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Showing posts from September, 2023

Many in Gen Z hope to be influencers. There’s now a degree for it.

The global influencer market was valued at $16.4 billion last year, but experts raised concerns about the viability of a degree designed for the profession. https://wapo.st/3RG8U7f

Could ‘The Terminator’ really happen? Experts assess Hollywood’s visions of AI.

The films that have been most influential in shaping our hopes and fears about artificial intelligence and how AI might evolve — and change our lives. https://wapo.st/46xn0MG

Inside the secret meeting of Vine stars that ushered in the app’s demise

This article is adapted from the forthcoming book “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet” by Taylor Lorenz. https://wapo.st/3taJ41d

Got an idea for protecting kids online? You can now take action

A Department of Commerce agency is asking parents, educators and others to write in about risks to kids online and how to best protect them. https://wapo.st/3PCQ5PB

ChatGPT can now search the web, as OpenAI races to keep up with rivals

OpenAI said Wednesday its ChatGPT bot now has the ability to search the web using Microsoft’s Bing search engine, putting the chatbot on equal footing with Microsoft and Google’s Bard as the startup fights to compete for dominance of the booming AI industry. https://wapo.st/3Zxse8A

It’s not your imagination: Shopping on Amazon has gotten worse

Most of what you see at first on Amazon is now an ad. https://wapo.st/3PvdXVz

AI can now create images out of thin air. See how it works.

AI image generators like DALL-E, Lensa and stable diffusion create pictures and photos by interpreting and pairing text and images. https://wapo.st/46n3gez

Taylor Swift fans solve 33 million Google puzzles to unlock new song titles

Swift’s fans completed the Google challenge to unlock new track titles for “1989 (Taylor’s Version)”: “Is it over now?” “Now that we don’t talk.” “Say don’t go.” and “Suburban legends.” https://wapo.st/3ZttutE

Twitter regrets and glass houses: 8 things we learned from the Musk bio

Did Musk’s dad own an emerald mine? Does Musk believe his own wild promises? And how smart is he really? https://wapo.st/3LwmtSP

Should women use beauty filters online? We all have opinions.

Beauty filters on Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok are getting better. Critics are quick to point out their risks — but what do people gain from their use? https://wapo.st/3PK3VA7

The Tube Girl is selling confidence — and her audience is lining up

Sabrina Bahsoon, 22, just finished law school. Her TikTok videos of her dancing on the London Underground are resonating, and none of it is accidental. https://wapo.st/46eTZFc

YouTube bars Russell Brand from monetizing channel amid sex assault claims

The British actor and comedian has more than 6.6 million subscribers on YouTube. Brand has denied several women’s accusations of rape, sexual assault and abuse. https://wapo.st/4510Eln

Google’s Bard can now read emails as company tries to show it’s useful

To get more people to use its artificial intelligence tools, Google is integrating its Bard AI chatbot with Gmail, Google Docs and other products. https://wapo.st/3PIYBOr

Judge blocks California law meant to increase online safety for kids

The California Age-Appropriate Design Code probably violates the First Amendment, the judge wrote. https://wapo.st/45YYELK

Israeli PM Netanyahu asks Elon Musk to condemn antisemitism on X

Tech magnate Elon Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are meeting in California to discuss AI as each looks to the other to fend off criticism. https://wapo.st/44UO3QM

Regulators struggle to rein in Amazon on safety for warehouse workers

After a decade of worker complaints, Amazon’s safety record is under scrutiny from a litany of state and federal regulators. But so far, the company has faced few consequences. https://wapo.st/48lyjJy

Should you update your iPhone to iOS 17? 5 new features to check out

Apple’s latest iPhone update, iOS 17, will be available for download today. Here’s a look at the new features and if you should upgrade. https://wapo.st/46hp0bo

Under Musk, Twitter is handing over more data to investigators

X has complied with user data requests from German authorities, despite the platform’s free speech pledge. https://wapo.st/3Pkkfau

Your iPhone 15 could be free. It might still be a bad deal.

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon offer free or discounted new iPhone 15 models when you trade in old devices. We ran the math on “free” iPhones for two households. https://wapo.st/3sMPgfp

The abortion bot will see you now

An abortion bot from abortion access organizations including Planned Parenthood is rolling out — even in states with abortion bans — to help people find care. https://wapo.st/3sSmFW5

GOP lawmakers call for heavier sanctions against China’s Huawei, SMIC

Michael McCaul (R-Tex.) and other lawmakers suggested severe measures to tighten sanctions against China’s chip industry for allegedly violating U.S. export controls. https://wapo.st/3sWh41b

Supreme Court asked to pause limits on White House social media requests

The filing brings a long-simmering legal battle over the future of online speech before the nation’s highest court. https://wapo.st/3rhZap1

How often do men think about ancient Rome? Quite frequently, it seems.

Videos shared on TikTok and Instagram as part of a new trend reveal that many men think about the Roman Empire frequently. But why? https://wapo.st/3PDON8t

Musk expected to meet with Netanyahu as antisemitism controversy rages

The planned meeting is the latest effort by Musk friends and allies to head off a growing battle with the Anti-Defamation League. https://wapo.st/3rcKhUS

Bizarre AI-generated products are in stores. Here’s how to avoid them.

