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India’s booming tech sector hit by crisis

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India’s tech industry, once hailed as a beacon of innovation and growth, is facing a significant setback as two of its leading startups, Byju’s and Paytm, grapple with regulatory scrutiny.

The past couple of years have been a reality check for India’s corporate governance practices, according to Karan Mohla, a general partner at venture capital firm B Capital Group. Paytm, once revered as a fintech success story, has been embroiled in controversy since March 2022 when the Reserve Bank of India ordered its banking unit to cease onboarding new customers due to regulatory concerns.

The central bank’s subsequent audit revealed persistent non-compliances and supervisory concerns, leading to restrictions on Paytm’s operations, including the suspension of accepting fresh deposits.

Moreover, the company is under investigation by the federal anti-fraud agency for potential violations of foreign exchange laws.

Amidst this turmoil, Paytm’s stock price has plummeted over 70% since its IPO in November 2021, prompting major investors like SoftBank and Ant Group to reduce their stakes.

Drastic fall

Byju’s, once valued at $22 billion, has also witnessed a drastic fall in its valuation to $1 billion amidst allegations of accounting irregularities and mismanagement.

The edtech giant, which attracted substantial investments during the pandemic, is under scrutiny following an inspection ordered by the Indian government into its financial practices.

The downfall of these tech giants reflects broader challenges in India’s startup ecosystem. While the country experienced a surge in startup registrations and funding during the pandemic, funding for Indian startups plummeted by 83% in 2023 from its peak in 2021.

Byju’s valuation plummeted by 95%, and Paytm’s valuation decreased to $3 billion, indicating a sharp decline from their previous highs.

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Tesla is slashing prices to stay competitive

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Tesla cut the U.S. prices of its Model Y, Model X and Model S vehicles by $2,000 each, days after the first-quarter deliveries of the world’s most valuable automaker missed market expectations.

Elon Musk’s electric-vehicle (EV) maker lowered the prices for its Model Y base variant to $42,990, while the long-range and performance variants are now priced at $47,990 and $51,490, respectively, according to its website.

The basic version of the Model S now costs $72,990 and its plaid variant $87,990. The Model X base variant now costs $77,990 and its plaid variant is priced at $92,900.
Tesla North America also said in a post on X said it would end its referral program benefits in all markets after April 30.

Referral program allows buyers to get extra incentives through referrals from existing customers, a strategy long used by traditional automakers to boost sales.

Musk has postponed a planned trip to India where he was to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and announce plans to enter the South Asian market, Reuters reported on Saturday.
On Monday Reuters reported, citing an internal memo, that the EV maker was laying off more than 10% of its global workforce.
Earlier this month Reuters reported the EV maker had canceled a long-promised inexpensive car, expected to cost $25,000, that investors had been counting on to drive mass-market growth.
The EV maker reported this month that its global vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell for the first time in nearly four years, as price cuts failed to stir demand.

Tesla is to report first-quarter earnings on Tuesday.

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TikTok launches Instagram competitor ‘Notes’

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TikTok Notes has launched in Australia & Canada as a formidable competitor to Instagram, offering a unique platform for content creation, text and sharing.

“TikTok Notes is a lifestyle platform that offers informative photo-text content about people’s lives, where you can see individuals sharing their travel tips and daily recipes,” reads the official App Store description.

Take note

The app allows users to create content by combining short videos with text-based notes, closely resembling that of Meta’s Instagram.

Whether it’s sharing a quick tutorial, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking message, TikTok Notes is positioned to be a formidable social media platform.

Currently, the app is only available for download and “limited testing” in Australia and Canada.

As it gains momentum, the platform is poised to contest Instagram’s established reign in the social media landscape.

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Ramifications of a TikTok ban to impact Open Internet

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The United States’ longstanding advocacy for an open internet faces a critical juncture as Congress considers legislation targeting TikTok.

The proposed measures, including a forced sale or outright ban of TikTok, have sparked concerns among digital rights advocates and global observers about the implications for internet freedom and international norms.

For decades, the U.S. has championed the concept of an unregulated internet, advocating for the free flow of digital data across borders.

However, the move against TikTok, a platform with 170 million U.S. users, has raised questions about the consistency of America’s stance on internet governance.

Read more – Big tech to handover misinformation data

Critics fear that actions against TikTok could set a precedent for other countries to justify their own internet censorship measures.

Russian blogger Aleksandr Gorbunov warned that Russia could use the U.S. decision to justify further restrictions on platforms like YouTube.

Similarly, Indian lawyer Mishi Choudhary expressed concerns that a U.S. ban on TikTok would embolden the Indian government to impose additional crackdowns on internet freedoms.

Moreover, the proposed legislation could complicate U.S. efforts to advocate for an internet governed by international organizations rather than individual countries.

China, in particular, has promoted a vision of internet sovereignty, advocating for greater national control over online content.

A TikTok ban could undermine America’s credibility in urging other countries to embrace a more open internet governed by global standards.

 

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