The number of satellites are reported to be skyrocketing around Earth’s Orbit

It is getting complicated for astronomers and scientists to observe planets from afar, as many billionaires have started flooding the Earth’s Orbits with satellites. It is a crucial step for better economic activities, but simultaneously, the Earth’s orbit is getting way more crowded.

The authorities observed that the activity of planting more satellites has incessantly increased during the period 2020 and 2022. During this time, more satellites and space probes were launched than in 2010 and 2019.

Moreover, a report from OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) shows that the number of satellites has increased rapidly since the Starlink satellite's launch into orbit. SpaceX corporation is behind the invention of Starlink. They have decided to colonize Mars to better provide a connection to the internet all around the world.

The private spaceflight company SpaceX is behind the launch of more than 2,800 Starlink satellites. An ample amount of satellite is orbiting the Earth as of August 2022. Space is now more competitive and crowded, as the active number of satellites has skyrocketed.

In just a few years, the orbit has reached from 1,000 to more than 5,000 satellites. Undoubtedly, by the end of 2030, we will have 100,000 satellites orbiting the Earth, ensuring substantial deployment of mega-constellations.

Moreover, SpaceX aims to deploy global internet access to more than 12,000 satellites in lower-earth orbit. The founder of SpaceX, Elon Musk, a man behind the formation of PayPal and CEO of Tesla, founded SpaceX in 2002.

Furthermore, 4,900 satellites are said to be roaming around the planet on Dec. 31, 2021. The record observed that the US owned more than 2,900 artificial satellites. China, on the other hand, is positioned in second place with 500 satellites.

The congestion over the space in the outer orbits has become increasingly disturbing. China recently tried to interfere with the invention of artificial satellites as they submitted a complaint to the UN space agency about the danger lurking in the Earth’s Orbit. China urged the UN to take immediate action against the congestion of the artificial satellite in space to avoid further damage.

We don’t want SpaceX to install more artificial satellites in the future to avoid disastrous circumstances later in life. The deployment of more mega-constellations can lead to negative effects on astronomy.

NASA also pointed out that these satellites are also interfering with science missions. For instance, the Hubble Space Telescope, climate monitoring satellites, and ground-based telescopes faced difficulty observing even deadly asteroids.

However, the global satellite industry is said to be profitable for the aerospace industry. During the years 2008 and 2018, the revenues of satellite manufacturers, operation, and maintenance have grown progressively. It earned $271 billion in 2020.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

According to a report, 1 out of 5 Netflix users are planning to leave the app by the end of this year

Netflix is probably one of the most used streaming services in the world. The streaming service is available almost all over the world in a monthly subscription for a low price. However, according to a new report many people are thinking of leaving the subscription.

The company has already faced a loss of 1.2 million subscribers in the first half of 2022. The huge subscription company is looking to add a million users to its app with the new ad-supported tier; there is one thing of note. According to a survey by Reviews 1 out of 4 Netflix users are making plans to leave the subscription service by the end of this year.

For this survey, Reviews gathered insights from 1,000 consumers to find out their streaming habits in the first half of 2022. The results showed that an Average American has subscribed to 4 platforms at a single time.

Even though Netflix is still the most used platform with 77% of Americans using it, other platforms are being used as well. The survey found that Netflix is the most popular and was used by 70%, followed by HBO Max at 9.91% and Disney+ (6.18%) at the second and third position respectively.

After that came Peacock with 4.25%, and Hulu with 3.86% of respondents using it. The last two positions were held by Apple TV+ with 2.70% and Paramount+ with 2.70% as well.

Now with that being cleared up, 25% of those said Netflix users are planning to leave the app because of two reasons, 1 30% said that they use other streaming services more frequently than Netflix, so there is no need for them to have a subscription and 2. 1 out of 3 respondents said that the streaming service does not have any more shows that they want to watch, and other services have more.

