Cameron: Boycott 'bully' websites

8 August 2013 Last updated at 12:21 ET

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David Cameron: "Just because something is done online doesn't mean that it's legal"

Social networking websites which do not "step up to the plate" and tackle online abuse should be boycotted, the prime minister has said.

David Cameron told the BBC that the death of 14-year-old Hannah Smith - who had been subjected to web bullying - was "absolutely tragic".

He said those running the websites had to "clean up their act" and if they did not, people should boycott them.

Meanwhile various firms have said they are removing advertising from ask.fm.

Hannah's father has said she killed herself after being bullied on the Latvia-based website and he has since called for tighter controls to be applied to social networking websites.

Clean up act

Mr Cameron said it was something he worried about as the father of three young children and that the government was looking at measures to help parents manage internet dangers - for example by introducing filters to block online pornography.

"It's not the case that there's nothing we can do just because it's online. I think there are some steps that need to be taken," he said.

"First of all, the people that run these websites have got to step up to the plate, clean up their act and show some responsibility.

"It's not acceptable what's allowed to happen on these sites. It's their responsibility, and those posting these hateful remarks, first and foremost.

"Just because something is done online doesn't mean that it's legal. If you incite hatred, if you incite violence, that's a crime whether you do it in a television studio, on a soapbox or online and so these people can be chased.

"If websites don't clean up their act and don't sort themselves out then we as members of the general public have got to stop using these particular sites and boycott them."

Off button

The prime minister has recently announced plans for "family-friendly" filters to be automatically selected for all new broadband customers by the end of the year .

He also said he was planning to talk to his own children about staying safe online and said parents needed to have the same conversation with their children about the internet that their parents had with them about television.

"I remember my parents being quite tough with how much television I was allowed to watch," he said.

"The off-button is a great regulator."

Ask.fm, the website used by Hannah, from Leicestershire, allows people to post comments anonymously. Her father David said he found posts telling her to die.

Police are now investigating claims her older sister Joanne has received taunts on her Facebook page.

Among companies saying they are taking steps in response to the row to ensure their advertising does not appear on the site are:

• Specsavers
• The Sun
• Vodafone
• Laura Ashley
• Mental health charity Mind

'Age-old problem'

In a statement on Thursday, ask.fm again expressed its sympathies to Hannah's family and said it had been speaking to Leicestershire Police throughout the week to help officers "uncover the true circumstances surrounding Hannah's suicide".

It said it was "committed to ensuring that our site is a safe environment", did not condone bullying and had introduced "improved reporting policies" so people could report offensive comments easily.

"We are constantly working to improve our site, including its safety features... what is important to note is that the vast majority of our users are using the site appropriately and are just having fun," the statement said.

It urged people to report objectionable posts, adding: "The vast majority of our users are very happy teenagers, who use ask.fm to converse with their peers around the world about the things that interest them.

"Bullying is an age-old problem that we in no way condone - and while its evolution online is disturbing, it certainly is not unique to our site. We will continue to work with the appropriate organisations to safeguard against bullying on ask.fm"

Among organisations offering parents advice on helping their children stay safe online is Childnet International - which has its own guide for parents about the safe use of social networking websites.

Its advice to parents includes asking them to familiarise themselves with websites used by their children, to talk to children about their social networking life, in the same way they do about their normal social activities and to remind them to be careful about how much information they post online, and control who can see it using privacy tools.

The BBC also has internet safety tips for parents, including keeping children safe on social networks.

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Still no internet in 17% of UK homes

8 August 2013 Last updated at 10:42 ET

Four million homes in the UK are still not connected to the internet, the Office of National Statistics said.

The ONS's data said the majority, 59%, of those unconnected said they simply did not need to be online.

Twenty per cent said they lacked the computer skills needed to get online, while another 10% said they could not afford it.

Three-quarters of the UK's adults access the web daily, with mobile browsing growing most quickly.

Just over half of all adults accessed the internet on their phones - more than double the total in 2010.

The most active age group online was the 25-34 bracket.

"The internet has changed the way people go about their daily lives," the ONS said.

"This release highlights that activities previously carried out on the high street are now increasingly being carried out online."

Government pledge

Also on the up were readers of newspapers online - 55% of those surveyed now said they now use the internet to read news.

Other popular uses - such as banking, finding health information and buying groceries - are all steadily increasing.

Researchers said the advent of 4G mobile speeds had helped boost the number of us getting online.

Overall, 21 million households - 83% - have internet access, up 3% on 2012.

The remaining 17% is the subject of various government schemes designed to increase internet adoption.

Ministers have pledged to bring at least two megabits per second (Mbps) broadband to all homes in Britain by 2015 - and educational programmes sharing the benefits of internet use are ongoing.

The ONS data suggested that more than a third of over 65s are now online, but Age UK has warned there is still crucial work to be done in this area.

"It is important that ongoing training and support are available for the five million people aged 65 and over who have never been online," said Michelle Mitchell, the charity's director general.

"As well as for those who are online but who may need additional help to undertake certain activities."

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Road charges vehicles driving on it

7 August 2013 Last updated at 11:13 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

South Korea has switched on a road which can recharge electric vehicles as they drive over it.

The project's developer says the 12km (7.5 miles) route is the first of its kind in the world.

It means vehicles fitted with compatible equipment do not need to stop to recharge and can also be fitted with smaller than normal batteries.

Two public buses are already using the technology and there are plans to add 10 more by 2015.

"It's quite remarkable that we succeeded with the OLEV [online electric vehicle] project so that buses are offering public transportation services to passengers," said Dong-Ho Cho, who led the team behind the scheme at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

"This is certainly a turning point for OLEV to become more commercialised and widely accepted for mass transportation."

However, another transportation expert warned that the costs involved in installing the equipment meant it was less practical than other schemes which involved vehicles wirelessly charging at specific locations or using overhead cables.

"There is clearly a lot of potential for this technology for public transport applications, but for private electric vehicles the cost of fitting all roads with such systems may be prohibitive," said Dr Paul Nieuwenhuis from the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University.

Smaller batteries

The Korean project runs from the train station in the town of Gumi, in the south of the country, to the In-dong district.

A device fitted to the bottom of the buses receives power from the road using a technology called Shaped Magnetic Field In Resonance.

Electric cables installed under the road are used to generate electromagnetic fields which are picked up by a coil inside the device and converted into electricity. The receiving equipment can be up to 17cm (6.7in) above the road's surface.

The researchers say they can transfer 20 kHz and 100 kW (136 horsepower) electricity at up to an 85% maximum power transmission efficiency rate.

They say that the power strips involved only need to be placed under 5% to 15% of the road, meaning that only certain sections need to be dug up and replaced.

They add that because vehicles do not need to stock up on energy before making their journey, the batteries involved can be three times smaller than would otherwise be needed. This reduces the weight of the vehicles helping reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted when generating the power required.

'Showcase technology'

Although the OLEV project is the first working scheme to power vehicles on the move, there are other inductive charging projects elsewhere.

Torino, Italy and Utrecht, the Netherlands have also fitted wireless charging equipment to some of their bus stops to allow the vehicles to top up power while drivers take short breaks.

Engineering firms Arup and Mitsui have set up a joint venture to roll out a similar scheme in Milton Keynes this autumn.

Utah State University is also testing a prototype campus bus which it says can achieve greater than 90% power transmission efficiency with a distance of 6in (15cm) between the pick-up coil and road surface at certain stops.

There are also moves to transfer the concept to cars. In London, computer chip maker Qualcomm is testing a wireless charging tech it calls Halo which it has fitted to Citroen and Rolls Royce vehicles, but again the idea is only to install power transmission pads at certain spots.

One expert said it was likely to be a long time before South Korea's more ambitious design became commonplace.

"I think we are decades away from even thinking about a nationwide network of electrified roads," said Ashvin Chotai, managing director of the Intelligence Automotive Asia consultancy.

"For now, it appears to be more of a showcase technology than something which has the potential to be commercialised."

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LG puts buttons on back of phone

7 August 2013 Last updated at 13:44 ET

LG is hoping to shake up smartphone design by placing the only physical buttons of its new flagship model on the rear of the handset.

The firm says the G2 addresses the problem that mobiles become harder to control the bigger they get.

The South Korean company recently reported its strongest ever mobile phone figures.

However, analysts are split over whether or not their latest innovation is a winner.

The new device features a 5.2in (13.2cm) screen and is powered by Android.

Its rear keys can be used to adjust its volume or - if pressed for a longer time - to activate the device's camera and note-taking software.

LG suggests that using a back-button to take a self-portrait with the front camera also makes it easier to take a steady shot.

"Moving the main buttons to the back of the phone gave users more control since this place was where individuals' index fingers are naturally located," it said.

"Researchers also found that moving the buttons also resulted in fewer dropped phones when adjusting the volume while talking."

LG overtook Huawei to become the world's third best-selling smartphone maker in the first three months of the year thanks to demand for its Nexus 4 and Optimus range, according to market research firm Gartner.

One of its researchers suggested the move could indeed help address issues consumers have with the design of bigger mobiles.

"This is a potentially interesting concept for LG because as phones get larger, the position of the phone in the hand and how you use it is going to change," said analyst Brian Blau.

"Whether the button on the back proves to be a winner long-term has yet to be determined, but it deserves some amount of consideration."

But another tech consultancy, Juniper Research, dislikes the concept.

"I'm not convinced that this represents a killer design," said analyst Michael Wiggins.

"The positioning of the navigation button doesn't appear to be particularly user-friendly, either, particularly if - given the size of the device - you're an individual with smaller hands.

"For a few more millimetres of screen, it's not a great trade-off."

LG v Samsung

LG announced that it shipped a record 12.1 million handsets over the April to June period.

However, its mobile unit is not as profitable as that of Samsung or Apple because much of the demand was accounted for by its lower-margin mid-range devices.

Coupled with an increased marketing budget and weak sales of its TVs, it meant the firm still posted a 9% drop in net income.

At the time, So Hyun-chul, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp declared that LG needed a "mega-hit smartphone to dramatically raise its profit".

The launch of the G2 was notable for being the first time LG has chosen to host a special event in the US to unveil a handset - something other manufactures Samsung, HTC and Nokia have become accustomed to.

The new device's other stand-out features are a 13 megapixel camera with image stabilisation and 24 bit/192kHz audio playback, which LG claims can reproduce music at a quality that is "far superior to a CD".

"This is LG's top-tier play and from a specs point-of-view it looks good versus the Samsung Galaxy S4, which is the probably the nearest phone in the market," said Stuart Miles, founder of gadget review site Pocket-lint.

"It's now down to whether people believe strongly enough in the LG brand versus Samsung's when it comes to choosing which phone to go for.

"Ultimately I think LG has a chance, but Samsung may just end up steamrollering them with marketing."

LG said the G2 would go on sale first in South Korea and then North America, Europe and other markets over the next eight weeks.

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Xerox copiers to get scanning patch

7 August 2013 Last updated at 19:02 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter

Xerox says it will release a software patch to tackle the fact that scans made with its Workcentre copiers can result in numbers and letters being changed in saved files.

It says the issue only occurs if people alter its machines' default settings.

However, it acknowledges that referring to the affected mode as "normal" on the devices' selection screens needs to be reconsidered.

There had been claims that the flaw could put lives in danger.

Xerox says the problem is the result of a compression technique widely used in the industry.

It suggests the vast majority of the machines' users are unlikely to ever experience the switched number effect.

But the firm confirms that concerned customers have contacted it after learning of the issue from news reports.

Wrong numbers

The media picked up on the glitch earlier this week after David Kriesel, a German computer scientist, noticed that two Xerox Workcentre models he used had randomly altered numbers in pages they had scanned.

In one case the number 65 was changed to 85, in another the number 21 was changed to 14.

He suggested that this could lead to situations in which lives could be put at risk by medicine being given in the wrong dosage or a bridge being built to a faulty construction plan.

Xerox's vice president Rick Dastin played down the concerns saying that the vast majority of the firm's customers would never experience the problem.

He said the issue only arose if owners changed a machine's scanning setting to lower its resolution in order to save documents at smaller files sizes.

Switching the scanning mode from the default "higher" quality setting to "normal" quality resulted in the machines adopting the Jbig2 compression standard, he said.

A side-effect is that the smaller numbers and letters appear on an original page, the more likely they are to be changed in its reproduction.

He said that the machines warned "character substitution errors may occur" at the time the mode was switched, but acknowledged Xerox needed to take further steps.

"We're investigating user interface language and making sure that the information is conveyed more clearly," Mr Dastin told the BBC.

"Perhaps changing some of the names so it is more intuitive to the customer.

"And then we're also going to be providing a software patch for those customers that want to disable this mode completely so... that feature becomes unavailable to them."

He added that the patch should become available in the next couple of weeks, and that in the meantime customers should check their devices to ensure their default settings had not be changed.

'Dramatic reaction'

Xerox says that 14 of its models dating back to 2005 offer Jbig2 compression, representing hundreds of thousands of individual units.

Mr Dastin said that oil rigs, the military and clients in developing markets were among the owners most likely to have switched their copiers to the setting.

They would have done so to make it quicker to send files over the internet when only slow data speeds were available.

But he stressed that other uses for the copiers were not affected.

"There's zero chance of this happening if you are photocopying and not trying to store a digital image," he said.

"You'll never get into this problem if you use the standard fax... or if you're just trying to print.

He added that Xerox had been aware of the issue since the machines' original design and had flagged it in its user manuals. As a result, he said, the company had been caught off-guard by the response to the professor's blog.

"We're surprised there has been such a dramatic reaction, but we are taking it seriously. We got the feedback and we are going to be proactively working with our customers to make sure they feel comfortable with the data integrity of our devices."

"We know a lot of people in our industry use the Jbig2 algorithm, but I can't comment on whether they would have this problem or not."

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Xbox One to charge for key features

8 August 2013 Last updated at 08:11 ET

Key features of Microsoft's Xbox One console, which is expected to go on sale in November, will only be available with an annual subscription.

The requirement covers recording and sharing of gameplay videos, making Skype video calls and using a service that finds gaming opponents.

An Xbox Live Gold account that currently costs $60 (£40) will be needed for all these features.

Sony PlayStation 4 owners will also have to pay for some online services.

However, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed, via a post on Twitter, that its machine would not restrict games recording and streaming features to paid subscribers.

Watch and recommend

Microsoft revealed the requirement in an update to webpages detailing the Xbox One's features.

The webpage shows that, as with the current Xbox 360, a Live Gold account is needed if owners want to use their new console for online multiplayer gaming, watch Netflix or similar streaming services and to browse the web via their TV.

In addition, on the Xbox One the annual subscription will let players share videos with friends. The console records a rolling sample of a player's previous five minutes gameplay to make it easier to share key moments.

The payment will also let owners chat to friends via video on Skype and use the OneGuide and SmartMatch services.

OneGuide analyses what Xbox One owners usually watch and recommends TV shows and YouTube content to match. The SmartMatch service links players with other gamers of a similar ability to ensure they are not outclassed in multiplayer matches.

In June, Sony revealed a change to its previous policy which gave all owners of its PlayStation 3 console access to online multiplayer games. With the PlayStation 4, owners will have to pay $50 (£32) a year for a PlayStation Plus account to do the same.

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Broadband switching 'to be easier'

8 August 2013 Last updated at 08:44 ET

A new bank-style switching service that should make it easier for some people to change phone and broadband providers is to be introduced in the UK.

Regulator Ofcom wants a system where a customer only needs to contact the new provider in order to switch. That firm will then deal with the whole process.

This is a similar operation to the way the bank account switching process works.

The new service should be in place by early 2015.

'Clear and simple'

The current system requires a customer to contact their existing phone and broadband supplier to cancel their contract, as well as signing up to the new provider.

The regulator said that this gave too much control to the existing supplier.

"It has an incentive to delay or disrupt the transfer," an Ofcom spokesman said.

"This can also result in unwanted pressure on customers not to change provider."

A number of communication firms already run a system that ensures that they will do all the legwork for customers when they win their custom.

These Ofcom plans should make such a service consistent across the industry.

"The move towards one clear and simple system led by the gaining provider will result in a switching process that works in consumers' best interests. We will now be working on further measures to improve consumers' experience of switching ," said Claudio Pollack, Ofcom's consumer group director.

Price comparison websites could benefit from a simpler switching process, with one calling for the changes to be made more quickly.

"Our only concern is how long it may take for consumers to benefit from the proposals," said Marie-Louise Abretti, of Uswitch.com.

"Although this may mean consumers are stuck calling their old provider to switch until early 2015, we hope that Ofcom will iron out any industry concerns and focus on doing the best for consumers as quickly as possible."

Citizens Advice said it received 7,800 complaints about landlines each year, and welcomed the planned changes.

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Pioneer joins virtual reality firm

8 August 2013 Last updated at 09:11 ET

A firm developing a hotly-tipped virtual reality gaming headset has hired a gaming pioneer to be its chief technology officer.

John Carmack is famed for developing the first-person shooter genre, creating games such as Doom and Quake.

He will join Oculus VR to work on Oculus Rift, a goggle-like device which uses two small screens to "immerse" players into a game.

The company has not yet announced a release date for the headset.

However, developer kits have been sent out to companies keen to make use of the device within their titles.

The Oculus Rift, which has been made thanks in part to $2.4m (£1.5m) raised through crowd-funding site Kickstarter, requires the user to wear a black headset, the front of which contains two small screens, each displaying a slightly different perspective on the same scene.

The effect is one of being "in" the game - if the player moves his or her head around, the scene changes accordingly.

'Transformative technology'

Movement is still achieved by using a traditional controller, although other designers have experimented with creating treadmill-like add-ons for the device.

Early demo models of the headset used two 640 by 800 pixel screens - but it is likely that the version that gets released publicly will be in high-definition.

