Tech Roundup: DuckDuckGo Browser, WhatsApp Communities & More

[A recurring feature on the latest in Science & Technology.]

• China's National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA), which controls state-owned media enterprises, bans online platforms from live-streaming video games without approval; says it's needed to tackle "game addiction among teenagers."
• Apple criticises that antitrust measures such as sideloading could "undermine privacy and security" as the company continues to push back on competition regulations and proposals around the world; says "data-hungry companies would be able to avoid our privacy rules, and once again track our users against their will."
• Twitter reverts a change that left blank embeds on websites for deleted tweets "after considering the feedback" as the company explores "different options."
• Meta to no longer allow the sharing of 'publicly available' private home addresses on its social media networks; says "implementing this recommendation can strengthen privacy protections on our platforms"; to add a new feature in WhatsApp that lets users share "short links" to their profiles to start a conversation, brings emoji reactions, and debuts Communities to enable users to form larger groups in a Discord-like fashion.
• Crypto giant Coinbase does a U-turn in India; suspends support for UPI payments on its platforms, making its eponymous exchange non-functional again for any purchase orders less than four days after launching the trading service in the world’s second largest internet market.
• Netflix is rolling out a Double Thumbs Up ratings option, alongside thumbs up and down options, to let it refine content algorithmic recommendations.
• Google to bring support for Picture-in-Picture mode in YouTube TV to all iOS 15 and later devices "in a matter of days" for premium and non-premium users. (The feature for the main YouTube app is only available to Premium members on Android mobile phones, with limited tests ongoing with iOS users.)
• Apple begins manufacturing the iPhone 13 units in India; to reportedly face an additional E.U. antitrust charge in the coming weeks as part of an investigation into its music streaming triggered by a complaint from rival Spotify in 2019.
• Newsletter platform Substack rolls out support for two-factor authentication for account holders via the web, with mobile app support in the pipeline.
• Meta's social social metaverse platform, Horizon Worlds, to gain a web version, in a major expansion of the virtual reality video game; tests new feature that lets creators sell virtual items and effects within Horizon Worlds, stating "the ability to sell virtual items and access to things inside the worlds is a new part of [the] e-commerce equation overall," as the company unveils plans to take a 47.5% commission on purchases made inside the 'Metaverse' despite criticising Apple's 30% App Store cut.
• DuckDuckGo debuts its privacy-centric web browser for macOS in an invite-only beta, with support for tracking protection, built-in password manager and emphasis on speed.
• Twitter acquires mobile engagement platform OpenBack to enhance push notifications on the social network.
• Music streamer Spotify rebrands Clubhouse-like companion app Spotify Greenroom as Spotify Live and integrates its live audio capabilities into its main service.