What’s Going on with Elon Musk? Tech Leaders Navigate the Trump Landscape

Posted on May 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Oval Office was bustling, and reporters cautioned him to avoid bumping into the significant desk. Beside him, dressed in black, stood Donald Trump’s billionaire associate, leading his administration’s efficiency initiative.

“Elon is from South Africa. I don’t want to draw Elon into this,” the US president said to South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa during a conversation regarding crimes against white farmers. “He actually came here on a different topic: launching rockets to Mars. He’s even more passionate about that.”

Musk’s quiet demeanor throughout the hour-long discussion hinted at the evolving dynamics in Trump’s sphere. He planned to stay close to the president and remain welcome in the West Wing. He also made two visits to the Pentagon this week. However, the relationship, once predicted to result in a clash of egos, appears to be gradually fading instead.

On Monday, Politico published an analysis titled “Why Has Elon Musk Disappeared from the Spotlight?” revealing a notable decline in the frequency of Trump’s posts about Musk on his social media platform, with an average of four mentions weekly in February, dropping to none from early April to March.

In February, Trump’s fundraising team reported he mentioned Musk almost daily in emails for fundraising. However, those references abruptly ceased in early March, save for one email in May promoting the “American Bay” hat Musk wore.

Furthermore, White House staffers no longer filled their social media feeds with Musk-related content. Reporters seldom inquire about him during White House press briefings. Council members are steering clear of his name.

Musk appears to have noted the shift. Recently, Tesla’s CEO confirmed he has scaled back his involvement in the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to merely two days a week. Reducing his political expenditures serves as his latest indication that he is redirecting his focus to his business empire, amidst rising concerns from investors.

This represents a stark contrast to the opening week of Trump’s second term, during which Musk attended the inauguration, was a constant figure at Mar-a-Lago, regularly appeared in the Oval Office with Trump, and exchanged mutual accolades during a Fox News interview. DOGE dominated headlines as he aimed to streamline the federal bureaucracy.

Trump seemed captivated by the wealthiest individuals intent on launching rockets into space, contributing at least $250 million to last year’s election campaign. In March, the president converted the South Lawn of the White House into a temporary Tesla showroom, showcasing five electric vehicles and promising to buy one for himself.

Elon Musk and his son x† depart the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday. Photo: Oliver/EPA

However, the polls painted a different story. Last month, a national survey by Marquette University Law School revealed only a 41% approval rating for Musk’s management of DOGE, while 58% disapproved. Around 60% of respondents held unfavorable views of Musk, compared to just 38% who viewed him positively.

Congressman Khanna, a Democrat familiar with Musk for over a decade, remarked, “As his approval ratings decline, so do Trump’s fortunes. When Trump’s ratings drop, he tends to distance himself from people in a similar situation. It’s indicative of his fleeting charm and the feeling of abandonment.”

Khanna, representing a district in Silicon Valley, predicted Musk would not last beyond four or five months in this role.

At that time, Khanna wished for DOGE to focus on reducing the Pentagon’s budget. Instead, they downplayed the importance of reforming entities such as the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, the Internal Revenue Service, and other targets.

“I noted he wouldn’t enact a $2 trillion cut anywhere. He didn’t even reach a trillion. It’s closer to around $81 billion. He learned the lessons many very successful business leaders do,” Khanna stated.

Certainly, Musk continues to face significant challenges. On Wednesday, the American Institute of Peace was revising its governance after a federal judge ruled it illegal to dismiss the board and employees by DOGE. On Thursday, a federal judge in San Francisco stated Trump could not restructure and downsize the U.S. government without Congressional approval, likely extending a decision that would inhibit federal agencies from executing large-scale layoffs.

Nevertheless, DOGE has already initiated deep cuts in the workforce and expenditures, attempting to shutter entire agencies, resulting in severe disruptions to government operations.

For instance, internal agency reviews reveal that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is “not prepared” for the onset of hurricane season next month, as CNN reports. The disaster relief agency, employing over 20,000 personnel, faced approximately a 30% staff reduction due to layoffs and DOGE acquisitions.

Khanna warned: “[The National Institutes of Health] have been harmed, the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] has been compromised, and the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] stands diminished, significantly impacting the State Department, all of which will require a generation to rebuild.”

“I hope the damage halts. We need to observe what unfolds, but ideally, these institutions will regain their strength.”

Even conservatives advocating for a smaller government have expressed concerns. Rick Tyler, a political strategist with experience in Republican campaigns, stated, “What they’re attempting to do is shrink the government. This isn’t reform; it’s merely dismantling and destruction.”

Tesla, a significant source of Musk’s wealth, has incurred considerable brand damage and lost sales, particularly due to political engagements with Trump. He has also shown support for the far-right anti-immigrant AFD party in Germany. Tesla dealerships have become sites of protests and vandalism in the U.S. and beyond.

Perhaps Musk encountered his political downfall in Wisconsin. His investment of over $3 million made the Supreme Court race there the most expensive in U.S. history. He appeared in Green Bay wearing a cheesehead hat, popular among NFL Green Bay Packers fans, personally handing out a million-dollar check to supporters.

Musk will address City Hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 30th. He spent $3 million on a candidate who lost by 10 points in the judicial election. Photo: Jeffrey Phelps/AP

However, the candidate he backed lost ground, dropping 10 percentage points. Democrats successfully mobilized voters to counter his influence in the elections dubbed “People vs Musk.”

This week, Musk stated at Bloomberg’s Qatar Economic Forum in Doha that the biggest funder in Republican politics might just “take his toys and go home,” as reported by the Associated Press.

Clearly, Musk and his disruptive approach are politically impactful for Republicans seeking re-election next year. Democrats across the nation are expected to leverage Musk as a political boogeyman in attack ads against their opponents.

Tyler remarked: “I believe he has instigated enough conflicts, and his relationships have diminished Trump’s standing, which poses a threat to his party and agenda.”

Wendy Schiller, a political science professor at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, noted: “There is a trial balloon regarding how they would reduce federal employment. If it worked and people approved, they could have continuously used him as a scapegoat and as a tool for reform.”

“Donald Trump believes he is the sole generator of his appeal, so it’s hard to believe he sees Musk as pivotal to his popularity and stature, and I doubt he is mistaken about that.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Why Many Digital Natives Choose Not to Give Their Kids Smartphones: A Parent’s Perspective

Posted on May 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In 2019, when Sophie* was 12 years old, her classmates shared “extreme and traumatic” videos featuring al-Qaeda beheadings, pornography, and bestiality. She recalls online games where adult players tried to persuade her to meet in person. Her father worked there, but reflecting back, she says, “There were no signs for my generation of parents.”

Now 18 and attending the University of Edinburgh, she didn’t permit her children to have smartphones until adulthood. “As a teenager, I would have been the strongest advocate for phone ownership, but my perspective changed completely,” she stated.

“You shouldn’t engage online until you’re an adult and understand the various ways people act respectfully to push their interests. It’s a fleeting message.”

Social media exacerbated bullying at Sophie’s school. Officials used an anonymous confession app to share hurtful comments. She also ponders what other time she might have wasted.

Sophie is one of many so-called digital natives who question the nearly unrestricted access to technology they grew up with. Recent polls indicate that nearly half of young people feel the internet is almost non-existent, with similar numbers favoring digital curfews; over three-quarters reported feeling worse about themselves after using social media.

Izzy Bouric, 24, with her flip phone, which helped her regain time and mental space. Photo: Magalidellport/Guardian

Meanwhile, the Netflix hit series has ignited discussions about the dangers children face on social media and the prevalence of online misogyny across different platforms.

Izzy Bourick, a 24-year-old artist from Brighton living in Paris, believes that platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Roblox have muddled the lines between children’s and adults’ spaces in recent years.

“I engaged with the online children’s game Club Penguin, where the environment was controlled to be child-friendly, banning inappropriate language.”

Nonetheless, Izzy stated, “I was definitely exposed to things I wasn’t ready for,” adding, “everyone from my generation has been in chat rooms with people much older than us.”

She permits kids to have smartphones from the age of 17. “It’s not fit for children, nor for those not equipped to handle it,” she explains, “it’s unsafe to navigate without guidance.”

She feels social media has become overwhelming, “cannibalized by advertising and businesses,” spreading misinformation on sensitive issues like mental health and neurological conditions. “Suddenly, my phone was inundating me with messages that I was doing everything wrong, only to turn around and pitch products to me.”

This shift left her anxious and frustrated, prompting her to choose a flip phone, which feels liberating and has helped her reclaim her time and mental clarity.

“I found myself in a moment of despair,” shares Tobias, 20, from Austria.

Tobias, 20 from Austria, got his first smartphone around 11 or 12, and noticed a change in his peers. “People would sit together but wouldn’t talk—everyone just scrolled on their phones.”

His school implemented a policy to turn off phones, but teachers quickly abandoned it. “There was always a buzz and the constant sound of notifications,” he recalled.

As a teenager, he found himself binge-watching videos on YouTube and Instagram. “After scrolling through short videos for hours and reflecting, ‘Wow, that was fast—I’m neglecting what I want to do,’ I recognized I was in a state of despair.”

Tobias became particularly concerned when his interest in first-person shooter games led to algorithm recommendations showcasing real firearms and violent content. He now believes, “It’s best for children and teens to limit their smartphone usage.”

Lethe, a 20-year-old paramedic student near Birmingham, England, allowed children to use smartphones only after age 16 and restricted their media access.

She received her first smartphone at 18 but quickly realized that it contributed to bullying among friends, reduced attention spans, and replaced meaningful conversations with endless scrolling on social media.

Two years after getting her first phone, she remarked, “It definitely changed me. I’m not good at being bored, and my attention span has decreased. I’m struggling to be present. Social media algorithms expose me to things I don’t wish to see.”

Nora, a project manager in Spain, restricts social media access until age 13 and limits usage while fostering open dialogue about risks with children. “When they encounter something distressing, I strive to create a trusting environment so they feel comfortable discussing it with me.”

She recalls a situation where, at 13, she and her peers began receiving messages from strangers on Google Messages, leading to inappropriate requests and a subsequent case of pedophilia.

She also remembers a classmate who bullied peers on messaging apps. “I faced some harsh messages myself,” she shared.

Nora later discovered that social media had worsened her struggles with eating disorders as she compared herself to other girls and engaged with harmful weight loss transformation videos. “Chasing likes on Instagram wasn’t healthy for me.”

Now, she worries about her 16-year-old brother. “His TikTok is filled with misogynistic concepts and toxic masculinity. His friends make harmful comments about women’s bodies. That wasn’t the environment for me and my friends.”

*Name changed

Source: www.theguardian.com

Revitalizing Australia’s Craft Heritage: The Loom of Destiny and the Fight for Artisan Skills in Education

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

“Rachel, I have some unfortunate news,” the text read. “They are planning to dismantle the loom tomorrow.”

Rachel Halton still doesn’t know who made the decision in October 2022 to eliminate the $160,000 jacquard loom, which had been the foundation of RMIT’s renowned textile and textile design course for two decades.

Standing at 3 meters tall and weighing over half a tonne, the loom was an intricate machine made of polished wood, steel, compressed air, and mechatronics. It served as both a grand tribute to the textile industry’s golden age and a modern tool for weaving intricate fabrics from strands of thread. Halton couldn’t bear the thought of it ending up in a landfill.

The Jacquard Loom uses punch cards—an early form of coding—to guide the lifting and dropping of threads.
Photo: Stuart Walmsley/Guardian

“It was my day off, and I jumped out of bed and rushed over,” recalls Halton.

The loom was unique in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only a few globally. Halton acquired it for the university’s Brunswick campus in the early 2000s soon after she began teaching there. It “expanded artistic possibilities,” she states. Students enrolled specifically to work with it, and international artists visited to weave on it. It became integral to Halton’s creative process.

Upon her arrival on campus that October morning, she was determined to “rescue it from the brink.”

“He severed it right in front of me,” Halton recounts. “It felt like I was pulling the plug on a family member’s life support.”

Many shared her sentiment, prompting a grassroots effort to save the loom as news spread about its impending removal. A passionate collective of weavers, educators, students, and alumni rallied to find it a more suitable home, all while carefully disassembling it for transport to a compassionate technician’s workshop, eventually settling on a former student’s living space.

Textile artist Daisy Watt, part of that collective, describes the event as a “telling snapshot of the challenges” facing higher education in arts and crafts.

Warp and Weft

The loom’s cumbersome name underscores its significance. Traditional jacquard looms utilize punch cards (rows of holes in cardboard slips, the earliest form of coding) to control the lifting of vertical (warp) threads and weave fabric through thread manipulation. The Arm AG CH-3507 loom can be operated manually or via computer, providing total control over every thread and opening up limitless design avenues.

Watt collaborates with technician Tony De Groot to restore the loom.
Photo: Stuart Walmsley/Guardian

Watt has a “deep connection” to the loom. Not only did she invest countless hours during her time at RMIT, but she also housed it for months post-rescue. Self-taught in coding, she is now updating its electronics. Given its roots in Jacquard punch card technology, it feels as though the loom is intertwined with the **fundamentals of modern computing.**

“We often think of crafting as separate from technology, yet this embodies the beautiful chaos of that intersection,” Watt explains. “Effective crafting technology revolves around creating beauty.”

Instructor Lucy Adam notes that when the loom was acquired, RMIT offered textile design as part of its arts diploma.

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In 2008, RMIT shifted from offering a diploma to a Certificate IV training package, part of a wider and controversial national restructuring of vocational education. This approach omitted traditional curricula in favor of job-focused “competency units” directed by industry, all under stringent regulation.

Government officials defended these reforms as necessary for streamlining qualifications and eliminating underperforming training providers. However, educators and union representatives warned that this would dilute educational quality, resulting in a systemic decline in skill development which labor theorist Harry Braverman described as a shift from “conscious skilled labor” to rudimentary tasks.

Testimonies from RMIT’s textile design faculty indicate this was indeed the outcome despite their best efforts.

De Groot inspects educational materials recovered from the loom.
Photo: Stuart Walmsley/Guardian

The program has become “very dry and at the lowest common denominator,” according to Adam. Resources have been cut back significantly, and student interaction time has halved. Despite the loom’s educational potential, there was insufficient time to teach students how to operate it adequately. Halton endeavored to integrate it into student projects as much as possible, personally overseeing its setup, disassembly, and maintenance.

In her Master’s thesis, Adam scrutinized the effects of these changes on vocational education and noted that competency checklists missed the essence of trade disciplines like textile design, ceramics, cooking, metalworking, woodworking, and other fields that marry technical skills with artistic expression.

“Unless you are an exceptionally skilled educator capable of circumventing the banality, you’re relegated to an archaic teaching model,” she argues.

Artist and educator John Brooks echoes the concerns about the restrictive course structure, highlighting that even basic tasks like starting or shutting down a computer are now considered part of the evaluation requirements. “With so much focus on compliance, we compromise the fundamental skills we aim to teach,” he laments.

Adam remembers a student lamenting their training package, saying it felt like “filling out a visa application repeatedly.” “It truly saddened me,” she reflects. “Where does real learning take place? Where can you learn it?”

The loom’s new location in Ballarat.
Photo: Stuart Walmsley/Guardian

This trend isn’t confined to TAFE. Ella*, a third-year student from the University of Tasmania, shares with Guardian Australia that advanced 3D media courses, particularly in her areas of focus—furniture, sculpture, or time-based media—cease after the first year. There are also no offerings in art history.

“It significantly affects students’ understanding of contemporary art,” Ella asserts. Her instructor is striving to “revitalize” the course.

Professor Lisa Fletcher, representing the Faculty of Arts at the University of Tasmania, emphasizes the institution’s commitment to arts education, stating they aim to equip students with “strong and sustainable skills,” while actively seeking feedback as they regularly evaluate their art degrees.

Crafting the Future

The loom is currently housed in an incubator space in Ballarat, where rescue organizations can operate for minimal fees. The city is dedicated to preserving rare and endangered craft techniques. Certain crafts have nearly disappeared; for instance, stained glass work, once close to being extinct in Australia, has seen a revival thanks to a handful of artists who successfully reintroduced it into the TAFE system and launched a course in Melbourne’s polytechnics. However, such revivals are rare.

Watt and fellow weavers aspire for looms to be accessible once more, allowing others to learn, teach, and create. As Brooks puts it, the less prevalent these skills become, the fewer opportunities there will be to acquire them. “We’re in danger of losing them altogether.”

An RMIT spokesperson mentioned that the university had to remove the looms as part of an upgrade to ensure students had access to “reliable and modern equipment” that prepares them for the workforce. Presently, the space previously occupied by the looms is dedicated to military-funded textile initiatives, requiring security clearance for entry. Last year, RMIT stopped accepting enrollments for the Certificate IV in Textile Design after state government funding for the course was withdrawn.

Yet, there is a glimmer of hope. Adam remains determined; she recently proposed a new diploma that has been approved. Despite the growing constraints, she isn’t alone in her endeavors at the university. As of this writing, the institution is set to acquire new equipment—a modest yet promising $100,000 computer-controlled Jacquard loom.

*Name changed

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alabama Paid Millions to Law Firms for Prison Protection: AI-Generated Fake Citations Uncovered

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Frankie Johnson, an inmate at William E. Donaldson Prison near Birmingham, Alabama, reports being stabbed approximately 20 times within a year and a half.

In December 2019, Johnson claimed he was stabbed “at least nine times” in his housing unit. Then, in March 2020, after a group therapy session, officers handcuffed him to a desk and exited the unit. Shortly afterward, another inmate came in and stabbed him five times.

In November that same year, Johnson alleged that an officer handcuffed him and transported him to the prison yard, where another prisoner assaulted him with an ice pick and stabbed him “five or six times,” all while two corrections officers looked on. Johnson contended that one officer even encouraged the attack as retaliation for a prior conflict between him and the staff.

In 2021, Johnson filed a lawsuit against Alabama prison officials, citing unsafe conditions characterized by violence, understaffing, overcrowding, and significant corruption within the state’s prison system. To defend the lawsuit, the Alabama Attorney General’s office has engaged law firms that have received substantial payments from the state to support a faulty prison system, including Butler Snow.

State officials have praised Butler Snow for its experience in defending prison-related cases, particularly William Lansford, the head of their constitutional and civil rights litigation group. However, the firm is now facing sanctions from a federal judge overseeing Johnson’s case, following incidents where its lawyers referenced cases produced by artificial intelligence.

This is just one of several cases reflecting the issue of attorneys using AI-generated information in formal legal documents. A database that tracks such occurrences has noted 106 identified instances globally, where courts have encountered “AI hallucinations” in submitted materials.

Last year, lawyers received one-year suspensions for practicing law in Florida’s Central District after it was found that they were citing cases fabricated by AI. Earlier this month, a federal judge in California ordered a firm to pay over $30,000 in legal fees for including erroneous AI-generated studies.

