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.
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.
According to court documents submitted on Monday in a deletion lawsuit, the Agriculture Department plans to reinstate climate change information that was removed from its website when President Trump took office.
The omitted information encompassed pages detailing federal funding and loans, forest conservation, and rural clean energy initiatives. This also included sections from the U.S. Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Services, featuring climate risk viewers, including comprehensive maps that illustrate how climate change impacts national forests and grasslands.
The February lawsuit indicated that farmers’ access to pivotal information was hindered, affecting their ability to make timely decisions amid business risks tied to climate change, such as heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires.
The lawsuit was filed by the Organic Farming Association in Northeast New York alongside two environmental organizations, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group.
The plaintiffs sought a court mandate requiring the department to restore the deleted pages. On Monday, the government affirmed that this restoration would be compulsory.
Jay Clayton, a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, informed Judge Margaret M. Garnett that he represents the agricultural division in this suit and has commenced the process of restoring the pages and interactive tools highlighted in the complaint. He indicated that the department “anticipates completing the restoration process significantly in about two weeks.”
Clayton requested a postponement of the hearing set for May 21, suggesting a report on the restoration progress be submitted in three weeks, and mentioned he is working on determining “the appropriate next steps in this lawsuit.”
“The USDA is pleased to recognize that the unlawful removal of climate change-related information is detrimental to farmers and communities nationwide,” stated Jeffrey Stein, assistant attorney for Earthjustice, an environmental law nonprofit that represents the plaintiffs, alongside the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
Feedback brings you the latest in science and technology news from New Scientist, alongside the latest updates in the field. You can reach out to Feedback@newscientist.com to share intriguing items that may captivate our readers.
The Collapse of a Whale
This section focuses on unusual measurement units and how to effectively communicate information scales. Keen readers may remember discussing how Christopher Dionne’s large datasets can be related to the blue whale genome (April 12).
Bruce Horton remarks that it’s a solid analogy. “The major takeaway from using the blue whale’s size for reference is that most people are familiar with it, making size visualization easier for the audience,” he explains. “However, few people can visualize blue whale DNA, which undermines this analogy.”
He raises a valid point. The concept still echoes the early 2000s during the Human Genome Project, which created comparisons to illustrate the vastness of DNA information. Often, these comparisons included stacks of Bibles reaching to the moon. Nowadays, we utilize what’s gathered from The Wheel of Time series.
Fortunately, Bruce offers a clever solution. He references a 2005 study from the Parody Science Journal. An Unlikely Research Chronicle highlights a study involving slugs: Snail-Based Data Transfer Protocol. Researchers placed giant African land snails on a two-wheeled cart with CD or DVD wheels. Although snails moved slowly, they transferred data at a speed of 37,000 kilobytes per second, outperforming current broadband connections.
The study concluded that this method is easy to visualize and comprehend, making it generally recommended.
Bruce suggests we await further developments and introduces a new unit conceptualized by Ken Taylor and his wife. They own an orchard with a damson tree known for its erratic annual yield. Consequently, they’ve coined the term “cramble,” denoting the quantity of desserts one can create per harvest. Ken shared, “2024 was particularly disappointing, yielding only three crumbles.”
The stark reality reveals that large SUVs pose a greater risk of fatal collisions compared to smaller vehicles. One might expect feedback to respond with sarcasm regarding this apparent truth: indeed, heavier objects will impart more force than lighter ones at equivalent speeds. Yet, a fundamental virtue of science is to challenge common knowledge instead of simply affirming it.
Here, we invite contributions for the category “No Kidding, Sherlock.” The more distressing and obvious the revelation, and the lengthier the methodical experimentation, the better. If ants invade, does it diminish our enjoyment of picnics? If a faucet leaks, does my water bill increase? I’d appreciate at least one enlightening question.
Licking the Badger
Historian Greg Jenner made a surprising discovery in April, stating on Blue Sky: “If you input a random sentence into Google and append ‘meaning,’ you’ll receive an AI-generated explanation for the idiom or phrase you’ve concocted.”
This is how Greg’s quirky phrase, “You can’t lick a badger twice,” prompted Google AI to interpret it as “You can’t deceive someone twice after they’ve already learned your trick.” However, to be fair, interpretations may vary among the US populace. Moreover, these constructions are often artificially generated. Nevertheless, that didn’t deter AI from dispensing extensive explanations. “In this context, ‘licking’ suggests cheating or misleading someone.” The badger anecdote does not hold any factual foundation.
Many submitted their own unique phrases with Google’s analyses. For example, Kit Yates coined, “Don’t run the miles without hitting it with a hammer,” interpreted as “a motivational phrase emphasizing the struggles involved in achieving goals.” Feedback especially appreciated its “frequent” occurrence in torrents of nonsensical dialogues.
Kai Kupferschmidt shared, “It’s better to have tentacles in the tent than mice on rat chairs.” Google deemed it “a humorous idiom, suggesting it’s preferable to find oneself in an uncomfortable situation rather than in a more perilous one.” Feedback found many amusing aspects in this, but it begs the question: why are illicit tentacles seen as uncomfortable, yet not dangerous? A nod to HP Lovecraft indicates tentacles are rarely a good sign.
Regrettably, the “meaning” feature appears to be disabled now. I attempted to coax Google into explaining “Don’t rub Roe Deer’s Cabbages,” but to no avail.
While utilizing AI to generate AI responses can yield novel answers, it won’t prevent individuals from concocting nonsensical excuses rather than admitting they lack knowledge.
This situation underscores the challenge of integrating technology into platforms that aim to serve as precise information sources. Currently, Feedback harbors a lack of trust in Google’s findings. Ironically, this suggests that AI may indeed be correct: one cannot truly lick a badger twice.
Have you provided feedback?
You can send your stories to feedback@newscientist.com, including your home address. This week’s feedback and past editions are available on our website.
Community members investigating a landslide in Yangbari, Papua New Guinea, in 2024
Xinhua Newsletter/Aramie
In the event of a landslide, pinpointing the location can be crucial for rescue teams. Recent advancements in earthquake data analysis have made it possible to identify the source of such disasters within just a few kilometers in a matter of seconds.
Current methods can generally limit the area of interest to tens of kilometers, as noted by Stefania Ursica from the Helmholtz Geoscience Centre in Germany. This limitation can result in significant delays if rescuers are directed to an incorrect site. “The time lost is critical,” Ursica stated during a press briefing at the European Geoscience Union Conference in Vienna last week.
Numerous countries maintain seismic monitoring networks to track earthquakes and volcanic activity. This data can also aid in detecting landslides, especially as the risks associated with climate change intensify. However, analyzing data from landslides is considerably more complex than that from earthquakes, according to Ursica.
Her team’s innovative approach involves two key components. First, they assess five distinct facets of the seismic waveform and filter out noise when an event occurs.
This information is processed by numerous mathematical agents that seek the origin of the initial rock-like event that leads to a landslide. They accomplish this by estimating which waveforms would have been generated at various possible locations and comparing those estimations with the data captured. If the waveforms do not align, they will explore other options.
Each agent “travels” following patterns inspired by animal behavior, such as the spiral of falcons or the migration paths of elephants, until they converge back to the most plausible site of the event. This whole procedure takes approximately 10 seconds, providing far greater accuracy than previous methods. “It’s a few digits of improvement,” Ursica adds.
Aside from enhancing rescue operations, this new technique will assist researchers in locating events in remote regions where satellite data may be limited or unavailable.
The team plans to release their findings and make the underlying code accessible to the public.
TikTok has been penalized €530 million (£452 million) by the Irish regulator for failing to ensure that European user data transmitted to China would be safeguarded from access by the Chinese government.
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) oversees TikTok’s operations across the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes all 27 EU member states along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
It was determined that the Chinese-owned video-sharing platform breached the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by not adequately addressing whether EEA user data sent to China is shielded from the authorities there.
The DPC remarked: “TikTok did not consider the potential access by Chinese authorities to EEA personal data. China’s national security and anti-terrorism laws have been noted as diverging from EU standards by TikTok.”
According to the DPC, TikTok did not “verify, assure, or demonstrate” that the European user data sent to China was afforded a level of protection comparable to that guaranteed within the EU.
TikTok stated that it would not “certify” that the DPC transfers European user data to Chinese authorities. The company claimed it has never received such a request from Chinese officials nor provided user data to them.
Moreover, TikTok has been directed to cease data transfers to China unless compliant processing measures are implemented within six months.
For instance, the National Intelligence Act of 2017 in China mandates that all organizations and citizens “support, assist, and cooperate” with national intelligence efforts.
The DPC noted that the data was “remotely accessed by TikTok’s Chinese staff.”
The watchdog also reported that TikTok provided “false information” during the investigation, initially claiming it had not stored user data from the EEA, but later acknowledging the possibility of storing “limited” European user data in China.
The Dublin-based regulator expressed that it takes “inaccurate” submissions very seriously and is evaluating whether additional regulatory actions are necessary.
The security of TikTok user data has been a longstanding concern among politicians regarding its Chinese ownership. The app still faces the threat of a ban in the US, with legislators on both sides of the Atlantic cautioning that the Chinese state may have access to user data. TikTok is managed by an organization based in Beijing.
In response to the ruling, TikTok announced its intent to appeal and mentioned that safeguards have been put in place under the Project Clover Data Security Scheme, introduced in March 2023. The DPC investigation covered the period from September 2021 to May 2023.
The DPC’s decision also included a finding from 2021 that a privacy statement provided to users did not disclose that data could be accessed in China when personal user data was transferred to a third country. The Privacy Policy was subsequently revised in 2022 to clarify that data is accessible in China.
Following the changes in 2022, TikTok acknowledged that it could access European user data in countries like China to perform checks on platform functionalities, including the effectiveness of algorithms that recommend content to users and identify problematic automated accounts.
On Friday, Tiktok was fined 530 million euros ($600 million) for breaching the European Union’s data privacy regulations after regulators found that personal data of users was wrongly transferred to China.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission announced the penalty, stating that Tiktok did not adequately safeguard data from its European users, including some accessible to staff in China, violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This fine ranks among the largest under the GDPR and adds to the difficulties faced by Bitedan, Tiktok’s Chinese parent company, especially amidst U.S. pressures on non-Chinese companies to divest or face bans in the U.S. The Irish authorities noted that if Tiktok fails to fulfill specific requirements, it may be ordered to cease data transfers to China within six months.
European regulators indicated that Tiktok’s insufficient protections risked user information across the 27-nation bloc. Irish authorities further stated that the Chinese government could potentially access data from users under its anti-terrorism and espionage laws.
With approximately 175 million users in Europe, Tiktok stated it complies with EU laws, asserting that it “has never received requests for European user data from Chinese authorities and has never provided them with such data.”
Tiktok plans to contest the ruling, which could lead to a protracted court battle with the Irish government, Tiktok’s primary regulator in Europe. The company’s European headquarters is situated in Ireland, which is responsible for enforcing GDPR.
Tiktok mentioned that the Irish Data Protection Commission did not take into account its 2023 initiative to invest 12 billion euros in data protections for users within the EU, including the development of a data center in Finland.
The company cautioned that “this ruling may establish precedents that could have widespread repercussions for European companies and industries operating globally.”
Last month, Ireland’s regulators announced that Tiktok had uncovered a “limited” amount of user data stored on servers in China, following a series of denials.
Graham Doyle, vice-chairman of Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, commented on the situation in a statement.
