Tech

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Friday launched administrative proceedings against Facebook's WhatsApp for what it said was a failure to localise data of Russian users on Russian territory, the Interfax news agency reported. There was no immediate comment from Facebook. A day earlier, a Russian court fined Alphabet Inc.'s Google 3 million roubles for violating personal data legislation and registered administrative proceedings against Facebook and Twitter for the same offence. The cases are part of a wider spat between Russia and Big Tech, with Moscow routinely fining social media giants for failing to remove banned content and seeking to compel foreign tech firms to open offices in Russia. WhatsApp could be fined between 1 million and 6 million roubles ($13,700 to $82,250), Interfax reported, citing court documents. A court date has not yet been set. ($1 = 72.9350 roubles) (Reporting by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Alison Williams) ... » Learn More about Russia opens case against WhatsApp for violating personal data law

(Reuters) -Amazon.com Inc has been hit with a record $886.6 million (746 million euros) European Union fine for processing personal data in violation of the bloc's GDPR rules, as privacy regulators take a more aggressive position on enforcement. The Luxembourg National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) imposed the fine on Amazon in a July 16 decision, the company disclosed in a regulatory filing on Friday. (https://bit.ly/2TLIZQ8) Amazon will appeal the fine, according to a company spokesperson. The e-commerce giant said in the filing it believed CNPD's decision was without merit. CNPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. EU's General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, requires companies to seek people's consent before using their personal data or face steep fines. Globally, regulatory scrutiny of tech giants has been increasing following a string of scandals over privacy and misinformation, as well as complaints from some businesses that they abuse ... » Learn More about Amazon hit with record EU data privacy fine

(Reuters) - Online fashion retailer Boohoo said on Friday it would move all of its suppliers to a new auditing model over the next 12 months in its latest effort to address failings brought to light in media reports a year ago. The London-listed company commissioned a review last July following British media reports about factory working conditions and low pay in Leicester in central England. The Sunday Times newspaper reported at the time that workers in a factory there were making clothes destined for Boohoo were being paid as little as 3.50 pounds ($4.89) an hour. Boohoo in March announced it was consolidating its list of British suppliers after accepting recommendations of the review. "Suppliers are visited more frequently, sub-contracting has been removed, products can only be purchased from our approved supplier list; mandatory whistle-blower helplines have been installed at every supplier," Boohoo said on Friday. ($1 = 0.7156 pounds) (Reporting by Pushkala ... » Learn More about Online retailer Boohoo to move to new auditing model for suppliers

PETALING JAYA: The MySejahtera app has been updated with enhanced features in the ongoing fight against the spread of Covid-19. Users will now see three new icons on the app’s homepage, namely Covid-19 Self Test, Emergency, and Health Facilities. Clicking on the Covid-19 Self Test icon displays three different self-testing kits available for purchase, namely the Salixium Covid-19 Rapid Antigen Test Kit (RM39.90), Gmate Covid-19 AG Salive for Home Use (RM39.90) and JusChek Covid-19 Antigen Rapid Test (RM29). Users will then be led to a pharma e-commerce platform to view more details about the product and make payment for purchase. Users who click on the Emergency icon will be prompted to make a 999 call, while the Health Facilities icon aims to help users locate the nearest health screening facility. Users will need to turn on their location to perform the search, after which they will be provided with the names, addresses and phone numbers of the closest clinics. According ... » Learn More about Latest MySejahtera update allows users to locate nearest health screening facilities, more

(Reuters) -Shares of Pinterest Inc fell over 18% on Friday to its lowest in over a year, after the company warned of slowing user growth in the United States, its largest market. At least 14 brokerages cut their price target on the stock, which fell to $58.75 in early trading. If the losses hold, about $8.5 billion would be swiped off its market capitalization which currently stands at about $37.4 billion. J.P.Morgan made the most aggressive cut and slashed its target by $27 to $68, pushing it well below the current median price target of $77, citing lower-than-expected user additions in the latest reported quarter and disappointing third-quarter outlook. The brokerage also cut its rating on the stock to "neutral" from "overweight". Overall monthly active users (MAUs), a widely watched metric, rose by only 9% and missed analysts' expectations in the second quarter. It had risen 30% in the prior quarter. The company also said that user growth in the United States was ... » Learn More about Pinterest shares slump as growth warning rattles investors

