Facebook Launches Program To Compensate Users for Voice Recordings
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| Facebook Launches Program To Compensate Users for Voice Recordings | |
| Number | 1055 |
| Broadcast Date | FEBRUARY 21, 2020 |
| Episode Length | 5:00 |
| Hosts | Rich Stroffolino |
Facebook launches Pronunciations program to compensate users for voice recordings, New Mexico’s DA files a lawsuit against Google claiming Chromebooks collect student info without parental consent, and Shopify joins the Libra Association.
Headlines
- Facebook announced a new program called "Pronunciations," which will compensate users to make voice recordings to help improve the company's speech recognition. The program is part of the Viewpoints market research app, and users will record the phrase, "Hey Portal" followed by a first name from their friends list. Recording a list of 10 friends with each phrase spoken twice will earn the user 200 points in the Viewpoints app, which can't be cashed out until 1000 points are reached, for $5 to PayPal. Recordings will not be associated with a Facebook profile. Pronunciations is available to US users over 18 with more than 75 Facebook friends.
- New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas filed a lawsuit alleging that Chromebooks provided to schools in the area for free collect personal information from children under 13 years old without parental consent. The complaint claims that Google "deliberately deceived parents and teachers" and collected geolocation information, website visits and internet histories, search engine records, student contact lists, voice recordings, and used student emails for advertising purposes, in violation of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Google denied the claims, saying they are "factually wrong."
- The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland upheld a lower court ruling that Likes and Shares of content on Facebook can be considered illegal defamation. The court cited the potential for such content to spread rapidly on social media which could make Likes and Share defamatory in nature, and Swiss law only requires that an act be communicated to a third party to meet the threshold of defamation. The decision said a major factor in a defamation case would be how visible a shared post was outside of an immediate friend network of the defamed individual. The ruling goes back to a 2015 case where an individual liked and shared several posts critical of animal rights activist Erwin Kessler, portraying him as a Neo-Nazi and anti-Semite.
- Google plans to move UK user accounts under US jurisdiction as a result of the UK leaving the EU. Google told Reuters, “The protections of the UK GDPR will still apply to these users.” UK user data is kept in Ireland, part of the EU, which would make it more difficult to recover in cases of criminal investigations. The US Cloud Act makes it easier for British authorities to obtain data from US companies.
- Ecommerce platform Shopify announced it would join the Libra Association. In its announcement, Shopify said it joined to "build a payment network that makes money easier to access and supports merchants and consumers everywhere." As a member of the Libra Association, Shopify commits to invest at least $10 million to Libra's reserve, and operate a node on its network. The news comes after several Libra Association launch partners announced they were leaving the group over regulatory concerns, including Vodafone, Visa, MasterCard, Stripe, PayPal, Mercado Pago, Bookings Holdings, and eBay.
- In a blog post to Android developers, Google announced that starting August 3rd, all new Google Play apps that request background location will need to pass a review. All existing apps will need to pass a similar review starting November 3rd, and the policy will apply to Google's own apps. Google says the review will look at if the apps core functionality justifies the background location data gathering, stating that clearly informing users about tracking opt-ins will help get apps approved. Developers can request feedback from Google starting in May about the background location review.
- At RSA next week, Microsoft will preview versions of its Defender antivirus software for Android and iOS. The apps will come as part of Microsoft's enterprise security platform. Microsoft also announced a preview of Microsoft Defender APT for Linux.
- YouTube TV reached a deal with Warner Media to offer HBO and Cinemax on its linear TV lineup as well as sell access to the HBO Max streaming service when it launches in April. YouTube TV already offered access to WarnerMedia networks like TBS, TNT, CNN and others.
- Samsung named Former Finance Minister Bahk Jae-wan as its board chairman, the first time the position has been filled by a non-executive director. Bahk served as outside director at Samsung since March 2016, and replaces outgoing Lee Sang-hoon who was jailed in December for interfering with union activities.
- Sony and Facebook both announced they will not be attending the Game Developers Conference next month in San Francisco, citing concerns over coronavirus. Facebook still plans to make the announcements it had planned for GDC through "videos, online Q&As, and more."
Links
| Preceded by: "Apple Reportedly Considering Allowing Third-Party Default Apps on iOS" |
Facebook Launches Program To Compensate Users for Voice Recordings |
Followed by: "Week in Review for the Week of 2/17/20" |