Spotify Wrapped 2022 Now Live, Here Are the Top Artists, Songs, Playlists in India This Year

Spotify has released its Spotify Wrapped 2022 experience that features a personlised list of top artists, albums, songs, playlists, and podcasts that users have played throughout the year. The company has also unveiled a Wrapped creator experience for podcasters and artists to view all the ways in which their fans listened to their content this year.

Elon Musk Meets Tim Cook, Says Apple Never Considered Removing Twitter From App Store

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that the misunderstanding over the possibility of Twitter being removed from the App Store was resolved after he met with Apple CEO Tim Cook. The CEO of Tesla and Twitter said that Cook informed him that Apple never considered doing so. Musk had accused Apple of threatening to block Twitter from the App Store on Monday, without saying why. ...

Google Announces Best Android Apps, Games for 2022; Apex Legends Mobile Named Best Game in India

Google Play Store has announced the Best of 2022 list which features the best apps and games across various categories. The list has been curated to reflect distinctly in each region. The Indian list was topped by the e-learning platform Questt which won the Best App of 2022 award. Meanwhile, Apex Legends Mobile won the Best Game of 2022 award. Google also introduced ...

Twitter Not Safer Under Elon Musk Leadership, Says Former Head of Trust and Safety

Twitter is not safer under its new owner Elon Musk, says the company’s former head of trust and safety Yoel Roth. Roth who resigned from the social networking website earlier this month has helped steer the social media platform through several watershed decisions including the move to permanently suspend its most famous user, former US President Donald Trump, last ...

WhatsApp Update Allows Users to Include Caption While Forwarding Media on iOS: All Details

WhatsApp has brought a feature that will allow iOS users on the app to forward media, images, files, documents, GIFs and more with captions. The feature is available on the latest iOS update. There is also a dismiss button that you can use to remove the caption from the image before forwarding the message

How DeFi Could Disrupt Centralised Finance and Help Build an Inclusive Financial Culture

Decentralised finance (DeFi) is beginning to have a global impact and is anticipated to disrupt the prevailing financial order in the markets to build an inclusive finance culture over the next decade. Here's what CoinDCX Pro's Gaurav Arora thinks about the impact and potential of DeFi, dApps, and Web3 technology in the country.

Twitter Stops Enforcing COVID-19 Misinformation Policy, Experts Express Concerns Over False Claims

Twitter has rolled back its COVID-19 misinformation policy, as public health experts and researchers have expressed concern that the change would have major repercussions as the virus continues to spread and vaccination numbers remain low. The company's new CEO, Elon Musk, has signalled an interest in rolling back many of Twitter's previous rules meant to combat misin...

FIFA World Cup 2022: Cybercriminals Using Fake Sites to Steal Personal Information, IT Security Firm Says

FIFA World Cup 2022 is being used by cybercriminals to lure football fans in the name of the ongoing football world cup, according to IT security intelligence firm CloudSEK. Several Telegram channels were found selling Hayya cards (FIFA entry permits) priced between $50 (roughly Rs. 4,300) to $150 (roughly Rs. 12,300), as per the security firm, while hacking technique...

Google to Face Class Action Lawsuit of 21 Million Individuals Over Play Store Competition

Google is set to face a class action lawsuit of 21 million individuals who have accused the search giant of violating competition law in the US, over the running of the Google Play Store. The complainants have argued that they would have paid lower prices for apps and in-app purchases and would have benefited from expanded choice, if Google had not engaged in anticomp...

WhatsApp 'Message Yourself' Feature Rolling Out on Android and iOS: Report

WhatsApp will now let you chat with yourself, send quick notes or reminders, or crucial information. The app's new Message yourself feature that will lets you send yourself messages, reminders, files, and links with a few taps.

Netflix December 2022 Releases: Qala, Glass Onion, Emily in Paris Season 3, and More

What are the biggest Netflix originals in December 2022? Qala movie, Randeep Hooda’s CAT, Beast of Bangalore: Indian Predator, Vir Das: Landing, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Emily in Paris season 3, The Witcher: Blood Origin, Noah Centineo in The Recruit, Charlie Cox in Treason, The Elephant Whisperers, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Lady Chatterley's Lover...

Facebook Fined EUR 265 Million by Irish Data Privacy Regulator After Investigation Into Data Scraping

Facebook has been hit with a EUR 265 million (roughly Rs. 2,250 crore) fine by Ireland's data privacy regulator on Monday. The watchdog was investigating the scraping of personal data that was found in a data set from Facebook between May 2018 and September 2019. This is the fourth fine that the DPC has imposed on one of Meta's companies, and the regulator has 13 more...

Elon Musk Claims Apple Threatened to Pull Twitter From App Store, Ready to 'Go to War' Over In-App Purchases

Elon Musk on Monday accused Apple of threatening to block Twitter from the App Store and claimed that the iPhone maker had halted advertisements on the microblogging service. He has stated that Apple is pressuring Twitter over content moderation demands. Musk also said he was willing to "go to war" with Apple over its in-app purchases commission.

WhatsApp Contact Cards Sharing Feature Rolling Out on Windows Beta App: Report

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature that will allow Windows users to share contact cards within a chat allowing recipients to easily add it to their address book. The feature is currently under development and is rolling out to selected beta testers of the WhatsApp for Windows app. Some eligible users can download the latest version of WhatsApp beta from Micro...

WhatsApp Numbers of 500 Million Users Up for Sale, Twitter Data of 5.4 Million Users Leaked Online: Reports

WhatsApp numbers of around 500 million users has been put up for sale on a popular hacking community forum. In related news, the information of 5.4 million Twitter users from a previously disclosed data breach has been leaked online.

Snapchat Progressive Web App for Windows Released on Microsoft Store: All Details

Snapchat for Windows has been launched as a PWA or progressive web app. The web app is powered by Microsoft's Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browser and has a download size of just 1.4MB. It has the same features as the Web version. Windows will treat it like a native app as the app works through Microsoft Edge. It will also have an app icon in the Start Menu, notifica...

