Here are the top trending stories from the world of technology. News that we feel every tech enthusiast should keep a tab on.
1)
Instagram permanently bans Porn website Pornhub’s Account
Instagram has confirmed that it has permanently removed the account of popular porn website Pornhub from its platform. The Meta owned platform cited violation of community guidelines for imposing this permanent ban. This decision comes after Instagram had temporarily suspended Pornhub’s account. Payment companies like Visa and Mastercard have also served their ties with Pornhub, after accusations that it was promoting child porn. Pornhub, on its part, has denied these accusations. It has also described Instagram’s latest step as arbitrary and discriminatory.
2)
YouTube Shorts Copies TikTok Feature
YouTube Shorts has yet again copied a popular feature of TikTok in an attempt to compete efficiently with the latter. YouTube’s TikTok version announced on Monday that it would be adding voice-over narrations to Shorts. This is a feature that TikTok has been offering to its users for a while. In a yet another interesting development, YouTube Shorts recently announced a revenue sharing program with all its creators. By the way, apart from YouTube, Instagram is also trying to imitate TikTok features. The Chinese short video platform claims that it currently garners more than 1 Bn active users every month.
3)
Hosting companies drag Indian government to court over VPN rules
A Pune based hosting company SnTHostings has filed a petition against the Indian government in the Delhi High Court. In the petition, the hosting has sought to overturn the Indian government’s decision that VPN companies should mandatorily maintain customers’ log sheets. This rule has already forced many international VPN companies to shut their businesses in India. Many VPN companies have called the Indian government’s decision as arbitrary and undemocratic. But the Indian government insists that this will help in controlling cybercrime activities in the country.
4)
Tesla onboards Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia to its Board
Elon Musk’s popular electric vehicle company Tesla has added Airbnb’s co-founder and designer Joe Gebbia as an independent director to its board of directors team. Joe Gebbia’s entry to Tesla’s board follows the exit of Oracle CTO and Chairperson Larry Ellison. Gebbia had resigned from Airbnb’s operating role in June this year but continues to serve on the company’s board of director team. A designer by profession, Gebbia has been with Airbnb since its early days when it was struggling to raise funds from investors.
5)
Jeff Bezos’ Ex wife MacKenzie Scott files for Divorce
Amazon founder and billionaire Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott has reportedly filed for divorce from his current and second husband Dan Jewett. According to media reports, the divorce will be done through mutual consent. Both couples had tied the knot in March 2021 following MacKenzie’s high-profile divorce with Jeff Bezos in 2019. That divorce, by the way, proved to be the costliest divorce in the history. Bezos, who is the world’s second richest man, was forced to shell out $38 bn to his wife as part of the divorce deal.