Netflix eyes game development to expand its community
Netflix is expanding its service to feature video games and has on-boarded EA and Facebook executives to head up game development. Will this strengthen the belief that subscriptions are the future of the industry? Between binging an endless library of films, tacky reality shows, satirical cartoons, and high-brow TV dramas, it’s...
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Health AI ‘iAge’ predicts when our immune systems will fail
Health AI is now reportedly capable of predicting the year each of our immune systems will inevitably falter, and whether or not people are likely to develop cardiovascular problems later in life. Remember those old school apocalyptic websites that used to show live countdowns to our random death dates, usually...
Can chemical upcycling solve the plastic waste crisis?
Scientists have discovered a way to transform plastic bottles into vanillin, the compound which gives vanilla its aroma and taste. Is it an innovative solution to plastic pollution, or just a headline-grabbing experiment? I’m sure you’ve heard about plenty of innovative recycling techniques, from tasteful art displays to quirky...
Could algorithms alter the way we find new musical talent?
Over 25 million creators now use SoundCloud. With so much music available, are algorithms the solution to finding the next pop sensation? Algorithms are now accepted as an integral part of the digital world. They determine what pops up on our social media feeds, allocate tailored advertisements, and are useful in...
Gen Z are applying to jobs through ‘TikTok Resumes’
In its latest effort to connect brands and creators, TikTok is piloting a new job recruitment feature called ‘TikTok Resumes.’ Applications are about to get a whole lot more creative. If you’ve been looking for a way to get creative within job applications – beyond turning your skills into arbitrary...
Pinterest just banned all weight loss ads
The image-sharing service has become the first major social media platform to prohibit any language and imagery that denigrates – or idealises – a certain body type. If, like me, you’re tired of being bombarded with dubious body-shaming ads while scrolling through social media, you’ll be happy to hear that...
YouTube’s ‘recommendations’ still pushing harmful videos
YouTube’s recommendation algorithm is reportedly guilty of sharing videos featuring misinformation, violence, hate speech, and other content in violation of its own policies. With more than 2 billion monthly visitors, and a billion hours of content viewed every day, YouTube remains the undisputed mecca of long form video content in 2021. Outside of binging our favourite channels on loop, many of us lurch from video to video via the platform’s recommended...
New tool created for teens to report leaked nudes online
The charity Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has launched a tool for under-18s who are concerned their intimate photos will be shared online. Content can be reported and prevented from being reuploaded. Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has created a tool designed to give children new powers to prevent their private or explicit content from being shared online. By using the ‘Report Remove’ feature on the Childline website, young people can flag content...
Big tech threatens to quit Hong Kong over vague privacy laws
An internet coalition including Facebook, Google, Apple, Twitter, and Amazon could be about to halt its services in Hong Kong if a proposed anti-doxxing law is to go ahead.
Big tech is getting serious about free expression, and an entire region now faces the possibility of being unfriended.
A Singapore-based internet group comprised of some of the world’s biggest tech companies including Facebook, Google, Apple, Twitter, and Amazon has
Frame is the one-stop portal for ‘approachable’ therapy online
As mental health services continue migrating online, Frame is providing a portal to make therapy feel more ‘approachable’ for clients and accessible for practitioners. Covid-19, for better or worse, has shaken up countless industries over the last 18 months and the face of therapy looks to have changed forever. Being forced inside by national lockdowns has led to upticks in loneliness, anxiety, and grief across the planet, while countries with loose...
