iOS 15: Apple prepares iPhone’s OS for life in pandemic, and thereafter

Apple also doubled down on privacy features in the iOS 15 by adding more controls to help protect user information

Apple kicked off its annual developer conference (WWDC 2021) on June 7 with a keynote where the American technology giant introduced new features and services that are coming to its hardware lines through software updates. For iPhone, Apple previewed major updates coming with the iOS 15 operating system. Among several notable features, there are some that seemed to have been developed specifically to enhance life in the pandemic, and thereafter. For example, the upgrades coming to Apple’s video call platform ‘FaceTime’.

With the iOS 15, Apple extends the FaceTime calls beyond Apple devices. Like any other video conferencing platform, Apple users will now be able to create a link for an event and share it with others, so anyone with access to the link can join the FaceTime call from their web browser – Android and Windows devices. The FaceTime call link can be created from iPhone, iPad and Mac, and shared with others through Messages, Calendar, Mail, or any third-party apps. Apple said the FaceTime calls on the web remain end-to-end encrypted, so privacy is not compromised.

Apple also introduced SharePlay feature to help users share experiences while connecting with friends and family on FaceTime. The feature will allow FaceTime call participants to listen to songs together with Apple Music, watch a TV show or movie in sync, or sharing their screen to view apps together. SharePlay works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and with shared playback controls, anyone in a SharePlay session can play, pause, or jump ahead. SharePlay will also be available on the Apple TV, so users can watch shows or movies on a big screen while connecting over FaceTime. Apple said that many over-the-top platforms’ app like Disney+, ESPN+, HBO Max, Hulu, MasterClass, Paramount+, Pluto TV, TikTok, Twitch, etc. are integrating SharePlay into their apps.

WhatsApp goes to court against India’s IT rules ‘undermining privacy’

Requiring messaging apps to trace chats is asking us to keep a fingerprint of every single message: Company.

WhatsApp on Tuesday filed a legal challenge against the Indian government, protesting before the Delhi High Court new IT rules that would require messaging services to trace the origin of particular messages. “Requiring messaging apps to “trace” chats is the equivalent of asking us to keep a fingerprint of every single message sent on WhatsApp, which would break end-to-end encryption and fundamentally undermines people’s right to privacy,” said a WhatsApp spokesperson.

“We have consistently joined civil society and experts around the world in opposing requirements that would violate the privacy of our users. In the meantime, we will also continue to engage with the Government of India on practical solutions aimed at keeping people safe, including responding to valid legal requests for the information available to us,” said the spokesperson.

Under the recently notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, social media intermediaries with more than 5 million users and providing messaging services will have to enable identification of the first originator of problematic content that may harm the country’s interests and several other provisions described in the Rules.

The social media intermediary will have to do this in response to a judicial order passed by a court or by a competent authority under section 69 of the IT Act. “Provided also that where the first originator of any information on the computer resource of an intermediary is located outside the territory of India, the first originator of that information within the territory of India shall be deemed to be the first originator of the information for the purpose of this clause,” say the rule.

Yes, privacy crackdowns matter: Facebook is starting to feel the pinch

Analysts have been looking for Facebook’s growth rate to come in under 25 per cent for the rest of this year

Companies News: It’s anything but difficult to accept that Facebook Inc. is a relentless promoting power based on inescapable human observation and that resigned administrative or authoritative endeavors do nothing to stop it.

Regardless of those worries, the protection figuring for Facebook and the remainder of the web is imprinting the organization’s advertisement machine.

Facebook scared financial specialists a bit on Wednesday during a phone call to examine its second-quarter profit. Administrators said income development would moderate more than the organization recently expected toward the finish of this current year and into 2020, to a limited extent due to different confinements or deliberate constraints on Facebook‘s information gathering.

Facebook didn’t spill every one of the insights regarding the extent of this development droop or the causes. Europe’s severe information protection rules, forced a year ago, require Facebook to get unequivocal authorization from individuals for a wide range of information collecting that is viewed as ordinary in the US, and officials have said that a few Europeans are stating no.

Facebook’s income development in Europe is slower than the pace in the US and Canada and in the Asia-Pacific locale. Facebook has additionally said the European information guidelines are having an effect outside of that mainland, maybe on account of more consideration on Facebook’s protection rehearses…

 

Spyware installed on phones through WhatsApp calls; bug fixed

Firm gives guidance on ensuring protection; reports state spyware infused through voice calls

A framework defect in the calling capacity of WhatsApp let aggressors introduce an Israeli programming that permitted them access to cell phones of the clients, Financial Times investigated Tuesday.

The vindictive programming, or spyware, was created by the “undercover Israeli organization NSO Group”, said the monetary every day. The product introduced itself in a client’s cell phone by calling the objective through WhatsApp. The spyware accessed an individual’s telephone regardless of whether the aggressor’s WhatsApp call wasn’t replied. The calls additionally frequently vanished from call logs, and influenced Android, iPhone and Tizen-based telephones.

“We trust a select number of clients were focused through this defenselessness by a progressed digital entertainer. The assault has every one of the signs of a privately owned business allegedly that works with governments to convey spyware that assumes control over the elements of cell phone working frameworks,” WhatsApp said in an email reaction.

