Today’s Tech Sightings:
FILE – An internet user browses through the Vietnamese government’s new Facebook page in Hanoi, Dec. 30, 2015. (Reuters)
Facebook Censorship Under the Microscope
OnlineCensorship.org – a non-profit looking at social media censorship – has been collecting data about posts blocked by Facebook. Surprised? There are some topics that Facebook will block if you try to post stories about them, such as drone strikes or some topics related to conflict zones. Facebook typically does not explain why the topic is blocked, but that’s what OnlineCensorship.org hopes to find out.
Hackers Attack 20 Million Accounts on Alibaba’s Taobao Shopping Site
A state media report posted on China’s Internet regulator’s website said hackers accessed a database of more than 20 million accounts on Alibaba’s e-commerce website, Taobao. Alibaba’s systems reportedly intercepted the majority of log-in attempts. Hackers used compromised accounts to log-into Taobao and fake purchases to improve seller rankings.
Eliminate Passwords? It Can’t Be Done
There is no question that security breaches will continue, no matter how complex your passwords are. Writer Larry Seltzer argues that existing authentication and biometrics technologies have a long way to go before achieving the optimal balance between security and ease of use. In the meantime, he suggests that password managers are the best way to go so long as you are aware that they are just as hackable as your flimsy passwords.
More:
- AI Is Transforming Google Search; the Rest of the Web Is Next
- MIT, Texas Instruments Develop Hack-proof RFID Chip
- Google Engineer Finds Security Holes in Three ‘Secure’ Browsers
- Facebook Cripples Chat Encryption App That Promised Users Extra Privacy
- Zuckerberg Projects 5 Billion Facebook Users in 2030
- Six Degrees of Separation? Not on Facebook
- Google Takes New Measures to Combat Online Extremism
- Apple Fined $626 in Damages in Virnet X Patent Infringement
