Apple scoffs at Google’s hack claims

Last week Google disclosed a large-scale hacking effort that it said targeted users of Apple devices But now Apple has gone on the offensive – angry in public, and absolutely incensed in private at what is being seen as something of a stitch up. Google is standing by its research. In a bold statement posted …

Google Chrome is planning to cripple ad blockers, however Brave and Opera remain defiant

Proposed changes to Google Chrome, the browser of choice for 63 percent of devices, would cripple ad blockers and other privacy-enhancing extensions. Meanwhile, Brave and Opera may deviate from Chrome to retain the functionality of these extensions. Google is embroiled in another controversy around user privacy. In October, Google proposed changes to the Chromium codebase …

YouTube announces plans to remove thousands of videos and channels to fight extremism

YouTube announced plans on Wednesday to remove thousands of videos and channels that advocate neo-Nazism, white supremacy and other bigoted ideologies in an attempt to clean up extremism and hate speech on its popular service. The new policy will ban “videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion,” …

Huawei-Google woes effects in Africa

Google’s decision to withhold its Android software from Huawei is being seen as the beginning of a technology cold war that could compel African countries – in the future – to choose between US and Chinese technology, analysts have told the BBC. Most Africans connecting to the internet today are likely to be using a …

Google also accidentally stored user passwords vulnerably in plaintext

Google announced today that it’s the latest tech giant after Facebook and Twitter to have accidentally stored user passwords unprotected in plaintext. G Suite users, pay attention. “Our authentication systems operate with many layers of defense beyond the password, and we deploy numerous automatic systems that block malicious sign-in attempts even when the attacker knows …

Sundar Pichai says Google is now thinking privacy first

In a series of sweeping announcements on Tuesday, Google announced it’s unveiling new privacy tools that would, if they lived up to the hype, let users restrict how companies track their online activities and compile and sell their personal data. Speaking at an annual conference for developers on Tuesday, Sundar Pichai, Google’s chief executive, delivered …