Today’s Tech Sightings: Evernote ‘Privacy’ Policy Update Allows Employees to Read Your Notes If you are using the Evernote app to take notes, you might want to reconsider. Evernote’s latest update to its “privacy” policy lets some of the company’s employees read your notes in the interest of improving machine learning. It bears mentioning that […]
Evernote Takes Liberties With User Data; Drone Deliveries Makes History
Ransomware Gets Bolder as Bigger Players Join the Game
Ransomware attacks are becoming more brazen if the November 25 assault on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) is any indication. And cybersecurity experts project a surge in these types of digital assault as new players get into the act. “Unfortunately, this is a trend,” said Comodo Senior Research Scientist, Kenneth Geers. “And it works.” […]
Google Hacked; Trump Mobile Alerts Are Coming to Your Phone
Today’s Tech Sightings: At Least 1 Million Google Accounts Breached by Gooligan Android Malware An Android-based malware dubbed Gooligan has compromised up to one million Google accounts. Researchers from security firm Check Point Software Technologies found the strain in at least 86 apps available in third-party marketplaces. When the apps are installed, they gain high-level access to […]
Stephen Hawking Warns of AI Risks; India Suffers Massive Cyberattack
Today’s Tech Sightings: Stephen Hawking: AI Could Be ‘Worst Thing to Happen to Humanity’ Renowned physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking again warned against the dangers of advancements in artificial intelligence. Speaking at the launch of The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (CFI) in Cambridge, England, Hawking said more advanced AI could lead to […]
UK Snooping on Citizens for Years; Bill Gates, Tim Cook for VP?
Today’s Tech Sightings: UK Spies Have Been Snooping on Citizens Since 1998 Britain’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal found that intelligence agencies have been running bulk data-collection programs for the last 17 years, in violation of EU privacy protections in many cases. Web traffic, location and device data, biographies, and financial activities were all collected for years […]
Google Search Points Out US Election Polls; Twitter Bot Tracks Dictators
Today’s Tech Sightings: Google Now Will Tell You Where You Can Vote in US Election The clock is ticking ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November, and Google is offering to point you in the direction of the nearest polling station. Starting Thursday, searching in English or Spanish for “where to vote” will yield […]
New Group Tackles AI Fears; ‘Brain Chips’ Herald New Computing Era
Today’s Tech Sightings: Five Tech Giants Team Up to Pacify AI Fears The rapidly-evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) has raised concern either because of fears that robots will take over jobs or because of uncertainty about ethics and best practices, among other issues. The new nonprofit alliance includes Facebook, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM, […]
Researcher Honored for India TB Tracking; Yahoo’s Massive Data Breach
Today’s Tech Sightings: Microsoft Researcher Behind TB Treatment-monitoring Program Wins ‘Genius’ Grant Microsoft’s Bill Thies, who works on communications programs in developing countries, will receive the “genius” grant, awarded by the MacArthur Foundation. Thies’ work on India’s 99DOTS program provides a low-cost way for people to receive monitored tuberculosis treatment. Using their cell phones, patients can […]
Goodbye, iPhone Headphone Jack; Ireland Backs Apple Against EU Fine
Today’s Tech Sightings: Eulogy for the iPhone Headphone Jack Twitter burst into a flurry of activity Wednesday when Apple declared the death of the iPhone headphone jack at its iPhone 7 event in San Francisco. The tech giant replaced the jack with wireless earbuds, outfitted with their own communications chip. Apple described the move to […]