Facing a massive controversy over the proliferation of child pornography on its platform in India, Twitter said on Saturday that it banned 57,643 accounts in the country for promoting child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity and allied content between July 26 and August 25.
Earlier this week, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal had said the replies received from Twitter in the child pornography complaints were incomplete and the Commission was not satisfied with them.
Maliwal had on September 20 summoned Twitter India Policy Head and Delhi Police over tweets depicting child pornography and rape videos of women and children on the micro-blogging platform.
Taking suo moto cognisance of several tweets openly depicting videos and photographs of sexual acts involving children, the Commission said that most of the tweets portrayed children completely naked and many of them also depicted brutal rape and other non-consensual sexual activities with children and women.
Twitter, in its monthly report in compliance with the new IT Rules, 2021, also said that it received 1,088 complaints from users in India in the same time-frame through its grievance redressal mechanisms.
Acting on the complaints, the company took action against 41 URLs.
In addition, "we processed 76 grievances which were appealing Twitter account suspensions. These were all resolved and the appropriate responses were sent", said the company.
"We overturned none of these account suspensions after reviewing the specifics of the situation," it added.
Twitter also received 15 requests related to general questions about accounts during this reporting period.
The company said it "does not tolerate any material that features or promotes child sexual exploitation -- whether in Direct Messages or elsewhere throughout the service".
In India, the users complained the most about online abuse and harassment (544) and hateful conduct (502), among other categories.
Meanwhile, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk this week expressed grave concerns over reports about the presence of tweets soliciting child pornography on Twitter.
Reacting to a report on how major advertising brands have pulled out from Twitter as their promotion posts appeared alongside child porn tweets, Musk said: "Extremely concerning."
(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
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Google Chrome Extensions are very useful tools to enhance the browsing experience and hence, many of the popular options are downloaded and used by many. Now even though Google scans these extensions for security and privacy holes, still, some sketchy ones occasionally get away from Google’s sieve. We will learn why this happens. But more crucially, there are 5 such Google Chrome Extensions that you should delete right away (if you have them installed) as they are allegedly malware infected.
Malicious Google Chrome Extensions that you should uninstall
In a recent McAfee security report, 5 Google Chrome Extensions are named which are apparently infected by Malware. Here are their names:
Netflix Party (netflixparty1.com) Netflix Party (Yes, two extensions that allow you to watch Netflix together with your friends are flagged) FlipShope — Price Tracker Extension Full Page Screenshot Capture — Screenshotting AutoBuy Flash Sales
Interestingly enough, these have over 1,400,000 combined download count, with each of them having at least 20,000 downloads. So, the chances are that some of you may have downloaded or come across these extensions. If you or anybody whom you know have them installed, we hope this post throws light on the matter. Not just these aforementioned culprits but the broader extension security concern.
How these extensions are harmful?
McAfee tells in its report that these extensions are injecting affiliate sale tracking codes even though they weren’t selling anything. For this purpose, they constantly log your browsing habits, especially the e-commerce sites you visit, and tweak the cookies to dupe the site into believing that you came in through a referral link. So, you see how it’s a privacy concern.
What is Google doing to ensure the extensions are safe?
Google’s new Manifest V3 standard for extensions allows the tech giant to prevent extensions from loading remote code like JavaScript or Wasm files. This as the company notes lets it “more reliably and efficiently review the safe behavior of extensions when they're submitted to the extensions store.
Now that the McAfee report is out, Google must be acting on reviewing and straightening out the alleged parties. While we checked, the most popular Netflix Party extension with 800,000 users seems to have been removed from the store.
How does Google check the extensions submitted to the store?
Google scans the extensions to see if they match Google Developer Program Policies. It also sees if the extensions are “at least a few months” old. Accordingly, it marks the extensions as “trusted” and if they aren’t, it warns the users to “proceed with caution.” The user still gets the option to “continue to install” but then the onus is upon them.
So, we suggest you not install extensions from external shady sources. And if Chrome Store results are flagged as unsafe, we are here to inform you.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Twitter's former head of security, Peiter "Mudge" Zatko, has claimed that the Parag Agrawal-led platform lied about the actual number of bots on its platform and misled federal regulators about users' safety, media reports said on Tuesday. According to his disclosure obtained by CNN and The Washington Post, Zatko said that Twitter has "major security problems that pose a threat to its own users' personal information, to company shareholders, to national security, and to democracy". Zatko, who reported directly to the CEO, was fired by Twitter in January this year over "poor performance". Last month, he filed a complaint with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), accusing Twitter of deceiving shareholders and violating an agreement it made with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to uphold certain security standards. In his disclosure as a whistleblower, Zatko alleged that Twitter's leadership "has misled its own board and government regulators about its security vulnerabilities, including some that could allegedly open the door to foreign spying or manipulation, hacking and disinformation campaigns". He also said that Twitter does not "reliably delete users' data after they cancel their accounts". The whistleblower also said Twitter executives don't have the resources to fully understand the true number of bots on the platform, and were not motivated to. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has cancelled the $44 billion Twitter takeover deal over the actual presence of bots on the platform. Zatko's lawyer told CNN that he has not been in contact with Musk. An attorney for Musk said that their legal team has already issued a subpoena for Zatko, "and we found his exit and that of other key employees curious in light of what we have been finding". Twitter said in a statement that security and privacy are both longtime priorities for the company. The company said that it "provides clear tools for users to control privacy, and targeting and data sharing".
