{"video_id":"1OVxxGQLSeA","title":"This is Getting Serious","channel":"TechLinked","show":"TechLinked","published_at":"2026-02-03T14:53:29Z","duration_s":601,"segments":[{"start_s":0.32,"end_s":6.16,"text":"Soon, neurological implants will make having a bad case of the Mondays a thing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":4.4,"end_s":11.04,"text":"of the past. But the future's not here yet, so this is the tech news you get.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":8.48,"end_s":16.32,"text":"Twitter, aka Elon Musk's X, is officially under investigation in the UK","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":12.96,"end_s":18.08,"text":"after its AI Grock, went full goon mode,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":16.32,"end_s":21.84,"text":"allowing users to generate thousands of non-consensual sexualized images of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":20.0,"end_s":26.24,"text":"women and children directly in the timeline. UK media regulator says","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":24.48,"end_s":30.48,"text":"Twitter may have violated the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":28.24,"end_s":34.0,"text":"block illegal content. UK technology secretary Liz Kendall announced the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":31.92,"end_s":38.64,"text":"government is also bringing a new law into force this week, making it illegal","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":36.32,"end_s":43.04,"text":"for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":40.559,"end_s":47.6,"text":"images. If found guilty, X faces fines of up to 10% of global revenue. Finally,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.2,"end_s":53.12,"text":"it's based on percentages. Orcom could seek a court order to block the platform","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":49.92,"end_s":55.44,"text":"entirely in the UK, a net social good.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":53.12,"end_s":59.68,"text":"Malaysia and Indonesia have already blocked Grock. And Democrats in the US","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":57.76,"end_s":63.359,"text":"are now asking Apple and Google to boot Twitter from their app stores. Musk,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":61.84,"end_s":66.799,"text":"much like that kid in elementary school who flipped the Monopoly board if he","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":65.04,"end_s":72.479,"text":"lost, responded by complaining that people are looking for any excuse for","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":69.04,"end_s":75.119,"text":"censorship and suppressing free speech","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":72.479,"end_s":79.759,"text":"in a masterclass of public relations. He reposted AI generated images of UK Prime","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":77.84,"end_s":82.96,"text":"Minister Kier Starmer in a bikini. >> It's a good point. Hm. Never thought","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":82.24,"end_s":89.68,"text":"about it like that. >> You can't stop me from doing this. Kier [laughter]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":86.56,"end_s":91.92,"text":"free speech. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":89.68,"end_s":96.079,"text":"also decided to wade into the fray. Why not? Calling the ban an attempt by","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":94.159,"end_s":100.56,"text":"gatekeepers trying to censor political opponents and arguing that all AI models","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":98.64,"end_s":104.32,"text":"go off the rails sometimes. The difference is not all AI models are","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":102.24,"end_s":107.6,"text":"baked directly into social platforms where they can generate CSAM right into","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":106.159,"end_s":111.92,"text":"the replies and wake up believing they're Hitler every other week. Also,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":109.92,"end_s":118.32,"text":"going off the rails is usually seen as a bad thing, Tim. Eg. trains.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":116.24,"end_s":122.479,"text":"Cloudflare just got slapped with a 14 million euro fine by the Italian","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":120.479,"end_s":127.68,"text":"government for refusing to block pirate sites on its 1.1.1.1 DNS service.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":125.28,"end_s":131.599,"text":"Italy's piracy shield law demands websites get nuked within 30 minutes of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":129.759,"end_s":134.959,"text":"a copyright complaint with little to no judicial oversight. Cloudflare CEO","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":133.28,"end_s":140.879,"text":"Matthew Prince called it a scheme run by a shadowy cabal of European media","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":137.2,"end_s":143.92,"text":"elites. Ooh, drama. Prince threatened to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":140.879,"end_s":146.16,"text":"pull all Cloudfare servers out of Italy,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":143.92,"end_s":150.64,"text":"discontin free cyber security services for Italian users, and cancel pro bono,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":148.72,"end_s":154.879,"text":"which I think is Italian [laughter] protection for the Milano Cortina","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":152.64,"end_s":161.04,"text":"Olympics. His exact words, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Now that's a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":157.84,"end_s":162.64,"text":"spicy CEO. [laughter] In fairness to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":161.04,"end_s":166.64,"text":"Prince, Italy's track record with implementing this law isn't great. Last","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":165.28,"end_s":170.4,"text":"year, they accidentally blocked Google Drive in the country for three hours.