In 2013, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was already a dominant figure in the social media industry. However, he sought to expand the company’s presence on mobile devices. As a result, Facebook launched Facebook Home, an Android launcher, and partnered with HTC to release the HTC First preinstalled with this interface. It was a complete flop.

The primary issue lay with Facebook Home itself. Within just a few hours of being available on Google Play, it received a dubious milestone: Nearly 50% of users who rated it gave it one star out of five. While the launcher had some appeal for heavy Facebook users, it performed poorly in other aspects.

Facebook had previously attempted to integrate its services into HTC devices. In 2011, it introduced a dedicated button to the HTC ChaCha and HTC Salsa models. This was clearly not the right path forward. In the end, Facebook abandoned this plan and redirected its focus to other areas. The company’s aspirations to cover all areas didn’t go well.

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Several companies have attempted to dominate all areas throughout history. A notable example is Microsoft. After establishing itself as a leader in the PC and office software markets, it attempted to adopt new trends set by other companies. However, initiatives such as the Zune (a copy of Apple’s iPod) were unsuccessful. While Bing has seen slight growth in the search engine arena, it hasn’t made a significant impact. Microsoft’s venture into phones with Windows Phone also ended in disappointment.

Google is another example. The tech giant dominates the search engine market and is a key player in the iOS-Android duopoly. However, it sought to expand its offerings by launching its own social media platform. Google+ was one of the biggest failures in the company’s history.

Even Apple, known for its innovation, tried to enter the automotive market with Project Titan. It ultimately canceled the initiative. Surprisingly, Apple couldn’t succeed in this field while a much smaller company, Xiaomi, managed to gain traction with the impressive Xiaomi SU7. Xiaomi represents a small success story of a company pursuing a broad strategy.

Even Amazon attempted to launch its own phone, but it didn’t go well.

The latest company to pursue this quest to conquer all sectors is OpenAI. Despite having a highly popular product (ChatGPT), the AI startup is trying to expand into new markets, starting with ChatGPT Search. It’s also looking into creating its own social media platform and possibly its own browser, especially if it can’t take over Chrome.

This ambition is reasonable, especially when companies already have a successful product. Leveraging that success to explore new areas and ensure a cohesive ecosystem is a logical strategy.

Apple and the iPhone are prime examples of this. While this strategy can work in certain cases, it doesn’t guarantee success across the board or even particularly strong performance.

Apple Music and Apple TV+ have certainly helped bolster the company’s ecosystem, but these services aren’t dominating their respective markets. Apple doesn’t necessarily need these offerings. They merely serve as additional elements in its overall suite, which is already a victory for the company.

However, time and again, the ambition of dominating all sectors often backfires. Grasp all, lose all.

Images | Zetong Li | Amazon

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Meta has finally released Edits, a new app focused on short video editing. This long-awaited tool provides an alternative to CapCut, which has had little competition in the market. While free, Edits has fewer features, at least in its initial release. Notably, this launch reflects a strategy Meta has been employing for years: copying to eliminate competition.

Perfect timing. Instagram has had ample opportunity to introduce a video editing app, but it’s chosen now, when it’s most impactful. In mid-January, President Donald Trump banned TikTok and other ByteDance apps, including CapCut.

Although TikTok reappeared in app stores shortly after the ban, CapCut wasn’t reinstated. It’s only now, amid uncertainty regarding the future of Bytedance apps, that Meta has opted to launch Edits.

Meta only cares about content creators. Content creators are the backbone of apps such as Instagram and TikTok.

According to social media experts:

• Nanoinfluencers, with fewer than 10,000 followers, enjoy the highest participation rate (5%).
• Microinfluencers, with followers ranging from 10,000 to 100,000, have a participation rate of 4%.
• Macroinfluencers, with more than 100,000 followers, boast a participation rate of 7%.

Understanding these figures is crucial because these platforms’ business model relies heavily on many users consuming content (and advertisements). However, only a small number are creating that content.

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Meta wants to draw creators. CapCut is currently the third most downloaded app on iOS globally, with nine million downloads. It’s also ninth on Android, totaling 18 million downloads. In total, it has 27 million users. This makes it the seventh most popular app worldwide, surpassing Telegram, Snapchat, and Threads. These are impressive statistics for a video editing app.

Instagram has specifically enhanced its Edits tool to ensure that videos uploaded from this app maintain the highest quality. Additionally, it’s integrated creator analytics within Edits, providing creators with direct access to performance dashboards, much like TikTok does with TikTok Studio. This is a clear signal to creators, encouraging them to move away from ByteDance’s tools and focus on Meta’s offerings.

Copying the competition. One thing Meta excels at is copying successful features. In 2016, it introduced Instagram Stories. It was a direct replication of Snapchat, but incorporated within an app that offered many more features. Instagram Stories quickly surpassed Snapchat in daily active users. It also became one of the primary monetization tools for the platform, with an advertisement displayed approximately every three stories.

Meta also tried to copy TikTok, although Instagram Reels hasn’t captured a significant user base. However, Meta capitalized on the opportunity by emulating a successful and emerging idea: short-format videos. They also became a new monetization tool.

