These are the articles, videos and more that caught the attention of TechCentral’s editorial team in the past 24 hours.
- WhatsApp will finally let you unsubscribe from business marketing spam: WhatsApp is finally tackling spammy business messages by testing new unsubscribe options. Users can now say “not interested” or stop marketing messages altogether – without blocking the whole business. With 200 million WhatsApp Business users, this is like finally getting a spam filter for your chat inbox. Balance is key: less spam, more user happiness, and still raking in revenue. Read more on TechCrunch. DM
- Selling Chrome won’t be enough to end Google’s search monopoly: The US department of justice wants to shatter Google’s search monopoly by forcing it to sell Chrome, cut its Apple partnership and share data with competitors. Critics say this might not shift user behaviour, as rivals need better products, not government boosts. Even former Googlers admit Chrome sacrifices user-friendliness for ad revenue. Read more on Wired. DM
- Researchers claim to pinpoint exact date when Elon’s X started boosting the right: Researchers claim X (formerly Twitter) started boosting conservative content algorithmically in mid-July 2024, coinciding with Elon Musk endorsing Donald Trump. Engagement for right-wing accounts – and Musk’s own – spiked dramatically. Critics argue X has been shifting rightward since Musk’s 2022 takeover, while alternatives like Bluesky are growing amid an “X-odus”. Despite controversy, X remains politically influential and is luring advertisers back post-Trump’s re-election. Read more on Gizmodo. DM
- X adds Twitch to its advertising boycott lawsuit: Twitch is now on the docket for X’s lawsuit against companies that stopped advertising on the social media site. X amended its lawsuit on Monday to include Twitch as a defendant in its lawsuit in a federal court. More on Engadget. TS
- Software engineer spends over US$1-million to create the ultimate LAN party house: Ah, what dreams are made of. Money well spent. Most tech fans of a certain age have nostalgic memories of carrying their PCs and monitors to friends’ houses to participate in multiplayer games in a time before the internet made doing so unnecessary – albeit more impersonal. Maybe you used to think, “If I ever have enough money, I’ll make the ultimate LAN party home.” Well, one person really has, and it cost at least $1-million. Read more On TechSpot. TS
- Is nuclear power gaining new energy?: Numerous countries around the world are building new nuclear power stations as energy demands rise and the need to cut carbon emissions intensifies. Read more on BBC News. NN
- The major coal-producing country that wants to leave its fossil fuels in the ground: Although the burning of fossil fuels presents a number of disadvantages, countries endowed with these resources, like coal-rich Colombia, rely on the income derived from these industries to fund the fiscus and lift large portions of the populion out of poverty. Colombia, however, is now making efforts to divert from its reliance on coal. Read more on Sky News. NN
Top stories on TechCentral in the past 24 hours:
- South Africa to rework its strategic energy plan
- Lesaka to buy Recharger in R500-million deal
- Nvidia forecast disappoints even as sales soar
- Vodacom sees spike in base station crime in some provinces
Bookmarks is a daily feature on TechCentral and published Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
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