Days after announcing a ban on sexually explicit content or "graphic nudity" on its Blogger platform, Google has reversed course. Google said Friday that after a barrage of public comments, it decided not to implement the ban, but instead would step up efforts to enforce its policy barring "commercial porn." "We've had a ton of feedback, in particular about the introduction of a retroactive change (some people have had accounts for 10+ years), but also about the negative impact on individuals who post sexually explicit content to express their identities," product manager Jessica Pelegio said in a post to the Google product forum. "So rather than implement this change, we've decided to step up enforcement around our existing policy prohibiting commercial porn." She added that operators should continue to mark any blogs containing sexually explicit content as "adult" to get an adult content warning. Google's new policy elicited complaints earlier this week over Twitter, with some calling it censorship. More »

Search giant Google announced on Thursday that it has adapted its search algorithms to yield results that are better-adapted to mobile devices. As of Thursday, Google is also working to make apps feature more prominently in search results. More »

Twitter said Thursday it was ramping up efforts to crack down on impersonation on the messaging platform as well as the leaking of personal, private data. The announcement came as an update to Twitter's online safety push announced in December. Bhatnagar said Twitter is devoting more resources to curbing harassment and other safety issues. Twitter, which has been growing more slowly than rival social networks, has been making effort to boost confidence and engagement in the one-to-many messaging platform. More »

How well does this P3,999 offering from an underdog in the local mobile industry stack up against the competition? Let's find out. More »

US regulators on Thursday approved landmark Internet rules that would prevent broadband providers from separating online traffic into slow and fast lanes. The Federal Communications Commission's 3-2 vote in favor of so-called "net neutrality" followed an intense debate in Washington pitting backers of online services like Netflix, Twitter and Yelp against big Internet service providers like AT&T and Verizon. The ruling, climaxing a years-long regulatory battle, sets a new standard that treats all Internet traffic as equal, preventing Internet firms from charging fees for better access. FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said the plan would foster a free and open Internet where broadband services cannot be "gatekeepers" for what is available online. More »

Apple sent invitations Thursday for a mystery event due to take place March 9, amid speculation about an imminent launch of its much anticipated Apple Watch. Apple said the event would take place at 10:00 am (1900 GMT) in San Francisco. It will mark Apple's first new product type since the iPad in 2010. Apple has previously indicated that the entry price would be $349 in the United States, and that two different sizes would be available in three collections, including the "Apple Watch Edition," featuring 18-karat gold cases in yellow or rose, sapphire crystal and finely crafted bands and closures. More »

Former White House spokesman Jay Carney has taken a new public relations job with online retail giant Amazon, the company said on Thursday. A company official told AFP that Carney, 49, has been hired as a senior vice president to head Amazon's newly-created Global Corporate Affairs department, which will include the company's existing public relations and public policy teams. More »

Researchers unveiled a software system Wednesday which had taught itself to play 49 different video games and proceeded to defeat human professionals -- a major step in the fast-developing Artificial Intelligence realm. "This... is the first time that anyone has built a single general learning system that can learn directly from experience to master a wide range of challenging tasks," said co-developer Demis Hassabis. More »

Marriage therapist Valerie Goss turned on her computer one day and found that all of her data was being held hostage. Malicious code referred to as "ransomware" had encrypted her files and locked them away. Instead, she bought a new computer and fortified it with security software. "Unfortunately, it is the right thing to do," said Malwarebytes chief executive Marcin Kleczynski. More »

Google said Wednesday it was launching a reorganization of its European operations in the face of a tougher regulatory environment. The overhaul was first reported by the Financial Times, citing Matt Brittin, an executive who will head a new unit unifying two separate European divisions. Google's press office confirmed the reorganization in an email to AFP without elaborating. Sources familiar with the reorganization said it was aimed at simplifying Google's structure in Europe and responding better to customers and policymakers in the region. More »

