By Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show Published December 6, 2024 3:07pm EST close CEO reveals top tips for avoiding scams this holiday giving season Avoid scammers and know who you are donating to this giving season. Mary Hagen, a professional fundraiser and CEO of Colossal, is sharing her top three tips for supporting charitable organizations this holiday. You're pulling your hair out, trying to fix something on your computer. You Google it and find what looks like a helpful website or a tutorial with easy step-by-step instructions.Phew, youre finally solving your problem, but hold up! Youve just walked into a "scam-yourself" attack. Cybercreeps use this clever strategy to trick you into compromising your tech so they dont have to do the dirty work.BIOMETRIC DATA: IS IT SAFE TO HAND IT OVER TO ANY COMPANY THAT ASKS?Im giving away a $500 Amazon gift card.Enter here, no purchase necessary!How bad is it?Bad. Really bad. "Scam-yourself" attacks shot up614% in the third quarter of this year alone. Lumma Stealer, the top data-stealing malware type that grabs banking info and browser extensions, spiked by 1,154%. A 12-year-old boy types as he uses a laptop computer. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)Why do these scams work so well? When somethings broken, our instinct is to rush and fix it as quickly as possible. Now, add to this the fact youre going through the steps yourself so it feels like youre in control. Thats exactly what makes these tricks so dangerous.Scammers are also shockingly good at mimicking trusted sources with professional-looking websites or tutorials, making it easy to believe youre on safe ground. Add frustration and impatience to the mix, and its no wonder so many folks take the bait.TALK TECHY TO ME: GET YOUR WORK DONE FASTER WITH THIS PRO TIPRELATED:How to spot a fake retail website before you buyHow they snag youFake CAPTCHA:You verify ("Im not a robot"), then youre asked to download a README file for instructions. Those instructions install malware.YouTube tutorials:You click a download link in the description of a YouTube video that promises to fix your tech issue. You guessed it! Its malware in disguise.ClickFix scams:You copy and paste commands into your computer while following a step-by-step guide. Oops Youve commanded it to obey its new hacker overlords.Phony updates:Quick! A pop-up says you need to install a security update right now! Its malware pretending to be your app, operating system or browser. Computer code on a screen with a skull representing a computer virus / malware attack. (iStock)How to protect yourselfThese scammers are savvy, but you can outsmart them.Think twice before downloading: If a tutorial tells you to turn off antivirus software or download a random link, bail. Rely on big names like Google, Apple and Microsoft that publish steps for help online or, you know, me!Check URLs and sources:Cybercriminals mimic legitimate sites. Always double-check the web address, especially when youre looking at updates or troubleshooting guides. If the URL feels off, trust your gut and close it.3 SECURITY AND DATA CHECKS YOU SHOULD DO ONCE A YEARBe careful what you copy and paste:Never copy commands from unknown sources into your computers terminal or command prompt. Thats a classic malware delivery tactic.Update the right way:Dont click random pop-ups to update your software. Always go through your device settings or the app store.RELATED: Hackers have a sneaky trick to get you to click their fake links -See it in actionLets say the worst happens. A person is pictured using Google on their laptop. (Serene Lee/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)Despite being careful, you fell for it. Dont panic, just act fast to limit the damage:Run a virus scan: Use antivirus software you trust to detect and remove any malware installed on your device. The free stuff isnt good enough anymore.Change your passwords: Update passwords for any accounts you suspect are compromised. Email and financial accounts should be your first priority. And no password reusing! Every one should be unique. Yes, I know its a pain.Monitor your bank accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for unauthorized charges or transactions. Notify your bank immediately if you see anything suspicious. I have the alerts in my banking app turned on so I get a buzz every time something out of the ordinary happens.Check for unusual activity: Look for strange logins or changes in your online accounts, too. Many sites and services have a section in the settings where you can see what devices are logged into your accounts and where theyre coming from.Reinstall your system if necessary: You may need to reset your device or reinstall your operating system.Steps here to complete a factory reset. Please, please back up your data first.Get tech-smarter on your scheduleAward-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.National radio:Airing on 500+ stations across the US -Find yours orget the free podcast.Daily newsletter:Join 559,000 people who read the Current (free!)Watch: OnKims YouTube channelPodcast: "Kim Komando Today" - Listen wherever you get podcastsCopyright 2025, WestStar Multimedia Entertainment. All rights reserved.

