ITV

Tag: Reddit

  • Flash AI clicks with shoppers bringing smart buys to 100 plus countries

    Flash AI clicks with shoppers bringing smart buys to 100 plus countries

    MUMBAI: Shopping just got a supercharged upgrade. Flash.co has unveiled Flash AI, a first-of-its-kind AI Shopping Assistant designed to make buying easier, smarter and cheaper for over 1 billion ecommerce shoppers worldwide. Launched across 100 plus countries, the tool promises to cut through the online clutter and help users make faster, better-informed decisions.

    The Bengaluru-headquartered startup, founded by ex-Flipkart SVP Ranjith Boyanapalli and backed by Blume Ventures, Global Founders Capital and Peer Capital, introduces a clever twist simply add flash.co/ before any product URL, and Flash AI instantly generates an AI-enhanced product page. Shoppers are served an AI summary compiled from sources like Youtube, Reddit and expert blogs, while real-time price comparisons across multiple online stores ensure no one overpays.

    “With Flash AI, we aim to craft a commerce intelligence layer that helps shoppers make better, faster decisions,” said Flash.co founder & CEO Ranjith Boyanapalli. “Built on insights from over 2 billion anonymised data points, Flash AI will lead the global shift into AI-driven commerce, setting a new standard for the industry.”

    The launch comes at a time when global ecommerce is set to cross 7 trillion dollars, with 30 million plus stores and tens of billions of SKUs vying for attention. With 78 per cent of shoppers admitting to feeling overwhelmed by too many choices, Flash AI’s pitch is timely: clear, authentic insights and the best price in seconds.

    Beyond discovery and comparison, the platform also helps shoppers track orders, refunds, warranties and spending. Available via the Flash website, WhatsApp and mobile app, Flash AI is betting that when it comes to ecommerce, intelligence pays literally.

  • Reddit appoints first chief communications officer

    Reddit appoints first chief communications officer

    MUMBAI: Reddit has announced the appointment of Adam Collins as its inaugural chief communications officer, a strategic move to sharpen the company’s narrative as it increasingly influences the AI landscape and serves a vast global community.

    Collins brings over two decades of communications experience to his new role, reporting directly to chief executive Steve Huffman. His mandate includes overseeing all internal and external communications, guiding senior leadership, and contributing to the company’s growth trajectory. “Reddit stands at the intersection of how people connect online today and how people will engage with the technology of tomorrow,” Collins stated, expressing his enthusiasm for helping the community expand.

    Before joining Reddit, Collins served as chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Molson Coors Beverage Co for more than six years, where he played a key role in shaping company strategy. His extensive background also includes nearly two decades in political communications, with notable stints as communications director for Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago police department, and as press secretary for Wisconsin governor Jim Doyle.

    A political science graduate from the University of Louisville, Collins is a fan of subreddits such as r/nikerunclub, r/CHICubs, and r/Habs. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys his children’s sporting events, sailing, and cheering for the Chicago Cubs.

    This appointment follows the departure of Anna Soellner, who was instrumental in establishing Reddit’s communications team and served as one of the company’s longest-serving executives for nearly nine years. Soellner played a pivotal role in bolstering Reddit’s reputation and navigating its most transformative periods.

  • Australia passes bill banning social media for kids; India’s Vaishnaw calls for stricter regulation

    Australia passes bill banning social media for kids; India’s Vaishnaw calls for stricter regulation

    MUMBAI: No social media for kids. The Aussie house of representatives passed a bill yesterday imposing a ban against Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, SnapChat, X,  Reddit from allowing kids under 16 from accessing these networking platforms. The onus has been put on social media to ensure that kids don’t use them;  fines up to $33 million will be imposed on them if a kid’s profile is found active. The bill will now require senate approval which it most likely will get and social media  will have  a year to clean up their acts. 

    That was Down Under. 

    In India too, the government would like to bring  social media under tight regulation. 

    While addressing a parliament question during the ongoing session of the Lok Sabha today, union minister of information & broadcasting, railways, and electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw,  once again highlighted the urgent need to strengthen existing laws governing social media and OTT platforms.

    “We are living in the era of social media and OTT platforms. However, the democratic institutions and traditional forms of the press that once relied on editorial checks to ensure accountability and correctness of content, have seen these checks diminish over time,” he said. 

    He noted that due to the absence of such editorial oversight, social media has become a platform for freedom of press on one hand, but on the other hand, it has also become a space for uncontrolled expression, which often includes vulgar content. 

    Acknowledging the distinct cultural differences between India and the geographies where these platforms originated, Vaishnaw emphasised. “The cultural sensitivities of India vastly differ from those of the regions where these platforms were created,” he said.  

