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The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is urging internet users to disable several settings in Google Chrome’s “Privacy Sandbox” to hide their online habits, or consider switching to Mozilla Firefox or Apple Safari.

Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox is neither private – preventing observation – nor a sandbox – an environment in which code can run in isolation. Rather, it is a set of advertising, analytics, anti-spam and anti-tracking technologies. The aim of some of them is to replace third-party cookies that can violate privacy by allowing online tracking of Internet users.

Google has introduced “Privacy Sandbox,” a Chrome feature first announced in 2019 that, among other things, swaps third-party cookies — the most common form of tracking technology — for what the company now calls “topics.” Topics is a response to the backlash against Google’s Federated Cohort Learning (FLoC), which was called a “terrible idea” because it gave Google even more control over advertising in its browser without protecting user privacy. Although there have been some changes to how it works since 2019, Topics continues to track your internet usage for Google behavioral advertising.

If you use Chrome, you can disable this feature through a series of three confusing settings.

With the version of the Chrome browser released in September 2023, Google tracks your web browsing history and creates a list of advertising topics based on the websites you visit. It works as expected. At launch, there are nearly 500 advertising categories like “Student Loans and Education Financing,” “Education,” or “Underwear” that you land in based on what you read online. A website that supports Privacy Sandbox asks Chrome what topics you are interested in and then displays an ad accordingly.

The idea is that instead of dozens of third-party cookies placed on websites by various advertisers and tracking companies, Google itself tracks your interests in the browser, controlling an even larger part of the advertising ecosystem than it already does. Google is talking about “improving advertising privacy,” which could indicate that from 2024 the company plans to “phase out” the third-party cookies that many advertisers currently use to track Internet users. But the company will continue to exploit your browsing habits to serve you ads, preserving its profits in a world where competition over privacy is pushing it to phase out third-party cookies.

Google plans to test Privacy Sandbox throughout 2024. This means third-party cookies will continue to collect and share your data in Chrome next year.

The new themes are slightly improved compared to FLoC 2019. It does not use the FLoC ID, a number that many fear could be used to take your fingerprints. The ad targeting topics are all public on GitHub, hopefully avoiding obviously sensitive categories like race, religion, or sexual orientation. Using Chrome’s ad privacy settings below, you can see which interest categories Chrome places you in and remove topics you don’t want to see ads for. There’s also an easy way to log out, which FLoC never actually did during testing.

Other browsers such as Firefox and Safari integrated privacy measures against third-party cookies in 2019 and 2020, respectively. None of these browsers have a similar privacy sandbox feature, making them better options if you prefer more privacy.

It’s misleading that Google calls all of this “privacy.” Although more effective than third-party cookies, the Privacy Testing Environment remains a monitoring tool, but one carried out by a single company rather than several dozen. Instead of hesitating between different tracking methods, even for minor improvements, we should work towards a world without behavioral advertising.

However, if you stick with Chrome, you can at least disable these features.

How to disable the Privacy Sandbox

Depending on when you last updated Chrome, you may have already received a pop-up asking you to accept the “Enhanced Advertising Privacy in Chrome” option. If you simply clicked the big blue “I agree” button to make the pop-up disappear, you agreed. However, you can easily return to the deactivation page at any time by clickingThree dots icon (⋮) > Settings > Privacy and security > Ad privacy page. There you will find this screen with three different settings:

• Advertising topics: This is the basic component of Privacy Sandbox, which creates a list of your interests based on the websites you visit. If you leave this option enabled, you’ll eventually get a list of all your interests that will be used for ads, as well as the ability to block individual topics. Topics are renewed every four weeks (compared to once a week in the FLOC proposal) and random topics are added for security. You can disable this feature completely by turning the switch to “Off”.
• Ads suggested by the site: This confusingly named option allows advertisers to perform what is known as “remarketing” or “retargeting,” also known as “After I buy a sofa, all the sites on the Internet will advertise the same sofa to me.” With this feature, the first site passes information to yours Chrome instance further (e.g. “This person likes sofas”) and the second website serving ads can interact with Chrome to display an ad for a sofa, even if the second website hasn’t learned that you like sofas. You can disable this interaction by turning the switch to “Off”.
• Ad measurement: It allows advertisers to track ad performance by storing data in your browser, which is then shared with other websites. For example, if you see an ad for a pair of shoes, the website receives information about when you clicked on the ad and where it appeared. Disable this feature by turning the switch to “Off”.

If you use Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Opera, consider protecting your privacy even further with Privacy Badger, a browser extension that blocks third-party trackers that use cookies, fingerprinting, and other sneaky methods. In Chrome, Privacy Badger also disables the Topics API by default.

Source : Electronic Frontier Foundation

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See also

Google announces the general availability of Privacy Sandbox, marking the integration of an advertising platform directly into Chrome. The browser now tracks users directly

Google is delaying the phaseout of advertising cookies in Chrome until 2024 to allow more parties to evaluate and test Privacy Sandbox APIs

Chrome 115 makes the Privacy Sandbox APIs generally available and gives users more control over their data. Google wants to get rid of third-party cookies by 2024

Swan Peak. This is the poetic name that astronomers give to the remnants of a supernova that appeared in our sky about 20,000 years ago. The diameter of this remnant, approximately 1,500 light-years from Earth, has now reached 120 light-years and is continuing to expand.

Herschel’s Swan Point at Hubble

Swan Lace was first observed in 1784 by German-British astronomer William Herschel and his “modest” 18-inch telescope. Today, thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers were able to magnify the remains of this supernova supernova.

A supernova that continues to expand

They show a structure reminiscent of folds in the sheets of a bed on the edge of the Cygne tip, in the zone where the shock wave from the star’s supernova explosion penetrates the surrounding matter. Folds extend about two light years across the images. And travel continuously through space for at least 20 years at the dizzying speed – for us, not necessarily for a supernova – of more than half a million kilometers per hour.

With a price of just 16 euros for the first year, Bitdefender is one of the most popular antivirus programs today. The price has fallen by 60% compared to the original, the latter is 39.99 euros. For users, this means a saving of around 24 euros. You can install the Bitdefender Antivirus Plus license on three devices for twelve months as long as they run the Windows operating system. There are also other offers for Mac, only here: The end date of this benefit has not been communicated by Bitdefender.

I take advantage of the offer

Bitdefender offers cybersecurity software with antivirus as its main feature. An antivirus program can help you detect malware, be it spyware, ransomware, or even well-trained Trojans. The usefulness of antivirus programs varies depending on the profile, but most cybersecurity experts agree that an additional layer of protection can only be beneficial for equipped computers. Bitdefender is installed quickly and with instructions. It is also possible to deploy the platform on up to five different devices, even if they do not run the same operating system.

A lot of sensitive data is at risk

Some of the viruses currently circulating are spyware and can spy on your personal files and folders without your consent. However, Bitdefender (from 16 euros in the first year) has a solid database that detects the signature of malware and then reports it more easily. Spyware can even grab your fingerprints or videos from your webcam if it’s powerful enough. A simple keylogger pales in comparison to this threat. Hackers sometimes sell their loot on the dark web, which is less easy to detect than the clear web.

Today, professionals are among those who are recommended to install an antivirus program. It is indeed difficult to assess the cybersecurity competence of each of your employees, especially when there are a lot of them. But Bitdefender can protect millions of computers at once, and the software has just as many subscribers worldwide. The developer’s headquarters are located in Bucharest, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.

Bitdefender is also available for Android and iOS smartphones as long as you check the compatibility of the operating system version.

I take advantage of the offer

Bitdefender: feature overview

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus for 16 euros in the first year also offers virtual private network bandwidth of up to 200 MB per day. This certainly won’t allow you to watch a 4K movie for several hours, but it’s enough of a workaround, especially at access points at the airport or train station. Public hotspots are therefore not always the safest today. But with Bitdefender you can encrypt the connection by routing it through other IP addresses, making it harder to track you.

Bitdefender also offers a password manager, which is also currently on sale. With this, Bitdefender offers Photon technology, which adapts the performance of the computer according to its technical data sheet. A rather practical solution that will be appreciated, for example, by gamers looking for a video game session without the slightest delay.