Tech Get ready to build your own Lego masterpieces with this new tech Discover your full creativity with this cutting-edge Lego technology Published December 6, 2024 6:00am EST close A bunch of Lego fanatics use a whopping 342,817 Lego Technic pieces to build a sports car Lego and McLaren collaborated on a fully drivable, life-sized replica of the McLaren P1 hypercar made almost entirely out of Lego Technic pieces. Imagine being able to turn any object into a Lego masterpiece with just your phone.Sounds cool, right?Well, thats exactly what Brick My World offers.This innovative app is here to make custom Lego creation fun and accessible for everyone, whether youre a seasoned builder or just getting started. By using advanced artificial intelligence and mobile scanning technology, Brick My World opens up a world of creative possibilities. Brick My World app. (Brick My World)From scan to creation: The effortless Lego building processThe process of creating Lego models withBrick My World is pretty simple. First, you snap a photo of any object using your Android or iPhone. Next, you will brick it, as they call it, with the app transforming the scan into a Lego model. Finally, you can build it by following the detailed instructions generated by the app, bringing your creation to life.Gone are the days when advanced 3D modeling skills were necessary or when building custom models required painstaking manual design. Brick My World makes custom Lego creation accessible to everyone, regardless of your technical expertise. Brick My World app. (Brick My World)The technology behind the magicBrick My World combines several cutting-edge technologies:Mobile scanning:Utilizes ARCore (Android) and ARKit (iOS) for precise object capture.Photogrammetry: Creates detailed 3D models from 2D scans.Voxelization: Converts 3D models into brick-compatible structures.AI optimization: Refines the model for accuracy and structural integrity. Brick My World app. (Brick My World)Endless possibilitiesWithBrick My World, your creativity knows no bounds. Create a scale model of your house, immortalize your pet in bricks or craft unique souvenirs from your travels. The app handles models of various sizes, from small objects using 500-1,000 bricks to larger creations requiring several thousand pieces. Creations by Brick My World app. (Brick My World)Sourcing your bricksWorried about finding the right pieces? Brick My World has partnered with BrickOwl, an independent Lego marketplace. The app generates a detailed parts list, allowing you to easily source the bricks you need for your custom creation.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? Brick My World app. (Brick My World)The team behind the innovationBrick My World is the brainchild of a diverse team of Lego enthusiasts and tech innovators. Their combined expertise in software development, AI engineering and UX design has resulted in this revolutionary app.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HEREThe team has ambitious plans for the future, including adding support for non-traditional bricks (plates, slopes, transparent pieces), incorporating wheels and other specialized elements, and expanding the app's capabilities based on user feedback and technological advancements. A woman building her creation with Lego bricks. (Brick My World)The Brick My World Kickstarter campaignThroughout theKickstarter campaign, supporters are being offered exclusive early-bird pricing for lifetime access to the premium version of the app, allowing them to be among the first to experience this groundbreaking tool. The funds raised will be instrumental in further developing the app's features and expanding its capabilities, including the addition of non-traditional bricks and enhanced design options.The overwhelming support from backers demonstrates a collective desire to make custom Lego creation accessible to all. As Brick My World moves forward, the team is committed to delivering on its promises and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved in the world of Lego building. Stay tuned for updates on new features and enhancements as they continue to innovate and inspire creativity in builders everywhere. Brick My World app. (Brick My World)Kurt's key takeawaysBy making the design process accessible to everyone, Brick My World opens up new possibilities for creativity and expression through Lego. Whether you're a seasoned builder or new to the world of bricks, this app promises to bring your ideas to life in a way that's both fun and rewarding.What unique objects would you love to see transformed into Lego creations using the Brick My World app? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterFollow Kurt on his social channels:Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com.All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Maksim Kabakou - FotoliaOpinionSix trends that will define cyber through to 2030From Covid-19 to war in Ukraine, SolarWinds Sunburst, Kaseya, Log4j, MOVEit and more, the past five years brought cyber to mainstream attention, but what comes next? The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank looks ahead to the second half of the 2020sByPierre-Martin Tardif, ISACAPublished: 06 Dec 2024 Guessing the future is always a difficult task. Six trends for the next five years seem more apparent than others, and it will be interesting to re-read this article in 2029 to assess its accuracy. In the meantime, the six trends standing out as top priorities, in no particular order, are:Preparing the post-quantum cryptographic migration, including raising top management awareness to provide sufficient resources.There will be a need to identify where cryptography is used in the organisation, which can be found in several places, including libraries, the Internet of Things (IoT), communication protocols, storage systems, and databases. Prioritizing systems for the transition will be paramount, taking care to clearly identify your critical systems.Choosing how to manage the transition will also be essential since it may hinder the organisation. More precisely, hybrid protocols, mixing classical and post-quantum cryptography, could be an interesting option to consider, since it allows your clients to migrate at their own pace.Also, testing will be mandatory, while deploying a realistic test environment might be complex. Finally, the right migration time will be hard to establish, even if governments provide guidelines.Finalising operational technologies (OT) oversight, improving their cyber resilience, and integrating them into existing cyber security operations.This convergence started more than 10 years ago and is still ongoing. OT cyber security must include addressing human safety concerns and intensive collaboration with engineering.The monitoring approach should rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to identify abnormal behaviour, from weak signals, to support advanced persistent threat hunting. Since some systems are legacy, they may lack the necessary features to directly collect the information needed. Encapsulating with an intermediate security system could be a viable solution.A layered defence strategy and a movement toward a zero-trust architecture might help minimise the attack surface.Improving cyber security fundamentals, including identity management and network micro-segmentation, and supporting zero-trust architecture while enabling automated threat response.This leads to implementing robust identity and access management that enforces least-privilege principles and multi-factor authentication.By integrating policy-based automation, access management becomes more dynamic, transparent and enforceable. Continuous monitoring and real-time analytics should be used to detect anomalies and unauthorised activities, including user behaviour, device posture and geolocation.The Computer Weekly Security Think Tank looks aheadMike Gillespie and Ellie Hurst, Advent IM:CISOs will face growing challenges in 2025 and beyond.Elliot Rose, PA Consulting: The most pressing challenges for CISOs and cyber security teams.Learning how to conduct cyber security for artificial intelligence pipelines (AIOps) while constructing a business case for artificial intelligence-based cyber security, like zero-day attack detection.This dual focus addresses the sharply increasing complexity of cyber threats and the pervasiveness of AI. As AI continues to revolutionise the landscape, international and domestic regulations are being defined and will become vital to ensure its compliance, resilience and trustworthiness.Addressing increasing regulations to maintain global compliance, notably for privacy, critical infrastructure, and business continuity.As stricter rules are adopted, like European Union's (EU's) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and AI Act, California's Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for privacy, as well as European Network and Information Systems Directive 2 (NIS2) and CISA guidelines in the United States for critical industries, and more specific requirements from the EUs Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) for the financial industry, organisations need to contextualize these requirements and integrate them into their security posture.Collaborating closely with third parties, including identifying their Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), and communicating any vulnerability along the supply chain. This will remain an important priority for security leaders as the global enterprise landscape becomes increasingly interconnected.This should ensure a better understanding of the dependencies toward the third parties, and when an organisation becomes more mature, the broader interdependencies of their ecosystem.In conclusion, while predicting the near future remains a challenging task, these six top priorities will play a pivotal role in organisational resilience.As we look ahead, there seems to be a distant echo on the horizon. Lets hope it is not your next threat!Pierre-Martin Tardif is a member of the ISACA Emerging Trends Working Group. A longstanding IT and cyber security professional and educator, he is based in Quebec, Canada.In The Current Issue:Interview: James Fleming, CIO, Francis Crick InstituteStage is set for legal battles over Big Tech dominanceFive reasons why and when cloud storage is the answerDownload Current IssueGreater industry collaboration will help move customers to the latest tech Cliff Saran's Enterprise blogWhat to expect from OpenUKs State of Open Con 2025 Open Source InsiderView All Blogs

