30 September 2018

Until data is misused, Facebook’s breach will be forgotten


We cared about Cambridge Analytica because it could have helped elect Trump. We ignored LocationSmart because even the though the company was selling and exposing the real-time GPS coordinates of our phones, it was never clear exactly if or how that data was misused.

This idea, that privacy issues are abstract concepts for most people until they become security or ideological problems, is important to understanding Facebook’s massive breach revealed this week. 

The social network’s engineering was sloppy, allowing three bugs to be combined to steal the access tokens of 50 million people. In pursuit of rapid growth at affordable efficiency, Facebook failed to protect its users. This assessment doesn’t discount that. Facebook screwed up big time.

But despite the potential that those access tokens could have let the attackers take over user accounts, act as them, and scrape their personal info, it’s unclear how much users really care. That’s because for now, Facebook and it’s watchdogs aren’t sure exactly what data was stolen or how it was wrongly used.

The Hack That Broke The Camel’s Back?

This could all change tomorrow. If Facebook discovers the hack was perpetrated by a foreign government to interfere with elections, by criminals to bypass identity theft security checkpoints and steal people’s bank accounts or social media profiles, or to target individuals for physical harm, out will come the pitchforks and torches. 

Given a sufficiently scary application for the data, the breach could finish the job of destroying Facebook’s brand. If users start clearing their profile data, reducing their feed browsing, and ceasing to share, the breach could have significant financial and network effect consequences for Facebook. After years of scandals, this could be the hack that’s broke the camel’s back.

Yet in the absence of that evil utilization of the hacked data, the breach could fade into the background for users. Similar to the tension-filled departures of the founders of Facebook’s acquisitions Instagram and WhatsApp, the brunt of the backlash may not come from the public.

The hack could hasten regulation of social media. Senator Warner called on Congress to “step up” following the hack. He’s previously advocated for privacy laws similar to Europe’s GDPR. That includes data portability and interoperability rules that could make it easier to switch social networks. That threat of people moving to competing apps could succeed in compelling Facebook to treat user privacy and security better.

One of the biggest questions about the attack is whether the tokens were used to access other services like Airbnb or Spotify that rely on Facebook Login. The breach could steer potential partners away from building atop Facebook’s identity platform. But at least you don’t have to worry about changing all your passwords. Unlike hacks that steal usernames and passwords, the lasting danger of the Facebook breach is limited. The access tokens have already been invalidated, whereas password reuse can lead people to have their other apps hacked long after the initial breach.

Desensitized

If government investigators, journalists, or anti-Facebook activists want to make the company pay for its negligence, they’ll need to connect it to some concrete threat to how we live or what we believe.

For now, without a nefarious application of the breached data, this scandal could blend into the rest of Facebook’s troubles. Every week, sometimes multiple times a week, Facebook has some headline grabbing problem. Over time, those are adding up to deter usage of Facebook and spur more users to delete it. But without an independent general purpose social network they can easily switch to, many users have endured Facebook’s stumbles in exchange for the connective utility it provides. 

As breaches become more common, the public may be desensitized. Between Equifax, Yahoo, and the cell phone companies, we’re growing accustomed to letting out a deep sigh with maybe some expletives, and moving on with our lives. The ones we’ll remember will be those where the danger metastasized from the digital world into our offline lives.


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Relike lets you turn a Facebook page into a newsletter


French startup Ownpage has recently released a new product called Relike. Relike is one of the easiest ways to get started with email newsletters. You enter the web address of your Facebook page and that’s about it.

The company automatically pulls your most recent posts from your Facebook page and lets you set up an emailing campaign in a few clicks. You can either automatically pick your most popular Facebook posts or manually select a few posts.

Just like any emailing service, you can choose between multiple templates, decide the day of the week and time of the day, import a database of email addresses and more. If you’ve used Mailchimp in the past, you’ll feel right at home.

But the idea isn’t to compete directly with newsletter services. Many social media managers, media organizations, small companies, nonprofits and sports teams already have a Facebook page but aren’t doing anything on the email front.

