FTC tells Verizon ‘supercookie’ partner to give you an exit
Verizon (aka our corporate overlords) may have settled with the FCC over its seemingly inescapable “supercookie” web tracking back in March, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The carrier was sending that information to a third party, Turn, which used it for ad purposes. What about its fate? Well, now we know: Turn has settled with the Federal Trade Commission over charges that it deceived web surfers by tracking them even when they took steps to avoid monitoring. The company not only has to properly disclose the nature of its tracking, but offer an “effective” opt-out. In the “supercookie” days, the opt-out only worked for mobile web browsers, not ads within apps — that shouldn’t be a problem following the FTC order.
It’s not as ideal as an opt-in solution, but that may not be as much of an issue when Verizon’s FCC settlement required that it make its tracking strictly voluntary. No, the settlement won’t make anyone forget that Verizon prioritized ad dollars over users’ privacy. It will, however, give you a way to reduce the number of targeted ads in your life.
Via: Consumerist
Source: FTC
AT&T Debuts ‘Call Protect’ Service to Protect Against Robocalls
AT&T today announced Call Protect, a complementary service aimed at protecting its users from automated phone calls, also referred to as robocalls. The service debuts five months after the U.S. Federal Communications asked wireless companies to offer free robocall blocking services.
The service offers two solutions to stop robocalls. It can automatically block numbers suspected of fraud at the network level, preventing them from reaching your phone entirely, or it can deliver the call from a suspected number with a fraud warning on the display. The latter feature requires the user to be in an area with HD Voice support.
AT&T customers can activate the feature via their MyAT&T account or by downloading the AT&T Call Protect app. The app allows users to look at call details, receive spam warnings, block specific numbers and turn on and off Automatic Fraud Blocking.
The service requires an iOS or Android smartphone eligible for HD Voice. AT&T also warns that automatic blocking may block wanted phone calls, which means users would potentially have to manually whitelist certain numbers to make sure they aren’t blocked.
In August, it was reported that Apple was one of over 30 companies that joined the “Robocall Strike Force,” a join effort aimed at stopping robocalls. At the time, the FCC said that most of the complaints it receives are regarding robocalls. The U.S. has other measures in place to prevent robocalls, including companies having to ask permission before calling and allowing people to add their number to the FTC’s Do Not Call list.
AT&T Call Protect is available on the App Store for free [Direct Link]
Tag: AT&T
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Crytek is closing studios and slow-paying employees again
Crytek, the developer behind the technically impressive CryEngine toolset, and most recently Robinson: The Journey, is laying off employees and closing studios. Workers’ paychecks have reportedly been extremely slow to arrive as well. No, you aren’t imagining things — the company faced similar circumstances a few years ago. But the bloodletting appears much worse this time out: All of the company’s studios will be shuttered but two.
Specifically, Crytek’s offices in Budapest; Istanbul; Seoul; Sofia, Bulgaria and Shanghai will be closed. Studios in Frankfurt and Kiev will remain open.
In a press release, co-founder Avni Yerli said “these changes are part of the essential steps we are taking to ensure Crytek is a healthy and sustainable business moving forward that can continue to attract and nurture our industry’s top talent.” Until it comes time to pay them, apparently.
Kotaku reports that employees at the company’s main studio in Frankfurt haven’t received paychecks in three months, and that offices in Budapest and Sofia have gone without pay as well. The publication’s sources said that payments have been late all year long and that management has been incommunicative about the reasons why, or when payment will happen.
Employees were paid wages for October as of last week, according to Eurogamer, while November pay will supposedly arrive this week. The money may have come from Russian internet company Mail.ru, which is rumored to buy Crytek’s free-to-play shooter Warface and its unannounced sequel come January, the publication said.
When facing a similar situation in 2014, Crytek old off its UK studio to Metro: Last Light publisher Deep Silver, along with the rights to Homefront: The Revolution. That game was shoved onto market this past May, following additional delays post-purchase. It has a rating of 48 (out of 100) on Metacritic, and a 3.8 user score.
Via: Eurogamer
Source: Crytek
Sling TV accidentally reveals its set-top box for cord cutters
The Sling TV team has inadvertently spilled the beans on its previously leaked media hub for cord cutters. Zatz Not Funny discovered a briefly available landing website for the AirTV Player, and it’s clearer than ever that Sling (read: Dish) is catering to those determined to leave cable and satellite behind. The set-top box will revolve around a home screen that merges over-the-air TV tuning with not only Sling TV, but Netflix — you won’t have to jump between apps or devices to watch both your local news and the latest season of Black Mirror. And since this is an Android device (notice the “G” button on the remote), there’s a good chance that other online services will be available as well.