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":168.4,"end_s":174.959,"text":"Mama mia. Researchers found hundreds of legitimate websites caught in the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":171.84,"end_s":177.36,"text":"crossfire while actual pirates just move","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":174.959,"end_s":181.84,"text":"to the new address. Those have got to be some of the best pirates I've ever seen.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":179.68,"end_s":185.28,"text":"Over in the UK, again, some members of parliament want to follow Australia's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":183.44,"end_s":189.04,"text":"lead with a Conservative party proposing to ban people under the age of 16, if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":187.36,"end_s":194.4,"text":"you can call them people, from social media entirely. The UK government also","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":191.84,"end_s":198.8,"text":"just ordered Ofcom to explore clientside scanning as a way to catch terrorism and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":196.64,"end_s":202.8,"text":"CSAM related messages hidden by endtoend encryption protocols, aka allowing the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":200.8,"end_s":206.879,"text":"UK government to read every message on your phone before it's encrypted. And","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":205.12,"end_s":212.159,"text":"speaking of digital crackdowns, Discord just got banned in Egypt, Jordan,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":208.48,"end_s":214.159,"text":"Turkey, and Russia. Users reported stuck","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":212.159,"end_s":219.519,"text":"on loading screens, the telltale sign of government block rather than a service","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":216.0,"end_s":221.84,"text":"outage. In unrelated news, ProtonVPN saw","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":219.519,"end_s":227.44,"text":"a 103% spike in signups on Saturday alone with usage still climbing.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":224.319,"end_s":230.4,"text":">> Wow, good for them.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":227.44,"end_s":234.72,"text":">> Apple is gearing up to finally hopefully launch its big Siri refresh by","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":232.48,"end_s":240.08,"text":"partnering with Google's AI, spurning Open AI in the process, and making Siri","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":237.12,"end_s":244.319,"text":"a Gemini, which is too bad. My tarot card reading warns against befriending","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":241.84,"end_s":248.64,"text":"Geminis. I guess I've got no choice but to switch to Grock. Reuters calls it a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":246.879,"end_s":252.159,"text":"multi-year deal. And in a joint statement, Apple and Google stressed","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":250.0,"end_s":256.56,"text":"that Gemini will complement Apple's own AI work rather than replace it. You","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":254.319,"end_s":260.959,"text":"know, some cost fallacy. Uh with user choice, ondevice processing, and privacy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.12,"end_s":265.44,"text":"protections highlighted. At the same time, Google is pushing AI powered","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":262.88,"end_s":269.36,"text":"shopping, adding buy buttons in Gemini and AI search, and introducing a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":267.28,"end_s":273.919,"text":"universal commerce protocol designed to let AI agents interact with multiple","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":271.44,"end_s":277.44,"text":"retailers in a standardized way. Not all of Google's AI experiments are moving","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":275.44,"end_s":281.199,"text":"forward. The company has pulled AI overviews for some medical searches","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":279.36,"end_s":286.32,"text":"after concerns about accuracy and potential harm for sensitive health","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":282.72,"end_s":288.479,"text":"queries dying in a scene. Which reminds","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":286.32,"end_s":293.199,"text":"us that Google's accumulate all data in the universe approach might not gel all","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":291.12,"end_s":297.12,"text":"that well with Apple's supposed commitment to user privacy. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":295.199,"end_s":300.639,"text":"regarding their partnership to relaunch Siri, Apple emphasizes that personal","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":298.88,"end_s":304.8,"text":"data won't be used for advertising or profiling. And I have learned that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":302.639,"end_s":309.199,"text":"whenever a big company tells me my data is safe, I should trust them. But","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":307.44,"end_s":314.72,"text":"seriously, you can trust today's sponsor, Kinsta. We're pretty busy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":312.16,"end_s":318.56,"text":"around here at Techlink, and it can be a lot. But that's nothing compared to how","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":316.56,"end_s":322.479,"text":"overwhelming trying to figure out web hosting can be. Well, that's exactly why","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":320.32,"end_s":326.24,"text":"having Kinsta is such a relief, where real experts handle the technical side","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":324.24,"end_s":329.44,"text":"of things for you, even if you're not a techie. You get fast, reliable","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":327.759,"end_s":333.12,"text":"performance, always on security, and an intuitive dashboard that's genuinely","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":331.12,"end_s":337.6,"text":"easy to use. If something goes wrong, their WordPress experts are available","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":334.8,"end_s":342.8,"text":"24/7, not bots reading scripts. It's no wonder over 140,000 businesses trust","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":339.919,"end_s":346.0,"text":"Kinsta to just make web hosting work. If you're tired of being your own website","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":344.479,"end_s":350.479,"text":"support team, switch your hosting to Kinsta and get your first month free,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":347.759,"end_s":353.52,"text":"plus a 30-day money back guarantee to make sure you're totally convinced. And","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":352.32,"end_s":357.84,"text":"don't worry about the move. They'll handle the whole migration for you. No","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":355.759,"end_s":361.759,"text":"tech expertise required. Just visit the link in the description or scan the QR","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":359.6,"end_s":365.36,"text":"code on the screen to get started. There's actually a team of Russians out","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":363.84,"end_s":370.88,"text":"to get the quick bits in order to harvest valuable juices and convert them","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":367.28,"end_s":374.0,"text":"into new super steroids, BUT WE WON'T","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":370.88,"end_s":376.0,"text":"LET THEM. VALVE'S upcoming Steam machine","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":374.0,"end_s":381.68,"text":"may have just leaked at some check retailers with the listing showing a 512","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":378.479,"end_s":384.96,"text":"GB model around $950","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":381.68,"end_s":386.72,"text":"and a two TB version near $1,70.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":384.96,"end_s":390.56,"text":"That's based on a rough conversion from Czech Coruna,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":388.319,"end_s":395.199,"text":">> a baggo. Oo, I want to take [laughter] you. >> WCCF points out that similar hidden","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":393.199,"end_s":398.88,"text":"listings popped up at multiple stores, though they likely include some retailer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":397.039,"end_s":403.6,"text":"markups. Compared with consoles like the PS5, that's definitely on the pricey","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":401.28,"end_s":406.96,"text":"side, but Valve has not confirmed any official prices yet, and I always","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":405.28,"end_s":411.44,"text":"anxiously await the word of Gabin. Should I read the next bit, Gabin? His","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":409.28,"end_s":416.4,"text":"silence speaks volumes. Windows 11's latest insider build allows admins to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":413.6,"end_s":420.319,"text":"finally uninstall Microsoft C-Pilot as long as the device is managed and you're","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":418.639,"end_s":424.72,"text":"the administrator. This works on pro, enterprise, and edu versions, giving IT","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":422.4,"end_s":428.88,"text":"teams more control over the AI tools on work devices. Copilot has","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":426.319,"end_s":433.36,"text":"single-handedly turned me into a gruff, individualistic veteran cop from an 80s","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":431.039,"end_s":438.52,"text":"action movie. I work alone. I don't want a co-pilot. Not after what happened to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":435.52,"end_s":438.52,"text":"Clippy.","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":439.44,"end_s":444.88,"text":"As