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Friday, 30 October 2026
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Friday, 30 October 2026
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Ghanaian press · Organization

Facebook

Also known as: Facebook Live

Meta Platforms — technology company operating Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, facing major litigation over data privacy, child safety, and alleged addictive design.

2026-04-272026-10-30
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. June 2026

  2. Joy Online

    … For creators, small businesses, and organisations that want to maintain a consistent online presence, WhatsApp has reserved an option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username. …

    Your WhatsApp username is up for grabs – Reserve yours now before someone else takes it

  3. Joy Online

    … Facebook founder and Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said Shah had created “one of India’s most important technology companies” with Cred. …

    WhatsApp to be led by Indian start-up founder as Will Cathcart steps back

  4. Daily Guide

    … From TikTok to Facebook, X to Instagram, the patriotic, upbeat anthem is everywhere as Ghanaians rally behind the team. …

    Kofi Kinaata’s ‘Black Stars’ Anthem Takes Over Streets

  5. Joy Online

    … NetChoice, whose members include TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube, and Facebook and Instagram owner Meta, had argued the law was unconstitutionally vague and improperly restricted children’s access to content protected by the First Amendment. …

    US court rules Ohio can restrict children’s use of social media

  6. Joy Online

    … Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, Instagram, Telegram, and WhatsApp have fundamentally transformed civic participation. …

    Free Speech development in Ghana today and its implications for media development

  7. Joy Online

    … TikTok, Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, and other social media companies are facing thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals and school districts over their impact on young users. …

    Florida sues TikTok, claiming it violates state child safety law

  8. The Chronicle

    … Australia was the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them last December from platforms including TikTok, Alphabet’s YouTube and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook. …

    UK announces sweeping social media ban for under-16s

  9. Joy Online

    … The Sunday Times reported that the prime minister was set to announce a ban covering the same 10 platforms now prohibited for under-16s in Australia: TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, as well as YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, X, Threads, Facebook and Kick. …

    Starmer set to ban under-16s from major social media platforms

  10. Joy Online

    … Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and chief executive of Meta, the company that owns Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, has a similar holding of different classes of shares in his firm. …

    Elon Musk’s SpaceX raises $75bn ahead of record stock market debut

  11. Business & Financial Times

    … Social media platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube allow organisations to communicate directly with audiences without relying on traditional media gatekeepers. …

    PR CORNER with Prosper Delali AYAYEE: Choosing the right communication tool: Matching the message to the moment in public relations
World & Region

Gabon lifts eight-month social media ban after criticism

The News

Gabon's High Communication Authority has announced it has restored access to social media platforms, reversing a ban imposed on 17 February that authorities said was necessary to reduce online conflict and division. The ban had drawn widespread criticism, with opposition accusing the government of abusing power during a period of social unrest and strikes over pay and working conditions.

26 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 26 October

  1. Gabon lifts eight-month social media ban after criticism

    Gabon's High Communication Authority has announced it has restored access to social media platforms, reversing a ban imposed on 17 February that authorities said was necessary to reduce online conflict and division. The ban had drawn widespread criticism, with opposition accusing the government of abusing power during a period of social unrest and strikes over pay and working conditions.

    26 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 22 October

  1. Lula seeks Bolsonaro disqualification over Meta interference claims

    Brazilian President Lula has petitioned the electoral court to disqualify right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, alleging that Meta limited content to boost Bolsonaro's campaign ahead of Sunday's final election round. Bolsonaro filed a counter-petition accusing Lula of mass dissemination of government posts on WhatsApp, while UN experts expressed concern about reported discrepancies in both campaigns' ability to reach voters on Meta's platforms.

    22 October 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Meta offers Zuckerberg non-voting shares to keep him in California

    Meta has struck a deal with Mark Zuckerberg to keep him in California by providing non-voting shares he can sell to cover a potential multi-billion-dollar tax bill if California's proposed wealth tax passes, in exchange for him committing to remain a California resident or wherever Meta's headquarters are located for eight years.

    22 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 21 October

  1. Meta ordered to pay $25bn fine for data privacy lies

    A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta to pay $25 billion following a trial that found the company had spent years lying to the public about how it handled Facebook user data and its core business practices. The lawsuit stemmed from Meta's role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and accusations that it intentionally misled the public on how it benefited from hate speech content.

    21 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 16 October

  1. Social media spreads insults without editorial oversight, lawyer says

    Private legal practitioner Samson Lardy Anyenini says the main platform for spreading insults in Ghana's public discourse is social media, where commentators operate without the editorial supervision and professional accountability that guide traditional media organisations. He noted that the lack of editorial control over online platforms enables the spread of abusive content more readily than in established media.

