Computing
CFPB Orders TransUnion and Equifax to Pay for Deceiving Consumers in Marketing Credit Scores and Credit Products
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today took action against Equifax, Inc., TransUnion, and their subsidiaries for deceiving consumers about the usefulness and actual cost of credit scores they sold to consumers. The companies also lured consumers into costly recurring payments for credit-related products with false promises. The CFPB ordered TransUnion and Equifax to truthfully represent the value of the credit scores they provide and the cost of obtaining those credit scores and other services. Between them, TransUnion and Equifax must pay a total of more than $17.6 million in restitution to consumers, and fines totaling $5.5 million to the CFPB. more »
Department of Homeland Security: Staying Safe Online While On-the-Go this Holiday Season
However, for as often as Americans rely on their mobile devices, most are not thinking about the risks associated with connected devices nearly enough. This holiday season, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is urging everyone to keep their cybersecurity at the top of their list as they use their phones, tablets, and other connected devices while on the go. more »
Oldest Adults May Have Much to Gain from Social Technology: Feeling Less Lonely, More Satisfied and Physically Fit
When Tamara Sims started the research, she didn't expect to find much of a correlation between technology use and well-being because adults over 80 are considered to be the most unfamiliar with these technologies and are least likely to use them. "Part of me wondered whether the use of technology would make much of a difference for this population because pervasive stereotypes characterize this age group as technologically inept, in addition to being physically and cognitively frail." more »
Denial-of-Service Cyberattack Poses Policy Dilemma; What Happened on October 21? And, Does It Occur Again?
Stanford cybersecurity expert Herb Lin says the Oct. 21 cyberattack that snarled traffic on major websites reveals weaknesses in the Internet of Things that need to be addressed. But stricter security requirements could slow innovation, cost more and be difficult to enforce. "It was a distributed denial-of-service attack on a major internet services provider. The company [Dyn] operates much of the internet's infrastructure. It's not a consumer-facing company, but is in between the user and a company like, say, Amazon." more »