The minister proposed concessions regarding copyright modifications to address the concerns of artists and creators ahead of a crucial vote in Congress next week, according to the Guardian.
The government is dedicated to conducting economic impact assessments for the proposed copyright changes and releasing reports on matters like data accessibility for AI developers.
These concessions aim to alleviate worries among Congress members and the creative sector regarding the government’s planned reforms to copyright regulations.
Prominent artists such as Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard have rallied behind a campaign opposing a range of high-profile intervention changes. Elton John remarked that the reforms “will expand traditional copyright laws that safeguard artists’ livelihoods.”
The Minister intends to permit AI companies to utilize copyrighted works for model training without acquiring permission, unless the copyright holder opts out. Creatives argue this favors AI firms and expresses a desire to adhere to existing copyright laws.
The government’s pledge will be reflected in amendments to the data bill, which will serve as a key instrument for advocates opposing the proposed changes and is scheduled to be discussed in the Commons next Wednesday.
The initiative has already faced criticism. Crossbench peer and activist Beevan Kidron stated that the minister’s amendments would not “meet the moment” and indicated that the Liberal Democrats would propose their revisions to compel AI companies to comply with current copyright laws.
British composer Ed Newton Rex, a notable opponent of the government’s proposal, argued there is “extensive evidence” suggesting that the changes “are detrimental for creators.” He added that no impact assessment was needed to convey this.
Ahead of next week’s vote, Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle sought to establish rapport within the creative community.
During a meeting with music industry stakeholders this week, Kyle acknowledged that his focus on engaging with the tech sector has frustrated creatives. He faced backlash after holding over 20 meetings with tech representatives but none with those from the creative sector.
Kyle further stirred criticism by stating at the conference that AI companies might choose to relocate to countries like Saudi Arabia unless the UK revamps its copyright framework. This was not discussed at a Downing Street meeting with MPs this week.
Government insiders assert that AI firms are already based abroad and emphasize that if the UK does not reform its laws, creatives may lack avenues to challenge the exploitation of materials by overseas companies.
According to government sources, the minister has not established an opt-out system and maintains “a much broader and more open-minded perspective.”
However, Labour lawmakers contend that the minister “has not proven any substantial job growth in return” and is yielding to American interests. They criticize this as, at best, outsourcing and, at worst, total exploitation.
Kidron, who has successfully amended the Lords’ data bill while opposing the government’s reforms, remarked, “The moment is not right for pushing the issue into the long grass with reports and reviews.”
“I ask the government why they neglect to protect UK property rights, fail to recognize the growth potential of UK creative industries, and ignore British AI companies that express concerns over favoritism towards firms based in China,” she stated.
James Fris, a Labour member of the Culture, Media and Sports Selection Committee who facilitated discussions on the matter this month, asserted, “The mission of the creative sector cannot equate to submission to the tech industry.”
Kidron’s amendments, aimed at making AI companies accountable under UK copyright laws regardless of location, were withdrawn in the Commons, but the Liberal Democrats plan to reintroduce them next week.
The Liberal Democrats’ proposal includes a requirement for AI model developers (the technology that supports AI systems like chatbots) to adhere to UK copyright laws and clarify the copyrighted materials incorporated during development.
The Liberal Democrat amendment also demands transparency regarding the web crawlers used by AI companies, referring to the technology that gathers data from the Internet for AI models.
Victoria Collins, spokesperson for Liberal Democrat Technology, stated:
“Next week in the Commons, we will work to prevent AI copyright laws from being diluted and push Parliament to urge lawmakers to stand with us in support of UK creators.”
Mobile phones and desktop computers have long been targets of cyber espionage, but how vulnerable are electric vehicles?
On Monday, a newspaper reported that a British defense company, engaged with the UK government, advised its staff against connecting mobile devices with Chinese-made electric vehicles due to concerns over potential data extraction by Beijing.
This article examines the security issues related to electric vehicles.
Can an electric car snoop on you?
Security experts quoted by the Guardian suggest that electric vehicles, being the most advanced vehicles on the market, could be vulnerable to hacking.
Rafe Pilling, director of threat intelligence at cybersecurity firm SecureWorks, notes that electric vehicles can produce a wealth of data that could interest a hostile state.
“There are numerous opportunities to compromise these vehicles as they collect data,” he states.
He further explains that WiFi or mobile connectivity can enhance data access for manufacturers through the “over-the-air” software update feature.
“Modern vehicles equipped with over-the-air updates, various sensors, and external cameras could potentially be repurposed as surveillance tools,” he adds.
A mobile phone connected to a car via a charging cable or Bluetooth is another significant data source, he mentions.
Should all car drivers be worried?
Experts indicate that individuals in sensitive sectors, such as government or defense, should exercise caution.
“If you’re working on a sixth-generation fighter jet and connect your work phone to your personal vehicle, be mindful that this connection could compromise your mobile data,” states a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute Think Tank.
Nate Drier, tech lead at cybersecurity firm Sophos, highlights the option to select “don’t trust” when connecting a phone charger to a car; however, this would forfeit many functionalities, such as music streaming or messaging.
“Most people tend to maintain that connection for the convenience it brings,” he acknowledges.
Pilling adds that even rental car users should remain vigilant.
“Generally, individuals may leave copies of their contacts and sensitive information in their car’s entertainment and navigation system, often forgetting to remove them before relinquishing the vehicle, making phone synchronization a risky move,” he advises.
Why are Chinese vehicles the focus of concern?
China is a significant producer of electric vehicles (EVs) through brands like BYD and XPENG. Coupled with the Chinese state’s practices in cyber espionage, this raises concerns. For instance, China’s National Intelligence Act of 2017 mandates all organizations and citizens to “support, assist, and cooperate” with national intelligence efforts.
“Chinese law compels companies to align with national security, so one must consider the possibility of surveillance capabilities in their vehicles,” he notes, albeit admitting that there is “no evidence” currently linking Chinese vehicles to espionage.
Experts believe that while electric vehicles are a concern, devices like mobile phones, smartwatches, and other wearables are more likely targets for spying.
What does the UK government say?
A government representative refrained from commenting on specific security protocols but affirmed that “protecting national security is our utmost priority, and strict procedures are in place to ensure government sites and information are adequately safeguarded.”
A more detailed statement released last month by Defence Minister Koker, indicated that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is collaborating with other government bodies to understand and mitigate potential security threats from all types of vehicles, not just those manufactured in China.
Further reports state that while there are no overarching policy prohibitions on the movement of Chinese-made vehicles, EVs incorporating Chinese components have been banned from sensitive military locations.
Nevertheless, individual defense entities may impose stricter requirements for vehicles in particular settings.
BYD was reached for commentary, while Xpeng stated it is “committed to upholding and complying with applicable UK and EU privacy laws and regulations.”
SMMT, a trade association representing British automakers, responded:
“Our industry is dedicated to maintaining a high standard of customer data protection, which includes the responsible use of data. Features such as apps and paired phones can be removed from vehicles based on individual manufacturers’ guidelines, ensuring drivers feel secure.”
There could be a secure quantum internet in the middle
vs148/shutterstock
Another step to the quantum internet has been completed and no special communication equipment is required. Two German data centers have already used existing communication fibers to exchange quantum safe information at room temperature. This is in contrast to most quantum communications, and in many cases it requires cooling to very low temperatures to protect quantum particles from environmental disturbances.
Thanks to being encoded into quantum particles of light, known as photons, the quantum internet, which allows for extremely secure exchange of information, is rapidly expanding into the world outside of labs. In March, microsatellites enabled quantum links between China’s ground stations and South Africa. A few weeks ago, the first operating system for quantum communications networks was announced.
now, Mirko Pittaluga Toshiba Europe Limited and his colleagues are sending quantum information through optical fibers between two facilities, approximately 250 km apart, in Kehl and Frankfurt, Germany. This information passed through the third station between them, just over 150km from Frankfurt.
Photons can be lost or damaged when crossing long distances through fiber optic cables, so large quantum internet iterations require “quantum repeaters” and reduce these losses. In this setup, the midway station played a similar role, allowing the network to outweigh the simpler connections between the two previously tested endpoints.
In a notable improvement on previous quantum networks, the team used existing fibers and devices that could be easily slotted into racks that already house traditional communication equipment. This enhances the case where Quantum Internet will ultimately become plug-and-play operations.
The researchers also used photon detectors that cost much less than those used in previous experiments. Although some of these previous experiments spanned hundreds of kilometers, they say that using these detectors reduces both the cost and energy requirements of the new network. Raja Yehea At the Institute of Photonic Science in Spain.
Premkumar Northwestern University in Illinois says that using the types of quantum communications protocols here on commercial equipment highlights how quantum networks are approaching practicality. “Systems engineers can see this and see that it works,” Kumar says. However, he says that in order to be completely practical, networks need to exchange information faster.
Medi Namaji Quantum Communication Start-Up Qunnect in New York says that this approach could be beneficial for future networks of quantum computers or quantum sensors, but it is not as efficient as involving true quantum repeaters.
Welcome to opt-out. A semi-regular column that will help you navigate online privacy and show you how to say no to surveillance. The final column covered ways to protect the privacy of your phone and data at the US border. If you would like to skip to a section for specific tips, click on the “Jump to Jump” menu at the top of this article.
When you press the button, Tesla will use a feature called Summon to pull you out of the parking lot that is not behind the wheels. Use autopilot to drive yourself on the highway. Once you arrive at your destination, a feature called Sentry mode allows you to record nearby activities while parked.
To effectively operate any of these functions, your vehicle will need to monitor and collect large amounts of data about you. Most Tesla vehicles are equipped with nine internal and external cameras. Information from Tesla, delivered via location trackers, sensors, and more, can draw complex pictures of your life and movements.
“Teslas is truly a surveillance platform,” said John Davisson, senior advisor and litigation director at the Digital Rights Research Group’s Center for Electronic Privacy Information. “There are some privacy safeguards Tesla offers, which allows you to opt out of data sharing if Tesla actually follows those commitments, at least in terms of settings.”
Tesla does not only collect a substantial amount of data to enable a range of advanced features in the vehicle. Connected cars collect some information to work. Given the role of CEO Elon Musk in the Donald Trump administration, some Tesla owners are renewed interest.
These concerns are not entirely unfounded, according to Reem Suleiman, advocacy director for the Mozilla Foundation, who gave Tesla “no privacy.” Grade year In assessing the data security practices of automobile manufacturers. First, the company’s track record of protecting user data is unstable. 2023, a A Reuters investigation found Employees were sharing sensitive footage shot by the vehicle at the internal messaging forum. a Washington Post Analysis Of the transparency report published by Twitter, after Musk took over similarly, X acquiesced to X’s 20% government demands to remove content in the first half of 2024.
We spoke with privacy experts, consulted Tesla’s privacy policy, and asked Tesla’s own AI chatbot how to share the smallest amount of data with Tesla as much as possible. If you own a Tesla, you should take every precaution you can and in many cases you should take with your vehicle. However, more information: Adjust these settings to shut off access to many of the car’s features to share minimal data with Tesla.
“They say that if you choose to opt out of data collection, your car is essentially lemon,” Suleiman said. “They basically say that your vehicle can reduce functionality, serious damage, or impossibility. So, when you think about it, it’s kind of non-selection.”
Here’s what you need to know about your Tesla vehicle privacy:
What information does your Tesla gather about you?
Tesla’s privacy policy details the wide range of data the vehicle collects. Most of it is stored locally, but will also be sent to the company unless you change your settings.