(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
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Tech giant Google's artificial intelligence (AI) has reportedly flagged parents' accounts for potential abuse over nude photos of their sick kids. The father said that after using his Android smartphone to take photos of an infection on his toddler's groin, the tech giant flagged the images as child sexual abuse material (CSAM), citing the NYT, The Verge reported. The company closed his accounts and filed a report with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and spurred a police investigation. It highlights the complications of trying to tell the difference between potential abuse and an innocent photo once it becomes part of a user's digital library, whether on their personal device or in cloud storage. The incident occurred in February 2021, when some doctor's offices were still closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As per the report, Mark (whose last name was not revealed) noticed swelling in his child's genital region and, at the request of a nurse, sent images of the issue ahead of a video consultation. The doctor wound up prescribing antibiotics that cured the infection. Mark received a notification from Google two days after taking the photos, stating that his accounts had been locked due to "harmful content" that was "a severe violation of Google's policies and might be illegal." Like many internet companies, including Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, Google has used hash matching with Microsoft's PhotoDNA for scanning uploaded images to detect matches with known CSAM. In 2012, it led to the arrest of a man who was a registered sex offender and used Gmail to send images of a young girl.
(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
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The Indian smartphone users are spending 30 minutes a day on consuming memes and 80 per cent have increased meme consumption in the last year, a new report showed on Monday. While most users enjoy memes as a good way to release stress, 50 per cent expect their meme consumption to increase, according to the report by strategy consulting firm Redseer. "The shareability of memes makes them popular among groups with the same interest or even globally because most people find them relatable. Thus, it comes as no surprise that in just the last year, close to 80 per cent have increased meme consumption," said Mrigank Gutgutia, Partner at Redseer. Memes are now at the peak of the entertainment sector. To keep up with this rising demand, meme creation platforms are crowding the market, indicating that monumental growth is on the cards for this industry. "Ninety per cent of consumers are open to creating memes themselves, indicating large latent demand for meme creation apps," said Gutgutia. Social media is the primary source for access to memes, followed by word of mouth from friends and family. "Social media has allowed everyone to try their hand at content creation, thus, this has paved the way for the rise of meme creation apps and platforms," the report mentioned. People want to consume or create memes for brand building and as a creative outlet. "An important aspect that makes memes attain such huge popularity in a short period of time is that any individual can connect to them -- and this works great for brand building and marketing," the report added.
(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
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A poll by Tesla CEO Elon Musk has revealed that nearly 65 per cent of his followers do not believe in Twitter's claim that less than 5 per cent of daily users are fake/spam on the platform. Musk, who is fighting a bitter legal battle with Twitter over the cancellation of the $44 billion takeover deal, last week began a Twitter poll among his 102.8 million followers on whether Twitter's claim of less than 5 per cent of daily users are fake/spam. While 35 per cent said Twitter is telling the truth, nearly 65 per cent said this is not the case and the number of fake accounts are much higher. "Twitter has spoken," Musk said on Monday. The Tesla CEO has said that if Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal can prove the actual number of fake accounts, then the terminated deal can still move forward. "If Twitter simply provides their method of sampling 100 accounts and how they're confirmed to be real, the deal should proceed on original terms," Musk tweeted. "However, if it turns out that their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings are materially false, then it should not," he added. Amid the ongoing legal dispute, Musk has also challenged Agrawal to have a public debate on fake accounts and spam. "I hereby challenge Parag Agrawal to a public debate about the Twitter bot percentage. Let him prove to the public that Twitter has lesser than per cent of fake or spam daily users!" He posted on Twitter. Musk's die-hard fan Pranay Pathole called out the SEC and wrote: "I wonder what's SEC is doing here? Are they even investigating these dubious claims that are made by Twitter?" "Good question, why aren't they?" Musk replied. Twitter has filed a detailed response to Musk's countersuit against the micro-blogging platform, saying his claims are "factually inaccurate, legally insufficient, and commercially irrelevant". According to Musk, he was hoodwinked by Twitter into signing a $44 billion merger agreement.
