23 November 2018

Facebook policy VP, Richard Allan, to face the international ‘fake news’ grilling that Zuckerberg won’t


An unprecedented international grand committee comprised of 22 representatives from seven parliaments will meet in London next week to put questions to Facebook about the online fake news crisis and the social network’s own string of data misuse scandals.

But Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg won’t be providing any answers. The company has repeatedly refused requests for him to answer parliamentarians’ questions.

Instead it’s sending a veteran EMEA policy guy, Richard Allan, now its London-based VP of policy solutions, to face a roomful of irate MPs.

Allan will give evidence next week to elected members from the parliaments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Latvia, Singapore, along with members of the UK’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) parliamentary committee.

At the last call the international initiative had a full eight parliaments behind it but it’s down to seven — with Australia being unable to attend on account of the travel involved in getting to London.

A spokeswoman for the DCMS committee confirmed Facebook declined its last request for Zuckerberg to give evidence, telling TechCrunch: “The Committee offered the opportunity for him to give evidence over video link, which was also refused. Facebook has offered Richard Allan, vice president of policy solutions, which the Committee has accepted.”

“The Committee still believes that Mark Zuckerberg is the appropriate person to answer important questions about data privacy, safety, security and sharing,” she added. “The recent New York Times investigation raises further questions about how recent data breaches were allegedly dealt with within Facebook, and when the senior leadership team became aware of the breaches and the spread of Russian disinformation.”

The DCMS committee has spearheaded the international effort to hold Facebook to account for its role in a string of major data scandals, joining forces with similarly concerned committees across the world, as part of an already wide-ranging enquiry into the democratic impacts of online disinformation that’s been keeping it busy for the best part of this year.

And especially busy since the Cambridge Analytica story blew up into a major global scandal this April, although Facebook’s 2018 run of bad news hasn’t stopped there…

The evidence session with Allan is scheduled to take place at 11.30am (GMT) on November 27 in Westminster. (It will also be streamed live on the UK’s parliament.tv website.)

Afterwards a press conference has been scheduled — during which DCMS says a representative from each of the seven parliaments will sign a set of ‘International Principles for the Law Governing the Internet’.

It bills this as “a declaration on future action from the parliaments involved” — suggesting the intent is to generate international momentum and consensus for regulating social media.

The DCMS’ preliminary report on the fake news crisis, which it put out this summer, called for urgent action from government on a number of fronts — including floating the idea of a levy on social media to defence democracy.

However UK ministers failed to leap into action, merely putting out a tepid ‘wait and see’ response. Marshalling international action appears to be DCMS’ alternative action plan.

At next week’s press conference, grand committee members will take questions following Allan’s evidence — so expect swift condemnation of any fresh equivocation, misdirection or question-dodging from Facebook (which has already been accused by DCMS members of a pattern of evasive behavior).

Last week’s NYT report also characterized the company’s strategy since 2016, vis-a-vis the fake news crisis, as ‘delay, deny, deflect’.

The grand committee will hear from other witnesses too, including the UK’s information commissioner Elizabeth Denham who was before the DCMS committee recently to report on a wide-ranging ecosystem investigation it instigated in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

She told it then that Facebooks needs to take “much greater responsibility” for how its platform is being used, and warning that unless the company overhauls its privacy-hostile business model it risk burning user trust for good.

Also giving evidence next week: Deputy information commissioner Steve Wood; the former Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis, Rt Hon Dr Denzil L Douglas (on account of Cambridge Analytica/SCL Elections having done work in the region); and the co-founder of PersonalData.IO, Paul-Olivier Dehaye.

Dehaye has also given evidence to the committee before — detailing his experience of making Subject Access Requests to Facebook — and trying and failing to obtain all the data it holds on him.


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How to Set Up and Use Apple TV Without a Remote


apple-tv-without-remote

The Siri Remote is one of the best things about the Apple TV. It allows users to quickly and easily navigate the streaming device and even use the personal assistant Siri to accomplish a number of different tasks like finding a specific movie or TV show to watch.

While the remote easily fits in a hand, its small size makes the expensive device prone to getting lost under the couch, or somewhere else equally annoying.

However, the good news is that you don’t need a remote control to use your Apple TV. In this article, we’ll be showing you a number of alternate ways to control your Apple TV.

