New Delhi, June 18 (IANS) Intelligence agencies in India have red flagged about 52 China-linked mobile applications, including TikTok, UC browser, Xender and SHAREit, over concerns related to safety and privacy of users, according to a media report.<br /><br />The government needs to either block access to these apps or advise people to stop their use, according to the intel inputs, said the Hindustan Times report on Wednesday, citing sources.<br /><br />The report comes amid growing chorus from Indian activists to boycott Chinese products due to the border tensions between the two countries in Ladakh.<br /><br />The recommendations of the intel agencies have backing of the National Security Council Secretariat which determined that certain China-linked applications could be detrimental to the country's security, said the report citing an unnamed government official.<br /><br />The apps which came under the radar of the Indian agencies include TikTok, Vault-Hide, Vigo Video, Weibo, WeChat, SHAREit, UC News, UC Browser, BeautyPlus, Helo, LIKE, Kwai, ROMWE, SHEIN, NewsDog, Photo Wonder, APUS Browser, VivaVideo- QU Video Inc, Perfect Corp, CM Browser, and Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab).<br /><br />Also in the list of Chinese apps is Mi Community, DU recorder, YouCam Makeup, Mi Store, 360 Security, DU Battery Saver, DU Browser, DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, Clean Master -- Cheetah, CacheClear DU apps studio, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map, Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, QQ International, QQ Launcher, QQ Security Centre, QQ Player, QQ Music, QQ Mail, QQ NewsFeed, WeSync, SelfieCity, Clash of Kings, Mail Master, Mi Video call-Xiaomi, and Parallel Space, among others.<br /><br />Discussions on the recommendations are currently ongoing as the evaluation of security risk requires examination of each app, said the report.<br /><br />--IANS<br /><br />gb/kr

Over 50 China-linked mobile apps red flagged by Indian intelligence

<ul><li><keyword id="1646890" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="App-Annie">App Annie</keyword>’s ‘<keyword id="8573700" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-of-mobile-2020">State of Mobile 2020</keyword>’ report said that users in India, France and Canada spent 25% more time on their phones in 2019 that they did in 2017.</li><li>While Amazon topped the chart of breakout retail apps in India in 2019, MX Player topped the list of breakout video streaming apps in the country.<br />India saw an 80% increase in the amount of time consumers spent on Entertainment apps.</li><li>Globally, <keyword id="1388637" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mobile-ad-spends">mobile ad spends</keyword> are expected to reach $240 billion.</li></ul>The average user in India, France and Canada spent 25% more time on their phones each day in 2019 compared to what they did in 2017, according to research firm App Annie’s ‘State of Mobile 2020’ report. <br /><br />Moreover, mobile-first emerging markets like Indonesia, Brazil and India spent the most time on mobile everyday.<br /><br />
  
  
  
  
  
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<br />High quality streaming, growth in user-generated content and standardized offline mode led to people moving from bigger screens to mobile screens. India saw an 80% increase in the amount of time consumers spent on Entertainment apps.<br /><br />
  
  
  
  
  
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<br />Amazon that topped the chart of breakout retail apps in 2019 was followed by Flipkart, Paytm, Myntra and Club Factory. <br />
  
  
  <div type="image" title="big breakout apps" msid="73326631" hostid="261"></div>







<br />MX Player, followed by Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and JioTV were the breakout video streaming apps in India.<br />
	
  
  





  <div type="image" title="breakout video streaming apps" msid="73326699" hostid="261"></div>



<br />Considering the popularity that short-video platform TikTok has seen in India, it wasn’t surprising that the platform topped the list of breakout social apps. It was followed by Helo, Hago VMate and WhatsApp Business. Google Pay in India saw a breakout year and witnessed 36 million new downloads, which was a 50% growth year-on-year.<br /><br />While consumers across the globe downloaded a record 204 billion apps, India saw a growth of 190% in the number of apps downloaded between 2016 and 2019.<br /><br />
  
  
  
  
  
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<br />The report also suggested that globally, mobile <keyword id="389052" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ad-spends">ad spends</keyword> are expected to reach $240 billion.<br />

Indians spent 25% more time on their phones each day in 2019 than they did in 2017: App Annie

