As Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to reshape the social media space, a group of international tech entrepreneurs and advocates has launched a campaign to protect social media from the control and influence of billionaires. The initiative, Free Our Feeds, aims to protect Bluesky’s underlying technology, the AT Protocol, and leverage it to create…
Category: Apps
Apps, AT Protocol, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, Twitter
‘Free Our Feeds’ campaign aims to billionaire-proof Bluesky’s tech
As Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to reshape the social media space, a group of international tech entrepreneurs and advocates has launched a campaign to protect social media from the control and influence of billionaires. The initiative, Free Our Feeds, aims to protect Bluesky’s underlying technology, the AT Protocol, and leverage it to create…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, short form video, social media, TikTok Ban
Xiaohongshu, China’s answer to Instagram, hits no. 1 on the App Store as TikTok faces US shutdown
On the heels of TikTok’s looming shut down on January 19 over its ownership in the U.S. (unless the Supreme Court intervenes), it looks like another Chinese app is catching some attention. American users are flocking Chinese short-form video app Xiaohongshu (known as RedNote in English). The app today surged to the number-one spot for…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, TC, watch duty
Watch Duty was downloaded 2 million times during this week’s LA fires
Fire-tracking app Watch Duty has become a crucial source of information for Los Angeles residents threatened by the ongoing wildfires. As TechCrunch’s Maxwell Zeff explained, the app relies on a network of active and retired firefighters, first responders, official government reports, and volunteer reporters who monitor radio scanners to offer real-time updates on active wildfires.…
Apple Intelligence, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS, mac
How to turn off Apple Intelligence-powered notification summaries
With iOS 18, Apple rolled out Apple Intelligence, which includes an AI-powered feature for summarizing notifications. When you get a bunch of notifications from one app, the feature summarizes the content of all notifications in one card that appears on the lock screen. You can dismiss the stack after you have read the summary, or…
apache 2.0, Apps, Enterprise, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, MIT, open source, open source licensing
Open source licenses: Everything you need to know
Open source makes the technology world go ’round, forming as much as 90% of the modern software stack via frameworks; libraries; databases; operating systems; and countless standalone applications. The benefits of open source software are well understood, promising greater control and transparency. However, there’s a perennial struggle between the open source and proprietary realms, leading…
Apps, Automattic, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, matt mullenweg, Media & Entertainment, wordpress
Matt Mullenweg deactivates WordPress accounts of contributors planning a fork
Automattic CEO and WordPress co-creator Matt Mullenweg has deactivated the accounts of several WordPress.org community members, some of whom have been spearheading a push to create a new fork of the open source WordPress project. While community criticism of WordPress’s governance isn’t new, the latest brouhaha kicked off back in September when Mullenweg publicly chastised WP…
Apps, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social, Threads
How to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads
In the wake of Meta’s decision to remove its third-party fact-checking system and loosen content moderation policies, Google searches on how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads have been on the rise. People who are angry with the decision accuse Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of cozying up to the incoming Trump administration at the expense…
Apps, bytedance, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, supreme court, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Trump
TikTok pleads its case against sell-or-ban law before Supreme Court
A lawyer for TikTok argued before the Supreme Court on Friday that a ban on the social network would violate TikTok’s and Americans’ First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court this morning heard arguments on whether to overturn or delay a law that could effectively ban TikTok in the U.S. The bill, officially titled the Protecting…
AI, Apps, Automation, Enterprise, Exclusive, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, gumloop, startup, Startups, workflow, workflow automation
Gumloop, founded in a bedroom in Vancouver, lets users automate tasks with drag-and-drop modules
Developers Max Brodeur-Urbas and Rahul Behal think that AI has the potential to automate lots of business-relevant tasks, but that many of the AI-powered automation tools on the market today are unreliable and costly. Part of the problem is that users expect too much of AI, Brodeur-Urbas told TechCrunch — for instance, they assume that…
Apps, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social networks, Twitter
X says it is rolling out labels for parody accounts
Elon Musk-owned social network X said today that it is rolling out labels for parody or satire accounts to differentiate them from other accounts. In the past, users, including news presenters, have mistaken posts from parody accounts as authentic statements made by real people or entities. The company’s safety account on the platform said that…
AI, Apps, ChatGPT, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Open AI
ChatGPT’s newest feature lets user assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’
OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT, the company’s AI-powered chatbot. Some users on X on Thursday reported that ChatGPT’s existing custom instructions menu on the web has been revamped with new fields. Now, users can specify a preferred name or nickname, their profession, other things they’d like…
Apps, Facebook, fact checking, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google Search, google trends, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Media & Entertainment, Meta, meta content moderation, Social, social media, Threads, trends
Google searches for deleting Facebook, Instagram explode after Meta ends fact-checking
Google searches for how to cancel and delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts have seen explosive rises in the U.S. since Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company will end its third-party fact-checking system, loosen content moderation policies, and roll back previous limits to the amount of political content in user feeds. Experts see…
Apps, Climate, consumer apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, top apps, wildfires
Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread
Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the No. 1 free app in Apple’s App Store as of Wednesday morning. The fire-tracking app surpassed the ChatGPT app for the No. 1 spot as devastating fires continue to rage across Southern California. ChatGPT had been in the No. 1…
AI, Apps, Artificial Intelligence, audio, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google search labs, Search Labs
Google’s Daily Listen AI feature generates a podcast based on your Discover feed
Google is testing a new “Daily Listen” feature that automatically generates a podcast based on your Discover feed. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that Daily Listen is a personalized AI-powered audio experience that is designed to help you stay up to date on the topics you care about. The feature is currently rolling out on…
Apple Watch, Apps, CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, hand gestures, Hardware, interfaces, smart watch, TC
Doublepoint launches free Apple Watch app to control devices with hand gestures
Finnish startup Doublepoint launched its free app, WowMouse, for the Apple Watch this week at CES 2025. The app uses the wearable’s sensors, compass, and accelerometer to turn your hand into a mouse that can control devices through hand gestures. The Apple Watch already uses a similar technology for the double tap feature it released…
Apps, bytedance, captions, Global IT News, Global Security News, Video Editing
Video editing app Captions switches to a freemium model to boost growth
Video editing app Captions is looking to cash in on uncertainty around TikTok and ByteDance’s video editing app CapCut’s future in the U.S. by turning to a freemium model. The app, backed by Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz, has been a paid-only app until now. However, the company is changing its course to…
Apple, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS, ios 18
Apple might be working on a new ‘Invites’ app
The year has just begun, and Apple might already be in “Sherlocking” mode to create a new app for iOS called Invites. Details are still thin on what this app might look like, but it could potentially be a competitor to Evite or Partiful. According to findings in iOS 18.3 beta 2 code by 9to5Mac, Apple…
Apps, Climate, consumer apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, top apps, wildfires
Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread
Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the number one free app in Apple’s App Store as of Wednesday morning. The fire tracking app surpassed the ChatGPT app for the number one spot as devastating fires continue to rage across Southern California. Watch Duty has been around since…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Triller
Triller launches a tool to back up users’ TikToks ahead of the U.S. ban deadline
Triller, a would-be competitor to TikTok, is hoping to capitalize on the potential for a TikTok ban in the U.S. by pitching to creators to move their content from the popular short-form video app to its own. The company has now launched a website, SaveMyTikToks.com, which promises to back up all your TikTok videos by…
AI, AI model, Apps, Bing, bing image creator, DALL-E 3, Global IT News, Global Security News, image generator, Media & Entertainment, Microsoft, model, pr16
Microsoft rolls back its Bing Image Creator model after users complain of degraded quality
Ahead of the holidays, Microsoft said it was upgrading the AI model behind Bing Image Creator, the AI-powered image editing tool built into the company’s Bing search engine. Microsoft promised that the new model — the latest version of OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 model, code-named “PR16” — would allow users to create images “twice as fast…
Apps, Commerce, E-Commerce, funding rounds, Global IT News, Global Security News, livestream shopping, series E funding, Whatnot
Livestream shopping app Whatnot raises $265M, pinning valuation at nearly $5B
Whatnot, the platform that allows users to sell items such as trading cards, comics, and sneakers through live videos, announced on Wednesday that it has secured $265 million in a Series E funding round, a significant investment for a livestream shopping platform. This round puts Whatnot’s valuation at $4.97 billion. The investment marks an important…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy
FTC accuses gig work app Handy of misleading ads and opaque fees for workers
The FTC and New York’s attorney general have accused Handy, the gig app customers can use to book cleaners, handymen, and more, of making deceptive claims about how much workers could earn through its platform. In a complaint filed on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the FTC…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, Social, Threads, Twitter, X
