Latest news with #Orb
The Verge
a day ago
- The Verge
Reddit reportedly explores verifying users with Sam Altman's eyeball scanner.
Reddit reportedly explores verifying users with Sam Altman's eyeball scanner. Sources tell Semafor that Reddit wants to combat AI bots using World ID, the cryptocurrency and human identification project co-founded by Altman. It uses an iris scanner known as the Orb to assign people a World ID, which Semafor says Reddit could use to verify human users while keeping them anonymous.
The Verge
a day ago
- The Verge
Posted Jun 20, 2025 at 2:51 PM EDT
Reddit reportedly explores verifying users with Sam Altman's eyeball scanner. Sources tell Semafor that Reddit wants to combat AI bots using World ID, the cryptocurrency and human identification project co-founded by Altman. It uses an iris scanner known as the Orb to assign people a World ID, which Semafor says Reddit could use to verify human users while keeping them anonymous. In addition to World ID, Reddit would also allow users to verify themselves with 'many' other options, according to Semafor.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Reddit in talks to use Sam Altman's World ID for user verification
-- Reddit Inc (NYSE:RDDT) is in talks to integrate World ID, an iris-scanning identity verification system developed by Tools for Humanity, according to a report by Semafor. The tool would allow Reddit users to prove they are real individuals while preserving their anonymity on the platform. The discussions come as social media companies face mounting pressure to combat AI-generated content and comply with emerging global regulations on age and identity verification. Governments are increasingly urging platforms to distinguish between authentic users and automated accounts. World ID's parent company, Tools for Humanity, was co-founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The group's broader mission is to provide universal basic income globally through the Worldcoin cryptocurrency, distributed to individuals who verify their identity via iris scans using the company's Orb device. Adopting World ID would mark a major milestone for Tools for Humanity and represent a shift for Reddit, which has traditionally prioritized anonymity but is now preparing to face heightened scrutiny over platform integrity. The addition of biometric verification could help Reddit build greater trust with users and investors alike. Privacy advocates have raised questions about the ethics of biometric data collection, though proponents argue such systems offer a robust way to counter bots without requiring real names. The move could help Reddit strike a balance between user privacy and content authenticity. If the agreement proceeds, Reddit would become one of the highest-profile adopters of decentralized identity verification. The outcome may set a precedent for how social platforms adapt to the dual pressures of AI threats and regulatory demands. Related articles Reddit in talks to use Sam Altman's World ID for user verification - Semafor QXO won't participate in bidding war for GMS - source Regulators clear Canadian Natural's SLB acquisition after divestiture agreement Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNET
2 days ago
- CNET
I Spent Weeks Using Orb: It's Unlike Any Internet Speed Test I've Ever Used Before
Internet speed tests aren't just for people who obsess over their internet connection. If you're having an inevitable home internet slowdown, my first recommendation is always to start with a speed test. In fact, I've tested and used dozens of internet speed tests -- the market is pretty saturated with them. Ideally, the best internet speed test is one that diagnoses your bandwidth blues as easily as possible -- no ads, no extra features you can't make sense of and no slowing down your Wi-Fi. Speed tests are nothing new in the home internet space, but then again, I've never used a speed test quite like Orb before. Meet Orb The creators of the industry's most popular speed test, Ookla, rolled out Orb at the end of April. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) While I was skeptical about what value Orb could bring to the internet speed testing market, I felt differently after I downloaded the app to my iPhone and personal computer a few weeks ago. Orb is a free, sophisticated speed testing application. It doesn't just test your download and upload speeds; it measures the overall health of your home network holistically, using multiple metrics and continuous speed tests. Orb co-founder and CEO Doug Suttles says Orb isn't really a speed test at all. Locating local internet providers 'We're not a speed test, that's the best way to put it,' Suttles tells me. 'We have speed testing functionality, but we focus far more on what we call responsiveness.' What does Orb track? Orb uses a few different metrics to measure responsiveness. You can see what your best (and worst) lag times look like. Screenshot by Cierra Nofke/CNET Responsiveness -- which includes measurements like lag, latency, jitter and packet loss -- is the main metric Orb uses to rate your internet connection. Reliability, or the network's responsiveness over time, and speed are secondary measures that Orb takes into account. 'It's a different side of broadband that we're focusing on,' Suttles says. 'The things that we built at our past company were perfect for the time when we built them, when broadband was in its infancy and you needed to measure throughput first and foremost.' With data use surging and internet speeds soaring, our lives are more connected than ever -- and speed alone is no longer the only factor in judging a good internet plan. I see this often while reviewing home internet plans: While most internet shoppers mainly focus on speed and cost, a host of other factors, beyond advertised max speeds, determine whether a connection is reliable or consistent. Jamie Steven, president and co-founder of Orb, says a reliable internet connection, not just a fast one, is vital for his rurally located home. 'The connection would go down all the time,' Steven says, 'Speed wasn't always or very often was not the issue. The issue was reliability and responsiveness.' Suttles and Steven compare typical internet speed tests as akin to measuring a car's top speed. Instead of focusing solely on speeds, Orb focuses on whether your internet stalls or how quickly it can accelerate. Additionally, Steven notes that the top speed of most cars is impractical for everyday use. 'It's not what you're doing day-to-day,' Steven says, referring to max internet speeds. 