Android Phones Now Physical Security Key; Facebook Tries (Again) To Squelch Fake News; Amazon Employees Call for Company-Wide Climate Change Plan

Google has announced that any phone running Android 7 or higher can now be used as a security key for two factor authentication. When You need a second device to verify a login, you can now just use your phone, and not need the Google Authenticator app. It works over Bluetooth, and should be quite intuitive for users. Theverge.com reports that you will need to connect your Android phone through Bluetooth to a Chrome browser to verify logins. It works on Gmail, G Suite, Google Cloud, and any other Google account service. On Pixel phones, your FIDO credentials are stored in the Titan M chip, which can verify that button presses are legit. Google says that eventually, they will add other browsers to the system.

Facebook has rolled out a string of new announcements aimed at promoting more trustworthy news sources, and tamping down on Groups that spread misinformation. According to wired.com, the biggest change will be a new metric called Click-Gap, which Facebook is launching worldwide today…it’s their attempt to limit the spread of websites that are disproportionately popular on Facebook compared to the rest of the web. The system would limit the reach of such websites’ reach. The plan is not without critics, especially Republicans, who claim it would stymie free speech on the platform. Facebook will also take a more punitive approach for administrators of toxic Groups, and penalize the groups which spread fake news, even if such doesn’t violate community standards. All the granular information about the changes will be available in FB’s community standards.

Over 3500 Amazon employees have produced an open letter asking Jeff Bezos and others in the company hierarchy to adapt a shareholder resolution and release a ‘company-wide’ climate change plan. Engadget.com says the plan they ask for includes a ‘complete’ end to the use of fossil fuels, not just carbon offsets. Amazon has not directly responded, but did tell the New York Times that they are still working towards Shipment Zero and plan to reveal a company level carbon footprint and related goals later this year. They have already announced plans for wind farms in Ireland, Sweden, and the US.