‘French scar’ leaves another mark on TikTok’s painful week
TikTok’s rough week in the west went from bad to worse today when Italian authorities slapped the app with a €10mn fine over a viral challenge called the “French scar.”…
Princess Kate photo scandal triggers calls for watermarking untouched images
A distinctly British scandal caused by sloppy photo editing has sparked calls for watermarking untouched images. The pleas come after a picture of Princess Kate intensified wild rumours about her…
EU finally adopts AI Act, marking a ‘new era’ for artificial intelligence
The EU has officially adopted the AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive rulebook on artificial intelligence. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) overwhelmingly endorsed the regulation on Wednesday. The law…
Dutch cybersecurity startup bags €36M amid spike in online attacks
Dutch startup Eye Security has raised €36mn as it looks to defend European businesses from cyber criminals. Founded in 2020 by a group of Dutch intelligence and security experts, the…
Startup searching for ‘holy grail’ of encryption raises $73M
French startup Zama has raised $73mn to commercialise the “holy grail” of cryptography: fully homomorphic encryption (FHE). Conceptually simple but practically complex, FHE enables computations on encrypted data without having…
Dutch government launched secret task force to keep ASML in Netherlands, report says
The Dutch government has reportedly launched a secret task force to keep chip giant ASML in the Netherlands. Dubbed “Operation Beethoven,” the task force was formed to allay ASML’s fears…
Nobel winner behind graphene hails new ‘wonder materials’ for smart contact lenses
A Nobel Laureate who co-created graphene has made another discovery that could turbocharge numerous futuristic applications, from smart contact lenses to rapid disease detection. Konstantin Novoselov, who won the 2010 Nobel…
Fresh call to ban ransomware payments divides cybersecurity experts
A former British security chief has reignited the perennial ransomware question: to pay or not to pay? Ciaran Martin, who was the first-ever CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security…
Opinion: For politicians, AI will bring salvation or damnation — but nothing in between
Is AI a panacea or a Pandora’s box? It’s a question that divides the British government. Ask the deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, and he’ll fill your ears with promises…
Barbie selfie startup’s $500M valuation exposes the power of memes
A French startup acclaimed for a Barbie selfie generator has raised $43mn round at a $500mn valuation in a showcase for meme magic. Paris-based Photoroom raised the eye-popping sums in…
EU antitrust case against Microsoft-Mistral deal amounts to ‘decisive influence’
An antitrust probe of Microsoft’s surprise deal with French startup Mistral will come down to the role of “decisive influence,” legal experts say. Microsoft revealed on Tuesday that it’s investing…
Regurgitated ‘American Pie’ adds sour taste to GenAI copyright claims
Don McClean has always had to share “American Pie.” Since its release in 1971, the hit song has re-emerged in covers by Madonna, parodies by Weird Al Yankovic, serenades by…