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Navy bans TikTok from government-issued phones
Don't expect to post often on TikTok if you're serving in the US Navy. The military branch has banned use of the social video app on any government-issued mobile devices. ByteDance's software is allegedly a "cybersecurity threat," according to a bulletin. The Navy's Lieutenant Colonel Uriah Orland didn't offer specific reasons for the ban, but the notice asked troops to take action to "safeguard their personal information."
Jeff Bezos: US is in 'big trouble' if Big Tech rejects military contracts
Don't expect Amazon to follow companies like Google in changing its mind on military contracts. Jeff Bezos told guests at the Reagan National Defense Forum that the US is in "big trouble" if large tech companies are "turning their back" on the Defense Department. He further argued that Americans were "the good guys," and that it was imperative that the US maintained advantages over rivals in areas like spaceflight, where China appeared to be catching up.
Google Nest lets you read to your kids even when you're apart
The bedtime story is a cherished ritual between parents and their children, and one that hurts the most to miss when mom or dad are away. But now, Google Nest is launching a new Assistant action that will help keep story time on the agenda, no matter how far away you are from your kids.
Facebook will help military veterans become AR and VR engineers
Facebook has launched a new resource hub to help veterans and serving members of the military improve their digital literacy and find new employment opportunities. As part of the venture -- undertaken in partnership with mentoring organization SCORE -- Facebook will be launching a 12-month career development program focused on AR and VR engineering, aimed at veterans with backgrounds in electrical and mechanical engineering, and computer science.
Amazon discounts Prime subscriptions by $40 for veterans
With Veterans Day coming up, Amazon has launched a new promotion aimed at armed forces members. Starting today and until November 11th, if you've served in the military, or are a current active duty or reserve member, you can get $40 off the first year of an Amazon Prime subscription. If you're already a subscriber, fret not: you can use the promotion as a way to extend your membership at a discount.
US veterans can now use an iPhone to access their health records
Apple is widening American veterans' access to health records from their iPhones. In the wake of a test this summer, any veteran receiving care through the Veterans Health Administration can use Apple's Health app on iOS to pull up their medical data. You can check lab results, medications and other data in one place without having to get printed copies or otherwise walk through an elaborate process. This includes care across multiple providers, whether it's Johns Hopkins or UC San Diego.
Pentagon's draft AI ethics guidelines fight bias and rogue machines
Tech companies might have trouble establishing groundwork for the ethical use of AI, but the Defense Department appears to be moving forward. The Defense Innovation Board just published draft guidelines for AI ethics at the Defense Department that aim to keep the emerging technology in check. Some of them are more practical (such as demanding reliability) or have roots in years-old policies (demanding human responsibility at every stage), but others are relatively novel for both the public and private spheres.
Air Force's X-37B space plane lands after record 780 days in orbit
There was no doubt that the US Air Force's X-37B was going to break its own record for time spent in orbit, but it's now clear by how much. The mysterious Boeing-made space plane has landed at Kennedy Space Center after 780 days in orbit, comfortably surpassing the earlier record of 717 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes. That's more than three times the 240 days originally expected from the reusable vehicle, which just finished its fifth mission.
Recommended Reading: The ICE surveillance playbook
How ICE picks its targets in the surveillance age McKenzie Funk, The New York Times Through the lens of officers operating in the Pacific Northwest, The New York Times explains how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) collects information on possible targets. That includes monitoring social media accounts and tapping into "the world's largest privately run database of license-plate scans."
Palmer Luckey's company is making drone-ramming drones
Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey and his company Anduril Industries have drawn flak for their pursuit of controversial government and military contracts, and that uproar isn't about to subside any time soon. Anduril has unveiled the Interceptor, a "counter-drone" built solely to take down other robotic fliers by ramming them at high speed. It requires human operators' permission for takedowns, but can be cued through AI and automatically acquire targets using computer vision. The company is hoping this will protect military units and key infrastructure against hostile drones, whether they're improvised bombers or purpose-built recon vehicles.
