Saudi Arabia’s Monsha’at Partners with X to Support Digital Transformation

General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) logo
General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) logo
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Saudi Arabia’s Monsha’at Partners with X to Support Digital Transformation

General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) logo
General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) logo

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (Monsha’at) collaborated with X Development company during the Biban 24 forum to provide specialized training programs and innovative digital transformation solutions.
Representatives from Monsha’at and X signed the agreement, underscoring their commitment to advancing the digital business environment and empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to achieve their objectives under Vision 2030.
Through this partnership, Monsha’at aims to equip entrepreneurs and SMEs with essential digital skills and knowledge to enhance their market competitiveness and adapt to rapid changes in the business landscape.
The agreement facilitates SME access to cutting-edge technology solutions, boosting their ability to stay competitive and preparing them to meet evolving business challenges. It also establishes an innovative entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports digital transformation and offers comprehensive training opportunities for entrepreneurs. These programs combine practical training with technical support, promoting sustainable growth for the SME sector.



South Korea Fines Meta about $15 Mln over Collection of User Data

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. (Reuters)
A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. (Reuters)
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South Korea Fines Meta about $15 Mln over Collection of User Data

A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. (Reuters)
A 3D printed Facebook's new rebrand logo Meta is placed on laptop keyboard in this illustration taken on November 2, 2021. (Reuters)

South Korea has ordered Facebook owner Meta Platforms to pay 21.62 billion won ($15.67 million) in fines after finding it had collected sensitive user data and given it to advertisers without a legal basis, Seoul's data protection agency said.

The US tech giant obtained information from about 980,000 South Korean Facebook users on issues such as their religion, political views and sexuality while failing to seek agreement from users, the Personal Information Protection Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.

The information was then used by some 4,000 advertisers, the agency said.

A Meta Korea official declined to comment.

"Specifically, it has been found that (Meta) analyzed user behavior data such as pages they liked and advertisements they clicked on Facebook and created and managed advertising themes related to sensitive information," the commission said.

This included users being categorized for example as being North Korean defectors or following a certain religion, the agency said.

Meta had also unfairly declined a request by users to access personal information and failed to prevent data on about 10 South Koreans from being leaked by hackers, the agency said.