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Tag: facebook

  • Facebook merges Messenger and Instagram experiences

    Facebook merges Messenger and Instagram experiences

    We can’t say that this wasn’t bound to happen at some point, but Facebook’s announcement remains a big surprise for Instagram and Messenger users. The social media giant confirmed earlier today that it merged Messenger and Instagram and enabled cross-app messaging.

    According to Facebook, its research revealed that four out of five people who use messaging apps in the United States say that spending more time connecting with friends and family on these apps is important to them. However, one out of three people finds it difficult to remember what app their friends are using.

    In other words, Facebook merged the two messaging experiences to avoid confusion among users, but that’s hardly the main reason. In any case, it’s important to mention that if you’re using Instagram, you can decide whether or not to update your app to benefit from the new messaging experience.

    In addition, Facebook announced that it will roll out more than 10 new features to its Instagram and Messenger users. A new vanish mode has been introduced, which allows users to set messages to automatically disappear after they’re seen.

    To make it clear for those who use one of the two apps or both, the main change is that people using the Messenger app can now reach those on Instagram without needing to download a new app, and vice versa. Furthermore, you can choose where you want to receive messages and calls, like in your chats, in your message requests, or not at all.

    Several Messenger features have been confirmed for Instagram, but they might not be available starting today: Watch Together, Selfie Stickers, Chat Colors, Custom Emoji Reactions, Forwarding, Animated Message Effects, Message Controls, Replies, and Vanish Mode.

  • Microsoft reportedly not advertising on Facebook any longer but not for the reason you think

    Microsoft reportedly not advertising on Facebook any longer but not for the reason you think

    Microsoft has paused advertising on Facebook and Instagram, per a new Axios report. The outlet claims that US ad spending was suspended in May and Microsoft is now pulling out of marketing with Facebook on a global level. Axios is quick to note that the firm has not formally joined the #StopHateForProfit movement which is encouraging companies to halt spending on Facebook and Instagram to pressure CEO Mark Zuckerberg into taking a firmer stance to filter hate speech. Rather, Microsoft apparently has a problem with where its ads are displayed.

    According to an internal Yammer post, Microsoft CMO Chris Capossela said: Based on concerns we had back in May we suspended all media spending on Facebook/Instagram in the US and we’ve subsequently suspended all spending on Facebook/Instagram worldwide.

    While it’s hard to specifically point out what content the company found objectionable, the transcript refers to terrorist content, hate speech, and pornography.  Although the motive is somewhat similar to that of bigwigs like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Viber, and Starbucks, Microsoft has reportedly taken a much softer approach and is in talks with Facebook’s leadership to discuss its concerns and lay down the conditions that must be met in order for it to resume advertising.

    As things stand now, Microsoft expects the ad suspension to last through August.

    Facebook is surely feeling the heat. The company recently announced that it will start labeling posts that go against its rules, even if they are considered newsworthy. Previously, it did not touch posts that came from public figures like President Donald Trump.

    Facebook is financially too strong to be impacted by a boycott in the short term as much of its revenue is generated by small and medium-sized businesses, but its reputation can surely take a hit.

    In the long run, the financial situation could get messy too and the company’s shares have started tumbling already.

    Some brands had already stopped advertising on Facebook because of the pandemic and the new campaign will only make the matters worse. That said, some 8 million entities advertise on Facebook, and provided that ad pricing will likely reduce because of the current situation, other firms will likely step in to fill the gap and this will probably offset the financial loss.

    Some are also of the view that reduction in ad expenditure was already on the cards for many companies because of the pandemic and their support for the #StopHateForProfit campaign might very well be a PR stunt.

    Microsoft, on the other hand, supposedly likes to keep things private, something which Facebook will surely appreciate at a time when others are bailing on it publicly.

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  • Facebook testing Dark mode for iOS

    Facebook testing Dark mode for iOS

    What do you do when your social-media site is under attack because of your policies that allow offensive posts and posts filled with hatred to ferment until they blow up? Why you start pushing out Dark mode for the mobile version of your site. Of course, we are talking about Facebook. The social-media giant has lost a lot of high-rollers from its advertising roster over the last week including Verizon. The nation’s largest carrier spent nearly $1.9 million on Facebook and Instagram ads from May 22nd to June 20th. As more and more big-name advertisers pulled out, Facebook’s stock cratered leaving co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg some $7 billion poorer on Friday alone.

