Andy Stone
@andymstone.bsky.social
Meta communications
"Notable online pugilist"
"Notable online pugilist"
An expert @theguardian.com quotes: the “idea that WhatsApp can selectively and retroactively access the content of [end-to-end encrypted] individual chats is a mathematical impossibility."
US authorities reportedly investigate claims that Meta can read encrypted WhatsApp messages
US authorities reportedly investigate claims that Meta can read encrypted WhatsApp messages
A lawsuit filed last week alleges tech firm ‘can access virtually all’ private communications, a claim the company has denied
US authorities have reportedly investigated claims that Meta can read users’ encrypted chats on the WhatsApp messaging platform, which it owns.
The reports follow a lawsuit filed last week, which claimed Meta “can access virtually all of WhatsApp users’ purportedly ‘private’ communications”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:45 PM
An expert @theguardian.com quotes: the “idea that WhatsApp can selectively and retroactively access the content of [end-to-end encrypted] individual chats is a mathematical impossibility."
Here's the letter from Meta's legal counsel to Quinn Emanuel, which represents both NSO Group and individuals making these categorically false claims. As numerous experts have noted -- their suit has no evidence and they should withdraw it or face a sanctions challenge.
January 29, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Here's the letter from Meta's legal counsel to Quinn Emanuel, which represents both NSO Group and individuals making these categorically false claims. As numerous experts have noted -- their suit has no evidence and they should withdraw it or face a sanctions challenge.
“Social media’s association with adolescent well-being was complex and nonlinear, varying by age and sex,” [a recent] study concluded.
That’s no doubt true, and it’s one reason these cases don’t belong in court.
www.wsj.com/opinion/soci...
That’s no doubt true, and it’s one reason these cases don’t belong in court.
www.wsj.com/opinion/soci...
Opinion | A Big Social-Media Shakedown
The plaintiff bar says media platforms are liable for adolescent ills.
www.wsj.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:53 PM
“Social media’s association with adolescent well-being was complex and nonlinear, varying by age and sex,” [a recent] study concluded.
That’s no doubt true, and it’s one reason these cases don’t belong in court.
www.wsj.com/opinion/soci...
That’s no doubt true, and it’s one reason these cases don’t belong in court.
www.wsj.com/opinion/soci...
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story, eh, @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social!?
The documents you cite in the story itself contradict this headline.
The documents you cite in the story itself contradict this headline.
January 27, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Never let the facts get in the way of a good story, eh, @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social!?
The documents you cite in the story itself contradict this headline.
The documents you cite in the story itself contradict this headline.
This sure seems important.
“We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems – the story is far more complex than that,” said the lead author Dr Qiqi Cheng.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
“We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems – the story is far more complex than that,” said the lead author Dr Qiqi Cheng.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
Social media time does not increase teenagers’ mental health problems – study
Research finds no evidence heavier social media use or more gaming increases symptoms of anxiety or depression
www.theguardian.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:17 PM
This sure seems important.
“We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems – the story is far more complex than that,” said the lead author Dr Qiqi Cheng.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
“We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems – the story is far more complex than that,” said the lead author Dr Qiqi Cheng.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/j...
WhatsApp's Will Cathcart responds to Elon Musk on the categorically false claim that WhatsApp messages are not encrypted.
January 27, 2026 at 1:04 PM
WhatsApp's Will Cathcart responds to Elon Musk on the categorically false claim that WhatsApp messages are not encrypted.
Absolutely gobsmacked that the sole "expert" @laurengoode.bsky.social quoted here is a lawyer who, just last year, (in)famously condemned Meta and quit representing the company. So much for dispassionate reporting, @wired.com.
The trial starts soon in New Mexico’s case against Meta—and the company is pulling out all the stops to protect its reputation. www.wired.com/story/meta-c...
Meta Seeks to Bar Mentions of Mental Health—and Zuckerberg’s Harvard Past—From Child Safety Trial
The trial starts soon in New Mexico’s case against Meta—and the company is pulling out all the stops to protect its reputation.
www.wired.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:44 PM
Absolutely gobsmacked that the sole "expert" @laurengoode.bsky.social quoted here is a lawyer who, just last year, (in)famously condemned Meta and quit representing the company. So much for dispassionate reporting, @wired.com.
The District Court’s decision to reject the FTC's arguments in this matter is correct - and it recognizes the fierce competition we face. Meta will remain focused on innovating and investing in America.
