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Author: Jim Hendler

Jim Hendler is a ReturnByte journalist who closely follows the advancement of Internet technologies and social media. Follow him on Twitter at @jahendler
Major brands including Bumble, Disney, Pizza Hut, and Walmart were among others that had their Instagram ads placed next to disturbing content. (Unsplash) News 

Bumble and Match Take a Stand: Stop Advertising on Instagram Amid Content Controversy

Jim Hendler

Brands generate significant revenue through advertising on social media platforms. However, there is a potential risk involved if their ads are displayed alongside inappropriate content, which can harm the brand’s reputation and create negative associations. Additionally, there is a danger of targeting the wrong audience, further damaging the brand’s image. In a surprising development, popular online dating platforms Bumble and Match have chosen to halt their advertising on Instagram. This decision comes after a report by The Wall Street Journal revealed that their ads were being shown alongside explicit and…

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NASA conducts tests for its future Mars helicopter on both the Earth and the red planet. Check details. (AP) Space 

NASA’s Interplanetary Helicopters: Pioneering a New Frontier!

Jim Hendler,

NASA has successfully conducted tests on its next generation of Mars helicopters in two distinct locations. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California recently tested a new rotor for future mission helicopters, while the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter carried out a real-life flight simulation on Mars, achieving record-breaking altitude and airspeed. The NASA team was pleasantly surprised by the impressive performance of the new Mars helicopter during the test. Get all the details here. NASA’s upcoming Mars helicopter tests According to a NASA report, the space agency created a…

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Seller scams involve deceiving victims, termed as Mammoths, into purchasing nonexistent items. Gadgets 

Beware! Hackers Lurking on Telegram – Watch Out For This Phishing Trick!

Jim Hendler

If you use Telegram, this may be an important alert for you, as scammers and hackers are using a malicious Telegram bot called “Telekopye” to run large-scale phishing scams, according to a recent report. According to ESETResearch security researcher Radek Jizba, Telekopye is an advanced tool that allows criminals to create convincing phishing websites, emails, text messages and more. A group of hackers operating under the guise of a legitimate company known as Neandertals employ Telekopye in a structured framework. They recruit members through underground forums who then access specific…

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NASA Mars smallsat mission, ESCAPADE, will be launched with the debut launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle. (NASA) Space 

Blast Off! Blue Origin’s New Glenn to Launch NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission to Mars!

Jim Hendler,

Blue Origin’s New Glenn launch vehicle is anticipated to transport the NASA Mars smallsat mission in the near future, but concerns arise regarding potential delays caused by spacecraft development. In February 2023, both companies revealed their collaboration to launch the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) spacecraft using the New Glenn. Presently, the mission is projected to embark on its inaugural flight with the new launch vehicle by the conclusion of 2024. For further information on the NASA and Blue Origin partnership, click here. Launch of NASA’s ESCAPADE…

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Users who are part of the WhatsApp beta testing program for iOS and install the latest update via the TestFlight app now have access to a feature allowing them to share stickers in channels. News 

Spread the Love: Get Ready to Share Stickers on WhatsApp Channels!

Jim Hendler

Meta-owned instant messaging app WhatsApp is reportedly planning to introduce a new feature that will allow channel owners to share stickers on channels. “After installing the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.24.10.72 update available on TestFlight, we noticed that WhatsApp is rolling out the same feature to some beta testers using the iOS app,” WABetaInfo reported. A screenshot shared by WABetaInfo revealed that sharing stickers is also available for iOS users as the sticker button is visible in the chat bar. This is an important step towards aligning features across…

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The U.S. shoppers are projected to spend $12 billion on Cyber Monday, the biggest U.S. online shopping day. (Pixabay) News 

Score Big Savings on Cyber Monday – Shop ‘Til You Drop!

Jim Hendler

According to initial estimates from Adobe Digital Insights, online spending on Cyber Monday is expected to surpass $12 billion, marking a new record. Bargain hunters are eagerly purchasing various items such as Barbie dolls, Lego sets, headphones, and smart watches. US shoppers are estimated to spend between $12 billion and $12.4 billion on Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day in the US. A significant portion of that spending, about $4 billion, is expected to occur between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST, especially for last-minute shoppers, it said. At…

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WhatsApp view once photos and videos features are coming back the to the web and desktop app. (Pixabay) News 

Revisit WhatsApp: View Photos and Videos on Web and Desktop!