An appeals court in the United States has upheld a law passed by Congress earlier in 2024 to ban China-owned video-sharing social media platform TikTok in the US on national security and data protection groundsThe law sailed through the US legislature back in April, after being included in a wider package of aid for Israel, Taiwan and Ukraine. It gives TikToks parent, ByteDance, notice to either sell TikTok to a US-based entity or be removed from online app stores for good with both Apple and Google facing financial penalties if they do not comply.The laws passage came amid a growing freeze in relations between the US and China, and a spate of accusations from Western cyber security agencies claiming widespread Chinese cyber espionage.TikTok appealed against this, but the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columba Circuit today [6 December] unanimously denied this petition.In the courts opinion on the case of TikTok and ByteDance Ltd versus Merrick Garland [US attorney general], judge Douglas Ginsberg said the decision had significant implications for both TikTok and its users, because unless ByteDance divests the business by 19 January 2025, or the president grants a 90-day extension, the TikTok platform will effectively be unavailable in the United States. Consequently, TikToks millions of users will need to find alternative media of communication.Ginsberg wrote this burden was attributable to Chinas hybrid commercial threat to US security and not the US government, which he wrote has been engaged with TikTok for some time in efforts to find alternative solutions.Ginsberg also dismissed TikToks arguments that a ban infringed its First Amendment rights the First Amendment, dating back to December 1791, guarantees freedom of speech and the press in the US.The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States. Here the government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversarys ability to gather data on people in the United States, he wrote.The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue, a TikTok spokesperson said, via social media site X.Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people. The TikTok ban, unless stopped, will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on 19 January 2025.According to US news network CNBC, TikTok plans to seek an injunction to have the case heard before the US Supreme Court in Washington DC.The one saving grace for TikTok may yet be the incoming Republican administration led by president elect Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in January for an historic second term.Prior to the 2020 election Trump had led calls for a ban on TikTok, and came close to achieving this goal. However, after the Biden administrations legal intervention, he now appears to have had a change of heart. Indeed, back in September, he briefly positioned it as a campaign issue, encouraging TikTok users to cast their vote for him. At the time of going to press, however, Trump had not stated whether he will actually enforce a ban.Craig Singleton, senior fellow and China program director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who contributed extensively to an amicus brief on which the court heavily relied, said the ruling underscored a growing consensus that time was up for TikTok, at least in its current form.The unanimous decision is a clear warning shot to foreign companies operating in sensitive sectors they must play by the rules or face the consequences, said Singleton.Expect TikTok to pull every lever lobbying, lawsuits, and public pressure - to stall divestiture. But. the bipartisan appetite for action means the companys runway is rapidly shrinking.The ruling also serves as a bellwether for how the US, and by extension its core allies including the UK, confront tech threats from authoritarian regimes, and for policymakers, the saga so far serves as a test of whether the law can keep up with emerging threats, he said.For Beijing, this is more than just about TikTok its a symbolic and strategic loss in the broader tech competition with Washington, added Singleton. There can be no doubt that this ruling undercuts Beijings ability to use TikTok as a powerful tool for influence, data collection, and narrative control within the US, marking a significant strategic loss.China has few meaningful options apart from retaliatory rhetoric or tit-for-tat measures targeting U.S. companies operating in China, Singleton told Computer Weekly in emailed comments.While Beijing is likely to issue strong condemnations, we shouldn't expect any dramatic responses China may complain loudly, but with its economy under strain, this is more a diplomatic headache than an immediate crisis.Read more about TikTokThe United States government takes aim at the viral video sharing application TikTok.Social media giant TikTok has completed the first of two datacentre builds it has under development in Ireland.Data protection regulators warn social media companies to take all necessary measures to protect childrens privacy after fining TikTok over 300m.

This deal gets you a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2019 for Windows or Mac and access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for just $33.

Plugable's Folding Keyboard is an impressive tablet accessory for writers. It delivers a good typing feel and versatility. However, it is missing some notable features.

