The tech and app world is rife with updates this week, so let’s get to it!
Retweets, updated
Mashable reported that Twitter’s “retweet with comments” feature is getting re-branded and is easier to use.
The feature is now called “Quote Tweets” and will appear next to the “retweets” feature. Before the re-brand, a Twitter user “had to click to see the Retweets, then click ‘Retweets with comments’ from there,” Mashable reported.
This is a small update, but anything that makes social media easier to use is a win.
Slack desktop users dodged a vulnerability “bullet”
According to Mashable, Slack, an online workspace platform, recently fixed a critical vulnerability.
The since resolved vulnerability “would have let hackers run wild on users’ computers,” Mashable wrote.
“Slack’s internal security team didn’t even find the bug; rather, it was a third-party security researched who reported it, through the bug bounty platform HackerOne in January,” Mashable added.
If the issue had gone unchecked, hackers could have accessed many users’ private files, keys, passwords, etc., as well as private Slack information. The issue also was “wormable,” so, if one person on a Slack “team got infected, their account would automatically re-share that dangerous payload to all their colleagues.”
This fix is huge for anyone who uses Slack. We owe oskars, which is the “name” of the security researcher who found the vulnerability, a thank you.
Instagram, Facebook try some transparency
Engadget reported that Facebook and Instagram are revealing a bit about how the platforms recommend “content users don’t already follow” by slyly detailing “the type of content Facebook blocks from recommendations throughout its platform.”
According to the guidelines, there are “five categories of content that ‘may not be eligible for recommendations,’” Engadget reported.
This “borderline content” doesn’t necessarily “break the company rules,” but Facebook considers it “objectionable.” Think “‘pictures of people in see-through clothing;’ spammy content, like clickbait; posts ‘associated with low-quality publishing;’ and posts that have been debunked by fact checkers,” Engadget added.
Although these guidelines have been around since 2016, it’s the first time Facebook has made them visible to users.
It’s assumed that Facebook is revealing these guidelines to somewhat defend itself against accusations that the social media platform suggests conspiracy theory pages and that it’s “shadow banning” some users.
Block emails before they arrive
Engadget reported that Edison Software “has unveiled a new privacy-focused email service called OnMail.” The service “includes features that allow you to cut off senders before they even get to your inbox and stop obnoxious email behavior targeting.” It’s currently available via public beta.
Engadget wrote that the services “two headline features” are “accept sender” and “anti-tracking technology.”
The “accept sender” feature “displays a list of potential senders and allows you to accept or block them before the messages even hit your inbox.” A user also can choose from “unsubscribe” and “block sender features.”
The “anti-tracking technology” will “automatically block all read receipts from ad targeters attempting to monitor your email behavior,” Edison added.
Other features include:
- The ability to handle large attachments “starting at 100MG and ranging up to 5GB.”
- A free domain for a “custom email address.”
- Split inbox
- Search
- Also, an “AI-based assistant that can categorize emails and automatically nudge you to reply.”
Before you get too excited, note that “Edison’s current iOS app recently deprived some users of their privacy in a spectacular fashion,” Engadget reported.
(Start the scary music.)
“[Edison] suffered from a bug that allowed users to access the inboxes of complete strangers and read their emails without credentials. Edison said the ‘technical problem’ affected a small number of users and quickly reverted the app to an earlier version.”
—
Abbie Stutzer is a queer, non-binary writer living in Kansas City, MO. You can find them doing witchy stuff at home with their numerous pets or at the local animal shelter saving lives. Contact Stutzer via abbie@ynotcam.com.
Background header image via Pexels here.
