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Sunday, 5 July 2026
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Sunday, 5 July 2026
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Instagram

Social media platform that has faced litigation over child safety and addiction, including lawsuits from U.S. states and parental consent requirements.

2026-04-272026-07-05
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. April 2026

  2. Joy Online

    … Shares in the company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, dropped 7% in extended trading after it said it would spend billions more on AI projects than initially planned. …

    Meta shares slide as investors weigh Big Tech’s AI spending spree

  3. Daily Guide

    … Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube were once dismissed in corporate conversations as distractions and time-wasters with no place in serious business environments. …

    From Tiktok To Workforce: Leveraging Gen Z’s Digital Fluency In Business
Business

Loan apps in Ghana use tech ads, issue aggressive debt-collection threats

The News

Joy Online's investigation found that digital lending applications downloaded from sponsored advertisements on YouTube and Facebook issued threatening messages to borrowers, including references to curses, death, and harassment of family members, within days of download and before repayment deadlines.

Why it matters

Investigation exposes predatory loan apps deployed via social media that issue aggressive debt-collection threats within days of download, targeting vulnerable Ghanaians with psychological coercion.

3 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 3 July

  1. Loan apps in Ghana use tech ads, issue aggressive debt-collection threats

    Joy Online's investigation found that digital lending applications downloaded from sponsored advertisements on YouTube and Facebook issued threatening messages to borrowers, including references to curses, death, and harassment of family members, within days of download and before repayment deadlines.

    3 July 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Instagram ads promoted child sexual abuse material in India

    A BBC investigation found Instagram running paid adverts promoting child sexual abuse material in India, with ads using terms like "rape video" and "child video" and directing users to Telegram channels where material could be purchased for as little as 99 rupees. Meta said it had disabled several adverts, suspended accounts, and removed additional content in response to the BBC's findings.

    3 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 1 July

  1. Edem's "Gota" single sparks viral Ewe catchphrase trend

    Ghanaian rapper Edem's latest single "Gota"—an Ewe phrase meaning "We're Outside"—has become a fast-growing social media expression, with users captioning posts across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X. The song, featuring MC Kojo Manuel, Chief One, Kpese Boi and Morgan Nero, has generated over 20,000 combined videos on TikTok and is positioned as one of the year's defining party anthems.

    1 July 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 30 June

  1. Federal judge denies Meta's motion to dismiss state lawsuit

    A U.S. District Judge rejected Meta Platforms' attempt to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 29 state attorneys general accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children and concealing the harms. The judge denied Meta's motion to dismiss claims based on deception and unfair practices, and granted summary judgment to the states on violations of the federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

    30 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 29 June

  1. WhatsApp introduces usernames to protect user privacy

    WhatsApp has announced a new feature allowing users to connect via usernames instead of sharing phone numbers, with reservations opening this week ahead of the official launch later this year. The move aims to give users control over personal information in new or casual connections and addresses concerns about sharing digits in group chats.

    29 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 24 June

  1. British Airways pilot jailed for raping 12-year-old girl

    Kwame Yeboah, 30, a British Airways First Officer, was jailed for eight years and four months after pleading guilty to rape and sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl he met on Instagram and later assaulted in an isolated location. The CPS said it would have been "obvious" to Yeboah that the victim was very young, despite her initial claim of being 17.

    24 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 23 June

  1. YouTube settles teen's social media addiction lawsuit

    Google's YouTube has settled a social media addiction case brought by a 15-year-old in Florida who alleged the platform was designed to be addictive. The settlement comes as other social media firms face similar litigation over accusations of fuelling a mental health crisis among children.

    23 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 22 June

  1. WhatsApp's Will Cathcart to step back; Kunal Shah takes lead

    WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart is leaving his role after nearly seven years, during which he scaled the platform to more than three billion users. Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah, who built Cred, will take over as head of WhatsApp.

    22 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Nollywood actor Francis Duru denies terminal illness reports

    Veteran Nollywood actor Francis Duru has dismissed viral rumours claiming he is battling a terminal illness, following circulation of a video showing him looking frail. Responding on Instagram, Duru denied being seriously ill, described the reports as false and malicious, and said he would continue to enjoy good health.

    22 June 2026 · Daily Guide →

Friday 19 June

  1. Kofi Kinaata's 'Black Stars' song dominates Ghana's World Cup campaign

    Highlife star Kofi Kinaata's patriotic anthem 'Black Stars,' produced by WillisBeatz and released before Ghana's Panama match, has become the unofficial anthem for Ghana's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign and the most-used Black Stars track on social media platforms including TikTok, Facebook, X, and Instagram.

    19 June 2026 · Daily Guide →

Thursday 18 June

  1. US appeals court permits Ohio law requiring parental consent for child social media

    A U.S. appeals court in Cincinnati ruled that Ohio can enforce a law requiring social media platforms including Instagram to obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to use their services, overturning a lower-court block and finding the law does not violate First Amendment protections.

    18 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 16 June

  1. Ghana's free speech and media freedoms: progress and emerging challenges

    Ghana has developed one of Africa's most open communication environments since the 1992 Constitution, with citizens and journalists engaging freely on governance and public issues. However, new challenges including political polarization, misinformation, online harassment, digital surveillance, hate speech, economic pressures on journalism, and legal contestation of public expression have emerged in the digital age.

    16 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Florida sues TikTok for violating child safety law

    Florida's attorney general filed a lawsuit claiming TikTok violated the state's law barring social media platforms from allowing children under age 14 to create accounts, alleging the platform allows underage users access and misrepresents exposure to violent or sexual content. TikTok says it is complying with the law and suspending accounts of users under 14 in Florida.

