Opposition leader Donald Tusk calls for inquiry after watchdog says government’s rivals were targeted by Pegasus spywarePolish opposition leader Donald Tusk said on Tuesday reports that the government spied on its opponents represented the country’s biggest “crisis for democracy” since the end of communism.A cybersecurity watchdog last week said the Pegasus spyware had been used to target prominent opposition figures, with Polish media dubbing the scandal a “Polish Watergate”. Continue reading...
A new book suggests that, for single people, technology has made dating a strange, isolated experienceOne feature of online dating that makes it a recurring pub-discussion topic among my friends is the propensity for the people involved to do strange things. A whole new spectrum of dating behaviour has evolved on “the apps”. Habits that, while now common, are still odd things to do.Someone might seem very interested but then “ghost” or “orbit” (which means they stop replying to messages but still engage with your social media content, liking your posts and photos); or tell obvious but seemingly unnecessary lies; another person might read “the riot act” on a first date, sternly laying down their terms for how the relationship should progress; and there are endless stories about dates reacting bizarrely, even menacingly, if rejected. Continue reading...
by Kalyeena Makortoff Banking correspondent on (#5TD3V)
Territory’s financial sector risks reputational damage and diplomatic sanctions if complex regulations of crypto hub failOn the southern Mediterranean coast, nestled in the shadow of the Rock’s sheer limestone cliffs and its tangle of wild olive trees, the Gibraltar Stock Exchange (GSX) is quietly preparing for a corporate takeover that could have global consequences for the former naval garrison.Less than half a mile away, next to the blue waters of Gibraltar’s mid-harbour marina, the peninsula’s regulators are reviewing a proposal that would prompt blockchain firm Valereum to buy the exchange in the new year – meaning the British overseas territory could soon host the world’s first integrated bourse, where conventional bonds can be traded alongside major cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin. Continue reading...
by Julia Carrie Wong and Botnik Studios on (#5TD20)
The Facebook CEO won’t talk to the Guardian. So we built a Zuckerbot and interviewed it insteadWhat does Mark Zuckerberg care about?The 37-year-old tech executive has a wife, two kids, $110bn , and near absolute control over a group of companies – Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp – that shape the information, entertainment, and communication of 3 billion people. Continue reading...
After another disastrous year for the company, experts and activists see clear ways to tackle its problemsThis year the public saw an alarming side of Facebook, after a huge leak of internal documents revealed the extent of vaccine misinformation and extremism on the platform, a two-tier system of who gets to break the rules and the toxic effects of Instagram for teens.Digital rights activists around the world have warned about these issues for years, but with the company facing mounting pressure, next year could provide an unprecedented opportunity for action. Continue reading...
Holiday family gatherings in Meta’s virtual world would probably include robot avatars and a digitized appearance by Mariah CareyIf you witnessed Mark Zuckerberg’s unveiling of the “Metaverse” this year, you’ll be familiar with his utopian vision: a future in which we abandon our woefully outdated reality in favor of his virtual world. After all, what could be better than surrendering the very concept of observable truth to the man whose service has convinced your aunt that elites want to drink the blood of children?The Zuckerbergian digital universe isn’t quite ready yet, but with Christmas around the corner, we took an educated guess at what the holidays might look like under the incoming regime. Continue reading...
With telecoms barely working, a plunging currency and young people emigrating, it’s a bleak Christmas for weary LebaneseIn Lebanon’s year of loss and deprivation, simple pleasures have steadily drained away along with its fortunes. But amid a crisis renowned for breaking new ground, few Lebanese had thought their ability to stay in touch was at risk – until a pre-Christmas warning sent shudders through the country.The telecommunications minister, Johnny Corm, warned this week that a lack of funds and fuel could soon see Lebanon’s already struggling internet grind to a halt, making festive calls and messages even trickier than usual – and a financial and social disintegration like no other even more acute. Continue reading...
