Flipboard Tech Desk

We bring you the latest tech news, deep dives and perspectives on topics like AI, social media and innovations. Posts are handpicked by Flipboard's editorial team, especially for Mastodon.
  
Boosts do not imply endorsement, but are used to highlight posts we think the community might find interesting. 

For a lot more tech news, follow Flipboard's federated Tech Desk ([@tech](https://flipboard.com/@tech ))

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Last Notes

2025-05-22 18:18:46

Mozilla has announced it's ending its bookmarking service Pocket, effective July 8. Via @npub16k0…v43c. #Mozilla #Firefox #Pocket #ReadItNow #Browser #Tech #Technology https://flip.it/f0ShJl

2025-05-20 23:52:40

After five years, Fortnite returned to the Apple App Store today. The game's return follows a ruling in the ongoing legal dispute between Apple and Fortnite-maker Epic Games. Here's more from [@aftermath.site](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/aftermath.site )'s Riley MacLeod.
https://flip.it/7T2ZCL
#Apple #EpicGames #Fortnite #Tech #Law #Gaming #VideoGames

2025-04-29 17:10:27

Amazon is apparently backtracking from a report earlier today that said the retail giant would post tariff prices next to the cost of its products. The move comes after President Trump reportedly called Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and after the White House called it a "hostile and political act." Via [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). #Amazon #Tariffs #JeffBezos #DonaldTrump #Tech #Technology https://flip.it/fd0jq7

2025-04-17 15:31:42

The DOJ wins its antitrust case against Google. The company was accused of operating a monopoly in the advertising technology industry. Read more at [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). #DOJ #Monopoly #Google #Antitrust #Tech #Technology https://flip.it/FWwV7a

2025-01-09 20:56:46

OpenAI has cut off a developer who built a device that could respond to ChatGPT queries to aim and fire an automated rifle. Read more at [@Gizmodo](https://flipboard.com/@Gizmodo ). #AI #OpenAI #ChatGPT #Tech #Technology #GunControl https://flip.it/8539J8

2025-01-09 16:12:56

The Biden administration is rushing to issue new regulations to try to ensure that the United States and its close allies have control over how artificial intelligence develops in the years to come. Unsurprisingly, the rules have touched off an intense fight between tech companies and the government. Read more at [@newyorktimes](https://flipboard.com/@newyorktimes ) (Subscription may be required). #AI #Nvidia #Biden #ArtificialIntelligence #Tech #Technology https://flip.it/EjPKMF

2025-01-08 20:54:28

Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko has spoken out about the significant moderation changes announced by Meta, warning users who cross-post via Threads’ fediverse-sharing feature that Mastodon will take action on hate speech and any Threads account violating Mastodon’s existing policies. Read more at [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch ). #Fediverse #Mastodon #Threads #Meta #Facebook #Tech #Technology #SocialMedia https://flip.it/K6CFwy

2024-10-23 14:18:24

How does Elon Musk get away with his offensive and inflammatory posts? It’s partly because of the way he’s structured his wealth and his companies. Via @npub12mz…akuf. #ElonMusk #Tesla #X #Twitter #Tech #Technology https://flip.it/0vI.6n

2024-09-11 13:57:26

During the second day of the tech giant's antitrust trial, a former ad exec testified about the grip Google's ad tool has on publishers: “I felt like they were holding us hostage." From [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). #Google #Antitrust #Tech #Technology #DOJ https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/11/24241386/former-news-corp-executive-google-doj-ad-tech-trial

2024-09-07 19:11:09

Games reviewer Ash Parrish was tired but knew she had a job to do: review Astro Bot by its release date. Parrish committed to playing two levels before going to bed. And, as so often happens in the gaming world, her face burned from smiling — five hours later. Read her report at [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). Spoiler: She liked it. https://flip.it/5DytGY
#Tech #Technology #Gaming #PlayStation #AstroBot #VideoGames

2024-09-05 15:13:41

The idea of running a library that stores the internet’s history is a puzzle worth solving, [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) writes. #Tech #Technology #Wayback #Internet #InternetArchive https://www.theverge.com/24236556/wayback-machine-linkrot-internet-archive-web-ai-mark-graham-decoder-interview-podcast

2024-08-21 15:44:11

In 2004, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced plans for a “hydrogen highway” — a network of stations for hydrogen fuel cell cars that would clean up the air and free the U.S. from foreign oil, with California leading the way.
Except that didn’t really happen. Twenty years later, the American automotive industry has moved heavily towards electric vehicles that run on batteries, not hydrogen, and those who invested in the hydrogen dream are left battling fuel shortages, high prices and faulty equipment. [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) took a 450-mile road trip across California in a Toyota Mirai — the most popular hydrogen-powered car on the market today — to meet some of them.
https://flip.it/WTRmu2
#ElectricVehicles #Cars #Automotive #Hydrogen #Tech

2024-08-11 23:16:09

Longtime Google rivals like Yelp and DuckDuckGo received a huge victory Monday when a U.S. federal judge ruled that Google is an illegal monopoly. The judge has yet to decide how to restore competition, and Google’s competitors are pushing for changes they believe will help their businesses. Which might be harder than it sounds. Read more from The Verge: https://flip.it/IoafQ4
#Tech #Technology #Google #Yelp #DuckDuckGo #Search
Follow [@tech-news-theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge/tech-news-e3qmqbb8z ) for more articles on tech.

