Month: July 2026

Roadside safety advocates say some automated license plate readers may not meet highway safety standards Flock Safety cameras have been pilloried for facilitating the AI-powered surveillance of private citizens and for targeting immigrants for years. But now safety advocates are also claiming that their physical location can pose potential roadside hazards. At the bottom of …

Flock surveillance cameras can pose a crash risk for drivers, US experts say Read More »

With his popularity at historic lows, Friedrich Merz seeks spiritual guidance from Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI Europe live – latest updates Summer is normally thought of as the time for pacy potboilers and brain-soothing pageturners – airport reads that wind up sandy and sunscreen-stained. Not so for Friedrich Merz’s holiday reading list. Germany’s embattled …

Embattled German chancellor chooses papal pageturner for his beach read Read More »

Deep underground the player joins a colony of ruthlessly exploited pit workers who could be taking on the bosses. How things play out will depend on you It is rare for video games to feature industrial action as a key theme, but it does happen. There’s the shady Dockworker’s Union in Disco Elysium and the …

A Line Held Tight – miners, mechs and mismanagement on a distant planet Read More »

German study surveyed adults who engage in gaming, pornography and online shopping Spending excessive time online is associated with higher stress levels, worse mood, and greater neglect of other activities, according to analysis. The new study by academics at the University of Duisburg-Essen published in the journal PLOS One, surveyed 900 German adults in 2025 …

Excessive time spent online linked to stress and worse mood – study Read More »

Stock tumbles nearly 8% after weaker-than-expected results, despite CEO’s blitz to tout positive effects of AI Mark Zuckerberg’s media spree touting the positive effects of artificial intelligence did little to cushion the blow of Meta’s second-quarter earnings, which sent its stock tumbling on Wednesday. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published on Tuesday, the Meta …

Meta misses earnings forecasts after Zuckerberg media push to promote AI Read More »

First-in-nation law sets up test on states’ power to regulate use of AI as it tries to outlaw fake nude images of real people Elon Musk’s company xAI has sued Minnesota over the state’s first-in-the-nation law banning “nudification” technology on websites and apps, potentially providing a test for how far states can go in constitutionally …

Elon Musk’s xAI sues Minnesota over law banning ‘nudification’ technology Read More »

PC, Xbox, PlayStation 5; Halo Studios/Xbox Game StudiosHalo’s modernised introduction to all that was great about the 00s’ first-person shooter is also a welcome return trip for those of us who were there at the time This 25th-anniversary remake of Xbox’s most iconic shooter comes loaded with symbolism. It arrives at a time when Xbox’s …

Halo: Campaign Evolved review – they don’t make ‘em like this any more Read More »

Some companies reportedly using leaderboards for employees who used the most AI in their work Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Software firm Atlassian has sought to tighten tracking of its staff’s AI spending by introducing “wallets” with monthly caps of …

Atlassian tightens tracking of staff AI use as other technology firms encourage ‘tokenmaxxing’ Read More »

James Cameron’s high-octane film sequel is a blueprint for modern action space slashers • Don’t get Pushing Buttons delivered to your inbox? Sign up here It is difficult to believe that James Cameron’s Aliens was released into cinemas 40 years ago. The seminal space shooter took the original Alien – a tense slasher film with …

After 40 years, Aliens is still shaping the way video games are made Read More »

Get rid of subtitles to hear what movies and TV shows are supposed to sound like – for as little as $130 I tested 42 pairs of wireless earbuds to find the best in the US, and I never want to listen to Fast Car again Sign up for the Filter US newsletter, your weekly …

Can’t hear what’s playing on TV? It’s not your ears, its the flat screen. These affordable soundbars can help Read More »