According to Tesla’s AI chatbot, the information collected with you includes: “Location data (Tesla does not record or store vehicle-specific GPS information except in the case of a crash); driving habits and behaviors (speed, brake patterns, acceleration, etc.); diagnostic and vehicle usage data (Tesla product and services data and voice data and automobile) data (camera records, sensor measurements and other inputs to support advanced safety features).
The good news is that if you opt out of sharing information with the company, you can collect and store data on your vehicle’s local drive. The bad news is that law enforcement agencies have access to data if they get a vehicle in any way during a traffic stop or other situation, according to Davisson of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
And it’s not just your car that collects information. The Tesla mobile app, which allows you to activate or summon Sentry mode, also collects location, contacts, browsing and device information. Read how to dial back how much your car is monitoring you.
Who does Tesla share your data with?
If you choose to share your data with Tesla, all data it collects may be shared with third parties, including law enforcement. In addition to sharing data with law enforcement when the company receives a valid court order, Tesla also shares data when it is “essential to protect national security or public safety,” according to the company’s privacy policy. Davisson says the language is ambiguous and opens the door to sharing video footage with law enforcement for many reasons. Recently, for example, the FBI has classified vandalism in Tesla vehicles and showrooms as “.Domestic Terrorism”.
“It’s a very short hop to think of immigration enforcement as a security issue that requires constant sharing, especially now, when everything is clearly a national emergency.Davisson is in real-time footage of ice and other law enforcement officers. “And that’s a horrible situation.”
So how do you protect your data?
Consider other vehicles
When it comes to privacy, everyone has a different risk profile. Some people may be more concerned than others about who has access to their personal information. Tesla’s exterior cameras can also collect footage of people around the vehicle, so it’s not just your own privacy that you need to be aware of.
If you’re worried about gathering information and don’t have a Tesla yet, privacy experts say you should choose a different car. If you have and want to regain your privacy, sell it. Even Tesla’s AI chatbots gave similar advice.
“If someone is deeply concerned about their privacy, they may consider alternatives such as: choosing a vehicle manufacturer with more restrictive data collection practices than 1 (this may be at the cost of reducing convenient features).
So you already bought a Tesla and you decided to sell it. Suleiman and the Mozilla Foundation strongly recommend that you receive your car in the factory before you do so. This means your car will wipe out all its data, as if it’s off the lot.
“Just because you sold a car doesn’t mean you scrub your data,” Suleiman said. “That requires a bit of due diligence.”
Therefore, before you remove the vehicle from your Tesla account, you will need to factory reset your vehicle from your vehicle’s settings. Sit in the driver’s seat and follow these steps:
1 Go to Controls > Services > Factory Reset.
2 Enter your Tesla account username and password to confirm your credentials.
3 Make sure you perform a factory reset.
“This will erase all your personal data, including saved addresses, music favorites, imported contacts, and restore your car settings to factory defaults,” according to Tesla’s AI chatbot. The company also recommends removing “Homelink” devices. This allows you to control things like garage doors, lights, or home security systems from Tesla. You can click the Homelink icon at the top of the Controls screen to go to Homelink Settings and delete connections to other devices.
How to share the minimum amount of data with Tesla
In the vehicle and Tesla app settings, you can choose not to share your data with your company. But like I said before, be prepared to lose functionality in your car.
Opting out of data sharing in your car is pretty easy. In the vehicle,[設定]>[ソフトウェア]>[データ共有]Go to. Turn off Allow data sharing. This disables analysis, road segments, diagnostics, and sharing of vehicle usage data. Tesla’s AI chatbot recommended turning off the “Allow Autopilot Analytics” off to stop sharing of autopilot-related data.
Opt out of mobile app locations and data sharing. In the Tesla app, you will be taken to Settings (the button looks like three horizontal lines or gear icons). Next, scroll down to Security and Privacy. after that Select Turn off the location service.click Turn off analytics and stop sharing app usage data with your company. Next, revoke access to your camera, microphone, and contacts.
“By following these steps, you’ll be sharing the minimum amount of data with Tesla, while enjoying the core functionality and functionality of your mobile app,” according to Tesla AI Chatbot.
However, this will affect the functioning of your car. According to Tesla’s chatbots, data sharing affects these features.
Chinese researchers have been granted access to British Grand Prix records of half a million, despite concerns from Western intelligence agencies about the authoritarian regime’s accumulation of health data, as revealed by the Guardian.
The records are set to be transferred to UK Biobank, a research hub housing detailed medical information from 500,000 volunteers. This extensive health data repository is made accessible to universities, scientific institutions, and private companies. Guardian analysis indicates that one of the five successful applications for access originates from China.
Health authorities had been evaluating the need for additional protection measures for patient records as they are integrated with genomes, tissue samples, and questionnaire responses at UK Biobank. Personal details such as date of birth are stripped from UK Biobank data before sharing, but experts warn that in some instances, individuals could still be identifiable.
Despite warnings from MI5 about Chinese entities accessing UK data under the direction of China’s intelligence agency, UK Biobank, which oversees health data, has recently given clearance for Chinese researchers to access GP records.
As UK Ministers cozy up to Beijing in pursuit of economic growth, the decision reflects a delicate balance to avoid antagonizing the influential superpower, which prioritizes biotechnology advancement. The UK-China relationship is already under strain due to issues like the ownership of a China-owned steel factory in Scunthorpe and new regulations on foreign interference.
A government spokesperson emphasized that security and privacy are paramount considerations when utilizing UK health data for disease understanding and scientific research. They reassured that health data is only shared with legitimate researchers.
The UK Biobank has been a major success in advancing global medical research, according to Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP heading the Congressional Science and Technology Committee. She stressed the need for a comprehensive government strategy to ensure data control and secure, responsible data sharing in the geopolitical landscape.
Approval of access to patient records
Out of 1,375 successful applications for UK Biobank data access, nearly 20% come from China, second only to the US. Chinese researchers have leveraged UK Biobank data for research on topics like air pollution and dementia prediction.
In recent years, the US government has imposed restrictions on BGI subsidiaries due to concerns about their collection and analysis of genetic data potentially aiding Chinese military programs. Nevertheless, UK Biobank approved a research project with a BGI unit, emphasizing the need for strict compliance with UK data laws.
The UK Biobank representative dismissed claims of genetic surveillance or unethical practices by BGI, stating that the focus is on civilian and scientific research. The UK Biobank continues to engage with MI5 and other state agencies to oversee data use, including collaborations with Chinese entities.
Despite some opposition, patient records are being transferred to UK Biobanks and other research hubs as part of a directive from the Health Secretary. Access to these records is strictly regulated by NHS England based on security and data protection considerations.
NHS England requires overseas data recipients to be authorized for access to personal data in compliance with UK data laws. Regular audits ensure that data sharing processes meet security standards. Chinese researchers can now apply for access to GP records through the approved platform.
China is “developing the world’s largest biodatabase.”
Data repositories like UK Biobank play a crucial role in global research efforts, with some experts cautioning about China’s intent to leverage genomic and health data for biotech advancement. Intelligence sources suggest that health data could be exploited for espionage if anonymization is breached.
MI5 raised concerns about China’s National Intelligence Act and its implications for personal data controllers interacting with Chinese entities. China’s ambition to develop a vast biodatabase has drawn scrutiny from intelligence officials worldwide.
Privacy advocates have questioned the transfer of UK health data to China, urging vigilance against potential misuse in “hostile states.” UK Biobank has revamped its data sharing practices to enhance security and ensure that patient data is safeguarded.
Despite the concerns, UK Biobank CEO Professor Rory Collins underscores the importance of explicit consent from volunteers for studying health data, particularly GP records.
Feather foil print. The barb on the right represents the population of British bird species from 40 years ago. The left shows the current population size.
Rebecca Kay
Rebecca Kay is also known as her alias ploterre With the help of hard data and clever design, turn the idle thoughts that occur while cycling into beautiful prints.
Edinburgh, UK, studied mathematics, worked as a data researcher, and developed her art as a side job. Covid-19 was then a hit, and she jumped into art full-time.
Her work inevitably begins outside in nature and arrives as an ever-inquisitive thought. How do tide ages change around the coast, where do oxai daisies grow across the UK, or how do the unique flashing patterns of lighthouses differ?
“Usually, I’d be wondering why the leaf pattern looks like it is, and most people would just keep walking and forget about it,” Kay said. “I turned it into a bit of a job.”
Ash Rise Weathering Letter Press Print. Using data from the UK Meteorological Service, each growth ring represents a year, with thin lines representing daily rainfall and gaps between lines representing daily temperatures.
Rebecca Kay
Once she gets an idea, the data hunt begins. The most recent question that came to mind was whether it was always raining somewhere in the UK. That led to her review of 130 years of records, leading to a perhaps surprising, pessimistic discovery.
Once the visual design is sketched on paper, Kay relies on computers to distort data into design, consolidating information and forms into a single piece that tells the story. This ultimately leads to a finished design that is screen printed by hand.
The rapid adoption of AI technology globally is projected to consume a substantial amount of energy equivalent to Japan’s current energy consumption by the end of the decade. However, only half of this energy demand is expected to come from renewable sources.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) report suggests that the electricity consumed by processing data with AI in the United States alone will be significant by 2030. The overall electricity demand from data centers worldwide is anticipated to more than double by 2030, with AI being a key driver of this surge.
One data center currently consumes as much energy as 100,000 households, but newer ones under construction may require up to 20 times more. Despite these demands, fears that AI adoption will hinder efforts to combat climate change are deemed “exaggerated” in the report, which highlights the potential for AI to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Executive Director of IEA, Fatih Birol, emphasizes that AI presents a significant technological shift in the energy sector and underscores the importance of responsible use. AI has the potential to optimize energy grids for renewable sources and enhance efficiencies in energy systems and industrial processes.
Furthermore, AI can facilitate advancements in various sectors like transportation, urban planning, and resource exploration. Despite the energy challenges posed by AI, strategic government intervention is crucial to ensure a sustainable balance between technological growth and environmental preservation.
However, concerns persist regarding the potential negative impacts of AI, such as increased water consumption in arid regions and potential reliance on non-renewable energy sources. To address these challenges, transparent governance and proactive measures are essential to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its adverse effects.
Welcome to opt-out. A semi-regular column that will help you navigate online privacy and show you how to say no to surveillance. The final column covered what to do with the 23andMe account after the company filed bankruptcy. If you would like to skip to a section for specific tips, click on the “Jump to Jump” menu at the top of this article.
If you are a visa or green card holder who has plans to travel to the US, reports that people have been ousted at the airport for messages found on their devices may encourage you to make a second trip plan. You may ask Customs and Border Protection (CBP) if you can search for your phone, if you can opt out, and what to do to minimize the risk.
The simple answer is yes, CBP can search for devices. Constitutional protections are generally weak at US borders, including airports. You can try to opt out, but in some circumstances you may be willing to risk the potential consequences of not complying, which can include confiscation of your device.
Privacy experts say everyone needs to conduct a personal risk assessment. This should include immigration status, travel history and data on your mobile phone. Depending on your situation, data that may not be sensitive to others will not fit every solution into every solution. For example, if CBP attempts to search for a mobile phone or wants to lock down your device before heading to the airport, it could affect its rating.
Although CBP said it searched only about 47,000 devices of 420 million people crossing US borders in 2024, it was not as easy to figure out whether there is a risk of device searching, as the Guardian said border enforcement was unpredictable under the Trump administration. French officials said French scientists were recently kicked out at a Texas airport after immigration officers found texts critical of Trump on his phone.
