The Land Beneath the Biggest U.S. Cities Is Sinking, Finds New Analysis of Satellite Data Largely due to groundwater pumping and shifting of land after the last ice age, major urban areas are subsiding, which could destabilize buildings or worsen flooding Houston is the fastest-sinking of the 28 most populated U.S. cities, according to a new study that examined the urban areas through satellite observations. The Texas city got most of its water from the ground in the 1950s to ’70s, which led to subsidence. Art Wager via Getty Images The 28 most populous cities in the United States are all sinking to some degree, according to a new study that highlights the vulnerability of the roads and buildings in metropolises like New York, Houston and Seattle. In 25 of those 28 cities, at least two-thirds of the land area is sinking, per the research, and most of that subsidence is caused by pumping groundwater. The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Cities last week. “As cities continue to grow, we will see more cities expand into subsiding regions,” says Leonard Ohenhen, the study’s lead author and a researcher at Columbia University, in a statement. “Over time, this subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit.” The researchers used satellite data collected between 2015 and 2021 to determine the rising and falling of land across major cities. “By comparing multiple images taken over time from the same area, we can detect tiny vertical movements of the ground, down to a few millimeters per year,” explains Manoochehr Shirzaei, a study co-author and geophysicist at Virginia Tech, to James Woodford at New Scientist. “It’s like taking a high-resolution time-lapse of Earth’s surface and watching how it rises or sinks over time.” Across the country, 80 percent of the sinkage is associated with removing groundwater for drinking and agriculture—and the researchers don’t see the problem getting better in the near future. “The usage of groundwater is not going to decline,” Ohenhen tells Kasha Patel and Naema Ahmed at the Washington Post. “In most places, you are not going to tell people to stop extracting groundwater, because that may be the only available resource for a particular region or city.” Researchers pinpointed the rate of sinking across major U.S. cities. This map shows the level of vertical land motion in the nation's most populated urban areas. Columbia Climate School Houston is the fastest-sinking city the team studied, largely for that reason—in the 1950s to ’70s, nearly all of its water came from the ground, says Bob Wang, a geophysicist at the University of Houston, to the New York Times’ Mira Rojanasakul. And while mitigation efforts slowed subsidence in the city’s center, people continued to pump water from below as the urban area expanded. Now, 42 percent of Houston’s land area is sinking faster than five millimetersper year, and 12 percent of it is sinking faster than ten millimetersper year. For other cities along the East Coast and Great Lakes area, such as New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., the sinking primarily comes as the land slowly settles after the melting of glaciers from the last ice age. This phenomenon, which makes the ground rise in some areas and sink in others, is called glacial isostatic adjustment. “During the last ice age, these areas were covered by massive ice sheets. The sheer weight of the ice pushed down on Earth’s crust, like sitting on a memory foam mattress,” explains Shirzaei to New Scientist. When the ice melted, the pressure on the Earth’s surface was lifted, and the crust that was beneath it started to rise. But this rebound isn’t happening evenly across all regions, adds Shirzaei. In some areas, “the land is still sinking rather than rising, because they’re near the forebulge,” he says to New Scientist, “a zone that had been pushed up by the weight of the ice nearby and is now collapsing.” Shifting land—especially if it happens unevenly—can lead to destabilized structures and flooding hazards. Because of those risks, the team hopes their study creates a push toward damage mitigation efforts, per the statement. In cities susceptible to tilting, that can look like retrofitting existing buildings, implementing new building codes and limiting construction in the most vulnerable areas. To help with flooding, municipalities can implement land raising, enhance their draining systems and build more green infrastructure, like artificial wetlands. “Having detailed maps of ground movement as well as the information of what causes it can aid in designing policies,” says Pejman Tahmasebi, a subsidence researcher at the Colorado School of Mines who was not involved in the study, to the Washington Post. “We should start talking about those solutions right now,” adds Ohenhen to the Washington Post. “This problem is always only going to increase as we progress into the future.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. #land #beneath #biggest #cities #sinking

Did Superman blink... or did James Gunn?In the latest trailer for the filmmaker's upcoming Superman, some eagle-eyedfans noticed something about... well, Superman's eyes! Specifically, a change that Gunn and his team seem to have made from the first teaser trailer which was released last December.In that first teaser, there's a shot of Superman walking through a crowd of angry Metropolis citizens, seemingly after a battle of some kind where David Corenswet's hero hasn't fared too well. One man in the crowd throws a can of something at the Man of Steel, who flinches a bit and blinks, but continues to walk on without looking back.This had some fans wondering why Superman would react in such a manner to getting hit by a mere can. But now, in the new trailer, Supes takes the hit like a man -- a super man even! Check out the teaser version and the new trailer version below that:You will believe a man can blink... or not, as the case may be.Of course, it's nothing new for