Behind the Blog: Tech Support
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Tech Support

This week, we discuss customer service and Proton fallout.
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404 Media is an independent media company founded by technology journalists Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, Samantha Cole, and Joseph Cox. Read more about us here.
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Scientists Analyzed Thousands of Psychedelic Trips. They Found Something Disturbing
the abstract

Scientists Analyzed Thousands of Psychedelic Trips. They Found Something Disturbing

A newly released database of more than 25,000 anonymized calls from the Fireside Project’s Psychedelic Support Line opens a rare window into psychedelic experiences outside of clinical settings. 
Proton’s CEO Cancels AI ‘Re-Interviews’
Impact

Proton’s CEO Cancels AI ‘Re-Interviews’

The move came after 404 Media published an investigation into how Proton CEO Andy Yen was aggressively pushing AI across Proton despite security concerns and the culture of fear he has created.
Behind the Blog: Tech Support
Behind The Blog

Behind the Blog: Tech Support

This week, we discuss customer service and Proton fallout.
Apple Is Entering Its Slop Era
News

Apple Is Entering Its Slop Era

I might finally buy an iPhone now that Apple has been taken down a peg.
Massive Fanfic Site Archive of Our Own Says It’s Going Down for 'Up to 4 Weeks'
ao3

Massive Fanfic Site Archive of Our Own Says It’s Going Down for 'Up to 4 Weeks'

Oh my god? 
Podcast: Flock CEO Says the Backlash Isn’t Real
Podcast

Podcast: Flock CEO Says the Backlash Isn’t Real

Leaked audio of Flock's CEO, why Marisa Mayer can't keep pretending, and a CashApp nightmare.
Manifestos, Fear, and ‘Loser Thinking’: Inside Proton’s AI Reckoning
Features

Manifestos, Fear, and ‘Loser Thinking’: Inside Proton’s AI Reckoning

Proton CEO Andy Yen projects a calm persona and rails against Big Tech and critiques AI. Internally, he is pushing engineers to build Proton with AI, even when they have security concerns.
Senators Demand Meta Answer for 'Pervert Glasses' Following 404 Media Investigation
Impact

Senators Demand Meta Answer for 'Pervert Glasses' Following 404 Media Investigation

"Meta’s smart glasses have increasingly been implicated in disturbing invasions of users’ and bystanders’ privacy," a letter sent to Meta from Ron Wyden and Edward Markey says.
Objection, your honor
Newsletters

Objection, your honor

If you're in the EU or UK, you might be able to object to Meta's new AI scraping terms. Also: this week's pod's out and more from around the web.
If You're In the UK or EU, Here's How to Object to Meta's AI Training
Meta

If You're In the UK or EU, Here's How to Object to Meta's AI Training

In light of Meta's new terms that will allow it to scrape users' data for AI, people in the EU and UK have the option to "object" to certain uses of their information, for now.
It's not the bots, Flock

It's not the bots, Flock

'Crackgate,' catty patties, and more in today's newsletter.
Marissa Mayer Can’t Keep Pretending 'Gender Doesn't Matter'
technology

Marissa Mayer Can’t Keep Pretending 'Gender Doesn't Matter'

The former CEO of Yahoo! and current founder of a chatbot app is going viral for using AI to list things she loves about her daughter. But what she has to say about women in tech in 2026 is worth talking about.