Month: March 2024

Brave, Mozilla, Vivaldi see browser installs rise on iOS since DMA – forcing competition does indeed give rise to diversity. Now Google.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Since Apple implemented a browser choice screen for iPhones earlier this month to comply with Europe’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), Brave Software, Mozilla, and Vivaldi have seen a surge in the number of people installing their web browsers. It’s an early sign the Europe Union’s competition rules may actually … get this … enhance competition Read more about Brave, Mozilla, Vivaldi see browser installs rise on iOS since DMA – forcing competition does indeed give rise to diversity. Now Google.[…]

Breach in French labor history database impacts up to 43 million people for past 20 years showing what a great idea huge centralised databases are

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A French government department – responsible for registering and assisting unemployed people – is the latest victim of a mega data breach that compromised the information of up to 43 million citizens. France Travail announced on Wednesday that it informed the country’s data protection watchdog (CNIL) of an incident that exposed a swathe of personal Read more about Breach in French labor history database impacts up to 43 million people for past 20 years showing what a great idea huge centralised databases are[…]

Under New Management Detects when your extensions have changed owners

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Intermittenty checks your installed extensions to see if the developer information listed on the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Addons store has changed. If anything is different, the extension icon will display a red badge, alerting you to the change. Why is this needed? Extension developers are constantly getting offers to buy their extensions. In Read more about Under New Management Detects when your extensions have changed owners[…]

Vehicle Cloning — Another Reason Not To Use Automated License Plate Readers

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Over the last decade, increasing numbers of automated license plate readers (ALPR) have been installed on roads, bringing with them a variety of privacy problems, as Techdirt has reported. It’s easy to see why ALPR is popular with the authorities: license plate readers seem a simple way to monitor driving behavior and to catch people Read more about Vehicle Cloning — Another Reason Not To Use Automated License Plate Readers[…]

Makers of Switch emulator Yuzu crushed quickly by Nintendo

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Tropic Haze, the popular Yuzu Nintendo Switch emulator developer, appears to have agreed to settle Nintendo’s lawsuit against it. Less than a week after Nintendo filed the legal action, accusing the emulator’s creators of “piracy at a colossal scale,” a joint final judgment and permanent injunction filed Tuesday says Tropic Haze has agreed to pay Read more about Makers of Switch emulator Yuzu crushed quickly by Nintendo[…]

Apple stamps feet but now to let EU developers distribute apps from the web

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple’s compliance measures with the EU’s Digital Markets Act haven’t exactly been universally well received, so the iMaker is making a few tweaks to appease the software-developing masses. In a post to its developer site today, Apple said it is modifying not only how developers can distribute apps, but also changing the structure of alternative Read more about Apple stamps feet but now to let EU developers distribute apps from the web[…]

car with eye in sky

Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Kenn Dahl says he has always been a careful driver. The owner of a software company near Seattle, he drives a leased Chevrolet Bolt. He’s never been responsible for an accident. So Mr. Dahl, 65, was surprised in 2022 when the cost of his car insurance jumped by 21 percent. Quotes from other insurance companies Read more about Automakers Are Sharing Consumers’ Driving Behavior With Insurance Companies[…]

European Commission broke data protection law with Microsoft Office 365 – duh

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Commission has been reprimanded for infringing data protection regulations when using Microsoft 365. The rebuke came from the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) and is the culmination of an investigation that kicked off in May 2021, following the Schrems II judgement. According to the EDPS, the EC infringed several data protection regulations, including Read more about European Commission broke data protection law with Microsoft Office 365 – duh[…]

India reverses AI stance, follows EU and starts regulating significant AI models

Posted on by Robin Edgar

India has waded into global AI debate by issuing an advisory that requires “significant” tech firms to get government permission before launching new models. India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT issued the advisory to firms on Friday. The advisory — not published on public domain but a copy of which TechCrunch has reviewed — also Read more about India reverses AI stance, follows EU and starts regulating significant AI models[…]

Black Trump Supporters Are Being AI-Generated – Trumpistas fall for them though

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Donald Trump supporters are creating and sharing AI-generated images of the former president with Black voters. The photos appear to be an attempt to inflate Trump’s popularity with the Black community, which may be irreparably harmed by his ties to white supremacist groups, but the photos are nothing but fakes. In the leadup to the Read more about Black Trump Supporters Are Being AI-Generated – Trumpistas fall for them though[…]

roku remote with dollar bills around it

You don’t own what you bought: Roku Issues a Mandatory Terms of Service Update That You Must Agree To or You Can’t Use Your Roku

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Over the last 48 hours, Roku has slowly been rolling out a mandatory update to its terms of service. In this terms it changes the dispute resolution terms but it is not clear exactly why. When the new terms and conditions message shows up on a Roku Player or TV, your only option is to Read more about You don’t own what you bought: Roku Issues a Mandatory Terms of Service Update That You Must Agree To or You Can’t Use Your Roku[…]

How to Prevent X’s Audio and Video Calls Feature From Revealing Your IP Address – wait it reveals your IP address :O – wait… of course, it’s a Musk thing

