Category: Global Domination

Woman Allegedly Made $57,000 From Unofficial Demon Slayer Cakes

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A 34-year-old resident of Tokyo’s Shibuya has been arrested on suspicion of violating Japanese copyright law after selling unlicensed Demon Slayer cakes. According to Kyodo News, the women sold the cakes through Instagram, with customers submitting their desired images to be turned into frosting, cream, and sugar. The suspect is said to have charged between Read more about Woman Allegedly Made $57,000 From Unofficial Demon Slayer Cakes[…]

Apple has tight control over states’ digital ID cards

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Apple’s digital ID card support in iOS 15 may be convenient, but it also comes with tight requirements for the governments that use them. CNBC has learned states using Apple’s system are required to not only run the platforms for issuing and checking credentials, but hire managers to handle Apple’s requests and meet the iPhone Read more about Apple has tight control over states’ digital ID cards[…]

Take Two and Rockstar Use DMCA Claims To Remove More GTA Mods

Posted on by Robin Edgar

As players continue to criticize the recently released GTA Trilogy remastered collection, Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two Interactive has decided this is the perfect time to use DMCA takedown notices to remove some more GTA mods and fan projects. On November 11, according to the folks over at the GTA modding site LibertyCity, Take-Two contacted Read more about Take Two and Rockstar Use DMCA Claims To Remove More GTA Mods[…]

Latest Windows 11 overrides attempts to avoid using Edge – browser wars again!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Back in 2017, Daniel Aleksandersen created a free helper application called EdgeDeflector to counter behavioral changes Microsoft made in the way Windows handles mouse clicks on certain web links. Typically, https:// links get handled by whatever default browser is set for the system in question. But there are ways to register a custom protocol handler, Read more about Latest Windows 11 overrides attempts to avoid using Edge – browser wars again![…]

Fifth Circuit Says Man Can’t Sue Federal Agencies For Allegedly Targeting and Tormenting Him After He Refused To Be An FBI Informant

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The secrecy surrounding all things national security-related continues to thwart lawsuits alleging rights violations. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has just dumped a complaint brought by Abdulaziz Ghedi, a naturalized American citizen who takes frequent trips to Somalia, the country he was born in. According to Ghedi’s complaint, rejecting the advances of one federal Read more about Fifth Circuit Says Man Can’t Sue Federal Agencies For Allegedly Targeting and Tormenting Him After He Refused To Be An FBI Informant[…]

How to Stop Chrome From Sharing Your Motion Data on Android

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] Mysk, a duo of app developers and security researchers, recently exposed Chrome’s shadiness on Twitter. In the tweet, Mysk brings to light that, by default, Chrome is sharing your phone’s motion data with the websites you visit. This is not cool. Why you don’t want third parties accessing your motion data To start with, Read more about How to Stop Chrome From Sharing Your Motion Data on Android[…]

Microsoft will now snitch on you at work like never before

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] this news again comes courtesy of Microsoft’s roadmap service, where Redmond prepares you for the joys to come. This time, there are a couple of joys. The first is headlined: “Microsoft 365 compliance center: Insider risk management — Increased visibility on browsers.” It all sounded wonderful until you those last four words, didn’t it? Read more about Microsoft will now snitch on you at work like never before[…]

UK Schools Normalizing Biometric Collection By Using Facial Recognition For Meal Payments

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Subjecting students to surveillance tech is nothing new. Most schools have had cameras installed for years. Moving students from desks to laptops allows schools to monitor internet use, even when students aren’t on campus. Bringing police officers into schools to participate in disciplinary problems allows law enforcement agencies to utilize the same tech and analytics Read more about UK Schools Normalizing Biometric Collection By Using Facial Recognition For Meal Payments[…]

Nintendo Killed Emulation Sites Then Released Garbage N64 Games For The Switch

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] You will recall that a couple of years back, Nintendo opened up a new front on its constant IP wars by going after ROM and emulation sites. That caused plenty of sites to simply shut themselves down, but Nintendo also made a point of getting some scalps to hang on its belt, most famously Read more about Nintendo Killed Emulation Sites Then Released Garbage N64 Games For The Switch[…]

NFI decrypts Tesla’s hidden driving data

Posted on by Robin Edgar

[…] The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) said it discovered a wealth of information about Tesla’s Autopilot, along with data around speed, accelerator pedal positions, steering wheel angle and more. The findings will allow the government to “request more targeted data” to help determine the cause of accidents, the investigators said. The researchers already knew that Read more about NFI decrypts Tesla’s hidden driving data[…]

5 notable Facebook fuckups in the recent relevations

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Facebook Papers are based on leaks from former Facebook staffer Frances Haugen and other inside sources. Haugen has appeared before US Congress, British Parliament, and given prominent television interviews. Among the allegations raised are that Facebook: Knows that its algorithms lead users to extreme content and that it employs too few staff or contractors Read more about 5 notable Facebook fuckups in the recent relevations[…]

Google deliberately throttled ad load times to promote AMP, locking advertisers into it’s own advertising market place

Posted on by Robin Edgar

More detail has emerged from a 173-page complaint filed last week in the lawsuit brought against Google by a number of US states, including allegations that Google deliberately throttled advertisements not served to its AMP (Accelerated Mobile) pages. The lawsuit – as we explained at the end of last week – was originally filed in December Read more about Google deliberately throttled ad load times to promote AMP, locking advertisers into it’s own advertising market place[…]

UK government hands secret services cloud contract to AWS

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The UK’s intelligence services are to store their secret files in the AWS cloud in a deal inked earlier this year, according to reports. The GCHQ organisation (electrical/radio communications eavesdropping), MI5 (domestic UK intelligence matters), MI6 (external UK intel) and also the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will access their data in the cloud, albeit in Read more about UK government hands secret services cloud contract to AWS[…]

