Musk’s ‘DOGE’ commission eyes new app for Americans to file taxes

Washington Post

President-elect Donald Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, has reportedly discussed creating a mobile app for Americans to file taxes with the IRS for free. This initiative, while not central to the panel’s work, is seen as a potential way to streamline taxpayer interaction with the federal government. The group, tasked with cutting government spending and reducing regulations, is exploring various transformative ideas, though specifics remain unclear. Critics from both parties argue that the brainstorming by Silicon Valley leaders may overlook existing government efforts to address similar issues.

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Meta hits back at €798M EC fine

Mobile World Live

Meta Platforms announced its intent to appeal a €798 million fine imposed by the European Commission (EC) for alleged anti-competitive practices, which the company claimed misinterpreted market dynamics. The EC accused Meta of breaching competition rules by linking its Facebook Marketplace with its Facebook social media platform, potentially hindering the growth of incumbent online marketplaces in the EU.

Meta argued that the regulator presented no evidence of harm to rivals or consumers, emphasizing that users are not obligated to use Marketplace. The company further asserted that the decision prioritizes protecting established marketplaces over fostering competition and innovation, contrary to the principles of competition law. Meta described the EC’s actions as counterproductive to consumer interests, suggesting the ruling could stifle innovation at significant cost to users.

Despite its plans to appeal, Meta confirmed it would comply with the ruling in the interim and work swiftly to address the regulator’s concerns.

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X users jump to Bluesky – but what is it and who owns it?

BBC

Bluesky is a rapidly growing social media platform gaining popularity as an alternative to Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter). With its visual similarities to Twitter, Bluesky offers familiar features such as a search bar, notifications, a homepage, posting, commenting, reposting, and liking. The platform describes itself as “social media as it should be,” emphasizing simplicity and a user-friendly experience reminiscent of Twitter’s earlier design.

Bluesky’s growth has been meteoric, with around one million new users signing up daily, totaling 16.7 million at the time of reporting—a number that continues to climb rapidly. Its appeal lies in its straightforward interface and functionality, providing a nostalgic yet fresh alternative for those seeking a social media experience akin to Twitter’s former self.

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Daisy the AI granny tackles fraud with endless nattering

Telecoms

Virgin Media O2 has introduced “Daisy,” an AI-powered bot designed to combat fraud by engaging scammers in lengthy, time-wasting conversations. Appointed as “Head of Scammer Relations,” Daisy’s role is to divert fraudsters from targeting real individuals.

Developed with the expertise of YouTube scambaiter Jim Browning, Daisy convincingly mimics human interactions and can autonomously engage scammers for up to 40 minutes without human intervention. By combining advanced AI models, Daisy processes and responds to fraudulent calls in real-time, becoming a key tool in Virgin Media O2’s “Swerve the Scammers” campaign to protect customers and disrupt fraudsters’ operations.

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Chatting Things Through: The Current State of Chatbots in Mobile Banking

The Fincancial Brand

Chatbots in banking offer significant benefits, including potential savings of $1 trillion by 2030, 24/7 availability, and support for asynchronous communication. Despite these advantages, many consumers still prefer human interaction, though 70% are open to chatbots if they deliver more personalized and effective support through AI.

An analysis of 149 banks in North America and Europe found that chatbots vary widely in capability. Basic versions primarily act as interactive search tools, providing simple answers or linking to informational articles. More advanced chatbots can offer additional guidance and direct users to specific resources, while the most sophisticated AI-powered systems can process natural language and handle complex customer inquiries. Bridging the gap between current capabilities and consumer expectations will require ongoing improvements in AI and personalization.

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Game-Changing Approaches At The Fringe Accelerate Mobile Gaming Growth

Forbes

After a period of rapid growth, the mobile gaming industry is expected to slow as it approaches 2025, compelling studios to shift focus from incremental gains to bold innovations in business models. Industry strategist John Hagel III’s concept of “scaling the edges” suggests exploring untapped opportunities at the periphery of operations—such as new audiences, formats, and distribution channels—to drive sustainable growth and transform fringe innovations into core revenue streams. This strategy is particularly relevant as the industry faces challenges like rising user acquisition costs and plateauing growth, despite projected revenue reaching $109.3 billion in 2024 with modest growth of 3.6%.

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European mobile payment system Wero launches in Belgian banks

Euro News

Wero, a new European mobile payment system, has been launched in Belgium, with BNP Paribas Fortis, Belfius, ING, and CBS integrating it into their apps. Developed by the European Payments Initiative, Wero is already operational in Germany and France, enabling cross-border payments in Western Europe. It aims to become the first Pan-European payment solution for the Single Market, promoting banking sector unity, with plans to expand to the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

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Could audio ads be the future of mobile gaming?

The National

Mobile gaming has evolved significantly over the past two decades, transitioning from simple games like Snake on Nokia phones to smartphones capable of running games comparable to high-performance consoles. While gaming capabilities have advanced, free games remain the most popular, often requiring players to endure frequent advertisements. Wilfrid Obeng, a former Google employee, aims to improve this experience by introducing audio advertisements as a less intrusive alternative, inspired by a conversation with an entrepreneur during a holiday in Dubai.

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What a new TV show and its parallel mobile game say about the future of entertainment across media

Digiday

The entertainment world is increasingly embracing transmedia, with gaming leading the charge. The latest example is Genvid Entertainment’s “DC Heroes United,” a TV series that integrates directly with a mobile game. Announced on November 11, the show follows the Justice League and incorporates interactive decision points with QR codes, allowing viewers to seamlessly transition to the game on their mobile devices. This initiative reflects a growing trend where intellectual property is adapted across multiple platforms to engage modern audiences more deeply, marking another milestone in the evolving synergy between Hollywood and gaming.

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