The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has rejected TikTok’s emergency motion to temporarily block a law that could ban the app in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests from it. The decision intensifies uncertainty surrounding TikTok’s future in the country as a critical deadline approaches.

TikTok filed the emergency motion earlier this week, seeking to delay enforcement of the law signed by President Joe Biden, which mandates ByteDance to divest from the popular video-sharing app by January 19, 2025, or face a nationwide ban. However, the court dismissed the motion, emphasizing the lack of precedent for blocking a law after its constitutionality has been upheld.

“The petitioners have not identified any case in which a court, after rejecting a constitutional challenge to an Act of Congress, has enjoined the Act from going into effect while review is sought in the Supreme Court,” the court stated.

It added that TikTok’s arguments relied heavily on free speech claims, which had already been rejected in a prior ruling last week.

The law reflects bipartisan efforts to address growing concerns over TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, a Chinese company. US lawmakers and officials argue that TikTok poses a national security risk, citing fears of user data being accessed by the Chinese government or the platform being used for propaganda purposes.

The legislation, signed into law earlier this year, builds on previous attempts during the Trump administration to ban TikTok outright, which were stymied by legal challenges. By setting a firm deadline and a divestment requirement, the current law seeks to resolve those earlier hurdles while underscoring the priority of safeguarding US user data.

TikTok’s Response and Next Steps

Following the appeals court’s rejection, TikTok announced its intention to escalate the case to the US Supreme Court. The company reiterated its position that the law is unconstitutional and expressed concern over the implications for its 170 million American users.

“As we have previously stated, we plan on taking this case to the Supreme Court, which has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech,” TikTok said in a statement.

“The voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world will be silenced on January 19th, 2025 unless the TikTok ban is halted.”

TikTok has also described the required divestment as “technically unfeasible” within the given timeframe. Beijing has echoed TikTok’s opposition, condemning any forced sale of the app as an overreach.

Potential Impact

If ByteDance fails to comply with the law, TikTok could face removal from app stores in the United States, preventing downloads and updates. This would significantly impact millions of creators, businesses, and users who rely on the platform for content creation, entertainment, and communication.

As the January 19, 2025 deadline approaches, the legal battle over TikTok’s future is set to escalate, with the Supreme Court expected to play a decisive role in the outcome.

The post US Appeals Court Rejects TikTok’s Emergency Motion to Halt ‘Divest or Ban’ Law appeared first on Tech Digest News.

ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has vehemently denied rumors circulating in the media regarding the potential sale of the popular social media platform.

The company’s response comes in the wake of President Joe Biden’s bill, which mandates ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok or face a ban in the United States.

In a statement released on its news platform Toutiao, ByteDance dismissed the reports as “false rumors,” stamping the phrase across a screenshot of the Information’s report.

“Foreign media reports that ByteDance is exploring the sale of TikTok are untrue. ByteDance has no plans to sell TikTok,” the statement affirmed.

This public denial from ByteDance marks its first response since Biden signed the bill, which imposes a strict deadline of nine months for the sale, with the possibility of a three-month extension if negotiations persist.

Failure to comply with the mandate could lead to a ban of the app in the U.S., citing national security concerns as raised by lawmakers from both political parties.

TikTok, on the other hand, has vehemently denied allegations of being a security threat and has asserted its independence from the Chinese government’s influence.

In response to the bill, the social media platform has declared its intent to legally challenge what it deems an “unconstitutional ban.

“Despite conflicting reports surrounding TikTok’s future, including speculation about its valuation and potential sale,

ByteDance’s denial casts doubt on the accuracy of recent media speculation. The Information’s report had suggested that ByteDance was exploring the sale of a majority stake in TikTok’s U.S. business to a non-technology company like Walmart, albeit without the recommendation algorithm.

The valuation of TikTok’s global business remains uncertain, with estimates ranging from $20 billion to $100 billion, reflecting the ambiguity surrounding its actual worth compared to ByteDance’s estimated $200 billion valuation.

This disparity underscores the complexity and uncertainty surrounding the potential sale of TikTok and its broader implications for ByteDance’s financial standing.

The post ByteDance Refutes TikTok Sale Amid Biden’s Divestment Mandate appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Republican U.S. lawmakers have unleashed criticism against the Joe Biden administration following the recent unveiling of a laptop by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, equipped with an Intel AI chip, Reuters reports.

