Internet

Google has confirmed it will limit the way ad blockers work in Chrome next year. Critics have called it a conflict of interests. The changes are to extensions, the third-party tools that users can add to Chrome to improve their web browsing ... experience. While extensions can do anything from translate web pages to make it easier to browse Netflix, ad blockers are some of the most popular types of extension. Extensions for Chrome must follow a specification called Manifest. Many current extensions use version 2 of this specification, but all newly added ones must use version 3. Google now says ... (view more)

New Facebook and Instagram rules say political advertisers will now have to tell users if they've digitally manipulated images or video. The companies still officially ban misleading "deepfake" videos. The new rules from parent company Meta take ... effect from the start of 2024. They apply to any advertisement classed as political, electoral or covering a social issue. The rules only cover "photorealistic" images and video and "realistic sounding audio," meaning illustrations or cartoons are excluded. While Meta didn't explicitly address the timing, it's likely the changes follow concerns about ... (view more)

The FCC is to give more than $18 billion to broadband companies to expand rural provision. The subsidies will cover the next 15 years. The funding is part of the "Enhanced Alternative Connect America Cost Model." It's based on the rationale that ... broadband access benefits society, but that private businesses don't consider it financially worthwhile to build networks in rural areas. That's because these locations require more cabling but with fewer potential customers. The FCC has consistently reasoned that it's more efficient to subsidize private broadband carriers to expand their networks, ... (view more)

Google is adding new tools to make it easier to check if an image is credible and as it appears. But the move has highlighted the irony of Google's own involvement in "generative" artificial intelligence. The tools include several additions to ... Google's own search results, along with a dedicated tool for checking any image found online. The search tools have been in testing and are now rolling out to all users, starting with English language searches in the US. They are wrapped up in a featured called "About this image". This will accompany images with information including if and when they ... (view more)

Major websites are joining together to fight fake online reviews. The "global Coalition for Trusted Reviews" will share information and best practices to "stop fake reviews at the source." The partnership follows a conference last year that included ... business, government and academic experts. The idea now is for businesses to work together rather than rely on legislation. The BBC cites a recent report suggesting 15 percent of reviews of common consumer products are likely fake. It also notes that both the United States and United Kingdom are considering laws targeting fake reviews. However, ... (view more)

YouTube is adding a range of new features and usability tweaks. A stable volume feature is the highlight, promising an end to sudden deafening changes in sound level. The features have all previously been tested on small groups of Premium account ... subscribers and are now being rolled out to the general user base. While it's almost certainly coincidence, it may sweeten the blow for users upset with a recent crackdown on watching YouTube while using ad blockers . The "stable volume" feature will be switched on by default on mobile devices. That makes sense as mobile users are often listening on ... (view more)

YouTube is trying to stop people who use ad blockers from watching its videos. It could spark a game of whack-a-mole, but it's still created a passionate debate. Although YouTube appears to have been testing the tighter policy since June, it seems ... to have significantly increased the number of users affected in recent weeks. Users report seeing a message that reads: Ad blockers violate YouTube's Terms of Service. It looks like you may be using an ad blocker. Video playback is blocked unless YouTube is allowlisted or the adblocker is disabled. Ads allow YouTube to be used by billions worldwide ... (view more)

More than four in ten people are addicted to Internet use, according to a university study. The researchers put respondents into five categories on what they are calling an "Internet addition spectrum." Researchers at the University of Surrey in the ... United Kingdom asked 796 participants a range of questions about the way they use the Internet, including their emotions and motivations. They then looked for similarities between respondents to come up with the categories. (Source: tandfonline.com ) Growing Unease The first category, Casual Users, covered 14.86 percent of respondents. They mainly ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Jim H. writes: " Dear Dennis, My Thunderbird just updated to version 115.3.2 (dubbed 'Supernova') and the menu layout has changed. Specifically, the Menu Bar (which I previously enabled) is now no longer at the very top - it's ... below another menu. I prefer to have the Menu Bar at the very top of Thunderbird. Any idea how to fix this? " My response: I have also noticed this unwelcomed change and found a few articles describing the process that were overly complicated or missing information. I've decided to simplify it with my own instructions. How to Fix: Move Thunderbird ... (view more)

Did you get caught up in a romance scam? Are blackmailers threatening to expose your pictures and videos through Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or LinkedIn? If so, you've come to the right place. Got questions? I've got answers! Contact me here to ... receive a complimentary phone consultation. Ask up to 3 questions, up to 15 minutes FREE . I've been studying this scam extensively since 2019, have completed over 1,000+ cases, and I'm happy to share my knowledge and experience with you. Too shy for a call? Keep reading - there's LOTS of good advice below, including insight into this crime you'll ... (view more)