    Facebook has started rolling out Dark mode for “a small percentage of users globally right now.” Dark Mode inverts the typical black text on a white background to black text on a white background. This prevents users from having the white-hot background irritate their eyes at night or in a dark room. On phones using an AMOLED display, it can save battery life since OLED panels create the color black by turning off pixels in the appropriate area. Pixels that are turned off do not draw on the phone’s battery.

    There have been rumors for years about a Dark mode for Facebook and occasionally Facebook has tested such a feature. The most recent story we wrote about it was posted three weeks ago. Meanwhile, Dark mode has surfaced on Facebook Messenger, Facebook Lite, WhatsApp, and Instagram. It is also offered to users of the desktop (web) version of the site.

    A Facebook user who shared an image of Facebook in Dark mode on Twitter was apparently using the first developer beta of iOS 14. To see if you have Dark mode on your Facebook app, go to settings and if a Dark mode button appears, congratulations. You have Dark mode for Facebook. Unfortunately, we did not get Dark mode yet on our iPhone 11 Pro Max running iOS 13.5.1 and our Pixel 2 XL running Android 11 beta 1. Unless Facebook really does broaden the distribution of this update, it will turn out to be another disappointment for those Dark mode fans who want the UI for their Facebook app.

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  • Facebook Shops opens in South Korea

    Facebook Shops opens in South Korea

    Facebook Shops has launched in South Korea to compete in a booming e-commerce market.

    On a playing field dominated by local businesses, Facebook’s service allows sellers to showcase their products via a highly customizable online storefront, which shoppers can browse using Facebook or Instagram accounts, saving products they wish to purchase. The service will include a feature to make purchases via instant messaging within the near future.

    The firm has partnered with local services Shopify, Bigcommerce, Woocommerce, and Cafe24 as it rolls out the platform.

    Facebook Shops has been live in the US and key locations in Europe since last month, in a move Facebook says it will support small enterprises impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Rival platform Google Shopping is also expected to unfold in the territory this year.

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  • Likes and followers more meaningfull post Covid-19

    Likes and followers more meaningfull post Covid-19

    As consumers around the world spend more time on social media in the Covid-19 era, likes and followers on social media are likely to become increasingly valuable to retailers.

    According to a new report by research firm Globaldata, 43.7 percent of international consumers are spending more time on social media due to the coronavirus pandemic. The firm is now advising brands to capitalize on this activity to promote purchasing and build shopper loyalty in a time of significantly dampened demand for non-essential goods.

    “Social media will play an even more important role in marketing post Covid-19, as many retailers are slashing marketing budgets to preserve cash to cope with the crisis, especially those that previously relied on traditional forms of marketing such as television and billboard adverts,” said Globaldata retail analyst Emily Salter. “Social media is a far cheaper method, especially if brands can leverage user-generated content and rely less on sponsored posts and collaborations.”

    The firm recommends retailers ensure their social media content is not too heavily skewed towards purchase-focused posts, with a significant number of followers facing financial instability following a global rise in unemployment. That will ensure engagement and boost likes and followers.

    “Retailers need to focus on aspects beyond products: elements of their brand identity that resonate with shoppers, the positive actions they have taken during the crisis, and building engagement to foster a sense of community,” said Salter. “These are all elements that shoppers will be able to relate to whether they are in a position to purchase items or not, building brand loyalty and influencing shoppers’ choices in the long term.”

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  • EU wants to have Google, Facebook and Twitter report monthly on their actions against fake news

    EU wants to have Google, Facebook and Twitter report monthly on their actions against fake news

    As the fight with the coronavirus pandemic continues, so does the fight against misinformation on social media. The European Union wants to now have tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Google report monthly on their efforts against misinformation, regarding COVID-19.

    EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell and Vera Jourova, the European Commission’s Vice President for values and transparency, reportedly stated that the tech giants should provide information on their fight against fake news. Jourova additionally stated that the spread of fake news and false information on social media is harming not only democracy but also the health of the people. She added that it also can undermine the economy.

    The monthly reports should include actions that were done to promote legitimate content and to restrict coronavirus-related misinformation, along with false ads on the matter.

