News
‘Things Are Going to Get Intense:’ How a Musk Ally Plans to Push AI on the Government
404 Media has obtained audio of a meeting held by Thomas Shedd, a Musk-associate who is now heading a team of government coders. In the call one employee pushed back and said one of the planned moves is an “illegal task.”
Wildfires
An Amazon Delivery Confirmation Photo Is the Last Time a Palisades Resident Saw Her Burnt Down House
Amazon drivers have continued delivering packages in some areas of Los Angeles affected by ongoing wildfires in a constantly changing situation.
News
Hacker Broke into ‘Path of Exile 2’ Admin Account, Hijacked Wave of Characters
The forums for Path of Exile 2 have been awash with people claiming they’ve been hacked and their inventories emptied of valuable items. Now there’s an explanation for at least dozens of the account compromises.
The Abstract
If Planet X Exists, It’s Running Out of Places to Hide
A tour of the outer solar system, from Pluto-Charon to Planet X, plus saber teeth and punky molluscs.
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).
News
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.