Amid the ongoing legal dispute over the $44 billion takeover deal to buy Twitter, tech mogul Elon Musk has challenged the platform's CEO Parag Agrawal to have a public debate on fake accounts and spam. While replying to a user who summarised his accusations, which included Twitter stonewalling Musk and giving him "outdated data" about the microblogging platform, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wrote a "good summary of the problem". "If Twitter simply provides their method of sampling 100 accounts and how they are confirmed to be real, the deal should proceed on original terms. However, if it turns out that their Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings are materially false, then it should not," Musk said in a series of tweets. "I hereby challenge Parag Agrawal to a public debate about the Twitter bot percentage. Let him prove to the public that Twitter has lesser than per cent fake or spam daily users!" The tech billionaire also posted a poll that asked the microblogging platform's users. "Less than 5 per cent of Twitter daily users are fake/spam," and during the first five hours of the polls, 66 per cent of the users chose "Lmaooo No". Meanwhile, Musk's die-hard fan Pranay Pathole called out SEC and wrote: "I wonder what's SEC doing here? Are they even investigating these dubious claims that are made by Twitter?" "Good question, why aren't they?" Musk replied. Twitter has filed a detailed response to Musk's countersuit against the micro-blogging platform, saying his claims are "factually inaccurate, legally insufficient, and commercially irrelevant". According to Musk, he was hoodwinked by Twitter into signing a $44 billion merger agreement. "That story is as implausible and contrary to fact as it sounds. And it is just that -- a story, imagined in an effort to escape a merger agreement that Musk no longer found attractive once the stock market -- and along with it, his massive personal wealth -- declined in value," Twitter had said in its legal response filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery in the US. Musk's lawyers filed 90 pages of counterclaims in the court, and Twitter responded to them paragraph by paragraph. The Tesla CEO, in his countersuit, said that his action arose out of Twitter's misrepresentations regarding the condition of the company and the "key metrics" the platform uses to evaluate the number of its users.
(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
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If you haven’t lived under a rock for the last few months, you would have heard about the Musk-Twitter acquisition saga. The whole process of Elon Musk, who has developed a cult-like following around him on the internet, asking to buy off Twitter, and then things falling apart, has developed to be nothing short of a film script. Now, adding another link to this never-ending chain is the news that Musk’s response to Twitter’s lawsuit could be made public soon.
To set some context for the uninitiated, since March earlier this year, which was the time when Musk first floated the proposals and almost bought the microblogging platform, sealing the deal at $44 billion, and then he attempted to back out.
All of this, while being in the news for several other reasons, Musk brought the world to a standstill. After Musk’s withdrawal from the deal, Twitter filed a lawsuit against him. During the proceedings of the lawsuit, a judge ruled on Wednesday that Musk's responses are to be made public by Friday.
I made an offer https://t.co/VvreuPMeLu
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 14, 2022 Twitter wants to review Musk’s arguments
Musk’s attorneys initially proposed filing a public version of their answer and counterclaims on Wednesday. However, Twitter’s attorneys were against it and called for more time to review the drafts from Twitter’s side. That is what prevented Musk’s side from making their side of the arguments and claims public.
Commenting on this matter, one of Twitter’s attorneys, Kevin Shannon, wrote, “Few cases attract as much public interest as this one, and Twitter is mindful of this court's commitment to ensuring maximum public access to its proceedings.” Shannon added, “Twitter has no interest in proposing any more redactions to defendants' responsive pleading than necessary.”
With things developing by the hour, it will be interesting to see where things go on from now, and what claims Musk’s side makes.
As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Elon Musk is terminating the $44 billion Twitter payout deal over fake mDAUs (Monetized Daily Active Users) data provided by Twitter. Musk filed the decision on Friday, July 8, 2022. In response, the social media company has warned of legal action against Musk. Let’s go through the SEC (the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) filing and also what Twitter representatives have to say about the turn of events.
Elon Musk’s Twitter Deal: SEC Filing
According to Musk’s SEC filing, he has made repeated requests to Twitter over the last two months for information regarding —
Twitter’s process for auditing the inclusion of spam and fake accounts in mDAU. Twitter’s process for identifying and suspending spam and fake accounts. Daily measures of mDAU for the past 8 quarters. Board materials related to Twitter’s mDAU calculations. Materials related to Twitter’s financial condition.
The filing mentions what Twitter claims about mDAU and fake account calculation. The company says, “We have performed an internal review of a sample of accounts and estimate that the average of false or spam accounts during the first quarter of 2022 represented fewer than 5% of our mDAU during the quarter,” and “After we determine an account is spam, malicious automation, or fake, we stop counting it in our mDAU, or other related metrics.”
However, Musk has apparently found the above material representations as “false” and “misleading”.
SparkToro's auditing tool
Musk’s filing also alleges that Twitter includes suspended accounts (that could be fake or spam) In its quarterly mDAU count. Also, the whole process is blamed to be “arbitrary and ad hoc”.
He also finds the recent firing of top execs without his approval as a breaching of the contract.
Elon Musk also alleged that Twitter breached the agreement when it fired two top managers, without his consent.
Thus, the billionaire believes that he has the “right to seek rescission of the Merger Agreement”.
