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Facebook is going all-in on short-form videos. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that it is testing short-form videos in the Facebook app in India, its biggest market by users. Short-form videos are extremely popular and we are looking at new ways to provide this experience for people to connect, create and share on Facebook,” a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch. Facebook launched Reels in India last month, weeks before launching it to dozens of additional markets. The urgency in Facebook’s attempt to court users with short-form videos comes as TikTok is plotting ways to re-enter the market.

Facebook on Friday joined the attack on Apple's operation of its App Store after the iPhone maker refused to forgo its commission on live online events hosted on the social network that allow people to make money during the pandemic. "We asked Apple to reduce its 30 percent App Store tax or allow us to offer Facebook Pay so we could absorb all costs for businesses struggling during Covid-19," Facebook vice president Fidji Simo said in a blog post. Apple has defended the commission to cover the costs of managing the App Store and protecting users security, but critics say the commission is an abuse of its position. The latest version of Fortnite contains a payment system that lets player transactions bypass Apple's App Store and Google's Play, preventing the firms from collecting their typical 30 percent cut. Fortnite sought to direct users around the App Store and found itself booted off the platform, and Epic immediately filed an antitrust complaint.

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