Meta Verified users are reporting that they are not receiving adequate support from Meta's customer service reps after being mistakenly suspended from Facebook and Instagram. Many users have complained about dismissive and unhelpful support, with some reporting that their accounts have been suspended for weeks or months due to a possible AI error.

A petition demanding Meta resolve the issue has garnered over 25,500 signatures. Users have also taken to Reddit to share tips and consider legal action. Meta has acknowledged the ban affecting Facebook Groups but has not confirmed the cause of the mass bans.

Meta Verified users describe unproductive conversations with reps who seem unable to resolve issues with the erroneous bans. Some users were put on a waitlist instead of gaining access to support. There is some evidence that some users have been regaining access to their accounts, but Meta has declined to provide an update on the ongoing problem.

A security vulnerability in the Catwatchful Android spyware operation exposed thousands of customers and its administrator. The bug revealed email addresses and plaintext passwords used to access data stolen from victims' phones.

Catwatchful, disguised as a child monitoring app, uploads victims' photos, messages, and real-time location data. It can also remotely access the phone's microphone and cameras.

The database contained data from over 62,000 customers and 26,000 victims, primarily located in Mexico, Colombia, India, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, and Bolivia. The breach exposed the identity of the administrator, Omar Soca Charcov, a developer based in Uruguay.

Catwatchful uses Google’s Firebase to store stolen data. Google has added new protections to Google Play Protect to detect the spyware. Users can detect Catwatchful by dialing 543210 on their Android phone.

X (formerly Twitter) is piloting a feature that allows AI chatbots to generate Community Notes, aiming to add context to posts and combat misleading information.

These AI-generated notes will undergo the same vetting process as human-submitted notes to ensure accuracy.

The goal is to create an ecosystem where humans and AI work together to promote critical thinking and understanding, but concerns remain about the potential for AI inaccuracies and rater overload.

X plans to test these AI contributions for a few weeks before a broader rollout.

Catalio Capital Management has announced the closing of its Fund IV, exceeding $400 million. This fund will focus on investments in healthcare and biotechnology companies, continuing the firm's established thesis.

Founded in 2020, Catalio has already made over 100 investments. Fund IV has already supported 16 companies, including PinkDx (diagnostics) and Superluminal Medicines (drug discovery).

Despite a venture downturn impacting the biotech market, Catalio continues to invest. The market experienced a significant drop, raising $12 billion last year compared to $152.3 billion in 2023.

Instagram's Threads is introducing direct messaging (DMs) for users to communicate without switching to Instagram. The rollout includes a new visual element called highlighter to emphasize interesting perspectives, starting with Trending Topics.

Threads DMs will initially support one-on-one chats, emoji reactions, spam reporting, and muting. Advanced features like group messaging and inbox filters are planned for future updates. Currently, blocking a user on Threads also blocks them on Instagram. DMs will be available to users 18+ in most markets, excluding Japan, Australia, the U.K., and the EU.

With DMs, Threads aims to compete with apps like X and Bluesky, but unlike X, Threads has no plans to encrypt its DMs. Meta emphasizes that Threads is designed for direct connections and conversations, distinct from Instagram. Users are building unique interest graphs on Threads, with many having minimal overlap with their Instagram connections.

Meta is also exploring ways for users to access Threads without an Instagram account, such as logging in with Facebook or creating a Threads-only account. The platform is focusing on identifying active contributors within communities and improving user discovery through suggested follows and the highlight feature.

Threads is prioritizing community building and user experience over monetization for now, with no immediate plans beyond ads, despite having AI capabilities. The app boasts 350 million monthly active users, surpassing newcomers like Bluesky. DMs were tested in select markets before the global launch.