Netflix removed the ability to cast from phones to TVs, New York State creates a law mandating retailers disclose when pricing is set by an algorithm using personal data, and India’s telecom ministry wants smartphone manufacturers to install a security app that cannot be deleted.

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Show Notes

New York is the first state to create a law requiring retailers to disclose when prices are set using AI and customers’ personal data, commonly referred to as surveillance pricing. The disclosure must state “This price was set by an algorithm using your personal data”. In an interview, chief administrative officer and general counsel of the National Retail Federation Stephanie Martz said “I wish I understood what harm exactly lawmakers think they are solving”. The National Retail Federation challenged the law over first amendment grounds, but Federal Judge Jed S. Rakoff allowed the law to move forward. Similar bills are pending in at least ten other states.

Source: NYT

Reuters reports India’s telecom ministry privately asked smartphone manufacturers to preload all new devices with a state-owned security app that cannot be deleted. The November 28th government order, as seen by Reuters, gives manufacturers 90 days to ensure the Sanchar Saathi app is pre-installed and devices already in the supply chain should have the app pushed along with software updates. The govt says the app aids in preventing cyber threats, helps police trace devices, and assists in tracking and blocking stolen phones.

Source: Reuters

India’s Department of Telecommunications issued directions for app-based communication service providers to disable access for users without a SIM. The directive was sent to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Arattai, Snapchat, ShareChat, JioChat, and Josh, requiring the platforms to link SIM cards to the services within 90 days. Platforms accessible through websites must ensure users are logged out periodically and given the option relink accounts through a QR-code-based method. The Cellular Operators Association of India supports SIM-binding to help reduce spam and fraudulent communication.

Source: medianama

Last week Switzerland’s Conference of Data Protection Officers called on Swiss public bodies to avoid software as a service and hyperscale clouds over security concerns, especially those covered by the US CLOUD Act. The resolution states most SaaS solutions do not currently offer true end-to-end encryption and can unilaterally change their terms and conditions, which may further degrade security. Microsoft 365 was specifically named as an inappropriate service.

Source: The Register

Mozilla is testing an “Add Note” feature in Firefox Nightly, the experimental version of the browser. Notes can be added to any tab, which will then add a clickable notepad icon next to the tab title in order to access it again. The feature is built-in to the Nightly version and does not require downloading any extensions. In this current phase of the test, notes will disappear when the browser is restarted.

Source: Digital Trends

Netflix removed the ability for phones to cast to TVs, unless it’s through specific older generation casting devices. The updated Netflix help page states casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and TV-streaming devices is no longer supported and users should use Netflix with the remote that came with their smart tv or streaming device for access. Netflix subscribers on an ad-supported plan are blocked from streaming from phones even if they have an older streaming-compatible devices, like the Chromecast models without remotes or TVs with Google Cast.

Source: Android Central

On an earnings call, Dell COO Jeffrey Clarke said 500 million PCs capable of running Windows 11 have not upgraded from Windows 10, and another 500 million computers are four-years-old, or older, and unable to upgrade due to hardware limitations. The COO calls this an opportunity to sell “AI-ready” machines and encourage upgrades, but also expects the PC market to be relatively flat in 2026.

Source: Digital Trends / The Verge

Following comments last week by Epic CEO Tim Sweeney against digital marketplaces requiring a “made with AI” label, threads on the Fortnite subreddit posted many examples of AI-generated art and music present in the new season, Chapter 7: Pacific Break, which launched this weekend. A notable example features a poster of a yeti with four toes on one foot and five on the other.

Source: Eurogamer