Tech News
Instagram Privacy Risks: Why Fun Can Turn into a Threat

By Amit Weigman, Office of the CTO, Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd.
Instagram Privacy Risks: Friend Map Sparks Safety Concerns
Instagram privacy risks are in the spotlight as the platform rolls out its new Friend Map feature. So what does this mean? The tool allows users to share live locations with friends. While this might strengthen social connections, it also introduces serious safety concerns, from stalking to unwanted data exposure.
Why Friend Map Fuels Instagram Privacy Risks
The idea of location-sharing is not new. However, Instagram’s scale and influence make Friend Map a unique case. By enabling constant access to users’ movements, the feature opens the door to potential abuse by cyberstalkers or even strangers. Furthermore, oversharing locations can put personal safety at risk, especially for younger users who may underestimate the implications and can end up in danger.
Privacy advocates emphasize that Instagram privacy risks are not just hypothetical. In the past, location-based features on social platforms have been exploited for harmful purposes. This track record reinforces the importance of using Friend Map carefully and intentionally.
How to Reduce Instagram Risks and Stay Safe
Fortunately, Instagram has built in some safety tools. Users can control who views their Friend Map and limit access to trusted contacts. Transitioning from open sharing to selective sharing dramatically reduces exposure.
In addition, experts recommend adopting simple but effective habits:
- -Regularly review your privacy settings.
- -Share your location only when necessary.
- -Teach younger users about the dangers of constant visibility.
By staying proactive, users can enjoy Instagram’s features without falling victim to unnecessary risks.
Balancing Connection with Protection
Instagram wants Friend Map to encourage connection and spontaneity. Yet the reality is clear: every added feature also increases potential vulnerabilities. That is why being mindful of Instagram privacy risks is vital. Users who stay cautious, update their settings, and educate themselves can balance fun with safety.
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Tech News
Zoho Corporation Opens its First Data Centres in UAE
Zoho Corporation announced the launch of its data centres in UAE in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The data centres form a part of AED 100 million investment in the UAE that the company had announced in 2023. The data centre will host solutions from Zoho Corporation’s two key brands: ManageEngine (enterprise IT management) and Zoho (cloud business solutions).
“The opening of our data centres is part of our ongoing investment in the UAE, which remains one of the largest markets in the region for both ManageEngine and Zoho brands,” said Shailesh Davey, Co-founder and CEO, Zoho Corporation. “With this move, Zoho Corporation will be enabling businesses store their data locally, strengthening data sovereignty, and supporting National Cybersecurity Agenda. Furthermore, 100+ solutions across Zoho and ManageEngine, will enable businesses of all sizes, and government and semi-government organisations adopt cloud technology for digital transformation in nearly every area of operation, and help Dubai become a digital economy line with Dubai Vision 2030.”
The data centres have also received certification from CSP Security Standard Certificate by DESC (Dubai Electronic Security Center). This qualifies Zoho Corporation to serve government and semi-government entities in addition to local businesses. As part of this, the data centres are also compliant with: ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 27017 and CSA STAR Level 2 Certificate for data centres. In addition, the company’s Dubai office has received ISO 27001 certificate.
Growth Momentum of Zoho
Zoho has grown by 38.7% in 2025 in UAE, and expanded its partner network by 29% in the same period. It has further increased its employee count by 35% last year to serve the needs of its increasing customer base, and expanded into a larger office. The key solutions driving Zoho’s growth are: Customer Experience platform (Zoho CRM, Desk and Zoho CRM Plus), Zoho Books (VAT-compliant and FTA-approved accounting software), Creator (low-code app development platform), Zoho Workplace (communication and collaboration platform), and Zoho One (all-in-one suite of 55+ products).
In the past five years, Zoho has invested AED 80 million on enabling over 7000 businesses in their digital transformation journey through various partnerships such as those with DET and Dubai Culture. In the past few years, Zoho has seen a steady upmarket growth in the country, 48% in 2025, led by its strong platform capabilities that allow enterprises achieve faster time to value and lowers their total cost of ownership.
Growth Momentum of ManageEngine
ManageEngine has grown by 20% in 2025 in the UAE, led by its continued focus on the enterprise sector. The brand has strengthened its local presence, including through the partner network, to support the increasing adoption of its solutions across both private and government organizations. The key solutions driving the growth are: Endpoint Central (unified endpoint management), ServiceDesk Plus (unified service management) and Site24x7 (cloud-based observability platform).
In the recent years, growth in the UAE for ManageEngine has been particularly strong in BFSI, government and public sector, and manufacturing, fuelled by cloud adoption, which is growing at nearly 35% in the region for the brand’s cloud solutions. This trend reflects a broader shift toward cloud-first strategies, as organizations prioritise scalability, agility, and faster innovation.
Tech News
MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS EXPANDS AI-POWERED SECURITY PLATFORM TO SOLVE COMPLEX SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES
Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) will showcase how its latest advancements in AI are helping critical enterprises and security providers maintain safety and awareness across vast operations, moving from reactive incident detection to proactive response, at Intersec, taking place from January 12 to 14.
Avigilon Visual Alerts uses intuitive conversational interfaces to significantly expand the catalogue of visual events that can be detected across large volumes of camera feeds. Security teams can easily create custom alerts unique to their site, such as “unauthorized vehicle near shut-off valve” or “blocked fire exit.” Visual Alerts scans the camera network for these scenarios to notify operational and security staff to triage and quickly respond. By bringing these generative AI capabilities directly on-premise without requiring cloud connectivity, the company is transforming video security from an intrusion and security focused tool into a site-specific operational engine, enabling critical industries to identify a vast array of safety, compliance, and logistical risks that extend far beyond traditional security threats.
