Category: Technology

YouTube videos that feature breastfeeding content can now earn money on the platform, so long as they meet a certain set of criteria. The website has updated its policy to allow monetization of breastfeeding videos that show the mother’s areola, as well as those wherein the person in the video is demonstrating how to use a breast pump with nipples visible. Those videos, however, must include contextual reference to breastfeeding and must include a child in the scene. Otherwise, they still won’t be able to earn money from ads. 

Breastfeeding videos with exposed nipples previously couldn’t earn money on the website. A spokesperson told TechCrunch that YouTube reconsidered after getting feedback on how helpful they are for those navigating that particular stage of parenthood. 

In addition, YouTube has also changed its guidelines when it comes to what it calls “non-sexually graphic dancing.” Creators can now earn money for videos with dance moves such as twerking and grinding, unless those videos were made to deliberately focus on the dancers’ “extreme minimal clothing” or on their breasts, butt and genitalia. They also won’t be earning any money if they use moves that mimic sexual acts, such as grabbing a partner’s genitalia while dancing. Showing “fleeting minimal clothing” is fine, though, as well as “fleeting caresses of sexual body parts” and doing moves that mimic or simulate sexual acts in a professional setting, such as a dance studio. TechCrunch says the website is now reviewing existing content that could be eligible for monetization under the new rules and will switch on their ads if they’d actually adhered to its advertiser-friendly content guidelines. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-will-now-let-breastfeeding-and-twerking-videos-be-monetized-084535300.html?src=rss 

Bluesky has just crossed 2 million users a year after the service’s first ever post was created. While that’s nowhere near the numbers Threads has already reached, it’s still a big accomplishment for the X rival that only opened the app to users in February and still requires an invite for access. Bluesky hit 1 million users merely a couple of months ago, in September, which could mean that the platform has been sending out more invites recently. In its post announcing the milestone, the Bluesky team has also revealed that it’s launching a public web interface around the end of November. 

The interface will allow anybody, even those without an account, to view posts on the platform. Its launch could make more potential users aware about the service’s existence, and Bluesky believes making its posts more accessible “will be especially useful for real-time commentary and breaking news.” In the long run, it could make the service one of people’s go-to social networks for news in the same way X users rely on the website to read about current events. 

And for those waiting for Bluesky to become a more open platform like Mastodon, the team says federation is “timelined for early next year if development continues as planned.” To become a federated or a decentralized and distributed social network, the team is currently developing the AT Protocol, which will give users the power to migrate both their identities and their content from one personal data server to another. “This is one of the core features of Bluesky that makes it ‘billionaire-proof,’ — you’ll always have the freedom to choose (and to exit) instead of being held to the whims of private companies or black box algorithms,” the announcement post reads. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bluesky-hits-2-million-users-and-will-soon-release-a-public-web-interface-062757340.html?src=rss 

Qualcomm just unveiled the latest mobile chipset to join its armada, the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. Obviously, this is a refresh of the mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 2 and brings some new features to the table. We’ve long known that Qualcomm chips were about to get on-device AI integration, and the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is no exception.

Nearly every aspect of this chip seems to have been designed with artificial intelligence in mind, with Qualcomm saying that the components “deliver across-the-board advancements to ignite on-device AI.” This should significantly speed up generative AI applications, with advertised benchmarks of just one second to create Stable Diffusion images from a text prompt.

Of course, a mobile CPU is more than just AI, despite what marketing wants you to believe, and the 7 Gen 3 seems powerful for a mid-range chipset. It boasts 2.63GHz peak CPU speeds, a 50 percent bump in GPU performance compared to the previous gen and “incredible power efficiency” that should ease the strain placed on your phone’s battery. Qualcomm also boasts that the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 will help unlock “extraordinary camera capabilities” and allow for increased 5G integration.

Mobile chipsets are only as good as the phones they power, so Qualcomm has announced partnerships with OEMs like Honor and Vive. The company says there will be an announcement later this month to officially unveil the first smartphone that uses the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3. Maybe it’ll show up in the just-announced Honor Magic 6, which also boasts a built-in LLM.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/qualcomm-announces-snapdragon-7-gen-3-mobile-chipset-with-ai-acceleration-063019422.html?src=rss 

The LinkedIn-like job search tool that X has been experimenting with is now live. A beta version of the feature launched in August to verified users, but the web version of the tool is now open to everyone on X, with iOS and Android availability expected “soon,” according to the company.