<br /><ul><li>Over 6 million videos disappeared from TikTok over rule violations in India.</li><li>The Bytedance-owned short video sharing platform is facing heat from the Indian government over its handling of data from Indian users. </li><li>But Bytedance seems to have no plans of backing down with plans to invest $1 billion in India over the next three years and setting up a data centre locally to allay government concerns.</li></ul>TikTok has no plans of backing down in the Indian market as it removes more than 6 million (60 lakh) videos from its platform over violations in the country. <br /><br />This isn’t the first time that the Bytedance-owned enterprise has been called into question over content hosted on its platform. Earlier this year, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/inside-the-rise-of-tiktok-the-video-sharing-app-with-1-billion-downloads-thats-owned-by-a-massive-chinese-internet-company/articleshow/70110034.cms">TikTok</a> was pulled off Google Play Store and the iOS App Store after a local Indian court implemented a ban on its video for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-ban-in-india-for-hosting-porn/articleshow/68720430.cms">‘encouraging pornography’.</a><br /><br />The app is under threat of facing another ban with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-and-helo-may-be-banned-by-indian-government/articleshow/70275179.cms">Indian government sending TikTok and its sister mobile app, Helo, a notice</a> over their data collection, storage and sharing practices of Indian users last week.<br /><br />But Bytedance has no plans to giving into the pressure. Over the weekend, the Chinese mobile app publisher announced that it has plans to invest $1 billion in India over the next three years with the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-plans-to-set-up-a-data-center-in-india-after-questions-over-data-storage/articleshow/70323189.cms">first $100 million</a> going towards setting up a local data center in the country. <br /><br /><strong>TikTok or TikTok users to blame<br /></strong><br />TikTok has regulations in place to keep a check on the content that’s being uploaded to the platform. But its burgeoning popularity in the country with over 200 million downloads has led <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-users-in-india-are-even-breaking-the-law-in-a-bid-to-go-viral/articleshow/69992053.cms">users to be more daring on the platform.</a> <br /><br />However, just because regulations are in place doesn’t mean that everyone is making the time to read through the material. <br /><br />Sachin Sharma, the director of sales at Tiktok, said that the company is currently working on strengthening its monitoring to try and ensure that content violating the platform's community standards, is not released on the platform to begin with. <br /><br /><strong>See also:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-and-helo-may-be-banned-by-indian-government/articleshow/70275179.cms">TikTok and Helo are accused of unlawful activities in India triggering talks of a possible ban</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-plans-to-set-up-a-data-center-in-india-after-questions-over-data-storage/articleshow/70323189.cms">TikTok is spending $100 million to protect its biggest market</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-users-in-india-are-even-breaking-the-law-in-a-bid-to-go-viral/articleshow/69992053.cms">TikTok users in India are even breaking the law in a bid to go viral</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-arrest-suicide-and-accidental-death-result-of-digital-addication/articleshow/69826567.cms">A fresh wave of bad news haunts TikTok</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

TikTok just removed more than 6 million videos in India over violations

(Eds: Adding more details) <p>New Delhi, July 1 () State-owned BSNL on Wednesday cancelled a multi-crore tender for 4G telecom network upgrade after the government asked the firm not to use any Chinese equipment. </p><p>The move comes against the backdrop of a growing clamour against Chinese goods and services after the violent clash at border with China. </p><p>Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) on Wednesday issued a notice for cancellation of the 4G tender. </p><p>A source privy to the development told that a new tender will be floated which will have emphasis on preference to Make in India. </p><p>BSNL Chairman could not be reached for comments. </p><p>"Tender for planning, engineering, supply, installation, testing, commissioning and annual maintenance of 4G mobile network in north, east, west and south zones of BSNL and Delhi and Mumbai LSA of MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd) on turnkey basis...issued on March 23, 2020 is hereby cancelled," BSNL notice said. </p><p>The notice for cancellation has been "issued with the approval of competent authority", it added. </p><p>Meanwhile sources said that government had earlier directed BSNL not to use Chinese equipment in 4G upgrade, and implementation of the direction meant that the company has to issue a new tender. </p><p>Keeping in view the developing Indian capacity and in-house technology, a new tender will be floated, the source said adding this will have emphasis on preference to Make in India. </p><p>Nearly a fortnight ago, the telecom department had asked state-owned BSNL and MTNL to shun the use of Chinese telecom equipment in their 4G upgrade, underlining a hardening of stance in the backdrop of tensions at the India-China border. </p><p>On June 29, India banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. </p><p>The ban, which came in the backdrop of current stand-off along the border in Ladakh with Chinese troops, is also applicable for WeChat and Bigo Live. The list of apps that have been banned also include Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call – Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein. </p><p>This marks the largest sweep against the Chinese technology companies. </p>The Information Technology Ministry statement had cited many complaints received from various sources, including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for "stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India". MBI MKJ MKJ

