Slots to smartphones: Pandemic sends Australia's gambling problem online
Already the world's biggest gambling nation in terms of loss per person, Australia has seen a shift in betting behavior since the pandemic-forced closure of public venues.
In Myanmar's rebel strongholds, internet blackouts can mean life or death
With many people relying on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, warnings about impending attacks by junta forces haven't been able to reach villages.
For Gen Z, TikTok is the new search engine
Need to find a restaurant or figure out how to do something? Young people are turning to TikTok to search for answers. Google has noticed.
Ethereum completes long-awaited energy-saving ‘Merge’ upgrade
The blockchain network's energy consumption will decline by an estimated 99%.
As Japan's neighbors ramp up offensive capabilities in cyberspace, SDF aims to bolster defense
In its budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, the Defense Ministry is requesting more than ¥75 billion — a twofold rise — to bolster the SDF's cyberdefense.
China's propaganda put under scrutiny as netizen comments translated
The weaponization of translations of online content has alarmed Chinese authorities.
Health care data privacy fears grow worldwide after U.S. restricts abortion access
Activists fear some could be too scared to search online for the term "abortion," and caution against sharing data in mobile health apps often used to track fertility.
Jail time and tougher penalties for online insults come into effect in Japan
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and others had opposed the revision, arguing that it could stifle legitimate criticism of politicians and public officials.
Failed ‘Captain Tsubasa’ NFT offers window into the risks of crypto
While Japan has not yet experienced a large NFT boom, some of the country’s most famous pop culture staples have been appropriated for dubious "Web3" products.
What evil lurks in the shadow of anonymity?
Fueled by pandemic-induced stress, nameless netizens are directing myriad harmful and threatening messages on the internet with little fear of retribution.
Man arrested after taking woman hostage in internet cafe near Tokyo
Police stormed the premises in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, at around 3:15 a.m. and took Koji Nagakubo into custody while rescuing the 22-year-old woman.
Local assemblies in Japan seek to go fully remote in emergencies
At present, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications only permits local assemblies to hold online sessions and votes for committees, but not plenary sessions.