filmmakers to tweak shots from trailers for the final version of the film. Gunn himself has yet to comment on this minor change, and while it's an interesting alteration, it's also a pretty inconsequential one. Sure, we're all combing over every detail of new Superman info as Gunn gets ready to launch his DC Universe on the big screen, but also, I would go so far as to say Superman -- as invulnerable as he is -- is also capable of involuntary physical reactions just like the rest of us. So just as you or I might blink or flinch when, for example, a harmless whiffle ball is thrown at us unexpectedly, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the Man of Steel would also react in a moment like the one in the trailers, despite his relative inability to get hurt.Besides, the real question is why would that guy in the crowd waste a perfectly good Duff Beer like that? #new #superman #trailer #cuts #out

As the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill continues its progress through the Wetsminster system, NHS digital leaders have called for their suppliers to sign up to a voluntary cyber security charter as it works to build up its resilience against threats such as ransomware, and better secure its supply chain. The NHS has a long and sorry history of cyber breaches, perhaps most famously its systems came under sustained fire during the 2017 WannaCry incident. More recently, health services across south London were impacted by a cyber attack on Synnovis, a supplier of pathology lab services to various NHS trusts in the region. In light of the growing and ever-changing threat landscape, and the growing frequency and severity of incidents, the NHS said there has been a step change in recent months In an open letter to suppliers, Phil Huggins, national CISO for health and care at the Department of Health and Social Care, Mike Fell, director of cyber operations at NHS England, and Vin Diwakar, national director of transformation at NHS England, said: “As valued partners to the NHS, it is important to us that we work together and defend as one.” The NHS is asking suppliers that where reasonably necessary – such as in the case of organisations that support clinical systems or process confidential patient data – they commit to keeping their IT systems in support and patched, to achieve and maintain at least ‘Standards Met’ under the Data Security and Protection Toolkit, apply multifactor authentication alongside NHS England’s existing MFA policies, deploy always-on cyber monitoring and logging of critical infrastructure, and put in place immutable backups of critical data alongside appropriate business continuity and recovery plans. The charter also requires suppliers to conduct board level exercising on incident response, report cyber attacks affecting NHS customers in a timely manner and work with them to resolve, and only supply software produced in adherence to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technologyand National Cyber Security Centre software code of practice. Huggins, Fell and Diwakar asked suppliers to commit to being an “outstanding and trusted partner” by agreeing to sign the charter. “This voluntary charter will contain the asks outlined above and show your commitment to being a trusted and secure partner to the health and care system. We will be launching a self-assessment form in the autumn, whereby suppliers can sign the charter. This will allow time for suppliers to work through the eight statements and be ready to commit,” they said. In recognition that making continuous improvements in cyber resilience in the present threat environment is a significant challenge, the NHS leaders also said they were ready and willing to ensure the health service plays its own part through, for example, developing bespoke tools that suppliers can use to audit their own supply chains in accordance with NHS needs, and defining requirements for a national supplier management platform and risk assurance model. The NHS will also review the contractual frameworks that its own organisations use to enter contracts to ensure appropriate security schedules and expectations. This piece is part of a wider government initiative in this regard. The health service plans to run a series of webinars in the coming months, and hopes to launch a supplier cyber security forum in the autumn. “For threat actors, sensitive data is the ultimate target and NHS suppliers are custodians of vast volumes of highly confidential information. In Q1 alone, healthcare was the most targeted sector by ransomware attacks globally, with 57 recorded incidents,” said BlackFog founder and CEO Darren Williams. “It’s no surprise, then, that the NHS is urging its suppliers to step up their cyber security practices in response to escalating threats across the supply chain.  “Given the spate of ransomware attacks that has impacted both public and private sector, initiatives which incentivise providers are a necessary step. It’s not only about safeguarding patient data but also ensuring the continuity of critical services.” about NHS cyber incidents The ICO has issued a £3m fine to software provider Advanced in the wake of security failings that led to significant disruption to NHS customers in a ransomware attack. T and security teams at Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust continue to work around the clock following a major cyber incident, with services disrupted and no timeline for resolution. Clinicians warn that the NHS England Outcome Registries Platform has poor security and is vulnerable to cyber attack, putting critical patient data at risk of being exposed. #nhs #asks #suppliers #sign #cyber

