Billions Of Public Discord Messages May Be Sold Through A Scraping Service

April 17, 2024DiscordDiscordJenThorpe

It’s easy to get the impression that Discord chat messages are ephemeral, especially across different public servers, where lines fly upward at near-unreadable pace. But someone claims to be catching and compiling that data and is offering packages that can track more than 600 million users across more than 14,000 servers, ArsTechnica reported.

Joseph Cox at 404 Media confirmed that Spy Pet, a service that sells access to a database of purportedly 3 billion Discord messages, offers data “credits” to customers who pay in bitcoin, ethereum, or other cryptocurrency.

Searching individual users will reveal the servers that Spy Pet can track them across, a raw and exportable table of their messages, and connected accounts, such as GitHub. Ominously, Spy Pet lists more than 86,000 other servers in which it has “no bots,” but “we know it exists.”

As Cox notes, Discord doesn’t make messages inside server channels, like blog posts or unlocked social media feeds, easy to publicly access and search But many Discord users may not expect their messages, server memberships, bans, or other data to be grabbed by a bot, compiled, and sold to anybody wishing to pin them all on a particular user.

404 Media confirmed the service’s function with multiple user examples. Private messages are not mentioned by Spy Pet and are presumably still secure.

PCMag compared to other messaging apps like Instagram or Snapchat, Discord has historically allows bots and third-party tools to proliferate on its platform. But one surveillance tool, SpyPet, is tracking Discord users across the servers they’ve joined and provides details logs of all messages sent on servers for a starting price of about $5 worth of crypto.

Regardless of SpyPet’s scope, its platform and others like it still pose obvious user privacy and safety concerns. It also goes against Discord’s Terms of Service, which states that no one can scrape Discord’s data without the company’s written permission. Unfortunately, tools like SpyPet could be used to spy on Discord friends and help stalkers, bullies, or bad actors harm existing Discord users.

“Discord is committed to protecting the privacy and data of our user,” a Discord spokesperson tells PCMag. “We are currently investigating this matter. If we determine that violations of our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines have occurred, we will take appropriate steps to enforce our policies. We cannot provide further comments as this is an ongoing investigation.”

Engadget reported for as little as $5 in cryptocurrency, Spy Pet lets you access data about specific users, such as which servers they participate in, what messages they’ve sent and when they joined or left voice channels. It claims to have information on an alleged 600 million users across 14,00 Discord servers and three billion messages.

As for what inspired SpyPet, its creator suggested its a classic case of doing what one enjoys and pushing personal boundaries. “I like scraping, archiving, and challenging myself,” the creator told 404 Media. “Discord is basically the holy grail of scraping, since Discord is trying absolutely everything to combat scraping.”

In my opinion, those of you who run a Discord server might want to take the time to lock it down for now, at least until Discord figures out who the scraper is and kicks them out forever.

YouTube Cracking Down On Third-Party Apps That Block Ads

April 16, 2024YouTubeYouTubeJenThorpe

Following the ad blocker crackdown, YouTube is explicitly going after third-party — often mobile — apps that let viewers skip advertising, 9TO5Google reported.

YouTube announced today that it is “strengthening our enforcement on third-party apps that violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, specifically ad-blocking apps.”

Users will see a “The following content is not available on this app” error message or experience “buffering issues” when they try to play content though those alternative clients.

“We want to emphasize that our terms don’t allow third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership, and Ads on YouTube help support creators and let billions of people around the world use the streaming service.”, YouTube wrote.

According to 9TO5Google, YouTube Premium, which hit 100 million subscribers in February, is offered as the solution for those that “prefer an entirely ad-free experience.”

Going forward, it will crack down on clients that violate these policies: “…when we find an app that violates these terms, we will take appropriate actions to protect our platform, creators, and viewers.”

The Verge reported that YouTube is bringing its ad blocker fight to mobile. In an update on Monday, YouTube writes that users accessing videos through a third-party ad blocking app may encounter buffering issues or see an error that reads, “The following content is not available on this app.”

Last year, YouTube “launched a global effort” to encourage users to allow ads while watching videos or upgrade to YouTube Premium. It also began disabling videos for users with ad blocking extension enabled.

But now, YouTube says its policies don’t allow “third-party apps to turn off ads because that prevents the creator from being rewarded for viewership.” The block targets third-party apps that use YouTube’s API to get videos interruption-free. AdGuard says its not affected by the change since the app doesn’t use YouTube’s API.

According to The Verge, to get around this, YouTube once again suggests signing up for the ad-free YouTube Premium. This likely won’t come as pleasant news to all who watch YouTube through ad blocking apps, but it doesn’t look like YouTube is backing down in its battle against ad blockers anytime soon.

ArsTechnica reported YouTube is putting third-party ad-blocking on notice. An ominous post on the official YouTube Community Help forum titled “Enforcement on Third Party Apps” says the company is “strengthening our enforcement on third-party apps that violate YouTube’s Terms of Service, specifically ad-blocking apps.”

Google would really like it if you all paid for YouTube Premium.

According to ArsTechnica, another popular option is “NewPipe,” a from-scratch YouTube player that follows the open source ethos and is available on the FOSS-only store F-Droid. NewPipe wants a lightweight client without the proprietary code and million permissions that YouTube needs, but it also blocks ads.

Personally, I’ve been using YouTube Premium for a while now and it works well. It is something you have to pay for. I recommend it if you really don’t want to see YouTube ads.

Meta Wants To Put Students And Teachers In Quest VR Headsets

April 15, 2024MetaMeta, QuestJenThorpe

If Meta has its way, students will tour faraway museums, walk among dinosaurs and view human intestines up close — all from the comfort of their classroom, using Quest, virtual reality (VR) headsets, Axios reported.

Why it matters: As educators grapple with AI and other new tech tools, a deep-pocketed push to turn VR into a classroom staple raises new questions about the future of learning — and what’s best for kids.

According to Axios, the two big companies competing VR/MR (mixed reality) headsets — Meta’s Quest and Apple’s Vision Pro – are heavy, expensive and don’t work for people with some vision impairments.

Plus, there are plenty of VR skeptics who say its much better for kids to communicate and socialize in person without headsets — particularly during school hours.

Meta’s Nick Clegg, President, Global Affairs, posted on the Meta website:

Of all the ways in which metaverse technologies like virtual, mixed, and augmented reality could prove to be transformative, the potential they have for education is one of the most exciting.

For most of us, learning is social — we learn from and with others, and from each other’s experiences. It’s about interaction and discussion as much as it is about absorbing facts. That’s why the unique feeling of presence and immersion these technologies create can be so impactful in education.

They also make things possible that are impossible in the physical world. Instead of telling students that what the dinosaurs were like, they can walk among them. Virtual science laboratories can be built and filled with equipment that most schools would never be able to afford. Classes can go on field trips to the best museums, no matter how far away they are. And they can be used to take the risk out of otherwise dangerous or expensive technical or vocational training…

…To make it easier for educators, later this year Meta will be launching a new product offering for Quest devices dedicated to education, just as last year’s Meta Quest for Business was designed for the workplace. It will allow teachers, trainers, and features, and make it possible for them to manage multiple Quest devices at once, without the need for each device in a classroom or training environment to be updated or prepared individually. This will save teachers time and allow students to pick up the headsets and get started right away — something that educators using our devices have consistently told us they want…

TechCrunch reported on Monday, the company announced in a blog post that later this year it will be launching a new education product for Quest to position its VR headset as a go-to device for teaching in classrooms. The product is yet to be named.

Business models for hardware and services also have yet to be spelled out. With nothing on the table, the company is framing it as a long-term bet.

In my opinion, the Quest devices remind me of the book “Ready Player One”, where the characters used a headset to virtually attend school. The difference is that the students will already be at school. I wonder what the cost of the Quest headsets will be, and how many schools will be able to afford them.

FISA Section 702 Renewal Continues Warrantless Surveillance #1737

April 15, 2024PodcastKirk

Last week, the U.S. Congress faced intense debates over the reauthorization of FISA Section 702, which allows indirect surveillance of American citizens without a warrant. The controversy peaked when a proposed amendment to mandate warrants for such surveillance failed in a 212-212 vote. Despite significant opposition and a temporary block by a bipartisan coalition, the renewal bill passed the House and is now pending Senate approval before the April 19 deadline.

Subscribe to the Newsletter.
Join the Chat @ GeekNews.Chat
Email Todd or follow him on Facebook.
Like and Follow Geek News Central’s Facebook Page.
Download the Audio Show File
New YouTube Channel – Beyond the Office

Podcast (video): Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Email | RSS | More

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Support my Show Sponsor: Best Godaddy Promo Codes
$11.99 – For a New Domain Name cjcfs3geek
$6.99 a month Economy Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1h
$12.99 a month Managed WordPress Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1w
Support the show by becoming a Geek News Central Insider

Continue reading FISA Section 702 Renewal Continues Warrantless Surveillance #1737 →

Meta Is Testing Messaging Capabilities For Threads

April 14, 2024ThreadsInstagram, Meta, ThreadsJenThorpe

As Threads has grown to more than 130 million users, one of the major remaining “missing” features users often complain about is the lack of direct messaging abilities. But those missing out on DMs may soon have a new option to message other Threads users, Engadget reported.

