Best Skype alternatives for video and voice calls

If you're frustrated with Skype, check out this list of potential replacements for your phone.

Video and audio calls were revolutionized when Skype (iOS and Android) came to the fore in the mid-2000s, making it easier -- and cheaper -- for people across the world to communicate and see each other. The video conferencing giant has done its best to keep up with the times and its competitors, but peaked in 2014 after securing about 40 percent of the International call market.

The company was one of the first to offer Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services. And its low-cost model made it popular for computer users but it struggled to transition to a more smartphone-based market that prioritized mobile capabilities over anything else. And privacy has become a major concern for many mobile users, and other platforms have been able to gain the upper hand by encrypting all communication and providing other more potent security features.

Positioning itself as an internet calling service through computers after Microsoft's 2011 acquisition of the company, it eventually moved toward targeting businesses and corporations instead of consumers. Despite a redesign released last year, Skype has been unable to re-secure the hold it had on the industry and has ceded ground to companies that are better tuned in to the needs of modern app users.

Although Skype is still popular across the world, a number of apps have emerged from the fray and now dominate the chat and video call sphere. Here are the best alternatives to Skype.

1. WhatsApp

Image: WhatsApp

Of the most prominent alternatives to Skype, WhatsApp (iOS and Android and WhatsApp or PC) is one of the most popular, expanding rapidly across the globe primarily for its encrypted texting service. It now serves 30 billion text, voice, and video messages per day and continue to make additions, including the ability to send files within chats. The smartphone app, which is available on almost every platform except Linux, recently integrated a video calling feature to keep it up to speed with its competitors.

Some of the downsides to WhatsApp are the inability to call non-WhatsApp users and a lack of robust group calling options. Only 10 people are allowed into one chat, and you are limited in the number of messages you can send to non-WhatsApp users.

The messaging service was bought by Facebook in 2014 and now services nearly 1.5 billion users in India, Europe, Brazil, and dozens of other countries. The ease of use and phone number-linked accounts have made it a hit in app stores, and the addition as well as expansion of video offerings make it a worthy choice for those seeking Skype alternatives.

2. Signal

Image: Signal

Signal (iOS and Android) quickly became the darling of security experts thanks in no small part to its use of the Signal Protocol, a security feature now used by their rivals WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Google Allo to provide end-to-end encryption.

Signal is the brainchild of security researcher Moxie Marlinspike and roboticist Stuart Anderson, who combined the RedPhone encrypted voice calling app and the TextSecure encrypted texting program in 2014. The service allows users to make video and voice calls on both iOS and Android, and was one of the first to give users encrypted voice calls for free.

Everything on the Signal app is done over Wi-Fi or data connection and it also has a desktop app. Another plus, it allows users to set time limits on messages that will erase them from both the sender's and the receiver's devices.

Run by Open Whisper Systems, Signal is now a favorite of both former NSA employee Edward Snowden and the US Government. The app was approved for use by Senators and their staff members by the US Senate Sergeant of Arms. The Democratic National Committee began using the app during the 2016 election cycle after its very public email leak.

Signal has been criticized for many of the same things WhatsApp has had to deal with, namely the use of a phone number to sign up for the service. Despite all of the app's security bonafides, experts have pointed to this as one potential flaw that can be exploited by those looking to break into systems.

3. Viber

Image: Viber

The free messaging app was created in 2010 and now boasts of more than 800 million users. Viber (iOS and Android) is available for iOS, Android, and Windows Phones, giving users access to messaging, video, and file exchanging capabilities on top of the ability to make calls to landlines for a small fee.

The app is also available for desktops and has a well-regarded group calling feature in addition to end-to-end encryption. The app features a number of offerings, including a long list of games that can be played between contacts and an overflowing library of stickers and emojis.

Using Viber, you can send documents, video and audio messages as well as images and gifs. You can also create or join chat rooms tapped in to your favorite bands or businesses.

4. Google Hangouts

Image: Google

Google's Hangout video chat app (iOS and Android) is just as good as the rest, giving users a service integrated into Gmail and other Alphabet apps that are already heavily intertwined in people's lives. It is available as an app, for iOS and Android, or as a web application accessible through any Google website.

The app is a 2013 amalgamation of three former Google projects: Google Talk, Google Plus Messenger and the Hangouts feature of Google plus. The combined service offers users chats with up to 100 people, video calls with up to 25 participants. Users can do text, voice or video chats, send documents, text messages, gifs and more using the app.

Google Hangout has been hailed as one of the more reliable video call services and is used widely among businesses for conferences. The ability to share screens with a caller is also crucial for many companies.

The app has been criticized for it's chat feature, which opens new dialog boxes for every chat and can become cumbersome for your screen. But its integration with Gmail makes it a crucial addition to their suite of offerings, and its above-standard video calls make it the cream of the crop.

5. FaceTime

Image: Apple

Originally attached to the release of the iPhone 4 in 2010, FaceTime (iOS) and its audio-only component are Apple's main video-messaging platform, allowing users to video chat or call other iOS users easily.

Previously, only allow two people to call one another at a time, but in June Apple announced that up to 32 people would be able to take part in a group call. The service is end-to-end encrypted and Apple doesn't record any of the calls, making it a secure option for any Apple users.

The downsides to the service are fairly obvious: it is only available for Apple users with devices containing front-facing cameras.

6. Facebook Messenger

Image: Facebook

Facebook's Messenger app (iOS and Android) is used widely due to its obvious association with the massive social media platform and the simple interface. Users of the app, which is available for iOS and Android, will be able to send text and voice messages on top of a video chat feature.

After splitting from the main Facebook app in 2014, Messenger is now used by over 1.2 billion people to send images, videos, emojis and much more on a daily basis. The app has been criticized because there is no way to "turn it off" or log out, and with recent news about Facebook's lackluster security and questionable business practices, some have wondered whether chats have been compromised throughout the company's myriad scandals over the last few years.

That being said, its proximity to Facebook makes it ideal for those trying to connect with people who also have accounts on the social media site. While the video calls can be lackluster and the voice calls can sometimes drop out, the easy sign up and hassle free use make it a lower tier option for those looking for simple, close-to-home chat options.

7. Appear.In

(Credit: Appear.In)

Appear.In (iOS and Android) is lesser known than some of the flashier names on the list, but its functionality and easy interface make it a necessary addition to the list. Created in 2013, the app quickly became popular because you don't need to sign up for anything or download any software. All you do is go to the site and share the video link with the person you'd like to connect with.

You can hold video and voice calls with up to 8 people and the app features a variety of security measures to keep users safe. You can bump it up to 12 people if you're willing to pay $12 per month for their services. There is an app for iOS and Android in addition to a web offering. It features Snapchat-like filters and backgrounds in addition to high-quality video and sound.

*this article was featured on Download.com on October 9, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/best-skype-alternatives-for-video-and-voice-calls/

Facebook caught testing Instagram user location history →

Instagram's founders resigned last week reportedly over efforts by Facebook to gather more user information from the popular app for targeted ads.

Facebook's rough week started with news of a potential data breach exposing nearly 50 million users and is ending with further controversy, now that eagle-eyed tech researcher Jane Manchun Wong discovered testing for a feature that would give location data from Instagram -- even if the app was closed -- to Facebook.

Facebook was forced to release a statement to TechCrunch about the feature, and Wong said it was later shut down. But the move comes on the heels of a major change in management at Instagram. The company's founders, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, quit last week amid rumors that they, like recently-resigned WhatsApp founder Jan Koum, were having increased concerns about Facebook's stance on data, privacy, and information collection practices.

Facebook announced recently that former News Feed VP Adam Mosseri would run Instagram, with the primary goal being closer ties between the two apps. Instagram continues to be one of Facebook's best purchases and has helped the company's popularity stay afloat amid a seemingly never-ending stream of bad news.

But the company was recently fined $122 million by the EU for siphoning data from WhatsApp. Facebook has been able to use its other, more successful apps to push people back into the Facebook orbit with constant ads and attempts to take you to the main Facebook app. With location data from Instagram, Facebook would be able to target ads based on where you are and note what stores you go to.

