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Tag: app

  • Facebook Portal now has its own Android app

    Facebook Portal now has its own Android app

    If you feel that you don’t have enough Facebook in your life, you’re free to buy the company’s new smart display – Portal. Unlike Amazon and Google, Facebook had developed Portal with video calling in mind, so that’s pretty what you’ll probably want to do most of the time with it.

    The Portal, in case you didn’t know, offers Facebook users with a new way to video chat with their friends. If you don’t like texting through Messenger too much and rather talk to your friends, Facebook Portal is the perfect device for it.

    And now that Facebook has decided to launch a Portal standalone Android app, you’ll now be able to better manage photos and videos that you want to store on the smart speaker. Having the app installed on the phone will allow users to send photos directly to the Portal’s Superframe.

    Also, you can use the Portal app to call the smart speaker in your home and talk to household members. Or, you can add people in your home to your Portal so that they can use the smart speaker with their own Facebook accounts.

    It’s a nifty app that makes it easier to take advantage of Facebook’s smart speaker by adding new functionality to the device. The Portal app has already been listed in the Google Play Store and you can download it for free.

  • McDonald’s China Teams up loyalty program with Ele.me app

    McDonald’s China Teams up loyalty program with Ele.me app

    McDonald’s customers in China can now earn loyalty points when they order a Big Mac or Filet-o-Fish through Ele.me, Alibaba Group’s on-demand delivery platform.

    Ele.me users can activate a McDonald’s membership card with just one click on the app to earn loyalty points for purchases and receive vouchers worth up to RMB 88.5 (US$12.80). The fast-food giant attracted nearly 20,000 new members on its first day of launching the service on May 20, while single-day orders increased about 20 per cent week-on-week, McDonald’s China said.

    McDonald’s China is one of the first restaurant chains to pilot the new Ele.me service, one of the app’s latest tools to help the food-and-beverage sector seamlessly connect their online and offline operations.

    “McDonald’s is an important strategic partner for us, and we are thrilled to fully integrate their loyalty program with our platform. We look forward to continuing to work together to improve the delivery experience for consumers and provide even more services, benefits and perks,” said Hu Xiaoyu, VP of Ele.me.

    There are more than 3100 McDonald’s restaurants in Mainland China, more than 2000 of which also have a virtual presence on Ele.me. McDonald’s China launched its membership program last year, rewarding members for purchases made in-store or via its app and mini-program. It now counts more than 75 million members.

    “Integrating our loyalty program with Ele.me helps us provide more customers with a complete set of membership services and benefits, which ultimately enhances the delivery experience,” said Emily Pang, head of brand extension at McDonald’s China.

    Also among the first batch of global restaurant chains to bring their membership program to Ele.me are Burger King, Dairy Queen and Papa Johns, all of which reported higher sales in the 30 days that followed their launch. Burger King was the first to opt in last November, and has since attracted 2 million new members, with members contributing to nearly 40 percent of its gross merchandise volume on Ele.me.

    Ele.me plans to roll out even more features, such as birthday perks and member-only sales campaigns, to “bring more value to every purchase,” Hu said.

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  • Telenor Myanmar signs partnership with TikTok

    Telenor Myanmar signs partnership with TikTok

    Telenor Myanmar has become the market’s first official partner for short-form video sharing platform TikTok, and introduced a new mobile data plan to support the partnership.

    The operator has introduced the new Sate Kyite Kyi plan, which will offer mobile video content from TikTok and Myanmar’s other most popular video apps – including YouTube, Viu and MyanFlix – at a rate of 1 kyat ($0.00065) per megabyte.

    Users will be able to subscribe to the plan over SMS, via the MyTelenor app or WowBox content platform with subscription fees of 499 kyats per week. The plan will not be auto-renewed and must be resubscribed to at the end of each week of service.

    “We are very excited to become the first official local partner of TikTok in Myanmar. Sate Kyite Kyi is the very first result of the agreement between us and the top video apps and we are delighted to add TikTok to our partners’ list for this innovative data plan,” Telenor Myanmar head of digital services Chan May Ling said.

