Tesla Reports Significant Profit Decline Despite Surge in U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales

Posted on October 23, 2025 by

Even with record-breaking car sales, Tesla’s profits have taken a significant hit in the latest quarter.

A surge in demand for electric vehicles ahead of the expiration of U.S. tax credits has revitalized Tesla’s declining sales figures, enabling the firm to exceed some Wall Street forecasts during its latest fiscal quarter. Nonetheless, it fell short of profit expectations, resulting in a decline in its stock price during after-hours trading.

Tesla’s third-quarter earnings were reported at $0.50 per share, just below the anticipated $0.54 from analysts. The company’s sales, however, surpassed Wall Street’s expectations of $26.457 billion. Operating income stood at $1.62 billion, slightly under the forecast of $1.65 billion, with net income down 37% from $2.2 billion to $1.4 billion.

Deliveries for Tesla in the third quarter saw a notable increase since the beginning of the year. Analysts attribute this rise to consumers rushing to secure electric vehicle tax credits that lapsed at the end of the previous month. The discontinuation of these EV credits, as a result of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, fueled a public rift between Musk and the president and continues to influence the company’s sales forecasts.

In its earnings releases, the company repeatedly highlights its optimistic strides in enhancing AI software and self-driving technology while also mentioning “changes in trade, tariffs, and fiscal policy” as obstacles it is facing.

“No one can replicate what real-world AI can achieve,” Musk stated during a conference call with investors. He also claimed that Tesla’s Optimus robot, which received minimal mention during the earnings call, could potentially be “the largest product ever created.”

“With Optimus and autonomous driving, we believe we can truly create a world without poverty,” Musk asserted. He further introduced a proposed $1 trillion pay package designed to safeguard Tesla from being “isolated” if it develops an “army of robots.”

This earnings report emerges at a critical juncture for both Tesla and Musk, as the CEO seeks investor endorsement for an extraordinary $1 trillion pay package in a forthcoming vote next month. This package depends on Tesla achieving several ambitious milestones, including attaining an $8.5 trillion market cap over the next decade.

So far, two proxy advisory firms have suggested rejecting the extravagant pay package, despite Musk’s substantial support base among Tesla fans and investors eager to please him. Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) provide guidance on how shareholders should cast their votes. As reported recently, they have recommended against the proposed multi-trillion dollar compensation package.

During the investor call this Wednesday, Musk made various claims regarding the future of Tesla’s robotaxi ride-sharing service. He informed investors that the robotaxi initiative—which includes a safety driver in the self-driving vehicle for emergencies—will soon launch in Austin, with plans to remove the driver entirely. Recent weeks have seen major U.S. transportation safety regulators announce: an investigation into traffic safety violations and crashes related to Tesla’s fully autonomous driving technology.

This week, Musk insulted U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy through a series of posts, including labeling him “Sean Dummy” and sharing calls for his dismissal. Duffy, who also serves as NASA’s acting administrator, indicated Monday that he would resume bidding on contracts for the space agency’s Artemis moon program due to Musk’s SpaceX falling behind schedule.

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Shareholders are set to vote on Musk’s $1 trillion compensation proposal during the company’s annual meeting on November 6. Both Tesla and Musk have pushed back against criticisms of the proposal, with the company labeling ISS’s recommendation against the pay package as “baseless and meaningless” in an extensive post on X. Musk hinted in a post on X that he might consider departing from the company if his pay package doesn’t secure approval and accused ISS and Glass Lewis of engaging in “corporate terrorism” during a conference call with investors.

Tesla has experienced a rocky year, marked by heightened competition, the loss of key tax credits, and Musk’s tumultuous leadership. The company reported declines in profits and revenue in the previous quarter. Musk’s political actions, including his prominent role in the Trump administration and promotion of far-right movements, have sparked widespread backlash and fostered anti-Tesla sentiments following a drop in the company’s stock price earlier this year.

While Tesla’s stock has seen significant growth over the past six months, Musk has actively been promoting self-driving taxis and robotics as future income streams. Just last month, he claimed that Tesla’s Optimus robot, a humanoid machine still in development and unavailable for purchase, could eventually represent 80% of the company’s revenue. Musk has made similarly grand declarations about robotaxis populating cities globally, continually extending the timeline for their anticipated rollout.

Recently, Tesla introduced a long-anticipated, more affordable sedan, the Model Y, aimed at improving tepid sales. This new sedan line has faced criticism from some analysts due to its starting prices of $39,990 and $36,990, which are significantly higher than those of lower-priced rivals in China. Consequently, Tesla’s stock price fell shortly after the launch. Additionally, the Cybertruck, which debuted in 2024, has not made a substantial impact on overall sales.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dyson Reports Nearly 50% Profit Decline During “Challenging” Years | Dyson Ltd

Posted on September 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Dyson’s profits have been nearly halfway through a challenging year, during which the home appliance company, established by billionaire Sir James Dyson, reduced over a quarter of its UK workforce.

Since relocating to Singapore in 2019, Dyson has reported selling over 20 million products, emphasizing its shift towards being “proof of the future.”

Nonetheless, filings in Singapore reveal a revenue drop of more than £500 million, bringing it down to £6.5 billion.

The slowing economic growth and reduced consumer confidence have been intensified by one-off challenges, including the pound’s strength against the Asian currencies where many of its products are sold.

The bagless vacuum cleaner and hand dryer segments also faced one-off expenses related to global restructuring, leading to about 1,000 job cuts in the UK.

Consequently, pre-tax profits dipped 47% to £561 million in 2024.

Hanno Kirner, the company’s CEO, described 2024 as a “tough but essential year” for Dyson. The annual dividends paid to the family holding entity have seen significant reductions.

Distributions to Weybourne Holdings, which includes the Dyson family’s rapidly expanding investment in farmland and agriculture, fell from £700 million to £200 million in 2024.

A memo attached to the accounts indicated that Dyson finalized payments with a dividend of £225 million in January and February this year.

Founded in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, in 1991, most Dyson products are manufactured abroad; however, the majority of research, development, and design occur at the UK facility.

Despite criticism over moving the company to Singapore, particularly given his support for Brexit, Dyson stated that the UK would remain the primary hub for research and development.

The 78-year-old entrepreneur is among the largest landowners in the UK, having heavily invested in agriculture and advanced food production; two of his children, Jacob and Sam, are executives at Dyson Holdings. All three are categorized as “permanent residents” of Singapore in corporate filings.

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The entrepreneur and his family ranked fourth on the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, with a wealth estimated at £20.8 billion.

In the results statement, Dyson highlighted a new product launched in 2024, featuring a “complete reinvention of hair dryers” along with hair care products using chitosan, a plant-derived polymer from oyster mushrooms.

He remarked: “We are incredibly excited for the launch after 2025. This will introduce significant innovation into homes, including a total redesign of hair dryers and vacuum cleaner models, with new wet and dry cleaning technologies, robotics, and purification systems.”

This year saw the release of the “world’s slimmest vacuum,” boasting a diameter of 38mm.

In 2019, the company abandoned its plans to create an electric vehicle.

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK Relents on Demand for Access to Apple User Data, Reports Spy Chief

Posted on August 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The UK government has dismissed claims made by Donald Trump’s intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, that Apple permits law enforcement to “backdoor” access to U.S. customer data.

Gabbard shared her assertion on X, following months of tension involving Apple, the UK government, and the U.S. presidency. Trump accused the UK of acting like China and warned Prime Minister Kiel Starmer, “You can’t do this.”

Neither the Home Office nor Apple has commented on the supposed agreement. Gabbard stated that this indicates the UK does not mandate Apple to provide access to secured, encrypted information related to American citizens, thus preventing backdoors that infringe on civil liberties.

The international dispute intensified when the Department of the Interior issued a “Technical Capacity Notice” to Apple under its statutory authority. Apple responded by initiating a legal challenge, but the Home Office insisted on confidentiality, although the instructed judge’s decision was later made public.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance remarked, “American citizens don’t want to be spied on.” He added that “we’re creating backdoors in our own tech networks that our adversaries are already exploiting,” labeling the situation as “crazy.”

Civil liberties advocates cautioned that backdoors could pose risks to politicians, activists, and minority groups.

In February, Apple retracted an option to enable advanced data protection features, prompting new UK customers to express their “deep disappointment” and declare they would never create a backdoor for their products. Consequently, many UK users remain vulnerable to data breaches and lack access to end-to-end encryption for services like iCloud drives, photos, notes, and reminders.

Gabbard noted, “In recent months, we have collaborated closely with our UK partners and President Trump to safeguard private data belonging to Americans and uphold constitutional rights and civil liberties.”

It’s uncertain if the notification requiring data access will be entirely retracted or modified. Theoretically, it may be restricted to allowing data access solely for UK citizens, but experts caution that this may be technically unfeasible. Additionally, there remains a risk that foreign governments could exploit any established backdoor.

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It remains unclear whether Apple will regain access to the highest level of data protection for new UK customers.

