Social media giant Facebook on Tuesday said it will publish an interim report on July 2 as mandated by the IT rules, and provide information on the number of content it removed proactively between May 15-June 15.

The final report will be published on July 15, containing details of user complaints received and action taken.

The new IT rules – which came into force from May 26 – mandate large social media companies to publish periodic compliance reports every month, mentioning the details of complaints received and action taken thereon.

The report is to also include the number of specific communication links or parts of information that the intermediary has removed or disabled access to in pursuance of any proactive monitoring conducted by using automated tools.

In accordance with the IT Rules, we’ll publish an interim report for the period May 15-June 15 on July 2. This report will contain details of the content that we have removed proactively using our automated tools, a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson added that the final report will be published on July 15, containing details of user complaints received and action taken.

The report on July 15 will also contain data related to WhatsApp, which is currently being validated, the spokesperson further stated.

The report on July 2 will be an interim report and will not include the details of complaints received and action taken thereon as we are in the process of validating this data and that that data will be provided in the July 15 report, as per information available on Facebook’s Transparency Centre webpage.

The new IT rules are designed to prevent abuse and misuse of digital platforms, and offer users a robust forum for grievance redressal. Under these rules, social media companies will have to take down flagged content within 36 hours, and remove within 24 hours content that is flagged for nudity and pornography.

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Tech giant Microsoft has now confirmed signing a malicious driver being distributed within gaming environments.

According to Bleeping Computers, this driver, called “Netfilter,” is a rootkit that was observed communicating with Chinese command-and-control (C2) IPs.

G Data malware analyst Karsten Hahn first took notice of this event last week and was joined by the wider infosec community in tracing and analysing the malicious drivers bearing the seal of Microsoft.

This incident has once again exposed threats to software supply-chain security, except this time it stemmed from a weakness in Microsoft’s code-signing process.

Microsoft said it is actively investigating this incident, although thus far, there is no evidence that stolen code-signing certificates were used.

The mishap seems to have resulted from the threat actor following Microsoft’s process to submit the malicious Netfilter drivers and managing to acquire the Microsoft-signed binary in a legitimate manner.

“Microsoft is investigating a malicious actor distributing malicious drivers within gaming environments,” the company was quoted as saying by the website.

“We have suspended the account and reviewed their submissions for additional signs of malware,” said Microsoft yesterday.

According to Microsoft, the threat actor has mainly targeted the gaming sector specifically in China with these malicious drivers and there is no indication of enterprise environments having been affected so far.

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By Clara-Laeila Laudette and Supantha Mukherjee

BARCELONA (Reuters) – IBM will offer telecom operators Verizon and Telefonica new services ranging from running 5G over a cloud platform to using artificial intelligence, the U.S. technology company said on Monday.

Big technology players such as Microsoft and Amazon are vying for a share of 5G revenue by offering telecom operators next-generation software tools.

IBM, using technology it obtained from buying software firm Red Hat, will offer the telecom operators cloud services to run their networks and assist them in selling products tailored to customers. No financial terms were disclosed about the tie-ups, which broadened IBM’s existing partnerships with the two firms.

A cloud platform uses software instead of physical equipment to perform network functions, helping telecom operators build 5G networks faster, reduce costs and sell customised services.

“It’s a disruptive time in this particular market segment, telcos are trying to position themselves as the destination for services like augmented reality, machine learning and AI,” Darell Jordan-Smith, vice president of Redhat, told Reuters.

On the AI front, IBM and Spain’s Telefonica have created a virtual assistant that they say will remove friction points, such as long wait times, by automating the handling of frequently asked questions and tasks like billing.

“We see this as an existential moment for telco operators with 5G: architecturally, they’re looking to gain more control on their platforms and rethink their network as a digital world rather than a structured physical model,” said Steve Canepa, IBM’s general manager for communications business.

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Samsung Galaxy M32 goes on sale for the first time in India on June 28 at e-commerce platform Amazon, Samsung online store and select retail stores. The budget smartphone boasts super AMOLED fullHD screen of 90Hz refresh rate. The Galaxy M32 comes in 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB configurations priced at Rs 14,999 and Rs 16,999, respectively. As an introductory offer, consumers can avail an instant cashback of up to Rs 1,250 while paying with ICICI cards. The cashback offer brings the effective ownership price of the 4GB+64GB variant to Rs 13,749 and 6GB+128GB variant to Rs 15,749.

As for the specifications, the Galaxy M32 sports a 6.4-inch fullHD+ super AMOLED screen of 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is touted to push the peak brightness in High Brightness Mode (HBM) to about 800 nits for good sunlight legibility.

