📡 Europe’s Space Deal, Spyware Scandals & School Fight Tech Troubles
Good morning. It’s Monday, December 16. Today we are covering:
Europe signs €10.6bn Iris² satellite deal in bid to rival Elon Musk's Starlink
Cellebrite Unlocked This Journalist's Phone. Cops Then Infected it With Malware
How Student Phones and Social Media Are Fueling Fights in Schools
UK to Tweak Social Media Rules in Response to Summer Riots
Computer science grads say the job market is rough. Some are opting for a 'panic' master's degree instead.
Let’s dive in
Europe signs €10.6bn Iris² satellite deal in bid to rival Elon Musk's Starlink
By Peggy Hollinger via Financial Times
Europe has signed a €10.6bn contract for the Iris² satellite network, aiming to rival Elon Musk's Starlink by providing high-speed, secure connectivity for EU governments and citizens.
The project, backed by a public-private partnership led by companies like Eutelsat, Hispasat, and SES, involves deploying 290 satellites in low and medium Earth orbits by 2030, supporting both commercial and governmental applications.
Iris² is expected to boost European space competitiveness, create jobs, and address concerns about Europe falling behind in the satellite and telecom sector, amid a shift from geostationary satellites to mega-constellations.
𝕏: Don’t know if it’s fair to call it a rival to @Starlink just yet, but overall a great step to insure more autonomy, develop tech. 290 satellites in low and medium orbit and operational by early 2030. - Maarten (@MaartenDik)
Cellebrite Unlocked This Journalist's Phone. Cops Then Infected it With Malware
By Joseph Cox via 404 Media
Serbian authorities reportedly used Cellebrite tools to unlock phones of journalists and activists, enabling the installation of NoviSpy malware for surveillance, according to Amnesty International's investigation.
Amnesty's forensic analysis revealed that phones were infected with spyware after being unlocked, exploiting an Android vulnerability later fixed by Qualcomm and mitigated by Google, which remotely removed infections.
Cellebrite stated it only licenses its tools for lawful investigations, pledged to investigate the claims, and warned it might terminate relationships with implicated Serbian agencies if misuse is confirmed.
𝕏: BREAKING: Amnesty’s latest report on digital surveillance in Serbia: new *NoviSpy* spyware discovered; zero days identified and patched; and first evidence showing use of Cellebrite UFED forensic products to unlock phones to then infect with spyware -Donncha Ó Cearbhaill (@DonnchaC
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How Student Phones and Social Media Are Fueling Fights in Schools
By Natasha Singer via The New York Times
Student phones and social media are increasingly fueling school fights by enabling the planning, recording, and viral sharing of violent incidents, escalating conflicts and disrupting learning environments.
Schools nationwide are grappling with tech-driven violence, facing lawsuits, teacher resignations, and a rise in student aggression, while struggling to manage fights amplified by platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Efforts to curb phone use through bans and stricter policies have met mixed results, with some schools reducing fights but also facing backlash from students, parents, and community members over safety and privacy concerns.
𝕏: Among the sickest manifestations of the phone-based childhood: increased school beatings, planned or instigated on social media. Students then crowd around the beating, not to help, but to get the best video. All schools should go phone free - Jonathan Haidt (@JonHaidt)
UK to Tweak Social Media Rules in Response to Summer Riots
By Mark Bergen via Bloomberg
Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, announced plans to expand Online Safety Act guidelines to include crisis response protocols following recent summer riots.
The updated rules will require social media companies to remove illegal content, such as child sexual abuse and terrorism-related material, or face significant fines.
Additional emergency measures are set to be introduced in spring 2025, strengthening the UK’s ability to manage online risks during national crises.
𝕏: Ofcom has done what it was asked to do. It was thrown a hospital pass by MPs, who palmed off the technical details & political challenge to the regulator because they themselves could not agree the technical details or the political trade off of free speech & safety. - Theo Bertram (@theobertram)
By Jaures Yip via Business Insider
Computer science graduates face a tough job market marked by increased competition, mass tech layoffs, and limited entry-level openings, prompting many to send out hundreds of applications with little success.
To delay job hunting, some graduates are pursuing "panic master's" degrees, hoping additional credentials will improve their chances as the tech job market stabilizes.
While AI and specialized tech fields are booming, they often require advanced skills and experience, making it harder for new graduates to compete against laid-off mid-level and senior engineers.
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