The Home Office declined to confirm Gabbard’s statements, stating that it “does not comment on operational matters, including whether such notices exist.” They emphasized their long-standing joint security and intelligence agreement with the United States aimed at addressing the most serious threats, including terrorism and child sexual abuse, which involves the role of advanced technologies in exacerbating these issues.

“These agreements have consistently included safeguards to uphold privacy and sovereignty. For example, Data Access Agreements incorporate crucial protections to prevent the UK and the US from targeting each other’s citizens’ data. We are committed to enhancing these frameworks while maintaining a robust security structure that can effectively combat terrorism and ensure safety in the UK,” they added.

The UK Data Access Agreement permits UK agencies to directly request telecommunications content from service providers, including U.S. social media platforms and messaging services, but solely for the investigation, prevention, detection, and prosecution of serious crimes.

Apple was contacted for a statement.

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI-Generated Summaries Lead to “Devastating” Audience Decline, Reports Online News Media

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Media organizations have been alerted to the potential “devastating impacts” on their digital audiences as AI-generated summaries start to replace traditional search results.

The integration of Google’s AI summarization is causing major concern among media proprietors, as it utilizes blocks of text to condense search results. Some perceive this as a fundamental threat to organizations that rely on search traffic.

AI summaries can offer all the information users seek without necessitating a click on the original source, while links to traditional search results are relegated further down the page, thereby decreasing user traffic.

An analysis by the Authoritas Analytics Company indicates that websites previously ranked at the top of search results may experience around a 79% decrease in traffic for specific queries when results are presented through AI summaries.

The study also highlighted that links to YouTube, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, are more prominent than traditional search results. This investigation is part of a legal challenge against the UK’s competition regulator concerning the implications of Google’s AI summarization.

In a statement, a Google representative described the study as being “based on inaccurate and flawed assumptions and analysis,” citing a set of searches that does not accurately reflect all queries and results in outdated estimates regarding news website traffic.

“Users are attracted to AI-driven experiences, and AI features in search enable them to pose more questions, creating new avenues for discovering websites,” the spokesperson stated. “We consistently direct billions of clicks to our websites daily and do not observe a significant decline in overall web traffic, as suggested.”

A secondary survey revealed a substantial decline in referral traffic stemming from Google’s AI overview. A month-long study conducted by the US Think tank Pew Research Center found that users clicked on a link under the AI summary only once for every 100 searches.

A Google spokesperson noted that this study employed “a distorted query set that illustrates flawed methodologies and search traffic.”

Senior executives in news organizations claim that Google has consistently declined to share the necessary data to assess the impact of AI summaries.

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Although the AI overview represents only a portion of Google search, UK publishers report feeling its effects already. MailOnline executive Carly Stephen noted a significant decline in clicks from search results featuring AI summaries in May, with click-through rates falling by 56.1% on desktop and 48.2% on mobile devices.

Legal actions against the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority involve partnerships with the technology justice organization FoxGlove, the Independent Publishers Alliance, and advocates for the Open Web movement.

Owen Meredith, the CEO of the News Media Association, accused Google of “keeping users within their own enclosed spaces and trying to monetize them by incorporating valuable content, including news produced through significant efforts of others.”

“The current circumstances are entirely unsustainable, and eventually, quality information will be eliminated online,” he stated. “The Competition and Markets Authority possesses tools to address these challenges, and action must be taken swiftly.”

Rosa Curling, Director of FoxGlove, remarked that the new research highlights “the devastating effects the Google ‘AI Overview’ has already inflicted on the UK’s independent news sector.”

“If Google merely takes on the job of journalists and presents it as its own, that would be concerning enough,” she expressed. “But what’s worse is that they use this work to promote their own tools and advantages while making it increasingly difficult for the media to connect with the readers vital for their survival.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

U.S. Nuclear Weapons Agency Among 400 Organizations Targeted by Chinese Hackers, Reports Microsoft

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Microsoft has revealed that investigations are underway indicating that Chinese “threat actors,” including state-sponsored hackers, are taking advantage of security flaws in SharePoint’s document sharing servers, impacting numerous government agencies and organizations.

Eye Security, a Dutch cybersecurity firm, reported that hackers have compromised around 400 institutions, businesses, and other entities, stating, “We anticipate an increase as the investigation continues.”

The majority of the affected parties are located in the United States. Bloomberg noted that one of the victims was a US agency responsible for overseeing the National Nuclear Security Agency, which manages nuclear weapons. This agency was among those affected.

According to Microsoft, three groups have been identified utilizing Chinese state-backed techniques, with a focus on exploiting newly disclosed vulnerabilities in internet-facing servers hosting the platform.

This announcement coincides with reports from the financial sector that Amazon has halted artificial intelligence labs in Shanghai. Additionally, consultancy firm McKinsey reported that Chinese companies are withdrawing from AI-related projects as geopolitical tensions between Washington and Beijing escalate.

Recently, Microsoft and IBM have scaled back their research and development initiatives in China, with US officials intensifying scrutiny on American companies involved in AI within the country.

In a blog post, Microsoft stated that the vulnerability is associated with an on-premises SharePoint server commonly utilized by businesses, not a cloud-based service.

Numerous large organizations employ SharePoint as a platform for document storage and collaboration, integrating seamlessly with other Microsoft products like Office and Outlook.

Microsoft indicated that the attacks commenced as early as July 7th, with hackers attempting to leverage the vulnerability for “early access to the target organization.”

This vulnerability permits an attacker to spoof authentication credentials and remotely execute malicious code on the server. Microsoft observed an attack that sent requests to a SharePoint server, potentially “enabling the theft of key material.”

In response, Microsoft has released a security update and recommended that all users of on-premises SharePoint systems apply it. They cautioned that hacking groups are continuing to target these systems, which they rated as having “high confidence” in terms of vulnerability.

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Eye Security reported in a press release that “anomalous activity” was detected on a client’s on-premises SharePoint Server on the evening of July 18th. They subsequently scanned over 8,000 publicly accessible SharePoint servers across the globe, discovering numerous compromised systems and confirming that attackers were executing a coordinated mass exploitation campaign.

Microsoft stated that the linen typhoon has been focused on “intellectual property theft” since 2012, with primary targets including government, defense, strategic planning, and human rights-related organizations.

Since 2015, the Violet Typhoon has predominantly targeted former government and military personnel, NGOs, think tanks, academia, digital and print media, and sectors related to finance and health in the US, Europe, and East Asia.

Microsoft mentioned a third group, Storm-2603, which is situated in China, though no direct connection has been established between this group and other Chinese threat actors. They warned that “additional actors” could exploit the vulnerability to target on-premises SharePoint systems unless security updates are installed.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Louis Vuitton Reports Cyberattack Compromising UK Customer Data | Cybercrime

Posted on July 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Louis Vuitton has announced that data from some of its UK customers has been compromised, making it the latest retailer to fall victim to cyber hackers.

The prestigious brand, part of the French luxury conglomerate LVMH, reported that an unauthorized third party gained access to the UK operations system, retrieving personal information such as names, contact information, and purchase histories.

Last week, Louis Vuitton informed customers that its South Korean business was experiencing similar cyber incidents and reassured them that financial data, including bank information, remained secure.

“Currently, there is no evidence of misuse of your data; however, you may encounter phishing attempts, fraud attempts, or unauthorized use of your information,” the email stated.

The company has reported the breach to the appropriate authorities, including the intelligence committee.

As reported by Bloomberg, the hack occurred on July 2nd and marked the third breach of the LVMH system within the past three months.

In addition to the incidents involving Louis Vuitton, LVMH’s second-largest fashion brand, Christian Dior Couture, disclosed in May that hackers also had access to customer data.

On Thursday, four individuals were arrested in connection with a cyberattack involving Marks & Spencer, The Co-op, and Harrods.

Those arrested included a 17-year-old British male from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old Latvian male also from the West Midlands, a 19-year-old British male from London, and a 20-year-old British female from Staffordshire.

M&S was the initial target of this wave of attacks back in April, which led to the online store’s closure for nearly seven weeks. The Co-op was similarly attacked that month, forcing a shutdown of several IT systems.

Harrods reported being targeted on May 1, which resulted in restricted internet access across its website following attempts to gain unauthorized entry to the system.

The chairman of M&S, Archie Norman, stated that days after the arrests, two other large UK companies had also experienced unreported cyberattacks in recent months.

Louis Vuitton has been contacted for further comments.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Surge in AI-Generated Child Exploitation Videos Online, Reports Watchdog

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The quantity of online videos depicting child sexual abuse created by artificial intelligence has surged as advancements in technology have impacted pedophiles.

According to the Internet Watch Foundation, AI-generated abuse videos have surpassed a critical level, nearing a point where they can nearly measure “actual images,” with a notable increase observed this year.

In the first half of 2025, the UK-based Internet Safety Watchdog examined 1,286 AI-generated videos containing illegal child sexual abuse material (CSAM), a sharp increase from just two during the same period last year.

The IWF reported that over 1,000 of these videos fall under Category A abuse, the most severe classification of such material.

