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| Here’s a look at today's tech briefing: - Sam Bankman-Fried appeals 25-year prison sentence.
- Instagram to blur nude images in DMs sent to minors.
- Apple warns iPhone users in 92 countries about spyware attack.
- Debt-laden Dish Network considers financing offers.
- Apple to allow iPhone repairs with used parts.
Beth
p/beth-duckett | |
| 1 | | FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried has filed to appeal his fraud conviction and 25-year prison sentence. The former CEO filed the appeal notice in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. More: - Bankman-Fried was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison for defrauding FTX customers of $8B, in what prosecutors have dubbed one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history.
- The 32-year-old was arrested in November 2022, shortly after his crypto exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy.
- A year later, he was convicted of seven charges, including defrauding FTX customers and investors of sister trading firm Alameda Research.
- In addition to the 25-year federal prison sentence, he received three years of supervised release and an $11B forfeiture.
- The sentence was lower than the 40-50 years sought by prosecutors but higher than the 6.5 years proposed by Bankman-Fried's attorneys.
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| 2 | | Meta's Instagram said it will automatically blur nude images in direct messages to users under 18. The feature aims to further shield minors from abuse and financial sextortion scams, according to Meta. More: - The feature will automatically activate for users under 18, and Meta will encourage adults to turn it on.
- The blurred photos will show a warning about potential nudity, allowing users to choose whether to view them.
- Users will also receive a message advising them not to feel pressured to respond, with options to block the sender and report the chat.
- When the feature is on, senders of nude images receive reminders to "take care when sharing sensitive photos."
- They can also "unsend" nude photos.
Zoom out: - Meta is also developing technology to spot potential sextortion accounts and send warning pop-ups to users interacting with them.
- The changes come amid mounting concerns about the addictive and harmful impacts of social media on young users' mental health.
- In January, Meta announced plans to restrict teens' access to content on suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders on Facebook and Instagram.
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| 3 | | Apple warned certain iPhone owners in 92 countries, including India, that they were targeted in a mercenary spyware attack. It's unclear if iPhone users in the U.S. have been targeted. More: - On Wednesday, Apple alerted high-profile users globally of attempts to remotely compromise their iPhones.
- The threat notification told users the attack likely targeted them "specifically because of who you are or what you do."
- Apple didn't specify the origin but noted that such attacks are often linked to state actors.
Zoom out: - Mercenary spyware attacks allow hackers to remotely access data, communications, and even a device's camera and microphone.
- Since 2021, Apple has alerted users in over 150 countries about spyware attacks, which commonly target journalists, politicians, activists, and other influential figures.
- In November 2021, Apple sued Israel's NSO Group over the surveillance and targeting of Apple users with the group's Pegasus spyware.
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| 4 | | Dish Network, the debt-laden satellite TV provider, is considering financing proposals from private credit firms, according to Bloomberg. Dish Network's revenue has slowed as it deals with the ongoing loss of pay-TV subscribers. The company is now managing a debt load of over $20B as it shifts from pay TV to wireless. 
What happened: In an SEC filing earlier this year, Dish warned it would spend "a substantial amount of cash" on debt payments this year, casting "doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern." In its March earnings call, CFO Paul Orban said Dish is in talks with many parties to secure financing, with "significant" interest from credible sources offering different options. Dish has now received at least one financing proposal of over $1B linked to an unrestricted subsidiary, allowing it to take on debt, sources told Bloomberg. What the numbers show: EchoStar, which now owns Dish Network, reported a revenue drop from $18.6B in 2022 to $17B in 2023, mainly due to a loss in pay-TV subscribers. Dish closed the year with 8.53 million pay-TV subscribers, down from 9.75 million at the end of 2022. | | | |
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| 5 | | Apple will allow customers and independent shops to repair newer iPhones with genuine used parts. The new policy, coming this fall, covers used parts such as screens, batteries, and cameras for the iPhone 15 and newer. More: - The policy will later expand to cover used biometric sensors for Face and Touch ID.
- Apple pledged the same security and functionality as brand-new parts.
- Calibration for genuine parts, both new and used, will now occur on-device after installation.
- Consumers and repair shops will no longer need to give Apple the device's serial number for most parts ordered from the Self-Service Repair Store.
Zoom out: - Apple hardware SVP John Ternus noted that the policy will have a positive environmental impact and extend product lifespan.
- In February, Apple expanded its self-service repair program with new parts to include MacBook Pros and iMacs with M3 chips.
- The program already covered earlier Macs as well as certain iPhones.
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| 6 | | A potential "Safari browsing assistant" has been uncovered in iOS 18's code. The find suggests AI integration to help with Safari tasks. More: - X user Nicolás Álvarez found the feature in the backend code on Apple's servers, which was confirmed by MacRumors' Steve Moser.
- The assistant could launch in the next major update to the iPhone's operating system.
- Apple is expected to announce iOS 18 during WWDC on June 10 and release it to the public in September.
Zoom out: - The assistant follows a trend of AI-enhanced browsing experiences seen in other browsers like Microsoft Edge's Copilot and The Browser Company's Arc.
- While iOS 18 promises new generative AI features, specifics remain undisclosed. Apple has been in talks with Google to license the latter's AI model for the iPhone AI features.
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 | AI and technology writer | | Beth is a contributing editor and writer of Inside's AI and Tech newsletters. She has written for publications including USA Today, the Arizona Business Gazette, and The Arizona Republic, where she received recognition with a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a First Amendment Award for collaborative reporting on state pension cost increases. You can reach her at Beth.Duckett@yahoo.com. | | This newsletter was edited by Beth Duckett | |
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