H. Claire Brown, reporting for The New Food Economy: GrubHub's commission fees had been inching upward over the years she'd [anecdote in the story] been working with the platform. There was the flat transaction fee, which hovered around 3 or 4 percent. Then there were marketing fees and costs for additional promotions. Shivane says she feels like the platform is increasingly pay to play: Spend more to promote your restaurant, and see your search rankings rise. Cut down on marketing spend, and watch your restaurant fall to the bottom of the page and lose sales.

"It's putting us in a financial hole. Last month, I paid $7,000 to GrubHub. That's my rent for the month," Shivane says. The New Food Economy viewed the company's invoice to Shivane's restaurant -- it was actually $8,000. We agreed to use only her first name and last initial in this story because she still uses the platform and fears the company could retaliate by dropping her restaurant to the bottom of its search rankings. Frustrated, Shivane started exploring other options. She says she thought about bulking up her restaurant's web presence and offering orders on her own site through a different service, one that offered a flat monthly rate and no commission fee.

There was just one problem: Someone already owned the web domain that matched her restaurant's name. She looked up the buyer. It was GrubHub. The New Food Economy has found that GrubHub owns more than 23,000 web domains. Its subsidiary, Seamless, owns thousands. We've published the full list here. Most of them appear to correlate with the names of real restaurants. The company's most recent purchase was in May of this year. Grubhub purchased three different domains containing versions of Shivane's restaurant's name -- in 2012, 2013, and 2014. "I never gave them permission to do that," she says.

Microsoft's transformation into a fully paid-up member of the Linux love-train continued this week as the Windows giant sought to join the exclusive club that is the official linux-distros mailing list. From a report: The purpose of the linux-distros list is used by Linux distributions to privately report, coordinate, and discuss security issues yet to reach the general public; oss-security is there for stuff that is already out in the open or cannot wait for things to bounce around for a few days first. Sasha Levin, who describes himself as a "Linux kernel hacker" at the beast of Redmond, made the application for his employer to join the list, which if approved would allow Microsoft to tap into private behind-the-scenes chatter about vulnerabilities, patches, and ongoing security issues with the open-source kernel and related code.

These discussions are crucial for getting an early heads up, and coordinating the handling and deployment of fixes before they are made public. To demonstrate that Microsoft qualifies for membership alongside the likes of Ubuntu, Debian, and SUSE, he cited Microsoft's Azure Sphere and the Windows Subsystem For Linux (WSL) 2 as examples of distro-like builds.

Alphabet's Google on Friday announced a new subsea cable dubbed "Equiano" that will connect Africa with Europe, as it boosts its cloud computing infrastructure. From a report: Equiano, fully funded by Google, is the company's third private international cable. The search engine giant, which has invested $47 billion in improving its global technology infrastructure over the last three years, said Equiano is the company's 14th subsea cable investment globally. "Equiano will be the first subsea cable to incorporate optical switching at the fiber-pair level, rather than the traditional approach of wavelength-level switching," Google said in a blog post.

Government officials from Germany and the Netherlands have signed an agreement this week to build the first-ever joint military internet. From a report: The accord was signed on Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium, where NATO defense ministers met this week. The name of this new Dutch-German military internet is the Tactical Edge Networking, or TEN, for short. This is the first time when two nations merge parts of their military network, and the project is viewed as a test for unifying other NATO members' military networks in the future. The grand master plan is to have NATO members share military networks, so new and improved joint standards can be developed and deployed across all NATO states. TEN will be headquartered in Koblenz, Germany, and there will also be a design and prototype center at the Bernard Barracks in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.

The creator of DeepNude, an app that used a machine learning algorithm to "undress" images of clothed women, announced Thursday that he's killing the software after viral backlash for the way it objectifies women. From a report: On Wednesday, Motherboard reported that an anonymous programmer who goes by the alias "Alberto" created DeepNude, an app that takes an image of a clothed woman, and with one click and a few seconds, turns that image into a nude by algorithmically superimposing realistic-looking breasts and vulva onto her body. The algorithm uses generative adversarial networks (GANs), and is trained on thousands of images of naked women. DeepNude only works on images of women, Alberto said, because it's easy to find thousands of images of nude women online in porn.

