Search This Blog
Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

Load More
Trendy Right Now

Popular Posts

Showing posts with label Elon Musk. Show all posts
telecoms
Cyber Security Elon Musk Internet Service Providers National Security regulatory measures Satellite Starlink telecoms

Concerns Over Starlink in India: Potential Risks to National Security


As Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, prepares to enter India’s broadband market, think tank Kutniti Foundation has raised significant concerns about its potential risks to India’s national security. A report cited by PTI claims Starlink’s close ties with U.S. intelligence and military agencies could make it a threat to India’s interests. The foundation described Starlink as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” alleging that its dual-use technology serves American governmental agendas. Unlike traditional telecom networks operating under Indian jurisdiction, Starlink’s global satellite system bypasses local control, granting operational authority to U.S.-based entities. 

Kutniti suggests this could allow for activities such as surveillance or other strategic operations without oversight from India. The report also highlights that Starlink’s key clients include U.S. intelligence and military organizations, positioning it within what the foundation calls the U.S. “intel-military-industrial complex.” India’s Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia recently addressed these concerns, stating that Starlink must meet all regulatory and security requirements before its services can be approved. He confirmed that the government will only consider granting a license once the platform fully complies with the country’s safety standards for satellite broadband.  

Kutniti’s report also examines the broader implications of Starlink’s operations, emphasizing how its ownership and infrastructure could support U.S. strategic objectives. The foundation referenced U.S. laws that prioritize national interests in partnerships with private enterprises, suggesting this could undermine the sovereignty of nations relying on Starlink’s technology. The think tank further criticized the role of Musk’s ventures in geopolitical scenarios, pointing to Starlink’s refusal to assist a Ukrainian military operation against Russia as an example of its influence. 

Additionally, Kutniti noted Musk’s association with Palantir Technologies, a firm known for intelligence collaborations, as evidence of the platform’s involvement in sensitive political matters. Highlighting incidents in countries like Brazil, Ukraine, and Iran, Kutniti argued that Starlink’s operations have, at times, bypassed local governance and democratic norms. The report warns that the satellite network could serve as a tool for U.S. geopolitical leverage, further cementing American dominance in space and global communications. 

India’s careful consideration of Starlink reflects a broader need to balance the benefits of cutting-edge technology with national security concerns. Kutniti’s findings underscore the risks of integrating foreign-controlled networks, especially those with potential geopolitical implications, in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Read more »
Twitter X
Data Breach Digital Platform Digital World Elon Musk global outrage Soical Media Twitter Twitter users Twitter X

Global Outage Strikes Social Media Giant X

The recent global outage of Social Media Platform X caused a stir in the online community during a time when digital media predominates. Users everywhere became frustrated and curious about the cause of this extraordinary disruption when they realized they couldn't use the platform on December 21, 2023.

Reports of the outage, which was first discovered by Downdetector, began to arrive from all over the world, affecting millions of customers. The impact of the outage has increased because Social Media Platform X, a significant player in the social media ecosystem, has grown to be an essential part of peoples' everyday lives.

One significant aspect of the outage was the diverse range of issues users faced. According to reports, users experienced difficulties in tweeting, accessing their timelines, and even logging into their accounts. The widespread nature of these problems hinted at a major technical glitch rather than localized issues.

TechCrunch reported that the outage lasted for several hours, leaving users in limbo and sparking speculation about the root cause. The incident raised questions about the platform's reliability and prompted discussions about the broader implications of such outages in an interconnected digital world.

Assuring users that their technical teams were actively working to repair the issue, the platform's official response was prompt in admitting the inconvenience. Both users and specialists were in the dark, though, as there were few details regarding the precise cause.

Experts weighed in on the outage, emphasizing the need for robust infrastructure and redundancy measures to prevent such widespread disruptions in the future. The incident served as a reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our dependence on centralized digital platforms.

In the aftermath of the outage, Social Media Platform X released a formal apology, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused to users. The incident prompted discussions about the need for transparency from tech giants when addressing such disruptions and the importance of contingency plans to mitigate the impact on users.

Amidst the growing digitalization of our world, incidents such as the worldwide disruption of Social Media Platform X highlight the vulnerability of our interdependent networks. It's a wake-up call for users and tech businesses alike to put resilience and transparency first when faced with unanticipated obstacles in the digital space.
Read more »
Tim Cook
AI AI Threat Apple Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT Elon Musk Steve Wozniak Technology Tim Cook

Apple Co-founder Says AI Could Make Cyber Scams ‘Harder to Spot’


Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak recently cautioned that artificial intelligence (AI) could result in making cyber scams and misinformation more challenging to recognize. 

Speaking to BBC, he further notes that technology may as well be harnessed by “bad actors.” According to Mr. Wozniak, AI contents should well-labelled, and also highlighted the need for proper regulation in the industry. 

In March, Apple, along with Meta CEO Elon Musk signed a letter, urging a halt to the development of more potent AI models. 

Mr. Wozniak, also referred to as Woz in the tech community, is a seasoned veteran of Silicon Valley who co-founded Apple with Steve Jobs and created the company's first computer./ In an interview with BBC Technology Editor Zoe Kleinman, he discussed his fears as well as the advantages of artificial intelligence.

"AI is so intelligent it's open to the bad players, the ones that want to trick you about who they are," said Kleinman. 

AI refers to computer programs that can perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence. This includes systems that can identify objects in images and chatbots that can comprehend queries and provide responses that seem human.

While Mr. Wozniak ardently believes that AI will not be replaying humans, since it lacks emotions. However, he warns against bad actors, since AI is making them more realistic, one example being generative AI ChatGPT that can carve texts which sounds human and “intelligent.”

A Human Really has to Take the Responsibility 

Wozniak believes that any product of the artificial intelligence be held accountable for those who publish it. "A human really has to take the responsibility for what is generated by AI," he says. 

The large tech companies that "feel they can kind of get away with anything" should be held accountable by regulations, according to him.

Yet he expressed doubt that authorities would make the correct decisions, saying, "I think the forces that drive for money usually win out, which is sort of sad."

Technology cannot be Stopped 

Mr. Wozniak, a computer pioneer, believes that those developing artificial intelligence now might learn from the chances lost during the early stages of the internet. Although "we can't stop the technology," in his opinion, we can teach individuals to recognize fraud and other nefarious attempts to obtain personal information.

