Techmeme
December 19, 2018, 7:15 PM

Top News

New York Times:
Internal docs show Facebook gave ~150 companies access to more user data than disclosed; some could read private DMs; Facebook says it didn't violate FTC decree  —  Internal documents show that the social network gave Microsoft, Amazon, Spotify and others far greater access to people's data than it has disclosed.
Konstantinos Papamiltiadis / Facebook:
Facebook says it shared data with integration partners only when users signed in with their Facebook accounts to access features on other platforms and devices  —  Today, we're facing questions about whether Facebook gave large tech companies access to people's information and, if so, why we did this.
Charlie Warzel / BuzzFeed News:
Report: some apps using Facebook's SDK, like Grindr and Bible+, send user info to Facebook, including location, where users click, and how long the app is used  —  Facebook provided developers with tools to build Facebook-compatible apps like Tinder, Grindr and Pregnancy+.
Washington Post:
The AG for the District of Columbia files lawsuit against Facebook over allowing Cambridge Analytica access to users' information  —  The attorney general for the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Facebook for allowing Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy …
New York Times:
Researchers discover years-long breach at the EU's diplomatic communications network, compromising thousands of cables; 100+ other organizations also targeted  —  WASHINGTON — Hackers infiltrated the European Union's diplomatic communications network for years, downloading thousands of cables …
Windows Experience Blog:
Microsoft debuts new test build of Windows 10 with a simplified Start layout, new Office launcher and hub for recent docs, kaomoji support, and more  —  Hello Windows Insiders, today we are releasing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18305 (19H1) to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring.
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Apple says some 2018 iPad Pros ship with a very slight bend in the aluminum chassis due to their manufacturing process but doesn't consider it to be a defect  —  Apple has confirmed to The Verge that some of its 2018 iPad Pros are shipping with a very slight bend in the aluminum chassis.
Joe Rossignol / MacRumors:
Apple rolls out iOS 12.1.2 for iPhone with eSIM bug fixes and China-specific changes to address Qualcomm injunction, including a new app closing animation  —  Apple on Monday released iOS 12.1.2 exclusively for iPhones.  The software update fixes bugs related to eSIM activation on the iPhone XR …
Peter Bright / Ars Technica:
Google repeatedly pushes the web in a proprietary direction to improve its services on Chrome, making Microsoft's adoption of Chromium a loss for the open web  —  Analysis: Microsoft adopting Chromium puts the Web in a perilous place.  —  With Microsoft's decision to end development …
Ian Hamilton / UploadVR:
Facebook open sources its DeepFocus VR research, which aims to create ultra-realistic visuals for eye-tracking headsets  —  Facebook is releasing public code and formally open sourcing its DeepFocus research into ultra-realistic visuals for VR headsets.  —  The DeepFocus approach …
Wall Street Journal:
Sources detail SoftBank Vision Fund investors' concerns, driven by Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, about Masayoshi Son's plan to acquire a majority stake in WeWork  —  Saudi and Abu Dhabi funds question SoftBank's plan to take a majority stake in provider of shared office space
Timothy B. Lee / Ars Technica:
An overview of how deep convolutional neural networks have gotten good at recognizing images, after a landmark 2012 paper called AlexNet transformed the field  —  A landmark 2012 paper transformed how software recognizes images.  —  Right now, I can open up Google Photos, type “beach,” …

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Earlier Picks

Kashmir Hill / Gizmodo: