Here’s an interesting tidbit from The Wall Street Journal:
ICQ was a pioneering, mid-1990s internet messaging service then used on bulky PCs on dial-up. It was a precursor to AOL Instant Messenger, and was last in vogue when the TV show “Friends” was in its prime and PalmPilots were cutting edge. It’s been modernized over the years, and now is an app…
Tag: privacy policy
Signal Back After 24 Hours of Outages Caused by Surging Traffic
“After experiencing technical difficulties Friday, the Signal messaging app appears to be back up and running,” reports the Verge: The company tweeted Saturday night that it was “back,” although added that some users may still see error messages in their chats. The company didn’t explain what caused the outage. For users still seeing error messages in their chats — which the…
WhatsApp Clarifies It’s Not Giving All Your Data To Facebook
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: WhatsApp has published a new FAQ page to its website outlining its stances on user privacy in response to widespread backlash over an upcoming privacy policy update. The core issue relates to WhatsApp’s data-sharing procedures with Facebook, with many users concerned an updated privacy policy going into effect on February 8th will…
Elon Musk Urges Followers to Drop Facebook for Signal
What’s the world’s richest man up to? Digital Trends reports: Tech CEO Elon Musk has urged his almost 42 million Twitter followers to use secure messaging app Signal instead of Facebook products. In a series of tweets, Musk shared a meme referencing Facebook’s role in the spread of misinformation leading to the attack on Congress this week and suggested people should…
Mandatory WhatsApp Privacy Policy Update Allows User Data To be Shared With Facebook
WhatsApp’s latest terms and privacy policy allows the popular messaging app to share a significant amount of user data with Facebook. From a report: WhatsApp users are today receiving an in-app notice informing them about the app’s updated terms of service and privacy policy. The notice gives an overview of the main three updates, covering how WhatsApp processes user data, how…
Google Will Change How Chrome Extensions Access Data in 2021
At Chrome Dev Summit 2020 today, Google announced it will change how extensions access data and how extension permissions work in 2021. On January 18, a day before the release of Chrome 88, Google will require that every extension publicly display its privacy practices and will limit what developers can do with the data they collect. From a report: The first…
Google Sued After Mobile Allowances Eaten Up By Hidden Data Transfers
Slashdot reader Iwastheone shared this report from the Register: Google on Thursday was sued for allegedly stealing Android users’ cellular data allowances though unapproved, undisclosed transmissions to the web giant’s servers… The complaint contends that Google is using Android users’ limited cellular data allowances without permission to transmit information about those individuals that’s unrelated to their use of Google services… What…
Privacy Investigation Finds 5 Million Shoppers’ Images Collected At Malls Across Canada
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CTV News: Without customers’ knowledge, more than five million images of Canadian shoppers’ were collected through facial recognition software used by Cadillac Fairview, a parent company of malls across the country, according to an investigation by privacy officials. The federal privacy commissioner reported Thursday that Cadillac Fairview contravened federal and provincial privacy laws by…
Facebook Demands Shutdown of Research Project Into Its Targeting of Political Ads
“Facebook Inc. is demanding that a New York University research project cease collecting data about its political-ad targeting practices,” reports the Wall Street Journal, “setting up a fight with academics seeking to study the platform without the company’s permission.” The dispute involves the NYU Ad Observatory, a project launched last month by the university’s engineering school that has recruited more than…
Amazon Launches Program To Pay Consumers For Their Data On Non-Amazon Purchases
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Amazon has launched a new program that directly pays consumers for information about what they’re purchasing outside of Amazon.com and for responding to short surveys. The program, Amazon Shopper Panel, asks users to send in 10 receipts per month for any purchases made at non-Amazon retailers, including grocery stores, department stores, drug stores…