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Apple&nbsp;was&nbsp;charged by&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model.

iPhone maker&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;found itself in the&nbsp;European Commission's crosshairs following a complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify two years ago, which said that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;unfairly restricts rivals to its own music streaming service&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Music on iPhones.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;competition enforcer in its so-called statement of objections setting out the&nbsp;charge&nbsp;said the issue related to&nbsp;Apple's restrictive rules for its&nbsp;App&nbsp;Store&nbsp;that force developers to use its own in-app&nbsp;payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchasing options.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-senators-question-apple-and-google-on-app-store-dominance-379186">US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance</a>

"By setting strict rules on the&nbsp;App&nbsp;store&nbsp;that disadvantage competing music streaming services,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition,"&nbsp;European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement.

"This is done by charging high commission fees on each transaction in the&nbsp;App&nbsp;store&nbsp;for rivals and by forbidding them from informing their customers of alternative subscription options," she said.

This is the first&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;charge&nbsp;against&nbsp;Apple, a move that could lead to fines of as much as 10 per cent of its global turnover. Reuters was the first to report about the imminent&nbsp;EU&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;charge&nbsp;in March.

Apple&nbsp;will have the opportunity to respond to the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;charges before the&nbsp;EU&nbsp;competition enforcer makes a final ruling. It can offer concessions to stave off the fine without any finding of wrongdoing.

The&nbsp;EU&nbsp;charge&nbsp;comes a week before&nbsp;Apple's face-off with Epic Games in a US&nbsp;antitrust&nbsp;trial following a lawsuit by the "Fortnite" creator alleging that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;has abused its dominance in the market for mobile&nbsp;apps.

Epic has complained to the Commission on the same issues.

Last month, the UK Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;after complaints the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for&nbsp;app&nbsp;developers were unfair.

Apple was charged by EU antitrust regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model.

Apple was charged by EU antitrust regulators on Friday of abusing its dominance in the music streaming market via restrictive rules, the first case out of four that could lead to a hefty fine and changes in its lucrative business model. iPhone maker Apple found itself in the European Commission's crosshairs following a complaint by Swedish music streaming service Spotify two years ago, which said that Apple unfairly restricts rivals to its own music streaming service Apple Music on iPhones. The EU competition enforcer in its so-called statement of objections setting out the charge said the issue related to Apple's restrictive rules for its App Store that force developers to use its own in-app payment system and prevent them from informing users of other purchasing options. Also read | US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance "By setting strict rules on the App store that disadvantage competing music streaming services, Apple deprives users of cheaper music streaming choices and distorts competition," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. "This is done by charging high commission fees on each transaction in the App store for rivals and by forbidding them from informing their customers of alternative subscription options," she said. This is the first EU antitrust charge against Apple, a move that could lead to fines of as much as 10 per cent of its global turnover. Reuters was the first to report about the imminent EU antitrust charge in March. Apple will have the opportunity to respond to the EU charges before the EU competition enforcer makes a final ruling. It can offer concessions to stave off the fine without any finding of wrongdoing. The EU charge comes a week before Apple's face-off with Epic Games in a US antitrust trial following a lawsuit by the "Fortnite" creator alleging that Apple has abused its dominance in the market for mobile apps. Epic has complained to the Commission on the same issues. Last month, the UK Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation into Apple after complaints the iPhone maker's terms and conditions for app developers were unfair.

Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims.

The report from AppFigures, an analytics, app data and analysis firm claims that "permission prompts" have been accepted by 10,000 applications, news agency IANS reported. The report claims that at least 10,000 applications have enabled permission requests to track "Identification for Developer (IDFA)" tags of users that fall in line with the company latest guidelines.

Even then, the guidelines have a long way to go before finding acceptance on the App Store where at least two million applications exist, according to a report by Apple Insider. Out of the 10,000 apps that have accepted ATT, games account for the largest number with 20 per cent of the total applications.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-hit-with-eu-antitrust-charge-over-app-store-practices-381696" hreflang="en">Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices</a> 
 
Categories including utilities, entertainment, news and shopping have an acceptance rate of 6 per cent so far. Apps that track user data significantly - social media applications are yet to majorly conform to ATT, accounting for only 5 per cent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/apple-inc-to-roll-out-ios-update-to-limit-digital-advertisers-from-tracking-iphone-users-380692" hreflang="en">Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users</a>

The report suggests that these "prompts" put forward by application developers include an array of requests to track user data. These include prompts with detailed explanations to default text. The report adds that many also include misleading statements. 
 
The approval from Apple could take a while as the company sifts through thousands of updates that came after the release of iOS 14.5 on Monday, the report added. Apple recently introduced ATT to its iOS, iPadOS and tvOS platforms. It has stirred mixed reactions from everyone for it requires developers to seek permission from users before tracking them in applications across the web.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims.

At least 10,000 mobile applications on Apple's iOS store App Store have conformed with the company's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature a week after it was rolled out, a new report claims. The report from AppFigures, an analytics, app data and analysis firm claims that "permission prompts" have been accepted by 10,000 applications, news agency IANS reported. The report claims that at least 10,000 applications have enabled permission requests to track "Identification for Developer (IDFA)" tags of users that fall in line with the company latest guidelines. Even then, the guidelines have a long way to go before finding acceptance on the App Store where at least two million applications exist, according to a report by Apple Insider. Out of the 10,000 apps that have accepted ATT, games account for the largest number with 20 per cent of the total applications. Also read: Apple hit with EU antitrust charge over App Store practices Categories including utilities, entertainment, news and shopping have an acceptance rate of 6 per cent so far. Apps that track user data significantly - social media applications are yet to majorly conform to ATT, accounting for only 5 per cent. Also read: Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users The report suggests that these "prompts" put forward by application developers include an array of requests to track user data. These include prompts with detailed explanations to default text. The report adds that many also include misleading statements. The approval from Apple could take a while as the company sifts through thousands of updates that came after the release of iOS 14.5 on Monday, the report added. Apple recently introduced ATT to its iOS, iPadOS and tvOS platforms. It has stirred mixed reactions from everyone for it requires developers to seek permission from users before tracking them in applications across the web. (With inputs from agencies)

Only 10,000 iOS apps follow Apple's new user tracking guidelines so far: Report

Can you turn a wristwatch into an explosive, or perhaps you're able to design some X-ray glasses to see who is carrying a concealed weapon? If so, perhaps you should apply to be the next "Q" at Britain's MI6 foreign spy service.

The head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service said on Thursday that the spy agency was hunting for a new&nbsp;tech&nbsp;chief, "Director General Q", known to all James Bond film fans simply as "Q".

"We’re looking for a new ‘Q’. If you want to serve your country by helping MI6 to develop the operational&nbsp;technology of the future, please take a look," Richard Moore wrote on Twitter.

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As I said in my weekend interview, we’re looking for a new ‘Q’. If you want to serve your country by helping MI6 to develop the operational technology of the future, please take a look - <a href="https://t.co/y7ifHaEeDP">https://t.co/y7ifHaEeDP</a>
— Richard Moore (@ChiefMI6) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChiefMI6/status/1387679757119246339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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In the Bond films, "Q" has furnished agent 007 with an array of gadgets from an Aston Martin sports car with passenger ejector seat to a ballpoint pen that turns into a grenade.

However, according to the job description the real-life version will be "responsible for the teams who create and adopt&nbsp;technologies to enable our mission against the UK’s hardest adversaries".

"You turn disruptive&nbsp;technologies from threats to our operations into opportunities, putting MI6 at the leading edge of digital innovation," it says.

In the Bond movies, Q has been played by men such as Desmond Llewelyn, Geoffrey Bayldon and John Cleese, but in 2017 the former MI6 chief disclosed that the job was actually held by an unidentified woman.

The ad warned that the successful candidate would "not be publicly avowed", while there was no mention of any ability to design watches with lasers or bagpipes that turn into flamethrowers.

"Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that anymore," Ben Whishaw, the current screen version of Q told a disgruntled Daniel Craig as Bond in the 2012 film "Skyfall".

(With inputs from agencies)

Can you turn a wristwatch into an explosive, or perhaps you're able to design some X-ray glasses to see who is carrying a concealed weapon? If so, perhaps you should apply to be the next "Q" at Britain's MI6 foreign spy service.

Can you turn a wristwatch into an explosive, or perhaps you're able to design some X-ray glasses to see who is carrying a concealed weapon? If so, perhaps you should apply to be the next "Q" at Britain's MI6 foreign spy service. The head of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service said on Thursday that the spy agency was hunting for a new tech chief, "Director General Q", known to all James Bond film fans simply as "Q". "We’re looking for a new ‘Q’. If you want to serve your country by helping MI6 to develop the operational technology of the future, please take a look," Richard Moore wrote on Twitter. As I said in my weekend interview, we’re looking for a new ‘Q’. If you want to serve your country by helping MI6 to develop the operational technology of the future, please take a look - https://t.co/y7ifHaEeDP — Richard Moore (@ChiefMI6) April 29, 2021 × In the Bond films, "Q" has furnished agent 007 with an array of gadgets from an Aston Martin sports car with passenger ejector seat to a ballpoint pen that turns into a grenade. However, according to the job description the real-life version will be "responsible for the teams who create and adopt technologies to enable our mission against the UK’s hardest adversaries". "You turn disruptive technologies from threats to our operations into opportunities, putting MI6 at the leading edge of digital innovation," it says. In the Bond movies, Q has been played by men such as Desmond Llewelyn, Geoffrey Bayldon and John Cleese, but in 2017 the former MI6 chief disclosed that the job was actually held by an unidentified woman. The ad warned that the successful candidate would "not be publicly avowed", while there was no mention of any ability to design watches with lasers or bagpipes that turn into flamethrowers. "Were you expecting an exploding pen? We don't really go in for that anymore," Ben Whishaw, the current screen version of Q told a disgruntled Daniel Craig as Bond in the 2012 film "Skyfall". (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's Secret Intelligence Service MI6 looking for new 'Q' spy tech master

A study published in the Journal of General Psychology contended that Google searches in the United States related to violence against women saw a sharp rise during the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Shockingly, the search engine was used by a huge number of users to find answers to some horrifying questions.

Reportedly, the study contends that the phrases "How to control your woman" and “how to hit a woman so no one knows" were each googled 165 million times. Similarly problematic phrases such as "Help me, he won’t leave" was allegedly Googled over 1.2 billion times.

The phrase “I am going to kill her when she gets home” was searched 178 million times, an increase of 39 per cent compared to 2019.&nbsp;

It raises concerns about the wider public health costs of a pandemic that has already claimed more than 3 million lives.&nbsp;

The University of Otago study examines the growing volume of Google search queries related to male violence, despondency and insecurity, linking the terms to American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

“He beats me up all the time” had 320 million searches, an increase of 36 per cent.

