Indonesia has granted local content certificates for 20 Apple products, including the iPhone 16 after the company met requirements for locally-made components.
Apple still needs further approvals from the communications and trade ministries before it can officially sell the devices in the country.
The certification follows Apple’s recent pledge to invest over $300 million in Indonesia, including funding component manufacturing plants and a research and development centre.
Industry ministry spokesperson Febri Hendri Antoni Arief confirmed that Apple received certificates for 11 phone models and nine tablets.
However, negotiations had been ‘tricky’, according to Indonesia’s industry minister. Apple remains outside the top five smartphone brands in Indonesia, according to research firm Canalyst.
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Reddit has introduced new tools to help users follow community rules and track content performance, aiming to boost engagement on the platform. The update comes after a slowdown in user growth due to Google’s algorithm changes, though traffic from the search engine has since recovered.
Among the new features is a ‘rules check’ tool, currently being tested on smartphones, which helps users comply with subreddit guidelines. Additionally, a post-recovery option allows users to repost content in alternative subreddits if their original submission is removed. Reddit will also suggest subreddits based on post content and clarify posting requirements for specific communities.
The company has enhanced its post insights feature, offering detailed engagement metrics to help users refine their content. This follows Reddit’s December launch of Reddit Answers, an AI-powered search tool designed to provide curated summaries of community discussions, which is still in beta testing.
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Zalando, Europe’s leading online fashion retailer, has filed a legal challenge against the European Commission’s classification of the company under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The company argues that, unlike platforms such as Amazon and AliExpress, its business model does not fit into the “very large online platform” (VLOP) category, and it should not face the same stringent regulations.
The DSA, which came into force in 2022, requires VLOPs to take additional measures to manage harmful and illegal content or face significant fines. Zalando’s lawyer, Robert Briske, pointed out that the company operates a hybrid model, offering both its own products and those from third-party partners, making it distinct from other online platforms that purely function as marketplaces.
The European Commission contends that Zalando’s business model is similar to those of Amazon and AliExpress. The Commission’s lawyer, Liane Wildpanner, argued that Zalando is seeking to benefit from the flexibility of a hybrid model without bearing the regulatory burden of platforms like Amazon.
Zalando’s case is supported by Germany’s e-commerce association, BEVH, while other EU bodies, including the European Parliament, have sided with the Commission. The General Court is expected to deliver a ruling in the coming months.
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Microsoft has announced plans to invest an additional 5.4 billion rand (about $296.81 million) by 2027 to enhance its cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa.
The investment comes in response to the increasing demand for the company’s Azure services in the region, with a particular focus on meeting the needs of businesses integrating AI technology into their operations.
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, revealed the initiative during an event in Johannesburg, confirming that the company would also fund technical certification exams for 50,000 individuals.
These exams will cover crucial digital skills, including cloud architecture, AI, and cybersecurity, aiming to address the shortage of skilled professionals in high-demand sectors.
The new investment builds on Microsoft’s previous spending of 20.4 billion rand to establish South Africa’s first enterprise-grade data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
These data centres have become essential hubs for handling the computational demands of AI, as local businesses look to adopt AI-driven solutions.
The company’s broader strategy includes a global commitment to invest around $80 billion in 2025 to further develop data centres and deploy AI and cloud-based applications. South Africa, as a growing tech hub, is expected to play a key role in Microsoft’s plans for the future.
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The US House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Alphabet on Thursday, demanding information on its communications with the Biden administration regarding content moderation policies. The committee, led by Republican Jim Jordan, also requested similar communications with external companies and groups.
The subpoena specifically seeks details on discussions about restricting or banning content related to US President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, COVID-19, and other conservative topics. Republicans have accused Big Tech companies of suppressing conservative viewpoints, with the Federal Trade Commission warning that coordinating policies or misleading users could breach the law.
Last year, Meta Platforms acknowledged pressure from the Biden administration to censor content, but Alphabet has not publicly distanced itself from similar claims. A Google spokesperson stated the company will demonstrate its independent approach to policy enforcement.
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Malaysia is engaging with its semiconductor industry to address the potential impact of US tariffs on chips. The US has signalled its intention to impose tariffs of up to 25% on semiconductors, which could significantly affect Malaysia, one of the top exporters of chips to the US Last year, Malaysia shipped $16.2 billion worth of chips, making up nearly 20% of US semiconductor imports.
Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government is in talks with companies to see if they can absorb the higher costs caused by the tariffs. The discussions are focused on whether consumers or companies will bear the increased expenses. While the government has not yet decided whether it will provide financial support, Malaysia’s strong semiconductor sector, which includes US giants like Intel and GlobalFoundries, remains a critical part of the economy.
Despite concerns over the tariffs, Tengku Zafrul expressed confidence that Malaysia’s data centres would not be affected by new US export restrictions on advanced chips. The country has become a major hub for data centres, attracting investments from companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. The growth of AI-related demand is expected to drive further expansion, and Tengku Zafrul indicated that the sector’s trajectory is strong enough to absorb any new challenges.
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A former top National Security Agency official has warned that widespread federal job cuts could severely undermine US cybersecurity and national security.
Rob Joyce, former NSA director of cybersecurity, told a congressional committee that eliminating probationary employees would weaken the government’s ability to combat cyber threats, particularly those from China.
The remarks were made during a House Select Committee hearing on China‘s cyber operations targeting critical United States infrastructure and telecommunications.
More than 100,000 federal workers have left their jobs through early retirement or layoffs as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink government agencies, with support from billionaire advisor Elon Musk.
While national security roles were supposed to be exempt, some cybersecurity positions have still been affected.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has already cut over 130 positions, raising concerns about the government’s ability to protect critical systems.
The White House and NSA declined to comment on the impact of the job reductions.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed that the cuts are expected to save $50 million and that further reductions in ‘wasteful positions’ are being considered.
However, critics argue that the loss of skilled personnel in cybersecurity roles could leave the country more vulnerable to foreign threats.
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Google has reported receiving over 250 complaints globally about its AI software being used to create deepfake terrorist content, according to Australia’s eSafety Commission.
The tech giant also acknowledged dozens of user reports alleging that its AI program, Gemini, was being exploited to generate child abuse material. Under Australian law, companies must provide regular updates on their efforts to minimise harm or risk hefty fines.
The eSafety Commission described Google’s disclosure as a ‘world-first insight’ into how AI tools may be misused to produce harmful and illegal content.
Between April 2023 and February 2024, Google received 258 reports of suspected AI-generated extremist material and 86 related to child exploitation. However, the company did not specify how many of these reports were verified.
A Google spokesperson stated that the company strictly prohibits AI-generated content related to terrorism, child abuse, and other illegal activities.
While it uses automated detection to remove AI-generated child exploitation material, the same system is not applied to extremist content.
Meanwhile, the regulator has previously fined platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram for failing to meet reporting requirements, with both companies planning to appeal.
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Google has introduced an experimental version of its search engine that removes the traditional 10 blue links in favour of AI-generated summaries.
The new ‘AI Mode’ is available to subscribers of Google One AI Premium, a $19.99 per month plan, and can be accessed through a tab alongside existing options like Images and Maps.
Users will see a detailed AI summary with hyperlinks to cited sources, replacing standard search results with a search bar for follow-up questions.
AI Overviews, which provide summaries atop search results, are already available in over 100 countries, with advertisements integrated into them since last May. Google says the new AI-driven approach responds to demand from “power users” seeking more AI-generated responses.
As Google pushes deeper into AI-powered search, it faces competition from Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which introduced search capabilities to ChatGPT last October.
The shift has raised concerns among content creators, with edtech company Chegg suing Google in February, alleging that AI previews are reducing demand for original content and hurting publishers’ ability to compete.
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The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded its investigation into Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, deciding not to move forward with a merger probe.
The decision comes after the CMA found that Microsoft does not hold enough control over OpenAI, a key factor in triggering a merger review. The companies’ collaboration began in 2019, when Microsoft invested $1 billion in the AI startup.
Despite this, the CMA stated that Microsoft’s influence had not evolved to the level of de facto control required for further scrutiny.
This marks the end of the UK’s formal investigation into the deal, although the CMA clarified that its decision should not be interpreted as a dismissal of potential competition concerns related to the partnership.
While the investigation is closed, the CMA has been increasingly active in examining major tech company acquisitions, particularly those involving AI startups.
Microsoft welcomed the CMA’s decision, asserting that their ongoing partnership with OpenAI fosters innovation and competition in AI development.
Meanwhile, the CMA continues to monitor the tech sector, with broader powers to investigate companies deemed to hold ‘strategic market status’.
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