Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Tired of Constantly Proving You’re Human to Websites? Google Chrome Might Have a Solution

The rise of bots on the internet necessitated the creation of CAPTCHA systems because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up proving that a user is human rather than a bot. The prevalence of advanced CAPTCHA systems has certainly lowered the number of bots that are able to access a site, but this can often lead to frustration among users since it becomes harder for them to get to a site than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Google Chrome might be attempting to solve this issue once and for all. The most popular web browser in the world is reportedly working on an automatic verification system that will save the proof in the form of a cookie.

This is not the first time that Chrome has attempted to simplify matters to a certain degree. The simple check mark verification process has done a lot to make things a lot easier for the majority of users, but in spite of the fact that this is the case some improvements are still required. Websites will now be able to communicate with Chrome to obtain proof that you are a human user.

What’s more, they will not have to access your browser history in order to do so. This will help to improve the user experience by leaps and bounds without having to compromise on privacy with all things having been considered and taken into account.

This auto verify feature was already rolled out to certain users back in February, and it is currently predicted that a wider rollout is on the cards in the near future. The testing phase will determine how quickly this feature will be able to make it to regular users. whenever it does, it will likely do a lot to help find a balance between cybersecurity needs and providing a convenient experience to users who are just trying to access their favorite websites on the internet.

Via: Leopeva64
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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Starlink Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings Despite Its Slow Speed Against Rival Broadband Providers

Customer satisfaction is at an all-time high for broadband service provider Starlink, new rankings prove.

The news is definitely going to be loved by Elon Musk who has really worked hard to bring the product to where it stands today. This happens to be in stark comparison to those offers put out by other top names in the industries that are providing this.

The facts were very obvious in places like non-metro regions or those that are remote as people felt that despite it being so slow, people turn to it for being reliable.

The data arrives based on the Speedtest that was charted by the likes of Ookla. It sent out an NPS for Starlink and other fellow arch rivals of the industry.

It was calculated on a scale between 0 and 100 and that would recommend such services to both loved ones and pals. Moreover, the difference between NPS and Starlink was all said to be fixed as in broadband service providers that arrive as stark.

Then in places like metro regions, Starlink showed an NPS of around 31.9 for the final quarter of 2022 while in Q1 of 2023, it combined to form -23.6. This was for all metro broadband providers. Meanwhile, the satellite internet for SpaceX comes out to be the leader of the race.

Despite the firm having a major download speed of nearly 65.2Mbps when compared to 203.9Mbps, it’s a combination of fixed broadband service providers.

And then when you move to some of the more rural regions, you’ll see how Starlink comes with a score of just 42.2 when compared to -21.2. This is quite notable, provided we consider the median download speed of the company as it’s near to the nonmetro speed of 72.1MBps to 100Mbps.

Starlink is known to provide an option that’s loved for some of those living in rural places and those that are non-metro, that usually don’t have a lot of good options out there.

This is a clear message to the world that users of Starlink are now more than willing to send out service recommendations and they adore the internet service people are providing them with.

Obviously, Starlink is a new name in the internet industry and people that are signing on are super eager to gain access to that. Despite the huge costs involved and the chances for congestion to be at its peak, people across rural regions are simply content to have some sort of reliable internet service.

This would not force them to get into this cellular data streaming zone, gaming, and even the chance to enter calls made by Zoom.

People are not very charmed by such issues or by those providing broadband service in the industry. They’ve been doing that for years and do have a monopoly even if it arises in some of the biggest places out there.

Starlink says it makes use of the best orbiting satellites that beam broadband toward users of the internet that are featured on the ground. This has been designed to enhance seeds and open up to more people by giving rise to more satellites. But just a week later, another 56 satellites were seen that brought the total to just 4023 in orbit.

The huge customer satisfaction attached here is the main reason why Starlink leads the pack. The satellite ISP is causing concern and so many people are raising eyebrows provided the reports of clients not being satisfied are increasing with each passing day.






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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Chinese Apps Continue to Dominate US Markets Despite Privacy Issues

The rise of TikTok marked the very first time in history that a Chinese social media app was able to achieve global renown. The short form video streaming app changed the fact of the social media industry because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up placing more emphasis on algorithmically driven bite sized content.

Privacy issues have recently started to mar the rise of Chinese apps, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, they continue to see a rise in their overall levels of popularity. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that four out of the top five most downloaded apps of the year so far came from Chinese companies, which lends credence to the notion that American consumers are quite unperturbed by any potential privacy violations that might occur.

The apps in question include TikTok of course, but there are three others that are currently enjoying surprisingly high levels of popularity. These include CapCut, which is also owned by TikTok’s parent company Bytedance, and it serves as a dedicated video editor that TikTok users can edit their content with.

Coming in second is Shein, with the fast fashion ecommerce platform giving Amazon a run for its money as well by offering extremely affordable clothing that can be provided at a fast turnaround time. Temu is yet another ecommerce app that has been making a lot of headway in the American consumer market, and it is providing even more competition for US apps like Amazon and eBay.

