Russian doctors have stumbled upon a remarkable tale of survival. They detail finding a needle that has been lodged inside an 80-year-old woman’s brain her entire life. The needle seems to be the result of a botched infanticide, but it has apparently caused no major health issues and will not be removed.
Source: Gizmodo – 80-Year-Old Woman Has Lived Her Whole Life with a Needle in Her Brain
Another year, another New York Comic Con is in the books. NYCC always brings out the best and brightest in terms of cosplay so we just had to grace you with one more heaping helping of amazing photos. You saw day one, you saw day two, you may have even seen day three, and here’s the big finale.
Source: Gizmodo – The Most Spectacular Cosplay of New York Comic Con, Day 4
Australia has fined X (formerly Twitter) for failing to answer all its questions about child exploitation. The country’s government levied a penalty of AUD 610,500 (around $387,000) for the Elon Musk-owned company’s non-compliance with a national law requiring social platforms to disclose how they’re combating online child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
“Companies can make empty statements like ‘Child exploitation is our top priority,’ so what we’re saying is show us,” Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, told The New York Times in an interview. “This is important not only in terms of deterrence in the types of defiance we are seeing from the companies but because this information is in the public interest.”
Australian officials said neither X nor Google fully complied with the questions. While Google received a formal warning for “giving generic or aggregated information across multiple services where information regarding specific services was required,” X’s violation “was more serious.” Inman Grant said X failed to reply adequately to questions while leaving other boxes blank. “In other instances, Twitter provided a response that was otherwise incomplete or inaccurate,” she wrote.
The official says her department sent a notice to X (then Twitter) on February 22, asking it to fulfill its report by answering mandatory questions; she gave the company 35 days to reply. The company responded on March 29. Inman Grant wrote that she identified 14 questions (including sub-questions) where the firm failed to provide the required info. Her office sent follow-up questions on April 6. Musk’s company responded on May 5, leading Inman Grant to conclude the company had held back info in its initial response. She wrote, “It is evident from many of X Corp.’s subsequent responses that it held information required by the Notice and was capable of providing that information at first instance.”
Inman Grant wrote that the nation can seek civil penalties through the courts if X doesn’t pay the fine. And more compliance tools are on the way. “We also have more powerful systemic tools coming online next year in the form of industry codes and standards which will ensure companies are living up to their responsibilities to protect children,” she wrote.
As highlighted by The NYT, X told the Australian regulators, “Children are not our target customer, and our service is not overwhelmingly used by children.” However, CEO Linda Yaccarino recently said in a forum that Gen Z was the platform’s fastest-growing demographic, with 200 million unique monthly visitors among teens and young adults in their 20s.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/australian-regulators-fine-x-for-dodging-questions-about-csam-response-194358319.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Australian regulators fine X for dodging questions about CSAM response
Last year Netflix put up a billboard on Los Angeles’s Sunset Boulevard to poke fun at itself. It read: “Wait, Netflix Has Games?” The company is working hard to clear up any confusion. It is deepening its push into the videogame industry, taking advantage of the studios it has acquired in the past two years to create more titles based on popular Netflix movies and TV shows. WSJ: Though Netflix has up to now focused on mobile games — which appeal to casual gamers and can be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet — it is taking steps to expand into higher-end games that can be streamed from TVs or PCs. That approach would put it up against giants such as Sony and Microsoft, which just closed its $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and would bring some significant technical challenges.
Over the next several months, Netflix subscribers will be able to play games on their mobile devices based on hits such as Korean thriller “Squid Game” and supernatural comedy “Wednesday,” according to people familiar with the situation. Similarly, Netflix is discussing games based on “Extraction,” its Sherlock Holmes series and its “Black Mirror” series, the people said. Even as Netflix creates homegrown titles, it will continue to license the well-known games, from “Bloons TD 6” to “Classic Solitaire,” that currently make up its catalog. It has discussed plans to release a game within the popular action-adventure series “Grand Theft Auto” from Take-Two Interactive Software through a licensing deal, some of the people said. The strategy rips a page from the streaming giant’s playbook in Hollywood, where it built an audience based on reruns from other studios — such as “Friends,” “The Office” and “Breaking Bad” — while gearing up machinery to churn out originals like “House of Cards” and “Stranger Things.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Netflix Deepens Videogame Push
Enlarge / A woman walks past a logo for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 2022. (credit: Getty Images)
“The beginning of the long dash, followed by 10 seconds of silence, indicates exactly 1 o’clock Eastern daylight time.”
