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We trust our virtual assistants more than we should

AIs like Siri and Alexa aren't as smart as they seem.

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Trusting our virtual assistants, and opinions on Twitter.

Opposing opinions could make 'echo chamber' even tighter

Other political views on Twitter may make you more attached to your own.

Researchers outline the contours of political polarization on social media

Visualising how "bad actors" are "weaponizing" your timeline with political propaganda

Police body cameras are hackable, warns security analyst

It's seen as a simple solution to ensure transparency, but as body cameras proliferate among police forces, security vulnerabilities including hacking, tracking, and the compromising of evidence are emerging.

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Spark policing tech special

Body cameras are changing police policy

In July, a U.S. federal judge ruled that New York City officers wearing body cameras as part of a pilot project are required to record "low level encounters."

Police are considering the ethics of AI, too

As policing technology advances, there's an urgent need for ethical guidelines.

App gives first responders information on vulnerable people

'RideAlong' makes sure people frequently seen by first responders don't fall through the cracks.

Outdoor microphones can listen for gunshots, but which communities should be monitored?

Toronto plans to introduced ShotSpotter to some "high crime areas"

'Audio forensics' helps solve crime through the sound of gunshots

Phone cameras and other devices provide ample audio evidence during shootings.

'Ear Hustle' brings life inside -- to the outside

Stories of life inside San Quentin from the prisoners themselves.

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'Ear Hustle' brings stories of life inside San Quentin to the outside, the rise of "anti-notifications", and more.

Internet plus: Now everything can be hacked!

Everything is vulnerable when everything is a computer, argues Bruce Schneier, author of Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-Connected World.

Why notifications are telling you what other people are doing

The rise of so-called "anti-notifications" may actually cause us to ignore our phones

On next week's episode: For better or worse, how police use tech

A preview of next week's special episode on technology in law enforcement.

Ride-sharing was supposed to make traffic better. It's making it worse

Uber, Lyft and similar ride-hailing services are taking riders away from public transit, says one transportation consultant.

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Besides making it super-easy to get a ride somewhere, one of the great promises of ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft was that they would reduce congestion on city streets. Unfortunately, the opposite has happened—and dramatically so. Also, the value of video-game emulators, the call for ethical computer engineering standards, and a new app that aims to use AI to help improve parenting.

Using deep learning to forge a deeper relationship with your children

A new AI-based app aims to empower parents and kids

Why computer science students are demanding more ethics classes

Software engineers should have the same ethical standards as other engineers.

Why piracy is the best way to archive old-school video games

Emulators allow people to perverse old video games. So why are companies suing the sites that make emulation possible?

As Google for Education tools enter classrooms across Canada, some parents are asking to opt-out

60 million students and teachers around the world are using Google for Education products. Parents are raising concerns about what data Google might be collecting from their kids, and some are critical of a lack of options should they choose not to use them.

Spark Guide to Life: Google for Education Encore

As Google for Education tools enter classrooms across Canada, some parents are asking to opt-out

Reimagining the university for the 21st century

The industrial age model just doesn't work anymore.

Spark Guide to Life: Big Picture Ideas

Reimagining the university for the 21st century. The future of trades in a changing world. Mapping the sounds of protest. How machines, platforms and the crowd are rearranging the world.