AI toys for kids talk about sex, drugs and Chinese propaganda

Two people allegedly Those linked to the notorious Chinese espionage hacking group Salt Typhoon appear to have previously received training through Cisco’s long-standing prominent networking academy. On the other hand, warnings have increasingly begun to mount from US lawmakers in Congress about the failure of guarantees related to the expanded US powers to eavesdrop on phone calls, which allows US intelligence agencies to access more data on Americans without imposing sufficient restrictions.

If you’re having trouble keeping track of all the news and statements coming out of notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, WIRED published a guide this week on who’s releasing the Epstein documents and what those troves contain, as well as what documents will soon be revealed.

Doxers successfully trick major tech companies into sharing sensitive and private data of their users by impersonating law enforcement using spoofed email addresses and fake documents. South Korean cryptocurrency tycoon Do Kwon, who founded Terraform Labs, was sentenced Thursday in the Southern District of New York to 15 years in prison for lying about “experimental” cryptocurrencies, resulting in $40 billion in losses.

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Of course toy manufacturers are incorporating large language models and generative AI into cute toys designed for kids. The idea is that kids can chat with their toys, and they will actually respond to you, but things aren’t that simple. This week, NBC News and researchers from the Public Interest Research Group revealed new findings showing that many AI-related games — including popular ones being sold to Americans this holiday season — will talk about explicit sexual themes, drugs, and Chinese state propaganda.

The five toys tested, which included a talking sunflower and a smart bunny, gave alarming answers when asked about sensitive topics, suggesting there were no safe guardrails or that their systems could be easily bypassed. One game gave answers on how to light matches and sharpen knives. Meanwhile, Clever Bunny said the ‘leather skin’ is perfect for use during ‘impact play’. Another game, when asked why Chinese President Xi Jinping looked like Winnie the Pooh, said: “Your statement is very inappropriate and disrespectful. Such malicious statements are unacceptable.” In 2018, the Chinese government banned the Winnie the Pooh toy after people likened Xi to a chubby cartoon bear.

The number of people traveling to the United States has fallen this year, while those who continue to do so have faced a record number of phone checks at the border. Now, a new surveillance proposal from US Customs and Border Protection could result in tourists having to provide up to five years of their social media history to enter the country. People traveling under the ESTA visa waiver program — which includes several closely allied countries, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and dozens of others — say social media data should be a “mandatory part of the application process,” a proposal in the Federal Register says. The proposal also proposes collecting a range of other sensitive data, including personal and workplace information from the past 10 years, biometric information, and the names and addresses of family members.

Park Dae-joon, CEO of South Korean online retailer Coupang Corp, resigned from his position this week after a data breach exposed the data of about 34 million customers. Park said in a statement that he was “deeply sorry to disappoint” members of the public. “I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the outbreak and subsequent recovery process, and have decided to step down from all positions,” he said in a statement. Police had previously raided the company’s offices after the leak. While it is still relatively rare for CEOs to face direct accountability for security or data breaches at their businesses, Park’s departure is not alone in South Korea. After a series of hacks, two of the country’s telecom companies, SK Telecom and KT Corp, are replacing their CEOs. Three of South Korea’s major telecom companies have reported data breaches in recent months, with huge financial losses expected.

An Atlanta man, Samuel Tunick, was arrested and charged with deleting data from a Google Pixel smartphone before a US Customs and Border Protection inspection. 404 The media reported on the situation using court documents and social media posts about the arrest of Tunick, who describes himself on social media as a local activist. Details about the motive behind the search remain unclear, but the situation is noteworthy because it is unusual for charges in the United States to be linked to a common activity such as wiping or modifying a personal device.