A look at the explosion of gaming across Africa
The African gaming market has been experiencing unprecedented growth over the past decade, rapidly approaching $1 billion in annual revenue. This remarkable rise reflects the continent's evolving digital landscape, where young people are tapping into gaming not just as a form of entertainment but also as a source of...
Current in Tech
Facebook algorithm under fire for blocking wildfire posts
The platform has faced criticism for blocking multiple emergency posts relating to United States wildfires. Facebook has recently found itself in the line of fire – and not for spreading misinformation or political propaganda, but for blocking emergency warnings. As wildfires spread across Northern California this month, individuals took to social...
Has the PlayStation 5 Pro made the future of gaming inaccessible?
Retailing for an eye-watering £700 at launch, the PlayStation 5 Pro has fans of console gaming concerned that next gen hardware will completely price us out. Has the market just been ruined? How do you appease lifelong PlayStation fans becoming disillusioned by a lack of exciting new IPs and exclusives?...
Cognify wants AI-simulated memories to help rehabilitate prisoners
Hashem Al-Ghaili, a Berlin-based scientist and filmmaker, envisions a future where prisoners are rehabilitated using implanted synthetic memories created by AI. His MO is to instil a sense of empathy and cut lengthy sentences from years to a matter of minutes. Having cut his teeth in the realm of independent...
Is accessible news making Gen Z narrow-minded?
With young people getting most of their news from social media, their political interests are being swayed by algorithms and a limited exposure to diverse perspectives. In recent years, the number of people for whom social media is their go-to news source has soared, with 44 per cent of...
Are social media algorithms breeding misogyny and violence?
Amid mounting evidence to suggest that men and boys are being pushed violent and misogynistic content online – without deliberately searching for or engaging with it – many fear that this unregulated far-right radicalisation is increasingly turning them against women and girls. On Monday, BBC Panorama released a new documentary. Titled...
Why did TikTok ‘make’ you buy it?
Social media is no longer a place we go to connect with others. It’s a place where we go to learn, laugh, and most of all – to be marketed to. Let’s face it. TikTok is fueling overconsumption. Upon opening the app, users are ushered into a digital marketplace from anywhere, whether that be our bed, on public transport, or even (sorry boss) when bored at work. In just a few...
The Pokémon Sleep app hits one million users in Japan
The gamified sleeping tracker is helping incentivize people all over the world to get more shut-eye. One million of these users are now based in Japan. Getting enough sleep is important, but few of us actually get the number of hours we need. No worries though, there’s an app for everything these days. The global sleep app market is expected to reach a value of $2,755.2 million by the end...
What will Amazon drone delivery look like?
The online retailer has been given the green light to test-fly delivery drones across the UK. But what does this mean for the future of online shopping? Amazon’s hopes to dominate the world of e-commerce have taken a significant step forward after UK regulators granted the company approval to begin testing delivery drones. For a company built on the concept of fast and efficient deliveries, the move is an exciting leap...
Melting Arctic ice spells opportunity for Far North Fiber’s internet project
While Arctic ice may fully melt by 2040, Far North Fiber views this as a door to install internet cables in the region; capitalizing on the climate disaster and the global surge in internet usage. Navigating daily life without encountering the internet is challenging. From smartphones to digital billboards, the digital realm pervades every aspect of our lives. With its usage surging during the pandemic, just over 5 billion globally...
