The Digital Vanguard - 3.18.2024

TikTok Ban, Gemini limits, Roku Hack....

Author

Joe Harris
March 18, 2024

Your eyes and ears on the techscape

US looks at a TikTok ban

The US Government if looks at a TikTok ban, this would make it illegal to put the app in app stores. The reason is pretty clear, the information that is collected from the app is given to the Chinese Government. This may not seem like a big deal, but they have been accused of spying on Journalists and obviously we should fear that they can use misinformation as a weapon. It’s possible that extortion could be used with information gathered on employees of any critical infrastructure companies. This article dives deeper.

TikTok bans explained: Everything you need to know

TikTok has been under the gun for several years now. Learn what's driving the latest talk about TikTok bans.

www.techtarget.com/whatis/feature/TikTok-bans-explained-Everything-you-need-to-know

The consequences of running so fast…

AI is the new hotness and with companies worried that they have to innovate or die, it’s possible that they will make mistakes. Google’s AI product Gemini is limited because they are afraid it will get it wrong…. So they have limited it. I think that this is the right approach.

Google’s Gemini AI now refuses to answer election questions

Gemini is opting out of election-related responses entirely for 2024.

arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/03/no-politics-google-disables-election-related-questions-for-gemini

Did you know that Roku was hacked?

The information was sold for super cheap, like $.50 per… For those of you who don’t normally buy leaked data on the dark web, that’s cheap. 🙂 

Roku data breach: Over 15,000 accounts hacked, information sold for pennies

In the latest data breach, hackers accessed over 15,000 Roku accounts, making fraudulent purchases and selling stolen information for cheap.

www.androidauthority.com/roku-data-breach-3424823/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_content=Androidauth%2Fmagazine%2FAndroid+Authority

A hub for your desk

My workstation in my private office has a keyboard, mouse and monitor. I plug my laptop in in the morning when I get there and take it with me when I leave. I love this set up. It’s secure since there is no data left in my office to steal. It’s clean because there is nothing on my desk since I worked it out so that the laptop tucks away, and it saves me from buying multiple computers.

I used Plugable’s cheapest Thunderbolt 4 dock and it transformed my workspace — here’s how

With great power comes great value for money

www.tomsguide.com/computing/peripherals/plugable-tbt4-ud5-thunderbolt-4-docking-station-review

Here is a new thing that will keep you up at night as a parent…

Florida middle-schoolers charged with making deepfake nudes of classmates

AI tool was used to create nudes of 12- to 13-year-old classmates.

arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/03/florida-middle-schoolers-charged-with-making-deepfake-nudes-of-classmates

I am available for conversations about your IT if you need anything please reach out below.