🔄 Kaspersky Forced Updates, School Phone Ban, Telegram Data Sharing
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, September 24. Today we are covering:
Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software
California Schools Must Restrict Phones Under New Law Signed by Newsom
Telegram CEO Durov Says App to Provide More Data to Governments
What a Huawei laptop reveals about China's dream of tech self-sufficiency
GitHub will let any enterprise users store data in the EU
Let’s dive in
Some Kaspersky customers receive surprise forced-update to new antivirus software
By Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai via TechCrunch
In recent days, Kaspersky antivirus customers in the United States discovered their software was automatically replaced with UltraAV; some customers claimed they were unaware of this transition.
The move to install UltraAV and UltraVPN followed the U.S. government's ban on Kaspersky software sales due to security concerns, with the transition managed by American cybersecurity firm Pango.
Despite Kaspersky's efforts to make the transition smooth, many users expressed dissatisfaction, highlighting concerns about consent and control over their devices.
𝕏: This is why handing root-level access to Kaspersky was a huge risk. Users were "migrated" - software uninstalled and a totally different product was installed automagically. They had total control of your machine. - Rob Joyce (@RGB_Lights)
California Schools Must Restrict Phones Under New Law Signed by Newsom
By Shawn Hubler via The New York Times
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free Schools Act in California, mandating that school districts restrict or ban cellphone use during school hours by July 1, 2026, to tackle issues related to social media and children's mental health.
The law aligns with a broader trend, as over a dozen states have recently enacted similar cellphone restrictions in schools, reflecting growing concerns about the impact of smartphones on academic focus and youth well-being.
Despite general support for such measures, there is notable opposition, including from the California School Boards Association, which criticizes the law for its lack of flexibility and disregard for local community opinions on the necessity of such restrictions.
𝕏: Reducing phone use in schools is essential for minimizing digital distractions and making space for stronger and more meaningful in-person connections. AB 3216 isn’t only about classroom instruction, it’s about protecting the mental health and social and emotional well-being of California’s kids. - Jennifer Siebel Newsom (@JenSiebelNewsom)
The best way to reach new readers is through word of mouth. If you click THIS LINK in your inbox, it’ll create an easy-to-send pre-written email you can just fire off to some friends.
Telegram CEO Durov Says App to Provide More Data to Governments
By Jeff Stone via Bloomberg
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov announced that the messaging app will provide users' IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities in response to valid legal requests.
The policy change aims to prevent criminal misuse of Telegram and follows Durov's recent arrest in France on charges related to the spread of child sexual abuse materials.
Telegram's updated terms of service were influenced by the need to deter criminals from exploiting the platform, amidst increasing legal pressures.
𝕏: I want you to always operate under the assumption that the data you give to apps or sites will someday be given to the people you don't want to have that data. Opt for end to end encryption, and opt to not provide valid data to places that don't do end to end encryption. - Jack Rhysider (@JackRhysider)
What a Huawei laptop reveals about China's dream of tech self-sufficiency
By Ryan McMorrow via Financial Times
Huawei's Qingyun L540 laptop is a cornerstone of China's drive for tech self-sufficiency, featuring a self-designed processor and a Chinese-made operating system, under the government's Xinchuang campaign.
The laptop highlights a broader trend of localization in technology, as Chinese state-owned enterprises and government entities shift towards domestic semiconductors and software, exemplified by mandates to use local chips in various industries.
Despite significant progress, the Qingyun L540 still incorporates some foreign components, demonstrating ongoing challenges in achieving complete independence from international tech, especially given U.S. sanctions.
𝕏: “Huawei’s Qingyun laptop, tested by the FT, also contains Chinese software running on the local hardware. The device ran on the Chinese-made Unity Operating System, based on Linux” - Shashank Joshi (@shashj)
GitHub will let any enterprise users store data in the EU
By Craig Hale via TechRadar
GitHub is set to enable enterprise cloud users to store data within the European Union, responding to increasing demands for data localization and regulatory compliance in sectors like finance and healthcare.
This new offering, described as a "huge milestone," aims to enhance customer control over data residency and will be available starting October 29.
The service expansion utilizes Microsoft Azure's cloud network, which operates data centers across Europe, allowing for more granular data residency controls for GitHub's cloud customers.
Trending in AI
IBM and NASA Release Open-Source AI Model on Hugging Face for Weather and Climate Applications
A bottle of water per email: the hidden environmental costs of using AI chatbots
Thanks for reading to the bottom and soaking in our Newslit Daily fueled with highlights for your morning.
I hope you found it interesting and, needless to say, if you have any questions or feedback let me know by hitting reply.
Take care and see you tomorrow!
P.S. Want to advertise with us? We’d love to hear from you.
How was today’s email?