Following last year's walk-out.Last year saw the entire Annapurna Interactive workforce resign following a dispute with owner Megan Ellison. Four months on, Bloomberg has reported that the former staff members have formed a new company and have picked up the entire Private Division portfolio (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz).The as-yet-unnamed company reportedly acquired all games under the Private Division label from the Texas-based firm Haveli Investments the presumed "undisclosed buyer" after Take-Two sold the studio last year, claiming it was focusing on growing its "core businesses for the long term". While no specifics have been given at this time, Bloomberg reports that the new company's buyout will likely result in studio layoffs for the 20 employees who joined Private Division under Haveli.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Education technology giant PowerSchool has told customers that it experienced a cybersecurity incident that allowed hackers to compromise the personal data of students and teachers in K-12 school districts across the United States.The California-based PowerSchool, which was acquired by Bain Capital for $5.6 billion in 2024, is the largest provider of cloud-based education software for K-12 education in the U.S., serving more than 75% of students in North America, according to the companys website.PowerSchool says its software is used by over 16,000 customers to support more than 50 million students in the United States.In a letter sent to affected customers on Tuesday and published in a local news report, PowerSchool said hackers successfully breached its PowerSource customer support portal on December 28, allowing further access to the companys school information system, PowerSchool SIS, which schools use to manage student records, grades, attendance, and enrollment. The letter said the companys investigation found the hackers gained access using a compromised credential.PowerSchool has not said what types of data were accessed during the incident or how many individuals are affected by the breach, and neither PowerSchool nor Bain Capital have responded to TechCrunchs questions.The nature of the cyberattack remains unknown. Bleeping Computer reports that in an FAQ sent to affected users, PowerSchool said it did not experience a ransomware attack, but that the company was extorted into paying a financial sum to prevent the hackers from leaking the stolen data. PowerSchool told the publication that names and addresses were exposed in the breach, but that the information may also include Social Security numbers, medical information, grades, and other personally identifiable information. PowerSchool did not say how much the company paid.PowerSchool was sued by class action in November 2024, which alleges the company illegally sells student data without consent for commercial gain. According to the lawsuit, the companys troves of student data totals some 345 terabytes of data collected from 440 school districts.PowerSchool collects this highly sensitive information under the guise of educational support, but in fact collects it for its own commercial gain, while hiding behind opaque terms of service such that no one can understand, the lawsuit alleges.

Vay is hitting the accelerator on its driverless car-sharing service in Las Vegas. The Berlin-based startup, which uses teleoperations technology that lets humans pilot empty vehicles to customers, has been operating a small commercial fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro vehicles in certain parts of Las Vegas since January 2024. When customers open the Vay app and hail a car, it arrives without a human behind the wheel. Once the Vay vehicle arrives, the customer hops in and takes over manual control of the car. Customers drive themselves to their destination. Once theyre finished, the teleops driver pilots the vehicle back.Vay announced Wednesday during CES 2025 it is expanding its operations and plans to increase its fleet to 100 vehicles in Las Vegas.The startup, which raised a 34 million round from the European Investment Bank last year, has also secured a production facility to meet growing demand. The company said the facility will be used to build out Vays Kia e-Niro fleet.Vay co-founder and CEO Thomas Von der Ohe said the investment represents a significant milestone for Vays growth and will play a crucial role in scaling its offerings.Vay said its users have taken more than 6,000 trips throughout central Las Vegas. Last year, the company announced plans to expand into business-to-business operations, aiming to provide remote driving for private cars, trucks, vans, and autonomous vehicles. Vay said Wednesday its hiring remote car and truck drivers as B2B operations expand this year. The company hasnt shared what vehicles it will use for its commercial B2B service.

