The Washington Post reports that members of the White House's National Security Council have used personal Gmail accounts to conduct government business. National security advisor Michael Waltz and a senior aide of his both used their own accounts to discuss sensitive information with colleagues, according to the Post's review and interviews with government officials who spoke to the newspaper anonymously.
Email is not the best approach for sharing information meant to be kept private. That covers sensitive data for individuals such as social security numbers or passwords, much less confidential or classified government documents. It simply has too many potential paths for a bad actor to access information they shouldn't. Government departments typically use business-grade email services, rather than relying on consumer email services. The federal government also has its own internal communications systems with additional layers of security, making it all the more baffling that current officials are being so cavalier with how they handle important information.
Unless you are using GPG, email is not end-to-end encrypted, and the contents of a message can be intercepted and read at many points, including on Googles email servers," Eva Galperin, director of cybersecurity at the Electronic Frontier Foundation told the Post.
Additionally, there are regulations requiring that certain official government communications be preserved and archived. Using a personal account could allow some messages to slip through the cracks, accidentally or intentionally.
This latest instance of dubious software use from the executive branch follows the discovery that several high-ranking national security leaders used Signal to discuss planned military actions in Yemen, then added a journalist from The Atlantic to the group chat. And while Signal is a more secure option than a public email client, even the encrypted messaging platform can be exploited, as the Pentagon warned its own team last week.
As with last week's Signal debacle, there have been no repercussions thus far for any federal employees taking risky data privacy actions. NSC spokesman Brian Hughes told the Post he hasn't seen evidence of Waltz using a personal account for government correspondence.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/national-security-council-adds-gmail-to-its-list-of-bad-decisions-222648613.html?src=rss
An Arkansas law requiring social media companies to verify the ages of their users has been struck down by a federal judge who ruled that it was unconstitutional. The decision is a significant victory for the social media companies and digital rights groups that have opposed the law and others like it.
Arkansas became the second state (after Utah) to pass an age verification law for social media in 2023. The Social Media Safety Act required companies to verify the games of users under 18 and get permission from their parents. The law was challenged by NetChoice, a lobbying group representing the tech industry whose membership includes Meta, Snap, X, Reddit and YouTube. NetChoice has also challenged laws restricting social media access in Utah, Texas and California.
In a ruling, Judge Timothy Brooks said that the law, known as Act 689, was overly broad. Act 689 is a content-based restriction on speech, and it is not targeted to address the harms the State has identified, Brooks wrote in his decision. Arkansas takes a hatchet to adults and minors protected speech alike though the Constitution demands it use a scalpel. Brooks also highlighted the unconstitutionally vague applicability of the law, which seemingly created obligations for some online services, but may have exempted services which had the "predominant or exclusive function [of]... direct messaging" like Snapchat.
The court confirms what we have been arguing from the start: laws restricting access to protected speech violate the First Amendment, NetChoices Chris Marchese said in a statement. This ruling protects Americans from having to hand over their IDs or biometric data just to access constitutionally protected speech online.
Its not clear if state officials in Arkansas will appeal the ruling. I respect the courts decision, and we are evaluating our options, Arkansas Attorney general Tim Griffin said in a statement.
Even with NetChoices latest victory, it seems that age verification laws are unlikely to go away anytime soon. Utah recently passed an age verification requirement for app stores. And a Texas law requiring porn sites to conduct age verification is currently before the Supreme Court.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/arkansas-social-media-age-verification-law-blocked-by-federal-judge-194614568.html?src=rss
You could call Shinichiro Watanabe's Lazarus a retread of his masterpiece, Cowboy Bebop. Thats not to say the show is bad based on the five episodes Ive seen so far, Lazarus is still an entertaining and stylish ride. But Ive just come to expect more from a legendary creator like Watanabe.
Its set in the year 2052, a near-future when a renowned neuroscientist released Hapna, a drug that can erase all pain. If that sounds too good to be true, it is: Hapnas creator Dr. Skinner reveals to the world that everyone who took the drug will eventually die. And then he disappears. Like an evil Willy Wonka, he announces one hope for survival: Find him in 30 days, or humanity is doomed.
To help find Skinner, the government sets up a covert group named Lazarus made up of convicted criminals. And thats where the similarities come in. Theres the lead, Axel Gilberto, a parkour junkie who resembles Bebops reckless and carefree Spike Spiegel. Rounding out the team is Christine, a gorgeous femme fatale; Eleina, a bright young hacker; and Doug, a gruff investigator who has little patience for Axels shit. Those are all clear analogs to the Bebop crew of Faye, Ed and Jet. The one new element of the team is Leland, a cute college student who takes on various roles during the show (perhaps hes just an anthropomorphized version of Bebops adorable pup Ein).