"To confirm, we haven't introduced updates to our location settings. As you know, we often work on ideas that may evolve over time or ultimately not be tested or released," a Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch.

"Instagram does not currently store Location History; we'll keep people updated with any changes to our location settings in the future," it added, implying that there were plans for the feature to appear in both Instagram and Facebook Messenger. The feature may also be tied to other efforts on Facebook to tie events to locations and create "find friends nearby" capabilities.

Users could find the information stored in Facebook Profile's Activity Log, even containing maps of where you went with the time and date. When you go to the page, a Learn More tab leads you to an explanation from Facebook where it openly admits to tracking your location even when the app is not in use.

"When Location History is on, Facebook will periodically add your current precise location to your Location History even if you leave the app. You can turn off Location History at any time in your Location Settings on the app," it writes.

"Facebook may still receive your most recent precise location so that you can, for example, post content that's tagged with your location. Location History helps you explore what's around you, get more relevant ads, and helps improve Facebook."

Google employs many of the same tracking tactics as Facebook and has been similarly criticized for the data it stores on your location history even when you aren't using its apps. It faced a heavy amount of criticism and blowback from users in August when the AP confirmed that Google could and did track people even when they turned the Location History feature off.

Location data is a particularly thorny issue, especially after a Facebook employee was arrested in May after stalking a woman online using his position as an engineer to track certain data about her. Facebook chief security officer Alex Stamos was forced to apologize in a statement at the time, writing that it was "important that people's information is kept secure and private when they use Facebook."

"It's why we have strict policy controls and technical restrictions so employees only access the data they need to do their jobs - for example to fix bugs, manage customer support issues or respond to valid legal requests," he added.

"Employees who abuse these controls will be fired."

*this story was featured on Download.com on October 5, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/facebook-caught-testing-instagram-user-location-history/

Google Images finally adds photo credit to its listings and metadata →

A deal signed with Getty forced Google to make a number of changes to how people search and access photos through the site.

Google has finally acquiesced to demands from photographers and content creators across the world by adding important metadata to every photo found in its search engine. The move culminates a year of massive changes to Google's image search after Getty Images filed a 2016 antitrust lawsuit against them in the EU.

Getty eventually withdrew the lawsuit in February after agreeing to a partnership with Google that included many of the changes announced today. Getty Images is one of many news or content organizations who have long charged that Google effectively aids digital piracy by making it easy for users to take images without knowing anything about who took or made the image and who owns the rights.

In their 2016 lawsuit, Getty claimed Google's practices "promoted piracy, resulting in widespread copyright infringement, turning users into accidental pirates," and said Google's "view image" function -- which allowed you to view an image without going to its original location -- was a specific effort by the company to "reinforce its role as the Internet's dominant search engine, maintaining monopoly over site traffic, engagement data and advertising spend."

"Artists need to earn a living in order to sustain creativity and licensing is paramount to this; however, this cannot happen if Google is siphoning traffic and creating an environment where it can claim the profits from individuals' creations as its own," Getty Images lawyer Yoko Miyashita said.

In a blog post yesterday, Google Product Manager Ashutosh Agarwal said they were working with the Center of the Picture Industry (CEPIC) and International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) to set up better rules for attribution and create clearer guidelines that kept things easy for users while protecting the rights of the content owners.

"As part of a collaboration between Google, photo industry consortium CEPIC, and IPTC, the global technical standards body for the news media, you can now access rights-related image metadata in Google Images," he wrote.

"It's traditionally been difficult to know the creator of images on the web, as well as who might own the rights. This information is often part of image metadata, and is key to protecting image copyright and licensing information. Starting today, we've added Creator and Credit metadata whenever present to images on Google Images."

Google removed the "view image" button in February as part of the deal to end the Getty lawsuit, forcing many users to go through the host website to find the image. While there is still a way around this, a number of Google users complained that photos were often difficult to find within websites and some outlets had protected their images so they could not be downloaded at all. Google also made significant changes to the search by image function to reflect their commitment to protecting creators' rights.

Getty and Google agreed to a years-long partnership in February that will see them license their work to Google and assist in improving the search engine's capabilities regarding images.

"We will license our market leading content to Google, working closely with them to improve attribution of our contributors' work and thereby growing the ecosystem," said Getty Images CEO Dawn Airey said in a statement earlier this year.

Agarwal said Google will also be rolling out a Copyright Notice feature in the coming months as well, which will attach legal information to other metadata that comes with photos.

Google has made a concerted effort this year to work with news outlets and photo websites to assuage complaints that the search giant was purposefully robbing hundreds of websites of ad revenue by allowing users to effectively bypass these websites for their content. Last year, Google was fined 2.42 billion Euros by the EU for distorting their search results in order to push users to their own services, specifically for shopping, as opposed to others. Google was forced to make changes to their algorithm due to the fine, and it brought a greater spotlight on the search engine's practices.

But image creators are rejoicing at Google's decision, hopeful that the changes will bring better photo attribution and revenue to those creating the content itself.

"Employing IPTC metadata standards in Google Images results will help ensure proper attribution of credit and support photographers' copyright, while also boosting the discoverability of content and creators," said Andrew Fingerman, CEO of PhotoShelter.

"This is a win for the professional photo community."

*this article was featured on Download.com on September 28, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/google-images-finally-adds-photo-credit-to-its-listings-and-metadata/

Twitter looks to strengthen policies prohibiting 'dehumanizing speech' →

The social media giant is asking the public to give feedback on new rules designed to limit language that normalizes violence against anyone.

Twitter users -- particularly women and minorities -- have long complained about the platform's lax rules against open hate speech and harassment, but the massively popular social media site has been slow to change its ways.

It is now trying to make up for their past mistakes by beefing up its rules and expanding its hateful conduct policy, announcing on Tuesday that it would be creating new regulations to stop what it called "dehumanizing speech."

Critics have repeatedly and harshly assailed Twitter for years due to their rules stating that a comment must be directed at a specific person to fall under the hateful conduct policy. Wired Magazine put it succinctly, writing that previously, a Twitter user would be allowed to write something like "all women are scum and should die" because it was not directed at a specific woman.

Twitter's Vice President of Trust and Safety Del Harvey and Vijaya Gadde, a member of the legal team at company, wrote in a blog post that the new dehumanizing speech policy is an effort to address comments just like this and make people feel safer using the platform.

"Language that makes someone less than human can have repercussions off the service, including normalizing serious violence," the company wrote. "Some of this content falls within our hateful conduct policy...but there are still Tweets many people consider to be abusive, even when they do not break our rules."

Harvey spoke honestly with Wired about the social media site's failure to be more open about its more controversial policies, and hoped this new effort would be a step in the right direction. Twitter worked with their Trust and Safety Council -- a group of NGOs and organizations that provide input on Twitter's policies -- as well as its development teams to come up with the new rules. It now would like the public to comment on it and share any thoughts or suggestions on how Twitter can better curtail hate speech.

"For the last three months, we have been developing a new policy to address dehumanizing language on Twitter. Better addressing this gap is part of our work to serve a healthy public conversation," Harvey and Gadde wrote.

"With this change, we want to expand our hateful conduct policy to include content that dehumanizes others based on their membership in an identifiable group, even when the material does not include a direct target."

The management of hate speech has been a particularly thorny issue for Twitter, whose CEO, Jack Dorsey, has repeatedly decided against more stringent rules, wary of doing anything that would even hint of limiting free speech. Just last month, he was forced to permanently ban conspiracy theorist Alex Jones after YouTube and Facebook initially banned him for his targeted harassment of parents who lost children during school shooting incidents.

At first, Twitter spent weeks refusing to ban Jones from using their site, claiming he had not broken any rules. Dorsey openly defended the move, writing on Twitter that the company would not be cowed by public pressure and wouldn't take "one-off actions to make us feel good in the short term." He caused further uproar by suggesting it was the responsibility of journalists -- and not the websites giving Jones a platform -- to combat the hate speech Jones openly trafficked.

