We start this week with Emanuel’s wild story about Spotify publishing AI generated tracks that look like they come from artists’ official accounts. One problem: those artists died a long time ago. After the break, Joseph tells us about a company that is selling data hacked from computers to debt collectors. In the subscribers-only section,…
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 Madonna-whore algorithm, reader tips, and jazz. SAM: Yesterday morning I published a story I started working on weeks ago and only in the last week or…
Wednesday’s end of free Windows 10 support is an environmental disaster in the making, with as many as 400 million computers that cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 set to be cut off from receiving free security updates. The move is an egregious example of planned obsolescence that will inevitably result in the early deaths…
In October of 2023, Marc Andreessen, founder of the Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), published the “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto,” arguing that human ingenuity has been stagnated and demoralized by regulation, and that the only viable path forward for society is the accelerated development and adoption of new technologies, and specifically artificial intelligence. …
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed it is flying Predator drones above the Los Angeles protests, and specifically in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to a CBP statement sent to 404 Media. The statement follows 404 Media’s reporting that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has flown two Predator drones above…
A new tool searches your LinkedIn connections for people who are mentioned in the Epstein files, just in case you don’t, understandably, want anything to do with them on the already deranged social network. 404 Media tested the tool, called EpsteIn—as in, a mash up of Epstein and LinkedIn—and it appears to work. “Search the…
Large parts of the CDC’s website and several important databases were taken down on Friday and Saturday to comply with Trump’s executive orders banning DEI content. Saturday, a message at the top of the CDC’s home page said the website “is being modified to comply with President Trump’s Executive Orders.” CDC websites and databases taken…
By Ts Mohd Roydean Osman In today’s hyper-connected world, cybersecurity threats aren’t just evolving—they’re mutating at breakneck speed. As data breaches hit harder and hackers grow bolder, the industry is turning to AI not as a weapon, but as an entire arsenal. At the heart of this transformation lies the…
The Department of Homeland Security has issued a directive establishing DHS policy for the use and acquisition of artificial intelligence as part of efforts to advance AI innovation and governance while managing risks.The directive issued on Jan. 15 states that specifications for technical requireme
DeepSeek, a new Chinese AI chatbot startup is receiving new attention from Silicon Valley after a surprising launch.
