Apps
French privacy watchdog is now probing TikTok
As if the US and India weren’t enough
A silver lining for TikTok still isn’t clearly visible. Backed by Chinese giant ByteDance, the short-video sharing app is now being investigated by French watchdog CNIL. The app is already under scrutiny in multiple countries, including the US and India.
A spokesperson from CNIL confirmed to Bloomberg that it had received a complaint in May. However, they’ve refrained from divulging any further information. However, they did say that the agency is particularly vigilant regarding this complaint.
TikTok hasn’t responded yet. Other European countries like the Netherlands have also opened an investigation to ensure TikTok’s practices are safe for children. The British watchdog has also started a similar case study to ensure the Chinese app isn’t breaching any data protection norms.
India is the only country to have completely banned the app following an Indo-China border skirmish. However, the country has taken an even more radical stance against Chinese developers and banned more than a hundred apps. This includes TikTok, TikTok Lite, Camscanner, UC Browser, and many more.
President Trump has threatened to ban TikTok in the US and negotiations are underway that could see a potential sale of TikTok’s services to Microsoft. TikTok has rejected claims that it’s controlled by the Chinese government or that user data is at risk.
However, independent analysis has suggested mixed results. A study says the app is a mass surveillance tool, but another report states that the app follows all usual protocols and there isn’t anything to worry about.
New users on X might soon face a tough time on the platform. The social media website will likely start charging new accounts a small fee for the right to post on the platform.
Now, the fee isn’t a new one. Almost six months ago, the company tested the paid system in New Zealand and the Philippines. New users in those countries had to pay a dollar per year for the ability to post and reply to content.
As spotted by X Daily News on the same platform, the company might be ready to take the experiment to a larger market. New text strings have shown that the policy is rolling out worldwide.
SPECULATION: X might be expanding its policy to charge new users before they reply/like/bookmark a post https://t.co/odqeyeiHBx pic.twitter.com/EU71qlwQ0D
— X Daily News (@xDaily) April 15, 2024
The policy is designed to combat a wave of bots appearing on the platform. By preventing new accounts from creating posts, X hopes to stave off the standard behavior of bots these days. You might have noticed them as OnlyFans creators in unrelated posts, peddling NSFW content on their bio.
Though the global rollout was only just spotted, owner Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed the change. Replying to X Daily News, Musk says that it is “the only way to curb the relentless onslaught of bots.” He says that the current breed of bots can easily bypass simple checks these days.
Apps
Disney+ might get always-on channels similar to cable TV
Featuring content from Marvel, Star Wars, and classic Disney
The burden of choice on streaming platforms is real. If you’re like us, you’ve spent hours just mindlessly scrolling through titles on Netflix or Disney+ without watching anything. Netflix, at least, has a Play Something button to fight off that irresistible urge. Now, Disney+ is reportedly trying something different: always-on channels.
If you already cut cable from your lives, you’re likely missing traditional channels or networks that have pre-determined programming. It was a flawed system that eventually ended up with mediocre content and a downpour of ads. However, cable did allow us to keep watching without deciding what comes next.
Now, according to The Information, Disney+ is working on adding those channels to its streaming service. Naturally, these channels will include content from the platform’s library such as Marvel, Star Wars, and its list of classic animated films.
Strangely, the reported feature might still have ads in between programs. Though the addition of ads does mean a better similarity with real television, users still have to be paying subscribers to access the channels. Even if you’re already paying for Disney+, you might still get hit with ads.
Disney has not confirmed the reports yet. The platform might launch a version of the feature outside of the scope included in this report. It’s also unknown when these always-on channels will launch.
SEE ALSO: Macross to be available on Disney+
A few years ago, Apple unleashed one of the most interesting features for the iPhone today: Emergency SOS. Designed for those who like their fair bit of the outdoors, Emergency SOS allows users to contact emergency services without network coverage. Other manufacturers, however, are struggling to adopt the same feature. Now, Google might soon join Apple in providing satellite connectivity for its users.
Despite the convenience, satellite connectivity hasn’t taken off as much as the industry expected it to. For one, a network of satellites isn’t the easiest thing to maintain. Apple is still currently offering its services for free, a gamble that may or may not pay off. Now, the iPhone maker won’t be alone.
According to Android Authority, Google might start offering the same service to Pixel 9 users. Starting with this year’s upcoming flagship, the company is reportedly teaming up with T-Mobile to create satellite connectivity for its users. The telecommunications network is teaming up with SpaceX for the feature.
The same report describes how the feature might work. Once activated, the feature will ask users of their situation: is everyone breathing, are people trapped, are weapons involved, among others. The phone will then relay this information to emergency authorities for a rapid response.
Unfortunately, pricing remains a mystery. While Apple is still offering its satellite connectivity for free, other brands might put the burden of cost on the end user. Hopefully, they won’t, but a paid version is unfortunately expected at this point.
SEE ALSO: Should you be excited for Apple’s satellite connectivity?
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