theverge--2020-04-03--Uber Eats is adding an in-app donate button for restaurants

Uber Eats is adding an in-app donate button for customers who want to contribute some extra cash to their favorite restaurant to help during the coronavirus pandemic .
Uber also plans to match every contribution dollar-for-dollar up to $ 3 million to the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund , with an additional $ 2 million donation also going to the fund .
Uber says that 100 percent of customer donations will go directly to their restaurant of choice .
Previously , Uber said it would waive delivery fees for independent restaurants in an effort to boost businesses that are suffering while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s food delivery service is also working to deliver free meals to more than 300,000 healthcare workers as part of its effort .
Uber also plans to match every contribution dollar-for-dollar The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund is managed by the educational fund of the 100-year-old National Restaurant Association , a major lobbying group that represents over 500,000 restaurants .
The restaurant industry employees and workers who have been impacted by COVID-19 , including a decrease in wages or loss of employment , are eligible to apply for grants from the relief fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as soon as possible ” to those affected workers after they have been “ reviewed and verified by the NRAEF , ” according to the group .
Uber is piloting a couple of different contribution amounts to offer as choices to customers who want to donate , a spokesperson said .
( Screenshots provided by the company feature a $ 2 option . )
New York City restaurants that work with Uber Eats received communication from the company on Monday about the new donation effort .
Restaurants in Uberother markets will be informed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come .
Uber is not explicitly seeking consent from restaurants before setting up the donate button , but the company says that restaurants can easily opt-out if they choose .
Yelp , along with GoFundMe , recently came under fire from restaurant and bar owners for for automatically opting tens of thousands of small businesses into fundraisers Unlike Uber , Yelp set up the fundraisers without informing any of the participants .
And some restaurants said the opt-out process , in the event they were hosting their own fundraisers or simply did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yelp , was unnecessarily burdensome .
Senator Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
recently criticized gig economy companies , including Uber , for classifying drivers and delivery workers as independent contractors , which she says cuts them off from “ critical rights and protections like minimum wage and benefits during the coronavirus pandemic .
”

Uber Eats is adding an in-app donate button for customers who want to contribute some extra cash to their favorite restaurant to help during the coronavirus pandemic. Uber also plans to match every contribution dollar-for-dollar up to $3 million to the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, with an additional $2 million donation also going to the fund. Uber says that 100 percent of customer donations will go directly to their restaurant of choice.
Previously, Uber said it would waive delivery fees for independent restaurants in an effort to boost businesses that are suffering while the pandemic disrupts daily life. Uber’s food delivery service is also working to deliver free meals to more than 300,000 health care workers as part of its effort.
Uber also plans to match every contribution dollar-for-dollar
The Restaurant Employee Relief Fund is managed by the educational fund of the 100-year-old National Restaurant Association, a major lobbying group that represents over 500,000 restaurants. The restaurant industry employees and workers who have been impacted by COVID-19, including a decrease in wages or loss of employment, are eligible to apply for grants from the relief fund. Grant money will be awarded “as soon as possible” to those affected workers after they have been “reviewed and verified by the NRAEF,” according to the group.
Uber is piloting a couple of different contribution amounts to offer as choices to customers who want to donate, a spokesperson said. (Screenshots provided by the company feature a $2 option.)
New York City restaurants that work with Uber Eats received communication from the company on Monday about the new donation effort. Restaurants in Uber’s other markets will be informed of the donation feature in the weeks to come. Uber is not explicitly seeking consent from restaurants before setting up the donate button, but the company says that restaurants can easily opt out if they choose.
Yelp, along with GoFundMe, recently came under fire from restaurant and bar owners for automatically opting tens of thousands of small businesses into fundraisers Unlike Uber, Yelp set up the fundraisers without informing any of the participants. And some restaurants said the opt-out process, in the event they were hosting their own fundraisers or simply did not want one automatically set up by Yelp, was unnecessarily burdensome.


theverge--2020-04-03--Marvel is making some of its comics free while we’re all stuck inside

Marvel is offering a selection of free comics through its Marvel Unlimited subscription service until May 4th , providing a source of much-needed entertainment for the legions of us currently stuck at home .
The comics can be accessed via Marvel Unlimited ’ s Android or iOS apps , or via its website , without the need to enter any payment info or start a trial subscription .
There ’ s a good selection of free comics available , and there are some stories in there that you should be familiar with even if — like me — your knowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its cinematic entries .
There ’ s X-Men ’ s Dark Phoenix Saga , Civil War , and Captain America ’ s Winter Soldier arc .
Here ’ s the full list : If you want to subscribe and get access to Marvel Unlimited ’ s 27,000 comic issues , then the service will cost you $ 9.99 a month .
Marvel says that new issues are added every week , although it adds that you ’ ll generally have to wait around six months after their physical release for them to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest company to have made its wares available for free or at a reduced rate as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Yesterday Audible announced that it would be making the first Harry Potter audiobook free to stream for free , and even Candy Crush Saga is offering free unlimited lives this week .
We ’ re also rounding up the best time-killers as part of our new Home Screen newsletter , which you can subscribe to here .

Marvel is offering a selection of free comics through its Marvel Unlimited subscription service until May 4th, providing a source of much-needed entertainment for the legions of us currently stuck at home. The comics can be accessed via Marvel Unlimited’s Android or iOS apps, or via its website, without the need to enter any payment info or start a trial subscription.
There’s a good selection of free comics available, and there are some stories in there that you should be familiar with even if — like me — your knowledge of Marvel only extends as far as its cinematic entries. There’s X-Men’s Dark Phoenix Saga, Civil War, and Captain America’s Winter Soldier arc. Here’s the full list:
Avengers vs. X-Men
Civil War
Amazing Spider-Man: Red Goblin
Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates Vol. 1
Thanos Wins by Donny Cates
X-Men Milestones: Dark Phoenix Saga
Avengers: Kree/Skrull War
Avengers by Jason Aaron Vol. 1: The Final Host
Fantastic Four Vol. 1: Fourever
Black Widow Vol. 1: S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Most Wanted
Captain America: Winter Soldier Ultimate
Captain Marvel Vol. 1: Higher, Further, Faster, More
If you want to subscribe and get access to Marvel Unlimited’s 27,000 comic issues, then the service will cost you $9.99 a month. Marvel says that new issues are added every week, although it adds that you’ll generally have to wait around six months after their physical release for them to be available digitally.


theverge--2020-04-03--Zoom is showing how to respond to criticism the right way

The Interface is a daily column and newsletter about the intersection of social media and democracy .
Subscribe here .
Sometimes it takes years of criticism to get a company to do the right thing .
Every once in a while , it can happen overnight .
After a series of investigative reports , blog posts , and Twitter threads examining Zoom ’ s design practices and security features , CEO Eric S. Yuan said the company would pause the development of new features and devote all of its engineering resources to fixing privacy and security issues .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , Zoom has gone from an average of 10 million daily users to 200 million daily users .
Yuan writes : Yuan ’ s list of next steps is long and impressive .
In addition to the feature development freeze , the company said it would conduct a “ comprehensive review ” with outside experts and users to understand the challenges that have come with such rapid expansion .
It will improve its bug bounty program and form a council of chief information security officers .
And Yuan will begin hosting a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company ’ s progress .
Notably , this is all basically exactly what Ben Thompson suggested that Zoom do .
And it ’ s in addition to some other steps , all announced Thursday — like fixing its bizarre MacOS installer , which made an end run around normal user permissions and involved using a misleading prompt .
And removing a feature that mined users ’ LinkedIn profiles without their consent .
And patching a Windows vulnerability .
To the company ’ s critics — and I have been one myself — Zoom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in tone .
The company has never been particularly hostile to critics , but I do think it has been at least a little slow to acknowledge their concerns .
And if Thursday was any indication , those concerns will still come .
In addition to the LinkedIn issue , Brian Krebs reported that miscreants have written a program called zWarDial to guess Zoom meeting identification numbers and then join calls uninvited .
You can password-protect your meeting , but many people don ’ t — either for convenience , or because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Krebs writes : At least one of the meetings , he writes , came from a “ tech company that ’ s taken to social media warning people about the need to password protect Zoom meetings !
” So : there ’ s still some work to do .
And yes , some of that work needs to be done by Zoom ’ s users .
Anyone who is using the app to set up meetings should first read the company ’ s instructions for ensuring no uninvited guests show up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the weeks and months to come , we ought to be glad the company acted as quickly as it did .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
⬆Trending up : Amazon plans to roll out temperature checks and face masks for staff at all its US and European warehouses , as well as Whole Foods , by early next week .
The news marks a major win for workers who ’ ve been fighting for better safety measures for weeks .
⬇Trending down : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned to smear the warehouse worker who organized the walkout on Staten Island .
“ He ’ s not smart , or articulate , ” wrote Amazon General Counsel David Zapolsky .
Yeesh .
⬇Trending down : Some Amazon employees with fevers are being sent home without pay .
⬇Trending down : Employees at Jeff Bezos ’ aerospace firm Blue Origin say the company is pressuring them to launch a tourist rocket amid the coronavirus pandemic .
The rocket is designed to take wealthy people into space .
Amazon is banning the sale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general public .
The company will only allow hospitals and government organizations to purchase the items .
( Jason Del Rey / Recode ) Google lifted its coronavirus ad ban , which Democrats argued could give Trump an unfair advantage in the election .
Now , the company will begin to allow some advertisers to run ads across its platforms that address the virus .
( Sara Fischer / Axios ) A few high-profile lifestyle influencers have posted about fleeing New York City to smaller towns .
Doctors say this behavior could put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people to do the same .
( Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times ) Screen-time limits for kids have gone out the window due to the coronavirus pandemic .
With schools out and parents having to work from home , screens have become a necessity .
( Helene Fouquet and Sarah Frier / Bloomberg ) Startups focused on deliveries and digital communications are growing amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Here are five companies seeing a particular surge , including the social app Marco Polo .
( The Information ) Brazil ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing to downplay the coronavirus pandemic .
He ’ s dismissed the illness as mere “ sniffles , ” and denounced it as a “ pretext ” ginned up by his political enemies to “ get ” him .
Social networks have removed several of his posts so far .
( Jon Lee Anderson / The New Yorker ) Total cases in the US : At least 234,483 Total deaths in the US : At least 5,700 Data from The New York Times .
Facebook removed networks of accounts in France , Egypt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for coordinated inauthentic behavior .
The networks in Ghana and Nigeria were operating on behalf of Russian nationals .
The news is part of Facebook ’ s March transparency report .
( Facebook ) Twitter took down 9,000 accounts pushing coronavirus propaganda praising the government of the United Arab Emirates .
( Jane Lytvynenko / BuzzFeed ) Facebook brought its Messenger app to desktop .
You can now access Messenger — including unlimited and free group video calls — on MacOS and Windows .
( Christine Fisher / Engadget ) TikTok got an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTuber PewDiePie .
The creator mentioned the app in a video , which led to a slew of downloads outside the middle-school demographic that had already started using the app .
( Yunan Zhang / The Information ) Amazon is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into becoming a leading creator and distributor of video games .
The company is set to release its first original big-budget game , an ambitious science-fiction shooter called Crucible , in May after several coronavirus-related delays .
( Seth Schiesel / The New York Times ) The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events .
It will now focus on helping people find , RSVP for , plan , share and chat about online events .
( Josh Constine / TechCrunch ) Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine .
Read these treatments for coronavirus sitcom episodes of 30 Rock , Parks & Rec , Frasier , and more .
Tina Fey ’ s take on a new 30 Rock episode is particularly great .
Download a free new family edition of Cards Against Humanity .
If you have a printer , you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new album .
She posted all the stems and vocals and is encouraging you to do what you like with it .
Watch this man ’ s incredible impressions of brands responding to the coronavirus .
Watch The Sopranos , The Wire , Veep , and a number of other classic HBO shows .
They ’ re going free on Friday .
Send us tips , comments , questions , and your Zoom meeting ID : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

