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BBC Business

Mark Zuckerberg has an image problem - so why is Meta's business booming?

Image source, CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images / CTMG, Inc./Leah GalByLily JamaliNorth America Technology correspondentMark Zuckerberg was just three minutes into his keynote speech at the company's annual Meta Connect product event last month when his tone turned almost wistful. "Building is an act of love," he said, glancing down at the ground with his hands in his pockets. "It's how we impart what we believe, and we pour our hearts and our souls into what we make." Speaking to hundreds of analysts and developers, Zuckerberg proceeded to share news about Meta's latest AI products: its new agentic chatbot Muse, a slew of smart glasses, as well as a Tamagotchi-like AI gadget users can attach to their wrists. It was a conference focused on new technologies - but still, it's perhaps notable that during a presentation lasting nearly an hour, Zuckerberg did not mention two of his most popular products, Instagram and Facebook, the social media platforms that have helped Meta become a $2tn company. For much of the past year, Meta has been embroiled in a series of legal actions, accused of deliberately designing products that are addictive to young users. That has led to the release of internal emails, corporate documents and whistleblower testimony that personal injury lawyers and prosecutors across the country have wielded to make their case. And Zuckerberg is unpopular: last year, a Pew Research Center poll found that two-thirds of Americans had an unfavourable opinion of him. His reputation is unlikely to be helped by The Social Reckoning, a film by Aaron Sorkin released this week. It's about whistleblower claims that Meta executives were aware of their products harming young people. Succession actor Jeremy Strong plays Zuckerberg as a "full-on villain", according to a review in the Hollywood Reporter, "stoically arguing that even the slightest gesture of responsibility is anathema where money is concerned". Some speculate that this is Meta's "Big Tobacco" moment, with a consensus forming against the company, and the social media industry as a whole. But the truth seems to be more complicated. Despite months of bad press, in the real world Meta's products are doing better than ever. Use of its apps continues to rise, and users are already flocking to its new AI assistant. It raises the question: can anything really clip Meta's wings? Or is it now something of a 'Teflon' company, with scandals simply bouncing off it? Last summer, Reuters revealed that Meta allowed its chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual", and provide false medical information to users.

Mark Zuckerberg has an image problem - so why is Meta's business booming?
Europe
BBC Business

Why are more roofs not made of solar tiles?

Some people in the US "still hate the look of solar", Kate Collardson acknowledges. She would know. Collardson handles operations for the Solar Service of Colorado, a solar maintenance and inspection company. She's also held just about every other job in the industry, from installer to instructor. For those that hate the look of solar panels, an alternative is a solar roof, where the tiles (or shingles) house solar cells, but look much the same as regular tiles. This is especially important for historic buildings, where heritage rules limit changes to their appearance. For many people, the first time they'd heard of this product category was in August, when Tesla's website stopped offering solar roofs, external. This followed disappointing sales and a lawsuit over sudden price hikes, external. Other companies have also pulled out, but Tesla's decision in particular sent shockwaves through the solar roof industry. For instance, the small Swiss company Freesuns is considering expanding to the US. Deborah Learoyd, Freesuns' CEO and managing director, estimates that the company's sales have grown 20–30% since it was established in 2019. In general, solar roof components continue to be manufactured in smaller batches. This limits the economies of scale and standardisation, though flexible manufacturing could help somewhat. Learoyd says that while the unit costs for Freesuns' products are slowly decreasing, "a lot of the cost is actually the fact that every roof is a little bit different. And so it has to be engineered a little bit differently, installed a little bit differently". Solar roofs typically require collaboration among roofers, solar installers and electricians. And building regulations tend to be more complex than for solar panels. The additional time and paperwork can take a toll on a roofing business, Collardson explains. "You try to put a roofer into the equation and they're going, 'This is taking forever. I'm losing money. I could have sold 10 roofing jobs in the time that it takes me to sell this one'."

