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Showing posts from December, 2017

Germany starts enforcing hate speech law

Social media firms face huge fines if they let hate speech linger on their networks, warn German authorities. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2lvH6Sq

Tax internet firms over extremist content, says Ben Wallace

Tech giants are "ruthless profiteers" who are failing to fight terrorism, the security minister says. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BXa9oZ

Police shoot dead man after alleged Call of Duty 'swatting' hoax

The 28-year-old was shot by police after his address was allegedly given to police in prank call. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CqyxAg

French Privacy Watchdog Gives WhatsApp One Month to Stop Facebook data sharing

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France’s Privacy Regulator questions legality of WhatsApp transferring data to Facebook. France’s privacy watchdog, CNIL, has formally issued notice to WhatsApp, requesting that the popular mobile messaging app to stop sharing collected user data with its parent company, Facebook, within a month. If WhatsApp fails to co-operate with CNIL, and bring its sharing of user data with parent company Facebook into line with French privacy law, the watchdog may issue a substantial fine . CNIL has ruled that WhatsApp does not have the legal basis under French law to share user data with Facebook. CNIL began its original investigation last year after WhatsApp altered the terms of service agreement and began sharing data with Facebook in order to develop targeted advertising, security measures, and gather business intelligence. WhatsApp told to stop sharing data with Facebook   Vive la France? While CNIL accepted that the transfer of user data for security purposes could be cons...

The man who can't face the internet

One man's quest to keep his image off the internet. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2pTfAUl

New Year Honours 2018: AI chief Demis Hassabis made CBE

The chief executive of DeepMind is recognised on the New Year Honours list. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2EdVK9o

2017 in Tech: The Year of Foreshadowing Big Things to Come

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2017 may be the year that developments in the tech world truly were overshadowed by other world events: deepening divisions in the United States and the looming threat of war with North Korea; numerous sexual misconduct scandals; terrorist attacks in Europe and elsewhere; and the announcement of yet another royal wedding in the United Kingdom, to name just a few. With all of that going on, it would be easy to overlook Apple's introduction of another iPhone or Nintendo's comeback with a hit video game console. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2CiBBRp

Contact made with 'missing' Angolan satellite

Data links to Angola's first communications satellite have been restored after it went missing for two days from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Cm8Q40

US says Romanians hacked Washington DC police cameras

The alleged attack took place in Washington DC just days before Donald Trump's inauguration. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2lpvCzL

YouTube app removed from Amazon Fire TV kit early

Amazon Fire TV devices now point people towards the YouTube website instead. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2zLYmIe

Cracked Smart-Phone Screens Could Self-Heal In Future 

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Self-healing glass could mark the end of the dreaded shattered phone screen. A new type of polymer glass that can heal itself when cracked by simply being pressed together by a person’s hands, is now in development by scientists at the University of Tokyo after a student there discovered it… by accident.  Graduate school student Yu Yanagisawa, was attempting to make a glue for another experiment when he observed that the semi-transparent polymer, he was working on, known as Polyether-thioureas, was able to knit itself back together when compressed for several hours at room temperature. The discovery means that in future, smashed and broken smart phone screens, may only be a temporary setback and their owners will be able to fix them by simply pressing their hands together .  Could self healing glass be coming to a smartphone near you? It could, just not any-time soon…   A new era The research, detailed a...

Apple apologies for slowing iPhone batteries down

It says it will reduce the price of replacements and and will issue battery-monitoring software. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2leQEln

Uber: Softbank takes large stake in ride-hailing firm

The investment comes as the ride-hailing company concludes a difficult year. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ChAEXh

Tim Cook required to fly only by private jet

Tim Cook is required to fly on private aircraft for "security and efficiency". from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2DrJErY

Exmo Bitcoin exchange chief executive kidnapped in Kiev

Pavel Lerner was kidnapped on Boxing Day in Kiev. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CjiHrj

