WEBVTT - Tech News: Netflix Wages War Against VPNs 0:00:04.400 --> 0:00:07.800 Welcome to tech Stuff, a production from I Heart Radio. 0:00:12.200 --> 0:00:15.520 Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. I'm your host, 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:19.800 Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio 0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:24.160 and I love all things tech and it is time 0:00:24.400 --> 0:00:28.680 for the tech news for Thursday August twelve, twenty twenty one. 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.520 Let's get into it now. You've probably heard me talk 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:38.720 about VPNs, or virtual private networks before. This is a 0:00:38.920 --> 0:00:41.680 service in which you use a piece of software to 0:00:41.920 --> 0:00:45.839 log into a remote server, and then that server kind 0:00:45.840 --> 0:00:50.559 of acts as a type of proxy to access content 0:00:50.920 --> 0:00:55.279 on the Internet on your behalf. And that means like 0:00:55.360 --> 0:00:58.560 all the sites you're visiting are going through the server 0:00:58.720 --> 0:01:01.640 before coming to you. So anyone who might be, say 0:01:01.680 --> 0:01:04.440 spying on your side of the connection, all they would 0:01:04.480 --> 0:01:08.000 see is that you are in communication with this VPN server, 0:01:08.360 --> 0:01:12.920 with ideally all of that communication encrypted, so that whomever 0:01:13.040 --> 0:01:15.200 is snooping on you has no idea what it is 0:01:15.240 --> 0:01:17.920 you're looking at, right because they can only see that 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:21.360 it's coming from this VPN server. They cannot see beyond 0:01:21.440 --> 0:01:24.280 that point, so they wouldn't have any clue what was 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.600 going on. And then anyone who was snooping on the 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:31.959 opposite side of this, All they would see is that 0:01:32.040 --> 0:01:37.000 this server is communicating with other web servers, but not 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:40.760 knowing you know, whom on the other end is actually 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:43.680 responsible for that. Like let's say that you were visiting 0:01:43.959 --> 0:01:46.600 your bank, Well, they would be able to see that 0:01:46.680 --> 0:01:50.880 there was communication between this VPN server and the bank server, 0:01:51.520 --> 0:01:55.720 but they wouldn't know who was ultimately trying to access that. 0:01:55.840 --> 0:02:00.440 And also that communication would be encrypted. So there are 0:02:00.520 --> 0:02:02.600 a lot of legit reasons to you that use this, 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:04.720 just like I was just mentioning, Like if you wanted 0:02:04.720 --> 0:02:09.880 to use extra precautions when accessing certain services like banking 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:13.840 services while you're on say a public WiFi hot spot, 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:17.560 so you're at a coffee shop, you might want to 0:02:17.639 --> 0:02:21.359 use a vp N to access various things so that 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:26.600 someone snooping on that public WiFi hotspot wouldn't know your business. 0:02:26.639 --> 0:02:31.080 But one other popular use of VPNs is to access 0:02:31.280 --> 0:02:35.920 region locked material that is otherwise unavailable to you, and 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:39.280 recently Netflix has been on the war path to fight 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:45.240 against that. Netflix has licensing deals with various studios and 0:02:45.280 --> 0:02:50.040 it allows Netflix to stream content certain content to certain 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:56.040 regions or audiences. For example, there are programs on Netflix 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:59.320 that are available in the UK on Netflix, but I 0:02:59.360 --> 0:03:02.520 can't watch them because I'm in the United States and 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:06.560 Netflix does not have a license to stream that specific 0:03:06.639 --> 0:03:11.079 content two people here in the US. But through a VPN, 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:16.600 I could potentially circumvent those rules and just log into 0:03:16.600 --> 0:03:19.959 a VPN server in the UK and try to get 0:03:19.960 --> 0:03:23.640 around it that way. This isn't exactly legit, but a 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:26.919 lot of folks use VPNs for this specific reason. Now, 0:03:26.960 --> 0:03:32.079 Netflix is blocking certain