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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Short-form video app TikTok reaches an impressive milestone

    Short-form video app TikTok reaches an impressive milestone

    Short-form video creation app TikTok has reached an impressive milestone. The app has now been installed on over 1 billion Android devices. It has consistently appeared in charts listing the top free apps for both the App Store and Google Play Store; at the end of February, TikTok was the third most installed free app in the Google Play Store rising to second last month. TikTok allows users to create lip-syncing videos ranging in length from 3 to 15 seconds, and short looping videos lasting from 3 seconds to as long as 60 seconds.

    It was about a year ago when we told you that TikTok was a “Huawei-sized” problem. Like the phone and networking equipment manufacturer, there is a concern on the part of the U.S. government that TikTok collects data (location and biometric data in this case) and sends that information to Beijing. Because the app is popular with U.S. military personnel, U.S. lawmakers are alarmed. ByteDance, the Chinese company that created the app, is forced to share data with the Chinese government under the China Internet Security Law. And if that isn’t enough to get the attention of the U.S. government, ByteDance founder and CEO Zhang Yiming wrote a letter in 2018 in which he promised to “further deepen cooperation” with the Communist Chinese government and help promote it.

    Last November, we told you that ByteDance was being investigated by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) over its purchase of Musical.ly. The latter was a similar app to TikTok and was merged into it once the deal closed in 2017. But ByteDance never got clearance from CFIUS to complete the transaction; the agency is supposed to vet the foreign purchase of any U.S. company (Musical.ly had an office in Santa Monica). As a result, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter requesting that TikTok be the subject of a national security investigation. Schumer and Cotton said that China could be censoring images on TikTok meant for U.S. viewers, and both were concerned that the app could be used by foreign governments looking to influence Americans.

    Despite all of this, TikTok continues to find new users, many of whom are looking from something to help them pass the time while stuck at home during the coronavirus outbreak. If you need something new to do, you can find the app in the Apple App Store for iOS users and in the Google Play Store for Android users. Keep in mind that to prevent internet traffic from overwhelming the system while everyone is at home, TikTok users in Europe will not be able to view content in HD for 30 days. However, content creators will be able to upload their TikTok creations in full quality.

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  • Drag and drop files between a Samsung phone and Windows 10 via the Your Phone app

    Drag and drop files between a Samsung phone and Windows 10 via the Your Phone app

    Your Phone is a Windows 10 app that links text messages, photos, notifications and even phone calls between your smartphone and PC. Recently, Microsoft quietly made it non-removable from Windows 10, making it clear that the company has big plans for it, hoping to get their users to adopt it, as long as they own a compatible Android 7+ or iOS device.

    As announced by Microsoft, the newest Your Phone app update gives compatible Samsung phones and tablets the ability to drag and drop files to a PC, and the other way around. The files need to be no more than 512 MB in size, each, and 100 or less at a time.

    The feature is currently only available to compatible Samsung Galaxy devices which have the Link to Windows feature, version 1.5 or newer. Both the Galaxy device and the PC need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Right now, WIndows 10’s latest insider build is also required, though the feature will be rolling out to all Windows 10 users eventually.

    On the Samsung device, transferring works similarly to how moving files around does. Inside of the Gallery or My Files app, press and hold a file until it gets selected, after which either select more or press and hold again to enable drag and drop. That’s when the selected file/s can be dragged into a folder on your PC. If transferring files that are already on the receiving device, duplicates will be made. Microsoft also notes that minimizing the Your Phone app on your PC will cancel any transfer processes.

    On Windows 10, simply select the files you’d like to transfer to your phone and drag them over the Your Phone app’s windows, after which the files will appear on the Samsung device’s Downloads folder.

    This partnership between Microsoft and Samsung was already rumored to happen earlier this year. There are no reports on when all other Android and iOS devices will get support for this feature.

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  • Singapore Airlines Sweetens Ticket Refunds with Added Value

    Singapore Airlines Sweetens Ticket Refunds with Added Value

    Singapore Airlines is looking beyond the value of its airline tickets. As airlines around the world reckon with a tsunami of return ticket requests for flights cancelled in the wake of the global pandemic, Singapore Airlines is telling its customers “we want you back.”

