Messaging apps - Softonic English

Instagram Stories users embarrassed by new questions feature

Anonymity. The onset of social networks has simultaneously stripped us of our privacy while also creating a legion of anonymous internet trolls. Under the cloak of anonymity, they spill their bile all over the internet without fear of recrimination. Twitter is awash with so much hate that there are even browser extensions out there to block all the anonymous nonsense out. It seems that when we think we’re saying things anonymously, we make things a little spicier than we usually would.

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Users on Instagram both proved this reality to be true and were caught out in the process this week. Instagram has rolled out some new interactive features for its Snapchat copying Stories feature. Users can now ask questions as a part of their Instagram Story. The thing is, the answers to these questions are not anonymous. Whoever asked the question can see who answers it. A lot of Instagram users didn’t know this, however, and answered as if nobody was looking. Ever since they’ve been taking to Twitter publicly to talk about their embarrassment. Check out some of the best (and worst) Tweets below:

I THOUGHT THE INSTAGRAM QUESTIONS WERE ANONYMOUS SO I TOLD A GIRL HER DOG WAS UGLY FJCKSKSJKDKDJCKSIAODKCJS

— ciara (@adoptingbailey) July 12, 2018

would have been nice to know that the instagram questions weren’t Anonymous before i called my bro’s girlfriend ugly

— happy birthday flavio (@marua_yo) July 13, 2018

Turns out this Instagram questions thingy isn't anonymous ??? I cannot show my face at school after what I've just done ???

— chantelle. ♡ (@chantellchitura) July 12, 2018

Just to let y’all know, in case you haven’t found out already, those instagram questions are not anonymous!!! ???? (no this is not mine but it was too funny not to share) pic.twitter.com/9NuXhsIc0w

— neena simone ??‍♀️ (@WithThatNeena) July 12, 2018

When the sexually aggressive dudes realize the Instagram "Ask a Question" isn't anonymous and they've just been exposed on 7 girls instagram stories about sending feet pictures pic.twitter.com/yyqQZ3rxNR

— Grant Loess (@gloess1) July 12, 2018

It isn’t all bile, however, sometimes anonymity allows us to say those things that were too scared to say. Our heart wants to sing, but our fearful brain holds us back. In those moments, anonymity can give us an opportunity to say what we’ve always wanted to say.

Wait Instagram story questions aren’t anonymous?!?!?! Oh no I told my friend I love them with my entire being and would do anything for them

— Ty (@tylerhaugle) July 12, 2018

We’re with you Ty, you wholesome meme of a man. The only question left now, is what happened next?

WhatsApp takes steps to prevent the spread of fake news

WhatsApp is testing out a new feature that could help solve the huge fake news problem that is spreading across the platform. Although still in its early stages this new feature could make a real difference and is a positive step from the Facebook-owned company.

WhatsApp found itself in hot water recently due to the spread of fake news across its messaging platform. The problem became so acute, that the Indian government called out the Facebook-owned company. Many Indians have died due to fake news reports sent via WhatsApp, and the government had had enough. WhatsApp responded that it has been working on halting the problem, but it has come to light that it is currently working on a new feature to address the issue.

WhatsApp Messenger Download WhatsApp

According to WhatsApp experts, WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will highlight suspicious links. The latest beta version of the app, submitted to the Google Play Beta Program, is very similar to older versions, with the only real difference being the new suspicious link detection feature.

Image via: WABetaInfo – WhatsApp is testing a Suspicious Link flagging feature

The feature isn’t too complicated, but it could make a difference. WhatsApp will run background checks on all links shared across the platform. The check will determine whether the information contained in the link is accurate or not. Any link failing the WhatsApp verification test will receive a Suspicious Link flag. A second warning will flash up for anybody who decides to ignore the first flag and clicks the link anyway. According to WABetaInfo, the checks will be carried out on individual devices so they won’t consume extra user data.

Image via: WABetaInfo – Users will who ignore the first warning and click a suspicious link will receive a second warning before the link opens

For now, this new feature is still a long way from a broader rollout to all users. It still has a lot of development ahead of it before it‘ll be stable enough to come to the primary version of the app. This shows, however, that WhatsApp is taking its fake news problem seriously and is actively searching for solutions.