Threads prototypes custom display names and cover images for profiles
Instagram Threads is developing new features that would bring its user experience more in line with that of X (formerly Twitter) and the social network Bluesky. The Meta-owned company is internally prototyping the ability to set a display name and add a cover image to profiles. A spokesperson for the company confirmed to TechCrunch on…
AI, Apps, CES, families, Global IT News, Global Security News, Panasonic, wellness
Panasonic unveils an AI-powered wellness coach, powered by Anthropic’s Claude, at CES 2025
At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Panasonic unveiled its upcoming digital assistant, Umi, which offers families a personalized, AI-powered wellness coach. Created in partnership with Anthropic, Umi uses the Claude AI model to help families “care, coordinate, and connect” with each other, the company said. More specifically, this involves an AI assistant that focuses on…
3D design, ai apps, Apps, Creators, design, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS apps, Rooms, Social, Startups
Google puts $1M into 3D design app Rooms after more than 1 million ‘rooms’ created
3D design app Rooms just landed more funding. Launched into beta in 2023, the app from ex-Google employees allows users to build and code interactive 3D rooms and mini-games using a library of more than 10,000 items, which can be further edited using the programming language Lua. Now, Google itself has invested $1 million into…
Apps, CES, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, peacock, streaming
Peacock is experimenting with mini-games and short videos
As Peacock continues to trail behind major players in the entertainment industry like Netflix, TikTok, and YouTube, the streaming service is adopting strategies similar to its rivals with two new initiatives: mini-games and a short-form vertical video feed. The company previewed these experiments at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday. Starting this…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social apps, social media, social networking, Startups, Threads, Twitter, X
Bluesky bump from X exodus is slowing down, data shows
Social network and X competitor Bluesky’s massive growth slowed in December in the U.S., after having surged from 9+ million in September to north of 20 million users in November. The slowdown is based on an analysis of web traffic and mobile app daily active users by analytics firm Similarweb, which found that Bluesky grew…
AI, Apps, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google deepmind, Media & Entertainment, tim brooks, world models
Google is forming a new team to build AI that can simulate the physical world
Google is forming a new team to work on AI models that can simulate the physical world. Tim Brooks, one of the co-leads on OpenAI’s video generator, Sora, who left for Google’s AI research lab, Google DeepMind, last October, will lead the new team, he announced in a post on X. It’ll be a part of…
Apps, CES, Garmin, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, Therabody
Therabody launches Coach, an AI-powered digital recovery app
Therabody, the maker of popular massage guns and other wellness devices, announced at CES 2025 that it’s launching an AI-powered digital recovery app called Coach by Therabody. While Therabody’s flagship app is designed to give you easy-to-follow proprietary routines, Coach takes recovery and wellness a step further by using data to understand users’ current needs.…
AI, Apps, CES, ces 2025, cosmos, cosmos wfm, Enterprise, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, nvidia, open models, world models
Nvidia releases its own brand of world models
Nvidia is getting into world models — AI models that take inspiration from the mental models of the world that humans develop naturally. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company announced that it is making openly available a family of world models that can predict and generate “physics-aware” videos. Nvidia’s calling this family…
AI, Apps, CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Samsung
Samsung’s new TVs can find recipes for dishes in shows
Have you ever watched a food scene on TV and thought, wow, I wish I could cook that at home? Maybe it was the il timpano in “Big Night,” or the beef bourguignon in “Julie & Julia.” Whatever your show-inspired craving, you’re in luck — if you buy a 2025 Samsung TV, that is. During…
Apps, congestion pricing, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Lyft
Lyft will credit NYC riders for congestion fee throughout January
New York City’s congestion pricing is scheduled to take effect Sunday — but for the first month, Lyft said it will be crediting riders who pay the fee. New York’s program, which is supposed to reduce traffic in lower Manhattan while also raising funding for mass transit, was paused by Governor Kathy Hochul in June,…
accessibe, accessibility, AI, Apps, blind, complaint, disabled, FTC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, order, startup, Startups, web accessibility
FTC orders AI accessibility startup accessiBe to pay $1M for misleading advertising
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has fined accessiBe, a startup that claims to make websites more compatible with the screen readers blind people rely on to access the internet, for false advertising and compensating reviewers without disclosing that it sponsored the reviews. In a proposed order, the FTC would require accessiBe to pay $1 million…
Apps, ccleaner professional, Global Security News, Hardware, Microsoft, microsoft windows, pc optimization tool, Security, Software, TR Academy
This Trusted App Helps Sluggish PCs Work Faster
CCleaner speeds up sluggish PCs by clearing junk files, fixing registry issues, and optimizing performance.
