Jul 01

Meta could get slapped with a massive fine for violating the EU's Digital Markets Act

Posted in: Today's Chili

In late June, the European Union shared its preliminary findings that Apple had violated the Digital Markets Act (DMA) — the bloc’s first regulatory action since the law took effect in March. Now, it’s Meta’s turn, with the EU announcing Facebook and Instagram’s owner has also breached the DMA. The European Commission first opened investigations into Apple, Meta and Google’s parent company, Alphabet, shortly after the DMA became law.

The Commission’s preliminary findings on Meta focus on concerns about Meta’s “consent or pay” model. Meta currently gives users the choice to have free access to its apps and consent to data sharing or pay to prohibit its collection. The Commission’s statement argues that Meta “Does not allow users to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the ‘personalised ads’ based service,” Furthermore, Meta doesn’t “allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data.” 

Echoing past statements, the Commission called for Meta to create an “equivalent alternative” that requires no fee payment. The EU’s regulatory body has until late March 2025 — one year after opening its investigation — to make a final decision. If Meta is found guilty of violating the DMA, it could owe a fine equal to ten percent of its annual global revenue.

Meta has yet to concede any wrongdoing. “Subscription for no ads follows the direction of the highest court in Europe and complies with the DMA. We look forward to further constructive dialogue with the European Commission to bring this investigation to a close,” Meta said in a statement. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-could-get-slapped-with-a-massive-fine-for-violating-the-eus-digital-markets-act-120053616.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

The Morning After: The US Treasury finalizes tax rules for crypto

Posted in: Today's Chili

Welcome to the first day of July. Summer is here in earnest, but let me keep you, briefly, indoors with tales of finalized rules for crypto in the US, and how Lego is making bricks from stardust. 

A new rule finalized by the US Treasury Department will ensure that people that dipped their toes into crypto (and crypto trading) are paying the proper amount on their sales. The new rule will require cryptocurrency platforms like exchanges and payment processors to report their users’ transactions to the IRS. Brokers will have to start reporting sales proceeds on digital assets in 2026 for all transactions accomplished in 2025, which means crypto traders are still on their own for now.

The rule will make easier for people to declare their earnings because their brokers will now have to provide them with a 1099 form. The form has a threshold of $10,000 to report on transactions involving stablecoin, which are cryptocurrencies that track fiat money like the US dollar.

— Mat Smith

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Officials insisted in a press conference Friday afternoon that astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not “stranded” on the International Space Station. “We’re not in a rush to come home,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Boeing’s Starliner has been docked with the ISS since June 6 for what was meant to be a 10-day flight test. However, during approach, the craft experienced problems with five of its thrusters, and a known helium leak appeared to worsen.

It was initially stated that Starliner could only stay docked at the ISS for a maximum of 45 days due to limitations with its batteries, but Stich said during the conference that these batteries are being recharged by the space station, so this can be extended.

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The US has a higher incarceration rate per 100,000 people in its population than any other NATO country. Hashem Al-Ghaili, a molecular biologist and science communicator, claims he’s got the solution. In an interview with Wired, he outlined how a virtual prison could work. Instead of locking prisoners up for long periods of time, prisoners would be subjected to artificial memories in a virtual environment. The system creates customized AI-generated content that’s converted to visual information and delivered to the prisoner’s brain as well as the parts of their DNA and RNA linked to memory formation to establish a long term memory pattern. There are a lot of wrinkles and road bumps, but the biggest may be that such technology just doesn’t exist.

Continue reading.

Image of a lego brick made with moondust
Lego

Lego has teamed up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to make Lego pieces from actual meteorite dust. They are on display at several Lego store locations until September 20, although it all isn’t just for giggles, or Lego kit upsell. It’s a proof of concept to show how astronauts could use moondust to build lunar structures.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-the-us-treasury-finalizes-tax-rules-for-crypto-111534062.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

Microsoft reveals further emails compromised by Russian hack

Posted in: Today's Chili

An attack on Microsoft by Russian hackers had further implications than initially reported. The tech giant is notifying additional individuals that emails between them and Microsoft were accessed, Bloomberg reports. A group known as Midnight Blizzard or Nobelium orchestrated this attack, along with the 2020 SolarWinds hack. The US government has previously linked Midnight Blizzard to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. 