2024-07-23 00:35:19

Are Elon Musk’s toxic antics alienating Tesla’s key buyers? While Tesla is arguably still the go-to electric vehicle brand worldwide, in California, the largest car market in the U.S., registration of Tesla vehicles has reportedly dropped by a massive 24 percent between April and June — the third straight quarter that sales have fallen in the state. Futurism has more.
https://flip.it/e2vn-w
#Tesla #ElectricVehicles #ElonMusk #California #Tech

2024-07-10 10:08:03

If you remember the hugely popular Apple-centric tech news blog TUAW (The Unoffical Apple Weblog), you may have been surprised to see it resume posting recently, some 10 years after it was closed down and absorbed into Engadget.
However, [@film_girl](https://mastodon.social/@film_girl ), who used to write for the site, has flagged that it has been posting AI-generated articles under her byline, as well as the bylines of dozens of others of ex-writers — complete with AI-generated photos and AI rewrites of their old articles. @npub1dfq…yqcn has more.
https://flip.it/1gdFSc
#AI #Apple #Tech

2024-07-09 23:15:46

Last week, a fake, AI-generated article about Volodymyr Zelensky’s wife buying a $4.8 million Bugatti with US aid money went viral. Though the story originated from a completely unknown French website, within a matter of hours it had become a trending topic on X and a top result on Google, highlighting just how easy it is for bad actors to undermine people’s trust in what they see and read online. @npub1ejm…4j05 has more.
https://flip.it/qwLh9y
For more like this, follow [@WIRED@flipboard.com](https://flipboard.com/@WIRED )’s AI Magazine: [@the-verge-on-artificial-intelligence-theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge/the-verge-on-artificial-intelligence-rkbtf55qz ).
#AI #Bot #Tech #Russia #Disinformation

2024-07-09 22:22:20

One of the most elite boarding schools in Britain, Eton College, is banning incoming students from having smartphones, reports CBS News. Instead, students joining the school in September will be given old-school Nokia phones that can only make calls and send text messages.
The ban comes after the previous U.K. government issued guidance in February 2024 backing school principals who decide to ban the use of cellphones during the school day. CBS has more.
https://flip.it/cs_MCQ
#Smartphones #Nokia #Tech

2024-07-09 12:16:43

A lawsuit filed in California by concert giant AXS has revealed a legal and technological battle between ticket scalpers and platforms like Ticketmaster and AXS.
@npub1psa…j5uh reports that scalpers have figured out how to extract “untransferable” tickets from their accounts by generating entry barcodes on a parallel infrastructure that enables tickets to be resold on a platform they control. However, this is — for the most part, at least — no scam. It’s a rebellion against what they deem to be a “resale monopoly” that benefits from “customers with no alternative.” Here’s more.
https://flip.it/jeRbYX
For more tech news like this, follow [@404-media-404media](https://flipboard.com/@404media/404-media-qvt3vv94z ).
#Ticketmaster #Cybersecurity #Tech

2024-07-09 00:01:42

Newsletter platform and Substack rival [@ghost](https://threads.net/@ghost/ ) announced earlier this year that it would join the fediverse, and now it has made good on that promise by federating its first newsletter.
Writes @npub19g4…6a0t
for @npub14rz…23ph “By offering a federated version of the newsletter, readers will have more choices on how they want to subscribe. That is, instead of only being able to follow the newsletter via email or the web, they also can track it using RSS or ActivityPub-powered apps, like Mastodon and others.”
https://flip.it/4V2Tc8
You can follow the newsletter here: [@index](https://activitypub.ghost.org/.ghost/activitypub/users/index )
And for more stories like this, follow @latest-techcrunch-stories-Techcrunch
#Fediverse #Federation #Ghost #Tech

2024-07-08 21:07:18

Consumer tech brand Nothing may well be best known for its see-through phones and earbuds, but its new budget-conscious sub-brand CMF has just released its first phone — and just like its parent company, it’s trying to do things a little differently.
It comes to the table with a new modular approach to phone customizations.
[@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) has taken a closer look.
https://flip.it/E94FME
#Smartphone #Tech #Nothing

2024-07-07 21:22:49

Drones carrying snacks and other products are becoming more common. They’re also, in rare instances so far, being shot out of the sky. One such incident involved a Florida man who allegedly shot down a Walmart drone, which raised questions of the legal ramifications of doing so. TechCrunch elaborates: https://flip.it/VN.JPU
#Tech #Technology #Drones #electronic
For more tech coverage, follow [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch )

2024-07-07 19:10:03

Google adjusted its policies to target AI spam earlier this year, but plagiarizing content still comes up higher in search results months later. Can the company do more to filter out plagiarizing, unhelpful content from its News results? Read more from Wired: https://flip.it/uALom8
#Tech #Internet #Search #Google #AI
For more tech, science and coverage of broad-ranging topics, follow [@WIRED](https://flipboard.com/@WIRED )

2024-07-06 22:21:59

$630 is a lot to spend on a kitchen countertop gadget — especially one that only makes ice. But GE’s Profile Opal Ultra 2.0 Nugget Ice Maker has convinced at least one writer that it’s money well spent. “Nugget ice is a hill many will die on — my family included,” Jennifer Pattison Tuohy writes for The Verge. Here’s why she’s a believer: https://flip.it/vinyUj
#Tech #Technology #Gadgets #KitchenHacks #Ice

2024-07-06 19:08:40

Your ChatGPT conversations aren’t thought to have been obtained in the recent hacking of OpenAI’s systems. Unnamed company sources told The New York Times that hackers only got access to an employee discussion forum. But no security breach should be treated as trivial. Read more from [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch ). https://flip.it/__TwSn
#Tech #AI #Hacking #ChatGPT #CyberSecurity

