Welcome to the June 26, 2024 edition of ACM TechNews, providing timely information for computer professionals three times a week.

HEADLINES AT A GLANCE

• U.N. Launches Global Principles to Combat Online Hate
• Security Loophole Affects Every Device, Internet Connection
• 12-Year-Old Drummer Gifted 3D-Printed Hands
• AI Companies Bypassing Web Standard to Scrape Publisher Sites
• Digital Price Tags Can Change Cost of Groceries Multiple Times Per Day
• The Tech Skills Most Difficult to Hire For
• 3D Tracking at Record-Breaking Speeds
• U.S. Moves Ahead with Plan to Restrict Chinese Technology Investments
• Automakers Ask NHTSA to Reconsider Emergency Braking Rule
• Screen Tech That Can Do Almost Anything
• Indonesia Won't Pay $8-million Ransom After Cyberattack

U.N. Launches Global Principles to Combat Online Hate

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday released global principles that call on tech companies, advertisers, media, and other organizations to avoid using, supporting, or amplifying disinformation and hate speech. The principles, created after consultations with 193 U.N. member nations, youth leaders, academia, the media, and civil society, also say AI applications should be designed, deployed, and used safely, securely, responsibly and ethically and that AI developers should uphold human rights.
[ » Read full article ]

Security Loophole Affects Every Device, Internet Connection

Researchers at Austria's Graz University of Technology discovered a security vulnerability affecting every Internet connection and device. "SnailLoad" can bypass firewalls, VPNs, and other security tools to allow hackers to spy on anyone, without the need for malicious code or device access; instead, monitoring changes in Internet connection speeds allows hackers to obtain detailed information about users' online activity. The researchers said there is no easy way to fix this security issue.
[ » Read full article ]

12-Year-Old Drummer Gifted 3D-Printed Hands

Twelve-year-old Aubrey Sauvie, a middle school student in Tennessee who was born without hands, received a custom pair of 3D-printed hands from students at Tennessee Technological University that allow her to play the drums. The students made the special prosthetics in their junior-level dynamics of engineering class, part of Tennessee Tech's Tech Engineering for Kids program. Project leader Branson Blaylock said the students created about six iterations of the prosthetics until they, and Sauvie, were satisfied with the finished product.
[ » Read full article ]

AI Companies Bypassing Web Standard to Scrape Publisher Sites

In a letter to publishers, content licensing startup TollBit said several AI companies are scraping content for use in generative AI systems by sidestepping the Robots Exclusion Protocol. The protocol was created in the mid-1990s to avoid overloading websites with Web crawlers and has become a key tool that publishers have used to block tech companies from using their content without permission in generative AI systems.
[ » Read full article ]

Digital Price Tags Can Change Cost of Groceries Multiple Times Per Day

Walmart said it will expand its use of electronic shelf labels (ESLs) to 2,300 stores across the U.S. by 2026. ESLs can be adjusted by employees through a centralized mobile app to display QR codes customers can scan for additional information, flash lights to attract employees to a shelf or area in need of attention, and allow items to be quickly located for deliveries. Moreover, the prices of thousands of items can be changed simultaneously.
[ » Read full article ]

The Tech Skills Most Difficult to Hire For

Cybersecurity and information security are the hardest technology skills for which to find talent, according to 38% of the 219 C-level executives surveyed by Skillsoft for its 2024 IT Skills and Salary Survey. Other skills cited as difficult to hire for include AI and machine learning; analytics, big data, and data science; cloud computing; application development; business analysis; systems and solution architects; governance, risk, and compliance; systems engineering, and blockchain.
[ » Read full article ]

3D Tracking at Record-Breaking Speeds

A 3D method for tracking fast-moving objects in real time, developed by researchers at China's Tsinghua University, is more than 200 times faster than traditional video-based techniques while reducing data storage and computational costs. Based on single-pixel imaging, the approach eliminates the need to reconstruct an object's image to calculate its position. It involves the use of non-orthogonal projection to generate 3D coordinates for calculating an object's position.
[ » Read full article ]

U.S. Moves Ahead with Plan to Restrict Chinese Technology Investments

The U.S. Department of the Treasury proposed rules on June 21 that would prohibit U.S. investment in Chinese companies that develop semiconductors, quantum computers, and AI systems. Investors would be required to disclose certain types of investments, while others would be explicitly prohibited. The Treasury Department would have the authority to force divestments and could refer violators to the U.S. Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.
[ » Read full article ]

Automakers Ask NHTSA to Reconsider Emergency Braking Rule

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents major automakers, is calling on the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reconsider an April rule requiring most cars and trucks to be equipped with advanced automatic emergency braking systems by 2029. The group said a requirement that vehicles stop and avoid collisions with vehicles in front of them at up to 62 mph is "practically impossible with available technology," and likely would lead to rear-end collisions.
[ » Read full article ]

Screen Tech That Can Do Almost Anything

Researchers at Sweden's Linköping University built a small computer screen using perovskite light emitting diode (PeLED) technology, which could pave the way for thinner, less-expensive devices with a longer battery life. PeLEDs can absorb and emit light, allowing for the integration of touch, fingerprint, and ambient light-sensing capabilities. The latest iteration of the screen has a resolution of 90 pixels per inch.
[ » Read full article ]

Indonesia Won't Pay $8-million Ransom After Cyberattack

The Indonesian government says it will not pay the $8-million ransom demanded by the hacking group that attacked its national data center. The services of more than 200 national and regional government agencies were disrupted by the June 20 cyberattack. Some, such as immigration services, have come back online, while others are being restored. PT Telkom Indonesia is collaborating with local and international authorities to break the encryption that blocked access to its data.
[ » Read full article ]