Microsoft previously informed some individuals that their emails were viewed, but the company is now sharing specifics. “This week we are continuing notifications to customers who corresponded with Microsoft corporate email accounts that were exfiltrated by the Midnight Blizzard threat actor, and we are providing the customers the email correspondence that was accessed by this actor,” a Microsoft spokesperson stated. “This is increased detail for customers who have already been notified and also includes new notifications.” Microsoft is making customers aware via email, which initially led to concerns that the notification was a phishing scam.

Microsoft first disclosed the hack in January, stating that a password spray attack gained the group access to “a very small percentage of Microsoft corporate email accounts” in late 2023. Employees with compromised emails included members of the senior leadership, cybersecurity and legal teams.

At the time, Microsoft said vulnerabilities in its systems were not to blame for the attack but that it would be improving security. However, the US government has brought the heat against Microsoft, with a March report from the Cyber Safety Review Board finding the company’s “security culture was inadequate and requires an overhaul.” In April, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an order requiring federal agencies to analyze hacked emails and secure Microsoft cloud accounts, among other measures. CISA notified all impacted agencies and required them to provide regular updates on the steps taken to thwart this “grave and unacceptable risk.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-reveals-further-emails-compromised-by-russian-hack-130014275.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

Life is Strange spiritual successor delayed to avoid Life is Strange sequel

Posted in: Today's Chili

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a brand-new game from the creators of Life is Strange. It’s been described as a spiritual successor to that series and was previously scheduled to arrive in late 2024. However, publisher Don’t Nod has opted to delay Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and release it in early 2025 instead.

In fact, the delay is in large part due to a new Life is Strange game from another studio. Life is Strange: Double Exposure marks the return of the original game’s protagonist Max Caulfield. The sequel, from Square Enix and developer Deck Nine Games, is set to hit PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in October, with a Switch release planned for later.

Don’t Nod says it wanted to give Lost Records: Bloom & Rage some breathing space to succeed following “an in-depth assessment of recent trends and developments in the industry.” But a quote from CEO Oskar Guilbert makes the reasoning more explicit. “We know that many of our fans are eagerly awaiting this game, just as they are the recently announced next installment of Life is Strange,” Guilbert said in a statement. “Let’s give both titles the space they need to be enjoyed by our players within the large community we have built.” 

While this update might be disappointing for those who were looking forward to Lost Records, it’s a smart call. It gives fans plenty of time to experience both games without too much overlap. 

In the meantime, Don’t Nod reckons that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, a surprisingly emotional action RPG from earlier this year that I enjoyed quite a bit, will boost its bottom line, especially in the long term. It also released the thoughtful climbing puzzle game Jusant late last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/life-is-strange-spiritual-successor-delayed-to-avoid-life-is-strange-sequel-124553471.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

FCC chair asks telecoms companies to prove they're actually trying to stop political AI robocalls

Posted in: Today's Chili

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has drafted a series of letters to nine major telecom companies, including AT&T and Comcast, to ask if they’re actually doing anything about AI political robocalls. AI-generated voices are getting pretty good at mimicking humans and we’ve already seen this technology in action, when an audio deepfake urged voters to skip the New Hampshire Democratic primary.

“We know that AI technologies will make it cheap and easy to flood our networks with deepfakes used to mislead and betray trust. It is especially chilling to see AI voice cloning used to impersonate candidates during elections. As AI tools become more accessible to bad actors and scammers, we need to do everything we can to keep this junk off our networks,” wrote Rosenworcel.

