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Google and Oracle ramp up cloud in Africa to tap $180bn e-Conomy

Google and Oracle ramp up cloud in Africa to tap $180bn e-Conomy

CLOUD-NATIVE startups in Africa are luring big tech firms to ramp up spending on cloud facilities as demand for cloud services that comply with data protection laws grows. McKinsey forecasts a global cloud value of $3 trillion in 2025, with $797 billion of this value sitting in Africa and Europe. In the same period, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) statistics forecast the continent’s e-Conomy to hit $180 billion, 5.2% of its GDP. Google’s Cloud director, Niral Patel cited the IFC figures, highlighting the burgeoning opportunities for cloud services in Africa. On Friday, February 2, Google Cloud announced that it has…
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South Africa to probe Meta, Google competition with news publishers

South Africa to probe Meta, Google competition with news publishers

SOUTH Africa's Competition Commission will investigate whether digital platforms like Meta and Google were unfairly competing with news publishers by using their content to generate ad revenue, it said. The Commission will be investigating among other things market features that may distort competition for advertising revenue between news media organisations and digital platforms, and whether these are affected by imbalances in bargaining power. "The inquiry comes at a critical moment for the media industry as news consumption rapidly shifts online and traditional sources of funding to print and broadcast advertising decline," Commissioner Doris Tshepe told journalists. Chief Economist and Acting Deputy Commissioner…
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Africa woos tech giants with green data centres

Africa woos tech giants with green data centres

IN early September, Google and Amazon Web Services executives witnessed the groundbreaking of Kenya’s first renewables-powered, or "green" data centre. Eco-cloud is the country's first geothermal-powered data centre. Two weeks later, Kenya’s President, William Ruto pitched the country as an investment destination for tech companies seeking to improve their green credentials, during the US-Kenya business roadshow in San Francisco, California. “In San Francisco, United States, met the Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook. Kenya’s green data centre potential is one other area that Apple will look into tapping for achieving the company’s sustainability goals,” said President Ruto on X, the social platform…
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Corporate giants say anti-LGBT law would hurt Uganda’s economy

Corporate giants say anti-LGBT law would hurt Uganda’s economy

A coalition of international companies, including Google and Microsoft, denounced anti-LGBTQ legislation passed by Uganda's parliament last week, warning it would damage the East African country's economy. The Open for Business coalition said the legislation, which criminalises identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, would curb investment flows and deter tourists. The bill imposes the death penalty for those who commit so-called aggravated homosexuality, defined as same-sex relations with people under the age of 18 or when the perpetrator is HIV positive, among other categories. It awaits President Yoweri Museveni's signature. The White House said last week the bill was concerning and…
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Nigeria asks social media giants to curb fake news ahead of election

Nigeria asks social media giants to curb fake news ahead of election

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIA has asked Google and Meta to control the spread of fake news on their platforms ahead of a presidential election this month, Information Minister Lai Mohammed said on Friday. Nigerians go to the polls on February 25 to elect a new president, with three frontrunners promising to deal with the rising cost of living, insecurity and a slow-growing economy. Mohammed said he met with Meta and Google representatives in Abuja on Friday and requested that they make posts from official channels visible on their platforms, and flag them as unverified election results originating from unofficial sources. He also asked…
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Google sues alleged Cameroonian puppy scammer

Google sues alleged Cameroonian puppy scammer

PARESH DAVE ALPHABET INC'S Google sued an alleged puppy scammer who used its services to sell fake pets, the first of what the company said would be a growing number of lawsuits targeting apparent misuse by its users. Elder advocacy group AARP tipped Google to the scam last September following a complaint from a South Carolina resident who had sent $700 in digital gift cards to an online seller for a basset hound puppy that never came, according to Google's lawsuit in U.S. district court in San Jose. Google is seeking monetary damages and a court order banning the accused user,…
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Russian invasion: Five ways tech is being used to help Ukraine

Russian invasion: Five ways tech is being used to help Ukraine

UMBERTO BACCHI FROM offering refugees their spare rooms to donating cryptocurrency, people around the world have been using technology to channel help to Ukrainians since Russia launched its military assault last week. Some tech companies like Google and Microsoft have taken steps targeting Russian state media or helped start fundraising campaigns following Thursday's invasion, which the U.N. refugee agency said had forced more than half a million people to flee Ukraine. Here are five ways people and companies are using tech to help Ukrainians: 1) SPARE ROOMS AND FREE DOCTORS Home rental company Airbnb said on Monday its non-profit arm Airbnb.org would offer free, temporary housing for…
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Trump sues Facebook, Twitter and Google, claiming censorship

Trump sues Facebook, Twitter and Google, claiming censorship

JASON LANGE and JAN WOLFE FORMER  U.S. President Donald Trump has filed lawsuits against Twitter Inc, Facebook Inc, and Alphabet Inc's Google, as well as their chief executives, alleging they unlawfully silence conservative viewpoints. The lawsuits, filed in U.S. District Court in Miami, allege the California-based social media platforms violated the right to freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Trump is seeking class-action status for the lawsuits, meaning he would represent the interests of other users of Twitter, Facebook, and Google's YouTube who allege they have been unfairly silenced. He filed three lawsuits making…
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Google searches for new measure of skin tones to curb bias in products

Google searches for new measure of skin tones to curb bias in products

PARESH DAVE ALPHABET Inc's Google told Reuters this week it is developing an alternative to the industry standard method for classifying skin tones, which a growing chorus of technology researchers and dermatologists says is inadequate for assessing whether products are biased against people of color. At issue is a six-color scale known as Fitzpatrick Skin Type (FST), which dermatologists have used since the 1970s. Tech companies now rely on it to categorize people and measure whether products such as facial recognition systems or smartwatch heart-rate sensors perform equally well across skin tones. Critics say FST, which includes four categories for…
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Google agrees to change some ad practices after French watchdog imposes fine

Google agrees to change some ad practices after French watchdog imposes fine

MATHIEU ROSEMAIN ALPHABET’S Google agreed to make changes to some of its widely-used online advertising services under a settlement with France's antitrust watchdog released yesterday. The authority also fined the Mountain View, California-based company 220 million euros ($267.48 million) after a probe found it abused its market power in the intricate ad business online, where some its tools have become almost essential for large publishers. "The decision to sanction Google is of particular significance because it's the first decision in the world focusing on the complex algorithmic auction processes on which the online ad business relies," said France's antitrust chief…
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