China bans the use of social media as a news source
Continuing its control of the internet, China has announced that news outlets may not use social media as a source of news -- at least not without official approval.
The Cyberspace Administration of China says that the move is part of a campaign to prevent the spread of rumors and fake stories, but most people will see it as the government continuing to flex its online muscles.
Facebook hits back at Israeli complaints about sabotaging police work
Facebook has responded to complaints from Israel's Minister of Internal Security saying that it does remove abusive content from the site. On Saturday, Israeli cabinet minister Gilad Erdan referred to Facebook as a 'monster' adding that it "does not cooperate" with requests from the police.
Tensions between Palestine and Israel have seen an increase in posts inciting violence and terrorism. While Erdan accuses Facebook of failing to step in as well as "set[ting] a very high bar for removing inciteful content", the social network says it work closely with numerous countries, including Israel, to stem the flow of hate speech.
Google Play now allows app and game sharing with new Family Library feature
Earlier this year Google announced that Family Library -- previously only available in Google Play Music -- was making its way to the Play Store. Now the rollout is underway, meaning that it is now possible to share your purchased apps and games with members of your family.
This new feature means that a family need only buy one copy of an app rather than several if they all want to use it. It also means that there is no longer a need to create a shared 'family account' through which to download apps and games that need to be shared.
Google adds a native Cast option to Chrome on the desktop
If you've been using a browser extension to add a casting option to Chrome, you could think about uninstalling it. Google is currently rolling out an update to the desktop version of its web browser.
The feature is making its way to Chrome 51 and can be accessed by right clicking either an open tab or the browser's hamburger menu. Should you ditch the extension, though? It really depends on your needs...
Hillary Clinton questioned by FBI about personal email server
It's the issue that just won't go away for Hillary Clinton -- her use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state. Today the Democratic presidential hopeful has been questioned by the FBI about her emails.
The Justice Department's investigation aims to determine if Clinton used the email account to send communication relating to national security, and whether this is illegal. She says the account was created for convenience and has denied using it to send classified information.
Windows 10 Anniversary Update makes great strides for accessibility
Accessibility options are not a new feature for Windows, but the upcoming Windows 10 Anniversary Update includes even more than before. This week it was confirmed that the update will launch on 2 August, just days after the free upgrade period ends (although it's worth noting that people with accessibility needs will still qualify for a free upgrade after this date).
If you've been testing out the insider builds of Windows 10, you may well have noticed accessibility improvements, but now it is only a matter of weeks before they are made available to everyone. In a blog post rounding up what's been added over the last year, Microsoft also reveals the latest additions.
Facebook's new multilingual composer will let you post status updates in multiple languages
Facebook has announced a new tool that aims to break down language barriers. Previously available for Pages on the social network, the multilingual composer is set to make its way to individuals' accounts as well.
Previously anyone who wanted to post bi-, tri- or multilingual status updates would have to either type out each language as a separate post, or post a lengthy status featuring multiple translations. The latest change means that you can write in, say, French, and only friends and followers with their language set to French will see it.
Google's latest diversity report shows the company making slow progress
Embracing diversity is just one of the latest passions of the technology world. Companies involved in the web and messaging do things like releasing diverse emoji, while games like the Sims 4 implement changes that reflect dissolving gender and sexuality boundaries.
But key tech players such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Google have also been keen to demonstrate how diverse their respective workforces are. Google has just released its latest diversity report -- including, for the first time, details of black and Hispanic intake -- and it shows that while the company is becoming less white and less male, progress remains slow.
Unhappy with Evernote's new pricing? Here's how to import your data into OneNote for free
When Evernote announced changes to its pricing structure this week, users were unhappy. As well as an increase to the price of paid-for accounts, new restrictions were also wheeled in for free accounts. It's no longer possible to sync data between more than two devices without coughing up a monthly fee, and this has people looking for alternatives.
A worthy competitor is Microsoft's OneNote and the company has a dedicated OneNote Importer tool that can be used to move all of your notes between services. Like OneNote, the importer is also free, and gives disgruntled Evernote users a way to sync between multiple devices and benefit from unrestricted uploads.
Microsoft issues KB3173040 as a final in-your-face reminder to upgrade to Windows 10 for free
The promotion of Windows 10 upgrade by Microsoft has certainly proved controversial, and it was only this week that users were given an easy way to decline the upgrade offer. With the 29 July deadline for free upgrades fast approaching, the clock is really ticking now, and Microsoft is giving Windows 10 one final push.
Window 7 and 8 users are being offered update KB3173040. Its sole purpose is to advertise the availability of Windows 10 and to remind people that time is running out. Given the criticism Microsoft's decision to promote the Windows 10 upgrade deadline with a full-screen notification is a little... odd.
Google makes it easier to try out beta Android apps with new Early Access section in the Play Store
As the Windows 10 insider preview program has demonstrated, people love to get their hands on pre-release software. While it's easy to install beta software on a desktop computer, it has not been as straightforward for Android users. Until now.
Google has added an Early Access section to Google Play which -- you've guessed it -- features not-quite-ready-for-prime-time apps in beta form. The new section makes installing beta apps as simple as installing any other app and, after rolling out to a few users this week, the option is now available to everyone.
Google reveals that Android N will be called... Android Nougat!
The developer previews of Android N have been available for a little while now, giving a tantalizing taste of what’s to come. But one thing has been missing: the name.
After months of teasing and misdirection -- there can't be many people who weren't expecting to see Android Nutella -- Google has officially announced that Android 7 (probably) will be known as Android Nougat.
At long, long last, Google Maps on Android and iOS has multiple destination support
Google Maps has long been helping walkers, drivers and cyclists get from A to B. But for far too long, the desktop version of the navigation tool has been more powerful than the mobile version -- which is silly, really, as the mobile app is the one you're going to use while, you know, traveling.
Today, Google is rolling out an important new feature to the mobile app -- the ability to configure a route with multiple stop-off points along the way. Getting from A to B is great, but sometimes you need to go via X and Y. Now you can.
Facebook uses Irish headquarters to skirt privacy laws
Facebook has won an appeal against a court ruling that said the social network could not store data about people who did not have an account. It had been ruled that Facebook could not gather data about non-users in Belgium; Facebook responded by blocking access to those without an account.
Back in 2015, Facebook was told to stop this blocking or face hefty daily fines. Facebook felt that the ruling was unfair and appealed. In a new ruling today, the Brussels Court of Appeal said: "Belgian courts don't have international jurisdiction over Facebook Ireland, where the data concerning Europe is processed".
Facebook opens up about how it controls your newsfeed
Earlier today, Facebook announced the latest tweak to newsfeeds. Having denied being politically bias towards Brexit, or having a liberal leaning, Facebook continues to face question and criticism about how its news feeds and trending topics are formulated.
As well as updating the way newsfeeds are populated, Facebook today revealed just how it choses what appears in your newsfeeds. This isn’t a case of full transparency, but it is an interesting insight nonetheless.
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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