All posts tagged: mettle

Meta’s latest privacy rip-off will test the EU’s mettle for reining in Big Tech

Meta’s latest privacy rip-off will test the EU’s mettle for reining in Big Tech

Published by skeptic

This week Europe was treated to another show of the mutability of tech after Meta, the microtargeting ad empire formerly known as Facebook, announced it would be launching an ad-free subscription — with a starting price of €10 per month (on web) or €13pm (mobile). As recently as mid 2019, visitors to Facebook’s landing page were greeted with a strap-line announcing: “Facebook is free and always will be.” But, by August 1, 2019 — doubtless anticipating regulatory bumps down the road — the claim had quietly vanished; in its place was a brief exhortation to new prospects that signing up is “quick and easy!”. This wasn’t the first sign of a possible shift, though. Even earlier, back in April 2018 — as Facebook was embroiled in reputational fallout flowing from the Cambridge Analytica privacy and data scandal — its leadership explicitly said a version of its service that did not entail tracking and profiling the users would be a “paid product”. Well, five years on, here we are. The slated pricing for the ad-free subscription …

Blistering temperatures at the US-Mexico border test people’s mettle | Extreme weather

Published by Sam

People withered in blistering heat on both sides of the US-Mexico border, where temperatures hit scorching highs this week and many got little relief from the sun. Victor Hernandez waits for work washing the windows of cars waiting to cross the border to Calexico, California, on 20 July 2023, in Mexicali, Mexico. Photograph: Gregory Bull/AP Maribel Padilla, part of the Brown Bag Coalition, met up with people who are homeless and particularly vulnerable to the heat in Calexico, California, on the border of Mexico, where temperatures hit 113F (45C). A woman stays in the shade as she sells food and drinks to drivers waiting to cross the border to Calexico, California, on 20 July, in Mexicali, Mexico. She says she only works till about 10am due to the extreme heat, idling cars and hot pavement. Photograph: Gregory Bull/AP She provided them with cold, wet towels and some refreshments to give them respite. Many placed the towels over the heads to shield themselves and rehydrated from the cool bottles of water. Pablo Suarez’s shirt is bathed …