A number of the world's biggest technology companies have signed an agreement to help defend users from online attacks.Among the companies pledging their support are Microsoft, Symantec, Facebook, SAP, HP Inc., Nokia and Oracle. Called the “Cybersecurity Tech Accord”, this agreement promises stronger defences, capacity building and collective action.Collective action, for example, means companies will “establish new formal and informal partnerships with industry, civil society and security researchers” to boost technical collaboration, improve how everyone shares information on vulnerabilities and threats, and to make introducing malicious code into cyberspace a more difficult endeavour.It also promises to “oppose efforts to misuse, tamper with, or exploit our products and services and won’t help anyone use them to launch cyberattacks against our customers and users”.“The devastating attacks from the past year demonstrate that … [Read more...] about Tech giants sign major cyber-security alliance
Sign agreement online
Microsoft, Facebook, dozens more sign Cybersecurity Tech Accord
Dozens of major technology companies including Microsoft, Facebook, Cisco and SAP have signed onto a pledge to protect their users around the globe against cybersecurity threats and to abstain from helping any government launch a cyber attack.The companies, 34 in total, called the Cybersecurity Tech Accord a "watershed agreement" among companies representing every layer of internet communication. "The devastating attacks from the past year demonstrate that cybersecurity is not just about what any single company can do but also about what we can all do together," Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a statement. "This tech sector accord will help us take a principled path towards more effective steps to work together and defend customers around the world."The accord rests on four pillars: a commitment to building stronger defenses to protect all internet users around the globe; a commitment to oppose any offensive cyber attacks; a pledge to empower people, businesses and developers; … [Read more...] about Microsoft, Facebook, dozens more sign Cybersecurity Tech Accord
Movie Producer: Mainstream Media May Be Ignoring Signs of Child Abuse in Hollywood
Gabe Hoffman, the producer of An Open Secret, a documentary about child sex abuse in Hollywood, argued in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News this week that the mainstream media has historically ignored red flags about potential child abuse in the entertainment industry. Hoffman, a hedge fund manager by trade, is the producer of An Open Secret, an explosive 2015 documentary about child sex abuse in Hollywood. Speaking with Breitbart News this week about the film, Hoffman argued that, despite the recent #MeToo movement, the mainstream media doesn’t seem ready to cover Hollywood’s pervasive child abuse problem.One alleged example, according to Hoffman, is children’s television producer Dan Schneider, who was recently dismissed from Nickelodeon after a 20-year tenure. Schneider has long been criticized for his unusual behavior on social media that allegedly involves an unusual obsession with the feet of young girls. Conservative news outlet RedState reported on … [Read more...] about Movie Producer: Mainstream Media May Be Ignoring Signs of Child Abuse in Hollywood
Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and company, dubbed “online brothel,” cop pleas
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The chief executive of Backpage.com pleaded guilty to state and federal charges including conspiracy and money laundering, and agreed to testify in ongoing prosecutions against others at the website that authorities have dubbed a lucrative nationwide "online brothel," authorities said. "For far too long, Backpage.com existed as the dominant marketplace for illicit commercial sex, a place where sex traffickers frequently advertised children and adults alike," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. "But this illegality stops right now." Backpage brought in a half-billion dollars since it began in 2004, mostly though prominent risque advertising for escorts and massages, among other services and some goods for sale, according to federal prosecutors. Authorities allege the site was often used to traffic underage victims, while company officials said they tried to scrub the site of such ads. Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer will serve no more … [Read more...] about Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer and company, dubbed “online brothel,” cop pleas
Internet giants pledge to battle online hate speech
Pressure has grown on the US companies in Germany to take action after the number of xenophobic and racist comments online exploded, with the far-right taking aim at the record number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany this year. Alarmed by a spike in posts inciting racial hatred and violence, German Justice Minister Heiko Maas had warned that social networks must not "become a funfair for the far right". On Tuesday, Facebook, Twitter and Google committed to removing "illegal content promptly, that is, within 24 hours", said Maas. "Complaints will be examined by specialist teams. And the benchmark to be applied will be German law and no longer just the terms of use of each network," he added. The three US companies also pledged to make it easier for users to report offending posts. A monitoring mechanism would also be put in place to review whether the system is working, said Maas. DON'T MISS: TV anchor urges public to fight online racism The three internet giants have agreed … [Read more...] about Internet giants pledge to battle online hate speech