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Technology News
Breaking news and analysis from the world of technology
Flock, a company that provides license plate reader technology to police, announced it will require agencies to use a new safety tool that detects and blocks cops who misuse access to stalk people they know. The tool suspends access when abnormal behavior is detected and requires admin review to restore it. However, experts and groups like the ACLU say there is no clear proof the tool works well, and police departments need to be more open about misuse cases for real accountability.
Key Facts
Flock’s new safety tool automatically detects unusual user activity and locks out officers who abuse their access to license plate reader data.
The tool has been available as a free option since April, but only about one-third of agencies used it before it became mandatory.
A Georgia sheriff’s office arrested three officers who abused Flock cameras to stalk people they knew, prompting the company to mandate the tool’s use.
The ACLU says there is no independent proof the tool consistently detects abuse and recommends outside evaluation.
Experts warn that without full transparency from police agencies about abuse cases, it is hard to know if the tool is effective.
Local agencies decide if and how to discipline officers who misuse the technology, which experts say may limit accountability.
Police misconduct cases are often handled quietly, making it easy to hide abuses of technology like Flock’s cameras.
Even with monitoring tools, experts say political will and proper consequences are needed to stop rule-breaking by officers.
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Petlibro, a company that makes smart pet feeders, experienced an outage that caused some users’ devices to stop working properly. The outage affected the app connection and led to some pets missing scheduled feedings. Petlibro has since restored service and is investigating the cause.
Key Facts
Petlibro smart pet feeders connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for app control and scheduled feeding.
On Tuesday, the Petlibro app experienced a service disruption that made it hard for some users to access the app or control their feeders remotely.
Petlibro identified the problem related to communication between the app and online servers.
Service was fully restored by 7 pm PT on Wednesday, but some feeding or activity data during the outage may be lost.
Petlibro says scheduled feedings should continue offline because feeding times are stored on the device itself.
Some users reported their feeders did not dispense food as scheduled during the outage, leading to conflicting experiences.
The company is reviewing user reports to understand why some devices failed to operate properly during the outage.
The incident highlights risks of relying on smart devices for critical tasks like pet care.
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Instagram has updated its wordmark logo for the first time in 10 years. The new design features changes in letter shapes and spacing that some observers say look similar to mistakes often made by AI-generated images.
Key Facts
Instagram revealed a refreshed wordmark logo recently.
This is the first update to the logo's text in 10 years.
Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, described it as leaner and more modern with references to the original design.
Some people noticed the new logo looks like it says "Instagzam" due to the letter shapes.
The spacing between letters (called kerning) seems uneven, especially around the letter "g."
The letter "r" in the logo looks more like a "z," leading to confusion.
The article compares the logo’s appearance to errors often seen in AI-generated images.
The design may unintentionally reflect the current era of AI-produced content.
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Google has released Gemini 3.7 Flash, an improved version of its AI model, just three weeks after the last update. This new model offers better coding abilities and performance on various tests, and it comes with a lower introductory price to attract developers.
Key Facts
Gemini 3.7 Flash replaced the Gemini 3.6 Flash model, which was launched three weeks earlier.
The update improves coding performance, raising scores in tests like FrontierCode and DeepSWE by significant margins.
It also shows better results in document processing and business workflow execution benchmarks.
Google priced Gemini 3.7 Flash at half the cost of the previous model to compete with cheaper alternatives.
OpenAI’s comparable AI models have lower prices than Gemini 3.7 Flash.
The promised flagship version Gemini 3.5 Pro, expected earlier, has not yet launched.
Gemini 3.7 Flash is available in Google’s API, AI Studio, Gemini Enterprise, and for some paid app subscribers only.
Google’s rapid updates in previous years have slowed down in 2026 amid talent departures and stiff competition.
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SpaceX and Tesla have started building Terafab, a huge chip-making factory in Grimes County, Texas. It will be the largest building in the world by floor space and will produce advanced computer chips for Tesla robots, self-driving cars, and SpaceX projects. The first phase will cost about $16.8 billion and create 3,000 jobs.
Key Facts
Terafab will have more than 100 million square feet of manufacturing space.
The factory will make chips for Tesla’s Optimus robots, Cybercabs, and SpaceX’s space data centers.
The project aims to meet growing demand for advanced computer chips used in artificial intelligence and new technology.
The first phase costs around $16.8 billion but could total $119 billion for full buildout.
