Month: December 2021
Online utopianism
A popular view of the new online world that was beginning to emerge on the internet in its early years was that of a Utopian world, free from the influence of those in power – governments and big business interests. In 1996 John Perry Barlow, an early internet advocate and founding member of the Electronic
Private use of personal data
User agreements allow the free use of data and users have agreed to terms and conditions when signing up for social media services; users shouldn’t use such services if they have a problem with that. Social networking users are able to utilise the many benefits of social media services for the price of their data,
Environmental Factors on global fertility rates
As birthrates hit historic lows around the world, alongside well-reported economic and social issues, there are increasing concerns about what is impacting human fertility. Factors such as air pollution from burning fossil fuels could play a significant role in the declining fertility levels seen in the modern era. The declining birth rate has been attributed
TikTok “Kitchen” Service
TikTok is planning to launch a service to deliver food that has gone viral on its app. The video app is partnering with company Virtual Dining Concepts to create the meals for customers across the United States. The menu will be based on the app’s most viral food trends, such as baked feta pasta, and
Amazon Web Services outage
Users of PSN, Xbox Live, Twitch – which is owned by Amazon – and more all also reported issues. An Amazon Web Services outage took down some of the largest websites in the internet, including Doordash, Hulu, Zoom, Slack, and more. As the service is relied on by so many companies, when a problem occurs
which bitcoin rivals to look out for in 2022
Bitcoin saw a record-breaking 2021 but experts predict 2022 could see other cryptocurrencies surge .Bitcoin has enjoyed a record-breaking year in 2021, but experts predict next year could see some of its rivals surge in popularity and price – and possibly even overtake it. With the leading figures within the crypto space discussed recent market
Meta: Hackers for Hire and Affected Groups
Nearly 50,000 people across 100 countries have had their Facebook and Instagram accounts compromised by seven “surveillance-for-hire” groups. The groups aimed to collect intelligence, manipulate users into revealing information, and compromise their devices, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said. There are three phases the groups go through to collect information ; The
Meta: surveillance-for-hire firms banned
Facebook is already taking legal action against the owners of Pegasus NSO Group over the alleged spreading of software via WhatsApp. Meta says it has banned seven surveillance companies for targeting users on its platforms. It accused surveillance firms of actions like creating fake accounts, befriending targets and using hacking methods to harvest information. Users
Russia: Western Media Censorship
Pressure on social media companies dates back to 2015, when a law came into force obliging them to store the personal data of Russian users on Russian territory and giving the government the power to fine them, or close them down, for not doing so. None of the Western companies have complied, which led to
DJI Drone Maker Sanctioned
It has been alleged that DJI’s drone technology has been used for the surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in China. The US has imposed more restrictions on Chinese drone-maker DJI and seven other Chinese companies. However the ban is largely symbolic as DJI is not a publicly-traded company. Telecoms giant Huawei remains on a US trade