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Facebook expands election integrity efforts ahead of EU vote
European Parliament elections are set to take place in May, which of course means there are bad actors who will try to use nefarious means to disrupt the process. Facebook is trying to clamp down on interference on its platforms, with measures including new rules for electoral ads and those related to key election issues. Advertisers need to confirm their identities before they can post ads, while Facebook plans to increase transparency around such ads (an effort with which it has faced some difficulties).
Samsung's new Galaxy M phones will do battle with Xiaomi in India
Samsung's new Galaxy M-series phones have arrived in time to fight its India slump. The M10 and M20 are a couple of entry-level handsets exclusive to the region that will take on Xiaomi and Oppo's popular, sub-$200 offerings. No one expects fireworks at this price, but the phones do bear the distinction of being Samsung's first to come with a notch (a teardrop notch, to be precise, like the one on the OnePlus 6T).
Facebook will expand its political ad rules to Nigeria, Ukraine and EU
Facebook will be introducing some of its political advertising policies in additional regions in the coming months, Reuters reports. In Nigeria, where a presidential election is set to take place in February, Facebook will now require those purchasing electoral ads to be located within the country. That same rule will roll out to Ukraine next month ahead of its March election.
Spotify strikes deal with India's largest record label
Spotify and T-Series, India's largest music record label and film production company, announced a new content agreement that will bring a huge library of Indian music to the streaming platform, according to Variety. T-Series' catalog of music includes more than 160,000 songs including tracks from popular Indian artists and major Bollywood movie soundtracks.
Samsung will fight its phone sales slump with models built for India
Samsung knows it's facing tough times, and it's not just counting on the Galaxy S10 to get out of its funk. It's launching a trio of Galaxy M-series phones in late January that are designed expressly for "Indian millennial consumers," the company's Asim Warsi told Reuters. They'll launch in India first before a wider rollout, and they'll only be available through both Samsung's website as well as Amazon India.
Apple may start building the iPhone XS and XR in India next year
Apple will reportedly start building its most expensive phones, including the iPhone X, XS and XR, in India starting in 2019, according to Reuters. Assembly of the devices will take place at a plant in Sriperumbudur operated by controversial tech manufacturing firm Foxconn. Apple has struggled to gain footing in the region where the company has faced slow sales and an executive exodus.
Spotify may be close to launching in India
Spotify is already the most popular music streaming service in most major markets and it's looking to widen the gap. The Swedish tech firm has reportedly secured deals with many of the largest music rights holders in India over the last few months, according to Bloomberg. That news comes hot on the heels of a Variety report that the company plans to launch in the country of 1.3 billion people within the next six months.
Netflix will test a cheaper pricing tier, possibly in Asia
Netflix is exploring ways to bring more subscribers into the fold, and it's set to test a cheaper version of its streaming service. CEO Reed Hastings confirmed the plans to Bloomberg, and while it's not clear where or when such a trial would take place, Asia seems the most likely region.
Netflix announces nine new Originals from India
Netflix is making a big push into India with the announcement of nine Originals from the region. A total of eight films and one show make up the new titles, several of which include a-list Bollywood and Hollywood talent both behind and in front of the camera.
Fake news is down on Facebook in the US and France, say three studies
Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook have not had a great year. From being called in front of Congress to getting lashed by the media for its appalling handling of user data, the pressure has been on the social media site to get things right. Even calls for Zuckerberg to be kicked out as chairman are starting to percolate. But Zuckerberg might be able to breath a little easier today as three new independent studies show that fake news overall is going down on the website he launched from his dorm room.
US Senators ask India's PM to rethink strict data localization plans
Starting on October 15th, global payment giants such as Mastercard, Visa and AMEX would have to store transactions that occurred in India on servers physically located within the country. That's the deadline the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave them, and it had already informed the firms that they're not going to get an extension. Now, US Senators John Cornyn and Mark Warner have written a letter to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the country to soften its stance on data localization. According to Reuters, the senators warned the Prime Minister that the directive would present "key trade barriers" between the two nations.
Tinder borrows Bumble's women-message-first feature
If Tinder was hoping to bring its feud with Bumble to a quick end, it's not helping matters. It has been testing a "My Move" feature in India that gives women more control over conversations. If women enable the feature in their settings, only they can start a conversation after a match -- you know, like Bumble. Tinder had launched the feature in the country as it needed to draw more women to the app by making them feel safer, the company's Taru Kapoor told Reuters. India also uses the in-app messaging more than anywhere else, so it's an ideal testing ground.
