Technology News Era

This article is part of our coverage of the latest in AI research. Large language models like GPT-3 have advanced to the point that it has become difficult to measure the limits of their capabilities. When you have a very large neural network that can generate articles, write software code, and engage in conversations about sentience and life, you should expect it to be able to reason about tasks and plan as a human does, right? Wrong. A study by researchers at Arizona State University, Tempe, shows that when it comes to planning and thinking methodically, LLMs perform very poorly,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/jVw56A4

This article was originally published on .cult by Michiel Mulders. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. So you’ve spotted an eye-catching crypto project, but you’re wondering if it’s safe to actually take the leap and invest? Analyzing crypto projects for investment purposes is an actual skill. You can compare it with fundamental or technical analysis on the stock market. Often, we come across a shiny new crypto project that tries to draw your attention. But isn’t it too… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/2tJ3v4H

This article was originally published on .cult by Louis Minvielle. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. If you remember our past investigations and analyses, you might remember a curious postulate we put forward: even though their talents are in high demand, it might still be hard for data scientists, developers, and data engineers to know their worth. It’s almost like a brain-teaser: jobs requiring their aptitudes are expected to grow exponentially in the next three years, and… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/5YjTMoZ

The wind is great for producing electricity without generating greenhouse gas emissions. But there’s a dirty secret — what happens to turbines at the end of their life?  This week, a study by the University of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute revealed the huge waste legacy of discarded wind turbines. And the problem is only getting worse.  And as more countries transition from gas to wind energy, the problem will only intensify. For example, the German government aims to build between 1,000 and 1,500 new wind turbines annually. The lifecycle of a wind turbine is around 20-25 years. And it… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/YqiGaVm

Human beings are inherently social creatures, having existed in close-knit hunter-gatherer groups for most of our 200,000-year history. Now we live in a world that is more connected than ever. 5 billion people have access to the internet. Revolutionary communication technologies like Facebook are free to use. These miracles should satiate our ancient need for community, right? Not quite. Paradoxically, loneliness is on the rise. There are many factors at play, but our increasingly virtual living has a lot to do with it. It’s often the same tools that allow people to interact anywhere at any time making them feel… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/behH9wC

For the first time ever since going public in 2007, Meta (aka Facebook) reported a decline in quarterly revenue year over year. The company’s revenue was $28.82 billion — a 1% decrease from $29.07 billion in the second quarter of 2021. What’s worse, it forecasts that growth in the third quarter could fall even more, in the range of $26-28.5 billion. Who’s to blame? Meta attributes this to “the continuation of the weak advertising demand environment” they experienced throughout the second quarter, which they believe “is being driven by the broader macroeconomic uncertainty.” In a Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg also… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/GIdc9qD

Russia is building a new ground-based laser facility for interfering with satellites orbiting overhead, according to a recent report in The Space Review. The basic idea would be to dazzle the optical sensors of other nations’ spy satellites by flooding them with laser light. Laser technology has evolved to the point where this type of anti-satellite defense is plausible, though there is limited evidence of any nation successfully testing such a laser. If the Russian government is able to build the laser, it would be capable of shielding a large part of the country from the view of satellites with… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/GWQpYkP

This week Dott unveiled an experiment to send bad escooter riders back to school. In an industry-first pilot in Rome and Milan, Dott is launching a scheme where bad riders who repeatedly park escooters badly (outside a permitted area or violating the Highway Code) are sent to a driving course.   Specifically, second-time offenders receive a fine from Dott and a guide to parking and local rules. A third violation invites them to attend “a compulsory and free driving course in Autumn 2022.” I spoke to Rob Haycocks, Head of PR Communications at Dott. They told me that the brand is… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/ytCoM2T

Saudi Arabia may be famous for medieval barbarism and oil, but the kingdom is rebranding as a futuristic ecotopia. The latest showcase of this unlikely vision is The Line, a mirrored city that’s 500m tall, 200m wide, and 170km long. The metropolis will purportedly have a population of 1.5 million people by 2045. The project is projected to cost up to $1 trillion. Future residents are promised “a civilizational revolution” with no cars, roads, or emissions. Underground trains will transport them from end-to-end in 20 minutes, and all amenities will be within a five-minute walk. The facilities will be vertically-layered… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/wNXchAH