“The ultra-conservative perspective is to assume that they are completely hinged and that even the most benign reasons for travel are targeting non-citizens in searching for these devices,” said Sophia Cope, a senior staff lawyer at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a nonprofit digital rights group.
If you are a US citizen, you must be hospitalized in the country. That said, there are still some risks in some jurisdictions that devices are being searched for domestic reasons as CBP will allow them to work with the FBI or local police to proceed with domestic investigations.
There are steps you can take to make it difficult for CBP executives to access the device and its data. So, what should you do to protect your mobile phone data from searching? The main thing is to prepare before heading to the airport. This is what you should think about:
Determine whether to comply with phone searches
Before you travel, start preparing for the possibility of being drawn into a secondary screening. First, you need to determine whether immigration officers will comply with whether they ask if they can search for devices. They may request a password for your mobile phone, or you may unlock the device. Ideally, you will unlock your device yourself and will not share your password. You can decide not to give your consent, but it has its own risk.
From a Guide to the border From EFF: “This presents a no-win dilemma. If the traveler is compliant, the agent can scrutinize and copy sensitive digital information. If the traveler declines, the agent can seize the device and expose the traveler to additional questions and detention.”
If you reject a search, the officer may decide that you are not worth the trouble because you are not at high risk. They may let you go. However, on the back, the decline can lengthen the process or the border agent can confiscate the device. If they’ve confiscated your device, then you can confiscate your device so that they can document that they have your device when you try to get it back, and that they can document that they have your device when you try to get it back. Without giving up the password, immigrant staff can unlock it themselves using a variety of tools on their devices. You can also try to guess your password, so make sure you have a strong, long password.
There are many reasons why you might not want to risk being suppressed or confiscated from your device for longer than you have already done.
If you plan to adhere to phone searches to avoid further complications, you can search your phone manually or with forensic tools. It’s worth preparing for both types of searches.
Turn off your phone and ID before entering the US
EFF recommends turning off your device completely before entering the US. This could potentially bring your phone or laptop back to an enhanced security state, which could make it difficult for anyone to break the encryption on their devices.
Privacy advocates also recommend that you ensure that your device requires a password to decrypt or unlock it. For example, if you are using a Face ID or fingerprint to unlock your phone, it will allow executives to use it to access the device.
Please do not wipe the phone
You may think that the most protective option is to wipe your phone completely before traveling, use a burner without a phone, or travel. However, EFF’s COPE said it could actually raise doubts.
“If people do that, they’ll feel bad and they’ll just ignore them,” Coop said. “If you cross a border without data on your device, you can in itself consider it suspicious.”
Instead, we suggest selectively delete that information, rather than wiping the entire device, if there is data or text that appears to be cooperative but you don’t want to access, instead of wiping it all out.
The most important step to take before you travel is to encrypt the data on your device. This is different from using encrypted messaging services such as signals. Device encryption makes it difficult for CBP executives to access files on their phones or laptops or recover deleted files, even if they confiscate their devices and submit to sophisticated forensic tools.
Fortunately, All recent models Full device encryption will automatically be turned on for both iPhones and most Android phones. On Android, the “Security” menu is[詳細設定]Double check that yours is turned on in the tab. As CBP cannot walk through the front door of the device, you need to choose a strong password that is not easy to guess. Here is Good primer How to create a strong password.
“This encryption is as good as the encryption passphrase someone uses on their devices,” said Bill Buddington, senior staff technician at EFF. “So the best advice is to choose a powerful 9-12 random (or 4-5 words) passphrase for your device and make sure that biometric unlocks like face ID and touch ID rotate. off You can confiscate any device when passing through sensitive areas such as checkpoints or anywhere else. ”
On the other hand, laptops don’t come with all device encryption. Some encryption tools can be used to encrypt your data. MacOS has a tool called FileVault that can be accessed by searching in the top right corner of the screen. Some Windows computers come with a tool called a bitlocker that can be used to encrypt devices. EFF has a complete list of tools that can be used on various operating systems here.
For those traveling with devices owned by their employer or someone else, you should have conversations with them before you travel to make sure your devices are well protected.
How to safely delete data
In addition to encrypting your device, you should not want to delete certain text, apps, photos, etc. that you think are sensitive or show it to government agents.
To safely delete this data, there are several steps and limitations. If you haven’t wiped your phone completely, you may choose to delete certain files as there may be suspicion. That more practical option may be effective for manual searches and rough searches, but may not be sufficient if more sophisticated searches occur with US immigrant personnel. The files may not be completely deleted, or there may be references to these files that are still on your device.
In addition to ensuring that your device is encrypted, you must also make sure you have deleted the files from the Trash. For example, in iMessage, clicking Filter in the top left corner will find the “Recently Deleted” folder. Make sure you cleared the text from there. On iPhone, there is one file It has been deleted Both the main Imessage interface and the “recently deleted” file are permanently deleted, according to the company.
Cope recommends preemptively deleting apps you don’t want to search for. This protection method is incomplete as advanced searches may reveal that the app is installed, but for example, in manual searches, it is a way to avoid searching for WhatsApp messages.
Go to the cloud storage server
During a search for law enforcement within US boundaries, cloud storage servers are less protected than devices. However, at the border, there is currently a policy in place that prohibits CBP from searching for online cloud services. In reality, that means that immigration officers need to go into plane mode before searching for their mobile phones.
“They specifically say that executives are only allowed to consider data that they are "resident on the device,"” Cope says. “It’s data that’s actually on your phone, laptop, or camera hard drive. If it’s an internet-connected device, you’re supposed to be disconnected from the internet.”
If for some reason there is data that cannot be permanently deleted or cannot be deleted, you can delete it from your device and save it to cloud storage such as iCloud, Google Drive, or Microsoft One Drive.
This is a high-level guide that may not touch on the details of your situation. A complete comprehensive guide on how to protect your device with Electronic Frontier Foundation.
During a flurry of executive orders signed by President Trump, significant changes were made affecting the content on government web pages and public access to data related to climate change, the environment, energy, and public health.
In the past two months, hundreds of terabytes of data have been removed from government websites, raising concerns about potential deletions. While the underlying data still exists, tools for public and researcher access have been taken down.
Now, hundreds of volunteers are actively recreating digital tools to gather and download as much government data as possible, making it readily available to the public.
Volunteers working on the project Public Environment Data Partner have already recovered over 100 datasets that were removed from government sites and aim to store a growing number of 300 datasets.
Efforts to download climate, environmental, energy, and public health data began in 2017 amidst fears about its future under a president who dismissed climate change as a hoax. Federal information has since disappeared, prompting a new response.
Environmental scientist Gretchen Gerke emphasized the importance of resilient public information in the digital age, expressing concern over the removal of vital data access tools. The need for data like climate measurements collected by NOAA is crucial for various parties, yet efforts to restrict public access continue.
The technology director at the Center for Environmental Policy Innovation highlighted the removal of public access and emphasized the taxpayer-funded nature of these tools.
Requests for two essential data tools, Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) and Environmental Justice Screening Tool (EJScreen), have been frequent. These tools, crucial for addressing environmental justice and climate change issues, were removed from access.
The removal of these tools has hindered efforts to address structural racism and disproportionate impacts on communities of color, as highlighted by Dr. Geke.
Galactic sea photographed by the Euclidean Space Telescope
ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, J.-C. Image processing by Cuillandre, E. Bertin, G. Anselmi
The extraordinary image from the Euclidean Space Telescope has acquired 26 million galaxies.
Euclid was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in July 2023, and in November of that year it sent its first image back. The six-year mission will image about a third of the sky and build the most detailed 3D map of Cosmos ever created. Once completed, this investigation will help to lighten how dark matter and dark energy behave on a cosmic scale.
ESA is currently being released The first large data on this missionstarts with three “deep fields.” This is an area where the telescope becomes a more detailed peer than the rest of the study area. These three spots represent 63 squares of sky, which corresponds to an area where the full moon is covered 300 times. Over the next few years, Euclide will pass these regions 30-52 times to build more detailed images.
It'll be Percival The University of Waterloo in Canada says that current batches of images are less than 50% of what gather on missions, but there is already plenty of researchers to collaborate. “There's so much you can do about many individual galaxies and their properties because it's not something that's done in space-based research with nearby infrared light or optics like this,” he says. “It's not exactly the same quality as HST [the Hubble Space Telescope]but it's so close that it doesn't just point to individual objects and shoot. We are conducting an investigation. ”
Researchers have already used Euclidean data to find hundreds of powerful gravity lenses. These phenomena are formed when the gravity of an object in the foreground distorts light from a distant galaxy, creating an arc shape or a complete ring. Previously, scientists had to hunt these individually, point them to the HST, and collect more images. Currently, astronomers can search for survey data from Euclidean and find more at once. This helps to gather insights into the evolution of galaxies and the universe.
Using AI models, researchers were able to find and catalog 500 galaxies with powerful gravity lenses with this first data alone, doubling the total seen to date. “The statistics are incredible,” Percival says. “Euclidean ultimately gets this amount of data 200 times.”
The data released so far represents only one week of images from Euclidean, but up to 35 terabytes. This is equivalent to 200 days of high quality video streaming. The next batch of data is expected to be released later next year, and will be a year's worth of images covering 2,000 square degrees and over 2,000 terabytes of storage space.
It can take over 100 years to view each galaxy manually, so AI is used to dramatically speed up the process, he says. Mike Walmsley At the University of Toronto. “We can ask new questions in weeks, not years, but in weeks,” he says.
This appeal will be reviewed by the investigative courts to determine if the national intelligence agency acted unlawfully.
What is the UK government requesting from Apple?
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a “Technical Capacity Notice” under the Investigation Powers Act, requiring businesses to assist law enforcement in providing evidence. The focus is on Apple’s Advanced Data Protection Service, which encrypts personal data stored on Apple’s cloud servers.
The UK government hopes that Apple will provide access to its services’ content through backdoors.
Why is Apple opposing this?
Apple values privacy as a core principle and has removed its Advanced Data Protection Tool from the UK. The tool offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring only the account owner can decrypt the data. Apple’s iMessage and FaceTime services maintain end-to-end encryption.
Apple faces opposition from human rights groups challenging the Technical Capacity Notice as a broad request that compromises billions of users’ personal data to potential threats.
Can Apple succeed in the challenge?
Legal lecturer Dr. Daniella Lock from King’s College London suggests Apple has a chance due to human rights considerations. The requirement for a backdoor to access encrypted data may be viewed as disproportionate, and questions arise about data security.
However, Lock acknowledges that the UK government’s secrecy surrounding the case could hinder Apple’s defense, as courts tend to support national security interests.
Does the US government support Apple?
The US government has expressed concerns about the UK’s demands on Apple, with President Trump likening it to Chinese surveillance practices.
“We told them you can’t do this,” Trump stated in an interview. “We actually said[Starmer]… can’t believe it. That’s what you know, you hear China.”
Would Apple’s defeat create a precedent?
Regardless of the outcome, future conflicts with tech companies are possible as the IPA requires companies to notify the government of changes affecting data access. Services like WhatsApp, committed to privacy, may also face similar requests.
This case represents a critical battleground between law enforcement and technology, balancing users’ privacy rights and overall security concerns.
The Guardian has learned that appeals to the UK government’s request to access clients’ highly encrypted data will be heard in a secret High Court hearing.
The appeal, scheduled for Friday, will be reviewed by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent court with the authority to investigate allegations of illegal actions by the UK Intelligence Reporting Authority.
