*By Alisha Haridasani*
Facebook said it will resume its process of reviewing third-party apps using new, tighter controls after the Cambridge Analytica scandal revealed holes in the social network's data privacy protocols.
“We’re going to be taking a higher level of expectation when we look at your applications,” said Ime Archibong, Facebook’s vice president of product partnerships, in his keynote speech Wednesday at Facebook’s annual developers' conference.
Facebook also announced that it will restrict the amount of data that apps have access to and enable users to see exactly what data is being used by third-party apps, or more easily delete apps they no longer use.
Facebook halted its review of all outside apps after it was revealed that users' data had been mishandled by a third-party app and shared with the research firm Cambridge Analytica.
The decision to suspend reviews ー and the changes ー frustrated some developers, who said their businesses was disrupted. But Archibong told Cheddar's Alex Heath in an interview Wednesday that most developers understand in “the long run that’s the right thing to do.”
“Facebook’s making these changes not because we’re trying to be hard or add more friction or be disruptive to the building process but truly to ensure that people trust the products that we’re building,” Archibong said.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/behind-the-curtain-at-facebooks-f8-conference).
IBM's spinoff, Kyndryl, is officially an independent public company. The $19 billion business is now listed on the NYSE under the ticker KD, becoming one of the largest players in the IT services market. David Wyshner, CFO of Kyndryl, joined Cheddar to discuss what this milestone means for the company moving forward.
Emma Searson, an author on the just-released Renewables on the Rise report and the director, 100% Renewable Campaign at Environment America, joined Cheddar to discuss the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. Between 2011 and 2020, the report shows that wind, solar, and geothermal energy production grew about 15 percent annually and that wind and solar alone account for 11 percent of electricity in the country. "There are a few really important drivers of the renewable energy progress that we're seeing all across the country," Searson said, highlighting falling prices, technology improvements, and supportive policies.
Wendy O, host of 'The O Show' joins Cheddar News to discuss the recent rally from cryptocurrency, Ether. She also discussed incoming New York City mayor Eric Adams wanting to teach kids crypto in schools.
Cryptocurrencies are getting off to a good week. Ethereum surged more than 4% in 24 hours on Monday, hitting a new all-time high above $4,700. Meanwhile, Bitcoin surged 7% to a price of $66,250. Haohan Xu, founder and CEO of Apifiny, joins Cheddar News with thoughts on the growing sector.
Payment processor Paypal will roll out a Venmo option for Amazon customers beginning in 2022 as the payment app continues to grow the number of merchants it works with.
Facebook officially announced that it is shutting down its facial recognition software which identifies users in photos and videos. The decision comes during growing societal concerns over the use of the technology. Cathy Hackl, Tech futurist and CEO of the Futures Intelligence Group joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
Virgin Orbit is introducing air-launch services to the Eastern Hemisphere for the first time in history. Sir Richard Branson's space launch company has signed an agreement with ANA Holdings, the owners of Japan's largest airline, to procure 20 flights of its LauncherOne rocket from an airport in Japan, a big boost for the aerospace industry in Asia. Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit, joined Cheddar to discuss the new partnership, the future of air launch, and how small satellites can help monitor climate change impacts.