“These queries gauge Maslow’s basic and psychological needs strata—care, comfort, safety, security, social belonging and esteem—and signal potential threat, harm and violence,” the research says.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A study published in the Journal of General Psychology contended that Google searches in the United States related to violence against women saw a sharp rise during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A study published in the Journal of General Psychology contended that Google searches in the United States related to violence against women saw a sharp rise during the Covid-19 pandemic. Shockingly, the search engine was used by a huge number of users to find answers to some horrifying questions. Reportedly, the study contends that the phrases "How to control your woman" and “how to hit a woman so no one knows" were each googled 165 million times. Similarly problematic phrases such as "Help me, he won’t leave" was allegedly Googled over 1.2 billion times. The phrase “I am going to kill her when she gets home” was searched 178 million times, an increase of 39 per cent compared to 2019. It raises concerns about the wider public health costs of a pandemic that has already claimed more than 3 million lives. The University of Otago study examines the growing volume of Google search queries related to male violence, despondency and insecurity, linking the terms to American psychologist Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. “He beats me up all the time” had 320 million searches, an increase of 36 per cent. “These queries gauge Maslow’s basic and psychological needs strata—care, comfort, safety, security, social belonging and esteem—and signal potential threat, harm and violence,” the research says. (With inputs from agencies)

Google trends imply femicide: 'I am going to kill her' searched 178 million times in 2020

The demand for millions of barrels of oil every day may soon be wiped out by electric cars. According to recent figures, the number of electric vehicles on the world’s roads is set to increase from 11 million vehicles to 145 million by the end of the decade.

According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, as a method to achieve global climate targets; if governments around the world, agree to encourage the production of low-carbon vehicles, there could be 230 million electric vehicles worldwide by 2030.

Sales in the first quarter of the year 2021 were more than 2.5 times or 250 per cent higher than in the same months last year, found IEA’s first global report on electric vehicles.

In 2020, a record three million new electric cars were registered around the world, bringing the total number of electric cars to 10 million, despite the economic slowdown, which has caused the global car industry to shrink by 16 per cent. In addition, the number of other electric vehicles like electric vans, heavy trucks and buses stand at approximately one million.

This increase in the number of electric cars is expected to have significant implications on oil companies,&nbsp;as the profits&nbsp;they make from producing crude depend on the demand for transport fuels.

By 2030, Electric vehicles could potentially remove the requirement of approximately two million barrels a day of diesel and petrol, and save the equivalent of 120m tonnes of carbon dioxide.

If governments were to increase their ambition for electric road transport by aligning them with global climate targets, doubling the carbon savings these vehicles could displace about 3.5m barrels of oil a day.

According to IEA reports, with $120 billion consumer spending on electric vehicles last year, a 50 per cent&nbsp;increase in spending was witnessed as compared to 2019. This boom has multi-billion-dollar implications for the global automotive industry. &nbsp;Last year also witnessed carmakers offering 370 electric models to the market, an increase of 40 per cent from 2019 numbers.

IEA’s executive director, Fatih Birol said, "Current sales trends&nbsp;are very encouraging&nbsp;but our shared climate and energy goals call for even faster market uptake," said.

The IEA report calls for "stronger ambition and action from all countries", calling the production of sufficient electric vehicles to put the world on the course to meet its climate targets, a "formidable challenge".

The demand for millions of barrels of oil every day may soon be wiped out by electric cars. According to recent figures, the number of electric vehicles on the world’s roads is set to increase from 11 million vehicles to 145 million by the end of the decade.

The demand for millions of barrels of oil every day may soon be wiped out by electric cars. According to recent figures, the number of electric vehicles on the world’s roads is set to increase from 11 million vehicles to 145 million by the end of the decade. According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, as a method to achieve global climate targets; if governments around the world, agree to encourage the production of low-carbon vehicles, there could be 230 million electric vehicles worldwide by 2030. Sales in the first quarter of the year 2021 were more than 2.5 times or 250 per cent higher than in the same months last year, found IEA’s first global report on electric vehicles. In 2020, a record three million new electric cars were registered around the world, bringing the total number of electric cars to 10 million, despite the economic slowdown, which has caused the global car industry to shrink by 16 per cent. In addition, the number of other electric vehicles like electric vans, heavy trucks and buses stand at approximately one million. This increase in the number of electric cars is expected to have significant implications on oil companies, as the profits they make from producing crude depend on the demand for transport fuels. By 2030, Electric vehicles could potentially remove the requirement of approximately two million barrels a day of diesel and petrol, and save the equivalent of 120m tonnes of carbon dioxide. If governments were to increase their ambition for electric road transport by aligning them with global climate targets, doubling the carbon savings these vehicles could displace about 3.5m barrels of oil a day. According to IEA reports, with $120 billion consumer spending on electric vehicles last year, a 50 per cent increase in spending was witnessed as compared to 2019. This boom has multi-billion-dollar implications for the global automotive industry. Last year also witnessed carmakers offering 370 electric models to the market, an increase of 40 per cent from 2019 numbers. IEA’s executive director, Fatih Birol said, "Current sales trends are very encouraging but our shared climate and energy goals call for even faster market uptake," said. The IEA report calls for "stronger ambition and action from all countries", calling the production of sufficient electric vehicles to put the world on the course to meet its climate targets, a "formidable challenge".

Increased demand for electric vehicles can affect oil market: Study

The UK government on Wednesday became the first country to announce it will regulate the use of self-driving vehicles at slow speeds on motorways, with the first such cars possibly appearing on public roads as soon as this year. 
 
Britain`s transport ministry said it was working on specific wording to update the country`s highway code for the safe use of self-driving vehicle systems, starting with Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) - which use sensors and software to keep cars within a lane, allowing them to accelerate and brake without driver input. 
 
The government said the use of ALKS would be restricted to motorways, at speeds under 37 miles (60 km) per hour. 
 
The UK government wants to be at the forefront of rolling out autonomous driving technology and the transport ministry forecasts by 2035 around 40% of new UK cars could have self-driving capabilities, creating up to 38,000 new skilled jobs. 
 
"The automotive industry welcomes this vital step to permit the use of automated vehicles on UK roads, which will put Britain in the vanguard of road safety and automotive technology," Mike Hawes, CEO of car industry lobby group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said in a statement. 
 
But insurance companies warn that Britain`s goal of being a leader in adopting self-driving cars could backfire unless automakers and regulators spell out the current limitations of the technology available today. 
 
They say calling ALKS `automated,` or using the synonymous term `self-driving`, will confuse British drivers into thinking the cars can drive themselves, causing accidents and risking a public backlash against the technology. 
 
"Aside from the lack of technical capabilities, by calling ALKS automated our concern also is that the UK Government is contributing to the confusion and frequent misuse of assisted driving systems that have unfortunately already led to many tragic deaths," said Matthew Avery, research director at Thatcham Research, which has tested ALKS systems. 
 
The dangers of drivers apparently misunderstanding the limits of technology has been an issue in the United States, where regulators are reviewing about 20 crashes involving Tesla`s driver assistance tools, such as its `Autopilot` system.

The UK government on Wednesday became the first country to announce it will regulate the use of self-driving vehicles at slow speeds on motorways, with the first such cars possibly appearing on public roads as soon as this year.

The UK government on Wednesday became the first country to announce it will regulate the use of self-driving vehicles at slow speeds on motorways, with the first such cars possibly appearing on public roads as soon as this year. Britain`s transport ministry said it was working on specific wording to update the country`s highway code for the safe use of self-driving vehicle systems, starting with Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) - which use sensors and software to keep cars within a lane, allowing them to accelerate and brake without driver input. The government said the use of ALKS would be restricted to motorways, at speeds under 37 miles (60 km) per hour. The UK government wants to be at the forefront of rolling out autonomous driving technology and the transport ministry forecasts by 2035 around 40% of new UK cars could have self-driving capabilities, creating up to 38,000 new skilled jobs. "The automotive industry welcomes this vital step to permit the use of automated vehicles on UK roads, which will put Britain in the vanguard of road safety and automotive technology," Mike Hawes, CEO of car industry lobby group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said in a statement. But insurance companies warn that Britain`s goal of being a leader in adopting self-driving cars could backfire unless automakers and regulators spell out the current limitations of the technology available today. They say calling ALKS `automated,` or using the synonymous term `self-driving`, will confuse British drivers into thinking the cars can drive themselves, causing accidents and risking a public backlash against the technology. "Aside from the lack of technical capabilities, by calling ALKS automated our concern also is that the UK Government is contributing to the confusion and frequent misuse of assisted driving systems that have unfortunately already led to many tragic deaths," said Matthew Avery, research director at Thatcham Research, which has tested ALKS systems. The dangers of drivers apparently misunderstanding the limits of technology has been an issue in the United States, where regulators are reviewing about 20 crashes involving Tesla`s driver assistance tools, such as its `Autopilot` system.

UK government greenlights 'self-driving' cars on motorways

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how&nbsp;children&nbsp; are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform.

Children as young as 13 years who have shown interest in smoking, gambling and extreme weight loss can be easily targeted through advertisements, the lobby group Reset Australia found, according to a report in The Guardian.

To prove its point, the organisation set up a Facebook page and an advertising account under the name “Ozzie news network” to ascertain what options the company provides through its platform for management of advertisements officially called “Ads Manager”.

Even though Facebook does not allow advertising alcohol to people aged below 18, it has no mechanisms in place to stop advertisers from targeting children who have shown interest in alcohol.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/gucci-facebook-file-joint-lawsuit-against-alleged-counterfeiter-380845" hreflang="en">Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter</a>

The lobby group found that Facebook allowed the page to advertise to approximately 740,000 children in the country aged between 13 and 17. In addition, they found that the page was allowed to advertise to teens aged below 18 who may have shown interest in alcohol, smoking, vaping, gambling, weight less, fast foods and online dating services among many things.

According to their findings, it would cost $3.03 to reach 52,000 teenagers for alcohol ads, while it would take $11.24 to reach 14,000 teens who may have shown interest in gambling.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/facebook-blocks-australian-mp-for-repeatedly-peddling-pandemic-misinformation-380475" hreflang="en">Facebook blocks Australian MP for repeatedly peddling pandemic misinformation</a>

Reset Australia has urged the Australian government to come up with a code to regulate children’s data and to assess how data of children is collected and used. They are urging for parents’ consent to be involved in the process and full transparency.

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how children are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform.

In yet another controversy for the social networking giant Facebook, a group has shed light on how children are targeted by businesses for age-inappropriate advertisements on the platform. Children as young as 13 years who have shown interest in smoking, gambling and extreme weight loss can be easily targeted through advertisements, the lobby group Reset Australia found, according to a report in The Guardian. To prove its point, the organisation set up a Facebook page and an advertising account under the name “Ozzie news network” to ascertain what options the company provides through its platform for management of advertisements officially called “Ads Manager”. Even though Facebook does not allow advertising alcohol to people aged below 18, it has no mechanisms in place to stop advertisers from targeting children who have shown interest in alcohol. Also read: Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter The lobby group found that Facebook allowed the page to advertise to approximately 740,000 children in the country aged between 13 and 17. In addition, they found that the page was allowed to advertise to teens aged below 18 who may have shown interest in alcohol, smoking, vaping, gambling, weight less, fast foods and online dating services among many things. According to their findings, it would cost $3.03 to reach 52,000 teenagers for alcohol ads, while it would take $11.24 to reach 14,000 teens who may have shown interest in gambling. Also read: Facebook blocks Australian MP for repeatedly peddling pandemic misinformation Reset Australia has urged the Australian government to come up with a code to regulate children’s data and to assess how data of children is collected and used. They are urging for parents’ consent to be involved in the process and full transparency.

Facebook allows advertisers to reach children interested in smoking, gambling: Research

Tesla&nbsp;said that the&nbsp;scrutiny of wreckage from a fatal crash in Texas indicated that someone was at the wheel, contrary to an early report that the driver's seat was empty.

During an earnings call on Monday, the electric car maker led by Elon Musk defended itself anew against a report that a&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;had been fooled into driving with no one behind the wheel, with tragic results.

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"It was claimed to be autopilot, but this is completely false," Musk responded while fielding questions.