Apps, Cloudflare Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Security, VPN
Cloudflare’s VPN app among half-dozen pulled from Indian app stores
More than half-a-dozen VPN apps, including Cloudflare’s widely-used 1.1.1.1, have been pulled from India’s Apple App Store and Google Play Store following intervention from government authorities, TechCrunch has learned. The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs issued removal orders for the apps, according to a document reviewed by TechCrunch and a disclosure made by Google to…
Apps, creator economy, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, music streaming, Podcasts, Spotify
Spotify’s partner program for podcast hosts is now available
Spotify announced Thursday the launch of its new “Partner Program” that lets popular podcast hosts monetize their video content. Spotify’s new program gives qualifying creators on its platform opportunities for extra income beyond just advertising revenue, such as video payouts. The program was initially announced back in November and is officially available in the U.S.,…
Apps, chat app, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social, social media, Telegram, verification
Telegram rolls out third-party account verification, filters
Telegram has rolled out its first update of the year, adding a new account verification method powered by third-parties, new message search filters, and the ability to turn gifts into NFTs. The chat app already had a program to verify public figures and organizations on the platform, and it has now launched a new project…
addictive feeds, AI, Apps, ban, california, Global IT News, Global Security News, Judge, law, NetChoice, Social
Judge allows California’s ban on addictive feeds for minors to go into effect
Late Tuesday evening, a federal judge blocked tech lobbying group NetChoice’s challenge to California’s recently enacted law, SB 976, which prohibits companies from serving “addictive feeds” to minors. The effect of this decision is that beginning Wednesday, companies will be prohibited from serving an addictive feed to a California-based user they know to be a…
Apps, Creators, Exploits, Global Security News, influencers, Instagram, Telegram
Investigation exposes pedophilia in the child-influencer industry
A New York Times investigation found that dozens of potential pedophiles have prolifically exploited the child influencer industry. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, WhatsApp, WhatsApp Pay
India lifts WhatsApp payment curbs
India has removed restrictions on WhatsApp’s mobile payments service in a significant victory for Meta in its largest market by users as it seeks to compete with entrenched fintech rivals. The National Payments Corporation of India, the payments body overseeing the popular UPI payments network, said Tuesday that WhatsApp can now roll out WhatsApp Pay…
Apple, Apps, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, ipad apps
Best iPad apps for unleashing and exploring your creativity
There are a number of iPad apps that can help you explore and express your creativity. Although the iPad started off as a simple device that could be used to stream content or browse the web on the go, Apple has essentially turned its iPads into powerful machines that can be used to do things…
Apps, Evergreen, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, ipad apps, productivity apps
Best iPad apps to boost productivity and make your life easier
There are many iPad apps to help you organize recipes; sync tasks across devices; be more productive; and manage your notes. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, social media, Threads Styling, trending topics
Bluesky starts testing a trending topics feature
Social network Bluesky said on Christmas day that it launched trending topics feature in beta. The trending topics are available on both desktop and mobile apps of the social network. On the desktop, you can see trending topics on the right sidebar, and on the mobile apps, you can tap on the search button to…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, halide, iOS app, iphone camera
Halide’s next version will come with new film filters, HDR
Lux, which makes the iPhone camera app Halide, published a roadmap on Monday detailing the app’s next version, called Halide Mark III, to be released sometime next year. The company said Halide Mark III will ship with two new features: Color Grades, and its own take on HDR (High Dynamic Range) photos. The company plans…
Apps, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social
Instagram tests a way to show you Story Highlights you didn’t get a chance to see
Instagram is testing a way for you to see content from friends that you might have missed. The social network has started displaying unseen Story Highlights from a user’s mutual followers at the end of the Stories tray, which is the area at the top of your feed where you see Stories from your friends.…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Telegram
Pavel Durov says Telegram is now profitable
