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Vulnerabilities and Exploits
Censorship Digital Communication Instagram Meta Social Media Turkey Vulnerabilities and Exploits

Why Did Turkey Suddenly Ban Instagram? The Shocking Reason Revealed


 

On Friday, Turkey's Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) unexpectedly blocked Instagram access across the country. The ICTA, responsible for overseeing internet regulations, did not provide any specific reason for the ban. However, according to reports from Yeni Safak, a newspaper supportive of the government, the ban was likely a response to Instagram removing posts by Turkish users that expressed condolences for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's death.

Many Turkish users faced difficulties accessing Instagram following the ban. Fahrettin Altun, the communications director for the Turkish presidency, publicly condemned Instagram, accusing it of censoring messages of sympathy for Haniyeh, whom he called a martyr. This incident has sparked significant controversy within Turkey.

Haniyeh’s Death and Its Aftermath

Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas and a close associate of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was killed in an attack in Tehran on Wednesday, an act allegedly carried out by Israel. His death prompted widespread reactions in Turkey, with many taking to social media to express their condolences and solidarity, leading to the conflict with Instagram.

A History of Social Media Restrictions in Turkey

This is not the first instance of social media restrictions in Turkey. The country, with a population of 85 million, includes over 50 million Instagram users, making such bans highly impactful. From April 2017 to January 2020, Turkey blocked access to Wikipedia due to articles that linked the Turkish government to extremism, tellingly limiting the flow of information.

This recent action against Instagram is part of a broader pattern of conflicts between the Turkish government and social media companies. In April, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, had to suspend its Threads network in Turkey after authorities blocked its information sharing with Instagram. This surfaces ongoing tensions between Turkey and major social media firms.

The blockage of Instagram illustrates the persistent struggle between the Turkish government and social media platforms over content regulation and freedom of expression. These restrictions pose crucial challenges to the dissemination of information and public discourse, affecting millions who rely on these platforms for news and communication. 

Turkey's decision to block Instagram is a testament to the complex dynamics between the government and digital platforms. As the situation pertains, it will be essential to observe the responses from both Turkish authorities and the affected social media companies to grasp the broader implications for digital communication and freedom of speech in Turkey.


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Thierry Breton
Data Privacy digital competition rules Digital Markets Act European Union Facebook Instagram Meta Platforms online gatekeepers personalized ads regulatory scrutiny Technology Thierry Breton

EU Claims Meta’s Paid Ad-Free Option Violates Digital Competition Rules

 

European Union regulators have accused Meta Platforms of violating the bloc’s new digital competition rules by compelling Facebook and Instagram users to either view ads or pay to avoid them. This move comes as part of Meta’s strategy to comply with Europe's stringent data privacy regulations.

Starting in November, Meta began offering European users the option to pay at least 10 euros ($10.75) per month for ad-free versions of Facebook and Instagram. This was in response to a ruling by the EU’s top court, which mandated that Meta must obtain user consent before displaying targeted ads, a decision that jeopardized Meta’s business model of personalized advertising.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, stated that preliminary findings from its investigation indicate that Meta’s “pay or consent” model breaches the Digital Markets Act (DMA) of the 27-nation bloc. According to the commission, Meta’s approach fails to provide users the right to “freely consent” to the use of their personal data across its various services for personalized ads.

The commission also criticized Meta for not offering a less personalized service that is equivalent to its social networks. Meta responded by stating that their subscription model for no ads aligns with the direction of the highest court in Europe and complies with the DMA. The company expressed its intent to engage in constructive dialogue with the European Commission to resolve the investigation.

The investigation was launched soon after the DMA took effect in March, aiming to prevent tech “gatekeepers” from dominating digital markets through heavy financial penalties. One of the DMA's objectives is to reduce the power of Big Tech firms that have amassed vast amounts of personal data, giving them an advantage over competitors in online advertising and social media services. The commission suggested that Meta should offer an option that doesn’t rely on extensive personal data sharing for advertising purposes.

European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who oversees the bloc’s digital policy, emphasized that the DMA aims to empower users to decide how their data is used and to ensure that innovative companies can compete fairly with tech giants regarding data access.

Meta now has the opportunity to respond to the commission’s findings, with the investigation due to conclude by March 2025. The company could face fines of up to 10% of its annual global revenue, potentially amounting to billions of euros. Under the DMA, Meta is classified as one of seven online gatekeepers, with Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and its online ad business listed among two dozen “core platform services” that require the highest level of regulatory scrutiny.

This accusation against Meta is part of a series of regulatory actions by Brussels against major tech companies. Recently, the EU charged Apple with preventing app makers from directing users to cheaper options outside its App Store and accused Microsoft of violating antitrust laws by bundling its Teams app with its Office software.


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Meta
Data Breach Facebook GDPR Instagram Llama 3 Meta

Meta to Train AI with Public Facebook and Instagram Posts

 


 

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, is set to begin using public posts from European users to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems starting June 26. This decision has sparked discussions about privacy and GDPR compliance.

Utilising Public Data for AI

European users of Facebook and Instagram have recently been notified that their public posts could be used to help develop Meta's AI technologies. The information that might be utilised includes posts, photos, captions, and messages sent to an AI, but private messages are excluded. Meta has emphasised that only public data from user profiles will be used, and data from users under 18 will not be included.

GDPR Compliance and Legitimate Interest

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), companies can process personal data if they demonstrate a legitimate interest. Meta argues that improving AI systems constitutes such an interest. Despite this, users have the right to opt out of having their data used for this purpose by submitting a form through Facebook or Instagram, although these forms are currently unavailable.

Even if users opt out, their data may still be used if they are featured in another user's public posts or images. Meta has provided a four-week notice period before collecting data to comply with privacy regulations.

Regulatory Concerns and Delays

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) intervened following Meta's announcement, resulting in a temporary delay. The DPC requested clarifications from Meta, which the company has addressed. Meta assured that only public data from EU users would be utilized and confirmed that data from minors would not be included.

