On Message

In this episode of ON MESSAGE, MEF CEO Dario Betti looks back at 2025, the year social media turned into social messaging. He explains why platforms like X, Threads, Instagram and TikTok are pouring resources into DMs, how younger users are shifting from public posts to private chats, and what this “private‑first” world means for platforms, brands and the mobile ecosystem.

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Dario unpacks India’s U‑turn on making the Sanchar Saathi security app mandatory on new smartphones. He explains why the government backed off, why critics still worry about surveillance and data governance, and what this case tells the global mobile ecosystem about trust, stateware, and the limits of embedding security tools into personal devices.

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In this episode of ON MESSAGE, MEF CEO Dario Betti examines Ericsson's strategic stake in LotusFlare and what it signals about the future of network API monetisation. He explains how Ericsson is assembling an end-to-end stack—combining programmable networks, API aggregation, and digital commerce—to help telcos turn 5G capabilities into revenue beyond connectivity, and why execution and openness will determine whether this vision delivers.

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In this episode of ON MESSAGE, MEF CEO Dario Betti unpacks the latest forecasts for the digital identity market, which is set to surpass $132 billion by 2031. He explains what’s behind the growth, why digital identity is becoming critical infrastructure for the digital economy, and how telecom operators can move from connectivity to the centre of the “trust layer” that will mediate people, devices and applications.

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On November 5th, 2025, Snap announced a one-year partnership with Perplexity AI that will integrate Perplexity's conversational "answer engine" directly into Snapchat's Chat tab starting in early 2026. Perplexity will pay Snap $400 million in cash and equity for the placement—a high-margin, non-advertising revenue stream signaling Snap's push to diversify beyond ads.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, unpacks the deal: Perplexity will sit alongside Snap's existing "My AI" assistant, which runs on OpenAI's GPT and Google's Gemini. Users will have two AI chatbots side by side—Perplexity for research-style responses with citations, My AI for general assistance. The UX trade-off is real: with Sponsored Snaps already appearing in DMs, the chat experience risks feeling crowded.The announcement landed alongside a better-than-expected quarter: monthly active users climbed 7% year-over-year to 943 million, revenue rose 10% to $1.5 billion, and net losses narrowed. But North American ads grew just 1% as large brands pulled back. Snap is also carving out its AR glasses business into a subsidiary called "Specs," targeting a 2026 launch.

Let us know and share your opinions at +44 7770 1962 27 send us SMS, RCS, Viber or WhatsApp and stay ON MESSAGE.Key watch items: how the dual-bot UX lands with users, whether Perplexity drives engagement, and if North American ad spend stabilizes.

Key topics: Snapchat, Perplexity AI, My AI, conversational AI, answer engine, Snap earnings, Gen Z social media, ad revenue diversification, AR glasses, Specs, platform partnerships, chatbot UX

Zscaler's latest threat report reveals a 67% year-over-year increase in Android malware transactions and finds that 40% of IoT malware activity is concentrated in manufacturing and transportation. The report, covering June 2024 to May 2025, identifies 239 malicious apps on Google Play with a combined 42 million installs and highlights a 387% spike in attacks on the energy sector.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, unpacks the findings: threat actors are disguising spyware and banking malware as productivity and workflow apps, exploiting the credibility of enterprise use and the expanding mobile attack surface in hybrid work environments. On IoT, Mirai and its variants dominate, while new threats like the "Void" backdoor affecting 1.6 million Android TV boxes and the "Xnotice" RAT targeting oil and gas job seekers underscore the blend of consumer hardware and social engineering.

Geographically, India leads mobile targets at 26%, while the U.S. accounts for 54% of IoT malware traffic. The defensive response requires layered controls—app governance, mobile threat defense, identity-based access, and IoT segmentation—but operational realities like tight IoT cost structures and fragmented firmware support complicate deployment.