Banks could be required to beef up their online password systems under new regulations designed to avert a so-called "cyber 9/11," a top financial regulator said Wednesday. Benjamin Lawsky, who leads New York state's Department of Financial Services, said more steps were needed to prevent what he called an "Armageddon-type cyber event" that disables the financial system. "Indeed, we are concerned that within the next decade or perhaps sooner we will experience an Armageddon-type cyber event that causes a significant disruption in the financial system for a period of time -- what some have termed a 'cyber 9/11.'" Lawsky said such an event could create "a run or panic that spills over into the broader economy." He said the department is considering mandating banks and other financial institutions to establish a "multifactor authentication" system whereby users would log in with a randomly generated password sent to a smartphone in addition to a conventional password. Lawsky is also considering forcing financial institutions to require certifications of cybersecurity controls from third parties working in a bank, such as a law firm or a company brought in to do maintenance. More »

Apple said Wednesday it would appeal a $533 million award from a federal court in Texas in a patent infringement lawsuit over flash memory technology used in its iTunes music store. The statement emailed to AFP came a day after the jury ordered Apple pay damages to Smartflash LLC, which calls itself a technology licensing and development company. "Smartflash makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no US presence, and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented," the California tech giant said. More »

Authorities in Uzbekistan tightened control over Internet cafes in the capital Tashkent on Wednesday in a bid to stem the impact of "violent and immoral" web content and video games on children. "The increased number of videoclips, pictures, films and websites that promote aggression, violence and immorality in internet cafes and computer clubs is having a negative impact on underage youth," the resolution said. Internet cafes, which are expected to comply within 10 days, have also been told to ensure computers are free of all materials promoting "promiscuity, religious extremism, nationalism, gambling" and to remove posters promoting cruelty and violence from their walls. Last year Uzbekistan ordered Internet cafes to install video cameras and keep records on users for three months at a time to ensure "the security of visitors" and "prevent negative factors" when using the Internet. More »

European SIM maker Gemalto said Wednesday it had suffered hacking attacks that were likely conducted by US and British intelligence agencies but denied any "massive theft" of encryption keys that could be used to spy on conversations. Investigative website The Intercept last week said the US National Security Agency and Britain's GCHQ hacked into the firm in 2010 and 2011 and stole SIM encryption keys, with which they can reportedly monitor communications over mobiles without using a warrant or wiretap. The website made the allegations on the theft of the keys -- which encrypt and decrypt data -- based on a document leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and its report prompted some experts to decry a huge breach in mobile privacy. "At the time we were unable to identify the perpetrators but we now think that they could be related to the NSA and GCHQ operation." But the company denied that these attacks resulted in a large-scale theft of encryption keys. More »

Authorities in Delhi have asked the national government to block the Uber app, saying the cab hailing company is operating illegally in the Indian capital. Authorities in the state covering Delhi banned Uber in December after one of its drivers was charged with raping a passenger, but it resumed operations just weeks later. On Wednesday the city's transport authorities told a Delhi court they had asked the federal government to intervene. "We told the court that we have sent a proposal to the central government to block the (Uber) Internet address if they continue," Delhi's deputy commissioner of transport S. Roy Biswas told AFP. More »

The German camera manufacturer has unveiled a new and exclusive model designed in collaboration with recording artist Lenny Kravitz, who is a longtime fan of the brand's exceptional equipment. Produced in a limited edition of just 125 units, the Leica M-P Correspondent will be available from March. The Correspondent will be released just ahead of "Flash," a book of photographs taken by Lenny Kravitz during his travels and concert tours. More »

Google on Tuesday revealed a microsite celebrating the 1,000 user-made projects that have been submitted to Chrome Experiments. More »

Pebble's new Pebble Time smartwatch hit Kickstarter on February 24 and has already ticked past $8 million in donations. Pebble's latest boasts up to 7-day battery life, with a timeline interface intended to highlight important events and a color e-ink display. More »

The devices are "AIBOs", the world's first home-use entertainment robot equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and capable of developing its own personality. Sony rolled out the first-generation AIBO in June 1999, with the initial batch of 3,000 selling out in just 20 minutes, despite the hefty 250,000 yen (more than $2,000) price tag. The AIBO, an expensive and somewhat frivolous luxury, had to go. - 'Beautiful noise' - Mori has had her AIBO for around eight years. More »