for other Microsoft news, in what I'll tentatively call a developing","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":442.72,"end_s":449.759,"text":"story, it appears that Twitter and YouTube users are finding that a Windows","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":447.44,"end_s":454.08,"text":"7 activation key belonging to infamous dead American financier, human","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":451.759,"end_s":457.84,"text":"trafficker, and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can be used to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":455.84,"end_s":465.12,"text":"successfully activate Windows 7 Home Premium. Good job. Free Windows. Now","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":462.24,"end_s":469.12,"text":"you're on a watch list. Was it worth it? Micron is trying to smooth things over","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":467.039,"end_s":473.44,"text":"as it shuts down its consumer brand. Crucial, reassuring users they're","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":471.28,"end_s":476.4,"text":"somehow still looking out for consumers. I don't know how, but maybe they'll","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":475.12,"end_s":481.28,"text":"explain that to us later. At the same time, the company warns that the DRAM","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":478.879,"end_s":484.8,"text":"shortage could stick around until 2028. We might not even be around back then,","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":482.639,"end_s":488.639,"text":"meaning higher RAM and SSD prices are probably here to stay","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":486.0,"end_s":492.639,"text":">> by themselves. In [laughter] fact, as PC Gamer points out, a Tokyo computer shop","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":490.72,"end_s":497.199,"text":"is so desperate for inventory that it's put out a call for customers to sell","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":494.56,"end_s":501.599,"text":"their used gaming PCs offering pretty high prices for desktops, laptops, and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":499.52,"end_s":506.16,"text":"even non-gaming rigs because new stock is critically low amid ongoing hardware","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":503.759,"end_s":509.44,"text":"shortages. At least Japan's got great convenience stores and delicious","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":507.919,"end_s":513.839,"text":"okonamiyaki. First time I've read that ever. All I've","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":511.52,"end_s":518.719,"text":"got is a Windows 7 activation key and my faith in Gabin. SpaceX just got FCC","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":516.24,"end_s":523.2,"text":"approval to launch another 7,500 Starlink satellites, which will end up","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":520.64,"end_s":526.8,"text":"bringing their total to around 15,000. And they'd better hurry. China just","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":524.72,"end_s":530.64,"text":"filed to put 200,000 satellites in orbit. These maneuvers are happening","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":528.48,"end_s":534.08,"text":"amidst a Starlink blackout occurring in Iran, where authorities are using","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":532.32,"end_s":537.839,"text":"military jammers to block satellite internet. Trump says he's talking to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":535.6,"end_s":541.279,"text":"Elon Musk, their friends on again, about restoring the internet in Iran, which","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":539.519,"end_s":545.76,"text":"I'm sure he'll get to once he's done his flame war with the entirety of the UK","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":543.2,"end_s":549.76,"text":"government. And Overview Energy just demonstrated sending beams of power from","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":547.839,"end_s":554.32,"text":"a moving airplane to devices on the ground, proving their airborne energy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":552.16,"end_s":557.44,"text":"transfer concept can actually work. Announced in December, the tech was a","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":555.92,"end_s":561.6,"text":"successful proof of concept. And while it's still early days, it's a promising","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":559.279,"end_s":565.2,"text":"step towards space-based solar power, where sunlight collected in orbit could","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":563.68,"end_s":569.44,"text":"be sent down to Earth just like the regular sun does, or used in other","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":567.44,"end_s":573.12,"text":"high-tech energy applications in the future. It feels good to end the show on","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":571.2,"end_s":577.36,"text":"an upbeat note like that. Oh. Oh, no. No. They're going to use airplanes to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":575.2,"end_s":580.08,"text":"block out the sun and steal all the solar energy, aren't they? We're always","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":579.04,"end_s":585.279,"text":"getting Mr. Burns. >> It's like he never died. >> But you're not going to get burned