23andMe genetic testing company hacked, Tesla whistleblower highlights self-driving concerns
The genetic testing company 23andMe has said that nearly 7 million people have been affected by a security breach that put DNA ancestry information into the hands of hackers who broke into the site in early October. On Friday, the California-based company said in a regulatory filing that the personal data of 0.1% of customers – or about 14,000 individuals – had been accessed by “threat actors”. But the filing warned that hackers were also able to access “a significant number of files containing profile information about other users’ ancestry”. The Guardian
A former Tesla employee has told the BBC he believes the technology powering the firm’s self-driving vehicles is not safe enough to be used on public roads. Lukasz Krupski leaked data, including customer complaints about Tesla’s braking and self-driving software, to German newspaper Handelsblatt in May. He said attempts to highlight his concerns internally had been ignored. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment. Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, has championed its self-driving technology. BBC
We’ve likely just seen the final flagship phone of the year, as the OnePlus 12 has now been unveiled. Right now though it’s only available in China, so you’ll probably have to wait until January to pick it up elsewhere. It should be worth the wait though, because there’s a lot to shout about here – albeit largely stuff that OnePlus had already revealed prior to the big launch event. For one thing, the OnePlus 12 has a 5,400mAh battery, which makes it a good 400+ mAh bigger than most other smartphones (other than the best gaming phones).
Adult websites could require visitors to take a face-scanning selfie to prove they are over 18 under plans to prevent children accessing pornography. Ofcom, which will administer new online safety laws designed to protect children online, said websites could use “facial age estimation” systems to confirm they are adults. The technology is seen by some as a more privacy-friendly alternative to uploading personal IDs or credit cards because it does not require personal information to be entered. Telegraph
Shares of Virgin Galactic, the space tourism venture founded by Richard Branson, are plunging after the British billionaire said he has no plans to invest more money in the company as he says it has “sufficient funds” already. As of the 9 a.m. ET market open on Monday, Virgin Galactic stock was down 16%, trading at less than $2 per share. Virgin Galactic has had a landmark year, flying its first customers to the edge of space after years of waiting. But the company has also been in a state of flux, having just laid off about 20% of its staff and working to introduce a new line of suborbital spacecraft that will supplant the vehicle it’s spent more than a decade developing. CNN
Meta owns three important social networking and communication apps: Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. A couple of years ago, the company started integrating all three platforms so that users have a more seamless experience while communicating with family and friends. However, it is now reversing the course, starting with the disconnection of Facebook Messenger and Instagram chats. Meta will start the disconnection process of Facebook Messenger and Instagram chats in mid-December 2023, as spotted by 9To5Google. SamMobile
