Bunch of Google Assistant audio recordings leaked to Belgian media outlet
Trump holds Social Media Summit at the White House
Walkie-Talkie app on Apple Watch disabled while security problem gets fixed
Netflix’s new documentary about Cambridge Analytica’s whistleblowers
Cheap Cheap Yamaha soundbar, Limbo game, Nintendo eShop sale, eBay 20% off sale
VRT NWS, a Belgian news outlet was sent "more than a thousand [Google Assistant] recordings" from a Google subcontractor, in which they "could clearly hear addresses and other sensitive information". 153 of those 1,000+ conversations didn't contain the OK Google or Hey Google trigger. According to VRT some of the leaked audio was "bedroom conversations, conversations between parents and their children, but also blazing rows and professional phone calls containing lots of private information". Look, this sucks and is Not Good, but honestly, what did you expect? Google’s business is data, they’ll capture everything they can and don’t give a fuck about the ramifications.
Trump held a Social Media Summit at the White House today, inviting the sewer of the internet to talk shit about how "conservative voices" are getting "silenced" online, as social media companies crack down on abuse and misinformation to avoid advertiser backlash. Most of his speech was complaining about how growth of his Twitter following has slowed down the past few months and how he is the President because of his popularity on social media. The entire 45 minute speech is on YouTube - it's a cringefest rollercoaster ride, boomer-esque stream of consciousness full of conspiracy theories.
According to a statement Apple has given TechCrunch, they've been "just made aware of a vulnerability related to the Walkie-Talkie app on the Apple Watch and have disabled the function as we quickly fix the issue" and that "we are not aware of any use of the vulnerability against a customer and specific conditions and sequences of events are required to exploit it". Apple doesn't say what the problem is, or when the Walkie-Talkie feature will be restored. So yeah, if you've tried to use the Walkie-Talkie feature on your Apple Watch but found it doesn't work, this is why.
Netflix has a new documentary called "The Great Hack", which centers around Brittany Kaiser, a ex-Cambridge Analytica employee turned whistleblower. Matthew Panzarino has seen the doco and said it does a good job giving an overall picture of how Cambridge Analytica was able to suck in so much data on practically every US voter and how that was used by political parties to tailor advertising to key demographics that swing elections. So while it's probably not new info for the kinda person that reads The Sizzle, but normies might get something out of it. The Great Hack comes out July 24th and here's a trailer.
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Limbo is free in 7 days time on the Epic Games Store. Nice if you haven't played this classic game yet.
There's a big Nintendo eShop sale on Switch games. Too many to list here, Vooks has all the details.
Get 20% off a bunch of eBay Stores using the code PILOT in 3 days time.
🎶 Deceptacon - Le Tigre
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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.