Ministers have stated that the social media ban for under-16s is not currently being considered, despite teenagers urging a reconsideration of plans to restrict access to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat following Australia’s example.
Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science and Technology, issued a warning to social media platforms about potential fines and prison sentences for breaching online safety laws coming into effect next year. Efforts are being made to increase prevention of online harm.
During a meeting with teenagers at NSPCC headquarters, Mr. Kyle emphasized that there are no immediate plans to ban children from using smartphones, as it is not his preferred choice.
Teenagers expressed concerns about platform addiction and difficulties in seeking help for hacked accounts or offensive content, but did not call for a ban. They highlighted the importance of social connections, support, and safety.
Mr. Kyle’s initial comments about considering a ban caused worry among teenagers, but he clarified that a ban could be a possibility depending on evidence of its effectiveness, especially in light of similar legislation in Australia.
The main focus remains on preventing child fatalities linked to social media activity, with Mr. Kyle citing instances of tragic outcomes. Efforts are ongoing to enhance age verification software to protect children from inappropriate online content.
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswami will head the newly established Department of Government Efficiency.
Despite the name, this department is not a government agency. Trump stated that Musk and Ramaswamy will operate externally, offering “advice and guidance” to the White House, collaborating with the Office of Management and Budget to implement significant structural reforms and fortify an entrepreneurial approach. He expressed that this initiative would be a disruptor to the government system.
President Trump mentioned that this duo will lead the way for his administration to streamline bureaucracy, reduce unnecessary regulations, cut wasteful spending, and restructure federal agencies.
Musk pledged on his social media platform X to document all department actions online for maximum transparency. He encouraged the public to provide feedback if they believe something important is being cut or something unnecessary is being retained.
Ramaswamy acknowledged his appointment on the X show, promising to work diligently alongside Musk, symbolized by an American flag emoji.
The operational model of this organization remains unclear and may be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which defines the operations and accountability of external bodies advising the government.
As Musk and Ramaswamy are not official federal employees, they are not obligated to disclose assets, divest holdings, or adhere to ethical restrictions imposed on federal employees.
Musk advocated for the government’s efficiency division, emphasizing the acronym “Doge” and promising a comprehensive audit of the federal government’s finances and performance for fundamental reforms.
Dogecoin’s value has surged post-Election Day amid hopes of deregulation under the Trump administration, benefiting Tesla stock which has also seen a rise since the election.
President Trump expects their work to conclude by July 4, 2026, presenting a more compact and efficient government as a “gift” on the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary.
Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur, endorsed Trump after withdrawing from the Republican nomination race last year. He has significant experience in cost-cutting within the corporate realm.
Musk aims to slash government spending by $2 trillion, which could impact his companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, X, and Neuralink due to deregulation and policy changes.
Incorporating a government portfolio into Musk’s endeavors could bolster his companies’ market value and specialties like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies.
Analyst Daniel Ives from Wedbush Securities believes Musk will have a significant impact in the Trump administration and on federal agencies.
Critics from Public Citizen, a consumer rights organization, oppose Musk’s appointment, citing his lack of experience in government efficiency and concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
President Trump indicated that Musk, due to his numerous commitments, will not serve full-time in the role but will act as a cost-cutting advisor.
Hello. Welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery, the Guardian’s US technology editor. Newsletter of the Week: Elon Musk and Donald Trump want to create a “Department of Government Efficiency,” cryptocurrencies score big wins across the board, and the modern-day equivalent of Lysistrata takes hold on TikTok. Thank you for your participation.
US President-elect Trump has expressed his desire to appoint Musk, the world’s richest man, as the country’s “cost-cutting secretary” with the goal of reducing the federal government’s bureaucracy by about a third, or $2 trillion. President Trump announced in September the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk has been endorsing the idea and actively promoting it, focusing on the agency’s acronym Doge (a nod to the popular Shiba Inu meme). President Trump stated that the agency will conduct a thorough financial and performance audit of the entire federal government to propose fundamental reforms.
In a video posted on X, Two days after the election, President Trump stated, “I am immediately reissuing my 2020 Executive Order, restoring the President’s authority to remove corrupt officials.” He aims to “eradicate the deep state,” echoing his famous catchphrase from The Apprentice: “You’re fired!” Project 2025, President Trump’s controversial blueprint for a second term, outlines how bureaucrats can be dismissed.
The billionaire appears to have no illusions about what will happen after the proposed cuts.
Mr. Musk has a proven track record of reducing corporate spending and has pledged to cut down federal payroll costs in a similar manner. He mentioned that after acquiring Company X (previously Twitter) in 2022, the company downsized its workforce by 80%. Despite preventing a $3 billion shortfall, revenue has declined significantly, and a revival seems improbable. However, as the CEO of SpaceX, he has established a reputation for launching rockets at lower costs than competitors by efficient management and negotiations with suppliers.
Considering the proposed spending cuts, the billionaire acknowledged that they would likely lead to temporary challenges, reflecting Americans’ desire for decreased expenditure. Do they advocate for austerity and federal budget cuts? Are they willing to heed advice from the world’s wealthiest person on curbing expenses?
Mr. Musk has already urged Mr. Trump to appoint SpaceX employees to key government roles. According to a report by The New York Times, the president-elect has vowed to restrict bureaucrats from transitioning to roles in regulated companies, potentially blocking SpaceX executives from federal positions. However, nepotism is not unfamiliar to the president-elect, and there seems to be no effort to avoid conflicts of interest. Mr. Musk’s involvement in the government will likely be structured to allow him to retain control of his businesses, as covered in the Financial Times.