The organization indicated that billions have been invested in AI, leading to a widely accessible video generation model that pedophiles are exploiting.

“It’s a highly competitive industry with substantial financial incentives, unfortunately giving perpetrators numerous options,” stated an IWF analyst.

This video surge is part of a 400% rise in URLs associated with AI-generated child sexual abuse content in the first half of 2025, with IWF receiving reports of 210 such URLs compared to 42 last year.

IWF discovered one post on a Dark Web Forum where a user noted the rapid improvements in AI and how pedophiles had rapidly adapted to using an AI tool to “better interact with new developments.”

IWF analysts observed that the images seem to be created by utilizing free, basic AI models and “fine-tuning” these models with CSAM to produce realistic videos. In some instances, this fine-tuning involved a limited number of CSAM videos, according to IWF.

The most lifelike AI-generated abuse videos encountered this year were based on actual victims, the Watchdog reported.

Interim CEO of IWF, Derek Ray-Hill, remarked that the rapid advancement of AI models, their broad accessibility, and their adaptability for criminal purposes could lead to a massive proliferation of AI-generated CSAM online.

“The risk of AI-generated CSAM is astonishing, leading to a potential flood that could overwhelm the clear web,” he stated, cautioning that the rise of such content might encourage criminal activities like child trafficking and modern slavery.

The replication of existing victims of sexual abuse in AI-generated images allows pedophiles to significantly increase the volume of CSAM online without having to exploit new victims, he added.

The UK government is intensifying efforts to combat AI-generated CSAM by criminalizing the ownership, creation, or distribution of AI tools designed to produce abusive content. Those found guilty under this new law may face up to five years in prison.

Additionally, it is now illegal to possess manuals that instruct potential offenders on how to use AI tools for creating abusive images or for child abuse. Offenders could face up to three years in prison.

In a February announcement, Interior Secretary Yvette Cooper stated, “It is crucial to address child sexual abuse online, not just offline.”

AI-generated CSAM is deemed illegal under the Protection Act of 1978, which criminalizes the production, distribution, and possession of “indecent or false images” of children.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reports: Up to 70% of Deezer’s AI-Generated Music Streams Are Fraudulent

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As reported by the French streaming service, nearly seven out of every ten streams of AI-generated music on the Deezer platform are deemed to be fraudulent.

The company states that AI-created music only constitutes 0.5% of total streams on music platforms, yet their analysis indicates that scammers may account for as much as 70% of those streams.

The rise of AI-generated music presents a significant issue on streaming services. Scammers typically utilize bots to “listen” to AI-generated tracks, thereby generating revenue for platforms like Deezer and subsequently receiving royalty payments.

This tactic aims to circumvent detection mechanisms by flooding the system with high listening counts for numerous low-quality fake tracks.

Thibault Roucou, director of royalties and a report regarding the Paris-based platform, mentioned that the manipulation of AI-generated music is a strategy to “extract some profit from royalties.”

“As long as I can profit, I shall,” he lamented, referring to the scenario of fraudulent streaming. “Sadly, there is a push to profit from it.”

Deezer utilizes a tool designed to identify 100% AI-generated content from the leading AI music models, including Suno and Udio.

Deezer reports that the AI-generated music being streamed by con artists ranges from fake pop and rap to artificial mood music. The platform actively prevents royalty payments for streams flagged as fraudulent.

In April, Deezer disclosed that AI-generated tracks account for 18% of all uploads to its platform, averaging around 20,000 tracks per day. The company has announced plans to exclude all AI-generated content from its algorithmic recommendations. Deezer boasts over 10 million subscribers globally, whereas leading competitor Spotify has 268 million.

Roucou noted that while the identities of those orchestrating the fraudulent streams remain unknown, the criminals seem to operate in an “organized” manner. The IFPI, a Trade Body, reported that the global streaming market was valued at $20.4 billion last year, making it a prime target for fraudsters.

In a report, the Latest Global Music Report from the IFPI indicated that fraudulent streaming diverts funds that “should go to rightful artists,” with generic AI contributing to an exacerbation of the issue.

Last year, U.S. musician Michael Smith faced charges for attempting to create AI-generated songs that were designed to be streamed billions of times, resulting in potential royalty earnings of $10 million.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Microsoft Cuts 6,000 Jobs Despite Sustained Profitability in Quarterly Reports

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Microsoft has announced a reduction of nearly 3% of its total workforce.

Although the tech giant did not disclose the exact number of positions being eliminated, estimates suggest it could be around 6,000. As of June last year, Microsoft had 228,000 full-time employees, with approximately 55% located in the United States.

Headquartered in Redmond, Washington, Microsoft indicated that the layoffs will affect all levels and regions, primarily targeting management positions. Notifications were sent out on Tuesday.

“We are continuing to make the organizational changes necessary to ensure our company’s success in a rapidly changing market,” the statement from the company reads.

Earlier this year, Microsoft undertook fewer performance-based layoffs in January. However, this recent 3% reduction marks its most significant workforce cut since early 2023. Other tech firms have also trimmed their workforces by around 10,000 jobs, equivalent to nearly 5%, and are scaling back on growth initiated during the pandemic.

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This latest round of layoffs follows Microsoft’s recent announcement of excellent sales and profits that exceeded Wall Street projections for the period from January 3rd to March. The company has consistently outperformed revenue expectations for the past four quarters.

In an earnings call in April, Amy Hood, the company’s chief financial officer, stated that Microsoft is aiming to “build agile, high-performance teams by streamlining management layers.” She also noted that revenues in March were 2% higher than the previous year, reflecting a slight decrease compared to late last year.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Faces Ongoing Challenges at His Private Texas Mansion, According to Mail Reports

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Not many individuals are eager to publicize their disputes with neighbors, and Elon Musk is no exception.

In March, Musk’s team engaged with officials from the upscale city of Westlake Hills, Texas, while keeping details about his mansion and security measures under wraps.

In emails, employees from Tech Bylionaire requested Westlake Hills officials to release their private information in April. They pointed out Musk’s involvement with the Trump administration as grounds for considering his property records and communications with the city exempt from state and federal public records regulations, according to the email.

One of Musk’s employees mentioned in a March 3 email that homeowners should be exempt from public disclosure as they are “federal civil servants,” and that “federal clearance documents can be provided if required.”

At age 53, Musk aimed to shield his neighbors from tensions surrounding the construction of a 16-foot chain-link fence and a metal gate equipped with cameras near his apartment complex. He modified the property without the necessary permits, violating six city ordinances, and sought to address the matter retroactively.

However, Musk’s attempt to safeguard his privacy was unsuccessful. City lawyers in Westlake Hills opposed the closure meeting, as shown by emails. Recently, at a Zoning and Planning Committee meeting, Musk’s appeal to keep the fence and gate on his property was denied. This matter will be discussed in a city council meeting originally set for May 14 but postponed to June 11 at the request of the applicant.

Fletcher declined to comment on the city’s records, and Musk’s team did not respond to requests for comment.

The 6,900-square-foot mansion in Westlake Hills is one of three properties Musk has acquired in recent years for his children and mother. This apartment complex, located at the end of a street lined with four homes, served as Musk’s base during his stays in Austin and became central to his expanding security business. He acquired the property in 2022 through a limited liability company.

Following the installation of the 16-foot fence and separate gates, neighbors raised concerns regarding traffic and the structure’s impact on the neighborhood. Consequently, officials in Westlake Hills initiated an investigation.

By March, Musk’s staff expressed concern that documents they had submitted to the city might be disclosed, according to the email. Tisha Litta, a licensing officer working for Musk’s limited liability company, reached out to the city requesting a hearing to discuss keeping the property issues private.

Inna Kaplun, identified as a lawyer representing a “real estate owner,” also contacted the city asserting that owners should be exempt from hearings due to the presence of numerous security personnel on-site, including former federal agents. Citing Texas law, the lawyers contended that agencies are not required to hold public meetings to deliberate on matters involving “security officers or devices.”

Musk’s team and city officials convened at least once in March to discuss the property, per the email. In mid-March, the Westlake Hills city attorney challenged Musk’s request for a private hearing, referencing the Texas Open Meeting Act in an email.

During a meeting of the Public Zoning and Planning Committee last month, city employees recommended that Musk be allowed to keep the fences and gates that were erected without permission, although minor adjustments were deemed necessary. Meeting records indicate that several committee members inquired about the proposal.

Ultimately, the committee voted in favor of recommending that the city council deny Musk’s exception for his project.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Trump Administration Endangers Key Climate Change Reports

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Climate change contributes to events like the Marshall Fire in Colorado, which devastated 1,000 homes in December 2021

Jim West/Alamy

The Trump administration has dismissed nearly 400 researchers involved in the forthcoming US national climate assessment. This action may delay the completion of a critical report detailing the impacts of climate change on the nation.

“The Trump administration has carelessly undermined a vital US climate science report by prematurely discarding its authors without justification or a plan,” said Rachel Cleetus, representing the concerned coalition of scientists.

