Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Meta is facing several overlapping issues, not one single crisis: it announced broader uses for activity data shared by other businesses, European regulators have made a preliminary finding about Facebook and Instagram design, and legal and policy changes could affect advertising tools. Meta’s latest reported figures still show growth in revenue and advertising measures; the cited evidence does not establish broad advertiser departures or a measured advertising collapse.
What changed in how Meta says it uses activity data?
In June 2026, Meta said it would use activity shared by other businesses not only to personalize ads, but also to personalize people’s Feed and responses from its AI features. Meta said this update did not involve collecting new data. The information at issue is activity businesses share with Meta about a person’s interactions with their websites or services.
Meta also announced changes to the controls for this activity. It said it would expand the setting called “Activity from other businesses” and discontinue the separate “Your activity off Meta technologies” setting, which let people disconnect shared activity from their account. Meta described the expanded setting as a control, but the change also removes that separate disconnection option. These are different aspects of the announcement: Meta’s claim that it is not collecting new data does not mean the control arrangement is unchanged.
Meta said the changes would first take effect in the United States and some other countries in July 2026, with more countries to follow. Its announcement establishes the planned timing, but does not by itself confirm the rollout status for every country or account. People can check the activity controls shown in their Meta account; the available settings may depend on location and rollout.
#1 Best Overall
- CARDBOARD MONKENAUT — Get our best Gorilla Tag bundle yet with this Amazon exclusive deal. Purchase Meta Quest 3 to get exclusive items, including the Gorilla Space Program Suit and Helmet, plus 2,000 SHINY ROCKS.
- NEARLY 30% LEAP IN RESOLUTION — Experience every thrill in breathtaking detail with sharp graphics and stunning 4K+ Infinite Display.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play and explore in immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Blend virtual objects with your physical space and experience two worlds at once in your VR headset.
Why are Facebook and Instagram’s design choices under scrutiny?
On July 10, 2026, the European Commission said it had preliminarily found Facebook and Instagram in breach of the EU Digital Services Act over their design. The Commission identified infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and personalized recommender systems. It said Meta had not adequately assessed risks to physical and mental wellbeing, including for minors and vulnerable adults, and that existing measures did not sufficiently address the risks it identified.
This is a preliminary regulatory finding, not a final decision or a court judgment. It concerns the Commission’s assessment of Facebook and Instagram under EU law; it should not be presented as a finding that applies everywhere or as a settled conclusion about the effects of every feature.
Rank #2
- CARDBOARD MONKENAUT — Get our best Gorilla Tag bundle yet with this Amazon exclusive deal. Purchase Meta Quest 3S to get exclusive items, including the Gorilla Space Program Suit and Helmet, plus 2,000 SHINY ROCKS.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play and explore immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Take gaming to a new level and blend virtual objects with your physical space to experience two worlds at once in your VR headset.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up. *Based on the graphic performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 platform vs the Meta Quest 2 platform.
European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen said: “protecting the physical and mental health of Europeans must be a priority for social media platforms. The Digital Services Act provides a clear framework to hold platforms accountable for the addictive design and effects of their services. We are fully committed to enforcing our legislation in Europe.”
What has Meta said about identifying underage accounts?
Meta says it uses contextual information from profiles and visual clues to help identify accounts it believes may belong to underage users. The company says suspected accounts can be deactivated while the user is asked to verify their age. In a July 31, 2026 correction, Meta clarified that its AI does not use biometric data, create facial fingerprints or identify who is in a photo. These are Meta’s descriptions of its own age-assurance system, not independent verification of how it operates.
Rank #3
- NEARLY 30% LEAP IN RESOLUTION — Experience every thrill in breathtaking detail with sharp graphics and stunning 4K Infinite Display.
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Play, explore and exercise in immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Blend virtual objects with your physical space and experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
Why might advertisers be concerned about Meta’s ad tools?
Meta’s June 2026 SEC filing says substantially all of its revenue comes from advertising on Facebook and Instagram. Its advertising tools depend on signals from Meta’s services and from websites and services the company does not control. The filing identifies regulatory developments, changes by third-party mobile operating systems and browsers, and limits on available data signals as risks that could adversely affect targeting and measurement.
That exposure helps explain why changes in privacy rules, platform policies and legal requirements matter to advertisers: they can affect the signals and tools used to reach audiences and assess campaign results. It does not establish that advertisers broadly are leaving Meta, or that a particular change has caused campaigns to perform worse.
Rank #4
- NO WIRES, MORE FUN — Break free from cords. Game, play, exercise and explore immersive worlds — untethered and without limits.
- 2X GRAPHICAL PROCESSING POWER — Enjoy lightning-fast load times and next-gen graphics for smooth gaming powered by the SnapdragonTM XR2 Gen 2 processor.