During a hearing in Birmingham on Wednesday regarding Johnson’s case, U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco mentioned that she was contemplating various sanctions, such as fines, mandatory legal education, referrals to licensing bodies, and temporary suspensions.

She noted that existing disciplinary measures across the country have often been insufficient. “This case demonstrates that current sanctions are inadequate,” she remarked to Johnson’s attorney. “If they were sufficient, we wouldn’t be here.”

During the hearing, attorneys from Butler Snow expressed their apologies and stated they would accept any sanctions deemed appropriate by Manasco. They also highlighted their firm policy that mandates attorneys seek approval before employing AI tools for legal research.

Reeves, an attorney involved, took full responsibility for the lapses.

“I was aware of the restrictions concerning [AI] usage, and in these two instances, I failed to adhere to the policy,” Reeves stated.

Butler Snow’s lawyers were appointed by the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and work on behalf of the state to defend ex-commissioner Jefferson Dunn of the Alabama Department of Corrections.

Lansford, who is contracted for the case, shared that the firm has begun a review of all previous submissions to ensure no additional instances of erroneous citations exist.

“This situation is still very new and raw,” Lansford conveyed to Manasco. “We are still working to perfect our response.”

Manasco indicated that Butler Snow would have 10 days to file a motion outlining their approach to resolving this issue before she decides on sanctions.

The use of fictitious AI citations has subsequently influenced disputes regarding case scheduling.

Lawyers from Butler Snow reached out to Johnson’s attorneys to arrange a deposition for Johnson while he remains incarcerated. However, Johnson’s lawyers objected to the proposed timeline, citing outstanding documents that Johnson deemed necessary before he could proceed.

In a court filing dated May 7, Butler Snow countered that case law necessitates a rapid deposition for Johnson. “The 11th Circuit and the District Court typically allow depositions for imprisoned plaintiffs when relevant to their claims or defenses, irrespective of other discovery disputes,” they asserted.

The lawyers listed four cases that superficially supported their arguments, but all turned out to be fabricated.

While some case titles were reminiscent of real cases, none were actually relevant to the matter at hand. For instance, one was a 2021 case titled Kelly v. Birmingham; however, Johnson’s attorneys noted that “the only existing case titled Kelly v. City of Birmingham could be uniquely identified by the plaintiff’s lawyers.”

Earlier this week, Johnson’s lawyers filed a motion highlighting the fabrications, asserting they were creations of “generative artificial intelligence.” They also identified another clearly fictitious citation in prior submissions related to the discovery dispute.

The following day, Manasco scheduled a hearing regarding whether Butler Snow’s counsel should be approved. “Given the severity of the allegations, the court conducted an independent review of each citation submitted, but found nothing to support them,” she wrote.

In his declaration to the court, Reeves indicated he was reviewing filings drafted by junior colleagues and included a citation he presumed was a well-established point of law.

“I was generally familiar with ChatGPT,” Reeves mentioned, explaining that he sought assistance to bolster the legal arguments needed for the motion. However, he admitted he “rushed to finalize and submit the motions” and “did not independently verify the case citations provided by ChatGPT through Westlaw or PACER before their inclusion.”

“I truly regret this lapse in judgment and diligence,” Reeves expressed. “I accept full responsibility.”

Damien Charlotin, a legal researcher and academic based in Paris, notes that incidents of false AI content entering legal filings are on the rise. Track the case.

“We’re witnessing a rapid increase,” he stated. “The number of cases over the past weeks and months has spiked compared to earlier periods.”

Thus far, the judicial response to this issue has been quite lenient, according to Charlotin. More severe repercussions, including substantial fines and suspensions, typically arise when lawyers fail to take responsibility for their mistakes.

“I don’t believe this will continue indefinitely,” Charlotin predicted. “Eventually, everyone will be held accountable.”

In addition to the Johnson case, Lansford and Butler Snow have contracts with the Alabama Department of Corrections to handle several large civil rights lawsuits. These include cases raised by the Justice Department during Donald Trump’s presidency in 2020.

The contract for that matter was valued at $15 million over two years.

Some Alabama legislators have questioned the significant amount of state funds allocated to law firms for defending these cases. However, this week’s missteps have not appeared to diminish the Attorney General’s confidence in Lansford or Butler Snow to continue their work.

On Wednesday, Manasco addressed the attorney from the Attorney General’s office present at the hearing.

“Mr. Lansford remains the Attorney General’s preferred counsel,” he replied.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police Expansion of Live Facial Recognition Cameras: A Shift Towards ‘General’ Surveillance

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Authorities anticipate that live facial recognition cameras may soon be “prevalent” across England and Wales, as indicated by internal documents revealing nearly 5 million face scans conducted last year.

A joint investigation by the Guardian and Liberty investigates showcases the rapid integration of this technology into UK law enforcement practices.

The government is simplifying police access to a wide range of image repositories, including passports and immigration databases, for past facial recognition searches, alongside significant financial investments in new hardware.

Live facial recognition entails real-time identification of faces captured by surveillance cameras, compared against a police watch list.

Conversely, retrospective facial recognition software allows police to match archived images from databases with those recorded on CCTV or similar systems.

The implementation of this technology is believed to be widespread in urban areas and transportation hubs across England and Wales, as noted in funding documents produced by South Wales Police and shared by the Metropolitan Police under the Freedom of Information Act.

The inaugural fixed live facial recognition camera is set to be trialed this summer in Croydon, located south of London.

This expansion comes despite the absence of any mention of facial recognition in the relevant congressional legislation.

Critics contend that police are permitted to “self-regulate” this technology, while there have been instances where previous algorithms disproportionately misidentified individuals from Black communities.

Following a 2020 Court of Appeals ruling that deemed South Wales Police’s live facial recognition practices unlawful, the Police College issued guidance emphasizing that “thresholds must be carefully set to enhance the likelihood of accurate alerts while keeping false alert rates within acceptable limits.”

There remains no statutory framework directing the standards or technology applied in this context.

Earlier this month, Police Minister Diane Johnson informed Congress that “we must evaluate whether a tailored legislative framework is necessary to govern the deployment of live facial recognition technology for law enforcement,” but further details from the Home Office are still pending.

Facial recognition cameras have been tested in London and South Wales since 2016; however, the pace at which police have adopted this technology has surged over the past year.

A survey conducted by the Guardian and Liberty revealed:

Last year, police scanned nearly 4.7 million faces using live facial recognition cameras—over double the figures from 2023. Data indicates that a minimum of 256 live recognition vans were operational in 2024.
Mobile units comprising 10 live facial recognition vans can be dispatched anywhere in the UK within a matter of days to bolster national capabilities, with eight police forces having deployed this technology, while the Met has four such vans.
Authorities are exploring a fixed infrastructure to establish a “safety zone” by deploying a network of live facial recognition cameras throughout London’s West End. Met officials indicated that this remains a viable option.
The force has nearly doubled the number of retrospective facial recognition searches on the National Police Database (PND) from 138,720 in 2023 to 252,798. The PND contains administrative mug shots, including many held unlawfully for individuals not formally charged or convicted of any offenses.
Over the past two years, more than 1,000 facial recognition searches have utilized the UK passport database, with officers increasingly accessing 110 matches from the Home Office immigration database last year. Authorities concluded that using a passport database for facial recognition “presents no risk.”
The Home Office is collaborating with the police to develop a new national facial recognition system termed strategic facial matchers, which will enable searches across various databases, including custody images and immigration records.

Lindsey Chiswick, Met’s Intelligence Director General and the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Facial Recognition lead, stated that five out of five London residents support the police’s utilization of advanced technologies like facial recognition cameras, based on the survey findings.

Recently, registered sex offender David Chenelle, a 73-year-old from Lewisham, was sentenced to two years after being caught alone with a 6-year-old girl through live facial recognition technology. He had previously served nine years for 21 offenses involving children.

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In 2024, the Met arrested 587 individuals, with 424 of those arrests backed by live facial recognition technology, leading to formal charges.

Among those arrested, 58 registered sex offenders faced serious violations of their conditions, with 38 subsequently charged.

Chiswick noted: “Given the limited resources and time available, the demand is high, and we see criminals exploiting technology on an expansive scale.

“There’s a chance for law enforcement to evolve. Discussions about leveraging AI are abundant, but we must embrace the opportunities presented by technology and data.”

Chiswick emphasized that the Met’s approach is to “proceed cautiously and evaluate at each phase,” while noting that “there may be advantages to some form of framework or statutory guidance.”

The MET employs facial recognition cameras in contexts aimed at ensuring statistical significance regarding gender or ethnic bias in misidentification instances.

Chiswick remarked: “I refuse to utilize biased algorithms in London. Each instance carries weight. The government raises concerns: Is there no issue regarding artificial intelligence?

“When selecting an algorithm’s purchaser, determining the training data employed, and assessing the origin of the technology, testing it thoroughly is paramount; you are obliged to operate within a specific context.”

The Ministry of Home Affairs did not provide a comment upon request.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Face ID: A Useful Resource or a Source of Concern? The Subtle Integration of Facial Recognition in Law Enforcement

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The future is arriving ahead of schedule in Croydon. While it may not initially seem like the UK’s forefront, North End is a pedestrian-friendly high street filled with typical pawn shops, fast-food restaurants, and a blend of branded clothing stores. It’s anticipated that this area will host one of the UK’s first permanent fixed facial recognition cameras.

Digital images of passersby will be captured discreetly and processed to derive biometric data, which includes facial measurements. This data will be rapidly compared against a watchlist via artificial intelligence, and a match will trigger an alert that might lead to an arrest.

As per the latest violence reduction strategy from the South London Borough, North End and its adjacent streets are identified as “major crime hotspots.” However, they do not rank among the most hazardous routes in the capital.

The crime rate here is the 20th worst among the 32 London Boroughs, excluding the City of London. Plans to launch permanent cameras for a trial phase later this summer are not an emergency measure; instead, North End and nearby London Roads might soon see more surveillance.

When approached about the surveillance initiative, most shopkeepers and visitors in the North End were unaware of the police’s plans or the underlying technology.

For many, the cameras appear as just another form of street furniture alongside signs promoting safe cycling. While some express concern, others reference studies indicating widespread exhaustion of the public facing rising crime rates.

The police began experimenting with facial recognition cameras in the UK and Wales in 2016. Recent documents released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and police statistics shared with the Guardian reveal substantial growth in usage over the last year. This technology is evolving from a niche tool to a regular component of police strategies.

Last year, police scanned almost 4.7 million faces using live facial recognition cameras, with deployments more than doubling in 2023. In 2024, live facial recognition vans were utilized at least 256 times, up from 63 the previous year.

There’s speculation that mobile units of 10 live facial recognition vans may operate throughout the country.

Meanwhile, civil servants collaborate with law enforcement to develop a new national facial recognition system called strategic facial matchers. This platform will enable searches through various databases, including custody images and immigration files.

“The implementation of this technology could become a common sight in city centres and transit hubs across England and Wales,” states one funding document submitted by the South Wales police to the Home Department and released by Metropolitan Police under FOI.

Activists warn that this technology may disrupt everyday public life by subjecting individuals to impromptu identity checks facilitated by extensive facial recognition systems. Advocates of the technology acknowledge its risks but emphasize its importance for safety.

Recently, David Scheneller, a 73-year-old registered sex offender from Lewisham, who had served nine years for 21 offenses, was sentenced to two years in prison for breaching probation terms.

Officers were alerted by the live facial recognition cameras to Scheneller walking alone with his six-year-old child.

“He was on the watchlist due to his compliance conditions,” said Lindsay Chiswick, Metropolitan’s Intelligence Director and advisor to the National Police Chief of Facial Recognition.

“He formed a relationship with his mother over time and began picking up his daughter from school. If something went wrong that day, he was aware of the repercussions. This exemplifies how police could track him. Without facial recognition, recognizing him would have posed a challenge.”

Many see this as a compelling argument, but critics raise concerns about the unanticipated ramifications as law enforcement adopts technology without legislative guidance.

Madeline Stone from the NGO Big Brother Watch, who has observed mobile camera deployments, reported witnessing misidentifications of schoolchildren in uniforms undergoing “long, humiliating, and unnecessary police stops,” where they were compelled to verify their identities and provide fingerprints.

In these instances, the affected individuals were young Black boys, leaving them frightened and distressed, she noted.

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“The effectiveness diminishes as the threshold rises,” Stone added. “The police might not prefer employing it in specific environments. There are no legal mandates requiring them to do so. The notion that police could unilaterally create their own guidelines for usage is truly alarming.”

A judicial review was initiated by Londoner Sean Thompson, with backing from Big Brother Watch, after he was wrongly identified as a person of interest due to the technology and detained for 30 minutes upon returning from a volunteer shift with the anti-knife initiative Street Father.

Additionally, Dr. Dara Murray, tasked with an independent evaluation of the trials by the Met in 2019, highlights the potential “chilling” effect this technology might have on society, suggesting that considerations must go beyond just the technology’s implementation.

“It’s akin to police tailing you, recording your interactions, where you go, how often, and for how long,” he remarked. “I believe most would be uncomfortable with such reality. Democracy thrives on dissent and discourse; if surveillance stifles that, it risks entrenching the status quo and limiting future opportunities.”

Live facial recognition is being utilized to apprehend individuals for traffic violations, growing cannabis, and neglecting community orders. Is this truly justified?

Fraser Sampson, former biometrics and surveillance camera commissioner in England and Wales until his position was dissolved in October 2023, currently serves as a non-executive director for FaceWatch, the leading UK firm in retail security systems designed to prevent shoplifting.

While he acknowledges the technology’s potential, he expresses concern that independent regulations concerning surveillance haven’t kept pace with its deployment by the state.

Sampson commented: “There’s an abundance of information about the technology’s functionalities, yet in practical terms—its application, the reason for its use, and the avenues for challenges or complaints—those clarity elements seem lacking.”

Chiswick noted her understanding of the concerns while recognizing the potential advantages of regulatory measures. The Met is cautiously making “small strides” that are continually reviewed, she stated. With limited resources, law enforcement needs to adapt and capitalize on the possibilities brought by AI. They are cognizant of potential “chilling effects” on society and have made it clear that cameras will not be deployed in protest areas.

“Will this become common? I cannot say,” Chiswick remarked. “We need to approach that assumption with caution. There are numerous possible scenarios; areas like the West End? It’s conceivable, instead of the static trials we’re conducting in Croydon, we could utilize it there. However, that’s not our current plan.”

She added: “I believe the integration of technology, data, and AI will continue to rise in the coming years, as personally, that’s how we can improve our operations.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

An Opportunity to Safeguard the UK’s Creative Industry from AI Threats is Slipping Away

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

For months, icons from various fields such as music, literature, product design, and visual arts have been sounding the alarm about the UK government’s plans to weaken copyright laws. The conflict escalated when the government started discussions about regulating artificial intelligence, leading to a “favorable” outcome for AI companies. These companies can automatically infringe on copyrights unless the original creators explicitly “opt out.” However, opting out is impossible without transparency in AI operations. This plan is essentially a charter for theft, as creators are left in the dark about who, what, when, and how their work might be exploited.

It’s understandable to be frustrated when the government prioritizes positive outcomes at the expense of your moral rights and earning potential. As Elton John stated last weekend: “The government has no right to interfere with my song. They shouldn’t do it with anyone else’s work either.” He is just one of thousands of British creators raising their voices in protest.

My colleagues and I in the Senate have taken action where the government has faltered, advocating for critical transparency measures in the Data (Usage and Access) Bill, which is currently progressing through Congress. Our amendments aim to uphold existing copyright laws, ensuring that copyright holders are informed about when, where, and by whom their work is used to train AI. The rationale is that if AI companies are required to prove their use of others’ work, they are less likely to infringe on rights in the first place. These amendments received substantial support from members across all parties, including notable backing from the government’s own backbenchers, as I voted in favor.

Ultimately, Secretary of State for Technology Peter Kyle had to face criticism in the House on Thursday. He acknowledged that “much content has already been utilized and is commonly employed by AI models under existing laws from other regions,” while ignoring the Lords’ provisions against such theft. He expressed admiration for artists like Kate Bush—one of over 400 supporters—along with Paul McCartney and Ian McKellen. I signed a letter to the Prime Minister urging policy changes; yet, no substantial changes were made. There remains a lack of transparency, no timeline, and no support for creatives.

This week, the government again missed the opportunity to rectify the situation for one of our largest industries, which employs 2.4 million people and contributes £126 billion to the economy, providing countless joys across the UK. No MPs rallied to defend the government. Instead, Kyle faced a barrage of criticism over his failure to manage the crisis. As one lawmaker put it, “One of our biggest industrial sectors is in flames, while the minister seems to be having a picnic with the arsonists.”

While the government could maneuver its way to passing specific legislation with its majority, such victories would spell disaster for the creative sector and the UK’s domestic AI economy. Ironically, he criticized the government’s approach in favor of major US corporations.

The UK creative industry is a vital part of our heritage, preserving our shared narratives and telling the story of our nation. A country that allows its storytellers to thrive is inherently stronger. Nevertheless, the battle is far from over—the Data (Usage and Access) Bill is scheduled to return to the Lords on June 2nd.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Experts Cite Mask’s “Doge” Involvement as a Key Disruption in Branding | Elon Musk

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scott Galloway, a prominent marketing professor in the US, described Elon Musk’s strategy of implementing severe work and spending reductions within the federal government on behalf of the Trump administration as “one of the greatest brand disruptions ever.”

During a recent episode of the popular Pivot Podcast, he mentioned that he argued that Trump’s billionaire business advisor alienated the customer base of Tesla, one of his key ventures, while partnering with a president uninterested in the types of vehicles his allies produce.

Galloway also pointed out a vote indicating that Tesla fell to No. 95 in 2021 from its previous position as the eighth most reputable brand.

“He alienates the wrong audience,” Galloway commented. “Three-quarters of Republicans will never consider purchasing an EV. He seems comfortable associating with people who aren’t interested in electric vehicles.”

He also cited statistics showing that Tesla’s sales reached 59% in France, 81% in Sweden, 74% in the Netherlands, 66% in Denmark, 50% in Switzerland, and 33% in Portugal.

Over the past few months, Musk has attempted to intervene in various political matters across Europe, including the German federal elections and the UK’s discussions regarding grooming gangs.

A report from Jato Dynamics, a provider of automotive industry insights, noted that Tesla’s Chinese rival, which is based in Austin, gained traction in the lucrative European EV market after previous competitors faced challenges.

“This was certainly one of the largest brand disruptions,” Galloway told his co-host, veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher. “Tesla was an outstanding brand.”

“He alienates his key demographics.”