Gmail Updated With Search Improvements, Workspace Apps Get Collaboration Features

Google has added a couple of new features to its Workspace apps. This includes the ability to search better, share files more easily during presentations and make viewing data easier in the Sheets app. Google says that these updates should be available to most users already, or will be available within 15 days.

Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Add Encrypted DMs, Payments; Claims Signups at All-Time High as Advertisers Leave

Twitter CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that the social media firm would add features like encrypted direct messages (DMs), longform tweets and payments. He also said he sees a "path to Twitter exceeding a billion monthly users in 12 to 18 months." The company's new owner said new signups were at an all-time high, even as advertisers and users leave the platform followi...

Paytm to Resubmit Application for Authorisation of Payment Aggregator Services

Paytm has shared an update with the exchanges about its 100 per cent subsidiary, Paytm Payments Services. The company can now resubmit the application within 120 calendar days for the payment aggregator services. Ahead of that, the company will seek necessary approval for past downward investment from Paytm into its subsidiary.

Elon Musk Calls Donald Trump’s Twitter Ban ‘Grave Mistake’, Condemns Violence

Elon Musk has called Twitter's ban on then President Donald Trump after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol as a "grave mistake" that had to be corrected. Although he also stated that incitement to violence would continue to be prohibited on Twitter.

WhatsApp Reportedly Testing Voice Status Update for iOS Beta: All Details

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature that will allow iOS users on the app to share voice notes in their status updates, similar to pictures, videos and links. The feature is currently under development and is expected to roll out in the coming iOS update. The voice status updates will only be shared with the people selected in the privacy settings.

Jio, Rolling Stone India Partner to Launch Platfom Short Video App for Creators: All Details

Reliance Jio introduced the short-video app for entertainers, Platfom. The app, developed in partnership with Rolling Stone India and Creativeland Asia, will provide a platform for singers, musicians, actors, comedians, dancers, fashion designers, and all creators and influencers according to the company. Creators on the app will rise on the basis of fanbase growth an...

Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Grant 'General Amnesty' for Suspended Accounts From Next Week

Elon Musk said Thursday that Twitter would provide a "general amnesty" to users whose accounts were suspended, hours after a poll on reinstating these accounts concluded. More than 72.4 percent of over 3.16 million Twitter users who participated in the poll said they were in favour of bringing suspended users back to the platform. Last week, Musk reinstated former US ...

Twitter Responds to France Communication Regulator's Query on Deadline

Twitter has met a Thursday deadline to respond to France's communications regulator about whether the company can meet its legal obligations, a spokesperson for the regulator said. Arcom sent a letter on Monday to Twitter asking if it can meet its legal obligation to guarantee transparent information in spite of steep job cuts at the firm.

Black Friday Sale India, Cyber Monday 2022: Best Deals on Electronics, Games, More

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022 are just around the corner. Several online stores in India like Amazon, TataCliq, and Vijay Sales are offering attractive deals on a wide range of of products during this period. From electronics to games and VPNs, here are some of the best deals currently on offer.

Amazon Academy to Shut Down Less Than Two Years After Launch as Edtech Firms Face Post-Pandemic Challenges

Amazon Academy will be shut down in the country, the company said on Thursday, without citing a reason. The service was launched last year amid a boom in virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on an assessment, the ecommerce giant said in a statement that it had made the decision to discontinue Amazon Academy "in a phased manner to take care of current c...

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G, Galaxy A53 5G, Galaxy A73 5G Get One UI 5.0 Update With Voice Focus Feature

Samsung Galaxy A33 5G, Galaxy A53 5G, and Galaxy A73 5G users in India have begun receiving an update to Android 13-based One UI 5.0 with support for Samsung 'Voice Focus'. The feature allows for an improved calling experience by reducing background noise even in crowded environments. The feature will work on Samsung's default caller app as well as third-party applica...

Meta Allows Quest VR Headset Usage Without Facebook Account As Firm Bows to German Regulator

Meta will allow the use of its Quest VR headsets without a Facebook account, clearing the way for the wearable headset to be sold in Germany. The German cartel office has been closely watching Meta since May when it declared it was of "paramount significance for competition across markets". In a statement on Wednesday, the office said Meta will allow the device to be ...

Elon Musk Polls Users on 'General Amnesty' for Suspended Twitter Accounts

Elon Musk on Wednesday floated the idea of a 'general amnesty' for suspended accounts on the platform, polling users to ask if they should be unbanned. Polls on Twitter are open to all users and are unscientific and potentially targeted by fake accounts and bots. Former US President Donald Trump's Twitter account was reinstated last week after a narrow majority of res...

Microsoft Could Face FTC Antitrust Lawsuit to Block Activision Blizzard Takeover Bid: Report

Microsoft could face an antitrust lawsuit to block its bid to acquire video game publisher Activision Blizzard, according to a report. A lawsuit challenging the deal is reportedly not guaranteed, and the FTC's four commissioners have yet to vote out a complaint or meet with lawyers for the companies. Microsoft is betting on the acquisition to help it compete better wi...

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides on Android Optimised for Foldable Phones, Tablets

Google has optimised several first-party applications for larger displays devices and foldable devices. The company had announced that it’s going to optimise more than 20 Google applications to run better on tablets during Google I/O earlier this year. The new update has brought drag-and-drop improvements and full mouse support for these Google workspace apps.

Shazam For Android Updated With Material You-Themed Home Screen Widgets

Shazam users no longer need to jump inside the application, they can find and listen to their favourite songs directly from the home widget. This new version of the Desktop Widget comes with a default size of 5×1 but you can change it to 1×1, as per a report.

Black Friday 2022 Sales: How to Shop from India, All You Need to Know

Black Friday 2022 falls on November 25 this year, and brings with it steep discounts on all kinds of products. We've prepared a simple guide to help you make the most out of this year's biggest shopping event in the US, from India itself.