Relike is free if you send less than 2,000 emails per month and don’t need advanced features. If you want to get open rates, click-through rates and other features, you’ll need to pay €5 per month and €0.50 every time you send 1,000 emails.

The company’s other product Ownpage is a bit different. Ownpage has been working with media organizations to optimize their email newsletters. The company is tracking reading habits on a news site and sending personalized email newsletters.

This way, readers will get tailored news and will more likely come back to your site. Many big French news sites use Ownpage for their newsletters, such as Les Echos, L’Express, 20 Minutes, BFM TV, Le Parisien, etc.

Ownpage founder and CEO Stéphane Cambon told me that Relike was the obvious second act. Using browsing data for customized newsletters is one thing, but many talented social media managers know how to contextualize stories and maximize clicks (even if it means clickbait, sure).

The startup was looking at a way to get this data, and ended up creating Relike, which could appeal to customers beyond news organizations. For now, both products will stick around. In the future, the company plans to add Twitter and Instagram integrations as well as better signup flows for newsletter subscribers.


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Best Buy stocked an unannounced Chromecast ahead of Google’s hardware event


Google’s big hardware event, scheduled for October 9, is expected to feature the new Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL phones. But now we know that Google will probably reveal a third-generation model of Chromecast, thanks to one recent Best Buy customer who discovered the device on store shelves.

Whoops.

“GroveStreetHomie” detailed his experience on a Reddit post entitled “I think I bought the 3rd gen Chromecast too early.”

According to the Reddit post, the customer went to Best Buy earlier to pick up a Chromecast for a new TV. That’s when “GroveStreetHomie” noticed the packaging and design was different from an earlier version.

The cashier wasn’t able to scan the item because it wasn’t in the system yet. The release date was labeled October 9 — the same day as the 2018 Google hardware event.

“But since I already had it in my hand and was the same price as the 2nd generation Chromecast, they let me have it under the old SKU,” the post read.

This new unannounced Chromecast is apparently thicker than the second-generation model. The Chrome logo has been replaced with Google one. The new device still has a micro-USB. The HDMI connector on the tip and base has been removed, according to the user.


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The 7 Best Risk-Free Cryptocurrency Trading Simulators


Bitcoin Trading Simulators

Did you ride the peaks of the bitcoin wave, or did you wait for the trough to hit the shore? When bitcoin was touching $20,000 per coin, everyone was an expert or potential investor. Prices are now more unpredictable, making it harder for would-be investors to make a profit.

Given cryptocurrencies straddle the median between currency and commodity, there is money to be made—but only if you know what you are doing. Check out these risk-free cryptocurrency market simulators before splashing your cash on the real deal.

1. Bitcoin Mining Profit Calculator

bitcoin mining profit calculator practice trading crypto

The Bitcoin Mining Profit Calculator (BMPC) is a great starting point if you are completely new to bitcoin and cryptocurrency. It’s a lot more than a simple trading simulator since it includes a full introduction to bitcoin too.

The website works like an interactive fiction-come-idle clicker game. BMPC updates with new tabs and explanations as you click different prompts on the screen, thus making different choices. Don’t worry, you won’t miss out on any pertinent information, but it will make you aware of the kind of news that affects bitcoin’s prices as well as the inner workings of the bitcoin community.

BMPC is nothing great to look at and plays like a text adventure, but there’s nothing wrong with that. This is meant to be an educational game rather than an entertaining one.

2. Bitcoin Hero

bitcoin cryptocurrency trading simulators

For those who don’t need a tutorial in what cryptocurrency is and want to jump right in, Bitcoin Hero is excellent. The web app works fine on mobile screens as well, so you can enjoy the game without ever installing it, but there is an Android app.

While it isn’t necessary to install Bitcoin Hero, you’ll want to create an account to track your progress over multiple sessions. You start with $10,000 in your wallet, and you can buy and sell four cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Dash. The cryptocurrency prices come straight from the real world, so its akin to the real thing.