Theres a bit of Suicide Squad in the idea of using criminals to find humanitys greatest villain, but Lazarus doesnt really justify why thats the case (that may be answered later in the shows 13-episode run). And youd think there would be more government efforts beyond a group of misfits to accomplish a humanity-saving mission. The Lazarus crew get a few chances to bond throughout each episode, but their interpersonal dynamics feel less organic than the Bebop characters, whose relationships were enriched by the pressure-cooker environment of an interplanetery spaceship, ever-present economic struggle and compelling backstories. By episode five of Lazarus, I didn't have any real understanding of these characters, whereas Bebop delivered the seminal episode Ballad of the Fallen Angels by then.
Like Watanabe's Samurai Champloo, Lazarus is best enjoyed if you dont look too closely at its plot holes or contrivances (Axels inhuman parkour abilities make Spike Spiegels antics seem tame in comparison). Its better to sit back and enjoy the incredibly stylish vibes. That includes wonderfully fluid animation by Mappa; a catchy soundtrack by Kamasi Washington, Floating Points and Bonobo (with a great ending theme, Lazarus by The Boo Radleys); and bone-crunching action choreography by John Wick director Chad Stahelski. Its hard not to appreciate all of the talent involved.
Adult Swim
But again, I just wish the whole project felt more original. Lazaruss premise isnt far off from Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, which involved a terrorist plot to deploy nanomachines that would kill everyone on Mars. Its also funny to see the show arrive alongside a more inventive show like Maxs Common Side Effects, which deals with the real-world consequences of miracle drugs that could heal any illness or injury. That shows characters are more grounded and relatable, and it explores why pharmaceutical companies would stop at nothing to kill such a miracle drug.
The story began with Dr. Skinner... Is he a saint or a devil? Watanabe said on the Engadget podcast via a translator (while he relaxed in shades with a mountain of records behind him, like the absolute boss he is). Exactly what does he want to do? That was a big initial driving part of the story. ... What you initially thought of Skinner at [the] start may change throughout the 13 episodes.
Adult Swim
Its not a huge spoiler to say that Dr. Skinner isnt always portrayed as a villain in the show. Before the release of Hapna, he was a famous neuroscientist who pushed humanity to respond to the climate crisis. But instead of listening to him, the worlds countries chose to pursue profit over the future of humanity. With that in mind, it's no shock Watanabe says the inspiration for Hapna was, in part, the opioid crisis.
Throughout flashbacks and short opening monologues, Lazarus gives us glimpses into Hapnas effect on our main characters, all of which is more compelling than the actual quest to find Dr. Skinner. Did the pill really heal everyones pain, or did it just close off their ability to feel true emotions?
Im sure newcomers to Watanabes work wont have the same reservations with Lazarus as I do, I just wish the show had the same distinctive identity as his other series. Cowboy Bebop is a jazz-soaked noir; Space Dandy is a hilarious riff on the space opera genre; and Carol and Tuesday is a touching story of two young girls pursuing a pop music career. Lazarus is basically another action thriller, but this time its scored to modern jazz and electronic music.
Im holding out hope that Lazarus matures into a more thoughtful show in its second half. But even if it doesnt, its still worth celebrating anything new from Shinichiro Watanabe. There arent many anime directors and writers with his sense of style and excellent taste in music and action cinema. Even if its a lesser Watanabe project, its still more entertaining and creative than the vast majority of shows bombarding us in the streaming TV era, anime or otherwise.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/lazarus-review-wildly-stylish-but-its-no-cowboy-bebop-170300198.html?src=rss
TikTok's deadline to sell off or cede its US operations is once again approaching. The 75-day extension delaying the enforcement of a nationwide TikTok ban is set to run out Saturday, April 5, unless the company finally reaches an agreement to find a new owner. Who might buy it, and what happens if no deal is reached? Here's the shape of things right now:
Potential buyers
President Donald Trump has suggested that a deal is imminent and could be reached before that deadline. What such an agreement will look like is still extremely unclear. A number of interested buyers have come forward, including YouTuber MrBeast, Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian and Perplexity AI. Oracle, which almost bought TikTok in 2020 and was a key part of TikToks earlier negotiations to address national security concerns, is also in the running.