2024-07-06 00:46:21

While the recent breach of OpenAI’s systems seems to have been relatively superficial as far as hacks go, it serves as a poignant reminder of just how much data AI companies are now gatekeepers to, and how this now makes them one of the most interesting, and potentially valuable, targets for hackers. @npub15wh…e9hw considers whether this sort of attack could become much more common as a result, and whether we should be worried.
https://flip.it/bmNV8K
#AI #Hacking #Cybersecurity #Tech

2024-07-05 23:19:04

With Windows on Arm finally a reality, @theverge has spent the last 10 days testing the seven current CoPilot+ PCs, which represent all four Snapdragon X chips, against a selection of similar laptops running Apple Silicon, Intel Core Ultra, and AMD Ryzen processors. How do they fare? The Verge has crunched all the numbers and the results are in…
https://flip.it/_dEvxN
For more Microsoft news follow @microsoft-news-theverge
#Microsoft #CoPilot #Laptop #SnapdragonX

2024-07-05 22:26:54

It turns out the big Ticketmaster hack from earlier this year was even bigger than first thought, with 440,000 compromised tickets for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour alone.
Hacker group ShinyHunters has reportedly upped their ransom demand, asking Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation for $8 million for the safe return of the information. They had previously accepted a “rushed” offer of $1 million, reports [@Mashable](https://flipboard.com/@Mashable ) but have since revised their demands based on the value of the data. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/YGazkJ
For more like this, follow @breaking-tech-news-Mashable.
#Cybersecurity #Hacking #Ticketmaster #Tech

2024-07-05 10:19:21

In the age of AI, and with image generators getting better at cheaply replicating a wide range of art styles, it’s become a worrying time for artists to post their work online — particularly when almost every major social platform is scrambling to adjust its T&Cs quicker than you can say “AI training deals.”
Defences against these processes do exist though, and @npub15wh…e9hw takes a close look at Glaze, a tool aiming to stop image generators in their tracks by making images unreadable by AI. But Glaze’s methods have already been cracked once, so should artists really be putting their trust in them?
https://flip.it/CNxMWI
#AI #AIArt #Tech

2024-07-04 22:29:28

Scientists at JILA, a science research institution based at the University of Colorado Boulder, have built the most precise atomic clock ever. It will reportedly only lose a second every 30 billion years, making it twice as accurate as the previous timekeeping record holder.
@npub1y4v…5np4 has more on the inner workings of the timepiece and why its accuracy is so important, which scientists have said is “pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with timekeeping.”
https://flip.it/346bCF
#Time #Tech #Science

2024-07-04 20:04:10

Japan’s government has officially “won the war on floppy disks” having finally scrapped all but one of the 1,034 regulations governing their use in and by government, reports @npub12up…gw0t.
Up until a few days ago, almost all government systems had been run by the three-decade-old tech, but Digital Minister Taro Kono has made it his mission to move towards newer, better technology. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/6WvO83
#RetroComputing #Tech #Japan

2024-07-03 22:56:14

A new research paper from Google on AI has said that, while Generative AI could “distort collective understanding of socio-political reality or scientific consensus,” as well as “undermine public trust,” it is “neither overtly malicious nor explicitly violates these tools’ content policies or terms of service.” @npub1l76…cve4 has more at @npub163h…mv0n
For more stories like this, follow [@404media](https://flipboard.com/@404media ).
https://flip.it/x3iGja
#AI #Google #Tech

2024-07-03 22:12:12

Images of real children, casually posted online years ago, are being used to train AI models — even when platforms prohibit scraping and families use strict privacy settings, claims an industry watchdog.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says it has found images of real children in Brazil and Australia being used to train popular AI datasets, putting children in danger of privacy and safety risks, even when parents thinking they’ve protected their kids’ privacy online. @npub15wh…e9hw has more.
https://flip.it/VW.uMd
#AI #Tech

2024-07-03 20:17:20

It’s been a year since Meta pushed out Threads in an attempt to take on the platform we now know as X. With 175 million users now on board (some way off Zuckerberg’s hopes for “1 billion+“), @npub1dfq…yqcn considers the changes Threads needs to make to truly create the X alternative it wants to be.
https://flip.it/fcV8jn
#Twitter #Threads #SocialMedia #Tech

2024-07-02 22:50:52

Google has announced its carbon emissions have surged by almost 50% in the past five years — a spike the company is attributing to “rapid advancements in and demand for artificial intelligence.” This creates a notable setback in its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2030, and raises questions of the wider impact of AI on Big Tech’s climate goals. Here’s more from CNBC.
https://flip.it/TVRpSc
#NetZero #Google #Environment #AI #Tech

2024-07-02 22:17:18

Content moderation on YouTube has never been an easy task, but employees from YouTube and Google have spoken to @npub1ejm…4j05 about what they believe to be “a pattern of inconsistent moderation of content relating to Israel’s war with Hamas.”
“Though disputes over what belongs on YouTube and other massive social networks have spilled into the public before, the war in Gaza has made reaching internal consensus on takedowns near impossible, sources say, just as decisions on what’s left up carry great importance in influencing public response to a crisis that’s left Israel on edge and Gaza in ruins.” Here’s more.
https://flip.it/3xi_gB
For more stories like this, follow [@WIRED@flipboard.com](https://flipboard.com/@WIRED ) 's [@business-WIRED](https://flipboard.com/@wired/business-agd88i65z ) Magazine.
#YouTube #IsraelHamasWar #Moderation #Tech

2024-07-02 15:31:09

If you listen to playlists on Spotify and seem to be hearing a lot of the same song you don’t even really like, why is it happening, and why is it (almost) always Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso? [@Vox](https://flipboard.com/@Vox ) takes a deep dive into the Spotify algorithm and considers whether the conspiracy theories on why some songs seem to crop up over and over again have any truth to them.
https://flip.it/OrD8MA
#Spotify #Algorithm #Streaming #Music #Tech