The James Webb Telescope — the largest and most powerful device of its kind ever launched into space — has already yielded some breathtaking images of the early universe. While the telescope itself is a technological wonder, one of its most aesthetically grabbing elements is its 6.5-meter primary mirror, made of 18 hexagonal mirrors, coated with a plating of gold. The James Webb Telescope. Credit: NASA And, yes, that’s real gold — about five men’s wedding rings worth of the metal. We had a question: why? What reason is there for the mirror to be gold-plated? Well, we have the… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: NASA from The Next Web https://ift.tt/ld1Lqzy

There is always something new and exciting happening in the field of black hole research. Albert Einstein first published his book explaining the theory of general relativity – which postulated black holes – in 1922. One hundred years later, astronomers captured actual images of the black hole at the center of the Milky Way. In a recent paper, a team of astronomers describes another exciting new discovery: the first “dormant” black hole observed outside of the galaxy. I am an astrophysicist who has studied black holes – the most dense objects in the universe – for nearly two decades. Dormant… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/sqSBJem

Elon Musk’s recent highly public back and forth with Twitter has given the market whiplash. Twitter, while initially resisting the tycoon, went on to sign an agreement with him worth US$44 billion (£36.6 billion) in April 2022. The deal placed a 38% premium on Twitter’s then-share price. While the market would expect value to be added on a deal like this, more recent events have pushed the premium up even further. This will not benefit shareholders on either side. Much has changed since Musk’s April offer. Technology stocks have taken a beating due to fears of a recession. Big tech… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Twitter from The Next Web https://ift.tt/eOCnJXZ

One way to eliminate the competition in business is simply to buy them out and shut them down. And that means less choice for consumers and sometimes the loss of innovative and, in the case of the pharmaceutical industry, even life-saving products. But such so-called killer acquisitions are likely to face greater scrutiny in the US and EU following a recent expansion of competition regulators’ powers. A July 2022 decision by the European Court of Justice has expanded the European Commission’s ability to investigate a wider range of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). And last year, the US Federal Trade Commission… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/W1Xl0UQ

Would you like a warning before the world ends?  Well, it’s now possible. Extraluminal is an Internet of Things (IoT) device that will notify you an hour before the Earth is about to be destroyed by a supernova.  What is a supernova?  Supernova N49 was photographed in 2006. Image credit:  NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center A supernova refers to “the cataclysmic explosion of a massive star at the end of its life. It can emit more energy in a few seconds than our sun will radiate in its lifetime of billions of years.”  Two or three supernovas occur each century… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/Otm0yHU

If you think dead spider robots are something straight out of a horror movie (or your worst nightmares), I have some news for you. Mechanical engineers from Rice University have actually turned spider cadavers into what they call “necrobots,” able to function as mechanical grippers. What’s “necrobotics?” The use of animal characteristics or components to create robotic systems isn’t a novelty in research. Think of bio-inspired and biohybrid robots. On the left: Harvard’s bio-inspired robot, the Octobot. On the right: An example of a biohybrid robot, which is a tissue-engineered ray controlled by light. Credit: Harvard University, Kevin Kit Parket… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/bNrJ5Q0

When was the last time you really thought about your personal brand? Last month? Last year? Never? Contrary to popular opinion, branding isn’t just for large companies or promising startups. As a professional in 2022, personal branding should be right at the top of your priority list. Your personal brand is all about how you present yourself to the world. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos hit the nail on the head when he said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” Like it or not, first impressions matter, and your personal branding could be… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/LX7mDK0

The chance of someone being killed by space junk falling from the sky may seem ridiculously tiny. After all, nobody has yet died from such an accident, though there have been instances of injury and damage to property. But given that we are launching an increasing number of satellites, rockets, and probes into space, do we need to start taking the risk more seriously? A new study, published in Nature Astronomy, has estimated the chance of causalities from falling rocket parts over the next ten years. Every minute of every day, debris rains down on us from space – a… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/esCQwxq