The U.S. placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019, citing violations of Iran sanctions and aiming to curb Beijing’s technological advancements. Suppliers to Huawei must obtain a challenging license before shipping goods to the company.

Despite expectations that a license allowing Intel to supply central processors to Huawei would expire, the unveiling of Huawei’s AI-enabled laptop fueled outrage among China hardliners, suggesting continued shipments under a preexisting license.

Republican Congressman Michael Gallagher expressed bewilderment over the Department of Commerce’s ongoing approval of U.S. technology shipments to Huawei. The Commerce Department and Intel declined to comment on the matter, while Huawei has yet to respond to requests for comment.

The Biden administration faces mounting pressure to counter Huawei’s technological ascent, as evidenced by its recent unveiling of a phone powered by a chip from sanctioned Chinese chipmaker SMIC.

Republican lawmakers urge a halt to approvals for Huawei, emphasizing the need for a change in policy.

The post Lawmakers Slam Biden Administration Over Huawei’s Intel AI Chip-Powered Laptop appeared first on Tech Digest News.

With the presidential elections looming, Meta is facing scrutiny over its handling of manipulated content, particularly in the case of a viral video depicting a false scenario involving US President Joe Biden and his granddaughter.

The oversight board, responsible for reviewing Meta’s content moderation decisions, deemed the tech giant’s current policy on manipulated content as inadequate and urged swift changes in light of the impending global elections.

The controversial video, reported as hate speech, portrayed Biden in a manipulated scenario that raised concerns.

While the board acknowledged that Meta technically followed its rules in leaving the video online, it criticized the existing policy as “incoherent” and called for a focus on preventing specific harms, especially to electoral processes.

Amidst growing fears of AI-powered disinformation, the board emphasized the prevalence of “cheap fakes” created with easily accessible smartphone editing features.

Additionally, it highlighted the exclusion of altered audio content from the current policy, despite the potential effectiveness of deep fake audio in deceiving users.

Meta responded, stating it would review the oversight board’s guidance and publicly address recommendations within 60 days.

The board emphasized the urgency of revising the manipulated media policy before the 2024 elections, citing the widespread misuse of technology for disinformation campaigns.

The post Meta Under Scrutiny for Handling of Manipulated Content Ahead US Elections appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The digital infrastructural deficit will limit Nigeria’s economic growth, the United States has disclosed.

The world’s number one economy noted that lack of access to high-speed Internet and information across the country would impact the potential of the country’s economy.

It further stated that building the right digital infrastructure in the country would help other sectors of the economy boom.

The US Deputy Secretary of Treasury, Wally Adeyemo, stated that at a recent forum with business leaders at the Lagos Business School in Lagos.

Speaking on the country’s economic growth potential, Adeyemo, said, “In order for that to be successful, you must invest in digital infrastructure.

“Ultimately, if there is no access to high-speed internet and information across the country, it is going to limit the potential of the economy to grow. So, in addition to investing in companies and helping them grow, we want to make sure that Nigeria has the infrastructure it needs both physical and digital to be able to benefit from entrepreneurs and creativity in the economy.”

The Deputy Secretary of Treasury had earlier explained that the US was through its developmental finance corporation investing in Nigeria and supporting its tech industry.

He highlighted that many American tech firms were setting up offices in the country to tap into its growing tech sector.

He stated, “In addition to our government, our companies are investing here in Nigeria because they see a true opportunity. From Meta to Microsoft to Google, to Netflix they are setting up offices here, they are making investments in Nigeria because they know that ultimately it is good for their business.

“This is also good for Nigeria too, from our standpoint. What we want to do is make sure that the investments we are making through the United States government are useful in unlocking growth and potential in the Nigerian economy. We are seeing this great deal of potential because the private sector from the US and around the world wants to come here to do business.”

Adeyemo, who visited Nigeria as part of the President Joe Biden administration’s commitment to deepening the US-Africa economic and trade relationship, stressed that a proper digital infrastructure would improve every other sector of the economy, including the creative, and banking sectors.

He further revealed that the US was investing in the country’s digital infrastructure to ensure that every sector in the economy could benefit from digital transformation.