Recommended Reading: The redesigned WWE Network
WWE Network 2.0: How WWE rebuilt its streaming service after a split with Disney Chris Welch, The Verge After a flashy reveal at CES a few years ago, the WWE Network is by all accounts a success, amassing well over a million subscribers by early 2019. Disney threw a wrench in the plans when it bought BAMTech, the company that had successfully constructed streaming services for the likes of Major League Baseball and HBO Now. It was also what WWE relied on for its 24/7 buffet of choke slams and live events. WWE saw the writing on the wall, and rebuilt its streaming library from the ground up.
The Trump Administration just revived the Cold War-era Space Command
Today, President Trump and Vice President Pence announced the return of the US Space Command -- a Cold War-era division of the Air Force that's been on a 17-year hiatus. The revival of the US Space Command is meant to "ensure the protection of America's interests in space," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said at a news conference Wednesday. But it could be confused with Space Force -- the sixth branch of the military that Trump hopes to create -- or the existing Air Force Space Command, which focuses on Air Force operations in space.
DARPA is seeking giant abandoned tunnels for... reasons
DARPA just found a surefire way to creep out people around the world: make an urgent call for the kind of space you'd normally associate with supervillains. The military research agency has put out a request for giant, company- or university-managed underground tunnels that could host "research and experimentation." The requirements are oddly specific, too, with the ideal area covering "several city blocks" while including a complex design, multiple levels and variety like atriums and stairwells.
UN claims North Korea hacks stole $2 billion to fund its nuclear program
United Nations experts say they are formally investigating at least 35 instances of cyberattacks by North Korea in 17 countries, believed to be carried out in a bid to fund its nuclear program. According to a report seen by Associated Press, North Korea has acquired as much as $2 billion from increasingly sophisticated cyber activities against financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges.
US Navy will scrap touchscreen controls on its destroyers
The US military normally embraces technology whenever possible. This time, however, it's taking a conspicuous step back. The Navy will ditch touchscreens on destroyers within the next 18 to 24 months, reverting instead to conventional helm controls and physical throttles. The decision came in response to feedback from the fleet after an investigation into the USS John S. McCain's collision in 2017, which killed 10 Navy sailors. The report found that the warship's complex touchscreen interface and poor training played a role in the crash with a Liberian-flagged vessel.
Russian rocket test explosion leads to radiation leak
Russia's military technology push has unfortunately produced deadly consequences. The country's Rosatom has confirmed that five people have died and three have been injured after an explosion on August 8th while testing an isotopic power source for a rocket's liquid propulsion system. The same blast also increased radiation levels by as much as twenty times in nearby Severodvinsk for about half an hour.
US took down Iranian drone using new jammer technology
When the USS Boxer took down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz, it apparently represented a baptism by fire for new technology. The Wall Street Journal understands that the action was the US Navy's first use of MADIS (Marine Air Defense Integrated System), an anti-drone system adapted for the sea. The technology uses jammers to block a drone's communications and force it to crash. Some versions of MADIS can also fire at the drones, although it's not clear that was the case here.
Virgin Orbit will launch small satellites for the UK military
Virgin Orbit, the small satellite launch arm of Virgin Galactic, will provide launch capabilities for the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF). Virgin has been angling for government contracts recently and has managed to land a project called Artemis "to demonstrate the utility of small satellites and responsive launch to provide information to the RAF."
US Army to test robotic combat vehicles in 2020
The US military is about to try using robotic vehicles in a more aggressive fashion -- the Army will start testing robotic combat vehicles in 2020. Soldiers in two modified Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Mission Enabler Technologies-Demonstrators, or MET-Ds) will remote control four crewless M113-derived prototypes to gauge how well the system works in real life. While it's not a combat situation, the Army hopes for feedback that will reveal problems or different use patterns.
France is creating a space command to defend its satellites
The US isn't the only country that wants to create a dedicated space force within its military. French President Emmanuel Macron has greenlit plans to create a space command within his country's air force next September. The division would bolster defense of France's satellites, he said. Officials had yet to determine the scale of the investment.