Americans are living through interesting times, economically. The tariffs imposed, delayed, and frequently adjusted by the government have thrown household budgets into confusion. One thing that’s pretty certain is that the baseline tariffs applied to just about every country are likely to raise prices at the grocery store no matter what happens from here.For families that are already struggling to make their grocery budgets work, this is unwelcome news, but there is one thing you can do right now—while prices are still largely unaffected by tariff chaos—to help mitigate the impact and protect you from future grocery inflation: start putting together a “tariff pantry.” This involves laying in a supply of nonperishable groceries to lock in today’s prices, and focusing on recipes and meals that will keep your grocery costs down in the coming months. Here's what to consider.How to plan out your tariff pantrySetting up a “tariff pantry” requires a little planning. “Take inventory first,” advises food blogger and bestselling cookbook author Kyndra Holley. “Know what you already have and make a list of essentials—stick to long-lasting pantry staples you actually use. Stock up gradually. Monitor prices and buy when it makes sense, not out of fear. Then set a budget and stick to it: Decide how much you can spend and avoid impulse buys or panic stockpiling. Buy what you already use when it’s discounted—don’t get lured by deals on items you wouldn’t otherwise use or need.”Holley also warns against relying too much on bulk-buying. “Bulk can save money—but only if you’ll use it,” she says. “Always check unit prices and shelf life, and don’t buy more than you can store safely. Use airtight containers and freeze what you can’t use quickly.”Changing your whole diet and meal-planning approach can help deal with tariff cost increases. “Go more plant-based,” Holley suggests. “Reduce meat and opt for beans, lentils, eggs, and grains. They’re cheaper, filling, and shelf-stable. One-pot, sheet-pan, and slow cooker meals use fewer ingredients and repurpose leftovers easily. And simplify recipes—use fewer, local ingredients. Stick to basic seasonings like garlic, onions, vinegar, and herbs.”Careful meal prepping can also reduce waste and make the most of items bought in bulk. “When you cook in bulk, you maximize every ingredient, stretching your dollars further,” says Laurie Hise, founder of the budgeting blog Passionate Penny Pincher. “Think buying meat in family packs, prepping meals in batches, and locking in today’s prices before more inflation sneaks in!”Hise also suggests broadening your grocery store choices. “Don’t put loyalty above savings! Make sure Aldi is in your store rotation, and scan weekly ads to get your must-haves for the cheapest. Eggs are almost always the cheapest there, they have a great Keto and Gluten Free selection, and you can buy meat for cheap on Wednesdays.”What to stock in a tariff pantryAlthough the blanket tariffs imposed will likely raise prices in general, the grocery items most likely to be affected by tariffs include fresh fruits and vegetables, coffee, cheese, olive oil, seafood, nuts, and candy. Aside from dodging future price hikes, you want to focus on items in those categories that have lengthy shelf lives and flexible uses. “Stock up on items that are both cost-effective, long-lasting, and versatile,” Holley advises, including:Grains and legumes, like rice, pasta, lentils, dried beans, and oats.Canned and frozen goods. “A variety of canned tomatoesare perfect for sauces, soups, and stews,” Holley notes. “Canned vegetables and fruits can be stored for long periods, and frozen vegetables are often cheaper than fresh, and retain nutrients. And canned tuna or salmon are protein-rich and shelf-stable.”Baking ingredients like flour, sugar, yeast, baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch. “Basic ingredients for a wide range of uses,” notes Holley.Shelf-stable dairy and dairy alternatives like powdered or evaporated milk can be rehydrated and used for baking, cooking, or even drinking, protecting you from price spikes on the fresh stuff.Oils and vinegars are likely to go up in price and are useful in cooking, dressing, and preserving food.Seasonings and spices—the U.S. imports a lot of spices from countries like India, China, and Peru, so they’re vulnerable to tariff price spikes. Laying in a supply of herbs and spices like salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, paprika, chili powder, ginger, basil, parsley oregano, thyme, as well as soy sauce, hot sauce, mustard, and bouillon cubes will help ride out any disruptions or price hikes in the seasonings aisle.Nuts and seeds—Holley recommends adding a supply of peanut butter or almond butter. “They’re high in protein, and last a long time.”Coffee and tea. “Tea is a low-cost way to diversify your drink options,” notes Holley.Canned meats and proteins. “Canned chicken or Spam can be used in a variety of meals, especially in emergencies,” Holley notes. “And canned ham or sausage can add protein and are good for quick meals.”Building up a tariff pantry will pay off even if the impact of those tariffs is overestimated—as we all know too well, prices never go down. #how #stock #039tariff #pantry039

May 15, 2025The Hacker NewsCompliance / Penetration Testing Imagine this: Your organization completed its annual penetration test in January, earning high marks for security compliance. In February, your development team deployed a routine software update. By April, attackers had already exploited a vulnerability introduced in that February update, gaining access to customer data weeks before being finally detected. This situation isn't theoretical: it plays out repeatedly as organizations realize that point-in-time compliance testing can't protect against vulnerabilities introduced after the assessment. According to Verizons 2025 Data Breach Investigation Report, the exploitation of vulnerabilities rose 34% year-over-year. While compliance frameworks provide important security guidelines, companies need continuous security validation to identify and remediate new vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Here's what you need to know about pen testing to meet compliance standards — and why you should adopt