Your kids shouldn’t have these programs installed

Kids are using technology earlier and earlier, and it’s not a problem… if there’s parental supervision. It’s important to know what your youngsters are up to, what content they consume, web pages they access, video games they play, etc. And some apps could get your kids in trouble. These are the programs your kids shouldn’t have installed.

(But because we want you parents to know what you might be up against, it could be worth downloading them to see the pitfalls, so we’ve included links to try them out.)

Kik Messenger

It’s important to monitor your kids if they use social media or a messaging app, but even more so if the system hides the sender’s identity. A good example of this is Kik Messenger, a completely anonymous messaging app, which means anything said or received can’t be tracked.

Kik download free

Poof

This is one of the biggest headaches for parents: Poof. With this app, users can hide their cell phone’s location. This way, kids can lie about where they are at the moment, even if parents ask them to share their location.

YouNow

There are dozens of apps that live broadcast everything going on. However, for young people, there’s one app above the rest: YouNow. This tool is the favorite for young teens filming their daily activities. Basically, it’s like Periscope, but its boom with young people has given it skyrocketing popularity. Do you really want your kid broadcasting to the world?

YouNow: Live Stream Video Chat

download free

Vaulty

If your kids are hiding something, you can bet they know it’s not something to be proud of. If your kids have Vaulty installed, you should be concerned. With this app, you can add a password to any photo or video on your cell phone. It encrypts your audiovisual content so nobody can access it. Yep, that includes you, Mom and Dad.

Also, it has an intrusive feature: if the password fails, the camera is activated and it takes a photo automatically. Make sure that doesn’t happen…

Vaulty download free

Whisper

Exchanging information anonymously is always dangerous. Many terrorist organizations use these tools to send and receive data without anybody knowing the origin or destination. Dozen of apps fall into this category, but for teenagers, there’s one that tops them all: Whisper.

This app has gained popularity with young people due to the ease of exchanging information. It can spread rumors, hoaxes, fake news and much more with a few clicks. Most of all: it’s a hub for school bullying, so tread carefully if you see it installed.

Whisper download free

5 amazing Snaplenses for gamers

Snaplenses add unlimited meme potential to your snaps. Sure, filming your friends doing embarrassing things is fun, but a well-placed snaplens will take your snap to the next level. Here’s a list of the most exploitable and hilarious gaming snaps we could find:

NOTE: To add these lenses, simply open the links in the article on your phone.

Snapchat Download Free

1. Super Smash Bros. Melee

Super Smash Bros. Melee is one of the greatest games ever made. A staple in college dorm rooms for over a decade, it’s been a source of endless trash talk with no signs of slowing down. Now you can pile on the trash talk by putting Melee snaplenses over your friends. Utilizing the announcer’s booming voice, you can superimpose “SUCCESS”, “GAME”, “TIME” or the infamous “FAILURE” over your friends. Please enjoy the above picture of my little brother with “FAILURE” over him, which I took immediately after 3-stocking him in Smash.

Download the snaplenses: “FAILURE” “GAME” “SUCCESS” “TIME”

2. Call of Duty Nazi Zombies: REVIVE

Nazi Zombies is arguably the most popular couch co-op game of our generation. Millions of players all over the world have mowed down countless undead foes since the release of Call of Duty: World at War back in 2008. Spice up your snaps with the iconic “REVIVE” icon. Friend fell asleep in class? Awkwardly passed out on the couch after a long night out? Hit ’em with the REVIVE.

Download: “REVIVE”

3. Cuphead and Mugman

Cuphead is the most maddeningly difficult game we have ever played, with a difficulty curve so steep it makes Dark Souls look like Kirby. It’s hard to stay too mad at the game, however, with its gorgeous animation, creative character design, and dizzying ragtime soundtrack. Get some catharsis from the relentless boss fights and add some old-school flair to your snaps with the official Cuphead and Mugman snaplens.

Download: “Cuphead and Mugman”

Cuphead download now

4. Overwatch Play of the Game

Getting a Play of the Game is one of the most satisfying things in Overwatch. You know that you’re an amazing player, and having everyone bask in your glory as you pick up a multikill just feels right. Now you can let your friends know how great you are in real life too with the Play of the Game snaplens. Featuring the announcer and an “ENEMY ELIMINATED” popup, this is one of the most hilarious and detailed snaplenses we’ve seen.