Nintendo Switch secret golf game wiped

A 1984 video game hidden on the Nintendo Switch console has been deleted. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2E88A9a

Failed satellite programmed with 'wrong co-ordinates'

A multi-million pound weather satellite is lost after being programmed to take off from the wrong base. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Cf2AgH

Troll alert tool banned by Twitter

A crowd-sourced effort to tackle fake accounts on the social network has been banned. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2zHCbTk

John McAfee says his Twitter account was hacked

Cyber-security pioneer reports his Twitter account was hacked and used to promote crypto-currencies. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Ciz1bU

Apple to release source code for pre-Mac computer Lisa

Next year, Apple fans will be able to tinker with the source code for the firm's Lisa computer. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2pJKluI

New Findings On Dangerous Cell Phone Radiation

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Don’t keep cell phones next to your body, warns California Health Department. You might have thought this old theory was debunked some time ago, but the truth is, the jury is still out on the hazards of prolonged proximity to your cell phone. When mobile devices first became a common item–meaning back in the days of high-powered executives carrying the luxury items, not the current trend of kids in elementary school having them–there were concerns that the antenna caused tumors. This was specifically linked to the increase in brain tumors located behind the ear, as in, where a typical user would point the antenna. Those fears basically went away, but according to at least one concerned source, it’s not because they were proven to be false. Rather, it’s because the documentation was swept under the rug. But no more. In 2009, documentation about the association between cell phone use and tumors caused by radiation was placed under lock and key. A lawsuit filed  in 2016  to ge...

Workplace robots could increase inequality, warns IPPR

A think tank says replacing low-skilled workers with robots could mean bigger salary gaps in workplaces. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BKbwr5

Edward Snowden's Haven app 'catches spies'

Software is designed to record secret police and others that might search activists' possessions. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2lgQ3yT

Vietnam army hires censors to fight 'internet chaos'

Local media reports the People's Army has hired more than 10,000 people to tackle "wrongful views". from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2li9hUR

Tesla's Elon Musk promises pick-up truck and new features

Elon Musk promises a pick-up truck and a range of new features for existing Tesla vehicles. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2l5NoJb

Go player to take on Chinese AI in match

More man versus machine Go playing but this time it will be Chinese AI that takes up challenge. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BVRmOO

Driverless Cars On UK Roads By 2021

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UK government announces plans to change road and traffic regulations allowing autonomous cars test vehicles on open British roads. The UK Chancellor, Phillip Hammond, made the decision public during his budget speech for the coming year. Hammond stated that the technology was being introduced because the Government sees it as the future . “Some may choose to reject the future, we choose to embrace it,” he said. To facilitate the program, the British government will spend close to £100,000,000 ($1,3 billion)to incentivise electric vehicles for its citizens, with the hope that by 2021, that driverless cars will be fully integrated onto UK roads. The move by the UK Chancellor has been reported as being less about the future of technology in the country, and more about him trying to save his job. Hammond, has been sever under pressure from both business, opposition politicians, and critics in his own party . Unfortunately, KITT, will probably not make an appearance on UK roads as a dri...

Obama warns against 'irresponsible' social media use

The ex-president was quizzed for the BBC by Prince Harry, in a rare interview since leaving office. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BFzzap

Pennsylvania woman gets $284bn electricity bill

A woman gets a shock of her life after receiving an erroneous electricity bill for $284,460,000,000. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2C9l6oo

Chinese skyscraper to be auctioned online

The unfinished 156m skyscraper is being put up for auction on Taobao, China's biggest e-commerce site. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BVvjHX

Quantum computing: Modular system announced

Linking modular quantum computers together could create a more powerful network. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2lfbPmt

Charlie Brooker: Expect the most varied series of Black Mirror yet

Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones talk online dating and social media (but strictly no spoilers). from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2C9aHsQ

Can AI keep these zoo animals warm?

