Tag: Google

Antitrust investigation The EU and UK Investigates Google and Meta for an online Advertising Deal.

The EU and the UK launched an antitrust investigation into a 2018 deal between Google and Facebook owner Meta, which was allegedly designed to cement their dominance over the online advertising market.

As global regulators step up their campaign to seriously limit the power of big tech, the European Commission said it was investigating the so-called “Jedi Blue” agreement, which has also been the subject of lawsuits in the United States.

What EU Antitrust Investigation Intends To Find Out

The EU antitrust investigation will look into whether the deal between the two internet behemoths was used to “restrict and distort competition in the already crowded ad tech market.”

If confirmed, Margrethe Vestager, the EU competition commissioner, said the deal would distort competition by squeezing rival ad tech companies, publishers, and “ultimately consumers.”

According to the EU, the UK Competition Market Authority has launched its own investigation into the agreement, and the two watchdogs will “closely cooperate” on the probe.

The CMA “will not shy away from scrutinizing the behaviour of big tech firms… working closely with global regulators to get the best outcomes possible,” according to CEO Andrea Coscelli.

What Online Publishers Are Doing

Publishers and ad rivals are putting pressure on the two online advertising behemoths, as they combine to dominate the online advertising market in much of the world.

Google said in a statement that the “allegations made about this agreement are false” and that its deal with Meta “is a publicly documented, procompetitive agreement” that it has with other businesses.

Meta said it would cooperate with the investigations, but that the new arrangements “provide more value to advertisers and publishers, resulting in better outcomes for everyone.”

Lawsuits in the United States

Big Tech companies in the United States have been under intense scrutiny in Europe, resulting in investigations, large fines, and plans for EU-wide legislation to rein them in.

According to the latest allegations, the “Jedi Blue” deal served to eliminate competition by manipulating ad auctions, which are also the subject of lawsuits in the United States.

These are the ultra-sophisticated systems that determine which ads appear on web pages based on anonymized user profiles.

According to court documents filed in the United States, Google and Facebook top executives were directly involved in the approval of the allegedly illegal 2018 deal.

Even though their identities were blacked, the legal documents filed in a New York court clearly allude to Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, as well as Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Google intends to change its ad tracking system on its world-leading Chrome browser and Android smartphone operating system has infuriated publishers and online ad rivals even more.

The decision, which eliminates personal online trackers known as “cookies,” was adopted in response to mounting pressure to better protect web user privacy.

Critics view it as a method for Google to deny publishers and advertisers valuable data while bolstering its advertising dominance.

Ad sales accounted for over 80% of Alphabet revenue in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing in over $60 billion.

In the same time period, Meta made $33.6 billion in sales, the majority of which came from advertising.

March 21, 2022
How To Use Your Smartphone as a CCTV Camera Without Internet.

Most times we see our old phones lying around without any use, and we wonder what to do with them, some will even throw them away or sell them off. But with this, you can make the most of your smartphones, we’ve come up with a quick and straightforward method using your smartphone as a security camera.

There are a variety of reasons to install a security camera in your home or office so that you can monitor your property or your children with a simple CCTV (closed-circuit television) system. However, the cost of installing specialized CCTV equipment is expensive for most individuals. However, repurposing an old phone is a low-cost and simple solution. Simply use an old smartphone or tablet, along with the appropriate software.

Therefore, If you have an old Android phone that you don’t use anymore, you can turn it into a security camera for your home or office, or even use it to watch your baby. It doesn’t matter how old your phone is. Even if you don’t have an old phone, you can always buy a new or refurbished one for this method, which is cheaper than buying a camera and setting it up.

Can my phone work as a CCTV Camera?

Yes! This method is reliable if followed appropriately. while you use your old smartphone as a camera, you will need to monitor or watch what is happening which can also be a smartphone or even a laptop.

Are those two devices ready? Then let’s proceed.

Requirements

1. Smartphone to use as a camera
2. The appropriate software or application
3. A wifi connection
4. A device to monitor from.