It’s worth noting that all AI robocalls were banned back in February, political or not, but the big telecom companies have yet to announce any enforcement plans. The mandate, however, does give State Attorneys General the ability to prosecute those involved in the robocalls.

Rosenworcel has also been trying to force political campaigns to disclose whether or not they used AI in TV or radio ads, as reported by US News & World Report. The proposed plan, however, has faced opposition from the Republican chair of the Federal Election Commission. Chairman Sean Cooksey wrote in a letter to Rosenworcel that the plan would overwrite the authority of the FEC to enforce federal campaign law, prompting a legal challenge.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fcc-chair-asks-telecoms-companies-to-prove-theyre-actually-trying-to-stop-political-ai-robocalls-184227549.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

Justice Department to Criminally Charge Boeing for Breaching 737 Max Settlement: Reports

Posted in: Today's Chili

The U.S. Justice Department intends to criminally charge Boeing for breaching a settlement connected to two deadly 737 Max jetliner crashes, according to reports from Bloomberg and Reuters. The federal government is reportedly seeking a guilty plea from Boeing, which may include a $243.6 million criminal fine and…

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Jul 01

US Treasury finalizes crypto rules to prevent tax evasion

Posted in: Today's Chili

While people who own and sell cryptocurrency have always had to pay taxes on their earnings, a new rule finalized by the US Treasury Department can ensure that they’re paying the proper amount on their sales. The new rule will require cryptocurrency platforms like exchanges and payment processors to report their users’ transactions to the Internal Revenue Service. According to The Wall Street Journal, authorities are hoping that the measure can deter tax evasion, seeing as the IRS would know exactly how much a taxpayer owes. 

At the same time, the rule will make it much easier for people for declare their earnings because their brokers will now have to provide them with a 1099 form. The IRS released a draft form of 1099-DA (Digital Asset Proceeds From Broker Transaction) made especially to track crypto transactions last year and will make the final version available soon. To note, the rule sets a threshold of $10,000 to report on transactions involving stablecoin, which are cryptocurrencies that track fiat money like the US dollar. 

“[I]nvestors in digital assets and the IRS will have better access to the documentation they need to easily file and review tax returns,” Aviva Aron-Dine, the Treasury’s acting assistant secretary for tax policy, said in a statement. “By implementing the law’s reporting requirements, these final regulations will help taxpayers more easily pay taxes owed under current law, while reducing tax evasion by wealthy investors.”

The new rule will only apply to platforms that take possession of digital assets, such as Coinbase or Binance. It doesn’t cover decentralized ones, which will have to comply with a separate rule that’s expected to be finalized later this year. Brokers will have to start reporting sales proceeds on digital assets in 2026 for all transactions accomplished in 2025, which means crypto traders are still on their own for 2024. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/us-treasury-finalizes-crypto-rules-to-prevent-tax-evasion-143051676.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

NASA and Boeing say Starliner astronauts ‘are not stranded,’ but will be on the ISS for a few more weeks

Posted in: Today's Chili

NASA and Boeing plan to spend the next few weeks conducting tests on the ground in order to better understand issues with the Starliner spacecraft’s thrusters before giving its crew the go-ahead to fly back to Earth. But, officials insisted in a press conference Friday afternoon, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not “stranded” on the International Space Station. “We’re not in a rush to come home,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Starliner has been docked with the ISS since June 6 for what was meant to be a 10-day flight test all in all. During its approach of the orbiting lab, however, the craft experienced problems with five of its thrusters, and a known helium leak appeared to worsen. NASA and Boeing have been working together to evaluate the issues ever since. On Friday, representatives for the two said they aren’t yet setting a date for the return flight, and will instead wait until the ground tests have been completed and all analyses run. The first thruster tests, which will be conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, are expected to begin as soon as Tuesday.

It was initially stated that Starliner could only stay docked at the ISS for a maximum of 45 days due to limitations with its batteries, but Stich said during the conference that these batteries are being recharged by the space station, so this can be extended. “I want to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space,” Stich said. “Our plan is to continue to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time.”