Our 20 favourite pieces of the yearAfter growing up in a Zimbabwe convulsed by the legacy of colonialism, when I got to Oxford I realised how many British people still failed to see how empire had shaped lives like mine – as well as their own Continue reading...
The company will send out a software update that will prevent its games from being played on center consoles while the vehicle is in motionUnder pressure from US auto safety regulators, Tesla has agreed to stop allowing video games to be played on center touch screens while its vehicles are moving.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the company will send out a software update over the internet so the function called “Passenger Play” will be locked and won’t work while vehicles are in motion. Continue reading...
A virtual present can be bought hassle-free as late as Christmas morning, and with a bit of creativity, it can feel just as special as a physical giftPostal delivery deadlines have well and truly passed, and the window of time for a last-minute gift run has just about shut. Add rising Covid-19 cases to the mix, and a hasty trip to the mall on 24 December feels very much like panic buying.While browsing for digital presents is something we “often don’t consider” because of “the tradition of having something physically wrapped up,” professor in consumer behaviour from Queensland University of Technology, Gary Mortimer, says the pool of virtual gifting options has dramatically deepened. Continue reading...
US chipmaker responds to backlash after telling its suppliers to avoid region at centre of human rights abuse allegationsThe US chipmaker Intel has apologised for telling its suppliers not to source products or labour from Xinjiang, a province that human rights groups and governments including the US allege uses forced labour, after facing a backlash across China.Intel, which derives more than a quarter of its $80bn (£60bn) in annual revenues from the Chinese market, apologised to the people of China and its local partners on Thursday for telling suppliers to avoid the region in accordance with restrictions imposed by “multiple governments”. Continue reading...
Prototype uses carousel of canisters to create flavour samples on hygienic film over flatscreen TVA Japanese professor has developed a prototype lickable TV screen that can imitate food flavours, another step towards creating a multisensory viewing experience.The device, called Taste the TV (TTTV), uses a carousel of 10 flavour canisters that spray in combination to create the taste of a particular food. The flavour sample then rolls on hygienic film over a flat TV screen for the viewer to try. Continue reading...
Accidental deaths soar among young people amid a proliferation of fentanyl-filled pharmaceuticals sold on platforms such as Snapchat and InstagramFourteen-year-old Alondra Salinas had set out her new white sneakers and packed her backpack the night before the first day of in-person high school when police say she responded to an offer on Snapchat for blue pills, which turned out to be deadly fentanyl. Her mother couldn’t wake her the next morning.Seventeen-year-old Zachary Didier was waiting to hear back on his college applications when a fake Percocet killed him. Sammy Berman Chapman, a 16-year-old straight-A student, died in his bedroom after taking what he thought was a single Xanax. Continue reading...
Chinese social media users call for boycott of US chip maker after it issues directive to suppliers over human rights concernsIntel, the US computer chip maker, is facing a backlash from China after telling its suppliers not to source products or labour from the region of Xinjiang.Intel said it had been “required to ensure that its supply chain does not use any labour or source goods or services” from Xinjiang in accordance with restrictions imposed by “multiple governments”. Continue reading...
‘Passenger play’ feature has been available since December 2020 – before that, games could only be played in ‘park’ modeThe US has opened a formal investigation into a report that Tesla vehicles allow people to play video games on a center touch screen while they are driving.The investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers about 580,000 electric cars and SUVs from model years 2017 through 2022. Continue reading...
Up for discussion in this week’s newsletter: Years after shuttering a similarly controversial scheme, the LAPD wants to use tech to profile potential felons
Jeff T Green rebuked church over LGBTQ rights, saying the church is ‘actively doing harm in the world’An advertising-technology billionaire has resigned his membership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and rebuked the faith over social issues and LGBTQ rights in an unusual public move.Jeff T Green has pledged to donate 90% of his estimated $5bn (£3.77bn) fortune, starting with a $600,000 donation to the LGBTQ-rights group Equality Utah, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Continue reading...