Last week, the current CEO of Apple, Tim Cook told investors that is crucial to be “deliberate and thoughtful,” is a way to approach AI. "We view AI as huge, and we'll continue weaving it in our products on a very thoughtful basis," he said.  

Read more »
Technology
Brain Computer Interface Brain-Like Chip Elon Musk Human Trial Neuralink robotics technology Technology

Musk’s Neuralink Seeks People for Human Trials: Brain-Implant Trials may Start Soon


Elon Musk’s startup, Neuralink, that will involve the cutting edge brain-computer interface (BCI) technology has now reached its next stage where they are now recruiting people for the technology’s first ‘human trial.’

The goal will be to link human brains to computers. The company is planning to test the technology on individuals with paralysis.

Apparently, a robot will be assigned the task of implanting a BCI to human brain, that will allow the subjects to take control of a computer cursor, or type using only their thoughts. 

However, rival companies have already achieved the feet by implanting BCI devices in human. 

Neuralink’s clinical trial has been approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May, achieving an important milestone, taking into consideration the struggle it had faced to gain approval for the same.

In regards to this, Neuralink stated at the time that the FDA approval represented "an important first step that will one day allow our technology to help many people."

While the final number of people recruited has not yet been confirmed, according to a report by new agency Reuters, the company had sought FDA’s approval to implant the devices in 10 people ( their former or current employees)./ Brain Signals/ The six year study will commence following a surgery, where a robot will implant 64 flexible threads, thinner than a human hair, on a region of the brain that managed "movement intention."

These enable Neuralink's experimental N1 implant, which runs on a remotely rechargeable battery, to record and transmit brain impulses to an app that decodes a person's intended movement.

Neuralink informs that people are eligible for the trial in case they have quadriplegia resulting from an injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – a disease in which the nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain degenerates.

Precision Neuroscience, developed by a Neuralink co-founder, also aims at assisting those who are paralyzed. And it claims that its implant, which resembles a very thin piece of tape and rests on the surface of the brain, may be inserted via a "cranial micro-slit" in a less complicated manner.

Meanwhile, existing technology is producing results. Implants have been used in two different studies conducted in the US, that aimed to track brain activity during speech attempts, which might later be decoded to aid with communication.

While Mr. Musk’s involvement has played a major role in the raised popularity of Neuralink, he still face rivals, some of whom have a history going back almost two decades. In 2004, Blackrock Neurotech, a company based in Utah, implanted the first of several BCIs.

According to Dr Adrien Rapeaux, a research associate in the Neural Interfaces Lab at Imperial College London, "Neuralink no doubt has an advantage in terms of implantation," taking into account that a majority of its operations will be assisted robotically. 

On contrary, Dr. Rapeaux, co-founder of a neural implant start-up Mintneuro, says that he is not sure how Neuralink’s attempt of converting brain signals into useful actions will do any better than the methods earlier used by Blackrock Neurotech for example. He also doubts if the technology will remain accurate and reliable over time, which is "a known issue in the field."

Read more »
Tesla Privacy
Camera Survellience Car Spy Elon Musk Privacy Tesla Tesla Privacy

‘Elon Musk’ Book Reveals: Musk Wanted to use Tesla Cameras to Surveille on Drivers


A recently published biography of Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson has revealed some interesting facts about Tesla, a popular revelation being the company’s approach to privacy and its rather controversial idea regarding an internal monitoring camera installed in their cars. 

It has been confirmed in the biography that Twitter’s CEO once suggested Tesla record video of drivers' on-wheel behaviour using the internal monitoring camera. His asserted goal was to use the footage as proof to shield Tesla from inquiries in the event of a crash. 

The book ‘Elon Musk’ stated that Elon Musk pushed for the usage of the internal monitoring camera to record footage of Tesla drivers at first without their awareness with the intention of using the footage as proof in investigations linked to the Autopilot ADAS. 

According to an excerpt from the book, Musk was convinced that one of the main reasons for accidents was bad drivers and not bad software. "At one meeting, he suggested using data collected from the car's cameras – one of which is inside the car and focused on the driver – to prove when there was driver error," the excerpt read.

However, several privacy concerns were raised, one of them being a woman citing legal assistance from the corporation and privacy concerns about the fact that Tesla could not link the selfie streams to specific vehicles, even if they were involved in accidents.

Apparently, Musk was not happy with the answer as according to Isaacson, the "concept of 'privacy teams' did not warm his heart[…]I am the decision-maker at this company, not the privacy team. I don't even know who they are. They are so private you never know who they are," Musk said during their meeting.

Musk then recommended that a pop-up could be used instead to tell people that if they used Full Self-Driving Beta, Tesla would collect data in the event of a crash. The woman nodded, noting that "as long as we are communicating it to customers, I think we're okay with that." The exchange is quite telling of the way Elon Musk runs his companies, and also of his stance on privacy.

The pop-ups are currently a feature in Tesla vehicles, where the company will use the data from internal cameras and notifications will be provided to the users with an option to either agree or disagree with Tesla in collecting their cabin camera data. It is important to note that Tesla has not yet used inside photos of cars to defend itself in court cases or government inquiries involving the Autopilot system.

Currently, Tesla is facing a class action lawsuit in terms of video privacy, following allegations that groups of Tesla employees privately share invasive videos and images, that were the recordings of customers’ car cameras between 2019 and 2022. Another lawsuit was filed in Illinois that focused particularly on the cabin camera.  

Read more »
Tesla
CEO CyberCrime Cybersecurity Data Breach Data Privacy Concerns Elon Musk Tesla

Tesla Data Breach: 75,000 Users Affected Due to Insider Wrongdoing

 


There has been an investigation into a data breach that affected the car manufacturer Tesla earlier this year, which has ended up being the result of "insider wrongdoing", a data breach notification filed by Tesla has revealed.  

A notice filed with Maine’s Attorney General’s Office on Friday shed more light on Tesla’s May data breach, revealing that there was a massive theft of employee records and the company blamed “insider wrongdoing.” 

The affected individuals were notified by Tesla in a letter dated August 18 that laid out details about the problem. There was a letter from the company saying that the information that was leaked included the names and contact information of both current and former employees. Even though social security numbers were revealed, the letter did not mention them. 

