The European Commission (EC) has intensified its investigation into social media platform X, requesting documents detailing how its recommendation algorithms function. As part of the ongoing probe under the Digital Services Act (DSA), regulators are particularly interested in understanding any recent changes to X's algorithm. The company has been given until February 15 to provide the requested information. Document Request…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has banned General Motors (GM) and its subsidiary OnStar from selling driver data to third parties for the next five years. This move follows an investigation triggered by a report from The New York Times, which exposed the companies for collecting and sharing sensitive customer information with insurance companies without proper consent. GM and OnStar's…

Meta Platforms Inc., parent company of Facebook, has announced a trial feature allowing users in Germany, France, and the U.S. to view eBay listings directly on its Marketplace platform. This move comes as Meta seeks to address antitrust charges from the European Union, which fined the company nearly 800 million euros for anticompetitive practices. The European Commission, the EU's executive…

Apple’s latest iOS update, iOS 18.3, introduces groundbreaking new functionality for iPhone users, enabling direct-to-cell satellite messaging through a partnership with T-Mobile and SpaceX’s Starlink network. This service, currently in beta testing, is rolling out to select T-Mobile customers, allowing them to send text messages even in remote areas with no cellular coverage. Satellite Texting for Remote Areas For now,…

Google's Pixel 4a, a beloved budget-friendly smartphone, is facing a controversial change. A recent software update intentionally reduces its battery life and charging performance. Surprisingly, this move isn’t a flaw but a deliberate effort to "improve the stability" of the device, as explained by Google. A Necessary Sacrifice for Stability With the rollout of Android 13, Pixel 4a users noticed…

Apple has reached a settlement in a long-standing privacy lawsuit concerning its voice assistant, Siri. According to Reuters, the tech giant has agreed to pay $95 million to resolve claims that Siri's voice recordings were inadvertently collected and used without users' consent. The settlement, filed in Oakland, California, is pending approval by US District Judge Jeffrey White. Background of the…

Sunday brought a sharp drop in Bitcoin prices, as the leading cryptocurrency slid to a low of $92,941 per coin. This marks a significant shift, as BTC had been comfortably trading above $95,000 just a day earlier. The overall cryptocurrency market saw a decline of 1.61%, with Bitcoin itself down by 1.42% in the last 24 hours. The holiday season…

Shares in Boeing Co (NYSE:BA, ETR:BCO) took a sharp 4.5% dive in pre-market trading on Monday, following a devastating crash involving one of its aircraft in South Korea. The tragic accident occurred on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 179 people, and now authorities are calling for an urgent review of Boeing 737-800 planes. South Korean Government to Audit Boeing…

TikTok has secured a critical opportunity to challenge the U.S. government’s mandate to sell its American operations, with the Supreme Court agreeing to hear its appeal. This development comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit rejected TikTok’s arguments that the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act violates the First Amendment. The legislation, which mandates…

Workers at two of Amazon's warehouses in New York City are preparing to strike on December 15, escalating tensions between the e-commerce giant and its unionized employees. Employees at JFK8 in Staten Island and DBK4 in Queens allege that Amazon has refused to recognize their union and negotiate contracts addressing key issues like wages and workplace conditions. JFK8 and DBK4…

Nike’s new CEO, Elliott Hill, has outlined a bold shift in the company’s strategy, moving away from performance marketing and promotional discounts to refocus on brand building. With sports as its guiding principle, Nike aims to regain its cultural relevance and reclaim its position as a premium, full-price brand. In a significant move, Nike is reducing its reliance on promotional…

Austrian advocacy group Noyb alleges BeReal is breaching GDPR by repeatedly pushing users to share personal data. BeReal, once celebrated for its authentic, real-time approach to social media, is now facing serious privacy concerns. Austrian privacy rights group Noyb (None of Your Business) has lodged a formal complaint against BeReal, claiming the platform employs manipulative consent practices that violate the…

Meta's microblogging platform Threads has surged past 100 million daily active users. The announcement, made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday, marks a milestone for the platform, which has been growing rapidly amid dissatisfaction with its rival, X. Threads also boasts 300 million monthly active users, up from 275 million in November. This is the first time Threads has shared…

United Airlines is making strides to ease travel anxiety by integrating Apple’s Share Item Location feature into its mobile app. This innovative step means that passengers equipped with AirTags or devices using the Find My network can now share their luggage’s real-time location with airline staff directly from the United app. For travelers whose bags seem to have a mind…

OpenAI has officially rolled out its highly anticipated ChatGPT search engine tool to all users, extending the feature beyond its initial rollout to paid subscribers in October. The update allows users to search the web directly within ChatGPT, providing a more conversational and interactive approach to finding answers compared to traditional search engines. A Direct Challenge to Google’s DominanceThis new…