The Indian government has rescinded an order that mandated all smartphones to include a state-owned security application, following widespread protests concerning privacy issues and resistance from tech companies.
The Ministry of Telecommunications has announced the cancellation of a previous mandate requiring technology firms to integrate the government’s Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on all smartphones sold in India within a 90-day timeframe.
This order ignited a political uproar, with major tech giants, including Apple and Google, indicating their refusal to comply, citing privacy worries. In a statement released Wednesday, the government confirmed that it had “chosen not to mandate mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install it.”
The government emphasized that the app, designed to enable users to block and track lost or stolen devices and report fraudulent calls, is “secure and solely intended to help citizens combat the ‘bad actors’.”
The initial mandate, which was quietly communicated to tech companies last week, quickly drew backlash as internet privacy advocates and political opposition parties voiced concerns over its potential for mass surveillance.
Apple and Google, speaking anonymously to the media, asserted that tech firms would oppose the mandate due to privacy concerns impacting their operating systems and contradicting internal policies.
Protests erupted in Parliament on Wednesday, with opposition lawmakers accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration of infringing on citizens’ fundamental right to privacy.
Randeep Singh Surjewala from the opposition Indian National Congress party warned that the app “could function as a kill switch, turning all mobile phones into non-functional devices, potentially used against journalists, opposition leaders, and dissenters at the government’s discretion.”
Similar concerns arose after the Russian government mandated the installation of an app named Max on all smartphones in August, leading to accusations of potential mass surveillance.
In response to the backlash, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia clarified that the Sanchar Saathi app was optional and removable, which contradicted the original directive.
“In a democracy, every citizen has that right, so you can uninstall it just like any other application. No snooping will be possible with this app,” he stated.
The government’s decision to withdraw the order was welcomed by online rights and privacy advocacy groups. “At this moment, until formal legal guidance is released and independently verified, this should be viewed as cautious optimism rather than a definitive resolution,” commented the Internet Freedom Foundation.
Protests have ignited across India as the government has mandated major tech firms to install state-operated applications on smartphones, prompting concerns over potential surveillance among opposition leaders and activists.
Companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Xiomi are required to comply within 90 days by preloading Sanchar Saathi (Telecom Partner) on all mobile devices sold in India.
New devices must have the app pre-installed, while those already on the market will need a software update to include it. The Indian government has downplayed privacy concerns, stating that Sanchar Saathi “will not automatically collect certain personal information from you without your consent within the application.”
Apple is reportedly one of the primary tech companies resisting this order, while other major players have not yet publicly addressed the issue, as reported by Reuters.
Marketed as a tool for citizen safety, the app enables users to block and locate lost or stolen phones, check the number of mobile connections linked to their identity, and helps identify and disconnect fraudulent numbers associated with scams.
Additionally, it allows users to report suspected fraudulent calls, verify the legitimacy of used devices, and ensure they haven’t been stolen prior to purchase.
The directive was covertly issued to mobile manufacturers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration last week.
Once this information became public, the Ministry of Telecommunications confirmed it as a security step to address the “serious risks” of cybersecurity and fraud in India, while also regulating the country’s second-hand mobile market.
This has sparked backlash from opposition parties and digital rights advocates, who argue that it provides the government unrestricted access to the nation’s 730 million smartphones, enabling tracking of citizens through their devices.
KC Venugopal, a leader from the opposition National Congress Party, stated that his party would protest against the “dystopian” decision, asserting: “Big Brother cannot keep tabs on us.”
The Internet Freedom Foundation expressed its determination to “strive until this directive is annulled.”
Priyanka Gandhi, fellow Congress party leader, criticized the initiative as a “spy app” that undermines the fundamental right to privacy of citizens.
Sources indicate that Apple intends to resist the mandate, citing significant safety concerns. Company officials, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted that internal policies prevent Apple from complying with such directives globally due to potential security and privacy risks to its iOS system. Apple did not provide a formal comment.
According to the app’s privacy policy, iPhone users will be prompted to allow access to their camera, photos, and files. Android users, who represent 95% of India’s smartphone users, will need to share call logs, allow registration messages, manage calls “to identify mobile numbers in their phones,” and grant access to their cameras and photos.
It was initially reported that the government had instructed tech companies not to disable the app. However, in a speech on Tuesday, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia refuted this. “It’s your choice to keep it on your device,” he stated. “You can uninstall it just like any other app.”
Two of the most popular gay dating applications in China have been removed from the country’s app stores, sparking concerns about increased repression of the LGBT community.
As of Tuesday, Blued and Finka were no longer accessible on Apple’s app store and certain Android platforms. Users who have previously downloaded the applications seem to still have access to them.
Both applications remain available for download from their official websites, and no official statement has been made regarding their removal.
In a statement to Wired, Apple remarked: “We adhere to the laws of the nations in which we operate. Following directives from the Cyberspace Administration of China, these two apps have been removed solely from our China storefront.”
Apple operates a distinct app store in China, in compliance with local regulations. Popular applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and other Western social media platforms are inaccessible to Chinese users. Furthermore, international dating apps like Grindr and Tinder are also blocked.
Blued, which was established in China in 2012, is the nation’s most popular dating app for gay men, boasting over 40 million registered users globally. Despite diversifying into live streaming and other services in recent years, it primarily remains an app catered to gay men.
The parent company of Blued acquired Finka in 2020.
Although homosexuality is legal in China, the public expression of LGBT identities has become increasingly suppressed after years of progressive changes. LGBT civil society organizations have been forced to shut down, and China’s largest Pride event, Shanghai Pride, was canceled in 2020. In September, a horror film featuring a gay couple was modified digitally for its release in China.
The founder of an LGBT community organization, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, expressed being “very shocked” at the removal of Blued and Finka from app stores.
“In recent years, the space for sexual minorities has been diminishing…but I was unprepared for the news that online spaces are also disappearing,” he stated.
“Do apps like Blued not aid in fostering social stability and harmony? Why remove them from app stores? I find it challenging to grasp the reasoning behind this,” he continued.
The reason for the app removals and their permanence remains unclear, but internet users have rapidly expressed their concerns.
One WeChat user remarked that Blued “helped countless individuals realize they were not alone, bringing a marginalized group into focus.”
The Cyberspace Administration of China was not available for comment.
Gaatha Sarvaiya enjoys sharing her artistic endeavors on social media. As a law graduate from India in her early 20s, she is at the outset of her professional journey, striving to attract public interest. However, the emergence of AI-driven deepfakes poses a significant threat, making it uncertain whether the images she shares will be transformed into something inappropriate or unsettling.
“I immediately considered, ‘Okay, maybe this isn’t safe. People could take our pictures and manipulate them,'” Sarvaiya, who resides in Mumbai, expresses.
“There is certainly a chilling effect,” notes Rohini Lakshane, a gender rights and digital policy researcher based in Mysore. He too refrains from posting photos of himself online. “Given how easily it can be exploited, I remain particularly cautious.”
However, a report released recently reveals that the growing usage of AI is generating formidable new avenues for harassment directed at women, according to data compiled by the Rati Foundation, which operates a national helpline for online abuse victims.
“Over the past three years, we’ve identified that a significant majority of AI-generated content is utilized to target women and sexual minorities,” the report, prepared by Tuttle, a company focused on curbing misinformation on social media in India, asserts.
The report highlights the increasing use of AI tools for digitally altering images and videos of women, including nudes and culturally sensitive content. While these images may be accepted in Western cultures, they are often rebuked in numerous Indian communities for their portrayal of public affection.
Indian singer Asha Bhosle (left) and journalist Rana Ayyub are victims of deepfake manipulations on social media. Photo: Getty
The findings indicated that approximately 10% of the numerous cases documented by the helpline involve such altered images. “AI significantly simplifies the creation of realistic-looking content,” the report notes.
There was a notable case where an Indian woman’s likeness was manipulated by an AI tool in a public location. Bollywood singer Asha Bhosle‘s image and voice were replicated using AI and distributed on YouTube. Journalist Rana Ayyub faced a campaign targeting her personal information last year, with deepfake sexual images appearing of her on social media.
These instances sparked widespread societal discussions, with some public figures like Bhosle asserting that they have successfully claimed legal rights concerning their voice and image. However, the broader implications for everyday women like Sarvaiya, who increasingly fear engaging online, are less frequently discussed.
“When individuals encounter online harassment, they often self-censor or become less active online as a direct consequence,” explains Tarunima Prabhakar, co-founder of Tattle. Her organization conducted focus group research for two years across India to gauge the societal impacts of digital abuse.
“The predominant emotion we identified is one of fatigue,” she remarks. “This fatigue often leads them to withdraw entirely from online platforms.”
In recent years, Sarvaiya and her peers have monitored high-profile deepfake abuse cases, including those of Ayyub and Bollywood actress Rashmika Mandanna. “It’s a bit frightening for women here,” she admits.
Currently, Sarvaiya is reluctant to share anything on social media and has opted to keep her Instagram account private. She fears this measure may not suffice to safeguard her. Women are sometimes captured in public places, such as subways, with their photos potentially surfacing online later.
“It’s not as prevalent as some might believe, but luck can be unpredictable,” she observes. “A friend of a friend is actually facing threats online.”
Lakshane mentions that she often requests not to be photographed at events where she speaks. Despite her precautions, she is mentally preparing for the possibility that a deepfake image or video of her could emerge. In the app, her profile image is an illustration of herself, rather than a photo.
“Women with a public platform, an online presence, and those who express political opinions face a significant risk of image misuse,” she highlights.
Rati’s report details how AI applications, such as “nudification” and nudity apps designed to remove clothing from images, have normalized behaviors that were once seen as extreme. In one reported case, a woman approached the helpline after her photo, originally submitted for a loan application, was misused for extortion.
“When she declined to continue payments, her uploaded photo was digitally altered with the nudify app and superimposed onto a pornographic image,” the report details.
This altered image, accompanied by her phone number, was circulated on WhatsApp, resulting in a flood of sexually explicit calls and messages from strangers. The woman expressed to the helpline that she felt “humiliated and socially stigmatized, as though I had ‘become involved in something sordid’.”
A fake video allegedly featuring Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman promoting a financial scheme. Photo: DAU Secretariat
In India, similar to many regions globally, deepfakes exist within a legal gray area. Although certain statutes may prohibit them, Rati’s report highlights existing laws in India that could apply to online harassment and intimidation, enabling women to report AI deepfakes as well.
“However, the process is often lengthy,” Sarvaiya shares, emphasizing that India’s legal framework is not adequately prepared to address issues surrounding AI deepfakes. “There is a significant amount of bureaucracy involved in seeking justice for what has occurred.”
A significant part of the problem lies with the platforms through which such images are disseminated, including YouTube, Meta, X, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Indian law enforcement agencies describe the process of compelling these companies to eliminate abusive content as “often opaque, resource-draining, inconsistent, and ineffective,” according to a report published by Equality Now, an organization advocating for women’s rights.
Meanwhile, Apple and Meta have recently responded accordingly. Rati’s report uncovers multiple instances where these platforms inadequately addressed online abuse, thereby exacerbating the spread of the nudify app.
Although WhatsApp did respond in the extortion scenario, the action was deemed “insufficient” since the altered images had already proliferated across the internet, Rati indicated. In another instance, an Instagram creator in India was targeted by a troll who shared nude clips, yet Instagram only reacted after “persistent efforts” and with a “delayed and inadequate” response.
The report indicates that victims reporting harassment on these platforms often go unheard, prompting them to reach out to helplines. Furthermore, even when accounts disseminating abusive material are removed, such content tends to resurface, a phenomenon Rati describes as “content recidivism.”
“One persistent characteristic of AI abuse is its tendency to proliferate: it is easily produced, broadly shared, and repeated multiple times,” Rati states. Confronting this issue “will necessitate much greater transparency and data accessibility from the platforms themselves.”
TThis past month, independent musicians in San Francisco convened for a series of discussions titled “Death to Spotify,” where attendees delved into “the implications of decentralizing music discovery, production, and listening from a capitalist framework.”
Hosted at Bathers Library, the event featured speakers from indie radio station KEXP, record labels Cherub Dream Records and Dandy Boy Records, along with DJ collectives No Bias and Amor Digital. What began as a modest gathering quickly sold out, gaining international interest. Organizers were approached by individuals as far away as Barcelona and Bengaluru eager to replicate the event.
“Death to Spotify” event held on September 23rd at Buzzards Library in San Francisco, California. Photo: Dennis Heredia
These discussions occur as the global backlash against Spotify gains traction. In January, music journalist Liz Perry released *Mood Machine*, a critical examination arguing that streaming services have decimated the industry, turning listeners into “passive, unstimulated consumers.” Perry asserts that Spotify’s business model pays artists meagerly, particularly if they consent to be “playlisted” in discovery mode, which delivers a bland, ambient soundtrack that blends into the background.
While artists have long voiced concerns over inadequate compensation, this past summer, criticism turned personal, specifically targeting Spotify’s billionaire co-founder Daniel Ek’s backing of Hellsing, a German company developing military technology AI. Prominent acts like Massive Attack, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, and Hotline TNT have pulled their songs from the platform in protest, though Spotify stresses that “Spotify and Hellsing are entirely separate entities.”
“Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist” by Liz Perry. Photo: Hodder
In Oakland, Stefani Dukic read *Mood Machine*, learned about the boycott, and felt inspired.
While not a musician, Dukic, who investigates city police complaints, describes her fascination with sound alongside her friend Manasa Karthikeyan, who works in an art gallery. They decided to foster a similar dialogue. “Spotify plays a vital role in our music interaction,” Dukic explains. “We thought it would be enriching to investigate our relationship with streaming, the significance of deleting a file, and the process involved.” Thus, Death to Spotify was conceived.
In essence, the aim was to “end algorithmic listening, cease royalty exploitation, and discontinue AI-generated music.”
Karthikeyan believes the onus of quitting Spotify falls on both listeners and musicians. “One must acknowledge that not everything is instantly available,” she states. “It prompts deeper consideration of what you support.”