How to Set Up Apple TV Without a Remote

If you have lost the Siri Remote, or are just looking for a different way to interact with your Apple TV during setup, there is another option to select from.

You can easily set up your Apple TV with just a Bluetooth keyboard. Here are some of our best picks for wireless mice and keyboards for all budgets.

While setting up a new Apple TV for the first time, or after doing a factory reset, wait until the first screen appears on the screen to begin.

When that screen appears, place a Bluetooth keyboard near the Apple TV and place it in pairing mode. In some cases, a code will then appear on the Apple TV screen that you can enter on the keyboard. That completes the pairing process.

Apple TV Keyboard Set Up

A keyboard symbol will flash on the screen to confirm that the keyboard is ready for use. Use the arrow keys to move around the screen and the Enter button to select. After selecting a language and country, there is another screen which allows you to select whether to use Siri and dictation on the Siri Remote.

Next, you can select whether to manually enter Wi-Fi and Apple ID information by using the keyboard or automatically with an iOS device. If you have an iPhone or iPad to hand, use the iOS device option. That will save time and energy trying to enter a long Wi-Fi password and Apple ID information.

Once that is complete, there are a few more screens regarding when to require a password, location services, screensavers, analytics, and more. After going through those, setup is complete, and you’ll see the home screen.

How to Use Apple TV Without a Remote

Once setup is complete, you can still enjoy the entire Apple TV experience without a remote. All you’ll need is an iPhone or iPad.

After being set up, and if your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 12 or later, there is a Control Center widget that can control the streaming device. We have previously detailed how to use the Control Center on iPhone and iPad.

Once the Apple TV is added to Control Center, tap the icon to begin. Make sure you’re on the same Wi-Fi network. You may need to enter a four-digit code on an iPhone or iPad that appears on the Apple TV screen.

On the top of the widget, you’ll select what Apple TV to control if there are multiple Apple streaming devices in a home. You can also control the Apple TV with the dedicated Remote app for iOS.

If you want to find out more about controlling your Apple TV without a remote, we have previously published an article detailing how to control your Apple TV with an iPhone or iPad.

How to Turn On an Apple TV Without a Remote

If your Apple TV is left idle after a certain amount of time, it will automatically go to sleep. This causes a big issue if you’ve lost the Siri Remote as you usually need to press a button or click the touch surface to wake the Apple TV up.

The first step to try (if you don’t have a remote) is to use the Remote app or the Apple TV Control Center widget. Just press the virtual control area and see if that will wake up the Apple TV.

If that doesn’t work, there may be some other type of issue with the device. In which case the best course of action is to remove the power cord from the rear of your Apple TV and then place it back into the power supply. That will completely reboot your Apple TV, and you should then be able to easily control it with an iPhone or iPad.

If you’re having other issues, take a look at these Apple TV troubleshooting tips.

Using Another Remote on an Apple TV

Learn Remote Apple TV

Another control option is to use a third-party remote.You can set one up with the Apple TV in just a few steps.

Here’s the step-by-step process:

  1. Wake the Apple TV and head to Settings.
  2. Select Remotes and Devices and then Learn Remote.
  3. Hit the Start button to start the process.
  4. Grab the new remote and make sure its pointed to the Apple TV.
  5. There will be a number of different prompts on the screen that will require you to press the corresponding button on the new remote. Some of those will include the directional buttons, Select, and Menu. For the Apple TV to help learn the new remote, you’ll need to hold down the button until the progress bar on the screen is full.
  6. After that is complete, you can also add a custom name to help better identify the remote.
  7. Then you can also select Set Up Playback Buttons to help your Apple TV learn the play, pause, fast forward, and rewind buttons on the other remote.

It’s also easy to delete the remote information from an Apple TV. Just go to Settings and then choose Remotes and Devices. Choose the name of the remote, and on the next screen, hit Delete Remote.

More Apple TV Tips to Note

If you’ve lost your Siri Remote, or just don’t enjoy using the small device, there are a number of other options to control and set up Apple’s streaming device. Whether you have a Bluetooth keyboard, iOS device, or other universal remote, you should be able to enjoy the Apple TV and all it has to offer.

And if you’re looking to find out more about the streaming video device, take a look at our tips for getting the most out of your Apple TV.