During his first term, President Trump’s administration struggled to fill numerous government vacancies required for effective governance. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration admitted that it never fully recovered from the inability to appoint officials. Perhaps incorporating Mr. Musk into the equation is an attempt to avoid a repetition of such challenges. In a radical approach, Trump and Musk might simply eliminate positions for which suitable appointees cannot be found. This scenario is reminiscent of John Kennedy Toole’s novel, The Confederacy of Dunces, where a clueless protagonist attempts to clean up an organization’s mess, but only makes matters worse. It’s not far-fetched to imagine Trump and Musk following a similar path.
However, labor laws pose a significant obstacle for Musk, as Tesla remains the only major US automaker without unionized workers. The billionaire CEO intends to maintain this status quo. In contrast, federal employees benefit from strong job protections that may hinder Musk’s cost-cutting strategies. Despite his experience in managing various companies, handling public sector employees could prove challenging, as they may not be as flexible as those he is accustomed to.
Click here for more information. wonderful 4 months This has taken Elon Musk from someone who refused to endorse candidates to perhaps the most powerful figure in American politics, second only to Donald Trump. Read more about how Trump’s second term could be richer Musk.
Cryptocurrency companies poured $135 million into the US election, but what did they get for it?
Cryptocurrency companies spent $10 million attacking Katie Porter, an advocate of stricter crypto laws, in the California Senate primary. Porter lost. Photo: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock
The cryptocurrency industry witnessed significant victories in the 48 elections where FairShake, the largest crypto pack, donated, with all industry-backed candidates emerging victorious. According to Bloomberg, over 60% of the cash contributed supported Republican candidates or opposed Democratic contenders.
The industry’s major investment was in Ohio, where Republican Bernie Moreno, backed by a cryptocurrency company with $40 million, challenged popular Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown. Mr. Brown’s advocacy for stricter regulation of digital currencies conflicted with the industry’s interests. Earlier, crypto companies spent $10 million targeting Katie Porter, a proponent of tougher crypto laws, in the California Senate primary, resulting in her defeat. Another crypto advocacy group, Protect Progress, equally invested in Senate races in Arizona and Michigan, where crypto was less contentious, but successful candidates were supportive of industry-related legislation.
Apart from the future advantages of a favorable regulatory climate, the cryptocurrency industry has reaped immediate economic gains, with Bitcoin reaching record highs exceeding $75,000.
While Fairshake did not contribute to the presidential election, it stands to benefit from the outcome, as Trump now endorses cryptocurrencies and supports the industry, reversing his initial stance. Musk has actively promoted cryptocurrencies, particularly Dogecoin, for years, even before their surge in popularity. (Harris has remained neutral towards cryptocurrencies.)
Musk is particularly interested in the removal of stock exchange chairman Gary Gensler, aligning with his priorities for cryptocurrencies.
Coinbase, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency exchange, donated $25 million to Fairshake. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong remarked that DC has received a clear message that opposition to crypto could end political careers, as he observed following the US election. The industry ranks second in political contributions after fossil fuel companies, according to consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen.
This week on iPhone
Following President Trump’s victory, American women are focusing on the 4Bs. Composite: Getty Images; TikTok; Guardian Design
I am watching dystopian coffeehouse comedy on Instagram and exploring why South Korea’s 4B movement (a modern-day version of Lysistrata) has gained popularity on TikTok. My colleague Alaina Demopoulos elaborates:
The core concept: Women vow to abstain from heterosexual marriage, dating, sex, and childbearing in protest against institutionalized misogyny and abuse. (Dubbed 4B after these four specific commitments.) Originating from online protests against revenge porn around 2018, the movement evolved into a #MeToo-inspired feminist movement in South Korea.
In light of Trump’s win, American women are contemplating the 4Bs, as highlighted by Demopoulos.
Read the full article here.
Wider TechScape
AI companies are keen to reduce red tape. Photo: Graham Robertson/Guardian
Even though he knows a bit of Welsh and building regulations, he refrains from comparing Rishi Sunak to Keir Starmer or delving into the complexities of the UK corporation tax system. The UK government is introducing an artificial intelligence chatbot to assist businesses in navigating through a maze of 700,000 pages on the UK government website. Users can expect a range of outcomes from this new tool.
This experimental system will be initially tested with up to 15,000 business users and is expected to be widely available next year. However, users are cautioned about the limitations of AI tools like this one, which can sometimes provide false information with confidence. It is advised to cross-check the website link provided with each answer, which will be delivered within approximately 7 seconds. In a trial run in February, Paul Willmott, director of the Government’s Central Digital Data Agency, told reporters that there was a need for improvements to address hallucinations that may arise.
During a test run with reporters, it was observed that the chatbot, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4o technology, displayed discrepancies in responses, including jumbled web links and short answers. The chatbot provided information on regulations for cannabis farmers but refrained from making predictions on cannabis legalization in the UK. It answered queries on building cladding regulations post-Grenfell Tower fire but steered clear of discussing the public inquiry findings on government failures.
On one occasion, the chatbot responded briefly in Welsh and avoided answering questions about the corporate tax system. However, it did offer information on incentives for installing solar panels. The chatbot’s training currently lacks coverage of all UK government documents, like ministerial speeches and press releases.
To ensure safe interactions, “guardrails” have been implemented to prevent the chatbot from providing illegal answers, divulging sensitive financial details, or taking political stances. Despite efforts to safeguard against hackers manipulating the chatbot, there remains a residual risk that cannot be completely eliminated.
Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science and Technology, expressed the government’s commitment to leveraging AI for enhancing public services in a secure manner. The aim is for the UK government to set an example in driving innovation and efficiency in public sector operations.
