UnitedHealth has confirmed that the ransomware attack on its Change Healthcare unit last February affected around 190 million people in America, nearly double previous estimates. The breach, attributed to the ALPHV ransomware gang, resulted in the theft of massive quantities of health and insurance-related information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, email addresses,…
IT on The Soothsayer / page 5
Meta’s decision to remove its third-party fact-checking system and loosen content moderation policies has sparked a wave of users seeking to delete their Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts. The move has been met with criticism, with many accusing Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg of prioritizing “free expression” over fact-based information. As a result, users are taking…
OpenAI, a leading AI research company, is reportedly close to releasing its highly anticipated AI agent tool, Operator. This tool is said to be capable of autonomously handling tasks such as writing code, booking travel, and even controlling a user’s PC. According to a software engineer who claims to have uncovered evidence of the tool,…
Apple has blocked several ByteDance apps, including TikTok, in the US following a bill passed last year that would force the company to sell the short video app or face a ban. The affected apps include CapCut, Lemon8, and Marvel Snap, among others. The shutdown is a result of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary…
Google has begun requiring users to enable JavaScript to use Google Search, citing the need to better protect its services and users from malicious activity and improve the overall search experience. This move may impact accessibility tools and third-party tools that rely on JavaScript. The decision may also be aimed at inhibiting tools that give…
Mark Cuban, a well-known entrepreneur and investor, has expressed his willingness to fund a TikTok alternative built on Bluesky’s AT Protocol. This move comes as a response to the impending U.S. ban on TikTok, which is expected to take effect on Sunday. Cuban sees potential in a more open social web, powered by the AT…
Sonos, a leading speaker manufacturer, is undergoing significant changes after its CEO, Patrick Spence, left the company. The departure comes amidst a tumultuous year for the brand, marked by a buggy software update that crippled its products and led to a decline in sales. Interim CEO Tom Conrad has taken the reins, vowing to restore…
The Department of Transportation has once again rejected Tesla’s application for funding to build a big-rig charging corridor. The company had requested nearly $100 million to construct nine electric semi-truck charging stations along a 1,800-mile route from northern California to the southern border of Texas. This snub comes as Tesla struggles to get its electric…
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has postponed the inaugural launch of its first orbital rocket, New Glenn, due to an unspecified issue with one of the vehicle’s subsystems. The delay has raised questions about the timing of the launch and its impact on the company’s plans to enter the heavy-lift market…
Xiaohongshu, a Chinese short-form video app, has surged to the No. 1 spot for free apps on the U.S. App Store, catching attention as a potential TikTok alternative. The app, known as RedNote in English, has been gaining popularity among younger Chinese consumers and boasts 300 million monthly active users, 79% of whom are women….