Netflix is having a miserable year. The streaming giant shed 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022 — its first loss in more than a decade — and dropped around 1 million more in quarter two. The company’s woes have sparked concerns that video streaming is dying, but research suggests that there’s plenty of life left in the sector. A May study by Hub Entertainment Research estimated that 89% of US consumers subscribed to one in streaming service in 2022 — an 11% increase on the previous year. “Netflix’s subscriber loss in Q1 of 2022, and its anticipated losses… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Netflix from The Next Web https://ift.tt/eJwIaiE

Earlier this month, Ukraine launched a campaign to assemble the world’s first “Army of Drones.” It called on the international community to donate funds towards new drones or to “dronate” their own recreational and commercial drones.  That’s because Ukraine’s military doesn’t have an official drone unit, so drones supplied and funded globally will play a critical part in protecting the country against Russian occupation.  The initiative is facilitated by President Zelensky’s global fundraising initiative, UNITED24, together with the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Digital Transformation. How are drones used in warfare?  Drones (also known as… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/unARXxi

We are currently at the peak of the holiday season, but instead of drinking cocktails on the beach, hiking the mountains ,and enjoying what life has to offer, a surprising number of people are reluctant to take time out from work. Recent research shows one in five people in Ireland do not take their full annual leave entitlement. And in the UK, two in five workers have taken less leave in recent years as a result of the pandemic. It is important to take time out from work in order to fully live our lives, but there are several issues… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/wgIUFX5

Between 2000 and 2018, the number of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) manufactured was multiplied by 80. In 2018, 66% of them were used in electric vehicles (EVs). The planned development of electric mobility will increase demand for batteries, with the International Energy Agency estimating that between 2019 and 2030, battery demand will grow 17-fold. This situation raises many questions related to the materials used to manufacture these batteries: what resources are involved? What are the environmental impacts of extracting them? Can they be recycled? When looking into the materials in the LIBs that are currently used in the vast majority of EVs, the first… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/khBPqdH

In the last few years, Egypt’s startup ecosystem has become one of the most vibrant on the continent, presenting rapid growth potential for the near future. According to a recent report by Startup Genome, Cairo, the country’s bustling capital, marked an overall increase of 60% in VC funding rounds over the past five years, and in 2021, saw a 156% increase in total VC funding rounds compared to 2020. Walking on the streets of Cairo, it’s now common to see colorful billboards bearing the distinct logo of Fawry, an e-payments platform which has gained funding big enough to attain unicorn… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/VYPK3Hm

As we enter a new era defined by artificial intelligence and machine learning, the very foundation of many modern technologies is being put under a microscope by policymakers. That foundation? Data. Data is required for the refinement of most cutting-edge technology, and it will only become more important in future as we develop more sophisticated AI and ML models, fueled by richer, higher quality data sets. However, there are strict regulations around how data can be used, particularly within the EU. The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) mandates that businesses need consent to store subject data in order to… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/b2wPOt7

“Technology is a bridge between us all. Together we are European tech, united.” These were TNW CEO Myrthe van der Erve’s words during the opening ceremony of TNW Conference 2022. “Tech is evolving,” she says. “To stay ahead, we need to discover the next in tech, now.” Those words are more than idealism, and carry real urgency. We seem to be hopping from health to political to economic crisis. And there was a distinct feeling from attendees at TNW Conference that we need to anticipate change wherever possible, instead of the reactive position in which we currently find ourselves. What… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/89lxD4N

For three decades, people have been deluged with information suggesting that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain – namely an imbalance of a brain chemical called serotonin. However, our latest research review shows that the evidence does not support it. Although first proposed in the 1960s, the serotonin theory of depression started to be widely promoted by the pharmaceutical industry in the 1990s in association with its efforts to market a new range of antidepressants, known as selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. The idea was also endorsed by official institutions such as the American Psychiatric Association,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/iXaHefv

This article was originally published on .cult by Dragoș Strainu. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. From my experience at hackathons, I understand that it’s not just about winning first place. You participate to learn something new, make connections and have fun. During my first hackathons, I was really focused on winning and didn’t see all the other benefits of going to a hackathon. When I didn’t win, I was so upset that I almost wanted to forget about the whole… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/1QnT8Zv

This article was originally published on .cult by Syk Houdeib. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. The worst thing about the imposter syndrome is that it manages to convince you it’s real, even when you know it’s not. Here’s how imposter syndrome affected me in my first month as a developer. I want to share this with juniors in the same situation, as well as seniors who have to work with them. But it’s also for people… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/2PRpxhM

This article was originally published on .cult by (author name and link to bio). .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. Everyone working as a software developer has experienced it at some point. There comes a time when you lose motivation for coding because, at the moment, you can’t solve a particular problem. Some code is not working as it should be and you get frustrated with yourself and don’t know how to go on. Sounds familiar? My experience working in a… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/gKZQ0UE

This article contains spoilers for the 1973 film “Soylent Green.” It’s a hot AI summer out here for everyone who has even the slightest interest in putting the “art” in artificial intelligence. I’m talking about DALL-E 2 and OpenAI’s announcement that its incredible text-to-art generator would be entering a closed-beta. Most exciting of all: an additional one million people will gain access to DALL-E 2. Woohoo! Let’s do a cartwheel. Up front: There would be no cartwheels in the Neural offices at TNW that day. DALL-E 2 is, in this humble editor’s opinion, a scam. But that’s nothing new in… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/U2SdYvW

This article was originally published on Built In by Alexander Lewis.  What is jargon, anyway? In a literal sense, jargon is simply a word or phrase that requires specialized knowledge for the reader to understand. For our purposes — which include helping people at technical companies write clearly about their offerings — that definition isn’t practical. Most of us only think of the word “jargon” in a negative sense. It’s something we’re supposed to avoid in our writing at all costs. But that’s not quite accurate. After all, good writing and technical writing are not antonyms. If the audience on… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/HuAyQvn

Scrolling down Facebook’s home page is sometimes messy — you can’t find the post you saw before and you’re bombarded with often unrelated content. But, finally, things are changing. In a Facebook post, Mark Zuckerberg announced that the platform is introducing a feature that lets users customize and control the content they see. With the new Feeds tab, you can see the most recent posts from your selected categories: Friends, Pages, or Groups. The All category will show you posts from all feeds. Thankfully, there’s no Suggested For You content on Feeds, but ads remain. Users will find Feeds in… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Facebook from The Next Web https://ift.tt/w8BKGXe

This article was originally published on Built In by the Co-founders of Calamity AI The script starts simply enough: A couple is at the end of dinner. Conversation winds down, the wine is almost finished. After a silence, the man says he wants to play a game. Enter artificial intelligence. Does AI dream of writing screenplays? UsingGPT-3, we developed a short film script called Date Night. Tired of off-kilter AI like Cleverbot, we wanted to use more robust tech in our work. In our experience, previous iterations of AI got sidetracked, were easily confused and had no meaningful memory. You can tell Cleverbot your… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/UpfudE1

A team of scientists in China recently used what’s essentially the quantum physics version of stage magic to demonstrate just how brittle our concept of reality is. Abracadabra, you don’t really exist. Up front: The big idea in play here is called “quantum advantage.” Typically we hear about this in the world of quantum computing. There, quantum advantage is the hypothetical point at which a quantum computer can outperform any existing classical computer at a given task. Outside of quantum computing, quantum advantage is used to describe a situation where the exploitation of quantum mechanics allows a person or system… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/R5E7wDH

A 2019 poll found that children would rather be YouTubers than astronauts. It made headlines and led to plenty of grumbling about “kids these days”. But it’s not surprising that young people – up to 1.3 million in the UK – want to make their income by creating social media content. The global influencer market was estimated to be worth $13.8 billion (£11.2 billion) in 2021. Individual influencers such as Zoella and Deliciously Ella are worth around £4.7 million and £2.5 million, respectively. Some 300,000 people aged 18-26 are already using content creation as their sole income source. The lifestyles… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/SW90XIs