He emphasized the importance of streamlining government processes to save people time, noting that the average UK adult spends significant time dealing with public sector bureaucracy annually. Through initiatives like the UK Government Chat, the government is exploring innovative technologies to simplify interactions and improve efficiency.
The U.S. government may seek court intervention to break up Google and challenge its monopoly in the internet search market.
According to court documents filed by the Justice Department, Google is considering implementing “structural remedies” that would restrict the use of products like Chrome, Android, and Play. The government believes this would provide Google with an unfair advantage over its competitors.
Additional measures being considered include prohibiting Google from paying to have its search engine preinstalled on devices like smartphones.
Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., has objected to the lawsuit, arguing that it represents government overreach at the expense of consumers.
The lawsuit stems from a previous court ruling in August which found Google in violation of antitrust laws for building an illegal monopoly in the search market. The Justice Department is pursuing further actions to challenge Google’s dominance.
The filing alleges that Google’s actions have harmed users and emphasizes the need to restore competition in a market crucial to Americans.
The proposed remedies could prevent Google from using its search-related products, such as Chrome, Play, and Android, to gain an advantage over competitors through new search features like Artificial Intelligence.
Furthermore, Google may be prohibited from paying major phone companies to make Chrome the default browser on their devices, a practice that has cost the company billions.
Google’s vice president of regulation criticized the Justice Department’s proposals, warning of potential harm to consumers, businesses, and developers.
Online misinformation has fuelled tensions over immigration, sparking riots in Sunderland and other parts of the UK.
Doric/Getty Images
Last week, Pakistani police Sued the man Cyber terrorism links have been made in relation to a misleading news article that allegedly sparked riots in the UK. The article falsely claimed that an asylum seeker was responsible for the murder of three girls in Southport, UK, and the misinformation spread rapidly on social media, fuelling anger against immigrants.
The threat of online misinformation causing real-world problems is a major concern for governments around the world, particularly…
circlehat Intention How will AI affect jobs? After “Will AI destroy humanity?”, this is the most important question about technology and it remains one that is extremely difficult to pin down, even as the frontier moves from science fiction to reality.
At one extreme there is the somewhat optimistic assertion that new technologies will simply create new jobs. At the other extreme there are fears that companies will replace their entire workforce with AI tools. The debate is often about the speed of the transition rather than the end state. A cataclysmic change that is completed in a few years is devastating to those caught in the middle, whereas a cataclysmic change that takes 20 years may be survivable.
Even the parallels with the past are not as clear-cut as we would like: the internal combustion engine eventually put an end to horse labor, but the steam engine, on the other hand, had a much bigger impact. increase Number of draft animals employed in the UK. Why? The arrival of the railways increased freight traffic in the country, but deliveries could not be completed from warehouse to doorstep. Horses were needed to do the things that steam engines could not do.
Until it isn’t.
Steam power and the internal combustion engine are examples of general-purpose technologies, breakthrough technologies that revolutionize the entire structure of society. There are not many such technologies, even if you count from writing, or even before that, from fire itself. It is pure coincidence that the initial letters of the term “Generative Pretrained Transformer” are the same, which is why GPT looks like GPT.
That’s not a job, idiot
Humans are not horses, and AI tools are not humans.
Humans are not horses [citation needed]It seems hard to believe that AI technology will be able to do everything humans can do. Becoming HumanThis is an inconveniently circular argument, but an important one: horses still race, because if you replace horses with cars, it’s no longer a horse race. [citation needed]people will still provide the services they want for one reason or another, and as culture warps around the rise of AI, some of those services will teeth You might be surprised. For example, AI in healthcare is underrated because for many people, the “human touch” is bad The problem is the doctor who worries they are judging your drinking, or the therapist who lies to you because they want you to like them.
As a result, many people like to think in terms of “tasks” rather than jobs: take a job, define it in terms of the tasks it contains, and ask whether an AI can do them. In doing so, we can identify some jobs that are at risk of being completely cannibalized, some jobs that are perfectly safe, and a large intermediate group of jobs that will be “impacted” by AI.
It’s worth pointing out an obvious fact: this approach results in a higher number of jobs that are mechanically “influenced” and a lower number of jobs that are “destroyed.” (Even the jobs most influenced by AI are likely to have some tasks that the AI finds difficult.) That may be why the technique was pioneered by OpenAI, who in a 2023 paper wrote: The researchers in the lab:“80% of workers are in occupations where at least 10% of the work requires a law degree, and 19% of workers are in occupations where more than half of the work requires a law degree.”
The report claimed between 15 and 86 professions were “completely at risk”, including mathematicians, legal secretaries and journalists.
I’m still here. But a year on, the idea is trending again, thanks to a paper from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI). The giant think tank, powerful and influential even before Labour’s landslide victory two weeks ago, is now seen as one of the architects of Starmerite thought. And it believes the public sector is ripe for disruption through AI. According to the TBI paper: The potential impact of AI on the public sector workforce (pdf):
More than 40% of the tasks performed by public sector workers could potentially be partially automated through a combination of AI-based software, such as machine learning models and large-scale language models, and AI-enabled hardware, ranging from AI-enabled sensors to advanced robotics.
Governments will need to invest in AI technology, upgrade data systems, train employees to use the new tools and cover the redundancy costs of early retirement – costs that are estimated to amount to £4 billion under ambitious implementation plans.That averages $1 billion a year for the term of this Congress.
Over the past few weeks TechScape has been keeping a close eye on the new Government’s approach to AI. Tomorrow, the King’s Speech is expected to announce the AI Bill, and we will hear more. The TBI paper makes one takeaway worth watching: Will investment in transformation approach £4 billion a year? There is a lot that can be done for free, but much more could be done with more money. The institute estimates that spending would return more than nine times, but a £20 billion bill would be hard to get through Parliament without question.