Millions of Canadians grew accustomed to hearing a version of this daily affirmation on CBC Radio One. The National Research Council Time Signal, and the series of 800 Hz “pips” that preceded and followed the time-setting dash, worked its way into everyday rituals. Human listeners, and automated radio receivers at railways, shipping firms, and other entities, could set their mechanical clocks to it. That is why it started broadcasting on November 5, 1939, one year into Canada’s entry into World War II.
The long dash’s last broadcast was, somewhat unexpectedly, October 9, 2023.
Read 8 remaining paragraphs | Comments
Source: Ars Technica – Canada’s 84-year radio time check has stopped because of accuracy concerns
Enlarge (credit: Chesnot / Contributor | Getty Images Europe)
Today, X (formerly known as Twitter) became the first platform fined under Australia’s Online Safety Act. The fine comes after X failed to respond to more than a dozen key questions from Australia eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who was seeking clarity on how effectively X detects and mitigates harms of child exploitation and grooming on the platform.
In a press release, Inman Grant said that X was given 28 days to either appeal the decision or pay the approximately $380,000 fine. While the fine seems small, the reputational ding could further hurt X’s chances of persuading advertisers to increase spending on the platform, Reuters suggested. And any failure to comply or respond could trigger even more fines—with X potentially on the hook for as much as $493,402 daily for alleged non-compliance dating back to March 2023, The Guardian reported. That could quickly add up to tens of millions if X misses the Australian regulator’s deadline.
“If they choose not to pay, it’s open to eSafety to take other action or to seek a civil penalty through the courts,” Inman Grant told the Sydney Morning Herald. “We’re talking about some of the most heinous crimes playing out on these platforms, committed against innocent children.”
Read 24 remaining paragraphs | Comments
Source: Ars Technica – Elon Musk’s X fined 0K over “serious” child safety concerns, watchdog says
A team of paleoanthropologists has assembled the only known cranium of the extinct ape Pierolapithecus catalaunicus, revealing how the ape’s face looked. The reconstruction allows them to place Pierolapithecus on the hominid family tree and improves our understanding of how the ape moved around Spain some 12 million…
Source: Gizmodo – Scientists Reconstruct 12-Million-Year-Old Ape Skull
We’re just past the midpoint of Our Flag Means Death’s second season, and we’ve already sailed through some stormy weather alongside Blackbeard–aka Ed Teach (Taika Waititi)—and Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) as they attempt to reunite and rekindle their relationship. Showrunner and writer David Jenkins spoke to io9 about…
Source: Gizmodo – Everyone Is Just Writing Our Flag Means Death Fanfiction
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled today that evidence gleaned from a warrant for Google’s search data could be used in the prosecution of a teen who was charged with murder for a fire that killed five people in the Denver area. From a report: As police scrambled to solve the source of the 2020 blaze, they asked Alphabet’s Google to provide information about people who searched for the address of the house that went up in flames, using a controversial technique known as a keyword search warrant. After some initial objections, Google provided data that enabled detectives to zero in on five accounts, leading to the arrest of three suspects in the case.