A UK zoo has teamed up with tech giant IBM in a bid to keep its heating costs down during the winter. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Cae5WH

Bitcoin: charting a crazy 2017

Bitcoin has had an interesting year, so should we now take it seriously? from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BG4iEe

Bitcoin: Would you want to get paid in cryptocurrency?

A Japanese internet firm is the latest to offer its staff part of their salaries in the digital currency. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Cae3OE

WannaCry Blamed On North Korea

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US and UK governments say North Korea was responsible for the global WannaCry malware attack. While multiple sources have long called the attack the work of state-sponsored North Korean operatives, the US and UK–reportedly along with several other countries–are now formally declaring that responsibility for the attack rests on North Korea’s shoulders . Why does it matter if the statement is alleged or declared? Because economic sanctions and any further punitive action depend on it. WannaCry ransomware spent the better part of 2017 making headlines for the damage it caused. This attack infected hundreds of thousands of computers and was found to have taken root in most countries around the world, causing billions of dollars in damage. One of the biggest-name targets was the UK’s national health system, as WannaCry infected the NHS network and effectively derailed patient care for a short time. Cyber-attack: US and UK blame North Korea for WannaCry Where’s the evidence? The US ha...

How baby play is helping robots imagine the future

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have taught a robot to play. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kTYL6Y

Ready Player One and the Troubled Future of VR

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One of the issues with virtual reality is that expectations have been overset massively with TV shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation , which promised an artificial reality indistinguishable from reality. VR failed. It didn't have to -- there is a pattern to bringing out successful technology that is repeatable. You create a complete experience regardless of cost, then cost-reduce it. Sadly, the more common path is to try to hit an aggressive price point first and deliver a crippled experience. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2BMvoxI

Norway Switches Off FM Radio And Goes Digital

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Move from analog to digital radio, making the Scandinavian country the first to shut down all national FM radio broadcasts. Norway’s government have been planning the FM switch off for several years, but the actual physical switch only began in January of this year. The move to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) for national stations should provide improved sound quality and also reduce the costs associated with traditional radio broadcasting. Government figures point to the fact that DAB systems are around 94% cheaper to operate overall. Norway began introducing DAB to its people back in 1995. As of December 2017 , all national broadcasters are supposed to have made the switch. There are now 31 national radio stations broadcasting entirely through DAB.are introduced its first digital radio station in 1995, and has 31 national radio stations on the DAB network. Norway has become the first country to switch all its nation radio stations to digital broadcasting. The future is ...

Airline Computer Error Might Cancel Christmas

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American Airlines glitch leaves 15,ooo Christmas flights without a captain. If you haven’t already finished your holiday shopping, here’s a handy gift idea: video chat technology. Why? Because if you booked your flight home for Christmas on American Airlines, video chat might be the only way you’re gonna see your family members. The company announced that a computer glitch allowed pilots to take their vacations during Christmas week . Typically, there are parameters for the digital system that block out available vacation days based on the need for pilots in specific regions. The real issue with the glitch, however, was that the computer showed flights as already having an abundance of necessary staff, resulting in pilots scheduling their days off and American agreeing to their dates. Maybe some passangers could hitch a ride on Santa’s sleigh? Critically understaffed This doesn’t change the amount of reservations that the airline took and the number of seats they sold to holiday...

Holiday Software Deals

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Grab a bargain in our ’12 deals of Christmas’ software event! The Holidays are nearly upon us and to celebrate, we’ve got a fantastic range of Christmas savings on some of the biggest names in security, antivirus, utilities, mutli-media and creative software.  Enjoy amazing deals from: Acronis, Audials, Avast, AVG, Corel, Cyberlink, Norton, Macphun (Skylum), MAGIX, and Panda. With savings of up to 80%, what are you waiting for?! Grab a bargain, and Merry Christmas from the FileHippo team! Security & Antivirus 1) Save 43% on Avast Ultimate You want it all? You got it! Everything you need to look after your PC, in one easy-to-use premium package. Avast’s best antivirus for maximum protection against malware and ransomware. Absolute privacy for your browsing, banking and online shopping. Easy and secure password management and protection, and Avast’s most powerful cleaning tools that speed up your PC in minutes.   The Avast Ultimate bundle includes: Av...

