Tech
Here's how many people it takes to weaponize TikTok's "Not Interested" button and degrade everyone's recommendations
The systems that underpin our social media, video and music platforms can be disrupted by as few as 40 coordinated users, according to new research.
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“It’s not about cash in suitcases:” here’s how the big tech lobby works in Germany
Researcher Joris Leander Kanowski says tech giants such as Microsoft and Meta can afford to be members of nearly every trade association in Germany, thereby exerting significant influence on the country’s digital laws.
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Sony blames “market conditions” for another PlayStation Plus price increase, players unconvinced
PlayStation users are unconvinced that “market conditions” are the main reasons behind a price hike just before the long-anticipated release of GTA 6.
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Think all songs sound the same? It’s proven – Spotify’s algorithms are killing interesting music
The global recorded music industry generated more than $28 billion in revenue in 2023 – but despite all that cash sloshing through the system, the songs topping streaming charts are sounding increasingly samey.
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Meghan Markle speaks of “dangerous bargain” as Big Tech threatens childhood innocence
Meghan Markle arrived in Switzerland to speak at The Lost Screen Memorial, which raises awareness of the devastating effects of digital abuse on children.
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Russia’s largest semiconductor firm, Mikron, selling chip parts as souvenirs to earn extra cash
Russia’s largest manufacturer and exporter of microelectronics and semiconductors is selling souvenirs made from the wafers used to make microchips.
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Do American processors in European clouds make them non-sovereign?
As Europe doubles down on efforts to move its infrastructure to a sovereign cloud, warnings emerge about providers’ reliance on American processors.
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Starbucks eyes first India tech office in a $2bn cost-cutting effort
It's time for a major restructuring for Starbucks, which is considering opening its first corporate technology office in India, as it targets up to $2 billion in cost cuts.
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Elon Musk says SpaceX wants to make it impossible to fire him
Elon Musk has confirmed that SpaceX is considering corporate restructuring that would make it virtually impossible to fire him. The new structure could also include a trillion-dollar compensation package linked to Musk’s Mars ambitions.
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What happens if you get flagged by facial recognition tech like Facewatch?
A frequent customer of Home Bargains, a UK retailer, said they were escorted from one of its shops after being flagged by a facial recognition system. But no one could tell why.
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Google confirms it’s reducing free storage for some Gmail users
Google has been experimenting with Gmail storage limits, and some users are not happy about it. They’re now having to make room for new files by deleting old ones.
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Plinq app, which checks men’s criminal records, has allegedly saved 200 Brazilian women
The Plinq app runs through publicly available records to warn female users about potential abusers, whether they are strangers from dating apps or ride-sharing drivers.
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Microsoft sacks Israel subsidiary boss over using its cloud to store spying data
Microsoft has ousted the head of its Israel subsidiary over the unethical use of its Azure cloud service by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
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The Strait of Hormuz blockade is more than just energy – it’s threatening your internet too
The simultaneous closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea has escalated from a maritime shipping crisis into a direct threat to the global internet’s backbone.
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Instagram wants you online forever with mindless “Instants” feature
Instagram is making it easier to overshare online by robbing the former BeReal’s grave and swiping features from Snapchat. “Instants” ensures that you’ll never have a mindful, unplugged experience ever again.
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Dutch entrepreneur proves that moving the digital stack from the US to Europe is possible
A Dutch entrepreneur felt uncomfortable with his data being owned by large, powerful tech companies overseas. That’s why he moved his entire digital stack to Europe in two months.
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German intelligence agency chooses French alternative over Palantir
Palantir’s efforts to push into the German security market haven’t paid off. The country’s domestic intelligence agency has just acquired a French alternative to the controversial US data broker.
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Bambu Lab cease-and-desist turns into massive PR disaster as YouTubers pledge never to buy again
Bambu Lab, the major 3D printer maker, tried to kill a small open-source project that restored a feature the company had removed in an update. The cease-and-desist triggered a Streisand effect, with the open-source community rallying behind the developer and YouTubers pledging never to buy Bambu’s printer again.
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Palantir given complete access to NHS patient data
An elaborate web of deceit and greed runs through the relationship between a US spy tech company and the UK. Now, the NHS has just given Palantir “unlimited access” to millions of people’s data.
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Android gets a Gemini upgrade, Google announces Googlebooks
Google has revealed new Android features and a replacement for its Chromebooks.
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