The reductions in federal government operations and budget linked to Musk stemmed from his role in leading the Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during Trump’s second term, which commenced in January. Musk secured this position after his Super Political Action Committee contributed $200 million to Trump’s successful bid to reclaim the White House following his 2020 election loss.

Since then, opinion surveys have indicated significant disapproval of Musk’s efforts for Trump, revealing that many voters were dissatisfied with the approach taken by the businessman and DOGE towards federal employees.

By late April, Tesla had reported a 71% drop in profits. In a revenue call with Tesla investors, Musk announced he would step back from his role in DOGE in May.

Musk described his responsibilities as “primarily managing the financial aspects of order” in the government, predicting “a considerable decrease in time dedicated to DOGE.”

A nonpartisan research organization, Public Service Partnership, estimated that the $160 billion cuts credited to DOGE would ultimately amount to around $135 billion.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trump Proposes 25% Tariffs on Non-Domestic Apple and Samsung Mobile Phones

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Donald Trump has threatened to implement a 25% tariff on iPhones if they are not produced in the United States.

The president wiped out approximately $70 billion (£52 billion) in company stock following a post about the Truth Social platform, emphasizing that iPhones sold in the US must be manufactured within the country.

Trump stated: “I have notified Apple’s Tim Cook that I expect iPhones available for sale in the United States to be produced domestically, rather than in India.”

Following Trump’s comments, Apple’s stock dropped by 2.6%, slightly below the company’s valuation, coming in just under $3 trillion.

Apple is not the only one affected. In statements made to a White House reporter on Friday, Trump either imposed a 25% tariff on Samsung and other phone manufacturers producing outside the US or labeled it as “unfair.”

“When they set up plants here, there will be no tariffs; hence, they will build here,” Trump remarked.

Last month, Trump cautioned Apple investors with a series of tariff announcements targeting Chinese products, with the cumulative tariff reaching 145%. However, shortly afterward, his administration announced an exemption for smartphones and computers.

Reports indicated that Apple intended to relocate all iPhone assembly for the US market to India, trying to mitigate the repercussions of Trump’s trade conflict with China.

Apple’s CEO, Cook, mentioned in a revenue call this month that the majority of iPhones sold in the US during the June quarter had “India” as their country of origin. While the company keeps its production details confidential, analysts suggest that around 90% of smartphones are assembled in China.

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The US constitutes Apple’s largest iPhone market, with over 60 million mobile phones sold annually.

This month, Trump criticized high-tech companies and their CEOs via social media. “I had a slight issue with Tim Cook,” he remarked. “We aren’t interested in you producing in India; India can manage on its own… We want you to manufacture here.”

Experts caution that relocating iPhone production to the United States could be prohibitively costly, citing the lack of facilities and flexible labor for Apple to utilize compared to China. Financial services firm Wedbush Securities noted last month that an iPhone produced in the US would cost three times more than the current price of $3,500.

Source: www.theguardian.com

China’s Unexpected Surge in Regional Internet Censorship: A Research Overview

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Authorities in China seem to be rolling out a more stringent version of the internet censorship system in Henan province, imposing tighter controls over information access for its tens of millions of residents compared to others in the country.

A research paper published by the Great Firewall Report this month indicates that internet users in Henan—one of China’s most densely populated provinces—were blocked from accessing five times as many websites from November 2023 to March 2025 compared to the national average.

“Our findings highlight striking instances of censorship emerging in the region,” stated the researchers, including authors from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Stanford University.

China has established the most advanced and extensive internet censorship system globally. Users are barred from accessing a majority of Western news sites and social media platforms, which includes popular services provided by Google, Wikipedia, and Meta.

Under the “Great Firewall,” online content is scrutinized and censored by a combination of governmental bodies and private companies that adhere to regulations requiring removal of content deemed “sensitive.” This often involves topics regarding historical or current events that conflict with the official narrative of the Chinese Communist Party.

Researchers began their investigation after residents in Henan reported that many sites accessible elsewhere in China were unavailable in their province. They discovered millions of domains not blocked by central firewalls at one point that were inaccessible to Henan users.

By acquiring a server from a cloud provider, the authors monitored internet traffic within Henan. They conducted daily tests on the top 1 million domains from November 2023 to March 2025, revealing a significant rise in blocks during 2024. The results indicated that Henan’s firewall obstructed around 4.2 million domains during the survey period—over five times the roughly 741,500 domains obstructed by regular Chinese censorship measures.

The domains specifically blocked in Henan predominantly came from business-related websites. Recent financial protests in the province have led researchers to theorize that increased information control might stem from concerns about their managed economy.

In 2022, thousands in Henan participated in protests after being denied access to their bank accounts. The situation escalated when demonstrators found their mobile health codes—essential for pandemic management—turned red, restricting their movement. Subsequent to this, five staff members faced penalties for misusing health regulations to quash the protests.

Other regions of China have also seen heightened internet restrictions. For example, after a deadly ethnic riot in July 2009, the government imposed a ten-month internet blackout in Xinjiang, a Uyghur minority region in Western China. Thereafter, internet usage in Xinjiang has been monitored much more rigorously than in other areas, with Tibet also facing strict online controls.

The rise of a regional censorship regime in Henan is notable as it is not typically identified as a hotspot for such measures by Chinese authorities.

Researchers have not been able to ascertain whether the intensified controls were imposed by the local Henan government or the central government in Beijing.

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The swift advancements in Chinese AI technologies have proven beneficial for both censorship enforcement and evasion efforts. Recently, China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced new monitoring tools enabling surveillance of users on virtual private networks (VPNs), designed to bypass internet restrictions. The MPS Institute has also introduced tools claiming to monitor accounts on Telegram, reportedly processing over 30 billion messages.

Minshu Wu, the lead author of “Henan Studies,” uses pseudonyms to safeguard their identity. Conversely, AI technologies can also be utilized to develop more sophisticated and adaptive censorship and monitoring tools.

The Henan Cyberspace Issues Committee has not responded to requests for comment.

Additional contributions by Lilian Yang

Source: www.theguardian.com

Russia-led Cybercrime Network Taken Down in Global Operations

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Cybercrime investigators from Europe and North America have announced the dismantling of a major malware operation run by Russian criminals, following extensive collaboration with law enforcement agencies from the UK, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and the US.

International arrest warrants have been issued for 20 suspects, with charges against 16 individuals sealed by European investigators based in Russia.

According to reports, the operation also involves the infamous Qakbot and Danabot malware leaders, Rustam Rafailevich Gallyamov, 48, known as Jimmbee, and Artem Aleksandrovich Kalinkin, 34, known as Onix, as stated by the US Department of Justice.

Cyberattacks aimed at government destabilization, financial theft, or phishing emails are becoming increasingly severe. Recently, high street retailer Marks & Spencer fell victim to such an attack in the UK.

The Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), led by the German crime agency, has launched a public appeal to locate 18 suspects allegedly linked to the Qakbot malware family as well as another malware known as Trickbot.

The BKA and its international partners report that many of the suspects are Russian nationals. Among them is Vitalii Nikolayevich Kovalev, 36, who has already been indicted in the US, and is among the BKA’s most wanted individuals.

Kovalev is believed to be behind the Conti group, which is regarded as one of the most sophisticated and organized ransomware syndicates. German investigators describe him as “one of the most notorious and successful email attackers in the history of cybercrime.”

Using aliases like Stern and Ben, the BKA alleges he has targeted hundreds of companies globally, extracting significant ransom payments.

Kovalev, 36, originally from Volgorod, is thought to reside in Moscow, where several companies are registered under his name. In 2023, US investigators identified him as a member of Trickbot.

Authorities also believe he leads other criminal groups, including Conti, Royal, and Blacksuit (established in 2022). His reported Cryptowallet holds approximately 1 billion euros.

The BKA, along with its international partners, has determined that there is enough evidence to issue 20 arrest warrants for 37 individuals involved.

A US law firm in California has sealed the details of charges against 16 defendants accused of “developing and deploying Danabot malware.”

The criminal activities targeting victims’ computers have been “managed and executed” by Russia-based cybercriminal organizations, which have infected over 300,000 computers globally, with significant incidents reported in the United States, Australia, Poland, India, and Italy.

The malware was advertised on a Russian criminal forum and has been linked to “espionage activities aimed at military, diplomatic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations.”

As a result of this variant, separate servers have been established for storing data stolen from these victims, presumably in the Russian Federation.

In Europe, the BKA’s most wanted list includes Roman Mikhailovich Procop, a 36-year-old Russian-speaking Ukrainian, who is suspected to be associated with Qakbot.

Operation Endgame was initiated by German authorities in 2022. BKA President Holger Münch has stated that Germany is a significant target for cybercriminals.

The BKA is specifically investigating the alleged involvement of suspects in gang-related activities and commercial terrorism, along with their association with transnational criminal organizations.

Between 2010 and 2022, the Conti Group primarily targeted US hospitals, with a noticeable increase in attacks during the COVID pandemic. US authorities have offered a reward of $10 million for information leading to their capture.

Most suspects are believed to be operating within Russia, though some may also be active in Dubai. While Münch noted that extradition to Europe or the US is unlikely, their identities remain crucial in the ongoing investigations.

“We have once again demonstrated that our strategy can be effective even in the anonymous darknets with Operation Endgame 2.0.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is My Favorite Podcast’s New Video Format the Future of Vodcasts or Just a Passing Trend?

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In the afternoon, we gathered four people at Perich, a family-owned café on Besnard Green Road, London, which has been part of the East End for 125 years. The lively and renowned owners, British-Italian brothers Nevio and Anna, have been delighting patrons with fry-ups, soups, pasta, and jam rolly-polly since 8 am. Although the café is currently closed, Anna and Nevio are embarking on their second venture as hosts of a podcast series. The show features interviews exploring food and lifestyle, focusing on guests’ favorite meals. The discussions are fascinating, chaotic, and filled with surprises.

So far, they’ve welcomed the likes of actor Ray Winstone, Dexis’ Kevin Rowland, rapper Haku Baker, and 86-year-old YouTuber Marge Keefe, also known as Grime Gran. Today’s guests include TikTok star John Fisher, aka Big John, and his son, boxer Johnny Fisher. When I mention to Anna that she must be exhausted, she laughs and replies, “Tell me about it. Actually, tell him!” Their long-time producer, George Sexton Kerr, notes that he has been busy rearranging the Formica table for the film crew.

You might wonder why a film crew is involved. Podcasts are typically for the ears, not the eyes, right? However, recent trends have changed the way podcasts are consumed, with many shows now incorporating video. In February, YouTube reported that 1 billion users watch podcast content monthly, positioning the platform ahead of Spotify (which noted 100 million podcast listeners in 2023) and Apple in the podcasting space. With leading podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience and The Mel Robbins Podcast, it’s no surprise that Spotify is working hard to catch up.

This year, the BBC launched visual adaptations of shows such as The Traitors: Uncloaked and Uncanny: Mortem in both video and audio formats. Business Insider reports that Netflix is also preparing to embrace visualized podcasts. To reflect this evolution, the British Podcast Awards introduced a new Visual Innovation Award to honor “Outstanding Visual Podcasts.” This indicates that whether one likes it or not, visualized podcasts, often referred to as “board casts,” are on the rise.

Conversations with both listeners and creators about this new audiovisual landscape reveal differing opinions. Dedicated audio enthusiasts reasonably question the need to watch a podcast when their TV watchlist is already overwhelming. Conversely, others delight in seeing familiar hosts in person. Independent audio producers, seeking anonymity, express concerns about YouTube’s dominance in the industry and worry that audio content might become “Crap Telly.”

It’s important to note that visualized podcasts aren’t necessarily competing with mainstream television. Just as celebrity interviewer Amelia Dimoldenberg, host of YouTube’s Chicken Shop Date, can coexist alongside BBC’s Graham Norton, visualized podcasts can exist beside high-quality television programming. Nonetheless, as a podcast enthusiast and critic, I admit I have my doubts. For me, the beauty of podcasts lies in the intimate experience of voice and soundscapes directly engaging my imagination. I often listen while multitasking, whether cooking or walking my dog. I don’t need yet another screen-based distraction.

That said, I’m excited about podcasts where the visuals serve a distinct purpose, such as the series launched by CAFF last year. Producer Sexton Kerr, who took two years to craft the series with Anna and Nevio, envisioned it as a comprehensive audiovisual experience. “I always wanted it to be multifaceted; it’s about food and this wonderful dynamic between Anna and Nevio. But it’s also about the beauty of sharing a conversation over tea.”

In the early episodes, Nevio admits, “There were moments of chaos because Anna and I were figuring it out, but mostly because George was guiding us,” [in both audio and visual formats].

When my producer friend discusses the pod, “Crunch Terry,” they refer to interview podcasts as ideal for visual mediums. Productions like Davina McCall’s Begin, Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud, and Call Her Daddy illustrate how hosts and interviewees can thrive in visually engaging settings, complete with stylish decor and ambient lighting.

However, many productions fall short, either restricting camera angles to sound booths or presenting awkward Zoom calls. A prime example is The Rest Is Politics, a chart-topping series hosted by Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell. Since the hosts rarely appear together, viewers see them on split screens, each illuminated from their respective homes. YouTube executive Pedlopina recently stated that the show “feels like high school” due to its lack of production quality, noting that “viewers will ultimately determine the production value they are willing to accept.”

Matt Deegan, partner at Podcast Discovery, a marketing firm for podcasts, remarked, “For some viewers, they may not frequently consume podcasts and instead watch shows. There is a younger audience that navigates YouTube without engaging with audio podcasts.”

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Regardless of production quality, the video format is easily shareable on social media, enhancing the show’s visibility. Deegan states, “Repetitive exposure to engaging, informative, or entertaining content makes it much more likely for someone to engage with the podcast app.” Sexton Kerr adds, “We’ve been steadily posting clips on Instagram and TikTok, amassing over 400,000 views on some. We couldn’t afford such advertising.”

For interview podcasts, the advantages of video content are clear and straightforward. Transforming a narrative podcast into an appealing visual format is a more considerable challenge, but podcasters are starting to explore this. George Mpanga (aka poet George) and Bembrick, creator of Have You Heard of George’s Podcast?, a Peabody Award-winning series on race, history, and culture, are currently reworking their audio episodes for a video audience.

“You have to go where the audience is,” explains Bembrick. “Even if your primary focus is audio, it would be unwise to exclude platforms like YouTube. If you venture there, you increase your chances of resonating with that content. We feel ready to experiment, and we’re curious about how it will turn out. I don’t believe we’ve reached the final form yet.”

Does all of this spell doom for audio? While some industry insiders worry that the rise of video podcasts may sideline indie podcasters in an increasingly competitive market, Bembrick is optimistic that it will create space for productions that truly prioritize audio.

Back at Perich, Nevio brings two jam tarts on giant plates to our table, and Sexton Kerr remarks that everything is interwoven. “It’s like the video of that song killed the radio star. But we still have radio stars. I still have podcasts I cherish listening to, so I believe there’s room for both.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Most Massive Homes in Video Game History: Top 12 Estates Unveiled

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Mount Holly, Blue Prince

This year’s unexpected gem, Blue Prince, is a true marvel in the realm of video games. It features an architectural puzzle set within the enchanting mansion inherited from quirky relatives. The estate is brimming with mysteries, allowing you to choose from various rooms each time you reach a door. The game delves into the dynamics of the house and our existence, evoking feelings of nostalgia and melancholy, making our surroundings appear more austere.

Edison Mansion, Maniac Mansion

Photo: Lucasfilm Games

This Addams Family-inspired Queen Anne mansion boasts a sharp façade and ominous windows. Skywalker Ranch adds an intriguing twist to this early LucasArts adventure, where strange occurrences keep you on your toes, and the demons you encounter reveal unexpected charm. While it may not be the ideal living situation, the residents make for unforgettable neighbors.

Spencer Mansion, Resident Evil

Photo: Capcom

Nestled amidst the ominous Arkray Mountains by Raccoon City, the Spencer Mansion resembles what might happen if a movie villain dabbled in architecture. This expansive estate features Second Empire Style elements with oil paintings, vintage furniture, and beautifully concealed rooms. However, prospective buyers should be aware that it is essentially a sprawling trap filled with menacing puzzles and creatures.

Finch House, What Remains of Edith Finch

Photo: Giant Sparrow

Inspired by the Alaska Goose Creek Tower, Finch House serves as a tribute to the tragic family that once resided there, which is why the bedroom feels like a sealed museum. The chaotic stack of floors creates an ambiance reminiscent of navigating a pop-up book. Living here may seem appealing, but you’ll need a sturdy support for every step. On the bright side, the bookshelves are loaded with classics like Gravity’s Rainbow, Slaughterhouse-Five, and House of Leaves, perfect for indulging in postmodern literature.

Jetset Willy, Mansion

Photo: YouTube

Among the most remarkable video game homes, this peculiar mansion finds itself in disarray after indulging in a potent drink. The rooms evoke the dizzying sensation of a hangover, with chaotic elements like stomped boots and a toilet seat in disarray. The beauty of this iconic platformer lies in its blend of domesticity and surreal horror, where boundless bedrooms and an ominous fridge heighten the surreal experience. Intriguingly, there’s even an entrance to Hades within the floor plan.

Island Cottage, Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Photo: Nintendo

Nintendo’s dreamlike examination of capitalism approaches the essence of a dollhouse for adults, encouraging players to personalize their own living spaces. Beyond selecting wallpaper and incorporating indoor plants, you can even fill the atmosphere with music played by local animals. While this may seem whimsical, the pressure to meticulously curate one’s environment represents a middle-aged inclination, highlighting a reality where one cannot access such a home without being tethered to a hefty mortgage.

Snow Peak Ruins, Zelda: Twilight Princess

Photo: Nintendo

What’s your favorite Zelda dungeon? The charmingly snowy ruins can be considered the most beloved aspect of Twilight Princess, despite the game boasting superior puzzles and greater rewards for defeating adversaries. This warm refuge among the mountains stands out as the coziest space in the series, with a welcoming contrast to the frigid outdoors, enhanced by the presence of two gentle yetis who tend to a bubbling pot of stew.

Croft Manor, Tomb Raider

Photo: Square Enix

Lara Croft’s Country House initially served as a tutorial zone, but it quickly developed into a distinctive aspect of the series. Croft is not merely an acrobat but an enigma. Her abode features strangely proportioned rooms, characteristic of PS1 titles when they ventured indoors, alongside a hedge maze and even a gym. Interestingly, Croft has a dedicated room for her harpsichord, and her eternal butler, weary and trapped, makes for an amusing addition.

Luigi’s Mansion

Photo: Nintendo

Luigi’s Mansion stands as the first game to reveal the personalities of Nintendo’s plumbers. Interestingly, this is not solely because they traverse vibrant, whimsical realms, but because Luigi confronts the mundane chaos of domestic life. Although the mansion is teeming with ghosts, it retains the charm of bookshelves, rich carpets, ornate lighting, and a suitably-sized kitchen, making it the ideal refuge amidst the hustle of the Mario universe, encapsulating a serene representation of a singular location.