Meta’s AI Development Efforts

Meta is heavily investing in AI research and development. The company’s latest large language model, Llama 3, released in April, powers its Meta AI assistant, though it is not yet available in Europe. Meta has previously used public posts to train its AI assistant but did not include this data in training the Llama 2 model.

In addition to developing AI software, Meta is also working on the hardware needed for AI operations, introducing custom-made chips last month.

Meta's initiative to use public posts for AI training highlights the ongoing balance between innovation and privacy. While an opt-out option is provided, its current unavailability and the potential use of data from non-consenting users underscore the complexities of data privacy.

European users should remain informed about their rights under GDPR and utilize the opt-out process when available. Despite some limitations, Meta's efforts to notify users and offer an opt-out reflect a step towards balancing technological advancement with privacy concerns.

This development represents a striking move in Meta's AI journey and accentuates the critical role of transparency and regulatory oversight in handling personal data responsibly.


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Social Media
Cyber Criminal Cyberattacks CyberCrime Cybersecurity Cyberthreats Instagram Mobile Security Passwords Social Media

Heightened Hacking Activity Prompts Social Media Security Warning

 


Having social media software for managing users' privacy settings, and security settings, and keeping track of recent news and marketing opportunities can provide a great way to keep in touch with family, and friends, and stay updated on recent news. However, it is important to abide by these settings to keep information safe. 

When social media is used improperly, it can introduce several risks to a person's personal information, as online criminals are devising new and in-depth methods for exploiting vulnerabilities more frequently than ever before. There are many things users need to know about keeping their Facebook, X and Instagram accounts secure - from finding out how accounts are hacked, to recovering accounts. 

When fraudsters gain access to the details of the users' accounts, they can take advantage of their contacts, sell their information on the dark web, and steal the identity of the users. According to reports by Action Fraud, some victims of email and social media hacking have been forced into extortion by criminals who have stolen their private photos and videos and used them to extort them. 9 out of 10 of the people who participated in the survey (89%) stated that they knew or were aware of people whose profiles had been compromised, and 28% said they knew at least five to ten people who had been hacked. 

The survey found that 15 per cent of the respondents knew someone who was hacked on social media more than ten times. With 76% of respondents indicating they have increased concerns within the last year compared to the previous year, it appears that the fears are growing. What scammers do to hack accounts Online users' accounts can be accessed in a variety of ways by fraudsters to gain access to their money. 

The hacked account user may be wondering how they managed to gain access to one of their accounts if they discover that one of theirs has been hacked. There are times when hackers gain access to a system which carries highly confidential data about a person and causes the system to be breached. This information is then used by fraudsters to gain access to accounts that have been compromised. 

Phishing attacks are designed to entice users into divulging their details by impersonating legitimate companies and containing links that lead them to malicious websites that can harvest their data. As a result, users may end up downloading malicious code to the devices they use to steal their information once they enter the information on the website. 

A chain hack which takes place on a social media platform involves a fraudster posting links to dubious websites in the comment section of a post. After the victim clicks on the link, the fraudster will then ask them to enter their social media account details. This will allow the fraudster access to the victim's account information. It has been reported that fraudsters are known to send messages to victims impersonating one of their contacts in an attempt to get them to share their two-factor authentication code with them. 

Hackers who use credentials they have previously been successful in obtaining access to other accounts belonging to a particular person are known as credential stuffers. When a scammer watches a user log into an account while an account is being used, they are shoulder surfing the user. It is possible to download a malicious app to the users' phones, which will, in turn, install malware onto their devices, enabling the fraudster to steal the username and password for their account and use it to steal users' money. 

When users' accounts have been hacked, take precautions to avoid recovery scammers contacting them on social media and saying they can retrieve their accounts for them if only they would follow their instructions. This is just another scam that they cannot fall victim to, and they would not be able to do this. 

Find out who to contact to get help with a hacked account by going to the help page of the account provider. All devices must be logged out of the users' accounts as well as their passwords must be changed on all devices. Please examine to ascertain the presence of any newly instituted protocols or configurations within users' email accounts, which may have been established without their explicit authorization. 

These modifications could potentially dictate the redirection of emails about their accounts. It is incumbent upon users to promptly notify their contacts of a potential security breach and advise them to exercise caution, as any received messages may not be legitimately sent by them.
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US Senate
Facebook Instagram Meta Privacy US Senate

Mark Zuckerberg Apologizes to Families in Fiery US Senate Hearing

Mark Zuckerberg Apologizes to Families in Fiery US Senate Hearing

In a recent US Senate hearing, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), faced intense scrutiny over the impact of social media platforms on children. Families who claimed their children had been harmed by online content were present, and emotions ran high throughout the proceedings.

The Apology and Its Context

Zuckerberg's apology came after families shared heartbreaking stories of self-harm and suicide related to social media content. The hearing focused on protecting children online, and it provided a rare opportunity for US senators to question tech executives directly. Other CEOs, including those from TikTok, Snap, X (formerly Twitter), and Discord, were also in the hot seat.

The central theme was clear: How can we ensure the safety and well-being of young users in the digital age? The families' pain and frustration underscored the urgency of this question.

The Instagram Prompt and Child Sexual Abuse Material

One important topic during the hearing was an Instagram prompt related to child sexual abuse material. Zuckerberg acknowledged that the prompt was a mistake and expressed regret. The prompt mistakenly directed users to search for explicit content when they typed certain keywords. This incident raised concerns about the effectiveness of content moderation algorithms and the need for continuous improvement.

Zuckerberg defended the importance of free expression but also recognized the responsibility that comes with it. He emphasized the need to strike a balance between allowing diverse viewpoints and preventing harm. The challenge lies in identifying harmful content without stifling legitimate discourse.

Directing Users Toward Helpful Resources

During his testimony, Zuckerberg highlighted efforts to guide users toward helpful resources. When someone searches for self-harm-related content, Instagram now directs them to resources that promote mental health and well-being. While imperfect, this approach reflects a commitment to mitigating harm.