Finally, we mention the case of the interim offer Bitdefender Internet Security. The price of this antivirus is 25.49 euros for three Windows computers in the first year, compared to 64.99 euros per year normally. The price is therefore reduced by 40 euros or 61% compared to the basic price.

I take advantage of the offer

An antivirus program solves the thorny pricing issue with a 60% discount over the cheapest price.

With a price of just 16 euros for the first year, Bitdefender is one of the most popular antivirus programs today. The price has fallen by 60% compared to the original, the latter is 39.99 euros. For users, this means a saving of around 24 euros. You can install the Bitdefender Antivirus Plus license on three devices for twelve months as long as they run the Windows operating system. There are also other offers for Mac, only here: The end date of this benefit has not been communicated by Bitdefender.

I take advantage of the offer

Bitdefender offers cybersecurity software with antivirus as its main feature. An antivirus program can help you detect malware, be it spyware, ransomware, or even well-trained Trojans. The usefulness of antivirus programs varies depending on the profile, but most cybersecurity experts agree that an additional layer of protection can only be beneficial for equipped computers. Bitdefender is installed quickly and with instructions. It is also possible to deploy the platform on up to five different devices, even if they do not run the same operating system.

A lot of sensitive data is at risk

Some of the viruses currently circulating are spyware and can spy on your personal files and folders without your consent. However, Bitdefender (from 16 euros in the first year) has a solid database that detects the signature of malware and then reports it more easily. Spyware can even grab your fingerprints or videos from your webcam if it’s powerful enough. A simple keylogger pales in comparison to this threat. Hackers sometimes sell their loot on the dark web, which is less easy to detect than the clear web.

Today, professionals are among those who are recommended to install an antivirus program. It is indeed difficult to assess the cybersecurity competence of each of your employees, especially when there are a lot of them. But Bitdefender can protect millions of computers at once, and the software has just as many subscribers worldwide. The developer’s headquarters are located in Bucharest, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.

Bitdefender is also available for Android and iOS smartphones as long as you check the compatibility of the operating system version.

I take advantage of the offer

Bitdefender: feature overview

Bitdefender Antivirus Plus for 16 euros in the first year also offers virtual private network bandwidth of up to 200 MB per day. This certainly won’t allow you to watch a 4K movie for several hours, but it’s enough of a workaround, especially at access points at the airport or train station. Public hotspots are therefore not always the safest today. But with Bitdefender you can encrypt the connection by routing it through other IP addresses, making it harder to track you.

Bitdefender also offers a password manager, which is also currently on sale. With this, Bitdefender offers Photon technology, which adapts the performance of the computer according to its technical data sheet. A rather practical solution that will be appreciated, for example, by gamers looking for a video game session without the slightest delay.

Finally, we mention the case of the interim offer Bitdefender Internet Security. The price of this antivirus is 25.49 euros for three Windows computers in the first year, compared to 64.99 euros per year normally. The price is therefore reduced by 40 euros or 61% compared to the basic price.

I take advantage of the offer

The world of Ashes of Creation is evolving, but will also be the setting for dynamic events that players can take part in to interact with each other and the MMORPG universe.

The main originality ofAshes of creation is based on its evolving universe: depending on the activity of the players, each region of the game universe (nodes) develops or atrophies, unlocking new activities or enabling new interactions with neighboring regions. The MMORPG universe will also offer something beyond the node system dynamic events and the studio teams Undaunted They showed how it works as part of their stream of the month.

In a classic way, the dynamic events of Ashes of Creation are intended to enliven the game universe. Therefore, from time to time, players may be faced with an event and need to mobilize to face it. According to the developer, these events are activated if certain conditions are metparticularly based on player activity – and players can face warlike events (PvE or PvP battles), but also more social events (such as an NPC’s funeral) that help bring the game’s worlds to life .

Encourage players to play together

As part of the stream, the playing members of the development team were confronted with an attack by a group of bandits on a trading caravan. The event is displayed on the minimap of nearby players and appears in the game world (a thick cloud of smoke is visible from a distance). When players enter the area, Groups and isolated players are all united in a raid group and can thus coordinate. You will have to face several successive waves of bandits to protect the caravan and prevent it from being looted.

The events are also part of the narrative framework of the region. By participating in an event, the overall scenario of a region can evolve (which can extend over several days to have a lasting impact on a region) and players can, for example, receive details about their current quests – events, etc. Quests can be independent of each other can be achieved, but investing in one can help make progress on the other.

According to the developer Events should encourage players to play together : Players will be grouped together in a raid group for the event, but the group will not automatically disband when the event ends, so players can continue to play together, for example by completing the quests that are directly or indirectly related to the event are. According to the studio, these activities will likely be an opportunity to meet new companions to play with for a long time.

Events that adapt to the players

On a more technical level, these events are calibrated to adjust based on the number of players participating: the more players participate in the event, the more players participate in the event. the more the level of difficulty increases (first classic opponents, then, for example, elite opponents or mini-bosses, but also various more or less complex patterns), so the event always represents a challenge.

Likewise those Rewards will also be adjusted based on the contributions of different participants – the final vote will be refined during testing, but the developer intends to reward all players (e.g. fighters and healers) based on their respective contributions.

We understand that these events are intended to enliven and bring to life the gaming universe, but also to renew the gaming experience of players through activities and stories and, above all, to serve as a framework for the interactions that players can maintain with each other himself. and with the world of Verra.

Trips to Mars have already taken place several times, but always with some delay and never with a crew. All of this could change thanks to technological advances. Joana Campos Meteorized Portugal 02/10/2023 11:00 7 min

A new study, published in the journal Acta Astronautica, explores the possibility of using airbrushed “solar sails” to travel to Mars and interstellar space, ce, which would significantly reduce the time and fuel required for such missions.

This study comes at a time when many organizations are currently conducting research into the use of shade sails. like the Planetary Society’s LightSail2 mission, which was crowned with success.

“Solar sail propulsion offers the possibility of transporting small payloads (less than one kilogram) quickly through the solar system.” explains René Heller, astrophysicist at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research and co-author of the study.

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“Compared to traditional chemical propulsion, which can launch hundreds of tons of payload into low Earth orbit and transport much of that payload to the Moon, Mars and beyond, this seems ridiculously small.” But the main value of solar sail technology is speed.”

Awning: what is it?

Unlike traditional rockets, which rely on fuel in the form of burning chemicals to apply an external force to the tail of the spacecraft, Solar sails do not require fuel. As a matter of fact, Huge sails capture solar photons in the same way that sailboats catch the wind as they move on the water.

The longer the solar sails are on, the more solar photons they capture, gradually increasing the spacecraft’s speed.

For this study, researchers conducted simulations of the speed at which an airbrush shade sail with a mass of up to 1 kilogram, including 720 grams of airbrush with a cross-section of 104 square meters, could reach Mars and the interstellar medium, also called the heliopause, via two trajectories from Earth, aThis method is called the direct outward transfer method or the inward transfer method.

The direct outward transfer method, for both travel to Mars and the heliopause, was to place the solar sail and send it directly from a polar orbit around the Earth.

Simulation results

The researchers therefore determined that Mars was in opposition (directly opposite the Earth in relation to the Sun) at the time of the solar sail’s launch and departure from Earth would provide the best results in terms of both speed and travel time.

The same polar takeoff and departure trajectory was also used for the heliopause trajectory. The inward transfer method would use conventional chemical rockets to propel the solar sail about 0.6 astronomical units (AU) from the sun. where the solar sail would be launched and begin its journey to Mars or the heliopause. But how can an airbrush shade sail make this trip more viable?

“With its low density of 0.18 kg per cubic meter “Airbrush is inferior to all conventional materials for solar sails,” explains Julius Karlapp, research assistant at the Technical University of Dresden and lead author of the study.

Through these simulations, researchers found that they are the direct outward transfer method and the inward transfer method allowed the solar sail to reach Mars in 26 and 126 days, respectively, with the first 103 days corresponding to the duration of the journey from Earth to the starting point at 0.6 AU.