In a large data breach that affected employees of more than 75,000 companies, Tesla has claimed that insider wrongdoing was responsible for the breach. It was confirmed by President Elon Musk, the owner of the electric car maker Tesla, that in a data breach notice that was filed with Maine's attorney general, two former employees had leaked more than 75,000 individuals' personal information to a foreign media outlet after a thorough investigation had been conducted. 

There were over 23,000 files within the data archive, and the data contained sensitive data that belonged not only to current but also to former employees of Telsa. There was data about employees' phone numbers, personal email addresses, and salaries, as well as bank information for their customers and confidential information about Tesla's production. As well as social security numbers, it also included some of Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, who used social security numbers to operate the company.  

A further 2,400 complaints were also leaked from Tesla customers about their vehicles, which is part of the data revealed. On August 18, Tesla of America filed a data breach notice with the Maine Attorney General's office announcing a 75,735 employee data breach, which had been caused by a breach of security caused by “insider wrongdoing .” 

In its announcement, Tesla said that its investigation into the breach had revealed that two former Tesla employees tried to misappropriate the information by violating IT security policies and protecting the data as required by Tesla to gain entry to the report. Handelsplatt was allegedly the recipient of the data that had been shared by the former employees. 

Investigations and Lawsuits Following a Leak 


According to Tesla, two former employees are being sued for releasing the data and a court order has been issued that prevents them from using, accessing, or disseminating the data in the future. In its notice, Tesla said that it cooperated with law enforcement and external forensics experts to handle the investigation and would continue to take appropriate steps as needed in the future. 

A top German news organization, Handelsblatt, has confirmed that it received more than 100 GB of data from former Tesla employees over the last few weeks. This information was used as a basis for slamming Tesla for failing to adequately protect the personal information collected from customers, employees, and business partners, according to the news site. As reported by Handelsblatt newspaper, Musk's social security number was also included in the leak, which was made public by Bloomberg. 

A Tesla spokesperson confirmed that the data was shared with German newspaper Handelsblatt by two former employees. It says that it is "legally prohibited from inappropriately using the information" and says that it will not publish the information. 

There was a report in Handelsblatt in May that Tesla was affected by a "massive" data breach that revealed all sorts of information about Tesla employees, as well as complaints made by customers about their vehicles. 

There were approximately 23,000 files, including 100 gigabytes of confidential data, obtained by the publication dubbed the Tesla Files, which contained more than 23,000 internal Tesla documents. Among the personal information stolen were the details of Tesla employees, payment information from customers, production secrets, as well as complaints from customers about the features of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) car. 

Tesla's Data Privacy Concerns Continue to Mount 


In addition to the May incident, Tesla has had several privacy issues in the past. A letter sent in April by senators Edward J. Markey and Richard Blumenthal raised questions about Musk's handling of reports that employees had been sharing sensitive images captured by cameras in customers' vehicles between 2019 and 2022 and how the company handled them. Due to the content of the report, Tesla is now the subject of a class action lawsuit. 

Tesla workers were reported by Reuters in April to have shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars, but the details of this incident were kept under wraps. The reports stated that between 2019 and 2022, employees of the company shared images and videos that were captured by the cameras in their cars.
Read more »
Twitter
Adam Mosseri Elon Musk Facebook Instagram Meta Social Media Apps Technology text-based conversation app Threads Twitter

Will Threads be a 'Threat' to Twitter?


About Threads

Meta, Instagram’s parent company launched Threads, which will be a text-based conversation app, rivaling Twitter.

Threads, released on Wednesday evening, a day before its scheduled release, allows users to join up directly from their Instagram accounts; it is a platform that allows users to publish short posts or updates that are up to 500 characters. They can include links, photos, or videos up to 5 minutes long.

More than 2 billion monthly active users will be able to import their accounts into Threads once it is made available to everyone.

Threads now have 70 million signups, according to a Friday morning post by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and that number is certain to rise over the next few days. (In comparison, Instagram has 1.3 billion users that log on every day. Twitter has 259 million daily active users at the end of 2022. 13 million accounts in total are on Mastodon.)

A Threat to Twitter

Adam Mosseri, the CEO of Instagram, claimed that under Musk, Twitter's "volatility" and "unpredictability" gave Instagram the chance to compete. According to Mosseri in an interview, Threads is made for "public conversations," which is an obvious reference to how Twitter executives have described the service's function throughout the years.

In regards to its threads’ competitor space, Mosseri says “Obviously, Twitter pioneered the space[…]And there are a lot of good offerings out there for public conversations. But just given everything that was going on, we thought there was an opportunity to build something that was open and something that was good for the community that was already using Instagram.”

For some time now, Meta has been getting ready to introduce Threads, which it calls a "sanely run" substitute for Twitter. The response to Musk's recent limitation on how many tweets people may watch per day, according to internal business documents I've seen, served as the impetus for this week's app release. Furthermore, they assert that Meta expects "tens of millions" of users to use Threads within the first few months of its release.

As described by Mosseri, Thread is a “risky endeavor,” especially considering that it's a brand-new program that users must download. After receiving access to Threads earlier, users were able to rapidly fill out account information and follow lists by having Meta automatically pull information from my Instagram account.

In many important aspects, Threads is surprisingly similar to Twitter. Posts (or, as Mosseri refers to them, "threads") from accounts you follow are displayed in the app's main feed along with accounts that Instagram's algorithm has recommended. Reposting something allows you to add users’ opinions, and main feed answers are clearly shown. Though it might be added later, there is no feed that solely contains the people you follow.

Since Twitter has been around for a while and has amassed a distinctive network, it presents another element that Threads must deal with. It is evident from Meta's behavior that, despite Musk's theatrics over the previous few months, unseating Twitter would not be easy. It would be a mistake, in Mosseri's opinion, to "undervalue Twitter and Elon." The community on Twitter is tremendously powerful and vibrant, and it has a long history. The network effects are very powerful.

Read more »
Twitter
AFP news agency BBC Digital Service Act Elon Musk EU Disinformation code of practice European Union Technology Twitter

Elon Musk Withdraws Twitter from EU’s Disinformation Code of Practice


European Union has recently confirmed that Twitter has withdrawn from the European Union’s voluntary code against disinformation.

