TECHNOLOGY
Exclusive: TikTok parent ByteDance to shut down music streaming service Resso in India on January 31
ByteDance's decision comes after Resso was removed from Google Play and Apple App Store following an order by the Indian government.
TECHNOLOGY
What are the government's AI Centres of Excellence, and what will the three of them do?
Approved with a financial outlay of Rs 990 crore from 2023-2028, the three centres have been set up in the sectors of healthcare, agriculture and sustainable cities
BUSINESS
Deepfakes: ShareChat aligns content policy with IT Rules, highlights legal ramifications for violations
In response to Indian government's call for stringent IT Rules compliance, and combatting deepfakes, social media platform ShareChat has updated its content policy
BUSINESS
Space tech startup PierSight raises $6 million from Alpha Wave, Elevation Capital
Headed by ex-ISRO scientist Gaurav Seth and Vinit Bansal, a former engineer at National Instruments, Piersight aims to tackle the challenge of constant ocean surveillance with multiple satellites
TECHNOLOGY
Government's 3 AI Centers of Excellence gains steam
As part of establishing three centers of excellence, Ministry of Education established a central project management unit in IIT Jammu.
TECHNOLOGY
SetinelOne to acquire cybersecurity startup PingSafe for around $100 million
SentinelOne will acquire PingSafe for an estimated $100 million, with about half in cash and half in stock, and the deal is expected to close in the first quarter of FY 2025, a client note by Barclays said
BUSINESS
Google removes foreign eSIM apps Holafly, Airalo amid DoT crackdown
The department of telecommunications asked Google and Apple to take down the apps as they were selling eSIM cards without permission
TECHNOLOGY
COAI suggests 4 to 5 large traffic generators pay fair share for telcos' network costs
On January 4, the Cellulars Operators Association of India (COAI) released a white paper comprising of five models which can be used to address the increasing network costs on telecom operators due to large traffic
TECHNOLOGY
DoT investigates Khalistani threat calls, asks Finance Ministry, SEBI to ensure cyber security of stock exchanges
The DoT has also directed international long distance operators to block incoming calls from the concerned international number.
BUSINESS
Invesco raises IPO-bound Swiggy's valuation for second time in a row to $8.3 billion
Other investors in Swiggy, such as US-based Baron Capital, have also adjusted the company's valuation in recent months.
BUSINESS
SentinelOne announces acquisition of Bengaluru-based cybersecurity startup Pingsafe
SentinelOne will acquire PingSafe for a combination of cash and stock and the acquisition is expected to close in SentinelOne’s first quarter of fiscal year 2025
TECHNOLOGY
MeitY looks to tap startups, IITs to develop safe AI
The ministry has invited science and technology educational institutions and startups to take up research and develop safe artificial intelligence tools
BUSINESS
Govt warns of threat actors using 'Mythic framework' to target Indian defence, research organisations
The Mythic framework provides a set of tools and a structure to create, deploy, and manage a Command and Control system for controlling a network of compromised computers.
BUSINESS
Tech policy in 2023: From DPDP Act to net neutrality concerns, deepfakes, new telecom law and more
From the Digital Personal Data Protection Law to government's plans on regulating deepfakes and other AI-related misinformation, a look at the key tech policy developments in 2023
BUSINESS
Three startups to launch payloads aboard ISRO's PSLV - C58 XPoSat Mission on January 1
While Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space will launch their LEAPTD to demonstrate the microsatellite subsystems, Bengaluru-based Bellatrix Aerospace is set to launch two payloads aboard the launch vehicle.
BUSINESS
DPDP Rules: Educational, health institutions may be exempted from restrictions on children’s data processing
The DPDP Act defines a child as someone below the age of 18, and mandates that parental consent is required to process the data of a child.
TECHNOLOGY
Cabinet Secretary likely to head Data Protection Board chairperson selection committee
The committee to appoint the chairperson of data protection board and its members may also include secretaries in Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Department of Legal Affairs.
BUSINESS
Social media, e-comm, gaming companies may be required to erase data of inactive users after 3 years
These provisions are likely to be introduced in the draft version of the rules of Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act
BUSINESS
Verify parents through govt ID: Draft DPDP Rules on avoiding self verification by children
The DPDP Act defines a child as someone below the age of 18, and mandates that parental consent is required to process the data of a child
TECHNOLOGY
New DPDP rules may mandate immediate reporting of data breaches to Data Protection Board
The details that a platform will need to communicate to the DPB, on a best-effort basis, should include a description of the breach, the date and time when the platform became aware of the breach, the location of the breach, its extent, and potential impact.
BUSINESS
Comply with IT Rules: MeitY issues second advisory on deepfakes to social media platforms
Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology warned platforms that if IT Rules are violated "consequences under law will follow”
BUSINESS
Big tech firms, Google, Apple, others seek assurance on Telecom Bill's scope on internet services
Asia Internet Coalition requested the government for clarification on The Telecommunications Bill 2023, so that it is not "misinterpreted" to include regulation of internet services
BUSINESS
Telecom Bill 2023: After Meta, Signal, Proton, Mozilla, 57 other platforms raise concerns
In a letter addressed to Minister of Communication Ashwini Vaishnaw, the signatories warned that the new Telecom Bill was a threat to end-to-end encryption and platforms, which use such features, may "choose to not operate in India"
BUSINESS
DPDP Act: Big tech, MNCs may have to take one data protection impact test per year
During the meeting on December 20, discussions were also held on whether certain classes of data fiduciaries, such as educational or health institutions, can be exempted when it comes to restrictions related to processing of children's data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act