    Josep Borrell stated that along with the aforementioned measures, more support for free and independent media should be provided, as well as support for fact-checkers and researchers.

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  • Libra Poaches Top Credit Suisse Crime-Fighter

    Libra Poaches Top Credit Suisse Crime-Fighter

    The bank’s top anti-money laundering executive is leaving for Facebook-backed payments project Libra.

    Sterling Daines is leaving Credit Suisse for Libra, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The bank had poached Daines three years ago from Goldman Sachs to run its financial crime compliance, or FCC, activities under top compliance boss Lydie Hudson.

    He is the latest representative from traditional finance to head for Libra, an upstart payments system governed by a Swiss-based association. Last month, Libra said it is hiring HSBC’s top lawyer Stuart Levey as its CEO, and also tapped the weighty support of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund.

    Neither Daines nor Libra responded to a request for comment. A 2018 sanction from Swiss watchdog Finma for several money-laundering scandals fell in the early days of Daines’ tenure at Credit Suisse.

    The Swiss bank is poised to replace him with Tam Ludford, a 12-year Credit Suisse veteran who will add the job to his current role as global head of core compliance, surveillance, and investigations.

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  • Samsung together with Facebook help Indian SMEs go live online

    Samsung together with Facebook help Indian SMEs go live online

    Samsung and Facebook have partnered up in India to train retailers to expand into e-commerce via social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp.

    More than 800 retailers have undergone training sessions, with many more expected to participate in the near future.

    “Our partnership with Facebook is helping a large number of our retail partners go digital in a big way,” said Samsung India senior VP mobile business Mohandeep Singh. “By leveraging the Facebook training, our retail partners will be able to discover and target local consumers digitally.”

    The training by Samsung and Facebook most specifically targets offline retailers of Samsung products to set up business pages and accounts on Facebook’s various platforms.

    “The presence of local Samsung retailers on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp will help consumers reach out to their local retailers for more information about their desired Galaxy smartphone, and shop for Galaxy smartphones on the platform of their choice,” read an official statement from Samsung.

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  • Facebook Shops enabling retailers to sell directly to consumers

    Facebook Shops enabling retailers to sell directly to consumers

    Social commerce is about to get a whole lot more social, with Facebook announcing the launch of its business-to-consumer marketplace offering Facebook Shops.

    The new platform began rolling out in New Zealand yesterday and will be progressively rolled out across international markets during the coming months.

    Shops will leverage the co-owned ecosystem of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp to make it easy for customers to find the products they want, wherever they are, and be able to get in contact with the business selling if they need more information.

    Businesses will be able to set up a partly-customizable storefront within Facebook, which can be accessed through Facebook, Instagram, or through stories or ads.

    In the US, customers will be able to check out directly within Facebook – though this feature has yet to make it to Australia and New Zealand.

    “Over the past three months businesses of all sizes have been forced to change their business models and adapt to selling online,” Facebook Australia and New Zealand MD Will Easton said.

    “We’ve accelerated our development of new products, giving businesses better means of connecting with consumers, and helping businesses who don’t have an online presence to drive sales online.”

    Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says Shops will be free for businesses to access.

    “Our business model here is ads, so rather than charge businesses for Shops, we know that Shops are valuable for businesses. They’re going to – in general – bid more for ads and we’ll eventually make money that way.”

    And later this year the business will expand Shops into its live-streaming features, in which a business can tag products that will be on display before starting a stream to make them purchasable when going live.

    Facebook is already working in collaboration with e-commerce partners such as Shopify, BigCommerce and WooCommerce to enable businesses an easier time getting their Facebook Shop up and running.

    Shops is the latest push by the social media giant into the world of commerce, building off the strengths of its customer-to-customer Marketplace offering.

    And according to industry firm UBS the drive toward online shopping will only become more important for businesses in a post-Covid-19 world.

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  • Facebook buys GIPHY for $400 million

    Facebook buys GIPHY for $400 million

    Facebook announced yesterday that it is acquiring GIPHY. The latter started in February 2013 as a search engine for GIFs and it was apparent that co-founders Alex Chung and Jace Cooke were on to something after they attracted one million users during GIPHY’s first week. Soon, GIPHY was allowing users to post, embed, and share GIFs on Facebook.

