Here are the top trending news from the world of technology. News that we feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
All’s is not well with Byju’s
There is a big announcement coming from Byju’s. No, the edtech major is not making another acquisition. In fact, the news that I am about to break is pretty negative news. That’s because Byju’s has just laid off more than 1,000 employees. Most of these layoffs have happened in Byju’s subsidiary companies White Hat Jr and Topprs. Sources close to Byju’s have said that going forward the demand for edtech in the domestic market will shrink and hence the cost-cutting measure was necessary. By the way, Byju’s was also recently in the news for allegedly cooking its balance sheet. An allegation that the edtech major has flatly denied.
2)
Snapchat’s paid version Snapchat Plus makes a Debut
After Telegram, it is Snapchat’s turn to opt for a paid subscription plan. The popular video messaging app has just announced its maiden paid subscription plan Snapchat Plus, which will be available for $3.99 per month. The paid subscription plan offers several features including the ability to change the app’s icon, checking out who rewatched your story so and so forth. However, the company has said that ‘ads’ will continue to feature in the paid subscription plan. This possibly means that Snapchat may not give its paid subscribers the option of disabling the ads.
3)
Crypto Crash is Threatening North Korea’s Nuclear Program
The ongoing bloodbath in the crypto market is reportedly causing a massive funding crunch for North Korea’s nuclear weapon program. According to media reports, the value of North Korea’s stolen cryptos have nosedived due to the recent crypto crash, which has ended up choking up its major funding resource for its highly controversial nuclear weapon program. It is now pretty much an open secret that since North Korea faces a barrage of international sanctions, it now largely depends on crypto-hacking for funding its nuclear program. For all those who don’t know, North Korea’s nuclear weapon program has always been a bone of contention, with many countries including the U.S. calling it a threat to global peace.
4)
Remove TikTok from Google and Apple’s App store, says America’s top regulatory body
FCC or Federal Communications Commission, one of the top regulatory bodies that regulates America’s internal communication system, has said that TikTok app should be outrightly banned from Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store. FCC has cited the recent media reports that Chinese engineers are able to access the data of TikTok’s American users and this is a cause of major concern for America’s national security. However, TikTok has played down these media reports and has claimed that the data of its American users is 100% safe. Notably, TikTok was also banned in India two years back partially because of the security reasons.
5)
WhatsApp can soon allow users to appeal for their banned accounts
If in future WhatsApp, by chance, mistakenly bans your account for allegedly spreading fake news then you can very well challenge that decision. Notably, every year WhatsApp bans scores of accounts for not complying with their rules but till date there is still no way users can appeal against this decision. But this may change pretty soon. According to media reports, the instant messaging platform is testing a feature that would allow its users to appeal for its banned accounts. Users will have to share a few details of their banned account, following which WhatsApp will investigate and verify whether your account deserves to be restored.