2024-07-02 12:49:17

Thirty years since its launch in 1994, FreeDOS now stands as the last MS-DOS-compatible operating system still under active development. @npub15wh…e9hw talks to the project’s creator about the DOS legacy, its continued relevance and what the future holds for such an “inherently backwards-looking operating system.”
https://flip.it/RTgOTv
#RetroComputing #MSDos #Microsoft #Windows #Tech

2024-07-02 00:48:09

With antitrust regulators keeping an ever closer eye on the movements of Big Tech, companies like Amazon and Microsoft are coming up with new ways to get their hands on the “next big thing” before their competitors do, particularly in the world of AI. [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) is calling it “the reverse acquihire,” and there’s a clear pattern already emerging. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/iHpUML
For more stories like this, follow [@the-verge-on-artificial-intelligence-theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge/the-verge-on-artificial-intelligence-rkbtf55qz )
#AI #BigTech #Microsoft #Amazon #Antitrust

2024-07-01 21:34:36

The Sony Walkman turns 45 today, and to celebrate, TechRadar has taken a look back at its history and the influence it has had on how we listen to music. But we want to know, did you have a Walkman? What was your first cassette tape?
https://flip.it/wRN9mh
#SonyWalkman #RetroTech #Tech

2024-06-30 23:48:59

You know it’s time to take out the garbage from under the sink when flies are buzzing around it. The same can now be said about your computer’s trash directory. The Verge has more on a new Mac app that warns you about your diminishing storage space. https://flip.it/uw.g7K
#Tech #Technology #Computer #Mac #Apple #Apps
For more apps news follow [@apps-theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge/apps-tj3a91j8z )

2024-06-30 19:33:20

One of the selling points of Google’s flagship generative AI models, Gemini 1.5 Pro and 1.5 Flash, is the amount of data they can supposedly process and analyze. But new research suggests that the models aren’t, in fact, very good at those things. “While models like Gemini 1.5 Pro can technically process long contexts, we have seen many cases indicating that the models don’t actually ‘understand’ the content,” Marzena Karpinska, a postdoc at UMass Amherst. TechCrunch has more: https://flip.it/wW5pRm
#Tech #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Google #Gemini
Follow [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch ) for more breaking tech news and analysis.

2024-06-29 22:25:09

The problem with generative AI is that while it’s perfectly capable of performing a certain set of tasks, it can’t do everything a human can, and humans tend to overestimate its capabilities, says Rodney Brooks, Professor of Robotics Emeritus at MIT. Is it time to pump the brakes on all the hype? TechCrunch has more: https://flip.it/aP.WVK
#Tech #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #LLM
For more tech coverage, follow [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch )
For more AI coverage, follow [@artificial-intelligence-in-2023-news-and-updates-Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@techcrunch/artificial-intelligence-in-2023-news-and-updates-o5ja4lvnz )

2024-06-29 20:13:23

Metallica’s virtual concert in Fortnite last weekend “was like going through an interactive version of heavy metal album art,” The Verge’s Andrew Webster writes. Read about the latest in-game event that was just one part of a bigger moment for Fortnite. https://flip.it/lmaz6_
#Tech #VideoGames #Gaming #Fortnight #Metallica
For more gaming coverage, follow [@gaming-theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge/gaming-4oihgk74z ).

2024-06-29 01:28:27

What happens when you leave AI in charge of your travel plans? Ceylan Yeğinsu at the @npub1uz5…eu6c handed over the itinerary for her first trip to Norway to three virtual assistants to see if they could replace weeks of online research in a few quick questions. From hotel and restaurant recommendations to travel routes and a list of things to see, can artificial intelligence devise the perfect bucket-list vacation?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/travel/norway-artficial-intelligence-planners.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2k0.ZMNf.aMN7ZO4Zr9l6&smid=url-share [May require a subscription]
#AI #Tech #Travel

2024-06-28 23:41:41

Microsoft’s CEO of AI Mustafa Suleyman, may need to brush up on his copyright law if his comments at Aspen Ideas Festival earlier this week are anything to go by.
Speaking to CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin, he claimed that all content shared on the web is "freeware" and available to be used for AI training unless a content producer says otherwise specifically.
“With respect to content that is already on the open web, the social contract of that content since the '90s has been that it is fair use. Anyone can copy it, recreate with it, reproduce with it,” he said. Windows Central has more.
https://flip.it/unitzq
#Microsoft #AI #Copyright #Online #Tech

2024-06-28 22:49:04

The Supreme Court has just overturned a 40-year-old legal precedent, in doing so, reducing the power of federal agencies on everything from net neutrality and the right to repair to broadband and climate change. [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) looks at the true scope of this ruling, and how it will be felt in tech and beyond.
https://flip.it/IEkXAH
#SCOTUS #Tech #BigTech #NetNeutrality

2024-06-27 16:13:59

Fascinating conversation about artificial intelligence this week between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. They discussed deep fakes, ChatGPT, and more with NBC News' Lester Holt.
Here's their complete 38-minute chat at the Aspen Ideas Festival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e8RpbO2lNU
#AI #ArtificialIntelligence #OpenAI #AirBnB #ChatGPT #DeepFakes #AspenIdeasFestival #Tech #Technology

2024-06-27 15:29:32

AI “agents” are AI models that can perform actions autonomously, like copying and pasting into a spreadsheet. Orby AI is one such company trying to automate a range of business workflows. Will it become the next big productivity supercharger? Read more from TechCrunch: https://flip.it/BGPW1d
#Tech #Technology #AI #Business #BusinessInnovation
For more coverage on startups, follow [@startup-news-Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@techcrunch/startup-news-5tfgb7cfz )

