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• Russia is investigating Netflix over LGBT content
• Japanese firms will test a bank-backed cryptocurrency in 2022
• EU seeks to block political ads that target people's ethnicity or religion
• Owlet stops selling infant monitoring sock after FDA order
• The best Black Friday tech deals that are already available
• New UK law will hit smart home device makers with big fines for using default passwords
• Razer Black Friday deals include huge discounts for Kishi phone controllers
• Virgin Galactic unveils the first winner of a free trip to space
• 'Roblox' sues long-banned user for allegedly terrorizing the platform
• Pinterest will no longer force former employees to keep quiet about discrimination cases
• Albeton software and packs are 25 percent off for Black Friday
• Arturia's V Collection instruments now have native M1 Mac support
• The 2021 Apple TV 4K is on sale for $160 right now
• Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is just $135 for today only
• Amazon one-day sale knocks up to 30 percent off storage from SanDisk and Lexar
• ‘Final Fantasy’ meets ‘Fortnite’ is more fun than it should be
• HTC Vive VR headsets fall to all-time lows for Black Friday
• Spotify trials a TikTok-like vertical feed for discovering new music
• Echo Dot speaker prices drop to an all-time low for Black Friday
• The new Kindle Paperwhite is $35 off for Black Friday
• 'Dune' is heading back to IMAX on December 3rd
• US regulators aim for greater legal clarity surrounding cryptocurrency
• AT&T, Verizon offer to limit 5G power over aircraft safety concerns
• Pentagon forms new task force to investigate UFO sightings
• Instagram head Adam Mosseri agrees to testify before the Senate

Russia is investigating Netflix over LGBT content Posted: 25 Nov 2021 07:50 PM PST Russian officials are investigating Netflix after the public commissioner for protecting families accused the company of violating a "gay propaganda" law, according to Reuters. The commissioner claimed that some Netflix content with LGBTQIA+ themes was rated suitable for those aged 16 and older. The country's laws do not allow the distribution of "propaganda on non-traditional sexual relations" among under 18s.  The Interior Ministry is said to be looking into the complaint. If Netflix is deemed to have broken the law, it faces a fine of up to a million rubles ($13,390). More significantly, the service could be temporarily suspended. A Netflix source told Vedomosti the company didn't find any LGBT content that was rated 16+ during a review earlier in November. The newspaper also reported this month that officials may ban streaming services from having shows and movies that depict "non-traditional sexual relationships and sexual deviations" in their libraries, including the likes of Fifty Shades of Gray and Billions. The European Court of Human Rights determined in 2017 that the "propaganda" law, which was enacted in 2013, discriminates against LGBTQIA+ people and violates European treaty rules and the right to freedom of expression. Activists and Western states have also criticized the regulation. Meanwhile, Russia is taking aim at foreign tech companies at a broader level. This week, it said the likes of Apple, Facebook parent Meta, Google, TikTok, Telegram and Twitter would need to set up official presences in the country by the end of the year, if they haven't already done so.

Japanese firms will test a bank-backed cryptocurrency in 2022 Posted: 25 Nov 2021 05:35 PM PST Japan is about to take a significant step toward developing a digital currency. Per Reuters, a consortium made up of approximately 70 Japanese firms said this week they plan to launch a yen-based cryptocurrency in 2022. What's notable about the project, tentatively called "DCJPY," is that three of the country's largest banks will back it. At a news conference on Wednesday, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Mizuho Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group said they've been meeting since last year to build a shared settlement infrastructure for digital payments. Some of the other members of the consortium include the East Japan Railway Company and Kansai Electric Power Company. They plan to start testing the currency in the coming months. The experiment is separate from the work the Bank of Japan is doing to create a digital yen. CBDCs are something China and the US are exploring as well. For Japan, there's an additional incentive to the push. It's a country that famously loves cash. Even as recently as 2018, 80 percent of all retail transactions in the country were completed in notes and coins. It's something the government of Japan has tried to change as a way to make the country's economy more consumer-friendly and productive.

EU seeks to block political ads that target people's ethnicity or religion Posted: 25 Nov 2021 03:30 PM PST The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has proposed a ban on some types of targeted political ads that employ sensitive personal data, including ethnic origin, religion, health status or sexual orientation, unless users give explicit consent. If the rules come into force, advertisers would have to provide clear details on the criteria they use for targeting, as well as the "amplification tools or methods" they harness. Every ad would also have to be more transparent in terms of displaying the name of the person or organization that paid for it, as well as disclosing how much was spent, where the money came from and the ad's connection to an election or referendum. The EC is hoping these measures will help protect election integrity, largely by making it more difficult for campaigns to target and mislead marginalized groups. It said people should be able to easily tell when they see a paid political ad, whether online or offline, and take part in political discussions without being impacted by interference, manipulation or misinformation. "Elections must not be a competition of opaque and non-transparent methods. People must know why they are seeing an ad, who paid for it, how much, what micro-targeting criteria were used," the EC's vice-president for values and transparency Vera Jourová said in a statement. If the bill becomes law, EU member states will need to determine fines for breaching the rules. National data protection authorities will be tasked with monitoring how personal data is used in ad targeting and imposing fines when appropriate. The EC is hoping to enact the rules, which build on the General Data Protection Regulation and planned Digital Services Act, by spring 2023, ahead of European Parliament elections the following year. Political ads have been a hot button issue for online platforms for several years. Facebook and Google both temporarily banned them after polls closed in the 2020 US presidential election to stem the flow of misinformation. Earlier this month, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, removed thousands of ad targeting options, including those related to ethnicity, health, religion, sexual orientation and political beliefs. Twitter banned all political ads in 2019. The EC's proposed rules could also prevent some types of surreptitious data collection. Back in 2019, PR farms connected to the Republican party used Google's ad network to vacuum up email addresses of potential voters.

Owlet stops selling infant monitoring sock after FDA order Posted: 25 Nov 2021 01:15 PM PST Following a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Owlet has stopped selling its popular Smart Sock family in the US. On October 5th, the agency contacted Owlet to tell the company it was selling the wearables "without marketing approval, clearance or authorization." In a response spotted by Deseret News, Owlet says it's complying with the FDA's request. It has stopped selling the socks while it seeks clearance from the FDA. The company says it will offer a "new sleep monitoring solution" in the near future. "With over one million babies monitored, we are extremely proud of the innovation and technology Owlet has delivered," the company said. "We will continue to stay focused on our mission and cooperate with the FDA so we can continue to provide sleep monitoring products and solutions to parents and babies." If you own the Smart Sock 3 or one of its predecessors, Owlet notes the FDA didn't identify any safety with the wearables. It also hasn't asked the company to issue a recall. Owlet says it will continue to support those products while it works on a new device.