AI Geek
Prime Minister Tony Blair spoke at the Tony Blair Institute’s Britain’s Future conference on 9 July. Photo: Yui Mok/PA
The report drew renewed attention over the weekend as critics took issue with its methodology. From 404 Media:
Breaking down work into tasks is already done by a huge database created by the US Department of Labor. But with 20,000 such tasks, describing which ones should be exposed to AI is a daunting task. In a similar paper from OpenAI, “the authors personally labeled a large sample of tasks and DWAs, and hired experienced human annotators who reviewed the output of GPT-3, GPT-3.5, and GPT-4 as part of OpenAI’s tuning efforts,” but they also had the then-new GPT-4 perform the same tasks and found a 60-80 percent match between robots and humans.
According to The Guardian, the government is contemplating a response to Russian hackers who obtained records of 300 million NHS patient interactions, including sensitive data like HIV and cancer blood test results.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) is exploring potential actions against the Russia-based ransomware group Qilin, who recently leaked the stolen NHS records in a cyber attack on June 3.
Healthcare leaders in London, where the attack occurred, set up a helpline to address concerns from worried patients about their data and advised against contacting hospitals or GP practices directly for information.
The NCA and the National Cyber Security Centre are discussing possible responses to the ransom demand of $50 million, which has so far been ignored, prompting concerns about the severity of the attack.
Experts from the NCA are working to remove the data leaked by Kirin on the messaging platform, but the extent of the damage and the potential impact of retrieving or deleting the data remain uncertain.
Authorities have dealt with similar ransomware gangs previously, including taking down the LockBit group with international cooperation, showcasing their commitment to combatting cyber threats.
The recent attack on the NHS reveals a major breach in patient data security, affecting multiple hospitals and healthcare facilities, leading to cancellations and disruptions in medical services.
Patients are cautioned to be vigilant against potential scams targeting them based on the leaked data and are advised to report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities immediately.
The NHS Helpline is available for patients seeking information or assistance related to the incident, and efforts are being made to minimize the impact of the data breach on patient care.
The release of private healthcare test records along with NHS data indicates a broader breach that could have far-reaching implications, underscoring the need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in the healthcare sector.
Despite ongoing challenges, healthcare providers are striving to maintain essential services for patients while addressing the fallout from the cyber attack on the NHS.
Cybersecurity experts stress the importance of swift action in response to data breaches, indicating that negotiations with ransomware groups typically end once data is leaked.
While the situation remains precarious, authorities and healthcare institutions are working diligently to mitigate the impact of the attack and prevent further breaches in the future.
Climate activists protest outside the Houses of Parliament in London in March.
Andrea Domeniconi/Alamy
This week, more than 400 climate scientists from UK research institutes published an open letterAhead of the general election on 4 July, he called on UK political parties to commit to stronger climate action in the next Parliament.
Their demands included a “credible” carbon reduction strategy for the country, during an election campaign where there has been little in-depth discussion about the UK's transition to net zero.
Why are scientists worried? After all, the UK has one of the most ambitious climate targets in the world – a legally binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 – and has halved its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990.
While great progress has been made in decarbonizing the electricity supply, with around half of all electricity now generated from zero-carbon sources, other sectors are lagging behind. The Committee on Climate Change, the UK government's climate advisers, say that outside the electricity sector, the rate of emissions reductions needs to quadruple over the next seven years for the UK to meet its commitment to cut emissions by 68% by 2030. I said in OctoberHe warned it was “unlikely” the UK would get there under current plans.
“There's a real sense of frustration in the climate science community,” he said. Emily Schuckberg “We are yet to see the level of response that is required,” said a Cambridge University researcher who co-authored the scientists' letter.
The slow progress means problems are piling up, waiting for the next administration to tackle them.
Transportation and Buildings
By the end of the decade, emissions from surface transport – roads, rail and ships – need to fall by around 4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, four times the rate of reduction over the past decade. Electric car sales may be growing strongly, but sales of electric vans and trucks are sluggish, and the number of public charging points is not growing fast enough to keep up with the volume of electric vehicles travelling. Meanwhile, public transport use has fallen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, It's not back to the previous level.
Getting the transport sector to net zero will require more than just convincing everyone to buy electric cars, Michael Pollitt The Cambridge researchers say that reducing the number and size of cars is a key part of the puzzle. “We need more…and electric vehicles.
When it comes to buildings, home heating is the biggest pain point. Around 23 million homes in the UK are heated by gas boilers. By the middle of the century, all of these homes will need to be heated with zero-carbon energy sources, and it is expected that most will switch to heat pumps.
But the pace of the transition is too slow: just 69,000 heat pumps will be installed in UK homes in 2022, far short of the target of 600,000 per year by 2028. Part of…addition, increasing the affordability and efficiency of heat pumps will be crucial for decarbonizing home heating.
It is urgent to solve these problems. Nick Air One Oxford professor who signed the open letter said that a gas boiler installed in 2035 would still be heating homes in 2050. “For heat pumps and cars, we need to be pretty much sorted by the early 2040s, which means we need to get very serious about it in the 2030s,” he said.
That's why the UK government's inaction over the last decade, when it should have been focusing on preparing industry for mass adoption, is so worrying.
Agriculture and Aviation
Beyond heat, power and transport, tougher choices lie ahead. For example, emissions from agriculture and land use have remained almost unchanged for a decade, but need to be reduced by 29% by 2035. Achieving these reductions will likely require actions…
“The biggest challenge is starting to implement policies and regulations that will affect people's daily lives.” Leo Mercer “If policies are not communicated well, people will react quite strongly,” said the professor at the London School of Economics.
Alongside its domestic challenges, the UK needs to rebuild its reputation on the international stage: under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the UK hosted the COP26 climate summit and led international coalitions on deforestation, methane and electric vehicles.
However, progress on climate change measures in the UK has slowed, cuts in international aid and climate diplomacy; Britain's international reputation has suffered, and the government's decisions to approve new fossil fuel projects in the UK while urging lower-income countries to “move away” from fossil fuels have also antagonized the British public.
Unless a country like the UK can demonstrate that net zero is achievable and desirable as a national strategy, it will face an uphill battle to persuade lower-income countries to cut emissions, which is why it is crucial the UK restores its reputation as a climate leader in the next parliament, he says.
Next year, countries are due to submit new commitments under the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. “So this is a pivotal moment for the international community,” she said. “This parliament will be crucial…cing in the 2030s,” he said.
What each party is proposing
So which party can take action on the scale needed to get the UK back on track? All the major parties agree on the need to reach net zero by mid-century, and Labour and the Conservatives are remarkably in agreement on the need for renewable energy, particularly offshore wind.
But Labour has made an eye-catching promise to deliver a fully decarbonised electricity grid by 2030. Adam Bell A former senior UK government official at Stonehaven, a British consultancy, said the target was “highly ambitious” and would push government agencies to the limits of their capabilities. [Labour] It could be even more ambitious.”
But for Eyre, a credible climate manifesto should also include ambitious targets in the areas where the UK is seriously off track: home energy efficiency, heat pump adoption, industrial emissions, land use, solar power and electric vehicles. “It's not a matter of doing one or two of them,” Eyre says. “We need to do them all.”
Many experts privately doubt that the major parties have policy programmes with the pace and scale needed to get to net zero by 2050. Absent that, looking for enthusiasm for the challenges ahead may be the next best way to gauge a party's credibility. In Eyre's eyes, the next UK government is embarking on a “10-year plan on the scale of the introduction of the steam engine.” “If you don't have a positive vision yourself, you're not going to sell it to the public,” he says.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The National Meteorological Center, the government task force responsible for cloud seeding missions in the United Arab Emirates, stated that they did not carry out any weather modification techniques in anticipation of severe storms that led to flooding in places like Dubai.
According to CNBC, the group confirmed that they did not deploy pilots for seeding operations before or during the storm that affected the UAE on that fateful Tuesday.
Omar Al-Yazidi, deputy director of NCM, emphasized that no seeding operations were conducted during the storm, stating, “If you find yourself in severe thunderstorm conditions, you should carry out seeding operations before the rain falls. It’s too late.”
On Tuesday, the UAE experienced heavy rainfall. NCM reported that Al Ain received 10 inches of rainfall, while Dubai saw over 100 mm. This is significantly higher than the average annual rainfall in the UAE, which ranges from 140 to 200mm.
NCM’s statement contradicted previous reports suggesting that some of the rain was caused by cloud seeding. The process of cloud seeding has been a crucial aspect of the UAE’s efforts to combat water scarcity since the 1990s, with over 1,000 hours of cloud seeding conducted annually.
The increase in precipitation is attributed to climate change, with a study projecting a 30% increase in precipitation by 2080. This shift in weather patterns has posed challenges for the UAE’s infrastructure, especially in managing drainage systems during heavy downpours.
The UAE government issued warnings through the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, advising residents to adhere to safety guidelines due to the extreme weather conditions.
Despite the region’s unique weather patterns, the UAE’s drainage systems struggled to handle the unprecedented rainfall, leading to flooding in many areas, including Dubai Airport.
A review board appointed by the Biden administration criticized Microsoft for its poor security and lack of transparency, stating that a series of mistakes by the tech giant allowed Chinese cyber operators to infiltrate the U.S. Department of Commerce and other entities, including accessing the email account of a senior official, Gina Raimondo.
The Cybersecurity Review Board, created in 2021, highlighted Microsoft’s sloppy cybersecurity practices, lax corporate culture, and dishonesty about targeted breaches affecting U.S. government agencies due to its business dealings with China.
The report concluded that Microsoft’s security culture is insufficient and needs a major overhaul due to the critical role its products play in national security, economic infrastructure, and public safety.
The committee blamed the breach on a chain of avoidable mistakes and recommended that Microsoft focus on improving security before adding new features to its cloud computing environment.
Microsoft’s CEO and board of directors were urged to publicly share a plan for fundamental security changes, emphasizing the need for a rapid cultural shift within the company.
Microsoft responded by saying it will enhance its systems against cyber attacks and implement stronger measures to detect and defeat malicious forces.
The report revealed that state-sponsored Chinese hackers breached the Microsoft Exchange Online emails of various organizations and individuals, showing the severity and reach of the security breach.
The board also raised concerns about another hack by state-sponsored Russian hackers targeting senior Microsoft executives and customers due to the company’s deprioritization of security investments and risk management.
Microsoft acknowledged the need for a new culture of security within its network and committed to improving infrastructure and processes to prevent future breaches.
Bitcoin mining is linked to rising electricity prices
Thomas Wren/Alamy Stock Photo
The US government has proposed taxing crypto miners to reduce the industry's heavy environmental impact, but experts say the measure could simply shift the problem elsewhere. It warns that there is.
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are kept secure through a process called mining, which involves intensive calculations and large amounts of power consumption. According to the latest data from the University of Cambridge, Bitcoin is 0.69% of all electricity used worldwide.
