Yemen’s Digital Connectivity: Progress, Gaps and the Road Ahead

Yemen’s digital landscape is changing, but the country continues to face major challenges in connectivity, broadband access, affordability and digital inclusion. Recent indicators from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) DataHub provide a useful snapshot of where Yemen stands and where greater investment could make the biggest difference.

[FEATURED IMAGE: Yemen Digital Connectivity Snapshot — ITU DataHub infographic]

Yemen’s digital landscape at a glance

According to the ITU DataHub, Yemen’s population reached approximately 41.8 million in 2025.

The country’s telecommunications sector remains heavily dependent on mobile networks. In 2023, Yemen recorded 34.3 active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 people, demonstrating that mobile connectivity is significantly more widespread than fixed broadband.

However, access to the Internet remains much lower than mobile subscription figures might suggest. The ITU reports that 17.5% of individuals in Yemen were using the Internet in 2019, while the latest available household indicator shows 29.6% of households had Internet access at home in 2021.

These figures also highlight an important issue: having access to a mobile network does not necessarily mean having meaningful, affordable and reliable Internet access.

Mobile networks are the backbone of connectivity

Mobile telecommunications are currently the most important connectivity platform for Yemen.

In 2023, mobile population coverage stood at:

87.5% for at least 2G
74.6% for at least 3G
56.7% for at least LTE/WiMAX
0% for at least 5G

The figures show that basic mobile coverage reaches a large majority of the population, while higher-speed technologies have considerably lower coverage.

[IMAGE 2: Mobile network coverage in Yemen — 2G, 3G, LTE/WiMAX and 5G infographic]

The gap between basic coverage and advanced broadband coverage is particularly important.

While 87.5% of the population was covered by at least 2G, LTE/WiMAX coverage was only 56.7%. This means millions of people may have some form of mobile network availability but still face limitations when using data-intensive services such as video conferencing, online education, cloud applications and digital public services.

The absence of reported 5G coverage also indicates that Yemen remains at an early stage of the transition towards next-generation mobile networks.

Mobile broadband is growing, but usage remains constrained

Yemen recorded 34.3 active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 people in 2023.

This is an important indicator because mobile broadband is likely to remain the primary way many Yemenis access digital services.

Mobile broadband Internet traffic reached 10.3 GB per subscription in 2023.

This demonstrates that mobile networks are not simply providing basic communication services. They are increasingly being used for Internet access, information, entertainment, social media, education, business and other digital activities.

However, subscription numbers should not be interpreted as equivalent to the number of unique Internet users. One individual can have multiple subscriptions, while other people may share devices or connections.

For Yemen, the next stage of digital development therefore needs to focus not only on expanding subscriptions, but also on meaningful connectivity.

Fixed broadband remains a major weakness

Fixed broadband connectivity is considerably less developed.

The ITU reports 1.27 fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 people in Yemen in 2022. By comparison, the global figure shown by the ITU for 2025 was 20.1 subscriptions per 100 people.

[IMAGE 3: Fixed broadband versus mobile broadband in Yemen]

The difference illustrates the country’s dependence on mobile connectivity.

A strong fixed broadband infrastructure can provide important advantages, particularly for:

Businesses
Universities and schools
Hospitals
Government institutions
Research organisations
Data centres
Technology companies
High-bandwidth residential applications

Expanding fibre-optic networks and reliable fixed broadband would therefore complement mobile networks rather than replace them.

Affordability is another critical challenge

Connectivity is meaningful only when people can afford to use it.

The ITU reports that the cost of a 5 GB data-only mobile broadband basket represented 7.78% of GNI per capita in Yemen in 2024.

For lower-income households, the effective burden can be substantially greater than the national average suggests.

[IMAGE 4: Digital affordability in Yemen — illustrating the cost of 5 GB mobile data]

Affordability affects more than social media or entertainment.

When Internet access is expensive, people may reduce their use of:

Online education
Telemedicine
Digital banking
E-government services
Remote work
Online business
Digital training
Research and scientific resources

Reducing the cost of connectivity should therefore be considered part of Yemen’s broader economic and social development strategy.

Internet use remains far behind network coverage

One of the most striking aspects of Yemen’s digital indicators is the difference between network coverage and Internet use.

The ITU reports that 17.5% of individuals were using the Internet in 2019.

This is significantly lower than the percentage of the population covered by mobile networks.

The gap suggests that infrastructure alone is not enough.

Internet adoption depends on several interconnected factors:

Infrastructure → affordability → devices → digital skills → relevant content → trust → regular usage

If any part of this chain is weak, the benefits of connectivity can remain limited.

For Yemen, improving digital inclusion therefore requires a coordinated approach rather than focusing exclusively on network deployment.

The digital divide is also an economic issue

Digital connectivity is increasingly linked to economic opportunity.

A well-connected population can participate in:

Remote employment
Freelancing
Software development
Online commerce
Digital financial services
International education
Research collaboration
Technology entrepreneurship

For a country such as Yemen, expanding digital connectivity could help overcome some of the geographical and economic barriers that traditionally restrict access to opportunities.

Young people in particular could benefit from greater access to online education, professional training and global digital labour markets.

[IMAGE 5: Young Yemenis using digital technology for education, work and entrepreneurship]

The telecommunications sector should therefore be viewed not only as infrastructure, but also as an enabler of economic development.

Yemen needs investment in resilient telecommunications infrastructure

The country’s telecommunications infrastructure faces an unusually difficult operating environment.

Future investment should prioritise resilience, redundancy and geographic diversity.

Key priorities could include:

1. Expanding fibre-optic infrastructure

Fibre networks can provide high-capacity connectivity for cities, businesses, universities, government institutions and mobile operators.

2. Strengthening mobile networks

Expanding LTE coverage and improving network quality would provide immediate benefits for users who depend primarily on mobile broadband.

3. Developing reliable international connectivity

International bandwidth and gateway resilience are essential for maintaining access to global Internet services.

4. Improving network redundancy

Critical telecommunications infrastructure should have alternative routes and backup systems wherever technically and economically feasible.

5. Preparing for future technologies

Yemen should develop a long-term strategy for technologies including 5G, cloud computing, Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing and advanced fibre networks.

Digital development requires more than infrastructure

Infrastructure is only one part of the solution.

Yemen also needs investment in digital skills and human capital.

Schools, universities, vocational institutions and community programmes can play a major role in developing skills in:

Computer literacy
Cybersecurity
Software development
Networking
Cloud computing
Data science
Artificial intelligence
Digital entrepreneurship
Online safety

A digitally skilled population is better positioned to convert connectivity into employment, education and economic opportunity.

Universities can become digital innovation hubs

Yemen’s universities have an important role to play in the country’s digital transformation.

Improved connectivity can enable universities to participate more actively in:

International research projects
Online academic conferences
Digital libraries
Open-access research
Remote laboratories
International postgraduate programmes
Artificial intelligence research
Telecommunications research
Cybersecurity education

Strengthening academic networks could also support collaboration between Yemeni researchers and institutions around the world.

[IMAGE 6: Yemen university, research and digital innovation concept]

A national research and education network could become an important component of this ecosystem by connecting universities, research centres and educational institutions through high-capacity infrastructure.

Digital inclusion should be a national development priority

The ITU indicators show a clear distinction between coverage and meaningful connectivity.

Yemen has substantial mobile network coverage, but Internet usage, fixed broadband penetration and affordability remain significant challenges.

The policy objective should therefore move beyond simply asking:

“Does the network reach this area?”

The more important questions are:

Can people afford the service?
Is the connection reliable?
Is the speed sufficient?
Do people have suitable devices?
Do they have the skills to use digital services?
Is relevant Arabic content available?
Can businesses depend on the connection?
Can schools and universities use it effectively?

These questions define meaningful digital inclusion.

A possible roadmap for Yemen

A practical digital development strategy could be organised around five priorities:

Connectivity

Expand reliable mobile and fixed broadband infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas.

Affordability

Promote competitive and affordable broadband services and reduce barriers to Internet adoption.

Resilience

Strengthen international connectivity, infrastructure redundancy and emergency telecommunications capabilities.

Skills

Invest in digital literacy, technical education, cybersecurity and advanced ICT skills.

Innovation

Create an environment where startups, universities, researchers and technology companies can develop locally relevant digital solutions.

Looking ahead

Yemen’s digital future will depend on the country’s ability to transform basic connectivity into meaningful, affordable and resilient digital access.

The ITU DataHub indicators provide both encouraging signs and clear warnings.

Mobile networks already provide substantial population coverage, and mobile broadband has become an important platform for Internet access. At the same time, fixed broadband penetration remains low, Internet usage data indicate a substantial digital divide, and affordability remains a significant barrier.

The opportunity is significant.

Better telecommunications infrastructure can support education, healthcare, commerce, employment, research, public services and innovation.

For Yemen, digital connectivity should not be viewed simply as a telecommunications objective. It should be treated as part of the country’s wider economic and human-development strategy.

Conclusion

Yemen has the foundations of a digital ecosystem, but substantial work remains.

The next phase should focus on expanding high-quality broadband, improving affordability, strengthening infrastructure resilience and developing the human skills required to use technology effectively.

A more connected Yemen can become a more economically productive, innovative and inclusive Yemen.

Data source

The statistics in this article are based on the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) DataHub – Yemen Digital Development Dashboard.

The ITU DataHub currently reports indicators for different years depending on the dataset. Readers should therefore consider the stated year for each indicator rather than interpreting all figures as representing the same year.

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), ITU DataHub, Yemen Digital Development Dashboard.

Data accessed: 6 October 2026.

October 6, 2026/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Laravel, Technology

SEO Best Practice 2023

SEO Best Practice

Implementing best practices for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in a Laravel blog involves a combination of technical and content-related optimizations. By following these best practices, you can improve your blog’s visibility in search engine results and attract more organic traffic. Here are some key practices to consider:

1. Meta Tags Optimization:

Use descriptive and relevant meta titles and descriptions for each blog post.
Include relevant keywords in the meta tags to improve search engine ranking.

2. URL Structure:

Use search-engine-friendly URLs (slug) for blog posts. For example, instead of using IDs like `/post/123`, use descriptive slugs like `/post/slug-of-your-blog-post`.

3. Heading Tags:

Use proper heading tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your blog content. Use H1 for the blog post title and H2-H6 for subheadings.

4. Keyword Research:

Conduct keyword research to identify relevant and high-traffic keywords related to your blog post topics. Use these keywords naturally in your content.

5. Content Quality:

Write high-quality, valuable, and engaging content that resonates with your target audience.
Ensure your blog posts are comprehensive and provide valuable information to users.

6. Image Optimization:

Optimize images by compressing them to reduce file size and use descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO.

7. Internal Linking:

Implement internal linking within your blog posts to connect related content. This helps search engines understand the content structure of your website.

8. Mobile Responsiveness:

Ensure your blog is fully responsive and mobile-friendly. Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search results.

9. Site Speed:

Optimize your website for fast loading times. Use caching, minimize HTTP requests, and optimize images to improve site speed.

10. Sitemap and Robots.txt:

Create and submit an XML sitemap to search engines to help them crawl and index your blog posts effectively.
Use a `robots.txt` file to control search engine crawlers’ access to certain pages on your site.

11. Canonical URLs:

Implement canonical URLs to avoid duplicate content issues caused by multiple URLs pointing to the same content.

12. Social Media Integration:

Add Open Graph (OG) tags to your blog posts to optimize their appearance when shared on social media platforms.

13. SSL Certificate:

Secure your website with an SSL certificate to ensure HTTPS encryption, which is a ranking factor for search engines.

14. Monitor Analytics:

Use tools like Google Analytics to track the performance of your blog posts and identify areas for improvement.

15. Stay Updated:

Stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and algorithm changes to adapt your strategies accordingly.

Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, and it takes time to see significant improvements. Focus on creating valuable content, optimizing your website, and following SEO best practices to improve your blog’s search engine visibility and user experience.

July 19, 2023/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

News, Services, Technology

Steps of creating a dropshipping store in WordPress

Step-by-step guide to creating a dropshipping store in WordPress:

1. Choose a domain name and a web host: You will need a domain name for your store, which is the web address people use to visit your website. You will also need a web hosting provider to store your website files and make your website accessible online.

2. Install WordPress: WordPress is a free and open-source content management system that powers more than 40% of all websites. Most web hosting providers offer a one-click installer for WordPress.

3. Install a WooCommerce plugin: WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress that enables you to create an online store and sell products. You can install it directly from your WordPress dashboard by going to “Plugins” > “Add New” and searching for “WooCommerce.”

4. Choose a dropshipping platform: There are many dropshipping platforms available, such as AliExpress, Oberlo, and Spocket. Choose the one that best suits your needs and sign up for an account.

5. Install a dropshipping plugin: Many dropshipping platforms offer plugins that integrate with WooCommerce and enable you to import products directly from the platform to your store. Install the plugin for the dropshipping platform you have chosen.

6. Configure your store settings: Go to the WooCommerce settings and configure your store settings, such as your payment gateways, shipping methods, and taxes.

7. Import products: Use the dropshipping plugin to import products from your chosen platform and customize them to suit your store.

8. Design your store: Choose a WordPress theme that best represents your brand and customize it to suit your preferences. You can also add plugins to add functionality to your store, such as a contact form or a live chat feature.

9. Launch your store: When you’re ready, launch your store by adding products, testing your checkout process, and promoting your store on social media and other channels.

That’s it! Follow these steps, and you’ll have a fully functional dropshipping store in WordPress.

May 13, 2023/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Laravel, Technology

Free eCommerce website multilingual – Laravel 9, Livewire, Tailwind css, and Alpinejs – RTL language support

Arabic and English interfaces

and many more features.

Demo website

Download files from github

Installation guidelines

Please leave your comments and suggestion if there any

January 12, 2023/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Laravel, Technology

Multi language Laravel 8 project

In this post, we are going to explain the shortest path to add many languages to Laravel 8 including RTL language and language switcher.

1- Add languages to app/config/app.php file

'languages' => [
        'ar', 'en'
    ],

2- Create middleware component

php artisan make:middleware Localization

3- Add Localization class to web group in app/kernal file

\App\Http\Middleware\Localization::class,

4- In app/http/middleware/Localization.php

public function handle(Request $request, Closure $next)
    {
        $languages = config('app.languages');
        $lang = session()->has('lang') ? session()->get('lang') : '';
        if (in_array($lang, $languages)) {
            App::setLocale($lang);
        }
        return $next($request);
    }

5- In the web routes add the following route

Route::get('lang/{locale}', function ($locale) {
    $languages = config('app.languages');
    if (in_array($locale, $languages)) {
        session()->put('lang', $locale);
    }
    return redirect()->back();
})->name('setlanguage');

6- Add languages switcher in the Navbar
@foreach (config('app.languages') as $locale) > a href="{{ route('setlanguage', $locale) }}" class=" {{ app()->getLocale() == $locale ? ' border dark:border-white border-gray-800' : '' }} p-1 m-1 rounded-md hover:text-white active:text-white focus:text-white"> @if ($locale == 'ar') @elseif($locale == 'en') @endif >/a> @endforeach

7- Add language file in lang folder
ar.json for example and add json array to it.

Done.

January 18, 2022/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Laravel, Technology

Steps to install Laravel 8 with Jetstream and Tailwindcss multi theme multi language

There are many tutorials about installing Laravel 8 with the necessary tools and packages.Also the steps to install dark and light, system mode. In addition to adding the proper way to install mutil-lingual site. Here I’m going to put all the effort and installation steps in one place so easy to recall and follow. Before starting, we would like to install the following:

1- Laravel 8.x

2- Jetstream and livewire

3- Tailwindcss 3.x

4- Spatie roles and permissions management

5- Turbo links for faster navigation and surfing pages.

6- Alpinejs for dynamic dropdown, navigation, and other user interactions.
7- Add themes
8- Add multi-languages
So let us start.

Install Laravel and Packages

1- Install fresh Laravel

 laravel new project_name

2- Generate key

 php artisan key:generate

3- Setup database and app name from .env
4- Install Jetstream with livewire

 composer require laravel/jetstream
 php artisan jetstream:install livewire

5- Install npm package

 npm install
 npm run dev
 php artisan migrate

6- Publish jetstearm views

 php artisan vendor:publish --tag=jetstream-views
npm run dev

7- Install spatie roles and permissions

 composer require spatie/laravel-permission
 php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\Permission\PermissionServiceProvider"
 php artisan migrate:fresh --seed

Optional: The service provider will automatically get registered. Or you may manually add the service provider in your config/app.php file:

 'providers' => [
    // ...
    Spatie\Permission\PermissionServiceProvider::class,
];

You should publish the migration and the config/permission.php config file with:

 php artisan vendor:publish --provider="Spatie\Permission\PermissionServiceProvider

8- Add HasRoles to User model and add to header file

use Spatie\Permission\Traits\HasRoles;

9- Schema::defaultStringLength(125) maybe not necessary
10 – Clear your web cache.

 php artisan config:clear
 php artisan view:clear
 php artisan cache:clear
 php artisan route:cache
 composer dump-autoload

11- Install Tailwindcss
Tailwindcss the latest version comes automatically with Laravel. However if you want to install it or update it.

npm install -D tailwindcss postcss autoprefixer
npx tailwindcss init

12- Install Alpinejs
Alpinejs already installed in Laravel 8 by default. However, if you want to instaal/update it.

npm install alpinejs
npm run watch

13- Add turbo links

 composer require tonysm/turbo-laravel

14- Turbo Laravel scaffolding install with jetstream

 php artisan turbo:install --jet

Then, you can run install your NPM dependencies and compile your assets normally.

npm install

You may wants to add trubolinks to web

namespace App\Http;
use Illuminate\Foundation\Http\Kernel as HttpKernel;
class Kernel extends HttpKernel
{
    protected $middlewareGroups = [
        'web' => [
            \Tonysm\TurboLaravel\Http\Middleware\TurboMiddleware::class,
            // other middlewares...
        ],
    ];
}

15- Add social login package

 composer require laravel/socialite

Create Multi-themes

Add Dark, light, and system mode.

Create Multilingual Website

Please read how to create a multilingual website on this website.

January 18, 2022/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

CS-CART, Technology

How to add a new font to cs-cart

Steps of adding a new font to cs-cart:

1- Upload the new font in any format like .ttf to the theme path
for example: domainname.com/design/themes/responsive/media (responsive is the active theme)
2- Update the schema.json file by going to the fonts-> families section the add the new font as follow:

for example we need to add DroidKufi-Bold.ttf: “DroidKufi-Bold,sans-serif”: “DroidKufi-Bold”

the section will be like this:

“fonts”: {
“families”: {

“DroidKufi-Bold,sans-serif”: “DroidKufi-Bold”,
“‘Open Sans’,’Helvetica Neue’,-apple-system,sans-serif”: “Open Sans”,
“‘Comic Sans MS’,cursive”: “Comic Sans MS”,
“‘Courier New’,Courier,monospace”: “Courier New”,
“Georgia,serif”: “Georgia”,
“Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif”: “Impact”,
“‘Lucida Console’,Monaco,monospace”: “Lucida Console”,
“‘Lucida Sans Unicode’,’Lucida Grande’,sans-serif”: “Lucida Sans Unicode”,
“‘Palatino Linotype’,’Book Antiqua’,Palatino,serif”: “Palatino Linotype”,
“Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif”: “Tahoma”,
“‘Times New Roman’,Times,serif”: “Times New Roman”,
“‘Trebuchet MS’,Helvetica,sans-serif”: “Trebuchet MS”,
“Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif”: “Verdana”,
“‘Gill Sans’,Geneva,sans-serif”: “Gill Sans”,

3- The last step is to add the new font to the list of the visual theme editor. This step needs to update the file yourstylename.less in the path:domainname.com/design/themes/responsive/style/data/yourstylename.less and add the font to the beginning of the file like this:

@font-face {
font-family: DroidKufi-Bold;
src: url(‘/DroidKufi-Bold.ttf’); /* keep the path as it is */

}

Finally, go to the visual theme editor and go to the fonts section and try to change the font for any list and you will see the font in the list.

That’s it.

May 12, 2021/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

How to plan a group dinner in Google Maps

When you plan a group dinner for friends, deciding where you’re going can be a bit confusing, but Google is on the way to making it easier for you.

The company introduced a new update to the Google Maps application that made it offer you a menu that you can share from restaurants or clubs to choose from, whether it’s a birthday party or a youth party.

Starting Wednesday, Google Maps will allow users to add restaurant options to a list that can be shared via any messaging application. In a group message, others can add or remove ideas and vote on favorite places on the list, all within Google Maps for Android or iOS.

With this application, you can make plans with friends without worrying that you have chosen a place that none of them likes. What Google has to do, according to Mashable, is that Google Maps can help friends share the price of the bill.

This new feature is available with the latest app update, and once you’ve installed the new version, long clicking anywhere in the app will add that place to a list that you can share.

Source: Aljazeera.net

September 26, 2018/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

Conversation between Google and a Pizza customer

Here is the conversation happen between a customer of Pizza store and how Google introduced the customer to the store:

“`Hello! Is this Gordon’s Pizza ?

No sir, it’s Google’s Pizza.

Did I dial the wrong number?

No sir, Google bought the pizza store.

Oh, alright – then I’d like to place an order please.

Okay sir, do you want the usual?

The usual? You know what my usual is?

According to the caller ID, the last 15 times you’ve ordered a 12-slice with double-cheese, sausage, and thick crust.

Okay – that’s what I want this time too.

May I suggest that this time you order an 8-slice with ricotta, arugula, and tomato instead?

No, I hate vegetables.

But your cholesterol is not good.

How do you know?

Through the subscribers guide. We have the results of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

Maybe so, but I don’t want the pizza you suggest – I already take medicine for high cholesterol.

But you haven’t taken the medicine regularly. 4 months ago you purchased from Drugsale Network a box of only 30 tablets.

I bought more from another drugstore.

It’s not showing on your credit card sir.

I paid in cash.

But according to your bank statement you did not withdraw that much cash.

I have another source of cash.

This is not showing on your last tax form, unless you got it from an undeclared income source.

To HELL With Ur Pizza..!!

ENOUGH!!

I’m sick of Google, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp. I’m going to an island without internet, where there’s no cellphone line, and no one to spy on me …

I understand sir, but you’ll need to renew your PASSPORT … it expired 5 weeks ago.“`

September 16, 2018/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

What does Google know about me? and how to avoid it

When you search on Google, they keep your search history forever? That means they know every search you’ve ever done on Google. That alone is pretty scary, but it’s just the shallow end of the very deep pool of data that they try to collect on people.

What most people don’t realize is that even if you don’t use any Google products directly, they’re still trying to track as much as they can about you. Google trackers have been found on 75% of the top million websites. This means they’re also trying to track most everywhere you go on the internet, trying to slurp up your browsing history!

Most people also don’t know that Google runs most of the ads you see across the internet and in apps – you know those ones that follow you around everywhere? Yup, that’s Google, too. They aren’t really a search company anymore – they’re a tracking company. They are tracking as much as they can for these annoying and intrusive ads, including recording every time you see them, where you saw them, if you clicked on them, etc.

But even that’s not all…

If You Use Google Products

If you do use Google products, they try to track even more. In addition to tracking everything you’ve ever searched for on Google (e.g. “weird rash”), Google also tracks every video you’ve ever watched on YouTube. Many people actually don’t know that Google owns YouTube; now you know.

And if you use Android (yeah, Google owns that too), then Google is also usually tracking:

Every place you’ve been via Google Location Services.
How often you use your apps, when you use them, where you use them, and whom you use them to interact with. (This is just excessive by any measure.)
All of your text messages, which unlike on iOS, are not encrypted by default.
Your photos (even in some cases the ones you’ve deleted).

If you use Gmail, they of course also have all your e-mail messages. If you use Google Calendar, they know all your schedule. There’s a pattern here: For all Google products (Hangouts, Music, Drive, etc.), you can expect the same level of tracking: that is, pretty much anything they can track, they will.

Oh, and if you use Google Home, they also store a live recording of every command you’ve (or anyone else) has ever said to your device! Yes, you heard that right (err… they heard it) – you can check out all the recordings on your Google activity page.

Essentially, if you allow them to, they’ll track pretty close to, well, everything you do on the Internet. In fact, even if you tell them to stop tracking you, Google has been known to not really listen, for example with location history.

You Become the Product

Why does Google want all of your information anyway? Simple: as stated, Google isn’t a search company anymore, they’re a tracking company. All of these data points allow Google to build a pretty robust profile about you. In some ways, by keeping such close tabs on everything you do, they, at least in some ways, may know you better than you know yourself.

And Google uses your personal profile to sell ads, not only on their search engine, but also on over three million other websites and apps. Every time you visit one of these sites or apps, Google is following you around with hyper-targeted ads.

It’s exploitative. By allowing Google to collect all this info, you are allowing hundreds of thousands of advertisers to bid on serving you ads based on your sensitive personal data. Everyone involved is profiting from your information, except you. You are the product.

It doesn’t have to be this way. It is entirely possible for a web-based business to be profitable without making you the product – since 2014, DuckDuckGo has been profitable without storing or sharing any personal information on people at all. You can read more about our business model here.

The Myth of “Nothing to Hide”

Some may argue that they have “nothing to hide,” so they are not concerned with the amount of information Google has collected and stored on them, but that argument is fundamentally flawed for many reasons.

Everyone has information they want to keep private: Do you close the door when you go to the bathroom? Privacy is about control over your personal information. You don’t want it in the hands of everyone, and certainly don’t want people profiting on it without your consent or participation.

In addition, privacy is essential to democratic institutions like voting and everyday situations such as getting medical care and performing financial transactions. Without it, there can be significant harms.

On an individual level, lack of privacy leads to putting you into a filter bubble, getting manipulated by ads, discrimination, fraud, and identity theft. On a societal level, it can lead to deepened polarization and societal manipulation like we’ve unfortunately been seeing multiply in recent years.

You Can Live Google Free

Basically, Google tries to track too much. It’s creepy and simply just more information than one company should have on anyone.

Thankfully, there are many good ways to reduce your Google footprint, even close to zero! If you are ready to live without Google, we have recommendations for services to replace their suite of products, as well as instructions for clearing your Google search history. It might feel like you are trapped in the Google-verse, but it is possible to break free.

For starters, just switching the search engine for all your searches goes a long way. After all, you share your most intimate questions with your search engine; at the very least, shouldn’t those be kept private? If you switch to the DuckDuckGo app and extension you will not only make your searches anonymous, but also block Google’s most widespread and invasive trackers as you navigate the web.

If you’re unfamiliar with DuckDuckGo, we are an Internet privacy company that empowers you to seamlessly take control of your personal information online, without any tradeoffs. We operate a search engine alternative to Google at http://duckduckgo.com and offer a mobile app and desktop browser extension to protect you from Google, Facebook and other trackers, no matter where you go on the Internet.

If you do not want to be tracked:

Don’t use Chrome.
Do not leave yourself logged in.
Turn off search history, location history, voice history, YouTube search and watch history, etc. Go to the settings of all the apps you use and if there is an option to, turn off saving of history.
Don’t use the default keypads supplied on Android. They can track what you are typing. Use another keyboard like Swiftkey or something.
Keep location turned off on your phone unless you need it.
Set your browser to clear cookies on exit.
Opt-out of interest based ads.
If you can, switch to a provider other than Gmail. But remember that other popular mail providers will also use your data. And they will use it only to sell ads, not to give you better services.
Use browser addons like Ghostery to block third party javascript from websites.
Again, do not use Chrome on your phone either. And remember that some apps use Chrome behind the scenes to show you web pages within the app. Try not to use that either. Again, you can switch to Firefox, Ghostery, Opera, Dolphin, etc. Please don’t use UC Browser.

Mostly why I’m okay with Google tracking my data primarily because they use it to improve my experience. Facebook is equally notorious for collecting user data, but it can’t understand a simple search query like “friends who live in Delhi”. What use is your data collection if you can’t interpret simple search queries like that?

Source: Quora.com

September 16, 2018/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

How to get cashback from every deal in ebay or amazon

Instead of waiting outside your local Best Buy on Black Friday, why not stay home and shop online? You can skip the crowds, avoid aching feet, and duck the drama of parking the car at the mall. Online shoppers also have a secret weapon: Online rebate sites.

These sites, such as Ebates and Swagbucks, work on the simple principle that retailers will do just about anything, including shelling out cash, to gain paying customers. The rebate sites act as referrers–they refer you to retailer’s websites, and the retailer gives them a bonus if you make a purchase. To inspire you use their sites (instead of heading directly to the retailer’s site), online rebate sites offer you a small portion of that bonus.

In other words: Free money. If you make large purchases online, and you can find an online rebate site that partners with that retailer, you can earn anywhere from one to 45 percent of your money back–just by clicking through a website. On top of that, many online rebate sites will be offering additional deals for Black Friday, such as extra cashback and shopping bonuses.

Additionally, do your research, and you may find that many of the fantastic deals advertised on the first day of the holiday shopping season… aren’t really deals at all.

Ebates

Ebates is a very straight-forward online rebate site–it focuses on cash, and only cash.

The company partners with more than 1,600 retailers, including luxury department stores Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as big-box stores Best Buy and Target. Ebates pays out its cash-back bonuses on a quarterly basis, and offers the option of a direct PayPal payment or a check.

Getting started with Ebates is easy. Once you’ve signed up for a free account, you can start shopping. To qualify for an Ebates cashback bonus, simply click through the Ebates website before you make a purchase.

Going through Ebates every time you want to buy something might seem like a chore, but you can simplify the process by downloading the Ebates browser add-on, which is available for the Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari browsers.

The add-on alerts you whenever you’re shopping on an Ebates-approved site, letting you know when you can potentially get cash back.

For Black Friday, Ebates will offer extra cashback for several of its partnered stores. According to Mark Moran, Ebates’ senior vice president of marketing and distribution, shoppers can look forward to more than 25 percent cash back at “approximately 500 stores, including Macy’s, Target, and Walmart.”

FatWallet

If you’re more interested in saving money–rather than just getting cash back–FatWallet is an online rebate site with a focus on frugality. While FatWallet (which was acquired by Ebates in 2011) does have a cashback component, it’s renowned for its robust member forums.

“FatWallet is for people who are more interested in saving money, and who are willing to do a little work,” says Brent Shelton, PR director at FatWallet. “We have a huge online community of people who share tips on sales, deals, and how to stack coupons.” Because FatWallet is a little more life-hack-y, Shelton explains, you’ll find more tech-oriented deals on the site. FatWallet’s partnered sites include Acer, Adorama, Apple, Best Buy, and Newegg.

Using FatWallet is similar to Ebates–just sign up for a free FatWallet account, and then click through the website before you make any purchases at qualifying sites. You can also participate in the online forums, browse coupons, and find nearby deals from sites such as Groupon, LivingSocial, and Amazon Local.

For Black Friday, FatWallet has a dedicated Black Friday Deal Finder app, which should make shopping and comparing easier if you happen to be in a physical store. The app does offer some cashback capabilities, but Shelton warns that the best way to ensure you’ll get cash back is to go through FatWallet’s website.

Swagbucks

Swagbucks is a little different from Ebates and FatWallet. While those sites are focused on shopping–and subsequently earning cash back–Swagbucks offers multiple ways to earn “SwagBucks,” the website’s internal currency.

Don’t get me wrong–Swagbucks does have a robust online shop-and-earn section, which features stores such as Amazon, Bloomingdale’s Hotels.com, Kohl’s, and Target. But there are also tons of other ways to earn SwagBucks, which you can trade in for gift cards and cash (one SwagBuck is approximately one cent). Other ways to earn include searching through the Swagbucks search engine (perfect for looking for Black Friday deals), answering surveys and polls, playing games, watching videos, and signing up for sponsored offers.

To get started with Swagbucks, sign up for a free account and start earning. You’ll earn at least one SwagBuck just for logging in every day, and more if you use the Swagbucks toolbaror answer the site’s daily poll.

Like the other online rebates sites, earning money from Swagbucks’ shop-and-earn program requires that you click through its website to a qualifying retailer. When you have enough SwagBucks, you can trade them in for a gift card, PayPal payment, or Swagbucks swag. You can also earn SwagBucks offline when you shop with the company’s credit card, which gives you 1.25 SwagBucks on every purchase.

For Black Friday, Swagbucks will offer triple SwagBucks on all of its participating shop-and-earn stores. According to Swagbucks COO and co-founder Scott Dudelson, the company will also give away free SwagBucks to its members on Black Friday via various social-media channels. In other words, just hanging around Swagbucks’ website or its Facebook page could get you some extra cash.

Plink

Want to earn even more cash back? Use Plink, a rewards program that links to your credit or debit card and gives you points for making purchases–online or offline.

Plink is simple to use. Just sign up for a free account and link your debit or credit card (you can only link one card, so choose the one you use most often). Once you’ve linked a card, all you have to do is…buy things using that card.

You’ll only earn Plink Points when you make qualifying purchases at partnered retailers, but you don’t really have to think about it–it’ll automatically be tallied up on your Plink account when you use your card to check out. Plink is partnered with more than 50,000 retailers, including American Airlines, Gap, Sears, and Staples.

What’s nice about Plink is that it stacks on top of other rewards programs–even your credit card rewards program. In other words, you can use it while you shop through Ebates, FatWallet, or Swagbucks, and still earn that cash back. Plink Points can be redeemed for gift cards from stores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and Walmart, and you can also use the points to get airline miles on select airlines.

Plink is incredibly easy to use, but its main drawback is that you do have to surrender your bank credentials in order to link your card. During the sign-up process, Plink will ask you to sign in using your online banking password–which might cause some people to be alarmed.

The company assures us that all login credentials are securely encrypted with the same technology used by PayPal and Mint.com, and that no Plink employees are able to access any of the credentials.

Plink won’t be offering anything special for Black Friday, but the sites will help you earn some extra cash if you happen to make any qualifying purchases during your holiday shopping spree.

Source: Computerworld Malaysia

August 25, 2018/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

Android tracking users even if GPS location settings turned off

Google has been collecting user location data on Android smartphones even when location services were turned off, as per a new report. Quartz claims the location tracking still occurred on Android smartphones even if a user took precautionary measures like disabling location, not using any app, or not inserting a SIM card on the device.

The investigation by Quartz claims that an Android device sends these details when the device is connected to the Internet. The report says that the user location data tracking has been in practice since start of this year, and the company essentially collects addresses of nearby cellular towers, even when location services are turned off on the device. Quartz adds that Google confirmed the practice.

A Google spokesperson is quoted to have told Quartz that the company has been collecting cell tower addresses to improve delivery of push notifications and messages on Android devices for roughly 11 months. The spokesperson, however, added that the user location data was never stored. The Google spokesperson is also quoted to that it will stop collecting user location data in the form of cell-tower location by the end of November. “Android phones will no longer send cell-tower location data to Google, at least as part of this particular service, which consumers cannot disable,” the company has said. The new report raises a lot of questions on user privacy where people might not like to be tracked but do not have the option to actually turn it off.

In an email, Google spokesperson said, “In January of this year, we began looking into using Cell ID codes as an additional signal to further improve the speed and performance of message delivery. However, we never incorporated Cell ID into our network sync system, so that data was immediately discarded, and we updated it to no longer request Cell ID.” The report adds that even if the data sent to Google was encrypted, it could have been compromised.

Google in its terms of use for its services vaguely refers, “When you use Google services, we may collect and process information about your actual location. We use various technologies to determine location, including IP address, GPS, and other sensors that may, for example, provide Google with information on nearby devices, Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.”

At this moment, it isn’t clear the exact use case of the location tracking but it could be used for targeted advertising.

August 19, 2018/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

How to add a field to customer list in opencart 3

For a long time and after the frustration of adding a filed to customer list in Opencart 3, Finally, I found a way on how to do it. Here down the steps to add a custom field in customer list of Opencart, also applicable to add a custom field to a product list, order list in Opencart 3 and whatever you want to customize lists in Opencart3. Let us start.

Steps of adding a custom field in customer list in Opencart3:

First: Add this custom filed to the oc_customer database table. For example member_code

Second: Of course in customer model already include because the query read all fields by Select *, in the following path: /Admin/model/customers.php

Third: You have to add this field to the getList function in Customers controller under Admin/controller/customer.php

Fourth: Add this filed to the header and body of the list table in the file Admin/template/customer/customers_list.twig

The fifth step which is the most important thing is to delete the cache in Opencart 3 as it prevents updating reflection, Therefore, go to the home /storage/cache/ folder and delete all its contents, also disable twig cache from Environment.php if exist then clear browser caching and refresh the page.

August 18, 2018/0 Comments/by najeebgafar@gmail.com

Technology

Best WordPress Plugins ever all websites must have

Best WordPress Plugins Ever all websites must have as of 2018 which are essential Plugins for Professional WordPress Websites.

WordPress plugins are great tools for adding and extending functionality to WordPress. In this post, I will discuss 15+ best WordPress plugins you should have on your WordPress website. These plugins will add awesome functionality to your site and make it ‘great’.

Although the kind/ niche of your website mostly determines what plugins you should have on your website, there are some plugins that every WP blog needs. Like Techieword says security, speed, SEO etc. are some of the universal concerns of every website owner which you cannot simply afford to ignore.

There are plenty of handy plugins in WordPress framework which reduce lots of work on your part. The official plugin repository has over 47,000 WordPress plugins and counting. That means there are plugins for almost every function or feature you need on your website. Great news for WordPress lovers!

In addition, you’ll find multiple plugins for the same feature – all you need to do is to choose the best one for yourself that suits your project. You can find both free and premium plugins for WordPress while most of the plugins are developed as freemiums. A freemium plugin is a free plugin with an upgrading option to the premium version for advanced features.

This post includes both free/ freemium and premium plugins essential for a WP blog.

Best WordPress Plugins for 2018 – Must have website

As mentioned above, the list includes some of the best WordPress SEO plugins, security plugins, speed optimization plugins, marketing and social media plugins. These plugins will help you to make your site robust, secure, SEO friendly and complete with all the aesthetics needed in a modern website.

Let’s explore them:

1. Jetpack (Freemium)

A powerful plugin from the brilliant team behind the WordPress software itself (Automattic), Jetpack is a must have plugin for every WordPress website. As the name suggests, it offers a pack of awesome features for your website to fly up high and make it a success.

Jetpack takes care of your site security, website performance, traffic growth, image optimization, website appearance and a lot more.

It features enhanced distribution which automatically shares your published content to third-party services like search engines and helps to increase your reach and traffic. Additionally, it creates sitemaps so that search engines can easily index your site.

Most of all, it protects your website security by preventing brute force attacks. It also monitors your site every five minutes for downtime and instantly notifies you for any issues found.

Yemen’s digital landscape at a glance

Mobile networks are the backbone of connectivity

Mobile broadband is growing, but usage remains constrained

Fixed broadband remains a major weakness

Affordability is another critical challenge

Internet use remains far behind network coverage

The digital divide is also an economic issue

Yemen needs investment in resilient telecommunications infrastructure

1. Expanding fibre-optic infrastructure

2. Strengthening mobile networks

3. Developing reliable international connectivity

4. Improving network redundancy

5. Preparing for future technologies

Digital development requires more than infrastructure

Universities can become digital innovation hubs

Digital inclusion should be a national development priority

A possible roadmap for Yemen

Connectivity

Affordability

Resilience

Skills

Innovation

Looking ahead

Conclusion

Data source

SEO Best Practice

1. Meta Tags Optimization:

2. URL Structure:

3. Heading Tags:

4. Keyword Research:

5. Content Quality:

6. Image Optimization:

7. Internal Linking:

8. Mobile Responsiveness:

9. Site Speed:

10. Sitemap and Robots.txt:

11. Canonical URLs:

12. Social Media Integration:

13. SSL Certificate:

14. Monitor Analytics:

15. Stay Updated:

Remember, SEO is an ongoing process, and it takes time to see significant improvements. Focus on creating valuable content, optimizing your website, and following SEO best practices to improve your blog’s search engine visibility and user experience.

Install Laravel and Packages

Create Multi-themes

Create Multilingual Website

Best WordPress Plugins for 2018 – Must have website

1. Jetpack (Freemium)

2. Akismet (Freemium)

3. Yoast SEO (Freemium)

4. User Registration (Freemium)

5. Everest Forms (FREE)

6. Google XML Sitemaps (FREE)

7. Nivo Slider (Freemium)

8. W3 Total Cache (Freemium)

9. VaultPress (Freemium)

10. WP Smush (Freemium)

11. WP-Optimize (FREE)

12. Google Analytics for WordPress by MonsterInsights (Free)

13. All In One Schema.org Rich Snippets (FREE)

14. BJ Lazy Load (FREE)

15. Wordfence Security (Freemium)

16. Broken Link Checker (FREE)

17. Redirection (FREE)

18. MailChimp for WordPress (Freemium)

19. Social Icons (FREE)

20. Disable Comments (FREE)

Monthly

When your content changes

Almohtarif Channel 2.6+M subscribers

CNET. 1.4+M subscribers.

Mashable. 526K subscribers.

MKBHD. 5+M subscribers.

Tech Insider. 922K subscribers.

Techquickie. 1.6+M subscribers.

TechCrunch. 295K subscribers.

Unbox Therapy. 8.6M subscribers.

The Verge. 1.5M subscribers.

Grammarly. 100K subscribers.