Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Company Comments and a Party Recap
This week, we discuss companies' responses to being monitored by an ICE contractor, caring about the little things, weight loss drug ads, and how our SXSW shindig went.
Meta
Meta Deletes Trans and Nonbinary Messenger Themes
Amid a series of changes that allows users to target LGBTQ+ people, Meta has deleted product features it initially championed.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: What Is Real?
This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss weird fake furniture and shared reality (or the lack thereof).
wired
Candy Crush, Tinder, MyFitnessPal: See the Thousands of Apps Hijacked to Spy on Your Location
A hack of location data company Gravy Analytics has revealed which apps are—knowingly or not—being used to collect your information behind the scenes.
Meta
‘It’s Total Chaos Internally at Meta Right Now’: Employees Protest Zuckerberg’s Anti LGBTQ Changes
Meta's decision to specifically allow users to call LGBTQ+ people "mentally ill" has sparked widespread backlash at the company.
AI
People Think AI Images of Hollywood Sign Burning Are Real
AI generated slop is tricking people into thinking an already devastating series of wildfires in Los Angeles are even worse than they are — and using it to score political points.
Wildfires
‘We’re Fine’: Lying to Ourselves About a Climate Disaster
The dystopia of Los Angeles' fires are horrifying, mundane, and everything in between.
Google's AI Overview Tells Adults to Use 'Magic Wand' With Kids
Google's AI search feature is telling people searching for answers about using vibrating sex toys during pregnancy that they should consider it for counseling children, instead.
News
Facebook Is Censoring 404 Media Stories About Facebook's Censorship
Instagram, Facebook, and Threads are removing 404 Media stories for “nudity” as the company is paid to put ads with explicit pornography in front of its users.
Podcast
Podcast: Meta Goes Mask Off
We're back after the holiday with a ton of stories. Meta, Pornhub, and FBI's witnesses are all in this episode.
Surveillance
Researcher Turns Insecure License Plate Cameras Into Open Source Surveillance Tool
Privacy advocate draws attention to the fact that hundreds of police surveillance cameras are streaming directly to the open internet.
Facebook Deletes Internal Employee Criticism of New Board Member Dana White
"Insulting, criticizing, or antagonizing our colleagues or Board members is not aligned with the CEE."
News
Hackers Claim Massive Breach of Location Data Giant, Threaten to Leak Data
Gravy Analytics has been one of the most important companies in the location data industry for years, collating smartphone location data from around the world selling some to the U.S. government. Hackers say they stole a mountain of data.