Depending on which bid wins out, TikTok could end up looking very different. ByteDance, TikToks Chinese owner, wont allow another company to take control of the apps coveted recommendation algorithm. That means a new owner would have to rebuild TikToks central feature. Perplexity AI, for example, has said it would take on this task of reverse-engineering the app's For You feed, making it open source and implementing some kind of Community Notes-style fact checking feature. Reddit cofounder Alexis Ohanian, who joined a group of investors known as Project Liberty, has hinted at a vision for TikTok that somehow ties in with blockchain technology.
Option 2
Theres also another, potentially less disruptive option on the table. The White House is also considering a deal that would allow TikToks existing US investors to roll over their stakes into a new independent global TikTok company, according to The New York Times. Under this arrangement, Oracle could also end up overseeing TikToks US data while ByteDance hangs onto its algorithm, as the Financial Times reported in March.
This would likely be a smoother transition than a full-on sale that would require a new owner to rebuild a significant part of the app. Aspects of it are also very similar to terms TikTok already agreed to under a previous agreement with Oracle known as Project Texas. However, this sort of deal may also not be entirely legal, as Politico recently pointed out. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the law passed by Congress and signed by former President Joe Biden last year, calls for a divestment of TikTok and its algorithm.
Its also not clear whether Chinese officials would be willing to sign off on such an arrangement, though Trump has suggested he could use the threat of tariffs as negotiating leverage. Were dealing with China also on it because they may have something to do with it. And well see how that goes, Trump told reporters over the weekend.
No deal
So what happens if Trumps deal isnt finalized by Saturday? The answer, it seems, is probably nothing. Trump has said he would likely extend the deadline again if the clock runs out on the current extension. (Once again, it's not entirely clear if another extension is legal, but CNN reports that a second extension might be an uphill battle if challenged in court.) In the meantime, TikTok is unlikely to go dark like it (briefly) did in January when the ban law first went into effect.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktoks-ban-deadline-is-coming-what-happens-next-162420478.html?src=rss
At its Alfafar store in Valencia, Spain, IKEA has launched a community-focused initiative providing free retail space to nine local businesses devastated by last October's catastrophic floods. The program, called "La meua llar és la teua" (My home is your home), enables entrepreneurs to reconnect with customers while their original premises are under reconstruction and repairs.Among the businesses finding temporary shelter at IKEA are a bookstore, a fashion boutique, a plant shop and a beauty salon. Participants were selected by Nittúa, a Valencia-based platform for socioeconomic innovation. As reported by Europa Press, the initiative represents a lifeline for struggling entrepreneurs like Cristian, CEO of workwear retailer Worket: "The flood took away our store and left us in uncertainty. Today, we have the opportunity to resume our activity in IKEA's space. This isn't just a place to sell it's the hope of starting over." For IKEA store director Diana Carrero, the program embodies solidarity in challenging times: "We're convinced that unity creates strength, which has become even more irrefutable after the past months." The collaborative approach not only helps flood-affected businesses survive but demonstrates how large retailers can leverage their resources to support local economic recovery following a crisis.
Apples Find My feature has finally been enabled in South Korea, according to a company announcement translated by Apple Insider. This comes after years of public demand in which the finding network tool was absent from the country. The omission was especially odd when you consider that Apple sold AirTags throughout the region. Without Find My, they are basically just puck-shaped paperweights.
The company never explicitly stated why it limited access to Find My in South Korea, but it appeared to be related to local laws that could have allowed the government access to the location data. The service first appeared during a beta test of iOS 18.4, but the official software update makes it available to everyone in the country. Find My has long been functional in South Koreas outlying territories like Baengnyeongdo and Ulleungdo.
"Find My is an important tool that allows users to grasp the location of the most precious things to them, such as friends, family and personal items, and I am very happy to be able to introduce this function to Korea," said David Dorn, senior director of Apple's service products, in a statement on the company's local website.
The modern iteration of Find My launched in the US in 2019 as part of iOS 13. However, the tool actually dates back to a service called Find My iPhone that started in 2010. Apple recently expanded functionality to let users share the location of a lost item with other people on the network. This is helpful when negotiating the return of a lost item with a stranger.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apples-find-my-has-finally-launched-in-south-korea-151437244.html?src=rss
If you ever needed a definitive example of how money doesnt necessarily buy you success or taste, take a look at Amazons studio arm. The mega-retailers production division, now known as Amazon-MGM, has been making movies for more than a decade. Very few of the entries in its lineup have been world-beaters, but that hasnt deterred the outfit from persisting. The New York Times is today reporting that under its new head, Courtney Valenti, Amazons movie division has plans to own the in-person cinema experience.