continuous penetration testing, if your penetration testing goals go beyond minimum standards. The current state of pen testingCompliance-driven pen testing If your organization is like many, you might conduct penetration tests primarily to satisfy regulatory frameworks like PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, or ISO 27001. But if your pen testing focuses on simply checking off compliance boxes — instead of developing comprehensive security postures — you're creating a dangerous disconnect between security theater and actual threat protection. Limitations Compliance-focused pen testing has several limitations that leave organizations vulnerable. Surface-level security: Compliance-focused penetration testing typically addresses only compliance-relevant vulnerabilities. If your organization focuses its pen testing exclusively on meeting compliance requirements, you're just scratching the surface — and missing the chance to identify vulnerabilities that fall outside the scope of regulatory frameworks. These undetected weaknesses can give attackers an attack vector into your systems, potentially leading to devastating data breaches and operational disruptions. Static nature: Cyber attackers and the digital landscape move fast. Compliance standards? Not so much. During the monthsit takes for regulatory frameworks to catch up with new threats – and the gaps between compliance-focused penetration tests – malicious actors are actively developing exploits for emerging vulnerabilities. By the time these weaknesses appear on compliance checklists, attackers may have already compromised countless systems. False sense of security: Organizations often mistake compliance for security, believing a passing audit score means they're sufficiently protected. But the reality is that compliance certifications represent minimum standards that sophisticated attackers can easily bypass. Companies with successful audits may lower their guard when they should be working on strengthening their defenses beyond basic requirements. The importance of continuous pen testing Embracing continuous security testing offers organizations numerous benefits. Beyond compliance: Proactive and continuous penetration testing can reveal vulnerabilities that scheduled compliance checks might miss. Skilled human testers can uncover complex security flaws in business logic, authentication systems, and data flows, while automated scans keep an eye on any changes that might happen over the development cycle. By implementing regular, comprehensive testing, your organization can stay ahead of attackers rather than merely satisfying auditors. You'll be doing much more than passing the next compliance review — you'll be developing a resilient security posture capable of withstanding more sophisticated threats. Continuous improvement: Security threats constantly change, forcing organizations to adopt ongoing testing instead of point-in-time assessments. And regular penetration tests can expose vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. For example, Pen Testing as a Servicehelps organizations achieve continuous security validation without overwhelming internal teams. With PTaaS, your organization can detect new threats in time and quickly take steps to remediate them. Instead of reacting to breaches after they occur, PTaaS lets you stay a step ahead of attackers by using real-world testing to continuously strengthen your security. Key components of a pen testing strategy with security in mind To implement penetration testing that truly helps safeguard your systems, focus on these key strategic components: Regular or continuous testing To effectively address vulnerabilities in real time, your organization should regularly conduct penetration tests — including after significant system changes and before major deployments. Ultimately, your ideal pen testing frequency and depth will depend on your assets — their complexity, criticality to your business operations and external exposure. For example, if you have an online store that holds critical customer data and payment information — and is regularly updated with changes and plugins — you may want to employ continuous testing. On the other end of the spectrum, your marketing department's fall-campaign microsite may only need quarterly or annual assessments. Integration with other security measures Want to maximize your organization's security effectiveness? Combine penetration testing with External Attack Surface Management. By identifying your digital footprint and testing critical applications based on the latest threat data, your team can prioritize high-risk vulnerabilities while ensuring no internet-facing assets remain unmonitored, unprotected or untested. Customization and threat-led penetration tests Your organization faces unique security challenges based on your industry, technology stack, and business operations. By tailoring penetration testing, you can focus on your business's specific threat profile — testing the areas where breaches are most likely to occur based on the most active threat actors and those that would cause the most damage — rather than wasting time and resources on cookie-cutter assessments. Overcoming challenges Despite the clear benefits, many organizations struggle with common penetration testing implementation challenges related to resources and culture. Resource allocation Resource issues — including budget constraints and shortage of qualified security personnel — prevent many organizations from implementing adequate penetration testing programs. But PTaaS and combined discovery and testing services like Outpost24s CyberFlex service solve these challenges by providing access to certified testers through a predictable subscription model, eliminating budget spikes and the expense of maintaining specialized in-house expertise. Cultural shift To move beyond compliance-driven security, your organization's leadership must champion a cultural shift