BSNL cancels 4G tender after DoT directs it not to use Chinese telecom gear

New Delhi, Apr 7 () The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is learnt to have asked social media platforms like Tiktok, Helo and Facebook to remove rogue messages spreading misinformation and weakening government's effort to fight against the coronavirus. <p>Social media companies have also been asked to save details of uploaders of such malicious content which can be shared with law enforcement agencies when required. </p><p>"MeitY has said that a large number of fake/false and misinformation based audio and video clips are being circulated on social media platforms especially TikTok, Helo and Facebook. It said that such false and misinformation based messages have the potential for creating panic and other online harms," according to a source aware of the development. </p><p>The ministry in separate communications asked social media companies to remove the content as it weakens the government effort to fight against coronavirus and the Supreme Court has also taken serious note of such content while hearing a matter on the subject on March 31, 2020. </p><p>"The ministry has said that the rogue messages effectively weaken the all-out effort being made by the India government for containing the spread of coronavirus," the source said. </p><p>The communication from MeitY follows after a report submitted by open-source intelligence and fact-checking IT firm Voyager Infosec stated that several videos are being posted on social media platforms like Tiktok, Youtube and Twitter to influence Muslims in India against following safe practices to contain coronavirus infection.</p><p> The firm found that videos have been shot at both foreign locations and in India and are being primarily posted on Chinese mobile video app Tiktok with fake information about coronavirus and religious instigations against health advisories.</p><p> These videos are further shared on other platforms like Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook," the report said.</p><p> The report submitted to India Cyber Crime Coordination Centre claims to have analysed over 30,000 videos within a period of five days. It further said that most of these videos have been created with professional video editing softwares, and originally uploaded accounts are being deleted after circulating them on other social media platforms.</p><p>"MeitY has asked social media platforms to work closely with each other so that messages, including audio and video messages, are identified and removed as soon as possible. It has asked social media companies to submit daily reports on measures taken by them," the source said.</p><p>The ministry has asked social media companies to ensure that the rogue messages do not go viral and at the same time also save information of all those people who create or upload such messages. The details of content uploaders can be shared with the law enforcement agencies as and when required, it added.  </p><p>When contacted, Tiktok spokesperson said, "We are actively working with the government to support them in their efforts to fight misinformation and proactively also working to elevate credible information related to covid-19 on our platform."</p><p>Email query sent to Facebook elicited no immediate reply.</p>Earlier, industry body IAMAI, whose members include Google, Facebook, Tiktok etc, said any request to remove content needs to come via proper legal notice.  PRS  MKJ

Covid-19: Govt asks Tiktok, Facebook to remove rogue content, keep details of uploaders for probe

<ul><li><keyword id="830092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomato">Zomato</keyword>’s popular food and <keyword id="9332938" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="music-carnival-zomaland">music carnival Zomaland</keyword> has gone digital this year.</li><li>The digital festival will be held across two weekends – June 5-7 and June 12-14. </li><li>The debut edition of the carnival in 2018 across Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai saw over 100,000 visitors. Since then it has grown to be held in over 10 cities.<br /></li></ul>Zomato’s popular food and music carnival <keyword id="7109231" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zomaland">Zomaland</keyword> has gone digital this year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, no large gatherings are allowed and people continue to stay home. <br /><br />The digital festival - Zomaland@home - will be held across two weekends – June 5-7 and June 12-14.  It will be streamed live on the Zomato app as well as the Zomaland pages on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Helo.<br /><br />“As all of us get accustomed to the ‘stay home’ life, we couldn't think of a better way to engage our users with great quality content at the comfort of their homes. We have put together an elaborate digital experience by bringing the best of food &amp; entertainment, so our Zomaland visitors can witness the same energy and spirit sitting at home,” said Chaitanya Mathur, Global Head - Zomato Live.<br /><br />The event will see celebrity chefs like Sanjeev Kapoor, Pooja Dhingra, Saransh Goila share recipes online while comedy stars like Varun Thakur and Rahul Subramanian, Kusha Kapila and Dolly Singh and DJs like Naezy will also take part. <br /><br />Zomaland is a flagship event from the foodtech unicorn Zomato. The debut edition of the carnival in 2018 across Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai saw over 100,000 visitors. Since then it has grown to be held in over 10 cities and has also partnered with major brands including the Singapore Tourism Board. <br /><br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/interglobe-aviation-indigo-airline-profit-revenue-for-q4-march-2020-earnings-result-and-share-price-chart/articleshow/76154721.cms">As expected, IndiGo reports a net loss of ₹1,750 crore after domestic air passenger dips and costs continue to pile up</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/mitron-tv-removed-from-google-playstore-and-its-security-has-been-questioned-by-experts/articleshow/76154629.cms">Mitron app’s short-lived fame comes to an end as it gets removed from Google Playstore</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/kotak-mahindra-bank-bandhan-bank-and-indusind-bank-stocks-continue-to-trade-in-the-green/articleshow/76154458.cms">Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bandhan Bank and IndusInd Bank share prices soar with refinancing pulling them out of the red</a><br /></strong><br /><br />

Zomato’s popular carnival Zomaland goes online as large gatherings remain banned due to Covid19

New Delhi, Feb 10 () TikTok on Monday said it is working with academia and civil society to enhance engagement, and enrich and empower the short-video platform.<p> TikTok, which is owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, said it is also harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to show relevant content to the users.</p><p> "We look at best practices, work with academia and civil society. And therefore, partners on the platform are very important...start looking at the platform to understand, enrich and empower ourselves," Subi Chaturvedi, Head of TikTok for Good, said.</p><p> Stating that the company has taken down six million videos that were community reported, she further said, "It doesn't just come from us, there are responsible citizens and we are holding hands (with them)".</p><p> TikTok, which has 200 million users in India is extremely popular among youngsters in India. However, it has had its share of troubles in the Indian market.</p><p> Last year, the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. The order was later lifted and the app was back on app stores.</p><p> Later, the Indian government issued notices to TikTok (and group company, Helo) along with a set of 24 questions regarding alleged misuse of their platforms for "anti-national activities" in India. The company had responded to the notice.</p><p> Chaturvedi, on Monday, cited examples of how TikTok had partnered with various educational institutes, including B-schools to deliver short-format content on its platform, and was also working with different government organisations like Uttarakhand and Kerala Police.</p><p> The platform is also harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to show relevant content, she said at a panel discussion on 'Safer Internet Day'.</p><p> MyGov CEO Abhishek Singh spoke of the various initiatives being undertaken by the government to ensure cybersecurity.</p><p> He said almost 600 government officials have been trained on cyber security, and there is a plan for training another 1,200 officials.</p> "For building capacities with regard to police officers for investigating cyber crimes, whether it is online fraud or online harassment all these cases, we have come up with a partnership with National Law University in Bhopal for an online PG Diploma in cyber forensics where the objective is in next two years we will be training 1,000 police officers across the country and giving them the necessary skills...," he said.  SR  RVK

