Facebook admits failings over study

3 October 2014 Last updated at 15:19

Facebook said it will change the way it does research, but stopped short of apologising for a controversial experiment it conducted this year.

In June, the site was criticised for manipulating the news feeds of nearly 700,000 users without their consent.

The network said it was "unprepared" for the backlash it received.

"[We] have taken to heart the comments and criticism. It is clear now that there are things we should have done differently," Facebook said.

In a blog, chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer said the company should have "considered other non-experimental ways to do this research".

He added: "In releasing the study, we failed to communicate clearly why and how we did it."

The social network controlled the news feed of users over a one-week period in 2012 without their knowledge to manage which emotional expressions they were exposed to.

Study sparks furore

The experiment was part of a study by Facebook and two US universities. The social network said at the time it was to gauge whether "exposure to emotions led people to change their own posting behaviours".

However, the company was widely criticised for manipulating material from people's personal lives in order to play with user emotions or make them sad.

In response on Thursday, Facebook said that it was introducing new rules for conducting research on users with clearer guidelines, better training for researchers and a stricter review process.

But, it did not state whether or not it would notify users - or seek their consent - before starting a study.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in London, which supports data privacy for individuals, said Facebook's comments were "a step in the right direction", but it hoped to hear more about how the social network intends to improve transparency.

"Organisations who want to process people's personal information without explicitly asking for their permission, for instance to carry out research, always need to proceed with caution," an ICO spokesman said.

Should Facebook apologise?

IDC research analyst Jan van Vonno said it was Facebook's responsibility to notify users of any studies they were partaking in.

"They're going to continue that research and what they should do is make users aware of what they're doing and that's not really what they're doing right now," Mr van Vonno said.

An apology would be a sign of regret and they obviously don't regret any of their actions because they think it's for the benefit of their own platform."

It was still important for Facebook to study consumer behaviour so it could maximize the impact advertisers had on the platform, which remains a huge source of revenue for the company, Mr van Vonno added.

The company's mobile advertising revenue jumped 151% in the second quarter of this year from 2013 and accounted for more than 60% of its overall ad revenue.

Just this week, Facebook relaunched Atlas, an advertising platform it bought from Microsoft last year, to improve the effectiveness of its ads.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

App helps black cabs battle Uber

2 October 2014 Last updated at 17:12 By Leo Kelion Technology desk editor

A new app is recruiting London's black cab taxi drivers with the promise that it can help them compete against Uber, Hailo and other car pick-up services.

Maaxi is designed to match up to five strangers travelling in the same direction, so that they can share a ride and split the bill.

Alternatively, users can opt to ride solo when they make their booking.

The start-up already has the support of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association.

Its backing is in large part down to the fact that Maaxi promotes itself as a black cab-only facility, unlike rival apps that also offer private hire cars.

As well as attracting extra business, the start-up says drivers will earn more money per ride if they carry more passengers than they would do via a traditional pick-up.

Under normal circumstances, black cabs do not charge extra for carrying two, three, four or five people rather than just one, but this is not the case with Maaxi.

"The taxi driver charges each person less than the meter fare but overall gets more, when aggregating all the partial fares - a true win-win," explained Gabi Campos, the firm's chief executive.

"The fares are distributed according to the distance and time the person spends in the taxi, so that if five people share a journey they split the fare for that portion in five, and if in a subsequent shared journey only four are sitting in the taxi, the fare is shared by four.

"Maaxi takes the hassle out of the hands of the driver and the passenger, and uses technology for everything to be automatically calculated."

One tech writer questioned the business model.

"You have to be really keen to save money to want to stop to pick up strangers," commented Chris Hall, editor of Pocket-lint.com.

"I think the people already using Uber will stick with it because the prices are very affordable, and so far the service is acting smoothly."

But another expert welcomed the company's entry into the market.

"Competition is always a good thing because it increases quality," said Dr Stefania Zerbinati from Cass Business school.

