These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team at the weekend.
- China calls for real-time censorship of satellite broadband: China’s proposed satellite broadband regulations demand real-time censorship, requiring operators to block and report “illegal” content. Providers must comply with strict security rules, store data locally and register user identities. Non-Chinese companies like SpaceX may baulk at such oversight, but given Musk’s sales interests in China, who knows? Satellite censorship: coming soon to an orbit near you. Read more in The Register. DM
- Microsoft’s more secure Windows Recall feature can also be uninstalled by users: Microsoft’s “Recall” feature, originally criticised for security risks, now promises enhanced privacy. The revamped version requires opt-in and can be fully uninstalled, but here’s the kicker: it could still be exploited via malware, despite improved encryption and Windows Hello authentication. Read more on The Verge. DM
- The messy WordPress drama, explained: WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg has accused WP Engine, a rival hosting service, of exploiting WordPress’s open-source platform without contributing back. The drama escalated with legal threats, accusations of trademark misuse and server bans. WP Engine denies wrongdoing, while Mullenweg demands they “pay their fair share”. The conflict highlights tensions between profit-driven companies and open-source ideals, stirring division within the WordPress community. Read more on The Verge. DM
- Can Naspers’s new CEO reignite the Bekker magic?: Naspers’s new CEO, Fabricio Bloisi, faces the challenge of reinvigorating the company after the tenure of Bob van Dijk. Bloisi, a Brazilian tech entrepreneur, is tasked with making Naspers and its subsidiary, Prosus, more profitable and reducing the valuation discount to the stake in China’s Tencent. Drawing inspiration from Koos Bekker’s era, Bloisi aims to focus on better portfolio management and continuous share buybacks. Success could trigger a major payday, but internal and structural challenges remain significant obstacles. Read more in Currency. DM
- Fidelity has cut X’s value by 79% since Musk purchase: Elon Musk’s X is now valued at less than a quarter of its US$44-billion purchase price, according to a new estimate from investor Fidelity. The asset manager, which helped Musk acquire the social network formerly known as Twitter, has further reduced the value of its holding in X to a total markdown of 78.7% as of end-August. More on TechCrunch. TS
- Apple’s new password manager is free. That’s just one reason to use it: Apple has, with the latest iPhone, iPad and Mac software updates, released a free password manager called Passwords. The application is yet to have proper cross-platform compatibility but does well at keeping login credentials secure and handy in one place. Read more in the The Wall Street Journal (hard paywall). NN
- Two Nobel Prize winners want to cancel their own Crispr patents in Europe: A decade-long battle over the patents for genome editing technology Crispr (clustered, regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats) has taken a dramatic turn following the withdrawal of the original patent by the inventors of the technology, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, who also won a Nobel prize for their work. Read more in MIT Technology Review. NN
- Steam doesn’t want to pay arbitration fees, tells gamers to sue instead: Valve Corporation, tired of paying arbitration fees, has removed a mandatory arbitration clause from Steam’s subscriber agreement. Valve told gamers in the update that they must sue the company to resolve disputes. Read more on Ars Technica. TS
- YouTube blocks videos from Adele, Green Day, Bob Dylan, others in dispute with Sesac: A number of YouTube videos featuring music from artists such as Adele, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Nirvana and REM have been unplayable in the US. For example, if you try to play Dylan’s Like A Rolling Stone (whether it’s the classic album recording or a live performance), you are instead told: “This video contains content from Sesac. It is not available in your country.” Sometimes you even get to watch a pre-roll ad before you see the message. More on TechCrunch. TS
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 72 hours:
- Mark Zuckerberg joins the $200-billion club
- Eskom marks six months of no load shedding
- South Africa has much work to do in developing digital IDs
- ‘Profound’ changes coming to South Africa’s payments industry
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
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