But if the deal does fall through, Musk is obligated to pay a $1 billion breakup fee to Twitter.
In response, Twitter's chairman, Bret Taylor tweeted, “The Twitter Board is committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plans to pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement. We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery”.
We shall keep you posted on any new developments in this case.
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Netflix has announced that it is bringing spatial audio to its content starting July 7. To make this happen, Netflix has collaborated with the popular audio equipment manufacturer, Sennheiser.
Sound has always been integral to consuming digital content, and Netflix is not the only player in the space making innovations. Apple in 2021 had also introduced its own spatial audio feature, allowing the users of its devices and music and content streaming services to have a more fulfilling experience. Despite the similarities in the name, these Apple’s and Netflix’s spatial audio are totally unrelated.
Caption: Sitting in the streets of NYC, living in the world of Rick and Morty!
Netflix Spatial Audio: Stranger Things is now more enjoyable
The blog post published by Netflix announcing the introduction of spatial audio said that it would give the watchers on its platform a more immersive experience. A section of the post read, “Often, the subtlety of sound goes unnoticed, but it can have a profound impact on the atmosphere of a scene and fundamentally change the audience’s response. Some of the most iconic moments in TV and film are defined by the immersive moments they create through sound. Without its excellent sound design, would the final fight scene in The Adam Project be as electric?”
The announcement was made on July 7, and Netflix declared that starting from that day itself, all the content on the platform would start getting spatial audio. If you are someone looking to give it a try, Netflix already has you covered. Just type ‘spatial audio’ in the search bar, and you will be presented with content supporting the new audio format. Select whatever you want to watch and get immersed.
Netflix already has support for creature comforts like 4K and HDR video content, Dolby Atmos, and a special Netflix Calibrated Mode. So, the addition of spatial audio will surely take the viewing experience up a notch.
As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Your fingerprints on your Android phone might not be as safe as you think. Recently, two security researchers at the annual Black Hat conference revealed that the fingerprint scanner on your Android devices is quite vulnerable. Researchers Tao Wei and Yulong Zhong of FireEye Inc., showed that Hackers can remotely lift fingerprints from Android devices. The duo talked about how design flaws in TrustZone, the ARM technology that comes embedded in modern day smartphones, will simply let a 'sensor spying attack' harvest a user fingerprints.
According to ZDNet, the duo confirmed that phones like the HTC One Max and the Samsung’s Galaxy S5, are vulnerable to spy attacks as the device makers haven't locked down the sensor completely. Sensors on these devices are guarded on a system level rather than a root level, hence, rooted devices stand at a greater risk of being hacked. The researchers revealed that once a hack is placed on a certain phone, the hacker can continue to collect the fingerprint data of anyone who uses the sensor.
Currently, countries like US and some regions of Europe, allow payments via fingerprint authentication, these are also vulnerable to attack and hackers can easily bypass the security to simply buy stuff, or just transfer funds from the users account. Moreover fingerprints are also used for various important documents such as passports, immigration documents, criminal records, etc., making it a far more dangerous proposition if your fingerprint sensor gets compromised.
It was also mentioned that this vulnerability also affects some laptops that come with fingerprint sensors. The duo has alerted various vendors about this vulnerability and since then, some patches have rolled out for the same. However, if you are using an iPhone, you are quite safe as hackers won’t be able get the fingerprint image unless they have a crypto key for the fingerprint sensor data.
OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro smart TV has been unveiled in India. It has got a 50inch 4K UHD screen and is priced at ₹32,999. This will be in addition to the OnePlus TV Y Series 43 Y1S Pro that was introduced earlier this year.
Navnit Nakra, India CEO and Head of India Region, OnePlus India said during the launch, "Following the remarkable response to our recently launched OnePlus TV 43 Y1S Pro, and the Y series portfolio at large, we are excited to bring in a new, larger smart TV variant, the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro. In line with our community’s valuable feedback, our OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro is not only equipped with best-in-class smart features but also elevates the viewing experience with its larger 50inch 4K UHD display, all of this being offered at a truly affordable price point. We are confident that our community will truly enjoy the enhanced user experience with our new TVs.”
Here are the complete feature set, price and other details as per the press release:
Key Features
Vivid 4K UHD Display
Equipped with an upgraded 4K UHD display, the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro offers users extraordinary clarity and incredible visual detail to transform their viewing experience. In addition, users can witness over a billion colors delivering breathtaking color accuracy in every frame with the 10-bit color depth feature.
Gamma Engine with MEMC
Users can also enjoy real-time image quality with the advanced Gamma Engine feature, which smartly tunes the visuals to provide ultra-clear content with dynamic contrast and vibrant color. In addition, with the MEMC technology, fast-moving scenes are enhanced to offer smoother, realistic motion. The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro display is built to always deliver a smoother, clearer, and more immersive viewing experience.