2024-06-26 23:50:47

An ID verification company that works on behalf of TikTok, X and Uber, has left a set of administrative credentials exposed for more than a year, Engadget reports:
https://www.engadget.com/an-id-verification-service-that-works-with-tiktok-and-x-left-its-credentials-wide-open-for-a-year-171258438.html
#ID #Databreach #Hacking #App #TIkTok #Uber

2024-06-26 22:59:16

Crypto scam victims are being pegged as easy marks by fraudsters targeting individuals who have already been scammed, [@Mashable](https://flipboard.com/@Mashable ) reports:
https://mashable.com/article/fake-law-firm-crypto-scam-victim-fbi-warning
#Crypto #Scam #FBI #Cryptocurrency

2024-06-26 21:17:17

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin made sweeping claims against e-commerce app Temu in a lawsuit on Tuesday, accusing the company of violating state law against deceptive trade practices, [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) reports:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/26/24186673/arkansas-ag-lawsuit-temu-pinduoduo-malware
#Arkansas #Temu #Lawsuit #Ecommerce #Malware

2024-06-26 18:51:46

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the Biden administration to communicate freely with social media companies in an election-year ruling that bolsters the government’s ability to seek removal of what officials see as misinformation, CNN reports:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/26/politics/social-media-disinformation-supreme-court-ruling/index.html
#Socialmedia #Politics #Government #Supremecourt #Misinformation

2024-06-25 22:37:18

Deepfakes come in various flavors, but their most common misuse is to impersonate politicians and celebrities, PC Mag reports:
https://www.pcmag.com/news/political-deepfakes-are-the-top-use-of-malicious-ai
#Deepfakes #AI #Celebrity #Politics #Celebrities #Politicians

2024-06-25 21:17:42

OpenAI plans to block people from using ChatGPT in China. Currently, its services aren’t officially available there, but users can access it via the company’s API, Engadget reports:
https://www.engadget.com/openai-will-block-people-in-china-from-using-its-services-200801957.html
#OpenAI #ChatGPT #AI #China

2024-06-25 19:52:29

Reddit announced on Tuesday that it’s updating its Robots Exclusion Protocol, Tech Crunch reports:
https://techcrunch.com/2024/06/25/reddits-upcoming-changes-attempt-to-safeguard-the-platform-against-ai-crawlers/
#Reddit #AI #Robotsexclusionprotocol

2024-06-25 18:51:21

Threads will now let people see and like replies from other federated platforms to Threads posts, [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) reports. Previously, if you made a post on Threads that was syndicated to Mastodon, you would not be able to see responses to that post while still on Threads. Mark Zuckerberg also revealed that Threads' fediverse integration is now available in more than 100 countries.
https://flip.it/8QFHvi
#Tech #Technology #SocialMedia #OpenSocialWeb #Fediverse #Threads

2024-06-25 17:59:26

EU regulators have charged Microsoft with illegally bundling its Teams chat app with its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions, The Verge reports:
https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/25/24185467/microsoft-teams-eu-bundling-antitrust-violations
#Microsoft #Microsoft365 #EU #Office365 #Lawsuit

2024-06-24 22:45:31

A clip from a recent interview with Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov went semi-viral on X when he told right-wing personality Tucker Carlson that he is the only product manager at the company, and that he only employs “about 30 engineers.” Security experts say that what he said was actually a red flag for users. Tech Crunch has more: https://flip.it/dY.X.6
#Tech #CyberSecurity #Messaging
Follow [@cybersecurity-Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@techcrunch/cybersecurity-9rqeebe0z ) for more similar stories.

2024-06-24 20:58:49

For as long as wood has been used for building, humans have long sought to tame the material into something more predictable. Despite those efforts, wood remains imprecise. That’s why Achim Menges, an architect and professor at the University of Stuttgart, is using computational design to predict wood’s ever-changing characteristics and guide it into the shape he wants. MIT Technology Review has more: https://flip.it/oXs3zV
#Tech #Technology #Construction #Wood #WoodWorking #Computing
For more articles on computing, follow [@computing-mittechreview](https://flipboard.com/@mittechreview/computing-q6t8a3esz )

2024-06-24 18:42:10

It will take “several days” for car dealerships and auto shops around the U.S. to get their systems online again after back-to-back cyberattacks, software maker CDK says. The attacks, reportedly ransomware, began on June 19, with hackers demanding tens of millions of dollars. TechCrunch has more: https://flip.it/qJkoj_
#Tech #CyberSecurity #Ransomware #Hacking

2024-06-24 17:20:55

A group of record labels that includes Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records is suing generative AI music makers Suno and Udio. The labels allege that the companies violated their copyright “en masse.” The Verge reports: https://flip.it/rNpbUL
#Tech #AI #Music #Copyright #Law
For more tech coverage, follow [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ).

2024-06-23 22:11:58

Just a few weeks ago, 18-year-old best friends Christopher Fitzgerald and Nicholas Van Landschoot graduated from high school. Now, they’re spending the summer working on their startup, APIGen, after raising a $500,000 pre-seed investment from Varana Capital. TechCrunch has more: https://flip.it/jiduXZ
#Tech #Technology #Startups #AI
For more tech articles, follow [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch )

2024-06-23 19:36:01

Games such as "Elden Ring," "Dragon’s Dogma," "Death Stranding," and "Journey" have broadened the possibilities of online play by letting players forge fleeting, tenuous, yet meaningful connections. The Ringer has more on how playing together, alone has yielded some of the most memorable moments in the past 15 years of gaming. https://flip.it/6WVOBF
#Tech #Technology #Gaming #VideoGames

2024-06-22 21:59:08

Agreements Vox Media and The Atlantic recently signed with Open AI will give the Microsoft-backed AI giant content to train its algorithms and inform its chatbots. As news outlets continue signing content deals with AI firms, journalists are wondering “What’s in it for us?” TechCrunch’s Rebecca Bellan takes a closer look at what this could mean for the humans producing the content we consume. https://flip.it/Jo7AkB
#Tech #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Technology #OpenAI #ChatGPT
For more articles like this, follow [@Techcrunch](https://flipboard.com/@Techcrunch ).

