Some members of the international games development community are staying away from the Game Developers Conference (GDC), set to take place in March, because of the political climate in the U.S. @Aftermath's Luke Plunkett spoke to nine past attendees about exactly why they've decided to give it a miss: Concerns for their personal safety, as well as a desire not to support anything taking place in the U.S.

https://flip.it/dHAR1X

#Technology #Tech #GDC #GameDevelopersConference #VideoGames #TrumpAdministration

As the world marks Holocaust Remembrance Day, experts say that social networks are being overrun with AI-generated content about the Holocaust, some of it exploiting the horrors of Nazi crimes for clickbait, some seeking to deny or trivialize them. Jens-Christian Wagner, director of the foundation that manages the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora memorials, points to images of "well-fed prisoners, meant to suggest that conditions in concentration camps weren't really that bad." Here's more from AFP News.

https://flip.it/KCpoPk

#Technology #Tech #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #HolocaustRemembranceDay

Google agreed to pay $68 million to settle a lawsuit claiming that its voice-activated assistant spied inappropriately on smartphone users, violating their privacy

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/google-settles-google-assistant-privacy-lawsuit-68-million-2026-01-26/

#Google #privacy #surveillance #enshittification #dystopia #technology #Apple

Lawsuit Claims Meta Can See WhatsApp Chats in Breach of Privacy

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lawsuit-claims-meta-see-whatsapp-013745124.html

#security #privacy #tech #technology #news #technews

This is probably fine, right? @ProPublica reports on how Trump's transportation department plans to use Google Gemini to draft regulations. The agency's remit includes practically all transportation safety. "We don’t need the perfect rule on XYZ. We don’t even need a very good rule on XYZ," said Department of Transportation general counsel Gregory Zerzan in a meeting. "We want good enough."

https://flip.it/REZvNN

#Technology #Tech #USGovernment #TrumpAdministration #Transportation

U.S. TikTok users have been experiencing issues all weekend, with new owners claiming glitches were down to a "power outage at a U.S. data center." Here's more from @BBCNews.

https://flip.it/VJLes7

#Tech #Technology #TikTok #Apps

More countries are considering social media bans for children.

@AssociatedPress reports on the latest efforts in France: https://flip.it/saXWZ1

And Egypt: https://flip.it/1R73m2

#SocialMedia #Tech #Children #Technology

Folks, our very own @gerrymcgovern has his new book, 99th Day: A Warning About Technology, coming out next Monday.

https://gerrymcgovern.com/books/99th-day/

“99th Day is essential reading for anyone who cares about our planet. Prepare to be disturbed, enlightened and inspired.” – Justine McCarthy, The Irish Times

And, if you’re in Ireland, Gerry has a book tour in February. If I’m in the country, I’ll be at the Dublin event on the 9th. Hope to see some of you there :)

https://gerrymcgovern.com/tour/

💕

#99thDay #books #environment #climateChange #capitalism #technology #BigTech #technoSolutionism #fascism #ireland

Did Edison accidentally make graphene in 1879?

Rice University chemists replicated Thomas Edison’s seminal experiment and found a surprising byproduct.

by Jennifer Ouellette

https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/01/did-edison-accidentally-make-graphene-in-1879/

Thomas Edison at PG:
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/3325

#books #science #technology

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Edison carbon filament lamps, early 1880s. There are four glass bulbs mounted upright on a base, each with slightly different shapes and proportions.The bulbs have: Rounded, bulbous glass envelopes, some more spherical than others Visible carbon filaments inside (thin, looped or arched) Darkened glass near the tops, likely from carbon deposits caused by early filament evaporation Primitive bases and sockets

Microsoft handed the government encryption keys for customer data

https://www.theverge.com/news/867244/microsoft-bitlocker-privacy-fbi

#tech #technology #security #cybersecurity #privacy #Microsoft #FBI #bitlocker

Lawsuit claims Meta can see WhatsApp chats in breach of privacy

The group, which includes plaintiffs from Australia, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa, alleges that Meta stores the substance of users’ communications and that workers can get access to them.

https://www.theedgesingapore.com/news/tech/lawsuit-claims-meta-can-see-whatsapp-chats-breach-privacy

#Meta #WhatsApp #Facebook #messaging #privacy #surveillance #encryption #technology #socialmedia #software

TikTok users in the U.S. have grown worried (to put it gently) over the company’s updated privacy policy. @Techcrunch tells us what the update really means:

https://flip.it/BQaEQm

#Tech #TikTok #SocialMedia #Privacy #Technology

Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95

She navigated segregation to become an esteemed mathematician — and today, her work helps billions of people navigate the world.