(Reuters) - Rick Ornelas got into Robinhood Markets Inc's initial public offering (IPO) every way he could. As a user of the trading app, the Houston-based author of life-coaching books applied for and received 50 Robinhood shares in its IPO. When the shares traded down more than 10% in their debut on Thursday, he doubled down by acquiring 75 more shares through Fidelity Investments, where he holds his main trading account. "I know IPO shares can be volatile, but I just don't want to miss the opportunity in case this pops. I believe in the company's long-term valuation," Ornelas said. More than a fifth of Robinhood's $2.1 billion IPO was snapped up by the app's users such as Ornelas. Some put on a brave face after Robinhood shares ended their first day of trading down 8.4%, valuing the company at $29 billion. Many of the retail investors who drove the Robinhood app's meteoric rise did not come through for its IPO, however. They cited concerns over its frothy valuation, the ... » Learn More about ‘Don’t want to miss it’: Robinhood IPO loyalists stay the course

There's something soothing about Gil Grobe's YouTube channel: In each of his 10-minute videos, there's no music or talking, just the sounds of him making ice cream roll variations. With a microphone set up right next to his workspace, he creates tasty mash-ups such as Pringles and caramel icecream rolls, or takes the savoury route with sausage, French fries or bell pepper versions. The German man's creations seem to have struck a nerve, as his channel, aptly named "Ice Cream Rolls," has millions of subscribers from around the world who tune in to watch his latest videos. Grobe, 40, who lives in the German city of Hamburg, has more than 10.8 million subscribers on the platform - one of only four Germans to do so - and earning him YouTube's coveted Diamond Play Button. "I didn't expect this at all," Grobe tells dpa as he reflects on his success story from his studio in Hamburg. The idea came to him six years ago during a trip to Thailand. He saw a crowd on a street and was ... » Learn More about The German man who made it big on YouTube with ASMR ice cream rolls

Singapore’s Minister of Trade introduced the latest plans to transform his country into a regional and global e-commerce hub. The plans include strengthening digital infrastructure, such as by expanding the 5G network in addition to expanding the digitalization of SMEs. Singapore has long been the pre-eminent destination for multinational tech companies to establish their regional headquarters. Many companies choose Singapore for its investor-friendly tax and legal regime, enabling them to focus on regional expansion. Singapore has developed its latest plans to transform the country into a regional and global e-commerce hub. Singapore’s Minister of Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing has introduced the latest strategy to transform the country into a regional and global e-commerce hub. The initiative was announced at the 2021 Amazon Southeast Asia Online Seller Summit , where the minister also noted that online sales in Singapore as a proportion of total retail sales ... » Learn More about Singapore Announces Strategy for E-commerce Industry: Potential for Global and Regional Hub

Bandung City, West Java province Op/Ed by Chris Devonshire-Ellis Indonesia is fast becoming a viable destination for foreign investors, with both a large domestic middle-class consumer market of about 52 million – or about 20 percent of the total population. These 52 million accounts for 43 percent of Indonesia’s total household consumption. China, with an eye on shifting labor-intensive manufacturing to other nearby countries in order to boost its own economy and move up the value chain, is well aware of this – and also wants the Indonesian domestic manufacturing market to sell to its own increasing affluent consumer society. To make sure that happens, at least from the China perspective, Chinese officials have been very active in bringing Indonesia on board as part of its Belt & Road Initiative. Just last month, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indonesia’s Coordinator for Cooperation with China and Coordinating Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in North ... » Learn More about Investment Infrastructure Projects in Indonesia Contributing to Improved Manufacturing Capability

A gruelling two-month stretch awaits Adam Xu later this year, and he has a stable government job in his crosshairs. In addition to the classes he is taking as a master’s student in public administration, the 25-year-old has ambitious intentions to set aside at least 12 hours a day to study for the national civil service examination that will take place in November. His hope is to return to his hometown – a second-tier city in southern Guangdong province – for a civil service position. Xu epitomises the shang’an mentality, which literally means “going onto the shore” and describes a growing desire among young people to take jobs in the public sector. The expression is the opposite of a school of thought popularised by his parents’ generation: xiahai , or “going down to the sea”, referring to a movement during China’s period of reform and opening up that began in the late-1970s, when droves of people quit their government positions to become entrepreneurs and explore a “sea” of ... » Learn More about Why are China’s fresh grads now saying no to high-paying ‘996’ jobs?