Kmart halts use of in-store facial recognition amid Australian privacy investigation

Retailers in Australia are the latest companies to back away from facial recognition, albeit under pressure. The Guardianreports Kmart and Bunnings have temporarily halted use of facial recognition in their local stores while the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) investigates the privacy implications of their systems. The two chains were trialing the technology to spot banned customers, prevent refund fraud and reduce theft.

The investigation started in mid-July, a month after the consumer advocacy group Choice learned that Kmart and Bunnings were testing facial recognition. Bunnings had already paused use as it migrated to a new system. Other Australian retailers, such as Aldi, Coles and Woolworths, have said they don’t have plans to adopt the technology. 

Both retailers defended their implementations. A Kmart spokesperson stressed that its facial recognition tech was used for “preventing criminal activity” and had strict privacy controls. We’ve asked Kmart’s US operations about any possible implementations in North American shops. Bunnings managing director Mike Schneider, meanwhile, claimed Choice was “mischaracterizing” face detection. The company’s trial is only meant to catch banned customers and doesn’t store images for regular shoppers, he said.

The concerns aren’t limited to data storage, however. Systems like these still have to scan every face entering a given store, and other approaches to facial recognition have exhibited gender and race biases or produced false positives. Companies like IBM and Microsoft have backed away from at least some uses over ethical matters, and American politicians have urged government agencies to stop using such platforms. Kmart and Bunnings might not escape similar scrutiny.

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ trailer hints at Sauron’s return

Amazon is determined to generate buzz for its blockbuster series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and that includes a large new trailer to kick off San Diego Comic-Con. The three-minute clip sheds considerably more light on the story and, to no one’s surprise, sets the stage for Sauron’s appearance. While the show will start by highlighting the relative peace of Middle-earth’s Second Age, it will quickly become clear that Sauron is coming back — and that factions will have to unite if they hope to stop the Dark Lord.

As the title makes clear, the series will focus on the forging of the Rings of Power so crucial to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world. You can also expect to learn more about the rise and fall of the island nation of Númenor. Clips shown at Comic-Con offered peeks at a younger Elrond, harfoots (ancestors to hobbits) and Arondir.

The Rings of Power debuts September 2nd on Prime Video. It’s still too soon to say if the reported $1 billion production budget will pay off for Amazon. However, the internet behemoth clearly isn’t taking chances. Talk show host (and Tolkien fan) Stephen Colbert opened the Comic-Con panel alongside an orchestral performance led by composer Bear McCreary. Amazon expects its Lord of the Rings saga to be a hit, and it’s willing to spend lavishly on both the production and the marketing.

VW chairman Herbert Diess will leave the company in August

Volkswagen is shaking up its leadership. The automaker has announced that group chairman Herbert Diess will leave at the end of August. Porsche chairman Oliver Blume will take over the role (while preserving his existing position) as of September 1st. The company didn’t explain Diess’ exit, but said the move was the result of a “mutual agreement.”

Diess has a somewhat mixed track record. He replaced former chief Martin Winterkorn as the Dieselgate emissions cheating scandal unfolded in 2015, and was meant to help VW move past a dark chapter in its history. In 2019, though, German prosecutors charged Diess with stock manipulation for allegedly delaying reports on the cheating to minimize the impact on company shares. Diess’ attorney contended that the executive joined VW too late to understand the ramifications of the scandal, but the allegations still tarnished the leader’s reputation.

At the same time, there’s little doubt that Diess oversaw an important moment in VW’s history. He helped the company start its transition to EVs and self-driving cars. He also prepared for declining car ownership by fostering mobility services. Much of VW’s business still depends on conventional combustion engine vehicles, but it now expects EVs to represent half of its sales by 2030. If the Dieselgate-era VW was clinging to the past, Diess’ company was bracing itself for the future.

Don’t expect a radical change under Blume. The new chairman will “press ahead” with the transformation that largely began under Diess, according to VW. Blume may serve as a custodian in that regard, but that won’t necessarily be a problem if the company continues to expand and improve its EV lineup.

