Home
Apps
Apps News
Facebook Authorises Chinese Firm's Launch of Moments Like App: Report

Facebook Authorises Chinese Firm's Launch of Moments-Like App: Report

By Reuters | Updated: 12 August 2017 13:17 IST

Facebook, whose social media platform is blocked in China, authorised a local company to launch a photo-sharing application in the country in May, the New York Times reported, citing a person with knowledge of the company's plans.

The app, called Colorful Balloons, is similar to Facebook's Moments application in function and feel, but does not carry the Facebook name, the Times said on Friday.

The app was released in China by a company called Youge Internet Technology and without any hint that Facebook is affiliated with the company, the Times said, citing a post in Apple's app store.

"We have long said that we are interested in China, and are spending time understanding and learning more about the country in different ways," a Facebook spokesperson said by email.

"Our focus right now is on helping Chinese businesses and developers expand to new markets outside China by using our ad platform."

It was unclear if China's various Internet regulators were aware of the app's existence, the Times said.

Western social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are blocked by China's censors, which has helped drive up the popularity of home-grown messaging app WeChat, owned by Tencent and micro-blogging service Weibo.

Zuckerberg in February all but ruled out an expansion in the world's most populous country, saying there would be "no news at all in the near term."

© Thomson Reuters 2017

Comments

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube.