The European Union’s landmark crypto regulation, the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, officially took effect on 30 December 2024, promising to streamline the industry across all 27 member states. MiCA introduces a unified rulebook to replace the fragmented national laws that previously governed the sector. Its goals include boosting transparency, reducing risks for investors, and fostering innovation in an industry often marred by scams and market instability.
Under MiCA, crypto token issuers must meet strict disclosure standards, while exchanges and wallet providers are required to register with the European Banking Authority. Stablecoins, particularly asset-referenced and electronic money tokens, face rigorous scrutiny, including reserve requirements and sustainability disclosures. However, the regulation has brought significant challenges, such as high compliance costs and operational overhauls, which could force smaller companies to relocate to less stringent jurisdictions like the UAE or UK.
Experts believe MiCA offers long-term benefits, including clarity and stability for the crypto sector, but warn that its strict demands might stifle innovation for startups. The regulation’s success will hinge on consistent enforcement across the EU and its ability to balance oversight with fostering growth. As Europe navigates this new framework, it signals a global shift, with the US also taking steps to establish itself as a crypto leader under its incoming administration.
Business email compromise (BEC) scams are on the rise, targeting companies through highly deceptive tactics. These scams involve cybercriminals hacking into legitimate email accounts and tricking victims into transferring large sums of money. Recently, a small business narrowly avoided a major financial loss when a scammer posed as its owner, sending fraudulent wiring instructions to the company’s bank. Quick action by the business owner and a vigilant banker prevented the funds from being transferred.
Experts warn that BEC scams rely less on technical vulnerabilities and more on exploiting trust between businesses and their partners. Hackers often gain access through phishing attacks, installing malicious software, or guessing weak passwords. Once inside an email account, they may create hidden rules to intercept or forward messages, concealing their activities until it’s too late.
To counter these threats, cybersecurity professionals recommend measures such as enabling two-factor authentication, regularly updating passwords, and monitoring email account activity for unusual changes. Businesses are also advised to verify financial transactions using secondary methods, such as phone calls, to confirm the legitimacy of requests.
With global losses from BEC scams amounting to billions, the stakes are high. By taking proactive steps to enhance security, businesses can protect themselves from falling victim to these sophisticated schemes.
Gambia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (MoCDE) has partnered with the India-based Kalp Foundation to develop Gambia One, a blockchain-powered digital public infrastructure platform. The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide, empower communities, and create scalable solutions aligned with global standards.
The platform will modernise government operations, digitise critical services, and enable secure data exchange using Kalp Blockchain technology. A key focus is skilling Gambian youth in blockchain and related technologies, fostering a tech-savvy workforce and promoting sustainable growth.
The initiative also emphasises inclusivity, innovation, and transparency as cornerstones of Gambia’s digital economy strategy, positioning the country as a leader in blockchain-driven governance while serving as a global model for equitable and compliant digital transformation. Both parties have lauded the partnership for its transformative potential.
Hon. Lamin Jabbi, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy of Gambia, described the collaboration as a significant step toward building a robust and inclusive digital ecosystem. Tapan Sangal, Founder and Director of the Kalp Foundation, highlighted its scalability and alignment with ethical standards, emphasising the foundation’s commitment to empowering governments and citizens alike. The initiative underscores Gambia’s ambition to become a future-ready nation, leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive growth, foster innovation, and build a brighter, more inclusive future.
AT&T has introduced a new initiative offering bill credits to customers affected by network outages, aiming to rebuild trust after a series of major service disruptions in 2024. The scheme, called AT&T Guarantee, will provide automatic credits to fibre customers experiencing outages of 20 minutes or more and wireless users facing at least an hour of disruption. The move follows a nationwide service failure last February, which lasted over 12 hours and blocked millions of calls, including thousands of emergency calls to 911.
The telecom industry has faced growing scrutiny over the reliability of its networks, with rivals such as T-Mobile and Verizon also experiencing significant outages. AT&T executives acknowledged that customer dissatisfaction had led to market share losses in recent years. In response, the company has invested over $140 billion in network improvements and nearly $1 billion in customer care and operations. The new guarantee is part of a broader effort to ensure dependable connectivity and restore consumer confidence.
Despite previous challenges, AT&T has maintained strong performance in customer satisfaction rankings, topping J.D. Power’s survey for business wireless service among large enterprises for three consecutive years until 2023. The company believes the new initiative will strengthen its position in the market by demonstrating a commitment to service reliability and customer compensation when expectations are not met.
Halliday, a wearables startup, has launched a pair of smart glasses at CES 2025 that project a tiny digital screen directly into the wearer’s eye. Using a device called the DigiWindow, the glasses display notifications, language translations, and navigation directions in real time without the need for bulky AR lenses.
Priced at $489, the glasses use a small green light to beam an almost 9cm round display into the user’s line of sight. The innovative approach makes US based Halliday’s glasses slimmer, lighter, and more affordable than many augmented reality prototypes. Users can even fit prescription lenses into the frames without affecting the display.
