Latest news with #Jacobsen
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Infomaniak breaks rank and comes out in support of controversial Swiss encryption law
In Switzerland, some of the best VPNs are in the firing line as a result of the country's proposed changes to encryption laws. The law's revision would extend surveillance obligations and require companies to collect information and identification on their users – a move that would significantly impact online privacy. Swiss-based VPNs Proton VPN and NymVPN would be affected, and Proton CEO Andy Yen said the privacy-focused company would rather leave its Swiss base than risk the privacy of its users. The most private VPNs uphold strict no-logs policies and collect very little information about users. This law would see these policies undermined. Despite widespread opposition from across the country, Swiss cloud security company Infomaniak is supporting the law. Infomaniak describes itself as an "ethical cloud" company and one that doesn't compromise on "ecology, privacy, or people." It's surprising, then, that they are seemingly the only privacy-focused company in Switzerland supporting the law change. In a debate on Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS), and reported in Clubic, Infomaniak spokesperson Thomas Jacobsen addressed Andy Yen's comments on the law. Jacobsen believed Yen showed a "lack of knowledge of Swiss political institutions" and called for finding the right balance, not looking for extremes. Infomaniak argued that anonymity prevents justice, saying there must be a "happy medium" to prevent the digital landscape becoming a "Wild West." Proton was cited as a company that advocates for anonymity, but this isn't technically the case. Proton, and Proton VPN, advocates for privacy – and there is a subtle but important difference between the two. Confusing privacy and anonymity is common – a Tom's Guide VPN survey found that 29% of readers think VPNs make you anonymous – but they don't mean the same thing. Anonymity is when your identity isn't known and no trace of your activity is left behind, with the Tor Network being an example. VPNs protect your data and your privacy. Many can still see some identifiable information and most don't claim to offer anonymity. Although your data is encrypted and reputable VPN providers can't see your internet activity, they can still see your connecting IP address and your payment information. The key point is that they never log or share it. Hackers, third-parties, or your ISP can't see what you're doing, and that is the privacy VPNs offer. Infomaniak is incorrect in saying Proton advocates for anonymity. Infomaniak also took issue with free services, such as free VPNs. In the debate, Jacobsen said how these free services allow anyone to hide from the law by enabling anonymity. While VPNs can be misused by bad actors for criminal endeavours, something all reputable VPNs and Tom's Guide opposes, this doesn't mean they should be taken away or targeted. Almost every kind of technology and device can be used for illicit purposes. We have to accept that not everything can, or should, be controlled in order to target a small minority. This trade-off would take away the right to privacy of millions of genuine users. VPNs, and especially the best free VPNs, are a lifeline for people living under censorship and internet restrictions. Without them, they would be unable to access a free and open internet and would suffer at the hands of authoritarian regimes. Proton VPN has a host of dedicated anti-censorship features, aimed at protecting the privacy of those who need it most – including the free service Proton VPN Free. Many VPNs also offer free emergency VPNs for journalists or activists. VPNs cannot just be for those who can afford them, so Infomaniak's targeting of free privacy services fails to consider the appropriate repercussions. The article quotes Infomaniak's founder, Boris Siegenthaler, as saying "the answer is clear: the day activists for important climate, humanitarian, or democratic causes are in the crosshairs, we will oppose this request." However, many argue that the Swiss government's request would put those people in the crosshairs, and they wouldn't be protected. Infomaniak doesn't advocate for widespread surveillance, but that would not be needed under these plans. Metadata collection could form a large part of the new surveillance law, and it's seemingly something Infomaniak supports. In a separate interview with RTS, Jacobsen argues that metadata collection is acceptable in order to help prosecute individuals who "carry out illicit activities" anonymously. He says how in other aspects of life, we don't accept that, saying you need ID for taking out a phone number and SIM card. "The outside of the package is enough to bring justice," he said – referring to metadata. The contents of messages or communications will remain encrypted, but the metadata will be seen and collected. Metadata can include geolocation, date and time, IP addresses, file size, device identifiers, plus who sent and received the message. So, even though the actual content