IP addresses that the company associates 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:34.960 with VPN services because some of these services what they're 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:39.280 doing is they're using IP addresses that look like residential 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:43.840 IP addresses. So Netflix is starting to block some IP 0:03:43.960 --> 0:03:46.640 addresses that appear to be residential ones, and some of 0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:51.760 them turn out to actually be residential IP addresses. Now, 0:03:51.880 --> 0:03:54.680 the whole goal is to prevent the VPN users from 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:58.160 relying on this work around, right, But in the process 0:03:58.600 --> 0:04:02.200 that means some innocent folks are getting misidentified as VPN 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:05.760 services and they find that their access to Netflix ends 0:04:05.840 --> 0:04:09.680 up being limited. So clearly there's some collateral damage going 0:04:09.720 --> 0:04:12.360 on here as the company tries to crack down on 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:16.600 VPN users attempting to skirt region locking but it is 0:04:16.640 --> 0:04:20.920 impossible to say how common this is, like how frequently 0:04:21.000 --> 0:04:25.680 is Netflix affecting legitimate users? Those getting hit with the 0:04:25.680 --> 0:04:29.960 ban are still able to access Netflix original content, but 0:04:30.040 --> 0:04:32.479 they might not be able to see stuff produced or 0:04:32.560 --> 0:04:38.200 distributed outside of Netflix's own properties. Once again we see 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:41.960 how a media company's response to people breaking the rules 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:47.599 can cause further harm. See also digital rights management and 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:52.880 the various massive lawsuits that media companies leveled against people 0:04:52.920 --> 0:04:57.080 who were identified as being pirates. I do not have 0:04:57.120 --> 0:05:00.320 a solution to this problem, by the way, and I'm 0:05:00.360 --> 0:05:04.039 not saying Netflix is necessarily in the wrong as far 0:05:04.080 --> 0:05:07.479 as it goes trying to uphold its end of these 0:05:07.560 --> 0:05:11.400 licensing deals. My guess is that the licensing agreements mean 0:05:11.480 --> 0:05:15.440 that Netflix is obligated to pursue solutions to this problem 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:18.920 or else face some pretty tough consequences, such as not 0:05:19.000 --> 0:05:22.719 being able to secure future licensing agreements with you know, 0:05:22.880 --> 0:05:27.320 various TV and movie studios. It's just unfortunate that the 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:31.120 current solution can have a negative impact on people who 0:05:31.160 --> 0:05:34.479 are not part of the problem. That is really unfortunate. 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:38.520 It really says that solution is a bad solution. I 0:05:38.640 --> 0:05:44.240 just don't have a better one to offer, so bummer. Now, 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.800 when it comes to picking what the top stories of 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.880 we're here in the United States, there is a lot 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:54.960 to choose from. I mean, coronavirus is an obvious candidate, 0:05:55.360 --> 0:05:58.400 as was the election and all the trappings around that, 0:05:58.520 --> 0:06:02.960 from misinformation camp ains to the fights around voter suppression 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:05.919 and more. Uh, there's the big story of the Black 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:11.839 Lives Matter movement, which I support needs ongoing support. And 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:15.880 there's a related issue the de fund the police movement. 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:20.040 Now that last one is extremely controversial and politically a 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:22.560 lot of leaders don't want to have anything to do 0:06:22.640 --> 0:06:25.280 with it, they don't even want to to address it. 0:06:25.839 --> 0:06:29.040 But then we have a story like this one that 0:06:29.440 --> 0:06:32.240 brings into sharp relief the concerns of those who want 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:35.839 to see an overhaul in how the United States handles 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.520 law enforcement. So, according to documents obtained by the Legal 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:44.400 