You may trust Chegg with your textbooks or tutoring, but regulators aren't quite so confident. The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint accusing education tech provider Chegg of "careless" security practices that compromised personal data since 2017. Among the violations, the company reportedly exposed sensitive info for roughly 40 million customers in 2018 after a former contractor used their login to access a third-party database. The content included names, email addresses, passwords and even content like religion, sexual orientation and parents' income ranges. The info eventually turned up for sale through the online black market.
Some of the stolen info belonged to employees. Chegg exposed Social Security numbers, medical data and other worker details.
The FTC further alleges Chegg failed to use "commercially reasonable" safeguards. It reportedly let employees and contractors use a single sign-in, didn't require multi-factor authentication and didn't scan for threats. The firm stored personal data in plain text and relied on "outdated and weak" encryption for passwords, the Commission adds. Officials also say Chegg didn't even have a written security policy until January 2021, and didn't provide sufficient security training despite three phishing attacks.
Chegg has agreed to honor a proposed order to make amends, the FTC says. The company will have to both define the information it collects and limit the scope of that collection. It will institute multi-factor authentication and a "comprehensive" security program that includes encryption and security training. Customers will have access to their data, and will be allowed to ask Chegg to delete that data.
The provider isn't alone in facing government crackdowns over security problems. Uber settled with the Justice Department in July for failing to notify customers of a major 2016 data breach, while the FTC recently penalized Drizly and its CEO for alleged lapses that led to a 2020 incident. The government is clearly eager to prevent data breaches and make an example of companies with sub-par security measures.
In a statement to Engadget, Chegg says it treats data privacy as a "top priority." The company cooperated with the FTC and will "comply fully" with the Commission's order. It adds that it didn't face any fines, and believes this is a reflection of its improved security stance. You can read the full response below.
"Data privacy is a top priority for Chegg. Chegg worked cooperatively with the Federal Trade Commission on these matters to find a mutually agreeable outcome and will comply fully with the mandates outlined in the Commission’s Administrative Order. The incidents in the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint related to issues that occurred more than two years ago. No monetary fines were assessed, which we believe is indicative of our current robust security practices, as well as our efforts to continuously improve our security program. Chegg is wholly committed to safeguarding users’ data and has worked with reputable privacy organizations to improve our security measures and will continue our efforts."
You may trust Chegg with your textbooks or tutoring, but regulators aren't quite so confident. The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint accusing education tech provider Chegg of "careless" security practices that compromised personal data since 2017. Among the violations, the company reportedly exposed sensitive info for roughly 40 million customers in 2018 after a former contractor used their login to access a third-party database. The content included names, email addresses, passwords and even content like religion, sexual orientation and parents' income ranges. The info eventually turned up for sale through the online black market.
Some of the stolen info belonged to employees. Chegg exposed Social Security numbers, medical data and other worker details.
The FTC further alleges Chegg failed to use "commercially reasonable" safeguards. It reportedly let employees and contractors use a single sign-in, didn't require multi-factor authentication and didn't scan for threats. The firm stored personal data in plain text and relied on "outdated and weak" encryption for passwords, the Commission adds. Officials also say Chegg didn't even have a written security policy until January 2021, and didn't provide sufficient security training despite three phishing attacks.
Chegg has agreed to honor a proposed order to make amends, the FTC says. The company will have to both define the information it collects and limit the scope of that collection. It will institute multi-factor authentication and a "comprehensive" security program that includes encryption and security training. Customers will have access to their data, and will be allowed to ask Chegg to delete that data.
The provider isn't alone in facing government crackdowns over security problems. Uber settled with the Justice Department in July for failing to notify customers of a major 2016 data breach, while the FTC recently penalized Drizly and its CEO for alleged lapses that led to a 2020 incident. The government is clearly eager to prevent data breaches and make an example of companies with sub-par security measures.
In a statement to Engadget, Chegg says it treats data privacy as a "top priority." The company cooperated with the FTC and will "comply fully" with the Commission's order. It adds that it didn't face any fines, and believes this is a reflection of its improved security stance. You can read the full response below.