The best Black Friday tech deals that are already available Posted: 25 Nov 2021 01:15 PM PST While we've had weeks of early Black Friday deals already, Thanksgiving has brought additional sales, some of which we expect to continue through Black Friday proper. This has been a trend for the past few years — if you happen to be online and searching for Black Friday deals a few hours before the day arrives, you can expect at least a handful of solid early sales. And that strategy may pay off this year even more than others as supply chain issues continue to push back shipping estimates. The sooner you grab the items on your gift list, the better the chance they'll arrive on time. To make your search a bit easier, we gathered the best early Black Friday tech deals we could find here. Sony WH-1000XM4 Billy Steele / Engadget Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to $248 right now, which is just about $100 off their regular price. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity. Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - $248Buy WH-1000XM4 at Best Buy - $248 AirPods Pro Billy Steele / Engadget The updated AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case are on sale for $159 at Amazon and Walmart right now. If you're a Sam's Club member, you can grab the Pros for $150 with $70 of Scan & Go Savings beginning on Black Friday. These offer the best sound quality and fit of any of Apple's earbuds, and now they have a magnetic wireless charging case that's compatible with MagSafe accessories. Buy AirPods Pro at Amazon - $159Buy AirPods Pro at Walmart - $159 Apple Watch SE Cherlynn Low / Engadget The Apple Watch SE has been knocked down to $219, or about $60 off its normal price. This is the best Watch for wearable newbies as well as those with tight budgets. We gave it a score of 88 for its responsive performance, comfortable design and solid feature set for the price. Buy Apple Watch SE at Amazon - $219 One-day SanDisk, Lexar, PNY storage sale Lexar Amazon's latest 24-hour sale knocks up to 25 percent off drives from Western Digital as well as up to 30 percent off microSD cards, thumb drives and more from SanDisk, Lexar, PNY and others. Some of the highlights include the the SanDisk Extreme portable drive in 2TB, which is 60 percent off and down to $185, Lexar's 1TB Play microSD card, which is down to a record low of $128 and a 64GB Lexar Professional 2000x SD card, which is on sale for $60. Shop WD drive sale at AmazonShop SanDisk, Lexar storage sale at Amazon Bose QuietComfort 45 Billy Steele/Engadget Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones remain on sale for $279 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life. Buy QuietComfort 45 at Amazon - $279Buy QuietComfort 45 at Best Buy - $279 Sony WF-1000XM4 Billy Steele/Engadget Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life. Buy WF-1000XM4 at Amazon - $248Buy WF-1000XM4 at Best Buy - $248 iRobot Roomba 694 Valentina Palladino / Engadget The Roomba 694 is $95 off for Black Friday, bringing it down to $179. This model came out earlier this year and works well on both hard and carpeted floors, supports WiFi connectivity for Alexa and Google Assistant commands and can be controlled via the iRobot mobile app. Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon - $179 Samsung EVO Select microSD Samsung's EVO Select microSDXC card in 128GB is down to $16, or 20 percent off its normal price. This is the latest model and while you can find microSD cards for less, EVO is a reliable brand and you're getting a full-sized adapter with this one. Buy EVO Select microSD (128GB) at Amazon - $16 Elgato Streamdeck Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Elgato's Streamdeck is on sale right now for $100, or $50 off its normal price. If you or someone who know wants to break into the game-streaming world, the Streamdeck is one of those gadgets that can make it much easier to do so. It's a small desktop controller with 15 LCD keys that you can customize to manage programs like OBS, Twitch and others. It makes multitasking while on stream much easier and it'll make your entire setup feel more professional, too. Buy Streamdeck at Amazon - $100 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 David Imel for Engadget The Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone is on sale for $850 right now, and you can get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 when you buy. This was the most impressive Samsung foldable to come out this year and we gave it a score of 82 for its striking, flexible screen, attractive build and water-resistant design. Buy Galaxy Z Flip 3 at Amazon - $850 OnePlus 9 Pro Chris Velazco/Engadget OnePlus' latest flagship, the 9 Pro, has dropped to $799 for Black Friday, which is a whopping $270 off its normal price. The OnePlus 9 is also on sale for $599, or $130 off its normal price. We gave the Pro a score of 88 for its fantastic display, stellar performance and improved camera setup. Buy OnePlus 9 Pro at Amazon - $799Buy OnePlus 9 at Amazon - $599 Kindle Engadget Amazon's standard Kindle has been discounted to $50, which is its best price yet. We gave this e-reader a score of 91 for its improved contrast display, extra front lights and sleeker design. If you buy two Kindles, you'll get an extra $20 off as well, bringing the price for each down to $40. Buy Kindle at Amazon - $50 Sony WH-CH710N Billy Steele / Engadget Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones are even cheaper right now at $78. We like these cans for their deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life. Buy WH-CH710N at Amazon - $78Buy WH-CH710N at Best Buy - $78 Instant Pot Instant Pot The six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is down to $60 for Black Friday, which is half off its normal price. This model supports pressure cook, warm, sauté, rice cook, sous vide and more modes, and its mid-size capacity makes it good for preparing food for many people. Buy Instant Pot Duo Plus - $60Buy Instant Pot Duo Plus at Best Buy - $60 Google Nest Audio Engadget Google's Nest Audio is down to $60, or $40 off its normal price. This is one of the best smart speakers you can get, especially if you already use the Google Assistant. We gave it a score of 87 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and good performance. Buy Nest Audio at Best Buy - $60 Amazon Echo Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Amazon's Echo smart speaker is on sale for $60 right now. We gave it a score of 89 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack. Buy Echo at Amazon - $60 Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ Cherlynn Low / Engadget Both the Galaxy S7 and S7+ tablets have been discounted for Black Friday, down to $499 and $699, respectively. Either would be good options for Android lovers looking for a new tablet — we were impressed by their beautiful build, vibrant 120Hz displays, long battery lives and S Pen support. Buy Tab S7 at Amazon - $499Buy Tab S7 at Samsung - $499Buy Tab S7+ at Amazon - $699Buy Tab S7+ at Samsung - $699 Beats Studio Buds Billy Steele/Engadget The Beats Studio Buds have been discounted to $100. These are some of the best Beats buds for most people and we gave them a score of 84 for their balanced sound, hands-free Siri controls and quick pairing with both iOS and Android. Buy Studio Buds at Amazon - $100 Jabra Elite 85t Engadget Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $150, which is $80 off its normal price. These earbuds impressed us with their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case. Buy Elite 85t at Amazon - $150 Fitbit Charge 5 Valentina Palladino / Engadget You can pick up the Fitbit Charge 5 for $130, or $50 less than usual. This is Fitbit's most comprehensive fitness band and it earned a score of 82 from us for its full-color touchscreen, built-in GPS, onboard EDA sensors for stress tracking and multi-day battery life. Buy Charge 5 at Amazon - $130 Chromecast with Google TV The Chromecast with Google TV has dropped to $40, which is $10 cheaper than usual. We gave the device a score of 86 for its 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support plus its much needed and very handy new remote. Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Best Buy - $40 Roku Streambar Valentina Palladino / Engadget The Roku Streambar is down to $80 right now, or $50 off its normal price. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology. Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon - $80 NVIDIA Shield TV Engadget NVIDIA's Shield TV has dropped to $129, or roughly $20 cheaper than usual. This is one of the more powerful streaming devices available today thanks to its Tegra X1+ processor, support for Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos, Chromecast 4K and AI-powered 4K upscaling. Buy NVIDIA Shield TV at Amazon - $129Buy NVIDIA Shield at Best Buy - $129 Samsung T7 SSD Samsung The Samsung T7 SSD in 1TB is down to a record low of $110, which is 35 percent off and the best price we've seen. You can also get the 1TB T7 Touch with a built-in fingerprint reader for 21 percent off, or $150. It has reads speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s, plus it has a shock-resistant unibody and support for Dynamic Thermal Guard to control heat levels. Buy Samsung T7 (1TB) at Amazon - $110Buy Samsung T7 Touch (1TB) at Amazon - $150 Crucial MX500 internal SSD The compact Crucial MX500 internal drive in 1TB is down to $85, which is just a couple of dollars shy of its all-time-low price. We like its sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 510 MB/s, along with its standard 2.5-inch design and integrated power loss immunity feature. Buy Crucial MX500 (1TB) at Amazon - $85 55-inch Sony X950H Sony's X950H LED smart TV is on sale for $800, which is 33 percent off. While not an OLED set, this TV has local dimming LED backlighting along with the Android TV operating system, Google Assistant and Alexa support, Game Mode and AirPlay 2 and HomeKit compatibility. Buy 55-inch Sony X950H at Amazon - $800 55-inch Vizio OLED 4K TV Vizio's 55-inch H1 OLED TV is $300 off right now, bringing it down to $1,000. This is a solid price for a mid-sized OLED set that supports Dolby Vision HDR, Vizio's IQ Ultra processor, 120Hz gaming with VRR and built-in AirPlay and Chromecast technology. Buy 55-inch Vizio OLED at Best Buy - $1,000 Philips Hue White and Color smart bulbs (3 pack) Amazon A three-pack of Philips Hue White and Color smart lights is on sale for $100, or about $30 off its normal price. While not a record low, it's a good sale price on smart bulbs that rarely see deep discounts. These can be controlled via the Philips Hue app and almost any voice assistant including Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, and they support thousands of colors as well as 50,000 shares of warm and cool white light. Buy Philips Hue smart lights at Amazon - $100Buy Philips Hue smart lights at Best Buy - $100 Adobe All Apps Plan grinvalds via Getty Images First-time subscribers to Adobe CC can get the All Apps plan for 40 percent off right now, bringing the monthly charge down to $30. If you're a student, it's even cheaper — just $16 per month for first-time customers. These programs are considered standard in most creative fields, so it's worth grabbing this deal if you know you'll be using things like Photoshop or Illustrator in the future. Subscribe to All Apps plan at Adobe - $30/month Headspace Headspace The meditation app Headspace is down to $5 per month for new and returning customers for Black Friday. That's 60 percent off the normal price, and those who want to pay for a year upfront will get 50 percent off and pay only $35 for the year. Headspace has a bunch of guided meditation sessions along with sleep stories, calming ambient music, guided yoga sessions for stress management and more. Subscribe to Headspace starting at $5/month Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

