Google could be required to pay up to 500 million rand ($27.29 million) a year in compensation to South African media outlets after the country's competition watchdog found the tech giant guilty of anti-competitive practices,

Meta Platforms faces challenges with slowing revenue growth and rising expenses, despite AI strides and WhatsApp gains.

Executives at Google and Meta said that Europe’s artificial intelligence industry is being held back by excessive regulation.

The 31,000-mile cable will connect parts of the US, Brazil, South, Africa, and India. Project Waterworth should be online by 2030.

The social media giant says the multibillion-dollar project will connect the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other regions.

Tech companies, facing legal risks and a new political climate, are scaling back, cutting or rethinking efforts focused on diversity, equity and inclusion.

When companies are treated differently and in a way that is discriminatory against them, then that should be highlighted to that company’s home government,” Meta’s global affairs head said.

Investing.com -- South Africa's Competition Commission has penalized technology giants including Alphabet Inc.'s Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META ).'s Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) for anti-competitive practices, according to Bloomberg News. The authority stated these practices were detrimental to local media companies.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is opening a new office in Bengaluru, India’s tech hub, and is actively hiring for engineering and product roles. This move aligns Meta with other major tech firms like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, which have built strong engineering teams in the city.

Meta has strong fundamentals but remains less attractive vs. Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet due to overreliance on ads and social networks. Learn more on META stock here.

CNBC's Deirdre Bosa joins 'Squawk on the Street' to break down the latest news on Alphabet's Google. Posted: February 21, 2025 | Last updated: February 21, 2025