Search Results for: apple eu

Google halves Android app fee to 15% for lower-earning devs > $1m as monopolist hunters close in

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google will reduce the service fee it charges Android developers from 30 per cent to 15 per cent, though only on the first $1m in Google Play revenue. […] Google’s change of heart follows a similarly structured fee abatement by Apple last year and lawsuits filed recently in the US, the UK, and Australia by Read more about Google halves Android app fee to 15% for lower-earning devs > $1m as monopolist hunters close in[…]

Epic Games files competition lawsuit against Google in the UK over Fortnite’s ejection from Play Store

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Epic Games intends to file a competition lawsuit against Google in the UK as part of the ongoing Fortnite-kicked-off-platforms saga, according to documents lodged with the Competition Appeal Tribunal.The lawsuit will allege that Google, holder of “a dominant position in the Android app distribution market”, has unfairly restricted “competition from alternative app stores and other Read more about Epic Games files competition lawsuit against Google in the UK over Fortnite’s ejection from Play Store[…]

Brave browser first to nix CNAME deception, the sneaky DNS trick used by marketers to duck privacy controls

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Brave web browser will soon block CNAME cloaking, a technique used by online marketers to defy privacy controls designed to prevent the use of third-party cookies. The browser security model makes a distinction between first-party domains – those being visited – and third-party domains – from the suppliers of things like image assets or Read more about Brave browser first to nix CNAME deception, the sneaky DNS trick used by marketers to duck privacy controls[…]

Microsoft’s Doing the Monopoly Thing Again, Slack Says

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Workplace messaging software company Slack is accusing Microsoft of monopoly behavior in an antitrust complaint filed today to European Union regulators. Unsurprisingly, the accusations hinge on the same practice that helped make Microsoft rich in the first place. Bill Gates, Windows, innovation, yes, yes, OK—undoubtedly Microsoft had a lot to contribute to the early years Read more about Microsoft’s Doing the Monopoly Thing Again, Slack Says[…]

Big tech’s reckoning starts with an antitrust committee

Posted on by Robin Edgar

On July 27th, the CEOs of Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google — the “GAFA” companies — will testify in front of the House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee. Getting those four people into the same room — even virtually — on the same day is something of a feat and it speaks to how seriously these companies Read more about Big tech’s reckoning starts with an antitrust committee[…]

Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and a host of other tech giants will have to pay billions of dollars in extra tax after the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on a stock-option case. America’s top court said [PDF] on Monday it will not review a decision by the Ninth Circuit of Appeals that stock-based Read more about Big Tech on the hook for billions in back taxes after US Supreme Court rejects Altera stock options case hearing[…]

From the crew behind the Sony Pictures hack comes Operation Interception: An aerospace cyber-attack thriller

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Threat intel researchers have uncovered a phishing and malware campaign that targeted “a large European aerospace company” and which was run by the same North Koreans behind the hack of Sony Pictures. While there are quite a few European aerospace firms, Slovakian infosec biz ESET was more concerned with the phishing ‘n’ malware campaign it Read more about From the crew behind the Sony Pictures hack comes Operation Interception: An aerospace cyber-attack thriller[…]

Hey Siri, are you still recording people’s conversations despite promising not to do so nine months ago?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple may still be recording and transcribing conversations captured by Siri on its phones, despite promising to put an end to the practice nine months ago, claims a former Apple contractor who was hired to listen into customer conversations. In a letter [PDF] sent to data protection authorities in Europe, Thomas Le Bonniec expresses his Read more about Hey Siri, are you still recording people’s conversations despite promising not to do so nine months ago?[…]

Amazon hiring 75,000 more workers as demand rises due to coronavirus, after hiring 100k more last month

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon is hiring an additional 75,000 workers at its facilities, on top of the 100,000 new positions it created last month, the company said Monday. In March, the company said it would hire additional warehouse and delivery workers across the country amid a surge in online shopping during the coronavirus outbreak. Since then, Amazon said Read more about Amazon hiring 75,000 more workers as demand rises due to coronavirus, after hiring 100k more last month[…]

Why are workers getting smaller pieces of the pie?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

It’s one of the biggest economic changes in recent decades: Workers get a smaller slice of company revenue, while a larger share is paid to capital owners and distributed as profits. Or, as economists like to say, there has been a fall in labor’s share of gross domestic product, or GDP. A new study co-authored Read more about Why are workers getting smaller pieces of the pie?[…]