    Half of GIPHY’s traffic comes from Facebook-owned apps with Instagram making up 50% of that figure. The other apps include WhatsApp, Messenger, and the Facebook app. After the transaction closes, people will still be able to upload GIFs, and developers and partners will still have access to GIPHY’s APIs. More importantly, GIPHY’s creative community will still be able to create the usual “great content.”

    While Facebook didn’t announce the price of the transaction, Axios says that GIPHY cost Facebook $400 million. In 2014, Facebook closed on its purchase of messaging app WhatsApp; that purchase was paid for in Facebook stock and was originally valued at $19 billion. By the time the deal closed, a rally in Facebook’s shares brought the price of the transaction to a stunning $21 billion. A couple of years before, Facebook purchased Instagram for $1 billion in what turned out to be one of the biggest steals in the history of technology.

    Facebook says, “By bringing Instagram and GIPHY together, we can make it easier for people to find the perfect GIFs and stickers in Stories and Direct. Both our services are big supporters of the creator and artist community, and that will continue. Together, we can make it easier for anyone to create and share their work with the world…GIFs and stickers give people meaningful and creative ways to express themselves. We see the positivity in how people use GIPHY in our products today, and we know that bringing the GIPHY team’s creativity and talent together with ours will only accelerate how people use visual communication to connect with each other.”

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  • Facebook shuts down Instagram Lite app

    Facebook shuts down Instagram Lite app

    Instagram Lite, the app launched by Facebook two years ago in several countries to help users with less powerful smartphones has been given the ax. AndroidPolice recently noticed that the Instagram Lite app has been removed from the Google Play Store, while those who already have installed are now met with a message informing them that the app is no longer supported.

    TechCrunch was able to confirm with Facebook that Instagram Lite has been shut down and that people in those countries where it was available are now redirected to the full-fledged Instagram app:

    We are rolling back the test of the Instagram Lite app. You can start using the latest version of Instagram instead to connect with the people and things you love.

    The Instagram Lite app was available for download in countries like Kenya, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, but instead of expanding its availability, Facebook has decided to shut it down completely.

    However, it looks like this isn’t the last time we see a “lite” version of Instagram, as Facebook plans to process all the feedback it received and build a new version of Instagram Lite. Unfortunately, there’s no telling when the app will be launched, but at least we know it’s coming.

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  • Facebook-backed Libra Nabs New CEO From HSBC

    Facebook-backed Libra Nabs New CEO From HSBC

    Facebook’s global currency project is taking shape – Libra is poaching its first CEO from HSBC. The banker is impeccably connected in government circles.

    It feels like Facebook is leaving nothing to chance in its renewed attempt to get Libra, a digital currency network, off the ground. The project sparked fierce regulatory and political opposition when it was unveiled last year.

    The Geneva-based association which governs the project is naming Stuart Levey as its new CEO, effective this summer, it said in a statement. Levey has been HSBC’s legal chief for the past eight years and possesses impeccable credentials from a long career at the U.S. Treasury and the Justice Department.

    Levey’s financial enforcement experience includes overseeing U.S. sanctions by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC and responsibility for U.S. civil anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing laws by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN.

    Three weeks ago, Libra said it is seeking a Swiss license for payments. I look forward to working closely with governments, regulators, and all of our stakeholders to realize this vision, Levey said in the statement.

    This represents a massive scaling-back of the Facebook-backed project initial ambitions for a global digital currency. The original plan had not only wrong-footed Bern but raised hackles among policy- and lawmakers.

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  • Facebook’s virtual Messenger Rooms allow up to 50 people to video chat simultaneously

    Facebook’s virtual Messenger Rooms allow up to 50 people to video chat simultaneously

    Thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, people are connecting with their friends and family through video chat apps such as FaceTime, Duo, Houseparty, and Zoom. When Apple released iOS 12.1 in 2018, it updated FaceTime allowing 32 participants in a video chat at one time. Duo has been hiking the number of its simultaneous users to 12. Houseparty can handle eight participants at one time while Zoom’s free tier can handle as many as 100 users at one time.

    Today, Facebook said that some of its properties have seen heavy increases in demand for communicating by video. In many countries, Messenger and WhatsApp video calling more than doubled and more people are watching live streams “broadcast” by Instagram and Facebook users. So today, Facebook introduced Messenger Rooms. You can create a room from Facebook or Messenger and invite up to 50 people to join you in a video chat with no time limit. And you can even invite people to join you even if they do not have a Facebook account.

