General Gaming Article |
| Google and Twitter Take a Pass on new FISA Disclosure Deal Adopted by Facebook and Microsoft Posted: 16 Jun 2013 10:12 AM PDT
They might not have a choice, but they are fighting it anyway.Privacy concerns are front and center in the online world these days, and a deal taken by Facebook and Microsoft on government transparency doesn't pass the Google sniff test. Google claims the offer comes with strings attached they can't live with, and they appear to be holding out for a better offer. The current deal forces companies who wish to disclose FISA requests to lump in those coming from the NSA with that of U.S. local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. This restriction alone makes it pretty much impossible to know where our information is going, and is further complicated by another rule that forces them to only report request in bands of 1,000. Google has taken a hard stance on the matter, and has released a pretty clear statement with what they hope to accomplish. We have always believed that it's important to differentiate between different types of government requests. We already publish criminal requests separately from National Security Letters. Lumping the two categories together would be a step back for users. Our request to the government is clear: to be able to publish aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures, separately. We have no idea if Google will get its way, but at the very least they should be applauded for sticking up for the rights of their users. Twitter's legal director Benjamin Lee has also sided with the search giant, paving the way for a standoff that will play out over the coming weeks.
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| Microsoft is Paying Upwards of $100,000 To Secure Key Windows Phone 8 Apps Posted: 16 Jun 2013 09:22 AM PDT
Microsoft throws money at the problem.Sources close to Microsoft have confirmed that the tech giant is determined to prop up its Windows Phone 8 App Store, and it's willing to bust out the big boy checkbook to do it. According to Business Insider, Microsoft has offered several top tier developers upwards of $100,000 to bring key apps to its mobile platform, and that's in addition to smaller incentives currently open to anyone. For the month of June Microsoft is also offering developers of any size a cool $100 for any app that gets published to the store up to a maximum of $2,000. This could certainly help Microsoft pad the numbers a bit on paper, but it won't help with the quality vs. quantity argument. That's where the big payouts come into play. If Microsoft can write a check to convince just a few more key developers to join the platform, Windows Phone could end up being the only viable alternative to Apple and Google in the mobile space. Buying your way into a market is a questionable and expensive strategy, but it also shows Microsoft's commitment to the platform. Will throwing money at the app problem make it go away? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. |
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