-
io9Games
Someone Made a Fully Playable Game of Pong Inside a macOS Icon
Apple has always pushed its hardware as tools for creative types—not toys for gamers—but that hasn’t stopped creative developers from turning Macs into unique gaming machines, like putting Lemmings on the Touch Bar, and now putting an icon-sized playable version of Pong in the dock. By day Neil Sardesai is an iOS engineer at a … Continued
-
ScienceHealthCovid-19
Twitter Launches Five-Strike System to Ban Users Who Spread Covid-19 Lies
Twitter will ban users who spread misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and covid-19 vaccines under a new five-strike system, according to a new blog post from the social media company. Twitter bans all medical information that’s “demonstrably false or misleading and may lead to significant risk of harm.” “Through the use of the strike system, … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsNews
Instagram Rolls Out New Way to Say Something Stupid in Public
Instagram is expanding its livestreaming offerings with a new feature dubbed Live Rooms, which is just like Instagram Live but with up to three more people haphazardly broadcasting their thoughts into the world simultaneously. Instagram’s Live Rooms add to the increasingly crowded livestreaming space, which includes everything from Twitch to TikTok, to audio-only Clubhouse and … Continued
By Andrew Couts -
Tech NewsNews
Plastic Surgeon Makes Court Appearance Over Zoom With Patient on Operating Table
A plastic surgeon in Northern California went viral over the weekend after video surfaced showing the doctor in traffic court via Zoom while a patient was on his operating table. Dr. Scott Green, who appeared in court by videochat dressed in mask and operating gown, confirmed he was in surgery but insisted he could do … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsNews
Bots Reportedly Helped Fuel GameStonks Hype on Facebook, Twitter, and Other Platforms
The s0-called GameStonks saga had some help from automated bots hyping up “meme” stocks on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, according to an analysis by the cybersecurity firm PiiQ Media reviewed by Reuters. Users on the Reddit forum r/WallStreetBets teamed up last month to trigger a massive short squeeze of GameStop stock in a coordinated … Continued
-
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Go Update Your Passwords Right Now
Hey, you, casual internet user. Why not go and update your passwords right now? I’m not trying to boss you around or anything, but semi-frequent password changes are widely considered a great way to avoid getting hacked and having your information spilled all over the web. Yes, bad actors break into more systems than you … Continued
By Lucas Ropek -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
TikTok to Pay $92 Million Settlement in Nationwide Class-Action Lawsuit Over Alleged Privacy Violations
TikTok has agreed to fork over $92 million to settle a class-action complaint regarding alleged privacy violations, including claims that the app and its predecessor, Musical.ly, collected personal data without users’ consent for tracking and ad targeting purposes. The proposed settlement, which lawyers in the case estimated to be one of the largest privacy-related payouts … Continued
-
Tech NewsFacebook
‘Hey Facebook,’ How About Not?
Chances are you’re probably familiar with using a command like, “OK Google,” “Hey Siri,” or “Alexa” to summon a voice assistant. But now, the company that brought you pokes and likes—and who could forget fake news?— is trying to add, “Hey Facebook” to your rotation. Facebook’s new vocal command officially rolled out today with the … Continued
-
Tech NewsNews
Twitter Passes Stimulus Package for the Very Online
Twitter is finally rolling out a way to get paid for tweeting that doesn’t involve putting a Venmo link in your bio, promoting a Patreon, or using the app to hunt for a rich spouse. On Thursday, the company announced a new feature that could change the way the app functions entirely: Super Follows, which … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsFacebook
Facebook’s New Ad Campaign Tries To Remind You That Targeted Ads Are Good, Actually
Just two months after running a full-page ad decrying Apple’s impending updates, Facebook is rolling out another campaign meant to defend the targeted ads that make up about 98% of its multi-billion dollar revenue stream. Per CNBC, the one-minute ad will air across digital platforms, radio, and television starting today. Facebook says the spot is … Continued
-
Tech NewsStreaming Services
Now You Can Filter Your Liked Spotify Jams by Mood
Finally, you can sort the music in your Liked Songs playlist on Spotify. Hitting play on the Liked Songs playlist in Spotify has always been a bit of a crapshoot for me—I never know whether I’ll get Steely Dan or Phoebe Bridgers or Ginuwine’s “Pony.” If this sounds like you (maybe sans “Pony” but that’s … Continued
By Catie Keck -
Tech NewsGoogle
Google’s Live Caption Tool Is Now Available as a Hidden Feature in Chrome
Live Captions is one of the most useful features on Android phones, allowing your mobile device to automatically transcribe any audio it’s currently playing. And now it seems Google is bringing Live Captions to Chrome, with the feature already available as a hidden option in the browser. First noticed by Chrome Story, Live Caption can … Continued
-
Tech NewsFacebook
Facebook Finally Bans Myanmar Military After Feb. 1 Coup
Facebook finally banned the military in Myanmar, known as Tatmadaw, from the social media platform several weeks after the military staged a coup that toppled the democratically elected government. The ban on the country’s military includes Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. “Events since the February 1 coup, including deadly violence, have precipitated a need … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsNews
Facebook Told Us to Suck It, for a Change
Attention, haters: you have officially been put on notice by Facebook’s VP of Global Affairs Nick Clegg. This morning, Clegg unleashed a very salty, very strongly-worded rebuke to sordid charges propagated by publishers supposedly looking for a cash grab. It’s titled “The Real Story of What Happened With News on Facebook in Australia,” and reads … Continued
-
Tech NewsStreaming Services
YouTube Thinks It’s Cracked the Code on Appropriate Content for 9-Year-Olds
YouTube is attempting to bridge the gap between its dedicated Kids app and regular YouTube for parents with tweens and teens. YouTube announced Wednesday that it will launch a new “supervised” experience in beta that will introduce additional features and settings for regulating the types of content that older children can access on the platform. … Continued
By Catie Keck -
Tech NewsPolitics
Your Travel Guide to the Rudderless Right-Wing Web After Trump
Moving into 2021 and forward, conservatives angry about “cancel culture,” censorship, shadowbans, or the attention of the FBI have a rich array of social destinations to choose from. We’ve prepped a travel guide for the unwitting observer who might be thinking of checking any of these conspicuous and lesser-known internet hellholes out—whether it’s to keep … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Firefox’s Latest Update Promises Complete Cookie Control—With Just a Few Caveats
Mozilla beefed up Firefox’s already impressive arsenal of privacy-preserving tech on Tuesday with the addition of a new tool in its flagship browser: Total Cookie Protection. As the name suggests, the feature promises to put the lid on any creepy cookies or third-party tracking tech that might want to track your behavior from site to … Continued
-
Tech NewsApple
Apple Bought Another Company Every 3 to 4 Weeks for Last 6 Years, Tim Cook Says
Apple has bought out just short of 100 small businesses over the last six years as part of its corporate acquisition spree, CEO Tim Cook told shareholders at a virtual meeting on Tuesday. According to Bloomberg, Cook said that Apple has been buying small companies at a rate of about one every three to four … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsGoogle
Google Maps Dark Mode and More Useful Android Features Are Rolling Out Today
While we wait for Android 12 to officially go live later this year, Google has a bunch of tweaks and updates coming to Android this spring. Following the 2019 update to Chrome, Google is now bringing Password Checkup to Android to help alert you about potential leaks or data breaches that may have exposed your … Continued