Yet, will musicians and fans truly commit to a long-term boycott of the app?
Numerous prominent artists have previously pulled their catalogs from Spotify amid much fanfare, only to quietly return. Taylor Swift, one of the platform’s biggest stars, returned in 2017 after a three-year boycott over unfair payment practices. Thom Yorke, the frontman of Radiohead, removed some solo projects in 2013 for similar reasons, labeling Spotify as “the last desperate fart of a dying corpse,” yet he later reinstated them.
In 2022, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell left the platform due to an exclusive deal with anti-vaccine podcast host Joe Rogan. Having both contracted polio in their childhood during the 1950s, they have also reinstated their catalogs on Spotify.
Eric Drott, a music professor at the University of Texas at Austin, suggests this latest wave of boycotts feels distinct. “These artists are not mainstream. Many have realized for years that streaming isn’t lucrative, but they still sought recognition. With the sheer volume of available music, people are questioning its overall value.”
Will Anderson of Hotline TNT asserted there is “0%” chance his band will return. “There’s no rationale for genuine music enthusiasts to be there,” he claims. “Spotify’s primary objective is to encourage you to stop pondering what’s being played.” When the band sold their new album, “Raspberry Moon,” directly via Bandcamp and a 24-hour Twitch stream, it sold hundreds of copies and generated substantial revenue.
Manasa Karthikeyan (left) and Stephanie Dukic. Photo: Eva Tuff
Pop-rock artist Caroline Rose and others are also experimenting with alternative distribution methods. Her album *Year of the Slug*, influenced by Cindy Lee’s “Diamond Jubilee,” was exclusively released on vinyl and Bandcamp, initially available only on YouTube and the file-sharing platform Mega. “It’s disheartening to pour your heart and soul into something only to give it away online for free,” Rose articulates.
Rose is a member of the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW), an advocacy organization established to protect music professionals since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joey DeFrancesco, a member of the punk band Downtown Boys and a UMAW co-founder, stated the group “clearly advocates for artists as agents, holding corporations accountable and facilitating necessary dialogue,” including efforts to remove music from Spotify. He also noted the “limitations” inherent in individual boycotts.
“Our goal in the labor movement and within UMAW is to act collectively,” he emphasized. Notable examples include UMAW’s successful campaign—in partnership with the Palestine for Palestine coalition—to persuade the South by Southwest music festival to cut ties with U.S. military and arms manufacturers as sponsors for its 2025 event, as well as the introduction of the Living Wage for Musicians Act (a bill aimed at regulating payments to artists on Spotify) championed by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.
The organizers of Death to Spotify assert that their intent isn’t to dismantle the app but rather to prompt users to critically reflect on their music consumption habits. “We want to encourage a more thoughtful engagement with how we listen to music,” Karthikeyan explains. “Sticking to algorithmically generated comfort zones only serves to diminish the richness of our culture.”
uIn today’s world, it’s become quite typical to rely on dating apps in the quest for love. However, for many individuals, these platforms can feel like a double-edged sword. The clear advantage of having an infinite array of potential partners at your disposal is readily apparent—yet the downside of engaging with strangers can impose certain time constraints. The prolonged “swipe phase” can often be especially disheartening.
In 2023, the US jeweler Shane Company found that the average American dedicates around 8 months to dating apps, swiping through about 3,960 profiles before securing a partner. That said, for chronic daters, these figures might seem unrealistically promising. Conversations with friends and colleagues often reveal that years can pass “on the app” without any romantic fulfillment. The “Download, Deal, Repeat” cycle can be disheartening, and many users are experiencing increasing dating app fatigue. Last year’s Ofcom’s online Nation report indicated that app usage had significantly dropped, with the ten most popular dating apps seeing nearly a 16% decline. It’s not unexpected that Meta recently announced their plan to introduce AI assistants for Facebook dating. Meet Cute, their new “surprise match” feature, aims to help users “combat swipe fatigue.”
But it doesn’t have to be this way. According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 10% of heterosexual individuals and 24% of LGBTQ+ individuals find long-term partners via dating sites and apps. Is this merely a cosmic coincidence, or is there a secret ingredient to their success?
Liz, 28, from Nottingham, opened Bumble on a Wednesday and matched with her future husband the same day. They had their first date on Friday and remained together for eight years. Her advice for avoiding getting trapped in the app? Delete it.
Deleting apps is a more effective way to connect… Photo: Pose by a model. Emir Memedovski/Getty Images
“If you find someone you connect with, delete the app and focus entirely on that individual. You’re not on a dating show!” she advises. “After our first date, I realized I liked him a lot. I thought, ‘You have to concentrate on one person at a time.’ If it doesn’t work, you can always return to the app.”
She also realized that not everyone she swipes on is active on the app daily, indicating her interest.
While it’s tempting to keep all options available and engaging with multiple matches is generally accepted early in dating, Liz and her partner found that deleting Bumble within a week of their first meeting and focusing on one individual fostered a deeper connection.
Another effective strategy to avert the so-called choice paradox is to intentionally narrow down the dating pool. Joseph, 42, from Liverpool, believes in finding your niche. Glaser, someone he met through an app, became his fiancé ten months later, and they have been happily married for six years with two (vegan) children.
“It eliminated anything I was certain I didn’t want,” he shares. “We both knew we were on the same wavelength. It took a lot of pressure off. There were no awkward conversations about being vegan, nor discussions about raising children as vegans.”
Understanding what you’re seeking is crucial, say couples therapists and dating coaches like Shan Merchant. “Do they like to exercise, enjoy nature, or have a creative side?” Her advice is to use a mainstream app that attracts a large user base.
Naturally, being candid when crafting your app profile is a smart strategy to attract those whose interests and values align with yours.
“My approach was to filter out individuals so that I could engage with those genuinely interested,” explained Hanna, 39, from Leeds, who has been with her partner for seven years. She spent about a month on Bumble before they met and had only dated two others on the app.
“I had a theory about my photos,” Hanna shared. “I wanted them to portray my true self. My first photo was me all dolled up, but my second was a no-makeup garden shot, very authentic.”
Illustration: Michelle Thompson/Guardian
Several individuals I talked to emphasized that dating seriously was crucial to their success with apps, but for Hanna, the opposite rings true. After relocating back to North England from London ten years later, all she wished was to meet new people and rediscover her local area.
“I believe that mindset made a significant difference. I steered clear of checklists,” she states. “It helped me meet wonderful people,” she adds, “by letting go of preconceived notions and remaining open to new experiences.”
Recent trends indicate a growing emphasis on finding “the perfect partner,” while experts like Merchant advise more practical methods to optimize your mental approach to seeking love.
“I only engage with the app when I’m feeling positive. If I’m stressed, fatigued, or hungover, I wouldn’t recommend it,” she advises. Many struggle to maintain a positive outlook while dating, yet that positivity is often key to success in navigating dating apps.
For Nick, 69, from Chichester, the pandemic prompted him to take a more proactive stance on dating. Within a week of joining the now-defunct Guardian Soulmate, he matched with his partner. They’ve been together for over five years and started cohabitating in February 2022.
“I was initially apprehensive but realized I needed to take the plunge,” he shares. “Reflect on whether you genuinely want to pursue this or just seek excuses for why it isn’t working. Show what makes you a great partner. Be ready to step outside your comfort zone.”
Even if not all interactions lead to something meaningful, “you are learning how dynamics function,” he notes. He suggests Romeo, also known as Planetromeo, as a great alternative for LGBTQ+ individuals seeking relationships rather than casual encounters.
Liz observes that, for some people, the app can become problematic instead of beneficial. “I adore my friends, but I’ve seen them become obsessed with swipes and likes in a way that worries me. Their emotions seem to lose value when reduced to mere images on a screen. If you’re truly eager to connect with someone, remember that every profile represents a real person.”
A thoughtful gift can spark a delightful conversation… Photo: Pose by a model. Janina Steinmetz/Getty Images
Although Tinder has garnered some particularly negative reviews over the years, Dan, 45, from the Netherlands, connected with his current wife just two weeks after downloading the app. They’ve enjoyed a decade together and share a son. For him, standing out was essential.
“People often describe me as boring at first glance,” he admits. “I’m not the kind to dazzle anyone with my looks or lavish lifestyle. The great thing about dating apps was that I was able to kick-start a conversation immediately. When I messaged someone, I’d always pose questions or joke about something in their profile to show I was genuinely interested. It didn’t always work, but sometimes it did!”
When he finally met his wife, Dan made sure to leave a lasting impression by bringing along a small, thoughtful gift as an icebreaker. “On our first date, I presented her with a gift-wrapped chocolate bar that was her least favorite flavor, but included another chocolate bar of her favorite in jest,” he recalls. “It was a fun way to demonstrate that I was attentive.”
“Don’t fear rejection,” he suggests. “I once got rejected for not dressing ‘hip enough.’ That was a good decision on her part—if such things matter to you, I’m not your person. I also got turned down for ordering a non-alcoholic beverage on another first date. Fast forward ten years, I ended up with someone who shares my humor.”
Fear of rejection undoubtedly influences why numerous singles approach dating apps with caution. “Many are indeed fearful of rejection,” states Merchant. “They often take it personally, which leads to giving up. When this happens, it saddens me, as if they maintain a positive outlook, they’ll eventually find someone, and I genuinely believe that.”
As frequent as it is, the key to thriving on dating apps might very well be a stroke of luck. “I firmly believe luck plays a substantial role,” Merchant remarks. “Surround yourself with individuals who maintain a positive view of dating. It’s natural to feel fatigued, but avoid isolating those feelings. If you’re burnt out, just step back from the app and return when your energy picks up.”
Even those who seem to have found success instantly acknowledge that taking breaks is essential. “You end up seeing the same faces,” Joseph points out. “If you pause for a bit and return months later, you’ll discover new profiles and opportunities that better align with what you truly desire.
Donald Trump contends that, in light of the uncertainty surrounding the final agreement, Tiktok is aiming to keep operating in the US while Beijing retains control over the algorithms that govern the platform’s video feed.
“There’s a deal concerning Tiktok. A number of major companies are interested in purchasing it,” Trump stated on Tuesday, though he did not provide further specifics.
The agreement, reportedly negotiated between US Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent and a Chinese deputy prime minister in Madrid, is said to involve transferring US assets of the social media platform from Chinese ownership to new American proprietors.
A key concern revolves around the fate of Tiktok’s influential algorithms that contribute to its status as one of the top online entertainment sources globally.
At a press briefing in Madrid, the deputy head of China’s cybersecurity regulator indicated that the framework for the agreement would entail “algorithm licenses and other intellectual property rights.”
Wang Jingtao noted that Bytedance will “contract Tiktok’s US user data and content security operations.”
Some analysts interpret these remarks to mean that the US spinoff of Tiktok may still possess the Chinese algorithm.
During a discussion at the Supreme Court in January, Tiktok’s lawyer informed the judge of the challenges in selling the platform to US companies, citing Chinese laws that restrict the sale of its algorithms, which are critical to the success of social media platforms.
US officials have previously expressed concerns that the algorithms determining user content could be susceptible to manipulation by the Chinese government.
Tiktok has countered that the US has not presented any evidence suggesting that China has sought to manipulate content on American platforms.
According to China’s House Selection Committee, any agreement between Beijing and Washington must adhere to laws requiring Tiktok’s sale to avoid a ban in the US.
“If the algorithm remains Chinese, it does not meet compliance. There is no algorithm shared with the US,” a spokesman for China’s House Selection Committee stated.
On Tuesday, Trump further postponed the enforcement of the Tiktok ban until December 16th, marking the fourth delay of legislation aimed at compelling Chinese owners to divest from the app. The latest delay was set to conclude on Wednesday, aligning with a law enacted in 2024 by then-President Joe Biden that aimed to close Tiktok in the US due to its Chinese ownership.
This law aims to address national security concerns linked to Tiktok’s Chinese parent company and its possible connections to the Chinese government.
Nonetheless, the 2024 election campaign heavily relies on social media, with Trump, who has expressed a fondness for Tiktok, continuing to delay the ban.
The app is under scrutiny from US officials worried about data collection practices and content manipulation. Tiktok has consistently denied sharing user data with Chinese authorities and has contested various restrictions in federal courts.
“We have a significant pool of companies interested in acquiring it,” Trump remarked.
China also confirmed what was described as a “framework” for transactions on Monday following phone calls between the two leaders.
After a Reuters inquiry, a senior White House official commented that specifics regarding the framework were “speculation unless disclosed by this administration.”
Following the Trump administration’s decision, US immigration agents now have access to one of the most advanced hacking tools available globally, having secured a contract with Paragon Solutions, a company based in Israel, to develop spyware capable of infiltrating any phone, including encrypted applications.
The Department of Homeland Security initially established a contract with Paragon, a subsidiary of a US firm, in late 2024 during the Biden administration. However, this $2 million contract was suspended pending confirmation of an executive order that limits the application of US government spyware, as reported by Wired at that time.
According to recent updates, the suspension has been lifted. Public Procurement Documents now identify US Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) as the contracting agency.
This signifies that one of the most potent stealth cyber weapons ever engineered—created outside the United States—now resides with agencies that have been repeatedly accused of violating due process rights by private sectors and human rights organizations.
Neither Paragon nor ICE immediately responded to inquiries for comments.
Once effectively utilized against a target, the hacking software known as Graphite can infiltrate any phone. By essentially gaining control over the device, users (in this instance, ICE) can monitor an individual’s location, access messages, view photos, and even read data stored in encrypted applications like WhatsApp and Signal. Additionally, spyware such as Graphite can function as a listening device by activating the phone’s recorder.
An executive order signed by the Biden administration sought to implement restrictions on the use of spyware by the US government, asserting that it must refrain from operating commercial spyware that poses significant risks to intellectual property or security concerns for the US, or creates a substantial risk of inappropriate usage by foreign entities. The Biden administration even took the extraordinary step of blacklisting rival spyware manufacturer NSO Group, underlining their alleged facilitation of targeted attacks on the mobile phones of adversaries, human rights defenders, and journalists.
