Report: Twitter violates human rights by failing to protect women

Amnesty International’s latest report discusses what a lot of Twitter’s female users already know: the social network is toxic for women. The non-government organization says the platform fails to respect women’s rights by not “investigating and responding to reports of violence and abuse in a transparent manner.” By being inconsistent in the enforcement of policies and by failing to clarify what is and isn’t acceptable on the platform, it’s fostering a hostile environment. That forces women to self-censor and even to stay silent due to fear of receiving abusive messages, including rape and death threats. According to Amnesty, that makes the problem a human rights issue.

The group’s technology and human rights researcher Azmina Dhrodia told TechCrunch that the organization is framing Twitter’s abuse problem towards women as a human rights issue in an effort to force the platform to enforce its policies consistently and in a transparent way. Part of Amnesty’s report reads:

“Twitter, as a company, has a specific responsibility to respect all human rights — including the rights to non-discrimination and freedom of expression and opinion — and to take concrete steps to avoid causing or contributing to abuses of those rights. This includes taking action to identify, prevent, address and account for human rights abuses that are linked to its operations. Specifically, as part of its human rights due diligence, Twitter should be assessing — on an ongoing and proactive basis – how its policies and practices impact on users’ right to freedom of expression and opinion as well other rights, and take steps to mitigate or prevent any possible negative impacts.”

The NGO interviewed 86 women from the UK and the US for the report, including ordinary users and public figures like politicians, journalists, activists, bloggers, writers, comedians and game developers. Twitter rolled out policies meant to address hate speech and sexual harassment late last year, but Amnesty said those aren’t enough to “tackle the scale and nature of violence and abuse against women” on the website. Also, Twitter failed to provide the organization with meaningful data on how it responds to reports of abuse.

The group wants Twitter to share specific examples of the type of hate speech, threats, and so on and forth, that it won’t tolerate — it wants to know where the platform draws the line. It also wants Twitter to share data on how quickly it responds to reports, as well as info on how its content moderators are trained on gender issues and international human rights standards.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Amnesty International

HTC Vive Focus headset will be available outside of China soon

If you’re interested in the HTC Vive Focus VR headset but you don’t live in China, you’ve basically been out of luck. That is, until now. Today, HTC announced that the Vive Focus would be available in international markets later this year. It’s the first 6DOF (six degrees of freedom) headset that’s commercially available.

If you’re interested in developing software for the Vive Focus, HTC has made international developer kits available starting today. You must be registered with HTC through its developer portal to access them.

We tested the HTC Vive Focus back in November and were impressed by the results, though our short time with it meant we didn’t quite get the chance to figure all of it out. The bottom line, however, was that this piece of tech has a lot of potential, though the full experience will heavily depend on the quality of the apps.

Source: HTC

Netflix’s latest original: A typeface

If you’re averse to change, then you might not like Netflix’s most recent announcement. According to It’s Nice That, the streaming service is changing its typeface from the old reliable Gotham to Netflix Sans. It was developed with typeface designers Dalton Maag.

The reasoning behind the switch is simple. First, typefaces are critical to the way people interact with an online service such as Netflix. This move gives the team more ownership over the entire experience. Second, licensing the Gotham typeface has gotten expensive, according to Netflix brand design lead Noah Nathan. “Developing this typeface not only created an ownable and unique element for the brand’s aesthetic . . . but saves the company millions of dollars a year as foundries move towards impression-based licensing for their typefaces in many digital advertising spaces,” Nathan said to It’s Nice That.

It’s not clear when we’ll see this typeface roll out across Netflix’s services, but eagle-eyed viewers will probably notice the change when it occurs. We’ve got some images of what the new typeface will look like below.

Images: Netflix and Dalton Maag

Source: It’s Nice That

Jimmy Iovine reportedly plans reduced role at Apple Music

In January, rumors surfaced that Jimmy Iovine would be leaving Apple Music later this year, but he denied the reports, saying there was still more he would like to do in the music streaming business. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the Interscope Records and Beats co-founder will be scaling back his involvement with Apple Music starting in August. Sources close to Iovine say that he’ll transition to a consulting role and will no longer be involved with daily operations.