"And because the company's registered in the UK, if it succeeds it will pay money back to the government.

"Uber, instead, is registered outside."

Uber says that it complies with local tax laws, but the UK version of its app is registered to an entity based in Amsterdam, meaning the company's cut of each ride is taxed in the Netherlands.

Traffic opt-out

Maaxi is funded by the financier Nathaniel Rothschild. It uses software developed in London, which is run off Amazon's Web Services cloud computing platform, to match customers and cars.

The system integrates with Transport for London and National Rail's timetables to allow travellers to co-ordinate the "last mile" of their journeys.

In addition, it can arrange passenger pick-ups to be "daisy-chained", so that drivers can continue picking up and dropping passengers as they go, rather than transporting one group at a time.

The firm makes money by taking a cut of the fee for shared rides, but not those of passengers travelling alone.

Users are given a quoted fee before entering the cab, which is based on earlier taxi journeys along a similar route.

"If Maaxi identifies sudden severe traffic which can impact a journey, it alerts passengers and allows them to choose not to continue the journey," said Mr Campos.

"However even if passengers choose to stay in severe traffic, the costs are much smaller when shared between several users."

He said that approximately 1,500 cabs had already signed up to be part of the service ahead of its launch in a few weeks time.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Rory talks to Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick

Loyalty pledge

Uber began its own shared-trips service, UberPool, last month. But the facility is only available in San Francisco.

The Google-backed company has been the target of black cabbies' ire in recent months.

They claim that allowing a smartphone to work out the cost of a ride is similar to using a taxi meter, which only black taxis are allowed to do in the UK. Minicabs, by contrast, quote a fixed fee ahead of the journey.

An online advert for Maaxi notably features a passenger wearing a t-shirt that features the Google logo alongside a swear word.

There has also been tension between the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association and Hailo, after the app added private hire vehicles.

The head of the LTDA, Steve McNamara, told the BBC he had been promised Maaxi would not do the same.

"[This was] the major concern that the taxi trade had, following what can only be described as the sell-out by Hailo, who went to the dark side," said Mr McNamara. "Nat Rothschild has personally assured the taxi trade that this is a black cab app and we're very excited by it. We actually think it could be a real game changer."

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Google 'deletes' celeb nude pics

Cara Delevingne is one of a group of stars who had photos stolen from their private online storage

Google has removed "tens of thousands" of nude pictures stolen from celebrities and published online.

A statement from the web giant said it has deleted photos "within hours" of requests being made and has "closed hundreds of accounts."

It comes after reports Hollywood entertainment lawyer Marty Singer has threatened to sue Google for "violating privacy".

The New York Post published a letter addressed to senior staff at Google.

Pics of Jennifer Lawrence were reportedly stolen last month

The letter states that Google failed "to act expeditiously, and responsibly to remove the images" and "was perpetuating the despicable conduct of these habitual pervert predators".

Cara Delevingne and Jennifer Lawrence were among the group of stars targeted by cyber thieves who posted their stolen pictures on sites including 4Chan.

Although the women involved in the potential lawsuit have not been named, the legal papers stated: "We are litigation counsel for over a dozen celebrities."

In his letter, Marty Singer said, the female stars would seek damages for Google's "blatantly unethical behaviour" and "knowingly accommodating, facilitating, and perpetuating the unlawful conduct" of the hackers.

Stolen private photos of Anna Kendrick, fully clothed, have reportedly turned up on hit Reddit and 4Chan

The high profile lawyer added: "Google knows the images are hacked stolen property, private and confidential photos and videos unlawfully obtained and posted by pervert predators who are violating the victims' privacy rights".

In response, Google said: "Our turnaround is generally hours, not weeks.

"Of course people continue to post these images on the web, so - like other online services - we rely on people notifying us to help us take them down, whether by flagging content, or filing DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) requests."

Other celebs to be targeted by cyber thieves are Kate Upton, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and horror star Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick has also reportedly had photos of herself fully-clothed published on Reddit and 4Chan.