But after multiple media outlets pointed out dozens of Jones' Tweets that directly contradicted Twitter's rules, the social media site was forced to relent and remove his account. This debacle prompted Twitter security VP Harvey to send a confusing email to Twitter's staff claiming the company was simply following its own rule book by initially keeping Jones and then later suspending him. But after defending its moves, she said they planned to move quicker than expected on the dehumanizing speech effort and other initiatives to address similar issues.

Twitter is giving users until October 9 to respond to a survey about the new rules on dehumanization, and will review the comments as they try to implement the new policies. Users of the site have previously been skeptical of the rule changes because many of the current regulations that are already on the books are applied haphazardly, with seemingly little reason behind which Tweets get removed and which are allowed to stay.

The blog post from Twitter goes on to reference studies from researchers showing the negative effects of widespread hate speech on populations and the need for large platforms like Twitter to be aware of how their site is used by hate groups.

Social media sites across the world continue to struggle with balancing free speech against hate speech. Facebook has faced an avalanche of criticism after it was implicated by the United Nations in their report on the Rohingya genocide crisis in Myanmar. Human rights workers said Facebook allowed the senior generals of Myanmar's army to use the platform to not only spread racist, misogynistic misinformation about the Rohingya ethnic group but stoke racial animus toward the group, giving the army further justification for their harsh -- and illegal according to the UN -- actions. Last month, Facebook removed the accounts of 20 officials in the Myanmar government for their actions during the genocide.

"Although improved in recent months, Facebook's response has been slow and ineffective. The extent to which Facebook posts and messages have led to real-world discrimination and violence must be independently and thoroughly examined," the UN panel told Reuters late last month.

*this article was featured on Download.com on September 26, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/twitter-looks-to-strengthen-policies-prohibiting-dehumanizing-speech/

New 'Firefox Monitor' will alert you if your data or passwords are stolen →

Mozilla unveils the email security tool it has been testing since last fall.

If you've ever wondered whether your email has been compromised in one of the many data breaches in the last decade, Mozilla now has an answer for you. Yesterday, it unveiled Firefox Monitor, a website that can give you detailed information about any of your accounts that may have been hacked.

"It can be hard to keep track of when your information has been stolen, so we're going to help by launching Firefox Monitor, a free service that notifies people when they've been part of a data breach," Nick Nguyen wrote in a blog post for Mozilla."After testing this summer, the results and positive attention gave us the confidence we needed to know this was a feature we wanted to give to all of our users."

The effort represents the culmination of a partnership between Mozilla and renowned Australian digital security expert Troy Hunt, the brainchild behind HaveIBeenPwned.com. There is little difference between Firefox Monitor and HaveIBeenPwned.com, but when Hunt announced the partnership in June, he said Mozilla's massive user base would help popularize the tool.

"Over the coming weeks, Mozilla will begin trialling integration between HIBP and Firefox to make breach data searchable via a new tool called 'Firefox Monitor'," Hunt wrote in a June blog post about the partnership, adding that they were "baking" HIBP into Firefox.

"This is major because Firefox has an install base of hundreds of millions of people which significantly expands the audience that can be reached once this feature rolls out to the mainstream."

HaveIBeenPwned.com currently has a secure database of 5.1 billion records, with 3.1 billion unique email addresses, yet only a bit more than 2 million subscribers. The more people who take advantage of the pwned website, the more people will be able to secure their accounts and make it safer for everyone, including the websites involved in the original hack.

When I put my own email address in, Firefox notified me of 4 data breaches that may have included my email address and account information. My email was found in a Ticketfly data breach in May, a 2013 breach of Adobe, and two 2012 hacks of Dropbox and LinkedIn. The information released in these hacks included email addresses, names, phone numbers, physical addresses, password hints, passwords, and usernames.

Despite the name, the website can be accessed from any browser, and both Mozilla and Hunt have painstakingly described the complex process that they use to search for email addresses while protecting your privacy and encrypting any information about you.

They use a technique known as hashing to mathematically encode data, making it impossible for HIBP to actually read any of the email addresses sent to it by Firefox. A Mozilla spokesperson told The Register UK that its goal was to protect their users by bringing HIBP to a wider pool.

"One difference for now is that sensitive sites will only be sent to you after you've verified your email to help keep you safe. There are future plans to integrate it more deeply into the Firefox and future products that are underway," they told the Register.

Mozilla and HaveIBeenPwned.com initially announced a partnership last fall that saw the web browser add an alert that would notify users when they were visiting a website that had recently been involved in a data breach. In June, 250,000 mostly U.S.-based users were invited to join a trial period for the website.

Hunt also secured a deal with 1Password, a password management app, in February that allows users to search if their email or password had been released in a data breach.

*this article was featured on Download.com on September 26, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/new-firefox-monitor-will-alert-you-if-your-data-or-passwords-are-stolen/

HeadGaze app lets users with disabilities navigate with simple head movements →

An eBay intern behind the app hopes it will help those with physical disabilities navigate their iPhone X with just a head nod.

Companies and organizations are quickly realizing the many ways new technology can help those with disabilities navigate the new digital environment, and one team of eBay workers put their heads together and created HeadGaze, an iOS app that lets you move around an iPhone screen with only a turn of the head.

"As someone with extensive motor impairments, I do not have full control of my limbs. Consequently, I am unable to walk or grab anything with my hands. These limitations hinder my ability to perform everyday tasks, like going to the grocery store and shopping independently -- even though I have my own income," wrote eBay intern Muratcan Cicek, who suffers from a physical disability and was looking for an app to help people like himself shop online.

"This year as part of my internship project at eBay, my team and I developed HeadGaze, a reusable technology library that tracks head movement on your iPhone X and starting today, the technology is available via open source on GitHub.com," he added.

"The first of its kind, this technology uses Apple ARKit and the iPhone X camera to track your head motion so you can navigate your phone easily without using your hands."

In a blog post on eBay and a video released on Vimeo, the creators show how the app's simple but powerful functions can help people move around an iPhone. Cicek said the app uses a "virtual stylus" to track your head movements and create a 3D map that can find and move a cursor on your screen.

To make the app useful, the team had to create an interface that would allow you to take actions with a cursor, like the way every mouse has two click buttons. The app, Cicek said, can sense how long the cursor has been on something and that will cause it to take a clicking action.

With the help of the app, users can navigate a website, scroll up and down a webpage, move between pages and, in the case of a website like eBay, search or make purchases, all without touching the iPhone at all. They also made a concerted effort to help other developers use their technology for a variety of websites and apps, posting the HeadGaze designs on GitHub. To display their technology, they created the HeadSwipe app specifically for eBay to test whether users could swipe between offers and deals. HeadSwipe's designs are also available on GitHub.

"It is because of HeadGaze's potential to make a tremendous impact on the lives of many people that we are open-sourcing this tool. We want to encourage developers to build more apps that don't require screen touch," Cicek said. The app's creation is part of a series of efforts by Partnership on AI, a group of businesses interested in integrating AI into the public responsibly.

"While Assistive Technology helps the disabled to perform some everyday tasks, there is no existing tool that considers our needs when shopping online. And with 39.5 million Americans currently considered physically disabled, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we saw an opportunity to create a tool that would promote independence."

Cicek also wrote that the tool has many other potential uses for those performing tasks that make it impossible to hold a smartphone, like cooking or construction. "The fusion of these gazing experiences open up a broader possibility on defining various hands-free gestures, enabling much more interesting applications," he added.

*This article as featured on Download.com on September 12, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/headgaze-app-lets-users-with-disabilities-navigate-with-simple-head-movements/

Uber in Australia and New Zealand will start banning riders with low ratings

Starting September 19, Uber users in Australia and New Zealand will need to stay above a minimum star rating or face account deactivation.

Uber has been trying to clean up its act after a rough year, and now they want their riders to do the same, passing new guidelines in Australia and New Zealand that will force riders to stay above a four star rating or face losing access to the app entirely.

