LONDON: Social media giant Facebook , now known as Meta Platforms, faces a 2.3 billion pound plus ($3.2 billion plus) class action in Britain over allegations it abused its market dominance by exploiting the personal data of 44 million users.
Liza Lovdahl Gormsen, a senior adviser to Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) watchdog and a competition law academic, said she was bringing the case on behalf of people in Britain who had used Facebook between 2015 and 2019.
The lawsuit, which will be heard by London’s Competition Appeal Tribubal, alleges Facebook made billions of pounds by imposing unfair terms and conditions that demanded consumers surrender valuable personal data to access the network.
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, the law firm representing Lovdahl Gormsen, has notified Facebook of the claim.
Facebook said people used its services because it delivered value for them and “they have meaningful control of what information they share on Meta’s platforms and who with.”
The case comes days after Facebook lost an attempt to strike out an antitrust lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), one of the biggest challenges by the US government against a tech company in decades as Washington attempts to tackle Big Tech’s extensive market power.
“In the 17 years since it was created, Facebook became the sole social network in the UK where you could be sure to connect with friends and family in one place,” Lovdahl Gornsen said.
“Yet, there was a dark side to Facebook; it abused its market dominance to impose unfair terms and conditions on ordinary Britons, giving it the power to exploit their personal data.”
Lovdahl Gormsen alleges Facebook collected data within its platform and through mechanisms like the Facebook Pixel, allowing it to build an “all-seeing picture” of Internet usage and generate valuable, deep data profiles of users.
Opt-out class actions, like Lovdahl Gormsen’s, bind a defined group automatically into a lawsuit unless individuals opt out.
Facebook faces $3.2 billion UK class action over market dominance
https://arab.news/6vswm
Facebook faces $3.2 billion UK class action over market dominance
- Facebook faces a $3.2 billion class action suit in Britain over allegations it abused its market dominance by exploiting personal data of 44 million users
Netflix plans to raise prices after actors’ strike ends
- WSJ reported that price increase will occur in ‘several markets globally’
LONDON: Netflix is planning to raise the price of its ad-free service after the ongoing Hollywood actors’ strike ends, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, sending the streaming company’s shares up more than 3 percent.
Netflix is discussing raising prices in several markets globally, but will likely begin with the United States and Canada, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
It was not immediately clear how much Netflix will raise prices by or when exactly the new prices will take effect, according to the report.
Netflix declined to comment on the report.
Talks between the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios, are ongoing, with their next meeting scheduled on Wednesday.
The writers’ union struck a tentative deal with the AMPTP last week after five months of failed negotiations.
Netflix cut prices of its subscription plans in some countries in February. In the same month, it laid out a plan to crack down on password sharing by subscribers that was rolled out in over 100 countries in May.
Social media platform X tests game streaming and live shopping features
- Elon Musk posts video of himself playing Diablo IV
- Move may be attempt to lure streamers to the platform
LONDON: Social media platform X has started to test game streaming and live shopping features.
Elon Musk, X’s owner, posted a video of himself playing Diablo IV on the platform, demonstrating the new features of the X video game streamer system.
Musk wrote: “Tested the X video game streamer system last night. It works! Will try to complete a Tier 100 Nightmare Dungeon tonight live on this platform.”
Musk streamed his gameplay of Nightmare Dungeon, and wrote: “Testing video game streaming on X.”
The X broadcast lasted 52 minutes, of which the first dozen were spent setting up the stream.
The event, which was not advertised by Musk, was watched by a total of 20,000 people, with a peak of 1,300 concurrent viewers.
Tested the video game streamer system last night. It works!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 2, 2023
Will try to complete a Tier 100 Nightmare dungeon tonight live on this platform.
pic.twitter.com/QxF0OtVqXu
Separately, X has announced a new partnership with Paris Hilton to experiment with live shopping features.
X’s Broadcast feature, which allows users to stream live video, is part of the company’s plan to transform from a short-message website into a more comprehensive social media platform that includes long-form video and other features.
Musk’s testing of the new game-streaming feature suggests that he is trying to compete with Twitch, the leading game-streaming platform owned by Amazon.
Musk is also offering paying subscribers a share of the advertising revenue from their posts, which could lure Twitch streamers who are unhappy with Twitch’s monetization policies.
The gaming and esports industry has experienced exponential growth in recent years, with the Middle East and North Africa region being the fastest-growing area due to demographic and consumption trends.
According to data and analytics streaming platform Streams Charts, Arabic streamers were watched for 120 million hours in 2022 on Twitch, the most popular streaming platform in the region.
Given X’s strong regional presence in MENA, its move to launch game streaming and live shopping features could be a game-changer for the industry and a significant boost for the $38 billion investment strategy unveiled by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022.
However, the full-scale rollout of these features has not yet been announced, and experts have raised concerns about whether X’s infrastructure can handle the new live video features.
Musk last week attempted to stream from the US border with Mexico, but the video feed abruptly cut out after about four minutes due to technical issues.