Iovine joined Apple when it bought Beats in 2014. He helped the company launch Apple Music, which has grown steadily and may overtake Spotify in subscribers this year. Iovine was also behind Apple Music’s incorporation of original video like the Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps series.

According to the Wall Street Journal’s sources, Iovine plans to spend more time with his family after he steps back from Apple Music, though he’ll assist Apple Senior VP Eddy Cue when needed.

Via: Wall Street Journal

‘Below’ is going to come out this year, seriously

Capybara Games announced Below during Microsoft’s 2013 E3 conference, sandwiched between details about the Xbox One, which would hit retail later that year. When it launched, Below was going to be console-exclusive to the Xbox One for an unspecified amount of time, and it immediately captured the imagination of fans and press. It was a visually powerful game, showcasing a tiny protagonist who explored caverns that stretched for miles beyond the screen, hiding mysteries and adventure around every corner. Below served as a testament to Microsoft’s commitment to being a hub for innovative games, regardless of whether they were created by mainstream studios or independent developers.

And then Below disappeared. It didn’t come out in 2013, with the launch of the Xbox One, and it didn’t come out in 2015 or 2016, even though Capy had promised it would. Two years later, Below still doesn’t have a concrete release date — but creative director Kris Piotrowski says it’ll probably, most likely, hit Xbox One and Steam this year. For real this time.

“I still can’t say the exact date, but we are aiming for this year — although we’ve said that over and over, so,” Piotrowski says. “We have all the systems in place and now we’re kind of going deeper and deeper through the world, and polishing and trying to just get it all packaged up.”

Piotrowski says the development team is putting the final touches on Below — polishing its intro and outro sections, and fine-tuning details across the entire game. Though Capy has a track record of promising a launch and later backing off, this time around it feels different to Piotrowski. After five years of public development, he says Capy is truly, finally, almost done with Below.

The extra years may have served Below well. Aside from allowing Capy to create the fully realized experience it envisioned from the start, the extra few years in development allowed for the Xbox One X to appear on the market. Today, Below runs in 4K at 60fps on the Xbox One X.

“It’s one of the few benefits of spending so long, a new television resolution has appeared in our development,” Piotrowski says.

Capy showed off Below in 4K for the first time ever at GDC, and the results were remarkable. The upgrade was most noticeable as the main character traversed a wide open field, where each blade of grass waved, crisp and responsive to every digital footfall or gust of wind.

Regardless of any past promises about release dates or development timelines, Below has clearly benefitted from extra time in the oven — and it’s not even out yet. Still.

Click here to catch up on the latest news from GDC 2018!

Apple Watch Gets New Spring Collection of Bands, Available to Order Later This Month

Apple today debuted a new Spring Collection of Apple Watch bands, available to order from Apple.com and at select Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Resellers across the United States and other countries later this month.

Woven Nylon bands now include an updated stripe pattern, and there’s new colors of the Sport Band, Sport Loop, and Classic Buckle.

• Sport Band in Denim Blue, Lemonade, and Red Raspberry
• Woven Nylon in Black Stripe, Blue Stripe, Gray Stripe, and Pink Stripe
• Sport Loop in Flash Light, Hot Pink, Marine Green, and Tahoe Blue
• Classic Buckle in Spring Yellow, Electric Blue, and Soft Pink

Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) will include new 38mm and 42mm Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Loop models.

Apple said the Nike Sport Loop will now be sold separately in a variety of colors matching with the latest Nike running shoes. There’s also new colors for the Nike Sport Band, which Apple already sells separately:

• Nike Sport Loop in Black/Pure Platinum, Bright Crimson/Black, Cargo Khaki, Midnight Fog, and Pearl Pink
• Nike Sport Band in Barely Rose/Pearl Pink, Black/White, and Cargo Khaki/Black

Apple Watch Nike+ (GPS + Cellular) will include new 38mm and 42mm Space Gray Aluminum Case with Midnight Fog Nike Sport Loop models.

