NEW RESOURCES

Dragonfly: Opiate Addiction and Treatment Resources from the National Library of Medicine. “In response to the growing heroin epidemic in the United States, the National Library of Medicine’s Specialized Information Services has created a portal to provide resources and information on prescribing, overdose, medication-assisted treatment, and recovery.”

South Dakota: GFP Launches New Interactive Online Tool about South Dakota Birds. “The online tool is an updated version of South Dakota’s Breeding Bird Atlas providing information on which bird species nest in the state, where they can be found and what habitats they need during the breeding season; including 13 new species found during the field project. Highlights include a total of 252 species recorded during the project, of which 239 species were recorded breeding. The online tool allows users the option to explore the results by species or by blocks.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

TechCrunch: FCC adds 2 weeks to comment period for the proposal to eliminate net neutrality rules. “The comment period for the FCC’s proposal to roll back the net neutrality rules established in 2015 was originally August 16 — next Wednesday. But after advocacy organizations asked the agency to add time to the clock in order to look through existing comments, the deadline has been extended (against the strenuous arguments of the broadband industry) by two weeks, to August 30.”

Business Insider: SoundCloud’s CEO is stepping down after the company raised a big round of new funding. “SoundCloud CEO and cofounder Alex Ljung is stepping down from the top role as the company announces a new round of funding from investors The Raine Group and Temasek. The round reportedly comes in at $170 million (£130 million).”

BetaNews: Twitch Desktop app for Windows 10 and macOS now available for download . “Twitch used to just be a platform for people to stream themselves playing video games. While it still is used for that, it has evolved to be much more, such as vlogging and general interactions. The Amazon-owned company is wise to expand, as it betters its competition abilities with the monster that is YouTube. Google’s service is insanely popular, but as more and more content creators grow tired of YouTube’s heavy-handed antics, they will look for somewhere else to go. That somewhere is Twitch for many.”

The Next Web: Bill Gates becomes Instagram’s newest member. “Move over Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, you’re number two on Instagram. Well, only if we’re measuring bank accounts. Bill Gates joined Instagram today, making Jeff Bezos not only the second richest person in the world but also on the popular photo sharing platform.”

USEFUL STUFF

Janet Fouts: Why I’m using Anchor.fm for podcasting, and you might too. “I signed up for Anchor.FM when it launched, but I really didn’t use it. I already podcast on Spreaker, and I didn’t want to dilute my brand with too many channels. But the app looked cool so I’ve kept an eye on it. Then my friend Adam Helweh sent me a link to this post about some new features in Anchor that are really cool. They’ve been updating the app a LOT.”

CNET: Your phone sucks, but your photos don’t have to. “No matter if you have the high end Samsung Galaxy S8 or the budget Alcatel Idol 5S or even an old iPhone 6, chances are you take photos with your phone. And whether your phone has the best camera or a modest camera, there are three quick tweaks to make your photos look better — all with using the f-word: Filters.”

AROUND THE SEARCH AND SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD

The Morning Journal: Palestinian leader curbs social media expression in decree. “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has clamped down on social media and news websites — the main outlets for debate and dissent in the West Bank — with a vaguely worded decree that critics say allows his government to jail anyone on charges of harming ‘national unity’ or the ‘social fabric.'”

SECURITY & LEGAL

Ars Technica: Researchers report >4,000 apps that secretly record audio and steal logs. “A single threat actor has aggressively bombarded Android users with more than 4,000 spyware apps since February, and in at least three cases the actor snuck the apps into Google’s official Play Market, security researchers said Thursday.”

Digital Trends: Meet The Bug Bounty Hunters Making Cash By Finding Flaws Before Bad Guys. “Many security researchers make a living with security companies, but not everyone likes the rigidity of a corporate environment. Some work on a freelance basis. Like vigilante outlaws, they dig up bugs and exploits in some of the world’s most popular platforms, hoping to gain a reward for their efforts. Offering a bug bounty is one of the best ways for software companies to find problems with their applications and services before they can be exploited. Offering a reward means those who find a flaw may opt to cash in, instead of selling it to those who would use it for nefarious purposes.”

RESEARCH & OPINION

Pew (pew pew pew pew pew!): The Fate of Online Trust in the Next Decade. “Many experts say lack of trust will not be a barrier to increased public reliance on the internet. Those who are hopeful that trust will grow expect technical and regulatory change will combat users’ concerns about security and privacy. Those who have doubts about progress say people are inured to risk, addicted to convenience and will not be offered alternatives to online interaction. Some expect the very nature of trust will change.” Good morning, Internet…

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