New UK law will hit smart home device makers with big fines for using default passwords Posted: 25 Nov 2021 12:00 PM PST The UK has introduced the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Bill, a suite of new regulations designed to improve security on smart home devices, the government announced. The rules will ban easy-to-guess default passwords, require disclosure of security update release dates and more — under penalty of hefty fines.  The new rules were originally proposed last year, following a long period of consultation, and are largely unchanged. The first one is a ban on easy-to-guess default passwords, including classics like "password" and "admin." All passwords that come with new devices will "need to be unique and not resettable to any universal factory setting," the law states. "Most of us assume if a product is for sale, it's safe and secure. Yet many are not, putting too many of us at risk of fraud and theft," said UK Minister Julia Lopez. "Our Bill will put a firewall around everyday tech from phones and thermostats to dishwashers, baby monitors and doorbells, and see huge fines for those who fall foul of tough new security standards." Next, manufacturers must tell customers at the point of sale and keep them updated about the minimum time requirement for security patches and updates. If the product doesn't come with them, that fact must be disclosed. Finally, manufacturers must provide a public point of contact for security researchers to they can easily disclose flaws and bugs. The government is hoping to curtail attacks on household devices, citing 1.5 billion attempted compromises of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in the first half of 2020 alone. As examples, it cited a 2017 attack in which hackers stole data from a casino by attacking an internet-connected fish tank. It added that "in extreme cases, hostile groups have taken advantage of poor security features to access people's webcams."  The rules will be overseen by a regulator that will be appointed once the bill comes into law. Fines could hit up to £10 million ($13.3 million) or 4 percent of a company's gross revenue — with up to £20,000 a day levied for ongoing infractions. The law applies not only to manufacturers, but also businesses that import tech products into the UK. Products include smartphones, routers, security cameras, games consoles and home speakers, along with internet-enabled appliances and toys.