    “It will be the one of a kind data plans in Myanmar, providing users with a one-stop shop solution where they can enjoy all of their favorite videos. As you all know, Telenor Myanmar has been offering the best and most affordable products and services since its inception in Myanmar to ease users’ daily lives and we promise that we will come up with many more innovative services from this partnership.”

  • Microsoft brings redesigned Apple Watch notifications for Outlook

    Microsoft brings redesigned Apple Watch notifications for Outlook

    A quick heads up for those of you who are using Outlook for iOS on a regular basis. It looks like Microsoft has decided to revamp the Outlook notifications for Apple Watch, so if own the wearable device, you should start seeing them after you download the latest update.

    As per Microsoft’s announcement, the new notifications should allow Apple Watch users to see important emails, reminders, as well as detailed event information via Outlook calendar. It’s the only important change included in the update, at least according to the official changelog from the App Store.

    This is the third Outlook update aimed at Apple Watch users that Microsoft releases this month, but that doesn’t mean that other platforms have been neglected.

    Microsoft revealed last week important new features that will be coming to Outlook for Android and iOS soon, including the option to select favorite persons and notifications, Office Lens upgrades and a couple of other nifty improvements.

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  • App development industry facing massive disruption

    App development industry facing massive disruption

    OutSystems has published its sixth annual research report on the state of application development and the challenges faced by development and delivery teams.

    The State of Application Development, 2019: Is IT Ready for Disruption report unveils detailed survey results from over 3,300 IT professionals in all industries across the world, 17% of which are from Asia Pacific (APAC).

    “Our 2019 survey shows that many IT departments are facing a multitude of disruptive forces when it comes to digital transformation and application development,” said Steve Rotter, CMO for OutSystems.

    “The threat of digital disruption and the need for digital transformation has been a driver of IT strategy for years. Add to that the current uncertain global economic outlook, and it becomes obvious why business leaders are so concerned about agility today.”

    The new research report provides in-depth insights from IT managers, enterprise architects, and developers addressing a wide range of issues. Digital transformation dominates business strategy today, which is why web and mobile development demand is booming. Moreover, speed and agility are more important than ever before, Rotter explained.

    This OutSystems report explores the priorities and challenges of application development and delivery, and the strategies that IT teams are using to try to speed up delivery.

    Six key findings that impact every IT professional:

    • Demand for app dev soars: The number of applications slated for delivery in 2019 has increased 60%, according to respondents globally, 38% of whom plan to deliver 25 or more apps this year. In APAC, 69% of respondents planned to deliver 10 or more applications in 2019, with 52% of APAC respondents targeting to deliver 50 or more applications in the year ahead.
    • Steep development time: 46% of respondents in APAC said the average time to deliver a web or mobile application is five months or more.
    • Backlogs remain: 63% of IT professionals in APAC said they have an app dev backlog, with 16% of these respondents having a backlog of more than 10 applications.
    • Development talent hard to find and keep: Most respondents have hired developers, 75% of respondents globally described app dev talent as scarce, and only 36% of organizations in APAC have larger app dev teams than a year ago. The numbers appear to show retention of app dev talent is an equally grave concern.
    • Agile practices are still slow to mature: 69% of organizations in APAC have invested in agile tools and services in the past year. However, the average agile-maturity score was a lackluster 2.76 out of 5, meaning most organizations in the region are still in the process of defining agile processes.
    • Customer-centricity continues to rise: Over 69% of organizations in APAC have invested in customer-centric practices in the past year, including customer journey mapping, design thinking, and lean UX. For the new apps slated for development in 2019, those that will be used directly by customers or business partners were identified as most important.

    Low-code has become mainstream

    Another key research finding was that low-code is no longer just for innovators and early adopters.

    43% of APAC respondents said that their organization was already using a low-code platform, and a further 12% said that their organization was planning to start using one soon.

    The analysis in the report identified that organizations using low-code are:

    • 26% more likely to describe their organization as satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the speed of application development
    • 11% more likely to deliver web applications in four months or less
    • 15% more likely to deliver mobile applications in four months or less
    • 20% more likely to score their agile maturity as level 3, 4 or 5
    • 12% more likely to say that their app dev backlog has improved since last year
    • Reporting a 16% higher self-assessment score for digital transformation maturity

    “Our findings in the 2019 State of Application Development Report crystallize a trend we have been observing in recent years – the uptake of low-code development platforms supporting innovation, continuous delivery, and better talent resource management in enterprises,” said Mark Weaser, Regional Vice-President, APAC, OutSystems.