Key features include real-time translation for 40 languages and a proactive AI assistant that offers helpful information during conversations. The device is controlled via a ring worn on the finger, allowing users to navigate its features with thumb gestures. While the AI assistant wasn’t available for testing, the display technology impressed with its functionality.
Halliday’s smart glasses are already available for preorder at a discounted price of $369 via Kickstarter. Shipping is expected to begin in March 2025. The company hopes its sleek design and practical applications will set the glasses apart from other wearables still stuck in prototype stages.
San Francisco-based startup Based Hardware has unveiled Omi, a wearable AI assistant designed to improve productivity. Launched at the Consumer Electronic Show, the device responds to voice commands when worn as a necklace or can attach to the side of the head using medical tape, activating through a unique “brain interface.”
Unlike other AI gadgets that aim to replace smartphones, Omi is meant to complement existing devices. It can answer questions, summarise conversations, and manage tasks like to-do lists and meeting schedules. The startup’s founder, Nik Shevchenko, claims that Omi’s brain interface allows users to interact without saying a wake word by recognising mental focus. However, this feature has yet to be widely tested.
Based Hardware built Omi on an open-source platform to address privacy concerns. Users can store data locally and even develop their own apps for the device. Priced at $89, the consumer version will ship later in 2025, while a developer version is already available.
Omi enters a growing market of AI gadgets that have struggled to meet expectations. Shevchenko hopes Omi’s focus on practical productivity tools will set it apart, but the device’s success will likely depend on whether users embrace its experimental brain interface feature.
Google will face a class action trial in August after failing to dismiss claims it collected personal data from mobile devices despite users disabling tracking settings. A federal judge rejected the argument that the company clearly disclosed how its Web & App Activity settings worked.
Chief Judge Richard Seeborg ruled that reasonable users could find Google’s data collection practices ‘highly offensive’ since data was collected even after concerns were raised internally about unclear disclosures. He noted internal communications indicating Google deliberately kept details vague to avoid alarming users.
Google denied wrongdoing, stating its privacy controls were long established and accusing the plaintiffs of deliberately misrepresenting its products. The plaintiffs’ lawyers, also involved in a $5 billion privacy settlement against Google last year, did not comment.
The trial, scheduled for 18 August, stems from a July 2020 lawsuit. Google previously faced similar claims when accused of tracking users in Chrome’s ‘Incognito’ mode, leading to a substantial data deletion settlement.
The European Commission has rejected accusations from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that European Union laws censor social media, saying regulations only target illegal content. Officials clarified that platforms are required to remove posts deemed harmful to children or democracy, not lawful content.
Zuckerberg recently criticised EU regulations, claiming they stifle innovation and institutionalise censorship. In response, the Commission strongly denied the claims, emphasising its Digital Services Act does not impose censorship but ensures public safety through content regulation.
Meta has decided to end fact-checking in the US for Facebook, Instagram and Threads, opting for a ‘community notes’ system. The system allows users to highlight misleading posts, with notes published if diverse contributors agree they are helpful.
The EU confirmed that such a system could be acceptable in Europe if platforms submit risk assessments and demonstrate effectiveness in content moderation. Independent fact-checking for European users will remain available for US-based content.
A hacker claims to have breached US location tracking company Gravy Analytics, leaking around 1.4 gigabytes of data. The allegation, shared on a Russian-language cybercriminal forum, included screenshots suggesting a data theft. Verification attempts were complicated as Gravy’s website remained offline and the company did not respond to messages.
Cybersecurity experts reviewing the leaked data found the breach credible. Marley Smith from RedSense and John Hammond from Huntress both confirmed the data appeared legitimate, though the hacker’s identity remains unclear.
Gravy was previously involved in a crackdown by President Biden’s administration targeting data brokers collecting sensitive location data without proper consent. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) settled with Gravy and Mobilewalla in December over allegations of deceptive data practices.
The FTC expressed concerns that such data could be misused for stalking, blackmail, and espionage but declined to comment on the breach. FTC Chair Lina Khan recently warned that targeted advertising practices leave sensitive data highly vulnerable.
In a landmark decision, the EU General Court ruled on Wednesday that the European Commission must pay €400 ($412) in damages to a German citizen for violating data protection laws. The case marks the first time the Commission has been held liable for failing to comply with its data regulations.
The court found that the Commission improperly transferred the citizen’s personal data, including an IP address, to Meta Platforms in the United States without adequate safeguards. The breach occurred when the individual used the ‘Sign in with Facebook’ option on the EU login webpage to register for a conference.
The Commission acknowledged the ruling, stating it would review the judgment and its implications. The decision underscores the robust enforcement of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which has led to significant penalties against major firms like Meta, LinkedIn, and Klarna for non-compliance.
