Victims of 23andMe data breach to get $47m payout, judge rules | BBC News

July 8, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Victims of a 2023 data hack at genetics testing company 23andMe are set to receive a multi-million-dollar payout from the firm.

A California bankruptcy court judge ruled on Tuesday that Chrome Holding, which last year took control of 23andMe after its bankruptcy, should pay out $46.75m (£35m) in compensation.

23andMe compiles genetic profiles of people through DNA testing kits, but it was heavily criticised after as many as 6.9 million people had their data breached in the 2023 hack.

Representatives of Chrome Holding and 23andMe have been contacted for comment.

Australia dock workers call for 28-hour week in AI talks | BBC News

July 8, 2026July 8, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Australian dock workers are demanding a 28-hour work week with no loss of pay as the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation expands across the country’s ports.

The AI push is being led by port logistics giant DP World, which the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) said has put workers’ jobs “in the crosshairs”.

The union said, “If DP World wants AI and automation, then they must pay the social dividend. The new technology doesn’t have to cost our members their jobs or put their livelihoods at risk just so a terminal operator can boost profits.”

OpenClaw is finally available on Android and iOS | TechCrunch

July 2, 2026July 1, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The automation crustacean is crawling to a mobile device near you.

By that I mean, OpenClaw — the free, open source AI agent that captivated the internet earlier this year — is finally available as an app on iOS and Android. OpenClaw announced the news on X on Tuesday.

On both platforms, you can pair your phone with the OpenClaw Gateway, a kind of routing layer that connects your requests to AI agents and the tools and skills those agents draw on to get things done.

The ‘Father of the Internet’ is finally retiring | TechCrunch

July 2, 2026July 1, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Vinton Cerf will step down from his role as Google’s chief internet evangelist next week, marking the conclusion of one of the most influential careers in technology history.

While speaking via video feed at the Open Frontier conference hosted by the Laude Institute, Cerf was recognized by Dave Patterson, the UC Berkeley professor best known for co-developing RISC processor architecture.

“Vint … has been at Google more than 20 years, and he is retiring a week from today, and so I think we ought to give him a round of applause for a relatively good career,” Patterson said, to cheers from the room.

Is AI Use Really Legal? Here’s Why You Need a Governance Plan | Entrepreneur

July 1, 2026July 1, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The first wave of artificial intelligence adoption was driven by speed. Companies wanted faster research, faster drafting, faster customer service, faster sales, faster decisions. In boardrooms and management meetings, AI was presented as a productivity tool, a cost-saving mechanism, and in some cases, a competitive necessity.

That phrase is already giving way to something more serious. The next wave of AI will not be defined only by what companies can automate. It will be defined by what they can explain, defend, and govern.

That is where many businesses are dangerously unprepared. For all the excitement around AI, a basic legal question remains unanswered in many organizations: If an AI system produces a harmful, biased, false, or commercially damaging outcome, who is responsible?

How the World Cup Is Creating a Beer Boom Across America | Entrepreneur

July 1, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Two weeks of knockout rounds remain in the 2026 World Cup. That’s great news for America’s bars and restaurants in host cities, where beer sales soared 15.4% compared to the same weeks last year, according to Beer Institute. For an industry that has seen volume broadly flat or declining for years, it’s a welcome kick in the shin.

Massachusetts is leading the country, with on-premise beer sales nearly 30% over the first two weeks of play — driven in part by Scotland’s Tartan Army, which descended on Boston in force and nearly drank the city dry. The parent company of Sam Adams said its Boston Taproom sold four times its normal holiday volume in a single weekend, requiring an emergency beer delivery.

So what makes beer score points with World Cup fans? “Beer’s range of options makes it a strong fit for occasions like these,” said Heritage. “There’s a brew for every kind of fan, which is part of why it scales so well during an international event like this.”

What is quantum computing, and why does Trump care? | Mashable

June 30, 2026June 29, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a week since President Trump signed an executive order directing a whole-of-government push on quantum computing — funding it, securing its supply chains, building its workforce, and making sure adversaries like China don’t get there first.

This marks a significant federal commitment to a technology that is either the next great computing revolution or the most expensive science experiment in history, depending on the expert opinion. But one thing it can do: replace AI as the carrier of long-term hopes for the tech industry. This would be the right moment for a switch, as the vibe shifts on AI itself: models are more expensive to train, returns are harder to demonstrate. Investors who have sent AI stock soaring may soon be looking for the next big thing to believe in.

YouTube says the secret to success is not their algorithm, it’s your audience | Mashable

June 30, 2026June 29, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Much of the talk at VidCon 2026 focused on how long-form horizontal content is at the forefront of rewiring the traditional Hollywood model. On a panel about convergence, Pocketwatch CEO Chris H. Williams declared, “If it works on YouTube, it’ll work anywhere,” pointing to The Besties’ crossover success on Hulu and, soon, Amazon Fire TV Stick.

A recurring topic across panels was how streamers like Hulu, Amazon, and Tubi are recruiting creators, acquiring their YouTube libraries, or funding original content. But what does it take to make a video go viral on YouTube in 2026?

Comcast says it will spin off NBCUniversal | CNN Business

June 29, 2026 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Comcast is positioning itself for the next round of media industry merger and acquisition activity.

That’s what industry analysts are saying about the company’s Monday morning announcement about spinning off NBCUniversal.

Comcast says it is going to spend the next year separating NBCUniversal and a European media arm, Sky, into a new publicly traded company, separate from Comcast’s broadband distribution business.