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7 Ways to Watch Netflix With Friends Far Away


watch-netflix-faraway-friends

Movies and TV shows are more fun when you watch them with friends. And with the growth of online streaming, it’s now possible to share the viewing experience with other people, even if they’re on the other side of the world.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the best ways to watch Netflix with friends far away.

1. Netflix Party

netflix party app

Netflix Party is a Google Chrome extension that lets you and your friends remotely watch Netflix together.

The extension synchronizes playback between everyone who’s watching, adds a chat window, and allows anyone who’s watching to play and pause the video. When someone hits the pause button, playback on everyone’s screen will stop.

Creating a session is easy. Just start playing a video on Netflix, hit pause, then hit the extension’s browser button in the upper right-hand corner of the window.

There are a couple of downsides. Firstly, chat usernames are not customizable. Secondly, the session will end upon completion of a film or episode; if you want to watch a second video, you will need to make a new session and re-add everyone.

Netflix Party is free to download and use.

2. Watch2Gether

watch2gether netflix app

If you watch a lot of YouTube videos with friends, you will probably be familiar with Watch2Gether. The app has its own player that lets you natively access content from YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, and SoundCloud.

Netflix is not compatible with the Watch2Gether player, but the company has come up with a workaround.

The beta W2gSync feature lets you paste a Netflix URL directly into a special window in your private room. When you start the video, everyone else will be able to see it. However, only the person who created the room and added the URL will be able to control it.

For W2gSync to work, you will need to download the official Watch2Gether browser extension. It is available on Chrome and Firefox for free.

3. Rabbit

Rabbit is another great way to watch videos with friends. It supports all the major online streaming services, including Netflix. It’s also browser agnostic; the people who are watching Netflix with you won’t need to download Chrome or Firefox.

Note: Some people oppose mainstream browsers on privacy grounds because browsers collect a lot of information about you. Such people often choose to use a private web browser instead.

One person controls the stream via a proxy on Rabbit’s online portal. Anyone who is in the same room as the streamer can watch the show.

Non-US users might encounter some issues with geo-blocked content. To mitigate the problem, Rabbit has released a dedicated Chrome extension. It lets you open a specific browser tab directly with anyone else, thus circumnavigating the geographical restrictions.

The main Rabbit app and the Chrome extension are both free to use.

4. Gaze

Of course, you don’t really need video syncing features to watch Netflix videos together.

If there’s only a small group of you, and you all have your own Netflix account (or even shared multi-screen account), it’s easy enough to coordinate yourselves to all press Play at the same time.

In this case, all you need is text and/or video chat.

One service to check out it Gaze. Its primary function is to let you watch YouTube videos with friends, but you can use its text and video chat features as the backend for a Netflix party.

Interestingly, you can also use Gaze to sync locally-saved videos with groups of friends. Just make sure everyone has their own local copy (shared via Google Drive or Dropbox) before starting.

5. Google Hangouts

hangouts netflix app

If you want a service that most people already have access to, check out Google Hangouts. Google has a confusing array of chat apps, but Hangouts remains the most widely installed and the most readily understood.

You can use Hangouts for text chat, video chat, and phone calls. Just use your Google Account credentials to log in.

6. Kik

For years Kik has been one of the best online chat services around, and it’s a great tool to use while watching Netflix movies or shows with a friend who isn’t sitting on the same couch as you.

Kik has all the features you’d expect from a top-tier chatting service, such as a wide range of emojis, the ability to easily share photos, and a library of GIFs.

GIFs are a great way to express your emotions when a big moment happens in the movie or show you’re watching. If you’d like to understand more about this internet phenomenon, read the brief history of GIFs.

Note: Kik might not be suitable for kids who want to watch Netflix together.

7. Telegram or WhatsApp

We’ll finish by mentioning two of the most common mobile apps for live chat and calls—Telegram and WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has a larger user base (1.5 billion) than Telegram (250 million), but we prefer Telegram’s impressive list of features, especially from the standpoint of watching Netflix with friends.

It supports larger groups that WhatsApp (100,000 compared to 256), lets you watch YouTube together while chatting, and you can share large video files for local viewing.

WhatsApp is the simpler option. Almost everyone you know will have the app, meaning it’s readily accessible for people who only want to send the odd message while watching.