Bitcoin loses third of value over week

The roller coaster ride continues for the virtual currency as it falls from almost $20,000 to $13,400. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BWm3CW

Reindeer hunted by wolverines get safety app

It is designed to protect the animals, which have a special role in Christmas tradition, from predators. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2zflgHN

Apple faces lawsuits over slowed iPhones

Two lawsuits been brought on behalf of users of older iPhones in the US. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BlyqEK

Oops! Police Live Stream Plans For N Korean Arrest

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Australian police accidentally broadcast plans on Twitter’s live video streaming service, Periscope. Last August, the BBC had a little apology to make to nearly four million of its viewers for inadvertently broadcasting a pornographic film . The incident occurred during a typical nightly news broadcast when someone else in the newsroom with his back to the camera opened his computer, put on his headphones, and played the video. It was embarrassing but funny, no one was actually harmed, and clips of the error will live on in internet legend for the rest of time. In somewhat less amusing news, another technology foible could have had serious consequences for police officers in Australia. While allegedly testing out the station’s Periscope account, one person initiated the live stream while elsewhere in the room officers were discussing their plans for a first-of-its-kind, high-profile arrest . The good news is only 40 saw the broadcast. The bad news is, they need to up their social m...

UK 'ready to retaliate' against Russian cyber attacks

Boris Johnson says Britain is ready to retaliate over threats to UK national security and the West. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BwqCnO

Eric Schmidt steps down as boss of Google owner

The executive chairman of Google-owner Alphabet will remain on the board as a technical adviser. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CV2O9v

Apple changes rules on app 'loot boxes'

Customers will now have to be told how likely they are to get certain in-game items, says Apple. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kCW615

The glitch that stole Christmas: How to handle smart tech gifts

How to prevent net-connected toys and other smart tech gifts becoming a post-Christmas nightmare. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kUPCKm

Can your online reputation be bleached?

Legislation that protects websites from lawsuits is cleansing negative comments from online forums. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kDN7wX

Facebook strikes music deal with Universal

The firms are working together on new music products and have signed a licensing agreement. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Bvb18f

Bitcoin: My 400 coin bet paid off, but is it too late for others?

An entrepreneur funded her business by speculating on the crypto-currency, but is it too late for others? from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2p7x4fr

Nox App Player: Free, And One Of The Best Android Emulators Around

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Nox App Player is a free Android operating system emulator that lets you run the Android operating system you use on your smartphone or tablet on your PC or Mac. Of all the Android emulators we’ve tried over the years, (and there’s been quite a few) Nox is by far one of the fastest and the best. And just so you know, even though it’s free, Nox doesn’t bombard you with constant ads, and there’s no ‘premium’ version. What’s the catch you say? There isn’t one… It’s 100% free and it’s really good. Ok, so we’ve established that Nox App Player is a) free and b) we think it’s good and we like it. So, let’s look at why we like it. Someone playing their favorite Android game, but on a computer. The world has gone mad, mad, I tell you! Why we like Nox App Player, and why you will Essentially Nox App Player is everything you could want in an Android emulator. If you want something that is relatively straightforward to install and easy to use without any messing about, then the Nox App Pla...

Facebook ditches fake news warning flag

The social network will no longer display a warning icon next to disputed stories. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2p4YMtj

Chinese live streaming website shut down

The site was closed after protests about the public sharing of streams filmed in schools and gyms. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kUKhCV

New Amazon S3 Breach Exposes Every US Household

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Massive data breach caused by unsecured AWS S3 cloud server. Amazon Web Services hosts database servers for a wide variety of clients, but someone might need to take a look at the instruction manual. Once again, another company’s data has been accessed via an unsecured S3 server, and this one c ontains information on almost every single household in the US . UpGuard, whose researchers have been instrumental in rooting out unsecured Amazon S3 servers , has again found another unprotected cache of sensitive data that someone didn’t secure. This time, it’s a California-based data analytics firm who counts credit reporting agency Experian as one of its sources of data. Breach has affected 123 million Americans across billions of data points. Big names breached Experian is one of the top three reporting agencies worldwide, along with TransUnion and Equifax. Equifax suffered its own hacking event back in July, one that exposed the complete personal identifiable information of more tha...

