The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 China is strengthening its control over online content
By taking “golden shares” in major tech companies Alibaba and Tencent. (FT $)
+ Didi ride-hailing apps are being reinstated. (Reuters)
+ China wants to censor online comments. (MIT Technology Review)
2 The US is suing two crypto exchanges
Genesis and Gemini are accused of selling unregistered securities. (The Block)
+ Another exchange, Crypto.com, is slashing its workforce. (TechCrunch)
3 An AI chatbot has learnt to sexually harass people
Its unsolicited, aggressive advances have appalled users. (Motherboard)
+ The viral AI avatar app Lensa undressed me—without my consent. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Why other viruses may have been suppressed during the pandemic
Partly because they can take turns to dominate a host. (Knowable Magazine)
+ People in China are traveling to Hong Kong for private covid boosters. (The Guardian)
5 Google says changed to Section 230 could “upend the internet”
The tweaks will spell an end to moderation as we know it, it claims. (WSJ $)
6 Deaths from cancer in the US have fallen significantly
Better treatment and lower smoking rates could be among the contributory factors. (CNN)
7 The gas stove debate is snowballing out of control
We know they’re bad for our health and the climate. But ban proposals sparked a major backlash that refuses to die. (Slate $)
+ Here’s everything you need to know about the ongoing debate. (Vox)
+ Welcome to the new culture wars. (Motherboard)
8 Mexico’s subway drivers have to communicate over WhatsApp
They’re forbidden from using cellphones, but conductors say they have no choice. (Rest of World)
9 The Indonesian village that’s birthing YouTube sensations
Tapen is at the heart of the country’s burgeoning YouTube scene. (Wired $)
10 Why traveling to space is so bad for us 🚀
It’s a major health hazard. (WP $)
Quote of the day
