EXPLAINED: 8 | Vintage Vibes

Looking Past Manus: What to Try When You Want an AI Agent That Actually Finishes the Job

Manus made a lot of people excited about AI agents. Instead of just answering a question, it could go off, browse the web, write code, and bring back something close to finished work. That's a real shift from the usual chatbot experience. But once the excitement settles, some cracks show…

inkl · Jul 7

India objection to WhatsApp username switch gets Somalia backing

In a notable reaction, Somalia stands alongside India in opposing WhatsApp’s latest username feature. This initiative raises alarms about possible rises in online fraud and impersonations. Security officials are particularly apprehensive as it could obstruct their investigations into crime and terrorism. While the feature encourages user connectivity without phone numbers,…

The Economic Times · Jul 7

WhatsApp username row: Meta gets time till July 9 to reply to notice

However, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) subsequently issued a formal notice directing Meta to put the India rollout on hold pending a rigorous risk assessment. It also asked the company to submit a response on the same by Monday.

The Economic Times · Jul 7

Accused of ‘Marxist ideology’: Inside UP Police’s Noida protest conspiracy case

Over two months after Noida’s industrial belt witnessed violent protests, the Uttar Pradesh police have now filed chargesheets in four FIRs – 163, 164, 165, and 169.

Newslaundry · Jul 6

India issues stern notice to Meta over Instagram ads carrying child sexual abuse material

The Indian government has issued a stern notice to Meta, demanding an explanation after reports surfaced of child sexual abuse material appearing in paid advertisements on Instagram. This intensified scrutiny targets the social media giant's content moderation and ad approval systems. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to investigate…

The Economic Times · Jul 5

The launch of Commodore's social media-free privacy-first 'dumbphone' was apparently responsible for 'Our biggest week'

Digital minimalism, but you still get WhatsApp.

PC Gamer · Jul 5

ICYMI: The week's 7 biggest tech news stories from PlayStation killing physical games to Anthropic finally re-releasing Fable 5

As the USA turns 250, here's the week's biggest tech news stories from PlayStation, Valve, Garmin, WhatsApp and more.

TechRadar · Jul 4

No phone calls with wife for 13 days; she dies by suicide; Gulf engineer husband lands in jail; Supreme Court overturns his conviction for this reason

Husband worked in Oman and could not talk with late wife; Wife committed suicide by saying refusal to speak to her over the phone caused her severe mental distress; Indian Trial Court convicts him for cruelty under Section 498A and 304B for dowry death and sentences 3 years jail with…

The Economic Times · Jul 4

ETtech Explainer: Why Telegram and Signal are under the government's scanner over usernames

India's scrutiny of username-based messaging has widened from WhatsApp to Telegram and Signal over concerns around fraud, impersonation and user anonymity.

The Economic Times · Jul 3

Meta team meets MeitY officials over WhatsApp usernames feature, to submit reply within timeline: Sources

Meta officials met with India's IT Ministry following a government notice regarding WhatsApp's proposed "usernames" feature. Concerns over impersonation and misuse have prompted the government to seek a detailed explanation and halt the rollout until consultations conclude. Meta will submit its response within the stipulated three-day deadline, with authorities examining…

The Economic Times · Jul 3