Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Breach Rumors and Fun With Maps
This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss a tech near-catastrophe, data journalism, and breach rumors.
Surveillance
Lawsuit Argues Warrantless Use of Flock Surveillance Cameras Is Unconstitutional
"It is functionally impossible for people to drive anywhere without having their movements tracked, photographed, and stored in an AI-assisted database that enables the warrantless surveillance of their every move. This civil rights lawsuit seeks to end this dragnet surveillance program."
News
Twitch Quietly Blocked New Users From Israel and Palestine Since October 7
“We deeply regret this unacceptable miss, and the confusion it has caused,” Twitch said.
News
Watch: Inside the FBI’s Secret Phone Company
Here is the full video of Joseph’s recent talk at the DEF CON hacking conference, showing never-before-shared details about the FBI’s secret phone company called Anom.
The Abstract
Is There Life on Europa?
This week, we travel to the Fava Flow Suburbs, some dusty Martian ice, moonlit tropical forests, and a colony of mole-rats.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Breach Rumors and Fun With Maps
This is Behind the Blog, where we share our behind-the-scenes thoughts about how a few of our top stories of the week came together. This week, we discuss a tech near-catastrophe, data journalism, and breach rumors.
election
This Is Exactly How an Elon Musk-Funded PAC Is Microtargeting Muslims and Jews With Opposing Messages
The Future Coalition PAC is targeting according to ZIP code in highly specific ways.
wordpress
Employees Describe an Environment of Paranoia and Fear Inside Automattic Over WordPress Chaos
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg made another buyout offer this week, and threatened employees who speak to the press with termination.
Redbox
Tinkerers Are Taking Old Redbox Kiosks Home and Reverse Engineering Them
The Redbox operating system has been dumped, and people are repurposing the massive DVD kiosks they've saved from the scrap heap.
News
AI-Powered Social Media Manipulation App Promises to 'Shape Reality'
A prototype app called Impact describes “A Volunteer Fire Department For The Digital World,” which would summon real people to copy and paste AI-generated talking points on social media.
Podcast
Podcast: Why the WordPress Chaos Matters
How the WordPress chaos may impact the web; using AI to apply for jobs; and how the National Archives wants to push its employees to use Google's AI.
AI
‘AI-Mazing Tech-Venture’: National Archives Pushes Google Gemini AI on Employees
The National Archives is launching a public-facing AI chatbot called "Archie." Employees have concerns.
News
Hackers Advertise Stolen Verizon Push-to-Talk ‘Call Logs’
The breach does not appear to impact the main consumer Verizon network, and instead involves the company’s push to talk (PTT) product, marketed to public sector agencies and enterprises.