Rob Lever
Yahoo News
Chester, PA, United States
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Past articles by Rob:
Video platforms tested as election misinformation runs rampant
Amid an intense effort by social media platforms to curb misinformation around the US election, political operatives were finding loopholes in YouTube and other video platforms. → Read More
Facebook ad boycott organizers cite no progress on hate speech
Organizers of the Facebook ad boycott vowed Tuesday to press on with their campaign, saying the social network's top executives had failed to offer meaningful action on curbing hateful content. At a virtual meeting that included Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, the #StopHateForProfit coalition → Read More
Twitter-Trump clash intensifies political misinformation battle
President Donald Trump's threat to shut down social media companies after Twitter labeled two of his tweets misleading sets up a fresh challenge for platforms as they struggle to deal with political misinformation during a toxic election campaign. Twitter on Tuesday targeted tweets in which the → Read More
Pandemic gives fresh momentum to digital voice technology
In a world suddenly fearful of touch, voice technology is getting a fresh look. Voice-activated systems such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple's Siri have seen strong growth in recent years, and the virus pandemic could accelerate that, analysts say. Voice assistants are not only answering → Read More
Robots ride to rescue as delivery risks rise
What looks like a rolling picnic cooler stops at the crosswalk, waits for a car to pass and then navigates its way at a leisurely pace down the sidewalk in suburban Washington. Three blocks away, Jake Williams and his three-year-old daughter Emilia wait for the delivery robot and take out bags with → Read More
YouTube to ban 'manipulated' content linked to elections
YouTube said Monday it would remove election-related videos that are "manipulated or doctored" to mislead voters, as part of its efforts to stem online misinformation. "The underlying standards YouTube explains and illustrates today do not appear to be brand new, but the company deserves → Read More
US girds for cyber threats from Iran as military clash fears ebb
Iran is widely expected to ramp up cyberattacks against the United States in response to the US killing of a top Iranian leader this month even as fears have receded about a military confrontation between the two countries. The simmering tensions since the US drone attack that killed Qasem Soleimani → Read More
Future of mobility: some wild rides seen ahead at tech show
Juergen Reers, a mobility analyst with Accenture, said people are looking for flexible solutions. Adaptations of the bicycle, infused with new tech for the connected generation, appeared at CES. French startup Wello showed its open-sided, three-wheeled car-bike that relies on pedaling, electric power → Read More
Amazon pledges to be carbon neutral by 2040
Amazon chief Jeff Bezos pledged Thursday to make the US technology and retail giant carbon neutral by 2040 and encourage other firms to do likewise, in a bid to help meet the goals of the Paris climate accord 10 years early. "We want to use our scope and our scale to lead the way," Bezos told → Read More
Uber names Melbourne as first non-US city for flying car program
Uber on Tuesday selected Melbourne, Australia, as the first non-US city for its aerial ridesharing service that is expected to launch in 2023, as it unveiled new partners for the ambitious initiative. Melbourne was named the third official pilot city for Uber Air, joining Dallas and Los Angeles. " → Read More
YouTube to ban 'hateful,' 'supremacist' videos
YouTube announced Wednesday it would ban videos promoting or glorifying racism and discrimination as well as those denying well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. The announcement by the Google-owned video-sharing platform was the latest of a → Read More
WhatsApp, security and spyware: what happened
Facebook-owned WhatsApp's revelation of a security flaw allowing hackers to inject spyware on smartphones raised fresh concerns about the security of the mobile ecosystem. What happened to WhatsApp? The security hole in the WhatsApp messaging app could enable an attacker to inject malware to gain → Read More
Tech firms see good times as flexible displays roll, and fold
Electronic displays that fold, roll and bend have finally arrived after years of development, and tech firms are touting the technology as a potential source of growth and new applications. At the Consumer Electronics Show on Monday, South Korean giant LG unveiled its ultra-high definition television → Read More
Facebook deals with Chinese firm draw ire from US lawmakers
Facebook drew fresh criticism from US lawmakers following revelations that it allowed Chinese smartphone makers, including one deemed a national security threat, access to user data. The world's largest social network confirmed late Tuesday that China-based Huawei -- which has been banned by the → Read More
Facing outcry over data breach, Facebook again overhauls privacy settings
Facebook on Wednesday launched a fresh effort to quell the firestorm over the hijacking of personal data, once again unveiling new privacy tools and settings to give users more control over how their information is shared. The new features follow fierce criticism of the social network giant after it → Read More
Global cybercrime costs $600 bn annually: study
The annual cost of cybercrime has hit $600 billion worldwide, fueled by growing sophistication of hackers and proliferation of criminal marketplaces and cryptocurrencies, researchers said Wednesday. A report by the security firm McAfee with the Center for Strategic and International Studies found theft → Read More
US moves to roll back 'net neutrality' rules
US regulators voted Thursday to roll back so-called "net neutrality" rules which required internet providers to treat all traffic equally, in the latest twist to an acrimonious debate over online freedom. The Federal Communications Commission, in a three-to-two vote, adopted a proposal by → Read More
Questions and answers on 'net neutrality'
US regulators are set to vote Thursday on a plan overhauling rules for internet services providers. - What is net neutrality and why is it important? The concept dates back to the early days of the web, and requires internet service providers to treat all data equally -- prohibiting the blocking of → Read More
US regulator unveils plan to end 'net neutrality'
The top US telecom regulator formally unveiled plans Tuesday to roll back "net neutrality" rules adopted in 2015 aimed at treating all online traffic equally. The announcement by Federal Communications chairman Ajit Pai marked the latest twist in a decade-old political dispute with both sides → Read More
Twitter steps up security after Trump account cut off
Twitter said it had boosted security measures Friday in response to a rogue employee's move cutting off Donald Trump's account, an 11-minute outage which drew mocking praise from the president's critics but also warnings of a dangerous precedent. "We won't be able to share all details → Read More