Meta ordered to suspend Facebook EU data flows as it’s hit with record €1.2BN privacy fine under GDPR – 10 years and 3 court cases later

[…] Today the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) announced that Meta has been fined €1.2 billion (close to $1.3 billion) — which the Board confirmed is the largest fine ever issued under the bloc’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). (The prior record goes to Amazon which was stung for $887 million for misusing customers data Read more about Meta ordered to suspend Facebook EU data flows as it’s hit with record €1.2BN privacy fine under GDPR – 10 years and 3 court cases later[…]

AI-generated Drake and The Weeknd song pulled from streaming platforms

If you spent almost any time on the internet this week, you probably saw a lot of chatter about “Heart on My Sleeve.” The song went viral for featuring AI-generated voices that do a pretty good job of mimicking Drake and The Weeknd singing about a recent breakup. On Monday, Apple Music and Spotify pulled Read more about AI-generated Drake and The Weeknd song pulled from streaming platforms[…]

Toucan Teaches You a New Language While You Browse the Internet

[…] Toucan, a browser extension, is trying a different approach, and it might just be the thing that finally clicks for you. How Toucan works With Toucan installed for either Chrome, Edge, or Safari, the first time you visit a website or click on an article, you’ll notice something strange: Some of the words on the Read more about Toucan Teaches You a New Language While You Browse the Internet[…]

Why Video Editors are Switching to DaVinci Resolve in Droves

Video editors are flocking to DaVinci Resolve in droves, marking a major paradigm shift in the editing landscape that we haven’t seen since the dreadful launch of Final Cut Pro X drove users to Adobe Premiere Pro. […] More a conglomeration of tools than a single program, Resolve came through some acquisitions Blackmagic made when Read more about Why Video Editors are Switching to DaVinci Resolve in Droves[…]

Mitsubishi 3000GT Car Phone Modded To Work Like an iPhone, link to full 3 year journey included

Software engineer Jeff Lau, posting under the username UselessPickles, showed off the restored car phone in a video uploaded to YouTube. The Mitsubishi came from the factory with an optional “DiamondTel” handset and hands-free system, which was rendered inoperable by the discontinuation of analog “AMPS” cell service in the U.S. in 2008. (The 3G shutdown Read more about Mitsubishi 3000GT Car Phone Modded To Work Like an iPhone, link to full 3 year journey included[…]

Streaming Services Urged To Clamp Down on AI-Generated Music by Record Labels

Universal Music Group has told streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple, to block artificial intelligence services from scraping melodies and lyrics from their copyrighted songs, according to emails viewed by the Financial Times. From the report: UMG, which controls about a third of the global music market, has become increasingly concerned about AI bots using Read more about Streaming Services Urged To Clamp Down on AI-Generated Music by Record Labels[…]

Google Will Require Android Apps to Make Account Deletion Easier

Right now, developers simply need to declare to Google that account deletion is somehow possible, but beginning next year, developers will have to make it easier to delete data through both their app and an online portal. Google specifies: For apps that enable app account creation, developers will soon need to provide an option to Read more about Google Will Require Android Apps to Make Account Deletion Easier[…]

Navy Carrier-Based Drones Will Be Able To Be Controlled By The Air Force

In a future fight, control of advanced drones belonging to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force could be passed back and forth between assets from either service as the situation demands. Uncrewed platforms are set to make up the majority of the Navy’s future carrier air wings, with up to 60 percent of all Read more about Navy Carrier-Based Drones Will Be Able To Be Controlled By The Air Force[…]

Cruz, Warren Intro America Act to Break Up huge advertisers

[…] The Advertising Middlemen Endangering Rigorous Internet Competition Accountability Act, aka the AMERICA Act. Say what you will about government; Congress’ acronym acumen is untouchable. Introduced by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, the bill would prohibit companies from owning multiple parts of the digital ad ecosystem if they “process more than $20 billion in Read more about Cruz, Warren Intro America Act to Break Up huge advertisers[…]

Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker

American university researchers have developed a novel attack called “Near-Ultrasound Inaudible Trojan” (NUIT) that can launch silent attacks against devices powered by voice assistants, like smartphones, smart speakers, and other IoTs. The team of researchers consists of professor Guenevere Chen of the University of Texas in San Antonio (UTSA), her doctoral student Qi Xia, and Read more about Inaudible ultrasound attack can stealthily control your phone, smart speaker[…]

EU right to repair law could see fixes for up to 10 years for more goods, still offers ways out though

The European Commission has adopted a new set of right to repair rules that, among other things, will add electronic devices like smartphones and tablets to a list of goods that must be built with repairability in mind. The new rules [PDF] will need to be need to be negotiated between the European Parliament and Read more about EU right to repair law could see fixes for up to 10 years for more goods, still offers ways out though[…]

Telehealth startup Cerebral shared millions of patients’ data with advertisers since 2019

Cerebral has revealed it shared the private health information, including mental health assessments, of more than 3.1 million patients in the United States with advertisers and social media giants like Facebook, Google and TikTok. The telehealth startup, which exploded in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic after rolling lockdowns and a surge in online-only virtual health Read more about Telehealth startup Cerebral shared millions of patients’ data with advertisers since 2019[…]

Windows 11 Sends Tremendous Amount of User Data to Third Parties – pretty much spyware for loads of people!

