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Britain to Give New Tech Regulator Statutory Powers

Skyscrapers in The City of London financial district are seen from City Hall in London, Britain, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Skyscrapers in The City of London financial district are seen from City Hall in London, Britain, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
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Britain to Give New Tech Regulator Statutory Powers

Skyscrapers in The City of London financial district are seen from City Hall in London, Britain, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Skyscrapers in The City of London financial district are seen from City Hall in London, Britain, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Britain will give statutory powers to a new technology regulator so it can enforce pro-competition rules and prevent tech giants including Google and Facebook from using their dominance to push out smaller firms and disadvantage consumers.

“The government will introduce legislation to put the Digital Markets Unit on a statutory footing in due course,” the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said in a statement on Thursday.

A spokesperson for the DCMS declined to comment when asked if legislation will be included in the government's program for the coming year, due to be outlined in the Queen's Speech on May 10.

The Digital Markets Unit (DMU) was launched in non-statutory form within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last year to make sure tech companies don't abuse their market power.

The change would give the unit stronger enforcement powers, Reuters reported.

The DCMS said its proposals would make it easier for people to switch between Apple iOS and Android phones or between social media accounts without losing their data.

Smartphone users could get more choice of search engines and social media platforms and more control over how their data is used by companies.

The DCMS said small and medium-size businesses would get better pricing from big tech firms that they use to trade online. The firms would need to warn smaller companies about changes to their algorithms that drive traffic and revenues.

The proposed measures would also make sure news publishers are able to monetize their online news content and be paid fairly for it. The DMU would have the power to step in to solve pricing disputes between news outlets and platforms. App developers would be able to sell their apps on fairer and more transparent terms.

“We want to level the playing field and we are arming this new tech regulator with a range of powers to generate lower prices, better choice and more control for consumers while backing content creators, innovators and publishers, including in our vital news industry,” said digital minister Chris Philp.

The DCMS said the DMU will be able to levy fines of up to 10% of annual global turnover.

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Technology

Amazon to Invest Over $35 Billion in India on AI

The Amazon logo can be seen at the administrative headquarters in Munich. Peter Kneffel/dpa 
The Amazon logo can be seen at the administrative headquarters in Munich. Peter Kneffel/dpa 
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Amazon to Invest Over $35 Billion in India on AI

The Amazon logo can be seen at the administrative headquarters in Munich. Peter Kneffel/dpa 
The Amazon logo can be seen at the administrative headquarters in Munich. Peter Kneffel/dpa 

Amazon on Tuesday announced plans to invest more than $35 billion across all its businesses in India through 2030, focusing on business expansion as well as three strategic pillars, AI-driven digitization, export growth and job creation.

The new investment builds on Amazon’s existing $40 billion commitment to India since 2010, including compensation to employees and the development of infrastructure, the US e-commerce giant said in a statement.

The announcement came on December 10, 2025, at the sixth edition of the Amazon Smbhav Summit in New Delhi, where an Economic Impact Report by Keystone Strategy revealed Amazon's cumulative investments have established the company as the largest foreign investor in India and the largest enabler of ecommerce exports.

Amazon's investments are “strategically aligned with India's national priorities and will focus on expanding AI capabilities, enhancing logistics infrastructure, supporting small business growth and creating jobs,” the company said in a statement.

By 2030, Amazon said it plans to bring benefits of AI to 15 million small businesses, and to empower 4 million government school students with AI education and career exploration opportunities through AI curriculum, technology career tours, hands-on AI sandbox experiences, and teacher training programs.

This focus reflects Amazon’s ambitions to democratize access to AI for millions of Indians.

Amit Agarwal, Senior VP Emerging Markets, Amazon, said, “Looking ahead, we're excited to continue being a catalyst for India’s growth, as we democratize access to AI for millions of Indians.”

Amazon’s strategy also aims to create 1 million additional job opportunities in India by 2030, supporting jobs in packaging, logistics, and technology, and enabling thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow on its marketplace.

Amazon has already supported approximately 2.8 million direct, indirect, induced and seasonal jobs across industries in India in 2024. These roles range across technology, operations, logistics, and customer support, with competitive pay, health benefits, and training for employees.

