But carbon removal has become a touchy topic. There are real concerns that the growing focus on drawing down the greenhouse gas could encourage governments and businesses to delay or even avoid the most obvious and direct way of addressing climate change: preventing emissions from reaching the atmosphere in the first place. The convenient perception […]
Monthly Archives: July 2022
No power, no fans, no AC: The villagers fighting to survive India’s deadly heatwaves
At the end of April, when the daytime temperature crossed 45 °C (113 °F), most residents of Nagla Tulai sought succor in the hot winds blowing outdoors. Since northwest India first began to see alarming temperatures, local governments have been advising people not to go out in the sun if they can help it. But […]
Have Chinese citizens been hacked on an epic scale?
Peter Griffin, Editor. 05 July 2022, 10:34 am A 23-terabyte cache of data allegedly containing the details of one billion Chinese citizens has been offered for sale on the dark web. That’s according to Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, the chief executive of cryptocurrency exchange Binance who took to Twitter yesterday to express his alarm at the […]
Google closes data loophole amid privacy fears over abortion ruling
reader comments 35 with 28 posters participating Share this story Google is closing a loophole that has allowed thousands of companies to monitor and sell sensitive personal data from Android smartphones, an effort welcomed by privacy campaigners in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision to end women’s constitutional right to abortion. It also […]
The Download: China’s livestreaming crackdown, and a huge police data hack
For Zeng, a young Chinese woman, an hour scrolling Douyin, the domestic version of TikTok, has become a daily ritual. Livestreaming took off in China in 2016 and has since become one of the nation’s favorite pastimes. Zeng particularly likes one creator: “Lawyer Longfei.” Every day, Longfei answers her 9 million followers’ legal inquiries live. […]
Monday news in brief (July 4th)
Victoria MacLennan. 04 July 2022, 10:36 pm Can you believe it’s July already! and 5 weeks since Budget 2022 – time is flying by. To be frank the budget was pretty disappointing for our industry and for digital equity in Aotearoa. A small fraction of the Digital Industry Transformation Plan (Digital ITP) was funded ($20M) […]
China wants to control how its famous livestreamers act, speak, and even dress
Zeng, who asked to be referred to by her last name to avoid being identified, felt it was ridiculous. “I don’t think she has done anything unreasonable or morally corrupt in today’s standards. On the contrary, I think she’s doing something that can help everyone,” she says. Longfei’s account was eventually reinstated in June. Livestreaming […]
Billing fraud apps can disable Android Wi-Fi and intercept text messages
reader comments 13 with 12 posters participating Share this story Android malware developers are stepping up their billing fraud game with apps that disable Wi-Fi connections, surreptitiously subscribe users to pricey wireless services, and intercept text messages, all in a bid to collect hefty fees from unsuspecting users, Microsoft said on Friday. This threat class […]
The Download: a curb on climate action, and post-Roe period tracking
Why’s it so controversial?: Geoengineering was long a taboo topic among scientists, and some argue it should remain one. There are questions about its potential environmental side effects, and concerns that the impacts will be felt unevenly across the globe. Some feel it’s too dangerous to ever try or even to investigate, arguing that just […]
The US government is developing a solar geoengineering research plan
The move, which has not been previously reported on, marks the first federally coordinated US effort of this kind. It could set the stage for more funding and research into the feasibility, benefits, and risks of such interventions. The effort may also contribute to the perception that geoengineering is an appropriate and important area of […]