Engaging closely with academia, civil society to enrich platform: TikTok

New Delhi, Jan 3 () India made the highest number of requests for user information and content removal on short-video platform TikTok in the first half of 2019, ahead of countries like the US and Japan.
<p>According to the company's first transparency report, TikTok received 107 total requests (99 legal and 8 emergency) for 143 user accounts between January and June 2019 from India.
</p><p>It added that 47 per cent of requests saw some information being produced.
</p><p>In addition, TikTok received 11 government requests for 9 accounts, following which 8 accounts and 4 pieces of content were removed or restricted.
</p><p>After India, the US made 79 total requests in the first half of 2019 (for 255 user accounts), of which 68 were legal and 11 were emergency requests. TikTok received six government requests in the US and total accounts specified stood at seven in the said period.
</p><p>TikTok said like other tech companies, it was occasionally presented with requests from various official bodies, such as government agencies or law enforcement officials.
</p><p>"These include requests to take down content deemed to be in violation of local laws, or to provide information related to accounts under certain defined circumstances, such as to assist in a criminal investigation or emergency request," it added.
</p><p>Over the past few years, global tech giants like Facebook, Twitter and Google have started bringing out transparency reports that share details on government and legal requests for user information.
</p><p>TikTok said any such request it receives is reviewed for legal sufficiency, to determine whether, for example, the requesting entity is authorised to gather evidence in connection with a law enforcement investigation or to investigate an emergency involving imminent harm.
</p><p>TikTok also reviews content removal requests from governments closely and evaluates the specified content in accordance with its community guidelines and local laws, it added.
</p><p>TikTok, which is owned by China-based ByteDance, is extremely popular among youngsters in India. However, it has had its share of troubles in the Indian market where it has 200 million users.
</p><p>Last year, the Madras High Court had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. The order was later lifted and the app was back on app stores.
</p>Later, the Indian government issued notices to TikTok (and group company, Helo) along with a set of 24 questions regarding the alleged misuse of their platforms for "anti-national activities" in India. The company had responded to the notice.  SR MBI  BAL

TikTok receives highest number of user info, content removal requests from India in H1 2019

<br /><br /><ul><li>ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is throwing its gauntlet into smartphone arena.</li><li>Company’s phone offering plans to include pre-installed apps.</li><li>China to be target market for the company’s hardware offering, which means a US or India launch is unlikely.</li></ul>ByteDance, the parent company of the massively popular social media app, TikTok, is looking to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktoks-bytedance-launching-new-smartphone-soon-like-facebook-and-snap/articleshow/69525632.cms">launch its own phone</a> that would come with pre-installed apps. <br /><br />Talking to <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mnunez/2019/07/30/tiktok-owner-bytedance-is-making-a-phone-for-china-not-the-us/#10b9cc952200">Forbes</a>, a ByteDance spokesperson said that the company was following up on “plans that were in place before ByteDance began working with Smartisan, the focus is on meeting the needs of Smartisan's existing customer base in China." <br /><br />Following the runaway success of TikTok, ByteDance is now the world’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-downloads-top-facebook-in-china-and-india/articleshow/69334254.cms">most valuable startup</a>, dethroning Uber in the process. On its own, TikTok is bigger than Twitter and Snapchat with more monthly installs than Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. <br /><br />ByteDance acquired patents from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktoks-bytedance-launching-new-smartphone-soon-like-facebook-and-snap/articleshow/69525632.cms">Smartisan</a> - a niche Chinese smartphone company - earlier this year in a deal that saw some employees also transfer to the Beijing-based ByteDance in what it called a “normal flow of talent”. <br /><br />The acquired entity, Smartisan is known for its over-the-top media events where people pay to see its flamboyant CEO Luo Yonghao’s sales pitch and watch musical performances from some of China’s top music artists. <br /><br />TikTok launched in China in 2016 and saw as many as 300 million monthly active users by 2018 before moving to international markets and replicating that success to the tune of more than 500 million active users worldwide. <br /><br />Despite a strong user base in the US with 14.3 million unique visitors, the new smartphone will not launch in the US and will exclusively be sold in the Chinese market, which means an India launch is also unlikely.<br /><br />As of now, the company will only focus on its Chinese user base for now and there are no plans to compete with the likes of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/best-samsung-phones-under-10000-in-india/articleshow/69752354.cms">Samsung</a> or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/miscellaneous/the-iphone-has-been-struggling-and-it-doesnt-sound-like-this-years-launch-will-be-what-apple-needs-to-save-it/slidelist/70512913.cms">Apple.</a> <br /><br /><strong>See also:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktoks-bytedance-launching-new-smartphone-soon-like-facebook-and-snap/articleshow/69525632.cms">TikTok’s company is now looking to make smartphones — a move Facebook and Snap tried and failed</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-and-helo-may-be-banned-by-indian-government/articleshow/70275179.cms">TikTok and Helo are accused of unlawful activities in India triggering talks of a possible ban</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tiktok-arrest-suicide-and-accidental-death-result-of-digital-addication/articleshow/69826567.cms">A fresh wave of bad news haunts TikTok</a><br />

