Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index says Gen Z workers are struggling with remote work, Instagram is one of the world’s most invasive apps according to a new study, and Zoom profits soar while paying no income tax.
It’s all the tech news that’s popular right now. Welcome to Hashtag Trending! It’s Tuesday, March 23 and I’m your host Baneet Braich.
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Gen Z workers – people born roughly between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s – are stressed and struggling more than their peers when it comes to remote work, according to Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index. They’re not alone when it comes to some of these challenges, but the survey suggests Gen-Z workers tend to be single, leading them to feel isolated and since they’re early in their careers, they don’t have the financial means to create a good workspace at home. Unless their employer pays for it. The Index also contained some insight into the Canadian workforce as well – In Canada, 47 per cent of workers report feeling exhausted during a typical workday, compared with the 39 per cent global average. Stress levels are also higher than the global average, with more than 50 per cent of Canadian workers reporting feeling stressed. You can read more coverage about the index at ITWorldCanada.com.
Instagram topped a new list of most invasive apps from cloud storage firm pCloud. The company’s study found that Instagram collects 79 per cent of its users’ personal data and shares it with third parties, including search history, location, contacts and financial info. Ivan Dimitrov, a digital manager at pCloud, wrote in a blog post detailing the research, “With over 1 billion monthly active users it’s worrying that Instagram is a hub for sharing such a high amount of its unknowing users’ data.”
And lastly, The Independent is reporting that Zoom’s pandemic popularity saw company profits increase by more than 4,000 per cent. Not only that, it has paid no federal corporate income tax. Zoom’s video conferencing platform was widely used by remote workers and school children and enterprise workers across the U.S. and Canada due to social distancing and quarantine measures. Some of the reaction on Reddit has taken on the tone of “don’t hate the player, hate the game,” while others are less forgiving, suggesting large companies making billions should take the leadership position and invest in the cities they’re located in beyond what’s required of them by the law.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire Newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. I’m Baneet Braich, thanks for listening!