In America, the government Estimate Up to 2.3 percent of the nation's electricity use in 2023 will come from just 137 mining operations, and electricity rates in Texas are increasing by 5 percent. Directly linked to increased demand Caused by miners.President Joe Biden's 2025 budget proposal Cryptocurrency mining “has the potential to harm the environment, increase energy prices for those who share power grids with digital asset miners, as well as have environmental justice implications.”
The budget therefore proposes a 30% tax on miners' total energy costs, which would apply to both electricity from the grid and electricity generated by miners themselves. It will be phased in, with 10 percent starting in 2025, 20 percent in 2026, and finally 30 percent in 2027. A similar tax was proposed by Biden last year but did not pass. Although passed by the House and Senate and signed into law, this second attempt now faces hurdles.
The move, which comes as Bitcoin has soared to an all-time high of more than £56,000 in recent weeks, has drawn heavy criticism from the crypto industry.Dennis Porter of Satoshi Action Fund tweeted It claimed this was a “backdoor ban” on mining and promised: “We will vigorously oppose this attempt at targeted discrimination without hesitation!”
new scientist Several large Bitcoin mining companies have been approached for comment on the proposed tax. Block Mining, Frontier Mining, and HIVE Digital Technologies did not respond, while TeraWulf declined to comment.
But taxing the industry could have unintended consequences. alex de vries At VU Amsterdam in the Netherlands. China's ban on bitcoin mining in 2021 has prompted companies to move operations to countries such as Kazakhstan, where more than 90% of the country's electricity supply comes from fossil fuels such as coal.
“Perhaps it doesn’t actually solve anything, because mining operations are highly mobile and can be based anywhere, moving from country to country in search of better regulatory environments or cheaper power.” They won’t, says De Vries. “Climate change is a global problem, and moving emissions from one country to another, or worsening power supplies, is actually making the global problem worse.”
“Ideally, we would like to address this issue at a global level,” says de Vries. “You want to reduce the emissions of these miners.” De Vries has long advocated for Bitcoin to follow the lead of the cryptocurrency Ethereum, which has changed the way it operates. changed, abolished mining, and reduced power consumption by 99.99%. But most Bitcoin developers weren’t interested in the change, he said.
The U.S. government has halted an investigation into a cryptocurrency mining operation over its rising energy use following a lawsuit from an industry accused by environmental groups of fueling the climate crisis.
A federal judge in Texas granted an interim order blocking new requirements to verify cryptocurrency miners’ energy use, stating that the industry would suffer “irreparable harm” if forced to comply.
The U.S. Department of Energy launched an “emergency” initiative last month to examine the energy usage of mining operations, which use computational power to mine currencies like Bitcoin.
The growth of cryptocurrencies and mining activities has led to a surge in electricity usage, with data centers popping up and even reviving coal-fired power plants for mining operations.
The federal government requires more information on big miners’ electricity use, as mining facilities provided a significant portion of total U.S. electricity demand last year. Globally, cryptocurrency mining is responsible for a notable portion of energy consumption.
Campaigners warn that the increased electricity consumption from cryptocurrency mining exacerbates the climate crisis, with mining operations releasing significant amounts of carbon dioxide each year.
Cryptocurrency mining is straining power grids, with instances of Bitcoin companies receiving energy credits to reduce power usage during peak demand periods.
The industry has managed to avoid an investigation it deems burdensome, citing political motives from the government. The debate continues on the regulation of cryptocurrency mining in the U.S.
The Blockchain Council of Texas and other groups argue that the government’s actions are aimed at limiting or eliminating Bitcoin mining in the U.S., causing concerns for the industry and its employees.
The US special envoy addressing the issue announced the formation of a global coalition of democracies to defend against disinformation campaigns by foreign governments.
James Rubin, special envoy for combating non-state propaganda and disinformation at the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), mentioned that the coalition aims to establish a clear understanding of information operations and the rights of other governments. He also highlighted the importance of reaching a consensus on defining common opinion even in moments of disagreement.
The US, UK, and Canada have already signed a formal framework agreement, and there are expectations of more countries joining the coalition. The GEC primarily focuses on countering disinformation campaigns by foreign powers and has been working towards developing a global strategy while uncovering covert disinformation operations, like Russia’s activities in Africa discrediting US health services.
A framework signed between the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada aims to counter foreign manipulation of states by addressing disinformation as a national security threat, requiring a coordinated response from governments and civil society. This emphasizes the need for a collective approach to enhance resilience and response to foreign intelligence threats through information sharing and collaborative data analysis tools.
James Rubin, a seasoned US government official and journalist, serving as a special envoy, acknowledged the complexity of the issue of disinformation and its intellectual challenges. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between hostile opinion and disinformation to determine the appropriate government interventions.
James Rubin wants to promote more fact-based information. Photo: Tayfun Salcı/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock
He emphasized the need for fact-based information promotion while also finding ways to label information operations originating from foreign governments like China and Russia. He stressed the importance of identifying the sources of covert disinformation without censoring thoughts or opinions.
This challenging issue raises questions about the dynamics between the government and social media companies, particularly in countries like the United States with constitutional guarantees of free speech. In contrast, the European Union has taken more interventionist measures with laws regulating digital services and social media content.
Rubin underscored that it is essential to expose foreign disinformation operations without dictating social media companies’ behavior. He advocated for the enforcement of terms of service by these platforms in combatting disinformation efforts.
Addressing the asymmetry in information space access, Rubin highlighted the challenges posed by closed-off information environments of countries like Russia and China.
Ministers have confirmed plans to ban the use of mobile phones in English schools and have published guidance for headteachers, which some unions believe includes practices that are already widely adopted.