TikTok plans to ring as ByteDance enters smartphone race

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5bf382ecf556fc792e6f9479-1321/2017-04-30t034547z1lynxmped3t02vrtroptp4usa-whitehouse-dinner.jpg" border="0" alt="hasan minhaj white house correspondents dinner" data-mce-source="Reuters/Jonathan Ernst" data-mce-caption="Hasan Minhaj of Comedy Central performs at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, U.S. April 29, 2017." /><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Jonathan Ernst</span></p><p class="caption">Hasan Minhaj.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Good morning! This is the tech news you need to know this Wednesday.</p><ol><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaked-full-results-uber-most-recent-employee-survey-2018-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">A leaked internal survey from Uber shows that employees feel positive about the way the culture is changing, but also that they feel underpaid compared to peers</a>.</strong> Just 40% felt they had fair compensation compared to other firms.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5121f014-0db8-11e9-a3aa-118c761d2745">Netflix removed an episode from its comedy show, "The Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj", from Saudi Arabia after the kingdom complained</a>.</strong> The episode had been critical of Saudi Arabia.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/12/30/fake-porn-videos-are-being-weaponized-harass-humiliate-women-everybody-is-potential-target/?utm_term=.f73488b956f5">Convincing, artificially generated "deepfakes" are increasingly used to humiliate women by superimposing their faces into pornographic settings</a>.</strong> Victims and abuse experts have warned such computer-generated videos are disproportionately weaponised against women.</li><li><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-netflix-cfo-exclusive/exclusive-netflix-poaches-cfo-from-activision-blizzard-source-idUSKCN1OV19B"><strong>Netflix has poached its new CFO from Activision Blizzard according to Reuters</strong></a><strong>.</strong> Spencer Neumann is expected to start his new role at Netflix in early 2019.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-tech-battle-with-china-roils-bill-gates-nuclear-venture-11546360589">Bill Gates is the latest high-profile executive affected by president Trump's trade battle with China</a>.</strong> Policy changes mean that his nuclear energy project, TerraPower, is scrambling for a new partner and a place to run a pilot.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/31/technology/facebook-suicide-screening-algorithm.html">Experts have criticised Facebook's opaque way of flagging potential suicide risks, saying they may cause further harm</a>.</strong> The company calls the police to flag suicide threats, but experts said it isn't always clear that its methods are accurate or safe.</li><li><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/75af0934-0ab7-11e9-9fe8-acdb36967cfc"><strong>Dell has returned to the stock market after five years as a public company</strong></a><strong>.</strong> Wall Street valued shares at $34 billion.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-didi-finance/chinas-didi-launches-credit-crowdfunding-services-in-diversification-push-idUSKCN1OW05S">Chinese ride-hailing firm Didi-Chuxing is expanding into financial services to diversify beyond its core business</a>.</strong> The company will offer crowdfunding and lending nationwide across China.</li><li><strong><a href="https://factordaily.com/the-chinese-takeover-of-indian-app-ecosystem/">Chinese apps dominate the Indian internet, accounting for 44 of the top 100 apps</a>.</strong> Familiar names like TikTok rank alongside newer players such as social content platforms Helo and SHAREit.</li><li><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-gett/volkswagen-to-write-off-gett-investment-spiegel-idUSKCN1OK1HO">Volkswagen is reportedly preparing to write off its $300 million investment in Gett</a>.</strong> Gett, initially marketed as a rival to Uber, has failed to gain much ground against the competition.</li></ol><p>Have an Amazon Alexa device? Now you can hear 10 Things in Tech each morning. Just search for "Business Insider" in your Alexa's flash briefing settings.</p>     <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-east-experimental-advanced-superconducting-tokamak-nuclear-fusion-reactor-100-million-degrees-2018-12">China made an artificial star that's 6 times as hot as the sun, and it could be the future of energy</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/zHpyLi0q-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

