Dominique Luchart's Blog, page 663
April 1, 2021
YouTube is relaxing some rules about ads on drug-related videos,
From this month, Google is updating some of its YouTube ad guidelines about drug-related videos. In a support document spotted by Gizmodo, Google says it’s “expanding monetization on educational, documentary or news content that may include violent interactions with law enforcement, recreational drugs and drug-related content, or sensitive events.” The update means more drug-related videos should be eligible to have ads placed next to them.
You can see the exact changes by comparing a backup of YouTube’s old content guidelines from last month with the guidelines that are live now. The guidelines break down drug-related content into three categories: videos where uploaders can turn ads on, videos where ads should be turned off, and videos where they can be turned on “but only brands who opt in will run ads.”
The biggest change is a new bullet point that’s appeared in the first section, covering videos where ads can be turned on. This now covers videos focusing “on the purchase, fabrication, or distribution of drugs, such as the fabrication of home-made opioids” and “news reports about cannabis farms” that do not glorify drug use. Previously, advertisers had to opt-in to run ads against this kind of content, restricting the amount of ad revenue they could make.
There are also a couple of bullet points that have disappeared entirely from YouTube’s list of videos where ads have to be turned off altogether. These are videos “focusing on drug consumption (including its effects) without educational or documentary context,” or which contain “promotion of regulated legal drugs or substances that can induce a high (e.g. cannabis and derivatives THC and CBD).”
Although these exact descriptions haven’t been added to any of the other sections, YouTube has slightly amended the wording in its section describing opt-in advertiser content, which now covers “content focusing on the display or effects of drug consumption; or the creation or distribution of drugs or drug paraphernalia in a comedic, non-educational, or non-documentary context.” The exact status of content around legal highs is less clear, however.
The individual changes are minor, but they should make it easier for YouTube creators to approach the topic of drugs in their videos without worrying about ad revenue. They reflect a broader acceptance of drugs in the United States that include New York recently becoming the sixteenth state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
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Microsoft shuts down Cortana on iOS and Android, Tom Warren
Microsoft has shut down its Cortana app for iOS and Android. It’s the latest in a series of moves to end support for Cortana across multiple devices, including Microsoft’s own Surface Headphones. The Cortana app for iOS and Android is no longer supported, and Microsoft has removed it from both the App Store and Google’s Play Store.
“As we announced in July, we will soon be ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS, as Cortana continues its evolution as a productivity assistant,” reads a Microsoft support note spotted by MacRumors. “As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created–such as reminders and lists–will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in Windows.” Cortana…
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Microsoft shuts down Cortana on iOS and Android,
Microsoft has shut down its Cortana app for iOS and Android. It’s the latest in a series of moves to end support for Cortana across multiple devices, including Microsoft’s own Surface Headphones. The Cortana app for iOS and Android is no longer supported, and Microsoft has removed it from both the App Store and Google’s Play Store.
“As we announced in July, we will soon be ending support for the Cortana app on Android and iOS, as Cortana continues its evolution as a productivity assistant,” reads a Microsoft support note spotted by MacRumors. “As of March 31, 2021, the Cortana content you created-such as reminders and lists-will no longer function in the Cortana mobile app, but can still be accessed through Cortana in Windows.” Cortana reminders, lists, and tasks are now available in the Microsoft To Do app instead.
Microsoft first launched Cortana for iOS and Android in December 2015. The app was originally designed to connect Windows 10 PCs and mobile phones, but failed to gain traction despite a big redesign. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recognized the company’s difficulties in competing with other digital assistants a couple of years ago, revealing that Microsoft no longer saw Cortana as a competitor to Alexa and Google Assistant.
Microsoft had once envisioned a future full of Cortana-powered fridges, toasters, and thermostats. That dream came to an end earlier this month when the first and only Cortana speaker removed Microsoft’s digital assistant. Other devices like the Cortana-powered GLAS thermostat are also no longer powered by Microsoft’s digital assistant.
Cortana isn’t completely finished, though. Microsoft still sees value in conversational AI and the company is trying to reposition Cortana as an assistant that can improve Microsoft’s enterprise-focused offerings.
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Plus, which develops self-driving trucks, raises $220M Series B extension, after raising $200M in Feb.; source: Plus is in advanced talks to merge with a SPAC (Reuters)
The post Plus, which develops self-driving trucks, raises $220M Series B extension, after raising $200M in Feb.; source: Plus is in advanced talks to merge with a SPAC (Reuters) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
March 31, 2021
TSMC says it plans to spend $100B over the next three years to expand its chip fabrication capacity (Debby Wu/Bloomberg)
The post TSMC says it plans to spend $100B over the next three years to expand its chip fabrication capacity (Debby Wu/Bloomberg) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Tonal, which makes a smart home strength training workout system, raises $250M Series E at a $1.6B valuation; Tonal’s sales rose 800% from Dec. 2019-Dec. 2020 (JP Mangalindan/TechCrunch)
The post Tonal, which makes a smart home strength training workout system, raises $250M Series E at a $1.6B valuation; Tonal’s sales rose 800% from Dec. 2019-Dec. 2020 (JP Mangalindan/TechCrunch) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Sources: India is considering giving cash incentives of more than $1B to each company that will set up chip fabrication units in the country (Reuters)
The post Sources: India is considering giving cash incentives of more than $1B to each company that will set up chip fabrication units in the country (Reuters) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Apple leads $50M Series B of music distributor UnitedMasters, with a16z and Alphabet participating; UnitedMasters enters a strategic partnership with Apple (Matthew Panzarino/TechCrunch)
The post Apple leads $50M Series B of music distributor UnitedMasters, with a16z and Alphabet participating; UnitedMasters enters a strategic partnership with Apple (Matthew Panzarino/TechCrunch) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
A first look at Xbox running Discord and Google Stadia in its new Edge browser, Tom Warren
Microsoft has started testing a new version of its Edge browser on Xbox consoles. The software giant provided access to the Chromium version of Edge to Xbox Insiders earlier this month, offering an early look at the improved browsing capabilities coming to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X / S. I’ve had a chance to try out this early version over the past few days, and I’ve been able to test Discord, Stadia, and other web services running inside Edge on the Xbox. It’s like having the full version of Edge from PC running on your TV.
The Xbox version of Edge looks almost identical to the one you can find on PC or Mac right now. It even includes features like vertical tabs and Collections. Like Edge on PC and mobile, the Xbox version also…
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A look at Roku’s experiment with original programming: acquiring shows at a fire-sale price instead of committing billions of dollars to original shows (Lucas Shaw/Bloomberg)
The post A look at Roku’s experiment with original programming: acquiring shows at a fire-sale price instead of committing billions of dollars to original shows (Lucas Shaw/Bloomberg) appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