Steps

1. On your Android phone, go to the Google Play Store, download, and install the DroidCam Wireless Webcam app.

Read Also : Hackers Leak nearly 200 Gigabytes of Samsung Source Code in Cyberattack

Although there are tons of applications that can be used. But for this, we will be using the DriodCam app since it doesn’t require any sign-in or internet to connect.

2. Open the app and click on “Next.” This is will show the introductory part. Now, on the home page of the app, you will see the IP address information that you need to see the live camera recording of your smartphone
In the Browser IP Cam Access field, write down the IP address.

3. Turn on the hotspot of the phone you are using as a camera and connect with the wifi of the device you want to watch or monitor from and place the phone in your desired position.

Read Also : Smartphone Financing Orange Announces Major Collaboration in Côte d’Ivoire

4. Open the browser on your PC or smartphone you want to watch from (preferably google chrome). Then, type in the IP address you wrote down in step 2 to see the live video from the camera on your Android phone.

e.g 192.168.244.100:4747

You can now watch the video, zoom in or out, change the LED, and even take a picture of the recording at any time.

If you encounter any difficulties while setting this up or you need more clarification, feel free to drop a comment.

March 17, 2022
Google has announced a $1 million fund for female entrepreneurs

In an effort to assist programmes for women, Google.org has announced a $1 million fund.

The company’s fund, it says, is intended to support programmes that aid women entrepreneurs in expanding their enterprises.

Research shows that 58% of small and medium-sized business entrepreneurs in Africa are women,” stated Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde of Google’s Brand and Reputation in Africa.

“In spite of this, firms run by women produce 34% lower profits than those operated by men. Because of this, they are less likely to acquire funding or investment. As a result of this, we’re unveiling a series of measures today geared at giving the support women need in order to build their businesses.”

Read Also : Smartphone Financing Orange Announces Major Collaboration in Côte d’Ivoire

As part of its LookMeUp initiative, the business has launched an initiative to highlight female entrepreneurs.

The Nigerian government has ordered Google and Apple to disable ‘illegal’ online banks and loan applications.

Aderemi -Makinde noted, “Google also provides free tools to enable women entrepreneurs to build their businesses and has begun an intense initiative to drive the discovery of women-owned firms through Google Business Profiles.”

March 17, 2022
The EU and UK Investigates Google and Meta for an online Advertising Deal

The EU and the UK launched antitrust investigations into a 2018 deal between Google and Meta owners of Facebook, which was allegedly designed to cement their dominance over the online advertising market.

As global regulators step up their campaign to seriously limit the power of big tech, the European Commission said it was investigating the so-called “Jedi Blue” agreement, which has also been the subject of lawsuits in the United States.

The EU investigation will look into whether the deal between the two internet behemoths was used to “restrict and distort competition in the already crowded ad tech market.”

If confirmed, Margrethe Vestager, the EU competition commissioner, said the deal would distort competition by squeezing rival ad tech companies, publishers, and “ultimately consumers.”

Read Also : Choose Partners with SchoolOnAir To Build a Software School in Africa

The Global Suspicion over Google and Meta Alliance

According to the EU, the UK Competition Market Authority has launched its own investigation into the agreement, and the two watchdogs will “closely cooperate” on the probe.

The CMA “will not shy away from scrutinizing the behaviour of big tech firms… working closely with global regulators to get the best outcomes possible,” according to CEO Andrea Coscelli.

Publishers and ad rivals are putting pressure on the two online advertising behemoths, as they combine to dominate the online advertising market in much of the world.

Google said in a statement that the “allegations made about this agreement are false” and that its deal with Meta “is a publicly documented, procompetitive agreement” that it has with other businesses.

Meta said it would cooperate with the investigations, but that the new arrangements “provide more value to advertisers and publishers, resulting in better outcomes for everyone.”

Lawsuits in the United States

Big Tech companies in the United States have been under intense scrutiny in Europe, resulting in investigations, large fines, and plans for EU-wide legislation to rein them in.

