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...
Current in Tech
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...
Netflix eyes game development to expand its community
Netflix is expanding its service to feature video games and has on-boarded EA and Facebook executives to head up game development. Will this strengthen the belief that subscriptions are the future of the industry? Between binging an endless library of films, tacky reality shows, satirical cartoons, and high-brow TV dramas, it’s...
Health AI ‘iAge’ predicts when our immune systems will fail
Health AI is now reportedly capable of predicting the year each of our immune systems will inevitably falter, and whether or not people are likely to develop cardiovascular problems later in life. Remember those old school apocalyptic websites that used to show live countdowns to our random death dates, usually...
Can chemical upcycling solve the plastic waste crisis?
Scientists have discovered a way to transform plastic bottles into vanillin, the compound which gives vanilla its aroma and taste. Is it an innovative solution to plastic pollution, or just a headline-grabbing experiment? I’m sure you’ve heard about plenty of innovative recycling techniques, from tasteful art displays to quirky...
Could algorithms alter the way we find new musical talent?
Over 25 million creators now use SoundCloud. With so much music available, are algorithms the solution to finding the next pop sensation? Algorithms are now accepted as an integral part of the digital world. They determine what pops up on our social media feeds, allocate tailored advertisements, and are useful in...
Gen Z are applying to jobs through ‘TikTok Resumes’
In its latest effort to connect brands and creators, TikTok is piloting a new job recruitment feature called ‘TikTok Resumes.’ Applications are about to get a whole lot more creative. If you’ve been looking for a way to get creative within job applications – beyond turning your skills into arbitrary percentages and pie charts on your CV – TikTok may hold the answers for you. On a relentless rise over the...
Pinterest just banned all weight loss ads
The image-sharing service has become the first major social media platform to prohibit any language and imagery that denigrates – or idealises – a certain body type. If, like me, you’re tired of being bombarded with dubious body-shaming ads while scrolling through social media, you’ll be happy to hear that Pinterest just became the first ever major platform to ban any language and imagery associated with weight loss, including ads...
YouTube’s ‘recommendations’ still pushing harmful videos
YouTube’s recommendation algorithm is reportedly guilty of sharing videos featuring misinformation, violence, hate speech, and other content in violation of its own policies. With more than 2 billion monthly visitors, and a billion hours of content viewed every day, YouTube remains the undisputed mecca of long form video content in 2021. Outside of binging our favourite channels on loop, many of us lurch from video to video via the platform’s recommended...
New tool created for teens to report leaked nudes online
The charity Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has launched a tool for under-18s who are concerned their intimate photos will be shared online. Content can be reported and prevented from being reuploaded. Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has created a tool designed to give children new powers to prevent their private or explicit content from being shared online. By using the ‘Report Remove’ feature on the Childline website, young people can flag content...