Tesla&nbsp;has been working with federal and state investigators, and a study of the wreckage indicated there was someone at the wheel at the time of the impact, according to vice president of vehicle engineering&nbsp;Lars Moravy.

"We were able to find that the steering wheel was indeed deformed, leading to a likelihood that someone was in the driver's seat at the time of the crash," Moravy said on the call.

Tesla's auto-steer feature was not engaged, and all the seat belts were found to be unbuckled after the crash, according Moravy.

Tesla&nbsp;came under renewed scrutiny last week following a report its cars could be fooled into driving with no one behind the wheel, with two senators demanding a vigorous federal probe of the crash.

The accident, which killed two people, involved a&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;Model S that caught fire after hitting a tree late on April 17 near Houston. Investigators found no one in the driver's seat of the vehicle, local police said.

The developments added to questions about the high-flying electric car maker led by the mercurial Musk, who said last week that data logs show Autopilot was not engaged during the Texas crash.&nbsp;

On its website,&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;describes Autopilot as a driver enhancement system that, despite its name, requires a human operator.

"Autopilot enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane," the website says. "Current Autopilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous."

But engineers from Consumer Reports "easily tricked"&nbsp;Tesla's Autopilot to drive without anyone in the driver's seat, "a scenario that would present extreme danger if it were repeated on public roads," the magazine said on its website last week.

(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla said that the scrutiny of wreckage from a fatal crash in Texas indicated that someone was at the wheel, contrary to an early report that the driver's seat was empty.

Tesla said that the scrutiny of wreckage from a fatal crash in Texas indicated that someone was at the wheel, contrary to an early report that the driver's seat was empty. During an earnings call on Monday, the electric car maker led by Elon Musk defended itself anew against a report that a Tesla had been fooled into driving with no one behind the wheel, with tragic results. "It was claimed to be autopilot, but this is completely false," Musk responded while fielding questions. Tesla has been working with federal and state investigators, and a study of the wreckage indicated there was someone at the wheel at the time of the impact, according to vice president of vehicle engineering Lars Moravy. "We were able to find that the steering wheel was indeed deformed, leading to a likelihood that someone was in the driver's seat at the time of the crash," Moravy said on the call. Tesla's auto-steer feature was not engaged, and all the seat belts were found to be unbuckled after the crash, according Moravy. Tesla came under renewed scrutiny last week following a report its cars could be fooled into driving with no one behind the wheel, with two senators demanding a vigorous federal probe of the crash. The accident, which killed two people, involved a Tesla Model S that caught fire after hitting a tree late on April 17 near Houston. Investigators found no one in the driver's seat of the vehicle, local police said. The developments added to questions about the high-flying electric car maker led by the mercurial Musk, who said last week that data logs show Autopilot was not engaged during the Texas crash. On its website, Tesla describes Autopilot as a driver enhancement system that, despite its name, requires a human operator. "Autopilot enables your car to steer, accelerate and brake automatically within its lane," the website says. "Current Autopilot features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous." But engineers from Consumer Reports "easily tricked" Tesla's Autopilot to drive without anyone in the driver's seat, "a scenario that would present extreme danger if it were repeated on public roads," the magazine said on its website last week. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk's Tesla says it appears driver was at the wheel in crash

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival&nbsp;SpaceX by NASA.

On Monday, Blue Origin said it had filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, accusing the space agency of making tweaks for contract bidders at the last minute.

"NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System programme and moved the goalposts at the last minute",&nbsp;Reuters cited Blue&nbsp;Origin&nbsp;as saying in a statement.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-spacex-space-station-mission-new-era-in-space-exploration-302493/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the moon. Because of that, we've filed a protest with the GAO”, it added.

While Elon Musk’s SpaceX made the bid alone, Bezos’ Blue Origin made the bid in partnership with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/astronauts-arrive-at-space-station-aboard-spacex-endeavour-379931" hreflang="en">Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour</a>

The world’s first and third richest people respectively, Bezos and Musk have been competing to be at the helm of man’s return to moon for the first time since 1972.

The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. NASA says that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface.

"We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually on April 17.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/mars-sucks-people-troll-elon-musks-idea-of-space-colonisation-379864" hreflang="en">'Mars sucks!' People troll Elon Musk's idea of space colonisation</a>

Apollo landings from 1969-1972 mark the only human visits to the moon’s surface. Now, NASA is relying on private companies to send astronauts to the moon to complete its space ambition projects.

But before humans make the journey, SpaceX will be required to conduct a test flight of the lander to the moon.

(With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival SpaceX by NASA.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, the space rocket company, is now formally challenging the $2.9 billion moon lander contract which was recently awarded to its rival SpaceX by NASA. On Monday, Blue Origin said it had filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office, accusing the space agency of making tweaks for contract bidders at the last minute. "NASA has executed a flawed acquisition for the Human Landing System programme and moved the goalposts at the last minute", Reuters cited Blue Origin as saying in a statement. "Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America's return to the moon. Because of that, we've filed a protest with the GAO”, it added. While Elon Musk’s SpaceX made the bid alone, Bezos’ Blue Origin made the bid in partnership with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper. Also read: Astronauts arrive at space station aboard SpaceX Endeavour The world’s first and third richest people respectively, Bezos and Musk have been competing to be at the helm of man’s return to moon for the first time since 1972. The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. NASA says that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface. "We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually on April 17. Also read: 'Mars sucks!' People troll Elon Musk's idea of space colonisation Apollo landings from 1969-1972 mark the only human visits to the moon’s surface. Now, NASA is relying on private companies to send astronauts to the moon to complete its space ambition projects. But before humans make the journey, SpaceX will be required to conduct a test flight of the lander to the moon. (With inputs from agencies)

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin protests NASA's moon lander contract with Elon Musk's SpaceX

Apple&nbsp;Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users.

For&nbsp;Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites.

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For businesses, the rules could bring seismic changes to the nearly $100 billion mobile advertising market if most iPhone users decline to allow data collection, though the exact impact remains a question, according to industry experts.

Apple&nbsp;is requiring app developers who want to collect a digital advertising identifier from iPhone users to show a pop-up saying that the app “would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," along with an explanation from the app developer about why permission is being sought. Some mobile advertising analysts believe that fewer than one in three users are likely to grant permission.

iPhone owners also have a "tracking" menu in their phone's privacy settings where they can opt-out of tracking from all apps on their phone with a single switch or pick and choose among apps to grant permission to.

Both advertisers and app developers who sell ad inventory say if many iPhone users opt-out of tracking, it will make advertising less effective. The ad industry has long gathered data about people's web browsing behavior in order to serve up ads, such as for clothes or cars, that users might be interested in.

A shrinking pool of user data could lead to lower sales for brands and lower ad revenue for mobile apps and publishers.&nbsp;Apple's move has deepened a rift with Facebook Inc, which has said the change will hurt small businesses because it will impede their ability to cost-effectively find local customers to target with advertisements.

Apple&nbsp;has said it wanted to give its customers more control over whether data collected on them by apps is shared with third parties.

Can apps still collect data on iPhone users?

Yes, data collection is still allowed if it is spelled out in an app's privacy policy. The changes only affect whether app developers share data they collect with third parties, or mix their data with outside data from third parties, to help target ads.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;has introduced privacy "nutrition labels" to its App Store to show users what data apps collect.

Will iPhone apps still have ads?

Yes, iPhone users can still see ads even if they decline the new pop-up, as long as those ads are targeted using data the app developer has collected on its own. For example, a social network like Facebook Inc can still target ads based on first-party data such as which groups users join or which posts they like. But if Facebook wants to target ads based on data from which third-party websites users have used their Facebook credentials to log into, it will need to seek permission.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apple Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users. For Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that Apple believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites.

Apple Inc is rolling out an update of its iOS operating system with new privacy controls designed to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users. For Apple's more than 1 billion iPhone users, the change will mean a new pop-up notification in some apps seeking their permission to collect data that Apple believes could be used to track their browsing habits across third-party apps and websites. For businesses, the rules could bring seismic changes to the nearly $100 billion mobile advertising market if most iPhone users decline to allow data collection, though the exact impact remains a question, according to industry experts. Apple is requiring app developers who want to collect a digital advertising identifier from iPhone users to show a pop-up saying that the app “would like permission to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies," along with an explanation from the app developer about why permission is being sought. Some mobile advertising analysts believe that fewer than one in three users are likely to grant permission. iPhone owners also have a "tracking" menu in their phone's privacy settings where they can opt-out of tracking from all apps on their phone with a single switch or pick and choose among apps to grant permission to. Both advertisers and app developers who sell ad inventory say if many iPhone users opt-out of tracking, it will make advertising less effective. The ad industry has long gathered data about people's web browsing behavior in order to serve up ads, such as for clothes or cars, that users might be interested in. A shrinking pool of user data could lead to lower sales for brands and lower ad revenue for mobile apps and publishers. Apple's move has deepened a rift with Facebook Inc, which has said the change will hurt small businesses because it will impede their ability to cost-effectively find local customers to target with advertisements. Apple has said it wanted to give its customers more control over whether data collected on them by apps is shared with third parties. Can apps still collect data on iPhone users? Yes, data collection is still allowed if it is spelled out in an app's privacy policy. The changes only affect whether app developers share data they collect with third parties, or mix their data with outside data from third parties, to help target ads. Apple has introduced privacy "nutrition labels" to its App Store to show users what data apps collect. Will iPhone apps still have ads? Yes, iPhone users can still see ads even if they decline the new pop-up, as long as those ads are targeted using data the app developer has collected on its own. For example, a social network like Facebook Inc can still target ads based on first-party data such as which groups users join or which posts they like. But if Facebook wants to target ads based on data from which third-party websites users have used their Facebook credentials to log into, it will need to seek permission. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple Inc to roll out iOS update to limit digital advertisers from tracking iPhone users

In what can be called a shocking decision, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software.

As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/us-senators-question-apple-and-google-on-app-store-dominance-379186" hreflang="en">US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance</a>

Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels"&nbsp;the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world.

The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework"&nbsp;that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/apple-packs-ipad-pros-with-faster-chips-slims-imacs-and-jumps-into-tracking-tags-378985" hreflang="en">Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags</a>

"Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced.

The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook.

"Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used.

In what can be called a shocking decision, Apple has decided to g ahead with its unique privacy update to the software. As per the new privacy update in the software, all app makers will have to specifically spell out what tracking information is being collected from customers' phones and where is it being used. The app developers will also have to take permission before gathering any information from users. Also read | US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance Labelled as "privacy nutrition labels" the privacy update will be implemented in all iPhones across the globe from Monday and is assumed to be a nightmare for the advertising world. The software update is an "App Tracking Transparency framework" that will stop the apps from tracking or collecting any information unless permission is identified. Also read | Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags "Unless you receive permission from the user to enable tracking, the device's advertising identifier value will be all zeros and you may not track them," the tech company announced. The software update has not been happily accepted by the social media platforms such as Google and Facebook. "Apple has every incentive to use their dominant platform position to interfere with how our apps and other apps work, which they regularly do to preference their own," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "Apple may say that they're doing this to help people but the moves clearly track their competitive interests."

Apple to roll out new privacy update; Facebook, Google protest

A&nbsp;Lebanon-made&nbsp;electric&nbsp;car&nbsp;made its debut Saturday, the first time the Mediterranean country has manufactured an automobile, despite struggling amid a dire economic crisis with frequent power cuts.