The news was announced on Twitter, by EU’s internal market commissioner Thierry Breton. Breton later took to social media, warning Twitter that it cannot escape from the legal liability consequences that are incoming.

“Twitter leaves EU voluntary Code of Practice against disinformation. But obligations remain. You can run but you can’t hide[…]Beyond voluntary commitments, fighting disinformation will be legal obligation under #DSA as of August 25. Our teams will be ready for enforcement,” Breton wrote.

Herein, he referred to the legal duties that the platform must follow as a "very large online platform" (VLOP) under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

European Union Disinformation Code

A number of tech firms, small and big, are apparently signed up to the EU’s disinformation code, along with Facebook’s parent company Meta, TikTok, Google, Microsoft and Twitch.

The code, which was introduced in June of last year, seeks to decrease profiteering from fake news and disinformation, increase transparency, and stop the spread of bots and fraudulent accounts. Companies who sign the code are free to decide on the what obligations they want to make, such as working with fact-checkers or monitoring political advertising.

Apparently, since Elon Musk took over Twitter, the company’s moderation has largely reduced, which as per the critics has resulted in a increase in spread of disinformation. 

However, experts and former Twitter employees claim that the majority of these specialists left their positions or were fired. The social media company once had a dedicated team that tried to combat coordinated disinformation campaigns.

Last month, BBC exposed hundreds of Russian and Chinese state propaganda accounts lurking on Twitter. However, Musk claims that there is now “less misinformation rather than more,” since he took Twitter’s ownership.

Moreover, the EU, along with its voluntary code has brought in a Digital Service Act- a law which will coerce firms to put more efforts in tackling illegal contents online.

From August 25, platforms with more than 45 million active users per month in the EU—including Twitter—must abide by the DSA's legislative requirements.

Twitter will be required by legislation to implement measures to combat the spread of misinformation, provide users with a way to identify illegal content, and respond "expeditiously" to notifications.

In regards to the issue, AFP news agency on Friday quoted a statement of a EU Commission official saying “If (Elon Musk) doesn’t take the code seriously, then it’s better that he quits.”  

Read more »
WhatsApp
Elon Musk End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Services Online Safety Bill Signal Technology Twitter WhatsApp

Twitter Launches End-to-End Encrypted Messaging Services


Twitter has become the newest social media platform to be providing encrypted messaging service.

End-to-end Encryption 

Direct messages delivered on the platform will be end-to-end encrypted, i.e. private and only readable by the sender and receiver. However, Chief executive Elon Musk has warned Twitter users to “try it, but don’t trust it yet,” taking into account that it is only an early version of the service.

Only users of Twitter Blue or those connected to verified Twitter accounts are currently able to use the service, which is not yet available to the general public. Additionally, users can only send text and links in conversations for now; media attachments cannot yet be sent.

In a post on its support site, Twitter writes “It was not quite there yet” with encryption. "While messages themselves are encrypted, metadata (recipient, creation time, etc) are not, and neither is any linked content[…]If someone - for example, a malicious insider, or Twitter itself as a result of a compulsory legal process - were to compromise an encrypted conversation, neither the sender or receiver would know," it further read. 

Online Safety Bill Criticized 

Musk indicated his plans to make Twitter into a "super-app" with many features when he purchased it in 2022. There is not really a similar platform in the West to China's super-app WeChat, which can be used for anything from social media and restaurant ordering to payments and texting.

Since then, he has made a number of significant modifications to the social network, such as the addition of a subscription service and the elimination of the previous version of Twitter's blue tick badges, which were designed to combat the spread of disinformation.

For a long time, many Twitter users have demanded that the platform's private messaging function be made more secure. The UK, where the government's Online Safety Bill would impose additional rules for social media companies, reportedly in an effort to safeguard youngsters from abuse, may find Mr. Musk's timing unsettling.

Messaging services WhatsApp and Signal have both criticized this part of the Online Safety Bill, which is presently making its way through Parliament.

They expressed concerns that the legislation might weaken end-to-end encryption, which is seen as a crucial tool by privacy activists and campaigners.

Following this, heads of the two messaging platforms signed a letter demanding a rethink over the bill. According to them, the bill, in its current form, opens the door to "routine, general and indiscriminate surveillance" of personal messages. In regards to this, a Home Office spokesperson stated, "The Online Safety Bill applies to all platforms, regardless of their design and functionality. Therefore, end-to-end encrypted services are in scope and will be required to meet their duties of care to users."

"We have made clear that companies should only implement end-to-end encryption if they can simultaneously uphold public safety. We continue to work with the tech industry to collaborate on mutually agreeable solutions that protect public safety without compromising security," he added.

Read more »
US safety officials
Elon Musk Fully Self-Driving function NHTSA Safety concerns Technology Tesla US safety officials

Tesla Recalls 363,000 Cars with 'Full Self-Driving' Function Following Safety Concerns


Reportedly, Tesla is updating its self-driving software in response to the US safety officials who raised concerns that it would ultimately enable drivers to exceed speed limits or cross past intersections dangerously. 

In order to address the issue, Tesla recalls its [approx.] 363,000 vehicles with their “Full Self-Driving” feature to monitor and fix how it behaves around intersections and adhere to posted speed limits.  

The recall was initiated as part of a larger investigation into Tesla's automated driving systems by U.S. safety regulators. Regulators had expressed doubts about how Tesla's system responded in four locations along roadways. 

According to a document published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Thursday, Tesla will address the issues with an online software upgrade in the coming weeks. The document adds that although Tesla is doing the recall, it does not agree with the agency’s analysis of the issue. 

As per the NHTSA analysis, the system, being tested by around 400,000 Tesla owners on public roads, flags unsafe actions like driving straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, failing to stop completely at stop signs, and driving through an intersection during a yellow traffic light without taking proper precaution. 

Moreover, the document deems that the system does not satisfactorily respond to the transformation in speed limits or might not take into account the driver's adjustments to speed. "FSD beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash," the document says. 

A message was left Thursday urging a response from Tesla, which has shut down its media relations department. 

In addition to this, Tesla has received 18 warranty claims, supposedly caused by the software from May 2019 through September 12, 2022, pertaining to the issue. 

