The Linkielist

Linking ideas with the world

Empirical evidence on how to interrogate: build rapport, not conflict

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The Alisons, husband and wife, have done something no scholars of interrogation have been able to do before. Working in close cooperation with the police, who allowed them access to more than 1,000 hours of tapes, they have observed and analysed hundreds of real-world interviews with terrorists suspected of serious crimes. No researcher in the Read more about Empirical evidence on how to interrogate: build rapport, not conflict[…]

Boffins craft perfect ‘head generator’ to beat facial recognition

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Informatics have defeated facial recognition on big social media platforms – by removing faces from photos and replacing them with automatically-painted replicas. As the team of six researchers explained in their arXiv paper this month, people who want to stay private often blur their photos, not knowing that Read more about Boffins craft perfect ‘head generator’ to beat facial recognition[…]

Facebook rolls out AI to detect suicidal posts before they’re reported

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook’s new “proactive detection” artificial intelligence technology will scan all posts for patterns of suicidal thoughts, and when necessary send mental health resources to the user at risk or their friends, or contact local first-responders. By using AI to flag worrisome posts to human moderators instead of waiting for user reports, Facebook can decrease how Read more about Facebook rolls out AI to detect suicidal posts before they’re reported[…]

Pornhub owner may become the UK’s gatekeeper of online porn

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mindgeek may be the most powerful company that you’ve never heard of, or at least, a company you’ll claim never to have heard about in polite company. It’s the conglomerate that owns some of the world’s most visited porn sites, including Pornhub, RedTube and YouPorn. Far from simply being a popular and free way for Read more about Pornhub owner may become the UK’s gatekeeper of online porn[…]

Posted in Sex

Using LED lighting has resulted in more light, no energy savings

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Using satellite-based sensors, an international team of scientists sought to understand if our planet’s surface is getting brighter or darker at night, and to determine if LEDs are saving energy at the global scale. With the introduction of solid-state lighting—such as LEDs, OLEDs, and PLEDs—it was thought (and hoped) that the transition to it from Read more about Using LED lighting has resulted in more light, no energy savings[…]

Using Generative Adverserial Networks to create terrain maps

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A team of researchers from the University of Lyon, Purdue and Ubisoft have published a paper showing what may well be the future of creating video game worlds: an AI that is able to construct most of its own 3D landscapes. Similar to Nvidia’s work that is able to conjure its own celebrity mugshots, the Read more about Using Generative Adverserial Networks to create terrain maps[…]

EU passes law that allows it to shut down websites without judicial oversight

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The European Union (EU) has voted on Tuesday, November 14, to pass the new Consumer Protection Cooperation regulation, a new EU-wide applicable law that gives extra power to national consumer protection agencies, but which also contains a vaguely worded clause that also grants them the power to block and take down websites without judicial oversight. Read more about EU passes law that allows it to shut down websites without judicial oversight[…]

German Regulators Ban Smartwatches for Kids, Urge Parents to Destroy Them

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Last month, the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) warned that smartwatches marketed to kids were a serious threat to children’s privacy. A report published by the Norwegian Consumer Council in mid-October revealed serious flaws in several of the devices that could easily allow hackers to seize control. Doing so could grant attackers access to both real-time Read more about German Regulators Ban Smartwatches for Kids, Urge Parents to Destroy Them[…]

An Ethereum Startup (Confido) Just Vanished After People Invested $374K

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Confido is a startup that pitched itself as a blockchain-based app for making payments and tracking shipments. It sold digital tokens to investors over the Ethereum blockchain in an ICO that ran from November 6 to 8. During the token sale, Confido sold people bespoke digital tokens that represent their investment in exchange for ether, Read more about An Ethereum Startup (Confido) Just Vanished After People Invested $374K[…]

OnePlus phones have a secret root backdoor and the password is ‘angela’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

An apparent factory cockup has left OnePlus Android smartphones with an exposed diagnostics tool that can be potentially exploited to root the handsets. Security researcher Robert Baptiste suggested the EngineerMode APK was made by Qualcomm, and was intended to be used by factory staff to test phones for basic functionality before they are shipped out Read more about OnePlus phones have a secret root backdoor and the password is ‘angela’[…]

