Happy Tuesday, lets jump into the tech news, shall we?
1. Optus managing director of networks steps down
Optus, managing director of networks, Lambo Kanagaratnam has left the job after nine years, iTnews reported. Singtel’s CTO, Jorge Fernandes will step in as the interim managing director of networks. Optus interim CEO and CFO said “the time is right” for a change in leadership.
2. Airbnb finally bans indoor security cameras in its listings
Airbnb has banned the use of indoor security cameras in its listings globally in a move to prioritise the privacy of its community. While it has allowed the use of cameras in common areas of listing like lounge rooms and kitchens, it has always asked for no cameras to be in bedrooms and bathrooms. “These changes were made in consultation with our guests, hosts and privacy experts, and we’ll continue to seek feedback to help ensure our policies work for our global community,” Airbnb, head of community policy and partnerships, Juniper Downs said.
3. Web browser benchmark Speedometer 3.0 is now live
Tech rivals Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla have collaborated on the third iteration of the web application responsiveness Speedometer. This tool measures web application responsiveness by simulating user interactions on real web pages. According to Speedometer, this is the first time the benchmark, or any major browser benchmark, has been developed through a cross-industry collaboration supported by each major browser engine: Blink/V8, Gecko/SpiderMonkey, and WebKit/JavaScriptCore.
4. Princess Catherine apologises for photoshopping
Celebrating Mother’s Day in the UK, Princess Catherine aka Kate Middleton posted a photo of her and her three children. But on closer inspection, it seemed as if the images were doctored which caused a recall of the images from several major news outlets. In response to the editing, The Princess of Wales tweeted, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.”
5. Age verification debate continues
Yoel Roth, Match Group’s new head of trust and safety has said age verification needs to also be a job for Apple and Google, rather than the apps. He echoes Zuckerberg’s sentiments that were said in November last year. Speaking to Wired, the former Twitter head of trust and safety said it isn’t about passing the buck but a shared responsibility, “When you are in a position like an App Store, when you have payment card information, and additional information from somebody’s device, you may have more of a signal around how old they are than just an app would.”
Bonus item: Oh how I love the internet sometimes.
The original photo WITHOUT photoshop has been unearthed by the international press#KateMiddleton pic.twitter.com/BdkEqpjtPm
— Lyn (@meghanxhaz) March 11, 2024