The European Commission wants to stop Meta blocking WhatsApp 3rd-party AI assistants, Google rolls out paywall for YouTube Music lyrics, SpaceX shifts focus from Mars to “self-growing city” on the Moon.
Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or
get DTNS Live ad-free.
A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.
If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you!
Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com
Show Notes
Discord to require age verification worldwide
Discord says it will roll out global age verification starting in March, automatically putting all accounts into a “teen-appropriate” experience unless users confirm they’re adults with a face scan or ID. Unverified users won’t be able to access age-restricted servers, speak in stage channels, or view sensitive content, and messages from unfamiliar users will be filtered.
Source: The Verge
EU plans interim order against Meta over WhatsApp AI policy
The European Commission told Meta it intends to impose interim measures to stop the company from blocking third-party AI assistants on WhatsApp while an antitrust probe continues. Regulators say Meta’s January policy may illegally leverage its dominance by restricting competitors’ access to the WhatsApp Business API, and could require the company to restore outside AI services during the investigation.
Source: CNBC
YouTube Music begins paywalling lyrics
Google is rolling out a lyrics paywall in YouTube Music, requiring a YouTube Premium or Music Premium subscription after a limited number of free views. Users now see a prompt to unlock lyrics with Premium, and once the free uses run out, only the first few lines remain visible. The change, tested for months, is now expanding globally as subscription revenue grows.
Source: 9to5Google
SpaceX to focus on Moon base before Mars
Elon Musk says SpaceX is shifting its near-term focus from Mars to building what he called a “self-growing city” on the Moon, arguing a lunar base could be completed in under 10 years while a comparable Mars effort would take more than 20. He said Mars missions could begin in five or six years, with a crewed flight possibly in 2031, but the Moon will come first.
Source: Engadget
Uber buying Getir’s food delivery arm in Turkey
Uber is acquiring the food delivery arm of Turkey’s Getir from controlling shareholder Mubadala for $335 million in cash. It will also invest $100 million for a 15% stake in Getir’s broader delivery businesses, including grocery, retail, and water. Uber says it plans to combine Getir with its existing Turkish operations, including Trendyol GO.
Source: Reuters
Disney+ loses Dolby Vision in parts of Europe
Disney+ subscribers in parts of Europe, including Germany, France, Poland, Portugal, and the Netherlands, have lost access to Dolby Vision HDR. Disney says the change is due to technical challenges and that it’s working to restore the feature, with 4K and HDR10 still available. Reports suggest the issue may be tied to a German court injunction over streaming patents held by InterDigital.
Source: Engadget
OpenAI begins ad tests in ChatGPT
OpenAI is reportedly starting ad tests in ChatGPT, with clearly labeled ads appearing in a separate area below conversations. The ads will target free users and those on the lower-cost Go plan, while the company says chats will remain private and advertisers won’t influence responses. CEO Sam Altman also told staff ChatGPT is growing more than 10% month over month, with 800 million weekly users reported last October and a new chat model expected this week.
Source: The Verge
ByteDance previews Seedance 2.0 AI video model
ByteDance launched a pre-release version of its new AI video model, Seedance 2.0, which combines text, images, audio, and video to generate cinematic clips with natural-language controls. The company says it supports 2K exports and runs about 30% faster than the prior version, while Swiss consultancy CTOL claims it outperforms OpenAI’s Sora 2 and Google’s Veo 3.1 in testing. The model is available to select users of ByteDance’s Jimeng AI platform and produces watermark-free videos.
Source: Silicon Republic