By Bill Chappell

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685027/gladys-west-gps-mathematician

#science #technology #womeninstem

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Air Force Space Command Vice Commander Lt. Gen. DT Thompson delivers presents Dr. Gladys West with an award as she is inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame during a ceremony in her honor at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Dec. 6, 2018. West was among the so-called "Hidden Figures" part of the team who did computing for the U.S. military in the era before electronic systems. The Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame is one of Air Force's Space Commands Highest Honors.(Photo by Adrian Cadiz) The image shows Lt. Gen. DT Thompson, Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command, presenting Dr. West with her award. Dr. West appears dignified and elegant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System#/media/File:181206-F-DT527-136.jpg

Microsoft confirms it will give the FBI your Windows PC data encryption key if asked — you can thank Windows 11's forced online accounts for that

Windows 11's online Microsoft Account requirement means your PC is automatically backing up its data encryption key to the cloud, and Microsoft says it will hand those over to the FBI if asked.

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/microsoft-bitlocker-encryption-keys-give-fbi-legal-order-privacy-nightmare

#Microsoft #Windows11 #privacy #surveillance #enshittification #encryption #technology #software #dystopia

TikTok's transition to U.S. ownership involves collecting even more data about its users, including precise location and AI interactions. It's also likely that the new privacy policy will lead to you seeing more targeted ads. Here's the lowdown from @WIRED.

https://flip.it/TNynho

#Technology #Tech #TikTok #SocialMedia #Privacy #Data

Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw

The tech giant said it receives around 20 requests for BitLocker keys a year and will provide them to governments in response to valid court orders.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/01/22/microsoft-gave-fbi-keys-to-unlock-bitlocker-encrypted-data/

#Microsoft #Bitlocker #privacy #security #datasecurity #surveillance #dataleak #encryption #technology

The storylines are trite and the acting is even worse, but 60-second “microdramas” are making billions of dollars a year. Read more from @Techcrunch:

https://flip.it/r9VQP8

#Tech #Technology #Entertainment #TikTok #Microdrama

Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw

The tech giant said it receives around 20 requests for BitLocker keys a year and will provide them to governments in response to valid court orders. But companies like Apple and Meta set up their systems so such a privacy violation isn’t possible.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2026/01/22/microsoft-gave-fbi-keys-to-unlock-bitlocker-encrypted-data/

#tech #technology #news #technews #security #privacy #microsoft

The White House seems to have admitted that it digitally altered an image of a Minnesota protester's arrest so it looks like she was crying. When @Independent asked representatives from the Trump administration about an image of Nekima Levy Armstrong, who was arrested for organizing an anti-ICE protest at a church they were directed to a tweet from Kaelan Dorr, the White House deputy communications director. He shared the altered picture and wrote: “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

https://flip.it/zS3C_s

#Technology #Tech #PhotoEditing #TrumpAdministration #WhiteHouse

Blue Origin is looking at late February for the third launch of its New Glenn mega-rocket. But it won’t be heading to the moon, as the company had previously hinted. Read more from @Techcrunch:

https://flip.it/731aZC

#Tech #Space #BlueOrigin #Rockets #Technology

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it will appeal the November ruling in favor of Meta in its antitrust case against the social media giant.

@AssociatedPress reports on the case that could have forced the tech giant to spin off Instagram and WhatsApp: https://flip.it/15-BOp

#Meta #FTC #SocialMedia #Technology #Antitrust

Considering how popular the fediverse already is with at least some of the public institutions in Europe, this is a puzzling move.