In exports, Amazon reported more than $20 billion in cumulative global sales generated by Indian sellers over the past decade, with a target to quadruple cumulative ecommerce exports enabled to $80 billion by 2030.

“We are humbled to have been a part of India’s digital transformation journey over the past 15 years, with Amazon’s growth in India perfectly aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) and Viksit Bharat (Developed India),” said Agarwal.

Technology

Instagram Users Given New Algorithm Controls

A photo taken on March 14, 2022, shows the US social network Instagram logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow. (AFP)
A photo taken on March 14, 2022, shows the US social network Instagram logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow. (AFP)
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Instagram Users Given New Algorithm Controls

A photo taken on March 14, 2022, shows the US social network Instagram logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow. (AFP)
A photo taken on March 14, 2022, shows the US social network Instagram logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow. (AFP)

Instagram on Wednesday unveiled a new AI-powered feature that lets users view and adjust the algorithm shaping their Reels feed, calling it a pioneering move toward greater user control.

The Meta-owned app is introducing "Your Algorithm," accessible through an icon in the upper right corner of Reels -- a user's video feed -- which displays the topics Instagram believes users are interested in based on their viewing history.

In a blog post, Meta said users can now directly tell the platform which subjects they want to see more or less of, with recommendations adjusting accordingly in real time.

Social media platforms have faced mounting pressure from regulators and users alike to provide greater transparency around algorithmic content curation, which critics say can create echo chambers or promote harmful content.

But companies also see algorithms as their platform's "secret sauce" for engaging users and have often resisted greater transparency.

"Instagram has always been a place to dive deep into your interests and connect with friends," the company said in its blog. "As your interests evolve over time, we want to give you more meaningful ways to control what you see."

The feature shows users a summary of their top interests and allows them to type in specific topics to fine-tune their feed.

Instagram said it is "leading the way" in offering such transparency and control, with plans to expand the feature beyond Reels to Explore and other sections of the app.

The tool launched Wednesday in the United States and will roll out globally in English "soon," the company said.

The move came as Australia, in a world-first, banned people under age 16 from a raft of popular social media apps, including Instagram. The government said it aimed to "take back control" from tech giants and protect children from "predatory algorithms."

Technology

Adobe Plugs Photoshop, Acrobat Tools Into ChatGPT

Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Acrobat apps into ChatGPT - Reuters/File
Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Acrobat apps into ChatGPT - Reuters/File
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Adobe Plugs Photoshop, Acrobat Tools Into ChatGPT

Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Acrobat apps into ChatGPT - Reuters/File
Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Acrobat apps into ChatGPT - Reuters/File

Adobe is integrating Photoshop, Adobe Express and Acrobat apps into ChatGPT, it said on Wednesday, allowing users to edit images, design graphics and manage PDFs within the OpenAI-owned chatbot.

The move reflects a broader push by software makers to tie everyday tools into conversational AI platforms and tap into more users while reducing the need to switch between different applications.

Adobe declined to comment on the financial terms with OpenAI and said the integration was aimed at showcasing its flagship to new users, who will need to register with Adobe to use them in ChatGPT, Reuters reported.

The rollout will bring many of the popular features that are available across Adobe's applications to ChatGPT's more than 800 million weekly active users, expanding Adobe's reach as it ramps up efforts to adapt to AI-driven changes in professional design markets.

It is also a step up for Adobe at a time when demand rises for faster, chat-based interactions that appeal to both beginners and skilled creators.

Aimed at simplifying common creative and productivity tasks, Adobe said users can type a request in ChatGPT such as fine-tuning photos, creating a graphic, animating designs or summarizing a PDF, and trigger the corresponding Adobe tool without leaving the chat interface.

Photoshop, Acrobat and Adobe Express are free to use within ChatGPT starting Wednesday across ChatGPT desktop, web and iOS. Adobe Express for ChatGPT is already live on Android, with Photoshop and Acrobat support for Android expected to follow soon.

The move builds on Adobe's announcement from late October, when the company overhauled its video and image editing tools to allow users to execute tasks via conversational AI assistants.