Jim Hendler

The easy accessibility of WhatsApp web and desktop app has made it highly popular among users. However, unlike the mobile app, the PC version lacks the feature of viewing photos and videos once. In a recent development, WhatsApp is said to be working on reintroducing this feature to all PC apps, along with enhanced security measures. Find out how to access and utilize the new WhatsApp view once photos and videos feature below. WhatsApp will display the photos and videos on the desktop once According to a WABetaInfo report, the…

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In comes Tradivia app, an instant translation app able to handle 16 languages, with which metro operator RATP has equipped 6,000 of its staff across the network's stations. (Pexels) News 

Navigating the Metro Made Easy: Paris App Helps Foreign Visitors During Olympics!

Jim Hendler

In preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, the Paris metro has introduced a real-time translation application to assist foreign visitors in navigating the complex urban transport system of the French capital. With over 300 stations, many of which have challenging names to locate or pronounce, even locals can struggle, making it particularly daunting for non-French speakers. The Summer Olympics, which will be held in the French capital from July 26 to August 11, will bring millions of visitors to the capital who do not speak French or even English, most…

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Over the past month, the Lucy Mission spacecraft team has observed that Asteroid Dinkinesh becoming brighter. (representative image) (Pixabay ) Space 

Unlock the Secrets of Space: NASA’s Lucy Mission Makes Incredible Progress!

Jim Hendler,

NASA’s Lucy mission has made significant progress in its journey towards Asteroid Dinkinesh through precise maneuvers, but it is currently experiencing a communication blackout as it moves behind the Sun. The team, led by principal investigator Hal Levison, is working diligently, with mission management handled by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and spacecraft construction undertaken by Lockheed Martin Space. Over the past month, the Lucy Mission spacecraft team has observed that asteroid Dinkinesh brightens as the spacecraft approaches, along with a consistent variation in brightness that indicates a 52.7-hour orbital…

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Meta Spokesperson Andy Stone Added to Russia's Wanted List Amidst 'Terrorist and Extremist' Classification (unsplash) News 

Russia’s Wanted: Meta Platforms Representative on the Run!

Jim Hendler

According to Voice of America, a spokesperson for Meta Platforms, the US tech conglomerate that owns Facebook and Instagram, has been included in Russia’s wanted list as per an online database maintained by the country’s interior ministry. Russian state agency Tass and independent news magazine Mediazona reported on spokesman Andy Stone’s list on Saturday. In October, Russian authorities classified Meta as a “terrorist and extremist organization,” opening the way for possible criminal proceedings against Russian residents who use its platforms. Listed as a “terrorist and extremist organization,” Meta can lead…

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Amazon's healthcare journey: From virtual doctors to PillPack, the tech giant navigates traditional approaches in a bid to revolutionize the industry with mixed success. (unsplash) News 

Health-Care Industry No Longer Afraid of Amazon’s Might!

Jim Hendler

Amazon.com Inc.’s Prime membership program initially focused on fast shipping and later expanded to include video streaming. Now, customers can enjoy the added benefit of discounted access to virtual doctors, which is being presented as another convenient feature, comparable to purchasing tube socks or watching television shows. But that is a kind of surrender. Amazon has spent nearly a decade and billions of dollars trying to reinvent American healthcare, and it’s settled on a decidedly traditional approach. The company operates its own doctor’s offices and pharmacies and offers Prime subscribers…

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Mysterious hollows on Mercury's surface, like those seen in this image from MESSENGER's mission, continue to baffle scientists. Despite recent data and research, their origin remains one of the planet's enduring enigmas. (representative image) (pixabay) Space 

Uncovering the Mysteries of Mercury: NASA’s Messenger Mission Reveals Surprising Findings!

Jim Hendler

While Mars often captures more attention, Mercury is just as captivating. Scientists have been perplexed by the enigmatic hollows scattered across Mercury’s surface for many years. Ranging from 60 feet to over a mile in size and up to 120 feet deep, these depressions have no known source. The absence of an atmosphere on the planet rules out wind and water as potential creators of these hollows, leaving scientists to explore alternative theories. Even with NASA’s Mercury Messenger spacecraft dedicated to studying the planet extensively, the origin of these features…

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Alia Bhatt deepfake video surfaces amidst rising AI concern expressed by authorities. (Hindustan Times) News 

Stay Safe Online: 10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Alia Bhatt Deepfake Videos

Jim Hendler

A new deepfake scandal has surfaced, involving a manipulated video of Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt. This incident has sparked concerns about the potential harm caused by artificial intelligence. The video, which is currently being shared on different social media platforms, shows Alia’s face seamlessly merged with another woman who is wearing a fashionable blue floral co-ord set and interacting with the camera. This deepfake video of Alia Bhatt adds to the growing unease surrounding the misuse of advanced AI technology, following similar incidents involving Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif, and Kajol.…

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The festive season may be over in India but that doesn't mean you can't buy the iPhone 14 for a discount again. Here's how to buy one under Rs 60,000. News 

Score an iPhone 14 Under Rs 60,000 – Don’t Miss Out Again!

