News of Note for the Internet-Minded – 8/22/18 – AI, Algorithms and the Virtual People of Walmart?

The IoT is a criminal cryptojacker’s delight; new patents suggest Walmart may have an eye on virtual reality in its future; MIT Technology Review has a few technologies worth thinking about in 2018; and more …

• MIT Technology Review gathers its annual list of 10 potential breakthrough technologies for 2018.
• Some schools are monitoring their students’ social media usage as an early detection measure. (Tom Simonite, Wired)
• For criminals, cryptojacking the Internet of Things can be the easiest way to generate digital returns. (Larry Greenemeier, Scientific American)
• Walmart has applied for two new virtual reality-related patents. (Matthew Boyle, Bloomberg)
• Companies waste no time in patenting AI technology. (Tom Simonite, Wired)
• A legal loophole may save game emulation. (Kyle Orland, Ars Technica)
• (Researchers say they have developed an algorithm that’s better at spotting fake news than humans. Ali Breland, The Hill)
• A new kind of circus plugs into virtual reality, the escape room craze and traditional carnival games to create an escape destination. (Bryan Bishop, The Verge)
• Apply Pay comes to a Costco near you. (Jon Russell, TechCrunch)
• Lyft has completed more than 5,000 self-driving rides. (Heather Somerville, Reuters)