Internet news

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OpenAI to challenge Google with new search functionality

OpenAI on Thursday said it was putting its artificial intelligence engine to work in a challenge to Google's market-dominating search engine.

Internet

Google's brand ads are a 'sham,' but companies have to buy them anyway, report finds

If you use Google—and chances are you do—then you're used to seeing ads when searching online. But how do those ads get on Google search and, more importantly, who is paying for them? It's easy to assume Nike pays for ...

Internet

Meta takes down thousands of Facebook, Instagram accounts running sextortion scams from Nigeria

Meta said Wednesday that it has taken down about 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria running sexual extortion scams and has removed thousands of Facebook groups and pages that were trying to organize, recruit and train new ...

Internet

US Senate to vote on kids online safety bills

The US Senate will vote on a pair of bills this week designed to protect children online which would be the first major legislation targeting the tech industry in a generation.

Internet

In U-turn, Google sticks with tracking 'cookies'

Google on Monday said it was ditching its long mooted plan to block tracking "cookies" on its Chrome browser after years of resistance from online publishers and questions from regulators.

Internet

Conspiracy theories take off after global IT crash

From fearmongering about a looming "World War III" to false narratives linking a cabal of global elite to a cyberattack, a torrent of online conspiracy theories took off Friday after a major IT crash.

Internet

Musk's X misleads users with blue checks, EU charges

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's X platform is deceiving users with its blue checkmarks for certified accounts, and is also violating EU content rules, Brussels said Friday, in a finding that could lead to hefty fines.

Internet

Detecting humorous expressions on social media

Humorous content underpins much of the material that goes "viral" online, whether across social media, on websites, or even in text messages. Despite the important part it plays in many people's lives there is scant research ...

Internet

Through the metaverse, and what can be found there

The term "metaverse" has entered pop culture lexicon in recent years, largely due to Facebook, but the idea itself isn't new. Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, many of those in the technology community have imagined a ...

Internet

New Facebook tools target misinformation in users' groups

Facebook on Wednesday began letting groups automatically reject posts identified as containing false information, taking aim at a part of the massive network that has drawn particular concern from misinformation watchdogs.

Internet

Pokemon Go creator thinks metaverse needs to keep it 'real'

Niantic Labs CEO John Hanke has been working on technology that helps people navigate and enjoy places in the real world since he helped create Google Maps nearly 20 years ago. So it's not surprising that he isn't a fan of ...

Internet

AI model detects mental disorders based on web posts

Dartmouth researchers have built an artificial intelligence model for detecting mental disorders using conversations on Reddit, part of an emerging wave of screening tools that use computers to analyze social media posts ...

Internet

Opportunistic networks for collaborative editing

Opportunistic networks are ad hoc networks that allow connectivity between users where conventional network infrastructure may not be present, allowing people to work together over the OppNet and share data. Writing in the ...

Internet

Appeals court: Politician's Facebook feed not a public forum

A federal appeals court has rejected a lawsuit that accused county commissioner and Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin of free speech violations for blocking a local resident from discussions on the commissioner's personal ...

Internet

EU looks to end data hoarding by companies

With companies reaping increasing amounts of data from consumers and firms, the EU is looking at wrestling back access to that digital information under a Data Act proposed Wednesday by the European Commission.