Scammers are reportedly using YouTube’s “three strike” system for extortion. “After filing two false claims against [YouTuber ObbyRaidz], scammers contacted him demanding cash to avoid a third — and the termination of his channel,” reports TorrentFreak. From the report: The YouTuber, who concentrates on Minecraft-related videos, reports that he’s received two bogus strikes on his account. While this is nothing new, it appears the strikes were deliberately malicious with longer-term plan to extort money from him. “I have been striked twice and basically extorted,” ObbyRaidz revealed this morning. “If I don’t pay this dude he’s going to strike a third one of my videos down.”

The alleged scammer contacted ObbyRaidz, who lives in Texas, via Twitter. He or she warned the YouTuber that unless he paid a sum via PayPal or bitcoin, another complaint and therefore a third strike would be added to his account. “Hi Obby, We striked you,” the message from “VengefulFlame” begins. “Our request is $150 PayPal or $75 btc (Bitcoin). You may send the money via goods/services if you do not think we will cancel or hold up our end of the deal. “Once we receive our payment, we will cancel both strikes on your channel. Again — you are free to charge back if we don’t but we assure you we will.” The YouTuber was then granted “a very short amount of time” to make his decision whether to pay the amount or potentially lose his channel. The YouTuber goes on to say that YouTube has not provided any assistance resolving this problem. “It’s very unfortunate and YouTube has not done very much for me. I can’t get in contact with them. One of the appeals got denied,” he explains.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot – YouTube Strikes Now Being Used As Scammers’ Extortion Tool

Apple plans to launch iPhones with a more-powerful 3-D camera as soon as next year, stepping up the company’s push into augmented reality, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. From the report: The rear-facing, longer-range 3-D camera is designed to scan the environment to create three-dimensional reconstructions of the real world. It will work up to about 15 feet from the device, the people said. Apple’s new system uses a laser scanner, rather than the existing dot-projection technology which doesn’t work as well over longer distances, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unreleased features. That’s just one of many new features — including a third, more advanced camera, enhanced photo-capture tools and a more powerful chip — that Apple plans to include in coming generations of iPhones, the people said.

[…] For 2019, Apple plans successors to the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max — code-named D42 and D43 — and an update to the iPhone XR, said the people. The larger of the new high-end iPhones will have three cameras on the back, and other handsets could eventually come with the upgraded system, too, the people said. […] Apple’s next operating system update, iOS 13, will include a dark mode option for easier nighttime viewing and improvements to CarPlay, the company’s in-vehicle software.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Source: Slashdot – Apple is Planning 3D Cameras for Next Year’s iPhones; Three Rear Cameras Setup For This Year’s Phone; and Dark Mode for iOS 13: Report