Talking Tech

Thu Oct 12 2023

How WhatsApp has been a lifeline to many families globally, hate speech is surging online and Google is looking to make passwords obsolete. Here's the week's latest tech news:

WhatsApp is a lifeline. Across the country, families and friends stricken with fear and concern for loved ones in the Israel region were glued to the apps that connect, awaiting signs of life – a response or even just a check mark indicating a message had been received.

Among them, Linda Mildwurf of North Carolina has been in constant communication with her 20-year-old daughter in Israel through WhatsApp since the conflict began.

When she's not checking on her daughter and sending encouraging texts, Mildwurf spends her time on WhatsApp finding solace in a mothers' group, where members update each other on the status of their children.

"Our job is to protect them. They're our kids. And these are just kids, at the end of the day," Mildwurf said. "And there's nothing that we can do. Literally, the only thing we have is to be able to talk to them through WhatsApp."

Check out more on how they're staying connected.

Still, hate speech spikes on social media. Groups who study online hate speech say it has spiked in recent days – not just for Jewish communities but also for Palestinians, who have faced increasing online hatred.

And representatives of both communities agree on one thing: U.S.-based social media companies are still not doing anywhere near enough to rid their platforms of hate against targeted groups.

The escalation in harsh rhetoric comes at a time when online hate speech was already increasing, experts said.

Pass on passwords? Your brain may soon get a break. Passwords may be a thing of the past when it comes to your Google accounts.

The company said in a blog post Tuesday that they are looking to make passwords obsolete by prompting users to create passkeys, which allow accounts and devices to be unlocked with a fingerprint, face scan or personal identification number, or PIN.

Google says passkeys are a "simpler and more secure way to sign into your accounts online" and the company is offering them as the default option across personal accounts.

See more on the possible password change.

Read on for more of the tech news this week.