Android TV, Google TV Apps Will Switch From APKs to Android App Bundles From 2023

Google is mandating that all new and updated apps submitted to the Play Store need to be in the newer Android App Bundle (AAB) format instead of the older Android Package Kit (APK) format. While this rule change only affects developers, it does bring plenty of benefits for smart TV users, according to the company.

OTT Communication Services Should Be Licensed, Compensate Telcos for Data Traffic, COAI Says

COAI on Tuesday pitched for licensing and light-touch regulation for OTT communication services, as part of its suggestions on definition of OTT networks as part of the draft telecom bill. The telecom operators' body also said that OTT services, which include apps like WhatsApp, Signal, Google Meet, and Telegram, should directly compensate telcos for data traffic they...

Elon Musk Tells Employees He Wants Twitter to Have Encrypted DMs With Video, Voice Chat Support: Report

Elon Musk, Twitter's new CEO, has outlined his plans to employees, to bring encrypted DMs to the microblogging platform, as per a report. The firm's new owner is also reportedly planning on adding encrypted voice and video calling for Twitter users. In 2018, Twitter warned that an undisclosed number of DMs between businesses and their customers had been accessible by ...

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides Updated With New Material You Design Toggles: How to Enable

Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Slides have been updated with a new Material You redesign. The new design appears like a pill that makes the Material 3 (M3) switch larger than before. Google has also introduced new color mappings, as well as a taller and broader track to the M3 toggles.

Zoom Annual Revenue Forecast Lowered Amid Decline in Online Business, Rising Inflation

Zoom on Monday stated that it had cut its annual revenue forecast amid a decline in online business. The company's CFO Kelly Steckelberg said that Zoom's online business would decline nearly 8 percent during the year. The easing of pandemic-related restrictions across the world is also weighing on its business as people started spending less time online.

WhatsApp Desktop App Testing Screen Lock Feature for PC, Laptops: Report

WhatsApp for Desktop is working on a new privacy feature that will let users set up a password to restrict unauthorized access on their PCs or laptops. Currently, users have the feature to set up security access on WhatsApp for Android and iOS app using password.

Elon Musk Says Twitter Blue Relaunch on Hold, Wants 'High Confidence of Stopping Impersonation'

Elon Musk on Monday said that Twitter will pause the relaunch of Twitter Blue, the company's new blue check subscription service. In a tweet, Musk said that it would not be relaunched until there was high confidence in stopping impersonation. The coveted blue check mark was previously reserved for verified accounts of politicians, famous personalities, journalists and...

Government Drafts Framework to Restrict Fake Reviews on E-Commerce Websites

India launched a crack down on Monday against fake reviews and unverified ratings in a bid to make online interaction and e-commerce more authentic and less misleading for users. The government has drafted a framework for companies as well as travel sites or food delivery apps which depend on consumer reviews to validate products and services. Positive reviews help ge...

Kanye West Returns to Twitter Weeks After Elon Musk Reverses Account Suspension

Kanye West made his return to Twitter on Sunday, two weeks after new owner Elon Musk restored access to his account on the platform. The rapper's earlier suspension had been due to an antisemitic tweet. Musk on Sunday also restored access to former US President Donald Trump's Twitter account, which was suspended in January 2021 after the US Capitol riots.

What the World Would Lose With the Demise of Twitter: Valuable Eyewitness Accounts and Raw Data on Human Behaviour, as Well as a Habitat for Trolls

Twitter has provided users with a trove of information since it was launched, and its archives allow for instant and complete access to every public tweet, which has positioned Twitter both as an archive of collective human behaviour and as a credentialing and fact-checking service on a global scale. Here's how the loss of Twitter would impact the world.

NPCI Said to Be in Talks With RBI on Implementing 30 Percent UPI Volume Cap Deadline

NPCI is said to be in talks with the RBI to implement its proposed December 31 dealine to limit payment app providers' volume cap to 30 percent. The corporation in 2020 came up with a directive to cap the share of transactions a third-party application provider (TPAP) could process at 30 per cent of the volume of transactions handled on UPI, but gave the existing TPAP...

FIFA 2022: Madras HC Blocks TV Cable, Internet Service Providers From Streaming World Cup Matches

The Madras High Court has restrained cable TV, Internet service providers from streaming or telecasting the matches held at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The interim injunction on a suit from Viacom-18 Media will operate until December 16. The company had submitted that it was granted licence and various media rights, including exclusive TV and radio, mobile transmissi...

Donald Trump Snubs Twitter After Elon Musk Reactivates Former US President's Account

Donald Trump on Saturday snubbed Twitter, hours after Elon Musk's public poll asking users whether he should reinstate the former US president over a year after he was banned from the social media platform for inciting violence. He said he would stick with his new platform Truth Social, which he said had better user engagement than Twitter and was doing "phenomenally ...

Google Assistant Now Lets Users Search, Play Podcasts by Guest, Episode Name

Google Assistant has added the option to search and play podcasts based on a specific guest in addition to episode and topic. The feature lets you quickly play a specific episode by simply using an assistant voice command.

Twitter to Close Office Buildings, Disable Employee Badge Access Till Monday: Report

Twitter fell into chaos under its new owner Elon Musk after several employees appeared to have quit following a deadline by the billionaire entrepreneur and the company sent messages it was closing its “office buildings” for the next few days. New York Times (NYT) said in a report that after a 5 pm Thursday deadline was given by Musk to employees to choose whether...

Elon Musk Celebrates 'All-Time High' in Twitter Usage Amid Engineer Exodus

Elon Musk said on Friday that Twitter hit an all-time high in usage, hours after reports that the company was seeing a mass exodus of engineers. Uncertainty now hangs over Twitter’s ability to continue normal operations after the company dismissed its executive team and laid off half the workforce in Musk’s first few days in charge.

