Facebook has suspended ‘tens of thousands’ of apps over private data use
Facebook says it has suspended “tens of thousands” of apps suspected of misusing private user data amid an investigation that it began in March of 2018 following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The apps came from only 400 developers, Facebook said, and the investigation is ongoing.
Amazon juiced its search algorithm to sell its own products over competitors’
Amazon has reportedly been adjusting its search system so that products that are more profitable for the company appear higher in search results than those that it receives a smaller profit from. The WSJ report comes just a week after similar allegations were made against Apple.
Scientists have found a way to use the cold of night to generate electricity
Scientists have discovered a way to power a light by using the cold of outer space, which could eventually be used to create the nighttime counterpart to solar energy. The radiative cooling process is able to generate enough electricity to power an LED light.
New York will follow the Trump administration and ban flavored e-cigarettes
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday that he plans to pursue emergency regulations this week to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. Michigan has also banned the flavored vaping products, and the Trump administration said it would enact a similar ban federally.
Analogue’s DAC lets you connect modern throwback consoles to old-school TVs
Analogue has created a new digital-to-analog converter (affectionally called DAC) that allows you to experience classic games on a classic display. The device only works with Analogue’s two most recent consoles, specifically its SNES clone called “Super NT" and its Sega Genesis clone, “Mega Sg."
MoviePass will officially shut down its movie subscription service
Discount movie ticket service MoviePass will officially cease operations on September 14, putting the final nail in the coffin of the service that has been slowly deteriorating over the past several years.
Tiny bubbles in your body could be better at fighting cancer than chemotherapy
New research suggests that tiny bubbles that already exist in our body might potentially be used to treat cancer — and work better than chemotherapy. Masamitsu Kanada of Michigan State University has improved a therapeutic approach to delivering genes, which could be a more effective way to fight cancer.
Period-tracking apps are sharing people’s intimate data with Facebook
Some period-tracking apps are reportedly sending Facebook personal information about the women who use them. The apps MIA Fem and Maya sent information about contraception use, when women's monthly periods were, and whether or not they experienced symptoms like cramps swelling to the social network.
50 U.S. states and territories announce an antitrust investigation of Google
Fifty U.S states and territories announced an antitrust investigation into Google on Monday, focusing on the company’s advertising practices and its control over internet search. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that Google “dominates all aspects of advertising on the Internet and searching on the Internet."
You need to delete these 24 malware-infested Android apps right now
A number of apps have recently made their way into the Google Play Store with a little something extra: malware. The malware, which has been dubbed “Joker,” is designed to sneakily sign users up for subscription services, ones that they might be charged for over the course of several months.
Apple favored search results for its own App Store apps over more relevant ones
If you searched for an app in Apple’s App Store over the past year, chances are good that one of the first results showed you software made by Apple, even if it had little to do with what you were searching. Apple said it has since changed the algorithm to give less preference to its apps.
Any child who can do basic math can hack YouTube Kids’ parent controls
YouTube Kids officially launched Friday on the web. The website offers a similar experience to the YouTube Kids mobile app and allows parents to set limits on what content their children are able to watch on the platform. But those limits are only protected by math questions most kids can answer.
The CDC says that almost everyone shouldn’t vape, including young adults
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned minors, pregnant women, young adults, and people who don't use tobacco that they shouldn't vape after a spate of recent illnesses and one death linked to e-cigarettes.
Ford recalls 550,000 trucks and SUVs, including F-150, Expedition, and Explorer
Ford has issued a recall for more than 550,000 SUVs and trucks, including the F-150, Explorer, and Expedition, because the seatbacks in the vehicles might not properly restrain people if the if there's a crash. The company said it doesn't know of anyone who has been injured because of the issue.
Elon Musk says computers will eventually surpass us in every single way
Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk said that computers are getting smarter, so much so that they are surpassing human intelligence. At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Musk told Alibaba's Jack Ma that he guarantees humans will eventually be surpassed by computers “in every single way."
Tom Holland will return for a ‘very different’ Spider-Man movie without the MCU
Tom Holland will be reprising his role as Peter Parker in a third Spider-Man movie, despite the breakup between Sony and Marvel -- but don't expect it to be like the first two films. Holland said the split wouldn’t be the end for him and the character.
Forget burgers. Beyond Meat and KFC will test plant-based fried chicken
Beyond Meat and KFC announced Monday that they’re working together on the new meat-free “Beyond Fried Chicken.” The companies will be testing the plant-based chicken products for one day at a location outside of Atlanta and will ask customers for feedback
A 5-star rating is no guarantee you’re getting a safe product on Amazon
A new investigation found that Amazon has little oversight over the items being sold on its platform by third-party sellers -- so little, in fact, that many items are being sold on the site that would be barred from store shelves.
Facebook likely knew about Cambridge Analytica much earlier than we thought
Newly-released emails suggest that Facebook knew that Cambridge Analytica was gathering user profile data three months before the press revealed that the firm was using profile data to target voters during the 2016 elections.
Here’s yet another reason why Facebook’s Libra might never happen
Some of the early backers of Facebook’s Libra currency might be looking to distance themselves from the project. At least three of the project’s founding backers are concerned about the regulatory spotlight on the project, since governments around the world have called on Facebook to either slow down or stop it entirely.
On the fence about buying solar panels? Tesla now offers them for rent
With solar rental Tesla says “customers get the best from solar power — clean, cheap energy to power homes and vehicles — without upfront costs or decades-long agreements. In fact, customers can get solar power with one click, instead of lengthy consultations and piles of paperwork.”
Bernie Sanders calls for a ban on police use of facial recognition
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for a complete ban on the use of facial recognition by law enforcement. While other candidates have also expressed concerns about facial recognition software and how it’s been used, Sanders is the first to specifically call for a ban.
The results are in: Alexa is legitimately dumber than Siri and Google Assistant
If you’ve always thought Alexa was dumber than the other voice assistants in your house or on your phone, a new test performed by Loup Ventures might prove your theory correct. Amazon Alexa scored last in an IQ test against Google Assistant and Siri.
Amazon customers are getting emails with someone else’s order information
Some Amazon customers say they’re receiving emails from Amazon about orders placed by other people. Those emails contain personal information like the person's address and what they purchased on Amazon. One Amazon customer service rep said the problem is common
Lawsuit over Capital One data breach could eventually get you sweet revenge
The Miami-based law firm Colson Hicks Eidson has filed a class-action lawsuit against Capital One Financial Corporation “for negligence in failing to safeguard consumers’ personal information” in the recent data breach that impacted 100 million consumers.
Quit hitting refresh: Twitter is testing a subscribe to tweet replies feature
Soon you might be able to get a push notification when a tweet has been replied to as well. Twitter is currently testing a new feature through select iOS and Android users that will allow users to turn on notifications for a particular thread. No more endlessly refreshing your feed to look for new comments.
The EU could hit Facebook with billions in fines over privacy violations
The European Union is reportedly nearing the end of its investigations into some of the cases it has opened against Facebook pertaining to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. The EU currently has 11 open cases against the social network operator.