Lawyers for one of the suspects, Gavin Seymour, who was found to have Googled the home’s address 14 times in the days before the fire, argued that the keyword warrant constituted an illegal search and that any evidence from it should be suppressed. His motion is the first known challenge to the constitutionality of keyword search warrants. The case is ongoing. In its 74-page decision, the court found that law enforcement had acted in good faith when it obtained the warrant for the teen’s search history. Still, it stressed that the findings were specific to the facts of the case, and it refrained from weighing in about the use of Google’s search data more broadly.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Colorado Supreme Court Approves Use of Google Search Data in Murder Case
New research suggests that Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide can boost existing efforts to lose weight. The company’s latest clinical trial found that people who dropped at least 5% of their weight before taking the drug went on to lose substantially more weight than those who took a placebo. Those in the treatment group…
Source: Gizmodo – Eli Lilly’s Obesity Drug Helped People Lose 25% of Their Weight in Latest Trial
The once-ubiquitous social media site Myspace is getting the documentary treatment, with a film currently in the works that chronicles the rise and fall of the house that Tom built. The movie’s a joint project between production companies Gunpowder & Sky and The Documentary Group, as originally reported by Deadline.
Gunpowder & Sky has produced a number of well-known documentaries, such as 69: The Saga of Danny Hernandez and Everybody’s Everything, about deceased rapper Lil Peep. The Documentary Group’s behind shows like Amend: The Fight for America and The Deep End, a series focusing on spiritual wellness guru Teal Swan.
As for behind-the-camera talent, the film’s being directed by Tommy Avallone, who recently helmed the Barney docuseries I Love You, You Hate Me and The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons from a Mythical Man. The film will feature the social media site’s founders Tom Anderson (yes, that Tom) and Chris DeWolfe, in addition to a spate of celebrities who got their start on the platform.
Myspace was the social media site to beat before it was, well, beat by Facebook. The platform launched in 2003 and set the world on fire, becoming an important music promotional tool long before Bandcamp, Spotify and even YouTube. There was a guy named Tom who everyone was chums with. Folks agonized over which real-life friends to put in their list of top eight digital friends. There were some truly grody wallpaper options for your page, and the idea of an Internet troll wasn’t really a thing yet. It was a simpler time.
Gunpowder & Sky CEO Van Toffler said the documentary is a no-brainer for folks of a certain age bracket, noting that his colleagues at the time “were all obsessed with Myspace,” going on to say “without Myspace there’s no TikTok, no Facebook, no YouTube, no Instagram, no social media.”
One must understand that before Facebook, people just expected social media sites to enjoy a few months or even years in the sun before making way for the next big thing. That’s the way it was with Myspace, Friendster, SixDegrees, Classmates and all the rest. Then along came Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, beginning the era of the “too big to fail” social media platform. Recent years have finally shown cracks in the armor of these old-school giants, with Twitter’s stark drop from relevance and generational shifts from Facebook to platforms like TikTok. In other words, massive sea changes of the kind that sank Myspace are no longer unthinkable.
There’s no release date for the Myspace documentary, nor has there been an announcement if it would run in theaters or just on a streaming platform. We’ll have to play the waiting game for a while longer.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nostalgia-alert-theres-a-documentary-about-myspace-in-the-works-183359176.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Nostalgia alert: there’s a documentary about Myspace in the works
New York residents eyeing a new 3D printer may soon have to submit a criminal background check if a newly proposed state bill becomes law. The recently introduced legislation, authored by state senator Jenifer Rajkumar, aims to snub out an increasingly popular loophole where convicted felons who would otherwise be…
Source: Gizmodo – New York Bill Would Require a Criminal Background Check to Buy a 3D Printer
Twitch announced today that stories are now available in the platform’s mobile app. Similar to the feature of the same name on Snapchat, Instagram and other social platforms, Twitch’s stories let streamers post photos, text or clips that expire after 48 hours. The company frames the feature as helping creators reach and stay connected with their communities while offline. It first announced the feature in July.
At least at launch, the ability to create Twitch stories is limited to partners and affiliates with at least one stream from the last 30 days. However, all users (after updating to the app’s latest version) will be able to see them at the top of the Following page. The company says access will roll out gradually to eligible streamers by the end of this week — and beyond as more creators meet the requirements.
In addition, creators with at least 30 subscribers (including gift subs) can make subscriber-only stories. Twitch recommends using this feature to “add even more value to your supporters’ subscriptions through exclusive content.”