This move significantly hampers progress on the sixth National Climate Assessment, designed to inform federal and state governments about climate change risks and their implications. A law enacted by Congress in 1990 mandates that these assessments be produced every four years.

Although the next report isn’t due until 2027, extensive work has already begun, and the document may exceed 1,000 pages. The latest review, published in 2023, discussed the increasing difficulty of ensuring safe homes, healthy families, dependable public services, sustainable economies, and thriving ecosystems amidst climate challenges.

In early April, the Trump administration terminated a contract with a consulting firm responsible for coordinating research for upcoming assessments under the US Global Change Research Program. This follows numerous cuts at scientific institutions contributing to these efforts, as well as other actions restricting climate and weather research.

Despite the challenges, the report’s authors (mostly volunteers) were eager to collaborate, according to Dustin Mulvaney, who was focused on the Southwest section of the report at San Jose State University. “Many of us thought, ‘We can still do this!'”

However, with all the authors now released, completing the report appears unlikely.

A NASA spokesman, responsible for the global change research program, chose not to comment. Yet, some report authors stated to New Scientist that they received a brief notification indicating that all authors had been dismissed as agents assessed the “scope” of the evaluations.

The notification mentioned “future opportunities” for contributions. Ultimately, Congress legally requires these assessments, and the administration can still appoint new authors. Earlier reports emphasized climate risks, while new analyses will likely focus more on how the US is responding to climate change through reduced emissions and infrastructure adaptation.

Even if the report is eventually published, it may lack the rigor and reliability found in previous assessments, according to Mijin Cha, who was working on emission reductions at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Now they’ve completely compromised it.”

“I think everyone is really disheartened by this situation,” she expressed.

Topics:

Climate change/
Donald Trump

Source: www.newscientist.com

The CDC reports an increase in autism rates among children

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The proportion of American children, whose autism spectrum disorder is estimated to have increased in 2022, continues to have a long-term trend. Released data Tuesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of those ages 8, one in 31 people were found to have autism in 2022, compared to one in 36 people in 2020. That rate is almost five times higher than the number in 2000, when agencies first began collecting data.

Health agencies noted that the increase is most likely driven by better perceptions and screening, as it is not because autism itself is becoming more common.

It diverged surprisingly well from the rhetoric of the country’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who said on Tuesday that “the autism epidemic is ramping.”

Kennedy has repeatedly tried to connect the increase in autism with vaccines. Dozens of studies For decades when such a link could not be established. Nevertheless, the Health Secretary has launched a federal study to revisit the possibilities and hired a well-known skeptical vaccine to oversee its efforts.

Kennedy recently announced efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services to identify “the origin of the epidemic” by September.

“They’re doing this,” said Katherine Lord, a psychologist and autism researcher at the University of California David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles.

Instead, a key part of the increase could be attributed to years of widening diagnosis to capture milder cases, Dr. Lord said, but he also said it could raise awareness of stigma and support services.

Still, she left the possibility that other factors contribute to more children who develop autism. “We can explain a lot of increases, but perhaps not everything,” Dr. Lord said.

“But whatever it is, it’s not a vaccine,” she added.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social interactions, communication, sensory problems, repetitive interest and difficulties in behavior.

The cause remains largely unknown, but researchers believe it has a strong genetic component. “It’s very unlikely that it could be one cause or even a few causes,” Dr. Lord said.

New data was collected by the CDC Autism and Developmental Disorder Surveillance Networkused health and education records of over 274,000 children at 16 sites nationwide to estimate autism rate.

The prevalence of disability has been steadily rising since 2000 when the network first began tracking.

Other trends were evident in new research. White children and children in wealthy socioeconomic regions have long had the highest percentage of autism in the United States, but that trend reversed in 2018.

Since 2020, the proportion of black and Latino children has been known to be autistic, and no longer has any links to wealthy communities found in the data.

The CDC reported a prevalence of 3.7% of black children, 3.3% among Hispanic children, and 3.8% among Asian American children.

Autism has long been associated with juveniles, and the differences that may be linked to genetics are that girls are now diagnosed at a higher rate as they are now increasingly aware of the subtle ways in which disability manifests, often manifesting in teen years.

According to the CDC, autism was 3.8 times higher than that of girls in 2022, down from 3.8 times higher than in 2020.

The data also showed the surprising variability in autism diagnosis by geography from 5.3% of 8-year-olds in California to just 1% to just 1% in Texas.

The availability of specific medical and educational resources increases the likelihood that these children will be identified. For example, California has a program that trains local pediatricians to identify signs of autism at an early age, and a community center that provides autism services.

Pennsylvania, which had the second highest prevalence, has a state Medicaid program that guarantees compensation for children with developmental disabilities regardless of their parents’ income.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Google eliminates AI Pledge and DEI Goals from All Staff Meetings, US News Reports

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Google executives discussed the tech giant’s diversity initiative, announcing its sunset and the removal of the pledge to create artificial intelligence for weapons and surveillance during all-staff meetings. Former Head of Diversity, Melonie Parker, mentioned updates to the company’s diversity and inclusion training programs. Parker, now Vice Chairman of Googler Engagement, highlighted the impact of changing geopolitical dynamics on Google’s AI principles, emphasizing the importance of being part of societal conversations. Company executives addressed questions from employees, including concerns about the removal of AI construction bans for weapons and surveillance. Google CEO Sundar Pichai reiterated the company’s commitment to following legal guidelines while striving for a diverse workforce that mirrors its global user base.

Google’s recent shift away from diversity goals and employment targets for underrepresented groups aligns with industry trends influenced by government policies. The company’s decision to collaborate on defense contracts, including the provision of AI services to the Israeli Defense Forces, has sparked internal and external discussions. Employee questions addressed concerns about the removal of AI principles related to weapons and surveillance, prompting further examination of Google’s ethical standards and corporate values.

The connection between Google’s DEI program and AI initiatives has raised questions about the company’s direction and ethical considerations. Employee activism within Google has highlighted the complex balance between corporate interests and societal impacts. As Google navigates its role in technology development and defense contracting, internal conversations around AI ethics and transparency continue to shape the company’s decision-making processes.

Google’s use of AI to summarize and address employee queries reflects the company’s efforts to streamline communication and address concerns effectively. Employee questions range from ethical AI development to corporate transparency, highlighting the need for open dialogue within the organization. As Google grapples with evolving industry standards and societal expectations, ongoing discussions about AI ethics and diversity initiatives will shape its future trajectory.

Source: www.theguardian.com

International Reports on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cover Work, Climate, Cyber Warfare, and More

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

1. work

In the section on “Labor Market Risks”, the report indicates that the impact on jobs will be “serious”, particularly with highly capable AI agents (tools that can perform tasks without human intervention). Caution is advised.

“General-purpose AI has the ability to automate a wide range of tasks, potentially leading to significant impact on the labor market. This could result in job loss.”

The report also mentions that while some economists believe that job losses due to automation may be offset by new job creation in non-automated sectors.

According to the International Monetary Fund, about 60% of jobs in advanced economies like the US and UK are at risk of automation, with half of those jobs being potentially impacted negatively. The Tony Blair Institute suggests that AI could displace up to 3 million jobs in the UK, but also create new roles in industries transitioning to AI, which could bring in hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The report mentions that if autonomous AI agents can complete tasks over extended periods without human supervision, the consequences could be particularly severe.

It cites Some experts who have raised concerns about a future where work is mostly eliminated. In 2023, Elon Musk predicted that AI could eventually render human work obsolete, but the report acknowledges uncertainty about how AI will impact the labor market.

2. environment

The report discusses AI’s environmental impact due to its electricity consumption during training, labeling it as a “moderate but growing contributor” through data centers, which are crucial for AI model operation.

Data centers and data transmission contribute about 1% to energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, with AI accounting for up to 28% of data center energy consumption.

The report also raises concerns about the increasing energy consumption as models become more advanced, noting that a significant portion of global model training relies on high-carbon energy sources such as coal and natural gas. It points out that without the use of renewable energy and efficiency improvements, AI development could hinder progress towards environmental goals by adding to energy demand.

Furthermore, the report highlights the potential threat to human rights and the environment posed by AI’s water consumption for cooling data center devices. However, it acknowledges that AI’s environmental impact is not yet fully understood.

3. Control loss

The report addresses concerns about the emergence of superintelligent AI systems that could surpass human control, raising fears about the disappearance of humanity. While these concerns are acknowledged, opinions vary on the likelihood of such events.

Bengio stated that AI systems capable of autonomously carrying out tasks are still in development, preventing these systems from executing the long-term planning necessary for widespread job displacement. He emphasized that without the ability to plan long-term, AI would remain under human control.

4. Bioweapons

The report mentions the potential of AI models in creating step-by-step instructions for developing pathogens and toxins beyond the expertise of PhD-level professionals. However, it raises concerns about the possibility of misuse by inexperienced individuals.

Progress has been observed in developing models capable of supporting professionals in reproducing known biological threats, according to experts.