    With that in mind the luxury airline is enhancing its global travel waiver policy to offer even more flexibility that passengers will appreciate it, once again, are ready to book their travel.

    Customers who purchased a ticket on Singapore Airlines or on SilkAir on or before March 15, 2020, for travel through May 2020, can retain the full value of the unused portion of their tickets as flight credits.

    These can be used to book new flights through June 30, 2021. The extension gives customers the flexibility to plan, book and travel from now until then. The airline also waives no-show and rebooking fees, enhancing the full value of their flight credits.

    Naturally, flyers who had their flight plans canceled by the airline in response to the Coronavirus pandemic may want their refund executed as a cash transaction and the airline is honoring those requests in a complete and timely manner.

    However, Singapore Airlines is happy to award bonus flight credits to all customers who choose to retain their tickets as flight credits. The measure is the airline’s way of thanking its customers for their support during this challenging period. Based on the original cabin class of travel, they will receive the following bonus flight credits* when making a new booking with us:

    Economy Class: SGD75 ($53)
    Premium Economy Class: SGD100 ($70)
    Business Class: SGD200 ($141)
    Suites / First Class: SGD500 ($353)

    Customers who opted to keep their tickets open due to the Covid-19 outbreak will also retain the value of the unused portion of their ticket as flight credits. They will also automatically qualify for the bonus flight credits.

    Similarly, customers whose flights were canceled by SIA or SilkAir will retain the full value of the unused portion of their tickets as flight credits. They will also be awarded the bonus flight credits when rebooking their travel.

    Customers who meet the above conditions, but do not wish to keep the value of their tickets as flight credits, will be offered the option of a refund. Cancellation fees and no-show fees will be waived. Customers who used miles to redeem their flight tickets will have both their miles and taxes refunded. Those who purchased their tickets using a combination of miles and cash will receive a refund as well. They will not be eligible for any flight credits.

    “Besides offering cash refunds, Singapore Airlines will provide the opportunity for customers to retain their ticket value together with the added value of a bonus credit, which they can use for future travel on us,” said Joey Seow, Regional VP – Americas for Singapore Airlines. We know customers have varying needs and we believe offering different user-friendly options will help address those requirements.”

    Customers who booked directly with the airline should use the online assistance request form to cancel their booking and retain its value as flight credits.

    Customers who meet the criteria for the airline’s global travel waiver policy will receive a confirmation email. Other customers should allow up to two weeks for the airline to review the request. Customers booking through travel agencies should contact their agents for assistance to either retain the value of their tickets in the form of flight credits or to request for a refund.

    Customers should note that if a request is submitted before the original travel date, all no-show fees will be waived.

    *If the customer’s eligible ticket contains a combination of cabin classes, the bonus flight credits will be based on the higher cabin class. Customers holding partially flown tickets will only have the remaining value of their tickets retained as flight credits. They will not be eligible for any bonus flight credits.

    Singapore Airlines joins a small, but growing list of airlines offering something extra to flyers who choose to receive a voucher that will allow them to rebook with the airline at a later date.

    They include Qatar Airways, which is adding a 10 percent to the original fare on the face of the voucher issued. Air Lingus is also offering that deal to its now grounded passengers. Finnair is also offering the 10 percent bonus and Lufthansa is offering a 50 EUR discount to passengers who take a voucher instead of cash refund. Customers who choose to take the voucher option, however, need to be aware of the expiration policies and destination flexibilities on those vouchers.

  • Cebu Pacific extends the suspension all flight operations from April 15 – April 30

    Cebu Pacific extends the suspension all flight operations from April 15 – April 30

    Cebu Pacific flights will remain suspended from April 15 to April 30, 2020, in accordance with the Philippine government’s directive on extending the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

    Passengers on canceled flights are encouraged to take any one of the following options:

    1. Free rebooking – Rebook to any other travel date within three months with change (rebooking) fees and fare difference waived

    2. Full Travel Fund – The Travel Fund is now valid for one (1) year. Use it to either book a flight up to one (1) year ahead, or pay for add-ons (e.g. baggage allowance, seat selection, etc.)

    If the Travel Fund is not used within one (1) year, passengers can get a full refund.