He expanded, “A big part of this for the US is helping to invest in that digital infrastructure, through things like our investment finance corporations, which make investments here in Nigeria to fintech, and also into financial firms, and also into other firms that are helping to build out an infrastructure that will allow Nigerian firms, be that creatives, SMEs, to benefit from the digital transformation that is helping here.”

Adeyemo also remarked that expanding digtialisation to the government would reduce friction between businesses and the government and will increase their ability to provide services to people.

He added, “A big piece for us is making sure that we work with your government and also the private sector to make investments in the digital infrastructure in the future.”

Recently, the World Bank disclosed that Nigeria’s digital and financial infrastructure was inadequate to support a seamless transition to a cashless economy.

It noted that that was one of the reasons the Central Bank of Nigeria’s naira redesign policy failed.

The global bank said, “The lack of adequate digital and financial infrastructure and processes to support a swift transition to a cashless economy— coupled with the fact that only 40 per cent of adults have a bank account—further exacerbated the situation.”

The post Nigeria’s digital infrastructure deficit will limit economic growth – US appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – Elon Musk’ Space X is to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria, enabling nation-wide access to broadband connectivity way ahead of the December 2025 schedule.

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of Nigeria even as he announced partnership with Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria.

These two events took place at the ongoing US-Africa Leaders’ Forum (USALF), happening in Washington DC, United States of America. The Summit is hosted by President Joe Biden of the United States and brought together leaders from across Africa.

RELATED: Pantami bags honorary doctorate degree from Achievers University

Pantami signed the Accords to signal Nigeria’s participation in the next phase of space exploration to be coordinated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). President Paul Kagame also announced Rwanda’s endorsement of the Accord.  President Paul Biya of Cameroon, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and the Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Mr. Don Graves, also spoke at the event. Nigeria and Rwanda were the first two African countries to sign the Accord and the 22nd and 23rd in the world.  The signing took place on the 13th of December 2022 at the U.S.-Africa Space Forum- a side event at the USALF.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said “I’m thrilled Nigeria and Rwanda are committing to the safe, sustainable use of outer space. In an era where more nations than ever have space programs, today’s signings highlight a growing commitment to ensure space exploration is conducted responsibly.” He also stated that “as the first African nations to sign the Artemis Accords, Nigeria and Rwanda exemplify the global reach of the accords and are demonstrating their leadership in space exploration.”

Artemis Accords were established by NASA in 2020, as a set of principles to guide the next phase of space exploration, reinforcing and providing for important operational implementation of key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. The Accords also serve to reinforce the commitment of the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as guidelines and best practices NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

The minister also announced Nigeria’s partnership with SpaceX, having approved their application as a High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Operator in the Nigerian telecommunications sector.

As part of the partnership, “Space X is to provide broadband access across the whole of Nigeria, enabling nation-wide access to broadband connectivity way ahead of the December 2025 schedule, as outlined in our National Broadband Plan.  With this collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink, Nigeria is set to be the 1st African country to introduce the service. The nation-wide rollout shall take place before the end of 2022, after conclusion of a few administrative processes.  The announcement was made at the US-Space Forum, where Professor Pantami also served as a speaker,” said Pantami’s Technical Assistant (Research & Development), Dr. Femi Adeluyi, in a statement issued this morning.

Adding: “The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, under Professor Pantami’s leadership, will continue its committed implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) to ensure that Nigeria’s digital economy remains a leading light, both in Africa and across the globe.”

The post PHOTOS: In America, Pantami announces Space X broadband partnership; signs Artemis Accords at US-Africa Leaders’ Forum appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – The United States Government has announced that it was establishing an interagency task force to fight harassment and abuse online.

The move by the White House came barely four days (on Thursday) after the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, (on Monday) released its ‘Code of Practice’ for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries and Conditions for Operating in Nigeria.

The Code of Practice was developed in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as well as input from Interactive Computer Service Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, and Tik Tok, among others.

READ ALSO: Meta, Google, Twitter Agree To Fight Fake News Or Risk Fines

PRNigeria, during the week, had reported that Social media giants, Meta, Google, Twitter and Microsoft agreed to take a tougher line against disinformation including deep fakes and fake accounts, under an updated European Union (EU) code of practice or face hefty fines.

Over 30 signatories including advertising bodies have signed up for the updated Code of Practice on Disinformation, the European Commission said.

