All Technology
- Think computers are less biased than people? Think again.
Artificial intelligence is often billed as the answer to biased decisionmaking. But as long as people write that code, humans will have to wrestle with their own biases.
- First LookSocial media giants now face legal action from violating children's privacy
New Mexico is bringing charges against Google and Twitter, alleging they collect the data of children illegally. This is the latest salvo in many as the public develops a growing demand for more corporate responsibility from tech giants.
- First LookWomen-founded start-ups aim to tackle safety issues through tech
A wearable gadget called Athena enables women to easily call for help when they feel threatened. The gadget's creator, Yasmine Mustafa, hopes to protect women from violence and sexual assault – but others see the device as ineffective in getting to the root of the problem.
- A brighter future: Solar power charges rural education in Uganda
Globally, some 14 percent of people lack access to electricity. Electrifying entire nations can be difficult where infrastructure is lacking. In Uganda, rural residents are making their own light, thanks to solar power.
- First LookCars become the next monthly subscription trend
Both start-ups and established car manufactures are beginning to offer monthly subscriptions that include insurance, maintenance, and frequent vehicle changes.
- First LookWere there ever 'good old days' when it comes to kids and technology?
Today, anxieties about technology seem particularly acute, but they are not without precedent. Adults have worried about the effects of new technology and entertainment on children since the start of last century from radio and television to rock 'n' roll and comic books.
- First LookKenya's dairy farmers use solar rays to keep milk cool
There are nearly 1 million dairy farmers in Kenya but only a small percent can connect to the national electricity grid to refrigerate their milk. Some of the rest rely on 50 solar milk-cooling plants to store their milk safely, which ensures more reliable profits.
- First LookTrump accuses Google of bias, White House hints at investigation
President Trump accused Google of hiding "fair media" coverage of his administration. The company maintains its search results are generated by several factors: the number of links to the page, personal browsing history, and the popularity and respectability of sites.
- Spare some change? Helping the poor in a cashless society
People are carrying less cash, which means that those of us who want to give to panhandlers are increasingly coming up empty. A nonprofit in Cambridge, England, has developed a mobile payment solution.
- Happy cow, happy life: Robots relieve dairy farmers of a round-the-clock task
Robots are often considered a threat to workers. But for dairy farmers, robots can not only relieve the no-days-off pressure and a labor shortage, they’re helping younger people consider staying on the farm.
- First LookAs Japan's farmers age, drones help with heavy lifting
Rural communities in Japan are facing a labor shortage as farmers age and young people move to urban areas. The drones, which fly over fields quickly performing tasks strenuous to farmers, may be one part of how farms in the aging rural heartland can adapt.
- First LookInternet cop on patrol: Microsoft aggressively fights fraud and hacks
Microsoft is unique among tech companies with its approach that uses US courts to fight computer fraud, acting more like a government detective than a global software giant.
- First LookFacebook bans newly identified political disinformation campaigns
Facebook has banned hundreds of accounts, groups, and pages linked to Russia and Iran, the latest group of fake accounts turned up by the company’s increased policing efforts since last year, when it acknowledged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
- First LookMicrosoft says Russian hackers are behind fake US political sites
In previous court filings, Microsoft outlined how a network of fake sites are designed to trick victims into installing malicious software. Ahead of midterm elections, five sites spoofing US conservative groups and the Senate have been uncovered and shutdown.
- First LookAfter experiencing Nice attack, students build digital startup
A group of students at the University of California, Berkeley are building digital tools to assist journalists, investigators, and human rights workers combat terrorism and other global violence.
- First LookTurned off location history tracking? Google might still be following you
Google stores the location history of users even when they turn privacy settings on to limit location data collection, according to an AP investigation. The discovery comes amidst growing concern about the lack of corporate transparency on data collection.
- First LookTech companies ban Alex Jones for hate speech
Facebook, YouTube, Apple, and Spotify all removed content from right-wing conspiracy theorist and "Infowars" host Alex Jones. While some hailed the move as a step towards taking away "megaphones to fuel extremist ideas," others called it a "slippery slope" to increased censorship.
- First LookApple = $1,000,000,000,000
Apple, leader of US tech giants, has become the first company in the world to reach $1 trillion market value. Its No. 1 spot could be short lived, however, as economic analysts look to companies such as Amazon and Saudi Aramco poised to surpass Apple's value.
- In tech worker dissent, signs of a broader shift
Workers at Google, Microsoft, and other technology companies are increasingly demanding that their bosses cancel their contracts with the Pentagon, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and police for moral reasons.
- First LookSchools consider facial recognition technology to detect threats
In an effort to increase response times, a city in western New York is introducing a surveillance technology to detect expelled students, disgruntled employees, and other potential troublemakers. Opponents point to privacy, cost, and effectiveness concerns.