prioritizing continuous testing and proactive risk management. When security becomes embedded in your organizational culture, pen testing transforms from a periodic checklist item into an ongoing process of discovering and addressing vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Taking action with integrated solutions For the greatest level of security, your organization must know every application in your environment and test each one thoroughly. And a combined solution like Outpost24's CyberFlex can help. Integrating EASM and PTaaS on a platform level, allows cybersecurity experts to identify all internet-facing applications, use detailed categorizations to prioritize risks, and test business-critical applications with flexible, human-led assessments. By shifting to proactive penetration testing, your organization can prevent attacks before they happen — and satisfy compliance requirements. Ready to go beyond compliance and elevate your application security? Request your CyberFlex live demo today. Found this article interesting? This article is a contributed piece from one of our valued partners. Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE     #pen #testing #compliance #only #it039s

Watch a Giant Snail Lay an Egg From a Pore in Its Neck in First-Ever Footage Captured in New Zealand Conservation rangers took a video of an endangered, captive snail laying a large egg, revealing insight into the creature’s reproductive process Rangers witnessed a captive Powelliphanta augusta snail lay an egg from its neck, and they managed to catch it on video for the first time ever. New Zealand Department of Conservation A small, white orb emerges from the body of a slimy creature in footage shared by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. Though this scene might not look like much, it’s an extremely rare moment that scientists just captured on video for the first time: a mysterious Powelliphanta augusta snail laying an egg from a pore in its neck. The snail is one of New Zealand’s most threatened invertebrates, named for its natural habitat along the Mount Augustus ridgeline in the country’s West Coast. But now, that site has almost entirely been destroyed by mining activity. To protect the snails, the DOC brought a number of them into captivity in 2006, and experts have been tending to the population ever since, keeping them in chilled containers that mimic the creature’s preferred environment. “It’s remarkable that in all the time we’ve spent caring for the snails, this is the first time we’ve seen one lay an egg,” DOC ranger Lisa Flanagan, who took the video, says in a statement. “We caught the action when we were weighing the snail. We turned it over to be weighed and saw the egg just starting to emerge from the snail.” Scientists knew very little about Powelliphanta snails before they began caring for the captive population. “This moment gives us a glimpse into the fascinating reproductive lives of these threatened snails,” according to a DOC Facebook post. Powelliphanta augusta snail laying an egg Watch on Powelliphanta are some of the largest snails in the world. They’re carnivorous, dwell on land and feast on worms and slugs. Like many other snails, they’re hermaphrodites, meaning individuals have both male and female genitalia. Powelliphanta snails thrive in moist habitats and are thus mostly found in New Zealand’s high-altitude forests and wetter western regions, where they occasionally emerge from leaf piles at night to mate and search for food. Many snails lay eggs, though some—like the marine species Littorina saxatilis—birth live baby snails, as reported by Live Science’s Pandora Dewan. The P. augusta snail, meanwhile, has a genital pore—akin to the vagina in mammals—just below its head. While this might seem like an unusual position, it allows the snail to poke out its head for mating and laying eggs, while the rest of its soft, vulnerable body remains protected by the shell. “It extends its penis out of this pore and into its mate’s pore, and its mate does the same, simultaneously exchanging sperm,” DOC senior science advisor Kath Walker explains in the statement. Though, as hermaphrodite “carnivores, which have to live at relatively low density, being able to occasionally self-fertilize must help with survival of the species.” What probably doesn’t help, however, is that P. augusta snails don’t reach sexual maturity until they’re 8 years old. While some of the snails in the DOC’s care are between 25 and 35 years old, they only lay about five eggs per year, which can take more than a year to hatch. That’s in stark contrast with non-native, invasive garden snails in New Zealand, which live short lives but lay thousands of eggs annually, according to the statement. When P. augusta’s habitat began to be threatened by mining in the early 2000s, the DOC relocated about 4,000 of them to other areas and took another 2,000 into captivity, per the Associated Press’ Charlotte Graham-McLay. It’s been a bumpy ride, however—the snails returned to the spotlight in 2011, when a faulty fridge accidentally froze 800 of them to death. “Keeping our wildlife in fridges is obviously not how New Zealanders would like to care for native animals found nowhere else in the world,” Nicola Toki, a conservationist who is now CEO of the New Zealand nonprofit Forest & Bird, told the BBC at the time. “It’s a sad fact that this has been the best option for them.” Nevertheless, the captive program has both saved the species from extinction and allowed scientists to learn more about the mysterious snail, per the DOC’s Facebook post. As reported by the Associated Press, the captive population had risen to 1,900 snails and almost 2,200 eggs by March of this year. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. #watch #giant #snail #lay #egg