“The power of our AI-enabled video and access control solutions isn’t just its ability to process data, but its capacity to give security teams more of their most precious resource – time,” said Jehan Wickramasuriya, senior vice president, Security & Resilience Software, Motorola Solutions. “We are unlocking the full potential of video by dramatically increasing the breadth of what we can detect. Whether upholding compliance in a refinery or keeping patients safe in a hospital, we’re enabling our customers to tailor their detection systems to the specific, nuanced reality of their daily operations.”
Visual Alerts supports sectors that are vital to the Middle East’s economy, including oil and gas, fueled by soaring output and extensive reserves, and healthcare, spurred by major government investments. The solution provides real-time, AI-powered detections to enhance safety, security and compliance, from alerting workers to hazards, to quickly identifying patient falls and constantly monitoring restricted zones.
“As a 300-bed hospital that occupies almost 30,000 square meters of land, we have large numbers of people and expansive physical resources to protect,” said Abdulrub Alsadeek, IT Director, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Center (HMG) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “During an incident, our AI-powered Avigilon security platform becomes a powerful tool to help our security teams reconcile data, understand different events across our vast operations and take immediate action based on relevant, verified information.”
Other highlights from Motorola Solutions at Intersec Dubai complement Visual Alerts, including long-range cameras that provide highly accurate detection capabilities in extreme environments and operational resilience software that helps enterprises anticipate, prepare for and more efficiently respond to events.
“For the critical industries we serve, our AI technologies are proven to enhance security, safety, and operational efficiency without adding complexity for staff,” said Pedro Simoes, corporate vice president, Video Security & Access Control, Motorola Solutions. “By surfacing essential data facilitated by privacy-aware AI analysis on-premises, we help users focus on critical events and make informed decisions to protect people, property and places.”
Attendees can experience Motorola Solutions’ safety and security ecosystem, including AI-powered on-premise and cloud-connected video and access control offerings at Sheikh Saeed Hall – stand SA-C11 at Intersec Dubai.
Tech News
PNY ANNOUNCES NEW DUAL-SLOT SLIM MODELS FOR NVIDIA® GEFORCE RTX™ 50 SERIES
PNY® announced today the launch of three new GeForce RTX 50 Series Slim Models, engineered to deliver the full power of NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture in an ultra-compact, dual-slot design. Available in RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 configurations, these cards combine cutting-edge performance with space-saving innovation that’s ideal for compact PC builds.
Slim Design, Big Performance
PNY’s new slim GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards feature an innovative lightweight, dual-fan, dual-slotdesign, making them among the most compact enthusiast cards currently in market, alongside NVIDIA Founders Edition. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate images at unprecedented speed, and unleash creativity with NVIDIA Studio. Built on NVIDIA’s reference design and enhanced with PNY’s superior thermal solutions, these graphics cards pack the full power of GeForce RTX 5080, 5070 Ti and 5070 GPU models into a much smaller footprint. Perfect for mATX motherboard configurations – these cards are the ideal choice for creators, gamers, and AI-PC enthusiasts who demand high-end performance in limited-space environments.

New slim designs will be available in RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5070 GPU models.
Masterfully Crafted Cooling
With an overhauled thermal design using two large 120mm fans, a massive vapor chamber and an aluminum backplate, PNY’s new Slim graphics cards deliver superior cooling capabilities and enhanced acoustic performance via ultra-quiet fan operation. Users can further customize their experience using PNY’s VelocityX™ Software to optimize their graphics card’s clock tuning, change fan settings, monitor performance, and more.
Exceptional Gameplay Experience
The new slim models deliver an exceptional gameplay experience and realism, thanks to the incredible processing power of NVIDIA Blackwell architecture. Gamers can expect improved performance and stability in the most graphically stunning AAA games, enjoying a seamless combination of ultra-fast memory and performance. These dual-slot, dual-fan graphics cards by PNY raise the bar for visual graphics, establishing a new standard for a next-level gameplay experience in compact builds.
Rise of AI
NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs are engineered for the AI era, equipped with specialized AI Tensor Cores that provide advanced performance and transformative capabilities for AI in gaming, creative applications, productivity, and more. With RTX, users can unleash the full potential of AI on Windows PCs today and in the future.
PNY GeForce RTX™ 5080 16GB Slim Dual-Fan 2-Slot Graphics Card
- 16GB GDDR7 (256-bit)
- 120mm Dual-Fan, 2-Slot
- 11.8” x 5.9” x 1.6” (300 x 150 x 40mm)
- Core Clock: 2295 MHz / Boost Clock: 2617 MHz (2730 MHz on OC Model)
- PCI Express 5.0
- (x3) DisplayPort and (x1) HDMI
PNY GeForce RTX™ 5070 Ti 16GB Slim Dual-Fan 2-Slot Graphics Card
- 16GB GDDR7 (256-bit)
- 120mm Dual-Fan, 2-Slot
- 11.4” x 5.9” x 1.6” (290 x 150 x 40mm)
- Core Clock: 2295 MHz / Boost Clock: 2452 MHz (2572 MHz on OC Model)
- PCI Express 5.0
- (x3) DisplayPort and (x1) HDMI
PNY GeForce RTX™ 5070 12GB Slim Dual-Fan 2-Slot Graphics Card
- 12GB GDDR7 (192-bit)
- 100mm Dual-Fan, 2-Slot
- SFF-Ready Enthusiast GeForce Card
- 11.4” x 5.0” x 1.6” (290 x 128 x 40mm)
- Core Clock: 2325 MHz / Boost Clock: 2512 MHz (2587 MHz on OC Model)
- PCI Express 5.0
- (x3) DisplayPort and (x1) HDMI
Product Availability
The GeForce RTX 50 Series Slim Models will be offered in both standard and overclocked versions, with expected availability at Amazon and PNY channel in February 2026.
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