Aid Society and the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, the New 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:48.120 York City Police Department has spent around a hundred sixty 0:06:48.240 --> 0:06:52.880 million dollars on surveillance systems since two thousand seven. And 0:06:52.920 --> 0:06:57.560 here's the big part, without any public oversight. So these 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:00.880 technologies include systems like X ray, SCAE, inners for police 0:07:00.920 --> 0:07:06.120 fans that could reportedly detect weapons in vehicles, you know, 0:07:06.360 --> 0:07:10.480 hundreds of feet away, to facial recognition technologies, which, as 0:07:10.520 --> 0:07:13.640 I've mentioned several times in the past, frequently proved to 0:07:13.680 --> 0:07:18.560 be unreliable and subject to algorithmic bias that can disproportionately 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:22.640 harm non white populations, and also the use of sting 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:26.480 ray devices. A sting ray is a cell phone catcher. 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:30.920 It's spoofs or imitates a cell phone tower, and nearby 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:33.000 phones will connect to it as if it were a 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:36.120 legitimate cell tower, and then the operator of the sting 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:41.400 ray can pull information down from it, such as device identifications, 0:07:41.880 --> 0:07:47.920 device locations, and other data. The department acquired all these 0:07:47.960 --> 0:07:52.000 things by using a special Expenses fund line item in 0:07:52.040 --> 0:07:55.920 the budget. The NYPD could make use of those funds 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:59.680 without first seeking approval from any other New York officials. 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:02.040 So you can think of it kind of like a 0:08:02.080 --> 0:08:04.960 petty cash fund, except the amount of cash in it 0:08:05.000 --> 0:08:09.920 is definitely not petty, nor were the uses of that cash. 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:12.920 I should also add that after the city passed a 0:08:13.040 --> 0:08:17.520 law called the Public Oversight of Surveillance Technology Act last year, 0:08:17.960 --> 0:08:23.080 the NYPD shut down the special Expenses fund. Now, whatever 0:08:23.120 --> 0:08:26.000 your opinion is about police funding, I think it is 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:31.000 important to remember that these technologies tend to range from 0:08:31.120 --> 0:08:34.480 they they can be effective if they are used correctly, 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:37.800 but they are difficult to use correctly, and they go 0:08:37.960 --> 0:08:42.240 all the way to This technology is unproven and in 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:45.920 fact is known to be inaccurate. So even in a 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:50.520 best case scenario, this is an example of funds being 0:08:50.679 --> 0:08:54.319 poorly spent, and in a worst case scenario, it's an 0:08:54.320 --> 0:08:59.040 example of an organization of authority that is abusing that 0:08:59.120 --> 0:09:04.560 authority and using technology to enable further abuse of authority. 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:06.959 This ties back in with something that I said earlier 0:09:07.000 --> 0:09:09.920 this week that we have a tendency to lean on 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.520 technology in order to solve social problems, even if the 0:09:13.559 --> 0:09:18.319 tech is unproven or unsuitable for solving a social problem, 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:21.600 or we just don't fully understand the technology, and this, 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:25.600 I should point out, is a bad thing. Now, let 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:30.040 us return to the issue of Facebook and Australian media companies. 0:09:30.120 --> 0:09:33.280 You might remember that there was a big standoff between 0:09:33.280 --> 0:09:37.520 the Australian government and Facebook a while back, stemming from 0:09:37.520 --> 0:09:41.640 how Facebook offers uh previews of articles and other media 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:47.160 content without directing people to the sites that originate that content. 