NewsBytes Briefing: Zuckerberg goes full Sopranos on Apple, and more
What's the story
Last month, we had predicted how Apple's new-found love for privacy was an act of war and that it would lead to the Silicon Valley equivalent of a gang war. And sure enough, this has got Mark Zuckerberg pulling a Tony Soprano while asking Facebook employees "to inflict pain" on Apple. Someone please tell poor Mark that Apple wrote the book on Mafia tactics.
Corrupting kids
Atleast Europe cares for its kids! Biden, are you listening?
While US President Joe Biden might have given TikTok a new lease of life in the US, the good EU folks are thankfully more concerned for their children. Highlighting the negative influence the app has on kids, alongside the brazen implementation of advertising and monetization directed at young children, EU consumer watchdogs have raised child safety concerns against the Chinese app.
Money buys everything
After WhiteHat Jr infamy, Byju's sets its eyes on Toppr
Speaking of endangering kids, Indian Edtech juggernaut Byju's might be acquiring yet another rising star in the education start-up space. The $12 billion behemoth has the unique distinction of generating overwhelmingly negative customer feedback on the properties it touches. There have been high-profile exposés, censorship, and lawsuits surrounding WhiteHat Jr, but investors don't care as long as the company turns fat profits.
Genuinely scary
New tech could help Big Tech smell your fear
Mark Zuckerberg seems to be interested in two things: stealing your health data with the rumored Facebook smartwatch and "inflicting pain" on Tim Cook. Since pain and stress go together, Zuckerberg will be thrilled to know of this new technology that that detects stress levels via sweat. If there is anyone who could find a way to monetize fear, it's Zuckerberg.
Battery recalls
Apple's battery woes jump from its laptops to smartwatches
And while we are on the subject of smartwatches, Apple has been facing problems with its smartwatch range. The company is replacing batteries free of charge for Apple Watch users affected by a battery bizarre fault. The company also issued a similar battery replacement program for MacBook Pro owners, who faced a similar issue.