ShinyShiny snippets: Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal likely to pass EU regulators

Microsoft's $68.7bn Activision Blizzard deal looks set to pass EU regulators, news agency Reuters has now reported. Citing sources familiar with the deal, the report claims that Microsoft has won over the European Commission with its show of concessions last week, when it announced deals to ensure Call of Duty would be made available on Nintendo platforms…

ShinyShiny snippets: YouTube accused of collecting UK children’s data

YouTube has been accused of collecting the viewing data of children aged under 13, in breach of a UK data privacy code designed to protect children. Campaigner Duncan McCann has lodged an official complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). He says the site is gathering data about the videos children watch, where they are…

ShinyShiny snippets: The iPhone SE could be making a comeback after all

Apple iPhone SE 2022 Apple is reportedly once again working on a next-generation iPhone SE, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, despite his previous reports that it had canceled work on the phone. In a Twitter thread, Kuo says the company has “restarted” the project and that the iPhone SE 4 will feature…

ShinyShiny snippets: Volkswagen Golf to be reborn as ID 2 urban EV

The VW ID 2 urban EV will launch in 2025 for £20,000. Image: Autocar Volkswagen has gone back to the drawing board for its long-awaited ID 2 urban EV, providing its smallest electric car with a completely new exterior and interior that are set to be previewed on a new concept…

ShinyShiny snippets: Britain should be concerned by Chinese-made CCTV cameras, says report

Britain should be more concerned about Chinese-made CCTV cameras on the streets than spy balloons 60,000ft above ground, a watchdog has warned. New findings from the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner (OBSCC) said British police forces are "shot through" with Chinese cameras, drones and other surveillance equipment. The watchdog's survey also suggested bodies using the…

ShinyShiny snippets: Google AI chatbot error knocks $100bn off shares

Google is searching for ways to reassure people that it is still out in front in the race for the best artificial intelligence technology. And so far, the internet giant seems to be coming up with the wrong answer. An advert designed to show off its new AI bot, showed it answering a query incorrectly.…

ShinyShiny snippets: Tech giants announce disappointing financial results

Three of Silicon Valley’s largest companies posted disappointing financial results on Thursday, compounding concerns about a slowdown in the tech sector. Recession fears have hit both corporate and consumer spending globally, leading to the likes of Apple, Alphabet and Amazon all signalling a tough recovery from the highs of 2021. Alphabet, the parent company of…

ShinyShiny snippets: Children as young as 9 exposed to online porn

Children are being exposed to online pornography from as young as nine, according to a study for the children's commissioner for England. A quarter of 16-21-year-olds first saw pornography on the internet while still at primary school, it suggests. By the age of 13, 50% had been exposed to it. The findings have been linked…