Monthly Archives: September 2017

As you might expect if you think back to the camera in your 2009 cell phone, Street View imagery is about to get a lot clearer. Look forward to sliding through the world from your couch in higher resolution and punchier colors. But Google’s new hardware wasn’t designed with just human eyes in mind. The car-top rig includes two cameras that capture still HD images looking out to either side of the vehicle. They're there to feed clearer, closer shots of buildings and street signs into Google’s image recognition algorithms. Those algorithms can pore over millions of signs and storefronts without getting tired. By hoovering up vast amounts of information visible on the world’s streets—signs, business names, perhaps even opening hours posted in the window of your corner deli—Google hopes to improve its already formidable digital mapping database. The company, built on the back of algorithms that indexed the web, is using the same strategy on the real world.

IN AN ERA of hacker attacks on critical infrastructure, even a run-of-the-mill malware infection on an electric utility’s network is enough to raise alarm bells. But the latest collection of power grid penetrations went far deeper: Security firm Symantec is warning that a series of recent hacker attacks not only compromised energy companies in the US and Europe but also resulted in the intruders gaining hands-on access to power grid operations—enough control that they could have induced blackouts on American soil at will. Symantec on Wednesday revealed a new campaign of attacks by a group it is calling Dragonfly 2.0, which it says targeted dozens of energy companies in the spring and summer of this year. In more than 20 cases, Symantec says the hackers successfully gained access to the target companies’ networks. And at a handful of US power firms and at least one company in Turkey—none of which Symantec will name—their forensic analysis found that the hackers obtained what they call operational access: control of the interfaces power company engineers use to send actual commands to equipment like circuit breakers, giving them the ability to stop the flow of electricity into US homes and businesses.

Facebook is rightly coming in for criticism again after it was accused of claiming to have more users than actually exist. In the UK, for example, it claims to have a “potential reach” of 7.8 million people aged between 18 and 24 in the UK. Yet official figures from the Office of National Statistics show there are only 5.8 million in the country. And this is not the only place where it has happened. Analysts Pivotal Research revealed that in the US, Facebook claims to be able to reach 41 million people in that age group. Official data shows there are only 31 million people that age living in the country. Meanwhile, in Australia, AdNews found Facebook claimed to reach 1.7 million more people aged 16 to 39 than live there. In fact, its research shows that in a study of 12 countries, nine had large discrepancies equal to Facebook claiming an audience of 42 million more 20- to 29-year-olds than actually exist. This is clearly a huge problem. Which Facebook has as usual dismissed. A spokesperson says that different methodologies are used to collect the data and that Facebook’s “potential reach” is not meant to match census data.

The mapping technology is being used to figure how to deliver internet to populations that currently don't have it or have poor connections to it. Along with ground networks, Facebook has determined that using drones and satellites will be most effective in pushing connectivity further. CNBC reports that Facebook's head of strategic innovation partnerships and sourcing, Janna Lewis, said at the Space Technology and Investment Forum this week, "We're trying to connect people from the stratosphere and from space." Around half of the over 500 US satellites orbiting around Earth were launched for commercial reasons and because of groups like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit, launching satellites has never been cheaper. That makes the idea of a space-based internet delivery system a much more attainable reality than ever before. "Satellites are exciting for us. Our data showed the best way to connect cities is an internet in the sky," said Lewis.

Des nanorobots pourraient parcourir notre circulation sanguine pour surveiller notre santé et améliorer nos propensions émotionnelles pour la joie, l'amour ou d'autres émotions. Les progrès réalisés dans un domaine ouvrent souvent de nouvelles possibilités dans d'autres domaines, et cette "convergence" peut entraîner des changements radicaux dans notre monde, dans un avenir proche. Le "transhumanisme" est l'idée que les humains devraient transcender leur état naturel actuel et leurs limites par l'utilisation de la technologie – c'est-à-dire que nous devrions adopter une évolution humaine autodirigée. Si l'histoire du progrès technologique peut être considérée comme la tentative de l'humanité d'apprivoiser la nature pour mieux répondre à ses besoins, le transhumanisme en est la suite logique : la révision de la nature de l'humanité pour mieux servir ses fantasmes. Comme le dit David Pearce, l'un des principaux partisans du transhumanisme et cofondateur d'Humanity+ : Si nous voulons vivre dans un paradis, nous devrons l'inventer nous-mêmes. Si nous voulons la vie éternelle, nous devrons réécrire notre code génétique truffé de bugs et devenir semblables à un dieu... Seules les solutions de haute technologie peuvent éradiquer la souffrance du monde. La compassion seule ne suffit pas. Mais il y a un côté plus sombre à la foi naïve que Pearce et d'autres partisans ont dans le transhumanisme - une foi résolument dystopique. Il est peu probable qu'il y ait un moment clair où nous émergeons comme transhumains. Les technologies deviendront plutôt davantage intrusives et s'intégreront de façon parfaite au corps humain. La technologie a longtemps été considérée comme une extension de soi-même. De nombreux aspects de notre monde social, et en particulier nos systèmes financiers, sont déjà largement fondés sur les machines. Il y a beaucoup à apprendre de ces systèmes hybrides homme-machine en constante évolution. Pourtant, le langage et les attentes souvent utopiques qui entourent et façonnent notre compréhension de ces développements n’ont pas fait l’objet d’analyses fouillées. Les changements profonds qui nous attendent sont souvent évoqués de manière abstraite, car les "avancées" évolutionnaires sont considérées comme tellement radicales qu'elles ignorent la réalité des conditions sociales actuelles.

L’Oréal is facing a backlash on social media after sacking one of its new influencers Munroe Bergdorf, who had made comments in a Facebook post addressing racism and white supremacy. The company released a statement on Twitter earlier today, stating: “L’Oréal champions diversity. Comments by Munroe Bergdorf are at odds with our values and so we have decided to end our partnership with her.” Trans activist Bergdorf was named the latest member of the brand’s ‘Beauty Squad’ only earlier this week. The group features a wide range of influencers, from bloggers and Instagram stars to singer Cheryl Cole, who appear in the brand’s advertising and also create collaborative content. The influencer came under fire following an article by the Daily Mail today (1 September), claiming Bergdorf said all white people are racist in a Facebook post. Bergdorf, however, says the post was a direct response to the violence of white supremacists in Charlottesville, in which a neo-nazi drove a car into a crowd of protestors, killing one person and injuring many more. L’Oréal’s decision has not gone down well with many people on social media. People were quick to comment on the company’s tweet, with some asking: “How can you claim to champion diversity and then fire her for speaking out against systemic racism?” Bergdorf has since questioned the company’s sincerity when it comes to promoting diversity, and urged her followers to boycott the brand. “Sit still and smile in a beauty campaign ‘championing diversity’. But don’t actually speak about the fact that lack of diversity is due to racism. Or speak about the origins of racism. It’ll cost you your job,” she said in a statement on Facebook. Diversity has been at the top of L’Oréal Paris’ agenda over recent years. It has hired popular influencers with large social followings to front its campaigns, and changed its slogan to ‘We Are All Worth It’ to become more inclusive. L’Oréal even claimed this focus on diversity has led people to reappraise the brand while boosting sales. Marketing Week approached L’Oréal for comment, but it did not respond in time for publication.