    This makes it imperative for India to make existing laws more stricter and he urged everyone to come to a consensus on this matter.

    The minister also urged the parliamentary standing committee to take up this important matter issue as a priority. “There should be societal consensus on it, along with stricter laws to address this challenge” he said.

    Will Indian society agree? 

  • Of Arnab’s Republic, nationalism, need for opinionated media & ‘outdated’ BBC

    NEW DELHI: Priyanka Chopra may have melted under stringent scrutiny of people on Reddit, but Arnab Goswami is made of sterner stuff. Not only he answered tricky questions — criticism later notwithstanding about his biases — but was unsparingly scathing on people and issues he thought did not have a place in the Indian republic, at least not in Arnab’s Republic. In the bargain, he also did some suave marketing.
    “Tune in and make Republic your go to channel for news. Every challenge is an opportunity. The Goliath of the Legacy Print media (Times of India group that was his former employer) tried to stop us from being launched. I have a great team. Their passion and commitment is bringing Republic to you in a few days. Back us and watch us,” Arnab started off with one of his pet themes in a Reddit interaction yesterday.

    Asked by several people whether journalists should mix opinion with news reports — something which old school journalism warned youngsters to keep away from — the new age journalist and self-proclaimed messiah of the hoi-polloi was unabashed  in his thoughts: “For a long time, reporters haven’t expressed their opinion. When we include opinion on issues that are black and white, we make reporting an agent of change. That will be our motto.

    “We believe that journalists need to set the agenda for politicians. Not just (take) their sound bytes and debate it. That’s what we will do on Republic. I trust this will set a new benchmark and we need your support… REPUBLIC is a free to air non-encrypted news channel. The only Indian English news channel that is free to air. Support us by please asking your cable/DTH operators to tune us in.”

    At another place, while dwelling on news with dollops of personal opinion, Arnab opined, “Yes there is a need to balance the narrative (so called handed out by Left liberals). We have had historians who had the temerity to classify Bhagat Singh as a terrorist. These people must be brought off their pulpits. These people have had a disproportionate share of voice because a large section of the traditional legacy media has co-opted them and given them space in editorial pages and TV.

    “I’m trying to change that. We need a fresh new group of people who lead opinion in India. They need to be from across India, not a 5×5 km zone from Malcha Marg (located near Delhi’s diplomatic enclave) to the JNU campus. Trust me, we will make that happen with Republic… We represent the REAL INDIA.”

    Arnab’s new venture, supported by a gaggle of investors, is called Republic TV with its digital sibling being Republic World. Touted to have been launched on India’s Republic Day on January 26, the venture faced hiccups, mostly political in nature, delaying its formal take off. 

    That’s why yesterday’s Reddit interaction was termed by some observers as of gold standard, mostly aimed at keeping the buzz up about his new(s) venture. 

    The questions came thick and fast with many of those online showing a fair understanding of the environ in which Republic would operate and the ideas it would propogate.

    Sample this question: You have been promoting Republic TV as an unbiased media outlet with no conflicts of interest. But with Rajeev Chandrashekhar, a strong BJP supporter and Rajya Sabha MP running the show, and Anupam Kher, another vocal BJP supporter whose wife is a BJP MP, being associated with the channel, how can you say that there won’t be bias?

    Terming Chandrashekhar a “nationalist”, Arnab said, “I am very proud of all my partners. Each one of them believes in my journalism. I am proud of the investment we have received from Asianet News. It is India’s oldest private news channel. Rajeev is a nationalist and we share a great rapport. Each one of them believes in my journalism.”

    But, what about Chandrashekhar flexing legal muscle to bring down a story on him and Republic investments on news website The Wire? What about freedom of the media? Arnab was dismissive: “About The Wire, less said the better. They are using my name to try and get some followers on their crumbling news site. :).” However, The Wire later claimed in tweets that the man just couldn’t stop speaking about them.
    The incisive questioning continued. One person asked about Republic TV’s global ambitions and what were Arnab’s views on the likes of CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera. “Is (Republic) just a right-leaning news channel for local audience, a la Fox News?” was the question. The flamboyant TV anchor, who made a name on Times Now with being, what critics dubbed, the prosecutor, judge and jury”, was his usual self: “BBC is outdated. Al Jazeera is well funded.” 

    The counter-comments revealed that not everybody participating in the live interaction was totally convinced by Arnab’s clarifications and jibes. Some remarks countered that the journalist’s “mask was off” and some of his answers were “poor”. 

    When the questions turned towards Arnab’s fav topics of nationalism, patriotism, mostly worn on the sleeve, and an abhorrence for contrarian views on these issues, Arnab wasn’t fazed.

