Meta has launched in-stream advertisements for creators on its platforms in Nigeria, providing a significant new revenue stream for content creators.

This development allows creators to incorporate advertisements into their new or existing videos, including live content.

Meta’s automated system identifies natural breaks in videos to place ads, or creators can manually choose their ad placements.

In-stream and live ads encompass various formats, including pre-roll ads that play before a video starts, mid-roll ads that break into the video, and image ads that appear below the video.

There are also after-roll ads that play following the video content. Creators must meet certain eligibility requirements, such as having a minimum of 5,000 followers, to utilize in-stream ads.

This feature is a part of Meta’s broader effort to enhance monetization opportunities on its platforms. According to a report by NapoleonCat, Nigeria has over 50 million Facebook users.

With the introduction of in-stream ads, Nigerian content creators can now monetize their content more effectively, having previously been excluded from such monetization unless they operated from eligible countries.

Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, announced the feature would go live in June during a visit to Nigeria in March.

“Monetization won’t be limited to just Instagram. Nigerian creators eligible to use our monetization products will be able to also monetize on Facebook as well,” Clegg stated.

Meta confirmed this development in a statement on Monday, saying in-stream ads on Facebook and Facebook ads on reels are the two new monetization features for eligible creators in Nigeria and Ghana.

These features will enable creators to earn money by crafting original videos and cultivating a community.

Moon Baz, Global Partnerships Lead for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey at Meta, said “Every day, we’re inspired by the incredible African creators who use Facebook to tell their stories, connect with others, and bring people together.

“This expansion will empower eligible creators in the vibrant creative industry across Nigeria and Ghana to earn money while setting the bar high for creativity across the world and making Meta’s family of apps the one-stop-shop for all creators.”

In-stream ads can be played before, during, or after on-demand videos, whether pre-recorded content or a recording of a previous live stream.

Types of in-stream ads include pre-roll ads (which play before a video starts), mid-roll ads (which play during videos), image ads (static image ads that display beneath the content), and post-roll ads (ads which appear at the end of videos).

Meta also introduced ads on Facebook Reels, integrating seamlessly into original Reels and enabling creators to get paid based on the performance of their original reels while entertaining fans.

This move by Meta is set to revolutionize content creation in Nigeria, allowing creators to harness the power of their platforms more effectively for financial gain.

The introduction of these monetization features marks a significant step forward in supporting the creative economy in Nigeria and beyond.

Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is facing a new legal challenge in Norway over its plans to utilize user images and posts to train artificial intelligence (AI) models.

The Norwegian Consumer Council has lodged a complaint, criticizing Meta’s cumbersome and deceptive opt-out process, which it argues breaches stringent EU data protection regulations.

The Council’s statement on Thursday highlighted that Meta’s method for allowing users to opt out of data collection for AI training is overly complicated and intentionally confusing.

“The process to opt-out breaches strict EU data protection rules and has been made deliberately cumbersome by using deceptive design patterns and vague wording,” the Council said.

This isn’t Meta’s first run-in with European regulators regarding data privacy. The tech giant has previously faced multiple complaints for allegedly failing to obtain proper consent from users before collecting their data to target advertisements.

Also, the European Union’s top court has warned Meta about safeguarding public information on users’ sexual orientation from being used for personalized advertising.

“We are urging the Data Protection Authority to assess the legality of Meta’s practices and to ensure that the company is operating in compliance with the law,” stated Inger Lise Blyverket, head of the Norwegian Consumer Council.

The complaint was prepared by the European Center for Digital Rights and will be submitted to the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, as well as other European data protection authorities.

Due to Meta’s EU base in Dublin, the Irish Data Protection Commission will serve as the lead authority in this matter.

The outcome of this complaint could have significant implications for how Meta, and other tech companies, handle user data within the EU.

Meta’s use of user data for training AI has raised significant privacy concerns. Critics argue that without clear and straightforward consent mechanisms, users are often unaware of how their data is being used.

This latest complaint underscores the ongoing tension between big tech companies and European regulators striving to enforce robust privacy standards.

The Norwegian Consumer Council’s action reflects a growing impatience with tech giants’ data practices, emphasizing the need for transparency and user control.

As AI technologies continue to advance, ensuring ethical and lawful data usage remains a critical challenge for both companies and regulators.

The tech industry faced a wave of uncertainty as Meta Platforms Inc., formerly known as Facebook, delivered a disappointing earnings report that sent shockwaves through the market and dented investor confidence.

Meta’s forecast of weaker-than-expected sales for the current quarter, coupled with plans for higher capital expenditures, rattled investors who were eagerly anticipating robust results.

Shares of Meta plummeted by as much as 19% in after-hours trading to trigger a cascade effect across the tech sector.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 Index experienced a decline of up to 1%, reflecting broader concerns about the health of the industry.

Analysts and investors alike expressed dismay at Meta’s inability to meet revenue expectations, citing uncertainties surrounding the company’s adoption and monetization of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Jack Ablin, Chief Investment Officer at Cresset Wealth Advisors, highlighted the disappointment on the revenue front, overshadowing any optimism about AI adoption.

Questions lingered regarding the efficacy of AI investments and their potential benefits to users, leading to increased skepticism among stakeholders.

The repercussions of Meta’s earnings miss extended beyond its own stock, impacting other tech giants slated to report earnings in the coming days.

Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and social media companies like Snap Inc. and Pinterest Inc. all witnessed notable declines, signaling a broader sentiment shift within the industry.

The fallout from Meta’s revenue woes reverberated across the tech landscape, affecting chipmakers, server manufacturers, and software firms. Nvidia Corp., Micron Technology Inc., and International Business Machines Corp. were among the companies affected, as investor concerns over AI investment and revenue growth cast a shadow over the sector’s outlook.

As the tech industry grapples with Meta’s disappointing results, stakeholders are left to ponder the implications for future investments and strategic decisions.

The episode serves as a stark reminder of the inherent volatility and uncertainty within the tech sector, underscoring the importance of diligent risk management and strategic foresight in navigating turbulent markets.