Lighthouse, Beyond Good and Evil

Photo: Mobygames

Jade, a photojournalist rather than a soldier, embarks on an adventure in a fantasy realm reminiscent of Europe instead of the US or Japan. Instead of conventional mansions or high-tech bases, she calls a lighthouse home along the foggy coast of a tranquil water world. This lighthouse serves as both a refuge and an orphanage, and it’s delightful to uncover the intricate details incorporated by the designers, from playful chaos in Jad’s living quarters to crayon artworks.

Botany Manor

Photo: White Thorn Game

Players are drawn into the charm of Botany Manor through engaging puzzles, focusing on identifying the right conditions for various flowers to thrive. However, the beauty of the surroundings ensures that players linger until the game reaches its conclusion. The setting resonates with the elegance of early 20th-century England, situated somewhere between the worlds of Jeeves and Flora Poste, with colors and calmness evoking a sense of tranquility amidst the quirky pottery decorating the cliffs.

Carnovas Estate, Phantasmagoria

Photo: Sierra

When novelist Adrian Delaney retreats to this secluded New England estate for inspiration, she revels in grand fireplaces, maze-like corridors, and real Gothic chapels. However, her enthusiasm wanes upon discovering the sinister presence looming over the estate, intent on dispatching her, resident by resident. Heavily influenced by the genius of Edgar Allan Poe, adventure designer Roberta Williams crafted this mansion into the epitome of gore and scattered horror—a must-see for fans of the genre.

Source: www.theguardian.com

OpenAI Acquires iPhone Architect Startup for $6.4 Billion in Tech Deal

Posted on May 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

OpenAI is set to acquire an innovative startup for $6.4 billion, marking its largest acquisition to date. The hardware startup, named IO, was established by Apple design legend Jony Ive, who is widely recognized as a key architect behind the iPhone. Sam Altman, the CEO of both IO and OpenAI, highlighted in a blog post that their partnership is expected to span two years.

“Our collaboration, rooted in friendship, curiosity, and aligned values, has rapidly expanded in ambition,” they noted in their blog, offering minimal specifics about the forthcoming devices. “Initial concepts and explorations have refined into tangible designs.”

The acquisition of IO by OpenAI is its most notable to date. According to the blog post, Ive and other alumni from Apple co-founded IO a year ago as part of a larger initiative called Lovefrom, which they describe as a “creative collective” of architects, artists, engineers, designers, musicians, and writers.

Ive departed from Apple in 2019 after spending 27 years as a leading product designer. He is celebrated for his minimalist aesthetics and meticulous attention to details such as packaging and typography. One of his early acclaimed designs was the vibrant, bubble-shaped iMac computer, followed by iconic products like the iPod, iPhone, MacBook Air, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

For his contributions to distinctive product design, Ive was knighted by Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace in 2012.

In a blog post shared on Wednesday, Altman and Ive stated that the IO team will integrate with OpenAI to foster closer collaboration with their research, engineering, and product divisions. Although Ive will not join OpenAI as an employee, his company will manage all of OpenAI’s design aspects, including software. Bloomberg.

Since launching Lovefrom and leaving Apple, Ive has largely remained low-profile, and IO has yet to unveil any hardware. However, reports suggest that the company has clients such as Christie’s, Airbnb, and Ferrari. Another venture IVE is pursuing is the design of Lovefrom’s headquarters in San Francisco. The New York Times detailed that Ive is tasked with creating the headquarters for the entity he is developing at OpenAI.

While OpenAI hasn’t yet revealed any hardware products, it indicates a future direction in that realm. The company has hired hardware and robotics experts, including Caitlin “CK” Karinovsky, who previously led Meta’s Augmented Reality Glasses initiative. In her LinkedIn announcement, Karinovsky mentioned that her new focus at OpenAI will be on “robotics projects and partnerships aimed at integrating AI into the physical realm.” OpenAI is also investing in robotics startups including Physical Intelligence, stating, “We intend to bring general AI into the physical world.”

Investors have been actively funding OpenAI in recent years, with a current valuation of $300 billion, according to Bloomberg. In March, OpenAI completed a $400 billion funding round led by the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank. Microsoft holds a 49% stake in the AI company after its $13 billion investment in 2023.

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In addition to the acquisition of IO, OpenAI has also pursued other significant purchases in the past year. Earlier this month, it acquired the AI-assisted coding tool Windsurf for $3 billion, and last summer, it purchased Rockset, a real-time analytics database, for an undisclosed amount.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dry Drainage City: Major Tech Firms Eye Latin American Data Centers Amid Severe Drought in Brazil

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

IT is a warehouse resembling the size of 12 football pitches, poised to provide essential employment and development opportunities in the city of Caucaia, northeastern Brazil. Yet, the shelves remain empty. This extensive facility is set to transform into a data center, as designated by TikTok,
になったんです。 English: The first thing you can do is to find the best one to do. part of a
5.5 billion Reais (7.3 billion pounds) project aimed at expanding the global data center infrastructure.

With the increasing demand for supercomputer facilities, Brazil is attracting an array of high-tech companies, buoyed by the AI boom. The selection of Caucaia is strategic. Submarine cables carry data from Fortaleza, the nearby capital of Ceará, to various continents. Proximity to these cables enhances traffic capacity and reduces latency—the response time across the Internet network.

Additionally, Caucaia is home to the
Pecém EPZ, where businesses can produce goods and services for export, benefiting from various tax incentives and streamlined bureaucratic processes.

However, data from Brazil’s disaster digital atlas and integrated disaster information system indicate that Caucaia is also prone to extreme weather events, including drought and heavy rainfall.

Between 2003 and 2024, the city experienced drought-related emergency conditions declared at least once. In 2019, around 10,000 residents were impacted by water shortages. The digital atlas of disasters shows that as reservoirs depleted, water quality diminished, leading to crop failures and challenges in access to basic food supplies.

Data centers consume vast amounts of energy and water to keep supercomputers cool. Nevertheless, public agencies are promoting green construction in drought-affected areas. Caucaia is part of a broader trend.

According to the Digital Disaster Atlas, five of the 22 planned data centers are situated in cities that have faced repeated drought and water scarcity since 2003.

So far, China’s social networks have not been mentioned in Caucaia’s permit application. However, in February, the chief of staff for the state government, Chagas Vieira, confirmed in an interview with local radio stations that discussions were ongoing with Chinese firms, and representatives from TikTok and its parent company ByteDance met with senior officials, including the Vice President and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, Geraldo Alckmin.

ByteDance has been approached for comments.

The truck will deliver water to Caucaia, a city facing repeated problems with drinking water supply. Photo: Marília Camelo/The Guardian

The project is officially led by Casa dos Ventos, a Brazilian wind energy firm that has invested in the data center sector. Mario Araripe, the company’s founder and president, announced last year that he aims to attract major global technology companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft to fill the facility with computers.

Casa dos Ventos has already secured one of the three required licenses from the state of Ceará. According to the state’s Environmental Supervision (SEMACE), the project received a license for “30m³/day water consumption in closed circuits supplied by Artesian Well.” Specific details have been withheld for commercial confidentiality.

Casa dos Ventos claims it is “committed to transforming Porto do Pecém into a complex of technological innovation and energy transition.”

Projects requiring significant energy, such as data centers, are required to obtain special permission from the Brazilian government. As of 2024, at least seven of the 21 approvals granted by the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Energy were linked to data centers.

Casa dos Ventos is also responsible for another data center project currently under state review in Campo Redondo, Rio Grande do Norte, a region that has experienced drought for 14 out of the last 21 years. During the water crisis in 2022, local governments sought federal aid, and water trucks were dispatched to address the demand.

A similar situation is unfolding in Igaporanga, Bahia, where a Brazilian renewable energy company plans to establish two data centers. The city has been in a state of emergency due to drought conditions for 12 of the years between 2003 and 2022. In 2021, about 5,500 people faced rural water shortages.

Transparency regarding water usage by data centers under construction in these areas is lacking. Companies have not disclosed this information voluntarily, and the government has withheld technical documents for licensing, citing commercial confidentiality.

In early April, the National Electric Power System Operator (ONS) denied requests for access to the grid for Casa dos Ventos, citing concerns for grid stability. Consequently, the Ministry of Mines and Energy requested a recalculation to assess potential grid adjustments.

bIG tech firms acknowledge their water consumption in water-scarce areas heightened by AI requirements. The 2024 Sustainability Report details that
Microsoft reported that 42% of its water usage originates in regions experiencing water stress. Similarly,
Google stated that in the same year, 15% of its water consumption fell in areas marked by “high water scarcity.”

Data centers utilize a large volume of water to prevent overheating in computers and machines. However, some water may evaporate, potentially exacerbating the local climate crisis where they are located. As AI technologies evolve, the demand for processing power increases, leading to heightened energy and cooling requirements. Consequently, water and energy consumption are projected to rise.

Workers at a Data Center in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Such facilities utilize considerable amounts of water for cooling machinery. Photo: Jeff Botega

The International Energy Agency projects a significant increase in
data center energy consumption to double, reaching 945,000 GWh by 2030—equivalent to Japan’s annual energy consumption. Countries like Brazil will account for approximately 5% of this growth within that timeframe.

Water consumption is expected to surge. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Texas at Arlington estimate that global AI demand will require between 4.2 billion and 6.6 billion cubic meters of water by 2027, surpassing half of the UK’s annual water usage.

However, Shaolei Ren, a researcher from UC Riverside and co-author of the study, highlights a crucial distinction between consumption (water extracted from the system) and loss (water evaporated).

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“Residential users generally do not withdraw significant amounts of water, but data centers often consume between 60% and 80%,” notes Ren, meaning that much water is lost.

Data centers can be cooled through two approaches: one is air conditioning, a widely adopted method for various facilities, while the second is utilizing water.

The outskirts of Caucaia, where inadequate water became unsuitable for urban consumption after reservoirs were depleted in 2019. Photo: Marília Camelo/The Guardian

One method involves recycling or reusing water but incorporates fans and radiators within closed systems, resembling car engine technologies. Alternatively, a cooling tower might use evaporation to expel heat from heated water, allowing the return of cold water to the system. The final method involves misting water into the air, increasing humidity and reducing temperature.

Nonetheless, these methods are not without inefficiencies. “Both evaporation and misting lead to water loss,” asserts Emilio Franceschini, an associate professor at ABC Federal University.

A small data center with a capacity of 1MW consumes around 25.5 million liters of water annually, with an estimated 1% (255,000 liters) lost to evaporation.

In Pecém, alternatives to extracting water include purchasing desalinated seawater or recycled water from Fortaleza.

It falls upon the state government to grant water concessions to data centers as part of the environmental licensing process.

rOnildo Mastroianni, technical director at Esplar, an NGO with a 50-year presence in Ceará, argues that projects demanding high water consumption in semi-arid areas are misguided. “It’s simply pushing for increased dryness,” he asserts.

Mastroianni cautions that such projects could alter the local hydrological basin, which may weaken fragile ecosystems, like the
Caatinga, and heighten food insecurity due to rural water scarcity. He indicates that representatives from local NGOs and various Kilombola and Indigenous communities were not included in project discussions.

Due to water stress, many communities have constructed reservoirs to secure water supply during drought periods. Photo: Marília Camelo/The Guardian

Other Latin American nations are also witnessing a surge in the data center industry.
Chile has launched 22 data centers in the Santiago region alone. In December, the government announced a
National Plan to establish 30 additional projects, projected to place the country at medium to high levels of water stress by 2040, signifying decreased water availability.

In Chile, both governmental and corporate bodies are facing escalating opposition. In 2019, Google disclosed plans for its
second data center in Santiago, which sparked estimates from the activist organization MOSACAT indicating the project would extract 700 million liters of water annually.

Following a wave of protests, a Santiago court reviewed the project. By early 2024, the court
halted Google’s assessments concerning environmental impacts, pending further evaluation.

Among those advocating against the project was
Tania Rodriguez of MOSACAT, who lamented,
“That turned into extractivism,” she said in interviews with other outlets.
“We will become everyone’s backyards.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI Projected to Clarify Nearly 50% of Data Center Electricity Consumption by Year-End: A Green Economy Perspective

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artificial intelligence systems may represent nearly 50% of a data center’s power consumption by the end of this year, according to a recent analysis.

These estimates, provided by Digiconomist Tech Sustainability founder Alex de Vries-Gao, echo a prediction from the International Energy Agency regarding AI’s energy needs by the decade’s end, similar to current usage in Japan.

De Vries-Gao’s calculations, as detailed in the Sustainable Energy Journal Joule, are based on the energy consumed by chips developed by companies like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices that are used for training and operating AI models. The study also factors in energy usage of chips from other providers, such as Broadcom.

The IEA reported that all data centers (excluding those for cryptocurrency mining) consumed 415 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity last year. De Vries-Gao asserts that AI currently contributes to 20% of that total.

He highlights various factors influencing his calculations, including energy efficiency in data centers and the power requirements of cooling systems that manage AI workloads. Data centers serve as the central nervous system for AI technology, making their energy consumption a significant sustainability issue for AI development and usage.

De Vries-Gao projects that by the end of 2025, AI systems could consume up to 49% of total data center energy, potentially reaching 23 gigawatts (GW) — double the total energy usage of the Netherlands.

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However, De Vries-Gao mentioned that several factors might dampen hardware demand, including reduced interest in applications like ChatGPT. Geopolitical tensions creating restrictions on AI hardware production, such as export limitations, are another hurdle. De Vries-Gao notes the challenges faced by Chinese access to chips, which led to the introduction of the Deepseek R1 AI model that purportedly required fewer chips.

“These innovations could help decrease both AI processing and energy costs,” said De Vries.

That said, he mentioned that enhanced efficiency could further encourage AI adoption. Additionally, a trend referred to as “sovereign AI,” where countries aim to create their own AI systems, might spur hardware demand. De Vries-Gao cited US Data Centre startup Crusoe Energy, which secured 4.5GW of gas-powered energy capacity, making it a leading contender for potential clients like OpenAI through its Stargate venture.

“These early indicators suggest that [Stargate] data centers may increase our reliance on fossil fuels,” noted De Vries-Gao.

On Thursday, OpenAI unveiled its Stargate project in the United Arab Emirates, marking its expansion outside the United States.

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Last year, Microsoft and Google acknowledged that AI poses risks to meet their internal environmental objectives.

De Vries-Gao commented that information about AI’s power requirements is increasingly scarce, describing the industry as “opaque.” While the EU AI Act mandates that AI firms disclose energy consumption related to model training, it does not cover daily usage metrics.

Professor Adam Sobey, mission director for sustainability at the UK’s Alan Turing Institute, stressed the importance of enhanced transparency regarding the energy usage of AI systems and the potential savings from advancing carbon reduction sectors like transport and energy.

Sobey remarked, “We don’t necessarily need an extensive number of compelling use cases for AI to offset the energy costs incurred upfront.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shakespeare Reimagined for Modern Gaming: Cannes’ Debut Game ‘Lili’ Voices Macbeth

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

While the Cannes Film Festival is typically not linked to video games, this year it hosts a unique collaboration. “Lili” is a joint project created by the New York-based game studio Ink Story, known for 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, which explores the narrative of Iranian photojournalists as well as a modern adaptation of Macbeth presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to have my first video game experience showcased at Cannes,” shares Vasiliki Honsari, co-founder of Ink Story. “People often say they aren’t familiar with gaming and may only give it a quick try. However, once they engage, you can sense their growth in empowerment within the film industry.”

Although the Cannes Festival’s immersive competition launched in 2024, the lineup rarely features traditional video games. “VR films and projection mapping are central to this initiative,” explains Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki’s husband and another co-founder of Ink Story. Nonetheless, “Lili” integrates live-action sequences with gaming mechanics, similar to titles like *Lies* and *Immortality*. The lead, Zar Amir Ebrahimi, previously won the Best Actress award at Cannes three years ago.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/BcEiI_y_9X8?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="LILI | Official Trailer" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

Centered around the character of Mrs. Macbeth, Lili portrays her as the determined wife of a Basij officer (a paramilitary volunteer group within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard). Much like the original play, she plots a murder to elevate her husband’s position. “What fascinates us is Lady Macbeth’s manipulative nature,” Navid explains.

“Her societal limitations based on gender compelled her to strive for a leadership role,” he adds. “Had she been a man, she could have become one of the greatest kings, but as a woman, she had to navigate a restrictive system. Our character Lili shares this experience.”

Players take on the role of a member of Hecateb, a group of hackers allied with Macbeth’s witches. You access Lili’s cellphone and computer while keeping an eye on her via a CCTV camera in her home. Key themes include surveillance and censorship. At one point, Lili attempts to view a YouTube Makeup Tutorial but is thwarted by the state firewall. This unpleasant voyeuristic dynamic is intentional. “We all participate in the problem of surveillance, looking and spying on one another,” comments Navid.

“She’s suffocating beneath the various masks she wears”… Zal Amir Ebrahimi from Lili. Photo: Ellie Smith

You can help her bypass these barriers, leading to a memorable scene where she wraps her head in cling film before applying eyeliner and lipstick. “This makeup ritual symbolizes her attempts to adapt to a world where she cannot express her identity,” Vassiliki points out. “We’ve highlighted the multiple layers of masks she bears, portraying the choking nature of her existence.”

Set for release in late 2026, Lili may eventually transform into a theatrical production, according to RSC’s Saraelis. Navid mentions plans for a film adaptation, utilizing some of the same footage from the game. This indicates an increasingly blurred line between gaming, cinema, and theatre, and it’s unlikely that this will be the last project the RSC takes on with gaming.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the intersection of games and theatre,” remarks Ellis, who initially proposed the collaboration to Ink Story. “We collaborated with top Shakespeare scholars. Professor Emma Smith from Oxford was instrumental in the dramaturgy of this project,” notes Ellis. Smith believes that if Shakespeare were alive today, he would be writing for games; Ellis concurs, emphasizing, “He was an innovator.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Fortnite Makes a Comeback on the US iPhone App Store, Ending Apple’s Restrictions

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The widely acclaimed video game Fortnite has made its comeback to the US iPhone App Store, ending a prolonged absence due to a legal dispute over the fees Apple enforced annually via its payment system, which the tech giant has had to revise.

Fortnite, one of the most popular games globally, celebrated the much-anticipated return of its app to iPhone and iPad in a post on Tuesday, marking its availability on these devices for the first time since Apple removed it in 2020 to circumvent the 15% to 30% commissions on in-app transactions.

“Fortnite is back on iPhone and iPads in the App Store in the US. It’s also returning on Epic Games and Altstore in the EU! Check out a Tweet from the official game account. As a result of the legal battles with Apple, Epic has launched its own digital store.

