Category: Tech

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…
child and mother on laptop

Over half of British parents don’t restrict who kids talk to online

With children more connected than ever, a new study from Tesco Mobile and Internet Matters has revealed insights into the lack of current controls parents have in place to protect their kids. Over half (61%) admit to not having any rules about who their child communicates with online, while only a third (32%) have controls…

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…