King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Participates in GITEX Global 2024

16:56-14 October 2024 AD ـ 11 Rabi’ Al-Thani 1446 AH

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Participates in GITEX Global 2024

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (KSGAAL) is participating in the GITEX Global 2024 exhibition in Dubai from October 14 to 18 to highlight some of its strategic projects, particularly its linguistic computing initiatives.

KSGAAL Secretary General Dr. Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Washmi said that participating in the exhibition is a highly significant strategic step as the world's leading tech companies convene, especially given the academy's growing role in linguistic computing and artificial intelligence (AI).

He described the event as an ideal platform to showcase innovations and projects that serve the Arabic language by leveraging advanced modern technologies in line with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 initiatives.

Through its participation at its GITEX Global 2024 pavilion, KSGAAL aims to showcase its efforts in serving the Arabic language and its role in developing AI-based tools and technologies to support the language's use in various tech sectors.

The exhibition also offers an opportunity for collaboration with global tech companies and institutions, enabling the academy to benefit from the latest technological advancements and apply them to its future linguistic projects.

New Instagram Location Sharing Feature Sparks Privacy Fears

(FILES) A photograph taken during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 19, 2025, shows the logo of Meta, the US company that owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Asharq Al Awsat

08:57-9 August 2025 AD ـ 15 Safar 1447 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

08:57-9 August 2025 AD ـ 15 Safar 1447 AH

New Instagram Location Sharing Feature Sparks Privacy Fears

Instagram users are warning about a new location sharing feature, fearing that the hugely popular app could be putting people in danger by revealing their whereabouts without their knowledge.

The Meta-owned image sharing platform added an option on Wednesday which shares locations using an Instagram map, similar to a feature rival Snapchat has offered since 2017.

Some users have since been shocked to discover that their location was being shared, viral posts have shown, reported AFP.

"Mine was turned on and my home address was showing for all of my followers to see," Instagram user Lindsey Bell wrote in reply to a warning posted by "Bachelor" reality television personality Kelley Flanagan to her 300,000 TikTok followers.

"Turned it off immediately once I knew but had me feeling absolutely sick about it."

In a TikTok video, Flanagan called Instagram's new location sharing feature "dangerous" and gave step-by-step instructions on how to make sure it is turned off.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri fired off a post on Meta-owned Threads stressing that Instagram location sharing is off by default, meaning users need to opt in for it to be active.

"Quick Friend Map clarification, your location will only be shared if you decide to share it, and if you do, it can only be shared with a limited group of people you choose," Mosseri wrote.

"To start, location sharing is completely off."

The feature was added as a way for friends to better connect with one another, sharing posts from "cool spots," Instagram said in a blog post.

Users can be selective regarding who they share locations with, and can turn it off whenever they wish, according to Instagram.

Wariness regarding whether Instagram is watching out for user privacy comes just a week after a federal jury in San Francisco sided with women who accused Meta of exploiting health data gathered by the Flo app, which tracks menstruation and efforts to get pregnant.

A jury concluded that Meta used women's sensitive health data to better target money-making ads, according to law firm Labaton Keller Sucharow, which represented the plaintiffs.

Evidence at trial showed Meta was aware it was getting confidential health data from the third-party app, and that some employees appeared to mock the nature of the information, the law firm contended.

"This case was about more than just data -- it was about dignity, trust, and accountability," lead attorney Carol Villegas said in a blog post.

Damages in the suit have yet to be determined.

King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language Participates in GITEX Global 2024