The Role of Parents and Educators

Zuckerberg encouraged parents to engage with their children about online safety and set boundaries. He acknowledged that technology companies cannot solve these issues alone; collaboration with schools and communities is essential.

Mark Zuckerberg's apology was a significant moment, but it cannot be the end. Protecting children online requires collective action from tech companies, policymakers, parents, and educators. We must continue to address the challenges posed by social media while fostering a healthy digital environment for the next generation.

As the hearing concluded, the families' pain remained palpable. Their stories serve as a stark reminder that behind every statistic and algorithm lies a real person—a child seeking connection, validation, and safety. 

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Technology
Cyberattacks CyberCrime Facebook Instagram Messenger Meta Subscription Model Technology

Meta Extends Ad-Free Facebook and Instagram Premium Access Worldwide



With the introduction of its ad-free subscription service, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, offers European users the chance to enjoy their favourite social platforms without being bombarded with advertisements. The recent ruling of the EU's Court of Justice ordered Meta to obtain the consent of users before personalizing any ads for those users in response to a recent ruling issued by the Court of Justice of the EU. With this move, Meta is showing that it is complying with the regulatory framework that is changing in the European Union. 

According to the announcement, users in these regions will have the opportunity to choose between continuing to use the platforms for free ad-support or signing up for a free ad-free subscription experience in November. There is no possibility that the user information will be used for targeting adverts during the subscription period. 

Facebook and Instagram users in the European Union are soon going to be able to enjoy an ad-free experience but at a cost. Starting in November of this year, we will be able to opt into the new, premium service offered by Meta, which is the company’s parent company that owns the platforms. Meta is the company behind the platforms that operates the platforms and is the parent company of Meta. 

Regarding pricing, 18-and-up users will be asked to pay €9.99 per month (roughly $10.55 per month) if they want to access sites without advertisements through a web browser, and €12.99 for users who want to access websites through streamlined iOS and Android apps. Facebook users will not be shown ads on Facebook or Instagram after enrolling in the program, and their data and online activities will not be used to tailor future ads based on their browsing activity. 

Every additional account added to a user's Account Center in the future will be charged an additional fee of €6 per month for the web and €8 per month for iOS and Android devices beginning on March 1, 2024, by way of an increase of fees every month.

Historically, Meta has operated solely by offering free social networking services to its users, and by selling advertising to companies who wish to reach those users. As a result of data privacy laws and other government policies that are affecting technology companies, especially in Europe, it illustrate the fact that companies have been redesigning their products to comply with those policies. 

It is estimated that more than 450 million Europeans, across 27 countries, use Amazon, Apple, Google, TikTok and other companies to comply with new rules in the European Union. The number of people using Facebook each month is estimated to be 258 million, according to Meta's estimates. According to Meta's estimate, 257 million people use Instagram every month as well. 

For iOS and Android, it is important to note that the prices are adjusted based on the fees imposed by Apple and Google by their respective purchasing policies. The subscription will be valid until March 1, 2024, for all linked accounts within the Account Center of a user for six months. A monthly fee of €6 will, however, be charged starting March 1, 2024, for each additional account listed in a user's Account Center, starting on the web and €8 for iOS and Android. 

Meta was effectively barred from combining data collected from users across its various platforms - including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp - as well as from outside websites and apps in July, by the European Court of Justice, the highest court in the European Union, to protect the privacy of users. The E.U. regulators issued the fine in January for forcing Meta users to accept personalized ads as a requirement of using Facebook in a condition of fines of three billion euros. That decision was issued in response to a violation of privacy regulations. This may be a solution to comply in full with the judgment provided that we offer a subscription service without displaying adverts to our subscribers in Europe, Meta said in response to the European Court of Justice's judgement of July. 

A subscription can allow users to access the platforms without being exposed to the advertising that is displayed to their subscribers. There has been no paid and ad-free subscription for services like Facebook and Instagram since Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg were formed in the early days of the company. As far as they are concerned, they have always believed that they can only offer their services for free, provided that advertisements accompany them. 

However, Meta is now offering a way for Instagram and Facebook users to subscribe to both services through one simple option. Due to pressure from the European Union, the move was made after the move was put forward, and therefore, the option is only available to customers in the European Union. 

This means that Instagram users in India will remain exposed to ads no matter whether they choose them or not, and will still see them on their feeds. In any case, if Instagram subscription plans prove to be popular in the European Union and Meta sees value in them, it might be possible for similar Instagram subscription plans to be introduced to India in the future.

It does seem quite a steep subscription price - even more so if users look at the figures in Indian rupees which would be Rs 880-Rs 1150 - but given that it allows users to enjoy Instagram and Facebook in ad-free settings, it is tempting. As well as this promise, Meta also promises that users of their paid plans will not be able to use their personal information for targeted marketing purposes. 

A short time ago Mark Zuckerberg said in an interview that Facebook wants their users to have free access to their service and added ads to it so that users and the company benefit from the process. This is one of the things that has been talked about again and again by Facebook and their CEO.

There will be no change to the ad-supported experience that Facebook and Instagram currently provide to users who choose to continue using the service for free. In Meta, users will be able to control their ad preferences and the ads shown to them as well as the data used for ad targeting by using tools and settings that will enable them to influence what ads they see and what data is used.

It is important to note that advertisers will continue to be able to target users who have opted for free, ad-supported online services in Europe, so they will still be able to conduct personalised advertising campaigns. To preserve both user and business value on its platforms, Meta commits to investing in new tools that offer enhanced controls over ad experiences on its platforms, so it can preserve value for both.

Meta is actively exploring options to provide teenagers with a responsible ad experience in line with the evolving regulatory landscape so that they will be able to explore advertising in a safe environment. Users over 18 will have the option of becoming subscribers for an ad-free experience, and Meta is actively exploring options to support teenagers in this area.
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Software
Android Apple Cyber Security Encryption Instagram iOS Kaspersky New York Software

Analyzing Android and iOS Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

In the ever-evolving landscape of mobile technology, the debate surrounding the security of Android and iOS operating systems continues to captivate the tech community. With cyberattacks becoming increasingly sophisticated, understanding which platform, Android or iOS, is more vulnerable to such threats is a crucial concern for users worldwide.

