Core Insights - Meta is set to introduce new advertising options for users in the EU on Facebook and Instagram to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA) [1][2] - Users will have the choice to consent to fully personalized advertising or opt for a service with limited personalization by sharing less personal data [1][2] - The European Commission (EC) previously fined Meta €200 million ($320 million) for breaching DMA obligations [2] Group 1: Advertising Model Changes - Starting January 2026, Meta will present new advertising choices to EU users [2] - Meta's previous 'Consent or Pay' model, which began in November 2023, was found inadequate as it did not provide a less data-intensive option [4] - In November 2024, Meta introduced another ad model claiming to use less personal data, which is under review by the EC [5] Group 2: Regulatory Context - The DMA, effective since November 2022, outlines criteria for identifying "gatekeepers" among large digital platforms [6] - Apple was also fined €500 million for breaching anti-steering obligations under the DMA [2][3] - The EC concluded that Apple imposed restrictions that hindered app developers and consumers from benefiting from alternative offers [3]

Core Viewpoint - Tencent Holdings has withdrawn from the takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery by Paramount Skydance Corp to avoid increased scrutiny of foreign investments in the US [1][2][4] Group 1: Tencent's Involvement - Tencent had initially pledged US$1 billion as part of Paramount's proposal to acquire Warner Bros, but was removed as a financing partner in the latest all-cash offer of US$30 per share [2][4] - The decision to remove Tencent was influenced by concerns from Warner Bros regarding potential reviews by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) [2][4] Group 2: Regulatory Environment - Tencent's withdrawal highlights the tightening regulatory environment for Chinese investments in significant US media and technology deals [4] - The US Department of Defense designated Tencent as a "Chinese military company" in January 2025, leading to increased scrutiny of its activities in the US [5][6] Group 3: Tencent's Financial Position - Tencent has a market capitalization of approximately US$700 billion and over US$20 billion in cash and equivalents as of the end of September, indicating strong financial capacity for overseas acquisitions [5] - The company holds stakes in several US tech and gaming firms, including Epic Games and Snap Inc., despite the regulatory challenges it faces [5]

Australia is set to enact policy that required social media companies, including TikTok and Instagram, to block under sixteens from holding accounts or face fines of up to $33 million. Joining us now is Terry Floo, professor of Digital Communication and culture at the University of Sydney. Professor, good to see you.So we are going to unpack, I guess, for and against arguments for such a social media ban. But talk to us first how we got here after, what, three decades of mostly an unregulated Internet. I th ...

Core Viewpoint - Australia is poised to be the first country to enforce a minimum age for social media usage, impacting major platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, which will need to block over a million accounts [1] Group 1: Regulatory Changes - The new regulation will require social media platforms to implement age verification measures to comply with the minimum age requirement [1] - This initiative aims to protect children from potential online harms associated with social media use [1] Group 2: Impact on Social Media Platforms - Major platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are expected to face significant operational changes to adhere to the new law [1] - The enforcement of this regulation may lead to a reduction in user engagement among younger demographics on these platforms [1]

Core Viewpoint - Paramount Skydance's all-cash offer of $30 per share for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) represents a valuation exceeding $108 billion, marking it as one of the largest hostile takeover attempts in recent history [1]. Group 1: Paramount's Offer - The proposed deal values WBD's entire operation at an equity valuation of $78.7 billion [1]. - Paramount's CEO David Ellison emphasized the intention to present the offer directly to shareholders to maximize their share value [2]. Group 2: Comparison with Other Deals - The previous deal from Netflix valued WBD at $82.7 billion, or $72 billion in equity, but excluded certain business segments [2]. - The Paramount bid positions itself among the largest hostile takeovers in the last 30 years, with a significant equity valuation [3]. Group 3: Historical Context of Hostile Takeovers - The document lists several notable hostile takeovers, including: - Comcast's acquisition of AT&T Broadband for $32.7 billion in 2002 [4]. - Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter for $41.3 billion in 2022 [5]. - Royal Bank of Scotland's acquisition of National Westminster Bank for $42.6 billion in 1999 [6]. - Roche's bid for Genentech at $46.8 billion in 2009 [7]. - British American Tobacco's acquisition of Reynolds American for $49.4 billion in 2016 [8]. - InBev's takeover of Anheuser-Busch for $50.5 billion in 2008 [10]. - Bayer's acquisition of Monsanto for $57 billion in 2018 [11]. - TotalFina's bid for Elf Aquitaine at $57.9 billion in 2000 [12]. - Takeda's acquisition of Shire for $63.1 billion in 2019 [13]. - Sanofi's takeover of Aventis for $72.9 billion in 2004 [14]. - Pfizer's bid for Warner-Lambert at $86.6 billion in 2000 [16]. - RBS's acquisition of ABN Amro for $97 billion in 2007 [17]. - Anheuser-Busch InBev's acquisition of SABMiller for $114.4 billion in 2016 [18]. - Vodafone AirTouch's takeover of Mannesmann for $177.4 billion in 2000 [19]. Group 4: Current Status of Paramount's Bid - Paramount's bid for WBD is pending and represents a significant move following WBD's board's preference for the Netflix deal [15].

