SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines insisted Thursday that cameras on its planes’ entertainment systems had been disabled after an outcry online from worried passengers who spotted the tiny lenses peering at them.
Travelers took to Twitter and other social media to raise the alarm over the cameras at the bottom of seatback screens on a number of the Singapore flag carrier’s newer aircraft.
“Just found this interesting sensor looking at me from the seat back on board of Singapore Airlines. Any expert opinion of whether is a camera?” passenger Vitaly Kamluk tweeted.
His tweet was accompanied by photos of the monitor with the embedded camera.
Another passenger urged the airline in a tweet to “notify all your passengers and get their consent, particularly EU residents, that you are doing this, why, what are you doing with the data and how long you keep it.”
The airline confirmed that some of its latest inflight entertainment systems did have fixed cameras — but assured passengers that they had been disabled.
“These cameras have been intended by the manufacturers for future developments. These cameras have been permanently disabled on our aircraft and cannot be activated on board,” the airline said in a statement.
“We have no plans to enable or develop any features using the cameras.”
Singapore Airlines denies snooping with seatback cameras
Singapore Airlines denies snooping with seatback cameras
- Outcry online from worried passengers who spotted the tiny lenses peering at them
- The airline confirmed that some of its latest inflight entertainment systems did have fixed cameras — but assured passengers that they had been disabled
Emerging markets driving global growth despite rising risks: Saudi finance minister
RIYADH: Emerging markets now account for a growing share of global output and are driving the bulk of world economic expansion, Saudi Arabia’s finance minister said, even as those economies grapple with rising debt and mounting geopolitical risks.
Speaking at the opening of the annual AlUla Conference for Emerging Market Economies on Feb. 8, Mohammed Al-Jadaan said the role of emerging and developing nations in the global economy has more than doubled since 2000, underscoring a structural shift in growth away from advanced economies.
The meeting comes as policymakers in developing markets try to keep growth on track while controlling inflation, managing capital flows and repairing public finances after years of heavy borrowing. Saudi Arabia has positioned the forum as a platform to coordinate policy responses and strengthen the voice of emerging economies in global financial discussions.
“This conference takes place at a moment of profound transition in the global economy. Emerging markets and developing economies now account for nearly 60 percent of the global gross domestic product in purchasing power terms and 70 percent of global growth,” Al-Jadaan said.
He added: “Today, the 10 emerging economies and the G20 alone account for more than half of the world’s growth. Yet, emerging markets face a more complex and fragmented environment, elevated debt levels, slower trade growth and increasing exposure to geopolitical shocks.”
Launched in 2025, the conference this year brings together economic decision-makers, finance ministers, central bank governors, leaders of international financial institutions, and a select group of experts and specialists from around the world.
