Meta Introduces Broadcast Tool Channels on WhatsApp

Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP)
Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP)
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Meta Introduces Broadcast Tool Channels on WhatsApp

Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP)
Facebook's Meta logo sign is seen at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. on Oct. 28, 2021. (AP)

Meta Platforms on Thursday introduced WhatsApp Channels, a feature that the social media giant said would help make the app a "private broadcast messaging product."

Users in Colombia and Singapore will be the first to receive access to Channels. Over the coming months, Meta will expand the availability of the tool for users in more countries, it said.

The company said users will be able to follow content on their hobbies, sports teams, updates from local officials and others. Reuters reported.

Profile photos and contact information of the channel admin would not be visible to followers. Similarly, followers will not have their phone numbers revealed.

Global launch partners for the feature will include the World Health Organization, FC Barcelona and Manchester City.



IT Outage Hits German Airports, Bild Newspaper Reports

The German flag is seen outside Germany's Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. in Berlin, Germany, March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
The German flag is seen outside Germany's Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. in Berlin, Germany, March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
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IT Outage Hits German Airports, Bild Newspaper Reports

The German flag is seen outside Germany's Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. in Berlin, Germany, March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
The German flag is seen outside Germany's Bundestag, the lower house of parliament. in Berlin, Germany, March 14, 2018. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Airports across Germany have been hit by a IT outage affecting federal police systems used to check incoming passengers, Bild newspaper reported on Friday, citing the police, Reuters reported.

"Our colleagues have to do a lot of things manually that the system used to do. We're still managing to get it done at the moment," said a police spokesperson responsible for Frankfurt airport, Germany's busiest.

Federal police were not immediately available for comment.