In addition to the above display features, The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro also offers Ultra HD display along with HDR10+, HDR10, as well as HLG format support for a superior viewing experience.
Smarter TV Experience
The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro is a smart hub for one's home entertainment, powered by the reliable and secure Android TV 10.0 platform, giving users a fully integrated smarter TV experience. Users can use the Google Assistant function embedded into the Android TV to control their new OnePlus TVs.
Users can also enable the special ALLM feature (Auto Low Latency Mode) to enjoy a faster and more interesting gaming experience on their new OnePlus TV. The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro also features MultiCast and Google Duo support as a part of the smarter TV experience which is an upgrade from the other TVs in the series.
The Smart Manager feature is also available on the new OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro, which provides various advancements for a smarter and longer-lasting smart TV.
Furthermore, the new OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro will include the unique Kids Mode feature, which will allow children to enjoy healthy content while also allowing parents to effortlessly monitor and regulate the content their children view. To maintain a healthy digital life, they can also efficiently regulate viewing hours with the particular "watch time limitation" feature. Parents can also manage the picture quality parameter by turning on "Eye Comfort mode" ensuring that their children's eyes are protected.
Furthermore, the new OnePlus TVs' Game Mode allows users to connect their gaming console to the OnePlus TV via HDMI to activate the exclusive ALLM feature and enjoy an immersive gaming experience with decreased latency levels.
Seamless IoT Connectivity
Through the following smart features, users can enjoy a smarter connected ecosystem experience with the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro at the centre of their smart home hub:
OnePlus Buds Connectivity
Any OnePlus Buds device can now be connected to the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro. The new OnePlus TVs will prompt a connection request when they open their OnePlus Buds package. When users press the "connect" button on their TV, their headphones automatically connect, allowing them to enjoy a sensational audio experience. Users of the OnePlus Buds and OnePlus Buds Pro can also automatically pause the TV by removing the earphone from their ear and then resume watching once the earphones are put back on.
OnePlus Watch Connectivity
Users may also link their OnePlus Watch to their OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro in a seamless manner. They can use their OnePlus Watch to turn on and off their OnePlus TV once they have connected with a single click. When the OnePlus Watch senses that the user has fallen asleep, the Smart Sleep Control feature will switch off the OnePlus TV immediately. Users can also use a click on their wrist to browse through content, manage the TV volume, and change other settings.
Smartphone Connectivity with OnePlus Connect 2.0
In addition to the features listed above, users of the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro can use the OnePlus Connect 2.0 to connect their smartphone to their OnePlus TV. The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro leverages the novel smart features of the OnePlus Connect software (2.0 version) to allow users to use their smartphone as a remote control for their TV. They may also use the OnePlus TV to connect up to five devices at once. In fact, as a newly added smart feature, users may now use the OnePlus Connect capabilities without a Wi-Fi or data connection, managing the TV or casting local movies without relying on Wi-Fi or mobile data. The host of smart features with OnePlus Connect 2.0 also includes users having complete control over their data usage on the OnePlus TV by easily limiting network bandwidth or video resolutions based on their own data preferences, as well as regularly monitoring their OnePlus TV's data usage via the OnePlus Connect app.
Smarter Curated Content with OxygenPlay 2.0
With OxygenPlay 2.0, the new OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro provides a diverse range of international and local entertainment. OxygenPlay 2.0, serves as a platform for discovering a wide universe of movies and series, enabling consumers to effortlessly access content from notable content partners. Users can also have immediate access to over 230 live channels as part of OxygenPlay 2.0 on their new OnePlus TVs, as well as remain up to date on the latest news and sports updates.
Cinematic Sound
The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro, powered by Dolby Audio, provides a cinematic sound experience to fully immerse users in their favorite shows, while the surround sound system delivers crystal clarity. In addition, the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro includes two full-range speakers with a total output of 24W, allowing customers to experience every single beat and rhythm without missing a beat.
Premium Design
Users may enjoy their favorite content with a boundless viewing experience owing to the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro's distinctive bezel-less design. The premium and stylish design language that distinguishes the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro has been masterfully crafted.
Price, Availability and Offers
Priced at INR 32,999, the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro is available on Amazon.in, as well as OnePlus.in, OnePlus Experience Stores and the major offline partner stores* from July 7 onwards.
Customers can avail the following exciting offers: Axis Bank customers can avail an instant bank discount of INR 3000 upon purchase of the new OnePlus TVs Customers can avail no-cost EMI offers up to 9 months for the same across major bank transactions on Amazon.in and OnePlus.in, and can similarly avail the same on Axis Bank transactions upon purchase of new OnePlus TVs in offline stores Amazon customers can further gain a complimentary Amazon Prime subscription of 12 months upon purchase of the new OnePlus TV on Amazon.in These offers are applicable across Amazon.in, OnePlus Experience Stores and other offline partner stores.
