TikTok bans under-16s from sending and receiving direct messages and introduces new parental control options
TikTok has introduced a raft of new safety measures designed to protect younger users. As well as introducing new options that give parents even more control over their children's account, the company is also implementing a complete ban on direct messaging for those under the age of 16.
The changes are being tenuously linked to the coronavirus pandemic, with TikTok saying that the spread of COVID-19 has accelerated the flow of families moving to the platform for entertainment. The company says that it is adding new parental control features to help ensure a safer experience for users.
Apple thinks the new iPhone SE is worth much less than a quartet of Mac Pro wheels
Apple is not a company readily associated with low prices, and its hardware is always markedly more expensive than something comparable from other companies.
Over the years we've become used to Apple phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops (typically) being relatively expensive -- but where the company really stands out is with the pricing of its accessories. Take the newly announced iPhone SE, for instance. With a starting price of $399, Apple values the phone less than a set of wheels for a Mac Pro, and only marginally more than a set of feet for the same computer.
Zoom releases software update to improve passwords, protect meeting IDs and secure cloud recordings
Zoom has been forced to take a long, hard look at its security and privacy in recent weeks. The company has not only put a pause on new features, it is focusing instead on making existing options more secure.
In an update to the software, Zoom has taken steps to improve the security of passwords, as well as introducing random IDs for meetings. The company has also enhanced password protection for meeting recordings stored in the cloud, and added other key security features.
Hackers are selling two serious Zoom zero-day vulnerabilities for $500,000
Both the Windows and macOS versions of Zoom have critical, unpatched security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers to target users and spy on calls and meetings.
Security experts say -- despite not having seen the actual code for the exploits -- that the Windows version of Zoom is affected by an RCE (Remote Code Execution) described as being "perfect for industrial espionage". The zero-days have been offered for sale for $500,000.
Microsoft reminds Wunderlist users to migrate to To Do as shutdown deadline looms
We've known for some time that since purchasing Wunderlist, Microsoft has planned to close it down. Not that it plans to leave users entirely in the lurch -- the company has its own To Do app as an alternative.
As we're now halfway through April, the shutdown date for Wunderlist is fast-approaching. As such, Microsoft has issued a reminder to Wunderlist users that now is the time to start migrating data across.
Google launches free YouTube Video Builder beta for time-strapped creators
Creating content for YouTube can be a simple matter of pointing a camera at your face and yammering away for a while -- but it can also be rather more complicated than this.
Not everyone has the time -- or talent -- to create impressive videos, and this is precisely why Google has released a beta version of a new YouTube Video Builder tool. It's a simple, free utility that helps you to create short videos by animating static images and text, and Google is promoting it now companies and individuals are finding new ways to communicate during the coronavirus crisis.
Microsoft fixes multiple actively exploited zero-day vulnerabilities as part of Patch Tuesday
Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday security updates are always important, but the ones released this week are particularly important. Not only do the fixes address numerous zero-day vulnerabilities, but the security flaws they fix were being actively exploited.
In all, Microsoft has plugged 113 CVE-numbered vulnerabilities this month. 17 of these are marked as being critical, and 96 as important.
Microsoft announces extended support dates for older versions of Windows
Having already extended the end of service date for Windows 10 version 1709 because of coronavirus, Microsoft has now announced that it is doing the same for Windows 10 version 1809.
Just as with Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the October 2018 Update will now be supported for an extra six months. Previously due to reach end of service on May 12, 2020, the Home, Pro, Pro Education, Pro for Workstations, IoT Core and Server editions of the operating system will now be supported until November 10 this year.
Hundreds of thousands of stolen Zoom accounts for sale on hacker forums for next to nothing
Problems for Zoom and users of the videoconferencing software seem just about unending. Following on from the revelation that a number of account credentials were available on the dark web, a new report shows that in fact there are credentials for hundreds of thousands of accounts available on hacking forums.
In all, over half a million account details have been found available -- some sold for fractions of a penny, and others made available completely free of charge.
Google is rolling out chapters to YouTube to make it easier to navigate videos
Jumping to specific parts of a video on YouTube can be a pain, but Google is taking steps to make things easier.
DVD/Blu-ray-style chapters are being rolled out, making it quicker and simpler to skip straight to the section you're interested in seeing. But while this is a feature that will be welcomed by many YouTube users who are tired of sitting through pointless introductory waffle before the meat of a video, the use of chapters is dependant on the creator of the video.
Zoom will soon let some users choose which countries their data is routed through
As part of its continuing efforts to regain trust following a series of privacy and security scandals, Zoom has announced that it is introducing the option for users to choose which countries their data is routed through.
The move comes after concerns were voiced at Zoom's admission that some US calls were being routed through China. The new option will allow users to opt in or out of specific data center regions; unfortunately, this feature will not be made available to everyone.
Cloudflare ditches Google's reCAPTCHA because of privacy concerns and costs
Cloudflare has moved away from using Google's reCAPTCHA, opting instead for the independent hCaptcha bot detector.
The company explains the reasons behind the change, citing not only the fact that Google would now like to charge Cloudflare for what used to be a free service, but also the privacy concerns that stem from anything to do with Google.
US big data firm is using confidential UK coronavirus patient information to build 'COVID-19 datastore'
There are privacy concerns following the revelation that confidential data from UK coronavirus patients is being used by technology firms and government to build predictive computer models to help fight the pandemic.
US big data firm Palantir and UK AI startup Faculty are working together to put together what has been described as a "COVID-19 datastore". Pulling together information from government databases as well as information from health services, the project also makes use of highly personal data relating to individual patients according to documents seen by the Guardian.
Coronavirus means Unicode 14.0 emoji are delayed by six months... so you can still submit ideas
The fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has been incredibly varied, but few people would have considered that the spread of the disease around the world would lead to a delay in the release of new emoji. But that's precisely what's happening.
If you were looking forward to a new batch of emoji from the Unicode Consortium early next year, you're going to have to wait a little longer. Unicode 14.0 has been delayed by half a year. But while this delay is a disappointment, there are a couple of pieces of good news.
Zoom is taking steps to improve privacy and security, and to prevent Zoombombing
The various security and privacy issues that have plagued Zoom in recent weeks have not only caused users to look at the video conferencing software differently, but also forced the company to take a long, hard look at itself.
Having already apologized for the numerous issues people have experienced, as well as making changes to the way the service works, Zoom has now also taken steps to prevent users from being Zoombombed. The change is a relatively minor one in the scheme of things, but it's an important one.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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