10 things in tech you need to know today

<p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5ced169f11e20508ab0a9694-2400/gettyimages-631524200.jpg" border="0" alt="Chinese women selfies" data-mce-source="Getty Images" /><p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>ByteDance, the Chinese company best known for making the TikTok app, will develop its own smartphones, the Financial Times reports.</strong></li><li><strong>The phone would come pre-loaded with ByteDance apps, such as a news feed app, content discovery service, and TikTok.</strong></li><li><strong>ByteDance is one of the few new social media companies to break Facebook's dominance, and is also one of the only Chinese software companies to boast a big global userbase.</strong></li><li><strong>Its immense popularity with young people and in emerging markets means it is already a credible threat to Facebook. A popular phone could cement that.<br /></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>. </strong></li></ul><p>The smartphone market is extremely crowded, but the company behind wildly popular video app TikTok is hoping there's room for a new player.</p><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/ea4a2be4-7dca-11e9-81d2-f785092ab560">According to The Financial Times</a>, TikTok parent firm ByteDance is hoping to use its acquisition of consumer electronics firm Smartisan to enter the smartphone market for the first time. The firm is working on a phone that would come pre-installed with a bunch of its own apps, such as newsfeed, content discovery, and games.</p><p><strong>Read more: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktoks-parent-develops-smartphone-2019-5?r=US&amp;IR=T"><em>TikTok's parent company wants to make a smartphone</em></a></p><p>There are still key details we don't know, such as whether this would be a phone that runs on a fork of Google's Android, which seems most likely, or its own new operating system. We also don't know whether a ByteDance phone would be sold outside China, but the Financial Times billed the phone as ByteDance's way of cementing its global reach, so that seems likely. Finally, we don't know anything about the specs or cost of this new phone, meaning we don't know if it's going to be a high-end iPhone competitor or another cheap Chinese device.</p><p>And there are lots of questions about whether ByteDance is capable of building a competitive phone in a crowded market. ByteDance is known for its popular apps, not for building phone camera hardware or industrial design.</p><p>With these caveats in mind, it's clear that ByteDance wants to create its own ecosystem, posing a credible threat to Facebook. And that is an interesting proposition given its huge popularity outside its native China. </p><h2>ByteDance is already a threat to Facebook because TikTok is super popular</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5cb6eb4697953a18ae324332-867/5c7685172628980e48394092.jpeg" border="0" alt="TikTok" data-mce-source="Getty" /><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>ByteDance has gained a huge global user base thanks to TikTok, the popular short-form video app. TikTok <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-hit-1-billion-downloads-surpassing-instagram-in-2018-2019-2?r=US&amp;IR=T">surpassed Instagram for global downloads</a> last year, an unusual achievement in a social media market dominated almost entirely by Facebook. It marks the first credible threat Facebook has faced in social media in years.</p><p>If ByteDance can parlay TikTok's popularity into hardware, the firm has the potential to create its own social media ecosystem. Facebook is trying to do the same by stitching together elements of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger into one all-powerful private messaging platform, but it is still struggling in the hardware space and faces high consumer suspicion and distrust. Facebook is also thought to be losing rather than winning young users to its main app.</p><p>That isn't to say it will be easy for ByteDance to translate the global popularity of one app into consumer demand for a phone. Snapchat is also a hugely popular app with young people, and its attempts to edge into hardware <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/snap-writes-off-nearly-40-million-spectacles-charges-after-product-flops-2017-11?r=US&amp;IR=T">have gone badly to date</a>. ByteDance can also, perhaps, learn a lesson from <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/heres-why-the-facebook-phone-flopped/">Facebook's failed attempts to make a phone</a> in 2013.</p><h2>ByteDance already has a successful ecosystem of apps, especially outside Western markets</h2><p>ByteDance seems to be planning on integrating its full app roster into its smartphones. That could include not only TikTok, its best known app globally, but also its popular content aggregator Toutiao, and work collaboration tool Lark. ByteDance's suite of apps is still pretty nascent, but they are extremely popular outside of Western markets.</p><p>Take India, where TikTik is the most downloaded app today, and ByteDance-owned news app Helo is the fourth-most downloaded.</p><p>That's a better performance than Facebook, with WhatsApp the second most downloaded app and Messenger the eighth most downloaded app.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5ced17c011e2050710114fe5-822/screen shot 2019-05-28 at 112915.png" border="0" alt="Bytedance in India" data-mce-source="App Annie/Business Insider" /><p class="source"><span>App Annie/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>ByteDance could afford to take a hit to make its phones popular</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c474ca52bdd7f41fa745063-1778/shutterstock1168788448.jpg" border="0" alt="Amazon Echo" data-mce-source="Shutterstock" /><p class="source"><span>Shutterstock</span></p><p class="caption">ByteDance could copy Amazon and sell hardware at a loss.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>ByteDance is the world's most valuable startup, and sitting on a huge amount of capital to try and make its smartphone ambitions work. The firm is backed by the deep-pocketed SoftBank, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/26/18026250/bytedance-china-tiktok-valuation-highest-toutiao">last raising $3 billion in 2018</a> at a valuation of $75 billion. It may also go public. That suggests the firm could afford to take a hit on hardware in order to make its phone and software more popular, just as <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/876ede9c-d97c-11e6-944b-e7eb37a6aa8e">Amazon did with its Echo speakers</a>.</p><h2>A TikTok phone would need to be cheap</h2><p>If your hardware is going to act as a Trojan horse for your software, as the Amazon Echo does, then it's going to need a pretty compelling price point. Amazon, another deep-pocketed company, chose to sell its hardware at a loss in order to make sure its Alexa voice assistant got inside millions of homes.</p><p>Facebook discovered in 2012 that $99 for a Facebook-themed smartphone was too expensive (the price eventually dropped to $0.99). Given the preponderance of cheap Android handsets available on the market now, a TikTok-themed phone is going to need to look pretty compelling. Still, having acquired phone maker Smartison, the firm could find ways to keep costs down in a way that rivals couldn't.</p><p>There are, evidently, lots of hurdles to a TikTok phone. But should Bytedance succeed, it could tip the balance of the social media ecosystem.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-gross-sharing-earbuds-2018-4">We had our earbuds tested for bacteria to find out if it's gross to share headphones</a></h3>        <div>            <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/hBjWRuUY-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script>        </div>    </div>

