Apple and Google team up to combat Bluetooth tracker stalking

It's Wednesday, May 03, 2023.

Apple and Google have announced a partnership to tackle unwanted tracking through the likes of AirTags and Tile devices. The companies have proposed industry standards "to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices for unwanted tracking."

Apple and Google submitted the draft specification to the Internet Engineering Task Force, a notable standards development organization. Over the next three months, interested parties will review the documentation and weigh in on it. Beyond Apple and Google, the proposal has received backing from Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, Anker's Eufy brand, Pebblebee, and several safety and advocacy groups.

– Mat Smith

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No Pornhub for Utah

The company behind Pornhub is challenging age verification laws.

Utah's age verification law, which targets publishers distributing material deemed to be "harmful to minors on the internet," has gone into effect. As a response, MindGeek, parent company to multiple adult sites, has blocked everyone in the state from accessing its websites, including Pornhub. As Motherboard reports, if somebody with a Utah IP address accesses Pornhub, they'll now get a video of adult performer Cherie DeVille. In it, DeVille explains the company believes requiring users to submit their government IDs isn't the most effective solution to protecting its users and could even put their privacy at risk.

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Watch the first ‘Gran Turismo’ movie trailer

‘Days of Thunder’ meets ‘War Games’ meets a tired-looking Orlando Bloom.

Sony

If you like cars and Gran Turismo, this might be the movie for you. This is not your standard video game adaptation – it’s pretty much grounded in reality and a world obsessed with the racing sim. Even weirder? This is all based on a true story. Even weirder again? It features Geri Halliwell Horner, AKA Ginger Spice. Now you’re going to watch it out of morbid curiosity, aren’t you?

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Hollywood writers are officially on strike

Streaming services have led to a "gig economy" for writers, the union said.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called for a strike starting today, largely over streaming productions, saying studios are effectively creating a "gig economy" within the union. On the other side of the table, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) said the WGA was "unwilling" to compromise on key issues, like mandatory staffing. We’ll feel the effects of the breakdown in negotiations immediately, with talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live! already shutting down. The strike will also freeze film and TV production, affecting hubs like Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta.

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Ford's upgraded Mustang Mach-E offers more range at a lower price

More importantly, there's actually a chance you can buy one.

The crossover SUV's starting price has dropped $3,000 to $42,995 (before a $3,750 federal tax credit) for an RWD Standard Range trim, with a matching price cut for its $45,995 all-wheel drive (AWD) counterpart. Ford says it’s also scaling up Mustang Mach-E production for the second half of the year to help better meet demand.

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