CSS has got a new Official Logo

The CSS-Next GitHub community decided on a new official CSS logo by voting. The design of the new logo aligns with the design style of other web technologies like JavaScript, TypeScript and WebAssembly.

The logo uses the rebeccapurple color (#663399), which has a meaningful history as the color was added to CSS specification in 2014 to honor Rebecca Meyer, daughter of Eric Meyer, who passed away from brain cancer at age six.

🌐 logo.css
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Microsoft will soon let you clone your voice for Teams meetings

Microsoft announced "Interpreter in Teams" at Ignite 2024 — a real-time speech-to-speech translation tool that simulates users' voices in nine languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish. This will launch in early 2025.

Available to Microsoft 365 subscribers, the feature replicates voices for a personalized experience, however, it doesn't store biometric data or add sentiments.

A consent is required to enable the feature. Microsoft has yet to detail safeguards against potential abuse.

🔗 TechCrunch
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US prosecutors demand Google divest Chrome to end search monopoly

U.S. prosecutors have urged a judge to mandate Google to divest its Chrome browser and possibly its Android OS to address its online search monopoly to a buyer approved by the U.S. government.

Proposed measures include prohibiting Google from owning a browser or investing in search-related technologies for five years after divestiture of Chrome.

Google should be prohibited from making payments to third parties to make Google the default general search engine.

Google shouldn't enter exclusive content deals with publishers or use its assets to favor its own search engine, ads, or AI products.

Google may also be required to share search results and user data with competitors at minimal cost.

🔗 Reuters
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OpenAI considers taking on Google with browser

OpenAI is reportedly exploring the development of a web browser integrated with its chatbot. However, the browser project is still in early stages, with no imminent launch.

The company is also working on deals to power AI-driven search features with partners like Conde Nast, Redfin and Eventbrite. Additionally, OpenAI has discussed integrating its AI technology into Samsung devices.

🔗 Reuters
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Google removes 1.1.1.1 and Other VPNs at India's Request

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs made a removal request to Google, which targets links to VPNs including Chrome extensions, Android apps and direct download links.

The removed VPNs include the well-known:
• 1.1.1.1 by Cloudflare (Android)
• Hide.me (Android)
• X-VPN (Android, Extension)

Other VPNs include:

Thunder VPN, SuperVPN Free, Touch VPN, PrivadoVPN, Potato VPN, Neo VPN, Fast VPN, FreeVPN Planet.

The reason is unspecified, but it's likely related to regulatory or security concerns. Google has acknowledged the request, but there are no documents yet.

If you use 1.1.1.1 on Android, you can:
• Migrate to Cloudflare One Agent
• Install the APK manually

🔗 Lumen
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Microsoft may train its AI on everything you type in Word and Excel

Microsoft Office has a Connected Experiences feature which reportedly allows the company to use user-created content in Word and Excel to train AI models, which means that Office may analyze articles, artwork and documents by default, without asking for user consent.

Along with that, according to Microsoft's Services Agreement, by using their products, you grant Microsoft a global, royalty-free license to use your content for providing services, ensuring security, and improving their products, including storing, sharing, and displaying it.

However, Microsoft denied the accusations:

In the M365 apps, we do not use customer data to train LLMs. This setting only enables features requiring internet access like co-authoring a document.

🔗 Winaero
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Apple ordered to open up in-app purchases in Brazil.

Brazil's antitrust regulator, Cade, has ruled that Apple must lift restrictions on payment methods for in-app purchases, following a complaint from MercadoLibre. The complaint, filed in 2022, accused Apple of forcing developers to use its payment system and banning third-party digital goods.

Cade determined that Apple should allow developers to add links to external websites for purchases and offer alternative in-app payment options. Apple will have 20 days to comply with the measures, and if It fails, it will be fined 250,000 reais (~$43,000) per day.

🔗 Reuters
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Tor needs 200 WebTunnel Bridges to fight censorship

The Tor Project has urgently appealed to volunteers to help deploy 200 new WebTunnel bridges by the end of 2024. This is necessary to fight against rising government censorship, especially in Russia.

WebTunnels disguise Tor traffic as HTTPS with valid SSL/TLS servers, making detection harder. Tor has 143 bridges but is facing increasing censorship of its tools, hosting providers, and bridges.

Volunteers must have a static IPv4 address, a self-hosted website and a valid SSL/TLS certificate. Additionally, they need at least 1 TB/month bandwidth. Bridges should operate nearly 24/7 for a minimum of a year.

Contributors who establish 5 or more bridges will get a thank-you t-shirt. The campaign starts today, November 28, 2024, and will run until March 10, 2025.

🔗 Tor
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Kids under 16 will be banned from social media in Australia

Australia has passed world-first laws banning children under 16 from using social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, X, Reddit and Facebook from the end of the next year, to give companies time to comply.

The legislation aims to protect mental health, and companies will face fines up to $50 million for non-compliance. However, "messaging apps", "online gaming", "educational platforms" and "YouTube" are exempt from this ban.

Social media companies cannot force for government ID for age verification under the new rules. There are no penalties for young people or parents who flout the rules.

🔗 ABC News
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