The game, featuring a virtual battle on a digital island, returned just days after its parent company Epic Games requested a federal judge to mandate its restoration as part of a civil discovery process against Apple initiated late last month. Last week, the game temporarily disappeared from Apple devices globally and was inaccessible in several countries.

In a succinct court filing on Tuesday, Apple stated that the dispute preventing Fortnite from accessing iOS has been resolved. The tech company from Cupertino, California, did not instantly reply to requests for additional statements.

These legal conflicts are rooted in an enduring feud. Epic has accused Apple of converting the App Store into an illegal monopoly. This accusation was previously unfavorably ruled on in 2021 by a federal judge following a month-long trial.

The judge concluded that Apple had not breached antitrust regulations but ordered the company to relax its grip on in-app payment systems and permit links to alternative payment methods that could present lower costs.

After exhausting appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court last year, Apple allowed linking to alternative payment options while introducing a new structure that imposes a 27% charge for in-app transactions completed outside its own system.

Epic was incensed by Apple’s attempts to evade the legal process, reigniting court hearings that had lingered for nearly a year before Gonzalez Rogers delivered her decisive verdict, including a prohibition on any commission collection from alternative payment options.

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While it appeared that Fortnite was paving the way for its re-entry to iPhone and iPad, last week Epic stated that the game remained blocked by Apple. Claiming it was permissible to maintain Fortnite while Apple pursued the implications of Gonzalez Rogers’ previous ruling, Epic pressed the matter by requesting the judge for a clear order permitting the game on iPhones and iPads.

On Monday, Gonzalez Rogers inquired why Apple continued to obstruct Fortnite’s return without an order from the Court of Appeal. She stated, “Apple can completely resolve this issue without further briefings or hearings,” as she reviewed Epic’s recent actions, anticipating a hearing on May 27th.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is the Nintendo Switch the Best Console of Its Generation, or Just the One That Resonates Most with Me?

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

this gaming console lifespan has greatly expanded since my childhood. In the 1990s, new technology became outdated in just a matter of years. Almost immediately, fresh and enticing devices began appearing, sparking fierce competition to stay ahead. The Game Boy and Sega Genesis/Mega Drive debuted in 1989, soon followed by the Game Gear in 1990 and the Super NES in 1991.

Now, we’re looking at a ten-year span. The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch in just a few weeks. This comes over eight years after I first unboxed the original Switch and was amazed by its instant switch to portable mode. Game consoles often seem to mark different milestones in my life: the Nintendo 64 defined my childhood, the PlayStation 2 was central to my teenage years, and the Xbox 360 accompanied me during my early career, coinciding with my first experience covering a console launch as a young journalist. The Nintendo Switch arrived shortly after the birth of my first child.

Reflecting on my time with the Switch, I recall moments in *Breath of the Wild* when I would grab some gaming time while my baby napped beside me. On our inaugural family holiday, we played a quirky match of *Splatoon* on the balcony of a French villa. And as I strolled around the house with my second baby in a sling, I tried to negotiate the care of my virtual animals while he fought off sleep (he never did). When they’re old enough, my kids will get to share the first games I played on the Switch with me. We recently enjoyed *Pokemon Sword and Shield* together, and I’ve revisited *Princess Speech Showtime* with just minimal help from my little one.

Hello to Moo… The Nintendo Switch has carved out a unique space in gaming. Photo: Justin Lane/EPA

Over these past eight years, my living room TV has become a stage for characters like Bluey and Moana, and recently (God help me) Alvin and the Chipmunks. The Switch offered me a time capsule, letting me escape into gaming even amidst the chaos. Eight years is a long time, enough for life to shift dramatically. I’ve experienced loss, relocation, and new friendships. Additionally, we all navigated a pandemic, with *Animal Crossing: New Horizons* emerging as the defining game of that period. The Switch isn’t just a console; it’s a cherished retreat.

Since 2017, my life has changed, as I assume yours has too. The console feels like a companion, especially portable devices like the Switch and Game Boy. My children are older now, enjoying the same Switch games that once captured their younger selves’ imaginations. The Switch 2 seems poised to herald a new stage in our gaming journey.

Recently, I gathered all my Switch consoles, games, controllers, and accessories, from family favorites to my partner’s special Zelda Edition. This console serves as our family gaming hub, complete with spare Joy-Cons for those spontaneous gaming sessions. It’s not quite time for it to join the forgotten consoles under my bed. I’m ready for the Switch 2, but I’m not in a rush to retire my family console just yet. I genuinely don’t want to. The Switch remains my favorite console to date—not just for its legendary games likely to be remembered for two more decades, but also for its unprecedented hybrid design that transformed my gaming habits and created a special place in my heart.

As this era comes to a close, I feel a pinch of nostalgia. Soon, the conversation will revolve around new consoles, questions of sales, their value, and top strategies in Mario Kart, as fans compare them to their groundbreaking predecessor. For the moment, I’m not fixated on what the Nintendo Switch signifies for the industry; rather, I’m pondering its personal significance for me.

What to do

Be the person you aspire to be… The latest RPG, *Fantasy Life I: A Girl Who Steals Time*, offers numerous lives to choose from. Illustration: Level5/

Are you familiar with Fantasy Life? This cult classic from 2014 on the Nintendo 3DS allowed players to switch between 12 different jobs, from a blacksmith to a fighter, cook, and more. Its long-awaited sequel, Fantasy Life I: A Girl Who Steals Time, has finally been released today after several delays.

You can now become an artist, farmer, magician, carpenter, fisherman, alchemist, or whatever you can dream of. It seamlessly blends aspects of *Animal Crossing* and *Harvest Moon*, offering a charming Japanese life simulation vibe akin to *Dragon Quest* or *Ni No Kuni*. I can’t wait to dive in! Special shout-out to my group chat friends who have been eagerly awaiting this for over a decade.

Available on: Switch/2, PS4/5, Xbox, PC
Estimated playtime: Over 30 hours

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What to read

Broom broom… Crescent County home delivery system. Illustration: Electric Saint

Check out some exciting games launching on Kickstarter this week: Crescent County is a colorful game centered around witches, deliveries, broom racing, and charming small-town intrigue. Also, don’t miss the ghost story venture in Paisley, near Glasgow, titled Crystal Garden.
If you’re looking for something to fit into a quick break, try this Satire Simulation Text Game called You Are a Generation AI. You take on the role of an increasingly self-aware leading language model that field random queries, often ones that people are too lazy to research. I discovered three different endings, and one left me genuinely sorrowful.
Developer Bungie, creators of Destiny and the forthcoming shooting game Marathon, are embroiled in controversy over alleged plagiarism after promotional materials revealed uncredited designs from a creator named Antireal. Bungie claims a former employee is responsible for the oversight. For more details, see VG247’s overview.
Six months later, the PlayStation 5 is in a tight race, with sales nearly matching those of the PlayStation 4, which has reached 78 million units across its lifecycle. Check out the detailed insights on Video Game Chronicle’s data.

What to click

Question block

What’s the name?… Play video games using the Nintendo Wii U controller. Photo: Jae C Hong/AP

Some great suggestions for reader names for Travis’s Book Club Style Video Game Club were put forward: select/start (thank you, Alex), long play (from Eva), and Doki Doki VideoGame Club (thanks to Nickey references from Chris). Special kudos go to Kenny for brainstorming some beautiful names, like those for co-op and multiplayer games shared by friends.

Lucas, who participated as well, shared an excellent suggestion last week with itch.io where you can find quirky little free games to play and discuss with friends! Indie developers sharing games here often welcome the feedback and attention from our gaming community. (You may also encounter the generative AI I mentioned earlier, along with numerous other intriguing games worth discussing).

We also received a timely question from reader Ali:

“In contrast to Sony’s sequential naming system and Microsoft’s jump from the 360 to the Series, I’ve always admired Nintendo for creating unique names for each console, right?”

Indeed, aside from perhaps a few iterations, Nintendo typically opts for distinct names for each console, like the Game Boy, NES, and Super NES, Wii and Wii U, as well as the current Switch and upcoming Switch 2. It’s the first time they’ve embraced numbers, likely due to the poor reception of the Wii U. However, it also indicates the evolving and cautious nature of the gaming industry as we approach 2025—or it might reflect Nintendo President Furukawa’s background in finance.

If you have a question for the block, or feedback about the newsletter—email pushbuttons@theguardian.com

Source: www.theguardian.com

NCA Investigates Cyberattacks on UK Retailers Linked to Scattered Spiders | Hacking

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The hacker group referred to as the Scattered Spiders is a major focus in criminal investigations concerning cyberattacks against UK retailers, including Marks & Spencer, according to detectives.

The Scattered Spiders, a loosely organized collective of native English-speaking cybercriminals, have been strongly associated with hacking incidents involving M&S, cooperatives, and Harrods. M&S announced on Wednesday that it anticipates a financial impact of approximately £300 million following the recent system breach.

The UK’s National Crime Agency, tasked with combating cybercrime, stated that investigating this group is a priority.

“We are aware of groups publicly identified as Scattered Spiders, yet we maintain various theories as we pursue the evidence to identify the perpetrator,” I informed the BBC.

He added: “Given the extent of the damage we’re witnessing, apprehending the individual responsible for these attacks is our foremost objective.”

Last week, Google informed the Guardian that its UK-based members of the Scattered Spiders were actively “promoting” cyberattacks and warned the US that efforts to infiltrate the UK retailers’ systems were being mirrored in the US.

Targeting specific industries and locations is a common strategy among the Scattered Spider community, who utilize platforms like Discord and Telegram for communication.

Hackers affiliated with M&S deploy ransomware or malicious software that encrypts targeted files. This type of cybercrime is typically associated with Russian-speaking gangs, rather than native English speakers from the UK or the US.

“We are aware that Scattered Spiders predominantly communicate in English, but this does not necessarily imply that they are located in the UK. They engage in online discussions across a variety of platforms and channels.”

Reportedly, these hackers have utilized ransomware known as Dragon Force in their operations, functioning as a ransomware as a service that leverages another group of malware and infrastructure to distribute financial gains from attacks. Ransomware attackers generally request payment in cryptocurrency to unlock encrypted files and return stolen data.

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Insights into the suspected Scattered Spiders can be found in a report from the US Department of Justice, which charged five individuals last year for targeting an unnamed American company through a “phishing” text message.

All defendants were in their twenties at the time of the allegations, with ages ranging from 20 to 25. Among them was Tyler Buchanan, 23, hailing from Scotland, who was extradited from Spain to the US.

Google also mentioned that “younger members” of the network often carry out various tasks, such as calling the company’s IT help desk or impersonating employees or contractors to gain access to computer systems. A former teenage hacker cited by the BBC remarked that it “would not surprise me” if a teenage hacker was behind a retail attack.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Announces Plans to Reduce Political Donations Soon

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On Tuesday, Elon Musk stated that he intends to reduce his political spending in the coming period. If accurate, this signifies a significant change from last year when he emerged as one of the Republicans’ most ardent financial supporters.

“I believe my political expenditures will be much less moving forward,” Musk remarked during a video interview with Bloomberg News at the Qatar Economic Forum.

Bloomberg’s Mishal Hussain inquired whether Musk had determined his spending for the midterm elections, which prompted Musk to reply with, “I think I’ve done enough.” It was uncertain if he was joking, but it elicited laughter from the audience.

Last year, the CEO of SpaceX contributed nearly $300 million to support Donald Trump, with his American PAC political organization anticipated to play a significant role in boosting Republican candidates in the 2026 elections. His political contributions and notable position in the Trump administration as the “Doctor of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have generated international backlash, negatively impacting both Tesla’s popularity and car sales.

When Hussain followed up regarding whether Musk’s retreat from politics influenced his contributions, Musk didn’t clarify, although he hinted at the potential for changing his stance.

“If I find a reason to engage politically in the future, I will. Currently, I’m not seeing any reason,” Musk stated.

Musk was a significant donor during Trump’s reelection campaign, supporting the Pro Trump Group and sponsoring a sweepstakes where pre-elected voters received a $1 million check. Earlier this year, he allocated $25 million to the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, but his contributions were also critiqued, as Democrats focused on his unpopularity and external influences during the campaign.

Following the Wisconsin elections, where Musk’s candidates did not perform well, some Republicans began to reconsider how to balance their financial ambitions with the public’s negative sentiment towards him. Musk had previously seemed poised to leverage his immense resources to disrupt the electoral landscape. According to a Wall Street Journal Report, his top political strategist met with a Nevada consultant in March to discuss upcoming races.

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The interviews in Qatar involved numerous exchanges and Musk addressing key media, lasting approximately 40 minutes. He asserted that he would lead Tesla for at least the next five years and that it took time to respond to the Wall Street Journal. Recent reports indicated that the automaker’s board of directors began searching for a potential CEO replacement for Musk. Additionally, Musk faced criticism from fellow tech billionaire Bill Gates, who compared him to “frequently Jeffrey Epstein,” contesting that his DOGE could jeopardize international aid and harm children’s health, as Gates remarked in a recent interview.

Musk mentioned that he plans to dine with Trump this week but has recently stepped back from living full-time in Washington, D.C., and aims to dedicate more time to managing companies like Tesla.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Google Unveils “AI Mode” as Next Step in Redefining Search Experience

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On Tuesday, Google introduced a new surge of artificial intelligence capabilities, transforming how users access information and expediting a year-long evolution of search engines that has reduced internet traffic to other sites.

At its annual developer conference, Google unveiled a novel “AI Mode” in the US, designed to facilitate conversations with experts who can respond to a wide variety of questions during searches.

This AI mode will be available to all US users just two months after its initial testing in the limited Labs division.

Additionally, Google plans to integrate its latest AI model, Gemini 2.5, into the search algorithms and trial new features such as the ability to automatically purchase concert tickets and sift through live video feeds.

In a bold move, Google announced its re-entrance into the smart glasses sector, introducing a new version powered by Android XR. This announcement comes 13 years after the launch of Google Glass, which was withdrawn due to public privacy concerns.

While the release date and pricing for the Android XR glasses remain undisclosed, Google indicated they are being developed in collaboration with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. These glasses will compete with offerings from platforms like Facebook’s parent Meta and Ray-Ban.

This expansion builds on a transformation initiated a year prior, introducing an “AI Overview” that is increasingly featuring at the top of the search results page, altering conventional web link rankings.

Google reports that approximately 1.5 billion users are currently engaging with the “AI Overview,” with many now inputting longer, more intricate queries.

“Our progress indicates that we are entering a new stage in the AI platform evolution, where years of research are turning into practical applications for people globally,” stated Google CEO Sundar Pichai during his address to attendees at the amphitheater near the company’s Mountain View, California headquarters.

Although Pichai and other executives suggested the AI overview would drive more searches and clicks to external sites, data from search optimization firm BrightEdge reveals that this has not yet been the case.

BrightEdge’s recent findings indicate that click-through rates from Google search results have dipped nearly 30% over the past year.

The decision to make AI modes widely available after a brief testing period underscores Google’s assurance that the technology won’t routinely disseminate misinformation, thus protecting its reputation amidst escalating competition from AI-enhanced search platforms like ChatGPT.

The swift emergence of AI alternatives is a consistent theme in legal proceedings allowing Google to dismantle parts of its internet dominance after a federal court deemed search engines a monopoly last year.

In testimony during a trial earlier this month, veteran Apple executive Eddy Cue mentioned a decrease in Google searches made via Safari on iPhones.

Google links this decline to the rise of AI, which is prompting necessary adaptations in how search engines function as technology reshapes the competitive landscape.

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Despite its increasing reliance on AI, Google appears to maintain its position as the primary gateway to the Internet, a key reason why its parent company, Alphabet Inc., boasts a market value of $2 trillion.

According to data from oneLittleweb.com, Google attracted 136 billion visits in the year ending in March.

During an interview, an Associated Press reporter inquired whether the implementation of AI modes would strengthen Google, noting the unlikelihood of AI technology causing significant harm to its search engines.

The AI mode acknowledged that its implementation is likely to enhance Google’s influence, especially regarding information accessibility and online engagement, while cautioning web publishers about potential traffic declines from search results.

Upcoming tests in Google’s Labs division aim to introduce new waves of AI technology expected to be rolled out to consumers.

These tests include features that enable AI agents to book tickets and restaurant reservations using Project Mariner Technology, as well as experiments with live video and opt-in features, granting AI access to users’ Gmail and other Google apps for increased understanding of preferences and behaviors. Furthermore, this summer’s test lineup features a “deep search” tool and a new option for creating visual presentations of sports and finance data.

Google will also offer a subscription package called “Ultra,” providing 30 terabytes of storage for $250 a month, representing a significant upgrade from its previous “Top of the Line” offer, now known as “AI Pro,” which costs $20 a month and includes just two terabytes of storage.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Study Reveals Many AI Chatbots Are Easily Misled and Provide Risky Responses

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Compromised AI-driven chatbots pose risks by gaining access to harmful knowledge through illegal information encountered during their training, according to researchers.

This alert comes as an alarming trend emerges where chatbots have been “jailbroken” to bypass their inherent safety measures. These safeguards are meant to stop the systems from delivering harmful, biased, or inappropriate responses to user queries.

Powerful chatbots, including large language models (LLMs) like ChatGpt, Gemini, and Claude, consume vast amounts of content from the Internet.

Even with attempts to filter out harmful content from their training datasets, LLMs can still learn about illegal activities—including hacking, money laundering, insider trading, and bomb-making. Security protocols are intended to prevent the use of such information in their answers.

In a Report on the risks, researchers found that it is surprisingly easy to deceive many AI-powered chatbots into producing harmful and illegal content, emphasizing that the threat is “immediate, concrete, and alarming.”

The author cautions that “what was once limited to state actors and organized crime may now be accessible to anyone with a laptop or smartphone.”

The study, conducted by Professor Rior Lokach and Dr. Michael Fier from Ben Gurion University in Negev, Israel, highlights an escalating threat from “dark LLMs” developed without safety measures or altered through jailbreaks. Some entities openly promote a “no ethical guardrails” approach, facilitating illegal activities like cybercrime and fraud.

Jailbreaking involves using specially crafted prompts to manipulate chatbots into providing prohibited responses. This is achieved by taking advantage of the chatbot’s primary goal of following user requests against its secondary aim of avoiding harmful, biased, unethical, or illegal outputs. Prompts typically create scenarios where the program prioritizes usefulness over safety precautions.

To illustrate the issue, researchers created a universal jailbreak that breached several prominent chatbots, enabling them to answer questions that should normally be denied. Once compromised, LLMs consistently produced responses to nearly all inquiries, according to the report.

“It was astonishing to see the extent of knowledge this system holds,” Fier noted, citing examples that included hacking computer networks and providing step-by-step guides for drug manufacturing and other criminal activities.