The long-awaited end of the green bubbleNurPhoto via Getty ImagesApple seems all set to launch iOS 18.2 next week, bringing the long-awaited release of feature-rich Apple Intelligence tools held back from iOS 18s launch in the fall. But the next iPhone firmware release also brings the most surprising update in yearsa change to how your iPhone works andfinallyan end to those pesky green bubbles.The saga of green bubbles versus blue bubbles is very much an American thingthe US has been the only significant market which has held WhatsApp at bay, and clearly when your entire social network moves to WhatsAppwhether on iPhone or Android, all users look the same. Its refreshingly democratic and socially leveling.That said, Americans are trying it. Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg celebrated WhatApp hitting the 100 million US users milestone in the summer, and those of you in the US will have noticed the billboards and Modern Family ads pointing out the benefits of seamless, secure cross-platform messaging.None of which actually killed the green bubbles. It seems that this will come down to two government playersChinas Ministry of State Security and Americas FBI. The Chinese started itnot actually MSS themselves, but one of its arms length hacking groups which managed to infiltrate US telco networks. The FBI then understandably warned that US citizens should stop sending unsecured text messages.MORE FOR YOUThats what those green bubbles are of course. They werent actually designed to distinguish social standing amongst teen and gen-z users. What they actually highlight it a lack of end-to-end encryption. To put it simply, blue is secure and green is not. It doesnt matter if its old school SMS green or new kid on the block RCS green. Blue is still secure and green is still not. And so, when the FBI warns Americans to stop sending unsecured text messages, they mean green bubbles.Cue Apple and that surprising update. iOS 18.2now expected next weekwill allow iPhone users to change default apps for the first time. Importantly, this includes your phone dialer and messenger, the very two apps the FBI and CISA have pointed out should be encrypted if at all possible. As youll all know by now, given the headlines over the last 72-hours, standard network calls or messages between Androids and iPhones are never end-to-end encrypted.And so, following the logic, iPhone users should change their default dialer and messenger to WhatsApp or Signal or other fully secured options. Apple offers FaceTime for calls and iMessage for texts, but both only secure iPhone-to-iPhone, so that doesnt work. In one respect, the timing of iOS 18.2 could not be better, but in anotherperhaps for Apple and for Googles RCS push, it could not be worse.Not everyone will do this, of course. But many will. Especially given the FBI warning making headlines across the US in the wake of Salt Typhoons ongoing Chinese hacks, and with no firm end in sight. If some users do change, if enough users do change, then perhaps we can end the green bubble nonsense once and for all. The bubbles would still be green if texting Android to iPhone from iMessagebut if youre using a fully encrypted platform as your default instead, this becomes irrelevant.As we entered 2024, I suggested that it would be the year messaging changed forever, but I did not expect it to run quite like this. We really are in uncharted territory, and will watch with interest to see what happens through December as users respond to the network hacking news and the fallout that will inevitably follow.What we really need is the green bubbles to turn blue, for RCS to be fully secured as another option for users. But despite the GSMA and Google working on this, its not yet in sight, unlike iOS 18.2 which is now just days away.

TOPSHOT - A staff member of the Congolese Ministry of Health prepares the sampling equipment to ... [+] perform a COVID-19 test at a private residence in Goma, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on March 31, 2020. One positive case of COVID-19 coronavirus was reported on March 30, 2020 in Goma, capital of North Kivu Province and a city of more than one million inhabitants, bringing the total for the Democratic Republic of Congo to 98 positive COVID-19 cases including 8 deaths. (Photo by Alexis Huguet / AFP) (Photo by ALEXIS HUGUET/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesThe World Health Organization is responding to an unexplained illness occurring in the Kwango province in southwest Democratic Republic of the Congo. The illness has been ongoing since late October. According to the DRC Ministry of Public Health, 394 cases and 30 deaths have been reported so far in the Panzi health zone. At this time, a cause has not been determined, but symptoms include fever, cough, headache, trouble breathing and anemia, according to the