One thing that bears mentioning is that just one Chinese app entered the top five rankings in 2021, but this increased to three in 2022 and now four in 2023. Privacy issues might lead to TikTok getting banned, but Chinese apps have clearly managed to capture a huge market in the US and it does not seem like their dominance will go away anytime soon. If anything, Chinese apps will only become more popular by the time 2024 rolls around.


H/T: Apptopia

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

53% of Users Say In-App Ads are Useful

An increase in mobile usage along with the shifting landscape of consumers in the aftermath of the pandemic is creating a huge uptick in ads that are present within apps. A recent study conducted by the B2B ranking platform known as GoodFirms revealed some key insights into the state of the mobile app advertising industry, and it turns out that it can be an effective tool for new apps that are attempting to establish a solid user base.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that these in-app ads are also seen quite favorably by users. As many as 56.5% of users end up downloading apps that they see in ads that are present on apps that they use on a daily basis. 42.6% even made a purchase after clicking on an in-add app which can help developers get higher rates of revenue than might have been the case otherwise.

Overall, just under 53% of users, or 52.8% to be precise, say that in-app ads are useful with all things having been considered and taken into account. 56.7% said that they are informative, even if they don’t necessarily find them useful.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, 65.9% of users said that they would skip an ad if it interrupts their video streaming. What’s more, over 43% of users still felt that these in-app ads were unwanted, although 54% of users also stated that they prefer to use ad powered apps because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up removing subscription fee requirements.

The type of ad that is placed can have a strong impact on whether or not users will be receptive towards it. Banner ads tend to win out in this regard, so it will be essential for app developers to utilize them moving forward. Obstructive ads can be perceived as rather annoying, and they can actually make users less likely to want to click on the ads which can be disastrous for click through and engagement rates.

What type of in-app advertising do you encounter mostly?

Read next: Experts Raise The Alarm Against AI Voice Cloning As Scams Reach An All-Time High
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

What You Need to Know About Third-Party Risk Management

Working with third-party vendors or suppliers has become increasingly common in today's business world. However, it also poses a potential threat to companies' security, operations, and overall reputation.

Photo: Pexels

Organizations can monitor and evaluate the risk posed by third parties to determine whether it surpasses the bar set by the business by using third party risk management (TPRM). In today’s article, let’s explore what you should know about third-party risk management.

Third-Party Risk Management: An Introduction

The phrase "third-party risk management" is sometimes used synonymously with other widely used phrases in the business, such as vendor risk management, or supply chain risk management. However, TPRM is frequently seen as the all-encompassing discipline that covers all different kinds of risks and third parties.

This is a type of risk control, which is used to identify and minimize risks associated with the use of third parties such as suppliers, service providers, or contractors. The management is intended to help businesses comprehend the third parties they work with, how they work with them, and the security measures those parties have in place.

The organization determines the TPRM program's requirements and scope, which can be very different based on the sector, legal constraints, and other aspects. However, a lot of third-party risk management best practices are general and may be used by any company or organization.

How Important Is Third-Party Risk Management?

To ensure that the businesses you are affiliated with maintain pertinent laws, regulations, and industry standards, third-party risk management is essential. Usually, third-party risk management handles risks associated with data security, IT, or financial stability. Reputational and compliance risks, however, are equally crucial. When unethical behavior at a third party is exposed, customers can be harsh, and your business is likely to suffer as a result.

Governments have expanded their laws as third-party connections grow. Your third-party risk management procedure should incorporate elements of sophisticated supply chain risk management to help you handle the complexity.

A third-party risk management framework and a collection of cooperative plans for dealing with third-party risk occurrences are required to evaluate the criticality of risk objects. The three major steps of risk management include:
  • Risk identification: identify critical parameters and know what to watch for
  • Impact assessment: Assess prospective losses and criticality
  • Risk mitigation: Involves creating proactive and defensive strategies

Benefits of Investing in Third-Party Risk Management

Investing in TPRM has many benefits for organizations, including:

Cost reduction: While implementing TPRM may require an initial investment, it ultimately saves money. With a successful TPRM plan in place, the likelihood of data breaches is significantly reduced.

Compliance with regulations: Many regulations, including FISMA, HITECH, GLBA, CPS, and the NIST, require third-party management. To evade being held accountable for security issues, organizations may be legally compelled to evaluate their third-party ecosystem depending on their industry and the type of data they manage. Non-compliance is not accepted by most industries.

Risk reduction: Conducting due diligence during the vendor onboarding process and continuously monitoring suppliers during their lifetimes helps reduce the possibility of data leaks and third-party security breaches.

Understanding and assurance: TPRM improves policymaking at all stages, from the primary assessment procedure through off-boarding, by increasing knowledge and visibility of the third-party providers.

Third-Party Risk Management Process

Establishing a strong risk management process with the following stages will help you create an efficient third-party risk management framework that can feed into your overall business risk management.

Analyze: To check whether the vendor's external security posture satisfies a minimum required score, it is becoming more and more common to employ security ratings. Determine the dangers you would be adding to your company and the level of due diligence needed before onboarding a third party.

Involvement: If the vendor has a high enough security rating, the next step is to request or have the company complete a security questionnaire that offers information about their security measures that are hidden from the public.

