Category: News and Views

Every American’s Social Security Number May Have Been Leaked | Entrepreneur

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The social security number of every American may have been compromised in a massive cybersecurity breach that could threaten the identity of all citizens.

The hacking group USDoD claims that they’ve leaked 2.7 billion personal information records, including social security numbers, full names, and home addresses from a data broker called National Public Data (NPD).

NPD is a background check agency that gives sensitive personal information to potential employers and staffing agencies during screening processes, as well as private investigators

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Google just dropped a new AI camera update — and you don’t need a new Pixel 9 for it | Mashable

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Google has an AI update for its Magnifier app that’s geared towards people with low vision. And the best part is you don’t need a new Pixel 9 to use it.

Magnifier is an app was released last year as an accessibility tool that works with Pixel cameras to magnify text, details, and zoom in on distant objects. As of Tuesday, it has been updated with AI-powered capabilities to make gathering visual information easier.

The Made by Google event mostly focused on hardware, unveiling the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel Watch 3, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2, with a deep integration of AI-powered features for the new devices. However, not everything Google launched yesterday required a new gadget. Magnifier is available for Pixel 5 and newer.

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Texas sues General Motors, alleging illegal selling of driver data | CNN Business

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued General Motors Tuesday, alleging the carmaker illegally collected and sold drivers’ data to insurance companies without their consent or knowledge, according to a release from the AG’s office.

General Motors is the first car manufacturer to be hit with a lawsuit after the attorney general’s office opened an investigation into several manufacturers in June for allegedly collecting mass amount of data and then illegally selling it.

With the lack of a detailed, modern data privacy and security law at the federal law, many states are stepping in to pass their own regulations to protect consumers in the ever-growing data brokerage market.

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Are Self-Service POS Kiosks Right for Your Business? | businessnewsdaily.com

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Every brick-and-mortar business must have a way for customers to pay for goods and services in person. While a cashier stationed at a point-of-sale (POS) system terminal is still the most common method, more and more businesses are implementing self-service POS kiosks, also known as self-checkout stations. With self-service kiosks, customers can ring up their purchases themselves and pay without a cashier’s assistance.

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India’s coal demand is rising—even as it pushes hard for solar | Fast Company

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BY ASSOCIATED PRESS 4 MINUTE READ India Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the midst of a months-long reelection campaign this April when he took to social media to trumpet a “remarkable feat!” and a “historic milestone” for his country: crossing 1 billion metric tons of coal and lignite production. It was proof, Modi said, of India’s “commitment to ensuring a vibrant coal sector.”

A month later, for the third year in a row, his government ordered some coal plants to run at full capacity to meet high electricity demand during the increasingly hot summer months.

Even though India has been significantly increasing its renewable energy capacity in recent years, when demand for electricity surges, it still goes back to its most trusted source of power: coal.

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United Airlines kicks off labor contract negotiations with Teamsters union | Fast Company

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United Airlines has begun negotiations with the Teamsters union, which is pushing for a new contract covering 10,000 aviation maintenance and related workers in the United States, the labor union said on Tuesday.

The Teamsters National Negotiating Committee is seeking industry-leading wages, a faster timeline for reaching the top pay rate, improved healthcare benefits and higher safety standards.

The negotiations — which have begun four months before the current contract is set to become amendable — come at a time when thousands of maintenance staff members and flight attendants across airlines are demanding higher wages and more benefits after carriers posted record profits helped by a rebound in travel demand post-pandemic.

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Meta Launches AI Studio for Custom AI Creation |Small Business Trends

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Meta has announced the rollout of AI Studio, a new platform that allows users to create, share, and discover AI characters without the need for technical skills. AI Studio, built with Llama 3.1, offers users the opportunity to design AI characters that can entertain, provide advice, generate memes, and much more.

Create AI Characters Based on Your Interests

With AI Studio, anyone can create AI characters at ai.meta.com/ai-studio or within the Instagram app. Users can utilize a variety of prompt templates or start from scratch to design AIs tailored to their interests, whether it’s cooking, generating Instagram captions, or making friends laugh with memes. These AI characters can be kept private or shared with followers and friends, and can also be made available for discovery and interaction on Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and the web.

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Snapchat+ Reaches 11 Million Subscribers | Small Business Trends

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Snapchat’s subscription service, Snapchat+, has surpassed 11 million subscribers, according to an announcement made today. Launched in 2022 with just six features, Snapchat+ quickly grew, reaching 1 million members within weeks. Now, it offers over 40 exclusive features, including Chat Wallpapers, Custom App Icons, and AI Bitmoji Pets.

The rapid growth and success of Snapchat+ highlight the increasing demand for premium social media experiences. This milestone reflects Snapchat’s ability to continually innovate and attract a dedicated user base willing to pay for enhanced features.

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Everything leaving Netflix in August 2024 | Digital Trends

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Sometimes, there are months when Netflix barely loses anything of note. Unfortunately, August is not one of those months. Everything Everywhere All At Once, the first five Spider-Man live-action films, Paddington, The Woman King, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, and more will be heading out the door by the time August 31 rolls around.

Most of these films have been on loan to Netflix by Sony as part of a larger agreement between the streamer and the movie studio. But even acclaimed indie movies like Marcel the Shell with Shoes On are running out of time on Netflix this month. As a subscriber, there’s only one thing to do if you want to catch these films before they depart: Make your viewing plans now. August is one of the longest months of the year, so use that extra day to your advantage. In the meantime, check out our roundup of everything leaving Netflix in August 2024. As always, our picks for the month are in bold.

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Fed Decision: Officials Hold Rates Steady, Signal First Cut Is Nearer | Bloomberg

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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said an interest-rate cut could come as soon as September after the US central bank voted to leave its benchmark at the highest level in more than two decades.

“The question will be whether the totality of the data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks are consistent with rising confidence on inflation and maintaining a solid labor market,”

Powell told reporters Wednesday. “If that test is met, a reduction in our policy rate could be on the table as soon as the next meeting in September.”

His comments followed a Federal Open Market Committee decision to leave the federal funds rate in a range of 5.25% to 5.5%, a level they have maintained since last July.

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