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Showing posts from May, 2023

Meta threatens to block news in California over journalism bill

Meta is threatening to block users from sharing news articles on its social media networks in protest of a bill that aims to force tech companies to pay publishers for content. https://wapo.st/43howRD

Doctors don’t talk about postpartum loneliness. But TikTok does.

On TikTok, users are discussing the mental health risks of motherhood more candidly than ever, as the specter of loneliness hangs over parents and child-free people alike. https://wapo.st/3IPbYsr

Where are all those food delivery fees going? We tested three apps to find out.

DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats may be convenient, but whether they’re a winning proposition for anybody can swing on a few dollars. https://wapo.st/3WGPaks

These great apps don’t spy or clog your phone. Also they’re not apps.

Meet the web app, a hybrid of an app and a website. Here’s why you should root for this underdog technology and how to try it. https://wapo.st/3oASbpZ

State Department seeks to expand its space diplomacy efforts

The new agency document details a “strategic framework for space diplomacy.” https://wapo.st/3oDkunz

The biggest problem in AI? Lying chatbots

AI chatbots are everywhere, but they still routinely make up false information and pass it off as real. The problem may not be fixable. https://wapo.st/3OI7K9N

China says it plans to put astronauts on the moon by 2030

Beijing also plans to expand its space station, part of an ambitious effort to boost its presence in space - and opening up a new sphere of rivalry with the U.S. https://wapo.st/3WGzKMX

Texas welcomed Elon Musk. Now his rural neighbors aren’t so sure.

While happy for the investment, local residents don’t trust Musk to properly handle wastewater, erosion and other issues. https://wapo.st/3qeNv9H

They built the digital world. Now they just want to sew and make chairs.

Those who came up in the era of ‘move fast and break things’ are learning to slow down and make things. https://wapo.st/43awsEl

Brazilian lawmakers file complaint against Google for ‘Slavery Simulator’ game

A game available on Google Play had users sell, buy and punish enslaved people. Now, it's at the center of a federal probe in Brazil. https://wapo.st/3IIN7qr

Service workers say their jobs have only gotten worse since the pandemic

Workers in nursing, fast food and airlines say their jobs are only worsening as they continue to struggle with low pay, burnout and staffing issues three years into the pandemic. https://wapo.st/3OY9igj

What the surgeon general’s advisory says about social media for kids

Vivek H. Murthy’s advisory expressed concern about exposure to "extreme, inappropriate content," difficulty paying attention and other issues. https://wapo.st/3OEqA1K

You can now edit that regrettable WhatsApp message — with one caveat

WhatsApp will allow users to edit their messages within 15 minutes of sending them. The feature will be available globally in the next few weeks. https://wapo.st/3MoyLfO

Biden nominates telecom veteran to FCC in bid to overcome stalemate

Anna Gomez is President Biden's latest pick in the hope of gaining a Democratic majority on the Federal Communications Commission. https://wapo.st/429y93G

E.U. slaps Meta with record $1.3 billion fine for data privacy violations

An E.U. body ruled that Meta's transfers of European Facebook users' data violated the bloc's privacy rules. Meta says it will appeal the decision. https://wapo.st/3MJmIuR

SpaceX to launch 4 private citizens to the space station Sunday

It's the second mission chartered by the Houston company Axiom Space. Aboard will be a veteran astronaut, two Saudi Arabians and an American entrepreneur. https://wapo.st/3WvU0Rt

The debate over whether AI will destroy us is dividing Silicon Valley

Prominent tech leaders are warning artificial intelligence could take over. Other researchers and executives say it’s science fiction. https://wapo.st/43bVX7O

Google will soon delete dormant accounts. Here’s how to save yours.

Google said this week it would delete accounts that hadn't been used in two years. Back up everything and make a plan for archiving going forward. https://wapo.st/3BJb3Gc

Montana can ban TikTok, but it probably can’t enforce it

The law is supposed to protect users' private data, but enforcing it, experts say, would require more data collection, not less. https://wapo.st/3MpzEEX

As AI changes jobs, Italy is trying to help workers retrain

Italy will spend some $30 million to help workers whose jobs are at risk as artificial intelligence transforms the labor market worldwide. https://wapo.st/42O82jD

This lawmaker stands out for his AI expertise. Can he help Congress?