It’s not certain how much the AirTV Player will cost or when you can get it in your hands. However, a launch at CES in January seems likely given that Dish tends to have a major presence at the trade show. It could be a big deal if there aren’t any rude surprises in the pricing or execution, though. Until now, you’ve typically needed a separate over-the-air TV tuner device (like Nuvyyo’s Tablo DVR) if you wanted local live programming wrapped in a slick interface. That won’t be necessary here, as you can just buy one gadget that covers both your local TV and streaming needs. No matter how well it works, it’s clear that Dish wants to give you as many reasons as possible to skip rivals like PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now.
Via: TechCrunch
Source: Zatz Not Funny
AT&T offers to help its customers avoid spam calls for free
Let AT&T do the spam fighting for you.
Spammers are still a thing, which is why AT&T has launched Call Protect to help existing customers manage unwanted phone calls.
The feature enables automatic blocking of fraudulent phone numbers and warns you of suspected spam calls, though it’s worth noting the latter only works if you’re in an HD Voice cover area. To enable the Call Protect, simply add it through the myAT&T account app or start here.
There are already a plethora of apps in the Play Store that offer a feature like this — Should I Answer? is one of my favorite. But this is a good feature to keep in mind when you’re back at home visiting the folks. Older phone users may not be aware that they can protect themselves from preying companies, so you might considering signing Mom and Dad up for something that works in the backend rather than an app that pops up various notifications and the like.
If you aren’t on AT&T and you wish you had the same feature, download the aforementioned Should I Answer? and get it revved and ready to go. And if you’re simply not into the idea of installing an app that does this, remember that some Android devices have spam notification abilities built-in, too.
If you or someone you know is an AT&T subscriber and you want to know how to enable this feature, start here.
You can make Facebook posts colourful now – here’s how
Facebook is about to look totally different going forward.
The company has quietly launched a new feature for its Android app users (and, apparently, it’s coming to iOS users, too): colourful Facebook posts. With this new feature, you can add background colours to text-only posts. From what we can tell, the feature doesn’t work for links, images, or video posts, though The Next Web said the colours are visible to all on Android, iOS, and the web.
Facebook has long limited how its users can customise the look and design of their profiles. It has added features over the years so that users could showcase their notes, app integrations, etc. It also let users fill out their profile timelines with momentous occasions throughout their lives, but it’s taken away many of these small changes as well, and it’s never actually let people get creative with colourful posts on their pages.
So, not only are Android users getting a new Facebook feature first for a change, they’re also getting to do something Facebook has never before allowed. It’ll be interesting to see if the feature sticks. We played with it for a bit and think it’s cool. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
- What is Facebook Marketplace and how can you use it to buy and sell?
How can you change the colour of Facebook posts?
To use Facebook’s new colour-change feature for posts, simply tap on the “What’s on your mind?” status bar, then start typing, and choose a colour or gradient from the choices that appear below your text. When done, post it.
Who can change the colour of Facebook posts?
Android users can post colourful statuses. It appears iOS and web users can’t yet. However, the feature is due to roll out to them in the “coming months”, meaning all users should be able to start jazzing up their posts – like they did with MySpace back in the day.
Who can see colourful Facebook posts?
Everyone can see colourful Facebook posts as of 20 December 2016. It doesn’t matter which device or platform they are using.
How many colour choices are available?
At launch, there are eight colour options you can choose from: standard white, yellow, yellow and orange gradient, red-orange, green and blue gradient, blue, pink and purple gradient, and grey.
Two high-level Twitter execs leave the company
Something must be brewing over at Twitter, because two of its high-level executives have decided to leave the company. Chief technology officer Adam Messinger and VP of product Josh McFarland today tweeted separately that they would be departing from the social network. Messinger explained that he would be taking some time off, while McFarland is joining venture capital firm Greylock Partners.
These two departures follow the footsteps of chief operating officer Adam Bain, who stepped down last month after hundreds of layoffs. The company has reportedly been locked in an internal battle over whether to sell to buyers, with potential suitors rumored to include Google, SalesForce, Microsoft, Verizon and Disney.
Twitter has had a troubled year. Recently, it shut down its popular looping video service Vine, and ended a direct messaging app before even publicly releasing it. The company also turned its focus this year to live video streaming and dealing with its troll problem. It recently acquired app-making company Yes Inc, instating the latter’s founder Keith Coleman as a vice president of product. It’s unclear if Coleman’s role will now expand in the wake of McFarland’s departure, as well as who will replace Messinger, but one thing seems certain: Twitter’s future is shaky. We’ll have to see if 2017 brings good news for the social network.
Via: The New York Times
Source: Josh McFarland (Twitter), Adam Messinger (Twitter)
Obama uses 1953 law to block Arctic drilling under Trump
President Obama has blocked any attempts at drilling for oil off the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf. This would “indefinitely” stop oil and natural gas extraction in the areas, according to a report by CNBC. And unlike executive orders that’ve been signed into place over the past eight years, this apparently can’t be easily undone by President-elect Trump when he takes office.