The project is located in Grimes County, Texas, where SpaceX received property tax breaks.
The factory will bring chip manufacturing, packaging, and testing into one large facility.
Local residents are concerned about environmental and community impacts but support oversight and transparency.
Terafab will be about 10 times larger than Tesla’s current Gigafactory in Texas and much bigger than other large buildings globally.
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Catherine Austin Fitts responds to an interview with Gil Durán about problems caused by powerful tech leaders called “tech bros.” She warns that their goal is to control where people can go and how they spend money, which she says would create a system like slavery. She urges people to resist this future by changing how we think.
Key Facts
The term “tech bros” refers to influential people in Silicon Valley’s tech industry.
Gil Durán wrote a book called The Nerd Reich about dangerous effects of tech power on democracy.
Catherine Austin Fitts believes the plans go beyond harming democracy to creating a system of control over space and money.
Some in tech hope to live much longer using technology and replace many workers with robots and automation.
Fitts calls for a “revolution in consciousness” to stop this vision from happening.
The discussion focuses on the impact of technology and tech leaders on society and freedom.
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Health systems are using a clinical AI platform called PatientGPT to help patients get accurate health information based on their medical records and connect them directly with doctors. This AI tool supports patients by giving personalized advice and helping them book appointments, improving the way patients navigate their care.
Key Facts
Many patients start their health questions with AI chatbots or call centers but face gaps in personalized care.
Consumer AI platforms provide quick answers but do not have access to patients’ medical records or the ability to book appointments.
Health call centers lack clinical details, making it hard to prioritize urgent or routine care.
PatientGPT is an AI platform integrated with health systems that uses a patient’s medical records to give personalized clinical information.
It helps patients with chronic, acute, and urgent health needs and guides them to the right doctor at the right time.
Patients can book appointments online or in person anytime via the AI platform.
The AI flags emergencies and can direct patients immediately to the emergency room.
Examples show PatientGPT improving patient intake and care by providing tailored advice and preparing doctors with structured patient information before visits.
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Meta is facing a federal trial where 29 state attorneys general accuse the company of harming young users by making its social media apps addictive and collecting their data without parental permission. Meta denies these claims and says the states have no proof and are asking for unfairly high damages. The trial begins in Oakland, California, with key executives possibly testifying.
Key Facts
The trial involves Meta, the company behind Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
29 state attorneys general filed the lawsuit in October 2023, with four states leading the case.
The lawsuit accuses Meta of designing apps to keep youth and teens hooked using features like infinite scrolling and push notifications.
It also alleges Meta illegally collected personal data from children without parents' consent.
The states want Meta to remove addictive features such as infinite scrolling, video auto-play, and "like" counts for users under 18.
Meta says the claims are "unsubstantiated" and that the damages sought could reach $1.4 trillion.
Jury selection started in August 2026, and the trial is expected to last seven weeks.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram head Adam Mosseri might be called to testify.
This case follows a recent New Mexico court ruling that ordered Meta to pay $567 million for harming youth mental health, which Meta plans to appeal.
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A new study tracked 108 regular cannabis users over 14 days and found they had fewer early or extra heartbeats on days they used cannabis compared to days they did not. The study suggests cannabis use might reduce a type of heartbeat irregularity linked to atrial fibrillation, but it does not prove cannabis is good or safe for heart health.
Key Facts
The study involved 108 adults who regularly smoked or vaped cannabis and wore heart and health monitors continuously for 14 days.
Each day, participants were randomly assigned to either use cannabis or abstain from it.
On cannabis use days, participants had about 9% fewer premature heartbeats starting in the heart’s upper chambers (premature atrial contractions or PACs).
PACs can predict atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm problem that may cause stroke or blood clots.
No significant change was found in premature beats starting from the heart’s lower chambers (PVCs), which predict heart failure.
The study found no differences in sleep, physical activity, or blood sugar between cannabis and non-cannabis days.
Researchers warn the findings do not mean cannabis is safe or beneficial for heart health.
This study used a randomized crossover design, considered better than observational studies for reducing bias.
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Flock Safety, a company that uses cameras to read license plates, is changing its privacy rules. It will keep data for only seven days instead of 30 to reduce the chance of people misusing surveillance tools.
The article discusses whether air conditioning is necessary in the UK and reviews portable air conditioning units. It explains that many people secretly use aircon in bedrooms to stay cool during heatwaves and highlights the environmental impact of using these machines, recommending considering alternatives like fans and evaporative air coolers.
