Jon Fingas
Instagram is making it difficult to flood your DM inbox. The social network is rolling out stricter DM request policies that, among other things, limits senders to a single message if you don't follow them. You'll have to accept the chat request before they can send anything more. DM requests are now limited to text, too. Creeps and spammers can't send photos, videos or voice messages, in other words.
The company started testing the new DM restrictions in late June. The company already has some tools to combat spam, including a "Hidden Words" tool that hides messages with objectionable keywords and emoji. There are now filters for scams and spam. You can also safeguard against surges in DM requests, although that won't stop the occasional spammer from getting through.
Instagram characterizes the move as a safety measure, particularly for women. The firm explains to TechCrunch that women frequently receive unsolicited nudes in their DMs. This effectively halts the practice, although it won't stop harassers from sending crude text.
The addition comes as parent company Meta is facing pressure from politicians and critics to improve its anti-abuse measures, particularly for teens. A Senate bill would require parental consent for teens wanting to use social media apps, for instance, while Arkansas recently enacted a law requiring age verification. That's on top of longstanding concerns that its anti-harassment policies haven't always done enough to protect some demographics. Efforts like this theoretically head off some of the complaints that Meta is letting abuse through.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagram-fights-dm-spam-with-limits-on-text-and-photos-165013992.html?src=rssInstagram is cracking down on DM spam
Tesla is already facing the fallout from a report that it exaggerated EV ranges and tried to muffle complaints. Three owners in California have launched a proposed class action lawsuit accusing Tesla of false advertising. The trio claims their cars fell well short of their estimated ranges, and that they've had no success lodging complaints. The customers either wouldn't have bought their cars or would have paid considerably less for them, according to the suit.
The owners allege Tesla committed fraud, violated warranties and conducted unfair competition. If the lawsuit gets class action status, it would cover all people in California who bought a Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model X or Model Y. The plaintiffs are hoping for unspecified damages. Tesla has disbanded its communications team and isn't available for comment.
The lawsuit follows a Reuters report that Tesla began modifying EV ranges about a decade ago. Its cars would supposedly show inflated figures when fully charged, and would only start showing accurate numbers under a 50 percent charge. To head off complaints, the automaker is said to have created a "Diversion Team" that would persuade users to drop range-related support calls.
It's not certain that Tesla still uses these purported exaggerations. The Environmental Protection Agency did ask the company to trim its range estimates from the 2020 model year forward, and South Korea recently issued a $2.2 million fine over an alleged failure to adequately inform customers that EV ranges would drop in cold weather.
Tesla isn't alone in boasting EV range estimates that don't hold up in real conditions. An SAE International study found that electric cars tend to fall about 12.5 percent short of their advertised ranges. The report and lawsuit suggest Tesla's figures are less accurate than for other brands, however, and that the company may have tried to silence unhappy customers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tesla-sued-for-false-advertising-after-allegedly-exaggerating-ev-ranges-151034923.html?src=rssTesla sued for false advertising after allegedly exaggerating EV ranges
Waymo only just reached Los Angeles earlier this year, but that isn't stopping it from expanding further. The company is expanding its Waymo One ride-hailing service to Austin. The first phase starts this fall, with completely driverless operations and public rides coming in the months ahead. The coverage will be "truly useful," Waymo claims — it should cover major stretches of the Texas capital, including the downtown core as well as well-known areas like Barton Hills and Hyde Park. You can join a waitlist today.
The deployment is a homecoming of sorts, as Waymo chose Austin to conduct some of its first self-driving tests beyond its hometown of Mountain View. The company also made history by offering the first completely autonomous ride on public streets in 2015. The Alphabet-owned brand has been testing its self-driving SUVs in the city since the spring.
Austin will represent the fourth city to get Waymo One following Phoenix, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The firm also briefly mapped New York City, although it hasn't announced plans to offer commercial service in the region. While rides have typically only been available in limited sections of these cities, Waymo recently doubled its operational area to include larger swaths of the Phoenix area and San Francisco.
The announcement reflects Waymo's strengthened focus on ride-hailing. The company recently pushed back its autonomous trucking plans to help it concentrate on passenger service. Waymo wants One to be a commercial hit first, and that means expanding operations as well as securing permission to take paying customers. There's pressure to move quickly when competitors like Cruise and Aurora are testing in Texas.
There are some obstacles to overall growth. Officials want to stop or slow robotaxi deployments in San Francisco over safety concerns, for instance. Vehicles from Waymo and GM's Cruise have blocked traffic, interfered with first responders and otherwise created issues. Other cities and states haven't greenlit self-driving cars, either. Texas' openness to the technology may help, though, and Waymo notes that Austin's rapidly growing economy (the second-fastest for a major US city) could help its chances.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/waymo-is-bringing-its-driverless-ride-hailing-service-to-austin-133949180.html?src=rss