Google will ‘phase out’ cookies in Chrome — just not anytime soon

Google will 'phase out' cookies in Chrome — just not anytime soon

Google says it will “phase out” one of the main tools that allows companies to track you across the web.

The company plans to eliminate support for third-party cookies in Chrome over the next two years. Google’s announcement, which comes well after Chrome’s main competitors have made similar updates, could be a major win for privacy advocates who have long decried the use of cookies for enabling companies to surreptitiously track users’ browsing habits. 

But, as we’ve previously noted, Google’s attempts to limit cookies could also give the company a major leg up on advertising competitors, as it would reduce third-parties’ ability to keep tabs on users. Read more…

More about Tech, Google, Privacy, Chrome, and Tech

Trump stumbles into encryption debate, tells Apple to unlock iPhones

Trump stumbles into encryption debate, tells Apple to unlock iPhones

Donald Trump has some words for his old pal, Tim Apple. 

The President of the United States once again lost his cool Tuesday afternoon, tweeting that Apple must assist authorities in their efforts to unlock iPhones. In other words, Trump finally got on the encryption-backdoor train. 

“We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers  and other violent criminal elements,” wrote Trump. “They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.”

We are helping Apple all of the time on TRADE and so many other issues, and yet they refuse to unlock phones used by killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements. They will have to step up to the plate and help our great Country, NOW! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2020 Read more…

More about Privacy, Donald Trump, Encryption, Iphones, and Tech

Uber Eats workers keep riding in Australia’s hazardous air with little support

Uber Eats workers keep riding in Australia's hazardous air with little support

Chemists and hardware stores across Australia are selling out of masks as the bushfire crisis continues. Thick smoke has blanketed major cities for weeks, with air quality reaching over 20 times the hazardous level in some places. 

Sporting events and music festivals have been cancelled. Postal delivery in Australia’s capital of Canberra has been suspended. State governments are advising people to stay indoors, and urging employers to allow employees to either work inside or stay at home.

However, stopping work is simply not an option for some. Despite the dangerous conditions, people who rely on income from gig work are continuing to deliver food for companies such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo on bikes. Read more…

More about Australia, Bushfires, Deliveroo, Gig Economy, and Uber Eats

Report: Grindr, OkCupid send your private data to third-party companies

Report: Grindr, OkCupid send your private data to third-party companies

When it comes to apps and privacy, it’s nearly always worse than you think. 

That sad truth was once again confirmed today by a disturbing report from the non-profit Norwegian Consumer Council, which highlights in excruciating detail the extent to which the apps that mediate our most intimate of interactions can’t keep even the tiniest of secrets. According to researchers, Grindr and OkCupid are handing out scores of private user information to third-party companies that most people have never even heard of. 

While mobile apps in general have a long history of aggressive data grabs, dating apps by their very nature are privy to the type of personal info most people wouldn’t even share with their family — let alone a host of random companies. And yet, researchers found, by using these apps that’s exactly what we’re doing.  Read more…

More about Apps, Privacy, Grindr, Okcupid, and Tech

College students demand schools ban facial recognition

College students demand schools ban facial recognition

First, they stopped facial recognition from coming to Coachella. Now they want to protect universities.

Prolific digital rights activism organization Fight for the Future has partnered with the group Students for Sensible Drug Policy to stop facial recognition technology from coming to college campuses. 

The coalition put out a petition that students, faculty, employees, and community members can sign demanding that university administrations “clarify policies” on contracting with security companies that use facial recognition, and that they ultimately not use the tech at all. 

BREAKING: We just launched a new nationwide campaign with student leaders from @SSDPGlobal to #BanFacialRecognition from university campuses. Using this invasive technology at schools amounts to unethical experimentation on youth

Get involved here: https://t.co/udNAyjKA4v pic.twitter.com/ZrK4xKMSol

— Fight for the Future (@fightfortheftr) January 14, 2020 Read more…

More about Privacy, College, Facial Recognition, Tech, and Cybersecurity

Best sustainable tech at CES 2020: New Tesla rival, meatless pork, and more

Best sustainable tech at CES 2020: New Tesla rival, meatless pork, and more

Uploads%252fvideo uploaders%252fdistribution thumb%252fimage%252f93978%252fc3928129 4fff 4f26 abce de6b9af7c7d3.png%252f930x520.png?signature=lmdwpnwutaki3pkxbday r 65wk=&source=https%3a%2f%2fblueprint api production.s3.amazonawsRead more…

More about Ces, Climate Change, Sustainability, Impossible Foods, and Fisker Ocean

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is at its lowest price ever and comes with a free cover

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is at its lowest price ever and comes with a free cover

TL;DR: Buy the ultra-light Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e 64GB tablet at its lowest price ever of $349.99 at Amazon. Along with the $50 discount, you get a free book cover valued at $49.99 to protect your new tablet. 


Now that CES is over, all we can do is sit around and wait patiently to see which futuristic gadgets will pan out. And who wouldn’t love to own their own foldable tablet? Unfortunately those days are still far ahead in the future, so we have to deal with boring old tablets that still do pretty cool things. And one of the benefits these tablets still have over CES models is that you can actually buy them for pretty cheap with the right sale.  Read more…

More about Samsung, Tablets, Mashable Shopping, Tech, and Consumer Tech