0:09:47.679 --> 0:09:50.320 Now this is important because those media companies, you know, 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:54.960 like news organizations and such, they depend upon advertising revenue, 0:09:54.960 --> 0:09:58.760 which depends upon traffic to that website. If people are 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:02.600 getting the content without actually visiting the site, then the 0:10:02.600 --> 0:10:06.760 company is not generating any ad revenue from that transaction, 0:10:06.800 --> 0:10:11.520 and ultimately you'll see these media companies and news organizations 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.840 struggle to remain solvent. They won't make enough money to 0:10:14.920 --> 0:10:18.360 stay in business. The Australian government issued a mandate the 0:10:18.400 --> 0:10:21.920 companies like Facebook and Google to work out deals with 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:26.520 Australian news outlets, which Facebook said it would do after 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:29.200 some back and forth, including moments in which Facebook implied 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:32.440 it would just plane shut down in Australia. Well, now 0:10:33.000 --> 0:10:36.319 Facebook is under fire again after three publishers in Australia 0:10:36.400 --> 0:10:41.079 alleged that Facebook included their content on their new news 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:46.120 service platform in Australia without first negotiating licensing deals for 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:49.800 that content, which you could argue would be in violation 0:10:49.840 --> 0:10:52.640 of this new law. Now, the companies say that the 0:10:52.760 --> 0:10:57.000 law might protect the larger publishing houses pretty well, but 0:10:57.160 --> 0:11:01.800 for smaller content creators it's a different story. So, according 0:11:01.840 --> 0:11:05.400 to these publishers. They approached Facebook in order to negotiate 0:11:05.520 --> 0:11:09.000 licensing deals for their content to be featured on this 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:13.360 news platform, and Facebook essentially dismissed them, saying, no, you 0:11:13.360 --> 0:11:16.880 guys are small potatoes. You're not suitable for our news 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:20.600 platform because you're not notable enough to be included on it, 0:11:20.679 --> 0:11:23.680 So we're not signing a deal with you. But then, 0:11:24.160 --> 0:11:28.560 according to these allegations, content from these publishers showed up 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:32.080 on that news platform anyway. So as I record this, 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:34.600 there's not a word as to whether the publishers are 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:37.840 going to pursue any sort of government intervention in response 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:40.480 to this problem, but they appear to at least be 0:11:40.559 --> 0:11:44.040 open to the idea. Complicating matters is only one of 0:11:44.080 --> 0:11:47.760 the three publishers, this one called Urban List, is actually 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:52.200 registered with the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which is 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.840 a prerequisite in order to be covered by this media law. 0:11:56.120 --> 0:12:00.120 The other two have not yet applied for registration with 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:03.600 that organization. Well, we've got a lot more news to cover, 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:06.440 but before I get into any of that, let's take 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:17.760 a quick break. Let's go back over to Facebook. And 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:20.520 you know, we were just with Facebook and Australia now 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:24.360 we're gonna go to Facebook and the u K because 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:29.319 over there, over the pond, the Competition and Markets Authority 0:12:29.600 --> 0:12:32.360 and agency and government agency in the UK has been 0:12:32.400 --> 0:12:37.400 investigating Facebook's acquisition of Giffee or if you prefer Jiffy. 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:41.920 I'm sure they pronounced a Jiffy. I still maintained that 0:12:42.200 --> 0:12:46.520 the correct pronunciation of you know, gift is gift. This 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:49.920 is the company that's famous for animated gifts. Actually most 0:12:49.960 --> 0:12:52.680 of those, in fact aren't animated gifts at all. They're 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:56.880 rather other formats, their short looping video clips that mimic 0:12:57.440 --> 0:12:59.920 an animated gift, but you know, that's beside the point. 