More than half of the states that make up America have filed legal action against Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta on claims that the company used features via both Instagram and Facebook to not only keep children engaged but reportedly get them addicted to its platforms.

It is now possible to chat with Snoop Dogg, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Paul whenever you want — or at least sort of.

One of Garcelle Beauvais’ reality TV castmates is joining in on an ongoing investigation.

Meta is facing the infamous situation of “It be your own people.” Well, rather in this case your own technology. BBC reports that BlenderBot 3 — the company’s prototype chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to speak on most topics — said what it had to say about CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg. “He did a terrible job at testifying before congress. It makes me concerned about our country,” the chatbot said, according to the outlet. It added: “Our country is divided and he didn’t help at all. I’m concerned for us all.” The chatbot was referring to Zuckerberg’s multiple appearances since 2018 before Congress stemming from Facebook’s involvement with Cambridge Analytica during the 2016 election cycle. “Mark Zuckerberg ought to be looking at himself in the mirror today, and yet, rather than taking responsibility and showing leadership, Mr. Zuckerberg is going sailing,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., chair of the subcommittee, during a hearing with Facebook whistleblower...

Facebook has officially changed the game for musicians. The leading social media network has announced its first-of-its-kind music licensing feature, which allows creatives to cash in when their music is used across the platform. According to a blog post, the Music Revenue Sharing feature will equip eligible creators with a 20 percent revenue share when their licensed music is used across videos that meet the criteria on the application. While the Meta company has not yet clarified the amount that the company will receive from the licensed catalogs, they did reveal that the “expansive licensed catalog” is filled with music from various artists. This function is currently available within the U.S. market, thanks to a program developed by Meta called Rights Manager. This video, audio, and image-matching software is designed to help creators maintain their rights , while also helping them to manage their content at scale. Furthermore, the feature was created with the help of the...

Boosted by technology, Meta is highlighting Black creators and leaders to build a more equitable future for underrepresented communities. This is all made possible by the Metaverse Culture Series. As AfroTech previously told you, the initiative is a part of a year-long commitment to work directly with Black creators and leaders to build inclusivity in the tech space by ensuring their perspectives are present.

Meta’s Horizon Worlds is expanding by helping its users make an income in the metaverse. The company has started testing two ways for creators to monetize being on its social VR platform, according to Adweek. On April 11, it was announced that a “handful” of creators would test the ability to craft and sell virtual items and effects. “The metaverse—by nature of its not being limited by physical space—will bring a new level of creativity and open up new opportunities for the next generation of creators and businesses to pursue their passions and create livelihoods,” Meta said via a blog post, according to Adweek. ” Creators and entrepreneurs will have more freedom to find a business model that works for them. So, we’re excited to take this step today and expand further on the $10 million Horizon Creators Fund we announced last October, which we’ve been using to provide resources to Horizon Worlds creators. We’ll continue to work with our creator community and test and learn.” As of...

When Mark Zuckerberg first announced the mission for Meta, he made it known that the social platform was “going to be the metaverse.” Since its rebrand, Meta has launched various initiatives to make sure the Black community is represented in the virtual reality space from creatives to entrepreneurs. AfroTech previously reported on the company’s Meta Elevate program, where for its inaugural cohort, Ciara selected 10 Black-owned businesses to receive marketing mentorship from the tech giant. Recently, in timing with Black History Month, Meta launched the Metaverse Culture Series — a year-long virtual reality initiative that aims to collaborate with Black leaders and creators to ultimately create more inclusivity in tech, an Oculus blog post shared. The new series announced VR artist Gabe Gault as its first Artist in Residence. According to the Los Angeles-based artist, the partnership came after Meta saw his work in the metaverse space. With the series’ launch, he believes it will...