Facebook 'Likes' can reveal secrets

 

Your Facebook page could reveal more about you than you realise - including your sexuality, your IQ and even whether you abuse drugs.

Simply looking at all of a person's Facebook 'Likes' can reveal everything from a person's race to a person's political views - with up to 95% accuracy.

Distinctive patterns of 'Likes' correspond very strongly to different personality traits, say researchers at the University of Cambridge who studies the patterns of 58,000 volunteers' 'likes'.

Facebook users were warned that this information could be visible even on accounts with high privacy settings - possibly alerting employers to details users might wish to be private.

Users were more likely to have a higher IQ if they liked 'Mozart', 'The Godfather' and 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

People who liked 'I Like Being a Mom' and 'Harley Davidson' were more likely to have a lower IQ, the research found.

People in a relationship liked pages including 'Weight Watchers' and 'Scrapbooking' while singletons followed sports stars such as Usain Bolt and Maria Sharapova.

Heavy drinkers tend to like pages such as 'Tattoo Lovers' and 'Getting A Text That Says I Love You'.

The statistical research method proved 88 per cent accurate for determining male sexuality.

It was 95 per cent accurate for distinguishing race and 85 per cent accurate in determining political views.

Christians and Muslims were correctly identified in 82 per cent of cases, and accurate predictions were also achieved for relationship status and substance abuse.

Even personal details such as whether users’ parents separated before that person reached the age of 21 were accurately predicted to 60%.

The researchers were able to work out their conclusions without relying on obvious 'Likes'- for example only five per cent of gay men and women liked a Gay Marriage page.

The researchers said the observation of 'likes' alone was now believed to be as informative as a personality test.

But worryingly they warned all of the information needed for the telling analysis is readily available to the public - even if your profile adopts the highest privacy setting.

Michal Kosinski, Operations Director at Cambridge University's Psychometric Centre, said: "Given the variety of digital traces people leave behind, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for individuals to control.

"I am a great fan and active user of new amazing technologies, including Facebook.

"I appreciate automated book recommendations, or Facebook selecting the most relevant stories for my newsfeed. However, I can imagine situations in which the same data and technology is used to predict political views or sexual orientation, posing threats to freedom or even life.

"Just the possibility of this happening could deter people from using digital technologies and diminish trust between individuals and institutions - hampering technological and economic progress.

"Users need to be provided with transparency and control over their information."

David Stillwell from Cambridge University added: "I have used Facebook since 2005, and I will continue to do so. But I might be more careful to use the privacy settings that Facebook provides."

The research was carried out at Cambridge’s Psychometrics Centre in collaboration with Microsoft Research Cambridge and published yesterday (Mon) in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

Researchers said their findings could signal the beginning of a revolutionary method of psychological assessment.

Thore Graepel from Microsoft Research said he hoped the research would contribute to the on-going discussions about user privacy.

How to keep your smartphone safe from thieves and hackers

The data stored in your smartphone is probably more valuable than the device itself - but very few of us take basic steps to keep it safe.

Smartphones often contain your personal details (phone number, address etc), passwords for everything from app stores to social network sites and banks - along with personal photos and the contact details of everyone in your address book.

Leaving apps open can put this data in the hands of thieves - as can failure to observe simple security precautions.

It's not just thieves who want it, either - viruses and other unscrupulous apps have begun to target smartphones, usually with the goal of serving adverts direct to people's phones.

Thankfully, a few basic security steps can help to keep your phone safe.

General security tips
There are some simple steps you can take to beef up your security considerably.

Make sure you have your password lock enabled, and more importantly that it’s set to engage soon after any period of inactivity. Set a pin code too on your voicemail so only you can access your messages.

Set up a tracker app like Find my iPhone or LocateMyDroid so that if your phone is lost or stolen you can track, remote lock and if necessary remote wipe it. And if any of your apps or security settings are hacked or breached, remember to change your passwords straight away.

Your security may still be at risk after you’ve sold on your smartphone. Before you sell, back up all your data and then do a full phone factory reset. How to do this differs for each phone so check online for your model.

Make sure too that when you finish using an app – especially those containing sensitive information like banking apps – you close it completely rather than just exiting it. If it's open, and your phone is stolen, it can mean thieves have access to sensitive information.

In iOS this is a simple case of exiting the app, double pressing the home button and doing a long press on the icon in the apps that show in the bottom menu until the ‘close’ x appears before tapping on it.

Android is a little trickier, as you have to navigate the Applications tab, then settings and applications menus and then tap Manage applications. Here you can select an app and tap 'Force stop.'
 