5. Cyber security

From a cybersecurity perspective, AI’s rapid growth includes autonomous bots capable of identifying vulnerabilities in open-source software and generating code that can be freely downloaded and adapted. However, the current limitation is that AI technology cannot autonomously plan or execute cyber attacks.

6. Deep fake

The report highlights instances where AI-generated deep fakes have been maliciously used. However, it notes a lack of data to fully quantify the extent of deep fake manipulation.

The report suggests that addressing issues like digital watermark deletion in AI-generated content is a fundamental task in combatting deep fake content.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trump may delay TikTok ban, reports say

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the possibility of lifting the TikTok ban in the United States through an executive order once he assumes office on January 20th.

The incoming president is contemplating an executive order to delay the ban, initially set to take effect on January 19th, as per The Washington Post. However, the legality of Trump’s decision to suspend the Congressional law is dubious.

Per the law, TikTok’s U.S. operations must be divested by its Chinese parent company by Sunday. Failure to do so will result in new users being unable to download TikTok from app stores.

In the absence of Supreme Court intervention to block the law, TikTok is gearing up to block access to the app for U.S. users on Sunday, reports tech news site Information.

On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Trump and his team are mulling over an executive order to temporarily halt law enforcement for 60 to 90 days, citing anonymous sources. The Supreme Court is anticipated to rule on the law’s progression, with recent indications suggesting it is unlikely to be halted.

“I have positive sentiments towards TikTok,” stated President Trump last month, requesting the Supreme Court to delay law enforcement to pursue a “political solution” post-inauguration. Congress voted to ban the app, owned by ByteDance in Beijing, citing fears of potential Chinese state data access for 170 million U.S. users.

“TikTok is a valuable platform,” affirmed Mike Walz, President Trump’s incoming national security advisor, on Fox News. “We will ensure data protection while preserving the app.”

The New York Times disclosed that TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chu, shared plans to attend President Trump’s inauguration in a prestigious setting.

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NBC reported that the Biden administration is exploring strategies to prolong social media platform operations post-Sunday to defer President Trump’s decision.

“The American public should not anticipate an abrupt TikTok ban on Sunday,” reassured an administration official to NBC.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reports show that an unprecedented failure led to the collapse of a world-famous radio telescope in Puerto Rico.

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Four years after the radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory collapsed. Report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine sheds light on the unprecedented failures that led to its destruction.

A steel cable supporting the telescope’s 900-ton receiver platform came loose after a zinc-filled socket built to support it failed, according to a report released Oct. 25. That’s what it means.

The report said the failure was caused by excessive “zinc creep,” a phenomenon in which the metal used to protect the socket from corrosion and rust deforms over time and loses its grip.

The zinc gradually lost its hold on the cable suspending the telescope’s main platform above the reflector dish. This caused multiple cables to be pulled from their sockets, ultimately causing the platform to crash into a reflector more than 400 feet below, according to the report.

Roger L. McCarthy, chairman of the committee for the analysis of the causes of failure and collapse of Arecibo’s 305-meter telescope, said, “This type of failure has been the most common occurrence in more than a century, when zinc spelter sockets have been widely and successfully used. This has never been reported before.” The observatory wrote in its report:

The committee that prepared the report said there was insufficient data to definitively prove the exact cause of the acceleration of “zinc creep.” The only hypothesis the committee was able to develop based on the data was that low current electroplastic effects were responsible. In other words, the constant current flowing through the socket could have strengthened the plastic behavior of the metallic zinc and, as a result, weakened its grip.

The committee reviewed an array of documents commissioned by the University of Central Florida and the National Science Foundation, the federal agency that owns the observatory, including a forensic investigation, structural analysis, engineering plans, inspection reports, photographs, and repair proposals. Reach that conclusion. They also gathered information from Arecibo Observatory employees, other “related research” sources, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. I mentioned this in a media advisory last month..

The commission also issued a series of recommendations in its report. These include making the remaining sockets and cable sections of the radio telescope available for further research and increasing careful monitoring of aging research facilities to detect deterioration and potential new failure modes. Included.

The telescope was used to track asteroids as they headed toward Earth, conduct research that led to Nobel Prizes, and determine whether planets were potentially habitable. It also functions as a training venue for graduate students, and is visited by approximately 90,000 people annually.

The telescope was built in the 1960s with funding from the Department of Defense during the development of ballistic missile defense. In its 57 years of operation, it has withstood hurricanes, tropical humidity, and a recent series of earthquakes.

The observatory began to collapse in August 2020 when an auxiliary cable snapped, damaging the telescope’s antenna and the receiver platform suspended above it, according to the National Science Foundation. After several other cable failures, the federal agency decided to begin a plan to decommission the telescope in November 2020.

This transition did little to stop the telescope’s complete collapse on December 1, 2020.

In 2022, the National Science Foundation says: Puerto Rico’s famous radio telescope won’t be rebuilt. Instead, it called for a $5 million education center to be established in its place to promote programs and partnerships related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

nicole acevedo

Nicole Acevedo is a reporter for NBC Latino.

Associated Press contributed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Elon Musk unexpectedly joins Trump and Zelensky phone call, reports say

Posted on November 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk made a surprise appearance on a phone call between Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, during which he was appointed as Ukraine’s most influential private citizen in January as Tesla’s CEO. The role was confirmed.

Musk was reportedly on the call with Trump for approximately 25 minutes. Axios first reported the call. Trump handed the phone to Musk, and Musk briefly spoke with Zelenskiy. Zelenskiy thanked Musk for providing satellites to Ukraine through Starlink, as reported by AFP. Musk mentioned he would continue providing satellite internet connectivity.

Although Musk supported Trump’s campaign, his stance on issues related to Russia’s conflict with Ukraine has been mixed. Initially, Musk offered Ukraine free internet access through Starlink satellites, but later received funding from various organizations, including the U.S. government.

Zelenskiy’s call with Trump provided reassurance for the Ukrainian president. Trump assured Zelenskiy of continued support without going into specifics. Zelenskiy praised Trump and his team for their successful campaign in a statement.

Musk’s actions towards aiding Ukraine have been ambiguous at times. Following an emergency request from Ukraine to launch a satellite over Crimea, Musk refused, stating he wanted to avoid escalating conflict and war through Starlink’s parent company, SpaceX.

In a tweet, Musk presented a peace plan that some experts deemed pro-Kremlin. Zelenskiy responded by polling followers on whether they preferred Russia or Musk, who has been supportive of Ukraine.

Recent reports from the Wall Street Journal indicate Musk has been in communication with Vladimir Putin since 2022. The content of their discussions remains unknown, but Starlink was reportedly discussed in one instance, with Putin requesting Musk not activate Starlink over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Musk responded to a post on I can’t.

I had a great call with the president. @realDonaldTrump and congratulated him on his historic landslide victory. His incredible campaign made this result possible. I praised his family and team for their great work.

We agreed to maintain close dialogue and advance our bilateral relations.

— Volodymyr Zelensky / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 6, 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

State media reports show that Chinese scientists are using lunar soil to produce water

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Chinese scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in producing large amounts of water using lunar soil collected from the 2020 mission, as reported by state-run CCTV on Thursday.

The Chang’e-5 mission in 2020 marked a significant milestone in collecting lunar samples after a 44-year hiatus. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found high amounts of hydrogen in minerals present in the lunar soil. When heated to extreme temperatures, this hydrogen reacts with other elements to generate water vapor, according to China Central Television.

CCTV reported, “After extensive research and verification over three years, a new method has been identified for producing significant quantities of water from lunar soil. This discovery is anticipated to play a crucial role in designing future lunar research and space stations.”

This finding could have significant implications for China’s long-standing ambition to establish a permanent lunar base, amid the race between the United States and China to explore and exploit lunar resources.

On August 26, 2021, a small vial containing lunar soil brought back from the moon by China’s lunar probe Chang’e-5 was placed in Beijing.Ren Hui/VCG via Getty Images file

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has expressed concerns about China’s rapid progress in space exploration and the potential risk of Beijing controlling valuable lunar resources.

According to state media, the new technique can yield approximately 51-76 kilograms of water from one ton of lunar soil, enough to fill over 100 500ml bottles or sustain the daily water needs of 50 individuals.

China aims for its recent and upcoming lunar missions to establish a basis for constructing the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), a collaborative project with Russia.

The Chinese space agency’s plan includes establishing a lunar “base station” at the moon’s south pole by 2035, followed by a lunar orbiting space station by 2045.

This discovery coincides with ongoing experiments by Chinese scientists on lunar samples obtained from the Chang’e-6 probe in June.

While the Chang’e-5 mission collected samples from the moon’s near side, Chang’e-6 gathered lunar soil from the far side, perpetually hidden from Earth.

The significance of lunar water surpasses sustaining human settlement; NASA’s Nelson mentioned to NPR in May that moon water could be utilized to produce hydrogen fuel for rockets, potentially fueling missions to Mars and beyond.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Sources indicate that ByteDance plans to shut down TikTok in the US instead of selling it, according to reports

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

If ByteDance exhausts all legal avenues to fight a bill banning TikTok from U.S. app stores, the Chinese company would prefer to shut down the app rather than sell it, according to four sources.

