Author: TechBrunch

Social networking startup Bluesky has decided to block access to Mississippi services rather than complying with the new age guarantee law. In a blog post published Friday, the company explained that as a small team, they lacked the resources to make the substantial technical changes required by this type of law, raising concerns about the widespread scope of the law and its privacy implications. Mississippi's HB 1126 requires a platform that introduces age verification for all users before accessing social networks such as Bluesky. On Thursday, a US Supreme Court judge decided to block emergency appeals that would prevent the…

Tiktok is not banned in India, TechCrunch confirmed on Friday despite causing access to a short website that caused media coverage of a possible comeback over five years later. A Tiktok spokesperson told TechCrunch that the Indian government has banned China-owned social media platforms and that short-video platforms are not accessible domestically. “We have not restored access to Tiktok in India and continue to follow the directives of the Indian government,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent by email to TechCrunch. A senior official from the Indian Ministry of IT also confirmed to TechCrunch that the government “has not…

Y Combinator filed Amicus Brief in the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, claiming that the App Store is thwarting startup innovation. We have requested comment from YC and Apple legal representatives. Briefs take place during a long-standing legal dispute. Epic Games first submitted antitrust laws against iPhone manufacturers in 2020 in protest that Apple would charge 30% of all purchases and in-game purchases made on the App Store. Epic alleged in the lawsuit that Apple illegally prohibits developers from communicating with customers about payment alternatives to their App Store. The judge ordered Apple to terminate its anti-stalling…

Labubu, the ugly luxury toy of Chinese company Pop Mart, is turning into a massive business. Earning $1 billion this year is well underway, surpassing Barbie and Hot Wheels sales. And while Lovebus is not a digital object, it is a physical object, it symbolizes the over-the-top online aesthetic invasion into the offline world, which has been described as “IRL brain corruption” in recent New Yorker essays. In Friday's episode of the Equity Podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony HA try to understand why Labubu has become so popular, and what it says about the disparity in the…

On Friday, Google announced that it is using new shortcut buttons for VIDS, Tech Giant's AI-powered video creation tool, to enhance its drive video editing experience. This new feature allows Workspace users to start video editing using VIDS directly from the Google Drive interface. Now while previewing the video on the drive, the user will see an “Open” button in the top right corner, opening the video in the VIDS app. VIDS automatically launches video files, allowing for further editing, such as trimming clips and incorporating music and text. Image credit: Google Activated by default, this new shortcut suggests that…

To reduce abuse and fake engagement, Elon Musk's X is removing access to two important features of the developer API for people with the free plan. Now, free users will no longer be able to use the API to post on their behalf, nor will they follow others. The company says these changes will help protect X's platform from “spam, bots and manipulation activities” that reduce the user experience. Developers of paid plans, such as the Basic, Pro, or Enterprise stage, will not be affected. These plans also include access to more features, higher rate limiting, and support for more…

The former software developer was sentenced to four years in prison for obstructing his former employer's network after leaving the company. Davis Lou, 55, was found guilty of installing a “kill switch” in his former employer's network by planting malicious code designed to crash servers if he was fired. The kill switch was activated when the company terminated Lu's employment and invalidated the eligibility, causing the Kill Switch, “isdlenabledinad.” The incident has blocked thousands of employees from accessing the company's systems. The Justice Department that charged the case said that LU's employer was not appointed, but was reportedly Eaton, a…

After New Delhi effectively banned the sector through a new law now in law, the top Indian startup in the real estate gaming sector has begun shutting down operations. On Thursday, the Indian Parliament Senator passed promotions and regulations on the 2025 online gaming bill. It proposed to ban real money games entirely, aiming to promote casual online games and esports. The vote came a day after the bill cleared the House and left only the president's consent before it became law. Shortly after the bill was passed in Parliament, Indian Unicorns began closing their real estate gaming business along…

Apple has increased the monthly price for its Apple TV+ streaming service to $12.99, showing a 30% increase from its previous $9.99 subscription price. The updated price will be effective for new customers starting on Thursday and will affect current subscribers 30 days after the next update date. It is worth noting that the annual subscription rate has not changed at $99.99. Apple has not changed the price of its Apple One service from $19.95 per month. Apple TV+, like other streaming services, is steadily increasing subscription prices. In 2023, Apple increased the price of its Apple TV+ monthly subscription…

Instagram has begun to allow creators to connect multiple reels in the series, the meta-owned social network told TechCrunch exclusively. New features already available in Tiktok make it easier for viewers to chase and discover related content. Now, if the creator tells the story in a series of videos or follow-ups, you can link them all together so that viewers don't have to scroll or search through different parts. For example, creators often instruct their followers to “come back to Part 2” or to check for updates. This new feature allows creators to organize related reels and make it easier…