The signatories agree to do more to tackle deep fakes, fake accounts and political advertising while non-compliance can lead to fines as much as 6% of a company’s global turnover.

According to the US government, harassment and online abuse, disproportionately affects women, girls, and LGBTQ individuals, as well as racial minorities.

The White House also blamed online abuse and harassment for the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde.

Biden officially signed the Task Force into being on Thursday, and gave it 180 days to come up with recommendations for federal policies to combat harassment and abuse online.

By PRNigeria

The post After NITDA’s Codes for Social Media Platforms, US Govt Inaugurates Task Force on ‘Online Abuse’ appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – Happy New Year Everyone!!!! Yes. 2021 was a great year! It was a year we felt we were coming back to life (and in a way liberated from all our chains!). Though it was a shaky year and for some, downright terrible in terms of achievements and finances, the main take away from the year is this – there was enough time to reflect and know exactly where things stood in our lives. Through the latter part of the year, you would notice that personally you were more adamant on things you wanted and what you did not want. You were also more purposeful with your time and movement.

So, 2021 has come and gone and in my perspective, was a defining year for personal development. People got stronger amidst everything else getting weaker. Even though that also goes for people who were weak-minded who grew weaker.

I would like to bring to the fore the fact that while an ocean has been swimming through this country, we have refused to acknowledge it. It’s an ocean of “ambitious financial wealth and gain irrespective of consequences”. Where an ocean (not a river) flows through an area, it will continue to erode its banks. The forces that can stand in its way must be deep rooted. This is to say that for those not strong enough to go against the tide, they simply flow with the Ocean.

This has gone into the very way we think about everything now in Nigeria. Why must I be the one to suffer? Why must I be the one to stand up? Why must I be the one to speak up etc.. it goes on. It has crept into Government, Education, The Financial System, Religion, Health and virtually everything. Everyone is just going with the flow (even sometimes when they think it is their flow).

There have been a few notable strong ones, who have stood their ground. But as they stand, they also ask themselves if it is worth it. But there will always be the ones that change the course of history. And Nigeria is begging for a lot of them. They are currently few in number.

Let us talk politics first.

Politics

Like I said last year, 2021 is the year to lie low. And lie low, a lot of politicians did. Trying not to rock the boat. Some stood out and continued to make bold statements and attempt bold things, but surely not in the numbers. 2022, however, is the year before 2023. This is the year the cement is mixed and poured and shaped. Once set, it might not be possible to change it.

Sadly, and grimly said, this is the year the mistakes will be made. This is the year the alliances will make or break. And this year is centered around our future. And it lies in the decision 3 men make. These three men will determine how history will be written by either their good decisions or bad decisions. They are Joe Bidden, on the foreign scene, and Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar in the local scene. The decisions they make either to run or not to run, to accept or not to accept, to listen or not to listen and to stay alive politically or not to embark on a suicidal journey will shape a lot of things to come.

On the foreign scene, the US will be challenged in so many ways (and consequently, Bidden personally). The supremacy of the US (or quest to remain the superpower) or acceptance to step aside for others to emerge or personally, Bidden’s quest to continue to step away from the shadows of Trump (or accept that there were actually some good policies of the Trump administration and work with them) will determine the direction of world affairs which may affect Nigeria both directly or indirectly. We hardly care much about that locally in Nigeria, but it is important.

Locally, there will not be new names on the political scene as I am convinced now that Nigeria doesn’t take chances on new people. You just must be there long enough. So the decisions still lie within the ‘known’ names. And they will circulate all over again. Many will begin to declare (as it is time to declare) and those that have been nursing ambitions need to put their money where their mouth is. It’s a fact Buhari will leave. It’s a fact he can ensure a free and fair election. It’s also a fact that he doesn’t have to support any particular person from any particular party. That is, he may support someone even from another party. He feels he owes the country that much.

The decisions will be made. They will be made outside of the ballot box. This is not the issue. The issue is the acceptance of those decisions by these two men or should I say the acceptance of the situations they find themselves (which may be unbelievable to them) depending on how the political tides flow in their favour or against them.