The core algorithms that TikTok relies on are crucial to ByteDance’s overall operations, making it highly unlikely that the app powered by these algorithms would be sold, sources close to the parent company said.

Despite TikTok’s popularity with over 1 billion users, it still operates at a loss and represents a small portion of ByteDance’s total revenue and daily active users. In a worst-case scenario, the parent company would choose to shut down TikTok in the US rather than sell it to an American buyer.

Shutting down TikTok would have minimal impact on ByteDance’s business, allowing the company to maintain its core algorithms, as per unidentified sources not authorized to speak to the media.

ByteDance confirmed in a statement on Toutiao that it has no plans to sell TikTok, responding to speculations suggesting otherwise. The company is not considering selling TikTok’s US business without its recommendation algorithm.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed optimism about blocking the bill signed by President Joe Biden, banning the app used by 170 million Americans. The company believes it will win the appeal against the ban.

The bill, passed by the US Senate, raises concerns about potential access to Americans’ data by China or surveillance through apps. The deadline for TikTok’s sale is set for January 19, but it could be extended if ByteDance shows progress.

ByteDance’s revenue increased from $80 billion in 2022 to nearly $120 billion in 2023, with TikTok’s US daily active users accounting for 5% of the company’s total DAUs worldwide, sources familiar with the matter revealed.

The core algorithm shared by TikTok and ByteDance’s domestic apps like Douyin is a valuable asset that ByteDance is not willing to sell to a competitor. Separating the algorithms from TikTok’s US assets would be complex, making it an unlikely option, sources added.

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Former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s interest in forming an investor group to acquire TikTok may not attract buyers for ByteDance’s US assets, excluding the algorithm, sources noted.

Investors valued ByteDance at $268 billion when they offered to repurchase about $5 billion worth of stock in December.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Avian Influenza Detected in Chickens at Texas Factory, America’s Largest Raw Egg Producer Reports

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The largest producer of raw eggs in the nation has announced a temporary halt in production at its Texas factory on Tuesday due to avian influenza. The virus has been found in chickens, and authorities have reported cases at a poultry facility in Michigan as well.

Calmaine Foods, headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, has euthanized about 1.6 million hens and 337,000 hens, or roughly 3.6% of its flock, after avian influenza cases were discovered at its Palmer facility in Texas. The company stated that it has been sanctioned in Texas County.

The plant is situated on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southwest of Amarillo and 370 miles (595 kilometers) northwest of Dallas. CalMaine reported that most of its eggs are sold in the Southwest, Southeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

The statement from the company mentioned, “We are collaborating closely with federal, state, and local authorities, as well as key industry organizations, to minimize the risk of further outbreaks and manage the response effectively.”

“Calmaine Foods is taking steps to ensure production from other facilities to mitigate any disruptions for customers,” the statement added.

The company clarified that there is no identified risk of avian influenza associated with eggs currently in the market, and no recalls have been issued for eggs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, properly processed and cooked eggs are safe for consumption. The department confirmed.

A day after the announcement by Cal-Maine, state health officials revealed that one person had been diagnosed with bird flu after potential exposure to an infected cow, but the risk to the public remains low. Federal health officials stated that the human case in Texas is the first documented instance globally of someone contracting this strain of bird flu from a mammal.

In Michigan, avian influenza was detected at a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County by the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, as reported by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Ionia County is approximately 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.

The department confirmed the disease on Monday following laboratory tests, marking the fourth instance since 2022 that the illness was identified at a commercial site in Michigan.

Department spokesperson Jennifer Holton stated on Tuesday that state regulations prohibit the disclosure of poultry types at the facilities. The facility is under quarantine, but no disruptions to the state’s supply chain are anticipated, according to Holton.

Dairy cows in Texas and Kansas reported Federal agriculture officials subsequently confirmed the infection in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently acquired cattle from Texas. An Idaho dairy herd was also added to the list after federal agriculture officials confirmed the presence of avian influenza, according to a USDA press release on Tuesday.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Nvidia Reports Record Revenue as AI Reaches Tipping Point

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The artificial intelligence boom has pushed demand for Nvidia products beyond Wall Street’s already high expectations.

The company announced fourth-quarter results on Wednesday that significantly beat analysts’ expectations, with revenue of $22.1 billion versus the $20.55 billion expected and earnings of $4.93 per share versus the $4.64 expected. became. Revenue increased 22% sequentially and 265% year over year.

Revenue from data centers, Nvidia’s most-watched revenue, increased more than 400% year-over-year to $18.4 billion.

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang said in a press release: “Accelerated computing and generative AI have reached a tipping point. Demand is surging around the world across companies, industries, and nations.”

Nvidia’s earnings and stock demand are seen as a bellwether for overall interest in artificial intelligence, as the company relies heavily on its products to develop AI. Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, Meta, and Google have all signed deals to buy the company’s chips in bulk as they race to release new AI products and features.

Some major companies, including OpenAI’s Sam Altman, are launching their own AI chip ventures to compete with established Nvidia, which would likely cost hundreds of billions of dollars. .

Nvidia plans to ship a new chip, the B100, which will be the top of its product line, in 2024, raising expectations for explosive growth. Nokia and Nvidia on Wednesday announced a partnership to develop AI solutions that can improve communications infrastructure.

Wall Street has come to expect big growth from Nvidia. Analysts’ baseline forecast on Wednesday was for sales to increase his 240%. Tech companies are rushing to develop AI products that leverage the company’s proprietary AI chips and software, considered the best on the market.

Nvidia’s revenue tripled last quarter, and its profits for the past four quarters have exceeded analyst expectations.

The company’s stock price has more than tripled over the past year, valuing the company at more than $1.5 trillion. The company surpassed Google and Amazon in market capitalization last week, making it the world’s third-largest company by value within days.

Source: www.theguardian.com

500 million euro fine imposed on Apple by EU for restricting music streaming access, according to reports in technology sector

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Apple has reportedly been fined 500 million euros by the European Union over restricting access to its music streaming service, in what would be a landmark blow to the US technology company.

The European Commission is investigating whether Apple prevented music streamers from telling users cheaper ways to subscribe outside of the app store.

According to the Financial Times, the city of Brussels plans to impose a €500m (£427m) fine, a landmark move against Apple after years of complaints from companies offering services through iPhone apps. This is a judgment.

In 2019, Swedish streaming company Spotify filed a complaint with the EU, accusing Apple of limiting choice and competition in its app store by imposing a 30% fee on all purchases. Apple also blocked Spotify and other companies from notifying customers on their phones that they could avoid fees and get better deals simply by signing up on Spotify's website.

Apple says its fees are justified because it spends a lot of money providing a secure app store and gives Spotify access to hundreds of millions of customers. However, Spotify argues that Apple Music, Apple's own music streaming service, does not incur similar additional costs, giving Spotify an advantage and making the rates non-competitive.

The European Commission said Apple's actions were illegal and contrary to European Union rules forcing competition in the single market, the FT reported, citing five people close to the investigation. would argue. The commission could also reportedly ban practices that prevent music services from advertising cheaper subscriptions off-platform.

Apple was fined 1.1 billion euros by France in 2020 for anti-competition agreements with two wholesalers, but has never been hit with a competition fine by the European Commission.

But IT and other big tech companies are under increasing scrutiny due to competitive concerns. Google is appealing against fines of more than 8 billion euros imposed by the EU in three separate competition investigations. Apple lost a lawsuit by Fortnite developer Epic Games that claimed its app store was an illegal monopoly, but Epic won a similar lawsuit against Google, which runs Android phone software, in December. .

Last month, Apple announced it would allow EU customers to download apps without going through its own app store, in response to the EU's digital markets law. The law, whose details were revealed last year, imposes new obligations on “gatekeepers” such as Amazon and Google, which are particularly powerful in controlling the choice of mobile phone software.

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The European Commission declined to comment. Apple had no new comments, but pointed to its previous statement that it would respond to the commission's concerns “while promoting competition and choice for European consumers.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lawyer Exposes: US Police Allegedly Prevented Access to Numerous Online Child Sexual Abuse Reports

Posted on January 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Guardian has revealed that social media companies relying on artificial intelligence software to manage their platforms are producing unworkable reports on child sexual abuse cases, leaving U.S. police unable to uncover potential leads, which is delaying the investigation into suspected looters.

By law, U.S.-based social media companies are required to report child sexual abuse content detected on their platforms to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which serves as a national clearinghouse for child abuse information and forwards information to relevant law enforcement agencies in the United States and around the world. The company said it received more than 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation and approximately 88 million images, videos, and other files from businesses and the general public in 2022.

Meta is the largest reporter of this information, with over 27 million (84%) generated by Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp platforms in 2022. NCMEC is partially funded by the Department of Justice and also receives private sources of corporate donations.

