Meta is apparently blocking European Union VPN access to the Instagram Threads app. The app isn’t available in the EU as yet due to privacy concerns. According to techcrunch.com, the Threads app extensively tracks users, per Meta’s privacy policy and the app’s iOS listing — which discloses the app may collect a range of personal data, including highly sensitive information such as health and financial data, precise location, browsing history, contacts and search history. This approach creates legal and regulatory challenges for Meta in the EU. Meta is working on trying to meet EU requirements.

Twitter has officially launched its ad-revenue sharing program for creators. Engadget.com reports that the platform has already started paying eligible Blue subscribers. One subscriber has claimed he is going to get $24,000. The rewards are based on ads in replies to eligible users’ content. In order to qualify, you have to be on Twitter Blue or be a Verified Organization, and have at least 5 million post impressions in each of the last 3 months.

Ever forget to turn on ‘airplane mode’ when you were flying? Perhaps even gotten a scolding from a flight attendant? I would have to answer yes and no to that. I left on an iPad with cellular a couple times, and amazingly never got talked to and the plane never crashed. Now, androidpolice.com says that Google has filed a patent on what they call Connected Flight Mode. Apparently, it allows the device to automatically switch based on specific factors, relieving you from having to remember. When the device notices elements suggestive of an in-flight status, such as location, altitude, pressure, speed, and background noise levels, the connected flight mode turns on. For instance, the device transforms from the usual mode to the Connected Flight Mode when it judges that it is inside an airplane and recognizes the particular noises, pressures, and motions that usually precede a takeoff. This mode prohibits some radio frequency communications like cellular networks, but it might still permit others, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to function.

In probably the most important story I’ve done in a while, here are some of the new emoji coming for 2024. I am nearly paralyzed with excitement! It looks like there could be a head shaking horizontally one, a nodding head emoji, a lime…the whole thing, not just a squeeze…a phoenix, a broken chain, and gasp…a mushroom…’a ‘shroom, man.’ Macrumors.com reports that we may also see family silhouettes, and directional people emoji with multiple skin tones. The Unicode Consortium will be approving characters in September. Not all, but most emoji proposed at this point are approved. I know you are like me and can hardly wait. I hope no one tries to rotate and elongate that ’shroom, ‘cause that would be naughty.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ’Technified’ for now.