BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Australia sues Facebook over scam ads impersonating celebrities
Australia has launched legal action against Facebook's parent company Meta, alleging it allowed scam ads to target users with fake celebrity endorsements. The tech giant had engaged in "false, misleading or deceptive conduct" by knowingly hosting the ads for bogus cryptocurrencies, a regulator said. The US company could face financial and other penalties. Meta is yet to comment but ha ... Read more
2022-03-18 00:58:22
Deepfake presidents used in Russia-Ukraine war
A deepfake video shared on Twitter, appearing to show Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring peace, has resurfaced. Meanwhile, this week Meta and YouTube have taken down a deepfake video of Ukraine's president talking of surrendering to Russia. As both sides use manipulated media, what do these videos reveal about the state of misinformation in the conflict? And are people really believing ... Read more
2022-03-18 00:57:55
Sunny Balwani: Elizabeth Holmes' former partner goes on trial
When Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of college at 19 to found her company, Theranos, she needed someone with more experience. Based on an idea that hundreds of diseases could be diagnosed with just a few drops of blood, her venture had begun to attract interest, and investment. So as the company grew, Holmes, still in her mid-20s, brought in a man that she already knew. Ramesh 'Sunny' Balwani was s ... Read more
2022-03-18 00:56:56
Ukraine conflict: Putin lays out his demands in Turkish phone call
Turkey has positioned itself with great care to be the go-between with Russia and Ukraine - and this seems to be paying off. On Thursday afternoon, President Vladimir Putin rang the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and told him what Russia's precise demands were for a peace deal with Ukraine. Within half an hour of the ending of the phone call, I interviewed Mr Erdogan's leading adviser ... Read more
2022-03-17 19:37:38
Meta to let parents limit teenager's virtual-reality exploration
New tools will allow parents to stop teenagers accessing inappropriate games and experiences via Meta's virtual reality (VR) headset. Questions have been raised about whether it was doing enough to protect children from inappropriate content. Meta-owned Instagram has also rolled out further parental controls, the plans for which were revealed last year. It comes as the UK government legislates ... Read more
2022-03-17 19:36:49
What does Putin want and will Russia end its war?
When Vladimir Putin shattered the peace in Europe by unleashing war on a democracy of 44 million people, his justification was that modern, Western-leaning Ukraine was a constant threat and Russia could not feel "safe, develop and exist". But after weeks of bombardment, thousands of deaths and an exodus of millions of refugees, the question remains: what is his war aim and is there a wa ... Read more
2022-03-16 20:10:40
Ukraine war: Russians grieve for fallen soldiers
In the Church of Alexandra and Antonina lies a coffin. It is draped with a Russian tricolour. Resting on the casket: a service cap and a photograph. Mikhail Orchikov was deputy commander of a motor-rifle brigade. He was killed in action in Ukraine. Armed Russian soldiers form a guard of honour. An Orthodox priest walks around the casket reciting prayers and swinging an ornate metal vessel emitti ... Read more
2022-03-16 20:10:10
Ukraine conflict: Biden brands Putin a 'war criminal'
US President Joe Biden has labelled Russian leader Vladimir Putin a "war criminal" in a move likely to escalate diplomatic tensions even further. Mr Biden delivered the remark off-the-cuff in response to a reporter's question at the White House. It is the first time he has used such language to condemn President Putin, and the White House later said he was "speaking from his heart ... Read more
2022-03-16 20:09:09
Germany warns against Russian anti-virus use
Germany's cyber-security authority has warned against using anti-virus software from Russian headquartered company Kaspersky. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) issued the statement in light of the conflict in Ukraine. Russian information-technology businesses could be spied on or forced to launch cyber-attacks, it said. Kaspersky told BBC News the warning had been "made on ... Read more
2022-03-16 20:08:03
Germany warns against Russian anti-virus use
Germany's cyber-security authority has warned against using anti-virus software from Russian headquartered company Kaspersky. The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) issued the statement in light of the conflict in Ukraine. Russian information-technology businesses could be spied on or forced to launch cyber-attacks, it said. Kaspersky told BBC News the warning had been "made on ... Read more
2022-03-16 00:41:42