Digital World



US govt calls for breakup of Google and Chrome

AFP - 1h ago

The US government late Wednesday asked a judge to order the dismantling of Google by selling its widely used Chrome …

Australian eyes $30m fine for social media flouting under-16s ban

AFP - 3h ago

Social media companies could be fined more than US$30 million if they fail to keep children off their platforms, under …

Canada AI project hopes to help reverse mass insect extinction

AFP - 4h ago

Researchers in Canada are using artificial intelligence to monitor the ongoing mass extinction of insects, hoping to …

Nvidia crushes earnings expectations on AI chip demand

Nov 20 2024

US chipmaking behemoth Nvidia said Wednesday it made a $19 billion profit on record high revenue last quarter as demand …

Japan ramps up tech ambitions with $65 bn for AI, chips

Nov 20 2024

Japan is readying a $65-billion push in microchips and artificial intelligence aimed at reclaiming its status as a …

India's vinyl revival finds its groove

Nov 20 2024

Melting plastic pellets into chunky discs then squashed flat, a worker presses records in what claims to be the first …

SpaceX fails to repeat Starship booster catch, as Trump watches on

Nov 20 2024

SpaceX flew its latest test flight of its Starship megarocket on Tuesday, with President-elect Donald Trump joining Elon …

SpaceX fails to repeat Starship booster catch, as Trump looks on

Nov 19 2024

SpaceX's Starship megarocket blasted off on its latest test flight Tuesday, with President-elect Donald Trump joining …

SpaceX set for Starship's next flight -- with Trump watching

Nov 19 2024

SpaceX was poised for its next test flight of its Starship megarocket on Tuesday, with US President-elect Donald Trump …

'Minecraft' to come to life in UK and US under theme park deal

Nov 19 2024

The best-selling video game "Minecraft" is to become a real-life destination, as part of a multi-million-pound deal …

Romanian court says 'irregularities' in influencer Andrew Tate's indictment

Nov 19 2024

A Romanian court on Tuesday found "irregularities" in the indictment of controversial influencer Andrew Tate on human …

SpaceX set for Starship's next flight, Trump expected to attend

Nov 19 2024

SpaceX is poised for its next Starship megarocket test flight on Tuesday, with US President-elect Donald Trump expected …

US to call for Google to sell Chrome browser: report

Nov 19 2024

The US will urge a judge to make Google-parent company Alphabet sell its widely used Chrome browser in a major antitrust …

Russian extradited to US from SKorea to face ransomware charges

Nov 18 2024

A Russian national has been extradited to the United States from South Korea to face charges he distributed ransomware …

Long delayed Ukrainian survival video game sequel set for release amid war

Nov 18 2024

Ukrainian studio GSC will on Wednesday release a long-awaited sequel to its hit S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game, fine tuned …

Trump taps big tech critic Carr to lead US communications agency

Nov 18 2024

US President-elect Donald Trump tapped Republican Brendan Carr, an Elon Musk-backed critic of big tech, to lead the …

Is AI's meteoric rise beginning to slow?

Nov 18 2024

A quietly growing belief in Silicon Valley could have immense implications: the breakthroughs from large AI models -– …

US finalizes up to $6.6 bn funding for chip giant TSMC

Nov 15 2024

The United States will award Taiwanese chip giant TSMC up to $6.6 billion in direct funding to help build several plants …

End of a love affair: news media quit X over 'disinformation'

Nov 15 2024

News outlets have begun quitting X, formerly Twitter, once a favourite of global media but now accused of enabling the …

With Trump comeback, will EU go easier on ally Musk?

Nov 15 2024

Donald Trump's White House comeback gives his ally Elon Musk a sizeable advantage in a running standoff with EU tech …

TikTok makes AI driven ad tool available globally

Nov 15 2024

TikTok on Thursday began letting all marketers on its platform use an artificial intelligence-powered tool for …

After Trump's victory, US election falsehoods shift left

Nov 15 2024

Right-wing falsehoods about voter fraud fell off a cliff after Donald Trump's victory in the US election, but American …

'Harness the now': British singer Imogen Heap embraces AI

Nov 14 2024

Unlike the bulk of her peers, Grammy-winning British singer Imogen Heap is embracing the use of artificial intelligence …

EU fines Meta $840 million for 'abusive' Facebook ad practices

Nov 14 2024

The EU fined online giant Meta almost 800 million euros on Thursday for breaching antitrust rules by giving users of its …