Political giants and pillars like Godfathers, Governors, Obas and all other office holders and movers and shakers will simply fall by the side of these considerations. This is because 2023 is new territory for us. In 2015, there was the growing opposition to the sitting government paving way to an emotionally elected new Government. This is not the case in 2023. There will be NO candidate to be emotional about. Not for some time to come. So whoever will be the candidate to be elected (or selected) as I would say, will have to work hard or sell his soul for it. In selling his soul, he would have locked himself with the usual chains of the presidency and its structures of Godfatherism which we are not yet ready to change in the country. (Forgive me for not being gender sensitive in this regard as I feel we are not yet there as a country).

God is alive and well, is watching and loves this country. May His will be done.

Finances

This year, the fight for our finances will move from how we make money to what we spend money on. Our ability to keep and save our income will be the greatest war we will fight. Looking back, even through COVID19 and all its variants, Nigerians continued to spend. Luxury like I predicted will never go down in this country. Parties in whatever shape or form continued to happen. Opportunities to show wealth remain uncontrolled in this country. So what that means is that our ability to make money in this country lies in our hands. Win or lose, we are capable of executing and chasing opportunities. Where we have struggled so far without knowing, is our ability to re-channel our spending to meaningful and beneficial things. We tried through 2021 to question some expenses. It was a good start. But 2022 will bring about the assessment of what I call the necessities. Those things we considered necessary in 2021 will come under attack.

So a lot of people also noted their investment in foreign currencies, please note that money changed to dollars or pounds must not be money required for expenses in Nigeria. You will simply lose money by moving money up and down. Remember that money you change to dollars or pounds must be inaccessible. The fluctuation in the foreign currencies is not a form of investment. It won’t matter once that money is changed. Remain focused on growing your top line whilst reducing your bottom-line expenses.

I will say again and again, having only one source of income e.g. a salary is the most dangerous financial recklessness anyone can engage in living in this country. You must strive to continue to give yourself options which bring peace.

Corporates

It will also go into the corporate world. So, this will also put at risk anyone with a non-essential job position in any organization. Corporates will also see the collapse of many structures into single structures. The meaning of “Management” will mean something more like “the working few who now do everything through multitasking”. This will mean longer hours, less job satisfaction and of course less family and personal time. I would advise you – don’t fight it. Work with it and learn how to optimize to reduce your effective operating hours. Demonstrating your dissatisfaction with the current level of work required in any organization will be suicidal at least in the first half of the year. Many layoffs will happen as companies will lighten up their load towards the uncertainties of 2023.

Business Dealings

This is a new assessment I have as it crosses between personal and corporate. It exists and largely drives what we do in Nigeria. Deals crisscross between individuals and corporates in Nigeria. B-B (Business to Business) is not a standard in Nigeria. So, in a nutshell, business dealings will be in one direction in Nigeria in 2022. It will be called the “clean up” year. This is when the money is mopped up into political hands. And this extends to political corporates and strategy of business deals. Anything that will enhance the chances of success in 2023 will be the thrust of business deals in 2022. So don’t go selling the wrong product. There will be no interest. It’s not about the elections mind you, it’s all about the fact that power will change hands surely in 2023 (even if it is same party). And anything not solidified in 2022 will be out the window till August of 2023.

Family

This is the greatest war we all need to fight specifically in Nigeria in 2022. The trend was emerging prior to COVID19 pandemic but was slightly halted. Now the trend has started again. The fight for the hearts and minds of the teenagers and youth. The fight to protect them and to re-align them. The reality that the older ones are struggling so much, there is no more time for “tales by moonlight”. It also goes to the fact that, due to so many “unimaginable” world happenings, the older and aged ones have nothing to teach the emerging generation popularly called the “GenZ”. We are even struggling to teach them the basics when the basics are not even working for us older ones. And there seems to be an ocean (which I described earlier) between the two generations. So there is just the tendency for everyone to “Go with the flow”. Social media doesn’t even help at all. As it is all part of the elements of the Ocean just flowing through our very existence. “So long as it makes money” forms the basis of either encouragement of the youth or rebuke of them. Even in small communities where proceeds of crime are being displayed, they have started to give acceptance to the crimes e.g., kidnapping and theft of anything belonging to Nigeria. The fight for the soul of the family which extends to the soul of the nation must continue and must not be lost. Right now, it cannot be said we know where we are going or what our values are now.