In a blog post from Uber Australia and New Zealand, the ride service said the new rules, which will come in to effect on September 19, aim to protect drivers and promote mutual respect during the entire taxi experience.

"Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself. It's a universal truth - and something that's important here at Uber," they wrote.

"This is important because when driver-partners use Uber they do more than simply drive: they're sharing their own car, their space, their time and a slice of who they are with passengers."

The company goes on to say that the new community guidelines set basic standards for conduct and that anyone who falls under a certain minimum rating will receive multiple warnings before being kicked off the app.

Susan Anderson, Uber's regional general manager for Australia and New Zealand, told the Sydney Morning Herald that minimum ratings varied by country and region but that across Australia, it would be four stars.

She reminded readers that nine out of ten Australians on Uber have a 4.5 rating or higher and that multiple warnings or tips will be sent to a user before they are removed.

"To get to a number as low as four there really needs to have been multiple instances of one star ratings, and complaints from a number of different drivers. But there are a small proportion of riders who aren't behaving in the right way, and we have no place for that on our platform," she told the newspaper.

She added that drivers had complained about a number of bad passenger behaviors, including riders sexually harassing and stalking drivers after a trip, abusive language, door slamming, lack of greetings or courtesy, and riders waiting in the wrong place or in unsafe areas. Riders had also been accused of breaking laws during rides and asking drivers to speed or commit crimes with them.

The issue of Uber driver treatment has gained prominence in the US as the app's popularity has grown. Most recently, star NFL quarterback Jameis Winston was suspended and forced to apologize after he grabbed a female driver's crotch n 2016.

Uber drivers who fall under a certain number of stars can be fired from the service, so the rule has long been in place for them. Despite the guidelines, Uber still has a notoriously difficult time screening its drivers and continues to face criticism over its background check practices.

Before the new rules were passed, riders could only be denied by drivers for extremely low ratings but would not be removed.

"Australia/NZ is the second country globally to roll this out, and we think it's an important update to help ensure every Uber journey is enjoyable and comfortable for both riders and driver-partners," Uber told Mashable in an email.

As long as users keep clean, stay kind and respect drivers, Anderson said they wouldn't have to worry about the new rules.

"We all know of driver-partners who go above and beyond to create a five-star experience for their riders: from helping an elderly person get into and out of the car, to offering water for the trip or making sure that riders get home safely while listening to some fun tunes after a night out," they wrote in their release.

"Everyone can enjoy a five-star ride when people respect each other's differences and treat their travelling companions the way they'd like to be treated themselves."

*this article was featured on Download.com on September 5, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/uber-in-australia-and-new-zealand-will-start-banning-riders-with-low-ratings/

Apple double downs on privacy by requiring all third-party apps to publish data policies

Any user will now be able to quickly find and read an app's privacy policy, which Apple says must include information on how data is retained.

Concerns about privacy continue to dominate discussions around technology and its effect on everyday life. Just this week, Intel released the results of a survey that found that average consumers are just as excited as they are scared of what the future holds for how humans interact with the latest technological advances.

Apple -- in a move many believe stems from the EU's new, stringent GDPR law that came into effect earlier this year -- will now require that all apps in its App Store create a specific landing page for their privacy policy so users can easily access it. The rules come into effect on October 3.

The company has always required this for apps that need subscriptions. But now, every app that wants a spot in the app store will have to add code to their platforms to facilitate the changes Apple wants.

"All apps must include a link to their privacy policy in the App Store Connect metadata field and within the app in an easily accessible manner," they wrote in the announcement. Their statement goes on to say that every app privacy policy must identify "what data, if any, the app/service collects, how it collects that data, and all uses of that data."

They are also now required to take responsibility for the actions of any third-party functions that are built into the apps and certify that they too are following the app's privacy policy.

Data retention was a particular focus of the announcement as many of the country's biggest app platforms continue to grapple with the adoption of the EU's thorough GDPR and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which continues to roil Facebook and worry users who question whether Facebook's admittedly abusive data collection practices have truly stopped.

Apple says all apps have to "confirm that any third party with whom an app shares user data (in compliance with these Guidelines) -- such as analytics tools, advertising networks and third party SDKs, as well as any parent, subsidiary or other related entities that will have access to user data -- will provide the same or equal protection of user data as stated in the app's privacy policy and required by these Guidelines."

Apple's new rules demand that apps allow users to revoke their consent and provide options for people to have any information of theirs deleted.

Any apps lacking a privacy policy page or access to information deletion features will not be deleted from the App Store by Apple, but any updates from October 3 on must have it.

The move was announced in the News section of Apple's App Store Connect platform.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 31, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/apple-double-downs-on-privacy-by-requiring-all-third-party-apps-to-publish-data-policies/

Google rebrands Tez as Google Pay with big plans for Asian expansion →

Google is looking to take some of Tez's India-specific payment features worldwide and expand into consumer transactions.

Google announced this week that it was unifying all of its digital payment options, including India's widely used Tez service, under one banner: Google Pay.

Google Pay already operates in 20 countries outside of India, but Google hopes to use the massively popular features of Tez for Google Pay services across the world as it expands deeper into Asia.

"We have learnt that when we build for India, we build for the world, and we believe that many of the innovations and features we have pioneered with Tez will work globally," said Caesar Sengupta, Google's general manager for Payments and the Next Billion Users Initiative.

"When we build for India and next billion user markets, we are building for everyone."

In a blog post announcing the move, Sengupta touted Tez's eye-popping usage numbers and said the service, built specifically for India, was a model that Google could use to provide similar services to Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Over the last 3 to 5 years, the emergence of relatively cheap Android smartphones has allowed more people in more countries to gain access to mobile devices, allowing apps to slowly take over the market as they have in countries like the U.S. or China.

In only one year of operation, Tez is now used by 22 million businesses and people per month in over 300,000 suburbs, towns, and villages, according to Google. People use Tez for a variety of financial transactions, including splitting bills over dinner and paying for bus tickets.

Sengupta said Tez has handled more than 750 million transactions worth $30 billion dollars -- 200 thousand crore rupees -- annually. He attributed the name change, surprisingly, to Tez's success, writing that other governments have approached Google about creating digital payment transaction platforms for their countries.

Tez was built specifically for India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment system, allowing users to connect their Tez account to their bank accounts and transfer money between India's largest banks. India is still primarily a cash-based economy, but the adoption of Tez and other apps has increased rapidly. Google says India's monthly UPI transactions have grown to 14 times what they were since Tez started operating last September.

"This change is not just an indication of user traction in India, it also paves the way for you to use Google Pay in more places on the web, apps, in stores and across Google products, so that payments can be seamless in everything you do," Sengupta said.

"India is now one of the world leaders in digital payments innovation, and we're even more motivated to continue our efforts to support India's digital transformation."

Google told the Economic Times in India this week that the change was made because Google is consolidating its payment apps and "would want to use a global name to avoid confusion." It notes that in January this year, Google combined Google Wallet and Android Pay into Google Pay.

It's already been slowly changing the in-app branding to Google Pay, but with the other changes, Tez users will have access to an expanded panoply of payment options. Sengupta said the number of places that will accept Google Pay is expanding greatly, both "online on apps and website, as well as in branded retail stores." Google Pay will either be heavily integrated into or partnered with a bunch of new outlets and apps, including BookMyshow, Big Bazaar, e-Zone, and FBB.

With the update, Google is expanding services for merchants too, giving you more options for receiving payments, integrating your business into Google Search and Maps, and interacting with customers. Right now, these features are only available in Bangalore and Delhi but will be rolled out to a larger audience soon.

To add on to the new features, Google is getting deeper into the loan business, creating an avenue for users to take out pre-approved loans faster than the normal process. Partnering with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Federal Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank, Google is aiming to simplify the loan process and give more Indians access to country's financial system.

In India, Google Pay is battling Paytm and PhonePe for control of the market, and their expanded offerings may give them a leg up on the competition. The Economic Times said India was "one of the largest markets in terms of app downloads for Google, primarily due to the dominance of Android smartphones in India and the falling mobile Internet tariffs."