With a graduate degree in computer science, Obernolte has emerged as a leading expert in Congress on how AI works and what lawmakers should worry about. https://wapo.st/437Qr6g

Telecom giant Vodafone to cut 10 percent of global workforce

Global cellphone provider Vodafone said it would cut 11,000 jobs after new CEO Margherita Della Valle said financial results had "not been good enough." https://wapo.st/454UgLc

Technology’s role in the ‘loneliness epidemic’

The Washington Post asked people of all ages to share their experiences with loneliness and the role technology has played. Are tech companies helping the lonely or taking advantage of them? Join us as we tell their stories. https://wapo.st/3MsqQiQ

Facebook pivoted to the metaverse. Now it wants to show off its AI.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is juggling his desire to compete in the artificial intelligence arms race with the company’s longstanding big bet on the metaverse. https://wapo.st/42QF56Z

Trust linked to porn-friendly bank could gain a stake in Trump’s Truth Social

But neither Trump Media nor the SPAC that has proposed merging with it has revealed that to the SEC or the SPAC's shareholders. https://wapo.st/42NRWpK

AI is coming to Google, whether you like it or not. Here’s what to watch.

Google's new AI search might be a Band-Aid on a structural problem: The internet is a bad place to get good answers. https://wapo.st/3Mnn6Py

Is the sun white or yellow? It’s a hot debate, and everyone’s wrong.

A Twitter post left people divided over the sun's color. We asked scientists to weigh in. https://wapo.st/3MkBoQT

Everything we know about the Pixel Fold, 7a and Google’s new tablet

Google finally built a smartphone that folds in half. But will it -- and the rest of Google's new gadgets -- be worth the wait? https://wapo.st/3LMYH4s

These five apps bring the joy of birds into your life

Twitter has been an essential companion as I learned to love bird watching. Then Elon Musk came for bird nerds like me. https://wapo.st/3nGi9Id

Google promised to delete sensitive data. It logged my abortion clinic visit.

Our investigation finds Google still retains location data about users who visit clinics, hospitals and other ‘particularly personal’ locations, despite Google’s commitment to delete it. https://wapo.st/3phWyGd

How to pick a trustworthy VPN

Want to view blocked sites or hide your online activity? Mullvad, Mozilla VPN and IVPN emphasize privacy and security. https://wapo.st/3LHtShu

A curious person’s guide to artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is exploding. Here's everything you need to know but were too afraid to ask. https://wapo.st/3LF33KT

You can trust these 5 AI chatbots. Be wary of everything else.

Be curious about AI chatbots but careful about apps or sites that may be making false AI promises. https://wapo.st/3nC7mic

AI-written content isn’t the web’s future. It’s already here.

The web has long been full of spammy content. AI is on the verge of making it much worse. https://wapo.st/3LEnJmk

Former Uber security chief Sullivan avoids prison in data breach case

More than 180 letters were filed with the judge praising Joe Sullivan and asking that he be spared prison time for covering up the hack of data of 50 million Uber customers. https://wapo.st/3VBqR6P

White House will meet with tech CEOs about AI risks

The CEOs of Microsoft, Google, Anthropic and OpenAI will meet with Harris and other Biden administration officials concerned about the artificial intelligence boom. https://wapo.st/3LUJL5x

FTC plans to bar Meta from monetizing teens’ data after privacy lapses

The agency wants to update a 2020 settlement with the Facebook parent company after allegations that the company misled parents about its Messenger Kids app. https://wapo.st/420bkA8

See how a quick-fix climate solution could also trigger war

A technology called geosolar engineering is a cheap and fast way to fight global warming. But it could also spark conflict. https://wapo.st/3p2o5eM

Apple and Google team up to fight AirTag stalking

The makers of iOS and Android say they’re working on software that will alert you when you’re being followed by a Bluetooth tracker — regardless of what kind of phone you use. https://wapo.st/3LPKBk8

Here’s what you need to know about T-Mobile’s latest data breach

The wireless carrier has suffered several hacking incidents in the past few years. https://wapo.st/3B77Q33

The most popular app in the U.S. deleted mentions of its Chinese owner

The shopping app Temu says it's from Boston and social app Lemon8 says it's based in Singapore. That's true but not the whole story. https://wapo.st/3LQhiOp

AI pioneer quits Google to warn humanity of the tech’s existential threat

Geoffrey Hinton said artificial intelligence systems could soon become smarter than humans and even develop a hunger for power. https://wapo.st/44n3XnW

Key law enforcement computers still down 10 weeks after breach

A ransomware breach of a little-known computer network has shut down a key technical tool that the U.S. Marshals use to hunt fugitives via their cellphones. https://wapo.st/3oYtnbj

How Mark Zuckerberg broke Meta’s workforce

Mark Zuckerberg has shepherded Meta through public crisis. Amid layoffs, insiders say the Facebook founder has lost his vision and the trust of his workforce. https://wapo.st/44f75Cc