    “No longer reserved for innovators and early adopters, low-code development platforms have definitely crossed the chasm and are well on the way to widespread adoption in Asia Pacific by the early majority.”

  • Alibaba Acquires 104 million monthly Active Users

    Alibaba Acquires 104 million monthly Active Users

    Alibaba Group added 104 million monthly active users to its Chinese online retail marketplaces during the year to March 31.

    That stellar growth, driven by successful user-acquisition programs such as referrals through the Alipay app, took the total to 721 million. At the end of last year, the figure was 654 million, while quarter-on-quarter growth was 22 million.

    A standout feature of the growth is that Alibaba is cutting through into lower-tier, less developed cities which accounted for 70 percent of user growth last quarter.

    The figures were included in the company’s annual results, which, as reported earlier, included revenue growth of 51 percent during the year to March 31 to US$56.2 billion and net income up 31 percent to $13.1 billion.

    Chinese marketplaces recorded total gross merchandise volume (GMV) of $853 billion last year, up 19 percent on last year, which keeps the company on track to achieve its US$1 trillion total GMV target by the end of 2020.

    The company said its Taobao platform continues to grow fast. This year, a new interface was launched aimed at improving the user experience through content innovation and intelligent personalized recommendations.

    “It delivers a customized shopping experience by segmenting users based on behavior data and providing them with more recommendations to enhance product and content discovery,” the company said in a statement. “The new interface also includes Taobao’s innovative content, such as curated posts, short-form videos, and live-broadcast events. These initiatives drove strong growth in user engagement, purchase conversion, and annual active consumers.”

    Meanwhile, Alibaba’s mainstay Tmall is gaining wallet share and growing faster than the sector average, the company said.

    The growth of physical goods GMV, excluding unpaid orders, accelerated to 33 percent year-on-year in the quarter to March 31, compared to 29 percent in the previous quarter.

    “This robust growth was driven primarily by a strong performance of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), apparel, electronics, and home furnishing categories during the March quarter.”

    Its premium Luxury Pavilion channel boosted its brand lineup to more than 100 luxury brands, all of which have also opened Tmall flagship stores

  • Major Update to mobile YouTube app makes life easier

    Major Update to mobile YouTube app makes life easier

    A server-side update is being sent out to the mobile YouTube app. It doesn’t contain a major change, but for those who like to view streaming YouTube videos in fullscreen (which is done by holding the phone in landscape orientation), it does help correct a minor annoyance.

    Before the update, let’s say you were viewing a video in landscape mode and wanted to share it with someone, or give it a thumbs up or down, or even add the video to a playlist. You would have to make the switch from landscape to portrait in order to find the appropriate icon to tap on. Then, when ready to view another video, you would have to turn the phone back to landscape mode. But the powers that be at Google recognized the inherent dangers involved when a phone owner keeps changing the orientation of his device; such a move can lead to a fumble resulting in the handset kissing the asphalt or another hard surface. It is also just plain inconvenient.

    Still, it isn’t a big deal, but as Android users know, Google loves to correct minor pain points. So the update adds the bar containing the thumbs up, thumbs down, share and save icons to the YouTube UI in the landscape. To view it, simply scroll up on the screen in fullscreen mode. You will see three recommended videos overlayed on top of the screen, and directly underneath is the bar with the aforementioned icons. Note that the up and down thumbs still show how many times a video was “liked” or “disliked.”

    >The change appears on version 14.18.56 of the YouTube app for Android. Not only might it save you from dropping your phone (even surehanded NFL running backs fumble the ball without contact every now and then), over the course of a year it just might save you a few minutes of time.

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  • Instagram’s standalone Direct app is Obsolete

    Instagram’s standalone Direct app is Obsolete

    Facebook has a habit of frequently testing changes (both big and small) for its extensive library of crazy popular social networking services, but while most new features added to Instagram tend to stick, enriching the app’s functionality or expanding its reach, others never get to see daylight or move past the public testing phase.

