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Spain’s privacy watchdog has barred Meta from launching two features on Facebook and Instagram that the tech giant says were intended to encourage users to vote in the upcoming EU elections. The tools, dubbed Election Day Information (EDI) and Voter Information Unit (VIU), would send notifications to all eligible Instagram and Facebook users in the EU, reminding them to vote. Both features were...
Friday is finally here and so is this week’s round-up of tech news from the Netherlands. We’ve had seven dynamic days of digital developments. From banking hacks and Booking fakes to malware and memes, the end of May’s been action-packed. Here’s our pick of the hottest stories, startups, and speeches. What we’re writing ESA satellite launches Dutch tech into space to study climate change...
STMicroelectronics has announced plans to build a giant factory in Italy that will make specialist microchips for EVs and other high-voltage power devices. The Swiss firm is the world’s largest producer of silicon carbide microchips, particularly valued by automakers for being lightweight, energy-efficient, and strong. This translates to EVs that can drive further and are less prone to technical...
Missing the chance to install a heat pump in his London home had always bothered tech industry whizz Aadil Qureshi. While builders were in the middle of renovating and extending his terraced house during the depths of the pandemic, he had stumbled on a YouTube channel called Heat Geek. The videos explained — in extreme detail — how heat pumps, when installed correctly, are the most efficient...
From semiconductors to chocolate, you’d be surprised how many products are already made with the help of AI. And it’s precisely on the factory floor where Swiss startup EthonAI is looking to gain a foothold in this emerging market. “Manufacturing is at a critical juncture, and companies that fail to adapt with AI risk falling behind,” said CEO Julian Senoner, who co-founded EthonAI after...
Four people have been arrested in the “largest ever operation against botnets,” EU police force Europol announced on Thursday. The Netherlands, Germany, and France led the sting, dubbed “Operation Endgame.” According to Dutch police, their investigation uncovered financial damages totalling “hundreds of millions” of euros. They also estimate that the malware has infected millions of systems. The...
Finnish mobile game developer Supercell released Squad Busters yesterday, its first new title in over five years. The game launched alongside an admittedly hilarious promo video featuring the likes of Chris Hemsworth and Ken Jeong. At the time of writing, Squad Busters has already been downloaded over 10 million times on Google Play. It was the most downloaded app in 122 countries on Wednesday...
Web-hosting platform Hostinger today announced a 57% year-on-year growth of its consolidated revenue, reaching €110.2mn in 2023 — surpassing the €100mn milestone for the first time since its founding in 2004. This was also Hostinger’s first year of EBITDA profitability. The Lithuanian company reached € 2.4mn in EBITDA profit, while maintaining positive cash flow. Born in Vilnius, Hostinger helps...
Over two-thirds of British MPs and almost half of EU MEPs have had their email addresses leaked on the dark web. That’s according to new research from cybersecurity firm Proton. With election season looming in the UK and the EU, the company partnered with Constella Intelligence to explore online threats to national security. The team focused on 2,279 politicians in the European Parliament, UK...
Open Cosmos, the UK-based startup that uses satellites to fight climate change, has secured a contract of €60mn to build seven satellites for Greece. Dubbed Optical Constellation, this will be the country’s first flagship satellite project. The satellites in the Greek constellation will collect data in low Earth orbit, aiming to improve public services. Use cases range from providing fresh...