Internet trends, social media, and platform news, covering X (Twitter), Bluesky, Reddit, online culture, platform policy changes, and digital safety.
The New York City Council is advancing a bill to ban the use of biometric identification technology at Madison Square Garden. Concerns are raised over audience tracking and risk scoring.
Flock Safety announces vehicle surveillance reforms. Default data retention cut to 7 days, but criticism of corporate-led privacy management persists.
Microsoft will merge consumer Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot, laying groundwork for a 'super app' later this year.
The concept of a "censorship-industrial complex" to suppress online speech through government and tech collaboration has risen from right-wing circles to mainstream U.S. policy debates, sparking active discussion on the future of democracy and the internet.
X is testing a tool to detect "shadowbans" that restrict post visibility. Part of the algorithm has also been open-sourced.
President Trump's Truth Social faces lawsuit over API monetization allegedly violating constitutional rights. The legality of providing early access to paying users is being challenged.
Google TV Freeplay has added more than 10,000 on-demand shows and movies, expanding its free live channel lineup to over 300. Titles from A24 and Lionsgate are also joining the catalog.
9th Circuit rejects Meta and TikTok's Section 230 immunity claims in social media addiction lawsuits. Trial begins August 19.
ByteDance's AI assistant Doubao introduces ~12% independent fees for AI transactions. New phase in transaction identification and monetization.
CEVA Logistics cyberattack leaked data from 8 European warehouses, exposing customer info from banks, retailers, and Steam.
Free Google Drive cleanup steps to avoid monthly Google One charges. Diagnose storage, delete large videos, ZIPs, duplicates, and empty trash.
The UK has 555 data center facilities with a total IT capacity of about 1.6GW. London holds 40% of facilities and roughly two-thirds of the capacity. Regional governments are also advancing decentralized strategies.
Android Police's Anu Joy shares her Google Maps commuting workflow, highlighting three features worth using even on familiar routes.
The city of Suisun, California, suffered a ransomware attack, shutting down municipal systems including the 911 system. The city declared a state of emergency and began an investigation in collaboration with federal agencies.
Gem, a browser developed by a Google DeepMind engineer, treats URLs as AI prompts and instantly generates websites with the Gemini model.
X ends its revenue-sharing program, launching “Original Content Rewards” on Sept 8 to reward original content and curb system abuse.
Google Arts & Culture's Inspire Feed and Cities tabs turn aimless scrolling into meaningful learning. Anu Joy explores the blend of education and entertainment.
Roku adds 24/7 AI-generated content channel to free streaming service, raising quality concerns and drawing attention to FAST market impact.
A Northern Territory government minister proposed pumping groundwater to stabilize Earth’s spin as part of a plan to attract data centers. A paleomagnetist explains why the idea is scientifically unsound.
The competition for AI computing power has entered a credit expansion phase. Major tech firms like Meta and Microsoft are leveraging corporate bonds and project financing to fund data center investments that surpass their operating cash flows.