The US FTC plans to appeal to revive its case accusing Meta of bolstering an illegal monopoly by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp; Meta won the case in 2025 (Jody Godoy/Reuters)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
January 20, 2026 at 9:50 PM
The District Court’s decision to reject the FTC's arguments in this matter is correct - and it recognizes the fierce competition we face. Meta will remain focused on innovating and investing in America.
Leave it to @reuters.com and @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social to fault Meta for removing scam ads from Facebook and Instagram. What disingenuous reporting.
We got Meta’s “general global playbook” for defeating advertiser verification regulations, which the company knows would reduce scams. It includes making scam ads “not findable” for regulators searching Meta’s ad library through targeted scrubbing.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta created ‘playbook’ to fend off pressure to crack down on scammers, documents show
As regulators pressure Meta to verify the identity of advertisers on Facebook and Instagram, the social media giant has drafted a “playbook” to stall them. A Reuters investigation examines its tactics...
www.reuters.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Leave it to @reuters.com and @jeffhorwitz.bsky.social to fault Meta for removing scam ads from Facebook and Instagram. What disingenuous reporting.
Speaking of stunts, one wonders if Raul Torrez plans to raise money off sending the letter today, just as he did a few weeks ago.
December 17, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Speaking of stunts, one wonders if Raul Torrez plans to raise money off sending the letter today, just as he did a few weeks ago.
Again, @reuters.com/@jeffhorwitz.bsky.social are misconstruing and misrepresenting the facts. With respect to frauds and scams, Mark Zuckerberg's "integrity strategy pivot" was to ↑ teams' goals and instruct them to redouble efforts to fight frauds and scams globally, not just from specific markets.
Last year, Meta had to reckon with an alarming realization about its Chinese advertising customers: They were defrauding Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users worldwide. The company has tolerated the fraud to safeguard billions in revenue reut.rs/4oXsgC2
Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue
A Reuters investigation reveals the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp decided to accept high levels of fraudulent advertisements from China. Internal company documents show Meta wanted to mini...
reut.rs
December 15, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Again, @reuters.com/@jeffhorwitz.bsky.social are misconstruing and misrepresenting the facts. With respect to frauds and scams, Mark Zuckerberg's "integrity strategy pivot" was to ↑ teams' goals and instruct them to redouble efforts to fight frauds and scams globally, not just from specific markets.
Blind-sourced gossip may make for an entertaining read, but it's just that, gossip. We told @nytimes.com on record: "the conversation these anonymous sources claim happened was met with surprised-disbelief by the people who supposedly had it." Wonder why the Times didn't include it.
Sources: this fall, Alexandr Wang told people that he disagreed with top Meta execs like Chris Cox and Andrew Bosworth, including on using Instagram data for AI (Eli Tan/New York Times)
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
Main Link | Techmeme Permalink
December 10, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Blind-sourced gossip may make for an entertaining read, but it's just that, gossip. We told @nytimes.com on record: "the conversation these anonymous sources claim happened was met with surprised-disbelief by the people who supposedly had it." Wonder why the Times didn't include it.
Reports the outlet that definitely does not, ever, write clickbait-y, SEO-optimized headlines
“I hate it,” VanderMeer said in an email. “If I post content, I want to be the one contextualizing it, not some third party. It's especially bad because they're using the most click-bait style of headline generation, which is antithetical to how I try to be on social” www.404media.co/instagram-is...
Instagram Is Generating Inaccurate SEO Bait for Your Posts
Instagram is generating headlines for Instagram posts that appear on Google Search results. Users say they are misrepresenting them.
www.404media.co
December 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Reports the outlet that definitely does not, ever, write clickbait-y, SEO-optimized headlines
At the very end of this thread, Jeff, you include a caveat that “everything here relies on plaintiffs’ context.” Turns out that was burying the lede.
I’ve spent almost seven years covering Meta and have had a good deal of exposure to internal work product on teen well-being. But a Friday filing in the school district social media litigation breaks some ground on Meta’s causal findings regarding social media harm.
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
www.reuters.com
November 23, 2025 at 6:39 PM
At the very end of this thread, Jeff, you include a caveat that “everything here relies on plaintiffs’ context.” Turns out that was burying the lede.
Meta's statement on Judge Boasberg's decision.
November 18, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Meta's statement on Judge Boasberg's decision.