"European organizations are about to launch their own social media platform, W, amid rising tensions with the United States."

https://cybernews.com/tech/europe-social-media-w/

#news #TechNews #technology #SocialMedia #W

As Wikipedia turns 25, @404mediaco talked to the Wikimedia Foundation's Chief Product and Technology Officer Selena Deckelmann. Listen to Emanuel Maiberg's conversation with her here.

https://flip.it/2iq_c9

#Wikipedia #Wikimedia #Technology #Tech #ArtificialIntelligence #AI

British leader says "no option off the table" as UK considers Australia-style teen social media ban.

@AssociatedPress reports on Keir Starmer's remarks: https://flip.it/vXf2Jz

#SocialMedia #UK #Tech #Starmer #Technology

If you were one of the more than 1.5 million people affected by last week’s Verizon outage, here’s how you can get your $20 credit. There’s some work (sigh) you’ll have to put in. Read more from @Engadget:

https://flip.it/fCzY1X

#Tech #Verizon #VerizonOutage #Technology

Google Maps vs. Waze: Tech writer Jordan Minor recently took on the challenge of determining which app is better: After testing both, he found a clear winner. Read more from @PCMag:

https://flip.it/.-p56Z

#Tech #GPS #Technology #GoogleMaps #Waze

Matthew McConaughey is getting in the fight over unauthorized AI likenesses. The actor is filing trademark applications to prevent AI companies from stealing his likeness. Eight have been approved so far. Read more from @Engadget:

https://flip.it/leUZOr

#Tech #AI #MatthewMcConaghey #Likeness #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence

OpenAI has decided it’s time to start making money via ads at the bottom of user conversations with ChatGPT. Read more from @Techcrunch:

https://flip.it/_DdPKA

#Tech #AI #ChatGPT #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence

Technology and power are inextricably linked — a fact that the U.S. government has known since the 1980s. Canadian journalist @parismarx writes about how now, more than ever, Canada needs to reduce its dependence on the U.S. when it comes to tech, and pursue true digital sovereignty. "We have an opportunity to think bigger and to challenge those fundamental assumptions that were crafted in the 1990s to convince us digital technology had to be left to the private sector," he writes.

https://flip.it/3lWOUg

#Technology #Tech #DigitalSovereignty #Canada #USA #TrumpAdministration

In 2025, Americans "detoxed" from social media. In 2026, they’re quitting altogether.

Straight Arrow News reports on a recent American Psychiatric Association poll: https://flip.it/6CpEYI

More on the poll: https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/apa-polling-shows-half-of-adults-have-cut-back-on

#SocialMedia #Technology #Fediverse #Tech

"If there is no red line around AI-generated sex abuse, then no line exists."

Interesting column from @TheAtlantic: "Elon Musk Cannot Get Away With This."

https://flip.it/E6qnZb

#Grok #AI #ElonMusk #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology

Are your headphones and speakers vulnerable to hacking? If your audio accessories use Google's Fast Pair protocol, you may need a patch to avoid hackers eavesdropping on your calls and surroundings, hijacking your devices and playing their own audio through them, or even stalking you. Here's a @WIRED story that explains more.

https://flip.it/.Khv35

#Technology #Tech #InfoSecurity #Data #InfoSec #Gadgets #Devices #Google

Wouldn’t it be nice to enhance your PC’s performance “with just one click?” Microsoft's PC Manager is a single, streamlined utility app that collects all of Windows’ performance optimization settings. So, how’s it work? @PCMag’s Michael Muchmore took it for a spin:

https://flip.it/adcfG8

#Tech #Computers #PCs #Microsoft #Apps #Technology

Do you know how much data Google Chrome quietly collects about you? From your browsing history to device details, everything is logged. Here is how to lock your Chrome privacy settings in a few minutes. https://windowspost.com/chrome-privacy-settings/
#chrome #Google #privacy #Security #Howto #Tech #technology #GoogleChrome #PrivacyBrowser

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what data chrome collects for google and how to block it in 2026