Google says to overhaul ad-tracking system on Android devices

Google announced plans Wednesday to limit ad tracking on its Android operating system, a sensitive privacy issue that rival Apple has already moved to curtail on its iPhones.

Tech giants are under growing pressure to better balance privacy and ad-targeting, as users complain, regulators threaten tougher rules, but the companies try to maintain access to the data key to their many billions in ad revenue. 

Apple and Google's operating software run on the majority of the world's smartphones, thus any changes they make to their policies have the potential to impact billions of users.

"Our goal... is to develop effective and privacy enhancing advertising solutions, where users know their information is protected, and developers and businesses have the tools to succeed on mobile," Google said in a statement.

For its part, Apple announced last year that users of its one billion iPhones in circulation can decide whether to allow their online activity to be tracked for the purpose of targeting ads -- a change which it said shows its focus is on privacy, but which critics note does not prevent the company itself from tracking.

Agence France-Presse

Facebook halting facial recognition system over privacy fears

Facebook is shutting down its facial recognition system and deleting a billion faceprints, its parent company said Tuesday, in response to serious concerns over privacy.

The announcement from the leading social media network was made as it battles one of its worst crises ever, with reams of internal documents leaked to reporters, lawmakers and US regulators.

"There are many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society, and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use," parent company Meta said in a statement.

"Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate," it added.

It was not clear when the changes would take effect, but they will be widely felt with Facebook noting that more than a third of its daily users have opted in to using the facial recognition system.

Shutting down that system "will result in the deletion of more than a billion people's individual facial recognition templates," the statement said.

As the social media giant battles a whistleblower crisis, it has also changed its parent company name to "Meta" in an effort to move past being a scandal-plagued social network to its virtual reality vision for the future.

Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp -- which are used by billions around the world -- will keep their names under the rebranding that critics have called an effort to distract from the platform's dysfunction.

Agence France-Presse

Yahoo says it backs privacy after dissident freed

BEIJING (AP) — Yahoo has issued a statement saying it supports free speech and privacy on the Internet, a day after the release of a Chinese dissident who was convicted on evidence supplied by the company.

Yahoo Inc. said it condemns political suppression "wherever and however it occurs."

The statement released Saturday did not directly address the case of Wang Xiaoning, who served 10 years in prison after Yahoo's wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary gave Chinese police information linking him to anonymous emails and other pro-democracy writings he distributed through Yahoo Groups.

Yahoo drew strong criticism for cooperating with Chinese authorities. It later apologized and settled a lawsuit with the families involved for an undisclosed amount.

source: philstar.com

Dolphy's family appeals for privacy as tabloid reporter caught near ICU

Relatives of Comedy King Rodolfo "Dolphy" Vera Quizon appealed to media early Tuesday to respect their privacy after a tabloid reporter was allegedly caught snooping inside the Makati City hospital where he is confined.

Dolphy's son Ronnie Quizon said their patriarch needs some privacy because of his condition, radio dzBB's Manny Vargas reported.

The veteran comedian's condition had slightly improved but remained critical. He had been confined at the Makati Medical Center since June 9.

Several of the celebrity's friends, relatives and even politician friends had been going to the hospital in past days to visit him.

The younger Quizon was quoted in the report as saying a female tabloid reporter-photographer managed to enter the hospital and get to the ICU area where Dolphy was confined.

She was allegedly accosted and asked to leave but argued with the security personnel and some of the Comedy King's family members.

Following the incident, the younger Quizon was quoted in the report as asking media to be more understanding of what the family is going through.

He said they need their privacy especially given Dolphy's condition. –KG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com