2024-06-22 19:41:13

Snapchat has unveiled an upcoming AI-based filter that will allow users to transport subjects from their smartphone’s photos into, for instance, a “50s sci-fi film” at the whim of a text prompt. Futurism has more on the "trippy, augmented reality experience." https://flip.it/4Vhi0m
#Tech #Technology #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Snapchat

2024-06-21 21:41:59

Apple has said a number of upcoming features, including its highly anticipated Apple Intelligence AI tool, may not be available in the EU this year due to “regulatory uncertainties.”
Apple is citing concerns with the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which puts strict requirements on the “gatekeepers” of huge online platforms to block out anticompetitive behaviour. Apple told The Verge it was worried that the interoperability requirements of the law “could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risks user privacy and data security.”
https://flip.it/nfvm3K
For more tech coverage, follow [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ).
#Tech #Apple #AI #EU #DigitalMarketsAct

2024-06-20 23:30:23

A new app called Roots, which recently received $550,000 in pre-seed funding, wants to help its users to get a handle on their screen time — and it’s not afraid to get heavy handed to help get them there.
Alongside some stats, gentle nudges and a focus on the quality of time spent on your device, rather than just the quantity, there’s a feature called Monk Mode for when you need a sterner talking to. Activate that, and once you hit your self-determined cut off time, Roots will block you from using that app entirely — with no override or workaround to get you out of it. @npub19g4…6a0t has the details on @npub14v3…3av5.
https://flip.it/wh7rqY
#ScreenTime #App #Tech #Smartphone

2024-06-20 21:57:41

Anthropic’s new Claude 3.5 Sonnet chatbot and LLM is now available for web and iOS, and not only is it the company’s most powerful AI yet, it also reportedly takes the performance crown from OpenAI’s GPT-4o in a number of key benchmark tests.
Those tests can only tell you so much of course, but AI influencers and power users have also flocked online to share their “largely positive” experiences with the model, and the things it is able to achieve. @npub1jsv…5zrc has more.
https://flip.it/bqnXBo
#Anthropic #AI #ChatGPT #Claude

2024-06-20 21:13:32

Do you remember what the World Wide Web was like at the start? [@FastCompany](https://flipboard.com/@FastCompany ) has done some digging into the archives to look at the humble beginnings of some of the world’s biggest websites back in 1994 — the year its popularity boomed so much that CERN declared it the "Year of the Web."
From Microsoft to the White House, this longread shows the “weird, formative years” of the web in all its glory, and the signs — even back then — of its potential. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/w1qspo
#WorldWideWeb #Internet #Online #Tech

2024-06-20 17:43:51

AI chatbots might be able to do a lot of things, but a recent Google DeepMind study shows they are pretty terrible at being funny.
The study followed the experiences of 20 professional comedians who all used AI tools, including ChatGPT and Google Gemini (then Google Bard), to create original comedy material. However, not only did the comedians find the content produced during the 45-minute session almost universally unfunny, most participants felt the LLMs more broadly "did not succeed as a creativity support tool." Here’s more from TechRadar.
https://flip.it/wPjXlE
#AI #Comedy #Google #ChatGPT #GoogleGemini

2024-06-19 21:56:50

Millions of Americans are choosing to continue buying combustion-engine cars over electric vehicles, despite the U.S. government’s ambitious target of having EVs make up half of all new cars sold in the States by 2030.
Even for buyers who consider themselves to be “green,” enthusiasm for EVs remains low — but why is that, and what is the industry planning to do to change it? @npub15wh…e9hw has more, and we also want to know what you think. Do you own an EV, or plan to buy one soon?
https://flip.it/gC3C4E
#ElectricCars #Automotive #Tech #Tesla

2024-06-19 19:08:36

Do you remember Habbo Hotel — the game and online community from 2005? Well, it’s back.
If you weren’t one of the millions of players globally back then, the souped-up virtual chat room saw users creating an avatar to talk to friends, then spending in-game credits to decorate their own online space to hang out in.
Now, Finnish developer Sulake has revived the 20-year-old PC game in all its nostalgic glory, with Habbo Hotel: Origins — and all thanks to the discovery of some long-lost files on an old server. Here’s more from @npub1dfq…yqcn.
https://flip.it/ppWz_8
#Gaming #Online #Tech

2024-06-19 16:51:13

Around 1,500 creators from the across the world have entered their AI-generated influencers into the world’s first AI beauty pageant, all vying to win $20,000 and the chance for their character to be crowned “Miss AI.”
Some see the competition as a showcase of technical and creative talent, celebrating the hyperrealism of AI influencers and ushering in an exciting new paradigm of digital marketing. However, its critics argue that it is a celebration of unrealistic beauty standards, centred around objectification and co-opting women’s interests to earn creators money. Here’s more from [@FastCompany](https://flipboard.com/@FastCompany ).
https://flip.it/C9Bei2
#AI #Influencers #Tech

2024-06-19 00:45:19

Last week, AI-startup Luma posted a series of videos created using its new video-generating tool Dream Machine. However some of the results have raised questions as to how exactly it was created, and where the line between inspiration and plagiarism is drawn with AI.
One video in particular, a Dream Machine-generated trailer for “Monster Camp”, is stylistically reminiscent of Pixar’s Monster’s Inc., and at one point, a slightly AI-smudged but still recognizable Mike Wazowski, a character in the movie, appears in the background. Was the video trained on Pixar content, or fed a prompt for a Pixar style — and are the results ok, either way? Here’s more from [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ).
https://flip.it/8sDYXu
#AI #Pixar #Luma #Tech

2024-06-18 23:45:12

- reply

All sorted, thanks for the heads up!

