Monthly Archives: August 2022

Scanning students’ homes during remote testing is unconstitutional, judge says

Enlarge (credit: Jeff Greenberg / Contributor | Universal Images Group) As the pandemic unfolded in spring 2020, an Educause survey found that an increasing number of students—who had very little choice but to take tests remotely—were increasingly putting up with potential privacy invasions from schools. Two years later, for example, it’s considered a common practice…

Long-awaited Dead Island 2 reveal headlines Gamescom announcement frenzy

This gallery of Dead Island 2 gameplay footage is pretty gruesome; clicking through gets more violent from here on out. [credit: Deep Silver / Dambuster ] Eight years after its public announcement, Dead Island 2 finally looks like a video game—and its bloody, polished gameplay reveal capped off a lengthy Gamescom opening night presentation of…

Bees make more friends when they’re full of healthy gut bacteria

Honeybees are born without a gut biome, and pick up their microbial companions just before adulthood. PetroP/Deposit Photos Take a honeybee worker from almost anywhere on Earth, look inside its guts, and you’ll most likely find just nine types of bacteria. The remarkable consistency of this microbial package across the planet—similar across species, including social bumblebees—is…

TechCrunch+ roundup: Shame-free down rounds, checkout flow tune-up, SaaS tsunami

Turning one-time customers into repeat buyers takes on heightened importance during a downturn. Acquiring one new user can be a heavy lift, but finding ways to reduce friction during shopping and checkout is a proven method for boosting the lifetime value of existing customers. An important note: One study found that password difficulties cause nearly…

What is stock? Learn the basics of investing in a public company

Stocks present a common way for everyday investors to generate wealth. FatCamera/Getty Images A stock is an investment that represents a unit of ownership in a company. There are two ways shareholders can earn returns on their investments: capital gains and dividends. Investors can build diversified stock portfolios by investing in stock funds. A stock…

Twitter’s Parag Agrawal, before he was CEO, suggested bowing to Russia’s demands for increased censorship and surveillance to grow users there, ex-security chief alleges

Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Parag Agrawal, before he was Twitter CEO, suggested ceding to Russia’s censorship and surveillance demands. Ex-Twitter security chief Pieter Zatko made the claim in a filing to the SEC and other agencies. He said Agrawal’s suggestion wasn’t pursued but it was still a “cause for concern.” Twitter’s former…