Draft Digital Personal Data Protection Bill Reintroduced, Government Seeks Public Comments on Regulation

The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill was reintroduced by the Government on Friday, as part of the proposed privacy law that will govern the transfer of data to certain countries abroad. The revised draft of the regulation allows the government to specify countries or territories outside India to which entities managing data can transfer personal data of users. Th...

Elon Musk Accused of Undermining Twitter's Integrity, Safety by US Senators, Could Face FTC Probe

Elon Musk has been accused of undermining the safety and integrity of Twitter after taking over the platform, by seven Democratic senators. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, the senators warned that Elon Musk was acting in disregard of users, and urged the regulator to investigate any breach of a consent decree that the FTC inked with Twitter in May.

Google Agreed to Pay Activision $360 Million to Block Rival App Store, Epic Games Lawsuit Says

Google struck 24 deals with prominent app developers to prevent them from competing with the Play Store on Android, according to details from Epic Games' lawsuit against the search giant. The deals included an agreement to pay $360 million (roughly Rs. 2,941 crore) to Activision over three years. Google also agreed to pay Riot Games about $30 million (roughly Rs. 245 ...

Cyberspace Administration of China Revises Rules for Regulation of Online Comments

The Cyberspace Administration of China on Wednesday announced that the regulator would revise its rules to require social media and online account operators to improve their review and management of comments. The watchdog's announcement comes as authorities in China are tightening their policing of the Internet and what topics the public is allowed to discuss. However...

WhatsApp Polls Feature Rolls Out to Users on Android, iOS: How to Use It

WhatsApp Polls are rolling out to users on Android and iOS users. The messaging app had recently rolled out the Communities feature allows users to have separate groups under one "Community" to organise group conversations. In addition to that, WhatsApp had also rolled out one-tap video calling for up to 32 people and doubled the participant limit for groups.

YouTube Music Update Rolling Out With Redesigned Now Playing Screen, Gets Rid of Dislike Button: Report

Google is reportedly rolling out an update for its YouTube Music app for Android smartphones with some design changes. These changes are to do with the Now Playing screen where some interface elements have been moved around to make way for a new feature, while the dislike button has been removed entirely. There are also some minor design changes that make the app’s ...

Meta Appoints Sandhya Devanathan to Replace Ajit Mohan as India Head

Meta on Thursday announced that it had appointed Sandhya Devanathan as the Vice President of Meta India. Devanathan will replace Ajit Mohan, who left the Facebook parent to join rival Snap earlier this month. The announcement comes days after Meta announced company-wide layoffs that would affect 13 percent of its workforce.

Twitter Seemingly Working on End-to-End Encryption for Direct Messages, Elon Musk Teases Confirmation

An alleged line of code in the Twitter for Android app spotted by researcher Jane Manchun Wong seems to indicate that Twitter is working on end-to-end encryption for direct messages. Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed that this feature is in development.

Activision Blizzard to Suspend China Game Services After NetEase Licenses End in January

Activision Blizzard will suspend most Blizzard game services in China, after its current licensing agreements with NetEase end in January, the publisher said on Thursday. The company said new sales would be suspended in the coming days and players would receive further details.

Netflix Launches New Feature Allowing Users to Remove Devices From Account

Netflix's newly introduced 'Manage Access and Devices' feature will be available to users around the globe on their Account Settings menu and will allow users to remove devices from their account that they no longer recognise or want to remain signed in to.

Elon Musk Asks Staff to Opt for 'Extremely Hardcore' Twitter or Take Severance Package

Elon Musk sent an email to Twitter's remaining staff asking them to opt to stay on for "working long hours at high intensity" or take a severance package of three months' pay. Twitter's new CEO also said that the platform would be "much more engineering-driven" under his leadership, adding that "those writing great code will constitute the majority of our team and hav...

Digital Services Act: Web Giants to Submit User Data as EU Law Comes Into Effect

Facebook, Instagram, Google, Twitter, Apple, TikTok, and other firms will have until February 17 to reveal their user numbers in order to comply with the Digital Services Act that comes into effect on Wednesday. The DSA rules will be fully applied from February 17, 2024, and officials will have to decide which companies are large enough to require scrutiny, as Very La...

Elon Musk Said to Ramp Up Purge of Engineers Over Alleged Criticism After Twitter Takeover

Elon Musk is said to have stepped up his purge of Twitter's engineers who criticised the new CEO after the takeover deal. An estimated dozen or more workers have been let go in the past couple of days after they rebuked Musk, who previously called himself a “free speech absolutist". While Twitter and Musk have not yet confirmed the firings, the company's new CEO ann...

YouTube Shorts Updated With Shopping Features, Firm Tests Commission Schemes for Influencers

YouTube Shorts will get support for shopping features, the video-sharing platform announced on Tuesday. The company is looking to combat the ongoing digital ad slowdown. Viewers in India, Brazil, Canada, Australia, and the US will be able to see shopping tags and interact with them, according to YouTube. The Alphabet-owned streaming service is also testing new commiss...

Twitter Blue to Be Relaunched on November 29 to Ensure 'Rock Solid' Release, Elon Musk Says

Elon Musk on Tuesday said that Twitter Blue, the company's subscription service would be relaunched on November 29. The company's new CEO had previously stated that he expected to release the paid verification service by the end of this week, but said the release date would be 'punted' to make sure that it was 'rock solid', in a tweet.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk Says App Developer 'Fired' After Public Discussion Over Android App Performance

Elon Musk, Twitter's new CEO, said he fired an engineer on Monday, after a discussion over the performance of the Twitter app for Android. On Monday, Musk tweeted an apology that the app was "super slow" in many countries, to which the engineer, who had worked at Twitter for 6 years, responded stating that he was wrong. After a brief discussion on the platform, Musk r...

YouTube Shorts to Gain Shopping Features Amid Digital Ad Slowdown: Report

YouTube Shorts will gain shopping features, as the Alphabet-owned firm seeks to diversify its revenue stream squeezed by falling ad spending, according to a report. The streaming service is also reportedly testing new commission schemes for influencers who sell products through links in videos. YouTube has struggled to compete with TikTok, the app that has burgeoned t...

