Facebook cancels F8 dev event over coronavirus worries

Facebook has called off the on-location portion of its annual F8 developer conference, citing growing concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak as the reason for the decision.

“This was a tough call to make,” explains a post form Facebook dev platforms director Konstantinos Papamiltiadis. “F8 is an incredibly important event for Facebook and it’s one of our favorite ways to celebrate all of you from around the world -- but we need to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on.”

In lieu of the in-person show, Facebook instead plans to orchestrate smaller events for the developers that would’ve been in attendance, such as locally hosted gatherings and video content or a special “F8-inspired experience” for students.