The red sports&nbsp;car, named "Quds Rise", using the Arabic name of Jerusalem -- is the project of Lebanese-born Palestinian businessman Jihad Mohammad.&nbsp;It's the "first automobile to be made locally," Mohammad told reporters, at the unveiling in a parking lot south of Beirut.&nbsp;It was built in&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;"from start to finish", he said of the prototype, emblazoned at the front with a golden logo of the Dome of the Rock, the shrine in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site.&nbsp;The&nbsp;car&nbsp;is to cost $30,000.

Production of up to 10,000 vehicles is hoped to start later this year in&nbsp;Lebanon, with cars to hit the market in a year's time, said Mohammad, the director of&nbsp;Lebanon-based firm EV Electra.

Mohammad, 50, said he set up the company four years ago after years abroad, employing Lebanese and Palestinian engineers among 300 members of staff.&nbsp;He says his long-term goal is to compete on the international market for hybrid and&nbsp;electric&nbsp;cars, as well as to make sales in&nbsp;Lebanon.

But the unveiling comes as&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;struggles amid its worst economic crisis in decades, and imported&nbsp;car&nbsp;sales are at a record low, in part due to capital controls and drastic devaluation on the black market.

'Step in the right direction'?

Dealers sold just 62 new cars in the first two months of 2021, almost 97 per cent less than the same period a year before, figures released by the Association of Automobile Importers in&nbsp;Lebanon&nbsp;showed.

The economic crunch since late 2019 has plunged more than half the population into poverty.&nbsp;But Mohammad said potential Lebanese buyers would be offered the opportunity to pay for half the new&nbsp;electric&nbsp;car&nbsp;in dollars, with the rest paid in Lebanese pounds at an exchange rate better than the black market one, to be paid over five years without interest.

Lebanon&nbsp;also relies on fossil fuels for power generation, already insufficient for a population of around six million who suffer daily power cuts.&nbsp;To power its new&nbsp;electric&nbsp;cars, the firm plans to set up around 100 recharging stations across the country connected to generators.&nbsp;These could then be fuelled by solar and wind power generation, Mohammad said.

Independent energy analyst Jessica Obeid welcomed the innovation, but said the vehicles would only be environmentally friendly if the power sector underwent serious reform.&nbsp;"The energy sector is the biggest contributor to&nbsp;Lebanon's greenhouse gas emissions," and already under pressure due a shortage in dollars to import fuel, she told AFP.

But, she added, "if the&nbsp;electric&nbsp;vehicles have solar charging stations, then this would be a step in the right direction."

A Lebanon-made electric car made its debut Saturday, the first time the Mediterranean country has manufactured an automobile, despite struggling amid a dire economic crisis with frequent power cuts.

A Lebanon-made electric car made its debut Saturday, the first time the Mediterranean country has manufactured an automobile, despite struggling amid a dire economic crisis with frequent power cuts. The red sports car, named "Quds Rise", using the Arabic name of Jerusalem -- is the project of Lebanese-born Palestinian businessman Jihad Mohammad. It's the "first automobile to be made locally," Mohammad told reporters, at the unveiling in a parking lot south of Beirut. It was built in Lebanon "from start to finish", he said of the prototype, emblazoned at the front with a golden logo of the Dome of the Rock, the shrine in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site. The car is to cost $30,000. Production of up to 10,000 vehicles is hoped to start later this year in Lebanon, with cars to hit the market in a year's time, said Mohammad, the director of Lebanon-based firm EV Electra. Mohammad, 50, said he set up the company four years ago after years abroad, employing Lebanese and Palestinian engineers among 300 members of staff. He says his long-term goal is to compete on the international market for hybrid and electric cars, as well as to make sales in Lebanon. But the unveiling comes as Lebanon struggles amid its worst economic crisis in decades, and imported car sales are at a record low, in part due to capital controls and drastic devaluation on the black market. 'Step in the right direction'? Dealers sold just 62 new cars in the first two months of 2021, almost 97 per cent less than the same period a year before, figures released by the Association of Automobile Importers in Lebanon showed. The economic crunch since late 2019 has plunged more than half the population into poverty. But Mohammad said potential Lebanese buyers would be offered the opportunity to pay for half the new electric car in dollars, with the rest paid in Lebanese pounds at an exchange rate better than the black market one, to be paid over five years without interest. Lebanon also relies on fossil fuels for power generation, already insufficient for a population of around six million who suffer daily power cuts. To power its new electric cars, the firm plans to set up around 100 recharging stations across the country connected to generators. These could then be fuelled by solar and wind power generation, Mohammad said. Independent energy analyst Jessica Obeid welcomed the innovation, but said the vehicles would only be environmentally friendly if the power sector underwent serious reform. "The energy sector is the biggest contributor to Lebanon's greenhouse gas emissions," and already under pressure due a shortage in dollars to import fuel, she told AFP. But, she added, "if the electric vehicles have solar charging stations, then this would be a step in the right direction."

Lebanon launches first electric car despite crisis

SpaceX’s founder and CEO Elon Musk on Friday revealed his plans for humanity as the company races to put humans into space as soon as possible. Musk claims that he does not wan human beings to be limited to just Earth, and that humans should be a “multi-planet species”.

“We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said on Friday after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-story-of-elon-musk-355489/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“We need to get back there and have a permanent base on the moon”, Musk added while proposing a city to be built on Mars for humanity to become a “spacefaring civilisation” and a “multi-planet species”.

Currently, Musk’s company is working on its Starship series which are huge stainless steel rockets aimed at putting human beings on Mars and Moon.&nbsp;SpaceX is building them at its facility in Texas. The current Starship prototypes stand 150 feet tall. Each Starship requires three Raptor rocket engines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/elon-musk-announces-100-million-prize-money-to-fight-global-warming-379568" hreflang="en">Elon Musk announces $100 million prize money to fight global warming</a>

Last week, SpaceX won a NASA contract worth $2.9 billion to help the agency put astronauts on the moon. Currently, the estimated target for the mission is 2024.

The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. The agency added that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/elon-musks-spacex-wins-nasas-29-billion-moon-lander-contract-over-bezos-blue-origin-378081" hreflang="en">Elon Musk's SpaceX wins NASA's $2.9 billion moon lander contract over Bezos' Blue Origin</a>

"We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually.

According to NASA, SpaceX’s Starship system included a cabin and two airlocks to facilitate moonwalks. In addition, the architecture of the system allows it to to eventually used for reusable launch and landing.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

SpaceX’s founder and CEO Elon Musk on Friday revealed his plans for humanity as the company races to put humans into space as soon as possible. Musk claims that he does not wan human beings to be limited to just Earth, and that humans should be a “multi-planet species”.

SpaceX’s founder and CEO Elon Musk on Friday revealed his plans for humanity as the company races to put humans into space as soon as possible. Musk claims that he does not wan human beings to be limited to just Earth, and that humans should be a “multi-planet species”. “We don’t want to be one of those single planet species, we want to be a multi-planet species,” Musk said on Friday after the launch of SpaceX’s “Crew-2” mission. Musk added how it had been almost 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. “That’s too long”, he said. “We need to get back there and have a permanent base on the moon”, Musk added while proposing a city to be built on Mars for humanity to become a “spacefaring civilisation” and a “multi-planet species”. Currently, Musk’s company is working on its Starship series which are huge stainless steel rockets aimed at putting human beings on Mars and Moon. SpaceX is building them at its facility in Texas. The current Starship prototypes stand 150 feet tall. Each Starship requires three Raptor rocket engines. Also read: Elon Musk announces $100 million prize money to fight global warming Last week, SpaceX won a NASA contract worth $2.9 billion to help the agency put astronauts on the moon. Currently, the estimated target for the mission is 2024. The contract will see NASA’s first commercial human lander, constituent of its Artemis programme. The agency added that the lander will carry in it two American astronauts to the moon’s surface. Also read: Elon Musk's SpaceX wins NASA's $2.9 billion moon lander contract over Bezos' Blue Origin "We should accomplish the next landing as soon as possible… If they hit their milestones, we have a shot at 2024," Steve Jurczyk, NASA's acting administrator said during the announcement made virtually. According to NASA, SpaceX’s Starship system included a cabin and two airlocks to facilitate moonwalks. In addition, the architecture of the system allows it to to eventually used for reusable launch and landing. (With inputs from agencies)

Eyeing Mars, Elon Musk wants humans to be 'multi-planet species'

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption.

Apple has been on the receiving end because of&nbsp;an attack on one of its suppliers.

The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops.

The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch

Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public.

Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer. The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption. Apple has been on the receiving end because of an attack on one of its suppliers. The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops. The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public. Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple faces ransomware demand from cybercriminals

A panel of&nbsp;US&nbsp;senators&nbsp;questioned officials from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Inc and Alphabet Inc's&nbsp;Google&nbsp;on Wednesday about the&nbsp;dominance&nbsp;of their mobile&nbsp;app&nbsp;stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.

Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google&nbsp;can use their power to "exclude or suppress&nbsp;apps that compete with their own products" and "charge excessive fees that affect competition."

App&nbsp;makers like music streaming service Spotify Technology SA and dating services giant Match Group, which owns the Tinder&nbsp;app, have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing for sales of digital goods and strict inclusion rules set by&nbsp;Apple's&nbsp;App&nbsp;Store&nbsp;for iPhones and iPads, along with&nbsp;Google's Play&nbsp;store&nbsp;for Android devices, amount to anticompetitive behavior.

Representatives for&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google&nbsp;told&nbsp;senators&nbsp;the companies' tight control over their&nbsp;stores and the associated revenue-sharing requirements are needed to enforce and pay for security measures to protect consumers from harmful&nbsp;apps and practices.

But when asked by Senator Josh Hawley,&nbsp;Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer would not commit to spending all of the mandatory fees on security.

Explanations from Andeer and&nbsp;Google's Wilson White, senior director for government affairs, about why the companies' fees do not&nbsp;apply to Uber Technologies Inc and&nbsp;apps that sell physical goods also failed to satisfy&nbsp;senators.

"I feel like unfrozen caveman lawyer," Senator Mike Lee said. "I'm not grasping it."

Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about a call Match said it received late on Tuesday from its business counterpart at&nbsp;Google.

Match's Chief Legal Officer Jared Sine said&nbsp;Google&nbsp;wanted to know why Sine's planned testimony, which had just been released, deviated from previous comments the dating company had made.

"It looks like a threat, it talks like a threat, it's a threat," Blumenthal said of the call, vowing to investigate&nbsp;Google's action further.

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Google's White said the call reflected an effort to ask an honest question and the company would never threaten partners.

In his testimony, Match's Sine argued that&nbsp;Google&nbsp;and&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;both exact an onerous 30 per cent&nbsp;of any digital transaction, raising prices for consumers.

Match pays nearly $500 million in fees to the&nbsp;app&nbsp;stores annually, the company's single largest expense, Sine said.

Spotify and Match said&nbsp;Apple's&nbsp;app&nbsp;review process was opaque. Sine said&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;blocked a safety update to the Tinder&nbsp;app&nbsp;meant to warn LGBTQ+ users if they were traveling to a country where it might be dangerous to expose their identity because&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said the update violated the "spirit" of a new rule.

But&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;would not explain how to fix the issue, Sine said. He said that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;approved the update two months later only after senior leaders at Match's parent company at the time, IAC/Interactivecorp, raised the issue with&nbsp;Apple's senior leaders.

The hearing came a day after&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said it would begin selling AirTags - which can be attached to items like car keys to help users find them when they are lost - in direct competition with Tile, which has sold a similar tracking device for more than a decade.

