Google releases 'safety charter' for India, senior exec details top cyber threat actors in the country
On digital privacy laws emerging around the world, including India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, Adkins said the company advocates for standardisation and principles-based approach to enable a seamless experience as they adapt across countries, while factoring in local needs and innovation.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
India has a unique lens on how technology is being used today, given the scale of the country, the speed at which people are coming online, and the vibrancy of the business community, said Heather Adkins , VP security engineering, Google . Threat actors responding to this ecosystem also provides a useful view of the evolving threat landscape, she said, adding that patterns seen in India may be translated in other parts of the world.Google on Tuesday released a 'safety charter' for India to address online scams and fraud, cybersecurity for government and businesses, and responsible artificial intelligence. The company is looking to deepen partnerships with the government, local organisations, and academia in these areas, said Adkins.Initiatives under the safety charter will be executed through the Google Security Engineering Centre being set up in a hub-and-spoke model across Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, she told ET.Local engagements help to understand patterns better and protect people globally, Adkins said.'What we might learn about a pattern in India will then be automatically translated to a user somewhere else in the world, which is very beneficial for us,' she said, 'and because of India's scale, you have so many people online, that gives us a lens that's very unique in the world in terms of what we can see.'Fraudulent loan apps and 'digital arrest' scams, for instance, were seen emerging in the country.On digital privacy laws emerging around the world, including India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, Adkins said the company advocates for standardisation and principles-based approach to enable a seamless experience as they adapt across countries, while factoring in local needs and innovation.'Regulation works well when it addresses the problem and gets it solved, and so what we don't want to see is regulation that makes the other problems worse,' she said.On the question of heightened threats during conflicts like the recent India-Pakistan tensions, Adkins said cybersecurity is now a bigger factor in conflicts as well as natural disasters across the world, with scammers trying to trick people via, say, donation links.'It's really easy for the scammers to pick up on current events and then use that to trick well-intentioned people out of money, out of personal information, into installing apps that are dangerous,' she said.Threat actors are also using Gen AI for greater productivity, language translation, and research, and the company is 'very concerned' about how the technology can make attacks easier, said Adkins.Sharing information and signals about these trends among partners will help tackle the problem, she said, adding that AI is also key in identifying fraud emails or removing malicious apps.Google is set to collaborate further with the ministry of home affairs, partnering with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) for user awareness on cybercrimes over the next two months.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Midjourney rolls out first-ever AI video model V1: Availability and how to use
Representative Image Midjourney's first-ever AI video generation model, V1, is now official. This new model from the AI startup will allow users to transform photos into five-second video clips. Users can either upload their photos or use images created by other Midjourney models to generate a set of four distinct five-second videos based on the picture provided to the image-to-video model . This model places Midjourney alongside other companies developing AI video generation models, including OpenAI's Sora and Google's Veo 3. While several companies are working on controllable AI video tools for commercial use, Midjourney has taken a different approach by focusing on AI image models aimed at creative users. In a blog post, David Holz, the company's CEO writes: 'As you know, our focus for the past few years has been images. What you might not know, is that we believe the inevitable destination of this technology are models capable of real-time open-world simulations.' Midjourney V1 video-generation AI model: Availability and how to use Similar to Midjourney's image generation tools, V1 is accessible exclusively through Discord and is currently only available on the web. To access V1, users have to purchase Midjourney's Basic plan, priced at $10 per month. Meanwhile, users who subscribe to the $60-per-month Pro plan and the $120-per-month Mega plan can generate unlimited videos using the platform's slower 'Relax' mode. Midjourney has stated that it will review its pricing for video models over the coming month. V1 includes several custom settings that give users control over the video model's output. Users can choose an automatic animation mode, which applies random movement to an image, or a manual mode, where they can describe a specific animation through text input. The settings also allow users to adjust the level of camera and subject movement by selecting either 'low motion' or 'high motion.' Videos generated with V1 are initially five seconds long, but users have the option to extend them by four seconds at a time, up to four times, allowing for a maximum duration of 21 seconds. 5 Must-Have Gadgets for Your Next Beach Holiday to Stay Safe, Cool & Connected AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Two Guinness Records set; IYD-2025 a historic event, says Naidu