Google Play Store Gets UPI Autopay for Subscription-Based Purchases in India

Google Play has introduced UPI Autopay for subscription-based purchases in India. It now includes a “Pay with UPI” option in the app when customers select a subscription plan. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) had launched the UPI AutoPay feature for recurring payments earlier this year in July.

VLC Media Player Website Block in India Lifted After VideoLAN Issues Legal Notice to DoT, MeitY

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) announced that the ban on VLC Media Player’s site in India by some ISPs since February has been lifted.

Three Out of Four Bitcoin Investors Have Lost Money Since 2015, Study Finds

Three out of four Bitcoin investors have lost money, according to a study by economists at the Bank of International Settlements, an institution widely considered as the central banks of central banks, based on data on investors in cryptocurrencies in 95 countries between 2015 and 2022. The number of people using smartphone apps allowing one to purchase and sell crypt...

Facial Recognition Technology, Smart Glasses Outlawed in Italy, Except for Fighting Crime

Italy on Monday prohibited the use of facial recognition and 'smart glasses'. The country's privacy watchdog has stated that facial recognition systems using biometric data will not be allowed in Italy until a specific law is adopted or at least until the end of next year, and exceptions will only be allowed for technologies that play a role in judicial investigations...

Elon Musk's SpaceX Buys Advertising Package for Starlink on Twitter

SpaceX has bought an advertising package on Twitter for its satellite internet service Starlink, said Elon Musk, who owns the rocket company and the social media platform that is seeing an exodus of advertisers. Companies including General Motors, General Mills, Mondelez International and Volkswagen AG paused advertising on the platform after Musk acquired it last mon...

Pushwoosh Russian Software Disguised as American Discovered in US Army, CDC Apps

Pushwoosh, a software firm based in Russia, presented itself as based in the US but is actually Russian, as per an investigation. The company's software was used by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US' main agency for fighting major health threats, and the US Army. Pushwoosh says the company stores data in the US and in Germany, but cyberse...

WhatsApp Testing Companion Mode on Android; Do Not Disturb, Tablet Client in the Works: Reports

WhatsApp is reportedly rolling out the WhatsApp for Android beta v2.22.24.18 update that brings a companion mode for smartphones and the ability to link tablets to an existing account. It is also said to be integrating the Do Not Disturb API in another Android beta build.

Twitter Blue Verification Subscription 'Probably' Coming Back End of Next Week, Elon Musk Says

Twitter Blue, the company's verification subscription service will probably "come back end of next week", new owner Elon Musk said on Saturday. The company recently paused its $8 (roughly Rs. 650) blue check mark service, days after several fake accounts masquerading as public figures and well-established firms signed up for the service and posted misleading tweets on...

Apple vs Epic Games: Antitrust Battle Over iPhone App Store Heads to US Appeals Court

Apple is set to meet Fortnite maker Epic Games in a US appeals court, as the two firms revive a high-stakes antitrust battle revolving around an app store that provides a wide range of products to more than 1 billion iPhones and serves as a pillar in Apple’s $2.4 trillion (roughly Rs. XXX crore) empire. The issue is so important to both companies that the losing sid...

Twitter's Outsourced Content Moderators Face Layoffs After Elon Musk Takeover

Twitter's content moderators are being laid off by the company, weeks after Elon Musk fired half of the company's regular workforce. Like other big social media firms, Twitter has also relied heavily on contractors to track hate and enforce rules against harmful content. Twitter is said to have eliminated an untold number of contract jobs over the weekend, and the m...

Meta Layoffs Mostly Affected Tech Team, Reorganisation Underway, Say Execs

Facebook owner Meta Platforms told employees on Friday that it would stop developing smart displays and smartwatches and that nearly half of the 11,000 jobs it eliminated this week in an unprecedented cost-cutting move were technology roles.

Twitter Restores 'Official' Label; $8 Blue Check Mark Option Vanishes

Elon Musk's Twitter on Friday brought back the "official" badge to some accounts, just days after doing away with it, while several users reported the new subscription option for the blue verification check mark had disappeared. The move follows a surge in fake accounts on the platform after new boss Elon Musk allowed users to pay $8 (nearly Rs. 650) for the coveted...

WhatsApp Tests Automated Group Chat Muting to Reduce Notification Overload: Report

WhatsApp Beta for Android may be set to receive the 2.22.24.15 version update that will bring a new feature that automatically mutes groups that exceed the 256-member threshold, according to a report by WABetaInfo. The report also adds that users who wish to continue receiving notifications from such large groups may choose to do so by manually unmuting the particular...

Twitter, Tesla, Other Elon Musk Companies to Remain Well Positioned Till 2023

Elon Musk, who heads five companies including Tesla and Twitter, said in a tweet on Friday that his companies will be well positioned in 2023 despite the possibility of a tough economy. Musk's tweet comes a day after he raised the possibility of Twitter going bankrupt.

Elon Musk Twitter Takeover: Tweets With Racial Slurs Soared Despite Assurances, Researchers Say

Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter was followed by an increase in instances of racial slurs on the platform, despite assurances from the platform that it had reduced hateful activity, according to a digital civil rights group. The number of tweets containing one of several different racial slurs soared in the week after Elon Musk purchased the microblogging platform, acc...

Monica, O My Darling Review: Vasan Bala’s Netflix Movie Is Overstuffed and Undercooked

Monica, O My Darling movie review: Huma Qureshi, Radhika Apte, and Rajkummar Rao are wasted in this Netflix film from Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota director Vasan Bala, which presents itself as something out of the ordinary, but is oppressively pedestrian. Monica, O My Darling release date and time is November 11 at 1:30pm IST on Netflix.

