Author: Brett Venter

Google recently agreed to pay a US$170 million fine for illegally gathering children’s personal data on YouTube without parental consent, which is a violation under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The United States Federal Trade Commission and the New York State Attorney General — who together brought the case against Google — now require YouTube to obtain consent from parents before collecting or sharing personal information. In addition, creators of child-directed content must self-identify to restrict the delivery of targeted ads. The $170 million fine is a pittance given Alphabet Inc.’s (Google’s holding company) valuation of more than US$700 billion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V_FYXfnSLE…

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So you’d like to see America’s trade war in action, would you? Here’s an example: Apple’s been denied a tariff exemption for some five components used in its new Mac Pro. First reported by Bloomberg, Apple may wind up paying up to 25% more for the Mac Pro’s power adaptor, charge cable, cooling system, and an IO circuit board. Also on the list are the Mac Pro’s optional wheels. So, we guess, don’t order those? Computer says no Apple’s already had its request for exemption granted by the States’ Trade Representative’s office for ten other components, so this denial is both…

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We might have to amend that headline a little — Blue’s Yeti X hopes to turn everyone into a pro-grade streamer or podcaster, provided you’re willing to shell out at least $170 (R2,500 or thereabouts) for the newly-announced mic. And provided you’re able to find it here. It’s possible to source the company’s gear locally but we might be in for a bit of a wait. 

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