Hello and welcome to Wednesday. We’ve got a few bits of tech news for you, let’s dive in.
1. Instagram to kill its live shopping feature
In news pleasing everyone who isn’t in the e-commerce game, Instagram is nixing the “Live Shopping” feature that’s allowed creators to directly tag products and promote links in their live broadcasts for the past couple of years. The Meta-owned company announced the change in a Help Centre post, and noted the feature’s official funeral is set for March 16, 2023. RIP.
2. Google launches another way for Android apps to track you
Google unveiled a beta version of its “Privacy Sandbox” for Android Tuesday, part of a years-long effort to transform the business of the internet and make it harder for companies to feast on the buffet that is your personal data. Paradoxically, Google says the goal is to track everything you do online in a way that’s better for your privacy. Privacy Sandbox a set of new targeted advertising tools that let companies make money on your data without ever seeing that data for themselves. Did we mention Google promises this is much better for your privacy?
3. Bunnings and Kmart facial rec probe to be completed soon
In mid-June, we reported that Kmart, Bunnings Warehouse and The Good Guys were all using facial recognition technology in-store after consumer advocacy group Choice revealed the companies were all recording customers’ faceprints, mostly without their knowledge. The OAIC announced it was looking into the former two, with The Good Guys pausing the practice immediately when the issue came up. Last night during Senate Estimates, the OAIC revealed the probe into Kmart and Bunnings would be completed by the end of June.
4. Kia and Hyundai respond to the car-stealing TikTok challenge
A viral social media challenge that not only showed people how to steal cars, but encouraged people to do it has been plaguing Kia and Hyundai. Now, after months of scrambling around and offering half-measure fixes, a new software update is being offered for free on select models. Per our friends at Jalopnik, in case you’re not up on viral TikTok car theft challenges, basically, someone found out it was possible to steal a huge swath of late-model Hyundais and Kias in the U.S. with little more than a USB cable. No vehicles in Australia are susceptible to the hack, due to ADR requirements for immobilising devices.
Starting today, we are rolling out a free anti-theft software upgrade that prevents certain Hyundai vehicles from starting during a method of theft recently popularized on TikTok and other social media channels. Learn more about this software upgrade here: https://t.co/43stzSXpVj
— Hyundai USA (@Hyundai) February 14, 2023
5. Here we go again
It seems like every year, we get a new prediction that a folding iPhone is on the way. According to some new patents, part of the reason for that wait may be because Apple has been exploring new ways to make every single inch of the elusive device into an input surface, even when it’s folded up like a clamshell. As first noticed by AppleInsider, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the iPhone maker several new patents on Tuesday that hint at highly detailed input capabilities for any future Apple devices, including but not limited to foldables. Read more about it here.
BONUS ITEM: Just three nope noodles hanging out.
See you tomorrow.