Scientists edit a person’s DNA to try to cure disease

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Scientists for the first time have tried editing a gene inside the body in a bold attempt to permanently change a person’s DNA to cure a disease. The experiment was done Monday in California on 44-year-old Brian Madeux. Through an IV, he received billions of copies of a corrective gene and a genetic tool to Read more about Scientists edit a person’s DNA to try to cure disease[…]

Pawnbroker pwnd: Cash Converters says hacker slurped customer data

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Pawnbroking and secondhand goods outlet Cash Converters has suffered a data breach. Customers were notified of the leak on Thursday by email, samples of which have been posted on social media. Cash Converters said it had discovered that a third party gained unauthorised access to customer data within the company’s UK webshop. Credit card data Read more about Pawnbroker pwnd: Cash Converters says hacker slurped customer data[…]

Intel: We’ve found severe bugs in secretive unpatchable Management Engine, affecting millions

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Thanks to an investigation by third-party researchers into Intel’s hidden firmware in certain chips, Intel decided to audit its firmware and on Monday confirmed it had found 11 severe bugs that affect millions of computers and servers. The flaws affect Management Engine (ME), Trusted Execution Engine (TXE), and Server Platform Services (SPS). Intel discovered the Read more about Intel: We’ve found severe bugs in secretive unpatchable Management Engine, affecting millions[…]

Google collects Android location data even if you turn it off and don’t have a SIM card inserted

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Since the beginning of 2017, Android phones have been collecting the addresses of nearby cellular towers—even when location services are disabled—and sending that data back to Google. The result is that Google, the unit of Alphabet behind Android, has access to data about individuals’ locations and their movements that go far beyond a reasonable consumer Read more about Google collects Android location data even if you turn it off and don’t have a SIM card inserted[…]

Loakes shoes hacked, fluffs the explanation

Posted on by Robin Edgar

This is more than a little embarrassing for a business that supplies handmade leather goods to the British royal family. Founded in 1880 by brothers Thomas, John and William Loake, the firm has since sold more than 50 million pairs of Goodyear welted shoes in more than 50 countries. […] Loake strangely described described the Read more about Loakes shoes hacked, fluffs the explanation[…]

Uber loses personal info on 600K drivers and 57M users in 2016. Pays hackers $100K in hope they delete it. Forgets to mention this in apology.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

the individuals were able to download files containing a significant amount of other information, including: The names and driver’s license numbers of around 600,000 drivers in the United States. Drivers can learn more here. Some personal information of 57 million Uber users around the world, including the drivers described above. This information included names, email Read more about Uber loses personal info on 600K drivers and 57M users in 2016. Pays hackers $100K in hope they delete it. Forgets to mention this in apology.[…]

Bluetooth Hack Affects 20 Million Amazon Echo and Google Home Devices

Posted on by Robin Edgar

A series of recently disclosed critical Bluetooth flaws that affect billions of Android, iOS, Windows and Linux devices have now been discovered in millions of AI-based voice-activated personal assistants, including Google Home and Amazon Echo.As estimated during the discovery of this devastating threat, several IoT and smart devices whose operating systems are often updated less Read more about Bluetooth Hack Affects 20 Million Amazon Echo and Google Home Devices[…]

EU creates large scale military cooperative framework (PESCO)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) – Factsheet – European Union External Action PESCO is a Treaty-based framework and process to deepen defence cooperation amongst EU Member States who are capable and willing to do so. The aim is to jointly develop defence capabilities and make them available for EU military operations. This will thus enhance the Read more about EU creates large scale military cooperative framework (PESCO)[…]

Planet now images the entire Earth’s landmass every day

Posted on by Robin Edgar

At Planet, we’ve been pursuing Mission 1: to image the entire Earth’s landmass every day. I couldn’t be more excited to announce that we have achieved our founding mission.Six years ago, our team started in a garage in Cupertino. Mission 1 was the north star: we needed to build the satellites and systems, secure the Read more about Planet now images the entire Earth’s landmass every day[…]

Asgardia – The Space Nation launches first independent territory into space

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Our Asgardia-1 satellite was launched successfully today from the Wallops launch site in Virginia, USA.Dr Igor Ashurbeyli, Asgardia’s Head of Nation, accompanied by members of his administration personally witnessed the launch.We are delighted to announce therefore that the Asgardia space kingdom has now established its sovereign territory in space.Congratulations to all Asgardians! Source: Asgardia – Read more about Asgardia – The Space Nation launches first independent territory into space[…]