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 29, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/google-rebrands-tez-as-google-pay-with-big-plans-for-asian-expansion/

How Google's Project Navlekha newspaper publishing tools bring print content online in India →

Print-only publications can now use Google's publishing platform to quickly create websites and upload content without the help of coders or digital designers.

While many countries have seen print newspapers evaporate as everything moves online, India's papers have held on strong, continuing to serve local communities in local languages. Many of these do not have the staff or funding to manage a corresponding website or online version of their newspaper, so people are forced to get a print copy.

Google has decided to jump in an help these newspapers with Navlekhā, an initiative designed to bring local newspapers in to 2018.

"Navlekhā, a Google initiative, helps you easily make offline content fully editable and publish online without expert digital knowledge," Google says in their announcement. The platform is available soon for Hindi publications and plans to expand to more languages later this year.

With Navlekhā, users fill out an application and then wait for a response from the Google team, which will help you create and maintain a website specifically for your publication.

Once you have your website, you will be able to use Google's platform to upload PDFs of the print version of your newspaper, which will take it from there and manage most of the process. Navlekhā will scan each page, upload each story, and allow you to edit or curate stories easily Google said.

Google succinctly boils down the service to three things: Gaining access to a currently untapped online reader market, free services, and domain names for the first three years, and Google's AdSense program, which allows you to "tap into the largest network of online advertisers who are bidding for your ad space."

"Your audience is already searching for content online. Don't miss out on readership and increase awareness of your publication by growing your online presence," the company wrote.

"We will help you get your content online for free. We will not charge for our publication tools and the domain name for the first three years. All you need to get started is your content and a commitment to bring your publication online."

India's Business Today said the project was announced at Google's fourth 'Google for India' event, where Google's vice president of search engineering Shashidhar Thakur said 90 percent of the 150 government-registered newspapers did not have a website.

"50 percent more Indians are using mobile search daily. But most of the documents available on the web today are in English and a very few in Indian languages," she said during the event, according to Business Today. "For search to be truly helpful, it should bring you useful content, in all the languages you understand."

There are a variety of reasons why so few publications are online, but most were related to the costs of starting and managing a website, as well as the difficulty in copying text written or typed in non-Unicode Indian language fonts from PDFs to web pages.

Navlekhā, which means "a new way to write" in Sanskrit, uses AI to get around this, allowing all PDFs written in Indian languages to be transformed into editable text documents.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 29, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/how-googles-project-navlekha-newspaper-publishing-tools-bring-print-content-online-in-india/

Google launches 'Tell me something good' to change the direction of news →

Google Assistant users will get a list of positive stories about people and groups making a difference.

If you've ever felt worn out by the daily stream of bad news and alarmingly red "Breaking News" chyrons, Google is right along with you. To alleviate the stress of tough news days, Google has created the "Tell Me Something Good" feature for Google Assistant, which allows you to call out to the smart device for some good news.

When you say to Google Assistant, "Hey Google, tell me something good," it will automatically give you a news summary featuring what Google calls "Solutions journalism." The stories are curated by the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization working with journalists to highlight "how problems are solvable and that doing better is possible."

"These days we're consuming more news than ever, and sometimes, it can feel like there are only problems out there. But the fact is, there is a plethora of 'good news' happening, and we're not talking about unlikely animal friendships or random acts of kindness," Google Creative Producer Ryan Burke wrote in a blog post announcing the new feature.

"Real people are making progress solving real issues--and hearing about those stories is a crucial part of a balanced media diet."

Google made a point of saying that the news stories found with this feature won't just be about fun topics or celebrity news. In his blog post, Burke cites positive, but substantive, stories like beekeepers in Detroit reviving the industry there and a university in Georgia using data to help African-American students graduate.

In their own post on Medium about the partnership with Google, Solutions Journalism Network said they work each day to spotlight positive efforts by people across the world to make a difference.

"'Tell me something good' is an experiment meant to get these stories into your hands. We hope it's an easy way for you to get a daily dose of news that doesn't just shed light on problems, but offers stories of how they were confronted, and what lessons were learned," they wrote.

The feature is only available in the US but is accessible on any Assistant-enabled device such as your smartphone or Smart Display.

"Solutions journalism empowers and energizes audiences, helping to combat negative news fatigue. It's an important part of a balanced news diet, so we're exploring how to incorporate more solutions journalism wherever you access Google News," Burke wrote.

"'Tell me something good' isn't meant to be a magic solution. But it's an experiment worth trying because it's good info about good work that may bring some good to your day."

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 22, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/google-launches-tell-me-something-good-to-change-the-direction-of-news/

Reporting sexual misconduct could get easier with new apps JDoe and Callisto →

Two apps are leading the way in providing safe, simple reporting options for sexual-assault and harassment survivors.

Throughout the last year, the #MeToo movement has brought attention to the pervasive issue of sexual assault and harassment on campuses and in workplaces across the world, yet many survivors are still afraid to report what happened to them, fearing they will be ignored, vilified, or attacked.

Two apps, JDoe and Callisto, are trying to tackle this issue head on by providing safe avenues for people to report sexual misconduct. JDoe aims to give victims or witnesses a platform to share their story, identify repeat offenders, and access lawyers.

Callisto provides similar services but is targeted specifically at college campuses. The app, started in 2015, is now available on 13 campuses across the U.S. and serves more than 149,000 students. The developer is planning to expand the service to workplaces this year and has already started work with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.

According to statistics from Callisto, 20 percent of women, 7 percent of men, and 24 percent of transgender and gender nonconforming students are sexually assaulted during their college career.

"An estimated 90% of sexual assaults are committed by repeat perpetrators. Over 85% of college survivors know their assailant, and less than 10% report to their school or the police," they say on their website.

Callisto's university-specific platform gives students three ways to record their experience. They can write a secure, encrypted report about what happened to them that even Callisto's own team does not have access to.

Survivors can also note the identity of their attacker and match their name against a database of reports. Callisto says that if there is a match, "their Title IX coordinator will reach out to each survivor individually." The third option is a report that can be sent directly to your school's administrators that will trigger an investigation or administrative consultation.

The app's founder and CEO, Jess Ladd, said in an annual report that she was sexually assaulted in college and found the reporting process "as traumatizing as the assault."

"Years later, she realized technology could introduce opportunities to facilitate healing, justice, and support in a way that simply didn't exist. Callisto was born," they wrote. Callisto is now partnered with Stanford University, St. John's University, Pomona College, and many other schools across the country.

JDoe does many of the same things as Callisto, but because it was built for workplace sexual misconduct, the app is focused more on pairing survivors with lawyers and prosecutors.

Its aim is to allow victims to circumvent the often traumatizing experience of dealing with police officers or HR officials and provide an easy, safe way to record your experience, save any evidence, speak with lawyers and identify whether your attacker is a repeat offender.

As Callisto noted, it takes many survivors nearly a year to be able to report their situation to police, administrators or their HR office. JDoe says they "ensure survivors and witnesses complete control over their data." Through names, Facebook profile or email addresses, JDoe users can identify their attacker and record the location of their assault.

"Nothing will be sent to anyone, ever, until a user specifically requests it. Our encryption algorithms guarantee your privacy. Even if compelled to do so by a warrant, JDoe would be unable to read your data and hand it over," it said.

JDoe creator Ryan Soscia told NPR that the idea for the app came from a friend who described his own assault and later found out his attacker molested ten other teenagers.

"We can find those connections exponentially faster. So the hope is we're going to prevent these types of crimes from happening. And the idea that that could have stopped this from happening to ten other people...that's really powerful." he said in the NPR interview.

Both apps are free for people to use, with JDoe getting most of its funding from lawyers who pay $1,000 per year to sign up and take on cases through the service. Callisto is built specifically for each school or company that buys its service, costing between $10,000 and $30,000 according to NPR.

