Month: February 2021

Smart motorways face further scrutiny as MPs launch inquiry

Select committee to investigate rise in annual deaths, claiming public confidence is faltering Smart motorways are to come under further scrutiny as MPs launch a fresh inquiry into their benefits and dangers, just weeks after a coroner referred Highways England to prosecutors for possible corporate manslaughter after the death of a motorist on the M1. …

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Art, amulets and cryptokitties: the new frontier of crytocurrencies

‘Non-fungible tokens’ are unique images, clips or poems traded online for increasingly large sums Pudding Daintytot is a pink cat, with hearts sprinkled over its chest, a rainbow cresting behind it, draconic horns, wings and a tail. “Born” in January 2019, Pudding is a “cryptokitty”: an example of what is known as a “non-fungible token”, …

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Twitter to launch paid ‘super follow’ function that lets users charge for content

Social media network also announces ‘Spaces’, a Clubhouse competitor that lets users participate in audio chats Twitter has announced it will launch a “super follow” feature, which lets users charge followers for access to exclusive content, later this year. The move comes as Twitter is branching out from advertising to find more ways to make …

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Facebook returns news to Australian feeds as company seals further deals with media outlets

Independent publishers Schwartz Media, Private Media and Solstice Media sign deals with the tech giant Facebook has returned news to Australian users after an eight day blackout and standoff with the federal government. Last week, the social media giant stripped all news from its platform for more than 13 million users and inadvertently blocked information …

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Nuts: a Surveillance Mystery review – squirrel snapper’s delight takes a dark turn

Noodlecake Games, iOS (version tested)/PC/Nintendo SwitchSpringwatch fans who crave mystery may enjoy this slow-burning minimalist adventure Combine the acclaimed rural mystery game Firewatch with an episode of the BBC’s nature cam series, Springwatch, and you have Nuts, a stylish and involving new adventure from remote indie studio, Noodlecake. You start the game as a naturalist …

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Why Bitcoin is so bad for the planet – video explainer

In a year, bitcoin uses around the same about of electricity as the entire country of Norway.  The digital currency is one that allows people to bypass banks and traditional payment methods. It is the most prominent among thousands of so-called cryptocurrencies and has been repeatedly reaching new records – but is it sustainable?  The Guardian’s UK …

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AI could have profound effect on way GCHQ works, says director

Jeremy Fleming’s comments come as agency endeavours to placate critics of bulk surveillance activities GCHQ’s director has said artificial intelligence software could have a profound impact on the way it operates, from spotting otherwise missed clues to thwart terror plots to better identifying the sources of fake news and computer viruses. Jeremy Fleming’s remarks came …

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