BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Telegram founder commits to Ukraine user privacy
The billionaire Russian-born co-founder of messaging app Telegram has told Ukrainian users their data is safe. In a Telegram post, Pavel Durov, who lives in Dubai, wrote: "I stand for our users no matter what. Their right to privacy is sacred - now more than ever." Telegram was Ukraine's most popular messaging app - the Observer newspaper reported. But some experts have raised concern ... Read more
2022-03-08 18:39:48
Why misogyny is at the heart of South Korea's presidential elections
Park Min-young, 29, spends most of his day talking to angry young men in Seoul. His fingers relentlessly tap the keyboard as he replies to dozens of their messages at his desk in the centre of a busy campaign office for one of South Korea's main presidential candidates, Yoon Suk-yeol. "Nearly 90% of men in their twenties are anti-feminist or do not support feminism," he tells me. Sout ... Read more
2022-03-08 00:04:15
Ukraine war: Chernobyl workers' 12-day ordeal under Russian guard
More than 100 workers at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant - the site of the world's worst nuclear disaster in 1986 - have been stuck there for more than 12 days, unable to leave after Russian forces seized the plant on the first day of the invasion. Another 200 Ukrainian guards, who'd been in charge of security at the time of the assault, also remain trapped. Workers continue to go about ... Read more
2022-03-08 00:03:20
North Korea: Construction spotted at Punggye-ri nuclear test site
North Korea appears to have started repairing a closed nuclear testing site, according to satellite images. The Punggye-ri site was shut in 2018 and some parts were blown up, after leader Kim Jong-un promised to halt all nuclear tests. The new finding by US analysts comes amid predictions the country could resume testing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. But analysts also say it could be ... Read more
2022-03-08 00:02:47
Ukraine war: The TikToker spreading viral videos
Marta Vasyuta is a regular 20-year-old Ukrainian. And like many people of her age she's on TikTok. Until last week she had a few hundred followers on the video-sharing app. She posted videos from nights out, and lip-synced to her favourite music. When Russia invaded Ukraine, she happened to be in the UK visiting friends she'd met at university. She watched in horror at reports of Russian bombs ... Read more
2022-03-06 19:34:33
TikTok limits services as Netflix pulls out of Russia
Video-sharing site TikTok and streaming giant Netflix have limited and cut their services respectively in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. TikTok said it had suspended live streaming and new content from its platform as it assesses tough new laws to crack down on "fake news" about Russia's armed forces. Netflix said it was pulling out in protest at the invasion. Visa, Masterc ... Read more
2022-03-06 19:34:02
Microsoft stops selling products in Russia
Earlier this week, Microsoft removed RT's mobile apps from the Windows app store. Facebook, Google and YouTube have taken measures to restrict Russian state media from making money from ads on their platforms. Cisco, Oracle, Netflix and Spotify have also suspended operations in the country. Airbnb has stopped all bookings in Russia and Belarus, and has offered free housing to 100,000 refugees f ... Read more
2022-03-04 18:37:46
Ukraine says it is fighting first 'hybrid war'
Ukraine's cyber-security authority says it is fighting a war in the digital realm, as well as on the ground. The ministry says it is facing constant cyber-attacks against its government and infrastructure networks, with individual officials now being targeted. It claimed that its cyber-defences are repelling most attacks. But it added that the cyber-conflict with Russia was unprecedented, descr ... Read more
2022-03-04 18:33:15
Facebook hits out at Russia blocking its platforms
Facebook has hit out at a ban on its platforms introduced in Russia on Friday amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russia's communications regulator said the ban was a response to restrictions placed on its media there. It said there had been 26 cases of "discrimination" against Russian media by Facebook since October 2020. There were also reports that the use of Twitter had been restrict ... Read more
2022-03-04 18:32:23
Fitbit recalls Ionic watch following skin burns
Fitbit has recalled one of its fitness-tracking smartwatches due to the risk of it overheating and burning people. The company, now owned by Google, said it had issued a voluntary recall of the Fitbit Ionic watch. It will give people who purchased the device a refund of $299 (£225) and a discount on a replacement product. The Fitbit Ionic was manufactured between 2017 and 2020, and about 1.7 mi ... Read more
2022-03-04 18:31:45