Sometimes it takes years of criticism to get a company to do the right thing. Every once in a while, it can happen overnight.
Wednesday night was such a night.
After a series of investigative reports, blog posts, and Twitter threads examining Zoom’s design practices and security features, CEO Eric S. Yuan said the company would pause the development of new features and devote all of its engineering resources to fixing privacy and security issues. He also dropped an eye-popping statistic: in three months, Zoom has gone from an average of 10 million daily users to 200 million daily users. Yuan writes:
For the past several weeks, supporting this influx of users has been a tremendous undertaking and our sole focus. We have strived to provide you with uninterrupted service and the same user-friendly experience that has made Zoom the video-conferencing platform of choice for enterprises around the world, while also ensuring platform safety, privacy, and security. However, we recognize that we have fallen short of the community’s – and our own – privacy and security expectations. For that, I am deeply sorry, and I want to share what we are doing about it.
Yuan’s list of next steps is long and impressive. In addition to the feature development freeze, the company said it would conduct a “comprehensive review” with outside experts and users to understand the challenges that have come with such rapid expansion. It will improve its bug bounty program and form a council of chief information security officers. And Yuan will begin hosting a weekly webinar to update users on the company’s progress.
Notably, this is all basically exactly what Ben Thompson suggested that Zoom do.
To the company’s critics — and I have been one myself — Zoom’s moves represent a welcome change in tone. The company has never been particularly hostile to critics, but I do think it has been at least a little slow to acknowledge their concerns.
And if Thursday was any indication, those concerns will still come. In addition to the LinkedIn issue, Brian Krebs reported that miscreants have written a program called zWarDial to guess Zoom meeting identification numbers and then join calls uninvited. You can password-protect your meeting, but many people don’t — either for convenience, or because they’re unaware of the security risk. Krebs writes:
Lo shared the output of one day’s worth of zWarDial scanning, which revealed information about nearly 2,400 upcoming or recurring Zoom meetings. That information included the link needed to join each meeting; the date and time of the meeting; the name of the meeting organizer; and any information supplied by the meeting organizer about the topic of the meeting. The results were staggering, and revealed details about Zoom meetings scheduled by some of the world’s largest companies, including major banks, international consulting firms, ride-hailing services, government contractors, and investment ratings firms
At least one of the meetings, he writes, came from a “tech company that’s taken to social media warning people about the need to password protect Zoom meetings!”
So: there’s still some work to do. And yes, some of that work needs to be done by Zoom’s users. Anyone who is using the app to set up meetings should first read the company’s instructions for ensuring no uninvited guests show up.
But given how vital Zoom will remain in the weeks and months to come, we ought to be glad the company acted as quickly as it did.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
⬆Trending up: Amazon plans to roll out temperature checks and face masks for staff at all its US and European warehouses, as well as Whole Foods, by early next week. The news marks a major win for workers who’ve been fighting for better safety measures for weeks.
⬇Trending down: A leaked Amazon memo shows the company planned to smear the warehouse worker who organized the walkout on Staten Island. “He’s not smart, or articulate,” wrote Amazon General Counsel David Zapolsky. Yeesh.
⬇Trending down: Some Amazon employees with fevers are being sent home without pay.
⬇Trending down: Employees at Jeff Bezos’ aerospace firm Blue Origin say the company is pressuring them to launch a tourist rocket amid the coronavirus pandemic. The rocket is designed to take wealthy people into space.
Pandemic
Amazon is banning the sale of N95 and surgical masks to the general public. The company will only allow hospitals and government organizations to purchase the items. (Jason Del Rey / Recode)
Google lifted its coronavirus ad ban, which Democrats argued could give Trump an unfair advantage in the election. Now, the company will begin to allow some advertisers to run ads across its platforms that address the virus. (Sara Fischer / Axios)
A few high-profile lifestyle influencers have posted about fleeing New York City to smaller towns. Doctors say this behavior could put local communities at risk and inadvertently encourage more people to do the same. (Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times)
Screen-time limits for kids have gone out the window due to the coronavirus pandemic. With schools out and parents having to work from home, screens have become a necessity. (Helene Fouquet and Sarah Frier / Bloomberg)
Startups focused on deliveries and digital communications are growing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Here are five companies seeing a particular surge, including the social app Marco Polo. (The Information)
Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, is continuing to downplay the coronavirus pandemic. He’s dismissed the illness as mere “sniffles,” and denounced it as a “pretext” ginned up by his political enemies to “get” him. Social networks have removed several of his posts so far. (Jon Lee Anderson / The New Yorker)
Virus tracker
Total cases in the US: At least 234,483
Total deaths in the US: At least 5,700
Reported cases in California: 9,816
Reported cases in New York: 92,381
Reported cases in Washington: 5,984
Governing
Facebook removed networks of accounts in France, Egypt, Russia, Ghana, and Nigeria for coordinated inauthentic behavior. The networks in Ghana and Nigeria were operating on behalf of Russian nationals. The news is part of Facebook’s March transparency report. (Facebook)
Industry
Facebook brought its Messenger app to desktop. You can now access Messenger — including unlimited and free group video calls — on MacOS and Windows. (Christine Fisher / Engadget)
TikTok got an early and unexpected lift from the controversial YouTuber PewDiePie. The creator mentioned the app in a video, which led to a slew of downloads outside the middle-school demographic that had already started using the app. (Yunan Zhang / The Information)
Amazon is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into becoming a leading creator and distributor of video games. The company is set to release its first original big-budget game, an ambitious science-fiction shooter called Crucible, in May after several coronavirus-related delays. (Seth Schiesel / The New York Times)
The calendar app IRL is pivoting to virtual events. It will now focus on helping people find, RSVP for, plan, share and chat about online events. (Josh Constine / TechCrunch)
Things to do
Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine.
Read these treatments for coronavirus sitcom episodes of 30 Rock, Parks & Rec, Frasier, and more. Tina Fey’s take on a new 30 Rock episode is particularly great.
Download a free new family edition of Cards Against Humanity. If you have a printer, you’re good to go.
Remix Grimes’ new album. She posted all the stems and vocals and is encouraging you to do what you like with it.
Those good tweets
Talk to us


theverge--2020-04-03--Instacart to provide face masks for workers as part of COVID-19 safety kit

