New Cybercrime Study Identifies Top Nations at Risk, Calls for Targeted Action

After researching for years, a team of researchers have made a World Cybercrime Index which talks about the top hotspots of cybercrime on a national level. The index was published in the journal called PLOS ONE and shows the countries which have the biggest cybercrime threats. Russia is at the top of the list, followed by Ukraine, China, Nigeria, US and Romania. The UK is also one of the countries with the biggest cybercrime threats but it comes at the eighth spot.

Dr. Miranda Bruce who is the co-author of this study says that their research will help the people to identify and locate these threats so that they can end the cybercrime hubs from their roots. This means that organizations will take less interest in implementing measures to be safe from cybercrimes as their hubs will be completely wiped out. Any type of cybercrime, whether profit driven or small scaled will be fought off with the help of the study published by them.

Dr. Bruce also added that they will continue to collect more data on cybercrime hubs. The data will help locate any new cybercrime hubs so authorities can stop them before they get any bigger. It will especially aid countries that are on cybercrime risks as their hubs will be shut down before they get developed.

The data that made the Index was obtained by surveying 92 experts of cybercrimes from all over the world who are directly linked with investigations of cybercriminal activities. These experts were asked questions like writing down five biggest types of cybercrimes and the name of countries that they deem at the biggest risks of cybercrimes according to how dangerous these cybercrimes are.

Another author of the study, Jonathan Lusthaus, says that cybercrime is pretty much a hidden activity where the criminals fake their identities and profiles, hence, they are hard to locate. They hide well but also perform their activities smoothly. Technical data cannot help locate cybercriminals but finding the exact location of their hubs can. Professor Federico Varese, one of the many co-author of the study, says that the World Cybercrime Index is the first step to understand different shades of cybercrimes. As the study will further expand, more facts about cybercrimes will come to surface.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

The Price of Internet in America is Increasing with New Jersey Paying the Highest Price

According to a new survey by US World and News Report, the average American internet bill is increasing with $89 per month as compared to $77 that was for broadband a month initially. This means that home internet service is getting more expensive with each passing day. The survey taken in late 2023 asked people about their internet bills, reliability of their internet and their satisfaction in their internet service.

The report says that the price of the internet service is increasing as there is rise in inflation. The respondents of the survey say that when they first started paying for the internet service, the price was just between $20 and $60. But now the prices have increased all of a sudden, instead of increasing slowly. New Jersey is the one that is suffering from this price increase the most. The report talks about how residents in the Garden State have to pay an average of $126 for their broadband service monthly. Montana State has the lowest monthly broadband price which is $70 a month.

The Affordable Connectivity Program that was started in Covid era is in its ending stages and its end is also going to increase internet prices. Congress is not going to renew the program, leaving Americans with high internet prices to pay.

Read next: State of PPC Global Report 2024 Shows the New Trends in Ad Campaigns with AI Becoming the Top Priority for Many Advertisers
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Meta And OpenAI Are Near To Launching Human-Like AI Models With Better Logic And Reasoning

There can be nothing quite like having an AI model that features all the qualities that make you wonder if it was an actual human being working. In fact, most AI models are shunned due to how far they are from behaving like a real human.

But thanks to a new report, that day is not far when such AI tools offer both reasoning and explanation quite like the human mind, giving users an ultimate experience.

The news comes as one executive from OpenAI has gone as far as to reveal how the latest variant of GPT would actually display progress made with harder issues. Similarly, tech experts have issued a new warning on this front in regards to how this type of technology might put humans at risk of becoming extinct.

The study showed how tech giants Meta and OpenAI are at the forefront of the AI race with such rollouts and they are near to completion of a launch of these advanced tools featuring the latest in AI tech.

Not only does this mean a better chance at problem-solving but also the ability of AI to take on greater challenges and more complicated endeavors. So now you don’t have to worry about overburdening the tool or getting a reply that goes beyond its comprehension.

The head of OpenAI spoke to media outlet Financial Times about this matter in detail including how there was great progress made in regards to the newest GPT variant for harder problems involving reasoning.

They claim to be just at the surface of how such tools can begin to reason logically and sensibly.

On the other hand, it’s quite interesting how Facebook’s parent firm is proving that it’s also a force to reckon with in this regard. The models are getting the chance to reason.

A similar plan was rolled out by Meta’s executives for Llama 3 that’s already causing major anticipation for the tech world and its respective experts as its launch comes in just a few weeks.

The VP for AI research mentioned how it’s getting harder and harder to figure out how this tool can talk and even reason while planning and having memory. Reps for both these tech giants are yet to comment on the matter further.

But the fact to emphasize here is that attaining AI models that can reason and provide planning is a major step toward attaining AI on a general level which Meta and OpenAI have been trying to achieve for so long.

Their development is going to be worth a staggering trillions for any firm that manages to attain just this, experts predict and that’s why it’s making major heads turn.

We saw in February of this year how former executives of Meta including VR expert John Carmack, had referred to the world of AGI as a large brass ring. According to him, it was bound to transform into an industry worth billions by the year 2030.

While definitions on this front can vary, it’s best to witness this as a variant of AI that performs better on a human level or does better on an array of different tasks seen in today’s world.

Meanwhile, a few experts have spoken about safety issues linked to the development of tech that goes above and beyond human intelligence. Today, researchers and those dubbed to be AI godfathers are urging the masses to be mindful of the risks to the human race that AI brings toward them.

We also saw tech billionaire Elon Musk who has been skeptical about AI from the start, mention how we might be only two years away from AI overtaking human brains in regards to their competency. He strongly feels that AI thinking and behaving independently would exceed humans in the upcoming five-year period.

So as you can see, the concerns are there and rightly so. There’s a reason why people have been warning about AI for so long and now that there’s evidence about tech giants working to make AI as human-like as possible, we know that it’s no longer just a hypothesis but reality that must be dealt with.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Not Everyone is Geeking Out Over Apple's Vision Pro Headset
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

State of PPC Global Report 2024 Shows the New Trends in Ad Campaigns with AI Becoming the Top Priority for Many Advertisers

State of PPC Global Report 2024 by PPCsurvey talks about concerns about the search market and it was revealed that AI is going to be the top priority for the search market this year. AI has been used in Google ads for quite some time now. First, it was used for keywords, then automatic bidding and now it is being used for placing automotive creatives. The top goal of 72% marketers in 2024 is to achieve large growth and the aim to increase their ad spend efficiently to target ROAS and CPA. Marketers want to reduce their wasted spend, prioritize the safety of consumers and optimize the performance other than the ad accounts. One in five marketers say that they are not able to increase their ad budget so they have to efficiently make the best out of their existing budget.

On the other hand, advertising budgets are increasing and 12 out of 23 campaigns are expecting an increase in their ad budgets on Google Ads and Meta Platforms. 63% of the experts have chosen Google’s Performance Max Campaign for increased budget issuance. Investing in this campaign is expected to generate more profit than any other campaigns under Google and Meta. Despite the adoption of Performance Max Campaign, a lot of marketers cannot reach the requirements needed to achieve the campaign in full form like assets that are needed for YouTube and some other platforms. Google knows about this issue and that’s why it is trying to use Generative AI in the Performance Max Campaign to create assets for the marketers.

Report shows that, over the past year, trust in ad platforms has taken a hit, with LinkedIn being the sole exception, boasting a net positive sentiment. Google, Twitter, and Meta witnessed notable declines in trust percentages at 54%, 51%, and 42% respectively. These platforms encountered hurdles like prioritizing automation over user control, reputation damage, unwanted content proliferation, and general unreliability.

There has also been a change in bidding as marketers are now using automated bidding but manual bidding is also seen. Bidding isn’t used for prominent strategies and is just being used for Target Impressions. A new feature called Demand Gen Feature has also been introduced but it still isn’t as popular as exact match. This is because the exact match feature is much more advantageous for advertisers than the new feature that is mostly being used by advertisers that need to distribute ads other than Google Search.

Many PPC experts admit that campaigning has become harder since the last 2 years, mostly because of practitioners and automated campaigns like Performance Max. The platforms where the ads are used are also being deemed untrustworthy. Only LinkedIn has some positive impressions on advertisers. Google, Twitter and Meta have seen the decline in trust rate.

Overall, the ad spend is expected to increase by 8.2% in 2024 and 50% of this global advertising spend will go to Alphabet (Google, YouTube), Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Amazon, Alibaba and ByteDance (TikTok, Douyin).

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Not Everyone is Geeking Out Over Apple's Vision Pro Headset

Apple's shiny new $3,500 Vision Pro headset was supposed to be the next big thing in tech. But it seems not all early buyers are totally sold on the pricey face gadget. A poll on Reddit revealed that over 12% of Vision Pro owners are already shelving theirs - and some wish they had returned it while they still could.

The poll was posted by a Reddit user who goes by NBA2024. They wanted to see how often people were actually using their Vision Pros after the initial hype wore off. Like many, they found themselves not firing it up as much as expected, feeling it was a waste given the steep cost.

Their poll asked about the frequency of Vision Pro usage. After a couple days, around 1,000 Reddit users had weighed in. The results showed a pretty split crowd:

Over a third (36.5%) said they use it daily. Not bad! Another chunk (19.5%) said they use it frequently throughout the week. But then 19% only used it once a week, and 15% said once every two weeks or even less often.

So while the Vision Pro has its dedicated daily users, a good portion are struggling to make it a regular part of their routine. The comments shed some light on why.

For starters, it's just plain hard to adapt to wearing a headset for normal activities like eating or multitasking. The adjustment period is no joke. Then there's the feeling among some that Apple overhyped what this first generation can actually do. A few called it "gimmicky" and more for hard-core VR fans than casual users.

Specific pain points included little things we take for granted, like being able to answer a phone call hands-free. Sure, updates will keep coming. But some early buyers feel misled about the current experience.

Not everyone is giving up so easily though. Loyal Apple fans still see the Vision Pro's massive potential as an all-in-one portable cinema and computer. As one user put it: "It's a $4000 machine - of course I'll use it daily!"

Only time will tell if mainstream consumers eventually get on board. For now, Apple has some work to do winning over the skeptics and making the Vision Pro an absolute must-have.

Read next: Apple's Manufacturing Shift to India Gains Momentum
by Asim BN via Digital Information World

Apple's Manufacturing Shift to India Gains Momentum

Apple is accelerating its efforts to reduce dependence on China for iPhone production. According to a Bloomberg report, approximately 14% of iPhones, or one in seven, are now assembled in India. This represents significant progress in Apple's strategy to establish India as a major manufacturing hub.

For years, Apple's heavy reliance on China has posed risks. COVID-19 disruptions at a key iPhone plant cost the company an estimated $1 billion per week. Escalating U.S.-China tensions have also pressured Apple to diversify its supply chain.

India has long been viewed as an alternative manufacturing location. While ambitious targets were set for iPhone production in India, progress was initially slow. However, the latest figures indicate Apple assembled $14 billion worth of iPhones in India during fiscal 2024.

This manufacturing shift helps mitigate risks from over-dependence on a single country and potential disruptions. However, Apple faces challenges in diversifying its supplier base in India. Initially using three suppliers, Pegatron and Tata are now consolidating, potentially leaving Apple with just two assembly partners.

As Apple expands manufacturing in India, maintaining quality standards and supply chain efficiency will be crucial. Industry analysts will closely monitor the company's ability to establish a robust production ecosystem beyond China.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Instagram's Political Content Clampdown Sparks Economic Concerns
by Web Desk via Digital Information World

Instagram's Political Content Clampdown Sparks Economic Concerns

Instagram is facing a major backlash over its recent decision to limit the reach of political content on its platform and its new app Threads. A diverse group of high-profile figures are furiously objecting to the policy and demanding Instagram reconsider.

Leading voices like comedian Alok Vaid-Menon, actor Kevin McHale, news outlet So Informed, activist Carlos Eduardo Espina, and the meme kings at Under the Desk News are spearheading the charge against Instagram. Their core argument? By restricting political posts to just people who already follow an account, Instagram is stifling democratic discussion and civic engagement when it's needed most.

They see the policy as a blunt instrument that will end up censoring vital conversations on everything from climate change to gun laws to abortion rights under Instagram's broad definition of what counts as "political." Already marginalized communities, they argue, will be disproportionately muzzled - deprived of platforms to share real-life perspectives so crucial for equity and representation.

There's an economic angle too. For creators who monetize through sponsorships and brand deals, being demoted in the Instagram feed could mean a straight-up pay cut. No small thing when the app fails to offer any meaningful way to get paid directly.

As the 2024 election looms, some wonder if Instagram is just trying to avoid a remake of its role in past electoral shit-shows. But critics say the cure could be worse than the disease - keeping people sealed off in ideological bubbles bereft of different viewpoints is hardly the recipe for a well-informed electorate.

It's a tricky line Instagram is trying to walk between keeping a lid on harmful garbage and preserving the free-flow of discourse, especially on issues the public cares about. With pressures ratcheting up from all sides, all eyes are on what Instagram does next and whether it inadvertently kneecaps the digital public square.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: Study Claims Almost One In Three Parents Have Never Spoken To Their Kids About Cybersecurity And That’s Alarming

by Asim BN via Digital Information World