Key Facts
Many UK homes use portable air conditioning units, often hidden in bedrooms.
Upstairs and loft bedrooms can get very hot because warm air rises and roofs absorb heat.
Most UK homes are designed to keep heat in, which makes cooling difficult and expensive.
Air conditioning increases electricity use, which can worsen climate change unless powered by renewable energy.
Refrigerants used in air conditioners can have a much higher global warming effect than carbon dioxide if leaked.
Portable air conditioners are in high demand, with restocks expected months or years later.
Fans help by moving air to cool the skin but do not lower room temperature.
Evaporative air coolers use water evaporation to cool air and can be a greener alternative to air conditioning.
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Flock Safety, a company that provides cameras to read car license plates for law enforcement, announced new rules to address privacy concerns and misuse of its system. The changes include mandatory checks on unusual searches, shorter data storage times, and controls to limit who can access the data and for what reasons.
Key Facts
Flock Safety supplies automated license plate readers used by many U.S. law enforcement agencies.
The cameras capture license plate information and car details as vehicles pass by.
Some police departments have stopped using Flock due to concerns about privacy and misuse.
Starting January 1, all users must use a tool that detects unusual search activity and can lock users out for review.
Data will be kept for 7 days instead of 30, unless it relates to an open case, when it can be kept longer.
Officers must enter a case-specific code before searching, and emergency searches will be reviewed automatically.
Customers can restrict outside agencies from searching certain types of offenses, including immigration-related cases.
Privacy advocates say the changes are a partial improvement but worry abuses could still happen.
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Bumble, a dating app known for letting only women send the first message, has changed this rule to allow anyone to start a conversation. The app also extended the time to send the first message from 24 hours to three days. These changes aim to give users more flexibility and improve connections.
Key Facts
Bumble launched in 2014 with a rule that only women could send the first message in opposite-sex matches.
The app tested dropping this rule and found more user engagement.
A survey showed 66% of women preferred men to send the first message.
Same-sex matches never had this women-first rule.
The time limit to start a conversation after matching increased from 24 hours to three days.
Some users feel Bumble is less unique without the women-first rule, while others welcome the change.
Bumble’s parent company laid off nearly a third of its staff last year.
The UK dating app market is shrinking, with Bumble’s users declining from 1.5 million in 2023 to 1.1 million in 2025.
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Rivian is updating its 2027 model year R1 electric vehicles by adding captain’s chairs for the second row, a top-requested feature. The company also renamed trim levels, kept the same starting prices and technical specs, and introduced a new paint color and tire option.
Key Facts
The 2027 Rivian R1S and R1T models will offer captain’s chairs in the second row instead of a middle bench seat.
Captain’s chairs cost an additional $1,500 plus necessary package costs.
The base price remains $79,990 for the R1T and $83,990 for the R1S.
Technical specs like range and power remain unchanged: ranges up to 420 miles and power up to 655 hp.
Trim levels are renamed from Dual, Tri, and R1s to Premium, Performance, and Quad.
Two interior color options are Black Mountain and Ocean Coast; some seat options depend on the interior chosen.
A new Esker silver paint replaces the old LA Silver color.
A new 20-inch tire and wheel option is introduced to improve balance between on-road and off-road driving.
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A company named StemRad developed a wearable vest called AstroRad that blocks radiation for astronauts. NASA tested the vest on the Artemis I mission to the Moon, and data shows it could protect astronauts from dangerous solar radiation almost as well as heavy spacecraft shelters.
Key Facts
Solar storms emit radiation that can harm astronauts on Moon or Mars missions because space lacks Earth’s protective atmosphere and magnetic field.
Traditional spacecraft shielding is heavy and difficult to use efficiently.
StemRad created a vest that focuses on protecting critical body areas with high radiation sensitivity, like bone marrow and reproductive organs.
The vest uses a plastic material called high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which has good radiation-blocking properties due to its hydrogen content.
The design uses hexagonal rods to balance protection with comfort and freedom of movement.
The vest was tested on NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission, flying to the Moon and back.
Data from this test showed the vest reduces radiation exposure by about 60% in key areas without covering the entire body.
This approach may offer a practical way to protect astronauts during solar storms without adding heavy shielding to spacecraft.
