Coronavirus: Facebook to close Seattle office after worker tests positive
The 5,000 workers at Facebook’s Seattle office have been advised to work from home until March 31, after a contract worker tested positive for the coronavirus.
Coronavirus could meet its match with Folding@Home’s crowdsourced computing
Folding@Home wants to use your computer's spare processing power to aid in coronavirus research. Anyone with a computer can download the program.
As coronavirus spreads, is it safe to buy products shipped from China?
There is no way the coronavirus could be active long enough on a surface for it to become contagious through the touching of a package or a product from China.
ICE weaponizes state-issued licenses against Maryland’s undocumented immigrants
ICE is using facial recognition software to target undocumented immigrants in Maryland by conducting unauthorized searches of state-issued driver's licenses.
Clearview AI’s client list was stolen. Could its massive face database be next?
An intruder was recently able to gain unauthorized access to Clearview AI's full customer list, which is comprised of various law enforcement agencies.
Virgin Galactic is taking new spaceflight reservations. Got $1,000?
Virgin Galactic reopened its waiting list to fly to space, and you can put your name down for a $1,000 deposit to reserve your seat once they become available.
Juul patents an A.I. vape to help people quit nicotine
A new Juul patent suggests that the company might be looking to make a product that would help people quit nicotine through machine learning technology.
Disney unveils a new animatronic Baby Yoda toy for you to obsess over
More adorable Baby Yoda merchandise is coming our way, including an animatronic figure that will giggle and interact with you, a talking plush toy, and jewelry.
UCLA won’t use facial recognition on its campus after it receives backlash
UCLA was going to be the first university in the U.S. to use facial recognition on its campus, but after backlash, the school has decided against it.
Congress has concerns over Ring’s partnerships with police departments
A congressional committee wrote a letter to Ring over concerns about the company's partnerships with more than 400 local police departments across the country.
Amazon’s first employee thinks the company is scary-big
Amazon’s very first employee from 1994 said in an interview that he is scared of how big the company has become since he left and that it should be broken up.
After knocks on its security, Ring makes two-factor authentication mandatory
Amazon Ring is making two-factor authentication a top priority with a new mandatory second layer of verification each time someone logs in.
Elon Musk warns that all A.I. must be regulated, even at Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk thinks that organizations that are developing A.I. technology should be regulated, including his own companies.
SpaceX will offer space tourism flights sooner than you think
SpaceX has a new partner in its quest to conquer private spaceflight. Space Adventures will help send anyone who can afford it into space as soon as late 2021.
Revamped photo of ‘Pale Blue Dot’ reminds us how small we are
NASA updated the famous photo Pale Blue Dot taken by the Voyager 1 mission 30 years ago using modern technology, and it reminds us how big the universe is.
New lawsuit accuses Juul of targeting kids on Nick Jr. and Cartoon Network sites
A new lawsuit against Juul alleges that the e-cigarette company advertised on websites like Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Seventeen Magazine, and Cartoon Network.
Facebook hires Reuters to fact-check posts, but politicians can still lie in ads
Facebook is trying to fight fake news and misinformation on its platform by hiring Reuters to fact-check, but it’s still not fact-checking political ads.
NASA hasn’t been to the moon in almost 50 years. Now, it’s going back annually
NASA hasn’t been to the moon since 1972, but starting in 2021, the agency plans to make trips every year through 2030, with the goal of landing humans in 2024.
Facebook removes some Russian, Iranian accounts for spreading fake memes
Facebook removed fake accounts, pages, and groups originating from Russia, Iran, Vietnam, and Myanmar because of what it calls coordinated inauthentic behavior.
Nest makes two-factor authentication mandatory for its smart home devices
Google Nest is the latest smart home device to make it mandatory for people to set up two-factor authentication on their devices by using verification code.
Jeff Bezos sells $4 billion in Amazon stock, and no one knows why
Jeff Bezos has sold over $4 billion worth of Amazon shares, including more than $570 million worth just on Friday, February 7, but the reason remains a mystery.
How the space industry is making space for women
From an all-female spacewalk to women-centered programs, women in the space industry are doing great things and creating a stronger female presence in space.
SpaceX will let you launch a satellite into space for as little as $1 million
SpaceX opened up applications for its rideshare program. Missions start as low as $1 million and use a Falcon 9 rocket to get a satellite up in space.
The U.S. Space Force launched its first nuclear-ready ballistic missile test
The U.S. Space Force quietly conducted its first test launch of an unarmed ballistic missile overnight across the Pacific Ocean. The intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 12:33 a.m. PT on Wednesday and traveled about 4,200 miles.
Twitter moves to ban deepfakes that ’cause harm’ ahead of 2020 election
Twitter announced a new policy about manipulated media — namely deepfakes. Twitter’s new policy states that you may not “deceptively share synthetic or manipulated media that are likely to cause harm.”
Life-size Baby Yoda is super adorable, but not very affordable
Avid fans of The Mandalorian's adorable Baby Yoda can now own a life-size replica of the breakout star of The Mandalorian, but it’ll cost you a hefty $350.
After years of scandals, Facebook is finally starting to feel the fallout
After a mixed earnings report and huge drop in share price, it looks like Facebook’s rocky past might finally be catching up to the social network in real ways.
Facebook forced to pay $550 million settlement over facial recognition lawsuit
Facebook has to pay Illinois members as part of a settlement. The company violated Illinois biometric privacy laws in its photo tagging using facial recognition.