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] X began rolling out the audio and video calling feature, which was previously restricted to paid users, to everyone last week. However, hawk-eyed sleuths quickly noticed that the feature was automatically turned on, meaning that users had to manually go to their settings to turn it off. Only your mutuals or someone you’ve exchanged Read more about How to Prevent X’s Audio and Video Calls Feature From Revealing Your IP Address – wait it reveals your IP address :O – wait… of course, it’s a Musk thing[…]

bmw control panel with radio and air quality buttons

Carmakers Must Bring Back Buttons for safety, Says Europe

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Key dashboard touchscreen functions will soon be kicked into touch and physical switches will be required instead for car manufacturers to be granted the highest safety ratings. Euro NCAP, the automotive safety industry body for Europe, is introducing new guidance for 2026 which means that five important tasks in every car will have to be Read more about Carmakers Must Bring Back Buttons for safety, Says Europe[…]

Microsoft calls NYT copyright claims ‘doomsday futurology’ – also, VCRs are legal too

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Microsoft is coming out swinging over claims by the New York Times that the Windows giant and OpenAI infringed copyright by using its articles to build ChatGPT and other models. In yesterday’s filing [PDF], Microsoft’s lawyers recall the early 1980s efforts of the Motion Picture Association to stifle the growth of VCR technology, likening it Read more about Microsoft calls NYT copyright claims ‘doomsday futurology’ – also, VCRs are legal too[…]

a space helmet half red and half blue

Rooster Teeth (Red vs Blue) Shut Down By WB Discovery After Two Decades

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Rooster Teeth, a Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment subsidiary, is ending operations after 20+ years. The news was announced on March 6 in a company memo and blog post on the digital content creator’s site. Earlier today, the news of Rooster Teeth shutting down was first shared at an all-hands company meeting Read more about Rooster Teeth (Red vs Blue) Shut Down By WB Discovery After Two Decades[…]

Posted in Art

Alternatieve iPhone app stores stop working when you travel outside of the EU

Posted on by Robin Edgar

iOS 17.4 is the first version of Apple’s operating system to comply with the regulatory framework of the European Digital Markets Act. Apple must also support alternative app stores, where apps can be installed around the App Store. The availability of this functionality is only geographically limited to the EU, and Apple has revealed for Read more about Alternatieve iPhone app stores stop working when you travel outside of the EU[…]

Hackers exploited Windows 0-day for 6 months after Microsoft knew of it

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Even after Microsoft patched the vulnerability last month, the company made no mention that the North Korean threat group Lazarus had been using the vulnerability since at least August to install a stealthy rootkit on vulnerable computers. The vulnerability provided an easy and stealthy means for malware that had already gained administrative system rights Read more about Hackers exploited Windows 0-day for 6 months after Microsoft knew of it[…]

Millions of research papers at risk of disappearing from the Internet

Posted on by Robin Edgar

More than one-quarter of scholarly articles are not being properly archived and preserved, a study of more than seven million digital publications suggests. The findings, published in the Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication on 24 January1, indicate that systems to preserve papers online have failed to keep pace with the growth of research output. Read more about Millions of research papers at risk of disappearing from the Internet[…]

Want to Steal a Tesla? set up a guest wifi with a fake site, steal the password and make your own key

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Security researchers report they uncovered a design flaw that let them hijack a Tesla using a Flipper Zero, a controversial $169 hacking tool. Partners Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry of Mysk Inc. said the attack is as simple as swiping a Tesla owner’s login information, opening the Tesla app, and driving away. The victim Read more about Want to Steal a Tesla? set up a guest wifi with a fake site, steal the password and make your own key[…]

EU fines Apple nearly $2B over in-app music purchases

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple’s anti-steering provisions that prevent music streaming apps from directing users outside the App Store for paid services were smacked down in the European Union today and earned the iGiant a fine of more than €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion). The European Commission said Apple’s policies “amount to unfair trading conditions” and “are neither necessary nor Read more about EU fines Apple nearly $2B over in-app music purchases[…]

Satellites Step Up After Red Sea Internet Cables Get Severed

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Earlier this week, four out of 15 communication cables were cut, disrupting network traffic that flows through the Red Sea. The damaged cables affected 25% of traffic between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, according to Hong Kong telecoms company HGC Global Communications. The cause of the damage is still unknown, and the company Read more about Satellites Step Up After Red Sea Internet Cables Get Severed[…]

VMware sandbox escape bugs are so critical, patches are released for end-of-life products – also, remove all your USB products now

Posted on by Robin Edgar

VMware is urging customers to patch critical vulnerabilities that make it possible for hackers to break out of sandbox and hypervisor protections in all versions, including out-of-support ones, of VMware ESXi, Workstation, Fusion, and Cloud Foundation products. A constellation of four vulnerabilities—two carrying severity ratings of 9.3 out of a possible 10—are serious because they Read more about VMware sandbox escape bugs are so critical, patches are released for end-of-life products – also, remove all your USB products now[…]

Biden executive order aims to stop a few countries from buying Americans’ personal data – a watered down EU GDPR

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] President Joe Biden will issue an executive order that aims to limit the mass-sale of Americans’ personal data to “countries of concern,” including Russia and China. The order specifically targets the bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial, biometric, health and other personally identifying information. During a briefing with reporters, a senior administration official said Read more about Biden executive order aims to stop a few countries from buying Americans’ personal data – a watered down EU GDPR[…]

AI outperforms humans in standardized tests of creative potential

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Divergent thinking is characterized by the ability to generate a unique solution to a question that does not have one expected solution, such as “What is the best way to avoid talking about politics with my parents?” In the study, GPT-4 provided more original and elaborate answers than the human participants […] The three Read more about AI outperforms humans in standardized tests of creative potential[…]