Grocery delivery company Instacart says it will provide its full-service shoppers with health and safety kits days after some workers walked out over a lack of protection during the COVID-19 health crisis .
The kits , which workers can request through an Instacart website starting next week , will contain a reusable cloth face mask , hand sanitizer , and a thermometer .
Face masks will also be provided to in-store shoppers at certain retail locations , according to the company .
Providing protective equipment like face masks has been a key demand of Instacart ’ s workers , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick , or else becoming carriers of the virus .
Shoppers previously threatened to walk out over the demands , although Instacart later claimed that it suffered “ no impact ” as a result of the strike .
Gig Workers Collective wants more assurances on sick pay The provisions come as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) is expected to advise all Americans to start wearing face masks in public .
It ’ s a big shift from its previous guidance , which said that only sick people and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , however , there are concerns that people without symptoms may be carrying the virus , and that asking everyone to wear masks may help prevent infections .
Responding to the latest announcement , Gig Workers Collective called the safety kits a “ step in the right direction , ” but expressed concerns about how many kits are available , and how long it might take shoppers to receive them .
In a blog post , the group noted that when hand sanitizer was offered on Instacart ’ s internal online store @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold out .
Instacart had previously promised to distribute independently-developed hand sanitizer to its workers .
Gig Workers Collective also expressed concerns that Instacart ’ s measures still don ’ t go far enough to protect vulnerable workers during the pandemic .
In particular , it reiterated its demand for a hazard payment of $ 5 per order to cover the risks associated with working for the company , and for the default in-app tip amount to be set to at least 10 percent .
It also demanded that workers with preexisting conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus be provided with sick pay if they have to stay home , and for sick leave to be made more accessible .
Previously , Instacart has promised to offer up to 14 days paid sick leave for workers ill or quarantining as a result of COVID-19 , but organizers said these measures didn ’ t go far enough .
Concerns were raised that a requirement to test positive for COVID-19 is of limited use when tests are in short supply and wouldn ’ t help workers without health insurance .
Delivery services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in demand as a result of the novel coronavirus outbreak , as people obey social distancing guidelines by sheltering at home .
CNN reports that Instacart plans to hire an additional 300,000 independent contractors as a result of increased demand .

Grocery delivery company Instacart says it will provide its full-service shoppers with health and safety kits days after some workers walked out over a lack of protection during the COVID-19 health crisis. The kits, which workers can request through an Instacart website starting next week, will contain a reusable cloth face mask, hand sanitizer, and a thermometer. Face masks will also be provided to in-store shoppers at certain retail locations, according to the company.
Providing protective equipment like face masks has been a key demand of Instacart’s workers, who say it could prevent them from getting sick, or else becoming carriers of the virus. Shoppers previously threatened to walk out over the demands, although Instacart later claimed that it suffered “no impact” as a result of the strike.
Gig Workers Collective wants more assurances on sick pay
The provisions come as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to advise all Americans to start wearing face masks in public. It’s a big shift from its previous guidance, which said that only sick people and medical workers should be using them. Now, however, there are concerns that people without symptoms may be carrying the virus, and that asking everyone to wear masks may help prevent infections.
Responding to the latest announcement, Gig Workers Collective called the safety kits a “step in the right direction,” but expressed concerns about how many kits are available, and how long it might take shoppers to receive them. In a blog post, the group noted that when hand sanitizer was offered on Instacart’s internal online store for Shoppers it had “immediately” sold out. Instacart had previously promised to distribute independently-developed hand sanitizer to its workers.
Gig Workers Collective also expressed concerns that Instacart’s measures still don’t go far enough to protect vulnerable workers during the pandemic. In particular, it reiterated its demand for a hazard payment of $5 per order to cover the risks associated with working for the company, and for the default in-app tip amount to be set to at least 10 percent.
It also demanded that workers with preexisting conditions who are more at risk from the virus be provided with sick pay if they have to stay home, and for sick leave to be made more accessible. Previously, Instacart has promised to offer up to 14 days paid sick leave for workers ill or quarantining as a result of COVID-19, but organizers said these measures didn’t go far enough. Concerns were raised that a requirement to test positive for COVID-19 is of limited use when tests are in short supply and wouldn’t help workers without health insurance.


theverge--2020-04-03--Google uses location data to show which places are complying with stay-at-home orders — and which ar

Google uses location data to show which places are complying with stay-at-home orders — and which aren’t

Google is using location data gathered from smartphones to help public health officials understand how people ’ s movements have changed in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic .
In a blog post early Friday morning , Google announced the release of its COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports .
The reports use data from people who have opted in to storing their location history with Google to help illustrate the degree to which people are adhering to government instructions to shelter in place and , where possible , work from home .
“ As global communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on public health strategies , like social distancing measures , to slow the rate of transmission , ” the company said in a blog post .
“ In Google Maps , we use aggregated , anonymized data showing how busy certain types of places are — helping identify when a local business tends to be the most crowded .
We have heard from public health officials that this same type of aggregated , anonymized data could be helpful as they make critical decisions to combat COVID-19.
” Anyone can view the reports , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In many locations , users can search for more regional data , examining reports for individual states , provinces , and counties .
After the user selects a geographic region , Google will generate a PDF with the data it has collected .
Google said that it chose PDFs over web pages because they could be more easily downloaded and shared with workers in the field .
Each report contains information about movement patterns in six categories : • Retail and recreation , covering visits to restaurants , cafes , shopping centers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie theaters , and similar locations .
A sample report viewed by The Verge for California , where a shelter in place order has been in effect since March 19th , showed steep declines to retail and recreation locations and transit stations , with a moderate uptick in time spent at home .
Data covers the past 48 to 72 hours , Google said , and the percentage changes reflect the difference between movement this month and late January .
The move comes as technology companies have been asked by government agencies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid in the coronavirus response .
On Saturday , the Wall Street Journal reported that mobile advertising companies were similarly sharing anonymized , aggregated data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , as well state and local governments , to help officials understand the spread of the disease and coordinate their response .
Facebook has made similar data available to academic researchers .
Google executives told me its program is intended to aid public health officials who need to prioritize their response based on areas of greater need .
The reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its parks remain overcrowded despite an order to shelter in place , for example — or that its parks are properly empty , but its transit stations remain too crowded .
That would allow them to consider changing or amplifying messages to their communities about the need to stay away .
At the same time , a high-level look at changing mobility patterns by itself is likely to be of limited value in managing the response to the pandemic .
Countries that have had more success in fighting COVID-19 have done so by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also by making invasive use of location data .
Taiwan , for example , is using location data to create “ electronic fences ” around quarantined citizens , monitoring their movements to ensure they remain at home .
Google ’ s data does not include personally identifiable information or show the number of visits to any particular category .
And it has limits : for example , it may not be able to account for people who spend time near a location as part of permitted outdoor exercise routines .
The company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make more data available for contact tracing — using an individual ’ s location to identify other people who may have been around them during the time they were infectious .
But Google ’ s location data isn ’ t granular enough to determine whether someone came within 6 feet of them — the distance currently thought to bring someone within risk of transmission — and it contains enough errors to make contact tracing impractical .
Google also considered using location history data to show how crowded hospitals and other medical facilities had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t distinguish between healthcare workers , patients , and visitors , making the value of sharing such information questionable .
Google plans to update the data in the reports in the future , it said , but at the moment has not decided when .
Separately , Google said it would collaborate with epidemiologists working on COVID-19 to update an existing dataset of aggregated , anonymized information to forecast the path of the pandemic .

Google is using location data gathered from smartphones to help public health officials understand how people’s movements have changed in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In a blog post early Friday morning, Google announced the release of its COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports.
The reports use data from people who have opted in to storing their location history with Google to help illustrate the degree to which people are adhering to government instructions to shelter in place and, where possible, work from home.
“As global communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increasing emphasis on public health strategies, like social distancing measures, to slow the rate of transmission,” the company said in a blog post. “In Google Maps, we use aggregated, anonymized data showing how busy certain types of places are — helping identify when a local business tends to be the most crowded. We have heard from public health officials that this same type of aggregated, anonymized data could be helpful as they make critical decisions to combat COVID-19.”
Anyone can view the reports, which cover 131 countries to start. In many locations, users can search for more regional data, examining reports for individual states, provinces, and counties. After the user selects a geographic region, Google will generate a PDF with the data it has collected. Google said that it chose PDFs over web pages because they could be more easily downloaded and shared with workers in the field.
Each report contains information about movement patterns in six categories:
Retail and recreation, covering visits to restaurants, cafes, shopping centers, theme parks, museums, libraries, movie theaters, and similar locations.
Grocery and pharmacy, covering supermarkets, food warehouses, farmers markets, specialty food shops, and drug stores.
Parks, covering public beaches, marinas, dog parks, plazas, and other public spaces.
Transit stations, covering subway stops and bus and train stations.
Workplaces, covering offices.
Residences, covering people’s homes.
A sample report viewed by The Verge for California, where a shelter in place order has been in effect since March 19th, showed steep declines to retail and recreation locations and transit stations, with a moderate uptick in time spent at home.
Data covers the past 48 to 72 hours, Google said, and the percentage changes reflect the difference between movement this month and late January.
The move comes as technology companies have been asked by government agencies and health officials to share more data to aid in the coronavirus response. On Saturday, the Wall Street Journal reported that mobile advertising companies were similarly sharing anonymized, aggregated data with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well state and local governments, to help officials understand the spread of the disease and coordinate their response.
Google executives told me its program is intended to aid public health officials who need to prioritize their response based on areas of greater need. The reports may help a county official understand that its parks remain overcrowded despite an order to shelter in place, for example — or that its parks are properly empty, but its transit stations remain too crowded. That would allow them to consider changing or amplifying messages to their communities about the need to stay away.
At the same time, a high-level look at changing mobility patterns by itself is likely to be of limited value in managing the response to the pandemic. Countries that have had more success in fighting COVID-19 have done so by implementing aggressive testing and contact-tracing regimes, and also by making invasive use of location data. Taiwan, for example, is using location data to create “electronic fences” around quarantined citizens, monitoring their movements to ensure they remain at home.
Google’s data does not include personally identifiable information or show the number of visits to any particular category. And it has limits: for example, it may not be able to account for people who spend time near a location as part of permitted outdoor exercise routines.
The company considered requests from public health officials to make more data available for contact tracing — using an individual’s location to identify other people who may have been around them during the time they were infectious. But Google’s location data isn’t granular enough to determine whether someone came within 6 feet of them — the distance currently thought to bring someone within risk of transmission — and it contains enough errors to make contact tracing impractical.
Google also considered using location history data to show how crowded hospitals and other medical facilities had become. But location data can’t distinguish between healthcare workers, patients, and visitors, making the value of sharing such information questionable.
Google plans to update the data in the reports in the future, it said, but at the moment has not decided when.