Apple's iPhones slowed to tackle ageing batteries

Customers have long suspected iPhones slow down over time. Now, Apple has confirmed some models do. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BqJyVc

Artificial intelligence school inspections face resistance

The National Association of Head Teachers criticises plans to use algorithms to help rate schools. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BGxL1S

P2P WiFi Plan Challenges ISP Dominance

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Open Garden has announced the launch of a new peer-to-peer service that allows users to share Internet connections and unused plan data for free, with compensation in a new Ethereum cryptocurrency as an extra incentive. The company is offering the service through an app that can be downloaded from Google Play. The system requires no hardware other than an Android phone to participate in the Internet access sharing. The typical customer will used the service for sharing a home or small business Internet service, or to connect with neighbors. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2p1poLo

US Fingers North Korea for WannaCry Epidemic

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The United States on Tuesday accused North Korea of responsibility for a global ransomware attack that locked down more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries earlier this year. The U.S. now has enough evidence to support its assertion that Pyongyang was behind the WannaCry attack in May, Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert told reporters at a White House press briefing. If the United States has new evidence linking North Korea to WannaCry, however, it hasn't released any of it to the public, which could pose problems. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2Bnyzf8

YouTube prankster admits killing boyfriend in stunt gone awry

Monalisa Perez shot her boyfriend through a book, which failed to stop the bullet. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CLuKMT

HMRC warns on iTunes gift card scam

Hundreds of people over 65 have been ripped off by fraudsters who tell them to buy gift vouchers. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2z47veQ

Google To Open Chinese AI Research Lab In China

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Artificial Iintelligence (AI) centre to open despite the fact that its search services remain blocked in the country after the best part of a decade. The subsidiary of Alphabet will build the new AI research facility in the city of Shanghai. The project is to be headed up Fei-Fei Li, chief scientist of AI and machine learning at Google Cloud, and who is also a professor at Stanford University. According to Google, the facility would be the first its kind in Asia and would aim to employ as much local talent as possible. That part at least is hardly surprising. China is home to many of the world’s top experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning. And by way of example, writing in a Google blog, Li pointed to the fact that all three winning teams of the ImageNet Challenge in the past three years were comprised mainly of Chinese researchers.  New AI research facility to open in China, inspite of Google search being removed from the country. AI has no borders China ha...

GCHQ says cyber-spies 'over-achieved' say MPs

The UK has improved its ability to attack other country's communications says a Parliament committee. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2Df2FyL

Magic Leap's hi-tech augmented reality glasses revealed

The goggles will project images into users' eyes to mix graphics with the real world. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BncIV9

Gadget Ogling: Special Deliveries, On-Demand Drinks, and Magical Masks

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BoxLock Home is a smart padlock designed to allow delivery persons to leave your packages in a secure place when you're not around. The driver scans the package and goes through a verification process to unclasp the lock and place your package inside the container. Of course, you'll get a notification when the process is complete. I'm not really sure I need it. I work from home and am usually around to take in deliveries. Still, I'd rather not have a box lying in clear view of everyone on the street. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2BmXJKS

5G roll-out legal challenges defeated

Three and EE fail at their initial attempts to force Ofcom to rethink a 5G mobile spectrum auction. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BmCgln

Facebook steps up facial recognition use

Users who opt in will be informed whenever their picture is uploaded to the social network. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kQX3lT

Bitcoin Cash freeze as insider trading probed

Coinbase is investigating whether staff ignored orders to keep its Bitcoin Cash launch secret. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BnaSUp

