News Briefs

12-Year-Old’s Lost Video Has Resurfaced, Discussing Bitcoin at $8 and the Power of Peer-to-Peer Transactions

In 2011, a 12-year-old unknowingly predicted Bitcoin's rise in a forgotten YouTube video. Now, crypto enthusiasts have rediscovered it, launching $TPU, a Solana-based memecoin named after his old channel. The internet is hailing him as an accidental visionary, proving once again that the digital world never forgets -- and that early tech predictions can age like fine wine. more

Starlink Surpasses 4 Million Subscribers, Cementing Dominance in Satellite Internet

Starlink, SpaceX's satellite-based internet service, has hit a major milestone by surpassing 4 million subscribers worldwide. SpaceX confirmed the news on Thursday after company President Gwynne Shotwell hinted earlier in the week that the service would reach the mark within days. more

Meta’s $10 Billion Plan to Build the World’s Largest Subsea Cable Network

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is embarking on an ambitious $10 billion project to construct a privately-owned, 40,000-kilometer subsea cable network. Dubbed the "mother of all submarine cables," this endeavor aims to bolster Meta's data infrastructure and sidestep geopolitical risks associated with traditional cable routes. more

EU Internet Advocates Push Back Against Telecom “Fair-Share” Fees

In a joint statement to the European Commission's new tech appointee, Henna Virkkunen, a coalition of internet advocacy groups has firmly opposed recent proposals aimed at imposing network fees on content providers. more

India Launches ‘.bank.in’ and ‘.fin.in’ Domains to Deter Financial Fraud

In a bid to bolster cybersecurity in India's financial sector, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced exclusive internet domains -- 'bank.in' for registered banks and 'fin.in' for non-banking financial entities. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra revealed that registrations for 'bank.in' will commence in April 2025, followed by 'fin.in', with the initiative aimed at reducing phishing attempts and fortifying digital banking trust. more

NATO’s Orbital Lifeline: A Backup Plan for the Internet

NATO’s HEIST project tackles the vulnerability of undersea internet cables by testing satellite backups and advanced monitoring. The initiative aims to safeguard global communications against accidental damage and potential sabotage. more

South Korean Telecom Giant KT Corporation Accused of Infecting 600,000 Users with Malware Over Torrent Use

South Korean telecom giant KT Corporation has been implicated in deliberately infecting over 600,000 users with malware due to their use of torrent services, as reported by JTBC. more

Canadian Bill S-210 Sparks Controversy Over Internet Regulations

A new bill in the Canadian Senate, Bill S-210, has ignited a heated debate over its potential impact on the Internet in Canada. The bill, which mandates strict age verification for online content, has raised significant concerns among privacy advocates, network operators, and digital rights groups. more

NIS 2 Directive Set for Implementation with New Guidelines, But Concerns Remain

The NIS Cooperation Group has released critical guidance for the implementation of Article 28 under the NIS 2 Directive, focusing on registration data accuracy obligations for top-level domain (TLD) registries, registrars, and related services in the EU. more

Starlink Poised to Enter India After Regulatory Shift

After facing several regulatory obstacles, Elon Musk's Starlink is on the brink of entering the Indian market, a move that could reshape the country's digital landscape. more

Domain Trends Signal Shifting Tides in 2024

The domain industry in 2024 revealed notable shifts in registration patterns, signaling an evolving online landscape. According to a newly published report by Namecheap, .shop climbed to become the second-most-popular top-level domain (TLD), boasting over 721,000 registrations, displacing .xyz after years of dominance. Among country-code TLDs (ccTLDs), .me rose to the top, marking its ascent from eighth place in 2023. more

Africa’s Digital Darkness: Internet Shutdowns Reach Record High

Governments across Africa increasingly wield internet blackouts as a tool to suppress dissent, with 2024 marking a record high for digital censorship. According to a report by Access Now and #KeepItOn, 21 internet shutdowns were recorded across 15 African nations, surpassing previous highs in 2020 and 2021. more

Malaysia Plans Internet “Kill Switch” to Curb Online Abuse

Malaysia is advancing legislation for an internet “kill switch” aimed at curbing online abuse and illegal activities. This initiative, spearheaded by the country’s Law and Institutional Reform Minister Azalina Othman Said, seeks to hold social media and messaging platforms accountable for content disseminated through their services. more

ICANN Reserves “.INTERNAL” Domain for Private Use

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has officially reserved the top-level domain ".INTERNAL" for private-use applications. This decision follows years of technical evaluations, public consultations, and inter-organizational discussions. more

Google to Deactivate Goo.gl URL Shortener, Sparking Concerns Over ‘Link Rot’

Google has announced it will fully deactivate its URL shortening service, Goo.gl, by August 25, 2025, prompting concerns about widespread "link rot." Starting next month, Goo.gl links will display a warning message before ceasing to work altogether by the 2025 deadline. more