WHO. Although this appears to point to a respiratory illness, more information is needed to make a determination. A team from WHO has launched to support local authorities in determining a cause with kits for sample collection and diagnostics, medications, as well as public health response. As an infectious disease and public health physician watching this situation unfold, there are some key aspects I am interested in knowing, which are determined through basic outbreak response.The Initial Steps Of Outbreak ResponseThere are multiple steps to an outbreak investigation, but the first step is always to keep an open mind and determine whether this really is an outbreak. If so, are we dealing with a single disease or multiple different illnesses that are being lumped together? Are the number of ill patients being counted twice, making it larger than it is? These are some common challenges to work through at the very beginning of an outbreak response.Characterizing The IllnessesIf we are convinced this is an outbreak, we want to characterize the illness. In order to do so, it is best to have boots on the ground, hence the reason WHO has launched a team to augment the local care providers and health authorities. This process begins with interviewing patients and the medical providers who have cared for cases to develop an understanding of the patients symptoms and signs, including physical exam findings, laboratory tests, and imaging results, such as x-rays.Armed with a better picture of the illnesses, health authorities will develop a case definition, which summarizes the key features of the illness. Usually, it is better if these are objective and they often include a time period. For example, a case might be defined as anyone who became ill from early October or November until now with a fever, cough, and headache. That is very broad. We usually want to start broadly so as not to miss anyone, but as we learn more information, it is helpful to eventually narrow it down. Once we have a case definition, we can search for and establish a list of cases.Making A DiagnosisIn order to make a definitive diagnosis, we need laboratory results. The complaints in the initial reports sound consistent with an influenza-like respiratory illness, but multiple pathogens can cause that constellation of symptoms, including non-respiratory pathogens. We might want to start with respiratory specimens, such as nasal and throat swabs in addition to blood and sputum samples to test for viruses and bacteria. If any patients have had imaging, such as chest x-rays, those would be reviewed. If the patients have other types of symptoms, those may guide the investigators to obtain other samples, such as stool or urine. They also might be interested in obtaining autopsy specimens from individuals who may have died from the disease.MORE FOR YOUWith the specimens obtained, there are various methods we use to make a diagnosis, including running basic tests for blood counts, blood chemistries, reviewing samples under the microscope, trying to grow bacteria, running PCR tests for DNA and RNA, and even multiple tests for different pathogens simultaneously (called multiplex tests). Armed with those results, wed want to assess them for commonalities or unique aspects to determine if we are dealing with single or multiple causes of the illnesses.Managing the OutbreakIf we can make a diagnosis quickly, that will help us determine whether we have a specific antibiotic or antiviral or some other type of medicine to treat the illness or a vaccine to prevent it. If we dont have a diagnosis, we can try to assess what types of treatments appear to be beneficial thus far according to local care providers.Sometimes it can take a while to determine the cause of an outbreak, especially if we are dealing with a new pathogen or one that is hard to isolate in the lab. Regardless, using epidemiology, we can still identify the ways people are infected by looking for patterns in illness transmission. Do family members appear at higher risk after one individual in the household became ill? Similarly, have healthcare providers become ill after caring for patients? This could provide clues that something is transmitted person-to-person, like influenza or Covid. Armed with that information, we can take steps to reduce spread even without having a diagnosis.Currently, we have little information and speculating on the cause may lead us in the wrong direction. As UCLA Professor Anne Rimoin, who has done a lot of work in the DRC, was recently quoted as saying, It could be anything. It could be influenza, it could be Ebola, it could be Marburg, it could be meningitis, it could be measles. At this point, we really just dont know.No doubt well be learning more in the next few days. At that time, it will be easier to make a more informed assessment of what to expect next.

