can access chats through internal requests.

WhatsApp said no technical evidence accompanies the accusations and stressed that encryption occurs on users’ devices before messages are sent. According to the company, only recipients hold the keys required to decrypt content, which are never accessible to Meta.

The firm described the lawsuit as frivolous and said it will seek sanctions against the legal teams involved. Meta spokespersons reiterated that WhatsApp has relied on independently audited encryption standards for over a decade.

The case highlights ongoing debates about encryption and security, but so far, no evidence has shown that message content has been exposed.

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Meta tests paid features on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

Subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are set to be tested as Meta explores new revenue streams while keeping core access free. Paid tiers would place selected features and advanced sharing controls behind a subscription.

Early signals indicate the subscriptions could launch within months, with each platform offering its own set of premium tools. Meta has confirmed it will trial multiple formats rather than rely on a single bundled model.

AI plays a central role in the plan, with subscribers gaining access to AI-powered features, including video generation. The recently acquired Manus AI agent will be integrated across Meta services and offered separately to business users.

User reaction is expected to influence how far the company pushes the model, including potential bundles or platform-specific pricing. Wider acceptance could encourage other social networks to adopt similar subscription strategies.

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Meta pauses teen access to AI characters

Meta Platforms has announced a temporary pause on teenagers’ access to AI characters across its platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp. Meta disclosed the decision to review and rebuild the feature for younger users.

In San Francisco, Meta said the restriction will apply to users identified as minors based on declared ages or internal age-prediction systems. Teenagers will still be able to use Meta’s core AI assistant, though interactive AI characters will be unavailable.

The move comes ahead of a major child safety trial in Los Angeles involving Meta, TikTok and YouTube. The Los Angeles case focuses on allegations that social media platforms cause harm to children through addictive and unsafe digital features.

Concerns about AI chatbots and minors have grown across the US, prompting similar action by other companies. In Los Angeles and San Francisco, regulators and courts are increasingly scrutinising how AI interactions affect young users.

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AI Glasses Impact Grants by Meta aim to boost social projects

Meta has launched a new AI Glasses Impact Grants programme to support US-based organisations using its AI-powered glasses for social and economic benefit. The initiative aims to scale existing projects and encourage new applications through financial support and technical access.

Grant recipients will be selected under two tracks. Accelerator Grants target organisations already using Meta’s AI glasses to expand their impact, while Catalyst Grants support new use cases developed with the Wearables Device Access Toolkit.

More than 30 organisations will receive funding, with awards ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 depending on project scope. Successful applicants will also join the Meta Wearables Community, a network of developers, researchers, and innovators focused on advancing wearable technology.

Practical use cases already include agricultural monitoring, sports injury documentation, and film education. Farmers use the glasses for real-time crop diagnostics, athletic trainers capture injury data hands-free, and film students record footage and pre-visualise shoots more easily.

Meta says the grants are designed to help organisations turn experimental ideas into scalable solutions. The company aims to expand the real-world impact of its AI glasses across education, accessibility, and community development.

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Brazil excluded from WhatsApp rival AI chatbot ban

WhatsApp has excluded Brazil from its new restriction on third-party general-purpose chatbots, allowing AI providers to continue operating on the platform despite a broader policy shift affecting other markets.

The decision follows action by the competition authority of Brazil, which ordered Meta to suspend elements of the policy while assessing whether the rules unfairly disadvantage rival chatbot providers in favour of Meta AI.

Developers have been informed that services linked to Brazilian phone numbers do not need to stop responding to users or issue service warnings.

Elsewhere, WhatsApp has introduced a 90-day grace period starting in mid-January, requiring chatbot developers to halt responses and notify users that services will no longer function on the app.

The policy applies to tools such as ChatGPT and Grok, while customer service bots used by businesses remain unaffected.

Italy has already secured a similar exemption after regulatory scrutiny, while the EU has opened an antitrust investigation into the new rules.

Meta continues to argue that general-purpose AI chatbots place technical strain on systems designed for business messaging instead of acting as an open distribution platform for AI services.

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Meta backs US nuclear projects for AI growth

A series of agreements has been announced by Meta to support nuclear energy projects in the US, aiming to secure up to 6.6 gigawatts of clean and reliable electricity for data centres and AI infrastructure by 2035. The company said the move supports grid stability while reinforcing domestic energy capacity.