In BriefPosted:5:55 AM PST January 8, 2025Image Credits:Santiago Urquijo / Getty ImagesEU court fines European Commission for breaching its own data privacy lawsA top court has ordered the European Unions top executive authority to pay 400 (around $410) in damages to a German citizen for breaching its own data protection laws.In a statement, the EU General Court said the European Commission violated the citizens rights by transferring some of his personal data to the United States without proper safeguards.The court said the German citizen registered for a conference, managed by the European Commission, using the Sign in with Facebook option on the conferences website. But the citizen said information about his IP address, browser and device were transferred to companies in the United States namely Amazon, which hosts the conferences website, and Meta, which owns Facebook which the citizen said violated his rights under the blocs data privacy rules.The European Commission committed a sufficiently serious breach of the rules that cover the 27 European nations, the EU General Court ruled on Wednesday. Reuters, which first reported the news, said the fine is a first for the European Commission.The EUs data protection rules, known as GDPR, are some of the strictest data privacy rules in the world, and can fine organizations up to 4% of their annual turnover for breaching the rules.Topics

Breakdown & ShowreelsWallace & Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl: Behind the Scenes by BBCBy Vincent Frei - 08/01/2025 Step into the world of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl! This exclusive BBC making of takes you behind the scenes at Aardman Animations, revealing the artistry of stop-motion creation and animation. Dont miss this fascinating look at how these beloved characters come to life! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

3D Fluid SimulationsHave you ever received an email from a client that sent shivers down your spine? It might include this paragraph: Hey, I need you to create a fluid animation effect for me; heres a reference photo of a beautiful (insert photo of waves, ocean, splashes, beer pour, etc.). You have till Tuesday.True story, I have a friend who received the exact email above, asking him to create an animation of a wave splashing back and forth in a container. He spent 30 hours trying to simulate it, and in the end, his client hated it, and my friend didnt get paid a penny.In this blog post, I want to help you avoid this situation. While the email will still give you the shivers, at least you will have a better understanding of the best practices for making fluid simulations in 3D.This guide isnt going to give you the specifics but instead will provide you with a general overview of the available tools and the best ways to get the results you want. Lets dive in; the water (fluid) is warm!Why Fluids?If youre a motion designer or VFX artist, then you cant go long without a request to make fluids. It has become a key part of our job as artists, from creating crown splashes to motion design water elements to pack shots with liquid exploding around them to realistic oceans to rain effects.Above render using our Water Splashes 2 PackWhy is this so hard? (Avoid joke here). Fluid sims are among the most complex tasks you will face. Why? Because fluid dynamics is a mathematical hellscape of complexity. If you go in too far, you will likely hear the term Navier-Stokes equations, which will immediately be followed by equations that look like maybe the alien language has been discovered.Graphic from this post.If you consider the properties youll be dealing with, then you will understand why the math behind the physics is so intense. Were talking about parameters like viscosity, flow, density, pressure, surface tension, turbulence, and vorticity. And this isnt even getting into lighting and texturing accurately! Fluids are REALLY tough. Because of this, you will be challenged with a daunting quest.What will you learn in this Fluid Guide?In this guide, youll learn the current landscape of tools and plugins you can use to achieve 3D fluid simulations. Youll learn which to use and which to avoid, and even discover some shortcuts you might consider along the way.Understanding Fluid Simulation BasicsThere are a few different types of fluid simulations. There are standard Liquid Simulations that simulate the behavior of liquids like water, oil, or lava. They often use methods like FLIP (Fluid-Implicit Particle) or SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics).There are also Gas Simulations used for simulating smoke, fire, or gaseous-type phenomena. You can usually create these with Pyro effects. There are Particle-Based Simulations that use particle systems to represent fluids and let you create splashes, foam, and spray. There are also more specialized fluid simulations, like ocean and wave simulations. Lets first figure out what software is equipped to handle these best.Software recommendations for 3D Fluid SimulationSome 3D software handles fluids incredibly well, and some fail quite spectacularly. Lets start with the BEST, and proceed to the worst.The biggest takeaway for you is that if you want professional, top-shelf sims, then you have to learn Houdini. It is BY FAR the most capable, realistic, powerful, and accurate software for making simulations. The downside is that it has the steepest and most aggressive learning curve of all software!3D Fluids in HoudiniAbove render by Emmett MikitaHoudini specializes in multiple aspects of VFX, from modeling to final rendering. This software RULES film, television, advertising, and gaming industries by handling everything from rigging and animation to visual effects and lighting. It handles massive projects and crazy pipelines with no issues.Houdini uses the sophisticated FLIP (fluid-implicit particle) solver to give you both speed and precision in fluid simulations and creates realistic atmospheric effects, including mist, foam, spray, and bubble elements.Houdini also has Ocean FX tools for making seas, beaches, small oceans, large oceans, wave tanks, beach tanks, waves, and much more.Mastering Houdini requires significant time investment, but it can be well worth the effort when it comes to fluid simulations. Houdini is the leading solution for 3D fluid simulation in our industry.3D Fluids in 3DS MaxAbove render by Hammer Chen using Phoenix3ds Max boasts Chaos Phoenix, which is a powerful fluid dynamics system that can create various liquid effects, including bubbles, foam, and splashes.Phoenix is famous for making fire and smoke, but it has a fully featured fluid dynamics system as well. It works with the same principles as when it creates gaseous volumes and is unusual in that it works with voxels rather than particles, generating the surface at render time.Phoenix for 3ds Max and Maya can produce ship waves on the ocean, dribbling chocolate or frothing beer, and when rendered with global illumination using V-Ray, the results can be quite incredible!3D Fluids in MayaAbove render by BlendarianMayas Bifrost is capable of handling large-scale fluid simulations with tens of millions of particles. Bifrost is a procedural framework that can create simulated liquid and aerodynamic effects using a FLIP (fluid implicit particle) solver.The technology was employed as a dedicated tool for VFX studios and was used in films including Avatar, X-Men: First Class, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.Its capable of handling tens of millions of particles for large-scale fluid simulations. It has the ability to produce fluid sims like foam particles, bubbles, spray effects, and rolling waves.3D Fluids in Unreal EngineAbove render by Jesse PitelaIf youre riding the Unreal train of real-time delight and you want to experiment with the watery world, they have their own built-in fluid simulation system for real-time fluid effects. Its called Niagara Fluids. It can be used to create complex fluid simulations for games and cinematics, including smoke, fire, and liquids.UE also has add-ons you can explore, like Fluid Flux, which is a third-party plugin available on the Epic Games Marketplace that offers real-time water simulation capabilities for rivers, oceans, and shorelines.3D Fluids in BlenderAbove render by CG GeekBlender has native tools for fluids that you can use without additional plugins or addons.It includes a system called Mantaflow, which lets you create various fluid effects. You can also dig into quite a few Blender add-ons for fluids, including FLIP Fluids, which is quite popular. Its a tool designed to help users set up, run, and render high-quality liquid simulation effects within Blender.TLDR, Blender has some great options for fluids!3D Fluids in Cinema 4dAbove render by Redila Media using PyroAnd now we come to the software many of us know and love, Cinema 4D. At this point, we wonder collectively why C4D is at the bottom of the list when I mentioned we would go from best to worst.Collectively we accept the reality: Cinema 4D kind of sucks at fluids.A handful of years ago, there was an exciting and enticing race to the top between X-Particles and Realflow. Sadly, X-Particles went off the rails with apparent corporate greed (not my opinion, but the opinion of all of the forums I have ever read), and Realflow mysteriously went inactive.This leaves us with the native C4D fluid tools. Oh wait, there are none. Crap.In Cinema 4D there are a few ways of approaching fluids that are AWESOME for motion design or static frames. They definitely are slow, and they dont look very good in many situations, but for certain applications, they work well. These include:1. Using C4D Pyro to generate the animation and then a volume mesher and builder to turn it into the required blobby geometry. This process allows for the creation of various fluid-like effects, including watery and slimy vibes.2. Using the 2024+ Cinema 4D Particle engine to create particle animations that are then fed into a volume mesher and builder to create the geometry. This method involves using emitters, field forces, turbulence, and friction to simulate fluid behavior. The particles can then be connected using a volume builder to create a fluid-like appearance. The downside is that its fairly slow to work with. Heck, I even made a tutorial on this process you can check out!3. Other dumb options: umm metaballs.Dont get me wrong; particles or pyro + volume builders are great ways to get by but most certainly wont generate anything with real-world perfection!The Ultimate Cheat CodeI have good news. Say you need a beautiful, photo-real, perfectly simulated fluid effect, and you open up the Houdini door and quickly shut it as the mathematical formulations tumble and gather at your feet.You go to door two; it has Cinema 4D in there, but its just not gonna get you to the finish line where the client triumphantly hands you the check.I would like to introduce a 3rd door. You open it and what do you find? Pre-simulated, pre-cached assets for all sorts of fluid effects that are pre-made with love just for you.This is the part of the blog where I shamelessly plug our Fluid Effects lineup of 3D assets in case you want bubbles, water splashes, crown splashes, rivers, and more. Weve done all the hard work (in Houdini of course) to make the perfect assets, which you can simply drag and drop into your next project. Theyre .abc Alembic files, so you can use them in any render engine or 3D app you want.With this shameless plug out of the way, lets talk about the future!Future of Fluid SimulationI dont have any insider knowledge about this, but I have heard rumors of C4D working on a fluid system behind the scenes, which makes a lot of sense because they recently introduced Pyro and Particles. Keep your eyes open for that.There are also other plugins in development, like LiquiGen, which are not quite perfect yet but are getting better all the time. And who knows what AI tools will come out with next?Currently, though, your choices are Houdini, 3ds Max + Phoenix, Maya + Bitfrost, Unreal Engine Niagara, or Blender.Or our assets, of course (which are better than anything you could dream of). Things change quickly, but for now, we are here at the end of this incredible journey.Conclusion and SummaryAbove render from The Pixel Lab Rivers PackI hope you have learned what you need from this overview, and youre ready to tackle the problems head-on. Whatever your client asks of you, I wish you the best of luck.Happy simulating, happy rendering, and Im here if you need anything. Good luck with your projects!Recommended Products