Religion

Sadly, this fight for the soul of the family and the soul of the country was being fought by the religious institutions. COVID19 came and wiped away those gains. The war was lost on that front as the people could no longer be helped in their conclaves and crevices when the pandemic came. To some though, this was also a liberation. The religious institutions, struggling through 2021 for relevance will continue same in 2022. Some will have to innovate and think of new ways to get people back to the divinity-based position of their leadership which was lost during the pandemic. This may force some to turn to sensationalism to bring back the flock. To some others, the scales have permanently fallen from their eyes and will retain only the relationship between them and their God. In 2022, the wages of sin will become very apparent and quick in daily life. The effects felt even quicker. This is not only limited to the congregation but also the leadership. Even in daily life, mistakes and missteps will be less tolerated in the society going forward. A lot of religious institutions will just fall and disappear as many as rise with a new message. All still existing in this our “ocean”.

Technology

This is the only space I can see light shining now. The emergence of technologies across all our lives is a wonderful one. And we do not realize how far we are catching up with the rest of the world. Years ago, we would have remained in the dark ages in the presence of Zoom. Now we all know how simple ideas (and pandemics) can change our world. Even the concept of the working hours seems to have gone out of the window with Technology and Zoom. We must give kudos to the fact that when the pandemic happened and post pandemic, we stood up to be counted as part of the nations who were very much alive and communicating during the pandemic. There are many negatives of Zoom and virtual communications which chief amongst them was the entry of the workplace into the home. This, I doubt will ever go back to being “normal”. Which brings me to the direction of technology in the coming year – It is heading for your home. Every new innovation and invention will circle around or target Your home. Your lifestyle. Your personal space. This is where technology wants to be. Wants to dominate. And there doesn’t seem to be anything in its path stopping it.

Those that are in the technology business should shift their focus from delivering solutions to the Corporate sector but rather focus on anything that will deliver any kind of service either personally to an individual or to you in your home. This is the simple principle of 5G. May I also say that this is the bedrock of it all. We did not take the InternetofThings (IoT) very seriously, but now, 5G will be the basis of it all. A fully wireless home and lifestyle. Wireless (and internet enabled) fridges, freezers, air conditioners, TVs, Microwaves, Doors, Windows, Cars, Watches, Doorbells, Lights, and all basic and essential appliances. These through 5G, will be able to tell the manufacturers EVERYTHING they need to know. To me, controversially speaking, 5G was a brutal reality that Technology companies that invested heavily in Fiber to home concepts and hard-wired technologies will suddenly be out of business. Curious to me was the fact that 5G came when we all were at home due to the pandemic. What a wonderful way to test the technology.

These all pose wonderful new opportunities for those that can key into it as it will herald the new world order in technology and communication.

Economy

I am eager to see (if it finally happens), what the effect of a currency swap with China will look like and how it will reshape the currency and the economy. There are many pluses and minuses. But it will surely change things. Even the price of goods will be affected hopefully positively. On the negative side, our manufacturing or whatever is left of it might finally die. But have we cared about manufacturing? Somehow the truth of the nation tends towards consumption and imports (not manufacturing), so some may not even notice. It may just be important that there are cheaper prices of goods in the country than where they are made.

Barring that, the economy will experience the same as it has done during the pre-election years. Certain new hires of the president and new directions may show a glimmer of hope. But I am not expecting anything dramatic. Also, the exchange rate which remains a huge worry balances out with its demand. Those that have foreign exchange exposures are simply re-aligning. And like I mentioned earlier, the attack on what is critical and essential is a product of the worries

Personal Health

We grew up attending burials of the old and aged. We always expressed deep shock at the sudden death of the younger ones. I am not sure it’s because we are all older and in the age range, but I suspect that people are actually dropping dead who were otherwise healthy or slightly ill the day before. This is due to our lack of or inability to access health check systems. This year, bite the bullet, go for those health checks. Damn all consequences and hear what the Doctor has to say. At least know the basic in terms of blood pressure and other vitals of your body. This is not a plan to be executed only when you travel abroad. Please use the local systems here and at a minimum, get a feel for the basics. Also stay away from anything that aggravates you.