Making considerable progress in strengthening their security mechanisms over time, both Android and iOS have been shown by a thorough investigation conducted by MakeUseOf. There is a report indicating that Android has a higher attack surface because it is an open-source operating system. This feature may increase its vulnerability to virus assaults and unapproved software installations. Reiterating that Android's open ecosystem can draw the attention of more cybercriminals, top cybersecurity firm Kaspersky supports this idea.

As the Kaspersky information center discusses, iOS, on the other hand, has a strict app review procedure that makes it more difficult for malicious apps to enter the App Store. This thorough screening process helps to create the impression that iOS is a more secure platform by serving as a barrier against potentially dangerous software.

Recent remarks made by well-known businesspeople stoke the controversy even further. According to YourStory, the head of Instagram said that Android had better security than iOS. He cited the flexible security features and strong encryption methods of Android as factors that have improved its security profile. But considering Android's greater user base, it's also crucial to recognize that this viewpoint might be influenced by business reasons.

The Wirecutter of the New York Times highlights in its thorough analysis how crucial frequent updates are to maintaining security. iOS has an advantage here since Apple's closed environment allows it to quickly release updates to its devices. Since multiple manufacturers and carriers are involved in the update process for Android, iOS is able to quickly address security flaws, giving it an advantage over Android.

In terms of cyberattack susceptibility, there is no clear winner between Android and iOS. The security features and vulnerabilities of each operating system are distinct. While iOS's closed environment gives tighter control and faster updates, Android's openness lets it be more flexible but also attracts more dangers. Selecting a platform requires users to take into account their usage habits, preferences, and risk tolerance. Both Android and iOS will probably keep improving their security features as cyber threats continue to change in order to dominate the digital security space.


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Twitter
Adam Mosseri Elon Musk Facebook Instagram Meta Social Media Apps Technology text-based conversation app Threads Twitter

Will Threads be a 'Threat' to Twitter?


About Threads

Meta, Instagram’s parent company launched Threads, which will be a text-based conversation app, rivaling Twitter.

Threads, released on Wednesday evening, a day before its scheduled release, allows users to join up directly from their Instagram accounts; it is a platform that allows users to publish short posts or updates that are up to 500 characters. They can include links, photos, or videos up to 5 minutes long.

More than 2 billion monthly active users will be able to import their accounts into Threads once it is made available to everyone.

Threads now have 70 million signups, according to a Friday morning post by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and that number is certain to rise over the next few days. (In comparison, Instagram has 1.3 billion users that log on every day. Twitter has 259 million daily active users at the end of 2022. 13 million accounts in total are on Mastodon.)

A Threat to Twitter

Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, claimed that under Musk, Twitter's "volatility" and "unpredictability" gave Instagram the chance to compete. According to Mosseri in an interview, Threads is made for "public conversations," which is an obvious reference to how Twitter executives have described the service's function throughout the years.

In regards to its threads’ competitor space, Mosseri says “Obviously, Twitter pioneered the space[…]And there are a lot of good offerings out there for public conversations. But just given everything that was going on, we thought there was an opportunity to build something that was open and something that was good for the community that was already using Instagram.”

For some time now, Meta has been getting ready to introduce Threads, which it calls a "sanely run" substitute for Twitter. The response to Musk's recent limitation on how many tweets people may watch per day, according to internal business documents I've seen, served as the impetus for this week's app release. Furthermore, they assert that Meta expects "tens of millions" of users to use Threads within the first few months of its release.

As described by Mosseri, Thread is a “risky endeavor,” especially considering that it's a brand-new program that users must download. After receiving access to Threads earlier, users were able to rapidly fill out account information and follow lists by having Meta automatically pull information from my Instagram account.

In many important aspects, Threads is surprisingly similar to Twitter. Posts (or, as Mosseri refers to them, "threads") from accounts you follow are displayed in the app's main feed along with accounts that Instagram's algorithm has recommended. Reposting something allows you to add users’ opinions, and main feed answers are clearly shown. Though it might be added later, there is no feed that solely contains the people you follow.

Since Twitter has been around for a while and has amassed a distinctive network, it presents another element that Threads must deal with. It is evident from Meta's behavior that, despite Musk's theatrics over the previous few months, unseating Twitter would not be easy. It would be a mistake, in Mosseri's opinion, to "undervalue Twitter and Elon." The community on Twitter is tremendously powerful and vibrant, and it has a long history. The network effects are very powerful.

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Twitter
Blue Tick Facebook Instagram Mark Zuckerberg Meta Meta Verified Technology Twitter

Meta Verified: New Paid Verification Service Launched for Instagram and Facebook


Instagram and Facebook’s parent company Meta has recently announced that users will now have to pay in order to acquire a blue tick verification for their user IDs. 

Meta Verified will be costing $11.99 a month on the web, while $14.99 for iPhone users, and will be made available to users in Australia and New Zealand starting this week. 

According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, this act will aid to the security and authenticity on social networking sites and apps. This move comes right after Twitter announced its premium Twitter Blue subscription to its users, which was implemented from November 2022. 

Although Meta’s paid subscription is not yet made available for businesses, interested individuals can subscribe and pay for verification. 

All You Need to Know About the “Blue Ticks” 

Badges or “blue ticks” are offered as a verification tool to users who are high-profiled or signify their authenticity. According to a post on Meta's website: 

  • The subscription would grant paying users a blue badge, more visibility for their postings, protection from impersonators, and simpler access to customer service. 
  • This change would not affect accounts that have already been verified, but it will make some smaller users who utilize the paid function to become certified more visible.
  • According to Meta, users' Facebook and Instagram usernames must match those on a government-issued ID document in order to receive verification, and they must have a profile picture with their face in it. 