It is working with US law authorization to enable them to lead an examination. “These are exceedingly refined assaults. We are from the get-go in our examination and we don’t have numbers to share however this is a moderately little measure of individuals,” WhatsApp included its reaction.

The NSO Group has been at the focal point of a contention encompassing the utilization of its Pegasus programming for keeping an eye on writers, human rights activists and different people important to governments. “NSO Group claims it enables governments to battle fear mongering and wrongdoing, however it has neglected to counter mounting proof connecting its items to assaults on human rights safeguards… NSO Group has over and again denied, yet not solidly tended to, the records that its Pegasus spyware stage has been abused to target human rights protectors,” human rights NGO Amnesty International said in a post on its site on Monday.

Google admits it tracks users, but says it’s ‘to improve experience’

The Associated Press ran a story saying an many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store users’ location data even if the users explicitly used a privacy setting forbidding that

After facing criticism over reports that certain Google apps track users’ whereabouts even when they turn off location data, the tech giant has revised its Help Page, clarifying that it does track location data in order to “improve Google experience”.

Previously, the Help Page stated: “You can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored.”

The page now says: “This setting does not affect other location services on your device, like Google Location Services and Find My Device.

“Some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps”.

The new language confirms that location data is, indeed, being tracked by some Google apps.

“We have been updating the explanatory language about Location History to make it more consistent and clear across our platforms and help centres,” CNET reported on Friday, quoting a Google spokesperson.

The Associated Press earlier this week ran a story saying an investigation found that many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store users’ location data even if the users explicitly used a privacy setting forbidding that.

Article Source : BS

Available online: This website exposes data stored by Indian firms

Indian firms caught napping as private details of individuals were leaked

A new website, created by an anonymous user, has exposed the lack of data security practices in major companies around the world, including some Indian firms. The website, which surfaced on the internet last week, seeks to collect all publicly available data from servers of Amazon Web Services’ storage buckets.

The website lists all publicly available data, which is sometimes harmless such as manuals for products or terms and conditions for web-based applications. However, technology experts in India have found data containing personal information, which can potentially be a big privacy scare. These “buckets” store information on lab test reports of lakhs of people from a Mysore-based health start-up, offer letters provided by food delivery aggregator Swiggy, online ticketing data by Justickets and bank account statements as well as income proofs submitted by people to a digital lender in Mumbai.

It was unearthed by Srikanth L, a software engineer, who found multiple data stores of Indian companies and promptly alerted them to fix the leak. “A Mysore based / #HealthTech company/startup with Mysore clientele exposing Lab reports, prescriptions, a scan of signatures (Yes, doctors yours too!) 1000+ documents,” he wrote on Twitter.

Srikanth said while public storage buckets on Amazon serves an important use case of disseminating publicly accessible information to users in a fast and effective manner, companies should be careful about putting up personally identifiable information/confidential documents there and restrict access if they do choose to upload on third-party servers. For instance, Swiggy has delegated its HR functions to a start-up Hirexp, which seems to have uploaded resumes, offer letters and recordings of interviews on Amazon servers. While the company said there was no leak from its end, Business Standard reviewed these documents and recordings, which were made private by Tuesday evening.(READ FULL ARTICLE)

Facebook to introduce Clear History privacy tool in coming months

Facebook is developing the feature in response to an outcry about data collection and privacy on its sites

Facebook Inc. is going to let users see which websites and apps send the social network data on their activity — and then give them the option to delete it, with a new “clear history” tool.

The Menlo Park, California-based company is developing the feature in response to an outcry about data collection and privacy on its sites, following revelations that an outside developer improperly handled personal information on tens of millions of users. The crisis has spawned questions from lawmakers and privacy advocates about who owns the data that users share on Facebook, and the company has taken other steps to address the concerns, including pausing some developer tools and auditing apps on its platform.

“The past several weeks have made clear that people want more information about how Facebook works and the controls they have over their information,” Chief Privacy Officer Erin Egan wrote in a blog post on Tuesday, just as the company kicked off its F8 annual developer conference. “If you clear your history or use the new setting, we’ll remove identifying information so a history of the websites and apps you’ve used won’t be associated with your account.”

It will take months to build the new Clear History feature, Egan wrote, adding that the company will work with privacy advocates, academics, policy makers and regulators for input on how to remove personal information.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said he learned, while testifying in front of Congress last month, that he didn’t have clear enough answers to questions about data and Facebook should offer users this kind of option to control their information.

Zuckerberg risks a night at Big Ben

Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has been asked again to appear before British lawmakers, or risk a formal summons. If he refuses that, Parliament could demand Zuckerberg spend the night in the clock tower.The penalties for holding Parliament in contempt vary. Technically — though very unlikely — the House of Commons could call Zuckerberg to appear before them and berate him for his behavior. Zuckerberg may be issued with a fine, although this penalty hasn’t been used since 1666. As a last resort, lawmakers could threaten to send him to the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster — more commonly known as Big Ben — a resort not used since 1880.