Instagram's Upcoming Feature Allows Users To Track Friends' Locations, Akin To Snapchat Map

Instagram is working on a feature called "Friend Map." This feature lets you see where your friends are on a map. Alessandro Paluzzi, a software developer, first found this feature and shared a screenshot on X a few months ago. He often finds new Instagram features before they're officially announced.

Recently, Paluzzi shared more screenshots of the "Friend Map" on Threads and X. These images show you can choose who sees your location. There's also a "Ghost mode" for times you don't want to share where you are. The feature keeps your location safe with end-to-end encryption.

"Friend Map" seems similar to Snap’s "Snap Map." You can even leave notes on the map, like telling friends about a cool event or that you're out shopping.

It's still unclear if "Friend Map" will be added to Instagram for everyone. The feature is still being worked on.

On the other hand, as per Ahmed Ghanem, Instagram is also testing new ways to make live streams more interactive. Creators can now use "This or That" prompts or "Trivia" games to get viewers talking and engaging more during live videos.

Meta, Instagram's parent company, wants live streaming to be a bigger deal for creators. They're slowly letting more creators get "Stars" from viewers during live streams. This is a way for creators to make money from their videos. Instagram also made it easier to go live from computers in December.

Live streaming is huge in China, especially for shopping. It hasn't become as popular in the West yet. But with TikTok and YouTube pushing live videos, Instagram is adding new features to keep up. They hope live streaming games and other interactive tools will help build community and maybe even help creators sell more.

Read next: Former FBI Expert Warns of Cookie Theft Emerging as Major Cybersecurity Threat, Surpassing Password Concerns with its Ability to Bypass Protections
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World

Former FBI Expert Warns of Cookie Theft Emerging as Major Cybersecurity Threat, Surpassing Password Concerns with its Ability to Bypass Protections

The manner in which cyber security functions in this modern day and age has experienced a bit of a backslide, which basically means that your password length and complexity can’t really protect you from vicious actors anymore. Even two factor authentication might not be enough with all things having been considered and taken into account, since malware can bypass it all and create a situation wherein your session tokens or cookies can end up in the wrong hands.

According to former FBI digital crime expert Trevor Hilligoss (via CyberNews), who currently serves as the VP of SpyCloud Labs, cookie theft is actually the biggest threat to cybersecurity. Most people tend to focus on things like their passwords, but in spite of the fact that this is the case, it turns out that cookie theft is far more concerning due to how it can bypass various protections that have been put in place.

The most significant situation in which cookie theft can cause a wide array of problems is if it ends up compromising your Google account. Such an event can be catastrophic because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up compromising every single other account that is linked to your Google account, including social media profiles and the like.

The OAuth2 authorization exploit has already given malicious actors the ability to secretly access Google accounts without the owner even realizing what’s going on in the first place. Google accounts can be extremely attractive propositions for them, since they also tend to contain financial information and other highly sensitive data that can cause an incalculable amount of harm.

• Also  read: Researchers Highlight Alarming Findings of Cyberattacks via Wireless Chargers, Risking Smartphone Fires and Device Damage

Authentication cookies can make MFA far less effective, and it’s basically making the most effective strategy to keep hackers at bay practically defenseless. Infostealers have been stealing cookies for quite a long time, and with Malware as a Service quickly picking up steam, hackers don’t even really need all that much technical knowledge in order to implement their schemes.

Since browser cookies are stored in local databases, they’ve become a prime target for these malicious actors which is why it’s so important for any and all holes to be patched.

Malware can basically work similarly to a browser in that it can check for stored cookies that allow for easier log ins. The desired log in tokens will be combined with other system data such as RAM amount and CPU information which obscures it, with the files sent out to the user’s device and then received by the malicious actor in question.

• Use different passwords for your all online accounts. Try this free password generator tool

There are hundreds of thousands of infostealer infections occurring on a day to day basis, and they mostly target people living in developed countries due to the higher value of their data. In order to protect yourself from these attacks, it is absolutely essential that you download an antivirus and continuously update it, and on top of all that, you need to have top notch endpoint monitoring at all times.

Another useful strategy that you can deploy is to avoid clicking on ads. A great deal of malware is transferred through scam ads, so Hilligoss recommends that you just steer clear of ads as much as you can.