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:05.760 And this this government group says that Facebook's acquisition presents 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:10.280 competition concerns. At least this is according to CNBC, where 0:13:10.559 --> 0:13:13.880 I read about this, and the complaints states that the 0:13:14.600 --> 0:13:19.120 this acquisition decreases competition in the digital advertising market, which 0:13:19.120 --> 0:13:21.760 is a market that has already dominated by goliaths like 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:25.640 Facebook and Google. And one of the concerns is that 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:31.200 Facebook will limit the use of Giffee gifts to Facebook 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:36.199 platforms like the actual Facebook social network and Instagram, but 0:13:36.240 --> 0:13:39.520 there are lots of other platforms that do use Giffee, 0:13:39.679 --> 0:13:42.400 and the concern is that Facebook could cut that that 0:13:42.520 --> 0:13:46.600 access off and thus that would be an anti competitive move. 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:51.160 The Government Office warns Facebook that it may require that 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:54.600 the company has to sell off Giffee, which would reverse 0:13:54.640 --> 0:13:58.520 a four million dollar deal. The Office has yet to 0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:01.560 file its full review, and under further investigation, it is 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:06.640 possible that all complaints could be dropped. Facebook naturally says 0:14:06.760 --> 0:14:11.000 that the Government offices concerns are completely off base and 0:14:11.080 --> 0:14:16.959 that the acquisition doesn't represent a decrease in competition. Now, 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:21.560 let's look at the world of anti virus software, because 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:24.720 that world is about to get a little smaller. Norton 0:14:24.800 --> 0:14:28.600 LifeLock is on track to merge with former competitor a 0:14:28.720 --> 0:14:32.160 Vast in a deal that's valued at eight billion dollars. 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:35.640 So Norton's experience with antivirus software dates back to nine. 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:40.720 A Vast was founded even earlier, back in nine and 0:14:40.800 --> 0:14:43.720 the plan is to merge these companies and combine the 0:14:43.760 --> 0:14:48.680 capabilities of the two and offer more robust solutions for cybersecurity, 0:14:48.960 --> 0:14:53.000 including additional ways to detect intrusions and protect privacy and 0:14:53.160 --> 0:14:56.960 disabled malware. And as we see a rise in innovative 0:14:56.960 --> 0:14:59.800 attacks like the supply chain attacks that we saw with 0:14:59.880 --> 0:15:03.840 the solar winds attacks, cybersecurity companies are rushing to keep 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:07.280 pace with the bad guys, and that's pretty much the 0:15:07.360 --> 0:15:10.000 normal day to day in the world of cybersecurity, because 0:15:10.000 --> 0:15:12.920 each side is constantly struggling to try and get ahead 0:15:12.920 --> 0:15:15.920 of the other. There's still a bunch of other anti 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:18.720 virus providers out there. There's like a v G and 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.960 McAfee and Kaspersky and lots more. And I recommend that 0:15:23.080 --> 0:15:25.800 you use anti virus, but I also recommend you research 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:29.920 anti virus software packages before you install one on your machine, 0:15:30.000 --> 0:15:33.720 because some packages contain a lot more bloat than others 0:15:33.840 --> 0:15:36.920 and will put a larger demand on your computer's resources, 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:40.440 which could mean that you see performance issues elsewhere. Also, 0:15:40.680 --> 0:15:43.960 be sure you don't already have anti virus software on 0:15:44.000 --> 0:15:47.000 your machine, because having more than one is a pretty 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.480 good way to make your computer run so slowly that 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:53.960 you can't do anything with it. A few news episodes back, 0:15:54.280 --> 0:15:58.200 I reported on how employees at Activision Blizzard brought forth 0:15:58.240 --> 0:16:03.080 allegations of sexual miscon harassment, hostile work environment, and more, 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:06.800 including a lawsuit against the company, and since then there's 0:16:06.840 --> 0:16:10.560 been an employee walk