One headteacher welcomed the Department for Education’s (DfE) plan, saying it would help give schools the confidence to make changes that would benefit pupils, even if it may be met with opposition from parents.
This non-statutory guidance offers schools a range of potential ways to enforce the ban, from leaving cell phones at home to storing them in inaccessible lockers, and aims to address the distraction and concerns about potential bullying and social pressures caused by the prevalence of smartphones in schools.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan stated that the guidance aims to “empower” schools that do not currently ban phones and to “provide clarity and consistency.” The guidance emphasizes the importance of schools being places for learning, interaction, and friendship rather than the constant use of cell phones.
There are also concerns about children’s access to harmful content on phones, leading to calls for technology companies and mobile phone manufacturers to take action.
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The 13-page DfE guidance states that telephone policies should be clearly communicated to students and explain the reasons behind them, while also involving parents in the ban.
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Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, expressed concerns about the amount of time some children spend on their phones and stated that the new guidance is not impactful, as most schools already have policies in place to address mobile phone use.
Chairman of two schools in Essex, Vic Goddard, mentioned that Passmores Academy had introduced a total phone ban, which was well-received by both parents and students, and that this guidance will be helpful for schools to address potential conflicts with parents.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Monday that human drivers should always use caution after videos surfaced of people driving Teslas wearing what appears to be Apple’s recently released Vision Pro headset. He said he needed to pay.
Buttigieg responded on Twitter/X to a video that has been viewed more than 24 million times that shows a Tesla driver seemingly gesturing with his hands to manipulate a virtual reality field.
Buttigieg said on Monday that Tesla’s self-driving assist features (Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, Full Self-Driving), despite their names, do not mean the vehicle is fully self-driving. said on social media.
“Be careful – all advanced driver assistance systems available today require a human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times,” Buttigieg said.
Apple’s Vision Pro was released last week and blends three-dimensional digital content with views of the outside world. Apple, which says it should never be used while operating a moving vehicle, did not respond to a request for comment.
Note: All currently available advanced driver assistance systems require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times. pic.com/OpPy36mOgC
According to Apple’s Alan Dye, the Vision Pro will work as a headset that allows users to interact with “apps and experiences” in an augmented reality (AR) version of their surroundings or in a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) space. Vice President of Human Interface Design announced in June.
“Apple Vision Pro relies solely on your eyes, hands, and voice,” Dai said in June. “Browse your system just by looking. App icons come to life when you look at them. Just tap your fingers at the same time to select them and scroll them with a light flick.”
“Apple Vision Pro will change the way we communicate, collaborate, work, and enjoy entertainment,” said Apple executive Tim Cook. But the company didn’t intend for Vision Pro to change the way people commute.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Buttigieg previously made similar comments about Tesla’s use of Autopilot. Tesla says its advanced driver features are intended for use by fully alert drivers who “keep their hands on the wheel and ready to take over at any time.”
A recent study found that the majority of e-scooter accidents requiring hospital treatment are not officially recorded in road accident figures. This suggests that the danger of e-scooter accidents is being underestimated.
The analysis revealed that only 9% of e-scooter-related injuries reported in 20 emergency departments over a two-month period were included in official accident statistics. Additionally, just over a quarter of the most serious injuries are accounted for in road accident casualty data.
The study, commissioned by the Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety (Pacts), highlighted concerning trends in head, face, and spine injuries resulting from e-scooter accidents. The report warned that the increase in e-scooter use is surpassing the ability of police reporting systems to accurately record all injuries and collisions.
Margaret Winchcomb, Deputy Executive Director of Pact, emphasized the importance of consistent and robust methods for measuring risk to e-scooter riders and other road users.
The use of e-scooters is currently being trialled in multiple locations across England, despite being illegal on public roads. It is estimated that there are over 750,000 privately owned electric scooters in the country.
The study compared official road death and injury figures (known as Stats19) with hospital records from a two-month period in 2021. It found that only 8.6% of e-scooter-related incidents were included in Stats19 data.
Analysis of National Clinical Audit of Trauma in England and Wales data during the same period found 54 serious injuries related to electric scooters, compared to only 25.9% included in the Stats19 database.
The study also revealed that the system for recording road accidents (Stats19) does not capture a significant proportion of non-fatal casualties related to e-scooters. The Department for Transport (DfT) acknowledged the need for clear information to the public about reporting accidents to the police.
DfT analysis revealed that more than half of e-scooter-related traffic fatalities and injuries reported in the year ending June 2023 occurred outside the test zone. There were 1,269 crashes involving electric scooters during this period, resulting in 7 deaths and 390 serious injuries.
Nicholas Lies from road safety charity IAM Roadsmart called for urgent legislation on private electric scooters, including standards for equipment, speed limiters, and minimum rider competency requirements.
A DfT spokesperson assured that safety remains a top priority and that they are working closely with the police to enhance data on e-scooter accidents.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a plan to shoot hundreds of thousands of barred owls in West Coast forests over the next 30 years, arguing that the survival of one owl species depends on the extinction of another. The spotted owl, not native to the area, is displacing its genetically related barred owl, the bureau said.
Unless action is taken against barred owls, the spotted owl could disappear from parts of Washington and Oregon within a few years and eventually become extinct, according to service biologists.
This proposal is the latest effort to save the spotted owl, whose decline became a rallying point for environmentalists against logging in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s. This plan raises questions about how far humans should go to save species and the cost of righting historic ecological wrongs, as the barred owls may have become established in the Pacific Northwest under human influence as European settlers spread westward.
