TechBooky

Many of today’s smartphones arrive out of the box with encryption functions. While that may mean privacy protections for smartphone users, it also means plenty of controversy over the use of encryption when it comes to hiding data from the government. Here’s why encryption is making headlines. What is Encryption? Encryption refers to scrambling digital information on phones, laptops, servers, or other electronic devices. On most smartphones, encryption means your photos, texts, emails, and other information are not readable unless you make them so by entering a password or code. Have you ever forgotten your password or mistyped it, only to have your phone or tablet lock itself for minutes or longer? The idea behind encryption is that it protects your data from unauthorized use. Unfortunately, that does not seem to make law enforcement officials happy. Encryption in Court While most people are probably more concerned with keeping their photos and text messages private for pe...

With so much deliberation, plans and confirmation by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) over the sale of one of the largest telecommunication service (9 mobile) in Nigeria, the plans came to a halt when Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja stopped the sale of 9mobile because stakeholders of the company are not part of the acquisition process. This ruling came after the preferred bidder, Teleology Holdings, made a down payment of $50 million being the 10% non-refundable fee for the acquisition of 9mobile and which comes with a 90-day deadline to complete the payment as confirmed by The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). According to Vanguard , Justice Nyako gave the order to stop the sale of the telecommunication firm while ruling on an ex parte motion brought by the aggrieved shareholders of 9mobile that took the matter to court , complaining of being left out in the telecommunications company’s decision-making process. The plaintiffs — Afdin...

Just when we thought that Facebook had taken a break from the spotlight after weeks of battling with a scandal, the social media firm is facing a class action lawsuit over its facial recognition technology. The facial recognition technology which launched in December 2017 allows users have control over their pictures. It notifies users if their photographs appear in other users" uploaded photos and they are not tagged. The notification is to let you decide if you wish to tag yourself or not. However, a judge on Monday ruled that the social media firm did not explicitly seek users" consent before rolling out the app. Judge James Donato, the San Francisco judge who presided over the case said a class lawsuit case was the most befitting and most efficient for such a situation. He said, "Facebook seems to believe statutory damages could amount to billions of dollars." Read more: Facebook To Introduce Facial Recognition Technology For Account Security The allegation invo...

[caption id="attachment_11004" align="alignnone" width="3000"] Two men pose with smartphones in front of a screen showing the Telegram logo in this picture illustration taken in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina November 18, 2015. Picture taken November 18. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic - RTS7W3T [/caption] Russia began legal proceedings to block Telegram app after the firm refused to unlock encrypted messages. A court in Moscow has now permitted the Russian media regulator to prevent the Telegram messaging. The Telegram app has been a threat to the Russian government who has been seeking means to exude control over online communications. While Twitter complied to provide the authorities with the encryption key to decrypt messages, Facebook and telegram refused because both apps employ end-to-end encryption. The popularity of the instant messaging app has grown because of its emphasis on encryption, especially among the members of the Islamic States (IS). The app permit...

BlackBerry (and not TCL, the producer of BlackBerry-marked handsets since 2016) has filed a lawsuit against Facebook for encroaching the patent on its messaging technology patents in a Los Angeles Federal Court, as per a Reuters report. The claim says Facebook, WhatsApp and also Instagram infringed on its technology in the area of instant messaging. BlackBerry is suing Facebook over patents on the BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), which used to be a popular service. BBM enabled users to send and get messages and pictures without costs to them from service providers and was from various perspectives an early form of WhatsApp and other instant messaging services. The claim asserts that Facebook "created mobile messaging applications that co-opt BlackBerry"s innovations, using a number of the innovative security, user interface, and functionality enhancing features that made BlackBerry"s products such a critical and commercial success in the first place" according to CNET ....