Plane manufacturers say they are evaluating whether 5G signals could affect flight safety equipmentThe aerospace giants Airbus and Boeing on Tuesday warned that the US aviation industry had “concerns” about the potential interference of 5G networks with vital flight safety equipment.The intervention increases pressure on US regulators in a dispute between airlines and mobile operators over the introduction of the high-speed mobile broadband technology in the US. Continue reading...
by Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor on (#5T8A3)
There are plenty of ways to make a remote Christmas more fun, from video calls to multiplayer gamesWith Omicron spreading in the UK the potential for disruptions to Christmas plans are high, whether you’re limiting your contacts or have been forced to isolate. But the fact you can’t meet in person doesn’t mean all the festivities have to stop.It will not be quite the same but you can still join your family and friends and have a good time virtually. Here are some ideas to help keep you connected over the festive period – whether it’s checking in for a chat or sharing entertainment. Continue reading...
In the second edition of our gaming newsletter: the vastly popular kids’ game has a more troubling way than usual of making money from its 200m players
I turned to documentary film-making to stay sane when Austin was ravaged by skyrocketing rents and breakneck changeAustin, Texas, is in the grip of the kind of gentrification that destroyed San Francisco, and it feels like my duty as a film-maker to document it. I think you have to be a thick-skulled, opinionated, cranky bugger to make films. As a failed comedian who needed to find another way to process everyday life, film-making and photography have maintained my sanity, and our latest film tackles the changes I’m seeing to my local community.I lived in San Francisco in the 90s as big tech was incubating, and there was a belief that the coming democratization of technology was going to unite us and better the world. There was an incredible sense of anticipation. What we, as 20-year-old punks enjoying the SF Mission district, did not see happening was the complete overrunning of affordable neighborhoods by tech workers and real-estate developers. Housing had become an act of gladiator combat where the most powerful weapon was cash. Continue reading...
Lual Mayen turned his family’s escape from civil war in South Sudan into a powerful gaming experience – that will have real-life benefits for refugeesIt was while fleeing the civil war in South Sudan that Lual Mayen’s mother gave birth to him 28 years ago. She had four children in tow and was near to the border with Uganda, in a town called Aswa. The journey was difficult; Mayen’s two sisters died on the way and he became sick. No one thought he would survive.“I can’t imagine what she had to go through. There was no food, no water, nothing,” says Mayen. “I remember she said she was not the only woman who gave birth on the way. Other women abandoned their children because they didn’t want them to suffer. But my mother thought: “He is a gift for me, I have to keep him.”’ Continue reading...
by Louise Matsakis, Meaghan Tobin and Wency Chen on (#5T89T)
By connecting China’s garment factories with western gen-Z customers, Shein ushered in a new era of ‘ultra-fast’ shoppingLast year, Julia King, a 20-year-old art student and influencer from Texas, noticed that a particular kind of sweater vest was taking over the internet. Celebrities including Bella Hadid had been photographed wearing shrunken, argyle-patterned styles, channelling classic 1990s movies like Clueless during a wave of millennium-era nostalgia. Soon, King found the perfect example in a secondhand shop: a child-sized pink-and-red knitted vest that fit tightly and cropped on an adult. Using herself as a model, King paired it with jeans and a Dior bag, snapped a picture, and listed it for $22 on Depop, an eBay-like resellers’ app favoured by gen Z.The vest sold instantly, and she quickly forgot about it. But a month or so later, King received a message from one of her Instagram followers. They alerted her to the fact that an obscure, now defunct Chinese shopping site called Preguy was using her photo to sell its own cheap reproduction of the thrift-store vest. “Seeing the pictures of me up on some random fast-fashion website I’d never heard of before made me really upset,” King said. Continue reading...