Elon Musk Warns of Twitter Bankruptcy Amid Senior Executive Exodus, US FTC Warning

Elon Musk on Thursday warned that Twitter could face bankruptcy, as more senior executives exited the firm and a US privacy regulator warned that it was monitoring the microblogging platform. The US Federal Trade Commission said it was watching Twitter with "deep concern" after the three privacy and compliance officers quit. These resignations potentially put Twitter ...

Meta Layoff Impacts Some Indian Techies Within 2-3 Days of Their Joining

Some of the Indian techies, who switched to social media major Meta after quitting their stable jobs just two-three days ago, are among the 11,000 people laid off by the company. Facebook has laid off 11,000 employees across the globe to cut down cost.

Elon Musk Should Testify to EU Parliament After Twitter Takeover, Lawmaker Says

Elon Musk should come to the European Parliament to reassure lawmakers that Twitter won't become a platform that threatens democracy, a lawmaker said on Thursday. Meanwhile, the EU’s internal market commissioner has warned Musk that he will have to follow the EU’s rules, most notably the Digital Services Act that requires companies to take down illegal content and...

Elon Musk Ends Remote Work in His First Email to Twitter Staff to Prepare for 'Difficult Times Ahead'

Elon Musk on Wednesday emailed Twitter workers for the first time on Wednesday, banning remote work unless he personally approved it. The microblogging service's new CEO said there was “no way to sugarcoat the message” about the economic outlook and how it will affect an advertising-dependent company like Twitter. He has also told workers that he wants to see subs...

DigiLocker Updated With Support for Storing Ayushman Bharat Personal Health Records

DigiLocker, the digital document storage facility provided by the government of India has been updated with support for storing Ayushman Bharat health records. The service has successfully completed its second level of integration with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, enabling users of the app to utilise DigiLocker as a Personal Health Records (PHR) app.

US Midterm Elections: Experts Say Misinformation on Facebook, Twitter Limited, Not Stopped

The US midterm elections saw fewer posts with misinformation compared to the firestorm levels that followed President Joe Biden's victory in 2020, according to experts. Several posts on Twitter and Facebook challenged Democratic successes in the elections without evidence, but the conspiracy theories have not sparked major demonstrations or gone as viral as last time ...

Elon Musk's Relationships With Other Countries 'Worthy of Being Looked At', US President Joe Biden Says

Elon Musk's relationships with other countries are worthy of being looked at, US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday. The world's richest man's purchase of Twitter sparked concerns that he could face pressure from countries trying to control online speech. The US President was responding to a question on whether he thought Musk was a threat to national security and ...

Twitter Job Cuts: What Are Digital Layoffs and What Do They Mean for Employees and Companies?

Twitter's recent job cuts that saw the company fire nearly half of its workforce after Elon Musk took over, have been scrutinised globally. The firm's approach to mass layoffs resembles strategies adopted by a growing number of companies in recent years. If you face redundancy – whether digitally or face to face – it’s important to know your rights. Here's every...

Elon Musk Sold at Least $3.95 Billion of Tesla Shares Days After Closing Twitter Takeover Deal

Elon Musk sold at least $3.95 billion (roughly Rs. 32,200 crore) of Tesla shares days after the world's richest man completed his Twitter takeover deal. The Tesla CEO unloaded 19.5 million shares of the EV manufacturer's shares, his first disposals since August, according to regulatory filings. The deal has also sparked concern among some Tesla shareholders that the...

EU Regulators Seek Broader Rules on Companies' Market Power, Focus on Innovation

EU regulators are seeking broader rules to define the market power of companies, with a greater focus on innovation and pointers on digital markets, according to the European Commission. These rules help regulators in the EU measure a company's pricing power in a merger or its power to shut out rivals in an antitrust case. The EU executive proposed some additions to t...

Oreo Maker Mondelez Pulls Twitter Ads, Says Hate Speech Increased 'Significantly' After Elon Musk Takeover

Oreo maker Mondelez has pulled its ads off Twitter, the company's CEO said in an interview on Tuesday. The Mondelez chief executive said the firm felt there was a risk of its advertising appearing next to the wrong messages on Twitter, and that the company has decided to take a pause and a break from advertising on the microblogging platform until that risk was as low...

Microsoft Faces Full EU Antitrust Investigation Into $69 Billion Bid to Acquire Activision Blizzard

Microsoft will face a full EU probe into the publisher's $69 billion (roughly Rs. 5,62,500 crore) bid to acquire Activision Blizzard, after regulators warned about the deal's impact on competition on the markets for the distribution of console and PC video games. Meanwhile, Microsoft has stated that it would work with the EU antitrust watchdog to address valid market...

Elon Musk's Net Worth Falls Below $200 Billion as Tesla Investors Dump Shares Following Twitter Deal

Elon Musk, the new owner of Twitter, has seen his net worth fall below $200 billion (roughly Rs. 16,31,070 crore) as investors dump shares of Tesla. Wall Street is concerned that Musk has stretched himself too thin at a time when the EV maker is ramping up production and faces rising competition. Since buying Twitter, Musk has made very few tweets on electric car make...

Twitter's Pared-Down Staff Said to Struggle With Misinformation Amid US Midterm Elections

Twitter staff are said to be struggling to respond to political misinformation and harmful posts on the microblogging service, days after Elon Musk fired around half of the company's workforce ahead of the US midterm elections. Even though the recent mass layoffs spared many of the people whose job it is to keep hate and misinformation off the social-media platform, e...

Stellantis Pauses Paid Advertisements on Twitter After Elon Musk Takeover

Stellantis on Monday said that the firm had paused all paid ads on Twitter as the firm waits to see what the microblogging platform will look like, now that new owner Elon Musk charge of the firm. The automaker joins a number of major companies that have halted advertising on Twitter, including United Airlines, General Mills, luxury automaker Audi of America, and Gene...

