The share price of Meta (aka Facebook) has fallen 25% after it reported a decline in profit, fall in user numbers, and it said it’s unsure about when things will be on the improve. That’s wiped about US$220 billion from its valuation since late yesterday. Reporting a profit of US$10.3 billion (down 8%) in the October-December quarter, the company says ad-tracking changes introduced by Apple and recent challenges to its reputation will continue to be a drag on earnings. Looking ahead, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says developing the metaverse – a kind of virtual reality world – is Meta’s key focus, but “it seems that our path ahead is not quite perfectly defined.” The uncertainty has rattled investors and puts the profit rocket into new/uncomfortable territory. Another critic is Aussie mining magnate Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest. In what’s thought to be a world-first move, the rich-lister has launched criminal and civil proceedings against Meta for failing to take down cryptocurrency scams using his image.