This goes against a directive issued by the Home Office in February under the Investigatory Powers Act, which compels law enforcement to provide requested information.
The Home Office is seeking the ability to access users’ encrypted data in cases of national security threats. Currently, even Apple does not have access to data protected by Advanced Data Protection (ADP) programs.
ADP allows iCloud users to safeguard photos, memos, and other data with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only users can access it. Messaging services like iMessage and FaceTime maintain default end-to-end encryption.
Apple has argued that removing this tool would make users vulnerable to data breaches and jeopardize customer privacy. Creating a “back door” would enable Apple to access all data and potentially share it with law enforcement agencies.
Last week, Computer Weekly reported that Apple plans to challenge the secret order.
The court took the unusual step of announcing the closed hearing before President Rabinder Singh on March 14th.
The court listing does not mention Apple or the government, and it does not disclose if the court is associated with either party.
The hearing will be held privately due to security concerns, but media outlets like Computer Weekly argue that it is a matter of public interest and should be conducted in open court as details have already been leaked.
News organizations, including the Guardian, and civil society groups are supporting Computer Weekly in their petition.
In a statement in February, Apple expressed disappointment at the situation. They cited increasing data breaches and threats to customer privacy as the reason for ceasing to offer advanced data protection in the UK.
A spokesperson emphasized the urgency of enhanced security with end-to-end encryption in cloud storage and reiterated Apple’s commitment to user data security.
“As we have stated many times before, we have never created backdoors or master keys for our products or services,” the spokesperson said.
Both Apple and the Home Office declined to comment on the upcoming hearing, and the Guardian reached out to the court for more information.
tWith a wide range of boating hours from Manaus, the capital of the Amazonas province, Deodato Alves Da Silva is hoping for enough power to keep his Tucumã and Cupuaçu Fruits fresh. These highly nutritious Amazon superfoods are rich in antioxidants and vitamins and serve as the main source of income for farmers in the Silva region. However, there is a lack of electricity to refrigerate the fruit, making it difficult to sell produce.
Silva's fruit cultivation work is located in the village of Boa Frente in Novo Alipuana, one of the most energy-poor regions in Brazil, with only one diesel-powered generator working several hours a day.
Seventeen families in the community pay for diesel, but due to the high prices, everyone agrees to use the generator between 6pm and 10pm. This is also the only time they can communicate with the outside world. There is no mobile phone connection in this area, only satellite internet.
“The power is supplied for four hours per night. The motor is off and the switch is turned back the next night,” says Silva, 72, a rural health worker and fruit grower who has lived in the area since birth.
“If we have the power to preserve Cupuaçupulp, we will have much higher incomes. Our community is a massive producer of Tucumã, but lack of power prevents conservation.”
Four British parents who are suing Tiktok for the alleged unlawful deaths of their children express concerns about the suspected deletion of their child’s data from social media platforms.
These parents have filed a lawsuit in the US claiming that four children died in 2022 after participating in the “Blackout Challenge,” a viral trend that emerged on social media in 2021.
A week after the lawsuit was filed, Tiktok executives mentioned that certain data had been deleted due to legal requirements. UK GDPR regulations mandate that platforms do not retain excessive personal data.
The parents were surprised by how quickly their child’s data was removed.
Isaac and Lisa Kennevan. Lisa expressed doubts on Tiktok’s claim of removing her son’s data.
“My initial reaction was that it’s a complete lie,” said Lisa Kennevan, whose son Isaac passed away at 13.
Liam Walsh remains skeptical about Tiktok deleting data on her daughter Maia, who passed away at 14, as the investigation is ongoing. He has issued a statement.
Ellen Room is advocating in Congress for the introduction of “Jules’ Law” in memory of her 12-year-old son Julian.
“If you have a physical diary in [your children’s] bedroom, I’m sure you’d read it to understand. Nowadays, they’ve moved online, and social media serves as a diary for kids. So why not examine their online diaries for potential answers?” she remarked.
Archie Battersbee and her mother, Hollie Dance. Dance has struggled to obtain access to Archie’s data despite him being under 13 when he passed away. Photo: Distribution materials
Hollie Dance should have automatic rights to the data, as her son Archie Battersbee was 12 years old, but she faces challenges in accessing it. “There are still three [of his] active accounts. I can see them myself,” she noted.
Tiktok has stated that searches related to dangerous challenges have been blocked since 2020. The platform aims to remove harmful content preemptively and direct users to safety resources.
Dance mentioned that she has screenshots of dangerous challenges that were easily accessible.
The parents expressed their wish to restrict their children’s access to social media and were unaware of the limited rights they have to their children’s data.
“Essentially, we’re handing the kids loaded guns,” Kennevan remarked. “A child’s brain isn’t fully developed until around 25. The amount of exposure to content isn’t healthy. They’ve witnessed harmful content, such as porn, at ages 10 and 11. They don’t need social media.”
Isaac Kennevan passed away at 13.
This year, the Online Safety Act was enforced, obliging platforms to take action against illegal or harmful content. Walsh expressed skepticism towards Ofcom.
Dance suggested that the organization should screen all videos before they are uploaded to the platform.
Walsh revealed that a US court exposed a video of her child, leading to a damaging impact on her mental state. She intends to press manslaughter charges against the company in UK courts.
Room explained that the family resorted to a US lawsuit after being unable to file a case in the UK due to legal constraints.
Ellen Room and her son Julian; Ellen highlighted how social media is akin to a child’s diary. Photo: Distribution materials
She emphasized on making a difference for other families and parents. “It’s challenging and emotionally draining, but we’re going to make an impact here,” she mentioned.
DNA can store digital data such as visual and audio files
Science Picture Co / Alamy
Artificial intelligence can read data stored in DNA strands within 10 minutes, not the day required for previous methods, and DNA storage approaches practical use of computing.
“DNA stores huge amounts of data in a very compact form and remains intact for thousands of years.” Daniella Bar-Lev At the University of California, San Diego. “In addition, DNA is naturally replicable and offers a unique advantage for long-term data storage.”
However, getting encoded information within DNA is a monumental challenge as the strands become confused when mixed and stored. During the data encoding process, individual strands may be replicated incompletely, and some fragments may be lost completely. As a result, data readings stored in DNA are similar to reconstructing books from boxes filled with pages that go beyond the finest, varied.
“The traditional methods suffer from this confusion and require several days of processing,” says Bar-Lev. The new approach “rationalizes this with AI trained to find patterns of noise,” she says.
Bar-Lev and her colleagues developed an AI-driven method called DNAFormer. The system includes a deep learning AI model trained to reconstruct DNA sequences, another computer algorithm to identify and correct errors, and a third decoding that brings everything back to digital data while correcting any remaining mistakes. Includes algorithms.
In experiments, DNAFormer can read 100 megabytes of DNA storage data 90 times faster than the next fastest method developed with traditional rules-based computing algorithms, while achieving better or equivalent accuracy. I did. The decoded data included colored images of the test tube, a 24-second audio clip from astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous Moonlanding speech, and text on why DNA is a promising data storage medium .
The team says they plan to develop a version of DNAFormer tailored to new technologies for encoding data into DNA. Omar Savery Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.
“Crucially, our approach doesn't rely specifically on us. [DNA] Synthesis or sequencing methods can be adapted to future, still undeveloped technologies that are more commercially viable,” he says.
High-tech companies are urging the UK government to support the growth of AI data centers in remote areas of the UK by offering the lowest electricity prices in Europe.
A report commissioned by high-tech companies Amazon and Openai calls on the government to reform the UK electricity market by implementing zonal pricing, where prices vary based on different zones to incentivize investment in areas with lower electricity costs.
This zonal pricing model, according to a report by SMF Think Tank, highlights Scotland as a hotspot for AI data centers due to its abundant wind farms and population density.
Political leader Keir Starmer has emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence in positioning the UK as a global technology leader.
However, concerns have been raised about hosting data centers in the UK due to high industrial electricity prices and ambitious targets to phase out fossil fuels from the electricity system.
The SMF report suggests that zonal pricing could significantly reduce electricity costs for data centers, making Scotland’s electricity prices the lowest in Europe.
Support for zonal pricing has been recommended by cross-party Think Tanks to expedite the deployment of AI data centers by connecting more low-carbon electricity to the grid and addressing planning delays.
The report also backs the government’s plan to build small modular reactors outside traditional nuclear areas to facilitate the development of Data Centre Hubs in England and Wales.
According to Sam Robinson of SMF, urgent action is needed to address rising energy costs and planning delays to maintain the UK’s position as a global innovation leader.
Zone pricing alignment has garnered support from SMF clients and tech companies in government consultations on the future of electricity markets.
The proposed zoning system aims to attract high-energy users to regions with lower electricity prices, creating new job opportunities outside of southeastern England while balancing demand on the local grid.
However, concerns have been raised that changes in energy pricing may impact profitability of remote clean energy projects, potentially hindering investment in green energy.
The government is expected to make a decision on the future of the electricity market in the coming months.
The gambling company is secretly tracking visitors to its website and sending data to Facebook’s parent company without obtaining consent, a clear violation of data protection laws.
Meta, the owner of Facebook, uses this data to profile individuals as gamblers and bombard them with ads from casinos and betting sites, as reported by the observer. Hidden tracking tools embedded in many UK gambling websites extract visitor data and share it with social media companies.
According to the law, data should only be used and shared for marketing purposes with explicit permission from users on the website. However, an investigation by the observer found numerous violations across 150 gambling sites.
A call for immediate intervention was made by Ian Duncan Smith, chairman of the All-Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform, criticizing the illegal use of tools like Metapixel without consent. Concerns were raised about the lack of regulation and accountability in the gambling industry.
Data sharing and profiling practices by gambling operators are raising concerns about targeted advertising and potential harm to individuals. The Information Committee (ICO) has taken action against companies like Sky Betting & Gaming for illegally processing personal data.
The gambling industry is under scrutiny for its marketing strategies, with calls for stricter regulations to protect consumers. Meta and other social media platforms are being called out for their role in facilitating these illegal data practices.
Concerns about the misuse of Metapixel tracking tools extend beyond the gambling industry to other sectors, prompting calls for more transparency and accountability in data collection and usage.
Researchers at Northwestern University have successfully achieved quantum state transfer over a 30.2 km fiber carrying 400 Gbps C-band classical traffic. The ability for quantum and conventional networks to operate within the same optical fiber will aid in the large-scale deployment of quantum network technology.
thomas others. Demonstrated quantum state teleportation over 30.2 km of fiber with conventional high-power 400 Gbps data traffic. By employing different methods to suppress SpRS noise, we have increased the classical power that can transmit many Tbps aggregate data rates while maintaining sufficient teleportation fidelity. Image credit: Thomas others., doi: 10.1364/OPTICA.540362.
The fiber optic infrastructure and telecommunications technologies that underpin the Internet have been widely adopted by researchers aiming to develop quantum networks capable of applications such as quantum-enhanced cryptography, sensing, and networked quantum computing.
However, the feasibility of quantum networking at scale remains uncertain, as much of the existing fiber infrastructure still carries traditional communications traffic, and new fiber is expensive to lease and install. It depends on its ability to propagate within the network. Uses the same fiber as high-power classical signals.
“In optical communications, all signals are converted to light,” said Prem Kumar, a professor at Northwestern University.
“Conventional signals in classical communications are typically made up of millions of particles of light, whereas quantum information uses a single photon.”
