Articles by Stephen Warwick

But is it a good idea?

What you need to know

There might be a big new update coming to Twitter.
Reverse-engineering has revealed code for emoji reactions to Twitter.
There’s no indication as to when we might get to see the rollout.

Reverse-engineering of Twitter’s code has revealed the platform might be working on a brand new feature, emoji responses to Tweets.

Jane Manchun Wong revealed her latest find on Twitter overnight stating:

Twitter is working on Tweet Reactions…?

Twitter is working on Tweet Reactions…? pic.twitter.com/3Sb6c8cYe3— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) June 10, 2020

As you can see from Jane’s screenshot, the feature seems to be embedded in the submenu alongside ‘Retweet’ and ‘Retweet with comment’. One designer commented that the move would be “transformative across the whole product.”

The exact implementation is a little less clear, for example, it’s not known how Twitter would demonstrate emoji reactions or display them on tweets. As noted by…

Zoom is rolling out new GCM encryption, beginning May 30.

What you need to know

Zoom is rolling out GCM encryption across its platform this weekend.
That means if you want to keep using Zoom and joining meetings, you need to update.
If you can’t update the desktop client, you can use the mobile app or the web client instead

Popular video-conferencing app Zoom has announced that users must update their desktop client after this weekend in order to continue joining meetings, as it rolls out GCM encryption for all Zoom meetings.

Zoom announced that it would begin enabling GCM encryption on May 30, at 01:00 PDT. The update is a really welcome boost to Zoom’s security, which was found to be lacking following the app’s meteoric rise thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst not as good as end-to-end encryption, GCM, or (Galois/Counter Mode) is a higher-quality security system, perfect for video conferencing, because it uses a stream cipher, rather than a block cipher. Zoom’s update not…

“We’ll be back with more on Android 11, soon.”

What you need to know

Android 11 has been delayed.
An event and beta release were scheduled for June 3.
The development team says “now is not the time to celebrate”, and says more information will be available “soon.”

This morning, Android Developers has announced via Twitter that the beta of Android 11, along with a June 3rd reveal event, has been postponed.

Likely in a display of solidarity, and mindful of the current social climate (it did not mention any specific subject), the developer team tweeted:

We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We’ll be back with more on Android 11, soon.

We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate. We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We’ll be back with more on Android 11, soon.— Android Developers (@AndroidDev) May 30, 2020

G…

EE’s most recent Mobile Network data report covers February to May 2020.

What you need to know

EE has revealed how lockdown has changed UK mobile data usage.
It says it has seen a 45% increase in traffic for apps like WhatsApp, Houseparty, and Skype.
Voice calling has also doubled, and there’s been a big increase in exercise data from apps like Strava.

UK Carrier EE has revealed how lockdown is changing UK mobile data usage throughout the country.

The new report, published earlier this week highlights several big shifts in communication and how people are choosing to use their data. From the report:

With people unable to visit friends and family, as well as many people working from home, communication traffic on EE’s mobile network has seen a huge increase. Zoom users on EE’s network increased five times during lockdown compared to earlier this year, and total data use on the platform has more than doubled. Social evening activities with friends and family have seen the da…

The NHS bowed to pressure to release the source code for its app, but probably wishes it didn’t.

What you need to know

Security experts have exposed laughable flaws in the NHS’ contact tracing app.
Source code analysis revealed seven holes.
Staggeringly, the random ID code used to protect user privacy only changes once every 24 hours, and the beta for the app was published before encryption was finished.

A security report based on source code analysis of the NHS’ contact tracing app has revealed several serious security flaws in the software.

As reported by Business Insider:

The UK government’s contact-tracing app has got a number of serious security flaws according to cybersecurity experts who analyzed its source code.

A report by two cybersecurity experts, Dr. Chris Culnane and Vanessa Teague, was published on Tuesday. They identified seven security risks around the app, which is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight and is supposed to be rolled out to the re…

“Virtually every aspect of AF2 is copied from R6S, from the operator selection screen to the final scoring screen, and everything in between.”

What you need to know

Apple and Google are being sued by game developer Ubisoft.
A lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles, May 15, over sales of a game called Area F2.
Ubisoft claims the game is a ‘carbon copy’ of Rainbow Six: Siege.

Game developer Ubisoft is suing both Apple and Google, over an app in their respective app stores it claims is a ‘carbon copy’ of Rainbow Six: Siege.

According to a report from Bloomberg:

Ubisoft Entertainment SA sued Apple Inc. and Google LLC, accusing the companies of selling a ripoff of its popular video game “Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege.”

“Area F2,” created by Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd.’s Ejoy.com, is a “near carbon copy” of Rainbow Six: Siege, and that can’t be “seriously be disputed,” Ubisoft said in a complaint filed Friday in federal court in Los Angeles.

According to the lawsuit, Rainbow S…

A message falsely warns users they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

What you need to know

Scammers are reportedly preying on the UK’s upcoming contact tracing app.
UK mobile users are receiving malicious texts, falsely stating they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 symptoms.
The attack could be used to steal personal information or compromise bank accounts.

A report suggests that scammers have already starting targeting UK mobile users with fake, malicious contact tracing warnings before the UK’s contact tracing app has even been released to the public.

As Independent reports:

A text scam is trying to scare people into believing they could have contracted COVID-19.

The false message tells them that they have been near someone who has shown symptoms for the disease and that they should get tested.

But if they are to follow the instructions in the message, the scam will actually just try to steal their persona…

It means user data will only be held on individual devices, not a server.

What you need to know

The Irish government has revealed its plans for its contact tracing app.
It says it’s actively involved with Apple and Google to help develop a national app to help with contact tracing.
The app will use a ‘de-centralized’ model, which means user data will not be kept on a central server, only user’s devices.

The Irish government has confirmed its plans to release a national app to help trace the spread of COVID-19 and has stated that it will not use a centralized database, in line with Apple and Google’s own technology.

In a statement, the Department of Health stated:

As part of the national response to Covid-19, work is underway to develop a national app for contact tracing and real-time symptom tracking.
The primary purpose of the app is to enable the health services to improve the speed and effectiveness of contact tracing and to map and predict the spread of Covid-19 in s…

“We’re entering into a totally new class or form of surveillance”

What you need to know

A report has revealed that privacy watchdogs in Canada are worried about contact tracing.
Some have voiced concern over what they think is a totally new level of surveillance.
Others have suggested that with the right laws, the technology can be used effectively without disenfranchising individuals.

A report from Canada has revealed that watchdogs are concerned about the potential levels of surveillance involved with contact tracing.

As CFJC Today reports:

Privacy watchdogs are voicing concerns over proposals across the country to implement smartphone apps to help track COVID-19.

New Brunswick, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan are among the provinces looking at or planning on creating smartphone apps that would track a user’s whereabouts.

Alberta is the first province to launch an app.

The report notes onlookers who are worried about the level of surveil…

It’s called the ‘COVID-19 Consumer Data Protection Act’.

What you need to know

U.S. Senators are introducing a new COVID-19 data privacy bill.
It comes from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
It hopes to strike a balance between using technology to fight the virus and maintaining the privacy of U.S. citizens.

U.S. Senators from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have introduced a new COVID-19 privacy bill designed to protect the privacy of U.S. Citizens.

In a press release April 30 the committee announced the billed stating:

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, John Thune, R-S.D, chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., chairman of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security, and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., today announced plans to introduc…