Download: “Play of the Game”

5. Grand Theft Auto V

Last but certainly not least, the infamous “WASTED” from the Grand Theft Auto series arrives on Snapchat with endless applications. The truly infinite amount of situations where you can embarrass your friends make this one of the greatest snaplenses ever.

Download: “WASTED”

6 of the best Snapchat lenses

Enjoy more Snapchat fun

How to set up your Gmail account in Outlook

Lots of us use Outlook as a program to check our email. But did you know you can also use this software to read Gmail messages? It’s true! Today we’ll show you how to set up your Gmail in Outlook.

Enable Gmail

First of all, you must see if your Gmail account is enabled to send and receive email from other platforms. To do this, go to “Settings” and click on the field “Forwarding and POP / IMAP” (depending on the version of Gmail you have, it can change names). Once inside, check three areas specifically:

“POP Download” is enabled.
“IMAP Access” is enabled.
The size limit of folders has no limits .

That done, let’s hop over to Outlook.

Quick and easy

Once you have Outlook open, it’s as quick and easy as clicking on the icon of three lines at the top and going to the “Information” section. Here, look for the first option that appears: “Add account.”

If you click on it, a pop-up window will appear where you can add your email address and password. After enabling everything in the previous step, the approval will take only a few minutes (and shouldn’t give you any trouble).

Congratulations! Now your email can find you wherever you go!

The Indian government is not happy with WhatsApp

Fake news spread via the WhatsApp messaging service is causing extreme violence across India and the government has called on the messaging service to take action. Will it be that easy to halt a problem spreading across one of the biggest messaging services in the world?

We recently told you about disturbing stories coming in from around the world relating to the spread of fake news over WhatsApp. Particularly nasty stories have been coming out of India, with people being lynched and beaten to death to due to fake reports of child snatching spread across the messaging platform. The Indian government has now responded to this fake news crisis and has asked the Facebook-owned company to take action.

In a statement made on July 3, India’s Ministry of Electronics & IT said:

“Instances of lynching of innocent people have been noticed recently because of large number of irresponsible and explosive messages filled with rumors and provocation are being circulated on WhatsApp… Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/sensational messages.”

Many people in India use WhatsApp — WhatsApp has a massive presence in India and needs to work with the government to help the spread of fake news.

Events like this are troubling, and it isn’t the first time that Facebook-owned messaging platforms have been used to spread fake news and incite violence. Messenger has been used to incite violence in Myanmar with the UN pointing out that Facebook played a decisive role in the Rohingya crisis.

The Indian government’s statement on the current crisis engulfing WhatsApp makes it abundantly clear that it expects WhatsApp to act, saying:

“The Government has also conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities.”

10 Tricks for spotting “fake news”

Read Now

The statement, however, only talks about using “appropriate technologies,” to halt the spread of fake news, so it doesn’t offer a roadmap towards implementation. The problem is WhatsApp’s, and India expects it to act.

WhatsApp definitely needs to do more, but this is a very simple position for the Indian government to take. It is a position that ignores the cultural issues that are maybe contributing to the spread of fake news. After all, WhatsApp is available in countries around the world, but most of the violence caused by the spread of fake news is coming out of India.

This report from the BBC shows the extent of the problem facing WhatsApp and the Indian Government – Warning: contains disturbing scenes.

In response to the Indian statement, WhatsApp has said that the problem is beyond the control of the messaging service alone. The Wire reports that WhatsApp sent a letter to Ministry of Electronics & IT in India saying:

“Like the government of India, we’re horrified by these terrible acts of violence and wanted to respond quickly to the very important issues you have raised…”

But then adding that it is a problem:

“…that requires government, civil society and technology companies to work together.”

The messaging service cites a number of recent changes that should help stem the spread of fake news. These include forwarded message notifications, increased admin control over groups, and the funding of academic research on misinformation and fake news. These actions alone, however, will not solve this problem. Education is going to be the most significant tool available to the people trying to fix it.

How to Spot Fake News on WhatsApp and Facebook

Click here to learn how

The people using WhatsApp need to learn to recognize fake news stories before spreading them or, even worse, becoming involved in a mob that will act on them. WhatsApp has committed to efforts in this direction with fact-checking organizations like Boom Live already available on the messaging service but is also clear that it is a job for the Indian government to take up also.

Does WhatsApp spread fake news? — Fake news can spread quickly, and cause harm, if people don’t take the time to read and scrutinize stories before sharing them.

