Twitter seeks dialogue with IT Minister after order to block 1,178 accounts
New Delhi: Twitter on Tuesday said it is seeking formal dialogue with the Information Technology Minister after the government ordered it to take down 1,178 accounts for allegedly spreading misinformation around farmers’ protests. The microblogging platform also noted that safety of its employees is a top priority. “We continue to be engaged with the Government […]
Facebook to ‘turn down the temperature’ by reducing political content on the platform
SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook is seeking to “turn down the temperature” on its sprawling platform by reducing the kind of divisive and inflammatory political talk it has long hosted. Facebook has been pounded with criticism that it not only hasn’t done enough to curb misinformation and vitriol on its network, but that its algorithm actually tended […]
Vice President praises DRDO for self-reliance in missile tech
HYDERABAD: Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday praised DRDO scientists and engineers for taking India close to self-reliance in missile technology with their hard work and perseverance. After inaugurating two new facilities at the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Missile Complex here, he visited the exposition of technologies by Missile Complex Laboratories and said that he […]
WhatsApp treating Indian users differently matter of concern: Centre to HC
New Delhi: The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that WhatsApp was treating Indian users differently from its European ones with regard to opting out of its new privacy policy, and this was a matter of concern for the government which is looking into it. The central government told the high court that […]
CBI registers case against Cambridge Analytica, Global Science Research
New Delhi: The CBI has booked UK-based Cambridge Analytica and Global Science Research Ltd for illegally harvesting data of Facebook users in India for commercial purposes, officials said on Friday. The action came after a preliminary enquiry into the matter which showed that Global Science Research had created an app “thisisyourdigitallife” which was authorised by […]
Cochin Airport commissions floating solar power plants
Kochi: Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), which became the worlds first solar-powered airport in 2015, on Sunday added another feather to its cap, commissioning two floating solar power plants in Kerala. With the installation of the plants with a capacity of 452 KWh over two artificial lakes, the airport’s total installed capacity has risen to […]
Signal to ramp up hiring after WhatsApp controversy drives download surge
Messaging app Signal has seen “unprecedented” growth following a controversial change in rival WhatsApp’s privacy terms and is looking to hire more staff as it seeks to bolster the service and supporting infrastructure, the head of its controlling foundation said on Wednesday. Along with another encrypted app, Telegram, Signal has been the main beneficiary of […]
‘Flop’ and ‘hit’ data plans from Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone and BSNL
‘Flop’ plan: Reliance Jio Rs 598 plan; ‘Comparative best’ plan: Rs 599 plan The Rs 598 plan from Reliance Jio offers the validity of 56 days. The plan offers 112GB data with subscription to popular streaming services. A comparatively better plan for Reliance Jio users is Rs 599 plan. It is valid for the period […]
China’s new data security initiative has implications for India
Earlier this month, the Chinese government announced the launch of a new Data Security Initiative. Outlining its components, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he hoped that China can provide a “blueprint” for the formulation of international rules for digital security. The Chinese initiative entails eight broad principles, which include a call for supply chain stability, […]
VingaJoy’s SP-6560 wireless speaker is like a ‘Diwali atom bomb’ — tiny, but a blast!
Looking for a wireless Bluetooth speaker that’s big on sound but small in size? Look no further than the VingaJoy’s latest SP-6560 metal wireless speaker. It’s cute as a button but will blow you away with its powerful sound. Available in four colours, the device scores for being made of metal, not flimsy plastic, and […]
China tech giants Weibo parent Sina and search engine Sogou to delist from US AFP
Beijing: The parent company of China’s vast Weibo platform and one of the country’s biggest search engines have announced plans to delist from US stock markets in deals totalling over $6 billion as relations between Washington and Beijing grow increasingly tense. Chinese search engine Sogou confirmed Tuesday it would be taken private by tech giant […]
TikTok gets a breather till November 12 as judge halts Trump’s download ban
Washington: TikTok won a last-minute reprieve late Sunday as a US federal judge halted enforcement of a politically charged ban ordered by the Trump administration on downloads of the popular video app, hours before it was set to take effect. District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the […]
Google parent agrees to $310M settlement for suit on sexual misconduct of executives
New York: Google’s parent company has reached a $310 million settlement in a shareholder lawsuit over its treatment of allegations of executives’ sexual misconduct. Alphabet Inc. said Friday that it will prohibit severance packages for anyone fired for misconduct or is the subject of a sexual misconduct investigation. A special team will investigate any allegations […]
New Russian do-it-all tech giant Sberbank to rival Google, Facebook, Amazon
New Delhi/ Moscow: Russia’s biggest bank Sberbank on Thursday announced a major makeover to transform itself into a technology giant with the launch of a host of products and services in the digital space which will be first rolled out in its home market and taken abroad later, including to India. However, the expansion would […]
Let’s tie up for a suicide watch, TikTok writes to Facebook, Google, Snapchat, others
London: TikTok on Tuesday proposed an alliance with nine other social media platforms to work collectively and rapidly to remove suicide content, following an incident this month when a man killed himself on Facebook. The Chinese-owned app said it had set out its proposal in a letter to the chief executives of Facebook, Instagram, Google, […]
Trump against any Chinese control in TikTok, puts Oracle-Walmart deal in trouble
Washington: President Donald Trump on Monday threw into doubt a deal to restructure ownership of the popular video app TikTok, vowing to block any deal that allows its Chinese parent firm to retain any control. The comments raised fresh concerns over a weekend deal that appeared to avert a US-ordered ban of TikTok, which the […]
Trump gives his blessing to TikTok deal with Walmart, Oracle
Washington: President Donald Trump said Saturday he had approved a deal allowing Silicon Valley giant Oracle to become the data partner for TikTok to avert a shutdown of the massively popular Chinese-owned video app that Washington has called a security risk. The deal, announced by the companies, also includes Walmart as a commercial partner and […]
Google removes Paytm app from Play Store for allowing cricket betting ahead of IPL
New Delhi: Google on Friday said it has removed Paytm app from the Play Store for violation of its policy on sport betting activities. Paytm will not be available for download now but there will be no impact on existing users of the app. In a blog on Friday, Google said it does not allow […]
Trump not yet convinced about Oracle-TikTok deal, also admits US won’t get a cut
Washington: President Donald Trump said he expects to get a report Thursday about Oracle’s bid for the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok and admitted there is no legal path to letting the US Treasury get a cut of the deal — a proposition experts had criticised as unprecedented and possibly illegal. “I’m not prepared to sign […]
Facebook India chief Ajit Mohan skips hate speech hearing
New Delhi: Facebook India’s chief failed to appear Tuesday before a panel probing allegations that the social media giant failed to take action against hate speech, the committee’s head said. India is the US-based company and its messaging service WhatsApp’s biggest market in terms of users, and the firm is under pressure worldwide over the […]