Bad news: ‘Unblockable’ web trackers emerge. Good news: Firefox with uBlock Origin can stop it. Chrome, not so much

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Developers working on open-source ad-blocker uBlock Origin have uncovered a mechanism for tracking web browsers around the internet that defies today’s blocking techniques. A method to block this so-called unblockable tracker has been developed by the team, though it only works in Firefox, leaving Chrome and possibly other browsers susceptible. This fix is now available Read more about Bad news: ‘Unblockable’ web trackers emerge. Good news: Firefox with uBlock Origin can stop it. Chrome, not so much[…]

Don’t fly with your Explody MacBook!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Following an Apple notice that a “limited number” of 15-inch MacBook Pros may have faulty batteries that could potentially create a fire safety risk, multiple airlines have barred transporting Apple laptops in their checked luggage—in some cases, regardless of whether they fall under the recall. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia had Read more about Don’t fly with your Explody MacBook![…]

Skype, Cortana also have humans listening to you. The fine print says it listens to your audio recordings to improve its AI, but it means humans are listening.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

If you use Skype’s AI-powered real-time translator, brief recordings of your calls may be passed to human contractors, who are expected to listen in and correct the software’s translations to improve it. That means 10-second or so snippets of your sweet nothings, mundane details of life, personal information, family arguments, and other stuff discussed on Read more about Skype, Cortana also have humans listening to you. The fine print says it listens to your audio recordings to improve its AI, but it means humans are listening.[…]

Tinder Bypasses Google Play, Revolt Against App Store “Fee” (30% monopolistic arm wrench)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Tinder joined a growing backlash against app store taxes by bypassing Google Play in a move that could shake up the billion-dollar industry dominated by Google and Apple Inc. The online dating site launched a new default payment process that skips Google Play and forces users to enter their credit card details straight into Tinder’s Read more about Tinder Bypasses Google Play, Revolt Against App Store “Fee” (30% monopolistic arm wrench)[…]

Germany thinks about resurrecting the Stasi, getting rid of end-to-end chat app encryption and requiring decrypted plain-text.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Government officials in Germany are reportedly mulling a law to force chat app providers to hand over end-to-end encrypted conversations in plain text on demand. According to Der Spiegel this month, the Euro nation’s Ministry of the Interior wants a new set of rules that would require operators of services like WhatsApp, Signal, Apple iMessage, Read more about Germany thinks about resurrecting the Stasi, getting rid of end-to-end chat app encryption and requiring decrypted plain-text.[…]

Open-source alt-droid wants to know if it’s still leaking data to Google

Posted on by Robin Edgar

/e/, a Google-free fork of Android, reached a milestone this month with its initial ROM release. It’s available for download, so you can kick the tires, with nightly builds delivered via OTA (over the air) updates. El Reg interviewed the project’s leader, Gael Duval, in the summer. Duval launched and led the Linux Mandrake project. Read more about Open-source alt-droid wants to know if it’s still leaking data to Google[…]

WikiLeaks will disclose CIA vulns to companies that sign standard responsible disclosures – or maybe not so standard?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“WikiLeaks has made initial contact with us via secure@microsoft.com,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Motherboard — but then things apparently stalled. An anonymous reader quotes Fortune: Wikileaks this week contacted major tech companies including Apple and Google, and required them to assent to a set of conditions before receiving leaked information about security “zero days” and Read more about WikiLeaks will disclose CIA vulns to companies that sign standard responsible disclosures – or maybe not so standard?[…]

Vault7 – CIA loses control of its’ hacking arsenal, information being provided on Wikileaks

Posted on by Robin Edgar

WikiLeaks begins its new series of leaks on the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Code-named “Vault 7” by WikiLeaks, it is the largest ever publication of confidential documents on the agency. The first full part of the series, “Year Zero”, comprises 8,761 documents and files from an isolated, high-security network situated inside the CIA’s Center for Read more about Vault7 – CIA loses control of its’ hacking arsenal, information being provided on Wikileaks[…]

Study uncovers invisible mobile app ads gumming up the works

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Fundamentally, users of the mobile apps are affected because those invisible ads are burning though gigabytes of their data plan every day. The smartphone is slowed down; the ads eat away at batteries too. Performance issues are almost certainly caused by the extra load resulting from the apps’ secondary functions, said Forensiq in Bloomberg Business.Forensiq Read more about Study uncovers invisible mobile app ads gumming up the works[…]