Facebook nixes developers conference due to coronavirus

Facebook on Thursday canceled its annual F8 developers conference over fears about the possible spread of the novel coronavirus.

The gathering in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose typically draws thousands of software makers from around the world who collaborate with the tech giant on the programming of its platform.

"In light of the growing concerns around COVID-19, we've made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person component of F8 this year, in order to prioritize the health and safety of our developer partners, employees and everyone who helps put F8 on," Facebook said.

The gathering will be replaced with sessions streamed online.