Hotels on Booking.com can offer better rates elsewhere: EU

Nov 14 2024

Hotels listed by online travel giant Booking.com in Europe are now free to offer better rates elsewhere, the European …

'Terrible' AI has given tech an existential headache: activist

Nov 14 2024

Technology firms are ceaselessly promoting new AI products, but climate activist Sage Lenier says AI is useless, …

Uganda TikToker convicted for insulting president

Nov 14 2024

A Ugandan court has convicted a 21-year-old content creator for calling for the public flogging of President Yoweri …

Dating apps move to friend zone in search of profits

Nov 14 2024

Burnt-out love-seekers are shunning dating apps in their millions, but the apps are trying to woo them back with a …

'First Buddy': Musk takes unusual star role with Trump

Nov 14 2024

As Donald Trump prepares his return to the White House, one of his most omnipresent confidants has been not his running …

Workers stage walkout at US maker of Fallout video game

Nov 14 2024

Hundreds of US workers at the video game giant behind Fallout staged a one-day strike Wednesday over outsourcing and …

Trump victory signals golden era for crypto industry

Nov 13 2024

Donald Trump's triumphant return to the White House signals a potential golden era for cryptocurrencies, whose …

UK's The Guardian stops posting on 'toxic media platform' X

Nov 13 2024

Britain's The Guardian newspaper announced Wednesday it would no longer post content from its official accounts on Elon …

India delivery app Swiggy shares gain on market debut 

Nov 13 2024

Indian food delivery firm Swiggy rose nearly 17 percent on its market debut Wednesday after raising $1.34 billion in the …

Trump names Musk to 'efficiency' post as team takes shape

Nov 13 2024

Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the world's richest man, Elon Musk, will lead a new US government efficiency group …

Free Facebook in EU with less targeted ads

Nov 12 2024

Under pressure by EU regulators, Meta said Tuesday it was offering non-paying users of its Facebook and Instagram …

Tech sector gathers in Lisbon in shadow of Trump victory

Nov 12 2024

Leading lights of the tech industry met in Lisbon on Tuesday for the Web Summit, the sector's first big event since the …

Nintendo courts non-gamers in 'about-turn' strategy

Nov 12 2024

Once confined to rectangular screens, chirpy plumber Mario and pointy-eared Princess Zelda are popping up in theme parks …

Election fraud claims go silent after Trump win

Nov 12 2024

Right up to Election Day, Donald Trump and his backers were issuing unfounded warnings of voter fraud. But once his …

Pharrell Williams kicks off Web Summit tech event

Nov 11 2024

One of Europe's biggest tech events, Web Summit, launched on Monday in Lisbon with pop superstar Pharrell Williams among …

Misinformation fears mount over second Trump term

Nov 11 2024

Donald Trump's election victory paves the way for a fresh wave of misinformation, not only around politics but also on …

UK rules drivers on Bolt ride-hailing platform are employees

Nov 08 2024

UK drivers using the Bolt ride-hailing platform should be considered employees and have access to rights such as the …

First artwork by humanoid robot sells for over $1.0 million

Nov 08 2024

A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, …

Fur flies as Russia takes on young fans of 'quadrobics'

Nov 08 2024

Yana, a 12-year-old Moscovite, is worried she will have to give up her hobby of quadrobics -- a fitness and social media …

Pharrell Williams to bring star power to Web Summit tech event

Nov 08 2024

Singer Pharrell Williams is due to kick off one of Europe's biggest tech events on Monday, the Web Summit in Lisbon, …

First artwork by humanoid robot sells for $1.3m

Nov 08 2024

A portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, …

What will Trump 2.0 mean for US tech?

Nov 07 2024

What will Donald Trump's second stint in the White House mean for a US tech industry in the throes of an artificial …

French parliament approves bill to rein in tourist rentals

Nov 07 2024

The French parliament on Thursday approved a bill aimed at tightening the regulation of tourist accommodation such as …

French lawmakers back bill to tighten Airbnb regulation

Nov 07 2024

French lawmakers on Thursday backed a bill aimed at increasing the regulation of tourist accommodation such as Airbnb to …

Australia moves to ban children under 16 from social media

Nov 07 2024

Australia's prime minister on Thursday vowed to ban children under 16 from social media, saying the pervasive influence …

