Its entry into the continental finance system presents complex regulatory issues for authorities COMMENT | SIMON M. MUTUNGI | Social media titan Facebook is set to roll out its own cryptocurrency dubbed “GlobalCoin” in 2020 with trials starting later this year. This is global cryptocurrency aims to be used …
Read More »Facebook’s Libra currency under fire
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Facebook’s planned virtual unit Libra, already under heavy attack from US President Donald Trump and global regulators, faces scepticism among the wider cryptocurrency community as well. One theme — besides Brexit — dominated discussion among the movers and shakers from London’s financial technology or …
Read More »France passes law taxing digital giants in defiance of US anger
Paris, France | AFP | France on Thursday became the first major economy to impose a tax on digital giants, with parliament passing the legislation in defiance of a probe ordered by President Donald Trump that could trigger reprisal tariffs. The new law aims at plugging a taxation gap that has …
Read More »Governments must regulate social networks: Facebook’s Clegg
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Governments, not companies, must regulate social networks, Facebook’s head of global affairs and former UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, said Monday. “It’s not for private companies, however big or small, to come up with those rules. It is for democratic politicians in the democratic …
Read More »Europe wary as Facebook takes up cryptocurrency challenge
Paris, France | AFP | European financial leaders on Tuesday vowed vigilance after Facebook announced it was diving into the cryptocurrency market, as analysts warned the social media giant could face major regulatory questions. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, whose government initiated a new tax on digital giants like Facebook …
Read More »Facebook to unveil new cryptocurrency
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Facebook is set Tuesday to unveil a bid to bring cryptocurrency payments into the mainstream, reportedly with the endorsement of governments and financial giants. The world’s biggest social network is expected to outline details of a virtual currency launching next year that it hopes will …
Read More »Facebook to cut off Huawei to comply with US sanctions
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook said Friday it would cut off Huawei from its popular social networking apps to comply with US sanctions, further isolating the Chinese tech giant considered a national security threat by Washington. The social media giant said it took the step after President Donald …
Read More »Breakup isn’t the answer, Facebook’s Zuckerberg says
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday rejected the idea of breaking up the social media giant as off-target, saying it could hamper the fight against deceit and harmful online content. The Facebook co-founder’s defense of the leading social network came as it …
Read More »Zuckerberg ‘optimistic’ on regulation after Macron meeting
Paris, France | AFP | Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said he was “encouraged” and “optimistic” about the regulatory framework being suggested by France for the social media giant and other online platforms, after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting followed the drawing up of a report …
Read More »Break up Facebook, says company’s co-founder
New York, United States | AFP | One of the co-founders of Facebook called on Thursday for the social media behemoth to be broken up, warning that the company’s head, Mark Zuckerberg, had become far too powerful. “It’s time to break up Facebook,” said Chris Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded …
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