Razer Black Friday deals include huge discounts for Kishi phone controllers Posted: 25 Nov 2021 11:50 AM PST A ton of Razer accessories are on sale on Amazon for Black Friday, including mice, headsets, keyboards and a gaming chair. There are all-time lows on a bunch of products too. One of the better deals is for the Viper Ultimate wireless mouse. The price has dropped to $90, which is $60 off the regular price. The Viper Wireless is available in both black and white. It's an ambidextrous mouse that has Razer's optical switches, a 20K DPI optical sensor and low-latency HyperSpeed wireless tech. Buy Viper Ultimate (Black) at Amazon - $90Buy Viper Ultimate (White) at Amazon - $90 Another wireless mouse worth checking out in the sale is the DeathAdder v2 Pro. It too has a 20K DPI Optical Sensor and optical switches. You'll get up to 120 hours of battery life over Bluetooth or 70 hours via HyperSpeed, according to Razer. It's available for $70 at the moment, which is the lowest price we've seen to date. The mouse typically costs $130. Buy DeathAdder v2 Pro at Amazon - $70 Also hitting all-time-low prices are the iOS and Android versions of the Kishi controller. It's a gamepad that you can clip your phone into. Along with playing native mobile games, you can use it with the likes of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Google Stadia, Amazon Luna and GeForce Now for cloud gaming, as well as games streamed from your console or PC. The Android version of the controller is $45 ($35 off) and the iPhone model is currently $60 (down $40). Buy Razer Kishi (Android) at Amazon - $45Buy Razer Kishi (iPhone) at Amazon - $60 Elsewhere, the Kraken X Ultralight wired gaming headset is worthy of attention. It has a bendable, noise-canceling mic and is compatible with PC and all consoles. The classic black verison of the headset, which is typically $50, currently costs $30, another all-time low. Buy Razer Kraken X Ultralight at Amazon - $30 Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Virgin Galactic unveils the first winner of a free trip to space Posted: 25 Nov 2021 11:05 AM PST Virgin Galactic has announced the winner of its Omaze giveaway. Announced in July, the sweepstakes saw the company give everyday people a chance to earn two tickets to the edge of space. The winner is Keisha S, a health coach from Antigua and Barbuda. She plans to give the second ticket to her daughter, who, it turns out, is an astrophysics student. "I've always had a lifelong love of flying and a fascination with space, and this is truly a dream come true for me," said Keisha. "It means the world to me. I hope to share this experience with my daughter, so together we can inspire the next generation to follow their dreams." While the sweepstakes was free to enter, you could also donate to Space for Humanity, a charity devoted to making spaceflight more accessible, to earn more entries. Virgin Galactic estimates it raised about $1.7 million in grants for the organization's Citizen Astronaut Program in that way. As we noted when the company first announced the sweepstakes, it was a way for Virgin Galactic to drum up hype for its space tourism efforts. At the same time, it was something of a moment for private spaceflight. The idea of winning tickets to space wasn't something a person could dream of when government-funded agencies were the only organizations flying to space.

'Roblox' sues long-banned user for allegedly terrorizing the platform Posted: 25 Nov 2021 10:00 AM PST Roblox is suing a person it banned years ago for allegedly terrorizing the gaming platform and its community of developers. The Roblox Corporation wants Benjamin Robert Simon to stop his alleged harassment of employees and users on Roblox and elsewhere, and to pay $1.65 million in damages. In the filing, which was first reported by Polygon, the company claims Simon, an alleged "cybermob" leader, "commits and encourages unlawful acts designed to injure Roblox and its users." Roblox banned him years ago, allegedly for using homophobic and racist slurs, harassing others and sexual harassment. Simon is said to use accounts created by others and hacks to maintain access to the platform. The suit contains several examples of purported misconduct on Simon's part. Among them is an allegation that he posted "false and misleading terrorist threats" last month that led to a temporary shutdown of the Roblox Developers Conference in San Francisco. Roblox claims it cost $50,000 to investigate the threat and secure the venue. In addition, Simon is accused of "glamorizing the April 3, 2018 active shooter and murder at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, California and threatening/taunting a copycat act of terrorism at Roblox headquarters in nearby San Mateo, California." Roblox also claims he tried to upload a mostly nude photo of himself and images of Adolf Hitler, and attempted to upload a sex game to the platform. Simon, a popular YouTuber known as Ruben Sim, allegedly profited from videos of stunts that were uploaded to that platform and Patreon. The Roblox Corporation is suing him for, among other things, breach of contract, fraud and allegedly violating both the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act. Roblox has tens of millions of daily users, many of whom are kids. Keeping trolls as far away as possible from the platform is important to help protect the platform's young audience. The lawsuit follows an outage that knocked Roblox offline for three days.

Pinterest will no longer force former employees to keep quiet about discrimination cases Posted: 25 Nov 2021 10:00 AM PST Pinterest will no longer enforce former employees' nondisclosure agreements when it comes to cases of racial and gender-based discrimination, according to NBC News. That's part of the terms the company has agreed to in order to settle the lawsuit filed by its shareholder, the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island, for allegedly enabling a culture of discrimination. In addition, it has committed $50 million towards increasing diversity and inclusion within the company. The shareholder sued Pinterest after allegations made by former employees Ifeoma Ozoma and Aerica Shimizu Banks became public. In a series of tweets, Ozoma detailed how she fought for a year to be paid and treated fairly. She said Pinterest responded inadequately when one of her white male colleagues shared her name and phone number to racist/misogynistic parts of the internet. Her colleague reportedly doxxed her after she suggested adding a warning on content from Ben Shapiro, whom she'd described as a "white supremacist." Meanwhile, Banks said her manager made disparaging comments about her ethnicity (she's Black and Japanese) in front of colleagues. Both Ozoma and Banks said they were paid less than their manager, a white man, despite having similar workloads.  The Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island argued that by allowing those events to take place, executives perpetrated or knowingly ignored "the long-standing and systemic culture of discrimination and retaliation at Pinterest." Thus, they breached their fiduciary duty. Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner said: "We pushed for these sweeping reforms to support Pinterest's employees with a fair and safe workplace, and to strengthen the company's brand and performance by ensuring that the values of inclusiveness are made central to Pinterest's identity."  As NBC News notes, the fact that Pinterest agreed to release employees from their NDAs reflects the work Ozoma has accomplished since she left the company. She co-sponsored the Silenced No More Act that will make it easier for workers to speak out about racism and harassment in the workplace even if they had previously signed NDAs. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law in October, and it will be enforced starting on January 1st.  Ozoma and Banks aren't the only former employees who spoke out against Pinterest. Former COO Françoise Brougher also said that she was fired after she told CEO Ben Silbermann that she was being given gendered feedback and was being paid less than her male counterparts. She sued the company last year and settled for $22.5 million.

