Tech Round Up Week 4 Apr 2020: 20 Million User Credentials Leaked On Android App Store

Plenty of news this week with a 20 million user data leak, new Facebook emojis and more, so let’s get to it.

Google will be launching a new section catered specifically for young minds – a Kids section on the Google Play Store. These apps are strictly made to make them appropriate for children, following high standard guidelines and approved by educators. The Kids section was originally scheduled to launch later on this year, however, with the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, Google pushed up its launch as children are spending more time at home. The Kids section will be released first in the US before an international rollout in the next few months.

Facebook has launched a new ‘care’ emoji reaction in hopes of encouraging users to show extra care and support for each other during the COVID-19 pandemic although they are apart. The new emoji reaction is an emoji face hugging a heart and it will be available next week on the Main App. Facebook Messenger will have a different version of this new initiative in the form of a pulsating heart reaction.

Facebook has also released its Messenger App specially catered for young minds in Singapore. The app offers parental supervision to create a safe yet fun environment for children with kid-friendly GIFs, stickers and even drawing tools. The app is available on Apple App Store and will be released on Google Play Store by the end of the week.

If you like, comment or share a hoax about COVID19, Facebook will automatically direct you to the World Health Organization’s Myth Busters Page created to debunk common coronavirus myths. The initiative is aimed to direct users that have encountered inaccurate information about the virus to seek the truth from certified sources in case they see or hear these claims off Facebook. The new feature is definitely a significant step forward to stem the spread of misinformation related to COVID19, and will be available in the upcoming weeks.

A hacker has leaked 20 million user credentials of a third-party Android app store called Aptoide. The leak includes users email, passwords, names, dates of birth and more. Aptoide has since announced that it will suspend all sign-ups on the app store and advised all users to change their passwords. Installing third-party apps that are not downloaded directly from Google Playstore increases risks of exposure to malicious software, so do take extra precautions.

Netflix is one of the few companies thriving in the global pandemic, with 15.8 million new subscribers in the first quarter alone. Netflix’s spike in subscribers started around mid-March, with more people forced to stay at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Netflix worries that the sudden increase might lead to a pull-forward effect that results in slower growth after the pandemic dies down and people are no longer required to stay at home. On the other hand, Netflix is positive about the new content they are releasing despite the global production halt. As long as Netflix keeps audiences engaged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and they can continue releasing content, the company’s future certainly looks positive.