NHTSA said in a statement that it discovered the issue while conducting testing as part of an inquiry into "Full Self-Driving" and "Autopilot" software that performs some driving-related tasks. According to the NHTSA, "As required by law and after discussions with NHTSA, Tesla launched a recall to repair those defects." 

Despite the infamous claim by Tesla CEO Elon Musk that their “Full Self-Driving” vehicles do not require any human intervention in order to function, Tesla on its website, along with NHTSA confirms that the cars cannot drive themselves and that owners must always be prepared to intervene at all times.  

Read more »
Users
API Elon Musk Platform Popular Apps Technology Twitter Users

Twitter: Five Changes to the Platform for Users by Elon Musk

 

Three months have passed since Elon Musk stormed into Twitter's San Francisco headquarters, and the company has barely escaped the spotlight. We've talked a lot about his thoughts on the social network and some of his more controversial business decisions, such as laying off 50% of the workforce, but less about how the platform's 237 million monthly active users use it on a daily basis.

1. Restricting alternative Twitter viewing methods

Twitter appears to have suspended access to its API, which is used by other platforms to communicate with it. So, if you use a social media manager to access your account rather than the Twitter app or website, you may discover that Twitter is not currently working with it. It's unclear whether the move was intentional, but many experts believe it was.

"My guess is that this is because those third-party apps do not show ads and they allow the user to manage their feed as they see fit, which is at odds with Musk's plans to put more ads in front of users' eyeballs and prioritize the tweets of people who have paid for Twitter Blue," said tech commentator Kate Bevan.

Although Twitter has not made an official announcement, popular apps that appear to be struggling include Tweetbot, Fenix, and Twitterific.

2. Maintenance

The order in which tweets appear on people's timelines is perhaps the most noticeable change. A new tab allows you to select between the most recent tweets from people you follow and those recommended by Twitter.

If you're using an iPhone, you'll see two columns at the top, "for you" and "following"; if you're using an Android device, you'll see a star icon on the top right-hand side of the screen. The problem is that many users did not notice or were unaware that the app occasionally reverted to Twitter's curated "for you" feed. There have been complaints that this feed is mostly made up of Twitter recommendations and interactions between people you follow and people you don't know, rather than the content you chose to follow in the first place.

Others, on the other hand, don't mind: "Some days I want to go to a restaurant with just my friends, some days I'll pitch up at the pub and see who's in...can be fun," one Twitter user explained.

3. Reintroduction of contentious accounts

Mr Musk began with some high-profile accounts that had previously been banned for violating Twitter's rules. They included Ye (rapper Kanye West), who was barred from sharing anti-Semitic posts, influencer Andrew Tate (who is currently being held in Romania on charges of people trafficking), and former US President Donald Trump, whose tweets were accused of inciting the Capitol Hill riots in January 2021.

4. Twitter's Blue

Twitter's subscription service, Twitter Blue, launched at the end of November after a few false starts. The $8/$11 (£6.50/£9) monthly fee guarantees access to extra features such as an edit button, increased visibility, and fewer ads. Anecdotally, it appears to have attracted a reasonable number of subscribers, but not a large number - though, as usual, no official news about its success has been released thus far.

5. Ticks of silver and gold

Twitter's "blue tick," which is now a sign of a subscriber, was previously a symbol of a verified account. It was given to the accounts of hand-picked celebrities, journalists, and brands by Twitter to indicate that they were not fakes.

Those who acquired a blue tick under the old regime still have them, along with a message explaining that it is a "legacy" and "may or may not be notable". As a result, seeing a blue tick next to an account does not automatically confer authority on that account.

It has been replaced by a gold or silver tick for brands and government figures, so Coca-Cola is now gold, with an explanation that it is an "official business," and Rishi Sunak, the UK Prime Minister, now has a silver badge.

'Spin Master

Twitter had to change whether Mr. Musk was there or not. Its user base and ad revenue had been stagnant for a long time, while rival social networks had sprung up and experienced explosive growth. Twitter is known for being a small but influential platform, but this was not translating into profits.

Mr. Musk is "a master of PR and spin and innovation and creativity", said social media expert Matt Navarra. He is not afraid of causing a stir or tearing up the rulebook. But will his revolutionary tactics turn around the fortunes of this floundering company, which he claims was losing $4 million per day when he took over?

It's difficult to say because Twitter is secretive about its metrics. It is now a privately owned company, as it should be. However, new advertisers do not appear to be flocking to the site, users are complaining about changes to the way their accounts are displayed, and a recent API change has irritated developers, a community that Twitter needs to help it grow.

Mr. Navarra of his own user experience of engaging with 150,000 followers said, "The vibe seems to have shifted and it doesn't seem to be quite what it was before. I don't see any signs of green shoots for a new Twitter."
Read more »
User Privacy
China Covid Cyber Security Cyptocurrency Elon Musk FTX GRU Russia-Ukraine War User Privacy

5 Most Significant Online Influencers of 2022

The Wired portal has taken the initiative to publish a list of the individuals that sparked the most online debates in 2022. Controversies motives, false information, and online turmoil will also be on the minds of many people going forward. 

Despite some issues that appear to be fading, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and the world of cryptocurrency, these issues frequently come up on social media. Money laundering, theft, and fraud are among the issues frequently in these debates. 

1. Sam Bankman-Fried

Money laundering, theft, and scams have been rampant in the cryptocurrency sector, from the Crypto dark-web drug trade to billions of dollars being taken from crypto firms by cybercriminals. Sam Bankman-Fried is currently charged with fraud of more than $8 billion in connection with the fall of the bitcoin exchange FTX. The exact extent of the misuse of user cash in FTX's collapse is still unknown, and even the new CEO of the firm, John Ray, claims he's never witnessed a greater catastrophe. This could have far-reaching effects on the cryptocurrency economy. 

In addition to the staggering losses, Bankman-Fried stands in as a particularly alarming example of the problems with the crypto economy.  He seemed to really embrace increased government controls of the business, unlike so others in the crypto sphere.

2. Elon Musk

After the purchase of Twitter, Musk's dark side was exposed, and the erratic power of the world's richest person suddenly put a major online institution in danger. Elon fired at least 4,400 contract workers after letting go of nearly 50% of the Twitter personnel, jeopardizing the operations of a service that acts as Twitter's main artery.