Why are more roofs not made of solar tiles?
Europe
BBC Business

'Add me to WhatsApp' scam calls to be investigated

Image source, Getty ImagesByTom MoseleyYou and YoursPublished4 hours agoThe UK's data watchdog is investigating a spike in complaints about "robo calls" - where a recorded voice asks you to add them on WhatsApp - that are suspected to lead to a recruitment scam. The Information Commission's Office (ICO) had more than 3,600 complaints about automated calls in September - a five-year high and nearly three times the number it had in July. But it suspects millions of people are getting these calls and told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours it was "deeply concerned" by the sharp rise. The ICO advises people to ignore calls from numbers they don't recognise, and to block and report any suspicious calls to the watchdog. Simon Fell, from the Communications Crime Strategy Group, a telecoms industry body set up to tackle fraud, said he couldn't be sure exactly what form the scam would take as he hadn't followed up on the messages. "They would either put you through to a fake job listing, which might involve some form of money muling. It could look like a completely legitimate job, or something ad hoc, but they might pass criminal funds through your account which can lead to terrible consequences. "It could also be a simple phishing exercise - criminals send out these messages, and what they really want to know is who's picking up, who's active - that information can be resold on the dark web. "The possibilities are endless. At the end of the day this is a criminal that has reached out to you and they're trying to defraud you in some way shape or form." Andy Curry, the ICO's head of criminal investigations, told the BBC he believed the calls were coming from abroad. "We are trying to find who is behind this, why they're doing it and the impact it's having on members of the public," he said. The number of complaints received by the ICO would only be a small proportion of the totals affected, he said. "We think there are probably millions of people who are receiving these messages, which appear to us to be largely indiscriminate.

'Add me to WhatsApp' scam calls to be investigated
Europe
BBC Business

'I don't know what my partner earns': How soon into dating should you reveal your salary?

Watch: How soon into dating do you talk about your salary? We ask New Yorkers and Londoners You know their favourite restaurant, what happened with their ex and their most embarrassing childhood story. But do you know how much your partner earns? Money remains one of dating's trickier conversations. Bring it up too early and it can sound like you're sizing up their bank balance. But leave it too long and you could be planning a future with someone without knowing much about their finances at all. We spoke to 20-somethings in New York City to see if there was a sweet spot for when to talk salaries. Willa Morton, 25, says she doesn't think couples necessarily need to reveal their salaries at all. "It's just a number and you can gauge how much someone makes based on the way they live and how much they spend," she says. Willa, who works in tech sales, has talked to her boyfriend about not earning very much herself but hasn't asked him for a figure in return. He's a company founder and, though his income varies, she knows that he earns more than she does. "He's more free-spending whereas I'm always saying, 'That's too expensive, that costs too much, we don't need to spend that.'" Their dates typically cost around $200 (£150) and he usually pays, while she picks up smaller bills such as coffees. For many, there's a fairly clear dividing line as to when you talk about salary, spending habits and debt and that's when you become an official couple. Alexa Ludato, 25, who works in insurance, says she'd only have the conversation when she was official with someone.

'I don't know what my partner earns': How soon into dating should you reveal your salary?
Europe
BBC Business

White House blocks Microsoft from foreign worker hiring program

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, The White House has often made extreme claims regarding international workers and immigration. Microsoft and several other technology firms have been barred by the White House from hiring skilled international workers on a permanent basis through a widely used visa program. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday accused Microsoft alongside other firms of committing fraud through the use of the H1b visa programme and a related process for workers from abroad to become permanent US residents. Vance claimed that Microsoft, one of the most valuable companies in the US, has been effectively replacing American workers with "foreign indentured servants." Microsoft said most of the H1b visas filed over the last financial year were for existing workers, who are paid the same as local staff. He also made similar accusations about Adobe, Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCL and Capgemini. The US government will not process any new or pending Permanent Labor Certification Program (PERM) applications from Microsoft or the seven other companies, Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling said during the same conference. Sonderling said companies like Microsoft, as well as US universities, have turned into "visa mills" that were "flooding" the US with foreign workers. The total number of H1b visas, a precursor to anyone seeking to go through the PERM process, is capped, external at 85,000 per year. A spokeswoman for Microsoft noted to the BBC that "the vast majority of Microsoft employees in the United States are Americans." The company employs more than 200,000 people worldwide. Vance put forward on Thursday that Microsoft had laid off about 6,000 workers and filed 6,800 H1b visa applications over the same period of time. He claimed this was evidence of the company using foreign workers to replace domestic workers and "undercut" their wages. The Microsoft spokeswoman said that 80% of the H1b visa filings the company has submitted over the last fiscal year were related to employees already working at Microsoft, not new hires.

