Instagram’s new tool allows users to block weight loss ads
The option for Instagram users to customise their targeted ads was introduced in early June, with a ‘body weight control’ category only added this week. Is this enough to stifle the toxic culture that festers within the appearance-obsessed platform? Amidst the rise of body positive values in marketing tactics and...
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Electric planes may be closer to reality than we thought
Determined to ensure that the world’s emission-free future can take flight, a Swedish start-up is in the midst of putting a battery-powered 30-seat passenger aircraft into service by 2028. Unless you’re a member of the Kardashian family, you’ll be well aware that flying is terrible for the environment. In fact, although...
Why are all AI assistants feminised?
Ever wondered why Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant all answer our beck and call in sweet dulcet tones? The female gendering of AI technology is pervasive and largely unquestioned – but does it enforce damaging stereotypes? Rather disconcertingly, AI assistants are now an omnipotent presence in day-to-day life. Whether you...
Misinformation about psychedelic therapy threatens its future
Ever since hallucinogenic drugs started being reconsidered as a potential treatment for mental illness, hype surrounding their integration into modern medicine has been rife. A new paper argues that this excitement could send us back to square one. For the last two years, I’ve written extensively about hallucinogenic drugs....
GTA VI leaks show gaming companies need to improve security
In what’s being described as the biggest game leak of all time, stolen pre-alpha footage of Grand Theft Auto VI totalling 50 minutes was posted online over the weekend. Will this prompt game developers and publishers to finally improve their security measures? Considering Grand Theft Auto VI realistically won’t be...
Activision pulls Call of Duty content over art theft claim
A new cosmetic skin for Call of Duty has been pulled after an independent artist complained that their work had been stolen and repurposed. This isn’t the first time a multi-billionaire corporation has taken assets from creators without permission. Popular first-person shooter franchise Call of Duty has come under fire...
Ethereum crypto moves to cut its CO2 output by 99%
Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency, has finally moved to a ‘proof of stake’ system. This means the carbon emissions associated with mining its coins could be cut by 99%. While environmentalists are staunchly anti-crypto at the moment, Ethereum has shown that the industry can shed its problematic link to fossil fuels. The second largest cryptocurrency globally has just completed a software upgrade it’s calling ‘the merge.’ This will drastically alter the...
Scientists have found a way to turn plastic into diamonds
By recreating the extreme conditions of exoplanets, a team of researchers have successfully managed to produce nanodiamonds from PET plastic. As the climate disaster worsens, our need for technological solutions becomes more urgent. Over the last decade, research into climate innovation has produced a mixed bag of results despite the mounting pressure. Some ideas have gained traction and are genuinely viable, while others have proven to be...
Co-Op faces legal issues over facial recognition technology
The Big Brother Watch is accusing shopping chain Co-Op of misusing facial recognition technology in ‘Orwellian’ policy that matches shoppers against a database without their consent. Are you a frequent Co-Op shopper? It’s likely you’ve been inputted into a database via facial recognition technology. Big Brother Watch has sent an official complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office concerning biometric surveillance technology which is currently in use at 35 Co-Op stores. ...
Opinion – Andrew Tate exemplifies a growing surge in right-wing rhetoric
The influencer’s brand of hyper-toxic masculinity has fostered a cult of violent sexism online. With young men most easily swayed by his disturbing ideologies, Tate’s permanent removal from social media should only be the start of confronting what is a much wider issue. When I first came across Andrew Tate his ramblings were so outrageous and flagrantly misogynistic that I was certain they were a joke. It wasn’t long, however, before...