of the message remains encrypted and hidden, you can identify and subsequently prosecute individuals based on analysis of metadata. The opposition claims this is a fundamental privacy risk if handled in the wrong way, and something that should be opposed, not lauded. Infomaniak's approach to metadata has also received backlash from others in the industry. A LinkedIn post by founder Boris Siegenthaler saw disagreement with Infomaniak's position in the comments. A journalist said he was concerned about metadata, should it be collected, falling into the wrong hands. He claimed certain people and sources would be at risk and communication methods must preserve their safety. One comment argued that "metadata protection is important to avoid profiling," and another said a middle ground between Proton and Infomaniak's position was needed. Infomanaik has said it's moving to an encrypted email service. Jacobsen said the content of emails will be protected, "but without anonymity." Infomaniak's own service would therefore appear to be affected by the law change and they'd be required to collect and store the metadata of its users and their emails. The Swiss government's consultation on the proposed law change ended on May 6 2025. Its findings are still not known, but we will monitor its progress closely. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon unveils plans for game-changing innovation that could revolutionize the way consumers shop: 'Like taking apart a large string of Legos'
Amazon is often associated with excessive consumption — and occasionally, mind-boggling packaging waste — but the retail giant sent a team of scientists on a quest to "build a better package." Fast Company recently profiled ongoing research at Amazon's Sustainable Materials Innovation Lab in Seattle, where researchers are focused on plastic. Specifically, the team is working to develop eco-friendlier plastic, as well as to ensure "there's a recycling infrastructure already in place" to process recyclable materials. As America's second-largest retailer, Amazon's inherently massive environmental impact can be a double-edged sword. In 2022, the brand introduced 20,000 Rivian-brand electric vehicles to its fleet of delivery vans, an act with the potential to reduce pollution at scale — but Amazon has been called out for its resource-gobbling data centers, too. Further complicating matters is Amazon's acquisition of the supermarket chain Whole Foods in 2017 for $13.7 billion. As Fast Company noted, the merger made Amazon "a major player in food packaging as well, wrapping everything from produce to potato chips." Placing an Amazon order is typically convenient. Amazon's Sustainable Materials Innovation Lab wants to make that the case for post-consumer waste, per lab director Alan Jacobsen. "Our long-term objective is to enable simplicity and recycling of plastics in the same way that you have [with] paper today," he said. "You don't need to know, [if it's] a 1, 2, 3, 4. You just throw it [in a bin]." In July, Amazon announced plans to eliminate its ubiquitous plastic air pillows for cushioning packages, replacing them with paper. But not all plastic can be swapped for paper, prompting the team to experiment with biopolyesters — which tend to be biodegradable, and are often made from renewable sources. However, the lab's "work is twofold," and manufacturing is only part of their focus. Post-consumer recycling is another part, and the team has partnered with businesses like EsterCycle, a circular recycling startup. Julia Curley, scientist and founder of EsterCycle, explained that plastics are made from "long chains of molecules" known as polymers. She said "cutting that chain into its individual components" was "kind of like taking apart a large string of Legos into its individual pieces," and that those pieces can serve as "building blocks" for new products. There's no question Amazon still has work to do to be an eco-friendly brand, but Jacobsen claimed it plans to share its findings to mitigate plastic pollution with other companies. "We don't want to own the IP and keep it to ourselves. We want everybody to have access; we have no financial motivation," Jacobsen said. Should companies be required to help recycle their own products? Definitely No way It depends on the product They should get tax breaks instead Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Forest Service authorizes operation of Holland Lake Lodge
