Uber suspends self-driving cars after Arizona crash

Images show Uber vehicle on its side after apparent high-impact crash with ordinary driver.

Apple wins iPhone 6 patent battle in China

The win removes the threat that Apple would not be able to sell the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China

Jack Dorsey brings Square payments to UK

The founder of Twitter brings his other company - a point-of-sale system for small businesses - to the UK.

Samsung plans to relaunch refurbished Note 7 devices

The technology giant says it may be able to offer the recalled devices as refurbished phones.

AI to dominate banking, says report

AI can help banks create a human experience even as more and more services are automated, says report.

Google Home to be launched in UK in April

The search giant promises a degree of Britishness in its smart home assistant, Google Home.

Amazon to buy Middle East online retailer Souq

The retailer makes its first move into the region after completing a deal for an undisclosed amount.

Facebook launches Snapchat-style Stories with new in-app camera feature

The social media company is encouraging users to take more pictures and add effects and filters.

Exposed files on Microsoft's document-sharing site

Passwords and sensitive health data are among documents inadvertently shared by Microsoft users.

China's Tencent buys 5% stake in Tesla

The Chinese tech giant is spending $1.8bn on its stake in the electric carmaker.

Uber set to pull out of Denmark

New taxi laws requiring drivers in Denmark to have fare meters have led Uber to withdraw its services.

Congress to US citizens: Want online privacy? Pay up!

Tuesday’s congressional vote to repeal U.S. restrictions on broadband providers doesn’t mean that online privacy is dead. Consumers will just have to pay for it.

The coming repeal, which President Trump is expected to sign into law, paves a clearer path for broadband providers to sell customers’ internet browsing history and other online data, without their consent.

Privacy advocates are worried. Imagine corporate giants snooping on your internet activities, and then bombarding your PC, phone and TV with targeted ads.

However, the privacy rule rollback might have an opposite effect too. Expect broadband providers and other internet services to emerge offering online privacy protections -- but at a price.

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Senate votes to kill FCC's broadband privacy rules

The U.S. Senate has voted to kill broadband provider privacy regulations prohibiting them from selling customers' web-browsing histories and other data without their permission.

The Senate's 50-48 vote Thursday on a resolution of disapproval would roll back Federal Communications Commission rules requiring broadband providers to receive opt-in customer permission to share sensitive personal information, including web-browsing history, geolocation, and financial details with third parties. The FCC approved the regulations just five months ago.

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Three privacy tools that block your Internet provider from tracking you

It’s on. Recently, the United States Senate saw fit to allow Internet Service Providers to sell your web browsing history and other data to third parties. The action has yet to pass the House, but if it does, it means anyone concerned about privacy will have to protect themselves against over zealous data collection from their ISP.

Some privacy-conscious folks are already doing that—but many aren’t. If you want to keep your ISP from looking over your shoulder for data to sell to advertisers, here are three relatively simple actions you can take to get started.

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Ads in your eye

How new technologies are transforming outdoor advertising.

Sonic Boom

BBC Click's Lara Lewington looks at some of the best of the week's technology news stories.

Malaysia screen legend gets Google tribute

P. Ramlee enjoyed fame across South East Asia, even reaching as far as Hong Kong and Japan.

Bank cheques to be cleared within a day

From October 2017, cheques will start to clear much faster than the current six days' waiting time.

The tech turning skyscrapers into adverts

A new projection technique for persistence of vision displays will allow images to be up to 200m tall on buildings.

Russian man pleads guilty over $500m malware scam

A Russian man faces up to 10 years in jail for spreading a computer virus that cost victims more than $500m (£401m).

FBI looks into Russian hack of US election, possible Trump involvement

The FBI is actively investigating Russia's attempts to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election and possible cooperation from President Donald Trump's campaign, agency director James Comey confirmed.

The existence of an investigation isn't a surprise, but Comey's announcement Monday is the first time the FBI has acknowledged an active case. The FBI typically does not comment on active investigations, but the Russian actions targeting the U.S. election represents an "unusual" case, he told members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee.

Comey told lawmakers he couldn't comment more on the investigation, but he said the FBI is looking into possible contacts and cooperation between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. The FBI is looking into "the nature of any links" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, he said.

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It's time for websites to turn on HTTPS encryption: the benefits are worth the effort

After Edward Snowden revealed that online communications were being collected en masse by some of the world’s most powerful intelligence agencies, security experts called for encryption of the entire web. Four years later, it looks like we’ve passed the tipping point.

The number of websites supporting HTTPS—HTTP over encrypted SSL/TLS connections—has skyrocketed over the past year. There are many benefits to turning on encryption, so if your website not yet support the technology it’s time to make the move.

Recent telemetry data from Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox shows that over 50 percent of web traffic is now encrypted, both on computers and mobile devices. Most of that traffic goes to a few large websites, but even so, it’s a jump of over 10 percentage points since a year ago.

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The NSA's foreign surveillance: 5 things to know

A contentious piece of U.S. law giving the National Security Agency broad authority to spy on people overseas expires at the end of the year. Expect heated debate about the scope of U.S. surveillance law leading up to Dec. 31.

One major issue to watch involves the way the surveillance treats communications from U.S. residents. Critics say U.S. emails, texts, and chat logs -- potentially millions of them -- are caught up in surveillance authorized by Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

U.S. residents who communicate with foreign targets of the NSA surveillance have their data swept up in what the NSA calls "incidental" collection. The FBI can then search those communications, but it's unclear how often that happens.

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Your gadgets could help 'launch a cyber attack'

NCA director says a rising number of gadgets are being hacked to launch cyber attacks.

World wide web creator Tim Berners-Lee targets fake news

Social media sites and search engines must be pushed to do more to combat the problem, he says.

GCHQ warns politicians about Russian hacking threat

The spy agency says cyber-attacks could threaten the democratic process in the UK.

Intel buys driverless car technology firm Mobileye

The US chipmaker is taking over its Israeli-based driverless technology partner Mobileye.

'LED street lights are disturbing my sleep'

Cities around the world are converting to low-energy LED street lights - but some residents say their sleep is being affected and are fighting back.

California mulls driver-free car tests

Currently autonomous vehicles tested on the roads must have a human driver ready to take control.

Sony plans to let PC owners play PS4 games

The newer titles will be included in a subscription to the PlayStation Now streaming service

Facebook data 'off-limits' for spy tools

The social media giant responds to news that police in California used tools to spy on activists

Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer could land $23m payout

The Yahoo chief could receive a bumper payout if she loses her job as part of the Verizon deal.

Cyber security: Experts warn on rise of hacker ransoms

Smartphones, watches and fitness trackers could be made unusable by criminals, security chiefs say.

Driverless cars 'could lead to complacency'

People may be too slow in taking back control of driverless cars in an emergency, peers warn.

Germany warns social media firms over illegal content

Fines of up to 50m euros are being proposed for social media sites that do not quickly remove illegal content.

Hands-on with the jacket with Google woven in

A partnership between Levi’s and Google has yielded a jacket with technology woven into the fabric.

Facebook, Twitter and Google grilled by MPs over hate speech

Facebook, Twitter and Google are told by MPs to do a "better job" on hate speech and abuse images.

Assange: CIA had lost control of its cyberweapon documents

Information about purported CIA cyberattacks was "passed around" among members of the U.S. intelligence community and contractors before it was published by WikiLeaks this week, Julian Assange says.

The CIA "lost control of its entire cyberweapons arsenal," the WikiLeaks editor in chief said during a press conference Thursday. "This is a historic act of devastating incompetence, to have created such an arsenal and stored all in one place and not secured it."

Assange declined to name the source who gave the information to WikiLeaks, but he seemed to suggest the 8,700-plus documents, purportedly from an isolated CIA server, came from an insider source.

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US senator probes into CloudPets smart toy hack

A U.S. senator is probing reports of a breach of data from smart toys from Spiral Toys, writing to the company’s CEO a letter with ten questions about the issue, including about the company’s security practices.

Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, wrote in a letter Tuesday to CEO Mark Meyers that the breach raises serious questions concerning how well the company protects the information it collects, particularly from children.

Nelson also said that the incident raises questions about the vendor's compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act that requires covered companies to have reasonable procedures to protect the confidentiality, security and integrity of personal information collected from children.

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U.S. Senate resolution aims to let ISPs share your private data without permission

A resolution introduced in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday aims to roll back privacy rules for broadband service providers that were approved by the Federal Communications Commission in October.

The rules include the requirement that internet service providers like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon should obtain “opt-in” consent from consumers to use and share sensitive personal information such as geolocation and web browsing history, and also give customers the option to opt out from the sharing of non-sensitive information such as email addresses or service tier information.

The rules have been opposed by internet service providers who argue that they are being treated differently from other Internet entities like search engines and social networking companies.

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How iBeacons could help blind people navigate roadworks

BBC Click's Lara Lewington finds out how iBeacons could help blind people navigate roadworks.

