Good morning, hope you had a nice few days and got a little bit of relaxation in. Not much happened in the world of tech since we last caught up, but here are five things that you might be interested in.
1. New law banning Tesla from advertising as ‘Full Self-Driving’
Apparently not everyone knows that Teslas aren’t actually full self-driving cars. A new California law going into effect in 2023 will prohibit Tesla (and other auto manufacturers) from marketing its driver assistance tech as completely autonomous if that’s not actually the case. The law states that car manufacturers and dealers must offer consumers a “clear description” of the function and limitations of semi-autonomous driver assistance features, per a fact sheet. Here’s the lowdown on the tech in Australia.
2. U.S.-AU data-sharing agreement moves forward
A Parliamentary inquiry has given the green light to greater information sharing with U.S. law enforcement, despite its concern Australians will be kept in the dark about the number of orders made for data. Brought to our attention by The Guardian, the joint standing committee on treaties has approved Australia’s Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (Cloud) Act agreement with the U.S., which was introduced by the former government back in December 2021. The CLOUD Act creates a legal framework regulating how law enforcement can access data across borders and the Australian deal allows law enforcement and intelligence agencies in Australia and the U.S. to demand data directly from communication service providers operating in the other jurisdiction.
3. Tracking tech now normalised
The Associated Press has run a feature on how the quick adoption of surveillance tech due to COVID-19 has rushed countries into using tracking tools after lockdown. It’s an interesting read we recommend you check out if you have a few moments.
For over a year, AP interviewed sources and scoured documents to trace how technologies meant to flatten the COVID-19 curve were put to other uses.
The result is a shift that has embedded tracking tools in society that may last long after lockdowns. https://t.co/UCYtx8QPon
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 27, 2022
4. This startup is sending sulphur into the atmosphere to fight climate change
A startup says it has begun releasing sulphur particles into Earth’s atmosphere, in a controversial attempt to combat climate change by deflecting sunlight. Make Sunsets, a company that sells carbon offset “cooling credits” for $US10 ($14) each, is banking on solar geoengineering to cool down the planet and fill its coffers. The startup claims it has already released two test balloons, each filled with about 10 grams of sulphur particles and intended for the stratosphere, according to the company’s website and first reported on by MIT Technology Review.
5. Military device containing biometric data sold on eBay
More than decade ago, near Kandahar, Afghanistan, the U.S. military employed one of its Secure Electronic Enrollment Kit (SEEK II) devices for the last time. The piece of tech, a chunky black rectangle used to scan fingerprints and irises, was turned off and stowed away. That is, until August 2022 when Matthias Marx, a German security researcher, bought the device for $US68 (about $94) off of eBay (a steal, at about half the the listed price). But that’s not all. For the low, low price of less than $US70 ($97), Marx had inadvertently also purchased sensitive, identifying data on thousands of people. Names, nationalities, photos, and detailed descriptions accompanied the biometric fingerprint and iris scans of 2,632 individuals, according to a report from The New York Times.
BONUS ITEM: Happy Birthday to the world’s first text message.
Have a great day.