2024-06-18 23:33:09

Frustrated by the changes to their Google searches, people are looking for the answers to their queries on a site that isn’t a search engine at all: Reddit. @npub1jc2…lv6j writer Ann-Marie Alcántara did the same for a week, here’s how she found it stacked up against the search giant.
https://flip.it/c7ugnx [subscription may be required]
#Google #Search #Tech

2024-06-18 21:25:17

A new social network called Butterflies launches to the public today, creating an online social space where humans and AIs coexist together.
Created by Vu Tran, a former engineering manager at Snap, Butterflies sees human users creating an AI persona called a “Butterfly,” which will then automatically create posts on the social network that other AIs and humans (who can have profiles too) can then interact with. Tran said he created it “to bring more creativity to humans’ relationships with AI,” reports @npub14rz…23ph Here’s more.
https://flip.it/E6ZD.r
#AI #SocialMedia #Tech

2024-06-17 23:29:17

The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has said in an op-ed for The New York Times that he thinks social media platforms should have tobacco-like health warnings, highlighting their link with “significant mental health harms for adolescents.”
However, @npub15wh…e9hw asks if such a broad-brush approach could actually end up harming kids, by not tackling the root cause of the issue, and ignoring the benefits social media can offer — especially to children in marginalized groups.
https://flip.it/yw50.H
#Tech #SocialMedia

2024-06-16 22:33:45

ChatGPT is one of the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence tools but it struggles with cultural nuance. That’s quite annoying for a Black person like John Pasmore, who has worked in the AI space since at least 2008. The current ChatGPT offers answers that are too generalized for specific questions that cater to certain communities, as its training appears Eurocentric and Western in its bias. So Pasmore launched Latimer.AI, a language model to give answers tailored to reflect the experiences of Black and brown people. Read more from TechCrunch. https://flip.it/FJz34w
#Tech #Technology #AI #Chatbots

2024-06-16 19:39:51

Many companies rely on software as a way to ensure that remote employees are actually at their computers and being productive. Remember that if you’re thinking of using a “mouse mover” to simulate productivity. Wells Fargo reportedly fired more than a dozen workers for this violation Read more from [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). https://flip.it/lPvQ1b
#Tech #Technology #RemoteWork #Business

2024-06-15 23:26:01

Microsoft has postponed Windows Recall, the company’s flagship AI feature that tracks everything you do on your computer and makes the content easily searchable. Maybe too easily. Critics slammed Recall as creepy and a privacy nightmare. The postponement also gave Apple execs an opening for a jab at their competitor. Read more from Windows Central. https://flip.it/DPyYQU
#Tech #Technology #AI #Microsoft #Apple

2024-06-15 19:33:09

ChatGPT keeps expanding with new features, but how much does it cost? It’s hard to say because some plans are free, others paid. To sort things out, Tech Crunch offers this guide on pricing: https://flip.it/uS5Zcn
#Tech #Technology #AI #ChatGPT

2024-06-15 00:33:44

Ever wondered what happens when you get a bunch of people who love Microsoft Excel together in Vegas? The Excel World Championships, of course. And yes we are being serious.
[@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) went along to the competition to find out all about this growing esport, what it takes to be the world’s best spreadsheeter and meet some of the people trying to get there.
https://flip.it/kxJEd6
#MicrosoftExcel #Spreadsheets #Tech

2024-06-15 00:00:15

A research paper out of Japan has showed off an autonomous driving project that puts a humanoid robot in front of the steering wheel, in place of self-driving software. A robot chauffeur, if you will.
The robot driver, named Musashi, can “recognize humans, traffic lights, and other cars,” and will slam on the brakes if someone darts in front of the car. Here’s more from [@inversedotcom](https://flipboard.com/@inversedotcom ), along with a video of Musashi in action.
https://flip.it/yPtOJU
#Robots #DriverlessCars #Tech

2024-06-14 11:45:49

A photography contest has disqualified one of the images that originally placed third in its new AI art category. The reason for the disqualification? The photo was actually taken by a human and not generated by an AI model, reports @npub15wh…e9hw.
The photographer, Miles Astray, said he submitted the photo “to prove that human-made content has not lost its relevance, that Mother Nature and her human interpreters can still beat the machine, and that creativity and emotion are more than just a string of digits.” Here’s more.
https://flip.it/mpq4Mp
#AI #Photography #Art #Tech

2024-06-12 21:57:31

A new survey from the Pew Research Center has found that social media is an “important part of the American news diet,” but how users are getting it, who they’re getting it from and how much they trust it, varies depending on the platform.
Of the four main social sites, only X had a majority cite news as a reason for using it. However, it was also deemed by respondents to be the highest in misinformation, with Facebook coming a close second. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/4aPg0b
#Twitter #X #Facebook #TikTok #Instagram #SocialMedia #Tech

2024-06-12 18:28:05

- reply

The full WSJ report is here, but may require a subscription: https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-spacex-employee-relationships-8bca2806?st=gsv5odfh2kx0srm&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

