Month: October 2019
WhatsApp adds fingerprint unlock feature for Android users
WhatsApp users on Android can now lock the messaging app using their fingerprint. The Facebook-owned messaging service announced it will allow users to add the extra layer of security, which will require the device owner’s fingerprint to be confirmed before the app opens fully. A similar feature was added to Apple’s iOS platform earlier this…
Chinese hackers intercepted text messages, says cybersecurity firm
Chinese hackers with a history of state-sponsored espionage have intercepted the text messages of thousands of foreigners in a targeted campaign that planted eavesdropping software on a telecommunications provider’s servers, a cybersecurity firm has said. FireEye said in a report that the Chinese hackers belong to the group designated Advanced Persistent Threat 41 (APT41), which…
BT boss urges government to prioritise full fibre broadband
The next government must put a full fibre broadband rollout near the top of its priority list because households will need faster internet speeds to cope with the expected 100 smart gadgets in homes within the next five years, according to the boss of BT. Philip Jansen said most homes only have five internet-enabled devices.…
Apple reports $64 billion record fourth-quarter revenue
Apple has reported record revenue for its fourth quarter despite a further fall in iPhone sales, Releasing its latest financial results, the tech giant said revenue for the last three months was $64 billion dollars (£49.6 billion). That was despite revenue from iPhone sales – still the company’s biggest selling product – falling by more…
Twitter bans all political adverts
Twitter is banning all political adverts from its service, saying social media companies give advertisers an unfair advantage in proliferating highly targeted, misleading messages. Facebook has faced criticism since it disclosed earlier in October that it will not fact-check ads by politicians or their campaigns. We’ve made the decision to stop all political advertising on…
Battery design ‘could charge electric cars in 10 minutes’
Worries about charging electric cars could become a thing of the past, as a team of engineers say they have developed a battery design that can recharge in 10 minutes. Fast-charging of electric vehicles is seen as key to their take-up, so motorists can stop at a service station and fully charge their car in…
Samsung previews foldable ‘clamshell’ smartphone
Samsung has teased a new type of foldable smartphone where the screen folds in half in the same fashion as “flip phones” made popular in the early 2000s. The technology giant previewed the concept design at its annual developer conference, held in California. Pioneering foldable technology, to open up innovative user experiences. #SDC19 #SamsungEvent Learn…
Facebook accepts £500,000 fine over personal data misuse
Facebook has agreed to pay a fine of £500,000 following an investigation into the misuse of personal data in political campaigns. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced on Wednesday that the tech giant had withdrawn its appeal against the “monetary penalty notice” and would accept the fine without admitting any liability. In 2017 the ICO…
Facebook suing Israeli company over ‘WhatsApp spyware’
Facebook is suing the Israeli hacker-for-hire company NSO Group for allegedly targeting some 1,400 users of its encrypted messaging service WhatsApp with highly sophisticated spyware. The lawsuit filed in San Francisco is the first legal action of its kind, according to Facebook, involving a nearly totally unregulated realm. Facebook said NSO Group violated laws including…
YouTube ad for Pet Sematary banned for targetting children
A YouTube ad for the film Pet Sematary seen before Fortnite videos on the family gaming channels DanTDM and FGTEEV has been banned for being inappropriately targeted at children. The ad, seen in February, opened with scenes of a girl walking through some woods and was accompanied by a voiceover saying: “Something up in those…