Twitch suggests using stories for easy outreach to followers, scheduling updates and adding visual flare or fun. The mobile app will push alerts to followers when a streamer posts a story, although it also includes notification settings to control the frequency. Meanwhile, creators can see the total views and reactions for each story they post — including after they expire.
“Viewers will see your stories live alongside stories created by other streamers they follow, so post regularly throughout the week to keep your community in-the-know and up-to-date between your streams,” the company wrote in its announcement blog post.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-adds-stories-to-keep-followers-tuned-in-181726337.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Twitch adds stories to keep followers tuned in
Supporting himself with a cane, Michael Rooker still managed to grab hold of the spotlight on stage at New York Comic Con along with his fellow stars of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The 68-year-old actor known for playing roles like Yondu in Guardians and Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead stole the show despite…
Source: Gizmodo – The ‘Security Guards of the Milky Way’ Discuss the Nose Ring Michael Rooker Found on the Floor
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images )
An advertising industry group urged Comcast to stop its “10G” ads or modify them to state that 10G is an “aspirational” technology rather than something the company actually provides on its cable network today. The National Advertising Division (NAD), part of the advertising industry’s self-regulatory system run by BBB National Programs, ruled against Comcast after a challenge lodged by T-Mobile.
In its decision announced Thursday, the NAD recommended that Comcast “discontinue its ’10G’ claims” or “modify its advertising to (a) make clear that it is implementing improvements that will enable it to achieve ’10G’ and that it is aspirational or (b) use ’10G’ in a manner that is not false or misleading, consistent with this decision.”
Comcast plans to appeal the decision, so it won’t make any changes to marketing immediately. If Comcast loses the appeal and agrees to change its practices, it would affect more than just a few ads because Comcast now calls its entire broadband network “10G.”
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Source: Ars Technica – Comcast should stop advertising slower speeds as “10G,” industry group says
On Monday, Analogue revealed that it will release a recreation of the Nintendo 64 console, the Analogue 3D, which will play cartridges like Super Mario 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in 4K.
Source: Gizmodo – The Analogue 3D Is the Retro Console Maker’s Take on the Nintendo 64
A new Gallup survey found more than half of teenagers in the U.S. spend an average of 4.8 hours on social media each day. The responses came from 1,591 people ages 13-19 years old, and the survey’s findings show that as teens got older, they stayed on social media even longer.
Source: Gizmodo – More Than Half U.S. Teens Use Social Media For Almost Five Hours Per Day, Survey Finds
Binance has suspended access to its crypto exchange for new users based in the UK, after a partnership with a third party to approve communications on its platform under new local rules was terminated by the country’s watchdog. From a report: Any customers based in the UK not already signed up to Binance’s platform were no longer able to join the exchange from 5 p.m. in London on Monday, according to a blog post published by Binance. The move puts the world’s largest crypto exchange out of reach for new users in the UK, setting the scene for a battle by Binance to return to one of the sector’s biggest markets outside of the US.
The UK’s financial promotions regime was widened starting on Oct. 8 to include cryptoasset service providers, regardless of their location. All crypto platforms are now required by the regulator to display clear risk warnings to UK-based consumers and meet higher technical standards, with all communications needing to be approved by an FCA-authorized firm. Penalties for not doing so include being added to the FCA’s public warning list, as well as unlimited fines and prison time.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Binance To Halt New UK Customers From Using Crypto Exchange
In 2018, Wizards of the Coast made a major change to the way Magic: The Gathering was sold when it split the then-standard booster pack of cards into two different varieties: Draft Boosters, focused on the game’s build-and-play formats, and Set Boosters, aimed at people looking to fill out collecting a set. Now, it’s…
Source: Gizmodo – Magic: The Gathering Is Changing the Way It Sells Boosters Again
Apple’s iPhone lost its top spot among Chinese smartphones, according to a Jefferies analyst note originally reported by CNBC. A lackluster release of the iPhone 15 allowed Huawei to replace the iPhone as the number one spot for market share.
Source: Gizmodo – iPhone Loses Market Share Dominance in China, Report Says