However, this is not as disastrous as it may seem for the streaming service is still the leader of the market with 70% using the app.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Warning Issued Against Malicious Apps Having Millions Of Downloads On Google Play And The App Store

Investors are starting to lose faith in the Metaverse and it has gotten the company worried

The Metaverse is one of the most complex concepts that have been introduced in these past years. A multidimensional plane made up of different platforms, the Metaverse is a purely digital universe still in progress. According to Founder Mark Zuckerberg, the Metaverse will be used for everything and anything that will be done in the future, but for now, that is still a distant patch.

However, things aren’t as they seem because both the Company and its founder are going through a rough time right now, as problems are queuing up for the company. According to a report by Insider Intelligence, the tech company’s market value dropped 57% this year, the most out of all the tech companies as Apple had only a 14% loss and Amazon was faced with 26%. Coupled with that, the company has been bombarded with Lawsuits and other things.

While multiple factors have led to Meta being in this position today, the main root seems to be the rebranding. According to the article, the rebranding of the company marked a change from a social media monarch to the creator of the Metaverse that still has not developed/shared anything to match the hype that it created when it was first proposed. This in turn led to investors becoming unhappy and discontent with the progress of the project and a few even started to question the credibility of the project.

However, Meta is not the only one that is going through tough times right now in this world of confusion and economic chaos. All of the other tech companies are facing the heat from things like intensifying regulatory scrutiny, changes to privacy features on iOS, and the rise of competitors like TikTok.

Although if we talk about Meta specifically, the timing of their choice to start the development of Metaverse was very off. This was poor decision-making on the company’s behalf at the present but the declining economy of the world was not a helpful factor for the sort of environment that the project needed.

However, all hope is not lost yet as there is a way for Meta to turn things around and that is the Upcoming Connect event in which Meta is expected to release Project Cambria, updates to Horizon Worlds, and other VR and AR prototypes. This would help Meta instill the idea in its investors that the 10 billion dollars they spent on the Metaverse was not wasted and they have made some actual progress with the project.

Along with this, the company could start focusing on rebuilding its reputation as a more privacy-respecting company because for those who don’t know, Meta is notoriously famous as a data selling company.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Meta Faces Huge Damages Worth $175 Million After Losing Its Patent Infringement Lawsuit

A major bill is coming Meta’s way after the firm lost a recent lawsuit linked to patent infringement.

Facebook’s parent firm is not having a great time after being slapped with lawsuit after lawsuit and this time, a Texas judge has ordered the company to grant damages worth $175 million to Voxer. The latter is the name reserved for the developer of Walkie-Talkie. They sent out allegations against the firm for patent infringement and even using the technology on live streams across both the Instagram and Facebook apps.

It was way back in the year 2006 that we witnessed Voxer developing a new strategy to overcome communication issues that were faced by soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. And that’s when the team came up with an innovation that enables transmission through live videos and voice commands. And in the end, we saw the launch of the Walkie-Talkie application in 2011.

The lawsuit shed light on how Voxer’s rights were violated by Meta who was at that time known by the name of Facebook only. They tried to collaborate with Voxer and the firm and hence went about unveiling its latest technology and a patent portfolio for the company. However, both sides failed to reach any form of agreement.

Also, at that time, Voxer felt Meta did not have any live video or voice services and they took the company on as their archrival. Therefore, access to Facebook’s tool called ‘Find Friends’ was also shut down to avoid further competition.

In 2015, we saw the firm launch its Facebook Live and Voxer saw that as a complete infringement of their policies in 2016. The company’s reps tried to reach out to Facebook to discuss the matter and how their services were infringed but no deal was reached by the firm. Instead, the latter went about its launch for Instagram Live soon that same year.

Voxer says it was shocked at Meta’s behavior and how the company was using the same technology by Voxer without any consent, as mentioned in the lawsuit.

But Meta continued to deny all such claims. They released a statement directly to TechCrunch. And now, after being slammed for the behavior, they’re not happy. Moreover, they hope to seek more relief and file an appeal as well.

The news is definitely startling to many who feel Meta really went about in disguise with this and thought it would be able to get away with it. But clearly, that’s not the case.