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Flock, a US company that provides surveillance technology like cameras and license plate readers, is adding new rules to stop police from misusing its tools. The company's CEO, Garrett Langley, admitted these protections should have been in place earlier and said police misuse has caused many cities to cut ties with Flock.
Key Facts
Flock's technology has been used by police to track romantic partners, strangers, stolen cars, and missing people.
Police misuse of Flock’s tools has led to public complaints and some officers losing their jobs.
Flock is reducing data storage time from 30 days to 7 days to protect privacy.
Abnormal or unusual searches of the data will now be automatically flagged by the system.
Over 50 cities stopped using Flock this year because of privacy concerns, but 16 cities have recently rejoined.
The CEO agrees police should need an official case number to access Flock’s data, supporting privacy groups’ demands.
The company defends its technology as important for fighting crime and improving police work.
There is currently no nationwide law in the US governing how personal data collected by such technology is used or protected.
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Agent 64: Spies Never Die is a new video game made mostly by one developer that reminds players of classic 1990s spy shooters like GoldenEye 007. It focuses on simple, retro-style gameplay and local multiplayer fun, with blocky graphics and straightforward missions.
Key Facts
Agent 64 is inspired by older games GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark from the late 90s and early 2000s.
The game was developed almost entirely by a single developer named Replicant D6.
It features no voice acting; all dialogue is shown as subtitles.
The graphics are low-resolution with repeating textures and visible polygons, resembling original Nintendo 64 games.
Controls mimic those of the original games, including manual lock shooting and precision aiming, which can feel awkward by modern standards.
The game allows split-screen local multiplayer and also supports online play.
Missions are short, often under five minutes, encouraging fast-paced gameplay and replay to improve times.
Hidden collectibles and challenges add replay value to the levels despite some frustrating designs like dead ends.
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Flock Safety is a company that installs automated license plate readers (ALPRs) across the U.S. to help law enforcement recover stolen vehicles and find missing people. The CEO says the goal is to increase safety with transparency and privacy protections, but critics worry the system invades privacy and enables mass surveillance.
Key Facts
Flock Safety provides ALPR cameras in every U.S. state except Alaska.
The company works with more than 6,000 law enforcement agencies and 5,000 private customers.
In July, the cameras helped find over 1,000 missing people and recover 20,000 stolen vehicles.
Last year, Flock’s technology supported over 1 million criminal investigations and incidents.
Critics say the cameras create tracking databases on people who are not suspected of crimes.
Privacy advocates and groups like the ACLU argue Flock’s system raises constitutional concerns about warrantless surveillance.
Flock’s CEO Garrett Langley says data retention should be short and governed by clear rules.
Public backlash has grown, with some communities debating whether to continue contracts with Flock.
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As cars become more connected to the internet and other networks, they face increased risks from cyberattacks and spying. The Connected Vehicle Security Act addresses these security challenges to protect vehicles and drivers.
Key Facts
Modern cars are increasingly connected to digital networks.
Connected cars can be vulnerable to hacking and cyberattacks.
These risks include spying on vehicles and disrupting their functions.
The Connected Vehicle Security Act aims to improve vehicle cybersecurity.
The act focuses on protecting connected vehicles from cyber threats.
Ensuring vehicle security helps keep drivers safe from digital dangers.
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Mark Zuckerberg wrote an essay titled "The Future Is for Everyone" and released an open-weight AI model from Meta that users can download and run on their own computers. Unlike most other AI tools that require renting access and can be shut off by companies or governments, this type of model gives users full control over it. The article discusses who really owns AI and the power dynamics behind open versus closed AI models.
Key Facts
Mark Zuckerberg published a 6,500-word essay about the future of AI and released a downloadable open-weight AI model from Meta.
Open-weight AI models can be downloaded and run locally, unlike popular AI tools like ChatGPT that require online access and can be turned off remotely.
Governments and companies currently hold the power to disable or restrict access to many AI services.
Meta’s new AI model allows users to keep full control, offering a form of ownership and privacy.
There are concerns about privacy and data control, as users’ personal information may still be stored on company servers.
Chinese AI models are often open-source because their business model depends on openness, while American companies tend to keep AI closed to protect profits.
Even if a company stops supporting an AI model, downloaded versions on users’ devices continue to work and support the ecosystem.
The article compares this situation to past tech battles, like Internet Explorer nearly closing the open web, showing the importance of software built for users, not just makers.
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