The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

E3 Expo Leaks The Personal Information Of Over 2,000 Journalists

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A spreadsheet containing the contact information and personal addresses of over 2,000 games journalists, editors, and other content creators was recently found to have been published and publicly accessible on the website of the E3 Expo. The Entertainment Software Association, the organization that runs E3, has since removed the link to the file, as well Read more about E3 Expo Leaks The Personal Information Of Over 2,000 Journalists[…]

CASE Act Tackles Online Copyright Abuse by allowing copyright “owners” (trolls) to fine anyone they like for $15 – 30k, force immediate content take downs with no oversight

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In July, members of the federal Senate Judiciary Committee chose to move forward with a bill targeting copyright abuse with a more streamlined way to collect damages, but critics say that it could still allow big online players to push smaller ones around—and even into bankruptcy. Known as the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement (or Read more about CASE Act Tackles Online Copyright Abuse by allowing copyright “owners” (trolls) to fine anyone they like for $15 – 30k, force immediate content take downs with no oversight[…]

Another Study Finds Our Galaxy Is ‘Warped and Twisted’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A team of Polish astronomers has created the most accurate three-dimensional map of the Milky Way to date, revealing surprising distortions and irregularities along the galactic disk. Building an accurate map of the Milky Way is not easy. Our location deep inside the gigantic structure means we can’t observe our galaxy externally, forcing us to Read more about Another Study Finds Our Galaxy Is ‘Warped and Twisted’[…]

Cops Are Giving Amazon’s Ring Your Real-Time 911 Caller Data, with location info

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Amazon-owned home security company Ring is pursuing contracts with police departments that would grant it direct access to real-time emergency dispatch data, Gizmodo has learned. The California-based company is seeking police departments’ permission to tap into the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) feeds used to automate and improve decisions made by emergency dispatch personnel and cut down Read more about Cops Are Giving Amazon’s Ring Your Real-Time 911 Caller Data, with location info[…]

AI system ‘should be recognised as inventor’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An artificial intelligence system should be recognised as the inventor of two ideas in patents filed on its behalf, a team of academics says. The AI has designed interlocking food containers that are easy for robots to grasp and a warning light that flashes in a rhythm that is hard to ignore. Patents offices insist Read more about AI system ‘should be recognised as inventor’[…]

FTC blames applicants for getting hacked by Equifax, won’t pay out settlement figure because they fined Equifax too little

Posted on by Robin Edgar

America’s trade watchdog has officially told millions in the US not to apply for the $125 it promised each of them as part of the deal it struck with Equifax – and instead take up an offer of free credit monitoring. In a memo on Wednesday, FTC assistant director Robert Schoshinski said the regulator has Read more about FTC blames applicants for getting hacked by Equifax, won’t pay out settlement figure because they fined Equifax too little[…]

LightSail 2 Spacecraft Successfully Demonstrates Flight by Light

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Since unfurling the spacecraft’s silver solar sail last week, mission managers have been optimizing the way the spacecraft orients itself during solar sailing. After a few tweaks, LightSail 2 began raising its orbit around the Earth. In the past 4 days, the spacecraft has raised its orbital high point, or apogee, by about 2 kilometers. Read more about LightSail 2 Spacecraft Successfully Demonstrates Flight by Light[…]

How Facebook is Using Machine Learning to Map the World Population

Posted on by Robin Edgar

When it comes to knowing where humans around the world actually live, resources come in varying degrees of accuracy and sophistication. Heavily urbanized and mature economies generally produce a wealth of up-to-date information on population density and granular demographic data. In rural Africa or fast-growing regions in the developing world, tracking methods cannot always keep Read more about How Facebook is Using Machine Learning to Map the World Population[…]

UK made illegal copies and mismanaged Schengen travelers database, gave it away to unauthorised 3rd parties, both business and countries

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Authorities in the United Kingdom have made unauthorized copies of data stored inside a EU database for tracking undocumented migrants, missing people, stolen cars, or suspected criminals. Named the Schengen Information System (SIS), this is a EU-run database that stores information such as names, personal details, photographs, fingerprints, and arrest warrants for 500,000 non-EU citizens Read more about UK made illegal copies and mismanaged Schengen travelers database, gave it away to unauthorised 3rd parties, both business and countries[…]

It’s official: Deploying Facebook’s ‘Like’ button on your website makes you a joint data slurper, puts you in GDPR danger

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Organisations that deploy Facebook’s ubiquitous “Like” button on their websites risk falling foul of the General Data Protection Regulation following a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice. The EU’s highest court has decided that website owners can be held liable for data collection when using the so-called “social sharing” widgets. The ruling (PDF) Read more about It’s official: Deploying Facebook’s ‘Like’ button on your website makes you a joint data slurper, puts you in GDPR danger[…]

Scientists create contact lenses that zoom when you blink twice

Posted on by Robin Edgar

scientists at the University of California San Diego have gone ahead and made it a reality. They’ve created a contact lens, controlled by eye movements, that can zoom in if you blink twice. How is this possible? In the simplest of terms, the scientists measured the electrooculographic signals generated when eyes make specific movements (up, Read more about Scientists create contact lenses that zoom when you blink twice[…]