Many other platforms such as Reddit, YouTube and Discord possess similar subscription-based models. 

Although Mr. Zuckerberg stated in a post that it would happen "soon," Meta has not yet defined when the feature will be made available in other nations. 

"As part of this vision, we are evolving the meaning of the verified badge so we can expand access to verification and more people can trust the accounts they interact with are authentic," Meta's press release read. 

This announcement of Meta charging for verification was made following the loss faced by the company of more than $600 billion in market value last year. 

For the last three quarters in a row, the company has recorded year-over-year revenue declines, but the most recent report might indicate that circumstances are starting to change. 

This act will eventually aid Meta to meet its goal, which was to focus on “efficiency” to recover, since the company’s sudden fall in revenue made it to cut costs by laying off 13% of its workforce (11,000 employees) in November and consolidated office buildings.  

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Voyager
Data Breach Facebook Instagram Microsoft Social Media Voyager

Mass Data Scraping Lawsuit Filed by Meta

 


As part of a lawsuit filed against the digital surveillance firm Voyager Labs, Meta claims that the company created 38,000 fake, unauthorized accounts to collect 600,000 Facebook users' personal information. 

A federal lawsuit filed by Microsoft has asked a California court for Voyager to be banned from Facebook and Instagram, claiming that the company scraped the “viewable profile information” of Facebook and Instagram users. They claim the company scraped posts, likes, friend lists, photos, and comments from Facebook and Instagram users. It has been reported that Facebook groups and pages were allegedly tapped for data. 

After the company approached companies interested in monitoring social media without being detected, Voyager sold the company's tool to the highest bidder, according to Gizmodo. 

In addition, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Telegram accounts were created to scrape data. So far, Meta, the company that owns Facebook, is the only social media firm that has taken legal action against Voyager. 

The company wrote in a blog post about the legal filing. It said that Voyager had violated Facebook's terms of service regarding fake accounts and automated scraping and automating of user accounts. To hide its activity, Voyager used a network of computers and networks spread across many different countries to scrape user data, Meta further explained. 

A free trial of Voyager's software was used by the Los Angeles Police Department in 2019, according to The Guardian in 2021. 

Following a pitch from the company, they purchased it as a surveillance tool to monitor thousands of online friends of potential suspects.  

It has been reported in the Guardian that LAPD was told that through this tool, officers would be able to "predict" crimes before they occur and communicate with potential victims.  

PCMag's request for comment from Voyager was not immediately answered. The Supreme Court allowed Meta earlier this week to pursue a lawsuit against Israeli spyware company NSO Group, which had gained access to WhatsApp servers "unlawfully" when installing spyware on users' devices through their WhatsApp accounts. 

Last month, Meta accepted a one-year settlement from a class-action lawsuit in which the plaintiffs accused Meta of sharing personal data about their users without their consent, a move that did not end well for Meta. The lawsuit alleges the company shared users' data without their consent with third parties.  

A lawsuit filed by Facebook in 2018 was filed after it was revealed that the company had shared up to 87 million Facebook users' Personal Information with a British consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica.
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Phishing Campaign
Cyber Attacks Cypto Flipper Zero Instagram Phishing Campaign

Phishing Campaign Uses Flipper Zero to Steal Crypto and Sensitive Data Worldwide


What is the Flipper Zero campaign?

Experts have found a new phishing campaign that targets cybersecurity professionals and hacking enthusiasts. The campaign steals cryptocurrency and the personal information of victims. 

Flipper Zero is behind the attack, it's a portable multi-tool for pentesters, cybersecurity experts, and hackers. The tool is used to find any type of access control system, radio protocols or RFID, NFC, Bluetooth, etc. 

The tool began as a big-hit Kickstarter project but met with various obstacles. Result? Demand weighed more than supply- giving a big opportunity to cybercriminals. Today, experts are noticing various fake online stores that sell Flipper Zero and fake Twitter profiles promoting the stores. One such account uses typosquatting to fool people by cleverly replacing a letter in the spelling because the "L" in Flipper is an uppercase "i." Such accounts are currently very active, providing immediate responses to customer queries. 

Stealing crypto and data via Flipper Zero

People who fall under this trap will in the end get redirected to the phishing checkout page, where they are asked to submit a lot of sensitive data- email id, name, and residential address. Additionally, there's only one way to pay on these pages- cryptocurrency (bitcoin or ether). 

But the experts are saying that the wallets displayed on fake shops are empty, which can only mean two things, either the scammers keep changing their addresses to avoid getting doxed or no one actually fell for the trick. 

The company is struggling to battle this campaign, as it has now reached Instagram as well. The company tweeted: “Dear @Instagram and @InstagramComms, there are hundreds of fake and scam accounts imitating our official Flipper Zero Instagram account. These fraudulent accounts try to fool people and steal money. We can't report them because we are rejected to have a verified blue check mark.” 

What next for Flipper Zero?

The Flipper Zero Kickstarter campaign was last active in 2020, and it was a big hit. Initially, the campaign goal was $60,000 but it received a massive amount of over $4.8 million in pledges. The first users shared their feats on social media, and it received much appreciation from the audience, which pushed the production even more. But the production hit the brakes when PayPal held $1.3 million for months. 

In September 2020, the Flipper Zero team said that PayPal decided to hold the amount without giving any reason and later suspended the company's account, compromising the entire project. In November 2020, Flipper Zero with the help of a legal team managed to get back around three-quarters of the fund ($980,000), but PayPal kept around $350,000 to "mitigate possible claims."


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Meta
Cybersecurity Data Breach Facebook Instagram Meta

Tax Preparation Websites are Suing Meta for Gathering Financial Data

 


Several anonymous plaintiffs have filed legal claims against Meta after they filed their taxes online using H&R Block in 2020. They allege that the company has violated their privacy and trust. H&R Block, among other tax-filing websites such as TaxAct and TaxSlayer, had been utilizing Meta's Pixel tracking system to collect sensitive financial information from users through web forms on their websites. In a recent Markup investigation, it was also revealed that Meta was storing users' sensitive financial information. 