Professor Kumar and his colleagues have discovered a way to allow delicate photons to avoid crowded traffic.
“This is incredibly exciting because no one thought it was possible,” Professor Kumar said.
“Our research points the way to next-generation quantum and classical networks that share a unified fiber optic infrastructure.”
“Essentially, this opens the door to taking quantum communications to the next level.”
After studying in detail how light is scattered in fiber optic cables, researchers have discovered a less crowded wavelength of light at which to place photons.
Next, we added a special filter to reduce noise from normal internet traffic.
“We carefully studied how light scatters and placed photons at decision points where that scattering mechanism is minimized,” Professor Kumar said.
“We found that quantum communication can be performed without interference from simultaneously existing classical channels.”
To test the new method, the scientists installed a 20-mile-long fiber optic cable with photons at each end.
They then transmitted quantum information and regular internet traffic simultaneously.
Finally, we measured the quality of the quantum information at the receiving end by taking quantum measurements at intermediate points while running the teleportation protocol.
They discovered that quantum information was successfully transmitted even in the midst of busy Internet traffic.
Next, the authors plan to extend the experiment to even longer distances.
They also plan to use two pairs of entangled photons to demonstrate entanglement swapping, another important milestone leading to distributed quantum applications.
Finally, we are exploring the possibility of running experiments via underground optical cables in the real world rather than on spools in the lab.
“Quantum teleportation has the ability to securely provide quantum connectivity between geographically separated nodes,” Professor Kumar said.
“But many people have long thought that no one would build the specialized infrastructure to transmit particles of light.”
“If you choose the wavelength properly, you don't need to build new infrastructure. Classical and quantum communications can coexist.”
of the team paper Published in this month's magazine optica.
_____
Jordan M. Thomas others. 2024. Quantum teleportation coexists with classical communication using optical fibers. optica 11 (12): 1700-1707;doi: 10.1364/OPTICA.540362
This article is adapted from the original release by Northwestern University.
This was supposed to be the year of Gen Z’s “summer of the kids,” inspired by Charli XCX’s hit album. The trend was chaotic and scrappy, embodying the messy essence of modern youth.
However, TikTok, the preferred social media platform for teenagers, is now seeing a shift towards a more sepia-toned music trend. Users are delving into classic artists’ back catalogs like Bronski Beat and Sade instead of the latest music.
The use of older songs in UK TikTok posts hit a new record this year, with 19 of the top 50 songs being over five years old. This global trend is exemplified by songs like Alphaville’s 80s hit “Forever Young.”
TikTok’s head of music partnerships in the UK and Ireland, Toyin Mustafa, believes the platform has created a level playing field for music acts, giving both old and new releases an equal chance to shine.
Challenges on TikTok have fueled the popularity of songs like Bronski Beat’s “Small Town Boy” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young.” Even lesser-known tracks like Pavement’s “Harness Your Hopes” have garnered attention on the platform.
TikTok’s influence on the music industry is significant, with both classic and modern tracks making waves. The platform has played a role in boosting artists like Blood Orange and Tinashe, while also impacting global music trends.
The trend of rediscovering back catalog songs resonates with a younger generation seeking unique music experiences. The accessibility of older tracks online allows users to explore a variety of music beyond the mainstream.
TikTok’s top back catalog tracks this year include hits like Blood Orange’s “Champagne Coast” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young,” showcasing the platform’s impact on music discovery and appreciation.
The platform’s future in the US music industry faces uncertainty, but its influence on music trends and artist exposure remains undeniable.
Overall, the resurgence of classic songs on TikTok reflects the timeless quality of good music and the evolving tastes of a new generation of music enthusiasts.
Here are TikTok’s top back catalog tracks this year. To be eligible, your song must be at least 5 years old.
The UK’s data protection regulator has condemned Google for enabling advertisers to track customers’ digital “fingerprints,” expressing concerns about the difficulty of blocking online surveillance technology even for privacy-conscious users, calling it “irresponsible.”
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the UK stated that this practice undermines consumer control and choice regarding data collection and usage. Google’s decision to introduce this method creates expectations for a privacy-focused internet, deviating from current standards.
Fingerprinting involves gathering unique signals from a device’s software or hardware to identify a user or device, similar to an advanced form of cookies.
Data watchdogs note that fingerprinting is challenging to detect and block, making consent more difficult compared to cookie notifications often encountered while browsing the web.
Google recently announced its entry into the rapidly expanding Connected TV (CTV) advertising space, emphasizing the need for brands to effectively target desired audiences while also improving customer privacy.
In a statement in 2019, Google acknowledged the lack of control users have over their fingerprint data compared to cookies, labeling this practice as user-choice infringing and wrong.
Stephen Almond, Executive Director of Regulatory Risk at the ICO, emphasized that companies must adhere to legal and transparent deployment of advertising technology, warning of potential action from the ICO if guidelines are not followed.
The ICO asserts that fingerprinting is an unfair method of online tracking which compromises user choice and control over data collection.
Google indicated it will engage in further discussions with the ICO regarding its policy change.
A Google spokesperson mentioned that privacy-enhancing technology enables partners to succeed on emerging platforms such as CTV without compromising user privacy. They reaffirmed the commitment to providing users with the choice of personalized ads and promoting responsible data use across the industry.
Reports indicate that an artificial intelligence tool hosted by Amazon to enhance recruitment for the UK Ministry of Defense is potentially exposing defense workers to public identification risks. This information comes from a government evaluation.
The data utilized by automated systems in tailoring defense job advertisements to attract diverse candidates through inclusive language includes details like service member names, roles, and emails, and is stored by Amazon in the United States. A government document released for the first time today indicates that there is a risk of data breaches that could lead to the identification of defense personnel.
Although the risk has been classified as “low,” the Defense Department assured that there are “strong safeguards” in place by suppliers Textio, Amazon Web Services, and threat detection service Amazon GuardDuty.
The government acknowledges several risks associated with the use of AI tools in the public sector, as highlighted in a series of documents released to enhance transparency around algorithm use in central governments.
Ministers are advocating for the use of AI to enhance the UK’s economic productivity and deliver better public services. Safety measures are emphasized to mitigate risks and ensure resilience.
The UK government is collaborating with Google and Meta to pilot AI in public services. Microsoft is also offering its AI-powered Copilot system to civil servants, aligning with the government’s ambition to adopt a more startup-oriented mindset.
Some of the identified risks and benefits of current central government AI applications include:
Potential generation of inappropriate lesson material using a Lesson planning tool powered by AI, assisting teachers in customizing lesson plans efficiently.
Introduction of a chatbot to address queries concerning child welfare in family court, providing round-the-clock information and reducing wait times.
Utilization of a policy engine by the Ministry of Finance to model tax and benefit changes accurately.
Potential negative impact on human decision-making caused by excessive reliance on AI users in food hygiene inspections, leading to inconsistent scoring of establishments.
These disclosures will be documented in the expanded Algorithm Transparency Register, detailing information about 23 central government algorithms. Some algorithms with bias indications, like those in the Department for Work and Pensions welfare system, are yet to be recorded.
The famous marketing slogan that diamonds are forever may be just a slight exaggeration for diamond-based systems that can store information for millions of years. Now, researchers have developed a system with a record-breaking storage density of 1.85 terabytes per cubic centimeter.
Previous technology used laser pulses to encode data onto diamond, but due to its higher storage density, a diamond optical disc with the same capacity as a standard Blu-ray could hold approximately 100 terabytes of data (Blu-ray). (equivalent to approximately 2,000 rays). It lasts much longer than the typical Blu-ray lifespan of just a few decades.
“Once the internal data storage structure is stabilized using our technology, diamond can achieve an extraordinary lifetime of millions of years of data retention at room temperature without requiring maintenance,” he says. Wang Ya at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei.
Wang and his colleagues conducted their research using tiny pieces of diamond, just a few millimeters long, but say future versions of the system could use rapidly spinning diamond discs. Their method used ultrafast laser pulses to knock some of diamond’s carbon atoms out of place, leaving single-atom-sized empty spaces, each exhibiting a stable brightness level.
By controlling the laser’s energy, the researchers were able to create multiple empty spaces at specific locations within the diamond, and the density of those spaces influenced the overall brightness of each site. . “The number of free spaces can be determined by looking at the brightness, so the stored information can be read,” Wang says.
The team then saved the images, including a colorful painting by artist Henri Matisse. cat with red fish And a series of photographs taken by Eadweard Muybridge in 1878, showing a rider on a galloping horse, maps the brightness of each pixel to the brightness level of a specific region within a diamond. The system stored this data with over 99% accuracy and completeness.
This preservation method is not yet commercially viable because it requires expensive lasers, high-speed fluorescence imaging cameras, and other devices, Wang said. But he and his colleagues hope that the diamond-based system can eventually be miniaturized to fit in a space the size of a microwave oven.
“In the short term, government agencies, research institutes, and libraries with a focus on archives and data preservation may be eager to adopt this technology,” he says.
U.S. Navy Lt. Cameron Winslow reported that the lead-covered telegraph cable seemed to weigh multiple tons and was difficult to remove from the ocean floor and cut due to unfavorable weather conditions.
“The rough waves caused the heavy boat to collide, shattering the planks and narrowly avoiding being crushed,” he said.
Winslow’s team eventually managed to sever a 46-meter (150-foot) section of the cable using a hacksaw, disrupting enemy communications. This action took place in 1898 during the Cuban campaign of the Spanish-American War. Even over a century later, undersea communication cables remain strategic targets during times of geopolitical tension.
On November 17 and 18 of this year, two undersea fiber optic cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged, possibly due to sabotage, as stated by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Swedish authorities indicated that the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, in close proximity at the time, was of interest in the cable severing incident.
The current threats to undersea cables are influenced by geopolitical events such as Russia’s actions in Ukraine, China’s activities with Taiwan, and conflicts like the Israel-Gaza war, all of which have historically been primary targets.
These cables, comparable in thickness to a garden hose when laid deep in the ocean, handle 99% of international telecommunications traffic utilized by individuals, businesses, and governments. There are approximately 530 active undersea cable systems worldwide, covering over 850,000 miles.
A click on the World submarine cable map provides a clear visual representation of global connectivity and susceptibility to disruptions. These cables play a crucial role in facilitating financial transactions, government communications, voice calls, and data transmission over the Internet, amounting to trillions of dollars daily.
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, emphasized the vital importance of undersea cables to the global economy, making them a prime target for nations seeking to cause unrest.
While deliberate damage to undersea cables can have significant consequences due to the vast amount of global data they transmit, such attacks need to be sustained and public to be truly impactful. Kaushal mentioned that one-off incidents like the Baltic episode can be denied, but the economic threat behind them can still convey a strong diplomatic message.
Leaked documents from Edward Snowden revealed that major telecom companies provided British intelligence access to undersea cables, raising concerns about surveillance. Furthermore, a report by US cybersecurity firm Recorded Future suggested that Russia was closely monitoring its undersea cable system.
In 2015, the New York Times reported aggressive Russian naval activities near an undersea cable running from the North Sea to Northeast Asia, highlighting suspicions of various countries involved in cable disruptions.
Taiwan’s National Board of Audit reported multiple instances where foreign vessels damaged cables linking Taiwan to remote islands, possibly signaling intentional disruptions. These incidents included damage caused by fishing boats, cargo ships, and sand dredgers.
Instances like the ones in Taiwan underscore the potential impact of undersea cable disruptions on daily internet connectivity and communication services, as seen in the slow internet connections and dropped calls resulting from damaged cables.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels denied targeting Red Sea cables after disruptions to major communication networks, adding to the complex landscape of undersea cable incidents.