"Data privacy is a top priority for Chegg. Chegg worked cooperatively with the Federal Trade Commission on these matters to find a mutually agreeable outcome and will comply fully with the mandates outlined in the Commission’s Administrative Order. The incidents in the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint related to issues that occurred more than two years ago. No monetary fines were assessed, which we believe is indicative of our current robust security practices, as well as our efforts to continuously improve our security program. Chegg is wholly committed to safeguarding users’ data and has worked with reputable privacy organizations to improve our security measures and will continue our efforts."
Designed and built by Berthil van Beek for the Eurobricks T23 competition (where I’m sure it will be a contender), this LEGO Great Ball Contraption (GBC) is a massive functional Ferris wheel, with a diameter of a 91cm (~36″). For those of you unfamiliar, Great Ball Contraptions are modular machines built to move LEGO soccer or basketballs from one place to another in unique and unusual ways. A Ferris wheel definitely fits the bill. So would a tilt-a-whirl or a gravitron.
Berthil built the ferris wheel GBC using 128 strings, 63 pods, 2.5 meters of 3 mm rigid hose, and is 100% LEGO. For reference, my nephew is always around 1% LEGO depending on exactly how many pieces he’s eaten in the past few days. He takes after his uncle.
I can still remember the first time I got a LEGO soccer ball stuck in one of my nostrils. I panicked and went to the doctor. What an idiot I was! Now I just leave them there and wait for a good sneeze.
By floating above the water instead of resting on it, the Alte Volare greatly reduces drag, giving you a yacht that can glide through even rough tides without breaking speed!
The Alte Volare is what they call a tender, or a boat that carries passengers (and sometimes cargo) to yachts or ships positioned off the coast. Designed by the superyacht specialists at Cockswell, the Alte Volare is the result of a years-long technical study that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible “when it comes to fusing advanced engineering with intelligent design.” The elongated ‘limousine tender’ features a combination of an electric powertrain, retractable hydrofoils, and a sleek fuselage-like hull, and was unveiled as a technical study this month at the Monaco Yacht Show.
The Alte Volare’s USP is its ability to hover over water, instead of on it. Its design features an incredibly aerodynamic hull with a razor-sharp bow that slices through both water and air. The e-tender features two retractable foils, one on the front with an electric powertrain built into it that propels the boat, and a rear foil that incorporates the control surfaces for steering, braking, etc.
If you’ve ever tried running underwater, you’d know that it’s much more difficult than running on land (or basically through air). Water offers more resistance, leading to higher drag that slows boats down, even though boats are just partially underwater. With a hydrofoil, however, the boat’s hull sits above water instead, and that drag is therefore greatly reduced. It also means that waves don’t slow the hydrofoil down, and the Alte Volare uses that to its advantage, slicing through water and air like a sniper’s bullet at speeds of up to 40 knots (74 km/h).
The boat seats as many as 10, along with a 2-person crew, and features seating areas at the front (or the bow), right behind the cockpit, and even at the stern (or the rear). No matter where you’re seated, occupants are treated with a stunning view of what’s around them, thanks to a predominantly open structure. The seating area behind the cockpit is covered with large glass panels that provide a panoramic view too (which people can retreat to if it starts raining).
Computer manufacturers are finally catching up to the remote-work trend and including better built-in webcams in their laptops and desktops. But it’s not practical to upgrade your PC just to look better on video calls; this is where external webcams come in handy. Not only can they help you put your best face forward during work Zoom meetings, but they can also improve your experience whilst chatting with friends and family across the world, or level-up your live-streaming game. And even if you do have a new machine with a 1080p webcam, there’s a good chance that you’ll only get the level of customization you need for Twitch or YouTube streams from a separate webcam. We’ve tested a number of the best webcams available today that support 1080p, 2K and 4K resolutions to find out which are worth your money and solidify our top picks.
Factors to consider before buying a webcam
Resolution and field of view
While some newer computers have 1080p webcams, most built-in cameras have a resolution of 720p, so you’ll want to look for an external webcam that’s better than that. FHD webcams will give you better video quality; ideally, you’re looking for something that can handle 1080p at 60fps or 30fps. If you’re considering a cheap 720p webcam, make sure to get one that supports at least 30fps (most will) or, even better, 60fps. However, if your primary concern is better picture quality during video calls, 1080p is the way to go.