Ottawa to shut TikTok's Canada offices, says app can still be used

Nov 07 2024

Canada said Wednesday it is shutting down TikTok's offices in the country following a security review, but people will …

Ottawa to shut TikTok's Canada operations, says app can still be used

Nov 07 2024

Ottawa said Wednesday it is shutting TikTok's operations in Canada following a security review, but Canadians will still …

As Musk's big Trump bet pays off, US government faces 'hardcore' reform

Nov 06 2024

Elon Musk, the world's richest man, is positioned to have sweeping powers in the second Trump administration as a deputy …

Dutch court upholds e-cigarette flavour ban

Nov 06 2024

A Dutch court on Wednesday upheld a government ban on sweet flavours for e-cigarettes, arguing they encouraged young …

Taiwan students design drones for mock battle, as China threat looms

Nov 06 2024

At a drone testing field in southwestern Taiwan, university students watch anxiously as unmanned aerial vehicles they …

Thousands protest in Serbian city over fatal roof collapse

Nov 05 2024

Thousands of protesters, red paint and smashed windows at the city hall: The Serbian city where a train station roof …

Dutch, French authorities raid Netflix offices in tax probe

Nov 05 2024

French and Dutch authorities raided streaming giant Netflix's offices in Paris and Amsterdam on Tuesday as part of a tax …

South Korea fines Meta for illegal collection of user data

Nov 05 2024

US tech giant Meta illegally harvested sensitive data including on sexual orientation from nearly a million South Korean …

World's first wooden satellite launched into space

Nov 05 2024

The world's first wooden satellite has blasted off on a SpaceX rocket, its Japanese developers said Tuesday, part of a …

Fake X accounts promote COP hosts UAE, Azerbaijan

Nov 04 2024

The social media platform X has for months been aflush with praise for United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan in posts …

Nuts! NY authorities euthanize Instagram squirrel star

Nov 01 2024

A squirrel named Peanut who was propelled to the heights of internet celebrity has been euthanized, New York authorities …

Nvidia to join Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Intel

Nov 01 2024

Chip giant Nvidia will join the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the iconic Wall Street index announced Friday, …

Fake US election video signals sprawling Russian disinformation ops

Nov 01 2024

American intelligence officials on Friday blamed Russia for a fake video of a Haitian immigrant claiming to have voted …

Indonesia adds Google Pixel phones to ban list with iPhone 16

Nov 01 2024

Indonesia has banned the sale of Google Pixel phones over the tech giant's failure to meet investment regulations, its …

TikTok bandits terrorise, transfix Pakistan riverlands

Nov 01 2024

With a showman's flair and an outlaw's moustache, the Pakistani gangster dials the hotline on his own most wanted notice …

Deceptive 'bait-and-switch' Facebook groups snare US voters: study

Nov 01 2024

Dozens of Facebook groups bill themselves as Kamala Harris fan pages but mount racist attacks, criticize her record on …

Musk's millions: Five ways the world's richest man helps Trump

Oct 31 2024

In an extraordinary twist that has upended an already unpredictable election, the world's richest man has become Donald …

OpenAI releases ChatGPT search engine, taking on Google

Oct 31 2024

OpenAI on Thursday beefed up its ChatGPT generative AI chatbot with search engine capabilities, as the startup takes on …

Musk a no-show at $1 mn giveaway US court hearing

Oct 31 2024

Billionaire Elon Musk dodged a Philadelphia court hearing on Thursday after asking to move a lawsuit seeking to halt his …

Musk to appear in court as part of Trump campaign suit

Oct 31 2024

Billionaire Elon Musk was expected in court in Philadelphia on Thursday, after a judge ordered him to attend a hearing …

Faker: eSports legend and South Korea 'national treasure'

Oct 31 2024

Lee Sang-hyeok wanted only to be a "normal kid". He was anything but, and is now a multi-millionaire eSports superstar …

Meta shows strong growth as AI spending surges

Oct 30 2024

Facebook owner Meta saw net income and revenues top expectations on Wednesday as the company said it would expand …

China's second-generation factory owners go digital to combat challenges

Oct 30 2024

Dressed in a pristine white knit top, Robyn Qiu cut an incongruous figure in her parents' dusty, hangar-like metal …

Global police shut down malware group 'targeting millions'

Oct 29 2024

A global police operation shut down the servers of one of the world's largest malware platforms that targeted millions …

