<https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51968302> Netflix to cut streaming quality in Europe for 30 days <https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/moira/img/ios/v3/1024/cpsprodpb/102DA/production/_…>
The video-streaming giant wants to ease strain on internet service providers.
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Zanimljivi podaci, o vpn-u...
From: Valentina Perez <valentina.perez(a)atlasvpn.com>
Sent: Monday, March 16, 2020 2:56 PM
To: pc(a)pcpress.rs
Subject: PR: VPN usage in Italy rockets by 112% and 53% in the US, amidst coronavirus outbreak
Dear media representatives,
New research by Atlas VPN has revealed that VPN usage in Italy increased by 112% during the last week. The data was derived from their 50,000 weekly users and the chart prepared by the team illustrates total COVID-19 cases and VPN usage growth for the period (March 9th to 15th, 2020).
The research reveals, that:
* VPN usage in Italy grew by 112%.
* VPN usage in the US grew by 53%.
* VPN usage in Iran grew by 38%.
* VPN usage in Russia grew by 36%.
* VPN usage in Spain grew by 36%.
To see the full report, please click here.
I thought the chart and data findings could be of interest to your readers.
If you have any questions or require the hi-res chart image, do let me know. The contacts are provided below together with the Press Release for the research.
Kind regards,
Valentina Perez
----------------------
For Immediate Release
PR contact: Valentina Perez
AtlasVPN.com
68 Jay Street
Suite 612
Brooklyn, NY 11201
<mailto:valentina.perez@atlasvpn.com> valentina.perez(a)atlasvpn.com
VPN usage in Italy rockets by 112% and 53% in the US, amidst coronavirus outbreak
According to Atlas VPN user data, VPN usage in Italy increased by 112% during the last week. Meanwhile, there are already 24,747 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 1,809 deaths confirmed in the country. On Sunday alone, Italy reported 368 new deaths.
VPN usage increases drastically
Even though there are only 3,802 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US, VPN usage has already increased by 53% for the same period. With 69 deaths in total, the death rate in the US is also not out of the ordinary.
Rachel Welch, Chief Operating Officer of Atlas VPN, shares her VPN usage estimation for the upcoming weeks:
“We estimate that VPN usage in the US could increase over 150% by the end of the month. Overall, the usage of VPNs should continue to surge if the coronavirus pandemic worsens.”
Interestingly, even though there are only 63 confirmed coronavirus cases in Russia, the VPN usage shot up by 36%. The Russian government received allegations of downplaying the number of infections. Dedicated authorities denied the allegations and firmly stated they are reporting accurate numbers.
To read the full report, head over to: https://atlasvpn.com/blog/vpn-usage-in-italy-rockets-by-112-and-53-in-the-u…
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<https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=pTJ0F9FXa0W2T3TGRcx98wFm7ukneQ…>
From: Dejan Ristanovic <dejan(a)ristanovic.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2020 8:09 AM
Subject: Reporters Without Borders uses Minecraft to sneak censored works across borders | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/12/reporters-without-borders-uses-minecraft-…
Reporters Without Borders uses Minecraft to sneak censored works across borders
10:29 pm CET • March 12, 2020
Censorship takes many forms, but even the most restrictive countries can’t block every single path for information they’d rather not get in (or out). <https://crunchbase.com/organization/reporters-without-borders> Reporters Without Borders has identified a surprising new platform for hosting banned content: Minecraft.
The organization, collaborating with reporters, Minecraft pros and, of course, a creative agency, has produced an <https://uncensoredlibrary.com/en> enormous in-game “Uncensored Library” that hosts a variety of suppressed reportage from places like like Saudi Arabia, Russia and Vietnam.
The structure is a giant neo-classical complex hosted on its own server, which Minecraft players can access freely by pointing their game toward “visit.uncensoredlibrary.com” in the server browser.
The library has a handful of wings, each dedicated to a different country, and each with a series of articles banned in those places, or their authors chased out or even killed. They’re presented in plain text inside Minecraft’s craftable books — not exactly the easiest way to take in these important essays and reports, but better than nothing.
<https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/minecraft-books.jpg>
There are documents from Nguyen Van Dai in Vietnam, Mada Masr in Egypt, Javier Valdez in Mexico, Alexander Skobov in Russia and arguably the most high-profile casualty to murderous, oppressive regimes in recent history, Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia. There are only a handful of recent articles at present, but there are also numerous documents describing the state of press freedom and oppression in 180 countries — <https://rsf.org/en/ranking> the RSF Freedom Index.