White House blocks Microsoft from foreign worker hiring program
Europe
The Guardian

Trump’s recent statements on the economy are even more bonkers than usual | Steven Greenhouse

‘Economists and corporate executives were especially alarmed by two Trump statements.’ Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Aaron Schwartz - Pool/CNP/ShutterstockView image in fullscreen‘Economists and corporate executives were especially alarmed by two Trump statements.’ Photograph: Aaron Schwartz/Pool/Aaron Schwartz - Pool/CNP/ShutterstockOpinionDonald TrumpTrump’s recent statements on the economy are even more bonkers than usualSteven GreenhouseOur ‘genius’ president is revealing his ignorance of economics, fueling concerns about the threat he poses to the world But in the days before and after that post, Trump made one mind-boggling statement after another, including one that raised the possibility of cutting off all trade with dozens of the US’s trading partners. The president’s statements had many experts questioning not just his intelligence, but also whether he – and the outlandish policies he was proposing – were a clear and present danger to both the US economy and the world economy. Public respect for Trump’s economic sense has fallen so low that just 7% of Americans think he should take the lead in regulating AI, according to a recent WSJ poll. Responding to Trump’s reckless statements, one prominent advocacy group, Republicans Against Trump, derided him as “Dumbest. President. Ever.” Economists and corporate executives were especially alarmed by two Trump statements. First, he wrote on Truth Social: “I’ll stop trading with countries with which we have a deficit” if the Federal Reserve doesn’t cut interest rates. The second disconcerting statement was: “If we stopped Trading with every country that we have a Deficit with, which is most of them, we would make, at least, 1.5 Trillion Dollars a year.” Not only is Trump’s arithmetic childishly silly here, but any college student who took Econ 101 knows that if a trade-dependent nation like the US suddenly ended all trade with dozens of countries, that would lead to economic disaster. What’s more, it was worrisome that Trump views himself as almighty emperor with the power to singlehandedly halt hundreds of billions of dollars in trade. If Trump ordered the US to terminate all trade with every place with which it has a trade deficit – that includes China, Mexico, Taiwan and the European Union – many US manufacturers would quickly find themselves in desperate straits, unable to obtain critically needed computer chips, rare earths, auto parts, aluminum and much more. As a result, many factories would be forced to close. Not only that, many farmers would be crippled because they couldn’t import the fertilizer they need, while many homebuilders would have to stop work because they couldn’t import needed lumber. Two days before the Federal Reserve raised its short-term interest rates to 3.75% to 4% to combat inflation, Trump was on a tear, badgering and bullying the Fed, telling it not only not to raise interest rates, but to cut rates sharply. “We should be at 1% or half a percent,” Trump said. Again, anyone who took Econ 101 knows that cutting rates so sharply and so low will push prices skyward at a time when the Fed and consumers already think inflation is too high. And let’s not forget that Trump was the guy who promised to reduce prices on day one as president. With that statement, the self-described “stable genius” president showed his utter failure to understand one of the most basic teachings of Econ 101 – when interest rates are extremely low, like 1%, that heats up the economy and that revved-up economic activity fuels inflation. The University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers called Trump’s demand for a 1% interest rate “the dumbest thing ever said by a president”. Then there was this whopper. Trump said that if the Fed bowed to his demands and slashed interest rates, “we could have a GDP [growth] of 14, 15, 16 and 20.” Those numbers are absurd, fantastical. Considering that the US economy grew at a moderate 2.2% rate in this year’s second quarter and rarely grows faster than 5%, talk of 20% growth is delusional. Since the second world war, the US economy has grown at a rate at 20% or higher just once. That happened in the third quarter of 2020 due to extraordinary circumstances – in that quarter, myriad businesses rushed to reopen after the worst pandemic in a century caused many to suddenly shut down during the previous quarter. (GDP plunged at a 28% rate that quarter.) Then there was this colossally wrong-headed statement about trade: “The word ‘Deficit’ is nothing more than a fancy word for LOSS.” Trump coupled that assertion with his misbegotten statement that the US would magically be $1.5tn richer if it terminated all trade with every nation with which it has a deficit.

Trump’s recent statements on the economy are even more bonkers than usual | Steven Greenhouse
Europe
BBC Business

'Come all the way' back to EU, French finance minister tells UK

French finance minister Roland Lescure has invited Britain to "come all the way" back to the EU, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham signalled a second Brexit referendum was "possible" in a future Labour election manifesto. Lescure said being in the bloc comes with some difficulties, but it enables members to better address the challenges facing the world. Last week, Burnham said the UK needed to "consider the options", ranging from staying as is, rejoining the customs union or single market, or going "all the way". Asked about the PM's comments, Lescure told the BBC: "British people decided, and that's obviously their 100% right, and if they're willing to come back, they will have to decide." Burnham recently warned that planned EU rules to help European manufacturers would damage the UK. The prime minister expressed concerns about how British industry and supply chains could be affected by the planned Made In Europe scheme. The proposals aim to protect EU industry from Chinese competitors by giving companies inside the bloc priority for public contracts and subsidies. The EU's car industry has called for the UK to be included to prevent disruption to its own supply chains. Asked about the possibility of Britain being kept out of the scheme, Lescure said: "Come back, and you'll be at the table, and we discuss all these things together." The finance minister's interview with the BBC also touched on French domestic matters, including the student protests that have swept the country, with more than 500 schools fully or partially shut as of Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets to call for better conditions in schools. Lescure said it was a "tough world" for young people, saying he understood why they were anxious and that "our duty as leaders is to listen to them". "It's hard to tell young people we're not going to have the money for you because we're spending a lot on health and pensions," he acknowledged.