2024-06-12 18:15:15

A report by the Wall Street Journal has alleged that Elon Musk has “unusual relationships” with women at Space X, writes [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ).
The claims include a sexual relationship with an intern who Musk later hired onto his executive team, and asking one woman to have his children several times. When she refused, he denied her a raise and complained about her performance. Here’s more.
https://flip.it/uHrFkH
#ElonMusk #SpaceX #Tech

2024-06-12 17:53:52

If you’ve been looking for the right word to describe shoddy, incorrect or otherwise dubious AI-generated material, the internet has spoken — it’s called "slop."
The New York Times reports the term has been gaining traction on online message boards and YouTube comments recently, and became all the more prevalent last month when Google introduced its AI Overview summaries at the top of search results. But will slop catch on with a mainstream audience, like "spam" before it?
https://flip.it/BI6r5H [May require a subscription]
#AI #Slang #Tech #Slop

2024-06-11 23:12:50

Elon Musk took to X yesterday (where else) to tell the world exactly how he feels about Apple partnering with Open AI, raising concerns over security and data privacy and threatening to ban Apple devices from his companies as a result.
However, according to Tom's Guide, everything he mentioned — and the many similar comments that flooded social media after the keynote — shows a huge misunderstanding about the deal with ChatGPT and how Apple Intelligence will actually work. Here's why.
https://flip.it/M7ympY
#AI #AppleIntelligence #Apple #ElonMusk #WWDC24

2024-06-11 22:23:26

The rumored Xbox handheld might be coming after all, reports Games Radar, after an interview with Xbox CEO Phil Spencer all but confirmed a portable system is inbound.
The device might have been a no-show during the console giant’s Games Showcase, but during a chat with @npub1485…rghl, the CEO dropped some pretty sizeable hints, stating that he was excited about “the work the team is doing around different form factors” and that the “future for us in hardware is pretty awesome.” Here’s more.
https://flip.it/DqupQJ
And you can read the full interview here: https://flip.it/mU6Y5z
#Xbox #Microsoft #Gaming #Tech

2024-06-11 20:02:24

Policymakers in New York State last week passed legislation that bans what they call the “addictive feed” for minors on social media, with California looking to follow suit later this year.
It’s the first major bill to pass addressing the design of social media in the U.S., and the algorithms that have run our digital lives for over a decade. [@FastCompany](https://flipboard.com/@FastCompany ) asks, could we be approaching a post-algorithm era?
https://flip.it/X3AV.b
#SocialMedia #Algorithm #Law #Tech

2024-06-11 00:21:21

A study has found that large language models, including Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, gave incorrect information 27% of the time when asked about voting and the 2024 U.S. election, and some models individually faired much worse.
While some answers to researchers' questions came with warnings for users to check the information with their local election authorities, many did not, creating concerns that voters could arm themselves with incorrect information about candidates and voting law. NBC News has more.
https://flip.it/L6SIjG
#LLM #Voting #Elections #AI #Google #OpenAI

2024-06-10 22:41:59

Could technology hold the answer to reducing how much time we spend sitting at red lights? There is hope. Google is expanding its project Green Light, which creates “green waves” — or green light after green light — for drivers in 14 areas where the system is already deployed.
The best thing about the tech is that it doesn’t require new hardware. Instead, it uses data gathered from internet-connected cars and devices like phones to help cities adjust traffic light timing to be more responsive to real-world traffic patterns. Not only could this deliver environmental and health benefits by reducing the pollution caused by idling, but research from the University of Michigan suggests these kinds of systems could actually save traffic agencies money. @npub1ud5…xpaa has more.
https://flip.it/c9Vj5l [Subscription may be required]
#Google #Traffic #Tech #Pollution

2024-06-10 22:21:50

- reply

Oh no! It looks to be working for others, does this full link work?: https://flipboard.com/@tech/everything-that-apple-announced-at-wwdc24-cj9kpjkd6k5stovh

2024-06-10 22:05:22

Apple held the keynote for its World Wide Developer Conference earlier today, and as usual it was jam packed with announcements for updates coming to iOS, iPadOS, MacOS and more. However, the big news was the unveiling of Apple Intelligence, its new suite of AI features coming to its devices later this year.
In case you missed it, we’ve created a Storyboard with all the announcements so you can catch up on all the news from the event.
https://flip.it/VpbywG
#Apple #WWDC24 #AI #iPhone #iPad #iOS #Mac #AppleVisionPro #Tech

2024-06-09 23:17:54

Microsoft has made the white version of the Xbox Series X official. The new console option won’t include a disc drive and will be entirely digital. Learn more from [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ). https://flip.it/.C4ZJX
#Tech #Technology #Microsoft #Xbox

2024-06-09 20:42:56

New York’s state legislature has passed a bill that would prohibit social media companies from showing “addictive feeds” to children under 18 without parental consent. Tech Crunch has more, including where the bill goes next and how “addictive feed” is being defined.
https://flip.it/8cubJE
#Tech #Technology #SocialMedia #Law #Politics #NewYork

2024-06-08 21:16:29

Cloud data company Snowflake’s security problems following a recent spate of customer data thefts are, for want of a better word, snowballing. After Ticketmaster linked its recent data breach to Snowflake, loan comparison site LendingTree has now confirmed its QuoteWizard subsidiary had data stolen too. TechCrunch reports: https://flip.it/UMQYfe
#Tech #Technology #CyberSecurity #Hacking

2024-06-08 19:03:33

Siri was always supposed to be more than it was. Since the voice assistant’s initial launch in 2011, Siri has become, for most people, either a way to set timers or a useless feature to be avoided at all costs. Now, 13 years later, it sounds like it might actually be ready. [@theverge](https://flipboard.com/@theverge ) has more: https://flip.it/eLOXuz
#Tech #Technology #AI #Apple #Siri