Advertisement
404 Media is a new independent media company founded by technology journalists Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, Samantha Cole, and Joseph Cox. Read more about us here.
Support our reporting. Subscribe.
ChatGPT May Be Linked to 'Cognitive Debt,' New Study Finds
The Abstract

ChatGPT May Be Linked to 'Cognitive Debt,' New Study Finds

A preprint study found that participants who used an LLM to write essays performed worse “at all levels” than those who didn’t.
Behind the Blog: The Omnipresence Is the Point
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: The Omnipresence Is the Point

This week, we discuss Deadheads and doxxing sites.
‘Martyrdom or Bust:’ Texas Man Caught Plotting Terror Attack Through Roblox Chats
News

‘Martyrdom or Bust:’ Texas Man Caught Plotting Terror Attack Through Roblox Chats

According to the FBI, a Texas man talked about killing christians on Roblox and searched for ‘are suicide attacks haram in islam’ on his iPhone.
One of the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries Has Been Solved, Scientists Say
The Abstract

One of the Universe’s Biggest Mysteries Has Been Solved, Scientists Say

Scientists have spotted the universe’s “missing matter” hiding in a vast cosmic web with some help from fast radio bursts from deep space.
40,000 Cameras, From Bird Feeders to Baby Monitors, Exposed to the Internet
Cameras

40,000 Cameras, From Bird Feeders to Baby Monitors, Exposed to the Internet

Tens of thousands of security cameras in businesses, CCTV cameras, and cameras from commonplace internet-connected devices were found vulnerable to dark web actors, a new report shows.
The AI Slop Fight Between Iran and Israel
News

The AI Slop Fight Between Iran and Israel

There’s a lack of footage from the conflict and AI-generated content is filling the void.
Podcast: Airlines Sold Your Flight Data to DHS—And Covered It Up
Podcast

Podcast: Airlines Sold Your Flight Data to DHS—And Covered It Up

Airlines selling detailed flight data to DHS; how AI scrapers are hammering open archives; and the casual surveillance relationship between ICE and local cops.
California Cops Investigate ‘Immigration Protest’ With AI-Camera System
FOIA

California Cops Investigate ‘Immigration Protest’ With AI-Camera System

New data obtained by 404 Media also shows California cops are illegally sharing Flock automatic license plate reader (ALPR) data with other agencies out of state, who in turn are performing searches for ICE.
Meta Invents New Way to Humiliate Users With Feed of People's Chats With AI
AI

Meta Invents New Way to Humiliate Users With Feed of People's Chats With AI

In an industry full of grifters and companies hell-bent on making the internet worse, it is hard to think of a worse actor than Meta, or a worse product that the AI Discover feed.
The People Search Sites in the Suspected Minnesota Killer's Notebook Are a Failure of Congress
News

The People Search Sites in the Suspected Minnesota Killer's Notebook Are a Failure of Congress

The list of sites in the suspect's notebook, which can easily reveal where someone lives, are a simple Google search away, have been for years, and lawmakers could make changes if they wanted. They have before.
AI Scraping Bots Are Breaking Open Libraries, Archives, and Museums
News

AI Scraping Bots Are Breaking Open Libraries, Archives, and Museums

"This is a moment where that community feels collectively under threat and isn't sure what the process is for solving the problem.”
I Tried Pre-Ordering the Trump Phone. The Page Failed and It Charged My Credit Card the Wrong Amount
News

I Tried Pre-Ordering the Trump Phone. The Page Failed and It Charged My Credit Card the Wrong Amount

I got a confirmation email saying I'll get another confirmation when it's shipped. But I haven't provided a shipping address.