App security 
Apps  represent the biggest vulnerability to your security on your phone. Free apps in particular often share your data with advertising firms - meaning unwanted 'targeted' adverts that pop up on your phone.

A recent study by Appthority shows that free apps for iPhone pose a greater privacy risk than free apps from Google Play, with 60% of the former and 50% of the latter’s top-10 selling apps sharing data with advertising networks.

Be extra vigilant about what apps you download and from where. Check out the app’s privacy policy and terms and conditions to see what data it will mine and share and what permissions it requests, if you’ve already downloaded it you can still check in the app settings menu or website.

A simple rule of thumb here is that if there is no privacy policy, give the app a miss and if it’s free, the chances are the creator is looking to recoup its costs and make money by passing on your information to third parties.

Make sure to always download the latest software updates for your apps as they become available. Many of these updates contain bug fixes and security upgrades that help protect you from the latest malware, although in some cases it may also mean an update to the privacy policy and T&Cs. To be on the safe side, always read what the new update delivers.
 
Staying safe from 'fake apps
Fake apps are also rife on marketplaces such as Google's Play Store.
'Clones' of popular apps such as Angry Birds instead infect your phone with malicious software.

The only defence is to be wary about downloading apps - particularly free ones - from the store.

Some simply serve you annoying adverts. Others, though are far more sinister - adding huge amounts to your bill by dialing foreign numbers or using premium SMS services.

Apps to help your children enjoy iPad safely

Many parents rely on iPad as a helping hand with children - whether to pass the time in a car, as an educational tool to support school work or just to deliver an episode of CBeebies on a Sunday morning.

But with over 300,000 iPad apps in the Apple App Store, finding good apps can be overwhelming - our list below highlights some fun, educational choices.

If you're shopping, it's worth checking age ratings - but any parent of young children should try apps themselves first. 

The suitability of tablets for children has become a hot topic lately following news that 5-year old Danny Kitchen from Bristol ran up a bill for £1700 on in-app purchases while playing a free app.

If you are a parent with young children who share an iPad it’s worth heeding the experience of the Kitchen family.

Many apps don’t cost anything to download, but developers make money from extra in-app purchases like coins, lives and accessories, which can be bought with a couple of taps.

Apple recommends not divulging your Apple ID password to your child and instead entering your password each time it’s needed. Children over 13 are advised to create their own Apple ID, to which you can add iTunes gift certificates.

Apple includes safeguards on the iPad to help prevent unwanted in-app purchases. Go to the Settings menu and select General - Restrictions - Enable Restrictions. Pick a password and there’s an option to turn off In-App Purchases.

Alternatively Require Password  lets you determine whether a password for app purchases is needed instantly or within 15 minutes. Selecting the former means there’s no chance of your children buying anything in the immediate time period after you’ve entered your password.

The Restrictions menu also lets you temporarily remove selected features altogether such as Safari, Camera, iTunes, Facetime and (crucially) Installing Apps. To restore the iPad to normal settings head to Settings - General - Enable Restrictions and enter your password again.

Fix-it Felix Jr.
Free
Thanks to its 8-bit graphics this game will evoke feelings of nostalgia in old-time gamers and recognition in young children who’ve seen Wreck it Ralph. There’s very little educational value here - as Fix-it Felix Jr use your magical hammer to fix what Ralph destroys. But it’s great fun for big and small kids

Itsy Bitsy Spider HD
£1.49
This colourful app brings the classic children’s nursery rhyme alive with a spider that moves around interacting with the environment as your child taps the screen and learns about the environment. Studio Duck Duck Moose creates some of the most innovative apps for young children, so it’s well-working checking out its other apps.

Magic Piano
Free
An app for budding musicians, your child plays along to tunes by tapping the notes as they fall using one, two, three or four fingers. Songs span all genres from Twinkle Twinkle too Gangham Style, some are free, some cost points and others are unlocked. Budding composers can even try some freestyling.

Magic Town
Free
Magic Town is a beautifully animated world packed with interactive stories and games. There are 80 stories, from classics like Rumpelstiltskin to Aliens Love Underpants, while Watch, Play, Learn and Read modes cater for different ages and reading abilities. Magic Town is free to join, with a free download every day or £2.49 a month.

Pocket Phonics
£1.99
Pocket Phonics aims to teach preschoolers how to read and write using phonics. Letters appear on screen as the sound is read out, encouraging children to say the letter before writing it. Designed and tested by teachers, if you’ve got children aged between 3-6 it’s well checking out and there’s a free Lite version.
 
Toca Train
£1.99
If your son (or daughter) is train fanatic they’ll love train-simulator Toca Train. They can drive the train around the track, tapping interactive levers and controls stopping at stations to load and unload passengers, sounding the siren and changing the camera angle.