Elon Musk accidently tweets his private phone number

The post was quickly deleted, but not before many of his followers noticed. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BmaS6M

Move Over Tin Can Telephone, It’s Wet String Internet

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British engineers create ADSL broadband over wet string, just for fun. Sometimes, the best innovations happen because someone decided to simply see if it could be done. That’s the case of a British internet service provider Andrews and Arnold whose team was sitting around bored one day and thought to ask, “Hmm, I wonder if this wet piece of twine will carry a broadband signal?” The answer, folks, is yes! When word got out, the company was quick to point out first that there are no viable commercial applications for wet string signals (despite the none-too-shabby signal strength of 3.5 Mbps), and second that there will be no replacing of cables with twine at any point in the future. Customers, you may breathe a sigh of relief. The string was originally soaked in salt water, according to a report by the BBC , but that had little bearing on the effectiveness of the string. That’s because salt would have possibly upped the electrical conductivity qualities, but not the broadband signa...

Uber is officially a cab firm, says European court

The ride-sharing firm had argued that it was an information society service. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2z2miXB

Legal right to ask for fast broadband by 2020

BT's offer to connect remote homes to superfast broadband rejected in favour of legal right to service. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2DeMQbk

YouTube signs Universal Music deal amid subscription plans

The deal with Universal, whose artists include Taylor Swift, will fuel debate about YouTube's music ambitions. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2yYNLJt

Self-parking cars to be legalised by UK

The UK wants to modify a ban on using mobile phones to allow drivers to activate self-parking cars. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BfmQ28

Social Media or Social Disease?

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Is social media evolving into an antisocial medium? Days after one of its former execs argued that the answer is yes, Facebook published a post addressing the issue. "I think we have created tools that are ripping apart the social fabric of how society works," Chamath Palihapitiya, who once served as vice president for growth at Facebook, told an audience at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. "The short-term, dopamine-driven feedback loops we've created are destroying how society works." from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2Bh5YrG

Robot giant FX-2 is ridden by human pilots

A South Korean start-up shows off a huge robot designed to make humans stronger and more mobile. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BLFxK5

Video games: How big is industry's racial diversity problem?

The industry trade body Ukie is calling for greater ethnic representation in games and in the creative process. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kmVblz

Kaspersky Lab Sues US Government Over Federal Ban

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Kaspersky Lab, the Moscow-based antivirus firm, is suing the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in response to being banned from use by US Federal Agencies .   The Russian-based security software company said in an open letter, that it has been made to suffer unfairly as a result of the ban. The legal action is the latest move by the company to disprove allegations that it is vulnerable to Kremlin influence, and that Russian intelligence forces are using Kaspersky software to gain access to US government computers.  Last week, after months of speculation, Donald Trump signed new legislation that officially banned the use of Kaspersky Lab products  within any part of the US government. In September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told US government agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab from their computer networks within 90 d...

Facebook reveals rise in official data requests

Requests to see data on users' accounts are up by 20%, says the site's latest transparency report. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kLBrHx

Mobile phones: Send a text to end your contract

Regulator Ofcom says the change means customers can avoid an awkward and long call to their operator. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2D3G0FD

Facebook grilled on Britain First page by MPs

MPs have been grilling Facebook, Twitter and Google on hate speech on their platforms. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CDixtG

Disney's President Donald Trump robot gets mocked

An animatronic version of Donald Trump created by Disney's roboticists has attracted ridicule. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2D6ednU

Bitcoin exchange Youbit shuts after second hack attack

A second cyber-heist has forced South Korean crypto-cash exchange Youbit to shut down. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BgeJCn

Tech Lobbyists Blamed For Halting Anti-Sex Trafficking Bill

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Advocates suspect tech-industry lobbyists are behind the new approach. If the Dark Web has taught us anything, it’s that there are practically no limits to what you can buy online. Sex slaves, drugs, viruses and malware… even politicians… you can buy it for the right price if you know where to look. But some of those illicit transactions are making their way into the light, being offered practically in plain view, and a new piece of legislation was written to fight back. Initially, the compromise that led to the current version of the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act removes the protections currently in place for websites that allow others to post content. Basically, Twitter isn’t liable for (or even responsible for removing) content that its users post. Most sites claim they will work hard to maintain standards of safety and decency, but if something “slips through,” the site is not at fault. Are tech companies trying to derail the sex-trafficking bill? (Image courtesy of OSCE) ...

