Generative AI
AI Slop Is a Brute Force Attack on the Algorithms That Control Reality
Generative AI spammers are brute forcing the internet, and it is working.
waymo
Men Harassed A Woman In A Driverless Waymo, Trapping Her In Traffic
Two men stood in front of the autonomous vehicle, operated by ride-hailing company Waymo, and literally tipped a fedora at her while she told them to move out of the way.
Projects
Hidden ‘BopSpotter’ Microphone Is Constantly Surveilling San Francisco for Good Music
“This is culture surveillance. No one notices, no one consents. But it's not about catching criminals. It's about catching vibes."
paypal
Paypal Opted You Into Sharing Data Without Your Knowledge
Here's how to opt out of sharing data for "Personalized shopping."
News
NASA Bought Facial Recognition Tech Clearview AI
The oversight body of NASA bought access to the powerful facial recognition tool, according to U.S. government procurement data.
AI
Massive E-Learning Platform Udemy Gave Teachers a Gen AI 'Opt-Out Window'. It's Already Over.
Teachers are surprised they have been opted into having their classes scraped for AI training.
The Abstract
An Update on the End of the World
Cannibalism, the cheese mummy, and a star-broiled Earth.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Secretive Service and Being Taken Seriously
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 being taken seriously, the Secret Service being secretive, and doing business while doing journalism.
News
AI Avatars Are Doing Job Interviews Now
“This HR AI avatar is a perfect demonstration of late stage capitalism,” Jack Ryan, someone who was interviewed by a tool called Fairgo.ai, told 404 Media.
Gaming
Steam Removes Forced Arbitration Clause, Gamers Can Now Sue Valve
"The updated Steam Subscriber Agreement (SSA) now provides that any disputes are to go forward in court instead of arbitration."
Privacy
DeleteMe Helps Companies Fight the Growing Threat From Data Brokers
Delisting yourself or your employees from data brokerage sites manually is a time consuming and laborious task. DeleteMe makes it easier.
News
Eric Adams Told FBI He Forgot His Phone’s Passcode
“But, Adams further claimed, he had forgotten the password he had just set, and thus was unable to provide the FBI with a password that would unlock the phone.”
repair
Paralyzed Jockey Loses Ability to Walk After Manufacturer Refuses to Fix Battery For His $100,000 Exoskeleton
Michael Straight learned to walk again with the help of an exoskeleton. After an accessory to the device broke, the company refused to fix it.