The new iOS 16 feature which lets a user edit or delete messages after they have hit the send button, is raising abuse concerns from all around the globe. Users believe this ability can be used for nefarious purposes violating the safety and privacy of the iOS users. Tech giants Apple announced several features that will arrive on iOS 16 from the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2022 and this feature was the highlight.
What is the new iOS 16 feature?
Users of iOS 16 will be able to edit or unsend an already sent message on iMessage. This feature will be helpful for several occasions, including ones arising from typos. Users will have a time period of 15 minutes within which they will be able to perform this action. Apple has not yet clarified if this feature will be only iOS to iOS or if they are venturing into the iOS to Android space as well.
This feature stood out among others, and several users felt this was a welcome change.
What is the concern with iOS?
The iOS 16 feature, even though well-received, has sparked doubts about the negative use of editing or unsending a message after it has been sent. The main concern circles around abuse, stating the fact that abusive messages can be deleted or edited after they have been used.
Some users are even blaming Apple for overstepping their boundaries with the addition of such a feature which can put users’ safety and privacy at risk. The promise to edit or unsend a message on iMessage by Apple is promising, but the tech giants should take the abuse concern seriously if they are to go ahead on this promise.
Some of the other features Apple has worked on for iOS 16 include a customisable Lock Screen with Widgets, Integration of smartphones as a Webcam on your Mac and Medication Tracking on Apple Watch.
Following the new Indian cybersecurity norms from Govt. of India’s CERT-In department, the leading global VPN (Virtual Private Network) provider ExpressVPN is shutting down its servers operating in the country. It calls out the new VPN regulations by our government to be counter-intuitive to the core reasoning behind using a VPN solution. Let’s understand what the new VPN policies of the center are and how it impacts the VPN business and the end-user.
What are the new VPN rules of India?
On April 28, 2022, CERT-In issued a press release titled, “Directions relating to information security practices, procedure, prevention, response and reporting of cyber incidents for Safe & Trusted Internet”.
CERT-In for the uninitiated, stands for Computer Emergency Response Team that oversees protection of cybersecurity. Coming the the issue at hand, it warns of certain gaps in the cybersecurity rules that are apparently hindering incident analysis.
It notes its new rules try to address “the directions cover aspects relating to synchronization of ICT system clocks; mandatory reporting of cyber incidents to CERT-In; maintenance of logs of ICT systems; subscriber/customer registrations details by Data centers, Virtual Private Server (VPS) providers, VPN Service providers, Cloud service providers; KYC norms and practices by virtual asset service providers, virtual asset exchange providers, and custodian wallet providers. These directions shall enhance the overall cyber security posture and ensure safe & trusted Internet in the country”.
Simply put, Government wants VPN companies with domestic servers must keep records of user data like names, mobile numbers, email IDs, IP addresses, etc for at least 5 years. This is said to be for tackling cybercrime that are relying on VPNs.
Why is ExpressVPN discontinuing its Indian servers?
There is the aforementioned CERT-In rule. But also it is as Minister of State for Electronics and Information and Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar had cautioned the VPN brands. He had said,"“If you’re a VPN that wants to hide and be anonymous about those who use VPNs and you don’t want to go by these rules, then if you want to pull out (from the country), frankly, that is the only opportunity you will have. You will have to pull out.”
So in reaction to this ExpressVPN remarked, “The law is also overreaching and so broad as to open up the window for potential abuse. We believe the damage done by potential misuse of this kind of law far outweighs any benefit that lawmakers claim would come from it”.
The company thinks this would “limit the Internet freedom” and blames the new Indian cyber laws to be “incompatible with the purpose of VPNs, which are designed to keep users’ online activity private”.
How do the Indian Cyber rules and ExpressVPN quitting its servers affect users?
ExpressVPN’s Indian subscribers can still use the VPN through “virtual” India servers set in the UK and Singapore.
Assuring its Indian users, ExpressVPN says, “We will never collect logs of user activity, including no logging of browsing history, traffic destination, data content, or DNS queries. We also never store connection logs, meaning no logs of IP addresses, outgoing VPN IP addresses, connection timestamps, or session durations”.
As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
WhatsApp users woke up to an enticing new offer from the Meta brand. This is a cashback deal wherein you will receive up to ₹105 credited to your bank account for using the WhatsApp Payments. All you need to do is send money to people in your WhatsApp contacts. Follow the steps below to know how it works. It’s a limited-time offer. So, you better hasten if you don’t want to miss out on free money.
How to get the WhatsApp UPI Cashback Offer Of Up To Rs. 105
1. Open the WhatsApp app and you will see a banner at the top of the main conversation screen. It seems to be working on the latest version of regular WhatsApp (stable version). It wasn’t appearing on our WhatsApp Business app.
2. After accepting to get started, you will be prompted to select your bank. From the list of bank names, choose the one you would like to use for the WhatsApp UPI service.