if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":583.519,"end_s":590.48,"text":"you come back on Wednesday for more tech news. In fact, you might even get to see","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":587.2,"end_s":592.08,"text":"a new beefcake. James, what is it? I've","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":590.48,"end_s":596.56,"text":"convinced the Quickfits to lend me some valuable juices and I'm going to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":594.24,"end_s":601.351,"text":"experiment with super steroids. >> He's joking. >> Do he's joking, guys. [laughter]","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"Soon, neurological implants will make having a bad case of the Mondays a thing of the past. But the future's not here yet, so this is the tech news you get. Twitter, aka Elon Musk's X, is officially under investigation in the UK after its AI Grock, went full goon mode, allowing users to generate thousands of non-consensual sexualized images of women and children directly in the timeline. UK media regulator says Twitter may have violated the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to block illegal content. UK technology secretary Liz Kendall announced the government is also bringing a new law into force this week, making it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images. If found guilty, X faces fines of up to 10% of global revenue. Finally, it's based on percentages. Orcom could seek a court order to block the platform entirely in the UK, a net social good. Malaysia and Indonesia have already blocked Grock. And Democrats in the US are now asking Apple and Google to boot Twitter from their app stores. Musk, much like that kid in elementary school who flipped the Monopoly board if he lost, responded by complaining that people are looking for any excuse for censorship and suppressing free speech in a masterclass of public relations. He reposted AI generated images of UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer in a bikini. >> It's a good point. Hm. Never thought about it like that. >> You can't stop me from doing this. Kier [laughter] free speech. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney also decided to wade into the fray. Why not? Calling the ban an attempt by gatekeepers trying to censor political opponents and arguing that all AI models go off the rails sometimes. The difference is not all AI models are baked directly into social platforms where they can generate CSAM right into the replies and wake up believing they're Hitler every other week. Also, going off the rails is usually seen as a bad thing, Tim. Eg. trains. Cloudflare just got slapped with a 14 million euro fine by the Italian government for refusing to block pirate sites on its 1.1.1.1 DNS service. Italy's piracy shield law demands websites get nuked within 30 minutes of a copyright complaint with little to no judicial oversight. Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince called it a scheme run by a shadowy cabal of European media elites. Ooh, drama. Prince threatened to pull all Cloudfare servers out of Italy, discontin free cyber security services for Italian users, and cancel pro bono, which I think is Italian [laughter] protection for the Milano Cortina Olympics. His exact words, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Now that's a spicy CEO. [laughter] In fairness to Prince, Italy's track record with implementing this law isn't great. Last year, they accidentally blocked Google Drive in the country for three hours. Mama mia. Researchers found hundreds of legitimate websites caught in the crossfire while actual pirates just move to the new address. Those have got to be some of the best pirates I've ever seen. Over in the UK, again, some members of parliament want to follow Australia's lead with a Conservative party proposing to ban people under the age of 16, if you can call them people, from social media entirely. The UK government also just ordered Ofcom to explore clientside scanning as a way to catch terrorism and CSAM related messages hidden by endtoend encryption protocols, aka allowing the UK government to read every message on your phone before it's encrypted. And speaking of digital crackdowns, Discord just got banned in Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, and Russia. Users reported stuck on loading screens, the telltale sign of government block rather than a service outage. In unrelated news, ProtonVPN saw a 103% spike in signups on Saturday alone with usage still climbing. >> Wow, good for them. >> Apple is gearing up to finally hopefully launch its big Siri refresh by partnering with Google's AI, spurning Open AI in the process, and making Siri a Gemini, which is too bad. My tarot card reading warns against befriending Geminis. I guess I've got no choice but to switch to Grock. Reuters calls it a multi-year deal. And in a joint statement, Apple and Google stressed that Gemini will complement Apple's own AI work rather than replace it. You know, some cost fallacy. Uh with user choice, ondevice processing, and privacy protections highlighted. At the same time, Google is pushing AI powered shopping, adding buy buttons in Gemini and AI search, and introducing a universal commerce protocol designed to let AI agents interact with multiple retailers in a standardized way. Not all of Google's AI experiments are moving forward. The company has pulled AI overviews for some medical searches after concerns about accuracy and potential harm for sensitive