New study reveals the extent of teenage smartphone use
A recent report from Common Sense Media has found that, on average, half of 11 to 17-year-olds get at least 237 notifications a day, raising concerns that this is affecting the cognitive ability, attention span, and memory of their still-developing brains. It’s no secret that young people are addicted to...
Current in Tech
Broken achievements & trophies should not still be a thing
For the ‘completionists’ among us gamers, there’s nothing more frustrating than fulfilling the requirements for a trophy or achievement and seeing it remain locked. Though rarely talked about, this is a significant point of tension between consumers and studios. Picture this, you’ve just completed an entire playthrough of a game...
Gene therapy successfully curbs alcoholism in study
Gene therapy has shown promising results in treating a variety of diseases from cancer to HIV. Now, the same technology is being investigated as a potential treatment for alcohol addiction. Gene therapy has changed the medical field in countless ways, transforming how patients are diagnosed and treated for a wide...
Could a NYT lawsuit threaten the future of generative AI?
The New York Times recently updated its terms of service to prohibit AI companies from scraping its articles and images. OpenAI, meanwhile, has allegedly continued to exploit the newspaper’s content igniting reports of a potentially industry-altering lawsuit. The grossly unregulated world of AI could soon be shaken up drastically, if...
UK grooming cases reach record highs amid online safety law delay
Amid the butting of heads between UK ministers and tech firms over end-to-end encryption, instances of child grooming have reached record highs in 2023. The ongoing impasse over end-to-end encryption is having severe consequences in the UK. In order to appease app users, an increasing number of tech firms are offering...
Young people are using TikTok to organise flashmob looting
Last week, chaos erupted on one of central London’s most popular shopping streets. Large groups of young people gathered together to loot shops in an event organised and promoted in viral videos on TikTok. While viral social media content has frequently resulted in positive collective action amongst the public,...
How ‘algospeak’ aids sensitive social media discussion
With life online increasingly controlled by overzealous censorship policies, users have begun inventing code words to dodge strict moderations on platforms like TikTok. Though you may not be familiar with the phrase ‘algospeak,’ what you’re likely to have come across is the slew of code words Internet users have been adopting to bypass content moderation filters on major platforms. For the unacquainted, ‘spicy eggplant’ rather than vibrator, ‘seggs’ rather than...
Xbox introduces strict ‘strike’ system to prevent online abuse
Microsoft’s latest effort to curtail online abuse on Xbox will involve a new ‘strike’ system which may see offending players suspended for up to a year. The tired misconception that the gaming community is toxic has largely been dispelled, but there’s always room for improvement. The latest in a slew of efforts to curb harassment, bullying, and hate speech has seen Microsoft introduce a new ‘strike’ system for Xbox, which...
Soil home to more than half of the Earth’s species
According to a new study, 90 per cent of fungi, 85 per cent of plants, over 50 per cent of bacteria, and 59 per cent of life overall dwells in this ecosystem – double what many previously thought. A recent analysis has found that soil – the top layer of the Earth’s crust that’s composed of a mixture of water, gases, minerals, and organic matter – is home to more...
Biden greenlights $1.2 billion for two carbon-capture tech firms
The Biden administration has announced a tremendous investment into regional hubs that use technology to suck carbon out of the atmosphere and store it. Why are most scientists and environmentalists already calling it a failed plan? Carbon capture, storage, and removal are processes that have been carried out by forests, oceans, and wild animals for millions of years. Their natural services were enough to keep our planet in a...