Small aircraft can be quite easily hacked to present wrong readings, change trim and autopilot settings – if someone has physical access to it.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Modern aircraft systems are becoming increasingly reliant on networked communications systems to display information to the pilot as well as control various systems aboard aircraft. Small aircraft typically maintain the direct mechanical linkage between the flight controls and the flight surface. However, electronic controls for flaps, trim, engine controls, and autopilot systems are becoming more Read more about Small aircraft can be quite easily hacked to present wrong readings, change trim and autopilot settings – if someone has physical access to it.[…]

Capital One gets Capital Done: Hacker swipes personal info on 106 million US, Canadian credit card applicants

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A hacker raided Capital One’s cloud storage buckets and stole personal information on 106 million credit card applicants in America and Canada. The swiped data includes 140,000 US social security numbers and 80,000 bank account numbers, we’re told, as well as one million Canadian social insurance numbers, plus names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Read more about Capital One gets Capital Done: Hacker swipes personal info on 106 million US, Canadian credit card applicants[…]

Dutch ministry of Justice recommends to Dutch gov to stop using office 365 and windows 10

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Basically they don’t like data being shared with third parties doing predictive profiling with the data and they don’t like all the telemetry being sent everywhere, nor do they like MS being able to view and running through content such as text, pictures and videos. Source: Ministerie van justitie: Stop met gebruik Office 365 – Read more about Dutch ministry of Justice recommends to Dutch gov to stop using office 365 and windows 10[…]

Meet the AI robots being used to help solve America’s recycling crisis

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The way the robots work is simple. Guided by cameras and computer systems trained to recognize specific objects, the robots’ arms glide over moving conveyor belts until they reach their target. Oversized tongs or fingers with sensors that are attached to the arms snag cans, glass, plastic containers, and other recyclable items out of the Read more about Meet the AI robots being used to help solve America’s recycling crisis[…]

Facebook’s answer to the encryption debate: install spyware with content filters! (updated: maybe not)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The encryption debate is typically framed around the concept of an impenetrable link connecting two services whose communications the government wishes to monitor. The reality, of course, is that the security of that encryption link is entirely separate from the security of the devices it connects. The ability of encryption to shield a user’s communications Read more about Facebook’s answer to the encryption debate: install spyware with content filters! (updated: maybe not)[…]

Deep TabNine AI-powered autocompletion software is Gmail’s Smart Compose for coders

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Deep TabNine is what’s known as a coding autocompleter. Programmers can install it as an add-on in their editor of choice, and when they start writing, it’ll suggest how to continue each line, offering small chunks at a time. Think of it as Gmail’s Smart Compose feature but for code. Machine learning can seriously improve Read more about Deep TabNine AI-powered autocompletion software is Gmail’s Smart Compose for coders[…]

Intellectual Debt (in AI): With Great Power Comes Great Ignorance

Posted on by Robin Edgar

For example, aspirin was discovered in 1897, and an explanation of how it works followed in 1995. That, in turn, has spurred some research leads on making better pain relievers through something other than trial and error. This kind of discovery — answers first, explanations later — I call “intellectual debt.” We gain insight into Read more about Intellectual Debt (in AI): With Great Power Comes Great Ignorance[…]

Hot weather cuts French, German nuclear power output by ~ 8%

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Electricity output was curtailed at six reactors by 0840 GMT on Thursday, while two other reactors were offline, data showed. High water temperatures and sluggish flows limit the ability to use river water to cool reactors. In Germany, PreussenElektra, the nuclear unit of utility E.ON, said it would take its Grohnde reactor offline on Friday Read more about Hot weather cuts French, German nuclear power output by ~ 8%[…]

Apple Contractors Reportedly Overhear Sensitive Information and Sexy Times Thanks to Siri

Posted on by Robin Edgar

First Amazon, then Google, and now Apple have all confirmed that their devices are not only listening to you, but complete strangers may be reviewing the recordings. Thanks to Siri, Apple contractors routinely catch intimate snippets of users’ private lives like drug deals, doctor’s visits, and sexual escapades as part of their quality control duties, Read more about Apple Contractors Reportedly Overhear Sensitive Information and Sexy Times Thanks to Siri[…]

Most YouTube climate change videos ‘oppose the consensus view’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The majority of YouTube videos about the climate crisis oppose the scientific consensus and “hijack” technical terms to make them appear credible, a new study has found. Researchers have warned that users searching the video site to learn about climate science may be exposed to content that goes against mainstream scientific belief. Dr Joachim Allgaier Read more about Most YouTube climate change videos ‘oppose the consensus view’[…]

In a Lab Accident, Scientists Create the First-Ever Permanently Magnetic Liquid

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Using a technique to 3D-print liquids, the scientists created millimeter-size droplets from water, oil and iron-oxides. The liquid droplets keep their shape because some of the iron-oxide particles bind with surfactants — substances that reduce the surface tension of a liquid. The surfactants create a film around the liquid water, with some iron-oxide particles creating Read more about In a Lab Accident, Scientists Create the First-Ever Permanently Magnetic Liquid[…]