The display is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for protection against scratches.

The Galaxy is powered by a 6,000 mAh battery. The phone supports 25W fast charging but comes with 15W charger in-box. Powering the smartphone is MediaTek Helio G80 system-on-chip, paired with up to 6GB RAM and 128GB on-board storage.

Imaging is covered by a quad-camera array on the back, featuring a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor of 123-degree field of view, a 2MP macro lens for close-up shots, and a 2MP depth sensor for portrait shots with live focus. On the front, the phone sports a 20MP camera sensor for selfies and videos. The Galaxy M32 comes with several camera modes, including Hyperlapse, Slow motion, Food Mode, Pro mode and AR zone.

The Galaxy M32 ships with the Samsung Knox 3.7 security platform. It boots Android 11-based One UI 3.1 user interface.

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Expanding its range of vacuum cleaners in India, British technology company Dyson on Monday launched the Omni-glide cordless vacuum cleaner priced at Rs 34,900. Like the company’s flagship V11 Absolute Pro vacuum cleaner, the Dyson Omni-glide has an in-line design, with the separation system, the motor, filter and handle all aligned. However, the Omni-glide is the first Dyson vacuum cleaner to feature an omni-directional cleaner head that glides in all directions – forwards, backwards, and sideways.

“We are pioneers in the vacuum cleaner industry – we created our cyclone technology, removed the bag, and cut the cord with the introduction of our powerful cordfree machines. Today, we’re introducing a brand new way to clean hard floors with the Dyson Omni-glide vacuum,” James Dyson, Founder and Chief Engineer, Dyson said in a statement. He added, “Dyson’s new omnidirectional Fluffy cleaner head is a true testament to our engineering capabilities, and is powered by a Dyson Hyperdymium motor, and features two counter-rotating brush bars that spin at the same speed for pick up in both directions.”

The Dyson Omni-glide has an omnidirectional cleaner head, which floats on four 360-degree stabilising castors that allow it to move in all directions and into tight spaces. According to Dyson, the castors height and placement were engineered to ensure minimal resistance – whether rolling forwards, backwards or sideways. The Dyson Omni-glide has sealed ball bearings for a smooth change of direction and minimise build-up of dirt.

The Dyson Omni-glide vacuum cleaner comes with three tools – mini motorised tool to tackle hair and ground-in dirt, a worktop tool and a combination tool.

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Six bills taking aim at the Big Tech market power are hurtling forward in the US Congress with bipartisan support even as a House panel has pushed forward an ambitious legislative package that seeks to rein in Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple by targeting their ownership of mighty online platforms in combination with other lines of business that kill competition.

The bills moved forward after a 12-hour all nighter debate, especially over features which would require online platforms to allow users to communicate across competitor services.

Lawmakers closed shop at 5 a.m. on Thursday on the East Coast.

Supporters of the bills argue that the proposed changes will hand consumers power over how their personal data is extracted and juiced by businesses which rely on these data to drive their predictive models and profits.

“With this package of historic legislation, we have the opportunity to take control of our own destiny to be a global leader in developing rules of the road for the digital economy,” Judiciary Committee chair Jerry Nadler said.

“We cannot be complacent and we cannot delay.”

These developments come barely a week after President Joe Biden appointed strident Big Tech critic Lina Khan to head the Federal Trade Commission in a sign of a tougher stance against technology companies which have seeped into society in remarkable ways.

Khan played a crucial role in the sweeping, 15-month long investigation of the tech giants’ market power.

Listed below are the six bills that now enter what is likely to be a long slog through Congress

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After weeks of leaks and hype, tech giant Microsoft has officially announced the next version of its desktop operating system (OS) — Windows 11.

The new OS will be a free upgrade for Windows 10 users and will start rolling out “this holiday”.

“We have simplified the design and user experience to empower your productivity and inspire your creativity. It’s modern, fresh, clean and beautiful,” Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows + Devices, said in a statement.

“From the new Start button and taskbar to each sound, font and icon, everything was done intentionally to put you in control and bring a sense of calm and ease,” Panay added.

New in Windows 11, the company is introducing Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops to provide an even more powerful way to multitask and stay on top.

These are new features designed to help users organise their windows and optimise their screen real estate.

Users can also create separate Desktops for each part of life and customise them according to their likes — imagine having a Desktop for work, gaming or school.

According to the company, Windows 11 is made for gamers as it unlocks the full potential of the system’s hardware, putting some of the latest gaming technology to work.

With a high performance NVMe SSD and the proper drivers, Windows 11 can soon load new games faster than ever thanks to a breakthrough technology called DirectStorage, which we also pioneered as part of the Xbox Velocity Architecture featured in the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series A, the company said.