This week, the masses are up in arms with the news that entrepreneur, fashionista, and reality TV star Kylie Jenner uses her $70 million luxury private jet to take short-haul flights. But short-haul travel is far from an anomaly as we usher in an era of eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) for on-demand trips. And it remains, for the near future, the domain of the rich.  So, what’s the controversy with Jenner?  In one of her recent flights, she traveled in California between Camarillo and Van Nuys, a 17-minute flight according to a flight tracker on Twitter.  Kylie… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/bo7WyfD

In a huge blow to Big Tech, the EU is stepping up to regulate their long-criticized, monopolist market strategies. On Monday, the European Council adopted the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a set of new rules to create fairer online competition. The act aims to establish a digital level playing field, by setting clear rights and rules for large online platforms (referred to as “gatekeepers”), so none of them can abuse their position. As per Ivan Bartoš, Deputy Prime Minister for Digitisation and Minister of Regional Development: Thanks to the DMA, we will ensure fair competition online, more convenience for consumers… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/yfuMOhK

This article was originally published on .cult by Eli McGarvie. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. Last year we put together a list of the best hacking movies, and obviously, the next logical step from there was to catalog the coolest movies and series about developers. So, after putting in hours and hours of screentime watching all of these so-called ‘developer films’ from the last two decades, I’m pretty confident I’ve got a solid list of movies… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/eJYxd9t

One of the world’s most popular social media platforms, TikTok, is now host to a steady stream of deepfake videos. Deepfakes are videos in which a subject’s face or body has been digitally altered to make them look like someone else – usually a famous person. One notable example is the @deeptomcriuse TikTok account, which has posted dozens of deepfake videos impersonating Tom Cruise and attracted some 3.6 million followers. Deepfakes gained a lot of media attention last year, with videos impersonating Hollywood actor Tom Cruise going viral. In another example, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seems to be confessing to… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/QuXEYwg

One of the biggest criticisms against EVs is that they’re not as green as you might think due to the CO2 emissions produced by their lithium-ion batteries. These occur during the extraction of lithium and during the battery’s manufacturing process. However, new research by Minviro, a company specialized in raw material life-cycle analysis, has found that an emerging battery technology can significantly reduce an EV’s carbon footprint: solid-state batteries. They promise to decrease battery emissions by almost two-fifths. The analysis compared a NMC-811 solid-state battery — one of the most promising chemistries being developed — to current lithium-ion technology. Both… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/pEMts3G

It sure looks like a lot of fun when we see videos of astronauts floating around in zero-gravity environments. But did you ever stop to think what prolonged weightlessness does to the human body? We’ll spare you the details, but suffice to say it isn’t pretty. And that means any crewed missions to the Moon, Mars, or anywhere else beyond the Earth’s gravitational field have an undeniable time limit on them. Until we solve the whole gravity problem, permanent off-world colonies are pretty much a non-starter. And, despite what a century of science fiction may have led you to believe,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/ZY8zNMo

During the lockdown, my 65-year-old mother did something that actually shocked me. She started going on to TikTok so she could watch and follow her favorite “Dancing Dadi” – which means grandmother in Hindi. I was genuinely taken aback to discover that my mother – who is completely technophobic – had bought an iPad, got a high-speed internet connection, and figured out how to create a TikTok account, all just to watch uninterrupted Dancing Dadi. While I appreciate that few sights are more entertaining than an Indian granny amusing others with her wicked dance moves, there had to be something… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/PBzWKkc

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has published thousands of pages of previously unreleased documents, which reveal how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is buying access to the location data of millions of US citizens’ cell phones. The warrantless purchase by various parts of the DHS — including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — was first reported by The Wall Street Journal in 2020. In response to the news, ACLU filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to DHS, ICE, and CBP, followed by a respective lawsuit. While the litigation is still ongoing,… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Security from The Next Web https://ift.tt/u1Q8DH7