out that happened on July. There 0:16:10.560 --> 0:16:14.840 have been various calls online for game boycotts UH, and 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:17.880 also people who have said that unfortunately, those kinds of 0:16:17.880 --> 0:16:21.800 boycotts often cause more harm to lower level employees than 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:24.760 the leaders who allow these toxic environments to kind of 0:16:24.760 --> 0:16:28.480 take hold. There's also been responses from the company itself 0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:32.800 claiming that the allegations in the lawsuit were UH in 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:35.800 reference to a company of the past and not reflective 0:16:36.160 --> 0:16:40.640 of how Blizzard operates today. Well, now we've got some 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:45.400 more updates because three important staff members recently left the 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.640 studio than They include the former director of Diablo four, 0:16:49.760 --> 0:16:53.000 which is not yet released. That would be Luis Barriga. 0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:57.760 Also a designer who worked on Diablo four named Jesse McCree, 0:16:58.240 --> 0:17:02.680 and a World of Warcraft designer named Jonathan Lacraft. The 0:17:02.720 --> 0:17:06.040 company's statement is simply that these three are no longer 0:17:06.080 --> 0:17:09.679 working for the company, so there's no clarification there about 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:12.080 how their terms of employment came to an end. We 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:14.480 don't know if they were fired, or if they resigned 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:19.320 or what. Kotak, who previously published photos of Lacraft and 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:23.480 McCree in relation to what was called the Cosby Shrine, 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:27.520 which was a suite connected to a fan event called 0:17:27.520 --> 0:17:31.119 blizz Con back in two thousand thirteen, And obviously it 0:17:31.160 --> 0:17:36.200 was in reference to the comedian Bill Cosby, which, if 0:17:36.240 --> 0:17:38.400 you know anything about you know the story of Bill 0:17:38.440 --> 0:17:44.320 Cosby's legal troubles. That implication is beyond horrifying, because that 0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:46.800 line of logic means the group was at least on 0:17:46.840 --> 0:17:51.159 some level condoning the idea of harassing and abusing women. 0:17:51.680 --> 0:17:55.240 So it may well be that this is Blizzard trying 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:59.359 to clean house after insisting that its house was already clean. 0:17:59.840 --> 0:18:03.439 I don't know. I have no contacts within Blizzard, and 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:05.440 so I have no clue if these employees were actually 0:18:05.560 --> 0:18:07.919 terminated or if they left on their own accord and 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:10.960 chose to resign. Nor do I know what, if any 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:14.520 part they played in the alleged hostile work environment. But 0:18:14.640 --> 0:18:17.960 it appears that the fallout from that issue is continuing 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:22.720 back to tech and politics, which honestly I did not 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:25.520 anticipate being something I would have to cover so frequently 0:18:25.640 --> 0:18:28.399 in this show. But the US Senate has introduced a 0:18:28.400 --> 0:18:31.439 piece of legislation aimed at taking some power away from 0:18:31.480 --> 0:18:35.800 platforms like Google and Apple app stores. This comes out 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:39.720 of the Antitrust Committee in the Senate, which is a 0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:44.040 body that is dedicated to fighting anti competitive and monopolistic practices, 0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:47.160 and among the provisions in the legislation is a bit 0:18:47.200 --> 0:18:49.920 that says platforms should not be able to force app 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:54.399 developers to use a platform provided payment system and that 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:57.400 app developers should be able to use their own systems instead. 