Technology | The Guardian

Viewers of adult material at risk of prosecution as commercial sites are increasingly being used to conceal paedophile contentPeople viewing or searching for adult pornography online face the risk of being arrested for accessing child abuse images because paedophiles are increasingly hiding criminal content on legal commercial websites, the Internet Watch Foundation has warned.The past 18 months have seen a significant rise in the use of disguised websites that provide a secret route to child sexual abuse content, said Fred Langford, chief executive of the UK charity. Continue reading...

The campaign to leave the EU has fallen prey to a prankster who snapped up the voteleave.com website name. It’s something all politicians have to contend withDespite its name, there is one thing the Vote Leave campaign should not have left for so long: registering a domain name. The delay by the anti-EU organisation meant that up to 100,000 people who tried to access voteleave.com, co.uk or .net were rickrolled – redirected to a YouTube clip of Rick Astley’s 1987 hit Never Gonna Give You Up. So far, so internet. But this time, the rickrolling is political. Mario Van Poppel, who snapped up the domain name, is a pro-EU campaigner. He says he will only hand it back if he gets 10 minutes with Boris Johnson and a donation made to a charity of his choice.Carly Fiorina, a former Republican presidential candidate, might sympathise. Despite also being the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, she wasn’t tech-savvy enough to avoid a similar mistake. According to news reports, potential supporters who clicked on carlyfiorina.org saw a message reading: “Carly Fiorina failed to register this domain. So, I’m using it to tell you how many people she laid off at Hewlett-Packard. It was this many ...” Following the message were approximately 30,000 frowny emoticons. The post referred to a merger Fiorina had overseen as CEO of HP, which led to redundancies. The site is now a holding page. Continue reading...

Specialist officers in the federal police and Australian Crime Commission and 50 security experts spearheadA $230m cyber security strategy, which includes cash for more specialist cybercrime officers in the Australian Crime Commission and the Australian federal police, has been announced by the government.The crackdown is designed to tackle cyber crimes including malware which attempts to force users to pay a ransom, “hacktivism”, denial of service attacks and theft of data or intellectual property through cyber espionage. Continue reading...

The European Commission has accused Google of abusing its dominance of the smartphone market. Why has it done this? And what exactly is Android?The European Commission has accused Google of abusing its dominance of the smartphone market through Android, blocking competition and innovation. But what is Android, what does Google offer and what are others doing with Android?

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Hotels on the Las Vegas strip are rumored to be rolling out virtual reality porn – but the experts say it won’t hit the same spotThe brothels outside Las Vegas have had to deal with a lot over the years – and now they have to worry about virtual reality porn taking their business.The porn studio VR Bangers and headset maker AuraVisor are rumored to be rolling out a room service option at various hotels around Las Vegas for $19.99 a night. Continue reading...

Visitors warned about malware and cybercriminal links on search engine by the company’s own Safe Browsing Site Status reportGoogle.com is a “partially dangerous” website that has some pages that may install malware on your computer or try to steal your personal information – says, er, Google.Embarrassing gaffe or commendable honesty? Google’s “Safe Browsing” section of its online transparency report delivers a less-than-impressed verdict on the company’s main search engine. Continue reading...

Opportunity to pay small amounts to favoured pages is being mooted along with other options. But would tipping really catch on on the social network?Facebook is considering the introduction of a virtual “tip jar”, so users can tip small amounts of money to the pages and people they like most.The proposal is one of several the company is consulting with users on, according to the Verge’s Casey Newton, who received a survey detailing the options. Continue reading...

As self-driving vehicles edge closer to our roads, what does the new technology mean for services and businesses in cities?The idea of self-driving cars is plastered across the media. But a lot of the talk is about a futuristic, Jetson-style approach at a fairly superficial level. Some pieces go deeper, but there’s a dearth of investigation on the subject. And it’s becoming reality faster than anyone thinks.

Report suggests nearly 30% of British web users will have installed software to strip advertising from web pages by end of next yearAlmost 30% of British web users will use adblocking software by the end of next year, according to a report that warns of a potential “epidemic”.

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Wednesday! Continue reading...

Television industry reacts angrily to report suggesting that in 80% of cases adverts on video website are better in driving salesGoogle has attacked the effectiveness of TV ads and called on advertisers to massively increase the amount they spend on YouTube.Matt Brittin, Google’s top-ranking European executive, is set to unveil a report analysing ad campaigns across eight countries that show in 80% of cases YouTube ads were far more effective than TV ads in driving sales. Continue reading...