Jim Hendler

If you missed out on buying a discounted iPhone 14 during this month’s holiday sale, don’t worry. now could be another chance to buy iPhone 14 cheap. That’s because the festive season in India is over, but in the West it’s just getting started with Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. While India mostly misses out on these sales, Flipkart is still offering the iPhone 14 for under Rs 60,000 after bank deals, and the price can be reduced further if you take advantage of trade-in offers. iPhone 14 under…

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Meta Platforms faces legal firestorm as states allege it knowingly concealed millions of underage users and privacy violations on Instagram. (Pexels) News 

Revealed: Meta Platforms Under Fire for Allowing Millions of Kids on Instagram!

Jim Hendler

In a recently revealed legal complaint, 33 states claim that Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms, knowingly permitted millions of users below the age of 13 to access its services, only disabling a portion of the reported accounts. The complaint alleges that Meta violated federal laws protecting children’s privacy by collecting personal information, such as locations and email addresses, without obtaining parental consent. According to the court filing, Meta’s knowledge of underage users is widely known within the company, with detailed documentation kept confidential. If…

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WhatsApp had removed the ability to send view once photos and videos from WhatsApp Web and Desktop for privacy reasons, but it is now coming back. News 

Back and Better Than Ever: WhatsApp’s Essential Feature Returns to Desktop Apps – Here’s What You Need to Know!

Jim Hendler

WhatsApp is re-introducing the ability to send one-time photos and videos to its desktop apps. This is a popular feature that was removed a year ago. The release also states that the feature was recently rolled out on WhatsApp Web. This feature provides a better privacy experience for WhatsApp users, especially if they don’t want a specific media file to be saved on someone else’s device. Additionally, this is useful for sharing sensitive media files that should only be viewed once and could end up in the wrong hands if…

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WhatsApp: Users will soon have the convenience of viewing profile information directly within a chat, eliminating the need to navigate to the chat info screen. News 

See What Your Friends Know About You: WhatsApp Introducing Profile Info in Chats

Jim Hendler

The popular instant messaging app WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is reportedly developing a feature that displays profile information in chats. This profile information is also displayed when the contact is offline, alternating with last seen if available. “Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.25.11 update available on the Google Play Store, we noticed that WhatsApp tends to display profile information in our chats,” WhatsApp tracking website WABetaInfo reported. The report suggested that the initiative to improve the visibility of profile information in conversations emphasizes WhatsApp’s responsiveness to user…

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With the Chandrayaan-4 mission, ISRO and JAXA aim to gather data on the quantity and forms of water present on the lunar surface. (JAXA) Space 

ISRO and JAXA Join Forces for Chandrayaan-4 Mission: A Giant Leap for Space Exploration!

Jim Hendler,

India is preparing for its next lunar mission, following the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is partnering with the Japanese space agency JAXA for the upcoming moon mission, known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission or Chandrayaan-4. To learn more about this India-Japan lunar mission, click here. LUPEX or Chandrayaan-4 mission Chandrayaan-4 is currently said to be in design mode. According to JAXA’s official website, the goal of the LUPEX mission is to collect data on the amount and forms of water on the surface of…

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The warning was conveyed by deputy IT minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a closed-door meeting where he said many companies had not updated their usage terms despite 2022 rules that prohibit content "harmful" to children, obscene or that "impersonates another person". (Pexels) News 

Deepfakes Alert: India Calls on Facebook and YouTube to Take Action!

Jim Hendler,

According to two sources, the Indian government issued a warning to social media companies such as Facebook and YouTube, instructing them to regularly inform users about the prohibition of posting deepfakes, as well as content that promotes obscenity or misinformation, in accordance with local laws. The warning was delivered by Deputy IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a closed-door meeting, where he said many companies had not updated their terms of service despite 2022 rules banning content that is “harmful”, obscene or “impersonating” children. It comes amid growing concerns about deepfakes…

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ISRO is gearing up for the next lunar frontier with the Chandrayaan-4 mission after the success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission. (JAXA) Space 

ISRO Soars to New Heights with Chandrayaan-4 Mission!

Jim Hendler

Following the success of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO is now preparing for its next lunar adventure with the ambitious Chandrayaan-4 mission. Although the chances of Chandrayaan-3’s return to Earth are diminishing due to possible communication difficulties, ISRO remains determined, highlighting the valuable data already obtained from the mission. The Chandrayaan-4 mission, a symbol of advancement in space exploration, is set to enhance India’s cosmic pursuits. Diverging from its predecessors, this mission not only aims to land on the moon but also intends to retrieve lunar samples and bring them back to Earth.…

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