Some webcams can shoot in 4K, but that’s overkill for most people. Not to mention most video conferencing services like Zoom, Google Meet and Skype don’t even support 4K video. When it comes to streaming, Twitch maxes out at 1080p video, but YouTube added 4K live streaming back in 2016. Ultimately, with 4K webcam shots having such limited use, most people can get by with a solid 1080p camera.
Field of view (FOV) controls how much can fit in the frame when you’re recording. Most webcams I tested had a default field of view of around 78 degrees, which captured me and enough of my background to prove that I really need to organize my home office. On cheaper webcams you’ll usually see narrower fields of view (around 60 degrees), and those aren’t necessarily bad. They won’t show as much of your background, but that also means you won’t be able to squeeze as many friends or family members into frame when you’re having Zoom birthday parties. On the flip side, more expensive webcams may let you adjust the field of view to be even wider than average.
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Autofocus and other “auto” features
Webcams with autofocus will keep the image quality sharp without much work on your part. You should be able to move around, step back and forth, and remain in focus the whole time. Some standalone webcam models let you manually adjust focus, too, if you have specific needs. Devices with fixed focus are less convenient, but they tend to be more affordable.
In the same vein is auto framing, a feature that some high-end webcams now offer. Similarly to Apple’s Center Stage feature, the camera automatically adjusts to keep you in the center of the frame even as you move around. This used to be a feature only available on the most premium webcams, but now you can find it on sub-$200 devices.
You’ll also see other “auto” features listed in webcam specs, most notably auto light correction. This will adjust the camera’s settings to make up for a dimly lit room. If you don’t have bright lights, or often take calls in places where you can’t control the lighting, this feature will be valuable.
Microphones
Most webcams have built-in microphones that, depending on your setup, might end up being closer to you than your computer’s own mics. Check to see if the model you’re considering has mono or stereo mics, as the latter is better. Some even use noise-reduction technology to keep your voice loud and clear. While audiophiles and streamers will want to invest in a standalone microphone, most others can get by using a webcam’s built-in mic.
Design
There aren’t a ton of fascinating breakthroughs when it comes to external webcam design. Most are round or rectangular devices that clip onto a monitor or your laptop screen. Some have the ability to swivel or screw onto a tripod stand and others can simply sit on your desk beside your computer. But unless you really like having people stare up your nose, the latter isn’t ideal. We recommend clipping your webcam to your monitor and ensuring that it’s at or slightly above eye level.
A few webcams go above and beyond by adding hardware extras like built-in lights and lens covers, too. The former can help you stand out in a dark room, while the latter makes it so hackers can’t view you through your webcam without your knowledge.
Price
Most external webcams that are just good enough to be a step up from your computer’s built-in camera cost between $60 and $150. If the webcam has the same resolution as the internal one on your laptop, you should look out for other specs like auto light correction, a wider field of view or an extra-long connecting cable that can provide a step-up in quality or ease of use.
Spending $150 or more means you might get advanced features like 4K resolution, vertical and horizontal recording options, stereo mics, customizable video settings and more. But unless you’re spending hours on video calls each day or streaming multiple times each week, you can settle on a budget webcam and safely skip most of those high-end options.
How we test webcams
We primarily test webcams by putting them through as much real-world use as possible. We examine their design, how flexible they are and how easy they are to reposition, and make note of how heavy they are and if that affects their ability to stay put while sitting on top of a screen. We use each webcam for at least a week straight as our primary camera for all video chats, and we make sure to use the device in different lighting environments to test low-light performance. We also use any built-in microphones as our primary audio inputs on video calls as well. Finally, we test out any proprietary software that’s intended to work with each webcam, tweaking things like field of view, video resolution and effects, and using any special features like Show Mode on Logitech webcams.
Others we tested
Logitech C920s Pro HD
Our previous top pick, the Logitech C920s Pro HD webcam remains a solid option for those with less than $100 to spend and really only need a basic 1080p camera to upgrade their setup. It has a 78-degree field of view, decent microphones and handy privacy shutter built in. The Brio 500 took the top spot away from this model thanks to its advanced light correction, auto-framing and Show Mode.