AI-generated self-help books, mugs, wall art and coloring books are filling online marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy as sellers try to make a quick buck. https://wapo.st/3PDScUE

In a first, spyware is found on phone of prominent Russian journalist

Researchers say they confirmed that NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was planted on the phone of Meduza owner Galina Timchenko. https://wapo.st/3PzY3KL

China denies iPhone ban for officials but notes its ‘security incidents’

The comments from China’s Foreign Ministry coincided with Apple’s release of its iPhone 15 models. https://wapo.st/3ECxpun

Tech titans including Musk, Zuckerberg head to Capitol Hill to talk AI

X’s Elon Musk, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Google’s Sundar Pichai and OpenAI’s Sam Altman are among tech leaders headed to Capitol Hill to discuss AI regulation. https://wapo.st/44UB7ds

Apple’s iPhone event: 4 things we learned (or didn’t)

Two iPhone models cost more now. And there’s a new charger type for all new iPhones. (That’s annoying but also good.) https://wapo.st/3ZeYqNW

Is it time to upgrade your smartphone? Our quiz can help you decide.

Should you upgrade your smartphone? Take our quiz. https://wapo.st/41I9UcE

This planet light-years from Earth may be covered in ocean, NASA says

NASA says exoplanet K2-18 b could be a “Hycean” planet, as the Webb telescope helped detect methane and carbon dioxide there, though it is unclear if it could support life. https://wapo.st/3ECeDDs

Google trial set to begin in first major tech antitrust case in decades

Not since the U.S. government tried to break up Microsoft in 2000 has the federal government taken on a major tech giant over its business practice. https://wapo.st/3Eyi4ev

Nvidia, Palantir and more companies join White House AI pledge

The commitments include a promise to develop technology to identify AI-generated images and a vow to share data about safety with the government and academics. https://wapo.st/3EABgIk

Threads blocks searches related to covid and vaccines as cases rise

Meta acknowledged that Threads is intentionally blocking the search terms. https://wapo.st/3LjnVYB

Your Gmail and Instagram are training AI. There’s little you can do about it.

Our tech columnist found Google, Meta and Microsoft are taking your conversations, photos or documents to teach their AI how to write, paint and pretend to be human. https://wapo.st/3Rktmuf

Elon Musk has his demons. Walter Isaacson does his best to dissect them.

Isaacson’s new biography, “Elon Musk,” seeks to reconcile the tech billionaire’s flaws with his achievements https://wapo.st/45Mf2iH

Silicon Valley’s quest to live forever now includes $2,500 full-body MRIs

Proponents of Prenuvo argue the $2,500 full-body MRIs should become as a routine as a mammogram or colonoscopy. Celebrities and venture capitalists are flocking to a growing number of clinics. https://wapo.st/44Q1vFk

In first tech antitrust trial in decades, DOJ takes on Google

Prosecutors allege Google used its search engine’s monolithic popularity to illegally throttle competition. But the DOJ case has implications on the company’s broader ambitions. https://wapo.st/3Lgj2zE

Can’t watch ESPN? Try these alternatives to watch or listen to sports.

A blackout of TV channels for 15 million Spectrum cable customers is a glimpse at the pain coming for anyone who watches TV or streams. https://wapo.st/3r85ZJM

What age should you give a kid their first phone?

Here's what to consider about the best age for giving a child their first phone. https://wapo.st/3Lfr77J

Newsom tells California government to deepen, guide use of AI

California governor asks state to study ways to use and police AI but doesn’t ask for specific regulation. https://wapo.st/3qWEh2G

The dos and don’ts of using ChatGPT in your daily life

Chatbots can be amazingly helpful — but only if you learn how to use them well. Here’s our advice. https://wapo.st/45Fd3wi

Elon Musk wants you to know he doesn’t have a nice house

Reports that Tesla is building a glass house in Austin for Elon Musk have renewed speculation about the billionaire’s itinerant lifestyle. https://wapo.st/3P3ej5C

Renting an EV can be cheap yet inconvenient. Here’s how to rent smart.

Electric vehicles are fun to drive and easy on the environment — just make sure build extra time into your itinerary before you hit the road. https://wapo.st/43LQdkY

The endless battle to banish the world’s most notorious stalker website

For a year, a former Kiwi Farms user worked with transgender engineers to keep the stalker site offline. Still, the website has endured. https://wapo.st/481tg0I

New phone sparks worry China has found a way around U.S. tech limits

Huawei, which has been under U.S. sanctions for years, released the phone pointedly during Gina Raimondo’s visit to Beijing https://wapo.st/3R0IBZe

Texting do’s and don’t’s for 2023

The unspoken texting rules you should know from response time to group chat etiquette. https://wapo.st/3sE3tvj

One Medical CEO departs one year after Amazon acquisition

A little over a year after Amazon bought concierge primary health care start-up One Medical for $3.9 billion, CEO Amir Dan Rubin is leaving the company https://wapo.st/47YWzAI