Archive for August 2019
Google security team reveals years-long spyware attack on iPhone users
Security researchers at Google have discovered a hacking operation which installed malware on the iPhones of “thousands of users a week,” over two and a half years, according to BBC News. Cybersecurity experts are calling it the worst general security failure yet found on Apple devices, and some researchers have suggested it showed signs of a hacking […]
Offering a digital platform to manage rentals, UK startup Residently draws £7m in seed funding
The UK-based startup Residently has raised £7 million in seed funding, with a tech platform to simplify and modernize the rental process for tenants in London and New York, according to Tech Crunch. A press release from the company said they’ve earned backing from European venture capital firms including Felix Capital, LocalGlobe, and A/0 PropTech, as well […]
YouTube will tweak its UK platform to promote fewer conspiracy videos
YouTube will implement algorithm changes to its platform in the UK, reducing recommendations of conspiracy theory and junk science videos, according to Tech Crunch. YouTube chief executive Susan Wojcicki said the changes will allow quality content “more of a chance to shine” and could reduce views of “borderline content” by 50 percent. The changes were first trialed […]
Sweden issues first GDPR fine, against a high school that used facial recognition to check attendance
A Swedish municipality has been fined for trialing facial recognition in a high school to track student attendance, in Sweden’s first fine under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) data privacy rules, according to BBC News. The Skelleftea municipality in northern Sweden was fined 200,000 Swedish Krona, or about £16,800, for violating privacy laws. The […]
Facebook has won an appeal against a German agency’s restrictions on data collection
A regional court in Germany has ruled in favor of Facebook’s appeal against a February order by the nation’s antitrust watchdog, preventing the social media giant from combining user data collected from its various platforms, which include Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. An order from the Federal Cartel Office (FCO) in February had accused Facebook of abusing […]
In a world first, a solar farm is directly powering a UK railway
A UK rail line is now the first in the world to be powered directly by a solar farm, after a trackside 30 kilowatt installation went online Friday near Aldershot, powering signals and lights on Network Rail’s Wessex route, according to The Guardian. If the pilot program is successful, a larger solar farm could be built to […]
Berlin-based hospitality startup Cosi raises €5 million in pre-launch seed funding
The new Berlin-based hospitality startup Cosi has raised €5 million in pre-launch seed funding, drawing participation from big names in world of travel, real estate, and hospitality. The company aims to compete with boutique hotels by offering uniquely designed apartments for short-term stays and a streamlined digital service to facilitate the guest experience. Cosi’s CEO, […]
Facebook unveils ‘Clear History’ feature, giving users more control over data
Facebook is rolling out a “Clear History” feature that will allow users to disconnect their accounts from data collected from third-party websites and apps, according to The Verge. The move comes following several delays, more than a year after CEO Mark Zuckerberg first announced plans for the feature at Facebook’s 2018 developer conference, in the wake […]
Three and EE dispute advert claim as 5G competition escalates
UK telecom operator EE has filed a complaint against rival company Three, over its 5G advertising campaign claiming “If it’s not Three, it’s not real 5G,” according to The Guardian. The dispute comes after Three switched on a portion of its 5G network in London, and as more UK telecom companies begin to compete over the next […]
Already lagging in tech, Germany’s central bank warns of looming recession
Germany’s central bank has warned that a recession is likely, thanks to a dip in exports and industrial production that has led the economy to shrink for a second quarter in a row, according to the Financial Times. The downturn threatens an already lagging technology sector in the world’s fourth largest economy. Authorities are considering options to […]