Monday, November 25
Meta has released findings from two studies on consumer behavior in India's beauty and fashion sectors. The studies show that Instagram Reels plays a significant role in brand and product discovery. The beauty report reveals a shift towards online purchases, with 80% of shoppers discovering beauty brands on Meta platforms and 47% through Instagram Reels. The fashion study found that 97% of consumers discover fashion brands on Meta platforms, with 52% crediting Instagram Reels. Augmented reality and content made by Indian influencers also influence purchasing decisions.
Amazon is laying off "several hundred" employees in its Alexa division, including those working in the artificial general intelligence team. The move comes as the company shifts its resources towards generative AI. Last week, Amazon also made job cuts in its music and gaming divisions, as well as in some human resources roles. Daniel Rausch, the vice president of Alexa and Fire TV, informed employees about the layoffs, assuring them that Alexa remains an important part of the business.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified in federal court for the second time in two weeks, defending Google's app store practices in an antitrust trial. The trial involves Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, accusing Google of illegally harming consumers and developers through its payment processing system and monopolistic practices. Pichai remained calm during questioning, emphasizing competition with Apple and the benefits of Google's Android platform. The trial also highlighted the unusual relationship between Google and Apple.
Google has filed a lawsuit against anonymous individuals in California federal court for marketing fake downloads of its AI chatbot Bard. The scammers allegedly use Google's trademarks to trick users into installing malware, which allows them to steal social media login credentials. Google has filed nearly 300 takedown requests related to the scam. The company is seeking an order to stop the scammers from setting up domains and disable them with US domain registrars. The targets of the scheme include small businesses and Facebook advertisers. Google is asking for scammers' profits and monetary damages.
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China's US division fell victim to a ransomware attack by the cybercriminal group LockBit, causing disruption in the US Treasury market. LockBit has become a major threat globally, targeting numerous organizations and leaking sensitive data if ransom demands are not met. The ransomware used in the ICBC attack is called LockBit 3.0, known for its evasiveness and difficulty in analysis.
Zelle, the US payment app, has changed its policy to refund victims of imposter scams. The app, owned by seven banks including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, will reverse transfers made by customers who were tricked into sending money to scammers claiming to be from a government agency or bank. The move comes in response to concerns raised by US lawmakers and the federal consumer watchdog.
Chinese chipmaker Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC) has filed a lawsuit against US chipmaker Micron, accusing it of patent infringement. YMTC alleges that Micron has violated eight of its patents and used its technology to gain market share. Micron, which competes with Samsung, SK Hynix, and Kioxia, has faced restrictions in exporting chipmaking technology to China in recent years.
If you're looking to leave group chats on various messaging platforms like Google Messages, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Twitter, or iMessage, there are simple steps to follow. For Google Messages, you can leave a group by going to the group details and selecting "Leave group." To mute notifications, tap the three dots in the group chat and select "Mute notifications." For WhatsApp, you can exit a group by selecting "More" and then "Exit group." In iMessage, tap the group icon and select "Leave this conversation." Similar steps can be followed for Telegram, Messenger, and Twitter group chats.