Social media companies, including Meta, use AI to detect and report suspicious content on their sites and employ human moderators to send some flagged content to law enforcement. However, U.S. law enforcement agencies can only disclose AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by serving a search warrant on a company that has filed a report, which can add days or even weeks to the investigation process.

“If a company reports a file to NCMEC and does not indicate that it viewed the file before reporting, we will not be able to open the file,” said Staka Shehan, vice president of analytical services at NCMEC.

To protect your privacy under the Fourth Amendment, neither law enforcement officials nor the federally funded NCMEC will issue a search warrant unless the contents of the report are clear and first reviewed by a social media company representative.

NCMEC staff and law enforcement agencies cannot legally see the content of AI-generated content that is not seen by humans, which can stall investigations into suspected predators for several weeks, resulting in the loss of evidence that may be possible to connect.

“Any delay [in viewing the evidence] “The longer criminals go undetected, the more detrimental it is to ensuring community safety,” said an assistant U.S. attorney in California, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “They are dangerous to all children.”

In December, the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit against Meta, alleging that its social network has become a marketplace for child predators and that Meta has repeatedly failed to report illegal activity on its platform. woke up. In response, Meta said its priority was to combat child sexual abuse content.

The state attorney general laid the blame for the fight to send actionable information at the feet of Meta. “Reports showing the inefficiency of the company’s AI-generated cyber information systems prove what we said in the complaint,” Raul Torrez said in a statement to the Guardian.

To ensure the safety of children, keep parents informed, and enable law enforcement to effectively investigate and prosecute online sex crimes against children, the company is reforming, staffing levels, and policies. , it’s long past time to implement algorithmic changes,” Torrez added.

Despite legal limitations on moderation AI, social media companies are likely to increase its use in the near future. In 2023, OpenAI, developer of ChatGPT, announced they claimed that large-scale language models can do the job of human content moderators and have roughly the same accuracy.

However, child safety experts say that the AI software used by social media companies to moderate content already knows the digital fingerprints of images, known as hashes, and that the AI software used by social media companies to moderate content cannot be used to detect known cases of child sexual abuse. It claims to be effective only when identifying images of Lawyers interviewed said AI would be ineffective when newly created images or when known images or videos are altered.

“There is always concern about cases involving newly identified victims, and because they are new, the materials do not have a hash value,” said the director of the Zero Abuse Project, a nonprofit organization focused on combating child abuse.
said senior lawyer Kristina Korobov. . “If humans were doing the work, there would be more discoveries of newly discovered victims.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

NOAA Reports a Record-Breaking, Unbearably Hot Year

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

It is now confirmed that the previous year has been noted as the warmest year in the history of the Earth.

The average land and ocean surface temperature in 2023 will be 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, surpassing the next closest temperature in 2016, as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a Friday press conference with NASA.

The troubling records set in 2023 don’t stop there. The amount of heat stored in the upper ocean is at an all-time high, and Antarctica’s sea ice is at the lowest level on record. World temperature records date back to 1850.

This announcement did not come as a surprise to those closely following the climatological record but it does highlight the rapid changes occurring in the world as climate change and excessive greenhouse gas emissions continue to transform our planet.

According to NOAA, the past decade has been the warmest decade in modern history. Scientists predict that the Earth will continue to warm until world leaders effectively limit the use of fossil fuels.

The magnitude of the temperature change in 2023 surprised scientists, especially in comparison to the expectations for the year.

“We are observing this and, frankly, we’re surprised,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “The prediction we had at the beginning of the year was that this year would be pretty much on trend and there was a slim chance of a record because we were starting out in La Niña phase. That didn’t work out.”

Land and ocean temperatures exceeded previous records by about 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit.

“That’s really big. Most records are set in a few hundredths of a degree. This is a huge leap forward,” said Russell Vohs, NOAA’s director of climate monitoring and evaluation.

Schmidt said researchers do not fully understand why average temperatures have risen so much, and more research is needed to understand why 2023 was such a significant outlier.

“More research is needed to understand what happened in 2023,” Schmidt said. “I’m baffled by the results so far. Oh my goodness, it’s been another record year.”

Temperatures in the U.S. reached the fifth-highest level of the year, according to NOAA. Severe weather caused record losses in the US, with government agencies reporting $28 billion in disasters, six more than the previous record.

On Friday, the World Meteorological Organization also confirmed that 2023 will be the warmest year in global temperatures. WMO compared six climate datasets produced by different organizations, and all six ranked 2023 as the warmest year on record.

The group said El Niño, a natural climate pattern that releases heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, could contribute to record heat in 2023 and dictate this year’s weather.

“The shift from a cooling La Niña to a warming El Niño by mid-2023 is clearly reflected in the increase in temperatures since last year. El Niño typically has its greatest impact after global temperatures peak. 2024 could be even hotter given the global warming,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Sauro. “While El Niño events occur naturally and come and go from year to year, long-term climate change is intensifying and is unquestionably the result of human activity.”

NOAA estimates there is a one in three chance that 2024 will be warmer than 2023.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Biden administration allocates $623 million to enhance electric vehicle charging infrastructure, White House reports

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

President Joe Biden’s administration has announced $623 million in funding to increase electric vehicle charging points in the U.S. amid concerns that the transition to zero-carbon transportation is not keeping pace with goals to tackle the climate crisis.

The money will be distributed as grants to dozens of programs across 22 states, including EV chargers for multifamily housing in New Jersey, fast chargers in Oregon, and hydrogen fuel chargers for cargo trucks in Texas. In total, funds pulled from the bipartisan infrastructure law are expected to add his 7,500 chargers across the United States.

“We’re building the charging network to win the EV race,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

“The electric vehicle revolution is not coming, it is here. I very personally recognize the importance of the fact that America led the world in the automobile revolution. We’re in the middle of a second automotive revolution, and it’s important that America has one again.”

There are about 170,000 electric vehicle chargers in the U.S., a significant increase from a network that was nearly invisible before Biden took office, and the White House is helping the transition away from gasoline and diesel vehicles. The company has set a goal of selling 500,000 chargers.

Biden’s climate change adviser, Ali Zaidi, said that “America is leading the way globally on electric vehicles” and that the U.S. is on track to “meet and exceed” the administration’s charger goals. He said there was. He added: “This expansion will continue over the coming years and decades until we reach net zero in the transport sector.”

Sales of electric vehicles are growing in the United States, with more than 1 million EVs sold for the first time last year, accounting for 9% of all car sales. But that rate of growth has slowed somewhat, with companies like Ford, General Motors and even Tesla scaling back their EV ambitions in recent months.

U.S. motorists are faced with an ever-expanding selection of EVs, but most are still more expensive than their gasoline equivalents, meaning they are out of reach for many buyers. research has discovered The median household income for EV buyers is $186,000.

Research shows that nearly one-third of potential EV buyers discount their purchase due to lack of charging infrastructure, despite accounting for most of the total vehicle trips in the United States. Masu. 3 miles or less. Even if Biden’s goal of 500,000 chargers is met, this is far fewer than is needed to support a gradual transition away from polluting cars. Estimate It is predicted that more than 28 million chargers will be needed by 2030.

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“In the U.S., EV penetration is growing at almost twice the rate of charger installations,” said Brent Gruber, executive director of J.D. Power’s electric vehicle business. said last year. “Construction of new charging stations is not keeping up with demand.”

Earlier this week, the Environmental Protection Agency announced nearly $1 billion in grants to replace diesel-powered school buses with electric and low-emission vehicles. EPA will disburse the funds to 280 school districts serving 7 million children nationwide. Charging infrastructure is also an issue in efforts to phase out diesel buses.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court Rules AI Cannot be Named as Inventor in Patent Dispute, UK News Reports

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

The Supreme Court has ruled that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be legally considered inventors to secure patent rights.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Britain’s highest court said that under current law, “the inventor must be an individual” to apply for a patent.

In a long-term patent dispute, an American engineer artificial intelligence A system he claims to be the inventor of.

The system, called DABUS, invented a food and drink container and a light beacon, according to Dr. Stephen Thaler.

The problem arose in 2019 when he received these patents and tried to list his company’s AI system as an inventor.

His case and subsequent appeal were rejected in the United States, and on Wednesday, after a three-year appeals process, he received a final dismissal of his appeal from Britain’s Supreme Court.

The bottom line of this case is whether you need to be a human being to obtain a patent.

Dr. Saylor’s team argued that the law does not require you to be the person in question to obtain a patent, and that because the artificial intelligence is the owner of the AI, it can apply for patents on its behalf. .

However, the Supreme Court justices unanimously dismissed the case, stating that to be considered an inventor under patent law a person must be a “natural person” and that Dr. Thaler had no idea why he could apply for a patent. He said that he did not state his claim. Instead of AI.

The judges considered the meaning of the term “inventor” in patent law and whether it included machines, but found that Mr. DABUS was not an inventor because only humans can devise inventions. He said he had come to a conclusion.

The judgment does not address whether AI created an invention, only whether AI can be considered an inventor under the Patents Act 1977.