'Come all the way' back to EU, French finance minister tells UK
North America
Yahoo Finance

S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow End Week Higher As Weak Jobs Report Cools Rate Hike Bets — NVDA, BA, SPCX, RIVN, APLD In Focus

U.S. stock indices ended higher on Friday as employment data showed the economy added fewer jobs than expected, easing fears of an October rate hike. The S&P 500 ended Friday 0.7% higher, the Nasdaq 100 rose 1%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.5%. The Russell 2000, which tracks small-cap stocks, gained 0.9%. Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for QQQ, SPY, and DIA was ‘bullish’ with ‘high’ message volumes. Unemployment data for September came in below economists' expectations on Friday, with jobs rising 29,000 last month and unemployment climbing to 4.2%. The Dow Jones consensus called for jobs growth of 84,000 and for the unemployment rate to hold steady at 4.1%. “September’s disappointing employment report showed renewed slowing in job growth heading into the fall, potentially foreshadowing enough moderation in economic activity to delay additional Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes,” Jennifer Timmerman, senior investment strategy analyst at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, told Bloomberg in an interview. This, along with multiple commentaries from Federal Reserve executives, helped calm bets of an interest rate hike in the upcoming October meeting. The probability of an October hike significantly dropped to 22% on Friday from 64% a week ago. Public addresses by Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson and New York Fed President John Williams conveyed a shared belief that policymakers have ample room to evaluate economic indicators before considering further policy tightening. The remarks successfully reined in Wall Street's expectations for a rate increase later this month, illustrating that market participants remain highly attentive to messaging from key central bank leaders. Treasuries also cooled slightly in early trading on Friday before inching higher, limiting the day’s gains. The benchmark US 10-year Treasury yield ticked up 4 basis points (bps) to close at 5.28%, while the 30-year paper ended at 5.62%. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury ETF (TLT) fell 0.3%. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has determined that a new Boeing (BA) 737 MAX software glitch does not pose a flight-safety issue, The Wall Street Journal reported. Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX) climbed sharply on Friday, as investors priced in a rare burst of launch activity and the start of large artificial-intelligence computing contracts. Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) presents a compelling buying opportunity for investors after a notable divergence between its underlying business performance and its relative market valuation, Stephanie Link, Chief Investment Strategist at Hightower Advisors, explained in an article published on CNBC.

S&P 500, Nasdaq, Dow End Week Higher As Weak Jobs Report Cools Rate Hike Bets — NVDA, BA, SPCX, RIVN, APLD In Focus
Europe
BBC Business

Trump unveils 'Super Intelligence Force' to oversee AI policy

Image source, Getty ImagesByOsmond ChiaBusiness reporterPublished5 October 2026, 02:33 BSTUpdated 20 minutes agoUS President Donald Trump says he has created a new task force focused on artificial intelligence, which will be led by Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton. The "Super Intelligence Force" will work to ensure that the US continues to lead in the technology's development and will coordinate the government's engagement with the public, Trump posted on Sunday. It comes after the president signed an executive order on 29 September to rename AI as Super Intelligence, after previously saying the word artificial made it sound "fake". Trump also said last week that he would set up a board to oversee AI safety after top tech bosses signed what he described as a "morally binding" pact. "The Super Intelligence Force will coordinate the Federal Government's engagement with Consumers, Public Interest Groups, Religious Organizations, Critical Infrastructure Providers, and Super Intelligence Companies," Trump wrote. Federal Trade Commission Chair Andrew Ferguson and Undersecretary of Defense for Research, Engineering Emil Michael and Director of the Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor will also be part of the taskforce. It will report directly to the president and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The taskforce's chief, Clayton, took office as the US national intelligence director in August after Trump's original choice, Bill Pulte, was rejected by lawmakers. On AI, Clayton has previously said: "When something's both an opportunity and a threat, you better get your arms around it." Clayton previously served as US attorney for the Southern District of New York, overseeing several prominent cases, including the drug trafficking case against former Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro. The announcement of the taskforce follows growing pressure from prominent figures in the industry, including executives of OpenAI and Anthropic, to tighten regulation of the technology. In an interview published on 4 October, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the benefits of AI justify accepting some of its risks and argued that the technology should remain accessible to the public.

Trump unveils 'Super Intelligence Force' to oversee AI policy