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Tech Team

No more pet pictures on Instagram [CNBC]
You post videos of you dog every day? You even created an Instagram account for your cat because “Felix is so cuuuute and funnyyyyy”? Well, it might not have been your best idea. According to a survey by the Spanish bank Santander, millennials posting photos of their pets on social media are putting themselves at risk of fraud and financial scams. Why? People tend to share their personal information online without realising that posting pictures of the dog whose name they also use for their passwords can make them an easy target for hackers. So it’s not just your dog that needs training, online behaviour training is crucial for every internet user. 

Sci-fi scenarios of disruption [The Verge 

Who knew all those sci-fi books you read could help you get a job as a military strategist. In its efforts to modernise its military (i.e. space force) France will hire a few sci-fi writers that will dream up ‘scenarios of disruption’ – aka futuristic disaster scenarios. Turns out that France is a bit behind the curve compared to the US and Canada  who have already used sci-fi writers to advise the military on how emerging technology could be used in future conflicts. Unfortunately these writers won’t be focusing on alien invasions but will instead be trying to help the military predict how hostile entities could use advanced technology against the country. Still seems like a pretty cool job to us.  

Time management software, now in family pack! [The Atlantic] 

With our lives becoming ever busier and more connected to our surroundings it is no surprise that project management tools developed originally for the workplace have moved into our private space too. Parents are integrating online organisational tools like SlackTrello and Asana in their daily lives and are getting the kids involved too. From as early as 8 years old, kids are assigning themselves chores, scheduling their after-school activities and setting weekly goals for themselves and the family. It is a great way to teach them early on to be organised and managing time, but does that still leave them the space of mind for aimless, ‘un-scheduled play-time’? Fun’s over kids, fill in your timesheets and meet your deadlines. 

Hotel key cards no more, another item your phone will be taking care of [The New York Times] 

We have all been there: you go up to your hotel room after a long night, only to find out your room key card does not work. You keep on trying to hear that liberating click and see the green light to access your bed but no, you have to go back all the way to reception to have it reactivated because you probably held it too close to your phone or other credit cards. Well, no more! Hotels in the US have been trying out apps that allow your phone to become your room key. It still spooks some guests using it, even though it is supposed to be just as safe as a card, but we won’t miss those trips back down to reception at 2 am! 

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In case you haven’t had enough… 

Instagram is great for models, it’s also great for predators [The New York Times] 

Formulating values for AI is hard when humans do not agree [Financial Times] 

Instagram is hiding likes. Will that reduce anxiety? [The New York TImes] 

The new way your boss is spying on you [The Wall Street Journal] 

A father knitted his baby’s first year of sleep pattern data into a blanket [The Verge]