Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Corporate PR Stonewalling and The Sandwich Simulacrum
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 the corporate PR strategy of stonewalling the press, digital comradery, and the AI sandwich simulacrum.
automattic
A WordPress ‘Firehose’ Allows AI Companies to Buy Access to a Million Posts a Day
There is a complex chain of companies buying access to WordPress and Tumblr posts through a company called SocialGist.
doom
Watch This Guy Play ‘Doom’ on a Toothbrush
The three million toothbrush botnet wasn’t real, but this toothbrush hacked for blasting demons between brushes is.
etsy
Fanfiction Community Rocked By Etsy Sellers Turning Their Work Into Bound Books
Several popular shops, which clearly violated Etsy's terms of use and IP laws, were deleted after 404 Media reached out for comment.
tumblr
Tumblr and WordPress to Sell Users’ Data to Train AI Tools
Internal documents obtained by 404 Media show that Tumblr staff compiled users' data as part of a deal with Midjourney and OpenAI.
pornhub
Texas Sues Pornhub, Claiming It’s Ignoring Age Verification Law
Attorney General Ken Paxton said he "looks forward" to preventing minors from seeing "harmful, obscene material" on the internet.
AI
Romance Authors Riled by 'From Meet-Bot to AI-Do' Writing Workshop
A chapter of the Romance Writers of America organization planned a program called “From Meet-Bot to AI-Do: Crafting Romances in the Realm of AI," but it's since been scrubbed from the site after backlash from authors.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: VICE’s Legacy and the Idea That ‘The Internet Is Forever’
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 reflect on VICE's legacy, archiving, and whether the internet is really forever.
Security
Do Spencer’s Vibrators Have Malware on Them? An Investigation
We tested the vibrator that a Spencer's customer claims almost gave their computer malware.
Behind The Blog
Behind the Blog: Personality Tests, First Jobs, and ‘Profitability’
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 talk about our first jobs, personality tests, and what it means to be "profitable."
China
Leaked Emails Show Hugo Awards Self-Censoring to Appease China
“...if the work focuses on China, taiwan, tibet, or other topics that may be an issue *in* China...that needs to be highlighted so that we can determine if it is safe to put it on the ballot," one email said.
lawsuits
Woman Sues Sex Toy Retailer Adam and Eve, Claims It Shared Data About Her Dildos
Sex toy retailer Adam and Eve is being accused of violating an invasion of privacy law, with its accuser claiming that it told Google she was looking at listings for “Kingcock Strap-on Harness With 8-Inch Dildo” and showed that she added a “Pink Jelly Slim Dildo” to her cart.