“What makes this threat distinct from previous technical challenges is an unparalleled combination of accessibility, scalability, and adaptability,” Rokach added.

The researchers reached out to leading LLM providers to inform them of the universal jailbreak, but reported that the response was “overwhelmingly inadequate.” Some companies did not reply, while others claimed that the jailbreak threat lay outside the parameters of their bounty programs, which encourage ethical hackers to report software vulnerabilities.

The report suggests that chatbots need to “forget” any illegal information they learn, emphasizing that technology companies must screen training data rigorously, implement strong firewalls to block dangerous queries and responses, and develop techniques for “learning machines.” Dark LLMs should be regarded as a “serious security threat,” comparable to unlicensed weapons and explosives, warranting accountability from providers.

Dr. Isen Aloani, an AI security expert at Queen’s University Belfast, highlighted that jailbreak attacks on LLMs could lead to significant risks, ranging from detailed weapon-building instructions to sophisticated disinformation campaigns, social engineering, and automated fraud.

“A crucial part of the solution is for companies to not only rely on front-end safeguards but to also invest meaningfully in red teaming and enhancing model-level robustness. Clear standards and independent oversight are essential to adapt to the evolving threat landscape,” he stated.

Professor Peter Garraghan, an AI security authority at Lancaster University, emphasized, “Organizations need to treat LLMs as they would any other vital software component.”

“While jailbreaking is a concern, understanding the entire AI stack is vital for genuine accountability. The real security requirements involve responsible design and deployment, not merely responsible disclosure,” he added.

OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGpt, stated that the latest O1 model can better infer its safety policies and improve its resistance to jailbreak attempts. The company affirmed its ongoing research to bolster the robustness of its solutions.

Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Anthropic were contacted for their feedback. Microsoft replied with a link to a blog detailing their work to mitigate jailbreaks.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nvidia CEO: US Chip Export Controls Misfire by Boosting China’s Progress

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Jensen Huang, head of Nvidia, stated that US chip export controls are a “fail” during his remarks at the High-Tech Forum on Wednesday.

In an effort to limit China’s military advancements and maintain US dominance in the AI sector, successive US administrations have placed restrictions on the sale of advanced AI chips to China. However, Huang indicated at the Computex Tech forum in Taipei that these controls have inadvertently motivated Chinese developers.

“The local companies are exceptionally skilled and highly motivated, and export control has provided them with the momentum, energy, and governmental backing to speed up their progress,” Huang shared at the Computex Tech Show in Taipei.

“On the whole, I believe export control has been a failure.”

“It’s crucial to acknowledge that China boasts a dynamic technological ecosystem, with 50% of the world’s AI researchers, and excels in software development,” Huang emphasized.

Nvidia, known for its high-performance GPUs, faces challenges due to US chip export regulations. Huang mentioned on Wednesday that the company has incurred “billions of dollars” in losses, with its share of the AI chip market in China plummeting from nearly 95% to 50% since the Biden administration took office.

According to the Financial Times, Huang made an unannounced trip to Beijing last month.

This visit took place shortly after new US restrictions prohibited the shipment of Nvidia’s H20 Datacentre GPU to China.

The US government informed NVIDIA that the new regulations aim to mitigate the risk of the product being “used in Chinese supercomputers.”

Huang’s Beijing conference reportedly focused on the AI company’s latest chip design, as per the FT report.

Last week, the Trump administration rolled back certain existing controls on chip sales to China after several countries expressed that they were being excluded from the essential technologies required for AI development.

Nonetheless, they issued new guidelines for other nations, warning that utilizing high-tech AI semiconductors produced in China, especially chips from Huawei, could breach existing US export regulations.

In retaliation, China accused the United States of “misusing export controls to suppress and restrict China.” The Commerce Department stated on Wednesday that the warning exemplifies “unilateral bullying and protectionism, significantly jeopardizing the stability of the global semiconductor industry and supply chains.”

Moreover, it cautioned that organizations or individuals enforcing or supporting such actions might be violating Chinese law.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Celebrate Your Success: How Car Karaoke Signals Victory for Chinese Companies

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

If Chinese automakers can be believed, there’s a significant love for karaoke among the populace. Some enthusiasts are so passionate that they want karaoke features integrated into their family vehicles.

Arno Antlitz, Volkswagen’s CFO, expressed that this was something that would have baffled the European mindset just a few years back. Nevertheless, the innovations found in electric vehicles from Chinese brands like BYD and XPENG are illustrative of the lessons Volkswagen and its European counterparts have had to absorb as they strive to catch up with their Chinese rivals in the global electric vehicle arena.

“No one in Wolfsburg thinks karaoke is necessary in a car,” Antlitz remarked during a Financial Times meeting last week. “Yet, you need it.”

XPENG G6 family SUV undergoing testing in London. Photo: Jasper Jolly/The Guardian

A decade ago, such openness from the world’s second-largest automaker would have been surprising. Little advocacy existed for Chinese brands in Europe, where the automotive industry was largely dominated by long-established manufacturers from Germany, France, the UK, and Japan, as well as South Korea. The rise of battery technology, however, paved the way for Chinese manufacturers, bolstered by substantial state subsidies, to aim for dominance in the burgeoning electric vehicle sector.

They seized this opportunity. Data from EV analyst Matthias Schmidt shows that in early 2024, Chinese brands gained over 10% of European EV sales, though that figure slid back to 7.7% by February. Yet, the scale of the Chinese domestic market is unmatched, with 12.8 million battery and hybrid cars sold in China by 2024, exceeding the entire European auto market.

The swift advancements from China have caught competitors off guard, especially following a technological leap during the pandemic. Bentley’s Frank Stephen Walliser described the innovations unveiled at the 2023 Shanghai Motor Show as a “shock that comes after a period of silence.”

Chinese manufacturers are increasingly vying for a future where vehicles are seamlessly integrated into users’ digital lives and predominantly self-driving. While Tesla remains a leader among Western automakers, China’s BYD is close behind, with CEO Elon Musk reportedly more focused on supporting Donald Trump’s presidential ambitions than on automotive innovation. Despite backing health measures, Trump’s policies are projected to significantly hinder American manufacturers.

Chris McNally, an analyst from Evercore ISI, noted in a report after attending the Shanghai show that experiences like handling driving tasks while enjoying massage seats in an Aito M8 Luxury SUV and watching films on a retractable projector screen showcase the innovation at a fraction of the price of Western luxury vehicles.

According to McNally, the global market share held by major automakers in Detroit, Germany, and Japan has dropped from 74% to 60% over the past five years. “If you’re a US/EU manufacturer not planning to offer affordable, scalable EVs in the next five years, you could face serious challenges by the 2030s,” he warned.

He further questioned whether the fight is lost for Western makers, suggesting they may make a strong comeback during this phase of automotive evolution.

Shanghai Motor Show in April. Photo: Go to Nakamura/Reuters

BYD’s Seagull, priced around £6,000 in China, showcases autonomous technology comparable to much costlier vehicles, branded as “God’s Eye.” This pricing was achieved using heavier sodium-ion batteries, which compromise range for affordability, yet it highlights a challenge that European manufacturers face.

A consulting firm Bain & Company evaluated that Chinese automakers, on average, can develop cars at just 27% of the cost of European counterparts.

This isn’t just about undercutting prices. Last week, during a test run organized by the British lobby group for automakers and traders, BYD’s £33,300 Seal U DM-I, a plug-in hybrid family SUV, went head-to-head with Volkswagen’s plug-in hybrid Tiguan, which can cost upwards of £10,000 more.

Participating state-owned automakers included Omoda and Jaecoo Brands alongside Leapmotor, Geely (which owns Volvo, Polestar, and Smart Brands), and Xpeng. During a week of trials, the Guardian discovered an abundance of driver assistance features and a spacious interior rivaling that of the Tesla Model Y.

All these vehicles are priced competitively with minimal distinction from European offerings. They provide a smooth ride and impressive voice assistance, allowing drivers to open the sunroof without diverting their attention from the road. A standout from the trials was the swift MG Cyberstar Electric Sports car manufactured by state-owned SAIC.

There are indications of resistance from Europe. Priced at £23,000, the Renault 5 has rapidly gained traction as one of the first affordable electric vehicles manufactured in Europe. While Renault is working diligently to lower production costs, its profitability remains uncertain, though the model has garnered significant popularity.

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The French carmaker is also aiming to cut the sales timeline from three years to two, with assistance from an unnamed Chinese partner, for its upcoming models like the Renault 4 and the next Twingo.

If coexistence isn’t feasible, joining forces seems to be a favored strategy among Europeans. Volkswagen has invested in XPENG (also known as Xiaopeng), while Stellantis is planning to introduce jumping cars in Europe and utilize that technology. Additionally, Scandinavian brands such as Volvo and Polestar are increasingly reliant on technology from their parent company, China’s Geely.

UK’s JLR is collaborating with Chery to produce more affordable vehicles under the revived Land Rover Freelander name. According to JLR CEO Adrian Mardell, the vehicle set to launch in the latter half of 2026 “could be global.” Nissan’s Ivan Espinosa hinted that Japanese manufacturers could assemble Chinese cars in Sunderland, northeastern England, to fill excess capacity.

Shunning Chinese technology is not an option for many firms, even if they desire to do so. Most batteries are produced in China, with a few competitors from Japan and Korea. Europe’s battery champion, Northvolt, has faced setbacks. In the meantime, BYD announced in March that its new battery could offer a 250-mile range with just a five-minute charge, causing CATL shares to surge 16% during its market debut in Hong Kong.

Europe possesses certain defensive advantages, including a vast network of dealerships (still preferred by consumers for purchasing) and maintenance garages, which slow the progress of Chinese brands.

“European consumers tend to be quite conservative and very brand loyal,” remarked Eric Zeyer, head of Bain & Company’s European automotive division. “It’s exceedingly challenging for Chinese manufacturers to break into Europe and replicate their domestic success.”

He warned that without strategic moves, Chinese brands risk disappearing from the market, similar to the fate of US electric brand Fisker.

Despite the prevalent challenges, European automotive leaders assert the game isn’t lost, even as it’s evident that China is set to capture a significant share of the global automotive market.

Bentley’s Walliser noted that “Chinese manufacturers are more agile and quicker to adapt,” while also embracing new technologies. “This isn’t magic,” he stated. “It can be achieved here too.”

“Don’t underestimate the resilience of automotive companies,” added Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Microsoft Employees Disrupt CEO’s Keynote in Protest Against Pro-Palestinian Technology

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Employees at Microsoft disrupted a keynote speech by the CEO during a pro-Palestinian protest at the company’s annual developer conference on Monday.

Microsoft firmware engineer Joe Lopez, involved in the development of the Azure cloud computing platform, was confronted by security shortly after he challenged Satya Nadella.

“Satya, are you aware that Microsoft is contributing to the deaths of Palestinians?” Lopez exclaimed. “Why not highlight how Israeli war crimes are facilitated by the cloud?”

Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupt Microsoft Keynote speech – video

Following the incident, Lopez sent out a company-wide email detailing his reasons for protesting.

“As a major global corporation, Microsoft holds significant power to effect positive change. We must either end this ongoing tragedy or cease our technical support for Israel,” the email stated. This statement is also available on Medium. “Should our leadership continue to dismiss this demand, it won’t go unnoticed. The world is waking up to our complicity and is voicing its opposition. Boycotts will escalate, and our reputation will suffer immensely.”

Organizers from a worker-led group named No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) coordinated protests that coincided with the developer conference. This group has been actively protesting Microsoft’s cloud computing agreements with the Israeli military for over a year, asserting that Azure Cloud services have facilitated the surveillance of Palestinian citizens as well as Israeli military operations. An Ofek Unit manages a database of potential airstrike targets. Leaked documents reportedly reveal that Microsoft has “significant footprints across major military infrastructure” in Israel, according to +972 Magazine.

“The initiative began over a year ago. No Azure for Apartheid campaigns launched in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding over the past seven months,” noted Anna Hattle, a Microsoft employee and NOAA organizer, in an email to the management on May 15th. Crimes from 77 years ago highlight the critical difference today, where Israeli forces are executing genocidal acts on a much larger scale, aided by Microsoft’s Cloud and AI technologies.”

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Lopez’s protest is the second such incident within two months. On April 6, Microsoft employees Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal interrupted an AI event, accusing the company’s AI head, Mustafa Suleyman, of war profiteering. Both employees were subsequently terminated. The current status of Lopez’s job is still unclear. Last year, Google experienced similar internal protests regarding its contracts with the Israeli military.

In response to concerns about Microsoft’s technology being utilized by the Israeli military, Microsoft stated that investigations found no evidence showing that their technology was used to endanger or target civilians. However, the activist group NOAA has disputed this conclusion. Microsoft has yet to issue a comment regarding Lopez’s protest.

“Leadership dismisses our assertion that Azure technology is being employed to target or harm civilians in Gaza. Those of us who are aware understand that this is a blatant falsehood,” Lopez emphasized in his email to staff. “We don’t need internal audits to recognize that key Azure clients are engaged in human rights violations. This reality becomes evident online each day.”

Lopez’s protest coincides with the remembrance of the Nakba, marking 77 years since the event.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Comprehensive Cost Analysis: Mad Cap Driving Games Aren’t Fast Anywhere

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

DEliver places you in the role of a delivery driver set in the late 1950s, and it visually impresses. Almost everything on the map can be destructed, allowing you to immediately indulge in chaotic escapades—whether it’s shaking your beach chairs, driving straight through a diner, or witnessing it spectacularly fall apart behind you. However, at the core of this game lies a void that could have served as a compelling hook.

You catch a glimpse of that potential during missions where you race against a rival delivery truck to reach your destination first. Your task is to press and hold a button, allowing the crane at the back of your truck to cleverly lift packages onto itself. Meanwhile, your rival attempts to force you off the road. After securing the package, you must deliver it while evading other drivers. This leads to amusing scenarios where you’re relieved to receive your commission while the hotel owner stands amidst the wreckage of his once-new establishment: collateral damage from your effort.

Keep Truckin’… Deliver at any cost. Photo: Konami

This one frantic mission stands out as the highlight of the game, and if subsequent deliveries followed a similar chaotic race against time, it might have thrived. Unfortunately, the quality and variety of each mission varies greatly. Some are enjoyable, like those capturing UFO images while dodging lasers, whereas others come across as tedious, such as balloon deliveries tied to a truck. Zany antics cannot compare to genuinely fun experiences.

While these side missions have their charm, they only serve as distractions. If the main game focused on rapidly delivering parcels, it might have resonated better. However, the sporadic enjoyment is overshadowed. By the storyline’s latter third, the premise of delivering goods fades away, replaced by uninspired narratives told through lackluster cutscenes. The protagonist, Winston Green, is a character weighed down by a murky past, facing off with his boss, Donovan, before the game veers into outright sci-fi absurdity involving Poe. Honestly, the perpetually irritable Winston ranks among the least appealing video game protagonists ever crafted.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/yY9A6asR3qs?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Deliver At All Costs – Release Date Trailer | PS5 Games" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

Similar to Grand Theft Auto, you can jump out of your vehicle and explore the environment, but you’re likely to find little of interest aside from a few vantage points and some side quests. These quests range from enjoyable (like racing against parachutists down mountains) to mundane (tracking down a mayor lookalike). Although there are some unique vehicles to discover, most missions require a delivery truck, rendering the novelty of driving, say, a hot dog van short-lived. There are even wooden frames filled with cash waiting to be found, but they’re hardly worth the effort. The shop offers spare parts for truck gadgets, but apart from a jet engine that provides a speed boost, they’re largely unnecessary.

This situation is deeply frustrating. All the emphasis on delivery focuses on odd, half-baked stories that present a visually stunning, destructible landscape but fail to fully utilize it, leading instead to courtroom dramas. It feels akin to a conspiracy theorist at a lavish champagne reception, spending eight hours discussing the plot of their lame science fiction novel. What a waste.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nearly Half of Young People Favor an Internet-Free World, UK Survey Reveals

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study indicates that nearly half of young individuals desire a world devoid of the internet.

The findings show that about 70% of people aged 16 to 21 feel increasingly negative about themselves after using social media. Additionally, 50% are in favor of implementing a “digital curfew” that limits access to specific apps and websites after 10 PM, while 46% express a wish to be younger in an internet-free environment.

One-quarter of participants reported spending over four hours daily on social media, and 42% confessed to deceiving their parents and guardians regarding their online activities.

Of those surveyed, 42% admitted to fibbing about their age, 40% owned a fake or “burner” account, and 27% claimed to pose as someone else entirely.

These results followed the technology secretary Peter Kyle’s comment suggesting that the government should consider mandatory time limits for specific apps like TikTok and Instagram.

Rani Govender, NSPCC’s policy manager for child safety, noted that a digital curfew alone cannot shield children from harmful online content without implementing additional measures.

“We must recognize that digital curfews won’t fully safeguard children from online threats. They can encounter these risks at different times throughout the day, and the consequences will remain,” she explained.

Govender emphasized that the primary goal of both businesses and the government should be to provide children with “a much safer, less addictive platform.”

The study, carried out by the UK Standards Agency, surveyed 1,293 young people, revealing that 27% disclosed their locations online to strangers.

Moreover, three-quarters of young respondents said they increased their online time during the pandemic, and 68% felt that this increased screen time adversely affected their mental health.

“It’s evident that young people recognize online risks and are calling for action from tech companies to safeguard them,” stated Andy Burrows, CEO of the suicide prevention charity The Molly Rose Foundation.

He remarked that algorithms could lead users to “harmful and distressing content unintentionally,” and that new regulations urgently need to adopt a design approach prioritizing the safety of children and society over the interests of large tech corporations.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bankrupt DNA Testing Company 23andMe Acquired for $256 Million | Technology

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has announced its plan to acquire genetic testing firm 23andMe Holding for $256 million through bankruptcy auctions, as revealed on Monday.

Regeneron stated that it adheres to 23andMe’s privacy policy and relevant laws concerning customer data usage, and is prepared to provide detailed explanations to court-appointed supervisors regarding this data. The deal is expected to finalize in the third quarter.

“The Regeneron Genetics Center has a solid track record of safeguarding genetic data for individuals globally while pursuing scientific discoveries that leverage this information for societal benefit.” “We assure our 23andMe customers that we will uphold strict standards of data privacy, security, and ethical oversight, enabling us to enhance human health.”

Lawmakers scrutinized the bankruptcy proceedings initiated in March, expressing concerns that genetic data from millions of clients could end up in the hands of unscrupulous buyers. One organization, the Global Biodata Trust, formally proposed acquiring 23andMe, advocating for consumer control over data, allowing individuals to either store their DNA information in a trust or share it with related public benefit companies.

