Fake news sites tied to China that were just blocked by Google. The Glassbridge network was trying to pass off communist propaganda as “journalism.” One firm ran over 600 sites. The real question: Why did it take Google this long to spot and remove them?
Tags: China, fake news, Google, propaganda
You probably know that antivirus software is essential for your computer. Without it, you’re browsing without protection, exposing yourself to ransomware, viruses, Trojans, spyware and countless other threats. But your computer isn’t the only gadget that needs antivirus protection.
🔊 Swiss Army knife for sound: That’s what Nvidia is calling Fugatto, its new AI audio generator. People are, of course, creating bizarre sounds from text prompts, like turning the sound of a train into a string orchestra. Its creators think it could spark new music genres like the electric guitar did. What do you think?
Minimalist vibes, maximalist court fees: One influencer is suing another, claiming she copied her posts and “aesthetic.” Both hawk Amazon affiliate links for minimalistic “clean girl” products (aka everything boring and beige). Can vibes be copyrighted? Common sense tells me no.
Netflix, just chill: When Netflix banned shared passwords about 18 months ago, they’d send occasional emails to request verification. Now, these emails are more frequent, and people are getting logged out. Duh, Netflix wants that $7.99 extra member fee. Netflix’s profits soared after the password-sharing crackdown, jumping to $2.3 billion in the first quarter of 2024; that’s up 79% from the same quarter in 2023.
🔊 “A Swiss Army knife for sound”: That’s what Nvidia is calling Fugatto, its new AI audio generator. As you might expect, people are using it to create bizarre sounds from their text prompts, like turning the sound of a train into a string orchestra. Fugatto’s creators think it could spark new music genres like the electric guitar did. Listen for yourself.
A criminal’s best asset is his lie ability: A moron from Missouri thought he could land a job by hacking into businesses and offering them cybersecurity help. Spoiler: It didn’t end well. Nicholas Kloster was arrested after he hacked into a health club and bragged online about taking over their security cameras and lowering his membership to $1. The FBI and local police were not amused.
🤑 Swimming in bitcoin? Cryptocurrency values are off the charts right now. The IRS also noticed and is ready to tax all your sweet gains. There are new rules (paywall link) coming next year. Brokers will have to report all crypto sales, and you can now donate up to $18,000 to charity each year tax-free. I’m sure some will try to use the word “charity” very loosely.
All I want for Christmas is a capybara: No, not me! The semiaquatic rodents that live up to 12 years and weigh up to 150 pounds have stolen the internet’s heart with viral videos. In a Reddit post, a 24-year-old brother asked if he was a jerk for thinking it’s just a TikTok phase his 16-year-old sister will grow out of. Spoiler: She will.
I’d tell a joke about unemployment, but it doesn’t work: Consulting firm EY is using an AI-powered avatar to prep job-seekers for face-to-face interviews. eVe answers questions about the hiring process and can also help candidates decide whether to take a job offer. I can’t imagine it’s giving unbiased replies.
🚨 Windows alert: Microsoft is rolling out its nosy Recall feature for Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs. The tool records almost everything on your screen to help you find files or websites you’ve accessed. After backlash over privacy concerns, the data will be encrypted and snapshots of sensitive info won’t be taken — but I still wouldn’t trust it. Recall is opt-in only, so you can skip it … for now.