Twitter Neutrality Called Into Question as Elon Musk Posts Partisan Tweets Ahead of US Midterm Elections

Elon Musk appealed to “independent-minded voters” to vote for the Republican party on Monday, ahead of the US midterm elections that are scheduled to take place on Tuesday. The world's richest man has stepped into the political debate that many tech executives have stayed out of, to prevent their platforms from appearing to favour one party over another. A direct ...

Gigi Hadid Deletes Twitter Account After Elon Musk Takeover, Calls It a Place of 'Hate'

Gigi Hadid has deleted her Twitter account on the microblogging platform, days after Elon Musk completed his takeover deal and fired half of the company's workforce. The American supermodel took to Instagram to announce, via a story, that she had deleted her account amid the mass layoffs, which included the human rights team.

Smartphone App Can Assess Structural Integrity of Bridges Using Natural Vibrations, Study Shows

Smartphone applications are capable of assessing the structural integrity of bridges, according to a new study. Researchers have discovered that mobile devices can capture the same kind of information about bridge vibrations that stationary sensors compile. It has also been estimated that depending on the age of a road bridge, mobile-device monitoring could add from 1...

Twitter Blue Verification Check Mark Badges Delayed Until After US Midterm Elections: Report

Twitter is reportedly delaying the rollout of the company's verified check marks for users to subscribe to the platform's Twitter Blue service, until the end of the US midterm elections. The company announced changes to its verification process a week after the completion of Elon Musk's takeover deal. The new 'Twitter Blue with verification' will first be available in...

Twitter Blue India Rollout Could Take Place in 'Less Than a Month', Elon Musk Says

Twitter Blue, the company's paid subscription service that is currently available in five countries, could soon be available in India, according to the firm's new owner. Elon Musk has said that the subscription service, which will offer users a verification badge, is expected to roll out in India in "less than a month". Twitter's strategy to introduce a monthly charg...

Twitter to Launch Long-Form Text Sharing Feature, Content Monetisation Announced by Elon Musk

Twitter will soon allow users to add long-form text to their tweets, the company's new owner Elon Musk has announced. "Twitter will soon add ability to attach long-form text to tweets, ending absurdity of notepad screenshots," Musk said, adding that Twitter will also add creator monetisation for all forms of content. In another tweet, he took a dig at Twitter's search...

Twitter Said to Ask Some Employees Laid Off 'By Mistake' to Return to Work After Elon Musk Takeover

Twitter is said to have reached out to dozens of employees who were fired after Elon Musk completed his takeover deal, asking them to return to work, according to a report. The company is said to have asked some who were laid off by mistake, or let go before management realised that their work and experience may be necessary to build the new features Musk envisions, a...

Why Elon Musk’s First Week as Twitter Owner Has Users Flocking Elsewhere

Elon Musk has taken charge of the social media platform Twitter and users are now wondering what he’ll do with the platform. Many have been concerned his approach to moderation may fuel more hate speech on Twitter.

Elon Musk Says Laid Off Employees Were Offered 3 Months of Severance

Twitter laid off half its workforce on Friday. The company said there were smaller in the team responsible for preventing the spread of misinformation. Teams responsible for communications, content curation, human rights and machine learning ethics were laid off, as confirmed by tweets. However, Elon Musk said he had no choice as “the company is losing over $4 milli...

Turkish President Erdoğan Says He May Negotiate Charge for Twitter Blue Check With Elon Musk

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that he could negotiate the price of Twitter's new monthly charge for the "verified" badge with Elon Musk, in order to avoid paying for it. Erdoğan said on Wednesday in an interview with Turkish broadcaster ATV, that he may speak to Musk and discuss the charge. A blue check mark next to a person's user name on the so...

Delhi High Court Dismisses Plea to Implead Twitter's Elon Musk in Petition Challenging Account Suspension

The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking to implead Twitter's new owner Elon Musk in a petition that challenging the suspension of a user's account for allegedly violating the platform's rules. The court dismissed the plea with Rs. 25,000 costs, and Justice Yashwant Varma termed the application to be "thoroughly misconceived".

Twitter Sued in Class Action Lawsuit Over Mass Layoffs by Elon Musk Without Enough Notice

Twitter has been sued over the microblogging service's plan to cut about 3,700 jobs at the social media platform, without enough notice as required under US federal and California law, in a class action lawsuit on Thursday. The company plans to start cutting staff on Friday, it revealed to employees in an email. However, the The federal Worker Adjustment and Retrainin...

iPhone 14 Assembly by Pegatron Said to Begin in India as Apple Adds Second Supplier in Shift From China

iPhone 14 assembly by a second supplier in India is said to have begun, as Apple's Taiwanese contract manufacturer Pegatron has begun making the company's latest iPhone model in the country. The development comes shortly after Apple's key iPhone Pro manufacturing hub in in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou was placed under lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19 in the C...

Twitter Down? Users Report Login Issues, Problems Accessing Web Service, Loading Feed

Twitter users have reported issues with being unable to access the microblogging site. Some users are seeing an error that says "Something went wrong, but don't worry - try again" appears when the feed page first loads. Twitter is also expected to start mass layoffs today, and the company is expected to fire nearly half of its 7,500-strong workforce.

Twitter Layoffs: Chaos, Confusion Reign Across Twitter Offices as 7,500 Employees Brace for Job Cuts

Twitter is set to announce job cuts on Friday, a week after Elon Musk announced that he had completed his takeover of the platform. Fear and dread are said to have spread across the company's offices as 7,500 employees brace for job cuts that are expected to hit half of the company's staff. Twitter managers are said to have been forbidden from calling team meetings or...

Gmail Package Tracking Features for Users in the US Announced Ahead of Holiday Season

Gmail is launching a feature that will allow users in the US to track and monitor packages and delivery information for orders placed by the user using their Gmail ID, right from their inbox. According to the company's blog post announcing the introduction of the package tracking feature, it will be made available across most major US shipping carriers.