Following Motherboard's story, the server for the application, which was available for Linux and Windows, crashed. By Thursday afternoon, the DeepNude twitter account announced that the app was dead: No other versions will be released and no one else would be granted to use the app. "We created this project for users' entertainment months ago," he wrote in a statement attached to a tweet. "We thought we were selling a few sales every month in a controlled manner... We never thought it would become viral and we would not be able to control traffic."

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Motherboard: Somerville, Massachusetts just became the second U.S. city to ban the use of facial recognition in public space. The "Face Surveillance Full Ban Ordinance," which passed through Somerville's City Council on Thursday night, forbids any "department, agency, bureau, and/or subordinate division of the City of Somerville" from using facial recognition software in public spaces. The ordinance passed Somerville's Legislative Matters Committee on earlier this week. The ordinance defines facial surveillance as "an automated or semi-automated process that assists in identifying an individual, capturing information about an individual, based on the physical characteristics of an individual's face," which is operationally equivalent to facial recognition. San Francisco banned the use of facial recognition by police and city government agencies a month ago.

Microsoft is testing features that block companies from tracking you across different websites in its Chromium-based Edge browser. Engadget reports: Insider beta testers with the latest Canary release on Windows can try it by enabling a browser flag (enter - "edge://flags#edge-tracking-prevention" in the address bar) then restarting. Once it's on, there are three different levels of blocking, with intentions to filter out only known malicious trackers, some third-party trackers that are used for ad targeting or all third-party tracking entirely. Microsoft demonstrated the feature at its Build 2019 event earlier this year, so even if you're not in that test group you can get a peek at it right here.

Security researchers have devised a method to abuse a legitimate Microsoft Excel technology named Power Query to run malicious code on users' systems with minimal interaction. ZDNet reports: Power Query is a data connection technology that can allow Excel files to discover, connect, combine, and manipulate data before importing it from remote sources, such as an external database, text document, another spreadsheet, or a web page. The tool is included with recent versions of Excel and available as a separate downloadable add-in for older Excel versions.

In research published today and shared with ZDNet, Ofir Shlomo, a security researcher with the Mimecast Threat Center, described a technique through which Power Query features could be abused to run malicious code on users' systems. The technique relies on creating malformed Excel documents that use Power Query to import data from an attacker's remote server. "Using Power Query, attackers could embed malicious content in a separate data source, and then load the content into the spreadsheet when it is opened," Shlomo said. "The malicious code could be used to drop and execute malware that can compromise the user's machine." Mimecast's technique can even bypass security sandboxes that analyze documents sent via email before allowing users to download and open them. Microsoft has yet to issue a fix for the vulnerability, but did release an advisory document for users, offering a way to beef up security.

Google Maps is getting a pair of updates that will offer live traffic delays for busses in the cities where it didn't already provide real-time updates, and another that will tell you how crowded your bus, train, or subway car will be. TechCrunch reports: The latter is perhaps the more interesting of the two, as it represents a new prediction technique Google has been perfecting for over half a year. Starting in October, the company began to ask Google Maps users to rate their journey if they had traveled during peak commuting hours of 6 am to 10 am. Google asked about how many seats were available or if it was standing room only, in order to identify which lines had the highest number of crowdedness reports. Over time, it was able to model this data into a new prediction capability designed to tell transit riders how packed their bus or train would be. It also used this data to create rankings of the most crowded routes and stops around the world.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from MIT Technology Review: A new device, developed for the Pentagon after U.S. Special Forces requested it, can identify people without seeing their face: instead it detects their unique cardiac signature with an infrared laser. While it works at 200 meters (219 yards), longer distances could be possible with a better laser. "I don't want to say you could do it from space," says Steward Remaly, of the Pentagon's Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office, "but longer ranges should be possible." Contact infrared sensors are often used to automatically record a patient's pulse. They work by detecting the changes in reflection of infrared light caused by blood flow. By contrast, the new device, called Jetson, uses a technique known as laser vibrometry to detect the surface movement caused by the heartbeat. This works though typical clothing like a shirt and a jacket (though not thicker clothing such as a winter coat).

Apple iOS developer David Smith noticed something that really jumped out at him when he was reviewing his iPhone's device analytics. "People really, really like the 4.7-inch iPhone," he writes. "When I look at the iPhone distribution for Pedometer++ the four most popular devices are all that size. Together they account for nearly 50% of all devices I see in use." The next most popular screen sizes are the 5.5-inch Plus size (19%) and the 5.8-inch X size (12%).