Niteri Contemporary Art Museum | Felipe Vieira, Flickr UsersThe Niteri Contemporary Art Museum (MAC Niteri) is one of Oscar Niemeyers most notable works. Completed in 1996, the museum merges modernist principles with a sculptural sensibility. Located on a cliff overlooking Guanabara Bay, the building interacts with the surrounding landscape, framing views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Rio de Janeiro skyline.Niteri Contemporary Art Museum Technical InformationArchitects1-2: Oscar NiemeyerLocation: Boa Viagem, Niteri, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSite Area: 2,500 m2 | 26,910 Sq. Ft.Project Year: 1991 1996Photographs: See Captions DetailsIt was a difficult project, but when I saw the beauty of the sea and the surrounding landscape, I felt my architecture should reflect that beauty. I created a flower blooming on the edge of the cliff, reaching out to the infinite. Oscar Niemeyer 6Niteri Contemporary Art Museum Photographs Jonathan Reid, Flickr UsersAerial View Scott Norsworthy Marinelson Almeida, Flickr Users Gandy, Flickr Users Benjamin Norvell, Flickr Users Maria Ftima Leite, Flickr Users Rogerio Machado, Flickr UsersInteriorFormal Language: A Dialogue Between Structure and LandscapeThe museum represents Niemeyers approach to combining architecture with its natural environment, creating a space that blends artistic vision with functionality.The Niteri Contemporary Art Museum features a saucer-like structure supported by a single slender column. The buildings geometry appears to float above the rocky terrain, integrating seamlessly with the surroundings. Niemeyer likened the design to a flower blooming on the edge of the sea, emphasizing the organic forms often seen in his work.The elevated position preserves the natural landscape, while the external promenade and red ramp create a transitional experience for visitors. The ramp connects the structure with its environment and draws visitors into the building.Interior Design and Spatial ExperienceThe museums circular exhibition space contrasts with its sculptural exterior. The minimalistic interior design allows the artwork to remain the focal point. A central spiral layout guides visitors through the space.Natural light enhances the interior, with expansive glass windows offering views of Guanabara Bay and the surrounding landscape. This interplay between interior and exterior reinforces Niemeyers principle of harmonizing architecture with its context.Legacy and Criticism: Beyond Iconic ArchitectureThe Niteri Contemporary Art Museum is recognized for its design and role in architectural discourse. However, the building has faced criticism for practical challenges, such as limited exhibition space and climate control issues.Despite these limitations, the museum reflects Niemeyers belief in prioritizing form and harmony with the environment over rigid functionality. It remains an influential example of modernist architecture, emphasizing integrating artistic expression with design.Niteri Contemporary Art Museum PlansSection | Oscar NiemeyerFloor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerFloor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerImage GalleryAbout Oscar NiemeyerOscar Niemeyer (19072012) was a Brazilian architect renowned for his pioneering contributions to modernist architecture. Known for his bold use of curves and sculptural forms, Niemeyers designs were deeply influenced by Brazils natural landscapes and cultural identity. A key figure in shaping Braslia, Brazils capital, he collaborated with Lcio Costa on its urban planning and designed many of its iconic buildings, including the National Congress and the Cathedral of Braslia. Niemeyers career spanned over seven decades, marked by innovative works such as the Niteri Contemporary Art Museum and his contributions to the United Nations Headquarters in New York. His designs often challenged traditional architectural conventions, emphasizing beauty, harmony, and a seamless connection with nature. A recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1988, Niemeyer is celebrated as one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.Credits and Additional NotesStructural Engineer: Bruno ContariniClient: City of NiteriBuilt Area: 2,000 square meters (21,528 square feet)Height: 16 meters (52 feet)Diameter of Circular Base: 50 meters (164 feet)Structural Details: Reinforced concrete, designed to elevate and integrate with the surrounding natural topographyOscar Niemeyer: Eine Legende der Moderne / A Legend of ModernismbyPaul Andreas,Ingeborg Flagge,P. Andreas

TheWest Cornwall Covered Bridge spans the theHousatonic Riverin the town ofCornwall, Connecticut and is one of three historic covered bridges in the state. Records indicate that a bridge was in this location as early as 1762, but many were destroyed by floods and storms over the years, and even in the past century, flooding as a result of the1938 New England hurricaneand theflood of 1955, threatened to wash the bridge away, but she survived. The 172-foot bridge has been depicted in paintings, photographs, and movies, including Valley of the Dollsa 1967film. The charm of a historic New England covered bridge is so enchanting and has been a draw for tourists to stop by this amazing town for decades.