    Facebook says that it will soon allow users to create such rooms from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, and Portal. If you’re invited to “enter” a room,  you can join from your phone or computer right away without having to download anything. And those with the Messenger app can spruce up their appearance through the use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence. With the former, you can add things like bunny ears, and with the latter, you can place yourself in selected locations using immersive 360-degree backgrounds.

    Those who create a room get to kick people out and can also lock a room if they don’t want any more people to join. In fact, the room creator gets to decide who can see the room and join it. And no one is stuck inside a room; anyone can leave whenever they feel like it. And yes, if you create a room you can block people you don’t like from entering, but you won’t be able to join their rooms. The new Messenger Rooms will be available in some countries this week and will be offered to the rest of the world in the upcoming months.

    Facebook says, “Host celebrations, gather a book club or just hang out on the couch with friends. You don’t need to call someone and hope it’s a good time or checks everyone’s calendar first. You can start and share rooms on Facebook through News Feed, Groups, and Events, so it’s easy for people to drop by.”

    Until we are able to better get a grip on the coronavirus, video chats are the safest way to stay connected to friends and family that don’t live with you. The free tier of Zoom can help 100 people “attend” virtual wedding reception and virtual weddings. Last week, New York Mayor Andrew Cuomo signed an Executive Order allowing people to get married in the state over video chat.

    On its privacy page, Facebook notes that it doesn’t watch your video calls (or listen to your audio calls for that matter). But it does collect data from Messenger Rooms whether you joined via the app or just walked into a room without having an account. The data collected is used to improve the experience of using the feature and Facebook says that it does not show ads in any of the Rooms and that video and audio from these Rooms are not used to “inform ads.” If you “walk” into a room without having a Facebook account, information like the device and browser you’re using is collected to, in the words of Facebook, “improve the Rooms product experience and to help keep Rooms safe and secure.

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  • Facebook investing billions in India’s Jio Platforms

    Facebook investing billions in India’s Jio Platforms

    Facebook has paid US$5.7 billion for a 9.99-per-cent stake in Indian telco and e-commerce enabler Jio Platforms, becoming the largest minority shareholder in the Reliance Industries-controlled company.

    The size of the investment is reportedly the largest yet by a foreign company into an Indian-controlled company, underlining that the transaction is far more significant than the percentage partnership might at first suggest.

    In a statement published online, Facebook chief revenue officer David Fischer and Facebook India VP and MD Ajit Mohan, said one focus of the US company’s collaboration with Jio will be to create new ways for people and businesses to operate more effectively in the world’s fastest-growing digital economy.

    “For instance, by bringing together JioMart, Jio’s small business initiative, with the power of WhatsApp, we can enable people to connect with businesses, shop, and ultimately purchase products in a seamless mobile experience.”

    In less than four years, Jio Platforms has helped nearly 400 million Indians move online, helping create new digital enterprises and connecting them through chat programs like Facebook’s WhatsApp. About 560 million people nationwide are now online out of a population of 1.387 billion.

    “This investment underscores our commitment to India, and our excitement for the dramatic transformation that Jio has spurred in the country,” the Facebook pair said.

    Aurojyoti Bose, lead analyst at GlobalData, described the deal, as “a well-devised approach offering a win-win situation for both the companies”.

    “India is a key market for Facebook with millions of users and its messaging app WhatsApp also has a huge user base. On the other hand, Jio is one of the largest telecom networks in India with around 370 million subscriber base and the deal can help Facebook in further enhancing its footprint in the country.”

    Bose says the deal has become even more crucial for Facebook at a time when WhatApp is preparing to launch a payments app in the country. Jio, as its local partner, will be pivotal in navigating the regulatory hurdles.

    “Moreover, encouraged by the growing popularity of TikTok, Facebook has plans to launch video app Lasso, which will benefit from Jio’s huge subscriber base in India.”

    Using the JioMart 0e-commerce platform, the two companies will now have a clear path to using WhatsApp as a conduit for online orders, especially important with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    “Jio will benefit from the technical expertise of Facebook,” adds Bose. “In addition, the deal is a step forward towards Jio’s strategy to … become debt-free by March next year.”