The job search feature appears to already be populated with open positions at numerous tech companies, including those run by Elon Musk. There are currently roles listed for SpaceX, Tesla and Neuralink, as well as X and Musk’s newest venture, x.ai.

While Musk previously promised “we will make sure that the X competitor to LinkedIn is cool,” it appears to be very basic for now. Users can browse job listings and descriptions, but are directed to third-party sites to complete an application, even for roles at X. Elsewhere, the company has been testing “job cards” so that individual postings are more easily shareable throughout the platform.

But there have been signs the company has more ambitious plans for career-oriented features on its “everything app.” The company recently updated its privacy policy to note that it may collect data related to users’ employment history for “job applications and recommendations.” This may hint at some kind of recruiting feature for X or other, more advanced job finding features down the line.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xs-job-search-tool-is-now-live-on-the-web-010200007.html?src=rss 

IBM is pulling back from X after its ads were placed alongside pro-Nazi content on the platform. The company says it has suspended all ads from the network after nonprofit watchdog group Media Matters reported that it found ads for IBM and several other tech giants next to pro-Nazi memes and other posts promoting Hitler.

“IBM has zero tolerance for hate speech and discrimination and we have immediately suspended all advertising on X while we investigate this entirely unacceptable situation,” the company said in a statement. Comcast, whose ads were also highlighted by Media Matters, told the Financial Times it was looking into the situation.

An executive at X told Engadget that the posts identified by Media Matters will “no longer be monetizable” and will appear with “sensitive media” labels that require users to click through a warning in order to view the content. They added that “while we understand it’s not an ideal placement for any ad,” the post had only racked up “about 8,000 impressions.”

It’s not clear how many campaigns are affected by IBM’s decision to suspend ads. But another high profile company pulling back from the platform, even temporarily, is another blow to the company’s already battered advertising business.

In a post on X, CEO Linda Yaccarino said that “discrimination by everyone should STOP across the board,” though she didn’t reference IBM or Media Matters’ report directly. “X has also been extremely clear about our efforts to combat antisemitism and discrimination,” she wrote. “There’s no place for it anywhere in the world — it’s ugly and wrong.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ibm-suspends-advertising-on-x-after-its-ads-were-placed-next-to-pro-nazi-content-234332820.html?src=rss 

Lucid’s Gravity all-electric SUV has been on our radar for a while now, since originally being introduced back in 2022. Now we have more details, including pricing, availability and those all-important range metrics. First, the bad news. This thing likely won’t ship until 2025, as production doesn’t officially ramp up until late 2024, as reported by Sustainable Mobility Solutions (SAE).

We already knew some details surrounding the EV, including the roomy three-row interior, but now we have range data. Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson promises a range of at least 440 miles, so it looks like it could inch further than that once the Gravity hits the assembly line. The company has stated in the past that this EV would boast a “greater electric range than any SUV on the market today.”

So let’s look at some metrics. According to Kelly Blue Book, the Gravity will easily exceed this promise, as the current top-range EV SUV is the Fisker Ocean, with a max driving range of 350 miles per charge. As a matter of fact, if Lucid’s forthcoming SUV truly gets 440 miles per charge, that’ll place it near the top of the list for any electric vehicle, SUV or not. The only competition will be another Lucid automobile, as the Air Grand Touring sedan gets 516 miles per charge, according to MotorTrend.

Like the Air line, the Gravity is built on a 900-volt electrical architecture that supports DC fast-charging. The company says the forthcoming EV can go from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, via its dual-motor setup, and boasts a payload capacity of 1,500 pounds with the ability to tow a further 6,000 pounds.

Beyond metrics, Lucid also lifted the veil on the interior of the SUV. The Gravity will boast a 34-inch OLED main display and an optional lower display, with multi-tasking available between the two. In other words, you can throw navigation on one screen and the media player on the other. These displays won’t get in the way of the dash cluster and will even offer gaming applications in the future, according to Derek Jenkins, senior vice president of design and brand at Lucid.

The steering wheel includes two touch controllers inspired by the Apple TV remote, as minute thumb movements select items from the infotainment screen and adjust dashboard display elements. Of course, this is a three-row vehicle, so there’s plenty of room for friends and family, if you’re into that kind of thing. It seats up to seven people.

