Mojeek's Monthly Must Reads

Facebook and Google accused of using 'dark patterns' to manipulate users

Author: Matt Binder (@MattBinder) – Mashable UK

Summary: The Norwegian Consumer Council released a report detailing how tech giants are misleading European users into sharing more personal data through "dark patterns" of user interface designs and carefully crafted privacy settings wording.

Benefits of Thinking Small

Author: Elad Gil (@eladgil) – Elad Blog

Summary: This classic article from 2010 has found its way back to the news feed claiming that thinking small may be one of the most powerful things you can do as an entrepreneur.

Walmart's Newly Patented Technology For Eavesdropping On Workers Presents Privacy Concerns

Author: Caroline O'Donovan (@ceodonovan) - Buzzfeed

Summary: Walmart recently won an audio surveillance patent which would use sound sensors to capture data on interactions between employees and customers in order to measure worker performance.

Neutrino that struck Antarctica traced to galaxy 3.7bn light years away

Author: Ian Sample (@iansample) - The Guardian

Summary: Astronomers solved a 100 year old puzzle. They learned a particle which triggered sensors beneath the south pole can be tracked back to a distant galaxy harbouring a black hole. With the detected 'neutrino' particle, scientists can not only observe space with traditional telescopes, but now with neutrino detectors.

The Holographic Display Of The Future Is Here

Author: Brad Feld @bfeld) - FeldThoughts

Summary: This article features 'The Looking Glass', a holographic display for 3D creators. The product aims to move away from VR and AR with a new form of technology.

From the sound of your voice to where you get coffee, Google knows a lot about you. This is what you can do about it...

Author: Amelia Heathman (@ameliax1) - Evening Standard

Summary: An insight into how much Google knows about you and how they obtain/manipulate your data, using Gmail, Google Maps and much more.

Passwords for Tens of Thousands of Dahua Devices Cached in IoT Search Engine

Author: Catalin Cimpanu (@campuscodi) - Bleeping Computer

Summary: Login passwords for 10,000s of Dahua DVRs with old vulnerable firmware were cached inside search results by the 'IoT' search engine ZoomEye.

Liquid water 'lake' revealed on Mars

Author: Mary Halton (@maryhalton) – BBC

Summary: 20 km under Mars' south polar ice cap, researchers believe they have found a lake comprised of liquid water.

A British tech startup made an official Harry Potter wand to teach kids how to code

Author: Isobel Asher Hamilton (@Hamilbug) - Business Insider UK

Summary: Kano has partnered with Warner Brothers to release a build-it-yourself Harry Potter wand and app, in which will kids perform spells to solve coding puzzles.

Wikipedia bans agenda-driven editor from British politics, but punishes the messenger too

Author: Five Filters (@fivefilters)

Summary: Wikipedia's arbitration committee (ArbCom) voted to ban editor Philip Cross from the topic of 'post-1978 British politics' after years of agenda-driven edits, as well as Kal Holmann who alerted the community to Phillip's conduct.

Britain joins the microlaunch space race with a new rocket and spaceport

Author: Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) - Ars Technica

Summary: The UK based company Orbex have entered the race to develop a low-cost, high volume rocket for small satellites and are planning to launch the 'Prime' rocket from a new spaceport in Scotland.

How to fix what has gone wrong with the internet

Author: Ludwig Siegele (@EconoScribe) - The Economist

Summary: With tech giants controlling the industry, in this special-report Ludwig Siegele investigates the original intentions of the internet, how it has inadvertently become centralised and why this is worrying.

Dell reveals latest green technology push

Author: Michael Moore (@notTHEmikemoore) - IT Pro Portal

Summary: Dell releases 2020s Legacy of Good update showing their dedication to environmentally-friendly technology, from 73 million pounds of recycled materials in new Dell products to reducing its energy intensity across its product portfolio by 60% since 2012.

British tech start-ups flourish as investors pile in

Author: The Week Business Team

Summary: News of more than 10,000 new tech firms opened for business in the UK last year – an increase of 60% on 2016.

Google Plans to Launch Censored Search Engine in China, Leaked Documents Reveal

Author: Ryan Gallagher (@rj_gallagher) – The Intercept

Summary: With a dramatic shift in policy, Google has plans to launch a censored version of the search engine in China. Websites connected to search terms about human rights, democracy, religion and more will be blacklisted.

Why #techmatters – the challenge for everyone in the UK tech community

Author: Jacqueline de Rojas (@JdR_Tech) – Computer Weekly

Summary: President of TechUK, Jacqueline de Rojas, writes about the challenges of the UK tech industry and why we must all support it to shape a positive future.

The rise of 'pseudo-AI': how tech firms quietly use humans to do bots' work

Author: Olivia Solon (@oliviasolon) – The Guardian

Summary: With the rise of companies getting robots to do human jobs, these companies are doing the opposite, with debate over their methods of efficiency, deceptive practices and the ethical implications they have.

If you put chalk under a powerful microscope

Summary: This Hacker News thread was kicked off by a tweet by Ferris Jabr (@ferrisjabr) about what chalk looks like under a powerful microscope, showing not just a rock but ancient skeletons of plankton. Members then discussed and dissected this mind blowing image whilst also posting similar interesting comparisons of their own.

EU copyright law proposal rejected

Summary: Last month's Mojeek Monthly Must Reads featured an article about a controversial European copyright bill that was approved. However, after many protests, the European Parliament the law has been rejected and sent back for further discussion. This Hacker News thread presents people's reactions as to what this means and what is next.

Openbook | The awesome, honest & privacy-friendly social network

Summary: This fun video introduces the Kickstarter campaign to Openbook, an alternative social network which is open source, ads free, privacy conscious and customisable.

Have the Tech Giants Grown Too Powerful?

Summary: Interesting debates on Hacker News took place in response to John Herrman's New York Times article 'Have the Tech Giants Grown Too Powerful'.

Ask HN: Where can one learn about the history of the internet and the protocols?

Summary: An interested Hacker News member wanted to learn more about the history of the internet and its protocols. This resulted the community sharing an abundance of useful resources all about subject matter.