Published January 8, 2025 9:00am EST close 'CyberGuy': Preventing this insidious email forwarding scam that will drain your bank account Tech expert Kurt Knutsson says business email compromise scams are a serious threat. With our lives so intertwined with digital communication these days, the threat of email fraud is something we all need to take seriously. Recently, Teresa W. shared a scary experience that underscores the dangers of business email compromise (BEC)."I almost lost many thousands of dollars through an internet fraud scam. I got a call from our personal banker who said she saw nearly all the money in our business account being withdrawn. She said she got an email from me along with the money wiring directions. I told her I didn't send that and she said my email came from me directly to her. I said to stop everything and I will get to the bottom of it."Apparently the thieves got hold of a wiring instruction paper from my email, which they hacked into. They created a rule in Outlook to bypass me if anything came from them and go straight to the banker. They changed the wiring instructions to go into their account but thank goodness our banker alerted me so I could get to the bottom of it. Too close for comfort!"This incident highlights a sophisticated scam where cybercriminals gain access to legitimate email accounts and use them to deceive others into transferring funds. Teresas quick action, combined with her banker's vigilance, prevented a significant financial loss, but it serves as a wake-up call for many businesses.Enter the giveaway by signing up for myfree newsletter. "Youve been hacked!" written on laptop home screen (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)What is business email compromise (BEC)?Business email compromise (BEC) is a form of cybercrime that targets companies engaged in wire transfer payments and other financial transactions. The FBI reports that BEC scams have caused billions in losses globally. These scams exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities, making them particularly insidious. A hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How the scam worksEmail hacking: Scammers often gain access to email accounts throughphishing attacks, where they trick users into revealing their login credentials or by deploying malware that captures sensitive information.Email rule creation: Once inside the account, scammers can create rules in email clients like Outlook that redirect or hide specific emails. This means that any communication related to fraudulent activities may go unnoticed by the victim.Impersonation: The scammer impersonates the victim and sends emails to contacts, such as banks or vendors, requesting urgent wire transfers or sensitive information.Execution: The scammer provides convincing details and urgency in their requests, making it appear as though the email is genuinely from the victim. They may use specific language or references only known to the victim and their contacts. A hacker at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Real-life implicationsThe consequences of BEC scams can be devastating for businesses. In addition to direct financial losses, companies may face reputational damage, loss of customer trust and potential legal ramifications. For small businesses like Teresa's, which may not have extensive cybersecurity measures in place, the impact can be particularly severe. Illustration of security on a computer (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Proactive steps to avoid being a victim of BEC scamsTo combat BEC and similar scams, businesses must adopt a proactive approach to cybersecurity.1) Have strong antivirus software: Use reputable, up-to-date, strong antivirus software to check your system. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.2) Use strong passwords:Ensure passwords are complex (a mix of letters, numbers and symbols) and unique for each account.Make sure to create strong, unique passwords. Consider using apassword manager to generate and store complex passwords.3) Enable two-factor authentication: Where possible, enable multifactor authentication.This adds an extra layer of security to your accounts.4) Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your financial accounts, email accounts and social media for any unusual activity. If you think scammers have stolen your identity, consider identity theft protection here.Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account.They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.One of the best parts of using some services is that they might include identity theft insurance ofup to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where aU.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses.See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.5) Invest in personal data removal services: Using a data removal service can be an effective additional step to protect your personal information after a potential BEC scam. These services locate and remove your information from various online platforms, databases and data brokers. By eliminating unnecessary or outdated information, data removal services minimize your online presence, making it harder for scammers to find and exploit your data.While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.6) Regularly update security questions: Change security questions and answers periodically to enhance protection.7) Regularly review email rules: Check for unauthorized changes in email settings that could indicate compromise.8) Disable auto-forwarding: Unless absolutely necessary, turn off auto-forwarding features to prevent sensitive information from being sent elsewhere without your knowledge.9) Verify requests: Always verify any financial requests through a secondary communication method (e.g., a phone call) before proceeding with transactions.10) Limit access: Restrict access to