Stick To It

Have you ever seen two dogs so ready to play with, what must be, the world’s tiniest stick? We certainly haven’t. Watch as these pups bring their owner the perfect play thing — and are proud of it.

Via r/Aww on Reddit

Savage Copyright

When Black creators make a phrase or dance that goes viral, they rarely see proper credit. But one TikTok user is staking her claim. 20-year-old Keara Wilson has copyrighted the viral moves she created to Megan Thee Stallion’s song “Savage.” The dance only took Wilson an hour to make but, in an interview, she says she cried when she saw celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Alba and even Megan herself doing the moves.

Via BuzzFeed News

Facebook & Germany’s Elections

The German elections are coming up and we here at Mozilla are continuing to hold big tech companies accountable for political misinfo on their platforms. Did they learn anything from the US election experience? We’ll be watching – and you can help. Also, be sure to check out our study of TikTok’s relationship with political ads.

Via Mozilla

Viral Virus Videos

In the U.S., the White House is hiring teen influencers to make viral content online. You didn’t read that wrong, that is literally what’s happening. With bad actors filling social media with misinformation about coronavirus and the vaccines, the White House is enlisting help from Twitch streamers, TikTok stars and pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo in order to fill the web with accurate vaccine information.

Via New York Times

Zoom Payouts

Well the good news is you may have some money coming your way. The bad news? It’s because Zoom’s been sharing info about you with Facebook, Google and Microsoft (LinkedIn, more specifically). The company that makes the popular video-calling app has agreed to settle an $86 million class action lawsuit. Some could see $15 while others may receive a 15% refund on their Zoom subscription.

Via BBC

Hand It Over

In other “money in exchange for things that should worry you” news, Amazon will now give you $10 in exchange for a copy of your entire handprint. Which is worrying on many levels! If only because, unlike an email address or password, biometric data can’t be changed or swapped for a new one if it ever leaks. Think carefully about redeeming that $10.

Via TechCrunch

Who Has A Voice In Tech?

Sometimes it feels like the most prominent female voices in tech are automated robot voices, according to a new opinion piece in MIT Tech Review. And when actual human women like ex-Google worker Dr. Timnit Gebru speak up, they’re silenced. Check out this article on valuing women’s contributions and how the tech industry should really be doing a better job.

Via MIT Tech Review

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