INTERNET

Iran Imposes Heavier Internet Curbs Citing Israel's 'Abuse' of Network

Iran announced Wednesday heavier internet curbs, accusing Israel of misusing the network for military purposes amid ongoing fighting between the longtime foes. "Temporary restrictions have been imposed on users' access to the internet," the communication ministry said in a statement carried by Fars news agency, adding that the decision was due to ...

Internet Down in Gaza Following Attack on Last Fiber Optic Cable

The Palestinian Authority said internet and fixed-line communication services were down in Gaza on Thursday following an attack on the territory's last fiber optic cable it blamed on Israel. "All internet and fixed-line communication services in the Gaza Strip have been cut following the targeting of the last remaining main fiber optic line in ...

Heavenly Connection: Starlink Offers a Lifeline to Lebanon’s Wi-Fi Woes

Could Lebanon finally be on the cusp of fast, stable, uninterrupted internet? For once, fingers are crossed—not to reboot the router, but in genuine anticipation. After years of trudging through a digital experience as slow and congested as traffic on the Dora highway, Lebanon may be looking skyward for solutions. Starlink, which provides ...

ChatGPT Adds Shopping Help, Intensifying Google Rivalry

OpenAI announced Monday that ChatGPT is now helping users find products online, enhancing its challenge to Google amid regulatory pressure on the search giant's market dominance. The new shopping capability further blurs the line between AI chatbots and search engines, signaling OpenAI's ambition to compete with Google in a market the ...

Amazon Satellite Launch Scrubbed Due to Weather

Weather prevented a rocket carrying the first batch of Amazon satellites designed to compete with Elon Musk's Starlink from lifting off Wednesday, in a setback for the planned Project Kuiper network. "Stubborn cumulus clouds and persistent winds make liftoff not possible within the available window," read a liveblog update from operator United ...

US Targets Zuckerberg’s Social Media Empire

Barring any eleventh-hour intervention, social media juggernaut Meta will stand trial next week facing serious US government allegations that it abused its market power to acquire Instagram and WhatsApp before they could become competitors. By moving forward, the trial in a Washington federal court dashes any hopes from Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg ...

Meta to Launch Teen Accounts on Facebook

Meta on Tuesday announced that it was extending its teen accounts to its social network Facebook, after recently introducing restrictions on Instagram. The accounts were brought in for 13- to 15-year-old users of the company's popular photo-sharing app last September as part of moves to shield vulnerable underage internet users from online ...

Iran Lifts WhatsApp Ban, but Other Restrictions Persist

Ardavan Yousefi has gotten so used to life under Iran's sweeping internet restrictions that for him, a recent decision to lift a ban on messaging service WhatsApp went virtually unnoticed. "Is it really removed now?" Yousefi, a café owner from the capital Tehran, said of the two-year ban on the popular application. To be certain, he switched ...

Corm Announces Plan to Restart Damaged Phone Centrals

Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Johnny Corm inspected on Tuesday the damage caused to Ogero central in al-Mreijeh, in Beirut's southern suburb, and announced that an action plan would soon be drawn up to restore all the telephone centrals damaged by the Israeli raids in Beirut, southern Lebanon and the Beqaa region. At the end of the tour, ...

Corm Raises Alarm Over Internet Vulnerability

As connectivity becomes a lifeline for everyone, Lebanon faces a serious threat to its internet network. Johnny Corm, the caretaker Minister of Telecommunications, has issued a stark warning, cautioning that the country's internet is at significant risk. Speaking to This is Beirut, he explained that “Lebanon’s airspace is open, allowing ...