Month: August 2020

Our Solar System’s Magnetic Sheild (Heliosphere) is Shaped like a croissant

Posted on by Robin Edgar

All the planets of our solar system are encased in a magnetic bubble, carved out in space by the Sun’s constantly outflowing material, the solar wind. Outside this bubble is the interstellar medium — the ionized gas and magnetic field that fills the space between stellar systems in our galaxy. One question scientists have tried Read more about Our Solar System’s Magnetic Sheild (Heliosphere) is Shaped like a croissant[…]

Lawmakers Ask California DMV How It Makes $50 Million a Year Selling Drivers’ Data

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A group of nearly a dozen lawmakers led by member of Congress Anna Eshoo wrote to the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on Wednesday looking for answers on how and why the organization sells the personal data of residents. The letter comes after Motherboard revealed last year that the DMV was making $50 million Read more about Lawmakers Ask California DMV How It Makes $50 Million a Year Selling Drivers’ Data[…]

Germany plans to dim lights at night to save insects

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a draft law seen by AFP, the country’s environment ministry has drawn up a number of new measures to protect insects, ranging from partially outlawing spotlights to increased protection of natural habitats. “Insects play an important role in the ecosystem…but in Germany, their numbers and their diversity has severely declined in recent years,” reads Read more about Germany plans to dim lights at night to save insects[…]

Hackers are defacing loads of high profile Reddit channels with pro-Trump messages

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A massive hack has hit Reddit today after tens of Reddit channels have been hacked and defaced to show messages in support of Donald Trump’s reelection campaign. The hacks are still ongoing at the time of writing, but we were told Reddit’s security team is aware of the issue and has already begun restoring defaced Read more about Hackers are defacing loads of high profile Reddit channels with pro-Trump messages[…]

Private equity wants to own your DNA – Blackstone buys Ancestry at $250,- per person

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The nation’s largest private equity firm is interested in buying your DNA data. The going rate: $261 per person. That appears to be what Blackstone, the $63 billion private equity giant, is willing to pay for genetic data controlled by one of the major companies gathering it from millions of customers. Earlier this week, Blackstone Read more about Private equity wants to own your DNA – Blackstone buys Ancestry at $250,- per person[…]

Facebook Relaxed Fact-Checking Standards on Conservative Pages: Report

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In an attempt to correct the perception of a small but very vocal minority that claims Facebook’s silencing conservative voices on its platforms, the company’s reportedly swung too far in the opposite direction and essentially gave a free pass to conservative pages to spew their bullshit online. According to leaked documents reviewed by NBC, Facebook Read more about Facebook Relaxed Fact-Checking Standards on Conservative Pages: Report[…]

Whoops, our bad, we just may have ‘accidentally’ left Google Home devices recording your every word, sound, sorry

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Your Google Home speaker may have been quietly recording sounds around your house without your permission or authorization, it was revealed this week. The Chocolate Factory admitted it had accidentally turned on a feature that allowed its voice-controlled AI-based assistant to activate and snoop on its surroundings. Normally, the device only starts actively listening in Read more about Whoops, our bad, we just may have ‘accidentally’ left Google Home devices recording your every word, sound, sorry[…]

NRA riddled with Fraud. Investigation Moves NY AG To Seek Group’s Dissolution

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The attorney general of New York took action Thursday to dissolve the National Rifle Association following an 18-month investigation that found evidence the powerful gun rights group is “fraught with fraud and abuse.” Attorney General Letitia James claims in a lawsuit filed Thursday that she found financial misconduct in the millions of dollars and that Read more about NRA riddled with Fraud. Investigation Moves NY AG To Seek Group’s Dissolution[…]

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says working musicians may no longer be able to release music only “once every three to four years” – they will have to work just like the rest of us

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discussed streaming and sustainability in a recent interview with Music Ally published on Thursday. Ek denied criticisms that Spotify pays insufficient royalties to artists, and insisted that the role of the musician had changed in today’s “future landscape.” Ek claimed that a “narrative fallacy” had been created and caused music fans Read more about Spotify CEO Daniel Ek says working musicians may no longer be able to release music only “once every three to four years” – they will have to work just like the rest of us[…]

Google victory in German top court over right to be forgotten means you can’t just delete the evil stuff you did

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A German court has sided with Google and rejected requests to wipe entries from search results. The cases hinged on whether the right to be forgotten outweighed the public’s right to know. Germany’s highest court agreed on Monday with lower courts and rejected the two plaintiffs’ appeals over privacy concerns. In the first case, a Read more about Google victory in German top court over right to be forgotten means you can’t just delete the evil stuff you did[…]

YouTube threatens to remove music videos in Denmark over songwriter royalty fallout

Posted on by Robin Edgar

YouTube is embroiled in a very public spat with songwriters and music publishers in Denmark, via local collection society Koda. According to Koda – Denmark’s equivalent of ASCAP/BMI (US) or PRS For Music (UK) – YouTube has threatened to remove “Danish music content” (ie. music written by Danish songwriters) from its service. The cause of Read more about YouTube threatens to remove music videos in Denmark over songwriter royalty fallout[…]

AI tracks drone pilot’s location through the small movements the drone makes

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The minute details of rogue drone’s movements in the air may unwittingly reveal the drone pilot’s location—possibly enabling authorities to bring the drone down before, say, it has the opportunity to disrupt air traffic or cause an accident. And it’s possible without requiring expensive arrays of radio triangulation and signal-location antennas. So says a team Read more about AI tracks drone pilot’s location through the small movements the drone makes[…]