James Farrell
Latest from James Farrell
Facebook removes scores of inauthentic accounts, one targeting US 2020 election
Facebook Inc. revealed Monday that it had taken down a number of inauthentic accounts, with at least one of the operations trying to interfere with the U.S. 2020 presidential elections. In a blog post, Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, said it appears that the operation focusing on the election was likely the work of ...
Privacy concerns dog Google’s new Pixel 4 phones: Closed eyes can unlock it
When Google LLC came up with its face unlock system for its the Pixel 4 and 4 XL phones, it said the technology should be used across all Android devices. Maybe not so much anymore. In an article published by the BBC today, it was revealed that the system has perhaps a fatal flaw: The ...
FCC approves merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, but the deal still faces opposition
The $26.5 billion deal between Sprint Corp. and T-Mobile US Inc. has finally been approved by the Federal Communications Commission. For a long time it looked like the deal wouldn’t go through, even though it was given the green light from the Department of Justice in July. The two companies were told this year that ...
Twitter outlines how it will handle world leaders who violate its terms
Twitter Inc. published a blog post today that explains what will happen if world leaders violate the platform’s rules, and it’s likely they won’t please much of anyone. The company said that this is new ground being covered, not mentioning U.S. President Donald Trump, a man who some people feel has stepped over the line on ...
Mark Zuckerberg rebuts criticism of his dinner with conservative leaders
Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has been hosting dinner parties with conservative pundits, journalists and politicians, according to a report published Monday by Politico, something that has sparked controversy. According to that report, Zuckerberg has reached out to various conservatives amid accusations that he’s biased in some way against the right. That includes President ...
Apple CEO Tim Cook lambasted for pulling Hong Kong protest app
Apple Inc. took down a Hong Kong protest app late yesterday after pressure from China, only to prompt a torrent of criticism today from some quarters. On Wednesday, China state media criticized Apple for allowing the app in the App Store, calling the technology “poisonous.” The app in question, HKmap.live, allowed users to locate Hong ...
China unhappy with Apple, as American firms scramble to stay in the market
Updated: China’s state media accused Apple Inc. Wednesday of being an accomplice in the ongoing demonstrations in Hong Kong after giving the green light to a tracking app that tells protestors the location of police. “Protecting rioters – Has Apple thought clearly about this?” asked the Communist mouthpiece, People’s Daily. “Allowing the poisonous app to ...
Twitter mistakenly uses people’s personal information to target ads
Twitter Inc. said it was sorry Tuesday after admitting that it used people’s phone numbers and email addresses for advertising purposes even though that information should have only been used for two-factor identification. In a blog post, the company said the data was inadvertently used in the “Tailored Audiences” and “Partner Audiences” systems. Companies can ...
California bans deep fake videos ahead of 2020 US election
California just became the latest state to crack down on deep fake videos, following growing concern that such technology could be used to cause mayhem on the run-up to the 2020 presidential election. Last week, California governor Gavin Newsom signed the AB 730 bill into law which will make it illegal to manipulate and distribute ...
US, UK and Australia want Facebook to build a back door into messaging apps
The governments of the U.S., the U.K. and Australia want Facebook Inc. to allow a back door into the company’s messaging apps citing safety concerns, it was revealed Thursday. In an open letter, U.K. home secretary Priti Patel, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and Australian Minister for Home ...