Tech News Roundup: February 18, 2021

Recent developments include the repercussions of Facebook’s news restriction in Australia, responses from WhatsApp regarding privacy, and the successful landing of Perseverance on Mars. This summarizes the key updates for February 18, 2021.

Facebook’s News Ban in Australia: A Broad Impact

The situation surrounding Facebook’s ban on news sharing in Australia continues to unfold. Initial reports detailed the issue, and now, a clearer picture of the consequences is emerging.

To recap, the Australian government is considering legislation that would mandate technology platforms to compensate news organizations for the use of their content. In response, Facebook initiated a block on the sharing and viewing of news articles. This action has drawn criticism, labeled as censorship and even a challenge to national sovereignty, while simultaneously being defended as a legitimate response to a proposed “link tax.” (Google initially threatened a similar move but has since been negotiating agreements with Australian publishers.)

The implementation of this ban, however, has proven overly extensive. Facebook Pages belonging to essential services like hospitals, universities, labor unions, government agencies, and the meteorological bureau were inadvertently affected. Facebook acknowledged employing a deliberately wide definition of “news” to align with the current wording of the proposed law.

Updates from Tech Companies

WhatsApp is set to introduce an in-app banner to clarify its privacy policy update. Users who wish to examine the changes will receive a more detailed explanation, including information on data sharing practices with Facebook.

Apple TV+ is now accessible on Google TV devices, beginning with Chromecast. Availability will expand to Google TVs from Sony and TCL, with further integration into other Android TV-powered devices planned for the coming months.

Microsoft has announced another perpetual release of Office. While Microsoft encourages users to subscribe to Microsoft 365 for cloud-based features, it will continue to offer a standalone, one-time purchase option for Office.

Startups, Funding, and Venture Capital News

Robinhood faced scrutiny before Congress, an event that was closely followed and analyzed.

Photomath, a math learning application, secured $23 million in funding after reaching 220 million downloads. The app is widely recognized, particularly among households with teenagers.

Abound, a wholesale marketplace, raised $22.9 million to facilitate connections between independent retailers and emerging brands.

Insights from Extra Crunch

Research indicates that SaaS companies utilizing usage-based pricing models experience faster growth. This is attributed to their effectiveness in acquiring new customers, scaling alongside them, and maintaining long-term customer relationships.

Building a predictive model for financial markets relies heavily on the availability and quality of data.

Extra Crunch Live in March will feature prominent speakers, including Sarah Kunst of Cleo Capital and Julia Collins of Planet FWD. (Extra Crunch is a membership program designed to support founders and startup teams; sign up details are available here.)

Additional News

The Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars and transmitted its initial images of the Martian surface. The landing involved a complex descent and a precision landing system.

Several edtech startups are seeking to innovate beyond the limitations of traditional ‘Zoom University’ models.

The California DMV issued a warning regarding a data breach affecting a contractor, Automatic Funds Transfer Services, which was targeted by ransomware.

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