Rihanna is among those targeted by hackers

According to Mr Singer's legal document, some of the photos have also turned up on YouTube and Blogspot, owned by Google.

Google said: "We're removing these photos for community guidelines and policy violations (eg nudity and privacy violation) on YouTube, Blogger and Google+.

"For search we have historically taken a different approach as we reflect what's online - but we remove these images when we receive valid copyright (DMCA) notices."

Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Patients' app diagnoses 'not useful'

2 October 2014 Last updated at 16:12

More patients are going to their GP and telling them what treatment they need based on information from apps and the internet, a survey has suggested.

A third of the UK physicians surveyed said patients would come with suggestions for what prescription they should receive.

Fewer than 5% of doctors felt it was helpful.

Major technology firms such as Apple and Samsung are investing heavily in tech that can monitor a user's health.

The survey of 330 UK physicians - 300 of them GPs - was carried out by Cello Health Insight, a medical market research firm.

"Doctors have witnessed an explosion in the quantity and quality of information now available to them and their patients via digital media and technology," said Dan Brilot, the company's digital director.

"Consumers are increasingly seeking out information (and technological tools such as fitness and health apps) to provide as much information as possible before - and after - consultation."

Healthier apps

However, doctors were finding technology useful for their own needs. Specifically, Cello's survey said three-quarters of those surveyed turned to the internet for research on conditions.

Many GPs would also use the internet to share new information with colleagues.

While self-diagnosis was proving troublesome, most of those surveyed did advocate the use of technology for general monitoring.

More than half said apps designed to make sure treatment is taken or administered correctly are useful.

The NHS provides a service that suggests apps for patients that have been checked for accuracy.

The apps could help diabetics keep a check on their blood sugar and patients monitor their own blood pressure.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Uber app boss: I'm not a bully

3 October 2014 Last updated at 13:22

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Rory Cellan-Jones talks to Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick

The boss of the rapidly-expanding taxi service Uber has told the BBC he is not bullying local taxi firms and drivers.

"There's probably some misunderstanding of who I am and how I roll," Travis Kalanick told BBC World Service technology programme Tech Tent.

His firm has been criticised for what some have described as aggressive business practices in cities around the world.

"That's just simply not the case," he said. "We have worked with regulators."

He also dismissed claims he had been rude about taxi drivers at a technology conference, saying he had been misquoted.

"I've never been derogatory towards taxi drivers," he said.

"In the US there's basically a cartel of taxi companies, I was referring to them."

Choice

Since being founded in San Francisco in 2009, Uber has grown into a huge ridesharing enterprise - with services now offered in more than 200 cities.

Unlike a traditional minicab firm, there are no human operators available to take your booking on the phone at their offices.

Instead, once a user requests a lift through an app, the process is completely automated by Uber's software which allocates the booking to the driver best-placed to take it on.

But in many cities, most notably in London and Los Angeles, local cab firms and drivers have staged protests against the service.

In London specifically, black-cab drivers argue that Uber drivers do not have the same regulatory restrictions imposed on them, creating an uneven playing field.

Among other differences, Uber drivers do not need to pass the Knowledge, a world famous test of the ins-and-outs of London's old streets.

Black-cab drivers argue that the Knowledge ensures the best possible route to destinations, rather than relying, as Uber drivers do, on a sat nav.

"The Knowledge is the best in the business," Mr Kalanick said, but added he did not think it was essential.

"But you will not get anybody who has Knowledge-level skills in a minicab, it's simply not possible. But the consumer should have that choice.

"If they can get a reliable ride that's half the price of a black cab, shouldn't they be able to have that choice?"

The full interview with Travis Kalanick can be heard on this week's edition of Tech Tent on the BBC World Service.at 15:00 BST on Friday.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Telephone box becomes mobile charger

2 October 2014 Last updated at 13:26

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

WATCH: Solarbox's Harold Craston gives a tour of a box

Disused phone boxes in London are being put to a novel use - as solar-powered charging stations for mobile phones.

