Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With data cables slashed in the Red Sea, major outages for numerous social platforms, Adobe adopting generative AI, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Red Sea Data Cables Slashed
Numerous undersea communication cables in the Red Sea were severed, impacting 25% of data traffic between Asia and Europe. HGC Global Communications, based in Hong Kong, confirmed taking steps to redirect traffic after the cutting of four out of the 15 cables. The cause of the tech disruptions is currently unknown. The U.S. official is investigating whether the damage was deliberate or accidental.
Last month, Yemen’s internationally recognized government cautioned about potential sabotage by the Iran-backed Houthi movement, suggesting a threat to undersea cables and ships in the region. Approximately 25% of data traffic has been affected, with 80% of westbound traffic from Asia passing through these cables. HGC has implemented measures to minimize disruptions by rerouting data through mainland China, under the Pacific Ocean toward the U.S., and utilizing the remaining data cables in the Red Sea.
Major Outages for Social Platforms
Popular Meta platforms, Facebook and Instagram, experienced widespread service disruptions during the morning of Mar. 5. Per Downdetector, more than 500,000 Facebook users had issues logging into their profiles and accessing their feeds. An additional 10,000 people struggled with using Facebook Messenger. Around 50,000 Instagram users also encountered disruptions while trying to use the social platform.
LinkedIn also experienced a notable disruption on Mar. 6, with multiple users briefly unable to access the platform through the website and mobile app. The service provider acknowledged a significant tech outage, leading to approximately an hour of downtime. Service restoration commenced around 5:00 p.m. ET, as confirmed by the company.
Adobe Adopts Generative AI
Adobe has introduced a new application for Adobe Express, its cloud-based mobile design platform. The newly launched Adobe Express app is available in beta for free, enabling users to effortlessly create creative assets such as social media posts, posters, and website banners.
India Invests $1.2 Billion in AI Projects
On Mar. 7, India approved a 103 billion rupee ($1.25 billion) investment in artificial intelligence initiatives, earmarked for the enhancement of computing infrastructure and the advancement of expansive language models, as stated by the government. The allocated funds will also support AI startups and contribute to AI application creation for the public sector. Projections from IT industry body Nasscom anticipate that India’s artificial intelligence market will reach $17 billion by 2027, experiencing annualized growth of 25%-35% between 2024 and 2027.
US Congress Continues Push for TikTok Ban
On Mar. 7, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce will vote on legislation that mandates China’s ByteDance to divest from the short video app TikTok within six months or face a ban in the United States. Committee approval would pave the way for a broader vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, marking a significant step forward in the U.S. government’s efforts to regulate TikTok, a platform with approximately 170 million users in the nation.
