Privacy concerns over Qatar's coronavirus contact tracing app, a tool that is mandatory on pain of prison, have prompted a rare backlash and forced officials to offer reassurance and concessions.

Like other governments around the world, Qatar has turned to mobile phones to trace people's movements and track who they come into contact with, allowing officials to monitor coronavirus infections and alert people at risk of contagion.

Hacked websites in Israel, a reported cyberattack in Iran and a Twitter war between their leaders: the arch foes' animosity is flaring up online.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday he was "pretty confident" his company could help prevent attempts to influence the political outcome of the US presidential election later this year.

Facebook on Tuesday reached out to businesses struggling to survive the pandemic with free tools for creating online "Shops" at the social network and Instagram.

U.S. authorities warned Wednesday that Chinese hackers were attempting to steal coronavirus data on treatments and vaccines, adding fuel to Washington's war with Beijing over the pandemic.

Facebook on Wednesday announced the first members of its independent "supreme court" empowered to make binding decisions about what content should be allowed or taken down at the social network and Instagram.

Britain and the United States warned Tuesday of a rise in cyber attacks against health professionals involved in the coronavirus response by organized criminals "often linked with other state actors."

Britain was poised on Monday to roll out a new smartphone tracing app for coronavirus on an island off England's south coast, as the country looks to ease a six-week nationwide lockdown. 

Facebook on Wednesday reported a sharp jump in usage as the global pandemic unfolded, in a quarterly update that sparked a rally in shares of the social network despite its warning of turbulence in the coming months.

The government newspaper Iran has lost its .com website, with its publisher on Monday accusing the United States of "stealing" the domain name.