    3. Full refund – Processing of refunds will start on May 4, 2020 – after the Community Quarantine is lifted and regular work schedules resume. However, due to the unprecedented volume of requests for refunds, the process will take as long as three (3) to four (4) billing cycles.

    Flights may be managed online through the “Manage Booking” portal in the Cebu Pacific website.

    Furthermore, to provide added flexibility for passengers with booked flights from May 1 to September 30, but wish to change their travel plans, CEB is offering the following options, free of charge:

    • Option 1 – Rebook to any other travel date within one (1) year
      Change (rebooking) fees waived, but fare difference may apply.
    • Option 2 – Place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund, now valid for one (1) year
      Decide and book travel within a year for flights as far as one year ahead
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  • Indonesian retail sales down last February

    Indonesian retail sales down last February

    Indonesian retail sales declined by 0.8 percent year on year during February.

    The drop was brought about by a decline in demand for clothing, as well as a blanket downturn in recreational spending, according to the monthly Bank Indonesia survey.

    The sales decline occurred as the Indonesian administration was claiming zero cases of the Covid-19 coronavirus had been reported in the country. Indonesia announced its first confirmed case in March, and is currently approaching 3000 infections.

    Sales figures in the territory have been falling since last December, which yielded a 0.5 percent decline in Indonesian retail sales. Trading figures in January contracted 0.3 percent.

    The central bank’s survey predicted March Indonesian retail sales will contract further, with a year-on-year drop of 5.4 percent in key categories.

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  • Google could be dropping the Hangouts branding

    Google could be dropping the Hangouts branding

    Hangouts Meet was renamed to Google Meet on the company’s Support page, suggesting that a change in the namings of Hangouts Chat and Hangouts, the app, may also follow. The name change has been previously hinted at, with the Hangouts Meet service being referred to as Google Meet in the past, by Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

    In addition, it doesn’t make much sense for Hangouts and Hangouts Chat to be two separate consumer apps, and Google is likely to replace one with the other soon. “Classic Hangouts,” as it has been referred to for the last few years, maybe shutting down soon, and we initially reported on its expected 2020 retirement back in 2018. A Google spokesperson reached out to us at the time, explaining that “classic Hangouts” users will be migrated to the Chat and Meet services, suggesting already active plans of its retirement back then.

    And if this recent change in naming translates to other Hangouts products, that would likely bring the end of both Hangouts as branding, and the “classic Hangouts” service.

    Hangouts were first developed as a feature to Google’s social network Google+, but later became its own standalone product after it was well-received by users even if Google+ wasn’t. It’s currently available as an app on both Android and iOS, still simply named Hangouts, likely to be renamed or replaced later. Alternatively, Google offers Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet, which are a consumer and business-oriented conferencing tools respectively. Those are likely to officially become Google Chat and Google Meet soon.

    We’re expecting to see these changes as 2020 progresses, though none of it is officially confirmed or certain yet.

    Meanwhile, popular Hangouts Meet rival conferencing app Zoom has been suffering a shareholder lawsuit, along with several bans from schools and companies like SpaceX, over mounting security concerns.

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  • Cebu Pacific flights remain suspended until April 30

    Cebu Pacific flights remain suspended until April 30

    Budget carrier Cebu Pacific said Wednesday that its flights remain suspended until the end of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine on April 30.

    “Due to the extension of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until April 30, Cebu Pacific flights will remain suspended from April 15 to April 30, 2020,” Cebu Pacific said in a statement.

    The airline said passengers on canceled flights are encouraged to take any of the following options:

    • Free rebooking: Rebook to any other travel date within three months with change (rebooking) fees and fare difference waived.
    • Full Travel Fund: The Travel Fund is now valid for one year. Use it to either book a flight up to one year ahead, or pay for add-ons (e.g. baggage allowance, seat selection, etc.) If the Travel Fund is not used within one year, passengers can get a full refund.
    • Full refund: Processing of refunds will start on May 4, 2020—after the Community Quarantine is lifted and regular work schedules resume. However, due to the unprecedented volume of requests for refunds, the process will take as long as three to four billing cycles.

    “Flights may be managed online through the ‘Manage Booking’ portal in the Cebu Pacific website,” Cebu Pacific said.

