Topic: default settings
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Unlock Third-Party Assistants on iPhone With iOS 26.2
Apple will allow Japanese iPhone users to set third-party voice assistants like Gemini or Alexa as the default option for the Side Button, moving beyond Siri. This change is a direct response to Japan’s Mobile Software Competition Act, which mandates that platform holders must provide access to c...
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Google Workspace AI Features Enabled by Default
Google has enabled AI-driven smart features by default for many Workspace users without direct consent, raising privacy concerns and questions about user control over data from services like Gmail and Drive. These features are not activated by default in regions with stricter data protection laws...
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Sen. Wyden Demands FTC Probe Into Ascension Ransomware Attack
Senator Ron Wyden has requested an FTC investigation into Microsoft's cybersecurity practices following a ransomware attack on Ascension that compromised 5.6 million patients' data. The breach was enabled by a contractor clicking a malicious link and attackers exploiting Microsoft's default confi...
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Google AdSense Shifts to Authorized Buyers
Google AdSense is replacing its Ad Networks blocking tool with a new Authorized Buyers system, starting November 6, which defaults to automatically allowing new buyers unless publishers intervene. The update provides better visibility into buyer relationships and filters out inactive or test netw...
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Ring's Search Party Is On by Default: Should You Turn It Off?
Ring's Search Party feature uses AI to scan footage from nearby outdoor cameras to help locate lost dogs, notifying camera owners of potential matches for manual review and sharing. The feature is enabled by default on compatible devices, raising concerns about user consent and digital privacy, t...
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Google Video Ads Now Feature Automatic End Screens
Google Ads has launched automatic end screens for video ads, which auto-generate an interactive post-roll card to guide viewers toward conversions without manual setup from advertisers. The feature is enabled by default for eligible mobile app install campaigns, overriding any custom YouTube end ...
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Samsung Puts Ads on Its $1,900+ Refrigerators
Samsung is introducing advertisements to the display screens of its high-end Family Hub refrigerators via a new software update, which will show promotional content when the appliance is not in active use. Users can opt out of the ads through the Settings menu, but doing so disables all other wid...
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iOS 26.1 Update: Add Fog Effects to Liquid Glass
iOS 26.1 introduces a new toggle for the Liquid Glass interface, offering Clear and Tinted appearance options to address user readability concerns. The Tinted setting increases opacity and contrast for better legibility while preserving the glass aesthetic, serving as a middle ground without usin...
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Ring's Search Party backlash: Big questions remain unanswered
Ring's founder is defending the company amid controversy, but the core issue is its expanding AI-powered camera network raising privacy and surveillance concerns beyond marketing. The company's Community Requests feature facilitates direct video sharing with police, placing it at the center of de...
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Stop Your LG TV From Spying on You With This One Setting
LG TVs have a default feature called Live Plus that uses automatic content recognition (ACR) to monitor viewing habits for personalized ads and content suggestions, which can be disabled for privacy. To turn off Live Plus on an LG TV, navigate through Settings to the 'Additional Settings' menu an...
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Google Faces Outcry Over Gmail Setting That Gave Gemini AI Inbox Access
A default Gmail setting automatically granted Google's Gemini AI access to user inboxes and calendar data for training, sparking widespread user backlash and privacy concerns without explicit consent. Google clarified the feature is part of its existing Smart Features system, designed to automate...
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Google Ads Adds Political Content Controls at Account Level
Google Ads now allows advertisers to set a default political content preference at the account level, simplifying compliance with regulations and building on previous campaign-level controls. This update helps advertisers maintain consistency across campaigns, reducing manual adjustments and mini...
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Google's New AI "Ads Advisor" Put to the Test
Google's experimental Ads Advisor AI tool shows promise for improving ad campaigns but requires significant refinement before becoming fully reliable. The tool demonstrates impartiality by researching beyond Google's ecosystem and sometimes advises against default settings, though it occasionally...
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PS5 Battlefield Players Furious Over PC Crossplay
PS5 players are frustrated with Battlefield's crossplay, which forces them to choose between facing PC opponents with mouse/keyboard advantages or playing in sparse lobbies with bots. Many users advocate for changing the default crossplay setting to console-only (PlayStation and Xbox) to ensure f...
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Google Ties App Conversions to Install Date
Google is shifting its app campaign attribution model to credit conversions to the actual install date, not the earlier ad click date, aligning its reporting more closely with third-party analytics platforms. This change reduces reporting discrepancies between Google Ads and Mobile Measurement Pa...
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Google's Smart Cropping May Be Cutting Your Ad Images
Google's Smart Cropping feature in Merchant Center automatically zooms in on product images, sometimes resulting in awkwardly cropped ads that cut off key details. The feature is enabled by default with no direct option to disable it in the interface, requiring advertisers to contact Google suppo...
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Discord Delays Global Age Verification Rollout
Discord has delayed its global age verification rollout to late 2026 to address user confusion, clarify that face scans or ID uploads are not universally required, and improve transparency and verification methods. The platform will introduce new verification options like credit card checks, prov...
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Find Lost Pets by Tapping Ring Doorbells
Ring has expanded its free Search Party pet finder service nationwide via its Neighbors app, leveraging community and AI-powered cameras to help reunite lost pets with owners, reportedly reuniting over one dog per day. The service allows any user to post a missing pet alert; AI on Ring cameras ca...
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