Toy Story Read-Along
Free
Toy Story comes to iPad in this interactive book. Following the adventures of Woody and Buzz children can flick through the pages, listening to the story or recording their own voice. Extra activities such as finger painting, music, videos and games help bring the reading experience alive.
 
Tozzle HD
£1.49
Tozzle comprises of 39 puzzles, which your child solves by dragging and dropping pieces onto the screen. Designed to improve shape recognition and motor activity, on completion some of the puzzles come to life with sound effects and motion. A free Lite version is also available.

New 'smart' walking stick has sat-nav to guide people home

A 'smart' walking stick designed in Japan has built in GPS navigation to help guide old people home.

The stick has an easy-to-read LED screen which shows arrows in the direction the user needs to walk.

It also features a heart rate monitor - in a thumb reader on top - and transmits heart rate data to health workers and relatives remotely.

A working version of the stick was shown off by maker Fujitsu at this week's Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona.

No price was confirmed, but the device could be a hit in Fujitsu's native Japan, which has a large population of older people.

Rik Henderson of gadget site Pocket-Lint said, "Fujitsu dedicated part of its Mobile World Congress 2013 stand in Barcelona to future technologies. Clearly, it is still some way off release, but we were assured that it would be a full consumer product eventually. It will also be able to read temperature and humidity."
"Naturally, it's far too early in the development life to mull over price, but if the company manages to keep it reasonably affordable, we could see the GPS walking stick becoming a very useful form of technology in years to come."

The stick works by 'learning' a set route determined by a computer, and directs its owner home accordingly.

It can also transmit the location of its owner to relatives and health workers.

10 things you didn't know your smartphone could do

From tracking your heart rate to starting your car and recording voice messages, your handset can do far more than you realise.

From creating a wi-fi hotspot anywhere to paying for things without a credit card, the average smartphone has a few unexpected tricks up its sleeve.

We’ve selected 10 things you may not know your your smartphone can do - some require an app download, but all are free.

WiFi Hotspot

If your phone runs Android Gingerbread, Windows Phone, BBOS or iOS, you can use it as WiFi hotspot to get online using devices (such as a tablet or laptop) that don’t have a cellular data connection. This is called tethering.

Turn on the hotspot function on your phone, search for it using the second device, enter the password and start browsing.

Tethering uses data, so to avoid hefty charges make sure you’ve got an unlimited data allowance. Some networks don’t allow it either, so check first.

Google search the real world

Google Goggles (free, Android) lets you identify products, places and logos using the camera on your Android phone. Use the app to take a picture and it then analysis writing or imagery and matches it with a database.

Google Goggles can be employed in a myriad of ways - use it on holiday to discover more about landmarks, scan business cards to your contacts, scan barcodes, translate foreign languages and even solve Sudoku.

Google Goggles needs an active data connection, so if you use it abroad stick to WiFi to avoid charges.

Car keys

Ever have that fleeting moment when you wonder ‘did I lock my car?’   Mercedes-Benz mbrace (iOS) and My BMW Remote (iOS) are free apps that let car owners lock their vehicles remotely by sending a signal to the car.

Before you download the apps check the running requirements - BMW requires BMW Assist and a bluetooth-enabled navigation system.

Mobile wallet

Use your smartphone to pay for goods without opening your wallet. 

Many smartphones include NFC chips, which work with services like Orange QuickTap to pay for small-value items using a special reader found in shops such as M&S and Subway.

Even if your phone doesn’t have an NFC chip, the Starbucks app (free iOS and Android) lets you buy coffee using your phone. Simply load money on and pay by scanning the on-screen barcode - useful for those days when you don’t have any change, but need a caffeine fix.
 
Heart Rate monitor

We certainly don’t advise self diagnosis, but Instant Heart Rate (free Android, iOS, Windows Phone) is a quick way of measuring your pulse. Hold your finger over the lens for about 10 seconds and the camera tracks colour changes, with every heartbeat visible on a real-time graph.

See instantly see how your heart rate compares to average and store up to five measurements. With built-in heart rate zones, Instant Heart Rate Monitor is a useful tool for exercise.

Spirit Level

Planning some DIY this weekend? Thanks to a built in gyroscope, there are many apps that turn your smartphones into a spirit level.

Some like Spirit Level Plus (free, Android) replicate simple spirit levels, while others like Spirit Level (free iOS) can also display the angle and lock accuracy values. Upgrade to Spirit Level Pro (69p) to measure angles of elevation, slope and incline and align pictures.

