Copy our data privacy policies too, Snap CEO to Facebook
San Francisco, May 30: Hitting out at Facebook again, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel has told the social networking giant to not only copy Snapchat but also its data protection policies.
During a ReCode event in California on Tuesday, the Snapchat chief said Facebook has failed to sufficiently overhaul its user privacy protections.
"We would really appreciate it if they copied our data protection practices also," Spiegel was quoted as saying.
"Fundamentally, I think the changes have to go beyond window dressing to real changes to the ways that these platforms work," he added.
Reacting to Spiegel, Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos tweeted on Wednesday, "Snapchat's implicit promise that photos really disappear combined with poor API security has lead to serious mass leaks of revenge porn. So no, I don't think copying Snapchat would be a smart move."
Facebook has reportedly copied several Snapchat features, including "Stories".
Photo-sharing platform Snapchat on April Fools' Day had trolled Facebook by introducing a filter that makes it appear as if a Russian bot has liked your post.
The filter targeted Facebook following reports that said more than 50,000 bots on Facebook, with links to the Russian government, were used to influence the 2016 US Presidential election.
While redesigning Snapchat in 2017, Spiegel took a dig at Facebook.
"The company is redesigning its app to separate media and social communications, making it easier to use and understand," he said.
"We think this helps to guard against fake news and mindless scrambles for friends or unworthy distractions," Spiegel said, taking a dig at Facebook and Twitter.
The redesign, however, didn't go well with over 300 million Snapchat users.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
