Technology

BRUSSELS: Google was in the EU antitrust spotlight again on Tuesday as regulators opened an investigation into whether its digital advertising business gives the Alphabet unit an unfair advantage over rivals and advertisers. The European Union competition enforcer's move marks a new front against Google and follows more than 8 billion euros (US$9.5 billion) in fines over the past decade for blocking rivals in online shopping, Android smartphones and online advertising. The European Commission said it would investigate whether Google distorts competition by restricting third party access to user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps, while reserving such data for its own use. "We are concerned that Google has made it harder for rival online advertising services to compete in the so-called ad tech stack," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. Google generated US$147 billion in revenue from online ads last year, more than any ... » Learn More about Google in EU crosshairs again with advertising antitrust inquiry

Nokia Oyj plans to redesign its offices globally, adapting workplaces in 130 countries to a more flexible post-pandemic work environment. The Finnish company is seeking to capture the benefits of having had virtually all staff work remotely for the past 15 months. Starting next year, roughly 70% of office space will be dedicated to collaboration and team work and staff will have the flexibility to work as many as three days a week remotely, the Finnish supplier of 5G network equipment said on Tuesday. “The pandemic forced organisations to change. Technology gave people the tools to innovate. In many cases, the results have been too good to go back to the old way of doing things,” chief executive officer Pekka Lundmark said. “We are accelerating our transition to become a fully hybrid global workplace.” The new rules will apply to all staff – 92,000 globally last year – who will have a “smart-office app” for booking work spaces and office amenities. The policy follows a survey ... » Learn More about Nokia will redesign offices as it adapts to more flexible work

Google faces a sweeping European Union probe into its advertising technology, barely two years after regulators shut down nearly a decade of investigations. The European Commission said its case would assess whether the search giant breaches competition rules by favouring its own online display advertising technologies over rivals, according to a statement on June 22. The investigation will also check if Google unfairly blocks rivals’ access to user data and scrutinise privacy changes that will phase out some cookies and data access for advertisers. “We are concerned that Google has made it harder for rival online advertising services to compete,” Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s antitrust chief, said in the statement. “Online advertising services are at the heart of how Google and publishers monetise their online services.” It’s the first time the EU has directly probed the black-box of online advertising where Google automatically calculates and offers ad space and prices to ... » Learn More about Google gets EU antitrust probe into ad tech services

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India's proposed changes to consumer rules for the e-commerce sector could be hugely disruptive for some of the country's biggest online shopping websites, including U.S.-based Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart. The rules come as U.S. firms battle allegations from traders for working around foreign investment regulations for the sector, and could further complicate the operating environment for Amazon and Flipkart even as the companies fight antitrust allegations in courts. The companies deny any wrongdoing. India's e-commerce market is projected to grow 30% annually to $200 billion by 2026. It also counts Reliance Industries' JioMart, Tata's BigBasket, Softbank-backed Snapdeal and Future Retail among major players. Here are some of the new proposals, which are open for public consultation until July 6: AFFILIATES AS SELLERS E-commerce companies must ensure none of their "related parties and associated enterprises" are listed as sellers on their shopping ... » Learn More about Factbox: India’s new e-commerce rules that could jolt foreign, local players

(Corrects this June 21st story to change sourcing) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued letters of investigation into a 2020 cyber hack involving information technology company SolarWinds, according to two sources familiar with the agency's investigation. The sources said the agency has issued letters to firms that were impacted by the breach which was identified in December and gave access to thousands of companies and government offices that used its products. They added that the agency is seeking more details into potential insider trading and disclosure failings among other issues. (Reporting by Katanga Johnson, Editing by Franklin Paul) ... » Learn More about U.S. SEC has begun probe of cyber breach by SolarWinds – sources