0:18:57.720 --> 0:19:02.320 So currently, companies like Apple and Google require apps that 0:19:02.400 --> 0:19:06.639 are available within their respective stores to conform to the 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:11.160 platform payment systems, and the platforms take a cut, typically 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:15.679 around thirty for all in app purchases, assuming the purchase 0:19:15.800 --> 0:19:19.760 isn't for some real world item or service. So for example, 0:19:20.320 --> 0:19:22.480 if I were playing a game and I wanted to 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:26.000 make an in app purchase for game items within that game, 0:19:26.160 --> 0:19:29.240 then because I use Android, Google would take a thirty 0:19:29.280 --> 0:19:33.399 percent cut of that transaction. But if I use an 0:19:33.440 --> 0:19:37.360 app to order a pizza or use a ride hailing 0:19:37.359 --> 0:19:40.520 app like Uber or lift Google Google would not take 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:43.119 a cut of that. It would be it's under a 0:19:43.119 --> 0:19:46.320 different set of rules. Anyway, This provision would allow pretty 0:19:46.359 --> 0:19:49.000 much everyone to use their own payment systems in lieu 0:19:49.200 --> 0:19:52.480 of you know, the official platform one and Another element 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:55.159 of the bill would actually be specific to Apple. It 0:19:55.200 --> 0:19:59.560 would force Apple to allow users to sideload apps onto 0:19:59.640 --> 0:20:03.280 their owns, which means they would be able to bypass 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.639 the Apple Store entirely. They could load in apps that 0:20:06.760 --> 0:20:09.879 Apple did not allow in the App store. Now, Apple 0:20:09.960 --> 0:20:13.880 maintains that it's policy of only allowing users to download 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:18.320 apps from the official Apple App Store protects the users 0:20:18.600 --> 0:20:22.440 because each app has to pass approval before being allowed 0:20:22.520 --> 0:20:25.960 in the store. This, according to Apple, cuts back on 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:30.199 malware and other issues, although those things still seem to 0:20:30.200 --> 0:20:33.920 creep through on occasion just but I would argue probably 0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:36.760 not nearly to the level that they would if that 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:39.399 if that system weren't in place. But that's kind of 0:20:39.440 --> 0:20:42.800 Apple's policy. However, it also means that Apple is the 0:20:42.880 --> 0:20:46.800 sole arbiter of which apps iPhone users are allowed to 0:20:46.880 --> 0:20:50.200 load onto their phones, assuming those users haven't gone through 0:20:50.240 --> 0:20:53.359 the trouble of jail breaking their phones, which is a 0:20:53.400 --> 0:20:57.240 whole other thing. And we'll have to see how this progresses, 0:20:57.720 --> 0:21:00.719 because we're still a long way from this legislation actually 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:03.879 becoming law. This is still in the formation stages. I 0:21:03.920 --> 0:21:06.359 suspect we're going to see a lot of changes to 0:21:06.440 --> 0:21:10.159 the language of that legislation introduced as Google and Apple 0:21:10.400 --> 0:21:14.359 way in through various lobbying efforts. We have a couple 0:21:14.400 --> 0:21:17.160 more stories, but before I get to that, let's take 0:21:17.200 --> 0:21:27.240 another quick break. Before the break, I was talking about Apple. 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:29.280 It's time to talk about Apple a little bit more. 0:21:29.840 --> 0:21:34.080 The company's image scanning technology has recently come under fire 0:21:34.160 --> 0:21:37.760 from the Electronic Freedom Foundation or e ff SO. This 0:21:37.840 --> 0:21:42.040 technology scans images sent through eye message in an effort 0:21:42.080 --> 0:21:46.280 to detect and thus report on child exploitation and abuse. 0:21:46.800 --> 0:21:52.040 In other words, like this background technology is scanning stuff 0:21:52.080 --> 0:21:55.440 that otherwise is being sent privately between individuals to make 0:21:55.480 --> 0:21:58.320 sure that it's not in violation of this that it 0:21:58.480 --> 0:22:03.200 doesn't depict child abuse or exploitation. The e f F 0:22:03.359 --> 0:22:06.840 maintains that, you know, fighting those things as noble right. 