HMS Queen Elizabeth: Leak found on new aircraft carrier

The warship commissioned earlier this month by the Queen has a faulty seal, the Royal Navy confirms. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CCuNea

Australia police Periscope 'plans to arrest N Korean agent'

Australian media said the chat broadcast online contained plans to arrest a suspected N Korean agent. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CCMWbH

Cyber-Attack: US blames North Korea for WannaCry

Pyongyang is for the first time officially held responsible for the WannaCry malware attack last May. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2oGac6l

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Kaspersky files lawsuit over anti-virus software ban

The Moscow-based company said claims that it is vulnerable to Kremlin influence are unfounded. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2oEENS1

Uber driver arrested after Briton murdered in Lebanon

Rebecca Dykes, a British embassy worker in Beirut, was strangled and sexually assaulted, police say. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2AKoiVZ

What Amazon's Abuse of Power Foreshadows for 2018

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Given how many big names have fallen over the last few weeks due to sexual misconduct, abuse and harassment, you'd think I'd name 2017 as the year of power abuse. However, while I know a lot of folks think the issue is dying down, I don't see that at all. There are entire industries that have yet to be hit by this, and Congress hasn't even finished cleaning house or putting in place rules to prevent this activity. Last week I pointed out how Google was abusing its power in holding Amazon Echo Show customers hostage to force Amazon to sell products it didn't want to sell. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2D049N5

Advertising Standards considers inquiry into Amazon Prime

Advertising standards watchdog has had complaints about Amazon delivery promises and may investigate. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ARFd9c

Starbucks Wi-Fi Makes Computers Mine Cryptocurrency

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A latte and some cryptocurrency to go, please! Tech users have been warned for years about protecting themselves when connecting over public, unsecured Wi-Fi. Whether it’s in airports, hotels, or a local coffee shop, these connections encourage the public to utilize that business; airports and hotels often charge fees for Wi-Fi but will waive that fee to “gold” level travelers, while restaurants and other businesses use the availability of a connection to sway consumers’ choice in a market flooded with options. Typically, the threat involved in these readily available connections comes from hackers who are also on the same connection, mining your information for identity theft and related crimes. But recently, one CEO traveling abroad found out the hard way that a Starbucks in South America was infecting customers’ browsers in order to hijack some processing speed and mine the cryptocurrency Monero. Starbucks has acknowledged that visitors to one of its branches were unwittingly r...

Twitter suspends Britain First leaders

The leader and deputy of a far-right British political party's Twitter accounts are frozen. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2BtyXWi

Facebook: Post more to feel better about yourself

Using Facebook more proactively can combat its negative impact on wellbeing, says the social network. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2ySycDh

Facebook Looks At How Ads Are Targeted To Ethnicities

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Social network suspends ethnicity ad targeting as review explores potential abuse and exclusion.  Over a year ago, public service investigative journalism platform ProPublica discovered an unsettling feature on Facebook. At the time, advertisers could target or exclude specific demographics of users with their ads based on factors like gender, religion, and ethnicity. Facebook happily gathered the information based on users’ voluntary profile information but also from the algorithms linked to their likes, shares, and posts. On the surface, this feature made sense; after all, advertisers pay to put their posts in front of users based on population size, say, 150,000 views for X-amount of money. It doesn’t pay to purchase ad views if the demographic has no need of your product. This is also something that has long been in place in television and radio advertising. It’s why the daily drama programs have been called “soap operas” all this time, as the advertisements during those mid...