Barajoun Studios partners with ORI Animation
- The alliance aims to enhance the quality of animation in Saudi Arabia
DUBAI: Barajoun Studios has announced a partnership with China’s ORI Animation at the Saudi Film Confex being held at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Convention Center.
The co-production alliance aims to enhance the quality of animation in Saudi Arabia while also bolstering the growth of local talent.
Barajoun Studios, which specializes in animation and visual effects, covers all aspects of animation and CGI production, from concept design to final render output with a focus on storytelling.
The company is known for the animated feature film “Bilal: A New Breed of Hero,” with upcoming projects including “Little Heroes” and “Star Chaser.”
Last year, MBC Group’s streaming platform Shahid signed a partnership deal with Barajoun to produce five original, Arabic-language animations. These will stream exclusively under the Shahid Originals banner on Shahid VIP over the next three years.
“Aligning with ORI Animation is not just a business decision; it’s a melding of visions,” Ayman Jamal, CEO of Barajoun Studios, said. “Together, we aim to create narratives that are universal in appeal yet unique in delivery.”
China-based ORI Animation was founded in 2006 and has produced five animated feature films and 11 shows including “One Day,” “Sky Wings,” and “Franco Rabbit.”
In 2013, it launched its expansion strategy, which has seen the company form partnerships with 600 media and animation groups from 70 countries.
“Our collaboration with Barajoun Studios is a testament to the limitless possibilities when creativity and technology meet. We are set on a journey to explore and create stories that will be cherished for generations,” said Feng Qian, president of ORI Animation.
The Saudi Film Confex, hosted by the Saudi Film Commission, seeks to promote the social, cultural and economic value of cinema. Running until Oct. 4 after having started on Sunday, the event brings together industry experts, executives and investors from around the world.
Live Nation Middle East makes global push to promote Arabic music
- Newly appointed Amin T. Kabban to lead team promoting international tours for Arabic artists
- Company is committed to growing regional talents, exporting Arabic music worldwide, Live Nation Middle East president said
LONDON: Live Nation Middle East, the regional arm of the entertainment giant, is making a global push to promote Arabic music.
The company has appointed Amin T. Kabbani to lead a newly formed team that will focus on booking and promoting international tours for Arabic artists.
“Expanding our operations to include international touring for Arabic talent is a natural progression for Live Nation Middle East,” said James Craven, president of Live Nation Middle East.
“While focusing on established names, Live Nation Middle East is equally dedicated to nurturing up-and-coming regional talent.”
As part of its initiative, the entertainment powerhouse will host events at some of the region’s iconic venues, such as Etihad Arena.
Craven said Live Nation is committed to nurturing up-and-coming Arabic talent and raising the profile of Arabic music around the world.
Kabbani, an industry leader with 15 years of experience, said that he is “truly honored and excited to join the Live Nation Middle East team on this incredible journey of transforming the Arabic touring market.”
He added that this is a “remarkable opportunity to not only shape the future of live entertainment but also to celebrate the rich Arabic culture through unforgettable performances.”
Live Nation Middle East will kick off its global touring business in early 2024 with an 18-stop tour headlined by an iconic Arab artist.
Arab Cinema Week returns for second year
- Held under the theme ‘Human Bonds,’ the festival will feature films reflecting key events that have affected the Arab world
DUBAI: The second Arab Cinema Week is returning this month to Dubai, UAE.
The inaugural event last year screened nine feature films and six short films — with 11 Arab countries and nine female directors represented.
This year the festival is being held under the theme ‘Human Bonds’ and aims to explore an individual’s connection to a particular society and the effect customs and traditions have on a person’s upbringing, identity and relationships.
The featured films reflect key events that have affected the Arab world — such as the unrest in Lebanon, the earthquake in Morocco and the upheaval in Sudan.
For example, the documentary “Heroic Bodies” explores the position women hold in Sudanese society, and in “My Lost Country,” filmmaker Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez retraces her father’s roots in Iraq, 20 years after the invasion of the country.
Beirut holds a special place in the selection, said Rabih El-Khoury, curator of this year’s festival.
The lineup includes three Beirut-based films: Wissam Charaf’s “Dirty, Difficult, Dangerous,” which tells the story of a Syrian refugee and an Ethiopian domestic worker falling in love in Beirut; Mohamed Soueid’s documentary “The Insomnia of a Serial Dreamer” and Borhane Alaouie’s celebrated feature “Beirut the Encounter,” which was shot during the Lebanese civil war.
Other films this year include “Under the Fig Trees,” “Life Suits Me Well” and “Alam.”
El-Khoury said: “Arab Cinema Week is both an exploration and a celebration of Arab cinema. In a program that invites the spectators to investigate human bonds, Cinema Akil is also fortifying its ties with its tremendous audience and filmgoers, a human bond that remains invaluable.”
The 10-day event will be held at Cinema Akil in collaboration with the UK’s Safar Film Festival from Oct. 6 to Oct. 15.