theverge--2020-04-02--Apple Store leaks 4.7-inch ‘iPhone SE’ name

Apple ’ s upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone is likely to be announced imminently and looks set to be called the iPhone SE .
A Belkin screen protector is currently live on the Apple Store and listed for the iPhone SE as well as the 8 and 7 , matching reports that the new phone would feature a similar design to those models .
Earlier today 9to5Mac reported the iPhone SE name , as well as details including that it ’ ll come in white , black , and red color options with storage tiers of 64GB , 128GB , and 256GB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an A13 processor , though pricing information is still unknown .
The Belkin accessory is called the “ InvisiGlass Ultra Screen Protection for iPhone SE/8/7.
” It ’ s on sale now for $ 39.95 , though in-store pickup is unavailable since Apple has closed all its stores outside China .
The product is also available in a 5.5-inch size , but that listing only makes reference to the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus .
9to5Mac ’ s previous reporting has suggested a new 5.5-inch iPhone is also on the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new 4.7-inch iPhone for many months now , but while supply-chain analysts are often able to glean hardware details ahead of time , it ’ s rare that anyone can make accurate predictions on product marketing decisions like the name of a particular iPhone .
Apple shares that information with very few people internally , and of course it ’ s easier to decide on closer to launch than a device ’ s core hardware .
The original iPhone SE came out in March 2016 for $ 399 and essentially crammed 2015 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 body .
Some rumors referred to this upcoming 4.7-inch phone as an “ iPhone 9 , ” since it would directly follow on from the 8 , but “ SE ” would technically be in keeping with the prior use of the name .

Apple’s upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone is likely to be announced imminently and looks set to be called the iPhone SE. A Belkin screen protector is currently live on the Apple Store and listed for the iPhone SE as well as the 8 and 7, matching reports that the new phone would feature a similar design to those models.
Earlier today 9to5Mac reported the iPhone SE name, as well as details including that it’ll come in white, black, and red color options with storage tiers of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The device is expected to come with an A13 processor, though pricing information is still unknown.
The Belkin accessory is called the “InvisiGlass Ultra Screen Protection for iPhone SE/8/7.” It’s on sale now for $39.95, although Apple eventually removed all mention of the iPhone SE from the page. The product is also available in a 5.5-inch size, but that listing only makes reference to the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus. 9to5Mac’s previous reporting has suggested a new 5.5-inch iPhone is also on the way.
How the page appeared early on Friday before Apple removed mention of the SE model.
There have been rumors about a new 4.7-inch iPhone for many months now, but while supply-chain analysts are often able to glean hardware details ahead of time, it’s rare that anyone can make accurate predictions on product marketing decisions like the name of a particular iPhone. Apple shares that information with very few people internally, and of course it’s easier to decide on closer to launch than a device’s core hardware.
The original iPhone SE came out in March 2016 for $399 and essentially crammed 2015’s iPhone 6S specs into an iPhone 5 body. Some rumors referred to this upcoming 4.7-inch phone as an “iPhone 9,” since it would directly follow on from the 8, but “SE” would technically be in keeping with the prior use of the name.


theverge--2020-04-02--Epic Games reveals new mobile game Spyjinx in collaboration with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Games

Fortnite creator Epic has revealed a new mobile game developed in collaboration with J.J. Abrams ’ game development company Bad Robot Games , a spinoff of his production studio Bad Robot that was formed back in 2018 with funding from Epic investor Tencent .
Abrams previously collaborated with Epic to debut a trailer of Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker within Fortnite .
The title , called Spyjinx , is an espionage and secret agent-themed action adventure game that appears to let you build your own hideout , level up your character , and compete in some form of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It looks like it borrows heavily from the art style of Fortnite , specifically the recent second season of Fortnite Chapter 2 that also happens to be espionage and secret agent-themed .
There ’ s not a ton of other information about Spyjinx beyond the brief description of its theme and some screenshots the companies shared .
But Epic said yesterday it would be launching a beta test in Malaysia on iOS , with Australia to follow soon after .
“ Set in a secret world of espionage , thrilling heists , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unique mix of action-strategy gameplay , RPG character development , and head-to-head multiplayer .
Your goal ?
Become the ultimate spy Mastermind , ” reads the game description .

Fortnite creator Epic has revealed a new mobile game developed in collaboration with J.J. Abrams’ game development company Bad Robot Games, a spinoff of his production studio Bad Robot that was formed back in 2018 with funding from Epic investor Tencent. Abrams previously collaborated with Epic to debut a trailer of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker within Fortnite.
The title, called Spyjinx, is an espionage and secret agent-themed action adventure game that appears to let you build your own hideout, level up your character, and compete in some form of online multiplayer to take on other players. It looks like it borrows heavily from the art style of Fortnite, specifically the recent second season of Fortnite Chapter 2 that also happens to be espionage and secret agent-themed.
There’s not a ton of other information about Spyjinx beyond the brief description of its theme and some screenshots the companies shared. But Epic said yesterday it would be launching a beta test in Malaysia on iOS, with Australia to follow soon after.


theverge--2020-04-03--Zoom adds new security and privacy measures to prevent Zoombombing

Zoom will soon turn on passwords and waiting rooms by default for all meetings in an effort to help prevent “ Zoombombing , ” or the recent trend of people disrupting Zoom meetings uninvited and sharing shocking or even pornographic content .
The new defaults will add real friction to the process of joining a meeting — a process that Zoom had previously made as frictionless as possible to help spur its growth .
The changes will take effect starting April 5th .
Zoom passwords were already turned on by default for new meetings , instant meetings , and meetings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what ’ s new starting April 5th is that they ’ ll be turned on for previously scheduled Zoom meetings as well .
And once you ’ ve joined a meeting , you ’ ll have to wait for the host to let you in from the new virtual waiting room .
The host of the meeting can choose to let people in individually from the waiting room or all at once .
You can see the new changes in this video from Zoom : Zoom usage has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video conferencing service to stay in contact with friends , family , colleagues , and even their yoga teachers .
But that increased usage has also made the platform a target for hacks , pranks , and harassment , often through Zoombombing .
The issue has become serious enough that federal prosecutors are now warning there could be serious legal implications for Zoombombing perpetrators .
The service ’ s new default protections may also address other security issues with the platform .
Yesterday , it came to light that some security researchers had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to identify 100 non-password-protected Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and scrape information about those meetings — perhaps Zoom ’ s new passwords-by-default policy could prevent similar scanning tools from finding meeting IDs and private information in the future .
Yesterday , Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features so it can focus on fixing privacy and security issues with the platform .

Zoom will soon turn on passwords and waiting rooms for meetings by default for users on its free tier and those with a single license on its cheapest paid tier in an effort to help prevent “Zoombombing,” or the recent trend of people disrupting Zoom meetings uninvited and sharing shocking or even pornographic content. The new defaults will add real friction to the process of joining a meeting — a process that Zoom had previously made as frictionless as possible to help spur its growth. The changes will take effect starting April 5th.
Zoom passwords were already turned on by default for new meetings, instant meetings, and meetings you joined with a meeting ID — what’s new starting April 5th is that they’ll be turned on for previously scheduled Zoom meetings as well. And once you’ve joined a meeting, you’ll have to wait for the host to let you in from the new virtual waiting room. The host of the meeting can choose to let people in individually from the waiting room or all at once.
You can see the new changes in this video from Zoom:
“We’re always striving to deliver our users a secure virtual meeting environment,” Zoom said in a statement to The Verge. “Effective April 5, we are enabling passwords and virtual waiting rooms by default for our Free Basic and Single Pro users. We strongly encourage all users to implement passwords for all of their meetings.”
Zoom usage has skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic as people have turned to the free video conferencing service to stay in contact with friends, family, colleagues, and even their yoga teachers. But that increased usage has also made the platform a target for hacks, pranks, and harassment, often through Zoombombing. The issue has become serious enough that federal prosecutors are now warning there could be serious legal implications for Zoombombing perpetrators.
The service’s new default protections may also address other security issues with the platform. Yesterday, it came to light that some security researchers had developed an automated tool that is able to identify 100 non-password-protected Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and scrape information about those meetings — perhaps Zoom’s new passwords-by-default policy could prevent similar scanning tools from finding meeting IDs and private information in the future.
Yesterday, Zoom announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features so it can focus on fixing privacy and security issues with the platform.