Senior Labour MP says police and prosecutors should do more to unmask extent of online misogyny, racism and homophobic abuseOnline harassment and abuse is “stifling debate and ruining lives”, according to Yvette Cooper, who is calling on police and prosecutors to follow the Guardian’s lead in unmasking the true extent of the problem.The senior Labour MP warned that misogyny, racism and homophobic abuse were all growing online, as was revenge pornography, in which people distributed sexual photos or videos of former partners without permission. Continue reading...

Senior Labour MP says police and prosecutors should do more to unmask extent of online misogyny, racism and homophobic abuseOnline harassment and abuse is “stifling debate and ruining lives”, according to Yvette Cooper, who is calling on police and prosecutors to follow the Guardian’s lead in unmasking the true extent of the problem.The senior Labour MP warned that misogyny, racism and homophobic abuse were all growing online, as was revenge pornography, in which people distributed sexual photos or videos of former partners without permission. Continue reading...

Decline of open debate was of particular concern in Latin America during 2015, says advocacy group, warning of increasing violence against journalistsWorld press freedom deteriorated in 2015, especially in the Americas, advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said on Wednesday as it released its annual rankings and warned of “a new era of propaganda”.

Digital media firm reports significant quarterly losses that cost investors 10 cents a share but still manage to beat analysts’ revenue expectationsYahoo announced falling revenues and a quarterly loss of $99.2m on Tuesday as the ailing internet business looks for a buyer.The company reported revenue of $1.09bn, down 11% from the same time last year. The fall shows continuing deterioration in Yahoo’s business but was better than analysts had expected.

Margrethe Vestager, European competition commissioner, is concerned the firm unfairly promotes its apps on Android phonesEurope’s antitrust chief is expected to hit Google with anti-competitive charges concerning its Android mobile phone operating system.

A vulnerability means hackers can read texts, listen to calls and track mobile phone users. What are the implications and how can you protect yourself from snooping?

The US Authors Guild’s appeal against the earlier ruling that allows the tech giant to scan millions of books under ‘fair use’ has been rejected by the Supreme CourtA long-running face-off between the US Authors Guild and Google over the search engine’s scanning of millions of books was brought to an end yesterday when the US Supreme Court denied the writers the right to appeal.Backed by authors including Nobel laureate JM Coetzee and the Booker winners Richard Flanagan and Margaret Atwood, the Authors Guild appealed to the Supreme Court in February over the ruling that Google’s scanning of millions of books constituted “fair use”, and that “Google Books provide significant public benefits”. Once scanned, the books, both in and out of copyright, are included in Google Books, which enables users to read extracts from books and search their texts. Continue reading...

Its business model relies on users sharing personal data instead of cat videos, but that is happening less and less – and it’s a devil of Facebook’s own making

Bids are coming in for the ailing tech company – and no matter who gets ownership of it, the CEO is set to be one of the biggest winners in the saleWhat’s the price of failure? For Yahoo’s boss, Marissa Mayer, it could be about $137m. Bids are now in for the ailing tech company – and no matter who gets it, Mayer is set to be one of the biggest winners.Mayer has taken home $78m since she was installed as CEO in 2012, according to stock analytics firm MSCI; if she’s dismissed from the company after a buyout she’s set for another $59m, based on the terms of the company’s most recent proxy statement. Continue reading...

This is how you can get Amazon’s Alexa talking to Google’s Now to activate Apple’s Siri, in a voice-assistant Rube Goldberg machineWhy just use one voice assistant when you can get Amazon’s Alexa to command Google’s Now to activate Apple’s Siri?

Stay safer on the internet with these tips on shoring up your digital security, and join our live Q&A on the issue at 2pm todaySensible people are vigilant about online security as a matter of course, ever alert to the possibility that someone might breach their passwords for the purposes of stealing. Like the ones who drink the recommended number of units and make sure their dogs never have chocolate, I don’t know people like this, but I’ve heard they exist. Continue reading...

Vulnerabilities within SS7 mobile phone network brokerage system allow attackers to listen to calls, read messages and track location using just a phone numberA US congressman hacked as part of a demonstration showing that all you need is someone’s phone number to record their calls, texts and location, has called for an oversight committee investigation into the “significant vulnerability”.

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Tuesday! Continue reading...

National Gallery of Victoria to survey British artist’s past decade of work, including portraits and landscapes created on the iPhone, iPad and videoMore than 700 works by David Hockney, many of which have never have been seen in Australia before, are to be shown by the National Gallery of Victoria in a major exhibition in November.Related: An even Bigger Splash: why David Hockney's pop-art poem lives on Continue reading...