Image: DIW-AIGen

Read next: Nearly Half of American TikTok Users Never Post Videos, per Pew Research Center
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Nearly Half of American TikTok Users Never Post Videos, per Pew Research Center

TikTok is a great platform to post videos and go viral but a report by Pew Research Center says that the usual TikTok users do not share content on the app. About half of the American who use TikTok have never posted a single video on the app. This means only a minority of American TikTok users share videos on TikTok while the rest enjoy those short form videos. Only 25% of the US TikTok users create content and post it on TikTok and that makes the 98% of the videos accessible on the platform.

This type of unusual ratio isn’t only limited to TikTok. It was found that this ratio exists almost on all social media platforms, and X takes the second place as per a survey in November 2021. Even though TikTok has gained a lot of young users, many of the users who post on the platform are older. 52% of the users between ages 18 to 34 have uploaded a video on TikTok and among the people between 35-49, the share rate is 60%. People over 50 have a video sharing rate of 39% on TikTok.

Many of the users have made videos on TikTok but never shared them publicly. 40% of the users of TikTok worldwide have uploaded videos on TikTok publicly. TikTokers who post regularly tend to have a high engagement rate on their posts. Most TikTok users watch “For You” page on TikTok and 85% of them say that content on their 'For You' page (FYP) is least interesting while 40% call the content they see there as very interesting. Only 14% are neutral about the content they see on their For You feed. 47% of the users between 18 and 34 called the videos on For You highly interesting.

TikTok executives must be happy with this information because TikTok has already talked about the FYP in their What’s Next 2024 Trends Report. The report stated that 40% of the TikTok users have agreed that TikTok introduces them to new topics and that’s how they find their interests. 44% of the users came on TikTok for some specific reasons but discovered a topic that they really liked.

Read next: Giving Kids Smartphones At A Young Age Leads To Devastating Mental Distress As Adults, New Study Proves
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Giving Kids Smartphones At A Young Age Leads To Devastating Mental Distress As Adults, New Study Proves

A new study has gone on to show a very depressing relationship between giving kids smartphones at young ages and the impact it can have on mental health.

We’ve all come across a lot of research in our lives where we’ve seen the consequences of using a smartphone during your early life results in seriously poor mental health during adulthood.

Females who make use of smartphones during the start of their lives stated how they suffer from poor mental health during adulthood, the study adds, with some highlighting the significance of flip phones as well as AIM technology.

One chart picked up steam during the start of the week across social media, giving parents of younger children a pause in terms of handing over devices to them at such young ages. And if that is not a reality check for the world, then we’re not quite sure what would be.

The research from SapienLabs sheds light on how those kids using smartphones during their elementary school days were suffering from greater mental health during adulthood when compared to those who received devices as teenagers.

This survey made me so glad as a millennial. And they happen to be a part of the final generation which included those people whose childhoods had nothing or very little to do with technology.

The complete research on this front spoke about interviewing close to 27,000 individuals from all over the globe who were aged between 18 to 24.

What’s interesting is how this is not only restricted to those suffering from childhood trauma. Those who didn’t have any such issues also showed a massively mentally distressful adult life, and it was the most in females. To be more specific, a staggering 74% spoke about getting smartphones aged 6 and were said to be struggling and very distressful on this front in terms of their mental capacity.

Surveys like this are a clear eye-opener for those parents who feel the best way to keep kids busy is through such means. We don’t necessarily agree with that. It’s about time that parents found a better and healthier approach to tackling kids and their never-ending tantrums. Research like this, it just goes to show that smartphones in elementary school are a big no.

But with that said, a little common sense does go a long way. Parents need to realize that the right age for making such purchases for the kids cannot be six or 10. They need to wait for them to get older and mature because what you’re really doing is saving them from massive devastation that their future self will thank you for.

Oh and before you ask what’s the right age, well, parents in search of guidance need to remember that Steve Jobs and even Bill Gates have raised kids with minimal intervention of technology. And that’s an eye-opener, considering their pioneer names in the world of tech today.

Read next: Researchers Highlight Alarming Findings of Cyberattacks via Wireless Chargers, Risking Smartphone Fires and Device Damage
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Tech Analyst Dan Ives Draws Parallels Between Nvidia's Rise and the 90s Internet Explosion

The AI world is experiencing a resurgence akin to the boom of the 90s, with Nvidia emerging as a frontrunner, according to tech analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities (Via Business Insider).