theverge--2020-04-03--CDC recommends people wear cloth masks to block the spread of COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) released new guidelines today recommending that people in the US wear homemade face coverings to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus .
“ The CDC is additionally advising simple cloth coverings to help people who may have the virus and do not know it keep from from transmitting to others , ” said US Surgeon General Jerome Adams in a press conference at the White House today .
“ The CDC is additionally advising simple cloth coverings to help people who may have the virus and do not know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” When cases of COVID-19 were first reported in the US in January , the CDC said that only health care providers and people who are acutely ill should wear face masks .
Health care providers use surgical masks and N95 respirators , which filter out tiny particles in the air , to protect themselves when they ’ re working closely with sick patients .
The White House task force and the CDC have been re-evaluating their mask recommendations over the past few days .
Research shows that people without symptoms can infect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread when people speak or breathe — not just when they cough or sneeze .
“ In light of this new evidence , the CDC recommends and the task force recommends people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other distancing measures are difficult to maintain , ” Adams said .
If people cover their faces with a cloth mask or another barrier , it may blunt the amount of virus-laden particles they release , experts say .
There is limited evidence that these types of makeshift masks prevent the spread of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they do reduce the amount of particles a person wearing them spreads .
Some experts say that they ’ re better than nothing .
The CDC says people should continue to stay six feet apart when in public as much as possible , even if they ’ re wearing masks .
The US has a severe shortage of medical-grade masks , leaving doctors and nurses exposed to infection .
In February , the US surgeon general warned that if the general public bought these masks , they put health care workers at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the general public should not use surgical and N95 masks , because those should be reserved for health care workers .
Instead , they should wear cloth masks or other makeshift face coverings .
Some cities and states , like Colorado and New York City , had already asked people to cover their faces when out in public .
The White House response to the pandemic has been characterized by confusing , quick-changing policies and messaging around public health measures like masks and testing .
Changes are expected during a crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepare people for those changes .
The White House and President Donald Trump also continue to undercut messaging from the CDC .
Trump said during today ’ s press conference that he wasn ’ t going to wear a mask .
“ This is voluntary .
I don ’ t think I ’ m going to be doing it , ” he said .
Based on current estimates , the US is on pace to have the worst COVID-19 outbreak of any country in the world .

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new guidelines today recommending that people in the US wear homemade face coverings to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The CDC is additionally advising simple cloth coverings to help people who may have the virus and do not know it keep from from transmitting to others,” said US Surgeon General Jerome Adams in a press conference at the White House today.
“The CDC is additionally advising simple cloth coverings to help people who may have the virus and do not know it keep from from transmitting to others”
When cases of COVID-19 were first reported in the US in January, the CDC said that only health care providers and people who are acutely ill should wear face masks. Health care providers use surgical masks and N95 respirators, which filter out tiny particles in the air, to protect themselves when they’re working closely with sick patients.
The White House task force and the CDC have been re-evaluating their mask recommendations over the past few days. Research shows that people without symptoms can infect others, and that the virus may spread when people speak or breathe — not just when they cough or sneeze. “In light of this new evidence, the CDC recommends and the task force recommends people wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other distancing measures are difficult to maintain,” Adams said.
If people cover their faces with a cloth mask or another barrier, it may blunt the amount of virus-laden particles they release, experts say. There is limited evidence that these types of makeshift masks prevent the spread of disease, though some research shows that they do reduce the amount of particles a person wearing them spreads. Some experts say that they’re better than nothing. The CDC says people should continue to stay six feet apart when in public as much as possible, even if they’re wearing masks.
The US has a severe shortage of medical-grade masks, leaving doctors and nurses exposed to infection. In February, the US surgeon general warned that if the general public bought these masks, they put health care workers at risk. The new guidance stresses that members of the general public should not use surgical and N95 masks, because those should be reserved for health care workers. Instead, they should wear cloth masks or other makeshift face coverings.
Some cities and states, like Colorado and New York City, had already asked people to cover their faces when out in public.
The White House response to the pandemic has been characterized by confusing, quick-changing policies and messaging around public health measures like masks and testing. Changes are expected during a crisis, but the federal government did not adequately prepare people for those changes.
The White House and President Donald Trump also continue to undercut messaging from the CDC. Trump said during today’s press conference that he wasn’t going to wear a mask. “This is voluntary. I don’t think I’m going to be doing it,” he said.


theverge--2020-04-03--ESPN will air 12 hours of esports including Rocket League, NBA 2K, and Madden

ESPN is set to air 12 hours of esports coverage on April 5th , turning to NBA 2K , Madden NFL 20 , and Rocket League tournaments to fill the programming void left behind by traditional sports leagues going on hiatus .
“ ESPN Esports Day ” is a marathon of live events and taped esports coverage that aired on ESPN2 over the last year , according to a press release .
The marathon will begin with three hours of previous Madden NFL 20 content , including recaps of the Madden Classic , Club Championship , and Challenge tournaments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix , a live race featuring F1 drivers behind the virtual wheel .
Rocket League will follow with ESPN2 hosting the Season 8 World Championship Grand Finals , and lead into the heavily anticipated NBA 2K tournament , which brings 16 NBA players to participate in a 16-bracket event .
ESPN ’ s esports marathon will end with a repeat presentation of the EXP Apex Legends Pro-Am from last July .
The industry has seen a surge in interest over the last few weeks Esports has grown considerably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the industry has seen a surge in interest over the last few weeks .
Craig Levine , global chief strategy officer for the CS : GO ESL Pro League , previously told The Verge that “ as other sports and entertainment have gone dark , we ’ ve probably inadvertently benefited.
” Pro athletes unable to train are flocking to Twitch and YouTube to stream themselves playing virtual versions of the sports that made them famous .
F1 driver Lando Norris took part in a virtual , and shorter , version of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 22nd .
The race pulled in 70,000 concurrent viewers on Norris ’ Twitch channel alone , with a total of around 175,000 people watching the race , which combined Norris ’ channel and others at one point .
Twitch , one of the main platforms for streaming , has seen an impressive growth as more people spend time at home .
The platform went from 982 million hours watched in February to over 1.1 billion hours in March , according to livestreaming tools and services provider StreamElements .
That ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro athletes compete in virtual tournaments , and bringing their fans to sites like Twitch , is a win .
It ’ s clear that ESPN wants in on that action .
The network has for years , but with no other sports to counter-program against , this is esports ’ time to shine .
The full schedule for ESPN2 ’ s esports marathon can be seen on the network ’ s website .

ESPN is set to air 12 hours of esports coverage on April 5th, turning to NBA 2K, Madden NFL 20, and Rocket League tournaments to fill the programming void left behind by traditional sports leagues going on hiatus.
“ESPN Esports Day” is a marathon of live events and taped esports coverage that aired on ESPN2 over the last year, according to a press release. The marathon will begin with three hours of previous Madden NFL 20 content, including recaps of the Madden Classic, Club Championship, and Challenge tournaments.
The Madden block will be followed by the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix, a live race featuring F1 drivers behind the virtual wheel. Rocket League will follow with ESPN2 hosting the Season 8 World Championship Grand Finals, and lead into the heavily anticipated NBA 2K tournament, which brings 16 NBA players to participate in a 16-bracket event. ESPN’s esports marathon will end with a repeat presentation of the EXP Apex Legends Pro-Am from last July.
The industry has seen a surge in interest over the last few weeks
Esports has grown considerably over the last few years, but the industry has seen a surge in interest over the last few weeks. Craig Levine, global chief strategy officer for the CS:GO ESL Pro League, previously told The Verge that “as other sports and entertainment have gone dark, we’ve probably inadvertently benefited.”
Pro athletes unable to train are flocking to Twitch and YouTube to stream themselves playing virtual versions of the sports that made them famous. F1 driver Lando Norris took part in a virtual, and shorter, version of the Australian Grand Prix using F1 2019 on March 22nd. The race pulled in 70,000 concurrent viewers on Norris’ Twitch channel alone, with a total of around 175,000 people watching the race, which combined Norris’ channel and others at one point.
Twitch, one of the main platforms for streaming, has seen an impressive growth as more people spend time at home. The platform went from 982 million hours watched in February to over 1.1 billion hours in March, according to livestreaming tools and services provider StreamElements. That’s a 20 percent growth in viewership. Having pro athletes compete in virtual tournaments, and bringing their fans to sites like Twitch, is a win.


theverge--2020-04-03--Why Zoom became so popular

Why Zoom became so popular

Seemingly everyone knows about Zoom now : parents , co-workers , friends , grandparents , and neighbors .
The videoconferencing software company that went public last year is having a moment during the pandemic .
People have flocked to the service to keep up with friends , build digital clubs , and even host weddings .
However , in this time of immense growth , researchers and journalists have scrutinized the app and found multiple security and privacy risks .
People are realizing the free app might actually come with the cost of giving up their personal data .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least to the broader consumer world , is that it offers free , 40-minute conference calls with up to 100 attendees .
It ’ s easy to use — people don ’ t need a login to access a meeting — and the interface is relatively intuitive .
However , those same features put people at risk .
Zoombombing , for one , has taken advantage of Zoom ’ s system of randomly generated ID access codes and lack of required passwords to join a call .
People drop into Zoom calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcast offensive material , like pornography .
One automated tool developed by security researchers can find around 100 Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and information for nearly 2,400 Zoom meetings in a single day of scans , just as an example of how easy it can be to find meetings to join .
Zoom says passwords have been enabled by default since late last year , but many people still aren ’ t using them .
That ’ s not the only risk with Zoom .
The company also has an issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could leak user emails and photos , and Zoom confirmed to The Intercept that video calls on the app aren ’ t end-to-end encrypted like the company claims .
The company has since announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features and will focus on fixing privacy and security issues , it says .
People continue to use Zoom because it ’ s easy and free , but its competitors are making moves to catch up .
There are a host of alternatives , and multiple services have made certain features free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can join a call .
Zoom ’ s found massive success during a dark time for the world , and it ’ ll try to maintain that position , although doing so will require prioritizing user privacy and security over ease of use .

