Facebook has changed its name to "Meta" in a shift away from social media and towards developing "the metaverse," a digital world that could be the next generation of the internet. Here's what they have planned.

Frances Haugen said her former boss, Mark Zuckerberg, should step down and allow change instead of devoting resources to build the so-called "metaverse."

Frances Haugen called on lawmakers in Brussels to seize the opportunity to create a "global gold standard" as they draft oversight regulation for tech giants.

Facebook became Meta Platforms on October 28 and subsequently announced its grand plans for bringing the virtual and physical worlds together in the metaverse. Since then, tech and entertainment giants have been jumping on the bandwagon and staking their own claims as builders of a new reality. But what exactly is the metaverse and what are the risks associated with it? Peter O'Brien takes a closer look in this week's Tech 24, the first in a new live format.

Many Facebook groups based in Mali and Nigeria began sharing a video of a helicopter on December 9, claiming it showed an aircraft delivering weapons to terrorists. In Mali, the posts often accused the French government of operating the helicopter, while posts coming from Nigeria laid the blame on the Nigerian government. In reality, the video is from neither one of these countries – it was filmed in the Central African Republic during a routine supply drop.

For the first time since inception in 2004, Facebook lost about 5 lakh users on a daily basis during Oct-Dec 2021. That saw the shares of its parent company, Meta, plunge 20 percent on the exchanges, wiping off $200 bn in market capitalisation.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday⁣.⁣

Facebook and Instagram's parent company, Meta, has been designated as an "extremist" organization by a Russian court. But Meta's WhatsApp is excluded from the ban.

The European Union agreed on new regulations that require social media companies and online marketplaces to remove illegal content. Advertisement targeting minors will also be banned.

An abducted Cameroonian ruling party senator appears in a video announcing her resignation and calling for anglophone independence. Regina Mundi may have been forced to read this statement by English-speaking separatist militia. Meanwhile, in Congo-Brazzaville, there are calls for the government to do more to identify and support those suffering from mental illness. And as Muslims across Africa prepare to celebrate Eid, preparations have been tainted by soaring prices.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

Sandberg helped transform the company into an over $100-billion-a-year powerhouse. She will continue to serve on the board of directors.