financial information and transactions only to those who need it within your organization.11) Contact professionals: If youre unsure about any steps or if the situation seems severe, consider reaching out to a professional IT service.12) Report the incident: Report the scam to your local authorities and theFederal Trade Commission in the U.S.13) Create alias email addresses: My top recommendation to avoid being inundated with spam emails is to use analias email address.An alias email address is an additional email address that can be used to receive emails in the same mailbox as the primary email address. It acts as a forwarding address, directing emails to the primary email address.In addition to creating throwaway email accounts for online sign-ups and other circumstances where you would not want to disclose your primary email address, alias email addresses are helpful for handling and organizing incoming communications.Sometimes, it's best to create various email aliases so that you don't have to worry about getting tons of spam mail and having your email eventually stolen in a data breach. An alias email address is a great way for you to stop receiving constant spam mail by simply deleting the email alias address.See my review of the best secure and private email services here.Kurt's key takeawaysThe story shared by Teresa W. serves as a crucial reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in our digital communications. The rise of BEC scams not only threatens financial security but also erodes trust in electronic transactions. By implementing robust security measures and maintaining vigilance at all levels of an organization, individuals and businesses can protect themselves from these insidious attacks.What additional measures do you think businesses and government agencies should implement to effectively combat the rising threat of email scams?Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/Contact.For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to cover.Follow 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. Related Topics

A group of black women in Birmingham have initiated a community-led research project that aims to give black mothers total agency over how their perinatal healthcare data is gathered, interpreted and ultimately used.Drawn from Maternity Engagement Action (MEA) an organisation that provides safe spaces and leadership for black women throughout pregnancy, birth and early motherhood the women came together over their shared concern about the significant challenges faced by black women when seeking reproductive healthcare.Through a process of qualitative data gathering entailing discussions, surveys, workshops, trainings and meetings the women developed a participatory, community-focused approach to black perinatal healthcare, culminating in the launch of MEAs See Me, Hear Me campaign.We want policy-makers to see the benefits of community-led research and community driven data and use it in policy development. For there to be real change to the current statistics that black women are 3.7 times more likely to die than white women during perinatal period we need data from the community affected, they said.Our vision is to work collaboratively with research bodies and the black perinatal community to create a model where the intersectional voices of black maternal women are centred, included and amplified in creating and implementing solutions to the issue of black maternal mortality and morbidity.Ultimately, the initiative aims to shift from the current top-down approach that defines black perinatal healthcare, to one where community data and input drives systemic change in ways that better meet the needs of local women instead.Initially motivated by media reports that black women were five times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than their white counterparts during the pandemic, the women started to speak about their own traumatic experiences of seeking perinatal support within Birminghams public health system.In recounting their stories to one another, a number of common experiences emerged. This included facing a lack of continuity and consistency in their care, undermining black womens agency and resulting in staff making assumptions about their birth plans; receiving less quality time with caregivers; being regularly denied pain relief when its requested; not being believed when they raise an issue; and being coerced into unwanted medical interventions, such as C-sections or inductions.Speaking with Computer Weekly, Tamanda Walker a sociologist and founder of community-focused research organisation Roots & Rigour said it was common for women to feel like they were being passed from one part of the service to the next without any say in their treatment, leaving them feeling powerless in the face of it.Many of the women involved were making the very basic point that if they encounter trouble and raise it during the perinatal period, they often dont feel seen or heard by medical professionals, she said, adding that in one case, a woman with a prior mental health condition had to bite her tongue because any expression of distress was perceived as an indication of her mental health problem.That was exacerbated for her because she came from a poorer background, so her fear was, If I show too much distress, my children will be taken away, because Im already known to social services, all the while shes struggling in this labour situation and isnt being heard.In an attempt to reverse these unjust and inequitable healthcare outcomes for pregnant black women, the group collated their experiences into a qualitative data set to use as the basis for further analysis and action. The entire process has been documented in a report published by the MEA.Walker initially connected with the campaign at the Black Thrive Birmingham (BTB) Community Assembly in March 2022, an event focused on