The spread of fake news and resulting acts of misplaced violence is a serious and complicated problem that will not go away soon. The Indian government, WhatsApp, and individual community leaders will have to work together to help bring it to an end. A long and challenging education program lies ahead, but fortunately, everybody involved has the perfect weapon for teaching important lessons to people in rural parts of a country like India. WhatsApp alone isn’t to blame for the recent violence in India, but it is part of the problem. If used correctly, there is nothing to stop it from being part of the solution also.

5 ways to improve your Snapchat Stories

If you use Snapchat, you’re probably familiar with Stories. Although the app started out as a new way to share photos, Stories gives you a new way to interact with your friends and followers.

Rather than sending isolated photos, Stories lets you create a narrative out of the interesting things you’ve done. Better yet, they live for 24 hours, and can be viewed again and again. Once the time limit is up, they’re automatically deleted.

Stories are a particularly good way to interact with a larger number of people. Celebs, brands, and other high-profile users can share their Snapchat name manually or by snapcode so thousands of users can watch their Stories, such as that time DJ Khaled got lost at sea on his jet ski:

So how can you improve the impact of your own stories? While we don’t recommend buying a jet ski and getting lost in the ocean, we can help with some top tips on making the most of your Snapchat posts.

1. Keep It Dynamic

Stories make you the director of your own movie. Remember the last film you watched? Was every shot static and unmoving, or did the camera change location, pan, and zoom in and out? Unless you’re watching something really arty, it was probably the latter, and you should remember these techniques for your Stories.

Change the angle of your shots, have one close up, and another further back. Keeping things moving creates a more interesting visual style, and keeps your audience engaged and excited.

2. Timing… is everything.

It’s a classic statement, but timing really is so important. In an app which focuses on short-lived interactions, anything longer than it needs to be will have your audience clicking away faster than a buttered bullet.

When you’re creating a Story, you have an option to select the time for each snap. Don’t default them all to 10 seconds. Just like the visuals, mix up your timing to keep it fresh. This is particularly useful when you’ve got a big joke reveal at the end of your story, like this post about two friendly coke cans.

3. Get Creative

Snapchat Stories has all of the same filters, text, and lenses that you can use in your direct messages, so go crazy! You can draw all over everything, add messages, change colors – the sky’s the limit. For some inspiration, check out these posts from well-known Snapchatters Christine Mi, CyreneQ, and Chino.

4. Openings and endings

Your opening and closing snaps are the most important of your Story. With your opening snap, try and draw in your audience – tease them with a message that gets them interested, and makes them want to continue reading.

Your last snap is just as important – it’s the thumbnail that others will see as the preview for your story. Although it’s pretty tiny onscreen, this is the first thing that users are going to interact with when they see your story. If your first thumbnail already has them interested, you’ve already won.

If you’re snapping for a business or brand, it’s also good sense to end with a question or encourage some sort of response – it drives engagement with your audience, and makes them feel more involved in your content.

5. It’s all about the plot

They’re called Snapchat Stories for a reason. Just like any good book, TV show, or movie, remember that every story needs a beginning, a middle, and an end. Bearing this in mind when you’re making your posts will put you miles ahead of anyone posting random headshots and their breakfast for the day.

Now you know how to make awesome Snapchat Stories, it’s time to get out there and start snapping. Have fun.

6 of the best Snapchat lenses

see our picks

Play tennis against Serena Williams with this new Snapchat lens

Snapchat’s new lens allows you to play a tennis match against the legendary Serena Williams. This is how you can play…

With the World Cup in full swing, it may have escaped your attention that Wimbledon tennis Championships have started in the UK. To mark the launch of Wimbledon, Snap and Serena Williams have teamed up to bring Snapchat users a brand new 3D lens bitmoji mini-game. This isn’t one of the third-party developed games we reported recently, but it will let you take on the tennis legend herself in a game of tennis.

As with all Snapchat mini-games, you can play against Serena anywhere. Just remember, that while you might be locked into an intense rally one of tennis’ biggest legends, nobody else will know what is going on. You definitely need to leave your embarrassment at home if you’re going to come out on top against Serena.

How to play tennis against Serena Williams on Snapchat

How to play tennis on Snapchat — Play against the Greatest Tennis Player of All Time!