Just last month, employment law attorney Marc Garbar founded the app HarassmentLaw, which provides access to lawyers 24/7 for those who have been victims of workplace sexual harassment. He told Download.com that "[T]he #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have brought the closet culture of harassment into the forefront of American conversation."

Stanford University student Shanta Katipamula was part of the push behind her school's adoption of Callisto, and she said she was working "towards a world where campus sexual assault is eradicated, but in the meantime we must also provide adequate resources for survivors who are sexually assaulted."

"Callisto is informed by extensive survivor research, making it a truly survivor centric reporting mechanism, something that is missing from most current reporting options. In my research, I found Callisto to be a one-of-a-kind tool that placed the needs of survivors first while also providing data for universities that could help prevent assaults," she said.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 22, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/reporting-sexual-misconduct-could-get-easier-with-new-apps-jdoe-and-callisto/

Twitter disables core features on third party apps like Tweetbot with recent API changes →

Twitter's new restrictions on its most avid users are designed to force more people, and ads, onto the app.

Twitter has finally gone through with changes to its API that restrict features offered by popular third-party apps like Tweetbot, Twitterrific, Talons and Tweetings. Some, like Favstar, have already gone offline since Twitter made the decision to wrest control of its social service away from outside developers responsible for so many of the platform's most popular and vital features.

"We feel the best Twitter experience we can provide today is through our owned and operated Twitter for iOS and Android apps, as well as desktop and mobile twitter.com," senior Twitter product direction Rob Johnson said in a blog post on the move.

"We know some of you don't like this more focused approach. There are good reasons you love the various Twitter apps you have used over the years, and we're grateful for the developers who build them."

The changes to the API will bar many users of third-party apps from updating their feed quickly, delay notifications for messages, and completely disable notifications for likes, retweets, follows, and quotes. Other tracking features have also been disabled, and Twitter stated emphatically that they will not be replacing these functions with their new Account Activity API.

In a letter written to Twitter employees yesterday, Johnson put the onus on third-party apps while acknowledging that the company has not been good about explaining a variety of moves designed to set limitations on the reach of third-party apps.

"In 2011, we told developers (in an email) not to build apps that mimic the core Twitter experience. In 2012, we announced changes to our developer policies intended to make these limitations clearer by capping the number of users allowed for a 3rd party client," Johnson wrote.

"It's time to make the hard decision to end support for these legacy APIs -- acknowledging that some aspects of these apps would be degraded as a result. Today, we are facing technical and business constraints we can't ignore," he added.

"The User Streams and Site Streams APIs that serve core functions of many of these clients have been in a 'beta' state for more than 9 years, and are built on a technology stack we no longer support."

Johnson's message to Twitter employees was a bit different than the public post he sent out, which trumpeted Twitter's own app and web platform over any third-party apps. He claimed the changes to Twitter would help the company control "troll-like behavior," enforce guidelines, quicken search functions, and more.

Many of the app developers affected by the move blamed it advertising dollars, claiming Twitter was trying to force its most avid users to use their platforms to increase ad revenue.

Twitter user Ash McAllan criticized the changes but said users had no choice but to accept the changes because it was difficult to re-create the communities that have formed on the platform.

"Yes, Twitter as a platform is bad and getting worse, but I cannot afford to migrate away from a system where I've built a community and audience I love in favour of other platforms where that's actively harder to do," she wrote. "Marginalised folks can't afford to 'just rebuild'."

Johnson was open about the already-negative responses to the changes, even citing the #breakingmytwitter movement growing on the platform while claiming the company was "committed" to understanding why so many of its users liked third-party applications better than the Twitter app itself.

"We are not changing our rules or setting out to 'kill' 3rd party clients; but we are killing, out of operational necessity, some of the legacy APis that power some features of those clients," Johnson said, claiming that it "wasn't realistic for us to invest in building a totally new service to replace all of the functionality of these APIs."

Outside developers have been integral to Twitter's success and popularization over the years, creating and spearheading some of the apps' now integral features like the hashtag and the quick refresh feature.

"3rd party clients have had a notable impact on the Twitter service and the products we built. Independent developers built the first Twitter client for Mac and the first native app for iPhone. These clients pioneered product features we all know and love," Johnson said on Twitter.

New York Magazine highlighted the fact that even the word "tweet" was created by outside developers who needed a design-friendly term for the act of sending a Twitter message. Twitter absorbed Tweetdeck after it became a popular third-party app for many of their most avid users.

Twitter had to push back the date the changes would take effect after announcing it last year. They originally planned to institute the changes in June but pushed it back to this month to give third-party apps more time to update themselves in advance. Many of the most popular third-party apps have already released updates to their apps with reduced and scaled back features, much to the dismay of users.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 17, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/twitter-disables-core-features-on-third-party-apps-like-tweetbot-with-recent-api-changes/

How Android 9's Digital Wellbeing tool helps control your app time →

Android 9 Pie's dashboard gives you a detailed breakdown of how long you use your favorite apps and allows you to set time limits.

If you've ever wondered what it would take to use your smartphone less, Google might have the answer. This week, Google unveiled a beta of it highly publicized Digital Wellbeing tool in Android 9, which will help users better manage their time on smartphones.

Many of us have been in the position of realizing we spend way too much time entranced by screens, both large and miniature. In recent years, more and more tech companies are coming to the same realization, putting them in the awkward position of pushing the usage of their products while acknowledging the need for some time away from them.

Android 9's Digital Wellbeing tool addresses many of the concerns voiced by their users, doctors, and social scientists, who have all questioned the immediate and long-term effects of intense and extended smartphone usage.

The app is available this week with Android 9 on Google's Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL devices..

When you open the dashboard (which you access by opening Settings and then scrolling down to Digital Wellbeing), you will see statistics on smartphone usage, including how much time you spent on your phone, a daily graphic on how much you use certain apps, and figures on how many times you unlocked your phone and number of notifications received.

The dashboard is only one part of Google's plan to help their users. It included a timer you can set for apps and a Do Not Disturb feature that hides your visual and auditory notifications. The Wind Down tool allows you to activate the Do Not Disturb feature before you go to bed every night, disconnecting you from your smartphone so you can get a good night's sleep.

"We all love our phones -- the cameras capture the memories we make, they find us the best route to work each day, and they answer the questions we have throughout the day," said Google's Director of Product Management Sabrina Ellis.

"But many of us can probably use a little bit of help disconnecting from our devices from time to time so we can focus on the other things in our lives."

Google has made time management a hallmark of their messaging over the last few years, and the release of their 'Wellbeing' app is another step toward helping their users prioritize tasks and live healthy lives beyond their smartphones. They announced the features at I/O in May, and much of what is found in the current beta version of the Digital Wellbeing features are amalgamations of features already available on most Android phones.

Users have long been able to gray their screen or turn on Do Not Disturb settings, but the new features bring all of these acts into one central screen and makes it easier to turn on settings that limit smartphone usage.

Google's Digital Wellbeing efforts also extend to parents, who can set limits on Android devices for their children as they ease into greater device usage. You can even schedule internet "breaks" for kids and block inappropriate content.

On their Digital Wellbeing webpage, Google says they're "dedicated to building technology that is truly helpful for everyone."

"We're creating tools and features that help people better understand their tech usage, focus on what matters most, disconnect when needed, and create healthy habits for the whole family. We're committed to giving everyone the tools they need to develop their own sense of digital wellbeing. So that life, not the technology in it, stays front and center."

Apple, Facebook and Instagram are all working on similar features that give users a concrete breakdown of how and how often they use apps, allowing people to make their own decisions on how they need to adjust their smartphone usage.

The Center for Human Technology says that while the amount of time spent on smartphones is a concern, it's how that time is being spent that underpins the negative feelings people may have after using these websites.

"Snapchat turns conversations into streaks, redefining how our children measure friendship. Instagram glorifies the picture-perfect life, eroding our self worth. Facebook segregates us into echo chambers, fragmenting our communities. YouTube autoplays the next video within seconds, even if it eats into our sleep," the center wrote.