Using Pixel, a company can track visitors' activities on its websites. This allows them to target ads to Facebook and Instagram users that they would like to advertise to. According to the investigation, the tax preparation websites mentioned above apparently transmitted confidential data such as income, filing statuses, refund amounts, and dependents' tuition grants to Meta by using that code. 

In Markup's report, it was revealed that many of the tax-filing services had already changed their Pixel settings so that they would stop sending information or were re-evaluating how they used Pixel before Markup's investigation. 

When the news of the data breaches first broke, Meta sent a statement to Engadget. This statement stated that advertiser is not allowed to share private information with third parties. According to the company, it is dependent on an automated system that is capable of filtering out sensitive content sent via Pixel. There is no dispute that Meta requires businesses that use Pixel to have a lawful right to collect, use, and share user data to exchange information with them in their complaint (PDF, courtesy of The Markup) before they can provide the company with any information about their users. Despite this, the plaintiffs contend that Meta does not make any efforts to enforce that rule and is relying on a "broken honor system," which has led to repeated violations of this rule. 

According to Marshal Hoda, a member of the legal team that will be representing the plaintiffs in their case. Users' sensitive financial information was passed on by Meta without their consent. In addition, Meta failed to protect the privacy of its users. As Hoda pointed out, there are some sacred kinds of information. 

The Markup reports that the lawsuit seeks to establish class-action status for people who used the tax preparation services detailed in the publication's report. It also seeks compensation for those people. In this case, however, the services were not named defendants in the lawsuit.
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Youtube
BBC Cyber Security Instagram Online Security Social Media Youtube

England's Online Safety Bill: A Quick Look

The polarizing Online Safety Bill will no longer include the harmful provision, the UK government has determined. The law was presented in the parliament early this year despite years of discussion.

Michelle Donelan, the culture secretary, said adult social media users will have more control over what they saw and refuted claims that regulations safeguarding them were being weakened.

According to media sources, the government responded to mounting worries about the now-scrapped section that would have caused platforms to censor speech severely. According to a BBC report, the condition would have required platforms that posed the greatest danger to remove legal but harmful content.

The government contends that the modifications do not compromise the safeguards for kids. Technology companies will still be required to prevent children, who are classified as those under 18, from viewing anything that could seriously hurt them. Businesses must disclose how they plan to verify the age of their users; some, like Instagram, are deploying age-verification technologies.

Ian Russell, the father of Molly Russell, a youngster who took her own life after watching online material about suicide and self-harm, claimed that the measure had been weakened and that the change might be made for political gain in order to hasten its passage.

It means that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube would have been instructed to stop exposing users to content about eating disorders, self-harm, and misogynistic messages. If a platform's terms of service permit it, adults will be able to access and upload anything that is lawful; but, children must still be shielded from hazardous content.

There will be exceptions to allow for reasonable debate, but this might include anything that encourages eating disorders or incites hatred on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender reassignment.

Dr. Monica Horten, a tech policy specialist with the Open Rights Group, opined that the bill's definition of how businesses will determine the age of their customers is vague.

The connections and media regulator Ofcom, with the authority to penalize businesses up to 10% of their global turnover, will largely be responsible for enforcing the new rule.







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User Security
Cyber Scam Hacking Instagram Instagram Mobile Security security threat User Privacy User Security

Scammers Employ Instagram Stories to Target Users

 

Instagram is the fourth most popular social media platform in the world, with over one billion monthly active users. Almost everyone, from celebrities to your kids, has an Instagram account. This global success makes it a very lucrative target for threat actors. 

According to BBC, the scamming has worsened over the past year, with the Instagram fraud reports increasing by 50% since the coronavirus outbreak began in 2020. Scammers just need a handful of those people who will help someone without thinking. And since they’re not after money, just a bit of someone’s time, they already have one foot in the door. 

The latest scam involves Instagram backstories. Fraudsters will ask you for help, tell their backstory, and put their fate in your hands. Here are some of the Instagram stories that fraudsters employ to target users: 

  •  "I’m launching my own product line." 
  •  "I’m in a competition and need you to vote for me." 
  • "I’m trying to get verified on Instagram and need people to confirm my fanbase with a link."
  • "I need a help link to get into Instagram on my other phone." This is the most common tactic employed by scammers. 
  • "I’m contesting for an ambassadorship spot at an online influencers program." This one is surprisingly popular, with fake influencers everywhere. 

Scammers try to get access to your Instagram account by sending you a suspicious link, either as an Instagram direct message or via email. They will then ask you not to click the link but merely take a screenshot and send the image back to them. The link is a legitimate Instagram “forgotten password” URL for your account, and fraudsters want you to screenshot it so they can use the URL to reset your password, take over your account, and lock you out. 

Regardless, any requests for link screenshots should be treated with extreme suspicion. Whether product lines or ambassador programs, you can safely ignore these messages. If you think you’ve been scammed, report it to Instagram. Change your password and enable two-factor authentication. If you reuse passwords, a scammer could break into more of your accounts. Change those passwords.
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VPN
Cyber Security Facebook Instagram Roskomnadzor Runet Russia Telegram Twitter Ukraine VPN

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter Users from Russia have Noticed Malfunctions in their Work

 

According to Downdetector, a service for tracking problems in the work of Internet platforms, users from Russia began to complain en masse about the failures of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Problems in social networks began on February 25. Over 80% of users sent complaints about the functioning of the application, another 10% noticed that they could not log in to their profile, and 7% reported problems with the operation of social network sites. 

Recall that on February 25, Roskomnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media) partially restricted access to Facebook. On the same day, the Prosecutor General's Office recognized the social network involved in the violation of human rights and freedoms and citizens of Russia. 

