Facebook clamps down on address cloaking to protect users from spam and porn
Facebook has introduced a ban on address cloaking, a technique used to bypass review procedures and display content that violates the social network's policies.
Cloaking is used to disguise the true nature of posts and ads from reviewers, so they will see different contents to real-world users when they click through. Facebook says that it will be working with other companies to find ways to fight cloaking and implement punishments. AI will be called upon to do some of the legwork.
What can machine learning do at scale?
In my series, I’ve looked at the different ways in which data can be deployed to help people make decisions. Over time, more of the decision-making process has shifted from people manually collating data from different sources in their heads to using data sets that can be automatically joined together. This networked approach to data makes it easier for people of all skill levels to work with data.
This has evolved to make more use of automation over time. By making it easier for individuals to link up data sets and form connections between these assets, businesses have been able to spread analytics to more users within their organizations. This is now being taken further with machine learning.
Use this simple trick to force Outlook.com to give you access to the new beta version
Yesterday, Microsoft announced it was rolling out a new beta version for its Outlook.com webmail service. This offers a number of improvements for users, including better performance, a smarter inbox, and greater personalization.
The problem, as with all Microsoft rollouts, is only some users will be able to access the beta. The majority have to wait to be invited, and that could take weeks. Fortunately, there’s a simply trick you can use to access the beta right now.
New platform improves visibility and control of endpoints
Traditional methods of securing endpoints rely on installed agents and are affected by network dependencies.
Endpoint security specialist Absolute is launching a new version of its solution that's always connected to every endpoint. Absolute 7 uses Persistence technology that’s embedded in the firmware of many popular endpoint devices, to deliver always-connected visibility and control with a tether to every device both on and off the corporate network.
Almost half of popular consumer websites have poor password requirements
Although other forms of authentication are gaining traction, the password is still the most common method of identifying yourself to websites. Levels of password security should therefore be an important consideration for online businesses, especially in eCommerce.
But a Password Power Rankings survey out today from password manager Dashlane shows that 46 percent of consumer sites, including Dropbox, Netflix, and Pandora, and 36 percent of enterprise sites, including DocuSign and Amazon Web Services, are failing to implement the most basic password security requirements.
Opera 47 (finally) adds bookmarks export, smoother video playback
Opera Software has unveiled Opera 47.0 for Windows, Mac and Linux. It’s a fast turnaround from Opera 46, taking less than the usual six-week development cycle to go from alpha to final release.
As a result, the new release is light on major features, but does boast a number of improvements, including smoother video and exportable bookmarks. It also updates the underlying Chromium engine to version 60.
Acer Chromebook 11 C771 has optional touch screen and up to 13 hours battery life
I absolutely love Chromebooks. Well, not for me exactly, but I love suggesting them to other people when appropriate. While they aren't for everybody, they are brilliant when they can meet a user's needs. The underlying Chrome OS operating system is based on Linux and is extremely secure. In fact, it can be argued that Google's laptop operating system is the most secure OS for web browsing. If you are tired of fixing either a friend or family member's Windows 10 PC, and they live in a web browser, get them on a Chromebook and get some of your time -- and sanity -- back.
Today, Acer unveils a new laptop running Chrome OS. The "Chromebook 11 C771," as it is called, is designed primarily for education (where they really shine), plus as thin clients for businesses too. The notebook features an 11.6-inch display with optional touch, and up to 13 hours battery life. Since it is designed primarily for students, and they can be rough on computers, the C771 has military grade (MIL-STD 810G) durability and a spill-resistant keyboard. It can even survive a 4 foot drop.
Ethereum price rises above $300
The value of the cryptocurrency market plummeted in July, and Ethereum was among the most affected players. From a peak of $400 in mid-June, it went all the way down to the $130s a couple of weeks ago. The second most-valuable cryptocurrency has been slowly regaining lost ground since, however.
Ethereum is nowhere near its peak price yet, unlike Bitcoin, which has managed to go over $3,500 for the first time yesterday, but its recovery is encouraging -- Ethereum traded again above the $300 mark today.
Brand influence of Snapchat declines while Instagram increases
Marketers are keen to take advantage of the latest social channels to boost their profiles, but it can be a bit of a lottery for brands to know which have the most influence on customers.
A new study by marketing platform Snaplytics has analyzed over 800 influencers in depth over the last quarter, to identify how many updates contain brand mentions, which brands are being mentioned and who mentions them on what platform.
Instagram tests split-screen live video
All of the messaging services worth their salt feature a live video option, and Instagram is no different. But the company is keen to get more people using it and is worried that going live alone is too intimidating for some people.
To overcome this problem, Instagram is testing a new split-screen option that gives users the chance to go live with a friend. While this is billed as a way to make live video more accessible, there's far greater potential for this form of shared live video than Instagram is currently hinting at.
Disney to pull its content from Netflix and launch its own streaming service
During its Q3 earnings report, Disney announced plans to launch its own streaming service in 2019. As part of this shift in business, the company will end its distribution agreement with Netflix.
The company also announced that it has agreed to acquire an additional 42 percent stake in BAMTech. The $1.58 billion makes Disney a majority stakeholder and will give it greater control over the ESPN-branded multi-sport video streaming service due to launch in early 2018.
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How businesses can tackle app development challenges
The demand for business apps is escalating. Apps help management teams and employees run their operations more effectively, and better engage existing customers and help attract new ones. But developing quality and high functionality apps is often considered challenging, resource intensive and expensive. Additional challenges include getting apps to work across multiple device types and different operating systems and overcoming back-end integration issues.
Such challenges are slowing the rate of app development. Gartner recently reported that more than a quarter of enterprises globally have not built, customized or virtualized any mobile apps in the last 12 months. Here are some of the top challenges involved in business app development.
How to reduce public sector IT spend
In 2015, UK cancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, set out the government’s spending plans by asking public sector workers to make significant savings in a bid to reduce the deficit by 2020. Osborne stated that budgets would need to be reduced by one-fifth at the very minimum. There were also predictions that one hundred thousand public sector jobs would be shed.
With this announcement came the realization that IT departments within public sector bodies such as local councils, police forces and central government are most likely to be hit the hardest as the pressure to do more with less intensifies.
Paragon Software releases Hard Disk Manager 16 Preview for free
We used to be a huge Paragon Software supporter, met the company a few times in London to discuss strategies, but in the past couple of years it has almost completely disappeared under the radar, despite having a fantastic range of products across its portfolio. Whilst Acronis and our friends at O&O Software have powered forward, Paragon appears to have taken a step back.
Whether this is because it is focusing on its core market, Germany, or it moved in to the corporate market, it’s unclear. Either way, we’d still recommend its products and and wrote about the updated Paragon Backup & Recovery 16 Free the other week.
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