Germany
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Germany wants to regulate a 24-hour livestream as a broadcaster
You might want to think twice about running a non-stop livestream just because you can -- at least in Germany, regulators will want to have a word with you. They've told the 24-hour let's play channel PietSmietTV that it has to apply for a broadcasting license by April 30th if it wants to keep running. While it's operating through Twitch and YouTube instead of TV or radio, it technically meets all the legal definitions of a broadcaster: it's a "linear information and communication service" aimed at the public, with an editorial focus and not meant for personal purposes. Channel founder Peter Smits is respecting the decision, so there isn't going to be a fight.
German researchers built a molecule-splitting artificial sun
Scientists from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) are testing a novel way to generate hydrogen, a potential green energy source, by using a massive array of lights normally found in movie theaters.
Germany: Facebook and Twitter are still failing on hate speech
Facebook and Twitter are being criticized by Germany (again) for their failure to deal with hate speech. Back in December 2015, the social media sites, along with Google, agreed to delete content that violated the country's strict domestic laws within 24 hours of a complaint. But, a recent study by Germany's Ministry of Justice found some of them aren't keeping their promises.
Facebook says it can't police all posts for racism
Facebook has a lot of control over what you see in your social feed, but it can't control everything... at least, according to its lawyer. While defending against a German lawsuit over misuse of photos in fake news, the company's attorney said it wasn't possible for Facebook to watch for racist language in every post. There are "billions" of posts every day, Facebook claims, and it would require a "wonder machine" to catch every possible instance of abuse.
Syrian refugee sues Facebook over fake news photos
See the heartwarming moment above? That's Syrian refugee Anas Modamani taking a selfie with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as he starts a new life in the country. However, it also caused Modamani no end of grief -- fake news stories on terrorism have routinely used the photo he took, falsely connecting him to horrible attacks. And he doesn't think enough is being done to stop it. Modamani is suing Facebook to have it delete all fake news stories using his image. He did have success getting Facebook to take down some stories beforehand, but he says it hasn't been enough -- Facebook would frequently say that a photo met its standards.
Facebook tests fake news filtering outside of the US
Facebook's tools for fighting fake news are about to get their first test run outside of the US... and they might just prove vital. The company has confirmed to the Financial Times that it'll trial its new filtering tools in Germany in the "coming weeks," addressing the country's concerns that bogus stories could influence its upcoming federal election. As in the States, users can report stories as fake, which sends them to a third-party fact-checker. If a story is deemed false, Facebook will flag it, decline to prioritize it and warn users who want to share it.
Crytek is closing studios and paying employees late again
Crytek, the developer behind the technically impressive CryEngine toolset, and most recently Robinson: The Journey, is laying off employees and closing studios. Workers' paychecks have reportedly been extremely slow to arrive as well. No, you aren't imagining things -- the company faced similar circumstances a few years ago. But the bloodletting appears much worse this time out: All of the company's studios will be shuttered but two.
Fake news could cost Facebook dearly in Germany
Fake news and hate speech are sadly unavoidable on social media, but that might change soon... in Germany, anyway. Late last week, Thomas Oppermann — chairman of the German Social Democratic Party — proposed a stringent law meant to hold companies like Facebook responsible when fake news makes the rounds. As reported by Der Spiegel (and translated by Deusche Well), Oppermann's plan would require Facebook to actively combat fake news all day, everyday. Here's the fascinating bit: if a fake news item pops up and Facebook can't address it within 24 hours, it would be subject to a €500,000 (or $522,575) for each post left untouched.
Mercedes-Benz's Croove is like Airbnb but for cars
Ever since we've used automobiles to get around, the idea has been to buy or part-own a car until it's served its purpose and then look for a new one. These days, less and less people are choosing to own their own transportation, largely due to the improvement in public transport and rise in ride-hailing services like Uber, but automakers are also finding new ways to capitalize on this shift. German car giant Mercedes-Benz believes car-sharing continues to be the way to go, so it's launched Croove, a new service that lets any vehicle owner rent out their car when they're not using it.
German Intel chief: Russia is trying to 'destabilize' the country
America's recent elections weren't the only event that Russia has been accused of meddling in. On Thursday, President Dr Hans-Georg Maaßen of the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), Germany's internal intelligence service, issued a brutally frank press release laying out the BfV's accusations against Russia.