As the UK’s Online Safety Actcontinues to make its way through the implementation process - with a deadline of 24 July for affected companies to complete their child safety assessments - I’ve been thinking a lot about a quote from the US natural scientist E.O. Wilson: "The real problem of humanity is we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and god-like technologies." I’m not inferring that Ofcom, the regulatory body for overseeing the implementation of OSA, is medieval, just making the point about whether it will be agile enough to really call the god-like technology companies to account. Time after time the social media giants have avoided censure or legal challenges by citing Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act, which prevents companies from being held liable for content posted on their platforms. But there may be sunshine on the horizon - although in tragic circumstances - with a groundbreaking legal challenge in the US. The progress of the case is the subject of a compelling documentary by Bloomberg Originals, Can’t look away: The case against social media. Bloomberg followed the work of the Social Media Victims Law Centreled by lawyer Matthew Bergman and his colleagues in the lead-up to their first court appearance to try to move the case to the discovery phase. On one side of the courthouse were the amassed families who had lost their children to suicide, self-harm, drugs and sexual exploitation through their use of social media. On the other, Jessica Grant, the legal representative for Snap Inc, owner of Snapchat. The bereaved families held up pictures of their dead children while Grant took to the floor and addressed the judge with some chilling remarks: “Section 230 immunises internet service providers like Snap from any claim whether product liability, negligence or any other public nuisance”. Given that the SMVLC had described the case as representing “the voices of the children coming back from the grave holding these companies to account,” her statement seemed particularly hostile, cloth-eared and egregious. But the reason this case is groundbreaking and historic is that it’s the first time a case is being brought not on the grounds of platform versus content and Section 230, but rather on the grounds of product design – that is, that these companies are not just publishing user-generated content but are actively designing algorithms to push harmful content at pre-teens and adolescents to deliver greater engagement and growth. These child victims are not searching for this content, it is being pushed into their feeds and streams with disastrous consequences. Their parents are completely unaware of what their children are consuming. One of the cases being represented by the SMVLC is that of Michael Brewer, who was 11 when he joined Snapchat. Snapchat has a feature called Quick Add which incentivises young people to add as many followers as possible. Of course, they have no idea who any of these new followers are. At age 13, shortly after using Quick Add, Michael was contacted by an individual who asked, “What do you want?” When Michael asked, “What do you mean?” within an hour he was sent a photograph of a comprehensive drug menu. Thereafter he testified he was receiving these drug menus in six out of 10 of his stories on the hour. He eventually went looking for Adderall, but was told by the drug dealer he could have Percocet instead. The pill was delivered by the dealers straight to his home courtesy of SnapMap which allows followers to see your location in real time. Except it was not Percocet, it was a fake pill laced with fentanyl. The consequences were tragic. Within an hour of consuming the pill he was in a life-threatening situation - he eventually died but was resuscitated with unbearable consequences. Michael is now wheelchair bound with a significant brain injury. Even more heartbreaking is hearing from SMVLC lawyers that Michael is unique in their fentanyl-related social media cases - he is the only one still alive. During the course of the Bloomberg documentary, it also charts evidence given by the CEOs of the social media giants in a landmark Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on 31 January 2024. Meta, TikTok and Snap all gave evidence on the impact of social media on young people. With the bereaved families in attendance, it was astounding to hear Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg say, “There is no scientific evidence that use of social media has any impact on mental health”. This was quite something given evidence to the contrary from within his own company. We know this from documents revealed by the whistleblower Frances Haugen, who confirmed that Facebook prioritised engagement and profit over safety and hid these facts from legislators and the public. But if Zuckerberg needed any more information on the havoc his products and those of the other social media giants are wreaking on young people, he might do well to spend time reading the excellent book The anxious generation: How the great rewiring of childhood is causing an epidemic of mental illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, who has done intensive research in this area. His book links the explosion in mental health problems for young people today to the launch of smartphones and the rise of social media, particularly Instagram in 2012. But his book is not just about individual harms - it’s about the complete cognitive rewiring of young people’s minds, particularly as they are joining before the age of 13 when their pre-frontal cortexhas not yet fully developed. The PFC governs a huge range of essential areas for normal brain development such as decision making and reasoning, executive functions, personality and social behaviour, working memory and attention, speech and language, emotional processing and motor control. To put all that in context, the PFC manages complex cognitive processes including decision-making, impulse control, emotional regulation, social behaviour and working memory to name but a few. This means that parents who are totally unaware of what their children are