The agreements include support for existing nuclear facilities operated by Vistra in Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as commitments to advanced reactor developers TerraPower and Oklo.

Meta stated that the arrangements are intended to extend the operational life of current plants while accelerating the deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies.

According to Meta, the projects are expected to generate thousands of construction roles and hundreds of long-term operational jobs, while contributing to the firm’s power to regional electricity grids.

The company added that energy costs associated with its data centres are fully covered through corporate agreements, instead of being passed on to US consumers.

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Meta’s Threads tests basketball game inside chats

Threads is experimenting with gaming inside private chats, beginning with a simple basketball game that allows users to swipe to shoot hoops.

Meta confirmed that the game remains an internal prototype and is not available to the public, meaning there is no certainty it will launch. The feature was first uncovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently spots unreleased tools during development.

In-chat gaming could give Threads an advantage over rivals such as X and Bluesky, which do not currently offer built-in games. It may also position Threads as a competitor to Apple’s Messages, where users can already access chat-based games through third-party apps instead of relying on the platform alone.

Meta has already explored similar ideas inside Instagram DMs, including a hidden game that lets users keep an emoji bouncing on screen.

Threads continues to expand its feature set with Communities and disappearing posts, although the platform still trails X in US adoption despite reporting 400 million monthly users worldwide.

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Meta pauses global launch of Ray-Ban Display glasses

The US tech company, Meta, has paused the international launch of its Ray-Ban Display smart glasses after seeing higher-than-expected demand in the US.

Meta had planned to begin selling the glasses in the UK, France, Italy and Canada in early 2026, but will now prioritise fulfilling US orders instead of expanding availability.

These smart glasses work with the Meta Neural Band wrist device, which interprets small hand movements.

Meta demonstrated new tools at CES in Las Vegas, including a teleprompter mode for delivering prepared remarks and a feature that lets users write messages by moving a finger across any surface while wearing the Neural Band. Pedestrian navigation support is also being extended to additional US cities.

Meta says demand has created waiting lists stretching well into 2026, prompting the pause while it reassesses global rollout plans.

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High-profile AI acquisition puts Manus back in focus

Manus has returned to the spotlight after agreeing to be acquired by Meta in a deal reportedly worth more than $2 billion. The transaction is one of the most high-profile acquisitions of an Asian AI startup by a US technology company and reflects Meta’s push to expand agentic AI capabilities across its platforms.

The startup drew attention in March after unveiling an autonomous AI agent designed to execute tasks such as résumé screening and stock analysis. Founded in China, Manus later moved its headquarters to Singapore and was developed by the AI product studio Butterfly Effect.

Since launch, Manus has expanded its features to include design work, slide creation, and browser-based task completion. The company reported surpassing $100 million in annual recurring revenue and raised $75 million earlier this year at a valuation of about $500 million.

Meta said the acquisition would allow it to integrate the Singapore-based company’s technology into its wider AI strategy while keeping the product running as a standalone service. Manus said subscriptions would continue uninterrupted and that operations would remain based in Singapore.

The deal has drawn political scrutiny in the US due to Manus’s origins and past links to China. Meta said the transaction would sever remaining ties to China, as debate intensifies over investment, data security, and competition in advanced AI systems.

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Manus acquisition signals Meta’s continued AI expansion

Meta Platforms has acquired Manus, a Singapore-based developer of general-purpose AI agents, as part of its continued push to expand artificial intelligence capabilities. The deal underscores Meta’s strategy of acquiring specialised AI firms to accelerate product development.

Manus, founded in China before relocating to Singapore, develops AI agents capable of performing tasks such as market research, coding, and data analysis. The company said it reached more than $100 million in annualised revenue within eight months of launch and was serving millions of users worldwide.

Meta said the acquisition will help integrate advanced automation into its consumer and enterprise offerings, including the Meta AI assistant. Manus will continue operating its subscription service, and its employees will join Meta’s teams.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but media reports valued the deal at more than $2 billion. Manus had been seeking funding at a similar valuation before being approached by Meta and had recently raised capital from international investors.

The acquisition follows a series of AI-focused deals by Meta, including investments in Scale AI and AI device start-ups. Analysts say the move highlights intensifying competition among major technology firms to secure AI talent and capabilities.

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