Among Us releases more updates 

  • The creators of the ever-popular game Among Us have released information regarding more updates.  
  • The latest update will allow 15 players in one game and introduce more colours for characters.  
  • The developers of ‘Among Us’ have been known to tease their large fan base by slowly releasing details regarding updates or dropping hints.  
  • To get the full story, select here. 
  • This news follows several major updates to the game, which you can read about in our latest blog here.

    Deepfake technology used to manipulate maps 

    • A study into Deepfake technology has illustrated how it could be applied in dangerous ways to manipulate satellite imagery to produce realistic, but fake, overhead maps of cities.  
    • Deepfake technology has largely been used to depict humans in humorous or harmful fake scenarios.  
    • The study, led by Bo Zhao from the University of Washington, aims to show the risks and opportunities involved in applying this rather infamous technology to cartography.  
    • The AI system researchers created, learned to associate specific details of a street map (like Google or Apple’s) with those of the satellite view to build realistic depictions of Seattle, nearby Tacoma and Beijing. 
    • For the full story, select here. 
    • To learn more about Deepfakes, read our Beginners Guide to Deepfakes here.

    Parents Against Grooming launch petition demanding automatic restraining order for those convicted of sexual abuse

    • Local group Parents Against Grooming UK has launched a petition, calling for an automatic 30-mile restraining order for those convicted of sexual abuse. 
    • The petition comes after it was revealed that convicted paedophiles Abdul Aziz, Adil Khan and Qari Abdul Rauf still live in Rochdale, nearly three years after they lost an appeal against being deported. 
    • In 2012, all three were convicted of conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child and trafficking a child within the UK and sentenced to between six and nine years in prison. 
    • William Howarth, founder of PAG UK, said: “Parents Against Grooming UK advocates for survivors of abuse. We want to see this change to ensure that everyone convicted of sexual offences cannot return to the same area to re-traumatize their victims”.
    • For the full story, select here. 

    Signal slams Cellebrite security company over alleged security holes 

    • Encrypted-messaging app Signal says it has found flaws in software used by cyber-security company Cellebrite. 
    • The two companies have been at odds since Cellebrite claimed to have cracked Signal’s secure messaging last year – a claim it fiercely disputed. 
    • In the latest spat, Signal boss Moxie Marlinspike joked he had acquired Cellebrite’s system after it “fell off a truck” in front of him, claiming its software was so flawed he could easily hack into it. 
    • Signal rose to prominence after popular messaging app; WhatsApp updated their privacy settings, prompting a mass exodus of users looking for secure alternatives.  
    • To read the full story, select here.
    • To learn more about Signal, read our recent article here. 

      Coronavirus: Food bank need for NI children ‘at historic level’ 

      • More than 31,000 food parcels were provided to children in Northern Ireland between April 2020 and March 2021, according to the UK’s largest food bank network. 
      • The Trussell Trust charity said it provided 78,827 parcels in total to children and adults last year. 
      • That is a 75% rise on 2019-20 figures. 
      • The largest numbers of food parcels were distributed in the Derry City and Strabane and Belfast City council areas. 
      • However, the Trussell Trust said as the figures only relate to food banks in its network – the scale of foodbank use overall is likely to be higher. 
      • For the full story, select here.