    Further, to provide added flexibility for passengers with booked flights from May 1 to September 30, but wish to change their travel plans, CEB is offering the following options, free of charge:

    • Rebook to any other travel date within one year, change (rebooking) fees waived, but fare difference may apply.
    • Place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund, now valid for one year. Decide and book travel within a year for flights as far as one year ahead

    “We thank everyone for their support and understanding during this challenging time,” Cebu Pacific said. 

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  • AirAsia Philippines Cancels All Flights Until 30 April 2020

    AirAsia Philippines Cancels All Flights Until 30 April 2020

    AirAsia Philippines (Z2) has canceled all domestic and international flights until 30 April 2020, at the earliest. The decision was made after the Philippine government’s directive to extend the Enhanced Community Quarantine period in Luzon.

    AirAsia customers with existing flight bookings made on or before 22 March 2020 with a departure date until 31 May 2020 can select from a range of extended flexibility options:

    Unlimited Flight Change: Change to any new travel date before 31 October 2020 on the same route for an unlimited number of times without any additional cost subject to seat availability; OR

     Credit Account: Retain the value of the flight booking in your AirAsia BIG Member account for future travel with AirAsia to be redeemed within 365 calendar days from the issuance date.

     For bookings made through travel agents, including online travel agents, refund requests must be made via the respective travel agents.

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  • New WhatsApp beta reveals a long-awaited advanced search option and more secure backups

    New WhatsApp beta reveals a long-awaited advanced search option and more secure backups

    Recently, WhatsApp has been getting a lot of features, most of which are related to the fight against the coronavirus misinformation spread. However, this time, the new features are not COVID-19 related. There is a new beta for WhatsApp Android that has been revealed and WABetaInfo reports that it is offering us some appealing functionalities.

    Firstly, there is a feature referred to as “Advanced Search Mode” which will offer a possibility to easily search for media, such as photos, videos, GIFs, links and audio, as well as documents, in the messages. The search feature is still under development for Android users and already available in the beta for iOS, but there is no official information when it will be rolled out and if it will be available at all. However, it will be very helpful for people who have a lot of messages to filter in order to find that one link.

    Another feature in WhatsApp’s beta for Android is related to the automatic download. When enabled, which will be by default, the option will not automatically download frequently forwarded images, videos, documents and voice messages and will, therefore, help you save data.

    Last but not least: here comes the more secure password-protected backup option. The feature to backup your chat history is already available for WhatsApp users and the data is saved to Google Drive, but with the new update, you will be able to protect your backups with a password. However, the password will not be stored on Google Drive, neither will it be synced to Facebook’s servers, so if you forget it, you won’t be able to access your data.

    The aforementioned features are not available globally yet, they are a part of the beta version of WhatsApp. If you would like to test future versions of WhatsApp, you can register from this page on Google Play, even though, currently, the page says that no more testers are allowed at the time being.

  • Tesco’s Asian business returns massive profit numbers

    Tesco’s Asian business returns massive profit numbers

    Tesco’s Asian business achieved a 33.5-per-cent increase in operating profit last year, the last full trading year before it is sold to Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand group. In results released overnight, Tesco reported a profit of £426 million, and a margin of 8.2 percent in Asia, on sales of £5.2 billion, up 6.7 percent on actual currency rates, or by 0.1 percent on a constant-currency basis.

    Tesco’s overall result was a pre-tax profit of £1.315 billion, up 18.7 percent year on year, on sales of £56.5 billion, up by 1 percent on a constant-currency basis.

    Outgoing CEO Dave Lewis said the performance of the company in the UK and Asia demonstrated the success of the company’s turnaround plan.

    “Over the last five years we have focused on serving customers better, re-engaging our colleagues, completely resetting our relationships with our suppliers and as a result we have been able to add value for our shareholders,” he said.

    “These endeavors put us in a strong operational and financial position to deal with the challenges of Covid-19.”

    But Lewis warned the impact of the coronavirus on the business could be significant and the company would not issue earnings guidance for the current year.

    “Covid-19 is having a material impact on the operations of our business and we are incurring significant additional costs, particularly in payroll as we recruit additional colleagues to meet demand and cover the work of those colleagues who are absent and being paid,” he said.