DHS begins criminal investigation over deleted Secret Service texts from January 6th

The Secret Service may face serious legal repercussions over deleted text messages relating to the January 6th, 2021 Capitol attack. NBC Newssources said the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General has opened a criminal investigation into the deletion of texts from the days surrounding the riot. The Secret Service has been ordered to stop its own internal probes, according to a copy of a letter DHS Deputy Inspector General Gladys Ayala sent to the agency.

In a statement, the Secret Service acknowledged receiving Ayala’s letter. It promised a “thorough legal review” to ensure it was “fully cooperative” with all oversight.

Word of the deleted texts came last week, when the Inspector General’s office said that Secret Service texts from January 5th and 6th had been deleted as part of a “device replacement program.” Agents were supposed to back up their messages before the migration, but it’s not clear that happened. While the Secret Service told the House’s January 6th committee that it was “currently unaware” of any lost messages, CNNreported, it also acknowledged that it was still trying to recover messages. The service hasn’t provided more than a single message thread in response to a House committee subpoena.

It’s not yet clear if the messages are recoverable, and there isn’t any known evidence of malicious intent. Whatever the circumstances, there’s a chance the Secret Service could face significant charges. House committee leaders Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson warned that the service might have violated the Federal Records Act by failing to keep the messages. At the least, the investigation highlights the challenges and importance of preserving data in modern government — a botched migration could impact crucial proceedings.

Baidu’s latest robotaxi has a removable steering wheel

Automakers are frequently keen to show off self-driving concept cars without steering wheels, but Baidu is close to putting a vehicle like this on real-world roads. The tech giant has unveiled a new robotaxi, the Apollo RT6, with a removable steering wheel. The option lets ride hailing services offer more space for passengers — this can include extra seats, work desks or even game consoles.

The RT6 unsurprisingly includes Baidu’s newest autonomous driving tech. The Level 4 system (full self-driving under specific conditions) uses a total of 38 sensors, including eight LiDAR units and 12 cameras, to navigate dense urban environments. The company didn’t mention range for the all-electric design, but the flat floor, sliding doors and “interactive” lights should make your commute more enjoyable.

More importantly, the machine is production-ready. The car will cost businesses the equivalent of $37,000 in China, and it should first enter use with Baidu’s own Apollo Go service in 2023. The relatively modest price will make it practical for the company to roll out “tens of thousands” of vehicles across China, and it envisions a future where robotaxi fares cost half as much as those of conventional rides. While that’s not great news for taxi drivers, it suggests that driverless ride hailing could soon be relatively ubiquitous in the country.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 13-game anthology debuts August 30th

Shredder’s Revenge is great if you want a modern take on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat-’em-ups, but what if you’d rather stick with the classics? You won’t have to wait long to revisit those, either. Digital Eclipse, Konami and Nickelodeon have announced that TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection debuts August 30th on PCs (via Steam), PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. The bundle includes all 13 home and arcade games from the golden era of the half-shell heroes, including the Japanese versions.

You can return to the days of pumping endless quarters with the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and its Turtles in Time follow-up. If you’re more familiar with the console titles, you can play everything ranging from the notoriously difficult TMNT for the NES through to the three Game Boy releases and Tournament Fighters for the Genesis and SNES. The games remain in their original aspect ratios, but you can play online with friends and take advantage of creature comforts like save games, rewinding and a gallery full of concept art.

You’ll still want to play Shredder’s Revenge if you prefer more recent game mechanics and up-to-date (if still retro-looking) graphics. Many of the frustrations you felt in the ’90s will still be present in The Cowabunga Collection. All the same, it’s easy to see the appeal — this is likely your best chance to play all of the early hits without running an emulator or digging your NES out of the closet.

US files its first criminal charges over insider trading of cryptocurrency

American authorities are continuing to crack down against insider trading of digital assets. The New York Timesreports that federal prosecutors in New York City have charged three people with wire fraud relating to an insider trading scheme for cryptocurrency, including former Coinbase exchange employee Ishan Wahi. This is the first time officials have levelled charges relating to insider trading of digital currency, according to Southern District of New York attorney Damian Williams.

