Month: February 2022
New TikTok Community Safety Policy
The video-sharing site’s head of trust and safety, Cormac Keenan, said it was updating its rules to help improve transparency for users as well as clarity for moderators on what content they should ensure is removed. As part of the update, TikTok said its rules will now more clearly note the risk of certain dangerous
Grand Theft Auto 6
The GTA franchise in which players take on the role of a criminal has been criticized for glorifying law-breaking, violence and abuse of women. An online, multi-player version of the game boasts a large and devoted community of fans, some of whom took to Twitter to express delight at the news along with jibes that
Spotify’s COVID policy change welcomed
‘The Joe Rogan Podcast’ recently came under fire after two guests voiced views that contradicted the advice of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The controversy prompted a change from Spotify, with the platform announcing that it would redirect users to a hub containing facts about coronavirus. Meanwhile, Joe Rogan has denied trying
Facebook ad growth slows
The user growth slowdown came in the same period when the company, formerly known as Facebook, announced that it would rebrand as a “metaverse” company. Facebook’s monthly active users were 2.91 billion as of December 31, 2021, an increase of 4 per cent year-over-year. Meta still made nearly $40 billion in profit in 2021, mostly
Microsoft: democratise game building
Microsoft announced the record-breaking deal in January. The move represents the biggest acquisition in the company’s history. Nadelladisputed the idea that the acquisition is anti-competitive and also said “We’re investing deeply in world-class content, community and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming
SpaceX Starlink Gateway station in Fiji
The disruption of communication lines in Tonga was caused by the impairment of the islands’ major undersea cable as a result of a powerful underwater volcanic eruption that occurred beneath the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai islands on January 15. The eruption, considered the world’s strongest in the past 30 years, caused a severe tsunami and covered
Illegal Content Crackdown Targets Technology Giants
Websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, that host user-generated content would have to swiftly remove illegal content once it was reported to them. Now they will also have to put in place proactive measures to stop illegal activity. The issue has become a talking point recently with the racist abuse of footballers, revenge porn and
Parents Habits Online Influences Children Behaviors with Technology
The pandemic has had a big effect on children’s experiences and it is good to know that children whose parents who are on the same page as their kids around digital concerns are the ones who are benefitting the most from the online world. Children with parents who better understand the emotional impact of the
Graham Nash removes music from Spotify
Graham Nash has become the latest musician to request his music be removed from Spotify in protest at it hosting a podcast which spreads misinformation about Covid. The Grammy-winner, 79, said he was following in the footsteps of his former bandmate Neil Young, who has removed his catalogue from the streaming service, citing Joe Rogan
Flying Robots
The new technology, inspired by bees and other flying insects, means conventional motors and gears are no longer needed to fly the devices. It could pave the way for smaller, lighter and more effective, micro, flying robots for environmental monitoring, search and rescue, and use in dangerous environments like collapsed buildings. Known as micro air