    The company has carried out calculations based on various scenarios, which show a negative impact ranging between £650 million and £925 million, including significant cost increases in payroll, distribution and store expenses.

    Lewis said Tesco’s Asian business had increased market share in Malaysia, opening two new small stores following favorable legislative changes, and the company plans a further four openings in the current financial year.

    In Thailand, Tesco’s new Express proposition roll out and large store re-invention program are both progressing well and the company is testing two ‘ultra-convenient’ E-Pop stores in Bangkok.

    “We have simplified our fresh-food offer, with more competitive prices and our ‘Food Love Stories’ campaign has further improved customer quality perceptions.”

    A simplification of Tesco’s general merchandise ranges impacted headline sales by about 1 percent during the year.

    He said the company had also built trust with customers throughout the region due to a focus on reducing food waste and plastic usage.

    The sale of Tesco’s Asian business is expected to be completed in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approvals.

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  • Cebu Pacific lays off over 150 cabin crew amid COVID-19 travel restrictions

    Cebu Pacific lays off over 150 cabin crew amid COVID-19 travel restrictions

    Travel bans to and from Manila and in key provinces forced Cebu Pacific to lay off over 150 cabin crew members.

    Notices sent to probationary workers seen by CNN Philippines revealed that the budget airline terminated the employment contracts of select flight personnel after it was “forced to scale down and suspend flight operations” due to travel restrictions covering Metro Manila, as well as key provinces and cities in the country.

    The airline had to cancel flights to mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau since early February after the Philippine government-issued travel bans to these areas hard hit by the disease known as COVID-19. This was eventually broadened to cover North Gyeongsang province of South Korea, until the month-long Metro Manila quarantine forced Cebu Pacific to cancel all flights to and from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the country’s main transport hub.

    The airline confirmed the layoffs. One employee estimates around 180 crew members might be let go.

    “As we foresee fewer flights and reduced operations in the coming months, we will have less requirement for flying staff. Given this situation, it is a difficult decision but we are letting go of our newly hired cabin crew because fewer flights mean less time and opportunity for them to gain inflight experience. It is painful, but necessary action to take to cope with the impact of COVID-19,” Cebu Pacific said in a statement, saying that newly-hired cabin crew members would be let go after Thursday, March 19.

    In its letter to employees, Cebu Pacific said the aviation sector was “facing a crisis of proportions” amid the COVID-19 pandemic, paralyzing tourism as countries scramble to contain the spread of the disease.

    Cebu Pacific said it would be “unable to support the regularization of any further employees,” and is forced to end work contracts. Among those who received the letters were cabin crew members hired late September 2019, which meant that they were supposed to be regular employees by next week.

    The Gokongwei-led airline also bared a separation package for these displaced employees. It includes a separation pay equivalent to two months’ salary, two free roundtrip tickets, a return ticket to their home province or city, and a waiver of charges for training bond, uniforms, and accessories. The company also promised to “fast-track” the selection of that employee should the airline start hiring flight attendants again.

    Just last week, Gokongwei-owned media company Esquire reported that members of Cebu Pacific’s senior management opted to cut their own salaries to avoid layoffs.

    Cebu Pacific made ₱3.9 billion in 2018, just half the ₱7.9 billion it made the prior year.

    Last month, Philippine Airlines said it laid off 300 workers as the flag carrier owned by tycoon Lucio Tan seeks to trim losses. The country’s biggest airline said it let go of administrative and management staff to increase revenues and reduce costs, especially after PAL ended 2019 at a loss, only to be aggravated by travel bans and flight cancellations due to the coronavirus.

    Other airlines worldwide have counted hefty losses brought about by the pandemic. CNN International earlier reported that Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific asked its 27,000 workers to take three weeks off without pay to preserve cash and keep the airline afloat.

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  • AirAsia launches Save Our Shops campaign to support local businesses

    AirAsia launches Save Our Shops campaign to support local businesses

    AirAsia has launched a Save Our Shops campaign which will see products from local businesses featured on the company’s new online store.

    Local businesses can list their products on the AirAsia OURSHOP online retailer for free for the month of April and any sales will be delivered by AirAsia’s logistics arm, Teleport.

    In a statement, AirAsia said: “A lot of small businesses are being hit hard due to the outbreak. So AirAsia would like to do our part in helping as many local businesses as possible in this time of need.

