contact tracing French Security Researchers Warn of Surveillance Risks in Contact Tracing Apps Hundreds of French cryptography experts urge parliament to mandate privacy safeguards before approving the StopCovid contact-tracing app. The letter highlights significant surveillance vulnerabilities in both centralized and decentralized tracking protocols.
omers ventures OMERS Ventures Raises $750M Transatlantic Fund to Target Startups Across Two Continents OMERS Ventures consolidates its European and North American investment efforts into a single $750 million fund. The firm also adjusts its strategy to help portfolio companies navigate the COVID-19 pandemic with longer financial runways.
proxy Digital Identity Firm Proxy Acquires Smart Ring Maker Motiv Proxy purchases Motiv to combine digital key card technology with advanced smart ring hardware. The deal shifts Motiv's focus away from fitness tracking toward biometric identity and physical access.
zoom Zoom Halts New Features for 90 Days to Fix Security Flaws Zoom founder Eric S. Yuan announces a 90-day feature freeze to address severe privacy and security vulnerabilities as the platform's user base surges to 200 million daily users.
chatbots COVID-19 Chatbots Show Alarming Inconsistencies in Data and Privacy As overwhelmed hospitals turn to chatbots for COVID-19 triage, major disparities emerge in how these tools source medical information and handle user data. These inconsistencies raise serious concerns about the reliability of health guidance during a critical crisis.
apple Apple and Google Strengthen Privacy in Joint Virus Exposure Tech Apple and Google update their joint coronavirus contact tracing system with stronger privacy protections and new developer flexibility. The companies now call the technology "exposure notification" to better clarify its specific role.
airbnb Airbnb Redesigns Platform for Long-Term Stays Amid Pandemic Airbnb rapidly overhauls its app and homepage to prioritize monthly stays, online experiences, and housing for frontline medical workers as the coronavirus halts short-term travel.
varden Billionaire Backs Sugarcane Waste Packaging Alternative to Plastics Australian startup Varden converts sugarcane waste into a plastic-like packaging material, securing $2.2 million from billionaire Li Ka-shing's Horizons Ventures to meet growing sustainable packaging demands.
telegram Telegram Reaches 400 Million Users, Plans Video Calls to Rival Zoom Telegram grows its monthly active user base to 400 million and announces upcoming secure video calling features. The messaging app continues to gain popularity globally despite ongoing challenges with platform piracy.
covid-19 Rushed COVID-19 AI Research Risks Patient Safety And Scientific Credibility The urgency of the pandemic is driving a dangerous trend of flawed AI research based on poor-quality medical data. Experts warn that bypassing rigorous scientific validation ultimately damages the reputation of the AI community.
coronavirus Washington State Reports First U.S. Coronavirus Death as Outbreak Emerges A Washington state man in his 50s becomes the first person to die from the coronavirus in the United States, marking a shift to domestic community spread. Officials also respond to a potential outbreak at a local long-term care facility.
abbott Abbott Receives FDA Approval for Five-Minute Coronavirus Test Abbott wins emergency FDA authorization for a rapid molecular COVID-19 test that delivers positive results in just five minutes. The portable device allows testing outside traditional hospitals in clinics and physician offices.
amazon Amazon Launches Local Shops Program in India to Rival Facebook-Jio Partnership Amazon introduces "Local Shops on Amazon" to digitize neighborhood stores across India, shortly after Facebook's massive investment in Reliance Jio. The initiative builds on Amazon's previous efforts to integrate local kirana shops into its e-commerce network.
apple Apple Plans to Launch ARM-Based Macs by 2021 Apple is developing its own ARM-based processors for Mac computers, with the first models expected to arrive in 2021. These new chips boast 12 cores and promise significant performance and efficiency gains over current Intel hardware.
apple Apple and Google Accelerate Release of Joint COVID-19 Contact Tracing API Apple and Google are moving up their timeline to release the first version of their cross-platform contact tracing API to developers next week. The accelerated rollout aims to support public health agencies in their efforts to track and slow the spread of the coronavirus.