    Instagram Direct is part of the latter category, reportedly “going away” some time “in the coming month” after making a limited global debut way back in December 2017. This was actually a standalone app rather than something built directly into the main Instagram interface, but technically, the thing never got a proper, wide-scale release. Instagram (or rather Facebook) also didn’t do much to promote the service, which essentially cloned one of the core features of arch-rival Snapchat.

    Namely, Instagram Direct was largely focused on enabling message exchanges between users, with Instagram friends instantly added to one’s list upon signing up and, of course, support for fun face filters to spice up your photos and videos. If that sounds useful in any way, fret not, as Instagram Direct conversations will automatically move to the main Instagram app, where you’ll be able to continue enjoying the same messaging features as before. After all, private messaging has been supported by Instagram since 2013.

    As the company was quick to highlight in a short statement after the imminent death of the standalone Direct experience ironically started making the Twitter rounds, Instagram Direct will remain the “best place for fun conversations with your friends.” Just not in a separate app, whose tests are being “rolled back” after merely exceeding a million Android installs in Google Play and receiving largely mediocre iOS user reviews.

  • Facebook’s Opens Lawsuit against an app developer

    Facebook’s Opens Lawsuit against an app developer

    Kettle, meet pot. Or perhaps we should say, man bites dog. Either way, it symbolizes news announced on Friday by Facebook. The company, which faces an FTC fine of $3 billion to $5 billion for allegedly using members’ personal data without consent, filed a lawsuit against a company for doing the same thing. The suit was filed this past Friday in California Superior Court for the County of San Mateo against a South Korean company called Rankware.

    Rankware is an app developer; the company and its apps have been suspended from Facebook. Despite the suspension, it appears that the company still has in its possession some Facebook user data. In the suit, Facebook asks the court to demand that Rankware delete the user data it obtained and hints that the defendant might have sold this information to other firms. The social networking company says that Rankware refuses to say who it turned over the user data to, and would not “[p]rovide a full accounting of Facebook user data in its possession.”  The filing adds that while Rankware had agreed contractually to follow Facebook’s rules, it “failed to comply with Facebook’s requests for proof of Rankwave’s compliance with Facebook policies, including an audit.”

    The filing goes on to note that since 2014, Rankware has been “us[ing] Facebook Pages data associated with its apps for its own business purposes, which include providing consulting services to advertisers and marketing companies.” The filing claims that the defendant has generated $9.8 million by selling Facebook members’ user data to advertisers. The social networking firm sent a cease and desist letter to Rankware earlier this year, and while the developer said it did not violate Facebook’s terms of service and policies, it would not provide any proof of this.

    “By filing the lawsuit, we are sending a message to developers that Facebook is serious about enforcing our policies, including requiring developers to cooperate with us during an investigation.”

    The suit says that Rankware’s actions harmed the reputation, public trust and goodwill of Facebook. It seeks an injunction that would prevent Rankware from accessing Facebook’s platform, force the South Korean developer to show proof of its compliance, and delete any user data that it obtained in violation of Facebook’s rules. Despite asking the court to award it financial damages and any money that Rankware received “unjustly,” Facebook says that money isn’t enough to make up for the harm caused by Rankware’s actions.

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  • Waze app gains Pandora integration on Android and iOS

    Waze app gains Pandora integration on Android and iOS

    Waze, Google Maps’ rival, and Pandora, the music streaming company have just announced they have teamed up to offer Android and iOS users the option to soundtrack their travel experience on mobile phones.

    If you’re a Pandora fan, you’ll now be able to listen to your favorite tunes on both iOS and Android devices across all tiers of the music streaming service, as well as personalize your experience directly inside the Waze app via an embedded audio player.

    Thanks to the new Pandora integration, drivers will now be able to navigate and listen to music simultaneously without ever leaving the map. Since the integration goes both ways, if you open Pandora, you’ll be able to use Waze’s navigation features.

    In order to connect Pandora with Waze, simply download the navigation app from the Google Play or App Store if you don’t have it already, tap on the music icon on the top right of the map, and select the Pandora icon. Also, make sure that the sound is turned on so that you can listen to music.