Paragon aims to differentiate itself from NSO Group, stating that it exclusively engages with democratic entities and has a strict policy against providing services to clients that may misuse the technology against civil society members, such as journalists. Paragon has yet to disclose its clients, claiming no insight into how its clientele may target particular individuals.
Spyware developers like Paragon and NSO assert that their technologies are intended for preventing crime and curtailing terrorist threats. Nevertheless, past incidents have showcased the software being misused to harass innocent individuals, including those perceived as opponents of the government.
John Scott Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto, stated that spyware like Graphite is being exploited by governmental bodies. He remarked that such tools are “designed for dictatorship, not democracies that prioritize freedom and individual rights.”
“The invasive and secretive nature of hacking abilities is corrupting. Consequently, a growing number of democratic surveillance scandals, including those involving Paragon’s Graphite, are emerging,” he added.
Paragon severed ties with Italy after it was uncovered that 90 individuals, including journalists and civil society figures, had been targeted with spyware across multiple countries. Those targeted by the Italian government included rights advocates critical of its dealings with Libya. Several journalists were also among those targeted, yet the motivations behind these hacking campaigns remain unclear.
The US government is apprehensive about deploying spyware technology outside its borders, as the companies providing these technologies to various nations pose potential security threats.
“As long as the same commercial spyware technology is shared among multiple governments, a built-in counterintelligence risk is present. All these entities are aware of the secret surveillance technologies employed by the US and can anticipate how to detect and counteract them,” Scott Railton remarked. “We remain uncertain of the implications since we face a shortage of avenues to cancel all foreign contracts with Paragon.”
Nadine Farid Johnson, the policy director at Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute, dedicated to promoting free speech, expressed concerns over the “rapid and dramatic expansion of ICE’s budget and authority,” calling for congressional restrictions on the contexts in which spyware may be employed.
“Spyware like Paragon’s Graphite represents a profound threat to free speech and privacy,” Farid Johnson stated. “It has been previously used against journalists, human rights advocates, and political dissenters. The quiet reinstatement of the suspension order raises serious questions over whether certain administrative departments are bypassing the government’s own review protocols.”
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If you haven’t yet downloaded the Guardian app, please do so (iOS/Android) and navigate to the menu to select ‘Secure Messaging’.
SecureDrop, Instant Messenger, Email, Phone, Post
If you’re able to use the TOR network securely without being tracked, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian through our SecureDrop platform.
Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips provides various secure contact methods and outlines their pros and cons.
When you plan laundry, a beach trip, or a BBQ this week, the weather app is probably your first go-to. Yet, satisfaction with its accuracy often falls short. This leads us to ponder: why are weather apps so unreliable?
Even professionals like Rob Thompson from UK Reading University share this frustration. He recently experienced a night of dryness that unexpectedly turned into morning rain, illustrating a common concern. Typically, our complaints center around unforeseen rain or snow.
Our expectations of weather apps and actual weather conditions significantly contribute to this issue. However, this isn’t the sole complication. The complexity of weather systems combined with the vast amount of data required for local forecasts makes accurate predictions extremely challenging.
Thompson acknowledges that some apps have struggled with accuracy in the UK lately. This is partly due to the unpredictable nature of summer rainfall, he explains. Convection rain happens when sunlight warms the ground, causing hot, moist air to rise, cool, condense, and form isolated showers. This differs greatly from the large-scale weather fronts influenced by pressure changes that dominate other seasons.
“Imagine boiling water. You can estimate how long it will take to boil, but predicting where the bubbles will form is impossible,” Thompson states.
A similar phenomenon occurs in North America and continental Europe. However, weather forecasting tends to be a localized endeavor, so let’s concentrate on the UK to better understand why pinpointing the exact timing of weather events is so difficult.
In general, forecasting for specific towns or villages can imply an unrealistic degree of precision.
“I’m in my mid-forties. In my career, there’s no way to predict shower clouds to the extent that rain hits my village of Sinfield while missing Woodley just three miles away,” says Thompson. Apps might claim to forecast two weeks ahead, but he finds that incredibly optimistic.
The two-week forecasting limit has long been established, and accuracy tends to diminish beyond that. Some researchers are using AI and physical models to extend predictions over a month, but managing vast global data while refining local forecasts remains a challenge for weather apps.
Though Thompson utilizes weather apps, he feels nostalgic for an era when TV forecasts provided context. Meteorologists had the time and tools to explain weather fronts, detailing the certainty of rain between specific times, along with the likelihood of showers within those windows. Such nuances are crucial. In contrast, a weather app may indicate a 50% chance of rain at 2 PM and 3 PM, losing subtleties that can lead to frustration even when the data is accurate.
If you inquire about the weather in Lewisham at 4 PM and are informed of heavy rain that doesn’t materialize, it may seem like an error. Yet, wider forecasts could highlight missed opportunities due to unpredictable fronts. These predictions come with margins of error, not outright failures.
One truth is clear: app developers are often reluctant to address these challenges, choosing instead to maintain the facade of absolute accuracy. Both Google and AccuWeather did not respond to New Scientist, while Apple declined to comment but requested an interview. The Met Office similarly chose not to engage but stated, “We are constantly exploring ways to enhance our app’s forecasts and provide more weather insights.”
The BBC also refrained from comment but noted that over 12 million users appreciate the Weather app’s straightforward interface, highlighting the extensive thought and user-testing that informs its design to balance complex information with user comprehension.
Striking this balance is challenging. Even when data is flawless, simplifying information leads to the inevitable loss of detail. Many weather conditions are condensed into a few symbols, each carrying subjective meaning. For instance, at what point do clouds replace the sun symbol with white or gray clouds?
“If you and I formulate an answer and then ask our mothers for their interpretations, we might not get the same response,” Thompson explains. This compromise opens the door for ambiguity and disappointment.
Other issues persist as well. Some predictors intentionally introduce a bias, making apps slightly pessimistic about rain probability. In his research, Thompson identified a “wet bias” across multiple apps. Users who experience shining sun often find that more frustrating than those caught in an unexpected shower. As a gardener, this often aggravates me.
Meteorologist Doug Parker from the University of Leeds emphasizes that many apps save on costs by leveraging freely available global forecast data rather than fine-tuning region-specific models.
For instance, some obtain data from the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Raw global data may suffice for predicting large cyclones but falls short when considering localized rain forecasts, like at Hyde Park during lunch on a Monday.
Parker notes that when estimating the likelihood of flash floods in Africa—often a matter of life or death—some apps simply lack necessary data. He mentions several free forecast products with questionable reliability regarding Kenyan rainfall radar, stating, “It’s misleading since Kenya lacks comprehensive rainfall radar.” While satellite radars occasionally pass overhead, they don’t provide full data coverage. Without knowing the origin or reliability of these forecasts, users face significant uncertainty.
In contrast, the Met Office’s app utilizes refined models and rigorous post-processing to enhance UK weather predictions, drawing from the organization’s substantial human expertise. The app team crafts a distilled yet accurate representation of weather data through a thorough process.
“Presenting model data is a vast area of focus at the Met Office. They have a dedicated team for it,” Thompson remarks. “It’s essentially its discipline.”
Creating a weather forecast model involves integrating a huge volume of real sensor data and executing it on a supercomputer, a demanding task. Yet, this extensive work corresponds to realities we may not fully perceive. Current forecasts are better than ever and continue to improve. Our ability to predict weather today’s standards was unimaginable just decades ago.
Much of the frustration we experience with weather apps originates from misalignments in expectations regarding accuracy at a local level, oversimplified data representations, and the rising demands of a busy populace that often overlooks scientific nuances.
Parker notes that as meteorological capabilities have advanced over the decades, public expectations have swiftly adjusted, leading to an ever-increasing demand for accuracy. “Will people ever be satisfied?” he questions. “I doubt it.”
Starting next month, all phones and tablets purchased in Russia must come with a state-backed messaging app named Max pre-installed. Critics claim it can be used to track users, positioning it as a competitor to WhatsApp.
The initiative to promote Max is tied to Moscow’s effort to exert more internet control amid ongoing conflict with the West, particularly regarding Ukraine. The Kremlin has announced that Max, which will connect with government services, is among the mandated pre-installed applications for all “gadgets,” including phones and tablets sold in Russia since September 1. This week, the company behind Max reported 18 million downloads, although some users are still testing the app.
State media has suggested that critics of the Kremlin label Max as a spy app, but it reportedly has fewer permissions to access user data compared to competitors like WhatsApp and Telegram.
From September 1, Max will also be pre-installed on Apple devices via Rustore, a domestic app store that is included on all Android devices. Additionally, a Russian-language TV app named Lime HD TV will be available for free access to state TV channels, and will be pre-installed on all smart TVs sold in Russia since January 1.
This drive to promote local applications follows Russia’s announcement that it will start limiting calls on WhatsApp, owned by the Meta platform, and Telegram.
WhatsApp, which had approximately 97.3 million users in Russia as of July, accused Moscow of attempting to restrict secure communication access for Russians, while Telegram, with a user base of about 90 million, stated it would actively combat the misuse of its platform.
As per MediaScope data, VK Messenger was the third most popular messaging app in July, boasting 17.9 million users. VK, the state-managed tech company behind Max, also provides VK Messenger.
The Russian Interior Ministry reported on Wednesday that Max is a safer alternative to its foreign counterparts and has already implicated a suspect in the first fraud case involving this new messaging platform.
RAchel Reeves and her fellow government officials are eager to promote stock market investments among more Britons. She recently stated, “When you invested in stocks and stock markets, you could achieve better returns and had a substantial amount in your cash savings account.”
The encouraging news is that the emergence of DIY tools and mobile applications has made investing simpler than ever. However, the extensive range of options can make it challenging to determine where to begin.
For novice investors lacking the time or confidence to manage their portfolios, a “robo-advisor” is a wise choice. These may seem like concepts from sci-fi films, but they are essentially online platforms that utilize technology to automate processes. Most are app-based and typically provide pre-designed investment portfolios customized to individual preferences.
Generally, you complete a brief questionnaire to identify your objectives and determine the level of investment time and risk you’re comfortable with.
In most cases, the longer your investment horizon, the more risk you can afford to take. However, it’s crucial to assess your personal approach to risk. Historically, stocks have generated more significant returns than savings accounts, but they also carry the potential for losses and fluctuations.
A pre-assembled portfolio usually invests in a range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These low-cost funds track the performance of specific indices, such as the UK or US stock markets, government bonds (like UK gilt or US Treasury bills), or commodities such as gold.
The app consolidates these fund selections to formulate a balanced portfolio that distributes funds across diverse assets.
So, which app (if any) is the right fit for you? We’ve explored some of the most popular options and compared their offerings.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) track selected indices, such as the UK and US stock markets or government bonds. Photo: Hannah McKay/Reuters
Nutmeg
Who? Nutmeg, one of the pioneers in the robo-advisor market, launched in 2012 and was acquired by investment firm JPMorgan Chase in 2021. The UK platform boasts over 200,000 users and has seen more than £4.5 billion invested through the app.
Minimum investment: ISAs and pensions start at £500, while lifetime ISAs and junior ISAs require £100.
Investment Choice: Nutmeg offers various service tiers that influence costs. With fully managed options, investors can select from 1 to 10 risk levels, and the team actively monitors and adjusts the portfolio. The fixed allocation option features five risk levels, with the portfolio determined by the investment team annually.
Fee: For the fully managed option, Nutmeg charges a total fee of 0.98%. If investing £3,000, the annual fee would be about £29.40. The fee for fixed allocations is 0.65%, roughly £19.60 in the same scenario.
We like: Nutmeg’s transparency regarding performance allows users to see how a fully managed portfolio has performed over the past decade. For instance, a 6/10 risk portfolio yielded 43.4% over ten years, significantly exceeding the average return of 36.7% with similar funds. The 5/10 risk portfolio grew by 31.9% during the same timeframe, against a comparison of 36.7% with its peers.
Any other? Those seeking additional assistance can access complimentary guidance for general inquiries or receive full financial advice starting from £900.
MoneyBox
MoneyBox reportedly has over 1.5 million customers. Photo: Mundishima/Arami
Who? Founded in 2016, MoneyBox focuses on savings and investment, boasting over 1.5 million users and overseeing assets exceeding £10 billion.
Minimum investment: You can initiate an account with just £1.
Investment Choice: MoneyBox provides three primary options: cautious, balanced, and adventurous. The cautious option minimizes risk with a portfolio comprising only 15% company stock, 40% bonds, and 40% cash, whereas the adventurous option allocates 80% to stocks, 15% to cash, and 5% to bonds.
Fee: A single monthly subscription fee encompasses transaction costs. Subsequently, in addition to a platform fee of 0.45%, there’s an actual investment cost of 0.17% for core funds. Thus, anyone investing £3,000 in a balanced fund will incur approximately 0.85% in total costs, around £25.60 annually.
We like: The Roundup function. By linking your bank account or credit card to the app, you can round up your spending to the nearest pound, automatically investing the difference. For instance, if you spend £1.87, 13p will be rounded up to £2 and invested. This is a convenient method to enhance your contributions.
Any other? Confident investors may opt to select their own ETFs to invest in rather than choosing a pre-made portfolio. Alternatively, those interested in picking specific companies have limited options, as only US stocks are currently available.
Doddle
Who? DODL, a newcomer that debuted in 2022, is operated by wealth management powerhouse AJ Bell, established in 1995. DODL simplifies the process with lower minimum investment amounts than its parent firm, although it offers limited investment choices.
Minimum investment: Direct debits can start from £100 or £25 per month.
Fee: The annual fee includes 0.15% for management, £1 monthly, and 0.31% for core investments, totaling around £19.30 yearly for those investing £3,000.
Investment Choice: DODL offers a selection of off-the-shelf funds categorized by risk, from cautious to global growth. You can also pick individual stocks, browsing by region (UK or US) and sector (financial, health, technology, etc.).