    Asked if he was “blinded by excessive patriotism” to the point that it has become almost a “sin and a sure fire criminal case” to criticize elected officials, decisions taken by them, the armed forces etc, Arnab was categorical: “There can never be enough nationalism. More the better. We have forces that are trying to divide and break India from within. No nation can be soft on anti-nationals. My position remains the same that I took when a bunch of anti nationals tried to make the breakup of India into a slogan on the JNU campus. I took them on, even though the Lutyen’s media and cocktail activists didn’t.”

    Here’s another sample of patriotism in Arnab’s Republic. “I feel the army and paramilitary needs to be given greater powers in Kashmir. The state government must empower the J&K police. Before every election in the state, the party in power softens versus the separatists. I am appalled at the pictures of Kashmiris assaulting a soldier. That soldier must be decorated for his restraint and each of those goons rounded up. 

    People have questioned why a Kashmiri was put in front of an army jeep. If that is the only way to stop an attack on our soldiers, I see no problem with it. No man in an Indian uniform can become prey to the cowards who shoot in stealth. I wish the legacy Indian media saw the reality,” Arnab replied when asked about his obsession with Kashmir, and Army’s role as India had much more pressing issues than “Kashmir and beef.”
    According to him, “All Indians should be pro-military and pro-India. If that makes us right wing, then so be it.” 

    Arnab also made clear his views on global NGOs, a line of thought that is championed by the ruling BJP too. “I don’t believe the garble that Amnesty and Greenpeace put out about my country. The limit (of freedom of expression and thoughts) is up to the point where you don’t question India’s unity and sovereignty. That is unacceptable. No journalist can use freedom of expression to stretch that limit.

    “We will use digital + technology + the power of our democracy + our superior knowledge of English (relative to the British and the Americans) to broadcast news globally. On every screen. In the next two years. It’s going to happen. Believe in it. We do at Republic.”

    A self-confessed social anthropologist who “trained unsuccessfully” and “likes a lot” the late feisty journalist Vinod Mehta, Arnab highlighted that he was non-partisan. As examples, during the Reddit interaction, he said, “(Congress party leader Suresh) Kalmadi didn’t want the CWG scam printed, Lalit Modi and (present foreign minister) Sushma Swaraj didn’t want Lalitgate broken, (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal didn’t like the scam about 27 parliamentary secretaries and Ashok Chavan (former Maharashtra CM) made his last call before quitting, asking a story to be called off (on Times Now).”

    If Arnab made the line ‘nation wants to know’ famous, his contribution to deride some of his fellow journalists as `Luyten’s media’ and Left liberals too cannot be brushed aside. He was asked about these issues too and he came out all guns blazing: “The whole left-liberal phrase is a charade. How can the Delhi Gymkhana circuit be Leftist? Leftists cannot be liberal and those who are liberal cannot be leftists. So it’s also an oxymoron.”

    What would be Republic’s political leanings? “I don’t compare Republic to legacy players, including those that have become after I quit. There is no political positioning (for Republic TV). There is right and wrong. I’m for the right. Those who win in grey waters are confused or dishonest.”

    For the fans of Arnab on Reddit, which ranged from mushy to reverential, the interaction was a great peep into the mind of the person they held in such high esteem, but not everybody on Reddit or off it was as elated. In a tongue-in-cheek tweet, author, journalist, blogger, female rights activist Nilanjana Roy said, “The Arnab AMA on Reddit is gold. (Not for him, but in general.).” Later replying to a follower’s tweet, she quipped that Arnab should not describe his media venture as “independent”.  

    Also Read:

    Republic TV buzzing with pre-launch teasers featuring ‘soft’ targets, issues

    Copy-right vs right: Who can stop Arnab from using ‘nation wants to know’

    Arnab Goswami: Best time to enter news market when there’s no leader

    Times Network MD & CEO MK Anand speaks out on l’affaire Arnab 

  • IoT is risk to networks; Netflix, PayPal, Twitter and Amazon temporarily shut in cyber attack

    IoT is risk to networks; Netflix, PayPal, Twitter and Amazon temporarily shut in cyber attack

    MUMBAI: Nobody is safe until everybody is safe, it is said. The most hyped and happening currency in the world of communication as well as the best weaponry in the wireless world — the Internet — was under attack. Cyber attackers can DDoS (Distributed denial of service) for a range of purposes, including censorship, protest and extortion.

    Users in Europe and Asia may, however, experience fewer problems than those in the U.S.

    The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating the disruption that appears to be the result of repeated attacks on a critical internet infrastructure service.

    Major internet services including Amazon, Twitter, Spotify, Reddit, SoundCloud, OTT services like Netflix, and Airbnb, suffered severe service interruptions and outages on Friday as a US internet provider came under a cyber attack. The attack meant that millions of internet users could not access the websites of major online companies.

