Google brings links back, an app rated 3+ that fakes kisses, and voice-only plans
Google is putting source links higher in its AI answers, NCPCR has summoned Google over AI kiss apps on the Play Store, TRAI's voice-only recharge rule is days away, WhatsApp opens calls to non-users, and a two-minute Google Search fix for your news.
- Long Press · Daily Five18 Oct 202601 / 05
commentaryGoogle moves links back up top in AI answers
Google said on October 15 that AI Overviews and AI Mode will show source links higher up and more often, test a section at the top with the one or two official sites for a task, and give related-article links proper thumbnails, per its Google blog post. Good. It's also a quiet admission that burying links under a wall of AI text was hurting the web those answers are built from. What's missing is the number that matters: there's zero click data, so for now this is a design change, not proof that anyone gets traffic back. If you run a site, watch your Search Console for a month rather than taking the blog post's word for it.
The questionIs Google showing more source links in AI Overviews and AI Mode?
In one lineYes. On October 15, 2026, Google said AI Overviews and AI Mode will surface inline source links higher and more often, test an official-sites section at the top, and add thumbnails to related links. It shared no click data, so whether publishers actually get traffic back is unproven.
The problem
AI answers in Search have been eating clicks. When the summary sits on top and the links hide below it, publishers and creators do the work while Google keeps the visit.
What changed
In a Google blog post on October 15, VP of product Hema Budaraju said inline links are being surfaced higher, an official-sites section is in testing, news carousels are expanding to more languages and will favour your Preferred Sources, and creator names on AI Mode video results are being tested as clickable profile links.
The catch
There's no click data anywhere in the announcement, and the official-sites box is only a test. The one number Google did share, Preferred Sources use up more than 7x this year, tells you people like a feature, not that sites are getting visits.
What it means for you
As a reader you'll get more chances to check where an AI answer came from, so tap through when the stakes are money or health. As a creator, track your own traffic for a few weeks before believing this fixes anything.
Questions people ask
When will Google's new AI Mode link changes roll out?
News carousels are starting to roll out to more locations and languages now, and clickable creator profile links on AI Mode video results began testing the week of October 15. The official-sites section is still a test with no launch date, and Google gave no dates for the inline-link changes.
Does Google's AI Overviews link update send publishers more clicks?
Google hasn't said. Its October 15 post reports substantial increases in inline links but no click-through numbers at all. The only metric it shared is that Preferred Sources usage has grown more than 7x since the start of the year, which measures a feature's adoption, not traffic sent to websites.
SourcesGoogle blog ↗TechXplore ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five18 Oct 202602 / 05
newsIndiaA Play Store app rated 3+ makes fake kissing videos
India's child rights body, NCPCR, has summoned Google over Play Store apps that turn two photos of real people into kissing and hugging videos with no consent check, MediaNama reported on October 15. One of them, AI Kiss & Hug Video Maker, was still live and rated 3+. That isn't a moderation miss in some dark corner of the internet; it's Google's own age rating on Google's own store. The policy already bans this kind of app, which makes the gap between the rulebook and the listing the real story here. NCPCR's answer is a set of guidelines due by December that won't bind anyone, so the actual pressure has to land on Google enforcing what it already wrote.
The questionWhy did NCPCR summon Google over AI kiss and hug apps in India?
In one lineBecause apps that turn two photos of real people into intimate AI videos were still on Google Play in India in mid-October 2026, one of them rated 3+. NCPCR has summoned Google to a meeting later this month and plans child safety guidelines by December, but they won't be binding.
The problem
Face-swap and 'AI hug' apps let anyone make an intimate video of a real person from a couple of photos, with no check that the person agreed. Many are built in India and some have crossed a million downloads.
What changed
According to MediaNama, NCPCR has summoned Google to a meeting later in October after ThePrint found the apps still listed, including Surat-based Unikwork Systems' AI Kiss & Hug Video Maker, rated 3+ with more than 5,000 downloads. NCPCR is also drafting child safety guidelines for social, gaming and AI platforms with MeitY, DoT and I4C, due by December.
The catch
Guidelines aren't law. And MeitY's rule that platforms pull reported intimate imagery within 24 hours says nothing about app stores, which is exactly where these apps are sitting.
What it means for you
If you're a parent, don't treat a Play Store age rating as a safety check; look at what an app actually does before a kid installs it. If someone makes a fake video of you, report it at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930.
Questions people ask
Is the AI Kiss & Hug Video Maker app still on Google Play in India?
It was as of October 15, 2026, according to MediaNama: listed by Surat-based Unikwork Systems, rated 3+, with over 5,000 downloads. Google has removed some similar apps since ThePrint's August investigation, but its own policy against non-consensual sexual deepfakes clearly isn't catching all of them.
Will NCPCR's child safety guidelines be binding on Google and other platforms?
No. NCPCR chose guidelines over legislation for speed, and MediaNama reports they won't bind platforms. They're due by December 2026 and are expected to cover age assurance, reporting options for Reels-style video and stricter AI content norms. MeitY's 24-hour takedown SOP also sets no obligations for app stores.
SourcesMediaNama ↗
- Long Press · Daily Five18 Oct 202603 / 05
tipTell Google which news sites you actually trust
Google Search lets you pick your preferred news sources: search any news topic, tap the star next to the Top Stories heading and choose the sites you trust, as Search Engine Land explained when it rolled out in India. Most people have never touched it, which is why Top Stories feels like whichever outlet happened to rank that morning. It now matters a bit more, because Google's October 15 post says the news carousels in AI Mode will lean on those picks too. Two minutes of setup and the outlets you'd open anyway show up first. It only lists sites that publish regularly, so a dormant blog won't appear.
The questionHow do I set preferred sources in Google Search Top Stories in India?
In one lineSearch any news topic on Google, find the Top Stories section, tap the star icon next to its heading, then pick the sites you trust. Google then shows more of their latest stories when relevant. It works in India in English, and only sites publishing fresh content can be picked.
The problem
Top Stories on Google is a lucky draw. You get whichever outlet ranked that hour, including ones you'd never choose to read.
What changed
Preferred Sources, which Search Engine Land reported rolling out in the US and India, puts a star icon beside the Top Stories header. Tap it, select the sites you trust, and Google shows more of their fresh coverage when it's relevant. Per Google, AI Mode news carousels will now highlight those picks as well.
The catch
It's English only for now, and a site has to be publishing fresh content to show up as an option. Your picks get more room in Top Stories; they don't replace everything else.
What it means for you
Search something newsy today, tap the star and add the three or four outlets you trust most. You can change the list whenever you like.
Questions people ask
Do Google Preferred Sources affect news in AI Mode too?
Yes, going forward. In its October 15, 2026 post, Google said the timely-article carousels in AI Mode and AI Overviews, which are expanding to more locations and languages, will highlight the sources you've marked as preferred. Google also says Preferred Sources usage has grown more than 7x since the start of the year.
Can I change my Google preferred sources later?
Yes. Search Engine Land reported, when the feature graduated from Search Labs and rolled out in the US and India, that you can change your selections at any time, and anyone who signed up during the Labs beta kept their picks automatically. The star icon beside Top Stories is where you manage them.
- Long Press · Daily Five18 Oct 202604 / 05
hot takeIndiaVoice-only recharge plans are coming. Don't expect them cheap.
TRAI's rule forcing Jio, Airtel and Vi to sell voice-and-SMS-only twins of their bundled plans kicks in around October 21, per Analytics Insight. On paper it's a win for feature-phone users and backup SIMs that have been paying for data they never touch. In practice, TRAI only asked for an 'appropriate reduction' in price and left the number to the operators, and none of them has announced a plan yet. I'd bet the gap ends up small enough that most people shrug and stay on data. The one SIM worth checking is your parents' number that only takes calls and OTPs, the week these vouchers actually show up in the apps.
The questionWhen do Jio, Airtel and Vi voice and SMS only recharge plans start?
In one lineTRAI's Thirteenth Amendment makes Jio, Airtel and Vi sell voice-and-SMS-only vouchers alongside their bundled plans from around October 21, 2026, 30 days after Gazette notification. TRAI only requires an appropriate reduction in price, so expect a modest discount, not plans at half the cost.
The problem
If a SIM only makes calls and receives OTPs, you've still been made to buy a plan with data, because operators mostly stopped selling anything without it.
What changed
TRAI's Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, published in September, require a voice-and-SMS-only voucher for every bundled plan of 30 days or less, at least one that renews on the same date each month, and one longer-validity option, The Hans India reported. Analytics Insight puts the start date at October 21.
The catch
There's no price floor. TRAI wants an appropriate reduction in tariff, which the operators get to define, and none of the three has published a voice-only price.
What it means for you
If you pay for a parent's or a backup SIM, wait for the new vouchers and compare them with the cheapest data plan. If the saving is tiny, keeping a little data for emergencies is worth more.
Questions people ask
Will voice-only recharge plans be cheaper than data plans in India?
Somewhat, but TRAI hasn't fixed a price. The Thirteenth Amendment asks for an appropriate reduction in tariff compared with the data-inclusive plan and leaves the actual number to each operator. As of mid-October none of Jio, Airtel or Vi had announced voice-only prices, so the size of the saving is still unknown.
Do Jio and Airtel still sell 28-day plans under TRAI's new rule?
Yes, 28-day plans aren't banned. If an operator sells a 28-day plan with data, it must also sell a 28-day voice-and-SMS-only version. It also has to offer at least one voice-and-SMS voucher that renews on the same calendar date each month, plus one longer-validity option.
Who should switch to a voice and SMS only plan?
Mainly feature-phone users, older parents and backup SIMs that only take calls and OTPs. If a number never touches mobile data, the new vouchers stop you paying for gigabytes nobody uses. For anyone on a smartphone who needs maps, UPI or WhatsApp on the go, a data plan still makes more sense.
- Long Press · Daily Five18 Oct 202605 / 05
newsWhatsApp calls now work for people without WhatsApp
WhatsApp now lets people without an account join your calls: create a call link from the Calls tab, send it, and they join from a computer browser once you let them in, Business Standard reported on October 15. Calls stay free and end-to-end encrypted, with up to 32 people. It's aimed squarely at Google Meet and Zoom, and for the family call with the one cousin who deleted WhatsApp, or a client who refuses to install it, it's now the easier option. Guests can't see your number or message anyone, which is the right default. Bigger meetings will have to wait for the calendar plugins Meta has only promised for later this year.
The questionHow do I invite someone without WhatsApp to a WhatsApp call?
In one lineOpen the Calls tab, tap +, create a call link and send it. Since WhatsApp's October 15, 2026 update, the guest opens the link in a computer browser, types a name and waits for you to admit them. Calls stay free and end-to-end encrypted, with up to 32 people.
The problem
Every group call has one person who isn't on WhatsApp, and the fallback has been a second app, a separate link and five minutes of 'can you hear me'.
What changed
Hosts open the Calls tab, tap +, create a call link and share it. Guests open it in a computer browser, enter a name and wait in a lobby until admitted, per Business Standard. Calls hold up to 32 people, and guests can screen share, react and raise a hand; gHacks also reported the rollout.
The catch
Guests join from a computer browser, not a phone, and can't start calls of their own. The Google Calendar and Outlook plugins that would make this a real meeting tool are only due later this year.
What it means for you
Next time someone isn't on WhatsApp, send a call link instead of switching apps. Admit only the names you recognise from the waiting room.
Questions people ask
What can guests do on a WhatsApp call without an account?
Guests can talk, share their screen, react with emoji and raise a hand. They can't see other participants' phone numbers, send messages, add people or start calls of their own, and the host can remove them at any time. Only WhatsApp account holders can create or share call links.
Can WhatsApp guest calls replace Google Meet or Zoom?
For small family or client calls, mostly yes, since group calls go up to 32 people and guests install nothing. For proper work meetings, not yet. WhatsApp's Google Calendar and Outlook plugins, which would put call links straight into meeting invites, are only promised for later this year.
SourcesBusiness Standard ↗gHacks ↗
Taps
Quick hits. One line each, for when a long press is too much.
- IndiaMediaNama ↗
MeitY tenders for up to 10,000 GPUs under the IndiaAI Mission
Issued through CDAC and demand-led: ministries, academia, researchers and startups draw on it as needed, MediaNama reports.
- IndiaMediaNama ↗
Delhi court to test whether Amazon is just an intermediary in a Kindle case
Author Vasundhara Prakash says Amazon sold an unauthorised Kindle edition of her book and missed the IT Rules' 72-hour takedown window.
- IndiaThe Week ↗
Google.org puts $15 million into helping Indian MSMEs get formal credit
The grant goes to The/Nudge, announced October 15 alongside free AI training modules for teachers in Bihar, MP and Sikkim.
- GlobalTech Insider ↗
DeepSeek ships a faster V4.1-Flash update and opens its search API
V4.1-Flash-1017 posts a self-reported 77.0 on DeepSWE; search and fetch calls cost $0.75 per 1,000 from October 31.
- GlobalFileHippo ↗
Windows 11 24H2 Home and Pro got their last security update
October's Patch Tuesday was the final one for those editions, so move to a newer build to keep getting fixes.