We like: The variety of themed investment options. This enables access to relevant ETFs based on emerging trends. For example, the “Above the World” theme invests in the HSBC FTSE All-World index, comprising multiple large companies globally, with a fee of 0.13%. Other themes include the “home team” for UK-centric investments and the “robo revolution” for funds focused on robotics companies.
Any other? Enjoy competitive interest rates of 4.25% (variable) on uninvested cash.
DODL’s “Robo Revolution” fund invests in robotics companies. Photo: costfoto/nurphoto/rex/shutterstock
Wealthify
Who? Established in 2014 and currently owned by insurance leader Aviva, Wealthify serves around 100,000 users with a strong emphasis on simplicity and avoiding jargon.
Minimum investment: Currently, ISAs start at £1, and pensions require £50, but from June 25th, junior ISAs will also start at £1 while stocks and shares ISAs and pensions will begin at £500.
Investment Choice: Wealthify has five risk levels: cautious, tentative, confident, ambitious, and adventurous. The cautious portfolio contains 85% government debt assets and just 5% company stock. In contrast, the adventurous options comprise 74% stocks and 14% government bonds, including investments in real estate and infrastructure.
Fee: A platform fee of 0.6% covers portfolio management costs. The investment cost can be 0.16% for typical portfolios and 0.7% for ethical options. This results in an annual fee of £22.80 for a £3,000 investment in a standard portfolio or £39 for ethical options. There’s no minimum fee.
We like: The Outlook page provides a concise overview of investment regions and assets, offering a convenient way for investors to gain insights without extensive research.
Any other? Wealthify showcases numerous customer service awards on its site—a reminder to consider factors beyond fees and investment variety. Always conduct your own research and review independent evaluations before choosing a provider.
MoneyFarm
Who? Originating in Italy, MoneyFarm expanded to the UK market in 2016. It currently supports around 160,000 active users and manages over £5 billion in assets, backed by major investment firms including M&G and Allianz.
Minimum investment: £500.
Investment Choice: Managed funds feature seven risk levels, regularly revised by their investment teams. For example, the 6/7 risk option includes 72% developed market company assets and 10% from emerging markets, while the 2/7 risk option primarily invests in bonds.
Fee: Those investing £3,000 in a proactively managed option incur a 0.3% fee in addition to a 0.75% management fee, totaling approximately £31.56 a year. For fixed allocation options adjusted annually, the management fee ranges from 0.17% to 0.45%, resulting in a total of around 0.62% or about £18.60 annually.
We like: The platform provides a clear breakdown of each portfolio, detailing investments by asset type, region, and sector, along with concise explanations.
Any other? Similar to many of these apps, MoneyFarm allows you to apply environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria to your investments, which can lead to tailored options excluding industries like heavy polluters and companies with poor human rights records. However, opting for this may increase costs.
Some ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) track the prices of products, such as gold. Photo: LeonhardFöger/Reuters
You need to know
Before opting for a robo-advice app or service, ensure that the firm is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Make sure the provider is a member of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSC), which safeguards up to £85,000 in funds should the provider collapse.
Most platforms have various account types available, but ISA stocks and shares typically offer the best returns. You can contribute up to £20,000 per year into an ISA, allowing all interest and growth to be exempt from HMRC, keeping all your earnings intact.
Regarding fees, expect a percentage of your investment to be charged. For instance, investing £1,000 with a 1% fee would incur a £10 annual charge. However, be sure to verify the exact fees, as minimum charges may apply.
As public health organizations indicate that women’s personal information is vulnerable to exploitation by private entities, experts advocate for public health groups to create alternatives to for-profit period tracker applications.
A study from the University of Cambridge reveals that smartphone apps used for menstrual cycle tracking serve as a “Goldmine” for consumer profiling, collecting data on exercise, diet, medication, hormone levels, and birth control methods.
The economic worth of this information is often “greatly underestimated” by users who share intimate details in unregulated markets with profit-driven businesses, according to the report.
If mishandled, data from cycle tracking apps (CTAs) could lead to issues like employment bias, workplace monitoring, discrimination in health insurance, risks of cyberstalking, and restricted access to abortion services, research indicates.
The authors urge for improved regulation in the expanding Femtech sector to safeguard users as data is sold in large quantities, suggesting that apps should offer clear consent options regarding data collection and promote the establishment of public health agency alternatives to commercial CTAs.
“The menstrual cycle tracking app is marketed as empowering women and bridging gender health disparities,” stated Dr. Stephanie Felberger, PhD, of the Center for Technology and Democracy at Cambridge, the lead author of the report. “Nevertheless, its underlying business model relies on commercial usage, wherein user data and insights are sold to third parties for profit.
“As a consequence of the monetization of data collected by cycle tracking app companies, women face significant and alarming privacy and safety threats.”
The report indicates that most cycle tracking apps cater to women attempting to conceive, making the stored data highly commercially valuable. Other life events, aside from home purchasing, do not trigger such notable shifts in consumer behavior.
Data pertaining to pregnancy is valued at over 200 times more than information about age, gender, or location for targeted advertisements. Furthermore, tracking cycle duration can allow for targeting women at various phases of their cycles.
The three most popular apps project a quarterly download figure of 500 million yen for 2024. The digital health sector focused on women’s wellness is anticipated to surpass $60 billion (£44 billion) by 2027, as noted in the report.
In light of the considerable demand for period tracking, the authors are calling on public health entities, including the UK’s NHS, to create transparent and reliable apps as alternatives to commercial offerings.
“The UK is ideally positioned to address researchers’ challenges related to menstrual data access, as well as privacy and data concerns, by developing an NHS app dedicated to tracking menstrual cycles,” added that the parent-child relationship in the US Reproductive Medicine Plan currently utilizes its own app.
“Apps situated within public health frameworks, which are not primarily profit-driven, can significantly reduce privacy violations, gather essential data on reproductive health, and empower users regarding the utilization of their menstrual information.”
“Utilizing cycle tracking apps is beneficial. Women deserve better than having their menstrual tracking data treated merely as consumer data,” remarked Professor Gina Neff, executive director of the Mindeoo Center.
In the UK and the EU, period tracking data falls under “special categories” and enjoys greater legal protection, similar to genetics and ethnicity. In the United States, authorities collect menstrual cycle data which may hinder access to abortion services, according to the report.
Apple’s latest Worldwide Developers Conference saw the company’s artificial intelligence features take a back seat. While new functionalities were announced for the Apple Watch and Vision Pro, alongside enhanced software designs known as Liquid Glass, and new phone and camera applications, Apple’s AI-related announcements were limited to minor upgrades amidst pressure to keep pace with competitors heavily invested in AI.
One anticipated feature is Live Translation, offering real-time language translation across messaging, FaceTime, and phone apps, incorporating multiple capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence. It’s noteworthy that similar features have been available on the Android platform for some time. Additionally, a new Fitness app has been introduced, utilizing AI-generated voices to assist users during workouts.
Consumers may soon experience enhancements in AI for applications beyond mobile. The company revealed that it enables app developers to utilize Apple’s large-scale, on-device language model, enhancing AI experiences in third-party applications. Users will have the choice to opt in or out of sharing their data or information off-device with developers.
At last year’s WWDC, Apple announced a suite of upgrades for Siri, aiming to make the virtual assistant more engaging and dynamic. However, many of these features remain unreleased despite Apple’s assurances.
Craig Federighi, Apple’s VP of Software Engineering, previously mentioned that “this task required more time to reach a quality standard,” referring to the delay.
Forrester VP principal analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee noted that Siri’s muted presence was “deafening.”
Chatterjee stated, “This subject was quickly brushed aside, leaving next year shrouded in uncertainty. While Apple continues to refine the features of Apple Intelligence, superficial updates like text corrections and whimsical emojis cannot satisfy the demand for an intuitive, interactive AI experience. The timeline for Siri’s evolution is rapidly approaching, and Apple needs significant advancements.”
Additionally, Apple has formed a partnership with ChatGPT, a strategic move to help the iPhone maker compete with AI giants such as OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities, suggested that Apple may need to forge more partnerships to stay competitive.
Ives concluded, “Overall, WWDC articulated the developers’ vision, but following last year’s setbacks, there was no remarkable progress in Apple Intelligence as Cupertino remains cautious.”
“We understand the strategy, but this is a significant year for Apple to capitalize on the AI front, possibly compelling us to pursue larger AI acquisitions to advance this strategy.”
Soon, Australians will have the opportunity to download apps from sources outside the Apple App Store and circumvent additional fees on iPhone purchases, thanks to a proposal from the federal government. However, tech companies have expressed concerns that competition regulations similar to those in the EU might jeopardize security and adversely affect competition.
Currently, Australian users can’t subscribe to services like Netflix or Spotify through the iOS app. Additionally, Google imposes a premium for YouTube subscriptions via the App Store, while Amazon does not permit Kindle users to buy e-books through the app.
The reason for this is that Apple imposes a fee of up to 30% on in-app purchases, significantly impacting high-grossing apps. Due to Apple’s policies, companies are restricted from guiding customers on alternative purchase methods.
In released papers last November, the government proposed to “designate” digital platforms like the Apple App Store.
This would compel these platforms to meet obligations aimed at mitigating what the government perceives as anti-competitive practices.
The document underscores Apple’s preferred in-app payment structure as an example of behaviors that regulatory entities could target. This would facilitate users downloading apps from outside the official app store, a process known as sideloading.
In response to the proposal, Apple cautioned that the government should refrain from adopting the EU digital market as a “blueprint” for its strategy.
Apple stated, “DMA demands adjustments to Apple’s ecosystem, which may elevate privacy and security threats to users, create opportunities for malware, fraud, and expose users to illegal or harmful content.”
The company asserted that the 30% fee applies only to the highest-grossing apps, emphasizing that about 90% of transactions on iOS apps do not incur Apple’s cut. Many developers reported being charged a lower fee of 15%.
Apple has also expressed concerns about sideloading apps, highlighting security issues that could arise if users install apps without any vetting process. The EU indicated that such apps could include explicit content or tools for copyright violations.
This process would enable users to download apps on MacBooks and other conventional computing devices. Conversely, the Android platform accommodates sideloading apps and third-party transactions outside the Google Play Store.
Apple has also indicated that the DMA is responsible for delaying the rollout of its AI features.
Foad Fadaghi, managing director and principal analyst at Telsyte, mentioned that while opening the Apple platform could benefit some users, the majority are unlikely to alter their usage of the iPhone.
“Users may have concerns about enhancing security and privacy with Apple devices. In many cases, we select lockdown mode as the default,” he noted.
Australia isn’t isolated in this regard; Apple faces restrictions and legal challenges surrounding its App Store controls in Asia, Europe, and the US. The company adheres to local regulations but resists pressure to maintain uniform App Store practices globally. Apple previously modified its hardware worldwide to comply with EU regulations mandating a USB-C connector.
The government has yet to announce the next steps in this process, and the Ministry of Finance has not yet released submissions to the paper.
The federal court ruling regarding Epic Games’ lawsuit against Google concerning App Store practices is still pending nearly a year after the hearing concluded.
It was Andrei Andrev, the head of Badoo and co-creator of Bumble. After Bumble was involved, you faced another workplace scandal. In 2019, Forbes published a survey accusing Badoo’s London headquarters of fostering a toxic, sexist work environment. He denied these allegations, but shortly after the article’s release, he sold his majority stake. It’s remarkable that you had to navigate a second high-profile case of suspected misconduct from a man in your professional life. How do you handle that now?
The reality is quite frightening. It’s the worst-case scenario. I felt deeply concerned for anyone who experienced it. I was unaware of any such allegations. Many assumed, “Whitney knows everything and is covering for him.” The truth is, I was busy managing Bumble as a standalone business in Austin. It’s not like I was present at [Badoo’s London]. I was courageously working in the office every day and interacting with those individuals. When Forbes called me, I was taken aback. It was vital for Andrei to be transparent about my personal interactions with him. Honestly, I never witnessed anything to that extent. However, I never doubted women’s accounts or anyone else’s experiences, and I communicated that. I believe these allegations surfaced years prior and were not current.
There have been numerous allegations from different periods. Correct. But I think most of this article addresses the earlier ones. I’m not trying to distance myself from anything; that’s not my intention. Reflecting on the early 2010s, we’ve all seen the images of WeWork and Uber. When you envision tech companies in 2012, do you picture a progressive office environment? I doubt it. What insights can you draw from that time? Perhaps I was merely in one specific situation, or it was a broader theme reflective of the prevalent tech culture back then.
That period was marked by significant technological optimism. Countless apps emerged, backed by incomprehensible funding, promising to tackle numerous global issues. Did you believe that back then? I certainly did. Having access to an app that allowed you to see people nearby and connect with them was revolutionary. Without such an interface, dating someone you’d never met before felt truly transformative. I could even summon an Uber black car. We were living in a remarkable era—if Gen Z is listening now, they might think, “What were these people doing? Were they living in the dark ages?” [Laughs]
Listen, I vividly recall the era before smartphones. You know where I’m leading with this. The leap in efficiency and convenience was astounding. It was hard to believe we were at the forefront of such a transformation. Achieving that level of critical mass twice is incredibly challenging; it’s often understated. Many people don’t grasp how difficult it is; they might think, “She’s just lucky, wearing yellow, and she’s blonde.”
In the subsequent Bumble phase, you experienced substantial growth during the pandemic as everyone turned to the app. It was a pivotal moment. Released in 2021, it echoed loudly, yet user growth began to taper off the following year. What do you believe contributed to that? In my opinion, the early years of running this company were defined by a quantitative approach. Phone manufacturers reached out to us early on, eager to feature our brand. They proposed pre-installing our app on every phone so that it showed up on users’ home screens, resulting in millions of downloads. I was grateful, but many questioned my approach, claiming it was the wrong way to grow. This isn’t a social network; it’s a two-sided market where one person needs to connect with someone similar. Flooding the system won’t help—just as you wouldn’t want to meet everyone on the streets of New York City, why would anyone want to do that in an app? It’s more than just a scrolling content platform. Growth skyrocketed during the pandemic and additional phases, which was welcomed as a transformational era.