Apple&nbsp;said its AirTags were an outgrowth of its "FindMy"&nbsp;app, which is used for locating lost&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;devices and to share user locations and was introduced in 2010, before Tile's founding.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;last month opened its operating system up to alternative item trackers and said that Chipolo, a startup competing with Tile and AirTags, is using the system.

Tile General Counsel Kirsten Daru testified&nbsp;Apple's FindMy program is installed by default on&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;phones and cannot be deleted.

"Apple&nbsp;has once again exploited its market power and&nbsp;dominance&nbsp;to condition our customers’ access to data on effectively breaking our user experience and directing our users to FindMy," she said.

A panel of US senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors.

A panel of US senators questioned officials from Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google on Wednesday about the dominance of their mobile app stores and whether the companies abuse their power at the expense of smaller competitors. Amy Klobuchar, the top Senate Democrat on antitrust issues, said Apple and Google can use their power to "exclude or suppress apps that compete with their own products" and "charge excessive fees that affect competition." App makers like music streaming service Spotify Technology SA and dating services giant Match Group, which owns the Tinder app, have long complained that mandatory revenue sharing for sales of digital goods and strict inclusion rules set by Apple's App Store for iPhones and iPads, along with Google's Play store for Android devices, amount to anticompetitive behavior. Representatives for Apple and Google told senators the companies' tight control over their stores and the associated revenue-sharing requirements are needed to enforce and pay for security measures to protect consumers from harmful apps and practices. But when asked by Senator Josh Hawley, Apple's Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer would not commit to spending all of the mandatory fees on security. Explanations from Andeer and Google's Wilson White, senior director for government affairs, about why the companies' fees do not apply to Uber Technologies Inc and apps that sell physical goods also failed to satisfy senators. "I feel like unfrozen caveman lawyer," Senator Mike Lee said. "I'm not grasping it." Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed concern about a call Match said it received late on Tuesday from its business counterpart at Google. Match's Chief Legal Officer Jared Sine said Google wanted to know why Sine's planned testimony, which had just been released, deviated from previous comments the dating company had made. "It looks like a threat, it talks like a threat, it's a threat," Blumenthal said of the call, vowing to investigate Google's action further. Google's White said the call reflected an effort to ask an honest question and the company would never threaten partners. In his testimony, Match's Sine argued that Google and Apple both exact an onerous 30 per cent of any digital transaction, raising prices for consumers. Match pays nearly $500 million in fees to the app stores annually, the company's single largest expense, Sine said. Spotify and Match said Apple's app review process was opaque. Sine said Apple blocked a safety update to the Tinder app meant to warn LGBTQ+ users if they were traveling to a country where it might be dangerous to expose their identity because Apple said the update violated the "spirit" of a new rule. But Apple would not explain how to fix the issue, Sine said. He said that Apple approved the update two months later only after senior leaders at Match's parent company at the time, IAC/Interactivecorp, raised the issue with Apple's senior leaders. The hearing came a day after Apple said it would begin selling AirTags - which can be attached to items like car keys to help users find them when they are lost - in direct competition with Tile, which has sold a similar tracking device for more than a decade. Apple said its AirTags were an outgrowth of its "FindMy" app, which is used for locating lost Apple devices and to share user locations and was introduced in 2010, before Tile's founding. Apple last month opened its operating system up to alternative item trackers and said that Chipolo, a startup competing with Tile and AirTags, is using the system. Tile General Counsel Kirsten Daru testified Apple's FindMy program is installed by default on Apple phones and cannot be deleted. "Apple has once again exploited its market power and dominance to condition our customers’ access to data on effectively breaking our user experience and directing our users to FindMy," she said.

US senators question Apple and Google on app store dominance

Facebook Inc on Thursday said it will begin testing ads on its TikTok clone Instagram Reels in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia, as the social media giant aims to make money from its short-form video feature.

The company is seeking to capitalize on its popularity in India, a fast-growing social media market, while rival TikTok has been banned from the country since last year. Facebook has said it plans to test other features in India, such as letting content creators share Reels videos on their Facebook accounts.

The introduction of ads is an "indication of how strong the momentum is for Reels," said Carolyn Everson, vice president of global business group at Facebook, in an interview. Everson declined to share usage metrics for Reels.

Facebook also announced Thursday it will let advertisers select categories of video content they want to place ads on, such as videos about children and parenting, animals and pets or fitness and workouts.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/instagram-rolls-out-feature-to-tackle-hate-speech-abuse-378965">Instagram rolls out feature to tackle hate speech, abuse</a>

The effort is Facebook's biggest move yet to let brands advertise alongside content subjects. Advertisers typically use Facebook to target certain users by their interests.

"This is a big deal for marketers," Everson said.

Facebook added it will roll out sticker ads for Facebook Stories in the coming weeks. Brands can create stickers that creators will place in their Stories, and influencers will earn a cut of any sales made through the sticker ads.

The feature is part of Facebook's push to court content creators who are increasingly making money directly from fans and followers through platforms such as audio chat app Clubhouse and membership site Patreon.

Facebook Inc on Thursday said it will begin testing ads on its TikTok clone Instagram Reels in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia, as the social media giant aims to make money from its short-form video feature.

Facebook Inc on Thursday said it will begin testing ads on its TikTok clone Instagram Reels in India, Brazil, Germany and Australia, as the social media giant aims to make money from its short-form video feature. The company is seeking to capitalize on its popularity in India, a fast-growing social media market, while rival TikTok has been banned from the country since last year. Facebook has said it plans to test other features in India, such as letting content creators share Reels videos on their Facebook accounts. The introduction of ads is an "indication of how strong the momentum is for Reels," said Carolyn Everson, vice president of global business group at Facebook, in an interview. Everson declined to share usage metrics for Reels. Facebook also announced Thursday it will let advertisers select categories of video content they want to place ads on, such as videos about children and parenting, animals and pets or fitness and workouts. Also Read | Instagram rolls out feature to tackle hate speech, abuse The effort is Facebook's biggest move yet to let brands advertise alongside content subjects. Advertisers typically use Facebook to target certain users by their interests. "This is a big deal for marketers," Everson said. Facebook added it will roll out sticker ads for Facebook Stories in the coming weeks. Brands can create stickers that creators will place in their Stories, and influencers will earn a cut of any sales made through the sticker ads. The feature is part of Facebook's push to court content creators who are increasingly making money directly from fans and followers through platforms such as audio chat app Clubhouse and membership site Patreon.

Facebook begins testing ads in Instagram Reels

Encrypted chat app&nbsp;Signal&nbsp;suggested in a blog post published on Wednesday that products sold to law enforcement from Israeli surveillance provider Cellebrite can easily be sabotaged.

Cellebrite DI Ltd, which specialises in helping law enforcement and intelligence agencies copy call logs, texts, photos and other data off of smartphones, has repeatedly come under fire for past sales to authoritarian governments, including Russia and China.

Signal, a privacy-focused app eager to show the lengths it goes to protect users' conversations, clashed with Cellebrite last year when the Israeli company said its equipment was upgraded to allow law enforcement to scoop up&nbsp;Signal&nbsp;messages from devices in their possession.

Signal&nbsp;creator and CEO Moxie Marlinspike said in his blog post on Wednesday he had come into possession of a bag of Cellebrite equipment and examined the gear inside.

He was "surprised to find that very little care seems to have been given to Cellebrite's own software security," Marlinspike said, noting it would be easy to add a specially crafted file onto a phone that would derail Cellebrite's functionality.

In a statement, Cellebrite did not directly address Marlinspike's claim but said that the company's employees "continually audit and update our software in order to equip our customers with the best digital intelligence solutions available."

Elsewhere in his blog post, Marlinspike alleged he had found snippets of code from Apple Inc inside Cellebrite's software, something he said "might present a legal risk for Cellebrite and its users" if it was done without authorization.

Signal's allegations come as Cellebrite prepares to go public through a merger with a blank-check firm, valuing the equity of the combined company at around $2.4 billion.

(With inputs from agencies)

Encrypted chat app Signal suggested in a blog post published on Wednesday that products sold to law enforcement from Israeli surveillance provider Cellebrite can easily be sabotaged.

Encrypted chat app Signal suggested in a blog post published on Wednesday that products sold to law enforcement from Israeli surveillance provider Cellebrite can easily be sabotaged. Cellebrite DI Ltd, which specialises in helping law enforcement and intelligence agencies copy call logs, texts, photos and other data off of smartphones, has repeatedly come under fire for past sales to authoritarian governments, including Russia and China. Signal, a privacy-focused app eager to show the lengths it goes to protect users' conversations, clashed with Cellebrite last year when the Israeli company said its equipment was upgraded to allow law enforcement to scoop up Signal messages from devices in their possession. Signal creator and CEO Moxie Marlinspike said in his blog post on Wednesday he had come into possession of a bag of Cellebrite equipment and examined the gear inside. He was "surprised to find that very little care seems to have been given to Cellebrite's own software security," Marlinspike said, noting it would be easy to add a specially crafted file onto a phone that would derail Cellebrite's functionality. In a statement, Cellebrite did not directly address Marlinspike's claim but said that the company's employees "continually audit and update our software in order to equip our customers with the best digital intelligence solutions available." Elsewhere in his blog post, Marlinspike alleged he had found snippets of code from Apple Inc inside Cellebrite's software, something he said "might present a legal risk for Cellebrite and its users" if it was done without authorization. Signal's allegations come as Cellebrite prepares to go public through a merger with a blank-check firm, valuing the equity of the combined company at around $2.4 billion. (With inputs from agencies)

Encrypted chat app Signal alleges flaws in Israeli surveillance provider Cellebrite's equipment

Amazon.com Inc said it is rolling out biometric technology at its&nbsp;Whole&nbsp;Foods&nbsp;stores around Seattle starting on Wednesday,&nbsp;letting&nbsp;shoppers&nbsp;pay&nbsp;for items with a scan of their&nbsp;palm.

The move shows how&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;is bringing some of the technology already in use at its namesake brick-and-mortar, Go and Books stores to the grocery chain it acquired in 2017.

The system, called&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;One,&nbsp;lets customers associate a credit card with their&nbsp;palm&nbsp;print. It offers a contact-less alternative to cash and card&nbsp;payments,&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;said.

The deployment stops short of introducing&nbsp;Amazon's cashier-less technology at&nbsp;Whole&nbsp;Foods, which critics have said would result in job cuts.&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;One still requires scanning items at checkout, and the company said it will not impact jobs at&nbsp;Whole&nbsp;Foods.

Amazon&nbsp;said its biometric technology will be live at a&nbsp;Whole&nbsp;Foods&nbsp;near its headquarters in Seattle on Wednesday and will expand to seven more stores in the metro area in coming months.

Amazon.com Inc said it is rolling out biometric technology at its Whole Foods stores around Seattle starting on Wednesday, letting shoppers pay for items with a scan of their palm.

Amazon.com Inc said it is rolling out biometric technology at its Whole Foods stores around Seattle starting on Wednesday, letting shoppers pay for items with a scan of their palm. The move shows how Amazon is bringing some of the technology already in use at its namesake brick-and-mortar, Go and Books stores to the grocery chain it acquired in 2017. The system, called Amazon One, lets customers associate a credit card with their palm print. It offers a contact-less alternative to cash and card payments, Amazon said. The deployment stops short of introducing Amazon's cashier-less technology at Whole Foods, which critics have said would result in job cuts. Amazon One still requires scanning items at checkout, and the company said it will not impact jobs at Whole Foods. Amazon said its biometric technology will be live at a Whole Foods near its headquarters in Seattle on Wednesday and will expand to seven more stores in the metro area in coming months.