Starliner is performing well while docked, and the craft could still be used as a lifeboat to bring the astronauts home if necessary in the case of an emergency, the officials said. Mark Nappi, VP and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, reiterated Stich’s comments, saying, “We’re not stuck on the ISS, the crew is not in any danger, and there’s no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-and-boeing-say-starliner-astronauts-are-not-stranded-but-will-be-on-the-iss-for-a-few-more-weeks-154407704.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

NASA and Boeing say Starliner astronauts ‘are not stranded,’ but will be on the ISS for a few more weeks

Posted in: Today's Chili

NASA and Boeing plan to spend the next few weeks conducting tests on the ground in order to better understand issues with the Starliner spacecraft’s thrusters before giving its crew the go-ahead to fly back to Earth. But, officials insisted in a press conference Friday afternoon, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not “stranded” on the International Space Station. “We’re not in a rush to come home,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Starliner has been docked with the ISS since June 6 for what was meant to be a 10-day flight test all in all. During its approach of the orbiting lab, however, the craft experienced problems with five of its thrusters, and a known helium leak appeared to worsen. NASA and Boeing have been working together to evaluate the issues ever since. On Friday, representatives for the two said they aren’t yet setting a date for the return flight, and will instead wait until the ground tests have been completed and all analyses run. The first thruster tests, which will be conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, are expected to begin as soon as Tuesday.

It was initially stated that Starliner could only stay docked at the ISS for a maximum of 45 days due to limitations with its batteries, but Stich said during the conference that these batteries are being recharged by the space station, so this can be extended. “I want to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space,” Stich said. “Our plan is to continue to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time.”

Starliner is performing well while docked, and the craft could still be used as a lifeboat to bring the astronauts home if necessary in the case of an emergency, the officials said. Mark Nappi, VP and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, reiterated Stich’s comments, saying, “We’re not stuck on the ISS, the crew is not in any danger, and there’s no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-and-boeing-say-starliner-astronauts-are-not-stranded-but-will-be-on-the-iss-for-a-few-more-weeks-154407704.html?src=rss

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Jul 01

NASA and Boeing say Starliner astronauts ‘are not stranded,’ but will be on the ISS for a few more weeks

Posted in: Today's Chili

NASA and Boeing plan to spend the next few weeks conducting tests on the ground in order to better understand issues with the Starliner spacecraft’s thrusters before giving its crew the go-ahead to fly back to Earth. But, officials insisted in a press conference Friday afternoon, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are not “stranded” on the International Space Station. “We’re not in a rush to come home,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Starliner has been docked with the ISS since June 6 for what was meant to be a 10-day flight test all in all. During its approach of the orbiting lab, however, the craft experienced problems with five of its thrusters, and a known helium leak appeared to worsen. NASA and Boeing have been working together to evaluate the issues ever since. On Friday, representatives for the two said they aren’t yet setting a date for the return flight, and will instead wait until the ground tests have been completed and all analyses run. The first thruster tests, which will be conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, are expected to begin as soon as Tuesday.

It was initially stated that Starliner could only stay docked at the ISS for a maximum of 45 days due to limitations with its batteries, but Stich said during the conference that these batteries are being recharged by the space station, so this can be extended. “I want to make it very clear that Butch and Suni are not stranded in space,” Stich said. “Our plan is to continue to return them on Starliner and return them home at the right time.”

Starliner is performing well while docked, and the craft could still be used as a lifeboat to bring the astronauts home if necessary in the case of an emergency, the officials said. Mark Nappi, VP and program manager of Boeing’s Commercial Crew Program, reiterated Stich’s comments, saying, “We’re not stuck on the ISS, the crew is not in any danger, and there’s no increased risk when we decide to bring Suni and Butch back to Earth.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-and-boeing-say-starliner-astronauts-are-not-stranded-but-will-be-on-the-iss-for-a-few-more-weeks-154407704.html?src=rss

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