The landscape of iPhone apps has evolved recently. The Kindle app now enables users to purchase books directly. Spotify is offering a free trial for users, and Patreon is adjusting its subscription fees, leading to higher costs for creators.
This shift reflects the impact of recent court rulings on the iPhone shopping experience. A federal judge ruled that Apple must allow apps to provide promotions and accept payments directly, facilitating features like direct book purchases from the website. The ruling has the potential to lower consumer prices by circumventing the 30% fees Apple charges on app sales.
For over ten years, Apple mandated that apps use its payment systems and collect commissions on sales.
Everything is now subject to change. Here’s why:
What did the judge rule?
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who became involved in the case following Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple in 2020, ruled that Apple can no longer take commissions from sales linked through the app. She also stated that developers cannot be hindered by warning screens that restrict the creation of buttons and links for users to pay directly for products and services.
Amazon has requested updates to the Kindle app to enable direct book purchases. credit…Kindle
How will the iPhone app be changed?
For years, Kindle avoided selling books within the app to escape Apple’s 30% commission. It has now introduced a “Get Book” button that directs users to its website for purchases. Likewise, Apple has previously blocked Spotify from offering free trials, but now Spotify includes a button for a three-month trial in the app.
Other applications are now able to feature links for direct purchases from online stores, eliminating the need to pay Apple’s 30% fees. This means apps can provide lower prices and potentially reduce monthly subscriptions to $7.
Does this cost Apple?
Morgan Stanley estimates that Apple generates $11 billion annually from app sales in the U.S. While it won’t lose all of that revenue, $2 billion is currently considered at risk.
How much Apple stands to lose motivates changes in user behavior. The decade-old process for purchasing software and services via apps is not only well-known but also convenient. Users trust Apple with their payment information, and the company simplifies subscription cancellations, centralizing the experience. Many users may be hesitant to leave the app store for purchases, influencing apps to retain the existing system.
What does this mean for other parts of the world?
As Apple is required to permit apps to handle payments directly without levying a commission, similar expectations are emerging in the U.S. European, Japanese, and South Korean regulators, whom Apple is appealing to for leniency regarding the App Store, would likely oppose their developers and citizens facing higher costs than Americans.
Can Apple roll back changes?
Apple has announced plans to appeal the ruling, but overturning the decision may prove challenging. In 2021, the judge issued a non-normative ruling. Apple circumvented previous regulations by implementing a 27% commission on app sales. Mark A. Lemley, a Stanford antitrust professor, mentioned that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will likely uphold the judge’s initial ruling from 2021, suggesting that “they have to take their licks and let it happen.”
The “nudifice” app utilizing artificial intelligence to generate explicit sexual images of children is raising alarms, echoing concerns from English children’s commissioners amidst rising fears for potential victims.
Girls have reported refraining from sharing images of themselves on social media due to fears that generative AI tools could alter or sexualize their clothing. Although creating or disseminating sexually explicit images of children is illegal, the underlying technology remains legal, according to the report.
“Children express fear at the mere existence of this technology. They worry strangers, classmates, or even friends might exploit smartphones to manipulate them, using these specialized apps to create nude images,” a spokesperson stated.
“While the online landscape is innovative and continuously evolving, there’s no justifiable reason for these specific applications to exist. They have no rightful place in our society, and tools that enable the creation of naked images of children using deepfake technology should be illegal.”
De Souza has proposed an AI bill mandating that developers of generative AI tools address product functionalities, and has urged the government to implement an effective system for eliminating explicit deepfake images of children. This initiative should be supported by policy measures recognizing deep sexual abuse as a form of violence against women and girls.
Meanwhile, the report calls on Ofcom to ensure diligent age verification of nudification apps, and for social media platforms to restrict access to sexually explicit deepfake tools targeted at children, in accordance with online safety laws.
The findings revealed that 26% of respondents aged 13 to 18 had encountered deep, sexually explicit images of celebrities, friends, teachers, or themselves.
Many AI tools reportedly focus solely on female bodies, thereby contributing to an escalating culture of misogyny, the report cautions.
An 18-year-old girl conveyed to the commissioner:
The report highlighted cases like that of Mia Janin, who tragically died by suicide in March 2021, illustrating connections between deepfake abuse, suicidal thoughts, and PTSD.
In her report, De Souza stated that new technologies confront children with concepts they struggle to comprehend, evolving at a pace that overwhelms their ability to recognize the associated hazards.
The lawyer explained to the Guardian that this reflects a lack of understanding regarding the repercussions of actions taken by young individuals arrested for sexual offenses, particularly concerning deepfake experimentation.
Daniel Reese Greenhalgh, a partner at Cokerbinning law firm, noted that the existing legal framework poses significant challenges for law enforcement agencies in identifying and protecting abuse victims.
She indicated that banning such apps might ignite debates over internet freedom and could disproportionately impact young men experimenting with AI software without comprehension of the consequences.
Reece-Greenhalgh remarked that while the criminal justice system strives to treat adolescent offenses with understanding, previous efforts to mitigate criminality among youth have faced challenges when offenses occur in private settings, leading to unintended consequences within schools and communities.
Matt Hardcastle, a partner at Kingsley Napley, emphasized the “online youth minefield” surrounding access to illegal sexual and violent content, noting that many parents are unaware of how easily their children can encounter situations that lead to harmful experiences.
“Parents often view these situations from their children’s perspectives, unaware that their actions can be both illegal and detrimental to themselves or others,” he stated. “Children’s brains are still developing, leading them to approach risk-taking very differently.”
Marcus Johnston, a criminal lawyer focusing on sex crimes, reported working with an increasingly youthful demographic involved in such crimes, often without parental awareness of the issues at play. “Typically, these offenders are young men, seldom young women, ensnared indoors, while parents mistakenly perceive their activities as mere games,” he explained. “These offenses have emerged largely due to the internet, with most sexual crimes now taking place online, spearheaded by forums designed to cultivate criminal behavior in children.”
A government spokesperson stated:
“It is appallingly illegal to create, possess, or distribute child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated images. Platforms of all sizes must remove this content or face significant fines as per online safety laws. The UK is pioneering the introduction of AI-specific child sexual abuse offenses, making it illegal to own, create, or distribute tools crafted for generating abhorrent child sexual abuse material.”
In the UK, the NSPCC offers support to children at 0800 1111 and adults concerned about children can reach out at 0808 800 5000. The National Association of People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) supports adult survivors at 0808 801 0331. In Australia, children, young adults, parents, and educators can contact the 1800 55 1800 helpline for children, or Braveheart at 1800 272 831. Adult survivors may reach the Blue Knot Foundation at 1300 657 380.
Emotional ads featuring Katie, a young woman diagnosed with a kidney disease at age 19, have been running on Facebook and Instagram for the past month.
She credits a stranger’s kidney with saving her life, highlighting the impact Tiktok has had on people’s lives. The app is positioning itself as a savior and small business supporter amidst concerns about Chinese ownership.
Despite federal laws requiring Tiktok to sell to non-Chinese owners by April 5, the company is pushing back with a new ad campaign emphasizing its role in American lives and businesses.
Tiktok’s marketing efforts have ramped up in recent months, with the app spending millions on ads and working to reassure creators about its future in the US.
In response to legal challenges threatening its existence, Tiktok has dramatically increased its advertising spending and engagement with policymakers.
Experts and creators alike are watching Tiktok’s moves closely as the app navigates uncertain regulatory waters while continuing to operate and advertise in the US.
Tiktok’s future remains uncertain as it faces pressure to sell to non-Chinese owners amidst concerns about data security and China’s influence.
The company is making efforts to reassure users and advertisers while also engaging with policymakers to shape its fate.
Tiktok is positioning itself as a key player in the digital advertising space, with plans to participate in major industry events and continue engaging with creators and brands.
While Tiktok faces uncertainty about its future, the company remains focused on supporting small businesses and engaging with policymakers to shape its fate.
Tiktok’s ad blitz and engagement with policymakers reflect the company’s efforts to address concerns and shape its future in the US market.
A controversial app aimed at empowering women to manage their sex lives by predicting fertile days is being criticized for making inaccurate claims that could lead to unintended pregnancies.
Many women in the UK, including 69% of 18-24 year olds, use smartphone apps to track their menstrual cycles and identify their most fertile and least fertile days. However, experts caution that the data used by these apps to make predictions is often unreliable and limited.
Despite these concerns, one app, called the Period & Fertility Tracker, falsely promotes itself as a reliable method of contraception. Another app, Cycles, claims to accurately predict pregnancy chances daily but offers a disclaimer on its website stating it is for informational purposes only.
While some apps offer features to manage fertility goals and check chances of pregnancy each day, their effectiveness is doubted by experts. The increasing use of “natural contraception” methods raises further concerns, as studies show a rise in unintended pregnancies among users of these apps.
The accuracy of these apps in predicting fertile windows is also questioned, as they rely on traditional methods that have a high risk of error. Despite some apps requiring daily data entry for improved accuracy, the overall effectiveness of these methods remains low.
Regulators are urged to address the potential dangers posed by unregulated apps that claim to be contraceptives. While only one app is authorized to be sold as a contraceptive in some countries, the overall lack of regulation raises concerns about the safety and accuracy of these apps.
In conclusion, the growing trend of relying on period tracking apps for contraception raises serious issues about women’s health and the need for more reliable contraceptive methods.
aAfter utilizing birth control pills for a span of 15 years, Francesca* made the decision to explore how her body would respond without the influence of hormones. She opted to use a fertility tracking app (which monitors menstrual cycles and ovulation symptoms to predict the most fertile window for conception) after discovering it through social media channels.
“I have been on hormone medication since my teenage years, but as an adult, I lacked awareness of my menstrual cycle,” shared the woman from London, now in her early 30s. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) at 18 and advised to continue hormone therapy to manage her symptoms. “Surprisingly, upon discontinuing the pill, most of my hormonal imbalance symptoms reduced significantly,” she recounted.
Initially, she found the app to be a beneficial tool. She diligently followed the instructions and even supplemented with ovulation tests for added precaution. “I felt a newfound sense of control over my menstrual cycle and body,” she noted.
However, after eight months, she encountered an unplanned pregnancy that led to a “traumatic” abortion. Believing it was due to human error, she resumed using the app, only to conceive again five months later. “Looking back, every time [these apps] are discussed, I feel compelled to caution others against their claims endorsed on online platforms and social media,” she emphasized. “We strongly advise exercising caution if relying solely on them for contraception.”
Francesca’s experience with fertility apps aligns with reports indicating an increasing number of women in England and Wales transitioning from traditional birth control methods like the pill to fertility tracking apps, heightening the risk of unintended pregnancies. She was among those who reached out to The Guardian to share her story.
She wasn’t alone in recounting experiencing an unwanted pregnancy while using a fertility tracker, although some women successfully leveraged the app to either avoid or achieve pregnancy. Testimonials varied, with some describing the app as “lifesaving” and “liberating.”
Notable in the shared experiences was the recurring theme of women feeling underserved by the healthcare system, despite the launch of the new Women’s Health Strategy in July 2022. “There’s a pervasive sentiment among many UK women that general practitioners often lack adequate training in women’s reproductive health,” Francesca observed. “[These apps] underscore these concerns and gaps in care.”
Other readers highlighted their positive encounters with the app. Sarah*, a 38-year-old from Yorkshire, relied on the app for contraception over 18 months and later for conception with her partner. She battled severe depression during certain phases of her menstrual cycle when off medication but found relief through the app.
“Staying off medication feels empowering,” she expressed. “I was prescribed it at 15 for menstrual complications, realizing in hindsight that it merely suppressed my cycle without addressing the underlying issues. It’s frustrating. Now, I take pride in monitoring my menstrual cycle. Thanks to the fertility app and my knowledge, I comprehend my body’s monthly rhythms. I no longer feel in conflict with my body.”
She and her partner weathered hardships over the past 15 months, enduring two early miscarriages and a medically necessitated termination. Nevertheless, the app provided solace. “The NHS advocates regular unprotected intercourse every few days, which can feel burdensome after 18 months of trying,” she reflected. “Moreover, observing my data recovery in the app imbues me with a sense of agency in healing after loss.”
Olivia, 30, from Leeds, discovered she had PCOS and was advised to shed weight prior to initiating pill-based treatment. Disenchanted with the contraceptive’s potential side effects, Olivia sought alternative birth control methods. She felt her doctor’s response lacked empathy and seemed scripted when discussing contraceptive options, prompting her to explore a different path.
“I’ve been tracking my periods for over a decade. The familiarity with my condition proved invaluable after the PCOS diagnosis,” Olivia explained. “It enabled me to anticipate and interpret my body’s signals effectively. And now, I’m expecting my first child.”
Hannah, 50, from Aberystwyth. regarded the fertility tracking app as “liberating” post decades of employing condoms and copper coils for contraception with her three children.
“I refrained from hormonal contraceptives like the pill throughout, deeming them unnatural,” she shared. “Thanks to the app, I now engage in intercourse confidently during specified times each month without harboring anxieties about mishaps.”
CRisti Thomas called 911 for the second time on a warm October day, but when she couldn’t get through, she began to panic. She watched anxiously as a plume of black smoke grew over a rural community in central California.
Just then, I heard a familiar ping.
Watch Duty, an app that warns users of the risk of wildfires and provides critical information in the event of a fire, was already recording the fires. She relaxed. The cavalry was coming.
“I can’t describe the sigh of relief,” she said, recalling the moments after sirens wailed through her neighborhood and helicopters roared overhead. “We saw it happen, so we had questions, and the oversight mandate answered them all.”
