Motion Picture Association Orders Meta to Drop “PG-13” Label from Instagram Teen Filters

/in /tarafından

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Meta, accusing the social media giant of misleadingly using the film industry’s “PG-13” rating in its new content filters for teen users on Instagram. The group said Meta’s claim that its filters are modeled on the movie rating system is “literally false and highly misleading.”

Meta announced last month that it would restrict what users under 18 see on Instagram by applying filters “inspired by the PG-13 rating system.” The MPA, however, says the comparison is inappropriate, emphasizing that its rating process involves a curated, consensus-driven assessment by human reviewers — not automated algorithms.

In an October 28 letter to Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead, the MPA demanded that the company immediately stop using the “PG-13” mark and disassociate its Teen Accounts and AI moderation tools from the film rating system, warning that unauthorized use could undermine public trust in movie ratings. The association asked Meta to resolve the issue by November 3.

A Meta spokesperson said the company had no intention of implying a partnership with the MPA and hopes to “work constructively” with the association to address concerns. Meta said the filter initiative was designed to give parents greater control over what teenagers see on its platforms.

The dispute comes as Meta faces growing scrutiny from regulators and advocacy groups over the safety of its younger users. The company has also faced lawsuits alleging that its social platforms expose minors to harmful content.

Microsoft and G42 to Add 200 MW of Data Center Capacity in $15 Billion UAE Investment Push

/in /tarafından

Microsoft and Abu Dhabi’s G42 announced plans on Wednesday to expand data center capacity in the United Arab Emirates by 200 megawatts, marking a major milestone in the U.S. tech giant’s $15 billion investment drive across the Gulf region.

The new capacity will be delivered through Khazna Data Centers, a G42 subsidiary, and is expected to begin operations before the end of next year, the companies said in a joint statement. The project forms part of a sweeping effort to transform the UAE into a global hub for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Microsoft said its total investment in the UAE will reach $7.3 billion between 2023 and the end of 2025, with another $7.9 billion planned for 2026 through 2029. The expansion underscores the deepening ties between the company and G42, following Microsoft’s $1.5 billion investment last year for a minority stake in the Abu Dhabi-based AI and cloud firm.

G42, backed by Mubadala, Silver Lake, and billionaire Ray Dalio’s family office, has emerged as one of the Middle East’s leading AI players. The UAE government has been channeling billions into the sector to boost economic diversification and technological self-reliance.

The companies also confirmed that the Trump administration has approved exports of Nvidia’s advanced chips for data centers in the Gulf country — a key step in enabling large-scale AI model training and cloud services.

“The expansion strengthens Microsoft Azure’s secure, scalable, and sovereign cloud infrastructure in the UAE,” the firms said.

Pinterest Shares Plunge 18% as Ad Competition and Tariff Pressures Hit Growth Outlook

/in /tarafından

Pinterest shares tumbled 18% on Wednesday after the company issued a weaker-than-expected revenue forecast, raising concerns that the image-sharing platform is losing ground to larger digital advertising rivals amid growing tariff-related pressures. If losses hold, the drop would wipe about $4.36 billion off Pinterest’s market value.

The sharp decline contrasts with strong third-quarter results from advertising heavyweights Alphabet, Meta, and Reddit, all of which reported robust ad spending fueled by AI-powered targeting and larger global reach. Analysts said Pinterest’s smaller scale and slower innovation pace are limiting its ability to compete effectively.

Chief Financial Officer Julia Donnelly cited weaker ad spending in the United States and Canada — Pinterest’s biggest markets — as retailers face thinner margins due to new tariffs. “Larger U.S. retailers are navigating tariff-related margin pressure,” Donnelly said, adding that China-based e-commerce giants such as Temu and Shein have also reduced marketing budgets after the removal of the “de minimis” import exemption.

Pinterest now expects revenue between $1.31 billion and $1.34 billion for the current quarter, with the midpoint slightly below analyst expectations of $1.34 billion, according to LSEG data.

“Performance has been fine, but we struggle to see a catalyst for growth,” said analysts at Piper Sandler. Morgan Stanley added that Pinterest “failed to deliver” in a market increasingly rewarding innovation and upward earnings revisions.

Despite Wednesday’s steep loss, Pinterest shares remain up 13.6% for the year — outpacing Meta’s 7.2% gain over the same period.