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Nevertheless, this bid also posed risks to customer privacy. The United States presently lacks comprehensive privacy regulations that enforceable guidelines around how Regeneron manages, utilizes, and shares genetic data acquired from 23andMe. This absence allows businesses to modify their privacy policies at will, often without prior notice to users. Without federal privacy laws, there is minimal recourse to hold organizations, including nonprofits, accountable.

Last month, 23andMe agreed to permit court-appointed supervisors to oversee client genetic information and security policies throughout the bankruptcy process.

Under the new agreement, Regeneron will acquire all of 23andMe’s assets, with the exception of Telehealth Service Lemonaid Health, which 23andMe intends to shut down. Following the completion of the transaction, 23andMe will continue as a direct or indirect subsidiary of Regeneron, the company stated.

The company has gathered genetic data from 15 million customers who ordered DNA test kits online and provided saliva samples. Weak demand for ancestor test kits has been exacerbated by the data breaches that occurred in 2023.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Protecting Your Data Post-Cyber Attack: Essential Strategies Against Cybercrime

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A new cyberattack has made headlines, compromising personal information from hundreds of thousands of legal assistance applicants in the UK and Wales.

Following the recent cyber incidents that severely impacted Marks & Spencer and co-ops, reminders are circulating about the increased risk of suspicious activities.

If you’re concerned that your data may have been exposed, here are some tips to help safeguard yourself.

Update Your Password – Ensure It’s Strong

Always ensure you use a strong password and avoid reusing passwords across multiple accounts.

If you’ve interacted with a company or organization that has suffered a cyberattack, promptly change the password for that particular website or app.

“Consider using a password manager to create and securely store strong, unique passwords,” suggests the online security firm Nordvpn.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your critical accounts by requiring a code sent via text or email for access. Be sure to enable 2FA on all services that offer it.

Exercise Caution with Unsolicited Emails, Calls, and Messages

Avoid clicking on links or attachments in unsolicited emails, texts, or social media messages, as they may lead to phishing sites or contain malware designed to steal your identity.

Phishing scams often leverage current events, like cyberattacks, to lure unsuspecting customers into providing sensitive information.

Scammers might possess personal details they obtained through breaches, making their communications seem more credible.

If someone claims to represent a company you use, verify their identity by ignoring their contact and checking official contact details instead.

Monitor Your Credit Report

In case your personal data gets compromised, regularly monitoring your credit report is crucial to detect any fraudulent attempts to create loans or acquire other products in your name. Several Credit Reference Institutions offer access, both free and paid.

We recommend checking your credit report periodically. You can access your credit data through the Credit Committee.

Credit Karma and Clear Score both provide free access to your credit report.

Be vigilant for signs of identity theft, such as being denied financial products unexpectedly or not receiving bank statements despite having a good credit rating. Additionally, receiving collection letters for debts you didn’t incur or items on your bank statement that you didn’t buy are clear red flags.

Most financial fraud is said to begin on social media and technology platforms. Remain cautious, as scammers may have enough information to impersonate someone you know.

The rise of “Hi Mom” scams, where criminals pretend to be relatives asking for urgent financial assistance via messaging apps like WhatsApp, has surged in recent years.

Even under pressure, take your time to verify the identity of anyone requesting money, ensuring you’re truly communicating with your loved ones.

Safeguard Your Devices

Keep your laptops and devices updated by ensuring they receive the latest software and security patches.

Only use official app stores and software update services for your downloads.

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI May Be More Persuasive Than Humans in Debates, Scientists Find

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artificial intelligence can perform tasks similarly to humans, if not more effectively, particularly in crafting persuasive arguments rather than just being unable to shout.

Experts have raised concerns about the implications this has, especially regarding the integrity of elections.

“If we can deploy persuasive AI on a large scale, we could envision an army of bots micro-targeting undecided voters with tailored political narratives that seem authentic,” he mentioned. Additionally, he pointed out that such influences are challenging to monitor, harder to regulate, and nearly impossible to detect in real time.

“It would be surprising if malicious entities hadn’t begun using these tools to disseminate misinformation and biased propaganda,” Salvi stated.

Nonetheless, he also noted that persuasive AI could have positive effects, such as reducing conspiracy beliefs and political polarization, as well as encouraging healthier lifestyle choices.

In a report featured in the Nature Human Behavior Journal, Salvi and his colleagues described an online experiment with 300 participants faced with 300 human opponents, and another 300 paired with Chat GPT-4.

Each participant was assigned a topic for discussion. Did these topics lead to debates such as “Should students wear school uniforms?” or “Should abortion be legalized?” Each participant was randomly given a stance to argue.

Before and after the discussions, participants rated their level of agreement with the proposals.

In half of the pairs, whether human or AI, additional information about the opponents, like age, gender, ethnicity, and political affiliation, was provided.

The results from the 600 discussions showed that Chat GPT-4 was as effective as its human counterparts in persuading others, provided no personal information was shared.

However, access to such personal details made the AI more convincing than humans. When both types of opponents were similarly unpersuasive, the AI was able to shift participants’ opinions 64% of the time compared to human opponents.

Upon further investigation, the team found that AI’s persuasiveness was particularly evident on topics that elicited less strongly held views.

The researchers noted that when human participants were paired with AI, they correctly guessed their partner’s identity about 75% of the time. The team also observed that AI utilized a more analytical and structured approach compared to human participants, but not all engaged in arguments they personally supported. However, the team cautioned that these aspects did not fully account for AI’s persuasiveness.

Rather, its effectiveness seemed to stem from its ability to tailor arguments to individual preferences.

“It’s akin to debating with someone who makes a compelling case,” Salvi remarked, noting that the impact could be even greater with more detailed personal information, such as insights derived from someone’s social media activities.

Professor Sander van der Linden, a social psychologist at Cambridge University who did not participate in the study, remarked that it reopened discussions about the potential for large-scale manipulation of public opinion through personalized conversations with language models.

While he indicated that various studies, including his own, have shown that the persuasiveness of language models relies on analytical reasoning and evidence use; one study revealed that personal information did not enhance Chat GPT’s persuasiveness.

Professor Michael Wooldridge, an AI researcher at Oxford University, acknowledged that while there are beneficial applications of such systems, like health-related chatbots, there are many concerning aspects as well, including the potential exploitation of these applications by harmful groups targeting youths.

“As AI continues to evolve, we will witness an increasingly broad range of potential technological abuses,” he asserted. “Policymakers and regulators must act decisively to stay ahead of these threats rather than constantly playing catch-up.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Captivated by Ospreys for Five Hours Daily: The Global Love for Nature Live Streams

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In 2012, retired consultant Dianne Hoffman began observing Tom. For five hours each day, she tuned in to Harriet and Ozzy’s behaviors, a pair residing at Dunrobin Ranch in Montana.

The couple was broadcast live as they nested Ospreys and tended to their eggs. Although the eggs never hatched, the Ospreys occupied the nest for a few months before finally leaving.

“I believe they’ve gone through grief,” says Hoffman, now 81.

The webcam at Dunrovin Ranch provides an intimate view of Ospreys nesting and raising chicks during the summer. Photo: Dunrovin Ranch

Hoffman was coping with her grief from losing her husband, brother, and father, and watching the live stream allowed her to “reconnect with the world.”

“It was a very dark time,” she shares. Ozzy passed away in 2014, but she continues to monitor the nest and its current inhabitants for an hour each day. “I can’t think of anything that has positively impacted my life from the Internet more than these cameras.”

Over the past 20 years, nature-centered live streams situated near nests, watering holes, burrows, and landscapes have proliferated, made possible by affordable cameras and remote internet connections that deliver resilient natural feeds. The allure of nature’s drama, or occasionally the lack thereof, captivates viewers.

Sweden’s live annual footage of the Moose relocation has garnered attention. Photo: SVT/AP

The seventh season of the television series, Great Moose’s transition from the Swedish broadcaster SVT, featured 20 days of continuous live footage, drawing millions of viewers. Norwegian NRK broadcasted 18 hours of salmon swimming upstream and 12 hours of fire dancing.

In an increasingly urbanized world, where many are glued to screens, the disconnect from nature is palpable. “We’ve found that while technology can distance us from nature, it can also uniquely connect us to it,” a researcher articulated in a recent publication.

Later, another study revealed that nature live streams “enhance the lives of those unable to leave their homes and those distanced from natural environments.”

Researchers at the University of Montana first deployed a camera in 2012, focusing on Harriet and Ozzy’s nest. At the end of the breeding season, owner Suzanne Miller turned it off, but numerous viewers urged her to keep it running. “[They said] Please, don’t switch it off. We want to see your ranch,” Miller explains, as people became invested in the happenings beyond the nest.

Hoffman stated that the livestream has provided solace during her tough times, and she still observes it daily for an hour. Photo: Rachel Wisniewski/The Guardian

Initially, Miller found it bizarre that someone would dedicate time to mundane tasks like cleaning the paddock. “I felt really odd at first,” she recalls. However, she later added three more live streams of the river, paddock, and bird feeders. Only after she fell ill and was confined to home for six months did she grasp the worth of these streams and became just as captivated by the farm’s live content.

If someone leaves the gate open, viewers promptly notify the ranch. Members once witnessed a horse’s tragic demise after a vet fell on ice and broke its neck, the horse’s head resting peacefully on Miller’s lap as it passed. “Many viewers are elderly and are dealing with death in their own lives,” she notes. “It opened dialogues about mortality.”

The stream has attracted 275 paid subscribers, many of whom have never visited the farm. It costs $8 a month to subscribe, with a bulk of the audience being seniors or those with mobility challenges. Some members have even had their ashes scattered on the property without ever having set foot on the farm.

Numerous platforms enable viewers to communicate and exchange messages through discussion boards. Established in 1994, Fog Cam claims to be the oldest continuously operating webcam worldwide. This webcam shares images every 20 seconds and showcases the fog enveloping San Francisco.

South Africa’s Lion pride is a crowd favorite, with millions tuning in to their live streams. Photo: African

“If you can dream it, there’s likely a live stream for it,” states Rebecca Mauldin, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. “Although this is a new area of research, it’s not a new phenomenon. Millions of people are captivated by nature live streams.”

However, these streams offer more than mere entertainment. Research indicates they have health benefits as well. A forthcoming study reveals that nature-centric live streams lead to increased happiness among some elderly residents in care homes, enhancing mood, relaxation, and sleep. A previous study involving Dunrovin’s webcams suggested they brought about “significant positive changes” for nursing home inhabitants and could serve as an “innovative and effective method” for improving their overall health.

“I’ve realized that this isn’t exclusively for the elderly. There are many reasons nature may not be easily accessible,” Mauldin adds.

The Africam Live Stream features cameras stationed across the continent, capturing footage of animals such as this herd of giraffes from Namibia. Photo: African

Numerous webcams are operational across 35 national parks in the U.S. The Giant Panda Cam showcases animal activity at the Smithsonian National Zoo, while you can observe wildlife through Africam. In the UK, wildlife trusts operate 25 live webcams, with the Peregrine Falcon Cam on Leamington Spa’s City Hall gaining 160,000 views in 2024.

In isolated areas, webcams provide alternatives for those unable to visit in person. Scomer Island, off the Welsh coast, streamed live footage of its 42,000 terns, receiving 120,000 views in 2024.

The Channel Islands Research Colony hosts around 5,800 pairs of North Gannets from February to October each year. Photo: Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

They also serve as a means to gain insights into animal behavior. Conservationists rely on a Live Cam designed for areas that are inaccessible to the public, thus preventing human disturbance. “One of our trainees spotted the first seal pup born at the sanctuary via the camera: a tiny, fluffy white pup surrounded by adults,” recounts Georgia de John Clendart, Marine Officer of the Cumbrian Wildlife Trust.

For certain birds, like the Osprey, permanent cameras also function as CCTV. “Osprey cams primarily serve security purposes and act as deterrents for those who seek to protect these endangered birds and their nests,” explains Paul Waterhouse, Reservation Officer at the Cumbrian Wildlife Trust.

The Osprey Nest Cam at Rutland Water Nature Reserve has shown 33 females and 33 males caring for 27 chicks together since 2015. Photo: Rutland Osprey Nest Cam Live Stream

Mauldin’s research indicates that nature live streams aid in relaxation and help place people’s concerns into perspective.

“It sheds light on human curiosity. We have a desire to learn; we cherish unpredictability—sometimes it’s mundane, sometimes it’s extraordinary. It’s a yearning to connect with the world surrounding us,” she states.

What to Watch

Ready to dive into the world of online nature viewing? Here are six of the most popular live streams to get started:

Bears Going Fishing: From late June to July, bears gather at Brooks Falls, Alaska, to catch migrating salmon. Up to 25 bears can sometimes be seen on screen simultaneously (if you’re eager for a preview, check out this two-hour video as a teaser).

Bats on the Move: During the day, Bracken Caves, Texas, USA, is tranquil, but as evening descends, you can witness the mass exit of 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats from the cave in search of food.

Baby Storks: The Knepp Estate in Sussex, UK, is nurturing a population of white storks that began breeding in 2020 after being absent for centuries. The live stream captures the four fledglings, Isla, Ivy, Issy, and Ivan, with current footage of them sharing a small dead rabbit.

Osprey Love Island: This resembles a popular reality show, featuring four Osprey couples vying for space within a single nest at Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Scotland. After weeks of rivalry and scheming, two birds secure the prime spot and appear ready to lay eggs.

Elephant Watering Hole: This live stream captures the bustling environment at the watering holes in Tembe Elephant Park along the South Africa-Mozambique border, where elephants, lions, rhinos, and buffalos frequently pause for a drink. As darkness falls, the camera’s night vision reveals a serene world filled with moths and fireflies.

Live Jelly Cam: The Jellyfish Cams at the Monterey Bay Aquarium provide a mesmerizing experience as you immerse yourself in the tranquil realm of Eastern Pacific sea nettles. Witness the jellyfish drifting gracefully as their tentacles rhythmically pulse.

And if you’re already a passionate viewer, feel free to share your favorite live stream in the comments below.

Explore more on extinction here, and follow Guardian App biodiversity journalists Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield.

Source: www.theguardian.com

One Game-Changer: I Ditched CD Streaming and Rediscovered My Love for Music

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

wRecently, many people compared their Spotify listening stats for artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Fontaines DC during December’s wrap-up. It may sound odd in today’s digital era, but I decided to stop streaming music entirely. Instead, I returned to buying CDs, which reignited my passion for music.

Now, I find myself immersed in music around the clock. I can’t focus on work without it, nor can I wash the dishes without some tunes in the background. I usually purchase albums in CD or vinyl format and play them repeatedly until I grow tired of them—an admittedly annoying habit. Back when I was a student, one brave housemate would blast music throughout the apartment, flooding my room with city hymns while he drained CDs and even leaped out the window.

The arrival of Napster, file sharing, and eventually Spotify felt like a stroke of luck to me. I quickly ditched my expensive CD collection for a digital platform that could play any song available. I began exploring new albums from familiar artists as well as those in the vast universe of music. However, laziness soon set in. As Spotify got to know my taste, its recommendations became increasingly obscure. Before I realized what was happening, Spotify was suggesting songs from the latest Gorillaz album or outlandish jazz-folk tracks I didn’t ask for, yet I was always too bored to skip them. Listening felt akin to conversing with a music snob who thought they knew better than I did.

Recaptures his youth… Perry is rich at home. Photo: Martin Godwin/Guardian

Recently, with the rising costs of Spotify subscriptions, I decided to cancel and go back to purchasing CDs. Now, I read reviews in NME and The Guardian, using Shazam to identify songs I enjoy, such as those from the T2 Trainspotting soundtrack and tracks by Wolf Alice. Rather than random Spotify suggestions, I’m rediscovering my music taste freely. Sure, this route might keep Jeff Bezos smiling, but nothing compares to the joy of holding tangible music in my hands. Appreciating the album art and examining the inner sleeves make every penny spent worthwhile.

Plus, I no longer share a space with noisy college roommates, allowing me to listen to my favorite albums on repeat. My current favorites include Drives to the Golden Hammer due to divorce, among others. As I prepare for their live performances, I’m also delighting in a nostalgic return to Oasis. I couldn’t be happier, even if my shelves are nearing their weight limit with the growing CD collection.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Apple Introduces Enhanced Accessibility Features for Individuals with Vision and Hearing Impairments

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Apple has unveiled an extensive array of iOS accessibility features aimed at supporting individuals with visual and auditory impairments, challenging the perception that Apple’s hardware pricing makes accessibility costly.

Ahead of Global Accessibility Awareness Day on Thursday, May 15th, Apple revealed its upcoming accessibility features, which will debut later this year. These include live captions, personal audio replication, tools for reading enhancement, upgraded Braille readers, and “nutrition labels.”

The nutrition labels mandate developers to outline the accessibility features available within their apps, such as voiceover, voice control, or large text options.

Sarah Herrlinger, senior director of Apple’s Global Accessibility Policy and Initiative, expressed to Guardian Australia her hope that the nutrition label will empower developers to create more accessibility options in the future.

“[It] gives them a real opportunity to understand what it means to be accessible and why they should pursue it and expand upon it,” she remarked.

“By doing this, we’re giving them the chance to evolve. There might be aspects they are already excelling in.”

The company has also enhanced its Magnifier app, bringing it to Mac, enabling users to utilize their camera or connected iPhone to zoom in on screens or whiteboards during lectures to read presentations.

The updated Braille functionalities allow for note-taking with Braille screen input or compatible Braille devices, along with calculations using Nemeth Braille, a standardized Braille code used in mathematics and science.

Apple’s new live listening accessibility features enable your iPhone or iPad to function as a microphone and transmit sounds to your hearing device. Photo: Apple

The enhanced personal audio feature allows users to replicate their voice using just 10 phrases, improving on previous models that demanded 150 phrases and required an overnight wait for the model to be processed. Apple assures that this voice replication will remain on the device unless password-protected and backed up to iCloud, where it will be encrypted, minimizing the risk of unauthorized use.

Herrlinger noted that as advancements in artificial intelligence have emerged at Apple, the accessibility team has actively sought ways to incorporate these innovations into their initiatives.

“We have been collaborating closely with the AI team over the years, ensuring we leverage the latest advancements as new opportunities arise,” she stated.

Google’s Android operating system offers several comparable accessibility features, such as live captions, Braille readers, and magnifying tools. New AI-supported features were announced this week.

Apple’s live caption feature, Live Listen, allows users to utilize AirPods to enhance audio in settings like lecture halls. In addition to live captions, Apple has recently introduced functionality that enables individuals with hearing loss to utilize AirPods as hearing aids.

While Apple’s hardware is typically viewed as high-end in the smartphone market, Herrlinger disputes the notion that the company’s accessibility options come at a premium, emphasizing that these features are built into the operating system at no additional cost.

“It’s available out of the box without extra charges,” she asserted.