- EXPERIENCE VIRTUAL REALITY — Take gaming to a new level and blend virtual objects with your physical space to experience two worlds at once.
- 2+ HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Charge less, play longer and stay in the action with an improved battery that keeps up.
- 33% MORE MEMORY — Elevate your play with 8GB of RAM. Upgraded memory delivers a next-level experience fueled by sharper graphics and more responsive performance.
Do Meta’s latest figures show an advertising collapse?
No. In its second-quarter 2026 results, Meta reported growth in both revenue and its advertising measures. These are company-reported figures, not evidence that users approve of Meta’s practices or that advertisers are satisfied.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Measure | Meta’s reported result | What it does—and does not—show |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $60.80 billion in Q2 2026, up 28% year over year | Reported company revenue growth; it does not measure public opinion or advertiser concern. |
| Ad impressions | Up 14% year over year across Meta’s Family of Apps in Q2 2026 | More impressions were reported; this alone does not show advertiser satisfaction or campaign effectiveness. |
| Average price per ad | Up 12% year over year in Q2 2026 | A reported average price increase, not a measure of advertiser retention. |
| Family daily active people | 3.60 billion average in June 2026, up 3% year over year | A company-reported audience measure; it is not a measure of whether people approve of Meta. |
Meta also reported $2.40 billion in charges related to legal proceedings and $1.18 billion in severance expenses connected with its May 2026 headcount reduction. Those costs provide context for the quarter, but do not overturn the growth in the operating and revenue measures above or establish a single cause for the legal expenses.
Best Value
- 【Weight Balance-Dual Adjustable Straps】Customize fit using by dual adjustment knobs (top/back), kawaye vr headset strap 4 points adjustable helps evenly distributes weight to eliminate facial pressure. Fits 22.1"-27.5" head sizes, suitable for both children and adults. 55° flip-up design for oculus head strap design enables glasses-friendly access.
- 【All-Day Comfort - Dual Cotton Pads】Maximum comfort and support with two thick and soft cotton pads. This VR head strap design for oculus/meta quest 3s/3/2 accessories to extend comfort, 35in² oversized cushion rear pad engineered for weight distribution to enhance stability & safety during intense VR workouts.
- 【Built-in Battery Slot】If you have additional power requirements, kawaye for oculus/meta quest 3/3s/2 headstrap features a dedicated compartment for hot-swappable battery packs (MQ001/MQ002, sold separately) - Hot swappable technology helps simplily add a battery in seconds without removing your headset or interrupting gameplay.
- 【90-Second Install & Build Quality】Kawaye design for meta quest 3/2 elite strap replacement includes two set connection fastener kits wthich can quick installs in 90 secs—no tools needed,pur plug-and-play. This kawaye headstrap accessories for meta /oculus Quest 2/Quest 3/33 after 10,000+ bend-tested won’t crack like cheap straps.
- 【Universal Fit for Meta Quest 3S/3/2 】Kawaye head strap compatible with Meta Quest 3/Quest 3S/Oculus Quest 2 vr headset, enjoy the same adjustable comfort across all. We Included：1× Comfort Head Strap | 1× for Quest 3S/3 Fasteners | 1× for Quest 2 Fasteners | 1× Cleaning Cloth | 24/7 Support.
What is the status of Meta’s antitrust case?
Meta’s June 2026 SEC filing says the Federal Trade Commission appealed on January 20, 2026, the court’s November 18, 2025 judgment in Meta’s favor in the FTC antitrust case. An appeal means the case is proceeding through review; it is not a final finding that Meta violated antitrust law. The filing also describes a wider set of legal and regulatory risks involving privacy, competition, advertising, safety and youth-related issues.
How should readers interpret the different developments?
| Development | Who is making the claim? | Status and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Expanded use of business-shared activity data and revised controls | Meta | Announced policy and control changes; initial rollout was planned for the US and some other countries in July 2026, with additional countries to follow. |
| Facebook and Instagram design | European Commission | Preliminary DSA finding dated July 10, 2026; concerns design features in the EU, not a final decision. |
| Age-assurance technology | Meta | Company description of its system, including its July 31 correction about biometric data and photo identification. |
| Advertising and audience figures | Meta | Company-reported Q2 2026 results; growth figures do not establish user approval or advertiser sentiment. |
| FTC antitrust case | Meta’s SEC filing describes the procedural status | The FTC appealed the November 2025 judgment in Meta’s favor on January 20, 2026; an appeal is not a final liability finding. |
Taken together, the developments point to scrutiny of data use, product design and the rules governing advertising—not proof that Meta’s business has collapsed. The cited sources do not quantify how concerned users or advertisers are, how many advertisers may have left, or whether any specific policy change caused a change in campaign performance.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems
