Facebook asks users if it's OK for adults to request sexual images from children
Facebook frequently uses surveys to gauge user opinion about features, changes and ideas. One recent such survey raised more than a few eyebrows as the social network asked whether it was OK for a man to ask a child for sexual pictures.
That any company should, essentially, ask whether pedophilia is acceptable is more than a little strange, but for such a question to come from such a big name as Facebook almost defies belief. The survey appeared over the weekend, surprising those who saw the questions.
Advertisers pull ads from Alex Jones' YouTube channel because they don't want to be linked to InfoWars
Just over a week ago, YouTube decided to remove an InfoWars video from the Alex Jones' channel for breaching site rules about harassment. In videos, students who had spoken on TV about the Parkland, Florida shooting were described as "crisis actors". Jones described the move as "giant, massive censorship" and went as far as saying his channel was about to be shut down.
Now advertisers are showing how they feel about InfoWars, with a number of large companies -- including Acer, 20th Century Fox, Grammarly, Paramount Network, Alibaba and Mozilla -- pulling advertising after learning that their ads were appearing on Jones' channel.
Google launches Mobile Real-time Video Segmentation as limited beta (AI green screen to you and I)
Google is testing a new AI green screen tool for YouTube called Mobile Real-time Video Segmentation. We've become used to every chat tool worth its salt offering AR overlays and masks, but this technology makes it possible to change backgrounds -- in real time.
The technique makes use of neural networks to determine which parts of a scene are foreground to be left alone and which are background to be replaced. No special equipment is needed, and it has the potential to be used for serious videos as well as the more frivolous things masks tend to be used for at the moment.
Android P should be making its way to developers later this month
While a lot of Android users are still waiting for Oreo to arrive on their handsets -- well, let's face it, there are still plenty waiting for Nougat -- Google is hard at work on Android P. The P may or may not stand for pistachio (or possibly pie, leading to speculation of a March 14 -- Pi day -- release), but what people really care about is what's new and when they can try it out.
It shouldn't be too long until we find out more about what to expect from the latest version of Google's mobile operating system. The company is expected to release the first Android P Developer Preview later this month. This will give us a chance to see whether there really is notch support and a "dramatic redesign".
Have I Been Pwned is now used by governments to check for data breaches
Over the last few years, the website Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) has given people the chance to check whether their personal data was compromised in any data breaches. Now the site reveals that the UK and Australian governments are using its services to monitor official domains.
That governments should check the site's database for the presence of their own email addresses is perhaps not surprising -- it's used by just about every type of body imaginable. But now the mechanics have been opened up for these two governments.
Privacy: Xbox One gamers upset after Microsoft reveals their real names
A thread appeared on Reddit yesterday in which Xbox One users say Microsoft is revealing their real names online, despite the fact they have configured their settings to block this from happening.
The thread has already gained a large number of comments. Microsoft got involved saying that it was actively investigating the issue which some gamers are describing as a serious breach of privacy and security. Almost 24 hours later, the matter may be resolved.
Dropbox partners with Google Cloud for integration with Docs, Gmail and Hangouts Chat
Dropbox has joined forces with Google Cloud to bring integration with G Suite. The move comes out of a recognition that people tend to use more than one cloud service, and it can be problematic having to deal with files and tools in different locations.
The partnership means that users will be able to open and edit G Suite files from within Dropbox. Ultimately, there will be support for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Hangouts Chat and Gmail, making it far easier to work with the cloud services from Dropbox and Google together.
Facebook admits its News Feed experiment was a failure and pulls Explore Feed
Facebook is far from immune to tinkering with its News Feed, but its recent experiment has been deemed a complete failure. Last year, the Explore Feed received a limited public launch following a period of beta testing, effectively separating news from friends and posts from pages.
Several months later, Facebook has realized what we probably could have told it from the offset: "People don't want two separate feeds." The company was heavily criticized by those living in the countries where the experiment ran, as they said it was harder to find important information.
Twitter introduces Bookmarks and new sharing options
Several years in the making, Twitter has finally gained a Bookmarks option. While it has long been possible to like/heart a tweet to make it easier to access in the future, this method essentially advertised your activity to everyone -- and it might well be that you didn't "like" the tweet in question anyway. Privacy FTW!
On top of this, Twitter has also introduced sharing options which can be accessed through a new icon.
Which smartphone has the best display? The Samsung Galaxy S9
Considering the amount of time spent staring at the screen of a smartphone, it's important that things look great -- particularly when it comes to video and photography. So it's little surprise that screen quality is high on the list of many people's priorities when shopping for a new handset. But which is the best?
Just a few months ago, experts at display calibration and benchmarking firm DisplayMate announced that the best screen was to be found on the iPhone X. Now, following the launch of the latest flagship from Samsung, it has awarded its highest ever rating to the Galaxy S9.
Google's Slack alternative Hangouts Chat exits beta
After a period of beta testing, Google is unleashing Hangouts Chat on the world. Despite the name crossover, the service is completely separate to Google Hangouts, and over the course of the next few days it will be made available to all G Suite users.
Hangouts Chat competes directly with the likes of Slack and Microsoft Teams, allowing for easier workplace communication and collaboration. The service can be used on the web, and there are Windows, macOS, iOS and Android apps available. Google is emphasizing not only how it integrates with other Google products, but also support for bots.
Spotify is filing for an unconventional IPO
Music streaming service Spotify is planning to go public. The company is making a "novel" move which it acknowledges is "risky": opting for a "direct listing" rather than the more usual fundraising route.
The company will allow its investors and employees to sell shares, and there will be no need to raise more capital or hire an underwriter. It is expected that Spotify will go public in late March or early April when it will appear on the New York Stock Exchange using the symbol SPOT.
YouTube says it was wrong to remove some right-wing videos and channels
YouTube has said that new moderators were to blame for the removal of some right-wing videos from the site. Just a few days ago InfoWars' Alex Jones had a video removed for violating YouTube harassment policies and following this a number of right-wing and conspiracy theory channels received warnings or were suspended.
Now the video site has admitted that some of the removals were the result of its policies being applied incorrectly -- side-stepping the claims of censorship that have been banded around. It says that any videos that were removed in error will be reinstated.
The ASUS ZenFone 5 is trying to be a cheap iPhone X
There have been lots of devices revealed at MWC 2018 this week, and it is little surprise that there are handsets copying the look of Apple's iPhone X. In this number are the ASUS ZenFone 5 and ZenFone 5Z, both of which feature a controversial "notch" at the top of their screens.
It is clear the look of the latest ZenFones have been inspired by the iPhone X, and it's hard to imagine that Apple's lawyers are not considering allegations of plagiarism. In all, there are three phones in the family: the high-end ZenFone 5Z, the mid-range ZenFone 5, and the budget ZenFone 5Q (known at the ZenFone 5 Lite in some parts of the world).
You'll be able to disable and hide Firefox Sync in Firefox 60
For some people, Firefox Sync is a great way to synchronize browser settings, add-ons, bookmarks and so on between computers. For others it's a privacy nightmare and a massive annoyance.
Starting with Firefox 60, Mozilla is making it possible to not only disable the feature, but also hide it. This might seem like a minor change, but for anyone irritated by the mere presence of Firefox sync, it's something that should have happened sooner.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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