A software developer made a Chrome and Firefox extension called Knockoff that automatically hides, grays out, or filters products from sketchy brands on Amazon, which highlights just how many shady brands are on the platform and how commonly they show up on searches for basic items. In just a few ...
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We Are Living in a ‘ChatGPT Flyer Pandemic’We Are Living in a ‘ChatGPT Flyer Pandemic’
I am not sure, exactly, how many ChatGPT signs, flyers, or advertisements I had seen without noticing. But I do remember that once I began noticing them, I saw them everywhere. A few blocks from my house, on a display easel: “Break Free Surfing California: SURF LESSONS VENICE BEACH.” On ...
Porn Platform Gives Sex Workers Stake in the Company’s ProfitsPorn Platform Gives Sex Workers Stake in the Company’s Profits
The co-founder of adult creator subscription platform MintStars announced she’s leaving the platform and donating her ownership shares in the company to its creators and sex workers. In an email to creators using the platform in late June, Jessica Van Meir wrote: “I am donating my shares in the company ...
Meta Patents AI Device That Tracks Your Emotions, Watches You Take Your MedsMeta Patents AI Device That Tracks Your Emotions, Watches You Take Your Meds
Meta has filed a patent for a system that records your voice and surroundings all day, then uses an AI to analyse your mood. The patent’s stated, theoretical goal is for Meta, a company that makes billions of dollars targeting ads at its users based on their data, is to ...
LARPING: How Influencers Fake Being RichLARPING: How Influencers Fake Being Rich
This week, we talk about Jason’s dive into the world of LARPing, where hustlebros and influencers use fake YouTube, OnlyFans, and Stripe dashboards as “proof” that they’re rich in order to sell low-quality get-rich-quick courses in pyramid schemes. We show how easy it is to pretend like you’re rich, and ...
Scientists Gave Mice Cocaine. This Is What It Did to Their BrainsScientists Gave Mice Cocaine. This Is What It Did to Their Brains
Just one exposure to cocaine produces changes to the brains of mice that persist for at least two weeks, and perhaps longer, according to research that will be presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 on Tuesday. The results suggest that cocaine, a popular drug used ...
Cops Say Waymo Snitched on Teens for Allegedly Drinking and Shooting a Toy GunCops Say Waymo Snitched on Teens for Allegedly Drinking and Shooting a Toy Gun
A Waymo in California allegedly called the cops on two teenagers for “drinking and shooting from the vehicle,” according to local police. On Monday, the San Mateo Police Department posted on Facebook: “Parents do you know where your teens are? @waymo does!” The police department continued in the post: “Two ...
Footage Shows Cop Stalking Woman He Met on a TV Set After Surveilling Her With a License Plate ReaderFootage Shows Cop Stalking Woman He Met on a TV Set After Surveilling Her With a License Plate Reader
A police officer speeds 70 MPH down a two-lane highway running over a bridge in the Florida Keys. He passes a dump truck in a no-passing zone, then immediately does it again, crossing over a double-yellow line to pass another truck. He passes a third vehicle, nearly causing a head-on ...
SOLVED: The Case of the Missing MegalodonSOLVED: The Case of the Missing Megalodon
Welcome back to the Abstract! Here are the studies this week that glimpsed a bygone world, caught an 80-foot fish, outshone the stars, and declared scientific independence. First, a mysterious group of extinct human relatives were probably not as advanced as once thought, a finding that sheds light on their ...
Behind the Blog: With Blogs Like These, Who Needs a Private JetBehind the Blog: With Blogs Like These, Who Needs a Private Jet
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 Supreme Court, the private jet, and AI on the TV. JOSEPH: I used to cover court cases and judge’s opinions a ...