Technology News in English
Latest technology headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Wikipedia bans AI over errors: ‘Source turned out to be incorrect’
The English version of Wikipedia has banned the creation of articles using artificial intelligence due to recurring issues with factual accuracy and unreliable sourcing. Editors found that AI-generate...
Finland reports airspace violation by drones
Finland has reported a violation of its airspace by drones in the southeastern part of the country. Authorities confirmed the incident, although specific details regarding the origin of the drones wer...
New bins still stay open sometimes – but less often
The city of Amsterdam is testing a new self-closing trash can design intended to prevent litter caused by people searching for deposit bottles. While early observations on the Damrak show the new bins...
Deepfake images of Belgian Crown Princess Elisabeth circulating on Facebook
Deepfake images and videos of Belgium's Crown Princess Elisabeth have been discovered on a fraudulent Facebook profile. The Belgian Royal Palace has initiated steps to have the content removed from th...
Another fire at major Russian port after attack
The Russian port of Ust-Luga sustained damage following a Ukrainian drone attack, according to the governor of the Leningrad region. While Russian officials claim that dozens of unmanned aerial vehicl...
'Jumping' violence trend fits broader culture of online peer pressure and filmed violence among youth
Experts are warning about a violent trend called 'jumpen,' where young people assault others and film the attacks to share on social media. This behavior is attributed to online peer pressure and has ...
Flemish teen detained for role in sadistic network
A teenager in East Flanders has been detained for his involvement in a sadistic network on the messaging app Telegram. Belgian authorities confirmed the arrest following media reports, though the pros...
From mold to snack: Breda startup in the running for national entrepreneur award
Breda-based startup The Protein Brewery is developing sustainable protein alternatives by cultivating fungi in large fermentation tanks. The company is currently competing for a national entrepreneur ...
Rosatom: Attacks on Iranian nuclear plant threaten nuclear safety
The head of Russia's state nuclear energy corporation, Rosatom, has warned that the situation at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant is deteriorating. Alexey Likhachev stated that attacks in the vicini...
Screen Time | As lawsuits pile up, Mark Zuckerberg turns his focus to AI
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is shifting the company's focus toward artificial intelligence as legal challenges against social media platforms continue to increase. Tech reporter Rutger Otto discusses how...
Assembling the drones that blast Russian aircraft out of the sky: ‘We’re here to make weapons, right?’
Participants at Unmanned Valley are learning to build drones to support Ukraine's defense against the Russian invasion. These locally-assembled drones are sent to the front lines to intercept and dest...
A very popular dating show is on TikTok – featuring a cheating blueberry
Electric scooter battery safety questioned again after latest fire at Felyx
NYT: Musk participated in phone call between Trump and Modi
Tech billionaire Elon Musk reportedly participated in a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The interaction was first reported by The New York Times...
Police granted extra powers to search social media
The Dutch cabinet has approved a bill granting police expanded powers to monitor public social media and online platforms to prevent public order disturbances. This measure aims to allow law enforceme...
Grid costs could double to 1,200 euros per year: pay attention to when you charge
Electricity grid costs in the Netherlands are projected to double, potentially reaching 1,200 euros per year for households. To prevent grid overload, energy providers plan to increase rates during pe...
Youth Protection files police report after shared client file screenshots
The Amsterdam branch of Youth Protection has filed a police report against an employee for sharing screenshots of a client's confidential file on social media. The employee's contract was terminated f...
Curtain falls for online home store fonQ
The Dutch online home retailer fonQ has been declared bankrupt by the court, according to the company's trustees. Approximately 100 employees face potential job losses as a result of the filing.
Austria also introduces social media ban for young people
The Austrian government has announced plans to implement a mandatory minimum age of 14 for social media platform usage. Digitalization State Secretary Alexander Pröll confirmed the measure, which aim...
Minister calls ban on Grok undressing feature a good signal
Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel welcomed a ruling by an Amsterdam court to ban the 'undressing' function of the AI chatbot Grok. The minister described the decision as a positive signal for vict...
Red carpet for offshore ship of the future, which was almost named Windcat IJmuiden: ‘Not a name that works well in international ports’
Damen Shipyards and Windcat have unveiled a new, innovative offshore vessel designed for the future of the industry. The ship was originally going to be named 'Windcat IJmuiden,' but the name was chan...
Thousands of accidental 112 calls made via car emergency buttons last year
The Dutch emergency center received 37,500 calls from vehicles last year, but approximately 75 percent were non-emergencies often caused by accidental button presses. In total, the emergency services ...
Heemskerk and Beverwijk investigate construction of heat networks to reduce natural gas consumption
The municipalities of Heemskerk and Beverwijk are investigating the implementation of heating networks to reduce natural gas consumption. On Thursday, they signed an intent agreement with heat company...
Addicted to social media? Ruling against Meta and Google could have major consequences
Meta and Google have been held liable for a 20-year-old woman's addiction to their social media platforms, which she claims led her to become suicidal. This legal ruling is expected to have significan...
Conflict over Noorder IJplas wind turbines: Province and municipality face off in court
Judge bans undressing feature in Grok chatbot
A court in Amsterdam has banned the "undressing function" of the Grok chatbot in the Netherlands following a summary judgment. The legal challenge was brought by victim support organizations and safet...
Judge rules Grok may not undress people online with AI software
An Amsterdam court has ruled that the AI chatbot Grok is prohibited from generating and distributing AI-generated 'undressing' images and child pornographic material in the Netherlands. This decision ...
Limburg wants to significantly expand Einstein Telescope test center
The Dutch province of Limburg plans to allocate 4 million euros for research into expanding the ETpathfinder prototype in Maastricht into a world-class research facility for low-frequency gravitationa...
Snapchat under fire over grooming and vape sales to minors
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Snapchat to evaluate its compliance with the Digital Services Act's requirements for protecting minors. The probe examines the platform's eff...
Ajax covered up massive 2017 data breach
Ajax reportedly covered up a significant data leak in 2017 by signing a non-disclosure agreement with the ethical hacker who discovered it. The agreement, recently revealed by BNR, was signed by the h...