Many programs collect user data and send it back to their developers to improve software or provide more targeted services. But according to the PC Security Channel (via Neowin (opens in new tab)) Microsoft’s Windows 11 sends data not only to the Redmond, Washington-based software giant, but also to multiple third parties. To analyze DNS traffic generated by Read more about Windows 11 Sends Tremendous Amount of User Data to Third Parties – pretty much spyware for loads of people![…]

Hogwarts Legacy Is Twitch’s Most Popular Game Right Now – woke loud minority haters don’t actually have any influence at all

According to the data analytics site TwitchTracker, Hogwarts Legacy had a peak concurrent viewership of over 1.2 million between February 6 and 7. The game’s ranked sixth overall on the site, with more than 16 million hours watched in the last few days. Looking at Twitch right now, Hogwarts Legacy is the most popular game Read more about Hogwarts Legacy Is Twitch’s Most Popular Game Right Now – woke loud minority haters don’t actually have any influence at all[…]

Perfectly Good MacBooks From 2020 Are Being Sold for Scrap Because of Activation Lock

Secondhand MacBooks that retailed for as much as $3,000 are being turned into parts because recyclers have no way to login and factory reset the machines, which are often just a couple years old. “How many of you out there would like a 2-year-old M1 MacBook? Well, too bad, because your local recycler just took Read more about Perfectly Good MacBooks From 2020 Are Being Sold for Scrap Because of Activation Lock[…]

Citizen’s volunteer ‘safety’ app accidentally doxxes singer Billie Eilish

Citizen, the provocative crime-reporting app formerly known as Vigilante, is in the news again for all the wrong reasons. On Thursday evening, it doxxed singer Billie Eilish, publishing her address to thousands of people after an alleged burglary at her home. Shortly after the break-in, the app notified users of a break-in in Los Angeles’ Read more about Citizen’s volunteer ‘safety’ app accidentally doxxes singer Billie Eilish[…]

Californian law forces salary disclosure for companies > 15 people – fair and inclusive

The law affects every company with more than 15 employees looking to fill a job that could be performed from the state of California. It covers hourly and temporary work, all the way up to openings for highly paid technology executives. That means it’s now possible to know the salaries top tech companies pay their Read more about Californian law forces salary disclosure for companies > 15 people – fair and inclusive[…]

We Found Subscription Menus in Our BMW Test Car. And other models have different subscriptions. WTF BMW?

[…] We were recently playing in the menus of a 2023 BMW X1 when we came across a group of screens offering exactly that sort of subscription. BMW TeleService and Remote Software Upgrade showed a message that read Activated, while BMW Drive Recorder had options to subscribe for one month, one year, three years, or Read more about We Found Subscription Menus in Our BMW Test Car. And other models have different subscriptions. WTF BMW?[…]

FSF Warns: Stay Away From iPhones, Amazon, Netflix, and Music Steaming Services

For the last thirteen years the Free Software Foundation has published its Ethical Tech Giving Guide. But what’s interesting is this year’s guide also tags companies and products with negative recommendations to “stay away from.” Stay away from: iPhones It’s not just Siri that’s creepy: all Apple devices contain software that’s hostile to users. Although Read more about FSF Warns: Stay Away From iPhones, Amazon, Netflix, and Music Steaming Services[…]

ChatGPT Is a ‘Code Red’ for Google’s Search Business

A new wave of chat bots like ChatGPT use artificial intelligence that could reinvent or even replace the traditional internet search engine. From a report: Over the past three decades, a handful of products like Netscape’s web browser, Google’s search engine and Apple’s iPhone have truly upended the tech industry and made what came before Read more about ChatGPT Is a ‘Code Red’ for Google’s Search Business[…]

Mercedes locks faster acceleration behind a yearly $1,200 subscription – the car can already go faster, they slowed you down

Mercedes is the latest manufacturer to lock auto features behind a subscription fee, with an upcoming “Acceleration Increase” add-on that lets drivers pay to access motor performance their vehicle is already capable of. The $1,200 yearly subscription improves performance by boosting output from the motors by 20–24 percent, increasing torque, and shaving around 0.8 to Read more about Mercedes locks faster acceleration behind a yearly $1,200 subscription – the car can already go faster, they slowed you down[…]

Russian software disguised as American finds its way into U.S. Army, CDC apps

Thousands of smartphone applications in Apple (AAPL.O) and Google’s (GOOGL.O) online stores contain computer code developed by a technology company, Pushwoosh, that presents itself as based in the United States, but is actually Russian, Reuters has found. […] The U.S. Army said it had removed an app containing Pushwoosh code in March because of the Read more about Russian software disguised as American finds its way into U.S. Army, CDC apps[…]

Egypt’s COP27 summit app can read your emails and encrypted messages, scan your device, send your location

Western security advisers are warning delegates at the COP27 climate summit not to download the host Egyptian government’s official smartphone app, amid fears it could be used to hack their private emails, texts and even voice conversations. […] The potential vulnerability from the Android app, which has been downloaded thousands of times and provides a Read more about Egypt’s COP27 summit app can read your emails and encrypted messages, scan your device, send your location[…]

Dutch foundation launches mass privacy claim against Twitter – DutchNews.nl

A Dutch foundation is planning to take legal action against social media platform Twitter for illegally collecting and trading in personal details gathered via free apps such as Duolingo and Wordfeud as well as dating apps and weather forecaster Buienradar. Twitter owned advertising platform MoPub between 2013 and January 2022 and that is where the Read more about Dutch foundation launches mass privacy claim against Twitter – DutchNews.nl[…]

iOS 16 VPN Tunnels Leak Data, Even When Lockdown Mode Is Enabled

AmiMoJo shares a report from MacRumors: iOS 16 continues to leak data outside an active VPN tunnel, even when Lockdown mode is enabled, security researchers have discovered. Speaking to MacRumors, security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry explained that iOS 16’s approach to VPN traffic is the same whether Lockdown mode is enabled or Read more about iOS 16 VPN Tunnels Leak Data, Even When Lockdown Mode Is Enabled[…]