CNET Has Secretly Been Using AI Tech to Write Articles Since November

The rise of AI chatbots led many to wonder if they would be replacing professional writers anytime soon. While it is fairly unlikely that Chat GPT will be writing the next great American novel, the chatbot has already managed to change the way that various articles get written online. It turns out that the folks over at CNET have already been exploring the numerous ways in which AI chatbots can help them get written content out there.

This information is coming from Gael Breton, who recently revealed that around 75 financial explainers that have been published by CNET since November of 2022 were originally written by chatbots like Chat GPT. The text is then heavily edited to give it a more professional quality, but that doesn’t change the origin of the content with all things having been considered and taken into account.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that CNET admits that they used a chatbot in the content in the byline. In spite of the fact that this is the case, many users would still have assumed that they were written by real people due to the human-like quality of the articles.

The content still got flagged, and CNET has removed much of it because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up harming its reputation. Using chatbots to write content is not morally questionable in and of itself, but most readers would want some kind of a disclaimer that would acknowledge the source of the writing.

Sending out a press release that will reveal the use of chatbots is important to maintain standards of journalistic integrity. Outlets like CNET have a duty to be open about such things, and this indicates that there will be a shifting tide when it comes to using chatbots in the future. They are already a part of journalism, and chances are that their influence will continue to grow especially as they become increasingly advanced and can mimic humans more effectively.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

The Growth of the Internet of Things is Making It a Big Target for the Dark Web

The internet of things refers to the interconnected systems of devices that access the web to improve functionality. Current estimates suggest that there are around 15 billion devices connected to the internet of things, which range from printers to vacuum cleaners and washing machines. The convenience that these devices can provide is hard to dismiss, but in spite of the fact that this is the case many of these devices use open source software.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that the use of open source software leaves a lot of backdoors for hackers to enter through. According to an analyst at a cybersecurity firm known as Mandiant, the IoT may be the next big target for hackers who are hiding out in the dark web.

2022 saw ransomware reaching a new peak, and it seems like 2023 will be all about the IoT and how hackers might be able to exploit it. This might make certain critical devices such as cars and medical equipment less safe to use than might have been the case otherwise if they are connected to the Internet of Things. Hackers can even use the IoT as an entrypoint to target critical infrastructure such as power grids.

The biggest threat here is how organized hackers are because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up allowing them to develop effective schemes. These schemes might be difficult to tackle, since hackers are notorious for switching up their strategies as soon as cybersecurity enforcers begin to close in on them.

According to all of the experts, it’s not a matter of if hackers will begin targeting the IoT but a matter of when. Unless steps are taken to make the IoT more secure, it will continue to be a massive risk. The large variety of devices makes it difficult to patch them, which is yet another flaw that would have to be rectified before things start to get out of hand.

illustration: Freepik / Vectorpouch

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

What Countries Offer the Cheapest Mobile Internet?

Mobile internet has become quite commonplace especially in developed countries, and developing nations are also creating the infrastructure necessary for it since it can really boost growth. In spite of the fact that this is the case, it can be challenging to provide mobile internet at a cheap enough rate. Plenty of advanced countries struggle to bring the price of mobile internet down, although a few are doing a pretty good job at making it affordable.

A price comparison site in the UK recently revealed that Israel has the cheapest mobile internet in the world with all things having been considered and taken into account. It costs just four cents to purchase a gigabyte of data in the Middle Eastern nation. This is especially impressive when you consider that Italy, which comes in second place, offers mobile internet at three times the price of Israel!

Italy still does really well, though, with a gigabyte of internet costing around twelve cents on average in that nation. India comes in third with seventeen cents per gigabyte of mobile internet, followed by France with 23 cents. China rounds off the top five list with an average mobile internet cost of 43 cents per gigabyte.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that some of the richest nations in the world are really lagging behind in this race. A gigabyte of mobile internet in South Korea can cost as much as $12.55, which may make it harder for people to access it than might have been the case otherwise.

Switzerland, the US, Japan and Germany are also poor performers in this regard. The costs in Switzerland are $7.37 per gigabyte, and in the US it hovers at around $5.62. Meanwhile, in Japan consumers are looking at a per gigabyte cost of around $3.85, whereas in Germany things aren’t much better with an average per gigabyte price of $2.67. Germany has the most expensive mobile internet in Europe, while South Korea tops the list in Asia as well as the rest of the world.

H/T: CableCoUK

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Online Shopping is Getting Cheaper with 1.6% Price Drop Year over Year

The Digital Price Index released by Adobe every month can be an important resource because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up giving one an overview of the state of ecommerce. The latest iteration of this index has revealed something quite interesting. It seems that online prices have dropped an average of 1.6% this year as compared to last year.

The report from Adobe compared prices from December of 2021 and 2022, and with all of that having been said and now out of the way it is important to note that 9 of the 18 different product categories saw a price decrease. Electronic products saw the biggest price dip of all, with them now being 12% cheaper than they were around a year ago.

Lower prices can make it easier for consumers to keep buying than might have been the case otherwise, since the effects of inflation are leaving them with very little spending money. Grocery prices are up by 13%, and consumers will obviously be prioritizing such necessities over luxuries like electronics. Hence, it makes sense that prices have fallen, since this may have been the only way to keep sales stable.

The decrease in prices has had a very positive effect. Ecommerce generated over $95.1 billion in December, which is a 5.8% increase year over year. Many were concerned that the holiday shopping season would see a muted response, but it seems that things are working relatively well with all things having been considered and taken into account.

