Apple has given US law enforcement a nice big reach-around with new "child safety features" coming to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and macOS Monterey. Part one is a feature in Messages that will blur nude photos sent or received on a device, detected using "on-device machine learning" to determine if the image is sexually explicit. A warning will pop up "with helpful resources" and parents will be notified when a naughty image appears. Apple will also constantly monitor your photo collection and check it against a known list of kiddie porn. If a photo on your device is a close match they'll dob you in to the cops. All sounds fine on face value, but now that the technology is there and out in the wild, you know it's gonna be turned on for whatever penchant a politician has at any given moment. Anyone else just get a sinking feeling in their stomach?
The Australian law that would allow the AFP to "take control of a person's online account to gather evidence about serious offences, as well as to add, copy, delete or alter material" is progressing, with the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) handing down a report that more or less supports it on the condition of a few changes. There's 33 all up, with the main one being its use limited to "offences against the security of the Commonwealth, child exploitation and human trafficking and serious drug offences". You can check out the full PDF of recommendations if you're keen, but I'm sure whatever mild changes are made, the ALP will roll over and vote for it whilst complaining the law is bad like the hypocrites they are.
This news will be relevant to only a very niche portion of Sizzle readers, but Melbourne-based ISP DGtek has raised an extra $7m of funding to expand their fibre optic network to more parts of the city. With this money they expect to be able to supply gigabit (real symmetrical gigabit, not this 1000/50 bullshit the NBN sells for top dollar) to around 1 million premises by 2024. Not bad considering the competition are the federal government, Optus, Telstra and TPG. You can check out DGtek's network current footprint on their website - it's pretty much the Melbourne CBD, Port & South Melbourne and a narrow strip down the Nepean Highway down to Moorabbin.
Steve Lord's Tales From The Dork Web is a great read and in the latest issue he decides to whip out an Amiga 4000 running AmigaOS 3.2 from 1992 and decides to use it for a week in 2021. As someone that never owned or even used an Amiga on an emulator, it was great to read an overview of the computer that still gets old school nerds misty eyed all this time later. This section resonated the most - "Personal computing on an Amiga is intentional, not passive. There is no doomscrolling. No pop-up distractions. No recommended content from carefully selected partners. You turn on, do what interests you, then switch it off". I remember that time. You had to connect to the internet, it wasn't always there. Back then I never wanted to leave, but maybe it was better that way.
📻 Shoot You Down - APB
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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.