Facebook fights fake news with a trio of tweaks to trending topics
The problem of fake news has been around for a little while -- particularly on Facebook -- but it's something that has been thrown into the spotlight thanks to President Trump and his continuing complaints about the media, in particular about the size of his inauguration crowds.
Facebook is one of many technology companies to announce plans to tackle fake news, and now the social network has unveiled its latest round of fakery fighting. Three major changes are coming to Trending topics: firstly, Facebook will no longer personalize news for individual users; secondly headlines and sources will be listed alongside topic headings to help give context; finally the trending algorithm is being updated.
Here, FIDO! Facebook adds security key protection
Hackers are always keen to get their hands on people's social media accounts, so adding two-factor security is a good way of keeping your login details secure if someone tries to access your account on another device.
Facebook has offered verification by SMS message or mobile app for a while but it's now going a step further by making the FIDO U2F (universal 2nd factor authentication) security key available as part of its login process.
Facebook makes its privacy settings much clearer
Facebook has made lots of changes to its privacy settings over the years, usually in a bid to make them simpler to understand and use, yet many people just stick with the defaults.
Facebook’s new Privacy Basics aims to make it much easier for people to find the tools they need to control their information on the social network.
Facebook rolls out Messenger interface for web inbox
Facebook has started to roll out the Messenger.com interface as a replacement for the longstanding message inbox on the web. The latest design should feel much more familiar to folks who use the chat service on their smartphones, as it closely resembles the Android and iOS apps.
There is no official announcement yet, but you should start seeing the new interface soon on your account. It debuted nearly two years ago as a standalone website and alternative to the message inbox for folks who do not want to visit Facebook (or wish to create an account with the social network, for that matter).
YouTube gets in-app messaging and direct video sharing
Google is adding a new social component to YouTube, rolling out in-app messaging and direct video sharing on Android and iOS. The new features are available only in Canada at the time of writing this article, but Google says that they will be (eventually) released worldwide.
Why is Google introducing those features? Simple. In today's landscape, it is no longer enough to let users watch videos and reply back and forth in the comments section. If you look at Facebook, it is also super easy for users to connect after having a conversation, which then lets them privately share content, among other things. The result? They spend more time using the service.
BBC wants to tackle fake news with Reality Check team
Fake news has become a serious problem recently, with Facebook blamed for helping the spread of stories that are factually incorrect. The social network has already announced that it wants to take steps to tackle the problem, and now the BBC is joining the fight.
The BBC already has a series known as Reality Check, and the plan is to expand this into a permanent feature that will be used to fact-check stories that appear on Facebook and other social media.
How to protect yourself from the WhatsApp 'backdoor'
Earlier today we reported about a security problem in WhatsApp that means it is possible for messages to be intercepted and read by others. The so-called 'backdoor' takes advantage of the fact that WhatsApp's implementation of end-to-end encryption makes it possible to resend encrypted messages using different security keys, allowing for third parties to read them.
What is concerning many people is the fact that (by default, at least) WhatsApp does not alert users when a message is resent using a different key -- which would be a warning of something going on. Here's what you need to do to ensure you are told when the key changes.
'Backdoor' in WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption leaves messages open to interception [Updated]
Facebook has long-claimed that its WhatsApp messaging service is completely secure and messages cannot be intercepted thanks to its use of end-to-end encryption. But researchers have unearthed what they call a serious security flaw that makes it possible to read encrypted messages.
Based on Open Whisper Systems' Signal Protocol, the unique security keys used to implement end-to-end encryption should keep messages secure. But WhatsApp can force offline users to generate new keys and this could allow Facebook -- and third parties -- to read messages.
Now it's easy to secretly edit Facebook posts without anyone noticing
There is a lot of talk about the possibility of editing tweets on Twitter at the moment, but an editing function has been available on Facebook for ages. With the ability to edit posts that people can comment on come concerns, and with this in mind Facebook has always let you know when a post you're reading has been amended. Until now...
Without warning, the label which advised of edits has vanished. This means that it is now possible to make surreptitious changes to posts and many people will be completely unaware of what you have done.
Apple is more environmentally-friendly than Facebook, Google and Microsoft
Greenpeace has crowned Apple the most environmentally-friendly tech company for the third year in a row. The Cupertino, Calif.-based giant is well ahead of most of the big players in the field, being one of just three companies to get an "A" grade from the NGO, alongside Facebook and Google.
With a score of 83 percent, Apple has the highest clear energy index, using little natural gas, coal and nuclear energy. Facebook comes second with 67 percent while Google takes the last place on the podium with a score of 56 percent. Both companies rely more on natural gas, coal and nuclear energy than Apple.
Snapchat thumbs its nose at Brexit, opens international HQ in UK
Brexit was supposed to terrify companies out of doing business in the UK, and in some instances this has been true. But Snapchat is bucking the trend, opting to set up its international headquarters not in Ireland (as many companies do to avoid huge tax bills), but in the UK.
Snap Inc, the company behind SnapChat, will open its London offices under the name Snap Group Limited. The company says it chose the UK capital because of its "strong creative industries", and the move will be seen by many as a something of a coup for post-EU referendum Britain.
Nielsen: Top 10 smartphone apps of 2016 -- Facebook and Google dominate
When it comes to mobile operating systems, apps still reign supreme. To highlight which ones were most popular in 2016, Nielsen conducted a study of Android and iPhone smartphone users.
Not surprisingly, two major players in the mobile space -- Facebook and Google -- lead the pack.
Facebook promotes fake news by activating Safety Check based on false reports of Bangkok bomb
The problem of fake news on Facebook has been highly publicized recently, and while the social network says it is doing what it can to tackle the issue, it seems the company is actually adding fuel to the fire.
Based on false reports of an explosion in Bangkok, Thailand, Facebook's Safety Check feature was activated. This in turn helped to give the initial story authenticity, helping with the spread of fake news. Safety Check has itself proved to be a controversial feature, and combined with flakey news algorithms, it resulted in a perfect storm.
US government starts asking foreign visitors for their Facebook, Twitter and other social media info
In a move that has drawn criticisms from privacy groups, the US government this week started to ask some foreign travelers arriving in the country to hand over their social media account details.
Since Tuesday, visitors to the US arriving under the visa waiver program have been asked if they will provide "information associated with your online presence". Travellers are prompted to provide their usernames for the likes of Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, and while the handing over of information is currently marked as "optional", it's not clear what the consequences of failing to provide it may be, or if there are plans to make it mandatory.
Stop lurking on Facebook (maybe ditch it altogether!) and you'll have a happier Christmas
For all of the talk of it being a social network, Facebook can be a lonely and depressing place. Despite this, many people use the site as somewhere to 'lurk', something which research shows can be psychologically harmful.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that emotions become more positive and life-satisfaction increased in a group of people who took a break from the site. The effects were more pronounced in heavy users of Facebook, in those who suffered from envy, and those who failed to interact with other users. The advice for some people is that they might want to "consider quitting Facebook for good".
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