exploring how black-led research and data initiatives can put power directly in the hands of black communities.She said the event largely revolved around exploring what it would mean for black communities to own their own data and interpret it for themselves, as well as what it would mean for them to be in a position where they had the power to design solutions in collaboration with the health system to ensure needs were better met.Walker added this led to two years of work that involved the women from MEA gathering their own data on the experiences of local women who had gone through the health system: One of the benefits has been, rather than women holding their own single stories in isolation, feeling as if theyre the only ones experiencing these problems, theyve come together to look at how their stories map onto each other, and to see that theyre not alone and that there are numerous people going through these same experiences.She added while the datafication of peoples lives often risks reducing complex experiences to objective outputs ultimately taking power away from people who are represented by that data and putting it in the hands of who will make those decisions for them and without them melding the data already held by the healthcare system with the qualitative data generated by the campaign gives people the power to tell their own stories.As it developed, the See Me, Hear Me campaign partnered with Connected By Datas Catalysing community campaign initiative, which seeks to act as an startup-style accelerator for organisations or groups looking to leverage data in their social change efforts.Over that six-month programme, they incubated us, they did some upskilling for community organisations in understanding what data is, how you might think about a data cycle within community campaigning and organising, how you might design data work thats about social change or certain kinds of interventions, and use that to add rigour and credibility to the change ones pushing for, said Walker.What Ive found in my experience is that when community members that I work with and I work with quite a lot of them beyond this hear the words research and data, theyre like, Thats complicated, thats not for me. As soon as you sit down and get them to tell their stories and get them to click that their story is a kind of data, a load of pennies start dropping, and a load of things become possible.Its just about making what can feel like quite complex topics accessible to people, so that they have an understanding of how they can influence and shape their own realities.Walker noted that because the See Me, Hear Me group were only able to gather a small data sample, the next step is undertaking work to expand the qualitative data set and match it with existing NHS systems data.One of the problems we have is that the system isnt always collecting data, and theyre not always collecting data on ethnicity or more in depth qualitative data about the experiences of women in general, but black women in particular, she said, adding that the plan is to build relationships with the local health system, and negotiate data sharing agreements so that the campaign can make sense of that data themselves.We need to know if ethnicity data is even collected, and then how we marry that with the qualitative data weve collected. If there isnt appropriate collecting of that datathen we need to...work together and think about how we can use that data to drive change together.Walker added that this qualitative, community-led approach will only become more important with the further proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems in healthcare settings, given their propensity to reproduce existing social biases.We know AI reproduces bias if its being used in diagnostics or other things. Some of the problems we identified in the current system was a lack of continuity and a lack of human empathy to it, so what does it mean to exist in a world where those kinds of changes might occur and we might be left behind?She added that while AI is great at crunching numbers, theres something about interpreting that data which is intimately tied to who you are, your position, and your power in society that needs to be unpacked. She noted that the technology should be used to free up peoples capacity to do the actual caring, the human piece of the exercise, rather than become the whole exercise.Through her organisation Roots & Rigour, Walker said she is already involved in other projects that are taking a similar community data approach to other issues that affect black communities in the UK, including around disproportionality in the rate of stop and search, and the health risks associated with commercially available black hair products.The idea is to think about how can we secure funding to develop these and we want to build up to a national level the ones that are successful [so] you can begin to get a bigger picture and story of whats going on.Read more about data and ethicsInclusive approaches to AI governance needed to engage public: Technology practitioners and experts gathered at an annual Alan Turing Institute-run conference discussed the need for more inclusive approaches to AI governance that actually engage citizens and workers.DWP fairness analysis reveals bias in AI fraud detection system: Information about peoples age, disability, marital status and nationality influences decisions to investigate benefit claims for fraud, but the Department for Work and Pensions says there are no immediate concerns of unfair treatment.Digital Ethics Summit 2024: recognising AIs socio-technical nature: At trade association TechUKs eighth annual Digital Ethics Summit, public officials and industry figures and civil society groups met to discuss the ethical challenges associated with the proliferation of artificial intelligence tools globally and the direction of travel set for 2025.