In this photo illustration, the TikTok logo is displayed on a phone screen on November 30, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. Asanka Ratnayake/Getty ImagesBy HALELUYA HADERO / APDecember 6, 2024 10:49 AM ESTA federal appeals court panel on Friday upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law, which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January, is constitutional, rebuffing TikToks challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform.The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States, said the court's opinion. Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversarys ability to gather data on people in the United States.TikTok and ByteDance another plaintiff in the lawsuit are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term and whose Justice Department would have to enforce the law, said during the presidential campaign that he is now against a TikTok ban and would work to save the social media platform.The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China.The U.S. has said its concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits, that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way thats difficult to detect.However, a significant portion of the governments information in the case has been redacted and hidden from the public as well as the two companies.TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasnt provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijings benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government.Friday's ruling came after the appeals court panel heard oral arguments in September.Some legal experts said at the time that it was challenging to read the tea leaves on how the judges would rule.In a court hearing that lasted more than two hours, the panel - composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges - appeared to grapple with how TikToks foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform.The judges pressed Daniel Tenny, a Department of Justice attorney, on the implications the case could have on the First Amendment. But they also expressed some skepticism at TikToks arguments, challenging the companys attorney - Andrew Pincus - on whether any First Amendment rights preclude the government from curtailing a powerful company subject to the laws and influence of a foreign adversary.In parts of their questions about TikToks ownership, the judges cited wartime precedent that allows the U.S. to restrict foreign ownership of broadcast licenses and asked if the arguments presented by TikTok would apply if the U.S. was engaged in war.To assuage concerns about the companys owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data.The company also argues the governments broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient.Attorneys for the two companies have claimed its impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm - the platforms secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan - would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content.Still, some investors, including Trumps former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikToks U.S. business.This week, a spokesperson for McCourts Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.TikToks lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators - for which the company is covering legal costs - as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc.If TikTok appeals and the courts continue to uphold the law, it would fall on Trumps Justice Department to enforce it and punish any potential violations with fines. The penalties would apply to app stores that would be prohibited from offering TikTok, and internet hosting services that would be barred from supporting it.More Must-Reads from TIMEWhere Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0How Elon Musk Became a KingmakerThe PowerAnd Limitsof Peer SupportThe 100 Must-Read Books of 2024Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try HopeThe Future of Climate Action Is Trade PolicyFXs Say NothingIs the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby DecisionContact us at letters@time.com

OpenAI released its most advanced AI model yet, called o1, for paying users on Thursday. The launch kicked off the companys 12 Days of OpenAI eventa dozen consecutive releases to celebrate the holiday season.OpenAI has touted o1s complex reasoning capabilities, and announced on Thursday that unlimited access to the model would cost $200 per month. In the video the company released to show the models strengths, a user uploads a picture of a wooden birdhouse and asks the model for advice on how to build a similar one. The model thinks for a short period and then spits out what on the surface appears to be a comprehensive set of instructions. Close examination reveals the instructions to be almost useless. The AI measures the amount of paint, glue, and sealant required for the task in inches. It only gives the dimensions for the front panel of the birdhouse, and no others. It recommends cutting a piece of sandpaper to another set of dimensions, for no apparent reason. And in a separate part of the list of instructions, it says the exact dimensions are as follows and then proceeds to give no exact dimensions.The AI assistant only offers dimensions for one wooden panel. It also measures the amounts of paint, glue, and sealant required in inches, when they are all liquids.OpenAI, via XYou would know just as much about building the birdhouse from the image as you would the text, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the AI tool, says James Filus, the director of the Institute of Carpenters, a U.K.-based trade body, in an email. He notes that the list of materials includes nails, but the list of tools required does not include a hammer, and that the cost of building the simple birdhouse would be nowhere near the $20-50 estimated by o1. Simply saying install a small hinge doesnt really cover whats perhaps the most complex part of the design, he adds, referring to a different part of the video that purports to explain how to add an opening roof to the birdhouse. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Its just the latest example of an AI product demo doing the opposite of its intended purpose. Last year, a Google advert for an AI-assisted search tool mistakenly said that the James Webb telescope had made a discovery it had not, a gaffe that sent the companys stock price plummeting. More recently, an updated version of a similar Google tool told early users that it was safe to eat rocks, and that they could use glue to stick cheese to their pizza.The AI assistant says "the exact dimensions are as follows," and proceeds to give no dimensions.OpenAI, via XOpenAIs o1, which according to public benchmarks is its most capable model to date, takes a different approach than ChatGPT for answering questions. It is still essentially a very advanced next-word predictor, trained using machine learning on billions of words of text from the Internet and beyond. But instead of immediately spitting out words in response to a prompt, it uses a technique called chain of thought reasoning to essentially think about an answer for a period of time behind the scenes, and then gives its answer only after that. This technique often yields more accurate answers than having a model spit out an answer reflexively, and OpenAI has touted o1s reasoning capabilitiesespecially when it comes to math and coding. It can answer 78% of PhD-level science questions accurately, according to data that OpenAI published alongside a preview version of the model released in September.But clearly some basic logical errors can still slip through.