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Facebook and Twitter approve lies in political advertising
Facebook is running misleading US election adverts by the Trump campaign, in which debunked claims are made alleging political rival Joe Biden's involvement in Ukrainian government corruption (Ars Technica). The goes directly against Facebook's previously stated policies stating that politicians' right to unmoderated speech would not apply to demonstrably false claims or paid advertising.
Seemingly updating its standards on the fly, Facebook told Biden's campaign: “when a politician speaks or makes an ad, we do not send it to third party fact checkers.” Twitter has followed suit, telling The Verge that “the ad you cited is not currently in violation of our policies.”
Dyson just cancelled its top-secret electric car project
Dyson’s electric car is no more (WIRED). The vehicle – a large premium saloon car – was due to be released in 2021 and would have been the first foray into the automotive sector for the UK company, which is best known for its vacuum cleaners and fans. In a statement on the automotive section of its website, company founder James Dyson said the team had developed a “fantastic car,” but one that could not be made commercially viable
Tim Cook backs Apple decision to remove Hong Kong protest map
Apple CEO Tim Cook has taken to the company's intranet to defend the decision to ban a mapping app used by pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong to highlight potentially dangerous police hotspots after it was briefly reinstated on the App Store (Gizmodo). Cook described the app as technology used for ill, citing “credible information” from Hong Kong police, who said it was used to “maliciously to target individual officers.”
Google hasn't removed the Android version of the app from the Play store, but it has taken down a pro-protest choice-based adventure game, citing its rules against capitalising on sensitive events.
Microsoft and GitHub workers demand action on ICE contracts
Staff at Microsoft and its recently-acquired version control hosting subsidiary GitHub are protesting Microsoft's renewal of an enterprise server contract with notorious US government immigration agency ICE, highlighted by Amnsety International for its human rights abuses (The Register).
In open letters, the workers write: “We demand that Microsoft upholds its own guidelines in our commitment for human rights. As leaders in the tech industry, we are paving the way for others to follow.”
Heather has medicinal properties for wild pollinators
Heather, the once-ubiquitous purple spray that festooned Britain's moorlands, contains a natural pesticide that's effective against a harmful bee parasite, new research has found (BBC News). In work carried out by scientists at Kew and Royal Holloway, University of London, the plant chemical callunene, found the heather, was found to have a significant role in maintaining the health of wild pollinators, as were chemicals found in lime tree and strawberry tree nectar.
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This article was originally published by WIRED UK