    Other sites experiencing issues include Boston Globe, New York Times, Box, Github, Freshbooks, Heroku and Vox Media properties.

    A map published by the website downdetector.com showed service interruptions for Level3 Communications, which is dubbed as the “backbone” internet service provider, across much of the US east coast and in Texas. Dyn, the internet service company, which manages and routes internet traffic, said that it had suffered a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on its domain name service shortly after 1100 GMT. The service was restored in about two hours, Dyn said.

    The website Gizmodo said it had received reports of difficulty at sites for media outlets including CNN, The Guardian, Wired, HBO and People as well as the money transfer service PayPal. Dyn, which is headquartered in New Hampshire (US), said the attack went after its domain name service, causing interruptions and slowdowns for internet users. Dyn said it was continuing to investigate.

    Amazon Web Services, which hosts some of the famed sites, including the homestay network Airbnb, and Netflix, said on its website that users experienced errors including “hostname unknown” when attempting to access hosted sites but that the problem had been resolved by 1310 GMT.

    Domain name servers are a crucial element of internet infrastructure, converting numbered Internet Protocol addresses into the domain names that allow users to connect to internet sites. DDoS attacks involve flooding websites with traffic, making them difficult to access or taking them offline entirely.

    Carbon Black founder and a former NSA engineer said that the internet continues to rely on protocols and infrastructure designed before cyber security was an issue. He said that growing interconnection of ordinary devices to the internet, the so-called “internet of things,” increased the risks to networks.

    Dyn chief strategy officer Kyle York told ABC News that DDoS attacks are daily occurrences, but this one is “just incredibly sophisticated and complex.”

    DDoS attacks are generally unsophisticated in nature. Akamai security advocate Martin McKeay said that anyone from a young hacker messing around, to hackivists, to a criminal organization or even a nation state could be behind the attack.

  • IoT is risk to networks; Netflix, PayPal, Twitter and Amazon temporarily shut in cyber attack

    IoT is risk to networks; Netflix, PayPal, Twitter and Amazon temporarily shut in cyber attack

    MUMBAI: Nobody is safe until everybody is safe, it is said. The most hyped and happening currency in the world of communication as well as the best weaponry in the wireless world — the Internet — was under attack. Cyber attackers can DDoS (Distributed denial of service) for a range of purposes, including censorship, protest and extortion.

    Users in Europe and Asia may, however, experience fewer problems than those in the U.S.

    The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating the disruption that appears to be the result of repeated attacks on a critical internet infrastructure service.

    Major internet services including Amazon, Twitter, Spotify, Reddit, SoundCloud, OTT services like Netflix, and Airbnb, suffered severe service interruptions and outages on Friday as a US internet provider came under a cyber attack. The attack meant that millions of internet users could not access the websites of major online companies.

    Other sites experiencing issues include Boston Globe, New York Times, Box, Github, Freshbooks, Heroku and Vox Media properties.

    A map published by the website downdetector.com showed service interruptions for Level3 Communications, which is dubbed as the “backbone” internet service provider, across much of the US east coast and in Texas. Dyn, the internet service company, which manages and routes internet traffic, said that it had suffered a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack on its domain name service shortly after 1100 GMT. The service was restored in about two hours, Dyn said.

    The website Gizmodo said it had received reports of difficulty at sites for media outlets including CNN, The Guardian, Wired, HBO and People as well as the money transfer service PayPal. Dyn, which is headquartered in New Hampshire (US), said the attack went after its domain name service, causing interruptions and slowdowns for internet users. Dyn said it was continuing to investigate.

    Amazon Web Services, which hosts some of the famed sites, including the homestay network Airbnb, and Netflix, said on its website that users experienced errors including “hostname unknown” when attempting to access hosted sites but that the problem had been resolved by 1310 GMT.

    Domain name servers are a crucial element of internet infrastructure, converting numbered Internet Protocol addresses into the domain names that allow users to connect to internet sites. DDoS attacks involve flooding websites with traffic, making them difficult to access or taking them offline entirely.

    Carbon Black founder and a former NSA engineer said that the internet continues to rely on protocols and infrastructure designed before cyber security was an issue. He said that growing interconnection of ordinary devices to the internet, the so-called “internet of things,” increased the risks to networks.

    Dyn chief strategy officer Kyle York told ABC News that DDoS attacks are daily occurrences, but this one is “just incredibly sophisticated and complex.”

    DDoS attacks are generally unsophisticated in nature. Akamai security advocate Martin McKeay said that anyone from a young hacker messing around, to hackivists, to a criminal organization or even a nation state could be behind the attack.