Albeton software and packs are 25 percent off for Black Friday Posted: 25 Nov 2021 09:03 AM PST If you want to make music on your computer, you'll need a digital audio workstation or DAW. One of our favorites is Ableton Live and it's currently on sale for Black Friday. Until Monday, November 29th, you can get 25 percent off all of the company's music-making software. That includes all three tiers of Ableton Live 11. The "Intro" tier currently costs $74, down from its usual price of $99, while the "Standard" and "Suite" versions are priced at $337 and $562 at the moment. Abelton has also reduced the cost of Standard and Suite upgrades by 25 percent. You can also get that same discount on packs. We've seen Ableton offer a 30 percent discount on its software a couple of times in the past, but it doesn't do so frequently. Students and teachers can get Ableton Live 11 for 40 percent off. If you don't fall in that category, this may be the best deal you can get on the DAW for the foreseeable future. When it comes to audio production tools, Ableton Live is one of our favorites, particularly after the recent version 11 update. The interface can be intimidating at first, but once you learn to find your way around, you'll discover that it will encourage you to experiment. If you want to try the software before you commit any money, Ableton offers a 90-day trial. That's enough time to get a good sense of what it's all about. Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

Arturia's V Collection instruments now have native M1 Mac support Posted: 25 Nov 2021 07:00 AM PST It's now that much easier to use Arturia's softsynths on your brand new MacBook. Arturia has released a free V Collection 8.2 update that adds native support to the (currently discounted) suite for Macs with M1 processors. That should improve performance, as you might guess, but it could also help with battery life if you need to play unplugged. Other speed updates are in store. The update boosts the performance of 4K interfaces through a new framework, and presets from the V Collection factory libraries now load up to twice as quickly. You'll also find ODDSound MTS-ESP microtuning compatibility for the Clavinet V, DX7 V, Piano V and Stage-73 V. This might be an important update if you use softsynths for music-making. Arturia has a reputation for virtual instruments that are both meticulous and relatively accessible. This both makes V Collection more viable on M1 Macs and gives you more incentive to rely on digital synths instead of hunting down their costlier real-world counterparts.

The 2021 Apple TV 4K is on sale for $160 right now Posted: 25 Nov 2021 06:45 AM PST Streaming devices are pretty affordable nowadays, but there are some benefits to opting for a more expensive model like the Apple TV 4K. We consider it to be the best high-end streaming box, and right now it's on sale for $160, which is one of the better prices we've seen. Amazon has the device for $169, but an automatically applied coupon will knock the price down to $160 at checkout. Buy Apple TV 4K at Amazon - $160 Apple modestly upgraded its set-top box this year with the biggest improvement being the new Siri remote. The previous remote that came with the Apple TV 4K was clunky to use, but this new model is a huge improvement. It's larger and has a touch-sensitive directional pad that makes it much easier to swipe and scroll between content on your screen. It's reminiscent of the iPod scrollwheel of yesteryear, and that's a good thing. If you're familiar with the previous generation Apple TV 4K, you may not notice too much of a difference when it comes to performance. The new model has an A12 Bionic chip that helps the gadget run smoothly, and we appreciate its support for Dolby Vision at 60 fps, Dolby Atmos sound and AirPlay 3. This model even supports HomeKit, so you can ask Siri to show you things like video camera feeds and they'll pop up right on your TV screen. We also found Siri to be quite useful for executing entertainment commands like "show me Christmas movies" or "play the latest episode of Ted Lasso." The biggest drawback to the Apple TV 4K is price — it's normally $180, so it's worthwhile to wait for the (rare) sales in which it drops even slightly lower than that. But it's by no means the only streaming box out there — we also like the Roku Ultra and, even though it's not technically a box, the latest Chromecast with Google TV is another solid option that also has an updated, handy remote. Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is just $135 for today only Posted: 25 Nov 2021 06:30 AM PST If you're an Xbox or PC gamer, there's a pretty high probability that you've taken a peek at Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 controller. The customizable peripheral comes in its own case, offers interchangeable thumbsticks and paddles, and delivers up to 40 hours of gaming thanks to its integrated battery pack.  The only problem is that the controller can often retail for $180 and rarely gets a significant price cut. With Black Friday gaming sales starting to ramp up, Woot is hoping to tempt those looking to upgrade their controller experience by offering the Elite Series 2 for just $135, one of the lowest prices we've seen. Buy Xbox Elite Series 2 controller at Woot - $135 The Elite Series 2 comes complete with a USB-C port, Bluetooth connectivity and can charge inside its carrying case. It also supports programmable profiles, allowing you to select between three stored configurations using the Profiles button on its front.  If you're looking for a solid controller upgrade during the holidays, you may have just found it. However, you'll need to move quickly as the Elite Series 2 will only remain at $135 for 24 hours or until it sells out, whichever comes first.  Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Amazon one-day sale knocks up to 30 percent off storage from SanDisk and Lexar Posted: 25 Nov 2021 06:15 AM PST Those looking for new portable drives, SD cards and other storage gadgets have a bunch of discounted items to choose from today. Amazon has a one-day sale that knocks up to 25 percent off drives from Western Digital and up to 30 percent off microSD cards, thumb drives and more from SanDisk, Lexar and other brands. While we'll likely see discounts tomorrow during Black Friday proper as well, most of the devices in these sales have lower prices for today only. Shop WD drive sale at AmazonShop SanDisk, Lexar storage sale at Amazon Some highlights in the drive sale are the SanDisk Extreme portable drive in 2TB, which is 60 percent off and down to $185, plus the Crucial X6 in 2TB and the SanDisk Ultra NAND SSD in 4TB, which are down to $143 and $300 respectively. The SanDisk Extreme portable drive is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and it's pretty durable thanks to its IP55-rated design with two-meter drop protection. It also has optional password protection, 256‐bit AES hardware encryption and up to 1,050 MB/s read and up to 1,000 MB/s write speed. Crucial's X6 is also quite compact, with read speeds up to 540 MB/s and a shock and vibration-proof design. Buy SanDisk Extreme (2TB) at Amazon - $185Buy Crucial X6 (2TB) at Amazon - $143Buy SanDisk Ultra SSD (4TB) at Amazon - $300 Either of those would make good portable drives for most people, while the SanDisk Ultra NAND SSD is better for anyone looking to upgrade their computer's internal storage. It supports sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 530 MB/s, and when half off like it is today, it's a great choice for PC gamers looking to add a speedy SSD to their setup. Highlights in the other memory sale include a number of Nintendo Switch-compatible microSD cards and some Lexar Professional SD cards. You can grab an officially licensed 256GB SanDisk microSD card for the Switch for $37, or 31 percent off, but if you're looking for the most storage possible, we recommend Lexar's 1TB Play microSD card, which is down to a record low of $128. And photographers and videographers may want to pick up one of Lexar's Professional 2000x SD cards to add to their gear while the 64GB model is on sale for $60 and the 128GB card is down to $100. Buy SanDisk microSD card (256GB) at Amazon - $37Buy Lexar Play microSD card (1TB) at Amazon - $128Buy Lexar Professional SD card (64GB) at Amazon - $60Buy Lexar Professional SD card (128GB) at Amazon - $100 Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

