US politicians call on gaming companies to axe coercive spending
Building on legislation outlined by the UK, US Congress members are calling for developers to better protect young people from ‘predatory’ game mechanics like loot boxes. In 2021, gaming is all about value for money. Subscription services like Games Pass, PlayStation Now, and EA Play are popping with hundreds of...
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Athletes on TikTok are switching up the Olympic perspective
Virtual tours of the Olympic Village, cardboard beds, crushes on competitors, and daily coronavirus testing are all new elements of this year’s spectator experience. Qualifying for the Olympics is a level of achievement any professional athlete dreams of. So, when we think about the qualities of those competing, which words come...
Could a new Bitcoin tax stifle blockchain’s greener future?
As lawmakers debate bringing in new tax requirements for cryptocurrency, greener forms of blockchain tech look set to suffer the most significant blow. As cryptocurrency becomes progressively more mainstream, it’s no surprise that lawmakers are lobbying for new tax systems. The White House hopes to bring in new framework to offset...
Facebook accused of using ‘privacy concerns’ to avoid data transparency
Back again with yet another story concerning data privacy and Facebook. But, there’s a twist this time around – Facebook is on the offensive.
General public opinion of Facebook has all but fallen off a cliff in recent years.
Following the blunder of Cambridge Analytica, we’ve heard endless stories of
You decide – should social media require a verified ID?
Celebrities, footballers, and many others have faced routine abuse on social media for years. Could verified identification be a solution to hold attackers accountable? In September last year, an online petition was started by UK celebrity Katie Price to make verified ID a requirement for opening a social media...
Twitter India concedes to Modi’s problematic digital media law
Twitter joins Facebook and YouTube as the latest digital platform complicit in India’s problematic digital media law. Is it a matter of time before the whole of Silicon Valley caves to legal pressure? Digital democracy is fast dying out within India’s borders, as social media companies cave at the prospect...
Magnetic device shrinks tumour without radiation or chemotherapy
Researchers have developed a device reportedly capable of shrinking deadly brain tumours without radiation or chemotherapy. Could this be the neurological breakthrough of the decade? When it comes to developing and testing new healthcare technology, there is no organ more complex and challenging than the human brain. There’s a reason brain surgery is often mentioned alongside rocket science. The brain remains one of the biggest medical mysteries of the 21st century...
First human flight for Bezos’ Blue Origin a success
Jeff Bezos was on board the first human flight for his space company Blue Origin today, which reached higher altitudes than Richard Branson’s efforts just last week. I wonder if CEO entrepreneur Jeff Bezos ever envisioned himself being launched into the heavens via a rocket built by his own private company when he founded Amazon all those years ago. That’s exactly what happened today, though, as Blue Origin launched its...
Forged vaccine passports threaten the future of international travel
As international tourism begins to open up once again, forged vaccine passports sold on the dark web threaten further Covid outbreaks. Would you believe it’s been 18 months since global air travel was restricted? No wonder people are desperate to jet off for the remainder of the summer. After the initial chaos caused by Covid in 2020, the world is finally working out the kinks of living with the virus. Beyond the...
Pegasus spyware sold to governments to target activists and lawyers
The private data of human rights activists, journalists, and lawyers is reportedly under threat globally. Leaked records suggest as many as 1,000 have been targeted by phone malware sold to governments by an Israeli surveillance firm. Stories of big tech companies and anti-democratic governments butting heads have become common over the last few years. However, if new reports are to be believed, the whole data war may have taken its...
