Technology Networks

The US military has ordered ad trackers disabled across its websites amid fears the tracking tools could expose service members' locations and habits to adversaries. The move follows warnings that data collected by advertising networks could be exploited by hostile governments, with Iran cited as a particular concern. Commentators note the episode highlights broader risks of commercial tracking technology reaching sensitive users.

Evan Doorbell's collection of vintage phone recordings, known as the Phone Tapes, is being highlighted again through Telephone World, a site dedicated to old telephone technology. The tapes document historic telephone network sounds and operations, drawing interest from fans of telecommunications history and retro audio.

Fair Finance Asia is calling for stronger, more equitable governance and benefit sharing in ASEAN's growing critical minerals trade and finance. The advocacy network argues that the region's mineral wealth should deliver fair benefits to local communities and producing countries rather than concentrating gains elsewhere, as demand for minerals used in clean energy technologies accelerates across Southeast Asia.

Commentary is highlighting the 'blockchain trilemma' — the difficulty of achieving scalability, security and decentralisation at the same time — as the main obstacle to mainstream blockchain adoption. The piece also cites persistent lack of transaction privacy and fragmented interoperability between networks, leading to congestion, high fees, exposed financial data and 'walled garden' isolation between chains, with zero-knowledge technology floated as a possible answer.

A new report argues the United States is falling behind on fast-charging technology, while Chinese networks now routinely recharge electric cars to 70% capacity in under five minutes. The gap highlights how China's investment in high-power charging infrastructure and battery design is outpacing American rollouts, raising concerns about EV adoption and competitiveness in the US market.

Open Source For You examines infrastructure processing units (IPUs), describing them as the unsung heroes of the modern data centre. The technology article explains how these dedicated processors offload networking, storage and security tasks from main CPUs, freeing them for application workloads as data centres scale and traffic grows.

Comcast announced it is deploying fiber sensing technology across its network to improve intelligence and reliability. The system uses existing fiber infrastructure to detect network disturbances and support faster maintenance. The announcement was carried by Business Wire and picked up by regional outlets, drawing attention from telecommunications and infrastructure observers.

JMT Technology Group has been announced as a new member company in a GovTech-focused network or association. The announcement introduces the firm to the organisation's community, though no further details about the scope of the membership or the company's plans were provided.

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on 10 entities accused of supporting Iran's military procurement networks. The designations target companies allegedly helping Iran obtain materials and technology for its armed forces, in line with Washington's ongoing campaign of economic pressure on Tehran. Coverage across multiple news outlets is focused on which firms were named and what the measures mean for US-Iran tensions.

Russian state-owned companies have more than tripled their spending on landline telephones as internet restrictions and phone-network disruptions continue across the country. The sharp increase in outlays suggests firms are rushing to secure reliable communication channels after repeated mobile internet blackouts and outages linked to drone threats and government controls.

Oak View Group, the venue development and management company, has named Cisco as its official technology partner. The announcement signals a broader push to equip its portfolio of arenas and entertainment venues with Cisco networking and collaboration technology. The partnership is expected to shape connectivity, operations and fan-facing digital experiences across Oak View Group venues worldwide.