‘Final Fantasy’ meets ‘Fortnite’ is more fun than it should be Posted: 25 Nov 2021 06:00 AM PST Fortnite and Final Fantasy. A doomed pairing of the most lucrative recent gaming phenomenon with one of the most storied video-game franchises spanning over 30 years? I love Final Fantasy, mostly. I'm lukewarm on Fortnite and the battle royale format in general. With Metroid Dread, Shin Megami Tensei, Alan Wake Remastered and Deathloop on my to-do list, why am I still glued to a free-to-play mobile game? Probably because it's expanding the already very-expanded Final Fantasy VII universe. The game that got the sequel CGI movie, the remake, multiple mobile games and more. And yet, barring a smart intro movie that cribs from the opening scenes of FF7R, you won't see the protagonists (or antagonists) of the iconic RPG — though you'll be able to cosplay as them. In First Soldier, you play as, well, recruits looking to become the first Soldier — a specific top-class army member. Cloud, from FFVII, is introduced in the original as "Soldier, First Class" and this game takes everything back 30 years to the early formation of Shinra Corp's military finest. The setting, then, is a battle royale to see how augmented soldiers fare against each other (and whatever beasts come their way in the process). The battleground is a surprisingly expansive map on the outskirts of Midgar — while also featuring many of the major landmarks of Midgar's sectors. Aerith's church and childhood home is there to be shot at, as is the arena, Sector 7's markets, the abandoned trainyard and more. The battle theme of FF7 kicks in as helicopters swarm into the area, dropping off recruits. It still gets me excited every time. The grounds are littered with guns, from handguns to sniper rifles, as well as materia (magic orbs that offer both offensive and support capabilities) and even pretty rare summoning spells. I've yet to summon anything so far. There are also potions to pick up and help extend your chances of survival. These are the baseline weapons and items. Differentiating itself from Fortnite — if not all BR games; we see you Apex and Warzone — you can also choose a job role, a la most RPGs. This mostly affects your special ability, your melee weapon and how you attack with it. Warrior is a straight-shooting class with a sword and a rush special that closes distance so you can wallop your rivals before they can get a shot in. Monks have the ability to heal themselves when they mete out damage, while Ninjas get an extra jump and the ability to hide in stealth mode for a few seconds. Sorcerers come with a special ability that supercharges MP recovery for more regular offensive (and healing spells), while the ranger reloads guns faster than the others — and has a very convenient Assess skill that will mark threats around you even when they're out of sight. Each feels slightly different to play with, but there's a pleasant balance to the different roles, though both soldier and monk suffer from having to rely on their melee attack for their advantages. Let me say this outright; you should play First Soldier with a gamepad. Fortunately, I'm testing out Backbone, a third-party connected controller for iPhone that means I was already in a good place to aim my guns and spells. Magic casting controls are a bit messy — you'll need to hold down an L-trigger while pressing another collar button to unleash one of three spells you may have picked up. Those melee attacks, which all job classes have, are really hard to land on your enemies, regardless of whether you're using a gamepad or touch controls. Hopefully, the devs are able to finesse melee attacks as the game progresses.  This means that, in a rather un-Final Fantasy way, you'll come to depend on your guns for most of your kills. But hey, getting that sniper headshot kill is a thrill. Killing other players or monsters, opening chests and surviving through the rounds will level up your character through the match itself. This adds to your attack damage and increases your HP, meaning you should also last longer. It also rewards proactive play and exploration, and not just trying to survive to the final area. As you might expect from a free-to-play battle royale game, there are season passes available for purchase. These offer up skins, banners, emotes and more cosmetic goodies for wannabe Soldiers. Even without a pass, you can earn a few rewards by fulfilling "rank" criteria during the battles. Gain stars, level up your rank — which is unrelated to leveling up your individual job ranks — and you'll gain access to a smattering of wardrobe options or chocobo-raising items. I'm currently wearing a moogle hat, please say hi. Square Enix Yes, there's also a chocobo rearing mini-game buried inside First Soldier, and you're able to summon your favorite steed to the battles as a very handy transport option. It isn't the only way to speed around levels, however. There are also cars and bikes to get you within the battle arena. The shrinking arena damages anyone outside its perimeter, but you're able to persist with potions and healing spells and hopefully make it to safety. The only drawback growing, as I play, is the fact that my leveling up has no tangible effect on my performance in the game — which is true of most battle royale games. The appeal is that each new battle isn't affected by the round before it, but then chasing these goals (play two rounds as a warrior; make 300 pts of damage with a shotgun; visit Corneo's mansion) soon tires. What exactly is the point? For now, the point is that First Soldier skirmishes are entertaining, and the difficulty curve isn't too brutal. I've won a few rounds, out of 75 players, and come second a handful of times. One colleague told me that early iterations of battle royale games are often filled with bots to juice the numbers (and offer up some encouraging early wins) but I will not let him take this tiny victory away from me. Hopefully Square Enix has plans to offer more levels, weapons and events to spice it up. There are some limited-edition bosses throughout the Midgar level. I've managed to best two of them, but I've also been felled by Tonberry — a notoriously powerful monster from the Final Fantasy series— a few too many times. Maybe I should try fighting him as a ninja... Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is out now on Apple App Store and Google Play.

