Aug 02
Greene said conservatives should put their “full faith and hope in God” and disregard “anything that we see happening in the news” following the latest indictment.
Aug 02
Artificial intelligence could be as good as two human radiologists at reviewing breast cancer scans, a new study shows. The trial, published in The Lancet Oncology, revealed that AI could reduce the amount of time doctors spend reading mammograms in half, and early testing found it could alert doctors to more breast…
Aug 02
Nicole Kidman, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, and More Donate Millions to Support Fellow Striking Performers
Posted in: Today's Chili
The dual strikes of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions have highlighted the need for solidarity across the swaths of workers represented in them—and the necessity of their highest-profile members to support the rights needed by the lowest. And now, at least some of them are stepping up.
Aug 02
Before anyone says anything—no, you cannot yet stream Tommy Wiseau’s Big Shark. Still a theater-only situation with that one. But there are plenty of other movies out there featuring ridiculously large sea creatures, with hapless humans scrambling to survive them. With Ben Wheatley’s The Meg 2: The Trench arriving…
Aug 02
ByteDance is facing a class-action lawsuit over claims that its CapCut video-editing app is vacuuming up data from its more than 200 million active users without consent. Among other things, the lawsuit, which was filed in Illinois, claims that CapCut violates the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by collecting data like face scans and voiceprints without informing users or getting express permission.
The app also allegedly collects details about a user’s location, date of birth and gender as well as their photos and videos. Much of this is said to be in service of delivering targeted ads. In addition, the suit claims that the app is capable of harvesting data from user devices, including the MAC address and SIM serial number.
The lawsuit, which The Record unearthed, asserts that CapCut’s privacy policy was designed to make it hard for people to understand or to give the app “meaningful, express consent.” One plaintiff who started using the app while in the seventh grade was allegedly able to use CapCut without having to sign up for an account, reviewing a privacy policy or having parental consent.
Moreover, the suit points out that, since ByteDance is headquartered in Beijing, the company may be compelled to share CapCut data with the Chinese government. It claims that a former ByteDance official revealed publicly that the Chinese Communist Party can use a “backdoor channel code” to access data on users based outside of the country, including those in the US.
ByteDance, of course, owns TikTok, which has long been the subject of claims that the Chinese government can access US user data. The company has been trying to convince US regulators that TikTok doesn’t pose a threat to national security. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew claimed at a congressional hearing earlier this year that “ByteDance is not an agent of China or any other country.”
Since last year, TikTok has been routing all US user data to Oracle servers based in the country. That initiative, called Project Texas, also included the goal of removing US users’ private TikTok data from ByteDance’s own data centers.
Nonetheless, Montana legislators have passed a bill to ban TikTok outright in the state. Many other jurisdictions, including the federal government, have prohibited the app on nearly all state-owned devices. The Justice Department is reportedly looking into claims that four ByteDance employees used TikTok to snoop on the locations of two US journalists.
The class-action suit asks a district court to block ByteDance from sending CapCut user data and content to China, and from collecting users’ biometric information and other data without consent. The plaintiffs asked the court to compel ByteDance to delete any user data and content it unlawfully obtained through CapCut as well. In addition, the suit seeks unspecified damages.
Engadget has asked ByteDance for comment.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bytedance-sued-for-allegedly-collecting-biometric-data-without-consent-172411924.html?src=rss
Aug 02
Activision is bringing dogs (and one Dogg) back to Call of Duty. A decade after the debut of Riley, the faithful canine companion in Call of Duty: Ghosts, you can now take Merlin, the good boy pictured above, with you for quality companionship and savage finishing moves in season five (BlackCell) of CoD: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0.
Activision says Merlin the Dog is an optional companion in multiplayer, battle Royale and DMZ modes. “[Merlin] provides the unparalleled benefit of companionship along with a devastating Finishing Move,” the announcement blog post reads. Strangely, players strap the canine to their belts when he isn’t in use. You can glimpse one of Merlin’s brutal finishes in the trailer below.
Activision stresses that “tactical pets” like Merlin can’t be harmed in the game. And since he’s only there for finishing moves and friendship, he doesn’t appear to provide a competitive advantage.
Activision
If you’re less into canines and more into D-O-Double Gs, Activision also has you covered. Snoop Dogg returns to the franchise, joining fellow hip-hop powerhouse Nicki Minaj, after his last appearance as an add-on for Call of Duty: Vanguard in 2022. A new season five operator bundle (including two skins) lets you play as the Long Beach rapper and cannabis connoisseur with a loadout that includes a “Toke Force 141” SMG, “Snoop Hustle” finishing move and “High Rider” hatchback vehicle skin.
Season five of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Warzone 2.0 is available beginning today across all platforms. The BlackCell tier of Battle Pass, required to enjoy canine companionship, costs $30.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/dog-of-duty-makes-a-triumphant-return-in-modern-warfare-ii-173538176.html?src=rss
Aug 02
The cookbook author revealed the unique installation alongside her husband, John Legend, in a video for Architectural Digest.
Aug 02
A team of paleontologists has announced the discovery of an Eocene-era whale it believes may be the heaviest animal to ever live, surpassing the extant blue whale in mass.
Aug 02
If you left Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem before its end credit scene, turn off your phone, get back in your car, and head back to the theater. What you missed was not just a tease for the future of the franchise, but a crucial ending to the film’s story.
Aug 02
Google's Chrome updates bring improved search to mobile and simpler desktop downloads
Posted in: Today's ChiliSometimes a revamp is nothing more than bells and whistles, and other times it completely changes your experience. Google is gunning for the second, announcing new updates for Chrome on mobile and desktop that focus on integration and efficiency. New mobile features concentrate on improving your search process, while Chrome for desktop is streamlining how you download and access files from the web.
On Chrome mobile, a new webpage should now show a category called “Trending searches,” and as you type, ten versus the previous six recommendations will appear. Similarly, say you’re on a site about the best pizza places in New York — if you click on the URL up top, related searches will appear below in a new category called “Related to this page.” You can also tap on a word in that article, like a neighborhood in New York it discusses, and use Touch to Search to see other topics you want to explore, such as hotels in that area. Touch to Search is exclusive to Android and has already existed in browsers as a way to find specific words.
As for your Chrome for desktop, say goodbye to the clunky download bar that pops up at the bottom of your screen (and having to close it yourself). Moving forward, downloads will appear on the top right of your browser, just next to your account image. When you go to save something, a circle will appear around the icon, turning blue as it finishes the download. You can click the button to view anything saved in the last 24 hours, open the folder containing a specific file and retry, pause, resume or cancel your download. While this will be the default placement for everyone moving forward, it might have been live for some people already. Google will still warn you if a download seems suspicious and let you drag and drop downloads as needed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-chrome-updates-bring-improved-search-to-mobile-and-simpler-desktop-downloads-160003908.html?src=rss
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