Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

London Police Storm Quaker Meeting House, Arresting Climate Activists

2025-03-30

Over 20 Metropolitan Police officers forcibly entered a Quaker meeting house, arresting six women who were discussing climate change and Gaza. This is believed to be the first time in the history of the pacifist Quakers that police have breached one of their places of worship. The women, attending a welcome meeting for a non-violent protest group, were handcuffed, their belongings confiscated, and their student accommodation subsequently raided. The police action has drawn widespread criticism.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc climate activism Quakers

Meta Loses Landmark Case: UK Users to Get Targeted Ad Opt-Out

2025-03-22

British consumers will be able to opt out of targeted online advertising following a landmark legal victory for campaigner Tanya O’Carroll against Meta. O’Carroll sued Meta (Facebook's parent company) for its inability to disable the user profiling used for ad targeting. After becoming a mother in 2017, she was bombarded with baby-related ads. Attempts to disable these ads through Facebook's settings failed. Further investigation revealed Meta had tagged her with over 700 characteristics based on her activity, inferring her movie preferences, holiday destinations, shopping habits, clothing style, political views, and personal details. This victory sets a precedent for user privacy rights.

(www.thetimes.com)

Tech

Facebook's Inner Circle: A Memoir of Power, Neglect, and Darkness

2025-03-16

Sarah Wynn-Williams's explosive new memoir, *Careless People*, pulls back the curtain on Facebook's inner workings, revealing a culture of unchecked power, negligence, and disregard for employee well-being. The book paints a damning portrait of Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, detailing instances of nepotism, abuse of power, and questionable decisions regarding Facebook's expansion into China, including alleged cooperation with censorship and the sharing of facial recognition technology. Wynn-Williams highlights Facebook's role in the Myanmar crisis, where the platform's spread of hate speech contributed to horrific violence. Meta, Facebook's parent company, has attempted to suppress the book's release, highlighting the gravity of its revelations.

(www.thetimes.com)

Tech Power Abuse

Mice Perform Instinctive Resuscitation: Heroic Behavior Observed

2025-03-09

Scientists have observed mice instinctively attempting resuscitation on unconscious peers. In experiments, when a mouse was anesthetized, a bystander mouse frequently responded by pawing, licking, and even clearing the airway of the unconscious mouse. This behavior, remarkably similar to human first aid, was observed even though the mice had no prior experience with unconscious animals, suggesting an innate survival instinct. The study, published in Science, highlights surprising altruistic behavior in the animal kingdom.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc instinct resuscitation

Young Women Out-Earning Men: A Crisis for Young Males?

2025-03-02

A new report reveals that young women (16-24) are now earning almost 10% more than their male counterparts, across both white and blue-collar jobs. The report, titled 'Lost Boys', highlights a growing crisis among young men, who are falling behind in education and employment, and feeling increasingly isolated by shifting social attitudes.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc youth unemployment social crisis

Self-Healing Roads: Turning Cooking Oil into Pothole Patching

2025-02-10

Potholes cost Britain £14.4 billion annually. Engineers are exploring a solution: self-healing roads. Research suggests adding recycled cooking oil to asphalt significantly increases its durability. Water seeping into cracks during winter, freezing and expanding, is the main culprit in pothole formation. This research, involving Google and King’s College London, used a sophisticated computer model to study the process at a molecular level, aiming for more effective road maintenance.

(www.thetimes.com)

Tech road repair waste recycling tech innovation

NYC Mayor's Rat War Shows Early Signs of Success

2025-02-03

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been unwell and absent for a week, facing a corruption trial in April and low poll numbers (6%). However, a pilot program in Harlem, requiring sealed trash containers and six-day-a-week collection, has shown early success in reducing rat populations, offering a small victory in his two-year-old "war on rats."

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc NYC Mayor Rat Control Harlem

Savile Row Tailors Face Ozempic-Induced Crisis

2025-01-31

Savile Row, the home of bespoke tailoring, is facing an unprecedented crisis, not from high rents or taxes, but from the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic. The drug's dramatic weight loss effects are forcing clients to have their expensive, custom-made suits drastically altered or remade. Tailors are facing a double challenge: time constraints and staffing shortages. Altering a suit can cost £1,600, while a replacement is £5,000-£7,000. Many clients own numerous suits and are reluctant to discard them, further increasing the tailors' workload. The issue extends beyond suits to shirts, which lack the internal space for adjustments. Tailors worry about weight rebound once clients stop using the drug, creating a potential 'Part 2' to this story.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc Bespoke Tailoring Weight Loss

U2 Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Reveals Dyscalculia Diagnosis

2024-12-16

U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr. has publicly revealed for the first time that he has dyscalculia, a learning disability that affects mathematical abilities. He shared that he struggles with basic counting and addition, describing the act of counting musical bars as 'like climbing Everest.' This candid admission offers insight into learning disabilities and showcases the musician's remarkable achievements despite facing significant challenges.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc Dyscalculia Learning Disability

Four's Company: The Ideal Number for Engaging Conversations

2024-12-14

Research by Professor Robin Dunbar of Oxford University suggests that four is the magic number for enjoyable conversations. In groups of five or more, the likelihood of shared laughter decreases significantly, with conversations often devolving into a lecture-style dynamic. While known for 'Dunbar's number' – the theory that most people can maintain around 150 social connections – his latest research focuses on smaller group dynamics, concluding that groups of four optimize engaging and enjoyable social interactions.

(www.thetimes.com)

Misc social interaction group size conversation