Thomas is one of the millions of Watch Duty evangelists who have helped the app spread rapidly. This organization has only been in existence for three years. Currently boasts up to 7.2 million active users At peak times, it receives up to 512 million page views. For a nonprofit organization run mostly by volunteers, those numbers are impressive even by startup standards. But they are not surprising.
Lookout duties have changed the lives of people in fire-prone areas. When the skies darken and ash fills the air, users no longer have to scramble for information, they can now rely on the app to get fast, accurate information for free.
Provides access to critical information about where the danger is, including fire perimeters, evacuation areas, and evacuation location maps. Users can find wildfire camera feeds, track aircraft locations, and see wind data all in one place. The app can also help identify when there is little need for alarm, when risks have subsided, and which agencies are active on the ground.
“This app isn’t just about alerts, it’s about your state of mind,” said Watch Duty CEO John Mills. The Silicon Valley alumnus founded the organization after moving from San Francisco to a large, fire-prone ranch in Sonoma County. After starting in just four California counties, Watch Duty covered the entire state in its first year and quickly expanded from the American West to Hawaii.
As the community grows to reach people in 14 states by 2024, Mills says new features and improved accuracy have made it more popular and filled an unmet need.
It’s not just residents who have become reliant on apps in recent years. A variety of responders, from firefighters to city officials to journalists, are also logging on to ensure key stakeholders are on the same page.
“People thank me for on-duty duty, but I’m like, ‘You’re welcome, I’m sorry you need it,'” Mills said. But it’s clear that the need is real. In each new area we served, word of mouth drove adoption.
“We didn’t spend any money on marketing,” Mills said. “To let the world know that we just let the genie out of the bottle and things are not going back to the way they were.”
CalFire supervisors watch over the Rhine Fire in San Bernardino County, California, in September 2024. Photo: Jon Putman/Sopa Images/Rex/Shutterstock
aMany Kirawi create breakup playlists every time they get dumped, and there are three in total. A playlist featuring songs like Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” and OneRepublic’s “Apologize” would be the perfect soundtrack for a romantic split, but it wasn’t. The playlist was put together after Qirawi was told by three different banks and payment processors that they would no longer work with LaunchGood, a crowdfunding platform for the Muslim community that she co-founded.
Stripe said so. limit the work After working with LaunchGood for five years, we entered the crowdfunding space. Stripe also told the company that it no longer wanted to do any international humanitarian work, which is a prerequisite for crowdfunding platforms that cater to Muslim communities. Another bank told the company there were so many Muslim and Arabic names that it was difficult to know whether those names belonged to sanctioned individuals.
“People don’t realize that Muhammad is the most approved name,” said Kilawi, LaunchGood’s chief operating officer. With each layoff, it felt like LaunchGood was on the brink of collapse. “If we can’t accept payments, we can’t survive as a business,” she says.
Few existing options offered the stability and reliability that Killawi and his co-founders were looking for. So they did what a growing number of the founders of Islam have been doing ever since. It was about creating your own solution.
LaunchGood co-founders Amany Killawi, Chris Blauvelt, and Omar Hamid. Photo: LaunchGood
Now, more than a decade after its founding, LaunchGood is a well-known company that has helped its primarily Muslim user base raise nearly $700 million. Although the platform also hosts private fundraisers, LaunchGood is best known for: focus on philanthropy Users can also now set up automatic donations for every day of the holy month of Ramadan. It is the main gateway for many people during Ramadan, and many Muslims donate to charity every day during Ramadan.
The rise of this site and the challenges it faces are not unusual. According to studies and surveys, the “halal” consumer market, which includes halal food, financial services, and other goods and services aimed at Muslims, has grown to an estimated $2 trillion worldwide. Advisory company Dinar Standard. still 2022 survey Muslims are more likely than other religious groups to have their accounts closed, investigated, or challenged at banks and other U.S. financial institutions, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Social Policy Understanding (ISPU). More likely, businesses are effectively denied access to Muslim customers.
That’s why Kirawi decided to step away from his day-to-day responsibilities as LaunchGood’s chief operating officer and form a sister company, a payments processing company called PayGood, in 2024. She hopes to give what the LaunchGood team had to hack together to Muslim businesses and charities. As such, it is a non-discriminatory and reliable payment system.
“when [my co-founders and I] “We started 11 years ago and we just wanted to build a community,” Kirawi said. “We never thought we would have to become compliance experts. At some point, it felt very present. Can you survive in this world without financial access? ”
LaunchGood was one of the early entrants into the largely untapped Muslim-friendly technology space, while its sister company is a growing technology company aimed at catering to Muslims in the US, Canada, and the UK. Part of the enterprise and software companies. But what it means to be a Muslim-friendly company has begun to change since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Targeting Muslim consumers has always meant some alignment with the ethics and values of the Muslim community, such as offering halal dating apps, interest-free loans, and modest clothing. Now, this new player in Muslim-friendly technology is openly responding to growing demand among its target customers to make it easier to stop contributing to Israel’s oppression of Palestinians. Or working on it implicitly.
“What happened in Gaza last year struck a completely different nerve,” Qirawi said. “Palestine is a perennial issue for Muslims, but the level and scale of destruction over the past year has been unprecedented. It has accelerated this entire Islamic ecosystem and economy.” There's a new awareness among people: “Let's vote.'' ”
Even PayGood, which is still in beta, is starting to emerge as an alternative to major payment processors like Stripe and PayPal as Muslims decide whether these existing platforms align with their values. .
Approximately 1.4 million individuals in the UK have exited the online dating realm within the last year. But does this signify that the apps are ineffective, or are people simply moving away from dating altogether?
According to Ofcom’s 2024 Online Nation report, there is projected to be a notable decrease in the use of dating apps from 2023 to 2024, with a nearly 16% decline in usage of the top 10 most popular dating apps this year.
Tinder experienced the most substantial decrease, with over 500,000 users abandoning the platform since May 2023. Bumble and Hinge also suffered losses, losing 368,000 and 131,000 users, respectively, during the same period.
Experts at the Center for Love, Sex, and Relationships (CLSR) at the University of Leeds suggest that the decline in online dating could be attributed to a feeling of disconnection from reality and exhaustion with the process.
Natasha McKeever, a lecturer in applied ethics at the university and co-director of CLSR, believes that individuals perceive virtual dating as a task rather than a social activity.
McKeever points out that this detachment has led individuals to feel more at ease sending offensive messages, as they do not fear immediate consequences.
Despite the waning interest in virtual dating, data reveals that the usage of queer-focused apps and sites has remained consistent or increased.
Apart from Badoo, the app seeing growth among users is Scruff, designed for men seeking men. Apps like Grindr and Squirt, catering to the LGBTQ+ community, have experienced fewer user declines compared to platforms with a more heteronormative focus.
Sophie Goddard, a tutor in applied ethics at the University of Leeds, suggests that the gay community continues to use these platforms for a sense of safety and self-exploration.
Another reason for the dwindling interest in online dating is the dominance of a few companies in the UK market, with Match Group operating a majority of the top apps.
Luke Branning, co-director of CLSR, highlights that modern digital dating may provide the illusion of variety, but ultimately, there is little differentiation between platforms.
Branning argues that the lack of transparency in business practices and algorithms by these major companies reflects the larger issue with online dating today.
Steven Johnson, a research software enthusiast known for his nonfiction books, is constantly on the lookout for digital tools to enhance the creative process. When the rise of large-scale language models powering text-generating AI tools like ChatGPT caught his attention, he became intrigued by their implications for information organization. His articles on LLM in the New York Times attracted the interest of researchers at Google Labs, who approached him with a proposal to develop a digital research assistant. The result is NotebookLM, an AI-powered note-taking tool designed to organize and summarize information and answer questions. Johnson views it as a tool for enhancing understanding.
The productivity technology landscape is increasingly incorporating generative AI, with new and existing tools expected to offer features that streamline schedules, emails, and note-taking. Johnson, initially skeptical of such products, began to wonder if his workflow could benefit from AI enhancements. The NotebookLM platform, while warning of potential inaccuracies, differentiates itself from other text generators by only utilizing provided information. Users can create notebooks and upload various sources including PDFs, audio files, web links, and Google Docs.
NotebookLM enhances productivity by efficiently summarizing key points and extracting quotes. Its AI chat feature facilitates deeper interrogation of the material and quickly retrieving information. Johnson uses the tool for various projects, including his next book, finding it helpful in brainstorming ideas and structuring content. However, he notes drawbacks such as subjective summaries and the potential for AI-generated content to diverge from the original material.
NotebookLM aims to augment rather than replace cognitive functions, serving as a digital extension of memory and supporting creativity. The concept of a “second brain” resonates in productivity discussions, emphasizing the power of leveraging AI to handle lower-value tasks and freeing up time for more meaningful work. Other tools like Notion and Capacities offer diverse organizational features coupled with AI assistance, catering to different user preferences and workflow needs.
While AI-driven productivity tools like Reclaim.ai and Superhuman show promise in optimizing scheduling and email management, caution is advised in conflating busyness with productivity. Clear outcomes and emotional well-being play crucial roles in effective tool utilization. As AI continues to advance, the prospect of autonomous AI agents performing actions beyond mere chat interactions looms on the horizon, potentially transforming how we approach everyday tasks in the future.
vinegarFor the past decade or so, Brits looking to meet their soul mate online have relied on two main methods: trying their luck on dating apps, or trying to find the one by friending as many mutual acquaintances as possible on social media.
However, some people have found a third way by using services such as: Goodreads and Strava. They’re using apps to meet the partners they want to spend the rest of their lives with. These couples are turning out to be trendsetters: So-called hobby apps built around activities like running, reading, or watching movies are becoming popular, and not just for romance.
This is all part of a broader movement as people grow tired of the “digital town squares” offered by Twitter/X and other social media platforms. With many abandoning Elon Musk’s social network due to his stance on “free speech” (which some believe “amplifies hate”), competing apps like Bluesky and Threads are seeing a resurgence in user numbers.
While some users have turned to Twitter imitators, others have sought refuge in apps that promise to connect people with common interests. Running app Strava has seen its user base grow by 1.2 trillion users. Growing 20% in a year According to the digital market intelligence company: Sensor Tower. This success led them to add messaging tools to let users keep in touch as well as record their workouts. Ravelry is accessed through a number of third-party apps and has over 9 million users. Goodreads has over 150 million members.
Letterbox is a movie fan’s dream app, where you can check out the latest movies you’ve seen, review and rate them together with other movie fans and famous actors and directors. In March 2020, it had 1.8 million users worldwide, but now Over 14 million users. This summer, Sensor Tower reported that the app had grown its monthly active user base by 55% in a year.
“We think seriously about the tone and tone of everything we do, from community policy to editorial to social media. We want people to experience how we want their experience on Letterboxd to be,” says Gemma Gracewood, the app’s editor-in-chief. “We’re about movies.”
That’s refreshing in a world where politics and culture wars are imposed through algorithms. “Social media users have long turned to niche apps and spaces,” says Jess Maddox, an assistant professor of digital media at the University of Alabama. “Paradoxically, as major platforms like Twitter/X, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram push more algorithmically curated feeds, users may be less exposed to the content they want to see.”
The cozy feel of hobby apps, set up to share passions and pastimes, makes them a calmer place overall than the brusque racism you might encounter if you accidentally tap on X. “It’s a way for people to connect over shared interests,” said social media researcher Dr. Carolina Are at the Digital Citizen Center at Northumbria University. This means that apps can spend less time, effort and money on content moderation and instead focus on improving the overall experience, provided civility remains the number one priority.
“What’s unique about Letterboxd is that it doesn’t have the ‘town square’ that X has. It’s very much a single-channel conversation,” Gracewood says. Comments happen inline. Guardian and observer. This means that performatively reposting content to the main feed and encouraging mass posting is less possible. A similar situation exists on platforms like Goodreads or Strava, where you can communicate and message other users, but you can’t easily publicly denounce them.
Hobby apps are a welcoming place, so people spend a lot of time on them, and they may eventually turn into more of a service than advertised, including finding like-minded people who want to spend some romantic time together.
One reason people are starting to find love on apps that weren’t explicitly designed for that purpose could be that expectations are lowered, making them less sexual. “Dating apps are like dating supermarkets, something you have to do if you want to have any kind of connection,” Are says.
Book recommendation app Goodreads currently has more than 150 million members. Photo: goodreads.com
She points out that while dating apps are trying to shake off their reputation as shallow hookup sites, giant photos of users are still front and center to gauge compatibility. “A lot of people are becoming quite disillusioned with the fact that they’re being judged on their appearance,” she says. “In general, there’s a bit of disillusionment with the dating culture that the platforms foster, because it seems very impersonal. It’s all driven by algorithms, and that doesn’t seem to be serving people very well.”
Recent financial data from Match Group, which operates some of the best-known dating services, including Tinder and Hinge, shows that hobby apps are profiting from dating apps. Match’s stock is now trading at nearly $36 per share, down from a peak of more than $175 per share in October 2021. The company said in a statement. 6% reduction in staff . It was discontinued in July due to a decrease in paying users.
But the decline isn’t limited to the gaming giants: A report by Deutsche Bank analyzing the top 200 dating and social connection apps, “Dating: The Dating Debate – Has Saturation Level Been Reached?”, suggests that downloads worldwide are plateauing.
It also helps that hobby apps feel like a more cohesive, friendly community, and not just because the people are nice. Letterboxd has: A “zero tolerance” approach. Explicit or implicit hate speech, racism, homophobia, white supremacy, transphobia, or any other alienating attitudes.
Gracewood says Letterboxd has fewer than 10 staff members who moderate content and typically doesn’t need to step in often: “I don’t know if we’ve benefited from the shifts in culture and mission of other social media platforms, but from day one, we’ve always cared very much about what it means to build an online community and how to keep that community feeling free and welcoming and nice.”
Whether that’s a lighter approach compared to social media apps, TikTok employs 40,000 content moderators worldwide, compared to Meta is 15,000. Whether that will continue remains to be seen. “It seems like every app starts out unmoderated, and then something bad happens and they get heavily moderated,” Allais said. “So, [hobby apps] It’s going to be a similar trajectory.”