Recorded Future data shows over 100 undersea cable failures annually, primarily due to accidental damage from activities like fishing and anchoring. Repair costs for undersea cables can be substantial, reaching up to $40,000 per mile, with transatlantic cables costing hundreds of millions to install.
There are concerns of Chinese influence over global undersea cable networks, potentially leading to increased control over data flows. As state actors continue to navigate the delicate balance of causing chaos, the future of undersea cables remains uncertain.
IImagine someone driving a high-end sports car to a pub. £1.5 million Koenigsegg Regerapark and saunter out of your car to pick one at random. They come to the pub where you’re drinking, start walking around the patrons, slip their hands into their visible pockets, and smile at you as they pull out your wallet and empty it of cash and cards.
Not-so-sophisticated pickpockets will stop if you ask out loud, “What the hell are you doing?” “We apologize for the inconvenience,” says Suri. “It’s an opt-out system, dude.”
It sounds ridiculous. But this appears to be the approach the government is pursuing to appease AI companies. A consultation meeting will be held soon, Financial Times coverageThis will allow AI companies to scrape content from individuals and organizations unless they explicitly opt out of having their data used.
The AI revolution is both rapid and comprehensive. Even if you’re not one of them, 200 million people If you log on to ChatGPT every week or dabble in generative AI competitors like Claude or Gemini, you’ve undoubtedly interacted with an AI system, knowingly or not. But to keep the AI fire from burning out, we need two constantly replenishing sources. One is energy. This is why AI companies are getting into the nuclear power plant acquisition business. And the other thing is data.
Data is essential to AI systems because it helps them recreate how we interact. If the AI has any “knowledge”, which is highly disputed given that it is actually a fancy pattern matching machine, it comes from the data used to train it. .
In some studies, large-scale language models such as ChatGPT Training data is missing By 2026, that appetite will be huge. But without that data, the AI revolution could stall. Tech companies know this, which is why they license content from left, right, and center. But it has created friction, and an unofficial mantra has continued in the sector over the past decade.move fast and break things” causes no friction.
This is why they are already trying to steer us towards an opt-out approach to copyright, rather than an opt-in regime, where everything we type, post and share is locked in until we say no. It is destined to become AI training data by default. Companies must ask us to use their data. We can already see how companies are nudging us towards this reality. This week, X began notifying users of changes to its terms of service that will allow all posts to be used for the following purposes: train grokElon Musk’s AI model designed to compete with ChatGPT. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, then made similar changes, resulting in the widespread urban legend of “Goodbye Meta AI,” which purportedly invalidates legal agreements.
It’s clear why AI companies want an opt-out system. If you ask most people if they want to use something in the books they write, the music they produce, or the posts and photos they share on social networks to train an AI, they’ll probably say no. And the gears of the AI revolution will turn off. Why the government would want to enable such a change to the concept of copyright ownership that has existed to date. over 300 yearsis stipulated by law. 100 or moreit’s not so obvious. But like many things, it seems to come down to money.
The government faces lobbying from big tech companies suggesting this is a requirement for the country to be considered as a place to invest in AI innovation and share the spoils. A lobbying document prepared by Google suggests support for its approach to an opt-out copyright regime.guarantee uk In the future, it could become a competitive arena for developing and training AI models. ”So the government’s discussion of how to frame the issue, with opt-out options already on the table as a countermeasure, is a major victory for big tech lobbyists.
With so much money flowing into the tech industry and high levels of investment going into AI projects, Keir Starmer understandably doesn’t want to miss out on the potential benefits. It would be remiss of the Government not to consider how to appease the tech companies developing world-changing technology and help turn the UK into an AI powerhouse.
But this is not the answer. To be clear, the copyright system in question in the UK means that companies effectively own every post we make, every book we write, every book we create. This means it will be possible to add nicknames to songs and to our data without being penalized. That requires us to sign up to every individual service and say, “No, we don’t want you to chop up our data and spit out a poor composite image of us.” The number can number in the hundreds, from large technology companies to small research institutes.
Lest we forget, OpenAI – now Over $150 billion – The company plans to abandon its original nonprofit principles and become a for-profit company. Rather than relying on the charity of the general public, we have enough funds in our coffers to pay for our training data. Surely such companies can afford to line their pockets, not ours. So please let go.
Amazon.com has recently signed three agreements to collaborate on the development of small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear power technology. This cutting-edge technology aims to address the increasing demand for power, particularly from data centers. Amazon has solidified its position as a major player in the high-tech industry.
One of the agreements involves Amazon funding a feasibility study for an SMR project near its Northwest Energy site in Washington state. X-Energy will be responsible for developing the SMR, with financial specifics remaining undisclosed.
As per the agreement, Amazon will have the option to procure power from four modules. Energy Northwest, a group of state utilities, may also include up to 80 MW modules, resulting in a total capacity of up to 960 MW. This power will be able to supply over 770,000 US homes, with excess energy being allocated to Amazon and utility companies for residential and commercial usage.
Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, expressed, “Our agreement will expedite the advancement of new nuclear technologies that will provide energy for years to come.”
SMR leverages factory assembly of components to reduce construction expenses, a departure from the conventional on-site assembly of large nuclear reactors. While some critics argue that achieving economies of scale with SMR technology may be costly, it remains a promising development.
Nuclear power, known for its near-zero greenhouse gas emissions and creation of high-wage union jobs, garners bipartisan support in the US. Despite this, the country is yet to have a working SMR. NuScale was the lone US entity to secure an SMR design license from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently.
Furthermore, SMRs produce lasting radioactive waste, and the US lacks a definitive disposal site for such byproducts. Scott Burnell, a representative from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, stated that regulators still await detailed information about planned SMR implementations.
Throughout history, there have been many individuals who meticulously monitored their weight, but one of the most intriguing figures is Santorio Santorio. In the 1500s, he devoted his life to tracking his body, weighing everything he consumed and everything he excreted.
For a particular scientific investigation, he created what he called a sanctorian weighing chair – a chair placed next to the dining table on a steel scale that closely monitored one’s weight.
His theory was based on the idea that individuals could maintain their weight by consuming the same amount that their bodies expelled (urine, feces, sweat, or what he referred to as “insensible sweat”). If it detected overeating, the chair would lower, making it impossible to reach the food. This would prevent further consumption until the end of the meal.
Despite being mocked at the time, Santorio’s concept had merit. The notion of a personalized, experimental, and quantitative approach to health is undeniably appealing.
Nearly two centuries later, Benjamin Franklin, inspired by Santorio, meticulously recorded his dietary intake and compiled a list of all 13 of his virtues. He marked them whenever he committed an immoral act, monitoring and quantifying his life in great detail.
In the modern era, individuals have pushed boundaries with technology to track various aspects of their lives. For instance, a Reddit user created a beautiful visualization depicting a baby’s sleep and wake times during the initial months of life.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Take your health tracking to the next level with Galaxy AI If you want to stay healthy, pairing Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip6 with a Samsung Galaxy wearable is easy. and free samsung health The app allows users to track sleep patterns, heart rate, blood pressure, and calories. This information can be used to manage your health condition. energy score – Daily measurements of your physical and mental energy and readiness with Galaxy AI. Alternatively, you can engage in a calming meditation program on mindfulness and relaxation.
The advancement of wearables has made monitoring our health easier than ever. With technology, we can now effortlessly track various health metrics. AI-powered wearables connected to smartphone apps can monitor sleep patterns, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Having access to objective numbers and data can be reassuring. It can serve as a motivator for achieving our health goals and connecting with communities that prioritize health tracking and accountability. However, it’s essential not to prioritize tracking numbers over happiness and well-being.
When it comes to fitness, remember that numbers are merely proxies for what truly matters. Each individual is unique, and responses to external stimuli vary. While trackers can provide insights into what is “normal” for a person, this data should be used to inform rather than dictate health status. Human bodies are complex and should not be reduced to mere data points.
Activists are urging Uber and other ride-hailing apps to disclose data on their drivers’ workload to combat exploitation and reduce carbon emissions.
Analysis by Worker Info Exchange suggests that drivers for Uber and its competitors may have missed out on over £1.2 billion in earnings and expenses last year due to payment structures.
The report argues that these platforms are built on an oversupply of vehicles and the exploitation of workers, leading to financial struggles and debt.
Uber collects anonymized trip data in several North American cities and claims this covers around 40% of drivers’ miles before picking up passengers.
Despite Uber’s response that drivers earn money on other platforms during idle times, Worker Info Exchange maintains that better compensation and expense coverage could have resulted in an additional £1.29 billion industry-wide in 2023.
The report also highlights issues with monitoring drivers’ mileage, leading to potential exhaustion and safety hazards.
Similar concerns are raised about food delivery apps, with calls for more transparency in journey data.
Efforts in New York to limit vehicle licenses to support taxi drivers and reduce congestion have been noted, although recent changes exempt electric vehicles.
Uber’s carbon emissions in the UK are projected to surpass those of Transport for London, prompting calls for stricter control and transparency from regulators.
The ongoing debate around worker classification and rights in the gig economy is also highlighted, with promises from lawmakers to address issues of “false self-employment”.
Worker Info Exchange, founded by a key figure in the Uber Supreme Court case, aims to empower gig workers by providing more control over their data and decision-making processes.
The education secretary of Northern Ireland has issued a sincere apology after the personal information of over 400 individuals who volunteered to assist with a review of special needs education was accidentally leaked.
The breach was discovered when the Department of Education mistakenly sent a spreadsheet to 174 individuals, containing the names, email addresses, and job titles of 407 people interested in participating in the review of special educational needs events in Northern Ireland.
The spreadsheet included comments from several individuals.
The department has requested the 174 recipients to delete the information they received and has confirmed that this has been done.
Many affected individuals have reported their concerns to authorities regarding the data breach.
Education Secretary Paul Givhan stated, “The Department of Education takes data protection seriously and deeply regrets this incident. We apologize to all those impacted and have informed them about the breach.”
Givan has ordered an internal audit department to conduct a thorough investigation into the data leak to prevent such incidents in the future.
An initial report has been submitted to the Information Commissioner’s Office, and updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
This data breach is not the first in Northern Ireland, as a similar incident occurred last year involving the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
Around 5,000 officers and staff from PSNI took legal action after personal details of approximately 9,500 employees were mistakenly disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information request.
The leaked information included employee last names, initials, ranks, grades, workplaces, and departments, and was later discovered to have reached dissident republicans.
Live Nation Entertainment is currently investigating a data breach at its Ticketmaster division that was discovered on May 20. This breach is the latest in a string of major corporate hacks that have occurred over the past year.
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Live Nation reported finding “unauthorized activity” in a third-party cloud database containing primarily Ticketmaster data and is working with forensic investigators to address the issue.
Reports surfaced last week that a cybercrime group known as ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen user data for over 500 million Ticketmaster customers. However, Live Nation did not mention Shiny Hunters in its SEC filing.
Live Nation has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the breach.
This breach comes at a time when concert promoters are facing antitrust scrutiny. Live Nation is at the center of this scrutiny as the first target of antitrust lawsuits filed by U.S. and state governments seeking to break up the company for alleged price gouging on concert tickets.
According to Live Nation’s filing, on May 27, a criminal threat actor attempted to sell purported user data from Live Nation on the dark web. The company is actively working to mitigate risks, notify law enforcement, regulators, and users as needed, and ensure the security of personal information.