This will protect some 31 underwater canyons in the Atlantic, and the Beaufort and Chukchi seas surrounding Alaska in the Arctic Ocean. Canada approved similar provisions to block oil and gas exploration.
“These actions, and Canada’s parallel actions, protect a sensitive and unique ecosystem that is unlike any other region on earth,” Obama said. “They reflect the scientific assessment that, even with the high safety standards that both our countries have put in place, the risks of an oil spill in this region are significant and our ability to clean up from a spill in the region’s harsh conditions is limited.”
Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton invoked the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act during their terms as well. The difference, according to CNBC, is that those were for short time periods. Obama’s is the “broadest use of the statute ever because it would be far-reaching in terms of the lands it would protect and come without an expiration date.”
The move could be challenged in court, and Congress, controlled by Republicans, could try altering the law. But, that would mean the case could be stuck in court for much of Trump’s term. However, energy companies have already left the region because of the high risk associated with drilling in the area, for relatively low reward.
Coupled with low oil prices, drilling becomes even more risky considering that energy companies can only extract for two months out of the year.
Rather than exploiting the area for short-term gain, Obama seems to be taking the longview here, protecting a fragile region from the effects of fossil fuel production and disasters that could arise from industry. It’s a direct shot at Trump’s plans to tear down regulations protecting the environment for the sake of business and the profits of his cronies — not to mention his multiple climate-change skeptic cabinet picks.
Source: CNBC
Employee sues Google for ‘illegal’ confidentiality policies
The Information has reported that a Google employee brought a lawsuit against his employer, accusing the company for internal confidentiality policies that supposedly breach California labor laws. One of the more egregious complaints is that Google apparently runs an internal “spying program” that encourages employees to snitch on one another if they think someone leaked information to the press. Further, Google apparently warns employees to not write about potentially illegal activities within the company, even to Google’s own attorneys. There’s even a note that prohibits employees from writing “a novel about someone working at a tech company in Silicon Valley” without approval.
The employee, known only as “John Doe” in the suit, said that one of the reasons for this strict policy is that the company is very fearful of leaks to the press, so much so that anyone who’s guilty of it could be fired. In fact, the employee in question was apparently falsely accused of doing just that. “Confidential information” is classified as “everything at Google,” and can’t be shared with “press, members of the investment community, partners, or anyone else outside of Google.” Essentially, the lawsuit alleges that employees are barred from discussing anything about Google anywhere.
According to the lawsuit, current labor laws state that employees should be able to discuss workplace conditions and potential violations inside the company without the fear of retribution. Additionally, that it should relax the policies so that employees are allowed to speak about the company to outsiders under certain circumstances.
The lawsuit was filed in the California Superior Court in San Francisco under California’s Private Attorneys General Act. If successful, the state would collect 75 percent of the penalty, while the rest would be paid out over to the company’s 65,000 employees. Since there are 12 alleged violations in the suit, the maximum fine could amount to $3.8 billion, with each employee getting about $14,600.
“Google’s motto is ‘don’t be evil.’ Google’s illegal confidentiality agreements and policies fail this test,” the lawsuit said.
Source: The Information
Apple’s tiny, totally wireless AirPods get meticulously torn down
After having been delayed for months — for reasons never publicly confirmed, no less — Apple’s AirPods are finally here. And really, what better to way to celebrate one of the most curious delays in Apple history than by tearing those things apart? The folks at iFixit have done just that (as always), and the end result is a fascinating look at $160 worth of meticulously crafted silicon and audio parts. Spoiler alert: there’s more glue in them than you’d think.
As you might imagine, the tiny scale of Apple’s work and all the glue sealing everything in place make the AirPods a nightmare where repairs are concerned. In fact, all the components are so tightly packed in there that the idea of replacing parts or fixing them in general is downright laughable. Still, this kind of surgery does a great job illustrating the insane, compact origami that goes into modern consumer gadgets. And if nothing else, iFixit’s strangely gorgeous imagery more thoroughly explains the importance of the AirPods’ most questionable design choice: those stems that dangle out of your ear.
People stare, but they probably don’t realize that those stems are mostly all battery — their charge capacity works out to 1 percent of the iPhone 7’s — with long antennas glued to them to maintain a strong connection between the Pods themselves and the phone. (For what it’s worth, we’ve had a pair of AirPods for months and the multiple wireless connections were more-or-less rock-solid the entire time.)
Knowing that doesn’t make the stems look any better, though, as evidenced by all the shade thrown at me by coworkers whenever I wear these things. Also nestled deep within there is what makes the AirPods really tick: the minuscule W1 chip. It’s responsible for the Pods’ dead-simple pairing and power-sipping tendencies, which so far have been the big reasons our review units have seen such consistent use. The level of tension subsides when attention is turned to the AirPods’ charging case, but make no mistake: if you’re a fan of lilliputian tech, this is one teardown you have to see.
AIVAnet 