You can sign up to be a beta tester of the features through the sign up page in the Google Play Store.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 10, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/how-android-9s-digital-wellbeing-tool-helps-control-your-app-time/

The next great app might be a mobile lawyer, as Kenyan app Haki shows →

Haki allows people to look up the Kenyan legal code and call a lawyer in their time of need.

Anyone who has been stopped by the police understands the fear that comes with the interaction. This situation can be all the more stressful if you've done nothing wrong, and without a rule book at your side it can be difficult to defend yourself.

One Kenyan lawyer turned a seemingly random police stop into something positive: a digital legal book that users can call upon in case of emergency. The app, named Haki, is already in its third iteration and provides users with the Kenyan legal code, summaries of laws, and a way to call a lawyer.

Richard Muhereza, the legal mind behind the app, said the idea came to him after one of his own troubling interactions with the police.

He told The Daily Nation in Kenya that he was stopped by two police officers after missing his bus stop and walking under a foot bridge to save time. He politely asked the officers what he had done wrong, and they told him that due to a number of road accidents, people had to walk on the footbridge and were not allowed to cross under it.

"So I asked them to tell me if their relatives from the village who perhaps come for a visit in the city would know what I did was wrong, why there were no sign posts or public education about it and how sustainable it is for the government to have officers under every footbridge," he told the newspaper.

Just days later, two of his friends were arrested for minor violations that they did not know were rules, and Muhereza decided to take action.

His company, Knownafrique, created an app to teach the public about local regulations and laws that they might not have heard about before. He wrote summaries of laws and crowdsourced helpful instructions from other lawyers and organizations who were eager to help people avoid minor crimes they may be stopped for. The third iteration of the legal helper now transfers you to a lawyer who can answer your questions on the spot. Available in the Google Play store, the app charges users for phone calls with lawyers by the minute.

Since December, the new version of the app has attracted more attention, with 400 downloads and 10 cases where lawyers were used.

"Lawyers in our app are to give information, they are not selfish, which is a niche for us because the callers are paying to make such calls," Muhereza said, adding that Haki has expanded to seven employees and recently received a grant from HiiL Justice Accelerator, an NGO based at The Hague.

Studies by the NGO have shown that nearly two thirds of all Kenyan adults have been in situations requiring a legal process, and an understanding of the rules on the books is needed to handle the most common disputes, like crime, land, family, employment and disagreements over money.

His hope is to continue expanding and offering more robust legal services to average people. He also wants to take it international, with apps for the legal codes in Nigeria, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt and Ghana.

"For the things that can be done on phone, we believe they should be. Anyone owning or having access to a smartphone can simply find a lawyer using the mobile application the same way taxi hailing Apps like Uber work," he told the Daily Nation.

"People don't have to worry about unclear fees as they will know beforehand, how much they are likely to pay and in fact they will choose how much money to spend based on a preferred time slot."

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 8, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/a-legal-advice-app-helps-kenyans-grasp-local-laws/

Uber competitor Ola launches in UK as ridesharing competition heats up →

Despite some of the same financial backers, Ola and Uber will now be competing for the same prize: ride-hailing app supremacy in London.

Indian ride-hailing app Ola recently announced plans to launch its services in the UK, taking its battle with Uber to British shores.

Ola is now looking for drivers in Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Newport and many more towns throughout South Wales and Greater Manchester. In a statement, its said they plan to expand nationwide by the end of the year.

To lure drivers to its side, the company claimed it will serve both private cabs and black taxis, taking 10 percent of each private fare and five percent of every black taxi fare. Both of these figures are less than what Uber currently takes from drivers.

The company, founded in 2011 by Bhavish Aggarwal and Ankit Bhati, is dominating the Indian ride-hailing market, serving an estimated 125 million customers across 110 cities in India. It expanded to Australia in February and now have 40,000 drivers on the road in seven Australian cities. Despite its success, Ola is one of many ride-sharing and ride-hailing apps seeking to dominate a variety of markets across the world.

Ola is hoping to enter the UK market on good terms with every side, cajoling strict British regulators with offers to meet their every need and assuaging established taxi drivers with a plan to allow both private cars and traditional black cabs to use its app. The company said it wants to provide 24-7 voice support, an Ola app emergency feature, and stringent screening for drivers.

"Ola is excited to announce its plans for the UK, one of the world's most evolved transportation markets," said Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal.

"The UK is a fantastic place to do business and we look forward to providing a responsible, compelling, new service that can help the country meet its ever demanding mobility needs."

While not explicit, Ola's focus on compliance with regulators is seen as a subtle jab at Uber, which is currently in the middle of a vicious court battle with London over how its business operates and treats drivers. It recently won a court appeal, allowing it to operate in London for about 15 months. Uber has been in the country for years and now has 48,000 drivers serving millions of people each month. But Uber is also particularly despised by drivers of black cabs, who have to spend years securing a license before they can legally operate.

Ola's announcement comes on the heels of meetings held between Aggarwal and London's Director of Transport Innovation Michael Hurwitz last year. The London market is already crowded with apps despite pressure from politicians and courts to treat them as employers instead of just service-based apps. A number of apps rivaling Uber have had discussions with the city about gaining licenses to operate in the city.

Despite pledges for reform, drivers in India have protested against both companies, saying their practices are abusive and often arbitrary. In March, drivers in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and other towns protested against Uber and Ola, saying the wages they made were impossible to live on and that both companies were often assigning random "fees" that cut into driver profit.

The move to the UK opens up another front in the battle between Uber and Ola despite sharing a major investor. According to Business Insider, Japanese tech company Softbank has invested heavily in both companies, promising Ola $2 billion last October and securing a 20 percent stake in Uber earlier this year.

There were even rumors that Uber and Ola would eventually join forces in India, as both apps were suffering losses in the fight against each other. Uber recently pulled out of Southeast Asia entirely, handing its business, along with Uber Eats, over to Singaporean ride-hailing app Grab before taking a 27.5 percent stake in the company and having its CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, join the company's board.

Analysts expected Uber to continue pulling out of markets and securing partnerships with locally dominant ride-hailing apps, but Ola's decision to enter the UK market kicks off a new round of the fighting between the two.

Aggarwal told a conference last month that Ola, which is now valued at around $7 billion, would go public in the next three to four years, and today it secured a $225 million stake purchase by Singaporean bank Temasek.

"The ambition for both me and [fellow co-founder] Ankiti [Bhati] has always been to build a sustainable, long-term independent institution," Aggarwal said.

"In that direction, we are definitely going to IPO. Our goal is to aim for an IPO in about three to four years. We are on that path, our focus on building a sustainable business model [and] a profitable business builds into that ambition."

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 8, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/uber-competitor-ola-launches-in-uk-as-ridesharing-competition-heats-up/

Google Maps app now lets you share battery status along with your location →

Google Maps will now let others know how long till your battery's dead.

Sharing locations within Google Maps has become a popular way to locate a friend in a new place or guide someone to a hard-to-find destination.

But the feature was not without flaws. Some users complained that if their phone died after sharing a location, the marker representing them either twirled or did nothing, confusing those looking for them after arriving. It was often difficult to know whether someone's smartphone had died -- or if something worse had happened.

Now, when you share your location with someone, they will also see how much battery life your phone has left so that they can plan accordingly.

The feature was first noted by Android Police in February, after it found lines of code referencing battery life and whether a smartphone was charging in conjunction with the location sharing feature.

Google appears to be rolling out feature to a larger audience now, that more users are noticing the battery life indicator text when they share their location.

Google added the ability to share your location in 2017 to compete with other social media services that were including location-sharing into their apps.

Using the location sharing tool, users can share a destination with a friend or get directions to their location or a mutual meeting spot.

The tool is not without its detractors, who point to obvious concerns of stalking and robbery that come with an idea like this. But last year Google addressed the concerns, telling TechCrunch, "This is about making things simple, accessible and giving people that access to transparency...Anyone with bad intentions can find many other apps and means out there. We are focused on adding on that layer of convenience."

