Tech companies such as Google use consumer data to make billions of dollars from advertisers. PA
Tech companies such as Google use consumer data to make billions of dollars from advertisers. PA
Tech companies such as Google use consumer data to make billions of dollars from advertisers. PA
Tech companies such as Google use consumer data to make billions of dollars from advertisers. PA

French artist publishes all her Google searches in a book


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  • Arabic

When French artist Albertine Meunier discovered in 2006 that Google was storing her entire search history, she decided to respond in a unique and “very boring” way by publishing it all in a book.

“At that time, it was difficult to access your own data, so I had to copy and paste incessantly,” Meunier said in her small gallery in central Paris.

Sixteen years later, things have changed and anyone can use Google's TakeOut service to download their entire browsing history, which is stored on its servers, although it can take hours or days to download it all.

Meunier has published three volumes of her Google searches so far, and has recently opened an exhibition in Paris in which she has papered the walls of her gallery with those searches.

A digital artist and pioneer of using non-fungible tokens (NFTs), she is aware that the searches make for dull reading.

“It's very, very boring,” she said. “Mainly because everyone's life is pretty boring.”

But the project is designed to draw attention to the reams of data being stored about each of us on the servers of tech companies — and which they use to make billions of dollars from advertisers.

“If everyone started releasing their data publicly, bit by bit, you could destroy the value that those companies are built on,” she said.

Meunier is an avid collector of NFTs, which had a boom in 2020 and 2021 but their value collapsed along with the price of cryptocurrencies in recent months.

Watch: First text message to be sent will be auctioned as NFT

The peak came in March 2021 when digital artist Beeple auctioned a work for $69.3 million, the third-highest figure in history for a living artist.

The NFT market experienced a 77 per cent drop in the third quarter of the year — a net loss of some $450m, according to specialist site NonFungible.

That does not bother Meunier.

“The speculation only benefited a certain class of artists,” she said.

Meunier still regards NFTs as a useful form of support for artists, especially as they allow them to receive a commission each time their work is resold — which has never been possible in the art market before.

According to NonFungible, however, resales were down 84 per cent in the second quarter, and some platforms such as LooksRare said they would no longer insist on commissions to artists.

“The fall is noticeable, of course,” said Meunier. “But I continue collecting and advocating for them.”

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

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Traits of Chinese zodiac animals

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Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.

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Tales of Yusuf Tadros

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2021 World Triathlon Championship Series

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June 5: Leeds, UK
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Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China

New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

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Updated: December 18, 2022, 4:00 AM