At the Guardian, Glenn Greenwald writes: "A top secret National Security Agency program allows analysts to search with no prior authorization through vast databases containing emails, online chats and the browsing histories of millions of individuals, according to documents provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The NSA boasts in training materials that the program, called XKeyscore, is its 'widest-reaching' system for developing intelligence from the internet." [theguardian.com]
Greenwald drops another Snowden scoop on NSA internet surveillance program XKeyscore
Backlash in China brewing against rampant face-recognition in daily life
Over at Technode, Shi Jiayi synthesizes recent stories in Chinese media showing how China's ever-surveilled population is getting sick of rampant face-recognition, and is speaking out. Face-recognition tech has penetrated all sectors of everyday life in China. As Jiayi notes, it's "it is now used in stores for pay-by-face, in hotels and public transportation for… READ THE REST
Amazon is using Pinkertons for union-busting surveillance
Lauren Gurley at Vice's Motherboard has broken the story about the obsessive monitoring of labor and environmental activists at Amazon facilities in Europe by Pinkerton merceneries. From the source: A trove of more than two dozen internal Amazon reports reveal in stark detail the company's obsessive monitoring of organized labor and social and environmental movements… READ THE REST
French government proposes new ban on filming and photographing police
On November 20, 2020, the French government presented a new security bill. Article 24 of the bill outlaws the dissemination of photos and videos that feature, "the image of the face or any other element of identification of an official of the national police or of a soldier of the national gendarmerie when acting within… READ THE REST
Sleek design meets innovation with these Acer Chromebooks, on sale now at over 50% off
If you're still living back in the days when a Chromebook was just some cheap tech trinket that couldn't do much more than take notes or check emails, it's time to catch up. Over the past decade, Chromebooks have grown up, hanging on to their slim profiles and low price points while expanding their functionality… READ THE REST
These 10 pens aren't like that trusty ball-point you remember – they're better
When was the last time you sat down and actually wrote something with a pen? Not just an appointment reminder or a three-word note, but an actual written document with sentences and paragraphs and stuff? We're willing to wager that it's probably been a very long time. While keyboards and digital devices have pushed physical… READ THE REST
Roybi is like a kid's favorite robot friend – if that robot was also an AI-driven tutor in almost everything
For decades in film and TV, we've been tantalized by the idea that one day soon, robots will step up to become a child's indispensable learning and emotional support companion. Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, we're getting closer to the possibility of that day, although it's hard to imagine a human teacher ever being… READ THE REST