Ives draws parallels to the pivotal year of 1995 when the internet gained widespread commercial traction, altering the global landscape. He believes we stand at a comparable juncture with AI investments. Nvidia's prowess lies in crafting highly coveted graphic processing units (GPUs), pivotal in empowering AI frameworks like OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Emphasizing Nvidia's pivotal role, Ives envisions their GPUs as catalysts propelling the surge in spending, anticipating a plethora of applications spanning both enterprise and consumer domains.

Despite the fervent AI investment, Ives dispels fears of a market crash reminiscent of the late 90s tech rout. He underscores the stark differences, asserting that current tech stocks are far removed from the speculative fervor of that era.

Echoing Ives' sentiment, Nvidia's recent fourth-quarter earnings surpassed expectations, clocking $22.1 billion in revenue, affirming the robustness of the ongoing AI boom.

Nvidia's CEO, Jensen Huang, known as pioneer in AI, anticipates a paradigm shift with new AI data centers unlocking a gamut of hitherto unfeasible applications. He underscores AI's permeation across diverse sectors, from automotive to healthcare, portraying it as an inevitable progression.

Huang foresees Nvidia's GPUs as integral to every enterprise worldwide, envisioning a substantial and enduring business trajectory.

In essence, with Nvidia at the helm, the AI narrative unfolds as a burgeoning saga, with immense potential awaiting exploration across industries.

Image: Nvidia

Read next: Pichai Underscores AI's Potential to Expedite Defense Against Cyber Attacks, Potentially Tipping the Scales in Favor of Defenders
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Apple Tests 'Ask,' AI Tool Resembling ChatGPT, for Enhanced Support Services

According to Macrumors, Apple is experimenting with 'Ask,' an AI tool pilot program for enhanced support services, akin to ChatGPT, to be utilized by select AppleCare advisors.

'Ask' mines Apple's internal knowledge base for responses, advisors rating them as 'helpful' or 'unhelpful,' promoting its use over traditional search methods, especially for intricate issues.

Post-feedback phase, Apple aims to expand 'Ask' to more advisors, aligning with its broader generative AI integration strategy expected in iOS 18.

CEO Tim Cook's emphasis on AI, notably during earnings calls, signals Apple's pivot towards AI-driven growth, previously disclosed in August 2023.

The debut of 'Ask' reinforces Apple's AI commitment, echoing Cook's vision of investing in transformative technologies for tomorrow.

Read next: Google Chrome’s Latest ‘Help Me Write’ Assistant Uses AI To Make Better Text Suggestions
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Google and Reddit Strike a Deal Over AI Content

Reddit's visibility on Google Search has seen a big increase lately. It turns out, Google is the big AI company that has made a deal with Reddit for using its content, as reported by Reuters.

This deal has caught the attention of many, especially since Reddit has started showing up more in Google's search results, even beating the original sources of content in some cases. People are wondering if Reddit's boosted presence on Google Search is because of this content licensing deal. Another thought is that maybe Google is trying to make up for the fact that many searchers have been adding "reddit" to their search queries to find discussions and opinions.

According to Reuters, Google is paying Reddit $60 million a year to use its content to train Google's AI models, like Gemini. This deal was signed as Reddit is getting ready to go public with an initial public offering (IPO).

Back in February, it was first hinted that Reddit had made a deal with a large AI company. And by last April, Reddit expressed its desire to make AI companies pay for using its vast amount of content. Steve Huffman, the CEO of Reddit, emphasized the value of Reddit's content and stated that they shouldn't give it away for free to some of the world's biggest companies.

Following this deal, there's been a noticeable increase in Reddit's rankings on Google. Glenn Gabe, an SEO consultant, highlighted in a post on X that the number of Reddit URLs ranking on Google shot up from 22 million to 41.1 million, based on data from Semrush. This is a significant rise, indicating not just improved rankings but also an increase in the number of pages that are showing up in search results.

22M to 41.1M urls -> OK, so Google has a deal with Reddit to train its AI on Reddit content. We also know that the "hidden gems" piece rolled out in the fall of 2023 and Reddit (and other forums) surged. But with the deal, does Google have a firehose from Reddit? i.e. Is Reddit… pic.twitter.com/24uVJydTQb

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) February 22, 2024

This partnership between Google and Reddit is a big deal in the tech and SEO communities. It raises questions about the dynamics of content visibility on search engines and how deals like this could influence what information gets priority in search results.

Image: DIW

Read next: Google Stops Gemini's AI Image Creation Tool Due to Wrong Images
by Mahrukh Shahid via Digital Information World