A TikTok smartphone is a credible threat to Facebook

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54c12a5b6da8115605cc6d58-1200-924/blade-1.jpg" border="0" alt="blade"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.flyblade.com/">Blade</a></span></p><p class="caption">Blade bills itself as the Uber for helicopters.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div>Blade, the app-driven helicopter ride company that's basically Uber for the sky, is partnering with Mohegan Sun casino to offer direct, round-trip <keyword id="34991" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation">transportation</keyword> from Manhattan.</p>
<p>The service began offering on-demand copter rides on January 16.</p>
<p>Trips will be available Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays going forward.</p>
<p>Packages will also be available for events and concerts Mohegan Sun is hosting on their grounds, starting with Linkin Park on January 30.</p>
<p>Upcoming events may include Fleetwood Mac, Ariana Grande, and Miranda Lambert concerts.<span><br /></span></p>
<p>Helicopter service from Blade's terminal at the East 34th Street heliport in midtown Manhattan (weekdays) or West 30th Street Heliport (weekends) to <span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Mohegan Sun's FAA certified helipad on their property right next to the casino </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">will take about 45 minutes. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The 112 mile journey would take more than 2 hours by car.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Organizers are hoping that this improved timetable enables busy Manhattanites to travel to the casino for a night of gambling and fine dining, with the comfort of getting back to the city before the clock strikes midnight.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54c134fd6da811993fcc6d56-906-680/blademap-1.jpg" border="0" alt="blademap"><p class="source"><span>Google Maps</span></p><p class="caption">If you were to drive from New York City to Mohegan Sun, it would take over 2 hours.</p></img></div><p></p></div></div></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In the event of bad weather, preventing the helicopters from flying, Blade's website says they will offer a Maserati Quattroporte in lieu of the helo ride, as well as ride credits.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Of course, a service that offers this level of luxury isn't going to come with a small pricetag. A single seat starts at $625 - one way. Bring a friend round trip, and your helicopter excursion suddenly costs $2,500.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">That's not quite cheap for a night out - and it doesn't even include money for gambling!</span></p>

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