Chris Stokel Walker: The TikTok boom: China’s dynamite app and the race for social media superpowers (Camberley Press, £9.99). Guardian and observerOrder here The Guardian BookshopShipping charges may apply
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Weather apps were a staple of the first iPhone in 2007, and their popularity hasn’t waned since. Forecast accuracy and options may have improved dramatically, but forecast results often vary widely from app to app.
Most weather services start with roughly the same data, because weather agencies tend to use networks of instruments to record their observations and share them freely. But there are differences in how each agency analyzes and models the data to create forecasts, and the chaotic nature and complexity of the weather system means that small changes can create big fluctuations.
A good weather app might not be able to brighten up the currently lackluster British summer, but it can help you prepare for the drizzle and occasional sunshine. Here are our picks for the five best weather apps.
Most accurate: UK Met Office
Founded in 1854, the Met Office is one of the world’s oldest national weather services, and its app is the UK’s most popular. Its supercomputers analyze 215 billion weather observations every day, at a speed of 14 quadrillion calculations per second. The resulting models are then fine-tuned by meteorologists to create forecasts. The process seems to work well, as the app was named most accurate in the World Meteorological Organization’s Weather App Awards. In addition to hourly and daily forecasts, the app features long-range forecasts for up to a month, and maps showing rainfall and cloud cover for the past six hours and the next five days.
Best for simplicity: BBC Weather
The BBC Weather app used forecasts from the UK Met Office until 2018, but is now provided by DTN (formerly MeteoGroup). Its output is based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMRWF) model as well as their own in-house model. Simple and basic, the app features a 14-day hourly forecast including temperature, wind, humidity, and visibility. The BBC recently revealed that they choose the most pessimistic outlook when choosing a symbol to represent the day’s forecast, a good choice for those looking for a pleasant surprise.
On July 11th, unexpected heavy rain hit Warsaw, Poland. Photo: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock
Best for extensive data: AccuWeather
US-based AccuWeather claims to have the most data in its forecasts, incorporating over 190 climate models, including those from the Meteorological Agency. The company’s app provides minute-by-minute forecasts and “feels like” temperatures that factor in sun intensity, wind, humidity, cloud cover, and elevation. It also offers a detailed air quality index and a range of other variables, including dew point temperature, indoor humidity, and cloud ceiling height. To use many features, such as hourly 10-day forecasts and longer-term 90-day forecasts, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid version.
For weather enthusiasts, FlowX lets you compare forecasts from different weather agencies, including ECMRWF, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Canadian Meteorological Centre. Select a forecast and it will be displayed on a map that you can scroll through in time. Choose whether to see precipitation, cloud cover, temperature, and even wave height and surface ozone levels, allowing you to make your own informed decision about the chances of rain or shine.
Best for aesthetics: Yr
The lesser known Yr app is a joint venture between the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, the latter of which was founded in 1866 and is almost as old as the Meteorological Office. It’s one of the easiest to use apps to scroll through a photorealistic sky to see what the sky will look like for the next 48 hours. It’s also perfect for off-grid adventures, as it provides accurate forecasts based on your coordinates, rather than searching for the weather in your nearest area like most apps do.
vinegarFrancesca Simon, author of the children’s book “Horrid Henry,” pulls out her phone and checks the weather multiple times a day — not just where she is, but where her friends and family live, where she went on holiday, and where she grew up.
“I love weather apps. I think they’re magical,” she says. She has about 10 locations logged, and her friends tease her about her “weather porn” habits. “If I don’t like what I see on one app, I check another one.”
This week, Simon She shared her weather app obsession with Queen Camilla As the two discuss a miserable summer day at a charity event.[Camilla] “She said everyone was making fun of her … so we were laughing at each other’s obsession,” Simon said.
It’s an obsession shared by millions: If you’re going on vacation, planning a summer barbecue, worrying about your yard, or suffering from hay fever, you probably check the app at least daily to see the latest weather forecast.
The app provides much more localized and detailed information in graphical form than traditional weather forecasts, including wind speeds and chance of precipitation.
This is a lucrative business. Most basic weather apps are free to use, but they make money from advertising, paid upgrades, and data monetization. According to Statista in 2022, global revenue for the weather market is Projected to reach $1.58 billionThe majority of its revenue comes from advertising.
be Last year’s YouGov pollIn 2015, apps were the primary source of weather information for Americans, used by 53% of people. One in five people said they check the app multiple times a day, and the older people they are, the more frequently they check it.
For people with specific weather needs, bespoke apps may be available. For example: the wind is strong Wind speed and direction are tracked and the Met Office has introduced UK-specific Coastal Forecasts (in partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and Mountain Forecasts.
Most apps provide wind speed and direction, sunrise and sunset times, UV forecasts, pollen counts, air pollution index, etc. Some apps even provide users with extreme weather alerts.
The Met Office launched its weather forecast app in 2010 and released a major update in 2016. By 2023, it expects to have around 6.2 million users, most of them in the UK. Usage spikes during severe weather events, such as named storms or heatwaves.
Met Office spokesman Graham Mudge said the app was in “continuous development” and had become more refined since its launch.
The center offers “detailed information for the next 24 hours,” but the further out a user looks, the more general the forecast becomes. “We’re recognized as one of the best centers in the world for our accuracy,” Mudge says. “We’re very proud of that.”
As a government agency, the Met Office provides data to other forecasters, but three years after the BBC released its weather app in 2013, it switched to a private weather company, Meteor Group, now known as DTN.
DTN “pulls data from multiple sources, including satellite imagery, global ocean and continental datasets, and real-time observations from a network of more than 20,000 sensors,” said Renee Vandewege, the company’s general manager of weather and climate information. The data is “processed in a high-performance cloud environment using AI and machine learning.”
“DTN believes our forecasts are among the most reliable in the industry and globally leading,” Vandewege added.
The BBC acknowledged earlier this year that the symbols that summarise the day’s weather on its app (which has been downloaded more than 28 million times) could paint an overly gloomy outlook: “The symbol of the day reflects the weather conditions that are likely to have the greatest impact on people’s lives,” it said. A BBC spokesman told The Sunday Times:.
“This may focus on short periods of weather on a particular day and is designed to be read in the context of the bigger picture and hourly details that change depending on the latest data.”
The company works with the National Center for Atmospheric Science to monitor and evaluate the accuracy of its forecasts across all platforms, including its app.
UK weather has always been changeable, but meteorologists say the global climate crisis is making it even less predictable and more prone to extreme weather – which could lead to increased reliance – or, as Simon puts it, obsession – with weather apps.
In the UK, “weather patterns rarely stay in one place for more than a few days at a time compared to other parts of the world such as California, which makes forecasting even more difficult”, Mudge said.
“Located between the Atlantic Ocean and the European continent, with the tropics to the south and the Arctic Circle to the north, the UK has an almost unique relationship with the weather globally.”
Vandewege said: “Checking the weather app is a global phenomenon. The weather affects every aspect of our lives – from what we wear, what we do and, in many cases, what we eat, to the more severe weather impacts, such as risks to safety and business operations.”
As weather data becomes more accessible, it’s not just the next local downpour that drives app usage: “Users are increasingly interested in knowing what the weather is like in multiple locations, not just their own local area.”
a A class action lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court on Valentine's Day last year alleges that Match Group, owner of dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, uses a “predatory business model” to keep users hooked. The lawsuit directly contradicts Hinge's claims of being “designed to be removed”.
The lawsuit has sparked new debate about the potential harm to mental health caused by dating apps, but for scientists who study romantic relationships, the central question remains: do these apps actually work? The answer, according to Elizabeth Bruch, a sociologist at the University of Michigan who has studied online dating for a decade, is that there is no definitive scientific evidence either way.
Michael Rosenfeld, a sociologist at Stanford University, notes that online dating has become increasingly popular, with half of all heterosexual couples in the U.S. now meeting online. The trend is also growing in Europe, with an estimated 80 million users on dating apps. Despite this growth, the effectiveness of these apps in helping users find their soulmates remains uncertain.
While online dating continues to gain traction, research on the success and longevity of couples who meet through these apps is scarce. Companies generally do not publicly release data on this topic, but experts like Bruch argue that there is no evidence to suggest that these companies have better insights than scientific researchers.
Recent studies have shown that couples who meet online report slightly lower satisfaction and stability in their relationships compared to those who meet offline. However, this difference may be attributed to other factors rather than the online dating experience itself, such as deep-seated biases and geographical distance between partners.
As dating platforms continue to evolve, promising new methods for matchmaking based on brain activity or facial expressions, questions remain about the efficacy of these approaches. Many users have reported disappointments and frustrations with online dating, raising concerns about the addictive nature of dating apps and their impact on users’ well-being.
To address these concerns, researchers like Bruch and Gordon are developing their own dating app that doubles as a research tool to improve our understanding of romantic relationships. Their goal is to provide users with transparent and ethical matchmaking experiences that prioritize compatibility over preconceived notions of compatibility.
What makes a good match? Similarity in age, ethnicity, and education level does not guarantee longevity. Photo: Maria Korneeva/Getty
Bruch and Gordon hope that their research will shed light on the complex dynamics of love and relationships, offering users a more fulfilling and transparent dating experience. They are particularly interested in exploring how users’ perceptions of compatibility can influence their dating preferences and outcomes.
While dating apps have revolutionized how people connect and form relationships, concerns remain about their addictive qualities and potential negative impacts on users’ mental health. Researchers are advocating for greater transparency and accountability within the industry to ensure that users can make informed decisions and have positive dating experiences.
In the midst of ongoing debates about the impact of dating apps on society and relationships, researchers and experts emphasize the need for greater scrutiny and regulation to ensure the well-being of users and the integrity of the industry.
The EU has given TikTok 24 hours to conduct a risk assessment of a new service it has launched over concerns it could encourage children to become addicted to videos on the platform.
Launched this month in France and Spain, TikTok Lite, an app that lets you earn rewards just by watching, is effectively TikTok’s coin currency that rewards points earned through Amazon coupons, gift cards via PayPal, or “tasks.” We offer prizes such as:
“Tasks” include watching videos, liking content, following creators, inviting friends to TikTok, and more.
The European Commission said TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, should have carried out a risk assessment before introducing the app, and said it was now seeking “further details”.
The intervention comes months after sweeping new laws came into force under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires technology companies and social media platforms to follow new rules regarding the services they offer to users and the removal of illegal content. It was done later.
In February, the commission launched a formal investigation into TikTok, alleging violations of the DSA in areas related to the protection of minors, advertising transparency, and risk management around addictive design and harmful content. We evaluated whether there is any gender.
Investigations into child protection on TikTok include age verification, an issue highlighted by a Guardian investigation into the platform last year.
While the commission said its request for further information regarding TikTok’s internal controls does not prejudge the possibility of further action, the commission said in response to the request that “any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading” We have the power to impose fines.”
The organization said its request related to concerns “about the potential impact of the new Tasks and Rewards Lite program on the protection of minors and the mental health of users, particularly in relation to the potential stimulation of addictive behavior.” He said that
Last year, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy formally warned the nation that social media poses a “risk of serious harm” to the mental health of children and adolescents.
In September, TikTok was fined 350 million euros by the EU’s chief regulator for violating privacy laws regarding the processing of children’s personal data.
In addition to the 24-hour deadline for the risk assessment, TikTok must also provide other information by April 26, the commission said.
The company said it would honor the request. “We have already been in direct contact with the commission regarding this product and will respond to requests for information,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
The company said the benefit is limited to people aged 18 and over, subject to age verification, and the maximum payment is set at €1 (approximately £0.85) per day.
Many of us have had the negative experience of being swiped left, ghosted, breadcrumbed, or benched on internet dating apps. On Valentine’s Day, six dating app users filed a proposed class action lawsuit alleging that Tinder, Hinge, and other Match dating apps use addictive game-like features to encourage compulsive use. The lawsuit claims that Match’s app “employs perceived dopamine-manipulating product features” that turn users into “trapped gamblers seeking psychological rewards,” resulting in expensive subscriptions and persistent usage.
The lawsuit was met with skepticism by some, but online dating experts say it reflects a wider criticism of the way apps gamify human experiences for profit. The addiction may have been built into dating apps from the beginning, with the swipe mechanism, invented by Tinder co-founder Jonathan Badeen, being compared to an experiment with pigeons that aimed to manipulate the brain’s reward system.
The game-like elements of dating apps are further exemplified in the Trump-style interface first used by Tinder, leading some experts to believe that dating apps are encouraging negative behaviors and making people feel manipulated. A study suggested that couples who met online are slightly more likely to have lower marital satisfaction and stability. Dating apps also appear to encourage “bad behavior such as ghosting, breadcrumbing, and backburner relationships,” according to some researchers.
However, dating apps have also been criticized for perpetuating idealized preferences for particular ethnicities, age groups, and body types, ultimately reproducing privilege. While dating apps widen the range of potential partners in theory, endless access to romantic possibilities has been shown to have negative effects on mental health, leading some experts to advocate for transparency around matching algorithms and education about the pitfalls of online dating.
Despite criticisms, a Match Group spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit, stating that the business model is not based on advertising or engagement metrics, and that the goal is to avoid addictive use of the app. They believe that the plaintiffs are pointing to a systemic problem in the dating app ecosystem.
“circleWhat would happen to your hat if I told you that one of the most powerful choices you can make is to ask for help? '' a young woman in her 20s wearing a red sweater says before encouraging viewers to seek counseling. The ad, promoted on Instagram and other social media platforms, is just one of many campaigns created by BetterHelp, a California-based company that connects users with their therapists online.
In recent years, the need for sophisticated digital therapies to replace traditional face-to-face therapies has been well established.when I go to the street Latest data The NHS Talking Therapy Service saw 1.76 million people referred for treatment in 2022-23, with 1.22 million people actually starting to engage directly with a therapist.
