TikTok launches slew of safety features including For You filtering
TikTok is rolling out a slew of new safety features, including ‘maturity’ ratings on videos for young users, an algorithm that prevents bulk viewing of problematic content, and the ability to filter in the For You page using words or hashtags. Tuning your algorithm on TikTok can require a ton...
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AI is being taught to monitor coral reef health through its ‘songs’
Who’s making the hardest beats under the sea these days? We’ll soon find out, because British scientists have trained AI to track the sounds of coral reefs to monitor their health. It’s not all Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo narratives down there, but regardless, the ocean is a noisy place...
Report: Gen Z are becoming default ‘tech support’ in their offices
A recent survey on office habits found that Gen Z employees spend on average eight hours a week providing unofficial tech support. The ‘Digital Natives’ are said to be becoming increasingly frustrated at having to pick up the slack. Technology struggles are a universal problem in offices across the globe,...
Apps and advertisers are officially coming for our lock screens
It’s only a matter of time until our lock screens become the next hottest real estate in tech. Advertisers are upping the ante with rollout in the coming months, according to reports. Have you ever sat peacefully with your phone locked beside you wishing it would, of its old accord,...
Cryptocurrency scams on course for record numbers in 2022
In a year that has been anything but stable for crypto, more than $1bn has been scammed from digital traders. This puts 2022 on course for a worrying record, according to the FTC. Enthusiasts are finding it harder by the day to defend the integrity of decentralised financial platforms. The blockchain...
Love drugs could soon be a reality
An Oxford University academic has suggested that a new substance to help failing relationships could become commercially available in the next three to five years. Imagine a world where, rather than working on our relationships the old-fashioned way, we just pop a pill and the spark is reignited (at least...
Scientists discover the largest known bacteria on record
Measuring roughly the length of an eyelash, Thiomargarita magnifica is 50 times larger than any bacteria we’ve previously discovered. This challenges long held basics about our understanding of bacterial cells. Germaphobes, get ready to squirm. ‘We’re going to need a bigger dish.’ Government scientists have discovered the first form of bacteria that is instantly visible to the naked eye, as reported in the journal Science. Resembling white filaments around a centimetre...
Facebook removing some posts offering abortion pills
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to strip away constitutional protections for abortion, the platform is temporarily banning users who share status updates explaining how to legally obtain abortion pills in the mail. After months of speculation, the US Supreme Court has overturned Roe V Wade, the integral ruling from 1973 that gave women the constitutional right to have an abortion up to 24 weeks. Though the decision was not a surprise...
UK government announces plan to drive space sustainability
The UK has just unveiled a raft of new measures to ensure the sustainable use of space in the years ahead. Already a leader of green initiatives on Earth, the nation is now looking to lead into the great beyond. Speaking at the Space Sustainability Summit, UK science minister George Freeman has just outlined the government’s plan of action to protect the ecological integrity of space in the years ahead. Having...
The continued threat of ‘swatting’ in 2022
Within streaming and gaming ‘swatting’ is largely regarded as the ultimate hoax. Since the infamous 2017 case of Tyler Barris, US states have attempted to stamp out the practice for good – though instances are still occurring in 2022. The gaming community can feel pretty toxic at times. If you’ve played competitive multiplayer games for any significant period of time, you’ll almost certainly have received threatening messages from disgruntled opponents. The levels...
