Category: News
Facebook not guilty of psychological harm, second hand EV sales surge
There is no evidence the global spread of Facebook is linked to widespread psychological harm, an Oxford Internet Institute (OII) study suggests. The research looked at how wellbeing changed in 72 countries as use of the social media platform grew. It counters the common belief that social media is psychologically harmful, the researchers argue. Several…
Zoom tells staff to go back to work, smart products ‘enable domestic abuse’
Zoom, the online meetings platform that became synonymous with home working during the pandemic, has told staff to come into the office more often. Workers who live within a "commutable distance" of the company's offices, including in the UK, will be expected to make the journey on designated team days. The California-based firm had been…
AI can ‘safely’ read breast cancer scans, study claims
Artificial intelligence (AI) can "safely" read breast cancer screening images, a preliminary study suggests. Researchers found computer-aided detection could spot cancer in mammograms - X-ray pictures of the breast - at a "similar rate" to two radiologists. The NHS is already looking at how it can implement such technology in its breast screening programme. However, the…
Etsy under fire for ‘withholding money’ from sellers
Online marketplace Etsy has come under fire from sellers for putting 75% of their takings on hold for 45 days. Hundreds of small businesses recently got an email from Etsy notifying them it was actioning its "reserve system". Ceramics seller Rachel Collyer said Etsy was holding £899 of her money, which means she cannot afford…
Threads has lost half its users, admits Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg
Meta’s “Twitter killer” app Threads has struggled to hold the attention of millions of users despite its record-breaking launch, Mark Zuckerberg has admitted. The app, which lets people post messages, pictures and videos, signed up 150m users in its first few weeks, making it the fastest growing product in history. However, Mr Zuckerberg has said more…
Facebook tops 3 billion users, Threads drops from 49 to 12 million users daily
Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire has reported a jump in advertising revenues and said that 3 billion people are now regularly checking Facebook. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and newly launched app Threads, reported an 11pc increase to revenues in the three months ending in June. The company said the number of monthly users…
Apple trainers at auction for $50,000, Musk takes @X account without paying owner
A pair of rare Apple trainers are being sold by auction house Sotheby's for $50,000 (£38,969). The shoes were custom-made for employees only in the 1990s and were a one-time giveaway at a conference. A pair have never been sold to the public before. Featuring a predominately white leather upper, "a standout detail" is the…
ChatGPT founder plans to scan iris of every person in the world
The Silicon Valley entrepreneur behind ChatGPT has unveiled a plan to scan the iris of every person in the world to help distinguish real people from sophisticated machines. Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, on Monday launched his project Worldcoin in Britain and 34 other countries. The venture aims to scan billions of…
Shiny snippets: Spotify raises prices, Twitter unveils new logo
Spotify is raising the price of its main monthly subscription for the first time in its 15-year history as it comes under pressure to boost payments to the music industry. The streaming service will charge users £10.99 a month for its premium service, up from the £9.99 it has been since launch. The Swedish company…
iPhone users will soon be able to clone their own voice
Thanks to a new iPhone feature that lets anyone clone their voice with no technical chops and little time required, meeting anxiety may become a thing of the past. Announced back in May and now available as part of the public beta for iOS 17, the "personal voice" tool lets my voice read aloud any text whatsoever…
