Tech

Technical trends for 2020: minimalism, satellite-driven data and the emergence of China as a superpower – gotech daily

Published

5 years ago

January 12, 2020

Harry Miller

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Every year in January, together with the new year, there are many predictions about what awaits us.

This year, device fatigue is rampant, smart consumers are not affected by novelty and the so-called “techlash” against major tech companies such as Facebook and Google is fully in force. And with climate change and increasing natural disasters, people are starting to question the CO2 footprint of devices and data.

Plus, 2020 is not just a “decade.” We have officially introduced ‘the future’, a fact that becomes clear when you consider that some of the most famous science fiction films are now taking place in the past; the rainy, neon-lit dystopian world of Blade Runner took place in November 2019 and Stanley Kubrick’s 2010: A Space Odyssey a full decade ago.

So what does that mean for this year?

Of course there are flashy wearables, new smartphone models and efforts to bring virtual reality mainstream. But the real innovations and trends to look at are the ones that you may have to see a little harder to see.

The struggle for balance

Our smartphones don’t seem to be going anywhere, but our relationship with them is clearly changing. In recent years, just as people have talked about technological innovations, they have also begun to talk about the pretentious grasp of those tools, from screen time issues to concerns about smartphone addiction.

Avery Swartz, author of the upcoming book See You on the Internet, says we should expect a continuous dialogue in 2020 about how we integrate technology into our lives in a healthy and thoughtful way.

Instagram has hidden like counts from users in various countries, including Canada. (Kate Bueckert / CBC)

Swartz predicts further changes in hardware and apps, following the example of Instagram’s ongoing experiments with removing the “like” count on messages from users in different markets around the world. She also expects movements from major technology companies such as Apple and Google to provide users with time control and greater insight into their personal device usage.

Sustainable practices

Madeline Ashby, a futurist and science fiction novelist, says that in addition to efforts to curb “digital addiction” such as “digital detoxes” and “digital sabbaticals”, we will see more of a push toward minimalism, and noted that consumers are becoming more ecological set.

Ashby calls this “ethical consumption” (note that the term can be contradictory), where consumers make social and political choices when purchasing, or the lack thereof. She says the trend will grow as the prosperity gap increases and the effects of climate change increase.

In light of recurring climate disasters, there is indeed a sharp and relatively sudden desire on the part of consumers to find out more about the carbon footprint of their devices, says Katina Michael, a professor at the School for the Future of Innovation at Society in Arizona State University.

She witnessed koalas begging people for water, the sky turned red and the sand turned black as they returned home to the Australian bushfire crisis during the holidays. practices.

“Nothing threatens innovation and progress such as catastrophe, but nothing drives innovation such as the loss of humans or wildlife,” says Michael.

“If we are without power, access to an ATM, access to mobile phones or even the internet, we become particularly innovative.”

LEO satellites

As for the coming year (literally) on the horizon, a lot of tech Experts agree that LEO (low earth orbit) satellites have the most potential to be a game changer, especially in Northern Canada.

Most satellites float above the equator, and while “that’s great for TV,” says Duncan Stewart, director of technology, media and telecommunications research at Deloitte Canada, “if you want to use a satellite for internet data, that’s too far away, which means there will be a delay. ”

Satellites that are placed closer to Earth have low latency and constellations formed by hundreds of these LEO satellites are scheduled to have full service in parts of Canada by the end of the year, now that OneWeb and SpaceX have launched of it.

Seen here, the track of nearly 60 satellites was recorded by Marco Langbroek. The Starlink satellites were launched on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on May 23, 2019. (Marco Langbroek)

Nuvujaq Inc. develops next-generation satellite and “edge” computer networks. With edge computing, data storage and processing takes place closer to where it is used or accessed, to reduce latency.

Co-founder Madeline Redfern says that although LEO satellite networks make high-quality internet possible around the world, there are still many questions about their financial and technological viability. She expects the real potential of this technology to become clearer in 2020.

“In places like Nunavut, LEOs will enable us to do things that the rest of the country takes for granted,” says Redfern. “Videoconferencing will finally work, allowing friends and family to stay connected and potentially revolutionize health and education services.”

Shifting global superpowers

In 2019, the rising international popularity of the Chinese social media app TikTok posed a threat to the supremacy of Silicon Valley.

“China is shaping the world order as it sees fit and exports its technologies and surveillance systems to other countries around the world,” said Amy Webb, professor at the Stern School of Business at New York University and the founder and CEO of the Future Today Institute .

China has talked openly about its plans for cyber sovereignty, that is, controlling all internet activities within its borders, and “is rising rapidly to global supremacy,” Webb says.

Webb says that when China expands to African countries, Southeast Asia and Latin America, it will also begin to refrain from operating systems, technologies and infrastructure built by the West. She says that China has already announced that it will no longer use American computers and software.

All in all, 2020 is ready for a big year for technology. But it probably won’t be because of a murderous app or a shiny new device. In fact, you are skipping all the great product launches and press releases this year. The most exciting things are harder to see, but can have a lasting impact when it comes to how we deal with technology, with each other and with the world around us.

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Tech

Ottawa orders TikTok’s Canadian arm to be dissolved

Published

5 days ago

November 6, 2024

Anne Joseph

The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.

“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.

The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.

However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”

Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.

A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.

“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.

“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”

The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.

At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.

A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”

Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.

Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.

Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.

Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.

While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.

Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.

The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.

— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.

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Health

Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

Published

3 weeks ago

October 24, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

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Tech

Google’s partnership with AI startup Anthropic faces a UK competition investigation

Published

3 weeks ago

October 24, 2024

Anne Joseph

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.

The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.

“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”

San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.

Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”

“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.

The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.

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