    16 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 13 October

  1. Shatta Wale earned $45,000 from TikTok Live virtual gifts

    Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale has credited content creator Jackline Mensah for persuading him to join TikTok Live, where he says he has earned about $45,000 in virtual gifts from livestreams. Shatta Wale noted that social media has become an additional revenue stream for musicians alongside live performances and music streaming.

    13 October 2026 · Daily Guide →

  2. Van Vicker sues Lil Win for defamation, claims GH¢10 million

    Ghanaian actor Van Vicker has filed a High Court suit in Accra against fellow actor Kwadwo Nkansah (Lil Win) over alleged defamatory comments in a viral social media video, seeking GH¢10 million in exemplary damages. Van Vicker accuses Lil Win of publishing statements that damaged his reputation and portrayed him as dishonest and unfit to work in the Kumawood industry following a video published on TikTok and Facebook in August 2026.

    13 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 2 October

  1. New Mexico seeks $35–40 billion penalty against Meta for privacy violations

    New Mexico asked a judge to order Meta to pay between $35 billion and $40 billion in penalties after a jury found the company had misled consumers about the privacy of their data on Facebook, stemming from the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which a British political consulting firm harvested personal data from as many as 87 million Facebook users without their consent.

    2 October 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 16 September

  1. Snapchat boss willing to implement daily time limits for teens

    Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel told the BBC that the firm would be "willing to implement" time limits for teen users, calling it "an important step forward for the industry." Meta is pressing other social media companies to adopt similar measures after agreeing to a $12.7bn settlement with US states over allegations that it designed apps to be addictive to young users.

    16 September 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Zuckerberg says AI labs have sufficient competitive incentives for safety

    Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued on Tuesday that competition and liability give AI companies enough reason to act individually on safety, diverging from calls by other AI leaders for a coordinated slowdown in AI development. His comments reflect a broader split among industry executives and U.S. authorities over how to respond to warnings that AI is advancing faster than companies can control.

    16 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 15 September

  1. EU proposes ban on social media and AI for under-15s

    The European Union will propose a ban restricting under-15s from social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots, and online games as part of an EU Kids Act. The proposal allows gradual access to services by age while imposing obligations on companies depending on service type and child age.

    15 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 9 September

  1. Meta ran 332 ads with child sexual abuse imagery across platforms

    A US-based tech watchdog found 332 paid ads containing artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse material on Facebook and Instagram over 10 months, with 84 appearing in India—78 of them after the Indian government ordered Meta to remove such content.

    9 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 3 September

  1. UNICEF: 20 million children faced online sexual abuse yearly

    About 20 million internet-using children across 21 countries were subjected to sexual exploitation or abuse on digital platforms in a single year, with most cases occurring on social media, according to a UNICEF report. More than one in five children aged 12 to 17 across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe experienced at least one form of sexual abuse or exploitation online in the year before being surveyed.

    3 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 2 September

  1. Social media has become the most powerful force in modern life

    Social media has evolved from a tool for connecting with friends into the dominant force shaping how people live, think, buy, learn, and protest. It has democratized access to audiences, shifted power from institutions to individuals, made news instant, and shaped culture and behavior through trends and viral content, though it has also accelerated the spread of misinformation.

    2 September 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 31 August

  1. TrustGH identifies 6,000 scam numbers; TikTok tops fraud platform

    TrustGH, a scam verification platform, has identified more than 6,000 telephone numbers linked to suspected fraudulent activity in Ghana, with approximately 50 per cent of reported scam numbers associated with TikTok. Threat actors exploit social media, messaging apps, and telecommunications channels using social engineering techniques to target individuals and businesses.

    31 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 27 August

  1. Meta settles $18bn child privacy case with 29 US states

    Meta resolved a lawsuit brought by nearly two-thirds of US states over its historic collection and use of data from children under 13, based on the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The settlement reflects broader industry pressure on social media platforms ahead of what is expected to be a reckoning year for child safety in 2026.

    27 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 26 August

  1. Meta to pay up to $18 billion in youth safety settlement

    Meta Platforms has agreed to a historic settlement with dozens of U.S. states over allegations that its platforms fueled a youth mental health crisis, agreeing to pay up to $18 billion and overhaul key features on Facebook and Instagram. The company will initially pay approximately $12 billion, with additional payments conditional on whether competing platforms adopt similar safety standards.

    26 August 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Meta settles US states lawsuit over child safety harms

    Meta Platforms has settled claims brought by 29 states that the company designed Instagram and Facebook to addict children, misled consumers about safety, and improperly collected personal data from child users without parental consent. The settlement was reached during a federal court trial in California, averting what would have been a major test of allegations that social media companies harmed young users.