As previously mentioned, the price should be around $80,000, though things could change before these cars hit showrooms in 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lucids-gravity-electric-suv-will-have-a-max-range-of-440-miles-193859560.html?src=rss 

A hacking group deployed a surprising tactic after infiltrating a financial software company’s network. They reported the breach to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

DataBreaches.net initially reported on the incident, which was conducted by ALPHV / BlackCat, a group known for breaching entities as diverse as MGM Resorts and Reddit. The hackers reportedly breached the servers of fintech company MeridianLink on November 7, stealing company data without encrypting it. However, when the business neglected to negotiate directly, the hackers increased the pressure by filing a report with the SEC.

They did so citing a new rule the SEC passed this summer, which requires companies falling victim to “material cybersecurity incidents” to report them to the agency within four business days.

However, the four-day requirement may not have taken effect yet. At least one official form claims the rule kicked in 90 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register (they appear to have been published on August 4, making that alleged effective date November 2) or December 18. But the Federal Register document says, “With respect to compliance with the incident disclosure requirements in Item 1.05 of Form 8–K and in Form 6–K [the part referring to the four-day requirement], all registrants other than smaller reporting companies must begin complying on December 18, 2023.” Adding to the confusion, Reuters reported in October that the rule takes effect on December 15.

Engadget reached out to the SEC to clarify whether the rule is active yet. We’ll update this article if we hear back.

MeridianLink told BleepingComputer that it quickly worked to contain the threat. “Based on our investigation to date, we have identified no evidence of unauthorized access to our production platforms, and the incident has caused minimal business interruption,” the company wrote. The company says it’s still trying to determine if any consumer personal information was breached, promising to notify affected parties if it was.

Whether the SEC has any teeth (or desire) to do anything about MeridianLink’s failure to report the incident in four business days, the rule could, ironically, serve as a new tool for cyber attackers. Rather than contacting customers or making calls to tighten the grip and pressure companies to comply with their demands, perhaps they can now simply rat them out to Uncle Sam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hackers-use-a-new-sec-rule-to-snitch-on-the-company-they-infiltrated-201242292.html?src=rss 

In a landmark decision, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Agency (MHRA) approved the use of a gene-editing therapy called Casgevy for patients with sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia — both of which are hereditary disorders related to genetic mutations of the red blood cells. The treatment, manufactured by Vertex, is the first-ever approved therapy that utilizes CRISPR-based gene editing technology to treat eligible patients.

The UK approval of the novel therapy is informed by two previous global clinical trials that indicated the treatment’s efficacy. 97 percent of patients using Casgevy were relieved of severe pain associated with the blood disorders for at least 12 months after treatment during the trials. The results suggest that the gene editing treatment could replace the current standard for care. Stem cell therapy and bone marrow transplants are currently the only pathways to cure sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia, however, they involve a lot of risks.

Both sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia are blood disorders characterized by defective red blood cells that can’t carry oxygen, and require patients to get monthly blood transfusions that can be costly and time-consuming. Casgevy works by specifically targeting the genes in the bone marrow stem cells that produce faulty blood cells. For the treatment to work, a patient’s stem cells need to be extracted from their bone marrow, edited in a lab and then re-infused into the patient.

Despite its promising outlook, CRISPR-based therapies may not be easily available to the general public. Gene editing is an expensive endeavor. The Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI) estimates that the average CRISPR-based therapy will cost between $500,000 and $2 million per patient. The IGI has built out an ‘Affordability Task Force’ to tackle the issue of expanding access to these novel therapies.

Aside from costliness, gene editing therapies offer huge promise to innovate treatment pathways for rare conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and muscular atrophy. More importantly, this landmark approval for Casgevy “opens the door for further applications of CRISPR therapies in the future,” Prof Dame Kay Davies, a scientist from the University of Oxford, said. And new iterations of gene editing technologies may even surpass CRISPR in the future.

Casgevy is still being reviewed by regulatory agencies for safety standards in other countries, including the United States and Saudi Arabia. A marketing application, the first step towards approval for the therapy, was recently validated by the European Medicines Agency.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uk-authorizes-first-gene-therapy-for-treating-sickle-cell-disease-184130989.html?src=rss