    “We have the right platform and infrastructure, and in this travel downtime, what better way to put our resources to good use than by lending a helping hand to those who need it.”

    Retailers who list products on the website will be required to cover the 2% banking transaction charge on every sale.

    AirAsia Chief Executive Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said: “At AirAsia we are not sitting down and crying, we are being positive and turning a crisis into an opportunity.”

    He added: “We now want to use our infrastructure and resources to help many retailers who are shut and can’t earn any revenue at the moment so we have created our shop which together with teleport will be delivering goods from shops that are closed.”

  • Central Pattana launches one-click service linking tenants, consumers

    Central Pattana launches one-click service linking tenants, consumers

    Thailand’s Central Pattana has launched ‘One call x One-click’ service which allows its customers to shop remotely during social distancing.

    With ‘One call x One-click’ service, customers now can shop and order from more than 1200 stores and restaurants with a single one phone call or one click through Central’s Line account.

    “The current situation is indeed a challenge for our marketing team,” said Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, executive VP of marketing at CPN. “We need to appropriately and rapidly adjust our strategy to catch up and create new services for customers while trying to understand the situation and its impacts on consumer behavior and ensure the safety of customers.

    “At the same time, we need to help our partners maintain their businesses and facilitate them.”

    Other Central Pattana One call x One click services such as pick-up counters and drive-thru pick-up points are available at all of the company’s shopping centers throughout Thailand.

    CPN has partnered with fellow Central Group retail businesses, including Tops Supermarket, Robinson Department Store, B2S and SuperSports, to launch the drive-thru business model nationwide.

    Last week, Bangkok shopping-mall operator Siam Piwat introduced a similar initiative, allowing customers to make purchases via phone call or on OneSiam’s Line account.

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  • Singapore malls waive rents as shutdown commences

    Singapore malls waive rents as shutdown commences

    Singapore mall operators are waiving rents for tenants as the city-state enters a shutdown period to control the spread of the coronavirus.

    The waiver is being extended to all tenants at Suntec City, including those permitted to remain open for business, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, and is being funded entirely by the landlord. Suntec will also pass the government’s property tax rebates on to all retail tenants during the one-month period.

    “As a portion of these savings had been passed on in March, the balance will subsequently be passed on to all tenants in the form of rental rebates for the period from May 1 to May 31,” read a statement from the firm. The total value of all benefits passed on by the mall operator is roughly equivalent to the value of three month’s rent.

    City Developments has also announced it will pass on the “full quantum” of rebates to its 426 mall tenants, covering more than SG$17 million (US$12 million) in property tax and rental rebates.

    A full 100 percent of rent will be waived for the current month, while next month’s rents will be slashed by 50 percent, with more support potentially offered depending on how the coronavirus situation evolves.

    “Tenants facing severe cash flow issues will be given more flexibility in rental payments,” said the firm.

    Singapore’s lockdown is expected to extend through to May 4.

    Meanwhile, Singapore-headquartered CapitaLand has reported that as at the end of March, about 80 percent of the stores in its Mainland China malls had reopened. The group’s four malls in Wuhan, which closed at the end of January due to the virus outbreak there, reopened last Friday (April 2) after receiving the clearance from local authorities.

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  • Facebook offers COVID-19 self-reporting survey for epidemiologists’ research

    Facebook offers COVID-19 self-reporting survey for epidemiologists’ research

    Facebook is offering a new way to help health organizations in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak. Now, VentureBeat reports about a new survey that Facebook’s users will be able to fill out and therefore provide info about the virus spread, as part of a research program done by Carnegie Mellon University.

    The survey option will be available for American users as a link in the top section of the News Feed page. Researchers will be able to identify places in need for medical resources as well as create maps with self-reported coronavirus infections. Facebook stated that if the approach is successful, the method can be used in other countries as well.

    Additionally, Facebook stated that Carnegie Mellon researchers will not share responses to the survey with Facebook and Facebook will not share information with the researchers too.

    To further help organizations fight the pandemic, Facebook provides aggregated data to epidemiologists via its Disease Prevention Maps. Based on the data, researchers can offer information on people’s mobility in different areas to local authorities.

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