Monday, 22 June 2026
That's Business: European AI Lab Unveils VOLTAIC as Challenge to Fr...
That's Business: European AI Lab Unveils VOLTAIC as Challenge to Fr...: A European artificial intelligence research lab has unveiled a new AI inference engine that could dramatically change how businesses think a...
Monday, 15 June 2026
Europe’s Routers Could Hold the Key to Digital Sovereignty
Europe's Routers Are the Digital Front Door – So Why Are We Ignoring Them?
When discussions turn to digital security, most attention tends to focus on cloud services, artificial intelligence, semiconductors and 5G networks. Yet one of the most important pieces of technology in our homes and workplaces is often overlooked: the humble router.
A new alliance of leading European network technology companies believes that needs to change.
Four major manufacturers, devolo, FRITZ! (AVM), LANCOM Systems and TDT AG, have come together to launch SAFENet, the Sovereignty Alliance for European Network Technology. Their message is simple: if Europe wants true digital sovereignty, it must pay far closer attention to the devices that handle the vast majority of its internet traffic.
According to research cited by the alliance, around 93 per cent of European internet traffic passes through routers and home network gateways. These are the devices that connect us to online banking, healthcare services, work systems, streaming platforms and private communications. In comparison, mobile networks account for only around seven per cent of internet traffic.
That makes routers far more than simple networking equipment. They are the digital front door to our connected lives.
The concern raised by SAFENet is that Europe has become heavily dependent on technology produced outside the continent. The alliance points to Chinese manufacturers controlling close to 40 per cent of the router and gateway market, creating potential security and strategic risks.
To address this, SAFENet is calling on European and national policymakers to take three key actions.
First, it wants greater transparency so consumers and organisations can clearly see where network hardware, software and security updates are developed and maintained.
Second, it is urging public bodies and operators of critical infrastructure to prioritise trusted European-made networking technology when purchasing equipment.
Finally, the alliance wants routers and network devices to receive the same level of strategic attention as 5G infrastructure. It is proposing a dedicated "Router and Network Technology Security Toolbox" that would assess risks and identify potentially high-risk suppliers.
The debate around digital sovereignty is likely to intensify in the coming years. While cloud platforms and artificial intelligence often dominate headlines, SAFENet argues securing Europe's digital future may begin with something much closer to home, the router sitting quietly in the corner of your office or living room.
As Europe seeks greater control over its digital destiny, that argument may become increasingly difficult to ignore.
Social Media Ban for Under-16s: Will It Make Young People Safer Online? Experts say "Maybe Not"
Under the proposals, younger users could face restrictions on popular platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube and X.
New measures being considered include limits on scrolling time, overnight curfews, the blocking of livestreaming features and preventing communication with strangers. These safeguards would be enabled by default for under-16s and under-17s.
Incidentally this could be a prime example of the law of unintended consequences as the BBC is considering taking all its television output from terrestrial broadcasting and using online only transmissions, thus children under 16 would, in effect, be banned from watching broadcast TV programming including children's television.
It might also mean that children would be banned from joining family group chats on social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp, etc.
While many parents may welcome stronger protections, the DSM Foundation, a charity that has spent years researching how young people encounter illegal drugs online, believes a blanket ban is not the answer.
Fiona Spargo-Mabbs OBE, founder of the charity, argues that the real issue lies not with young people themselves but with the technology platforms that have failed to create genuinely safe online environments.
The DSM Foundation's concerns are backed by significant research. A University College London study published in 2025 found that 60 per cent of young people aged 13 to 18 had encountered drug-related content online. Social media platforms were identified as the primary source, with TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram mentioned most frequently.
Perhaps more concerning was the finding that almost a third of respondents had seen advertisements for illegal drugs appear in their social media feeds, often without actively searching for such content. This highlights the growing role algorithms can play in exposing young users to harmful material.
For technology companies, the findings raise difficult questions about content moderation, recommendation systems and corporate responsibility. Despite the introduction of the Online Safety Act, critics argue that harmful and illegal content remains far too accessible.
The DSM Foundation's position is clear: technology companies should be required to make their platforms safer rather than governments relying on broad restrictions that may also limit access to the positive aspects of online communities. For many young people, particularly those who are isolated or vulnerable, social media can provide valuable support networks, educational resources and opportunities for connection.
The challenge facing policymakers is therefore not simply whether young people should be allowed on social media, but whether the technology industry can finally deliver the level of safety that users, parents and regulators have been demanding for years.
As this debate continues, one thing is certain: the future of online safety will depend as much on responsible technology design as it does on legislation.
Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Bad Data Could Be Costing Tower Operators Millions, New Report Warns
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly important across telecoms infrastructure, a new report from PowerX Technology suggests that many tower operators may have a more fundamental problem to solve first: their data.
The AI optimisation specialist has published a new white paper revealing widespread telemetry data integrity issues across telecom tower networks, highlighting how inaccurate sensor readings and unreliable monitoring systems could be masking significant operational inefficiencies.
The report, Data Crisis in the Tower Industry: Why Operational AI and Data Integrity Now Define Competitive Advantage in Tower Networks, analysed nearly 20 million telemetry records collected from hundreds of live tower sites across Africa over a six-month period.
The findings paint a concerning picture.
According to PowerX, 80% of sites recorded telemetry readings above expected operating ranges, while 70% showed inconsistent or erratic fuel sensor behaviour. Over a third of sites with grid connections were still relying heavily on generators because power could not be drawn effectively from the grid.
Perhaps most strikingly, two in ten sites showed unexplained fuel losses averaging more than 140 litres per site every month.
Rather than pointing the finger at operational teams, PowerX argues that the issue lies with the quality of the data itself.
“This is not a competence problem, it’s a visibility problem,” Justin Head, co-founder and Executive Vice Chairman of PowerX told That's Technology.
“The data is broken, not the teams. Our job is to fix the data and give operators the clarity they've been missing.”
The company believes many operators are making critical decisions using incomplete or misleading information because telemetry systems have drifted, sensors are behaving unpredictably, and data pipelines were never designed to meet the demands of modern AI-driven operations.
The good news is operators do not need to wait for a full AI rollout to see improvements.
PowerX says that simply improving data quality can deliver immediate operational and financial benefits. Correcting telemetry errors can help identify fuel losses, detect misconfigured hybrid power systems, and uncover avoidable solar energy inefficiencies.
Looking ahead, the report warns that AI systems are only as good as the data feeding them. Poor-quality data can lead to poor-quality decisions, with errors amplified at scale.
For telecom tower operators investing in predictive maintenance, energy optimisation and automated monitoring, establishing trustworthy data foundations today could become a major competitive advantage tomorrow.
The full white paper is available from PowerX Technology here:- http://www.powerx.ai
AI Is Shrinking Cyber Attack Windows. Can Your Security Team Keep Up?
The race between cybercriminals and security teams is accelerating, and artificial intelligence is changing the rules faster than ever before.
Security specialist Horizon3.ai has unveiled a new capability called Rapid Response, designed to help organisations identify and prioritise genuine security risks as AI dramatically reduces the time between a vulnerability being discovered and attackers exploiting it.
For years, cybersecurity teams have battled an overwhelming stream of vulnerability reports, security advisories and threat intelligence alerts. The challenge has never been finding vulnerabilities. The challenge has been figuring out which ones actually matter.
Thousands of new vulnerabilities are disclosed every year, but only a small percentage are actively exploited by attackers. Yet security teams are often forced to treat every alert as urgent, creating a flood of noise that can distract from the threats that pose the greatest business risk.
According to Horizon3.ai, analysis from more than 250,000 NodeZero security assessments shows that exploitability is the key factor. A vulnerability that can be exploited today presents a far greater risk than one that simply exists on paper.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important as AI-powered tools enable attackers to discover weaknesses and develop exploits at unprecedented speed. Security experts warn that exploit windows are now shrinking to less than 24 hours in some cases, leaving organisations with very little time to react.
Rapid Response aims to tackle that problem by combining emerging threat intelligence, exposure validation and automated testing. Rather than forcing security teams to investigate every headline vulnerability, the platform helps determine whether an organisation is genuinely exposed, which systems are affected and what actions should be prioritised first.
The company’s Attack Team continuously evaluates newly disclosed vulnerabilities based on factors such as attacker interest, ease of exploitation and the popularity of affected technologies. When a high-risk vulnerability emerges, production-safe validation tests can often be developed within hours.
The result is a more focused approach to vulnerability management. Security teams can quickly identify exploitable assets, verify whether mitigations have worked, track remediation progress and demonstrate measurable risk reduction to leadership teams.
As AI continues to transform both offensive and defensive cybersecurity, the days of spending weeks assessing every new vulnerability may be coming to an end.
The message from Horizon3.ai is clear: in an era where attackers can move in hours, organisations need to focus on what can actually be exploited, not simply what appears on a vulnerability list.
https://horizon3.ai/intelligence/blogs/exploit-window-shrinking-rapid-response
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