Amazon to let Whole Foods shoppers pay with a swipe of their palm

A bipartisan group of US&nbsp;lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation calling for $100 billion in government spending over five years on basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China. 
 
The measure, sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senator Todd Young and others, would also authorise another $10 billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis response program. 
 
The bill, called the "Endless Frontier Act," represents a significant effort by the government to shore up private sector and university research efforts in advanced technologies with federal funding. 
 
"There is a bipartisan consensus that the United States must invest in the technologies of the future to out-compete China," Schumer said, adding "whichever nation develops new technologies first - be they democratic or authoritarian - will set the terms for their use." 
 
Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, another sponsor, said US&nbsp;superiority in science and technology "is at risk. The Chinese Communist Party has used decades of intellectual property theft and industrial espionage to close this technological gap in a way that threatens not only our economic security, but also our way of life." 
 
The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to mark up the bill next week as Schumer looks to fast-track approval. 
 
Schumer said separately he will push for "emergency spending" to implement the semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense bill. 
 
In February, President Joe Biden said he would seek $37 billion in funding for legislation to boost chip manufacturing in the United States as a shortfall of semiconductors has forced US&nbsp;automakers and other manufacturers to cut production. 
 
Biden`s $2.3 trillion infrastructure and jobs bill calls for $50 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research. 
 
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation called the bill a "seminal piece of legislation taking definitive steps to restore American competitiveness in 10 key advanced-technology industries of the future, such as biotech, clean energy, and semiconductors."

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation calling for $100 billion in government spending over five years on basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China.

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers on Wednesday introduced legislation calling for $100 billion in government spending over five years on basic and advanced technology research and science in the face of rising competitive pressure from China. The measure, sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senator Todd Young and others, would also authorise another $10 billion to designate at least 10 regional technology hubs and create a supply chain crisis response program. The bill, called the "Endless Frontier Act," represents a significant effort by the government to shore up private sector and university research efforts in advanced technologies with federal funding. "There is a bipartisan consensus that the United States must invest in the technologies of the future to out-compete China," Schumer said, adding "whichever nation develops new technologies first - be they democratic or authoritarian - will set the terms for their use." Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, another sponsor, said US superiority in science and technology "is at risk. The Chinese Communist Party has used decades of intellectual property theft and industrial espionage to close this technological gap in a way that threatens not only our economic security, but also our way of life." The Senate Commerce Committee is expected to mark up the bill next week as Schumer looks to fast-track approval. Schumer said separately he will push for "emergency spending" to implement the semiconductor manufacturing provisions in last year’s defense bill. In February, President Joe Biden said he would seek $37 billion in funding for legislation to boost chip manufacturing in the United States as a shortfall of semiconductors has forced US automakers and other manufacturers to cut production. Biden`s $2.3 trillion infrastructure and jobs bill calls for $50 billion for semiconductor manufacturing and research. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation called the bill a "seminal piece of legislation taking definitive steps to restore American competitiveness in 10 key advanced-technology industries of the future, such as biotech, clean energy, and semiconductors."

US lawmakers back $100 billion science push to compete with China

A report by an environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday said that China's tech organisations are not adopting clean energy "fast enough" to show their commitment towards carbon neutrality.&nbsp;

The report by Greenpeace said that China's data centre sector is a main and rising source of CO2 emissions and the energy consumption from this industry is on course to rise 66 per cent between 2019 and 2023.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

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In 2018, Chinese data centres were 73 per cent powered by coal, the report said, adding that by 2023, the electricity consumption from the sector is set to compete with Australia.&nbsp;

However, in Greenpeace's latest rankings, Chinese gaming giant Tencent took the top spot in the country's tech sector amongst the cloud providers to tackle carbon emissions and procuring from renewable sources.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-clinches-deal-on-climate-law-tougher-2030-emissions-goal-378968">EU clinches deal on climate law, tougher 2030 emissions goal</a>

Thirteen of China's 22 biggest tech companies have now agreed to actively procure renewable energy, a significant rise from just eight companies in 2019.&nbsp;

However, the report said that only two out of these companies, namely Baidu and Chindata have renewable energy usage rates of more than three per cent.&nbsp;

Greenpeace urged internet and data centre organisations to target 100 per cent renewable energy use and aim carbon neutrality by the end of 2030.&nbsp;

A report by an environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday said that China's tech organisations are not adopting clean energy "fast enough" to show their commitment towards carbon neutrality.

A report by an environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday said that China's tech organisations are not adopting clean energy "fast enough" to show their commitment towards carbon neutrality. The report by Greenpeace said that China's data centre sector is a main and rising source of CO2 emissions and the energy consumption from this industry is on course to rise 66 per cent between 2019 and 2023. Watch | In 2018, Chinese data centres were 73 per cent powered by coal, the report said, adding that by 2023, the electricity consumption from the sector is set to compete with Australia. However, in Greenpeace's latest rankings, Chinese gaming giant Tencent took the top spot in the country's tech sector amongst the cloud providers to tackle carbon emissions and procuring from renewable sources. Also read | EU clinches deal on climate law, tougher 2030 emissions goal Thirteen of China's 22 biggest tech companies have now agreed to actively procure renewable energy, a significant rise from just eight companies in 2019. However, the report said that only two out of these companies, namely Baidu and Chindata have renewable energy usage rates of more than three per cent. Greenpeace urged internet and data centre organisations to target 100 per cent renewable energy use and aim carbon neutrality by the end of 2030.

Chinese tech firms not adopting clean energy 'fast enough' to show commitment: Greenpeace

Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags

Apple&nbsp;Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world.

The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products.

A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same&nbsp;Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops.

And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s.

The announcements show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers committed to its family of devices even as government scrutiny of the power and reach of major technology firms intensifies.

The wide variety of announcements largely had been telegraphed before the presentation, which had no major surprises. Shares of&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;were down 1.3 per cent, slightly more than the 1 per cent&nbsp;drop in the Nasdaq index.

The new iMacs, which start at $1,299, feature a higher quality front-facing camera and microphone, responding to complaints from consumers during the pandemic that the computer's cameras had not kept pace with iPhones and iPads during an era of pervasive video calls.

The thinner iMac computers will use an&nbsp;Apple-designed central processor unit and come in seven colors, including purple and green. With a 24-inch (61-cm) display, the iMacs are flat and 11.5 millimeters thick.

The new iPad Pros, starting at $799, use the same M1 chip as&nbsp;Apple's other computers, rather than the beefed-up version of iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company's laptops.&nbsp;

The expansion of&nbsp;Apple's M1 chips into the iPad Pro continues a migration away from longtime partner Intel.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;in November announced three new computers would use an in-house processor.

The company also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify and an updated&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;TV set top box with better color output and a faster processor chip.

Apple&nbsp;shares have risen nearly 95 per cent&nbsp;over the past year, faster than the 63 per cent&nbsp;rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index, thanks to a record $274.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2020 as consumers stocked up on electronics during the pandemic.

(With input from agencies)

Apple Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world.

Apple Inc announced a line of slim iMac computers and iPads with higher-quality video that use its own processors, as it speeds its migration away from Intel and caters to a work-from-home world. The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products. A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops. And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s. The announcements show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers committed to its family of devices even as government scrutiny of the power and reach of major technology firms intensifies. The wide variety of announcements largely had been telegraphed before the presentation, which had no major surprises. Shares of Apple were down 1.3 per cent, slightly more than the 1 per cent drop in the Nasdaq index. The new iMacs, which start at $1,299, feature a higher quality front-facing camera and microphone, responding to complaints from consumers during the pandemic that the computer's cameras had not kept pace with iPhones and iPads during an era of pervasive video calls. The thinner iMac computers will use an Apple-designed central processor unit and come in seven colors, including purple and green. With a 24-inch (61-cm) display, the iMacs are flat and 11.5 millimeters thick. The new iPad Pros, starting at $799, use the same M1 chip as Apple's other computers, rather than the beefed-up version of iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company's laptops. The expansion of Apple's M1 chips into the iPad Pro continues a migration away from longtime partner Intel. Apple in November announced three new computers would use an in-house processor. The company also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify and an updated Apple TV set top box with better color output and a faster processor chip. Apple shares have risen nearly 95 per cent over the past year, faster than the 63 per cent rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index, thanks to a record $274.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2020 as consumers stocked up on electronics during the pandemic. (With input from agencies)

Apple targets remote workers with new iPad Pro, slim iMacs using own chips

Netflix&nbsp;Inc said slower production of TV shows and movies during the pandemic hurt subscriber growth in the first quarter, sending shares of the world's largest streaming service down 11 per cent&nbsp;on Tuesday.

Roughly 3.98 million people signed up for&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;from January through March, below the 6.25 million average projection of analysts surveyed by Refinitiv.

Netflix&nbsp;estimated it will add just 1 million new streaming customers in the second quarter. Analysts had expected a forecast of nearly 4.8 million.

Shares of&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;sunk 11&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;in after-hours trading to $489.28, wiping $25 billion off the company's market capitalization. Its stock has risen 27&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;over the past 12 months compared with a 63&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;increase in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index.

Netflix&nbsp;said it did not believe competition changed materially in the quarter or impacted its new sign-ups "as the over-forecast was across all of our regions."

The company projected membership growth would accelerate in the second half of the year when it releases new seasons of "You," "Money Heist," and "The Witcher" and action movie "Red Notice," among other titles.

A year ago,&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;added a record 15.8 million customers as the pandemic forced people around the world to stay home. The company said on Tuesday the pandemic hindered filming new shows.

"These dynamics are also contributing to a lighter content slate in the first half of 2021, and hence, we believe slower membership growth," the company said in its quarterly letter to shareholders.

Analysts project people will spend less time streaming from their living rooms as COVID-19 vaccinations spread and more people emerge from their homes.

Rival media companies have declared streaming their priority and are spending billions to compete with&nbsp;Netflix. Walt Disney Co's Disney+ crossed 100 million subscribers in March.&nbsp;Netflix's total streaming customers stood at 207.6 million at the end of March.

Netflix's share of new US&nbsp;subscribers fell to 8.5% during the quarter, down from 16.2&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;the same period a year ago, according to Kantar Media.

During the quarter,&nbsp;Netflix&nbsp;lost one of its most popular titles when workplace comedy "The Office" moved to Comcast Corp streaming service Peacock.

Netflix&nbsp;also raised its monthly rates in Britain, Germany, Argentina and Japan during the quarter.

New customers totaled 1.8 million in Europe, 1.36 million in Asia and 360,000 in Latin America.

"What wasn't expected was the strength of the slowdown in international markets, where competition is significantly lower," said eMarketer analyst Eric Haggstrom.

Excluding items, the company earned $3.75 per share in the first quarter, beating analyst estimates of $2.97 per share.

Revenue rose to $7.16 billion from $5.77 billion during the quarter, edging past estimates of $7.13 billion.

Net income rose to $1.71 billion, or $3.75 per share, from $709 million, or $1.57 per share, a year earlier.

Netflix Inc said slower production of TV shows and movies during the pandemic hurt subscriber growth in the first quarter, sending shares of the world's largest streaming service down 11 per cent on Tuesday.