Of course, this is not secure and private like an end-to-end encrypted chat group. A user accessing the library map might have their nickname, tied to a Minecraft account, be visible to other users, and their logs would reflect the visit. It seems unlikely Microsoft would give up that information to a curious government, but there is a certain risk involved. Fortunately, private duplicate servers can be and are already being established, as well as local copies.
As it stands, the Uncensored Library stands more as a proof of concept that information need not be delivered by traditional means in order to have a potential impact. Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world, and can be used as an informational and promotional platform as well as just a fun place to hang out and build stuff. What other ways exist to get around the restrictions of governments that would rather their citizens not know the truth?
Sent from my iPad 2018
From: Dejan Ristanovic <dejan(a)ristanovic.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2020 3:08 PM
Subject: 12 Museums From Around the World That You Can Visit Virtually | Travel + Leisure | Travel + Leisure
https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with…
Stuck at Home? These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch
<https://www.travelandleisure.com/author/andrea-romano> Andrea Romano
Updated March 12, 2020
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Going into a <https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/travel-warnings/coronavirus-ch…> self-quarantine can have many complex issues and complications beyond having enough food and supplies for two weeks. In terms of entertainment, it also probably means you’re in for a lot of boredom, a lot of Netflix, and a lot of browsing the internet.
But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you’re confined to your home. According to <https://www.fastcompany.com/90475447/stuck-at-home-because-of-coronavirus-h…> Fast Company, <https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/mobile-apps/google-maps-15th-b…> Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en> 500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous <https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/best-america…> museums around the world..
Now, you get “go to the museum” and never have to leave your couch.
Google Arts & Culture’s collection includes the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds of more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science. This collection is especially good for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed.
<https://static.onecms.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2020/03/gallery-uffizi…>
Take a look at just some of Google’s top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits.
British Museum, London
This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on the museum’s <https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/> virtual tour.
Guggenheim Museum, New York
Google’s <https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/solomon-r-guggenheim-museum-in…> Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary eras.
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
This famous American art museum features <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-gallery-of-art-washingto…> two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.
Musée d’Orsay, Paris
You can <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/musee-dorsay-paris?hl=en> virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
One of Korea’s popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google’s <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-museum-of-modern-and-con…> virtual tour takes you through six floors of Contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.
Pergamon Museum, Berlin
As one of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer – even if you <https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/pergamon/m05tcm?hl=en> can’t physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Explore the masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a <https://artsandculture.google.com/streetview/rijksmuseum/iwH5aYGoPwSf7g?hl=…> Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you’re actually wandering its halls.
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam
Anyone who is a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/van-gogh-museum?hl=en> almost up close) by virtually visiting this museum – the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters.
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
European artworks from as far back as the 8th Century can be found in this California art museum. Take a <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-j-paul-getty-museum?hl=en> Street View tour to discover a huge collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, manuscripts, and photographs.
Uffizi Gallery, Florence
This less well-known gallery houses the art collection of one of Florence, Italy’s most famous families, the de'Medicis. The building was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 specifically for Cosimo I de'Medici, but anyone can wander its halls from <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/uffizi-gallery?hl=en> anywhere in the world.
MASP, São Paulo
The Museu de Arte de São Paulo is a non-profit and Brazil’s first modern museum. Artworks placed on clear perspex frames make it seem like the artwork is hovering in midair. Take a <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/masp?hl=en> virtual tour to experience the wondrous display for yourself.
National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City
Built in 1964, this museum is dedicated to the archaeology and history of Mexico’s pre-Hispanic heritage. There are <https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/the-national-museum-of-anthropology…> 23 exhibit rooms filled with ancient artifacts, including some from the Mayan civilization.
Sadly, not all popular art museums and galleries could be included on Google Arts & Culture’s collection, but some museums are taking it upon themselves to offer online visits. According to Fast Company, the Louvre also offers virtual tours on its <https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne> website.
To see more of Google Arts & Culture’s collection of museums, visit the collection’s <https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en&tab=pop> website. There are thousands of <https://artsandculture.google.com/search/streetview?hl=en> museum Street Views on Google as well. Google Arts & Culture also has an online experience for <https://artsandculture.google.com/project/openheritage> exploring famous historic and cultural heritage sites.
Sent from my iPad 2018