Facebook Listening

Facebook Isn’t Tapping Your Microphone

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There’s been a lot of information and news around Facebook lately. Most of it is about data, our personal data. However, earlier on in the year, Facebook drew criticism for allegedly listening to our conversations. Facebook listening to us sounds like a crazy idea. Facebook listening to us sounds horrifying! But is it actually true? The guys over at the Verge went ahead and done some myth busting around the whole thing!

Mark Zuckerberg even had to state during his privacy hearing in congress that the whole idea of Facebook listening to it’s users was a ‘conspiracy theory’

Facebook are said to have been listening to us, as we, as users. Have seen ads for the stuff we have been talking about with friends. Yet according to the Verge it’s not down to listening at all. It’s all down to very clever ad targeting. They know everything you do. It’s all because of you too. You’re the one giving Facebook this information, so don’t be surprised when you get super accurate ads.

  • They know your browsing history because of cookies and trackers. Facebook has their own inhouse one called Facebook Pixel.
  • The ‘Like’ button you may use on a news website. Information is fed back to facebook.
  • What you look like (uploaded photos)
  • Where you like to spend your free time (location data when you tag yourself in places)
  • The things you buy! (the Facebook ads you click on and then consequently purchase)

Facebook knows more than you think. It’s not down to eavesdropping that would violate a ton of wiretapping laws. It’s all down to you. You’re the one giving them this information. It may look creepy, but their just feeding back the information you gave to them back to you. Think of it as a gift from a loved one. You forget about it and then, as you forgot, act all surprised that they remembered what you wanted for your birthday. Think of Facebook ads like that.

The reason why it appears to appear on your screen right after you spoke about it? All psychological. Andreas Andrietta of the Electronics Frontier Foundation, stated in the Verge’s report something interesting. That ad may have been running there the whole time, but as you are more aware of it, after speaking about, your more inclined to notice the ad.

You provide Facebook with so much data, they don’t need to tap your microphone. Even if they could. They could. They have the tech to do it. Nigel Cannings of Intelligence Voice, states that the tech is super simple. But it requires a lot of differing factors to identify you. Such as geometric data and geofencing, which with Facebook, you give out that data. This would work simply on a very very very small scale. However, Facebook has huge numbers of people on their platform, there are just simply too many people to do this feasibly.

Even if they could do it anyway, there’s too many of us and B, it’s highly illegal to do so.

For a more detailed look at this head on over to the Verge and check out their video on the subject, it’s very interesting!

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here! 

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Batman Ninja

Batman Ninja: Batman like you’ve never seen him!

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The guys recently went to see a brand new Batman movie from Warner Bro’s! However, this wasn’t just a regular Batman Movie. As this was a Batman movie that was animated and set in Japan! This is Batman Ninja! Batman has been transported from his regular stomping grounds of Gotham to fight crime. Yet he is fighting a familiar old foe. The Joker!

Batman Ninja is an animated movie from DC comics and Warner Bros that’s set in Japan. The movie is classed as an animated martial arts superhero film. While it features a lot of famous Japanese creatives on the movie. Including the creator of Afro Samurai: Takashi Okazaki acting as the character designer for the film.

So how does Batman go from Gotham to Japan? Well, Gorilla Grodd’s time displacement machine transports Batman, alongside Japanese versions of Nightwing, Red Hood, Robin, Red Robin, Alfred and Catwoman to Feudal Japan. Alongside these characters Gorilla Grodd also transports many of Batman’s worst enemies! The enemies confirmed to be of Joker’s allies in Batman Ninja are: Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Two Face, Clayface, Deathstroke, Bane and Gorilla Grodd himself. So there is some battle taking place in Feudal Japan!

Batman Ninja: Plot

The villains of the story take over forms of the Feudal Lords that divided the land of Feudal Japan. With the Joker, of course, taking the lead among the warring factions. Yet, due to Batman’s hightech weaponry becoming all but depleted immediately. The Batman must rely on his intelligence and the help of his team of allies to restore order to the land and return once again to Gotham City. In the present day of course.

 

What did we think of Batman Ninja? You’ll have to listen to the latest episode (276) of How To Kill An Hour to find out!

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here! 

Purchase Batman Ninja by clicking here!

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WhatsApp ban

WhatsApp banned for Under16

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So there’s going to be a WhatsApp ban. WhatsApp are raising the age of the minimum age of it’s users to 16 across Europe. The current age limit for the messaging app is 13. However, the company are enforcing stricter rules ahead of the new data privacy rules due to be enforced in Europe in May. Yet, if you’re from outside Europe, the age is still 13.

The messaging service will ask for EU users to confirm their age before accepting new terms of service. The WhatsApp ban is unknown as to how it will affect the number of users. As the service which has 1.5billion users from January. Furthermore WhatsApp have confirmed that they will not be asking for any more rights to their personal data.

WhatsApp Ban: Facebook

Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, are introducing a similar data policy. With users aged between 13 and 15 having to get permission from a parent or guardian for them to share information on the platform. If no permission is given, the teen will not see a fully personalised version of Facebook.

To listen to the guys chatting about this please click here!

Download WhatsApp here: Apple / Android

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Anvio VR

Multiplayer Madness in Virtual Reality – Anvio VR

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Multiplayer Madness VR – Anvio VR

Recently we got invited down to Anvio VR UK a brand new 'VR Playground' that has opened up in London recently. They're brand new in London and opened in early 2018, so as lovers and enthusiasts of virtual reality and all things technology, we thought we'd head down and check it out!For more information please click here: http://www.howtokillanhour.com/gadgets-tech/multiplayer-madness-in-virtual-reality-anvio-vrTo book your own tickets please click here: https://en.anviovr.com/Our website is here http://www.howtokillanhour.comOur podcast is here http://www.howtokillanhour.com/showsTwitter: https://twitter.com/HowTokillAnHourFacebook: https://facebook.com/HowTokillAnHourInstagram: https://instagram.com/HowToKillAnHour

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Thursday, 3 May 2018

Recently we got invited down to Anvio VR a brand new ‘VR Playground’ that has opened up in London recently. They’re brand new in London and opened in early 2018, so as lovers and enthusiasts of virtual reality and all things technology, we thought we’d head down and check it out!

Unlike a lot of VR games or events this is an experience in which you’re allowed to play! Hence why they’re describing it as a playground! What we mean by play is that you’re free to move around. As you’re not confined to a small play area. So you get to run around a HUGE room and experience, quite literally, a whole new world!

In the worlds that Anvio VR have created you can run, jump and even wave to your partners whilst in the game, all that and much much more! Their play area is also fully wirless so there’s no worry about running into a wall or falling over wires. Thus creating a much more realistic and immersive experience. Plus there’s guides in the room, who are there to help prevent you from crashing into any walls, if you do manage to find your way to a wall that is!

Currently Anvio have two games available to play:

Anvio VR: City Z

This game lasts 45mins and is for a team of 4 ages 12 and up. You’re provided with an assault rifle or a mele weapon to play whilst in this game. The City Z gameplay mixes close quarter combat and full blown warfare. You’ll be thrown in to dark corridors and be aware if you’re afraid of heights! What are you fighting? An How To Kill An Hour favourite: ZOMBIES!

Anvio VR: Lost Sanctuary

This game too lasts 45mins and for a team of 4 ages 12 and up. Yet instead of action, this is a puzzle game and you got to focus on the traversing environment. You’ll be transported into an ancient abandoned city, your task is to find out more about the city and look for the treasure! As you’ll too be faced with combat and some heights!

To purchase tickets of your own to go and venture in multiplayer madness please click here!

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