witnessing on their phones are allowing a complete rewiring of their children's cognitive abilities at their most vulnerable developmental stages. Or to use Haidt’s words: "Children born in the late 1990s were the first generation in history who went through puberty in the virtual world. It’s as though we sent Gen Z to grow up on Mars when we gave them smartphones in the early 2010s in the largest uncontrolled experiment humanity has ever performed on its own children.” People power In the US there has been an attempt to introduce a similar bill to the UK OSA, but the Kids Online Safety Acthas stalled. Despite passing the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support in 2024, it has been blocked from progressing further by Republicans worried social media companies might censor conservative viewpoints. So in the end it looks like good-old people power might be the only thing that will force a change. As of now the SMVLC is representing 4000 US families with a growing number joining the fight every day. Their resources are completely limited compared to the vast and endless resources of the tech companies, but it is the justice system not the regulatory frameworks that is levelling the playing field so these ordinary families can be heard in a court of law. A decision to proceed to discovery phase was granted to the SMVLC and the families in January with a ruling confirming that social media companies like Meta, YouTube, Snap and TikTok could not use Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act to shield themselves from liability, allowing discovery and the lawsuits to move forward. All being well this will lead to bellwether trials later this year. In Anxious generation, Haidt comments on the fact that so many parents he talks to are resigned to their adolescents' use of social media, given that all their friends are on social media and to restrict their child's use would make them socially isolated. His response is wisely a societal one not an individual one. We need to work together to change these norms and to re-establish the real-life, real-world conditions necessary for the healthy cognitive development of young people that’s essential for them to grow into happy and thriving adults. If you are a parent, an aunt, uncle, a friend or employer I strongly urge you to watch Can’t look away at a cost of - which goes to the film-makers. It's nothing in terms of the vitally important knowledge the documentary imparts. And buy a copy of The anxious generation and give as many away as you can to as many parents as you know - or refer them here to the official website of the book which has lots of free resources and insights. The cavalry is not coming to save our children from these serious and life-threatening harms on social media, so it’s time we began looking out for each other - working collectively as the societal custodians of the next generation. Together we can resist and fight back with the help of the strong arm of the law. about online safety Government and Ofcom disagree about scope of Online Safety Act - MPs heard different views from the online harms regulator and the UK government about whether and how the Online Safety Act obliges platforms to deal with disinformation. UK and US pledge closer working on children’s online safety - In their first agreement on the subject of children’s online safety, the UK and US governments have said they will create a new working group to boost cooperation. Schools go smartphone-free to address online harms - Schools are implementing smartphone-free policies in an attempt to curb students’ exposure to online harms, but teachers and parents are worried the Online Safety Act will only partially address concerns. #can #039godlike #technologies039 #prevented #harming

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Linux Windows 11 dual boot to finally play well as Microsoft fixes nine-month old bug Sayan Sen Neowin · May 15, 2025 01:48 EDT It is known that Patch Tuesday updates can often lead to big issues and something just like that happened last year in August. The security update had broken dual-booting Windows 11 and Linux systems as GNU distros like Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, Puppy Linux, were all affected. A couple of days later, Microsoft provided a slightly lengthy workaround that involved tweaking around with policies and the Registry in order to fix the problem. The company also explained that the root of the issue was a buggy SBATimplementation in the Windows 11 August Patch Tuesday KB5041585. For those who may be wondering, SBAT helps block outdated and potentially vulnerable bootloaders by checking the Secure Boot DBX. The Secure Boot DBX is a database of blacklisted UEFI executables. Microsoft explained: After installing the August 2024 Windows security update,or the August 2024 preview update, you might face issues with booting Linux if you have enabled the dual-boot setup for Windows and Linux in your device. Resulting from this issue, your device might fail to boot Linux and show the error message “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.” The August 2024 Windows security and preview updates apply a Secure Boot Advanced Targetingsetting to devices that run Windows to block old, vulnerable boot managers. This SBAT update will not be applied to devices where dual booting is detected. On some devices, the dual-boot detection did not detect some customized methods of dual-booting and applied the SBAT value when it should not have been applied. The problem has been resolved this week with the latest May 2025 Patch Tuesday under KB5058405. This also happens to be the first Windows 11 Hotpatch update. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed #linux #windows #dual #boot #finally