The advent of technology has sparked an evolution in various industries. The digital payments segment is no exception. While digital payments aren't an entirely new concept, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of payment methods such as UPI (unified payments interface), credit/debit cards, mobile banking, etc, across the country. While these are highly convenient and largely secure ways, it's best to exercise caution when you make online payments given the increased cases of cybersecurity breaches. Here are five tips to ensure secure digital payment transactions. Avoid saving card details Although this seems basic, it is crucial to ensure that your debit/credit card details are not saved when you make purchases online. Many of us tend to save the details to avoid entering all the details from scratch in the future and enable quicker payments. However, it is best to erase your card information after completing your online purchase to ensure it isn't prone to the ... » Learn More about Five safety tips to follow while making digital payment transactions

REUTERS: Quanergy Systems Inc, a supplier of self-driving car technology, said on Tuesday it will go public through a merger with Chinese blank-check company CITIC Capital Acquisition Corp. Quanergy is the latest company developing LiDAR technology - which uses laser beams to help generate a three-dimensional map of the road - to turn to a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) to go public. Others that have done so include Peter Thiel-backed Luminar Technologies Inc and AEye Inc. The SPAC deal values Quanergy at US$1.1 billion, and the transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021, the company said in a news release. Reuters first reported the company's plan to go public on Monday. CCAC raised around US$240 million in an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange in February 2020. It is sponsored by CITIC Capital Holdings Limited, which is backed by CITIC Group, China’s largest investment conglomerate. Under the proposed SPAC deal, Quanergy shareholders ... » Learn More about Self-driving car tech firm Quanergy in China-backed SPAC deal to go public

PETALING JAYA: YTL Communications said it has contacted the individual behind a Facebook posting yesterday of a picture of a Yes Altitude 3 phone with a damaged battery. In a statement to LifestyleTech , YTL Communications chief executive officer Wing K. Lee said the company has launched an investigation into the matter. The person who shared her experience on Facebook is identified as Suryani Abd Ghani. “We had, immediately upon being alerted of the post, contacted Puan Suryani in order to carry out an investigation as to the incident. She advised that as the phone is not hers, we should contact her brother who is the recipient of the phone. “We have at the time of this statement, been unable to contact him nor received any further communication from Puan Suryani or her brother. We are continuing in our efforts to contact the customer,” Lee said. He explained that the phone was jointly developed by Yes and China Mobile for educational use, adding that the same model was ... » Learn More about Yes investigating damaged phone battery incident

PETALING JAYA: A vaccine dispensing centre will soon be set up in Yong Peng to serve the constituents at Ayer Hitam, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. The Ayer Hitam MP said that the Special Committee on Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee (JKJAV) has approved setting up a vaccination centre at Dewan Persatuan Memperbaiki Akhlak Che Ann Khor (PMACAK) in Yong Peng. "I was informed about this by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general Datin Paduka Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir. "Before this, I had put forward the request to the JKJAV joint chairman Khairy Jamaluddin to set up a vaccination centre in the Ayer Hitam parliamentary constituency. "The place that was suggested was the Dewan PMACAK in Yong Peng, which is strategically located as it is only one to three kilometres from the Yong Peng North and South toll plaza," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (June 22). He expressed his appreciation to Khairy for the decision which will be beneficial to ... » Learn More about Covid-19 vaccination centre to be set up in Yong Peng

PETALING JAYA: Many of us are apart from our parents due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but we can still spend quality and meaningful time with them online with the help of technology, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. The MCA president also wished all fathers a Happy Father's Day on Sunday (June 20) “Thank you for always caring for, protecting and being the pillar of strength of our families,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday. Dr Wee said he had been blessed with the opportunity to be a father to two beautiful children. "To be able to care, protect and support our children and to see them grow to be the persons that they are is truly a rewarding experience for me," he said. Dr Wee has a son and a daughter who are in their early 20s and late teens, respectively. He also wished all fathers a Happy Father’s Day. Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June, and this year, it falls on June 20. ... » Learn More about Dr Wee: Being a father has its challenges, but will always be a blessing