A golden opportunity. Instagram is currently TikTok’s only real competitor. If TikTok fails to maintain its presence in the U.S., it would result in a substantial loss for the platform. In the end, the U.S. is its second-largest market after China. You shouldn’t be surprised if Meta, as usual, starts rolling out features and tools that have already proven successful on its rival platform.

Image | Meta/Xataka

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Meta has long touted its content verification program as the most advanced among social media platforms. But in a move echoing Twitter’s transformation into X, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has decided to dismantle it.

The new approach mirrors X’s community notes model, which predates Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. Zuckerberg announced the changes on Instagram, as is his recent trend, with additional details posted on Meta’s blog.

Why it matters. This decision marks a significant shift in how Meta platforms—Facebook, Threads, and Instagram—combat misinformation. The company is moving from a centralized verification system to one that prioritizes free speech.

The context. Meta launched its external verification program in 2016, partnering with more than 90 organizations to fact-check content in over 60 languages.

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The company’s official rationale is that the program has “gone too far.” The changes will roll out first in the U.S. before expanding globally.

Behind the scenes. The timing of this announcement is noteworthy: President-elect Donald Trump is poised to return to the White House, and Meta recently donated $1 million to his inaugural fund. Republican Joel Kaplan will serve as Meta’s top global policymaker.

Critics suggest pandering to the Trump administration could be a more explicit motive than the claim that the program had overreached. This represents a stark contrast to Meta’s previous stance. Other tech giants, including Apple, are also showing a friendlier approach to Trump compared to 2016.

Key changes:

• Elimination of the external review program.
• Introduction of community notes, similar to X.
• Moderation team relocation from California to Texas.
• Eased restrictions on topics like immigration and gender.
• Gradual reintroduction of political content into feeds.

Meta says these changes aim to reduce errors and simplify its policies. Automated systems will still monitor and address severe violations, including terrorism, child exploitation, drug-related content, and fraud. However, enforcement of minor violations will now depend on user reports.

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The photos above are shocking. In them, a girl wearing a life jacket cries inconsolably while hugging a small puppy aboard a boat. All around her is what looks like a flood caused by some natural disaster.

They may look like real images, but they’re not. They’ve been generated by artificial intelligence.

As reported by the newsletter Garbage Day, the images went viral on Facebook and then were shared on other social media platforms by X and YouTube users, including supporters of former President Donald Trump.

This image is also fake, but it’s being shared on platforms like Facebook. | Image: GarbageDay

Users who spread the images are taking advantage of the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene for political purposes. They’re criticizing the efforts of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and spreading images and fake news to undermine the rescue and relief operations for those affected by the tragedy.

It’s almost impossible to find the source of these and other images. In fact, it’s proving to be extremely difficult to stop the spread of false information about Hurricane Helene. Facebook has added tags to these images and others to indicate that they’re an “altered photo.” The social media company is also advising users to verify the photos’ authenticity before sharing them.

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To make matters worse, users have shared the fake images on pages using the hashtag #NorthCarolina, one of the states affected by the hurricane. The same pages, which many affected people are likely consulting, were previously providing useful and legitimate information about the disaster. Now, they’re being filled with conspiracy theories.

For example, one theory claims that the flooding wasn’t caused by the hurricane but by human action related to lithium deposits and AI development companies. Another theory says the government is to blame for the North Carolina incidents.

The concerning issue is that, despite numerous warnings, people continue to share AI-generated images even when they know they may not be real. Republican National Committeewoman Amy Kremer was also duped by the fakes, posting an image on X that was later flagged as a deepfake in a community note. However, she declined to delete her post with the image, stating that its authenticity didn’t matter and that “it is emblematic of the trauma and pain people are living through right now.”

This isn’t the first instance of similar behavior on social media, and it likely won’t be the last. The problem lies in the increasing believability of fake content and the lack of effective measures by platforms like Facebook and X to control or prevent it. While Community Notes may help, they often come too late. Deepfakes have become a powerful tool for shaping public opinion, and current platforms are ill-equipped to combat this issue.

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In 2016, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg presented a 10-year plan for what was then Facebook. It detailed, in stages, the technologies and platforms that will be coming. Eight years later, that roadmap is progressing with spectacular precision.

Why it matters. Zuckerberg’s keen eye demonstrates his long-term vision. It also shows how important it’s for a founder and CEO to drive a company toward strategic goals, not just good quarterly results.

The big picture. Meta’s CEO based his roadmap on three pillars:

• Global connectivity.
• Artificial intelligence.
• Virtual/augmented reality.

Today, Meta is leading or significantly driving these three areas.

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In detail:

• Connectivity. Although its drone plan didn’t work out, Meta has invested in ground solutions such as fiber optic infrastructure.
• AI. In 2016, Meta envisioned that its AI could reason and plan. Today, the company is a leader in natural language processing and computer vision.
• Virtual / augmented reality. The Reality Labs division continues to innovate with the Quest line, Ray-Ban Meta, and the recently launched Orion glasses.

What has happened? In these eight years, Meta has:

• Connected billions of people through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
• Developed open source (with nuance) and world-class AI.
• Led innovation in virtual and augmented reality.

