Engineered earworms on TikTok aren’t that far off from disinfo campaigns
Ever since I read this Bloomberg story about how songs are engineered to go viral on TikTok, I’ve had one thought in my head – if you can call it that – it’s more of a noise, or impression: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Yes, it’s the sound of internal.....»»
Chinese social media users hilariously mock AI video fails
TikTok and Bilibili users transform nonsensical AI glitches into real-world performance art. Enlarge / Still from a Chinese social media video featuring two people imitating imperfect AI-generated video outputs. (credit: BiliBili.....»»
iPadOS 18’s new tab bar is more powerful than it first appears
iPadOS 18 is a huge release for the iPad, but most of its changes aren’t iPad-exclusive. New customization tools, Apple Intelligence, and various app updates are coming to iPhone too. One iPad-only feature is a redesigned tab bar for apps. iPad.....»»
Passing part of a medical licensing exam doesn’t make ChatGPT a good doctor
The software's medical certification exam was OK, but its diagnoses aren't. Enlarge / For now, "you should see a doctor" remains good advice. ChatGPT was able to pass some of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (US.....»»
TikTok ban: ByteDance says app is run and controlled in US, not China
ByteDance’s appeal against a US TikTok ban is underway, and the company has accused the Department of Justice of factual errors in presenting its case – intended to force the sale of the app to an American company. The DOJ says the app’s fee.....»»
Video dominates mobile app revenue; TikTok coins reward live streamers
Video dominates mobile app revenue, according to a new report. Of the total $3.8B smartphone owners spent on entertainment apps last quarter, three billion of it was spent on streaming and short video apps. The most dramatic growth in earnings was.....»»
Google’s threat team confirms Iran targeting Trump, Biden, and Harris campaigns
Another Big Tech firm seems to confirm Trump adviser Roger Stone was hacked. Enlarge / Roger Stone, former adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, center, during the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee on J.....»»
Singing from memory unlocks a surprisingly common musical superpower
Psychologists from UC Santa Cruz wanted to study "earworms," the types of songs that get stuck in your head and play automatically on a loop. So they asked people to sing out any earworms they were experiencing and record them on their phones when pr.....»»
TikTok introduces group chats and stickers in direct messages
TikTok on Monday announced a major update coming to its platform. Users can now create and send messages for group chats for the first time in the app. In addition, TikTok is bringing stickers to direct messages. Read on as we detail everything that.....»»
The many, many signs that Kamala Harris’ rally crowds aren’t AI creations
But Trump's false accusation highlights problems with media trust in the AI age......»»
Push alerts from TikTok include fake news, expired tsunami warning
News-style notifications include false claims about Taylor Swift, other misleading info. Enlarge (credit: FT montage/Getty Images) TikTok has been sending inaccurate and misleading news-style alerts to users’ phones, i.....»»
Resecurity unveils new AI-driven Fraud Prevention Platform
Resecurity unveiled its advanced AI-driven Fraud Prevention Platform. This versatile solution is engineered to combat fraud across banking, virtual asset service providers (VASPs), gambling, e-commerce, and online marketplaces, providing a robust def.....»»
Do I need it? "Underconsumption core" trends on TikTok
Exhausted from a rising cost of living in the United States and non-stop ads, some young adults on TikTok are pushing back......»»
Social media: Disinformation expert offers three safety tips in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers
Social networks have revolutionized the way we communicate, stay informed and share moments of our daily lives. We use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok to keep in touch with our friends and family, share our experiences, keep in.....»»
Elon Musk’s lawsuit over alleged X ad boycott “a very weak case,” professor says
Law is unfavorable to X, but Musk filed suit in potentially friendly Texas court. Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) Antitrust law professors aren't impressed by Elon Musk's lawsuit alleging a supposed X adve.....»»
iOS 18 lets you bypass Siri with custom voice actions
Voice computing is still in its early days. One reason is that voice assistants often aren’t great at understanding our words unless they fit a pre-defined model. Siri with Apple Intelligence will hopefully be a lot better about this in time. But i.....»»
TikToks—even neutral ones—harm women"s body image, but diet videos had the worst effect, study finds
Women who spend a lot of time on TikTok—especially those seeing a lot of pro-anorexia content—feel worse about their appearance, a new study shows. The results suggest that high TikTok exposure could harm mental health, reducing body image satisf.....»»
This Android brand knows how to make its cheap phones desirable
Vivo's midrange V40 and V40 Pro have cameras engineered with Zeiss, just like its top devices, making them desirable choices......»»
Public Health Experts Want Coca-Cola and the Olympics to Break Up
Scientists, activists, and ordinary petitioners want the Olympics to break with Coca-Cola, comparing it to the tobacco companies that long sponsored the Games. They aren’t holding their breath......»»
She’s the New Face of Climate Activism—and She’s Carrying a Pickax
Sabotage. Property destruction. For Léna Lazare and her cohort, radicalized by years of inaction on the environmental crisis, these aren’t dirty words. They’re acts of joy......»»
GM CEO Mary Barra guest stars in Mohawk Chevrolet"s viral video parody on TikTok
Mohawk Chevrolet’s TikTok series, “The Dealership,” shows co-creator Grace Kerber visiting GM headquarters to pitch a rebrand of the Silverado pickup......»»