Tech Sightings, November 18, 2014

Posted November 18th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
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Executives Say Digital India Needs Broadband Access Like Water and Electricity

Participants at the  Indo-U.S. Technology Summit in New Delhi say India’s plans to improve governance by enhancing Internet access are behind schedule as the government grapples with the costs of fiber optic networks and spectrum challenges.

Uber Exec Suggests Spying on Journalists Critical of the Company

Uber senior vice president of business, Emil Michael was forced to apologize publicly after saying popular ride-sharing company Uber should dig up – and publish – dirt on journalists who criticize it.

Encrypting Web Traffic Could Become Easier Next Year

Online activities are only protected on encrypted websites. And right now many websites do not use encryption. Beginning next year, the non-profit Internet Security Research Group, an entity formed by Mozilla, Cisco, Akamai, Electronic Frontier Foundation, IdenTrust and researchers at the University of Michigan, will offer websites free, automated security certificates to help them add another security layer.

Whatsapp Switches to End-to-End Encryption

Popular messaging client Whatsapp just announced it will upgrade privacy protections for millions of users with end-to-end encryption that will make eavesdropping virtually impossible.

Google Now Highlights Mobile-Friendly Websites in Search Results

Google is experimenting with various ideas to make it easier for users to find websites optimized for mobile. One idea is to make mobile friendliness a search criterion. That means that search results would rank websites optimized for mobile higher on the list.

Nine Myths About Social Media at Work

Social media has become a part of life and increasingly, a tool for both business and idle chatter. Yet it remains surrounded by myths and misconceptions.

Here Come the Autonomous Robot Security Guards: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Microsoft just became the first company to deploy robot guards. Dubbed K5, the five autonomous 300-pound (136 kg) robot guards roaming its Silicon Valley campus are equipped with cameras, sensors, artificial intelligence, alarms and every conceivable gadget that would enable them to replace their human counterparts.

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

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