Despite the breach, Live Nation believes it will not have a significant impact on its operations or finances. The company is evaluating risks and implementing measures to enhance its operations.
Physicist from CMS cooperation at CERN just published the combination of CMS measurements that helped establish the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012.
CMS event display showing a Higgs boson candidate decaying into two photons. It is one of two decay channels that were key to the particle’s discovery. Image credit: CERN.
“Physical measurements based on data from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are typically reported as central values and corresponding uncertainties,” the CMS physicists said.
“For example, shortly after observing the Higgs boson in the LHC’s proton-proton collision data, CMS determined its mass to be 125.3 plus or minus 0.6 GeV (the mass of a proton is about 1 GeV).”
“But this figure is just a quick summary of the measurements, and is like the title of a book.”
In measurement, the complete information extracted from the data is encoded into a mathematical function known as a likelihood function. This function includes measurements of quantities and dependence on external factors.
“For CMS measurements, these factors include the calibration of the CMS detector, the accuracy of the CMS detector simulation used to facilitate the measurements, and other systematic effects,” the researchers said.
“To fully understand the nasty collisions that occur at the LHC, many aspects need to be determined, so the likelihood function for measurements based on LHC data can be complex.”
“For example, the likelihood function for the combined CMS Higgs boson discovery measurement that CMS just released in electronic form has nearly 700 parameters for a fixed value of the Higgs boson mass.”
“Only one of these, the number of Higgs bosons found in the data, is an important physical parameter, and the rest model systematic uncertainties.”
“Each of these parameters corresponds to a dimension of a multidimensional abstract space in which the likelihood function can be drawn.”
“It is difficult for humans to visualize spaces that contain multiple dimensions, much less spaces that contain many dimensions.”
The new release of the CMS Higgs boson discovery measurement likelihood function, the first publicly available likelihood function from this collaboration, allows researchers to avoid this problem.
Using a publicly accessible likelihood function, physicists outside the CMS Collaboration can now accurately incorporate CMS Higgs boson discovery measurements into their studies.
“The release of this likelihood function and the Combine software used to model likelihood and fit data marks another milestone in CMS’s 10-year commitment to fully open science.” said the people.
“This joins hundreds of open access publications, the release of nearly 5 petabytes of CMS data on the CERN Open Data Portal, and the publication of the entire software framework on GitHub.”
Numerous companies, including a national leisure center chain, are reassessing or discontinuing the use of facial recognition technology and fingerprint scanning for monitoring employee attendance in response to actions taken by Britain’s data authority.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) instructed a Serco subsidiary to halt the use of biometrics for tracking employee attendance at its leisure centers and prohibited the use of facial recognition and fingerprint scans. The ICO also issued stricter guidelines.
Following an investigation, the ICO found that more than 2,000 employees’ biometric data was unlawfully processed at 38 Serco-managed centers using facial recognition and, in two instances, fingerprint scanning to monitor attendance.
In response, Serco has been given a three-month deadline by the ICO to ensure compliance with regulations and has committed to achieving full compliance within that timeframe.
Other leisure center operators and businesses are also reevaluating or discontinuing the use of similar biometric technology for employee attendance monitoring in light of the ICO’s actions.
Virgin Active, a leisure club operator, announced the removal of biometric scanners from 32 properties and is exploring alternatives for staff monitoring.
Ian Hogg, CEO of Shopworks, a provider of biometric technology to Serco and other companies, highlighted the ICO’s role in assisting businesses in various industries to meet new standards for biometric authentication.
The new ICO standards emphasize exploring alternative options to biometrics for achieving statutory objectives, prompting companies to reconsider their use of such technology.
1Life, owned by Parkwood Leisure, is in the process of removing the Shopworks system from all sites, clarifying that it was not used for biometric purposes.
Continuing discussions with stakeholders, the ICO aims to guide appropriate use of facial recognition and biometric technology in compliance with regulations and best practices.
The widespread concerns raised by the ICO’s actions underscore the need for stronger regulations to protect employees from invasive surveillance technologies in the workplace.
The case of an Uber Eats driver facing issues with facial recognition checks highlights ongoing debates about the use of artificial intelligence in employment relationships and the need for transparent consultation processes.
Emphasizing the importance of respecting workers’ rights, the use of artificial intelligence in employment must be carefully regulated to prevent discriminatory practices and ensure fair treatment of employees.
Streamr announced the launch of Streamr Network 1.0 mainnet, a milestone that marks the completion of the original network. 2017 roadmap. 1.0 introduces the full deployment of the $DATA token incentive layer, transforming the network into a fully featured, fully decentralized protocol, run and operated by users.
The culmination of more than six years of research and development, three incentivized testnets, and overcoming technical hurdles that caused a last-minute launch cancellation, Streamr 1.0 marks the arrival of decentralized data broadcasting.
Main features of Streamr 1.0:
Fully expanded tokenomics: activation of $DATA Token Incentive Layermeans that the Streamr network can operate autonomously from teams as a neutral, fully distributed messaging protocol.
Introducing new network roles: Unleash the power of a peer-to-peer marketplace between sponsors, operators, and delegators.
Stream sponsorship: Sponsors create and fund sponsorships, and operators earn income from them. These smart contracts manage reward distribution between operators who run the nodes and help relay data within the nodes.
Trackerless network architecture: Moving to a trackerless architecture. Leverages a globally distributed hash table (DHT) to enhance efficiency and scalability.
New benefits for node operators: 1.0 gives node operators the opportunity to earn more revenue by allowing them to accept delegations and receive a portion of the revenue.1.0 also brings other enhancements for node operators, including the removal of per-IP node limits, instant reward claims from active sponsorships, and other quality of life improvements.
New use cases are unlocked:
1.0 sets the stage for exploring new use cases in areas such as decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), decentralized AI, and decentralized video streaming.
decentralized video streaming: Streamr is exploring decentralized live video streaming, testing its ability to deliver scalable and stable video feeds to viewers at scale. By leveraging the network's peer-to-peer protocols, Streamr eliminates dependence on centralized distribution points and enables viewers to contribute directly to the broadcast network while consuming content, optimizing efficiency and scalability.
Depin: Streamr 1.0 enhances DePIN's ability to move from a centralized data pipeline to a fully decentralized contributor array. The network's serverless, secure, and scalable framework is ideal for broadcasting data between connected devices and moving DePIN to a truly decentralized architecture.
decentralized AI: The 1.0 milestone can be: Transforming artificial intelligence We position Streamr as a neutral data layer, providing a secure data stream for AI development, trust, and transparency. Streamr allows AI models to connect with each other, share insights, connect to real-time tuning data and live content delivery, and collectively power intelligence. By integrating with decentralized frameworks, you can take a step toward making your AI operations more open, verifiable, and modern.
These changes, along with exploring new use cases, highlight Streamr's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the realm of decentralized technology.
About streamers
streamer is building a real-time data protocol for the decentralized web. This includes a scalable, low-latency, secure P2P network for data broadcast, distribution, and exchange. As part of our vision, Streamr built The Hub, a dApp that champions open data, allowing DePin, AI, and Web3 builders to decentralize their tech stacks with real-time data flows. The Streamr project was started by real-time data veterans with experience in algorithmic trading and financial markets.
contact
CMO mark little streamer network media@streamr.net
○One of the most harmful myths about digital technology is that it is somehow weightless or immaterial. Remember the early talk about “paperless” offices and “frictionless” transactions? And of course, our personal electronic devices Several Electricity is insignificant compared to a washing machine or dishwasher.
But even if you believe this comforting story, you might not survive when you come across Kate Crawford’s seminal book. Atlas of AI or impressive Structure of an AI system A graphic she created with Vladan Joler. And it definitely won’t survive a visit to the data center. One giant metal shed houses tens or even hundreds of thousands of servers, consuming large amounts of electricity and requiring large amounts of water for cooling systems.
There are currently between 9,000 and 11,000 such data centers around the world. Many of them are old-style server farms with thousands or millions of cheap PCs that store all the data our smartphone-driven world generates, including photos, documents, videos, and recordings. It’s starting to look a little outdated. In such casual abundance.
what i was reading
shabby philanthropist Read Deborah Doan’s book sharp review for alliance Tim Schwab’s critical book magazine, bill gates problem.
final write Veteran commentator Jeff Jarvis think about giving up “About old journalism and its legacy industry,” in a BuzzMachine blog post.
slim picking In his blog No Mercy/No Malice, Scott Galloway suggests that AI and weight loss drugs have a lot in common.
What does this mean? McCann distills the answer into her 46-word sentence, which gains more meaning with each dozen readings. Or it doesn't make much sense.
The sentence is as follows: “Such a relationship is speculated to be based on a hypothesized but poorly understood genetic link between handedness, personality, and political beliefs and attitudes; genetic predisposition The effect of left-handedness in the population may have a much larger impact on the correlation. blatant left handed level. ”
Feedback points out that these 46 words, and the paper as a whole, leave a lot to the imagination.
in lonely splendor
A person's individuality shines more when they are alone than when they are with friends.
In particular, researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia and the University of Edinburgh in the UK say that “vocalization is rare when other sheep are present, suggesting that this behavior is a response to loneliness.”
when nothing is good
James Hodges writes: “In response to your segment about doctors waiting for patients to recover on their own, it's completely part of our job.
“I'm a pediatrician. We take doing nothing very seriously. “Cat-like observation and admirable inactivity” are firmly believed in our world. It's a belief. We often admit patients with viral illnesses for which there is no cure. We watch, we support, and the child gets better.
“There are certainly times when doing nothing is the best treatment. If you have a child who is quite unwell and unstable, getting excited will make the condition worse. We often use the 'minimum response' approach.” This is a categorical way of telling your child to leave you alone. If possible, let your child sleep with your parents so they don't bother you too much. Never force the needle or medicine into it. Experienced pediatric nurses are very good at this (it's truly an art of medicine).
“This is not just children who are acutely unwell. Babies with colic (most of the time) do not become adolescents with colic. There are countless childhood diseases that we do not treat. Depurative purpura is a great example. There are a lot of places where we're treating it, but there's pretty little evidence that it's changing anything.
“Children's physiology is really amazing, and I often feel like a passenger, watching them fix themselves, sometimes providing reassurance and distraction. It's such a great job. .”
(Feedback indicates that, with this letter being an exception, nearly all answers we receive on this question are from retired physicians.)
fresh as an onion
Dimple Devi and her colleagues have devised a way to use onions to extend the freshness of milk.
When used in this way, researchers say onions have almost endless benefits. “Addition of onion peel extract to biopolymers decreased water content, water solubility, swelling index, and transparency, and significantly increased antioxidant activity and total phenolic content.'' Utilized agricultural/food processing waste that is generated in large quantities.”
The report does not address the question of how consumers would react to the idea that milk is protected despite not being flavored. – onion.
keep carrying it
As Ken Taylor peruses the ever-growing list of trivial superpowers in his feedback, he asks questions about his abilities. As a teenager, I delivered milk and could manage 6 full pint milk bottles and 10 empty milk bottles. As an adult, I was able to impress my friends by carrying four pints of beer (beer without a handle) with my fingers spread wide and wrapped around the rim. It looks pretty cool as long as you don't drop it. Does this count as a superpower? It's your phone. ”
Ken's calm tenacity as he carries the container embodies the Carry On tradition.
Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.
Have a story for feedback?
You can email your article to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please enter your home address. This week's and past feedback can be found on our website.
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
