Meta fined $1.3 bln in EU over data violations; WhatsApp introduces 15-min edit feature
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been hit with a record-breaking fine of 1.2 billion Euro ($1.3 billion) by European Union regulators for violating EU privacy laws. Meanwhile, the company’s WhatsApp unit announced that messages on its platform will soon be editable for up to 15 minutes after they are sent. The feature is rolling out worldwide. Also in this brief, TCS announced a generative AI bespoke service as part of its partnership with Google Cloud; And Mumbai startup Chalo raises $45 million in fresh funding led by Avataar Ventures. Notes: WhatsApp yesterday announced that you can now edit your messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Whether it is correcting a simple misspelling or adding more context to a message, users only need to long-press on a sent message and choose ‘Edit’ from the menu that pops up, the company said in a press release. Edited messages will display ‘edited’ next to them, so those you’re messaging are aware of the change, but without showing edit history. As with the regular messages, media and calls, the edited ones are also protected by end-to-end encryption, according to WhatsApp. This feature has started rolling out to users globally and will be available to everyone in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has been hit with a record-breaking fine of €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) by European Union regulators for violating EU privacy laws, CNN reports. The fine follows an inquiry by the Irish Data Protection Commission and highlights the uncertainty surrounding the legal transfer of EU users' data to servers outside the EU. The European Data Protection Board stated that Meta's processing and storage of personal data in the US violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This fine is the largest ever imposed under the GDPR, surpassing the previous record set against Amazon in 2021. Meta has been ordered to cease processing the personal data of European users in the US within six months. The company plans to appeal the ruling. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) yesterday announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud and the launch of its new service, TCS Generative AI. This collaboration aims to provide bespoke business solutions that leverage Google Cloud's generative AI services to accelerate clients' growth and transformation, the company said in a press release. Chalo, a startup in Mumbai, has raised $45 million in a Series D funding round and secured an additional $12 million in debt as it seeks to enhance its mobility offerings and expand into more international markets, TechCrunch reports. The funding round was led by Avataar Ventures, with participation from existing investors Lightrock India, WaterBridge Ventures, and former Google executive Amit Singhal. The debt financing came from Trifecta and Stride Ventures. The latest investment brings the company’s total funding to $88.6 million according to private markets insights provider Tracxn. The company is currently operating in over 50 cities in India, tracking more than 15,000 buses, and has plans to expand its fleet of e-vehicles and enter additional international markets.