An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Several popular Samsung smart TV apps contain code that share the owner's internet connection with strangers, potentially putting millions of Samsung smart TVs at risk of hijacking, according to new security research published on Monday. Some of these apps claim to have been installed on hundreds of millions of smart TVs in people's homes, per the app developers. At least one of the smart TV apps was a simple Pac-Man game that Samsung had endorsed and prominently featured in its "Editor's Choice" section on customers' TV screens. These apps contain software that funnels outsiders' web traffic through ordinary home and office internet connections, known as residential proxy networks (or "resproxies"), which are increasingly being linked to cybercrime. When opened, apps with resproxy code can turn the smart TV into an always-on tunnel for outsiders to funnel their web traffic through, known as an exit node -- even when the app is no longer open.

The security research by Norwegian cybersecurity company Mnemonic describes a perfect storm of problems that allows low-quality apps to proliferate across Samsung's app store, containing code that puts users at risk of having their internet connections tapped by a rogue app. Many of these apps are bare-bone shells, made from only a few lines of code, and are designed solely to load content from another website, such as a game. While such smart TV apps load content from another server, any review of these apps sees only the few lines of code within, and not necessarily the content itself. "What was reviewed is not necessarily what is running," wrote Harrison Sand, an offensive security consultant at Mnemonic.

After TechCrunch contacted Samsung with a request for comment about the research, the electronics giant said in an emailed statement that it was banning apps that share their users' internet connections, and will remove apps that contain the functionality. "We have already restricted new app registrations that incorporate such proxy functionalities on our Smart TV platform," said a Samsung spokesperson. "We are currently implementing strict platform-wide developer policies explicitly banning residential proxy SDKs, and we are working to identify and remove all apps currently available in our store that contain these components." LG also recently announced plans to suspend apps containing ResProxy software after a security firm found that roughly 42% of apps in its TV app store allowed unknown third parties to route internet traffic through users' televisions without their knowledge.

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Reddit CEO Steve Huffman criticized Google's AI Overviews for summarizing publishers' content without delivering the traffic benefits of traditional search, arguing that users increasingly value Reddit's human perspectives and firsthand experiences. Ars Technica reports: First, there was a letter to investors (PDF), wherein Huffman spun his narrative about Reddit's value proposition and general strategic direction amid the proliferation of AI tools. He wrote: "As the internet becomes flooded with synthetic content, people are craving real human perspective. We are the antidote to an automated web. AI compresses the internet into summaries. Reddit delivers the opposite: deep discussions, passionate debates, and lived experiences. People don't want a summary of Reddit; they want Reddit."

The letter also said: "As AI makes information more abundant, the challenge is no longer finding content -- it's finding context, personal opinion, and first-hand accounts. Everything online feels flat, polished, generated, or sponsored, so consumers are overwhelmed and increasingly skeptical. We've never had more information, but we've never trusted it less."

And then, in comments around the earnings report, he added: "What we see is, 10 blue links has driven tremendous value and growth to the broader ecosystem... from where we sit, AI Overviews has yet to make a similar level of positive impact, and I think that's consistent across the broader landscape, right? As businesses, publishers, retailers, we're still looking for that win-win." Reddit shares nevertheless fell more than 20 percent as investors worried that unstable Google referrals could undermine its growth, even after a strong earnings report.

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South Korea recorded its highest temperature since modern observations began in 1904, with the city of Yangsan reaching 42.5C as temperatures exceeded 40C for a fifth consecutive day. Authorities warned residents to "immediately stop all outdoor activities." The Guardian reports: More than 20 localities in South Korea were under emergency heatwave alerts on Sunday -- a new warning category introduced this year to better address rising temperatures. An emergency alert is issued when areas experiencing a heatwave are forecast to hit perceived temperatures of 38C or an actual temperature of 39C for the day. Issuing a heat warning, the weather agency urged people to "immediately stop all outdoor activities," adding that "indoor spaces without air conditioning are dangerous."

"Move immediately to a cool place, such as a designated cooling centre or a shaded area, and stay hydrated while resting," it advised. Fearing for those people most vulnerable to heat, the prime minister, Han Seong-sook, ordered local officials to strengthen safety checks on residents and to ensure a stable power and water supply was maintained. [...] Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) data show the average annual number of heatwave days in the country has more than doubled to 19 in the past five years.

