Covid: UK trials new drug that could cut risk of severe illness by 80 per cent January 13, 2021 The UK has launched large-scale trials of a new drug that could cut the risk of Covid patients developing severe illness by as much as 80 per cent. Thirty-four-year-old Alexandra Constantin became the first patient to receive the drug, produced by London-listed biotech firm Synairgen, after receiving the dose at Hull Royal Infirmary yesterday afternoon. [...]
Tiktok tightens privacy features as online harm laws loom January 13, 2021 Tiktok has tightened its privacy features for young users as the government prepares to roll out tough new rules to improve safety on social media. The hit video-sharing app today said that all users under the age of 16 will have their accounts set to private by default, meaning only approved followers can view their [...]
Telegram user numbers surge after Whatsapp privacy update January 12, 2021 Messaging app Telegram has seen its user numbers balloon amid a backlash over changes to Whatsapp’s privacy policy. Telegram, which offers encrypted chat services, today said 25m new users had signed up in the last 72 hours alone. This is compared to the 1.5m daily additions it averaged last year, while the app’s total user [...]
Trump brands social media ban ‘catastrophic mistake’ and defends pre-riot speech January 12, 2021 Donald Trump has branded his social media ban a “catastrophic mistake” as he refused to take responsibility for inciting riots at the Capitol last week. The outgoing president, who has been accused of inciting violence and is facing a second impeachment, today played down his role in the riots and attempted to blame Silicon Valley. [...]
CES 2021: The futuristic gadgets killing Covid January 12, 2021 In years gone by, City A.M. would have been on the showroom floor in Las Vegas bringing you the latest news from the frontline of the tech world. This year, of course, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has done digital, and if any expo in the world can pull off that feat, it should be [...]
Zoom kicks off $1.5bn share issue as vaccine threat looms January 12, 2021 Zoom is set to raise $1.5bn (£1.1bn) in a mammoth share sale as it looks to maintain momentum following a bumper year of growth. The video conferencing app launched the fundraising today, adding that it could be expanded by a further $225m. Zoom did not say what it plans to do with the fresh capital. [...]
Social media site Parler sues Amazon over account suspension January 11, 2021 Controversial social media site Parler is suing Amazon over its decision to pull support for the app. The so-called free speech app, which is popular among right-wing extremists, accused Amazon of violating antitrust laws by suspending its account. In a complaint filed in Seattle, Parler said Amazon’s decision to stop hosting the app was “apparently [...]
Huawei set for year of transition amid ‘technological Cold War’ January 11, 2021 Huawei will likely transition towards software as a “technological Cold War” controls the hardware supply, shifting the company’s prospects for 2021, analysts have said. Harsh US sanctions on China have hit suppliers of chips, which are crucial to mobile phone production, and forced the tech giant to look to other avenues. Ben Wood, chief of [...]
Twitter shares slide following ‘problematic’ Donald Trump ban January 11, 2021 Twitter’s shares went into reverse this morning following the social media site’s decision to ban US President Donald Trump. The platform permanently suspended the president’s account over the weekend, stating that there was a risk of further incitement of violence following riots at the Capitol last week. “After close review of recent Tweets from the [...]
Twitter permanently suspends Donald Trump’s account to prevent incitement of violence January 9, 2021 Twitter has permanently suspended Donald Trump’s account, citing the risk of further incitement of violence following the storming of the US Capitol on Wednesday. The US President has repeatedly used the platform to declare that the outcome of the 3 November election was fraudulent and to share other conspiracy theories. Trump also urged his supporters [...]