For Apple Watch Hermès, the Single Tour Rallye and Double Tour bands now display contrasting paint details:

• 38mm Double Tour in Indigo with rouge H polished edge and rouge H contrasted loop
• 38mm Double Tour in Blanc with rouge H polished edge and rouge H contrasted loop
• 42mm Single Tour Rallye in Indigo with rouge H polished edge and rouge H contrasted loop
• 42mm Single Tour Rallye in Blanc with rouge H polished edge and rouge H contrasted loop

Apple’s press release outlines complete pricing and availability information for the new Spring Collection bands and models.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4Tag: Apple Watch bandsBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Chase Bank Finally Supports iPhone X Display

While not mentioned in the release notes, Chase Bank today finally updated its iOS app to be optimized for the iPhone X’s taller display.

Chase Mobile was one of the most widely used apps that lacked full support the iPhone X, as we noted earlier this month. Other notable absentees include iMovie, Amazon Alexa, Inbox by Gmail, Google Authenticator, and NBC Sports, but many developers told MacRumors that updates are in the works.

Starting in April, Apple says all new iOS apps submitted to the App Store must support the iPhone X display. The rule doesn’t apply to existing apps.

Here’s what else is new in the latest Chase Mobile version:

• New “Profile & Settings” screen makes it easier to access alerts, messages, documents, and settings.
• Conveniently set up and manage automatic payments for Chase credit cards.
• Add pay-from accounts from other banks to pay your Chase credit card bill.
• Eligible customers can add their accounts from other banks, and use them to transfer money to and from their Chase accounts.

Chase Mobile is available for free on the App Store for iPhone and supports both Touch ID and Face ID for login authentication.
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Facebook Messenger Adds New Admin Privileges Amid Backlash Over Company’s Mishandling of User Data

Facebook today announced the rollout of a new feature in Messenger called “Admin Privileges.” With this toggled on, the company said that it will give specific users in a group chat “more control” over who partakes in the chat, and should help boost the app’s privacy.

If you have admin privileges you’ll be able to approve or decline new members before they join the chat, remove members already in a chat, and promote or demote any other person as an admin. The company said that the feature should help large groups who need to get in touch but may not be connected to on Facebook, like for a friend’s surprise party.

There are also new joinable links that any member can create and send out to potential new members, which an admin will then be able to approve. These admin privileges will be turned off by default:

The great thing about admin privileges in Messenger is they work in the background; if your group chat doesn’t need that level of control, it won’t get in the way of your group messaging. You’ll have the option to decide if you’d like admin approval for approving new members, but this preference is off by default in your group chat settings.

Today’s Facebook Messenger update launches at the same time that Facebook is facing immense scrutiny for its involvement with consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, which itself has been tied to President Trump’s 2016 election campaign. According to recent reports, the firm improperly amassed information from 50 million Facebook users without their consent and used that data to “target messages to voters.”

In the wake of these reports, investigations have been opened into Facebook’s actions and several politicians have asked Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify about the events. A new “#DeleteFacebook” campaign has now launched on Twitter, which WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton took part in. Facebook owns WhatsApp, but Acton left the company earlier in 2018 to start his own non-profit organization.

A Facebook spokesperson mentioned that the company was “deceived” by Cambridge Analytica and didn’t know about its actions. One Facebook shareholder, Fan Yuan, has filed a lawsuit against the company alleging it had some knowledge of Cambridge Analytica’s data siphoning and made “materially false and/or misleading” claims regarding the company’s handling of user data.

“The entire company is outraged we were deceived,” the statement continued. “We are committed to vigorously enforcing our policies to protect people’s information and will take whatever steps are required to see that this happens.”

As the scandal continues to grow, the Federal Trade Commission has also begun looking into whether Facebook potentially “violated an agreement with the agency.” Zuckerberg has yet to comment on the issue.

Back in January, Facebook announced a series of privacy-focused updates, which were planned for a rollout ahead of a May 25 deadline for compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU. At the time, Facebook also revealed a new overhaul for the news feed that would favor friends and family posts over publishers. Zuckerberg said that this update would lessen the time its users spend on Facebook, but cause the time to “be more valuable.”

