LATEST TECH NEWS: Facebook boss concerned over possible TikTok ban. 4 other things and a trivia you need to know today, August 7, 2020

These 5 latest stories from the tech space will keep you updated with trends today.

1. Facebook boss concerned over possible TikTok ban

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has joined other tech industry leaders to lend a voice speaking against the possible ban of TikTok in the U.S. Zuckerberg made this remark while speaking to employees at an all-hands meeting on Thursday, August 6. According to the CEO, such move as threatened by president Trump, would set “a really bad long-term precedent.” Recall Ripples Nigeria had earlier reported that Trump had recommended that ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok, to sell its U.S. operations to an American company by September 15 or face a ban.

According to reports, Trump alleged that TikTok was a security threat to the sovereignty of the U.S., citing risk over fears that user data could end up in the hands of the Chinese government. Expressing his concerns, Zuckerberg noted that a ban in the U.S. could lead to a ripple effect in other countries. Zuckerberg said: “I just think it’s a really bad long-term precedent, and that it needs to be handled with the utmost care and gravity whatever the solution is,” adding, “I am really worried…it could very well have long-term consequences in other countries around the world.” The Facebook boss, however, linked the ban issue to the fact that China is a close competitor of the U.S.

2. V&A Waterfront launches incubator for foodpreneurs and SMMEs

With a vision to provide aids to the local restaurant and hospitality industry, Makers Landing, a development created by the V&A Waterfront in partnership with the National Treasury’s Job Fund, will function as an incubator for local small food businesses. The initiative was unveiled today, Friday, August 7. According to the board, Makers Landing will facilitate a networking community between budding foodpreneurs and industry experts

Operating on the backdrop that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching economic impact on these sectors, causing many small businesses to shut their doors while leaving many individuals unemployed. Salvaging the situation, the incubator aims to support job creation and skills development while creating a functional platform for SMME’s. Further commenting on the initiative, Tinyiko Mageza, Executive Manager of Marketing at the V&A Waterfront explained that Makers Landing will be multifunctional as it’s aimed at providing job relief for the local food industry.

Tech Trivia:

What is the website with the highest traffic in Nigeria?

A. Facebook
B. Google
C. 9jaBet
D. Instagram

Answer: See end of post.

3. Google looks to roll out digital learning platform in India

Taping into a pool of about 23 million students and teachers in India’s Maharashtra state, Google has officially partnered with one of the largest states in India to provide its digital classroom services. Google made the announcement today while explaining its drive and education push in the world’s second largest internet market. Google, which recently announced plans to invest $10 billion in India, said it had partnered with the government of the western state of Maharashtra that will see 23 million students and teachers access Google’s education offering at no charge.

According to press, the new development followed a recent survey by the Maharashtra government in which it had sought teachers’ interest in digital classroom alternatives. Going by the published survey, more than 150,000 teachers signed up for the program in less than 48 hours. Looking up trends around the pandemic, Maharashtra is the worst hit Indian state by COVID-19, with more than 460,000 confirmed cases, local authorities have speculated. This was so because the state, like others in India, complied with New Delhi’s lockdown order in late March that prompted schools and other public places to close across the nation.

READ ALSO: LATEST TECH NEWS: Facebook deletes Trump’s post for false information. 4 other things and a trivia you need to know today, August 6, 2020

4. South Africa’s Luno partners Genesis in crypto investment

On Friday, Luno, South Africa’s leading cryptocurrency exchange announced a partnership deal with Genesis, another leader in digital currency prime brokerage services. The deal is expected to help Luno enable users to earn interest on their crypto holdings. Reports noted that the new partnership will equally provide customers with simple, accessible ways to earn interest on their crypto holdings. Commenting on the partnership, Luno disclosed that it will create savings accounts providing institutional-level interest rates to clients in traditional and emerging markets.

Luno CEO Marcus Swanepoel further explained that the deal will serve as a mean to diversify as a company. In a statement credited to Marcus by press, he said: “Our partnership with Genesis allows us to offer more diversified financial products to our customers. We’re dedicated to providing innovative financial solutions to consumers all over the world – whether they are in Africa, Asia, or Europe – regardless of their local currency. We specialise in making crypto safe and easy to use.”

5. Grindstone Accelerator unveils selected startups for new cohort

Grindstone Accelerator programme cohorts in Cape Town and Johannesburg have unveiled a list of newly selected innovation-driven SMEs. The accelerator programme, which is a structured entrepreneurship development programme jointly owned by venture capital (VC) fund manager Knife Capital and market access specialist Thinkroom Consulting, will take South African SMEs with proven traction through an intensive year-long review of their strategies in the view to provide them with the necessary support to build a foundation for growth in becoming more investable, sustainable, marketable and exit-ready.

Press reported that Grindstone recently secured backing from the SA SME Fund and launched a VC fund to provide early-stage equity funding to its cohorts of companies and alumni. In the list of companies making up the cohort, 20 companies will be making the next two cohorts, taking place in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Some of the companies selected include e-commerce platform On The Bench, neuromarketing company Neural Sense, digital modernisation service Skywalk Innovations, IoT company Matter Industries, and customised learning platform Zaio.

Tech Trivia Answer: Google

Google.com, according to recent traffic search log obtainable from Alexa and SimilarWeb, is the most visited website in Nigeria. It leads the pack where betting website Bet9ja.com is the next in line.

Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware.

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