All Tacks media-and-change

1,015 tacks

Pro-Harris TikTok felt safe in an algorithmic bubble — until election day

TikTok’s hyperpersonalized algorithm shaped a false sense of optimism for Kamala Harris supporters by reinforcing their beliefs and isolating them from opposing views. This filter bubble created a distorted reality, fostering “hopium” that ignored broader public sentiment, highlighting

We’re all living inside Elon Musk’s misinformation machine now

Elon Musk transformed X (formerly Twitter) into a hub for right-wing politics, amplifying election misinformation and anti-immigrant conspiracies while supporting Trump’s reelection. Despite earlier struggles, X gained influence as a partisan platform. Musk’s political ambitions, combined with potential

‘I’m going to sue the living pants off them’: AI’s big legal showdown – and what it means for Dr Strange’s hair

AI has given us the pope in a puffer, but it is also predicted to wipe out 200,000 entertainment jobs. We report from a crucial event in Portugal, full of angry artists, digital miracles â?? and a surprising

As a jaded tech journalist, I’m in a battle to keep ‘smart’ devices out of my home – despite my partner’s efforts | Victoria Turk

Victoria Turk, a tech journalist, resists her husband’s desire to introduce smart devices into their home, citing privacy concerns over data collection by appliances like app-enabled air fryers and smart doorbells.

What we know so far about how the government's social media ban for under-16s will work — ABC News

The federal government has taken a big step towards realising its ambitious plan to get children and young teenagers off social media.

‘It’s not me, it’s just my face’: the models who found their likenesses had been used in AI propaganda

Models discovered their likenesses were used without consent in AI-generated propaganda videos supporting authoritarian regimes, raising ethical concerns about AI technology misuse.

George R.R. Martin, Victor LaValle, and Many More Join Authors Guild in Lawsuit Against OpenAI - Reactor

Today, The Authors Guild and seventeen high-profile authors filed a class-action lawsuit against OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. 'The Authors Guild serves to protect the literary landscape and the profession of writing. This case is merely the beginning

Toxic Fandom: How Hollywood Is Battling Fans Who Are ‘Just Out for Blood’ — From Social Media Boot Camps to Superfan Focus Groups

Hollywood is increasingly contending with toxic fandoms—fan groups that engage in aggressive, often bigoted behavior toward creators and actors. To address this, studios are implementing strategies such as social media training for talent and forming superfan focus groups

It’s useful that the latest AI can ‘think’, but we need to know its reasoning | John Naughton

John Naughton discusses OpenAI’s o1 model, known as “Strawberry,” which employs a “chain of thought” approach to enhance reasoning capabilities. He emphasizes the importance of transparency in AI reasoning processes to ensure trust and understanding.

Dump, post, repeat: how Instagram became a social media junkyard

Instagram users are increasingly posting curated “photo dumps”—collections of seemingly random, unedited images—to convey authenticity. This trend reflects a shift from polished content to a more casual aesthetic, though the effort behind these posts suggests a continued emphasis