HTC Vive VR headsets fall to all-time lows for Black Friday Posted: 25 Nov 2021 04:05 AM PST HTC's Vive Cosmos is one of the best VR headsets out there, but if we're being real, it's always been a bit too expensive. Now, you can buy that model from Amazon during Black Friday sales for $399 instead of $549, the biggest discount we've seen yet. Amazon also has deals on other HTC headsets and bundles, so it's a good time to jump in if you've been waiting for a sale. Buy HTC Vive Virtual Reality headsets at Amazon The Vive Cosmos must be tethered to a PC, but there's no need to install sensors thanks to the inside-out tracking system that works well, according to our Engadget review. It's strongest feature is the bright and sharp screens with very high 2,880 x 1,700 pixel resolution across both eyes, along with decent 90 Hz refresh rates. The biggest downside is the price, as it's far more expensive than Oculus headsets — but the sale brings it on par with rivals. Note that the controllers aren't included. On top of the standalone headset, you can get a good deal on the HTC Cosmos Elite bundle designed for gamers. Rather than using the inside-out-tracking, the Elite's headset comes preinstalled with an External Tracking Faceplate that can be paired with base stations for higher precision. It includes two base stations and a pair of Vive controllers, along with the Vive Cosmos headset — and now costs $649 instead of $899 for a savings of $250 (28 percent).  HTC's Vive Pro headset and bundles are also on sale at Amazon at the best prices we've seen. The HTC Vive Pro offers features like 1,440 x 1,600 pixel resolution per eye on the OLED screens, great ergonomics and built-in headphones. They're not for everyone because of the price, as we noted in our review, but you can now pick up the HTC Vive Pro system, including the headset, base stations and controllers 2.0 for $899 instead of $1,199.  HTC's Vive Pro Eye improves on that with the addition of eye-tracking that uses Tobii's technology. It can follow users' eyeballs in real time, letting developers gather data on where they're looking and when, allowing for new and more immersive experiences. It also allows for foveated rendering, increasing resolution based on where a user is looking. You can now pick up the HTC Vive Pro Eye headset only for $599 instead of $799, and grab the HTC Vive Pro Eye VR system for $1,099, down from the regular $1,399 price.  Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Spotify trials a TikTok-like vertical feed for discovering new music Posted: 25 Nov 2021 02:30 AM PST Spotify is testing a new feature called Discover that lets users scroll through a feed of vertical videos and skip or like them, much as you do on TikTok, TechCrunch has reported. The feature was spotted in the latest version of Spotify's beta iOS TestFlight build by Chris Messina, who tweeted that it appeared as a fourth icon in Spotify's iOS toolbar.  Discover looks to be a way for users to find new music in an intuitive, rapid way, by swiping up and down to move through the feed. You can tap on a heart to like the song, or hit the three-dot menu to bring up Spotify's standard information card about the song.  Not only that, @Spotify Discover is basically a pared down version of a TikTok-style feed of vertical music videos (likely using their canvas format) that you can like or skip.#NewSpotifypic.twitter.com/hpOEZ8v9bl — Messina.eth (@chrismessina) November 24, 2021 The format may use Spotify's Canvas format, Messina notes. That allows artists to create videos to go along with songs, rather than just static images, and appears on certain songs instead of the standard album art when you play a video. They can be in the form of standard video and mixed media, along with 2D and 3D graphics. In pitching the feature, Spotify tells artists that Canvas boosts key engagement metrics like sharing, adding to playlists and visiting profile pages.  Spotify confirmed to TechCrunch that it's testing the feature, but declined to share further details like how it would curate feeds. "At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience," a spokesperson said. "Some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning. We don't have any further news to share at this time." Spotify is far from the first platform to flatter TikTok through imitation. Instagram's Reels and YouTube Shorts are virtual clones of TikTok, and even Netflix recently introduced a TikTok-like comedy feed called Fast Laughs. It's not clear yet if Spotify's discovery feature will make it out of beta, but it looks like a useful way to find new music.

Echo Dot speaker prices drop to an all-time low for Black Friday Posted: 25 Nov 2021 12:40 AM PST If you're in the market for a budget-friendly smart speaker or two (or three) this Black Friday, it might be worth casting a glance in Amazon's direction. Several Echo devices went on sale last week, and now you can save on more. Among them is the Echo Dot with Clock. It's $35 at the moment, which is $25 lower than the regular price and an all-time low.  Buy Echo Dot with Clock at Amazon - $35 The Echo Dot is a smaller version of the Echo speaker. Amazon changed the design last year from a flat hockey-puck look to a spherical one. The Echo Dot with Clock is pretty much the same device save for the addition of an LED clock display. The standard Echo Dot has dropped to $30 as part of Amazon's Black Friday sales, but falls a dollar short of the lowest price we've seen. We gave the Echo Dot a score of 88 in our review, finding that it offered decent sound quality for the price. The 3.5mm audio out jack is a plus, as is the option to tap the speaker to snooze the alarm. There are physical volume controls, a mic mute button and a button that activates Alexa without having to say the wake word. The voice assistant is the main way people will interact with the device, of course. Elsewhere, Amazon has discounted a bundle of the Echo Show 8 and a Blink Mini camera. They typically cost $165 when buying them together, but the bundle is available right now for $95. Buy Echo Show 8 and Blink Mini bundle at Amazon - $95 Amazon upgraded the Echo Show 8 over the summer with a faster processor and better camera than the previous model. When you're on a video call, the device can follow you around a room using digital panning and zooming. In our review, we highlighted the quality of the display and audio. Nicole Lee/Engadget You can use the smart display to watch a live feed from the Blink Mini. The indoor camera captures video at a resolution of 1080p, and it offers motion detection and two-way audio. Users can control the Blink Mini with another supported Alexa-enabled device or the Blink app too. Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The new Kindle Paperwhite is $35 off for Black Friday Posted: 25 Nov 2021 12:15 AM PST Amazon isn't quite done with its Black Friday e-reader deals. After it put several other Kindles on sale, the company has dropped the price of the latest Kindle Paperwhite from $140 to $105. Buy Kindle Paperwhite at Amazon - $105 The fifth-gen Paperwhite, the first refresh in three years, was announced in September. It has a larger screen than the previous model at 6.8 inches (the last-gen Paperwhite had a six-inch display). Amazon claims the 300 ppi screen looks like real paper and the glare-free screen enables "easy reading" in any condition, including direct sunlight. Having a screen that's said to be 10 percent brighter than the last model's will certainly help. In addition, there's a white-on-black dark mode and revamped interface, while Amazon says page turns are 20 percent faster. The fifth-gen Paperwhite is water resistant and there's support for USB-C fast charging. Meanwhile, the Kindle Oasis is on sale too. The 8GB model, which typically costs $250, is currently available for $175. The e-reader was previously on sale for that price during this year's Prime Day. Buy Kindle Oasis at Amazon - $175 The Oasis also has a 300 ppi display, though the screen is slightly larger than the Paperwhite at seven inches. It has physical page turn buttons, an IPX8 waterproof rating and a color-adjustable front light. Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter. All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

