Is Facebook’s rebrand just a strategic move to create a portfolio of CEO’s that allow the founder to move into a space that is removed from scandal and scrutiny?
MAT COLE ON
Facebook has officially announced that it will change its name to meta, signalling a new era for the social media giant.
The name change follows months of scrutiny and growing public distrust around the social media giant.
The shift will see a new focus on becoming a computing platform specialising in virtual reality and the metaverse.
Chief Executive and Founder Mark Zuckerberg says the metaverse is the next frontier and from now on the company will be metaverse first, not Facebook first.
But Facebook is under fire – so is Zuck looking to play the blame game?
Mat Cole from ACT media ventures this sort of re architecture of their portfolio, allows the appointment of CEOs for WhatsApp, CEO for Facebook and a CEO for Instagram, but Zuck will always controls the company
META
“Expect a new Facebook CEO, who will be the one facing the senate enquiries, while the founder and actual leader of Facebook will be of wearing Facebook glasses on morning television”
COLE SAID.
“Mark Zuckerberg as a founder, can now move away and create a shield from all the bad press that they’re getting.”
But behind the speeches, feel good stories about Facebook’s growth and ultimately – a rebrand, what will change?
Cole says the data policies across all of their business will not change and has not changed.
“By allowing him to pull in CEOs, what it does is every time that there is a controversy, and Facebook has a an amazing history of 10 years, you no longer have consistent controversies,” he told ticker.
META
“Instead of turning up and sitting in front of Congress and be grilled, he can say no, not me. Go and speak to the CEO of Facebook, or go and speak to the CEO of WhatsApp, or go and speak to the CEO of Instagram.”
Are people all going to flock to this idea of virtual reality?
META
“We’re not all going to buy VR goggles and jump into work. Like that’s that’s just not going to happen,” Cole says.
"We're not all going to buy VR goggles and jump into work" #Facebook users are an older group & Mat Cole from ACT Capital Ventures says a #metaverse can't happen in a centralised environment like Facebook pic.twitter.com/CN3KgILMaX
“Facebook’s users are an older group, which have a less likelihood of being able to jump in and buy virtual reality headsets. They’re just not going to do that.”
Cole says the Metaverse is part of a broader conversation, “a disconnected, interoperable, landscape of technology.”
“So I can take my avatar from work, play, to dating, and all of that can happen in the metaverse. It doesn’t happen in these, centralised environments. And that’s what Facebook talking about.”
“So it’s quite wrong in terms of what the metaverse is. So I think, it doesn’t always have to be in VR goggles, which is a lot of what Facebook is, is talking about adoption being predicated upon.”
OpenAI has taken another giant leap forward with the launch of ChatGPT Atlas — an AI-powered web browser that could redefine how people search, explore, and interact online. Investors and competitors are watching closely as this new technology challenges the dominance of traditional browsers like Google Chrome.
With ChatGPT Atlas, users may soon experience a web that feels less like typing into a search box and more like conversing with an intelligent assistant. The integration of AI could make browsing faster, more intuitive, and more personalised than ever before — but it also raises serious questions about privacy and data use.
As AI becomes more deeply embedded in the digital world, ChatGPT Atlas could represent the next major step toward a fully AI-driven online experience. What does this mean for users — and for the tech giants trying to keep up?
In Short:
– OpenAI partners with Bryan Cranston and unions to combat deepfakes on its Sora app.
– The app now includes options for people to control their likenesses and voices.
OpenAI announced it will work with Bryan Cranston, SAG-AFTRA, and actor unions to combat deepfakes on its AI video app, Sora.Cranston voiced concerns after unauthorized AI-generated clips featuring his likeness emerged after Sora 2’s launch in late September. He showed gratitude to OpenAI for taking steps to safeguard actors’ rights to control their likenesses.
The partnership aims to enhance protections against unauthorized AI content. The Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency had previously criticized OpenAI, citing risks to their clients’ intellectual property.
Last week, OpenAI blocked disrespectful videos of Martin Luther King Jr. at the request of his estate, following similar pressures. Zelda Williams also requested the public refrain from sending her AI-generated clips of her late father, Robin Williams.
Policy Changes
Following tensions post-launch, CEO Sam Altman revised Sora’s policy to give rights holders greater control of their likenesses.
The app now allows individuals to opt-out, reflecting OpenAI’s commitment to respond quickly to concerns from performers.
OpenAI backs the NO FAKES Act, supporting legislation that aims to protect individuals from unauthorized AI-generated representations.
OpenAI is focused on ensuring performers’ rights are respected regarding the misuse of their voices and likenesses. Altman reiterated the company’s dedication to these protections.
In Short:
– AWS outage on Monday disrupted major apps like Fortnite, Snapchat, and affected several global companies.
– UK companies including Lloyds Bank and Vodafone reported issues due to the AWS outage.
Amazon’s AWS experienced a significant outage on Monday, impacting major apps including Fortnite and Snapchat. The disruption affected connectivity for numerous companies globally.AWS reported increased error rates and latencies across multiple services and is attempting to recover quickly.
The outage marks the first significant internet disruption since a previous incident last year that impacted essential technology systems globally. AWS offers on-demand computing and storage services and is vital for many websites and platforms.
Multiple companies reported disruptions, including AI startup Perplexity, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, and trading app Robinhood. Perplexity’s CEO confirmed on X that the outages were linked to AWS issues.
Amazon’s shopping site, Prime Video, and Alexa services also faced difficulties, according to Downdetector. Other affected platforms included popular gaming applications like Clash Royale and financial services such as Venmo and Chime.
Uber competitor Lyft’s app was reported down for numerous users in the U.S. Messaging platform Signal also acknowledged connection problems stemming from the AWS outage.
British Companies
In the UK, Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, and telecom services provider Vodafone were notably affected. The HMRC’s website also encountered issues during this outage.
Elon Musk stated that his platform, X, remained operational despite the widespread disruptions.