Read next: Meta In Trouble Again As Facebook Users Sue Firm For Monitoring Their Data
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Meta In Trouble Again As Facebook Users Sue Firm For Monitoring Their Data

Last year, we saw Apple announce a mega change that would make it so much more difficult for Meta’s apps to monitor user data. But now, a huge lawsuit has come to Meta’s attention, accusing the firm of invading privacy through a new loophole.

The new case was recently filed at the District Court in California and it alleges the firm really bypassed Apple’s new privacy regulations by keeping a check on users through the Facebook app. The damage was done through in-app browsing.

This new proposed lawsuit was first made public by Bloomberg yesterday and it alleges that anyone and everyone to sign on and have their privacy exposed to the company.

In the case, Facebook users alleged that Meta isn’t violating only Cupertino’s policy but also going against the state’s laws. A common one includes Wiretap Act and it’s literally illegal to break through electric communications in this manner. Meanwhile, a similar series of complaints were filed in a manner like this, just last week.

The plaintiffs continued to argue that followers were being tracked via an in-built app browser. This injected JavaScript right inside the web pages visited. In this manner, it makes it much easier for the firm to go through every interaction via external means. From passwords to places clicked on, not to mention the text they send out.

Hence, whether users plan on providing consent or not, Meta really tracks users on the Facebook app by adding the codes of JavaScript here. Therefore, whenever a link is clicked on the app, the company directs people to use this browser and be tracked, instead of their device’s default browser. And obviously, it’s done in a very disguised manner.

Last year in April, we saw the leading iPhone company introduce a new ATT policy that prevented users from being tracked down for the sake of advertising only. They had to provide consent and if not, they wouldn’t be allowed. And as you can imagine, this really served as a major blow to the firm.

The news has really shaken up Meta whose representative was seen talking to media outlet Tech Crunch recently. As you can imagine, the firm really defended itself and said every single practice of theirs is transparent and in line with users’ privacy choices. And that includes how information is utilized for the sake of ads.

In the latest series of iOS privacy claims, the leading iPhone maker questions if a user would like to have their data tracked. And if they say no, then they assume that whatever links are being opened on the app, including those of Facebook, are secure and free from getting tracked down. But the firm is arguing that this isn’t the case.

Just last month, we saw another security researcher reveal some mega concerns regarding Meta’s in-app browsing practices. The lawsuit was really drawing some major claims from his findings and urged Facebook’s parent firm to direct users to browsers like Safari or other external browsing means to prevent this security loophole.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Gaming Cyber Attacks Are On The Rise - But What Is At Risk?

Cyberattacks on gaming sites are becoming increasingly common, up 167% in the past year. But how much personal data do game developers really hold, and is it something that consumers should be concerned about?

A new study by TechRobot analysed the privacy policies of major game developers and found they have a concerning insight into our personalities, intelligence, contacts and private messages. In the event of a cyberattack, hackers can use this information to carry out convincing identity theft.

The gaming industry is huge, with an estimated 3.2 billion gamers worldwide in 2022 and expected to generate $196.8 billion by the end of the year. However, gamers are often unaware that the industry is valuable for an additional reason - data. The data accumulated from gaming achievements, rankings, messages and contacts are highly valuable because it reveals so much about a person’s intelligence and personality, which can then be used for a variety of purposes, including to market a new product.

If used nefariously, this information can easily be used to impersonate someone or carry out identity theft, perhaps explaining why cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the gaming industry.

However, it’s not just cybercriminals that are targeting this data. It was shockingly discovered that 78% of game developers are selling this information to third parties. As the gaming industry grows so do the opportunities to harvest data.

Some key findings from the report include:

• 89% of game developers monitor users’ private conversations.
• 90% of developers track gamers’ actions and 78% store data on scores and rankings- enough information to understand gamers’ intelligence and personality.
• Gamers with a Riot Account have the most data collected about them- the developer collects 81% of the data points investigated.