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  • Google is still working on an exciting AI feature

    Google is still working on an exciting AI feature

    Tweets sent by Google Photos product lead David Lieb indicate that the company has not given up on the Colorize feature it unveiled at Google I/O last year. The feature uses machine learning tools to add colors to old black and white photos. He said that Google hopes to have Colorize out in beta form soon and said that he’d love to hear feedback from Android users. The Colorize feature, when it does get pushed out, will show up as a filter in the Google Photos app.

    Lieb did say that Colorize needs some more work, and for proof of that, he showed a black and white photo taken during his grandparents’ wedding day (his grandmother is 104!). While Colorize did add color to the image, it also added a pink tinge to his grandfather’s pants. The Googler assures us that his grandfather did not wear pink pants at his wedding.

    Meanwhile, another feature that Google introduced at its 2018 developers conference, Color Pop, was pushed out just a week after the feature was unveiled. Using AI, Color Pop takes the background of a photo shot in Portrait mode and changes it to black and white; the subject matter remains in color. The stark difference between the two makes the subject pop, or stand out. Color Pop appears as a filter option in the Google Photos app after you snap a Portrait.

  • Outlook for Android and iOS gaining Fresh Feature

    Outlook for Android and iOS gaining Fresh Feature

    Microsoft is bringing support for a new feature to Outlook for mobile – Actionable Messages. The new feature will be available once the latest update goes live in the App Store and Google Play Store, and it’s meant to allow Outlook users to act fast while on the move.

    For example, whenever you receive an email that has an option to take action (i.e. approving a timesheet, granting system access, answering a survey), you will now be able to respond right inside the email without leaving your inbox or switch apps.

    Moreover, Actionable Message with Adaptive Cards will allow developers to deliver messages in Outlook so that users can stay in context and act fast when they need to. The first brands to work with Microsoft on Actionable Messages are SurveyMonkey, Freshworks, ServiceNow and Sage.

    However, Microsoft is expected to partner with additional brands in the coming months. It’s also worth mentioning that Microsoft will be rolling out Actionable Messages to Android devices in the coming week, while iOS users will be able to take advantage of the new feature starting today.

  • Google Maps is Adding Yelp Features

    Google Maps is Adding Yelp Features

    Over the past couple of years, Google Maps has transformed from a simple navigation app to one of the most powerful information databases for travelers and commuters around the world. Booking a hotel room, reserving a table at a restaurant, or simply checking working hours are all things made increasingly easy through Google Maps with its community-driven spirit. Soon, a new feature will be added to that ever-expanding list that will challenge Yelp.

    Crowd-sourced reviews are nothing new on Maps. As is, the app sends notifications to users, prompting them to rate places they’ve visited, and encourages them to share pictures. However, Google is looking to implement a new, dedicated food review system into the app, thus allowing users to rate individual dishes when visiting restaurants. The system will take a few factors into consideration, such as pricing, quantity, and quality, and will ask users whether they’d recommend the dish or not. And, of course, everyone will be encouraged to snap some photos of the impressive (or otherwise) dishes that they got served.

    Select venues on Google Maps already offer a “Menu” tab that can give you a rough idea of what to expect and how much it will cost, but the update aims to expand this functionality and put crowd-sourced reviews at the forefront. Ultimately, the goal is to have detailed menus for each venue, divided into sub-tabs based on popularity and the type of dish.

    Currently, dishes in the “Menu” tab are presented in a simple list form, but in the future, they will appear in card form alongside user-made photos. You will be able to tap on them to see others’ reviews, leave your own, suggest edits, and so on. Google has already started an initial testing phase of the feature. A wider roll-out can probably be expected in the coming months.

    With the implementation of food reviews in Maps, Google has Yelp in its sights. Both apps have long offered similar features, including restaurant reservations and user reviews, but Yelp had the edge when it came to detailed, crowd-sourced food reviews. With Maps adding this feature to its roster, it has the potential of becoming a viable Yelp competitor on all fronts.

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  • Grab may be categorized as e-charter transport operator

    Grab may be categorized as e-charter transport operator

    The Ministry of Transport organized the meeting with other ministries, transport operators and associations to collect feedback for the eighth version of the draft decree before presenting it to the prime minister prior to April 15 as scheduled. Many participants at the meeting proposed Grab be listed as an e-charter transport operator.