Discounts over the holidays have likely impacted these figures, but in spite of the fact that this is the case they are still lower than last December when discounts were also in effect. Grocery prices are also increasing at a slower rate, with the 13.5% increase in December falling short of the record breaking 14.3% uptick in September.

This doesn’t automatically mean that things are calming down, but it does bode well for the future. Companies have to develop new strategies to deal with inflation and a cash strapped consumer base.

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by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Ransomware Attacks Have Decreased in 2022 As Compared to 2022 But the Companies Should Still Be Cautious

Ransomware attacks have been going around in the world of technology ever since WannaCry attacked and then infected PCs with viruses in 2017. But now it seems like ransomware attacks are slowly decreasing. Delinea, privileged access management (PAM), released the 2022 State of Ransomware Report. The report concluded that after researching more than 300 IT companies in the USA, only 25% were under ransomware attack in 2022. This means that ransomware has declined by 61% these past 12 months. Before 2022, 64% of ransomware was recorded in different IT companies in the USA. The report also showed a huge decrease in the number of countries that used to pay the ransom. Now the percentage is 68% while it was 84% in 2021.

Even if all of this is good news for many IT companies, it doesn't bring any satisfaction because companies can still get attacked and get their data leaked. Enterprises and companies shouldn't let this news consume them because there is still a risk of ransomware. One ransomware can cost about $4.5 million to a company so there should always be cautionary measures taken. If companies sla

ck off on protecting their data, ransomware can once again increase in 2023.

Threat actors will be able to get more opportunities for stealing data because of this attitude of enterprises. Instead of being relieved that this bigger threat is no more, companies should take measures to keep their data safe and secure. The only way that the companies can safeguard their data is by securing it with password vaulting and Multi-factor Authentication. They should also impose data backups so that in times of need, data can be revived back. Identity Theft is also getting common in these companies. So it's better to have precautions than regret after everything gets under attack.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Twitter Says There Is No Evidence That Its Users’ Data Is Being Sold By Hackers

It was only a few days back that we heard Twitter make headlines related to hackers selling the data of Twitter users. The figure was outlined to be between 200 million and 400 million.

The data comprised email IDs and phone numbers. But the app says there is no evidence that such a firm suffered any major breach. They have refuted the claims and say that an independent investigation was conducted and no proof showed that there was a vulnerability in the system of the app as mentioned in a recent blog post.

Twitter says it failed to find any correlation to the reports being made and it couldn’t even report new incidents taking place. Several databases were studied including those that the hackers claimed to find around 400 million instances of a data breach

They are very confident that no datasets had any passwords or details stored that would make us assume that users’ passwords were at risk of getting compromised.

The firm has also concluded that the hackers are most likely raging about a set of data that’s already seen across various sources and available for public viewing. They say there is nothing new over here and there’s also nothing to worry about.

The Twitter CEO mentioned there was nothing to worry about and the fact that so much fear was being generated was of no use. To some, the breach seems legit but Twitter says no. It’s quite interesting how the app published reports just one day after the hacker group mentioned that a mega security breach had taken place.

One security firm known as Hudson Rock says the data breach seemed very legit because the database is very real and has an impact on each user of the platform.

Despite one investigation taking place by the app, this sort of data being in constant circulation means it’s a huge threat to the general public as it entails so many real email IDs and telephone numbers. In the end, it targets those people who are least suspecting it, thanks to the likes of scams and phishing emails.

Cybercriminals may end up using this form of data to breach people’s accounts online. So the best way to protect yourself is to enable the security protective feature called two-factor authentication on an account. So it’s always great to be on guard and protect people from various types of phishing attempts.

Read next: Data Shows The Demand Of Second-Hand Smartphones Is Growing
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Data Shows The Demand Of Second-Hand Smartphones Is Growing

Demand for used smartphones has been noticed to increase from 2022 and is anticipated to continue by 2026.

According to IDC, a research firm, the amount of restored and second-hand smartphone shipments has increased worldwide by 11.5% to 282.6 million in 2022 from 253.4 million the year prior. Additionally, even phones that are two years old can have the most recent software installed on them, thanks to businesses like Google, Apple, and Samsung offering upgrades for their products over an extended period.

IDC projects that this increased pace will last until the year 2026, when shipments are estimated to reach 413.3 million, with a cumulative yearly development rate of 10.3%. Anthony Scarsella, the research manager for IDC, notes that the comeback of 6.1% is seen in the new market for 2021, allowing the used market to grow by 11.5% in 2022. He said that in many places, consumers’ need for smartphones is still high, therefore used devices show more resistance to market barriers than new smartphone selling. Furthermore, price points that are appealing are essential for development since cost reductions continue to be the key advantage. But, an increasing inventory problem brought on by prolonged refresh cycles in the new market has led to an increase in used costs of over 11% in 2022.

It is important to notice that in contrast to North America, second-hand cell phones account for a bigger market share throughout the rest of the globe. The shipments of used devices comprised 26% of all shipments in North America in 2022, however, 74% of all shipments worldwide. This is probably because used equipment is less expensive than brand-new ones. IDC further predicts that by 2026, deliveries of used mobiles would climb to 74.9% worldwide and decrease to 25.1% in North America.

Purchasing refurbished has environmental implications in addition to the apparent ones. Although buying used phones may not be done with the environment in mind, doing the same saves phones away from landfills over a long period. The phones are returned to the manufacturers and then their materials are occasionally reutilized, just like Apple and its dismantling machines do.

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