The “X” application (formerly Twitter) has begun offering a new feature that allows users to participate in video and audio calls with each other on the platform.
This feature represents the platform's latest expansion since CEO Elon Musk took the reins nearly a year ago this week.
This new feature was revealed on Wednesday, and the exact scope of the availability of voice and video calls on “X”, as well as whether non-privileged users can access it, is still unclear.
Elon Musk, through his personal account, re-published a blog post in which he said: “At the present time, the feature is only available on the iOS operating system and is on by default. By default, you can receive calls from the accounts you follow.”
The blog post stated that to turn on video and voice calls on “X”, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then to Direct Messages, and choose to enable voice and video calls.
A number of users posted screenshots of the final notification they received when opening the app on October 26, which stated: “Voice and video calls are available here.”
Last August, Musk announced that “X” was working on capabilities to provide voice and video communication, indicating a move towards transforming the platform into a “comprehensive application,” and confirmed that these communication features would be compatible with iOS, “Android,” Mac systems, and PC. Highlighting that a phone number was not required at that time.
Although X did not make an official announcement regarding the launch of these features, the company hinted at this through vague posts, such as “Are you ready for this ?” Shortly before its appearance.
Users around the world are reporting that the X platform has stopped working
Internet users around the world reported that the “X” application had stopped working, sparking widespread anger due to their inability to access the application via phone or computer.
The problems began around 03:20 GMT, Thursday afternoon, October 26, and hit the United States and other countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, China and Brazil.
Users reported not being able to see posts, their home feeds were blank, and they were unable to post comments. The cause of the defect and the number of people affected are not yet known.
DownDetector, a website that monitors online outages, shows that reports of issues say many users' posts are not loading on the platform.
Nearly 49% of people reported problems with the mobile app, 44% with the website, and 7% reported problems connecting to the server.
Some X users noted that the outage appeared just minutes after the UK's Internet Safety Act was signed.
This legislation will require social media companies to keep children safe online.
Social media platforms will be required to quickly block and remove illegal content – such as terrorism and revenge porn – and prevent children from seeing harmful material, such as bullying or self-harm, by enforcing age limits and using age verification measures.
The rules also require sites to give adults more control over what they see online, offer clear and accessible ways for users to report problems and be transparent about the risks to children on their sites by publishing risk assessments.
Those who do not comply will face fines of up to $18 million, or 10% of annual global revenue, and in extreme cases, the heads of technology companies could face prison time.
Three features in Android phones that should be avoided to deter “serious risks”
Internet security experts have warned of three features available on Android devices that you should avoid to keep your device safe from criminals.
These Android features are available to everyone, but their implementation is up to the device owner. The three dangerous features were highlighted by technology experts at computer security company Kaspersky.
To avoid hacking your Android device, you will need to avoid using the accessibility feature, do not download unknown apps, and do not grant superuser rights to your device.
Here is a breakdown of the three dangerous features:
First, the accessibility feature was created to help people with severe visual impairments better navigate their Android devices.
This feature uses a special application that reads text aloud and responds to voice commands. She can also control or click on sections.
But this can be dangerous, because malicious apps can ask for permission to access this feature and control the device.
Secondly, do not install unknown apps that can come from third parties or have been changed from the original version.
These applications can come with a large number of problems, because they can be coded with anything including malware.
And if you download an unofficial app, it may come with unofficial features which can give cyber crooks direct access to your device.
A cybercriminal can usually send malware to your device through the app or try to access your data through the app as well.
Third, obtaining superuser rights on the Android device gives the user very unique privileges in full control of the system.
In other words, obtaining superuser rights is the process of hacking one's own smartphone's operating system.
Through this feature, the Android device will contain very distinct accounts that will be used primarily for management by specialized IT employees. But it can also void the warranty and cause damage to the device.