privacy | Common News Update

Jan152021 by adminNo Comments

WhatsApp delays launch of controversial feature after privacy backlash

Technology

WhatsApp is delaying the rollout of new business features following a user backlash over the company's data sharing practices.The delay is a setback for its plan to generate revenue by facilitating commercial exchanges on the messaging app, which Facebook acquired for $ 19bn in 2014 but has been slow to monetise. WhatsApp has said users will no longer have to review and accept its updated terms by 8 February - and no accounts will be suspended or deleted by that date. Privacy advocates have jumped on the WhatsApp changes, pointing to what they say is Facebook's poor track record of supporting consumer interests when handling their data.Many have suggested users would migrate to other platforms, and rival app Signal surged up the App Store charts on iPhone and the Google Play Store on A...

Jan132021 by adminNo Comments

TikTok tightens privacy features for younger users

Technology

A month after federal regulators ordered it to disclose how its practices affect children and teenagers, TikTok is tightening its privacy practices for the under-18 crowdBy BARBARA ORTUTAY AP Technology WriterJanuary 13, 2021, 10:00 AM• 2 min readA month after federal regulators ordered it to disclose how its practices affect children and teenagers, TikTok is tightening its privacy practices for the under-18 crowd.Starting on Wednesday, default privacy setting for accounts with users aged 13 to 15 will be private. That means only someone the user approves as a follower can view their videos, which was not the case previously. But teens can still change this setting to public if they want.Older teenagers won't see this default setting change. For users aged 16 or 17, the default se...

Dec212020 by adminNo Comments

Facebook removes app features over privacy rules

Technology

Facebook has removed a number of features from its Instagram and Messenger apps in Europe due to what it says is an update to EU privacy rules - including security features it uses to scan for child abuse content. A recent change to the ePrivacy Directive, that was designed to prevent companies such as Facebook mining message content and metadata for advertising purposes, has instead resulted in the company turning a number of features off. Features including creating polls in apps, using stickers and other augmented reality image filters on Instagram, and giving Messenger contacts nicknames are among those now turned off for Facebook users within the European Union and UK. Image: The block is impacting a number of Facebook apps Core ...

Dec162020 by adminNo Comments

Facebook pours fuel on Apple privacy row

Technology

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Jul272020 by adminNo Comments

Facebook takes the EU to court over privacy spat

Technology

Facebook has pushed back against a European Union investigation into its practices, taking it to court over privacy concerns. Two investigations are being carried out into Facebook to find out if it breaches competition laws. To gather information, the European Commission has demanded internal documents from Facebook that include 2,500 specific key phrases.Facebook says that means handing over unrelated but highly sensitive data. The European Commission says it will defend the case in court, and its investigation into Facebook's potential anticompetitive conduct is ongoing.The social media giant has filed an appeal to the EU courts, arguing against the breadth of the document requests. 'Irrelevant documents'"We are cooperating wi...