And finally… negative vibes

A Labour MP has called for sex toys to be regulated amid fears they could be hacked to reveal intimate data.

Chi Onwurah, 52, MP for Newcastle Central, said she was astounded by the complacency over the issue.

“Everyone says tech moves really fast but I feel like a stuck record,” she said.

“Every scenario gets more and more depressing and dystopian and the lack of action by our government in particular astounds me. Watching Troy, I feel more and more like Cassandra .”

Security specialists have shown how internet-enabled sex toys can be hacked to collect the data and reveal users’ locations.

Ms Onwurah wants manufacturers to be compelled to tighten security “on every device so that everything meets a standard”.

“Electric toothbrushes, fridges, doorbells, dildos — anything with the word ‘smart’ that communicates with the rest of the world can be hacked,” she explained.

“You can hack a dildo, and when you’ve hacked that device, it’s more than violating your privacy; it’s violating your security.”

Ms Onwurah was an electrical engineer for 20 years before entering Parliament.

She added: “I do find that amazing, when you think about all the security threats which we get exercised about, from North Korea to satellites falling to earth. Talking about dildos at least grabs people’s attention,” she said.

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