An iPhone to HDMI adapter was discovered that, when plugged in, runs a program prompting users to download an app. This EZ Cast app collects extensive personal data and sends it to China for ad targeting. It requires location access, photos, and installs tracking cookies. The adapter appears designed to mimic official Apple products. While its intentions are unclear, it demonstrates how such devices could enable privacy risks by introducing untrusted software into a user's devices. Analysis of a similar EZCast dongle found it was vulnerable and not designed with security in mind. Reviews complain the app is useless or a scam. The adapter may have originated as unsold Amazon returns later acquired by electronics recyclers. Its existence relates to concerns about privacy and navigation issues on online marketplaces.

House Republicans unveiled a budget blueprint proposing trillions in spending cuts over 10 years, targeting steep reductions to Medicaid and food assistance programs. The plan seeks $2 trillion in Medicaid cuts and $800 billion from SNAP. It also calls for establishing a commission to propose changes to Social Security and Medicare. Democrats criticized the proposal as pushing "cruel cuts" that will hurt access to healthcare and raise costs for many. If enacted, the budget would slash nearly $5 trillion from discretionary spending and $9 trillion from mandatory programs over a decade. However, the proposal is unlikely to become law given Democratic control of the Senate. The resolution indicates Republicans remain committed to large cuts across many public services and low-income programs.

Sridhar Ramaswamy, former CEO of the privacy-focused search engine Neeva, believes the window for AI systems to truly disrupt Google's dominance in consumer search is closing following Snowflake's acquisition of Neeva. At Snowflake, Ramaswamy sees more potential in using AI for enterprise applications and knowledge discovery. While chatbots like ChatGPT showed promise early this year, Google's own Bard system is improving and the lack of integration between services limits disruption. In the enterprise space, Snowflake trusts allow it to securely leverage customers' data to help them use AI. Ramaswamy notes that success in large language models remains unpredictable, as platforms that once dominated like BlackBerry and Nokia have fallen. Overall, the acquisition allows Neeva's team to apply their search technology to Snowflake's structured and unstructured enterprise data.

The Indiana Attorney General sued Indiana University Health, the state's largest hospital system, claiming it violated patient privacy laws in the case of a 10-year-old Ohio girl who received an abortion in Indiana. Attorney General Todd Rokita has taken repeated legal actions targeting the doctor who discussed the girl's case publicly. The lawsuit says the hospital prioritized protecting the doctor over patient privacy. It alleges the hospital violated both HIPAA and an Indiana law by not keeping the girl's information private. While the medical board reprimanded the doctor for not following privacy protocols, Rokita had sought a suspension of her license. The hospital argues the doctor did not break any laws. Notably, a 28-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for raping the 10-year-old girl, highlighting the severity of the situation that sparked the national abortion debate.

For the first time, Apple discussed repairability during its iPhone launch event. An engineer mentioned the new iPhone 15 Pro models were designed with a structural frame that makes the back glass easier to replace. This comes after the iPhone 14 introduced a design that allows removal of the front or back. Repair advocates welcomed the acknowledgment but will still examine the devices for barriers like parts pairing. While praising initiatives to reduce emissions, critics argue the most sustainable option is not buying a new phone annually. The conversation on repairability is complex as commitments face scrutiny versus past actions restricting repair. Only time will tell if Apple's claims translate to meaningful improvements or are more superficial than substantive.

The US child poverty rate more than doubled in 2022 according to new Census data, rising to 12.4% from 5.2% the previous year. This sharp increase was largely due to the expiration of the expanded Child Tax Credit program that was part of the American Rescue Plan but was not extended due to opposition from Senator Joe Manchin and Republicans. The boosted Child Tax Credit had significantly reduced child poverty in 2021. Experts say child poverty would not have risen so drastically last year if the expanded tax credit was maintained. The data underscores the significant impact policy decisions around social programs can have on poverty levels.

Grindr Inc. has lost about 45% of its staff as it enforces a strict return-to-office policy that was introduced after a majority of employees announced a plan to unionize.

About 80 of the 178 employees at the LGBTQ dating app company were forced to resign after the company in August mandated workers return to work in person two days a week at assigned “hub” offices or be fired, the Communications Workers of America said in a statement Wednesday.

The West Hollywood, California-based company also gave a severance package to staff who were unable to relocate, in what the CWA alleged was an attempt “to silence workers from speaking out about their working conditions,” according to a statement from the organization. The CWA filed a new labor complaint against the company on Wednesday, the second such complaint in about a month.

Several Republican politicians, including a state senator in Georgia and a former Alaska governor, have suggested that civil war could result if Donald Trump is prosecuted for his various criminal trials. They argue that prosecuting Trump would be treason and have warned that conservatives may need to take up arms. The author notes that these kinds of inflammatory rhetoric from political leaders risk inciting violence, as evidenced by those involved in the January 6th attack who echoed such messages. Even Trump himself alluded to the possibility of further unrest, praising the "passion" and "love" of the January 6th mob. As political divisions continue intensifying in the U.S., explicitly calling for civil war is irresponsible and could have dangerous consequences, according to the author.

Also starting next spring, the Al Companion will give "real-time feedback' on people's presence in meetings plus coaching on their conversational and presentation skills.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/7518306

The New York Times has faced criticism for its coverage of transgender issues, with some articles echoing right-wing talking points and questioning whether being trans is acceptable. Trans advocates have expressed concerns about a lack of trans voices in reporting. While Times staff generally care about the issues, coverage does not seem to receive the same rigor as other topics. An open letter signed by over 1,200 contributors called for addressing biases, but the Times did not acknowledge it. Some staff believe leadership does not fully accept the humanity of trans people. However, public backlash is starting to make the Times reconsider its approach to trans coverage.

Google and Nvidia are offering all Chromebook owners a free 3-month subscription to GeForce Now, Nvidia's cloud gaming service, without needing a credit card. Those who bought a gaming Chromebook get the higher-tier Ultimate subscription allowing 1440p resolution and 120fps streaming. The free trial allows users to experience the improved latency and image quality of Ultimate. A fast internet connection is still required for cloud gaming on a Chromebook. Interestingly, this announcement comes shortly after Google canceled plans for more powerful gaming Chromebooks with dedicated Nvidia GPUs, making one wonder if the free subscriptions were originally intended for those canceled devices. The timing also mirrors Google's previous cancellation of its own Stadia cloud gaming platform around the same time it had announced gaming Chromebooks.

A lawsuit was filed against Reddit alleging that the company fired an employee with anxiety for taking medical leave. The employee, Jamie Lee, had worked at Reddit as an accountant for over 4 years with positive reviews. In July 2022, Lee requested 3 days off for her health but was denied. She was later placed on medical leave after fainting, but was fired upon returning and accused of poor performance. However, the lawsuit claims others made similar mistakes. It also alleges Reddit's new leadership under the CFO has created a "toxic, political, and not inclusive" culture, which two other employees also left over. This highlights challenges employees faced with the changing culture at Reddit.