WhatsApp hires grievance officer to battle fake news in India
WhatsApp has hired a grievance officer for India in order to meet a key demand set by the country's government to halt the spread of fake messages that triggered mob lynchings. In an update to its FAQ section, WhatsApp directs users to lodge complaints through the mobile app, send an email, or write in to grievance officer Komal Lahiri (formerly of Facebook and PayPal), who's based out of the US. According to her LinkedIn, Lahiri was brought on in March as "senior director of global customer operations and localization."
Finally, a cheap smartphone with true flagship power
Xiaomi is one of the most respected smartphone brands in India, but apparently that wasn't not good enough. Earlier today, the Chinese phone maker launched a new sub-brand called Pocophone, which in turn revealed its new F1 smartphone. Normally, we wouldn't get too worked up over this kind of news, but as it turns out, Pocophone's F1 is a fascinating little machine.
Indian ride-hailing giant Ola launches in the UK
Uber may not want to get too comfy as it rebuilds its London presence -- it's about to get stiff competition. Indian ride-hailing giant Ola has unveiled plans to launch in the UK. The company is recruiting drivers in Cardiff, Newport and Vale of Glamorgan as of today, and expects to be available "nationwide" by the end of 2018. And unlike some bids to crack the UK market, it promises to both provide a few competitive advantages and avoid regulatory trouble.
India may tell companies to store cloud data inside the country
India might be the next country to insist that internet companies store users' data inside its borders. Reuters has learned that a government cloud policy panel wants locally-generated data (including info about Indians) to be stored on servers within the country. The move would ostensibly make it easier for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to access data in the midst of investigations. "Data sovereignty" was important in light of "cross-border data flows," according to a draft report recommending the move.
Phishing scam targets iPhone users with a fake call to ‘Apple Care’
As more and more people use their mobile devices for everyday computing tasks, it makes sense that there would be more attacks. The latest phishing attempt, discovered over at Ars Technica, involves a false webpage that initiates a call on your iPhone. According to the site, when they made the call, they were connected to a fake representative who said he was "Lance Roger from Apple Care." The person quickly hung up as the reporter tried to stall and get more detail on the scam.
Tata will stop selling the 'world's cheapest car'
Tata's Nano was supposed to start a revolution in automotive design when it was unveiled in 2008 as the world's cheapest car. In theory, it opened the door to vehicle ownership for people who'd otherwise have to spring for two-wheeled transport or nothing at all. Fast-forward a decade, however, and the reality is very different. After winding down production, the Indian car maker has declared that the current Nano "cannot continue beyond 2019." The final manufacturing numbers helped explain the move: In a market where virtually all car segments have seen growth, Tata made just one (yes, one) Nano in June versus 275 a year earlier.
Apple might have to approve India's anti-spam app in six months
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has introduced a new policy to fight spam calls and text that could impact Apple's huge expansion plans in the country. Under the new rule, carriers have to ensure that their subscribers can install TRAI's "Do Not Disturb" app on their phones. Problem is, Apple refuses to allow it on the App Store over privacy concerns, since it needs access to users' call and message logs in order to report spam activities to the agency. Apple has been at odds with the regulator for over a year due to the issue, and this new development could force the tech giant to find a solution once and for all.
WhatsApp clamps down on forwarding to reduce hoaxes and spam
While parent company Facebook shifts policies on how to handle content that it said can lead to violence, WhatsApp is also in a state of change. A blog post describes how it's limiting the ability to forward messages to multiple chats at once, apparently in hopes that it will slow the spread of hoaxes and misinformation that have incited recent lynchings in India. Previously users could forward to over 250 people at once, and now the limit globally has been reduced to 20. In India, it will be restricted to five, and a "quick forward" button next to media messages will be removed. The company called these changes a "test," while a spokesperson said to Recode that "We're horrified by the violence in India, and we've announced number of different product changes to help address these issues." WhatsApp already shifted to labeling forwarded messages, it recently started funding research into the problem and now it's making another attempt to put the brakes on. TechCrunch points out a report from The Economic Times that WhatsApp execs have met with India's election commission and plan to bring over the news verification model recently used in Mexico.
