Today’s Tech Sightings:
FILE – Jim Kaplan, of Weston, Mass., has his iris scanned at Logan Airport in Boston. (AP)
Singapore to Record Iris Scans of Citizens
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs said the country will begin collecting iris scans of citizens and permanent residents beginning January 1. A ministry statement said the goal is to improve efficiency for immigration procedures and registration and renewal of identity cards and passports. The iris images will be an additional identifier, along with photographs and fingerprints.
Facebook False Alarm Triggers Safety Check in Thailand
Facebook’s Safety Check feature, intended to let users in dangerous regions notify loved ones that they are safe, triggered a false alarm in Bangkok, Thailand following news of an explosion in the capital. There was no explosion, and the reference appears to have resulted from a fake news story and questionable sourcing. A few days ago, another fake story triggered a Twitter confrontation between nuclear states Israel and Pakistan. The story claimed Israel’s former defense minister threatened to launch a nuclear attack against Pakistan if it sends troops to Syria.
14 Eyebrow-raising Things Google Knows About You
Whether you know it or not, Google collects all sorts of information and images about its users. And according to writer JR Raphael, that compilation also includes stats that define user habits as they search the internet. “It really is enlightening,” he wrote, to “see your actions broken down so precisely.” Fortunately, Google’s two-factor authentication security system can help prevent this data from falling into the wrong hands.
More:
- Sundar Pichai to Inspire Future During India Visit
- Millions of Websites Vulnerable Due to Security Bug in Popular PHP Script
- The State of Smart City Technologies in 2016 and Beyond
- 2017: More Apple Security Flaws, Cyberattacks, Hacktivisim
- 11 Technologies to Watch in 2017
- Smartphones in 2017: What’s in the Pipeline?
- How to Prevent Ads From Following You Online
- Will Robots Replace Human Miners?
- Should an Amazon Echo Help Solve a Murder?
