Par Axel Toubson
#TechFriday n°2️⃣3️⃣9️⃣ – Issue of 20/06/2025
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📬 #TechFriday is here! This week, we dive into how Cameroon is reading differently, WhatsApp’s shift (ads, channels, subscriptions), a massive data breach, Google’s AI detector, and Facebook’s emotional targeting scandal. Plus: iROKOtv’s pivot in Africa’s streaming market, Togo’s digital upskilling dream, Algeria’s tech-savvy blood donation system, Apple’s friction with the EU, and whether RCS is really the future of messaging. A power-packed roundup not to miss!
From dusty shelves to digital screens: How Cameroonians are reshaping the way they read 📚
Libraries in Cameroon are emptying out, while digital books are gaining ground, especially among young people. Digital books may be seductive for their practicality, but access to them remains uneven. Paper and digital coexist, creating a new reading culture. Click here for full story
WhatsApp is rolling out ads in Status, a long-anticipated but controversial move, alongside sponsored channels and paid subscriptions. While Meta promises privacy, the platform is evolving—offering new tools for creators and fresh revenue streams for itself. Click here for full story
Massive data breach: are your credentials among the 16 billion exposed ? ⚠️
Can we trust what we see online? Google bets on SynthID Detector to help 🔍
Google unveils SynthID Detector, a tool capable of identifying AI-generated content thanks to an invisible watermark. Aimed at combating misinformation, it can identify artificial texts, images, sounds or videos, and marks a step towards more responsible AI. Click here for full story
From self-doubt to shopping: Ex-Facebook exec says the company profited off teen girls’ emotional struggles 😔
A former Facebook executive reveals that the platform targeted teenage girls in times of self-doubt to maximize its advertising profits. A cynical strategy in which negative emotions became commercial opportunities, rekindling the debate on the excesses of surveillance capitalism. Click here for full story
Can the Netflix model ever work in Africa? iROKOtv says maybe not 🎬
Togo wants to train 50,000 students in digital skills every year 🇹🇬🎓
Togo is launching an ambitious free online training program to introduce 50,000 students a year to Python, AI and technical English. Accessible to all, it aims to boost the employability of young people and make the country a technology hub in West Africa. Click here for full story
Algeria launches smart system to boost blood donation response 🇩🇿🩸
Algeria deploys a digital platform to optimize blood donation. Thanks to a targeted, secure database, hospitals can quickly contact donors in the event of an emergency. This project marks a step forward in the digitization of the Algerian healthcare system. Click here for full story
Outside the App Store, danger lurks — or so Apple wants you to believe 💰
Apple authorizes non-App Store payments from the DMA, but imposes dissuasive alerts on users. Accused of intimidating rather than protecting, the firm defends an ultra-profitable model threatened by European regulations. A digital tug-of-war that raises questions about freedom of choice. Click here for full story
Is RCS the Future of Messaging – or Just Too Late ?
RCS modernizes SMS with enriched functions (files, calls, emojis). A late adopter, notably on iPhone with iOS 18, it is struggling to establish itself in the face of giants like WhatsApp or Telegram. Its usefulness remains real but limited, especially for users without third-party apps. Click here for full story
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That’s it for this week. We wish you a good weekend and look forward to hearing from you in the comments.
TechGriot ✌🏾😁
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