health queries dying in a scene. Which reminds us that Google's accumulate all data in the universe approach might not gel all that well with Apple's supposed commitment to user privacy. But regarding their partnership to relaunch Siri, Apple emphasizes that personal data won't be used for advertising or profiling. And I have learned that whenever a big company tells me my data is safe, I should trust them. But seriously, you can trust today's sponsor, Kinsta. We're pretty busy around here at Techlink, and it can be a lot. But that's nothing compared to how overwhelming trying to figure out web hosting can be. Well, that's exactly why having Kinsta is such a relief, where real experts handle the technical side of things for you, even if you're not a techie. You get fast, reliable performance, always on security, and an intuitive dashboard that's genuinely easy to use. If something goes wrong, their WordPress experts are available 24/7, not bots reading scripts. It's no wonder over 140,000 businesses trust Kinsta to just make web hosting work. If you're tired of being your own website support team, switch your hosting to Kinsta and get your first month free, plus a 30-day money back guarantee to make sure you're totally convinced. And don't worry about the move. They'll handle the whole migration for you. No tech expertise required. Just visit the link in the description or scan the QR code on the screen to get started. There's actually a team of Russians out to get the quick bits in order to harvest valuable juices and convert them into new super steroids, BUT WE WON'T LET THEM. VALVE'S upcoming Steam machine may have just leaked at some check retailers with the listing showing a 512 GB model around $950 and a two TB version near $1,70. That's based on a rough conversion from Czech Coruna, >> a baggo. Oo, I want to take [laughter] you. >> WCCF points out that similar hidden listings popped up at multiple stores, though they likely include some retailer markups. Compared with consoles like the PS5, that's definitely on the pricey side, but Valve has not confirmed any official prices yet, and I always anxiously await the word of Gabin. Should I read the next bit, Gabin? His silence speaks volumes. Windows 11's latest insider build allows admins to finally uninstall Microsoft C-Pilot as long as the device is managed and you're the administrator. This works on pro, enterprise, and edu versions, giving IT teams more control over the AI tools on work devices. Copilot has single-handedly turned me into a gruff, individualistic veteran cop from an 80s action movie. I work alone. I don't want a co-pilot. Not after what happened to Clippy. As for other Microsoft news, in what I'll tentatively call a developing story, it appears that Twitter and YouTube users are finding that a Windows 7 activation key belonging to infamous dead American financier, human trafficker, and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein can be used to successfully activate Windows 7 Home Premium. Good job. Free Windows. Now you're on a watch list. Was it worth it? Micron is trying to smooth things over as it shuts down its consumer brand. Crucial, reassuring users they're somehow still looking out for consumers. I don't know how, but maybe they'll explain that to us later. At the same time, the company warns that the DRAM shortage could stick around until 2028. We might not even be around back then, meaning higher RAM and SSD prices are probably here to stay >> by themselves. In [laughter] fact, as PC Gamer points out, a Tokyo computer shop is so desperate for inventory that it's put out a call for customers to sell their used gaming PCs offering pretty high prices for desktops, laptops, and even non-gaming rigs because new stock is critically low amid ongoing hardware shortages. At least Japan's got great convenience stores and delicious okonamiyaki. First time I've read that ever. All I've got is a Windows 7 activation key and my faith in Gabin. SpaceX just got FCC approval to launch another 7,500 Starlink satellites, which will end up bringing their total to around 15,000. And they'd better hurry. China just filed to put 200,000 satellites in orbit. These maneuvers are happening amidst a Starlink blackout occurring in Iran, where authorities are using military jammers to block satellite internet. Trump says he's talking to Elon Musk, their friends on again, about restoring the internet in Iran, which I'm sure he'll get to once he's done his flame war with the entirety of the UK government. And Overview Energy just demonstrated sending beams of power from a moving airplane to devices on the ground, proving their airborne energy transfer concept can actually work. Announced in December, the tech was a successful proof of concept. And while it's still early days, it's a promising step towards space-based solar power, where sunlight collected in orbit could be sent down to Earth just like the regular sun does, or used in other high-tech energy applications in the future. It feels good to end the show on an upbeat note like that. Oh. Oh, no. No. They're going to use airplanes to block out the sun and steal all the solar energy, aren't they? We're always getting Mr. Burns. >> It's like he never died. >> But you're not going to get burned if you come back on Wednesday for more tech news. In fact, you might even get to see a new beefcake. James, what is it? I've convinced the Quickfits to lend me some valuable juices and I'm going to experiment with super steroids. >> He's joking. >> Do he's joking, guys. [laughter]"}