Netflix Inc said slower production of TV shows and movies during the pandemic hurt subscriber growth in the first quarter, sending shares of the world's largest streaming service down 11 per cent on Tuesday. Roughly 3.98 million people signed up for Netflix from January through March, below the 6.25 million average projection of analysts surveyed by Refinitiv. Netflix estimated it will add just 1 million new streaming customers in the second quarter. Analysts had expected a forecast of nearly 4.8 million. Shares of Netflix sunk 11 per cent in after-hours trading to $489.28, wiping $25 billion off the company's market capitalization. Its stock has risen 27 per cent over the past 12 months compared with a 63 per cent increase in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index. Netflix said it did not believe competition changed materially in the quarter or impacted its new sign-ups "as the over-forecast was across all of our regions." The company projected membership growth would accelerate in the second half of the year when it releases new seasons of "You," "Money Heist," and "The Witcher" and action movie "Red Notice," among other titles. A year ago, Netflix added a record 15.8 million customers as the pandemic forced people around the world to stay home. The company said on Tuesday the pandemic hindered filming new shows. "These dynamics are also contributing to a lighter content slate in the first half of 2021, and hence, we believe slower membership growth," the company said in its quarterly letter to shareholders. Analysts project people will spend less time streaming from their living rooms as COVID-19 vaccinations spread and more people emerge from their homes. Rival media companies have declared streaming their priority and are spending billions to compete with Netflix. Walt Disney Co's Disney+ crossed 100 million subscribers in March. Netflix's total streaming customers stood at 207.6 million at the end of March. Netflix's share of new US subscribers fell to 8.5% during the quarter, down from 16.2 per cent the same period a year ago, according to Kantar Media. During the quarter, Netflix lost one of its most popular titles when workplace comedy "The Office" moved to Comcast Corp streaming service Peacock. Netflix also raised its monthly rates in Britain, Germany, Argentina and Japan during the quarter. New customers totaled 1.8 million in Europe, 1.36 million in Asia and 360,000 in Latin America. "What wasn't expected was the strength of the slowdown in international markets, where competition is significantly lower," said eMarketer analyst Eric Haggstrom. Excluding items, the company earned $3.75 per share in the first quarter, beating analyst estimates of $2.97 per share. Revenue rose to $7.16 billion from $5.77 billion during the quarter, edging past estimates of $7.13 billion. Net income rose to $1.71 billion, or $3.75 per share, from $709 million, or $1.57 per share, a year earlier.

Netflix subscriber growth slows after pandemic boom, shares fall 11%

One of the two victims killed in Texas at the weekend in the crash of a&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;car believed to have operated without a driver was William Varner, a doctor, his employer said on Tuesday.

Police in Harris County, Texas, said a&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;Model S smashed into a tree on Saturday at high speed after failing to negotiate a bend and burst into flames, killing one occupant found in the front passenger seat and the owner in the back seat.

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Witnesses told the police that the accident happened shortly after the victims left a house, saying they would test automated driving capability.

"Dr Varner was a tremendous human being who personally impacted many...,"&nbsp;The Woodlands Medical Center said in a statement. "He will be dearly missed by so many.”

Varner, a 58-year-old anesthesiologist, graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston in 1988.&nbsp;The other victim, who was born in 1951, was not identified as of Tuesday.

Tesla&nbsp;Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted on Monday that preliminary data downloaded by&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;indicate the vehicle was not operating on Autopilot, and was not part of the automaker's "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system.

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Tesla with Autopilot engaged now approaching 10 times lower chance of accident than average vehicle <a href="https://t.co/6lGy52wVhC">https://t.co/6lGy52wVhC</a>
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Tesla's Autopilot and FSD, as well as the growing number of similar semi-autonomous driving functions in cars made by other automakers, present a challenge to officials responsible for motor vehicle and highway safety.

US&nbsp;federal road safety authority, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has yet to issue specific regulations or performance standards for semi-autonomous systems such as Autopilot, or fully autonomous vehicles (AVs).

There are no NHTSA rules requiring carmakers to ensure systems are used as intended or to stop drivers misusing them. The only significant federal limitation is that vehicles have steering wheels and human controls required under federal rules.

With no performance or technical standards, systems such as Autopilot inhabit a regulatory grey area.

The Texas crash follows a string of crashes involving&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;cars being driven on Autopilot, its partially automated driving system which performs a range of functions such as helping drivers stay in lanes and steer on highways.

Tesla&nbsp;has also rolled out what it describes as a "beta" version of its FSD system to about 2,000 customers since October, effectively allowing them to test how well it works on public roads.

Harris County police are now seeking a search warrant for the&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;data and said witnesses told them the victims intended to test the car's automated driving.

No requirements

Adding to the regulatory confusion is that traditionally NHTSA regulates vehicle safety while departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) in individual states oversee drivers.

When it comes to semi-autonomous functions, it may not be apparent whether the onboard computer or the driver are controlling the car, or if the supervision is shared, says the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

California has introduced AV regulations but they only apply to cars equipped with technology that can perform the dynamic driving task without the active physical control or monitoring of a human operator, the state's DMV said.

It said&nbsp;Tesla's full self-driving system does not yet meet those standards and is considered a type of Advance Driver Assistance System that it does not regulate.

That leaves&nbsp;Tesla's Autopilot and its FSD system operating in regulatory limbo in California as the automaker rolls out new versions of the systems for its customers to test.

NHTSA, the federal body responsible for vehicle safety, said this week it has opened 28 investigations into crashes of&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;vehicles, 24 of which remain active, and at least four, including the fatal Texas accident, occurred since March.&nbsp;

NHTSA has repeatedly argued that its broad authority to demand automakers recall any vehicle that poses an unreasonable safety risk is sufficient to address driver assistance systems.

So far, NHTSA has not taken any enforcement action against&nbsp;Tesla's advanced driving systems.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said NHTSA is "actively engaged with&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;and local law enforcement" on the Texas crash.

The NTSB, a US&nbsp;government agency charged with investigating road accidents, has criticised NHTSA's hands-off approach to regulating cars with self-driving features and AVs.

"NHTSA refuses to take action for vehicles termed as having partial, or lower level, automation, and continues to wait for higher levels of automation before requiring that AV systems meet minimum national standards," NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt wrote in a February&nbsp;1 letter to NHTSA.

"Because NHTSA has put in place no requirements, manufacturers can operate and test vehicles virtually anywhere, even if the location exceeds the AV control systems limitations," the letter said.

Reviewing regulations

NHTSA told Reuters that with a new administration in place, it was reviewing regulations around AVs and welcomed the NTSB's input as it advanced policies on automated driving systems.

It said the most advanced vehicle technologies on sale required a fully attentive human driver at all times.

"Abusing these technologies is, at a minimum, distracted driving. Every State in the nation holds the driver responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle," NHTSA told Reuters.

NTSB also says NHTSA does not have any method to verify whether carmakers have adopted system safeguards. For example, there are no federal regulations requiring drivers to touch the steering wheel within a specific time frame.

"NHTSA is drafting rules on autonomous vehicles, but it has been slow to regulate semi-autonomous vehicles," said Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. "There is a growing awareness that they deserve more scrutiny priority and regulatory action."

New York has a law requiring drivers to keep at least one hand on the wheel at all times but no other states have legislation that could prevent the use of semi-autonomous cars.

When it comes to AVs, 35 states have enacted legislation or state governors have signed executive orders covering AVs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Such rules allow companies such as Alphabet's Google and General Motors, among others, to test their Waymo and Cruise vehicles on public roads.

But regulations differ by state.

AV regulations in Texas state that vehicles must comply with NHTSA processes, though there are no such federal regulations. The Texas Department of Public Safety, the regulator charged with overseeing AVs, did not respond to a request for comment.

Arizona's transport department requires companies to submit regular filings to verify, among other things, that vehicles can operate safely if the autonomous technology fails.

While most automakers offer vehicles with various forms of assisted driving, there are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to customers in the United States.

Red flags

Concerns about the safety of autonomous driving technology, however, have been mounting in recent years and&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;has warned about its limitations.

In February 2020,&nbsp;Tesla's director of autonomous driving technology, Andrej Karpathy, identified a challenge for its Autopilot system: how to recognize when a parked police car's emergency flashing lights are turned on.

"This is an example of a new task we would like to know about," Karpathy said at a conference during a talk about&nbsp;Tesla's effort to deliver FSD technology.

In just over a year since then,&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;vehicles crashed into police cars parked on roads on four separate occasions and since 2016 at least three&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;vehicles operating on Autopilot have been in fatal crashes.

At least three of the cars were on Autopilot, police said. In one of the cases, a doctor was watching a movie on a phone when his vehicle rammed into a police trooper in North Carolina.

Accidents and investigations have not slowed Musk's drive to promote&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;cars as capable of driving themselves.

In a recent Tweet, Musk said&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;is "almost ready with FSD Beta V9.0. Step change improvement is massive, especially for weird corner cases &amp; bad weather. Pure vision, no radar."

Tesla&nbsp;also says it has used 1 million cars on the road to collect image data and improve Autopilot, using machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Tesla's Karpathy said he has ridden in his&nbsp;Tesla&nbsp;for 20 minutes to get coffee in Palo Alto with no intervention.

"It is not a perfect system but it is getting there," he said in a "Robot Brains" podcast in March. "I definitely keep my hands on the wheel."

(With input from agencies)

One of the two victims killed in Texas at the weekend in the crash of a Tesla car believed to have operated without a driver was William Varner, a doctor, his employer said on Tuesday.