Voice Memos

Forgot your mothers birthday card? With the help of your
smartphone quickly send a personal voice message instead. Select Soun Recorder on an Android device or Voice Memo on an Apple phone (each with
a funky old-fashioned microphone interface), tap to record,
say/sing/shout your message and share your recording via email or
message. 

The recipient can then download the file to their smartphone
or computer and you’ll be off the hook!

Track your family

Find My iPhone is a free app that lets you pinpoint the location of your phone should you lose it, but for parents it’s a great way of keeping track of your childs location. Install the app and log onto www.iCloud.com, enter their  Apple ID password (if they’ll give it to you!) and as long as the phone is turned on, you’ll see the location on a map.

Android users can use Life360 Family Locator (free Android, iOS) to locate family members,  receive alerts when they reach destinations and even send messages.

Speed Cameras

Expensive speed camera fines are a source of frustration for motorists, TomTom Speed Cameras (currently free if you subscribe via the app) and Trapster (Android and iOS) warn you of forthcoming speed cameras to help you avoid fines and drive more safely. 

TomTom Speed Cameras also warns of red lights, average speed checks and mobile hotspots.

Watch live TV

TVCatchup (free, Android and iOS) lets you watch live Freeview television on your smartphone, it’s totally free and although there’s no record function, you can pause it.

Streaming video uses a lot of data so make sure you’re connected to a WiFi hotspot and activate ‘Use WiFi Only’ to avoid

New Merc S-Class coming this May

The next generation Mercedes-Benz S-class will be revealed in Hamburg on 15 May, Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche has revealed.

"The S-class is the most important car of all to us," said Zetsche. "Its success makes us stronger going forward."

 

Extra importance has been placed on the S-class following the failure of Maybach. Zetsche said that Mercedes would "broaden the portfolio of the S-class" to make more luxurious versions aimed at the Rolls-Royce Ghost.

 

Zetsche believes that the S-class should have more success in the super-luxury market than the Maybach as it is a brand with "a stronger foundation".

 

"We can sell more cars at better prices with the S-class," he said. "Pushing the S-class upmarket will also further strengthen and balance the Mercedes brand at the top end just as we are going smaller with the A-class range of cars."

 

He also confirmed the next generation C-class would be revealed next year. The new model, along with the recently revised E-class, are crucial for Mercedes in China if it is to close the gap on Audi and BMW, according to Zetsche.

 

The new C-class and S-class are new Mercedes not included in Mercedes' plan to launch 13 new models without a predecessor by 2020, but three of the five models - CLA, CLA Shooting Brake and GLA SUV - to be spun off the A-class platform were.

Facebook hit with fresh IPO-related lawsuit

A Facebook Inc shareholder has sued the social networking company's Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and others over its troubled IPO, potentially reviving legal claims that a different court dismissed in February.

The lawsuit by Gaye Jones alleges that the company's directors and officers knew that Facebook did not disclose weaker revenue trends as more users accessed the website through mobile devices. The complaint alleges that information had been selectively shared with the company's IPO underwriters and key investors.

Unlike similar lawsuits that were dismissed last month partly because the shareholders did not own the stock when the alleged misconduct took place prior to Facebook's May IPO, Jones has owned Facebook stock since February 2012.

The lawsuit seeks to force the directors and other defendants to disgorge the money they made from selling stock through the IPO which they allegedly knew was overpriced.

"The defendants were unjustly enriched because they realized enormous profits and financial benefits from the IPO, despite knowing that reduced revenue and earnings forecasts for the company had not been publicly disclosed to investors," said the complaint.

Facebook said in a statement that "we believe this lawsuit is without merit and will defend ourselves vigorously."

Shares in Facebook's highly anticipated IPO fell from the initial price of $38 to about $25 within a month. The stock closed on Monday at $27.72 on Nasdaq, down 6 cents.

Soon after the IPO, which was also marked by technical glitches on the Nasdaq exchange, more than 50 investor lawsuits were filed. A proposed class action is being heard in federal court in Manhattan.

Jones' lawsuit is a derivative case, meaning the investor seeks to step into the shoes of the company and any money recovered from Zuckerberg and others through a settlement or judgment would be paid to Facebook, not shareholders.

Four previous and very similar derivative cases were dismissed last month by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Sweet in Manhattan.

In addition to noting that shareholders did not own stock prior to the IPO, Sweet said that although plaintiffs had claimed that Facebook hid facts from investors, the company had "repeatedly made express and extensive" warnings about the increased use of mobile applications.

The lawsuit was filed in the Court of Chancery in Delaware, where Facebook is incorporated, and also named as defendants the IPO underwriters - units of JPMorgan Chase & Co, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.