Today’s Cache | Authorities increase requests for user data, Twitter reduces security for non-Blue subscribers, and more

Authorities increase requests for user data

While government requests for user data from Big Tech companies like Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft increased more than five times from 2013 to 2021, India ranked no. 1 in Southern Asia states requesting user data, requesting user data for 58.7 accounts per 100k people.

While the country stood at the 36th spot in world rankings, the U.S.A took the top spot followed by the EU. Companies also complied with this increase. With each witnessing a 56k increase on average in disclosed requests.

Twitter starting Monday will place its text message-based two-factor authentication behind Blue paywall. Effectively turning off 2FA for all non-Blue subscriber accounts completely. This exposes users, who do not switch away from SMS verification or pay for the Blue subscription, by removing the additional security for their accounts leaving them vulnerable to hacking.

The micro-blogging platform announced in February, the step to change the policy was taken as the company believed phone-number-based 2FA was being abused by “bad actors”.

Microsoft is planning to launch a new app store for games on iOS and Android smartphones to be launched as soon as next year if its acquisition of Activision Blizzard is cleared by regulators.

While rules requiring Apple and Google to open up their mobile platforms to app stores from other companies are expected to come into force in 2024, Microsoft is looking to offer content from it as well as third parties created across devices, a report citing Xbox boss Phil Spencer, from Financial Times said.

Microsoft is currently fighting regulators in the U.S. Europe and the U.K who are seeking to block the company’s move to acquire Activision Blizzard.