iWorld
AOL’s family friendly programming guides
MUMBAI: As a part of its longstanding commitment to providing family-friendly online services, America Online (AOL) in the US has introduced a new Family Friendly online guide.
The guide, which kicks off in the Moviefone and AOL CityGuide services, will be featured throughout AOL’s entertainment channels to help parents make entertainment selections appropriate for their children.
The services will both feature a Family Friendly section, highlighting hand-picked selections and key content information to help parents choose films, DVDs and events that are best suited to their families.
AOL senior VP programming Bill Wilson said, “We have long been an advocate for parents online. By offering this Family Friendly guide throughout our entertainment experience, we provide parents with a one-stop shopping activity guide to help inform their decision-making.”
Family friendly movies and DVDs — typically G or PG — will be handpicked by the editors of the Moviefone service. There will be aggregated information as to rating and age appropriateness from the MPAA and Common Sense Media. Common Sense media is an independent non-profit whose mission is to give parents a trustworthy resource for information about all media their kids consume.
The first new film to be designated Family Friendly is Because of Winn-Dixie from Twentieth Century Fox. It opens in US theatres on 18 February. The film is based upon a children’s novel about a 10-year-old girl’s adventurous summer in a new town with a new best friend – a dog named Winn Dixie.
iWorld
Meta warns 200 users after fake Whatsapp spyware attack
Italy-targeted campaign used unofficial app to deploy surveillance spyware.
MUMBAI: It looked like a message, but it behaved like a mole. Meta has warned around 200 users most of them in Italy after uncovering a targeted spyware campaign that weaponised a fake version of WhatsApp to infiltrate devices. The attack, first reported by Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata, relied on classic social engineering with a modern twist: persuading users to download an unofficial WhatsApp clone embedded with surveillance software. The malicious application, believed to be developed by Italian firm SIO through its subsidiary ASIGINT, was designed to mimic the real app closely enough to bypass suspicion.
Meta’s security teams identified roughly 200 individuals who may have installed the compromised version, triggering immediate countermeasures. Affected users were logged out of their accounts and issued alerts warning of potential privacy breaches, with the company describing the incident as a “targeted social engineering attempt” aimed at gaining device-level access.
The malicious app was not distributed via official app stores but circulated through third-party channels, where it was presented as a legitimate WhatsApp alternative. Once installed, it reportedly allowed external operators to access sensitive data stored on the device turning a simple download into a potential surveillance gateway.
According to Techcrunch, Meta is now preparing legal action against the spyware developers to curb further misuse. The company, however, has not disclosed details about the specific individuals targeted or the extent of data compromised.
A Whatsapp spokesperson reiterated that user safety remains the top priority, particularly for those misled into installing the fake iOS application. Meanwhile, reports from La Repubblica suggest the spyware may be linked to “Spyrtacus”, a strain previously associated with Android-based attacks that could intercept calls, activate microphones and even access cameras.
The episode underscores a growing reality in the digital age, the threat is no longer just what you download, but where you download it from. As unofficial apps become increasingly convincing, the line between communication tool and covert surveillance is getting harder to spot and far easier to exploit.