Google Wants to Develop Artificial Intelligence Using One Thousand Most Widely Spoken Languages

Google said on Wednesday that the company wants to develop artificial intelligence using one thousand most widely spoken languages in the world. The company wants to mine data in new languages not only from texts available on the internet, but also from videos, images and speech. Google is also looking to collect audio clips for languages for which there may not be mu...

Twitter Could Face Crypto Makeover After Elon Musk Takeover, Binance Owner Suggests

Twitter could become much more intertwined with cryptocurrencies and the blockchain in the future, according to Binance owner Changpeng Zhao, who said that he was there to help Twitter in any future crypto-related moves. Zhao has invested $500 million (roughly Rs. 4,100 crore) into the takeover by the world's richest man, and has hinted that he would not be a complete...

Instagram Adds Support for NFT Sales, Gifts on Reels; Expands Subscriptions to Eligible US Creators

Instagram has added support for the ability to trade digital assets, such as NFTs, directly on the app. The company is also adding support for gifts on Instagram, initially on Reels, to help creators monetise content. Meanwhile, subscriptions will be expanded to all eligible US creators, according to Meta.

Elon Musk Said to be Preparing to Eliminate Half of Twitter's Workforce to Drive Down Costs

Elon Musk is said to be planning on eliminating around half of Twitter's workforce, as part of efforts by the company's new owner to drive down costs. After completing the takeover deal last week, Musk is aiming to inform around 3,700 affected staffers on Friday, and intends to reverse the company's existing work-from-anywhere policy for the employees that are retaine...

Google Lens Icon Added to Search Homepage, Street View App Reportedly Shutting Down in 2023

Google has announced that the Lens icon has now been added to the Search homepage. Meanwhile, a report suggests that the search giant will shut down its Street View app on March 31, 2023. Its Photo Paths feature might also get discontinued with the app.

Instagram for Web Getting a Redesign With Better Navigation, Improved Interface

Instagram is rolling out a redesigned version of Instagram for Web. The new features include a navigation sidebar that will come with links to pages including explore, search, messages among others. Earlier, these tabs used to feature as unlabeled buttons at the top.

UPI Autopay Pitched by NPCI CEO After Elon Musk Announces $8 Twitter Blue Service for Verified Accounts

NPCI CEO Dilip Asbe has replied to a tweet by Elon Musk, saying that UPI's recurring payments offering already has 7 million users, and pitching the use of the UPI Autopay feature to handle monthly payments for the service. Twitter has been issuing a 'blue tick' to verify public figures for many years now, but Elon Musk's new plan for Twitter includes giving the tick ...

Amazon Prime Music Increases Song Catalogue from 2 Million to 100 Million, Adds New Podcasts

Amazon Prime Music now has 100 million music tracks accessible to subscribers, the company announced on Tuesday. The service joins Apple, which also allows access to 100 million tracks for paying subscribers. Amazon said that Prime members will also have access to new podcasts on the service, in addition to ad-free music streaming on the service.

Ransomware Incidents in 2021 Mostly Tied to Russian Hackers, US FinCEN Report Says

Ransomware incidents in the US in 2021 were mostly tied to Russian hackers, according to a report by the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The report states that out of 793 ransomware incidents reported to FinCEN in the second half of 2021, 75 percent "had a nexus to Russia, its proxies, or persons acting on its behalf.

WhatsApp Banned 26.85 Lakh Accounts in India in September, 8.72 Lakh Users 'Proactively' Barred

WhatsApp banned 26.85 lakh accounts in India in September, the Meta-owned company said in its monthly report. The service's User Safety Report states that 8.72 lakh accounts were barred "proactively", which means WhatsApp blocked them before users could flag them. The report was published in compliance with the tougher IT Rules that mandate large digital platforms (wi...

Twitter Said to Discontinue Access to Ad-Free Articles for Twitter Blue Subscribers

Twitter will no longer allow subscribers of the Twitter Blue paid service to access articles without advertisements, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Meanwhile, Elon Musk said on Tuesday that subscribers of the company's revamped service would get blue check marks along with priority in replies, mentions and search and would be able to post longer videos and...

Twitter Blue to Cost $8 per Month; Will Include Verified Badge, Fewer Ads, Elon Musk Says

Elon Musk on Tuesday announced that the company would charge a monthly $8 (roughly Rs. 660) fee for Twitter Blue, and that it would include a verified badge. The company's new owner also said that subscribers with blue check marks would get priority in replies, mentions and search and would be able to post longer videos and audios. They would see half as many ads.

Predatory Lending Apps: MHA Asks States, UTs to Take Urgent Action Against Illegal Apps

The Home Ministry recently asked law enforcement in states and Union territories to take urgent and strict action against predatory lending apps as harassment, blackmail and harsh recovery practices by such Chinese-controlled entities have led to multiple incidents of death by suicide. The ministry said it was a form of organised cybercrime that was executed using d...

Elon Musk's Twitter Investors Include Jack Dorsey, Saudi Prince, Qatar Investment Authority

Elon Musk's new Twitter investors include Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, former CEO Jack Dorsey, and the Qatar Investment Authority, according to regulatory filings. The Saudi Prince was quick to endorse Musk's plan to acquire Twitter, saying in May that Musk would be "an excellent leader" for the social media company, while Dorsey lamented in April that the company...

Elon Musk Boosted Surge in Misinformation, Conspiracy Theories About Attack on Paul Pelosi

Elon Musk, now the owner of Twitter, one of the world's leading online platforms, recently boosted a surge in misinformation and conspiracy theories related to the assault on Paul Pelosi, the husband of US Speaker Nancy Pelosi. On Monday, posts falsely suggesting a personal relationship between Pelosi and the alleged assailant, soared on Twitter, a day after Musk twee...

Instagram Resolves Bug That 'Suspended' User Accounts, Causing Drop in Follower Counts

Instagram users have been facing issue on the social media platform on Monday, with many reporting that their account has been suspended without any prior information. The details mentioned that the accounts were suspended for not adhering to community guidelines.