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: Facebook, Facebook Messenger, privacy
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Pepper’s next gig is at Pizza Hut, but the robot won’t be tossing any dough

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Pepper is a friendly robotic fella who can interact with humans and even be your best buddy, if you like.

SoftBank, which created the cute humanoid robot in collaboration with French robotics company Aldabaran SAS, had high hopes for Pepper when the first one rolled off the production line in 2015.

Since then, Pepper has been turning up in all manner of places, from train stations to hospitals to departments stores, mostly to entertain shoppers rather than take on any particularly demanding tasks.

We’ve now learned that Pepper’s latest gig is at a Pizza Hut in Singapore, where the 120-cm-tall robot will make menu recommendations and take orders from hungry customers.

The initiative is being run in collaboration with Mastercard, which hopes the robot will help it to highlight its secure Masterpass digital payments system. To get started, a customer first needs to ensure they have the Pizza Hut app on their phone before signing in with Masterpass.

To prepare Pepper for what Mastercard is calling “conversational commerce,” the credit card company worked with robotics and artificial intelligence firm Teksbotics to create voice-based, interface technologies for Pepper, which connect with Mastercard’s own secure payment services.

Mastercard describes the resulting process as a “safe and easy voice-assisted commerce experience with the potential to be adopted across various environments — from retail to restaurants like Pizza Hut and beyond.”

But a video (below) shot by local media showing a Mastercard executive putting Pepper through its paces at Pizza Hut reveals the ordering process to be somewhat on the slow side. To be fair, Pepper performs pretty well in the interaction, offering choices that are shown on its torso-based tablet and responding in a chatty manner, but it takes nearly three minutes to order a single pepperoni pizza.

At this stage, there’s no serious plan for Pizza Hut to replace human staff with Pepper robots. The robot doesn’t appear ready for complex tasks, but it could certainly make a routine visit to the restaurant a little more fun for customers.

Let’s just hope this particular Pepper performs better than another one that recently started work at a grocery store in Scotland. While it could offer simple advice on the location of different items within the store, its overall performance fell short of expectations, prompting the manager to fire poor Pepper.

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This printer can create an image directly onto beer foam

There was a time when being able to print using toner or ink on paper seemed like we were living in the future. Nowadays, we’re a lot more jaded. In an age in which it’s even possible to print using living cells, it takes a lot more to impress us. Fortunately, the makers of a new printer have won us over with their latest innovation: The ability to print edible ink directly onto the foam on a frosty glass of beer. Suddenly a pint of Guinness with a simply rendered clover on top just doesn’t cut it!

“Beer Ripples is a revolutionary device that prints beautiful, high-resolution images and messages at the touch of a button, using Ripples’ malt-based ink,” Ripples CEO Yossi Meshulam told Digital Trends. “No special training is needed to operate the device. The Wi-Fi connected, counter-top sized device features a highly intuitive touchscreen system, making Ripples a highly convenient and versatile way to transform a simple drink into a one-of-a-kind experience that keeps customers coming back for more.”

Meshulam said that the Ripple Maker can print any high-resolution image or design. It’s even possible to send a photo, personal image, or message directly to the Beer Ripples device using a mobile app. Perfect for an original proposal method to a would-be spouse — or, perhaps more realistically, for trolling a buddy.

The device will set you back $3,000, plus an annual $1,500 subscription, which comes with enough malt-based ink for 6,000 prints. While that’s not exactly cheap, it’s important to note that it’s aimed at bars and other businesses, as opposed to something everyday consumers are going to have in their homes. When you factor in the kind of great marketing opportunity that it could represent, suddenly that money doesn’t sound so pricey. If you’re not into beer, the company’s technology also makes it possible to print onto frothy lattes, too.

“Companies such as Twitter, Match.com, Mars, Facebook, Google, and IBM have used Ripples to offer an unforgettable, personalized experience at events, where they might share branded images and text to generate a massive, real-time buzz both at the event and on social media,” Meshulam continued.

Let the age of personalized drinks commence!

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