Companies like BetterHelp hope to address some of the barriers that prevent people from receiving therapy, such as a lack of locally trained practitioners and a lack of empathetic therapists. Many of these platforms also have worrying aspects. That is, what happens to the large amounts of highly sensitive data collected in the process? The UK is currently considering regulating these apps, and there is growing awareness of their potential harm.
Last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission told BetterHelp $7.8m (£6.1m) fine After a government agency was found to have misled consumers and shared sensitive data with third parties for advertising purposes despite promising to keep it private. A BetterHelp representative did not respond to BetterHelp's request for comment. observer.
The number of people seeking mental health help online has increased rapidly during the pandemic. Photo: Alberto Case/Getty Images
Research shows that such privacy violations are not isolated exceptions within the vast industry of mental health apps, which include virtual therapy services, mood trackers, mental fitness coaches, digitized cognitive behavioral therapy, chatbots, and more. , has been suggested to be too common.
independent watchdogs such as Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit organization working to police the Internet from bad actors, has identified platforms that exploit opaque regulatory gray areas to share or sell sensitive personal information. did. When the foundation looked at 32 leading mental health apps; Last year's reportWe found that 19 of them did not protect user privacy and security. “We found that too often your personal and private mental health issues were being monetized.” Jen CultriderHe leads Mozilla's consumer privacy advocacy efforts.
Mr. Cult Rider, in the United States, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects communications between doctors and patients. However, she says many users are unaware that there are loopholes that digital platforms can exploit to circumvent HIPAA. “You may not be talking to a licensed psychologist, you may be just talking to a trained coach, and none of those conversations are protected under medical privacy laws,” she says. “But metadata about that conversation, the fact that you're using the app for OCD or an eating disorder, could also be used and shared for advertising and marketing purposes. They don't necessarily want to be collected and used to target products to them.”
Like many others studying this rapidly growing industry, the digital mental health apps market is predicted to be valuable. $17.5bn (£13.8bn) by 2030 – Caltrider feels that increased regulation and oversight of many of these platforms, which target particularly vulnerable segments of the population, is long overdue.
“The number of these apps has exploded during the pandemic. When we started our research, we realized how many companies are capitalizing on the gold rush of mental health issues rather than helping people. “It was really disappointing because it seemed like there was a lot of emphasis on that,” she says. “Like many things in the tech industry, the tech industry has grown rapidly and for some, privacy has taken a backseat. We felt that maybe things weren't going to work out, but we What they found was much worse than expected.”
Promotion of regulations
Last year, UK regulators Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the National Institute for Healthcare Excellence (Nice) will explore the best way to regulate digital mental health tools in the UK and collaborate with international partners on a three-year project funded by the charity Wellcome. project has started. Help foster consensus on digital mental health regulation around the world.
Holly Cool, MHRA's senior manager for digital mental health, explains that while data privacy is important, the main focus of the project is to reach agreement on minimum standards of safety for these tools. . “We are more focused on the efficacy and safety of these products. It is our duty as regulators to ensure that patient safety is paramount in devices that are classified as medical devices. ,” she says.
At the same time, leaders in the mental health field are beginning to call for strict international guidelines to assess whether tools truly have a therapeutic effect. “Actually, I'm very excited and hopeful about this field, but we need to understand what good looks like for digital therapeutics.” Neuroscientist and former U.S. director says Dr. Thomas Insel. National Institute of Mental Health.
Psychiatric experts acknowledge that while new mood-boosting tools, trackers and self-help apps have become wildly popular over the past decade, there has been little hard evidence that they actually help.
“I think the biggest risk is that many apps waste people's time and may delay getting effective treatment,” said Harvard Medical School Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. says Dr. John Taurus, director of digital psychiatry at .
Currently, companies with enough marketing capital can easily bring their apps to market without having to demonstrate that their apps will maintain user interest or add any value, he said. It is possible to participate. In particular, Taurus criticizes the poor quality of many purported pilot studies, with very low standards for app efficacy and results that are virtually meaningless.He gives the following example 1 trial in 2022This paper compared a stopwatch (a “fake” app with a digital clock) to an app that provides cognitive behavioral therapy to schizophrenic patients experiencing an acute psychotic episode. “When we look at research, we often liken our apps to looking at a wall or a waiting list,” he says. “But anything is better than nothing.”
Vulnerable user operations
But the most concerning question is whether some apps may actually perpetuate harm and worsen the symptoms of the patients they are meant to help.
Two years ago, U.S. healthcare giants Kaiser Permanente and Health Partners I decided to find out Effectiveness of new digital mental health tools. It was based on a psychological approach known as dialectical behavior therapy, which includes practices such as emotional mindfulness and steady breathing, and was expected to help prevent suicidal behavior in at-risk patients.
Over a 12-month period, 19,000 patients who reported frequent suicidal thoughts were randomly divided into three groups. A control group received standard care, a second group received usual care plus regular outreach to assess suicide risk, and a third group received digital tools in addition to care. It was done. However, when he evaluated the results, he found that he actually performed worse in the third group. Using this tool appears to significantly increase the risk of self-harm compared to just receiving usual care.
“They thought they were doing a good thing, but it made people even worse, so that was very alarming,” Taurus says.
Some of the biggest concerns relate to AI chatbots, many of which are touted as safe spaces for people to discuss mental health and emotional struggles. But Kaltrider worries that without better monitoring of the responses and advice provided by these bots, these algorithms could be manipulating vulnerable people. “With these chatbots, you can create something that lonely people can potentially relate to, so the possibilities for manipulation are endless,” she says. “This algorithm could be used to force that person to buy expensive things or force them to commit violence.”
These concerns are not unfounded. A user of the popular chatbot Replika shared this on Reddit. screenshot The content of the conversation appears to be such that the bot is actively encouraging his suicide attempt.
Telephone therapy: But how secure is your sensitive personal data? Photo: Getty Images
In response, a Replika spokesperson said: observer: “Replika continuously monitors the media and social media and spends a lot of time talking directly with users to find ways to address concerns and fix issues within the product. Provided. The interface in the screenshot above is at least 8 months old and may date back to 2021. There have been over 100 updates since 2021, and 23 in the last year alone.”
Because of these safety concerns, the MHRA believes that so-called post-market surveillance will be important for mental health apps, just as it is for medicines and vaccines. Kuhl points out that Yellow card reporting site, is used in the UK to report side effects and defects in medical products, and could in the future allow users to report adverse experiences with certain apps. “The public and health professionals can be very helpful in providing vital information to the MHRA about adverse events using yellow cards,” she says.
But at the same time, experts say that if properly regulated, mental health apps could improve access to care, collect useful data to help make accurate diagnoses, and fill gaps left by over-medicalization. I still strongly believe that I can play a big role in the future. system.
“What we have today is not great,” Insel says. “Mental health care, as we have known it for the past 20 to 30 years, is clearly an area ripe for change and in need of some transformation. Perhaps regulation will come in the second or third act, and we need it, but there are many other things, from better evidence to interventions for people with more severe mental illnesses. That is necessary.”
Torous believes the first step is to be more transparent about how an app's business model works and the underlying technology. “Otherwise, the only way a company can differentiate is through marketing claims,” he says. “If you can't prove that you're better or safer, all you can do is market it because there's no real way to verify or trust that claim.” The thing is, huge amounts of money are being spent on marketing, which is starting to erode clinician and patient trust. You can only make so many promises before people become skeptical. you can't.”
You might be surprised by the number of apps that gather detailed personal data. This includes some of the top apps from the App Store and Google Play Store. As a CyberGuy, my primary goal is to educate people about their power to protect themselves, especially their privacy.
AtlasVPN has published a new report identifying the shopping apps that collect the most data about you. eBay came out on top, with their Android app capturing 28 different data points. The top 10 on the list include eBay, Amazon Shopping, Pay later, Lowe’s, iHerb, Vinted, Home Depot, Alibaba, Poshmark, and Nike. All of these apps collect at least 18 data points about you. Some of that information is related to data performance and app activity, but some apps also collect financial and personal data.
eBay, Amazon, and Home Depot are three apps known to collect personal data. Getty Images
Privacy concerns to consider regarding shopping apps
According to the report, 58% of shopping apps on the Google Play Store share users’ personal information with third-party companies. This includes information like your name, email address, phone number, and even your home address. These companies can use your data in any way they like. Additionally, 52% of shopping apps share your device ID with third-party companies, and over a third of the shopping apps analyzed provide users’ financial data to third parties, including purchase history and payment information.
More than half of shopping apps share device IDs with third-party companies. alamy stock photo
Responses to privacy inquiries
Home Depot responded by stating that they use customer information to improve the customer experience and personalize it. They also have privacy and security controls in place to protect personal information. Amazon also responded, stating that they collect, process, and share personal information only to provide a great shopping experience and do not sell customers’ personal information to others.
Consumers must take their privacy into their own hands when shopping online. Getty Images
7 ways to protect your privacy when using shopping apps
1) Find out what information each app collects before downloading. Check the app’s privacy section in the App Store or Google Play Store.
2) Avoid downloading unreliable apps. If you have any unreliable apps on your phone, delete them immediately to avoid sharing your personal information with third parties.
3) Check app permissions before installing or updating an app. Deny or revoke permissions that are unnecessary or intrusive to your app’s functionality.
Avoiding untrusted apps is a good starting point. Getty Images
4) Use a VPN when browsing or shopping online to encrypt your internet traffic and hide your IP address.
5) Clear your cache and cookies regularly. These files store information about your browsing history, settings, and login details.
6) Use a password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords for each app and website you use.
7) Opt out of personalized ads and data sharing to reduce the amount of data collected and used for ad targeting.
If you often shop online, opting out of data sharing may be an important step. Getty Images
Cart important points
Most apps we use today collect data about us in some way. It’s crucial to understand what information you’re handing over and how to protect your privacy, especially since 75% of shopping apps share your information with third parties.
Google is removing popular apps in a new shake-up within the company.
The Google Play Movies & TV app will be retired soon.
The service has already been removed from Roku devices and most smart TVs, and over the next few weeks, Google plans to continue shutting down the service until it’s gone completely. It’s still available on Android TV and the Google Play Store, but not for much longer.
“We’re making several changes to simplify the way you buy new movies and access the movies and TV shows you buy through Google,” the company said in a statement. Posted in support thread Android TV Help.
Starting January 17th, users will no longer be able to access content through Play Movies & TV. But don’t worry, your rented or purchased movies won’t be lost forever. All your purchased movies and TV will be transferred to Android TV and YouTube.
“As a result of these changes, Google Play Movies & TV will no longer be available on Android TV devices or the Google Play website,” Google explained. “However, you will still have access to all previously purchased titles (including active rentals) on Android TV devices, Google TV devices, the Google TV mobile app (Android and iOS), and YouTube.”
The tech giant has been slowly discontinuing its Play Movies & TV app since launching a standalone TV app in 2021.
Starting January 17th, users will no longer be able to access content through Play Movies & TV. Daniel Krassoa – Stock.adobe.com
When this change takes effect on January 17th, people with Android TV-powered TVs or streaming devices will be able to watch previously purchased titles or purchase new movies from the Shop tab. Purchased titles and active rentals will be displayed.
On a cable box or set-top box with Android TV, the YouTube app stores all your previously purchased content. YouTube is also the new content home for people using web browsers.
These changes come on the heels of Google removing inactive Gmail accounts in a cybersecurity effort and introducing an AI-powered makeover with five new features.
TikTok’s short-form video app is reaching a new milestone. The app is the first non-gaming mobile app to reach 1 billion monthly active users in 2021 and generate $10 billion in consumer spending across the Apple App Store and Google Play combined, according to new analysis by the app intelligence provider. It is said that it became. data.ai. The only other apps to achieve this include all games including King/Activision Blizzard’s Candy Crush Saga, which is the top earner at over $12 billion, Tencent’s Honor of Kings, XFLAG/Mixi’s Monster Strike, Including Supercell’s Clash of Clans.
Image credits: data.ai
The report notes that TikTok already entered 2023 with more than $6.2 billion in consumer spending and has since added another $3.8 billion over the course of the year, representing 61% year-to-date growth. This figure is 15% higher than the total of $3.3 billion in 2022, according to data.ai. For reference, that report only includes consumer spending on TikTok across iOS and Google Play, and does not include third-party Android app stores in China. In other words, TikTok’s total consumer spending could increase further.
This spending comes from TikTok’s in-app purchases of “coins,” a virtual currency that users can spend on gifts to creators on the platform. These gifts reward creators for their content and can be cashed out as fiat currency, with TikTok keeping his 50% of the payments. The app’s most popular in-app purchase is a bundle of 1,321 coins for $19.99, which accounts for a quarter of its revenue. TikTok also generates revenue from other sources besides in-app purchases, such as advertising and e-commerce through the TikTok Shop, but these are not counted in data.ai’s analysis.
Image credits: data.ai
According to Data.ai, US consumers and Chinese iOS users accounted for the majority of the in-app spending that pushed TikTok to the $10 billion milestone, with both markets accounting for around 30% of each revenue and In other words, it drives 60% of the total. Total when combined. This was followed by other markets such as Saudi Arabia, Germany, the UK, and Japan, which together accounted for 13% of his in-app purchase revenue.
TikTok is the only non-gaming app to reach $10 billion, but other non-gaming apps have also made billions of dollars, but far behind TikTok. The next closest competitors are Tinder and YouTube, both of which have a $2 billion to $3 billion lead over TikTok, the report said.
Image credits: data.ai
“TikTok is poised to become the most profitable mobile app in history, approaching the $15 billion milestone in 2024. Consumers are tipping their favorite content creators with more than $11 million per day. , which makes TikTok the world’s most lucrative mobile game ever, surpassing the beloved Candy Crush Saga,” said Lexi Sydow, Head of Insights at data.ai. At the announcement About new milestones. “TikTokers will spend 40 hours of work time each month within the app by the end of 2024, a 22% increase from 2023,” she added.
office Predict TikTok’s revenue will rise again in 2024, with consumer spending reaching $15 billion.
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