Monday already seemed like a busy news day for tech journalists. That’s when the next episode of To swing, the podcast of The New York Times’ Kara Swisher, will be available to listen, with the new interview subject being none other than Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Swisher on Friday teased via Twitter that the conversation with Cook will cover everything from the App Store drama in Parler to the iPhone maker’s rivalry with Facebook – the latest of which, on Saturday, inadvertently gave Cook even more ammunition to use against the social media giant while he continues to defend his cause that Facebook is horrible. In case you haven’t heard so far, there was another major Facebook data leak, covering personal information from more than 533 million Facebook users from 106 countries. This data was posted on a hacking forum, according to a report by the Insider, that is, if you have a Facebook account, there is a good chance that your data will have been exposed to hackers again, including everything from your phone number to your email address, birthday, full name and more.
Best deal of the day 
Amazon buyers are obsessed with this nonstick skillet – today it costs just $ 14! List price:$ 16.99 Price:$ 13.99 You save:$ 3.00 (18%) 
Available on Amazon, BGR can receive a commission Available on Amazon BGR you can receive a commission
One of the great dangers of such a leak is that hackers and other malicious agents can use this information to try to access your Facebook account and, frankly, any other account, now that they have abundant information about you. They can try to reset your password, for example, and use it to do all kinds of damage.
On Twitter, Facebook spokeswoman Liz Bourgeois responded to a handful of news articles and posts about this leak by tweeting the same two-sentence statement: “These are old data that were previously reported in 2019. We found and fixed this problem in August 2019. “
In other words, Facebook is responsible for a few hundred million users having their data leaked again (seriously, how many times is it now?), But don’t worry, it’s okay – they fixed the problem a long time ago. Not that it helps to reveal the data that is now in the hands of hackers, but, hey, Facebook did its part!
This data is old, previously reported in 2019. We found and fixed this problem in August 2019.
– Liz Bourgeois (@Liz_Shepherd) April 3, 2021
Of course, many people found this answer extremely unsatisfactory.
- “How did you fix it?” someone tweeted in response. “It is evident that the data is still out there.”
- “How do I change my date of birth?” read another answer.
- Also, “I have had the same email for a decade. I loved those contemptuous responses. “
- AND: “You are head of communications for @Facebook and this is your answer! How about “we deeply regret your data being exposed a second time. Please contact our CS team and we will help you to restore and protect your account. ”Just try harder! “
Needless to say, all of this will help to further illuminate anything Cook says about Facebook during what promises to be a long and in-depth interview with Swisher on Monday. Here are some of Cook’s Facebook-related comments that Swisher has already shared from the next interview:
“All we’re doing, Kara, is giving the user the choice of whether to be tracked or not,” Cook said at one point during the podcast, a reference to iOS changes that will make it harder for Facebook to collect data about what its users are doing on the web. “And I think it is difficult to argue against that. I was – I was shocked that there was a setback in this degree. “
And then, when Swisher asks how he thinks it could impact Facebook’s bottom line, Apple’s CEO reduces the boom. “Yes, Kara, I’m not focused on Facebook. So, I don’t know. “
Best deal of the day 
You can actually get an Alexa smart speaker on Amazon today for just $ 17.49! Price:$ 17.49 Available on Amazon, BGR can receive a commission Available on Amazon BGR you can receive a commission
Andy is a reporter in Memphis who also contributes to vehicles like Fast Company and The Guardian. When he’s not writing about technology, he can be found protectively hunched over his burgeoning vinyl collection, as well as fueling his Whovianism and devouring a variety of TV shows that you probably don’t like.