Digital video company, which revealed expansion into more than 130 countries earlier this year, also faces monthly subscription challenge from AmazonNetflix shares took a nosedive in after-hours trading on Monday afternoon when the company reported negative profits in its international streaming business after announcing a vast expansion into more than 130 countries earlier this year.The digital video firm expects to remain in the red into the second quarter, with a subsequent loss of $80m. Continue reading...

Potential partnership with SEIU sparks outcry from labor activists and New York politicians over controversial collaboration with tech startupAirbnb’s attempt to negotiate a deal with one of the most powerful unions in the US is being undermined after intense backlash in the labor movement, the Guardian has learned.The home-sharing startup has been in discussions with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to reach a deal under which the home-sharing service would promote unionized housekeepers. Continue reading...

It was always unlikely that Iran, newly back in the market, would be able to secure a deal with its big rival Saudi Arabia and others including RussiaOpec struggles to speak with a single voice these days, so it was always a wobbly assumption that the cartel of oil producers would be able to agree a deal with non-members, such as Russia, to curb output.So it has proved. The weekend talks in Doha fell apart over a single issue. Saudi Arabia wanted Iran, its big regional rival, to be included in a deal to freeze production at January levels. Iran, freshly returned to international markets after the lifting of sanctions, wasn’t interested. Its priority is revenues, at almost any oil price, and recovery of lost market share. Continue reading...

Company praised by David Cameron went into administration in February, providing a lesson in how not to manage potentialThe technology entrepreneur Dan Wagner, once one of the highest-profile entrepreneurs of the dotcom era, appeared on television on Monday discussing the future of the high street and why it is struggling to survive. Speaking on Sky News, he said: “There needs to be more of an engagement to drive people out of their homes and into those stores, and make that more compelling.”Wagner did not mention the recent demise of his own retail-linked venture, a business he had hoped would encourage this “engagement”, but instead collapsed into administration in February, having burned through £147m since 2013. Continue reading...

Dover council challenges Vigilant Global’s communications tower proposal and queries whether it would benefit rural KentA financial trading firm’s plan to make millions by building a mast higher than the Shard in rural Kent has suffered a setback after its proposals were challenged by Dover council.Vigilant Global is one of two companies hoping to build a communications mast designed to boost profits by shaving milliseconds off the time it takes to beam information to European markets. Continue reading...

After a drone hits a British Airways plane we take a look at drones being used for cooler purposesNews that a British Airways plane was hit by a drone before landing safely at Heathrow airport has once again highlighted how drones can be a nuisance and, potentially, dangerous. We all know about the military uses of drones (bomb lots of people, surveillance), and how drones can be used for nefarious purposes (theft, voyeurism), but there are actually some pretty cool uses for drones too. Continue reading...

Labour and pilots have called for action including a possible register and ‘geo-fencing’ following collision with BA planeMoves to tighten rules on drones have been promised by the government after the Labour party and pilots’ unions called for urgent action, including a possible register of drone users and “geo-fencing” of airports, after a British Airways plane was struck on its descent into Heathrow.Sunday’s incident is believed to be the first such collision between a passenger plane and a drone, after a series of near misses that led pilots to warn that a strike could be disastrous. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch said it would launch an inquiry. Continue reading...

Weaknesses within mobile phone network interconnection system allows criminals or governments to remotely snoop on anyone with a phoneHackers have again demonstrated that no matter how many security precautions someone takes, all a hacker needs to track their location and snoop on their phone calls and texts is their phone number.

In the 1850s, adulterated food was causing widespread malnutrition. Campaigners, scientists, governments and industry leaders worked together to eventually put it right. Let’s learn from this historyJude Milhon, a cyberfeminist who died in 2003, was one of the first women to witness online harassment. Writing in Wired magazine, she urged women to “toughen up”. “Whether we’re set upon by zealots or bigots or abusively correct politicos, we have to learn to defend ourselves,” she said. The year was 1995, and Jude already had 20 years of experience with harassment. In the early 1970s, she was active on Community Memory, a digital classifieds service in libraries and record shops in Berkeley, California. To reduce the abusive comments, the system charged 25 cents per post.

