Google vs. Malware
This summer Google started actively trying to warn users away from dangerous places on the Internet. If you try to click on a link furnished by a Google search, you might get a screen that screams, “Warning–the site you are about to visit may harm your computer! You can learn more about malware and how to protect yourself at StopBadware.org.” Eventually, a general warning will be replaced by detailed information on a given site’s record of distributing code that aims to steal data, send spam, or generate pop-up ads. Such records are being compiled by StopBadware.org, a creation of researchers at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society and the University of Oxford (with the backing of Google and other companies).
But given that a mini-industry in “search optimization” has sprung up as online companies try to get their sites ranked higher in Google search returns, how long before malware purveyors create an industry in malware-detection-avoidance optimization?
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build
“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”
ChatGPT is going to change education, not destroy it
The narrative around cheating students doesn’t tell the whole story. Meet the teachers who think generative AI could actually make learning better.
Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn’t enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.