#TechFriday n°2️⃣4️⃣8️⃣ – Issue of 22/08/2025

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This week in #TechFriday: hashtags empowering voices in Cameroon 🇨🇲, the decline of landlines ☎️, and a bold project in Burkina Faso to cut Internet costs 🇧🇫. We dive into WhatsApp 📞 and Spotify 🎶 updates, GPT-5’s disappointing debut 🤖, a massive PayPal password leak 💥, and Google’s new safeguards against sensitive content 🔒. Plus, the hidden footprint of AI 💧 and Meta forced to remove influencer content 🍷. All the week’s tech, unfiltered, in one click!

From Silence to Hashtags: How Social Media Shattered the Wall of Silence in Cameroon 🇨🇲📱

In Cameroon, the Hervé Bopda case has empowered victims of sexual abuse to speak out thanks to social media. Simple anonymous testimonies have become a national movement, sparking public debate, revealing the power of hashtags, and demonstrating the role of digital technology as a social court. Click here for full story

When the Ring Fades: The Twilight of Cameroon’s Landlines ☎️💔

In Cameroon, the landline telephone, once a sign of social success and a vital communication tool, has given way to the explosion of cell phones and applications. Now relegated to the office and perceived as a relic, it embodies the abrupt rupture of a country that has gone straight into the digital age. Click here for full story

Burkina Faso Could Get a Virtual Operator to Cut Internet Costs 🇧🇫📶

Faced with high Internet prices in Burkina Faso, engineer Moussa Traoré is proposing a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). This model, which has already been tried and tested elsewhere, would make it possible to slash prices without heavy investment. The project is still in its infancy, but has generated high expectations among consumers. Click here for full story

Spotify wants you to DJ your own playlists with “Mix” 💽

Spotify is changing playlists forever with “Mix” — a new mode that turns your tracks into custom mixtapes with smooth transitions, creative effects, and even collaborative mixes with friends. Streaming meets self-expression like never before. Click here for full story

OpenAI’s GPT-5: brilliant on paper, flat in practice 🤖💥

GPT-5, launched with great fanfare, promised an AI revolution. But after initial testing, disappointment set in: a cold tone, basic errors, strict limitations, and the abrupt removal of older models. OpenAI is struggling to convince. This flop invites reflection on the future of AI and its place in our lives. Click here for full story

15.8M PayPal passwords surface on the dark web—here’s what we know 🧐

A massive leak of 15.8 million PayPal-related passwords has caused panic online: was it a real hack or data stolen elsewhere? We take a look at what happened, why it affects everyone, and what steps you should take to stay safe. Click here for full story

Digital Safety: Google Messages Now Blurs Explicit Images 🔒

AI isn’t free: Google and Mistral finally put numbers on chatbot costs 💧

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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 ✌🏾😁