Additionally, Twitter has drastically reduced the size of its team of content moderators, creating scenarios where only one employee is left to monitor child abuse-related tweets across the entirety of Japan and the Asia-Pacific area. Twitter has also outlawed left-wing accounts under Musk's supervision which goes against his support for free speech. He provides a glimpse of the conspiracy-minded ideas and trolling that really motivates his behavior. 

3. Xi Jinping

Every wave of brutality under Xi Jinping has been accompanied by a tightening of online restrictions as censors combed social media for any mention of protests. Han Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have even insisted that Uyghurs install an app that checks their phones for prohibited information.

This year's protests against China's oppressive zero-Covid lockdowns have sparked a new round of online repression, in which it is now illegal to even like a protest-related post, and any indication of wrongdoing is monitored through a controlled credit system with the potential to result in users' immediate expulsion from online platforms. He's made it quite apparent that dictatorial control will infiltrate the Chinese digital life.

4. Narendra Modi

India has begun to resemble China ever more in how it suppresses both offline and online protests under Modi and the BJP. The Indian government has recently taken steps to tighten its control over social media, including temporarily shutting down the internet in the disturbed region of Kashmir, banning several Chinese apps, including TikTok, and giving a three-person group control over social media moderation policy choices.

The government can use the new IT regulations as a tool to challenge the platforms when it wants. It's the initial step toward making it possible to restrict online speech like in China.

5. GRU

In the past seven years, Russia's GRU military intelligence units known as Sandworm and APT28 caused two blackouts in Ukraine. In 2022, it started a plethora of cyberattacks aimed at erasing data from the Ukrainian government and business networks, frequently concurrent with direct physical assaults by the invading army. In a NotPetya-like incident of collateral damage, one GRU malware operation even managed to shut down connectivity to 5,000 wind turbines spread around Germany. A third blackout strike in Ukraine was also attempted by GRU's Sandworm hackers, but this time, at least in the view of the Ukrainian government, defenses were able to prevent it.

The year 2022 will be regarded as a time of major global events with several noteworthy events and occasions. Despite some issues that appear to be fading, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and the world of cryptocurrency, money laundering, theft, and fraud are among the issues frequently on social media. 
Read more »
Twitter
Cyber Security data security Display Elon Musk Tweet Twitter

Elon Musk's Cool New Data Plan is Probably Ethically Wrong

 

There is no way around it. Elon Musk is a brilliant businessman. If you display the man a box, he will think outside of it. The CEO chased away all of Twitter's advertisers, so he's been trying to figure out how to make money for his company lately.

Based on a report in the Platformer newsletter, Twitter is working on a plan that would force users to opt in to targeted ads, removing a years-old privacy setting that gives users more control over their data. But wait, there's more! The new strategy may require you to share your location data and allow Twitter to sell your data to third parties. Furthermore, the company may seek your permission to use your contacts and the phone number you provided for two-factor authentication to target advertising. These are not only brilliant ideas; they are almost certainly illegal as well.

As per Platformer's sources, Twitter's new innovation would display a full-screen pop-up asking users to consent to personalized advertising and location data collection. Because the only reason to get rid of the pop-up would be to say yes, using Twitter would be impossible without consenting to the new data regime. Several laws are in the way of what Elon may be planning. 

The GDPR is in effect in Europe. Just last week, the EU issued a ruling against Meta that prohibited this type of mandatory consent. California has the CCPA as well as its younger brother, the CPRA, which takes effect on January 1. 

Both essentially state that you cannot compel people to consent to data sharing and targeted advertising. Furthermore, the plan may run afoul of Apple, Inc., a consumer electronics manufacturer that makes a big deal about privacy. If you join up for the $8 per month Twitter Blue service, you will reportedly be able to avoid targeted advertising. Apple claims that forcing users to choose between ad tracking and a paid service will result in your app being removed from the App Store. 

Then there's the Federal Trade Commission. The reported plan could result in enforcement action, if only because Twitter recently paid the FTC a $150 million fine for targeting ads without permission using two-factor authentication phone numbers. The company has been under an FTC consent decree since 2011. Elon has benefited from resignations, firings, and other personnel changes in Twitter's legal department.

Twitter currently lacks a communications department, as Musk laid off half of the company. As a result, the company did not respond to a request for comment right away. A quick look at Twitter reveals that hundreds, if not thousands, of users are upset with the whole forced consent idea, and many have threatened to leave the site if it goes through.

Selling your data and showing you more targeted ads would solve a lot of Twitter's problems if it weren't for the CCPA, the FTC, the GDPR, Apple, and Twitter's own users. Ads generate 90% of Twitter's revenue, and the company's relationship with advertisers is deteriorating.

Elon tweeted over the weekend to thank advertisers for returning, which, uh, doesn't seem to be a thing that happened in the universe the rest of us live in. One former executive defined the advertiser situation at Twitter as "catastrophic" in late November.

Traffic to Twitter's ad management tool was down 75% in October and then 85% in November, compared to the same time last year, according to the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Twitter alleviated advertisers' concerns about rising hate speech by running advertisements for major corporations on the profiles of white nationalists. Twitter's ad business was already in danger before Musk dumped the majority of his company's biggest advertisers. 
Read more »
Twitter
App Store Apple Elon Musk Technology Tim Cook Twitter

Twitter Feud with Apple Boss Resolved, Says Elon Musk


Twitter CEO Elon Musk has recently said that he and Apple boss Tim Cook have “resolved the misunderstanding” over Twitter being possibly removed from the App Store. 

The feud began when earlier this week, Musk, in a series of tweets accused Apple of halting most of the advertisements and threatening to remove the platform from its App Store. He added that this situation had become “a battle for the future of civilization.” 

However, Apple’s chief executive tweeted on Wednesday that “Tim was clear that Apple never consider doing so.” While he did not say whether Apple’s advertising was discussed in the meeting. 

The meeting between the two CEOs as numerous companies have halted spending on advertisements on Twitter, due to concerns over Elon Musk’s content moderation plan. 

This would apparently be a major setback for Twitter since Twitter relies on advertisements for the majority of its aggregate revenue. 

On Monday, the Twitter CEO accused apple of “censorship,” while also criticizing its policies, particularly the levies it imposes on purchases made through its App Store. “Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?” said Musk. 