Cleanup: You can decide that you don't want to cooperate with the vendor until they address the security flaws you have discovered if the provider poses unacceptable risks. This is where a remediation tool comes in handy because, without one, it's simple to overlook crucial problems in Excel spreadsheets and email inboxes.

Acceptance: Based on your risk tolerance, the importance of the vendor, and any compliance needs you may have, your business can determine whether to onboard the vendor or not, depending on the results of remediation.

Observation: It's crucial to continue checking on a vendor's security even after they have been accepted. The fact that they now have access to your internal systems, and sensitive data, and are involved in your business activities makes monitoring them even more crucial.

Endnote

In today's interconnected world, third-party risk management is essential for every organization that works with external parties. A successful TPRM program can help reduce the likelihood of data breaches, ensure compliance with regulations, and improve decision-making

by Web Desk via Digital Information World

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Google Search Exec Reveals Factors Impacting Indexing Speed

Getting your site indexed on Google is crucial because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up exposing the site to a larger number of users. However, there is often a lot of confusion about what factors can impact the speed with which your site may end up getting indexed. In a recent Q&A, Google Search team member Gary Ilyes attempted to demystify the factors that are at play to help site owners get indexed faster than might have been the case otherwise.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the quality of the site in question would have an enormous role to play here. The higher the quality of the information presented on the site, the faster it would end up getting indexed. It should be mentioned that the popularity of the site can be instrumental as well, with more popular sites enjoying shorter wait times before the indexing process is completed.

This actually provides site owners with the opportunity to boost indexing speeds with all things having been considered and taken into account. Leveraging social media to improve engagement and user metrics can benefit your indexing speeds since it would elevate the popularity of your site in the eyes of Google’s web crawlers.

In spite of the fact that this is the case, no amount of social media marketing would work if your site’s structure is not up to scratch. Creating a logical framework for your site will be critical for attaining shorter indexing wait times, so this is a factor that site owners need to keep in mind.

Finally, optimizing your URL to make it as short as possible can also prove to be rather useful if done the proper way. All in all, indexing does not appear to be all that huge of a challenge so long as certain aspects of your site are of a high enough quality. Google is trying to prioritize only those sites that serve as quality sources of trustworthy information in order to improve its search results.


Read next: Top Google Exec Warns About Unfair Distribution of AI Tools Across Economic Spectrum
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Elon Musk Introduces New Changes On The Twitter App Including Voice Recordings In DMs And Cheaper Verification

Twitter is making an array of new changes on the app and we thought it would be interesting to reveal the news to our readers.

For starters, the app is trying to think about a new plan for verification that wouldn’t be costing a fortune. At the moment, it’s $1000 per month and as you can imagine, it’s not cheap.

But over the past few days, tech billionaire Elon Musk mentioned how the firm is on the lookout for cheaper options so that small firms can benefit but he failed to provide any idea of the cost.

Twitter’s chief said the firm is trying to find the right solution regarding the process to make sure firms are applying for the position of verification to ensure they’re not getting involved in the wrong activities.

At the moment, the brands are trying to spend a staggering $1000 each month for the sake of verification to attain that gold tick alongside $50 each month for every affiliate account. Meanwhile, for those firms that are small-scale, it might just be small spending to ensure a great Twitter performance.

For now, Elon Musk is yet to provide any other details regarding the plan’s cost and which firms would qualify for that. The same would be the case when the app is trying to roll out another new tier.

The social media platform is trying to push hard for things like paid verification. This is right after the deletion of legacy ticks in the past month and that is what forced so many firms to lose the status of being verified.

Furthermore, the app has begun sharing emails with so many accounts where they state how they need to subscribe to the Blue Platform or take part in plans regarding advertising through this platform.

It all starts on April 21, when users’ accounts would entail verified checkmarks or a subscription for the Verified Organization to ensure ads are running on the Twitter app.

Those spending nearly $1000 each month have golden-hued ticks and that would enable access to advertising without any type of advertising with interruptions during this period. This was confirmed through a recent email.

For now, organization verification isn’t limited solely to the likes of the Twitter app. But in the past week, we saw Gmail introduce the Blue verified ticks to make room for brand emailing and make sure that it’s actually authentic.

In other news, the app is considering opening up inactive accounts that have been lying dormant for quite some time now. And if that indeed pulls through, we could soon see it giving rise to around one billion accounts.

Chances are that if you have not logged into such an account for a while, you might be at risk of losing it. And in case you’ve been trying to wait for an account to get free, you just might be in luck.

Elon Musk who is the CEO of Twitter and Tesla mentioned in a tweet that was published on Monday how this app was trying hard to purge more accounts that had zero activity for years.

While the world’s second richest man has yet to outline any form of the timeline regarding when it will happen but did put out a new warning about post-expulsion. Therefore, you have to expect that the number of your followers is likely to fall.

Lastly, Twitter is expanding the voice recording feature to DMs on the app so more regions can benefit. In the past, we’ve seen the optional feature of adding voice memos to Messages so now that it’s happening is exciting.


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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World