'Dune' is heading back to IMAX on December 3rd Posted: 24 Nov 2021 11:53 PM PST Dune has exited HBO Max a month after it came out on the streaming service, but you may soon have the chance to watch it on a much bigger screen. The Denis Villeneuve adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel is returning to IMAX theaters on December 3rd for a limited time only. As Deadline notes, most IMAX locations will show the film with a 1.90:1 aspect ratio, which adds up to 26 percent more picture. Select locations will show it in 1.43 aspect ratio, though, which adds up to 40 percent more picture for the film.  Villeneuve and his crew filmed Dune with IMAX cameras, capturing sceneries and backgrounds with the format's massive screens in mind. Like we said in our review of the movie, this adaptation of Dune demands to be seen on something bigger that a TV if you want to truly be able appreciate Villeneuve's visual world-building.  In case you'd really rather not go to theaters, you'll get more chances to stream the movie in the future. Dune hit HBO Max on October 21st, the same day it came out in theaters. It was only available for streaming on the service for a month, as per Warner Bros. current release strategy, but it will be out on other digital platforms on December 3rd and will be back on HBO Max sometime next year.

US regulators aim for greater legal clarity surrounding cryptocurrency Posted: 24 Nov 2021 02:48 PM PST American regulators might soon offer much more insight into the legality of cryptocurrency deals. Bloombergreports the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) have shared a roadmap of their crypto priorities for 2022, and they're primarily focused on "greater clarity" around the legal status of transactions. This might include everything from stablecoin releases through to loan collateral and the presence of crypto on company balance sheets. The three agencies also hope to study how they can apply bank capital and liquidity standards to US bank organizations. The roadmap isn't locked in place — the organizations said they might tackle other issues as the marketplace changes. The outline follows a wave of crypto policy "sprints" that helped decide the regulatory priorities for the year ahead. The Reserve, FDIC and OCC aimed for common ground that included pinpointing risks and determining the usefulness of existing rules. This roadmap might not lead to a concrete strategy. There's also no guarantee this will work in crypto holders' favor. US regulatory bodies have historically erred on the side of caution, and it won't be shocking if cryptocurrency users have to scale back or even stop certain activities to stay on the right side of the law.

AT&T, Verizon offer to limit 5G power over aircraft safety concerns Posted: 24 Nov 2021 01:11 PM PST In a rare move to avoid a potential conflict with the Federal Aviation Administration, AT&T and Verizon say they will limit the power output of their 5G cell towers for a period of six months while the agency investigates the effects of C-band spectrum on aircraft safety systems. According to The Wall Street Journal, the carriers made the offer on Wednesday in a letter they sent to the Federal Communications Commission. "While we remain confident that 5G poses no risk to air safety, we are also sensitive to the Federal Aviation Administration's desire for additional analysis of this issue," AT&T and Verizon wrote. Should the FAA accept the proposal, the limit will extend to July 6th. AT&T and Verizon told the FCC they don't expect the limits to impact their services. At the start of November, both companies agreed to delay their C-band rollouts by one month to January 2022. Officials with the FAA worry widespread use of C-band spectrum may interfere with the altimeter equipment on some aircraft. Pilots often rely on those tools when they need to land, especially when visibility conditions aren't favorable. Both AT&T and Verizon have a strong financial incentive to avoid any further delays to their C-band rollout. The two carriers spent a combined $68.8 billion to secure the necessary licenses for their mid-band buildouts and an additional $15 billion on the necessary infrastructure to take advantage of that spectrum.

Pentagon forms new task force to investigate UFO sightings Posted: 24 Nov 2021 11:31 AM PST The Pentagon has established a new group to investigate UFO sightings. The Airborne Object Identification and Management Synchronization Group (AOIMSG) will succeed the US Navy's Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force. According to the Defense Department, "AOIMSG will synchronize efforts across the Department and the broader US government to detect, identify and attribute objects of interest in Special Use Airspace (SUA), and to assess and mitigate any associated threats to safety of flight and national security." The formation of the task force follows the release of a report in June in which the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) examined 144 sightings of "unidentified aerial phenomenon." Only in one instance were officials able to determine what caused a sighting. For every other incident detailed in that report, ODNI said there was too little data for it to conclude what happened. If the US government were to have any chance at better understanding UFOs, ODNI said it would need to deploy more resources and a standardized approach across various agencies. It would appear the Defense Department has taken that recommendation to heart.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri agrees to testify before the Senate Posted: 24 Nov 2021 10:46 AM PST Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, is set to testify before a Senate panel in December. He'll appear at a series of hearings on online protections for kids that a consumer protection subcommittee is holding during the week of December 6th. "He's the top guy at Instagram, and the whole nation is asking about why Instagram and other tech platforms have created so much danger and damage by driving toxic content to children with these immensely powerful algorithms," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who is chair of the subcommittee, told The New York Times. Mosseri will testify in the wake of revelations by whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager. Haugen told a panel last month that research conducted by Facebook determined "engagement-based ranking on Instagram can lead children from very innocuous topics like healthy recipes… to anorexia-promoting content over a very short period of time." The previous month, Antigone Davis, the global head of safety for Instagram parent company Meta, downplayed recent reports based on internal Facebook documents, which indicated that Instagram can negatively affect the mental health of teenagers and young girls. After Davis testified, Blumenthal wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asking either him or Mosseri to testify. Blumenthal suggested in his letter to Zuckerberg that the company "provided false or inaccurate testimony to me regarding attempts to internally conceal its research." This will mark the first time Mosseri has testified before Congress. Blumenthal plans to ask Mosseri to commit to making Instagram's ranking and recommendation algorithms transparent, partly so experts can look into if and how the platform promotes potentially harmful content. The senator noted that Snap, TikTok and YouTube leaders made similar commitments after they testified at a prior hearing. Blumenthal also said he will ask Mosseri about Instagram's recommendation systems and how they may lead children "into dangerous rabbit holes."  A group of state attorneys general are also investigating how Instagram impacts teenagers. Meta Global Affairs VP Nick Clegg recently announced that Instagram will encourage teens to "take a break" from the app and try to divert them away from harmful content.

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