3,096 tacks
Small changes to ‘for you’ feed on X can rapidly increase political polarisation
A study that found that small changes to the tone of posts fed to users of X can rapidly increase political polarization. The study found that even a week of exposure to posts expressing anti-democratic attitudes and partisan animosity increased feelings of polarization among users.
The rise of cosy gaming: is this the closest many young people will get to home ownership?
The Guardian describes the rise of "cosy gaming", a genre of video games that focus on relaxing and low-stakes gameplay. The article highlights the popularity of cosy games that involve home-owning and renovation, providing players with a sense of control and satisfaction.
Forget the AI job apocalypse. AI’s real threat is worker control and surveillance
The Guardian describes the real danger of AI in the workplace, which is not job loss but the growing divide between people who use AI to extend their skills and those whose working lives are increasingly shaped by opaque, AI-powered systems of surveillance and control. The article emphasizes the need for meaningful training in AI skills and democratic principles in the workplace to address the challenges posed by AI.
AI will make language barriers disappear – and diminish our understanding of other cultures
While AI translation will make communication easier, it will also diminish our understanding of other cultures and ways of thinking. While AI translation may be a useful tool, it should not replace the human element in communication.
How The Callisto Protocol's Audio Team Designed Its Terrifying, Immersive Sound | Ars Technica
Ars Technica brings you back to Striking Distance Studios with Dead Space creator Glen Schofield and his team as they work on designing the dynamic, immersive, and precisely timed audio components of their upcoming release 'The Callisto Protocol.'
Is It Time to Ditch Your Smartphone?
On this week’s episode of “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel talks with his Atlantic colleague Kaitlyn Tiffany about what our phones are doing to us. Tiffany recently wrote about swapping her iPhone for a flip phone as part of a movement called “Month Offline.” Kaitlyn talks through her personal experience: the joys and inconveniences of a dumbphone and the difficulty of unplugging completely. Warzel and Tiffany talk about the growing smartphone backlash, legal cases against “big tech,” and how, even if many people are convinced that their phones are a problem, the science remains far from conclusive regarding direct harm.
Facebook told advertisers it can identify teens feeling 'insecure' and 'worthless'
Facebook reportedly showed advertisers how it can identify when teenagers feel insecure and worthless by monitoring their posts and photos. The leaked document, prepared by Facebook executives, claims the company has detailed information on mood shifts of young users, including relationship status, location, and frequency of platform access. Facebook apologised for the research, stating it was conducted without proper oversight, but later claimed the article was misleading and that the research was based on anonymous, aggregated data.
Atlantic Reads: Screen People with Megan Garber
In Screen People, Atlantic staff writer Megan Garber examines how the internet — once brimming with democratic promise — has quietly reshaped human behavior through the architecture of its platforms. From social media algorithms designed to provoke outrage, to the subtle habit of treating real people like fictional characters, Garber traces what went wrong and why. But she's not without hope: if we ask the right questions about who we want to be, a better internet is still within reach.
Explainer: what is surveillance capitalism and how does it shape our economy?
Surveillance capitalism is a market-driven process where personal data is the commodity, collected through mass internet surveillance by companies like Google and Facebook. This data is used for commercial purposes, often without users’ full understanding. The term was coined by Shoshana Zuboff, who highlights the power dynamics and the role of “Big Other” actors like Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple in this economy.
Will human minds still be special in an age of AI?
The article describes how human intelligence is shaped by our biology and environment, making it special in its own way. The article also highlights that AI systems, while impressive, are constrained by their design and training data, making them less adaptable and creative than humans.
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