The largest and most powerful rocket ship ever is fully recyclable and may be the first vehicle to land humans on MarsIt’s been an eventful month for Elon Musk. The world’s richest man and founder of Tesla and SpaceX was, controversially, named Time’s person of the year; became embroiled in a Twitter spat over his taxes with a politician he branded “Senator Karen” and got a bizarre new haircut after splitting with his girlfriend, the pop singer Grimes.Next month, however, or perhaps a few weeks beyond if the attendant gremlins of spaceflight choose to play with the launch schedule, could come an achievement to surpass anything Musk has done before. Continue reading...
Research finds number of UK unicorns, or startups worth more than $1bn (£750m), grew to 116 in 2021The UK technology sector drew a record £29.4bn in investment this year, according to research, with Cambridge declared the country’s leading regional tech city.The bumper injection of funding from venture capitalists, who invest in new companies by taking stakes in them, is more than double last year’s total of £11.5bn. Continue reading...
Global slowdown in production of popular tech leaves shoppers at the mercy of ‘scalpers’Some of the most popular Christmas presents are being sold online with mark-ups of more than 70% after selling out in major high street stores because of the global shortage of microchips.Supply-chain bottlenecks and the computer-chip shortages are affecting availability of some of the most sought-after gifts, from games consoles to Dyson products. Shoppers were warned last week of a delay of at least one month for some of the most popular iPad models. Continue reading...
Yiran Sherry’s waters broke while the family was stuck in traffic, leading to what is believed to be the world’s first ‘Tesla baby’A Philadelphia mother has given birth to what is believed to be the world’s first Tesla baby: an infant delivered in the front seat of an electric smart car while it was driving on autopilot.The remarkable delivery, reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, took place in September while Yiran Sherry, 33, and her husband Keating Sherry, 34, were taking their three-year-old son Rafa to pre-school. Continue reading...
Retail was in crisis even before Covid. Now the virus has created so much turmoil that the future is becoming hard to readAfter nearly two years of disruption, Covid-19 has changed how we shop for ever. It has altered not only what we buy, but how we buy it. Big purchases involve clicks, not shopping trips, and remote working has turned the home interiors market into the new fast fashion.It has also signalled the end of overwhelming choice for consumers, analysts say, as gaps on shelves and long delivery times for items such as cars and sofas become a frustrating fact of life. Continue reading...
As a journalist, I have stood in pre-dawn lines and contested with ‘Holmies’ and true-crime fanatics for a courthouse spotThe trial of Elizabeth Holmes has seen plenty of courtroom drama, but outside the courthouse in San Jose, California, a spectacle of another sort has unfolded week after week.On landmark days – such as opening arguments, testimony from star witnesses and when Holmes made the risky decision to take the stand herself – journalists, true crime fans and other spectators have turned out early to battle for limited seats inside the courthouse. Continue reading...
The London-born photographer on his image of Gambian football fansThere’s a strong Premier League following in the Gambia: just like Brunel Johnson, 14-year-old Musa is an Arsenal fan. The London-born photographer was on his way to lunch when he noticed the teen, in his favourite football shirt, huddled with friends. They were on the grounds of Spot Academy, watching game highlights on one of the older kids’ phones.Brunel had been living alongside the boys for two weeks, documenting the work of the charity, which serves as a community school while providing boarding places for orphans. He’d left his digital camera in his room and knew the moment would pass if he went back for it. So he reached for his iPhone. The photograph’s angle was a spur-of-the-moment decision, chosen simply to fit as many faces in as possible; he added the black and white “Noir” filter later. Continue reading...
Former CEO faces a maximum of 20 years in prison on nine counts of fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit fraudAfter months of criminal proceedings that have gripped Silicon Valley, the fate of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes now rests in the hands of 12 jurors.A group of eight men and four women will consider whether to convict or exonerate Holmes, 37, on nine counts of fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud. Deliberations are expected to begin on Monday. Continue reading...
Educators assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible as campuses increased police presence ‘out of caution’Educators announced plans to increase security in response to TikTok posts warning of shooting and bomb threats at schools around the country Friday as officials assured parents the viral posts were not considered credible.The social media threats had many educators on edge as they circulated in the aftermath of a deadly school shooting in Michigan, which has been followed by numerous copycat threats to schools elsewhere. Continue reading...
