CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 5, 2023--

WhatsApp has unveiled a major update that will allow users to hide intimate conversations in a secret folder. The Chat Lock feature, which parent company Meta announced on Monday, means selected messages can only be accessed with a password or biometric identification, like a fingerprint or face scan. Any incoming messages will also be hidden on the receiver’s phone or computer screen to prevent bystanders from seeing what they say or who they are from. “We believe this feature will be great for people who share their phones from time to time with a family member, or in moments where someone else is holding your phone at the exact moment an extra-special chat arrives,” Meta wrote in a blog post announcing the WhatsApp update. “Over the next few months, we’re going to be adding more options for Chat Lock, including locks for companion devices and creating a custom password for your chats so that you can use a unique password different from your phone’s.” The new WhatsApp feature will be rolling out globally this week to more than 2 billion people who use the messaging app. “New locked chats in WhatsApp make your conversations more private,” Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on Facebook. “They’re hidden in a password protected folder and notifications won’t show sender or message content.” The latest update comes just days after widespread concerns emerged from WhatsApp users about a “creepy” feature relating to the app’s privacy settings. Messages on people’s phones appeared to show that WhatsApp was listening to users while they were asleep, with notifications of the app activating the device’s microphone displayed on the privacy menu within Google’s Android operating system. WhatsApp blamed the issue on a bug within Android, claiming it would never access a user’s microphone without their consent. “Users have full control over their mic settings,” WhatsApp posted in response to a tweet about the issue. “Once granted permission, WhatsApp only accesses the mic when a user is making a call or recording a voice note or video – and even then, these communications are protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot hear them.” Read More Creepy WhatsApp update sparks fears users are being listened to through their phone

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 18, 2023--

The UK’s data protection regulator is to review period and fertility tracking apps over concerns around the data security of such platforms. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said the review was in response to figures it had obtained from its own research, which found that more than half of women using these apps had concerns over how their data was being used. The data protection watchdog’s research showed a third of women have used apps to track their periods or fertility, and more than half of those who have used an app believed they had noticed an increase in baby or fertility-related adverts since signing up, with 17% said they had found this distressing. The ICO said its poll showed concerns around data use and how secure their data was were named as bigger fears among women than the cost of these apps or ease of use. We want to make sure women can use these services with confidence, so we’re calling for people to share their experiences Emily Keaney, ICO The regulator is now urging users to come forward and report their own experiences using tracking apps as part of a call for evidence. It said it had also contacted companies who provide period and fertility tracking apps to find out how they are processing users’ personal information. The ICO said the focus of its work would be to identify if there was the potential for harm and negative impact on users. “These statistics suggest data security is a significant concern for women when it comes to choosing an app to track their periods or plan or prevent pregnancy,” Emily Keaney, ICO deputy commissioner of regulatory policy, said. “That’s not surprising, given the incredibly sensitive and personal information involved. “We want to make sure women can use these services with confidence, so we’re calling for people to share their experiences. “This will help us understand whether there are areas that need improvement – from how easy it is to navigate privacy policies to whether people have experienced upsetting and unexpected targeted advertising. “We also know some users feel these apps bring many benefits and we’d like to hear about these too. “As with all health apps, we would expect organisations to safeguard their users’ privacy and have transparent policies in place. “This review is intended to establish both the good and bad of how the apps are working currently. “Once we have more information, we will explore next steps, but we will not hesitate to take regulatory action to protect the public if necessary.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Russian cyber-attacks ‘relentless’ as threat of WW3 grows, expert warns Warner Music sign first digital character Noonoouri and release debut single Met should thoroughly investigate cyber security practices, say experts

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 15, 2023--

South Africa published a strategy document designed to tap the potential of the country’s vast wildlife industry to

BBC iPlayer is one of the most popular streaming sites in the UK. Users get

The top prosecutors in all 50 states are calling on Congress to study how artificial intelligence can be used to exploit children through pornography, and come up with legislation to further guard against it

KEARNY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 13, 2023--

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang, fresh off an upbeat quarterly report that sent his company’s shares

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 5, 2023--

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