MWC 2017: Technology review

BBC Click's Stephen Beckett reviews some of the technology on display at the Mobile World Congress.

Switch sales 'close to Nintendo records'

The firm sold more than 300,000 units of latest gaming console in just three days in Japan alone.

My journey from fleeing Iran to making the internet safer

On International Women's day, one cyber security boss says more women should enter her industry.

ARM chip designer stake 'to be sold by Softbank'

Reports suggest Softbank will sell a 25% stake in ARM to a tech fund it is creating with Saudi Arabia.

CIA hacking tools: Should we be worried?

What the documents posted on Wikileaks say about our online privacy.

Budget 2017: Robotics, driverless cars and 5G to get UK funds

The chancellor promises £270m to put the UK at the forefront of ground-breaking technologies.

Apple, Samsung and Microsoft react to Wikileaks' CIA dump

Apple says it has already fixed some flaws referred to in an alleged leak of the CIA's hacking tools.

Premier League gets Kodi piracy court order

The Premier League gets the power to block computer servers that power pirated video streams.

Consumers are wary of smart homes that know too much

Nearly two-thirds of consumers are worried about home IoT devices listening in on their conversations, according to a Gartner survey released Monday.

Those jitters aren’t too surprising after recent news items about TV announcers inadvertently activating viewers’ Amazon Echos, or about data from digital assistants being used as evidence in criminal trials. But privacy concerns are just one hurdle smart homes still have to overcome, according to the survey.

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Bitcoin buyer

As the value of Bitcoin tops gold for the first time, we spoke to an early investor who bought one Bitcoin for just $18 (£14.70) in 2012.

Are food bloggers fuelling racist stereotypes?

Asian American photographer says some digital foodies are playing into racist stereotypes about ethnic dishes.

Snapchat IPO: California school banks millions

Tech investor Barry Eggers' whip-round at California's Saint Francis High led to an incredible windfall.

Newsbeat meets the brains behind the Nintendo Switch

The creators of the Nintendo Switch say their console isn't lacking in games.

Uber loses legal test case over language

Judge rules London drivers will be required to prove their ability to communicate in English.

IBM gives out-of-office patent to public

The granting of a patent for an email system in use for years sparks criticism.

Windows 10 to offer update 'snoozes'

Microsoft says people will be able to choose a time to activate updates and reboots.

Uber uses 'secret program' Greyball to hide from regulators

The taxi-hailing service has been using a secret program to prevent regulators from shutting it down.

Has wearable tech had its day?

It's been a rollercoaster year for wearables in terms of sales, and experts are divided on their future.

Breathe easy? Air pollution trackers put to the test

Lara Lewington finds out if air pollution gadgets can help her pick the healthiest route to take.

IBM's online quantum machine gets faster

IBM wants to open out quantum computing to the business community and increase usage for programmers.

Net gains

How a pilot scheme in Havana might point the way to an internet-connected Cuba.

Love on the line?

Online dating fraud is on the rise, so what are dating firms doing to protect their members?

Snapchat firm share price soars on debut

Shares in the owner of messaging app Snapchat jump around 40% in its opening minutes on Wall Street.

Can technology solve Chicago's gun crime problem?

US police have turned to technology to help fight crime, but can the solutions really solve the problem?

US surveillance law may see no new protections for foreign targets

Any reform of a controversial U.S. law allowing the National Security Agency to spy on people overseas will likely focus on its impact on U.S. residents, without curbing its use elsewhere.

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires on Dec. 31, and some digital rights groups are calling on Congress to overhaul the law to protect the privacy of residents of both the U.S. and other countries. Congress will almost certainly extend the provision in some form. 

But a congressional hearing on Wednesday focused largely on the NSA's "inadvertent" collection of U.S. residents' data, with little time given to the privacy concerns of people overseas.

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Smart teddy bear maker faces scrutiny over data breach response

Did a toymaker ignore warnings about a data breach? That’s a key question swirling around Spiral Toys, a company behind a line of smart stuffed animals that security researchers worry can be easily hacked.

On Tuesday, Spiral Toys said the breach, which affects 800,000 user accounts, only came to its attention last week on Feb. 22.

The statement is raising eyebrows. One researcher named Victor Gevers began contacting the toymaker about the problem in late December, when he noticed that a company MongoDB database storing customer information was publicly exposed.

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Car wars

A row has broken out over who should control access to all the data your new car generates.

Londoner accidentally gets Uber to Croydon, via Bristol

Uber is refunding the £467 taxi fee as a "goodwill" gesture, describing the trip of 280 miles as an "unfortunate mistake".

MWS 2017: 5G - the next mobile revolution

The next-generation 5G mobile network causes lots of excitement at the Mobile World Congress trade show.

MWC 2017: Google Home challenges Amazon Echo

Google suggests its expertise in search will help its Home speaker triumph over Amazon's Echo.

MWC 2017: DJI M200 drone works in rain and winds

A new drone is being pitched to business that want to safely carry out inspections from the sky.

BT landline-only customers set to get £5 off monthly bills

Customers who only buy a landline service from BT are not getting value for money, Ofcom says.

MWC 2017: Google Home speaker to launch in UK by June

Google's smart speaker will compete against Amazon's Echo in the UK this summer.

Man jailed for hitting woman with drone

The pilot of a drone that knocked a woman unconscious has been jailed for 30 days in the US.

Children's messages in CloudPets data breach

More than 2 million voice messages left between parents and children exposed, security researcher claims.

Google robot leaps and spins with leg-wheels

Handle - a human-sized robot that can travel over uneven surfaces and jump over obstacles - makes its debut.

Bad bug found in Microsoft browsing code

If exploited, the bug could let attackers run their own code on victims' machines.

Tagged animals at risk from hunters and nature-lovers

Radio signals from tags are helping hunters and harming conservation, warn scientists.

Government sets out post-Brexit digital strategy

The government wants the UK to lead the world in the digital economy and re-skill its citizens.

Windows 10's data-gathering changes don't satisfy European privacy watchdogs

European Union privacy watchdogs are still not happy with Windows 10’s gathering of data about its users, over a year after they first wrote to Microsoft to complain.

While the company has developed ways to give users more control over what data is collected, their consent to its collection cannot be valid without further explanation, according to the Article 29 Working Party, an umbrella body for the EU’s national privacy regulators.

The working party welcomed Microsoft’s introduction of five new options in Windows 10 to limit or switch off certain kinds of data processing, but said they provided insufficient information about their operation.

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Verizon knocks $350 million off Yahoo deal after massive data breaches

Verizon Communications will pay $350 million less for Yahoo after two major data breaches reported by the struggling internet pioneer.

Verizon will pay about $4.48 billion for Yahoo’s operating business, and the two companies will share any potential legal and regulatory liabilities arising from two major data breaches announced in late 2016. The companies announced the amended terms of the deal Tuesday.

Back in October, one news report had Verizon seeking a $1 billion discount after the first breach was announced.

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LinkedIn will help people in India train for semi-skilled jobs

Microsoft has launched Project Sangam, a cloud service integrated with LinkedIn that will help train and generate employment for middle and low-skilled workers.

The professional network that was acquired by Microsoft in December has been generally associated with educated urban professionals but the company is now planning to extend its reach to semi-skilled people in India.

Having connected white-collared professionals around the world with the right job opportunities and training through LinkedIn Learning, the platform is now developing a new set of products that extends this service to low- and semi-skilled workers, said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at an event on digital transformation in Mumbai on Wednesday.

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What to expect from the Trump administration on cybersecurity

Look for U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to push for increased cybersecurity spending in government, but also for increased digital surveillance and encryption workarounds.

That's the view of some cybersecurity policy experts, who said they expect Trump to focus on improving U.S. agencies' cybersecurity while shying away from new cybersecurity regulations for businesses. 

Trump is likely to look for ways for the National Security Agency and other agencies to assist the government and companies defend against cyberattacks, said Jeffrey Eisenach, a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a tech advisor during Trump's presidential transition.

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FCC puts the brakes on ISP privacy rules it just passed in October

The new chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission will seek a stay on privacy rules for broadband providers that the agency just passed in October.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will ask for either a full commission vote on the stay before parts of the rules take effect next Thursday or he will instruct FCC staff to delay part of the rules pending a commission vote, a spokesman said Friday.

The rules, passed when the FCC had a Democratic majority, require broadband providers to receive opt-in customer permission to share sensitive personal information, including web-browsing history, geolocation, and financial details, with third parties. Without the stay, the opt-in requirements were scheduled to take effect next week.

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Google shifts on email encryption tool, leaving its fate unclear

Google is asking developers to take over its effort to make end-to-end email encryption more user-friendly, raising questions over whether it’ll ever become an official feature in the company’s browser.

On Friday, the search giant said its email encryption tool, originally announced in 2014, was no longer a Google product. Instead, it’s become a “full community-driven open source project,” the company said in a blog post.

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