The greatest health watch today is your screen time. How much time is spent on the smart phone. It has replaced the real world for a lot of people. The life on social media and the satisfaction gained from successes in that world is eroding all elements of physical presence of the real world. Now it’s difficult to explain to the younger ones which one is the real world. Those that make money from social media are more at risk because they seem to be benefiting from that same alternate world. It is okay to approach that Social Media world from a business point of view. But where it begins to replace your happiness, your sanity, or your sense of fulfilment, this is the year to be very careful as there will be a lot in the news this year due to happenings in the country more than normal. So, you will be more sucked in. The addiction to social media as a therapy to while away time or kill that boredom has taken root in a lot of people’s lives today destroying the core elements of human touch, care and love.

General Outlook

As I would encourage all to recall that this piece is a perspective and not a prediction or prophesy, I would encourage us all to be guided and remain open to options in all situations. So as a typical guide, I would then propose the following as a best practice for this year

1. There are no financial booms in sight, stay away from easy short term turn around financial investments. Invest in only things that can be converted back to cash easily.
2. Always speak your mind, damning the consequences. It will give you mental peace. Bottling up issues with anyone or group translates easily to health problems nowadays more than ever.
3. Record all spending. By now, you should have at least 2- or 3-year records of your spending which should now form a pattern for you. Let that summary dictate to you which decision to make on your finances, going forward. If you have not started, start today. Use Excel. Very simple and easy.
4. Don’t make decisions on anything you hear on social media. Especially on health matters. In same fashion, political discussions and arguments don’t bring money. But study political happenings as it can save your life, health and security where it matters.
5. This year, make good sleep a target. The number of early morning frustrated people in the country is seriously increasing.
6. Reduce your screen time if you can. Even the mobile phone companies are calculating screen time now..
7. Changing jobs must not necessarily mean higher salary. Your expenses MUST come down if you are truly going for a better salary. Once you don’t achieve that, then it all comes down to the same thing which brings more frustration.
8. Focus on real knowledge. It will translate to money in the shortest possible time in Nigeria
9. In terms of feeding and personal expenses, try as much as possible to buy in bulk. It’s a measure of peace.
10. Lastly, I would encourage us all to remain strong in your faiths and your God as that would help you in every endeavour and the quest for protection from all evil this year that threatens our existence.

Damilola Bamiro
Bamiro is an international IT expert

The post Dami’s 2022 Perspective appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Microsoft promises to actively look into right to repair

TechDigest- Microsoft agreed to conduct an independent third-party study on the potential impact of making its devices easier to repair and make changes based on those findings by the end of 2022, according to Grist and shareholder advocacy group As You Sow. The deal came after As You Sow filed a shareholder resolution asking Microsoft to investigate the potential impact it could have by making it easier for consumers to repair their devices. As You Sow has withdrawn its resolution in exchange for Microsoft to conduct the study and make parts and documentation more available to repair shops that are not official Microsoft service providers based on the results of the study.

As You Sow calls Microsoft’s engagement “an encouraging step,” but it is worth noting that it is only one step; what Microsoft has actually done today is that it will do a study and then use it to “guide” its “Product Design and Plans to Expand Device Repair Options,” according to a statement emailed to The Verge by a Microsoft spokesperson. The fact that the company is at least willing to do that is encouraging and is more than other tech giants have done when it comes to the right to redress. But without specifics, it’s hard to say what impact this will have.

It is also unclear whether the public will end up receiving those details or not. According to Grist, Microsoft will have to publish a study summary by May 2022, but not the study itself (citing trade secret concerns). That said, it should be easy to tell if Microsoft is keeping its word on the matter – it will be easier to get your Surface Pro or Xbox repaired at a third-party store, or not.

Grist also cites iFixit’s US policy directory, which mentions Microsoft’s lobbying efforts. According to the US Public Interest Investigation Group (or US PIRG), Microsoft has been involved in lobbying against right to redress laws in Colorado and Washington. If that kind of behaviour continues, it would be difficult to support Microsoft for any positive work it does for the right to repair.

Despite the warnings, right-to-repair supporters see this deal as a good thing. IFixit CEO Kyle Wiens called it a “great historic move” on Twitter and, in an email sent to The Verge, said it was “not just about talking,” citing improvements in repairability. of Surface Laptop over the years. The PRIG’s right to repair campaign manager also told The Verge that it was “the real deal” and cited it as evidence that Microsoft was “changing its tune” on the right to repair. If it ends up making significant changes, Microsoft could end up ahead of the curve when it comes to reducing its products’ impact on e-waste and emissions – both President Joe Biden and the FTC have been working to clamp down on companies that make illegally Consumers find it more difficult to repair their devices.

The post Microsoft promises to actively look into right to repair appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TechDigest- Facebook prematurely turned off safeguards designed to thwart misinformation and rabble rousing after Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in last year’s elections in a moneymaking move that a company whistleblower alleges contributed to the deadly Jan. 6 invasion of the U.S. Capitol.

The whistleblower, former Facebook product manager Frances Haugen, also asserted during an exclusive interview that aired Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes” that a 2018 change to the content flow in Facebook’s news feeds contributed to more divisiveness and ill will in a network ostensibly created to bring people closer together.

Despite the enmity that the new algorithms were feeding, Facebook found that they helped keep people coming back — a pattern that helped the Menlo Park, California, company sell more of the digital ads that generate most of its advertising.

“The thing I saw at Facebook over and over again was there were conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook,” said Haugen, who joined Facebook in 2019 after working at other Silicon Valley companies such as Google and Pinterest. “”And Facebook, over and over again, chose to optimize for its own interests, like making more money.”Facebook’s annual revenue has more than doubled from $56 billion in 2018 to a projected $119 billion this year, based on the estimates of analysts surveyed by FactSet. Meanwhile, the company’s market value has soared from $375 billion at the end of 2018 to nearly $1 trillion now.

Even before the full interview came out, a top Facebook executive was deriding the whistleblower’s allegations as “misleading.”

“Social media has had a big impact on society in recent years, and Facebook is often a place where much of this debate plays out,” Nick Clegg, the company’s vice president of policy and public affairs wrote to Facebook employees in a memo sent Friday. “But what evidence there is simply does not support the idea that Facebook, or social media more generally, is the primary cause of polarization.”

The “60 Minutes” interview intensifies the spotlight already glaring on Facebook as lawmakers and regulators around the world scrutinize the social networking’s immense power to shape opinions and its polarizing effects on society.

The backlash has been intensifying since The Wall Street Journal’s mid-September publication of an expose that revealed Facebook’s own internal research had concluded the social network’s attention-seeking algorithms had helped foster political dissent and contributed to mental health and emotional problems among teens, especially girls. After copying thousands of pages of Facebook’s internal research, Haugen leaked them to the Journal to provide the foundation for a succession of stories packaged as as the “Facebook Files.”

►Facebook leak: Facebook officials knew Instagram can have negative mental health impacts for teens, report claims

►Facebook Senate hearings: Facebook grilled at Senate hearing over Instagram’s effect on teen mental health

Although Facebook asserted the Journal had cherry picked the most damaging information in the internal documents to cast the company in the worst possible light, the revelations prompted an indefinite delay in the rollout of a kids’ version of its popular photo- and video-sharing app, Instagram. Facebook currently requires people to be at least 13 years old to open an Instagram account.

Clegg was already trying to contain the fallout in 1,500-word memo warning Facebook employees that the whistleblower interview may subject them to more hard questions from family and friends about the social network’s corrosive side effects.

Then on Sunday morning, Clegg appeared on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” program in another pre-emptive attempt to soften the blow of the bombshell dropped on “60 Minutes.”

“Even with the most sophisticated technology, which I believe we deploy, even with the tens of thousands of people that we employ to try and maintain safety and integrity on our platform,” Clegg told CNN, “we’re never going to be absolutely on top of this 100% of the time.” He said that’s because of the “instantaneous and spontaneous form of communication” on Facebook, adding, “I think we do more than any reasonable person can expect to.”

Haugen, 37, has filed at least eight complaints with U.S. securities regulators alleging Facebook has violated the law by withholding information about the risks posed by its social network, according to “60 Minutes.” Facebook in turn could take legal action against her if it asserts she stole confidential information from the company.

“No one at Facebook is malevolent,” Haugen said during the interview. “But the incentives are misaligned, right? Like, Facebook makes more money when you consume more content. people enjoy engaging with things that elicit an emotional reaction. And the more anger that they get exposed to, the more they interact and the more they consume.”

The post Ex-Facebook manager alleges social network fed Capitol riot appeared first on Tech Digest News.