One of the two victims killed in Texas at the weekend in the crash of a Tesla car believed to have operated without a driver was William Varner, a doctor, his employer said on Tuesday. Police in Harris County, Texas, said a Tesla Model S smashed into a tree on Saturday at high speed after failing to negotiate a bend and burst into flames, killing one occupant found in the front passenger seat and the owner in the back seat. Witnesses told the police that the accident happened shortly after the victims left a house, saying they would test automated driving capability. "Dr Varner was a tremendous human being who personally impacted many...," The Woodlands Medical Center said in a statement. "He will be dearly missed by so many.” Varner, a 58-year-old anesthesiologist, graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston in 1988. The other victim, who was born in 1951, was not identified as of Tuesday. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted on Monday that preliminary data downloaded by Tesla indicate the vehicle was not operating on Autopilot, and was not part of the automaker's "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system. Tesla with Autopilot engaged now approaching 10 times lower chance of accident than average vehicle https://t.co/6lGy52wVhC — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 17, 2021 × Tesla's Autopilot and FSD, as well as the growing number of similar semi-autonomous driving functions in cars made by other automakers, present a challenge to officials responsible for motor vehicle and highway safety. US federal road safety authority, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has yet to issue specific regulations or performance standards for semi-autonomous systems such as Autopilot, or fully autonomous vehicles (AVs). There are no NHTSA rules requiring carmakers to ensure systems are used as intended or to stop drivers misusing them. The only significant federal limitation is that vehicles have steering wheels and human controls required under federal rules. With no performance or technical standards, systems such as Autopilot inhabit a regulatory grey area. The Texas crash follows a string of crashes involving Tesla cars being driven on Autopilot, its partially automated driving system which performs a range of functions such as helping drivers stay in lanes and steer on highways. Tesla has also rolled out what it describes as a "beta" version of its FSD system to about 2,000 customers since October, effectively allowing them to test how well it works on public roads. Harris County police are now seeking a search warrant for the Tesla data and said witnesses told them the victims intended to test the car's automated driving. No requirements Adding to the regulatory confusion is that traditionally NHTSA regulates vehicle safety while departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) in individual states oversee drivers. When it comes to semi-autonomous functions, it may not be apparent whether the onboard computer or the driver are controlling the car, or if the supervision is shared, says the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). California has introduced AV regulations but they only apply to cars equipped with technology that can perform the dynamic driving task without the active physical control or monitoring of a human operator, the state's DMV said. It said Tesla's full self-driving system does not yet meet those standards and is considered a type of Advance Driver Assistance System that it does not regulate. That leaves Tesla's Autopilot and its FSD system operating in regulatory limbo in California as the automaker rolls out new versions of the systems for its customers to test. NHTSA, the federal body responsible for vehicle safety, said this week it has opened 28 investigations into crashes of Tesla vehicles, 24 of which remain active, and at least four, including the fatal Texas accident, occurred since March. NHTSA has repeatedly argued that its broad authority to demand automakers recall any vehicle that poses an unreasonable safety risk is sufficient to address driver assistance systems. So far, NHTSA has not taken any enforcement action against Tesla's advanced driving systems. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said NHTSA is "actively engaged with Tesla and local law enforcement" on the Texas crash. The NTSB, a US government agency charged with investigating road accidents, has criticised NHTSA's hands-off approach to regulating cars with self-driving features and AVs. "NHTSA refuses to take action for vehicles termed as having partial, or lower level, automation, and continues to wait for higher levels of automation before requiring that AV systems meet minimum national standards," NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt wrote in a February 1 letter to NHTSA. "Because NHTSA has put in place no requirements, manufacturers can operate and test vehicles virtually anywhere, even if the location exceeds the AV control systems limitations," the letter said. Reviewing regulations NHTSA told Reuters that with a new administration in place, it was reviewing regulations around AVs and welcomed the NTSB's input as it advanced policies on automated driving systems. It said the most advanced vehicle technologies on sale required a fully attentive human driver at all times. "Abusing these technologies is, at a minimum, distracted driving. Every State in the nation holds the driver responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle," NHTSA told Reuters. NTSB also says NHTSA does not have any method to verify whether carmakers have adopted system safeguards. For example, there are no federal regulations requiring drivers to touch the steering wheel within a specific time frame. "NHTSA is drafting rules on autonomous vehicles, but it has been slow to regulate semi-autonomous vehicles," said Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at the University of South Carolina. "There is a growing awareness that they deserve more scrutiny priority and regulatory action." New York has a law requiring drivers to keep at least one hand on the wheel at all times but no other states have legislation that could prevent the use of semi-autonomous cars. When it comes to AVs, 35 states have enacted legislation or state governors have signed executive orders covering AVs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Such rules allow companies such as Alphabet's Google and General Motors, among others, to test their Waymo and Cruise vehicles on public roads. But regulations differ by state. AV regulations in Texas state that vehicles must comply with NHTSA processes, though there are no such federal regulations. The Texas Department of Public Safety, the regulator charged with overseeing AVs, did not respond to a request for comment. Arizona's transport department requires companies to submit regular filings to verify, among other things, that vehicles can operate safely if the autonomous technology fails. While most automakers offer vehicles with various forms of assisted driving, there are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to customers in the United States. Red flags Concerns about the safety of autonomous driving technology, however, have been mounting in recent years and Tesla has warned about its limitations. In February 2020, Tesla's director of autonomous driving technology, Andrej Karpathy, identified a challenge for its Autopilot system: how to recognize when a parked police car's emergency flashing lights are turned on. "This is an example of a new task we would like to know about," Karpathy said at a conference during a talk about Tesla's effort to deliver FSD technology. In just over a year since then, Tesla vehicles crashed into police cars parked on roads on four separate occasions and since 2016 at least three Tesla vehicles operating on Autopilot have been in fatal crashes. At least three of the cars were on Autopilot, police said. In one of the cases, a doctor was watching a movie on a phone when his vehicle rammed into a police trooper in North Carolina. Accidents and investigations have not slowed Musk's drive to promote Tesla cars as capable of driving themselves. In a recent Tweet, Musk said Tesla is "almost ready with FSD Beta V9.0. Step change improvement is massive, especially for weird corner cases & bad weather. Pure vision, no radar." Tesla also says it has used 1 million cars on the road to collect image data and improve Autopilot, using machine learning and artificial intelligence. Tesla's Karpathy said he has ridden in his Tesla for 20 minutes to get coffee in Palo Alto with no intervention. "It is not a perfect system but it is getting there," he said in a "Robot Brains" podcast in March. "I definitely keep my hands on the wheel." (With input from agencies)

Doctor among victims of lethal Tesla car crash in Texas

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app.

The company said on Wednesday that along with the filter option for abusive direct messages, it will also make it harder for people blocked by users to circumvent and contact them through new accounts.

Instagram has been pushing on its efforts to tackle hate speech and online abuse on its platform, which is more popular than Facebook's main app among teens and young adults.

The filter, which can be activated on Instagram in privacy settings, can be customized by users to include words, phrases and emojis that they wish to block or avoid receiving in their message requests.

Users can use their discretion to report, delete or open messages, which will be sorted into a hidden requests folder, Instagram said.

The feature, which is only applicable to direct message requests and not the inbox itself, will roll out in some countries in the coming weeks, said Instagram.

Starting in a few weeks, all users will also have the extended option to entirely block out people from contacting them on Instagram, after blocking their account.

Facebook's independent Oversight Board announced Tuesday it would start accepting requests to remove "harmful content" that users believe has been wrongly allowed to remain on the leading social network.

The move has the potential to vastly expand the work of the so-called "supreme court" of Facebook, which up to now had been tasked with reviewing instances of whether content was improperly taken down from Facebook or&nbsp;Instagram.

The announcement comes with Facebook and other social platforms facing intense pressure to act on misinformation and abusive content, ranging from election-related hoaxes to unproven Covid-19 treatments.

Users who feel that harmful posts, photos, videos, comments and shares remain online will be able to appeal to the panel to have them removed.

As part of the new process, the panel will establish procedures including privacy protections for users seeking takedown requests.

Instagram&nbsp;is also letting a small number of users around the world decide whether to show "like" counts on their posts or see them on content shared by other people.

(With inputs from agencies)

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app.

Facebook Inc's Instagram is rolling out a feature to prevent users from viewing possibly abusive messages by filtering offensive words, phrases and emojis on the photo-sharing app. The company said on Wednesday that along with the filter option for abusive direct messages, it will also make it harder for people blocked by users to circumvent and contact them through new accounts. Instagram has been pushing on its efforts to tackle hate speech and online abuse on its platform, which is more popular than Facebook's main app among teens and young adults. The filter, which can be activated on Instagram in privacy settings, can be customized by users to include words, phrases and emojis that they wish to block or avoid receiving in their message requests. Users can use their discretion to report, delete or open messages, which will be sorted into a hidden requests folder, Instagram said. The feature, which is only applicable to direct message requests and not the inbox itself, will roll out in some countries in the coming weeks, said Instagram. Starting in a few weeks, all users will also have the extended option to entirely block out people from contacting them on Instagram, after blocking their account. Facebook's independent Oversight Board announced Tuesday it would start accepting requests to remove "harmful content" that users believe has been wrongly allowed to remain on the leading social network. The move has the potential to vastly expand the work of the so-called "supreme court" of Facebook, which up to now had been tasked with reviewing instances of whether content was improperly taken down from Facebook or Instagram. The announcement comes with Facebook and other social platforms facing intense pressure to act on misinformation and abusive content, ranging from election-related hoaxes to unproven Covid-19 treatments. Users who feel that harmful posts, photos, videos, comments and shares remain online will be able to appeal to the panel to have them removed. As part of the new process, the panel will establish procedures including privacy protections for users seeking takedown requests. Instagram is also letting a small number of users around the world decide whether to show "like" counts on their posts or see them on content shared by other people. (With inputs from agencies)

Instagram rolls out feature to tackle hate speech, abuse

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to&nbsp;Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday.

Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead.

They accused the app, which is backed by prominent Republican Party donor Rebekah Mercer, of failing to police violent content on its service.

A team at&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;devoted to reviewing whether apps submitted to its App Store conform to its policies has approved a modified version of Parler, which had become popular with conservatives before it was booted off online marketplaces.

The news came from a copy of a letter from&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;posted on Twitter by US Representative Ken Buck of Colorado.

"Parler has proposed updates to its app and the app's content moderation practices," read the letter signed by&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;senior director of government affairs in the Americas Timothy Powderly.

"Its proposed updated app will be approved for reinstallment in the App Store."

Powderly noted in the letter that&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;stood by its independent decision to remove Parler from the App Store in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump.

Buck said in his tweet that Parler's return to the App Store is "a huge win for free speech."

Parler went dark for about a month after Amazon.com Inc suspended web-hosting services, saying the app had failed to effectively moderate violent content.&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;and Alphabet Inc's Google removed it from their app stores.

Parler returned online in February with Los Angeles-based private cloud infrastructure SkySilk. Its CEO John Matze was fired by the board. Parler also sued Amazon, accusing it of trying to destroy its business.

Apple's letter said the updated Parler app would be available immediately upon Parler releasing it.

Apple&nbsp;said in the letter it rejected about 30,000 apps from the App Store in 2020 due to problematic user-generated content.

It said it made an independent decision to remove Parler for not complying with its guidelines and did not coordinate or consult with Google or Amazon.

Apple&nbsp;chief executive Tim Cook said early this year that Parler could return the App Store if it changed how it moderates posts on the platform.

Nevada-based Parler, which launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets.

In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultraconservative and even extreme-right users. It has since signed up many more traditional Republican voices.

(With input from agencies)

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday. Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead.

A version of social network Parler, updated to curb incitements to violence, has been cleared to return to Apple's App Store, a US congressman said on Monday. Major tech platforms had cut ties with Parler following the attack by supporters of Republican former President Donald Trump at the Capitol that left five people dead. They accused the app, which is backed by prominent Republican Party donor Rebekah Mercer, of failing to police violent content on its service. A team at Apple devoted to reviewing whether apps submitted to its App Store conform to its policies has approved a modified version of Parler, which had become popular with conservatives before it was booted off online marketplaces. The news came from a copy of a letter from Apple posted on Twitter by US Representative Ken Buck of Colorado. "Parler has proposed updates to its app and the app's content moderation practices," read the letter signed by Apple senior director of government affairs in the Americas Timothy Powderly. "Its proposed updated app will be approved for reinstallment in the App Store." Powderly noted in the letter that Apple stood by its independent decision to remove Parler from the App Store in the aftermath of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump. Buck said in his tweet that Parler's return to the App Store is "a huge win for free speech." Parler went dark for about a month after Amazon.com Inc suspended web-hosting services, saying the app had failed to effectively moderate violent content. Apple and Alphabet Inc's Google removed it from their app stores. Parler returned online in February with Los Angeles-based private cloud infrastructure SkySilk. Its CEO John Matze was fired by the board. Parler also sued Amazon, accusing it of trying to destroy its business. Apple's letter said the updated Parler app would be available immediately upon Parler releasing it. Apple said in the letter it rejected about 30,000 apps from the App Store in 2020 due to problematic user-generated content. It said it made an independent decision to remove Parler for not complying with its guidelines and did not coordinate or consult with Google or Amazon. Apple chief executive Tim Cook said early this year that Parler could return the App Store if it changed how it moderates posts on the platform. Nevada-based Parler, which launched in 2018, operates much like Twitter, with profiles to follow and "parleys" instead of tweets. In its early days, the platform attracted a crowd of ultraconservative and even extreme-right users. It has since signed up many more traditional Republican voices. (With input from agencies)

Apple to bring social media platform Parler back to App Store

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