Flock
The Man Behind the Anti-Flock Darth Vader Mask Wants to Know: 'When Will This End?'
Anthony Ralphs has been speaking against Flock at San Diego City Council meetings for almost a year straight. When he showed up as Darth Vader, the world started watching.
The Abstract
Orcas Explode Fish Into Confetti, Possibly for Fun, In ‘Astounding’ New Video
A team captured first-of-its-kind footage of orcas holding a sunfish carcass still and ramming it so hard that it burst into fragments, which may be a form of social play. “We could hear the sound,” said one researcher.
FOIA Forum
Our New FOIA Forum! 7/30, 1PM ET
Join us for our latest FOIA Forum where we teach you how to pry records from the government.
News
What Happened When Flock Came to My Town
My small town in South Carolina will soon have more Flock cameras than police officers.
Flock
Flock ‘Objects to Our Removing Their Equipment’: Emails Reveal Why a Town Put Bags Over Its Flock Cameras
"For the time being, if you or someone on your crew has availability to secure black plastic bags (or something else) over the cameras, that would be great."
Podcast
Podcast: Flock is Tracking People, Not Just Cars
How cops are using Flock to look for specific people; the company buying mountains of books for AI companies; and the big Suno hack.
ICE
You Opened a Credit Card. ICE Now Knows Where You Live
Here's how your personal address travels from your credit card provider, through middlemen companies, and ends up with ICE.
voting
What Does Olive Garden’s Never-Ending Pasta Have to Do With Voting Rights?
Do you have to show ID to get unlimited pasta at Olive Garden? Yes. Is this the same as secure voting? Definitely not.
Impact
Apple Fixes Hide My Email Vulnerability After 404 Media Coverage
For a year, Apple knew that an issue in its Hide My Email feature was exposing customers’ real email addresses. Apple only fixed the issue after 404 Media covered it.
News
AI Companies Are Buying Tons of Old Books Because They're Free of AI Slop
ISBNdb, a company that sources printed books for AI companies to turn into training data, tells clients “the optics problem is real.”
Drones
New Orleans Cops Published Policy Document Allowing Weaponized Drones
Cops and drone companies seem increasingly eager to put weapons on their drones.
The Abstract
Ancient Princesses Were Weapon-Wielding Badasses, Scientists Discover
The mummified remains of 4,000-year-old Egyptian royals suggest that they were buried with weapons because they could use them, not for symbolic reasons.
party
You're Invited: 404 Media's Third Anniversary Live Podcast and Party!
We're celebrating with TWO NIGHTS of good times: A live taping of the podcast, and a party the following night! Paid 404 Media subscribers get free and discounted access. Details below.