    A representative from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) noted that Grab was a new transport service provider that applies technology to its operations. Its services are widely used by the local people thanks to its convenient features.

    The MPS representative suggested the relevant agencies clarify Grab’s business structure and categorize it in accordance with prevailing regulations while imposing stringent management policies on the firm in terms of safety requirements for vehicles and drivers, service costs and tax and financial obligations to the State.

    Representing Grab Vietnam, Nguyen Ngoc Trang asserted that Grab functions as an e-commerce trading floor as it was previously registered with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. He also pointed out that some terms stipulated on the draft decree were redundant and illogical.

    Meanwhile, some participants at the meeting voiced their opposition to the suggestion to list Grab as an e-charter transport service provider.

    Nguyen Cong Hung, chairman of the Hanoi Taxi Association, was quoted by Nguoi Lao Dong Online as saying that the application of electronic features to operations is merely a transport connection method. It is illogical to name a new transport service type based on the connection method, Hung said.

    Also, Khuat Viet Hung, vice chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, stated that the five types of transport services regulated in the Law on Road Traffic were enough and creating a new service type was not needed.

    Wrapping up the meeting, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho remarked that the unit compiling the draft decree will take the feedback into consideration. He suggested the relevant parties continue to work on the draft decree before sending it to the prime minister.

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  • Facebook is making changes to the App

    Facebook is making changes to the App

    Besides unveiling a new quicker and lighter Messenger app with end-to-end encryption, and new features for Instagram and WhatsApp, Facebook announced today some changes that are being made to its flagship app. The new focus of the Facebook app will be on groups, and FB5 will feature new ways to bring together people offline. With 400 million users subscribed to over ten million active groups, the redesigned app will make it easier for users to access the groups they belong to and find new ones to join. The groups tab will show a feed from all of the groups a member has joined, with recommendations for new groups to sign up with. Starting today Facebook users will see in their News Feed more content from the groups they belong to, and content from the feeds can be sent to these groups.

    Facebook will add new features for certain groups. HealthSupport Group members will be able to make anonymous posts about their medical conditions. Job groups will have a template to allow employers to post job openings; those interested in a particular job can message the employer and apply for the job through Facebook. Gaming groups will have a new chat feature, and Facebook is looking at ways to allow buyers on Facebook Live to find out more information about a product and make a purchase without leaving the live stream. Opting into the Meet New Friends feature will allow Facebook users to meet others that they share a community with like a school, office or city. Facebook has been testing Meet New Friends and a wider rollout is coming soon. Facebook Groups will be integrated so that users can meet people they share similar opinions with.

    The company also announced the expansion of Facebook Dating to 14 new countries. Facebook Dating is available in Colombia, Thailand, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana, and Suriname. This feature allows you to find potential matches from your Facebook groups, friends of friends and more. Facebook also is launching a Secret Crush feature that allows you to designate up to nine friends as Secret Crushes. If any one of the nine has opted into Facebook Dating, they will receive a notification alerting them that someone has a crush on them. If one of your crushes then adds you to their Secret Crush list, a match is made. If a crush isn’t on Facebook Dating or doesn’t add your name to his/her Secret Crush list, your interest is never revealed.

    Those using Marketplace to sell items will be happy to hear that they will soon be able to ship their wares anywhere in the continental U.S. and get paid on Facebook using a secure platform. And lastly, a new Events tab will show you things taking place around you and even recommend places to go and things to see. The tab will help you make plans with friends to meet up at an event. Some of the new features will be available right away, while others will be found on the app in a few months.

    Last week, we told you that 2.1 billion people use Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram on a daily basis. 2.7 billion use one of these Facebook properties on a monthly basis. The company does expect to be fined $3 billion to $5 billion for failing to comply with an FTC Consent Decree it signed back in 2011. With the latter, Facebook promised not to use member profiles without users’ approval. But during the Cambridge Analytica scandal, 87 million Facebook members had their profiles sold without permission to Cambridge Analytica and the data used to create psychological profiles.