Technologies

Google’s New Nudity Warnings in Messages Will Warn You of Incoming Explicit Images

Google said the process happens entirely on device, and that it does not have access to any image contents.

Google is beginning to roll out sensitive content warnings designed to give Google Messages users more control over viewing and sharing images that may contain nudity. The safety feature, which was announced last year, will automatically blur images suspected of containing nudity before they’re viewed.

You’ll see a «speed bump» notification, where you have to stop and choose an option before opening a message, including learning why explicit images can be harmful, getting the chance to block the number immediately, getting the option to click Back or choosing the ability to view the image. It will also remind you of the potential risks of sharing explicit content and help prevent accidental sends.

Google said this process happens entirely on your phone to maintain privacy and ensure end-to-end encrypted messages remain accessible only to the sender and recipient. The company also clarified that it does not have access to image contents, will not know whether nudity actually has been detected and does not send identifiable data to its servers.

In a post on its website, the company acknowledged that the feature «isn’t perfect,» noting: «It may occasionally detect images that don’t contain nudity or not detect images that contain nudity.»

The feature is opt-in for adults via Android settings and enabled by default (opt-out) for users under 18. It will roll out to Android 9 and above, including Android Go devices, with Google Messages.

Technologies

FTC Sues Over Uber One, Saying It ‘Deceived Consumers’

The agency accuses the ridesharing company of charging customers without consent and of making it difficult to cancel the service.

The Federal Trade Commission is suing the rideshare company Uber for what it’s calling deceptive business practices involving its Uber One subscription service. In a complaint filed in a San Francisco district court, the FTC cites instances where customers say they were charged for the service when they believed their subscriptions were canceled, or were not allowed to cancel their accounts easily.

Uber One costs $10 a month and allows users to get discounts, free delivery on Uber Eats and cash back, in addition to other perks.

However, the FTC says that customers who sign up for free trials have had difficulty canceling and have ended up with unexpected charges.

«Today, we’re alleging that Uber not only deceived consumers about their subscriptions, but also made it unreasonably difficult for customers to cancel,» FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said in a press release.

The complaint cites instances where it would take 23 screens and 32 actions to cancel an Uber One subscription.

An Uber spokesperson said that the company doesn’t sign up or charge consumers without their consent and that «cancellations can now be done anytime in-app and take most people 20 seconds or less.»

«We are disappointed that the FTC chose to move forward with this action,» the spokesperson told CNET, «but are confident that the courts will agree with what we already know: Uber One’s sign-up and cancellation processes are clear, simple, and follow the letter and spirit of the law.»

In an email, Uber contested points in the FTC’s complaint, saying that it discloses information about what customers will be charged. «Consumers who canceled were never charged additional fees,» it said.

Subscription services in the crosshairs

Subscription services have been a target for the FTC recently, as it has implemented rules requiring companies to make them simpler and easier to cancel. Last year, California passed a law requiring it to be as easy as a single click for consumers. The changes were, in large part, enacted to combat increasingly sophisticated ways that companies were keeping customers on the hook for paid services.

Expect to see more FTC action against companies that fail to follow the rules on subscriptions, says Syracuse University law professor Shubha Ghosh, who focuses on business, antitrust and intellectual property law.

«Very likely there will be more suits as the FTC, across administrations, seeks to address anticompetitive practices that harm consumers, especially practices that raise prices and limit consumer choices,» Ghosh told CNET. «Ticketmaster is one example. We may see actions against crypto and payday loans online.»

But don’t expect rewards from these FTC lawsuits if you feel you were taken advantage of by a subscription-based service. For customers, it’s not the same as a class action suit in which plaintiffs may get money from court-designated damages, Ghosh said.

«The FTC cannot recover restitution for consumers after the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in [a 2021 case involving] AMG Management,» he said. «The FTC can change business practices, however, through injunctive relief under the Federal Trade Commission Act. The FTC can also obtain refunds for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the (Better Online Ticket Sales) Act.»

Technologies

Trump Administration Delays Rural Broadband Program By 90 Days

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 23, #212

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 212, for April 23.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Connections: Sports Edition offers a mix today. Even if you don’t know the category names at first, you might recognize four team names and four surnames, and that’ll get you halfway there. Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Strong.

Green group hint: Free throw time.

Blue group hint: College teams.

Purple group hint: They sure could throw.