Tech Sightings today:
Google Pushed to Extend ‘Forgotten’ Requests to US
After two days of meetings, EU data protection chiefs drafted rules that now require Google to extend the right to be forgotten beyond Europe to the United States to allow U.S. residents to submit privacy requests to Google if they are unhappy with their digital trail.
Top Male Engineers at Google Make Nearly 20% More Than Female Peers
It is no secret that the tech industry suffers from a significant shortage of women and minority professionals and leaders. But now, a survey by Glassdoor, a jobs and careers website, suggests that many of Silicon Valley’s male professionals earn thousands of dollars more than their female counterparts – up to 19 percent more in some cases.
FTC: Sony Lied About How Innovative PS Vita Is
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says Sony promised “game-changing” features in its PS Vita gaming console that didn’t live up to the hype. The FTC also filed a complaint against Sony’s advertising agency for asking employees to use their personal Twitter accounts to promote the console without disclosing their connection to the advertisers.
‘Elegant’ Regin Malware Linked to Brits, NSA
Regin, a backdoor type of spyware in use in a number of countries since 2008, is being compared to the infamous Stuxnet, which hit Iran’s nuclear networks, in its sophistication and elegance. Cybersecurity firm Symantec, which uncovered the malware, says producing Regin requires massive resources only governments can provide. And some reports suggest the spyware has been used by British Intelligence and the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA.)
Microsoft to Pay China $140 million for ‘Tax Evasion’
While reporting the news, China’s official news agency, Xinhua, said one of the world’s largest 500 companies, which was established in Beijing in 1995 and whose name starts with an “M,” has to pay Beijing up to $137 million in back taxes and interest, not to mention millions more in additional annual taxes in the future.
ISS 3-D Printer Creates First Object in Space
It may not be the most exciting creation, but the International Space Station’s first 3-D-printed object – a faceplate of the printer extruder casing – is the first step toward creating replacement parts in space.