Patents, which provide legal protection, are granted for inventions that are new, nonobvious, and meet a set of requirements.

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Patent rights make it illegal for anyone other than the owner or someone authorized by the owner to make, use, import, or sell the invention in the country where the patent was granted.

Dr. Thaler was unsuccessful in his latest attempt to win legal protection for works produced by AI systems.

But as AI is increasingly used as a tool for creativity across society, such debates are likely to become even more common.

The question for policymakers is whether the 1977 Patents Act adequately describes the nature of invention and the role of technology today.

Source: news.sky.com

Consumer Reports Finds Tesla’s Autopilot Recall Fix to be ‘Inadequate’

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla’s fix for Autopilot recall of more than 2 million vehicles criticized as ‘insufficient’ consumer reportfollowing a preliminary test.

Kelly Fankhauser, associate director of vehicle technology at the nonprofit organization, told TechCrunch that they’ve discovered it’s possible to cover the interior camera while using Autopilot. That means it could disable one of the two main ways cars monitor whether you’re paying attention to the road.

Additionally, Funkhouser said that when activating or using Autosteer, Autopilot’s flagship feature, outside of access-controlled highways, where Tesla claims the software is designed to said that they did not notice any difference.

The test was not comprehensive, but it showed that questions remain about Tesla’s approach to driver monitoring, the technology at the heart of the recall.

The group has a long history of critically evaluating both Tesla technology and vehicles, and plans to conduct more extensive testing in the coming weeks. Fankhauser said Consumer Reports has only received over-the-air software updates for the Model S sedan, so it has not yet evaluated other changes, such as more prominent visual warnings in the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV. .

Tesla has also added a suspension policy that disables Autopilot for a week if “inappropriate use” is detected, but Funkhouser said such a suspension policy did not occur for two drives lasting 15 to 20 miles each. He said he had not encountered any such situation.

The recall, announced last week, affects more than 2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada and comes amid a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). This product focuses on an autosteer feature designed to keep your car centered in its lane on access-controlled highways, even around curves.

Tesla tells drivers to keep their eyes on the road and keep their hands on the wheel while using Autosteer, and it monitors this through a combination of a torque sensor on the steering wheel and, in newer cars, an interior camera. But NHTSA said in a document released last week that it considers these checks “insufficient to prevent abuse.”

However, Tesla does not limit the use of Autosteer to access-controlled highways. Instead, drivers can activate Autosteer on other roads as long as certain basic conditions are met (such as visible lane markers). NHTSA said that as part of the recall, Tesla will add “additional checks when Autosteer is activated, when using the feature outside of controlled access highways, and when approaching traffic stops.” Ta.

Some owners feared this would mean Tesla would limit autosteer and limit it to controlled-access highways. Just like Ford and General Motors do with their Blue Cruise and Super Cruise systems. As the update began rolling out over the weekend, several opinions were shared in online forums. how to avoid it By disconnecting your Tesla’s cell phone or Wi-Fi radio.

But Funkhouser’s tests show that such drastic measures are clearly not necessary. In the release notes for the latest software update, Tesla says the camera “can determine driver inattention and issue an audio warning to remind you to keep your eyes on the road when Autopilot is engaged. “Now we can do that,” the company says, but the wording is the same as the company’s.Used to enable driver monitoring with interior cameras for the first time in 2021she points out. And dDespite what Tesla says, Release notes it is”[i]”Driver attentiveness requirements have been increased when using Autosteer and when approaching traffic lights and stop signs off-highway,” Funkhouser said, adding that these changes were not noticeable in preliminary testing. Ta. Part of the reason is that it’s hard to know exactly what Tesla means in the first place.

All of this makes it unclear whether or to what extent Tesla has changed the functionality of the driver’s attentiveness camera in the update. (NHTSA declined to comment, instead directing questions to Tesla, which disbanded its media department several years ago.)

“None of this is very prescriptive or explicit in terms of what they’re trying to do.” [change]”Funkhouser says.

Source: techcrunch.com

VF Corp., owner of Vans and Supreme, reports stolen personal information and affected orders in alleged ransomware attack

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

US-based VF Corporation, which owns apparel brands such as Vans, Supreme and The North Face, said a cyberattack affected its ability to fulfill orders ahead of Christmas, one of the year’s biggest retail events. admitted that he had caused it.

A company based in Denver, Colorado said in a filing with federal regulators. The cyberattack, which the company first detected on December 13, was a ransom attack in which hackers “disrupted the company’s operations by encrypting some IT systems and stole data, including personal data, from the company.” It was said that it was hinting at a software attack.

As a result, the company says its operations continue to be disrupted, including its “ability to fulfill orders.”

When TechCrunch tried to place an order on Vans’ website, he was greeted with the following message: You will be notified by email when your item is shipped and can track it with the sender. ”

VF Corporation said in a filing that the retail stores it operates around the world are open and consumers can purchase available products online. It is unclear when orders will be shipped, and a company spokesperson did not provide a timeline.

VF Corp. spokesperson Colin Wheeler provided TechCrunch via email with a statement reflecting the company’s regulatory filings. The company did not respond to TechCrunch’s questions about the incident. Reveal whether the company received a ransom demand from hackers.

The company has not yet disclosed how it was breached, what type of data was accessed, or how many individuals were affected by the breach, including employees, customers, or both. . It’s also unclear who is behind the attack, with the ransomware group being tracked yet to claim responsibility.

VF Corp. warned in a regulatory filing that the cyberattack would have a “significant impact” on its business until its systems are restored. “As the investigation into the incident is ongoing, the full scope, nature and impact of the incident is not yet known,” the filing states.

VF Corp disclosed the incident on the same day that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s new data breach disclosure rules went into effect. This regulation means that organizations must report cybersecurity incidents, including data breaches, to federal securities regulators. within 4 business days.

Source: techcrunch.com

23andMe reports that hackers gained access to ‘significant’ data concerning users’ genealogy

Posted on December 1, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Genetic testing company 23andMe announced Friday that hackers gained access to approximately 14,000 customer accounts in its recent data breach.

In a new filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The company announced Friday that based on an investigation into the incident, it determined that the hackers had accessed 0.1% of its customer base. According to the company’s latest annual earnings report.23andMe has “more than 14 million customers worldwide,” so 0.1% is about 14,000 people.

However, the company also said that by accessing these accounts, the hackers were able to access “substantial data, including profile information about other users’ ancestry, that other users choose to share when opting in to 23andMe’s DNA kinship feature.” He said he also had access to several files.

The company did not say what those “significant” files were or how many “other users” were affected.

23andMe did not immediately respond to a request for comment that included questions about these numbers.

In early October, 23andMe disclosed an incident in which hackers used a common technique known as “credential stuffing” to steal the data of some users. In this method, a cybercriminal hacks into a victim’s account using a known password, possibly compromised by another password data breach. service.

However, the damage was not limited to the customers whose accounts were accessed. 23andMe allows users to opt in to the following features: dna relatives. If you opt in to that feature, 23andMe will share some of your information with other users. This means that by accessing her single victim’s account, the hacker was also able to see the personal data of people related to that first victim.

23andMe said in its filing that for its first 14,000 users, the stolen data “generally includes ancestry information, and for a subset of those accounts health information based on users’ genetics.” It contained relevant information.” For some other users, 23andMe said only that the hackers stole “profile information” and posted “certain information” online that was unspecified.

TechCrunch analyzed the set of stolen data released by comparing it to known public genealogy records, including websites published by hobbyists and genealogists. Although the data set was in a different format, it contained some of the same unique user and genetic information that matched genealogy records published online many years ago.

The owner of a genealogy website whose relatives’ information was partially exposed in the 23andMe data breach told TechCrunch that there are about 5,000 relatives discovered through 23andMe, and our “correlation shows that That may be something to consider.”

data breach news surfaced online In October, hackers promoted suspected data on 1 million Ashkenazi Jewish users and 100,000 Chinese users on a popular hacking forum. About two weeks later, the same hacker who first advertised his stolen user data, he also advertised what was claimed to be a record of 4 million people. The hacker was trying to sell each victim’s data for anything from $1 to $10.

TechCrunch discovered that another hacker was promoting more allegedly stolen user data on a separate hacking forum two months before the ad first reported by news outlets in October. In the first ad, the hacker claimed he had stolen 300 terabytes of data from 23andMe users, and if he wanted to sell the entire database he would get $50 million, or for a subset of the data he would get $1,000. He asked for $10,000.

Following the data breach, 23andMe on October 10 forced users to reset and change their passwords and encouraged them to enable multi-factor authentication. And on Nov. 6, the company required all users to use two-step verification, according to a new filing.

After the 23andMe breach, other DNA testing companies Ancestry and MyHeritage began requiring two-factor authentication.

Source: techcrunch.com

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Tag Archives: reports

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VF Corp., owner of Vans and Supreme, reports stolen personal information and affected orders in alleged ransomware attack

23andMe reports that hackers gained access to ‘significant’ data concerning users’ genealogy