Google ends ad targeting through Gmail
Google will leave behind its practice of scanning Gmail accounts for targeted advertising; however, they will continue to scan Gmail accounts for the purpose of finding potential scams or phishing attacks. In addition, Google will not abandon targeted advertising completely within Gmail; instead they will use Google and YouTube searches to generate the targeted advertising. This is a step in the right direction for increasing privacy over the internet.
The Snap Map
Snapchat released a new feature last week called the Snap Map. The feature allows users to opt-in to share their location with all their Snap Chat friends, a select group or no one (Ghost Mode). Every time a user, who has opted-into the new feature opens the app their location will be refreshed, giving their friends their current location. This can keep users more connected by seeing who is nearby and potentially what they’re doing. However, it also raises privacy concerns, especially with kids under 18 who use Snapchat. The new feature will change the way people interact over Snapchat and may create even more dialogue over privacy concerns within social media (The Verge). Visit the Snapchat website for information and instructions on how to change your Snap Map location.
iOS 11 update coming this fall:
Apple previewed iOS 11, the new iPhone and iPad update that will be available to customers this fall. The new update will have the most changes for iPad users, but there are also many new modifications that will make both devices more user-friendly. Some of these features include paying friends through Apple Pay, using Do Not Disturb to make driving safer, enhancing Photos and the Camera, and more. Watch the video below to get a sneak preview of the new update!
Pinterest joins the two-factor security club
Many companies including, Google, Apple, Instagram and Facebook are using a two-factor authentication to make user’s accounts more secure. Now, Pinterest has started the roll-out for the feature as well to help protect their users. If you think no harm will come from someone hacking your Pinterest account, think again. Because many times social media platforms are linked to one another, if one is hacked, they would all be affected.
How it works: The two-factor authentication will require a verification code each time one logs in. The user will be sent via text message to the user or through Authy app for more security.
Social Media Zero aims to change the way social media is used
Social Media Zero 2.0 is a Kickstarter Gold project created by 1 Second Everyday. The idea behind the app is to keep the good aspects of social media like staying connected with friends and family while removing the negatives, like constantly refreshing feeds to see what you’ve missed. This application doesn’t aim to keep users scrolling throughout their day; instead it wants to get people reconnect to those around them through a 1-second video every day. You can combine your 1-second clips to create minutes-long videos of prolonged periods of time like summer, or an entire year.
Ransomware attacks are back again
Last Tuesday, a new ransomware attack called “Petya” hit six countries including the Ukraine, where the attack originated and hit Ukrainian government and business computer systems. This most recent attack appears to be the most sophisticated in the series of recent cyberattacks because Petya can infect computers that have the security patch that protected individuals from the recent WannaCry attack. Check out last week’s ransomware blog to learn more about the WannaCry attack and find tips to help protect your files and computers against future cyberattacks.
Guest Blogger: Ann McGrail
Ann is a PR Intern at TDS Telecom and a Journalism and Communication Arts student at UW-Madison.