3. Then you will have to verify your number. When you click on Verify, you will be asked to send an SMS to the selected bank in order to validate your number is registered with that particular bank account.
4. Once the verification process is done and your related bank accounts are connected to WhatsApp UPI, you should be able to send and receive money using WhatsApp Pay UPI. Ensure you are on a stable internet connection and the SIM is properly inserted in the phone for everything to work as intended.
5. If the WhatsApp UPI setup is done properly and functioning, you can send an amount as low as ₹1 and get a credit of ₹35 per successful transaction. Do it thrice to three different contacts, and gain up to a total of ₹105. As for the sending process, it's as simple as going to a contact chat window, tapping on the Rupee icon at the bottom bar and select the receiver. If the other person is already registered with the service, you can send money straight away, or else you can invite them. You can also access the Payments option from the 3-dot menu on the top bar of WhatsApp Android app or from the Settings in WhatsApp for iOS app.
Note that if you send money to the same contact, again and again, you won’t get the cashback each subsequent time. So, it is one cashback reward per contact.
The WhatsApp cashback promotion is being rolled out to select users only. It will show up to different users at different times. So, watch out! You’ll know if you are eligible if you see a gift icon while sending money to an eligible recipient. You can read more about your eligibility here.
Let’s see if Meta manages to attract more customers to its WhatsApp Pay platform through this cashback program.
As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Twitter is now a private company and Elon Musk is its owner. As expected, the company announced that it has accepted Musk’s $54.20 per share buyout offer. The world’s richest person is paying $44 billion in cash to acquire the social media platform. He is making a $21 billion equity commitment and the remainder is sourced in the form of debt and margin loan financing.
Musk, a strong advocate of free-speech wants to free the blue-bird app from the supposed cage of censorship. Even the Twitter founder and ex-CEO Jack Dorsey says, “Elon is the singular solution I trust”.
In principle, I don’t believe anyone should own or run Twitter. It wants to be a public good at a protocol level, not a company. Solving for the problem of it being a company however, Elon is the singular solution I trust. I trust his mission to extend the light of consciousness.
— jack (@jack) April 26, 2022
So, let’s see how Musk envisions this free-speech future for Twitter.
Elon Musk on making Twitter a free-speech digital town square
Commenting on the Twitter deal announcement, Musk said, "Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated. I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spambots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it."
As some critics are suggesting, a way Musk, a Twitter power user, can act for the betterment of the platform is by introducing changes to make his new purchase a powerful and secure messaging solution as well as a community platform that can work on scale.
Speaking of scale, how he intends to fix the content moderation challenges and whether he is planning to kill all bots, even the useful ones, is something to be seen.
Previously, while making his “best and final offer”, Musk had said, “I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy. However, since making my investment I now realize the company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form. Twitter needs to be transformed as a private company. Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.”
That’s Elon for you. The guy now has a social media platform under his belt that already included SpaceX, Tesla, The Boring Company, and Neuralink.
Let’s see how things pan out for Twitter in the coming times.
Meanwhile, Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has said while announcing the deal, "Twitter has a purpose and relevance that impacts the entire world. Deeply proud of our teams and inspired by the work that has never been more important."
Later at a town-hall meeting, he was quoted as saying, "Once the deal closes, we don't know which direction the platform will go. We don’t have all the answers. This is a period of uncertainty.”
As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
You don’t search for something online, you Google it! However, sometimes, we may want to quickly delete what we Googled recently, say the search results of the last 15 minutes. Well, Google has just added that ability within its Android app. The latest update of the Google app for Android brings a ‘Delete Last 15 Minutes’ feature for some users that lets them do what it says. This option can be accessed by tapping the G logo or the profile icon at the top-right corner of the app.
How to delete the last 15 minutes of your Google Search history
Delete last 15 minutes option on Google for Android | Source: Mishaal Rahman
Open the Google Android app Tap on the round icon at the top right corner which could be either the Google ‘G’ logo or your profile photo. Now in the list of options, there is the new ‘Delete Last 15 Minutes’ feature. Click that and you’ll get the message that “Deleting history. Changes will show in your account soon”.
Delete last 15 minutes option on Google for Android | Source: Mishaal Rahman
Now this feature was first announced at Google I/O 2021 and it is only reaching the broader Android market as we are inching closer to Google I/O 2022. Also, note that not all users have got the feature even if they are in the latest Google app update. So, if you haven’t got it, we suggest you be patient and in time it should be available on your Android phone too.
Delete last 15 minutes option on Google for iOS | Source: Google
Meanwhile, Google also permits you to auto-delete activity older than 3, 18, or 36 months. It will be 18 months by default and you can change it to the other options.
Google says it records your search activity for creating “personalized experiences across Google services.”
Over the years, the company has introduced various measures to educate and ensure its users’ online privacy starting with the search they do on its platform. You can dig into the ‘My Activity’ or ‘Manage your Google Account’ sections of the Google settings. So, you could take a look at that.