The new tennis game was announced via a Tweet from the head of global sports partnership at Snap, Inc., John Brennan. The instructions on how to activate the game are pretty straightforward. To play tennis on Snapchat:

“Tap on the front-facing camera to activate an interactive 3D Bitmoji Lens and see how many points you can score against the GOAT.”

Of course, you need Snapchat before you can play. If you haven’t already, you can download it here:

Snapchat Download Free

In case you’re wondering GOAT stands for Greatest Player of All Time. It was Roger Federer who called Serena the GOAT so, yeah, you’re going to have to work hard to beat her. Good luck.

Your Gmail inbox is not as private as you think it is!

It probably won’t come as a big surprise, but Facebook isn’t the only big tech company sharing your personal data all over the internet. Google is doing the same in a somewhat shocking manner. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Google is allowing third-party app developers access to your inbox so that they can read your emails.

Gmail app developers can read your emails — App developers have access to your Gmail inbox and can read your private emails

Google hasn’t exactly been hiding this practice, but it certainly hasn’t highlighted the fact. Talking to The Verge, Google said that it only gives access to vetted third-party app developers.

“The vetting process involves checking whether a company’s identity is correctly represented by its app, its privacy policy states that it will monitor emails, and the data that the company is requesting makes sense for what the company does.”

This means that Gmail app developers will get access to Gmail user data, which will include people’s emails, private details, who they’re writing to, and when emails were sent.

The real shocking revelation to come out of the report from The WSJ is that it isn’t just machines which are scanning for Metadata. Real people have access to the content of users’ emails and can read even the most private correspondence. User consent is required, but as always it is buried in confusing language. The example below shows an example of a consent form users receive. It shows that the app will have access, but there is no mention of human access.

If you’re shocked by the revelation that strangers can read your emails and would like to review which apps have access to your account, you can do so here. If you’re not happy with the apps that have access to your Gmail, you’ll be able to revoke permission also.

Facebook reveals which companies were given special access to your data

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Facebook has been going through quite the crisis recently. Trust in the big blue social network has been severely dented and head honcho Mark Zuckerberg was called to testify in front of Congress.

Since the first reports of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has been under increasing pressure to disclose more details about what user data it shares and who with. We recently reported on the latest chapter of the scandal, which saw 61 companies being given extended access to user data. The pressure grew further when it emerged that Chinese companies like Huawei we’re getting their hands on Facebook user data.

In response to the growing pressure, Facebook has decided to release a list of the companies, which you can see below, that were granted special access to user data. Each company had, according to the BBC:

“… been given a temporary exemption to a block on apps accessing details about users’ friends.”

The 61 companies Facebook allowed special access to your data

ABCSocial, ABC Television Network

Actiance

Adium

Anschutz Entertainment Group

AOL

Arktan / Janrain

Audi

biNu

Cerulean Studios

Coffee Meets Bagel

DataSift

Dingtone

Double Down Interactive

Endomondo

Flowics, Zauber Labs

Garena

Global Relay Communications

Hearsay Systems

Hinge

HiQ International AB

Hootsuite

Krush Technologies

LiveFyre / Adobe Systems

Mail.ru

MiggoChat

Monterosa Productions Limited

never.no AS

NIKE

Nimbuzz

NISSAN MOTOR CO / Airbiquity Inc.

Oracle

Panasonic

Playtika

Postano, TigerLogic Corporation

Raidcall

RealNetworks, Inc.

RegED / Stoneriver RegED

Reliance/Saavn

Rovi

Salesforce/Radian6

SeaChange International

Serotek Corp.

Shape Services

Smarsh

Snap

Social SafeGuard

Socialeyes LLC

SocialNewsdesk

Socialware / Proofpoint

SoundayMusic

Spotify

Spredfast

Sprinklr / Sprinklr Japan

Storyful Limited / News Corp

Tagboard

Telescope

Tradable Bits, TradableBits Media Inc.

UPS

Vidpresso

Vizrt Group AS

Wayin

What does this all mean?

This special access was granted after May 2015, when Facebook updated to a more restrictive system. Until then app developers were able to request Facebook data including name, gender, birthdate, location, photos, and page likes. The new system enacted a more stringent review process and removed access to friend’s data, but the above companies were given an exemption, of up to 6 months from the May 2015 deadline, before having to sign up to the system.

Facebook hasn’t explained why the 61 companies were given the extra time before having to comply with the new, stricter rules.

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