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound happiness over the success of the Yogandhra initiative and the world records achieved in performing Yoga as part of International Yoga Day–2025 celebrations that concluded in Visakhapatnam on Saturday (June 21). Two Guinness Book of World records and 21 World Records were registered by the State government. Speaking to reporters after conducting a review on the successful conduct of the celebrations in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part, Mr. Naidu said the event on Saturday was incident-free and a historic one. 'This was done with the use of technology and proper planning. It was a massive success and the credit goes to the cabinet sub-committee that was formed to oversee the arrangements and the officials,' he said. Mr. Naidu said a staggering 3,02,087 people have participated in the event on Saturday and the participation was voluntary. 'The enthusiasm of the people was clearly evident and that was why we could achieve this feat. People started arriving as early as 2 a.m.,' he said. Two crore people Lauding the efforts of Mr. Narendra Modi in promoting yoga across 175 countries, the CM said yoga was performed at 1.30 lakh locations with the participation of more than two crore people across the State on Saturday. 'We will come up with a Visakhapatnam Declaration with the Yoga Day as inspiration. Yoga will be a game changer in preventive healthcare,' he asserted and said Yoga, Naturopathy and Ayurveda are treasures passed down by our ancestors and Prime Minister Modi revived them. Further, green energy, Swacch Bharat and natural farming are now being taken up on a massive scale to protect the nature, Mr. Naidu said. On the occasion, Mr. Naidu said the 'Double engine sarkar' had accelerated development of Visakhapatnam. 'The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant is being revived, setting up of a railway zone is on track, Metro Rail connectivity is not far away. IT giants like Google, Cognizant and TCS are also coming to Visakhapatnam,' he said. The government will soon unveil a vision document for the development of the erstwhile three north coastal Andhra and East Godavari districts, the Chief Minister said. 'An economic corridor will come up on the lines of Mumbai. Similarly, Rayalaseema will be also have an economic corridor with Tirupati as its focal point and Amaravati will be centre for development of other districts,' he said and added that they have promised to provide 25 lakh jobs and they will deliver it. Asked about the criticism of Opposition YSRC that public money was wasted on the event, Mr. Naidu said it is unwarranted and unnecessary to speak about some individuals on happy occasions. 'Didn't he (former Chief Minister) spent hundreds of crores on Rushikonda (Palace)?' he questioned and said the Centre will bear ₹75 crore of the total amount spent by the State for YogAndhra. Records set Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said more money has to be spent to set Guinness World Records. Announcing that a total of 21 world records and two Guinness World Records were set in the month-long campaign, Naidu said aiming for Guinness Records requires expenditure of money.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Google techie reveals how he got the job after 2 internships. It might be the ultimate playbook for breaking into big tech
In an industry where getting a foot in the door can feel more difficult than debugging legacy code, Google software engineer Tawfiq Mohammad's journey is fast becoming a masterclass in how to build a successful Big Tech career—starting as early as your first year in college. In an interview with YouTuber Sajjaad Khader, Mohammad shared his experience of interning at Google for two summers before securing a full-time role. He credits this early exposure and structured preparation as some of the most decisive factors in his career. 'I think one of the most important things I've done in my career, to date, is applying for these first- and second-year programs,' he said, highlighting how early-stage internships come with a relatively lower hiring bar. 'For example, they'll ask like a Leetcode easy instead of a Leetcode medium,' he pointed out, referencing the notorious technical interviews that many developers dread. From Chaos to Clarity: Tracking Applications Like a Pro But getting into Google wasn't just a matter of talent or timing—it was about strategy. Mohammad emphasized the importance of tracking applications rather than submitting resumes en masse and hoping for the best. 'It was very organized,' he said. 'I would update the status of each application, and it would help me a lot to prepare for each interview and for which stage I was at.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now His advice also included mastering patterns in coding problems rather than rote memorization. 'If you try to memorize it problem by problem, you'll eventually be given a problem that you don't know,' he cautioned. 'You just want to master the overarching principles.' Referrals and Realism: Getting a Boost from the Inside While hard work paid off, Mohammad was honest about the advantages he had. A referral from a family friend already working at Google helped him land an interview faster. 'I got an interview really soon after she submitted the referral,' he recalled. 'You want to try to separate yourself from everyone as much as you can.' You Might Also Like: What no one tells you about working at Google: 6 biggest lessons from a techie's experience Still, he made it clear that connections are only one piece of the puzzle. For those without a network, Mohammad recommends building one through independent learning and meaningful projects that demonstrate real-world skills. The Mindset Shift That Matters After landing the internship, Mohammad didn't treat the opportunity as just a resume booster. Instead, he focused on self-learning and becoming as independent as possible while still seeking mentorship when needed. 'You're smart enough to evaluate whether you're blocked,' he said. 'But try to solve your problems on your own. Just by doing that, you'll understand how all the systems fit together.' He also underlined the importance of learning from seasoned developers during internships. 'They're really smart, so you want to absorb as much information as you can from them,' he said in an earlier conversation with Business Insider. In a tech job market bruised by layoffs and flooded with competition, Mohammad's story serves as a timely reminder that a mix of strategy, self-study, and soft networking can still crack open the gates of Big Tech. His methods may not be universal, but they offer a framework—perhaps even a playbook—for students hoping to rise in the ranks of Silicon Valley giants. You Might Also Like: Google techie's viral post sparks debate on work-life balance in big tech. Netizen says, 'you get paid more than 40 LPA'