    16 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 15 June

  1. UK announces social media ban for under-16s

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media sites such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram for under-16s, with restrictions on gaming and livestreaming platforms where children can contact strangers. The government expects regulation by year-end and enforcement around spring.

    15 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

Sunday 14 June

  1. UK to ban under-16s from major social media platforms

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce a ban on under-16s using major social media platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, X, and others. The government will also restrict children from livestreaming on "safer" sites and talking to strangers on gaming apps, with additional measures such as social media curfews for older teenagers being considered.

    14 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 12 June

  1. SpaceX raises $75bn ahead of Friday stock market debut

    SpaceX has raised $75bn from financial firms ahead of its initial public offering on Friday, with shares priced at $135 each and an expected initial stock market value of nearly $1.8tn. If shares trade at or above that price, SpaceX will immediately become one of the most valuable public companies in the world.

    12 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Somali referee barred from US World Cup despite valid documents

    Somali referee Omar Artan says he was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup despite holding valid papers and visa, after an 11-hour immigration interview at Miami International Airport. Artan, who would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup finals, was dropped from the officials list; FIFA confirmed he will be unable to officiate at the tournament.

    10 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 8 June

  1. PR strategy requires matching communication tools to situation

    According to PR expert Prosper Delali Ayayee, successful public relations depends not just on message quality but on selecting the right communication channel for each situation—whether managing a crisis, launching projects, or engaging stakeholders. The medium chosen can determine success or failure, as modern PR professionals must navigate traditional media, digital platforms, and face-to-face engagement.

    8 June 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

Saturday 6 June

  1. Ghana's proposed porn age verification faces technical skepticism

    Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George announced Ghana is moving toward mandatory identity verification for pornographic websites using National Identity Cards or driver's licenses, citing the UK's regime as a model. Experts question whether the proposal, which the minister says is heading to Cabinet, has any realistic chance of working, citing concerns about VPNs, data security, and social media workarounds.

    6 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. London mayor backs social media ban for under-16s

    London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is backing a ban on under-16s from social media as the only realistic way to address harms children face online, and warned that the manosphere's growing influence risks creating a "lost generation of young men." The position puts him ahead of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who has promised action on children's online safety but has not committed to an outright ban.

    2 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 1 June

  1. Florida sues OpenAI over ChatGPT safety risks

    Florida has become the first US state to sue OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company endangers children, aids mass shooters, and coaxes users into suicide in pursuit of profit. The lawsuit cites mass shootings at Florida State University and killings of University of South Florida doctoral students, in which the suspect allegedly asked ChatGPT about disposing of human bodies.

    1 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 21 May

  1. Meta settles Kentucky school district social media addiction lawsuit

    Meta has reached an amicable settlement with Breathitt School District in Kentucky, which had sued over mental health costs allegedly caused by the company's social media platforms. The case, a test case for over 1,000 US school districts pursuing similar claims, was settled alongside three other defendants: TikTok, Snap Inc, and Google's YouTube.

    21 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Meta plans job cuts, with 350 roles threatened in Ireland

    Meta has notified employees that it plans to cut 10% of its workforce, roughly 8,000 staff, with up to 350 jobs at risk in Ireland. The company has submitted a collective redundancy notification to Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and cited increased spending on artificial intelligence as a reason for the cuts.

    20 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 15 May

  1. Ghana's marketing landscape shifts toward price-conscious digital consumers

    A marketing strategist argues that Ghanaian brands must compete on "precision relevance" rather than visibility, as high inflation, youth-dominated demographics, and 70 percent mobile internet penetration have created a "hyper-rational" consumer who compares prices online before shopping and exhibits declining brand loyalty.

    15 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

  2. Italian parents' group sues Meta and TikTok over minors' access

    An Italian parents' movement and families sued Meta and TikTok in Milan's business court, seeking to require stronger age-verification systems for users under 14, remove manipulative algorithms, and provide transparent information on harms of overuse. MOIGE says about 3.5 million Italian children aged 7 to 14 are illegally active on these platforms.

    15 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 14 May

  1. Technology reshapes leisure habits among urban Ghanaians

    Technology has fundamentally changed how urban Ghanaians spend their leisure time, shifting from communal television watching and veranda gatherings to smartphone use and on-demand streaming. Streaming platforms have gained traction in Ghana's cities, with YouTube dominant across income levels and subscription services gaining ground among younger professionals, while local content creators produce Ghanaian-targeted short-form video and podcasts.

    14 May 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

  2. WhatsApp launches private 'incognito' mode for AI chatbot

    WhatsApp has introduced private "incognito" chats with its AI chatbot where neither user nor company responses are monitored and past conversations disappear. WhatsApp head Will Cathcart said users wanted private conversations on sensitive topics like health and finances, though a cybersecurity expert warned this could reduce accountability if issues occur.

    14 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 8 May

  1. Instagram disables end-to-end encryption on direct messages globally

    Instagram has switched off end-to-end encryption on direct messages worldwide, a reversal of Meta's previous commitment to the technology. The shift means Meta can now access message content, and while child protection groups welcome the decision, privacy advocates have condemned it.

    8 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 7 May

  1. How Crocs transformed from ridiculed footwear to fashion brand

    Crocs has undergone a dramatic transformation from a utility shoe dismissed as poor taste to a sought-after global fashion statement. The brand's turnaround resulted from deliberate marketing strategies, focus on comfort and self-expression, and authentic collaborations that appealed to millennials, Gen Z, and celebrities.

    7 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →

Friday 1 May

  1. Betty Elikem Azornu launches 'Mindful May' mental health campaign

    Betty Elikem Azornu has launched 'Mindful May', a campaign to destigmatise mental health conversations in Ghana through plain language and honest discussion of issues like family pressure, toxic productivity, and depression, with a different weekly focus throughout the month.

    1 May 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

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