'For us, it was more about continuous measurement of your internet experience.' How does Orb work? Orb measures your internet's current speeds as well as its peak speeds. Screenshot by Cierra Nofke/CNET Part of Orb's ingenuity is its ability to run those continuous speed tests, instead of only running speed tests when you're experiencing delays or interruptions. My first thought was that such an approach would put a hit on one's bandwidth. But Suttles assured me that Orb uses a much smaller payload (around 10MB) compared to popular speed test alternatives. For rural internet users like Steven, that lighter payload makes all the difference in keeping his internet connection stable. If you'd like to give your internet a stress test, Orb does come with a 'peak speed' function to test your network's capacity, but that's not a continuous test. Every device you connect to your internet acts as an "orb" or "sensor" that tests your internet connection. You can also set up a dedicated device to continuously monitor your network, 24/7. There is one downside to Orb as it compares to other speed tests: You can't run the tests in a browser. You'll have to download the application to a device (which could be anything from a spare smartphone to a Raspberry Pi). Once you create an account, you can basically download Orb to anything with a hard drive -- and easily diagnose your internet issues in different rooms, simultaneously. Hands-on with Orb Screenshot by Cierra Nofke/CNET Orb is completely free and easy to use. A few weeks ago, I installed it on my phone and personal computer and used it to test my fiber internet connection. Using a scale of 0 to 100, Orb gives your internet a rating that's pretty easy to understand: Red (0 to 49) means poor performance and green (90 to 100) means your internet is performing excellently. My internet connection gets a solid 90 most of the time -- not bad for AT&T's cheapest speed tier. "We want consumers to use this because these are problems that all of us on the founding team have had at home,' Steven says. 'We want this to be free forever." 'There's more value in building a brand than in trying to monetize consumers for something that, quite frankly, we're so passionate about, we just want to give it away anyway,' Suttles says. I used Orb to test the internet connection in my office and the speeds I was getting in the living room where my TV is. Both tests showed results typically consistent with what I'd see using Ookla. You can add as many devices to your Orb network as you'd like; they'll all play a role in measuring your internet connectivity. Screenshot by Cierra Nofke/CNET Orb is still in its beginning stages -- while it's an effective tool for understanding how your internet connection works, there are a few features coming to the app that will make it even more user-friendly, like the ability to access historical data (similar to Ookla). 'Orb does record all data locally first,' Steven notes. 'We just hadn't presented it in the UI, but that was something we were very passionate about. We didn't want to require cloud connectivity to be able to see the past.' Perhaps most importantly, Orb will eventually start releasing recipes for measuring the connectivity of specific applications or services, like Microsoft Teams or Slack and, eventually, even specific internet services. 'Different web services use different sorts of protocols,' Steven says. 'So Zoom might use this special RTSP protocol -- can my connection open that port to that service? Is it accessible? What's its responsiveness?' Down the road, Suttles and Steven would like to see Orb used by the community to create different 'recipes' and ways of measuring reachability. 'At its core, Orb is really a recipe engine,' Suttles says. 'Our vision is to release and share new recipes, then have the community start creating them.' Final thoughts The internet isn't getting any cheaper, and while it might be tempting to just buy more speed, there are simpler ways of diagnosing and boosting your connection first. While Orb (and the internet) continue to evolve, it's a good idea to have a holistic sense of your network's connectivity, beyond speed.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Sam Altman's eye-scanning identification tech expands to UK
HighlightsTools for Humanity, co-founded by Sam Altman, is launching its eye-mapping Orb devices in the United Kingdom as part of a global expansion of its identification services. The Orb device creates a digital credential called World ID based on the unique properties of a person's iris, allowing individuals to prove their identity amid rising artificial intelligence threats. The company has faced regulatory scrutiny over privacy concerns in multiple markets, but claims it does not store personal information, with verification details kept on the users' mobile phones. Tools for Humanity , a startup co-founded by OpenAI's Sam Altman , is rolling out its eyeball-scanning Orb devices to the UK as part of a global expansion of the company's novel identification services. Starting this week, people in London will be able to scan their eyes using Tools for Humanity's proprietary Orb device, the company said in a statement on Monday. The service will roll out to Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast and Glasgow in the coming months. The spherical Orbs will be at dedicated premises in shopping malls and on high streets, said Damien Kieran, chief legal and privacy officer at Tools for Humanity. Later, the company plans to partner with major retailers to provide self-serve Orbs that people can use as they would an ATM, Kieran added. The company, led by co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Alex Blania, has presented its eye-scanning technology as a way for people to prove they are human at a time when artificial intelligence systems are becoming more adept at mimicking people. AI bots and deepfakes , including those enabled by generative AI tools created by Altman's OpenAI, pose a range of security threats, including identity theft, misinformation and social engineering. The Orb scan creates a digital credential, called World ID, based on the unique properties of a person's iris. Those who agree to the scan can also receive a cryptocurrency token called Worldcoin through the company. Tools for Humanity has faced regulatory scrutiny over privacy concerns about its technology in several markets, including investigations in Germany and Argentina, as well as bans in Spain and Hong Kong. The company said it doesn't store any personal information or biometric data and that the verification information remains on the World ID holder's mobile phone. Kieran said Tools for Humanity had been meeting with data regulators including the UK's Information Commissioner's Office and privacy advocates ahead of the planned expansion. So far, about 13 million people in countries including Mexico, Germany, Japan, Korea, Portugal and Thailand have verified their identities using Tools for Humanity's technology, the company said. In April, the company announced plans to expand to six US cities. Earlier this year, the company unveiled the Orb Mini, a smartphone-sized and -shaped device designed as a more portable alternative to the spherical version. There are 1,500 Orbs in circulation, Kieran said, but the company plans to ramp up production to ship 12,000 more over the next 12 months.