On February 26, representatives of Russian media were banned from showing ads and monetization in the social network Facebook. The company took such a step because of the situation around Ukraine. At the same time, Twitter suspended advertising for Russians and Ukrainians, as well as temporarily stopped recommending tweets to avoid the spread of insulting materials. 

In addition, Roskomnadzor restored measures in the form of slowing the speed of Twitter Internet service on devices in Russia in connection with the dissemination of untrustworthy public information about the military operation in Ukraine. 

The agency recalled that since March 10, 2021, Roskomnadzor slowed down Twitter on mobile phones and fixed devices on the territory of the Russian Federation for refusal to delete information that is prohibited in the Russian Federation. On May 17, 2021, after the deletion of more than 91% of the prohibited information by Twitter's moderation services, the restrictions were lifted. 

Roskomnadzor noted that in this situation, the condition for lifting access restrictions "is the complete removal of Twitter of prohibited materials identified by Roskomnadzor, as well as the termination of participation in the information confrontation, distribution of fakes and calls for extremism". 

In the Russian segment of the Internet, you can now often find messages: "If anything, here is my Telegram account...». Since February 25, when Roskomnadzor announced the partial blocking of the Facebook network, almost every Russian user has considered it his duty to notify friends where to look for him now. 

Bloggers and media resources are increasingly posting on their pages posts with recommendations for installing a VPN and other measures to bypass blocking.
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WhatsApp
Cyber Criminals Cyber Security Facebook Instagram Meta WhatsApp

Meta Takes Legal Action Against Cyber Criminals

 

Facebook's parent company, Meta Platforms, announced on Monday that it has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. state of California against malicious attackers who ran more than 39,000 phishing websites impersonating its digital properties to trick consumers into disclosing their username and password. 

“Today, we filed a federal lawsuit in California court to disrupt phishing attacks designed to deceive people into sharing their login credentials on fake login pages for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Phishing is a significant threat to millions of Internet users”, states the report. 

The social engineering strategy entailed the construction of rogue websites that tried to portray as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp login pages, prompting victims to input their login details, which were subsequently captured by the defendants. The unidentified actors are also being sought for $500,000 by the tech behemoth. 

The assaults were conducted with the help of Ngrok, a relay service that diverted internet traffic to malicious websites while concealing the exact location of the fraudulent equipment. Meta stated that the frequency of these phishing assaults has increased since March 2021 and that it has collaborated with the relay service to restrict thousands of URLs to phishing sites. 

The lawsuit comes just days after Facebook revealed it was making efforts to disrupt the activities of seven surveillance-for-hire firms that generated over 1,500 phony identities on Facebook and Instagram to target 50,000 users in over 100 countries. Meta announced last month that it has barred four harmful cyber groups from attacking journalists, humanitarian organizations, and anti-regime military forces in Afghanistan and Syria. 

“This lawsuit is one more step in our ongoing efforts to protect people’s safety and privacy, send a clear message to those trying to abuse our platform, and increase accountability of those who abuse technology. We will also continue to collaborate with online hosting and service providers to identify and disrupt phishing attacks as they occur. We proactively block and report instances of abuse to the hosting and security community, domain name registrars, privacy/proxy services, and others. And Meta blocks and shares phishing URLs so other platforms can also block them”, mentioned the report.
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WhatsApp
Cyber Security Facebook Instagram Meta Surveillance-For-Hire WhatsApp

Meta Alerts its 50,000 Users Against Surveillance-For-Hire Firm Operations

 

Surveillance-for-hire companies have utilized Facebook, Instagram, & WhatsApp as a major opportunity to target Individuals in over 100 countries for decades. Recently, Meta eliminated 7 of them from its platforms and notified over 50,000 people that the activities might as well have affected them. Many are journalists, human rights activists, dissidents, political opposition leaders, and clergy, according to Meta, while others are ordinary people, such as those involved in a lawsuit. 

As part of the attack, Meta removed numerous accounts and disassembled other infrastructure on its platforms, blacklisted the groups, and sent cease and desist notices. According to the corporation, it is also publicly disclosing its findings and indications of infiltration so that other platforms and security companies may better spot similar conduct. The findings highlight the magnitude of the targeted surveillance industry as well as the huge scope of tailoring it facilitates globally. 

“Cyber mercenaries often claim that their services and their surveillance-ware are meant to focus on tracking criminals and terrorists, but our investigations and similar investigations by independent researchers, our industry peers, and governments have demonstrated that the targeting is, in fact, indiscriminate,” Nathaniel Gleicher, Meta's head of security policy, said to the reporters. 

“These companies … are building tools to manage fake accounts, to target and surveil people, to enable the delivery of malware, and then they’re providing them to any most interested clients—the clients who are willing to pay. This means that there are far more threat actors able to use these tools than there would be without this industry.” 

Cobwebs Technologies, an Israeli web intelligence company with offices in the United States, Cognyte, an Israeli firm previously recognized as WebintPro, Black Cube, an Israeli company with an existence in the United Kingdom and Spain, Bluehawk CI, which itself is rooted in Israel and has offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, BellTroX, a North Macedonian firm, Cytrox, a North Macedonian firm, and an unidentified organization based in China. 

Meta highlights that the surveillance-for-hire industry as a whole operates in three areas. One can conceive of it as several stages of a monitoring chain, with different firms specializing in different aspects of that superstructure. 

The very first stage is "reconnaissance," in which corporations gather comprehensive data concerning targets, frequently via automated, bulk gathering on the public internet and darknet. The second stage is "engagement," wherein operators seek out targets in an attempt to form a connection and gain their trust. Surveillance firms create bogus profiles and personalities, posing as, for example, graduate students or journalists, to reach out to targets. Hackers may also spread fake content and misinformation to establish rapport. The third stage is "exploitation," sometimes known as "hacking for hire," in which actors might use this trust to persuade targets to disclose information, click a malicious link, download a malicious file, or perform some other action. 