Giant, free index to world’s research papers released online

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a project that could unlock the world’s research papers for easier computerized analysis, an American technologist has released online a gigantic index of the words and short phrases contained in more than 100 million journal articles — including many paywalled papers. The catalogue, which was released on 7 October and is free to use, Read more about Giant, free index to world’s research papers released online[…]

Location Data Firm Got GPS Data From Apps Even When People Opted Out

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Huq, an established data vendor that obtains granular location information from ordinary apps installed on people’s phones and then sells that data, has been receiving GPS coordinates even when people explicitly opted-out of such collection inside individual Android apps, researchers and Motherboard have found. The news highlights a stark problem for smartphone users: that they Read more about Location Data Firm Got GPS Data From Apps Even When People Opted Out[…]

What Else Do the Leaked ‘Facebook Papers’ Show? Angry face emojis have 5x the weight of a like thumb emoji… and more other stuff

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The documents leaked to U.S. regulators by a Facebook whistleblower “reveal that the social media giant has privately and meticulously tracked real-world harms exacerbated by its platforms,” reports the Washington Post. Yet it also reports that at the same time Facebook “ignored warnings from its employees about the risks of their design decisions and exposed Read more about What Else Do the Leaked ‘Facebook Papers’ Show? Angry face emojis have 5x the weight of a like thumb emoji… and more other stuff[…]

‘A Mistake by YouTube Shows Its Power Over Media’ – and Kafka-esque arbritration rules

Posted on by Robin Edgar

“Every hour, YouTube deletes nearly 2,000 channels,” reports the New York Times. “The deletions are meant to keep out spam, misinformation, financial scams, nudity, hate speech and other material that it says violates its policies. “But the rules are opaque and sometimes arbitrarily enforced,” they write — and sometimes, YouTube does end up making mistakes. Read more about ‘A Mistake by YouTube Shows Its Power Over Media’ – and Kafka-esque arbritration rules[…]

Amazon’s Alexa Collects More of Your Data Than Any Other Smart Assistant

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Our smart devices are listening. Whether it’s personally identifiable information, location data, voice recordings, or shopping habits, our smart assistants know far more than we realize. […] All five services collect your name, phone number, device location, and IP address; the names and numbers of your contacts; your interaction history; and the apps you use. Read more about Amazon’s Alexa Collects More of Your Data Than Any Other Smart Assistant[…]

Internet Service Providers Collect, Sell Horrifying Amount of Sensitive Data, Government Study Concludes

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The new FTC report studied the privacy practices of six unnamed broadband ISPs and their advertising arms, and found that the companies routinely collect an ocean of consumer location, browsing, and behavioral data. They then share this data with dodgy middlemen via elaborate business arrangements that often aren’t adequately disclosed to broadband consumers. “Even though Read more about Internet Service Providers Collect, Sell Horrifying Amount of Sensitive Data, Government Study Concludes[…]

Client-Side Scanning Is An Insecure Nightmare Just Waiting To Be Exploited By Governments or companies. Apple basically installing spyware under a nice name.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In August, Apple declared that combating the spread of CSAM (child sexual abuse material) was more important than protecting millions of users who’ve never used their devices to store or share illegal material. While encryption would still protect users’ data and communications (in transit and at rest), Apple had given itself permission to inspect data Read more about Client-Side Scanning Is An Insecure Nightmare Just Waiting To Be Exploited By Governments or companies. Apple basically installing spyware under a nice name.[…]

Facial recognition scheme in place in some British schools – more to come

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facial recognition technology is being employed in more UK schools to allow pupils to pay for their meals, according to reports today. In North Ayrshire Council, a Scottish authority encompassing the Isle of Arran, nine schools are set to begin processing meal payments for school lunches using facial scanning technology. The authority and the company Read more about Facial recognition scheme in place in some British schools – more to come[…]

Why does dutch supermarket Albert Heijn have camera’s looking at you at the self check out?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Party for the Animals (PvdD) wants clarity from outgoing minister Dekker for Legal Protection about a camera on Albert Heijn’s self-scanner. It concerns the PS20 from manufacturer Zebra. According to this company, the camera on the self-scanner supports facial recognition to automatically identify customers. PvdD MPs Van Raan and Wassenberg want to know whether Read more about Why does dutch supermarket Albert Heijn have camera’s looking at you at the self check out?[…]

Canon Sued for Disabling All-in-One Printer When Ink Runs Out

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A customer fed up with the tyranny of home printers is suing Canon for disabling multiple functions on an all-in-one printer when it runs out of ink. Consumer printer makers have long used the razor blade business model—so named after companies who sell razor handles for cheap, but the compatible replacement blades at much higher Read more about Canon Sued for Disabling All-in-One Printer When Ink Runs Out[…]

At Amazon, Some Brands Get More Protection From Fakes Than Others

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There are two classes of merchant on Amazon.com: those who get special protection from counterfeiters and those who don’t. From a report: The first category includes sellers of some big-name brands, such as Adidas, Apple and even Amazon itself. They benefit from digital fortifications that prevent unauthorized sellers from listing certain products — an iPhone, Read more about At Amazon, Some Brands Get More Protection From Fakes Than Others[…]

Moscow metro launches facial recognition payment system despite privacy concerns

Posted on by Robin Edgar

More than 240 metro stations across Moscow now allow passengers to pay for a ride by looking at a camera. The Moscow metro has launched what authorities say is the first mass-scale deployment of a facial recognition payment system. According to The Guardian, passengers can access the payment option called FacePay by linking their photo, Read more about Moscow metro launches facial recognition payment system despite privacy concerns[…]