Why The Fuck Are Democrats Helping Build MAGA’s Censorship Machine With KOSA? from the what-are-we-even-doing-here? dept Wed, May 14th 2025 10:57am - Mike Masnick The Trump administration is methodically implementing every element of Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 censorship playbook, and Democratic leadership’s response is… to help them? Earlier today, Chuck Schumer and Richard Blumenthal joined MAGA Republicans to reintroduce the Kids Online Safety Act— a bill that Heritage itself has proudly proclaimed as central to its strategy of censoring progressive content around LGBTQ issues and abortion. The new bill appears to be effectively identical to last year’s version. It raises a huge question of… what the fuck are they thinking? The press release touts its “bipartisan” nature, with Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer and Richard Blumenthal sponsoring the bill, alongside Marsha Blackburn and John Thune. Last year, when Heritage Foundation declared its desire to use KOSA to censor LGBTQ content and announced it would leverage the bill to remove pro-abortion content if Trump won, perhaps some could dismiss it as empty rhetoric. But now? The Trump administration is systematically implementing every element of Heritage’s Project 2025 censorship playbook. There’s no more room for wishful thinking about how KOSA might be used. And yet, Democrats seem to act as if none of that is happening, and we can just assume good faith in how KOSA will be implemented and enforced by an FTC that has loudly proclaimed its willingness to conduct partisan, culture war witch hunts on behalf of Project 2025’s goals. Yes, we expect Richard Blumenthal to reflexively support any anti-internet bill. But Chuck Schumer? After everything we’ve seen, how can Democratic leadership still pretend there’s any good faith here? Trump is already using every available tool to wage his censorial culture wars. Heritage has explicitly laid out how they’ll use KOSA to silence progressive voices. What possible justification could there be for Democrats to hand them an even more powerful weapon? Even some Republicans recognize the danger here. Senator Rand Paul has consistently maintained that censoring the internet won’t help children. And last year, House GOP members actually stopped the bill after realizing it was a censorship tool that could be used against their own speech. But now that Trump has won, that objection may evaporate. The bill’s lead sponsor, Marsha Blackburn, was already openly stating last year that her support for KOSA was about using it to censor LGBTQ content. That was before Trump’s victory made Heritage’s censorship plans a reality. So here we are: Heritage Foundation explicitly laid out their plans to weaponize KOSA against progressive speech. Marsha Blackburn openly admitted it’s about censoring LGBTQ content. The Trump administration is systematically implementing every element of Project 2025’s censorship agenda. And the FTC stands ready to enforce it all. Yet Democratic leadership isn’t just standing idle — they’re actively helping to build the machinery of censorship that will be used against their own constituents. Either Schumer and Blumenthal are catastrophically naive, or they’ve simply decided that appearing “bipartisan” matters more than protecting vulnerable communities from state-sponsored censorship. The real question isn’t what they’re thinking. It’s whether they’re thinking at all. #why #fuck #are #democrats #helping

Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 will continue to receive updates after the company drops support for the older version of its desktop operating system. The Redmond-based tech giant recently updated its support page to announce that the Microsoft 365 appswill continue to get security updates on Windows 10 until 2028. The company made a U-turn on its previous decision to drop support for these apps on the older OS version after October 14. Microsoft has been aggressively pushing businesses and individuals to upgrade to Windows 11. This is likely because the Copilot suite of artificial intelligencefeatures is only available on the latest version of Windows.Microsoft Decides to Keep Updating Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10In its updated support article, the tech giant now says, “Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support.” These will be available via the company's standard update channels, and end on October 10, 2028. The company said that the extension was provided to help maintain security while users transition to Windows 11.Even if users do not upgrade to Windows 11 after the support ends, they will be able to use the Office apps. However, as Microsoft notes in the document, using an unsupported operating system can cause performance and reliability issues. Further, without security updates, these systems are also vulnerable to malware, viruses, and hacking attempts.Microsoft has been aggressively pushing Windows 10 users to upgrade to the latest generation. At the Consumer Electronics Show2025, the tech giant declared the ongoing year as “the year of the Windows 11 PC refresh.” The push is understandable, given that the company is heavily investing in Copilot+ PCs, which come equipped with a range of AI features.The company has also created subscription tiers for both enterprises and individuals to access these AI features. However, Microsoft will not be able to fully monetise its offerings unless its entire user base can access these features. But a marketing push might not be enough. According to The Verge, Microsoft has very strict hardware requirements for Windows 11, rendering millions of computers unable to upgrade to the latest operating system. The only way these users can switch to Windows 11 is if they purchase new PCs. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Further reading: Microsoft, Windows 10, Windows 11, Microsoft 365 Apps Akash Dutta Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen supporting his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing passionate opinions on food. More Related Stories #microsoft #apps #receive #security #updates