Apps
Majority Say They Want to Leave Social Media but Fear Losing Friends: Kaspersky Lab
The New Year brings new resolutions. One of the most commonly observed resolutions is people determining to get rid of their social media accounts in an effort to utilize their time more fruitfully. But how easy is it to achieve? Research conducted by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab shows that a vast majority of people want to leave social networks, because it is considered a waste of time.
According to the survey, people only stay on social media such as Facebook, Instagram etc. because they fear losing digital memories and contact with their friends. Keeping in touch with friends may be a difficult problem to solve, but Kaspersky Lab is working on a solution to help people save their digital memories.
An app called FFForget, will allow people to back up all of their memories from the social networks they use and keep them in a safe, encrypted memory container. The app is expected to give people the freedom to leave any network whenever they want, without losing out.
Previous research has highlighted a strong tendency for people to use digital devices as an external part of their memory. Studies have also demonstrated that people cannot resist checking their social media conversations and status updates on their phones. However, this latest survey indicates that users are actually self-critical and aware of their fixation – 39% of respondents said they believe they are wasting time on social networks.
Nearly 78% even stated that they have already considered leaving social networks behind them. Despite an inclination to leave their social networks, people are compelled to stay. A vast majority (62 %) believe they would lose contact with their friends if they left social networks. 21 per cent of respondents were less worried about their friends, but were afraid they would not be able to recover their digital memories – such as photos – once they had left a social network.
“Social networks can be a benefit or a hazard. If they are a benefit, it’s not our problem. We believe that every person has a right to freely decide which platforms to use or to leave at all times. True digital freedom is not a matter of having to make sacrifices. We want people to get back in the driving seat by being able to own an encrypted copy of all their digital memories at all times,” says Evgeny Chereshnev, Head of Social Media at Kaspersky Lab. “With FFForget we want to create a solution which keeps people from being afraid of losing their memories to account damage or hacking attacks. And most importantly – people using the app would win back their right to quit any social network at any time without losing what belongs to them – their digital lives.”
FFForget is planned for 2017. Interested users can register at ffforget.kaspersky.com to give feedback and influence the scope of the app. They will also get updates, insights and early access to the public beta when it will be available.
Kaspersky Lab conducted this online survey amongst 4831 respondents. The survey, containing eight questions, and was translated into nine languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Russian, Japanese and Turkish. The company used Poll Daddy to conduct the survey. The link to survey was disseminated using paid Facebook and Twitter promotions.

Apps
Experience the ChatGPT ‘Make It More’ Trend: Generate Weird AI Images

AI art generators occupy a peculiar space, capable of rendering diverse scenarios, from a cosmic skateboarding dog to a coffee cup adrift in the ocean. Setting aside ethical considerations, some creations may not initially meet expectations, necessitating user prompts to refine the AI-generated output.
Yet, what if the aim isn’t to craft a polished piece of AI art? Enter the “make it more” trend, where ChatGPT users task DALL-E to generate an image and subsequently request the bot to amplify certain aspects. For instance, Justine Moore prompted DALL-E to create a bowl of ramen, then instructed it to make it spicier. The iterative process led to increasingly absurd results, culminating in a bowl of noodles shooting fire beams into outer space.
A Dad getting increasingly Dad-ier pic.twitter.com/1EUFECmnT3
— Justine Moore (@venturetwins) November 27, 2023
While the Make It More trend gains traction on ChatGPT and DALL-E, allowing users to experiment with various image transformations, it also raises concerns about resource utilization. The AI processing involved consumes power and energy, prompting considerations about the trend’s efficiency and environmental impact. Nevertheless, these prompts contribute to OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to enhance AI capabilities across platforms like ChatGPT and DALL-E.
Apps
Samsung Internet is Now Available for Download on Windows PCs

Samsung’s default browser, Samsung Internet, has expanded its reach to desktop computers and laptops, now available for download on the Microsoft Store. One notable feature is the ability for users to sync their browsing data between their Galaxy devices and computers.
Upon launching the browser, users can import their browsing history, bookmarks, and search engines from other applications like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge by signing into their Samsung Cloud account. The browser also supports add-ons and extensions from Chrome and Edge, accessible through the Chrome Web Store.
Samsung Internet for Windows offers familiar features such as incognito mode, light and dark modes, and ad-blocker support. The design elements show similarities to both Chrome and Edge, providing a sense of familiarity for users of those browsers. A useful security feature allows users to delete bookmarks, browsing history, passwords, and other data upon signing out, catering to those who share computers.
Despite its promising features, the browser’s PC debut is marred by a lack of complete sync support. Currently, only browsing history, bookmarks, and search engines can be imported, with no support for transferring saved passwords from Galaxy devices to computers. This omission may be addressed in future updates.
In May, Samsung Internet received an optimisation update for Galaxy tablet users. Toggleable features were introduced, allowing users to control the placement of the browser’s address, bookmark, and tab bars. The update also included a warning for users with a high number of open tabs, informing them that opening another tab would result in the deletion of the oldest tab.
Apps
Google Clarifies the Cause of Missing Google Drive Files

Many Google Drive users recently experienced the unsettling disappearance of their files, prompting concerns. Google has now identified the root cause, attributing the issue specifically to the Google Drive for Desktop app. While assuring that only a limited subset of users is affected, the tech giant is actively investigating the matter and promises timely updates.
To prevent inadvertent file deletion, Google provides the following recommendations:
- Avoid clicking “Disconnect account” within Drive for desktop.
- Refrain from deleting or moving the app data folder, located at:
- Windows: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Google\DriveFS
- macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/DriveFS
- Optionally, create a copy of the app data folder if there is sufficient space on your hard drive.
Before Google officially addressed the issue, distressed users took to the company’s support forum to report deleted files. One user from South Korea highlighted a particularly severe case where their account reverted to May 2023, resulting in the loss of anything uploaded or created after that date. Additionally, the user emphasised that they had not synced or shared their files or drive with anyone else.
As Google delves deeper into resolving this matter, affected users are advised to heed the provided precautions. The company’s commitment to ongoing updates reflects its dedication to swiftly addressing and rectifying the situation. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of proactive measures to safeguard digital data, especially as users navigate cloud-based platforms such as Google Drive.