Every stage might take place on a variety of platforms and services. For instance, Meta's WhatsApp is a popular platform for disseminating malicious links to victims. Furthermore, Facebook and Instagram serve as natural breeding places for phony personalities. The eliminated entities, according to the social media giant, breached its Community Standards and Terms of Service. 

“Given the severity of their violations, we have banned them from our services. To help disrupt these activities, we blocked related internet infrastructure and issued cease and desist letters, putting them on notice that their targeting of people has no place on our platform,” the firm added. 

“We also shared our findings with security researchers, other platforms, and policymakers so they can take appropriate action.”
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Netflix
Android Malware Financial Credentials Instagram Mobile Security Netflix

Users of Netflix, Instagram, and Twitter are all Targeted by the MasterFred Malware

 

MasterFred is a new Android malware that steals credit card information from Netflix, Instagram, and Twitter users via bogus login overlays. With unique fake login overlays in several languages, this new Android banking virus also targets bank clients. In June 2021, a MasterFred sample was uploaded to VirusTotal for the first time, and it was discovered in June. One week ago, malware analyst Alberto Segura released a second sample online, claiming that it was deployed against Android users in Poland and Turkey. 

Avast Threat Labs researchers uncovered APIs given by the built-in Android Accessibility service to show the malicious overlays after examining the new malware. "By utilizing the Application Accessibility toolkit installed on Android by default, the attacker is able to use the application to implement the Overlay attack to trick the user into entering credit card information for fake account breaches on both Netflix and Twitter," Avast said. 

Malware creators have been utilizing the Accessibility service to simulate taps and traverse the Android UI to install their payloads, download and install other malware, and do various background operations for a long time. MasterFred, on the other hand, stands out in a few ways. One of them is that the malicious apps that transmit malware to Android devices also include HTML overlays that display bogus login forms and collect financial information from users. 

The malware also sends the stolen data to Tor network servers controlled by its operator via the Onion.ws dark web gateway (aka Tor2Web proxy). Because at least one of the malicious apps bundled with the MasterFred banker was recently available in Google's Play Store, it's safe to assume that MasterFred's operators are also distributing this new malware through third-party stores.

"We can say that at least one application was delivered via Google play. We believe that it has been removed already," Avast's research team said. 

Another Android malware was identified in September that managed to infect over 10 million devices in over 70 countries. GriftHorse is the name of the malware, which was found by researchers at mobile security firm Zimperium. GriftHorse's success, according to Zimperium researchers, Aazim Yaswant and Nipun Gupta, is due to the malware's "code quality, which uses a wide range of websites (194 domains), malicious apps, and developer identities to infect people and avoid detection for as long as possible."
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WhatsApp
Facebook global outrage Instagram Social Media Technology WhatsApp

Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram Faces Massive Global Outage: What was the Reason?

 

The massive global outage for hours halted three giant social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Organizations and people all across the globe who heavily rely on services of these platforms including Facebook’s own workforce faced a huge loss. According to the data, Zuckerberg suffered a 7 billion loss. 

Facebook reported on late Monday that the company is working hard to restore access to its services and is “happy to report they are coming back online now." Also, the company apologized and thanked its users for their patience. However, fixing the glitches was not easy. 

As per the users’ reviews for some users, WhatsApp was working for a while, then it was not. For others, Instagram was working but not Facebook, and so on. 

Following the global outage, Facebook Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer tweeted, "To every small and large business, family, and the individual who depends on us, I'm sorry, may take some time to get to 100%." 

According to the Security experts, the disruption could be the result of an internal mistake, though sabotage by an insider would be theoretically possible. However, Facebook says "a faulty configuration change" was the main reason for Monday's hours-long global outage. 

Soon after the global outage began, Facebook started acknowledging that the platform is facing some technical issues because users were not able to access its apps, and then Facebook started examining the same.

Facebook, the social media giant, also known as the second-largest digital advertising platform in the world, has faced a loss of around $545,000 in U.S. ad revenue per hour during the global shutdown, ad measurement firm Standard Media Index reported. 
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Social media influencers
Cyber Criminals Cyber Fraud Instagram Social Media Social media influencers

Social Media Influencers are the Latest Target of Cyber Criminals

 

The number of cybercrimes and scams is rapidly increasing with the advancement of technology. The police said that a new cyber fraud with social media influencers has been detected. 

There are a great number of followers of social media influencers on social media and companies are paying them regularly for their handles to promote their products. Many famous people get roped in, too. 

Cyber fraud is a kind of cybercrime fraud that uses the Internet to hide information or to provide erroneous data to knock victims out of money, property, and heritage. 

Cyber Law Expert N.Karthikeyan notes that mainstream media cannot include an advertisement on gambling or false investments. Such imaginary operators can utilize these influencers of social media who are unaware of the consequences. There are influencers on social media that only promote fictitious mobile apps. Fraudsters also send dubious links as supporters of influencers on social media. Once the victims click in and the details are registered, the fraudsters acquire complete control of the influencer's page or channel. They'll then post their content – that can be anything.

However, the Cyber Crime Cell officials noted that no specific complaint had yet been made on the matter. 

A woman social media influencer who was a candidate in recent elections said, " After uploading my affidavit into ECI website, I had three lakh downloads. I got good reviews on a social media page but only one person alleged that I had hacked the ECI site- which was baseless. He went on leveling allegations on me. I just ignored it." 

With the increase in such cyber frauds, a Youtuber who himself was a victim of this, stated that the overwhelming majority of influencers on social media are being used by fraudsters. They at times typically represent themselves as an established company or brand and appeal to influencers with lucrative publicity deals while proposing to administer the ads on behalf of the influencers. Later, they gather personally identifiable information or passwords from social media and seize complete control of the website or handle used by the influencers. 

"We have lodged a complaint against an Instagrammer who specifically targeted women influencers. He texted asking them to join in an Instagram live. If they accepted and came on live, he would level baseless allegations. If they didn’t agree to live as he was the stranger, he projected them as scammers, " said Joe Praveen Michael, an event manager.
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