Google has also included a notification system that lets you know you have the feature on in case you would like to turn it off.

*This article was featured on Download.com on August 3, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/google-maps-app-now-lets-you-share-battery-status-along-with-your-location/

New 2Hot2Cold app lets fliers report uncomfortable cabin temperatures →

The app is designed by flight attendants with the goal of forcing the Transportation Department to do a better job of regulating cabin temperatures.

Flight attendants are asking you to not turn off your electronic devices so you can help them fight regulator inaction over an issue every frequent flier faces: too cold or too hot cabins. The Association of Flight Attendants released a statement and held an event yesterday at Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, unveiling its new app 2hot2cold for airline passengers.

The flight attendants' goal is to have fliers report the temperature of their airplane cabin during and after a flight so that they can collect information and submit it to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT).

"Today, the FAA and the DOT have no operating requirements for cabin temperatures. As a result, in the summer, cabins can get too hot; in the winter, they can get too cold," the AFA said in a release.

"Flight Attendants face these extreme conditions all too often. To make change, we need data to persuade regulators and legislators to establish airplane temperature standards. We define the problem with reports to get it fixed."

The app is available on iOS and Android devices and provides users with an easy way to submit information about their flight and its temperature. The AFA said temperature is important to how the flight is handled on their end and how passengers respond to the trip.

"If it's too hot, crew and passengers can experience symptoms ranging from the mild (fatigue, dizziness) to moderate (heat exhaustion) to catastrophic (heat stroke). If it's too cold, health effects range from cold stress to hypothermia," they wrote.

"Extreme temperatures also impact cabin operations, by degrading the crew's awareness of possible security threats, increasing stress that can lead to air rage, medical emergencies, a return to the gate, and other operational disruptions."

Pilots are generally in control of the thermostat on planes, but often make it colder than normal to accommodate flight attendants walking up and down the aisles in layered clothing. Passengers, who are not moving as much and frequently are dressed for vacation, often find flights too cold.

Some studies have shown that warmer temperatures cause passengers to be sick or pass out, and cold temperatures are believed to help with motion sickness.

The 50,000 members of the AFA along with 15,000 Southwest flight attendants tied to Local 556 of the Transport Workers Union believe that with the information gathered from passengers, they can convince the DOT to set firm parameters on plane temperatures.

Some airlines, like Korean Air, already set guidelines for plane temperature, but flight attendants are seeking better industry standards to address an issue that has gained prominence in recent years. The AFA statement said they would be distributing thousands of thermometers to flight attendants at 23 US airlines to mark the effort.

*this article was featured on Download.com on August 2, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/new-2hot2cold-app-lets-fliers-report-uncomfortable-cabin-temperatures/

Louisiana becomes first state to allow smartphone app to replace physical driver's license →

Louisiana residents will now be able to flash a digital license during traffic stops instead of using their physical driver license.

Police officers in Louisiana will now accept digital driver's licenses through your smartphone during traffic stops, according to an announcement by Governor John Bel Edwards.

The LA Wallet app allows users to pull up their driver's licenses on their screen instead of rifling through a wallet or purse. Police officers in the state were seeking a new method of checking IDs during traffic stops and the Louisiana State Police, Department of Public Safety as well as the Office of Motor Vehicles partnered with local software company Envoc to create the digital license.

"State Police requested a 'hands-off' and 'no-touch' procedure that would not require them to hold a driver's phone," Gov. Edwards told a local NBC affiliate after the app was created under Louisiana law of Act 625, sponsored by Baton Rouge Rep. Ted James.

"Rep. Ted James who authored the legislation that led to the creation of this App is to be commended for his work as well as the team of Louisianans who designed it."

LA Wallet is the first of its kind in the United States. Although it is free to download, you need to pay a $5.99 fee to validate a driver's license or legal state ID. When the license expires, a new validation is needed to verify any new license you get. Any changes to your name and address can be added to the digital license without a fee.

Salon said other states such as California and Arizona are working on digital license plates for vehicles, but for now, LA Wallet will only work in Louisiana and can only be used for traffic stops.

The app cannot be used to purchase alcohol or get through the security line at an airport, but state legislators are waiting to see whether the app should be expanded to include these activities.

Government officials made sure to secure the app, and listed the many ways the app protects your information even if your phone is stolen.

"The safety of the app has been tested with all industry-standard security measures and with pin number protection it is protected from anyone accessing a user's license information. Also, it does not track nor ask to track the user's location at any time," said Office of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Karen St. Germain.

"If a user's phone is lost or stolen, the user can simply log in to online portal to unlink their license information from their mobile device."

The app is available on iOS and Android devices and comes as more companies switch to digital confirmations and eWallets.

"Most people never leave home without their smartphone and with this App, they will never be without their driver's license," said Gov. Edwards.

*this article was featured on Download.com on July 19, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/louisiana-becomes-first-state-to-allow-smartphone-app-to-replace-physical-drivers-license/

Mozilla's Firefox Monitor security tool checks if your accounts have been compromised by hackers

Mozilla's Firefox Monitor security tool checks if your accounts have been compromised by hackers

Despite the prevalence of hacks and data breaches in the news recently, few people ever find out if their information has been released or taken advantage of unless there is a noticeable problem. Just last year, more than 179 million records were exposed in the U.S.

Mozilla is hoping to change that by teaming with Troy Hunt -- a renowned Australian digital security expert who runs HaveIBeenPwned.com -- to create Firefox Monitor. The website HaveIBeenPwned.com allows you to search for your email address to see whether it has been involved in a data breach, giving you the date, breached company, and amount of data stolen. The website also gives a description of the hack your email was involved in and suggests ways to move forward.

Have I been pwned?

"Over the coming weeks, Mozilla will begin trialling integration between HIBP and Firefox to make breach data searchable via a new tool called 'Firefox Monitor'," Hunt wrote in a blog post about the partnership.

"This is major because Firefox has an install base of hundreds of millions of people which significantly expands the audience that can be reached once this feature rolls out to the mainstream."

HaveIBeenPwned.com currently has a secure database of 5.1 billion records, with 3.1 billion unique email addresses, yet only a bit more than 2 million subscribers. The more people that take advantage of the pwned website, the more people will be able to secure their accounts and make it safer for everyone, including the websites involved in the original hack.

"Understandably, people are now more worried about internet-related crimes involving personal and financial information theft than conventional crimes. In order to help keep personal information and accounts safe, we will be testing user interest in a security tool that lets users check if one of their accounts has been compromised in a data breach," Mozilla wrote in its announcement of the deal. 

Check for a privacy breach

"Visitors to the Firefox Monitor website will be able to check (by entering an email address) to see if their accounts were included in known data breaches, with details on sites and other sources of breaches and the types of personal data exposed in each breach. The site will offer recommendations on what to do in the case of a data breach, and how to help secure all accounts," they said adding that they were working on another feature that would let users know when their information was involved in a data breach.

Mozilla and HaveIBeenPwned.com initially announced a partnership last fall that saw the web browser add an alert that would notify users when they were visiting a website that had recently been involved in a data breach.

Hunt also secured a deal with 1Password, a password management app, in February that allows users to search if their email or password had been released in a data breach.

Both Hunt and Mozilla wrote extensively about the security concerns people may have with the database and entering their email addresses into the service. They employ a detailed strategy that makes it nearly impossible to use or even identify the email addresses in their database.

According to Mozilla, Firefox Monitor will begin testing next week, with 250,000 mostly U.S.-based users invited to join the trial period.

Mozilla Firefox since the end of last year has put protecting its users privacy and personal data at the top of its list. Firefox lets you create and manage strong passwords with an easy-to-use password manager that can handle credit card and other login information. The Firefox browser also includes tools that block websites from tracking your online activities. You can also extend Firefox's usefulness through browser extensions that let you harden your browser's security.

*This article was featured on Download.com on June 26, 2018: https://download.cnet.com/blog/download-blog/mozillas-firefox-monitor-security-tool-checks-if-your-accounts-have-been-compromised-by-hackers/