Later, Musk updated his Twitter followers that he was meeting with Mr. Cook at Apple’s headquarters, adding in his tweet: “Good conversation. Among other things, we resolved the misunderstanding about Twitter potentially being removed from the App Store. Tim was clear that Apple never considered doing so.” Meanwhile, Apple has not made any official comment on the said meeting. 

Weeks after Mr. Musk became the chief executive, Twitter lost at least half of its major advertisers. This estimates a loss of nearly $750 million to the social media giant, as reported by Media Matters, a non-profit watchdog. 

Some of the major advertisers lost included General Mills and Pfizer. Musk as well acknowledged that this defection has resulted in a “massive drop” in revenue, with the company losing $4 million per day. 

Apple, on the other hand, is consistently one of the major advertisers on the social network company, spending over $100 million annually, as reported by Bloomberg.  

Read more »
Vulnerabilities and Exploits.
Elon Musk Mastodon Microblogging Platform Twitter User Privacy Vulnerabilities and Exploits.

Twitter Substitute: Mastodon is it Secure?

Mastodon, a Twitter substitute, has gained popularity as the Musk era gets underway, however, is it more private and safe than Twitter?

Mastodon resembles a hybrid of Twitter and Discord. It is a microblogging network, like Twitter. It hosts hundreds of separate servers, unlike Twitter, and is decentralized.

Mastodon is self-funded and dependent on member donations and the administrator's goodwill. The servers are often run by volunteer moderators and focused on a single topic, such as politics or technology. Each has unique guidelines and a sign-up procedure. Users do not require special access to view posts and interact with others because users can join as many as they like and follow people across different sections.

People who switch from Twitter to Mastodon make the first error of thinking that it will be a resembling alternative. 

Mastodon Security

Forbes spoke to numerous specialists who addressed security issues with Mastodon's architecture and potential programming flaws in an article published this week. 

"Mastodon isn't the cure many people abandoning Twitter may think it is," cautioned Cybrary's senior director of threat intelligence, David Maynor.

For your Mastodon account, enable two-factor authentication. Mastodon's design may have flaws, according to Melissa Bischoping, director and endpoint security research specialist at Tanium. The website is divided up into 'instances,' or separately maintained sections. In addition to developing the rules for each 'instance,' administrators are also in charge of the site's infrastructure and software.

User verification is another function that falls under the general security category. Anybody can sign up at any of Mastodon's several distinct instances, independent servers managed by various admins because you are not registered and pretend to be you. 

Finally, numerous instances have been created solely for the goal of testing security and reporting flaws and vulnerabilities, allowing the ethical hacking and bug-hunting community to continue to participate and enhance the security of the platform as it becomes more widely used.


Read more »
Twitter
Apple Cyber Security Elon Musk iPhone Smartphone Twitter

Elon Musk is Planning to Develop an Alternate Smartphone

If Apple decides to remove Twitter from the App Store, Elon Musk has an easy strategy,  to build his own smartphone. 

Musk has changed a lot about Twitter since he joined at the end of October, including major staff cuts and firings that prompted managers in charge of data privacy and content moderation to resign.

In terms of content filtering, Musk fundamentally supports the right to free expression. Additionally, he apparently intends to attempt and make money for Twitter through explicit content. When Jack Dorsey was in charge, content filtering was more deliberate and concentrated on user 'safety,' outlawing obscenity, hate speech, and violence. 

Musk tweeted on Friday night, "If Apple & Google expel Twitter from their app stores, @elonmusk should manufacture his own smartphone," in response to the conservative commentator Liz Wheeler. The prejudiced, snooping iPhone & Android would be cheerfully abandoned by half of the country. A foolish little smartphone ought to be simple for the man who makes rockets to Mars, right? ”

"I sincerely hope it never comes to that, but indeed, If there is no other option, I will develop an alternate phone," Musk said.

Phil Schiller, a senior Apple marketing executive that oversees the company's App Store, deactivated his Twitter account last week, which could be a terrible sign for Twitter. After Musk criticized Apple's fees on Twitter, calling them a hidden 30% tax on the internet, Schiller made the change.











Read more »
Vulnerability and Exploits.
Data protection Elon Musk EU GDPR Social Media threats Twitter Vulnerability and Exploits.

Twitter's Brussels Staff Sacked by Musk 

After a conflict on how the social network's content should be regulated in the Union, Elon Musk shut down Twitter's entire Brussels headquarters.

Twitter's connection with the European Union, which has some of the most robust regulations controlling the digital world and is frequently at the forefront of global regulation in the sector, may be strained by the closing of the company's Brussels center. 

Platforms like Twitter are required by one guideline to remove anything that is prohibited in any of the EU bloc's member states. For instance, tweets influencing elections or content advocating hate speech would need to be removed in jurisdictions where such communication is prohibited. 

Another obligation is that social media sites like Twitter must demonstrate to the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, that they are making a sufficient effort to stop the spread of content that is not illegal but may be damaging. Disinformation falls under this category. This summer, businesses will need to demonstrate how they are handling such positions. 

Musk will need to abide by the GDPR, a set of ground-breaking EU data protection laws that mandate Twitter have a data protection officer in the EU. 

The present proposal forbids the use of algorithms that have been demonstrated to be biased against individuals, which may have an influence on Twitter's face-cropping tools, which have been presented to favor youthful, slim women.

Twitter might also be obligated to monitor private conversations for grooming or images of child sexual abuse under the EU's Child Sexual Abuse Materials proposal. In the EU, there is still discussion about them.

In order to comply with the DSA, Twitter will need to put in a lot more effort, such as creating a system that allows users to flag illegal content with ease and hiring enough moderators to examine the content in every EU member state.

Twitter won't have to publish a risk analysis until next summer, but it will have to disclose its user count in February, which initiates the commission oversight process.

Two lawsuits that might hold social media corporations accountable for their algorithms that encourage dangerous or unlawful information are scheduled for hearings before the US Supreme Court. This might fundamentally alter how US businesses regulate content. 
Read more »
Twitter
Cyber Fraud Eli Lilly Elon Musk Fake Accounts Pharmaceutical Twitter

The Twitter Blue Scandal Caused Eli Lilly to Lose Billions of Dollars


It seems that Twitter Inc. has suspended its recently announced $8 blue check subscription following a proliferation of fake accounts on its platform. However, the decision to suspend the service came too late for one pharmaceutical company due to how fast online accounts proliferated. 

American pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly (LLY) lost billions of dollars after its stock plummeted on Friday due to a false tweet claiming "insulin is free now" sent on Thursday by a fake account, verified with a blue tick. 

A fake account impersonating Eli Lilly on social media promised free insulin as part of its promotion on Friday, according to The Star newspaper. However, the stock of the company dropped 4.37 percent, wiping out over $15 billion in market capitalization. 

In a tweet posted from its official Twitter account, Eli Lilly provided clarification regarding the matter.

A flood of fake Twitter accounts has sprung up since Elon Musk's revised subscription guidelines for Twitter Blue were announced. Eli Lilly is only one of the victims. 

Twitter's Blue Saga


It was reported on Friday by AFP that Twitter took action on Friday to curb the proliferation of fake accounts. This has been seen since Elon Musk took over the company. There has been a suspension of new sign-ups for the newly introduced paid checkmark system on Twitter, and some accounts have been restored to their gray badges. 

Before the new law, the coveted blue tick used to be available only to politicians, famed personalities, journalists, and other public figures. It was also available to government organizations and private organizations. 

The official Twitter account @twittersupport tweeted on Friday about restoring the "official" label on accounts to stop the flood of fake accounts. The tweet stated "To combat impersonation, we have added an "official" label to some accounts." 

There is evidence that Twitter has temporarily disabled the feature as documented by a memo sent internally to its employees, obtained by US media including The Washington Post, to address "impersonation issues."
Read more »
Twitter
blue-tick verification Elon Musk Technology Twitter

Twitter Drama Continues With Blue-Tick Confusion


Social media platform Twitter halted and later relaunched its premium services that offer blue-tick verification labels to subscribers paying $8 a month. The services went unavailable on Friday, after Twitter was flooded by a wave of fake user accounts that were approved. 

The action was taken in response to a number of accounts impersonating company giants receiving a blue tick, that previously indicated that the platform has verified the user as real. 

A Twitter user claimed to be a drugs firm Eli Lilly and said "insulin was free". Twitter did not comment. 

The incident added to the concerns about how Musk’s leadership has an impact on the spread of misinformation on the platform. 

"We apologize to those who have been served a misleading message from a fake Lilly account," tweeted Eli Lilly, a few hours after the prank post went up on the internet on Thursday, reiterating the name of its real Twitter handle. Consequently, the firm’s shares fell up to 4% on Friday amid the confusion. 

Max Burns, a US-based PR strategist says he had seen the fake accounts being impersonated as ‘verified user’ accounts with the verified blue tick badge, that was supposedly purchased via Twitter Blue posing as support accounts for existing airlines and asking users who were trying to contact them on Twitter to direct message the fake accounts instead. 

"How long until a prankster takes a real passenger's ticket information and cancels their flight? Or takes their credit card info and goes on a spending spree?" he said. "It will only take one major incident for every airline to bail on Twitter as a source of customer engagement." 

Adding to the confusion, these fake verified accounts could put advertisers in major difficulties, who have put their businesses with Twitter on hold. Musk's rocky run atop the platform laying off half its workforce and triggering high-profile departures has raised questions about its survivability. 

The imposters could be a major setback, even if the fake accounts are taken down quickly. 

They have created overwhelming reputation risk for placing advertising investments on the platform, says Lou Paskalis, longtime marketing, and media executive and former Bank of America head of global media. He adds that with the fake verified brand accounts, a picture emerges of a platform in disarray that no media professional would risk their career by continuing to make advertising investments on, and no governance apparatus or senior executive would condone if they did. 

Twitter’s Latest CEO Warned Employees 

Last month, Elon Musk made his $44 billion purchase of Twitter and swiftly set about overhauling the company. 

Musk has fired roughly 3,700 employees, almost half of the firm’s former staff- and pushed the firm to concentrate on finding ways other than advertising to generate revenue. 

His first email to employees warned, "The road ahead is arduous and will require intense work to succeed[...]Without significant subscription revenue, there is a good chance Twitter will not survive the upcoming economic downturn." 

Read more »
Twitter
Cyber Security Elon Musk FTC Twitter

Senior Twitter Officials Resigned Upon Elon Musk's Takeover

At Twitter, as we all know by now that a lot is going on. 50% of the employees were laid off after Elon Musk took over the business. A couple more top executives quit the firm as Musk implemented measures to make Twitter profitable. 

As pressure over Twitter's future and the unpredictable actions of its new owner, Elon Musk, grows, the company's chief information security officer, who held one of the most critical positions, announced his resignation on Thursday.

Robin Wheeler and Yoel Roth have resigned. At Twitter, Roth served as the Senior Director of Safety & Integrity, while Wheeler is in charge of the Client Solutions division. When rumors first surfaced, Roth acknowledged his departure while Wheeler underlined that she is still very much a part of Twitter.

The former CISO, Lea Kissner, stated in a tweet that they were eager to determine their next course of action. Kissner did not answer right away to a request for comment and did not publicly explain why they left Twitter.

According to a source with knowledge of the matter, Twitter's head of integrity and safety, Yoel Roth, also announced his resignation from the organization on Thursday. Roth became a prominent public figure in the days that followed Musk's purchase of the business, defending and explaining some of the numerous changes that were being made. On Wednesday, he participated in a Twitter Spaces discussion with Musk to allay worries about how the site will handle harmful content in light of the modifications.

On Thursday, the billionaire held his first meeting with the workers who weren't affected by the layoffs. Musk issues a dire warning during the meeting, orders staff to report daily, and bans remote work. All employees are required to put in 40 hours a week in the workplace, he continued, with the only exceptions being those who are physically unable to travel to an office or special circumstances approved by the manager.

The most recent illustration of the internal unrest gripped Twitter in the wake of the company's massive layoffs in their resignations. The employee's post also asserted that Musk's emphasis on monetizing the site would endanger users who are particularly vulnerable, such as political dissidents and human rights campaigners.

The employee stated Musk seemed unconcerned about Twitter's potential culpability before the FTC, which was implied in the message, and it even hinted that it would put Twitter's own staff in legal danger.


Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)