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F1.com's Lawrence Barretto picks his winners and losers from the 2026 season so far.

Weet u nog, eind april? Heel Nederland in de piepzak vanwege de energiecrisis (tussenstand, red.) en het kabinet nog wel het meest, want dat wilde helemaal niks doen tegen de dreigende energiearmoede, maar ook voor niks doen heb je een meerderheid nodig. Die kwam er door Jesse Klaver een of ander treinabonnement te beloven waarmee je 49 euro moest betalen om op tijden dat het net niet uitkomt in een vieze trein die te laat is te gaan zitten. Klinkt als een matig plan en dat zijn 17,8 miljoen Nederlanders met u eens, want die hebben dit abonnement niet genomen. EW volgtde het spoor van het geld en legt uit dat er maar 550.000 maandabonnementen zijn verkocht, aan minder dan 550.000 mensen, terwijl op meer dan een miljoen maandabonnementen was gerekend. Het geld dat de Staat overhoudt komt gelukkig goed terecht, want dat gaat terug naar de belastingbetaler naar gemeenteambtenaar Jasmijn naar het klimaatfonds. Maar! Wouter Koolmees is alsnog de lachende derde want iedereen die zijn abonnement niet opzegt wordt namelijk automagisch verlengd en mag 127 (of 59) euro aftikken. Uitstekende marketing-scam van de NS wel.

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Vakbond FNV Havens heeft hun zesduizend leden opgeroepen om op 4 september het werk in Rotterdam, Amsterdam en Zeeland neer te leggen. Het is een reactie op de plannen van kabinet om 6,5 miljoen euro te bezuinigen op de sociale zekerheid. "Hopen dat er niet nog meer nodig is."

Op de A16 richting de Van Brienenoordbrug is maandagavond een ongeluk gebeurd tussen twee voertuigen. Door het ongeluk was de volledige parallelbaan korte tijd afgesloten. In de ambulance werd iemand ter plaatse behandeld op de vluchtstrook.

Known for their monumental murals, which span entire public squares, rooftops, playing fields, and more, Ella & Pitr bring eccentric joy to urban spaces. The artists often represent people from historically marginalized groups, including refugees and the elderly. Sometimes laughing, other times sleeping or passing the time in quietude, these giant figures curl around fountains and wedge into parking areas in an expression of joy, resilience, and individuality.

The duo are slated for an exhibition at Galerie Jonathan Roze in Rennes, France, titled Points de Suspension. Explore more on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Monumental Joyful Murals by Ella & Pitr Fill Urban Rooftops and Fields appeared first on Colossal.

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

What Climate Science Can Tell Us About the Lost World That Inspired The Odyssey. “A new climate study suggests that centuries of repeated severe drought added to the pressures on that collapsing world.”

Vooral mensen die hoog scoren op een seksismevragenlijst vinden vleesvervangers minder aantrekkelijk en mannelijk dan vlees. Ze willen er minder graag mee gezien worden.

In de dertig jaar dat de Canta in Nederland rondreed, groeide de vierwieler uit tot cultobject. Nog steeds is de Canta populair, maar tegelijk niet meer het enige miniwagentje in het straatbeeld. En dat is nadelig voor de oorspronkelijke gebruikers: „Die groep is door de nieuwe strenge regels de dupe geworden van het succes van de brommobiel.”

De Duitse twintiger Leopold Aschenbrenner richtte in 2024 het snel groeiende investeringsfonds Situational Awareness op, om te profiteren van groei en toepassing van AI. Dat ging goed tot vorige week, toen hij in een klap 16 miljard dollar aan aandelen moest verkopen.

• 2021 US Open champion out with stress fracture in leg

• Raducanu also missed Wimbledon through injury

Emma Raducanu will miss the US Open because of the stress fracture in her right leg that she sustained during the grass-court season and forced her to pull out of Wimbledon.

It is understood that following consultation with her medical team, Raducanu has concluded she will be unable to play in New York this month.

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The Home Office has made a fresh request for ‘back door’ access to encrypted iCloud data belonging to British users

Apple has launched a new legal challenge against a UK government demand to access its customers’ highly encrypted data, a year after the Home Office agreed to abandon its previous request.

The US tech company launched the legal complaint last month at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent court that has the power to investigate claims that the UK intelligence services have acted unlawfully.

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