Tech Digest daily round up: Twitch reportedly victim of huge data leak
Game-streaming platform Twitch has reportedly been the victim of a leak divulging confidential company information and steamers’ earnings. More than 100GB of data was posted online on Wednesday. The documents appear to show Twitch’s top streamers each made millions of dollars from the Amazon-owned company in the past two years. Fortnite streamer BBG Calc told BBC News: “The earnings list got my figure 100% correct.” Two other streamers also told BBC News the leaked figures were “about right” and reflected the payments they had received. Those behind the alleged leak also claimed to have the source code for the video platform itself. BBC
Google Maps has included cycling directions for years now, but not a dedicated navigation mode for those who like to travel from place to place on two wheels. That’s changing in the coming months with the introduction of a feature called lite navigation. Taking the turn-by-turn functionality that Maps is known for, the tool allows you to see important details about your current trip without the need to keep your phone’s screen turned on. You also don’t need to enter the full turn-by-turn interface to use the feature. At a glance, it will also allow you to see your current ETA and any changes in elevation. Engadget
Facebook’s chief executive has denied claims that the company prioritises profit over the safety of its users. Mark Zuckerberg was responding to Frances Haugen’s claims that, left alone, Facebook would “continue to make choices that go against the common good – our common good”. Ms Haugen – a former product manager at the tech giant – gave evidence to US politicians in the Senate on Tuesday, days after leaking internal company documents to The Wall Street Journal. Mr Zuckerberg wrote in a blog on Tuesday night that the testimony “just doesn’t reflect the company we know”, adding: “We care deeply about issues like safety, well-being and mental health.” Sky News
The American novelist Dave Eggers is striking a blow against the hegemony of Amazon. The hardback edition of his latest novel, The Every, is not being made available for sale through the online retail giant, and can only be ordered from independent bookshops. “Striking a blow” may be putting it a bit strongly: I’m not sure that this minor act of defiance will even register with Amazon’s founder and executive chairman, Jeff Bezos (not least because he is currently preoccupied with the important matter of getting William Shatner safely into space and back again). Telegraph
The list of “firsts” in orbit under the Soviet space programme is legendary: first satellite, first dog, first man, first woman. Now another looms after Russia sent an actor and a director to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of plans to make the first film in orbit – and once again put one over on the Americans. The arrival of the actor Yulia Peresild, 37, and the director Klim Shipenko, 38, at the ISS seems likely to beat a Hollywood project announced last year by Tom Cruise, Nasa and Elon Musk’s SpaceX. “Welcome to the ISS!” said Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, on Twitter, before going on to tweet images of Peresild and others entering the station for a 12-day mission to film scenes for a feature called The Challenge. Guardian