Meta is starting to test messaging features that rely on Instagram’s inbox but allow new messages to be initiated from the Threads app. The feature has begun to appear for some Threads users, who report seeing a “message” button atop other users’ profiles where the “mention” feature used to be. A spokesman for Meta confirmed the change, saying the company was “testing the ability to send a message from Threads to Instagram.”

Of note, Threads still doesn’t have its own inbox, and it’s not clear if it ever will. Instagram head Adam Mosseri has said multiple times that he doesn’t want to create a separate inbox for Threads, but would rather “make the Instagram inbox work” in the app. A Meta spokesperson further confirmed that “this is not a test of the DMs on Threads.”

CNET reported that the “fediverse” is a collection of social media platforms that can talk to each other. Meta announced on March 21 that Threads would be joining the fediverse. With its more than 130 million monthly active subscribers. Threads is introducing millions of people to the fediverse.

According to CNET, the way you use your Threads account won’t change. It just means you’ll have more opportunities to share your posts more widely, particularly with another popular platform in the fediverse, Mastodon. Eagle-eyed Threads users recently spotted President Biden’s Threads account taking advantage of the new feature.

If you’re on Threads, you can now choose to opt into fediverse sharing. If you do, your Threads account and posts will be discoverable on all fediverse platforms, exposing your posts more widely. You can post on Threads, and people can like, reply, and repost on Mastodon.

Social Media Today reported this week, Meta launched a new live test of DMs on Threads, with some users seeing a new “Message” CTA button on Threads profiles.

According to Social Media Today, the Threads DM option will technically enable you to send messages to users via the app. But, that message won’t be via Threads itself. Instead, you’ll actually be sending your DM to their Instagram inbox.

It’s still a DM option within Threads, providing an advanced connection process within the app. But many will be disappointed that Threads isn’t getting its own DM inbox, which, as a replica of Twitter, would bring it more in line with Twitter’s functionality, and make it easier to use in a broader range of applications.

In my opinion, it’s good that Threads’ users can send DMs to people they know on Instagram. Unfortunately, as someone who uses Instagram (but not Threads), those messages feel like clutter.

Google Removing Links To California News Websites

April 12, 2024googleCalifornia, googleJenThorpe

Google will begin removing links to California news websites from search engines for some Californians in response to a bill that would require online ad companies to pay a fee for connecting state residents to news sources, CNBC reported.

In a blog post on Friday announcing the “short-term test,” Jaffer Zaidi, Google’s vice president of global news partnership, said the bill, called the California Journalism Preservation Act, represents “the wrong approach to supporting journalism” and “would create a level of business uncertainty that no company would accept.”

The bill was introduced last year and remains pending in the state legislature.

The recent developments have upended many online publishers that count on Facebook and Google for traffic and are particularly painful for publications that rely on advertising revenue.

Jaffer Zaidi, VP of Global News Partnerships, posted information on The Keyword. Here are some key points:

A pending bill in the California state legislature, the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA) would create a “link tax” that would require Google to pay for simply connecting Californians to news articles. We have long said that this is the wrong approach to supporting journalism. If passed, CJPA may result in significant changes to the services we can offer Californians and the traffic we can provide to California publishers…

…To be clear, we believe CJPA undermines news in California. We don’t take these decisions lightly and want to be transparent with California publishers, lawmakers, and our users. To avoid an outcome where all parties lose and the California news industry is left worse off, we urge lawmakers to take a different approach…

Gizmodo reported Google began blocking access to California news outlets for some users in the state, according to an announcement from the tech giant on Friday. And it’s all because Google is upset about proposed legislation that would force the company to pay some publishers for their content, something it’s calling a “link tax.”

Known as the California Journalism Preservation Act (CJPA) the bill has passed Californias lower house, known as the Assembly, but still needs to be taken up by the state Senate and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom to become law. Newson hasn’t come out with an opinion on the legislation yet.

And while it’s certainly true that Google helps people find news stories, the problem is that much of the advertising money has gone to Big Tech platforms like Google and Facebook rather than the publishers who create the news content. That’s what this bill is trying to remedy in some way, forcing Google to pay publishers.

As a Californian, if CJPA passes and is signed into law, it likely won’t harm Californians. Google is not the only source of news online. DuckDuckGo, Mozilla’s Firefox, and Microsoft Edge can all be useful.

Microsoft’s AI Revolution: Integrating AI into Every PC by 2024 #1736

April 11, 2024PodcastKirk

Microsoft is gearing up to unveil a series of groundbreaking AI tools for PCs and the cloud at its Build conference in May. With a vision to integrate AI into every PC by 2024, the company will showcase advancements such as the Advanced Paste feature, new AI capabilities for Windows applications, and safety enhancements for Azure AI Studio. CEO Satya Nadella and newly appointed head of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, will highlight Microsoft’s commitment to AI innovation and responsible development.