The current duration of the journey to Mars varies between 7 and 9 months, which is not the case that during certain launch windows every two years based on the position of the two planets at the time of launch and upon arrival of a spacecraft heading to or from Mars.

Journey to the heliopause

For the trip to the heliopause, the two methods resulted in 5.3 and 4.2 years, respectively, with the first 103 days of the inward transfer method also dedicated to travel time between Earth and the deployment site at 0.6 AU.

The reason why the heliopause is reached faster with the inward transfer method is that the solar sail reaches its maximum speed in 300 days, while with the forward transfer method it takes about 2 years to reach the maximum speed.

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NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes, which reached the heliopause about 35 and 41 years ago, respectively, Allow us to estimate the current duration of the journey towards the heliopause.

The researchers note that one of the main problems with using solar sails is lag or slowdown. upon arrival at the destination, especially Mars, and although they mention aerocapture as a solution, They admit it still needs to be investigated.

Although NASA proposed solar sail technology back in the 1970s, A current example of this technology is NASA’s Solar Cruiser. The launch is currently scheduled for February 2025.

The month of September is finally over, so we can finally tackle October and all its releases. This first week is already extremely busy, with the release of The Lamplighters League and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide on Xbox Game Pass, not to mention the early access of Forza Motorsport and the highly anticipated Assassin’s Creed Mirage.

Builder Simulator – October 2nd

Builder Simulator is the perfect game for anyone who wants to build a house from A to Z, brick by brick. In easy mode, the game guides you and teaches you complete instructions, but in hard mode you get no help – you have to rely on your building skills and do everything yourself.

Trepang2 – October 2nd

Become the baddest of all badasses in Trepang2: a bloody, action-packed FPS set in the distant future. Rain death upon your enemies, dodging bullets and leaving a trail of destruction in this fast-paced, hardcore shooter.

High On Life: High On Knife – October 3rd

It’s been two years since the bounty hunter defeated the G3 cartel. Now it’s Knifey who needs help recovering a mysterious package. Will they face off against a friendly giant, a pinball machine, and a terrifying intergalactic delivery company? Surely.

The Lamplighters League – October 3rd

Recruit a team of misfits with unforgettable skills and personalities and hunt the Outcast Circle across the world in a mix of real-time infiltration, turn-based tactical combat, puzzles and thrilling adventure.

Synergia – NextGen Edition – October 3rd

Synergia is a yuri visual thriller novel set in a cyberpunk future and wrapped in a unique and vibrant neon aesthetic. At the end of the world, sometimes love is the ultimate crime.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – October 4th

Retake the city of Tertium from hordes of bloodthirsty enemies in this intense and brutal shooter. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is the new co-op experience from the award-winning team behind the Vermintide series. With the fall of Tertium, the outcasts will rise.

MeteoHeroes save planet Earth – October 4th

Wherever and when you need them, you will find the MeteoHeroes! Our super-powered friends are ready to solve any problem that could impact the environment, anywhere on Earth! Travel with them from Rome to the South Pole as they undertake incredible missions and visit nine extraordinary locations on our planet until they reach their final destination – and a showdown with their fearsome archenemies, Doctor Makina and the Maculans!

Anthology of Fear – October 4th

Take part in a one-on-one investigation and solve the mystery surrounding your brother’s disappearance. Discover the truth as you explore disturbing border towns. Explore the story chapter by chapter, with each chapter revealing its shared tragedy.

Dinobreak – October 4th

DINOBREAK looks, plays and sounds like a survival horror game from 1999. It’s a truly retro experience for people who miss that bygone era. Only do this if you are ready to return to the world of true survival horror!

Treachery in Beatdown City: Ultra Remix – October 4th

Treachery in Beatdown City: ULTRA REMIX is a huge 2.0 story and content update for Treachery in Beatdown City! Ultra Remix triples the content and adds new levels, lots of exciting new attacks, defense options, 80 additional enemies to fight, new music and much more!

Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince – October 4th

The Minotaur King is back… and it’s your fault! Lily is back with a new action-adventure classic set hundreds of years before the Sleeping King!

Diorama Dungeoncrawl – Masters of the Living Castle – October 4th

Inspired by 16-bit action games, Diorama Dungeoncrawl brings this kind of challenge to a fully 3D environment! Face monsters and avoid traps in your search for the heart of the living castle!

Assassin’s Creed Mirage – October 5th

Discover the story of Basim, a skilled pickpocket who searches for answers and justice in the bustling streets of 9th-century Baghdad. Through an ancient and mysterious society called “Those We Don’t See,” he becomes a formidable killer and his fate takes a turn he could never have imagined.

Bang-On Balls: Chronicles – October 5th

Bang-On Balls: Chronicles is an original collectathon-style 3D platforming and fighting game! Your ruthless hero completes missions, collects items, and searches for secrets as you roll through various (inaccurate) historical moments!

Forza Motorsport Premium Edition – October 5th

Destroy the competition in a new career mode. Compete against your friends in multiplayer events. Drive over 500 cars on world-class tracks with cutting-edge AI, advanced physics, and tire and fuel management strategies.

Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur – October 5th

In this action-fantasy roguelite, slip into the armor of King Arthur and wield the shattered Excalibur to save the scattered citizens of Camelot, defeat the cruel Void Giant, and escape the Astral Dimension once and for all.

No Son of Mine – October 5th

Solve a double murder while trying to survive against a vengeful ghost. Run, hide or fight – it’s up to you.

Aquarium Land – October 6th

Go fishing in the sea, swim, catch species like goldfish, starfish and koi carp and add them to your aquarium to expand your aquarium shop!

Mummy Pinball – October 6th

Enter the pyramid and face the mummy in this awesome pinball game!

NHL 24 Standard Edition – October 6th

Discover more authentic hockey with several new features with EA SPORTS™ NHL 24. Tire out the opposing defense by keeping them under pressure: Thanks to the fatigue engine, the time spent in the attacking zone influences the behavior and reaction time of the opposing goalkeeper and his defense. Feel the impact of body checks and send your opponents to the boards with the physics-based contact system.

Pirates on Target – October 6th

Move the blocks strategically. Your goal is to change the trajectory of the cannonballs until they reach the pirate ship. Simple but stimulating.

Project Blue – October 6th

Hidden on the edge of the Dezone, a secret bioweapons laboratory conducts unspeakable experiments on homeless young people in this concrete desert.

Sunshine Manor – October 6th

Sunshine Manor is an 8-bit horror RPG that puts you in the shoes of Ada. She dares to spend the night in the haunted Sunshine Manor and encounters ghosts, demons, bloody horrors and more in this prequel to 2016’s Camp Sunshine.

SWORD ART ONLINE Last reminder – October 6th

As the culmination of the SWORD ART ONLINE game series, Last Recollection features the largest roster of playable characters in SAO and features multiple side stories!

Torn Away – October 6th

Torn Away is an interactive story with a unique mix of adventure games, side-scrollers and first-person cinematics. Experience the tragedy of World War II through the eyes of a child and survive without losing what makes us human.

Zumania – October 6th

Embark on an incredible adventure through magical worlds with a magical ballista. Discover the secrets of the ancient worlds and get all the exotic bonuses to help you solve the puzzles!

According to a recent study, pollution from automobiles not only affects human health, but also biodiversity and the way bees manage to identify flowers as a food source.

British researchers, in collaboration with the British Center for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), have highlighted the catastrophic impact of automobile pollution on the ability of bees to easily find flowers as a food source.

Researchers from the Universities of Birmingham, Reading, Surrey and Southern Queensland have concluded that the number of bee visits to flowers has fallen by 50% due to pollution.

Scientists explain that high levels of ozone significantly reduce the distance that the scent of flowers travels, meaning fewer bees are attracted to their scent, according to Geo magazine, citing the BBC.

“Changes in floral scent caused by tropospheric ozone prevent pollinators from playing their crucial role in the natural environment,” researcher Christian Pfrang told the BBC.

“The solution lies in reducing pollution and reducing air pollutants such as ozone and diesel exhaust,” said the expert, for whom our food security is at risk.