Apple rolls out AI features across devices

Oct 28 2024

Apple on Monday rolled out its first set of artificial intelligence features, dubbed "Apple Intelligence," across its …

Waymo ramps up robotaxi push with $5.6 bn in funding

Oct 25 2024

Waymo on Friday said it raised $5.6 billion from investors to expand a robotaxi program now operating in Los Angeles, …

Google urged to step up efforts to demonetize climate falsehoods

Oct 24 2024

Civil society groups implored Google on Thursday to rigorously enforce its policy to demonetize environmental …

US unveils national security plan to step up use of AI

Oct 24 2024

The United States on Thursday ordered the Pentagon and intelligence agencies to step up use of artificial intelligence …

Ireland fines LinkedIn 310 mn euros over EU data breach

Oct 24 2024

An Irish regulator helping to police European Union data privacy said Thursday it had fined professional networking …

US unveils national security memorandum on AI

Oct 24 2024

The United States unveiled Thursday a framework to address national security risks posed by artificial intelligence, a …

Taiwan's TSMC stops shipments to client after chips sent to Huawei

Oct 24 2024

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC halted shipments to a customer this month after its semiconductors were sent to China's …

Microsoft pushes for gaming supremacy with 'Call of Duty' release

Oct 24 2024

Microsoft's ambition to become the "Netflix of video games" faces a huge test this week with the release of "Call of …

Perplexity seeks news allies as it challenges Google

Oct 23 2024

Perplexity AI chief Aravind Srinivas said Wednesday that he hopes to collaborate with news publishers which accuse the …

US fines Apple and Goldman Sachs over Apple Card

Oct 23 2024

The United States fined Apple and Goldman Sachs a total of $89 million on Wednesday, accusing them of deceiving users of …

Wolfspeed and ZF put German chip factory on ice

Oct 23 2024

US chipmaker Wolfspeed and the auto supplier ZF have put plans for a semiconductor factory in Germany on ice, local …

Don't let tech gurus decide the future: Nobel winner Simon Johnson

Oct 23 2024

Should our future by decided by the bosses of big tech firms? For Nobel economics prize winner Simon Johnson, giving too …

ABBA's Bjorn among 11,000 artists issuing AI warning

Oct 23 2024

Thousands of artists including ABBA singer Bjorn Ulvaeus, Hollywood actress Julianne Moore and Nobel laureate Kazuo …

Is Musk's million-dollar US voter lottery legal?

Oct 22 2024

Donald Trump surrogate Elon Musk's offer of a million dollars to one registered voter in a swing state every day until …

Beware: US election disinformation masked as 'breaking news'

Oct 21 2024

"Breaking" news, screamed an online post by a conservative American influencer as he pushed disinformation about Kamala …

Google wins delay in opening Android app store to rivals

Oct 19 2024

A US judge on Friday let Google delay opening Android-powered smartphones to rival app shops, suspending a November 1 …

US regulator probes Tesla's self-driving mode after crashes

Oct 18 2024

The US auto safety regulator said Friday that it has opened an investigation into Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) …

Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers

Oct 18 2024

A prolonged drought in much of South America has forced tech giants like Google and Amazon to rework their plans for …

TikTok, Facebook approve ads with US election disinformation, study says

Oct 17 2024

TikTok and Facebook approved advertisements containing blatant US election falsehoods just weeks ahead of the vote, a …

Instagram moves to face rising tide of sextortion scams

Oct 17 2024

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, on Thursday announced new measures to fight sextortion, a form of …

'Love match' apps rival traditional matchmaking in Pakistan

Oct 17 2024

Pakistan's traditional matchmakers play a revered role in moulding daughters into potential brides, but marriage apps …

Amazon bets on nuclear power to fuel AI ambitions

Oct 16 2024

Amazon announced significant investments in nuclear energy on Wednesday, joining other tech giants in aiming to meet the …

Myanmar and China have lowest internet freedom, says study

Oct 16 2024

Myanmar and China have the world's worst internet freedom, with declines reported in a number of other countries led by …

Trump's crypto platform falters on first day of sales

Oct 16 2024

Former US president Donald Trump's cryptocurrency platform had a faltering sales launch Tuesday, with only a fraction of …

Russia, China step up cybercriminal recruitment, warns Microsoft

Oct 15 2024

Russia, China and North Korea are becoming more aggressive and sophisticated in their recruitment of cybercriminals to …