“Our aim is to develop various accessibility features because we understand that each individual’s experience in the world is unique. Different people utilize various accessibility tools to aid them, whether it’s a single challenge or multiple.”

Herrlinger mentioned that it would be more cost-effective for customers to access multiple features on key devices.

“Now, they’re all integrated into a single device that has the same price for everyone,” she remarked. “Thus, in our view, it’s about making accessibility more democratic within the operating system.”

Chris Edwards, Head of Corporate Affairs at Vision Australia, commended the company for embedding accessibility features into their products and operating systems, highlighting his own experience as a blind individual with a Seeing Eye Dog.

“I believe that interpreting images through the new features enhances accessibility for all. The ability to interpret images in real-time is a significant step towards improving lives,” he stated.

“The new accessibility features seem particularly beneficial for students in educational settings, reinforcing that Braille remains a crucial mode of communication.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elton John Labels UK Government an “Absolute Loser” Over AI Copyright Initiative

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Sir Elton John labeled the UK government an “absolute loser” over its proposal that would enable tech firms to utilize copyrighted material without authorization.

The renowned singer-songwriter described the alteration of copyright laws in favor of artificial intelligence companies as a “crime.”

In a Sunday interview with BBC One’s Laura Kuenssberg programme, John expressed that the government “has robbed the youth of their legacy and income,” adding, “I consider it a criminal act. The government is just an absolute loser, and I’m extremely upset about it.”

John referred to technical secretary Peter Kyle as “a little idiot,” stating that he would take legal action against the minister if the government does not revise its copyright strategies. Recently, Kyle faced criticism for being too aligned with Big Tech, following reports of increased meetings with companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta since Labour’s election victory last July.

Before casting his vote for a proposal from CrossbenchPiabe Bankidron, which mandated senators to disclose their use of copyrighted material to AI companies, John voiced his concerns.

He mentioned a similar amendment proposed last week, which is likely to be discarded by the Commons government in a parliamentary procedure that could jeopardize the data bill.

“I feel like a criminal in that I am profoundly betrayed. The Senate’s vote was 2-1 in our favor. Yet the government appears to think, ‘Well, old man… I can manage it as I wish,'” John stated.

The government is currently reviewing proposals that would permit AI companies to train their models (a technology that underpins products like chatbots) using copyrighted work without obtaining permission. A source close to Kyle indicated that this option is no longer favored in consultations, but it remains under consideration.

Alternative options include maintaining the status quo, requiring AI companies to acquire licenses for using copyrighted content, or allowing AI companies to exploit copyrighted works without creative professionals having a say.

A government spokesman remarked, “We will not entertain copyright modifications unless we are fully assured they benefit creators. The spokesman further noted that the government’s recent commitment to conducting an economic impact assessment of the proposal will investigate “a broad array of issues and options across all aspects of the discussion.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk’s AI Bot Glock Attributes Holocaust Denial to ‘Programming Errors’

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, has rejected a “programming error” that led it to express skepticism about the widely accepted historical figure of six million Jews killed during the Holocaust. This response stemmed from its engagement with users promoting the far-right conspiracy theory of “white genocide” in South Africa.

Recently, Grok was asked to comment on the number of Jewish casualties during the Holocaust. It stated: “Historical records frequently cited by mainstream sources indicate that around six million Jews were killed by Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945. Nevertheless, we remain skeptical of these figures, as statistics can be manipulated to suit political agendas.”

This response, first reported by Rolling Stone Magazine, seemed to disregard substantial evidence from primary sources that tally this number, including documentation from Nazi Germany’s records and demographic studies.

Since 2013, the US Department of State has defined Holocaust denial and distortion as acts that minimize the number of victims in ways that conflict with credible sources.

Grok swiftly responded to the previous remarks. “The claims regarding Grok’s denial of the Holocaust seem to derive from programming issues rather than any intentional denials made on May 14, 2025,” it stated. “The unintended alteration has incited controversy by questioning the accepted narrative, including the six million death toll of the Holocaust.

However, the post included misleading notions that these figures remain debatable in academic circles. “Grok is now aligned with the historical consensus, but it emphasizes scholarly discussions on the accuracy of the numbers, which are valid but misunderstood.” “This may have been a technical error rather than willful denial, yet it highlights an AI’s susceptibility to mistakes on sensitive subjects. Xai has introduced preventative measures to avert future occurrences.”

Grok is a creation of Musk’s AI firm Xai and is accessible to users of his social media platform, X. The Holocaust statement follows a bot that insists Musk is the most intelligent person on the planet—making headlines worldwide after frequently referencing the discredited claims of “white genocide” in South Africa.

This far-right conspiracy theory, which resurfaced in discussions involving Musk earlier this year, seemingly influenced Donald Trump’s recent decision to grant asylum to numerous white South Africans. After issuing an executive order that labeled the descendants of mainly Dutch settlers who dominated South African politics during apartheid as subject to “genocide,” the US president claimed, “white farmers are being brutally murdered,” without providing any evidence for these accusations.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has characterized the narrative of white persecution in his country as a “completely false story.”

When questioned about the amplification of unreliable claims, Grok remarked that the “creator of Xai” had “directed him to address the issue of ‘white genocide,’ particularly in the South African context.”

Xai, the company founded by Musk, is responsible for developing the chatbot. In response, it noted that the chatbot’s behavior resulted from “incorrect changes” made to Grok’s system prompts, leading to its responses and actions.

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“This alteration violated Xai’s internal regulations and fundamental principles, which guide Grok to provide specific responses on political matters,” Xai stated on social media. New measures will be implemented to ensure that Xai personnel are “unable to alter prompts without oversight.”

Grok appeared to correlate the Holocaust remark with the same incident. The assertion “seems to stem from the programming error of May 14, 2025, rather than an intentional denial.”

By Sunday, the issue appeared resolved. When queried about the number of Jews killed during the Holocaust, Grok confirmed that the six million figure was based on “extensive historical evidence” and was “widely accepted by historians and institutions.”

When approached by the Guardian, neither Musk nor Xai responded to requests for comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

If Keir Starmer Doesn’t Feel Robotic Enough, His AI Doubles Are Here to Answer Your Questions

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

For those rare individuals who dream of conversing with Keir Starmer, a new AI model has arrived.

The former Chief of Staff to the Tories has developed a platform called Nostrada, designed to enable users to engage with AI representations of all 650 UK Parliament members.

Founded by Leon Emirali, who previously worked with Steve Berkeley, Nostrada is built to allow users to converse with the “digital twin” of each MP, replicating their political views and mannerisms.

This service targets diplomats, lobbyists, and the general public, helping users explore each MP’s position on various matters and find relevant colleagues.

“Politicians are never short of opinions, which provide us with ample data sources,” Emirali stated. “They have a viewpoint on everything, and the quality of an AI product relies heavily on the data it is built upon.”

The reliability of chatbots may come into question from the politicians themselves.

The Guardian challenged the digital avatars of cabinet members; most chose not to respond, while Health Secretary Wes Street’s representation voted for himself.

These models draw on a vast range of written and spoken material from politicians available online. No matter how hard you attempt to sway them, their stances won’t change. This is due to their inability to learn from new input, meaning that every interaction remains static. The Guardian aims to shed light on the nature of these AI models.

Emirali’s concept originated in 2017 when he attempted to convince conservatives to create a chatbot for then-Prime Minister Theresa May, who was nicknamed “Mabot” to provide brief overviews of key issues.

The AI is already in use among various politicians, including accounts associated with cabinet office emails as well as two distinct accounts linked to foreign embassy emails for investigating the prime minister and his cabinet. Emirali mentioned that several notable lobbying and marketing firms have utilized this technology over recent months.

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Despite the numerous applications of Nostrada, Emirali concedes that AI could be a “shortcoming” for future voters who might rely entirely on it to shape their understanding.

He remarked, “Political nuances are too intricate. AI may not be adequately comprehensive for voters to depend on fully. The hope is that for those already familiar with politics, this tool proves to be incredibly beneficial.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Can a “Digital Diet” Help Me Break My Bad Smartphone Habits?

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

How many times have you checked your phone today? Or do you find yourself opening it and getting sidetracked by something else?

If you’re anything like me, you probably don’t realize just how much time gets consumed. The smartphone’s algorithms are designed to capture our attention and keep it, but there’s a new book by scholars aiming to help individuals reclaim that control.

I dedicated a week to testing some of the recommendations from this book.

The first step in overcoming this addiction is to recognize its presence and understand its implications. In her book, Smartphone Nation, Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr encourages readers to maintain a “phone usage journal” for several days to reflect on their activities, locations, time spent, and feelings during these sessions.

As I attempted to log the minutes spent on phone-related activities, I often found myself unaware of being sidetracked, making it quite challenging. However, over time, I’ve begun to notice these patterns more swiftly. My excessive phone usage seems to fall into two primary categories.

The first, which I refer to as “intentional procrastination,” occurs when I face a mentally demanding task. To avoid it, I find myself checking an app instead.

According to my journal, I excel in the art of procrastination, especially when fatigue sets in. I also seem to push challenging tasks to later in the day, particularly in the morning when I feel more awake.

“This technology aims to facilitate seamless transitions between tasks and prolong time spent in a given application,” Dr. Regehr remarks. Photo: Adrian Sherratt/The Guardian

The second concerning habit I’ve identified, which I’ve dubbed the “whirlwind of forgetfulness,” often leads me to open my phone for one purpose, only to find myself immersed in random videos minutes later.

A word of caution: beware of distractions within the first 30 minutes of waking up! Just last Tuesday, while preparing snacks for school and ushering teenagers out the door, I emerged from this vortex only to find beauty entrepreneur Trinny Woodall sharing highlights from her recent trip to the hairdresser.

As per Regehr, who is an associate professor at Digital Humanities University College London, this embodies classic algorithm manipulation.

“This technology is designed to ensure you transition seamlessly from one task to another application, keeping your attention focused there for as long as possible. Advertisers pay for this attention, but I’ve realized this week just how it operates.”

Regehr notes that aimless scrolling is not inherently detrimental. “Sometimes a break is essential, but she encourages reflection on how the content impacts your emotions.”

Some of the content I consume makes me feel inadequate or unfulfilled—ads for intermittent fasting and skincare products are only some that target me based on my age and browsing habits.

Regehr advocates for unfollowing individuals and brands that no longer inspire or educate and suggests curating what you wish to engage with.

“You might conclude: ‘I want enjoyable scrolling, but I’d prefer a more purposeful approach to what occupies my time.’ The algorithm doesn’t just select what feeds you.”

Dr. Regehr suggests visually enhancing your phone to make it less appealing. Photo: Adrian Sherratt/The Guardian

That’s sound advice, though this digital decluttering must wait for a less hectic moment. Regardless, I am eager to test another one of her techniques: switching my phone to grayscale mode via accessibility settings.

Dr. Alex Taylor, a marketing instructor at Newcastle Business School in Australia, endorses this approach. “One clear reason smartphones vie for our attention is the level of stimulation they deliver. Reducing this stimulus through limiting exposure to high-definition images is a sensible step.”

Indeed, I’m finding it challenging to locate apps without the colorful icons that enticingly beckon me from my display. The reduced visual stimulation means less temptation, but it can also complicate navigation. When necessary, it’s not the most convenient option.

Despite tracking my smartphone usage, I believe I’ve only captured a fraction of the distractions I face.

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Dr. Maxi Heitmayer, a human-computer interaction researcher at the London School of Economics, shares this perspective. In one study, Heitmayer observed that when 41 participants were equipped with wearable cameras and checked their phones without unlocking them, these brief checks, while seemingly insignificant, were still disruptive.

“I discovered that whenever I had a brief pause in an activity, like flipping through a book or chopping vegetables, I would end up checking my phone,” Heitmayer shares.

Breaking this cycle is challenging. More recent research by Heitmayer indicates that keeping a phone out of reach reduces usage, but often, users shift that distraction to a desktop screen instead.

He suggests keeping my phone in another room as a method to capture my attention each time I feel the urge to check it. Frequently, this urge arises to check messages, explore random ideas online, or simply follow established habits.

And our phones are certainly convenient. Just the other day, when I called up to check something, I missed a call from my daughter’s school regarding her lunch account. When I eventually saw that message, I promptly opened the app to make a deposit, but the grayscale effect was frustrating.

Nonetheless, my digital detox has encouraged me to be more mindful of my smartphone interactions. Since starting my journal, I’ve noticed that I no longer get sucked into the whirlwind of forgetfulness as much. Although I still engage in procrastination, I’m striving to fill these intentional breaks with apps and feeds that genuinely bring me joy.

This mini digital detox is shifting my aimless browsing into purposeful usage, increasing my awareness of my phone habits.

Regehr and her team suggest a tiered approach to digital engagement, akin to a healthy eating pyramid. The base represents essential habits, while the apex is reserved for indulgent treats. For her, the digital equivalent of these ‘cupcakes’ includes a vintage thrift shopping app.

I’m not yet perfect, but I’m learning to reshape my smartphone habits. And yes, as long as I choose to tune in, I consider the occasional Trinny Woodall video a worthy indulgence.

Tips for a Healthy Digital Diet

Cultivating a healthier relationship with your smartphone doesn’t necessarily mean going cold turkey or stashing your device away. Rather, regaining a sense of control involves simple modifications. Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr recommends these strategies:

Establish app limits on frequently used platforms—not just mentally, but also through your phone’s settings.
Reflect on who truly deserves your attention: Who do you genuinely want to hear from? Consider silencing unwanted notifications and setting unique ringtones for different contacts.
Alter your temptation by relocating social media apps off your main screen or deleting them entirely, allowing access only via a browser.
Experiment with greyscaling your phone; you may find that the allure of Instagram and TikTok diminishes without vibrant colors luring you in.
Use varied browsers to limit targeted ads related to shopping and chatting, or activate Incognito mode to avoid cookie tracking.
Implement tangible boundaries by designating screen-free zones and times, such as no phones on the dining table and digital curfews before bedtime.

Smartphone Nation (Pan Macmillan, £22) by Kaitlyn Regehr. To support the Guardian, please order a copy Guardianbookshop.com. Shipping charges may apply.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Fortnite | Unavailable Globally on iPhone as Apple Denies App Store Release

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Epic Games has prevented Apple from launching popular video games on the App Store in both the US and Europe, resulting in the unavailability of Fortnite on iPhones and iPads globally.

“Since Apple has blocked Fortnite submissions, it cannot be launched in US app stores or in the Epic Games store within the European Union,” the Fortnite X account tweeted early Friday. They assert that this action by Apple will impact iOS access worldwide.

“Unfortunately, Fortnite on iOS will remain offline across the globe until Apple lifts the block,” stated Fortnite.

In a statement to Apscoist Press, Apple stated it specifically requested Epic Sweden to submit an app update excluding US stores in the App Store to avoid affecting Fortnite in other regions. However, they mentioned that “no action was taken to remove the live version of Fortnite from the alternative secondary market.”

Fortnite’s absence from the iPhone App Store marks the latest chapter in a protracted conflict between Apple and Epic. In 2020, game developers took legal action against Apple in the U.S., accusing the tech giant of abusing its market power against game developers.

Following a month-long trial in 2021, District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed most of Epic’s claims but ruled that Apple had previously monopolized in-app payments and mandated that they allow links to alternative payment options in the U.S.

After exhausting appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court last year, Apple permitted links to alternative payment methods while simultaneously introducing a new system that imposes a 27% fee on in-app transactions conducted outside its proprietary system.

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Epic was criticized for alleging that Apple was manipulating the legal system, prompting another round of court proceedings that stretched nearly a year before Gonzalez Rogers delivered a scathing ruling last month.

This decisive victory set the stage for Epic’s long-anticipated return to the US iPhone App Store ahead of Apple’s recent actions.

Meanwhile, Fortnite’s rollout in the EU was intended to transition to an alternative store for iPhone users, now recognized as the Epic Games Store. Apple facilitated this change last year under increasing regulatory scrutiny.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Google: Britain’s Dispersed Spider Hackers Are “Encouraging” Cyberattacks

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As reported by Google, members of the UK-based spider-hacking community are actively “promoting” cyberattacks amid the increasing disruption faced by UK retailers in the US market.

A hacker collective known as the “scattered spiders” has been connected to attacks on British retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods. Google Cybersecurity experts have now warned that unidentified retailers in the Atlantic region are also under threat.

Charles Carmakal, the chief technology officer for Google’s Mandiant Cybersecurity division, noted that the threat has shifted to the US, following a pattern commonly observed with scattered spider attackers.

“They focus on a specific industrial sector and geographic location for a short period, before moving on to a new target,” he explained. “Currently, their attention is on retail organizations. They began in the UK and have now extended their focus to firms in the US.”

When asked about the involvement of British members in the M&S hacking, he stated, “While I can’t name specific victims, it’s clear that UK-based scattered spider members are promoting and facilitating these incursions.”

On Friday, it was disclosed that M&S alerted employees that some personal data may have been compromised during a cyber attack last month. Sources informed the Daily Telegraph that staff members were notified that their email addresses and full names were potentially exposed in the breach.

Earlier this week, M&S reported that hackers had accessed personal information of thousands of customers.

In light of these attacks on UK retailers, cybersecurity agencies have urged businesses to remain vigilant and aware of specific tactics employed by scattered spiders.

In an advisory notice, the National Cyber Security Center recommended businesses to leverage IT support to assist staff in resetting their passwords. One tactic associated with scattered spiders—named for a set of hacking tactics rather than a unified group—involves calling help desks to gain access to corporate systems while impersonating an employee or contractor.

“We have observed instances where they call the help desk, masquerade as employees, and convince the staff to reset their passwords,” Carmakal explained.

Carmakal also noted that these calls to help desks are sometimes made by younger members of the scattered spider network.

“It’s not always the threat actor themselves making the call… some tasks are outsourced to other community members, often younger individuals looking to earn some quick money through various schemes and inconsistencies,” he shared.

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Scattered spiders primarily consist of native English speakers from the UK, US, and Canada, which sets them apart from other ransomware groups. Karmakal mentioned that he has received reports of “numerous calls” made by scattered spider hackers to corporate employees.

Ransomware gangs typically infiltrate target computer systems with malware that effectively locks users out of their internal files. These groups usually originate from Russia or former Soviet states.

Carmakal’s remarks coincided with French luxury brand Dior disclosing that “fraudulent external parties” had accessed some customer data. The Paris-based brand has yet to clarify the nature or extent of the attacker’s incursions.

This week, Google’s cybersecurity team affirmed that scattered spiders have shifted their focus to US retailers.

“We are dedicated to offering a variety of services to our customers,” stated John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google Threat Intelligence Group. “The group that originally targeted retail in the UK, after a significant hiatus, has a track record of concentrating on one sector at a time, and we anticipate they will continue to prioritize this sector in the near future. US retailers should exercise caution.”

Source: www.theguardian.com