Amazon is apparently gearing up to release up to 14 big, broad commercial films a year to theaters nationwide and around the world. Each film would spend 45 days in the theaters before heading to pay-per-view and then to Prime Video at some point after. The move comes in the face of shrinking box office receipts and fewer people heading to the cinema in general. Not to mention its also planning to produce an equal number of films thatll go direct to Prime, which seems counter-intuitive given the desire to push people toward theaters.
That doesnt recognize the shift in viewing habits, especially among younger people, whod much rather sit and watch YouTube for hours at a time. Or that the box office took a hit because of COVID-19 that it never really bounced back from. Or that a lot of people would rather wait for a film to become available for free on a service they already pay for.
It also doesnt take into account the fact cinemas are becoming increasingly unaffordable, and not that nice a place to sit for multiple hours. Last year, the cinema industry said it would spend $2.2 billion renovating their facilities to lure wary customers back. The planned additions included renovations for chairs and carpets, as well as the construction of ziplines and pickleball courts. Nowhere on the list was mentioned make cinema tickets cheaper or dont make viewers sit through half an hour of TV adverts before the trailers.
At the risk of sounding obvious, thats one hell of a lot of material for one company to put out in a year. Especially when so many competitors with better track records are putting out far fewer films and seeing success. On paper, 14 movies a year feels like the sort of strategy you could last get away with in the 1980s. After all, people had fewer options, cinemas were busier and studios could rely on the triple-whammy of the box office, rental and VHS markets.
It doesnt help Amazon isnt pledging to make quality movies, just lots of them, which suggests a mindset that doesnt value scarcity. After all, there are many instances of things made and sold in small, limited quantities that garner far more attention than something mass-produced. Think about how hard it is for one of those latter-day Marvel movies to stick in the consciousness when you know therell be another one along in a month or two.
It calls to mind Amazons battles with the Broccolis, until recently the custodians of the James Bond franchise. Lets not overthink this, they are just silly spy movies but ones made with a level of craft and attention rarely seen in the modern era. The fact there can be a multi year gap between entries in the series means each film gets far more attention. That was in conflict with Amazons apparent desire to use the Bond name to push out a thousand different streaming series, game shows and movies on a regular basis.
And, at the risk of sounding uncharitable, its not as if Amazons movie slate has been a hit parade thus far. Many of the studios buzzier hits were picked up at film festivals rather than coming from inside, while its homegrown fare has floundered. Thats not to say its rivals are doing any better on this front just read the reviews of The Electric State to show you how badly Netflix is throwing mad money at C+-tier projects.
I often wonder if people look at the success of Disneys big Marvel tentpoles and assume that its easy to replicate. A film like Avengers: Endgame was the payoff to a decade-long plan built from the ground-up on the backs of less successful films. Across 2024, Disney put 15 films into cinemas, but even a mega-behemoth like Disney does it across its seven or eight different divisions.
In terms of attractive pitches, 14 films a year from the people who spent more than $200 million on Red One isnt particularly compelling. Amazons going to have to give people a reason to get out to the theaters, but thats going to be a challenge if the emphasis is on putting more raw material into the pipeline rather than making anything halfway considered or compelling.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/amazons-new-cinema-plan-is-perfect-for-the-80s-150653674.html?src=rss
The Amazon Spring Sale might be over, but there are still lots of great deals to shop. For instance, there's a 33 percent discount on one of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers for 2025. The Beats Pill is down to $100 from $150 a record-low price for the speaker.
Let's be honest, that first glimpse of warm weather is here and it's making us dream of sitting by the beach or picnics with friends. The Beats Pill is a solid option to provide the soundtrack to your summer. We gave it in 83 in our review thanks, in part, to its durability. The speaker has an IP67 waterproof rating, so you shouldn't have to worry at all if it gets a bit wet.
The Beats Pill also offers 24-hour battery life and improved sound quality from its predecessor. However, we have found that the audio does hurt a bit when at loud volumes and it can have an inconsistent bass tone.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-the-beats-pill-speaker-while-its-on-sale-for-a-record-low-price-140306981.html?src=rss
What are the top things marketing-decision makers value when selecting software vendors? Which sources of information do they turn to most often when evaluating vendors? What are their software spend plans for 2025? Read the full article at MarketingProfs
This infographic covers eight key ways to reduce the amount of effort needed to execute a successful social media strategy. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
