iWorld
FanCode locks exclusive Formula 1 India rights in deal running to 2028
INDIA: FanCode has extended its exclusive broadcast partnership with Formula 1, securing rights in India until the end of the 2028 season and tightening its grip on one of the country’s fastest-growing sports audiences.
Under the renewed multi-year deal, FanCode will stream every Formula 1 practice session, qualifying hour, sprint race and Grand Prix, offering wall-to-wall coverage tailored for Indian fans. The agreement also brings F1 TV Pro and F1 TV Premium directly onto the FanCode platform, widening access to onboard cameras, team radios and deeper race analytics.
The extension builds on a partnership that began in 2024 and coincides with Formula 1’s rapid rise in India, where the sport now claims a fanbase of about 79 million. FanCode said it will continue to invest in community-led initiatives, including live fan screenings and interactive viewing formats, to deepen engagement.
FanCode will also retain broadcast rights in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, reinforcing its position as Formula 1’s digital home across the Indian subcontinent.
The timing is opportune. From 2026, Formula 1 enters a new regulatory era, with fresh technical rules and the arrival of Audi and Cadillac as new teams. The debut of Arvid Lindblad, a driver of Indian heritage, is expected to further energise local interest.
Formula 1 chief media rights and broadcasting officer Ian Holmes, said the partnership had strengthened the sport’s reach in India and helped deliver a more immersive race-weekend experience. FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco, said the renewal underlined the platform’s ambition to serve India’s most passionate sports communities with premium, fan-first coverage.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