Telegram founder Pavel Durov said today that the company is now profitable. Durov said the chat app’s total revenue surpassed $1 billion in 2024. The company, which launched its premium subscription service in 2022, now has 12 million paid users. Durov also said that the app is finishing the year with more than $500 million…
Apps, Donald Trump, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, TikTok
Trump says he wants to keep TikTok around ‘for a little while’
With a US TikTok ban scheduled to take effect in less than a month, President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday that he’d like to keep the app around, according to Reuters. “We’re going to have to start thinking because, you know, we did go on TikTok, and we had a great response with billions of views,…
Apps, Bluesky, Global IT News, Global Security News, social media startups, Social networks
Bluesky adds mentions tab in the notifications screen and username squatting protection
Social network Bluesky has released a new update to its app that includes a separate mentions tab in notifications, protections against username squatting, and new controls for replies sorting. The company announced that it is adding a new mentions tab with the v1.96 rollout to let you see those posts separately. Until now, all notifications…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, iconfactory, mobile apps, Open Web, Social, social media, tapestry
Tapestry, a new app for tracking social media, news, blogs, and more, will launch in ‘early 2025’
A new app called Tapestry promising to unify social media, news, and RSS in one place, is nearing completion. Designed by Iconfactory, the same team that created the third-party Twitter client Twitterific back in the day, Tapestry was unveiled at the beginning of the year as a tool that could better organize today’s fragmented online…
AI, Apps, Artificial Intelligence, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social
Instagram teases AI tools for editing appearances, backgrounds in videos using prompts
Instagram head Adam Mosseri is teasing upcoming generative AI features for the social app that will allow creators to “change nearly any aspect” of their videos using text prompts. The editing tools will be powered by Meta’s Movie Gen AI model, and are expected to launch on the social network sometime next year, Mosseri said…
apple dma, apple dma interoperability specification proceedings, Apps, Europe, Global Security News, Government & Policy, ios dma interoperability
EU asks for views on plan to force Apple to open up iOS
The European Commission has published draft proposals for how Apple must meet interoperability requirements flowing from the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) — inviting feedback on proposed measures targeted at areas like iOS notifications, data transfer, and device set-up by January 9, 2025. European Union regulators then have until around mid March to adopt final…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, photos, Social, social media, Threads
Instagram Threads adds ‘Use Media’ feature for resharing photos and videos
Threads is introducing a new way to reshare photos and videos on its social network. Instead of quote posting the original post and then adding commentary, Threads users will instead be able to click a new option, “Use Media,” allowing them to just reshare the photo or video directly to a new post where they…
android apps, app ecosystem, app store, appfigures, Apple, Apps, Global Security News, Google Play, iOS apps, TC
App downloads decline 2.3% in 2024, but consumer spending grows to $127B
The global app economy continued to recover in 2024, after an earlier slowdown in 2022 — at least in terms of consumer spending. In 2024, global consumer spending in mobile apps and games reached $127 billion across the App Store and Google Play, up 15.7% from the prior year. However, those increases were driven by…
Apps, DoorDash, drone delivery, Global IT News, Global Security News, Transportation, wing
Wing and DoorDash launch drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth
Alphabet’s Wing announced on Wednesday that it’s expanding its partnership with DoorDash to bring drone delivery to customers in the the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Customers in the area will now be able to order food from 50 merchants located in Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Hulen Mall in Fort Worth. Wing says its drones can…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Social, supreme court, TikTok, TikTok Ban
Supreme Court to hear arguments over TikTok sell-or-ban law
The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that it will hear ByteDance and TikTok’s challenge to a law would ban the social network in the U.S. unless the social network divests from Chinese ownership by January 19. On January 10, the Supreme Court justices will hear argue about whether the sell-or-ban law violates the First Amendment.…
activitypub, Apps, at proto, Bluesky, fediverse, flipboard, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, open social web, Social, social media, surf, TC
Flipboard lauches Surf, a new app for browing the open social web