Elgato Facecam
The Elgato Facecam is a fine webcam for streaming, but enthusiasts will get more out of our two top picks — plus you can often find the Logitech Streamcam for less than the Facecam’s $150 price. Elgato’s device supports recordings at 1080p, 60fps and an 82-degree field of view, and you can use the company’s Camera Hub software to adjust things like sharpness, shutter speed, exposure and more.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-webcams-123047068.html?src=rss
You're not alone if you're unable to check your Instagram feeds. Instagram has confirmed that some users are "having issues" accessing their accounts. The social network hasn't identified a cause as of this writing, but some users have received notices that their accounts were suspended, while others have seen their follower counts drop.
We've asked Instagram for further comment on the outage and will let you know if we hear more. Reports of failures started spiking on Downdetector shortly before 9AM Eastern. They're not consistent, however, as many users (including here at Engadget) aren't running into problems.
We're aware that some of you are having issues accessing your Instagram account. We're looking into it and apologize for the inconvenience. #instagramdown
This isn't the first significant outage in the past year. Parent company Meta's social networks suffered a major outage roughly a year ago after a bug disconnected key parts of the company's backbone network. More recently, Instagram fixed a bug in early October that prevented iOS users from accessing the service. An instant crash bug in September didn't help, either. These hiccups aren't frequent, but they suggest Instagram still has teething troubles.
Nonetheless, this latest failure comes at a bad time. Although Instagram's audience is continuing to grow and just topped 2 billion active users, Meta is bleeding cash as it invests in metaverse technologies like virtual reality hardware and its Horizon Worlds platform. The firm isn't in immediate danger, but it needs reliability if it's to keep growing its social media empire and offset mounting costs.
You're not alone if you were unable to check your Instagram feeds today. Instagram confirmed that some users were"having issues" accessing their accounts. The social network hasn't identified a cause as of this writing, but some users have received notices that their accounts were suspended, while others have seen their follower counts drop. On Monday evening Instagram claimed in a tweet to have resolved the issue, but did not provide any explanation as to why the error occurred.
We're aware that some of you are having issues accessing your Instagram account. We're looking into it and apologize for the inconvenience. #instagramdown
Reports of failures started spiking on Downdetector shortly before 9AM Eastern. They weren't consistent, however, as many users (including here at Engadget) weren't running into problems.
This isn't the first significant outage in the past year. Parent company Meta's social networks suffered a major outage roughly a year ago after a bug disconnected key parts of the company's backbone network. More recently, Instagram fixed a bug in early October that prevented iOS users from accessing the service. An instant crash bug in September didn't help, either. These hiccups aren't frequent, but they suggest Instagram still has teething troubles.
Nonetheless, this latest failure comes at a bad time. Although Instagram's audience is continuing to grow and just topped 2 billion active users, Meta is bleeding cash as it invests in metaverse technologies like virtual reality hardware and its Horizon Worlds platform. The firm isn't in immediate danger, but it needs reliability if it's to keep growing its social media empire and offset mounting costs.
We’ve resolved this bug now – it was causing people in different parts of the world to have issues accessing their accounts and caused a temporary change for some in number of followers. Sorry! 😵💫https://t.co/Q1FBOEI97D
Update November 1, 2022 2:16 ET: The outage endured quite awhile, but has finally been resolved. Parent Meta gave Engadget the following statement: "Earlier today, a bug caused some Instagram users to have issues accessing their Instagram accounts. This led to a small number of accounts seeing a temporary change in how many people follow them. We resolved the issue as quickly as possible for everyone who was impacted, and we apologize for the inconvenience."
If you are searching for a rugged, waterproof and powerful power bank to help keep your devices charged while away from the grid you might be interested in the new iFory. Offering 40,000 mAh the portable battery pack provides 100W of PD and features fast charging technology and a handy LCD screen allowing you to […]
A unique watch has launched via Kickstarter this month and is now coming to the end of it crowdfunding campaign having raised over $400,000 thanks to over 600 backers. The Xeric Scrambler automatic watch features a unique wandering hour “time machine” that “turns hours and heads” say it’s designers. The team has spent years developing […]
If you would like to learn more about Scorn, the new survival horror adventure game developed by Ebb Software, you will be pleased to know that team over at Digital Foundry have released a fabulous technical review. Providing a look at what do you can expect from the performance when playing Scorn on the Xbox […]