Core Viewpoint - Wedbush downgraded Pinterest Inc. to Neutral from Outperform and reduced its price target to $30 due to mixed third-quarter results and revenue growth guidance falling approximately 100 basis points below initial expectations for the upcoming quarter [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Pinterest's third-quarter results were mixed, leading to a downgrade in outlook [1] - The company is expected to experience revenue growth that is roughly 100 basis points below initial expectations for the next quarter [1] Group 2: Market Conditions - The outlook for Pinterest reflects a wider range of potential outcomes amid macroeconomic uncertainty and tariff effects [2] - Investors are increasingly concerned about the risks from rising adoption of competing agentic commerce tools among consumers, which are seen as outweighing the benefits from previous consumer packaged goods (CPG) weakness [2] Group 3: Valuation and Sentiment - Following the report, market sentiment weakened, with shares trading around 10 times the firm's 2027 adjusted EBITDA estimate [3] - While Pinterest is still believed to be on track to achieve the lower end of its medium-term objectives, there is reduced visibility into catalysts that could significantly accelerate growth [3] - The long-term expectations for Pinterest have been revised downward, with the price target lowered from $34 to $30 [3]

Wall Street is sending a clear signal to Meta Platforms that it wants the company to reduce spending on Reality Labs.Meta Platforms (META 0.91%) shares popped 3.4% on Thursday despite a mere 0.22% increase in the Nasdaq Composite on reports that the company was cutting metaverse spending in favor of artificial intelligence (AI) and smart glasses.Here's why Meta's capital is better used on non-metaverse projects and why the growth stock is a great buy in December. The harsh reality of Reality LabsFacebook c ...

Core Points - Meta has agreed to provide users in Europe with more choices regarding personalized ads, complying with the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) [2][3] - The new options will allow users to either consent to share all their data for fully personalized advertising or opt for less personal data sharing for a more limited advertising experience, set to be implemented in January 2026 [3] Group 1: Regulatory Compliance - The European Commission (EC) announced the agreement six months after fining Meta €200 million ($232 million) for its "consent or pay" model [2][3] - The EC emphasized the importance of providing users in the EU with full and effective choice as their right under the DMA [4] Group 2: Future Developments - The EC plans to seek feedback and evidence from Meta and other stakeholders on the impact and uptake of the new advertising model once implemented [4] - Meta acknowledged the EC's statement and highlighted the significance of personalized ads for Europe's economy [4] Group 3: Ongoing Investigations - The EC has launched an investigation into Meta's AI enhancements to WhatsApp, following concerns that new policies may hinder third-party AI providers from offering services through WhatsApp in the European Economic Area [5] - A spokesperson for WhatsApp described the claims behind the investigation as "baseless," asserting that the AI space remains competitive and users have access to various services [5]

Core Insights - Evan Spiegel of Snap Inc. is being considered for the title of worst CEO of 2025 due to the company's poor performance and outlook [5] - Snap's stock has significantly declined, with an 84% drop over the past five years and a 36% decline in the past year [2] - Despite a revenue increase of 11% to $4.2 billion in the first three quarters, Snap continues to incur losses, reporting a net loss of $104 million [3] Financial Performance - Snap's net worth is approximately $2.5 billion, but the company has not achieved profitability after many years [2] - Analysts predict a revenue growth of only 10.3% for the year, with expected per-share losses of $0.33 in 2025, down from $0.42 the previous year [7] - The company has made a deal with Perplexity, which will provide $400 million in cash and equity, but the stock has not sustained its gains from this announcement [8][9] Market Position - Snap ranks ninth among social media companies with 900 million monthly active users, significantly trailing behind Facebook and WhatsApp [6] - The perception on Wall Street is that Snap's future growth prospects are limited, with 35 out of 43 analysts rating the stock as Hold, Sell, or Underperform [7] - The Perplexity deal is viewed as insufficient compared to larger competitors in the AI space, such as OpenAI and Anthropic [9]

IT之家附典型违规案例如下： 近一个月，针对恶意炒作犯罪经历博取流量的行为，平台共处置违规内容 2152 条，对 125 个 违规账号处以清除因违规内容增长的粉丝、暂停营利权限、禁言等不同梯度的处置。 IT之家 12 月 8 日消息，抖音官方今日发布公告，打击"以犯罪经历博流量"，125 个违规账号被处置。 近期，平台发现有用户以监狱服刑、违法犯罪经历为噱头，无底线博取流量、借机吸粉引流。相关行为违背公序良俗，严重破坏社区生态。 平台对此展开深入治理，从严处置违规内容和账号，坚决切断其引流变现渠道。 抖音官方表示，违法犯罪行为不是"流量密码"，抖音坚决抵制此类行为。平台将持续加强治 理力度，对违规行为从严处置，全力维护健康、清朗的网络环境。 案例一：账号"童 * 事"渲染犯罪和服刑细节，以此营销引流。平台已下架相关违规内容，并 对账号处以清除违规增长粉丝、暂停营利权限、禁言处置。 案例二：账号"2*9"在昵称、简介、话题及视频内容中，炒作并不当关联前科身份和服刑经 历，并以违法犯罪猎奇标题为噱头博眼球，企图不当牟利。平台已下架相关违规内容，并对 账号处以清除违规增长粉丝、全面禁言处置。 ...