Technology

What Can Be Done To Fight Back Against Ransomware Attacks

4:31pm August 21, 2019

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Josephine Wolff, a professor at Tufts University, about software that is available to help ransomware victims recover their files and why it is rarely used in the U.S.

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Linguist Gretchen McCulloch likens emojis to digital gestures in her book, Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language.

Books
Arts

Ironic, Informal And Expressive, 'New Rules Of Language' Evolve Online

12:43pm August 21, 2019

by Geoff Nunberg

A lively new book by Gretchen McCulloch dissects the common vernacular that forms the cornerstone of online communication. Because Internet parses emojis, lols and punctuation — or lack thereof.

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World News

Twitter And Facebook Shut Down Fake Propaganda Accounts Run By Chinese Government

4:23pm August 20, 2019

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Adam Segal, at the Council on Foreign Relations, about Facebook and Twitter shutting down hundreds of fake accounts run by the Chinese government.

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A sea of fog advances on the Golden Gate Bridge during a late winter twilight in 2016. On Saturday, the operators of FogCam said the long-running webcam at San Francisco State University will sunset "forever" at the end of August.

The End Is Nigh For FogCam, Billed As The Internet's Oldest Running Webcam

4:23pm August 20, 2019

by Colin Dwyer

The webcam at San Francisco State University has been in operation since 1994. Now, its creators say they plan to sunset the Internet landmark by the end of the month.

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Texas state Capitol building in Austin. This week, state officials confirmed that 22 municipalities have been infiltrated and ransom demanded.

National

22 Texas Towns Hit With Ransomware Attack In 'New Front' Of Cyberassault

4:01pm August 20, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

Investigators haven't identified who or what is behind the attack that took systems offline, but the Texas Department of Information Resources says the evidence points to "one single threat actor."

World News

Hong Kong Protests: China Accused Of Using Fake Social Media Accounts

12:23pm August 20, 2019

by Emily Feng

Facebook and Twitter have suspended accounts associated with the Chinese government, accusing officials of using those accounts to spread disinformation to disrupt the Hong Kong protests.

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Protesters gather in Hong Kong's Victoria Park on Sunday.

World News

How China Uses Twitter And Facebook To Share Disinformation About Hong Kong

11:18am August 20, 2019

by Emily Feng

Russia gets most of the attention when it comes to malicious use of social media by state actors. The protests in Hong Kong have made clear China is using the same playbook.

World News

Employees Demand Google Publicly Commit To Not Work With ICE

7:07am August 20, 2019

by Aarti Shahani

The petition by more than a thousand Google employees is forcing the tech giant's hand at a time when it is risky for Silicon Valley to criticize the Trump administration.

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New Research Casts Doubt On Connection Between Smartphone Use And Teen Mental Health

5:15pm August 19, 2019

by Anya Kamenetz

New research casts doubt on the connection between smartphone use and teens' mental health. Some argue it is a case of correlation, not causation, and that the threat is overblown.

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U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced on Monday that a penalty against Huawei Technologies will be delayed for another 90 days.

U.S. Gives Huawei Another 90-Day Reprieve Amid Concerns Of Rural Service Disruptions

1:50pm August 19, 2019

by Bobby Allyn

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the decision was made in part to minimize disruption in parts of America that rely heavily on Huawei's equipment to serve remote areas.