TikTok to rank as the third largest social network
- A new 2022 forecast has placed TikTok as the world’s third-largest social network, just behind Facebook and Instagram.
- The forecast predicts that TikTok will reach 755.0 million monthly users in 2022.
- This follows a growth of 59.8% in 2020 and 40.8% in 2021.
- TikTok’s growth is reported to be “a clear reflection of the addictive nature of its content”.
- For more information, check out our TikTok safety card.
- Full story, here.
UK donates 225 million stolen passwords to hack-checking site
UK donates 225 million stolen passwords to hack-checking site
- UK law enforcement has donated 225 million unique passwords to a cyber-security project helping to protect users from hacking.
- The National Crime Agency (NCA) recovered the database from cyber-criminals who had collected real users’ email addresses and passwords.
- This list has been added to free online service ‘Have I Been Pwned (HIBP)’ which allows anyone to search passwords to check if theirs has been stolen.
- The NCA is now encouraging people to search for their own passwords on the website.
- Full story, here.
Meta cracks down on phishing scams that use its trademarks
- Meta is acting against individuals that impersonated Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram for phishing scams.
- Since 2019, over 39,000 websites were created to replicate Meta’s services, subsequently deceiving users and collecting their login information.
- Users affected were redirected to a fake login page that resembled Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, or WhatsApp.
- Username and password information was collected when users attempted to login.
- Full story, here.
Restrictions in NI a step closer as Omicron aid doubled
- The Government has doubled Northern Ireland’s funding to tackle the spread of the Omicron variant.
- This follows the criticism given last week after only £75m was offered.
- This has been boosted to £150m to ensure support “in the face of this serious health crisis”.
- Ministers are meeting tomorrow to discuss the current situation after the deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill said that Omicron would hit Northern Ireland ‘like a ton of bricks’ with the worst-case scenario predicted to be 30,000 daily infections.
- It is expected that new restrictions to be applied after Christmas will be announced.
- Full story, here.