Seemingly everyone knows about Zoom now: parents, co-workers, friends, grandparents, and neighbors. The videoconferencing software company that went public last year is having a moment during the pandemic. People have flocked to the service to keep up with friends, build digital clubs, and even host weddings. However, in this time of immense growth, researchers and journalists have scrutinized the app and found multiple security and privacy risks. People are realizing the free app might actually come with the cost of giving up their personal data.
The app’s main selling point, at least to the broader consumer world, is that it offers free, 40-minute conference calls with up to 100 attendees. It’s easy to use — people don’t need a login to access a meeting — and the interface is relatively intuitive. However, those same features put people at risk.
Zoombombing, for one, has taken advantage of Zoom’s system of randomly generated ID access codes and lack of required passwords to join a call. People drop into Zoom calls that aren’t their own and broadcast offensive material, like pornography. One automated tool developed by security researchers can find around 100 Zoom meeting IDs in an hour and information for nearly 2,400 Zoom meetings in a single day of scans, just as an example of how easy it can be to find meetings to join. Zoom says passwords have been enabled by default since late last year, but many people still aren’t using them.
That’s not the only risk with Zoom. The company also has an issue with its “Company Directory” setting that could leak user emails and photos, and Zoom confirmed to The Intercept that video calls on the app aren’t end-to-end encrypted like the company claims. The company has since announced a 90-day freeze on releasing new features and will focus on fixing privacy and security issues, it says.
People continue to use Zoom because it’s easy and free, but its competitors are making moves to catch up. There are a host of alternatives, and multiple services have made certain features free or upped the number of people who can join a call. Zoom’s found massive success during a dark time for the world, and it’ll try to maintain that position, although doing so will require prioritizing user privacy and security over ease of use.


theverge--2020-04-03--Skype tries competing with Zoom by reminding people that they don’t need the app or an account to ma

Skype tries competing with Zoom by reminding people that they don’t need the app or an account to make a call

Skype is trying to make it as easy as possible to use its video calling software and remind people that using the app isn ’ t complicated .
The company tweeted a reminder today that users can now start a video meeting and invite people to it without using the app or even having an account ; the process is done completely on the web .
( People can start a call from here . )
Skype is likely hoping this feature gives it a leg up on some of its competitors , namely Zoom , which has dominated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started .
Skype has mostly been left out of most video calling mentions .
Zoom requires a meeting host to have an account , as well as the app to start a call , although participants don ’ t need either .
Still , Skype has been playing catch-up to Zoom by making its videoconferencing feature more obvious in the app , and with this feature , smoothing out the process from wanting to start a call to making it happen .
My colleague Tom Warren wrote about how Skype ceded this moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read .
But the company ’ s not giving up yet and is likely hoping to bring people over to Skype , especially in the midst of Zoom ’ s latest security and privacy issues .
Correction 4/3 , 4:42 PM ET : This article initially stated this was a new feature ; that was a mistake .
We regret the error .

Skype is trying to make it as easy as possible to use its video calling software and remind people that using the app isn’t complicated. The company tweeted a reminder today that users can now start a video meeting and invite people to it without using the app or even having an account; the process is done completely on the web. (People can start a call from here.) Skype is likely hoping this feature gives it a leg up on some of its competitors, namely Zoom, which has dominated the video calling conversation ever since the pandemic started. Skype has mostly been left out of most video calling mentions.
Zoom requires a meeting host to have an account, as well as the app to start a call, although participants don’t need either. Still, Skype has been playing catch-up to Zoom by making its videoconferencing feature more obvious in the app, and with this feature, smoothing out the process from wanting to start a call to making it happen. My colleague Tom Warren wrote about how Skype ceded this moment to Zoom, which is worth a read. But the company’s not giving up yet and is likely hoping to bring people over to Skype, especially in the midst of Zoom’s latest security and privacy issues.


theverge--2020-04-03--This Yves Behar-designed smart weight trainer is the love child of Mirror and Tonal

As more people seek solutions for working out at home during the global measures to self-quarantine and social distance , another connected fitness equipment enters an increasingly crowded category .
Forme , a smart mirror with a weight training system built in , combines the look of the reflective Mirror and the pulleys of Tonal , with a few other touches by industrial designer Yves Behar .
Similar to the Tonal , the Forme uses a hidden resistance system to simulate weight so you can perform push , pull , and lift exercises from various angles at various weights .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum weight it can support . )
According to CNN , Forme will also come with a few other accessories like a heart rate monitor and ankle straps for more movement varieties .
When not in use , the arms tuck away behind the screen , and other accessories can be stored in a hidden compartment .
And of course , this being a “ connected ” training system , it comes with classes you can stream and the machine will automatically adjust weights that are best suited to your fitness levels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to build muscle and endurance or get lean over time .
The class offerings also include cardio , bodyweight workouts , barre , and yoga .
The Forme costs $ 149 a month for 39 months , which includes content subscription It ’ s a bit hard to tell based on the press photos , but Forme says it will display the on-screen instructors as life-size as possible so those working out at home can gauge their form .
This is also similar to another connected fitness machine , Tempo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to track user movements for form corrections .
( Tempo offers weight training classes too , but employs traditional barbells and dumbbells that can be stored underneath the machine when not in use . )
The Forme is expected to launch in fall 2020 and will cost $ 149 a month for 39 months , which includes the hardware and content subscription .
( That ’ s $ 5,811 if you don ’ t want to do the math ; in comparison , Tonal ’ s 36-month financing plan , which includes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it ’ s paid off . )
It ’ s certainly a beautiful-looking machine that combines the principles of everything out there in the connected fitness equipment world , but fall 2020 might be a long time away for those hoping to get their home workouts in while gyms across the United States remain closed from the pandemic .

As more people seek solutions for working out at home during the global measures to self-quarantine and social distance, another connected fitness equipment enters an increasingly crowded category. Forme Life, a smart mirror with a weight training system built in, combines the look of the reflective Mirror and the pulleys of Tonal, with a few other touches by industrial designer Yves Behar.
Similar to the Tonal, the Forme Life uses a hidden resistance system to simulate weight so you can perform push, pull, and lift exercises from various angles at various weights. (The company did not specify the maximum weight it can support.) According to CNN, Forme Life will also come with a few other accessories like a heart rate monitor and ankle straps for more movement varieties. When not in use, the arms tuck away behind the screen, and other accessories can be stored in a hidden compartment. And of course, this being a “connected” training system, it comes with classes you can stream and the machine will automatically adjust weights that are best suited to your fitness levels. You can set goals and decide whether you want to build muscle and endurance or get lean over time. The class offerings also include cardio, bodyweight workouts, barre, and yoga.
The Forme Life costs $149 a month for 39 months, which includes content subscription
It’s a bit hard to tell based on the press photos, but Forme Life says it will display the on-screen instructors as life-size as possible so those working out at home can gauge their form. This is also similar to another connected fitness machine, Tempo, which uses Microsoft’s Azure Kinect to track user movements for form corrections. (Tempo offers weight training classes too, but employs traditional barbells and dumbbells that can be stored underneath the machine when not in use.)


theverge--2020-04-03--Google is temporarily rolling back Chrome’s SameSite cookie requirements

With the launch of Chrome 80 in February , Google began gradually rolling out an update that changes how third-party cookies work on websites , called “ SameSite.
” Today , it announced that it is temporarily rolling back this SameSite requirements in light of the COVID-19 outbreak .
The SameSite policy was a change in how Chrome treats cookies .
Before , Chrome accepted more cookies by default , including from third parties .
SameSite flipped that default .
At a high level , that essentially means that unless a third-party cookie explicitly was set by a website owner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
This move was intended to protect user privacy by limiting which cookies can function in a third-party context , which would supposedly curb third-party data collection .
However , disabling third-party cookies can cause some sites to break — especially if they were using third-party cookies as part of their login systems .
Many major sites were already updated to account for SameSite , but Google says it wants to “ ensure stability for websites providing essential services including banking , online groceries , government services and healthcare.
” Presumably that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t updated .
As sites have had to deal with the complications caused by the COVID-19 outbreak , it ’ s likely that many haven ’ t had the time or the resources to adapt to the update and aren ’ t likely to be able to devote attention to it in the near future .
Since social distancing measures have greatly increased reliance on online services , disruptions like this could cause a number of issues , especially when it ’ s related to health care resources .
This isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak .
In March , Google announced it was temporarily pausing adding new features to Chrome and Chrome OS and focusing on updates related to security .
Google said that this was due to changes to its own work schedules .
However , Google has since resumed development for Chrome and Chrome OS , albeit on an adjusted schedule .

With the launch of Chrome 80 in February, Google began gradually rolling out an update that changes how third-party cookies work on websites, called “SameSite.” Today, it announced that it is temporarily rolling back this SameSite requirements in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The SameSite policy was a change in how Chrome treats cookies. Before, Chrome accepted more cookies by default, including from third parties. SameSite flipped that default. At a high level, that essentially means that unless a third-party cookie explicitly was set by a website owner as being okay, Chrome would block it. This move was intended to protect user privacy by limiting which cookies can function in a third-party context, which would supposedly curb third-party data collection.
However, disabling third-party cookies can cause some sites to break — especially if they were using third-party cookies as part of their login systems. Many major sites were already updated to account for SameSite, but Google says it wants to “ensure stability for websites providing essential services including banking, online groceries, government services and healthcare.” Presumably that means some sites in those categories weren’t updated.
As sites have had to deal with the complications caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s likely that many haven’t had the time or the resources to adapt to the update and aren’t likely to be able to devote attention to it in the near future.
Since social distancing measures have greatly increased reliance on online services, disruptions like this could cause a number of issues, especially when it’s related to health care resources.


theverge--2020-04-03--Thousands of Zoom recordings exposed because of the way Zoom names recordings

Thousands of Zoom cloud recordings have been exposed on the web because of the way Zoom names its recordings , according to a report by The Washington Post .
The recordings are apparently named in “ an identical way ” and many have been posted onto unprotected Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) buckets , making it possible to find them through an online search .
One search engine that can look through cloud storage space turned up more than 15,000 Zoom recordings , according to The Washington Post .
“ Thousands ” of clips have apparently also been uploaded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post said it was able to view recordings of therapy sessions , orientations , business meetings , elementary school classes , and more .
‘ The Washington Post ’ was able to view recordings of therapy sessions , orientations , business meetings , elementary school classes , and more Zoom has been notified of the issue , reports The Washington Post , but it ’ s unclear if the company will be changing how it names videos .
“ Zoom notifies participants when a host chooses to record a meeting , and provides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to store recordings , ” Zoom said in a statement to The Verge .
“ Zoom meetings are only recorded at the host ’ s choice either locally on the host ’ s machine or in the Zoom cloud .
Should hosts later choose to upload their meeting recordings anywhere else , we urge them to use extreme caution and be transparent with meeting participants , giving careful consideration to whether the meeting contains sensitive information and to participants ’ reasonable expectations.
” Zoom has come under intense scrutiny over its security and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in users while people are forced to stay home due to the novel coronavirus , and a number of issues have come to light .
Just yesterday , Zoom fixed its “ malware-like ” macOS installer , patched a Windows vulnerability , and LinkedIn suspended a Zoom integration that exposed users ’ LinkedIn profiles .
But the company also committed to a 90-day feature freeze to focus on fixing privacy and security issues .
Correction : We have removed language implying that Zoom has control over the hosting of the AWS buckets .

Thousands of Zoom cloud recordings have been exposed on the web because of the way Zoom names its recordings, according to a report by The Washington Post. The recordings are apparently named in “an identical way” and many have been posted onto unprotected Amazon Web Services (AWS) buckets, making it possible to find them through an online search.
Zoom tells The Verge that its servers or servers it controls have not been exposed — the exposed videos are likely ones that people recorded locally and uploaded to other services, according to the company.
One search engine that can look through cloud storage space turned up more than 15,000 Zoom recordings, according to The Washington Post. “Thousands” of clips have apparently also been uploaded to YouTube and Vimeo. The Washington Post said it was able to view recordings of therapy sessions, orientations, business meetings, elementary school classes, and more.
‘The Washington Post’ was able to view recordings of therapy sessions, orientations, business meetings, elementary school classes, and more
Zoom has been notified of the issue, reports The Washington Post, but it’s unclear if the company will be changing how it names videos.
“Zoom notifies participants when a host chooses to record a meeting, and provides a safe and secure way for hosts to store recordings,” Zoom said in a statement to The Verge. “Zoom meetings are only recorded at the host’s choice either locally on the host’s machine or in the Zoom cloud. Should hosts later choose to upload their meeting recordings anywhere else, we urge them to use extreme caution and be transparent with meeting participants, giving careful consideration to whether the meeting contains sensitive information and to participants’ reasonable expectations.”
Zoom has come under intense scrutiny over its security and privacy practices because of the massive surge in users while people are forced to stay home due to the novel coronavirus, and a number of issues have come to light. Just yesterday, Zoom fixed its “malware-like” macOS installer, patched a Windows vulnerability, and LinkedIn suspended a Zoom integration that exposed users’ LinkedIn profiles. But the company also committed to a 90-day feature freeze to focus on fixing privacy and security issues.
Correction: We have removed language implying that Zoom has control over the hosting of the AWS buckets.


theverge--2020-04-03--‘Zoombombing’ is a federal offense that could result in imprisonment, prosecutors warn

Federal prosecutors are now warning pranksters and hackers of the potential legal implications of “ Zoombombing , ” wherein someone successfully invades a public or sometimes even private meeting over the videoconferencing platform to broadcast shock videos , pornography , or other disruptive content .
The warning was posted as a press released to the Department of Justice ’ s website under the US Attorney ’ s office for the state ’ s Eastern district with support from the state attorney general and the FBI .
More and more of the world is increasingly self-quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public education and policy are moving from in-person meetings to remote conference calls on platforms like Zoom .
In turn , that ’ s led to an uptick in conference call hacking and pranks .
The most vulnerable forums are those of school classrooms , political meetings , and other sensitive gatherings including minors or confidential information .
And as The New York Times reported on Friday , the weaponization of Zoom , not just for pranks but for harassment campaigns , has become a pressing concern at the highest levels of law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram , Reddit , Twitter , and 4Chan to coordinate attacks .
“ You think Zoom bombing is funny ?
Let ’ s see how funny it is after you get arrested.
” Now , prosecutors say they ’ ll pursue charges for Zoombombing , including “ disrupting a public meeting , computer intrusion , using a computer to commit a crime , hate crimes , fraud , or transmitting threatening communications.
” Some of the charges include fines and possible imprisonment .
The press release says that if you or anyone you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they can report it to the FBI ’ s Internet Crime Complaint Center .
“ You think Zoom bombing is funny ?
Let ’ s see how funny it is after you get arrested , ” stated Matthew Schneider , the US Attorney for the Eastern Michigan district , said in a statement .
“ If you interfere with a teleconference or public meeting in Michigan , you could have federal , state , or local law enforcement knocking at your door.
” The press release also contains some helpful tips for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and individuals to avoid getting Zoombombed .
( The Verge has also put together a handy guide for maneuvering the privacy and security settings on Zoom . )
Oftentimes , it ’ s not a prankster hacking into a call so much as the organizer overlooking key privacy settings to help protect the call from unwanted third parties sneaking on .
“ Do not make the meetings or classroom public .
In Zoom , there are two options to make a meeting private : require a meeting password or use the waiting room @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the guidance reads .
“ Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post .
Provide the link directly to specific people.
” The guidance also advises against allowing anyone but the host to screenshare and asks that users of Zoom and other apps install the latest updates ; Zoom has put out quite a few this week to address the litany of complaints from the media and security experts over its lax privacy and security .
Zoom also announced earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new features for the next three months to beef up its user and platform defenses .

Federal prosecutors are now warning pranksters and hackers of the potential legal implications of “Zoombombing,” wherein someone successfully invades a public or sometimes even private meeting over the videoconferencing platform to broadcast shock videos, pornography, or other disruptive content.
The warning was posted as a press released to the Department of Justice’s website under the US Attorney’s office for the state’s Eastern district with support from the state attorney general and the FBI.
More and more of the world is increasingly self-quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and core pillars of society like public education and policy are moving from in-person meetings to remote conference calls on platforms like Zoom. In turn, that’s led to an uptick in conference call hacking and pranks. The most vulnerable forums are those of school classrooms, political meetings, and other sensitive gatherings including minors or confidential information. And as The New York Times reported on Friday, the weaponization of Zoom, not just for pranks but for harassment campaigns, has become a pressing concern at the highest levels of law enforcement as growing online groups gather on Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, and 4Chan to coordinate attacks.
“You think Zoom bombing is funny? Let’s see how funny it is after you get arrested.”
Now, prosecutors say they’ll pursue charges for Zoombombing, including “disrupting a public meeting, computer intrusion, using a computer to commit a crime, hate crimes, fraud, or transmitting threatening communications.” Some of the charges include fines and possible imprisonment. The press release says that if you or anyone you know becomes a victim of teleconference hacking, they can report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
“You think Zoom bombing is funny? Let’s see how funny it is after you get arrested,” stated Matthew Schneider, the US Attorney for the Eastern Michigan district, said in a statement. “If you interfere with a teleconference or public meeting in Michigan, you could have federal, state, or local law enforcement knocking at your door.”
The press release also contains some helpful tips for schools, political offices, companies, and individuals to avoid getting Zoombombed. (The Verge has also put together a handy guide for maneuvering the privacy and security settings on Zoom.) Oftentimes, it’s not a prankster hacking into a call so much as the organizer overlooking key privacy settings to help protect the call from unwanted third parties sneaking on.
“Do not make the meetings or classroom public. In Zoom, there are two options to make a meeting private: require a meeting password or use the waiting room feature and control the admittance of guest,” the guidance reads. “Do not share a link to a teleconference or classroom on an unrestricted publicly available social media post. Provide the link directly to specific people.”


