Instagram Threads Debuts In The EU
Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Meta's X rival, Threads, is now available to users in the European Union (EU). This expansion provides Threads with the opportunity to reach over 448 million citizens in Europe. Zuckerberg posted on Threads that Meta is extending access to more European countries, allowing users to browse Threads without a profile. The delayed launch in EU countries has been attributed to the complexities of complying with the region's Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to Instagram head Adam Mosseri. This follows Threads' initial launch in over 100 countries, including the US and the UK, in the middle of this year.
Privacy Complaint Against X Over Ads Targeted On Sensitive Data
Tech billionaire Elon Musk's X is in the middle of a fresh privacy complaint in Europe, with the privacy rights not-for-profit organization noyb accusing the platform of neglecting to uphold its own guidelines for targeted advertising. noyb filed a complaint against X with the Dutch data protection authority (NL), alleging the unlawful use of users' political views and religious beliefs for targeted advertising. Specifically protected data was utilized by the social media platform to assess whether individuals should be exposed to an ad campaign by the EU Commission's Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs, advocating for the proposed "chat control" in the Netherlands.
Google Maps Makes Blue Dot More Functional
Google is adding several enhancements to Maps, such as on-device location history, timeline creation and some noteworthy features to the blue dot representing the user's current location. The blue dot, which shows where a user is, on Google Maps, now brings key location controls right to the fingertips. Tapping on the blue dot on Google Maps, will now let you see whether their Location History or Timeline settings are turned on and whether they have given Google Maps access to your device’s location.
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Manu Sharma Leaving Nothing India
Manu Sharma, vice president and general manager, Nothing India has announced his departure from the company. He will Nothing at the end of January 2024. Sharma cited personal reasons for leaving the company and expressed confidence in Nothing India's strong product lineup for 2024, making note of the capable team in place. He made the announcement via a LinkedIn post. In February 2021, London-headquartered Nothing had appointed Sharma, previously senior director of mobile business at Samsung India, just ahead of the launch of their inaugural device, the Nothing Phone (1).
CERT-In Issues Caution Against Critical Flaw In These Samsung Phones
Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In has issued a high-risk warning (CIVN-2023-0360) for Samsung Mobile users in India, highlighting critical security issues in Samsung phones running Android versions 11, 12, 13, and 14, the media has reported. The phones are susceptible to vulnerabilities that could enable an attacker to covertly access and retrieve data from your device.