It’s better to know what Google knows about you and manage that as well as your overall online activities as an informed netizen. We will be sharing more such information with you. You can read Digit.in for similar how-tos, news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews, and everything else tech-related.
YouTube Transcript is being released on Android and select users have got the update as per AndroidPolice. You can update the YouTube Android app to the latest version from Google Play Store. So, once you have this feature, you don’t have to watch the video in its entirety if all you need is a particular portion of it. Using the new transcription option, you can skip to the time or position in the video that matters to you.
You also get a brief overview or content summary of the video by simply reading the text next to timecodes.
Now, in case you haven’t got the feature on your Android phone, note that it is a server-based update and you should get it eventually.
Here’s how this new video transcription on YouTube Android works:
How to see YouTube Transcript on Phone
Show Transcript | Via Android Police
If you have the latest YouTube app on your Android smartphone, and the update has been pushed by Google, just simply search and play for a video that may have the timestamps. Once the video is live and if the YouTuber has added the timecodes, you will see it in the video description. You just have to tap on the Show Transcript button. You will then see the timestamps with their short description populated like a list between the provided chapters (if any) and the More (uploads) from the channel section. You can scroll through it and tap on the blue-coloured timecode which is linked to the given time in that video.
Although we haven’t got the update on our end, it is reported to be rather similar to the YouTube Transcript on desktop, just without the option to quickly search through those lines using a keyboard command.
You can try if it is available on your phone and check if the video transcriptions show up on Digit videos.
Speaking of which, for more news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, stay tuned into Digit.
YouTube, owned by Google, is introducing a new layout for its Android and iOS mobile applications full-screen player. The new UI makes it simpler for users to Like, Dislike, Comment, and Share videos. The new interface places buttons for all of these functions directly on the video, eliminating the need for users to swipe up or shut the full-screen window to share, like, or hate a video and do other things with it.
The new feature (spotted by 9to5Google) is only visible while viewers are watching a video in full-screen mode. Aside from that, there has been no modification or update to the YouTube app on either Android or iOS. In landscape mode, the new update also makes it easier to see the comments area alongside the video. Before the upgrade, viewers had to touch on the comments area to access the comments or minimise the video to open it. Users may now switch to full-screen mode and access them by touching the comment button.
The new YouTube UI has already begun to be rolled out to Android and iOS users. The modifications are visible on our Android smartphone. If the function has not yet arrived on your smartphone, we recommend that you wait a few days.
YouTube has introduced yearly subscription levels for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music users. Users will be able to pay for their YouTube membership in a 12-month non-recurring subscription at once using these arrangements. The new plans were only available in a few countries, including India and the United States, and YouTube is presently giving a discount for yearly subscriptions.
Users can choose for yearly subscriptions at a lower cost with the initial promotional discounted pricing through January 23. The yearly plan for YouTube Premium costs Rs 1,159 under the deal, while the annual plan for YouTube Music Premium costs Rs 889.
Apple’s first event of the year is expected to be held in the month of March or April. In this spring event, the company is rumored to launch the “widest array” of products including possibly new iPhones, iPads, iMac, redesigned Macbook Air, Apple Watches, and AirPods. Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has predicted the debut of an iPhone SE 3 and iPad Air 5 with flagship chipset and other improvements. Adding confidence to this is a recent report from 91Mobiles that states new iPhones and iPads have been imported to India for testing purpose.
The report claims to have spotted multiple models of the iPhone SE 3, a new iPad Air, as well as an entry-grade iPad. What’s more is that the listed price on the iPhone SE 3 appears to be around $300 (which translates to approximately Rs 23,000).
Here’s everything the report divulges:
iPhone SE 3 leaked pricing from the imported testing units
The three iPhone SE 3 models that have been spotted carry model numbers — A2595, A2783, and A2784.
While the source of the report hasn’t specified the name of the iPhone, it is speculated that it is the long-rumored Apple iPhone SE 3.
From some of the past reports, we have learned that the device could come with a design reminiscent of the iPhone SE 2. Not only that, it is said to present a 4.7-inch screen with thick bezels and a Touch ID sensor on the front. Meanwhile, there are also speculations that the device could upgrade to a newer notched fascia akin to an iPhone XR. Further, it is likely to measure 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm (8.2mm with the camera bump).
Internally, it could ship with either Apple’s A14 Bionic or A15 Bionic processor coupled with 5G capability.
That’s more or less what we know about this iPhone SE 3. And as for the iPads, two models with A2588 and A2589 numbers have been spotted with price tags ranging between $500 and $700 (approximately ₹37,500 to ₹52,300). This may be the iPad Air update. Also, there is this entry-level model allegedly priced at $300 (apprximately ₹22,500), that could tag along.
Needless to say, the original pricing could very well differ from the mentioned tags of these import units. And so, you are advised to take the details mentioned with a pinch of salt.