According to the latest allegations, the “Jedi Blue” deal served to eliminate competition by manipulating ad auctions, which are also the subject of lawsuits in the United States.

These are the ultra-sophisticated systems that determine which ads appear on web pages based on anonymized user profiles.

Read Also : VerifyMe Releases Nigeria’s 1st Digital ID and KYC Industry Report

According to court documents filed in the United States, Google and Meta top executives were directly involved in the approval of the allegedly illegal 2018 deal.

Even though their identities were blacked, the legal documents filed in a New York court clearly allude to Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google parent company Alphabet, as well as Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Google intends to change its ad tracking system on its world-leading Chrome browser and the Android smartphone operating system has infuriated publishers and online ad rivals even more.

The decision, which eliminates personal online trackers known as “cookies,” was adopted in response to mounting pressure to better protect web user privacy.

Critics view it as a method for Google to deny publishers and advertisers valuable data while bolstering its advertising dominance.

Ad sales accounted for over 80% of Alphabet revenue in the fourth quarter of 2021, bringing in over $60 billion.

In the same time period, Meta made $33.6 billion in sales, the majority of which came from advertising.

March 15, 2022
How to Set Desktop Site on Google Chrome for Android

There are some websites that restrict or reduce their content for mobile users. This means you are required to access the website with a PC.
But with Desktop Site you can access those websites in PC view on your mobile phone.
Although, many browsers allow Desktop Site, for this we will be using Google Chrome.

How Do I Make Chrome on Android Enable Desktop Site?
The desktop site view allows you to see all hidden menus and choices exactly as you would on a desktop computer. Because we are viewing a desktop site on a mobile phone, the text size and objects may seem smaller.
Steps:
1. On your Android phone, Launch the Chrome browser.
2. Open any website that you want to view in desktop mode.
3. Access the menu options by tapping the vertical 3-dot icon.

4. Click the checkbox beside the Desktop View option.

5. The page will reload on its own

6. The desktop site view will be displayed on the mobile phone.

You can now enjoy the Desktop View

Note: In case you need to switch back to the original mobile view, just unclick the checkbox on Desktop view and the page will reload back to the mobile site view.

If this article is been helpful to you, feel free to drop a comment.

March 4, 2022
How to locate your Android phone IMEI number

You might have been wondering, what is IMEI number and what is it used for? Don’t worry, it will be explained here.

About IMEI number.

Every phone no matter how cheap or expensive it might be will have an International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. The IMEI number is a 15-digit unique identifier that can help you find a lost or stolen phone.

My Phone History

Android is a touchscreen mobile operating system based on a modified version of the Linux kernel and other open-source software, built mainly for smartphones and tablets. Google commercially sponsors Android, which is created by a group of developers known as the Open Handset Alliance. And it has been around for nearly 15 years.

Now, after having a brief understanding of your mobile phone, let’s proceed.

Read Also : OnwardMobility discards the 5G BlackBerry project

How can I locate my phone IMEI number?

Perhaps If you ever misplace your phone or it got stolen, you’ll need to provide the IMEI number to law enforcement so they can track down your device. Companies use mobile device identification codes (IMEIs) to track down lost or stolen phones and prevent them from being used on their network by blacklisting IMEI numbers associated with those devices.

Method 1

1. On your Android phone, open the Settings app.
2. Go to About Phone and tap it. In some android versions, you will find it at the top while for some, you will have to scroll down.

3. The number can be found under IMEI if you scroll down.

Note, if after looking around, you can’t still locate it, use the search option in the setting and search for IMEI

Read Also : Samsung Heavy Industries Has Appointed a New CEO for its Nigerian Subsidiary

Method 2

Another approach to get your IMEI is to dial USSD Code on your Phone app.

1. On your Android phone, open the Phone app.
2. Dial *#06# into the Dialer.
3. And wait for the appearance of the dialog box.

Following the entry of this code, your IMEI number and other numbers will be displayed on the screen.

You might need to write it down for reference purposes Since this method works on any Android device, it might be the simplest option.

February 24, 2022