As with a companion civil case from the Securities and Exchange Commission, prosecutors allege Wahi shared confidential information about future asset listings with his brother Nikhil Wahi and his brother’s friend Sammer Ramani. The data, shared between “at least” June 2021 and April 2022, helped Nikhil and his friend buy assets before the listing boosted their value. The two would then sell their assets for a profit. The purchases of 25 or more assets netted a profit of more than $1.1 million, according to the SEC.

Coinbase started an internal investigation in April in response to a Twitter post about unusual trading activity. Ishan Wahi booked a flight to India right before Coinbase was set to interview him, but he and his brother were arrested in Seattle this morning. Ramani is still at large and believed to be in India, the SEC said.

Wahi’s lawyers maintained their client’s innocence, and said he would “vigorously” defend against the charges. Ramani and the attorney for Wahi’s brother haven’t commented on the charges. Coinbase said it had turned over information to the Justice Department and had fired Wahi as part of a “zero tolerance” policy for this behavior.

This is far from the largest crypto case. Lending firm BlockFi recently paid $100 million to settle securities violations, while Telegram had to return $1.2 billion to investors for its own violations on top of paying $18.5 million. However, the charges are intended more to send a warning. The government wants to make clear that fraud is illegal whether it’s “on the blockchain or on Wall Street,” as Williams explained to The Times. This is as much about discouraging would-be crooks as it is punishment for the defenders.

TikTok now lets you turn on captions for any video

You no longer have to wait for a TikTok star to enable captions before you can use them. As part of a string of updates, TikTok has added auto-generated captions you can switch on for any video. This will help if you have hearing issues, or simply want to catch every word of a clip in a noisy environment.

The social network has also added translations for captions and text stickers. And if you’re unsure of what’s happening, video descriptions are also available. The initial language support includes English, German, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.

The additions are a recognition that TikTok’s emphasis on video can be limiting for people with audiovisual issues. To some extent, they also empower communities for people with disabilities — creators can make clips knowing more people will understand what’s being said.

Ubisoft delays ‘Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’ to 2023… 2024

We hope you weren’t expecting to play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora before the next movie arrives. Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment have delayed the Avatar game to 2023 or 2024. The developers pinned the setback on “ongoing constraints” affecting game production across the industry. Ubisoft said it was still “committed” to creating a next-gen game and saw James Cameron’s franchise as a “multi-year opportunity.”

Other projects are facing delays or even cancellations. Axios‘ Stephen Totilo noted that Ubisoft has cancelled its battle royale brawler Ghost Recon Frontline and Splinter Cell VR. The company also dropped two unannounced games, and has pushed back a lower-profile “premium” game from a 2022-2023 release window to 2023-2024.

The decisions come as Ubisoft tries to turn around its fortunes. While it did see “better than expected” sales from the Assassin’s Creed series and Rainbow Six Siege in the first quarter, its net bookings dipped 10 percent compared to a year earlier. Ubisoft’s business isn’t booming, and the delays for games like Frontiers of Pandora only increase the pressure to cut costs.

Android is ready to automatically switch device audio on Pixel Buds Pro

Android audio switching is finally a practical reality — provided you have the right earbuds. Google has started rolling out the automatic toggle to Android devices paired with the Pixel Buds Pro. If your phone or tablet supports Bluetooth multipoint connections, Android will intelligently switch sound from one product to the other using a priority system. You’ll switch from your tablet’s audio to your phone for an incoming call, for instance, but you won’t have to worry about incoming notifications. You can always switch back through a notification if the OS made a mistake.

The feature will expand to JBL and Sony headphones sometime in the “coming weeks,” Google said. The functionality will also reach non-Android platforms in the future, although the company didn’t provide an exact timeframe. You can enable switching by using Fast Pair to connect your headphones and link them to your Google account.

The concept isn’t unique. Apple devices paired with AirPods have offered audio switching since 2020, and Sony has offered a similar approach. It’s a welcome addition if you want to use one set of Bluetooth earbuds for all of your Android gear, though, and Google’s technology won’t restrict you to any one headphone manufacturer.