3. Altcoin Fantasy

altcoin fantasy dashboard crypto trading practice

Altcoin Fantasy (ACF) steps up where Bitcoin Hero ends. Unlike Bitcoin Hero, Altcoin Fantasy lets you trade against other people, in competition, for a range of real-life prizes. For instance, a prize in a recent ACF contest was $100 worth of Bitcoin!

Competing also earns in-game currency, ACF Points, which you can trade in for real-life prizes, like a CryptoKitty or a 12-month subscription to TradingView. There’s also a daily sign-in bonus and a free spin-wheel for more points!

ACF ramps up the realism by using real-world market from a range of exchanges, differing between competitions. There’s usually a healthy amount of competition too, so you will need to sharpen your crypto market analysis skills to hit the head of the pack. Starting out with $10,000, you have a decent bank account to make a profit from.

Another thing I like about Altcoin Fantasy is its Private Contest mode. You can set up a 14-day contest for you and your buddies to see who has the best crypto-trading chops—and then brag about it when you win, of course. You can even set an entry fee.

4. eToro

eToro crypto trading list

eToro is a social trading app that has captured the imagination of regular investors and professionals alike. You find profitable investors that match your level of risk, and then copy their trades as they execute them. There are thousands of profitable traders and decent money to be made.

However, if you don’t want to risk your money and want to learn before opening your wallet, sign up for an eToro practice account here. Your free account comes with up to $100,000 for trading so you can really go to town with your practice trades.

5. CoinMarketGame

bitcoin cryptocurrency trading simulators

For a full-fledged simulator consisting of all major cryptocurrencies, you can’t do much better than CoinMarketGame. It does all the basics right to deliver an accurate experience of what it’s like to be a trader in this market.

Sign up for an account to receive a $20,000 starting pot. Spend it wisely by building a diverse portfolio, investing in both popular and less-known altcoins with high growth potential. You can check the leaderboard out and see what your competitors are trading, then head back to the markets to see how they maximize their crypto trading profits.

6. Spark Profit

bitcoin cryptocurrency trading simulators

Spark Profit is a crypto prediction game for Android, iOS, and your browser. You use historical crypto data to predict the position of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, as well as several international stock markets.  Spark Profit is basically about taking a long or short position on the future of the market. Your goal is to win points with accurate predictions. If the market touches your profit price, you win points. If it hits your loss point, you lose them. Simple, right?

Your goal is to win points. Estimate and set a profit price that you think the market will hit. Also, set a loss price while you’re at it. If the market touches the profit price, you will win points, but touching the loss price will make you lose points. Simple, right?

Spark Profit is a lot tougher than it sounds, and the much-needed reality check that early investors need. Before you invest a single dollar in cryptocurrencies, play this game and see how well you do. If you end up bankrupt, you’re better off putting your money back in your wallet.

7. Bitmex

bitmex testnet crypto leverage site free account

Think you’re getting the hang of Spark Profit? Why not step up to the next level with a Bitmex Testnet account? Bitmex is one of the most popular crypto exchanges. Here, you take a long or short position on where one of the listed cryptocurrencies will be in a certain time frame. Then, you apply leverage. Leverage can boost your potential profits (or losses) by up to 100 percent.

You will need to grab some Testnet Bitcoin from a faucet (follow the Bitmex tutorial to find out how), but then you can begin trading using the Bitmex Testnet. It’s valuable education before attempting to trade crypto futures!

What’s the Best Bitcoin Beginner’s Tip?

Education. All the way. If you don’t educate yourself before opening your wallet, you’re best off heading to the nearest bathroom and flushing your dollars straight away. Save yourself the time.

Trying out cryptocurrency trading in a mock market is a great first step. Reading articles, blog posts, and more helps, too. But at some point, you’re going to have to take the first step. Start small, and most of all, move slowly.

Read the full article: The 7 Best Risk-Free Cryptocurrency Trading Simulators


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