Game developers are monitoring private conversations

Although much of the internet is not private, one thing consumers would like to think stays private is their personal messages. However, Techrobot has found that this is not the case. In fact, 89% of game developers have access to these conversations and are storing the information. This means that if hacked, private conversations and images could be leaked. Perhaps of more concern, however, is the fact that these messages could be used to impersonate you and carry out highly convincing identity theft.

Game developers are collecting information that alludes to your personality and intelligence

At first glance, this may not seem worrying. However, access to this information could come with serious consequences. If this information is hacked, cybercriminals could easily use it to impersonate you.

However, identity theft is not the sole problem. Similar data to this has been used by the Chinese government to create a social ranking system. It is not unlikely that in the case this system is adopted in other countries, game developers could sell your data unknowingly to governments to help create social profiles.

In the study, it was revealed that almost 90% of online game developers track registered gamers’ actions when they are playing, 78% store data on individual players’ scores and rankings and 56% follow game achievements, including how long it takes to complete tasks. This data can easily be used to create a profile on a user’s personality, intelligence and behaviours.

If this were to happen, certain behaviours and actions whilst playing games could be used against individuals. For example, if an individual was particularly violent whilst playing games, it could be used to create an image of that person as predisposed to violent behaviour, thus lowering their social ranking.

Microsoft and Riot games are amongst the household name brands that are harvesting user data

TechRobot found the top three most invasive game developers were Riot, Rockstar Games and Microsoft. Out of the data points investigated, Riot collected 81%, Rockstar games collected 75% and Microsoft games collected 74%.

While it may seem unlikely for this data to be used nefariously, in 2022 the popular game NEOPETS was hacked by cybercriminals targeting data. The database had access to the personal and private information of 69 million users, which the hacker offered to sell for £75,500 in Bitcoin.

The most popular games are more likely to be targeted by hackers, due to the amount of data they hold. This means that the most invasive and most risky games to play online are League of Legends, GTA Online, Minecraft, Apex Legends and Final Fantasy XIV. The details of these games are shown below:

How can gamers keep themselves safe?

It is not only the gaming industry that collects user data and much of the data collected is used to improve and update games and gaming over time. However, it becomes an issue when companies are storing this data and passing it on. This may not stop gamers from continuing to play their games, but gamers should become familiar with the risks, and if possible take steps to reduce them.

TechRobot looked into whether it was possible to play games whilst keeping your data safe online and minimising the risk to an individual.

The following are the main ways in which experts suggest protecting your data while playing games online:

• Install a VPN
• Pick a strong password
• Reduce your data online

Install a VPN

VPN stands for ‘Virtual Private Network’ and is a service which protects some of your data online. A VPN essentially encrypts your data, to protect your identity, as well as hiding your IP address so that your location is unknown. This ensures extra protection against hacking and data harvesting and makes it harder to build an accurate picture of your identity.

However, it is necessary to keep in mind that certain games have banned the use of a VPN, so it i’s always useful to check their terms and conditions. In addition, VPNs can sometimes slow down the gaming experience, so it is best to reserve their use for single-player and PC games only.

Pick a strong password

Cliche and overused advice. However, it works. If a hacker does gain access to an individual's account, it is likely they will have access to passwords. This means if someone has the same password for banking or other sensitive accounts, that information could be compromised.

Reduce your data online

Gamers can be picky with the data they put online, by only entering essential information and being aware of the data that is asked of them. This will ensure that users minimise risk and maximise privacy whilst playing games online.

To conclude, we live in a data age, and it is essential for the running of modern-day life. In gaming, data is essential to improve the metrics, functioning and development of games. However, it is of concern that gaming cyberattacks are on the rise. Gamer data is valuable, and it’s of no surprise that cybercriminals are targeting the gaming industry. Additionally, there is the question of whether gaming companies should be trusted with user data, or whether there’s a likelihood that they could be selling user data for nefarious purposes. It is, therefore, imperative that gamers are educated on the ways can keep themselves safe online, and to be aware of the risks surrounding data, so that they can make informed decisions as to which games they choose to play.

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by Web Desk via Digital Information World