The proposal calls for the “lethal removal” (killing with shotguns) of more than 470,000 barred owls in total and is open for public comment until January 16th. It may be difficult for the undiscerning eye to distinguish barred owls from spotted owls, as both have pale faces and mottled brown and white coats and belong to the same genus. However, barred owls are slightly larger, breed faster, are more aggressive, and are less discriminatory about where they live and what they eat.
The spotted owl population has declined by about 75 percent over the past 20 years, primarily due to barred owls, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The plan would eliminate the barred owls from 1-2% of its current range, and the removal of barred owls has been shown to stabilize the spotted owl population, although the impact has not been substantial.
Despite the dominance of barred owls, the population is likely to recover over time, and the cost of righting historic ecological wrongs is still uncertain. Wildlife biologists consulted with an ethicist about killing the animals, and while some animal rights groups disagree with the plan, a final proposal is expected to be released in the spring or summer after the public comment period on the USFWS proposal ends.
Paid by Pornhub’s parent company Aylo Holdings $1.8 million to the US government To resolve charges of profiting from sex trafficking. The company, formerly known as MindGeek, will enter into a deferred prosecution agreement, which means a monitor will be appointed to monitor Aylo and its compliance efforts for three years.
Aylo-owned Pornhub and other adult content sites have come under fire for failing to control third-party uploads of adult content. In the worst-case scenario, sex trafficking victims may end up appearing in these adult girlfriend videos against their will or without their knowledge.
This particular investigation by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York focuses on a network called GirlsDoPorn (GDP), which has been posting videos to Pornhub and other Airo websites since 2009. By 2019, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of California had issued an indictment. GDP and other charges related to sex trafficking. But Mr. Airo’s own court papers filed this week show that he profited from the contents of GDP. In a press release, authorities said they were “not aware” that Airo hosted videos in which many women had no idea they were being filmed or that these videos would be shared with the public. or should have known,” he said in a press release. The release also states that many of these women filed complaints with Airo between 2016 and 2019 and that the videos were posted without their consent. However, the network’s videos were removed from Pornhub and other sites months after GDP was convicted of sex trafficking.
“This resolution would not only monitor the world’s largest online content distribution companies and ensure their lawful conduct, but also establish industry-wide standards for safety and compliance,” U.S. Attorney Brion Pierce said in a statement. I will do it,” he said.
2020, Pornhub introduced A number of new features have been added, including preventing video downloads and requiring users to authenticate before posting videos.platform too hired a law firmKaplan Hecker & Fink LLP will conduct an independent review of the company’s content compliance.
The newly renamed Aylo had a turbulent few years. MindGeek’s CEO and COO both left the company before the company was sold to a brand new private equity firm, strategically named Ethical Capital Partners.
Earlier this week, Pornhub, Stripchat and XVideos were added to the list of platforms subject to the most stringent regulations under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). The law requires platforms to comply with certain child protection regulations, among other safeguards. Once the EU code of conduct on age-appropriate design is finalized, it could mean these platforms will have to carry out strict age checks. This means users must verify their age and identity through official means (instead of simply checking a box indicating they are an adult).
Already in the US, many states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Virginia and Utah, require adult websites to perform age verification checks before allowing users access.
When either of these measures first went into effect in Louisiana, Pornhub required visitors to verify their age. LA wallet app, a digital wallet for Louisiana driver’s licenses. However, when these laws were expanded to other states, Pornhub chose to completely block access in those locations.
“Since [adding age verification]traffic in Louisiana decreased by approximately 80%,” Pornhub wrote in the article. statement. “Those guys didn’t stop looking for porn. It just transitioned into place.”
privacy advocate People are speaking out against these measures because of the potential consequences of sharing government IDs to use the internet. Although these measures are intended to protect children, they have the unintended effect of compromising their online anonymity. Additionally, it is not at all uncommon for hackers to break into government databases, and if these verification tools are not secure, data about who is accessing what kind of content on the internet can easily fall into the wrong hands. There is a possibility that the
This puts MPs in a difficult position. It is difficult to promote internet regulation and safety without creating a slew of new problems.
British scientists are urging the government to implement routine vaccines for those most susceptible to monkeypox and gonorrhea, marking the world’s first immunization program against the latter. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization (JCVI) has recommended to Rishi Sunak that both programs be offered opportunistically to those who need it most.
Professor Andrew Pollard, Chair of the JCVI, expressed, “The UK’s gonorrhea prevention program is a world-first and is expected to significantly reduce gonorrhea levels, which are currently at record highs. In addition, we recommend implementing routine monkeypox vaccinations to prevent a recurrence of the outbreaks seen in early 2022. Both vaccines should be offered to those at highest risk.”
The JCVI also advises that recommended vaccination programs against gonorrhea should primarily target gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, who are at higher risk of contracting the disease. This comes in light of a 50.3% increase in gonorrhea diagnoses in 2022 compared to 2021, totaling 82,592 cases, according to Health and Safety Executive sexually transmitted infection (STI) statistics. Additionally, the number of gonorrhea cases in the UK last year was reported to be up by more than a fifth from pre-pandemic levels.
Greg Fell, chairman of the Association of Public Health Officers, told Sky News: “The recent rise in sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea is extremely worrying and today’s advice from the JCVI is undoubtedly a prudent course of action. However, this increase in numbers is also a result of more people visiting clinics and other diagnostic services for testing, which has led to higher demand for sexual health services.”
“As we said in June, we are concerned that the current level of funding for sexual health services provided by public health grants in England will not be able to meet this increase in demand. The new vaccination program will therefore be planned with this in mind and backed by appropriate funding and resources to ensure that existing services remain intact and people can be vaccinated in a timely and dignified manner as needed.”
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