Social magazine app maker Flipboard is reinventing itself for the new era of the open social web. While the company’s original app allowed users to collect content from blogs, news websites, and traditional social media services like Facebook and Twitter in order to create curated magazines, its new app called Surf, launching into invite-only beta…
Access, App, Apps, Funding, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, new york city, nyc, restaurant industry, Restaurants, startup, Startups, subscription
Access bets people will pay thousands of dollars a year for guaranteed restaurant reservations
Once, not long ago, booking a table at a hot new restaurant didn’t entail a midnight dash to Resy. Truly, we didn’t know how good we had it then. Hours-long lines out the door are now the norm, not the exception, in major cities from New York to Los Angeles. One reason is that restaurants…
AI, Apps, artifical intelligence, CAA, Celebs, Global IT News, Global Security News, YouTube
YouTube to test a way for creators and celebrities to find AI-generated content using their likeness
YouTube is partnering with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to help celebrities, athletes, and creators identify content that uses their AI-generated likeness on the platform. The tool, which YouTube will begin testing early next year, will let these professionals submit requests for the removal of their AI-generated likeness. YouTube will first make the tool available for…
Apps, Bending Spoons, File Transfer, Global IT News, Global Security News, subscriptions, WeTrasnfer
WeTransfer’s free plan now has a monthly limit of 10 transfers
File transfer service WeTransfer is now limiting users to 10 transfers per month with its free plan. The company is already applying the new limit to users, as per a support page. At the same time, WeTransfer is adding some perks to the free plan, including increasing the overall file transfer limit from 2GB to…
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, scheduling, Social, Threads
Threads is testing a post scheduling feature
Meta’s social network Threads is experimenting with a feature that will let you schedule posts, Instagram head Adam Mosseri said. Users who will get to test this feature won’t be able to schedule replies. “We want to balance giving people more control to plan their Threads posts while still encouraging real-time conversations,” he said. People…
Apps, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, grubhub, In Brief
Grubhub to pay $25M for ‘deceptive’ practices against customers, drivers
Grubhub will pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul over unlawful practices, including misleading customers about delivery costs, deceiving drivers about potential earnings, and listing restaurants on its platform without their permission. The agencies claim that Grubhub hid the true cost of its delivery…
AI, Apps, coda, Global IT News, Global Security News, grammarly, Startups
Grammarly acquires productivity startup Coda, brings on new CEO
Grammarly is acquiring productivity startup Coda, the company announced on Tuesday. As part of the deal, Coda’s CEO and co-founder Shishir Mehrotra will become the new CEO of Grammarly. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition will help turn Grammarly’s AI assistant into an “AI productivity platform” thanks to the addition…
Apps, artists, Global IT News, Global Security News, music streaming, soundcloud
SoundCloud introduces a cheaper plan for artists
Music streaming platform SoundCloud announced Tuesday that it is introducing a new, cheaper paid plan for artists simply called Artist, while renaming its Next Pro plan to Artist Pro. The new basic tier will cost $39 per year and put some limits on features like track amplification, distribution, monetization, and AI mastering. Artists subscribing to…
Apps, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, junk fees, Lina Khan
FTC bans hidden junk fees in short-term lodging, live-event ticket prices
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission passed a rule on Tuesday banning hidden “junk fees” for live events, hotels, and vacation rentals. The agency says the new rule prohibits “bait-and-switch pricing,” and other practices that hide total prices and bury junk fees in the live-event ticketing and short-term lodging industries, noting that these “unfair and deceptive”…
Apps, AstroPay, Fintech, foreign exchange, Global IT News, Global Security News, LATAM, multi-currency wallet, payment, Startups
Popular LatAm digital payment service AstroPay launches multi-currency wallet
AstroPay has been around since 2009. The bootstrapped company currently has 320 employees and is profitable. And yet, it’s not a name that comes up often in startup news. The company originally started its life as a payment service provider focused on Latin America — an alternative payment method that you would find next to the…
Apps, Automattic, Enterprise, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, pineapple pizza, TC, wordpress
Pineapple on pizza is delicious — and if you disagree, you can’t log in to WordPress.org