The company introduced Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar.

With this, users can instantly connect through text, chat, voice or video with all of their personal contacts, anywhere, no matter the platform or device they’re on, across Windows, Android or iOS.

Windows 11 also gives you a more natural way to connect with friends and family through Teams, allowing users to instantly mute and unmute, or start presenting directly from the taskbar, it added.

The new Microsoft Store is rebuilt for speed and with an all-new design that is beautiful and simple to use, said the statement.

“Not only will we bring you more apps than ever before, but we’re also making all content — apps, games, shows, movies — easier to search for and discover with curated stories and collections,” the company said.

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OnePlus Co-founder Carl Pei’s new venture Nothing has partnered with Flipkart for the launch of its true wireless earbuds ‘Ear (1)’ in India.

The London-based consumer tech company hasn’t yet revealed the launch date or the specifications of the product, but only said that it would sell through Flipkart and customers would be offered no-cost EMI options and free delivery.

Nothing was set to launch its first product in June 2021, however, Pei later announced that the Nothing Ear 1 launch was delayed as a few things were yet to be finalised.

“For the upcoming launch of Ear 1, we are excited to partner with Flipkart as we mark Nothing’s entry in India.

Flipkart’s pan-India supply chain will be instrumental in reaching Nothing customers and delivering a superior end-to-end product experience, which is very important to us.” said Manu Sharma, vice president and general manager, Nothing India.

Nothing has also confirmed that the Ear 1 India launch would happen alongside the global launch.

Pei had announced the launch of his new venture in January after his exit from OnePlus in October, 2020. The company had given a brief glimpse of its upcoming true-wireless earbuds in March this year.

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Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani announced JioPhone Next, a 4G smartphone co-developed in partnership with American technology giant Google, at the RIL AGM 2021 on Thursday. He also announced a partnership with Google for the latter’s cloud services to power Jio 5G solutions. Under the Jio Platforms, Ambani said that the company is testing a full new commerce solution in partnership with social media giant Facebook, adding that it has operationalised the Jio-Azure Cloud Centres of 10-Mw capacity in partnership with Microsoft. The company also plans to expand the Jio-Azure data centres capacity and offering for small and medium businesses and start-ups in the country. Here are the details of everything Ambani announced under Jio Platforms at the Reliance Industries annual general meeting this year:JioPhone Next

Co-developed in partnership with Google, the JioPhone Next is touted as a made-for-India smartphone. Powered by an optimised version of the Android platform, especially developed for the JioPhone Next, the 4G smartphone will enable users to consume content and navigate the phone in their preferred language, deliver a great camera experience, and get the latest Android features and security updates – Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet said.

JioPhone Next will be packed with features like the Google Assistant, automatic read-aloud of screen text, language translation, smart camera with augmented reality filters, and more. It will be available in the market from the auspicious date of Ganesh Chaturthi, September 10, 2021 — Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Limited said. The JioPhone Next will be the most affordable 4G smartphone in India, and world, said Ambani in his address at the RIL AGM 2021.

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A multinational project, co-led by ISRO and NOAA from the US, that aims to improve the accuracy of coastal data based on satellite and land-based observations has been recently endorsed by a UN body for its use of innovative technology, and for fostering trust and collaboration among scientists.

The project is called Committee on Earth Observation SatellitesCoastal Observations, Applications, Services, and Tools (CEOS COAST). Its pilot projects are uniquely capable of using Earth Observation technologies to meet several of the 17 UN-designated sustainable development goals for the Ocean Decade initiative, NOAA said in a statement on Wednesday.

NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The themes of these projects include disaster risk reduction and coastal resilience among continental shorelines and small island nations.

“Their work will improve the way we study how the sea can affect the land, such as in large-scale flooding events, as well as how land usage affects coastal ecosystems, including but not limited to water quality issues and the root causes of coastal runoff and sediment deposits, it said.

The CEOS COAST has been working collaboratively with stakeholders in industries such as agriculture, construction, and commercial/recreational fishing to support all forms of decision makers from parents deciding which beach to take their kids to, to sailors navigating the coast, to policymakers taking action on climate change and more, the statement said.

Due to this work, the project was recently endorsed by the International Oceanographic Commission (IOC) as an initial Action of the United Nation’s Ocean Decade plan that will span from 20212030, and aims to bring together governments, industry, academics, NGOs, and other stakeholders to study our oceans and develop conservation solutions, NOAA said.

CEOS COAST was recognised for its use of innovative technology, for its focus on diversity and inclusivity, and for fostering trust and collaboration between scientists and lay users of ocean knowledge, it said.

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