USA

Americans are increasingly turning to AI to save time, automate tasks, and boost creativity. Research from AI company Chatronix shows that the US is embracing the use of AI but that some states show more interest than others.

Analysis of Google Trends data between June 2024 and June 2025 reveals where searches for ChatGPT and Gemini are most concentrated. Scores from 0-100 represent the relative popularity of each search term by state, as a fraction of total Google searches in that region. Higher values reflect a larger share of interest, not higher total search counts.

The Trump administration has outlined a plan that would put Oracle in charge of safeguarding TikTok’s recommendation system, a senior White House official said today. The proposal is designed to ease U.S. concerns that the app could be steered by Beijing, while keeping TikTok available for the 170m people who use it in America.

The recommendation engine, which decides what videos appear in a user’s feed, sits at the center of the dispute. Often described as the app’s most important feature, its secret sauce, it is also the focus of security worries. U.S. officials argue that because it was created by ByteDance, based in Beijing, the Chinese government could influence what users see by pushing or hiding certain content without detection.

This U.S. Election Day, the nation finds itself deeply divided, with a fierce battle between two prominent figures: former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Their clash of ideologies has captivated the public, as voters passionately debate the policies and visions of these candidates. Issues like healthcare, climate change, and economic reform dominate conversations.

Yet, as the polls open and citizens cast their votes, there’s another opportunity for change that many might overlook -- a shift that, while not political, could still have a lasting impact on our daily lives and sense of control. And that change? It’s switching from Windows to Linux.

Election administration is an essential component of the democratic process, but is also very challenging. The number of voters involved, which can climb into the tens of millions, requires the use of systems that have been fine-tuned for maximum efficiency. Managing the complexity of those systems, which are often spread out over vast geographical areas, is daunting, especially considering the task often relies on a volunteer staff with high turnover rates. Looming over the entire enterprise is the requirement for unquestionable accuracy and crystal-clear transparency.

Artificial intelligence, which thrives at optimizing systems for maximum efficiency and accuracy, has the potential to provide valuable support for election administration. Leveraging it for that purpose, however, also requires that strong safeguards be put in place.

A new survey of over 1,000 Americans reveals that people are deeply concerned about their personal data, believe their data is priceless, want a national privacy law, and are pessimistic about the rise of AI and personal data.

The study for PrivacyHawk, conducted by Propeller Research, shows 45 percent are very or extremely concerned about their personal data being exploited, breached, or exposed. Over 94 percent are generally concerned. Only 5.7 percent of the US population is not concerned at all about their personal data risk.

Comparison site Cable.co.uk has released its annual analysis of broadband speed tests around the globe.

As in last year's report Western Europe tops the regional charts with an average download speed of 118.69Mbps, with North America second on an average of 94.02Mbps.

A new survey of 150 federal cybersecurity leaders finds that 73 percent of respondents feel a lack of foundational data protection efforts puts their agency at risk.

In addition the research, from data protection provider Zettaset, shows 77 percent say that siloed systems that lack visibility make it difficult to properly protect critical assets. It's not surprising then that 57 percent report experiencing multiple data breaches over the past two years.

US companies are the most affected by ransomware, with 46 percent of all ransomware attacks happening there, according to new research by cybersecurity company NordLocker.

But just who is being targeted? The research finds that out of 18 industries identified, construction accounts for 12 percent of all attacks. Next most likely to be hit are manufacturing (9.6 percent), transportation (8.2 percent), healthcare (7.8 percent), and tech/IT (7.6 percent).

Last year 48 percent of ransomware attacks were directed at targets in the United States, with industrial and energy, retail, and finance businesses among the most threatened.

Research from AtlasVPN finds that out of 2,845 witnessed ransomware attacks worldwide in 2021 1,352 were launched against targets in the US. Meanwhile one in five attacks were against European countries with France suffering 146 attacks, the UK 139 and Germany 115.

Western Europe dominates the global internet speed table, containing eight of the top 10 fastest countries in the world for broadband.

Analysis of over a billions speed tests by comparison site Cable.co.uk shows if you want really fast speeds you need to move to the Channel Island of Jersey which tops the chart with an average speed of 274.27Mbps.

According to a new study from third-party ID risk specialist SecZetta 53 percent of respondents lack confidence in the strength of the US government’s infrastructure to protect the American people from cyberattacks.

Also 88 percent say organizations and government entities must have better data security systems in place to protect them from the increase in third-party remote attacks.

Researchers at Cybereason have detected a new campaign targeting US taxpayers with documents that purport to contain tax-related content.

These deliver NetWire and Remcos -- two powerful and popular RATs which can allow attackers to take control of the victims' machines and steal sensitive information. The malicious documents used are roughly 7MB in size, which allows them to evade traditional AV mechanisms and heuristic detection.

With 5G technology rolling out around the world and set to have an impact on many areas of life, there are still people who are unconvinced of its benefits according to a new report.

Analysis by Prolifics Testing of online searches looks at what it terms 'skeptical' searches -- phrases like 'is 5G dangerous?', 'is 5G safe?', 'is 5G harmful?', and 'does 5G pose health risks?'

Americans' online banking usage has reached 85 percent, with 25 percent using online banking exclusively. But trust is lagging behind.

A new report from NordVPN shows 40 percent of respondents report that they check their banking apps on a daily basis for compromises. 13 percent say they don't trust, and 27 percent have doubts about, their banking app.

Although you may be old enough to have ceased believing in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny (if you're not we advise you to stop reading now), there are likely to be some things you think you know about about technology that are equally mythical.

According to a survey of 1,000 Americans from HighSpeedInternet.com 86 percent believe that 5G is going to completely replace 4G. In fact it's not, just as 4G hasn't replaced 3G, so you won't have to rush out to get a new phone as 5G comes in.