    The size of Facebook’s investment puts Jio Platforms’ valuation at $65.95 billion, making it the fifth-largest company in India in terms of market capitalization.

    Fischer and Mohan, meanwhile, say the rapid adoption of digital technologies by Indians marks  “one of the most dynamic social and economic transformations the world has ever seen”.

    “Our goal is to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, but especially for the more than 60 million small businesses across India. They account for the majority of jobs in the country and form the heart and soul of rural and urban communities alike. In the face of the coronavirus, it is important that we both combat this global pandemic now, and lay the groundwork to help people and businesses in the years to come,” they said.

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  • Facebook invest $5.7 billion in Reliance Industries to capitalise on India’s booming tech sector

    Facebook invest $5.7 billion in Reliance Industries to capitalise on India’s booming tech sector

    Facebook has committed to a multi-billion investment in Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, ensuring that Facebook has an increased presence in India at a time when digital technology is booming. That investment takes the form of a US$5.7 billion outlay by Facebook to acquire a 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms, the digital technology branch of Reliance.

    This will give Mark Zuckerberg’s company access to Reliance Jio, the network that commands around 57% of the Indian broadband market, while providing a stronger platform to launch a new WhatsApp payment venture in a country where around 400 million people use the messaging service.

    This gives Facebook a foothold in India at a time when government regulations are making foreign investment increasingly difficult. This deal also benefits Reliance; Ambani may be India’s richest person, but the Facebook investment will deliver vital capital in his quest to eliminate all debt by March 2021.

    Possible effects of Facebook’s investment

    Amazon and Walmart have both cornered a significant share of India’s e-commerce trade, while Netflix committed to a $400 million investment on Indian content in 2019 and 2020. These companies have altered the retail and streaming landscapes respectively, with Facebook’s partnership with Reliance Industries likely to have a similar effect on technology and finance in India.

    https://www.facebook.com/Jio/posts/1949554658502959

    A rise in digital payments

    Financial digitization is something that the Indian government has striven for in recent years. One objective of the 2016 banknote demonetization was to reduce the prevalence of cash payments, although this strategy was poorly executed and poorly received. Facebook’s ability to integrate seamlessly into everyday consumer life may prove more successful than the government-driven push for digitization.

    Ambani has stated his intention for his commerce platform Jio Mart to combine with WhatsApp technology in order to assist with digital transactions for ‘mom and pop’ stores. The Reliance owner spoke of a desire to connect with 30 million of these shops to give them a platform to better cater to their clientele. Combining Facebook tech with the established interface of Jio will help small vendors to set up online stores with minimal fuss to facilitate deliveries and increase trade.

    More confidence with online financial services

    A corollary of digital payments becoming commonplace will be that an even larger proportion of the population will feel comfortable with using technology for financial purposes. This could manifest in a greater acceptance for a digital coin in India; this is something that the National Institute for Smart Government (NISG) proposed at the start of 2020, with a digital rupee driven by blockchain tech more likely to be accepted by consumers familiar with virtual payments.

    Online trading could also benefit alongside cryptocurrencies. Digitized payments destroy the notion that transactions have to incorporate money changing hands, illustrating the appeal of online foreign exchange platforms where users can purchase and sell currencies at the click of a button. With many of the best forex bonuses geared towards beginners, an indirect result of Facebook’s investment could be inspiring a new wave of traders to further explore the links between finance and technology.

    More connectivity

    With a population of 1.38 billion, India is a massive market that warrants significant investments from global brands. Over 1 billion of those people own a mobile device, while around 615 million people have access to broadband. India boasts the lowest mobile data costs in the world; 1GB of mobile data can be purchased for just $0.26, whereas the same acquisition can cost over $12 in the United States.

    Consultancy firm PwC estimates that there may be 800 million internet users in India by 2022, so Facebook are gaining access to the market at a timely moment. Facebook will not just be collaborating with Jio to take advantage of low data costs and high internet access, but the two will also seek to expand and enhance the ways that the country is connected.

    In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg stated his intention to deliver reliable digital tools to help India’s 60 million small business provide for their customers. Digital payments may become more popular thanks to the WhatsApp Pay service, while Facebook’s involvement will support the vast tech services that Jio is already providing.

     

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