Holland Lake photographed on Sept. 2, 2023. (Photo by Nicole Girten/Daily Montanan) The Flathead National Forest announced on Friday that it would issue a special use authorization for the operation of Holland Lake Lodge. Under the new ownership of Eric Jacobsen and Thomas Knowles, the historic Holland Lake Lodge, will operate under a new 20-year special use permit within the property's existing footprint, according to a Flathead National Forest press release. No expanded facilities or activities are approved with the new operating permit for the private lodge operating on public land. 'Holland Lake Lodge is a historic lodge that has provided recreation opportunities for one hundred years. Providing a diverse range of recreation services is a valued resource for the community, a driver for the local economy, and helps improve visitor access to the surrounding National Forest Lands – all desired conditions identified in our Forest Plan,' Flathead National Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello said in a press release. 'I look forward to working with the new owners and community to continue this opportunity into the future.' Bortello said the decision was based on a review of public comments and analysis of potential environmental effects. Members of the public submitted more than 300 comments about the project. Many focused on deficiencies within the water and wastewater systems and alleged a lack of enforcement by the Forest Service for problems that occurred under the previous owner. Bortello said in his decision that 'no further actions are necessary to comply with all applicable laws, regulations and policies,' due to there being no proposed changes in activities or facilities under the new permit. Situated on the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness, Holland Lake Lodge has been under public scrutiny for several years after the public learned that longtime owner Christian Wohlfeil had proposed a sale to outdoor adventure company POWDR and an accompanying expansion plan would have added an additional lodge and 26 cabin structures on the property. The plan drew public outcry for its rushed timeframe and a determination by the Forest Service the expansion did not need an environmental analysis. The Forest Service also drew criticism for announcing the plan to the public more than one year after it had learned of the potential sale and for misstating information about the scope of the proposal. The Forest Service later rejected the plan, but said it would consider other proposals. Wohlfeil listed the property for sale in October of 2023, and late last year, Jacobsen, a private equity investor, announced he had secured a contract to purchase the lodge. Jacobsen held several public meetings prior to the purchase to meet with local members of the Swan Valley community and conveyed his intention in purchasing the property was to 'Preserve and protect the lodge and the lodge experience in harmony with nature into the future' and not develop the property. Jacobsen grew up in Montana and now splits his time between Whitefish and Park City, Utah. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday about the Forest Service decision and potential summer operations. Last year, the lodge was unable to provide public services due to deficiencies in the wastewater treatment system, which services both the lodge facilities and nearby campground. The deficiencies prevented the lodge from operating during its 100th anniversary year. However, the Flathead National Forest has submitted a preliminary report for upgrades to the Department of Environmental Quality. Jacobsen is required to draft and submit an annual operating plan for approval by the Forest Service before the special use permit is finalized. All documents related to the permit will be available for the public to see. More information about the Holland Lake Lodge project can be found online.
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Purdue basketball forward's return from injury may go international first
Purdue men's basketball center Daniel Jacobsen's return to full strength could include an international component this summer. The Boilermakers announced Tuesday the 7-foot-4 center will participate in Team USA tryouts ahead of the FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Switzerland. The training camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, begins June 14. Tournament competition begins later in the month. Playing in FIBA events has become a right of passage for rising Boilermaker stars. Most recently, Myles Colvin helped Team USA win gold at the 2023 U19 World Cup. Jacobsen is one of seven players with college experience among the 33 invited to the tryout, according to the release. The others are incoming freshmen or high school players. Jacobsen also has prior experience on that stage, helping Team USA win gold at the FIBA U18 Americup in Argentina last summer. Caleb Swanigan (2014 and 2015), Trevion Williams (2019), Jaden Ivey and Caleb Furst (2021) all won gold at their respective age group Wold Cups. Zach Edey took bronze with Team Canada in 2021. Carsen Edwards played for Team USA's bronze-medal team in 2017. The international competition comes as Jacobsen continues his return from a freshman season cut abruptly short by injury. He debuted with 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the season opener against Texas A&M Corpus Christi. Then He suffered a broken tibia one minute into the second game of the season and did not play again. He was cleared for full contact not long after Purdue's season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Houston in Indianapolis. While he could not play, other aspects of his development continued. For instance, Jacobsen was listed at 230 pounds last season but has grown to 250.