There are two main reasons for why this is the case: people find the 4.7-inch display to be the perfect size, whether that be for one-handed usability or pocketability, and/or the specs and features found in the 4.7-inch iPhone models still perform well to this day, prompting users to hold off on upgrading to a larger model. Whatever the case may be, the numbers show that 4.7-inch iPhones are still very popular in 2019. Are you still using an iPhone with a 4.7-inch display? Which iPhone model is your favorite?

A crash on Pena Boulevard, a road leading to Denver International Airport, prompted Google Maps to take about 100 drivers on a detour on Sunday. "The alternate route took drivers down a dirt road that rain had turned into a muddy mess, and cars started sliding around," reports CNN. "Some vehicles couldn't make it through the mud, and about 100 others became trapped behind them." From the report: Google said the road was not marked as private. "We take many factors into account when determining driving routes, including the size of the road and the directness of the route," the company said in a statement. "While we always work to provide the best directions, issues can arise due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather. We encourage all drivers to follow local laws, stay attentive, and use their best judgment while driving."

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Fast Company: We've all tried to log into a website or submit a form only to be stuck clicking boxes of traffic lights or storefronts or bridges in a desperate attempt to finally convince the computer that we're not actually a bot. For many years, this has been one of the predominant ways that reCaptcha -- the Google-run internet bot detector -- has determined whether a user is a bot or not. But last fall, Google launched a new version of the tool, with the goal of eliminating that annoying user experience entirely. Now, when you enter a form on a website that's using reCaptcha V3, you won't see the "I'm not a robot" checkbox, nor will you have to prove you know what a cat looks like. Instead, you won't see anything at all.

Google is also now testing an enterprise version of reCaptcha v3, where Google creates a customized reCaptcha for enterprises that are looking for more granular data about users' risk levels to protect their site algorithms from malicious users and bots. But this new, risk-score based system comes with a serious trade-off: users' privacy. According to two security researchers who've studied reCaptcha, one of the ways that Google determines whether you're a malicious user or not is whether you already have a Google cookie installed on your browser. It's the same cookie that allows you to open new tabs in your browser and not have to re-log in to your Google account every time. But according to Mohamed Akrout, a computer science PhD student at the University of Toronto who has studied reCaptcha, it appears that Google is also using its cookies to determine whether someone is a human in reCaptcha v3 tests. Akrout wrote in an April paper about how reCaptcha v3 simulations that ran on a browser with a connected Google account received lower risk scores than browsers without a connected Google account. "Because reCaptcha v3 is likely to be on every page of a website, if you're signed into your Google account there's a chance Google is getting data about every single webpage you go to that is embedded with reCaptcha v3 -- and there many be no visual indication on the site that it's happening, beyond a small reCaptcha logo hidden in the corner," the report adds.

In what looks set to become one of the highest profile patent sales in years, Intel has put its IP relating to cellular wireless connectivity on the auction block. The company is seeking to divest around 8,500 assets from its massive portfolio. From a report: The news comes as the chip giant searches for a buyer for its 5G smartphone modem business having announced in April that it was pulling out of the market. That was after as it had become increasingly clear that the company, which has been the supplier of 4G modem chips to Apple for the last few years, was struggling to release a 5G product even though the rollout of the next generation of mobile technology is well underway. The auction offering is comprised of two parts: the cellular portfolio and a connected device portfolio. The former includes approximately 6,000 patent assets related to 3G, 4G and 5G cellular standards and an additional 1,700 assets that read on wireless implementation technologies. The latter is made up of 500 patents with broad applicability across the semiconductor and electronics industries. Although that represents a large portion of Intel's cellular IP it is understood that it will retain significant wireless assets.

A reader shares a report: There have been some bugs and issues with Microsoft's Windows 10 May Update/1903 feature update since Microsoft kicked off its rollout in late May. But the 1903 complaint I've gotten most often (so far) is from users who want to install the update but can't and don't know why. Microsoft has added a new notification which some users whose devices aren't ready or able to install the update are seeing when they attempt to proactively grab the 1903 release. As originally noted last week by Windows Latest, Microsoft has added a new message to its Windows Update page. Users attempting to install 1903 on machines with out-of-date drivers or other issues are seeing this message:

"The Windows 10 May 2019 Update is on its way. We're offering this update to compatible devices, but your device isn't ready for it. Once your device is ready, you'll see the update available on this page. There's nothing you need to do at this time." I confirmed with Microsoft that this notification is part of its 1903 rollout strategy. "The notification started with the latest changes made to improve the quality/transparency of the Windows update process," according to a Microsoft spokesperson. Microsoft officials said in a blog post on May 21 that the company planned to start automatically updating devices running the April 2018 Update and earlier versions of Windows 10 to Windows 10 1903. Last week, via the Windows Update account on Twitter, Microsoft officials communicated that they were building and training machine-learning rollout processes that would enable this to happen.