Now what? Two years before fulfilling his roadmap, Zuckerberg seems determined to meet one of its points, the Metaverse. He also wants to consolidate Meta.

Zuckerberg’s success comes from a long-term vision that has proven consistent over time. He’s also willing to take risks and invest in the company’s resources. Finally, he encourages innovation rather than adaptation to the terrain he has conquered.

By the way, he reminds us of a founder’s long-term victory.

Images | Mark Zuckerberg f8 Keynote 

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has reached a settlement with Texas for collecting biometric data without its users’ consent.

Why it matters. This is the most significant privacy settlement ever reached by a single state in the U.S., and most importantly, it sets a precedent for future lawsuits against tech giants.

The bottom line:

• Texas sued Meta in 2022 for using facial recognition without users’ permission.
• The “suggested tags” feature violated the state’s biometric privacy law.
• Meta will pay $1.4 billion, though it doesn’t admit wrongdoing.
• That’s more than double what it paid in 2020 ($650 million) for a similar case in Illinois.

The context. It’s not just the European Union or the federal government, even U.S. states are increasing the pressure on big tech companies, partly because the country has no federal privacy law.

As a result, some states, including Texas, Illinois, and Washington, that have laws restricting biometric data collection, such as faces or voices, are suing companies individually.

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Reactions:

• “This historic settlement demonstrates our commitment to standing up to the world’s biggest technology companies and holding them accountable for breaking the law and violating Texans’ privacy rights,” Texas attorney general Kex Paxton said.
• “We are pleased to resolve this matter and look forward to exploring future opportunities to deepen our business investments in Texas, including potentially developing data centers,” a Meta spokesperson stated in a release.

What’s next. Meta has more than a dozen similar lawsuits from other states. This settlement with Texas could serve as a model for future deals, skyrocketing Meta's bill.

While the fine is only 1% of Meta’s annual revenue ($135 billion in 2023), it shows all other tech companies the consequences of violating their users’ privacy. In the background, there’s growing regulatory pressure on using personal data.

This article was written by Javier Lacort and originally published in Spanish on Xataka.

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Almost a year ago, Twitter wasn’t doing very well. But one platform's hardship is another's opening. In this case, Meta took advantage of Twitter's situation to launch Threads. This indiscriminate copy seemed unlikely to succeed because Twitter (X) was, after all, a platform without an equal.

However, after a year, this alternative seems to have done well. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Mark Zuckerberg, who trolled Musk with the platform's launch, recently boasted that Threads already has more than 175 million active users per month. “What a year,” the Facebook co-founder claimed. And it has been.

Users welcomed Threads in a spectacular fashion. In just 15 hours, it reached 30 million users. In five days, it reached 100 million, smashing ChatGPT’s record of reaching that number in two months.

But growth over time has been much slower. In the nearly 12 months since that milestone, the company has added 75 million users, a more than notable showing. But in Europe, where it launched on December 14, 2023, it has gained far fewer.

The figure is far from Facebook’s estimated 3 billion monthly users (MAU) or the 2 billion that Instagram and WhatsApp have. X/Twitter is also far behind: According to Statista, it has around 620 million monthly active users.

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The Fine Print Behind Threads' Boom

However, Threads’ achievement is significant, because this social media platform has grown organically and practically through the recommendation and support of users who are fed up with Twitter—or Musk, or both—and have decided to move to Meta's alternative. Regardless, Threads’ quiet growth has some additional aspects it's important to point out.

First, Meta didn’t share the number of daily active users (DAU). The company has communicated this figure for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. This lack of info suggests that Threads users are casual: They have an account but hardly use it. The difference between MAUs and DAUs is likely significant for Threads.

Another essential element to this quiet growth is that it’s not so silent, at least within Instagram, which continues to be Threads’ biggest advertising avenue. The initial integration of the two—if you had an Instagram account, you automatically had a Threads account—caused some controversy. Meta continues to use that strong relationship to promote its Twitter rival.

Still, Threads’ impressive growth shows that an alternative to “almighty” Twitter is possible. Mastodon tried to create an additional choice for Twitter users, but Meta was more intelligent: Threads became part of the “fediverse”—a collection of social networking services that can communicate with each other using a standard protocol—which was another plus point for Twitter detractors.

Another important argument for using Threads is that there are no ads. Given Meta's resources, it can operate without those revenues for quite some time. The Verge reports Threads is considering introducing advertising in 2025, but there are no absolute certainties. It seems inevitable that ads will arrive eventually. Zuckerberg has the advantage of being able to afford to lose money on Threads.

On the other side, Musk is still trying to change the model to base—almost—everything on subscriptions, which has scared off advertisers. Which, by the way, may end up welcoming a platform like Threads with open arms that is “safer” for them on a reputational level. In recent weeks, we’ve seen Twitter openly embrace pornography, for example.

Meta seems to be betting on “text-mode sharing” on Threads and letting video and images take center stage on its other social media platforms. Not a bad strategy. A recent survey—internal, mind you—showed that younger generations feel comfortable using Threads. It will be interesting to see how this rivalry between Threads and Twitter (X) plays out.

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