Last week the cinema chain AMC caused outrage when it announced it would allow phone use in its theatres. But should we be so afraid of augmenting the experience?It is a truth universally acknowledged that millennials are the worst. Here, for example, is a small selection of things millennials have been accused of ruining recently: the workplace, marriage, the economy, the American wine industry, the equestrian industry, nightclubs, the Tour de France, the world. Last week, the latest casualty of millennial machinations looked to be the cinema. On Thursday, AMC, the world’s biggest cinema chain, suggested it might start allowing phone use in cinemas because, hey, that’s what young people want.How do we know that’s what young people want? Have they been holding mobile-phone-lit vigils outside cinemas? Are junior millennials going on strike? Not exactly. Rather, Adam Aron, the 61-year-old CEO of AMC Entertainment, tells us so. In a quote that contains graphic imagery some readers may find disturbing, Aron explains: “When you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone … they hear: please cut off your left arm above the elbow.” Continue reading...

If an accidental disclosure from EA is correct, the PS4 has outsold Xbox One almost two to oneTotal sales of the Xbox One haven’t yet hit 20m, if the chief financial officer of EA is to be believed. That’s not a favourable comparison to the PS4, which has sold 35.9m according to Sony.Even though Microsoft quietly stopped telling the world total Xbox One sales in October, it seems it hasn’t been able to keep the rest of the games industry so quiet. In EA’s case, it appears it ended up spilling the beans accidentally. Continue reading...

Its concept may seem silly at first, but the latest title from prodigious indie developer Stephen Lavelle is one of the most difficult puzzle games ever madeWhen Jonathan Blow released his long-awaited adventure game The Witness in January, it attracted critical acclaim, but many reviewers warned that it contains some of the most difficult puzzles they’d ever encountered in a game.Well, Stephen’s Sausage Roll is more challenging than The Witness. Continue reading...

Retail giant makes shows such as Transparent and The Man in the High Castle available via monthly fee as well as annual payment

Comments on the website can exceed 70,000 a day. Yes, there are trolls, but there is also wit, wisdom and a community worth fighting for, says a former moderator

Latest flagship smartphone from Chinese manufacturer has premium build, excellent Leica camera, fast fingerprint scanner – but its EMUI software is not quite up to scratchHuawei’s latest flagship smartphone, the P9, goes toe-to-toe with the best of Samsung and Apple, while undercutting the lot.

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Monday. Continue reading...

Nitroplus’s heroines are on fighting form, Super Mario Bros 3 gets a fine reboot and a paint pot is the perfect fit for the new iPhoneNitro+ Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel

Institute of Directors report says computer-based teaching would prepare students for a future when work is done by robotsHigh-quality, low-cost online courses could be used to shift schools away from being “exam factories” and help students keep pace with the threat of automation, according to a new report by the Institute of Directors.The report argues that the internet allows schools to be more flexible and adapt learning towards “a future in which more and more work is taken over by robots or computers”. Continue reading...

British Airways passenger jet lands safely in London after reported midair collision

Labour leader becomes first major British politician to sign up to the messaging app in a bid to engage younger supportersJeremy Corbyn is lifting the veil on the everyday thrills of being leader of the Labour party with a newly created Snapchat account. Corbyn has become the first major British politician to sign up to the messaging app, and his first day mainly documented him grappling with town hall meetings, journalists and numerous requests for photographs from members of the public. Continue reading...

A new ‘smart mattress’ uses motion sensors to detect whether your other half is being unfaithful. It’s just one of the many ways you can now stoke your real-world insecurities onlineMost lovers only want to know the when and the who-with of a cheating partner, but now a Spanish mattress company has decided to go off the deep end when it comes to love-rat TMI.Durmet’s new £1,200 matress – the Smartress – comes with 24 motion detectors built into the springs – a “lover detection system” that is guaranteed, the makers say, to scan for “suspicious activity” and offer real-time updates, via a phone app, on anyone playing break-the-bed outside of the marriage unit. Continue reading...

Venture capital companies are pouring cash into new tech companies but there are worrying signs the boom is turning to bustStartup culture is now so embedded in our life it seems almost impossible to imagine life without it. Everyone wants a bit of that entrepreneurial magic these days. Even among the big companies, it’s in with the cereal stations, for those all-day millennial breakfasts, and out with the ties, as everyone competes for the coolest office. But there are worrying signs that all is not well in startup land.After a lengthy boom, the financing climate is starting to shift, and startups face an even harder time convincing venture capitalists to loosen the purse strings.

It’s the question facing every website that allows comments: how to curb abuse without neutering the conversationLast month, the technology news site Engadget announced it was “shutting down our comments … see you next week”. The deployment of a new comment system hadn’t worked as hoped. Continue reading...