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Key topics: Android malware, IoT security, Zscaler threat report, Google Play malware, Mirai botnet, mobile threat defense, zero trust, energy sector attacks, manufacturing security, hybrid work security, device fingerprinting

On October 21, 2025, Meta announced new scam detection features for WhatsApp and Messenger aimed at protecting older adults. WhatsApp now warns users when they attempt to share their screen with unknown contacts during calls—a common tactic to steal banking details and one-time passcodes. Messenger is testing AI-powered scam detection that flags suspicious messages and prompts users to block or report. Meta says it disrupted 8 million scam accounts in the first half of 2025 and removed over 21,000 fake customer support pages.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, puts the announcement in context: the FBI reports Americans aged 60+ lost nearly $5 billion to internet fraud in 2024—up 43% year-over-year. The FTC recorded $12.5 billion in total fraud losses, with median losses rising sharply with age. Adjusting for underreporting, older Americans may have lost as much as $61.5 billion in 2023 alone.

Meta's warnings are a step forward, but scammers adapt quickly. The mobile ecosystem must move from "advise and alert" to "predict and prevent"—with transaction-aware safeguards, stronger friction for first-contact scenarios, verified sender frameworks, and coordinated action across platforms, banks, and operators.

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Key topics: Meta, WhatsApp, Messenger, elder fraud, scam detection, tech support scams, investment scams, romance scams, FBI IC3, FTC fraud data, mobile ecosystem, financial protection, AI moderation

When you make a phone call today, your voice travels over the internet—not copper wires. Yet the rules governing how voice networks interconnect are still rooted in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) era. The FCC's "Advancing IP Interconnection" proposal would sunset those legacy obligations by 2028 and establish a new framework for IP-to-IP interconnection.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, breaks down the stakes: by mid-2024, 75% of U.S. residential fixed voice was VoIP, yet there's no comprehensive federal framework. The result? Parallel infrastructure, peering disputes, and call quality degradation. The FCC wants clear rules—but first must answer a deferred question: Is interconnected VoIP a Title II "telecommunications service" or an "information service"? That classification determines whether the agency can mandate interconnection and resolve disputes.

The cleanest path: classify VoIP under Title II with targeted forbearance, impose a narrow duty to interconnect on just and reasonable terms, set quality minimums for 911, and establish light-touch dispute resolution. The market has moved. Policy is catching up.

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Key topics: FCC, IP interconnection, VoIP regulation, Title II classification, TDM sunset, telecom policy, 911/NG911, rural carriers, call quality, telecommunications service, information service.

In August 2025, Italy's telecom regulator AGCOM reclassified Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) as electronic communications networks—subjecting them to the same registration, fees, and transparency rules as telecom operators. Netflix, AWS, and Cloudflare immediately appealed, warning the move could degrade service quality, raise costs, and slow edge infrastructure deployment.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, unpacks the clash: AGCOM wants accountability after high-profile streaming outages; the platforms argue CDNs are private distribution systems, not public telcos, and that regulatory overreach will push infrastructure out of Italy. For mobile operators, the stakes are direct—CDNs keep video traffic efficient and enable low-latency 5G edge services. Get the rules wrong, and networks face higher costs and worse performance.

A proportionate solution is possible: light-touch authorization that delivers transparency and security coordination without backdoor interconnection tariffs. Italy's experiment may become Europe's template as the Digital Networks Act takes shape.

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Key topics: CDN regulation, AGCOM, Netflix, AWS, Cloudflare, mobile networks, 5G edge computing, net neutrality, interconnection, Digital Networks Act, telecom policy.

In October 2025, Indonesia suspended TikTok's operating licence over incomplete livestream data from August protests—but kept the app online. It's a new governance lever: administrative pressure without a full ban. The same week, Apple removed an immigration tracking app in the U.S., and Nepal reversed social media restrictions after public backlash.

Dario Betti, CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum, connects the dots: states are moving from reactive content moderation to hard-coded compliance mandates. For platforms, operators, and creators, the message is clear—crisis governance must be engineered into the product, not bolted on later. Especially in the markets driving the next wave of growth.

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Key topics: TikTok Indonesia, platform regulation, livestream governance, social commerce, app store compliance, OTT regulation, mobile ecosystem policy.