The first of six boxes was unveiled on Tottenham Court Road this week.

The service is free to use although users will be shown adverts as they wait for their phone to charge.

Many of the UK's red telephone boxes have largely fallen into disuse although some are being revived as libraries or being fitted with medical equipment.

The boxes have had a makeover for the project - painted green and fitted with a roof-mounted 86cm solar panel.

Inside there are a variety of charging stations for different models of phone and a screen which shows adverts.

Battery life

The advertising screen is reinforced to deter vandals and the boxes are maintained daily and locked overnight.

The project was the brainchild of two geography students turned entrepreneurs Harold Craston and Kirsty Kenny.

Both studied at the London School of Economics (LSE) and were interested in finding new ways to use public spaces.

"I lived next to a phone box in my second year at uni and walked past it every day. I thought, 'There are 8,000 of these lying unused in London and we must be able to find a use for them,'" explained Mr Craston.

The solarbox can charge up to 100 phones a day, offering a 20% battery boost in 10 minutes.

Since launch, about six people per hour use the booth, according to the founder.

Running out of battery is a perennial problem for smartphone users as they become ever more powerful without an equivalent technology leap in battery life.

"On launch day, my phone ran out of battery and I genuinely had to use the box," said Mr Craston.

Exclusive content

Solarbox won second place in the Mayor of London's Low Carbon Entrepreneur of the Year Award earlier this year and also won the LSE's Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Five more boxes will be rolled out by April 2015.

Funded by advertising, the founders are keen to make sure users are engaged by "short, fun and exciting ads showing exclusive content".

Firms signed up include Tinder and Uber, and 30% of advertising space is reserved for community projects.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More

Angry Birds maker to cut 130 jobs

2 October 2014 Last updated at 13:53

The maker of hit mobile video game Angry Birds, Rovio, will lay off 130 staff, it announced on Thursday.

The job cuts in Finland, which account for 16% of its workforce, will happen "sooner rather than later," said chief executive Mikael Hed on its website.

"We have been building our team on assumptions of faster growth than have materialised," he added.

Angry Birds is the number one paid mobile application of all time, according to Rovio.

The company has expanded the brand into a TV series, toys, clothing and an animated movie, which is expected to premiere in cinemas in the summer of 2016.

However, the firm has faced scrutiny after it reported its net profit had more than halved in 2013 compared to the previous year.

In August, Rovio said a former Nokia executive Pekka Rantala would become its next chief executive at the beginning of 2015.

News of the job cuts prompted a series of tweets from European Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes, who is responsible for the commission's digital agenda.

She called the move "sad news," saying such decisions were tough for all, but part of the "entrepreneurial challenge".

'Exploit' Angry Birds

Technology research firm IHS mobile analyst Jack Kent said Rovio might have trouble replicating the success it had enjoyed in the past.

"What we've seen from Rovio over the last few years is that it's very reliant on the Angry Birds brand.

"It hasn't really had much success with titles that don't use Angry Birds," Mr Kent said. "So, what it's really been doing is trying to exploit the Angry Birds success as much as possible."

The company, however, has had trouble retaining players for its Angry Birds titles.

In April, it said sales had stalled in 2013, growing just 2.6% from the previous year after three years of strong growth.

In June, it tried a new format for the brand with the launch of Angry Birds Epic - a role-playing adventure with turn-based battles rather than its traditional slingshot-themed gameplay.

It currently sits 83rd in Google Play's bestselling games chart, below the original Angry Birds title and the more recent Angry Birds Stella, which returned to catapult mechanic.

Mr Kent added that it could be difficult for Rovio to break back into the top of the industry now dominated by competitors like Finland's Supercell, maker of Clash of Clans, and London-based King, which develops Candy Crush Saga.

"The hits-driven nature of the mobile games business and that concentration at the top makes it hard for anyone else to reach the top of the charts," Mr Kent said.

23.22 | 0 komentar | Read More