    26 August 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Meta, US states discuss mid-trial settlement over teen addiction claims

    Meta Platforms and state attorneys general have discussed a potential mid-trial settlement of a lawsuit accusing the company of deliberately designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to young users, Bloomberg News reported. The case involves 29 states and is one of the highest-profile tests of allegations that social media companies have harmed young users.

    26 August 2026 · Joy Online →

  4. Instagram head testifies on delayed rollout of safety feature

    Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head since 2018, testified in a trial brought by 29 U.S. states over alleged addictive design that few teenagers — in the low-single digits — used the "Take a Break" feature before Instagram made it the default setting in September 2024, nearly three years after its launch. Mosseri acknowledged the feature was available to users but said most teens didn't want it before being made mandatory.

    26 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 24 August

  1. New Zealand introduces bill to ban under-16s from social media

    New Zealand will introduce a bill banning those under 16 from using platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, with companies facing fines of up to 10% of global revenue for non-compliance. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the measure is needed to protect children from harmful content and addictive technology affecting their mental health and education.

    24 August 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Content creator Saani: invest in craft, not hype

    Ghanaian entrepreneur Adnan Saani, who reaches 2.7 million followers across social media platforms, has urged content creators to treat their work as a profession and invest in skills rather than chasing attention alone. He argues that social media only pays when matched with professional development, saying "attention is the door" but creators must build something of value behind it.

    24 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Sunday 23 August

  1. TikTok agrees to $400 million US child privacy settlement

    TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to the US to settle allegations that it and parent company ByteDance violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on millions of users under 13. The settlement is one of the largest-ever over child privacy issues, following similar violations by YouTube ($170 million in 2019) and Epic Games ($275 million in 2022).

    23 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 21 August

  1. US teen drops social media addiction lawsuit ahead of trial

    A 15-year-old girl from New Jersey dismissed her claims against Meta, Google, and Snap, which alleged the platforms' owners contributed to her social media addiction, depression, and self-harm. Her attorney said the plaintiff chose to dismiss the remainder of her claims to resume her life, though she had sought to hold social media companies accountable.

    21 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 20 August

  1. Meta executive testifies Zuckerberg prioritised growth over child safety

    A former Meta engineering director testified that CEO Mark Zuckerberg fostered a culture treating child safety as secondary to growth on Facebook and Instagram. The testimony came during a landmark trial in which California, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey and 25 other states accuse Meta of designing platforms to harm young users and improperly collecting data from children under 13.

    20 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 19 August

  1. Meta faces US trial over claims it hooked children on social media

    A California jury has begun hearing claims that Meta intentionally hooked children on Facebook and Instagram through violations of federal and state privacy laws. Twenty-nine US states, including California and New York, filed the lawsuit in 2023 and are seeking billions of dollars in damages and demanding Meta make changes including ending "like" counts and infinite scroll.

    19 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 17 August

  1. Meta faces trial over targeting young users, privacy violations

    A jury trial beginning Tuesday, filed by 30 US states including California and New York, claims Meta violated federal and state privacy laws for children. The states seek over $1 trillion in damages and demand changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending "like" counts, infinite scroll, autoplay video, filters, and other features they say manipulate young users into prolonged engagement.

    17 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 14 August

  1. Social media firms resist Australia under-16 ban enforcement push

    Top social media platforms urged the Australian government not to rely heavily on early evidence that most children still use their products despite a landmark under-16 ban introduced in December, as lawmakers consider doubling maximum penalties to A$99 million and expanding regulators' investigative powers. Australia's eSafety Commissioner reported that roughly 80% of minors were still on social media months after the ban took effect but noted modest declines in underage accounts and said enforcement would drive further change.

    14 August 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Meta reports removing 756,000 suspected underage Australian accounts

    Meta said Thursday it had taken down more than 750,000 accounts suspected to be held by Australians under 16 since the country's social media ban went live in December, with 462,000 Instagram and 294,000 Facebook accounts deactivated through June. The action comes as Australia's internet regulator considers an enforcement lawsuit against platforms for insufficient compliance, though independent studies showed more than eight in 10 under-16s remained on social media in the ban's first three months.

    14 August 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 10 August

  1. Bezos-led consortium in talks for stake in Liverpool FC

    A group including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin is close to acquiring about one-third of Premier League club Liverpool for approximately £4.4 billion, according to media reports. The deal, being led by Amit Bhatia, could be announced as early as this week by owner Fenway Sports Group, which has owned the club since 2010.

    10 August 2026 · Joy Online →

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