Does Netflix Support Any of These?

Sadly, none of the services we have discussed are officially supported by Netflix. Which means they are liable to stop working without warning.

One wonders why Netflix hasn’t already incorporated a native way to watch content in sync with other users. Given the popularity of watching with friends far away, and the fact that Netflix is now available worldwide, it would surely be an instant hit.

Alas, for now, we’ll have to make do with some other cool Netflix tips and tricks. There are lots you might not know about, even if you’re a seasoned user.

Read the full article: 7 Ways to Watch Netflix With Friends Far Away


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How to Log Yourself Out of Facebook on Other Devices


It’s important to keep on top of your security. That’s especially true for Facebook, which holds so much of your personal information. In this article we’ll show you how to see which devices can access your account and how to remotely log yourself out of Facebook.

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We’ll also give you some tips on how to improve the security of your Facebook account, so hopefully you remain the only person who can ever log in to it.

How to Remotely Log Out of Facebook

Facebook tracks all of the devices you are currently logged in to. It’s quick and easy to review this list and sign out of any necessary accounts.

To begin, click the dropdown arrow in the top-right of the page. Click Settings and then Security and login from the left-hand menu.

How to access Settings on Facebook

Go to the section titled Where you’re logged in. This will display all of your active logins—perhaps your phone or tablet. You may need to click See More if there are lots of them.

It lists the type of device and the browser used, plus the physical location of the person who logged in and the last time they did so. Hover over the location to see the specific IP address.

Seeing all your active Facebook sessions

Active now” will display next to whichever device you are currently using. To log out of this one, you don’t need this section. Simply use the dropdown arrow in the top-right and click Log Out.

Alternatively, perhaps you signed in on a library computer or on a friend’s device and you don’t want the risk of someone using your account. No problem, you can remotely log out of these sessions.

Signing out of a remote Facebook session

To remove these, click the three vertical dots next to each entry and click Log Out.

Don’t worry if you remove an entry accidentally. The only impact is that you’ll need to log back into your account next time you use it on that browser or device.

How to Improve Your Facebook Account Security

If you found that your Facebook account was signed in to unexpected places, or just want to improve your security, let’s round up the various ways to get better control over who can use your account. Consider using all of these techniques for the ultimate protection.

All of these options can be accessed by clicking the dropdown arrow in the top-right and then clicking Settings > Security and login.

Change Your Password

Changing your password is the first thing you should always do if your account has been accessed without your authorization. In fact, you should change your Facebook password periodically regardless.

Next to Change password, click Edit. You will be prompted for your Current password. Next, input a New password twice, then click Save Changes.

How to change your password on Facebook

For better security, you should consider using a password manager. These can ensure you have strong passwords and don’t need to remember them either.

Get Alerts About Unrecognized Logins

It’s great that Facebook lets you sign out of unauthorized sessions, but if you don’t check this page then you won’t know if you need to. That’s why you should go to the Get alerts about unrecognized logins section and click Edit.

Get alerts about unrecognized logins on Facebook

Here you can set to Get notifications so you’ll be informed when someone logs into your account from an unrecognized device or browser. Select your preferences and then click Save Changes.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security when logging in to your account. It requires you to input not only a password, but also a secondary piece of information that only the real account owner can access.

To activate it, next to Use two-factor authentication, click Edit. On the next page, click Get Started. Choose whether you want to use a Text Message or Authentication App as your extra security, then click Next and follow the wizard. These two options are all Facebook offers at the moment, and it’s important to note that SMS and 2FA apps aren’t all that secure.

Adding two factor authentication on Facebook

You’ll only need to use two-factor authentication when Facebook doesn’t recognize the device. You can review and adjust this approved device list. Go back to the Security and login page and, next to Authorized logins, click View.

While you’re at it, check out our guide on how to set up two-factor authentication for all your social media accounts.

Keep Your Facebook Secure

This is all simple stuff. And yet it means that within a matter of minutes you can remotely sign out of any device and increase the security of your Facebook account.

If you want even more tips, check out our guide on how to secure your Facebook account. Then again, when you consider that Facebook is a security and privacy nightmare, perhaps you just delete your account altogether.

Read the full article: How to Log Yourself Out of Facebook on Other Devices


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