LinkedIn this week announced algorithm changes made over the past 12-18 months to favor conversations in its Feed that cater to niche professional interests, as opposed to elevating viral content. From a report: Users may have noticed that their notifications or engagements on LinkedIn have increased lately. LinkedIn has done this in part, because internal research found that participation wasn't even across the platform, and that much of the attention in on LinkedIn was skewed towards the top 1% of power users, according to Tim Jurka, Director of Artificial Intelligence at LinkedIn.

Changes include: Elevating content that users are most likely to join in conversation, which typically means people that users interact with directly in the feed through comments and reactions, or people who have shared interests with you based on your profile. Elevating a post from someone closer to a users' interests or network if it needs more engagement, not if it's already going viral. Elevating conversations with things that encourage a response (like opinions commentary alongside content), as well as posts that use mentions and hashtags to bring other people and interests into the conversation and elevating posts from users that respond to commenters. Elevating niche topics of conversation will perform better than broad ones.

Facebook says it wants to give people "clear, simple explanations" about how its business works and how it uses your personal information. From a report: In a blog post on Thursday, Facebook outlined updates to its terms of service intended to clarify how the company makes money and to explain users' rights on the site. The social network said it's adding more information to its terms of service on how it makes money -- including an explanation that points out it doesn't charge for its products because it sells ads -- and what happens when it removes content that violates its policies. Facebook is also updating its terms around intellectual property rights and what happens when you delete content from the social network. Mind you, Facebook said it's not actually changing any of its policies, just trying to explain them more clearly.

An anonymous reader writes: Mozilla today announced Firefox Preview, a pilot of its new Android browser. Firefox Preview, which is powered by Mozilla's own GeckoView engine, will ultimately replace the current Firefox for Android mobile app "this fall." At the same time, Mozilla has put Firefox Focus for Android development on hold. If you're a developer or just an early adopter, you can download Firefox Preview from Google Play.

On desktop, Firefox is the second most popular browser after Chrome. Firefox holds about 10% desktop market share, according to Net Applications. On mobile, however, Firefox has less than 0.5% share. Despite regular releases alongside the desktop browser over the years, Firefox's mobile share has not improved.

Twitter plans to place a disclaimer on future tweets from world leaders that break its rules but which Twitter decides are in the "public interest," the company said in a blog post Thursday. From a report: This policy change could face its most prominent test in President Trump. Trump has repeatedly tested Twitter's community standards with his regular tirades on the platform and some of the president's tweets have run afoul of Twitter's rules. Twitter has in the past allowed tweets from Trump and other world leaders to remain online, even though they broke the company's rules, a Twitter spokesperson confirmed to CNN Business, because it believes the tweets are in the public interest.

But putting a disclaimer on one of Trump's tweets would almost certainly bring a firestorm of criticism down on Twitter's head. Republicans in Washington, including Trump, often claim without real evidence that technology companies are biased against conservatives. Such a disclaimer on a Trump tweet, even if he had clearly violated Twitter's rules, would provoke a new cycle of such complaints at a time when Washington is increasingly investigating Big Tech over concerns about antitrust and privacy.

Several Huawei employees have collaborated on research projects with Chinese armed forces personnel, indicating closer ties to the country's military than previously acknowledged by the smartphone and networking powerhouse, Bloomberg reported Thursday. From the report: Over the past decade, Huawei workers have teamed with members of various organs of the People's Liberation Army on at least 10 research endeavors spanning artificial intelligence to radio communications. They include a joint effort with the investigative branch of the Central Military Commission -- the armed forces' supreme body -- to extract and classify emotions in online video comments, and an initiative with the elite National University of Defense Technology to explore ways of collecting and analyzing satellite images and geographical coordinates. Those projects are just a few of the publicly disclosed studies that shed light on how staff at China's largest technology company teamed with the 'People's Liberation Army on research into an array of potential military and security applications.