German draft law would limit your data privacy rights
Germany has generally been protective of privacy as of late, but it might take a step backward. The country's union for data protection has revealed that an interior ministry draft law would seriously curtail data privacy rights. You wouldn't have the right to know what data people are collecting about you if that disclosure "disadvantages the well-being" of Germany, or will "seriously endanger" business activities. It would also greenlight facial recognition software for video surveillance, and prevent data protection commissioners from either sanctioning security agencies for breaches or conducting follow-up checks when legal or medical information leaks.
YouTube deal ends years-long fight over music videos in Germany
German music fans haven't had it easy in the past 7 years. A royalty dispute with music rights group GEMA has forced YouTube to block thousands of music videos in the country, leaving locals no choice but to either find alternative video sources or (gasp) settle for audio alone. At last, though, they can relax: GEMA and YouTube have reached a deal that makes sure GEMA members get paid for video streams. The exact terms of the deal aren't public, but it'll cover both the usual ad-supported free viewing as well as the eventual European launch of YouTube Red subscriptions.
Yahoo's latest transparency report reads like tonedeaf fluff
Following all the trouble it has had lately, Yahoo has released its annual transparency report. Globally, the firm had 20,511 data requests, with almost half of them coming from the United States government (9,408). This doesn't tell the entire story, though. The company also issued a "users first" outline that reads like little more than PR fluff. "Our users place their trust in us, and we take seriously their privacy and our role in promoting freedom of expression," the report reads. "Our commitment to and concern for your privacy, security and freedom of expression are demonstrated in our users first approach to government activities." Sure, Yahoo.
German officials: Tesla shouldn't say 'Autopilot' in its ads
Just days ago, Germany's Federal Motor Authority sent letters to Tesla owners warning them that their cars' "Autopilot" feature is strictly there for driver assistance, not driver replacement. As it turns out, those letters were just the opening salvo. According to a report from Reuters, the German government is asking Tesla to stop using the term "autopilot" in its advertising entirely out of concerns that people misinterpret its purpose.
Germany calls for a ban on combustion engine cars by 2030
Germany isn't content with relying on financial incentives to usher in an era of pollution-free cars. The country's Bundesrat (federal council) has passed a resolution calling for a ban on new internal combustion engine cars by 2030. From then on, you'd have to buy a zero-emissions vehicle, whether it's electric or running on a hydrogen fuel cell. This isn't legally binding, but the Bundesrat is asking the European Commission to implement the ban across the European Union... and when German regulations tend to shape EU policy, there's a chance that might happen.
Germany orders Facebook to stop collecting WhatsApp data
Germany has ordered Facebook to stop collecting WhatsApp data from users and delete all the information it has already collected. The Hamburg regulator said the social network hadn't properly notified the nation's 35 million WhatsApp users that it recently started gathering their data. "Facebook has to ask for their permission in advance. This has not happened," said Commissioner Johannes Caspar.
Opera's VPN-equipped browser is now available to everyone
You no longer have to grab test software to try Opera's VPN-toting web browser. The company has released the finished version of Opera 40 for desktops, which revolves around a free virtual private network (provided by SurfEasy) that offers both a more secure connection as well as access to foreign content that would otherwise be blocked. Hi, Hulu and Pandora! It can automatically choose whichever VPN server will provide the fastest connection, but you can specify one of five countries (Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore and the US) if you're more concerned about visiting region-specific sites.
ESPN will air a drone race series starting October 23rd
ESPN's first experiment with drone racing coverage must have been successful, as it's committing to robotic sports in a big way. The TV network has unveiled a multi-year broadcasting deal with the Drone Racing League that will have both ESPN and ESPN2 airing races in the Americas, starting with the 2016 season. The series broadcast kicks off on October 23rd at 9PM, and will spread five races over the course of 10 episodes. It all comes to a head with two DRL World Championship episodes on November 20th.
World's largest game expo tightens security following violence
Germany has been hit by a string of mass violence as of late, and the effect of those tragedies is about to spill over to the gaming community. The organizers behind Gamescom, the world's largest gaming trade show, have introduced tighter security measures that will definitely be noticeable if you make it out to Cologne for the event. They're banning not only weapon replicas, but "weapon-like items" -- like it or not, your Deadpool or Harley Quinn cosplay will have to go without armaments. Even exhibitors will have to label any vaguely threatening props to avoid raising alarm bells.
ICYMI: Microscopic seascapes and riding your luggage home
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A motorized, rideable piece of luggage is hitting Indiegogo on Thursday that can convert from regular bag to lazy human scooter in a jiff. To cut out people altogether, you might be interested in the video of a robot made to flip sausages in Germany. Meanwhile ocean researchers captured the first microscopic videos of coral reefs out in the wild rather than in the lab, showing coral behavior that has not previously been captured on camera. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