There are few matters in life that divide a room more than the prudence of putting pineapple on pizza. But if you’re of the persuasion that tropical fruit has no place on a pie, you’ll have to swallow a bitter pill — if you want to access the WordPress.org developer portal and forum, at least.…
adam mosseri, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Social, TC, Threads
Mark Zuckerberg says Threads now has 100M daily active users
Meta’s X rival Threads is growing steadily with more than 100 million people using the service daily, the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Monday. Zuckerberg also noted that Threads now has 300 million monthly active users, up from 275 million monthly active users in November. While Meta has regularly released updated numbers about monthly active…
AI, Apps, ChatGPT, chatgpt search, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, Search, web search
OpenAI brings its AI-powered web search tool to more ChatGPT users
ChatGPT Search, OpenAI’s AI-powered web search experience, is now live for all ChatGPT users — with several new features in tow. By default, ChatGPT will automatically determine which questions to route through ChatGPT Search, or users can tap a new “Search the web” icon in the ChatGPT interface. ChatGPT Search shows summarized answers from different…
Apps, evergreens, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Instagram Threads, Meta, Social, Threads
What is Instagram’s Threads app? All your questions answered
Twitter alternatives — new and old — have found audiences willing to try out a newer social networks since Elon Musk took over the company in 2022. Mastodon, Bluesky, Spill and T2 are some of the social media platforms people are among them. So is Meta’s Threads platform. What is Threads? How do you create…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, YouTube, YouTube comments
YouTube’s latest test lets creators post voice notes as comments
YouTube is experimenting with a new way to engage fans by giving creators the ability to post voice notes and reply to comments on their videos, the company announced on Monday. The ability to post voice notes is limited to certain creators in the U.S. for the time being. YouTube says they’ll only be able…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Snap, Snapchat, Social
Snapchat introduces a unified monetization program for creators
Snapchat is introducing a revamped, unified monetization program for creators. The new program will reward creators for both content posted to Stories and Spotlight, its TikTok copycat. Previously, Snapchat monetized these two formats through separate programs. Under the new program, creators will earn revenue from ads displayed within eligible Stories and Spotlight posts. “With Spotlight…
app store, Apple, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS apps, iphone apps, top apps
Temu is the most-downloaded app on the U.S. App Store in 2024
Chinese shopping app Temu was once again the most downloaded free app in the U.S., according to a list of top apps and games across the App Store released by Apple on Monday. The shopping app last year moved into the No. 1 slot, stealing the position from TikTok which held the title in in…
AI, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, Google NotebookLM, notebooklm
Google’s NotebookLM now lets you to talk to its AI podcast hosts
A few months ago, Google’s NotebookLM note-taking app debuted an Audio Overviews feature that generates a podcast with AI virtual hosts based on information you have shared with the app. Now, NotebookLM is rolling out the ability for users to interact with the AI podcast hosts. The idea behind Audio Overviews and the AI hosts…
agentspace, AI, Apps, Enterprise, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google cloud, Media & Entertainment, notebooklm
Google debuts NotebookLM for enterprises
Google’s bringing its viral NotebookLM app to the enterprise via a new service for Google Cloud customers, Agentspace. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, video calls, WhatsApp
WhatsApp lets you select specific people within a group to start a group call without disturbing anyone
WhatsApp announced that it had added new video calling features just before the holidays, including participant selection for group video calls, better resolution, and a revamped call tab on the desktop. This is another step from Meta in making WhatsApp a viable option for both personal and work calls instead of using Google Meet or…
AI, Apps, Enterprise, evergreens, gemini, Gemini Pro, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google gemini
Google Gemini: Everything you need to know about the generative AI models
Gemini is Google’s long-promised, next-gen generative AI model family. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, Instagram, Meta, Social, TikTok, YouTube
Nearly half of US teens are online almost constantly, Pew study finds
Nearly half of teens in the U.S. are online almost constantly, and the platform they’re using the most is YouTube, a new study from the Pew Research Center has found. The center reports that 46% of teens say they’re online “almost constantly,” and 90% of teens it surveyed said they use the Google-owned video platform,…