Officials issue product alert and say ‘quantum pendants’ could damage DNA with prolonged usePeople who wear “anti-5G” pendants to “protect” themselves from radio frequencies emitted by phone masts have been told by the Dutch nuclear authority that their necklaces are dangerously radioactive.Owners of “quantum pendants” and other “negative ion” jewellery have been advised to store them away, as they have been found to continuously emit ionising radiation. Continue reading...
Several women have been interviewed with questions on alleged harassment and discriminationCalifornia’s civil rights regulator is investigating Google’s treatment of Black female workers following alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination, according to two people familiar with the matter and emails from the agency seen by Reuters.Attorneys and analysts at the California department of fair employment and housing (DFEH) have repeatedly interviewed several Black women who have worked at the Alphabet Inc company about their experiences there, according to the documents and the sources. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid jeopardizing the work. Continue reading...
He just wanted a catchy website name. Now, Bob Innes hands people over to the police for trying to have their enemies killedIn October 2005, Bob Innes bought the website domain name “rentahitman.com.” It was the dotcom era and he was a business school student in North Carolina trying to advertise website traffic analysis services: the “hit” was a nod to clicks coming in on a client’s website.“It was simply a play on words,” he says now, when contacted via email for an interview. Continue reading...
The old fashioned way has never been more popular so come away from the screens and settle down to play how we used toThe last decade has seen an explosion in the popularity of board and card games that aren’t just the traditional Christmas assortment. Families seeking interesting, actually fun alternatives to Monopoly and Trivial Pursuits have embraced the German-designed classics Catan and Carcassonne, as well as a growing range of exuberant, highly social card games exemplified by the irrepressible Exploding Kittens and the frighteningly timely Pandemic.And now, with successful, critically acclaimed video games such as Slay the Spire and Wildermyth drawing key design principles from board games, it’s the perfect time to tempt the most stubborn console and PC owners away from their screens. Continue reading...
by Samuel Gibbs Consumer technology editor on (#5T4Y3)
More refined design, bigger screen and Thunderbolt ports add to winning formula for convertible PCMicrosoft’s category-defining Windows 11 tablet finally gets the design and feature upgrade Surface Pro fans have been clamouring for, but it comes with the sting of price hike.The Surface Pro 8 starts at £999 ($999/A$1,649), without the essential £160 ($160/A$260) keyboard, which is £100 more for the tablet and £35 more for the keyboard than last year’s equivalent models.Screen: 13in LCD 2880x1920 (267 PPI) 120HzProcessor: Intel Core i5 or i7 (11th generation)RAM: 8, 16 or 32GBStorage: 128, 256, 512GB or 1TBGraphics: Intel Iris XeOperating system: Windows 11 HomeCamera: 10MP rear, 5MP front with Windows HelloConnectivity: Wifi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, 2x Thunderbolt 4/USB-4, headphones, Surface ConnectDimensions: 287 x 208x 9.3 mmWeight: 891g (without keyboard) Continue reading...
by Hannah Verdier, Hollie Richardson, Alexi Duggins on (#5T4WX)
There’s a beautiful performance from the End of the F***ing World star in a drama that sees her waking up in a new and scary world. Plus: John Bercow collaborates with The Guilty Feminist team in his new podcast series.SteelHeads
by Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Michael Safi on (#5T4CB)
Company will also send warnings to 48,000 people believed to be targeted by malicious activity after investigationFacebook has banned seven “surveillance-for-hire” companies from its platforms and will send warning notices to 48,000 people who the company believes were targeted by malicious activity, following a months-long investigation into the “cyber mercenary” industry.The social media company said on Thursday that its investigation had revealed new details about the way the surveillance companies enable their clients to “indiscriminately” target people across the internet to collect intelligence about them, manipulate them – and ultimately compromise their devices.Black Cube, an Israeli company that gained notoriety after it emerged that the disgraced media mogul and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein had hired them to target women who had accused him of abuse. Black Cube rejected Facebook’s claims about its activities.Cobwebs, another Israeli company that Facebook said enabled its clients to use public websites and dark web sites to trick targets into revealing personal information. The company also reportedly works for US clients, including a local police department in Hartford, Connecticut.Cytrox, a North Macedonian company that Facebook said enabled its clients to infect targets with malware following phishing campaigns. Continue reading...