Russia meddled on Twitter after UK terror attacks, study says

A study accuses Russian-linked Twitter accounts of exploiting four terrorist attacks to divide the UK. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2kGtD9X

Tech Giants’ Traffic Redirected Through Russia

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Several major tech names had their cloud traffic redirected through a Russian ISP. In one of the strangest “we have nothing to fear from Russian hacking” events this month, several major tech names had their cloud traffic redirected through a Russian provider. The brief but allegedly intentional event affected companies like Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. According to Roger Fingas for AppleInsider, “The incident involved the Border Gateway Protocol, or BGP, which funnels high-level traffic through nodes like internet backbones, according to Ars Technica , citing reports by monitoring services BGPMon and Qrator Labs . BGPMon recorded two three-minute hijacks, affecting 80 address blocks in total. Qrator Labs said the incident spanned two hours, with the number of address blocks fluctuating between 40 and 80.” Several major tech names had their cloud traffic redirected through a Russian ISP. There’s more… It gets weirder. BGPMon released a post that said the Russian Aut...

Mobile phone and broadband services need 'radical improvement'

The head of the UK's Infrastructure Commission says mobile phone and broadband coverage is deplorable. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CxhnzN

Bitcoin trading starts on the huge CME exchange

The Chicago-based CME exchange begins Bitcoin trading for investors. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2B0S8tl

Apple Gives Private Demo Of Self-Driving Tech

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Apple’s AI team gives researchers a sneak peek at several driving projects. We’re used to Apple product launches and demos having all the look and feel of a top-billing rock star event, but the company has a lot more going on than that. At times, Apple stages invite-only, industry-only product demos, such as its r ecent hush-hush event that demonstrated its current progress on self-driving car technology . To say there was a lot going on at this event would be a massive understatement. Not only were vehicles actually put into action, but many different vital elements of AI-driven transportation on display as well. Those different elements may prove necessary to this field, but also have farther reaching applications. Apple gave a private demo of its latest self-driving tech. VolexNet recognizes pedestrians and vehicles from 3D data According to an article on the event by Will Knight for Technology Review, for example, “Other projects not previously revealed included a method for...

Microsoft Gives Productivity Tools More AI Chops

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Microsoft has announced new AI features and functionality for several of its flagship products and services. Harry Shum, EVP of Microsoft Artificial Intelligence and Research, demonstrated some of the new capabilities at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday. Building on the progress the company has made in integrating AI over the past year, the new enhancements are designed to help users perform increasingly complex and complicated tasks. Machine reading comprehension will improve an AI-based system's understanding of context, for example. from TechNewsWorld http://ift.tt/2BtAjCB

Million Britons miss out on 'decent' broadband speeds

Many Britons still struggle with slow broadband, finds report from communications regulator Ofcom from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2CudKvg

Vodafone offers thousands early contract exit

The mobile network was not clear enough about new fees, telecoms regulator Ofcom says. from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2zdYnaX

Astronauts Will Watch ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ In Space

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NASA is to screen the latest Star Wars movie on the International Space Station. While audiences around the world will this week begin to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi in cinemas, NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will also get to watch the movie, officials at NASA have confirmed . Proving that some movies can literally be an out-of-this-world experience, the astronauts will be given a special ISS-eyes-only edition to watch in their downtime. Space reporter Robin Seemangal tweeted  the news from Earth earlier this week, with a spokesperson for NASA confirming the plans to Inverse . “[I]… can confirm the crew will be able to watch it on orbit,” NASA Public Affairs Officer Dan Huot said. “[While there is no] definitive time-line yet, they typically get movies as digital files and can play them back on a laptop or a standard projector that is currently aboard.” NASA to screen ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ on the International Space Station. Spac...

Amazon backs down in Google streaming spat

The online retailer has put streaming gadgets from Google back on sale, ending a two-year hiatus from BBC News - Technology http://ift.tt/2zdTaQk