Mr Carmack said: "Now is a special time. I believe that VR will have a huge impact in the coming years, but everyone working today is a pioneer.

"The paradigms that everyone will take for granted in the future are being figured out today. I'm extremely excited to make a mark in what I truly believe will be a transformative technology."

Mr Carmack is best known for founding iD Software, the firm responsible for the likes of Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake and others - all of which pushed boundaries in what remains one of the most popular gaming formats.

Mr Carmack said he will continue to work with iD, but that his main focus was now on Oculus VR.

He also runs a small aerospace company, however this has been put in "hibernation mode" following various setbacks including a crashed rocket.

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Oculus VR's Nate Mitchell discusses the idea behind their headset

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Two held in Canada cyber-bully death

8 August 2013 Last updated at 11:17 ET

Two men have been arrested in the Canadian city of Halifax in connection with the death of a teenage girl who killed herself after she was allegedly cyber-bullied, police said.

The men, who have not been named, were taken into custody for questioning about 08:00 local time (12:00 GMT).

Rehtaeh Parsons, 17, died in April days after attempting suicide.

In 2011, she was allegedly raped by four boys. A photo taken of the incident circulated on social media.

Rehtaeh's parents said she was bullied so severely she had to change schools and move out of the Halifax area.

She received treatment in hospital for six weeks for depression and anger.

Police earlier this year said they did not have grounds to arrest the four boys accused of the attack. The investigation was later reopened after police said they received new information.

A spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said he could not confirm whether either of the men held on Thursday were seen in the pictures of the alleged assault.

'Relief'

The arrests came the day after the province of Nova Scotia implemented a new law permitting victims of cyber-bullying to sue bullies or their parents, if the suspects are minors.

Leah Paterson, Rehtaeh's mother, said police informed her of the arrests about 08:10 local time on Thursday morning.

"I felt a little bit of relief," Ms Paterson told CBC News.

"Just to say, finally - like I hope - they keep saying they want to tell their side of the story, but they have never given a statement.

"The police have never spoken to them in all this time. So at least, here is your chance. Tell your side of the story."

The case prompted a national conversation about cyber-bullying.

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Advertisers quit bully row website

8 August 2013 Last updated at 12:08 ET

Several large companies are among those pulling adverts from social media website ask.fm, after the death of a teenager who was bullied online.

The Sun newspaper, EDF, BT and optical retailer Specsavers are among those distancing themselves from the site.

Ask.fm has issued an open letter saying it does not condone bullying of any kind on their site.

The controversy comes after the death of bullied 14-year-old Hannah Smith from Leicestershire.

Earlier, David Cameron said social network sites must "clean up their act" or face boycotts from users.

Her father has said she killed herself after being targeted on ask.fm where she faced anonymous taunts and comments urging her to end her life.

'Troll kings'

Police are investigating claims that, since her death, Hannah's 16-year-old sister has also received abusive web messages.

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David Cameron earlier: "Just because something is done online doesn't mean that it's legal"

A source at the Sun, which on Wednesday described ask.fm as a "suicide site", told the BBC it would cancel the advertising package which saw an advert for the paper's new online service appear on the site.

It had said the men behind ask.fm were "troll kings" on its front page.

Vodafone, Specsavers, Save the Children and Laura Ashley have also moved to withdraw their adverts.

Advertising space is often bought through agencies. Organisations can buy "bundles" of advertising to showcase their brands on multiple sites - so can be unaware of exactly where their adverts appear.

Ask.fm, the Latvia-based website used by Hannah, allows people to post comments anonymously. Her father David said he found posts telling her to die.

'Happy to co-operate'

In an open letter from ask.fm on Thursday the site said it had an "in-question reporting function" which had been in place since 2012 and was "similar to the in-tweet function announced by Twitter this week".

"This means that anyone can report anything they see that may be of concern. If parents see something on their teenager's Ask.fm page that they are concerned about, they too can click the in-question reporting button and alert our moderators," the letter said.

The letter also says a team of moderators was present "around the clock - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days per year" who manually check all content posted to their site.

It continued: "We believe one of our site's advantages is that everything is open - rather than hidden in private inboxes. This means that anyone can report anything they see that may be of concern."

Earlier this week, Ask.fm described Hannah's death as a tragedy and said it was "happy to co-operate" with the Leicestershire police investigation into the circumstances around it.

Among organisations offering parents advice on helping their children stay safe online is Childnet International - which has its own guide for parents about the safe use of social networking websites.

The BBC also has internet safety tips for parents, including keeping children safe on social networks.

Ceop - the police-linked Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre - also allows parents and children to directly report sexual or offensive chat through its report centre.

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