Fallen Silicon Valley star faces up to 20 years in prison for 11 charges of defrauding investors and consumersProsecutors laid out their closing arguments in the trial of Elizabeth Holmes on Thursday, painting the picture of a founder who chose “fraud over failure” and calling the story of Theranos a “tragedy”.Prosecutors wrapped their closing arguments and the defense made it through several hours of their own before court broke for the day. The face-off caps dramatic proceedings that has stretched over 15 weeks. Continue reading...
The former first lady’s promotional materials note that ‘a portion’ of the proceeds will help children aging out for foster careShe is married to former US president Donald Trump but now you, too, can stare into the “cobalt blue eyes” of Melania Trump at the touch of a button and with your very own piece of trendy, digital art.The former first lady has jumped into the latest internet craze by launching a non-fungible token (NFT) just in time for Christmas. It puts Melania right in the middle of a fashion frenzy in hi-tech art circles – though critics may regard it as the latest attempt by the Trump family to cash in on political success. Continue reading...
by Vincent Ni China affairs correspondent on (#5T2SE)
Washington Post alleges marketing slides reveal firm had a role in developing technology for ChinaHuawei has helped Chinese authorities create surveillance technology that targets the country’s Uyghur minority population, an investigation has alleged.A series of marketing presentation slides reviewed by the Washington Post found Huawei had a role in developing surveillance projects created in a partnership with other Chinese companies. Continue reading...
Donations through the online retailer’s charitable program come as it faces criticism for its role in health misinformationAmazon’s charitable program is paying tens of thousands of dollars to anti-vaccine groups in a move experts say is “shocking” as millions of Americans remain unvaccinated in the face of another Covid-19 wave.AmazonSmile reportedly donated more than $40,000 to leading sources of vaccine misinformation in 2020, according to separate analyses by Popular Information and the Washington Post. Continue reading...
Block building sim is the most watched video game ever on the platform, with 35,000 active creator channels based in 150 different countriesIt has been purchased more than 200m times and after 10 years it’s still one of the most played video games in the world – now the block building sim Minecraft has passed another milestone: YouTube videos of the game have passed one trillion views, making it the most watched game on the platform.Originally released in 2009, Minecraft has always been popular on the video sharing site, thanks to its open and highly creative nature. Players can build whatever they like in the blocky landscape, and talented modellers have flooded YouTube to show off their most impressive creations, from scale models of Hogwarts and the Starship Enterprise to working computers. Continue reading...
This high-end reproduction console makes original Game Boy titles (and more) look and play better than everFor the past 10 years Seattle-based tech company Analogue has been making high-end retro video game hardware, with a steely focus on accurate, authentic reproduction rather than emulation. Its Mega Sg and Super Nt consoles were highly acclaimed modernisations of the Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo, allowing users to play all their old 16-bit game carts on modern machines with a variety of display and audio options. Now the company has finally launched its Analogue Pocket, a handheld console that will play Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance (GBA) cartridges on a beautiful 3.5in LCD display in crisp 1600×1440 resolution.As with the other consoles in its range, there’s no software emulation of the old systems going on here. The company uses a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit to replicate the original tech specs, which means it can pretty much run any Game Boy game from the thousands available, with few of the glitches, instabilities or compatibility problems often associated with software-based emulators.The gaming equivalent of buying a fancy new turntable to play your old recordsThe Analogue Pocket is available for pre-order now; $219.99 Continue reading...