0:22:07.000 --> 0:22:10.959 We want to protect children. However, the method that Apple 0:22:11.119 --> 0:22:16.359 is using is also open for abuse, namely that you know, 0:22:16.400 --> 0:22:20.560 Apple has now created a method to intercept and analyze 0:22:20.600 --> 0:22:23.960 material sent through eye message, and that's meant to be 0:22:24.160 --> 0:22:28.600 an end to end encryption communications channel that should provide 0:22:28.640 --> 0:22:32.520 secure and private communications between two people. That means that 0:22:32.680 --> 0:22:36.600 the whole secure thing there and private thing all that 0:22:36.640 --> 0:22:39.120 gets thrown out the window if you have a system 0:22:39.240 --> 0:22:43.320 that's actually analyzing the material being sent back and forth. Now, 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:46.960 the e f F points out that governments, including the 0:22:47.080 --> 0:22:51.399 United States government, have frequently sought ways to get around 0:22:51.600 --> 0:22:57.040 encrypted communications channels, up to and including demanding that companies 0:22:57.720 --> 0:23:03.119 include a backdoor access so that they these various government 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:06.919 agencies can actually see what's being sent back and forth. 0:23:07.080 --> 0:23:12.399 Companies like Apple traditionally have really resisted that, and this 0:23:12.520 --> 0:23:16.720 approach of creating these ways to get around encryption invariably 0:23:17.200 --> 0:23:20.359 creates a surveillance state that can grant more power to 0:23:20.600 --> 0:23:25.639 authoritarian leaders that they can then abuse, and the victims 0:23:25.680 --> 0:23:30.360 then are the citizens and others related to that government. 0:23:31.080 --> 0:23:34.720 This is one of those situations that's actually really really 0:23:34.800 --> 0:23:37.480 hard for me to grapple with because on the one hand, 0:23:37.520 --> 0:23:40.240 I absolutely want there to be more systems in place 0:23:40.280 --> 0:23:44.119 to protect children. I really want that. But on the 0:23:44.160 --> 0:23:49.080 other hand, I don't want that pursuit to then enable 0:23:49.200 --> 0:23:53.800 systems that could harm entire populations through misuse, where the 0:23:53.960 --> 0:23:57.639 cure ends up having its own kind of disease that 0:23:57.720 --> 0:24:00.880 affects society. I won't say it's ears than the disease, 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:02.760 because it's hard for me to think of things that 0:24:02.800 --> 0:24:06.840 are worse than child abuse, but it could be another 0:24:07.119 --> 0:24:10.679 bad consequence of that solution, and the e f F 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:14.280 warns that various governments and regimes around the world already 0:24:14.440 --> 0:24:18.200 are standing up to take advantage of Apple's decision and 0:24:18.280 --> 0:24:20.919 find ways to turn it to their own purposes for 0:24:21.000 --> 0:24:24.159 the you know, the aim of surveillance, and the e 0:24:24.320 --> 0:24:28.920 f F is adamant that Apple's choice ultimately weakens security 0:24:28.920 --> 0:24:33.000 and privacy, even if the intention behind the decision was 0:24:33.040 --> 0:24:36.440 a good one. This just points out that the world 0:24:36.520 --> 0:24:42.640 is an incredibly complicated place, and again, while technology can 0:24:42.680 --> 0:24:47.280 provide some tools for us to do things, sometimes the 0:24:47.359 --> 0:24:52.439 consequences of using those tools creates problems that are you know, 0:24:53.000 --> 0:24:54.960 as difficult as the one you were trying to solve 0:24:54.960 --> 0:24:57.359 in the first place. I think this might be the 0:24:57.440 --> 0:25:00.199 case here, and it really pains me to say that, 0:25:00.400 --> 0:25:02.480 because again, I want there to be systems in place 0:25:02.520 --> 0:25:06.840 to protect kids. But yeah, I don't know what the 0:25:06.920 --> 0:25:11.840 right answer is to this one either. I wish I did. Finally, 0:25:12.200 --> 0:25:16.160 and honestly, I apologize for not making this the top 0:25:16.280 --> 0:25:21.320 story for today. Twitter, Hold onto your Butts is rolling 0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:25.359 out a change in the font it uses to display messages. Yes, 0:25:25.960 --> 0:25:30.000 you heard me correctly. Twitter is creating and rolling out 0:25:30.080 --> 0:25:33.879 a new font called chirp into its apps and on 0:25:33.920 --> 0:25:37.320 the web based feeds. Now. The rollout is in stages, 0:25:37.480 --> 0:25:39.600 so you may or may not be able to see 0:25:39.600 --> 0:25:43.320 it right now. According to Twitter's blog, the font quote 0:25:43.560 --> 0:25:47.280 strikes the balance between messy and sharp to amplify the 0:25:47.320 --> 0:25:50.560 fund and irreverence of a tweet, but can also carry 0:25:50.560 --> 0:25:55.159 the weight of seriousness when needed. End quote. Which, you know, 0:25:55.440 --> 0:25:58.159 that's a huge relief to me, because I'm glad that 0:25:58.200 --> 0:26:01.119 my dumb dad joke tweets can joy a boost of 0:26:01.200 --> 0:26:05.000 jocularity from this font, while at the same time, those 0:26:05.000 --> 0:26:08.080 people who are using Twitter to you know, advance real 0:26:08.119 --> 0:26:13.400 world important social movements, or, if you prefer, those who 0:26:13.440 --> 0:26:17.640