Amazon's smart doorbell subsidiary, Ring, has settled a privacy lawsuit with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by agreeing to pay a $5.8 million fine. The lawsuit accused Ring of allowing employees and contractors unauthorized access to customers' private recordings and violating children's privacy by collecting their voice and geolocation data through Alexa. The FTC claimed that Amazon retained this data despite promising its deletion, using it to train algorithms. The settlement requires Amazon to delete inactive child accounts and certain data and implement a data security program. Ring was also accused of failing to secure its devices from hacking attacks. Amazon disputes the allegations but acknowledges the need to address privacy concerns.

A beluga whale named Hvaldimir, previously accused of being a Russian spy, has resurfaced off the coast of Sweden, drawing attention and speculation from scientists and the public alike. The whale, sporting a camera harness when first discovered in Norway, has been observed moving southwards at an unusually fast pace, prompting theories of hormonal urges or loneliness driving its behavior. As it navigates unfamiliar waters, concerns about its well-being and ability to find food have arisen. While some humorously suggest granting the alleged spy whale political asylum, the true motives behind its journey remain a mystery.