IBM today announced a new strategy for the implementation of several “error mitigation” techniques designed to bring about the era of fault-tolerant quantum computers. Up front: Anyone still clinging to the notion that quantum circuits are too noisy for useful computing is about to be disillusioned. A decade ago, the idea of a working quantum computing system seemed far-fetched to most of us. Today, researchers around the world connect to IBM’s cloud-based quantum systems with such frequency that, according to IBM’s director of quantum infrastructure, some three billion quantum circuits are completed every day. IBM and other companies are already… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: IBM from The Next Web https://ift.tt/qM0bPCO

There’s a simple problem with driving an expensive car: you’re not always in it. Sometimes, there will be moments, awful, heart-wrenching moments where everyone in your vicinity won’t know that you own a vehicle that, objectively, makes you better than everyone else. But, friend, dry your leaking eyes moistening face. Because Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with Master & Dynamic to make several pairs of headphones that will finally to let people around you know how idiotic and disgusting and destitute they are. The logo that proves you’re a person of style and grace. So, the two companies recently announced the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/AGClaIq

As a communications professional with more than 20 years in the industry, I can say with certainty that one of the most refreshing and hopeful changes I have seen in the past few years is the increasing authenticity and focus on social activism from tech organizations big and small. It’s one of the reasons why I was excited to see impact at the forefront of TNW Conference 2022, bringing together leaders and changemakers to convene on topics on how tech firms can make changes that will lead us to a more inclusive and equal industry. The world needs CHANGE At… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/3NKB4cJ

Freelancing the ultimate marmite experience: Some people love it, and some people hate it. If you work in the tech sector or a creative field, it’s probably something you’ve considered (or tried out) at least once. In fact, according to a survey by Upwork, 20% of current employees in the US — that’s 10 million people — are considering going freelance. The perks of working for yourself are obvious: you can choose your own hours (and clients), work from anywhere, and have unlimited freedom. But sometimes, the reality is a little bit different. Imposter syndrome, dry spells at work, shelling… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/zaZX1gL

LGBTQ media advocacy organization GLAAD recently published its 2022 Social Media Safety Index, which claims that some of the major social media platforms are failing to safeguard users of the community. GLAAD evaluated the companies using 12 LGBTQ-specific indicators of online safety in regard to privacy, freedom of expression, and explicit protections. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok, all scored poorly on the group’s scorecard — less than 50% out of 100%. Here are the detailed scores from highest to lowest: Instagram: 48.38% Facebook: 46.3% YouTube: 45.11% Twitter: 44.7% TikTok: 42.51% Among the most alarming concerns pinpointed by the report… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/I6gzfnk

Welcome to TNW Basics, a collection of tips, guides, and advice on how to easily get the most out of your gadgets, apps, and other stuff. If you’re a daily Google Docs user, you already know that the word editor has gotten better and better the past few years. In 2022 especially, Google has added quite a few additional features that’ll definitely make your life easier. So, if you’re among those users who find it hard to constantly keep tabs with what’s new, look no further. Here are this year’s updates you shouldn’t miss: 1. Emoji reaction For those times that… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Google from The Next Web https://ift.tt/rWdgTxe

Since 2011, the UK government has been providing a tax-payer funded discount on the sale of battery electric vehicles. Known as the “plug-in car grant”, it was designed to help persuade motorists make the switch from diesel or petrol and commit to electric driving. But last month the grant was scrapped with immediate effect. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, given that the amount buyers were able to claim back had gradually been whittled down from £5,000 to £1,500; or that it was recently available only for new vehicles costing less than £32,000 (the average cost of electric cars is around £43,000). In fact, the government… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/xZ6HI9n

The gender gap in pay, positions, and even pensions for working women is well-established, but research shows that a gender aspiration gap has also emerged in recent years. This is when women do not aspire to rise through the ranks in the same way as men do, and it could affect efforts to encourage more women to apply for leadership roles at work. The global drive to increase social equality in recent years has been led by ongoing research about how women are underrepresented in leadership roles throughout the business world. For example, recent research shows that while the share… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/hRuaJyS