theverge--2020-04-03--Disney gives Black Widow and Mulan new release dates, moves Artemis Fowl to Disney Plus

Disney is making a number of changes to its upcoming theatrical release dates in order to accommodate delayed films like Black Widow and Mulan .
The studio ’ s upcoming Artemis Fowl movie , originally set to release on May 29th , is now ditching theaters entirely for a Disney Plus debut later this summer .
Mulan will now open on July 24th , four months after the film was originally set to open on March 27th .
The move suggests that Disney believes people will be going back to theaters by mid-July to watch big blockbusters .
Fox ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waititi and Ryan Reynolds , will now open on December 11th instead of July 1st , and Jungle Cruise moves back a full year to July 30th , 2021 .
Other notable delays from Disney include the untitled fifth Indiana Jones movie going from July 9th , 2021 to July 29th , 2022 , and Wes Anderson ’ s The French Dispatch moving from July 24th to October 16th .
New Mutants , Fox ’ s constantly delayed X-Men movie , notably does not have a new release date .
In order for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-Avengers : Endgame and Spider-Man : Far From Home — in 2020 , a number of Marvel movies have shifted their dates , according to The Hollywood Reporter .
Black Widow will now open on November 6th , which was originally held by The Eternals .
The Eternals will now open on February 12th , 2021 , a spot originally held for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings .
“ To avoid catastrophic losses to the studios , these titles must have the fullest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The release date bumping continues as such .
Shang-Chi will now open on May 7th , 2021 , which moves Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to November 5th , 2021 .
Thor : Love and Thunder will now open on February 28th , 2022 .
Black Panther 2 ’ s May 8th , 2022 release date remains unchanged , but Captain Marvel will open two weeks early on July 8th , 2022 .
“ To avoid catastrophic losses to the studios , these titles must have the fullest possible theatrical release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement from the National Association of Theater Owners ( NATO ) reads .
“ While one or two releases may forgo theatrical release , it is our understanding from discussions with distributors that the vast majority of deferred releases will be rescheduled for theatrical release as life returns to normal.
” That doesn ’ t mean Disney is rearranging every movie to ensure they all receive theatrical releases .
Instead , Artemis Fowl will debut on Disney Plus , the company ’ s streaming service .
Disney previously made Frozen 2 available on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pixar ’ s Onward to digital retailers and Disney Plus early , as well .
What we ’ re seeing instead is studios like Disney — among others like Universal , Paramount , and Warner Bros. — starting to make pipeline decisions .
The question for many of these studios is which films are likely to generate a good return on investment ( Mulan , Black Widow ) and which ones might perform better as digital and streaming exclusives ( Artemis Fowl ) .
Correction ( April 3rd , 5:30pm ET ) : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Jungle Book was delayed to 2021 , but should have read Jungle Cruise .
The story has been updated to reflect these changes .
We regret the error .
Vox Media has affiliate partnerships .
These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see

Disney is making a number of changes to its upcoming theatrical release dates in order to accommodate delayed films like Black Widow and Mulan. The studio’s upcoming Artemis Fowl movie, originally set to release on May 29th, is now ditching theaters entirely for a Disney Plus debut later this summer.
Mulan will now open on July 24th, four months after the film was originally set to open on March 27th. The move suggests that Disney believes people will be going back to theaters by mid-July to watch big blockbusters. Fox’s Free Guy, which stars Taika Waititi and Ryan Reynolds, will now open on December 11th instead of July 1st, and Jungle Cruise moves back a full year to July 30th, 2021.
Other notable delays from Disney include the untitled fifth Indiana Jones movie going from July 9th, 2021 to July 29th, 2022, and Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch moving from July 24th to October 16th. New Mutants, Fox’s constantly delayed X-Men movie, notably does not have a new release date.
In order for Disney to release Black Widow — the first movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home — in 2020, a number of Marvel movies have shifted their dates, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Black Widow will now open on November 6th, which was originally held by The Eternals. The Eternals will now open on February 12th, 2021, a spot originally held for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
“To avoid catastrophic losses to the studios, these titles must have the fullest possible theatrical release around the world”
The release date bumping continues as such. Shang-Chi will now open on May 7th, 2021, which moves Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to November 5th, 2021. Thor: Love and Thunder will now open on February 28th, 2022. Black Panther 2’s May 8th, 2022 release date remains unchanged, but Captain Marvel will open two weeks early on July 8th, 2022.
“To avoid catastrophic losses to the studios, these titles must have the fullest possible theatrical release around the world,” an earlier statement from the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO) reads. “While one or two releases may forgo theatrical release, it is our understanding from discussions with distributors that the vast majority of deferred releases will be rescheduled for theatrical release as life returns to normal.”
That doesn’t mean Disney is rearranging every movie to ensure they all receive theatrical releases. Instead, Artemis Fowl will debut on Disney Plus, the company’s streaming service. Disney previously made Frozen 2 available on Disney Plus three months early and moved Pixar’s Onward to digital retailers and Disney Plus early, as well.
What we’re seeing instead is studios like Disney — among others like Universal, Paramount, and Warner Bros. — starting to make pipeline decisions. The question for many of these studios is which films are likely to generate a good return on investment (Mulan, Black Widow) and which ones might perform better as digital and streaming exclusives (Artemis Fowl).
Correction (April 3rd, 5:30pm ET): An earlier version of this story said The Jungle Book was delayed to 2021, but should have read Jungle Cruise. The story has been updated to reflect these changes. We regret the error.


theverge--2020-04-03--Peloton won’t stop live classes amid NYC lockdown, and now an employee has tested positive for COVID

Peloton won’t stop live classes amid NYC lockdown, and now an employee has tested positive for COVID-19

An employee at Peloton ’ s New York City-based production studio has tested positive for COVID-19 , the company said in a Facebook message to members late Friday night .
The studio will be temporarily closed for a cleaning , though the message says production will pick back up on Tuesday , April 7th with “ a skeleton crew.
” The employee is now self-isolating .
Anyone they may have come in contact with is under quarantine .
While many connected fitness companies have halted production of live workout classes after state orders to shut down nonessential businesses , Peloton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — with anywhere from two to five new cycling and running classes a day , despite pleas from many Peloton subscribers for the company to halt filming entirely .
After New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ordered nonessential businesses to shut down in mid-March , Peloton said it was going to continue operating on a reduced schedule , with a maximum of two instructors at the studio daily and filming as a “ closed set ” without a live in-studio audience .
“ Just f***ing stop .
This is ridiculous , You ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no way to keep them safe.
” Peloton ’ s response isn ’ t enough , says some subscribers .
They are still urging the company to stop filming until the lockdown is lifted by the state of New York .
“ Just f***ing stop .
This is ridiculous .
You ’ re at ground zero .
There is no way to keep them safe , ” Peloton member Katrina P. wrote on Peloton ’ s official Facebook page for members .
“ It ’ s not worth it .
Let them stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for us on demand , ” another user added .
Peloton has been filming live classes since its launch in 2014 , and makes thousands of its videos available on demand in addition to live content .
Just yesterday , Peloton posted a note to customers that it was taking extra precautions for the safety of its live production crew and instructors , including sanitizing the studio after each class and sending private cars to pick up and drop off the crew needed to film a class .
It also said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @

An employee at Peloton’s New York City-based production studio has tested positive for COVID-19, the company said in a Facebook message to members late Friday night. The studio will be temporarily closed for a cleaning, though the message says production will pick back up on Tuesday, April 7th with “a skeleton crew.”
The employee is now self-isolating. Anyone they may have come in contact with is under quarantine.
While many connected fitness companies have halted production of live workout classes after state orders to shut down nonessential businesses, Peloton has continued to broadcast live classes daily — with anywhere from two to five new cycling and running classes a day, despite pleas from many Peloton subscribers for the company to halt filming entirely. After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered nonessential businesses to shut down in mid-March, Peloton said it was going to continue operating on a reduced schedule, with a maximum of two instructors at the studio daily and filming as a “closed set” without a live in-studio audience.
“Just f***ing stop. This is ridiculous, You’re at ground zero. There is no way to keep them safe.”
Peloton’s response isn’t enough, says some subscribers. They are still urging the company to stop filming until the lockdown is lifted by the state of New York. “Just f***ing stop. This is ridiculous. You’re at ground zero. There is no way to keep them safe,” Peloton member Kimberly B. wrote on Peloton’s official Facebook page for members. “It’s not worth it. Let them stay home. There is plenty of content for us on demand,” another user added.
Peloton has been filming live classes since its launch in 2014, and makes thousands of its videos available on demand in addition to live content.
Just yesterday, Peloton posted a note to customers that it was taking extra precautions for the safety of its live production crew and instructors, including sanitizing the studio after each class and sending private cars to pick up and drop off the crew needed to film a class. It also said it was sanitizing the cars after each ride.