Month: October 2023

Male-skewed investment is another instance of tech gender imbalance that needs urgent redress, say researchers An “urgent issue” of gender imbalance in artificial intelligence investment must be addressed according to a government-backed body which has found that female-founded companies accounted for just 2% of AI startup deals over the past decade. The report by the …

Female-founded AI startups win just 2% of funding deals in UK Read More »

Paramount’s release of the popular film in small clips reflects a rising trend of people watching movies on the platform As the oldest and baldest person to have access to a TikTok account, I usually have a pretty good idea of what sort of content I’ll be served, in that it’s usually equal parts animal …

Mean Girls in 23 parts: the rise of movies and shows watched on TikTok Read More »

Politicians opt for change they say amounts to de facto ban on spyware but free speech campaigners dispute claim An attempt to stop EU governments from being able to insert spyware on journalists’ phones on the grounds of national security is “dead”, campaigners have said after a vote in the European parliament on new media …

MEPs vote against amendment to stop EU governments spying on journalists Read More »

Meta’s social networks consider charging €13 a month on mobile and €17 on desktop, say sources Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta is considering charging users in the EU €13 (£11) a month to access an ad-free version of Instagram or Facebook on their phones, as the company grapples with regulatory pressure on how it uses people’s data. …

Facebook and Instagram could charge for ad-free services in EU Read More »

In this week’s newsletter: ‘Geofence warrants’ tied a man in the wrong place at the wrong time to a crime he didn’t commit – is he the only one? • Don’t get TechScape delivered to your inbox? Sign up here In January 2020, Florida resident Zachary McCoy received a concerning email from Google: local authorities …

TechScape: How police use location and search data to find suspects – and not always the right ones Read More »

From being unable to harvest ‘little sister’ characters but happy to kill others freely, to playing the Legend of Zelda as a vegan – gaming ethics are complex and highly personal I can kill foxes but I can’t kill wolves. Not in real life, obviously – in real life I send emails eight hours a …

‘I can’t kill a wolf but will happily watch a Sim drown’: murder and morality in video games Read More »

The ex-CEO and founder of FTX is facing seven conspiracy and fraud counts for allegedly siphoning investors’ money A federal court in Manhattan will start hearing the case against erstwhile crypto star Sam Bankman-Fried, with jury selection beginning on Tuesday. Bankman-Fried, who founded cryptocurrency exchange FTX and associated hedge fund Alameda Research, is facing trial …

Trial of former cryptocurrency star Sam Bankman-Fried to start in Manhattan Read More »

The education secretary is lagging behind headteachers – and ignoring much bigger problems That smartphones cause problems in schools is not a novel observation. It is roughly a decade since they became ubiquitous in the UK – along with many other countries – including among teenagers. Since then, day-to-day experience and research have created widespread …

The Guardian view on phones in schools: like the devices, this ban is a distraction | Editorial Read More »

Is the glow from phones, tablets, computers and other devices really bad for our health? Wherever you are reading this – on the couch or in bed – there is a good chance that you are doing it on some sort of screen. According to a 2022 review, almost everyone upped their screentime during the …

Should I worry about blue light? Read More »

Artificial intelligence can help predict style crazes, shape collections and help the environment by cutting waste material It’s Paris fashion week and the streets of the city are filled with celebrities, designers, models and journalists. Among the crowds, eagle-eyed experts are taking careful notes. These are the fashion industry’s trend forecasters. Their job is to …

‘You’ve got to be data-driven’: the fashion forecasters using AI to predict the next trend Read More »