Geek News

Facebook has been rolling out a series of changes to its platform that are all aimed at closing up loopholes following the Cambridge Analytica data breach . Now, the social media giant will be launching a certification tool that will check and ensure that marketers are only sending ads to email addresses that were rightfully obtained with user consent. The tool is called the Custom Audiences certification tool. A Facebook rep wrote about the tool to a marketing client in a message spotted by TechCrunch . They wrote, “Advertisers will be required to represent and warrant that proper user consent has been obtained for the use of any data uploaded.” Facebook is also going to prevent Custom Audience data from being shared across Business... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2H4jYF3"

Google today announced an expansion of its Rolling Study Halls initiative to over 16 additional school districts, giving “thousands” of students access to Wi-Fi and Chromebooks on their buses. Google piloted the program in North Carolina and South Carolina last year and has focused its efforts on rural communities where some students have lengthy bus rides between home and the classroom each day. Providing students with dependable Wi-Fi before and after school is a boon for those who might lack broadband internet at home, giving them two opportunities daily to complete assignments or study for exams while on the bus. Google contributes mobile Wi-Fi routers, data plans, and Chromebook devices. Each Rolling Study Hall also has an “onboard... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GJhMoL"

Space And other Tiangong-1 facts. Remember that Chinese space station called Tiangong-1? You know. The broken one. The one that was set to plunge out of the sky sometime over Easter weekend? The one… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2q0ewLg"

You can now donate to charity with your voice by asking Amazon’s Alexa. Today, the tech giant announced a new feature called Alexa Donations, powered by Amazon Pay. Now, you can just say, “Alexa, donate $10 to UNICEF USA,” or any supported charity of your choice. Alternatively, you can say, “Alexa, make a donation,” and Alexa will ask you to pick a charity and dollar amount. Then, it uses your Amazon account payment info to complete the transaction. Currently, users can only choose from 48 charities and nonprofits, including more commonly known ones like the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society to internet-oriented groups like the Tor Project, Wikimedia Foundation, and the media site ProPublica. Amazon noted in a press... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pY27rN"

Science Projecting the evolution of the projectile From Tesla's remote-controlled boats, to torpedos guided on wires, all the way to missiles that can pick their own targets from afar. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2H3l9Vg"

In an interview with Vox ’s Ezra Klein , Mark Zuckerberg says he is exploring the option for Facebook users to independently appeal to the content moderation team if their content gets taken down for violating community policies. The CEO likens the appeal process to Facebook operating more like a government, with the goal of creating a network that “reflects more what people in the community want than what short-term-oriented shareholders might want.” Currently, Facebook only allowed appeals for content that was removed for violating copyright laws , and they must be filed through a United States Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) counter-notification. In Zuckerberg’s vision, the ability to independently appeal should be available like... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GslNKK"

Europeans now can watch online streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Video Prime, and others that they’ve subscribed to at home wherever they are traveling in the EU without facing region blocks. The European Commission announced its new digital portability rules went into effect yesterday, as spotted by Engadget . The rules cover any digital content subscriptions, but it doesn’t cover free content, which will be up to the providers’ discretion. The new change also means that Netflix will be able to serve films and TV shows to subscribers without having to obtain licenses for the territories. Users’ accounts will automatically check their IP addresses to spot their location. The commission noted that between 2010 and 2014, European... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2JdrCh0"

Health At times it seemed more perilous than usual. Flu season is still technically not over, but the tail end is the perfect time to look back and ask: how bad was it? So—now that you’ve likely already forgotten how… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2uMQsRR"

“We will dig through this hole, but it will take a few years.” Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2uD16KP"

Taking a conventional approach to cybersecurity typically refers to “keeping the bad stuff out” of your network, meaning blocking any number of malicious threats such as spam, viruses, malware, and DDoS attacks. The truth is if you want your organization to be secure in today’s cyber landscape, you must proactively assess your security posture and focus on mitigating risk. This not only drastically reduces the probability of a successful attack actually transpiring, it will enable the ability to remediate and recover your business quickly in the event of exposure. How do you implement this approach? 1. Mitigate risks posed by targeted email attacks Email is still the top threat vector used by attackers. More cunning methods such as spear phishing and business email compromise (BEC) are highly targeted and researched attempts where cybercriminals often seek to defraud individuals and lead unsuspecting employees to transfer money or willingly share credentials. The FBI estimates ...

France has announced a new national AI strategy, including government funding worth nearly €1.5 billion ($1.85 billion). But the country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is worried about the damage this technology could do if not properly guided. In an interview with Wired , he said there was even a risk AI could “jeopardize democracy.” Macron is worried about unaccountable “black box” algorithms being introduced into society and making decisions formerly entrusted to humans. He gave the example of an algorithm used to sort students into universities, and said that if its workings were not easy to understand, it could destroy trust and encourage people to “reject” innovation. “I have to be confident for my people that there is no bias, at... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GqyrOl"

Last summer, Niantic Labs celebrated the first year of Pokémon GO with an in-person event in Chicago, with others to follow in Europe. It didn’t go well: spotty cell signals and overwhelmed servers turned the event into a disaster, and two dozen attendees launched a class action lawsuit to try and recoup travel expenses. TechCrunch is reporting that Niantic has reached a settlement, to the tune of $1.5 million. The company will end up paying $1,575,000 for attendees’ flights, hotel rooms, car rentals, parking fees, milage, and tolls. The company will put up a website by May 25th for individuals affected by the problems, and it will notify users via e-mail. To qualify for the settlement, users have to have checked into the festival in... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2q0g0F4"

I love a good photo app, but there are so many in the App Store that it’s hard to know where to begin. If you’re looking for a photo- and video-editing app that does something a little different than the standard Instagram-like filters, a glitch-inducing app called Hyperspektiv might be a nice alternative to play around with. Hyperspektiv has been around for a few years, but it’s recently gained traction after being featured in the App Store. The app adds random distortion effects, such as colorful glitches and floaty mirroring to a kaleidoscope twist. There are plenty of options to experiment with in Hyperspektiv, which makes it worth $1 price. There are 30 filters in total, including a Wild Card option you can repeatedly tap to... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Ebbtok"

Today's Deal: Save 66% on Epistory - Typing Chronicles !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Tuesday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2pXV4P4"

In February, secure messaging service Telegram launched a presale for the its cryptocurency prior to an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), raising $850 million from 81 investors, and later that month, The Verge learned that it was launching a second private presale , in which it aimed to double that amount. Bloomberg Technology reports that the company did just that, and has raised a total of $1.7 billion in March between the two sales. In a filing to the Securities and Exchanges Commission , Telegram says that it raised an additional $850 million from 94 investors in the second sale, bringing the total amount to $1.7 billion. It also says that it might “pursue one or more subsequent offerings” beyond these first two sales. The company is... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IkV2s8"

April Fools’ Day is upon us, bringing with it a deluge of terrible jokes, ill-advised pranks, and the occasional inspired product concept. The “holiday” has been around for centuries , and companies from all over the internet have been imposing their jokes on us for the last couple of days. While most are pretty groan-worthy, some are actually a bit entertaining, so we’ve rounded up some of the best (and some of the lamest) to check out. We’ll update this list throughout the day as new jokes (“jokes?”) emerge. 23andMe + Lexus 23andMe teamed up with Lexus to ... use your DNA to figure out which Lexus is right for you, tailoring a vehicle just for you, which you can start by licking the steering wheel. Right. Funny. BritBox British VOD... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2J90C22"