Express Tribune
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Press freedom under siege in Trump's first 100 days
In a nation long regarded as a global standard-bearer for free speech, the first hundred days of Donald Trump's second presidency have marked an ominous turning point for the American press. A new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 'Alarm Bells: Trump's First 100 Days Ramp Up Fear for the Press, Democracy', lays bare a landscape increasingly hostile to independent journalism, in which reporters are being sidelined, public broadcasters undermined, and regulatory agencies turned into tools of intimidation. For newsrooms across the country, the report paints a very grim picture. Media outlets and practitioners now face both overt pressure and subtler constraints—pressures that risk tipping into full-fledged self-censorship. Major networks including CBS, NBC, NPR and PBS have been subjected to federal scrutiny. Journalists covering issues central to the Trump White House agenda—immigration and national security—face intense scrutiny and the possibility of retribution for their reporting. 'It is concerning to see how quickly this administration has taken actions that limit journalists' First Amendment rights,' Katherine Jacobsen, CPJ's US, Canada, and Caribbean program coordinator, told the Express Tribune. 'We chose the title Alarm Bells because we believe it's vital—not just for journalists, but for the American public and the international community—to take stock of what's happening in the US and consider the potential consequences,' she added. That warning carries international weight. The United States has long been seen as the gold standard for press freedom—a democratic superpower with the First Amendment enshrined in its Constitution and a global reputation for protecting independent journalism. But as Jacobsen points out, when the US falters, others take note. 'The US—for better or worse—has long presented itself as a promoter of press freedom. So when the US falls short, it becomes much harder to advocate for press freedom abroad,' she said. 'The Trump administration's actions serve as a kind of permission structure for other leaders… It sets a tone globally, like it or not. And that's deeply troubling.' At home, the Trump administration has increasingly curated its media environment, bringing in right-leaning influencers and fringe bloggers to White House briefings—figures who often frame questions to elicit sympathetic responses and reinforce the president's political narrative. The result is a corrosive distortion of the press pool's traditional role. 'What Trump and his allies have done very effectively is tap into one particular media ecosystem in the US—not necessarily a journalistic one, but still a media space,' Jacobsen said. 'And that's really concerning. Because journalism is fundamentally about holding power accountable. If the people in that space aren't asking hard or meaningful questions, it disrupts the flow of information,' she added. The CPJ report suggests the chilling effect is already taking hold. Some newsrooms, hoping to avoid the fate of the Associated Press—which faced exclusion and regulatory scrutiny—have begun 'quietly bending' to White House preferences. Asked how she distinguishes between cautious strategy and institutional self-censorship, Jacobsen acknowledged the nuance—but flagged the danger. 'When someone less traditional is in power—someone with unconventional methods, which Trump himself often touts—people look to journalists to help them make sense of what's happening,' she said. 'That's a core role of journalism, and it becomes even more important in uncertain times. People pay closer attention when they feel something is shifting.' But the shift now seems tectonic. Public funding for outlets like NPR and PBS is under threat. International broadcasters such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty—once key instruments of US soft power—have been silenced. Meanwhile, support for independent media overseas, once backed by the US Agency for International Development and other federal channels, has been quietly slashed, leaving fledgling democracies and authoritarian regimes with fewer avenues to access credible reporting. In parallel, threats to journalist safety have surged. The New York-based media watchdog reports a marked increase in requests from American newsrooms for hostile-environment training and legal support—measures more commonly associated with reporters operating in conflict zones or under autocratic regimes. The language employed by the White House—branding the press as 'the enemy of the people'—has not only normalised public contempt but, in some cases, incited violence. Some experts have even described the Trump administration's tactics as 'Nixon on steroids,' referencing former President Richard Nixon's well-documented contempt for the press. The concern, Jacobsen cautioned, is that the current climate might not be temporary. It could calcify into a generational redefinition of journalism's role and remit. 'This isn't just an American problem,' the CPJ report concludes. 'The White House's posture toward the press sets an example for the world.'
