Tag: Police

The Curse of the Buried Treasure

Two metal-detector enthusiasts discovered a Viking hoard. It was worth a fortune — but it became a nightmare. From a report:
Leominster, in the West Midlands area of England, is an ancient market town where the past and the present are jumbled together like coins in a change purse. Shops housed in half-timbered sixteenth-century Tudor buildings face the main square, offering cream…

Aaron Swartz’s Memory Honored with Virtual Hackathon

Saturday saw 2020’s virtual observation of the annual Aaron Swartz Day and International Hackathon, which the EFF describes as “a day dedicated to celebrating the continuing legacy of activist, programmer, and entrepreneur Aaron Swartz.” Its official web site notes the wide-ranging event includes “projects and ideas that are still bearing fruit to this day, such as SecureDrop, Open Library, and the…

Ubisoft Montreal Staffers Barricade on Roof Amid Possible Hostage Situation [Updated]

A potential hostage situation is reportedly taking place at the building in which game developer Ubisoft’s Montreal office is housed. From a report: A group of suspects are reportedly holding tens of people hostage at Ubisoft Montreal, according to local (French-language) media outlet LCN. The situation reportedly began around 1:30pm Eastern Time. Montreal police confirmed that there is an “ongoing police…

Your Computer Isn’t Yours

Security researcher Jeffrey Paul, writes in a blog post: On modern versions of macOS, you simply can’t power on your computer, launch a text editor or eBook reader, and write or read, without a log of your activity being transmitted and stored. It turns out that in the current version of the macOS, the OS sends to Apple a hash (unique…

Face For Sale: Leaks and Lawsuits Blight Russia Facial Recognition

The rise of cloud computing and AI have popularised face recognition technology globally, but at what cost? From a report: When Anna Kuznetsova saw an ad offering access to Moscow’s face recognition cameras, all she had to do was pay 16,000 roubles ($200) and send a photo of the person she wanted spying on. The 20-year-old — who was acting as…

How Ex-Facebook Data Experts Spent $75 Million On Targeted Anti-Trump Ads

The night before America’s election, Fast Company reported: On the internet, we’re subject to hidden A/B tests all the time, but this one was also part of a political weapon: a multimillion-dollar tool kit built by a team of Facebook vets, data nerds, and computational social scientists determined to defeat Donald Trump. The goal is to use microtargeted ads, follow-up surveys,…

T-Mobile Will Stop Saying Its 5G Network Is Better Than It Actually Is

Earlier this week, the FCC fined T-Mobile $200 million for its abuse of Sprint’s Lifeline program for low-income consumers — the largest fine to be paid in commission history. Now, the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising (NAD) is telling T-Mobile to tone down its misleading 5G claims about having the “best 5G network.” Gizmodo reports: The NAD’s investigation of T-Mobile’s 5G…

Denmark Plans To Cull 15 Million Minks After Coronavirus Mutation Spreads To Humans

A Slashdot reader writes: Denmark plans to cull its entire population of roughly 15 million minks in farms after the animals spread a mutation of the coronavirus to humans. The country’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said at a press conference Wednesday that the mutated virus could spread to other countries and it “may pose a risk to the effectiveness of a…

Police Will Pilot a Program To Live-Stream Amazon Ring Cameras

An anonymous reader quotes a report from the Electronic Frontier Foundation: This is not a drill. Red alert: The police surveillance center in Jackson, Mississippi, will be conducting a 45-day pilot program to live stream the Amazon Ring cameras of participating residents. Now, our worst fears have been confirmed. Police in Jackson, Mississippi, have started a pilot program that would allow…