Technology

They seemed like caring, trustworthy men: military officers and government officials chatting on an app dedicated to studying the words of Chinese President and Communist Party leader Xi Jinping.But they had other intentions.In recent months, local media and public security bureaus across China have reported a surge of mostly men targeting women in romance scams using Study Xi, … [Read more...] about How China’s most-downloaded app went from pushing nationalism to scamming women

On the streets of tech-savvy South Korea, the latest and most cutting-edge gadgets flash in people’s hands the instant they become available.Less visible are miniature spy cams that in recent years have led to a reckoning over internet-based sex crimes that have devastated women’s lives, spurred scandals and ignited massive offline protests. The cameras lurk in clocks, clothes … [Read more...] about Digital sex crimes can be ‘murder’ to South Korean women’s identity, report finds

Like many people of a certain age, I’ve always had a soft spot for Sears. For much of my life, it was the go-to store for household appliances, clothing, tools and auto parts.And then there’s the rich history of the Sears catalog, introduced in 1893. Long before the internet and the ubiquity of catalog merchants, the Sears catalog was for many Americans the sole way you could … [Read more...] about Column: The sad demise of Sears

For the second year in a row, the pandemic thwarted plans for the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the video game trade show colloquially known as E3, to stage its annual event at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year’s four-day, online-only gala was low on video game razzmatazz. At least it was until Nintendo brought the charm with its “WarioWare” party game and a preview … [Read more...] about Nintendo’s latest reveal and the hype, storylines and mysteries of E3 2021

Over the last year, a gathering parade of writers — including some of the biggest names in journalism — have abandoned traditional publications for the greener, less centralized pastures of independent newsletters. The exodus has often been driven by frustrations with the various interlopers who stand between content creators and their audiences. Newspaper editors? Social media … [Read more...] about Newsletters were supposed to be the Wild West. Enter Sheriff Google.

Larry Hicks was diagnosed with significant hearing loss about six months ago. He blames it, with a bit of embarrassment, on blasting music at crazy-high levels in the car.The Burbank resident is now shopping for hearing aids and is stunned by the cost, which can run as much as $6,000 for a pair. Medicare and most private plans don’t cover hearing aids.“It feels like price … [Read more...] about Column: High cost of hearing aids shows (yet again) the insanity of medical pricing

Facing a backup of tens of thousands of migrants stranded at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Biden administration is betting on a technological fix: a mobile app.In recent weeks, U.S. border officials have taken an unprecedented step, quietly deploying a new app, CBP One, which relies on controversial facial recognition, geolocation and cloud technology to collect, process and … [Read more...] about Exclusive: Biden has quietly deployed an app for asylum seekers. Privacy experts are worried

Facebook has set a potential time limit on its previously indefinite ban of Donald Trump: two years.Responding to a mandate from a semi-independent oversight committee that reviews its content moderation and policy enforcement decisions, the company said the former U.S. president will be eligible to resume posting to his Facebook and Instagram accounts on Jan. 7, 2023, two … [Read more...] about Facebook says Trump ban may expire in 2023 ‘if conditions permit’

A Los Angeles company called Basepaws feels very strongly about good dental hygiene for cats — and it wants cat owners to feel the same.The company is rolling out a $70 “at-home, preventative dental test” that it says “analyzes more than 600 microbes in a cat’s mouth, looking for disease signatures before they become visible to the naked eye.”This first-of-its-kind genetic test … [Read more...] about Column: This L.A. company has a DNA test for your cat’s teeth. Does it work?

The Supreme Court limited the scope of the federal law against computer hacking on Thursday, ruling it covers those who break into confidential files, but not people who misuse the information they are authorized to see.In a 6-3 opinion written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court said it would not turn “millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens” into criminals if they sit … [Read more...] about Unusual Supreme Court majority narrows scope of computer anti-hacking law